HOME AGAIN

I'm home and currently so doped with pain meds and Benadryl (reaction to anastesia) that I can't walk a straight line. Typing this feels strange to my fingers that wanna do their own thing at the moment.

Anyway, I'm doing good. The doc had to make the incision bigger this time to what she needed to do.

Back to bed! Thanks for praying!

AGAIN

I just wanted to let you all know that I'll be going in tomorrow morning for the same surgical procedure I've already had done five times, again. We have to be at the hospital at 6:00 and they'll take me to the OR t 7:30. Sorry I didn't mention it earlier, I just haven't been on here much for anything this weak. I've not been feeling very good and been having pain! I'll let everyone know how it went sometime over the weekend if I feel up to it! Thanks for the prayers!

Parenting Advice

Never allow your third grade boys to watch Animal Planet unattended, lest you must field questions such as these...

As they come running into the room, "Mommy, did you know there are worms that get inside of you and live?"

"Do we have worms inside of us?"

"Are you sure?"

"How do you know?"

"Yah, but how do you know for sure?"



Twenty minutes later...
"We really might have those worms inside of us, Mommy. Bowzer could too."
Me - "Bowz gets medicine every month so he won't get those worms. He's okay and so are you."

"Can we please have some of his medicine just in case?"




Maybe I should put the medicine under lock and key for awhile. So, while you may be tempted to think my boys are a mite-bit nuts and seriously overdramatic, I must admit they get their vivid imaginations quite honestly and not from their father I fear. Once when we were camping when I was a child, I needed to use the potty in the middle of the night. My dad got up and walked me to the flush toilets down the road because if there's anything worse than pit toilets in the daytime, it would be pit toilets in the dark of night, but I digress. So, while sitting there doing my business, a small, funny looking fly landed on my undies. I flicked it off like any normal girl would do and followed it up with a shiver of gross! Most normal people would have though nothing more of it, but because I was a young girl with a nasty imagination that happened to work on overload at nighttime, and because I'd seen a show about some man in a tropical place becoming seriously ill by a "seetsy" (sp?) fly, I spent the rest of the night worried about that stupid little fly having laid microscopic eggs on my underwear and having them all hatch into little worms that were invading my body while I slept. Forget the fact that we were in Brown County, IN and not some tropical place. Forget the fact that fly eggs don't hatch that quick. Forget the fact that common sense says "duh"! So, as I said, they get it honest!

*Okay, Mom and Inkling, pick yourselves up off the floor! If it were actually a decent time of day and not after midnight when my tired brain apparently quit functioning properly, I probably never would have actually told the entire world that story. Oh well!

Redeeming Moments

This evening while I was very huffily (if that's not an actual word, I think you get my drift) sweeping the chiuahua sized hairball caused by the constantly shedding moose that I for some reason chose to allow to live in my home even though he's a huge pain in the ass, Bee runs up to her bedroom to get her little broom to help me.

While she's gone, I'm groaning on the inside thinking how much she's gonna get in the way and spread the hair all back around the kitchen floor.

When she comes back down, she quickly pulls the chairs out from under the table and begins sweeping out all the hair into a pile. She then sweeps up all the stuff I've pushed from one side to the other, but haven't added to the pile yet. She then sweeps the furball that has formed behind the edge of the furnace vent by the pantry into said pile. All the while reminding me that she's my helper and right now I need a helper because I still don't feel very good. She even asked how to spell helper!

After all this work, while I'm standing there feeling like a shmuck, she looks at me with a look of pure love for her mommy and pride in herself and says very sweetly and excitedly, "See, Mommy, see how much we can get done with some teamwork!"

How You Live by Point of Grace

Please take a few minutes and listen to this song. This song is what my heart struggles to sing daily. It reminds us of things that we should already know, but many of us forget... it doesn't matter what we do, it doesn't matter where we live, it doesn't matter how clean or large our house is, it doesn't matter where our house is, it doesn't matter how smart or well behaved our kids are, it doesn't matter how cool our blog is, it doesn't matter how big or cool our church is, it doesn't matter how involved in our church we are, it doesn't matter who we may or may not know, it doesn't matter where we came from, it doesn't matter what we did yesterday. What matters is how you live your life. I love all you guys (yes even those of you who read me daily and never leave comments). I pray for all of you daily. I pray that I get my heart's desire out to everyone... to make the world a better place for everyone by "how you live" your life.



