The Cheese Stands Alone

Points of Light

2012-01-09T17:17:00.000-07:00

I just want it on the record that the test said I was NORMAL.

In print. NORMAL.

Mind you, they were talking about my heartbeat from the pre-op EKG...
Still. Normal.

Still sneaking in a little JOY,

in spite of the chaos all around me.

ENORMOUS joy!

Pastor Ron departed for his 3-month sabbatical over in London this week.

We blessed him and sent him on his way during the services on January 1.

Catching some time in the sun before crossing the pond.

Service of Remembrance was especially hard this year - so many deaths and people to honor this year: Blake, Buddy, Allison, Aunt Pat, Liam, Madigan, Roseann, DJ, Norman, Tom.

Good morning, God!

Even the Castle Rock star wanted to see what it was like

to live with one eye this week. The lights split right in half!

Sarah took these pics over at Bethany the other evening - WOW!

My new favorite photo of our church!

How could one properly celebrate Epiphany with the
Pastor's wife without eating Epiphany star brownies!?
A light-filled, joyful evening with Sue Ann and Sarah. And brownies.

My first 1,000 piece puzzle. That's about 900 pieces too many....

We made incredible progress in one night.

It actually LOOKS like the USA!

Do you see what I see?

Looking for loose coins and found some Faith, Hope and Love in my car.

Works for me.

See the large circle on the roof below?

That would be the plant I chucked over my deck.

I'm rather amused it stares up at me.

What can I say? Even the Bison from South Dakota

wanted to see the Baby Jesus in the manger!

I was setting up a separate blog, and testing the comment feature.

Slow down? That's foreign text to me!

January 8 - Baptism of Our Lord Sunday. Walk wet!

Wrapped in love from the Lutheran Ladies.

A prayer shawl from a parent at school - how sweet is that?

(And it looks like a heart, so double plus.)

Easy, indeed! People are coming with meals for the next two weeks! WOW!

I think my kiddo's shirt says it best.

Dot received this angel from a nurse before HER surgery,

and passed along the little singing guardian for mine.

We'll call this photo Brenda's Face Before.

I think I look pretty calm for facing a major change in my life tomorrow.

Working on this...

Peace out.

One Moment in Time

2012-01-02T17:17:00.000-07:00

enucleate: to surgically remove the eyeball

intact from its surrounding capsule

Well, there you have it. And at 11:30am on January 10, 2012, that's what's going to be happening here in Denver. My doctor is going to remove my painful, already blind right eyeball from its surrounding capsule. What we thought was a cyst last month turned out to be the little eye collapsing on itself (you can read more about what happened HERE).

If you think THAT sounds strange, wait until you hear what actually happens during the surgery! Here are some screen shots from a cheesy (yet really short and informative) video you could watch HERE. (It's an illustrated video...right up until the final exam at the end, so heads up if you're squeamish!)

There's the eye, still in the socket.

(My actual blind eye isn't this pretty or this big.)

First, they detach all six eye muscles from the eye.

Normally, the optic nerve would be sliced next.

I never had an optic nerve in my right eye,

thus the reason I've been blind in that eye since birth.

Meaning, during my surgery, we can skip this creepy step.

I could have gone my entire life without seeing scissors that close to an eye.

The eye will then be removed.

(This just gets better and better, does it!? Ugh.)

Technically, I've realized that this will be the

one moment in time

where I truly will have just one eye.

Time for the new implant: it is made out of a

coral-like material, much like a porous ping-pong ball.

Here's a close-up. Crazy, right?

I'm absolutely transfixed by its surface and texture!

My own personal moon.

Oh, but wait! The

You Have Got To Be Kidding Me

part is still coming!

(skip the next part if you don't like graphic details)

Once the white, coral implant is in place, they will cut a small incision on the top of my head (apparently, I have a "great scalp" just right for this kind of surgery), lift up my hair, and grab a really thin slice of tissue from under my scalp. It will become the cover on top of the orbital implant - the surface of my new eye. Because it is already a part of my head, it has the highest chance of not being rejected.

Then, the eye muscles will be re-attached to the implant. Eventually, the blood vessels will weave themselves through this implant, accepting this foreign object as a part of my body.

