The Rose

Some say love, it is a river

That drowns the tender reed

Some say love, it is a razor

That leaves your soul to bleed

Some say love, it is a hunger

An endless aching need

I say love, it is a flower

And you, its only seed

It's the heart, afraid of breaking

That never learns to dance

It's the dream, afraid of waking

That never takes the chance

It's the one who won't be taken

Who cannot seem to give

And the soul, afraid of dying

That never learns to live

When the night has been too lonely

And the road has been too long

And you think that love is only

for the lucky and the strong

Just remember in the winter

Far beneath the bitter snow

Lies the seed

That with the sun's love, in the spring

Becomes the rose

My problems seem very small today....

My heart goes out to the family of Steven Curtis Chapman, and especially his son. Another case of why does God allow bad things to happen to good people. I certainly don't have the answer. But I know there is a reason, and a hope, and a lot of people lifting up this family in prayer.

Dad's, listen to Cinderella today, and thank God for your precious children.

The Stronghold

We are back from our third, and unfortunately final, Via Christus retreat. We had a really good, but quite emotionally stressful weekend. Really, at this point I don't have anything I feel like saying. So I will share a few of the pictures I took during solitude and silence time as I wandered the grounds with God.
And a few more candids from around the castle.
Enjoy!

Can I just say I'm sick (literally) of coughing???

Well, I went back to the doctor again. The magic stethoscope concurs that my lungs are really tight. I now have in my possession a new, stronger antibiotic for the bronchitis that won't go away, as well as a 12 day course of prednisone, AND an Advair inhaler for this stubborn asthma attack. Oh, and over the counter Mucinex. And cough medicine with codeine so I can sleep at night.
Did I mention my chest muscles are killing me, my lungs ache and my head feels like someone is hitting it with a hammer every time I cough?
I have to go back in a week.....

I think what I really need is a week on the beach - that would be the best RX ever. And I KNOW it would work.

Sweet Baby James....

James Taylor concert tickets for June 6th and 7th at Ravinia START at $100. For the FAR away lawn seats. Or, you can spend $523 a piece for the 21st row....

Not bad for a guy who began his singing career in the mid 60's.

Yeah, it's my dream concert... but I so won't be going. =(

A dogs life

So, the puppy has hypothyroidism. Not as bad as it could have been, initially they thought he might be diabetic too. But those numbers are ok on the second test. As for the hypothyroidism - it made him whiny, fearful (excessively), unable to track well because it effected his scenting ability. It made him sleepy. And a tiny bit over weight. It also gave him terribly dry skin, and a dull coat, which was the thing that took us to the vet with him in the first place. That's why they did the blood work. I guess he tested at 1 a month ago and it should be 5. Yesterday he tested at 8. So now we have swung the other way and have to back off the meds a little. But I like the weight loss, the lower anxiety level, the fact that he plays again, that kind of thing. I don't like that he has taken to carrying slippers and underwear all over the house again.....
I really don't mind the meds - he takes them easily and they are dirt cheap. But until he's regulated he has to have blood work at $58 a pop. That is not fun. Or insured.
And now they have decided he has a kind of seborrheic dermatitis (so does Kim....LOL) and has to be bathed weekly with a special shampoo..... I'm glad Carissa will be home tomorrow. ;)

Vertigo

Life is on the fast track right now....doctor's visits - both for being sick as well as shots for Haiti, Jen graduating, planting/gardening/yard work, celebratory dinners, church, dealing with a crazy dog that now apparently has hypothyroidism, end of the year stuff at school, way too much laundry, getting ready for my college freshman to come home, and a church retreat this weekend = no time to think, much less post. I don't know if I'm coming or going.

I really need to find a way to simplify my life. What I wanna do is sit in a hammock in my back yard next to the fountain with a good book, a snuggly puppy, and a sweet tea. Oh, and good music. Instead I'm doing all of the above, plus cleaning, meetings, shopping - I feel myself just getting wound tighter and tighter and tighter.

Like the little clown on the string held between two hands that you kept winding until you couldn't wind any longer and then you let it go and it spins and spins, faster and faster, and the only thing that saves it from flying off into space is the string that connects it to the hands.
It finally stops and swings gently; a smile on its plastic face.

My life is about as wound as it can be. It's time for the spinning, the change, the stirring it all up. I'm not ready. I never am. I'm dizzy and disoriented already and the spinning has just begun. But at least I know that God's hands will keep me from flying off into space. And one can only hope that when the spinning stops I will end up swinging gently in that hammock a grateful smile on my face.

How does your garden grow?

I was actually feeling well enough last night to go to the nursery and buy my plants. It made me smile to step out of my car and instantly be surrounded by pansies of every variety and color. I LOVE pansies. I buy them every year because they make me smile. And I kill them by the end of June. It's just too hot - even in the shade, and I occasionally forget to water them. So I just stood and admired the beauty and then I walked on by. Not an easy thing cuz they went on forever, in pots, baskets, hanging baskets.....

So what is my garden gonna grow? Well, theoretically: tomatoes, green, red and yellow bell peppers, bush beans (Blue Lake Bush Bean #274 ) -the only seeds I bought), melons, cucumbers, zucchini (just one plant...), basil, oregano, chives, and cilantro. I say theoretically because I don't even have the garden ready for planting yet, much less convinced my husband to move the whole thing to a new location. Of course, the big challenge will be keeping the dog from eating the plants/vegis......

And I bought marigolds (cuz I can't kill 'em), wave petunias - they spread and are really pretty - for the side yard; geraniums and dusty miller for the big kettle in the front yard; impatiens for the back yard under the trees; sun coleus for the patio pots; a hanging basket for the front porch and a few flowers I can't remember.

I came home tired, but happy. Now I have to find a) the time and b) the energy to plant them. And do the edging, turning, weeding, mulching....

Um, remind me again - just why did I buy all these plants???

The search for true love begins outside the box

OK - I'm being lazy again. I apologize. But I saw a WONDERFUL movie a couple weeks ago and intended to blog about it - then I got sick and all those good intentions went out the window. So, now I'm ready to blog - and here I find a most excellent post by Kathy over at The Carnival in My Head about this very thing.
Now, you all know my brain is currently full of cotton candy, and on top of that, today I got my shots for Haiti and I just wanna do nothing. OK - while that's all true, in reality I'm just lazy. And she said it so much better than I could. Plus she'll get a boost from this link on her technorati! ;) OK - enough rationalization. Sorry. Just go read her post on my new favorite movie - Lars and the Real Girl.
Then, go rent the movie!

The verdict???

.....steroids to try and get the asthma under control, a new inhaler, antibiotics for the infection and a stern warning about caffeine ( I NEED MY TEA) and Sudafed (duh - but it was the lesser of two evils at the time)to get the PVC's under control. And drink, drink, drink.....

Something to keep you occupied til I'm better...

Carissa has declared an art minor - she has applied and been accepted in the Art program at Gordon.
So....what is she up to?
Just a couple examples of sketches she has done recently- these are all sketches and practice pieces:


Quick Sketch of Me by ~ivyrose on deviantART


pancakes by ~ivyrose on deviantART


Lovers on the Beach by ~ivyrose on deviantART



Self Portrait by ~ivyrose on deviantART

and these are older. If you are interested you can find more here - a work in progress.... Unfortunately most of her portfolio pieces are not on line.


Joe by ~ivyrose on deviantART


Mod Bond Girl Costume Design by ~ivyrose on deviantART


iPod Attack by ~ivyrose on deviantART