I've Lost Track Of Days....

Sorry, no photo....I'm just trying to catch up!
A week ago, I helped Al make her last visit to the Somali family that she has been interning for, and I was so excited to see her recieve the good news! Fahiyo and her three brothers are moving to Arizona to be with an uncle and his family! Such a good ending to a such a heartbreaking story!
Later that nite, Al became increasingly sick.....so much pain from the endometriosis....
We called her specialist, and arrived at the hospital about midnight at BonSecours.
They initially gave her a dose of Morphine thru an IV.....and she had quite a reaction to it! After a large dose of something else to counteract it, she was headed up to her room....
Over the next few days, they did an external and internal ultrasound....results all good.
Basically, she slept and let her body catch up....nausea and pain subsiding...
Yay, she was out of the hospital for Thanksgiving....Uncle Jeffrey drove up and spent the nite. JR had won a turkey at the Fort Lee Golf Course Turkey Shoot.....I hadn't had a chance to finish shopping, but we had most of the ingredients for a great meal!
Later in the early evening, Alicia, Ben, Ellen and Kent came over for a game nite...Drew was with his family.
So we have entered into the holiday season....Al has decided to continue with two classes, and take an "incomplete" for the others so that she can take their exams beginning next semester. There's no way she can juggle her health and a full load at this point in time.
We went to see "TWILIGHT" yesterday afternoon....us girls.....it's definitely a "teenie bop" movie.....Fun!

VMI, A Ball & The Blue Ridge Mountains

The weekend was filled with pomp & circumstance and planted deep in tradition. After all, the first Class Ring Figure Ball at the Virginia Military Institute began in 1929. Allie's childhood friend, Benjamin Allen Scudder was presented with his class ring from VMI on Friday nite. Allie was given the honor to escort him and to put the ring on his finger!

Alicia (Ben's mom), Allie and I stayed at a little Day's Inn on top of a mountain in Lexington, VA....we went out for a quick dinner, and then the transformation began. Al was required to wear a white evening gown and long white gloves. She was to wear his HUGE class ring on her thumb....if she dropped it prior to putting it on his finger during the ceremony, it meant that he would die in combat. YIKES!

We met Ben at VMI....he was in his dress grays. There was an arch of saluting cadets with sabers they walked under to get into the hall. There was a live band with ballroom dancing after each cadet walked with their escort thru the giant ring.....our little boy and girl did good!

You can go to my FACEBOOK page CONNIE EAGLE ROMAINE to see all of the photos! The mountains were cold (21F) and it was windy, but our hearts were warm with love and we are so proud of our "little Ben".

Mom's Feel Too Much....

Al's endometriosis reared it's ugly head this past weekend. I made an emergency trip to Richmond on Sunday nite....ended up calling her surgeon and then just throwing her in the van and bringing her home. He said, total bed rest, come see him.....or hospital down the road. We are SO fortunate to have such a terrific specialist for her.....Tuesday morning he spent one hour with her.....
I took her back to Richmond late yesterday afternoon.....part of my heart is there, because I know it is a struggle to keep up when u don't feel good.....Anyone that reads this blog....please pray for her healing and endurance.....
We are all excited about the holidays coming up! I have to hem a ball gown today...and lots of workcamp to catch up on....but it's all good......Oh,....and pack for VMI! There will be plenty of photos of this pinnacle happening. The day after the ball, Drew is joining us for a football game.....we will be wrapping Al in blankets, and all kinds of warm stuff....she is determined to go! She and Alicia and I will be having a girltime in the hotel room.....and we moms get to go to part of the ball to photograph! Ring Figure at Virginia Military Institute is quite a happening......we are excited and honored to be part of it!
JR is keeping us warm with the wood splitter.....don't know what we would do without our woodstove!
We are also making plans to maybe attend the UKROPS Christmas Parade in Richmond and then DONK's Theater's Christmas Show!
Ho, Ho, Ho!

Thank You, Facebook!

