2018 Joy Journal

January 4, 2018 Woke up at 5:26. A kind of hopeful sign that my body clock has reset after DST. Angela is all right. She went into work early this morning, so I didn't get to see her.  Tori sent me a Marco Polo message this morning on her way to work. Beverly sent a text and a Marco Polo. She and JA were about to get underway on the third day of their trip. She said it is 24 degrees there and their hose froze. Tyler was almost through getting dressed at 6:18 a.m. so he seems like he is intending to have a good semester. Got to see John for a minute yesterday when he came to get Noah. He asked Tyler if they were going to see him this weekend. :-) Chris came to get some rent money, and Shawn was with him, so Tyler got to laugh and visit with them for a little bit.  Brittany had ankle surgery yesterday and when I talked to her last night, she said that Morgan had come over to have lunch with her.

February 28, 2018 Just starting off with a happy day. I got the bed made quickly, the laundry in, dressed and over here for a writing day. Not the full writing day of my dreams because I need about an hour for some little tasks, and I need to take care of some laundry, but nevertheless have the 12:30 - 6:00 period scheduled for writing, and I am happy about that.  Brittany sent me a text yesterday morning, "Thinking of you this morning as I listen to the birds sing."  It's kinda cool when the kids reach for you, or think of you all on their own.  I sent Morgan's post card via text instead of Facebook, and that worked, so I think I'll do that from now on. I feel better about not interrupting her while she's at work. She and I had talked about whether or not spring was really here, and since yesterday was cooler than recent days, she said she was calling it "a cool spring day."  Angela and I got to visit for a bit this morning, and Bella was w...

February 26, 2018 I am only just now realizing that I forgot to put the date in my document and I'm wondering how far back I'm going to have to go to fix that.  But... Goodtimes was yesterday, and we finally got to have a bowling party, and the kids seemed to have had a good time. They really didn't do much after we got back here, but Ange, Chelsea, Papa and I played Sequence. Tori helped Kennedy with an assignment.  The bowling alley has changed a lot since the last time I was there --- the old pit group seating is gone, so it is a much more social can mix back and forth kind of event. The teams could have been more intermingling, but I'm not sure that mattered to any of the kids.  Kennedy was really so appreciative that we went to Pensacon, and I was really happy to get to be there while she was working the booth and to get to see her work. They were on the list in the order chosen, and she was third of ten or twelve, so that was very exciting.  Evan p...

January 19 Heard from Beverly Bertice telling me to wash my hands and stay away from sick people. This tickled me because I'm always the one nurturing everyone. Morgan saying she likes when I post those things because she trusts them.

January 22 Sunday was just as restful as you would want a Sabbath to be. I  cooked breakfast and lunch, and cleaned the kitchen up some, but I also built a fire and set my card table up in the family room, and sat there for about an hour and a half and finished writing the quotes from the Sabbath book into my notebook. Just re-reading things was a good time, and there is something definite that happens when your hand takes the time to form the cursive words.  I made taco-dillas for the boys and Tyler said that was an interesting word, and that made me smile.  Tyler and Noah cleaned up the kitchen while I got Barry's results from his DNA test, and then we went to Cottage Hill Park to play disc golf. It was a beautiful day and there are some stunning trees along the path. After I brought one big tree to their attention, they started noticing interesting tree trunks, etc., and that was fun.  Beth called and we visited for a quick minute. She was on her way to t...

January 19 I'm really excited about where the office is. I have things to do, but nothing pressing, certainly nothing so pressing that I can't have my CAC hours this afternoon. They'll be interrupted by the mammogram I have scheduled this afternoon, but I have decided not to let that stress me out. It causes me too much angst to try to re-prioritize things. I'm just going to hold to the course and see what a year of that does for me.  Tyler and I visited on the porch this morning while we waited for the bus. I'm sending him down to the stop a little later than usual because it is so cold. He told me about an ant that has the most poisonous bite and a wasp that can sting you and make you scream and about a man who let himself be bitten by them all, working up from the least venomous to the most.  Heard back from Annette yesterday. We didn't have a big chat, just a kiss.  Amber said it snowed there Tuesday and was 14 degrees Wednesday and Thursday. Kath...

January 17, 2018 Got this screenshot in a text from Kennedy, with a follow up text, "I got selected!" She'd been telling us about this. The art department at her college was contacted about a competition of designs created using a 3D printer to be given as takeaways for the VIP guests at Pensacon. The woman who was to make the selection did not show up on the appointed day, and Kennedy thought the whole thing was a wash, and then she got this email.   I replied about how excited I was, and she said, "I ran around looking for you guys but just couldn't wait for you to know!!! I'll be back for my hugs later. ...I"m already trying to get extra tickets if y'all are interested. I love y'all so much!" When I told her that I couldn't believe I wasn't there for that and thanked her for letting us know so that we could share in the excitement, she said, "No worries! I"ll be this excited all day!"  ~ Bri...

