21 Day Challenge

Today is day 1 of Rhonna's 21 day Challenge.

My journal is titled, Calling All Angels, I was inspired by a song on Rella's blog http://faerieluna.blogspot.com/ with the same title.

The reason for the 21 day challenge is that it takes 21 days to make or break a habit, or to make something a reality.

I have 3 goals I will be working on: 1.Read my Bible daily, Seek God, and pray for others daily. 2. Get fundraiser planned and raise enough money for John's wheelchair ramp and household modifications. 3. Eat moderately and eat healthy food , exercise every single day no matter what. Get started on losing the weight I want to lose this year.

I made the journal I am using, by using a plain composition notebook, and then covering it with craft paper, and then adding letters. Then decorating the first page by using watercolors , and then gluing down paper lace and writing out my goals.

I am really looking forward to doing this. I had to take my feeling of being overwhelmed and turn it into something constructive. I have a plan now, and I will accomplish it. ~ Determined Nita~

This picture of John was taken one night before the accident.

John is doing so much better that he will probably be released in 5 weeks instead of 3 months. He is being taught how to straight cath himself and I have been shown how to do that to. It is like a regular catheter but it just empties the urine from the bladder into a container.

I am scrambling trying to get everything done before his release. I have to find someone to build a ramp, and the house has to have certain modifications, and I have to find rides back and forth to St. Louis to get more training on how to care for him during all of this. I am blind in one eye, and my eyesight is pretty bad in the other eye, and I don't trust myself driving in such heavy traffic. Plus find a doctor for Elizabeth for her problems with her jaw. During the midst of this, I have had to fight my husbands sisters because they think they know what is best for him. He only has 4 of them. 1 is actually pretty decent. I would like them all to tend to their own families and leave me alone, except if they want to be supportive. There is no money for any of this, so John's aunt and a few friends are scrambling around trying to find a way to have a fundraiser very quickly to help do the things that need to be done before he comes home. Don't get me wrong, I am happy he is coming home , but I have been totally overwhelmed by how I am going to get all of this done. ~Nita~

In The Arms Of An Angel by Sarah Mclachlan

This is one of my favorite songs. It is how I really feel right now.

Spend all your time waiting for that second chance

For the break that will make it o.k.

There's always some reason to feel not good enough

And it's hard at the end of the day

I need some distraction oh beautiful release

Memories seep from my veins

They may be empty and weightless and maybe

I'll find some peace tonight

In the arms of the angel fly away from here

From this dark, cold hotel room, and the endlessness that you fear

You are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie

You're in the arms of the angel; may you find some comfort here

So tired of the straight line, and everywhere you turn there's vultures and thieves at your back

The storms keep on twisting, you keep on building the lies that you make up for all that you lack

It don't make no difference, escaping one last time it's easier to believe

In this sweet madness, oh this glorious sadness That brings me to my knees

In the arms of an Angel far away from here

From this dark, cold hotel room, and the endlessness that you fear

You are pulled from the wreckage of your silent reverie

In the arms of an Angel; may you find some comfort here

You're in the arms of an Angel; may you find some comfort here

More Cards and encouragement

I was finally able to download some pictures! Elizabeth's friend showed me what I was doing wrong.

Here is a bunch of cards that came to the hospital for John the other day. We had such a great time going through each one. All of them are so wonderful. I am going to hang them in his new room in a couple of days.

Today I had Dad go with me to see John. When we had him situated in his new room ,I went to look for the chaplain to speak to for a few minutes.

I went to her office and she was gone. But, I stood there for a few minutes anyway, just absorbing her essence. She had a plant in her window that was so beautiful. It was a climbing plant that framed the whole window. She had a huge African Violet on one of her end tables that was in bloom. These beautiful velvety purple blooms crowned the plant. She had a picture of a tree above her desk. I connect to trees in a spiritual way. They symbolize many things to me. This particular tree was a painting. It was an old tree and its branches almost hung to the ground, standing there looking at that picture I felt peace, even if it was for a brief moment.

I left the doorway of her office and headed back to John's room. We had our good- byes and headed downstairs to leave. When we got downstairs I noticed a huge bronze tree on the wall. It was so beautiful. It comforted me. God does show us infinite mercy in great times of pain and sorrow. I have always known Him to sustain me when I did not think I could go on. I have had a feeling that someone reading my blog has been fighting despair lately. If that is true, don't give up. Even though I feel like I am going through hell at times, God is with me, and He will be with you too. *love nita*

Cards From Afar

My camera is still giving me problems downloading . So I had to scan these. John loved all the cards, but these were some of his favorites. We got him in the rehabilitation center today. He was so relieved to making the second step to recovery.
His new address is : SSM Rehab
c/o John Zimmerman
Room 137
6420 Clayton Road
St. Louis , Mo.
63117


