we're done!

It seems like we have all been fighting something the past four weeks. Yucky eyes, coughs that make you cringe and sinus junk. The doc says the shot and pills will kick this but I'm not so sure. I guess if you wait long enough it will leave :) Our spring has been crazy weather ...snow....rain....wind.....snow.....snow... HEY isn't that the signs of winter? lol. this week is warm and breezy and wonderful. The babies helped me feel better with their chatter and craziness on Sat. and Sun. We grilled, ate strawberry shortcake and watched PopPop put guard rails around the new swingset that Uncle Ryan and Aunt Sarah gave them for Christmas. We are on countdown to summer vacation!!!! I look forward to late nights and later mornings!

Summer has offically started!

School has once again closed it's doors and so begins the wonderful season of summer. I spent this last year caring for Tessa, Truman and Brenna while Bev was at work. She usually helps with summer school but not this time! Hooray for me, that gives me nearly ten weeks to deep clean the house, get some more rooms painted and stay up as late as I want to! I am a true night owl for sure. One of my biggest projects this summer is a remodel job that I am getting bids on now. Our side screened in patio will become an all purpose room aka Derrell and my bedroom. Once we move in it will be time to begin moving Mom down here with us. Losing Daddy has been so hard for all of us and I don't want her to be alone in MO so the two upstairs bedrooms will be hers. I think it will be an adjustment but more for her. I am used to having the kids in and out most anytime and the noise can get crazy! so one more fits easy. This weekend is Memorial weekend and I am so proud to be the daughter, sister, neice, in-law, cousin,mother and wife of service members. They and their families have given with sacrifice to keep us safe to enjoy the simplest of things. We are grilling out, maybe playing in the water--our pool is OPEN! and just enjoying each other. Being grateful for freedom and even greater, being grateful for grace. Happy Memorial Day- hug a soldier!

a new beginning---- again!!!!

Blogging is not my strength but I do love to share my family and our days so I am attempting to post much more often then in the past! Let's say a post every week? That should be possible but most likely it will be a couple of times a month. We have had so much happen to us. Derrell was in Afghanistan for six months, Brenna was born, vacation to Branson, new floors put in throughout the upstairs, a new lawn started, a new shed to replace the one about to fall in!!!! so you see when life is this busy it is hard to find the time to post! I will try to go back as needed and put pics and stories up and try even harder to keep the current events documented. So let's see how good I do....... until next time!

Maple Memories

I have been scrapping for years. Usually, I would set up a table in the living room or take over the kitchen table and eventually I even took over one of the bedrooms as my craft room. It is always peaceful to scrap; it may not be quiet around me but the art of scrapping brings me peace. I found new friends when my favorite store ScrapFunattic opened. I was invited to a weekend event up at Maple Memories in McPherson. I hadn't scrapped away from home except at classes I took. I had no idea what to take so most of my stash went with me! I had so much fun. I didn't get much done but that weekend I developed new friendships and deepened those I already had. We laughed, ate and laughed some more. It was there I learned that facebook wasn't just for college kids and I really did need a laptop! The neighborhood around Maple Memories is so quiet and beautiful in the spring and fall. The house itself is inviting the moment we walk in. I really appreciate the ramp to roll all of our supplies right up and into the house. The bedrooms are uniquely decorated and very comfortable. I have been back several times and will be there again next weekend!

How Much More for Dad?

Daddy's patience was tested on Feb.9 at his appointment with Dr. Heading. The x-rays showed the bones had healed and the Dr. was about to release him for full rehab and walking. Mom mentioned how Dad was still taking the full amount of meds for his pain and was that normal? No must have been his answer because he ordered a CT scan immediately. Those results showed that the "bone" that had filled in the gaps where he was broken was actually mushy and needed more time and a new therapy (a sonogram type of machine used on his back for 20 min a day for about six weeks). He also wanted to reinforce the front of the pelvis with a strip of metal. That wasn't able to be done earlier because of the bladder tear and fear of infection. So back to surgery on Feb.19. That went very well the first 24 hours, then, the spiral began. Dad has had so much trouble with recovery from the anesthesia. He gets so sick and the meds hurt his stomach and they want him off of IVs and on pills and he can't keep down the food and then the pain increases...... So it takes time for him to get back into a smooth rhythm again. He had problems with swelling also this time but 10 days later he was released back to Cameron. So now here we are on March 4th and Daddy is back at KU. He has fluid and swelling around the incision. Dr. Heading is planning on surgery to repair a possible tear or bleeder tomorrow. Please keep praying. I know it will all end and Dad will be up and back to normal again but these setbacks are depressing for Dad and Mom. She puts up a great front but she is tired. Give her a call or send a note. Those little touches mean so much to her. I will post as I learn more.

