Boo, y'all

This is Sarah's cat, Tucker, from a photo last year. If you recall, he had surgery for a cancerous tumor about three months ago. The tumor returned, and it continues to grow, but Tucker is still functioning well. Sarah sent me a photo of him the other day, and you can see how big the lump is in his side. I'll post it later.

I'll have to have post-Halloween photos of Ella. They'll be up after I get home. Today she's a farmer. We're headed over to her mom's work at UVA where they're having a farm theme for their party, so she will fit right in in her overalls. She's taking her favorite stuffed pig with her. Tonight I believe there will be a different costume.

Later.

A Hymn for Sunday

Last weekend I was in North Carolina attending a wedding. As I drove from Virginia to North Carolina, I saw many beautiful views. The first one was the view from the motel room the morning I was leaving to come back to Virginia. I was reminded this week as I thought of a post using these photos my time spent in Haiti. The name Haiti means high ground. Four-fifths of the country is made up of mountains. One familiar saying in Haiti is "Deye mon, gin mon." The translation is "Behind mountains there are more mountains." And that is so true in that country. My job in Haiti was that of a school teacher for children of missionaries, four of the best years of my life. Today many of the young people that I worked with are serving in different places as missionaries. I considered it my privilege to work with these junior high students.

Whenever we were together as a school group or in a get-together with their parents, if they were asked for their favorite song to sing, often they would suggest the hymn, "Unto the Hills." The words truly expressed the thoughts of Psalm 121 as the psalmist wrote of our heavenly Father who watches over us day and night, never sleeping .

Unto the hills around do I lift up my longing eyes.
Oh whence for me shall my salvation come, from whence arise?
From God, the Lord, doth come my certain aid
From God, the Lord, who earth and heaven hath made.

He will not suffer that thy foot be moved, safe shalt thou be.
No careless slumber shall his eyelids close, who keepeth thee.
Behold, He sleepeth not, He slumbreth ne'er.
Who keepeth Israel in his Holy care.

Jehovah is Himself thy Keeper true, thy changeless Shade;
Jehovah thy Defense on thy right hand Himself hath made.
And thee no sun by day shall ever smite;
No moon shall harm thee in the silent night.

From every evil shall He keep thy soul, from every sin;
Jehovah shall preserve thy going out, thy coming in.
Above thee watching, He Whom we adore
Shall keep thee henceforth, yea, forevermore.

May your Sunday be blessed with His presence.

My Bella

She doesn't look like a baby any more in this photo, does she. This one was taken on the way to church. I've taken a lot of photos of my Bella since I've been here, but not a lot of good ones. She doesn't sit still very long. Surprise, surprise. While I've been here, I've watched Ella four days a week and had Wednesdays off. We've had a good time together, and the month is quickly coming to a close. I'm sticking around until Halloween. One of my DIL's co-workers has daughters older than Ella, and he has loaned her some costumes. I can hardly wait to see what they decide on her wearing. The weather will play a part in that.

There is some fall color, but many trees are losing their leaves without a lot of color. It's raining today, hooray! I'm assuming it will be cooler after the rain.

In the photo of Ella, up in the corner is a photo of my husband. That photo was taken just a month before his death. We had had photos taken for our church directory in March. He died the last day of April. I'm so glad I have that photo of him. When he saw it, he made the comment that he didn't realize how much his hairline had receded. But it had.

I shall return

In the words of General McArthur, I shall return. I spent the weekend in North Carolina. I drove down on Friday and back on Sunday. Ella decided she didn't really need a nap this afternoon, so now I do.

Later.

Back of the clouds

After I took the photos of the storm clouds in my last post, the next day or so I snapped this one. The photo doesn't quite do it justice. The cloud truly had a silver lining.

I had just read the night before about Louise, a young woman in Michigan, who had succumbed to leukemia. She had a bone marrow transplant earlier this year, and fought so bravely, but finally lost the battle. And then a gentleman in our church, who had been battling throat cancer, passed away. I thought of them as I looked at this cloud with the light shining behind it.

