Sunday, June 15, 2008

Fun with Donovan

It's been so much fun having Donovan with us for 12 days! He is such an amazing boy. We worked on a puzzle, played Clue, did the "magic dice" trick, practiced telling jokes, saw the baby donkeys, saw the littlest baby deer I've ever seen, watered trees & garden, mowed grass with Nana, played games on "pianoladynancy.com," ran "quick as a flash," transported the ducks to their babysitters, fed the fish, played dominos, feed the donkeys, drove the golfcart & tractor with me, picked blackberries & raspberries, and had "sayings" that Nana and I have to write down! I can't believe how amazing he is. We love having him come so much so that after he left Nana said, "I get up looking for him -- I miss him."

As some of you heard, I passed out at church one week ago. During my short hospital stay we checked out all kinds of possibilities. Apparently my dosage on the beta-blocking blood pressure medicene was too high and my pressure dropped too low. I'm feeling much better now. Thanks for all the phone calls and best wishes.

I'm in Secaucus again tonight and tomorrow. After a 2-hour hot wait at Avis, I got here too late to visit with Jason. Then I'll be in Philly Tuesday & Wednesday. We leave for Ashley's next Monday, June 23 for the birth of Madison on June 25. Nana and I are so excited about being there with them.

We'll be thinking of Alexa and Aaron as they leave for Colorado next Friday. Moving is such an emotional roller coaster. I've never had an easy one.

Nana and I pray for each of our kids every night.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

Snakes Alive!

Well, Nana and I were glad to hear that her biopsy was not cancerous. We were both very worried, so we were very happy with the good news.

Last Thursday night, I was putting water in the cattle tank when I saw a 6 ft. long rat snake (aka "chicken snake" as they eat eggs) crawling through the grass toward a big oak tree. He crawled right up that tree -- about 25 feet up to a limb. Nana had joined me about that time and was also shocked. He crawled out onto a limb into a hole. Out came two snakes all twisted up. He had found a female and they were mating at about 30 feet up in the air. I thought they were going to fall out of the tree at any minute. Kathy ran into the house to get a camera, but we can't email you the snake porn. After about 15 minutes, the one who had been in the hole, crawled back in (probably up there to lay her eggs).

The next day there was a squirrel out on that limb watching that hole most of the day. I couldn't help but think that that female rat snake loved baby squirrels also. We've been seeing those 6 ft. snakes for awhile -- I think they are getting some of the duck eggs, so staying around for more.

Buster, our tough cat, had been constipated for about a week. We took him into the vet yesterday, only to discover that he had rectal cancer which kept the muscles from working. So he had to be put to sleep. Nana and I had quite a cry over that, but buried him in a beautiful spot overlooking the lake. We both remembered him climbing trees when Fudge chased him or putting his head into Bear's mouth -- we laughed again.

I remember when Alexa's "White" kitty was killed by a bobcat and when the boys' "Black" kitty (with one eye left) was run over by a car. Those where also sad days, but today has been tougher.

Well Alexa and Donovan arrive tomorrow. Alexa will stay until Saturday and Donovan until June 16. We're going to have fun.