Complications Set In

Annah and I got home about ten minutes ago. Aunt Jean brought us.
Mom is staying tonight at the hospital with Dad. He's in the cardiac
ICU at Barnes-Jewish in the city of St. Louis! He's very sick!
They did get the pacemaker in, but his blood pressure went very
low again, and then they found blood leaking behind his heart
and had to drain it. They had to stabilize him too. After he went in for
the pm, Mom or we didn't get to see him at all until they were ready to
take him up to ICU. He went in for pm at 3 and about 10, they took
him up. His face is all puffy and swollen, and pale. He's in alot of pain too.
His speech was a whisper, but before we left, he prayed with Annah and
me just like he always does before he goes to bed! He's sooooo weak
right now. I've seen him pretty sick before, but not like this!!!

Please pray that Dad does not get any infection and that his problem
doesn't need to be surgically closed. And also that the fluid in his heart
doesn't accumulate again!!
 Please pray for peace, especially for Mom and for God to provide our needs.

Rebecca

Another Operation

Today Dad is supposed to get his pacemaker. Please pray for God to
guide the doctor's hands and that this will really help Dad. And for our
protection today. We're going to the hospital, and we're expecting
strong storms and also for Chloe. She doesn't like storms. Maybe
she'll sleep through it. After this procedure, Dad's not supposed to move his
left arm for 4 to 6 weeks because it could pull out the wiring inside him and
the doctors would have to go in again and redo it! 4 to 6 weeks without
the use of his arm?! That's going to be tough on Dad!! But the doctors
are planning to put his arm in a sling for a couple weeks, thankfully. That
will help. Dad's been cheerful and looks forward to us visiting him.
He gets fidgety too, but thankfully, he's allowed to get up and walk
around, which is a highlight to him.

Appreciate your prayers and thoughts. Rebecca

Dad's Operation

Mom, Annah, and I got home 30 minutes ago.Thank you all for your prayers
 and  thoughts. Dad's procedure went very well.
The hole was closed successfully! While in recovery, Dad had to lie still for 8 hours-
who? Dad? Yep. He had to. When we came back from lunch at the cafeteria,
Mom went in to see Dad, but his cubicle was full of doctors and nurses. Thankfully,
he's okay, but at the time, his blood pressure dropped very low, he was sweating,
feeling light-headed, and dizzy. They had to pull off his tubes and apply major pressure
to his legs. We saw him a while later, and he was tired. Once his 8 hours were up,
and he was able to walk around and sit up, he was much perkier. He's in a regular
room now. I felt sad leaving him. Dad's been in the hospital before and had a few
overnight trips, but the hospital he's in is 1 hour away from home and it's in the
city of St. Louis. So it feels like he's far way.

He has to stay at the hospital until Tuesday when they're supposed to give him a
pacemaker. After that, they'll probably have to keep another 24 hours. So, most
likely he won't come home 'til Wednesday. He needs a pacemaker because his
heart rate is low.

The doctors and nurses were very friendly, caring, and seemed to be skillful too.
Thank God for them.

But we've been awake since very early this morning and we were at the hospital
all day, so we're very,very tired!

Good night. Thank you for your prayers. Still need them though.

Rebecca

My Birthday Celebration

Friday was my 22nd birthday. Annah and I spent most of the day cleaning the
house for my party in the evening, Mom and Dad were still getting my presents.

We had one of my favorite foods: pizza! I was given a new volleyball for my
birthday, so when our company came, we played volleyball, one of my top
favorite sports.

We had the Burney family over to our home for the first time, and the Wilkersons
came too. We had barrels of fun! It was late at night though, so the Wilkersons
left before I opened my presents. I waited so long because we were all having
such a good time.

I am very blessed. I had a wonderful birthday!!!

We didn't attend Nora's 2nd birthday party. But we made a cake just the same.
 Jennifer hasn't planned a family one  yet, so on Saturday Mom, Annah, and I
 went thrift store shopping and garage saling as part of my birthday celebration.

We had lunch at McDonald's.

Annah gave me my volleyball early in the day so we could use it later in the game.

Mom and Annah gave me some beautiful pink roses.

Game time!

Brittany Burney took these photos, then joined the game.

Rachel Wilkerson and others playing piano.

