Kitty Is Still With Us

Kitty is rapidly using up her nine lives. She'd already used at least three of them that we knew of, long before this episode. But at least twice this week, we thought she'd gone off for good, and were wondering how we'd break the news to ML on her senior trip.

Kitty is skin and bones; she's had two shots which have helped her do well since the end of December. But the third shot didn't work nearly as well. The vet said that that would be the case at some point; he said cats with lymphoma sometimes last up to a year with shots about every two months. The shots only cost about $10 apiece, so I'm happy to get them for her to keep her with ML a little longer.

Anyway, she's not eating, and is barely drinking. She staggers when she walks and when she's lying down usually keeps her head on the ground. I thought last night was probably it. And then this morning, when I went out to check, she was back from one of her trips to the woods - was actually walking better, and she was interested in at least the broth from a can of cat food. And when I looked toward the door, she was on the step watching me in the kitchen - which is what she used to do.

I still don't think she's going to last long, but hope she holds off long enough for ML to get home.

Revolving Door

Daughter left at 8:00 Saturday morning for senior trip.
Son came in about 2:00 Saturday afternoon from college.
Just got a phone call from son: Is it OK if some of us come hang out at the house for awhile?
Life continues. . . .

A Play

It can't be Wednesday already.

I hardly have time to think these days, and when I do, the thinking is fuzzy.

Monday night I took 42 students to Greenville to watch Love's Labour's Lost. Andrew had a small part in the play. We left early enough to get a behind-the-scenes tour at 4:00, which was a real treat. Then we went to eat, then back for the play.

Students who went early got to see a 20-minute preparatory video about the production of the play. Andrew is in that too.

Lately these students have gotten more and more interested in attending plays. It's a big undertaking to get them all there, but in a day of video games and other electronics that consume their lives, I'm glad to get them to something that opens their eyes to something different and worthwhile.

One More Historical Picture

This is a picture of Mike's grandfather's store back in the early part of the last century. We have a framed copy that may be going to the county museum for a display on the downtown area in that time period.

Saturday

Random thoughts on a Saturday:

**This time of the year about does me in. Today I have to go to the piano recital. That's about the hardest thing for me to attend, when none of my kids are in it. But all teachers must attend one of the recitals. So, even though I'm already there six days a week, I'll go on the seventh day as well - today - to do what I'm supposed to do.

**My daughter is officially finished with me as a teacher. She exempted my exam. I feel like a certain kind of weight has been lifted. She does too!

**I am glad, very glad, that my husband has a job. But they are going to kill him. That's a literal statement. He just can't work this hard any more, on night shift to boot. He was off last night, and slept all night. Now he's slept all morning. But that's a good thing - he has to work 12 hours all night tonight, and for the following five nights as well.

Pics from Mike's Family History

Mike's cousin Liz just sent us a number of family pictures from the family history. I'll not post them all, but these were too nice to pass up.

Mike's Grandmother Lee as a young lady, around the turn of the century. Wasn't she beautiful?

Mike's grandparents (the Lees) at their daughter's wedding (Mike's Aunt Cathie). Mike never knew his grandfather (really either one, just like me) but he has fond memories of Grandmother Lee coming from Michigan to visit them. She was especially known for her coffee cake! (The recipe is very similar to the one which is known in my family.)

Mike's Aunt Cathie, his grandfather Benedict Lee, and his mom, at Cathie's wedding.

I wish there was more of this family history passed down, not just from Mike's family, but in society at large. One of the difficulties today is that so many people are so rootless - they don't really know where they came from, who their predecessors were, who is their extended family. That's why I'm glad for these pictures. I'm also glad that that was really important in my own family, and that we know much about our history. My dad has done extensive work in that area, and it's important work. But many people don't have that blessing, and it's a shame.

-

If you're reading this - Cousin Liz, thanks for sending all these pictures to us.

Love's Labour's Lost

This is a link to the play Andrew is in next week, Love's Labour's Lost. It's an early Shakespearean comedy. I've not studied the plot well yet, but the jist of it is that three men have sworn off women for a period of time (I believe three years) to immerse themselves in the study of philosophy - when, of course, three women appear on the scene.

If you look at the pictures, Andrew is in two of them - he's the "cop" in the black costume. He said he only has about ten lines total, but they're split up in all the acts.

I'm taking a group of students to see the play next Monday night.

Father to Daughter

Parents of seniors at our school can buy a special ad in the yearbook to say whatever they want to their graduating child. Here is what Mike wrote to his daughter. Warning: It may do the same to your eyes that it did to mine!

- - - - - - - - - - - -

I can hardly believe that it's time to write this letter to you. Where has the time gone? It seems like only yesterday that your mom and I were bringing you home from the hospital in that little pink outfit. And now you are a beautiful young lady, ready to enter a new chapter in your life. You know how sentimental your daddy is about you, and just writing this causes my eyes to get a little blurry.

Although you are independent at times, you still have a heart for us and you show it. I love to get my hugs from you and hope they will never stop. We are so proud of the way you have used your talents for others. For so many years you have unselfishly worked in the nursery at church and the little kids have loved you too. It does my heart good to hear you singing in your room as you have done since you were very small. It brings joy to our home to know that you have a song in your heart that has made you who you are.

One day there will be another man in your life besides me. It is my prayer that he will be a man after God's own heart. If he is, then he will treat you as he should because he will be seeking wisdom from above. So be praying for him even now, as your mom and I are. Accept none other than God's best for you. If he is praying that way also, you will find each other, and you will be sure.

We love you. You and your brother are the joys of our heart. We would not trade you in for anyone else. We already have the best there is.

Much love always & forever,
Dad and Mom

Spring of Her Senior Year

Junior-Senior night.

Fortunately for them, her friend's mother drives a mustang!

The senior English teacher and her husband
attended the banquet as well.

Pics from Jenny

Mike's cousin Jenny, who visited us last month, sent me some pictures today and I'll share them:

In the car on the way home from Newberry (we went to homecoming at Mike's old church that day)
Jenny is taking pictures of "benches" for a project for her sister. Here is our contribution - this bench was outside an antique store we passed on the way home from Newberry. We like the "contribution" sitting on the bench much better.

Mike practicing. He played his violin that morning at church.