"A Friend Loves At All Times"

"A friend loves at all times." Prov. 17:17. This is one of my favorite Bible verses. I have tried to live by it, but feel I am unsuccessful a lot. Doesn't that feel comforting, though, to think that your friend loves you through thick and thin. I have friends that love me that way and have seen me through some very tough times. I couldn't have made it without them! The rest of that verse says "and a brother is born for adversity." In my case that would mean sister. I have two sisters and a sister-in-law. All three of them epitomize that verse. They have been there for me all the way. I see it as proof that God cares for us and answers our needs before we even realize we will have them. How comforting that is. If you have questions about God and Jesus Christ, I certainly don't have all the answers, but I would love to discuss my personal experience with you.

Why Music?

Why music?  That is a very good question!  It is as hard to answer as why pink or why Peanuts?  From about 5th grade on I knew playing the piano was for me.  Hymn playing is something that some people find to be easy and others find very hard.  It came easily for me so I was playing for opening at Sunday School by 5th grade.

One thing my mom did that I think was very smart was buying us sheet music to any songs we wanted.  I remember learning "How Great  Thou Art."  On a Sunday morning that I consider a turning point in my life I was playing it in the Sunday School classroom before Sunday School.  I was a 5th grader.  A high school guy named Rocky Albers was the pianist in the 4th grade classroom. He was a fabulous pianist that I admired a lot.  He walked into my classroom and told me to keep playing and to play louder.  Then he went into the 4th grade room and started to play with me.  What he added was exquisite.  I will never forget that day and that duet!  My only regret is that I couldn't be out in the hall listening.  He has no idea what he did for me that day, and that he actually kickstarted my musical career.  I often think I need to find a way to thank him, but I'm sure he has no memory of it.  I still love to play duets to this day!

Life After Transplant

You might wonder how it feels to be a person who has received a transplant.  Besides the fact that you feel incredibly blessed because your life has been saved you actually feel pretty normal.  I feel like it is surreal.  I know it happened, and I have a magnificent scar to prove it, but it is hard to realize it fully, too.

I do have to take several medications.  They all have possible side effects, but I don't read about them or worry about them.  I decided right away that God wouldn't save my life and then let medications kill me so I will handle side effects if and when they appear.  One of them gave me severe migraines so a change was made.  That is the only problem I have noticed.

I feel well which can be deceptive.  Three times I have felt perfectly well and found out I wasn't.  Two of those times I even had to enter the hospital.  I am blood tested fairly often to keep an eye on things.  Sometimes medication changes are made, but after the first year that has not been as frequent.

I walk a fine line with my immune system so that I don't go into rejection.  My immune system can be a fighter and give me trouble!  I am a social person and have had to learn that sometimes I can't go where there's going to be a crowd, especially during flu season.

I was so weak and sick before my transplant that I never dreamed I could feel this well again.  In my opinion I am pretty much back to normal which is a MIRACLE!  There is absolutely no way I could have had company last weekend at my home.  Actually, I seriously doubt I would have lived to my 42nd anniversary.  God used a wonderful young man's unselfish choice to be an organ donor and saved my life!

42nd Anniversary

Happy 42nd Anniversary to us!  I can't believe it has been this long.  Where did the time go?  Also, can you believe I actually found a way to get back on my blog?  I have not been able to get on for ages.  I'm not sure I will be able to get back on again an hour from now, but at least I'm doing a new post for now.

Hayley snapped this picture of us the other day when we were celebrating with my cousins and sister and brother-in-law.  It's not too bad, but the people in this picture have aged I tell you!   Just the other day our granddaughter, Molly, looked at our wedding picture and told me that I didn't look the same at all, but grandpa did.  That is the story of my life!  Oh, well, truth hurts!  :D

In the group picture left to right you see Joyce & Stephen, Us, Ken & Connie.  Ken & Connie were married the same year we were in June.  They are the same age, too.

We had a great time with all the family.  Our kids were there, too.  Nicholas and Brooke hosted dinner at their beautiful new home.  Hayley, bless her heart, was the photographer.  Molly & Halston were our entertainment.

