Saying Goodbye to 2018

In 2018, I gained: new neighbors (my daughter's family), a new job, and basically a whole new lifestyle.

I lost: some availability to my family.

I stopped: stressing.

I started: staying up late every night...planning to change that in 2019.

I was hugely satisfied by: getting to know  and care about the residents at the nursing home.

And frustrated by: my boss and my work schedule.

I am so embarrassed that I: hate working holidays so much more than I thought I would and that I'm sort of keeping an eye open for a different job already.

Once again, I: gave in to the ease of ordering take-out or dining out more often than not.

Once again, I did not: stick to my fitness plan.

The biggest physical difference between me last December and this December is: my hair is shorter, I'm more toned thanks to all the walking at work, and the foot pain I thought I had before is nothing compared to the foot pain I deal with now.

The biggest psychological difference between me last December and this December is: I don't stress. I just turn everything over to God and trust Him.

I loved spending time: with my youngest grandson all summer because I've never had that kind of time or connection with the other two.

Why did I spend even two minutes: on Facebook? Other than seeing what the kids post, I'm finding it to be pretty boring.

I should have spent more time: on housework.

I regret buying: Gravity Defyer sneakers. They didn't help me at all.

I will never regret buying: a Bluetooth speaker...I use it all the time at work.

I didn’t: get enough sleep.

Those terminally offended by everything drove me crazy.

The most relaxing place I went was: my own deck during the summer.

Why did I: wait until the last minute to wrap Christmas presents again?

The best thing I did for someone else was:  help my daughter and her husband out financially several times.

The best thing I did for myself: got a job that at least has benefits if I ever need them and a 401K plan.

The best thing someone did for me: my husband does so much out of kindness...I don't know where to begin. He always tries to make my life easier.

The one thing I’d like to do again, but do it better: I can't think of anything. 

Sunday Stealing

Linking up with our hostess, Bev, and the rest of the theives for some Sunday Stealing fun!

Stolen from Strawberry Lollipop Kisses.

1. Are flowers a nice gift to give someone?  Yes, if they like them. I know many who don't and many more who are either allergic or sensitive to the perfume of them.

2. Do you wear any jewelry?  Most days I wear only my wedding ring and a pair of earrings. When I dress up a little to go out I will often add another ring, a necklace or bracelet, and earrings for all the holes in my ears.

3. Have you ever laid in a field of flowers?  I don't remember doing so, but I was an outdoorsy girl growing up, so it's possible that I did.

4. Do you like tea?  Yes, I do. I will drink plain black tea once in a while, but I prefer flavored herbal varieties.

5. What would you do with a million dollars?  Pay off all of our debt, add a room onto the house, do a wee bit of remodeling, give something to my favorite charities, and bank the rest.

6. What word do you have trouble saying?  Irish wristwatch. Go ahead, try it. Say it normally, not slowly and carefully.

7. Favorite fairytale?  I suppose Snow White or Cinderella because I am most familiar with them.

8. Do you sleep with stuffed animals?  Only if the Poodle overeats.

9. Do you prefer the city or the country?  The city is a nice place to visit, but I am a country girl at heart.

10. Are you a big fan of makeup?  On me? Not particularly. I usually just use a little foundation or primer, blush, and a swipe of mascara.

11. Favorite drink?  Diet Coke

12. What’s the longest amount of time you’ve stayed awake?  I think it was about 3 days back when I was a teenager.

13. Have you ever traveled outside of your country?  Only to Canada.

14. Do you like spring?  I do like that the days begin to get longer, the temperatures start to warm up, and the earth begins to come back to life....but I absolutely HAAAAATE all the rain and mud. Because we get so much of it, spring is actually behind winter in the favorite season category.

15. Lipstick or lip gloss?  Gloss. I never think I look right in lipstick.

16. Favorite color?  Earthy colors like pumpkin orange, sage or mossy green, gold, and brown.

17. Do you like to decorate?  I used to, but I'm not so interested these days. I guess there are just too many other things I'd rather spend my time on.

18. Do you ever go barefoot when you’re outside?  When the weather is warm, but otherwise no, because my feet get cold easily and then the rest of me gets cold or I get leg cramps.

