Spring Break 2015: The End. Amen.

We were almost home from the beach when Jim said, "we need to be thinking about dinner."

Here are my Spring Break 2015 updates: here, here, here, here, here, here, here.

Less than an hour away from HOME, Jim was hungry, annnnnnd he had to go to the bathroom. He decided that we should eat at one of our family's favorite restaurants that's about 35 minutes from where we live...and he headed there. It was the middle of 5 o'clock traffic on a Friday, and Jim was driving like Mario Andretti. Or whoever you young kids talk about. He was a man on a mission. On two missions, really: dinner...and a bathroom.

And not necessarily in that order.

Holly called Aaron-the-son-in-law, and he met us at the restaurant. We also saw some of our long-time friends there, so it was really a wonderful, random surprise at the end of our trip.

After dinner, we headed straight home. In 10 minutes, we had both vehicles unloaded and I had started my first load of laundry.

TEN MINUTES, PEOPLE.

Hold up a minute and let me rest on my high mountain while my family rises up to call me bless-ED.

Okay. The moment's over.

I went to bed at the ripe, old time of 9:30 at night...and when I woke up 9 hours later, I was in the exact.same.position.

That's some good sleepin' right there.

Which, it was good that I got all rested and all, because I was going to need all of my strength to keep me from choking the ones that I love...after seeing what they left me in the laundry room.

See...the whole purpose, IN MY MIND, of having a washer and dryer at the condo.at.the.beach, was to wash everything up before we left...so that we...and by "we" I mean, "I," wouldn't have to spend the better part of a solid day when we got back home...washing clothes from our trip.

So that I would be able to jump into what was left of our Spring Break with everyone else.

Because, last night, WHEN WE HAD JUST GOTTEN HOME FROM THE BEACH, and Clark started talking about going down to see his grandparents today, I was thinking, 'there is no way...NO WAY...I would EVER consider jumping back in the car for a 2 hour trip, after being in the car for nearly 10 hours yesterday. You know...BC OF ALL THE STUFF.

I had so much STUFF to do just to get things back in order.

Emphasis on "I."

Because even tho I did all of our laundry and changed the sheets before we left on our trip, I knew there would be unpacking, rearranging, grocery shopping, putting-of-the-up of things, and the general getting-everything-back-in-order stuff to do when we got home.

And, last night, before I went to bed, I washed two loads of clothes and things were pretty much back to normal.

But then I woke up this morning...and I walked into the laundry room because the door was wide open. When I couldn't get it to shut, I looked to see why...and I nearly burst into tears. There was a MOUNTAIN of laundry that most definitely wasn't there last night...and I had to fight the urge not to stomp upstairs and have a COME TO JESUS meeting with two of our boys.

But Clark and Faith went ahead and left this morning. It didn't seem to bother them at ALL that I was knee-deep in LAUNDRY THAT WASN'T MIND BECAUSE I WASHED ALL MY STUFF AT THE CONDO BEFORE I PUT IT ALL IN MY BAG.

And, also, some of the stuff on the floor of my laundry room? Pretty sure I never saw anybody wear it the whole entire week.

Apparently it's easier to just throw things on the floor to be washed...than to put them in a drawer.

I loved, loved, LOVED our time together on Spring Break, and even tho it took me a minute to recover from the trip, I wouldn't trade that time for anything.

"And you must commit yourselves wholeheartedly to these commands that I am giving you today. Repeat them again and again to your children. Talk about them when you are at home and when you are on the road, when you are going to bed and when you are getting up." Deuteronomy 6:6-7

Spring Break 2015: Traveling With Kids

I'm not perfect...and neither are my kids.

I know. It came as a real shock to me, too.

I don't have all the answers, for sure. But I do have some observations on traveling with kids, based on...you know...the magic of SIGHT and SOUND...and experience...and I'm about to share them.

And listen, I've been there, out-and-about with my kids...at the grocery store, a restaurant, THE DMV (sorry not sorry on that one because STRESSFUL). We've been on vacation where it's hot...or cold...or humid...or raining...or in long lines...or all the kids are fighting...or they're hungry. OR I AM HUNGRY.

I'm sure people could write a book about me, my kids and my parenting skills...and hey. More power to ya.

I sometimes think about my young-mother self, and I'm really embarrassed at how I acted...how awkward I was...how obnoxious I was...how PROUD (of myself) I was.

