Leaving or Not?

It's Wednesday!  The plan is to leave early, early tomorrow morning, take Mandy & Piper to the airport and hit the road from there.  Time will tell.  I woke up with a horrible rash on my back.  It's painful and burning.  I had a chiropractic appt. and he told me to get to a dermatologist or Primary Care Dr. ASAP...before we left.  He told me not to start the drive without seeing someone.  So my dermatologist fit me in.  After a steroid shot in the rear end and a prescription for cream I'm home and waiting to see if it improves.  If not, I can't go.  He said he doesn't want me to have difficulty breathing and be in the middle of nowhere.  The thought is that it is a reaction to the massage oil that was used in my massage last night.  A different oil than usual was used in a combo with the oil usually used.  I blame NO ONE.  It was a freak accident that could happen to anyone, but of course, if it could happen, it will be to me. :-(  This is what seems to happen everytime we plan a trip anywhere.  I get sick, my heart acts up and now, this time I get a rash.  And not just any rash.  It's miserable.  It burns and it hurts.  But enough of that.  I have had FUN TIMES with my girls this week.  Here are some photos to prove it.

Us girls made a trip up to the trailer yesterday to get some groceries and other things that we'll need for the trip like toothbrush and phone chargers.  The groceries came home because we didn't expect to be gone for so long when we left last week and we didn't want them to go bad while we were away and bring mice or mold, etc.

It was a cool and windy day.    Just look at the hair blowing!  :-)

 Piper and I were enjoying the view from the fishing dock.

 I love this girl with all of my heart.

 She had to borrow Grandma's jacket to stay warm.  (I don't think we'll have that problem next week in Nebraska!)

 I do love this view.

 Piper doesn't have a shy bone in her little body.  She ran right up to this group of kids and jumped on the merry-go-round with them.  She had a wonderful time and they were really good with her.

Back home she was deep in thought while looking at a Shopko advertisement that came in the mail!

 But she caught me taking her picture.  "Oh Grandma!"

 I took part in a swap that kathyb, (Compassion Knit) on my sidebar organized.  My partner was Debra, (Araignee), and she sent me an absolutely lovely package.  A beautiful card she made herself and some tea.  Three skeins of red, white and blue yarn.  I adore these two skeins of Knit Picks yarn and some wonderful washcoth Peaches and Cream yarn too.  Also a handmade button from the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival.  Thank you so very much Debra.  I really love it all!  You are the best and I hope you're feeling better now.

I also received these two gorgeous hand painted cards from Lorraine who lives on the Isle of Lewis with her husband Gerard.  She has the most precious grandchildren who obviously adore her and Gerard.  Thank you Lorraine.  I think they are beautiful.  Sorry about the awkward slant of the photos. I'm an abysmal photographer.

Here are our two new girls, Amelia on the left and Franny on the right.  Amost identical, just their eyes are a bit different.  I admit, I hardly ever call them by the correct name and I've known them all of their lives.  Amelia is 16 aand Franny is 14.  Mandy feels so bad about leaving them behind and they know something is up.  Especially Amelia.  She has hissed and batted at me several time and she has NEVER, ever done that before.  She has always loved me.  Mandy thinks she knows that she's being left behind and feels just awful but they'll be fine.  They know us and know our house.  Ellen, who is staying with the animals while we're gone, came over this morning to meet them.

I started a baby blanket a few days ago but haven't worked on it much.  It's a stitch pattern that Mandy uses and really likes so I thought I would give it a try.  It just uses one circular needle and I like that for traveling.  The yarn is Bernat Baby Sport in the Lilac Bouquet colorway.

The Celebration of Life for Mike is Saturday morning.  I just talked to Melanie on the phone and it was wonderful to hear her voice.  She is such a strong, strong woman.  I hope I can be like her when I grow up and I am so blessed to have her as my big sister.  She has always watched out for me, (except when she was the one beating me up.) Ha!  I love her so much and wish I were more of a support for her right now.

I'm going to close now because I need to get the ironing done and finish packing.  If you read this before Thursday morning, please pray my rash improves so we're able to take off tomorrow morning as planned and for safe travels.  It will be two very long days of driving and that makes me nervous.  It's also the first trip in our new car and it's going to be very, very hot in the midwest.  I've already had two flat tires and I only have 2600 miles on the car.  I don't know if the tires are cheap or if I have had especially bad luck.  I haven't had a flat tire in years until the past two months!  There are parts of Montana and Wyoming that we're driving through that have nothing around for miles and miles so that's always nerve-wracking.  I'm such a wimp.  I'm SO glad that Dennis is going with me. :-)

I hope you have a lovely afternoon and I'll try to post again soon.

"But those that hope in the LORD will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."  Isaiah 40:31

This verse popped up in my devotion for today.  It's my favorite verse and I think the Lord is trying to tell me something today.  :-)

Blessings always,
Betsy