You Are Not Going to Believe This....

I get frustrated all over again, just writing about this, but here goes...so, I've been going through every medical tests known to man...and I was talking to the scheduler chick to get a date for my surgery. She was going to schedule it for March 17 and then said, oh wait a minute, I think the doctor is gonna require you to lose 50 pounds first. It seems that now, when you are as heavy as I am, they are requiring that you lose that weight because your liver is so enlarged and they are afriad there might be problems during the surgery. Well, damm. So, hopefully I will be able to go on something called Optifast which costs 130.00 a week and is a liquid diet. They are gonna find out if Insurance will cover the cost. All of my test results are good until July 2, so I have 4 months to lose 50 pounds. Yikes. So, pray for me dear people, I'm gonna need all the help I can get....and once again, we continue on....

She's a dog-chick

Ever since she was a baby, Laynee Jo has loved dogs. Some of them are smaller than her...and some are way bigger...but she is just drawn to them. We get our hair cut at the home of a girl that goes to our church. She has a dog named Ginger...beautiful thing...but she's bigger than Dalaynee and lives to jump...and my little niece loves it. We finally got them settled on the back step and I got these few pictures....I don't know who is cuter...Laynee Jo or Ginger....

Friday....

We went to the Valentines dinner at church put on by the Junior High Ministries. They always have a theme....this year is was outta of this world..and they do a skit and take actors from the audience. Jayne got pushed up there because she is our resident drama queen...she played The FORCE in the Star Wars drama...it was a great evening for a good cause...

Saturday...

We have something out here called Lightshine. It's a big choir made up of people from the different churches in area...they do praise and worship songs and some drama. Jayne used to be in it every year, but quit when Laynee was born....and Laynee loves it and hasn't missed one since she arrived...My cousin Nichole still sings in it....it was cool

Sunday....

We did the big lunch bash at mom's with all the cousins, so that was fun for a change...nice to see everyone...and the kids thought it was great...oh and Danny's dog was there too. Nice way to spend an afternoon....Here's a shot of some of Gramma Josie's "greats" as she called them...

I've got a good heart...whew!

So, yesterday, finally, I went and got the stress test for the surgery. It was lovely until they had to put an IV in my vein and couldn't find one. I have this problem all the time. I tell them, I swear there is blood in there, I drove a car, I walked in here..you need blood for all of that right? They poked me in the top of my hand 5 times before one guy took it out of the back side of my wrist. Looks like I tried to kill myself. ..and it hurts like a son of a gun today...but at least they found it. They sped my heart up to 145 (normal is 89 I think) and then checked it...and all is good. So, I think that's it. Just lab work and then we get this show goin...yipeee. I'll keep you posted!

it's addictive...

I have a new favorite snack...it's called Pirate's Booty. Have you heard of it? Yeah, the name is wierd, but it's really good! I heard some moms at work talking about it, said they're kids love it...so I bought me a bag..and it is very addicting...but not too many calories...so it's all good...

...ok so I'm cheap

I have a space on the wall in my office at work that desparately needed some decoration. I got a gift certificate from Danny for Christmas for Micheals and got a good deal on a frame and matting...and last night in bed it hit me as to what would be good to put in it. There is a stained glass window in the back of our church with Jesus the Shepherd. I have always liked it, so this morning I went over there and took a couple of shots. This is what I ended up with. I blew it up to an 11x17...and 12 bucks later...I've got something to hang on the wall....cool, huh?

...a little on edge

I'm still trying to get an appointment for a stress test so that I can get this surgery off the ground, as it were. I keep calling, they say oh, yes, they will call me back..a week goes by. I just talked to them again..she (the lovely office assistant that I'd like to strangle in her sleep) says, can I reach you at this number in the next 15 minutes? Yup, say I, dubiosly believing that she will actually call. What a fool I've been...by the old clock on the wall, I can tell it's been 45 minutes now...and counting. I have a job...people to see...friends to ridicule..I don't have time to chase after this damn appointment! ARGH! Ok, thank you...I've vented...I'm gonna try and call again...everyone, get ready to cross your fingers...1....2...3...GO!

