As I type this now, I have one of the Bring Me Hope videos playing in the background. I flip back and forth between this and it. I can’t watch these videos without wanting to both smile and cry.

My Back.
About two weeks ago, I went in to have my back adjusted for the first time in over a month. I had canceled my last appointment due to money issues. Turns out, I was not ready to go that long between visits. My back was rather messed up again, and while I had been in more pain before the visit than in awhile, the actual adjustment hurt pretty bad. I was told to come back in another week. Since that second visit I am doing much better. I still need to get back into my PT here at home. Not only will that help with the pain, I know, but it will also get me back on track as far as weight loss goes. My doctor, his wife, and his family are big time supporters of my going to China, and it is so much fun to go over there and see the excitement they share with me! Here I was thinking my back was going to keep me from going to China, and instead it is actually going to play apart in getting me there. My doctor is awesome!

Shots and allergies
Lately, I have had very few complications with my allergies. As I have said before, part of living with these things is just learning how to deal. How to take care of something before it becomes a bigger deal.
When I went in for my last round of injections, the nurse told me that I would need new bottles on my next visit. The ones we were using then would take care of at least one more shot, and perhaps two. I had really hoped that those bottles would last me till November as I had been told that was when I could start the every other week injections, and then the bottles would last longer, and I told her as much. She looked at my chart and said the doc had written down that I could start the every other week shots as of my last doctor appointment! Even though he had told me not to start that yet, she said maybe he changed his mind, and even if he hadn’t, since that is what he wrote down that is what I could go by and I would be able to better afford things! “See! I made your day, even after having to tell you the bad news about new bottles!!” {New bottles cost $250 for the set.}She also was able to find and injection site that let my arms recover much faster than normal! PRAISE THE LORD! I may or may not be able to get the others to use that same injection site, but at least I know it is there. And now, with 14 days in between my shots my arms will have more time to get back to and feel normal! This is good news for me, as I have not felt my arms were my own for the past year and a half! They never really return to the normal shape and feel during my weekly shots, as the swelling is almost always there, and the large lumps the liquid creates does not seem to go away for more than a week.

Grand Rapids
The OK was given, and the tickets have been purchased! On November 21st, Kade and I will take off after I work, and we will drive to Grand Rapids to watch the Pittsburgh Penguins AHL team, The Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins {the Baby Pens} take on Detroit Red Wings AHL team, the Grand Rapids Griffins. Not sure when we are making the hotel reservations, but we have picked out a good looking hotel not far from the arena so that I do not have to drive back home in the dark. The tickets came in the mail not even a week after we ordered them online!! I am SO excited!! There is also the chance that I will get to meet an online homeschooling friend that weekend! She and her family moved to MI last year, and we have not yet been able to get together. She does not live far from where we will be staying, and she just wrote to say she would love to get together if we can, all depending on what is going on with her that day. We may be able to meet up for brunch or something before Kade and I return home. How much better could that weekend get?!

Greenfield Village
I have not been to Greenfield Village in YEARS. Months ago, we found out that my Dad’s job offered a pass for its employees that allowed six people to go in for FREE!! Free parking, six free admissions, and six free arm bands for free rides all day. {they have a train, horse drawn vehicles, old Ford Model T’s, and a carousel} So, on a Tuesday Mum, Kade, and I took the kids to that awesome place and got to spend a few short hours just SCRATCHING the surface of what there was to see! Due to time constraints, we were not able to stay for very long, and therefore missed a good portion of the back part. The time we did spend there was awesome though, and I hope we get to return someday!
Photos
More photos

Walk to “The Village”
Villages seem to be popular places for me! heh. I took a walk to a local shopping area last week, for fun, for exercise and to pick up a couple of MI shirts for the weekend. After a bit of time walking around the shops, I headed toward Meadowbrook Hall. You know, our favourite photo spot! It was as pretty as ever that day! It was a nice morning I had. I ate a baguette and fresh apple cider for lunch, got the shirts I wanted for that Saturday, got some pictures of the pretty fall colours that are fading all too soon, and saw a tiny deer up close!!
Photos

Blood Letting
Seeing as how my shots are now down to every other week, I decided it was a good time to once again give blood. The first, last, and only time I did that, I had a very nasty reaction to my shots the next day. Seeing as how they would push back my dose and schedule if I had bad reactions I decided it was better to wait for a more ’stable’ time and focus on getting my injections. Mum and Kade have been going every time they are able. I love the thought of being able to save three people just by taking a small amount of time out of my day. Kade and I had a race! Who could give blood faster. Her nurse helped us in finding out who won.
Kade’s time: 8 minutes and 19 seconds
My time: 6 minutes and 26 seconds.
I WIN!
Six lives, right there!!

I was really very tired for the next few days, but it was worth it.

The van sadly, still looks like this:Our Van
However, the Lord has been good to us, as He always is, and we have been getting along fine. I use the van to get to and from work. With Walton now being open and all new, it has made the trip much better!!

MI Saturdays at Tim Hortons
My boss is a BIG time Michigan fan. Since the start of football season, we have been authorized to wear MI t-shirts on Saturdays. This past Saturday was a big MI vrs MI State game, so we all decided to make a big deal out of it for him. That, and most of us would take any excuse to get out of wearing our uniforms for a day!! The day was busy, but for me at least was a ton of fun. I find I act differently when I am not in the button up drab Timmies uni at work! Of course, since it was a less than normal day, I had my camera with me. {wait, I have my camera with me all the time. Ok, so since it was a less than normal day, everyone was willing to let me have my camera OUT and snapping!!}
Photos

Saturday Night Grizzly Hockey
My favourite ice rink, Onyx, hosts the college hockey team the OU Grizzlys for their home games. Kade and I have been wanting to go since we first found out about it, but that was not during hockey season! hee. For the first time, we got to go this past Saturday night! The game did not start till 8:30, which is why we chose to go on Saturday rather than a Friday when I would have to get up for work the next morning! It turned out to be even more fun than I had expected! The Grizzly’s won the game too, which is even better!
I did take a pretty good amount of game photos, but I doubt anyone really wants to see those. These two are from one of the intermissions. Kade and Me I needed to get up and walk, and get out of the cold and the intermissions of course were the perfect timing! Yes…those photo are taken in the bathroom!

And there you have it people, an update

Vanny

I'm walking away from the memories
The memories you left with me
Gone so fast, you ran with ease
With no look back or glance to see
Mem'ries are all that now remain
Of the friendship, life in that place
All was dashed nothings the same
Never again to meet face to face.

Promises {My Goodbye to Grandpa}

Dawn brings the promise of a starting new day
And robins show promise that spring’s on its way.
A proposal accepted, a promised new wife.
A baby’s small heartbeat, promised new life.
A bloom in spring with a promise of more
Big summer gardens promise colors galore.
My Father has promised to share in my sorrow
The promise from God means I fear not tomorrow.
The promise of Heaven
Means I’ll see you again.