Among Friends

[WaJa61]

Watching what I can (from work) of President George H.W. Bush's beautiful funeral service today. So very moving on multiple levels. I give thanks for his devoted service to our nation, while maintaining such humility and quiet strength through faith. 

Prayers for his surviving family and friends as they mourn their loss, but not as those who have no hope. 

❤️ Together again with no more tears or suffering. ❤️

[WaJa61]

Dear Snappy, how are you feeling now on your new preventative medication for the UTIs? I’m thankful the IDS is nice and I'm praying this treatment plan will work for you. Praying for your pastor's dear wife, Shirley and your displaced cousins, too. 🙏

How disappointing that your whole family couldn’t be together to celebrate Thanksgiving. It has happened that way for us, too, but then... I know you don’t live in close proximity to most, as I do. (All except DD.) I can stop in and visit with our grands most any day, and vice-versa. The get-togethers are that much more meaningful at the holidays when that's not possible. Here's to hoping they make it up to you with a nice visit soon! 

Did you get your Christmas cards made? Ours are not the photo kind this year... Figure our friends and family see enough of our mugs throughout the year! 😜 I do need to get them ready to mail this weekend, though. Less and less are sending them, and like most... we've suffered losses, too. It's nearly impossible for me to cross out the names of the dearly departed in my address book. I just don’t. I start a new one each new year. Still...

I hope you are enjoying some cooler sweater weather and can put your lovely wardrobe to good use. We got a little light snow earlier today. Just enough to be pretty. We may get more by Sunday, and I heard the weatherman say a cold front is coming that will impact most of our great nation. Coast to coast! I got several of those snow shovels here with the helper handle for gifts. We are practical people, for the most part... Thinking those might prevent backaches through the winter. Stocked up on rock salt, too. 

We're going with the kids who are taking Gracie and Jax to visit Santa on Sat!! 🤗 Now Jax says, “yes ~ see Santa!” But the proof is in the pudding. He may well change his mind when we get there. If so, I hope it's before his parents wait in line with him. 

Love you dearly! 

~Joy 💜

[WaJa61]

Hi, Issy! I look forward to hearing all about your shopping sprees when you find the time. You always find the most interesting things. You inspire me in more creative gift giving. 😊 

MsLomo, how nice to have you back posting more regularly since your graduation from PT!! I'm gleeful on your behalf that you can drive and freely otherwise do as you please once more. I may try the Deep Blue rub, too. Can vouch that unlike swimming, sitting in a hot tub does zip for sciatica... In fact, I do believe it makes matters worse, though I bought a waterproof cushion to sit on.

Thank you for sharing in our happiness for dear Becky and Josh! ❤️❤️ A long time coming ~ their finding and trusting in true love. I've told her numerous times she should join us here on this friendly thread. She's not much for social media, but maybe... I know she'd feel welcome in this group, even as a very shy person.

Boy, I wish we had Sprouts around here, because I hear ya about Whole Foods = Whole Paycheck. 😳 Your feast sounded delicious and now I'm hungry again. Shortbread with a cuppa something hot would be great about now.

I'm too excited for words on Marcia and Mike's potentially happy outcome soon! I cried watching them cuddle the babies awaiting adoption. Of course, they wanted to take them all home! 

Lurky, thanks, dear heart, for thinking of and praying for our DIL, Suze. She is really having a time with trying to find the right medication cocktail for the multiple lupus symptoms this time. There was even a recent fear that she would be hospitalized. With her depressed immune system, that's never wanted, but can become necessary. Since she can’t adopt any babies herself (breaks my heart! 💔)... she does all in her power to help insure they will be placed in the most loving families. I hope, according to the Lord's will, she can continue on in this work. 

I'm sorry about your recent flare, but thankful the rub brought relief. 

Cute, what a joyous Thanksgiving your family was blessed with! To be perfectly honest, I'd take baked lasagna over turkey any old day. Then... PIES! 😋 Pies and cobblers with real whipped cream are just hard to beat. There will be no stopping little Sawyer now!

Congrats to your DIL for making that childhood dream come true!! She is now officially an author and I'll buy her book for my son, James who loves science fiction. A late birthday gift. Thanks for the lively chat! 

Hello, Bathina! Blessings to you and yours this holiday season. What a treat to have Hal there to help you decorate the tree! He's at the perfect age to help usher in the magic. 😍

I'll be in touch with the rest of you dear ones later. A special thanks to Agnes for sharing the happy news here. Rest assured my family is praying for Michelle's. I'm trusting the answers will come. 

