Potluck Ponderings

On a Tuesday that feels like a Monday...

2011-09-06T22:53:00.000-04:00

We had a wonderful Labor Day weekend! It began w/a pizza and movie night on Friday. Followed by meeting some lovely ladies for coffee and conversation early Saturday morning and we then took off for the NC Zoo Saturday and made a day of it! I didn't take the camera, so there are no pictures of us looking at the animals. It was a good day, even if the polar bear was sleeping and we missed the giraffe feeding...maybe next time!
Nate spent most of the day asking a million questions about the A-10 Warthog, working out a plan for joining the Air Force so he can fly one...and building a Nater-ized model with duct tape and recyclables from our bin. The topic seemed to come from out of the blue, but we finally figured out that someone in his class has a A-10 Warthog pilot for a Daddy.
Sunday, we went to Lake Tillery Church. Joe has been planning to visit for quite a while. We had lunch with friends at The Boondocks...followed by a refreshing couple hours on a dock by the lake. We made it back home in time for a short nap followed by evening worship at our church.
Funny Nate story from Sunday: A wonderful lady named Betty was chatting with us, and told Nate she liked his bracelet. I explained it's a medic alert bracelet, that Nate's allergic to eggs and peanuts. She said, "Oh, my husband, Larry is allergic to shellfish".
Nate replied, "you mean he's not able to lie?" We were both puzzled as this comment seemed to us to come out of the blue.
I said," what did you say buddy?"
He said, "you said he's allergic to selfish, so he's not able to lie"

Yesterday Joe mowed the ~~field~~ yard, then he and Em went shopping for new running shoes for her. Em and I spent the rest of the afternoon cleaning under her bed (egads!!) and her closet. Motivated by who knows what...both kids actually had a pretty good pile of things to take to the coalition. The Barbies, polly-pockets, two baby dolls, pet shop critters and a few stuffed animals got a reprieve and get to stay to play again another day. Nate weeded out a Handy Manny toy, a pretend fisher price guitar that is small for him, a few puzzles and some books...and the five pair of shoes he JUST outgrew overnight, anyone need size 11, maybe even some size 12s?

Back to work today, to a steady but not crazy day for me! This is Joe's second week of classes and his second Hebrew test...I quizzed him last night on the letter sounds--I figure that's about all the help I'll be with that. As of right now he has about 15 hours of classes that he's either beginning or trying to finish. On campus Fall classes are on Tuesday from 8am to 5:30pm. He's finishing up virtual classes that he began this summer as well as a summer intensive (one of those classes that he does on campus with the course work condensed into 5 consecutive days of lectures with assigned reading, tests and papers to be done by a date a month or so away).

Meanwhile...back at the ~~motel~~ clinic, I re-certified for CPR right after office hours were over...easy-peasy compared to all of that!! I've been back to work for 2 years, all my certifications are up for renewal.

Oh...my thanksgiving...(as I "dare to live fully right where I am" and I give thanks and unwrap my gift of joy..Ephesians 5:20)

I'm thankful for rain...the rain that washes away and refreshes and renews!
for simple meals...
for children who listen well when it's least expected
for mandarin oranges in salad...a burst of sweetness in an unexpected place
and for friends who ask "What is your biggest struggle right now"...and the faithfulness they have to pray us through it, no matter how big or small.
and I'm thankful for people who think of things like this and the hope I have that my friend Betty could help me learn how to put a zipper in something!

This weekday...

2011-09-02T23:19:00.000-04:00

is ending quietly...
Pizza, the movie Rio...a game of chess for Dad & Em...a game of Sequence between us all...thoughts of a zoo trip for tomorrow...

"Gifts" of today:
people who make messes and are able to help clean them up...
Growing kids who are able to sit around the dining room table (or wiggle around the table) and play games that require some thinking...
clean sheets...
a student body government representative race--Lost...and the lessons learned in the losing
co-workers who pitch in...work together...and laugh deep & loud...
friends who send emails that give the low down on what their week has been like even though you've barely had time to talk...
One more final exam completed!

Formal Announcement?

2011-09-01T21:56:00.001-04:00

Can I just start blogging again? Would Miss Manners say a formal reintroduction is required after a 6 month silence with NO posts, no pictures, no words....no documentation of life being lived...

I've created at least a zillion blog posts in my mind, usually beginning in the shower...continuing while I'm blow drying my hair and brushing my teeth...pausing while I yell at the kids that we need to leave RIGHT NOW or we will be LATE...until the moment I'm in the car alone, and then the ideas and thoughts become words flowing again...prayers and thanksgivings...sweet moments of words coming together like a mosaic...reflection of smells and sounds of life with husband and children filling this house...poignant moments and observations while waiting and growing and loving...the stories of living waiting to be told, quickly forgotten as I walk through the front door of the clinic and pin the nurses' cap and smile in place. Evening will come, and any inkling of words to type, memories to capture and photos to post become the vague impression of "something I was going to...". So the words continue to whirl, photos remain captive in their plastic prison, funny things said yesterday can't be repeated quite right and the sweet smell of young hair after a shower turns to...well not sweet...and a life full of blessings remains uncharted.

You can judge, but I think I'll just jump right in!

Together...

2011-03-11T14:07:00.000-05:00

"The life of holiness is the life of faith in which the believer, with a deepening knowledge of his own sin and helplessness apart from Christ, increasingly casts himself upon the Lord, and seeks the power of the Spirit and the wisdom and comfort of the Bible to battle against the world, the flesh and the devil. It is not a lonely or cheerless struggle for Christ gives the Spirit to the members of his body to help one another."
The Church, Edmund P. Clowney (Pg 89)

Just a blurb from one of the ten books on Joe's nightstand this week...not lonely or cheerless---we have the fellowship of the Holy Spirit to help each other...((sigh))...

The busyness of life surrounds us...sometimes lonely...sometimes loud....but always together.

Joe is well under way with his second year of seminary. Em is back to the soccer-mill. Practice twice a week and games on Saturdays. She had her first game last week and did an awesome job in position of goalie.
Nate had his first "play-date" today without me present. Big steps....
We had some tough moments this week and were shocked a little by the oldest's air-ance of grievances...how hard it is to be the big sister, how we make her feel left out sometimes, how hard it is to be almost 10 and at such an in-between age (yes, she used most of those words)...how unfair it is that she loses priviledges because of the allergies/illnesses of her brother...how she never has alone time with either of us...because HE is ALWAYS there. We listened, were thankful she found a voice for her feelings and are trying to do better at the things that we can...and yesterday we had a date at Panera (hot chocolate and a big cookie for her, hazelnut coffee for me)...and then we went to Wal-Mart and looked at girl things...and there was a smile on her face.

Snowdays...

2011-01-11T22:41:00.000-05:00

Unexpected holidays! We have had two days in a row to just be...and it's been wonderful. I can't believe both our works were closed Monday and Tuesday. The ice paralyzed everything this morning. I am very thankful that I work somewhere that can close unlike the hospital, where you have to figure out how to get there to relieve staff. I have gone in for many shifts with a bag packed just in case I couldn't leave because of weather, we would sleep in the empty beds...fun stuff!

We got about 3 inches of snow Monday and then about 1/4 inch of ice last night. It looks like an icy winter wonderland outside today.
Not a lot was accomplished these past two days, but we had fun. I am sure the clinic will be open tomorrow, Joe is headed to work, but the kids are still out of school.

Here's a few pictures to share of the fun!

Joe has his overalls on because he spent most of these two days in his shop working on a

TV stand and shelves for the den that he's building from MDF...
okay, maybe someone accomplished a lot.

Nate had to wear his overalls too.

Em just can't miss out on hugging.

The kids built a "little snowman because we only had a little snow"

Nate came and asked for the carrot, Em had plucked the Holly berries.

A quick confession...

2010-12-29T08:02:00.000-05:00

I haven't enjoyed going to work this week. I've really had a horrible attitude about leaving the kids every day of this last week of their break. I've had trouble counting the blessings in the fact that I have a good job to go to...and that they have great people loving them while I'm away. I've drug my feet getting ready, slammed things around while packing my lunch, complained about things that are small offenses, forgotten things that are necessary (nametag, lunch etc) because I'm distracted in my crumminess.

It's a heart issue, I know that. It's an issue that lies deep within being content in my circumstances. There have been lots of times during this motherhood adventure that I would have been ELATED to have 4-5 hours away from the children...instead of counting the hours of every break from school they will have until they are in college and how I am MISSING 25 hours this week of those times...

So, I admit I have been whiny and hard to deal with this week...I'm sorry...and I will try to do better.

Thoughts on Thursday...

2010-11-18T06:27:00.003-05:00

I have been rowing my oars just trying to keep afloat, and not doing too well at it quite honestly. It seems I have a different schedule every week...with a different routine...and a revolving to-do-list. But, some big projects have been completed at our house during the last couple of weeks, with big finale celebrations at school today. Emily's class has been studying History of the Middle ages this year. It has been quite interesting as "she" learns facts about St. Augustine, the Viking invasion, St. Benedict, Otto I, Alfred the Great, The East-West Schism the council of Chalcedon...the topic for the past two weeks has been the Fuedal system. It is culminating in a Medieval feast today complete with entertainment and (as authentic as the Mom's could get) authentic cuisine. A project is also due today...a project that incited fear and excitement when it was announced on back to school night...a Medieval Castle. Much thought went into the material that would be used, the how's and the what's and even a few of the why's. And after much planning, thought and attention to detail...our castle is complete....

We had another doctor appointment at the UNC Peds clinic for Nate on Monday...here's a few updates from that. He was able to have his flu shot after having scratch testing for eggs and the influenza vaccine. It seems his skin reaction was quite a bit less than it was when we first had it done, which I am taking as a good sign! As it is decreasing, it increases the chance that Nate will be able to have denatured egg protein. This egg has been cooked a while in a recipe (baked as in cupcakes/cakes/brownies) but not an egg that has been included in something quick cooked like pancakes. I know it doesn't sound like it would change our life much...it would still mean we would need to be careful with eggs...but he could have things home made baked goodies from friends in their own kitchens! We go back in March...probably will have more blood drawn and pulmonary function tests again. She added a nasal spray and thinks she will discontinue his Singulair and then zyrtec...and start decreasing the Advair inhaler!!! All good things!

Nate's thoughts on Blasphemy and careers...

2010-11-15T06:00:00.000-05:00

Overheard in preschool:

Other 4 year old: "OH MY GOD, I love cake!!!!"

Third grader who happened by: "Oh, we don't say the Lord's name in Vain"

Nate: with a shrug, "I just say it in English...."

Next Week:

Nate: "My sister wants to be a teacher when she grows up"

Teacher (Mrs. Cooke): "She must have lots of patience"

Nate: "No...teachers don't have patients, they have kids"

Previous week:

Nate: running by Mrs. Cooke "I got my own deoderant"

My eye is twitching....and I can't make it stop!

2010-11-01T06:58:00.002-04:00

so after reasearching....
I do believe that I have all the possible causes....and at this rate, my eye will be twitching until heaven.

Eye twitches can be caused by all kinds of things. In order to treat eye twitching you need to understand what the possible causes are in your specific case. Here is a list of the common eye twitch causes.

Lack of sleep (Treatment Page): If you haven’t been getting enough sleep lately especially if it has been an ongoing issue this is a likely cause of your eye twitching. This is connected to general fatigue.
Stress (Treatment Page): Events in your life that have caused you to become stressed out may be the reason you are suffering from eye twitches. This is connected to general fatigue.
Fatigue (Treatment Page): General fatigue from overworking yourself or living a sedentary lifestyle is another possibility. It seems physical fatigue, which comes in many forms, is often a trigger for eye twitching.
Screens(Comp/TV) (Treatment Page): This is one of the more controversial causes as many people who have an eye twitch don’t look at a screen excessively. However, it is still a very common cause for a lot of people. Our eyes depend on constant movement and focusing at different distances to stay healthy.
Vitamin Deficiency (Treatment Page): If you aren’t eating a balanced diet you might be missing out on certain vitamins and minerals. A vitamin deficiency eye twitching is a very common cause but also one that is easy to treat.
Eye Strain (Treatment Page): Your vision might have gotten worse causing you to strain your eyes when reading, driving or other common tasks. Most people don’t even notice when they’re straining their eyes so check during activities when you’re using your eyes.
Allergies (Treatment Page): When you’re suffering from allergies your eyes can become very irritated and produce eyelid twitching. A lot of times a person won’t have any other symptoms of allergies so this can be a hard cause to uncover. If you have a history of allergies this is a good possibility though.
Caffeine (Treatment Page): As I’m sure you know caffeine is a stimulant and acts on the central nervous system. If you’ve been consuming excessive amounts of caffeine or using it for a long time this could be the cause.
Pinched Nerve (Treatment Page): Both physical trauma and gradual tension build up can result in a compressed or pinched nerve in the neck or face resulting in eye twitching.
Medication (Treatment Page): Certain medications have a history of producing eye twitches as a side effect. If you’re taking any medication do research on possible side effects and consult your doctor.
Withdrawal (Treatment Page): Benzodiazepine withdrawal and long term use very often produce eyelid twitching. Very often this produces blepharospasm which is when both eyes are affacted and is a known risk factor for developing it.
Neurological Disorder (Treatment Page): There is a long list of neurological disorders that can cause eyelid twitches but producing such a list would only scare you. If you have no other medical issues or symptoms then you probably don’t have a neurological problem but always consult with a doctor if you’re concerned this is a possibility.

These are all the causes of eye twitching that I have identified. I’m certain that your specific case of eyelid twitch fits into one of these categories. It is a strong possibility that more than one of the above causes is resulting in your eye twitching. To identify all the factors in your life that could be causing this annoying problem please consider each of the above carefully. This will help you single out your specific risk factors so that you can go on to eye twitch treatment.

A Day of Facebook Status Updates

2010-10-23T22:15:00.018-04:00

I guess this is what it would look like if I "twittered" or "tweeted"....or updated my facebook status with every little detail...whatever...

7:30am....is drinking a whole pot of coffee all-by-herself, she's gonna need it!
0815am....is yelling at kids to get in the car before we are late to soccer...
0840am....has one set of soccer pictures done, with two boys...coffee refilled from the thermos
0845am....is surviving the chaos with help...sent the girl with friends to her team photos and game
0930am....is watching the boy score a goal!
0945am....found the boy's lost water bottle!
0950am...is speeding across town to watch the girl's game
0955am...must stop for camera batteries and snack for boy
1015am....made it! The keeper is doing a great job keeping the team from scoring!
1100am...watched the girls team play great....still lost the game...but way to go KEEPER!
1230pm...has shopping done at Walmart, what a zoo! Halloween costumes and candy purchases complete.
1330pm...is taking a deep breath, happy meals and a playground...and spying a fellow mom with a FLASK of liquor hanging out of her jacket pocket?!?
1345pm....is listening to flask mom's sad tales, is appropriately sympathetic and empathetic...and tells her we'll be praying for her to get a job and for daughter to make friends in her new school...felt like a platitude...
1450pm...is stealing garbage from outside playground at Mickeydees...yes, she (the mom!) threw the retainer away!!!
1500pm...leaving Mickey-dees feeling heavy hearted and unsure what I could/should have done to help....and while I was talking to the mom, my girl was in the slide asking the other girl if she knows Jesus and is a Christian...((sigh)).
1502pm...drove around Mickey-dees several times looking to see if flask mom and daughter had a ride or were walking, didn't see them again...
1515pm....stopped at a yard sale: Lincoln Logs, bug jar, a couple books...
1600pm....is home...cleaning kitchen
1630pm...put it off long enough, sorted through the garbage and found the retainer (YUCK!!!!)
1745pm...is headed to a friends house so a date night can be had....
1900pm...caught-the-oven-on-fire....uuugghhh!!!! Salt (instead of baking soda) works on fire too...everyone is safe...afraid the oven might be toast...
2030pm....is thankful everyone is fine, in bed--now we just wait for date night to be over....
2200pm....is home in bed...alone...still worried about the oven...praying for flask mom & daughter...goodnight FB!

allergy update...

