Thankful Mom of Five, Adoptive Mom of Two Ukrainian Beauties and Bereaved Mom

         Toda I am thankful that we are going camping for a few days.  We purchased a new camper at the end of last season.  We used it  only once so this will be our second time using it.  Dan grew up camping, I did not!  But I have grown from tolerating it  to really enjoying it! The fact that I have an air-conditioned camper with comfy soft beds, a toilet,  and a TV/Dvd player, makes me enjoy being there.  We almost always go to state parks or federal parks.  It is nice to get away as a family.  We usually eat out most meals.  I have hamburger patties and salad for the first night and,  pancakes and cereal for the next day breakfast.  We'll probably buy steaks for dinner one of the nights and maybe corn on the cob! II prefer to eat out! The weather is supposed to be very hot so I am glad our camper is air-conditioned!  There us a huge water slide at the park!  I'll watch!!  There is also lots of wildlife to see. And there are boat, canoe, and kayak rentals.  We usual

         Today I am thankful that Dan and I went to the casino last night. We go every few months!  We take $40 each, play the slots and lose it, get a free soda, and leave! I think of the slot machines as money eaters!  I look around and see all of the fancy furnishings and fixtures, and think that it takes a ton of money to run the casino.  And the money is coming from the gamblers losing their money!!Dan and I go for fun, hoping to win, but knowing that we'll probably lose what we put in the slot machines.  It goes so fast!        I am also thankful for the sweet rose plant that my friends Jackie and Carol gave me as a get well gift.   It is just starting to bloom and looks so pretty  I am so fortunate to have good and kind friends! Life would be so dull and boring without friends.  Of course, everyone  needs family and that is super important but I would be lonely without my close girlfriends! We get together to celebrate each other's birthdays and I always

        Today I am thankful that Olivia is back home safe and sound.  Her boyfriend drove her home last night.  He looked really tired, I am not sure why they left so late and he was driving back down the shore after he dropped her off.  I told him to sleep here and get up early and go back to the shore.  His mom made his brother and girlfriend ride with him to make sure he stayed awake.  His parents seem really nice.  They treated Olivia to dinner and boardwalk rides the whole time she was there, and they had a ton of people there! They have four kids, the youngest son is in high school and the oldest two are out of the house living on their own with a child.  Each of their four kids had a spouse or significant other staying with them!         I am also thankful that I got to see my niece Erica today.  Erica and I see the world from the same viewfinder! I was at PT this morning.  When I got home, I cleaned the kitchen and put in a load of wash.  Then I played my phone messages.  Eric

        Today I am thankful for the piriformis  stretches that Priscilla sent me. I am going to try the exercises and hope they will work! I never knew about the piriformis muscle until it started bothering me. I go to PT two or three times a week but it doesn't seem to help much! Yesterday the physical therapist   ground his elbow into my buttock to try to relieve the pain but it barely helped.  He kept telling me to relax!!How do you relax when someone is grinding their elbow into a painful raw nerve that is throbbing?? If I had a gun, he would have been dead!!I have been in pain for weeks and the only thing that works is taking Motrin.  I am not supposed to take Motrin because of Pancreatitis.  I guess there is a correlation with taking excessive Motrin and pancreatitis. I try not to take it but some days I just need to take it.  I understand drug abuse because when you are in extreme pain, you just want some relief.  Pain is debilitating.  You just have to take it easy and

       I am  thankful that my daughters really love each other and are close to each other. Last night Olya went  over to  hang out at Renee's house!  She went to Renee's house for dinner. Renee made a vegetarian dinner last night.   I have to ask Olya if she ate some of the fresh baked bread that Renee purchased at the bread shop we went to in the morning.. They are ten years apart in age but as they each get older, the years between them seem to disappear. Olya has been my second easiest child, Amy was my first easiest child. Whenever Olivia sends Renee a smart aleck or bossy text message, Renee sends her a hissing cat video or photo.  It cracks Olivia up!        Olivia is back down the shore with Frankie's family. She is using Amy's PSU Equestrian Team duffle bag.  I want to keep it in great condition. I take extra special care of Amy's PSU team bag.  The bag is very special to me because Amy LOVED being on the PSU Equestrian Team. When you lose a chi