Daddy in January and February

The time at Northland lasted four weeks. There Dad began eating again and all of his IVs were removed. Slowly he began to strengthen and regain some of his stamina. Mom spent every night with Dad at Northland because he was too weak to call for help. The staff there were nice enough but not as attentive as we thought Dad needed. My goodness, he could barely move by himself and they would leave him alone for a couple of hours at a time. Not too good when you hurt and can't find or reach the buttons to call for help. His next move came mid January to a rehab/nursing facility in Cameron. That made it so much easier for Mom. By then Dad was shifting around in bed by himself and feeding himself. Mom lives only 15 min. away so she was able to go home every day and sleep in her own bed! Dad only had to heal. The therapist would work on his upper body and leg strength with exercises. By the time Dad went in to have the stabilizer removed in early Feb. the Dr. was pleased with his muscle tone. Having that thing gone made Dad's recovery speed up and he was able to finally sit up at a 90degree angle and in a wheelchair. His attitude throughout has been remarkable. He is so positive and patient with the process.

Hidden Beauty

This post was resently sent to me, thank you friend.


It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?'

Obviously not; no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all. I'm invisible.. The invisible Mom. Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more! Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?? I need that now Mommy!

Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, 'What time is it?' I'm a satellite guide to answer, 'What number is the Disney Channel?' I'm a car to order, 'Right around 5:30, please.' Hurry Mom, I'll be late!

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude -but now, they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again. She's going, she's going, she's gone!?

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England . Jan ice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well.. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Jan ice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, 'I brought you this.' It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe .

I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: 'To Charlotte , with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees.'

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These bui lders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building was fuelled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything. (I have been studying this in my art appreciation class, some of these cathedrals took one hundred years to build, amazing! ~Janna)

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, 'Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof, No one will ever see it. And the workman replied, 'Because God sees.'

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, 'I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does.'

No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become. At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness.. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.

I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, 'My Mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for 3 hours and presses all the linens for the table.' That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, 'You're gonna love it there..'

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Great Job, MOM!

It's my Birthday!

update first on Dad. he is still suffering from intestinal problems, just seems we get over one hurdle and here comes another, he really just wants to be able to eat, sleep and get well.
i'll find out all of the details tomorrow if I am able to get to KC then with good weather? so far i think it will be clear roads.
being 49 hasn't seemed bad so far today! had my toes polished so now they are beautiful and maybe i can get some organizing done in my craft room this afternoon. that will make my return so much nicer- a clean area ready for me to sit and scrap in all january!

Wednesday, 12/16

Well, we were able to move Dad to a rehabilitation center in north Kansas City yesterday. He took the ride alright but is having a very hard time with the transition. His bed at KU was an air matress and this one isn't but it is made to fight bedsores. The director is looking for a better solution for him. His pain meds were changed from iv to pills and he isn't doing well there either. This is a hard time for him and for Mom. The good news is he hasn't needed Rosie, the dialysis machine for several days! His kidneys are slowly but steadly improving. YEAH!!!
Keep them in prayers for strength and healing. Of course the quicker the better! Thank you all again for loving us through this time. I will be posting an address tomorrow so cards and mail can be sent to Dad.

