Weekly Wrap Up - Tragedy Happens

This week started out just like any other week in our home - calendar reviewed. Plans made for a couple of meetings and my clinical hours.  Monday started like any other day- but tragedy stuck Monday.  We lost a four-legged baby - Paco Joe.  

I have cried off and on all week - today I thought I was better, till one of the neighbors asked about him...the lost and hurt came flooding back.  I know it will get better with time, I miss this little guy.

 

 Paco Joe was a rescue, the city animal control officer called and asked us to take him, since no one could touch him.  We do not know much about his life before us - except that he was found in the backyard with 3 pit bulls - he bit the animal control officer who was there to rescue him.  At some point in his life he front shoulder had been injured, he ran with a beg-leg.

On the day we picked him up I had to wrap him in a towel to keep him from biting me. We laughing referred to him as our autistic son, he did not want anyone to pet him. At times he would get so mad if you tried to pick him up or another dog came near him, he would have an anxiety attack.

With all of his issues - we were his family.  When I sat on the cough he would lay on the back of the couch and nestle in my hair, of course if I tried to pet him he would growl and nip at me.

Life is fragile - be sure to tell those you love how you feel, hug you babies (two or four-legged).

I know Paco Joe is running free in Heaven

Praying everyone has a great week
~ Connie ~

 

 

Weekly Wrap-up - Treasure Hunting

Another week gone  - it seems like just yesterday I was putting away the Christmas decorations and now it is May.  It is true, the older you get the faster time moves.  I know that isn't possible, but maybe as we age time seems to move faster - our lives seem to move quickly, maybe we are moving to an end...or a new beginning.

 

This week has been an easy week for me - no courses to teach or clinical hours to complete.  All that changes tomorrow. I am teaching a community health course for eight weeks and completing my adult health practicum over the next 16 weeks, along with my 40 hour a week job.

 

Since I didn't have work to do - The Big Man and I went on a treasure finding trip yesterday. We drove over to Lake City, AR. A friend text me about an antique shop that had a china hutch.

We had a great trip - just me and the Big Man.   We found a couple of treasures

This china hutch needs a little love - but it will perfectly fit in my dinning room.

 

We currently hang our onions and potatoes on the wall in the garage, I am excited about finding this vegetable bin - all wood cost $12.50.

I also got to spend some time in my craft room.  I cleaned, rearranged and worked on a few project. Below are some knitted squares that were mixed in with some yarn that was donated to our church's prayer shawl ministry.  I got it washed and packed today - I plan on piecing them together into a throw.  

Life is always good when you get to spend some time being creative.

Plans for next week
Teaching Diabetic Self-Management Classes - Monday after work.
Humane Society Meeting - Tuesday after work.

Friday - Mayfest after work.

Saturday - Mayfest (NWTF booth and Hosting the Humane Society Pet Show).
Teaching Community Health
Starting Family Nurse Practitioner Adult Health Clinicals (Thursday and Friday)

Life is Good
~ Connie ~

 

 

Everyday Life - Weekly Wrap-Up

Weekly Wrap-up. 
First let me say - Life is Great
This past week was busy. Tuesday I drove to Mayfield Kentucky to meet with the Delta Regional Authority and the Army Medical Reserves.  My Hometown, Blytheville, Arkansas will be the site for a free medical mission in August.  The Army Medical Reserves will be providing medical, dental, optometry and maybe veterinarian services for nine days.  I am really excited about the opportunity for my community.   I am not sure how I got involved, actually how I got to be the coordinator of the project....but God must think I am capable. 

We spent the weekend in Texas visiting my Dad. My Dad did not know the kids (grandchildren) were coming.  My Son totally surprised him.

He had not seen King Jax (his great grandson) or his dad in 4 years.

 The trip was exhausting we drove 1200 miles in 3 days.  Just when I started to feel exhausted and put out with people (because I was tired) I realized I did not have anything to be grumpy about.

On the drive to Texas it rained on us for 5 hours - but God protected us and we arrived safely.

The clerk at the hotel was a great resource - she helped me find food for 17.

