Sun. Update...DONOR-HEART PRAYERS

* UPDATE*

Sunday, morning...Little brother is staying with friends...but celebrating his big sister's courage and her NEW heart!


Little brother celebrating Big Sis's new heart

























Around 1:30pm, Sunday
After the heart was transplanted there was residual blood loss and some new blood clots.  The team of doctors had to re-open her chest and find the problems.
Sunday, 3:55pm
About an hour ago, they completed the repair.  Katie has come through surgery! Prayers answered! I've been a nervous wreck because she was so critical and we didn't hear any update for two hours. Dr. Kogan came and talked to us.

He got the clot and cleaned out some lines. Her vitals are much better and her blood drainage has improved.

We can see her in a few minutes, hopefully. Thank you for the prayers! Keep them coming! --Kerri



We've never seen this before with Katie:
Oxygen levels of 100%. This made us cry. --Kerri

 

 

Saturday night, 9:39pm

My sweet great niece is in surgery now; the doctors will be removing her sick heart soon. 

The transport team has flown out to pick up the donor's graciously-given heart.

Thanks for keeping she and her family in your prayers.
















John 8:31  "If you continue in my word, then you are truly Disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."

Blessings,

APRIL A-Z CHALLENGE

"C" is for: 

Cooing...calmly...Creator-fed

Puffy grey couples
sharing daily nourishment
Creator's providence









I love hearing the mourning doves while they're visiting on our deck searching for more food. 

Sometimes they're bathing in the little birdbath and then fluffing out their feathers while drying them in the sun.













What begins with a "c" on your back deck today?


John 8:31  "If you continue in my word, then you are truly Disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
Blessings,

FRIENDS CAN BE HEAVY…5-min friday

linking up with Five Minute Friday…

After receiving her prompt, write for five minutes … no editing.

Post whatever you have.

Today's prompt  -REST

My devotion today was written by Dietrick Bonhoeffer…
He was discussing the importance of ‘intercessory prayer’ and he related our going to Jesus in prayer…imagining ourselves carrying a friend we are having difficulty with, to lay at the foot of the cross.

Poor humans all needing healing…and then being re-born through Christ’s blood having covered us ALL…small and big sins.
His words make me envision being on my knees and having a heart-to-heart with our Lord to lay out my concerns seeking REST in His providence:

"Lord, I can’t deal with this person…they won’t listen…they hurt my feelings…they won’t turn to you when I want them to listen to You.”
 

“You know what it was when people didn’t listen…when they beat you and crucified you…when they betrayed you and then killed you…yet You forgave them, didn’t you as you asked God to forgive us in our ignorance?!”

My 5 minutes is up…and there’s ‘more confessing and praying needing to be done, so I’ll finish here and ponder the Lord’s answers for me. 
 

Thanks, Mr. B, I needed to be reminded.
Where is your REST today?

"...confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed. The prayer of the righteous is powerful and effective."
James 5:15-16

FLATTERING VIDEO STILL ... not.

Why...

Just Why do videos ALWAYS choose the MOST flattering still shot as the thumbnail?

 

Several women who inspire me thru laughter, God-given talents, eternally teaching, Holy-Spirit inspiration, memories from the 60s and sharing patterns in yarn and life)

 

...wishing I had a pair of 'Sisterhood' blue jeans heading their way to make a dream come true:

1. Chatty Crone (a Christian middle aged mother of two, grandmother of two - one eleven years old and one almost two, and wife. I'm a hopeless romantic. I try very hard to see the world with rose colored glasses on.)
2. Carol MY Painting Room (a watercolorist, 'nuff said)
3. Kelle @ ENJOYING THE SMALL THINGS (lives Donna Markova's quote, "...choose to risk my significance; to live so that which comes to me as seed goes to the next as blossom and that which comes to me as blossom, goes on as fruit)
4. Elaine @ PEACE FOR THE JOURNEY (boasting only of Him thru her voice and pen)
5. Joyce @ FROM THIS SIDE OF THE POND (world traveler, 2-girl mother, An empty nester trying to figure out who she is in this season of life)
6. Pearl @ Pearl, WHY YOU LITTLE...(wanting to share with us what so many "Wanted" posters have failed to encapsulate)
7. Debi @ DIY HOOKS & YARNS (a 30-year crocheter who teaches us to put on our big girl panties and deal with it)

John 8:31 "If you continue in my word, then you are truly Disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."
Blessings,

HODGE PODGEYNESS

JOINING JOYCE at
 FROM THIS SIDE OF THE POND...

