Can you say AAA??? Twice???

Let me begin with Saturday evening...
Mom and I headed off to church. You know, Community Bible Church - the BIG church at 1604 and Gold Canyon. It was 4:45 and we had just made it in time to get a good seat and settle in for a wonderful sermon by Robert... well, we tried to enter the parking lot and the policeman promptly stopped us and said - No church tonight ladies... WHAT??? Evidently there was a major power surge and it left the church property powerless --- well, let's just say they had no electricity... I know there was Power there if you get what I mean...
Okay, so we decided Sunday morning would be a great time to go to church...


I picked mom up at 9:45 and we headed to CBC - but all the way there I just kept thinking about the Sunday morning crowds and how it was not going to be a pleasant experience getting in and out of the parking lot... so we came across 1000 Oaks Baptist Church and it was 10:29 and the service started at 10:30. Talk about a fast left turn... we pulled into the parking lot, got a great seat and enjoyed an good old Baptist going to meeting service. The music was comtempory and the sermon was good. Great choice if I say so myself - and we didn't have to fight any traffic - I imagine there were only about 100 people there, so it was easy in and out!


Now on to the rest of the story...


I left Mom with Casey to meet some folks. We talked for over an hour and I knew it was time to get back to mom. I started to get in my car... but I couldn't, the keys were INSIDE locked up in the car! Oh my... what to do... call Jason! We had a spare set of keys at the house and he could just bring them to me and I could get in the car, go pick up mom and go about my business...
Whew... that was easy.... or so I thought....
We ended up at my house and... you guessed it.... somehow I locked the car accidently with my keys in the iginition and the spare key inside... That's where AAA comes in... they are just a phone call away.... thank goodness!!! So, an hour later the locksmith comes to jimmy my door and get both sets of keys OUT!

Twice in one day - I locked the keys in the car... now tell me I'm not losing my mind...
But the story doesn't end there.... I have a job interview downtown tomorrow morning at a place I am unfamiliar with so I decide to drive downtown to see exactly where this business is. I plug in the address in the GPS and start driving. I'm pretty close to the location, but I just can't find the place I am supposed to be. I go around the block and WHAM - my right back tire has a blow out! I'm lost and need to find a place to park... so I turn the corner and end up in the parking lot of a downtown church.
"Hello, AAA???" You guessed it - "Please come and change my tire..."

4 new tires later, I am all set. I'm telling you - the 2 calls I had to make in the last 2 days is well worth the cost of a membership..

Update on Casey

Mom and Casey sitting in the TV room of the Regent Care Center where he is living. This picture was taken on Monday morning, February 16. Casey was very responsive and we were able to understand most of what he was saying. He really is looking pretty good when he is up. Some of the meds the doctor has him on are helping give him a boost of energy and keeping his mind clear.

I try to leave mom with him for about 2 hours so they can visit, but when the time is up, she is ready to come back home to her apartment. She hates to leave him, but it is very tiring for her to sit and watch him struggle so.

Please keep both of them in your prayers as we go through this time. Casey will probably never been able to come back to the apartment because of the feeding tube he has. If that can be removed and he can eat again, and take care of basic needs, he will be able to return, but until that time, he will be living at the Regent Care Center which is just outside of the subdivision where Mom and Casey used to live.

Happy Birthday David!

It's all about the grill...

The kids (Jason, Allison, Joey & Stephanie) & I decided David (dad) needed a grill since we had moved into the house and we were still using the portable "camp" griller we got when we moved into the apartment. WOW! What a great present! He loves it...

The family got together on Sunday, Feb. 7 to celebrate the big day. Notice, Joey is exercising in the background, Jason is telling everyone what to do and David is grilling!

BACON EXPLOSION...

It's called Bacon Explosion. David and I were watching Good Morning America and this recipe was shown right before SuperBowl. Yummy! David decided he had to try it out. It's bacon on the outside, Italian sausage and cheese and more bacon on the inside and grilled for 2 hours and it was yummy - spicy as well - next time we'll try good ole Jimmy Dean sausage...

Looks pretty good, huh?

COMIC RELIEF...

The grandkids ended the celebration with a funny Happy Birthday song to Papa. It was a great day. So, until next year... here's to the birthday boy!!! Happy Birthday David. We love you.

You may be asking... Where Have You Been???

Well - to say the least it has been an interesting start to 2009. My last update showed us celebrating the new year in Mom & Casey's new apartment at Sterling House. On Jan 8, 2009, Casey got sick and ended up in the hospital. He had the flu and was dehydrated. Things went down hill from there and because he was unable to swallow, a feeding tube was placed in his stomach.

After a little over a week in the hospital, Casey was moved to a rehab center close by and remained there doing Physical, Occupational and Speech therapy. While we are hoping the feeding tube will eventually come out, the doctors say the chances of that are very slim. Even if he can swallow, he will not be able to get enough nutrients to remain healthy. As long as he has the feeding tube he will not be able to return to the Sterling House where they lived before all this happened.

This past week we had to move Casey to another facility and that is where he is going to "live" while he has the feeding tube. I have been taking mom to see him everyday for 3-4 hours, but even that is exhausting to both of us.

I was laid off from my job on January 2 - quite unexpectedly, but I know God is in Control because I would never have been able to cope with all this if I had a job that demanded 40 hours + a week. So far we are keeping our heads above the water - but that can only last so long... and I am constantly looking for employment - but me, like hundreds more are all looking for jobs. I know when the time is right, and the situation has settled down, God will provide THE job for me and I can take it without wondering how I will juggle this lifestyle I have been thrown into.

Please keep Mom and Casey in your prayers. It is hard on everyone involved. She wants him home and he wants to come home.

Maybe next time I find myself with a few minutes sitting at the computer, I can share some of the wonderful blessings that have occurred even during this time of trial...

Love to all,
Jo Ann