Um....yeah. WILD!
Freaky and fascinating, all at the same time.

No, the skin won't have hair. Yes, it will be paper thin.
No, I have no idea what the cut/scar will look like.
(and quite frankly, I don't really care, as long as it just does its job)

The sutures will need to heal and the swelling in my eye socket will need to decrease before I am fitted with a new glass eye. Basically, all the bumps need to smooth out. This is a one-time deal (the implant is supposed to last me a lifetime), so I want to ensure it has enough time to properly heal. I'm excited to FEEL what the centering and re-attachment of the muscles will be like - my blind little eye has been working so hard for 32 years!

Everything needs time to adjust to their new places inside my eye. SIX weeks of adjustment time, actually. A conformer will be put in place to keep the shape of the socket and eyelids. It's un-detailed and transparent in color, so I'll be sporting an eye patch for the entire 6 week period. Let the pirate jokes commence.

The Not So Good News: the beautiful glass eye I currently wear will become completely obsolete the moment this surgery begins. Ugh. This part just makes me terribly sad - it's not even 2 years old and I just love it. It's a part of me. (See how it was made HERE.) But, it will no longer fit the space inside my eye, and it can't be trimmed to fit the socket. Very sad. :( It's a double loss for me: the loss of an eye that, even though it didn't work as it was supposed to, was still a part of my body and then the loss of the one-of-a-kind shell that matched. Ugh.

The Good News: the glass-eye making process has miraculously been trimmed down to a less than a 24 hour period! This means that on Monday, February 20, 2012, I'll walk into my ocularist with an eye patch, and walk out that evening with my new glass eye in place! Good news indeed! You'll hear me singing from the hills that night!

SO! With the surgery a week away, it's looking
like 2012 is already shaping up to be a remarkable year!

Everyone keeps asking me what I need.

It's very kind...but I don't really have an answer.

I need my kids right now, that's for sure.

I need to be singing around a piano with children who will distract and focus me for the next week with their joy and their delight for life. I know being with the children will help me heal exponentially faster, too. I hope to be back within a week of the surgery - yes, yes, I'll take it one day at a time. I need the kids to know things like this happen in life, though, and you don't need to hibernate and that's there more to life than being focused on your appearance. Day by day.

I need to remember to be full of grace.

People are trying to say the right things (and sometimes missing the mark terribly) and people are trying to do the right thing (and some are only making things worse). I need to remember that this is a rather unique situation for everyone and no one really knows what to say or do, myself included. I need to remember people's intent is to comfort and be thankful they are reaching out at all.

I am surrounded by an incredible support team of friends and family.

Lovingly overwhelmed, really.

Rumor has it there are meals being planned by school folks.

My sub plans are almost done for the children I'll dearly miss.

So basically...I need...to be patient.

And let the doctors do their job.

And remember to be calm and pray.

And ask for help when I need it.

And be amazed and grateful that there are people gifted with
the abilities to both remove and replace an eye. Thanks be to God!

Pants and Piers and Friends Bringing Cheer

2012-01-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Needed a little quiet time at the end of a long pier.

Ahhhhh.

I could stay out here all day.

PEACE.

WOOHOO! Briana, Megan (and baby boy to be born in Spring),

Stuart, and the girls, Hannah and Elizabeth!

A fantastic catch-up on everything lunch!

She was so overheated that her pants all but

disappeared by the time we left! Hysterical!

Adventures in Kohler, WI.

Just for you, Nicola!

Nic's childhood home.

(Here's hoping the current residents weren't watching.)

He looked like such a sad snowman.

I just had to go say hello. :)

Ahhhhhh.

Lunch - Mongolian Grill Style!

The PASSION and ENERGY I felt during my visit?

I mean, it was a delicious meal and all, but passion and energy?

Should have gone back for seconds.

Um...yeah. That would be my monkey,

I mean, my brother, hanging from the pipes

in the parking garage at the museum.

Strong little monkey!

Do you see the rat?

Yeah, neither did we. Even with some assistance from the museum guides.

Scary little dioramas they've got in Milwaukee...

Cleopatra was looking at me.