2010-10-14T11:05:00.000-04:00

I got a call from UNC this morning regarding Nate's allergy testing/x-rays that we went up for last week.
I was very impressed with the amount of time they spent with us, both the resident and the attending...as well as all the ancillary staff (respiratory therapists, lab techs and x-ray techs were wonderful!). They want to see him again in a month and he will need to be off his zyrtec a couple of days so they can do skin prick testing at that visit (sshhhh, don't tell him!) The biggest goal at this point seems to be to decide if his asthma is "true asthma" or asthma caused by allergies.

The results gave us some great news, some unexpected news and things to watch:

Nate is not allergic to any grasses, weeds or trees. I think a positive here might have led down the path of desensitization shots. ((YUCK))

He is allergic (mildly) to dogs & cats---for now Dr. Duncan said to not allow the dog to be/sleep in his room (which she doesn't if we catch her!) and to have him wash his hands after any contact w/animals. This will mean some changes for Bella girl...and we may even HAVE to invest in that $40 dog bed and train her to sleep there instead of being sneaky and climbing on the beds!

He is allergic to dust mites (which are running rampant esp in NC, they like our humid weather!)...so we have a trip to Wal-mart to purchase mattress, pillow and comforter covers...washing bed linens every week and we have to choose only one or two washable stuffed animal to love...dust mites love those breeding grounds as well.

He is allergic to fungus...not much action to take there.

His chest xray looked good, his Pulmonary function test was great for his age (they told me it's really difficult to get accurate results on that test at his age, and they just wanted a baseline to use for the future). His sinus x-ray was "equivocal for thickening" which just means the results weren't clear and it will need possible follow-up (maybe even a Sinus CT scan), treatment for chronic sinusitis is 3 weeks of antibiotics (which, if I'm not mistaken, he was given either last winter or spring---because he was going through a really rough patch that wouldn't clear up).

As far as foods he is still strongly allergic to peanuts and he should completely avoid them. For some reason they left off the test for eggs, their error Dr. Duncan said, which she was very apologetic for and they will test for that at the follow up visit. She didn't mention tree nuts and I didn't think of it while we were on the phone...but she said to feel free to email any questions I think of later.

All for now, thank you so much for all your prayers as you walk through this journey with us! We are so very thankful for EACH one of you...

She's catching on...

2010-10-13T19:29:00.000-04:00

A few minutes ago I rudely interrupted Em "playing barbee's with Nate" (I didn't ask and don't want to know...I THINK he plays w/the barbie cars)...to ask her to feed the dog and take her laundry out to the garage (that's where we do laundry, you know). I was going to put a load in the washer. There was no sighing, no eye rolling...she obeyed immediately...with no complaining.
I realized I hadn't heard her come back in and I put the paper down and went to sort her laundry and put a load in...when I got to the garage, I find her just working hard, sorting away and singing at the top of her lungs. I backed away from the door and back to the newspaper!
These sure are some sweet times in the parenting world!

It's Saturday...

2010-10-09T22:31:00.000-04:00

and I am so very creative with the blog titles these days! I feel as if this day has flown by. It has been the bookend of a very busy week. The kids are on fall break, and had different people love them during the hours I worked every day...and I am so THANKFUL!! for all that LOVE! it just made the week seem to go extremely fast.
Today's highlights included lots of sniffles and congestion for me...soccer games with possible 1st degree burns from the sun (Em's team won and she had some really good kicks)...a yard sale that was close & we picked up a few wonderful books (The Tale of Despereaux, A Nancy Drew Mystery #1 The Secret of the Old Clock, Black Beauty,and an abridged version of The Wizard of Oz for 8-12 yr olds and an American Girl book) all 50 cents each except for the Nancy Drew which was hard back and $1. The kids were invited to lunch with Granma after soccer---thank you G'ma & Auntie J! I had a couple hours, some generic cold medicine and a short nap added to my day.

So, here I find myself at the end of the day, awaiting Joe's return from an overnight trip to Atlanta. I think he's about an hour away. I'm watching PBS kids (why, you ask? I often find myself watching kids shows and listening to the kids music when they are no longer around...crazy I know)...and getting ready to read another chapter in the Paul Tripp book Joe recommended, which is really good by the way.

The One Book...

2010-10-06T21:47:00.000-04:00

The one book that Joe strongly states I have to read the "whole time" he's in seminary...don't have to read anything else...but just this one book...I think it really made an impression on him.
I'm starting it tonight, I'll let you know what I think...

Someone's praying for me...

2010-10-01T09:14:00.004-04:00

to become what I need to be for the Lord to use me in His ministry...I can feel it.

It's as if the Lord has ripped my heart from my body and has placed it on the anvil...it's painful, yet reassuring in an odd way...to know that as God looks at my brokeness...my sin...my misbehaviors...my tantrums...my misguided thoughts...my twisted motives...
that He sees it all from an eternal perspective and what seems to be torture and suffering today may just be the remolding of my heart to be what He needs it to be for His glory....

A Parent Teacher Conference...

2010-09-22T21:23:00.002-04:00

Tuition at a private Classical Christian School.... $$$
Uniforms & materials fees... $$
School Supplies... $

Hearing that she is "doing just fine" adjusting and making friends from a trusted teacher and seeing straight A's on her first report card....priceless!!!

Two funerals and a wedding...sort of...

2010-08-02T23:28:00.000-04:00

I know by now, y'all think I've done quit bloggin' and you're partly right...'cause I've been doin' a lot of livin'. I will try my best to catch you up on the happenin's of life...if you cain't tell, I've spent some time in Ten-e-see (one of the funerals and then back to celebrate a birthday) and some in West Virginey (the wedding, or actually a wedding renewal to celebrate 50 years of wedded bliss & blisters)...and it was all great fun...when I can get MY computer to stay on for more than five minutes I will upload some pictures and share in great detail....until then....I'll try to get my voice back & be the 40-year old self I've grown into being. Here's some tidbits to whet your appetite until then:

the girl starts 4th (yes FOURTH) grade tomorrow at our local Christian school...God provided the means and I am thankful...
the boy has another few weeks of down time before he will start pre-K
I'm praying for his teacher (you should too...)
I haven't had a bathing suit on all summer...1. because I haven't had time to swim 2. because I never did start that walking I was planning to do back in the spring.
Hubs "preached" his first sermon as a divinity student last night at our church...I was surprised at how well he did...and I'm pretty critical of him...
It's been the quickest longest summer I think I've ever had!

A nice evening...

2010-06-08T22:57:00.000-04:00

It's a busy week for me...a full schedule, some new responsibilities at work (cardiology has a new prescription refill line), the last week of school for DD, a week with hubs buried in books a few hours away.
It was nice to fit in an impromptu dinner with a neighbor...glad I had the inspiration (too much food for us to eat) and the motivation (would have been mac & cheese AGAIN probably as I felt guilty about the nice meal I should have fixed)
It was nice to share veggies that had been shared with us (thanks to some friends going on vacation and letting me pick up their Sandhills Farm to Table coop box)...nice to have kids fighting over whose going to get to sleep with Mom...nice to get a phone call from someone who misses us...nice to have friends and family loving our kids (hope the D kids got their snoozes)!

this week is all about staying grateful...

2010-05-24T12:11:00.001-04:00

Be thinking...

2010-05-13T22:37:00.001-04:00

Our second "annual" Women's ministry brunch is Saturday. Come, heads filled with ideas about fun things to do...what you need...and what getting those needs met could look like. Be prepared to laugh, cry...and eat! Now, I gotta put M&Ms on that shopping list...

Her Birthday...

2010-05-09T22:09:00.000-04:00

Started with our traditional family dinner on THE day of the actual birthday, no matter what!! This comes from Joe's growing up experience of celebrating holidays on a very crazy schedule with his mom being a nurse and working most actual holidays...Christmas would be "rescheduled" until the next day off...this scarred him for life, and as a result...we MUST celebrate holidays on their calendar day...sooo...enough said.

She asked for Meatloaf, mashed potatoes, broccoli & cheese, yeast rolls and dirt cake...tinkertoys & a sleepover for friends on Friday...

It'll bloom any day now...

2010-04-06T23:08:00.000-04:00

She's ahead of me on the path. All legs and ponytail swishing. She's lanky and adjusting to a body that's changing everyday. She yells, "I'm taking that path and I'll meet you on the other side". She's yearning for a little independence. She doesn't even look back to see if I'm following. Her gaze is focused on her destination. She skips, hopscotches and takes the long way around. Then one foot flies one way and the other lands crooked and she goes down on the path. She stands up quickly, shakes it off, looks to see if I'm close by and continues skipping.
I pause to look at the Azalea's...they didn't bloom in time for Easter this year, but they should be in glorious full bloom in a week or so, just in time for her 9th birthday. Nine years...If I close my eyes...and shut out the world... I can still smell her newborn fuzzy head, hear her first cry, see her first smile, and know one of the sweetest things in life is having a daughter.

Picture was taken in 2006...when she was 4, it was her birthday & Easter weekend

April 6th

2010-04-06T22:49:00.001-04:00

Dear Ms. Spring...
Where did you go and when are you coming back?

Easter pictures of kids...

2010-04-04T21:11:00.000-04:00

The boy's soccer

2010-04-02T21:14:00.000-04:00

Nate's soccer is really a skill development time, they have a short scrimmage against each other the last 15 minutes or so, but it is fashioned after European Futbol and the focus is really on skill develpment...

Suprise!!!!

2010-03-21T23:10:00.001-04:00

A FORTY-ith birthday party! I couldn't believe it...nothing makes a girl's funk subside like feeling all that LOVE! What a wonderful thing...and I REALLY was surprised. Everyone involved had me convinced there would be no celebration. My best friends took me out to dinner one night this week to "celebrate" at our favorite Japanese Restraunt (and had the waiters sing to me!), which was great and fun and the highlight of my week...donchya'll know. I thought that was it. Sweet Hubs said, "oh, we could go out to dinner if you really want to"...and reminded me of how busy our weekend was going to be. I was like "never mind..." "I'll be fine...I will not pout!" Nothing like being old and grumpy!

and all the while....all the friends who kept asking me what was wrong KNEW that I was getting ready to be got!
And it was one of the sweetest surprises of my life...and as I rounded the corner and spied the balloons and decorations, my first thought was...oh, the school must be having some sort of celebration.
There were 40 (+) icing roses handmade by my very pregnant friend B, and PRESENTS!!! Each one of those cupcakes on the stand below has a rose on it...

all these pictures are from my sis-in-law's camera...so they are what they are, I didn't take a camera to small group...and I almost wore sweat pants (Joe said....you're not going to wear that are you? He knows what's good for him, haha)

The Girl's Soccer

2010-03-20T21:34:00.000-04:00

The best part about Em's soccer this year is the color of the uniforms, haha!! She's having fun and I got some great shots...

and this is what happens to brothers who have to wait for a soccer game to be over...

The funk of fourty is upon me...

2010-03-18T20:08:00.004-04:00

I don't know exactly why I'm in a funk...it makes no sense. There are a thousand possible reasons why, yet no single one I can tighten my fingers around. I always get sad and miss my momma, really all my family-.of-origin, on my birthday...when changes are sensed I long to run for the Hills (the TN hills)
I start thinking about all the people who've come into (and some ultimately out of) my life...the bittersweetness of those friendships...those times...I get sentimental and feel urgency in letting everyone know what they've meant in my life. Abandonment has been a big theme that God has used over and over again in my life...the reality of being abandoned by those in life who should love the most...the fear of the possiblility of it...the acceptance that I may be abandoned by everyone but Him.

I AM kinda tired, been staying up too late and running too much. The van needs tires...we need to decide about a smaller car Joe has looked at for better gas mileage...I need to return the overdue library books...the girl is already starting to ask what we can do for her birthday...spring cleaning (actually just general cleaning)...stitches that need to be taken out...an overdue visit to TN...my to do list is longer than my it's done list. Maybe my iron's low...or my Vitamin D...or my seritonin...or maybe my heart is just not in the right place.

I am grasping for a heart attitude of joy...thankfulness for the fullness of life...blessings too many to count...the kind of joy that comes in the morning with the calmness of clouds clearing and a gentle breeze...made more poignant by the deep turbulence of a stormy sorrow filled night.

Last week brought a ton of adventure...busyness beyond measure...sweet moments...an anxiety filled car ride, unsure what I would find at the end of the drive, and relief when after a few hours in the emergency room all was well. The girl got brackets and wires on her four front teeth...purple, pink and green...they're quite cute. My babies are growing, just like expected and I'm thankful they are healthy and for the most part obedient and fun to be around. I'm blessed that our struggles are minimal for now. I have a husband who has found his calling and is at peace and excited about the future. He has started to live...again. He is not just going through the motions, when he tells me how much he appreciates all I do...I feel it in my bones. We are not keeping score...and are truly trying to serve each other...makes for one of the best places we've ever been during our marraige.

I like being in my thirties....being of child bearing age...being able to check the age range box of 30-39 on a survey...not worrying about retnols for my skin and hormone replacement...cholesterol levels...and if that gas pain could be my heart...wrinkle cream still being for later...not thinking did I get enough fiber today...and why is that inch long hair growing out of the side of my face? AND IS THAT HAIR ON MY CHIN????

Turning fourty, I'm just not sure about yet. My vision of what I think it will be like is just not clear and as hard as I squint, I cannot convince myself that I have what it takes to run the race. In the next decade of my life I will be parenting teenagers... as they begin driving, visit colleges, encountering relationships with others independent of me doing a background check...they will become independent and individualistic...and they probably won't want to snuggle or talk to me all the time, maybe not even at all..and they'll be gone from home more than they're here. It's not that I dread that time of life, it's just different...a change...

We had a pastor who would wisely say that " growth comes through change (good or bad) and change brings conflict". I think the tangible changes made in our life over the last few months are being made very real in the form of a number...a new decade...new paths...new ministry opportunities...new ways that God is going to stretch and grow me and there'll be some conflict. ...it's all just a big part of the "unknown" of being in my fourties.

until the ponderings continue
~Loretta

It's one week until...

2010-03-14T21:50:00.007-04:00

I'm fourty...what a busy countdown week. Wednesday was about all I thought I could handle...but then we ended up in the emergency department of our local hospital for a few hours getting these in Nate:

After getting this done for the girl on Wednesday:

Friday really was an uneventful follow up to all those activities. Friday night was small group at church. We had a great discussion and I think everyone seemed to be in a great mood. We're wrapping up our current study and will be starting The Prodigal God, by Tim Keller which I'm very excited about reading and discussing.

A baby shower followed on Saturday for a little sweet miss...lots of pink, lots of fun, lots of laughter...and pink punch. I love it when the ladies get together...and it's so much sweeter now.
Our pastor's wife did a devotion about mothering daughters that I'm still pondering...and want to read the book some of the ideas came from. A thought I keep turning around is that it's as important to teach our daughter's not to take offense as it is to teach them not to give offense, with the idea that we women get offended quickly. I think I'll add a "books to be read" list to my blog so I can keep up with all these wonderful books I keep forgetting I want to read.

Sunday was busy...but worshipful. A great sermon that you can listen to. We regret that we have committed to extra activities with the worship service on Sunday night, children's choir will only last a couple more months until it breaks for the summer, but the girl had a talk with the daddy about it feeling like "work" and not feeling like we're having time to "rest" on Sunday. We'll reevaluate when the time comes.

until more pondering...

Tilapia

2010-03-11T20:54:00.001-05:00

I've never known how to cook fish, so it's been a work in progress...so here's a new recipe that's a keeper! The kids loved it...and I served it with wild rice and steamed veggies...couldn't get any healthier than this!

Naked Time...

2010-03-10T22:35:00.003-05:00

can I tell y'all that I've never been this embarrassed by my children. E.V.E.R.
Not even carrying the girl over my shoulder when she tried to run away in the MALL, of all places. Even as ALL the way to the bathrooms she cried, "Momma don't pank me...momma don't pank me".
((sigh))
Today, the girl and I spent the morning at the Orthodontist (pics to follow) getting a few brackets and wires placed on her teeth. We had a great morning and I had taken the day off, so we were being quite leisurely.

