It’s astonishing to me that February is almost over. Busy days make the time fly faster. I’m pausing today with Susanne and friends at Living to Tell the Story to share a few favorite parts of the past week.
1. Lunch with Melanie last Friday. We usually get together once every 4-6 weeks. But due to illness of one or both of us and bad weather, we hadn’t seen each other since early December. We had a lot to catch up on.
I had gift cards to Cracker Barrel, making our get-together a double treat. I usually choose from regular favorites there, but tried something new this time: a platter of sirloin tips, grilled chicken tenders, and shrimp. The sirloin was a bit disappointing, but everything else was delicious.
2. Mittu’s birthday. It was a joy to celebrate my daughter-in-law. (Jason made the cake!)
I have no idea about Timothy’s expression. 🙂 He’s at that age where he likes to make funny faces for pictures.
3. Church missions conference. In other churches I’ve been in, missions conference is three to six nights long. The church we’re in now has a missions conference on Sundays over three weeks with different missionary speakers. I love that it’s spread out rather than so much crammed together. The speaker last Sunday had been a missionary in China for several decades. Hearing how God was working and what people would risk just to be able to hear God’s Word taught was both inspiring and rebuking.
4. Scans done. Getting the yearly mammogram and biennial bone density test over with is always a pleasure. But it was especially so this year because they’d had to be rescheduled several times. It’s nice to have them DONE and off the calendar. I just heard back this morning (Thursday) that the mammogram results were fine, but the bone density test showed “a little thinning” for the first time. 
I’m supposed to go in next week to hear what to do about it–hopefully nothing worse than taking calcium supplements. I asked if we couldn’t just discuss it over the phone, but that doesn’t appear to be an option.
5. Fencing. Longtime readers may remember a few years ago that a row of 50 trees across our back property line got some disease and died. After the ordeal of getting them cut down and hauled away, my husband found some vinyl fencing on Craig’s list which he cleaned and put up in place of the trees for some privacy. We’ve talked about someday adding to the fence line to enclose the back yard and sides. But new fencing is expensive. This week, my husband found the same type and color used fencing for sale on Facebook. He drove two and a half hours today to pick it up.
Bonus: Good news. My oldest son had undergone a series of medical tests and got word this week that the problem is none of the scary things we were concerned about. My youngest son’s loan was approved for his first house purchase, so he’s all set for closing.
Happy Friday! I hope you’ve had a good week!
Stray Thoughts 
Praise God regarding your son’s health and your other son’s approval!
I had to take extra vitamin D several years ago after my first bone scan showed the beginning of Osteopenia. It still showed that this past year (10 yrs later) so I re-added extra D with Calcium supplements to my diet twice a week (too much calcium in women can lead to heart issues according to two different docs so…..).
How fun to have lunch with a good friend and fellow blogger!! I enjoy your blog as well as Melanie’s 🙂
Good news about the fencing, too!!
Timothy!! He looks like a pre-teen in that picture!! I’ve lost track of how old he is but he sure is growing up quickly! Happy Birthday to your beautiful DiL and that is some cake!! WOW!
HAPPY WEEKEND!
Timothy is 9. We went somewhere yesterday where kids under 10 were free, and the man at the door looked at him like he wasn’t sure we were telling the truth. 🙂
I’ve been taking vitamin D for several years. I used to take calcium, but was concerned about taking too much. Plus I couldn’t take it within certain times of other medicines, and it got too much to keep up with. My bone scans have always been fine, so I stopped. But I guess I should have kept taking it. I’m sure the dr. will recommend how much to take when I see him next week.
he DOES look older than 9!!
I’ve been hesitent about adding extra calcium too and i’m not on any meds other than an allergy one in the spring. I’m eating more cheese but…..it’s fat so…..sigh. All i know if most of my vitamin D comes with being outdoors in the SUN so i cannot WAIT for spring and summer!! 🙂
This sounds like a good week! I’m so impressed that both Jason AND Mittu are great cooks/bakers 🙂 It does seem like the medical consultation could be done remotely — oh well. I’m so happy for your son’s good medical report and the other’s loan approval! It does seem February has zoomed past. That is fine with me though, as it brings us closer to spring!
