Monday, January 31, 2011

Today Is . . . . .

Hot Chocolate and . . . . .

 Popcorn Day!!
I think I may have to indulge in these two favorites, but first I'll turn the a/c down to make it feel like winter here!!
These probably sound good to you Northerner's who are getting ready to be blasted by yet another major snow/ice storm!!


Sunday, January 30, 2011

Busy and Sad Time

This past week has been just that ~ a busy and sad time!!  Dennis more less laid pretty low after coming home from the hospital on Wednesday afternoon trying to recover from his surgery Tuesday.  That of course, was also the day our Premier and his wife's daughter passed away.  I went back to work on Thursday, but every hour or so came over to the house to check on Dennis.  I didn't like the idea of him being home by himself, but since work is very close to our home (right next door) it was very convenient for me.  And Friday was another crazy day!!  It's nearing the end of the month which means School Fee's are due, so that along with the normal everyday work kept things hoping.  I left work around 11:30 to get lunch and come home to eat with Dennis.  I ran back to the office to work a short time until he was ready to go to the Premier's home to visit them.  It was so sad!!  We only stayed 30 ~ 45 minutes and came home.  I went back to work for another short while, because Dennis had an appointment with the surgeon and he wanted me to go with him.  Thankfully he got a very good report!!  On the way home, we stopped for a very quick dinner as it seemed I just couldn't get caught up in my office.  I ended up staying over there until after midnight and much to my happiness my work is caught up until it starts all over tomorrow :o)
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When I went to work on Thursday, I kept hearing some major noise outside and just quite couldn't figure out what it was.  On one of my trips into Dennis' office, I looked out the window to this . . . . . .
There were two big tractors over in the fields next to our Church's property and they were mowing.  Here they used those fields for parking at the funeral yesterday.

 Then another time when I looked outside this was what I saw.  This is where we are getting ready to build our new Family Life Center and the guys were here leveling the fill that had been dumped in there.  Again, they used this area for parking as well!

 Our groundbreaking is going to be in just a few weeks!  Getting excited!!
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When we awoke Saturday morning, it was rather gray and cloudy.  I said to Dennis I hoped it was going to rain as this was the day of the funeral.  So much preparation and many hours of work went into getting ready for this service.  Many people were coming and so much was done!  On Thursday evening after dark a rental company came and set up a 40' x 80' tent.  They didn't leave until around 12:30am!!  Then on Friday after school was out they came back to put up another tent.  Two men came and put up large TVs in the front of each tent with several 22" TVs around the sides for those sitting out there to be able to see the service.  Both tents were filled to capacity as well as the Church! 

Our Church holds 550 people, but yesterday there was probably at least 800 people seated inside.  There were chairs everywhere just about imaginable!  And flowers ~ oh, I don't think I ever saw that many beautiful bouquets.  In fact, the two biggest one's are still in the Sanctuary and if I don't forget I want to take my camera and take some pictures of them.  It was a sad, sad day!!  Of course, every government official thinkable was at the service.  Some of them we've met and many we have not.  There were dignitaries here from other countries as well.  To get to the cemetery was a nightmare!  The road here in front of the Church was very, very congested with cars parked on both sides making it nearly impossible to drive when there were other cars coming toward you!  They had police everywhere but with all the traffic you could barely go anywhere.  We were first in line and following the police car.  He had to get in the opposite lane because traffic just came to a stand still.  When we got to the cemetery there were so many people there (probably about 500 ~ 600) that I couldn't get anywhere near the grave site.  But Dennis was telling me later that when the casket began to be lowered into the ground, poor McKeeva just fell on his hands and knees to touch it!  I'm glad I didn't see that.  His dear wife nearly fainted!  Every time I looked at them during the service I think I cried!!  BUT he was in Church this morning and led the singing.  He said he just couldn't stay home!  I think it was theraputic for him to be there.  If you think of them anytime in the future, please say a word of pray for them that God will comfort their hearts.  They are wonderful people and I hate seeing them hurt so badly!! 

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Such Sad News

Yesterday morning as we were waiting for Dennis to go into surgery I received two phone calls from Church Members.  The first lady didn't tell me what happened, but the man who called me next proceeded to tell me that our Country's Premier's (President) 30 year old daughter had passed away.  I was totally shocked to say the least!!  I had heard two sirens of ambulances that went to the other hospital near where we were at and little did I know who it was!  When her husband went to wake her up she was already gone.  They have an 8 or 9 year old daughter.  A few years ago she had gastric bypass surgery and she was also a diabetic since she was very young.  At this point they aren't sure what's happening and an atopsy will be performed in the next few days.  The funeral will be at our Church Saturday morning at 10:00.  Dennis won't be doing the funeral message as really he can't do that right now, but if all goes well he will be doing the officiating of the service.  They're expecting  possibly between 1000 ~ 2000 people.  Someone is getting tents to put outside of the Church.  There will be so many people here because of her Daddy being the Leader of our Country.  We haven't been to see them yet as Dennis just got out of the hospital this afternoon.  I did try to call his cell phone but got no answer.  If Dennis feels up to it tomorrow, we'll probably drive down to their home.  Yesterday the police had the street to their home closed off because of the crowds of people going to visit!  So, if you think of these dear people, please breathe a word of prayer for them.  I can't even begin to imagine the pain they are in right now with their daughter's death.  We didn't know her that well, but have been told she was the apple of her Dad's eye!!
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Daughter of Premier Mckeeva Bush passes
25 January 2011

In a statement this morning, Deputy Premier of the Cayman Islands, the Hon. Juliana O’Connor-Connolly, JP confirmed that Tonya Eyvonne Anglin, daughter of the Premier, the Hon. McKeeva Bush, OBE, JP, and his wife, Mrs. Kerry Bush, has passed away.
She was thirty years of age.
Tonya leaves husband Chet Anglin and daughter Zariah.  She died at home and was pronounced dead at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Further details will be provided as they become available.
The Premier, Mrs. Bush, and the family, appreciate the prayers and support of the country during their tragic, difficult loss.
 As they cope with this, they also appreciate the public’s understanding and consideration of their need to have an initial time of private mourning.

