Merry Christmas

Hearty Pioneer

wishing you all a wonderful Christmas! 

LorettaMarshall

Merry Christmas to you as well!

          A “hearty” Merry Christmas to you as well.  Every Christmas is a blessed event.  So many memories are rolled into one.  The grandchildren and great grandchildren were here. Gone are the days of staying up past midnight to make sure the children were asleep so we could put all the presents under the tree.   Then we would drop in the bed about 3 A.M. only to be awakened at 5 A.M. with eager children running into the family room to see what Santa had left. 

            After that, we would all pile in the car and go to Grandma’s house for a family gathering with a table set fit for a king.  But all the while we knew that we were not only celebrating the family get-together, but we were celebrating the birthday of our King.  I, for one, am thankful for our Christian forefathers, who dared to defy the King of England, so that we could worship freely.  Despite all the political correctness being bandied about this Christmas, our family still chooses to worship the King, whose birthday we celebrate.   While I didn’t want to put a “damper” on the holiday spirit, I mused within myself, “Just how many more Christmas dinners will I be able to cook and have everyone over?  And though I don’t know the answer to that—only God knows, I just quietly prayed a prayer of thanksgiving that He had given me one more opportunity of spending one more “Merry Christmas”   enjoying all their hugs, kisses and “I love yous!”

          Being raised in the country and migrating to the city, lets me have the best of both worlds.  My mom taught me how to cook “from scratch.”  (Now where did that term come from?)  Anyway, I’m a Southerner who loves to cook.  We feasted on ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, macaroni & cheese with a buttered breadcrumb topping, baked beans, devilled eggs, homemade rolls, and 4 desserts…pound cake, Strawberry salad, pumpkin pie (pumpkin which I canned), and Gingerbread men! 

          Incidentally, I quit counting calories the day I was diagnosed with cancer.  No more trying to trim a size 14 down to a 10 anymore!  (Thank God I still have an appetite!)  Life has bigger challengers than that now.  No more New Year’s resolutions to trim the excess fat!  And yes, we eat leftovers, so for the next couple of days I won’t be cooking.  Some of the family are coming back tomorrow for second helpings.    Thank God for the Microwave.

           So did we have a Merry Christmas—you bet.  But one small glitch—one of my grown grandsons said, “Ooops Grandma, I left your present in my friend’s car!  So I’ll get to open presents 2 days in a row!  But “I’m a big girl” now, and I know that the best presents don’t necessarily come in a box with a big red bow.  Instead they come with arms of love wrapped around me, a warm kiss on the cheek, a big tight hug, and a “Grandma, I love you!”  Yes it’s their “presence” that means the most. 

          Just thought I would let you know how the day went here.  Now I am about to fall in bed from exhaustion, but thought I would check the site, and tired though I am, I just couldn’t resist saying a little bit late, “Merry Christmas” to a hearty pioneer! 

               Loretta

              Peritoneal Carcinomatosis/Ovarian Cancer-Diagnosed November 2012

 

Hearty Pioneer

LorettaMarshall said:

Merry Christmas to you as well!

          A “hearty” Merry Christmas to you as well.  Every Christmas is a blessed event.  So many memories are rolled into one.  The grandchildren and great grandchildren were here. Gone are the days of staying up past midnight to make sure the children were asleep so we could put all the presents under the tree.   Then we would drop in the bed about 3 A.M. only to be awakened at 5 A.M. with eager children running into the family room to see what Santa had left. 

            After that, we would all pile in the car and go to Grandma’s house for a family gathering with a table set fit for a king.  But all the while we knew that we were not only celebrating the family get-together, but we were celebrating the birthday of our King.  I, for one, am thankful for our Christian forefathers, who dared to defy the King of England, so that we could worship freely.  Despite all the political correctness being bandied about this Christmas, our family still chooses to worship the King, whose birthday we celebrate.   While I didn’t want to put a “damper” on the holiday spirit, I mused within myself, “Just how many more Christmas dinners will I be able to cook and have everyone over?  And though I don’t know the answer to that—only God knows, I just quietly prayed a prayer of thanksgiving that He had given me one more opportunity of spending one more “Merry Christmas”   enjoying all their hugs, kisses and “I love yous!”

          Being raised in the country and migrating to the city, lets me have the best of both worlds.  My mom taught me how to cook “from scratch.”  (Now where did that term come from?)  Anyway, I’m a Southerner who loves to cook.  We feasted on ham, mashed potatoes, green beans, macaroni & cheese with a buttered breadcrumb topping, baked beans, devilled eggs, homemade rolls, and 4 desserts…pound cake, Strawberry salad, pumpkin pie (pumpkin which I canned), and Gingerbread men! 

