Since the time change it gets dark so early. After dinner, (we eat at 6:00pm), I do my "That's My King" performance and then we do our devotional and now we've begun our official winter read aloud. I read out loud for half an hour. We're reading a book my husband picked called The Christmas Sweater. I will let you know if it's any good. We finished the first two chapters and we all like it so far, even my grumbly husband. Who, by the way, said tonight that I was a pretty woman. Hmmm. That old husband of mine. I love him.
Today I washed my hair and it came out real nice; real soft for some reason. I used my Shimmerlights shampoo by Clairol that brightens silver. I use it once every month or two and this week I felt my hair needed it. I don't like the creme rinse though. It gives me no slip. Instead, I used my regular Giovanni creme rinse. I guess it worked well. I blew it dry so it'd be pretty and straight and so I wouldn't be cold. Later I put in two braids and doubled them under. My husband said my hair is so long and he didn't know how I managed to take care of all this hair. I told him I am patient. It's only grown 1/8th of an inch this month but I'm so pleased with the length that I'm not too upset. It'll grow more when it's ready I suppose.
And I wore a sweater that I like but never wear. I wore it because I bought a new, cool brassiere that has built-in lace across the front to wear with low cut tops. It's black and I wore it with my black sweater and it looks quite nice, as if they were made for each other. Even my son said so. I try to dress modestly but I am still tossing out tops that are too low. Welp, I'm a work in progress I guess. Yesterday I tossed out my tip top favorite tie-dyed purple top. I think it's stretched out some and it got pulled to one side and wow, it was really too much. I put it in Mr. Trash. Awhile back I wore a top with a bit of a low 'V' and my 11 year old chided me, "Mamma, that top is too low cut." Dang, what do I have, a chaperone? So I don't wear it. In fact now that I think of it that sweater is just like this sweater top. Maybe my new brassiere will go with it too! I tried the tank tops underneath kind of style, but I felt so all bound up in clothing and my waist gets lost.
My dad is in the hospital. His heart keeps beating too fast. We hoped he'd be home today but at 7:00pm he had an episode, so he will stay at least another day. He's scheduled for another ablation next Thursday. It worries me. It worries us all.
We sent our eldest son and his wife a gift for Thanksgiving and Christmas. We sent them a couple thousand dollars. My husband was worried for them. They seem to be keeping their heads above water even with the wife home with the baby and they put the money away in a college fund for baby Lilyana. I pray they will be okay. Our son works in the automotive industry. Yeah, I'm prayin' double time.
I was thinkin', what am I thankful for. A lot. But one thing I thought of that I hadn't thought of for a long time is that I'm thankful I can drink down a big, full glass of water or milk. A long time ago I was on a ventilator and then after it was taken off of me I had to blow on these blue water bottles to build up my lungs. I would try and try to blow and move the water from one bottle to the other, but it was hard. I absolutely hated those blow bottle exercises. I hated when the nurses or my family would hand them to me and tell me to do it. And I couldn't cough. They'd tell me,"cough." I just couldn't muster up a cough. I'd say, "Cough so I can hear one and copy you." but still I couldn't muster a decent cough. I couldn't take big drinks. Only little swallows.
Months later when I got well and I could walk, then walk fast, then jog, I was happy. I was 17. When I got thirsty I would pour myself a tall glass of water. I would look at the glass of water. I would stare into it good and long, holding it in front of me, or looking at it as it sat on the counter with the light passing through the glass. I could see the water sparkles and droplets on the side of the glass in bright light. Water in a tall glass. And I would think; I would know that I could drink it all down in one long drink. I'd study it. I'd anticipate it. I'd consider how delicious it would taste and how satisfying the sensation of water flowing down my throat would be. I'd think about how I couldn't do it before, but I'd think to myself - I can do it now. Then I'd tip it to my lips and drink! I'd revel in the cool wet passing my lips, the fast stream of water passing over my tongue and gushing down the back of my throat with a continuous gulp! gulp! gulp!, and the long river of water swishing down into my stomach. I'd drink it all the way down to the last drop. And I'd feel quite accomplished when I was done!
I still think that way sometimes when I look at a glass of water, even a short glass. But time is passing and I'm forgetting the high notes. They are not so sharp, or crisp, or clear. I'm thankful I can drink a big glass of water and that I have a body that wants to drink a big glass of water. When you're sick you have an IV and drinking a glass of water is not something that matters.
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