Dear Friends and Blogging Buddies:

Just when I thought I was back, I have to take another hiatus.

If I was sitting where you are and reading this, I would wonder if it was legit and true.  Or is this person (meaning me) making all this up?  How could all this be happening?  Just losing my Mom and now this.  The answer is, it is true and I only wish it was a bad dream.

I feel like I am a character in a novel except I’m not.  I wish I could put this story aside in the DNF pile or even turn to the last page to see how the ending turns out.

I am writing this to let you know the situation for 3 reasons.  One, why once again, I won’t be participating in the daily memes that I enjoy and visiting blogs to see what everyone else has written or received, such as Mailbox Monday.  I will be, however, scheduling some posts to be published ahead of time because I have made commitments for Guest Author showcases and giveaways.  The second is that I may not be responding to emails because I will be away from my computer for lengthy periods of time. The third, and most important, is I ask for a favor and that is, if you believe in prayer, I ask that you pray that on Wednesday my husband’s surgery is successful.

This past Tuesday, it was determined that my husband had a significant brain bleed and is exhibiting stroke like symptoms.  Due to the fact that he has aspirin in his system, but is stable, surgery was postponed until Wednesday.  After observing him in the hospital for 2 days, they felt he was stable enough to send home for me to watch him for any changes in signs and/or symptoms. If so, then surgery will be immediate.  Wednesday he will have a craniotomy (a portion of the skull will be removed to remove the large area of blood pressing on his brain). We are hoping that because of his age, 56, that he will get back the residual symptoms he is now showing and that no more damage is caused.  Needless to say we are all frightened but we all believe in the power of God and prayer.  So I ask, if you believe too, please keep him in your prayers for a positive and successful outcome.  I will try to update you towards the end of the week.

Hi Everyone:

Yesterday afternoon at approximately 2:30pm, my Mom lost her battle to kidney failure and I lost my Mom.  Unfortunately it was not the peaceful end that I had prayed for, but both her and I, were surrounded by our cousin, who is a Priest, and Ellen, the Chaplin at the Nursing Home who both prayed over her during her final hours and spoke such comforting words that  made the transition from this world to the next just a bit easier.

The final hour of her life, is a vision that I will never forget but only hope that she knew that I was holding her and trying to offer her as much comfort as I could as she began her journey.  As she took her last breath, even at my age, I had this overwhelming feeling of being lost, of being an orphan.

The next couple of days I have so much to do but am so numb that I don’t even know where to start.  Arrangements need to be made today, flights checked so that we can fly my son in from out of state, paperwork, etc, but I just can’t seem to organize myself due to feelings of numbness and the visions I have from yesterday, something I don’t think I will every forget, even being a former nurse.  My sister, who is handicapped and very religious, is doing so well.  Matter of fact, better than me and I am so very proud of her.

To those that still have your Moms, take time today to spend some time with her, call her, go out to lunch, visit and hug her.  To those that don’t, talk to her anyway, I believe our Moms will continue to watch over us.

Rest In Peace Mom, You are already missed and I Love You.

It was 10 years ago today, the world we knew changed.  I remember it was a glorious beautiful day.  My oldest son, Paul, was at college.  My youngest son, Mark, was in HS.  My husband at work.  My plans for the day was to start on another room for fall cleaning, after I finished my coffee while I sat at the computer in our family room, reading my email and watching the Today show.  And then it happened.  I called my son at college and told him to turn on the TV and to stay in his dorm, not to move.  The second tower was hit.  I kept trying to reach my husband with no luck.  That’s when I started to panic as he works for a company that has government ties.  I remember not knowing if I should go pick up my youngest son but I remember that I felt that I couldn’t move from the TV and then the Pentagon was hit.  My son at college called me with extreme terror in his voice, asking me what was happening, what should he do, what was going to happen, what did this mean?  All questions I had no answers for and I still couldn’t reach my husband.  I told Paul to stay in his dorm as I felt it was the safest place and I would let him know if we would be coming to get him.  Then it was the heroes in Shanksville Pennsylvania.

When my youngest son walked through the door he was physically shaken and pale.  The fear written on his face.  We just sat on the couch with my arms around him and watched the images on TV.  After hours of trying to  reach my husband, he called, relief, he was ok.  However, some of his coworkers that he knew, were on the first plane that hit the towers.

I remember, for days, I hardly left the couch, watching the TV trying to process what had happened, how could this happen, what this meant, what those families were going through.  Those days following are a blur.    Today, 10 years later, it is as vivid in my mind as it was that beautiful day in 2011.  But today is in remembrance of those who lost their lives, and their families, because of a senseless act of hate of innocent people

Hi everyone.  Just wanted to give you an update.  It’s approximately 7:45am and we are anxiously awaiting for what Irene has in store for us.  Right now as I watch CNN, I am concerned about my family and friends in the Philly area where it seems to be doing it’s damage, then onto CT where my other son is.  We are supposed to get the brunt of it later this afternoon.  But if what is happening outside is any indication, we are in for a wild ride.  The winds are already very gusty and picking up with heavy down pours.  We are quite concerned about flooding, loss of electricity and house damage but have prepared as much as we can and now we wait, which is always the hardest part.  For those in Irene’s path, stay safe.  And those who aren’t, please say a prayer for those who are.  Will be online as soon as I can.

Hi everyone.  Just wanted to give you an update.  It’s approximately 7:45am and we are anxiously awaiting for what Irene has in store for us.  Right now as I watch CNN, I am concerned about my family and friends in the Philly area where it seems to be doing it’s damage, then onto CT where my other son is.  We are supposed to get the brunt of it later this afternoon.  But if what is happening outside is any indication, we are in for a wild ride.  The winds are already very gusty and picking up with heavy down pours.  We are quite concerned about flooding, loss of electricity and house damage but have prepared as much as we can and now we wait, which is always the hardest part.  For those in Irene’s path, stay safe.  And those who aren’t, please say a prayer for those who are.  Will be online as soon as I can.

FYI…THERE IS A POSSIBILITY THAT MY ACCOUNT WAS JUST HACKED INTO.  I HAVE CHANGED MY PASSWORD IMMEDIATELY.  HOWEVER, IF YOU SEE ANYTHING AND/OR RECEIVE ANYTHING FROM ME THAT YOU KNOW I WOULD NEVER SAY AND/OR DO, PLEASE NOTIFY ME ASAP SO THAT I CAN LET THE OFFICIALS KNOW.  THANK YOU.  AND I APOLOGIZE IF THIS CAUSES ANY INCONVENIENCE.