It also reminded me of a college friend of mine, a friend who reconnected after thirty years. Our university set up a site where we could search for friends in our class. I received an e-mail from her when I was in Virginia in April. I answered her e-mail then, and after I got back to Florida, I didn't follow through.

While I've been up here again this month, I looked her up, and we've begun correspondence again.
When we were freshmen, we met, and our friendship formed. We discovered that we both liked to sing, and we would often go to the "practice shacks" and sing our hearts out. One song that we sang went something like this:

"Never fear though shadows dark around your path may fall.
Do not let your hearts be troubled.
Just remember God in heaven watches over all.
He will surely care for you.

Back of the clouds, the sun is always shining.
After the storm, the skies will all be blue.
God has prepared a rosy tinted lining,
Back of the clouds, it's waiting to shine through."

Many of you follow Melange. If you've never visited her blog, go there. She is a very gifted person, physician, mother, daughter, sister, and she is just so smart. Today she writes of her beloved Max. Go there and take your tissues.

(Somehow the formatting just does not work right for me. Forgive the appearance. I tried.)

Stormy Skies

Photowannabe posted several photos of stormy skies in her area of California last week, and I told her I was going to post some. I took the one at the top one evening as I was coming out of church. It looked like the bottom would fall out at any time.

On my way home I snapped another one...clouds still heavy. While I have been gone, Sarah called one night and said that it was raining buckets. Hopefully we have caught up on rain. I know that our drought has not been as bad as in some areas, but it seems that we are always down. The good thing is...no hurricanes.

Ella's Laughing Eyes

Well, I thought I would have a photo a day for my blog. For one thing, it's hard to catch Ella still to catch a good pose, or I'm not quick enough. Then by the time evening comes and I go upstairs, I'm not into posting. I've been enjoying everyone else's posts in the meantime. Last evening we were at the table and after Ella's daddy got up, she decided to climb up in his chair. I had my camera in hand, so David took it and snapped these photos.

Days are full with a toddler. One's work is never done. Of course, I don't have to tell any mothers that or anyone who is a caregiver. After my first day of taking care of Ella, I was ready for bed. She's such a good baby, but very busy, and one wouldn't want it any other way. She loves to go outside and see the birds, feel the breeze, and run her hands through the leaves, and pick up tiny sticks and whatever else she sees.

During the day we look at lots of books. Probably her favorite is "The Very Hungry Caterpillar." I know that many of you are familiar with that book. I picked up the DVD of it some months ago and gave it to Ella. Her daddy says that she likes it. Yesterday she brought me the DVD case. After I figured out how to play the DVD (I'm not really too technologically challenged, but there are lots of buttons to push on David's remote) we watched it, and watched it, and watched it. She seems mesmerized by it. I finally turned it off because her parents don't want her watching too much.

She has several CD's with kid's music on them that someone gave to Ella right after she was born. We listen to music a lot, and she loves to dance. Some of her moves are hilarious.

With CF, because of digestive issues and problems with failure to thrive, a high calorie diet is required. Ella has breakfast, then she has a snack, then lunch, another snack, and then dinner. The nutritionist encourages high calorie, high fat and salty snacks. Cheese is a great snack, peanut butter on graham crackers makes another great snack. A CF diet goes against everything that we're trying to incorporate into our diets today...low fat and low salt everything.

When I first began reading about CF, I read a post by a mom who said that she had to have a completely separate cabinet for her child's CF snacks because she (the mom) was gaining so much weight. David mentioned how hard it is not to pop anything into your mouth that she doesn't eat, and I understand completely. Every little mouthful adds up.

Ella went to the doctor on Monday for a throat culture to see if the Pseudomonas is still there. She has a few more days on the inhaled drug and then has a month off. Her doctor put her in a drug study, so her treatment is paid for.

This month is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. I so fully support that. Dear friends have had breast cancer. One of my cousins died at 33 from breast cancer. I do wish that there was more Cystic Fibrosis Awareness. The number of people with CF is relatively small. There are approximately 30,000 in the United States with CF. A genetic disorder inherited from a recessive gene that both parents carry. When both parents have that gene, there is a 1 in 4 chance of having a baby with CF. Unless there is reason to suspect it,parents are not routinely tested.

