Thanksgiving

I suppose you all expect me to do something out of the ordinary and not just a post about all my blessings.

Well, this time you are wrong.


I am feeling very blessed this Thanksgiving. And not because everything in my life is wonderful and perfect but because this year I am particularly aware of how fragile life is but how Big God is. My faith and relationship with God has gotten me through it all and given me hope and strength. I am in awe that the God of the universe told us in His word that He knows us and loves us anyhow. HOW COOL IS THAT???? I am amazed and comforted by this every single day of my life.

And there are SO MANY PEOPLE whom I could name to give thanks to God for and trust me, I do every day... But for this special Thanksgiving Day I am going to talk a bit about someone who means the world to me; my sister Monica.



Monica had a big health scare about 8 months ago. If you missed my blogs about that time, click HERE I must say, reading it again just now, that it is pretty darned hilarious. And that is me-- always trying to pull off a Big Laugh because life is just too scary. And this was a very scary time.
You never know when something is going to happen that will change your life forever. You can be having a perfectly normal day and WHAM something rocks your whole foundation. When Monica had her seizure we didn't know what would happen: Was this an isolated incident? Was it going to happen every night? How was life going to change?
And it did change in many ways. It made me appreciate this incredible woman even more than ever before and not take her for granted. Since she couldn't drive for awhile we learned to depend on each other in a way we had not done before. We saw how comforting it can be to have someone to take care of you (more than us single moms are used to). And these are some thoughts that led us to looking at buying a home together which eventually led to establishing the great household that we have today.
Sure she is the butt of a lot of my blogs (with her permission of course) and she puts up with a lot of my monster fighting and she does it with patience and support and laughter. SHE LAUGHS AT MY JOKES and not just because I know where she lives.
She handles almost all of our parents' health problems partly because she is an AMAZING PROFESSIONAL NURSE (seriously ya'll she saves lives for a living. I count beans.) and partly because I am so unable to emotionally handle a lot of that stuff. Yet she never gets angry at me for being weak that way-- or she keeps it to herself and lets me try to make it up by cooking or something else.
She puts up with my crazy furgang sleeping in her clean laundry, peeing on her curtains, napping in our kitchen cupboards.
She hasn't strangled my daughter even when she probably deserved it.
She has been a really good sport about my obessive need to organize the house and put all the stuff in baskets.
There really aren't enough words: I just love her.
And I am especially Thankful for her today.

Day 2 of Our Confinment

Day 2 of our confinement. And being forced to eat PINK MEDICINE and have GUNK put in our eyes.


It isn't right













No amount of treats can make up for this


WHY DOES LIFE HAVE TO BE SO HARD??????
















FINE, WHATEVER!!

I am going to go poop on your bath rug.

Feline Fiascos

Today I was reminded of how expensive it is to be owned by so many cats.
You would think that they would pay me better, but they are demanding masters and I am only the staff. One of them likes to chew on my fingers and her sister likes to chew on my toes.

ADD moment: Does anyone besides Stacy remember the Klibon cats? I loves to eat dem mousies, mousies I do love to eat. Bite dem little heads off and nibble on der tiny feets!
Anyhow.............Over the weekend I noticed that Jasmine wasn't opening her right eye and Yvette had licked herself to the point that she had sores. So Monday morning I decided to try to get them in to see my veterinarian.
I must say that I have a crush on my vet. Dr Dave. He is so awesome. He just is so sweet and he always loves on my furgang when I bring them in. He chats with them and he gives them scritches. He is realistic and compassionate when the verdict is bad. He is encouraging when he tells me what needs to be done. Today he did a very thouroug exam of both the girls and explained exactly what was happening. Mostly to my sister who actually understood more of it.
(Did I mention that I love my Vet? I just love him.)
When he was done examining Yvette he put a towel over her to calm her down which was exactly what she needed. So, looked at Jazzy's eyeball and put in drops and looked at it in the dark and all kinds of stuff and he discovered that she had a scratched cornea. He explained how the tears were being displaced by the scratch so they didn't get to the whole eye to heal it etc.... So I got ointment and drops to put in her eye. She is going to be very very unhappy to have to stay in the house for awhile. And she will tell us all about it I am sure. He also said her iris is mis-shapened but he says she probably sees okay. Siamese's eyes always do tend to look a little weird. Beautiful blue violet eyes, but a little crossed. Yvette got a steroid shot for what he feels is a combination of alergies and neurotic licking behavior from anxiety. I understand this because sometimes when I get really stressed out I lick all my fur off too. My legs have never been smoother..... She also got the dreaded pink medicine.
You know, when my kids were little they were always thrilled to get pink medicine and gulped it down happily. Not so Yvette. She turns into the Tanzmanian Devil. I am pretty sure her whole entire head spins around. She flings medicine all over the kitchen cabinets, the floor whomever is in the room and herself. I am never sure how much actually got inside her. Even when we wrap her like a little Egyptian Kitty Mummy she calls on her super-feline strength and shreds her way out of it. I am dreading this whole process
UPDATE: It is now Tuesday. Things went exactly as I feared. Jaz growled and hissed at us and Yvette got the pink medicine all over the place.
What fun!
BUT~~ Seeing as how several friends of mine have lost their feline friends recently (and big hugs to you girls!) I am very glad that I get to fight with mine every day to get their medicine in them!

