Another trip to the Emergency Room...

On Thursday, Dad went to see his surgeon, Dr. Pitt, for another checkup.  After a litany of Q&A and some poking and prodding around the incisions, Dr. Pitt declared Dad healthy and ready to move on... then came Thursday evening.

Late in the night, Dad began passing blood.  Friday morning it was even worse, to the point he nearly lost consciousness.  Mom took him to Boone Hospital’s ER and he was admitted with fluctuating, low blood pressure. The Boone team began a battery of tests including blood work, Cat Scan and EKG to determine where the blood loss was coming from.  A short time ago, Dad was moved to ICU as a precautionary measure.

The test results are not in yet, but a team is reviewing his condition and has indicated he’ll be spending the night for further review tomorrow.  He is very weak and napping while Mom burns up the phone lines and Jaime keeps her feet up.  (Yes, Jaime’s Little Who has locked the door, thrown away the key and refuses to come out even a week later!)

We’ll keep you posted on any details as we know them.  Thank you for your prayers for our Poppa!

Scott

PS - Want to know the latest craziness in Jordan?  Skip over to our blog for more news.

Mexican Cornbread

Every family has a series of stock recipes and one of ours is Mexican Cornbread. It's a quick, feel good meal that takes about an hour to prep & cook. This was my parent's first-year anniversary meal. Times were tight and the meal budget was scarce, but they had china & crystal for two and Mexican Corn Bread to celebrate. I hung out in the kitchen one August evening while my dad walked me through the process. At our house, Mexican Cornbread must be eaten with black-eyed peas with a little Pick-A-Pepper sauce on the side.

While Dad was mixing the ingredients, he discussed the merits of a whisk versus a fork when stirring a bowl. "I'm a fork-man," he commented nonchalantly. Sure enough, all my life I've only seen him mix eggs for omelets with a fork in a small Tupperware bowl.

The best part of Mexican Cornbread? Without a doubt, it's the the crust. You know those brownie molds that are all curvy so every piece is an edge? That'd be a dream... all crispy and dark with golden, spicy, corn and cheese goodness inside.

1 can of cream-style corn
1 large onion chopped
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 lb browned ground meat
1 lb chedder cheese (to taste more or less)
Add jalapeno to taste

Grease & heat cast iron skillet prior to baking at 475

Mix all ingredients in bowl except meat & cheese
Pour half mixture into hot skillet
Layer in meat first & then cheese
Pour in remaining mixture

Bake 35 min or until golden brown on top


A couple of quick tips from the Lodge Chef:
Bacon grease seems to work best in keeping the corn bread from sticking. Dad says, "I don't know the science of it, but it just works." When heating the skillet, drop a scoop of mix in the skillet to see if it sizzles; if it does, it's hot enough. And always remove the skillet from heat when filling so it doesn't burn on bottom.

Just a few more days!

Here are a few shots of Jaime & Johnathan's nursery and the proud grandmas-to-be. Jaime has just a scant few days left. Her bags are packed and they're ready to go!

APC had Cowboy Sunday for the 5th Sunday in January, replete with cowpoke puppets and properly attired Sunday School teachers... it looks like everyone had fun, even the Pastor!


We're at 30 weeks and continue that climb right behind Jaime. Last Thursday's visit to Dr. Azar in Amman was positive: McBaby & Mama are doing great and progressing normally. Last week one of Suzi's English students offered her crib when she leaves the country this summer! We still need a bassinet for the meantime, but our nursery is slowly coming together. You can follow us at our blog and check out pictures on our website.

As 2010 races off into February and beyond, we wish you and yours a fantastic & blessed year. We're so grateful for God's blessings in 2009. It may have been the "best of/ worst of times" but He never fails!

Scott

APC goes live to Amman

In a historic technological leap, the Christmas program at APC connected via live video feed to us in Amman, Jordan. We made the "sacrifice" of staying up until 3AM to be a part of the Sunday evening festivities! We did a trial run with Jaime & Johnathan on Friday afternoon to make sure all the connections worked... there was no second try on this surprise! Jaime connected to us and then we appeared on screen, much to mom & dad's delight.

For the record, the hard part was made simple by our friends at Apple and that oh-so-easy-to-use iChat that comes as part of every Mac's OS. (An absolutely shameless plug, I know...) We're so totally excited that such a group is coming to see us... it's still six months away and already I'm planning like it's next week. Jaime & Bonnie came to see us in Prague in 2004 and it's only fitting that the 'rents come see us in the "Holy Land."

Many, many thanks to all those at APC and the family and friends in the community that are making this trip possible!

Scott

WE"RE GOING TO JORDAN

As most of you know, our second grandchild is due in April and will be born in Amman, Jordan. Glynnda and I were discussing a trip to Jordan to get in on all the excitement. We had not bought tickets yet but the process really got serious when Mark, Margie and Mikelle expressed an interest in all of us going together.