Fortunately for Ella, Virgina had just begun newborn testing in March before she was born in August of 2006. Florida just began testing July 1 of this year. Only a little over half of the states do routine testing in newborns. Early detection is one of the keys to having a healthy baby and toddler.

Well, I could go on and on, but I won't, but I will write more at another time. Thanks for checking in and reading.

Fourteen months old today

I'm still alive, and Ella is surviving me. This has been a busy week. Monday was very uneventful. We played in the house, played outside, ate several times and all in all had a good day. Tuesday started out o.k., but during the morning I noticed Ella wasn't playing. She crawled up in my lap and stayed there. I went in search of a thermometer, and she indeed did have a high temp. So her daddy came home and off we went to the doctor's office. Because of the cystic fibrosis, the didn't want to take any chances, so the pediatrician sent her for blood work and a chest x-ray. Everything apparently was negative. Yesterday she was more like her old self and today she seems to be feeling fine.

She does have an appointment on Monday with the specialist who wants to do another throat culture to see how the Pseudomonas is. She is still on an inhaled antibiotic twice a day as well as her regular treatments. She's so good about everything. It's harder on her parents on me than it is on her. She pretty much takes everything in stride. We are praying, of course, that the bacteria has not had time to colonize in her lungs.

The weather is warmer every day. It was 87 today. The humidity is not as bad here as in Florida, so it doesn't seem nearly so hot. I do have the air conditioner on upstairs in my chamber, though.

Many of you have been following Ella's journey with cf since her birth. Others of you are newcomers. I appreciate all your kindnesses and tender thoughts and words as you read about this grammy and her Ellla. She's a precious little girl.

I read a quote by C.S. Lewis today on my homepage. It read, "God is not proud. .. He will have us even though we have shown that we prefer everything else to Him." That brings to mind the verse, "Him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out." I'm so glad He took me in.

Along the way

I left home around 8:00 yesterday (Saturday) morning. Being a Saturday in the fall, I tuned into the sports stations on the radio and caught updates of the Penn State game. I saw the recap of the game on ESPN last night...those interceptions! Then Georgia Tech was on, then South Carolina. Florida State was starting as I got to my destination for the evening.

As I drove up I-75, there were quite a few cars with Gator paraphernalia headed to Gainesville, and then there were cars on 75 and I-10 headed to Jacksonville for the FSU-Alabama game. The traffic was not as heavy as I would have thought, although it was early in the day, and the games didn't start until evening.

When I left home, I stopped and got a breakfast burrito and coffee to start my trip. I had driven for a little way, and I just wasn't awake, so I stopped and got a diet Coke. That helped a little, but then you know I had to go to the bathroom. My friends would say, "So what else is new?" I stopped at the "arches", went to the bathroom, and as I was walking out, this old lady came toward me. I was really taken aback when I realized I was looking at my reflection in a mirror. I looked like I had seen better days. I guess, in fact, that I have.

I was wearing a Penn State shirt. Stopping at a rest stop, someone said to me, "How are they doing?" I said that the last I heard, they were losing. When I checked into the hotel last night, a gentleman said to me, "They lost today." "I know," I said. Then when I checked my blog, someone had left a comment about the loss. But South Florida won on Friday night. Now that was quite a victory!

When I stepped outdoors this morning, cool, fresh air met me. Unless you live in Florida and experience the heat and humidity for so many months, you can't imagine what a refreshing feeling that is. As I drove on up into Virginia and started driving on I-64, I was sad to see two deer that had been hit and killed. They were small, so I assume they were young. I hate to see that, and I hate to think about the damage to the cars that hit them.

I passed a semi that was pulling a Baby Ruth trailer. That brought back memories. I remember when I was a kid, and candy bars cost a nickel, and they were big, I loved Baby Ruth. I would eat the chocolate and peanuts away from the nougat center and then relish that sweet stuff in my mouth just as long as I could. On the back of the truck was a sign that said, "This truck makes wide mouths." (instead of wide turns) There was a picture of a cross-section of a Baby Ruth candy bar.