I have always thought this picture was so precious.....I remember the house and the crew...and the horrible mental and physical conditions these kids were living in. The "Rossing" girl in the photo, moved away to Minnesota. The house burned to the ground.....and God knows where the little children in the photo are today. Thanks to Facebook, we are all back in touch again.....Rachel Rossing is married with her own family. I love Facebook for that reason....it's bringing lots of old workcamp friends back in touch with one another.
Al and Drew traveled to Farmville for Hampden-Sydney's last football game of the season. It's Drew's last since he graduates in May.
JR made a trip to the local hospital to visit a dear soul from our little congregation.....it's doesn't look very good for him, so we are all praying.
And yep....I WRAPPED SOME CHRISTMAS PRESENTS!!!! Now I gotta get this DVD editing thing down so I can "create" some Christmas presents!

Here Comes The Rain!

(Yep, this policeman had actually "pulled" a car in downtown Richmond )

The rain is on it's way....glad we got a small pump to take the water off the pool cover. Ordered a white ball gown yesterday for Al to wear to Ben's VMI Ring Figure.....next weekend......BIGGGGG DEAL!!!

Yesterday was Aunt Janet's birthday....she's 71 and I just can't wrap my brain around that!

OK....take a deep breath, Connie. Lots of paperwork to do today for Workcamp! It's exciting tho....scheduling houses to visit, putting together the "lunch people" adopt list, and putting together all the packet materials together (picked them up from Staples yesterday) for the churches when they register JAN 2nd.

Another fun thing happening.....another spurt of "old workcampers" joined Facebook....have been sending out photos to them from 1988! REALLY fun to get their reactions!

Al Speaks At VCU

The past few days have been filled with many ups and downs. A highlight though was yesterday. A friend and I traveled to Richmond to the 14th Annual VCU School of World Studies Student Research Conference to hear Allie give a 20 minute presentation all in French. She spoke about Christophe Mbangi, her refugee friend from Angola and his challenges coming to this country. Yep, I was a proud mama. Afterwards we went to the Strawberry Cafe to celebrate.
The leaves continue to fall. We are all snorting and sniffing with sinus "stuff" during this season. Sometimes it's a chore, but I still continue to press on with water aerobics.
I learned that our dear friend, Cham Laughlin (has the studio and recorded all of Jeffrey's CDs) has regressed in his battle of cancer. We continue to pray.....
Nope....don't like the time change.....don't like the sun going down so early!!!! UGH!

Working Together......Love Can

I find it very telling that our theme for WORKCAMP 2009 was selected awhile back.......LOVE CAN....
What can move a mountain from the place that it stands?
What can calm the greatest fear with the touch of a hand?
What can turn an enemy to a brother and friend?
What can bridge the place between a holy God and a simple man?
Only one thing I know.......................Love can.....
It is crucial now that we all pray for one another....support one another.....and be open to one another's ideas..
Our new President will need our prayers and support as we begin to untangle our nation...
The world is watching....

An Angel Gone & A New President Arrives

Willie Mae Smith -1046 Halifax st, Pburg

I attended a funeral downtown yesterday....Willie Mae Smith was a friend of workcamp since 1993. She influenced many, many teens by allowing them into her home to help with repairs. I visited her in the hospital earlier this year as she battled her illness. She was a kind,gentle and loving woman that influenced so many teens....her home was crumbling, but her heart and generosity was so strong.

I reflect on this as I watch the Presidential election. The crowds of thousands gathering to celebrate...I feel sure that none of the thousands have been as profoundly and deeply affected as deeply as those who spent in Willie Mae's home. Numbers mean little to me tonight while I look back on the changed lives that walked into her home on Halifax Street. There were only about 50 people at her funeral....no splash of the media....but as I sat on that back row, I knew in my heart what had happened. I thank God for Willie Mae and her life.....I count it a real gift to have called her a friend......

Tonight....God Bless All The People of Every Country....and our new President .......