Another Update: My friend Ely sent this link: you must CLICK HERE to see it. It seriously made me lol. How much catnip do you suppose they gave that cat?

Saturday Morning
I know you are all on the edge of your seats wondering what is going on in my fabulous life.
Let me share
Got up this morning, which was a good morning cuz I slept until 6:00 and wasn't having a panic attack when I woke up which is VERY good, and went in to the office for a while where I worked on government payroll reports.
THen I met up with Chandra at the Y for an hour of treadmill walking and deep discussion about Life, teenagers, why golfers on tv wear white pants, death, work, therapy, what happens when we wear white pants and sit on something poop colored, what kinds of sweet potatoes she should make for the Saturday night group's Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday, parents and other family relationships and what happens when your brain gets older.... amoungst other topics.
Speaking of brains.... I had a discussion with my therapist the other day and we discussed keeping your brain active via video games so I might have to get one of those brain game thingies. My DIL has one and she loves it and she isn't even old. Because I worry about that stuff especially with my moms recent diagnosis (even though that seems to be called into question now) cuz I have definite brain fart moments. I constantly forget where I parked my car. Once I carried my TV remote out with me thinking it was my cell phone. And apparently my brain is in my butt because when I stand up to go get something I immediately forget what I wanted.
Speaking of McDonalds.......... today I drove Lauren to our Designated Visitation Exchange Spot otherwise known as the In-N-Out burger place off Sand Canyon road which is about halfway between our houses.... and left her there to go home with her dad for a week. Heaven help them both. So then I turned right around and headed back to Lancaster and decided to stop at the McDonalds in Acton to get some cookies. I happen to think McDonalds chocolate chip cookies totally rock. And even though my brain knows that chocolate chip cookies do not equal Love (Hey, look! A Squirrel!!) I still use cookies to fill in the gaps of my emotional pain on occasion. And sometimes I use them to keep me from being boring on the freeway. And sometimes I use them to reward myself for doing something I don't want to do. And sometimes I use food. Period. I admit it
Anyhoooooooooow..... The drive up window person says "Welcome to McDonARDS may I help you?" and i think--- did she just say McDonARDS? I mean, it threw me. For a micro second I almost ordered a fruit plate. Then I came to my senses and ordered the cookies. Now, this particular McDonALDS has a special place in the hearts of the Fenner-Williamson household because it was there that we stopped and bought breakfast one trip to Disneyland and they messed up our order Big Time. Messing up our order was not especially noteworthy except for the fact that they had stuck a sticker on our receipt that said "Double Checked for Accuracy" which has become a catch phrase in our home now. (SQUIRREL)
Soooo anyhow............. when I get up to the pay window I listened carefully to the order lady repeat Welcome to McDonARDS several times. I also heard her use the 'L' sound so apparently she doesn't have a speech impediment...... Isn't that facinating?
See, some of you ask me "LeAnn, how do you come up with your FACINATING blog subjects that make our lives appear dreary in comparison?" I tell you--- pay attention to your own life-- there is facinating stuff going on all around you.
All
Around
You

It's What's For Dinner

Before I go one from here, I feel as though I have to share something personal about myself lest you think I pick on my sister too much.

Here goes:
I have tripped going upstairs more times than I can count. Usually over my pajama bottoms that are too long but also with my boots and my own feet. Once I was carrying a plate of lasagna and tripped on the top step and flung food all over the new carpet.
There..... I feel better now....

So my sister texts me that she had gone to Costco and picked up dinner. We were going to have, and I quote "...got chicken ribs and potatoes for dinner".

Chicken ribs? Can you make a whole meal off of chicken ribs?
Who
Knew

But here they are. I commemorated them on film for you.
You don't have to thank me.
Thank my sister.....

What Can You Do? Tell Me!

