Warmth!

 Hello and happy Wednesday to you all. I've been hit and miss around here recently and I'm sorry. Monday we had 73F and we decided to play outside most of the day. We went to the cemetery and put flowers on my parents and Dennis's parents graves and then took a long walk around the grounds. It really is a beautiful place. We're planning to order a headstone for Dennis's sister and have it put on the last family plot, next to his Mom's. Karen was cremated, but we would like to have a place to put flowers for her and I know she would like to have it close to Mom's. 

Then we came home and just spent time outside with Zoey since it was so nice. I wasn't allowed to eat at all Monday because of the surgery yesterday so we were also trying to distract me from food. Ha! Look who was in the field behind our condo building. Rusty, our resident fox that the neighbors have named.

In these two photos we watched him catch a mouse and...

...carry it off towards his home. We all like that he's taking care of the mice. Apparently they have been much less of a nuisance this year. We've never had an issue with them but I'm glad he's finding something to eat. Where you see those trees on the far left is the beginning of a big ravine that goes for blocks with trees and a small stream. Lots of wildlife live in in. We've seen the fox, coyotes, hawks, bunnies, etc.

I'm making a little progress on the cross stitch for the new baby. I've had too many distractions this week to get much crafting done.

I did finish another pair of socks. These were made with the Opal yarn I bought from Denmark while we were in London. The pattern is Petty Harbour and was a free pattern on Ravelry.

I've put up the Valentine's decorations for our 2nd annual cupcake decorating party on Saturday. Our normal group of friends that we camp with and did gingerbread houses together, will be here. I'll bake about 60 cupcakes and I bought lots of decorations, frostings and glitter to put on them. We'll provide pizza for dinner and have a grand ole time! :-)

Just a few fun things around the condo.

Some little hearts I embroidered a long time ago.

Outside the front door.

I made this Scandinavian Heart banner many years ago with the pattern from my dear friend Teresa Kasner.  She was a blog friend who lived near Portland, OR that I visited very often. I had four blog friends that lived in the area and we always got together for lunch when I visited Mandy, who lived in Portland for over 10 years. Teresa passed unexpectedly a few years ago and it was devastating to many people. She was very multi-talented and was also very active in the community. She freely shared all of her knowledge and skills with everyone. She designed these little Scandinavian hearts and provided the pattern from on her blog home page to whoever wanted it. I think her blog is still up if you're interested in reading about her. It's named "Teresa Kasner". I would love you to get to know her.

I had the surgery to remove the mass from my colon yesterday. It was 33 cm long! That's 12 inches! I can't believe it. The labs came back about an hour ago and it was NON-CANCEROUS! Praise the Lord! It says they took it out in 76 pieces! The surgeon look young enough to be my granddaughter. My nurse told me that he chose her to take care of both of his parents when they needed a similar surgery. That's a pretty high recommendation. That made me feel better going in. It took a little over 1 1/2 hours and they sent me home right away. That's just crazy to me. I'm a bit wobbly and very tired today but I guess that's to be expected. The GREAT news is that I get to have another colonoscopy in 6 months to make sure it hasn't grown back or turned cancerous. Oh goody!

Next Wednesday I have a CAT scan with contrast to check out a nodule on my adrenal gland that they're keeping an eye on. Labs for that are tomorrow. Who said getting old is relaxing? Ha! I've been blessed though with nothing serious coming of any of it. The Lord is watching over me and I feel it. As Christians, we're not promised that we would have no problems in this life, but a wonderful promise that He would walk through it with us and the promise of life everlasting with Him. That's what I'm looking forward to.

If all goes well with the next tests, we're still hoping to head south with the camper by the end of the month for at least a few weeks. We have to be back by the end of March for Dennis's doctor appointment. Although, it's so warm here, it may be better to just hang out here. It's 57F here right now with more 60's and 70's in the forecast for next week. It's really unusual. We've broken several records for warm weather while so many of you are freezing. March will probably be a humdinger!

Take care my friends. I'm praying for all of you and this crazy world we're living in. I sure appreciate my friends in blogland who bring sanity and love into my life.

Blessings and love,

Betsy

WHO IS ON THE LORD'S SIDE?

Text: Francis Ridley Havergal

Music: C. Luise Reichardt

1 Who is on the Lord’s side? 
Who will serve the King?
Who will be His helpers, 
other lives to bring?
Who will leave the world’s side? 
Who will face the foe?
Who is on the Lord’s side? 
Who for Him will go?
By Thy call of mercy, 
by Thy grace divine,
we are on the Lord’s side. 
Savior, we are Thine.

2 Not for weight of glory, 
not for crow and palm, 
enter we the army, 
raise the warrior psalm; 
but for love that claimeth 
lives for whom He died. 
He whom Jesus nameth 
must be on His side. 
By Thy love constraining, 
by Thy grace divine, 
we are on the Lord's side. 
Savior, we are Thine.

3 Jesus, Thou hast bought us, 
not with gold or gem,
but with Thine own life-blood, 
for Thy diadem.
With Thy blessing filling 
each who comes to Thee,
Thou hast made us willing, 
Thou hast made us free. 
By Thy grand redemption, 
by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side. 
Savior, we are Thine!

4 Fierce may be the conflict, 
strong may be the foe,
but the King’s own army, 
none can overthrow;
Round His standard ranging, 
Vict'ry is secure,
for His truth unchanging 
makes the triumph sure.
Joyfully enlisting, 
by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side. 
Savior, we are Thine