So, to take advantage of a lunch time away from the clinic, some wonderful ladies and I met at the Chi-wi-chi-wi (Chickfila) for lunch with our wonderful, beautiful, well educated, well mannered children. We had enjoyed each other, the kids had had minimal drama...and I had gotten some almost-newborn baby love from baby Reece.
We were having great grown-up conversation when the man at the other table leaned over and said, "Is that your son?"
I jumped up, cause I could see a blond head...and then as my entire body flooded red with embarrassment...I saw ... the peeper was out!
The pants and underwear were around the knees and the hips were tilted. I was mortified and couldn't get there quick enough. I wasn't sure what he was doing...had he just decided the outdoor carpet was close enough and had he actually possibly peed in the play set???
I am quite proud to say that, somehow, I refrained from committing murder and quite honestly I was so shocked I don't think I even yelled. He's four-an-a-half y'all. He know privates are for private. He knows we only have neked time at home. I do not know what possessed him....he didn't know ("I dun know"). He did know he felt like he was going poo-poo in his pants...but somehow I had failed to have the talk: if you ever feel like you're going poopoo in your pants in a crowded fast food restaurant in the middle of the play set...come get me, DON"T PULL DOWN YOUR PANTS TO SEE....

there's gonna be yellin"...

2010-02-25T20:00:00.001-05:00

if....

Momma wakes up to the sound of the a bus going by...paniky not knowing for sure which one it was.
All the clothes that were supposed to be laid out last night...well, didn't
our bus is stopping at the neighbors and school work is strewed all over the kitchen table...teeth are not brushed and hair is not brushed...and where-o-where-is-your-coat...
Someone thoughtfully programmed the coffee pot to automatically brew, but the thermal coffee pot starts overflowing because someone forgot to empty the leftovers from yesterday...
a certain 4 year old comes proudly having decided not to put on what was laid out last night, but instead his own fashion creation of mismatched shoes, play pants w/holes in them, and the shirt he wore yesterday...with no socks...or underwear...
after getting buckled in the car and down the street...somenone asks, "Is today show and tell..."

but since none of those things happened TODAY...it was a yellin' free morning at our house!

Overheard from the front seat of the Mini-van...

2010-02-22T12:52:00.001-05:00

Nate: "mommy is E (a friend's son) 2 or 4?
Me: "He's 2"
Nate: "Well, that's not far from 4"
Nate: After a moment "Mommy, How did E's Mommy get the baby sissy in her tummy"
Me: "Well, it's pretty cool...God made a very special way for Mommy's and Daddy's to grow a baby in Mommies' tummies kinda like planting a seed"
Nate: "Can boys have babies"
Me: "No, God just gave mommies the special parts to have a baby in their tummies"
Nate: "I want you to get a baby in your tummy"
Me: "Well, Mommies parts don't work to have babies anymore"
Nate: "Mommy, how old do I have to be to play basketball...."

Cousin Dianne

2010-02-20T12:33:00.001-05:00

Obituary for Shirley Hicks

Shirley Dianne Hicks, 62, of 66 Price Street, Jane Lew passed away on Wednesday, February 17, 2010 at her home surround by her family following an extended illness. She was born in Weston on September 17, 1947: daughter of the late Doy Wyant Jr. and Norma Jean (Miller) Wyant Gaston who survives of Weston. On October 27, 1967, she married Samuel Hicks, who survives.

In addition to her mother and husband, Mrs. Hicks is survived by one daughter: Monica Michelle Hicks Rogers and husband Tom of Jane Lew and one son: Gregory Lance Hicks and wife Sarah of Clendenin, WV. Also surviving are three grandchildren Samantha Diane Rogers, Allison Joelle Rogers and Natalie Jean Rogers. She was also survived by one brother: James D. Wyant and wife Alanna of Fairmont and three nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Hicks was an office manager for Standard Gas of Jane Lew. She was the mayor of Jane Lew for 10 years and was a member of the City Council of Jane Lew for 10 years prior. Dianne was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Jane Lew, where she was active in many capacities including treasurer and youth leader for over 20 years for each. Mrs. Hicks was chairman of the Lewis-Gilmer Solid Waste Authority and was the Jane Lew Representative of the Region 7 Development Council for 10 years. She was also a member of the Lewis County Development Authority for 10 years.

Family and friends will be received at the Hardman-Paletti Funeral Home 730 N. Main Avenue Weston on Saturday, February 20, 2010 from 2-4 & 6-8 p.m. Funeral services will be held on Sunday at 1:30 p.m. from the Hardman-Paletti Funeral Home chapel with Reverend Paul Helmick, Reverend Ron Brown and Reverend Sharon Carr officiating. Interment will follow services in the Broad Run Cemetery of Jane Lew, WV.

Hardman-Paletti Funeral Home of Weston is in charge of arrangements for Shirley Dianne Hicks.

Their mother's are sisters. Dianne is the oldest grandchild on Joe's Mom's side of our family. She was loved greatly...spent the last months of her life in much pain, but ready with laughter and frequent jokes that kept the family on it's toes. I remember vividly how welcome she made me feel as a new bride on my first trip to Weston, WV to Mammaw's house. Joe is packing and will be on the road within the hour....pray for safe travel and that he, his mom & sister make it there in time for the visitation this evening.

I'm still here...

2010-02-17T07:41:00.001-05:00

God's still with us....and providing the Manna we need for today! The blessings abound. I dread the day this gets tedious and I am weary, I can see the shadow of it looming in the horizon. All is well and all are healthy...more soon I promise ;)

June 17th

2010-01-31T04:34:00.017-05:00

...and there I was in Disney World...all of my wildest dreams were being realized...I had MET THE MOUSE, eaten breakfast in Cinderella's castle, ridden the Dumbo and the Teacups...it was simply magical!!

So right, there in the middle of my dream of dreams vacation, I was ~~obligated~~ happy to attend the WIC brunch, the one event during PCA General Assembly that childcare was provided. I am being quite dramatic here, I was actually excited to go to the brunch...hear Paul Tripp speak, maybe even experience a Susan Hunt sighting and peruse the CEP bookstore.
What I did not plan on was being surrounded at brunch by women whose husbands had left their careers midlife to go into full time ministry. As they asked about us (Ruling Elder or Teaching Elder?) and our journey I found myself sharing that my husband had completed one "trial" seminary class: Bible Survey and that we were seeing where this all would VERY SLOWLY lead, since I was a homeschooling mom and he has the supporting role of our families budget with his career. I was happy with the idea that Joe would take this seminary thing very slowly...part-time...and really not change our life very much...I would be quite unaffected for several years...and maybe we'd even discover that we had truly misunderstood and that neither of us was fit for full time ministry.
What I didn't count on and couldn't see was the VERY similar stories those ladies shared with me...that it sounded very much like what I was going through...and that Paul Tripp had apparently had a conversation with the Almighty about the priorities of my heart. I soon began to feel like God was using these things to mold my heart into complete submission...

So here are my notes from Paul's WIC brunch address (I often take notes in the first person...helps me think more personally about it and to apply principles a little better).

Disappointment is universal but not uniform.

we live in a fallen world
difficult things happen
all of us are not disappointed all at the same time

Where am I disappointed?

think about the times you say, "If only...then my life would be..."
What am I doing with my disappointment?
Where does my disappointment lead me?

I'll never understand those moments and how to deal with them until I first understand under every disappointment is a war for my heart.

Disappointment is a responsibility not an emotion. Disappointment is a calling!

Believing in the Sovereignty of God doesn't make things make sense. It is because of the sovereignty of God...that we feel at peace when things don't make sense.

Suffering leads to life never being the same again....life never being the same again is in of itself sometimes a wonderful thing!

2 Corinthians 5:14, 15
For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

DNA of sin = SELFISHNESS
Sin shrinks my world down to my wants, my needs, my feelings
Love of myself ... I have a wonderful plan for my life...I have my own dreams to accomplish...
SELF FOCUS!!

The DNA of sin begins very young:
"My lunch is better than your lunch"
"I want...I want...I want"
Early on, we begin our comparison to others.

"It's not my party"...we don't always get to open the presents, but it's hard lesson to understand as kids why we don't.

We are born into the world for the glory and pleasure of another. It will NEVER be about me!

Theology forces us to grapple with this...we have the need to understand the struggle and disappointment. There is something in all of us that wants to be sovereign over our own lives...in control.

I will never understand disappointment until I understand that I'm actually suffering the fact that MY plan is not going to happen...my dreams for myself are crashing around me.

Even if my plan was accomplished, I would still be unfulfilled...there would still be a void in my heart.

You know everything you need to know about a person's heart if you know what causes them to celebrate and what causes them to weep.

Matthew 6
Lay Up Treasures in Heaven

19 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

22 "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!

24 "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.

Contrast between the kingdom of self and the kingdom of God.

Self is so deep inside of us.

Treasure = provocative word
assigned value (treasure's in our lives)...one man's trash is another man's treasure.

I am living for some kind of treasure
I attach my identity, meaning and purpose of life and well-being to that treasure.

The thing that is my treasure will control me!!
(education for children...financial security...a nice house...cars...vacations... even the people I love)

What controls your heart will control your behavior.

Your Lord will plunder your treasure...because He deeply fully loves you and that Earthly treasure stands between you and Him. By Grace, He pries open our hands so that we will hold loosely to those Earthly treasures and tightly to Him.

Disappointment, anger and envy are all bred from a heart holding onto Earthly treasures.

Earthly treasures are temporary, they rust...are stolen...be wary of attaching your soul to those.

My heart is only safe when it is held by Him--we give it away to easily to people...loved ones...ministries...jobs...children...houses...

(parents of teenagers: beautiful house that you don't want kids to sit on new furniture...where are the kids going to hang out...would rather have furniture they can be comfy on...feel loved that they are treasured more than a sparkly household)

God will take you where you do not want to go
in order to produce in you what you could not achive on your own.

Grace of refinement...

What treasure in my heart competes with Jesus?

Sovereign God is a savior---magnificent love---willing to take us through deep disappointments. Deep danger of our idolatry...Gift becomes more important than the giver...we are easily seduced.

We are never in the midst of our disappointments alone. He arrives there first. Prayer doesn't call Him into action, He's already active.

Graciousness gives for us in the midst of disappointment. Disappointment is always hard, but not always just about physical or emotional suffering BUT about the loss of Treasures.

Jesus...the suffering couldn't be better understood by anyone else. He endured rejection so that we would never see the back of God's head.

So there I was riding in the car on the long trip home from Florida...kids tuned in to the borrowed DVD player in the back with their headphones in place...and we were comparing notes. He shared with me some of his many thoughts during the many events he attended. Then he asked the question I was waiting for...he asked, "what do you think all this means...what are we supposed to do?" I replied quickly..."seminary full time...now".
I shared with him what I thought God had showed me...and without hesitation, I knew that God was prying loose my grip on all these earthly treasures...the things that I thought I wanted for us and for the kids...the things that I thought going to seminary and following God's call would cost us...

I believe all of this is in order that I could, somehow, during the journey learn to hold more tightly to Him, trust Him instead of men or myself, that I might learn to worship Him more fully, ...even if it means we go to Africa...even if we end up somewhere and there are no plug ins for my hairdryer...or there are big HUGE spiders...and I believe that if that is His plan, He will give me a passion and desire for those people that is bigger than any spider I might see. I will have to rely on Him for everything...hopefully I'm learning and He won't have to send me that far to learn my dependence is on Him, but there is obedience in the willingness...and to learn to hold loosely the treasures of this world for my true treasure is in Him.

Two $25 checks...

2010-01-27T22:42:00.001-05:00

from Walgreens in the mail today if I'll transfer a prescription for each check. UUGGHH! I've had a horrible experience there for the last several times that we've had prescriptions faxed from our doctor's offices. One Saturday when Nate had pneumonia there was a three hour wait and a bunch of irate folks waiting for flu shots...it was awful!
So, on a friends recommendation I tried Towne Center Pharmacy on Bennett Street....LOVED it! It reminds me of the Burgie Drug Store at home...hometown service and with all our health events these past few weeks, I think they already know me by name! The wait, so far has been negligible...20 minutes at most. One of those times it was on a Saturday and one of the drugs didn't come through on fax and the Pharmacist came around the counter, explained that they were calling and apologized for my inconvenience. I wanted to hug her neck!
So, I ask you....is the $50 bribe worth it...

Just a few words...

2010-01-27T09:12:00.001-05:00

sick people
antibiotics
hubs studying Greek
work
laundry
dishes
meals
a baby shower
a busy Missions week at church
lots of coffee
car repairs...van & truck
an unexpected morning home
provision
a cup running over

but in case I sound weary, I know...Our Lord is in control...and sometimes He calms the storms and other times He calms me...I'm just so thankful for peace and calmin of the Holy Spirit!

Oh, by the way a new blog to check out by one of my bloggy friends and in person aquaintaces Amanda ;) who is quite passionate about living a frugal life & saving money...check it out!

Winds of change...

2009-12-30T23:30:00.009-05:00

Does anything ever really stay the same? Are we not in a state of perpetual change and growth?

Hubby is preparing for his last day of work at the Plant...his last day of full time employment for as far as we can see down the path...

He will register for spring semster of classes at Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte soon...he will begin his part time job (with full time benefits!!) next week...what an amazing adventure this continues to be! I have detailed in my other blog all the ways that God has worked, the amazing tapestry that He has woven to assure us that this is His plan...we will look to those stones of remembrance when the way becomes rocky and the road is so very long...

and so we go forward...at the very top of the roller coaster...too late to turn back now...with no control of our own...but only the faith God continues to grow in us...trusting and obeying...with hands high in the air screaming at the top of our lungs, knowing life will never be the same again. And being thankful for it...

Christmas Eve... Eve....

2009-12-23T23:49:00.002-05:00

Nate and I wrapped presents this evening while at home alone. Joe went out in the world to do some secret shopping, Emily is having a sleepover tonight with ice skating tomorrow.
I got a phone call from Bobo that Pappaw McNeil has passed away...he was in the hospital at Thanksgiving so it's not unexpected, but there is no way for me to get to TN for the funeral. Lots of things to be in prayer for there...safe travel for all the families...family dynamics...stress and grief always make tensions magnified.
I had a longer than expected crazy day at work, but am very thankful Daddy has taken a few days off and is home with kiddos. He'd wanted to take kids shopping this morning but I had both booster seats for Nate.
No family advent devotions tonight...I missed them, I've REALLY enjoyed the scripture reading, candle lighting and hymn singing that we've done consistently during this season. It really has helped me keep the focus where it should be this season.

Robert Franklin "Bob" McNeil

2009-12-22T03:19:00.001-05:00

Robert (Bob) Franklin McNeil, age 85, 200 Fagan Rd., Johnson City, passed away Monday, December 21, 2009 in Johnson City Medical Center Hospital following an extended illness. He was a native of Butler, TN and a son of the late Wesley and Mae White McNeil. Mr. McNeil was a member of the Cedar Grove Baptist Church and retired from Texas Instruments. He played in the semi-professional baseball leagues in Tennessee and South Carolina as a pitcher. Mr. McNeil was a member of the Unicoi Masonic Lodge # 681 F&AM and Jericho Shrine Temple.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers: Jessie McNeil and Paul McNeil.

Mr. McNeil is survived by his wife Juanita Buchanan McNeil, three daughters and two sons-in-law: Marqita and Keith Tittle, Unicoi, TN, Letta McNeil, Elizabethton, Margaret and Harrison Bradley, Bristol, TN, three sons and daughters-in-law: Ricky and Vickie Buchanan, Unicoi, Steven and Betty McNeil, Butler, Spencer Jim and Becky McNeil, North, Virginia, numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren, three brothers and sisters-in-law: Fred and Betty McNeil, Hampton, Spencer and Louise McNeil, Otis and Maude McNeil, all of Elizabethton, two sisters and one brother-in-law: Roxie Reece, Zionville, NC, Nancy and Jim Murray, Hampton and two special friends, Jim Murray and Bob Bennett.

