Monday, May 13, 2024

Mother's Day Weekend!

I had an appointment with my urologist Thursday afternoon. 


You would have thought I was going to meet a celebrity - and I was!
Dr. Bloom is the doctor who rescued me from the constant UTIs and changed my life!
I now see his esteemed PA, Dr. Lee and she has been such a blessing to me.
The Pistachio Crack Cake was a big success and Dr. Bloom himself popped in and we hugged and visited a few minutes!
God has so abundantly blessed me and Louis Dean with such excellent doctors.
My 65th birthday was a highlight of my life and I was able to get Medicare and a supplemental policy with United Health Care. That has changed my life for the better1


Off topic.... growing my hair out has been a good thing for me.
Since I had a really thin spot - having more hair instead of shorter hair covers it up.
This pic, however, is after I put a clip on of fake hair.
Louis Dean said this is my Dolly Parton look!
I went with my own hair for my doctor visit and even so - Dr. Bloom complimented me on
 my new hairstyle.
I got a good report!
No UTIs this year and I am so grateful.
I no longer go to the bathroom every 15 minutes and I will forever be thankful for the freedom of all that pain and misery!


I am slowly inching my weight down and am eating a lot of salads.
This was Thursday lunch.....


And this was Friday's lunch.....

I only use vinaigrette dressings now but I have always loved a good salad.
If I could only have one menu for the rest of my life -it would be a baked potato and salad. 


Everything is blooming nicely right now and I go out each morning to snip flowers, herbs, bushes, and vines for my daily bouquet.

All our lilies are blooming but I have not cut any so far. 
I just can't.....but maybe I will.....

I set my alarm for 4:00 Saturday morning....


Son Jesse picked me up at 6:15 and we headed to the airport!
He gifted me with a day trip to Kansas City to spend an afternoon with my siblings - Buster and Rita!
We hoped to be on the 8:00 flight but barely missed it - we were stand by passengers since Jesse works for American Airlines - for nearly 30 years now!

We were issued seats on the next flight out and rode the sky link to the new terminal!
Not a problem! We bought coffee and we each brought a book - Jesse and I are both avid readers - and we enjoyed the time waiting for the next flight!

Rita was waiting for us at the foot of the escalator and all of a sudden - we were THERE!!!


Tom treated up to lunch at Bravo Italian Restaurant and it was such  an elegant place!

Then off to niece Gabriella's for a surprise 13th birthday celebration for her niece - and my grand niece. 
It was a great afternoon and like magic to actually BE there in Kansas City with family.
The party was fun with Gabe's children running around and Sylvie is the sweetest 13 year old I know.

Jesse had as good a time as I did!
The Maverick game was on in the 'garage' - which I wish I had taken a pic of it!

Their garage is fully finished out and Gabrielle has painted the back wall a deep and beautiful navy blue. Sports signs and neon lights decorate the huge wall with a large mahogany bar with beer, water and sodas.
Gabe and Toni's house is a popular place for friends and family to gather and it was fun to see all the happy children and sweet people just enjoying spending time together.


What a blessing Jesse gave me - the gift of a day...
a day with my sister and brother Buster , brother in law extraordinaire Thomas, and sweet nieces and nephew.

After the party at Gabe's we went back to Rita and Tom's home for a short visit before Jesse and I had to leave for the airport.

I loved every minute of Saturday - from the time I woke up at 4:00 that morning until midnight!
Shortly after Jesse dropped me off at home, Son Dean arrived and he, his dad and I had a nice visit in the gazebo...he was here to spend the night so he could pick Sherry up at the airport Sunday morning.  She had driven her parents up to Minnesota in their RV and then flew back to DFW airport. We are just 7 minutes away!
The bonus was her daughter Crystal picked Dean up early Sunday morning to surprise her mom for Mother's Day! 

I was NOT up when Crystal arrived but I did get up in time to visit with them for a few minutes before they all headed home.

No pics of any of this but as Dean and Sherry were leaving, LD insisted we sit on the bench on the front porch - and we called GOOD BYE!!! to them - as we always do with the Bell grands!
They probably didn't even hear us but we had fun!

Sunday was a rainy day and Louis Dean decided to wash his overalls and socks.


He loves to do this and it makes him happy - so why not?


Even though it was raining - he hung his overalls out to 'dry'....

Note - I gather the overalls and run them through the washer and then 'add' them to the dryer.


My next home project is the den window area.


Sunday I cleaned the den and Louis Dean pulled out every nail - no idea how many but it was a lot!
He took down the light fixtures and 'disposed' of them.
I have no idea what he did with them.
They were old fashioned fluorescent lights and I only found a small piece of glass on the east side of the house - I saw it when I took a bag of confiscated  trash over to my neighbor's curb!
So many 'mysteries' lately!


