Thank-you all for your prayers. Alex had a little better night, but is still in tremendous pain. I have gotten him all settled in for the morning and I’m going to work for a little while. I can come home if he calls me. I am so blessed to work in a place where my boss and co-workers are so compassionate and understanding. I truly believe this is one of the ways that God is getting us through this trial. By providing me a place to get away for a few hours and do what I do best, but still being available to Alex. It is so important to Alex that I go each day, because he knows how much I enjoy it.

And this is what God promised us…not health and strength…but to meet our needs. And He does, and I praise Him for that.

Today, my heart is sad and oh, so heavy. My sweet Alex is having such a hard time these days. For the past 2 weeks, he has hardly been able to get up for anything other than eating, and bathroom. He is in such terrible pain. I can not stand to see him like this. Why, why, why does he have to suffer so? He is such a brave young man, has such a sweet spirit. You’ve heard me say before how I believe that God is in control of this situation…and my feeling’s have not changed. I realize that if it weren’t for the Lord’s strength, we all would have ‘lost it’ long ago. So, I choose to praise God and thank Him in the ‘midst of the storm’…..but, I am so weary…and I am so wanting just a tiny bit of relief…just a little bit of peace for Alex. I can not understand how God can let him continue to suffer, day after day. I can not put my head around the ‘greater purpose’ this could be serving. I just want my son…living a normal, everyday life. Nothing grand or expansive…just a life. I know there are so many praying for him, why doesn’t God answer? Or has He answered and I’ve missed it? Please, friends, do not take this anxious mother’s heart talk this morning the wrong way. I know God is on His throne and I know He is working in our lives all the time. And I trust Him. But, this human mother is crying out, “HELP, please!”

According to Consumer Reports, the average U.S. woman owns 19 pairs of shoes. However, they only wear 4 of the pairs regularly. It goes on to report that 15% of these women have over 30 pairs. I will let you decide amongst yourselves which of these categories I fall into.

The survey goes on to say that many women would risk injury to squeeze into new slingbacks or stilettos, and 43% said they had indeed been injured by their shoes. Now, my friends, I love me a cute pair of shoes, but there is NO way I am going to risk injury to look cute. I am of the opinion that Flatter Shoes Flatter Fabulous Females…. That’s my motto and I’m sticking to it! When I hit the big 40…many years ago though it was, I made a promise to myself…I never had to wear pantyhose or high heels again…if I did not want to. And I have only wanted to for 2 weddings and a funeral.

“Women are passionate shoe shoppers and this survey shows that shoe shopping is almost a sport for some women.” Can you relate, sisters? “A new pair of shoes makes a woman feel great- and they last longer than a box of chocolate. Forget indulging in a chocolate sundae and go buy shoes for a quick little uplift”, says Meghan Cleary. She goes on to say,”Trying on shoes in a store is fun, as you don’t have to strip off in front of a brightly lit mirror.” You go girlfriend! When you just cannot even THINK about trying on a new pair of pants in a dressing room…you can sit in a comfortable chair in the shoe salon and have someone bring out shoe after shoe for you to try on…while you are still fully clothed and in your right mind. Cause seeing yourself undressed in those dressing rooms sorta of makes us all go a little crazy, doesn’t it?

So let’s be brave girls…and tell all. How many pairs of shoes do YOU own? You go first….

Strokes kill twice as many women as breast cancer every year, and it can happen at any age. It is a so sad to know that many people could be saved if we all recognized the symptoms. Getting a stroke victim to the hospital in the first hour is key to being able to reverse potential brain damage.

If you suspect that a person may have had a stroke…and they have even one of these symptoms…don’t wait…call 911 immediately. Every minute counts. To remember the symptoms, use the first 3 letters of the word stroke.

S…..Ask her to SMILE. Look for sudden weakness or numbness on either side of the face.

T…..Ask her to TALK. Can she say a simple sentence like “The sky is blue.” You know she is in trouble if she can’t.

R…..Ask her to RAISE HER ARMS. Weakness or numbness in one arm is a sign she is having a stroke.

The Mayo Clinic suggests another easy way to remember the warning signs: FAST:

F…..FACE…weakness or pulling

A…..ARMS…weakness or numbness

S…..SPEECH…slurred or trouble pronouncing words

T…..TIME…Get help as soon as possible.

Stroke signs in women are sometimes varied and unusual. Please take the time to read this short article from the Mayo Clinic.

Being knowledgeable about these signs could save the life of someone you love.

Look at this cute T-shirt I found at Target today. Just $6.00. I love crows and have a small collection of crows on top of an armoire in my house. As a family, we have never been very big on Halloween. My boys went trick-or-treating, and we always participated in handing out candy. But, it has just never been a big deal for us. I choose to decorate for fall as a whole, and do not go in for witches and such. I abhor the Halloween aisle at Michael’s. They have some kind of “something’ that makes this other worldly, spooky sound whenever anyone walks by. It resounds over the whole store. I don’t know how those that work there can stand it. Anyway, I liked this shirt because it only had the crow on it. I have always been a fan of primitive folk art, and crows are used quite often in this type of art. They had some with witches and spiders and such, if that is your fancy, too.
HAPPY FALL!