My Year in Review...
It has definitely been a banner year for me, well, me, Chris and Andrea.
We came off of 2011 with the loss of our beloved Aussie, Draco in November to foster a soldier's dog in January. Angel was not allowed to go home to Korea (where she was born) with her family who was being relocated there because she lacked a blood titer. We fostered her for two and a half months, getting her the necessary titer and shots; getting the proper sized kennel and finally getting the necessary passage and escort to get home. We could not have done it without the help of many friends and their friends and of course, United Airlines who waived the normal fees to get her home to her soldier and family. My many thanks to Sandra, Janet, Christopher, the Air Race family, James Bear Branch Animal Hospital and Home Again for getting her back to her family. I am sure that there were so many, many more who were in the background that helped with this endeavor, God knows who you are and I'm sure that He will richly bless your for your kind assistance.
2012 also saw me get my passport for the very first time. I have never been out of the country (Nogales doesn't count, didn't need a passport then and I only went a quarter of a mile in), so I was understandably nervous about flying for almost 20 hours. Pair that up with flare ups of the old fibro and that increased the anxiety some. However, the sixteen hours over to Tokyo saw me playing Angry Birds, watching the air map and enjoying the wonderful service of our attentive flight attendants. Once in Okinawa I met my baby Granddaughter, Devynn for the very first time. I fell in love immediately and thoroughly enjoyed my time with Beth, Stephen, Khloe and Devynn.
Coming back from Okinawa was not as easy as getting there since there was weather all around us and getting on a flight was a bit of a trick. Once I got home, however, it was three days to recoup and get over the jet lag and then on to Tucson to pick up Mouse, whom my parents had watched over while I was in Japan. While there, my Mom had to have back surgery and I stayed on while she recovered.
The first part of May, my Father-in-Law, Howard Brown had a stroke and Chris had to go to be with him and his Mom. Again, trying to get a flight out so he could be at ease with his leaving the animals and the house was difficult at best. Finally, my Dad came up with a solution and I purchased the Beast. A 1973 Ford F100. When I first saw it I asked God if He was sure that this was the transportation that He had intended for me...I received nothing but positive from that inquiry and twenty four to twenty eight hours after getting it, Andrea and I were on the road, with a pass through El Paso and a visit with PopPop and Nana. We weren't aware then that this would be the last time that we would be able to see, talk with and tell him that we loved him. Roughly eighteen hours later we rolled up at home.
The end of May, PopPop went home to be with the Lord. I will always be thankful for God's providence and provision in getting us there to see him one last time. May also brought to us a puppy that we named Kona, if only for a short time. We brought her home the 26th of May, on the 29th she passed away from parvovirus. May was indeed a tough month for all of us in every way.
In August I had to return to Okinawa because of a medical issue with my Punky Girl. She had been having stomach pains and chest pains and had found out that she had a gravel pit in her gall bladder. The timing was kind of rotten as her hubby had just been deployed, so off I went again to help out where I could. A week and a half later, I was back home.
Also in August I saw the judicial system in action first hand. Since being diagnosed with Fibromyalgia I had actively sought some relief from the pain. With my stress level so high, my blood pressure was also taking some hits so the decision to quit working was made shortly after the diagnosis the year before. I applied and was denied two times for disability and then employed an advocate to assist me one last time. In August of this year I was awarded back pay and my disability. There are times that I wonder why I did this because I don't always "feel yukky", but the times that the flares come about, like last week for instance, well, lets just say that I remember the reason. Working and not knowing when a flare up is going to occur or when pain becomes so unbearable that I can't catch my breath is hard, and when attendance is hit as hard as mine was, it doesn't matter if you're the "star pupil" or not, the company has to cut losses.
September, October and November were fairly quiet after all of the activity of the previous months. Andrea finally got her passport and awaits with baited breath the very long trip to go to see her Sissy and Nieces in January. I, on the other hand am thinking that its going to be a looooonnnnggg trip. Lol!
In November we all made the trip to El Paso to spend Thanksgiving with Chris' family. It had been a very long time since I had seen our nieces and nephew and my Brother and Sister in Law. It was a wonderful time but altogether too short. I look forward to spending more time with them in the future.
And now we're in December. With all of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, the shopping and the gifts and whatever else happens to go on in our little worlds during this time of year, I managed to stop at least a couple of times to reflect on all of the blessings that God had given to us. We have had our sorrowful times, our rough times and even a few angry outbursts that had to be apologised for, but in all of that, God's Hand is evident every step of the way. Regardless of what came to our door, so to speak, we were able to overcome, rejoice or grieve because God was there helping us through.
As I finish out the last few hours of 2012, I must admit that a couple of people who are very near and dear to me are weighing heavily on my heart. They have tough times ahead of them...one is a Child of the King, the other is not, but both, regardless of their spiritual stance are in my heart, thoughts and prayers for a wonderful, successful and blessed 2013.
To all of you who have made this year what it was, whether you are a friend who follows my ramblings or someone who just happened upon my blog one day and kept reading, thank you. I may not have a massive following, but I have to admit that the following that I do have has an International base! I have had folks from Russia, Japan, Australia, Italy, the UK, France, one from Poland and one from Romania as well as numerous folks from the good old US of A. I am amazed constantly at the far reaching ability of the World Wide Web and that you all are interested in little old me in Texas.
In closing I will leave you with this Irish Prayer for the New Year:
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His Hand.
God bless you and yours and may 2013 be everything that you hoped for and more.
