More Unexpected Family Time

Remember how much fun it was to have a kaleidoscope?

Elise left on Sunday, and on Monday morning I had the distinct privilege of driving my husband to the hospital. It was "Colonoscopy Time!!!" Those words bring joy to all of us over 50, don't they? (Elise kept calling it a "Kaleidoscope". Hence, the picture!)

If you have never had the thrill of having someone check your colon, you've GOT to read Dave Berry's account of this procedure. Cut and paste this address...it is hilarious!!! http://www.scribd.com/doc/4895047/My-Colonoscopy-by-Dave-Barry

I believe the last time Bill had this done, the kids were only about 5 and 9 years old. We were waiting for Bill to come home from work. We never heard from him. This was before we had cell phones, so I had no way of calling him. After several hours of waiting, I called the police to see if there had been any local accidents. They told me to call the hospital. Sure enough, there he was. He was very sick and they had him in the ER. Apparently someone had found him passed out in a parking lot. He had gone inside to pay a bill, but never made it back to his car...he just collapsed. The good Samaritan that found Bill called for an ambulance.

The kids and I piled into the car and made it to the hospital. Bill had been taking the "special" drink you must take before a colonoscopy, and I guess he just couldn't take it anymore!!!

That procedure was also scheduled during the week of Thanksgiving except that year he had to spend the holiday in the hospital getting all kinds of tests.

Thankfully, this time things went MUCH better. He was given pills to take this time around to prevent any symptoms like he had the last time.

Bill never ceases to boggle my mind. So, there we were, he was in his hospital gown, attached to an IV and I was holding his hand through the bars of his hospital bed. And what did he talk about??? The director of his latest CD!

You know that CD I just bought? Yes. Well, the director's name is Ashkenaz! Does that ring a bell? No. In Genesis 10 he is listed as one of the grandsons of Japheth, the son of Noah. Isn't that amazing how some of these ancient names still exist today? Yes, dear! (I was seriously wondering what they put in his IV drip!!) But sure enough, I looked it up...the name is there in Genesis 10!! My husband...what a guy!!!

Unexpected Family Time

Elise and David?????

Elise called last week. She was sick. Really, really S I C K!!! It's kind of a long, boring story, but this is an abbreviated version of what happened...

Elise needed to have verification of her last tetanus shot before she could register for second semester. Her last tetanus was in 2005, but we had no way to prove it. We all had to have a tetanus shot after Katrina because of all the debris. I, for one, stepped on a nail, as did many, many people because of all the devastation. A medical group came to our church and gave us our shots. The only bad thing was that none of the shots were recorded. Bottom line: Elise had to have another shot.

I warned her, ad nauseam, to tell the people at the clinic about her last shot. I was really concerned about overdoing a good thing. The nurse didn't pay much attention, gave her the shot and sent her home with a list of warnings to watch for. (No, I did NOT just end a sentence with a preposition!) Well, you guessed it! She woke up the nest morning and had ALL the warning symptoms except for hives.

She went to the nurse on campus. Elise had a fever, was wheezing, and had an elevated pulse and blood pressure. The nurse told her she needed to see a doctor, so Elise and her room mate drove to the ER. They told her she had a sinus infection. Next morning she was even worse. I was beside myself, and my daughter seemed soooooo far away.

So, what's a mother to do??? I can only tell you what this mother did...I prayed and kicked my speed into overdrive!!! I called our family friends, the DeJongs. All three boys (men) are now doctors and they were more than willing to see Elise. They gave her a chest x-ray, cough medicine (with CODEINE...gotta love it!!), antibiotics and told her she couldn't go to class all week.

I scoured the internet to see if I could find a cheap flight and Southwest came to our rescue. Elise flew home late on Tuesday night and was able to be sort of isolated on the plane. She wore a mask...even David wore one for the ride home since he was sitting next to her in the car. He said he felt like he was in some low budget George Lucas movie that ran out of money when it came to his costume!!! He did kind of sound like Darth Vader with that mask on!!

It was great to Elise home. I loved driving up to the house at night and seeing her bedroom light on. I loved sitting downstairs knowing Elise and David were both upstairs...it did my 'Momma heart" good!!!

Thanksgiving 09

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Today, in the United States, we celebrate Thanksgiving Day. It's a wonderful day to recall the many things that we have to be thankful for...it's also a wonderful day to spend with family and friends.