The funeral service for Mr. McNeil will be conducted at 11 a.m. Thursday, December 24th at the Tetrick Funeral Home with Rev. Maurice Quillen and Rev. Bill McDaniel officiating. Music will be under the direction of Patricia Vines. Interment will follow in the Roselawn Memory Gardens, Johnson City. Active pallbearers will be Jim Murray, Steve McNeil, Bob Bennett, Keith Tittle, Jake Tittle, Wesley Murray, Barry Bennett and Ricky Buchanan. Honorary pallbearers will be men of Cedar Grove Baptist Church, Jack Tipton, Jack Murray, Gene Woodward, Bill Standley and Luther Goodman.

Frank or "Pepsi" as my grandma Oliver always called him was not related to me yet, he had a profound affect on my life. He was my Momma's first husband. The father of the only siblings I've ever known...a part of my families family. He always had a smile for me...I have pictures of him holding Emily and marveling at her. He always opened his home to me and I felt comfortable there. Yet, their family has suffered immeasurable hurts that continue to affect the generations after them because of the circumstances of this divorce.

It had recently occured to me that if he and Moma (Evelyn) had stayed married...if all had been well and there had been no divorce in a time when divorce held quite a stigma...my life would have been quite different. She would not have been where she was (next door when I was being abused) when she was to be my "rescuer"...she would not have become my Moma...

God works all the time to bring good to those who love Him and He is sovereign...

Skeletons...

2009-12-15T20:28:00.000-05:00

Nate's been facinated by our bones...wants to know if Bella (the dog) has a skeleton under her skin. We told him that she did. He's been feeling everyone's ribs.
A few nights ago Daddy told him that I have a machine at my work that I use to look at people's skeletons. He thought that was pretty cool.
Tonight...after sitting looking at the few presents under the tree...he came into the kitchen and asked, "Mommy...can you look at presents at your work and see what's in them?"

2009-12-14T22:00:00.070-05:00

Nate's Christmas Program at Preschool: Starring as a shephard ;)

November...

2009-12-02T19:45:00.011-05:00

Where did it go? It's truly a blur. Here's some of the things happening while I was obviously NOT blogging:

Halloween: Supergirl & Spiderman, local community Halloween event then our usual trick or treating in the neighborhood. (I promise to post pictures as soon as I upload them)
an A- accomplished by Hubby in Biblical Greek I
a report card from the girl with all A's except a B in math.
a Thanksgiving play by the Third graders, with very poor quality photos.

Continued acclimation at my new job...my first 90 days of employment were fullfilled yesterday.
Friday night small group--which has been awesome! Awesome people...awesome discussion...awesome topics.
A wonderful Thanksgiving with a family meal at Granma's...and a visit from Bobo, Uncle Chris & Austin (and two puppies) for several days...
Black Friday shopping with some of my favorite people...and success for a few items we were looking for...

Halloween

2009-10-31T22:40:00.002-04:00

Nate's Fourth birthday...

2009-10-14T19:27:00.001-04:00

These are in reverse order...too tired to fix it tonight!

Nate opening presents

Nate and His Buddy Ethan...preparing to protect & defend

wassup! the "magic" candles kept relighting...enough is enough!

Blowing them out again!

Ms. B delivered his cake and we got pics before friends arrived!

This year she used a great recipe substituting bananas for the eggs...

with a cream cheesy type of icing...yummy!! Another delectable morsel from

"Deckerated Delights"

I can hardly believe he's four...and seeming like such a little boy. No longer a baby, but a preschooler who seems to be soaking up the world. He makes my heart melt with his smile, skip and hop when he giggles...and something stirs in my soul when he talks about God's love, being a peacemaker instead of a troublemaker...and that soft words turn away wrath. When he belts out all the words to "We are the Body" or asks if he can pray and proceeds to say, "heavenly Father...thank you for...sippy cups, chocolate milk, mommy, Daddy, Emily, our friends...

thank you for food, and playing outside and spider man costumes".

It's indescribable how my heart smiles. It's cute and sweet...

but more than that it's such a picture of how God draws His children to Himself.

Nate loves deeply...and verbalizes perceived injustices with equal passion.

On any particular day, he may head out as Spider man to take care of the bad guys...Buzz Light year to have an adventure...a soldier in armor as he states, "Em-i-ly, I need to protect you!"

May I always remember that God is using these things to write a message on his heart, and may I find strength to stand out of the way as God works his purpose in his life.

I've got no fancy title...

2009-10-02T23:17:00.006-04:00

it's been a week! Influenza Type A (yes, that would be the dreaded swine flu) invaded our home and reared it's ugly head first in the girl. I knew the jig was up when I arrived at church Sunday night for our new pastor's installation service. She had gone early with her Daddy for children's choir (all exposed by the way!) and stayed while he had to be there with the other elders for the commissioning service. When I got there...there she was, curled up soundly sleeping. She was cool to touch, but I probably checked her every five minutes during the service. I finally woke her up. She complained of a headache, barely ate any of the sweets at the dessert fellowship afterwards so I was NOT surprised when I went to tuck her in and she was burning up with a fever. She's better, her cough is still horrible. She was quite pitiful and spent 3 days in bed...I mean IN THE BED! Last count one half of her class has gotten it as well. She's got a pile of school work to catch up on, but we'll work on it this weekend.
The boy succumbed, waking up with a high fever on Wednesday morning, but got Tamiflu, so his duration was shortened dramatically and he didn't descend into any respiratory symptoms...he just threw up everywhere...over and over. It's just not pictures they include in the "What to expect" books..or in Parenting magazine with all these sweet cherubs in gap clothing. Don't get me wrong, I am very thankful we avoided steroids and around the clock breathing treatments. Just throw up is...well yucky (and yes, I am a nurse...and a good one...but the sounds of many of a patient have left me turning green...I haven't ever thrown up on anyone after they've thrown up, but I did come close once when I was pregnant with the girl...). And another thing...when I'm cleaning up vomit, it kinda muddies the waters of whether I am getting sick or if I'm just feeling bad because of cleaning up the mess. It just makes everyone involved...well, involved.

Hubs was able to work some creative work hours this week (sooo very thankful for his workplace/boss/coworkers flexibility), wouldn't be possible to do that just anywhere. But a few days, he stayed home/worked from home while I went into work and then he drove on to Hamlet once I got home at lunch time then worked burning midnight oil.

Staffing changes were announced at the clinic, but my position remains unaffected. There may be grumblings about the changes, but I've really not heard them-maybe it's because I'm the new girl. Everyone kept their chin up and seems to have great attitudes compared to some other places I've worked.

I am enjoying working...even with the added stresses of making sure the kids are cared for. I'm beginning to get into a routine, know where the bathrooms are, am beginning to remember some co-worker's names, and can leave my "office space" (a cardiologist walked by today and said, "I like where we've stuck Loretta"... I'm in a room over on the Electrophysiology side where some sort of treadmill test of internal cardiac defibrillators are done-who knows...I'm not even sure, but I have a bat mobile desk that folds up and will roll out of the way...and share the space with a huge treadmill and some monitoring equipment...to say space is at a premium is an understatement...But, it's quiet) anyway, I can leave that space and actually find my way around without walking in circles.

The boy begins a two week fall break next week and it will be a daily juggling act to have friends and family take care of him while I work. I'm very thankful for the willingness of those friends and family...but you know me and my scatterbrainedness---so if I show up at your house to pick up the boy, just kindly remind me you don't have him today and that I need to recheck the schedule. It will happen, I just know it!

Hubs took his second Greek test this week...he passed and that's all the info I have to share. He's beginning to translate passages...and he's reading his Greek New Testament every day. He walks around the house mumbling in Greek...like I could understand his mumbling in English, haha. Every now and then a word sounds familiar to me and I can hear the root word that an English word might have come from.

It's autumn...but I've really not had a chance to relax and enjoy the change in the temperatures, maybe next week. I know the moment will come, it always does.

I'm going to put on a pot of soup for the weekend...clean the house...catch up the laundry...just in case I start oinking or growing a little squiggly tail ;)

In Christ alone...

2009-09-30T22:00:00.000-04:00

39 Things I love about him...

2009-09-29T05:30:00.004-04:00

He truly listens...he is rarely trying to form what he's going to say before you get finished talking. It causes his answers to come more slowly (which drives me crazy sometimes)--but he's truly being thoughtful about it.

He loves me...unconditionally...and I'm really not sure why, cause really, I'm a mess...

He doesn't mind when our house is a wreck and could care less if I ever dusted.

He rarely complains about the "little stuff"

He says Thank you...for all the things I really don't think he notices

He works hard and rarely reminds us of it...

He laughs...alot...and it always makes my heart smile...

He's smart--really smart, a Master's in Mechanical Engineering w/Professional Engineering License...and it all came relatively easy from the studying I saw...he's a good "engi-nerd"

He can fix anything...really! Even if it's complicated...if there is a maintenance book/repair manual...he will read it and figure out the right way to fix what's broken.

He likes our kids...and I don't mean that he loves them, but he likes them...he enjoys being with them...they delight him.

He loves his Momma! Do I even need to say more?

He's a wonderful uncle to our niece--the only father person she's really had. He makes her feel cherished.

He's always thinking and planning...

His heart has been broken...

His heart has been mended in a way that makes him respond differently to people who are hurting...he has much more compassion than he did before (in his 20's)...

He knows his purpose in life.

He's a problem solver... (sometimes in our marriage this frustrated me--but now I let him know when I just want him to listen to me rant and rave)

He lets me rant and rave ;)

He thinks I'm funny...usually mostly when I'm ranting and raving...

He rarely gets mad at me over stupid things (like backing the car into a post, even if he has to come out in the middle of the night and work in a hospital parking lot to patch a radiator for us to get it home)

He gets that "stuff", although nice, is just "stuff" and that people are the important things

He'll watch chick flicks with me and sometimes will even cry ;)

He believes that God is sovereign...

He is not a risk taker...but rather likes the occasional adventure...

He will take a risk rather than lead a predictable, unobedient life...

He will admit when he is wrong...it does happen occasionally ;)

He loves to work with wood...but would rather play tickle monster with the kids in the evening

He is the spiritual leader in our home...prayers, devotions & singing together (off key, although he can actually sing pretty good)--the kids will remember and for now they beg for that time together...

He's cute... ;) and he's Tall... ;)

19 years of stuff too tangled and woven for me to even begin to describe...

He makes me laugh...and watch movies I would never watch alone

He knows himself...is honest about his faults...

He's accepting, loving and kind...really...in 19 years, he's maybe said 2-3 unkind things to me...ever!

He likes to wait patiently while I ride roller coasters...

He thinks it's good that living with me keeps him on his toes, he never knows what I'm gonna do...

He lets all our friends think I'm the nice sweet one...

As a SAHM, he never, ever let me feel like/say I didn't have a job...he says I have the most important job...He tells me that I am a good mom...and that our kids are blessed to have me...

He likes coffee...with me...in the morning...and he's NOT a morning person y'all!

He has promised to love me forever...even though he knows I'll keep making the same stupid mistakes over and over again, and that I'm not even close to perfect...cause he keeps his promises :)

Happy Birthday to the most wonderful 39 year old I know...my best friend...

Great idea...

2009-09-27T23:00:00.000-04:00

Looks like a great way to organize meals to bless others:
Linked to this: http://www.foodtidings.com/
From here http://www.blogher.com/groups-forums/juice-tropicana-trop50/bless-others-food
And will be investigating this more....

Friday Five...

2009-09-25T23:08:00.000-04:00

The end of my fourth week of work...feeling comfortable, like I'm getting the hang of the routine...remembering what I used to know without even having to think...IV sticks...weinkebach...12-lead EKGs...ace inhibitors...beta blockers...statins...calcium channel blockers...nitrates...it's all coming back to me.

The Girl learned an important thing this week...not a good idea to gesture or point with the middle finger...uugghh! And about another hand gesture that led her to ask the question, "what does gay mean"...still waiting for some wisdom to answer that last one...

Hubs has all kinds of Greek stuff lying around---and I think it's starting to really make sense to him! He made a 94 on his first exam, has to take his second one this week I think.

Two shots and a prednisone dose pack and my rash is much less itchy (but still present)...weird, still don't know what caused it.

Homesick for the mountains and the people we love there...melancholy and wanting to smell home...

and that's all I got...boring, I know.

The snorkeler man...

2009-09-04T07:45:00.003-04:00

You really can't make some of this childhood stuff up. Nate wants to be the "cuba-diver like on Memo" when he grows up, he wants a new snorkeler and a breathing tank for his back. In the meantime, he's making due with the equipment he has on hand. Today he put scotch tape on the eyes so they look dark like the guy on Memo.

third day...

2009-09-03T07:45:00.002-04:00

at my new job and I got to do some clinical stuff...started an IV, gave some drugs...seems like a long time since I've been in this saddle, but it's all coming back to me. I distracted the patient as I started my first IV in about 3-1/2 years...hard stick, first try...pay dirt. I used to be "good" at starting IV's but was worried it would take me a while to get that skill back...
Everyone at The Clinic is nice, seems to appreciate that I'm there--which is always good. Nursing, has always been a good security blanket for me...a job that I've mostly loved and has been easily accessible. Time to go...more later ;)

Second Day...

2009-09-01T22:57:00.003-04:00

at my new job was spent doing computer training. The lady and I got a kick out of each other...and went down a few bunny trails. One of which included talking about the good 'ole days of nursing...back when we charted on paper...wore white starched uniforms...support hose and nurse mate shoes and some of us (me at my very first job) wore nursing caps...and even the not-so-long-ago time when we wore color coordinated scrubs for each floor. This stemmed somehow from a conversation about when we each got the Hepatitis B vaccine and trying to remember when it came out. I am sure that I received my first series in 1992...shortly after the vaccine was approved for health care workers. Followed by a titer that was positive.
I remember vividly my very first orientation at my very first health care job. It was a small 100 bed hospital...I worked on 600 Hall, where the surgical patients were, as a unit secretary during the 3p-11p shift on Friday. Saturday and Sunday I often worked 7am to 7pm. It was a great job for a nursing student and I couldn't have gotten better training. The worst part about the job is that I missed weekends with my new husband...and the last few months with my Momma.

Anyway, it was a good second day. Working half days like this sure are nice. The boy and I still had time to play outside before a nap...and I was home when the girl got off the school bus. And one more day...that the boy was cared for and loved!

A quote for the day...from a book I'm reading by Beverly Lewis (the Amish books...) The Secret:

Grace located the item the other clerk had wanted and wondered what might have prompted the customer's preference for all things simple. She recalled something Mammi Adah often said with a knowing smile on her wrinkled face: "When you get what you want....do you want what you get?" Grace assumed it was merely human to crave a different situation in life and not something unique to fancy folk.

Let me know what you think about that...

Matthew 6:25-35...

2009-08-31T07:39:00.002-04:00

Anxiety...worry...stress...security...changes...have been driving me to my knees and to the Word for the past few months. These verses in Matthew have been a source of comfort and conviction...one of the few sermons that Joe has prepared and delivered over the years came from these verses.
How appropriate on the day before reality truly strikes my heart--in the form of beginning working again outside our home...that the sermon was on these verses...and not being "anxious about anything".
One of the meditation quotes that I will continue to ponder, I wanted to share:

Anxiety is a sin also because it is a lack of acceptance of God's providence in
our lives. God's providence may be simply defined as God's orchestrating all
circumstances and events in His universe for His glory and the good of His
people. Some believers have difficulty accepting the fact that God does in fact
orchestrate all events and circumstances, and even those of us who do believe it
often lose sight of this glorious truth. Instead we tend to focus on the
immediate causes of our anxiety rather than remembering that those immediate
causes are under the sovereign control of God. Jerry Bridges in Respectable Sins.

Thank you to the Ladies God is using today to alleviate my "anxieties"...the three women, who for today, are standing in the Gap with my children...loving them and caring for them as I begin yet another leg of this Great Adventure!

a Funeral...

