Remember the Fall of the Spring of 2011?

Who knew stepping off unknowingly into an open stairwell could have so many lingering effects.
I still suffer from headaches, neck pain, and periods of dizziness. Thankfully the back pain is gone.
For the past several months, my right arm has been hurting alot, weak and some numbness.  I had an x-ray last Spring and it showed calcified tendons and the doctor wanted to follow up with an MRI.  My health insurance had other ideas.  I tried my own version of physical therapy.  The doctor asked how I was doing.  I told her fine, I would use my left arm to help the right arm lift the weight.  For some reason, she didn't think that was a good idea..... Oh, well, it worked!
After three cortisone injections over the past three months, the insurance agreed to the MRI.  I was surprised to find I had torn my right bicep muscle.  They asked me before the MRI if I had been in an accident or done something to cause a jerk to the arm.  Nope, couldn't think of anything.
During the MRI, I thought, well, I did fall down the steps but that was over a year ago.  Could that be it?  Well, maybe, as I remember having my phone and a heavy glass of water in my arm and consequently hitting myself very hard in the forehead with the end of the glass.  I mentioned it after the MRI and the tech said the injury could be that old.
The repercussions of that fall results in surgery on Monday, October 1st for the torn bicep muscle and partial tear to the rotator cuff.  I am not looking forward to this at all.  Why couldn't I hurt my left arm?  We don't realize how much we use a part of our body until it's injured.  I almost decided to postpone the surgery as I can use the arm okay, just not up to the way it should be and sometimes it hurts more than other times.  Dwayne said, no you need to get it done and over with.  So, I guess I will be an absent blogger for at least two weeks, maybe sooner.  I am going to try to come back to work for a few hours a day the second week of October but I'm not sure yet what to expect.

I am thankful I didn't get hurt any worse during my fall and would certainly appreciate your thoughts and prayers the next couple weeks.

Double Rainbow:

The day before April's wedding was busy and seemed to go by in a flash.  April and I had planned on getting our nails done on Wednesday but ran out of time.  So we thought we would run to Jeff Thursday evening.  Nix that idea, we were just too tired after decorating all day.  Friday we HAD to get it done, plus buy plates for the reception.  Either I forgot to order them or I misplaced the box they were in.
We leave for Jefferson City around 5:30 and it starts raining-alot!  Then the sky gets really dark, limbs are falling off trees, the rain is coming down so hard I can barely see to drive.  But we're on a mission-nails done, plates bought, last minute items to buy!!  It even started to hail some and I thought why didn't we drive April's car instead of mine?????  lol 
We were so tired and I think just running on auto pilot.  We went to Wal-Mart the stop shop to get it all done.  I had no idea you could get your nails done at a Wal-Mart. 
The guy (foreign) that did my nails kept having to tell me how to turn my hands, etc.  He says (in halting English), you've never had your nails done before, have you?  Uh, how did he know that.  The super tired part of my brain wanted to respond "No, I'm a nail virgin" but where in the world did that come from in my mind?  I don't talk like that.  Thank goodness I didn't say it!!
As he was filing the ends of the nails he asked if I wanted them rounded.  I tell him yes.  I guess I must have looked like the round ended nail kind of gal.  lol  Afterwards, April asked me why I had them rounded and I told her that was what people used to do all the time and he asked me if I wanted them that way.  Must be my age.......  I did get alot of compliments on my nails so maybe I will bring the old type of filing back versus the square french tip.  (or maybe I am the square)
We hurriedly picked up the plates and other items needed and headed back to St. Elizabeth to do final touch ups at the reception hall.
On our way back we look up and see a double rainbow.  I tried to take a picture but didn't do too well and doesn't show it justice.  Dwayne's cousin told us a double rainbow brings good luck.
After a whirlwind of activity over the past three days, the rainbow brought us back down to earth and to relax somewhat on the rest of the ride to St. Elizabeth.

I am grateful for the day we had the fun times to come in the future

Wordless Wednesday:

Happy Birthday Savannah:

Savannah Tate Feeler and Aunt Connie

 

Today is my great neice Savannah's birthday.

She is a very talented little girl. 

We watched her in a musical play last year and she is a comple natural.

I hope she is in another this fall as I would love to watch her and the other kids again.

 

I am grateful for the many nieces and nephews in our life.

3 Years Old:

Nathan and his friend, Elizabeth at the Maries County Fair.

A couple weeks ago the local paper featured pictures from the fair and parade.

Surprised to see our little Nathan on the top left corner of the page.

The old saying, time goes by fast!!  Man, does it ever!

It's hard to believe this little guy turns three today.

The story of his birth and bringing his brother up to see him is below.

http://gratefulforthelifeivebeengiven.blogspot.com/2009/09/weekend-recap_28.html

Nathan holds a tender spot in our hearts and we are grateful he's a part of our lives.