                                                                                     Uncle Nicholas managed to get the kitties to come out from under the bed for some loving from the girls.  This helped his popularity rating go up immensely!

All in all we had a wonderful day!  It makes getting old worth it when you have so many blessings!  Thank you, dear God for all 42 years!

Doctors I Have Known, Part 4

I haven’t added to this series in a long time.  I still haven’t managed a picture with Dr. Dexeus.  I did, however, pin down my transplant surgeon, Dr. John P. Duffy, today for a picture.

As I said before, I know a LOT of doctors, and feel that God has divinely intervened with all of them.  I couldn’t ask for a better team of caring, knowledgeable men and women.  Dr. Duffy is one of three surgeons that comprise my transplant team.  He is the one who did my surgery, and I can’t thank him enough for doing such a wonderful job.

When I first met him, I asked him if he were old enough to be a doctor.  When you look at his picture you’ll see why.  He told me he was old enough for a lot of things!  J  But seriously he is just a little older than my sweet Hayley.  Yes, he is also young enough to be my son!

He is my main specialist now, since he did my surgery.  It amazes me that he remembers me when he sees me outside of the office.  He has many patients so I didn’t expect that.  One afternoon he saw me in the hall at the hospital and called my name to come see Dr. Kautzman.  They had seen me in the hall, and she didn’t believe it was me so he had me come over and show her how well I’m doing.  That also made me feel that I am recovering well which is so comforting.

I saw him today and left his office feeling that all was well, and that he is on top of things.  He has a fun sense of humor which you know is important to me.  He can be very serious when he needs to be, but a smile is always near by.

If you ever need a transplant, Heaven forbid, you are in good hands if you have Dr. Duffy for your surgeon.  

  

Transplant

I am one of those people who have been blessed with vibrant good health.  Dennis and I seldom, if ever, met our insurance medical deductible.  That is why all of this came as such a shock.

I have unsuccessfully fought a weight problem most of my life.  If you can think of a weight loss plan, I have tried it.  I did not do fin/fin, however.  I’m sure I misspelled that.  In 2003 I decided to try an over-the-counter weight loss pill called Malibu Trim by the Taebo Corporation. I took a pill in early January and 3 hours later came down with chilling and aching.  I assumed I had the flu.  Two weeks later I felt better so I took another pill.  The same symptoms occurred, this time much worse.

This was on a Sunday.  By Friday I had turned yellow and was so ill I had Nicholas take me to the doctor here at Fairview.  That is when I started seeing Dr. James Garner as my PCP, a wonderful guy.  He immediately entered me in the hospital.  I was sure the pill had caused it because things were identical.  No one agreed with me.

After a week at the Fairview Hospital I was taken by ambulance to Integris Baptist Hospital at Oklahoma City.  I was now under the care of Dr. Gurakahr at Nazih Zuhdi Transplant Institute.  I’m sure I don’t have to tell you I was terrified and had turned dark yellow. 

After a biopsy I was proved right!  It showed a chemical damage of 25%.  They began to look at that pill with different eyes.  I was told that my liver should heal itself.  I improved rapidly, lost 60 lbs., and didn’t have to quit my job.  Things went along pretty well for 6 years.  I didn’t feel perfect, but after all, I was in my 50’s.  Age was affecting me, too, I figured.

Things took a dramatic turn in March of 2009.  I’ll begin with that next time.

My niece, Rhonda, delicately hinted that I needed to update my blog.  Since I hadn't written since the 4th of July, I think she was right.

A lot has happened in my life since then, and most of the time I was too ill and weak to even get on the computer, let alone blog.  I am getting ready to do a series on my transplant experience.  I'm having a little trouble with writing about it, but I do feel it will make me feel better to share.  If I can help the next person in any way, that will be my delight.  It is an experience like nothing I've ever known.  Facing your mortality is not that fun, but God never promised us a life full of fun.  What He has done is bless me beyond measure.