19. Are aliens real?  I imagine there is some kind of life somewhere else in this vast universe, but what that life may look like and how advanced it is, is up for a lot of debate.

20. Does you zodiac sign fit your personality?  I suppose some of it does, but maybe that's just because I like to think the good parts do. I don't believe in astrology at all, to be honest.

21.Favorite sea animal?  I don't know if I can choose between mammals like seals, sea lions, and walruses and the delicate little sea horse.

22. Are you a nice person?  I hope so. I try to be.

23. Favorite word?  I always hate this question. How do I choose one favorite word out of an entire language...when words, reading, and writing...have always been my "thing?"

24. Night or day?  I guess night since I seem to stay up late most nights.

25. What would make you happy right now?  I don't need anything else. I am happy right now.

Saturday 9: Winter Wonderland

Saturday 9: Winter Wonderland (1968)

Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.

Welcome to the last Saturday 9 of 2018! Thanks for a great year, everyone.

1) This is an unconventional take on an old familiar song. Over the holidays, do you prefer traditional carols? Or do you like to mix it up with with more contemporary fare?  I listen to a lot of different types of music and that goes for Christmas music, too. I like most of it.

2) Now that Christmas is behind us, are you enjoying a relaxing week? Or do you have socializing/celebrating/chores to do?  Nope, not a relaxing week. I worked on Christmas and all the rest of the week. I'm off over the weekend and tomorrow (Saturday) is our family Christmas. We've all had our big ham dinners so I'm ordering pizzas and relaxing and having fun right along with the rest of them!

3) Winter is a time for cocooning. What book or movie did you enjoy in 2018 that you would recommend to your fellow Saturday 9-ers?  Paul, Apostle of Christ was an intense look at first century Christianity. Everyone should see it.

4)  Looking back on the past year, what was one of your happiest moments?  Any of the many, many moments spent with our littlest grandson. He brings so much joy to my life.

5)  What was the smartest thing you did all this past year?  Leaving the school bus behind to accept a job at a nursing home.

6)  As 2018 comes to a close, what are you most grateful for?  Man....I'm not the richest person, or the smartest, or the most talented, or the prettiest. My house isn't the biggest one, nor does it look like the pages of a decorating magazine. And yet, I am blessed beyond measure. My cup runneth over. I am grateful for all of it! Every moment and every detail of this sometimes crazy, sometimes messed up, sometimes boring ride called life.

7) This week's featured artist is Herb Alpert. Because of the style he popularized and the name of his band, people assume he's Hispanic. Yet his parents were Jewish immigrants from Romania. What's something we'd be surprised to learn about you?  Maybe that if I'm pushed hard enough or far enough or if I'm angered enough on behalf of someone else...I can be a force you don't want to run up against. I've worked very hard to be calm, peaceful, diplomatic, kind, nice, etc., but I do have my limits.

8) He performed an instrumental version of "The Star Spangled Banner" at Super Bowl XXII. How did your favorite sports teams do in 2018?  Not so good. The Steelers need some other teams to lose this weekend and some others to lose in order to make it to the playoffs.
 

9) Random question: When did you last check your social media feed?  A couple of hours ago.

If you thought this was fun, please visit the Saturday 9 site for the questions and the rules, and join in with us!

Friday Foto Friends: My First Link-up

I've never participated in Friday Foto Friends before, but there's a first time for everything! Linking up with Debra @ Breathing in Grace.

I decided to participate this week because I want to share what we did in the dementia unit yesterday.

We worked on a give-back project. I let the residents sort through squares of material cut from the donated scrubs of the home's employees. They chose the patterns and colors they liked and then with some direction from them I arranged the layout of two lap robes on the floor.

I took pictures of the layouts and sent them to the unit's director who will sew them together and back them. Then they will be brought back for residents to add the little yarn knots.

When finished they'll be donated to veterans and the local paper is going to do a nice write-up about the unit and the residents.

Thankful Thursday

I'm typing this early so I don't know if Rebecca Jo @ Knit By God's Hand is going to be posting Thankful Thursday today or not. She is still on the mend from her surgery and starting to get back into the work routine. Plus, she had an awfully emotional Christmas. Love you, Rebecca Jo, and sure hope the coming year is much kinder to you and your family.