January 9 Well, we won the National Championship. In the three years that I have actually be watching football, we've come close, but never gotten it, at least I don't think so. Anyway, last night's game was stressful, but we came away with the prize, so that was good. Beth and Beverly and Morgan and I watched together in the sense that we were posting about what was going on at our house, so that was kind of fun. Saw Kim a little bit, too.  Brittany and I had a little text visit. She did start her classes back yesterday which was a little hard in the rain, and with her recent ankle surgery. She said that she has a scooter and that a friend helped her get out of her car, but that getting back in had been kind of difficult.  Beverly and I had a little phone visit. She still has some unpacking to do, JA started his first day of work, and she did some editing of her resume. She found an opening for a Resident NA in an oncology department. Neither one of us knew w...

January 6 I feel pretty good about the plan that I have for today. For starters, it is my writing day. Even though I have some unfinished Wonderland work, none of it really has to be done today, and it just can't come first all of the time. Besides which, I have become comfortable with having my writing day and the world has not come to an end because I do so. January 16 I'll have to break two and a half hours early to take Tyler to see Dr. Diane, but I am going to take my Sabbath book and notebook at work on that while I am in the waiting room. There isn't much I can do about drive time, or that the fact that we'll get back here about 30 minutes early. I won't want to recoup that time, because Angela and Kennedy are coming over for dinner, and I'll enjoy relaxing with them.  Had a nice little text conversation with Brittany last night. She's still having to take pain medicine at night so that she can sleep, mostly because the stitches itch and burn, ...

January 15 Erin.... thank you again for the Christmas. It was very much appreciated. ..   She was cleaning the hall bathroom, and I went to tell her that I was walking over here, and to give her her tip, in case she finished before I got back. She thanked me, and said so genuinely, "And thank you again for the Christmas. It was very much appreciated." It made me feel good.  Didn't talk to Beverly much over the weekend, but we did phone visit, etc., some last week. J.A. was off this weekend so they did a lot of exploring and hiking.  Angela came over yesterday afternoon and we play rumicube and sequence. She'd been to Books a Million to just wander among the books and see what interested her and came home with a book on history and book about the world's greatest books. We had fun talking about them. Kennedy came over late in the afternoon and played a couple of games of sequence with us. She is excited about some sculpture projects she's workin...

February 9, 2018 It is possible that I forgot to clock in for part of the time that I was in the office, but if I did, I don't think it was for a large amount of time. I have completed the regular weekly, and the real "I need to do somethings" in under four hours. That holds amazing potential for giving an afternoon a week to the Melton Center and an afternoon a week to the Child Advocacy Center. Annette has been checking on me every day, and I think that is so sweet.  Beverly called last night, and we had a good visit. She had a great day! She was able to irrigate patients ears, instead of just assisting. She said it is one of her favorite things to do because people who thought they were losing their hearing are so excited to discover that they are not. She said it is just immediate results. Not about medications. You start out having to stand in front of them so they can read your lips, and finish by them telling you that you need to quit talking so loudly. Then...

January 31, 2018 Barry and I did spend yesterday together and spent it all on the Island, going up and down streets and looking at property.  Angela and Kennedy came over for supper and I was going to make brownies but didn't have any vegetable oil, so Angela went and got some for me.  Beverly called this morning and I got to talk to her. She really enjoyed her first day at work. It is a teaching facility, so she sees the opportunity for learning a lot of things.  Beth sent a text that she is having some packages sent here, so I heard from her. Morgan sent me a Facebook message. John said he'd be at SSS. Heard back from Shawn. He said he has the flu.

March 2, 2018 And thinking about that just makes me so happy Turns out, there was a special reason that Brandon was having lunch with us --- he and Morgan are having a baby!!!  They were already at the restaurant when we got there. When the waitress handed us our menus, she said they had some lunch specials on the back of the menu, if we wanted to look there. Each of our menus had a large picture of a sonogram, a baby, and words about a baby coming. I thought someone in the restaurant was having a baby, and then I saw the words on the sonogram... "Morgan Brown."  It was just such a wonderfully happy moment and time. I cried off and on through the rest of lunch. When Barry and I talked about it later he said, "It was all I could do to not cry. " When I told him that I had cried, he said in a tone that let me know how hard it had been to hold it back, "I had a trickle or two I had to deal with."  Just kept showing up in my thoughts all da...

March 12, 2018 I forgot to hit the record button on my phone, but Vivian recorded it on Morgan's phone --- the blessing --- and I turned to Annette, whose hand I was holding, and asked "Did you get that?" With, "that'd be too exciting to be true," on her face, she asked, "Is that for her," and with my nod rushed over to give Morgan and Brandon hugs, and the whole room was awash in handshakes and hugs and celebration.  Skyler said that she'll be driving in June, that she'd passed her Driver's Ed course but had to have her permit for 6 months before she could drive. I congratulated her and then said, "But you aren't sixteen," and she said, "I am sixteen!" and we hugged and laughed. The professor who is guiding Brittany through her thesis presented their project to the mayor of Dauphin Island who presented it the town council, and they have agreed to accept the findings of her project and follow her recommend...

