Goodbye Summer.....Hello fall, a 16 year-old, and hurricane season!

Good morning! Our area has begun to cool down a bit after a long hot summer. It was filled with beautiful sunny skies and lush green grass, but as the summer days went by, the green grass faded to brown with each cutting. Much time spent outside during our summer sent you back inside pouring with sweat and exhaustion.

 I was absent for much of these beautiful days due to my surgery recovery. It has been a struggle to recover and not go crazy. I'm not a good patient when it comes time to lay back and let time heal your wounds. I'm the caretaker of the family, not the patient. But, recovery goals are coming along slow but sure. Stepping out on our porch to take in nature's beauty has been more and more frequent now that the heat has subsided a bit. Each time I step out on the porch, it is like a time warp. I don't know if it's just the thought of leaving the chaos and noise of reality at the door or what, but time seems to slow down and reality becomes a blur. It's relaxing to slow down and listen to the conversations of nature and tune out the constant bickering of politics. It's as if you have escaped the drama and political madness of the world and peacefulness has enveloped your soul. Upon closed eyes, you can envision your own temporary reality where the rippling waters of the nearby creek almost lull you into a slumber, or the melodious songs of the birds take you to a whole new level of tranquility. This porch is magical and I can't help but sing from the rooftops about it. Everyone in this day and age needs a porch like this! Go get you one!

Now that I have you calm, relaxed, and ready to sip from your warm cup of coffee or tea, I'll update you with our latest adventures in our neck of the woods. Last I updated, we were enjoying our anniversary celebration and watching a baseball game with some dear friends. Not too soon after that, our son Zane had a birthday and it was a milestone birthday. It was his 16th birthday! He has been chomping at the bit to drive since before he was fourteen and he hasn't stopped talking about it. He has always been a talker; just like his dad. So, every conversation would start with, "when am I going to get a truck?", "when I get my truck.....", "am I getting a truck?", etc. You get the picture. It was all about trucks and everything he wanted to put in it, add to it, and make it cool. When he realized that all the "extras" he wanted cost money, they began to disappear from his want list to the point that it was just a running truck was all he wanted. So, that is what he received. He's been tickled with it since he got it. No surprises, no party, just a truck. He wanted it that way...much different that his older sister. He's been driving it non-stop, but he is now becoming frugal with the traveling due to gas prices. He is responsible for buying his gas except for two tanks a month provided by us. Now that he has realized that trucks use gas quicker than he expected, he's been on the hunt for a job to help fund his fuel and his "extras" list. This is a great learning tool for him. He is learning the value of money and how fast it goes when you "want" things instead of "need" things. My reply to his woes of life is, "welcome to reality son". And, I say it with a smile. This new found freedom has also taken a lot of strain off of us. He can drive himself to ball games, evening events he attends, etc. Or, we use him as an errand boy! But, when we do that, we pay him gas money-it's only fair in our opinion.

Since his birthday blew in like a welcomed summer storm, we've also had the annual hurricane call of duty for Glenn. Each year when hurricane season opens and the U.S. coasts are pummeled by high winds, flooding, and stranded home-owners, Glenn and his fellow workers with MIB-Fresenious Kidney Care Disaster Response Team work hand in hand with Fresenious Kidney Care Centers to secure any affected centers in the path of the hurricane. The duties range from guarding dialysis clinics, guiding/escorting fuel tankers, rescuing trapped patients, getting patients to and from dialysis clinics for treatment, and making sure the clinic employees are able to get to and from work safely. You name it, they make it happen. Kudos to the dangerous work they do without hesitation! My hat is off to all of them for working in such dangerous and some times deadly conditions. I and many others are very proud of them for all the work they do!

I'm so honored that you have taken time out of your day to visit my blog! And from my family to yours, have a GREAT day!