The Mantises Have Arrived!

Christopher looking at his "bug kit" where the first mantis of the season is on display (later released safely...no mantises were harmed in the events described!)

A "close-up" of this summer's first praying mantis!

We are delighted to announce the birth of some baby mantises in our yard! Christopher couldn't have been happier to see the miniature version of last summers' friend! Stay tuned for further developments and pictures, I'm sure.

In other news, Phillip has been here for more than a week and we have been so glad to have him around (OK, give or take the screeching singing along with the Doodlebops or the chanting "Earth! Fire! Wind! Water! Heart! GO PLANET!" as he watched YouTube videos of "Captain Planet!).

Tomorrow a group from church will begin construction of a ramp from our back door to the back deck, along with removing our non-functional hot tub and replacing that part of the deck. I can't wait until I have a big old deck that I can go sun on! :) Thanks to Stock Building Supply and Matt Payne for the lumber and to the group from Union Chapel "Serve" who will do the work, along with an anonymous donor who paid for the railing and other materials we need. Additionally, the group will put up a small section of chain-link fence to complete the enclosure of our back yard in preparation for our Service Dog who will come home after the two-week training in late October!

I am getting a little bit of a tan, trying to go outside every day that it is nice and not too hot. This week has been fabulous! Like California without the "sun tax"! I haven't been sleeping well. I have a lot of muscle spasms in my neck, shoulders and upper back as well as over my hip bone (greater trochanter for those who care). Between the AVAPS (vent) hose and my pain, sleep is hard to come by. I bought an older electric hospital bed at a rummage sale (thanks to my friend Angela for scoping it out and calling me!) but the two foam pads still don't make it comfortable to sleep on. I need the adjustment of the head and feet to support my head and neck so that some of the strain is taken off, but the bed just isn't the right consistency. My friend Kent has a Comfort-Pedic adjustable bed and that is really what I need. If I had a queen size I could comfortably watch our evening episode of "Emergency!" with Christopher. As it is, we squeeze into the hospital bed. It is cozy, to say the least.

I am blessed that I can watch videos like that on my laptop with Christopher. It has become our nightly ritual to watch one episode of "Emergency!" and one of "Adam-12". If you don't know what those shows are (a) you're too YOUNG and (b) you can go to www.wikipedia.com and check them out. Both are spin-offs of the TV show "Dragnet" (SURELY you've heard of THAT!). Anyhow, it is a good "mommy and me" time for Christopher, plus I get to critique how much things in EMS and medicine have changed. It is a fun time for all!

I am leading an online group study of the Randy Alcorn book "Heaven" and I am so excited to be doing so. I have made so many new and wonderful "old friends" since leaving PHI. I wouldn't trade them for the world. I am BLESSED!

Hope you are blessed this June 22nd as well! Love, Claudia