Christmas Letter to Our Family and Friends

To my dear friends and family,
This year has been full of the most interesting challenges for our family. We have learned to trust on our Heavenly Father for the most basic of needs and for life itself. We have grieved with some of you and celebrated with others. And for sure, we have been reminded to be grateful for every day and to give thanks for all the bounty God has provided.
Our family is healthy and doing well at the end of 2009. We welcomed Truman into our hearths in February. He is a sweetheart and his smile just makes me melt. He has a quiet disposition and loves to talk to you. He just studies our voices while he tries to repeat the sounds. He is about ready to walk and has discovered a whole new world once he learned to pull up to the furniture! Tessa turned two in November. Oh, my, is she smart! She keeps us all laughing at the things she comes up with. I think dance will be in her future. She is also part monkey. Climbing is her favorite activity around the house. At the playground she races to the slide, the higher the better. She has such courage and is so sure footed. She can turn anything into a jungle gym. When I hear, “Hi, Nana” as I come into the house after work I just melt. Those words are so dear to me.
Branden, Bev, Ryan and Sarah make Derrell and I so proud. They work hard and are making a difference in the world around them. We don’t get to spend near enough time with Ryan with him in Manhattan and so busy at work. His time in the Army is about over and that will make it easier for him to get home and give us time to go and visit there. He bought a new house with two of his buddies. They went into it with a five year plan. It has been a great adventure for them all. Bev had a terrible auto accident in Aug. The car was totaled but thankfully she had only minor injuries. It took them nearly three months to clear up all the insurance mess and buy a new car. I think they are finally breathing a bit easier with that behind them. Sarah just finished her last final today. School is so hard and she is constantly challenged. She is confident of her decision of becoming a nurse and I can see that confidence in other areas of her life as well.
We are thankful to have Daddy with us today. His fall last month from his deer stand nearly took his life. Recently, the doctors and nurses shared with us how they are amazed at his recovery. Most men wouldn’t have survived, they say. We know differently. One, Daddy is amazing himself. He can out walk most other men half his age. Also, he is giving God all the glory for his healing. Dad’s journey has really just begun with his move to rehab this week. He still needs a lot of prayer and encouragement. We have so many other things that God has worked through for us this year. Not everything was answered with a yes but he was always there answering our prayers. God is truly worthy of all praise and celebrating his son’s birth fills my heart with joy and love.
May your Christmas be one of joy and love too. Family web if you’re interested
ds_hall@sbcglobal.net sherylreneehall.blogspot.com

The year I'd rather not repeat!

2009 in Review
January
Dad learns that his vocal cord cancer is still there, after surgery and radiation last fall
Mom and Dad celebrate 51st anniversary!
February
5th Truman Eric Hall born!
Truman, 8 days old put in hospital, RSV, 12 days
Dad has surgery with new doctor at KU for his throat, a week later he is put in hospital with blood clots in his leg, both lungs and his heart
March
Uncle Gil died
April
Derrell lay off from Learjet
May
June
Aunt Erlene died (Derrell’s aunt)
July
Mom finds out she has afib like her Mom had, put on blood thinner
Ron (cousin) died in atv accident
Uncle Nick died (Derrell’s uncle, husband to Erlene)
Derrell hired by AeroTek!
Mom had blood pool in her knee, off of her leg for a month
August
Daddy had a laryngectomy, after 18 months fighting cancer of his vocal cords
Bev’s car totaled, thankful for seatbelts!
September
October
November
Derrell and I celebrate our 30th anniversary
Daddy fell from his deer stand, 16ft., undiscovered for 9hr., KU ICU at this time
December
Found out Derrell will be going to Afghanistan for six months for work in March.
Sarah has been having health issues, blood test are being ran, and retested
Daddy is sent to rehab in north KC, so much closer to Mom
My brother, Wes, diagnosed with diabeties
Hurry up 2010!

Thankful, Sunday 12/13

We are still here in ICU at KU Med. Daddy's kidneys are much better but it will be weeks before he is done with Rosie. That is her name. At least that is what we call her. She is a portable dialysis machine and she looks just like Rosie from the Jetsons cartoon! We hear rumors of moving to a rehab maybe tomorrow. There is one up north that is very new and much closer to the house. I will believe it when it happens! It will be nice there but they don't encourage overnight stays by family and we definatly stay with him at night so they will need to get over that one real fast! We were told it is "case by case" basis, well, we are a case so no problem! Food is slowly beginning to taste better but after nearly 4 weeks of nothing, just a few bites and Dad is done. He does seem to especially enjoy anything icecream! I guess not that much has changed.

Slow but Steady

The post about Dad are beginning to sound the same! so I won't be updating daily while he is at this stage of healing. He still needs dialysis every day or so. His kidneys are showing some promise of healing so that is good news. It can take up to four months for them to heal and function at 100% if at all. We trust for complete healing! His heart has continued to beat at normal rhythm and his lungs have stayed clear. The whole deal with eating will depend on how his ilyostomy heals. It will begin with feedings through a nose tube then to liquids then to soft foods. I don't see that steak in his near future! But then again, if Dad is determined enough who knows? haha! I have been home for a couple of nights while I went to several appointments myself. My fibromyalgia was in quite a flare so my rhumatologist gave me a wonderful shot of steroids! I head up to KU in the morning. I hope to be home in time for Christmas week and back to work in January. My boss is the best ever. She has supported me so much through this and I really am thankful for her.

weekend number 3 update

Yesterday marked the beginning of dad's fourth week here at KU. His saturday was a bit rough. He was in a lot of pain and asking for more meds but his bp was high so for a while it was tough for him. His dialysis was 5 hours yesterday. He has today off from that. Last night they changed his pain med to dilotin and increased his sedation meds a bit so now he has stable vitals and is sleeping very peaceablly. He isn't strong enough to be off of the vent yet. To do that he needs to be more awake and he has so much pain that it seems best for him to sleep with the vent helping him. Mom and I sit here watching him and the football game!
We have a new family here that we have met and bonded with. Wendel had a farm trailer run over him from left hip to right shoulder. They are from east KS and are from the Old German Baptist Brethern community. It is so interesting to see who God brings along for us to meet and befriend. It may only be for a season, but several of the ones we have met here will hold a dear place in my heart long after Dad has healed and this is far behind us. I am thankful on this Sunday.

