I Made My Husband Nervous

Rusty just walked by and got nervous to see me blogging. But I promised I'd be good and he got over it.

Has it really been five months since I blogged? That's unbelievable. And truly, for those of you who follow and want to hear from me, I apologize.

My mother and blind/deaf/diabetic older brother moved in with us mid-December. We've gone from being completely self-absorbed to sharing our lives and our time with loved ones. It's been good. I'm learning new things about the heart of God who constantly challenges me to a closer walk with Him and new levels of grace. Because anyone who has taken care of aging parents knows that it takes grace to keep the "honor they father and mother" challenge but at the same time be put in the role of caregiver. The roles get all messed up. One day I'm saying, "Yes, Ma." the next: "You can't have that, there's too much salt."

Three weeks after moving in, my mom was taken to the hospital where she stayed for five and a half weeks. It was touch and go and we thought we were going to lose her a few times. But God still has purpose for her life. She's been in and out for three months and currently lives at a skilled nursing facility getting rehab. I love telling people Mom's in rehab. They always think Betty Ford. But that's not it, I promise. She's having therapy on her legs and occupational therapy to relearn many of the day-to-day practical things she's lost.

In the meantime, my fifty-something-year-old brother is adjusting to a crazy, busy, disorganized family and I think he truly believes he's here to straighten us out. :) He tries anyway. I'm learning all the things I missed growing up with him. He was a nuisance to me as a kid and a teenager--because, well, he's blind and deaf and to me he was sort of a piece of the furniture. How awful is that to admit? Now, I see him differently. He's funny--really funny. He told Rusty the other day he wanted a million dollars. Rusty said, "You want a million dollars?" He said, "Yeah!" I guess he thought Russ would just hand it over. Rusty said, "Okay, go work and get a million dollars." My brother got the joke. Who knew he got jokes? He spelled out (sign language...because, like I said, blind and deaf), "Rusty, smart." and cracked up that he told him to go to work. I guess it might not be funny unless you know him. But we thought it was hysterical.

GOOD NEWS

After two years off to regroup and refocus and several rejections later, I recently got the opportunity to send a proposal for a Historical fiction novel and DRUMROLL please....It was accepted. Still can't make an official announcement, but I can say, it's exciting to have marching orders (Miss Linda said yesterday. "March is right..one foot before the other by faith..watching and waiting willingly by faith for the things yet to come forth. Have to 'walk' into them and thru them to higher thing.")

So, there's my five-month update. I'll do better. :)