May 25, 2014

Wonderful Sunday, With a

Little Sadness Thrown In

Sunday May 25, 2014

Again I am writing this a day late, but wanted to do it separate from today which I hope to get written up before the day is over.  This is Memorial Day weekend, a time when we honor the men and women who have died fighting to protect our country and those in other countries who are in danger.  Americans historically care about people in other countries who are in danger.  Often when that happens somewhere around the world, or service men and women leave their homes to go help out.  Sometimes those who feel they are in danger come to America's doorstep.

Growing numbers of people are fleeing the drug wars in Central America and heading north - to America.  Just recently "the Department of Homeland Security chief declared an emergency at the Rio Grande Valley border, after he visited the Border Patrol station in McAllen where he saw childredn packed inside the station.  A recent surge in unaccompanied youths, mostly from Central America, prompted Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson to declare a level-four condition of readiness in the Rio Grande Valley, according to a report...in the New York Times." the Brownsville Herald May 18, 2014

America does all it can to help the hurting around the world.  Often our service men and women have paid a price with their lives as they try to help people in other countries find safety in their own land.  Sometimes, those people must flee their homeland to find safety.  Along the southern border of our country right now, that is happening.  All that can be done to help these children is being done.  It kind of brings into perspective what our soldiers fight for around the world.  We have all seen news photos of our American soldiers trying in many ways to make the lives of  children better in other countries where they are serving.  Now those in need of safety are coming to our border. 

At church, in our Sunday School class, there was a lot of discussion of those current needs.  In the church service there was also information shared about the crisis.  Many are helping.  Many are praying.  Many are the needs.

My brother and his wife had come to see my mom for the weekend and were at church yesterday morning.  That is the only time I got to see them.  They were heading home after a quick lunch and we weren't ready to go when they left church.  Our son Jeff was locking up the facility after the services to fill in for one of our staff members who was out of town.

Ron and I went with Jeff's family to a Bar-B-Que place called Buddy's, for lunch.  We had a good lunch and a good time.  I was seated beside our youngest grandson and he kept wanting to whisper things in my ear.  That doesn't work with a Cochlear Implant.  He would cup his hand and speak softly, but I was not getting his secret messages.  Most of them were requests for more food or ice cream, or toys from my purse (that had no toys in it).  After looking at the menu price for Ice Cream, I invited them to all come to our house for ice cream since I could serve all eleven of us for the price of two servings at the restaurant.  The kids got their ice cream and then scattered to our play rooms. 

I have mentioned before that my two oldest granddaughters leave signs that they have been here. I had not made my bed before going to church yesterday and when I went to bed last night, I saw my granddaughter had made my bed.  Is she a jewel, or what??  They also took the beanie babies and added hats and assorted accessories to them and left of row of them in the window.  I love those girls!

The family stayed all afternoon visiting and napping.  We had a nice time together and I am so glad we were able to get together. 

They are growing up too fast!  One of the reasons they wanted to come over was to see the baby woodpecker.  Sadly, the photo at the top is the last we saw the baby.  I took that photo Sunday morning before we left for church and when we got home after lunch we never saw it.  I have mentioned before that some stray cats hang around and we don't know if that is what happened - a cat.  Both male and female Golden-fronted Woodpeckers spent much of the day by the hole, or in the hole, or just a ways above the hole in the tree.

The mother bird has spent hours by the hole.  It is so sad.  I know that in the animal kingdom, things like that happen, but I will miss that little bird.  It has brought hours of joy to me and delighted many of my facebook friends as they have watched the videos of the baby growing in size and confidence.  It may have gotten brave enough to get out of the hole and couldn't protect itself.

The parent Golden-fronted Woodpeckers appear to be grieving the loss of their baby.  I will miss it a lot, too. 

Ron spent time with his mom during the afternoon and then during the evening we relaxed and read and did a little yard work. 

As for my hearing, I did well in church.  I was able to hear all of the preacher's sermon which was well prepared and very good.  I used the cable that goes from the sound processor to the transistor radio that the church uses for the hearing impaired.  At lunch, the restaurant was not too busy so I did fine other than not being able to hear the whispers from my grandson.  At home I did fine.  I do start to get a very tinny sound to my voice and to the voices of others when there is a lot of background noise going on.  I will be going back to Houston in a couple of weeks and we will see if any adjustments can be made.