Back from Leakey

We made it home, safe and sound from the beautiful HEB Youth Encampment this weekend. Usually when we go, we stay in Echo Valley but this time we were at Singing Hills. Both are equally beautiful, although Echo Valley is a lot larger. It was quite cold at night and early in the morning but warmed up to be very pleasant during the day. Some of the kids even went swimming in the Frio River--they were crazy--in case you don't know Frio in spanish means frigid...this river is always cold even in the sweltering summertime!

I managed to have a total relapse while I was there so I am down and out with allergy stuff again. I was afraid I might have strep throat because it felt like I had shards of glass in my throat but it is feeling a little better this afternoon so perhaps it is just the garden variety battery acid that goes along with mountain cedar allergies. I have done 6 loads of laundry today and I am still not caught up. I still need to wash the sleeping bags.

We talked to Dad last night and Mom had a pretty good weekend. The doctor from hospice was supposed to come today, so we may get some more news tonight when we call. They took her off the injectable bloodthinner and placed her on an oral one. I don't understand this because I asked her doctor if we could change Mom over to an oral blood thinner because Dad did not like having to give her the injections and he told me "No, she will be on the injectable bloodthinner forever" (direct quote from his email) I guess she has a different doctor now with hospice so he must have a different opinion about the bloodthinner. She is also receiving morphine now to keep her pain free. I have always reacted badly to morphine, so I hope she has a better experience with it.

This week will be a busy one, I need to work at the school, help host a Valentine's party for my daughters class and get the house pulled together (major job!) I also need to take my car back to the body shop, my daughter brushed her suitcase against the bumper while loading the car on Friday and the paint totally came off. There is no way that she could have done that much damage with a soft sided suitcase if the paint job had been done correctly. So I have that to look forward to this week also.

I hope to be able to leave on Friday and go spend a few days at my parents. I normally like to go during the week but just did not work out this time and I feel I need to go spend some time with the folks. Please continue to pray for us. Specifically pray that I get to go on Friday and that my trip is not delayed again. Pray for my Dad to remain healthy and my Mom to remain pain free!