Going Away

Mark and I are going to go to Marinette, WI this afternoon for a volunteer recognition dinner. We have worked hard on all of these dinners. They are for the outpatient clinics for the VA. Mark is of course over Voluntary Service (volunteers) so he has to do a dinner or luncheon for all of the clinics. Then we will be here Tuesday and then Wednesday Heidi is going to the kennel and we will be going to Rhinelander, WI; Ironwood, MI; Houghton, MI; Marquette, MI and Sault Ste. Marie, MI for lunches and dinners. We should be back home on Saturday. Our neighbor is watching the house while we are gone.

Jeremy is in love. Her name is Meris. I think he is happy now. He hasn't been happy for so long. He really likes her though. She goes to the University of St. Thomas in Houston, and of course he lives 70 miles away in Wharton. Oh well, good luck son.

I guess that's all. I just wanted to update you. We plan on taking the camera with us when we travel so I will have lots of new pictures on here this weekend.

See ya!

Beautiful Lake

After the nasty rainy day we had yesterday, today turned out to be sunny and warm. We decided to get out of the house and walked down to the lake with Heidi and of course she hit the water as usual. She loves it! I do to, as you will notice in the pictures!!! The lake is so beautiful, but up close to the shore it is really mossy. They say the moss will go away eventually. I hope so. The water is so clear. It's amazing. I can't wait for it to warm up a little more so I can get in it and swim!!! I told Mark I was going to swim across...but he says I'm not. We'll see.

Enjoy the beautiful pics....I'm going back outside!!

R

Yes, it's me in the water...a bit chilly but not freezing. 

Testing the waters.... 

Me and Heidi going for a wade. Just a little chilly, but not freezing! 

Yes, the water is cold, but not freezing. 

People in a canoe across the lake. I want one so bad!!! Or a flat bottom boat. Or a rubber raft...I don't care!! Just something to get in the water with!! 

You can see how bad the moss is in this picture.  

Heidi in the mossy water. It should go away eventually. I hope so. It's not very attractive. The water is so clear though. 

View directly across from our shore. I told Mark I was going to swim all the way across. He says I'm not. I love to swim but I don't know about all the way over. We'll see. I know it's good exercise! 

View to the right side of the pier. Lovely isn't it? 

Heidi checking things out. It's rather mossy right now but it should clear up. The further out you get the less mossy it is.  

Heidi loves the water!! I guess she has to be able to feel the ground below her. She didn't like it at Lake Livingston in Texas probably because she had to swim and didn't feel anything below her. 

Mark standing on pier..Heidi in water. 

May 3rd

That is the day that they remove the mass. He didn't do a needle biopsy because the mass is so small and it is really deep. He said it is about the size of the tip of an pencil eraser. Good news is that it doesn't have tenticles. It is round and smooth. So, on May 3rd I will go in for surgery to have it removed. Yeah!!! They are putting me out!!! Anyway, so, we will see what happens after that.

Thanks for all of the prayers!!

They mean the world to me.

Good Morning!!

This is the day that the Lord hath made!! Good morning everyone. Boy, yesterday was so beautiful and I felt really bad. I think I got the flu. I feel better today but man, yesterday I was running a fever and dizzy and anyway, I wasn't in the best of shape. I feel much better today. It's sunny for now but supposed to rain this afternoon with a cold front that is coming in. Just in time too. I got my patio set out of lay-a-way yesterday and Mark's birthday present, a smoker. By the time we got home and he had the patio set all together the wind had picked up and it had gotten cloudy and cooler so I couldn't sit out there and enjoy it much. And of course it's supposed to only be in the 50's this coming week so I don't know how much sitting out there I will be doing. Oh well, it's pretty to look at!! I told Mark I will be glad when it's warm enough to sit out there at night.

I'll be glad when family come up and visit us. Mark's sister, Sue and her husband and daughter and his mom are coming up for Memorial Day Weekend. I like having company. I can't wait. Hopefully my Mom and Dad and sister and nephew are coming in July from Texas. With gas on the rise though I don't know if they will or not. I sure hope they will!!!

I like having company. I guess the only real company we have had, besides Jeremy at Christmas, (Which wasn't company, this is his home) was the pastor that come to visit that Friday night.

Speaking of the smoker (earlier), do you know that you can not find a beef brisket up here, anywhere? Mark's mom doesn't even know what one is. I was in shock! Mark asked the butcher at the grocery store and he said that every great once in a while they will get a couple in. Not very often though. Drat.

Ok, I'm going to go. Since I feel better today I have to do my housework that I didn't get done this week because I was feeling lousy all week. See ya!!!!

R

P.S. I am in a better emotional place now about Thursday. I know that I can handle whatever it may be or not be. I will keep you abreast (hahaha) of the situation!

My patio set. By the time we got home yesterday and Mark got it put together it started getting chilly so I couldn't sit out there long. I can't wait till I can sit out there at night. (Notice the Off Candle) The mosquitos were out yesterday evening!! I thought they would be too cold. Guess not!  

My patio set. again. 

The lake is slush now. Close to the bank is completely thawed.  

The Geese are back!! Boy they make a lot of noise! 

Just To Let You Know...

I am feeling much better about things. I finally got to have a long talk with my mom. My mother-in-law has given me words of encouragement and lots of prayers from her church. The only thing I am nervous about is I don't know what to expect. I mean, a couple of people have told me, but I don't know what this doctor is going to do. Is it going to hurt? How long will it take? etc. So, anyway, I am much better though. Mentally anyway!!! I think I may have gotten food poison or something. I have been running back and forth. Yuck. I told Mark I am just going to stop eating all together then I don't have to worry about that any more.