Weekend:

The past weekend was very busy.
Friday: 
Ended the work day by going by G & W to pick up pork steaks for Sunday dinner.  Seemed to be everyone's stop on their way home from work.  I had to wait in line quite awhile to pick up fried chicken for supper and then even longer to check out.  They had installed new electronic cash registers and seemed to be having a bit of problems with them.
Dwayne and I sat down to eat and then received a call from our neighbors asking if we were going to be home.  They brought April and Mike a wedding gift and visited for a couple hours.  As they were leaving, Chad and Desmon came by.  Desmon goes straight for the toys and plays with them for awhile.  All of a sudden, he picks them all up and says, "Chadley, I'm ready to go now".  He had a movie he wanted to watch at Chad's.
Saturday:
Dwayne left to mow down some hay and Chad came over to mow our yard for us.  We haven't mowed much at all this summer and it was looking pretty straggly.  Desmon was with him and helped clean up the limbs in the yard.  Des wanted something to eat but not anything sweet.  That is most unusual-no sweets!!  I told him I would fix him and Chad bacon and eggs.  He wanted to help so I set him up to butter the toast, but he really wanted to help me fry eggs.  Okay, this will take longer and maybe try my patience, but it's a big deal to him.  He tries to crack the egg open on the counter and didn't succeed too well.  The poor kid (or poor me for the cleanup....) cracked the egg and the shell flew up in the air and the egg was all over the counter, running down the cabinet and onto the floor.
He looked up at me expecting me to yell at him, but I had my patience card in and said, "that's okay, we all make messes".  Inside I was thinking, oh great, my clean floor and the stickiness of the egg goo that is already being tracked by my bare feet.  Then as I was getting ready to break open the other eggs, I noticed the shell halves had landed in the skillet.  I jokingly told Desmon he had it backwards, the egg goes in the skillet-not the shells.  He then knew for sure I wasn't mad as we were joking about it.
Desmon and I went to visit Mom and Dad and just hung out on the porch the rest of the afternoon watching Chad.  He did an excellent job on the yard.
Dwayne and I were going to run in to Rolla that evening to grab a bite to eat and pick up a few groceries.  Not to happen!!  We somehow had a blocked drain in the basement.  When Dwayne walked in there was about two inches of water in the basement floor!!  I had been wanting the basement carpets cleaned but this was ridiculous!  Needless to say, Dwayne stayed home to work on the floor.
Lizzy and Nathan came by and wanted to go to town with me.  We went to J.C. Penney's and Wal-Mart.  They were looking for winter shirts.  Liz is quite the little shopper, straight to the sell racks!!  Nathan is the typical guy, likes the shirts but doesn't look at the prices.  He had to put a couple back.
Nice having the kids along as they carried all the groceries in.
Sunday:
I really wanted to go to church but just couldn't get my food prepared and kitchen cleaned in time to go.  Todd is usually our barbecuer but he was working.  Chad brought his barbecue grill over on a trailer and barbecued from atop the trailer.  Reminded me of a few years ago when a classmate of mine barbecued at the house for a class reunion, drove up in his truck with the grill on the back and just grilled from there instead of unloading the grill.  Tim helped Chad grill and they did a very good job.  Luckily, Todd was able to get away and come by and eat.
We always celebrate Mom and April's birthdays together.  All of my siblings were there except for my brother, Russ.  Most of the nieces and nephews were there also.  We had a great afternoon of visiting.
Dwayne went back to the hayfield and Lizzy stayed with me for the afternoon.  We drove down to Nagogami Lodge to look at the river.  It was so clear and calm.  I miss having a boat, we used to go to the river quite abit.
We hadn't been home long before Dwayne's cousin, Frankie, Chelsea and their two babies came for a visit.  Graceson will be one on the 3rd of October and Karley was born the 13th of this month.  She is such a tiny little thing and seemed very content.  Graceson is a good little boy and entertains himself quite well.  Lizzy called Dwayne to come in from the field as she knew he would want to see the babies.  We then heated up leftover pork steak from dinner and had a nice visit around the kitchen table.  Reminded me of times visiting with Frankie over the years at Dodie's.
I really need to charge the battery on my camera so I can record these special moments.

Overall it was a fun filled weekend with a lot of visits from family. 

I am grateful for times like these.

35th Anniversary:

If you know what we look like now at age 55 then you can obviously tell this picture was taken several years ago. I'm not even sure what year. Dwayne, April and I had went to Botanical Gardens in St. Louis and this is where that picture was taken. We celebrated 35 years of marriage on Monday, September 10th. I was off work that day so I fixed us a steak dinner that evening. Dwayne's Mom gave him her Blue Willow dishes one year for his birthday. He only allows us to use them on special occasions. I thought 35 years together should fit the bill. lol

Our kids also honored (and very much surprised) us with a cake at April and Mike's reception. When we get the pictures back, I will elaborate more on that special honor. I am grateful (most of the time.......... lol) for the thirty-five years of marriage we've celebrated. Dwayne is a very loving and caring person and a devoted dad to our children.

