Life isn’t always sunshine and lollipops so I have to warn you, because of some new developments in my life, I am going to have to be REALLY EXCITED about something to take the time out to make a blog post. More on those new developments in a bit because I can barely keep my excitement about some new treasures to myself!!
This week I needed some stress reducing therapy and for me, my home provides just that. Luckily I had recently purchased a few new things and the timing was perfect for some hard work, cleaning, moving furniture and tweaking.
For some time now, I have admired a lamp in my friend Linda Babb’s gorgeous home. You may know Linda as the Primitive Stitcher. Linda’s colonial home is one of my all time favorites! And aside from her home, she is one of the sweetest gals you could ever meet online and I am honored to call her friend!
You can see the lamp on the beside table that I am talking about in Linda’s master bedroom?? 
Linda and I happen to have a sweet friend in common, Kat Joyes. Kat and I met online not too long ago and we just hit it off right away and I am so looking forward to meeting her in person when I head to SC this fall. She lives just minutes from Jill – how cool is that! She and Jill will me meeting soon and I am so excited to hear about it!! Well Kat also has a colonial inspired home that I love and admire too ! Okay, I’ll admit, I drool over both homes. Since Kat also has exquisite taste, she has the exact same light fixture in her gorgeous home…
Can you see why I had to have this 5 arm tin candelabra??
Now that I am a working girl, I saved my hard earned pennies and starting looking for one when Kat found this one at a wonderful store in NC called the Whistling Swan. She is a devote customer and she put me in touch with the store and they shipped the lamp out to me. Thanks Kat for your help!! Like colonial décor? Then click ~here~ to see all the other eye candy that the Whistling Swan carries!
So earlier this week, on my first day home alone in ages, I was giddy with excitement when the brown truck drove up! After several rough days and dealing with some bad news, I was already cleaning and tweaking and in need of some decorating therapy when it got delivered. The timing was simply perfect!
I had to borrow bulbs from other light fixtures and I had to move furniture around but finally, I had it in place… 
I am in love!
That’s my new antique dough box table that it is sitting on. Another reason for my giddiness! I just love this corner. In order to put the dough box table here, the dry sink had to be moved and my antique blue desk had to be moved to make room for the dry sink – and well, the daybed moved to our lower level family room so I have guest suite when needed. You know how that goes, you move one thing and you create a domino effect! I am not sure when I will have time to make a post again, but I hope to have more pictures of all that tweaking the next time.
Now please promise me you won’t try to compare my home to Linda’s or Kat’s– it can’t possibly measure up, but if you want to see more of Linda’s home and find out her big news, you can click ~HERE~! And if you want a little peek of Kat’s home, you can click ~HERE!
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Ever since this sweet little girl with the head full of curls, a smile that makes melts, a heart full of love, and who lights up my life with her hugs and kisses came into our lives almost 2 years ago, I have become pretty adept at managing my time. Helping my folks, caring for her for her 3 afternoons a week, working part time for the magazine at home and ‘on the road’, being the keeper of our home and yard, and spending time with the rest of the family and my friends have given me a wonderfully full blessed life. And just recently I thought to myself - I think I have finally found a good balance.
But then life sometimes has a way of shaking us up and making us look at things in a whole new light. And that is what happened to me recently.
Last week my dear mom had to spend time in the hospital where she was treated for an extremely elevated blood glucose level, extremely low blood pressure, kidney failure and two infections. My sister and I took turns staying with Mom 24/7 because it was all so very upsetting to her. The Alzheimer’s coupled with the very high blood glucose made her very confused. It was simply gut wrenching to see the sheer panic in her eyes every time she woke up after dozing off and she didn’t know where she was or why. It happened over and over and over. It was just awful.
The medical team quickly got her stabilized and because of my nursing background and because my sister would be there every night, she was able to go home in a matter of days. But she went home with the new diagnosis of diabetes and kidney failure and she now needs even more constant monitoring, blood testing and insulin injections ~ something she cannot do for herself. Unfortunately my sister works full time, I don’t live right around the corner from my folks, my job takes me ‘out of town’ periodically and I cannot do the things I need to do for mom with Lili in tow, so careful planning is key to managing all this. A few months ago my sister moved in with my folks and thankfully she works very close to our parents home. That makes it much easier for her an I to work in tandem to test my mom’s glucose levels twice a day, give her an insulin injection at a third time, manage her dietary needs and help my dad with his needs as well. She has taken on the role of caregiver with gusto and she has made it possible for me to sleep at night knowing she is there when I can’t be. She is my hero right now! My parents gave us a wonderful childhood, and have been wonderful grandparents to our children and they deserve the very best life we can give them. We are determined to handle this new challenge with the least amount of stress for them.
I know many of my friends and blog readers are doing the same for their parents or loved ones and understand the time commitment this takes. So if you don’t see me around, you’ll know where I am or who I am with.
And when I need some therapy, I’ll be back to tweaking, taking pictures and sharing it all with you ~ because you all are part of my therapy too! Late at night when I can’t sleep, I grab my Ipad, curl up on the couch so I don’t disturb Mr. Red Door, and sneak into your blogs and online albums and websites. I hope I don’t wake you!
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Today I am thankful for:
My sister Chris
Modern slow acting insulin
Nutritional labels on foods
Simple to use blood meters
And as we move into the Memorial Weekend, I am once again reminded how thankful I am for those who have died in our nation's service, those who served and returned home, and those still serving. Thank you
Until next time – hugs, Linda
