Sabbath, June 14, 2013

Six months ago today was the beginning of our medical detour and so much has happened in these months.  John is definitely healing, slowly but surely.  He figured he would be the exception and would heal quickly so he is disappointed that it is taking so long.  He preached twice today and didn't even go to bed until 8:30 pm so that is progress!

Yesterday, he took his morning walk, even taking off his shirt to get some sun; but not too much cause it is not good for the tender skin of his incision scars.  As he walked along, shirt off, binder around his middle, a man approached, stopped, and asked if he had had an aneurism.  This man had had one  8 years ago and recognized John's scars.  Talk about an immediate bond between men!  They could empathize.  It made for a wonderful sermon illustration today as John preached about Jesus being our high priest and well able to sympathize with us because he was here with us!

This morning, John said something about his "grand opening", referring to his initial surgery when his chest was opened for the first time.  I said, "Well, it was nearly your "grand finale"!  We've been laughing about that all day.

At Stepping Stones Child Care Center, I so appreciate my manager, Marilou Medrano, a high-powered nurse manager who essentially volunteers her time.  Her husband, Dom, mostly volunteers, too, as do their children Guilla and EG.  But it is Marilou who works side by side with me in problem-solving, dealing with irritated parents, scheduling appropriate staff, and so many other helpful tasks.  The other day, we just happened to be dressed alike.

 As you can see, she is cheerful, self-possessed, consistently pleasant, and as petite as she can be!  They are also our best neighbors.

Well, our next door neighbors are pretty dear too since they continue to mow our lawn!

But the whole Medrano family are just marvelous friends, neighbors, and helpers.  This is my tribute to them...

Today, we came back from preaching in Salem to a picnic at the park in Rolla.  It's always a risk coming late to a picnic.  There were still some people there and just enough food.  I brought a pasta salad and people were glad to see it, too!

Afterwards, three of us walked around the lake and then I wanted to walk home, too.  Guilla wanted to walk with me.  So, we went on an adventure and found our way home through the woods, following mountain biking trails that are every so close to our house that we hardly knew were there!

 

I've only found one tick on me but just feel creepy crawly all over my body, worried there are others.  The walk was worth it, though! And now I need to take my bike onto those trails and really explore them a bit more...

After the picnic, John came home and got a good nap in before we headed down to our church service on the Fort. 

Now it is Father's Day and how glad we are that our girls still have their Daddy!  Natasha sent him a card with a Taco Bell gift card...right on the money, honey!  John still enjoys four Tostadas when nothing else sounds good to him!

We went on a walk this morning after John looked at the weather radar map and declared there might be a tiny shower but that is all.  On the way back, though, it started to rain and then to pour.  We found shelter under the trees but gave it up and got soaked on our walk back..."This just might be our Waterloo!" he said with a grin.

But my garden is delighted with the shower that has continued, sometimes at a downpour, for over an hour.  So much for a little cloud....how is it that these cells just materialize out of nowhere?!!

Happy Father's Day to all you wonderful dads out there.  John and I are sure missing ours today.