Mercy, Summer 2009--What Happened?

Help me somebody! Somehow I WISH that I had been RIP VAN WINKLE and SLEPT through this past 3 months!

Or maybe I did...I feel so confused....maybe this has all been a bad dream! PLEASE, tell me that it really was a dream. :-D


Surely we DIDN'T break all WEATHER records in history....WITH HORRIBLE temperatures OVER 100 degrees for almost 60 days of one summer!!!

Surely I didn't go through the greatest pain of my life....physical and mental!!!

Surely all of our earth is not drying up for the lack of rain!!! All our plants, grain, trees and animals....and food supply is not dying away.

Surely Americans are NOT out of work by the millions, including my loved ones with college degrees!!!

Surely I didn't spend 2 weeks in the hospital having my legs cut off and replaced them with man made artificial implements that 'pop out" of socket often with great pain.

Surely BOTH hubby and I didn't BOTH fall flat on our faces...have horrible pains with these 2 sets of artificial knees!!! Surely the blood & scabs are not ours!!!


Surely after a lifetime of WORKING my tail off and 'paying my dues' from every paycheck that our new President will not succeed in destroying my retirement income that I WORKED FOR ...as well as my retirement Health care coverage...for my many health problems culminating from WORKING my tail off all these years!!!

Surely ...as always....I will be wise enough and strong enough in FAITH to keep my eyes on my Savior...and USE that great 'SENSE OF HUMOR' that he so generously gave me....to help me, my family and friends to OVERCOME....SURELY!!! Please, Lord, SURELY>

Well, how's that for a negative introduction...ha ha...and drat-it....it's all TOO DARN TRUE!!! This summer has 'come and gone' and although I am excited and feeling better about the upcoming season change---praise God---buuut, I, like many others....still have 'Summer hang over pains' and I don't even drink. I still feel in a deep daze at ALL that has come 'down the pike' this summer---which is USUALLY my most appreciative, restful time of the year. This year COULDN'T be further FROM that!!!

So, with determined faith, today, I have chosen to honor the BLESSINGS of this Summer of 2009 with photos and try to close.....or at least....ease the door shut on the bad.


However, I SHOULD HAVE caught onto the very 1st clue early....that THIS was going to be a tough summer. Naturally, first the double knee surgery on a body of a diabetic and cancer patient----CERTAINLY couldn't be all good. ha ha...2 surgeries @ once!!!

But...then one day, after surgery & trying to get OVER the mess..... hubby and I had been sitting leisurely out in our back yard beneath our favorite shade tree, drinking nice cool soda's in the refreshing summer breeze...it was sooo wonderful!


Well, we eventually go back into the house for a few minutes....only to RETURN a few minutes later to our shady spot and relaxing lawn chairs ...beneath our backyard shade tree...ONLY to find the following:




Yes....this is, none other....than a SNAKE SKIN. NOT one....BUT...TWO of them, about 4 to 5 feet long...hanging ABOVE....exactly where we were just sitting under the tree!


Now we have not even SEEN a snake of ANY KIND on our hillside in probably 15 years...and only about 3 prior to that in all of 42 years----and NOW two of them...side by side...IN a tree...over our heads while we sip sodas! YIKES! My family knows that I am not a lover of snakes...although I wisely know that God created them to HELP w/rodents. but yuk...

Anyway...this HAD to be a BIG OMEN....and it SHOULD have been my CLUE # 2....that Summer 2009 was BOUND to be trying! AND IT WAS....and some still is!!!


=======But life goes on.......OR ....IT GOES OFF.....=====

WELL---BY CHOICE....I choose to honor good and....so, THESE are some of the GOOD things that took place this summer that I loved...and things that I plan to TRY to remember in the years ahead as I look back upon 2009. ha ha...now I said 'try' . :-D

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Below: My beloved 'high school Sweetheart" actually turned 70 years old on July 4th! I can barely believe it...if for the fact that I am not but one year behind him!!! My awesome Jock of great high school physical bod-squad....now 70 yrs. old! Where did time go? I'm still a cheerleader (ha) and he still is the guy with the 'hottest car' in centex! Oh, No, is it not true...can it be...that we are BOTH using BLUE HANDICAPPED STICKERS, canes & walkers? Our hair has turned grey or loose and what used to 'shake' now cracks, moans & groans! All the body parts that used to be...upright and sharp to military standards....now hang down to welcome the grave. Yikes. oh....aaarrrrgggg!