I finally arrived at my son's around 1:30. No one is here. He had told me they were going to go to Charlottesville to play disc golf this afternoon. I said that that was quite all right since I was going to be here for a whole month. They didn't have to wait here for me. So...I haven't seen Miss Ella yet, but I imagine she'll be here pretty soon.

Have a good week.

Friday fun and frenzy

If my grammy doesn't hurry up and come, I'm going to go see her. Well, Grammy is on her way tomorrow to Virginia where she is going to spend the whole month being with Ella (oh, yes, her parents too.) I was going to stop along the way to do some visiting, but I'm going to wait until I'm on my way home to do that.

For fun today, go here and click on Video Clips. This lady is so funny. I've seen her for the last three years at Women of Faith conferences, and she never fails to have the house roaring with laughter. Those of whose children have flown the nest, and that is most of the people who come here, can remember the days when households were a little hectic and hurried. Turn up the sound for it is truly funny.

In other news (the frenzy) the University of South Florida Bulls, who have only had a football program for the last eleven years, are playing tonight before a sellout crowd at Ra*mond James Stadium in Tampa, where they will host West Virginia. West Virginia is ranked #5 in the polls. South Florida is #18. They are hoping for an upset just like they did last year. I told my Penn State friends that I'm glad we're not playing them. The team might be embarrassed. They did indeed play them three or four years ago, beat them, but it was a tough battle.

The city of Tampa has named today "Green and Gold Day." So, go Bulls! I'll be watching.

Flawless

Just look at that skin. Isn't it wonderful! I visited the dermatologist a couple of weeks ago. I go every four months for a skin check. I decided to go to a new doctor in town who, when she saw my face and arms, said, "Yep, a redhead." Having lived in Florida most of my life and spending three and a half years in the tropics hasn't done me any good as far as skin health goes.

Over the years I've head four or five basal cell carcinomas removed, a couple of squamous cells. I have an appointment when I come back from Virginia to have a couple more squamous cell tumors removed from my arm. I'm right now in the process of using a cream on my arms which brings to the surface all the pre-cancerous places. My arms look like I have a bad case of eczema. I have to continue using that for two more weeks, applying it morning and evening.

She referred me to another dermatologist this morning who did a light treatment on my face. Medication was put all over my face, and then I had a light therapy for fifteen minutes. I don't know the exact type of light that it was. I just know that it burned. Right now my skin feels fairly tight and I look like I have a sunburn. I'm not supposed to go out into the sun for two days.

The practitioner told me that some people do this treatment for cosmetic purposes. While I didn't do it for that reason, I will reap some of those benefits.

I asked my son one day what he remembered of his mimi, my mother. I found it interesting that one of the things that he mentioned was her skin. It was well worn, and I see the skin on my arms becoming much like hers.

The moral of the story here--Don't forget the sunscreen! Wear a hat! Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes! Beauty is only skin deep; what's underneath is what counts.

"The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with the heart. "~Hellen Keller

'Mater

There is one educator's blog that I particular love to read. California Teacher Guy writes of his experiences at the Jewel School in Dirty Little Desert Town. I traveled to his blog via another teacher's blog in the spring of last year. He at that time had just found out that his contract had been renewed in California. He spent the rest of the year and the summer seeking employment. He writes about his interviews and e-mails with various districts. This job, which is 150 miles from his home, ended up being the one that was offered to him. It was not one that he particularly wanted.

After arriving there, he started the year, and as you read his posts, it is apparent that he is where he is meant to be. Go there. Go into the archives and read his struggles and then read about his students that he is touching every day by his life.

I am drawn to teachers' blogs since I worked in education for thirty-six years but I must say that I'm glad that I don't have to get up and do that five days of the week now.

A few weeks ago, my cable provider called and offered me a free month of movies if I wanted to take a look. I chose to do it, and one day I was flipping through some of the movies and "C*rs" was being shown. I watched part of it...long enough to see the tow truck, named "Mater" without the tuh.