Work is breathing down my neck, as usual, so let's get on with listing the blessings.

This week I am thankful...

** for and to the God who loved us so much that He sent His Son to live among us, to teach us how to live, and then to die to pay the price for all of our sins...for my sins...so that we don't have to if we only confess our sins and our need of Him. What a wonderful gift!

** that we have enough financially to give our loved ones what they wanted or what they needed. It is so fun to bless others beyond what they are expecting.

** so very, very thankful for a conversation I had with our daughter last night. She struggles with depression and anxiety and I know that a relationship with Jesus would help her more than any pill or therapy and have tried to encourage her in that direction for a long time (she was raised in the church so has the background).

This week had been a tough one because she and her husband finally had to admit that their beautiful chocolate lab puppy was just too much for them at this time in their lives...especially with another baby on the way. My husband found a home for him with a man he works with. The man has 5 kids to give the dog love and attention and he and his wife have owned and trained labs before. It will be a wonderful, loving home for Hank, but my girl and her husband were taking it hard.

Last night she confided, afraid of sounding "corny," that while she doesn't usually pray, she had been praying a lot the last few days, asking God for peace. The amazement on her face as she shared that she "didn't know what happened" but she had been filled with peace the last two days was such a blessing to this momma!

After hearing her story, I told her it was easy to know what had happened...God had heard her prayer and answered her. She questioned that because she said she didn't have a good relationship with Him, that she was, in fact, angry at Him most of the time. I was able to explain to her that God was letting her know that He's still there, still hearing her, still waiting for her and that if she'd spend more time building that relationship she'd hear Him and know He's there a lot more.

What a powerful seed got planted! This momma is now praying that it gets watered and tended and nurtured and given the chance to put down deep roots and grow!

** for the way our Lord uses even the worst tragedies for good. The Thursday before Christmas the young husband of a "girl" I know from youth activities years ago, was killed in a mining accident. He was 35 and left behind his wife and three young children. It has been amazing to follow the events that have unfolded in the days since. While crushed, his wife has found great comfort in knowing he is with Jesus and in the overwhelming love and support of a huge community that includes their church, the whole body of churches (because this couple was heavily involved in camp and more), the local Marines, the mining community, and so many, many more. What a testament to her faith in God that in sharing about the funeral she was able to tell of 4 people who accepted Christ as their Savior during the service and said that "for that, everything else was worth it."

** for all the sunshine this week. Yes, sunshine. In Pennsylvania. In December. It has brought warmer temperatures through the days, too. Tomorrow we should see the temperature reach 60 degrees!

** as always, for each one of you!

Wednesday Medley

Hello and welcome to the day after Christmas! I'm here. You're here. We survived! 

My day was not what I'm used to since I worked on Christmas for the first time ever. I enjoyed being there for the residents at the nursing home, but I feel kind of cheated on my personal Christmas celebration. We had our dinner with my mom, stepdad, and our daughter and her family, when I got home last evening. Everyone had been together all afternoon and our grandson was all tuckered out and sleeping. After dinner we opened gifts, but our grandson, though awake, was grumpy and tired. We were only there about 2 1/2 hours before everyone started packing up and heading home because they were tired. 

I get another shot at it on Saturday when our son and his family come home. Unfortunately, my mom and stepdad won't be here as they leave on Friday for a cruise.

Well, you're not here to listen to me whine about Christmas so let's get on with the Wednesday Medley, brought to you courtesy of Terri @ Your Friend From Florida.

National Candy Cane Day is observed across the United States each year on December 26.

In 1844, a recipe for a straight peppermint candy stick, which was white with colored stripes, was published. However, some stories tell of all white candy sticks in much earlier times. There are folklore tales of the origin of the candy cane, yet there is no documented proof of its real beginning. It has been mentioned in literature since 1866 and was first known to be mentioned in association with Christmas in 1874.   As early as 1882, candy canes have been hung on Christmas trees.