How You Live - Point Of Grace

Verse 1:
Wake up to the sunlight
With your windows open
Don't hold in your anger or leave things unspoken
Wear your red dress
Use your good dishes
Make a big mess and make lots of wishes
Have what you want
But want what you have
And don't spend your life lookin' back

Chorus:
Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
You won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
Cuz it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live

Verse 2:
So go to the ballgames
And go to the ballet
And go see your folks more than just on the holidays
Kiss all your children
Dance with your wife
Tell your husband you love him every night
Don't run from the truth
'Cause you can't get away
Just face it and you'll be okay

Chorus:
Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
You won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live

Bridge:
Oh wherever you are and wherever you've been
Now is the time to begin

Verse 3:
So give to the needy
And pray for the grieving
E'en when you don't think that you can
'Cause all that you do is bound to come back to you
So think of your fellow man
Make peace with God and make peace with yourself
'Cause in the end there's nobody else

Chorus
Turn up the music
Turn it up loud
Take a few chances
Let it all out
'Cause you won't regret it
Lookin' back from where you have been
'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live

'Cause it's not who you knew
And it's not what you did
It's how you live

Did You Know?

Did you know that after a person vomits a few times that said person's back has a tendency to feel the need for very strong pills to make her life managable? Ouch! Ugh! On the good side though... I do seem to be feeling much better. About noon or so today, I finally noticed a difference! Hallelujah! After talking to my family doctor (while waiting for my Crohn's dr. to call back), I found out that the particular stomach stuff going around town is causing one to run for the potty for 3-6 days! Yuck!

Please Pray

Please check out THIS BLOG about a family who needs our prayers. Their story has reached people all around the world via their blog. Tricia (the wife and now mom) has Cystic fibrosis and was set to be put on the double lung transplant list back in September when they found out they were expecting a precious baby. That immediately disqualified her for the transplant and they were put into a waiting game. Well, that sweet baby-girl was born last week at 24 weeks weighing about 1 pound 5 oz. That's a pic of her above. As of now, Tricia and Gwyneth Rose (baby girl) are both stable, but still have a super long road ahead of them. The hope is that in three months that Tricia with be stable enough to be placed on the transplant list.

The blog is written by Nate, the amazing and incredibly proud father of his "two girls" as he refers to them. His perspective of life right now is incredible. He is firmly relying on His God to walk him thru this time in their lives. His hope is awe inspiring for many of us that have gone thru less and not been as hopeful and reliant on Our Father. Please pray for this young family as they go thru the following days, months, and years.

Found

I'm so happy. About two months ago, we lost a dvd folder holding about 40 dvds. We looked everywhere for it. I regularly take it over to church with the mini player for the kids to watch while I cook for the meal on Sunday evening. We also take it in the car anytime we travel. I thought I'd either left it at church and someone lifted it or that it had fallen out of the car. I'd pretty much resigned myself to the loss of all those DVD's. Then.... last night while I was sitting on the couch watching American Idol, I suddenly remembered where they were. We checked and yes indeedy, there sat that wonderful black, fake-leather case full of shiny DVDs. Apparently when I was cleaning up one time, I picked up the case and put it behind the entertainment center! It's strange how we've looked all over town for those crazy things for two months, and in a split second, (when I was so totally not thinking about them) I suddenly had an "aha" moment!

BTW, I'm calling the doc today. I've been sick since Sunday afternoon and no one else in my house has caught it yet. This is telling me that it's not a stomach bug, but probably my Crohn's disease. Here's hopin' I can get over this fast!

Out of Commission

Well, I know I've been absent for awhile. Since Sunday I've been sick with the stomach crap and have been doing just that quite often since with the occasional hurl thrown in for good measure! There have been a few times I've been ready to curl-up in a little ball and forget the world. For those of you that don't know, I have Crohn's disease. This disease causes gut annoyances all the time, so I'm used to running to the porcelain throne on a regular basis. The difference is that I don't usually feel sick at the same time and as soon as the job is done, I'm fine for awhile. Not so much this week! I'm just waiting for another member of my family to join the fun! So far, so good, but I'm sure it won't last! I think I may be on the mend, but I don't want to jinx it!