I smiled to myself as I thought of the first grader in my class who, when we were going over sounds of the letter "t" got one of the answers wrong on his paper. It was a picture of a tomato, and when he got his paper back and saw that that one was marked wrong, he raised his hand and said, "But teacher, 'mater don't start with no "t."

I smiled, and I smile now as I think of him.

Dead Horse Theory

It seems that so many people in the blogging community are hurting and carrying a heavy load. When I think of them and when I think of Ella, I find myself in tears. I'm glad that almost every day in my inbox there is a post from Pastor Tim. His posts always bring a smile.

I thought I would include this entry today from him. Those of us who work in or worked in the education field can surely identify with this, although it applies to many others as he states here. It's funny, and yet sad but true. We at our school would often shake our heads at some of the decisions that were passed down to us.

The tribal wisdom of the Dakota Indians, passed on from generation to generation, says that "When you discover that you are riding a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount."

However, in government, education, and in corporate America, more advanced strategies are often employed, such as:

1. Buying a stronger whip.

2. Changing riders.

3. Appointing a committee to study the horse. Better yet, bring in an army of consultants to over study the horse.

4. Arranging to visit other countries to see how other cultures ride dead horses.

5. Lowering the standards so that dead horses can be included.

6. Reclassifying the dead horse as living-impaired.

7. Hiring outside contractors to ride the dead horse.

8. Harnessing several dead horses together to increase speed.

9. Providing additional funding and/or training to increase dead horse's performance.

10. Doing a productivity study to see if lighter riders would improve the dead horse's performance.

11. Declaring that as the dead horse does not have to be fed, it is less costly, carries lower overhead and therefore contributes substantially more to the bottom line of the economy than do some other horses.

12. Rewriting the expected performance requirements for all horses.

And of course:

13. Promoting the dead horse to a supervisory position.

Caught in the Act!

Hello, Ella here. It's been a long time since I've talked to you. My grammy says that lots of people look at my pictures and tell me how adorable I am. Thank you. Since I've learned how to walk and run, I find all kinds of fun things to do. One day when Daddy and Mommy weren't looking, I found this pretty box. When I looked inside, there were these white things, and I pulled one out, and then another one, and then another, and they just kept coming. I had so much fun. My daddy laughed when he saw me.
The doctor said I have a very bad bug in my throat, and I'm going to have to be on medicine for a month. That's a long time for such a little girl. My mommy and daddy, and Grammy and Aunt Sarah hope I get rid of that nasty bug and that it doesn't make me too sick.

Oh yes, my grammy is coming to see me in October for the whole month. She tells me she can hardly wait.

9/11

September 11, a day that we compare to December 7...a day that will forever live in infamy. Or has it? We were united for a while, and then everyone started blaming somebody else and pointing fingers. Shame on us.

There are two blogs I've read today that I recommend to you. My Gentle Retreat has words of a song about 9/11 that I hadn't heard before. She has put the words there. And then Dr. Bob has a stirring post with those photos that should be on the front page of every newspaper again to remind us so that we never forget. Go there today.

A Wonderful Truth

Every morning when I open my e-mail there is a devotional there from Max Lucado. Sometimes I glance through it, and sometimes I am struck by the truth that is told so simply. This past week I read this thought.

God is love. While some may love us because we're attractive or do nice things or they simply love us because of who we are. But He loves us because of who He is. He loves us because he has decided to. We don't cause him to love us; He loves us because He is love.


The love of God is greater far
Than tongue or pen can ever tell;
It goes beyond the highest star,
And reaches to the lowest hell;
The guilty pair, bowed down with care,
God gave His Son to win;
His erring child He reconciled,
And pardoned from his sin.

When years of time shall pass away,
And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall,
When men, who here refuse to pray,
On rocks and hills and mountains call,
God’s love so sure, shall still endure,
All measureless and strong;
Redeeming grace to Adam’s race
—The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill,
And were the skies of parchment made,
Were every stalk on earth a quill,
And every man a scribe by trade,
To write the love of God above,
Would drain the ocean dry.
Nor could the scroll contain the whole,
Though stretched from sky to sky.

