CATCH-UP...that's what I'm doing today! This month has flown by and since we got back from FL, I've been playing catch-up most of the time. Today I'll catch you up on the high points of the month and we'll be able to get into April caught up with each other...sort-of.
We arrived home from the funeral and my grandson's baptism, on March 13. Two days later, I needed to be ready for my regular Thursday evening Bible study that started in January. That is what has been hounding me each week. It is something I enjoy working on, but I am not a teacher and never feel prepared enough. It is one of those relentless tasks. I feel I have to put everything else on hold and prepare, prepare. I felt I was getting the feel of Colossians and the method used in our teaching guide, when I went out of town and got out of my rhythm. Now I'm getting back into the groove again.

On top of that, my cousin from OK came to visit the Monday after I got back in town so I was forced to clean my house (not nearly so much for her as for me! It had gotten very bad.) By the time she arrived on Sunday afternoon the 18th, I had the cleanest, most dust-free house I have had in a very long time! I had rearranged my basement family room (too bad I didn't take a "before" photo!) as I cleaned and was able to camouflage some of the debris down there and make it into quite an inviting space. Whenever I am able to clear away clutter, I always find that I am able to think much better. Now the only place I have to fix up is the office. It is a mess, but is a very small room with a door that can close on the mess:) I'll get to it after the Bible study is over.
While Susan was here, we went to Galesburg one day. She took the train into Chicago one day. And the final day, after her very tiring day in Chicago, she slept in and then we took a little time in downtown Peoria down by the riverfront. I was supposed to get tickets for a Caterpillar tour, and did...for the wrong week!! By the time I realized my goof, it was not possible to repair the damage:( During our trip, we took "flat Stanley" with us to all the sights. He was sent to her by her nephew Joey. She ended up having two "flat Stanleys" actually.
That weekend, Miss America, who is from the town where she lives in OK, was home visiting. The mother of Miss America teaches in the same school system with my cousin and agreed to take "flat Stanley" home with her during the spring break so he could get photos with Miss America, who was truly on vacation. Since Susan was coming to our area, she had to make "flat Stanley Xerox" for the trip to IL:) During the trip, both Stanleys were injured--the original's arm was torn/broken and the xeroxed one's head was torn/neck broken:) so they were mailed back in a shoebox hospital bed! my cousin is nothing if not creative!
That takes us to this week. It was also eventful. My husband had one of his "migraines". Over the years, he has occasionally had what his doctors have often called "silent migraines". He doesn't get much pain, only spots in front of his eyes that block out his vision when he tries to read. Usually excedrin and lying down for awhile has brought relief. often, if he feels one coming on, he takes the excedrin right away and it is gone! This week, that didn't happen. after 3 days (over the weekend) of that nuisance, he called his doctor to get some relief. The doctor wanted his eyes checked out! So our week, a fairly busy one already, got 3 additional doctor appointments added in...before thursday afternoon! The eye dr. called his migraine an ocular migraine. It doesn't change a thing, just gives us another name to call it! This was my week for 2 preps--a leadership team meeting and a Bible study.

We got through it all though, found out that his eyes are fine, got medication for prevention of the headaches, pain medication and set up an MRI for after Easter to be positive that there is nothing else going on in his head. (We won't even go there! :) I think we are both relieved to have this cared for, at least for now. Today he has a funeral and then should have time to work on the rest of his preps for the weekend. I'm taking it slow today and catching up on things around the house and have the week off from a Bible study but will get to catch up and maybe even get ahead on some preps coming up.
We will be going out of town on Mother's Day weekend (leaving the Thursday before) to have the burial of my mom in VA. Most of the plans for that have been made now as well as reservations. All of our children will be able to come, for which I am very glad. I am going to prepare something to say for that, but haven't even started on it...and won't until the Bible study is done. I know it will be difficult and want to complete the one thing before starting what will probably be an emotional project.
The final upcoming project that seems to have fallen out of the sky--of course it is one of those providential delights--is the upcoming visit of Tara Barthel. But come to think of it, this blog is getting long and I should probably put that in a separate entry. More later.