Tonight I am contemplative.
Not a really happy place to be but I am trying to find peace in the midst of it anyhow.
What do I know right now
You can't make someone stop smoking even when it is a slow death that is going to hurt everyone around you
You can't make someone lose weight even when it is the same result as the smoking
You can't make a cat stop meowing when she has something she needs to say even when you explain to her that you don't understand and she is making you crazy
You can't make someone care about themselves even when you want it very badly.

So, what is it that you can do?

Any suggestions???? I know you are out there. I hear you breathing sometimes.......

A Recommendation

For those of you who think I have a warped sense of humor, may I offer up a link to a blog by a person with whom I cannot even begin to compare in the warped department.
If you don't appreciate warpitude just don't bother
But if you do... please click HERE

Is It Fun At The Y-M-C-A???

Did I tell you that my sister and I and our girls joined the YMCA?

So last night I went to the YMCA for my second workout of the day.

Yes, I am impressed with myself also.

And I thought.... it is time to get over this fear of dressing in the locker room. Just go back into the corner and change out of your work clothes into your work-out clothes.

No biggie, right?

Wrong

I got partway undressed and realized I couldn't do it. I had a flash back of this picture of me and Rebecca at Sea World I had thoughts of some poor child coming into the locker room and shrieking "MOM THERE IS A MANATEE IN THE LOCKER ROOM" Perhaps a manatee had escaped the lap pool and was flopping around in the locker room.So I went into the restroom part of the locker room to dress. It was a joy. The automatic toilet kept flushing every time I got close to it. 3 or 4 times it flushed. I can only assume it also thought there was an escaped manatee in there and was trying to keep it wet.

Deep Autumn Thoughts

Autumn in the desert


Still some pretty colors here and there




And a sleepy cat napping in the leaves







I think it is so amazing that God arranged for such a beautiful display of nature to signal the end of one season and the beginning of another.



Amazing



Really

Sunday Afternoon

Sunday afternoon in the Fenner-Williamson
home.




Lovely day for a nap












Or a snack

Random Thursday Thoughts

Some things running through my head tonight:

Lauren won't let me blog about her endoscopy experience yesterday which is really a terrible shame because parts of it are blog-worthy.
But she said "MOM DON'T BLOG ABOUT THIS"
So I won't
I want to, but I won't
Because I respect her feelings
Plus, she knows where I live
Okay.... what else....
I will say that my very good friend Stacy came to the hospital to sit with me because she is an angel. Seriously, she is awesome. She is always there for me to lean on. We have been friends since I was 14. We met at summer camp one year. The year of the rain. The year worms invaded my tube tent. The year Theron Myers cut down a tree. It was a banner camp year for sure.
Anyhowwwwwww
Stacy helps me with my caregiver situations also which is AWESOME!!! God has blessed me with so many amazing friends. Sometimes I think I have more than my fair share!
But don't tell Him, okay!
What else.......
What isn't blog worthy? The enormous pile of dog poop that some one's dog deposited in the living room one night that was so big Lauren's friends took a picture of it on their cell phones.
Her new friends. Oh yeah.
Wait... I have to go run Lauren to her ballet class. BRB Geeezers.
Okay I am back
We had to put her hair up in a bun for class. She has to wear a Very. Specific. Outfit. or they don't let them rehearse. I had to grease up her hair, use about a million bobby pins and a snood to get it right.
That is right, I said snood.
At least I hope it is right. That remains to be seen I guess.
So, I notice that the holiday lattes are out at Starbucks. It must be Christmas. I love the holiday lattes but I have cut Starbucks out for the most part. Partly because my stomach isn't loving coffee these days and partly because my wallet isn't loving Starbucks.
It ain't right, people.
It just ain't right.
Does every one's brain buzz all the time with a bunch of random weirdness or is it just me?

Important Date In History!

Today is a VERY IMPORTANT DAY in history!
Yes, I know it is Veterans Day and I am most certainly grateful for the service that all of our veterans have done to preserve our freedom.

Today is also the aniversary of the day my favorite Daughter In Law was born.

Okay, everybody together.....
Happy Birthday to You
Happy Birthday to YOU
Happy Birrrthhhhdayy, dear Jericho!!!!!
Happy Birthday to YYOOOOUUUU!!!!!!!

On previous birthday blogs I wrote about the first time I set eyes on one of my beloved children but I am sad to say I do not actually remember the first time I met Jericho, though I would bet she remembers the first time she met me because I probably scared her to death.
Who can blame her?
I do remember finding out about her, however.
I sent my son off to his Jr class trip to the East Coast a single dude with no special girl in his life and he came home with a girlfriend. HUH???
Something happened.... a glance across a crowded airplane.... a wink over the bus seat... stolen kisses when they got 'lost' in museams? I don't know. But something clicked for the two of them that trip and they never looked back. That was it. Through all those final teenage years and through the leaving home stages they were each other's rock, best friends and loves. No one else existed for them.

