Favorite Lauren story

Lauren had a great sense of humor.  This was one of my favorite stories that she told.  I’ve laughed over it with several families members in the 2 years since she wrote it.

Something's Fishy

This afternoon I stopped at the pet store to pick up some food for my critters. I decided it was time to add some new fish to my aquarium. I purchased three blood fin tetras. The helpful salesclerk put them in the plastic baggie, squirted in some air and tied the top tightly with one of those itty bitty rubber bands that never seem to let go once they're on.
I proceeded to the counter to pay for my new fish. From there I drove to Target to get a b-day present for my sister. I didn't plan on being in there very long, but I didn't want to just leave the fish in the car. That seemed cruel. So I put the whole thing into my purse, which is one of those big tote-bag style numbers. What could it hurt, right?
As I was walking down the aisle of CDs looking for an Aerosmith album, I noticed that my hip felt moist. I was wearing a bulky sweater and a jacket, so I just assumed I was getting sweaty. Coming around the corner was a customer in one of those go-kart things, so I pulled my big purse closer to my body to allow her to pass. That's when I saw it--a small but steady trickle of water coming from the corner of my purse.
My initial thought was to abandon my shopping, run to the car and get home quickly before I had 3 tiny casualties on my hands (or, in my purse, rather.) That wouldn't solve the problem of the leaking bag, and I'd only end up making my car seat wet in the process. My next thought was to get a bucket or travel mug to put them in, but that seemed gross. The cup didn't seem like a bad idea, however.
I hot-footed it to the little concession area in the store and asked the clerk for just an empty cup with a lid. When she gave me a quizzical look I almost said "my water broke" which I'm sure would have made her look at me even more strangely. I held up the ever-shriveling bag that contained the fish and said "Please, I need a big cup! My fish are leaking!" She handed it over and pointed toward the counter where the lids, straws and napkins were kept.
Placing the cup on a table, I quickly but carefully struggled to pull that little rubber band off the baggie. Stupid rubber band! Finally, it came loose and I poured my 3 frightened fishies into the cup. As I fastened the lid securely in place, I noticed a woman watching me with quite an odd expression. She was probably wondering if she had in fact just witnessed a young woman pouring 3 fish into a soda cup. Her mouth was agape, so I decided to give her a good show. I grabbed a straw, unwrapped it, slid it into the cup and pretended to take a sip.
"Beats Starbucks any day," I commented as I walked past her.
She's probably still sitting there, eyes and mouth wider than a codfish.
Lauren

Lauren – When Someone We Love Dies

I've been thinking about Heaven a lot more lately. Maybe because of my slow decline with CF, I don't know, or because of losing people we love. This time on earth is really so short and just a stopping place. Eternity is what really counts and I trust everyone reading this is ready to face eternity.

A Christian should have a relationship with Jesus during their life and a longing to see Him some day. When that day comes, it is a wonderful thing for them. I've heard testimony by a few people who died for just a short bit of time and then were revived. These people were Christians and told of the overwhelming and unspeakable joy and peace they immediately felt. And warmth enveloping them.

When they got to Heaven's gates there were people waiting for them that had gone on before and great rejoicing over the person entering Heaven, and also rejoicing at the reuniting with the loved ones.

And they finally got to look into their Saviour's eyes and feel His love and presence in a new way. I believe that according to how they lived out their Christian life, they will hear God say "Well done, my good and faithful servant."

The streets will be gold and there will be bright light everywhere. There will be singing and peace and joy that we've never experienced before. No illness, no pain, no sadness, no tears. (No enzymes, no O2, no pills!!!)

When a person is experiencing such joy, peace and perfectness, why then do we wish for them to be back here? For us. We miss them. But while we miss them, we need to be happy for them. How can we be anything but happy for someone who has gone to such a perfect and wonderful place?

We love you, Lauren. You educated us, encouraged us, loved us here in the CF community. You had a strong faith and knew what you believed and why you believed it and you didn't sway from that.

I, personally, am going to miss you so much. Even though I know you wanted many more years with your wonderful Brad and your new niece and family, I know you are at peace and enjoying all that Heaven has to offer and enjoying your eternal rewards.

 

I won’t be the same without you.

April 28, 1980 – November 3, 2009

(Lauren was one of the CFers that I was the most close to.  She was amazing.  It’s so hard to believe that she is gone from us.  Just two years ago she was working and doing so well, with hardly any need for IV’s.  This last year she has really struggled and deteriorated.  She thought she had about another 10 years, but several months ago she realized she wouldn’t if she didn’t get a transplant, so she started that process so she would have more time with her husband.   But she ran out of time before she could get new lungs.

Our loss is Heaven’s gain.)

We found a cheaper solution!!!!

To rinse, we’d just flush!

Actually, the guy called and we’d still be out about $275 in labor on the Fisher and Paykel and the guy said he’d reduce the price on the board we need for the F&P by $50.  If we’re already out that much in labor, we decided to just FIX the washer we have and NOT buy a new one because we really can’t afford to be out the $275 PLUS the cost of a new washer.

So, the problem really is solved.

But the toilet would be so much cheaper!

