30th birthdays

This picture was taken the Sunday after Miranda's wedding. We were all at the "Microtel Motel" in NewUlm. Upon waking up there was much excitement about the great wedding the night before. We had so much fun, dancing, singing and socializing with friends and family. And now today there is more excietment... today is August 8th! Something wonderful happened on August 8,1980... now it was 30 years later... YES! Emily Jo's 30th birthday.
...Conner Dallas was in our room and I helped to get him dressed up. We were going to the pizza ranch to all eat together as a family for her birthday. It was over 100 degrees outside so the idea for a reminisce picnic at Flandrau was caboosed.
...We took off the shark pj's and replaced it with new blue jean shorts and a nice crisp cotton shirt. We combed his hair, washed his face, brushed his teeth and I was thinking to myself that he looked mighty sharp. Curt was laying on the bed watching TV.
...Conner looked at himself in the mirror and then looked at Curt laying on the bed and he smiled and said "Papa, I look just like you!" then he climbed up and layed by gramps on the bed.
...If it wasn't for that blond hair and brown eyes... I don't know if we could tell them apart!
What a wonderful week-end it was indeed.
Thank you God for weddings, little boys, grandchildren and 30th birthdays!!

Puffer

Mom and I took a trip to Willmar on Tuesday September 14th,2010, for a little Meyer family gathering. All of my dads brothers and sisters that are living were there. Here is a list of them who met in Willmar.
Pauline Haugue - the oldest at 87
Dorothy Sherburn - Dorothy from Topeka Kansas!
Maxine Prahm - the one that was closest in age to my dad and always had his picture taken with her.
Marilyn Munns - the baby of the family that goes to SunCity, Arizona for the winter
Dick Meyer - my dads brother that lives in Lavern in the nursing home
Gene Meyer - the gathering was at his house - he is the youngest brother - coming right after my dad... and his wife Rosie
Doris Meyer - My mom married to Dallas
Lois Meyer - My aunt married to Uncle bob

Those who were remembered this day:

Joy Meyer - died at 87
Betty Iveland - died last year at age 80 something
Bob Meyer - died at age 59
Dallas Meyer - died at age 60 in 1994

There was a sprinkling of some of my dads cousins there and then a couple of the cousins that drove the elders to Willmar! We had done this last year also - everyone getting together at my Uncle Gene's house before winter sets in. With everyone's age and the fact that Marilyn leaves for the winter we thought it would be nice to do again.
.... My favorite part about these gatherings is the conversation. The only problem being that each and everyone of those sisters has a story to tell and they all like to be talking at the same time. Good thing I am young enough that I can listen to two conversations at one time! I did want to take the time to write down my favorite story that was told by my Aunt Maxine...
...There is a picture of my Uncle Gene and Aunt Marilyn and at their feet is laying a big ole black and white dog. This dog had managed to come into their lives one day, just showed up on the farm and the kids all loved him. They called him "puffer", she couldn't remember fore sure... oh ya, they called him puffer because that is how he was breathing (Then Maxine starts PUFFING like the dog did). She was talking on about what a wonderful dog Puffer was and how they all loved him and he followed them to school one day.. (which was against the rules). Their dad was giving them a ride in the wagon and all of the sudden the dog got hit and was laying on the side of the road... DEAD! With much crying and yelling to dad to "STOP THE WAGON!!"... Their dad just kept driving and the kids all went to school with the vision of Puffer dead on the side of the road. Not a good day for the Meyer kids. When their dad picked them up he was somber and the kids were quiet... they got home and started getting out of the wagon and I'll be if it wasn't ole "Puffer" who came to meet them, smile on his face, tale wagging,
...back from the dead
PUFFING!!!

Monkey Bars

She gracefully pulls her self along the high "monkey bars". Her little body swinging down from her dainty hands that are wrapped tight around each bar. She lets go with one hand and swings it forward to the next bar... then the next hand - this repeats until she has made it all the way across and has her feet planted on the landing. I watch with a fear and yet a wonder. My little JaciAnna, my angel is a monkey and I can feel it in my bones - that the Lord will take her many places, she will swing along life's path... she will move forward one rung at a time... slowly gracefully asking the Lords guidance through out her life... and my prayer will be that she will always have her feet firmly planted on His landing.

miss you so bad!

Our Conner Dallas has a very active and animated imagination. This has been confirmed by his Dr., whom Conner very lovingly calls "big ole Dr. Ogar". When he went in for his preschool checkup he was looking at a picture on the wall and proceeded to tell his mother this story about big ole Dr. Ogar going out in to the woods and pulling out animals and monsters that he had to kill. When he finished the story in fine detail he asked his mother "so mom what did you think". "Well, I didn't really like that story as I don't like scary stories about monsters and killing"
... he looked at her and said "oh come on mom!"
...after his check up he did indeed start preschool and his momma started teaching her kindergarten class also. When they got home after their first day of the new routine he said to his momma " So, you are going to be a teacher now?" His momma answered him and said "Why yes Conner, your mom is a teacher" and he said with a definable tone
..."well, I don't like it one bit!"
... you see this summer he had his momma all to himself and they got to share many stories. One of my favorite is when the neighbor girl had been to her grandma and grandpas house and she was busy telling Conner her gram-pa did this and her grandpa did that... Conner listened to her and then proceeded to tell her that his grandpa ate raw skunk! What in the world? Where does a three year old learn about raw skunk and how can he figure out that his grandpa eating raw skunk would "one up" the other grandpa?
...He also had a friend named "Brokery" that lived in the woods behind there house with his family. Sometimes Brokery would go places with Conner and his family and sometimes his behaviors prohibited him from travel...but, he did remain his friend for most of the summer and Conner shared many of their adventures with his mom.
...and today - what every kindergarten teacher wants to hear their 3 year old talking about in preschool... he informed the teacher that when you are in school you can not poop on the floor!! (so, does the teacher think he poops on the floor at home now?) Good thing that story ended with Conner saying to his momma "If you wouldn't have to teach I wouldn't have to miss you so bad!!"