Oh, love of God, how rich and pure!
How measureless and strong!
It shall forevermore endure
The saints' and angels' song!

taken from Cyberhymnal.org

Football really is NOT all there is right now

Well, it was a good day for Penn State, but not a good day for Notre Dame or Michigan. I won't say any more.

This past week we found out that Anthony's leukemia cells have come back and are multiplying. He had just been cleared to go back to school. Prior to that he and his brother had blood work done at Cincinnati Children's Hospital, and the doctor called this past week and said that Anthony must return to the hospital after Labor Day. Apparently another bone marrow transplant is necessary. They still have some of the cells that they saved from the first one. I don't know exactly when this will take place.

The tumor in Sarah's cat continues to grow. The surgeon says it would not do to operate again. Treatments are prohibitive in cost, and there would be no guarantee, so...

I've never written about Leland before. His parents came to Haiti to work in 1972 soon after I left. Their son Leland was always sickly, and so they brought him to the States where he was diagnosed with cystic fibrosis. Seven years ago he had a double lung transplant, and since that time he has gone through rejection a couple of times. About a month ago, we got an e-mail that during a bronchial biopsy, it was discovered he was showing signs of rejection again. He traveled up to Duke for treatment. That is where he had his transplant. The doctor said that the medicine he would use was not usually used a third time, but that was the choice. He is now out of the hospital and getting ready to come back to Florida on the 15th. He sent an e-mail in which he speaks of his "lungevity." I'd like to share a bit of it with you.

"Just wanted to let you know what was going on, where I've been, & why the heck I'm not in South Florida at the moment. This info is straight from the rabbit's mouth. As a result of my bronchoscopy biopsy on 8/13/07, my lungs have shown signs of rejection & infection.

Therefore, I am in the DUKE University Hospital area being treated for both. Primary medications in this "treatment" are: IV rATG (rabbit antithymocyte globulin), IV Ganciclovir & Inhaled Tobi (Tobramycin). If I start craving carrots & hopping everywhere. it must've worked!Despite all that, I continue to FEEL GREAT! My lungs are functioning @ 99% & I have no fever or shortness of breath which are 2 critical signs concerning rejection/infection in Lung Transplantation. Praise GOD & thank Duke!

I'll try not to bore you (or myself) with the details unless you write back & want them.Bottom line. I'd appreciate your prayers for the following:
***That I will move to the MIDDLE of God's Good, Pleasing & Perfect Will.
***For the wisdom of my doctors & all those who are involved in my healthcare.
***The treatment/medication will do what it is SUPPOSED to do without damaging my organs or causing any harmful side affects.
***Any / ALL medications will be lowered &/or discontinued. ie. NO MORE Imuran!
***My PBC Youth for Christ Students, Staff & Fellow Youth Workers as they cover for me in my absence.
Relying on THE Great Physician & in the meantime, this JESUS Freak is STILL Kickin.
Please don't be offended if I don't hug you, shake your hand or do the hokey pokey with you. I need a few weeks of infection-free human interaction."

I've never met Leland, but I'd love too. I love his attitude and outlook.

Church Cats

A mother looked out a window and saw Johnny playing church with their three kittens. He had them lined up and was preaching to them. The mother turned around to do some work.

A while later she heard meowing and scratching on the door. She went to the window and saw Johnny baptizing the kittens. She opened the window and said, "Johnny, stop that! You'll drown those kittens."

Johnny looked at her and said with much conviction in his voice: "They should had thought of that before they joined my church."

With thanks to Pastor Tim.

Football, football, football

First of all, it is too hot to go to a football game in August in Florida. A couple of years ago, my friend Peggy asked me if I'd like to get a season's ticket for the local high school team. I thought, "Why not?" So I got those tickets and went to the first game, which was some time in August...hot and humid. It was hot sitting in those bleachers. I can't begin to imagine what it was like on the field for the football players and for the members of the band in those uniforms.