I need to try that eye makeup.

My 5th graders will be THRILLED to see these Thai instruments!

Just too cool to pass up - the African exhibit.

My name is Bond.

Statue Bond.

Isn't all hope good?

Well, there you have it.

Ahhhhhhh.

WHAT THE WHAT!?

HOW did she sneak this into my luggage!?

Hello again, Colorado mountains.

And.....we're back. Ciao, 2011!

Love and Live Happy

2012-01-01T08:00:00.001-07:00

Imagine my joy upon discovering two heaping piles of shredded cheese! :)

Imagine my sorrow upon discovering these were actually potatoes! :(

My question is how do you explain the carrot nose on Baby Jesus?

So....it's Christmas? Gotcha.

Always good to be back on that bench.

Christmas Eve Worship - O Holy Night.

Holy Communion on Christmas Eve!

Silent Night at Hope Reformed Church

Sheboygan, Wisconsin

Silent Night at Bethany Lutheran Church
Cherry Hills Village, Colorado

I'm usually with little Charlotte late on Christmas Eve.
Thank goodness her parents posted this pic of the little bean!

My camera on Fireworks mode is amazing. Enjoy!

Rather symmetrical, wouldn't you say?

Grandma Dot in the middle!

Three generations!

Cheerful, aren't we?

"Here's your gift...with a few strings attached...."

...strings as in you can only spend these gift certificates when I'm with you

because I've reenlisted and I'll be stationed in Colorado! HOLY COW!

Signed the papers in Baghdad, no less. WOW!

This is my "Wear This When Doing Laundry So

You Don't Fall On Your Face" Broncos helmet.

Apparently, helmets were the gift of choice this year!

BOOYA!

Enough said.

Hmm. More injury-related gifts.

I sense a theme.

What good Sheboygan yard doesn't have their

very own Christmas flamingo lawn ornaments?!

Um...yeah.

She was really thrilled with her new screen house stakes.

It's the little things.

Daniel Boone called.

He wants his pelt back.

Try to look more enthused, Brad.

I love the fact that Dot is as perplexed as I am in this photo.

That would be a rolling, laughing cow.

Yup. :)

The girls!

I thought we should have broken out the

new bean bag toss game in the living room.

I was voted down.

Look very closely. Notice the hovering helicopter?

Never give a remote controlled helicopter to a 29 year old boy at midnight on Christmas Eve.

Guaranteed to take off the heads of at least 3 knick-knacks before crash landing behind the couch.

INCOMING!

Love and live happy. Good idea! Merry Christmas!

~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~ * ~~~

Oooh. Fancy.

Ooooh. Shiny.

The obligatory up against the neighbor's home photo.

BOOYA! It's cousin time! The kids have kids!

TEN!? Dakota is 10!?

Munchies and mingling.

The kids got there very own play space.

In the hallway.

Lucky ducks.

Our toys from when WE were little.

Gorgeous sunset.

Too cold to enjoy from OUTdoors,

but just as pretty INdoors.

Look Who's Home!

2012-01-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

Welcome home, Bradley John!

What you see is the giant sign in our front yard.

What you don't see is me in my pajamas helping

my dad secure it to the lawn in the front yard. Good times.

Yes. That's a motorcycle in the back of that Ram.

And a really heavy pack.

And a brother I haven't seen in over 2 years. BOOYA!

Hmm....red sweater, white shirt and blue jeans?

Coincidence? I think not.

Freeeeeeeezing, but oh so happy to see the boy!

Let's go! Great beret, bro.

Let the lame photos begin!

Much better.

Christmas with Dom!

Brad's so happy he's doing a jig!

Love that boy!

Really now, how cute is this?

Don't look.

That's a motorcycle backing out of the back of the Ram.

In the freezing cold.

Without working brakes.

Hello, happiness! (and a heart attack waiting to happen).

Texas Roadhouse has some AWESOME side dishes.

Peanuts with the peanut! Finally got to meet Sylvia!

We spent the better part of the meal shelling peanuts!

Look at those sweet little hands!

Angry bird, happy girl!

Christy, Sylvia, fuzzy bear, Mom, 20 snowmen...and a giant kangaroo.

