Sleepless in Northport

For the third out of four nights, I can't sleep. Trying to determine why I can't sleep has become a nighttime occupation. Tonight, my guess is the medication for bronchitis.
I've been wanting to write about Savannah and Jason's new home but did not want to usurp their announcement. Finally, I think they have decided that the purchase of their new home in the Clear Creek subdivision on HW43 is definite as Savannah has mentioned it in her latest blog. This is the third house that they have looked at in their search. The first two did not go through which is good because this house is more of what they want. It is located on the back side of Carroll Street, and no houses will ever be built behind them as it is wetlands. It is in a neighborhood of young people; children are everywhere. It has four bedrooms and two baths with a separate dining room and a long porch across the back of the house. Most important, it is close to Gran and Coach who can drop by to visit sweet Libby more often!
This past weekend we spent boxing up the kitchen and other breakable objects. These items are now stored in my garage along with the outside stuff from the storage shed and carport. I know. We'll just have to move them again, but this weekend is going to be a busy one for all of us, so we had to get a jump start. Besides moving, Jason and Savannah's basketball team is playing in a weekend tournament; there is a party for Brant and his new fiancee; and the fall festival is at their church. Jason is going to coach by himself while Savannah is helped by members of their Sunday School class. They are so blessed to have such an awesome group of friends in their SS class.
Dennis overdid this weekend and was totally exhausted. He is no longer taking radiation or chemo. The doctors gave him a break to get his energy back. His latest blood work was good, and he will have a scan in a little over a week. The doctors will then determine what further treatment he should have. Savannah and I have already told him that he will do no more lifting, but he will be the loading specialist giving orders. That will be hard for him to do because he has always been in the midst of every move we've made (and there have been many moves!)
Our latest news on Parker is that he will be home for Christmas. The IMB has signed him on for another year, so he is coming home December 22 through January 6. He already has plans to go to Atlanta around New Year's with Jon Wiggin's group of college kids. (Jon was one of his roommates at Mobile and is now Youth/College Minister at Skyland Baptist.) We are excited that he is coming home, and I am glad that he doesn't have to spend another Christmas away from family.

When it rains......

I guess everyone has heard the old saying, "When it rains, it pours." Well, it has been pouring at my house lately. Dennis is still going through radiation and chemo. He should be through with radiation next week. He has been extremely tired and has missed a few days of work in order to rest. Two weeks ago Momma found out that she has fibrosis, and she has been in the hospital for five days after a lung biopsy to see how far the disease had progressed. So, I've been a little stretched between afternoons and nights at the hospital with Momma and trying to find time to be with Dennis and to help him with his work at school. To add to that, I have bronchitis and am not feeling up to par myself. Also, the news is talking about how Americans should be on alert when traveling in Paris. So, we are all somewhat concerned about Parker's safety. Finally, however, the pouring has stopped, and it is back down to a fine mist.
I really need to thank all the friends and family who have stepped up with offers to help me and especially to pray for my family. Prayers can definitely be felt, and this "pouring time" has caused me to reflect on prayer. It is amazing the sense of peace you get from knowing that others are praying for you, and plan on praying more for others everyday. It has caused me to wonder how people who don't have God and prayer manage through "pouring times."
On a more positive note, I get to spend Friday with Libby. I'm taking a day off just so I can spend the day with her. We plan on going shopping, hanging out, and just having fun.

Decisions

I can't believe that it has been two months since I started this blog. Of course, s lot has been going on with The Windle's and a lot of decisions have been made and are being made. Dennis found out at the end of July that he had colon cancer. Surgery went well with Dr. Gross, the dad of one of his students/ball players, and a decision had to be made about chemo/radiation. We started out at the DCH Cancer Center but ended up at The Cancer Center, a Christian based center for cancer treatment. Dennis decided to do what I wanted him to do all along, and that was to take radiation and chemo treatments as a precautionary method. I had cancer over twenty years ago, and I feel that the chemo that I had then is the reason that I am still here. Dennis has been on radiation and mild chemo for almost three weeks. His only side effect to date is extreme tiredness. He continues to work every day and helps with football when he can.
Another decision that will affect The Windle's involves Parker. His time in Paris was to be up this past August 1st. Because he had reached a people group that had not been reached before and because of career missionaries and new journeyman going on furlough, it was decided that he would stay three more months. Now that those three months are almost over, there are three new possibilities. He will either (1) come home, (2) come home for two months and go back for one year, or (3) come home for two months and go back two years. Needless to say, we would like him to be home but we also know that he will do what the Lord wants him to do. So, we are waiting on this decision.
Another decision involves Libby. She has had special shoes since she was a couple of months old. (I remember the day these were first put on, and the stress on Savannah and Jason's faces as they walked into Mr. Bill's. I think it was the first time that they experienced how much a parent can hurt when their child hurts.) Savannah and Jason were told that the shoes would come off during the day as soon as Libby started pulling up. Well, she started pulling up at six months, and when Savannah called the doctor, he told Savannah that she wasn't ready to pull up yet. (I wonder how he knew that since he was in Birmingham and had not seen Libby.) Finally, today, Savannah called the doctor again because they are concerned that the shoes may affect her walking, and a new appointment has been made. Hopefully, the decision will be to no longer wear the shoes during the day.
Decisions, decisions, decisions. We all make them everyday. Some are so easy. Some are not. Most affect us greatly. We pray fpr the right decisions.

Blog/Diary/Journal

As a teenager, I kept a diary every day of my life. As an adult, I tossed that diary away and am now so sorry that I did. It was filled with my day-to-day life in Aliceville, Alabama, and also with my friends from school, Aliceville High School. I wish that I still had those diaries, later called journals and now blogs. I remember that they told stories of band practice and trips to games and parades through many new directors; parties on either Friday or Saturday night, usually at Allyson's home;(Her folks were great to let us bombard their home almost every weekend.); dances at least one night a weekend;(There were three local bands to provide music-The Galaxie, The Renegades, and The Swinging Newbeats.) Aliceville Yellow Jacket football games; favorite and not so favorite teachers, fun and boring classes (Can anyone forget Coach Shelton's history classes? I can--I learned no history.), and wonderful friends. While there were a lot of good times written about in my diaries, I know there were also heartaches from girls being girls and boys being boys. What fun I had, and what would I do to still have a record of those years.
I write this to say that I encouraged Savannah to write a diary during her teen years. She did not do so, but she is now writing a blog. So, I thought that I would start a new diary (blog) for this new era in my life.
At this time in my life, I have two grown children: Parker is serving in Paris, France, as a Journeyman with the International Mission Board, and Savannah is teaching Algebra I at Holt High School. She and Jason, her awesome husband, presented us with Libby JoAnna this past February, and life has truly become exciting.
While Dennis and I are thoroughly enjoying our empty nest, we do enjoy our flock when they return to the nest. It makes for some fun times.