2009-08-29T22:00:00.002-04:00

Frances A. HarkessFrances Atkins Harkess, of Aberdeen, formerly of Albany, N.Y., went home to be with her Lord Tuesday morning, Aug. 25, 2009.
She is survived by her husband, Harold Harkess, of Aberdeen; son, Robert Frost, of Southern Pines; daughters, Diana Frost, of Cross River, N.Y. and Catherine Bogin, of Brooklyn, N.Y.; cousin, Betty Jo Johnson, of Martinsville, Va.; four grandsons, two granddaughters, and four great-grandchildren.
Frances Atkins was born April 2, 1931, in Martinsville, Va., the daughter of Robert Greene Atkins and Nettie Noel Atkins.
Frances and Harold Harkess were married for 36 years. They made their home in Albany, N.Y., until August 2006 when they relocated to Aberdeen. They built a new home in Forest Hills, Aberdeen, in 2008.
Frances was a member of Alpha Omicron Fraternity (sorority) and had served as a chapter adviser to the chapter at the University at Albany (Albany, N.Y.) for several years prior to moving to Aberdeen. She had been a child protective services caseworker and later a family and children services specialist for the State of New York Department of Child and Family Services for 17 years prior to her retirement in 1990.
Fran was a member of Sandhills Presbyterian Church, and served on the fellowship committee and missions committee. Previously she and her husband had been active members for 30 years at New Life Ministries in Schenectady, N.Y.
In accord with her wishes, there will be no visitation or viewing. There will be a celebration service at 11 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, at Sandhills Presbyterian Church, 650 Pee Dee Road, Southern Pines. This will be followed by a lunch at the church. A memorial service in Albany-Schenectady, N.Y., will be held in late September.
Gifts and/or memorials may be made to Sandhills Presbyterian Church Youth Fund at the address shown above.
Condolences may be made at http://www.bolesfuneralhome.com/.

As appeared in The Pilot

The photo does not do her warm smile and sparking eyes justice...was taken at the most recent WIC Salad Luncheon in July...

On the First Day of Third Grade...

2009-08-25T22:00:00.001-04:00

All ready to go

Getting ready to get in the car...

didn't ride the bus the first day!

Teacher's assistant

Delightful Daughter at her desk

Teacher...
Delightful daughter putting away supplies

super doubles...

2009-08-23T21:45:00.003-04:00

There is a rumor in the internet world that Harris Teeter will be doing super double coupons in just another week...possible??? I'll be saving up my coupons over here!

August 21st...

2009-08-21T23:27:00.005-04:00

will always be my momma's birthday, though she's not been here to celebrate the last 18. She was a few weeks shy of her 65th birthday when she died. I have now officially lived with sweetie pie as long as I was in momma's house. (19 years of marriage in January---I went to live with momma when I was 2, got married when I was 20...). The reality of that amazes me. I continue to talk to my children about her as if they knew her too...they didn't. Sometimes I suspect they think I'm making her up. Sometimes, I wonder if I am too...

She's missed a good bit of my life...I think the most important parts. The milestones, the things she would have been proud of...the becoming of who I think she hoped I would become.

I know she would have been full of advice (much of which I wouldn't have wanted to heed and I would have had to concentrate hard not to roll my eyes), been a loving Granny to my children(even though she wasn't always able to be to me...she was so very bone tired and with a weary heavy soul--she showed love in ways that I didn't understand). Kids brought out the best in her. She would have delighted in the boy...and said that he's full of meanness with that sparkle in her eyes revealing that she thought any boy worth his salt was filled with some meanness. She would have fallen head over heels for him. I have a hard time picturing her with the girl...I think girls were harder for her...she would have loved her and been proud of her, but I'm not sure the girl would have been sure. Maybe...but then, their relationship would not have been anything like ours was...and it's hard for me to imagine that. It's hard for me to imagine my life with her still in it...

I do not know how I would have handled the guilt that would have come from moving so far away from "home", and from her. Maybe she would have moved with us, maybe we would have made her life better, easier. Life decisions that have seemed clear to us would have been more complicated...If she had lived longer, my life could have been completely different with different paths and choices as options. I would have felt responsible and obligated...to what end, I'm not sure.

At 20...or 16...or 12...there was no way for me to appreciate her the way I do at 39. The perspective of understanding the motivation and driving forces through the lens of life have changed my heart...I no longer doubt her love or feel that I was just a burden to her. I understand that some of the times that she shook my self esteem was not even about me...it was deeper and stronger than I could have ever understood. She was attempting to be in control of my well being using whatever means necessary, and the harsh words left deep wounds. It was easy for me to believe I was more of a burden than a delight. Now, I focus more on the sweeter words she spoke, the tender moments in which I truly felt as if I belonged to her. It's easier, now, to believe she did love me and that she thought I was worth the effort. It's easier for me to know that because she loved me she carried the burden of taking care of me...when at age 44 she was asked if she would take me, she said, "yes" when "no" would have been the much easier choice! Most times I never remembered she had a choice. For her loving me meant providing food, shelter, safety--anything else was a luxury...and our luxuries were few but I treasure them infinitely more now understanding that they came at a high price.

I am so thankful to a Sovereign Father who guided me...placing me where He needed me to be so that in His perfect time, I would be drawn to Him. After years of asking "why"... I have been given an answer in the stillness of my soul that "I might never understanding the horrors I was protected from". I am grateful that in the process, He chose to use a wonderful, courageous, resourceful, witty, unconventional, spirited, strong-willed woman, yearning for a second chance, to shape me and guide me...and love me.

Puppies

2009-08-21T10:01:00.003-04:00

Nate and Bella are hilarious sometimes. Nate plays with her like he's a dog and she plays with him like he's really a puppy. She nips and tugs and plays...but never hurts him, it is amazing. Nate gets down, nuzzles her, bites her etc. It really is funny...

Once again, laptop is repaired

2009-08-21T09:14:00.002-04:00

and I'm getting weary of this routine. I couldn't even get on blogspot from the dinosaurus desktop. So, I'll be busy uploading blog posts previously written. By the way, the lawn mower, the Cuisinart coffee pot and the cell phone have been on the fritz as well over the past few weeks--perhaps there is a bigger more sinister issue at large, perhaps we're being overtaken by some sort of strange magnetic field that is affecting all our stuff....

Mom & Delightful Daughter Date

2009-08-19T23:00:00.002-04:00

while BB went to school...DD and I had a date in Down Town SouthernPines...we went window shopping and then had hot chocolate and coffee...chatted, laughed and just enjoyed Boy Free Time!

First Day of Preschool

2009-08-19T10:18:00.001-04:00

Ready for school...been ready for 2 hours ;)

Aunt Irene...

2009-08-02T22:00:00.003-04:00

In Loving Memory

Irene Frances DeMoss

"Aunt Irene"

5/24/1926 -8/2/2009

Irene Frances DeMoss, 83,

a 40-year resident of the county died

on August 2, 2009 in Loma Linda, California.

She served the area over 20 years as a real estate broker and professional, including ownership of DeMoss Real Estate with her husband following his retirement from military service at Norton AFB. As a devoted wife of a 25-year career USAF officer and a loving mother of two sons, she willingly traveled throughout the U.S. and Asia; and in each place, she provided a godly and hospitable home environment for her family and countless visitors. She was a wonderful cook, combining country-cooking learned while growing to adulthood in West Virginia with Asian dishes she learned while attending cooking school in Tokyo. Her passion for teaching the Bible to adults and children over many years provides her a spiritual legacy that will long survive her departure for Heaven. She was a long-time, active member of Immanuel Baptist Church, and contributed tireless volunteerism to the San Bernardino Assistance League and the Republican Women’s Club.
Irene is survived by: sons, Kurth and Lawrence DeMoss, brothers Richard and John Miller, sisters, Lorena Arnold and Norma Jean Gaston, and four grandchildren. One brother, Donal Miller, is deceased.
Memorial Services will be held at Immanuel Baptist Church, 28355 Base Line, Highland, CA on Friday August 7th at 2:00 pm. Her interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia with her husband of 31 years, Lt. Colonel Louis W. DeMoss who was interred there in 1983. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to San Bernardino Assistance League in Irene's memory.

BBQ Beans & Smoked Sausage

2009-07-31T21:00:00.005-04:00

The Recipe: BBQ Beans & Smoked Sausage

The Results

Orthodontist...

2009-07-29T20:09:00.004-04:00

Wish I'd gone on to Sanford for our Walmarting---they're remodeling and ours is a mess right now!! I got what I needed though---and will now make a menu based on what's in my pantry & freezer and stopped at SCCC for farmer's market stuff & spent the 10-ish dollars in my wallet for 2 lbs of roma tomatoes to make salsa...green beans...and a watermelon...and some red & orange tomatoes for salads and wraps. I'm gonna make a bean and polish sausage crock pot meal one day this week...

Our very first trip to the orthodontist was today. The first opinion is that Emily has impounded teeth (not the right word--impacted teeth) that aren't going to be able to come in if we don't make some room---also has a cross bite in the back which will mean when those molars fall out/if they fall out---those could also be impacted too. Apparently impacted teeth will grow in horizontal or destroy the roots of the teeth next to them---and permanet teeth could be lost or destroyed. He says she needs an appliance W-wing in top of her mouth and partial braces on top and bottom to the tune of $600 down and $160 a month for 14 months ($2400) which would then be applied to the toal amount of Phase II or "real" full braces that would be put on probably as soon as the partial ones come off---to the tune of $4000-$5000 (minus the $2400 we would have already paid and possibly minus a 5% cash discount...). They said if we start soon, they can get a lot of the appts done before school starts....so I'll try to schedule a second opinion ASAP--Read, baby, read!!! Finished the Picture Perfect Jodi Picoult book last night when storming & Boistrous Boy couldn't sleep---it was okay, no actually pretty good--but about domestic abuse (husband beating wife...)

Friday's Favorites...

2009-07-24T09:17:00.000-04:00

Birthday dinners for family (auntie J celebrating a 40-something birthday)
Having great long-time friends over for a great visit and dinner--and kids who let us have meaningful conversation.
A visit with my hair chick...long overdue!
Camelot park! With friends! Kids who love to run and play...and get real sweaty...
A new baby safely delivered into the world...welcome Zachary Savage Wilson!
Baby Samuel Harrison Arnold...who is no longer a baby and today we celebrate your five years of life...sharing with us a different perspective on hope, living, and joy. May we continue to learn so much more from your presence in our lives than we could ever hope to teach you.
So many opportunities to meet and spend time with our new pastor and his family...worn out from all the activities, but an awesome glimpse of God's glory...and timing...and grace...and mercy...
Bible studies...and being real with some neat ladies!

Days 3, 4, 5 and 6...

2009-07-18T07:40:00.004-04:00

passed in a frenzied blur...did I mention that Emo attended an evening VBS with a neighbor, who also attended our VBS? This resulted into kids taxied back and forth between the two families, meals eaten quickly...a sleep-over...tired kids...and lots of VBS crafts (what do you do with those??) Add in a Nate-ster who was not feeling well, very clingy and had to be carted to the pediatricians office a few times this week...then as thrilling as it is that our Pastoral search committee is on the home stretch with their work, that results were a harried me (read: not at my best to meet and impress new people...this is all about me, right??) involved in lots of meet-n-greet festivities with our pastoral candidate and his lovely family. Oh, there is all the husband-turned-seminary-student-drama at our house. The result is one "me" with her head screwed on crooked!!
I know you're probably getting tired of hearing how busy things are around here, but quite honestly, that just seems to be the theme of late...may be the theme for years to come for all I know.
Anyway...to re-cap...oh, wait, I probably already did enough of that ;)
VBS was awesome, Christ led some kids to give their hearts to Him, snacks went over quite well, there was lots of laughing...a little drama (and you know what I mean, not the skit on the stage)...teenagers with hollow legs wandering into the kitchen that we couldn't seem to get full... some throw-up, tummy-aches, skinned elbows and a twisted ankle (did I mention that S and I shared the responsibility of VBS Nurse/band-aid applier?) and I got to hang out with some REALLY neat women in the kitchen and chat...and lots of work...typical VBS stuff. If you want more: see the cool website, complete with pictures.

Which leads me to this morning, the busyness is on the downhill stretch. There are two events today...a men's breakfast and a women's lunch at church. My breakfast casserole is in the oven, and I'm on the computer. I've finally slowed enough to let my thoughts be filled with a suffering friend, a fiesty spit-fire of a moma-person God graciously provided for me...and her coming battle with cancer.

A few years ago, the very first time we met to get to know each other better, she asked me point blank..."where are you in your spiritual walk--a mountain top or a desert?". No one had ever asked me a question like that before...it threw me off balance...I expected us to chat about families, careers, maybe even how we'd come to know Jesus...but "where" I was spiritually...hum, no one had ever even seemed to care enough to get that right out in front...let alone the first thing. It spoke volumes to me, and I can't tell you how many times over the last few years I've turned to her when I was struggling and needed reassurance that God is/was in control!

I've worked hard at being compartmentalized about this news this week...I even said out loud, "I can't talk about this right now...things to do and I don't have time to cry". This morning I can't stop the thoughts or the tears...I mean, I have prayed for her this week...prayed for her family...I've actually been praying since she told me two weeks ago she was having some tests, for what her doctor thought might be a hot gallbladder. She asked, "Would my gallbladder make me feel this bad"...I quickly said, "sure", but was filled with nagging unease. My prayers have been more of the quickly whispered, "Please, Lord, NO, not THIS, not NOW".

She is a survivor...Breast CA in 2005 (ish)...her Dad died earlier this year...she's had a year full of "stuff", but is quick to say and to remind this young chick, "God is on His throne". The cancerous tumors on her liver didn't surprise Him, and honestly didn't surprise me...and I think she had a nagging suspicion as well.

Thoughts of what to do, what to say...how to respond (cause we always want to "do" something when met with the suffering of others) fill my head, what her family needs, how to encourage our mutual friends...and we wait for more tests, treatment plans...and to see what the God of the universe is going to do with this chapter of His Story.

And for now, I keep moving forward...and make Broccoli salad...Women's luncheon is only 2-ish hours away...

~as I rest between the Paws of the True Aslan...

Day 2 of VBS

2009-07-14T23:02:00.003-04:00

120+ kids and bathroom facilities that went out about mid-morning ;)

Check out details here.

There's an excitement in the air and even w/the broken potties things are going quite smoothly. I'm working in the kitchen with great funny women...they just make me laugh and I quite enjoy hanging out with them.

Nate's a little better...maybe...poor guy has an infection and cruddy lungs on top of the croup.

We ate dinner outside tonight...with music from our neighbor and his bluegrass band filling the cooler night air, they finished w/Rocky Top to our delight (okay, maybe just my delight--I clapped and woohoo'd and Joe was worried the police would be showing up).

Picked two Roma Tomatoes and 2 cucumbers from my "garden"...made a great salad to go with our grilled chicken tonight!

It's done...

2009-07-11T23:06:00.002-04:00

~I finished up treatments yesterday and had the PICC line removed without any complications!! What a blessing! It's the end of a long and a eventful week.
~Nate had to go to the doctor yesterday for croup...yuck, he still sounds horrible.
~ I finished a lot of paperwork today...
~spent a few hours today just getting started on the house (yes...a few hours...yes started)
~VBS next week, WOOHOO!
~Lots of reading for pleasure this week, finished a Beverly Lewis series (makes me want to quilt and can) and started a new one...Yada Yada Prayer Group, looked fun!
~Nate & Emo spent a good bit of the day playing with a big box they turned into a rocket, a remote control for a car (steering for the rocket), and an aluminum foil/duct tape/box space helmet...complete with sound effects and a great outer space adventure!
all for now...

Two down...

