Sunday, February 1st, and the cold air stays in place. This has been a long brutal time in Kentucky with the big snow and it stays because the temperatures never seem to go higher than the 20's during the day and single digits in the nights.
I spent Saturday night getting more and more ill. I went to be fine and slept for about an hour. Then my body did what it often does. It wakes and thinks I have had a great nap and should now get up and get busy. I tried to lay very still and relax all of my body for a long time but that didn't work. I got up to go read. As I sat in my recliner, I had a headache come on. I don't get lots of headaches. This kept getting more and more intense. I thought I about going to the bedroom and getting Tylenol but I didn't want to wake Claude. After a while, I really wanted to lay down but I had a strong impression to go to the guest room and let Claude sleep. I followed that impression and it was a good one. My tummy started to feel worse and worse. I felt an impression to get to the bathroom quickly. I did get there just in time to hurl any cookie I ever ate in my life. On my goodness. I stayed until I was sure that was finished. My body was very weak by now. I went back to the guest bedroom and tried to lay down and get comfortable. I was there about 45 minutes until I felt the urge to run back to the bathroom. Again I cleaned out my poor body. Once I felt there was nothing left, I made my way back to the guest bedroom. My alarm was set to wake Claude at 6:30 for a 7am Zoom meeting. When the alarm went off, I went and found Claude sitting at his desk. I told him I would not be going to Church as I was really sick. He had not slept well either. Ugh!
Claude did his meeting, I sent text messages to the three ladies I was to meet with at church that day alerting them I would not be there. I went back to bed. Claude checked on me after the Zoom meeting. I checked my cellphone. It seems the parking lot at the church was plowed but just between the parking lanes. None of the parking spaces were cleared. We have two congregations meeting in this building. One begins at 9am and ours begins at 10:30am. We were told to get the word out that we would start at 11:30am and only have sacrament meeting. This would work better for people parking. I sent messages to all our ministering families and then headed to bed again.
Sunday was definitely a down day for me. We wondered if I may have had food poisoning. However, Claude was not ill and we ate the same food during the day. We wondered if it might be Covid. I took a covid test and it was negative. I had a Mello Yello after I woke up and sipped on it throughout the day. When I got hungry, I opened a small package of Ritz crackers and ate them. In the evening, I really needed something. Claude fixed me one of the Lipton soups with the tiny noodles in it. I love that soup and it tasted delicious. I held all of this down. It was a rough day but I was very grateful for Claude, for my recliner, for having things on hand to eat and drink, for feeling a bit better at the end of the day.
Monday, February 2nd, I would stay down another day. I did start my day with a good shower to get rid of whatever germ was causing me issues. Then I curled up and read some more in The Book of Enoch. I cleared things from the DVR. By dinner time, I was ready to try real food. We went to the Jimmy John's drive-thru and sandwiches. Then back home to eat and have a quiet evening.
This was Ground Hog Day. We did not watch the movie. I am sure it was on lots of channels. I did find humor in these two items from Facebook.
Tuesday, February 3rd, I was ready to try doing things that were normal. I had prepared Bailey a birthday card. I needed to go in the mail. I decided it would be fun to put a bag of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups in a box with the card. I got that ready. Then Claude and I dropped the box at the post office.
Cute interchange here. I sent Bailey a text letting her know the birthday box went in the mail and to keep and eye out for it. I told her they could ship it express mail for $35 or I could do first class for $9.20 and it might be there before Sunday. I opted for the $9.20 cost. I shared that with my Bailey Girl in the text. She replied, "That is understandable Grandma, I'd do the same!" Love this girl.
Claude had a bit of banking to do. Then we drove thru Bojangles for a biscuit breakfast. After that, we made a quick run through the grocery store.
When we got home, I set to work on the Relief Society lesson I would teach on Sunday.
Claude came back to Sandiland and informed me the plow had come on our street and we had now piled at the end of the driveway he was going to go out and shovel. Let's face, we are neither in condition to do lots of shoveling. This snow is now heavier with ice from melting and refreezing. I put on my warm clothing and Duck boots and joined him. We got the work done in short order. Of course, working in the yard means a burger for dinner. Claude picked Arby's and we each had a nice sandwich at home for dinner.
In the evening, I age two dates. I had been thinking about dates. Not sure why. My mother used to buy them every now and then when I was a kid. I liked them then. Jake sent me a text with a picture of the hot sauce he bought with his Christmas gift card. It was Coffee Date flavored. He said the date taste was evident in it and he liked it. I decided that was my cue to buy me some dates. Oh my, they were as good as I remembered. I read about them and they have great nutritional value. I have decided to have two dates each evening. Yum!!
Katelyn posted the fun picture of Joel, her son, and Ramon, their exchange student from Spain. This is what Katelyn said, "We weren’t planning to host this year. We were done. Life was full and busy, and our house already felt complete. Then a last-minute situation came up. A student needed a home or they wouldn’t be able to experience American high school. We had a few options, but Ramón stood out right away. He has siblings close in age to our kids. He plays soccer like our oldest, loves video games like our middle two, and understands what it means to be a big brother. I’m so thankful we decided to host. Joel absolutely loves having a big brother. When we asked him tonight if he’d want another someday, he didn’t even think before saying yes. The girls say they want a sister, but honestly, moments like this are pretty special. Rae and Millie have Julia. Joel and Kennedi have Ramón. 💙
Wednesday, February 4th, we woke up to more snow over night. Not a lot. Maybe and inch. The concern it the temperatures. That is enough snow that, if it melts and freezes overnight, we will have a driveway that is a sheet of ice. We had packages being delivered and didn't want any broken bones. We donned our warm clothing and headed out to do the shoveling...once again. When we finished, I took a pictures of the snow piled in front of our home. The first picture below was taken on Monday, January 26th after the first big shoveling. The second picture was taken Wednesday, February 4th, over one week later. This is proof of the cold we have had. Not very much melting at all. Winter is still on us.
