This is my first post of this year. Actually I thought I’d stopped blogging for good…. even though I think about my blogging friends often and wish you well. I am starting to feel better which is a good thing but it means that I am up getting some work done and not sitting at the computer as much. However, I’ve decided I will post from time to time…. and tonight is one of those times. I just have to share my smiles with you tonight because I am bursting with them.
#1 …Healthy Smiles
It was a year ago today that I was rushed to emergency and then spent over 3 weeks in the hospital with severe sepsis, acute renal failure, 7 strep abscesses on my liver, organ dysfunction and then developed a 17-inch blood clot.
I’ve been told by several doctors that any one of those ailments could have…and should have…. killed me. They’ve said it is amazing that I am alive.
Here I am last Saturday, doing well and enjoying life with my sweet hubby. WHAT A DIFFERENCED A YEAR MAKES! I still have the blood clot & I don’t have a lot of energy but all in all I am doing great. Of course we know that this is not because I was “lucky”….. I am alive because I was blessed and prayers for healing have been answered. I am so thankful.
# 2….. Valentine’s Smiles
Last year I could hardly function in February and didn’t even have the energy to send my annual Valentine love boxes to my sweet grandchildren. This year I did. I had a great time writing each one a poem, a letter and making them a Valentine….all 14 of my grands and each of their parents got some “love” from me. What fun.
I’ve also enjoyed having sweet Valentine meals with dear friends…. and I’m having a belated Valentine Tea luncheon with more friends this coming week. I can’t wait.
My Sweetheart sent me these pretty flowers and I tried to make his day special too. This is our 50th year of being Valentines. That is such a blessing.
Johnny and his dad, Dathan arrived late Fri. night and spent the weekend with us.
They were here for a gymnastic meet but I got to share Valentine love with them. It was so nice having them with us. That brings me to the last reason I’m bursting with smiles…
#3…. Smiles for Johnny
If you were reading my blog in August, you know how sad we were when our grandson, Johnny tore his rotator cuff and ligament and could not continue on the national team…
…because…. he had to have shoulder surgery. He was devastated to have to take off 5 months from training for painful therapy and to let his shoulder heal. …..well….
Johnny is back and doing well.
Actually…. he is doing GREAT. I’m so proud of this sweet boy.
This picture is blurry but it makes me smile to see how excited he was after doing great on p-bars.
He competed in all 6 events Sat. night and came in 1st in some of them. Actually…. we thought he was the first place overall champion because up until the last rotation he was ranked in 1st place. WE WERE THRILLED!!!
Then the judges realized that another gymnast’s scores had been entered into the computer wrong. When they corrected the error the other boy squeezed into 1st place and bumped Johnny down to 2nd place. We were disappointed but he still came home with some 1st place medals…. and 2nd place overall is very good….and…
His USA Gymnastic team came in 1st place in the team competition.
I felt so blessed that we could be there to watch Johnny compete Sat. night. I missed it last year because I was in the hospital.
Johnny will be going back to the Olympic training center in Colorado to train soon. He got an email from them in Dec. inviting him to come back and train with the National team. He was so happy to be invited back.
He also has signed to attend Illinois University after he graduates from high school this June. They offered him a full- ride scholarship… tuition, books, housing…food and a tutor. We are smiling about that too.
With all these things to smile about you can see why I just had to post a “smiles” blog tonight. I was afraid that I might burst with so many smiles inside me if I didn’t let some out!
Thanks for sharing my smiles with me. I hope that you have much to smile about too.
I probably won’t post very often but I will be thinking of you with hugs.