1.  Are there candy canes left in your house right now?  Did you hang some on your tree?  Do you even like them?  There are still 12 of them hanging on the tree. I always put candy canes on the tree, though they are not always the red and white kind. It depends on the how I decorate the tree. When I decorated our tree with a beach theme the candy canes were in shades of turquoise, coral, and green. Do I like them? They are okay. I did better at eating them when they were Jolly Rancher flavors.

2.  Without a graphic, today is also National Thank You Note Day!  I like receiving that thank you note in the mail for a gift I have given.  Are you good about getting thank you notes in the mail after Christmas (or any occasion calling for a note)?  Yes, but we don't have many gifts sent to us or receive gifts from those who require a written thank-you, so I don't have to write very often.

3.  How are you feeling on this day after Christmas?  Tired, let down, still glowing?  I have felt all of those at one time or another and sometimes all of them at once! Tell us about it.  I suppose "let down" covers it today, but I already explained all that at the beginning of this post.

4.  It is "tradition" to leave the tree and decorations up until after January 6th, to honor the Epiphany. When will your boxes be packed and put away until next year?  Are you, like me, thinking about doing it right now?  I usually like to take the tree down on New Year's Day, but I work this year so I'm sure it will be up beyond the Epiphany...probably until my next weekend off, so January 12 or so.

5. Looking ahead to New Year's Eve, do you have plans?  Have you ever celebrated big in New York's Time Square? Would you even want to be there?  No plans this year. Again, I'm working. I've never celebrated in Times Square...and I have no desire to. I think it would be absolutely miserable. 

6. Tell us something random about your week so far!  I'm running out of time so I'll just refer you to yesterday's post.

I'm off to work so enjoy your day after Christmas, your leftovers, and playing with your presents.

10 On Christmas

1. I worked my first Christmas ever today.

2. It wasn't that bad because it meant a lot to some of the residents...but on the whole I'd rather not. Oh well.

3. I recognized the name of a man who came into the rehab wing yesterday and went to see if it was who I thought it was. It was. While I was talking to him and his daughter, son-in-law, and grandson, the son-in-law became short of breath and his left arm went numb. They called 911 and he left in an ambulance. The EMT's didn't think it was a heart attack, though. I hope not.

4. Christmas is over. We went to our daughter's when I got home. We had our traditional ham dinner and opened gifts. My mom and stepdad were there, too. We were all tired after a couple of hours and Tim and I have to work in the morning, so Christmas was short and sweet. We'll have all day on Saturday when our son and his family come home, but unfortunately, Mom and John leave for a cruise on Friday and will miss it.

5. My best gift this year...a new laptop. I'm not even going to start setting it up until Sunday.

6. Colton could open a toy store with the gifts he got from us, his other grandparents, his great-grandparents, and his parents.

7. Quelf is an absolutely hysterical game if you play with a crowd that is willing to act like idiots. Nothing bad. Just really, really silly.

8. Still watching Hallmark movies.

9. Out of all those presents Colton got, his hands-down favorite is the Slinky Tim picked out.

10. I gave everyone on my list, except our son-in-law, at least one book.

Sunday Stealing: Year End Reflections

I have to work on Sunday so I'm getting Sunday Stealing done tonight. I hope to have time to get around to visit tomorrow evening, but there is much to do with my last hours before Christmas. Since I also have to work on Christmas Day, I need to get my wrapping and cooking done before then so I can go straight to our daughter's home after work. If I don't get around, I wish you all the very merriest of Christmases!

This from our hostess, Bev:

This isn't stolen from anywhere in particular, but it is a questionnaire I have tried to answer each year....maybe it originated with Sunday Stealing; I don't know.  But maybe you'd like to look back on 2018 as well.

What did you do last year that you had not done before?  I gave up driving a school bus after 16 years and took a job in the activities department of a nursing home. My time is split pretty evenly between the regular residents and the dementia residents. It feels good to know I'm doing something to make a difference in their quality of life.

Did you keep your New Year's Resolutions/goals for the year and will you make/set more for next year? What are they? What are your new ones?  I didn't make any last year and I'm undecided about this year. I'll most likely start out with some good intentions, but formal resolutions kind of set you up to disappoint yourself and feel bad. Who needs that?

Did anyone you know give birth? Or become pregnant? Or adopt?  Yes, our daughter announced just this month that she is pregnant again.

