Chris, David, Lori, Jenni, Erin, Kerry, Madison and Macey. This was taken on Lori's birthday after dinner at the Cheese Factory

This has been a hard day knowing what we are facing tomorrow… We both have tried to keep busy… I did laundry, hosted the DASNI chat, Larry Rose came to chat this afternoon. I fed the flowers, tomato, and pepper plants and Dave vacuumed the furniture and sprayed it with Scotch Guard and he cleaned the wood flooring… Tonight I cooked our first mess of green beans from the garden. I added some new potatoes and fixed some yellow squash with cheese. Every evening we have a Cardinal bird come and entertain us while we are eating… Wesley, Lori, David, and Alfred called… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Happy Birthday Lori!!! Lori is our daughter in Norman, Oklahoma… Happy Birthday Tracy!!! Tracy is our friend in Missouri… Happy Anniversary Phil and Diane!!! Diane and Phil are friends in Australia… I watched the church services then I baked zucchini bread, dusted the living room, dining room, and our bedroom, hosted the DASNI chat , and deadheaded the roses… The Hibiscus and Crepe Myrtle are blooming… Kenny, Kathy, and Heather joined us for take out Mexican tonight. Later we all hopped into Kenny’s truck and went to Sonic for a blast… Howard called… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Happy 50th Birthday Linda!!! Linda is our friend in California
I watched a movie, listened to my garden show on the radio, and hosted the DASNI chat. We had two new ladies today and Frank from England was back… I went to the garden and picked some vegetables. I rode the four-wheeler and I have eaten too much. I think Dave’s eye surgery is really bothering me, more so than the other surgeries he has had. I just hope this is his last one… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Happy Birthday Sandra!!! Sandra is our friend in Rusk, Texas… Dave woke me up early this morning. We were at Doctor Holloman’s office at 8:00. She is a lady in her mid thirties and very sweet. She explained every thing to Dave and he will have the surgery next Tuesday… We left Dr. Holloman’s office and went to the Quail Spring Mall. I didn’t see anything I couldn’t live without… Then we went to Aldi’s and picked up a few groceries and then to Wal-Mart where we picked up Dave’s blood pressure pills… I fixed fried okra for supper and it was so good… George, Richard, and Martha called… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

I can’t tell you how great it felt to just stay home today. This morning Dave and I watched a dvd of Dewey’s Memorial service that his wife Judy had sent us. Dewey was loved by so many and we all miss him… I went to the DASNI chat and chatted with my best friends, did some picking up around the house as we really can get in some messes, went to the garden and picked zucchini and squash for supper. When I was chopping the zucchini I cut my thumb and I had to call Dave in to finish supper… Martha and Norita called… Tonight Kenny and Kathy came down. Kathy brought some okra that she had picked in the garden… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Happy Anniversary Chip and Sharon!!! Chip and Sharon are our friends in Florida… I didn’t sleep well last night. I had to get up early this morning for an appointment with Dr. Davoli to get both my knees injected… Then we went to Baptist Hospital for Dave’s tests… Then to the office supply store to pick up Dave’s new chair and from there we went to Tinker Air Force Base to pick up our meds and then to the BX and Commissary. Our next stop was for me to get my treatment from the chiropractor. When we got home I helped put away groceries and warmed up some of Lori’s chicken and noodles. They were so good… I watered the flowers outside because they were begging to be watered. I just wanted to go to bed… Dave has an appointment with the surgeon on Friday morning. She will let us know when the surgery will be… Hopefully tomorrow we can stay home… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