My new socks were in Attack Mode.

Sweet daddy, are those Playforms? Too cute.

Love those little toes.

Join the club, sista.

A dalmation and her red ribbon. Important stuff!

Joyful Turkeys

2012-01-01T07:00:00.000-07:00

Everyone should pack a little JOY in their suitcase.

It might be snowing on the ground,

but there's always blue sky up above!

What the heck is that sticking out of that car?

Well, hello there Sheboygan!

There's my lighthouse. Ahh.

What the what?

Reindeer cupcakes at Shuff's with Gma Dot.

Only in Wisconsin would there be a giant,

inflatable Packer atop 4 outdoor tables...

Turkeys and talking. Life is good.

I believe they called this "Santa's Chimney".

I believe I call it DELICIOUS.

Cool.

More winged creatures.

Me thinks it will be a White Christmas.

Indeed.

Do you see what I see?

Exploding Advent Wreaths and Other Christmas Joys

2012-01-01T05:30:00.000-07:00

Love those Advent Candles. So peaceful.
And non-exploding.

WHO KNEW this would be hanging in my living room!?

I first viewed it during a service at St. Francis of Assisi,

and RTG is letting me borrow it for the next 3 months!

So much to learn! Read more HERE!

Do you ever look at children and just KNOW they are going to be amazing adults!?

These three ladies are going to change the world!

The Advent Fair at church is always filled with smiles.
And glitter. Lots of glitter.

And three-hole punches.
("What am I supposed to do with this?" he inquires.)

CHARLOTTE! My little Christmas star!

Such a lovely sight. Week 3 of Advent.

Such a NON-lovely sight.

APPARENTLY, burning candles inside glass is a FIRE HAZARD.

Only at my home.

Quite the awesome sound, exploding glass. Oy.

"All I want for Christmas...."

Go ahead. Finish the song.

He felt left out when I was taking the picture above,

so I had to take a picture of HIS tooth, too. :)

Peace and love.

We saw this on the way to the hospital.

Peace and love.

I'd like to know why someone would spend a lot of money to display this message on their license plate. Sheesh. Even the graffiti artist above had better things to say!

STUNNING color choices for the bathrooms at church.

Wait...color choices? WHAT COLOR!?

BAD: This creepy lady is looking at me.

GOOD: amazing hot chocolate

You melt it in a boiling pot of milk. Mmmmm.

And I quote:

"The cross is for Baby Jesus, and don't eat the ribbons!"

Thanks, Zane.

My least favorite song...HOWEVER, when changed to the "12 Days of Christmas Candy" (thanks to a creative 6th grader), I'm okay with it!

Oh. My. Goodness.

They took off the eye all by themselves.

Funny little kids.

Honest to goodness, these kids are so full of compassion.

"So you can breathe better, Ms. G!" Wow.

This is the view from my classroom - these giant, paper bodies are all over the school, but the PEACE sign is the only part that shows in my room. Sweet.

How does one end a stressful semester at school?

By gathering at the Irish Snug with friends for Beer and Carols!

(Or Diet Coke and Carols if you're the driver for the night!)

PACKED room full of singing Lutherans!

My friend Sue Ann (Pastor Ron's wife) graduated in mid-December from Regis, my Alma Mater, with her Masters in Nursing Leadership! BOOYA! Made it to her hooding ceremony early, so I took a few minutes to go pray in the chapel on campus. I clearly need more quiet time in my life!

I parked my car somewhere near this golf course. Beauty.

The Graduate and the Grinning Glusenkamps

There is no way to peace....peace is the way.

AJ Muste

Blankets and Blessings

2011-12-11T18:29:00.001-07:00

The One-Eyed Wonder Strikes Again: I'm pretty sure you all know that humor is my main coping mechanism. Well, it's going to be in full swing the next few weeks. Long story short: a surgery to remove an eye cyst revealed it was the little (already blind) eye that was collapsing in on itself, and the entire eyeball will need to be removed in the next few weeks. Joy.

I can only see with one eye already, so that's not going to be different. Losing the actual eyeball will be an adjustment...but an adventure, too...right? Right. We're going with that.

