Lion and Lambs

I LOVE birthdays! Always have, hope I always will. The secret is hanging out with friends who are older than me.

This birthday was not shaping up very well and I was getting bummed, so I called two of my friends who had offered to go out with me. Not as pitiful as it sounds, they were just waiting to see if my children would invite me out first.

We went to one of my favorite restaurants, The Macaroni Grill. The food was great as always, my favorite being the Shrimp Portofino, but the service was severely lacking, which is unusual for them.

We followed this with a movie, August Rush. It is one of those really feel good movies. I felt the acting was great, and I truly enjoyed the story. I also love music so the emphasis on that added to the enjoyment. Of course it had a sappy ending, just what I needed to end my day with a smile on my face.

How exciting is this?!?! A treat so special, so energizing! I was dancing all over the office. Okay, I will clue the rest of you in. My incredibly talented sister remodeled my blog for me. I have loved this picture for years, see I collect lions and lambs, and think this picture is absolutely adorable.

What a treat on my birthday to log in and find my new page! Smiles all over the place!!

I wouldn’t have to post another advent calendar treat for the season because everyday that I open this it will be a treat.

THANKS SIS!!

God has given me the second best bed in the whole world. My favorite is the Tempur-pedic. I had my best sleep ever at a hotel that puts Tempur-pedic in some of their rooms. It was bliss. However, there is a huge problem with their mattresses for any of us who have sensitivity to odors. The chemical smell emitted from their product is a HUGE migraine inducer. Fortunately, the one at the hotel had well been aired out. The salesmen always tell me that the smell goes away in a few days. HA!!

So I have a Select Comfort Sleep Number bed. Almost as comfortable…no smell. Then at Costco I found a memory foam mattress topper. If you buy a sleep number bed with the memory foam top it adds a couple of thousand dollars to the price. Costco’s price? $160.00 Even only being three inches thick, and supposedly would air out in three days, it took over a month before I could put it on my bed, and even then needed two mattress pads and two sheets. BUT OH SO WORTH IT!!

Even when I can’t sleep, I can snuggle in this ultra soft, warm bed, absolutely surrounded by soft pillows. Costco sells the greatest feather pillows too. (I am getting friends addicted to them) Just thinking about it makes me want to crawl back in.

Oh, and did I mention the purple T-shirt sheets?? Ahhhh!

Sleep. Sleep would be a wonderful treat. I keep opening these calendar doors hoping to find sleep behind one of them, but despite a variety of drugs, hot bathes, exercise, plain ole exhaustion, sleep remains elusive. No sugarplums dancing here. Each night as my eyes start to droop, I hope.

Behind which door is the dream weaver?

Last night I had an odd sort of treat, one that is significant for me, but would not be understood by anyone who does not suffer from migraines or chronic pain. I have Degenerative Disc Disease at three levels in my neck which causes cervicogenic headaches and triggers migraines. I have had a series of selected nerve root block steroid injections this past summer that provided more relief than I thought, until they wore off. So I was scheduled for a different kind of injection, a Transforaminal Epidural Injection, at a different level, to see if it would work better for the headaches.

Last night I had my first injection. The doctor was running behind and when the nurses thought he was about ready they got me in the room so I would be ready for him. They had me put my head in this halo thing that was lower than the gurney and very uncomfortable for my neck. When the pain became unbearable I told the techs that I had to move. Well, I took the pain for too long and it triggered a full fledged migraine. I was miserable! Thankfully the doctor came in very shortly and did the procedure. Within five minutes of the anesthetic hitting the right nerve, my migraine was completely gone. I went out to dinner and even went shopping afterwards. It was almost unbelievable!!

The added benefit that is so exciting to me is that it proved to be diagnostic to my ongoing pain and problems with migraine. This means that the doctor can now do a procedure called Radiofrequency Ablation to burn the nerve, thereby providing much longer relief from the pain and thus eliminating one of the trigger sources for my migraine. I have so much hope now that in the near future, between the Botox injections, and the RFA, I may have much longer periods between migraines and greatly improve my quality of life. What a treat that would be?!?!?!

