Count Your Blessings

When upon life’s billows you are tempest-tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings; name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord has done. …
So amid the conflict, whether great or small,
Do not be discouraged; God is over all.
Count your many blessings; angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.

Today we spent the day with Sheila at the nursing home. With the wonderful kitchen and dining room which they have there we were able to cook a wonderful meal there. Holly and I decorated the table with a nice Thanksgiving theme and the dining room looked very nice. Sheila even got in on the making of the apple salad. For just a brief moment it was almost like being at home. We had so much food that we had to set up a table just to hold all of the food. We invited Sheila’s sister, Sondra, and her husband to join us. We actually had enough room to put everyone for once.

Tonight we enjoyed turkey sandwiches and leftover salad and shared with the nursing home staff. We really appreciate the hard working people who give such good care to Sheila. They always tell us they that they love working with her because she is always so happy and cheerful.

As a family, we are thankful for knowledgeable doctors and caretakers who take such good care of Sheila. We are thankful to friends who have seen that we have always been able to get to where we needed to be and always checking on us. We are thankful for family for their continuous love and support especially through those really tough times. We are most thankful to our Father in Heaven who has blessed us in so many ways. We are ever thankful for this year we have had with Sheila and count each day we have with her as a blessing.

Friday the 13th, also known as my birthday. Well, at least this year.

Middle age is when you've met so many people that every

new person you meet reminds you of someone else.

~ Ogden Nash

Today is a very lucky day for me. It’s my birthday and I especially love when it falls on a Friday. Friday the 13th. So, today, I got off work early to have lunch with my sweetheart. I called the nursing home and told them what I was doing so they would not take Sheila down to lunch. On the way there I stopped at Warrens and picked up one of our favorite sandwiches. Sheila had the Chicken N’ Things while I had my favorite, Pastrami. We had a great time just the two of us.

Unfortunately, one of the CNA’s this morning upset Sheila. While dressing her, they threw her favorite nightgown against the wall and did not pick it up. Sheila values the few things she has, and when someone disrespects them, it makes her mad. So, while we were enjoying lunch together, I had to hear how someone threw her nightgown against the wall.

Then, later this afternoon my parents came down and visited with me, Sheila, and the girls. We had a great time, laughed a lot, enjoyed ourselves, and most of all, the delicious carrot cake.
All in all, I would say that this was a good birthday; I just can’t believe I am now closer to 50 rather than 40.
-Jeff

Okay…. So today was dad’s birthday. Where do we start?
Dad went to lunch with mom, and ate Warren’s without us. While we spent the day at school. Yuck. Oh, well. Dad deserves to spend some time with mom, alone.

Grandma and Grandpa came into town and visited with us, and we had a great time. We ate carrot cake, laughed and spent the rest of the night watching T.V. with mom.

Happy Birthday, Dad. We hope it was a good one!
-Ashley and Holly