2009-07-07T21:29:00.004-04:00

and three more Venofer infusions more to go! All the things I worried about the most - who was going to take care of the kids-- has gone so smooth. I'm so thankful.
Today, while I was at the Outpatient Oncology Clinic where I get the infusion, sitting in a comfy recliner...with a warm blanket fresh from the blanket warmer...getting hooked up...I looked around. I remember last time, two years ago, feeling humbled by the circumstances of the lives that surrounded me as most of the patients there are in the midst of battle...not just for more energy or to feel better...but the battle for life. Most of the patients are receiving Chemotherapy. Yesterday, one such couple came in...she armed with notes, bottles of medications, questions about how to get nourishment in him, tricks to try to get rid of GI disturbances...I overheard her tell their nurse, "He's what I do now...". He sat in the chair, cracked jokes and the only time he even grimaced slightly was while getting his IV started. There was a lot of love between them...and life was going on...they talked about the errands they would run after they finished there and what he might be able to tolerate for dinner. He teased her about having a plan...she teased back that it's always good to have a plan you can deviate from. There was a lot of depth to them and they were busy with each other. It was not a burden for them to be there together. There was not much time for more than a glance my way.
Today, as they headed out...he asked how I was doing. I said, "Good..." He said, "Great...keep it up!" He thought I was fighting the same battle...
He encouraged me...even though I don't have cancer and my battle is different...we are all fighting the same war...because of Adam's fall, we are all born to die. You can't help but spend time in that waiting room or in the chair amongst those soldiers and not feel it strongly...and I was encouraged by his words...I will keep fighting the good fight...and maybe tomorrow, I can encourage him.

Monday--Monday...

2009-07-06T09:14:00.008-04:00

Well, it's Monday...what a wonderful weekend we had!!!
Friday, Sweet Hubby got home from Due West earlier than expected. He finished up his class work, talked to the professor for an hour and then hit the road. He beat us home since we did some late/after nap errands, thinking he wouldn't be home until way after the kids bedtimes! What a great surprise he was home when we got there!
I came home from Wally world with new deck furniture that I've been watching like a hawk. The price dropping was occurring as they were beginning to put stuff on summer clearance...and it finally hit my target price! Just in time for a hot dog roast Saturday night.
We did spend all our quality time Friday evening, talking theology, pondering what God is doing in our lives (I swear, I think my head is literally spinning), & sharing all the funny things the kids have done this week, while putting in screws and washers...re-reading directions...and fighting with that little hex thing they give you to screw things in with...finally, about midnight, (about 5 hours later) we enjoyed more chatting and relaxing at our new table and chairs...SWEET!
Joe still has a few papers to write before he's officially "completed" this course, but I think overall God definitely used this week to guide us and direct our paths...even if the course doesn't ultimately transfer and count toward his Master of Divinity course work.
Our delightful daughter rode her bike in the local community Fourth parade with her girl scout troop. They decorated bikes and helmets...well, pics will follow as soon as I'm techno-savvy with that again! WE got nervous about her finishing the 4-1/2 mile parade route around the lake and followed the parade in the van--sure enough about half way around, she had pulled over to the side...exhausted and very hot (it was 2 in the afternoon!)...so the folks ahead of us threw her bike in the back of their truck and we threw her in the van and we kept going. Nothing makes you feel a part of something bigger like being in a local parade with everyone waving flags, catching candy and wishing each other a happy holiday...you know moments like that make me tear up!
We had a hot-dog dinner with the Fausz's, sat on our deck in our new deck furniture while children played and ended our holiday with sparklers...cause we love sparklers!
Sunday the announcement was made...that after months and months of hard work and LOTS of meetings...our pastoral search committee has called a Senior pastor! It's so exciting...and amazing...and exciting! He'll be here the week of July 13th, the same week as VBS (the snack lady says to keep those donations for snack items coming in!!) doing all sorts of meet and greet stuff...then he'll preach Sunday morning and we'll have a Congregational meeting and vote...I cannot believe how God has worked during this. I am chan ged forever...God is Faithful and has led us through some tough times...in the process making me more dependent on Him!
Oh, and a new baby was born into the flock on Friday! The Kirby's are the proud parents of baby Claire...as far as I know everything went well...Congrats...can hardly wait to see the baby and bring them some Swiss-chicken casserole...well, there's just excitement all around.

I am scheduled for a PIC line placement today at the hospital and then a Venofer (iron) infusion to follow. Emily's starting Art camp this afternoon...and Nate will be playing at his Buddy-Jackson's house...I'll let you know how it goes...

Also on a walk this morning with my neighbor...heard about "the-most-perfect" part-time job that I'm a little excited about...if I could "create" my own position...it would look like this one sounds...God's working, I tell you! I'll keep you posted...

Disney...

2009-07-03T12:09:00.107-04:00

warning...this post is unfinished, I will be completing and adding the rest of our pictures...

Saturday June 13th:
Arrived! After over 12 hrs in travel time, due being delayed by a thunderstorm we finally got there about 7 o'clock. Late check in. Had dinner at the All star Movies cafe and played in the Mighty Ducks pool. When we walked to our room, Nate saw the three story white duck hockey mask and asked if it was cheese (it did look like Swiss cheese)...and proceeded to identify our particular part of the hotel (there were two entrances w/hockey masks) by saying, "is that our cheese?" the rest of the week.

Sunday June 14th:
Breakfast at Cinderella Castle at 9:45!!! Arrived by bus from our hotel in plenty of time to see the show and see the characters arrive (Mickey, Minnie, Pluto, Goofy, Donald, Daisy!!!) via steam engine. Immediately felt like we'd arrive in an alternate universe where everyone was happy and "having a magical day". We planned well, walked straight to the castle for our breakfast at Cinderella's Royal Table...had pictures taken with Cinderella with no waiting and went straight to our table. It was a great breakfast, the Chef came out to the table to handle Nate's allergies and brought him special food...he had a waffle for the first time in his life ;) Each of the princesses, Snow White, Belle, Sleeping Beauty, Jasmine were announced individually and worked the room. Stopping at each table for autographs, pictures and a short (but not distracted) conversation. Nate was given a "sword" to protect his princesses and Emily a magic wand. What a great way to start our time at Disney!

We then proceeded to ride Dumbo, explore frontier land, Tom Saywer's Island, Watch the Country Bear Jamboree...got very hot...felt faint and went back to our cool hotel room to take a 3 hour nap!

Back that night...toon town, Mickey and Minnie's autographs, toured Mickey's house. Rode train around to Tomorrow land...rode little race cars at the Tomorrowland Raceway...Mad Teaparty teacups...ate dinner at Tomorrow Land watched fireworks show at the Castle "Wishes Nighttime Spectacular" including Tinker bell! It's a small world ride, Snow White's Scary Adventure ride, Winnie the pooh ride, and the Carousel

And yes! I felt like a little kid when I saw the castle change colors!

And when I saw Mickey Mouse for the first time, I thought I would come out of my skin...

I know it's crazy...

Monday June 15th:

Joe has his first day of duty at the PCA General Assembly. The kids and I slept in since we'd been to Magic Hours at Magic Kingdom until 2am (did I say we had a three hour Nap on Sunday?)....after lunch kids & I went to Magic Kingdom, got more character autographs, went back to Toon town, rode on train...had lunch at Gepeto's Grotto. We were bascially doing things that we not too exciting for Daddy ;)

One of the many parades...

Chip and Dale...Dale was quite funny and tried to "rip" out the page in Nate's autograph book with Donald duck...his arch nemesis. His body gaurd had to step in and tell him "No Dale"....this made the kids day!

the wait for Pluto was a little longer, he had to take a potty break (people change I bet-It was HOT!)

And we stumbled upon this show in front of the castle just as it was starting, but after about 20minutes, we could take the heat no longer...the only time we got to see Goofy was in the parades and at this show...

Another trip over to Toon town to visit Minnie's house with an ice cream snack while we were waiting! (I was enjoying the meal plan at this point)

ANOTHER NAP IN THE LATE AFTERNOON!

In the evening since we had park hopper tickets, we decided to do some park hopping and Animal Kingdom had extra magic hours that night so we headed over there, had some great barbecue with our meal plan and checked out all the rides in Dino world. Nate was a trooper but got a little scared on the mini roller coaster there....and no pictures ;) There was a triceratops ride that was a lot like Dumbo, so I think that was his favorite. We saw the It's tough to be a Bug and waited in a very long line a little while for The Lion King, checked out DINOSAURS but decided it might be too much for Nate and really it was getting late and it was sooo hot, we were melted!

Tuesday June 16th:
Joe needed to be back at GA for some committee meeting late this afternoon, so we decided to spend the morning at Animal Kingdom, for him to leave us when we needed to or for us all to go back to the hotel together.

We went back to Animal Kingdom...did all the Maharajah Jungle Trek and Pangani Forest Exploration trails/walkways, rode the Wildlife express train over to the Conservation Station and the Affection Section petting zoo. We went on the Kilimanjaro safari ride, Kali river rapid ride, and Emily and I rode the Expedition Everest-Mt. Everest "Yeti" roller coaster ride that went backwards for a time. I think Emily & I were wrapped up in each other with our eyes closed for that part ;). We saw Jiminey Cricket and Refekie but Nate was "done" with characters by this time and said he was scared...

We ate a buffet lunch at the Tusker House resturaunt, where once again the Chef was wonderful, came out to our table, took me to the buffet to tell me what was safe for Nate to eat....and then brought him some allergen free cookies for dessert. Nothing could have put me more at ease.

And the Safari ride which was awesome...animals were so close!

This is the way to travel...it wasn't long before we realized the cost of the double stroller
was worth it, even when Emily could and would have walked, it just felt safer to have them both in the stroller and to have it to carry our water bottles, snacks and backpacks (with lip balm, sunscreen, epi-pens, bandaids, face sticks, fresh socks, maps, ID's...)

Wednesday June 17th:

This was our full day of General Assembly activites. I attended the Women In the Church Women's Brunch with the speaker being Paul Tripp. It was wonderful...there will be another blog post about those details at a later date :)

Joe and I perused the CEP Bookstore together and I was able to browse the vendors before and briefly after the brunch. SO many good books and so little time!!

Joe stayed for voting and such...the kids and I shopped for some souveniers nearby, for things we needed (more sunscreen!!!).

Thursday June 18th:

Epcot

Lunch @ German restaurant...

Magic Kingdom

Les Chefs de France

Friday June 19th:

Hollywood Studios

Tower of Terror!!

Prince Caspian

Beauty and the Beast

Playhouse Disney

Lunch @ Hollywood and Vine---character lunch w/little Einsteins

Dinner in Liberty Tree Tavern---best meal we had the whole time we were there!!!!

rides in Adventure land--Aladdin's carpet, Pirate of Caribbean,

Peter pan....Nate and Joe rode Dumbo a few times and It's a Small World several times and the carousel while Emily and I rode big thunder MT railroad and splash MT two times each!

We Saw Spectromagic light parade twice...

and took one more carousel ride before we left that evening...

Saturday June 20th:

Bfst at all star movie resort...souveniers...hit the road!!!

tired...just in my mind?

2009-07-01T20:05:00.004-04:00

I am tired...I've noticed I'm tiring more easily. I'm just not sure if I've noticed because I am more tired, or if I know that I should be because I'm anemic. Whatever it is, I hope that I rebound quickly from this Hemoglobin of 10 (should be 12) and Ferretin (iron) level of 8 (should be 40) with the IV iron treatments next week. It's only 8 o'clock and I really want to go to bed.

Took the kids (with a friend and her two girls) to The Mall in Raleigh specifically to the Build-A-Bear. The girls all had gift cards. Nate didn't want a new animal, just a set of "basketball clothes" for his bear. We had to dress Fuzzy in his new clothes as soon as we got home.

We also had lunch and toured the new Lego's store in the Mall before leaving. Lots and lots and lots of Lego's...amazing! There was a set (age=16) for a complete carousel, I can't even imagine how long that would take to build.

I quickly popped into the homeschool gathering place to pick up our next Math-U-See DVD/Teacher's manual, Gamma....multiplication, used and 1/2 price! A whole set of third grade A beka readers were in the free bin, so I had to pick those up...they make great reading material. I also got "Get set for the Code", the beginning book for Nate for the Explode the Code phonics series.

With Joe attending seminary, we do not know if we will change how we school the kids...but I'm keeping in mind that I may need to work some and that would mean a change. Homeschooling may not be the plan for next year...we'll see what God has up His sleeve ; ) It's hard to believe, no matter what, that Third grade is just around the corner for my girl!

Today...

2009-06-28T20:30:00.003-04:00

I hate to spend Sundays rushing around, but really feel like I did a great bit of that this morning, unfortunately. Joe led worship at church this morning, so he left early and I sent Emily ahead with him. Between 6 am and 10 am, I did three loads of laundry this morning...made Cole slaw...made potato salad...and baked brownies...which is really unusual. I LIKE spending early Sunday mornings in bed with a cup of coffee in my hand, a song of praise on my lips, and some scripture in my heart....preparation for worship. Today just wasn't working that way.

Nate & I went blazing out the door just in time...like crazy people! "Quick, get in the car...buckle up...are you buckled yet? Did you get your back-pack? Do we have Bibles? Are you buckled? Oh no Bella's loose in the house, Bella get in your crate...in your CRATE...Nate, are you buckled yet?" Then at church..."hurry, into the nursery...here, let me slap a name tag on your back...did you get your backpack with your epi-pen? Are the snacks okay for you?" You get the picture? Not a pretty site...definitely not a Hallmark card.

If you noticed, I was the one sneaking quietly in to church (with my flip-flops flopping)...just before my husband led the congregation in prayer. My heart stilled and a wonderful worshipful attitude immediately was in my soul...in spite of the busyness I allowed myself to be involved in earlier.

We then went on to have a lovely lunch with our "Summer Supper Club" group at Hillcrest park...great (mostly uninterrupted conversation) time just hanging out together and getting to know some people better.

Our previous youth pastor was visiting and Psalm 130 was on his heart...wonderful!!!
I have been struggling with the decision for Joe (and I...and the kids) to attend seminary...I have been holding out and clinging tightly to life as we know it...I have been quite content for my husband to pursue this calling-- as long as life didn't really change for me. I have been in the pit of my sinfulness. For the first time in the 19 years that God has been pursuing us for this time...I can say I am at peace...I am open...I am truly willing...I am not trying to define what I think this should look like, or make my list of acceptable outcomes (now, that could change in the next few hours, or quite honestly in the next few minutes). I do not know how this mid-life crisis will end...I do not know what life will look like during the three to six years it will take us to get through seminary...I do not know what I am opening myself to by being submissive...It's scary and exciting, terrifying and at the same time I am filled with awe at the adventure ahead.

I know and have affirmation that this is the path we are to be on...I know that the corporate ladder rung we were on was not as fulfilling as it looked to be from the ground...I know that having monetary needs met does not bring a peaceful soul...I know that seeking anything but God's Kingdom and righteousness brings emptiness and longing. At least for today, I am firm in those things...I am sure that there will be times of whining to come...I am who I am.

So, Joe is off for the week to attend a class. A semester's worth of information in 5 days. Systematic Theology II. He was able to take II before Systematic Theology I since he is an ordained Ruling Elder in our local church. His first class, Bible survey involved reading the entire Bible in 12 weeks (which he accomplished) and much memory work (much of which I memorized as well by helping him study). For Systematic Theology, he was required to read two books and write two critical reviews before he even stepped foot in the class. This path will not be easy...

So, our house is settling down...Emily's having a sleepover w/a friend here...Nate's trying to get into her room...Bella's napping...I'm watching a Disney movie...and my heart is full and peaceful. Moments of terror are sure to be around the corner, I'm sure...but for today...Proverbs 16:9...I will make plans, I will make my to-do lists of how to make this new season of life go smoothly, I will pray, I will worship my God....and I will wait... for Him to direct our path...and I will be willing to go down it~

I think I'm back...