We left right after lunch and went to the Credit Union, then to see Alfred and Martha, and then to Dave’s 3:00 appointment with the Retina Specialist. We were there till 6:00. I had taken a book with me to read but forgot and left it in the car. I am a very very poor waiter. I know Dave was wishing he had left me at home. The Doctor examined him and then they did an ultra sound. He told us that the tumor had grown and that he didn’t want to fool around and take any chances. He is making arrangement to have the eye removed. Tomorrow Dave has to go in for some more tests including a liver test… We left there and went to Kerry and Erin’s house. I gave Erin her prayer shawl and she was happy to get it. I can’t wait to get in bed with my prayer shawl tonight. Dave has gone through so much and now this. We will make it through this but we need lots of prayers… We stopped at the Sub Way and Heather was there working and fixed our sandwiches… I called David and Norita and we went up and told Kenny and Kathy… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Stanley Steemer came this morning to clean our carpets… Dave has been complaining about his vision in the eye with the cancer is getting worse. So I nagged him until he called the doctor and he has an appointment tomorrow… I did five loads of laundry. Our beds are clean and so are the dogs… I hosted the DASNI chat, fixed lunch and supper, did some mending, and went to the garden and picked vegetables… I am tired tonight… Erin called… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

I woke up early this morning and I am thinking today must be the longest day of the year. Dave and I are still tossing papers and other stuff. We are doing this hoping that it will make it easier for our kids when we are gone… I attended church services on TV and watched a movie and the U.S. Olympic Trials… I dusted the cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower with Sevin Dust while Dave cut the grass… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Thanks to Jay and Jody in Washington DC for leaving me a comment here on my blog… We are still going through paper work and tossing. It feels so good to get rid of stuff… I hosted the afternoon and evening DASNI chat… Kenny and Kathy took us out for dinner tonight. It was for Dave’s Father’s Day. We went to Sho Gun’s and everything was so good. I can’t wait to go back there. I came home with a full to go box… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Today is the first day of summer and it has been a beautiful day… I received a package in the mail today from Jeanne, a friend in Hawaii. It was a Don Ho tee shirt. Thank you Jeanne, you know how much I enjoyed listening to “Tiny Bubbles”… I lost a diamond out of my new ring that Dave bought me in February. Thank goodness I bought a warranty for the ring… I chatted with my friends in the DASNI chat room… I went for the snap, crackle, pop, treatment today. I am doing so well that I am now down to once a week… Shiloh and I went to the garden and picked zucchini and squash for supper. Shiloh goes wherever I go… I helped Dave fix a delicious supper… My knees have been bothering me so I made an appointment with Dr. Davoli to have the injections put in my knees and I called Stanley Steemer and made an appointment to get our carpet cleaned… Dave is out flying his plane and I am eating popcorn and watching the Daytime Emmy Awards… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

We have been going through some old paper work. I found a letter from Diana McGowin that she had written to me back in 1996. It was right after I had read her book “Living in the Labyrinth.” I had written her a letter telling her how happy I was to have read her book… I did a load of laundry and went with Dave for his lab work. Then we went into town to do run some errands and pick up some groceries… David and Martha called… Goodnight all… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Happy Birthday Candy!!! Candy is our friend in California… This morning I received a beautiful prayer shawl from my friend Gayle in Washington. I held the prayer shawl close to me and it made me feel so good. Thank you Gayle for this wonderful gift. Gayle also sent me a prayer shawl to give to Erin… This afternoon Dave wanted to go look at desks again. I left chat early so I could go with him. We came home without a desk and are still trying to decide which one we want. I wished they would come out with a pill to help me make decisions… We stopped at Sub Way and picked up sandwiches for our supper… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Sometimes I can’t think of anything to say. This is one of those times. Maybe tomorrow I will be more talkative… Alfred called and they were on their way home from Missouri. He said that Martha was driving the motor home like she had been driving one all her life… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Happy Birthday Sean!!! Sean is our neighbor… Thanks to Sandy in Ohio for signing my guest book at http://www.angelfire.com/ok4/mari5113/index.html I must have really gotten over stimulated yesterday because I had a terrible time falling asleep last night and when I finally did I had nightmares… I cleaned the bathroom, did laundry and saw the bottom of the hamper, hosted the DASNI chat, fixed lunch and supper … I am going to watch a Red Sox baseball game now. Go Red Sox!!!… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Happy Father’s Day, to all the Fathers… We left today right after I was the church service on television to spend Father’s Day at Kerry and Erin’s home. David, Lori, Chris, Jenny, Jake, Trevor, Madison, Macey, Barbara Ruth, and Dave and I all enjoyed a cook out with homemade ice cream and most everyone enjoyed the pool… We didn’t get home till late then we went up to Kenny and Kathy’s to spend some time with them. Josh and Heather were there too. I got special time with all my family today. And the Father’s enjoyed their Father’s Day… Thank you Kerry and Erin for opening up your home for all of us… I called Chip and Sharon… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