Thankfully I'm married to the wonderful man that God sent my way. He's taken up the slack and done everything this week! Thank you Honey!

Did You Know?

Did you know that if you spray Pam on the bottom of a sled, that it goes dangerously fast down the hill? My boys are in "boy heaven" putting their lives on the line on the snow-covered hill in the neighbors backyard!

Update

Well, Bee's first swim lesson went wonderfully yesterday. She even jumped off the diving board. I never thought in a billion years that would ever happen. It took four tries, but she finally got up her nerve and jumped. It was cute and she was sooooo proud of herself after she did it. She even went under the water totally on her own several times. Amazing! Every kid, except one, in her class seems to be very comfortable in the water and willing to wait their turn for everything they are learning. The only child to cause a problem is, I think, too young to be in the class. She didn't want to stay with the class, so the instructor was constantly having to leave the group of kiddos to go chase her down. I rather bluntly told the child's mother that she should probably put her suit on and get in the water with her on Thursday. Totally missing my point, she responded with "Well, I've already done the Mommy and Me swim class with her." Duh, what I mean is that you need to get in there with her and coral her so that the instructor that is teaching the other children and keeping the other children safe doesn't have to leave them to go get your child.

Bee also started her new gymnastics classes last night. We switched her the YMCA classes instead of the Parks and Rec classes. There already, after one night, seems to be better instruction going on. She really seems to enjoy it too. After doing their stretches, the instructor put them all on the bars already. I'm gonna have to get her a different leotard to wear. The one she's got has pantiline issues, so we're gonna get her one with longer legs to cover that area better so she's not constantly tugging on her bahooney!

Prophet once again started a new session of soccer foot skills on Monday night. He loves soccer and he's good at it too.

D.K. started his new session of swim last night. His instructor says that he's definitely good and showing alot of promise for the team in the future once he learns all the strokes.

Meals of Wheels called us yesterday to see if we could sub for someone else today. We could, so we did. It was fun seeing the looks on some of their faces when I walked in instead of the normal Wednesday person. Some of them didn't seem to notice. Some said, "What are you doing here on Wednesday?" Some said, "Aren't you the Friday girl?" There's one sweet woman, who always says "Hey kid" when I walk in the door. She's one of those people whom I could sit and chat with forever if I had the chance. She told Bee to go into her bedroom to find her fat cat and pet it. We could see her as she went in and went nose to nose with the "kitty" as she loved on it. It was cool seeing Bee comfortable in her home. Another woman had the requested recipe she used for our Christmas gift of the most amazing caramel corn I've ever had waiting right by the door for me. I'm so excited to try it out and see if mine turns out as mouth watering as hers did. One of my favorites doesn't get meals on the Wednesday route, so I didn't get to see her, but I'll see her on Friday. I love each and every one of the people on our route. I would miss them terribly if I suddenly was unable to do it. Sometimes it's a struggle getting out of their homes. If I'm not careful, I could easily take 4 hours to get the route done instead of the 1 1/2 - 2 hrs that they like. Sometimes I think it'd be fun to just show up to talk to them for fun! Maybe someday I'll do that!

Well, Smart Guy has the short people in bed and is getting LOST season 3 cued up and ready to watch a couple more episodes together before bed, so I'm off! Good night friends and family!

Random Thoughts

In a half hour, we are off for Bee's first swim lesson. She has a new suit and so far is excited about. Here's hopin' she doesn't decide that the water she normal loves is her greatest enemy as soon as the swim-instructor begins her lesson.

This weather is awesome. Today's the second day in a row of 65 degree weather. Spring fever's gonna be bad when it gets cold again and snows in two days!

Bowzer has decided that the chocolate lab down the street in his biggest enemy. He goes crazy every time they walk by. If we ever happen to run into each other walkin' down the street at the same time... well, let's not think about it. I don't get it. Dogs walk down the street all the time, most of them don't bother him, but for some reason this one freaks him out. Maybe because it's the only one near his size. Who knows!!

D.K. went off and forgot his reading chart this morning. Oops! Unfortunately I have to take the blame for it too. I asked him to do something just as he was putting it into his folder! At least he remembered his lunch!