Friday Dec 4

What a day. Surgery was at 10ish this morning so we didn't need to wait all day for that. Dad is recovering well this evening. They decided not to reconnect the bowels at this time, there was too much swelling. If they had gone ahead and then it had leaked or tore open then Dad would have been in big trouble. As it is now, he has an ileoscopy (like a colanoscopy but with the small intestine) in his side. This will be reversed later down the road. He is already being tested to see if he can come off of the vent tonight and his sedation meds and blood pressure meds have been discontinued. No fever, good color and responding to voices. It is good news and a great day.

Thursday 12/3

I made it to KC with no problems. The highway was full of southbound Fed Ex trucks. Someone is having a Merry Christmas! Dad is sleeping well and wakes up easily when we talk to him. The test today is checking his adrinal glands making sure they are functioning as they should. He is on all kinds of meds now also. Antibiotics, antiyeast,anti justabouteverything else they have on hand! The surgeon said that once tomorrow's surgery is over that it should be all downhill (or uphill, depending on how you look at it!) but it will be better. I don't think he has anything else left to test or xray! Tomorrow they will flush out his abdomen and see if they can reattach the intestines yet. Pray that he is healthy enough to be done with this part and they won't need to do a temp colostomy.

surgery update

Mom had Aunt Anna, Uncle Dwayne, Mitchell,Tammy, Aunt Vicky and George with her this evening. It is great to have family close enough to be where I couldn't. Thank you everyone for being there for Momma so she wasn't alone. Three hours after they took Daddy back they finished and talked to Mom. .... I am sitting here,,,,,waiting,,,,,for the phone toooooooooo..... RING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I hate this feeling of knowing they are hearing something and I am sitting here..... now knowing what they are saying..... is it good news? bad news? horrible, terrible, the worst news ever? I HATE NOT KNOWING!.... so now I keep praying.... and waiting..... trusting....
Yeah! surgery is over and it went well. 22 inches removed of small intestine and some lg. intestine. with ganegreen in the area. Dad is very sick right now but they will go back in in two days to clean and evaluate the situation. He may need a temp colostomy but it should be alright in a few days. I'm heading home tomorrow for a few more days to be with Momma and Daddy. I hated the wait tonight but am thankful for God's love and provision and his never ending peace that carries me through. Love you Daddy.

Wednesday Dec 2

The past few days had been fairly uneventful for Daddy. He was having problens with his intestines not wanting to work properly but he was strong enough to start pysical therapy. They want him strong so he can get himself around in a wheelchair until he is healed and ready to walk again. Well tonight they ran another scan and found problems in his intestines. A leak and possibly an obstruction. He is in surgery now while they check it out. I am here in Mulvane so I called my second brother to go and sit with Momma at the hospital. That is George by the way! I know mom called Wes but he has to get up so early for work tomorrow. George doesn't live too far away. I am waiting for an update and will post after I hear from Mom. Please keep up the prayers.

Friday, Saturday

Dad continues to improve. He has been taken off of his vent completely now. It is a lot of work for him but his test show that he is able to handle it ok. Sat. they removed his swan from his heart. They also did a swallow test and he passed so this evening he is enjoying a chocolate milk shake!!!!! He has only been responsive since tues. so this pace is really very fast. He is very weak and has troubles lifting his arms and hands but it won't be very long untl he is strong again. Dialysis is still in his future so we pray that the kidneys finish healing soon.

Thanksgiving Day

We are giving thanks for answered prayer today. Dad is able to "talk" and even trying to write on a notepad. Mom and I are spending the day with my Uncle Dwayne and Aunt Anna. Her family has invited us to an Italian American Thanksgiving.... What fun we had! The food was wonderful and so was our time spent together. Dad trys to sleep most of the time and has a pain pump. The staff here are beginning to talk about Dad's future. Mom and I noticed thay hadn't done that before now. We are not out of danger yet but we have hope and that is enough.