I know...it's silly. Another sign that I am feeling better. Take care and thanks for all the prayers!!!

R

PITTY PARTY

I was hoping when I woke up this morning that I would be feeling better about the situation. I am still scared to death. What I am about to say is terrible, I know it is, but I am having the biggest fattest pitty party for myself today. This morning I lashed out at Mark. I told him that I felt all alone in all of this because since day one everyone has been telling me "it's probably nothing. Everything will be fine." No one seems to be as worried about it as I am. I have always been the kind of person who is very pesimistic. I admit it but I wish someone would show some kind of feelings about it. I need to know that someone is concerned. All I am getting is "It's probably nothing." Well, we know now it's not "nothing!!" Like I said, I am ashamed of myself for feeling this way. I have 5 million emotions running around in my head and I feel like I am on a spinning wheel. I am sure that the fact that I am a little emotional because my favorite aunt came to visit yesterday (Flow). Plus, I have all day to sit here and wallow in my pitty party. I don't know, I just feel really alone in this.

Mark did bring me a beautiful card yesterday. I know that he is concerned. I know he is. I have told him and Jeremy that I need them to be strong and us get through what ever this is going to be, together, but then I start thinking about how very bad it could be and how even though there is only a 3% mortality rate if caught early I still worry about leaving Mark. He would not make it. He has told me a thousand times that I can't die before him.

I need to just get around, go take a shower, go for a drive, or just wipe off the pitty and stop it. THat's what I'm going to do. I can not let this thing beat me. What ever it is. Well, thanks for listening to my pitty party. I feel better now.

Can't wait till the weekend. It's going to be beautiful. We had thunderstorms this morning. First time since we moved up here there has been thunderstorms. It wasn't even that big of one. A little lighteneing and a few claps of thunder. Anyway, it has stopped raining now.

Ok..See ya!

RESULTS...AND BEYOND...

Well, I called my doctor today to get the results from the mammo and ultrasound. They didn't have the results so she said she would call over to radiology and call me back............an hour or so went by and she had not called. Finally she did and they had the report now. Come to find out it's not fluid. It is a mass. So, she scheduled me to go to Dr. Cecconi, a surgeon on April 14 to have a biopsy done. If anyone has had this, please leave me a comment and tell me about your experience. Needless to say I am really nervous now.
I have been reading in my Bible about healing and Jesus' love for us and the "Great Physician". I know that I can get through this. I know I can if I can give it to the Lord and let him keep it. I am trying not to worry, my very optomistic sister and mother and mother-in-law are all telling me it's still probably nothing. I wish I could have that attitude. I'm trying not to have the pittiful attitude of "Why Me?".

Please keep us in your prayers over the next few weeks. I appreciate all of your prayers and comments.

Thanks alot!!

Robbyn

This was the most beautiful bird. It was on the feeder but when I wanted to snap the picture it flew back up in to the trees. Can you see it? We found out it is an Oriole.  

HEY I'M A BELIEVER NOW!

Isn't it amazing how you hear things all of your life, or your adult life and you put them in the back of your mind, or dismiss them all togehter? You know you say "It will never happen to me." Well, it has happened to me.

I had my first mammogram yesterday. I am two years past when it should have been done. I just kept putting it off and putting it off. Finally I decided that I needed to get it done. No, I haven't had any pain, or any of the symptoms that are related to it. I just decided to start being healthy this year so that was one of the things on my list. I didn't even think about what everyone was saying about how it mashes and hurts. Oh brother. I went in there and the only thing that I didn't like was the fact that this woman was flopping my breast around. OOoooooo yuck! So, anyway, I had the, what we call "The Booby Smash" and got dressed and the radiologist came in and she asked if I had time to get an ultrasound done. They have found something in my left breast that they want to look at further. Of course I said yes. So, then with a little bit of fear in my heart I walked with her to the ultra-sound room. Well, she did it, called someone else in there to look and then told me that she would go look at them and take them to the Radiologist Dr., whatever he is and she'd be back in about 10 very very long minutes. I sat there on the table and prayed and prayed and prayed. Ok, she didn't say the very, very long part...but it was an eternity to me. Actually she came back quicker than she said because the doctor was studying another patients films and so she said that he would have the results back to my doctor (Duncan) by Tuesday and she should call me if there is a problem. Ok, so I get dressed, again and start to walk out and low and behold, Mark was sitting in the waiting room. I asked him what he was doing there and he said he had come to take me to lunch since he forgot to leave me money. I was SSSSSOOOOO glad to see him. I didn't tell him anything and he didn't ask until we were going out the door of the hospital. Then he asked how it went and if everything was fine? I said no. Then I started crying. I was concerned of course but when I saw him and he asked, that's when I wasn't fine anymore. So, I told him everything. He is such a trooper. He said he is sure that it is just a fat lump or fluid. No problem. I wish I could believe that. I am trying to not worry about it but in the back of my mind I am. No matter what anyone says I am going to have that little fear in the back of my mind. I think my biggest fear is if it is bad, leaving Mark. He is my life. Anyway, the rest of my family too.

I talked to my dear friend last night, Jeremy's grandma, Hedy. She has been through all of this and she talked to me for a while and encouraged me. I still have that in the back of my mind though.

Well, I am a believer now of prevention, prevention, prevention!!! Get your mamo, get your annual pap...DO IT!! It could save your life.

I ask that if you are a praying person, please pray for me, Mark and Jeremy and my family as we go through this. Or, Tuesday I may be told that there it is nothing. That is the outcome I want.

Jeremy, do not be upset. We will get through this and I am going to be around for a very long time to bug you to death!!! I love you and we will be ok!!

Ok...it's a beautiful Saturday and I think we are going to go outside and play!!

Take care!!

R