Rough times

As always we'll get through of course but I hate when several things pounce on us at once. Seems like it is that way for everyone here lately pretty much. For us it just kept rolling in like waves in a rising tide. My mom is experiencing some health issues that I won't go into too much other than to say she had to go to a hospital for a bit and not one close by where I could go see her like I normally would. This place turned out to be the most unprofessional I have EVER experienced. The case manager could not seem to tell me anything with out either lying completely or changing direction on things quickly so that I couldn't even keep track. Saying she had med changes...she did not. Nothing had changed. Saying she would deliver some news to her for me (she had other news waiting that was going to be rough but I didn't want her to be hit with all of it at one time) and she said she'd deliver this news to prepare her so she wouldn't be sent into shock upon returning home and of course she didn't relay it I finally called and complained and someone else there delivered it but not til she was headed out the door. They make sure patients don't get their calls and something always comes up to keep them from calling out. The nurses were nice but it seems upper management sucked serious arse. Her side of it was rather unpleasant as well. Such a confusing and horrible situation. She is finally home now. Unfortunately there is still news to deliver and that is going to be hard to do but it will have to be done but I am giving her some time at home before I let her know. We lost my aunt recently and rather suddenly to a bacterial infection. Completely unexpected and she was the last of my mom's siblings. Thankfully my kids all got to meet her when she came down a year or so ago. My mom got to go visit her in Arizona where she is from as well. Her husband had passed not too long ago (a couple of years) and my Uncle. (the other one had passed a long while back) so there has been a lot of loss all around w/ the family. On my dad's side too. I found out I lost another aunt back in May on his side. Anyway too much. There are a lot of changes expected to come our way soon and as always must roll with the tide as much as possible to keep from being swept out to sea. (yeah I'm feeling symbolic right now so bear with me) anyway. 
We went to an early 4th of July show in Shawnee this last weekend. Hadn't been to one in a while. The fireworks display lasted about 20 minutes and was great. I'd not seen one that long. My son found a fave teacher of his and her husband so he went and hung out with them for awhile with the police vehicle thing visiting. My youngest decided she liked the inflatable slide and spent a lot of time on it and tried riding the mechanical bull even and did really good with that. She found lots of friends to play with while we were waiting on the fireworks to start. 
I've been doing the classes at the local library and really enjoying them. My husband goes and our youngest actually prefers doing some of the adult activities with him helping her to doing the childrens ones. She doesn't like the big crowd I don't think even if we sit at the back. (though I enjoyed them so far the musical one was cool) I found a lady and her family at the ones I go to that so far I hope I keep running in to them. They are hilarious and I enjoy being around them. :) So far we've done paintings, made dyed scarves, and done glass etching. That led to me getting a glass etching kit to try at home.  So far everything has turned out really well. (the youngest of course did not participate in the glass etching) 

 barn my youngest painted together with hubby. I think she caught on to all the talk in the room that we live in Oklahoma therefore we needed tornadoes in our pictures LOL We were all kind of giggling a bit over this. She made hubby help her paint the animals and flowers in. 

 My barn. I was surprised when they said that was the subject matter as my mom has been wanting me to paint a barn for her for FOREVER so I gave this to her when completed. I need to do another painting to enter in the county fair. My son needs to get busy on his entry too I think. The pond at the bottom and fence were just random ideas. No one's was the same. I love seeing how everyone's turns out. 

 Hard to see but my glass etched birds. I need to take new pics with some black paper inside to help show the birds better. 

Abby's side of the scarf she and hubby worked on

 his side of the scarf

 My scarf. You use sharpies and spray it down with alcohol. 

 Came out water color looking

I'd like to go to more classes maybe the knitting one and crochet. My son said he might do those with me. I have been continuing with my walking though not keeping record like I was. Using handweights and it took a half an inch off my arms and all so far. Haven't been using those for long. Right now I am so exhausted I think I'd fall asleep immediately if I tried to lay down. 

Muggy weather

I am so not a fan of the heat but to be honest I am still over this last winter. Nothing a good tall glass with lots of ice in it can't handle just yet. Trying to get out and do more walking and so far we haven't missed a day that I can think of. Even if it is just a short walk and I know I am really enjoying them. My son usually takes his bike along and my youngest her scooter (though she tends to hand that to the hubby to be carried) I recently had a bit of a scare in which my rheumatologist had ordered some blood work because my previous blood work had showed my liver enzymes were too high. They were at first reassuring me it is okay don't worry too much because we always order these when they show high etc. Well then it came time for me to go get the test. I took it to our local hospital and at first went over to the clinic where they said my insurance may or may not cover it. If not covered it would cost me nearly $500 which I don't have but they wouldn't know til they took it and sent it in though the billing person tried to tell me they would bill me up front if it didn't cover it ....though they wouldn't know til they sent it in. so confusing. Anyway so they told me to take it and try over at the actual hospital so I did after leaving a message with the Rheumy. I go in and there they give me about 100$ cheaper estimate but they said they'd have to contact my Rheumy and try to get a different code to put it under that it should be covered if the correct code is used so I left it with them and went home to wait. I get home and had a call from the Rheumy saying whatever you do you have to have this test done it is extremely important that you do this etc. So anyway there were some communication problems but I finally got the test done. Then I had to wait another week. Then it became a problem of I couldn't get the results from the lab w/out going in and I was swamped and couldn't go and they were faxing it to the Rheumy but the Rheumy wasn't getting it...only to find out later they WERE it was just placed in the wrong person's file and the faxes sent after that were thrown away. I was like WTH? Here I am over here panicking and this is going on? Anyway so I finally got to hear my results yesterday and I am negative for any Hepatitis which was what their concern was. I was super nervous after finding out what that would have meant for me. With that going on my Mom is having some health issues that I won't go into detail about only to say she is currently being observed by a dr and I am waiting to see what the future holds with that. I am right now not sure but either way it will affect us what the results turn out to be so that is something that is weighing heavily on me. It has been a stressful time. I've been so busy that I haven't been on nearly so much and I've been trying to squeeze in some down time. Today was a mostly down time kind of day but I've still found it hard to sit still because I've gotten used to the constant going and constant doing. Thankfully my meloxicam is helping a wee bit with regular motion so I can do some of the things I need to do around here but there is something badly wrong with my foot that I am probably going to have to go back in about. It is likely my bone spur acting up again (sometimes I really feel like that elderly lady that gripes about her health a lot.....mostly I am more annoyed that I have so much going on and it slows me down) If so this may require surgery but I don't know yet anyway. They told me last time I have no arches in my feet and I would likely be coming back in...well here i am. I am still doing my knitting and am almost finished with a large shawl that I've been working on for awhile. May try to make some flowers and such to put on the back of it. On another note I took a painting class at the library (hey even experienced artists can benefit from this) and found it to be very enjoyable and learned a few things.  This is my completed painting. 

This one is what my youngest did with Daddy in the same class: 

 They were having a wee bit of fun there as you can tell LOL The librarians were getting a kick out of it. There were a lot of people saying it was Oklahoma so they needed tornadoes and such in their paintings LOL :D I am planning on trying to go to another couple of classes or so for different things.