March 14 2018 Bella came out with Angela yesterday and then stayed with me for a while. Ange mentioned that Bella liked soft places so I put a pillow on the floor her. She came out with Ange again this morning, and after she'd had her treat and Angela had left for work, just settled in on her pillow.  I got to see Shawn yesterday. He said he was sorry he didn't have any news to tell me, but there wasn't really much to talk about. I had been working in the 2016 Joy Journal and so did have some fun things to talk to him about.  I just got a text from Valerie! She is going to call me tomorrow. :-)  Saw Andrew a little bit on Facebook. He liked my comment about Talk Like a Pirate Day.  Just quick blown kisses exchange with Beverly. Got to see Angela this morning. She's expecting a busy day, since they're on call.  Kennedy may be over today to borrow one of my cameras to help take pictures at a friend's wedding.  Talked to Beth for a little bit....

April 2, 2018 We had a good weekend.  I got a Chat message from Shawn last night --- he said he'd had an amazing day with his dad.  Saturday night we took Angela and Tori and Kennedy down to see the property and they were excited and then we went to dinner at the Pelican Reef and they laughed and laughed. Kennedy has applied to participate in a 3 semester program that gives her the opportunity to completely design an exhibition.  Sunday afternoon we took Beth and Rodney and Linda down to see it. Beth said she wanted to just sit her chair in the sun and read a book. Rodney said that if Beth would just go ahead and win the lottery, he wouldn't have to work in Houston anymore.  Morgan and Brandon's gender reveal was Saturday afternoon, and it was a sweet time visiting with family. Amber was there and we got to sit and talk for quite a while. Annette and Brittany and Skyler were there, and so were Angela and Tori and Kennedy.  Zak brought his pups out S...

March 30, 2018 Shawn gave me a big long hug. "It has been so long since I've been able to hug any of you." He told me about a nineteen year old, talking to his mother, crying, and how it broke his heart and he went up and was kind to him, as others had been to him. He felt like he was able to get along because people could just see that he is caring and didn't want to be a part of fighting. Those weren't his exact words, but he is start to recognize more and more that his good heart is a major strength.  Got to visit with Beverly for a few minutes, and got to see Angela this morning.  Talked to Beth a few minutes. She and Rodney and Linda are driving in today. She said we'll have some time to hang out.  Morgan is bringing lunch and picking up the card tables. 

March 22, 2018 I just had the best time at Noah's soccer game last night. Skyler and I got there a little bit early, but didn't see Kim, who was also there. When John came, we saw them both, and Kim got up to hug me. And we just laughed and visited and enjoyed the game. Skyler and I enjoyed each other to and from and stopped at Five Guys and had a little supper. She's starting to think about what she wants to do --- maybe photography.  Got to hug Angela this morning.  Brittany sent me a picture of her dog Bella playing with the dog toy that was in the kids saran ball on Christmas Eve.  Got to see Andrew for a quick minute. Beverly and JA went to Reno, and posted pictures. I think she got on the PCT.  Got a text from Tori. She's hoping to volunteer with the horses again this weekend. Got a text from Kennedy --- she might be over sometime today. Beth is in Chicago. Morgan will be readying her house this weekend for the Baby Gender Reveal. 

May 2, 2018 Morgan felt Davis move yesterday!! Got to visit with Beverly on the phone for a bit. She has her test scheduled for Thursday and her 90-day review for work is on Friday. She said that she had seen where Chelsea passed her GED and that she was really happy about that. She said it was partly because she was proud of her and partly because she figured she'd been studying a lot because it had been a while since she'd seen Jaden --- Chelsea usually posts pictures of him on Facebook and she hadn't done that for a while. Got to hug Angela this morning. She has an appointment to take Bentley to the vet re: the diarrhea.  Chris said he can go and meet Dr. Formwalt with me. 

April 30, 2018 Beth, to the lady who was sitting beside her on the plane, after that lady's description of having seen Mt. Rainer in a sunset, which followed Beth's excitement about seeing Mt. Rainer: "But look what my eyes are seeing right now."  Evan, in the midst of conversation, in reference to family, "You've done a good job." I don't know what I said in response, but he added, "Sometimes it needs to be said."  He and Angela and I played a game of cards, and it was fun to be with them --- being a part of their laughter and enjoyment of each other's company. As Faith, Michael, and Daniel left, Evan remarked that one of the good things that had come out of the October trip had been the hour and half ride that he'd been able to spend with Michael.  Andrew came to pick Skyler up, so I got to get a hug. I actually snagged two, and got a big one. He's flew back to California last night.  Kim and John sat and visited wi...