Today is my Sunday to host our weekly Sisterfest. The RV is full of Christmas presents and after being gone all day yesterday, plus all of the running we've done this past week I haven't had a chance to clean much. The original plan was to go to Joplin to visit our step-dad Larry, and his wife Verna. We were going to leave Oswego at noon, right after church. I decided I would go to church with Cindy this morning since I wasn't sure I'd make it back from my church by noon.
It's the weekly Sisterfest host's job to provide a dessert so this morning I made a lemon cake. Not everyone likes lemon as much as I do, so I checked with Verna yesterday and fortunately they both like it too.
About 9:00 Verna sent a text message that she had called the ambulance and they were taking Larry to Freeman Hospital ER in Joplin. After church I called Verna and learned Larry was being admitted to the hospital but they weren't sure what was wrong yet or how soon he would be moved to a room. She will keep us updated and we will reschedule our visit with them at a later date.
After church we found out from our sister Crystal that they had to take our youngest sister Jody's son, Wade, to Urgent Care this morning. From there they sent him to the Emergency Room as he was not feeling well, but they sent him home. What a morning!
Since we cancelled our visit to Larry and Verna, Cindy offered her house for getting together this afternoon. Text messages went back and forth with Verna throughout the day. They determined Larry had a very bad Urinary Tract Infection and some medication he was taking needed to be adjusted and he was feeling a little better by late afternoon.
With all of that going on plus other things we've been doing I haven't had much time to work on the blog so this will be an abbreviated update of the past several days, noting highlights - at least, of what I remember. Lol!
Monday, December 3, 2018
I took my granddaughter Haleigh to Parsons this morning - we were at the Driver's License Office at 8:00 when they opened.
When Misti was preparing for their trip to see Logan at Thanksgiving she was checking to make sure all of their paperwork was in order so they would have no problem getting on base. They discovered Haleigh's driver license was expired - by 19 days. I took her to Parsons a few weeks ago to get it renewed. Unfortunately, we discovered that since it's expired more than 10 days past her birthday, and because her license was originally a restricted license until she turned 16 - she now has to retake not only the test but must drive again in order to get her new license. They could not do it that day since we arrived after 4pm. However, they did issue her a new ID while we were there.
Unfortunately, she had not received the new ID when we arrived today, so they would not let her take the test or drive because there cannot be two requests for the same person in the system at the same time. We were both so disappointed. To make it worse, when Misti checked the mail after she got out of school, guess what arrived in today's mail - yes, her new ID. Misti decided she would just wait until Christmas break and she will take her.
A while after I returned from Parsons I received a text message from my sister that Wade my nephew was sick all night. It wasn't too long after that I received a text, they had called the ambulance and were taking him to Mercy Hospital in Joplin. They did a spinal tap and determined he had bacterial meningitis and he was moved to ICU. They put him in an induced coma to allow his body to rest. Word from Verna on Larry - he is feeling much better today.
Between phone calls/text messages with my sister about Wade; and with Verna about Larry I spent the rest of the day bringing our November budget up to date, sorting mail, filing medical papers (from all the doctor appointments we've had lately - ugh!) and doing a little cleaning around Bentley. The one thing about being in our hometown during the fall and spring is: we are able to get all of our doctor's appointments done at once but it sure takes up a lot of our time here.
Tuesday, December 4, 2018
We still had a few things to do around Bentley this morning and we kept busy with that. After lunch my sisters Cindy and Crystal and my niece Amy (Wade's sister) and I went to Joplin. We dropped Amy off at Mercy so she could have time with Wade - she hasn't had a chance to see him at all since he was admitted to the hospital, and my sisters and I went to Freeman to see Larry and Verna. Larry looked good, though he is still recovering. They indicated he may be there another 4 days or so to get his medication regulated and for physical therapy. We only stayed about 30-40 minutes so we could also visit Wade when we pick Amy up. It was hard to see him just laying there in the induced state, and not see him smile at us. Devon, his wife, has been there since Saturday. She's a trooper; as well as my sister Jody, who has also been there throughout each day. Jody's had to do this a few times with Wade - he was in a car accident several years ago and was seriously injured; he fell from his deer stand last year when the strap on it broke and now this. She's such a strong person and a prayer warrior!
