Pacific Coast Rest-Stop

[Shann]

I take my BooYah back...just realized that I have pretty much run out of time to get an entry together. Gahhh

Even as I write this there is a little over 2 hours til the deadline and the latest I ever started a story was one hour before so you have lots of time Tiara!

I'm very grateful to be here typing this am. I was in a lot of pain and couldn't sleep last night. I was toting Amy at 3 am my time when I heard a loud pop and saw some flashes literally inches from my head. I screamed and Chris came in to find a cord writhing on the floor much like a snake except it popped and sparked. He disconnected the electricity to the surge outlet and was able to unplug it. The cord had been completely severed --burned off! As far as I know there were midwater cords. Yesterday I saw a spark and thought because I was wet from coming in from walking the dog in the rain that when I unplugged my iPod I dripped water which caused the spark. I was wrong. It was so scary and had the pain med and the sleep med worked I would have been conked out and most likely not awaken in time. God was watching over us and today I give him thanks for loving me enough to give me severe enough pain to keep me and Chris safe. What an awesome God!

[lauralnm]

I take my BooYah back...just realized that I have pretty much run out of time to get an entry together. Gahhh

Even as I write this there is a little over 2 hours til the deadline and the latest I ever started a story was one hour before so you have lots of time Tiara!

I'm very grateful to be here typing this am. I was in a lot of pain and couldn't sleep last night. I was toting Amy at 3 am my time when I heard a loud pop and saw some flashes literally inches from my head. I screamed and Chris came in to find a cord writhing on the floor much like a snake except it popped and sparked. He disconnected the electricity to the surge outlet and was able to unplug it. The cord had been completely severed --burned off! As far as I know there were midwater cords. Yesterday I saw a spark and thought because I was wet from coming in from walking the dog in the rain that when I unplugged my iPod I dripped water which caused the spark. I was wrong. It was so scary and had the pain med and the sleep med worked I would have been conked out and most likely not awaken in time. God was watching over us and today I give him thanks for loving me enough to give me severe enough pain to keep me and Chris safe. What an awesome God!

As I read your post this morning, it gave me the chills. That was our God in action. Wow! I'm not often speechless, but your account of what happened shut me right up. I thank God that the circumstances were just such that nothing other than what happened could have occurred. That sentence is extremely awkward, but so be it. I too praise God for how He worked in your lives and you are here to tell us about it. Love 'ya! blessings... laura

[Ms. Barbie]

Wow Shann! I got chills too! I don't understand how that could have spontaneously happened!

God sure is watching out for you!

[Shann]

CONGRATULATIONS LAURA ON YOUR FIRST PLACE RIBBON IN LEVEL ONE! HAPPY DANCE!!

[lauralnm]

Awwww, shucks, Shann. Thank you so much! I'm still in disbelief but honored. blessings in Christ, laura

[Shann]

I don't just do a happy dance for anybody! Speaking of anybody...Oh where oh where has my little pup gone? Oh where oh where could he be? With his ears cut short and his tail cut long oh where oh where could he be? All together now!

Also where has Mr Bird gone? We are quite a menagerie here. Jay, where you at?

[Ms. Barbie]

Yay Laura- You're movin' on up!

[JesusPuppy]

I don't just do a happy dance for anybody! Speaking of anybody...Oh where oh where has my little pup gone? Oh where oh where could he be? With his ears cut short and his tail cut long oh where oh where could he be? All together now!

Not such a good week, but on the good side... Doctor Who has started back up. A blessing midst the sorrows of life, I guess.

[Shann]

Ahh I'm sorry Pup. I think u should call in sick and go to Amy's b-day party tomorrow. I had bought a plane ticket and was going to fly out and surprise her when it was in August but then she cancelled it and I couldn't exchange the ticket. But it's just as well anyway cuz she never even invited me, I was just going to crash t5he party. Oh well who needs to worry about wasting a thousand bucks on a plane ticket these days anyhow. I mean the money is just pouring in but still she cancelled it and totally wrecked my surprise. Sometimes I just can't help myself teehee

[lauralnm]

I don't just do a happy dance for anybody! Speaking of anybody...Oh where oh where has my little pup gone? Oh where oh where could he be? With his ears cut short and his tail cut long oh where oh where could he be? All together now!

