Hmmmm.  I think I need to redefine what normal is around here.  It may take me awhile.   Yesterday and today were designated "Wash and Sort the Tablecloths Days".  All thirty of them.  I am now a self-proclaimed expert at folding 70-inch round tablecloths.  It ain't easy.    Yesterday, I also made a round trip of about 80 miles, returning rental plates, water pitchers, a cake stand, and tons of serving dishes to their corresponding origins. 
Of course, in between the laundry loads and errand-running, activities of daily living pull at my attention.  Occupational therapists refer to them as ADL's.  I refer to them as the blessedness of routine.    If I didn't, they would just annoy me.  Instead, I remind myself of a series of talks I heard several years ago, describing the "routineness" of God's created order.  The sun rises, the sun sets.  The seasons come and go.  Flowers bloom and die.  On and on it goes.  The blessedness of routine.
God is good..........all the time.  

A news flash!!!!!!!!  DD#1, who is expecting her second child in January, had an ultrasound on Wednesday that showed a baby sister for the cutest grandson ever.     
It's interesting that the cutest grandson ever has been saying that the baby is a girl all along. 

I don't believe global warming is anywhere near a fact.  Except maybe in Oregon.    Supposedly on Friday, it is supposed to be 100 degrees.  *sigh*  So I guess we can call it "Oregon warming"? 
DD#2 and 3 had a fun time at the rodeo.  Someone even got carried out of the arena on a stretcher, sporting a neck brace.    It reminded me of people who go to car races just so they can see if anyone crashes.  I suppose that makes it more interesting.   
Tonight is a bridal shower for DD#2.  More presents to stack in our family room.  Too much fun!

I've been prodded by one of my readers to get on here and please post something.  How sweet.  She missed me.

So here's what's up.  Last Friday morning, DD#2 was with her younger sister at our local park, reserving a spot for the Strauss Festival.  And a bee stung her leg.  She felt a sharp pain, looked down, and there was the nasty creature hanging from the stinger embedded in her calf.  She brushed the bee off, and then she and her sister got the stinger out (ewwwww), venom sack and all.  Well, then.

When she got home and told me what had happened, I made up a paste of baking soda and water and had her apply it several times over the course of the day.  That should do it.  Maybe a little itching and swelling, and then she should be fine.  Riiiiiiiiiight. 

By Saturday morning, she was having trouble walking, and it really hurt.  We applied ice periodically, and had her take ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin.....you know, that stuff).  It was getting a little redder and a little more swollen, but it wasn't warm to touch, so we just kept an eye on it.

Sunday morning.  She hobbles out of her room, complaining of excruciating pain.  Her leg is now very warm around the site, and is swelling down to her foot, which was turning a slightly different color from the other foot.    DH, DD#3 and baby sister prepare to take off for church, while I put a call in to our doctor.  By 10 a.m., I decided 2 1/2 hours of waiting for the doctor to call back was too long, and I took her to an urgent care center nearby that was affiliated with our doctor's medical group. 

Well.  She definitely has an infection.  She is on some fairly powerful antibiotics, has to keep her leg elevated as much as possible, as well as keep a warm compress on it to "draw it out".  Yesterday afternoon, she could barely walk, and had to crawl if she needed to *ahem* go anywhere in the house.    This morning I woke her up at 7 to give her another dose of her antibiotic, and she went right back to sleep.  Poor dear.

In the "old days", I would've been frustrated and annoyed with this turn of events, angry that a week full of plans and activities (wedding-related as well as some other stuff) was being infringed upon.  But I know and love a sovereign God Who does all things well.  This turn of events is under the watchful eye of His perfect will.  God is good.......all the time.

.....the behinder I get.  I think that's a quote from my dad, but I'm sure someone else said it, as well.   The past few weeks have been crazy-busy.  Since the big announcement we have been making lists upon lists, grateful for each opportunity to check something off.  Since last Saturday, we've secured a venue for the wedding and reception, purchased a wedding dress (that took pretty much all day on Monday), had a fitting, ordered invitations, been informed that our back fence is going to be replaced while we are out of town (what to do with the dog?  More on that later), found out the invitations we ordered are not available, drove baby sister 150 miles away so big sister and her husband could take her home with them for three weeks, drove 150 miles back, deposited necessary items with a dear friend from church so our congregation won't starve  (thank you!) and searched for other invitation choices online.  DDs#2 and 3 drove eighty miles so DD#2 and her sweetie could get their marriage license before the format changed (thank you, California Supreme Court) from "Bride" and "Groom" to "Party A" and "Party B".  *sigh*

We are leaving this Saturday for a two-week vacation (one week on the Oregon coast with lots of nice people, and another week closer to Portland with our dear friends [who are also part of the nice people from the first week]), so getting lots done is a good thing!

Oh, and the dog?  We just found out this past week that our neighbors scheduled the replacement of our common back fence for when we will be gone, so we have to board him for the entire length of our trip.  We took him to the vet for the needed shots, shopped for a reliable kennel, drove to said kennel to put in a deposit, bought him a new collar and name tag (his old collar was falling apart) and plan on dropping him off first thing Saturday morning. 

Did anyone get tired just reading that?