        Today I am thankful that I got to hang out with Renee and window shop.  Renee called me this morning and asked me what I was doing.  I told her that I was going to lunch with my friend Deb L at 12:30.  She asked me if I wanted to walk around the town of Wayne and shop and get tea.  I was going to dye my gray roots but I would much rather spend time with Renee.  So I jumped in the shower and left to meet her with wet hair.  We window shopped and went into a few small stores and then got tea.  It was a lovely morning and a beautiful day to walk around! I'd rather have gray roots and time with Renee! We stopped in a bread store and sampled some different types of bread and Renee bought a loaf of fresh baked white bread for Adam.          After I left Renee, I stopped home and then went to meet my friend Deb for lunch.  We both lost our middle children. Deb is such a sweet and thoughtful person.  I love to hang out with her. After lunch, I went home and started baking cupcak

         Today I am thankful for my book club meeting last night!  It was so much fun! My friends Jackie and Carol brought me a beautiful rose bush plant for my hospital stay!  It was totally unnecessary but totally appreciated and lovely!  We discussed  Little Fires Everywhere.  I loved the book!  I had snacks and drinks and wine, but everyone always brings food!  It is always about the food!  I think we had eight members last night.  We had a great book discussion!  And then we moved onto politics.  We all can't stand Trump! We have such great ideas and plans.  If only we  could run the country!  We are all shocked that no one has tried to assassinate Trump, there are so many crazy hotheads out there! I think Trump must be well protected.          Earlier in the day, Dan and I went to Adam and Renee's country club for brunch with Adam's parents.  I really had a nice time even though I was full from the night before and couldn't eat! We chatted and laughed for about t

     Today I am thankful for the wonderful day we spent yesterday.  We went to a restaurant to celebrate Renee and Adam's birthday with about 25 people!   Adam's parents and his brother Dan and his girlfriend came.  Renee and Adam and his brothers and wives/girlfriends and parents are all going on a trip to Lebanon in August.  Renee is excited because she has never been there! Walid's family, Adam's father, owns a huge hospital in Lebanon. It was nice to see all of them. Renee married into a lovely family!  After lunch we all went back to Renee and Adam's house for a large party.  I am guessing about 50 people were at the party!  There was so much food.  There were trays and trays of wraps, sandwiches, fruit, and vegetables.  A huge tray of sushi was demolished in an hour!  I am not a sushi lover or liker so I didn't help eat any of that tray! There were so many desserts that it was difficult what to choose to eat so I sampled many!! Their birthday cake was f

     Little Yikes!  Today was the first day that I fully shampooed and used conditioner on my thin hair.  I am still shedding a bit but I am thankful that I still have most of my hair.  I shampooed lightly the other day and a few small clumps came out.  That was not a good sign. I still envision myself with a shiny, bald head on my pillow in the morning. Today I fully shampooed and conditioned and put in some product for straightening.  I am not going to use heat yet!! My drain got clogged from hair shedding but no clumps came off in my hands!!!!The name of the conditioning treatment that caused all this is AFFIRM. It should say we  affirm that you will lose hair!!!       Today we are going out to lunch to celebrate Renee and Adam's birthday,  Their birthdays are only a few days apart.  Adam's parents and brother and family are coming and it will be nice to see all of them. I got them a few small things and Amazon gift cards.  Adam likes Amazon a lot!  Olivia is going down th

        Today I am thankful for chatting with my physical therapist.  She was just at the facility for a week while the regular guy was on vacation.  I really liked her a lot! She had me stand in front of a mirror while I did one of my shoulder exercises.  I said to her, "Do you want me to stand  here  so that I can watch myself be in pain?"  She lives in the area so we started talking about local restaurants!  It is always about the food!! I am in more pain when I do the therapy.  I am not sure if that is a good or bad thing!! Maybe it is temporary pain for permanent improvement!! However, I am thinking that it is just pain!        Since Olivia and Olya are both 20(Irish twins, Olivia will be 21 next month), I won't pay for anything except a haircut at the salon.  If they want to color their hair or get any treatments, they have to pay for it themselves.  I usually get my hair cut a Hair Cuttery, which costs about $20.  Olivia and Olya go to an upscale salon where ha

    Today I am thankful for the fun I had with Priscilla last night!! We went to the Bingo we found out about online. It was in a rather seedy industrial place.  It was at a VFW post and it was the first time we went and the last time we went there.  The Bingo game was at the bar. I never heard of Bingo at a bar on the bar.   Neither Priscilla nor I drink.  There were only two other women there, it was mostly guys.   We walked in and the bingo  markers were set up at the barstools. The wall behind the bar was lined with red, blue, and white Christmas type lights and in between the lights were beer mugs with names on them and service badge from the army, navy etc.   The bar was filled with a lot of men who were drinking and bingo hadn't started.  Priscilla and I asked where the bingo game was and we were told we were at it, take a seat at the bar! Priscilla and I were the youngest ones there and that is saying a lot!  We are far from young chickadees! As the men drank, they got rowd