Today is also a special day for me. That's because of Gina, Leilani, and Laura. Gina (our daughter-in-law, married to Tim) and Laura (our daughter who is celebrating a milestone birthday!) were both born on the 26th! And our granddaughter, Leilani, had a birthday yesterday. Happy birthday to each of you!

I'll write more tomorrow...until then, Happy Thanksgiving to all of you!

Phone Numbers and Punctuation

Today I found myself trying to memorize phone numbers! It started at church yesterday. Bill left our church lunch early so David could be home by 2:00. Then, Bill was going to return to church and pick me up. I stayed behind because it was our turn to clean-up after the dinner. A friend asked me where Bill and David were, and I proceeded to tell them. She said, "There's no reason for Bill to return all the way back here. Give him a call and tell him that we can bring you home."

It suddenly dawned on me that I do not know Bill's cell phone number. I'm just used to clicking on the icon that says, "Dad"! I then realized that there are very few numbers that I actually know...I just click! Me! The person that still remembers the phone number that I had when I was in second grade!! Oh the times, they are a'changing! Which leads me to this:

Have any of you seen this new punctuation mark? It's called the interrobang. Actually, it's not new at all. It first was introduced in 1962. Even Remington had a key on their manual typewriters for this mark. Not to be out done, today you can find an interrobang in Microsoft Word's Fonts. Go to Format, choose Fonts, then Wingdings 2. You'll find 4 different versions of the interrobang. Hit the ` ~ key, the ] } key, the 6 ^ key, or the - _ key.

The use for the interrobang is to enable a writer to express both a question and an exclamation at the same time. I think a good use of this punctuation mark could come at the end of this sentence: "Who forgot to put gas in the car." Just wonderin' if it will make a comeback...

Which brings me to my last thought...this time it's the "dash". Last week, on November 12, it would have been my Dad's birthday. He would have been 91! Lots of memories came to mind on that day. Like the time he could hardly walk without a cane and yet he danced with my youngest daughter at a restaurant. Or the time he drove non-stop from Florida to Mississippi just to be with David on his birthday. Or how he surprised me with a brand new car when I graduated from college. Many, many good memories.

But today, there is a marker in the cemetery that reads: Albert M. Rodenhouse 1918 - 2001

The marker clearly state his birth and his death, but it is only a "dash" that sums up the entirety of his life here on earth. A significant life, remembered by some as only a "dash".

That thought brought to mind the saying that is so true: Only one life, t'will soon be passed. Only what's done for Christ will last.

Love you and miss you, Dad!

A Carrot, An Egg, and A Cup of Coffee

This isn't an original from me, but this is a little story worth sharing and passing along...

A carrot, an egg, and a cup of coffee... You will never look at a cup of coffee the same way again.

A young woman went to her mother and told her about her life and how things were so hard for her. She did not know how she was going to make it and wanted to give up. She was tired of fighting and struggling. It seemed as one problem was solved, a new one arose. Her mother took her to the kitchen. She filled three pots with water and placed each on a high fire. Soon the pots came to boil. In the first she placed carrots, in the second she placed eggs, and in the last she placed ground coffee beans. She let them sit and boil; without saying a word. In about twenty minutes she turned off the burners. She fished the carrots out and placed them in a bowl. She pulled the eggs out and placed them in a bowl. Then she ladled the coffee out and placed it in a bowl. Turning to her daughter, she asked, 'Tell me what you see.'

'Carrots, eggs, and coffee,' she replied. Her mother brought her closer and asked her to feel the carrots. She did and noted that they were soft. The mother then asked the daughter to take an egg and break it. After pulling off the shell, she observed the hard boiled egg. Finally, the mother asked the daughter to sip the coffee. The daughter smiled as she tasted its rich aroma. The daughter then asked, 'What does it mean, mother?'

Her mother explained that each of these objects had faced the same adversity: boiling water. Each reacted differently. The carrot went in strong, hard, and unrelenting. However, after being subjected to the boiling water, it softened and became weak. The egg had been fragile. Its thin outer shell had protected its liquid interior, but after sitting through the boiling water, its inside became hardened. The ground coffee beans were unique, however. After they were in the boiling water, they had changed the water.