And even how insensitive I was.

That last one...ouch! Because, I tend to think that I am very perceptive about people...that I would never say anything hurtful to another person, because I am so wise having a child with special needs...well, I have just about heard it all.

Having a child with special needs, you just learn early on...or I did...that people watch your every move. They are probably already staring at your child, because that's what people do, apparently. It may have nothing to do with the fact that your child has been quietly sitting in the bottom of the buggy...leaving a trail from whatever it is that's coming out of their diaper...and you are totally clueless. I'm guessing people look at them because, to them, they look...different. And because some people are rude. But some...most...are just curious...or interested. Or, like with Holly and I...because we HAVE a "Joshua," we are so happy to see another child/adult who looks just like him, and we aren't above following them around the store/mall/park/ball-field/beach to get just one more peek! Because we love them.

All of them.

At any rate, be aware...people ARE watching. Because, have an unruly child who throws a temper tantrum in the check-out line at your local Wal-Marks, and everyone in the store will be thinking, "DO SOMETHING WITH THAT CHILD." And they will secretly applaud when you do. But if that same child has Down Syndrome, and he is throwing a fit in the check-out line, you'd better not lay a hand on him or speak harshly (get down in his face and grit through your teeth, "YOUHADBETTERBEHAVEORYOUWILLBEINTROUBLEWHENWEGETHOME") to him...because it will go from the "bless his heart" looks...to the "what a horrible parent she must be...I'm reporting her," in 2.394945756678 seconds.

Traveling with kids...let me just say this right now, is not for the faint-hearted. IT.IS.WORK.

Write that down.

We have traveled a lot with our kids. We have never lived near either side of our family, so to go see them...we have to drive to Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana...and even to other places in Arkansas. We've taken our kids to Philadelphia, New York and Washington DC. We've been to Virginia multiple times. We've also taken them to Colorado several times. And we've gone to the beach in Florida or Alabama at least once a year.

We feel like we have been "blessed" with really great travelers. I don't know if that's the case, or if they just got used to it over time. Either way, or...as they say around here: IRREGARDLESS (gouging out my ears), they've traveled pretty well. Even so, we still had to deal with them once we got to our destination, because I don't care who you are or how great your kids are...there are adjustments that need to be made by everyone.

I think one of the main things to remember when traveling with kids is to lower your expectations. Seriously, we all have these dreams in our head of taking our kids to Disney World and having our trip turn into a commercial for the theme park...with laughing parents and squealing-with-joy kids and fireworks and fairies and pixie dust that makes everything so magical. Or, we dream of taking them on a ski vacation...of teaching them to ski and snowboard at an early age, so they will be those kids that just SWOOSH by everyone else on the slope. Yeah. We just know they will remember these trips forever.

They probably won't.

You will, probably. Maybe. Especially if you take lots of pictures.

Or, if one of your children starts popping out with the chicken pox on the 2nd day of your Colorado ski trip.

You'll remember that.

Just sayin'.

But when we started talking about taking our family to Disney World years and years ago, there was no "perfect" time to go for everyone in our family. We had 4 children in 10 years. What would be a perfect time for our older children, would mean bringing a toddler to Disney World.

DID IT.

I remember one time when my Mom was still alive, my sister, Leanne, took my parents to Disney World. They LOVED it. The shows...the parades...the restaurants...EPCOT. But my Mom's quote pretty much says it all about what she thought, "Disney World is not a place for children."

DISNEY WORLD IS NOT A PLACE FOR CHILDREN.

Um...yeah. Pretty sure it is.

She said, "there were kids crying and THOSE DOUBLE STROLLERS WERE EVERYWHERE AND TOOK UP ALL THE SIDEWALKS."

Lower your expectations, people. It will be hot. It will be crowded. You will have to wait in a lonnng line for a 30 second ride...and then you will have to do it again. And again. And again.

So, I'm old...and the days of dealing with diapers and strollers are gone until we have grandchildren. Our 3 big kids are all young adults, and our baby is 19. They pack their own clothes and carry their own bags. They can help load and unload the car. They share the driving duty. They take care of all of their bodily functions without us even knowing about it. Well, mostly...because THREE BOYS. And boys love smells and sounds, no matter how old they are. I love them...but they are gross.