It wasn't however, love at first sight for Jericho and I. She scared me. She was quiet. OMG a quiet girl around me and Brandon and Lauren? HOW COULD SHE EVER SURVIVE???? I tried to engage her in conversation. She just kinda looked at me like OMG BRANDON'S MOTHER IS A COMPLETE WHACKADOO.
You can only imagine it. Seriously, can you imagine having me for a mother in law???
The horror of it all.

But we all persevered and eventually came the day when she tripped over her own feet in the bathroom and knocked a hole in the wall with her head and laughed hysterically... that is when I knew--- this woman was destined to be my new daughter. This girl had what it takes to be a Fenner.
I am very blessed that Brandon found a partner for life who loves him and loves God and seeks to learn to be a good wife and friend to him.
How can you possibly ask for more than that?
Happy Happy Birthday Jericho,
I Love You,
Mom

Am I A Bad Driver?

I have been accused of being a poor driver.

I know, that is shocking.

I don't believe it either.

There has been, however, occasion to question my parking abilities.

This is a re-creation of a parking job I did a few days ago.

Chandra says it is accurate.

I think she may exaggerate a bit.

To prove I can do a good job this is how I parked when I picked her up for our Sunday morning Dog Park Outing where we discuss deeply spiritual matters and laugh at the dogs.

It did take a bit of backing up and pulling in and looking until I was satisfied with the job I had done.

See, I can do it.

I just don't want to sometimes.

PS: So we also did some walking at the dog park (no, one of us was not on a leash) and then we decided to go check out the neighborhood behind the park because the houses looked so beautiful. I looked up at this one beautiful house and the number lept out at me. I asked Chandra if she noticed the street name... and realized I was standing in front of my boss' house. Okay what do you do with that? I mean, what if he saw me?

OMG LeAnn is stalking me AND the dogs at the dog park!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Of course it is a cul de sac so I was able to stare at it again when I walked by the other way.

I was kinda proud, you know?

I mean, imagine if I had realized it was his house and it looked like THIS???

No, I didn't take a picture of it.

I don't take a picture of EVERYTHING, CHANDRA, like the McDonalds panels when they changed from Morning menu to Afternoon menu.

She wanted me to, but I was like FOR THE LOVE OF ALL THAT IS HOLY I WON'T BE YOUR BLOG MONKEY!!!!

Hi, My Name Is Monica.......

My sister Monica
I LOVE HER!!
She is awesome in so, so many wonderful ways
But............
She is a hoarder.
She is.
This is a picture of her shoelace box that she was keeping.
That is right....... shoelaces.
Because she is a homeless bag lady and keeps everything she owns in her shopping cart.
No, wait....... She is a successful well compensated ICU nurse.
She can afford to buy new shoe laces when the occasion arises.
Then why the box of mostly used shoelaces?

Well... how many licks does it take to get to the tootsie roll center of the tootsie pop?
The world may never know...........

Disclaimer: Monica said I could blog about her shoelace box AND after going through all the stages of grief last Saturday she was able to say good-bye to the shoelaces.

Denial: Everyone has a HUGE box of shoelaces. This isn't weird.
Anger: YOU AREN'T THE BOSS OF ME!!! I can keep them if I want to!!
Bargaining: Please? Can't I keep them? Some of them? The cute ones?
Depression: I....(sniff sniff).... I don't know....(sniff sniff)... how can I go on without them??? (Sniff sniff)
Acceptance: Okay... many some really destitute people can use them that have no shoelaces.... Yes, donating them is the right thing to do..... I can do it!!! (wipes nose on her shirt)
I am so proud of her!

Pickford After Pictures

Finally! Some 'after' pictures!

I was going to wait until after I had decorated the entire house but since I am short about a million dollars to do so, I guess I will go with where we are at right now.
It feels like we should have it all together more by now, but we are getting there slowly!

First off we have the living room. I wanted to post side by side pics but I lost all my pictures when my computer crashed so I will post links to previous posts. All you have to do is click on the word HERE to go to the previous post.


Got it?



Living Room & Dinning Room Before Post HERE

Gone are the Lakers colors, the pool table and various other discarded items.

Family Room Before post HERE


A lovely blank canvas for new family pictures.








Possibly the most drastic change
Beer Cupboard Before post HERE


Can you believe this used to be the BEER CUPBOARD????