(of course, I could barely stand or walk....so the usual 'Family July 4th Celebration' for his birthday was never meant to be for his... Big 7-0 .... but with blessings...it became just that---a neat blessing, as our daughter went all out and prepared/decorated their home in his honor.

Yummy, yummy chocolate cake w/o calories...ha ha....(Wilton's Crisco butter frosting...yeah right!!!) Just what chubbetts need. ha ha Yummmy good tho....wish I had some now...

Hubby's favorite Barbecue with all the trimmings....and darling July 4th decorations to the max!

Thank God for daughters and sons!

----------------then, after birthday... we get a surprise------

Our neighbor's SURPRISE PACKAGE!

Shortly after Jim's birthday...one Saturday afternoon, I heard a ruckus coming from our usually quiet neighbors. Excited voices and squeals came flowing across the back pastures and yards. I just figured that they were having a 'cook out' with friends, etc. A couple of hours later we go out

our back driveway....and THIS was what our excitement was all about!

THEY had no clue that their donkey....only 3 feet tall....HAD MARRIED...their Jenny mule...which is about 5 & half feet tall---- AND THEY HAD A BABY DONKEY! (isn't he darling?)

(these two animals have been together for about 5 years and He TRIED to be Poppa constantly but it was always IMPOSSIBLE----(well, so we ALL thought...ha ha and even made jokes about it) HOWEVER...That was not the case. We now have the CUTEST EVER.... little black donkey---who NOW runs and bucks all over the pasture chasing Poppa...like 2 little kids----around the lake....over the dam...after the geese and ducks. run, run, run... They are so darn cute. But WHATASURPRISE. WE ALL LOVE watching them play !

====then another great blessing of this summer that I have to mention=======

Everybody Needs a close Sibling...

This is mine! My Sister...Sookey (nickname for Alvena). She's not just my sister but my confidant===but even with some of the horrors of this summer 09, ---I still could not bring myself to confide all the pains. She called constantly to check on me, bought by foods, treats, gifts & surprises and has always said that because she was 11 years old when I was born that God sent me to her and that I was REALLY her little baby when she needed it most with a ton of brothers always around.

(her husband, Nick, a World Olympics Aero-acrobatic pilot winner, and career as a College Technology Professor now sadly has Parkinson disease and is barely able to stand and walk.) My sister and I are TOTALLY different but get along well. I'm extrovert & I love working with other people & know that's my calling if God has one for me. Yet she, an introvert/private person has dedicated her life to taking 'good care of herself' always exercises, doing any/all things to keep up her body---and thus, I have to shout hooray for her...would you ever, ever guess that she is about to turn 80 years old in 3 months!!! She looks awesome for 80!!! (PS....he is 3 years younger than she is....would you have guessed it?)

***************then....finallllly********************************************

Happy Birthday TO ME!!!

(now....ha ha....I often FEEL that I am ....80 years old....HA HA)

BUT...God is so good! After all....HE created puppies and kittens!......and 'little black donkeys"...haha

Yes, this is 'Smokey' our new little orphan kitten and this is a ton of his paper wads that he loves to play with. Yes...this is MY GIFT to ME....from me ha ha----two little wafe kittens that are so doggone cute! (however at times now....I sometimes want to GIVE away my gifts. ha ha Not really)

This is Smokey & Flossy, who NEVER stop playing, running or romping all over the house.

Their Mommy was accidentally killed and they nearly starved to death before humans found them. They now are getting fat & sassy here at Helleson's hillside, and naturally spoiled rotten! Pests is a better word!