Young adults also eat...a LOT. Especially the boys. We've passed the point where we can order a kids meal, give them a cookie in the car, and expect that to sustain them for any length of time. No ma'am. They probably aren't going to "share" an entree with someone because the portion is too big. THE PORTIONS ARE NEVER TOO BIG. FOR THEM. They want food. And then they will want a snack. And then they will want more food. It will be expensive.

Young adults also need...space. That means they need space in the car...AND wherever you stay (hotel, condo, etc). When we were at the beach, we would cram into one car to drive to dinner...and there was some grunting and some "MY LEGS ARE TOO LONG TO SIT IN THE WAY BACK SEAT," and some red knees because they rubbed up against the seat in front of them...but for a 15 minute drive, it was doable.

Young adults need their own beds. Gone are the days when Jim would get one small room, and pack blow-up beds for all the kids. No. Please, just stop. Those days are gone like yesterday. We have two kids who are married...and each couple needs their own room, their own space. You cannot make them sleep on the floor or the couch ON A VACATION. If you have a death in the family, or there's some sort of family emergency or what-not...OF COURSE, people will pile up on couches and love-seats and recliners and in sleeping bags on the floor. In the words of Joshua: Imnottalkingaboutthatrightnow.

I'm talking about on a family vacation.

Like I told Jim before we booked our Spring Break trip, either we invite all of them...or we don't. Either way. But just know what to expect, and plan for it...and don't complain about it. If we invite our kids...it's our treat. Jim didn't complain at all. We loved having our family with us.

Sitting on the beach and watching people is one of my most favorite things. And, it doesn't matter if you are at the fanciest place ever, or on a public beach, you will see all kinds. ALL.KINDS. Trust me on this one. I was all manner of entertained all week. But, be advised: on the beach is close quarters, and the people next to you can hear everything you say. Even if you think you are far enough away that no one will hear, we will hear. The wind will carry your voice.

We saw all kinds of families. Most were very loving, and most had really good intentions. Some were just...frustrated. Or maybe uneducated in how to talk to kids. Or other humans. Or, maybe, as I think is the case with most people...we get into a habit of speaking a certain way. Either it's how people spoke to and treated us when we were younger, or...nope. There probably isn't another reason. It's pretty much that. I think that how we speak to and act toward others has to be so intentional every time, or we naturally revert to what we've known, even if we know that's not the best way. I've seen this personally in my life and in Jim's. We want to be better...you know? We aren't always...but we try.

My heart broke for the little kids planted next to us on the beach, whose dad yelled and criticized them THE WHOLE ENTIRE DAY. And my heart broke for the Dad, because that's just got to get old, right? He even turned his criticism on himself, "yeah...I'm a mean dad...I know. I'm the MEANEST DAD ALIVE, right?" It was so annoying. And sad.

And then there was the Dad I watched from our balcony. He walked out to the pool-deck with 4 small kids in tow. He was carrying chairs and an umbrella and an ice-chest. The kids were carrying towels, beach toys, and little beach bags/back-packs. At the Dad's request (apparently), they all stopped and set down their stuff. They all got in a line and held their arms out straight to the side. This Dad went quickly from kid to kid...spraying them down with sunscreen, and rubbing more on their faces. One by one by one by one. And then he sprayed himself. And then they all picked up their stuff, and walked down the boardwalk to the beach.

I don't know their story, but I thought, "what a great dad!"

When you take kids to the beach, be prepared: they might not like it. I know. Shocking, right? The first time we took Holly, she was 18 months old. Joshua was about 3. Joshua went running toward the water as fast as his legs would carry him...with Jim following right behind him. Joshua had no fear of any of it. Holly was so excited...we talked for weeks before about the beach and the ocean and the water and the sand-castles we were going to build. We read books about going to the beach. She ACTED excited...but 18 MONTHS OLD.

We carried her until we got down to the beach and then we set her down and let her get her first feel of the sand.

She FREAKED.

And, after her feet got wet in the ocean, and then covered in sand that wouldn't brush off...she freaked some more.

Nearly all of the pictures we have of her that year show her 1) being carried, 2) on Jim's shoulders, or 3) sitting in a lawn chair.

All of our kids love the beach now, thankfully, but traveling with them...or with anyone else...requires a ton of compromise. NO ONE is going to get to do everything they want to do, when you travel with a big group. And that needs to be okay. There were several places I wanted to go, things I wanted to do, places I wanted to eat, when we were at the beach over Spring Break...but it didn't work out...and that's okay. Just spending time with my family was so precious.

