Arty Girls Challenge Blog #73

I made a card today.

That may not sound very surprising to you, but it's the first card I've made in several weeks, and you know what?

IT FELT GOOD!!!

Being a caregiver for elderly parents, plus wife and homemaker doesn't leave a lot of time for doing things you want to do. Creating for me is a necessity, and I've made a few small things with needle and thread these last few weeks, but I really wanted to make a card!

And this week's challenge from those Arty Girls was just the ticket! The theme this week is 'wire', and I took it literally and ran with it!

* Please excuse the photo quality - it's a rainy, cloudy day here, so I had to take them inside!

Products:

• Bazzill Cardstock
• Jenni Bowlin 'Vintage Red Bookprint' paper
• Jenni Bowlin 'Vintage Red Tiny Dot' paper
• 24 gauge copper wire
• vintage buttons, threaded with wire
• butterfly from K&Company Wild Saffron Tag Pad
• stitches machine sewn
• tag cut with Spellbinders Nestabilities 'classic circle small'
• flower petals cut freehand

Now it's off to the kitchen, to create in a different way. Think I'll make a blueberry cake and then get dinner going. Have a blessed day! Becky

Updates can be found . . .

For updates on my dad, please keep checking in HERE on my other blog. Thanks for prayers and good thoughts, they are all appreciated more than you can know. Becky

From DR to ER!!!

We barely got my dad into the car - with help of my nephew - and had to get the nurses to help us get him into a wheelchair and into the Dr. office. They took a look at him and called an ambulance to bring him across the street to the hospital. We've been here in ER since about 2:30. They have told us:

He had a 102 + fever, and it's down to 99 or thereabouts
He has an infection, but labs aren't in yet so we don't know what or where
He is sound asleep, snoring like a freight train, and that's good
The dr's are looking at his charts and will be in soon to talk to us

When is soon? We had no lunch - again - and my mom is exhausted. So am I for that matter. But we'll be here as long as necessary. Because that's what you do.

Thanks to all of you who have left comments and good thoughts for us. You have no idea how much they mean! (And Sue, I'm honored to be your first blog comment - thank you!)

I'll keep you posted. Thanks again, Becky

Reasons and Excuses

Just a quick note to let you know I haven't disappeared again, my time is just taken up with more important things.

My dad has been in bad health for years, and has had everything from prostate cancer, heart attacks, triple heart bypass, aorta bypass, diabetes and on and on. Both my parents are now 78 y/o and with my dad's declining health, they need me more and more. I have one brother who is useless (actually worse than useless, but we won't go there!) and so I am IT when it comes to helping them. I do have two wonderful aunts (my mom's older sister and my dad's youngest sister) who help out with running errands and taking my dad for blood work, etc., but they (my parents) count on me to be at all Dr. appointments, etc.

My dad is having kidney problems now, damage caused by drugs he has been taking to help keep fluid from building up around his heart. Chronic congestive heart failure is another of his medical problems. So, yesterday we were at his primary Dr.'s office from about 10:35 AM until 5:05 PM, trying to find out why he's been feeling so poorly the last few days. One thing - his kidney function has declined in just two weeks, so today we are back out to visit his kidney specialist.

So, these are my reasons for not posting much right now. Hopefully we can get him straightened out for a while, until the next time - and there will be a next time. Those 'next times' are getting closer and closer together, though. If you are a praying person, I would truly appreciate your prayers for my parents and myself. Being caregiver to failing elderly parents is the hardest job I've ever encountered! And thank you so much for continuing to read and visit, even though I'm not doing very much right now!

Blessings, Becky

Websters Pages Giveaway!!!

Hi Folks! I'm a HUGE fan of Websters Pages products, and to celebrate their new line, they are hosting a giveaway - a set of the whole new collection "Magical Wishes". You can find them AND leave a comment to win HERE. Good luck! Becky