In yesterday’s post, I mentioned that my friend, M, had lost her father unexpectedly last week.
Well, she received another severe blow.
While traveling home from the memorial service yesterday, her uncle and cousin lost their lives in a car accident.
It is a bitter pill to swallow, and I cannot even begin to imagine her grief right now.
Please lift her family in your prayers and hold her there tenderly and faithfully.
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When I think of how many different things have happened since last week’s Hodgepodge, I am simply dumbfounded. To go from such highs to such lows has been difficult. However, I remain ever grateful for y’all’s prayers for my sweet girl and for us as we continue to grapple with the news of her knee injury.
I found myself very resentful and angry at life (I’m not angry with God) as I watched last night’s live feed of their game…the first in a long line of which Chicky will be sitting on the sidelines. This is part of my grieving process, I’m afraid, and not a pretty side of me. As I showered during the game’s halftime, I heard the Lord speak to me, reminding me the whispered thoughts that I had been hearing were not my own but Satan’s. God doesn’t speak words meant to incite us to anger. His words are TRUTH. The devil only speaks lies. So, the pity/anger party is over.
Oh, and as I was typing this (I always write them the night before), one of Chicky’s “Other Mamas” (another mama who “adopts” your child when you can’t be with them) delivered a hug to my girl after the game. She posted a picture on Facebook, and Chicky was grinning from ear-to-ear. This has done my heart worlds of good and has lifted my dark mood. Praise the Lord for people who stand in the gap!!!
With that frame of mind, I am taking on this week’s round of questions, so kindly and faithfully posted by Joyce. You know the drill…post your own answers and link up with everyone else.
1. When did you last sing happy birthday to someone? When were you last sung to? Does that embarrass you or do you enjoy being the center of attention on your special day?
We had a birthday breakfast for one of my fellow reading teachers last week. She is such a blessing…a brutally honest gal with a heart of gold. I’ll admit that I mouthed the words for my singing is pathetic. I don’t know when I was last sung to. I do not like to be the center of attention for birthday celebrations…especially in a restaurant where people like to “surprise” you with sing-a-longs. No thank you.
2. Name a famous or ‘infamous’ person (living or deceased) who shares your birth day and month. Is that someone you’d like to meet in person if it were possible?
Well, when I googled March 29th, the list was unimpressive. Nobody stood out as someone I’d like to meet one day. Sure, Jennifer Capriati was on the list, but even though I like to watch tennis, I wouldn’t necessarily want to meet her. Yeah. I’m not big into meeting famous people, I guess.
3. Someone hands you a box tied up in a lovely bow…what are you hoping to find inside?
I’d love to find the keys to a new vehicle. My car has been in and out of the shop since January. It’s old, well-traveled, but paid-for. I’m hoping to get a new one in a couple of years, but if anyone wanted to buy me one, well I’d certainly be pleased as peaches!
4. What can you guarantee about yourself?
The first thing that popped into my mind was that I can guarantee that I’ll always work hard at whatever I do. As an overachiever, I don’t know how to do things halfway. I watched my mom do this, and I picked up those habits.
5. Talking art and beautiful cities here…’The Last Supper’ in the Santa Maria della Grazie Abbey in Milan Italy or ‘The Mona Lisa’ in The Louvre, Paris…which would you most like to see up close and in person? Why?
I’d have to go see The Last Supper. I’ve always said that I would like to travel to Italy to take in the artwork and historic sites.
6. Your favorite dessert?
I haven’t baked in a few weeks now…egad! From the baking I did this past summer, I’d have to say that it would be a toss-up between the chocolate pie and the tartlets I made. You’ll have to scroll down my posts to see them because, of course, I shared pictures of both.
7. This coming weekend marks the official start of autumn (in the Northern hemisphere)…what is something you do to get ready for fall? What is one thing you’re looking forward to on your fall calendar? Spring or fall-which do you prefer?
When I get ready for fall, I take stock of my winter shoes and decide if I need to purchase new ones. I live in flip flops most of the year thanks to the warm weather of Florida. It’s almost an affront to put on closed-toe shoes, but the upside is that I get to wear the fancy socks I’ve knit. One thing I’m looking forward to on my fall calendar is Christmas vacation. I will have finished the ESOL class I’m getting ready to start, and the break from school will be good (yeah, I know, school just started, and I really do love my students). If I had to pick one season over the other, I’d pick Spring as my favorite. I love the promise of new plants, a fresh start, and the wind-down of the school year.
Gee…one would think that I don’t enjoy my job, eh? I think I just enjoyed my summer a wee bit too much. heehee
8. My Random Thought
I’ve been a bit self-centered in my last few posts, focusing on my Chicky and her injury, so I thought I’d take a moment to ask you to pray for a dear friend of mine.
