Oh Happy Day!

Has it really been 6 months since I last posted? Guess so, the date doesn't lie. I thought I would be more faithful to blogging, but life got in the way and I didn't think it was the kind of things that everyone wanted to read about.



So here is the short version:

Sam, my beloved, got sick in January - really sick. Turned out to be pneumonia that wouldn't go away. After months on antibiotics with other odd symptoms showing almost every week we decided that something else had to be going on. Well, you know the military heath care system - that took time and time and then some more time!

BOTTOM LINE: He has been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, (RA) and just FINALLY began treatment last Friday. He has had numerous appointments and test along the way to rule out other things before we could proceed with treatment, but we are now on the way. He has lost a lot of weight, not dangerously, but through Weight Watchers (and my excellent cooking) and is feeling 100% better. Last Saturday he actually did some manual labor by cleaning out the garage and he did fine. We are thanking the Lord for the healing that is and will continue to take place.



Another thing that has happened is the loss of my sweet kitten Oriella. It has been hard to go back to look at her pictures in this blog so I have avoided doing that. She died, quite unexpectedly, on June 28 of FIP (Feline Infectious Peritonitis) and we grieved for a very long time. Pocahontas is fine except for the fact that she misses her playmate terribly! I have become her new playmate and she is now very spoiled!!



Good news is that she has a new baby brother; literally because he has the same parents as her. His name is Wolfgang Amadeus Brown and was born July 18. We will get him mid-October and we can't wait. He is a cutie, the only boy in a litter of 5 and he is already almost twice as big as his sisters. Pocahontas will have her hands (paws?) full when he arrives. We call him Wolfie for short.



THIS and THAT:

Trips:

#1 - #5 - I have been to Texas 4 times since January and I'm so thankful I get to go often to see Mom and the rest of the family. I always stay with Scott and Ally and love my time with the boys! Next trip there will be Sept 3 - 7 for Austin's birthday.

#6 - I took a few friends to the Longaberger Homestead in April and we had so much fun. It was the Collector's Club Gathering. We drove from here to Morgantown WV to spend the night. Can you say "room party"? We got up early the next morning and drove to Fraseysburg OH where the Homestead is located and spent the day looking, playing, eating and oh yea - shopping. We all also worked with a Longaberger basket maker and wove out very own Lady-Bug Basket. TOO CUTE! We left late in the day for the 3 hour dirve back to Morgantown - more room partying and then the next day back home again to Virginia. We were tired but it was oh so much fun. We have plans to make it an annual event and hope to add to our numbers next year!!

#7 - Sam and I went to the Longaberger Bee (convention) earlier this month. If you have been then you know just how special this is. If not come with me next year. I can't describe the fun, learning, excitement and pride in a company that we get to experience for 4 days. It is something we will NOT miss. Both of us made a basket with one of the talented basket makers on the last day and they are beautiful. Tomorrow I promise pictures!

#8 - We leave this Sunday for Nags Head!!! It will be our first trip to the Outer Banks and we can't wait. We are spending the week with the Taylors. ALL THE TAYLORS! The older Taylors are treating family and friends to a week in a beautiful 8 bedroom home that is located right on the Atlantic. Oh yes, we are watching the tract of Hurricane Bill with great interest! For those of you that don't know, Randy Taylor was Sam's roommate (old lady as they are called) at A&M. He was best man at our wedding and he and Lois have been our dearest friends forever! This will be a treat for us to get to spend a whole week with them.

#9 - I already mentioned my next trip to Texas but I thought I'd also throw in Sam's travel to Atlanta Sept 11 - 13 to be with the Brown II while Austin participates in the Triathlon Iron Kid Event. Wish I could go...boohoo!

#10 - Speaking of Browns....September 25th - Oct 4 we will be in ANCHORAGE! It's been since January 2008 that I have visited and even longer since Sam was there. Thank God for the video conferences we have ever so often because we at least get to see the girls and Andy and Lisa often, but this is a dream trip for us. We can't wait to get there!

#11 - Might as well add this one that is really a trip within a trip. When we get to Anchorage on Friday, we will board the train the very next day and have a side trip to Seward AK. Yup, you read that right! You know me and trains. Well, Andy found us a trip that features a jazz festival while on board the train. We will party on the way down, spend the night in Seward and come back to Anchorage the next day.

#12 - When I get back from AK I will have to go to Texas to see Mom and the family, then rent a car to drive North to Dallas to pick up Wolfie and fly home from there. That will be a fun, but busy trip but look at the reward at the end.

# ????? - After that we don't know, but probably will make plans for Thanksgiving and Christmas that involves travel somewhere. When you live so far from family you love (wait a minute; they live far from me) you travel to go see them so as long as we have the means, then we will travel. Thank goodness for piano/voice lessons!!



Guess I need to get on with my day. It involves getting the house ready for Bunko Friday night and an HUGE Open House the day after we return from Nags Head. What was I thinking??? Oh, I remember - I wanted to have an open house so I could make money to take more trips!!



Look for pictures tomorrow. I have lots to download to the computer and and then to this site. Wish me luck!

Thanks for reading!

WB