1. If I had the chance to go in person to the Summer Olympics, the (non-Olympic) London site I'd most like to visit: Westminster Abbey then grabbing some fishNchips.

2. Something in your life right now feeling like an Olympic event:   drowning in the pool of 'post surgical menopause'...where are you Mark Spitz?...or Michael Phelps...or Johnny Weismiller?  Pull me out of this 'ever-present' deep end of hormonelessness.

3. My favorite supper (to prepare and serve) when it's too hot to cook:  California-BLTsandwiches, black-bean/corn/tomato salad and sweet, peach tea

4. July 18th is National Get Out of the Doghouse Day...I last took refuge  'in the doghouse when I woke the hubs with my 'snoring' (and he had already left the room to go to bed...)  I woke him up all the way from the den, oops!

5. The television advertisement  particularly irritating me recently:  pizza rolls in the freezer...

DID YOU NOTICE THE BOY puts the phone down in the freezer, picks up the rolls and closes the freezer?

"Just HOW LONG will it take him to realize the phone's in the freezer?" ...somehow this reminds me of my husband and not being able to find ANYTHING worth eating in the pantry or freezer.

6. Share an interesting news event from your birth year. My favorite toy was born the same year as me...her name is BARBIE, and I didn't care that the new state, Alaska, had been added to our country. 

7. The best part of my average day is: literally WAKING UP...once you've had cancer, it forever changes one's perspective.

8. Insert your own random thought here.  Having spent a week with my mother-in-law, my perspective continues to change on life and the elderly...It is so hard to see someone lose all their friends and be unable to care for themselves.  We each should make it our goal to do something for someone elderly or ask them about their day; they need our interaction and love.

John 8:31  "If you continue in my word, then you are truly Disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free."

Blessings,

BEEing a BLESSING

Sometimes it's fun to CELEBRATE another blog, highlight someone else's journey on this road of life...

JOYCE @ FROM THIS SIDE OF THE POND is celebrating her 27th wedding anniversary yet her hubs is flying home from India on their special day.

He did send her the sweet picture but I couldn't let it remain so dark...

JUST HAD to help her see it better.  A little editing and 'abra ca dabra'

...now there are their faces! 

What a beautiful picture from afar. 

Happy Anniversary you two! 

Here's a little bloggy award for your being such a inspiration to all the married couples.

Blessings,

FRIDAY FILL INs..#191

And...here we go!

1. You do your thing; I do mine and sometimes _I want to do your thing with you_.

2. _My college freshman driving two hours to her girlfriend's house_ is what's been on my mind on and off all day.

3. Remember when _most families had time to eat dinner with each other_.

4. _Praying with my accountability sisters, working on my newest 'knitting' project and eating salsa with soy crisps(more protein/no carbs)_ are three of my favorite obsessions

5. During the last year _God's been teaching me more about 'sitting still and knowing He's got my back'._

6. _Seeing previous youth in our community accepting Jesus and raising their families under His guidance certainly_ puts a smile on my face.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _grilling marinated swordfish in our smoker_, tomorrow my plans include _dropping off several bags at the local GoodWill_ and Sunday, I want to _get a nap(because the politicians haven't been calling as often...thank you, Lord_!

Jer. 33:3  "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." 

SECOND VERSE, LOUDER THAN THE FIRST!

HELPING SPREAD THE WORD...

DOUGLAS COUNTY TEA PARTY

THERE IS A SECOND VERSE IN ADDITION TO THE FIRST...

HELP SPREAD THE WORD...WON'T YOU??!!!

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."Blessings,

BS&K....the WORLD should know...

The WORLD should know...yes, it should...

