Magnificent

[mishka422]

The lights aren't going up today after all.....raining. Blech! But that meant I had plenty of time this morning to run around and do all the errands I was trying to figure out how to fit in. I have a vacation day Friday so I'm hoping the weather improves so I can put up the lights.

Super busy beaver this morning though! I feel so productive. Took mom to dialysis (barely got her in there...what a mess!), drove through Mc D's to get coffee, went to Wal-Mart to get some wrapping paper and two gifts that need to be shipped (small items thank heavens), went to Best Buy to get the last Wii game for Marc from my mom, took the decorations I cleaned out of my Christmas stash to the real life center to donate, went to the post office to pick up flat rate boxes, and went to the Dollar Tree to get some gift bags and misc things to put baked goods in for everyone else's gifts. WHEW!!! It's only 11:45a!!!! I think I really did good today!!!

Going to wrap gifts right now including Marc's and mom's for under the tree so I don't have to panic on Christmas eve when I realize I didn't do it. It's so nice not to have to play Santa anymore. Less last second stress, but not quite as much fun.

OT - I was checking for support groups in my area. I found a few through the local hospital but they all meet on weekday mornings. WTH is that about? They think caregivers don't work all day and need to have support in the evening or something? Huh! Weird. I'll keep looking though. I could really use some people to bounce ideas off of about a few things.

Michelle - Gabe did have strange timing on that one. It seemed to be one of those days though. I think I forgot to say this when I mentioned the choral group at church on Sunday. In the middle of their performance I had this overwhelming feeling that I was supposed to invite Gabe to come to the next service to see them. Screaming in my head! Just invite him! You won't be there, it's no pressure on him, and it might help him get his head together to enjoy some music with a message. Gabe gets a lot more from music than he does preaching. He tunes out speakers, but he is musical at heart and really gets the message that way. I felt weird doing it, but I texted him in the middle of church and told him to do himself a favor and come enjoy the performance and bring Kelli. He texted back that he would but she was working. I told him to just come by himself then and that I just knew he would love it. He said he just might. The voice quieted. FYI - he didn't make it. I had texted him just 45 minutes before he would have to be there and he hadn't showered. He did tell me he tried to come though because he though from my description that he would really like it. Oh well, I did what I was being led to do and that is all that matters, right?

Maybe following that voice is what ended up with Gabe having such perfect timing. He was directed to come to my house to save me from myself! I'm terribly stubborn when it comes to my independence (as if you all haven't noticed) and newfound lack of co-dependency. I think I've gone to the extreme now though. LOL! Unless there is just no possible way for me to do it myself, I will not ask for help. I'm not talking about caring for mom, that I do ask for help where I think I might get it. I'm just usually turned down. People are so terribly busy. I'm talking about the heavy lifting type stuff. Dragging fallen limbs back into the woods (yes, I'm one of those. I think if it was on a tree and fell in my yard then it should stay with it's buddies and go back into the earth from where it came). Now, I'm not about the start climbing trees to cut limbs or climb on the roof to clean the gutters (that's what I have a teenager for!). But I'm also not getting help to clean out the outside vent from the dryer, change the belt on the vaccum cleaner, hang towel bars, paint bathrooms, flip king sized mattresses (that was quite an interesting thing to do with a ceiling fan in the way!). I now know that with enough effort and determination I can do it. That is a huge change from how I used to be. If it seemed like it was going to take any physical effort I just wouldn't do it and it was Gabe to the rescue.

Come to think of it guys, I'm pretty darned proud of myself today. Ok, enough patting myself on the back. Back to work or I'll lose my momentum!!

Love you all!!!!!