TAKING LEAVE

Hello Dear Friends,

Since I will be taking a month's leave starting Wednesday, I want to share with you the details.

My mother is celebrating her 93rd birthday in November, and I want to spend that day and Thanksgiving with her and my family in Portland, Oregon.

This is extremely special to me.  I have undergone two surgeries in the past four months, a hip replacement, and an emergency gall bladder removal; as well as a pancreatic bacterial infection.  Most of my time has been spent hospitalized as well as intense therapy following my hip replacement.  The big news is that I am walking almost normally for the first time in 12 years, using a cane some of the time - but nearly ready to do without that.  PRAISE GOD!

Excuse me, while a wipe away my tears of joy!

You all will be in my thoughts and prayers while I'm gone.  I'll return home on November 30th.  I think I'll be returning to family houseguests as well as Christmas plans and all the festivities belonging to the season.

Further, another special activitiy to which I'm looking forward to is our choir cantata at my church on December 11th.  So - I'll be taking my cantata book and CD to Oregon with me and rehearse my part while I'm visiting my mother.  I hope she can endure that!

I will attempt to add to my blog once in a while during my time there, but I won't promise.  My mother still uses her PC and I'll borrow that to keep up with Facebook whenever I can.  It would be wonderful to keep in contact with you and you can always send me a message on Facebook.

Today is Halloween for some, but I dislike this celebration.

Tomorrow, Nov 1st is Jack's and my 36th wedding anniversary.  Now, what does that say about my leaving the next day?  Some people might take that as my husband sending me back to my mother on our 36th anniversary!!  What do you think?

Happy November and have a blessed Thanksgiving.  Let's fill this nation with a pink cloud of gratefulness for our abundance of blessings.

Each one of you and yours take care.

Blessings,
Barb