Poison Ivy and Thanksgiving

I have had a really miserable case of poison ivy. It seems that I got it from the laundry, so even though I never go out into it, I have a rash over about a fourth of my body. Darin had better be more careful because I don't want to go through this again.

The rash made it difficult to concentrate. I also found it difficult to read before bed because I scratched too much, so I started playing computer games instead to take my mind off things and keep myself from scratching. I tried to blog a couple of times, but I just couldn't keep my mind on anything other than how completely uncomfortable I was.

I finally went to the doctor. He was grossed out, so you know that's a bad sign. He gave me a shot of cortisone and prescriptions for an oral antibiotic (it was very infected), and antibiotic cream, and an anti-itch cream. He told me also to get lots of rest and take lots of oral Benedryl. So then even after I started feeling better, I still didn't feel much like sitting at the computer, and I was too tired to lay in bed and read.

But the rash is almost gone now, and the infection is definitely cleared up.

Darin took the kids to see his parents for Thanksgiving, and I went to see my mom. While I was at my mom's, I did get some scrapbooking finished. I had gotten behind in my writing in the books because of a bad infection in my finger and under the nail. (That was before the poison ivy incident.) So I spent a lot of time writing in my big book, and I also worked on my book from the trip to Japan in 1999. I almost have the Japan book finished, but I ran out of the pink paper that matches the cherry blossoms, so I didn't get that completely finished either.

Belmont finals are the end of this week and next week, and I will have grading to do this next week.

The kids are well and working hard at school. Only two full weeks before Christmas break. I'm looking forward to their break so that we can do some fun things here in Nashville, like visiting the lights at Opryland. I'm also hoping to get to see my mom again before Christmas.

Choir again

Today was the Celebration Service for the 300th anniversary of Charles Wesley's birthday. I sang in a 150 voice choir from several area Methodist churches. We had a real orchestra, plus their incredible pipe organ and the piano. It was so much fun to sing in a big choir like that.

I loved the hymns we sang: "O, For a Thousand Tongues to Sing," "Praise the Lord Who Reigns Above," "Sing with Glad Anticipation," "Rejoice, the Lord is King," "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling," "Thankful for our Ev'ry Blessing," "A Charge to Keep I Have," "The Vigilance Our Lord Demands," "Jesus, Lover of my Soul," and "And Can it Be?" (which is maybe my favorite hymn).

It's very different from singing in the choir at the Anglican church. I was always so conscious of getting my vowels to sound like the Britishers in the choir. The directors were very patient with me. But here, it's very different. There are more people, for one thing, but I think that there are also people from all over the country, and Elliot has trouble getting all of us to use the same vowel sounds. It's nice for me, in a way, because I don't feel so out of place, but in another way it's harder because I'm sometimes not sure of what vowel sounds to use.

The girls tease me because now when I say the Our Father, I say "trespasses" like a British person. I'm not even sure how I say it, or how I used to say it. Oh well. I'm happy that some of that wonderful church in Luxembourg has stayed with me.

November's Beautiful Picture from Tennessee

The girls had wanted braces so badly before we moved to Luxembourg, and then while we were there, we had no idea how to make it happen. Now, after a year and a half in the States, now that we have dental insurance, and I had a part-time job to pay for them, my two older girls have their braces. Fortunately, my youngest doesn't need braces on her teeth, so that will save us some money!

After all the begging and the tears, it's so nice to finally have it taken care of.