So what happens next: The missing eyeball will be replaced with an implant, my eye muscles will be re-attached to that, add a quick skin graft and a brand new shell (you have got to be kidding me) and VOILA, I'll be back to new. Those are the facts. I'm not ready to blog the emotions, so that's what you're getting right now. The adventure begins...

In the hospital, they try to keep you warm with those heated blankets - problem is, you're nervous and anxious and the piece of paper they pretend is a warm blanket really does little to calm you, much less actually bring warmth. Thankfully, I was blanketed in love over the last week - just a few of the many, many blessings:

blessings: sunrises full of color

blessings: small town living = lights hung over the main road in town

blessings: crosses overhead - prayers everywhere

blessings: finding emu oil at the grocery store

(It was right above the Arnica Montana which I needed to

keep the facial bruising to a minimum, and emu anything cracks me up.)

blessings: dear friends who hold your hand and pray with you and read random Bible passages and tell you silly jokes at just the right moment and love you and support you every step of the way

blessings: rudimentary eye patches that cover up the carnage beneath. Oy.

blessings: um...tape that eventually comes off your face?! Ouch.

blessings: care packages sent by Mom and Dad with lots of goodies and love

(I'm not sharing the marshmallows)

blessings: cheerful cards and Christmas-scented soap.

(don't eat the soap, Bren)

blessings: cookies delivered by friends just passing through town

(Snickerdoodles are GONE)

blessings: sugar-coated lemon-blueberry muffins, straight from the oven

(I'm going to gain 100lbs, but I am certainly loved)

blessings: lots of chocolate and conversation about funny stories at work

blessings: freshly made bread delivered by the baker herself

blessings: cheeseballs ready in the fridge. MINE.

blessings: tuna sandwiches after Saturday morning basketball games

blessings: medicine that keeps me sane and dulls the pain of the stitches in my eye

blessings: cards that move (and look like they only have 1 eye, too)

blessings: crazy pictures of the moon which remind you

of the little children who came to visit and made your heart sing

blessings: intentionally mismatched socks that make me smile

blessings: friends that let me smash the heck out of the frozen ice pack when I realize my life is about to change and just let me be who I need to be in that moment.

I used one main telephone to answer house calls this week, meaning the other one logged the calls: 58 calls came in over the last 3 days. And that's not counting texts, e-mails and calls on my cell phone. I am blessed beyond belief to have such supportive, prayer-filled people in my life - While I am NOT looking forward to the next surgery, I am confident the blanket of love will be thick and warm!

Go West!

2011-12-11T18:06:00.001-07:00

"Go West, Young Man!

Go West, Young Woman!"

It's CHOIR time at Flagstone!

101 singing little people. UNBELIEVABLE!

THERE's the real gold - the fact that these kiddos get up before school

and sing together each week! With JOY!

They are amazing and make my heart sing!!

At first, I thought my kids were writing to me in German.

"Does everyone body wear a cowboy costume?" Yes, little one.

"How much are tickets?" NOTHING! NADA! FREE FREE FREE!

There would NO decorations had my mother

not sent some from Wisconsin. Thank you, Mom!!

There's GOLD in them thar hills!

See the list of a bazillion people on the wall?

Note to self: pick a musical with 4-5 parts...not 45!

Proud of my little beaners: they brought in

canned beans(as the cowboys and cowgirls would have eaten)

to benefit Metro CareRing! Love it!

He was READY for our concert....this was only the last rehearsal!

These children are either (1) imitating their music teacher's next injury or (2) nailing the choreography to one of the Wagon Train songs.

Ok, so Chuck was just a bit ready to be the Wagon Master...

....REALLY ready! Go, Chuck!

WOOHOO! During our evening concert!

Yikes! I look a bit fierce!

"Passionate" as my friend Cathy says.

Look out!

How to Get Your Out of Town Friends to Your Evening Concert Map.

The Bethany Gang!

Stacie, Ruth Ann, Brenda, Andrea, Sarah, and Bruce (Spronk)

Go West!

Inflatable Dogs and the Men in the Tree

2011-12-11T17:44:00.001-07:00

Doesn't everybody have an Entertainment Response Team vehicle?

(they should)