2009-06-27T12:34:00.003-04:00

It's been awhile...did you miss me? I've been asked recently by the one friend who reads my blog if I was going to blog ever again...
I didn't really stop blogging on purpose. There were some contributing factors...one of which has included my laptop going on the fritz and once again being admitted to the laptop warranty computer hospital. It would not go online, not recognizing some sort of online card that was replaced once...it worked for a little while and then stopped gong online again...and now, it won't even turn on. Probably some sort of virus I picked up from the facebook site (remember when my FB took over and sent EVERYONE a message that "someone in Whispering Pines has a crush on you"?).
I've missed blogging actually. I've missed posting pictures...I've missed the occasional comment...
So, as soon as the laptop is discharged...I pinkie-swear to resume blogging on a semi-regular basis...

Baby Sam...helping with feeding & Physical Therapy

2009-04-01T09:33:00.004-04:00

Sam in his walker...walking to Emmy

Trying hard...

On the trip from the Den to Kitchen, had to rest...he always smiles like

this when Em talks to him

Tammy, Nate & Sam

Another Month...

2009-03-06T15:02:00.002-05:00

Well, I'm here in Tennessee...will post some pictures w/next post of Sam and the kids....cute ones of Nate feeding him, Emily helping with his physical therapy.
I am regretful of the lack of recent blogging...this blog and I have a love-hate relationship. I have much to say, just little time to actually form into thought patterns that don't feel like a pile of spaghetti...I do, regretfully admit, that I have spaghetti brain!
I will also do a quick run-down of February events...I promise!

Me & My Guy Dance

2009-02-07T09:48:00.000-05:00

Joe & Em had a great date. The Me & My Guy Dance was sponsored by our local Girlscout council. What an awesome night...Emily was so excited. The big guy stepped out of his comfort zone and danced the night away to make his girl happy...what a memory.

Okay...that didn't turn out quite like I thought it would...

2009-01-26T16:03:00.005-05:00

Well, lately, I've been tinkering with my blog and adding gadgets...not impressed with the inspirational quotes so far...today's doesn't quite reflect my life philosophy or theology...that not men and certainly not women rule the world, it's ruled by a sovriegn creator. Thank goodness. Thank.You.Very.Much.

It's been a day of running around. Beginning at 5am and continuing with Granma babysitting for us tonight while we head out for dinner.

K kept the kiddos while I went to the MD this morning, have to go back for fasting lab work (that will tell of my updated iron-deficiency-anemia status). I see Dr. P, Hematologist soon, but I feel everything is stable. I do not feel run down or sickly ;) I will have to get a Ortho consult for a probable second steroid injection in my right knee. The first time was about 4 yrs ago after a hyper-extension injury...a 3 year old Emily jumped on my leg while it rested on the ottoman. It's actually been great since. But, the leg extensions and going down stairs is beginning to be very painful again. On a happy note my blood pressure etc. is as normal as it was at age 25! Okay, enough about all that, I'm starting to sound old and decrepit, with nothing else to talk about but my ailments.

We've been on the roam for recycling bins...a family project this year, spurned by Emily. To be more consistent with our recycling efforts. I can't find anything specific for that use but will use a rubbermaid tub instead I suppose. We have to trot our recyclables up to Hillcrest and sort it out there. Would love curb side service, but our Waste Management is not that progressive.

so until the next time...

Pajama Day

2009-01-24T21:35:00.004-05:00

I stayed in my pj's today...all.day.yes.I.did.

I had a whopping headache and thought I was getting the Nate bug, but think I'm okay now.

I updated my blog look, like it? Added some gadgets...I've discovered this year that I just love Ansel Adam's work.

I uploaded a bunch of pictures from my camera

I read a few chapters of Jodi Picoult's book Mercy

I laughed at the kids and the dog

Hubby was gone all day to a Presbytery meeting for church (bless.his.heart), so I drank a whole pot of coffee all by myself.

I've thought about what I'm going to be cooking-up-a-storm in the morning for the pot-luck after church....probably Texas-Two-Step chicken, deviled eggs, broccoli and some sort of cake.

I made Corn & Bean salad (salsa type dish w/fresh! cilantro) for small group tomorrow night...we're starting a six week study of Kevin Leaman's "How to make your children mind without losing yours"-He's a funny man, our kids are not going to know what hit them.

I helped Emily sell her Daddy 10 boxes of girl scout cookies (some of which he's taking to work and some of which will go to military folks for Operation Cookie Drop). That makes her grand total of selling 55 boxes. I think that's pretty good for her first year. She'll get her cookie selling patch. (Those patches are piling up, I've got to get to ironing them on!)

the kids and I called Uncle Bud-man and sang "Happy Birthday" to Uncle Scott. Buddy's doing better, btw and walking without crutches except on campus. His next surgery is scheduled for March 5 (for the removal of the CTL lesion and skin grafts. The current plan is that Granma and I will go up to be there with Sam while Buddy & Beth are at Vanderbuilt.

and now, I'm going to bed....really, I'm not going to be on facebook or look at anybody else's blogs...or read any more of that really good Jodi Picoult book (have I mentioned my library books are overdue...again)...really, I'm not.

Unit Study Day

2009-01-23T15:33:00.004-05:00

1-3 grade Learning about the Inaguration Process
Bella & Emily Frolicking in the snow

Today, Friday was our day for our monthly CHES Unit Study on US government. Emily had a blast. We got to see some friends we hadn't seen since before the holidays. I had promised a trip with bikes to Camelot park earlier in the week and had to renegotiate...there is still snow, and I don't really think it's up to the 58 degrees the weatherman promised. We went to

Chick-fi-la instead and all was well (I bribed them with the promise of ice cream, which we hardly ever have when we're there). Some other families were there and I got some adult conversation...and confirmation that home schooling is the right choice for us right now...so I'll start looking at third grade and pre-school curriculum for next year soon.

We're all a little tired from our late night last night and all the people in this house are grumpy and we have another busy night with a dinner with our friends from Merida, Mexico at church tonight. I think I'll see if I can find a babysitter for Nate...he's still complaining of his tummy hurting at times.

Still snowed in...

2009-01-22T23:59:00.004-05:00

Joe & Kurth

It is still really cold here, so we're using that as an excuse to just stay in and do crafts and school work. The car is still covered with snow and not as much melting occurred as I thought it would.

Tonight we met Joe's cousin in Durham for dinner. Kurth and his son Daniel are in the area for Daniel's interview with Duke Medical school. He'll finish his undergraduate in May...and well, Duke may not be a top contender since one of his interviews was in Hawaii. He has another coming up soon with Loma Linda Medial School, a little closer to his home. We decided we hadn't seen each other in at least 10 years at a family reunion in West Virginia. Kurth's family lives in Redondo Beach, California. We had a really nice dinner and a fun time catching up with each other, laughing a lot.

For quite a while, random family members have been commenting on the resemblance between these cousins...and I honestly see it, even more than I see the resemblance with Joe's own siblings. Joe's comment was how strikingly Kurth resembles their grandfather, their mother's father...Grandad Harry Miller. You decide what you see...

Easier Days...

2009-01-21T12:41:00.005-05:00

so today...Nate just wants to know if dogs can burp...easy answer...of course they do!

We are enjoying the snow and especially enjoy that here in the Sandhills, after a few days of winter wonder land we will be back in the upper 50's.
I'm pretty weary of blogging about family illnesses, but Nate is at it again...N&V, diarrhea...lovely. This morning, I mistakenly thought it was over and gave him his normal drink of chocolate milk. I know, it sounds unhealthy...but he got used to the chocolate soy milk and it was a natural transition. I use the syrup with less sugar to make me feel better. Anyway, about an hour later the den carpet and the dog were wearing the milk and Nate has thrown up a few more times since. So, I better go do a little more laundry.

Unexpected Blessings, Birds and Bees

2009-01-13T12:36:00.006-05:00

Well, yesterday was an interesting day. It came on the heels of a weekend of sickness, both Nate and Joe. Nate was officially diagnosed with croup and exacerbation of asthma and is still taking steroids and sounds worse, but the light at the end of the tunnel is on! Joe stayed in all weekend and sounded almost as bad as Nate minus the wheezing. We kept our family home (even from church, small group, etc) feeling like hermits. And, even though the boys were both sick, I picked up sweet Bella the dog on Saturday from a friend who works with the NC Lab rescue group. We know we eventually want another dog, but not until Nate is old enough to handle it. Bella, a one year old yellow lab-sheltie mix, house-broken, crate-trained 28 pound sweet girl, is going to spend a little time at our house and see how it goes. The kids think we're pet-sitting to help out Mrs. D, which is true, sort-of.

The sweetest moment came yesterday when Nate gave a bedtime blessing to Bella the Dog. "May the Lord bless you and keep you and cause his face to shine upon you...now and forever more...amen...". Joe has been blessing our children nightly w/this prayer since they were born...like his Mom blessed him.

So, Bella is lying asleep...she spends a good amount of time in this position and Nate said, "Aw, he needs a bessin". I said, "Well, you can give her one." And so he did, and it was the most-precious-thing-you-ever-did-see! And then he said, "Mom, what does bess you and keep you mean?" I told him without hesitation that blessings are the good gifts that God gives us and that keep you means keeping us safe from danger (things being dangerous has been given much attention in our house recently). Easy-peasy. He said, "Otay...bess oo, keep yoo, face sine on yoo, give yoo peace...amen". Sweet and I think Bella officially became a part of the family at that moment! Like most of our family, she has some qualities we wish she didn't: a lot of shedding, carrying our shoes all over the place...and a couple of accidents w/the house training...we'll see...She could not possibly be any sweeter with the children harassing her ALL the time.

AND THEN....

Emily (and I ;) are studying a Life science unit, it's part of what came with the Sonlight curriculum for second grade. We just started in a new "text" book, The Usborne Living World Encyclopedia, and I've been previewing the books as we read them. Usborne tends to view science from an evolutionary and old earth point of view, but does so without beating you over the head with it. I view it as an opportunity to introduce "why we believe what we believe" and begin to introduce her to the concepts that a lot of scientific theories exist. There have been great parental discussion on some forums for Sonlight curriculum about different ways to handle this...and some warnings about what NOT to let them read from the Usborne Book Of Knowledge, which we just finished. So, we just sort of skimmed some of it and, yes, I did...I paper clipped those pages with detailed descriptions of human reproduction including accurate tastefully done comic book type diagrams right up...and told her those were for fourth grade science. I would have glued them together, but thought they might be useful in 4th grade...In my opinion...There is no point in having this discussion until it needs to be had...innocence should be protected!

Emily has always had questions that seemed a little too advanced for her age, in my opinion! I have always tried to answer her questions about topics that make me squirrely...carefully, honestly and openly without giving her more information than she needs. "Mommy, do you have a Daddy? How come we never see him?"..."how do babies get out of mommies tummies?" "how do babies get inside mommies tummies" "How can Jesus live inside our hearts if they're only this big?"...and many, many, many more. Emily is a bright girl and well, she thinks about things I just don't remember questioning at her age.

Anyway...to my dismay (and I promise I perused these pages!!!), our science lesson for yesterday included the parts of a flower (momma-did-you-know-flowers-have-eggs-called-ovules?), flowers reproducing, the various ways animal babies are born...and right down at the bottom of the page....was a drawing of lions mating...and the words: "male mammals, and some other male animals, push their sperm into the female's body. This is called mating." Over to the left was a picture of a giant egg being fertilized by the sperm...okay, so it wasn't a giant picture, but I'm not sure how I missed it the first go-around...SECOND GRADE...SEVEN years old....as she read it aloud...excited and with her momma-you're-not-gonna-believe-this-voice...and asked, "how does this work? what are they doing"...I repeated again as non-shalantly as possible..."Oh, they're mating...It's pretty complicated and we'll study the details in fourth grade"...that's two more years of saying, "It's pretty complicated...."! I think I'm gonna glue the rest of the pages together...in all her books! Today, we do a Latin lesson on body parts: manus/hand, pes/foot, caput/head, corpus/body; caput...that should be easier.

And girlie-girlfriends...anybody...any advice or opinions about what I'm supposed to do or say is WELCOME!!! Feel free to talk amoungst yourselves, for now, I'm getting out the glue sticks!

Lurkers...De-Lurk!

2009-01-13T12:33:00.003-05:00

Cute, huh? De-lurk...leave a comment on the blogs you visit and let the bloggers know you read thier stuff. I plan to!

In the beginning...

2009-01-07T08:22:00.005-05:00

I have about 20 posts in my draft status...I will finish them and post them (belatedly), so beware of rapid falling blogs on this site!
Today...we are awaiting the arrival of our second set of "grown-up" (non-goodwill/yard-sale/family cast-offs...uh, I mean well-loved hand me downs/thrift store finds). It may speak volumes that this is our second set of LR furniture in our married life.
I've (warning bragging to occur!)....da-da-ta-da...made it to the gym on a regular basis for the past two weeks!!! Thankfully for my friend K who is joining me and keeping me motivated...at least when we don't have communication sna-fus. I arrived at the fitness center at 5:30am alone this morning...did you know there are crazy people who are standing outside at 5:30 waiting for the doors to open??? Probably the same people who make fun of those of us outside Target on black Friday. Needless to say, my glutes have that not-used-in-a-while-forgot-I-actually-had-muscles-there kind of soreness, which remarkably feels great. I'm hopeful my body will again endure running (s-l-o-w running) a 5K or maybe even for the first time...a 10K...and maybe without so much floppiness this go around...
The homeschool place is now in the family room/den/great room (think I posted some pictures of our house that included a picture of the kitchen/room w/fireplace, if someone would show me how, I could put the words in bold and you'd click right there...but, alas...). Em loves it and is happy not to feel banished while she's doing independent work. I like being warm. No matter what I did, including exchanging two space heaters at Wally-world, I couldn't get the garage warm on these cold mornings.

We're studying Asia, the Byzantine Empire (I must have missed that day of second grade...who knew?), measuring peRIMeter and will be adding thousands place to our long addition this week, suffixes (change "y" to "i" and add "es") and the life cycle/environment of animals....not sure what our science experiment is yet, but we need a can of soda so we're off to Wally world (we need milk too). Oh, and Nate drew a square! He calls a B a nine....but, hey...a real live square!!

2008...

2008-12-30T22:07:00.005-05:00

If you would have even tried to tell me what events would unfold in 2008, I would have shook my head and refused to believe. Not possible for so many soul stirring events to occur in one year! Not possible for so many I know to suffer so much! Not possible for my own path to include twists, turns and doubling back on itself! Not possible to have so much peace in the midst of so much chaos!

There have been moments I thought I would fold from the weight of the pain...my own and that of others...implode from the pressure of decisions and a search for clarity...For me, this has been a year of cracked foundations...a roller coaster ride of lessons that are still being learned in full...growth occurring in places I saw no need for change and enormous fallout resulting from unavoidable conflict. Humbleness...sadness...chaos...confusion...brokeness...loss of control...

Yet...This year has not left me hopeless or defeated. This year has left me no longer suprised by sin...the depth of my own or that of others. This year, and it's events have caused me to cling to the one surety...that God is sovereign and in control. This year has left me with a desire and thirst for knowing God that I may have not experienced any other way. I look forward with hope for the future.

What I am delighted by is the promise that 2009 is to be filled with living in Him...and that for today, for this moment my faith and hope is not in others or myself, but in Christ alone....and for this nanosecond I have submitted my will to His and will keep doing that one nanosecond at a time. One decision at a time...one action at a time...one word at a time... that by relying on Him...I just might be able to keep doing the next right thing...And that in spite of me...He will allow me to...

Trade these ashes in for beauty

And wear forgiveness like a crown

Coming to kiss the feet of mercy

I lay every burden down

At the foot of the cross...

I have no New Years resolutions...I have set no goals...I am letting go inch by inch...living moment by moment...releasing the facade of control I have over my life...emptying me of me...so that I can be filled up with Him.

Christmas story...

