Feb. 17-23, 2019 Sunshine, Funeral, 90th B-day Party, Root Canal, Movies

Feb. 17-23, 2019 

Sunshine, Funeral, 90th B-day Party, Root Canal, Movies

Just for fun, I'm posting all my attempts to catch Dd being cute with her two boys---Henry and Dickens---who were fighting over her attention.  I'm posting them in the order of taking them and never did get a good picture although I tried to!

Hello Friends!

A busy week; with sunshine!  I always took sunshine for granted, until I moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan.  The sun came out on Monday so I rushed to get my camera to get some pictures.  But, then the sun reappeared often throughout the week. There had not been three days in a row with sunshine, but perhaps we broke that record this week.  It was so nice to see blue skies again.  It feels so weird to see gray skies all day, day after day, but that is typical for this region.  Living in Indiana for 15 years spoiled me!  Most days are sunny and often I felt there was too much sunshine!  Long gone are the days of closing the curtains to get a break of the penetrating sunshine.  I certainly enjoyed this week's special treat of sunshine!  The temperature was extremely cold most days--around 5 degrees in the mornings and snow here and there, like normal.  The poor chickens couldn't go all the way to the outer coop because of the wind chill, but I did let them in the plastic wrapped outer run one day.  This February has been super cold and snowy this year.

Movie Theater: Lego Movie 2

Dd and Dh had gone to the movies, back in Indiana, to see the Lego Movie back in 2014.  Dd wanted to go with Dh back to see the sequel, but this time I invited myself to go along with them!  I have to admit, I fell asleep fairly quickly as it just wasn't that interesting. I kept waking up and trying to force myself to pay attention, as we paid good money to see this movie!  I had to chuckle when I looked over and saw Dh sound asleep too!  We normally do not sleep in the movies as we don't go very often.  Two reasons for our napping: 1) the movie wasn't very interesting. 2) The theater has these wonderful recliner chairs that elevate your legs and feet and you feel like you are in a high-tech bed!  We have the best movie theater, the seats are awesome---which is obviously a blessing and a curse! 

Dd's Lesson Motivation:

This was a particularly difficult week for Dd's lessons.  She really struggled with motivation.  

Chickens:

Ah, the poor chickens at the end of winter...I feel so bad for them!  I've been cooking up special meals for them at least once per day, sometimes twice a day, and a few times I've done it three times in one day.  Being a novice with chickens I probably over-do and spoil them, but I just am trying so hard to keep them healthy.  A few girls look a bit dirty and worn so I have been really making an effort.  This week I've been making a big pot of rice then adding canola oil, cornmeal, flax, scrambled eggs, crumbled egg shells, and any food left-overs available.  Then I take it out to the coop and dump in an equal amount of their feed into the pan or bowl and stir until the feed it thoroughly mixed in and then serve.  They love the mix.  I fear that they love it so much they aren't eating their plain food as much!  

Funeral: Ken

We lost a friend from church this week.  He and his wife shared their pew with us each week.  There is something to sharing a pew with another couple that made me feel like we had a special connection.   I know everyone always says there isn't assigned seating at church, but humans certainly are creatures of habit and I'm betting they have sat there for years before we moved here!  It has been so sad not seeing him in our pew more often as the months of his cancer diagnosis stretched on.  He was such a nice, quiet, hunting-fishing type of guy, a guy like Dh.  He went to be with the Lord on Tuesday and his funeral service was at church on Friday.  I made a huge batch of potato salad and Dh made two different desserts: frosted brownies and shortbread, chocolate, peanut butter squares---everything from scratch.  The service had over 200 people there.  It made us all so pleased to see such a huge turnout for such a humble guy.  He had planned every detail in advance; asking both our last pastor and a new one both to have time preaching the word.  Perhaps some people came that hadn't been in a church in a while that needed a reminder of the love, support, fellowship, brother/sisterhood that a church can provide, not to mention salvation.  We hope hearing how Ken loved the Lord will plant a few seeds in their hearts. 

90th Birthday Party: Don

I have never been to a 90th birthday party before, at least not one with a man standing for at least 4-6 hours greeting everyone with a huge smile on his face!  Don is one in a million.  Don, his wife, their six children, and various other relatives filled our fellowship building along with church friends like Dh, Dd and me.  It was quite a turnout!  Don retired from being our church greeter this year.  Until recently he was the first person you would greet when you walked in our church's front door.  I was so happy to see Don surrounded by so many people that love and appreciate him like I do!

Felt Bird:

I finished another felt bird this week.  I went back to the design I was using last week and was pleased with the end result.

Endodontist: Root Canal

The penicillin really helped diminish the pain from my infected root in my mouth.  My dentist, Sammy, recommended a fantastic endodontist.  I was pleasantly surprised at how well this procedure went.  I think I was only there an hour and a half.  Most importantly, he didn't hurt me!  My mouth wasn't even sore the next day from all the shots he had given me to make sure I was thoroughly numb for the procedures.  I had been alternating between Ibuprofen and Acetaminophen every 2-3 hours up until the procedure, but all that ended after the visit.  I was completely off the meds by the day after the visit; which was important to me because NSAID's are horrible for my sensitive stomach.  Praise the Lord for all the answered prayers!

Gerd/IBS:

Not a good week.  All the penicillin and meds really soured my system.  This just wasn't a great week for my body.  Hoping it can bounce back now that my tooth is fixed.

Bible Study: (my bible study)

Armor of God by Priscilla Shirer

So far, I am really enjoying this study.  

Dd's Academic Progress:

Bible:

Church, Sunday School, Youth Program was canceled this week due to horrible snow and blizzard winds (100,000 without power in Michigan again this week).  Bible Study going really well (independent) Word of Life Bible Study and Awaken: 90 Days with the God who Speaks by Priscilla Shirer for daily devotional.

Home Economics:

Moo-Less Pie

Grace Co-Op Classes:

Dd is doing really well in all her classes.  She continues to need some help from Dh on the Algebra lessons but is independent on all the other classes.

Cultural Geography (BJU)

Algebra I (Saxon)

Spanish I (BJU)

Introductory Logic

Exploring Economics by Ray Notgrass

Volunteering: 

1 1/2 hours at church Olympians program

1 1/2 hours at the library: Story Time helper 

Physical Exercise:

Treadmill at least 3x this week

Audios:

Jane Eyre: by Charlotte Bronte: In Process

My Antonia by Willa Cather: In Process

Next Week:

Hopefully, next week will be less eventful.  We had church activities Sunday, Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday.  I'm hoping to get back to my workouts that I had to stop doing with my tooth infection for the past two weeks.  We need to start thinking about planting tomato seeds inside soon; spring is getting closer although the weather next week is supposed to be back in the low single-digits part of the week.  The forecast for Michigan the first two weeks of March isn't looking like it will be any warmer; perhaps colder than now.

May the good Lord bless and keep you!

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