We had to have Amy back in Oswego by 5:00 so she could pick up Wade and Devon's little girl, Peyton, from daycare. I'm sure she is confused about what is going on but fortunately she loves her Aunt Amy; as well as her Nana Jody and Papa Mark, who will pick her up when they get back to Oswego, where she will spend the night; so she is with people she loves and they certainly love her.
A little after 6, Dean and I headed to Parsons for our granddaughter, Kamron's Christmas program at the Municipal Building Auditorium. We enjoyed the entire program!! We got to visit with Marc before and during, and we got to talk to Kamron for a few minutes before the program, and afterwards.
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| Kindergarten and First Graders - they are all so cute! |
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| My cousins' grandson in the light purple shirt & vest, with glasses on front row - Chandler! He has such a beautiful smile and sung his heart out! |
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| Kamron - to the left of center. |
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| Kamron and her best friend. |
When we returned to Oswego we made another drive through Riverside Park since all of the individual decorations are up in the park now.
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| New pictures |
Wednesday, December 5, 2018
Good news on Wade today - he woke up and pulled his breathing tube out. Devon called the nurse in, and she asked him who Devon was - he said his wife; who the current President is - he said Trump; who the previous President's were and he named the four previous to Trump. He still needs to rest for full recovery but we are thankful for every bit of improvement - and this one today was huge! He is unable to open his left eye or hear out of his left ear, move his neck to look down or lift his left arm, however, the doctors believe all of those will likely return as he heals and the swelling goes down. Later this evening a report from his wife said he asked for his phone so he could look at his Fantasy Football team - a good sign!
Larry is continuing to improve and is doing very well. We are so thankful for what God has done and we know he will bring them both through these trials just fine.
Dean and I spent the day preparing Bentley and ourselves for a trip we are taking tomorrow with my daughter Misti and granddaughter Haleigh. With the cold weather we had to make sure Bentley had enough propane to keep everything warm while we are gone. Dean picked the water hoses up and stored them after filling our tank with enough water we would be able to shower in the morning. I packed everything I thought we might need while we are gone for the next three days.
Thursday, December 6, 2018
I was up at 3:45 this morning to be sure we had everything ready before Misti picks us up at 5:00. Amazing how time can fly when you are trying to make sure everything is completed before you walk out the door. Dean and I both had lists to be sure we didn't overlook anything.
Misti arrived at 5:02 and it took just a few minutes to load the car with our suitcase and a couple of bags. Within minutes we were off on our journey to Waukegan, IL, home of the Great Lakes Navy Station near North Chicago for our grandson's graduation from Navy Basic Training which will take place tomorrow. We are so excited to see him!
Our trip went well, even though we were surprised when we ran into a snowstorm about an hour and a half south of Bloomington, IL. The snow stopped about the time we reached Bloomington. Fortunately, the roads were warm enough they were not slick, even though approximately 2-3 inches fell during the drive. The trees were very pretty - especially the large pine trees.
We stopped just a short time afterwards to grab something to eat and use their facilities. The front of Misti's car was covered in ice.
The rest of our drive was uneventful and we were blessed that even upon arriving in Chicago we were not caught up in heavy traffic. It did slow a bit but it was not bad in comparison to Misti's trip two weeks ago to see Logan at Thanksgiving where it was backed up and barely moving.
Our first stop was at the Navy Exchange (NEX) to pick up tickets for Logan's graduation tomorrow. Each family receives four tickets to attend the graduation. Besides Misti and Haleigh, Logan's dad Madio and his Grandma Rose will be attending. We will be able to watch it via livestreaming at the hotel where we are staying.
After getting the tickets we looked through all of the shirts, sweatshirts, and other clothing items available in the NEX. I was hoping to buy a shirt, but could not find anything I really liked, so I will look online. I was looking for a Navy t-shirt in gray or navy with Grandma on it but all I found were sweatshirts. I think I will get more use out of a t-shirt, as our goal in this full-time RV life is to stay where warmer weather is; and I already have plenty of sweatshirts.
Once we made it to the hotel we were all thankful to be out of the car and have a chance to relax. A short time later we left long enough to eat dinner at a Panda Express nearby.
Continued good news on Wade - his white blood count continues to drop and reached 20 today. They also got him up, had him sitting in a chair and walking down the hall.