Through the years I have blogged a little about living with liver disease.  I advise you to go back and reread those (if you can stomach it!)  :D  I did, and I survived it!  :D

I'll go into more detail later.  I'm dwelling on my blessings today.  My two precious granddaughters, Molly and Halston, are on my mind.  Here are their Christmas pictures.  You can see why I feel so blessed!

P.S.  If you're wondering "What's up with the blue background?"  Well, I just couldn't find a pink that went along with the picture.  Hard to imagine, I agree!  :D

Favorite Moments In Time!

I know we all have moments that stick in our minds.  I have 5 that we call my laughing stories.  Every single time I think about them I laugh hysterically.  No one else thinks they are as funny as I do.  Never could understand why!  Every once in a while I think of them and can’t remember all of them.  Today I decided to write about them so I won’t have to call my children and ask them what they are anymore.  I know that’s pathetic, but I truly had to call them both today for help.

1.  These can’t be in chronological order because this story is number one and always will be!  So here goes!

When I was in college I had a friend who told me this story.  Let me make it clear I wasn’t any part of it but I have laughed my head off every time I think of it ever since.

My friend was taking an astronomy class.  It had to meet at night because they had to be able to see the stars.  They met at the football field and the teacher would point out different things for them to observe.  (I am laughing while I type this!)  He said everything was fine at first because the weather was warm and the evenings beautiful.  What makes me laugh is that when the weather got cold they were walking around in a circle trying to keep warm.  The teacher would be talking away and they were totally ignoring him.  If someone tried to stop and look up and see what the teacher was talking about they would shove him and tell him to keep moving!  All they were doing was walk in a circle and try to keep warm!  (I have tears in my eyes from laughing.  Just ask my kids, they will verify that I laugh myself silly over this story.  They don’t get it.)

2.  This next one happened when I was in college, too.  I WAS part of this one.  I was in an operetta, a musical, and an opera when I was at SWOSU.  I especially enjoyed being in “The King and I”.  It has nothing to do really with my part.  (I had the glory of being wife #9.)  During one scene of the play the people of Siam put on an evening of entertainment for visitors from England.  All of the “wives” came out and sat down on the floor on our feet to sing our parts in “Small House of Uncle Thomas”.  Night after night at rehearsal my feet went to sleep sitting that way. 

The stage was pretty dark for this scene because the spotlight was on the main character.  There were people who ran across the stage carrying rachets and other sound effect makers.  These people were totally dressed in black so that they wouldn’t be so noticeable.  They even had on black hoods that had eye holes cut in them.

What happened next was purely accidental.  The first night of the performance I decided that since I was on the end no one would notice if I didn’t sit on my feet.  I curved them to the right behind me and everything seemed fine.  My dear friend, Woody Leonard, was running across with a rachet.  He had to do such a quick change into this costume that they didn’t get the hood on right.  The eye holes were to the side but they couldn’t take time to fix it.  He just had to put up with it.  I know you can guess what happened.  As he ran past me he tripped over my foot and fell off stage right.  (Time out to laugh!)  Thankfully he wasn’t hurt.  I felt terrible about it even though I thought it was so funny. 

The next night when it came time to perform this number I decided I had to sit on my feet!  So I did!  Here came Woody again.  You can just imagine!  He tripped over me again and fell exactly the way he had done the night before.  This time all of the “wives” were laughing out loud on stage.  Even our director was laughing.  I was totally innocent this time. 

What makes this even funnier to me is that night after night when we rehearsed this number, he never once tripped over me, not even at the dress rehearsals.  Then it happened in both performances!  (No one else tripped over me, just Woody.)

3.  This story happened when I was in high school.  I, as you can imagine, dearly loved being in the choir.  I sang soprano in those days.  My friend, Gayle, sang alto.  We sat sopranos, basses, tenors, altos so she was clear across a large room from me.  I know it’s hard to imagine but I was turned around talking to someone behind me when I heard Mr. Marsh yell “Francy Smudrick”!  I turned around ready for him to scold me.