The best advice is to CHILL OUT. The things that are hard at home, like nap time or eating out at a restaurant or bed-time...will still be hard on vacation. It might even be harder, because you will be worried about not bothering the other family members.

And if you are the friends or family members who are traveling with someone who is struggling with their kids on a trip, look for ways you can help. Offer to stay in the room while their child naps...or give them a night "out" by watching their child at the condo while they go to dinner. There are a lot of ways you can help. This is easier if this is a family trip, because you know it's more about "family" time. It's a little harder when you are with friends and thinking, "I took off work for THIS?"

If you are the one having a hard time, don't be afraid to ask for help...and be gracious to accept it. You can pay it forward to another harried parent one day.

Above all, make memories.

Spring Break 2015 Updates: here, here, here, here, here, here.

"But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others..." James 3:17

Spring Break 2015: The Long Way Home

Previous Spring Break updates: here, here, here, here, here.

So, I may have mentioned that Aaron-the-son-in-law went home early from the beach in one of our vehicles. We knew we were going to need 2 vehicles to get all of us AND OUR STUFF to the beach comfortably. We decided to take my Honda Pilot, and Clark's Toyota Camry...because the rest of the kids' cars are kind of...ummm...OLD. And, ummm...unreliable. And to save wear-and-tear on their vehicles. So when Aaron left, he took the Camry, and the rest of us came home in the Pilot.

Which, with Logan and Morgan staying at the beach with her family, and not having Aaron, it just left 5 of us. And a BUNCH of stuff.

We all got in the Pilot, but we were pretty much packed in there like sardines. We drove the 30 or so miles from the condo...to the closest Chick-Fil-A for breakfast. It's a tradition that we stop there...unless we leave on a Sunday. And even tho it had only been 30 minutes, we FELL out of the car when we got there like we'd been on a 10 hour trip already.

Well, THAT'S not gonna be good.

We drove until Magee, Mississippi, and we stopped for lunch at McDonald's. We all sat together at a little round booth. It was good to be out of the car and stretch. At some point after lunch. Joshua got up to head to the bathroom before we piled back into the car. I don't care how old he gets or how much people...even those in my family...think I'm over-reacting, but I worry every time he heads into a public bathroom by himself. And I struggle with how to let him be independent, but also be safe. But before I could discretely ask any of the boys to go with him, Jim walked that way. I sat at the table and waited.

Joshua came back first. He never takes a drink in the car, but this time, he picked up his cup and headed to get a re-fill. The self-serve drink station was out of my sight, but right behind us. I remembered seeing a mop come under the booth from behind us, while I was waiting on everyone to get done in the bathroom. At the exact same time I remembered the mop, a man that was sitting across from us while we ate, tapped me on the shoulder. He said, "he fell," and nodded toward the drink station. All I could think of was Joshua...did he hit his head? His neck? I never heard a sound and he was right behind me.

A nice older man was holding onto Joshua when I flew around the corner. Joshua was shaken, but fine. The floor was wet and slick, and there was one of those yellow "caution: wet floor" signs...Joshua just didn't see it in time, and before he knew it, he was going all "Risky Business" across the floor.

We got back in the car, and Holly took over driving.

You.can.not.imagine how much movement Joshua does in the car.

Usually he's in the way back seat on the driver's side. That's "his" place...he likes it there. He packs his stuff around him and makes his little nest. And because he is back there, his little quirks and habits don't really bother us.

After lunch, we switched places and Holly drove. Jim sat in the front passenger seat, and I sat in the back, with Joshua in the middle, and Clark on the other side. We decided to watch a movie, because Joshua started doing his "tongue-flossing" thing. This involved him using his tongue to get the food out of his teeth. The mouth noises alone can jump-start a vomit for even the ones with the strongest stomachs. He is typically unaware of what he is doing during this time, but it drives Holly crazy. And she was driving.

I have found that it's best if the driver doesn't go crazy while he or she is driving.

So, Joshua chose a movie, and Clark went to sleep. And then THIS is what went on:

Joshua put his headphones on, and every 10 minutes or so...he would take them off and rub his ears and head...and then he would put them back on. He would cough and clear his throat...and then he would take a drink and clear his throat again. He would then adjust his shirt and seat-belt. He leaned back and to one side and reached inside his jean pocket for his hanky. He wiped his nose, eyes and mouth with his hanky and he looked at it...and then folded his hanky up, leaned back and to one side again...and put it back in his pocket. Then, he leaned down to reach his backpack that was on the floor by his feet. He unzipped the side pocket and got out his mouth spray. ziiiiiiip. He squirted twice into his mouth. He put the mouth spray back in the side pocket and zipped it back up. ziiiiiiip. He adjusted his shirt and seat-belt.

