Macon update...

• Thank the Lord Erika's surgery went well, it was definitely a rough week the first week...What was weird is the surgery center area was kinda small and I could hear them sawing and hammering on her back there...It was so strange!!! I asked to see her elbow they cut out, but they had already thrown it in the trash, the nurse went to see if she could retrieve it, but it was too late...I wanted to see what this disease does to your joints up close and personal...The girls were so sick prior to her surgery, that none of us got good rest beforehand...Kailee was sicker than Maddie, but both are now much, much better...

• I worked 6 days while here and enjoyed it very much...Sabrina has been a tremendous blessing to me many times in the last 7 years...

• Erika is doing better each day and she can already extend her right arm more even without it being completely recovered from the surgery....She has an ugly incision and quite a few staples...I really need to count them...HA! I like details...

• I got out of the house for most of the day yesterday, it was a beautiful day and it really rejuvenated me...I went to get my oil changed and that is a story in and of itself....I like this jiffy lube so well and the manager Steve has been a great person to get to know...He is just a good ole boy, like Damon...He was friendly and I trusted him completely...I would wait almost 6,000 miles for an oil change just so I could wait to get it here in Macon, at his jiffy lube...I have been doing this for almost 7 years now...He is always there, he always had coupons, or car advice on who to trust with parts, repairs...You know your friendly vendor...Well yesterday when I went, I asked "Where is Steve?" The young man said, "Mam, he died about six months ago." My mouth flew open in utter shock...What happened to him I asked? I had waited so long this time that the last oil change was in Nashville and I probably hadn't seen him in approximately 6 months ago...I will have to check the date on my last receipt down here...Anyway my heart was crushed about this...He was 34 and a blood clot so forcefully shot from his leg to his heart, the blood clot punctured his heart...He had no idea he had a blood clot....He was stabilized and flown to a special hospital in Florida, where they tried to repair his heart, but when they opened him for surgery, his vital organs began to shut down and he passed away...I asked did he have a wife or children? He told me no mam on the wife, he had a 14 year old son who he raised without a mother...I said what about a girlfriend, he said no mam, he was dedicated to his job and his son....I said where is his son and how is he doing? He said, he is with Steve's mother and the son is doing as well as can be expected to lose his only parent....Oh my goodness this just kills me...I wonder if there is something I could have said to him in these last 7 years that could have made a difference in his life?...

• I also went to the local fresh market to browse...

• When I was getting a pedicure before Erika's surgery, I noticed the lady next to me....I really liked her cut and color, so I asked who did her hair and where? I found out, googled it for the number and made an appointment for yesterday also...I got a cut, color and subtle hi-lights...I really, really like it and I hope I can fix it as good as she did...HA! that's a joke...

• Last night all of us (Lance, Erika, Kailee, Maddie, Vicky) went to see Kailee practice wee ball...She can hit the ball good, but isn't really into it at this point...She has resisted both practices and doesn't want to play her first game tomorrow...HA! Erika said I can see she is going to take after me where sports are concerned...Wendy loved sports and was really good at it...Erika tried it but didn't like...Wendy did quite a few extra things growing up, but Erika never seemed to be interested in team sports or activities like that...

• Going back to a previous thought, hey it's my blog, just try to keep up....I don't know why it tears me up so about people I hardly know or don't know at all...Those NFL players and friends that were lost in the Gulf of Mexico, has really upset me too...I followed the breaking story, watched and read every detail of the news that came out....Life can turn in an instant...Please don't take your life or the life of your loved ones for granted, it can all be over forever in an twinkling of an eye....I hope all of you have a beautiful, blessed day and I can't wait to get back to my home, my bed, my friends, my church and my life....I love Erika and her family with all my heart, but the older I get the harder it is to stay with anyone else....I hope I have been a blessing to her life as best as I can....I know I can get on her nerves with my thoughts and opinions, but mothers and fathers who truly love their children never stop caring, never stop prodding and encouraging them along life's path...You see I have been there and done that and want to spare some heartache along the way if I can...