But seriously, they have made us ROAR in laughter every day and night since they arrived. They love to show OFF....as well as show their appreciation for our saving their lives by purring constantly and crawling upon our laps....and near our face to cuddle while we watch TV. Yes, our God is good to give us 'little JOYS' during troubles, trials, pains and problems. All realms of Mother Nature whispers out His healing grace, His encouragement, His love. These 2 fuzzy friends fill the bill for us---well almost...ha ha. (how about those innocent little eyes?) And yes, our big tomcat....BC....has comes to endure 'the children'. ha ha But HE always RULES 1st.ha

**************** then THE FROSTING on my Birthday CAKE of LIFE****************

The wonderful song..."Happy Birthday to You", Happy birthday to You, Happy Birthday DEAR GRANDMA....Happy Birthday to you!!! Sung and performed by ALL of your Grandchildren! Can it get any better that than! Nope!!!

It was so neat to have them all telephone and SING their version of the birthday song TO ME! (Thank you parents!) :-D


Then just a few days after my birthday.....it was SCHOOL TIME!
ALL the grandkids are officially 'in school' this year! Wow. How great is that!

Also ....much to the dismay of one set of parents....their 3 kiddoes....all GOT UP AT 3 O'CLOCK in the morning....got dressed...went to parents bedroom...to ROLL them out of bed about 4 hours early....'because THEY wanted to get to school early". ha hahaha. (bet that will not happen again...by THEIR own choice...or their parents. So funny!


The other grandchild....1st grader...drove parents crazy the day/night before in excitement....then at school the next morning....IN PACKED HALLWAYS of parents and kids all trying to find new rooms/classes---as weeeee little voice squeaks up to Mommy, as she is GRASPING her hand in fright, "Mommy, I don't think I wanna be in first grade anymore".....



It is scary (I can even REMEMBER my own first day---first grade---no longer QUEEN of my house-scared to death of all those freaky kids that I'd never seen before!) However...once THIS little Princess got in the classroom....saw one or two of her friends....then: "you can go away now Mommy and don't take any of those pictures of me!" ha hahaha (how typical...how funny...now she's a BIG girl!) We absolutely loved both stories on our grandkids first day of school!
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Well, that about 1/2 covers the Summer of 2009....the rest is too deep. There are some things that just need to be held close and talk to our REAL Daddy, who SEES and KNOWS all.

And through that venue.... one thing is for sure HE has MADE a miracle of me....my life..events etc......numerous times...numerous ways....for numerous reasons----and He will continue...as He promised...for me and all who in faith believe and follows as best possible. Through Him all Grace is given....and All THINGS are possible!


Sometimes, tho, I, like most, find myself in the pains of life, and as people, we can't hear or see the great things that Nature has all around us that help us handle all the junk--like little fluffy kittens, little black donkeys and even gigantic long-horn cows (hummm) ha ha--but maybe sometimes if we could just be still & listen with our heart----( instead of our worn out ears or our tired brain cells) ---we really might be able to hear that soft voice ECHO back to us, of His whispering our name: the voice of our Shepherd....because I certainly FEEL like a lost sheep at times in the mire messes of life.


(Lord, help me turn off the world's noise button and hear only YOU)

After all the holidays are just around the corner, exciting, hope is sneaking in the crevices, here and there----and....Thanksgiving is a daily things...even when we turkeys gobble constantly about our fears/troubles---of which I'm probably president of the club and I really don't even want to be a member. ha ha :-D I just don't have any other answers ...but HIM!

As the saying goes....Yesterday is history, tomorrow a mystery--- and today is God's gift to us! We are still blessed as a the greatest of Nations...as well as individuals. Truly....More Good Stuff is on the way!

Yes, I can now treasure the goodness of the Summer of 2009.
I know... this too shall pass and Change IS coming. I am excited.
Be safe... Be blest!






Left: Kori, Josh
& Matthew

Right: Zoe Noel

First Day of School Excitement!

Hooray for children,
their parents,
our Nation & most of all our Lord!!!