Did anyone you know die? Or have a serious illness/injury?  Lots of people I knew died this year, though none of them were very close. I suppose the one that touched me the most just happened this past Thursday. The husband of a young woman I once took on a mission trip lost her husband in a coal mining accident. She is left alone with 3 young children. It is so sad and a reminder to make the most of this life, forgive and mend relationships, and be sure we have our relationship with Jesus in order because we are not promised tomorrow...we are not even promised the next 5 minutes!  Thankfully, there were no serious illnesses or injuries that I can think of.

What places have you visited? Other than a weekend in Erie this fall, we didn't go anywhere this year. Tim was always too busy at work.

Any new pets? Lost a pet?  No. We lost our Elvis just before Christmas last year and with my work hours it just wouldn't be fair to a puppy....and I have enough guilt about leaving Daisy all day.

What would you like to have next year that you lacked this year (doesn't have to be a physical thing i.e. love, job security, peace of mind...)? Tim's health restored so we could actually have a bit of a life beyond work and sitting at home.

What date from last year will remain etched in your memory and why? I can't think of anything that stood out.

What was your biggest achievement last year?  Making the decision to leave bus driving behind and go out in a totally new direction at 54 years old.

Did you get sick or injured?  I messed up my foot at the end of June and had to wear a brace for the rest of the summer.

What was the best thing you bought? Probably the new sofa I bought at Thanksgiving.

Where did most of your disposable income go (money leftover after you pay for food, medical care, basic clothing, transportation and shelter)? I'd have to say to bailing our daughter and her husband out of tight spots.

What song will always remind you of last year?  Doesn't have to be a song released last year.  K.C. and the Sunshine Band's I'm Your Boogie Man. I call Colton my little Boogie Man and I played this for him over the summer on YouTube and he just loved it.

(I tried to insert the video but Blogger kept sticking it up at the top.)
What do you wish you would have done more of?  Pretty much anything fun and out of the house.

What do you wish you would have done less of?  Honestly? All things social media related.

What was your favorite new TV program? Movie? Album/Songs? Or if you didn't pick up any new ones, what are you still watching/listening to? Any recommendations?  The only new thing that has really caught my attention is A Million Little Things. Loooooove that show!

What was the best book you read this year?  Probably Bear Town, but maybe A Man Called Ove. How many did you read? More than I have listed either here or on Goodreads. I've gotten behind on listing the books since I started my new job.

What did you do on your birthday and how old were you? My birthday was on a weekday so I don't think I did anything. I turned 54 this year. Did you feel differently? No, can't say that I did.

What political or social issue stirred you the most? There were many, but let's just skip over this to preserve the peace.

Who was the most interesting new person you met?  I've met so many interesting people at the nursing home. Every resident has a story and many of them are fascinating. One standout is a woman, nearly 100, and a multi-millionaire. She is also a Ph.D. of educational psychology. She is brilliant and a joy to talk to.

What changed at your job?  Uh, the entire job changed! Since then, though, it's been having several girls quitting in a very short time span and the crap shifts I've been working and will continue to work for the time being.

What changed in your home? It wasn't the bathroom. Sigh. I may "hire" our niece and her husband to finish all the tile after Christmas.

Describe how a relationship changed. There is a woman in my Bible study group who is in a terrible marriage and can't get out of it because if she leaves, she will have to pay her husband child support. She drove me absolutely nuts. EVERYthing was all about her. She was very OCD and rehashed everything over and over. She was cold, rigid, and very judgemental and holier-than-thou. She monopolized every conversation and discussion and if three women were together with her being one, one person would be left out because she just couldn't talk to two people at the same time. I could not stand being around her. Then came the class I led on the fruit of the Spirit this summer. It hit her hard. She cried a lot during those 6 weeks and ended up being transformed completely. We are good friends and sisters at heart now.

Do you think you are still the same person that you were at the beginning of the year?  How so?  No, not at all. I think I'm a much kinder, softer person myself after the above experience and also because of working at the nursing home. That has opened my heart clear down to parts I thought were carefully dead and buried.

