ER Visit/Hospital

I woke up Saturday morning with a small knot on my forearm that was sore. As the day went on, the area grew bigger and became red. We circled the area to see if it continued to grow. Tony went to pick up 3 of our grandchildren in Little Rock and by the time he got home around 9:40pm the area had became considerably bigger. He made the decision to take me to the ER. I was diagnosed with cellulitis and put on 2 oral antibiotics. We arrived back home at 3:00am. I circled the new inflamed area to make sure nothing got worse. By 8:00pm Sunday evening it was obvious things were worse. We decided to let Jenna take me back to the ER and let Tony and Bryan hang out with the 4 grand kids. The doctor that saw me on the first visit noticed I was back in the ER and made sure I was seen quickly. Blood was drawn and an IV antibiotic was started and I was admitted to Mercy Hospital. 30 minutes after starting my IV antibiotics, my head started itching really bad and my chest became tight. The nurse stopped the IV and gave me a dose of Benadryl. The second IV antibiotic was started around 4am and the doctor believes I will be in the hospital until Tuesday, depending on how my body reacts to the antibiotic. I feel perfectly fine and I'm thankful for my health.

This is my head after my allergic reaction. Notice how red it is!

We had a nice visit with my parents and they didn't know I was admitted to the hospital but will know by the time they get home and read my blog. We've waited for awhile to bring our grand kids here and it makes me sad I'm not getting to be a good GMa while they are with us. I know God is sovereign and in control and will see us all through this week. He knows our coming and our going and I'm grateful to have a God to put my complete trust in.

I had a surprise visit from Hudson, Bryan and Jenna this morning. Hudson got in bed with me and had fun pushing buttons. He always can make a average day turn into a great one.

Bryan and Hudson watching Bubble Guppies!

Hudson and Gma

Hudson loved playing with the hospital bed buttons!

"Today is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it."

"He Continues To Carry Me"

Well God showed He's more powerful than Satan once again this week. I survived my three shots with no side effects. How great is our God! Thank you does not truly express my gratitude for those that continue to pray for me. I am so thankful He continues to carry me through each new day and hears the prayers on my behalf. His mercies are new every morning, great is His faithfulness. Psalms 66:19-20 "But truly God has listened; he has attended to the voice of my prayer. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me!"

My parents were able to finally come for a visit. This is the third time they have tried to travel to Bentonville from Abilene, Texas. Each time their health has not worked out for them to be here. They left Abilene yesterday and stayed the night at my brother's house in Denison, Texas. I received a phone call early this morning from my brother letting me know they were taking my mom to the ER. Her blood pressure was extremely high. I had texted a few friends asking them to pray. My mom had left one of her medications at home that helps bring her b/p down so instead of going to the ER my brother and dad went to Walgreens to get her prescription refilled. By the time they got back to my brother's her pressure had already started coming down with no medication. They decided to go ahead and travel to our house and arrived this afternoon. I know they are both tired and worn out but we are all so grateful to be able to have this time together. Life is precious and the days we have together I do not want to take for granted. I will continue to praise the Lord for all the goodness in my life. Psalms 71:5-6 "For you, O Lord, are my hope, my trust, O Lord, from my youth. Upon you I have leaned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother's womb. My praise is continually of you."

"Today is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it."

"Praising the Lord"

Today was a great day. I went in this morning to have another shot and the nurse immediately asked me if my body was sore from the shot yesterday. I was already praising the Lord for His goodness to me and the peace that came over me last night from prayer and His word. I slept great and was able to tell her absolutely no. I decided to tell her that I'm not a person that has ever wanted to know side effects especially from the very beginning when all the testing began to see what was wrong with me. I told her that I felt like Satan used her words yesterday to scare me and that I have a greater power living inside me and that my hope and strength come from the Lord. I let her know that I did not want to know anymore side effects in the future and that each new day I am given is a blessing from the Lord and He will continue to be the One that gives me my strength. She seemed to understand and said she was thankful I was doing so well. Psalms 56:9b-11 "This I know, that God is for me. In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me?" Thank you to all those that prayed for me last night and today, God heard your prayers.

As you can see from the picture below, my hat rack is overloaded. I finally went out and purchased a new rack and was able to divide up the hats onto two separate walls. Sad thing is, the winter hats are not even on the rack.

How does one accumulate so many hats!


Love the cleaner look!


I'm sure there will be more hats to add!

"Today is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it."

"Who's In Control"