       I am thankful that I still have my hair!!!!!!!! I took a shower and wet my hair to see what happened and it is still on my head.  Life is good!!!!!Tomorrow I will shampoo it and see what happens! I need Leslie's wig on standby!!  Today I am also thankful that I am going to hang out with my friend, Priscilla!  I can't wait!  We are going to play BINGO at a place near where she lives.     We have no idea what it's like but we're going to give it a try!! I love Bingo, it is so much fun and I always have fun with Priscilla!!       Today Olya had to work and Olivia is at beauty school. I had the house to myself.  My niece Erica and her friend came over to swim.  Renee called to ask me to help her garden but I didn't have time because I had to pick up Olivia at school! I spent most of the day cleaning and doing windows.  I still keep touching the top of my head to make sure my hair is there! So far, so good on the hair front!!!!!!!!!!!!

        YIKES!!!!!!!!!! and YIKES again!!!!!!! Today I am thankful that I woke up with hair on my head!! Really, I am!  Olivia is in Cosmetology school, probably has attended about 2 months.  We went to the beauty supply store last week for her to get supplies.  She bought a deep conditioning treatment container that supposedly gives hair a deep scalp and root treatment. It should have been called a deep scalping procedure.  Olivia followed all the directions and told me to leave it on for 20 minutes.  Then she read the label of this brand and it said 10 minutes.  The treatment at her cosmetology school is left on for 20 minutes, but this was a different brand.  I washed it off in 10 minutes, thank GOD!!! I would have been hairless, like a hairless cat, if I left it on for 20 minutes.  When I was in the shower washing it off, clumps of hair(BIG CLUMPS) came out in my hands! I lost two fistfuls of hair!  I shampooed it 3 times!! I feel as if there is still some left in my hair but I

Today I am thankful for Renee and Olya trimming my bushes and hedges out front. Dan had asked me at the beginning of the season if I wanted the lawn service to do any trimming and I said YES. I want the front trimmed because I can't do it any more because I have two torn rotator cuffs.  I have been wondering why the service never trimmed them.   I just thought I was on a list and they would come soon.  Apparently Dan never filled out the form for trimming. I should have handled it myself. Yesterday Renee  trimmed the front hedge and I told her to really cut it back because it was so overgrown.  Olya trimmed the two bushes and the front looks so much better!  I have a battery powered trimmer which is very lightweight so there are no cords to worry about. I should have taken before and after photos! Everything was so messy and overgrown!  I only took after photos.

      Today is Father's Day and I miss my dad.  I am thankful for all the wonderful years I had with him.  But I still miss him.  I spoke to my dad almost everyday of my life. Visiting him at the cemetery is something I do but is not like being with him.  I am now older than my dad was when he died, that is sort of a strange feeling. He was also a wonderful grandfather and father-in-law.  Dan and I are going to church and the cemetery and then to Adam and Renee's country club for lunch!  Later we will barbecue steaks.  Olya made a cake for Dan.  It is sugar free, fat free, and cholesterol free and still tastes pretty good.          Yesterday Dan and I went for a road trip.  We went to an Ollie's and then to the Wild Bird store and then to Walmart.   I bought two more bird feeders and a solar powered metal bird.  Olivia complained that there are too many things in my garden.  I told her that the key word is my garden! Dan got two solar powered lights to put in the garden.

          Today I am so thankful that I got to see my friend Donna!  Donna lives in CT and I have not seen her for about 6 or 7 years!  But is was like being with someone I see everyday.  I just love Donna.  Donna's daughter was playing in a softball tournament about 35 miles from me so we met about halfway at a Paneras. When she asked me if I wanted to meet up, I said "absolutely." She is an adoptive mom and a bereaved mom. I met Donna online years ago when she was thinking about adopting from Ukraine.  After chatting for a few minutes on the phone we realized that we were both bereaved moms.  There is nothing worse that can happen to any mom but also  nothing stronger than a bond between bereaved moms. Dan and I went to meet Donna and her husband Pat in person after we went to Amy's best friend Kristen's  wedding in 2011.  Donna is very upbeat and very friendly and so funny! Her four year old son Michael died in a tragic accident. She has a gorgeous, biolo