'Which are you?' she asked her daughter. 'When adversity knocks on your door, how do you respond? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean? Think of this: Which am I? Am I the carrot that seems strong, but with pain and adversity do I wilt and become soft and lose my strength? Am I the egg that starts with a malleable heart, but changes with the heat? Did I have a fluid spirit, but after a death, a breakup, a financial hardship or some other trial, have I become hardened and stiff? Does my shell look the same, but on the inside am I bitter and tough with a stiff spirit and hardened heart? Or am I like the coffee bean? The bean actually changes the hot water, the very circumstance that brings the pain. When the water gets hot, it releases the fragrance and flavor. If you are like the bean, when things are at their worst, you get better and change the situation around you. When the hour is the darkest and trials are their greatest do you elevate yourself to another level? How do you handle adversity? Are you a carrot, an egg or a coffee bean?

Catch Up

Sorry...I haven't been very faithful with this little blog! I guess life has been either busy or stressful and lately I've been a little too content just "vegging out".

My morning job continues to be stressful, but lots of fun as well! I enjoy both of my students, but feel stressed because I am SO out of my area of expertise. Both of the children have learning disabilities and they keep me on my toes. The other day we were learning about the cash crops of the South (we're studying the 13 colonies). When they found out that they grew tobacco, quite a lively discussion began. O was mortified that they grew tobacco, while C said his family uses tobacco almost everyday. "Oh really?", I questioned. "Yup! We use it on a lot of our food. You know, that stuff that comes in the little bottle and it's red?" Um...I think he meant Tabasco sauce!!

David and Bill have both been sick and both are on antibiotics. Some things throw David into a "compulsive" state, and that is what this cold and congestion seem to have done. He would get the least little bit congested and HAD to get rid of it NOW!!! He blew his nose so hard that he broke an artery(?) that might need to be cauterized.

I've become enamored with my husband lately. I mean, I've ALWAYS loved him, but I am in awe of how much he knows about and how much he remembers. He seems to be the proverbial "walking encyclopedia"! Here are a few of our recent conversations:

• We drove passed a restaurant named "Einsteins". Bill, out of nowhere says, "One stone".

"Huh???"

"Einstein...it means 'one stone' in German."

Then he proceeds to tell me when in history we began to acquire last names.

"Some people thought it would be funny to state that they were not nobility. You probably know lots of them. Their last name today is 'Zondervaan' ".

• Last night he went to the symphony...alone. He gets these fabulous tickets for only $15 and he LOVES classical music. Last night he heard music by Rachmaninoff. When he returned home, I asked him about the concert. He then proceeded to tell me the story about when Rachmaninoff debuted the music. It was in Russia. Apparently, the symphony was horrible and the music opened to horrific reviews. It was devastating to Rachmaninoff and he quit writing for three years. And then, my husband begins to WHISTLE the first symphony!!!
• We've always been sarcastic when we banter with each other. The other day he was going on and on about something that I was not the least bit interested in, so I said, "You better save this to talk about with all your other girl friends."

"Well", he said, "you should be happy that I'm getting so old."

"Why?" I ask.

"Because now I'm down to only 80 girlfriends!" he says.

"Yeah, but who do you always come home to at night?" I ask.

"#81!"

• Tonight Narnia came up in our conversation. Don't ask me why, it just did. I innocently asked him about the story that proceeds The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, and he prattles off the whole story of The Magician's Nephew and for some strange reason, I realize again, why I love spending time with my husband.

BIG Mistake!

Mistakes...we all make 'em! I never knew that there was a whole website about mistakes that bakerys have made with cake orders. Who knew? This site now has a cult-like following, has spawned a book, and even makes the rounds on the talking circuit! Hey, when is it MY turn?
(Oops! I hate it when my "thought bubbles" pop up and you can read my private thoughts!!!)

Here are just a few of the funny, whacky ways cakes taken a different "twist"....

I'm sure they picked this up and thought, "Pretty cake, love the color, BUT WHO IS LAVENDER!!!"

Okay, who are these people and how in the world do they get a job???

I'm guessing this was a cake for a graduate going to C N U

Too funny!

Aren't those mistakes a hoot? Then why isn't it so funny when the recipient of a mistake is ME???

Yesterday was pay day. I only had to work in the morning, so as I was driving home, I called the salon I always go to to see if I could come in for a quick haircut. Now, I knew my stylist was pregnant, but she was due in December. Imagine my surprise when they told me she had her baby early...VERY early! Okay, no problem, I'll check with a new salon that I've been wanting to try. Yeah!! They can take me at 3:00!

