Easter Blessings

I haven't blogged all month, so I'm going to get a little caught up while Mike attempts to get me past a level in Angry Birds Seasons that has defeated all my attempts to conquer. I figured it was time to pull in some logic. After this I'm giving it to young people. If Gib or Mariah can't do it I figure a preschooler might. I know just the young lady I will ask too. Haha. I've seen her playing it on an iPad. I don't know how good she is, but we'll find out who's better. Probably the kid.

It's been a busy and difficult month. All of that, plus aches and pains have kept me away from blogging. Been busy gardening with Grammy, getting the last of the patio punchlist items crossed off the list, and there's been alot on my mind. I have been fighting a cough since December's bronchitis that just does not seem to want to go away completely. It has really affected my sleep. Poor Mike, it has probably affected his too. It knocked a rib in my upper back out of whack and that started a upper back ache/muscle spasm that lasted nearly 2 months. There have been days where I can barely move if I stop moving... if you know what I mean. I am hopeful that it is just about to "let go" of the hold it has on me. It has been 2 days since I have been pain free. There was another time last weekend when I was pain free and it came back, so I am guarded about celebrating. I have been fantasizing about a massage, and have come ever so close to breaking a personal rule about going to the mall for a cheapie chair massage which I hear is wonderful, but oh my, do people look horrible in those chairs. The really fantastic news is that my chiro sent a coupon in the mail as part of his new expanded practice for an hour long massage for $29. I AM SO THERE!!!

Kids have a way of taking alot of your time, especially if they use your computer all the time, but even if they don't currently live here. We had some spring break fun, and we have had some post spring break illnesses that were big time stressers. As a matter of fact, on the same day, both Indie and Taryn were quite ill. It is something when you are considering what you will do if you are needed at the same time in different states. Taryn has recovered and will hopefully not put me through any more appendix scares. Indie is still working her way around to full recovery. I think it was the kidnapping and forced march home for a weekend that might have put the fear of mom into her. Or it could be the 17.3 lb box of TLC I mailed to her full of food I thought she could eat since she was unable to eat for a couple of weeks prior to that and I was freaking out. I did that in reverse and had to laugh because I snatched her up a couple days after UPS delivered my box. Then when I took her back, there was a box, more of a fatherly size, in the trunk packed by her dad. She says she will be bringing alot of that food right back home with her! (And Taryn, lest you feel deprived, I am pretty certain you don't want to be kidnapped by me, and I KNOW your Sour Patch TLC pkgs have weighed more if they were put all together! But go get yourself some right now - you deserve it after almost having appendicitis!!) Indy has been put through the wringer and now has a team of doctors working on her who are 99% certain all the scary stuff is ruled out. We are hopeful that her trip to Ethiopia will not be compromised and that her immune system can take that typhoid fever shot in the next couple of weeks. She has come so far from where she was a month ago. We may never know more than that she had some "funky virus" but I am just thankful that she is much better and that trend seems to be continuing. Prayers to get to Ethiopia is what is #1 on Indie's list!

I think prayers to help get them through finals and projects with flying colors in the next two weeks for both Taryn and Indy would also be helpful I'm sure!! We are still awaiting news as to who and how we will pick them both up on the same weekend.

Gib, Mariah and I observed the season of Lent. Mariah gave up sour patch; Gib gave up Dr. Pepper. It may not seem like much, but I assure you it was not easy for them. Gib especially had many days of sheer temptation and agony without his "Fix". One of the youth leaders gave up chocolate. I have never seen someone suffer so. We baked him oatmeal cookies one day just to help him get past the hump! Today he brought us chocolate chip M&M cookies. He had some in his car for after Easter services when he breaks his Lenten fast! He is a cool guy. I decided to do a Lent devotional, and add something on rather than do a take-away. Although it involved a bit of a sacrifice because I lost two mornings a week of computer time. I went to Good Shepherd for early morning prayer service on Tuesdays and Stations of the Cross on Thursdays. It was a very interesting, and a deeply personal experience. To finish off my Lenten devotional, I attended each of the Holy Week services: Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and of course, Easter Morning. I also helped my mom with the flowers for Easter Sunday. It would seem like alot of church, but it was not too much; rather it was incredibly touching and peaceful. Something it turned out was needed desperately to get through the last of winter and beginning of Spring. There is always challenges, sometimes more than it seems you can handle and then next thing you know, prayers are answered to get you through it.

I got to tag along in a business dinner at Stoney River, my favorite steak house. Remember when Mike mentioned the big ISE award that was a really big deal? Well everyone involved from 3 companies was there and some dude from N'vell took 'em all out to celebrate. We had a great time. The only faux pas was when I forgot to pass down the table a bite of my steak that I apparently promised. Oops. Hope he's not involved with any pay raise decisions there Mike.