God has blessed me with one of THE SWEETEST, KINDEST, MOST GIVING GIRLFRIENDS...WHOOOOOOO:

-unloaded books from a large box

-reloaded books into smaller boxes

-carried multiple boxes to our basement

-carried multiple vases and serving pieces back to our basement

-tied little white bows on lollipop sticks until she couldn't see straight

-washed all the pots and pans used for the chocolate and cake recipes

-helped unload yesterday's washed dish washer

-stood for multiple hours in my kitchen today, layering white chocolate onto cake balls for graduation lollipops

ANDDDDDDDD,

-she STILL loves me.

God is GOOD, ALL the time...ALL the time, GOD is GOOD!!

Yes, He ISSSSS!

Thanks again, BS&K...you're helping save me through this thing called 'graduation' and I love you more for your compassion and hard work.

:)

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."Blessings,

PROJECT 365, week fourteen

JOINING SARA FOR ANOTHER WEEK...

3.28 DD'S BIRTHDAY...

HIBACHI WAS THE MEAL OF THE DAY

 

THOSE HIBACHI CHEFS ALWAYS MANAGE TO DO SOMETHING SILLY DURING THE 'SHOW'...THIS LITTLE BALL PLAYER WAS FULL OF WATER...HE WAS USED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE (IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN...)

I THINK DD AND FRIENDS HAD A GOOD TIME EATING AND HANGING OUT TOGETHER

 

HUBS AND I CUT A PIECE OUT OF THE CAKE BEFORE DD TOOK IT WITH HER TO HER BIBLE STUDY CLASS LATER THAT AFTERNOON...IT WAS GOOD THAT IT WAS GOING AWAY FROM MY HOUSE!

3.30...BLESSED TO PARTICIPATE IN A 'SEDER'...

A LAST SUPPER AT OUR CHURCH. 

I LOVE CHRISTIAN-HEBRAIC LEGACY AND ENJOY LEARNING MORE AND MORE ABOUT THE TRADITIONS, THEIR MEANINGS THEN AND THEIR MEANINGS AFTER CHRIST FULFILLED THE LAW.  THIS IS A SHOT OF OUR 'TRAY' THAT WAS PASSED AT OUR TABLE DURING EACH SECTION OF THE MEAL...BITTER HERBS, LAMB SHANK, BOILED EGGS, CHAROSETH, MATZOH...EACH WITH ITS OWN MEANING AND REMEMBRANCE FOR THE JEWS.  OUR 'WINE' WAS GRAPE JUICE AND WE DRANK IT AFTER EACH OF THE FOUR BLESSINGS THROUGHOUT THE SEDER.

OUR DRAMA TEAM HAD MEMORIZED A LOT OF SPECIFIC PRAYERS, SONGS AND SCRIPTURE TO FULFILL THIS MEAL AS THEY ACTED IT OUT ON THE STAGE...WE FOLLOWED IN SUIT AFTER EACH PART OF THE MEAL THEY PORTRAYED.

 

I WAS BLESSED TO GET TO SIT NEXT TO AN EMMAUS SISTER DURING THE SEDER...SHE'S BEEN IN MY LIFE FOR YEARS AND WAS ONE OF DD'S TEACHERS IN MIDDLE SCHOOL.

4.3 ANNUAL EASTER FESTIVAL

HELD AT ONE OF MY FAVORITE PLACES ON EARTH...OUR CAMPGROUND. SO MANY PEOPLE THIS YEAR...LITTLE AND BIG.  THE WEATHER WAS PERFECT, IN THE 70'S, BRIGHT SUNSHINE RAINED DOWN ON US.  THE NEWLY-LAID 'SOD' IS GROWING BRISKLY AND WILL BE MUCH THICKER BY 'CAMP MEETING' TIME IN JULY.

SEVERAL OF OUR YOUTH VOLUNTEERED AT THE VARIOUS BOOTHS, SHAVING ICE, POURING DRINKS, MANNING 'BOUNCEY' CASTLES/SLIDES...THEY WERE HAVING SO MUCH FUN WHILE BEING 'CHRIST'S HANDS AND FEET' IN SERVICE TO THE COMMUNITY...THIS WAS A FREE EVENT FOR ANY ONE TO ENJOY.

DD GOT A PIC OF ME WITH 'THE BUNNY'...