I began my day with going in for routine lab work. I met with a nurse afterwards to go over my test results. Today I found out my numbers were low enough to have to take shots. I received one shot today and will go back the next two days. Apparently the nurse didn't get the memo that I don't like to hear about side affects and proceeded to tell me all the negatives that come along with the shots. Satan loves to knock us down when we least expect it. I struggled throughout the day with fear of what "might" happen to me. It's kind of strange now that I'm writing this blog to think I let taking shots scare me after what my body has been through these past four months. I know lab work is very important for the doctors and nurses to treat, but I also know Who's in control of everything that my body deals with. My faith, hope and strength will continue to be placed in the Lord. I know I am fearfully and wonderfully made and God is still sovereign over everything in my life. I was told to stay away from Wal-mart and eating out these next few days. Thankfully, I've never have really enjoyed going to Wal-mart, so that won't be an issue for me. I will continue to listen to my body and let it rest if I am tired and I will also continue to remind myself that "greater is He that is in me, than he that is in the world." I was looking for a verse to share and opened the pages to my bible and this is the exact spot it opened to. This verse was highlighted from Susan Goss. God is so in control of everything in our lives even the small details of Him reminding us of how much He is control. Susan calls me everyday and tonight she called and prayed with me and together we prayed about rebuking lies from Satan about fear. In the margin of my bible beside this verse she wrote; "Janet, you are a great example of fear not! Love you, Susan Goss" Isaiah 43:1b-3a "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through the fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. For I am the Lord your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior." If you ever doubt Who's in control of your life, remember Jesus is the answer and He is the One in Control.

"Today is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it."

"Happy Father's Day"

Today I have three men in my life I want to acknowledge and thank the Lord for. First there is my "Daddy". He became my "dad" when I was 8 years old. He had almost raised three daughters when he married my mom. Not sure what he was thinking to start over with three more kids, ages 8yrs, 9yrs and 12yrs, but I am so thankful he did. He never made me feel like a "step-daughter" but always made me feel like he had always been my dad. He showed all of us kids how much he loved us and our mom. I never saw my parents fight but always saw them loving on each other. At times I would get embarrassed when my friends were over because my dad would always be loving on my mom. He treated each of my friends like they were his too. He's always told me I was his favorite. For his 80th birthday we gave him a book with different memories each kid and grand-kid had written about him, and almost all of us listed that he had told each one they were his favorite. Thank you Daddy for all the love you have shown to me. For allowing me to be my own person and for loving me no matter what decisions I made in my life. You are the one that taught me how to be loved and to love back. I am thankful for the love you gave to Mother and I never doubted once if you were the right one for her and for us kids. You raised us all well. Thank you for the love you have shown to Bryan and Jordan too. They love their Grandad.

Me and my "Daddy"

Bryan and Grandad "chewing the fat"

Tony is the next man I want to wish a "Happy Father's Day". I know he isn't my dad but I am so grateful that he has given to my kids what I had growing up, a "dad". He's always been the tough, disciplinary one of the two of us, but my kids never had to doubt when he said something, he meant it. My kids are who they are today because of having a "Tony" in their life. Bryan and Jordan were 8yrs and 5yrs when we married and I believe they have seen the same love I saw as a kid with my parents. Thank you Tony for showing my kids your love for me and for them and for being such a great "dad" to them.

Jordan, Tony and Bryan


I am thankful now my son is a dad. Bryan has done a great job of showing Hudson so much love and being a great dad to him. Happy Father's Day Bryan. You are a wonderful "daddy" to Hudson. He is so blessed to have you as a dad.

Bryan and Hudson

I am the person I am today because of these three men in my life. Psalms 13:6 "I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me."

"Today is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it."

"The Joys of Being a G-Ma"

Well my week wasn't so slow or boring after all. Hudson came to our house Tuesday night and stayed with us until tonight, Thursday, when we took him home. Jenna worked both days. Since I didn't have a lot going on with work, I decided to keep him with me all day Wednesday and today. He slept in both days and took great naps. I met Rachel and her boys at the splash park downtown and enjoyed our time together. Susan Byrum came and joined us and bought everyone a Popsicle from the guy that rides around on a bicycle with a cart behind him. He makes homemade popsicles and as you can see in the picture below, Hudson loved his. We have the best small town atmosphere here in Bentonville. I feel at times its like something you would see in a movie. I've loved having Hudson again and being able to pick him up and enjoy time with him. He always makes our days happy.














































































"Today is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it."

"Earth Angels"

I'm not going to even attempt to correct the pictures on my blog tonight. For some reason the formatting has changed and Jenna and I can't figure out why.

I was blessed to begin my day on a walk at Crystal Bridges with Maureen Mangrum. She took me on a new trail and the picture frame below will show you part of the beauty we saw.


Thank you Maureen for going on a walk with me.
















I came home to a gift by my front door from Lyn and Kristin Helsley. God's reminders of His love for me.


I was able to have lunch with my friend Laurie Smith. Today has been 6 weeks since her surgery. I'm sure we were a sight to see eating out. She is on crutches, I'm a bald headed lady carrying her pillow and purse. You would have thought someone would have had sympathy for us and paid for our meal.:) I told her we needed to come up with a name for the two of us.

I receive a weekly card from a lady at my brother's church in Denison, Texas and wanted to share something that she put inside the card.

Earth Angels

I feel the presence of angels as I walk among my friends, for each one serves a purpose and on them I do depend. They console and encourage me when troubles seem to unfold. Their strength helps to carry me when I need to be strong and bold.

You might not see their wings yet they're always near to share my happiness and my sorrows, and I know how much they care. I call them my earth angels that are sent from God above, to share my earthly journey and to fill me with their love.


I continue to thank God for my friends and for those that don't even know me and I do consider each one my "earth angels". Each card, phone call, text, visit, prayer have not gone unnoticed, especially by the One who sees it all.

"Today is the day the Lord has made, I will rejoice and be glad in it."