          Incidentally, I quit counting calories the day I was diagnosed with cancer.  No more trying to trim a size 14 down to a 10 anymore!  (Thank God I still have an appetite!)  Life has bigger challengers than that now.  No more New Year’s resolutions to trim the excess fat!  And yes, we eat leftovers, so for the next couple of days I won’t be cooking.  Some of the family are coming back tomorrow for second helpings.    Thank God for the Microwave.

           So did we have a Merry Christmas—you bet.  But one small glitch—one of my grown grandsons said, “Ooops Grandma, I left your present in my friend’s car!  So I’ll get to open presents 2 days in a row!  But “I’m a big girl” now, and I know that the best presents don’t necessarily come in a box with a big red bow.  Instead they come with arms of love wrapped around me, a warm kiss on the cheek, a big tight hug, and a “Grandma, I love you!”  Yes it’s their “presence” that means the most. 

          Just thought I would let you know how the day went here.  Now I am about to fall in bed from exhaustion, but thought I would check the site, and tired though I am, I just couldn’t resist saying a little bit late, “Merry Christmas” to a hearty pioneer! 

               Loretta

              Peritoneal Carcinomatosis/Ovarian Cancer-Diagnosed November 2012

 

Merry Christmas Loretta

My dad died September 2009 and my mom March 2014. I am now guardian to my 51 year old sister with significant intellectual disabilities. November 2015 we had 71+ mph winds and a tree fell on the family home breaking 9 trusses. So, as you can imagine the house is not as mom kept it. The roof is covered with a huge blue tarp, there are several holes in the ceiling, furniture is moved to the center of the room, there is a very ugly 2x4 support wall holding up the broken ceiling in the living room area. Well, we brought my sister home for Christmas and she didn't sleep for 4 days. I took her back to her group home early. She just couldn't relax. I know once the house is fixed and back to normal (this spring) she will not be so nervous and relax. But, I am sad this Christmas was not fun for her.  My husband and two sons (22 and 17) were great and we tried to make it fun for her. She just couldn't get past the changes. Our Christmas dinner was London broil, mashed potatoes, broccoli, rolls, and pecan pie. Very few gifts due to the roof and extra expenses, but Christmas is not about gifts. It is about time together.

LorettaMarshall

I see that your personal storms have not dampened your spirit!

 

Dear “Heart”!

Watching the news today about the deadly tornadoes in Texas made me to know how life can change in an instant.  It certainly appears that your “to-do list” is longer than the day is long.  You have a huge list of “to do” things, and you have a tall work order.  So be sure you know some responsible contractors who have a good reputation to make the repairs.  We’ve never had that kind of devastation to our property, but we’ve had some high winds and they are scary.  We have some big trees close to our house and when a storm is raging, I really can’t sleep.   

I can relate to your sister and her intellectual capacity, and know that it probably doesn’t take much to upset her.  My own sister was diagnosed with Grand Mal Epilepsy and Mental Retardation at age 5.  She really never advanced mentally past a child of 4 or so.  But she had a routine that she was used to, and everything had to be done in a specific way, or she would frown and let you know that she wasn’t happy.  Her conversation and understanding were limited, but she could make a face and stick out her tongue at us, and we knew she was mad.  It could be something as simple as moving a toy from one place to another.  At age 18, she lost the ability to walk and was in a wheelchair from that day on.   The Epileptic seizures never ceased but medication caused them to be less severe in length.  But all the heavy seizure medication took its toll on my sister’s body.  She later developed Breast cancer in her middle 50’s necessitating the removal of her left breast.  There were other illnesses along the way but more manageable.   

She was cared for at home all those years by mom until mom’s health waned in her late 70’s.  Home health nurses came for a set number of hours a day to bathe, feed and care for my sister. My father died in 2002, and my Mama died in 2013 at the age of 99. Mama’s prayer was that after her death, my sister would be properly cared for.   And I’m certain that your sister’s future was your mom’s main concern as well. 

It’s often said that God answers prayer in 3 ways:  Yes—No—Wait! In God’s time, He sent His angels to escort my invalid sister to Heaven on February 29, 2012.  She would have been 70 years old in just 5 more days.  There’s no need for wheelchairs in Heaven.  There’s no place there for Breast Cancer, nor Ovarian Cancer either!  So Mama’s prayers were answered.  And just a little more than a year later, in November of 2013, the Lord sent His angels for Mama as well. 