         Today I am thankful that Olivia won a raffle basket!  She entered a raffle at a beauty supply store. Olya and I picked it up for her because she was at school.     I think you got a raffle ticket if you spent a certain amount of money! She definitely spent enough of our money for supplies to get a raffle ticket!  She won third place raffle.  Olivia won an apron, some hair care products and a pink flamingo cup holder!!   Olivia's Cosmetology teacher won this shirt and cap at an event she attended.  She gave them to Olivia because they are XS and Olivia  was the only one in class that they fit!   Olivia was so excited! Olya took a picture of her raffle win and sent it to her!  Olya and I went to Kohl's and she got a new bathing suit and cover up.  I will take Olivia on Sunday or Monday so that she can get a swim suit and cover up.  I also bought a few small things for Olivia for her birthday next month! We stopped at a produce store on the way home.  We

        Today I am thankful for my Bereaved Mom meeting.  We met at Adriana's house to discuss a book written by MJ.  MJ started the first original chapter of Mothers Finding Meeting.  We are a splinter group from the original group.  When Every Day Matters, a Mother's Memoir on Love, Loss and Life Memoir   Goodreads 4/5 Amazon 4.7/5 In her courageous book, Brant chronicles the first year of living without her beloved daughter who died of brain cancer. She shares not only the story of a life lost through tragedy, but the legacy of a renewed life filled with grace, compassion, wisdom, and choice. Author: Mary Jane Brant First published: Oct 01, 2008 Number of pages: 300 Genre: Psychology          I love being with these moms, they are all so special and so wonderful. Every member is dealing with tremendous grief but everyone is there to support every member.  MJ came to our meeting because I told her we would be discussing her book. She was nice

        Today I am thankful that I am going to see my friend Donna this Friday.  She lives in CT.  She is in the area because her daughter Jenna is playing in an elite softball tournament.  Jenna is amazing.! She has been recruited by colleges. I want her to go to PSU main because Olya will be there the same time and we can meet up and hang out!  I actually met Donna online when she was considering adoption from Ukraine.  I normally do not give my phone number out to strangers I meet on the internet but there was something special about Donna!  As we chatted we learned that we were both bereaved moms. That is an amazing bond, we are  both bereaved moms and adoptive moms.  Donna lost her 4 year old son Michael in a tragic accident. I helped her the best that I could and she wound up adopting a beautiful Ukrainian girl named Ana.  After we went to Amy's best friend Kristen's wedding, we went and met Donna and her husband in person at their amazing house. Donna's husband built

      Today I am thankful that I had lunch with my friend Deb G.  I just love being with her.  There are certain people in the world who just exude goodness and she is one of them!  Deb and I met at Paneras! We are both older adoptive moms so we have a lot in common! Her beautiful, youngest daughter is graduating high school in a few days. When I told Olivia about my lunch with Deb, she said to me, "Liana is a really sweet girl, she is one of those girls who is always happy and nice."  Deb will be done with homeschooling.  Her older adopted daughter Arielle will be a junior in college in the Fall.  I remember when she was a little girl and so cute!  Still cute, of course!  Arielle is studying to be a high school Biology teacher.  I think it is a testament to her mother's homeschooling! Deb and I are totally honest about our kids.  They are not perfect and it is so nice to hear that other  kids can be challenging! I think every teenager is challenging!  I have a few fri

              Today I am thankful that Dan and I took a road trip to Conowingo Dam.  (.https://www.chesapeakebay.net/issues/conowingo_dam). video  The info below is from Wikipedia: The Conowingo Dam (also Conowingo Hydroelectric Plant , Conowingo Hydroelectric Station ) is a large hydroelectric dam in the lower Susquehanna River near the town of Conowingo, Maryland . The medium-height, masonry gravity dam is one of the largest non-federal hydroelectric dams in the U.S. The dam sits about 9.9 miles (16 km) from the river mouth at the Chesapeake Bay , 5 miles (8 km) south of the Pennsylvania border and 45 miles (72 km) northeast of Baltimore , on the border between Cecil and Harford counties. The dam supports a 9,000-acre reservoir, which today covers the original town of Conowingo. During dam construction, the town was moved to its present location about 1-mile (1.6 km) northeast of the dam's eastern end. The rising water also would have covered Conowingo Bridge ,