I'M SURPRISED HE HAD SO MUCH ENERGY AND TIME...I FIGURED HE'D BE RESTING UP FOR ALL THAT WORK HE HAS TO DO TOMORROW!  BUT, HE DID HAVE TIME TO LET ME HUG HIM!!!  HE'S ALWAYS BEEN SOOOOOOO GOOD TO ME :)

HIS LITTLE SISTER WAS ENJOYING HER SPOT IN ONE OF THE EMPTY EASTER BASKETS...SEE SHE'S RESTING...HE MAY GET HER BUSY TOMORROW, TOO!

THE BUNNIES HAD SEVERAL OF THEIR FRIENDS VISITING WITH THEM...AND THE KIDS LOVED EVERY MINUTE WITH EACH OF THEM...HERE'S SS WITH THE FAT, 5-YEAR OL ROOSTER...HE WEIGHS 15 LBS. AND HE LOVED 'CROWING' EVERY FEW MINUTES.  THE KIDS WOULD 'SCATTER' WHEN HE RARED BACK AND CROWED.

DD GOT HER HANDS ON THE SMALLEST BUNNY...SHE'S ALWAYS WANTED ONE BUT WE NEVER HAVE BEEN ABLE TO GET THAT WORKED INTO OUR LIVES.

THIS IS MY FAVORITE SHOT OF THE DAY...

ISN'T THIS THE SWEETEST LITTLE LAMB SHE'S PETTING...IT WAS SO FLUFFY AND SWEET...SUCH AN INNOCENT REPRESENTATION OF OUR LORD'S LIFE...OUR PRECIOUS, COMPLETELY-GIVEN LAMB COVERING ALL OUR UGLINESS.

A BURRO CALMLY WALKED AROUND, TAKING CORN FROM ANYONE WHO WOULD OFFER...
HE WAS NEVER PUSHY THOUGH.

BELOW IS THE FIRST 'SCOTTISH' COW I'VE EVER SEE UP CLOSE
SO FURRY AND WILL GROW TO BE VERY LARGE ONE DAY.

SS COULDN'T STAY AWAY FROM THE LITTLE BLACK PIG

AT FIRST HE WOULDN'T RAISE HIS HEAD FOR A PICTURE, SO I ROOTED AROUND UNDER THE HAY AND FOUND SOME CORN FOR HER TO HOLD IN HER PALM...WA LAH!!! THEN, I GOT THE SHOT :)

IN ADDITION TO THE MANY ANIMALS THE BUNNY BROUGHT...
 HE SHARED SOME CLOWNS, WHO WERE BLOWING BUBBLES,

 

AND CHARACTERS, LIKE WINNIE THE POOH, HAD PICS MADE WITH THE KIDS...

EVEN SOME OF OUR COLLEGE KIDS CAME HOME FROM OUT OF STATE

AND WORKED AT THE EVENT...

HERE, CM IS MANNING THE 'BLOWUP SLIDE'...SHE WAS SOOOOOO PATIENT WITH THESE LITTLE ONES.

SHE'S ONE OF MY 'HUGGERS' ...

SHE FINDS ME WHENEVER HOME AND GRABS ME WITH HER 'SOCCER STRONG' ARMS AND GIVES THE 'HUGE-EST' HUGS...LOVE IT!  I'VE WATCHED HER GROW UP SINCE SHE WAS 5YO.  THE TIME HAS FLOWN BY...SHE'LL BE STARTING HER 2ND YEAR IN COLLEGE SOON.

OUR WEEK WAS SUCH A JOY...

HOLY WEEK IS SUCH AN EMOTIONAL TIME, REMEMBERING HOW OUR LORD GAVE EVERYTHING FOR US.  WE'RE EAGER FOR EASTER MORNING TO AGAIN PRAISE HIM FOR DEFEATING DEATH AND BEING OUR HOPE AND SALVATION FOR ETERNITY.

BLESSINGS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY THIS EASTER.

THEN SINGS MY SOUL...marshmallow world

THEN SINGS MY SOUL...Joining Amy...

my soul is singing...singing in joy for the beautiful snow we had yesterday. We woke to the most gorgeously blue skies, so I had to take pics of that too! It'll be gone by later today or early tomorrow...but it surely has been clean, quiet and a wonderful change.GO, GOD!!!

(Down below Dean's video is a short snippet of what I found outside this MORNING...love it, love it...Did I mention I LOVE IT!!! )

If you've never seen Dean Martin or heard him sing...this song captures the way I feel about the snow...a marshmallow world...