(sigh)

Then, he took his headphones off...and put them back on...and took them off...and put them back on. Coughed, cleared his throat, got a drink. He did the hanky thing again. He did the shirt/seat-belt thing again. ziiiiip. Did the mouth spray thing. ziiiiip. Did the shirt/seat-belt thing.

57 THOUSAND TIMES.

Not even kidding.

And, throw in the fact that when he wasn't watching the movie, he would lean over to open his backpack. He would take out his journal and a pen, and then write maybe TWO WORDS...and put it all back in his backpack. He did this MULTIPLE TIMES.

GET ME OUT OF HERE.

"Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other..." 1 Peter 4:8

Spring Break 2015: Day 4 (Lazy River and Water Slide)

So, on our last day at the beach...the weather was AWESOME. Sunny, warm, breezy. I could've sat there all day.

Oh wait.

I did.

Here are my other beach re-caps: here, here, here, here.

Joshua-and-the-wrist-band-saga continued. If it's even possible, the wrist-band was stretched out even more.

At about noon, Aaron-the-son-in-law decided that he needed to go on back, so that he could be in the office on Thursday.

As in: take one of the vehicles and DRIVE ALL THE WAY BACK HOME TO ARKANSAS by himself.

Because getting up early in the morning and going with the rest of us apparently was not an option.

Holly was pretty disappointed, but if he really needed to work...then he really needed to work. I was fine with it until we had to cram two vehicles worth of people and stuff into one vehicle...and then I may or may not have been cranky.

But he left, and the rest of us stayed on the beach.

When it was time for the rest of us to go up to our condo and start getting ready for dinner, I knew it was time to walk the walk.

From the time we arrived at our condo, I had been saying that I wanted to ride the lazy river and go on the water slide that was in our pool. Joshua had gone up to the condo to have lunch with Logan and Morgan. Apparently when he got up there, he tore his wrist-band to shreds.

The wrist-band you have to wear if you want to be in the lazy river or on the water slide.

Joshua had said that he wanted to do the lazy river with me. I was not prepared for what he had going on when he came down to the pool. He had TIED WHAT WAS LEFT OF HIS WRIST-BAND on the string of his swimsuit, so it was just hanging there, front and center.

I...can't...even.

He told me one or 10 lies about how it "ripped on a ladder," or how he "fell and it broke." AREYOUKIDDINGME?

But Joshua and I got in the lazy river, and Holly took pictures. When I got down by the water slide, Joshua got out and I walked over to the water-slide.

Fortunately for me, I got in line with a bunch of tweenagers, who stared at me like I was the crypt-keeper. I said, "I lost a bet, and now I have to go down this slide." The girls looked at me like I was the scum of all scum. I turned to the boys and started asking them questions about the water slide, like, "is it fast?" and "is it scary?" and "do I sit up or lie down?"

Important things I needed to know.

The boys said, "you can sit up if you want to go slower, or lie down if you want to go fast. Don't pay any attention to us...we are doing tricks and stuff."

And they were. They went down backwards...and on their tummies...and on their sides...and in all sorts of positions.

Finally, it was my turn. Holly said she could tell when I was going to come down, because alllllll of the teeny-boppers leaned way over from the top...and watched me go down the slide.

I made it just fine, and Holly posted the video on Facebook...which just goes to show you that in this day and time, nothing is sacred. Or secret. Or dignified. Because she even put it in slo-mo, the little rat.

We went to dinner at a new place that Clark suggested, Bahama Bob's. It was pretty good. He and Faith had gone there last year when they went to the beach with her family. After dinner, we headed out to the beach, and Holly took a bunch of pictures. I hated that Aaron wasn't in them...or Faith...or Joshua's girlfriend, Jenni.

But whatcha gonna do?

And then we went back to our condo to start packing things up...and we waited for Morgan's family to get there.

Morgan's Aunt decided to plan a beach trip for their family for the 2nd half of the week of Spring Break. Logan and Morgan were so excited, because they got to stay all week at the beach! I was trying to be very happy for them, because it was a huge treat!