Grammie Pammie gets a new knee!!

So much has happened this summer and I have blogged so much in my mind - to sit down here and actually type... I am thanking God. You see...
.............................................Grammie Pammie got a NEW KNEE!!
I had surgery on Thursday, August 19th, 2010. Done in Waconia by Dr. Christopher Meyer. Was he cute? Well, yes, as long as you ask... he is very handsome. That would certainly not be reason enough for me to go through what this has been... great pain after a days work, and not sleeping at night due to pain are what brought me to point where I actually would let them cut out my old knee and put in a new metal one. It was not a decision made lightly and took lots of prayer. Today is the first day where I have been able to sit here at the computer and actually not think about the pain of the chair pushing into the back of my leg. So I wanted to take this time a blog a little about the surgery so that I don't forget for future reference!
"and, why are you here today ?"
...."total left knee replacement"
"and, what is your birthday?"
...."july 6th 1960"
I was asked these questions at least 50 times and indeed we did get the left knee replacement.
The first night I had the pain of muscle spasms in my calf so bad that it made me cry... to top it off I needed to go to the bathroom every two hours. So, up out of bed I would get - pee - and then try to get comfortable again. I remember dozing off for a little why asking myself "what have you done!".
Day two was much better... the nurses worked with me all night until they got the pain under control and then it stayed pretty good my whole stay at the hospital. Also as long as it had been 24 hours already sense the surgery it would be time to go to therapy - where we would bend and flex our new knee... you can imagine the fun can't you? 13 metal staples down the middle of your knee, swelling so tight it feels like it could burst... but, we rooted one another along (there were 6 other people there that had surgery the same day, 5 knees and 1 hip)... and soon we were doing what was asked of us - two times each day - until we got to check out on Sunday.
Sense that day I have continued therapy at the Arlington Hospital 3 times a week. It will be 4 weeks this Thursday and I am beginning to see some light at the end of the tunnel.
I believe that God has used this time to give me more compassion for people who are in chronic pain. It is really unbelievable what pain can do to the mind, then you take the pills to get over the pain and they work on the brain also ( not to mention the bowels!) Until you feel like you just don't want to do anything other than sit and feel sorry for yourself.
So, I dedicate this blog to those in chronic pain... and I pray to our Lord that He will have mercy on those suffering and that they will be brought to the right doctors and that the Lords hand will be upon their lives. And, I give thanks to my Savior that I am coming around the corner of pain and it is being replaced with an understanding of the human body that I have not had before and may I be able to help someone who is hurting as I have been helped by family and friends and the medical community through my time of pain. Thank-you to each and every person who has been a part of this battle with me... you are so appreciated and I love you!
....and when they turn on the music and you see someone is out there dancing
....it just might be me!!!

A picture paints a thousand words

Sometimes to write down what you feel in your heart - well, you just can't do it - it would take to many words - so here is a picture ( Lindsey Kay is missing from the picture - but, we know she was there in her prayers for us! There is also one little boy in the group...) Otherwise, if I were to give this picture a name it would be called "grammas girls and Conner" and I think we would fore sure become famous if the person seeing the picture could fully understand all the love that was right there in that room, at the moment in time, when a button was pressed and time stood still.

Chloe gets kicked out of Foley

When Jaci Anna was just a wee little baby and Chris and Emily bought there first house in Foley... Chris brought home a "dog from the pound". She is a shitsu and such a wonderful dog. Why then was she returned to the pound? Well, there was one slight problem... she does not appreciate being tied up and will not do her duty on the chain!?!?
Well, I'll be the love of a family and some good dog training can break that bad habit in a flash... right??
WRONG!!!
So, through her years in the little white house on the corner, Cloe had the run of the neighborhood - she was a perfect dog with just one slight problem - she pooped the poop on any one's lawn but her own.
Emi and Chris moved to a new house just across the alley from the little white house on the corner. It is a beautiful house with three acres of lawn and woods and is butted up right against a huge county park. What a better lawn for Cloe... right??
WRONG!!!
She prefers to now go right on over to the little white house on the corner and poop the poop on the lawn that she refused to poop the poop on before? They have tried everything, including putting her on the chain, fencing her in, taking her for walks - but, it is like that lawn is calling to her "HEY, YOU DON'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE SO COME POOP ON ME!"
Well, you guessed it right - the neighbors don't like Cloe not one little bit...
...Happy 50th birthday mom...
.......................CHLOE HAS BEEN KICKED OUT OF FOLEY!!!!!

I wonder if the neighbors in Arlington will notice?