It was so sad to hear of Tim Russert’s death. He was so young, only 58 years old. I never failed to miss his Sunday talk show “Meet The Press.” I would watch him then watch my church services. We are flying our flag at half-mast in honor of him… I fixed lunch, hosted the DASNI chat, fixed supper, deadheaded the Roses and fed them some Bayer three in one stuff for Roses… Kenny and David and Lori called… Dave took his old desk down and we will take it to David and Lori. Now we need to make a decision on a new one soon… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Yesterday's journal

This morning I finished clearing a path for the maids, did a load of laundry, and pulled weeds out of the flowerbeds. I saw Kathy up in the garden pulling weeds so I went up to see if she had sunscreen on and she didn’t. She had a bad sunburn not long ago from working in the garden and not wearing any sunscreen so I went in the house and got her some and took it to her. She found the first cucumber and laid it aside for me. But before I got to it Sammy, their dog ate it. Sammy had already picked a big zucchini and was eating it, even pulled the plant out by the roots. Anyhow Kathy found me another cucumber and I ate it and it was soooo good… After supper we went to look for a new desk for our study. We found a couple that we liked. Decisions Decisions… When we got home it was stormy so that is why I didn’t get this posted last night… I phoned David, Ben, and Joyce... Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Today would have been my Daddy’s birthday and 49 years ago Dave enlisted in the Air Force… I have been picking up around the house. That is a big job for me any more. We can sure get in a mess here in a short amount of time. The maids are coming tomorrow but first I have to clear a path for them… Dave went to have his lab work done at Dr. Corman’s and I went to get my treatment. Then we went to town to run some errands and pick up some groceries… I rode the stationery bike for 25 minutes… Martha called, she and Alfred are visiting relatives in Missouri. Alfred wanted to spend some time with his Mother, brothers and sisters… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Thanks to Tara in Conway, South Carolina for signing my guest book at http://www.angelfire.com/ok4/mari5113/index.html and Diane for leaving a comment here on my blog… It has been a very windy day. I went to the garden and picked peas, turnips and our first squash and zucchini. I washed our comforter and the dog’s beds. I fixed lunch and supper and fed the flowers some Miracle Gro… Dave used his new edger and weed eater on the lawn and mowed. The yard looks well manicured… I received a nice letter from my school friend Lynn in South Dakota. I think she is the only person who uses sail mail so her letters are really special… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

I got out this morning and went around checking the garden and flowers. The garden is still quite muddy from all the rain. The Hollyhocks, Clematis, Lilies, Butterfly Bush, Bougainvillea, and Roses are blooming. I have been picking grape tomatoes now for about a week… I folded yesterday’s laundry and did another load today… I helped fix supper and while we were eating we were watching the birds out the window. The Doves were under the bird feeders and many birds were eating from the feeders. We have seven birdhouses and they are all occupied… I called Lori to ask her if I could post this e-mail that she sent out to everyone. I wasn’t going to cry today but I did. Here is Lori’s e-mail: After much pain and sorrow, Erin went into the hospital on Saturday, June the 5th and delivered her stillborn child. On that day Kerry and Erin became two of the strongest people we know. We are all still in shock over the death of this perfect little child. Then there was one more shock to come. The little baby boy they had planned for and known for 9 months turned out to be a baby girl. We all have fallen in love with the idea of a little Kooper Allen. His room was complete with handpainted baby blue and chocolate stripes. Handpainted furniture that Kerry had done himself, to Erin's specifications of course. And a closet full of clothes; sized premie to 2T. She just told us what she wanted and we all tried to help her get it done. It was so important to her for everything to be perfectly baby blue and chocolate for him. We were and still are in a confused state.
On Sunday we had a Memorial service for him at our home. David prepared and gave the eulogy. I believe it was the most difficult thing he has ever done. I know I have never been more proud of him, than I was on that day. It was a beautiful service, for a beautiful baby we never got to hold. The baby boy they were planning on was being named after David. The baby girl that was delivered they named after Kerry and myself. Her name was Kerrie Ann. David planted a Redbud tree in our yard in the Spring, and he had named it the "Kooper Allen" tree. Once her tiny little body has been turned into ash, and then returned to her parents. They will bring her to our home and she will be buried under the "Kooper Allen" tree.