“Around My House” pictures

 

My sleep last night was “bookended” with the first bookend being an asthma attack and the last bookend being the pain in my port area.  When my port pain woke me, I layed there for a while, hoping I could get back to sleep, but then got thinking about financial problems.  Well, THAT doesn’t relax you to go to sleep!  So I started thinking of you guys and my blog…and here I am!  lol

I’ve been more negligent about posting pictures in my posts lately.  When you don’t leave the house a lot, there isn’t anything new to take pictures of!  My son is past the stage of doing lots of cute things to photograph and I don’t think you want to see lots of pictures of him sitting at the computer or riding his scooter!

I decided to get out of bed at 6AM this morning and photograph some random peeks around my house for you.

Here is my pile of laundry.

Can you see it?

I don’t usually have that white laundry basket sitting in our jetted tub.  I was afraid it would topple over and kill the repairman in the avalanche, so I moved it to the tub.  But I had to move it in sections because it’s too heavy to lift!  (And I don’t usually have a eucalyptus wreath in the tub…the humidity made color run off it down the wall yesterday, so I quickly put it there until it dried out.)

Leaving our bedroom is this:

I love the wreath, purchased when we lived in PA still. (As was most everything we have.)

Jim’s gift to me last Christmas:

And lest you think our house is all neat and tidy:

This pile has been sitting on top of here for WEEKS.  I really need to do something with it!

Hey, thanks for visiting!  And thanks for your input on washers!

(You know, I like Windows Live Writer, but I don’t like how the pictures are smaller and off to the side.  I’ll have to work on a solution.)

Need your opinion

Here we go again.  Maybe I should rename this blog.  Something like “What’s Your Take?” or “Reviews R Us”.

Today the washer repairman came.  2 1/2 hrs late.  I need 2 parts for our ailing Fisher and Paykel washer, to the tune of a little over $400.  My husband said to go ahead, but they had to get the one part so rescheduled for tomorrow AM.

After advice from my sister (Thanks, Kathi!) and some research I did, I cancelled the repair appt. and am shopping for a new washer.  We don’t have much of a budget, in order to justify not eating the cost of the repairs.  Actually, we have no budget for it, but that’s beside the point.

So, again, what brand washer do you favor?  What features are most important to you?  We are leaning toward Maytag or Whirlpool, which are owned by the same company.  And I want a High Energy Top-Loader, for sure.

I’m so stressed.  I feel like I’m inside with the agitator.   I can’t handle any more problems.  I’m at my limit.  The financial stress is about to finish me off.

Calgon, take me away!  And take my piles and piles of dirty laundry, too!

Eeewwwww!

Something really stank in my bathroom yesterday.  Not the USUAL smell that a bathroom might have at times, tho.

We have a lot of ladybugs taking refuge in our bathroom right now and I thought it might be them.  They give off a nasty odor if you get close.  But we've had them before and they didn't smell THIS bad.

During the night when I would get up to use the bathroom I was having to cover my nose the whole time.

The smell was getting WORSE!

When I got up this morning the whole bedroom was smelling horrible.  Man, I thought I'd throw up.

Then I got thinking of another time we smelled something rank and thought maybe I should peek under the jetted tub.

Yep.

“Jim, I found what smells…would you come get rid of this!”

At peace

Despite it being Gotcha Day, things still go wrong.  The biggest thing today was our washer malfunctioning.  I had a load of wash going and the alarm started sounding.  I thought it might be off balance, but it wasn’t.  The computer on it (Fisher & Paykel) was going nuts and it wouldn’t drain the water, wouldn’t spin…I unplugged it and that still didn’t fix it.

I had to go to Walmart for groceries, so I just left it unplugged and took a break from the stress.

Then in the mail I got more paperwork regarding the lawsuit I’m the Defendant in.  You know, the car accident?  I could do without that reminder.  I got that notarized, then went back to working on the washer.  Did a test run and was trying to print in the meanwhile and the printer jammed!  About the same time the alarm sounded on the washer.

Jeepers creepers!  I called for a serviceman to come work on the washer and they come on Wednesdays, so don’t know when they can come.  I dished the underwear out of the washer, rinsed it in the kitchen, then put it in the dryer.

Feeling burdened by this new bill we are expecting and the knowledge that Christmas is just around the corner and we have NO money for gifts, I was feeling pretty stressed.

Then I sat down at the computer this evening and put on my Playlist.  Oh, the reminders of what is important!  I love these songs and they lift me up so much.  Tonight there were a couple in particular that really spoke to me.

• “I’ve Just Seen Jesus” always gives me chills.  Thinking of what it must be like to experience that!  All of your cares just disappear and you forget everything else.  That’s what it should be like anyway.
•   “Homesick”…well, I love those words, too.
• And so many of the Selah songs.

I keep my Playlist on my CF blog, but don’t on here because I’m not a fan of music starting when I go to people’s blogs.  It’s distracting when I’m trying to concentrate and read, sometimes I don’t care for the music…I’ve just chosen not to go that route.

But tonight I’m posting my Playlist on here.  It’s set up so it’s optional for you to listen, but I hope you have the time to listen.  Just sit there for a few minutes and close your eyes and listen to the words and the melody.  Forget those things that will “pass away” and be at peace in remembering what’s important.