My stepdad Larry is doing much better and the doctor thinks he is ready to be released if his heart doctor agrees. They will be sending him to a rehab center where he will have physical therapy a few times a day before he returns home.
Friday, December 7, 2018
Misti and Haleigh were up around 3:30 this morning in order to leave by 5:00. With several hundred soldiers graduating today she wants to get in the gate early. At Thanksgiving she waited in line at the front gate for a very long time. She was afraid she wasn't going to get there in time to pick Logan up, but it all worked out. Arriving early will also provide a better chance of locating a good seat, which they did, but unfortunately they could not pick him out when his group marched in. They were unable to find him until after the ceremony was over. He was in the back of his unit (41) so not easily seen from their seats.
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| Prior to Graduation Ceremony |
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| Logan's Unit 041 |
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| One of my favorite pictures taken of Logan today - at lunch |
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| Logan and one of the young men in his group |
After lunch we drove to the nearby mall to spend some time. Even though we stopped in a few stores, for the most part we just walked and visited. We finally decided to drive back to our hotel (Courtyard by Marriott - just a short distance away). They have some nice seating areas in the hotel and we grabbed one that provided enough room for us all and spent the rest of the evening visiting with our new soldier! The hotel had a perfect location to take pictures and I have included a few below. I just can't express how very proud I am of him - we all are! It was wonderful to see all eight of us just enjoying the precious time we had with him tonight. Tomorrow morning he flies to San Antonio for A-school at Fort Sam Houston, where as a corpsman, where he will attend medical training. All too soon it was time for him to leave and head back to base for the evening. After hugs and goodbyes, Madio and his grandparents drove him back. We'll see him again tomorrow morning when we meet him at the airport where we will be able to spend time with him before his flight to Texas.
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| Dress Coat at the Mall |
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| My daughter Misti, and her two loves - grandson Logan and granddaughter Haleigh |
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| Nana Peine (me), Misti, Logan, Haleigh, and Papa Peine (Dean) |
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| My favorite picture of Logan and Misti - I tear up everytime I see it. Misti is so extremely proud of him! |
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| Another favorite - Logan's Dad Madio, Logan and Misti. It just makes me happy to see their smiles and the love they have for this young man! |
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| Grandma Rose Ybarra, Logan and Grandpa Oscar Ybarra |
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| Grandpa and Grandma Ybarra, Logan, and his Dad Madio Ybarra |
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| I wanted a picture of the three of us! |
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| I loved the background for this picture and wanted one of all of us with our Nations' Flag behind us! |
After Logan left Dean and I went in search of a place to find some air for Misti's tire(s). Fortunately there was still someone in the service area at Wal-mart, almost next door to our hotel, and they were kind enough to check all of the tires and air them up. What a blessing that was and there was no charge for it! We truly appreciated their kindness!
Saturday, December 8, 2018
We were "thrilled" (NOT) to find out Logan is leaving for the airport at 4:00 AM!!!! So at 2:45 we were up to finish packing, getting dressed; then heading to Chicago O'Hare Airport.
We were blessed that we fell right in behind the buses carrying our soldier right to the point of the terminal location. Haleigh and I went in to wait for Logan while Misti and Dean parked the car. It wasn't long before we saw Logan walk in.
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| Pulling glove off |
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| Center - sitting on his duffel bag |
All family members were able to obtain a pass to join Logan at the gate his flight will leave from. We stayed until a little after 8 and then we left to begin our journey back to Oswego. Logan's plane did not leave until 1:00 (his dad and grandparents flights did not leave until after his, so they kept him company). He landed in San Antonio an hour or two before we made it back to Oswego, which was around 5:30. It was good to know he made it safely and we were all glad to be out of the car. We were blessed with a safe trip and that the snowstorm they were expecting in southeast Kansas and northeast Missouri did not occur as they predicted, adding to our safe journey home.
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| Eating breakfast at the airport - Wolfgang Puck (it was very good) |
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| Waiting at the gate |
We were worn out from the drive. I put a few things away, but most of it waited until morning.
I was anxious to hear about Wade and after talking to my sister Crystal it was good to hear he continues to improve. His white count is now down to 17. His left arm is painful to lift as the muscles are really tight, but they started physical therapy today and that will soon improve. My sister Jody and husband Mark also took Wade and Devon's daughter, Peyton, to see them today, since he was moved to a regular room from ICU. I know they were both anxious to see her!