The Cracker Barrel staff was very helpful - the oldest son left his sunglasses in the restaurant 2 hours away - they are going to mail them to him.

I am truly blessed - I need to remember daily to say thank you for all of my blessings.

I hope each of you have a great week

~ Connie ~

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Posting from Texas

This has been a record year for me to see my Dad - two trips to Texas in 12 weeks.  It 500 miles from my house to my Dad's house.  Today we made the trip with my son and grandson.

It rained and rained while driving through Arkansas.  The sun finally started shinning in when we entered Texas.  Rain or sunshine - King Jax (Grandson) did kept himself busy with his iPad. Thankfully his Buddy Ben packed Jax snacks for the trip. He is a growing boy.

My Dad did not know that the kids and grandchildren were going to make the trip. We met Dad (Pee Paw) at 1 of 2 restaurants in Jewett Texas.  He was speechless when he saw the boys.

Pee Paw still doesn't know that my daughter and youngest son are driving all night to get to Texas.

Tomorrow is the Thompson family reunion. It has been 30 years since I attended a family reunion - I am betting tomorrow there is one proud 85 year-old Daddy/Pee Paw when he has his "girls" (me and my sisters) with him at the family reunion.

Family - you got to love them.

Check back to see more of our trip to Texas this weekend.

~ Connie ~

P.S.  I really need a run after being in the car for 10 hours.

 

 

 

Everyday Life

It has been another long week - work, 3 full days of clinical, and remodeling the kitchen has been a little stressful.  But, I have new countertops, new flooring, and new paint.

 

 

I still need to clean everything - my dinning room furniture has to be dusted - but I couldn't wait to hang the new art we picked out for the dinning room.

As the Big Man and I were shopping for new mattresses we found this print. Immediately we both said the same thing - this look like the spot where we trout fish at Mammoth Springs, AR. The tree leaning over the river and the cut in on the bank - this is our favorite place to get away from the world.  

I haven't trained much this week - but after talking it over with the Big Man, I think I am going to start training for the Pemiscot County Animal Welfare Society  5K.  I ran it a couple of years ago -

 Running  this time will mean more to me - the Caruthersville Humane Society has changed their name and they are now officially a No-Kill shelter.

Susie says - Thank goodness for No-Kill Shelters

I pray that each of you have a blessed week

~ Connie ~

 

 

 

 

Spring in Northeast Arkansas

As I was leaving for work this morning ~ I couldn't help but notice how colorful my yard is in the Spring.


Have A Blessed Day~
Connie

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An Ordinary Life with Blessing

As I sit quietly in the Study - I can her my men snoring away in the Den.  The Big Man, King Jax, and Jer Jer snoring in unison.  

 

I wonder if my children and grandchildren really know how much I love them and how proud I am of each of them?  Sure we have had our ups and downs but I wouldn't change a thing.  Each of them are their own individual person.  I know each of them has a big heart  and knows what it means to do the right thing. They would never leave a living thing (person or animal) in need. Sometimes I look at them and wonder how I got so lucky.  They didn't come with instructions but they turned out - not just good, but great.  I am blessed

                                                    My Boy's Playing Basketball Today

Recap of last week's blessing. 
Work was work.  I love my job but it has some frustrating points. I enjoyed the Arkansas Foundation for Medical Quality Conference.  

My clinical hours were awesome - I am beginning to feel more comfortable diagnosing children.  I am almost finished with my paper on pyloric stenosis. 

I got in 1 run and 1 yoga class this week. Both left me feeling out-of-shape.

I made it to the Humane Society meeting - I am officially in charge of the Humane Society Pet Show.

The Humane Society's New Mascot

As for the house remodel - the flooring is installed in the dinning room, the walls in the dinning room are painted - need to finish the trim and paint the kitchen... then we are starting on the patio. I will post pictures next week when I get the furniture back in the rooms. 

 

I did get a new toy this week -  

I can't wait to play.  I am going to teach myself to quilt.

I hope everyone has a blessed week

~ Connie ~