Well, word about our plans had gotten around and our APC church family was very anxious for us to go. Sunday night after the Christmas program on the 20th, they arranged to have Scott and Suzi live on SKYPE and projected on the big screen. Then they presented us with the results of their efforts. It was more than enough funds for our round trip tickets! What a tremendous surprise and demonstration of love and support for our family.

Scott has given us a proposed agenda and schedule. I told him we would stay for two weekends and at least fourteen days. This is going to be so exciting.


We are still amazed by this outpouring of love and generosity. What an incredible gift!!!

Vernon

Tis the Season

The McGarvey's are all hard at work during this busy season as always. I'm actually sitting in the dress rehearsal of our Christmas program at APC right now! Little angels and shepherds are scurrying about. Mary just literally stuffed baby Jesus in the manger...."Gently lay him down Mary. Pat Baby Jesus and look at him like you love him." (That would be Mama coaching the 6-year-old on infant care.) The show is tomorrow night, and I'm sure it will go off in its usually adorable hilarity we've all come to love.

Scott and Suz are having fun with their own Christmas programs a world away. So we're each doing what we always do just in more languages on more stages now.

We started off the season with a trip to the Fabulous Fox in St. Louis to see the Nutcracker. Jessi and I went to the ballet while our boys escaped to the Galleria for dinner and massages! All four of us were happy with the start of the season. (The boys were just as happy to NOT be dressed up at the ballet as we were to be there.) There may have been a bit of twirling and leaping as Jess and I left the theater. (No bouncing from me this time though!) Check out the photo of Jess, Jaime and little sweet pea at his/her first ballet.

The next event was my Christmas Arts Council Concert, "Cocoa and Carols."  The venue was packed and people left smiling, which is always a plus. I'm grateful for my fun, second career as an arts administrator.

Johnathan finished his semester and we now have a whole month with no trips back and forth to St. Louis twice a week. He will graduate with his Masters in Counseling in May from Missouri Baptist University. I'm so proud of him and his 4.0. He studies more than I ever did.

Mama's piano recital is another of our holiday traditions, and she pulled off another heart-warming afternoon filled with beautiful music. She promises to do better and actually teach MY children to play, so we'll keep our fingers crossed for another generation of musicians in our family. I did manage to grab a photo with the star of the show after the event.

Mama and Daddy attended a holiday organ concert at Trinity Methodist last week and everyone enjoyed seeing Daddy looking so wonderful as always.

They also hosted the area ministers and wives (30 people at the Lodge) for dinner this month as well as Mama's annual Christmas APC ladies luncheon. The Lodge looks amazing with a new paint job, roof, windows and soffits. But I'll let Daddy talk about that. He's been quite busy getting the Lodge ready for the holidays.

Mama and I started a new tradition this year. We decorated our houses together and had such a great time. We knocked out our houses in half the time and had twice as much fun!

And of course, we're all preparing for our two biggest gifts early next year. We have 8 more weeks until Johnathan and I are officially parents. What a wonderful adventure this pregnancy has been. I've loved every second of it. Mama, Daddy and Johnathan have all taken turns getting to go to my appointments. Of course everyone went to the ultrasound to see our little addition perform on screen. We do have a little performer already!  It's in our genes, right?

We're looking forward to Christmas at the Lodge this next week. It's going to be a full house on Christmas Day with Ted, Ray, Stuart and his new wife, Laura, Bonnie, Helen and Len, Mark and Margie and the girls, Grandpa Don and Grandma Pat, and of course all of our Moberly gang too.

We did stop last night to have a great family night with Johnathan and me and Mama and Daddy. We played games and ganged up on each other in Rook and Chinese Checkers. These are the good ole days, for sure!

Merry Christmas to all of you and we hope you're having a wonderfully joyful, busy season just like we are!

Jaime

THE SIX MONTH CHECK UP

November 25, 2009

Yesterday was my six month check up with Doctor Schlossman at Missouri Cancer Associates. I had no problems to report or questions to ask. My weight was 175.6 pounds without my shoes. An increase of 20 pounds.

The blood test proved to be routine. No abnormalities and no concerns. On my last check up in May I was low in iron. It is back to normal.

Doctor Schlossman checked out my abdomen and my glands for signs of swelling or pain and there was nothing abnormal. Because I am self pay, the office has agreed to discount my bill by forty percent if I pay up front. That saved me $142.00.

While I was recovering a variety of people came to minister at the church in April, May and June. I will forever be grateful for their wonderful assistance. I have assumed a full schedule again at church with the exception of the Wednesday night bible study. Several areas of ministry that had to be expanded during my recovery are still in place and it is a good thing for all of us.

On the home front, I was able to resume lawn care duties in August and help with reroofing the house in September. Dustyn Tallman and I put in six new windows and Johnathan and I painted the house this month. We have accomplished a large amount of work and the results are very satisfying.

This is the best Thanksgiving of my life! I am so very blessed in every way. I look forward to next year as God continues to prove His faithfulness to us. God is good.

Vernon