Instead, he said “Gayle wants you”!  She had been trying to get my attention.  Then he made her stand up and ask me her question.  All she wanted to know was if I planned to go the ballgame that night.  She was so mad and still gets mad when I bring it up.  I get to laugh about this when someone mentions it in front of her.  Yes, people in choir remember it.

4.  This one happened at Karl’s Ideal Grocery store.  The kids and I were in the checkout lane when one of the checkers yelled “Ow – that shocked me!”  He was messing with something plugged into a socket.  Then he turned to his friend who was also a checker and said “You touch it”.  His friend looked at him and said “I’m not touching it if it shocked you.”   They just stood there and we started laughing.  I haven’t stopped since.

5. Nearly everyone in my family, except me, is a dog lover.  When we had family get-togethers at mom & dad’s house someone always had their dog with them.  My sister, Joyce, and her daughters have always had “frou-frou” dogs, as I call them.  Several of us were sitting around the table when my younger sister, Betty, bent over and picked up one of the dogs.  She was holding it up close to her face cooing with it and then it happened.  The dog stuck his tongue down her throat.  If it had happened to me (which it NEVER will) I would have gagged out.  In this case I laughed myself silly and still do every time I think of it!

6. I think I will have to have a number 6.  Last year’s story of my birthday trip to Dallas makes us all laugh.

Nicholas says that now they don't even have to mention the actual story.  You can just yell "one" and I start laughing.  Sad, but true!

Liver Transplant

Two words I never expected to hear in my life are now consuming my mind - liver transplant.  At first I couldn't take it in, and I'm still having a little trouble with it.  However, I can feel God's peace comforting me and the prayers of all of my loved ones.  I've said this many times, but I have to say it again.  I have been blessed with friends and family.  They sustain me.

I have decided that there is really no choice in this matter.  I have to go through with the transplant process. The alternative is not an option to me.  I have to trust God to lead Dr. McFadden as he treats me.  I have an appointment on January 17 with Dr. McFadden, and I am planning to start the ball rolling that day.  He seems sure that I will qualify.  I pray that I will.

The transplant process is pretty involved and the sooner we start the better.  I would rather get it over with whatever it entails.

I guess I'm asking that you keep me in your prayers.  I'm not a very brave person, but God is my protector and keeper.  I know that I can make it through with His help.

Happy New Year!

January 1, 2012!  Just after midnight - may this be the start of a  happy, blessed year.  Dear Lord, give me opportunity to serve You.  AND help me to be ready and willing.

A Different Sort of Christmas!

I have been waiting to write about this because I needed time to focus my thoughts and get a little bit past all the emotions!  I'm still emotional about it all, but do have a little more perspective.

This year I have my mortality to think about more than ever.  Believe me, it is not easy to face.  At first when Dr. McFadden mentioned a transplant to me my mind was blown.  It took all of the Christmas spirit out of me in one big whooosh!  The next day at school was pretty hard for me to get through.  I had missed several days of school so all the teachers (a wonderful group of caring people) were asking if I were feeling better.  It was pretty hard to respond without tearing up.  Talking to Mark Van Meter, my principal, was probably the hardest.  He is a wonderful, caring, man and handled this emotional wreck (ME) in a wonderful way.

When class started I had scheduled to practice carols with 2nd grade.  We sing 2 songs every morning at opening during the Christmas season and have an hour of caroling on the last day before school is out for break.  Therefore, we learn lots of Christmas songs!  2nd Grade proceeded to minister to me with their sweet voices.  Before long I was able to act more like myself.

Since that day all of my students have lifted my spirits in a way I couldn't have foreseen.  There is nothing in this world sweeter than children's voices singing!

I am in a more reflective mood this year.  I haven't gone as far out with the decorating, but have decorated.  I have gotten my Christmas spirit back to some extent.

As for Dr. McFadden, I told him that I pretty much DO NOT LIKE him anymore.  Doesn't he know that patients want to hear good news at their appointments?  I definitely need to straighten him out!
Seriously, I am grateful for him.  He is a great doctor.