I arrive and I am greeted by these words: "Oh, I'm SO sorry! I accidentally booked you with someone that is not working today. But our owner, Gilda, is going to fit you in. Is that Ok?"

"Sure, no problem" said the innocent lamb that has no idea what is about to happen! So, Gilda starts looking at my hair and I start to feel very adventurous! "How about a new color?" I ask. I've been doing my own color for awhile and decide to try a few highlights again. "No problem!" say Gilda. She suggests carmel highlights because my hair is so dark. Hey, anything that is named after a food is ok in my book! She mixes the color, adds the foils (that always make you look like an alien capable of picking up signals from Mars), washes my hair, cuts my hair, and blows it dry. Houston! WE HAVE A PROBLEM!!!

I start to see the carmel. It looks more like orange! Another food, I know, but I would prefer a carmel over an orange. I start to panic. Gilda starts to panic. Not because of the orange, but because she is now so backed up that she has three people in line waiting on her for their appointments! So what does she do? She has me walk through the salon with my half wet/half dry hair that looks like the next cover of Hair Gone Wild.

I'm am now placed in the competent, but puzzled hands of "Sammy". Sammy has me sit and wait while he finishes up his client. Time passes...and passes. Suddenly I am taken over by some evil woman inside me (hey, maybe those foils really do pick up signals from outer space!!) and I say to Sammy, "I look like cr%*!!! And now I've been patiently waiting for over an hour for you and you ignore me and keep moving on to the next client. Tell me what's going on!!"

I am obviously WAY too much for poor little Sammy to handle, so he passes me off to another person. She says she will just throw in a few more highlights and she trots off to the back room before I can open my mouth. When she comes back, I ask her what color THESE highlights will be and she looks at me like, "Lady, I'm doing you a BIG favor, so zip it and let me do my job!!"

But no, I can't zip it! I feel empowered. I feel strong and brave and courageous! And I open my mouth and...begin to cry! Yup! That's what we empowered women do! (And Sammy is looking at me like he is SO relieved that I am no longer his problem!!)

The woman says, "Oh what beautiful eyes you have! When you cry they really turn blue! Let's just cover up the oran...I mean, the highlights...and go back to dark brown. I mean, it is Fall, you don't want highlights in the Fall! And the brown will really bring out those eyes!" I'm guessing this is hairdresser code for, "Let's get her out of here as SOON as possible!"

She covers the orange, tries to finish the haircut and sends me off. When I go to the front to pay, Gilda apologizes and gives me a gift certificate for a free second visit...yeah, like that's ever going to happen anytime time soon! And that was my Friday. How was yours???

Five Seconds of Fame!

Holland has a wonderful program called "Hello. Good Bye." The crew goes to the airport in Amsterdam and watches people that are waiting for friends or relatives to arrive at the airport. If the person looks interesting, the cameras roll and an interview begins. Often an interesting story ensues and the cameras are able to catch the reunion on tape. Just add appropriately moving music in the background and they come up with a very captivating and emotional piece.

When Alice was waiting for me to arrive, the camera crew interviewed her. They caught our reunion on tape...tears and all. The sound tech ran after us as Alice and I walked off to get my luggage. The girl told us how moving our story was...how she was welling up with tears when she witnessed us seeing each other after thirty years...and would we please sign a release form , giving them permission to use our story. They tape in the spring and show the finished product in the fall.

Fast forward to the fall. Alice visits the States, returns home, and hears from friends that while she was gone, they saw her on tv! Sure enough, they showed us! But for only 5 seconds!!! If you can understand Dutch and want to patiently sit through the entire program, you will see us here: http://www.uitzendinggemist.nl/index.php/aflevering?aflID=10150495&md5=05673553150262bd6d07a0762c3a8b1d

And here are some pictures Alice sent me of our weekend at Trinity.

Steve Bird

Elise

Elise

Steve Bird, Steve Huizenga, Virginia Veldman Van Til

Helen Hoekema Van Dyke, me, and Daryce Hoff

Me, Alice, and Daryce

Alice and I

Me, Alice, and Daryce

Me, sitting at the memorial for our fellow classmate, Albertina De Groot Vander Weele
Elise and Alice dancing the night away!