Elijah Burney and Daniel Wilkerson

Daniel & Ben

My cake

Brittany lighting my candles

Happy Birthday!

Chloe doing tricks for treats. Here she is doing a new trick she's learned: bow.

Annah & Brittany

Playing Apples to Apples, another one of my favorite games, especially with a big group.

Bobby is trying judge.

Annah's turn

Some people put down such funny cards.

Awaiting the judge's decision.

Annah trying to help Jedidiah

Bobby

Jedidiah trying to make a choice

Brittany

Time for presents, finally.

The Wilkersons taped a five-dollar bill to one of their gifts. I'm trying to get it off.

Spices

The Wilkersons also gave me Reeses: my top favorite candy!

Mom and Dad also gave me The Big Book of Cookies.

Notebooks! I love to write and draw.

The Burneys gave me a neat gift to put together: a wax warmer.

Nora's birthday cake. Annah made it.

Isn't it cute?

"For the Lord is good; His lovingkindness is

everlasting and His faithfulness to all generations."

Psalm 100:5

Uncle Don

It's 5:20 A.M. we got a call about an hour ago that Uncle
Don, Mom's oldest brother and sibling, has died. We got
a call at 3:30 that he was having a heart attack. We've
heard he didn't make it to the hospital, that he died in
the ambulance. I still can't believe it.

Mom's other brother, Michael died three years ago.

Please pray for the James family, Mom's side of the family.

Holding Baby George at Christmas '11

Fried Pork Chops

I said months ago I was going to share this recipe. Sorry it took me
this long. Anyway, there's several choices you can make for your
breading: crushed cracker crumbs, bread crumbs, Andy's Seasoning,
or even instant potato flakes. If it isn't already, season and mix the seasonings
into your breading before you use it, basically salt and pepper.

You'll need 1 egg yolk beaten in a bowl and you'll need thawed pork chops.

Pour 1/2 inch of oil in frying pan and put on a little over medium heat. Dip
your pork chop into egg yolk and turn over so both sides are coated. Next,
dip pork chop in breading, and turn over. Make sure both sides are coated well.

Place pork chop in frying pan. Repeat with all the bits of meat. after 5-10 minutes,
turn meat over. Turn meat about every 10 minutes until the meat is white inside and
doesn't bleed, and outside is golden and crisp. Place on a serving platter.

It's one of my favorite foods. My mouth waters it it cooks in the kitchen and
the scent fills the house!

Hope yours comes out like this for you. Enjoy!

Continued Prayer

Let us continue to pray for this family: Alex and Anna Nikolayev and their
5-month-old son, Sammy. They still need our prayers so very much.

"The Lord executes righteousness and justice for all who are oppressed."

Psalm 103:6

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to moms everywhere, especially to all
the special ladies in my life, but most all, to our own, sweet,
loving mother!

"Who can find a virtuous woman?

For her price is far above rubies."

Proverbs 31:10

Good News

Well, Dad and Mom went to see a different cardiologist yesterday
and they were so pleased with the visit. We were called today and
he is able to fix Dad's hole through a cardiac catheter instead of
open heart surgery!!! That's great. And we already have it scheduled for the
24th of May! Thank you for your prayers. We still need them, of course,
but we're happy with the final answers we've gotten.
Dad's actually seemed stronger lately and able to do more.

Happy 50 and Happy Birthday

An older couple in our church, Ray and Judy Baumann's 50th
wedding anniversary is next week, but they're leaving town today.
So we made a cake for them and brought it to church yesterday
and Mom made Judy a beautiful corsage too.

Mom pinning the corsage on

The happy couple

Samantha's birthday was last week but we had her party at our house in the evening

yesterday. I'm glad she had a good time. Nora was a little bubble of excitement.

Mom and Nora admiring the cake

Happy birthday!

Samantha wanted to serve everyone her birthday cake.

Vanilla ice cream and homemade chocolate chip cookie

Time to open presents!

Nora helping big sister

Nora is fascinated by the little yellow roses.

Annah made Samantha this beautiful blanket!

Of course, Nora eneded up with the balloon. She was rubbing people's faces with it.

Looking at pictures on the computer with Dad

Playing "Hot Potato"

"The Sovereign Lord will make righteousness and praise spring up."

Isaiah 61:11