I had not been to a high school football game since 1959 when I was a senior in high school. Returning to the stadium just a few blocks from my home where I had watched football games since I was a child was a real eye opener. When I was in high school, we were still segregated, so everything was lily white. Girls came to the games reasonably attired. I won't say any more here. Vicki recently went to a Cubs game at Wrigley field and described quite well some of the attire there. If you read her description, you can transpose that here...maybe not quite so bad.

I had tickets last year, but I did not use many of them since I went to be with my son and his family in Virginia. So I'm trying again this year. Did I think it would be cooler? Not really, but I was hoping. Friday night when I went, there was a little bit of a breeze, but it quieted down. The game was not too exciting either. The home team, one of the larger high schools in the county was playing another high school, which is not nearly as large and has a hard time fielding a good team. So the game was not too interesting. I left after half-time and came home to my cool house and got geared up for Saturday's game.

When my son went to Penn State, I began following the Nittany Lions and have, since 1998, watched their games with Penn State alums and friends at a sports bar in Sarasota. It's always a great time, especially when the favorite team is winning. They've had some rough years lately, but seem to be on the upswing again. Yesterday was a game between a storied team and FIU, a commuter university in Miami that only instituted a football program in 2002. I believe the newspaper said that they had not won a game at all last season. The game ended up being a blowout for Penn State (59-0.) JoePa tries not to run up the score, but even with the third string team in, they scored.

The favorite moment of the day was when the game was over, and the TV switched over to the last few moments of the Michigan-Appalachian State game. Wow! That was probably Penn State's favorite moment. (Sorry, Vicki, if you're reading this.) One article said this morning that Michigan probably figured this game would be a tuneup for the regular conference play. They got the shock of their lives. As one Penn Stater said, "You know good and well that when we play them, they're going to be madder than h*ll."

I asked someone when I first started watching the games why these smaller schools play the big boys, and the answer was "money." I read this morning that Appalachian State took home $400,000 from the game.

Everyone was saying, "Where is Appalachian State?" I would have won the trivia prize yesterday. Back when, Appalachian State was Appalachian State Teachers College, and it was located in Boone, North Carolina. (It still is.) Teachers from Florida would go there in the summers to work on graduate degrees because they could escape the Florida heat and go to school at the same time. Not a bad idea!

As has often been said, anyone can be beaten on any given day.

And for all the undue emphasis on athletics, I still love it. I love college football. I even love baseball, even the Tampa Bay Rays, who one of these days, are going to win lots of games.

Updates

The other day I posted about cats. In that post is a photo of Tucker, my daughter's firstborn kitty. Three months ago he had surgery for a mass that was growing in his side. It turned out to be cancer, and the mass has returned. Below is a comment that Sarah left this morning on that post after having spoken to the surgeon.

"The surgeon has not recommended a 2nd surgery for Tucker. Now we are going
to consult a veterinary oncologist and get her take on it. Should know something
hopefully Friday, but could be Tuesday. To me, money is not an issue in taking
care of him, but to an extent it is an issue. If the oncologist does not have a
good outlook, the tumor will just continue to grow in Tucker until he becomes so
uncomfortable he can't stand it or it erupts inside of him. I can't imagine
losing him. So, your prayers for this situation are coveted. Thank you, Tucker's
mom. Sarah"

And then I received this e-mail this morning from one of the teachers at Bradenton Christian School. Anthony had just been cleared to return to school after having a bone marrow transplant earlier this year. The following is the message received.

"It is with a heavy heart that I write to tell you that the MDS
(pre-leukemia cells) are back for Anthony. As many of you may remember
right before transplant they discovered 11% of the pre-leukemia cells.
Post transplant Anthony was at 1%. Recently some tests were concerning the
Drs. so they ran this test. Dr Harris from Cincinnati Childrens Hospital
called to tell them this evening that they need to be back in Cincinnati on
Monday. At this point please pray for the whole Negrin family.
Please pray for all travel arrangements to go smoothly. I will continue to
keep you posted as regularly as I can. Please pray for the Negrins to not
become discouraged or tired. "

If you are prayers, I would ask you to uphold Sarah and Anthony and his family in prayer. The latest report on Louise is that her liver functions seem to be improving, so slowly, very slowly, he is making some progress, but she has miles to go.