Summarize the year in three words or less. Bonus points for doing it in one word. Explain. Challenging. Friends challenged me. Work challenged me. God challenged me. I challenged myself. It was a year of growth and leaving my comfort zone.

How have people around you changed?  Except for the above mentioned friend, I don't think they have. My husband is still a workaholic. My daughter is still plagued by anxiety, depression, and the need for attention. My son is still distant.

What have you learned throughout the year? (Other than crafts)  I am stronger than I think and I can do anything I put my mind to.

What was your favorite outfit for warm weather? I don't think I had one. I just lived in t-shirts and capris. Cooler weather? I really like the tunics and leggings I wear for work and I got to wear a new green velvet tunic last night. I think it is now my favorite piece of clothing. Soooo soft and comfy!

Did you learn any new crafts or techniques? What was your favorite thing you made?  I guess I learned a few little things...nothing big or exciting...just enough to get me through crafts with the residents. Oh, and it's not exactly a craft, but it is creative...I got hooked on The Happy Planner.

What changed about your physical appearance? (Hair? Wrinkles? New makeup style? Etc)  I cut my hair shorter than it's been in about 10 years. I've toned up some from all the walking at work. The gray hair seems to grow back more quickly. Oh, and I have pretty much given up on cute shoes and embraced comfortable shoes completely...no velcro yet, though.

What are your hopes and dreams for the new year?  (Some suggestions-family, travel, work, lifestyle, hobbies, pets, appearance)  Well, as always, I hope that Tim will let up on work and allow time for doing more in life. And now I add to the hope that I find my own balance and routine for work and home so I don't feel like I'm so caught up in the rat race.

A Merry Little Saturday 9

Jumping in with Sam and the gang at the Saturday 9 for some Christmas fun...even though I really should head to bed since I have to work in the morning. Oh well, as they say, I can sleep when I'm dead.

Saturday 9: Happy Holidays! (from the archives) 


1. As you can see, Sam loved giving her annual wish list to Santa. Yet some children are reluctant to climb into Jolly Old St. Nick's lap. Did you enjoy the tradition or were you shy? Or did you by pass it altogether -- either because you wrote him a letter or because your family didn't celebrate Christmas?  Well...you can't see it here because I didn't use Sam's picture. Oops. But to answer the question, I was fine with Santa. My mom has a plastic photo cube from the 60s or 70s that she hauls out most years that has all the pictures of me with Santa in it. I took my son to see Santa and he was okay with it. We even had Santa stop by the house to visit once. My daughter, however, finds Santa "creepy" to this day. She takes her son to see him, however, and he is okay with it so far. My son and his wife didn't allow their oldest child to believe in Santa, but they've gone all-in with the second. I feel bad the older one missed out on the fun.

2. Are you currently on the Naughty or Nice list? How did you get there?  I think I'm on the nice list. I can't think of anything naughty I might have done. Most days I'm too tired after work to be naughty.

3. Did you ship any gifts to friends and family this year? If so, which one traveled the farthest?  No, I didn't. I had things shipped to me, but I didn't send anything to anyone this year.

4. Did you buy yourself a gift this year? I did. I admit I bought a book today while I was out Christmas shopping.

5. What's your favorite holiday-themed movie? Have you seen it yet this year?  I love A Christmas Story and Christmas Vacation. I've seen both a couple of times this year.

6. Thinking of movies, Christmas is lucrative for Hollywood. Have you ever gone to a movie theater on Christmas Day?  We went a couple of years ago when we had all gotten together on Christmas Eve. It was just us on Christmas Day so we thought we'd give it a shot. It was nice, but not the same as the traditional family Christmases I prefer.

7. Have you ever suffered an embarrassing moment at the company Christmas party?  No. My office Christmas parties have never really offered the opportunity to be bad.

8. What's your favorite beverage in cold weather?  The same as it is in warm weather. Diet Coke.

9. Share a memory from last Christmas.

Thankful Thursday: There's Always a Silver Lining

Today I'm linking up with the sweet Rebecca Jo @ Knit By God's Hand for Thankful Thursday. She really is the best person I can think of to host this little group. Life has dumped so, so much on her this year and through it all she has maintained the most thankful attitude, always looking for the blessings and the good in some pretty awful situations. Many would have been broken by what she has had to deal with in such a short time, but she carries on and is an inspiration to all who know her (even if only online). I pray more than anything, dear friend, that 2019 is a kinder, healthier year for you!