Update On Dennis

Thankfully Dennis' surgery is now history and the healing process has begun!  He was in surgery several hours yesterday and then of course spent a lot of time in the recovery room.  The waiting before surgery is not so fun.  It was so funny when Dennis talked to me the first time after coming back to his room as he asked me where his jar of stones was at.  I hadn't even seen it!  Later I saw it sitting on the dresser.  When I opened the lid to peer inside I was totally stunned.  There were 20 stones that the doctors removed from the gall bladder!  20!!  The surgeon said, "That was a pretty good harvest:o)"  I decided to spend the night at the hospital with him.  Of course, I didn't get too much rest.  I'm ready to go to bed now as I feel exhausted and he's been sleeping off and on for the last two days because of the anesthseia and pain medicines.  Here is a picture of the great find!!

Monday, January 24, 2011

The Flint"STONE'S"

If you read my blog you will remember just a few days before Christmas Dennis was in the hospital to have some lesions/lumps removed from his chest which the doctor's thought could be cancerous, but thank the Lord he got a good report back saying "No Cancer!!"  While we were still in the States enjoying our after Christmas vacation Dennis received a phone call from his surgeon's office.  Before they did the surgery on his chest they had to do x~rays of his liver because his enzymes were elevated.  On that x~ray it showed that he has gall stones!!  Ugh!!  So, tomorrow morning we have to be at the hospital for him to have his gall bladder removed.  Originally, we thought it was going to be done in Miami because of our insurance here.  After much going back and forth he just got two phone calls this evening saying it was going to be done in the private hospital now instead of the government hospital for which were grateful!  Hopefully it will go good and he'll be able to come home later in the day.
Also, while we were in West Virginia visiting Dennis' family, I was very sick for two days.  I ended up going to a Urgent Care Clinic to find out I had a urinary track infection and the stomach flu.  After we got home and still not feeling well we went to our family doctor.  She put me on two different meds thinking my body was rejecting the one's I was given in WV.  One week later, I was still having pain and at times very sick in my stomach.  The doctor then sent me for an ultrasound and x~ray to find out I have a kidney stone and it's being very stubborn and not passing on it's own.  So, the deal is for Dennis to recover quickly from his gall bladder surgery and then we fly up to Miami to have a procedure done that they don't do here in Cayman.  Not sure exactly what date that will be, but hope very soon.  I'm having a lot of pain and nausea!  In light of that fact, we are changing our names to Fred and Wilma Flint"STONE" :o)
It's no fun getting older!!

PICTURES ~ PICTURES ~ PICTURES

There are a lot of pictures in the next many, many posts!!  This is just part of our trip.  In a day or so, I'll add the rest of the pictures.  I hope you enjoy them.

Our Direct Flight From Cayman To Philadelphia ~ Supposedly

When we left here on December 26th, our flight was to go directly into Philadelphia, but thanks to the big snowstorm they were having, we descended at the airport there but immediately went back up.  We ended up flying back to Charlotte, North Carolina.  What a time that was!!
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These pictures were taken out the plane window as the sun was setting!!


Caden

We met Brandon, Karissa and the boys on our way to Dennis' dad's house.  We had lunch together and then Caden got in our rental car and rode with us the rest of trip.  We had a blast!!
 What a beautiful smile on a handsome Little Man!!


Snow Scenes In West Virginia










Dinner Time

Caden wanted corn
            While Jordan ate some mashed potatoes with gravy
 Eating our Christmas dinner the day after
                             That was good, Pappy!!  Yummy!!
Eating baby cereal





The Little Man's Big Brother ~ What Do You Think?

Little Jordan!!  Here he was almost 5 months old and weighed 20 lbs. which now he weighs more :o)  And yes, he has found his thumb!!

 What a lil sweetie!!
 I love these pictures.  He really does look like a little man sitting here on the sofa!!

What do you think?

Excitement At Opening Presents

What a handsome cowboy!!

 He loved his hat
 Holding a turtle from Cayman
 Another cute cowboy!
Trying on Caden's camo shoes.  Just a mite toooooo big!  haha!

 Ole Jordan David is one BIG boy!!
Trying out one of Jordan's race cars
What a fun time Caden had opening his and Jordan's gifts.  It won't be that way next year as Jordan will be old enough to open his own!!

Playing Wii

Dennis' niece, Leslie, got a Wii game for Christmas.  Caden sure had fun with his Uncle Bubba shooting the bow and arrow game.
 Two of my favorite guys!!  Aren't they handsome?


Working On A Special Christmas Gift

Here Brandon was putting Caden and Jordan's four~wheeler together in a tiny, tiny room.  Caden had no idea his Uncle Bubba was doing this!
 "Where does this wheel go?"

 Putting on the finishing touches
 Ready for my "Little Man" to hop on