I Know How to End a Party!

         Our family Christmas party was winding down.  I went in the back room to let our pup out so she could join the party for the last few minutes.  I picked her up from her crate and rolled back the sliding glass door.  As I stepped off the top step to the patio I guess my foot rubbed against the step and I stepped down my full weight onto the outside of my left ankle.  I dropped the dog and nearly fell.  I couldn't put any weight on my foot at all so I fumbled around on one leg trying not to fall down.  I sat on the bench by our bedroom door and waited for Skeeter to do her thing.  My leg from the mid calf down was now throbbing.  I wasn't real happy.  Skeeter had gone to the living room slider so I followed her to that door.  Somehow I got up the two steps, slid the door open, and hobbled over to my spot on the couch.
     As soon as I was on the couch I started complaining to anyone who would listen.  My ankle was swelling and turning a nice shade of purple.  We live one block from the hospital.  One of my daughters called the ER to see the wait time and made an appointment for me at 7.  All the kids were leaving anyway so in a few minutes our house was empty except for me and Larry and the dogs.
     Each of the kids and grandkids gave me the pouty face saying MERRY CHRISMAS as they filed out the front door.  They all ordered us to message or call them from the hospital when we found out anything.
     We arrived at the hospital about 6:45.  I was in right away.  Within a few minutes I was in a room.  X-rays were taken and after 45 minutes of waiting for results we were told there were no broken bones.  Really?  I felt like arguing with the doctor.  How on earth could it hurt so bad and not be broken?  We were told someone would be with us in a few minutes to give us instructions.  The nurse asked me how tall I was.  I told him I used to be 5'9" but I though now I was shorter, probably 5'8".
     While we waited the lady in the next bed, we were separated by a curtain, began to choke and tried again and again to vomit.  She sounded awful.  I began to pray she'd stop.  Honestly, I was praying she'd stop so she could feel better but also so I wouldn't join in with her!
     When the nurse came in with the crutches he had them set for 5'8".  He had to lower them another 2 inches.  I have become a shrinking violet!
     It is now the morning of December 27.  My foot is no longer throbbing but it still hurts if I move it or put any weight at all on it.  Knowing it is not broken is some comfort.  My grandson, Austin, had his ACL replaced on December 20.  He is sharing this healing time with me.  It is good to have a buddy to commiserate with me.
     In spite of the ending of the party it was a great Christmas!

Wet Purse for Christmas!

     I was shopping with Charlie for a coat for his dog.  I stepped into the restroom while he began looking.  Like I usually do I set my purse in the sink, choosing the clean sin over the dirty bathroom floor.  When I was finished in the restroom I rejoined Charlie in his search.  He found a nice soft blue coat for his dog.  When we reached the checkout stand I reached into my purse and pulled out my wallet.  It seemed strangely cold.  I opened it and took out my credit card to pay the bill.  When I put my wallet back in my purse my hand came out wet.  I thought it was odd, but occasionally I carry a water bottle in my purse.  I thought maybe I'd had one in my purse and it had leaked out.
    When Charlie and I got outside I emptied my purse of the hood of my car.  Wallet, phone, glasses, make up bag, and a few other things...no water bottle!  When I tipped my purse upside down more than a quart of water poured onto the ground!  It took me a minute but I figured it out!  The faucet in the sink where I sat my purse must have had a sensor to turn the water on when hands go under the faucet.  I guess when I put my purse in the sink it triggered the sensor and started water pouring into it.
     Charlie and I both began to laugh hysterically.  Then, with a solemn look on his face, Charlie said, "Mom, you'd better not tell dad about this one!"  My purse sat on the bathroom counter for two days with my hairdryer running pointing inside.  It's dry now, thank you for asking, I'm about to reassemble my wallet and other stuff and repack it.  It didn't seem funny when it happened because it made me feel pretty silly.  This is three days later and now I'm laughing!                                            
     Knowing how much Larry enjoys a good story, the first thing I did when I got home was share with him what had happened.  We've both told this story several times these past three days and somehow I think we will continue, at least for a while!

Lessons in the Garden

     A couple days ago when taking my garbage can to the street I was happily surprised to witness this amazing sunrise!  A neighbor, a few houses from me, and I both stood in silence looking at the spectacular show before us.  We waved at one another and continued enjoying the scene for a good five minutes before we both turned and went back to our homes.  This morning when I found this photo on my phone it made me wonder how many times I've sat in my house, curtains drawn, missing something so beautiful.  I have always been amazed at the world around me.  Over the years I don't think I've ever taken the beauty God poured into this world for granted.
     I remember my mother taking me into her garden when I was just a little girl.  She pointed out all the different colors of the roses in her garden.  There were red, pinks, yellows, whites, some variegated, and some all one color.  She picked one of each color and handed them to me.  When my little hand could hold not more she shared something with me I've never forgotten.  "God must love flowers" she said.  "I think he especially likes roses.  He could have made only one type of flower.  He could have made that flower in only one color.  The world could have only red roses or maybe no roses and just purple lilacs.  Instead He chose to make many types of flowers and He made them in many colors.  Yes, I think He really like flowers!"  That was the end of my little lesson for the day but it continued the next day when we talked about the different types of fish, the different types of animals, even the different kinds of nuts and foods we eat.  I remember sitting on the grass in our front yard and mom starting to sing with me, "Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world, red and yellow black and white, all are precious in His sight...Jesus loves the little children of the world."  I think her goal that week was to make me realize just how much God loved creating the world and all the many different types of everything He did make.                                                                   Mom was always a Sunday School teacher, at church and at home.  I still think of the week she spent on this lesson when I see a mixed bouquet of flowers, the feasts on our table at meal times,

and even a bowl of mixed nuts.  Mom always had time to listen, to offer a lesson, and make things easy for me to understand.