The same day that Chicky got hurt, my friend found out that her father had passed away very unexpectedly. “M” is one of the sweetest young ladies you will ever have the privilege of meeting, so it hurts to see her in shock. If you could say a prayer for her, I sure would appreciate it.
Can we also pray that whatever cloud has settled itself upon my part of the world will lift. This has certainly been a difficult week all around.
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Yesterday was not a good day.
I woke up nervous for my Chicky, for it was the day we anticipated receiving the results from the MRI she’d had on Friday.
Her appointment was set for 2pm Eastern time. I am an hour behind, so I sat quietly in my room during lunch, knitting and praying for her.
The angst grew with every passing minute until I was finally able to talk to her.
The news was what we had feared most: her ACL had been completely torn.
Sigh.
I cried with Chicky as she shed tears over the phone.
It.
Was.
Devastating.
She didn’t stay on the phone long, too overcome with emotion to say much.
She didn’t need to talk, for my heart connected with hers in the way that mamas and their children link up.
I felt her pain as it reached out and gripped my soul.
We have been through this disappointment before when she tore her left ACL during her first year of high school.
That news had shattered us, but we had the promise of more years of play.
She came back from that injury and played the next six plus years of her career with sheer brilliance and mastery.
This time is different, because this is her senior year of college.
We are holding out a glimmer of hope that her coach’s petition for red-shirt status will get approved; however, we are realistic enough to believe that this may not happen. Still, who is to say what God has planned.
And so my heart is heavy.
I am trying hard not to say, “It’s not fair,” for to go down that road would open me up to the resentment that would follow, and I will not allow that negativity into my life.
Instead, I am going to focus on the positives:
With all of the positives, I cannot forget the most important one: that Chicky is a Christ-loving, God-serving young woman who has a bright future ahead of her.
I know she is hurting right now, but I believe that at the core of her heart is an attitude of trust in God’s perfect plan for her life.
Her days ahead will be tough, and her recovery will be painful. This I know from the last time; however, I have no doubt that she will face the surgery and rehab with the same gusto and bravery that she has used when defending her team’s soccer goal against some of the fiercest opponents that ran her way.
I continue to trust in God’s promises, and though I am not skilled to understand, I know that He alone is wise, and He alone knows the plans He has for my sweet girl…plans to prosper her.
Chicky, I love you my precious daughter. Hold on to the Lord during these difficult days and trust in His goodness.
Filed under: children, Christian, soccer | Tagged: children, Christianity, parenting, soccer | 6 Comments »
I have a finished project to show off!
I started my newest pair of socks in June but set them down to work on other things.
These are Cookie A’s “Marilinda” from her book Knit. Sock. Love.
I bought the yarn, Casacade Heritage Sock, in Sitka, Alaska during the cruise I went on with the family three summers ago.
The pattern was actually easy. I know it looks complicated. Trust me. It wasn’t.
I did have to frog the first sock when I was the on the heel because I realized that it was going to be too big. I should know myself better. I have a loose tension, and my gauge is always bigger than what the pattern says. Size 0 needles are the way to go for me!
I turned these in for detention in the Harry Potter Knit/Crochet House Cup forum on Ravelry. I’m hoping to collect my ten points for the pair. Woo hoo!
I think these are going be just perfect when the weather turns cooler, don’t you?
Filed under: Knitting | Tagged: Cascade Heritage Sock yarn, Cookie A, Knitting, Marilinda, socks | 1 Comment »
It’s hard to believe that the weekend is just about over, eh?
I don’t have any news on Chicky. Her team’s trainer is going to try to get her into the doctor’s office tomorrow to get the results of the MRI. We probably won’t know anything until tomorrow afternoon.
She sounds okay…her usual annoyed self at my hovering, although I will say that I didn’t call until tonight.
And so we wait…
And pray…
And we continue living our lives, albeit on the edges of our seats, trusting God for His perfect plan to play out.
Thank you for your continued prayers. They are very much appreciated.
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First of all, I would like to thank you for your prayers for my Chicky. It is a comfort to us to know that we have prayer warriors standing in the gap, lifting petitions to heaven.
I thought I would update you on the latest news.
Chicky visited the doctor yesterday, and he ordered an x-ray. The results came back immediately and did not show any damage to the patella or the surrounding bone.
She then underwent an MRI. We won’t have the results until Monday or Tuesday, so we are in a holding pattern until then.
Meanwhile, Chicky is able to walk without the aid of crutches. She’s still in pain, but she is keeping a positive attitude, as indicated by her Tweets.