DISCLAIMER: not endorsing his smoking nor having a holiday-decorated house in the middle of February but the words of the song are great...

captures my feel for the snow and the LOVE of the weekend with my sweetheart!!!

"A Marshmallow World" www.OldieLyrics.com(partial)

It's a marshmallow world in the winter,

When the snow comes to cover the ground,

It's the time for play, it's a whipped cream day,

I wait for it all year round.

It's a yum-yummy world made for sweethearts,

Take a walk with your favourite girl,

It's a sugar date, what if spring is late,

In winter, it's a marshmallow world.

Blessings,

FINDING BEAUTY FRIDAY, week 4

JOINING CLAUDIA @ DIPITY ROAD FOR 'FRIDAY-FINDING BEAUTY'...

IN CASE YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE MIRACLE THAT OCCURRED IN HAITI....CLICK BELOW:

MIRACLE IN HAITI !! (1MIN, 2SECS)

and another one...click the below:

HIS beautiful WINTER weather. (1min 15secs)

MIRACLES STILL HAPPEN...KNOW OF ANY OTHERS RECENTLY?

WHAT A JOURNEY

Our Lord has blessed us with a miracle, named Katie...

she's my nephew's baby, and she holds a special place in my heart

Be careful, she will capture your heart, too

She'll be the Heart Association's poster child next February

Yes, she is our crying, walking, talking, singing, teasing, laughing miracle.

If you've not heard her story, watch the below...

WE LOVE YOU, KATIE!

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."
Blessings,

IT'S HERE, IT'S HERE...FROM ARGENTINA!

IT's HERE!!!!
Kim's (September 13TH giveaway)
...for her second blog-iversary celebration :)

I smiled all the way into the house after I signed for the package...

and I didn't have my READING glasses on so DD read her letter to me while I busily opened each gift

(yes, they were individually wrapped!)

I love surprises...do you?

Come see what she sent:

(FOR A BIGGER VIEW, CLICK THE PIC)

I love the 'fade' feature on Picasa...you can hide things you don't want to show, like addresses, wrinkles, laundry on the table....

the sweetest card...

a LOT of things...wait 'til you see

WOW...she overwhelmed me...she sent me such a sweet fragrance of all the unique things Argentina has to offer...along with her own creativity..the bag is beautiful and wonderfully made. I will indeed enjoy.each.and.every.thing!!

Thank you, JubiSista...it continues to be a jubilee year indeed!

(I have a longer, silver box chain I'll transfer the pendant to later,

but I couldn't help but go ahead and put it on...thinking of you, Kim!)

On another post I'll show what hubby gave me for our 20th

anniversary...I'm busy getting ready to head to senior high retreat

with our youth.

Won't have another chance to blog until Monday...

Have a great weekend, everyone!

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you

and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."
Blessings,

U GOTTA SEE THIS PIC...THANKFUL THURS.

JOINING SONYA today for THANKFUL THURSDAY

1. SO, SO THANKFUL: Our little social bug Katie is on the mend and is happy again...They had their appointment back at the hospital...This time she enjoyed some of her favorite things:

therapy dogs

the library

lobby fish tank

dancing clowns

garden

“storybook fairy” (little old lady/pink princess gown/crown)

2. so, so thankful for doctors...The main reason for visiting: to see Dr. K, the doctor who has bee n trusted on ALL her surgeries (the first @ a mere six pounds...a very tiny heart, indeed). Dr. K has placed her heart in his hands,

literally--he certainly isn't 'just another guy in a white lab coat'! (The heart surgeons are like Elvis — everyone knows when they’re in the building!)

Thank you, Jesus, for providing Dr. K the knowledge and expertise in caring for Katie!

Surprise (and joy) overtook Katie as her mommy snapped this precious photo:

UPDATE:

3. so, so thankful...Katie's incision, post-infection, is continuing to look better and may not require stitches

4. so, so, thankful....she may not have to have followup surgery to re-do the wiring around her breast bone!

5. so, so, thankful...God built an inate LOVE in us...our God hole..in such a special, saving way. We can share His love with others throughout our lives, during good and bad situations!

Jer. 33:3

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." Blessings,