He Knows, He Cares

Simple pleasures I miss...
Talking with my husband uninterupted...
Taking a daily walk with Bob.
Going to the show...
A quiet dinner...
Dinner out...
Being spontaneous...
Freedom to go as I please...
The choice not to cook tonight...
Watching the News with Bob...or anything for that matter
A good night's rest...& snuggling...
Working outside- when I feel like it...
Time to sit and pray, study, meditate,read,worship...
Silence.
Choices.

Doodle Therapy

My life has been a tad stressful to say the least....
I have always liked to doodle- drawing flowers on all my notepads...

A new friend of mine blessed me with some colored pencils and here is what I doo-dle with them.When things get frustrating I flee to my sanctuary (aka spare room)and begin to express my emotion with a sketch...by the time I am 'done" with it...I feel calm and at peace. Next, I write down the attribute I wish to respond with.

After the roses, Sarah remarked, "oh Mom, so you're doing the fruits of the spirit"? lol....I hadn't realized it. Here is the results





mispelled...intentionally. :)

Sundowner’s Syndrome

also known as sundowning, is a condition often associated with the early stages of Alzheimer's. Sundowners syndrome can also be considered a mood disorder or even a sleep disorder. Sufferers experience periods of extreme agitation and confusion during the late afternoon or early evening hours, leading to irritability towards caregivers. It was once believed that sundowners syndrome was a result of missed day/night light cues, hence the sudden onset at sundown. Current research points towards more organic causes such as drug interactions or stress associated with lower cognitive function.

Rose suffers from this every evening...she gets angry and irrational...even more demanding than ususal...she obsesses over when her hair was washed last...or if we are having dinner... Though she will say she is not at all hungry, she throws a tantrum if dinner is not at 6pm. We offer to make her dinner...but she is completely undone if we don't all sit down with her and eat what she eats. Needless to say dinners are very stressful for all of us. I haven't enjoyed a meal at home in months. You would think this would lead to weight loss for me...wouldn't you? no such luck.

a place of rest...

ahhhh a good night's rest...is there anything sweeter?
ask anyone who is sleep deprived.

The last 48 hours have been a real trip. The Dr put Rose on some new meds...to calm her and help sleep...they did not. in fact we had 36 hours of sleeplessness and hallucinations. Can I just say, my husband is a saint. seriously.

Rose saw people, children, dogs, bugs in the house...she doesn't know why she is here.

Kudos to the home appraiser who came to appraise our home,
and graciously snuck around so we wouldn't upset Rose further...
I am finding that lots of people have experience caring for older folks....and they are filled with compassion.
This was all further complicated by us being essentially in-between Doctors on a holiday weekend...So we had to make the decisions oursleves...we chose going back to the previous meds.

We finally slept......all of us...and some of us are still sleeping and this,
is a gift from God the Father -To whom we bow our knee and ask humbly,
Please sir, could we have some more???

Face it

Flee temptation.... but Face your troubles.

Troubles don't go away by ignoring them, do they?
They may be the vehicle to a higher calling- a destiny

Let us face them, toe to toe. armed with the glorious gospel of peace...after all,
nothing is too difficult for God. In His strength, we plow thru- we don't always get the result we wanted...at least I haven't...but I have come thru, and when I ponder outcomes, I usually have ended up in the good position, wiser for the wear,
and always more compassionate toward others going thru a similar thing...judgment falls away...
replaced by a quiet confidence that this too shall pass...

I am hard pressed on every side, yet not crushed; persecuted but not forsaken; struck down but not destroyed.... -2 Cor 4:9

Piece of cake :)

Family Field Day 2010 teaser

MC CREW a combination of Carlson's & Maus's

The cArlson Team

is it just me...or is this a scene from Lord of The Rings...?

It's all how you carry it, I guess

Everybody has one...nobody wants to be one...


Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30