If you want to make God laugh, than tell Him your plans & update on my daddy!!!!

I heard a really interesting phrase from the movie Bella that I just had to share with you. Click here if you want to see the trailer. Ignore the email list sign-up because I think that is now out of date. I highly recommend this movie. It's uplifting and life-affirming..Anyway the phrase goes like this: If you want to make God laugh, then tell Him your plans. I think God is laughing at me now a little bit...but there's a context to this...read on and see if you can find it :) :)

I'm not sure what these flowers are called. The first two photos remind me of petunias. However, I don't think that's quite right. All I know is the colors were all-natural and very intense. I just had to snap a photo!!! It was tricky focusing in on one flower, but I think the results were worth it :) :) All of the photos today were taken at the hospital campus.


This was my first attempt at focusing in on these flowers. They're so beautiful and the colors are so bright and intense.

So my dad went into the hospital today to have the first part of the non-treadmill stress test done on his heart. It was a really interesting day for many different reasons. I've included the photos that I took today on the hospital campus.
Back to the topic of my dad. He has worn a pacemaker since 2003. In 2008 he had a replacement done..and as I think I mentioned yesterday, he was experiencing some soreness in chest area where his pacemaker is located. So today they gave him a drug that makes his heart feel like it's been working out really hard. Tomorrow they'll give him the nuclear radiation stuff. I'm not entirely sure how that works. It's a very, very, very small trace amount that is injected into his vein and it's not harmful to humans...That's what the hospital info sheet said, anyway. What this does is allow the doctors to get a literal picture of how the heart muscle is working. It'll show them if everything is fine, or if my dad needs to make some changes!!!The final results won't be available for 5 - 7 days. That's too long to wait...and this is one of those moments where I don't like to wait. I don't want to wait..
But God....(I like that phrase a lot by the way...)...but God is in control. I trust Him with my life. I can trust Him to take care of my daddy too ;) :) I guess my fear is that the doctor will want to open him up like butterfly shrimp. When my daddy hurts, I hurt...and I want him to be healthy!!! Yesterday my dad and I were talking about this. I was letting myself worry too much and I told him that the agreement is he can't go home to Jesus until I'm happily married. Once I'm married, then he can do what he likes!!!..All I want is for him to be healthy & to stick around for awhile.That's funny and it's not funny...but that's the strange sense of humor that my dad and I share sometimes and it's helped us through many challenges!! Dad said "Okay..." Of course, that's my human side talking and ultimately God's hand is over my dad. God is watching out for my dad and He'll work on His timetable...not mine :) :) :)



Here's another shot from a different angle. It was really tricky trying to focus in on just one bloom, which I prefer to do. I like to show the detail in just one flower when I can!!

So I'm waiting in the hospital waiting room. It's huge...the length of this place was like a giant football field...and the waiting room, was more like a waiting area. That was really nice and spacious. It didn't feel closed in at all. I'll see if the hospital will let me get a photo. It's a really nice waiting area!!!! My dad went in for the first procedure. He came out later and sat with me for about 30 minutes, before he went back in. At that point, the doctor took some images of his heart. They'll take more tomorrow!!!
Before he came out, there was a mother with her son there and an older lady who was alone. This older lady looked really scared...and the mom just went over to her and said "Are you scared? You look scared". This sweet old woman had no one to wait with her...and this mother did a wonderful thing and just spent time with her, talked with her and made her feel more at ease about the procedure she was having done on her heart. The woman had to be in her 80s at least... It made me a little sad that no one waited with her. I'm so thankful that the young mother was there today. She has a way with older people I noticed!!! Just a stranger who blessed this old woman...and blessed me too, just because I was sitting near them and able to listen!!! The young mother was going in for an EKG. Her son was with her. He's 12 years old...and what a delight he was to all of us here. He was well-mannered, respectful...and only 12. I don't usually comment about kids behavior...but this young boy...everyone noticed how nice he was to all the adults and especially the old people!! I wish more kids were like that. It was refreshing!!!!



This was opposite of those bright colored flowers. I don't know what this is called either. but it remidns me of a furry caterpillar with pink highlights ;) :) :)

My dad was finished earlier than I expected. So we headed back out to the parking lot and got into the car. I treated my dad to a "Sierra Mist" soda at The Human Bean as a special treat for "good behavior". I said that all patients...even daddies...need special treats. He was a little grouchy afterwards, but that wasn't related to the heart procedure...but rather to the bank...grrr.. :) :) Don't we all have "bank" stories that we could tell...:) :) :)



This is a stone path that runs right next to those bright magenta flowers. These paving stones were engraved with all sorts of messages from loving notes to departed family members to sponsors/advertising from the local business community. It was really very touching and beautiful. This one in particular caught my eye...because I think of the sacrifices that our military men and woman make for us.

Two other news bits for today... I posted a comment on "Natural Home" magazine's fan page on Facebook. I posted a link to their website...you can click here. I don't think my comment made it on-line, but it's most definitely in print!!! They were asking about what we thought of the new design of the magazine. I love it of course...I left my comments on the page. One of their editors contacted me later and said they want to use my comment in the July/August 2010 issue...YEAH!!!! So dad and I went to Barnes & Noble and I picked up the current issue of the magazine. It has a title "95 products for a Green & Healthy Home". My name is in print in a national magazine!!! WOOHOO!!!!...It's just a comment from a fan...but it still counts. If you go buy the July/August issue...you can find my comment on the lower right hand corner of page 10!!!! There are some really good articles in this current issue that I'm excited to read...especially about line-drying laundry!!!

WELCOME TO: Sue of Pear Tree Lane Farmhouse!!!  Thanks for joining my blog. You're a really nice lady...and the front porch of your home...well, I want one just like it :) :) :)

That's the news from Oregon today.  I've come up with a new word for all the "talking" I do on my blog...type-chatter...I'm a type-chatterbox!!! :) :) :)  I'll post tomorrow about my dad.  I'd appreciate your continued prayers. They're much appreciated. I was going to post about my latest knitting project, but that will have to wait till this weekend. Thanks for understanding, patience and support.  Oh, the knitting project is easy peasy...if you can knit and purl...you can make this!!..Intrigued? Stay tuned..
Much love, hugs and greetings from Oregon, Heather :) :) :)