Love to All,

~Joy 💜

[SelahG]

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@WaJa61 wrote:

Dear, (((Gloria))) I'm so sorry to learn this sad news about Erma... and so soon after you lost your oldest sister, too. I hope she will be able to be more responsive today. I'm sure there is still so very much you want to say to her, and her to you. Your presence and your touch is precious to her either way. On some level, she knows you're there and you love her so. Sincere love doesn’t even require words, but it comforts us to use them during such painful times. God bless your daughter for taking you across the miles to be with your beloved sister. 

No, it doesn’t matter the age at which we're separated during this life... until we blessedly meet again. You have enjoyed many loving, close years together and the parting leaves a painful void. Yes, it hurts deeply, and our Lord is with you and all whose hearts are breaking. 

My prayers go with you, Erma and all who cherish her. My thanks and gratitude go with Erma, too, for being such a dear sister to you, my faithful and gracious friend... and for the Light she has long reflected in this world, despite her mortal suffering. Even now she likely longs to comfort you, her baby sister. 

~Joy ❤️

---

Beautifully stated, Joy. 

@gloriajean, I'm not near so eloquent, but wanted you to know that my family's prayers are with your family, too. I'm more sorry than I can express at how the hardest things just seem to keep coming at you in a stream of suffering and sorrows. 😰 

We are here for you if you need to talk and surrounding you in constant petitions to the Lord of all mercies. 🙏

At the appointed time, may Erma's passing over to Him be gentle and painless. 

Try to rest when you can, sweet lady. This is emotionally exhausting. A true heart drain. 

Love you, 

-Selah 

[SelahG]

Lost my place, ladies. Had a phone call from my step-daughter ... she wants us to meet the guy she's seriously dating over the holiday season. We will definitely work this into our schedules, and BONUS! We'll get to visit with our step-granddaughter again. 😍 Wasn't counting on that until around Easter since they live in TX. 

Joy, I watched most of the funeral today, too. What an emotional roller coaster. Laughter through tears and so very inspiring! Yes, they are together again and reunited with Robin in the presence of the Lord. Heaven's gain is our loss ... for a time.

I'm sorry Suze is going through such a tough time with her newest meds. I do hope she won't have to be hospitalized. Especially during the flu/pneumonia season. I thank her (and will privately when she's feeling better) with all my heart for helping those moms, the babies and couples like Mike and Marcia to find one another. She isn't wasting time on self-pity or anger, but rather putting her energy toward helping others. 😇 

I finally got my distant Christmas pkgs ready to be sent off yesterday. One advantage to being mostly confined on my behind is I get things like that and paper work completed. Now I have to rig up something to help me get my wrapping for family and local friends completed. 

Pass the Deep Blue, Lurky! This rub helped Luke so much that I totally forgot to order more. Have remedied that now, so thank you for the reminder. How did your shortbread turn out? I wanna try that recipe, too. It has passed the MsLomo taste test ... How can it fail? 

MsLomo, this devilish knee ... I'm thankful the fluid test revealed no sepsis -- no infection at all. But the swelling was returning, so the surgeon had me come in for an ultrasound so he could examine the bursa. He believes there is some osteoarthritis there and pressure built up too due to the poor posture I suffered so long with my back and sciatic nerve. Posture and gait was off and this knee took the punishment. He drained off more fluid and recommended a knee sleeve under the brace. If this, the elevation and ice with Motrin helps ... I will be sent to PT. If not, he may have to operate. Remove the bursa. More waiting and trying to be patient. 

You are something else yourself! 🌟 I'm so glad we decided to combine our KS thread with this one during the confusion of the last big upgrade, way back on page 1. A perfect fit! God bless you for wanting to help the children of the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation, though I would never ask here for more than prayers. You have a heart of pure gold. We have enough men to do the construction (other than the pool) and Home Depot is going to donate many supplies. Just as they do for projects with Homes for Humanity. The children will have their gym! 👍

Oh, and Lurky ... Yes, Anoki is so underweight because it's so hard to get food into him. He can't sit still to be fed properly and gets choked so easily trying to chew. So it's liquids and baby foods ... and often the feeding tube. 😢 One of the neurologists who volunteers there bi-monthly is trying to find a solution to help his parents keep him fed. I thank you on their behalf, but don't rush yourself with the blanket making. We want you well rested and feeling your best for Christmas! Are you going back to Tom's or staying home? 

Agnes, we're praying faithfully for Michelle and family. Not to be too personal, but does she have any type of career to eventually return to? Can see she'll need a place of her own for the children and perhaps a health aide worker can keep an eye on her mother and her needs. 

Big helloes to Issy, cute, Snappy and Bathina! I'm going to bed now and will watch "It's a Wonderful Life" until I hopefully doze off. Chances are I'll awaken in the morning with the earworm on a loop of that silly "Buffalo Girls" song. 😜 

Stay warm and sleep well, friends. 