Forever your little girl:

We received this picture in the mail yesterday. April had originally planned on it being sent from the photographer last week for our anniversary. I think receiving it on her birthday worked out just as well or even better. The little stinker, I thought she was using the chalk board at the reception. lol I had painted the wood around the chalkboard to match the barn wood type decorations she was using at the reception. I had been making cloth flowers to use on different items as the ring bearer pillow and flower basket. I had some left and used them on the board along with an earring of Grandma Dodie's. Grandma Dodie would have loved all of the planning and celebration of the wedding, so I tried including different items of hers where I could. I have to admit, seeing April Holtmeyer instead of April Elrod on her facebook page was hard to get used to. Knowing and seeing are two different things. It won't be hard for her to get used to. After having your new name for awhile, the maiden name doesn't seem to look right. I know Connie Feeler sounds totally foreign to me now. I never had any problems signing Connie Elrod. The only time I remember forgetting and signing Connie Feeler was after I had been married for over twenty years. Have no idea how I came to do it that time. I'm grateful for a loving daughter. (even though she doesn't say I love you outloud, I know in heart she loves her Mom and Dad. Right, April????) (oh, and I cropped this picture all by myself!! Still not sure how I did it but I'm sure others will be proud of me too)

27 Years Ago Today:

Hard to believe twenty-seven years have gone by since we brought our baby girl home from the hospital. I have another picture of Mom holding April before we left the hospital I wanted to post but couldn't find it. I'm grateful for the birth of April Lee Elrod on the 19th of September, 1985

Wedding Day:

St. Elizabeth, MO

 Newly Married Couple:

    Daddy and his girl:

 

 

                                                             Momma and her boys:

 

      So many memories to post about the wedding.

April had planned every detail and decoration for many months.  She's very detailed oriented and it paid off.  I don't have all the pictures back of the reception hall but it was beautiful.

A wedding brings many emotions and we've experienced them all.

Dwayne and I always wanted a little girl.  God knew the correct birth order to bring about.

Our First born, Chad Anthony: 

  

Chad was our first born and we had so much fun with  him.  We even took him on a short (half mile) motorcycle ride to a friend's house with us when he was six months old.  It's okay though because my Grandma gave her approval first.  lol  She said it was no different than people having to ride horseback with a child years ago, the logic of an old timer.

Chad was such a good baby, Daddy's little helper and a very easy child to raise.  Even before a little brother came along, Chad always seemed like a little grownup. 

Momma's baby boy, Todd Christopher:

   

Todd, here I thought I wanted a girl this time.  Silly me! This boy has brought so much joy and laughter into our lives.  Todd was such a little character.  Quite the little comedien and all around jokester.  Nothing could have prepared me for the little crying, bloody and screaming baby born two days before my birthday. 

Our precious baby girl, April Lee:

  

The doctor had told us he thought we would have another little boy.  What a surprise to see a baby girl born the day after her Grandma's 56th birthday.  (eeks, I'll be 56 next spring, where did the time go?)  I think Dwayne and I have always anticipated her wedding in years to come.  Ever have a dream come true?  We did!  April's wedding was everything a parent could wish for. 

                              And to a great guy, what more could you want? 
                                                                    April and Mike

                                                                                                                                             
I have so many memories and pictures to post in the next few days.  I am grateful for the great day we shared and for my Momma being well enough to attend the wedding.  God does answer prayers.

The Perfect Day:

                                                             Mr. & Mrs. Mike Holtmeyer
                                                                    September 8, 2012

April and Mike's wedding day turned out so beautiful.  April and I had both worried about the weather-too hot, thus much sweating......rainy, we didn't want that either...
Someone mentioned to me at the reception that I couldn't have asked for a better day.  I started to agree and then said, "well, I actually I guess I did ask for this type of weather, just now realized I got it."  lol  How many times do we ask God for something and not realize he gave us just what we asked for.  It hit me at that moment, I did ask for and received this gorgeous day.

I am so grateful for the wonderful day and the family and friends that shared this "perfect" day with us.

Vernon Mark Feeler:

Today would have been my brother, Mark's 57th birthday. 
I so wish there would have been a picture of him.  Times were different then and a camera wasn't an item most people possessed.
Two short months on earth, but eternally in heaven.
Thinking of my Mom and Dad today.

Vernon Mark Feeler
09/13/1955 - 11/12/1955

I am grateful for my parent's fond memories of Mark and never hearing any bitterness at having to lose him so soon to a defective heart.  Two months of caring for a sick infant and taking care of three older children had to have been very difficult for them.