I am finding that my mind is dwelling on the sacrifice our Lord and Savior made for  us, all starting at Christmas.  I am clinging to the fact that I am God's child and His plans for me are for my good, whatever they are.

All you really need is love, but a little chocolate now and then doesn't hurt. -- Lucy Van Pelt

I'm sure you know how much I love the Peanuts Gang.  I have my favorites (Schroeder & Lucy), but really enjoy all of them.  I was just looking through a devotional that uses thoughts from the Peanuts Cartoon Strip and just had to reflect a little on this quote.

Lucy is my kind of girl.  My sisters used to snidely call me "Lucy" when everyone knew I was much more like Mary Poppins, (practically perfect in every way)!  Calling me Lucy wasn't too much of an insult to me, though, because I loved her so much.

I have spent a blue afternoon reflecting on some things that are making me sad.  When I saw this quote I told myself to snap out of it.  Life does change, sometimes against our will, but who knows what joy is ahead - maybe even chocolate!  :D

I will miss those things that are changing, but the future is always exciting.  

Back To School, Part 2

I've been back at school now for three weeks, four if you count the inservice week.  I've had time now to reflect on whether I did the right thing or not.

I'm not going to say it has been all roses.  It has taken me a while to get used to the routine of a very busy morning with virtually no time to rest.  I am happy to report that I have been adjusting.

The students continue to delight me every day.  I do have my discipline to maintain, but their sweetness far exceeds any minor discipline problem I have had to handle.  I am constantly amused by their comments and am trying to store them in my memory.  Last Wednesday a second grade boy told me after opening that he loves to hear the piano "sing".  He stole my heart.

As far as my health goes, I have fared pretty well.  I have only had two of those days where I am so tired I can hardly function.  I haven't worried about those because I had them when I was staying at home, too.  They are just something I have to deal with, and fortunately they don't come very often.  I am suffering right now with allergies.  Being able to stay home hidden in my house would probably help with this, but that is absolutely no fun.

You may remember a post I did about a year ago about trying every year to fill out my grade book without a mistake.  I recently filled my grade book out, and I wasn't successful this time either.  My perfectionism is just going to have to accept this blow to its ego!  :D

Right now I feel I made a good decision to go back, I am enjoying it a lot, especially listening to children sing.  Last Wednesday we sang "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah" at opening.  The children did such a great job that I felt like having them sing it again just so I could enjoy hearing it again.  Made me smile all day!

Back To School!

Today the teachers reported for our in-service week.  I was excited to see everyone again.  In-service meetings can be long at times, but I generally enjoy the week of reconnecting and getting everything ready to go.

Mr. Burchfield, our superintendent of schools, gave me my motto for the year.  He probably has no idea how much his comment meant to me. When he was welcoming me back he mentioned my health issues, and that we were going to work things out for me to have a great year.  Then he said "Francy can get  some healing joy from the students."  That hit me right into the core of my being.  I have taken that to heart.  I'm sure you know how much I love to hear children sing.  Healing joy is exactly what I'm expecting.  Those precious children will bring me joy every day.  I will be looking for it and finding it, I'm sure.  Thank you, Mr. Burchfield!

The "Abbott" Hotel

Dennis & I spent the night in OKC at the "Abbott" Hotel  (Hayley and Aaron's house).  I'm not sure how well I can recommend it.  First they turned off all the electricity just as we were going to bed.  They blamed it on the weather, but.......?

Because of the lack of electricity Dennis couldn't use his CPAP machine. Therefore, he snored like a freight train.  AND it was HOT!  Yes, people, I even thought it was hot.  :D

I finally moved to a recliner in another room and slept on the floor for a little while in the early morning!  I think they were trying to insure that we never book another stay there.  However, the HOSTESS is precious and darling.  She is such a drawing card that they are going to have a tough time ever getting rid of us!

60th Birthday - Part Four!