When Morgan's mom called, Jim and Clark took Logan and Morgan to meet up with her. I was so sad to see them go, but they weren't one bit sad about leaving US.

It's the sound of those waves hittin' the beach. I get it. I lose my mind when I hear them, too!

We had such a great day, and it's been such an awesome week with our kids!

"You rule the oceans. You subdue their storm-tossed waves." Psalm 89:9

Monday: Catching Up

So, I will continue my Spring Break updates tomorrow. Probably. I have them all ready to go in my Drafts folder, but I don't want to forget what is going on right now.

Mondays are hard, can I get an "Amen?"

And Mondays after a Spring Break at the beach, are REALLY hard.

I can hear everyone giving me a collective, "WAAAAAH...we are so sorry for you!"

I know. You're right. But we not only had our trip...when we got home, we had one day here to do the things that you need to do after you've been gone (along with taking Joshua to see the Cinderella movie!)...and then we had to hit the ground running with Joshua's birthday celebrations. We spent most of Saturday at my in-law's house, and Sunday was busy with church, after-church activities...and meeting up with Logan and Morgan.

I think I forgot to mention that our church had an organized evangelical thing after church. We had groups canvasing different neighborhoods...going door-to-door like we used to do in the olden days...and leaving door-knockers with information about our church. Jim asked me to just bring Joshua on home after church, because he had signed up to go with the men of our Sunday School (small group) class.

I was so proud of everyone for doing this. You never know what reaction you're going to get when you knock on someone's door. A few years ago, when we lived in another town, we went with a group from our church to an apartment complex. We went door-to-door to invite the residents to bring their kids to our back-yard Bible club. At one of the doors we knocked on, a lady came to the door WITHOUT WEARING ANY PANTS.

Seriously? Who does this?

Jim couldn't get out of there fast enough. He said that he kept telling himself, "don't look down...don't look down!"

Anyway, about the time Jim got home on Sunday afternoon, I had to leave for a bonus choir rehearsal. And when I came home from that an hour later, Jim, Joshua and I jumped in the car to meet up with Logan and Morgan in Little Rock. They were on their way home from the beach, and Morgan's mom was bringing them to meet up with us. We picked them up and came back here. They packed up their things and loaded their car. We decided to have a quick dinner, and then they left for home. THEIR home. (sniff) I missed them after about 1.3948593760 seconds.

This is all riveting, I know. I just don't want to forget anything...for my memory.

So...back to Monday being slow. It was. I fixed breakfast for Joshua. and got Jim and Clark off to work and school...and then I crawled back into my bed with my lap-top and tried to catch up on a little blog reading. And do you know what you should not do when you only have 1 contact? Blog reading.

And do you know what ELSE you should not do when you only have 1 contact? COMMENT on blogs. Because I commented on one girl's blog, and then I realized that I had misspelled something. I couldn't figure out how to edit or delete it, so I wrote ANOTHER comment...and I TYPED THE WORD WRONG AGAIN and posted it before I could change it.

I gave up.

Holly called to say she was on her way home from her nursing school class, so I asked her if she wanted to eat lunch with us. Jim had plans, so Joshua and I went to pick up Holly...and we went to eat at Chick-Fil-A. We also all 3 shared one of their new lemon ice-creamy things and it was really good.

When I took Holly back to her house, Joshua stayed with her...and I made a quick trip to Kroger by myself. Of course, I had to go on an on about how hard it was to shop without him, because I didn't want him to feel bad for not going with me. I just really needed a minute to myself. Anyone else feel that way?

I picked up Joshua, and we came home and unloaded everything. I fixed dinner and we had a good night. I made cupcakes for Joshua to bring to Therapeutic Recreation on Tuesday...to celebrate his birthday with his FRIENDS.

And Jim finally got an update on his Dad. Jim's Dad has been having some chest pain/discomfort. He has been to the ER and to his doctor over the past week or so. On Monday morning, he had an angiogram. Fortunately, they didn't really find anything. Well, it did show some blockage in one area, but not enough to put in a stint. Jim's dad was happy about that, but mainly, he was frustrated...because of the aforementioned pain/discomfort.

Jim decided he was going to go down and check on his Dad on Tuesday. We are thankful for a good report, and pray that whatever is going on will show up on the tests...and that it can be treated.

"Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God..." Psalm 50:14