Katelyn posted this cute picture of our our Emelia on our family Facebook page. This was Katelyn's comment, "Somebody lost her 1st and 2nd tooth in school today .... Then lost them on the bus.... Thankfully they were found and our driver has them safe." How cute it that?!
Thursday, February 5th, was a very normal kind of day. I cleaned the guest bedroom linens. I updated my Blog and pictures. The Castle DVD's arrived. Yeah!! I did some texting with Jake and he was happy to have me order him a pizza on Saturday.
In the evening we had chicken pot pies for dinner with a little salad. When I was grocery shopping with Claude earlier in the week, I saw them as we passed the frozen meal section. I stopped and picked out two for us to eat. I loved these when we were newlyweds and food budget was small. It was really fun to have them again. Food can bring back good memories.
Friday, February 6th, was laundry day. I also spoke with Katelyn on the telephone.
In the afternoon, we went to Georgetown Cinema to see "Solo Mio". This is an Angels film production. I read what the story was about and it sounded like it might be a good movie to go see. It turned out to be exceptional. We were delighted and surprised the Andrea Bocelli figures in the movie. What a treat. Kevin James did a masterful job with his role. He is set to be married in Rome, Italy. His bride does not show for their wedding. The story is his journey to accept and make peace with this situation. It take place in Rome and in Tuscany. Delightful and highly recommend this movie. We enjoyed 5 Guys burgers after.
Drew took Emelia to a "Special Persons Dance". Katelyn told us Raelyn did her little sisters make-up. How cute is that?
Bailey Marx was attending the The National Association for Music Education with other Campbellsville University students at the Kentucky International Convention Center in Louisville. She posted this picture of finding high school friends and catching up. She knows kids from all of Kentucky from all her musical participations.
Saturday, February 7th, was an indoor day. Still very cold.
I finished my preparation to teach the Relief Society lesson on Sunday. I ordered Jake his pizza. He was very happy. He was spending his time that morning before work writing and the pizza allowed him not to have to stop to cook. Win for both of us. I finished reading the first part of the Book of Enoch. He is actually three books in one. Two more to go. In the evening, I started a baby Afghan.
Claude tried a new steak and noodle recipe for or evening meal. I love that he does this. This one quite tasty. It was a keeper for sure.
Sunday, February 8th, the Georgetown Ward only has Sacrament meeting. The snow has not melted enough to allow lap over parking between when the two wards meet. We arrived and Claude found a spot by the door. Yeah!!
I taught the Relief Society lesson. It was the October General Conference talk by Elder Kevin G. Brown entitle "The Eternal Gift of Testimony". I gave each sister a card and a pen. I started with the slide explains how Elder Brown started his talk. He would use these three foundational principles on that guided him on his journey to a Sure Witness. Love that phrase. 1) God is our Loving Heavenly Father, 2) Agency is the Gift to Choose and Act for Ourselves and 3) Our testimony comes through the Power of the Holy Ghost. I asked the sisters to be aware of these three principles all the way through Elder Brown's talk.
After this introduction, I told the sisters I was going to do something that I do not recommend for a lesson but that I was strongly impressed at the first listening to this talk as the way to share this lesson. I would begin by playing the entire talk given by Elder Brown. I asked the sisters to use their pens and cards to write words or thoughts that they had as the watched this talk. After we listened to the talk, I would then have them share their insights and that would be our lesson.
The sisters shared and we had a good discussion. Some of the things I highlighted were:
- It is in God's nature to bless us.
- Agency is a sacred gift. The ultimate price for the privilege of agency was paid by Jesus Christ with His precious blood.
- A witness from the Holy Ghost is great than sight. (I am a believer of walking by faith. This confirms that belief.) What greater witness can you have than from God?
- A testimony is meant to be eternal. The gift from our loving Heavenly Father is meant to be eternal because the giver is eternal.
- Elder Brown said difficult days of testing and persecution helped him get to the place where he now knows.
- In whatever way a testimony is given, it still requires a choice to receive this precious gift.
- Choosing to believe is a wise and powerful way to use our agency.
- Pres. Russell M. Nelson: "I plead with you to take charge of your testimony. Work for it. Own it. Care for it. Nurture it so that it will grow. Feed it truth." Elder Brown said these action words sound to him like an agent being given stewardship over something precious and important.
- Elder Brown promises us that our testimony will be:
- your testimony will be a “well of living water, springing up unto everlasting life.”
- It will be an anchor and a motivator.
- It will sustain you through difficult times.
- It will enable you to develop spiritual gifts.
- It will help you in your personal ministry and service.
- It will be a weapon against Satan and your adversaries.
- Your testimony will be a joy as you see it replicated in your children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren and in those you love and serve.
- It will be powerful when you share it and use it to testify.
- If you know, you know. I know and I know that I know.
We picked up lunch from Panera and headed for home. Claude go his Sunday nap. I curled up in my recliner for the remainder of the day.
This day was Bailey's 19th birthday. I posted this on our family Facebook page: "On this day 19 years ago, our Bailey burst into our lives. She has grown into an amazing young woman. She loves her horn and her music. We are very grateful B came to our family. Please join me in wishing Bailey Marx a very Happy Birthday!! Love Ya Bunches!!"
It was a good Sabbath Day and a good week.
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