-Selah 😘

[gloriajean]

Today my sister went to see Jesus!  No more suffering and she went peacefully.  We got there too late, but was good to be with her daughters. My other two sisters were there too.  Funeral next week, sometime.  Thanks for your prayers.  

[gloriajean]

Today my sister went to see Jesus!  No more suffering and she went peacefully.  We got there too late, but was good to be with her daughters. My other two sisters were there too.  Funeral next week, sometime.  Thanks for your prayers.  

[LurkyLoo]

Oh, dear Gloria.. I'm sorry to just be seeing this now, after Erma has already passed over. Though I'm relieved that her suffering is over and she is now at perfect peace with our Savior; I'm very sorry for your family's losses. Two dear sisters going Home in the same year.

I'll hold your family in prayer through this difficult time. 

[LurkyLoo]

Thursday blessings to all of you dear ladies. I missed much of the funeral yesterday due to my PT, then helping in the big kitchen to make the gluten-free chocolate peppermint cups for the children's hospital. I'll share that recipe below, because they certainly are good! Rather you can have gluten or not. I didn’t miss it. This was the least I could do, since they helped me with the shortbread.. which is marvelous! 😋 With our ovens we took them out 2 minutes sooner after the first batch was a bit too dry. We have a winner, MsLomo! We gave little gift bags full of them to everyone who could attend dinner, and then I, in my chariot, delivered them to those who are unable. I think these and the ginger snaps are the favorites here. 

So I'm watching the funeral now and it's very fitting- dignified and elevated for such a distinguished and honorable man. I'm thankful for his devoted service to our nation, and I so admired his love of family and friends alike. Just what this world needs more of. 

I am getting concerned about Snappy.. I hope you are just busy or resting, dear. I know you will check in when you can, and I pray you’re not sick. I woke up with the sniffles, but took a Benadryl which helped. Makes me groggy, though. Excuse my typos, please as it also blurs my vision. Are you having any troubling side-effects from the new pills? 

Joy, my prayers are with sweet Suz' and her medical team, bless her! I will send her an e-card along with Gracie's musical Christmas one. I love how she responds! Such a darling child. I hope Jaxon enjoys sitting on Santa's lap. Angela wanted no part of him at that age. Take care with the sciatica and I'm sorry the hot tub is no help. Nerve pain is tricky business. 😟 

Selah, I'm hoping your knee won’t require surgery- just PT to realign and strengthen things. The rub may help with the pain, but that's all it can do. Your step-daughter must truly be in love with this gentleman. You may be helping to plan another wedding soon! Glad you'll have extra time with her daughter. Have they re-established themselves since the terrible Houston flood? So sad, little Anoki's ordeal and I pray the neurologist develops something to help him get his nourishment. His blanket should be shipping by Monday- Tuesday at the latest. It's no bother! This kind of work has always been very relaxing for me. Therapeutic? As well as fulfilling. I haven’t made up my mind on rather to go to Tom’s for Christmas yet. It will depend on how I'm feeling and the weather. I know they understand and won’t be hurt, if I choose to stay home. The family already exchanged gifts after Thanksgiving dinner to place under our trees. In my case, on the table around the little ceramic tree. ☺️ I bet Luke did a stunning job with his lights! 

Dear Issy, thank you for letting us know you're okay! Take care while bustling about with the Christmas shopping. I just know you'll find something very special for little Li-jah. 

With Love, 

Ruth Ann 

[LurkyLoo]

INGREDIENTS
* 10oz package of semi-sweet chocolate chips (milk chocolate or dark chocolate)
* 10oz package of white chocolate chips
* 4 large candy cane (crushed) or candy cane peppermint sprinkles

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Bring about an inch of water to a boil in a saucepan. Set the heatproof bowl in the mouth of the pot, making sure the water doesn't touch the bottom of the bowl. Add the milk chocolate chips to the bowl and stir occasionally as it softens. When the chocolate is completely melted, remove bowl from heat.

2. Pour a thin layer of melted chocolate into each silicone cup (about 1 tbsp each) and place it in the freezer for 15 mins.

3. Meanwhile, repeat step 1 with the white chocolate chips. Set aside.

4. Place the candy cane in a tight zipper bag. Place the bag on a soft hand towel and crush it with a hard object.

5. Remove the chocolate cups from freezer and repeat step 2 with the white chocolate (about 1 tbsp each). Sprinkle with peppermint pieces, (be sure to break it down to different sizes, some should be super grainy and fine while other pieces should be a little bigger).

6. Place it in the freezer for an additional 30 minutes. Easily remove the chocolate cups from silicone mold.

7. Keep remaining chocolate peppermint cups refrigerated.