Feb. 15, 2009, Nashville, Tennessee, 9:28 p.m., Sunday~

Dear Journal~

Louie here.  I hope this finds y'all well!

This won't be a long entry:  going to bed shortly; long day today.  Been up since three this morning; worked from seven until seven; just got home about an hour ago, and I'm beat!

I just thank God I'm off tomorrow:  I worked all weekend; busy (worked in the ER), and it's catching up with me.  I'm so tired I can barely keep my eyes open!  *Yawn!*  I can sleep in (that is, if my parents or the little kids will let me; somehow, I don't see that happening)!  *Sighhhh*

It's no wonder I'm so beat all of the time!  I am lucky if I get five/six hours of sleep a night (seven on a good day!) or get anything accomplished! 

Now, one bright note in this hectic weekend:  on Saturday (yesterday), it was Valentine's Day.  Hubby gave me some long-stemmed red roses, a beautiful card, and a gift certificate for a massage!  I am lookin' forward to that!!  :)

The kids gave me cards and a certificate for a day off from being a mama; they said they'd do the chores, let me turn into a couch potato, while I sit in front of the television or computer!  LOL  They haven't decided which day that is going to be, but rest assured, it will be happening very soon; I'll make sure of that!  LOL

Then they'll see what I have to go through every day when I'm home with them!  Let them put up with whining, misbehaving toddlers, procrastinating school-aged children, obstinate teenagers.  Let them take care of the tube feedings*, diaper changes, dispensinng of meds!  Let them cook for sixty plus people, then take care of the dishes afterwards!  Let them make sure homework is completed, then try to get the littler kids to bed! 

It's enough to make my head spin at times!  It's no wonder my hair has gone completely grey!  (Most people don't know I have a headful of slate-grey hair, but the truth is, I do!  I just hide it very well, thanks to the Clairol treatment!  LOL  Now the secret's out; now you know!  LOL  I cheat!! LOLOLOL)

Oh, I'm lookin' forward to it!!  :)  I get to be a lazybums!!  LOL

The weather here has been colder than normal:  nothing new; it's been colder than normal most of this winter season.  The snow for now has melted; we may get some later this week or the start of next week.  I can't wait for spring; I'm more than ready for the warmer temps and the flowers to start peeking out of the snow!  I am sick of the cold or wintery precipitation!

I got some good news the other day:  Naomi Cohen and her family may be moving back to Nashville; Naomi feels that there are better doctors here in order for Rebekkah to manage her pain insensitivity disorder/other health problems.  Rebekkah is doing so well at the moment she's back to using her prosthetics, and she's even dancing in her wheelchair!  It's incredible just how drastically her life/health has turned around!!

It's been nothing short of miraculous!

I hope this happens; I miss Naomi and her family so much!  And I know Johnathon would love it if his girlfriend were a lot closer to him!  I know it would save on the phone bill, not to mention the computer charges!

Johnathon and Rebekkah are together again; let's hope that in the future there will be the talk of marriage.  I think they'd be wonderful as husband and wife; they may not be able to give us grandchildren in the natural sense, but they could adopt.  There's always hope!  :)

They just adore each other!   I couldn't be more thrilled; they both deserve to have something good happen to them; they've had a rough few years!!

Well, this isn't much, but as I said, I'm tired!  I am getting sleepy; can't get my mind to work.  I'm going to hit the sack, plan on sleeping as much as possible.  Maybe I can get up after 12 noon; that would be wonderful!  :)  Take care, and may God bless you mightily!  Love you bunches!

(((HUGS))) As always, your friend in Tennessee, Louie May.  :D

P.S.:  We didn't go to church this weekend; we had a sewer pipe bust in the sanctuary, and it made a horrible, smelly mess, according to Pastor Bilkey, our senior pastor.  He said it may be several weeks before repairs are completed; there was quite a bit of damage. 

I don't know what we will do without church!  Maybe we can visit another Assembly of God or nondenominational church in the area that's within close proximity of our house and go there until our building has been repaired.  Gonna be interesting, as you can very well imagine!

~Louie.  :)

*A note here:  Only the very oldest, more responsible kids help with this.  I watch them as they do this; make sure they do it correctly.  If they have any problems, Bill or I help them.  I don't let them do this on their own.  Just thought I'd clarify this.

~L.