He is my hero!

Mother's Day was peaceful.
I watched Fellowship church service with Jimmy Evans online and and then had phone visits from my children.
I could not have had a better Mother's Day.


My sweet daughter Amber was a hockey mom in full force this weekend!

I am now and forever grateful to be a mom and what a blessing my four children are to me.

I love you all, Summer, Jesse, Amber and Benjamin!

Y'all are jewels in my crown and I am so grateful to be your mom!









16 comments:

photowannabe said...

What an amazing day you had Linda. Jesse is one in a million to arrange the Day with Family in KC. Thoughtful.
Love everything you did and how Louis Dean helps you. You have the best family and I'm so glad you had a wonderful day.
Sue

Chatty Crone said...

You have a WONDERFUL family. And you got to visit your siblings. How awesome. It was a wonderful gift.
And Louis Dean is there to help!

Deb J. in Utah said...

Hi Linda. So glad you had a wonderful Mother's Day. It's also great that you have a good doctor who helped you with the UTI problem. I have had my share of those as well! Not fun! Your day trip to visit your siblings sounds wonderful. What a nice gift from Jesse. Your hair looks great and you and LD both look very happy. I hope you have a good week. See you again soon!

Ginny Hartzler said...

What a wonderful time you have been having. You are so richly blessed that each and every member of your large family is special,kind, and loving!

Pamela M. Steiner said...

Wow, what a whirlwind of fun and love and joy! You are so blessed with family and friends and lots of love. Sounds like a perfect weekend! Thankful for you to be rid of the uti's. Wondering how they have helped you with that...that's one of the issues I deal with, but it kind of comes and goes. I can't take most of the antibiotics they prescribe...they all give me unpleasant side effects. So I am working hard to avoid getting them...but sometimes things happen anyway. It comes with the territory of aging, I understand...but still...
I love your sunflower decor and your happy spirit. Have a lovely week. Oh, I love your hair too!

Donna said...

What a fun day you had!! You do indeed have much to be grateful for...
Love the hair! And glad you love your doctor!
Happy week!
hugs
Donna

terre said...

what an incredible weekend!!! me jealous....ahem....well maybe a bit. you are so blessed and it is well deserved. miss you, friend.

Changes in the wind said...

So glad all is well and you got to do the day trip.

salemslot9 said...

Nine thousand
nine hundred
and forty six😺

Rita said...

OMGosh! To have a trip arranged to visit some of your family and then to have catch-ups with the rest of them on Sunday. What a wonderful Mother's Day!! :)

Deanna Rabe said...

How fun to be able to fly standby and go for just the day! Jesse that was a wonderful gift for your mom!

You had a family filled weekend and I’m so happy you got to talk to all your kids!

NanaDiana said...

What a wonderful day with your siblings! I am jealous---not really---I am happy for you! What a sweet weekend you had all the way around. You are so lucky to have LD and that he is able to help you do things. What a blessing. I know there are hard days but also some good ones for balance.

I am so happy your dr visit went well and you haven't had any UTIs. They are SOOO miserable.

I hope you have a wonderful rest of the week. xo Diana

Debbie said...

happy belated mothers day, it does sound wonderful!! i must admit that i am a tad exhausted reading about all of it, i do not know how the 2 of you keep up!! for many years, i suffered with uti's, found a wonderful urologist and he has been able to calm things down. i wonder if you have kidney stones as well, the 2 go hand in hand!! your hair looks pretty, your food delicious and the two of you always sound so cute together!! i'm glad you got to see your family!!

Wanda said...

What a teasured Mother's Day you had. You are looking so lovely. I can see your weight loss. You are adorable and thrilled your are able to do all the wonderful things you love with your family.

May ended up as busy as April...What's a girl to do?? Will share soon!!

Great-Granny Grandma said...

Belated Happy Birthday! You look great.
What a wonderful gift your son, Jesse gave you.
Loved reading this happy post.

BeachGypsy said...

Looks like a great trip to Kansas City, Linda! I am so glad you got to go and love the fun pictures! I just NOW got around to posting about my mothers day, I am so far behind! Anyway, loved the pictures and Love our hair-do no matter how you do it. I'm liking my long hair too, EXCEPT for the hot summers here, and I know you know ALL ABOUT THAT as well, LOL. So it means us long hair gals just have to clip our hair UP ALL SUMMER. That's what I do anyway, ha ha LOL. I hate long hair down on my neck when I'm outside doing chores with animals, etc. Hope your upcoming week is great.....and YAY for no more UTI'S!!!