For the longest time Emily and I have wanted to go to Salem to see where her great grandparents are buried and where my dad grew up. Well it’s been well documented that I have a fear of not knowing where I am going so it took my dad volunteering to go with us for us to finally make it to Salem. I have dreamed many times that I have went back there and the place looked exactly the same. Well in real life it has changed a lot! I don’t think I could have found anything without an address. The road from Rolla to Salem was horrible back in the day. Twisty and hilly and I would end up with a really bad headache and trying not to puke. Now almost 25 years later the road has been straightened and flattened so no car sickness. So we discussed going home via St. James as that road is still twisty. And then we drove to the farm. Now the house on the farm that my dad grew up in burned to the ground some years ago and was replaced by a log cabin. My dad brought pictures of how it looked back in the day and the next time he comes over I plan to scan them and reprint them for my scrapbook. He also showed us pictures of the barn that is no longer there. I always envisioned this place in the middle of the road but it was on the corner. I found that interesting because when my grandparents moved to town their house was also on the corner. By the time we got to the farm we were all ready to vomit and said forget going home St. James it’s back the way we came.

Our next stop was the cemetery and yes we took pictures of the gravestones. My dad asked if that was creepy. I said nope we have pictures of Grandpa Millers as well. It’s a mole thing. My grandparents are buried by both of his brothers and their wives. My dad was 20 years younger than his brothers so they have already gone onto heaven. We then discussed what his wishes were when he joins all of them in heaven.

Next stop we found the house in town. The trim use to be green and a car port instead of the garage. So many memories and I can remember exactly how the inside looked. I told Emily a big treat was we always had radishes. She looked at me like I was insane (ok I am) so I said we also had ice cream with fresh peaches or strawberries and candy corn. On my sister and mines birthday she would mail a card. The birthday girl would get 4 dollars and the non birthday girl would get a dollar. It was really really cool and one of my favorite memories. My grandma had pneumonia 7 times one winter (or something crazy like that) and had a breathing machine. Looking back it was probably one of the early nebulizer. Every time I was down there I would work on memorizing the sermon on the mount. I never did get it memorized but can still see the guest bedroom and her bible and the really cool brush she would let us play with.

Our last stop was Aunt Ruth and Uncle Bobs house. They moved to Salem to keep an eye on my grandparents and when they went to heaven my aunt and uncle moved to Arkansas. They both recently passed away. So many memories of all of them sitting around their house talking while my sister and I dozed off. Uncle Bob had a horse and he took us out to the property where he kept it. I can’t remember if we ever rode any of his horses but I do remember petting it.

And that is my trip down memory lane. I had a fantastic time with my dad and Emily. It was a great day. Now some pictures posted in the order that we visited.

Mole moral: My dad is a much better navigator, he didn’t talk super loud and get all excited when we had to turn around or went the wrong way. Unlike my days of screaming during caking!

Every year we go to Brian’s parents house for Thanksgiving as a tradition. When I was growing up we never really did much and certainly never had a turkey. It’s probably one of the reasons I really don’t like turkey very much. Anyway this year Chris (Tracy’s husband) was home from the Army so everyone was there. It was totally out of control. It started with Allyson burping like a boy. Then Tyler starts making farting noises with his armpits. Then to top that off he makes farting noises with his knee. Grandma Judy then tells Tyler that is horrible and Tyler says like you could do any better. Tracy busts out laughing and Emily almost chokes. Chris says to Emily don’t spit anything out of your mouth. She didn’t. Then all of a sudden Kyle dumps macaroni and cheese all over his lap. He manages to get it all scooped up into his napkin and Chris takes it out of his lap. I think they might have fed it to the dog but I am not sure as Allyson chose this time to burp even louder than the first. It was quite the comedy hour.

It was one of the best Thanksgivings ever. Chris’s cancer must be stable. I don’t think he has gotten any better but his cancer hasn’t gotten any worse. He has stage 4 lymphoma. He has one more year of military service and then he can retire. So I said the plan is not to kick the bucket until january of 2016. I am one sick nurse. I know it. But hey if you have terminal cancer why beat around the bush. CR always asks and tells it as it is.

Mole moral: If you have manners and etiquette, you have no business sharing a meal with the moles.

While the world is fixated on the events unfolding in Ferguson after the grand jury decided not to indict Darren Wilson, Bob lost his fight to ALS. Of course with this horrible disease there is no other outcome. It is a death sentence he received a little over 5 years ago. I will admit I did not visit him and haven’t seen him since we went to Texas Roadhouse for dinner. That was probably 2 years ago. Or maybe the last time I seen him was when his daughter’s apartment burned. I was selfish and didn’t go because I couldn’t stand to see his body deteriorate I tried to be supportive of Laura and let her vent and talk in any way she needed. But I did not call her or text her because I didn’t want to bother her and be intrusive. You see this is such an awful thing and it is hard to know what to do.