Yesterday afternoon I had my hair cut by a very good friend of mine, which is a treat in and of itself. (Do I get to count two here if I tell you about it?) A warm hug and a big smile is how she always greets me, despite what life is throwing at her, and currently that is a bundle. She has an awesome inner joy that shines throughout the room and you can’t help but get it on you. We share God, and life, and almost always, tea. It doesn’t matter how I was feeling when I get there or what mood I am in, I always leave there feeling good, a little lighter.

Then yesterday, here is number two, I walk out of the salon and WOW! the sky is painted the most amazing colors. Whenever that happens I feel like God has hung a neon sign in the sky that says, “I Love YOU!” I moved my car to a better location for viewing this show as it was chilly out and a little drizzly. For awhile the sky just got brighter and brighter, pinks, purples, blues, oranges. I was totally absorbed in the beauty of the moment. Nothing else mattered, as nothing else could enter my mind. It was just me and my Savior. What better treat than that?

I realize that I am a few days behind on this project, but remember when you were a kid and a few days got missed for whatever reason, then one day you got to open several? Well, I will do my best to get caught up here.

Today I was going through my “favorites” on my computer to delete ones that I haven’t looked at or needed in forever. I came across this one that absolutely brings tears to my eyes every time I see it.

For me, anytime I get to see the Budweiser Clydesdales it is an amazing treat. I just light up. I love them. What majesty and power they exude. They are a beautiful example of God’s creation, and His purpose in giving us enjoyment through the things he lovingly handcrafted for us. Then to watch this commercial and see the horses pay hommage to the memory of all that was lost on 9-11. It looks as if they actually feel the honor that they are giving. Incredible!

Tonight I had dinner with a group of friends from church. Fifteen actually. In my life I have many, many friends, and am blessed to be able to say that at least five of them I would consider intimate. I realize that it is a blessing when you have one friend that you can be intimate with, so I know what a blessing I have been given. I know I have spoken about them before, but they are all amazing and not enough could ever be said about them.

Gathering with the large group, in an informal setting and just sharing life with each other is so special. The food was not anywhere near the good scale, but the fellowship made the evening a real treat.

It is a real treat to spend time with my two sons, now 19 and 21. They are wonderful, caring, and loving, though odd looking to any outsiders. My boys wear black, like tattos and piercings, and one has the greatest long black hair. They definitely raise eyebrows, even among my own family members. It is a good lesson for all of us about judging people by their looks. My kids happen to like the look, but it doesn’t change their heart.

I love that they enjoy spending time talking to me, and are as open with me as I choose them to be. I stand on the premise that oftentimes, what I DON’T know, won’t hurt me. They never mind going someplace with me or helping me. Both boys are concerned and compassionate when I am ill, and willing to do what they can to help me. They always have a smile, a hug, and a kiss to make my day. Even as teenagers they were never embarrassed to hug and kiss me in front of their friends.

I went through a period when I compared my children to my siblings kids who are older and have accomplished, agreeably, amazing things. The “I wish…” is a dangerous thing. I know my kids hearts, and that is what matters. I have always encouraged them to be who and what they want…so far they are doing a great job of that! And they are, for the most part, happy, neither one focusing on conforming, or on money as a sign of success. I am proud of who they have and are becoming.

The very best thing about my boys? They love their mother very much! Each time I think I could never love them more, another day passes, and a mother’s heart of love grows still stronger!

My sister came up with a wonderful idea to get me back to blogging. She suggested a sort of Advent calendar, with each day being something I consider a treat. That sounded fun to me, though I was out of town when the month started, so I will start with what I was doing.

I consider it a huge treat to spend a weekend with my friends. We went to Sedona, as we do every year for my birthday. The best part is that we do a lot of nothing! We read, do crafts, take naps, hot bathes, shop, watch Christmas movies, and eat, eat, EAT!! It’s amazing.

This year I even read a whole book, which is a feat in and of itself for me given a month! The book, Laughing in the Dark by Chonda Pierce, was so excellent though, and a quick, easy read that holds your attention.

The best part is the fellowship (including a lot of laughter) of my sisters in Christ, I love them SO much!!