Now for some catching up...

It's been a long time since I really blogged!!! I mean, really!!!

However, now that the wedding is history, and I am not spending all of my "free" time (as if there really is such a commodity) sitting at my sewing machine frantically pleating silver shantung silk, I can catch all of my readers (all 2 of you) up with my real life.

So, let's see--where did I leave off??? Oh, yes----

Well, as you probably know the WonderHusband had knee surgery #1 in early April. He was off of work for 6 1/2 weeks and then finally went back on light duty. Which means they had him mostly sitting at a computer on a tall stool with his leg hanging down for 10 hours a day. (Not necessarily conducive to comfort on a post operative leg!) He was also wearing steel-toed boots and walking on concrete. (OUCH!!) It took BWC most of the 6 weeks that he was off to finally get a check to us to help pay bills. (We discovered that my income does not quite stretch far enough to cover everything!) WH finally was released to full duty as of Friday. One of the first things he did was using a forklift--and stepped down backwards full force on his post op leg!!! He has been most uncomfortable since then, and his therapist thinks he may have "tweaked" his leg a little. (Ya think!!) So, we are in a holding pattern on knees!!! We have been discussing having his left knee done sometime in December. Who knows???

My mother has been having some MAJOR pain issues. The light finally dawned when we saw an orthopedic surgeon last Friday. Mom has diabetes. She has lost about 40 lbs. over the last 8 months. Mom, also, broke her hip about 10 years ago, and the surgeon placed 3 pins in it to stabilize it. Losing 40 lbs., means she has lost a lot of fatty tissue--including the fat pad that was between the ends of the pins and the sciatic nerve that runs down her right leg. Hence, we have 3 titanium pins hitting a nerve every time she sits or lays down. PAIN!!!! The surgeon says that the best cure for the pain is to do the surgery to have the pins removed. Now, we are facing a quick outpatient surgery with an 86 year old woman that has congestive heart failure, asthma, and diabetes, among other health issues. Please pray that all of the doctors involved agree to do it! (She has been in so much pain that she was sleeping in only 10 minute snatches. That threw her whole body out of whack, and the household! The doctor finally gave her a strong pain med that at least allows her to sleep for the 5 hours that it is in effect!)

I am also having some intense pain from the arthritis in my knees. Don't know why it has chosen this time to flare, but it has.

In other news--I really like my new son-in-law's family! We went to an engagement party in Kentucky that Chris's dad, Tony, and step-mom, Cacky, hosted and had a wonderful time!!! This couple are the epitome of Southern Hospitality!!! And, you know, you've been around folks who are just so nice that you know it's all an act??? Well, Chris's family does NOT fit into that category!!! They are SOOOOO NICE and it's real!!! They just made us feel so comfortable and so accepted! It was a true pleasure to meet them. I'm glad Liz is getting some good in-laws along with a great husband and step-daughter! We, finally, got to meet Chris's mom, Crystal, at the wedding, and it was very easy to see where he got his dark hair and out-going personality! Crystal was everywhere!!! Chris's sisters are great! Three very different young women, with very different personalities, but, OH MY!, how they love their big brother!!!!

My "son", Daniel, finally did it!!! He graduated from MVNU with his bachelors in theology!!! I'm so proud of him!!! He refused to quit even if it was going to take him a long time to finish.

Abby and David Riley have finished Kindergarten! This school year went by really fast! They are both reading and LOVED going to school! David Riley decided yesterday to read everything he could get his hands on at daycare--so now, I guess we have to find some new "harder" books to challenge him! Abby doesn't like to read out loud unless she's only got one person to read to. (Hint, hint--she likes the cuddle time that goes with reading more than she likes the reading!) David Riley on the other hand will read anything OUT! LOUD! to anybody at anytime!!! (Cereal boxes, books, street signs, the announcements on the projector screen at church during offering...etc, etc, etc!) What different personalities the cousins have!

Jonathan has finally decided that being dry is much more desirable than the convenience of diapers, so other than the flying trips to the potty when he has played too long, he's finally potty-trained!!! YAYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!! Jonathan has, also, been signed up for a gymtastic class and is very much into hanging upside down on things and CLIMBING!!! Daniel and Carolyn have this great video clip of Jonathan climbing the door frame to his bedroom!!! It is absolutely hysterical to see this pint sized 3 yr. old shinnying up a door frame using his hands and bare feet!!

Because Hunter sees Jonathan hanging on things, Hunter has decided to try it, too. However, his 20 month old muscles are not quite up to it. He tries, though! He's going to be the more outgoing of the 3 and I predict that another year and Carolyn and Daniel may be investing in lots of duct tape to keep him in one spot!!!!

Well, I guess this is going to be it for now. Sorry that it has been such a looonnnnnggggg post, but I had 6 weeks to catch up on!!