Easy Rider...uh huh

Got this pic from my little brother today. He's having waaaay too much fun with that bike. Looks cute tho, don't he? Hey, my church..and where I work, has a new website and they have used a lot of pictures that I've taken at various stuff going on around here. Check it out at http://www.erc.la/

Finders Keepers

My dad find "suprises" for Dalaynee all the time. I think he digs through the big dumpster out in back of Toys R Us. He's gonna land in jail one of these days and Ma said she ain't bailing him out! Anywhoo, he came home the other day with a dinosaur head. Said he saw it on the side of the freeway and killed it and brought home the head for Laynee Jo. So, what else do you do with a dinosaur head, but pose for pictures with it...so we did This one looks like a dinosaur with a bad headache...and no pants. Very scary!

Visiting family

Cousin Lisa and Auntie Joan came to Sunny Cal this weekend and we had a great time. For those cousins who were traveled to Canada and on the camping trips with us, Jayne and Lisa and I were laughing about our adventures again on those trips. It's always fun to review. So, here are some of the photos taken. It was great to see them...makes me lonesome for the rest of you up north....

Jaynie and Lisa and Auntie Joan wearing one big red top

It Was a Good Day

We got some good news about Jeff yesterday. The tumor has shrunk a little bit. Check out Jayne's blog for more details. And here's a shot of the women in his life...they don't look alike at all do they?

When you make a big purchase at Bill and Trac's house, there is always the obigatory going out and looking for it, find out how much it's gonna cost and then report back to Dad. Well, last Saturday me and Jayne and Mom went looking for new couches and a chair for her living room and a new couch for the den. We went to a place called Living Spaces and found some great deals. So, mom dared to call dad from the showroom and ask him to physically come down and look at them. She kept saying "the girls" think these are good and "the girls" would like you to come down here...and on and on. So he came and as he drove into the parking lot, Ma said, Lauri, do your thing. So I proceeded to tell Dad what a good idea they were and that they really needed something new...and he really needed something nice to sit on while he does Word Search etc. He hemmed and hawed about it a bit and then said, ok, go ahead. We are still in shock over here...how on earth did that happen? But here's what she got. The couch up on top there, a matching love seat. This chair

and this couch for the den. It's like a whole new world at the folks place...and we still don't know how the hell we did it!

Rainy days and Sundays....

It's been raining here...a lot. These poor California people..every weather man is on "STORM WATCH" or "STORM TRACK"...it's rain, people, water falling from the sky, for heavens sake. Here's how Dalaynee Jo handled the "STORM WATCH" at church on Sunday....

and the testing goes on...

...not a great way to start a new year, mind you, but my doctors office made the appointment so I had to go. Bright and early on Wednesday morning, I went to Fountain Valley hospital to have an Upper GI...I thought it was a high ranking soldier...preferably single...but nooooo. I had to drink this chalky milkey crap while the tech took pictures of my insides....now I hate to have my picture taken...especially when it's inside-out. I got through it. Now I think all I have to do is a stress test, oh joy, and then maybe we can get this thing goin...so, maybe I'll be thin before I'm 60...don't laugh..that is sooner that y'all think! Ok, I will keep you apprised of the sitch....pray I don't get too "stressed" for the stress test...ya know?

Christmas Eve

Danny and his kids joined us at the 2:30 Christmas Eve services at our church. Dalaynee sang with her pre-school class. It was a wonderful way to start the evening. Don't know where Mom and Dad were for this shot, I think they headed for home to warm up the dinner.....

This was Cal's idea. The four of us with our baby pictures. The most humorous thing was when Cal handed Danny his picture and Danny looked at it in horror and yelled, Calvin, this is Lauri! This one is wearing a dress! ...and look how much Laynee Jo looks like her mama.

Here's Danny telling one of his stories...in other words entertaining himself most of all...nuthing changes.

Cal wanted to prove how buff he has gotten from working out for football that he lifted Mom right off the ground. Mother screamed so loud, we all thought she was dying! Quite impressive, really.

It was a great evening. It even seemed like Jeff was remembering a little more....so we are hopeful and blessed. And that was Christmas 07...God bless us everyone!