Sunday morning, July 10, we loaded up and headed from Dallas to El Reno.  We were all anxious to meet Emmy's sweet baby, Liv.  She is a doll, almost as adorable as Molly!  Must be that "Smudrick" blood!  :)

This picture is almost all of my parents' great-grandchildren.  We were missing Sydney & Corbin.  Left to right we have Molly, Kline, Turner, & Liv.  It was a little hard to get Liv to look at the camera. We'll be able to get better pictures soon!  We have plans to take a picture of all the great-grands for Mom & Dad to use for their Christmas card.  Hope it works out!

This was a birthday weekend for three of us.  It was my actual birthday.  Emmy's birthday is July 11, and Betty Jean's is July 17.  Hayley went all out making decorations for my 60th birthday!  I have included a picture of them.  I really felt special!

I think you can tell that I had a wonderful, unusual birthday.  It took all the sting out of that "60"part!  :D

6oth Birthday - Part Three!

This is the most exciting part!  After a lovely, fun, HOT, day in Dallas we retreated to our hotel room.  We were staying in the beautiful Hampton Inn at Allen, TX.  I fell asleep at about 11:00 P.M.  Dennis put on his  sleep apnea rig and lay beside me watching TV.  After he turned the TV off  he put the remote control on the bedside table.  As he did that he accidentally pushed a button on the phone.  He didn't think too much about it because he hadn't lifted up the receiver.  A little later the phone rang.  Dennis still thought it was because he had pushed that button so he just lifted the receiver and put it back down.  That seemed to do the trick.

Then the phone rang again.  By now I am wide awake and put out with Dennis for waking me up.  By the time he got the CPAP stuff off and answered the phone, no one was there.  So, we settle in to go to sleep.  It wasn't very long until I was thoroughly awoken!  Someone was banging on our door and yelling that they were the Police.  They were yelling to open the door immediately.  Dennis was trying to get that CPAP stuff off again and put on his jeans.  He yelled back to let him get some clothes on.  I told Dennis not to be snotty, it's the Police!  We couldn't imagine what they could possibly want!

Well, in case you didn't know, there is an Emergency button on hotel phones.  It dials 9-1-1 even if the receiver is still on the hook.  Somehow Dennis managed to hit that button when he was putting the remote control on the bedside table!  The front office called us twice to check on us, but couldn't get us.  So in come the Police.

One very kind officer came in the room with me, and the other took Dennis out in the hall.  Here I was sitting in bed in my nightgown with the covers pulled all the way up!  The first thing he asked me was if I was ok.  Then he asked if Dennis had tried to hurt me in any way.  I told him I was fine and that Dennis had not tried to hurt me.  Then I told him that we were terribly embarrassed!  He proceeded to tell me that I was safe now and could talk to him.  I assured him that Dennis in no way would ever try to hurt me!

Next he asked me what exactly had happened.  I had been asleep during the first part so I told him that Dennis had accidentally pushed a button on the phone and all that had happened from there.  Then he wanted to know why we were in Dallas.  I told him Dennis had brought me there shopping for my birthday.  Next he wanted to know how long we had been married.

After checking our licenses and calling them in (thank goodness we didn't have any outstanding warrants!) he went out in the hall and told the other officer that everything was ok with me.  They came in and showed us what button Dennis had pushed.  I imagine they laughed all the way back to the police department!

Dennis was understandably upset when they left.  I told him he might as well get over it because I thought it was hilarious and that this was the most memorable birthday I have EVER had!  I am still laughing about it!

I did learn that I need to sleep by the phone from now on!!!!

Hayley and Aaron were across the hall from us.  Hayley told us that earlier some people had gotten off the elevator and were really loud. Then the next thing they knew the Police were banging on a door.  She wondered what kind of people were staying on that floor.  She went and looked out the peep hole on their door and saw that the Police were at OUR room.  Of course they worried immediately that something had happened to Nicholas and Brooke.

Poor Dennis, all he was trying to do was give me a great 60th birthday weekend.  He was so embarrassed, but might live it down someday. That is IF I ever quit talking about it!  :D

60th Birthday - Part Two!