I've been going thru the kids drawers and closets and removing stuff for the give away box. Bee especially has way too much stuff. She could actually wear a different outfit for about three weeks thanks to Cleanin' Cuz's hand-me-downs. I've already taken stuff out and given it away once. The load is driving me crazy, so we're down-sizin' again. It makes me crazy knowing that my little girl has so much and that the little girls who come thru the line to get dinner on Sunday evenings very often have the same things on or they're too small. I think ten everyday outfits and 3 dresses is plenty for one child to wear, so that's we're tryin' for!

Well, we gotta go! Have a blessed day by blessing someone else's day!

The Bringing of The Light

Well, the Christmas season is officially closed. Yesterday was Epiphany or as my kids like to call it "the twelth day of Christmas", or as I personally like to call it "The Bringing of the Light". This holiday marks the day that the wise men came to the Jesus' house with gifts. Last night, before bedtime, we all went outside and wrote "20 CMB 08" over the door most commonly used in our frequent comings and goings around here during our "Chalk Blessing Ceremony". This stands for "Christus Mansionem Benedicat", which means "May Christ bless this dwelling!" In some cases it is used to respresent the names of the three wise men most traditionally recognized as the ones who came to visit Jesus (we actually have no idea how many there were), these being Caspar, Melchior and Balthazar.

So, today is the day of taking down the Christmas decorations and returning to a "normal" life without the colored lights and reminders of how important the Christmas season is in our lives. It is a time when we have to bring the bright lights into our world by taking care of the community and world in which we live. We are to always shine our lights as the Christmas tree does on the day we celebrate our Saviour's birth.

I would like to offer up a challenge to all who may read this in this new 2008... Love your community. Love the people who live in your town. Love the people who live on your street. Love the people who live in the house next to you. Show them you love them. Seek out those who need your love and love them. Do for them. Take meals to someone who needs it. Pick someone up who needs a ride. Pass your hand-me-downs to someone who actually needs them instead of family or friends who could technically afford their own or taking them somewhere that pays you for them. Help someone put their groceries in their car. Get your hands dirty. Take your kids with you. What a better way to teach them to love others than for them to see you loving others. Please don't use your little ones as a reason not to reach out and love. They can be the hands and feet of our Saviour just as much as we can if we guide them in that direction. Pray for them...and then act on those prayers. Please don't get stuck in complacency and assume that someone else will do it, or that someday you'll have the time or energy. Do it now. People need to be loved, NOW!

Bring The Light into our world!

From The Mouth of Babes

Tonight after dinner the kids were feeding the leftover biscuits to Bowz by putting them in their teeth and letting him take them right from their mouths. This isn't a new thing, he's done it for years, but it was funny watching all three of them doing it at the same time. This shows you what a gentle animal he is, even if it is gross! BTW, pardon the messy kitchen in the background. Smart Guy and the kids were leaving for the evening and I was still cleaning up from dinner!

The Weather Outside May Be Frightful

But inside our YMCA it's a balmy 80 degrees with a water temp warm enough to bathe in. We've been trying to go swimming at least once a week, sometimes twice. The kids love it, but personally it doesn't matter how warm the water is, I still get chilled. For cryin' out loud it's the middle of the coldest part of the year, swimming just seems wierd. A few weeks ago, whie we were swimming we couldn't even see across the street it was snowin' and blowin' so hard! That seemed very strange! But it's good excerise and when we're swimming the kids aren't climbing the walls at home, so it's worth it!

Only In America

Prophet had an American "rite of passage"...

He ate his very first McD's Big Mac! Mountain Mom and Grizzley Dad brought McD's gift cards to all three kids when they drove over for Prophet's game Saturday night. So Sunday afternoon, we had a rare treat and dined on the finest of American cuisine for lunch! Prophet is beginning to explore the "grown-up menu" at most restaurants, so when he asked me for a suggestion, I told him that the Big Mac was fabulous! He tried it and of course loved it. He savored every single bite and "mmmmmmm"ed his way thru the entire sandwich. It was hilarious.


He starts strong!



After a few napkins and reassembling a few times...



By this time, the bottom bun was somehow already eaten. He finished it in layers from this point.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!