Bad news about Elizabeth, it is not an ear infection. She has severe TMJ, and her joints in her jaw are rubbing the nerves that lead to the ears, causing constant pain. We have to find an ortho surgeon, because she will have to have surgery to correct this. So I am still asking everyone to keep praying . I have to admit it, I was overwhelmed again. I feel like it is all too much. But, I have to keep taking it a minute at a time, that is the longest I can do right now. If anyone out there is going through anything like this, know I will be saying a silent prayer for you tonight. Or if anyone is just suffering from grief, sadness, loneliness or despair, know I am praying for you too. *love nita*

A Beautiful Mermaid Came to Call

Cathy sent this card to me. She is a dear sweet soul who went through my archives and found out how much I love mermaids . She made this herself!!! She said she hoped it brightened my day. It certainly did. I was having problems downloading pictures tonight, but I want to show you the cards John got, so I will try again tommorow.

I want to also say I am praying for all those who lost a loved one during 9/11. And for the healing of hearts and souls still recovering from that horrible day.

I also want to thank you all for praying for me and my family. I felt so much better today. And I felt stronger. Having this blog has done wonders for my soul. It has introduced me to some of the kindest people I have ever met. Even though I only know you on-line, you have showed me more kindness than some people I have known my whole life. Just by writing a word of encouragement, and saying a prayer. Thank you all. God Bless each and every one of you, and may the God of Heaven pour blessings upon you in magnificent ways. * love nita*

John Got Mail !

John called me tonight, and told me his mail was delivered 20 minutes after I left, and that he had received 20 cards from all over the world!! He received 10 last week.

I am so happy that people are responding, and he is so excited that there are that many people thinking of him. He said he wanted to wait until I come tomorrow to visit to open them. I am going to take some pictures of the cards and post them tomorrow.

For those concerned about him going to rehab and your cards not being delivered to him, they will forward his mail to the rehab place.

And I will post the address of the rehabilitation center that he is going to this week. Thank all of you who have sent John cards, and thanks to all who are going to send cards. It has really meant alot to us.

I have one more request tonight please pray for Elizabeth. She has came down with a bad ear infection this past week. I have taken her to the doctor once this week, but tonight she was in so much pain she was crying. I am taking her to the doctor again tomorrow if they can work her in ( I pray they can). She has missed alot of school because of John's accident, because he was in such critical condition we wanted to stay with him to make sure he was out of the woods before we went home. I am so overwhelmed with all of this. I am trying so hard to be strong but I am feeling weak. Please pray for us. *love nita*

Chapel in John's Hospital

I went to visit John today, he was a little down because he has to stay a few more days in the hospital because his wound is still seeping a bit. The doctor wants to make sure there is no infection at all before he goes to rehab.

I went to the chapel while he was doing physical therapy. (These are photos I took while there) It is a lovely chapel. I talked to God for a while. Telling Him things that burden my heart. While in the chapel I began to think about the things I love. I love bare trees in Winter. They have no truer form than in Winter. I love good coffee. I love new notebooks, I have a million of them but always want more. I love good ink pens. Good books. I love to walk the dogs in Summer Rain. I love learning, I am a lifelong learner. I love to basically learn about anything. I love it that I am rarely bored. I have always been able to entertain myself. Enough about me. What do you love? *nita*

I have been practicing self portraits with my camera. I am not that good yet, but I am trying. I have been blind in my left eye for 3 years. I started losing site in that eye 8 years ago . They found out I had a tumor on the optic nerve. It is not cancerous but it is inoperable. I feel blessed to still have one good eye. What is unusual is that my eye that is blind moves just like the other one. And I have not noticed much of a color change. My doctor says I am really lucky because of that. One blessing to be thankful for.

The plant with the angel is a Crow's feet plant. It is a succulent. It is a piece of a plant that I have had since 8th grade. It is a really neat plant. This picture is for a friend who had never seen one. *nita*

Shadow of a Dragonfly

Today I saw the shadow of a dragonfly, right in front of me. When I looked up it was gone. Dragonflies have always fascinated me. I would love to go out to some wetlands and get some really good pictures of them.

When John and I went blackberry picking in July, we went to some wetlands near us, and the dragonflies were flying all around us, it was magical. We talked that night of future escapades into the woods and wetlands. I wonder now, will we be able to do things like that. Will his health permit it.

I remember a hike we took once on the Cherokee trails at Carlyle Lake. We walked a 3 mile hike through the woods and ended up in an old cemetery. On a low branch of an old Oak tree was a hoot owl. We just froze. I had one of the eeriest feelings I have ever felt in my life. We looked around the little cemetery and discovered it was a family cemetery. Almost everyone there had died of Cholera. It really made me think about life, and how it can be unfair. Almost a whole family wiped out by a sickness. I have always been the kind of person who has tried to live each day to the fullest, because I never knew what life had in store. I will continue doing that, life may change for us but we can still do everything in our power to make it a good life. *nita*