Also where has Mr Bird gone? We are quite a menagerie here. Jay, where you at?

I'm even more honored now, Shann. Thank you so much for your encouraging words.

BTW, I absolutely love your sense of humor. It is contagious.

And Ms. Barbie... thank you for your encouragement. It means a lot to me. blessings to all... laura

[tonguethaid]

Congrats Laura- nice work!!

Shann- crazy crazy story. SO glad you were awake!

Pup- Asylum of the Daleks!!

On a side note my sister and I started a blog we are co-authoring. If any of you want to check it out. We are still working on the subscription part...I'm sure you will want to bookmark it anyways

http://linedpapergeekery.com/wp/

[Sparrow]

I did too invite you, Shann. I sent an open invitation to all of you on here and I meant it. Would love to have you all there. And I love how the airplane ticket is growing exponentially in price every time you tell this story. You almost made me doubt my conviction that you were teasing me when you gave me an exact number of your ticket that was like $871 or something. But if it had been $412 I would have believed it more because you can usually get them for less if you keep watching. We only paid a little for ours out there because Mom had a bunch of miles and a coupon. And of course in your story to me you had used your last cent and would be eating noodles for the next three weeks.

I am headed to bed and am excited about the party but for some reason my pain levels are very high today. I have been trying not to over do it in getting ready and have been laying down a few times a day, so I don't know what my back is so mad about. My shoulder has been flaring again this week for no apparent reason, too, so maybe the pain is unrelated to party prep.

A friend is coming a couple hours early to help clean, and I had to basically force Mom to not stay up all night to do it all before she got here. I get that it's embarrassing to have someone come if the house is disgusting, but we've been able to keep up most things reasonably well with the smaller house (that's one blessing of being squeezed in here), so it's not bad at all (except maybe the mildew in my shower since my shoulder won't let me scrub, but no one will look there). And I get that it's really hard to ask for help. But I don't really get why it's so hard to accept freely offered help when we've all been chronically ill for the last five weeks. Anyway, I think I talked Mom into letting Jenna help with the few dishes that are left in the morning, at least.

We're blessed that Mom is feeling well enough and that Dad is willing to do the shopping (or drive me) that we've needed and to help with everything else. I tried to make it as low-stress as possible with being in the middle of the afternoon so we don't need main course food, and asking people to bring snacks to share instead of a gift. So basically we only have to provide cake, drinks, and paperware.

We went to World Market today and got napkins that look foreign and some candies from other countries. I have all sorts of nicknacks I've picked up or been given from all over the world that I'll scatter around, and if I have time I'll print out some scenes from other countries or flags or something. I'll post pictures!

[cdawson41]

Hello all, just wanted to drop in and say. I've been out of the loop for sometime now.
Wish I could give you all a good reason but really there isn't one. Between pain, and getting ready for a garage sale, and starting Christmas projects as I refuse to buy gifts anymore, they get somehing I've made or they get nothing at all. I will asmit here to you all that my faith has taken a huge nose dive and I don't know why.. I suppose it's because all that is going on and it so feels like God has forgotten I exist. I know this to be untrue in my head but my heart is telling me otherwise. Maybe if you all have time you could send up a bit of a prayer for me. I need to get out of this funk but this time I'm having a hard time trying to rebound fro it all. Hope everyone is well will try to catch up on reading soon. Cynthia

[Verna]

Just flying across the country for a quick "rest-stop" on the Pacific Coast to congratulate Laura, to check on Pup, and to tell Shann what a wonderfully encouraing person you are!

[Ms. Barbie]

Amy, your party sounds like so much fun- wished I lived closer to be able to come!

Yesterday, my niece and her family made it safely to their new home in North Carolina. They left Colorado Springs on Sunday and arrived couple hours before the time to meet at the realtor's office in Raleigh, North Carolina,for closing of their new house. It almost did not come together, after weeks of problems, but did at the last minute!
They spent the night in the bare house and expect the furniture and other belongings to arrive on Sunday- if all goes well.