Reacquisition

Our normal mode of operation for getting Philip on his wheelchair is as follows: I assist him onto our bed and then he scoots onto his chair. He hasn't had the ability to get onto a bed, couch, etc to transfer to his wheelchair in 4 years - nor consistently transfer from the floor to his chair in 5 years.

On Wednesday, Philip climbed from the floor to the bed. Then on Thursday he did it again, this time with greater ease. I have not had to help him onto the bed since Wednesday night. Philip is now able to get into his chair without my assistance! This adds an immense level of personal independence that he hasn't had in years.

Why is this the case? Has anything changed for us or for Philip? Yes - Philip has been taking some superior, patented nutrition. The only thing that has changed in the past 4 years is that for the past 9 months Philip has been drinking Reliv. We would have been happy and satisfied with his migraine headaches gone, his allergies and anxiety each about 90% improved, and his fatigue (and coffee addiction) lifted. But this was a wonderful and unexpected development. God is good.

Day 3 with no water

I suppose Jackson, MS, was not prepared for 14 nights of sub-freezing weather. Why do I make such a claim? Because many, many of us residents are about to spend our 3rd day without running water. This is more than a nuisance. Jackson has actually been declared in a state of emergency.

Have you ever considered all the ways and places you use water? Here are some of the major ones that I'm missing it : We can't take a shower; I can't fill up Anastasia's bathtub; I can't fill up Anastasia's humidifier tank; I can't wash my hands after handling raw pork; I can't wash dishes, much less run the dishwasher; I can't brush my teeth like normal; The toilet doesn't flush; I can't wash my face at the end of the day.

Thankfully, because I teach some fitness classes at the Baptist Healthplex, and Philip has become a member, we are able to shower there. I also fill up Anastasia's humidifier tank there and several milk jugs. It's a hassle to have to arrange our shower times either around childcare hours at the Healthplex or entertain Anastasia while we try to get clean.

After this crisis, I do hope that I will appreciate running water whenever I turn on the faucet...unfortunately, that gratefulness will probably only last about 15 minutes.

New Year's bang-bang

Our New Year's bang-bang was not so fun. I had put Anastasia down around 7:30. Philip and I watched 3 episodes of Numb3rs - the last two of Season 3 and the first of Season 4. And if you're a Numb3rs fan, you will understand why we had to immediately watch the next episode. I literally sprang up out of my seat at the end of Season 3 finale!

Anyway, getting back to New Year's itself. Philip and I had gotten to bed just before midnight. Then I woke up to lots of quickly successive loud bangs. Now, folks had been shooting fireworks for the 2-3 hours before midnight and we knew what those were sounding like. These midnight bangs were gunshots. We've heard gunshots here before - that was no surprise.

What made last night's different is that it went on for so long, it woke my sweet baby girl up. I got Anastasia out of bed, but it was still about 10/15 mins before the shots ceased. And when the shots did finally subside, it took me a while to get Anastasia back to bed. :(

So, our New Year wasn't the best. But thankfully, I have wonderful and tremendously helpful parents. Daddy happened to be on his way here when I talked to Mama at 8:30. She offered that they take Anastasia for the weekend to give us a break.

And here's Anastasia's ringing...this was on Christmas Day. But I'll take these bang-bangs over the ones we had last night any day.