They will continue to need prayer and support for a long while. After two miscarriages and one stillbirth, this has been a trial only God understands. In Heaven Kerry and Erin have three "perfect children" there waiting to meet their Momma and Daddy and be held for the first time.

We want to thank you for thoughts and prayers you have given us all along this journey. Being able to put these words down have been helpful for our healing.

Lori and David Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Happy Belated Birthday Susan!!! Susan is a friend in Canada… This has been a really hard week. First off we lost Dewey then on Wednesday Dave went to the doctor barely able to walk because of the pain in his ankle. Dr. Corman was concerned because he was also running a temperature. Since he was afraid it could be a joint infection he sent Dave to the Emergency Room at Mercy. I hadn’t gone to the doctor’s with him so when Dave called and told me he was going to the Emergency Room I called Josh to see if he would drive me to Mercy and he did. They did blood work, X-ray’s, and an ultra sound. They said he had gout. He was told to stay off of the foot and keep it elevated and was started on meds for it. We went by Wal-Mart and picked up his meds then came home. We had just arrived home when we got a call from David saying that he had just received a call from Kerry and they were at the hospital and he said that Kooper Allen didn’t make it. I started crying and have cried every day since. It was one day before Kooper Alan was to be born. Erin went in Saturday to deliver the baby and was told that instead of a boy she had a girl. They named her Kerrie Ann… Sunday they had a Memorial for Carrie Ann at David and Lori’s home. It was very nice. There were over fifty family members and close friends there… We had a stormy night. At 2:30 our weather radio woke us up with a tornado warning. So we gathered up the dogs and our meds and headed for the Safe Room… We were in there for about a half hour then when it was safe we headed back to bed. It rained all night and we got some much needed rain… Jamie, Jason, and the kids flew home on Saturday… Dave is going in a couple times a week to have his blood checked for kidney function due to the medication for gout. Since he only has the one kidney they need to keep an eye on it. He went in this morning and I went for my chiropractor treatment… We never made it to the Tulsa Conference, maybe next year… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Happy Birthday Faye!!! Faye is our friend in Chandler, Oklahoma… Thanks Lynne in Iowa Park, Texas for signing my guest book at http://www.angelfire.com/ok4/mari5113/index.html. I went to the chiropractor this morning, did a couple loads of laundry, fed the flowers and the Hummingbirds. I no sooner got the hummingbird feeder hung up till the wind blew it and lost most of the nectar. GRRRRRR. The wind has been awful strong today, gusting up to 40 mph… We are waiting for Jamie, Allison, and Matthew to come in… Carole and Josh called… Still no news on the skin mass report… I am going to be really busy the rest of the week. I have a lot of appointments and with Jamie and kids being here. Also we are going to an Early Onset Alzheimer’s Conference in Tulsa on Thursday… Tonight I picked peas… This will be my last entry for a few days… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma

Happy Birthday Norita!!! Norita is our Sister-in-law in Lake Isabella, California… I deadheaded the roses in the rose garden and the back yard today. I even went up to Kenny’ s and deadheaded Kathy’s Oklahoma Rose… After supper we went up to visit with Kathy and was there when Josh got off work. I got a big hug from Josh… Kenny came down and I showed him the peaches on our three peach trees… Tomorrow Jamie, our granddaughter and her children Allison and Matthew are flying in from Kentucky. We are all looking forward to seeing them… I called Norita and Lynn… Goodnight All… Keeping The Faith In Oklahoma