I sent a text to let Verna know we were home and learned Larry had been moved to a rehab facility in Joplin and he is doing well. I'm so thankful for all the prayers that were said for Wade and Larry and how God has moved in their lives this week to bring healing.
We received a call earlier today from our RV dealer. They have received the parts to repair our level up system and wanted to know if they could work on it Tuesday or Wednesday. We chose Wednesday and will drop it off at 10:00, which works out well for us to visit Larry and Wade in Joplin while we are waiting for the repairs to be done.
My cousin Todd brought a package from Amazon that was left for us yesterday at the RV park and I invited him in. We enjoyed visiting with him for awhile before we ordered a pizza for dinner from the local Pizza Hut. It wasn't long after that we crashed.
We went to bed at 9 last night and I slept until shortly before 7 this morning. Dean was up not too long afterwards. We were both exhausted from the last three days, but it was worth it for the opportunity to see and spend time with Logan!
Oh my, Bentley looked like a cyclone hit it - with suitcases, bags, Christmas stuff, the package we got from Amazon while we were gone strewn throughout the living room and bedroom. While I didn't have time to do everything, I at least got most of the stuff put away so I could stand it.
After breakfast, we both had our showers and got ready for church. We haven't been able to make it to Sherman Country Church for weeks as we've been gone for one reason or another. It was great to be there and Roger had a great message today. We made it home about 12:45, long enough to eat; then I headed to my sister Cindy's for our weekly Sisterfest. Her daughter Nikki joined us a little later and we all had a great visit.
I stopped at the grocery store on the way back to get bread and lunch meat for the week. The Chiefs game was just ending as I walked in Bentley. Fortunately, they managed to pull off another win! Dean was happy about that!
Dean put the water hose out so I could do some laundry. He had to take it up again later, since temperatures are dropping below freezing again tonight. I'll do more tomorrow since I plan to be here most of the day! I've got a whole list of things to get done. We have a very busy week - what's new, right? Weather permitting, we will be leaving for Mission, TX, December 26. We still have many things we want and need to do before then.
We made a quick trip to the storage shed tonight to get a roll of brown paper so I could wrap presents that need to be mailed tomorrow. We enjoyed this beautiful sunset on the way!
It's now 8:45 Monday morning and I am caught up! It feels good. Today we are so thankful that our family members are healing well and for the special time we got to spend with Logan, as well as that with my daughter and granddaughter on the trip there and back. We are blessed!
Monday, December 10, 2018
My neck has been bothering me for the past few days and today it decided to rear its really ugly head and I was miserable. I did manage to do a little but even after taking tylenol and using biofreeze (which usually really helps) it was not letting up, so I gave in and made an appointment with the chiropractor.
One of the things I wanted to do today was get the blog caught up. I needed to download the pictures from my camera to Google Photos. I managed to get both done, but by the time the pictures finished downloading, my neck was hurting too bad to add them.
So, as for all I hoped to accomplish today; not nearly enough was done. Besides catching the blog up, I manged to get presents that need to go in the mail wrapped today. However, our plans to take them to Pittsburg to ship them, when we pick up our mail, will have to wait until tomorrow.
I went to the chiropractor at 2:30. When I returned home, I laid down with an ice pack and by 4:00 I was feeling much better. Granddaughter Kamron has a basketball game tonight at 5:00. I seriously considered not going but she only has two games left that we can attend so I decided I didn't want to miss them. I am so glad we went. She played the best game I've ever seen her play. Her confidence level is much improved. She scored the first two points of the game, and she played extremely well the entire game. I was so proud of her.
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| Kamron is #11, with the long pony tail. |
The Parsons Catholic "Saints" played Chetopa "Hornets" tonight. I lived in Chetopa until my parents divorced in 1970. Much of my family still lives there. Kamron played against my cousin Ricky Nash's granddaughter, Isabella. I noticed as the boys started preparing for their game that my cousin Steve Blackledge's grandson Kaden was going to be playing later. We did not stay to watch the boys, as we took Kamron home after the girls games. It was good to visit with Marc and Jennifer too before we headed home.
Back home I warmed up the taco soup I set out before we left. I froze it before we left last week, so it was an easy fix for tonight.
We called it an early night again - still trying to catch up on those early mornings in Chicago. Lol!
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