Maxine on Halloween

Happy Birthday Larry

Larry is my father in law. They just visited with us a few weeks ago, this picture was taken then. He has been in the hospital (ICU) every since. He is in congestive heart failure (at 62 today). He had his first heart attack at 45. He has been sick for our entire marriage. He will be transfered to Richmond to see if he can have a heart transplant.

We are not ready for another parent to die. It has just been 6 months since my daddy died.

Happy Birthday Mom aka Old Sow 1025

Another mile stone without my dad! You know Sondie wrote that Daddy always had her heart, but I have to say I have always been a "mommies girl". Let's keep this happy..... my mom is 69! She was a strong woman who taught me to work hard and never quit~what would I do with her? Where would I be without her?

Thanks mom for all you have been to me! :o)

An Old Maxim

I was reading a book ( The valley of secrets by Charmian Hussey) and read "an old maxim" that I like! Okay, let me show my ignorance here. I first wondered what is "an old maxim"?

www.yourdictionary.com

maxim (mak′sim)
noun
a concisely expressed principle or rule of conduct, or a statement of a general truth

Adjective modifier
old: Actions louder than words The old maxim about actions speaking louder than words also applies here.

Okay, that much makes sense......now the old maxim said

"A trouble shared is a trouble halved."

Who was the first to use this maxim? I searched Answers.com to find this information and a lady named Dorothy Sayers was the name listed.

This maxim was included in the book she wrote in 1931 called "The Five Red Herrings" (sorry I am not good at referencing this information correctly with underlining and italics with this posting in blogger and I don't do my post off line so please forgive the errors and look for the meat of the post). Back to the point Dorothy L. Sayers (1893-1957) was known as a renowned British author, translator and Christian humanist. She was also a student of classical and modern languages. She is best known for her mysteries, a series of novels and short stories set between World War I and World War II that feature English aristocrat and amateur sleuth Lord Peter Wimsey. However, Sayers herself considered her translation of Dante's Divina Commedia to be her best work. She is also known for her plays and essays. ( Wikipedia.com )

I was really interested in this "maxim" because it rings true. If we share a burden with someone else it always feels less heavy to carry! We need friends to help us through this life! One of the hardest things about moving from WV to NC was leaving the people who prayed with me and helped to "half my troubles". I still find myself calling on them in spite of the distance. My friends there were godly people who prayed with me (notice I didn't say for me). I think the important thing about sharing our trouble is that we share them with someone who will take us back to the truth of the Bible! To provide "godly counsel" based on that truth and lastly to pray (petition) the Heavenly Father!

We have been in NC for over 8 years and I still haven't found those people. No fault of the people here.... my life is just so different than in WV. I am a mom who works full time. I have been the stay at home mom and the working mom, so I don't want to take sides, they both have difficulties! There are definite battle lines drawn between these two groups. Judgement heaped by the bucketfuls! I don't want to judge either group because I have been in both. Here is my opinion.... Stay at home moms get no respect. They are expect to do everything for their families, neighborhoods and church. They all say "that mom wouldn't have to work if they would learn to do without." As for the working moms.... they wallow in huge amounts of guilt for not being able to "keep their homes in order" and missing activities of their children. They are so busy they don't make time for friends and taking care of themselves. They deal with guilt and ask themselves what to "do without" to be at home. Women allow the enemy to divide us by picking on one another. Women can be so caddy and relentless! I did have some very supportive friends who prayed me thru going back to work and I appreciate them very much (Julie and Suzanne your the best). There is my tangent and opinion. I hope you aren't offended. Remember it is just an opinion, before you lash out at me think about the things you have heard women say about one another!

As for me: I now have a new book to read. I want to read "The five red herrings". And I want to continue to share my trouble to half it!

Quote

"Eating Spaghetti with a spoon is like brushing your teeth with a wrench!" Malakhi Smith



Yes, you read that right! My 8 year old son came up with that quote! Such wisdom!

I laughed so hard! Where does he come up with this stuff?

This is what drinking too much will do for you!

I got this picture on e-mail and laughed! Enjoy your laugh!

Fall Break is here!

I am officially off work for a couple days. It is a bitter sweet time. I was supposed to be on my annual sister trip, but alas, with all the turmoil going on the trip has been canceled. Sondie and I have figured we have it easy in the grand scheme of things, but still feel the disappointment of our first trip ever to be canceled.

I have had many people tell me how great it is that my sisters all take time for each other to do an annual trip! It is wonderful. But it takes me back to why we started these trips. My dad! Plain and simple. When my dad first got sick, Elisabeth was 6 months old, it was such a hard time for my mom that we (the sisters) decided to take her away on a trip. Our trips started with the OLD SOW! Old sow 1025! It was so good for my mom. We continued to go with old sow 1025 for a few years. Then she couldn't physically go anymore so the trips became the four of us. We have needed each other over the last several years. For lots of reasons really. On our first trip, old fat hog 1 was in the middle of her divorce after 20 years of marriage to a tyrant and old fat hog 2 was told she was going to be a grandmother prematurely. We became the old fat hogs on that trip. Why? Well, #1 was having hot flashes and had gained a lot of weight while going through the divorce and she made a comment about being an "old fat hog"! It stuck. We got our numbers by birth order!

The disappointment this year is we can't go! We really needed a time to love, support and grieve our daddy's death. I have been doing well in the grand scheme of things, but the last 2 weeks have been difficult. I am not sure why. It came out of the blue. A new season? Mom's birthday coming? The tragedy of Sophia's accident? I would give one of my front teeth to talk to my dad. (That is saying something when you are a hygienist!) I have never gone for 6 months without talking to my dad! I need his wisdom he so gently spoke without being controlling! He was the most gentle man I know! I MISS MY DAD!

Instead of spending time with my sisters I will be spending time with my in-laws. They are lovely people, so don't misunderstand me. It just reminds me of my own lack of a dad! My father-in-law is not well so we need to spend time with him. He is soon to be 61 and has only 16% cardiac output and is in congestive heart failure. He has been worked up for a transplant, but has not been put on a transplant list. WHY???? I suppose he isn't sick enough yet. I will enjoy my visit with them, but will grieve the loss of my trip with the "OLD FAT HOGS"!

I know I haven't posted in a while, but I haven't fallen off the earth! Just been crazy and busy!

Praise the Lord!

Praise the Lord Sophia is home from the hospital. Home is my mom's house right now. She still has a long road ahead of her but she is on the road to recovery!

The legal battle has just begun, but that will be easier now that we know Sophia is on the mend.