Her strength inspires me, and her faith is truly admirable. What a wonderful example to everyone who sees her and knows her story.
Please continue to pray. Nothing is not too big for the awesome God we serve!
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This has been a very tough week in many respects.
Work has been extremely hectic.
My house is a wreck.
My nerves are stretched to their breaking point.
Chicky’s appointment with the trainer was somewhat inconclusive. She will be seeing a doctor in the morning and getting an X-ray. Depending on the results, she may or may not get an MRI.
We still have hope for that knee and are praying that God intervenes.
Please keep her lifted in your prayers.
Please pray that the internal swelling, tightness, and pain disappear.
Chicky is trying to be strong, and I am so proud of her.
In her core, she is a fighter…one of the toughest young ladies I have ever known.
Trust can be difficult, though, when you’re challenged in a vulnerable area.
God is good, and we know that His plans are perfect.
Filed under: Christian, soccer | Tagged: Christianity, soccer | 1 Comment »
We serve a mighty God Who can do anything.
I am asking you to pray for my precious Chicky. She got hurt during yesterday’s game…a no-contact injury that was a fluke in nature.
Initial tests are worrisome. She goes back to the trainers later today.
Please pray for God’s healing touch on her right knee.
We saw God use His power when He miraculously healed her shoulder last year (I think it was). She was told she would probably need surgery when she dislocated it. She didn’t. Nothing was torn when the MRI results came back.
Please pray for healing. I know God can do this if He chooses, and I’d love for God to say yes simply because people have knocked down His door, jammed his phone line, filled his email box, and worn out the carpet (due to prayers offered on bended knees).
Please pray, too, for Chicky’s emotions. She’s a strong young woman but understandably nervous.
Thank you, sweet Friends.
I will keep you posted.
Filed under: Christian, soccer | Tagged: Christianity, soccer | 4 Comments »
It is a somber day, as we remember the events of September 11, 2001. The shock and grief have lessened with time while appreciation for public servants, such as emergency workers and the military, has increased. I am so grateful to live in the United States, with the freedoms that come with citizenship.
Now, let’s get on to Joyce’s Hodgepodge.
1. What’s the best thing about growing older?
I really like the perspective I have as a person in her 40’s. It is completely different from when I was in my 20’s. I am learning to let some things go (not everything…they key word being “learning”). I am seeing how immature some people are, and I’m learning to be okay with being a bit removed from that scene. Perspective is a beautiful thing.
2. When did you first feel like a grown up?
I think I first felt like a grown-up the night I brought Chicky home from the hospital. After setting her in her bassinet, I looked around and thought, “This is all on me now.” Becoming a mother became my primary job, and it’s one I have never regretted.
3. Chocolate cake with white icing or white cake with chocolate icing?
The birthday tradition in this family is that people get white cake with chocolate icing. Period. End of story.
4. What’s the nicest thing a stranger has ever done for you?
This is a tough question! One thing that comes to mind is that a couple led the Mr. and me out of Atlanta when we got turned around and wound up in a very deserted but very bad part of the city. It was scary, but they allowed us to follow them to the interstate.
5. What’s something you learned from your grandparents?
I only saw my grandparents a couple of times when they were alive. They lived in Canada and France, so I couldn’t learn anything from them.
6. Wednesday marks a sad day in the history of planet earth-9/11…what’s something you do (or can do) to bring peace to your little corner of the world?
One of my corners of the world is my classroom, and I try to bring peace to it by creating a safe, environment where students feel accepted and cared for. I hope that my students can escape from their crazy lives during their time in my classroom.
7. Share a favorite quote, scripture, or song containing the word peace.
8. My Random Thought
Oh boy, but my life has been b-u-s-y this week, and I’m feeling a bit overwhelmed! We had Open House on Monday night, and I had eight students represented by guardian/parental units. I consider this a victory. Parents seemed happy with what they heard, which was spoken from my heart.
I proudly showed off the bulletin board I’d just finished earlier that morning…
It’s a busy time of the year with new procedures and routines being established. There is a lot of diagnostic testing going on, and the kids are already feeling the pressure. Still, the school year is young and, as always, full of promise. If I can’t be swinging in a hammock on a remote beach, I guess this is the next best thing! 🙂
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On Thursday, the Mr. and I drove to Auburn to treat ourselves to a little bit of shopping before we headed to Georgia to watch Chicky’s team play soccer.
One of the items I purchased was the following bracelet (the one with Auburn etched on it)…
Now, here’s my question for you, because I’m very unfashionable, and I don’t know the “rules.”
Should a bracelet with a picture or writing be worn facing the fingers or the elbows?
Vote via the poll below, and add your comments, if you’d like.
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AuburnChick's Adventures 