school threats and blood pressure...

and never a dull moment. Our high school received a threat yesterday, which school officials deemed serious enough to call/email/AND text all parents. My three high school girls started texting me and telling me there were police at the school. Meanwhile, I am getting ready for my doctor's appointment. By the time I got to the office, I knew my kids were safe, as they said the kid who made the threats was arrested, but still, my heart hurt because I knew the whole matter scared them. These school shootings are terrifying, horrific, and I just wanted to get my girls home safe and sound and make them some coffee.

(These threats against the schools are ridiculous! One poor kid in a private school in the city posted a video of himself shooting a B.B. gun at a can, saying he was perfecting his "school shooting skills". It's the sort of thing a boy might say, thinking he was funny. I didn't see the video, but to me, it didn't seem like a real threat, just a stupid comment. Now he's in jail, charged with a felony, and a huge bail amount to get out. I am worried this thing will get out of hand, in the zeal to stop more violence, the cops will arrest kids who are just being unthinking teenagers. If there is a real threat, like if this kid had a "real" gun at home, and actually threatened directly, sure, get him, but...it bothers me.)

So as I was checking in at the desk at OB/GYN, I told the receptionist what was going on, and if my phone was pinging, I didn't mean to be rude, I just didn't feel I could just silence it and ignore the girls at that point.

Imagine my surprise when I got called in, and my blood pressure was 126/76. I was shocked. I felt shaky and nervous, between my hatred of doctor visits and the stuff going on in school, I thought for sure it'd be higher. My weight...blah. Still much better than a few years back, but not as good as it could be of course.

And, the bottom line is this: whenever post-menopausal bleeding occurs, the first thing they look for is cancer. The midwife told me repeatedly that I was wise to come right in. She's a really nice lady, she hugged me when she came into the room. She delivered several of my babies, and I do love her. When she was saying goodbye, she said, "It was so nice to see you, Della, I just wish it was under better circumstances." dismal forebodings, get far from me!

I have to go back in for a sonogram and a few more tests, and then a consult with the doctor who did the D&C when my last baby didn't make it. I remember him as a nice guy.

I did ask the midwife if there are cases where there is no cause ever found, and the bleeding remains unexplained. "Absolutely. We just look for cancer first."

So there it is. The Big K, no one wants it, everyone fears it, but sometimes, people get it.

God knows the big picture, and there are countless verses about not being anxious. To trust that He knows what's best for me is what I want to do, with all of my heart. This trust doesn't always come naturally, we have to fight to come into rest about it sometimes. By fight, I mean saying a big huge NO to those "what if" thoughts, and those worries. Don't jump off the bridge 'til you come to it, right?

I do have better things to occupy myself with, anyway. Here is some excellent news: Our son Joseph is engaged!


Joseph and Bethany!


Are they not the sweetest couple? (My niece Susan took their pics, strykingphotography)

We are all pretty excited about this, she's a super nice girl.

Today is warm weather again, by warm I mean 50 degrees (10c), and rain is moving in. But by tomorrow night, a snowstorm is hitting, dang it, Samuel is supposed to drive up from Virginia. He has to be on base near the airport tomorrow for Army Reserve training. So he is bringing Grace and baby Grant with him, so they can spend time with us.:) Now I am not sure what will happen, we almost forgot it was winter here.

Last evening, all the older kids were at a meeting, so I went in the hot tub with Char and Cam. It was so lovely, the moon shining and the stars out, living out here in the country, you can see the sky at night, no light pollution. The hot tub is everything I dreamed it would be, all those years it wasn't working. It isn't just that you're sitting there in hot bubbly water, it's that no one has an iPod or phone, and you can talk. It's just a nice little break, always fun.

Sweet little Anne is coming soon, and the homeschooled kids need to get up and get busy. The three high school girls went out the door this morning, glad I was up with them, one of them never leaves herself enough time, so I threw some things together for her lunch, and put a bagel in the toaster...I know, I spoil her. Evelyn texted me from school and said there were "cops" there. What is this world coming to?