A True Gift from God

Yesterday was very exciting for our family ...... Little Miss Paige Marie Hollingshead came into the world.

I was driving my granddaughter Katie ( #1 of the 3) back to Bucknell when my phone alerted us to an incoming text and I told Kate to read it. When she clicked on to it we heard "... a crying baby"!!!! My other granddaughter Jessica ( aunt to the new arrival) had just sent us a video that was taken when she was 2 minutes old! 

Everyone is just thrilled that Paige is finally here and that she and her Mommy Leanna are both doing well.

So........ now I am a Great Grandmother.  And my son Chris is a Grandfather.

WOW!!
 

Last of the Lovely Days.....

Looks like this lovely weather will soon be a fond memory - the temps are supposed to begin dropping tonite and tomorrow will not be a jacket-free day. Soon our backyard will be all brown and barren and then it will be covered in white --- as we watch the seasons change.

Migraine Monday....

What a beginning to this week ...... a Migraine first thing.

Can't wait to see what the rest of the week has in store for me.

A Quiet Weekend So Far....

Woke up to sunshine and blue skies - a lovely fall day.
My friend Karen and I decided to go to a local craft show and then had a liesurely lunch at Bennigan's. It was so nice to just enjoy the day and the time together.
Came home just in time to see Penn State win! That always makes this household a happy one.
Then my phone rang and the voice on the other end belonged to one of my lifelong friends. What a lovely surprise that was. We had not talked in a very long time and what fun it was to fill each other in on the goings-on in our respective lives. There is nothing like reminiscing with someone who knows everything about you, all the way back to First Grade. Of course, realizing how many years have gone by since then is quite an eye-opener. Time sure does march on at a rapid pace.
And tomorrow is another day.
 

Returning to Normal, I Think

Despite the roller coaster ride of health issues we have been living on around here, Sam decided to join his friends in the woods today. Yep...... he went hunting.
I can't really blame him either. No one has answers for us and sitting around wondering what is going to happen next is really frustrating. So, off he went to do what he loves.
Gonna be a very long day...........

Met With My Sisters......

Last nite I was with my "Sisters"..... 6 other women who have been beside me since 1973. We are officially a "sorority" but moreso a family. When we are together we laugh,cry, eat.....drink, share, support, and care.
I was really down in the dumps yesterday, I almost begged off because I really didn't feel like going anywhere. But, I knew my friend Nancy had gone to a lot of trouble preparing for us so I made myself go. As always, I was very glad I did.
Being with these dear friends is always uplifting. It nourishes me, their very presence in my life makes me a better person. I am very blessed.
I think women understand each other in a way only they can. Sometimes we are the ones who lift someone up or encourage them forward ........ and then sometimes we are the ones who are leaning on someone and needing to hear their words of encouragement so that we can get through the day. Men just don't understand our need for our sisters.... not sure they ever could.
One other fascinating thing about the friendship between women is that distance or time makes no difference. You can be hundreds, thousands of miles from each other and perhaps not have been in touch for a very long time. Yet, one sound of that voice on the phone, or one word in a line in a letter or card and there you are! right where you were the last time you talked! I had one such phone call yesterday and it was like the sun burst into the dreary day.... I was talking to my friend! We caught up, complained, thoroughly dismissed her ex, commiserated over family situations and laughed..... always laughed.

So, yesterday was a good day....... looking forward to more

Another Monday.....

Had a quiet weekend this time....... definitely better than the last one!
It was nice to just go to church with no worries. Then we had a lovely surprise when our friend Matt invited us to join his family at the newly opened Capitol Restaurant for lunch. It is a remodeled movie theater and what a great job they did! There were 16 of us, including the new priest at Bloomsburg University, Father Thoms....and a good time was definitely had by all. Sam and I are already planning our return trip.
Today I am heading out to buy one more birthday present for "Little Sam" and then UPS his box so that he will have it tomorrow. Hard to believe the "youngest Youngs" (Sam and Katie3) are about to be 12 years old!!!!! ........of course, the next generation is about to join us so there will soon be another "young Young". Life does go on.
      

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It's been QUITE a week!

Things were going smoothly until last Friday around noon....... then everything went into a tailspin. Sam was napping on the couch and woke with quite a start and said he could not move his arms. Luckily, I was sitting on on the loveseat next to him and not attending a  local craft show as I had originally planned to do that day. He was able to move his arms quite soon and after determining that his blood pressure was very high and that he felt similar to the way he did when he had his heart attack, we decided to go to the Bloomsburg Hospital ER. After hours of tests, they decided to admit him for the night so they could monitor him. All the test results were in the normal range, including a cat scan but his blood pressure continued to be elevated. The next day they discharged him but advised we see his neurologist on Monday as well as our family doctor. They also said it appeared he had Horner's Syndrome --- a problem with his optic nerve that caused his pupil to be smaller than normal as well as his eyelid to be droopy. I had noticed it immediately after his spinal surgery 6 weeks before but no one would listen to me at the hospital or after.

On Monday we did see the two doctors and the neurologists confirmed that he was suffering from the Syndrome....and it is not something that will go away in most cases.  As for the rest, no one was sure what had happened on Friday --- really not reassuring, to say the least. An EEG was scheduled for Tuesday and he is now waiting for some feedback on that.

It is really nerve-wracking to just sit and wonder what happened --- it could have been a seizure, a TIA or something else -- but no one knows for sure. So, we just sit and wait and hope there is no other shoe to drop.

I did some computer research and discovered that several of the meds he had been prescribed after his surgery were possible causes of elevated blood pressure --- and I had him stop them. Both doctors agreed that was a good move -- but how come "I" had to figure that out and why were they prescribed to someone who is being treated for high blood pressure after a heart attack? So many questions and no answers.

Lazy Monday......

Spent the day recuperating from not sleeping much last nite. Sam was in a lot of pain and consequently neither one of got much rest. I just wish these "complications" from his surgery would end so that he is not in constant pain. It is so frustrating to see him feeling so bad and not be able to do something to ease the discomfort. Sure hope something heals soon so he can start feeling like himself again. Also hope that tonite is not a repeat of last nite.

It was a fun day....

We were able to watch Maddie compete and she came home with three ribbons --- 2 thirds and a fourth. She looked so grown-up in all her riding togs...... time sure does pass quickly.
We decided to celebrate and all three of us went to Olive Garden --- yummmmmm!!  Was hoping to post some pix but forgot to bring the cord that my phone camera needs to transfer to my computer.... and I also forgot my real camera!!!! Later

Family time....

We are enjoying being at our daughter Melissa's lovely home. She and Mike are going to a conference tomorrow so we have taken up residence for a few days. It will be nice to spend time with our granddaughter Maddie. Not living near family makes it hard to be a part of their everyday lives so we jump at any chance to visit. Tomorrow morning we get to see Maddie compete in horse show. Really looking forward to seeing her ride.

Hello There!

Well, I have finally decided to join the Blog world. Not sure why I was hesitant to do this since I am not exactly known for being shy...... but for some reason, I was unsure that I wanted to take this step.
Today is a lovely fall day and I decided to do something new and this is it!
This Saturday we are headed to our daughter's house to spend a few days with her daughter and we are excited that we are going to see her in a horseback riding competition. It will be our first time seeing her in all her glory and I am going to take lots of pix so I can scrap some pages. Since I have been "on hiatus" from my scrapbooking endeavors I am hoping this will spur me on to being more faithful at my favorite hobby..... time will tell........ stay tuned