Hayley, Aaron, & Molly took Dennis and me to Dallas for my birthday gift.  I had a choice between a party or a trip.  The trip won - hands down.  None of my other friends had done a party so it really wasn't an option for me.  Besides, I love time with my family.  The only thing that could have made it better would have been Nicholas and Brooke being able to come along.  July is a very busy month for Brooke.  She always takes her students to the National FCCLA Convention.

We left bright and early on Saturday, July 9, for Dallas.  It was a little bit close quarters for those of us in the back seat (except Molly).  Her car seat took up a lot of space.  I wasn't too uncomfortable, but I'm afraid that Hayley was.  Nevertheless, she bore it cheerfully, and we made it in good time.

First stop was close to Southern Methodist University.  There is a charming shopping district there.  We ate breakfast at Kuby's and shopped all around.  Two favorite shops were "Unmistakably Molly" and "Baby Bliss".  Of course Hayley and I both begged for one of "Unmistakably Molly's" ink pens.  They were PINK and had Molly's name on them so, of course, I loved them!

I totally love Sprinkles cupcakes.  Sprinkles was close by so I was treated to a Key Lime cupcake for my birthday cake.  LOVED IT!  Molly had fun there, and the cute little table just her size was adorable.
I just had to hit a few shops in this area, too.  Dallas is a shopper's paradise!  :)

I won't bore you with all of the shopping we did, but we hit a lot of our favorite stores that we enjoyed in Phoenix.  Sure wish they were in Oklahoma City.  I do believe there is hope that they will be coming.


Lunch/Supper was at In-N-Out Burger, another of my favorite places. I just love it that their cups, burger boxes, etc.  have Bible verses on them.  They are Rev. 3:20 on the burgers, Prov. 3:5 on the green shake cups, and John 3:16 on the red coke cups.  One time in Phoenix I asked a worker there what the verses said since they just say John 3:16 (for example). He didn't know the answer to that question.  That made me sad.  If I owned that restaurant, I would insist that everyone who worked there could quote them in case someone asked.


We finished the day with a salad supper from "Whole Foods".  Yummy!  More to come in Part Three!


(Rev. 3:20 - "Behold I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." 


Prov. 3:5 - "Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding." 


John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him  should not perish, but have everlasting life.") 

60th Birthday - Part One!

I'm not too crazy about turning 60 years old, but if you have no choice - grin and bear it!  It doesn't hurt if your family spoils you completely that weekend, too!

I was totally delighted by the birthday weekend I had.  It was memorable as you'll discover later on.  First I want to start with Friday night.  I knew that we had a trip to Dallas planned for Saturday and El Reno on Sunday.  As far as I knew Dennis and I were going to run a few errands in OKC Friday and then spend the night with Hayley, Aaron, & Molly so we could get an early start Saturday morning.

Dennis, Hayley, and Aaron were cooking up another plan.  Dennis told me that he wanted to leave at 1:00 on Friday.  When I was getting ready he told me I needed to dress up a little.  That certainly peaked my curiosity.  When we left I wanted to go through Fairview first, but he told me we didn't have time.  We had to be there by 4:15!  Now I was really wondering.  What could possibly start at that hour, too early for dinner, a concert, or anything else I could imagine?

When Dennis told me he was worried about rush hour traffic, I decided it must involve downtown OKC, but still no clue!  I tried not to notice too much what was around us when we parked because I didn't want to spoil the surprise.  Well, Dennis totally pulled it off.  We had reservations for The Melting Pot.  Ever since Hayley and Aaron went there I have wanted to go, but knew it was very pricey!  I never really expected to go there.
  
The Melting Pot is fondue at its finest!  We leisurely enjoyed our 4 course meal.  It took about two hours.  So much fun!  It was a once in a lifetime experience that I think Dennis even enjoyed!  He didn't even have a heart attack over the bill.  Obviously, he had been warned in advance.  As usual I got in trouble with Hayley because I didn't take a camera for a picture!


This is just the first part of a fabulous weekend!  More to come!  Hayley did take her camera so the rest of the trip was photographed!

I Am Sixty!

    Silly and goofy.

    In love with Dennis.

 EXcited to be entering a new decade.

   Thankful for each new day.

   Young at heart.