** first and foremost, this beautiful season in which we remember the birth of our Savior and the incredible sacrifice he and the Father made for us. How humbling to think that the God of heaven, the creator of the universe, left it behind to live among us and ultimately to die for us. Because.....HE LOVED US that much! He still loves us that much today and He will love us that much tomorrow!

** Tim being able to wear a walking boot and keep on working while his foot is broken...because he'd keep on working even if he wasn't supposed to. So I'm very glad they said it's okay.

** my Bible study group and all the love and joy we shared at our Christmas party this Tuesday. Those ladies just keep touching my heart and blessing me over and over.

When I led the study on the fruit of the Spirit this summer, one woman, who I will admit had a hard personality and tried my patience to no end, was going through a very difficult time. The leader of our group was at her wit's end as to how to help and was being driven crazy by the woman's unforgiving nature and her OCD tendencies. She had such a...cold and rigid personality.

Anyway, the study on the fruit spoke to her in ways nothing else ever had and she spent many of the classes in tears. The Lord in His mercy was thawing the ice around her heart and today she is a completely different woman. It is so amazing to see what our God can do! And that he used me in a small way to accomplish His work.....I am so humbled and grateful.

I mention this because she gave me a special and private gift at the party with a note of appreciation that left me in tears. So often we don't know how we touch the lives around us and it is a ginormous blessing when someone lets you know.

** that I love the work I do, because the work atmosphere....not so much. Yesterday I got to work to find out I was switched over to the dementia unit for the day because the full-time 12-8 girl was "no longer with us." She was leaving for a new job in her field of biology after the first of the year, anyway, but she was also agreeable to working weekends and casual days here and there until her replacement was found.

No one is sure what happened because it's all been very hush-hush, but my boss sent her a text yesterday morning and told her since she'd given her 2-week notice and worked it she didn't need to come back again. Uh, panic in my world!!! We were already short a few people and we are especially short in dementia. I have a feeling that for the next few weeks, at least, I am going to find myself working in the dementia unit almost exclusively and probably on, the dreaded 12-8 shift as there are now only 2 of us who are trained to work there.

Another girl starts orientation on January 3, but that and training take a couple of weeks at the least. Even once she is trained I will still be doing more 12-8 shifts, I think, which won't make Tim happy. It's a big secret, but my boss told me that there isn't going to be a full-time 12-8 person in dementia from now on. They are going to rotate the rest of us through. With only 2 of us for now that will mean 3-4 days a week, I'm guessing....plus, I was hired specifically to cover for the morning person when she's off so I'm not seeing how I'm going to get work out in the regular units.

So, yeah, I'm thankful I love the residents and the work I do with them.

** the decision our daughter and her husband finally made to give up their dog. I feel so bad for Hank, but if he's going to have a decent life, they need to find him a family before he gets any older. He has proved to be too much for them and they are always fighting about him...not something Megan needs when she already has problems with anxiety and is pregnant now, too. We have been encouraging them to find a home for him because he is developing some bad behaviors and getting just a touch aggressive about food and water. I don't want him to get so bad that no one will want him. He is such a beautiful dog and he really is sweet. He just needs someone with the time and patience to work with him. It's sad, but a good thing for Megan and Cody's relationship.

** having tomorrow and Monday off to get my Christmas stuff done. And I'm even more thankful that we aren't having our big Christmas with the kids and grandkids until the 29th so I have time to figure out what to get our son and his wife and our son-in-law. Those three have me stumped this year. Maybe I will find something perfect at the after Christmas sales???

** my boss choosing a day that I am off to have our department Christmas party. I'm glad I will be able to go tomorrow night. It's an occasion to dress up and go to a fancy restaurant...and it's at the airport so we get to watch the planes take off and land while we eat.

** the fact that my Daisy and Mom's dog seem to be getting along a wee little bit better lately since Mom and my stepdad will be leaving for their vacation on the 28th. I will have Lacey here for three weeks! I'm praying the two end up being good buddies.

** all of you, of course!