Bob shared a birthday with my nephew Andrew who passed away at six hours old. I can find comfort in that maybe those two have already met and are sharing communion in Heaven. I also find comfort in knowing that Bob is no longer suffering. He can breathe, eat, move, play and take photos again. He loved photography and was starting up his own photography business when this all started. Maybe we don’t eat it heaven but if we do I hope he is having a seven course meal!

The hard part is for those left behind. His wife Laura, his two boys and his two daughters and every single other person that met Bob. Yes one day they will be reunited in Heaven but for those of us here on earth it will seem like a lifetime while I imagine in Heaven its in a flash. So Bob is the lucky one. He’s now living pain-free while the rest of us are sad and will miss him terribly. Although I am sad he has went to be with Jesus, I am happy his suffering has ended.

May peace be with his family as they make arrangements for his funeral and say their good-byes. I will miss you Bob Stehlin, more than you will ever know!

Mole moral:Always be kind to one another, it could be your last opportunity!

My sister called me today to let me know the end really is near for our friend Bob who has been fighting ALS. She was really upset and usually calls me because my bizarre sense of humor tends to make people feel better and laugh. Well today we somehow got on this memory from our earlier childhood.

I am not sure exactly how old we were at the time but we had to older than 9 and 12 because we were living in our house that my mom bought all by herself. Now this was a pretty unusual thing as she was a divorced woman and the year would have been 1979 maybe. Anyway it must have been summer vacation because I awoken to my sister telling me there was a man in the house. Now my sister is a hypochondriac at times and a big fat fraidy cat. So I told her no there wasn’t and to go back to her room and go to sleep. Then all of a sudden I heard a mans voice talking on our phone. This is back in the day of wall phones with cords so when I carefully peeked out of my room I could see the phone cord stretched down the hallway. I freaked out, but remained calm and did what my mother always told us to do. I got my sister and we went out my bedroom window. Thank God it was on the front of the house and not the back. So we went across the street to the neighbors to call my mom at work. Now my mom remained calm to us on the phone but freaked out because she remembered there being a strange car parked in front of our house when she left for work that morning. So she called the cops and headed home. We watched the cops show up at our house and go in. They then came and got us and said the person had identified themselves as our aunt. (My aunt is a lesbian (the man) but was a huge secret back then because people tended to think that preference preferred kids as well. That is stupid and my aunt only was involved with women but we didn’t share with anyone because no one would be allowed at our house. Oh she did live with us for a year or two but that’s a different story). Ok I will admit that I went just a little nuts. To the point the cop had to restrain me and take me off the front porch. This could have easily been an episode of cops. So when my mom finally arrived and found out it was her sister, she was livid. She had to take off work (not really accepted back in those days) and worry the whole way home that we could have been killed, only to find out it was her sister talking in her butch voice. Let’s just say my aunt did get the scare of her life when she looked up and the cop had his gun pointed right at her head, asking her what she thought she was doing.

As my sister and I were reflecting on this story she was cracking up laughing. I said see I did it again. You called me crying and you hang up laughing. It is a gift from God I suppose. So if you ever need a laugh just call CR, I have many many more of these stories!

It’s been a while since I posted anything. I have been in a not ok place and haven’t even been able to think of anything remotely funny to post. However today on the way to vote it came to me but first what is not ok.

I had to come to terms with the fact that I am not going to run anytime soon if ever. If I try to run more than twice a week, my foot that did not have surgery hurts so bad I can barely walk. I am not happy just running twice a week and my addicted brain immediately starts thinking try a third day and then I’m back in pain. So last week I rejoined the rec center. I previously had a six month membership that expired shortly before my surgery. I never really thought i would have to renew it. However with a choice of another surgery so I can run again or swimming and biking I choose the latter. My goal is no running until January 1 and then if I still can’t pick it up without my left foot screaming I will then consider surgery. My doctor told me that 99% of the time when you fix one foot, it fixes the other. I remember looking at him and saying great you are talking to me the nurse curse queen. And to those of you who say quit running, please think of something you love to do and then let me tell you never do it again. It’s really hard. So anyway with new fitness goals in mind I am getting out of my feel sorry for myself slump.

So today as I am driving to vote I start thinking about how Jesus said it’s not wise for a Christian and a non-Christian to marry. What his advice should have been is a democrat should not marry a republican. If you want to start a fight in our house just mention politics. Today Brian said I see you voted. I said heck yeah I had to negate your vote. He then told me that anyone that supports my party is stupid. I chose not to respond because it would have been a pointless fight. Although I guess it is better to fight about politics than God!

Mole moral If you are a republican marry one and if you are a democrat marry one and your life will be so much easier! And way less fighting about an issue where almost every single person in politics is corrupt!