Much love and many blessings,
L
We came off of 2011 with the loss of our beloved Aussie, Draco in November to foster a soldier's dog in January. Angel was not allowed to go home to Korea (where she was born) with her family who was being relocated there because she lacked a blood titer. We fostered her for two and a half months, getting her the necessary titer and shots; getting the proper sized kennel and finally getting the necessary passage and escort to get home. We could not have done it without the help of many friends and their friends and of course, United Airlines who waived the normal fees to get her home to her soldier and family. My many thanks to Sandra, Janet, Christopher, the Air Race family, James Bear Branch Animal Hospital and Home Again for getting her back to her family. I am sure that there were so many, many more who were in the background that helped with this endeavor, God knows who you are and I'm sure that He will richly bless your for your kind assistance.
2012 also saw me get my passport for the very first time. I have never been out of the country (Nogales doesn't count, didn't need a passport then and I only went a quarter of a mile in), so I was understandably nervous about flying for almost 20 hours. Pair that up with flare ups of the old fibro and that increased the anxiety some. However, the sixteen hours over to Tokyo saw me playing Angry Birds, watching the air map and enjoying the wonderful service of our attentive flight attendants. Once in Okinawa I met my baby Granddaughter, Devynn for the very first time. I fell in love immediately and thoroughly enjoyed my time with Beth, Stephen, Khloe and Devynn.
Coming back from Okinawa was not as easy as getting there since there was weather all around us and getting on a flight was a bit of a trick. Once I got home, however, it was three days to recoup and get over the jet lag and then on to Tucson to pick up Mouse, whom my parents had watched over while I was in Japan. While there, my Mom had to have back surgery and I stayed on while she recovered.
The first part of May, my Father-in-Law, Howard Brown had a stroke and Chris had to go to be with him and his Mom. Again, trying to get a flight out so he could be at ease with his leaving the animals and the house was difficult at best. Finally, my Dad came up with a solution and I purchased the Beast. A 1973 Ford F100. When I first saw it I asked God if He was sure that this was the transportation that He had intended for me...I received nothing but positive from that inquiry and twenty four to twenty eight hours after getting it, Andrea and I were on the road, with a pass through El Paso and a visit with PopPop and Nana. We weren't aware then that this would be the last time that we would be able to see, talk with and tell him that we loved him. Roughly eighteen hours later we rolled up at home.
The end of May, PopPop went home to be with the Lord. I will always be thankful for God's providence and provision in getting us there to see him one last time. May also brought to us a puppy that we named Kona, if only for a short time. We brought her home the 26th of May, on the 29th she passed away from parvovirus. May was indeed a tough month for all of us in every way.
In August I had to return to Okinawa because of a medical issue with my Punky Girl. She had been having stomach pains and chest pains and had found out that she had a gravel pit in her gall bladder. The timing was kind of rotten as her hubby had just been deployed, so off I went again to help out where I could. A week and a half later, I was back home.
Also in August I saw the judicial system in action first hand. Since being diagnosed with Fibromyalgia I had actively sought some relief from the pain. With my stress level so high, my blood pressure was also taking some hits so the decision to quit working was made shortly after the diagnosis the year before. I applied and was denied two times for disability and then employed an advocate to assist me one last time. In August of this year I was awarded back pay and my disability. There are times that I wonder why I did this because I don't always "feel yukky", but the times that the flares come about, like last week for instance, well, lets just say that I remember the reason. Working and not knowing when a flare up is going to occur or when pain becomes so unbearable that I can't catch my breath is hard, and when attendance is hit as hard as mine was, it doesn't matter if you're the "star pupil" or not, the company has to cut losses.
September, October and November were fairly quiet after all of the activity of the previous months. Andrea finally got her passport and awaits with baited breath the very long trip to go to see her Sissy and Nieces in January. I, on the other hand am thinking that its going to be a looooonnnnggg trip. Lol!
In November we all made the trip to El Paso to spend Thanksgiving with Chris' family. It had been a very long time since I had seen our nieces and nephew and my Brother and Sister in Law. It was a wonderful time but altogether too short. I look forward to spending more time with them in the future.
And now we're in December. With all of the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, the shopping and the gifts and whatever else happens to go on in our little worlds during this time of year, I managed to stop at least a couple of times to reflect on all of the blessings that God had given to us. We have had our sorrowful times, our rough times and even a few angry outbursts that had to be apologised for, but in all of that, God's Hand is evident every step of the way. Regardless of what came to our door, so to speak, we were able to overcome, rejoice or grieve because God was there helping us through.
As I finish out the last few hours of 2012, I must admit that a couple of people who are very near and dear to me are weighing heavily on my heart. They have tough times ahead of them...one is a Child of the King, the other is not, but both, regardless of their spiritual stance are in my heart, thoughts and prayers for a wonderful, successful and blessed 2013.
To all of you who have made this year what it was, whether you are a friend who follows my ramblings or someone who just happened upon my blog one day and kept reading, thank you. I may not have a massive following, but I have to admit that the following that I do have has an International base! I have had folks from Russia, Japan, Australia, Italy, the UK, France, one from Poland and one from Romania as well as numerous folks from the good old US of A. I am amazed constantly at the far reaching ability of the World Wide Web and that you all are interested in little old me in Texas.
In closing I will leave you with this Irish Prayer for the New Year:
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of His Hand.
God bless you and yours and may 2013 be everything that you hoped for and more.
Much love and many blessings,
L
Comments
Post a Comment