I love being closer to spring! 🙂 I wonder of the doctor visit might involve lab work. If it’s just discussion, I am going to tell him that could’ve been done on the phone. 🙂
All sorts of good news here! Fantastic about youngest son’s mortgage approval and older son’s medical report. It wonderful that you will be able to put up more fencing for privacy. I hope all is well with the bone scan results. Calcium might be just what you need.
I did enjoy our lunch and I’m ready to schedule the next one in a month or so! Cracker Barrel has so many amazing choices! At least you’ll know which one to not order again.
I might give that entree another try. The sirloin tips were good but kind of tough and chewy. Usually sirloin tips are more tender than other beef. But I loved the shrimp and grilled chicken.
That is such a cute picture of Jason, Mittu and Timothy! You have had lots of good news this week. It’s always good to have good news (or at least not any REALLY BAD news) from medical tests! It’s also great that your son got his mortgage approved and can move forward and become a home owner. That is a big step. I think it’s so neat that you get together often with fellow blogger Melanie! So glad you had a good week, now have a good weekend as well! See you again soon!
That is such a cute picture of Jason, Mittu and Timothy! You have had lots of good news this week. It’s always good to have good news (or at least not any REALLY BAD news) from medical tests! It’s also great that your son got his mortgage approved and can move forward and become a home owner. That is a big step. I think it’s so neat that you get together often with fellow blogger Melanie! So glad you had a good week, now have a good weekend as well! See you again soon!
So glad you got to reconnect in person with Melanie. Mittu’s cake looks amazing — good job, Jason!
Missionary stories are the best, aren’t they? Yes, you’re right about the impact, being both inspiring and rebuking. The work of the Holy Spirit.
Good find on that fencing material that actually matches what you already have. I remember when you put up the first fence, but had forgotten it was due to diseased trees. That must’ve been expensive.
So good to end on such good news for both your sons.
The fencing we got a few years ago was from Craig’s list, so it was much less than it might have been. It was used, but had enough in good condition to cover where the trees had been. It’s neat to find more used fencing in the same color and style–plus this load had two gates.
Congratulations to your youngest on getting the financing for his first home! And Happy Birthday to Mittu! And TYL that your oldest son’s medical information was so positive. That makes for a really good week.
I’m glad you and Melanie were able to meet in person again this week. Face to face time is a precious time.
You’re right that vinyl fencing is not cheap. That’s what we chose simply because wood wasn’t available.
Have a good week! Willow
Lots of good news on your blog this week about all the various health tests. I hope the follow up on your bone scan isn’t anything to worry about. Great news on your son and the house too. That cake looks good! Happy birthday to Mittu and have a good weekend.
Hi Barbara, so nice that you and Melanie go to meet up. We have been online friends for over 15 years. Good that you had your test. I have osteoporosis but don’t want the meds they offer. I try to get my calcium through food and I take a vitamin D3K2 supplement. I am looking for a new magnesium too. That is nice about the fencing. Have a nice weekend!
I’m curious about what medicines the dr. will recommend. I don’t eat much dairy due to lactose intolerance, and that seems to be where most calcium is. I’ll have to look up other food sources. I wouldn’t mind taking a calcium supplement, but I don’t really want to add another medication to what I am already taking.
Good News!!
Happy birthday to Mittu. It’s always fun to see photos of Timothy. He’s grown so much. I need to schedule my mammogram. It’s one of those things that is easy to put off, but always good to get over with. Glad that your oldest son didn’t get bad health news and that your youngest son is going to be able to buy a house. Exciting times ahead.
I was surprised to see your grandson ! He is only nine but looks as if he was 14 ! Toby is very tall 1.85 m and is not allowed to play soccer anymore because he grows to quickly he is now 13 ! I am the smallest one between the two. Nice that nobody had no serious health problems.
What a blessing to find that fencing secondhand and in good shape. It’s super expensive. We started to do our backyard fence with it thinking we’d do one section a year. Happy birthday to Mittu. Pretty nice cake Jason made for her. Timothy is funny. My kids all went through that stage too. Sometimes I think they are still in it. LOL. Nice that you and Melanie finally got together and that all the tests for everyone for the most part were fine.