I never really let my mama know the extent of my own diagnosis.  I knew she prayed for me daily—what more could I ask for?  I know that God says His grace is sufficient, and I witnessed that in my mom's life.  And that promise is for us as well. 

An so for you, I think I’ll just call you “Heart” because God has certainly blessed you with a loving and giving heart and a great spirit to weather the storms in your life, both spiritual and physical.  We have the option to take life one day at a time and thank God He has given us a sound mind and the peace to carry on.  Or, we can drown in self-pity and make ourselves miserable as well as those around us.  Having read your “about me” page, I see we have something else in common, loving helpful husbands, a great oncologist, and caring friends. 

You have obviously chosen to be positive and to thank God for His blessings.  And I pray He will give you the competent help you need to get the family home place repaired.  That is going to be one big job!  Perhaps by Easter, your sister will be smiling again when she sees things back to normal.  May the Lord give you the added strength it is going to take to care for the needs of your dear sister.  He doesn’t always hand out trophies this side of Heaven.  But no act of kindness and self-sacrifice goes unrewarded!  God bless you “dear Heart”.   

 Loretta

 

Hearty Pioneer

LorettaMarshall said:

I see that your personal storms have not dampened your spirit!

 

Dear “Heart”!

Watching the news today about the deadly tornadoes in Texas made me to know how life can change in an instant.  It certainly appears that your “to-do list” is longer than the day is long.  You have a huge list of “to do” things, and you have a tall work order.  So be sure you know some responsible contractors who have a good reputation to make the repairs.  We’ve never had that kind of devastation to our property, but we’ve had some high winds and they are scary.  We have some big trees close to our house and when a storm is raging, I really can’t sleep.   

I can relate to your sister and her intellectual capacity, and know that it probably doesn’t take much to upset her.  My own sister was diagnosed with Grand Mal Epilepsy and Mental Retardation at age 5.  She really never advanced mentally past a child of 4 or so.  But she had a routine that she was used to, and everything had to be done in a specific way, or she would frown and let you know that she wasn’t happy.  Her conversation and understanding were limited, but she could make a face and stick out her tongue at us, and we knew she was mad.  It could be something as simple as moving a toy from one place to another.  At age 18, she lost the ability to walk and was in a wheelchair from that day on.   The Epileptic seizures never ceased but medication caused them to be less severe in length.  But all the heavy seizure medication took its toll on my sister’s body.  She later developed Breast cancer in her middle 50’s necessitating the removal of her left breast.  There were other illnesses along the way but more manageable.   

She was cared for at home all those years by mom until mom’s health waned in her late 70’s.  Home health nurses came for a set number of hours a day to bathe, feed and care for my sister. My father died in 2002, and my Mama died in 2013 at the age of 99. Mama’s prayer was that after her death, my sister would be properly cared for.   And I’m certain that your sister’s future was your mom’s main concern as well. 

It’s often said that God answers prayer in 3 ways:  Yes—No—Wait! In God’s time, He sent His angels to escort my invalid sister to Heaven on February 29, 2012.  She would have been 70 years old in just 5 more days.  There’s no need for wheelchairs in Heaven.  There’s no place there for Breast Cancer, nor Ovarian Cancer either!  So Mama’s prayers were answered.  And just a little more than a year later, in November of 2013, the Lord sent His angels for Mama as well. 

I never really let my mama know the extent of my own diagnosis.  I knew she prayed for me daily—what more could I ask for?  I know that God says His grace is sufficient, and I witnessed that in my mom's life.  And that promise is for us as well. 

An so for you, I think I’ll just call you “Heart” because God has certainly blessed you with a loving and giving heart and a great spirit to weather the storms in your life, both spiritual and physical.  We have the option to take life one day at a time and thank God He has given us a sound mind and the peace to carry on.  Or, we can drown in self-pity and make ourselves miserable as well as those around us.  Having read your “about me” page, I see we have something else in common, loving helpful husbands, a great oncologist, and caring friends. 

You have obviously chosen to be positive and to thank God for His blessings.  And I pray He will give you the competent help you need to get the family home place repaired.  That is going to be one big job!  Perhaps by Easter, your sister will be smiling again when she sees things back to normal.  May the Lord give you the added strength it is going to take to care for the needs of your dear sister.  He doesn’t always hand out trophies this side of Heaven.  But no act of kindness and self-sacrifice goes unrewarded!  God bless you “dear Heart”.   

 Loretta

 

Thank you

Dear Loretta,

thank you so much for sharing your story and kind words. You uplifted my heart!

One day at a time!

Thanks again,

H P "Heart"