2008-12-20T11:09:00.000-05:00

Emily is trying to help Nate discover the baby Jesus story and understand (sort of) that gifts were for him under the tree because the wise men gave gifts to Jesus. Emily tried to reinforce that Christmas is more about giving than getting...and that it's a celebration of Jesus' birthday...
This one time that left me in stitches...in the backseat of the car, they were having a discussion while we were out finishing up Christmas shopping in Tennessee:

E: an angel came and told Joseph that Mary was gonna have a baby and that he had to marry Mary (she really liked saying that) and that they had to name him Jesus. So, Christmas is to celebrate Happy Birthday for Jesus
N: No, it's my birday...I wan pesents...
E: No, Nate...we'll get presents but it's Jesus' birthday...he had to come to earth to die for our sins.
N: It's my birday...I want a piderman bike....
E: well, you might get a bike, but it's for Jesus' birthday.
N: No, it's my birday...
E: No, Nate...the wise men brought Jesus presents for His happy birthday!
N: I wan a birday pesent!
E: Nate, I am not talking to you about this anymore until you get older!

and she hasn't!

Sunday's Week in Review...

2008-11-30T16:40:00.005-05:00

Highlights of our week:

On Monday I caused us to miss a field trip to the Southern Pines Police Station...just crazy and didn't check my calendar Sunday night (maybe I was too psyched about seeing Jack Ryan again?). We ran into friends who didn't forget the field trip at W*endy's for lunch, so that was a nice bonus...and when I remembered I had forgot. We finished our errands and our last minute Thanksgiving shopping for cream cheese, 1/2 n' 1/2 (well, not really for Thanksgiving, but you gotta have the cream w/the coffee!) and butter (Land o' Lakes on sale for $2!!) and 25 other things that weren't even on our list. Oh, and felt for cow spots...that's where Nate turned the cart over on himself by standing on the side in the craft department...and where I think I talked to B. (I'm still having PTS flashbacks from the moment the cart and Nate hit the floor!) When Joe came home...he suggested we eat out and check out the "F*urniture Liquid*ator" store I had discovered last week with 50% off prices (lost lease and going out of business) ...so the Veggie soup was placed in the fridge and we set out for Sanford. We're sleeping on our furniture decision for the den furniture we truly need, but came home with matching bean bag chairs that will be useful for the kids.
On Tuesday, we had friends over to play and to share homemade veggie soup for lunch. This play date was for Nate (and his mom) and his new "buddy Jackson" (and his mom). They played pretty well together for three year olds (there was no body slamming or eye gouging involved). I think Emily felt a little left out, but honestly that's a life lesson she needs...Nate gets shut out often when the 'girls' are here.
On Wednesday, the "girls" were here. We had Covenant Kids Choir practice for our Christmas musical on December 7th @ 6pm (consider yourself invited!), just one quick run through for the kids with no/little speaking parts. I brought home costumes to finish up...angel robes to adjust, cows for felt spots additions...and coveralls for the cleaning crew characters that I'm just not sure I can make work...but maybe an idea will hit me. We brought S&S home with us, while my friend J went shopping for the very last things on both our lists for tomorrow's cooking (I needed allspice, poultry seasoning, splenda and milk...$2.99 a gallon at the Teeter*...woo-hoo!). There are many things to be thankful for...especially a friend who'll trade child care for Wal*marting!
I spent Wednesday evening procrastinating...blowing my getting-stuffier-by-the-minute nose...and trying to get my gumption up to go ahead and start the baking...I never did.
Thursday morning, I got up early, about 6 am and started on the list: Momma's/Tutor's Prune cake, sweet potato casserole, green beans, mashed potatoes, Loretta's Layered Salad (used to be 7-layer salad, but I've adjusted the recipe so much...it's not even 7 layers anymore), Roasted Pecan Dressing, Cranberry-Orange Relish, splenda-sweetened tea, and getting the turkeys ready for Joe to marinate and deep fry...It was really a low stress day, I had things planned out and really enjoyed cooking. It was such a beautiful day and the kids were outside a lot. I did keep feeling like a scratchy throat was beginning to develop. Judi, Kayla and Granma came over around 3, bringing their contributions to our meal. In all fairness, when I developed our menu, there was a possibility of 5 more guests...but it was still over-kill ;) We ate together, laughed together, napped together, played games and planned our black Friday attack while watching Holiday movies piled up in the den.
Friday morning at 3 am...I rolled out of bed into clothes, glasses and shoes and heated up the car, gathered up the sales flyers and dragged myself over and picked my 15-year old niece up for a morning of BARGAINS!!! Just the two of us! As far as I know, we saved some money on some highly in demand electronics devices (ssshhhh!)...avoided a 5 am stampede in the electronics department of our local W*a*l*m*a*r*t (the clerk actually said into her walkie-talkie...."these people are goin' crazy back here!"...and were admonished by the security officer to "calm down people" I honestly got the giggles!)...we had a Starbucks for sustainment around 6 (and they weren't serving the Christmas/Holiday blend...what's up with that??? I was so looking forward to my first one of the season)...shopped some more and then ended up the morning with a breakfast burrito (sans green peppers) and chickn' minis at Chick-*fi-*la around 10 am. She slept the rest of the day...I tried to, but began to feel worse and worse and was getting the 'barky' cough of bronchitis by mid-afternoon and we cancelled plans with friends for Friday night..blah, blah, blah. By bedtime, I was looking for the Ny*quil...
I went to the medical clinic's Saturday morning walk-in clinic that they just started last month...just let me tell you, that should tell you how bad I felt...as a nurse I think it is my responsibility to visit doctors as little as possible, and especially not until you are at least near death...thank you PMC for your new Saturday clinic! It actually wasn't a bad wait...I just was so dizzy and my head was in a vise...and the cough caused people to physically step back... The Pharmacy, on the other hand, was a madhouse....an hour wait when I dropped prescriptions off at the drive-thru. That was okay, I could stretch errands to take up the time. When I went back, they let me know it would be another hour that things were backed up...anyhoo...I waited, visited with some folks from out of town getting scripts for a family member with a kidney stone (made me thankful for bronchitis and sinusitis!)...got a chair massage in one of those mizihitzu (whatever!) seats...and then visited with a nice lady whose husband is a diabetic and amputee and left his prosthesis at home (again...thankful!) and couldn't come inside...they had left to get lunch, but when she finally got meds, it had been three hours. So, I am reconsidering our pharmacy choices...I miss the local place that went out of business a few months ago...if there was that long of a wait, they would deliver! So I came home and lapsed into a drug-induced coma for a few hours....
So sadly, no church for me this morning, but Nate still woke me up at about 6 after being unsuccessful with Joe... "Daddy, I hungy...Daddy, I thusty". The kids stayed home too... Joe had to be there early for prayer with the other elders, so it seemed the best idea...it would have been a little chaotic I think. Nate's got his own issues with a cough and 'boogies'. Although, I am sad about missing the first Sunday of Advent (and the lighting of the Prophecy candle by B, T & baby E), the first time of the season singing "O come, O come Emmanuel"...a new deacon installation...some special music sung by a friend who said the song fit her life right now, I was prepared to cry!....and a sermon in Genesis. Okay, so I can get all that on the CD/MP3...but, still...okay, no more whining! I will be grateful for the day that I did have! And what I did do... I've spent the day reading blogs, being thankful for bloggy friends, and facebook friends, and friends who love me enough to send silly emails and sweet emails about how they're thankful for me (snub, snub)...reading a book, sipping hot tea and coffee, and trying to truly rest...Our Christmas tree was delivered by the folks from First Baptist church in So Pines thanks to my sis-n-love for her faithful gift to us for the last 5 years...Joe lit up the gas logs, so I not only got to sip hotness, but got my toes especially warm by the fire...Emily (and I) missed choir practice (the cow costumes must still be completed!)...and our small group Bible study is cancelled for the evening...(there I go again...it's so easy to fall back to whining!).... I am spending some quiet time looking forward to next week...the first day of December...and Christmas decorations...and home-making some Christmas gifts...I tried to be an elf and briefly shopping on Amazon for the kids, until Emily got nosey (hum, the apple and the tree thing again).

Happy Thanksgiving y'all!

Nate's funny...

2008-11-20T10:11:00.004-05:00

Friday night, while Emily and I were away at the Girlscout Swap-a-thon, Nate and Daddy were alone...some not so good things have happened when they've been left alone (like Nate sticking a key into an electrical outlet...) but I digress.

This particular story lets us find Nate playing trains in the den floor, he's gotten quite good at putting the track together and playing independently with this toy. He was lining his trains up and said, "Daddy, I need Gordon" (for those of you NOT in the know, Gordon is a pal of Thomas the Train...Nate currently has Toby, Emily, James, Scarlouey...thankfully for parents they have their names on the bottom of the trains).

Daddy said, "Well, go to your bedroom and get Gordon...". To which Nate replied...

"Gordon not in my woom...he's at Wal-mart..."

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus Recipe

2008-11-13T09:24:00.003-05:00

This is my fav...and I've made it for several events, including Holly's 2nd baby shower (for Evan). Joe thinks it's too garlicky if I put both cloves of garlic in, so sometimes I bland it down for him...I usually go ahead and double the recipe ;)

Easy Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (15 ounce) can garbanzo beans, drained
1/3 cup tahini (sesame seed butter-harris teeter)
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/2 cup roasted red sweet peppers
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
Dash salt
Dash pepper

DIRECTIONS
In an electric food processor, combine garlic, garbanzo beans, tahini, and lemon juice. Process until the mixture is smooth. Add roasted peppers and basil; process until the peppers are finely chopped. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer hummus to small bowl, cover and chill until you are ready to serve.

I've also made it with other beans (Black, White kidney beans...lots of calcuim...) To make Sun-dried Tomato Hummus, just replace peppers with tomatoes. I've also replaced the lemon juice with lime juice, or even in a pinch water if that's all I have. The BEST I've ever made, I roasted my own red peppers in the oven...YES, I felt just like Martha Stewart!

Wal-mart Christmas Catalog

2008-11-08T01:30:00.004-05:00

Yep...it came in the mail today, the long awaited toy catalog...wasn't from Sears, wasn't from JC Penny's...it was from Wal*mart who seems to be stealing some marketing ideas this season. The kids poured over it, fought over it, said things like, "Wow"...."Momma, yook".
It comes down to the basics, Nate wants a spider man bike that he can 'wide on the wode, wite now' and Emily's too overwhelmed with choices to want anything...but really would just like a pair of roller skates that weren't even in the catalog. She understands, though, that Christmas is still over a month away. Nate, however, wants us to leave for Wal*mart "wite now!". It may be a long month.

It's Official...it's finally over

2008-11-06T21:00:00.002-05:00

Joe has accepted a new job in Hamlet...his third position to hold in a year. Amazingly, this has been a phenomenon I hope is not repeated, ever. To say that this has been stressful, is an understatement. It is, of course, only a 30 minute drive and what sounds like an exciting opportunity and fun co-workers (he knows a few people that work there already). I won't bore you with all the enginerding details...but he'll be a project manager at a chemical facility.
He's excited about the change, excited about the challenge and excited about the shorter drive.
I'm relieved...ready for whatever's next...whether that be across town or right here on this corner lot.
And sure that even through the moments I struggled in my human heart, He has known the plans that He had for us and and that it has been for good and not for disaster, to give us a future and a hope. (Jer 29:11 NLT).

Uncle Richard's Sage Advice

2008-11-05T09:01:00.001-05:00

Joe's uncle, Richard "Dick" Miller, ran a good race for the Kansas State House of Representatives. We have mixed emotions; in that since he lost, he might have time in the next year to hop in the RV and head to the Carolina's for a visit. Kansas State's loss is our gain. He was found too conservative to garner the support of the local media...but fought a good door to door fight getting out and getting to know people! I have enjoyed "living" his campaign experiences. I am quoting his weekly article to the Manhattan newspaper...a column entitled "Thoughts from the Prairie". I am so thankful he is a part of my children's legacy!

Thoughts from the Prairie

by Dick Miller

Now What?

The view out of my window as I reminisce and write about the past five months is very similar to that at the last house I visited last night on the campaign trail. The sun was just setting in a splash of color as I rang the last doorbell. After a warm greeting, we chatted briefly about the peaceful view of the prairie in front of her house. I asked for her vote, she wished me luck and I turned and closed the book on another campaign. I was sharing that moment with another resident who reminded me of another difference between my opponent and me. “We saw his face on the billboards; we saw your face at our front door,” he said. That would have made a good campaign ad don’t you think? By the time you read this you will know which method was more effective.
Speaking of hindsight, it seems to me the ultimate reason for the Governor’s veto of the Kansas Energy plan is now obvious in light of the recent disclosure of Obama’s verdict on coal-fired power plants in a statement he made in January 2008: “If someone wants to build a coal-fired plant, they can. Its just that it will bankrupt them,” Obama told a reported. With Governor Sebelius’s eyes focused on a possible VP selection, she could not allow a coal-fired plant to be built in Kansas, now could she? I better be careful, I could become another “Joe the plumber!”
The liberal agenda espoused during this campaign looks to me as if its crafter read William J. H. Boetcker’s “The Ten Cannots” and did the exact opposite. Boetcker (1873-1962), an immigrant from Germany, became an eloquent motivational speaker, and is often regarded as the forerunner of contemporary "success coaches." The Ten Cannots phamplet was published in 1916 and quoted by Presidents Linclon and Reagan. I thought it might be worthwhile to recite them again.

“You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot help small men by tearing down big men. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than your income. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatreds. You cannot establish security on borrowed money. You cannot build character and courage by taking away a man's initiative and independence. You cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they could and should do for themselves.”

These Ten Cannots describe the essence of a constitutional republican system of government and a free enterprise, capitalistic business environment replete with personal freedom, the antitheses of the Obama doctrine.

Well, excuse me while I go to Republican headquarters to see if I am going to the OK Coral or to visit our grandchildren…..

It is now 11 PM election night. I am back at the ranch and our grandchildren say they are really anxious for us to get there. At this point I don’t know the final score, but it was far enough along for me to call your representative and congratulate him. Jenny and I thank all who worked so diligently so we could give you a clear choice. We have no regrets and believe we accomplished our mission. Other than being confirmed as ‘being too conservative” for the local media endorsement team, the next best part of the campaign was praying for God to “bless your house and keep it safe” as I approached your house then meeting so many of you as you welcomed me at your front door. You cannot imagine how delightful that was and it sustained me during six and sometime eight hours on the trail.
Now it is time to get back to what we were doing in June, get our personal affairs in order and brace for the socialistic tsunami if a liberal majority controls all three branches of government. Unfortunately, we are all in the same boat and the narcissistic liberals are so preoccupied with illusionary hope and change that we are about to crash on the breakers of realism because, as

James Madison predicted, "Enlightened statesmen will not always be at the helm." But as all good soldiers, we shall rest and heal and then rise to rejoin the fray. Let Freedom Ring-Again!

and well, that's probably all I have to say about that.

Kingdom Coming Download

2008-11-04T16:22:00.001-05:00

Curriculum Evaluation

2008-11-04T09:27:00.009-05:00

Well, here we are about 9 weeks into the school year and I am trying to decide what's working, what's not, and where I need to realign my priorities...

It is not as easy as it sounds and yet I know I tend to over analyze each element of our schooling...because, well, bascially...er...I'm pretty scared I'm going to get this wrong and our children's academic experience will slide into the gutter. I'm worried that she'll be a Latin speaking child who won't be able to add....or that she'll have the states and capitols memorized but won't be able to write a paragraph. Sometimes in my quest for the best education for her...I lose sight of some simple priorities....reading, writing and arithmetic.

So, here's what we've been trying (unsuccessfully) to accomplish every day:

Chores (appropriate for seven year old: emptying dishwasher, picking up toys, making bed, swiping mirrors, dusting)
Bible (using Veritas Press Bible Cards: Genesis -Joshua; memorize facts & activities & test Friday)
History (One-year condensed World History- Sonlight Curriculum Read text book and discuss: A Child's History of the World by Hillyer, the Usborne Book of World History w/internet links)
Geography (Sonlight- Geography Songs: Sing Around the World by Troxel for memory work, coloring/activity pages, social studies reading from Window to the World by Spraggett)
Reading w/map work and language arts tie-ins

Sonlight Second grade intermediate readers:

Clara and the Bookwagon

The Long Way to a New Land

The Long Way Westward

Prairie School

Keep the Lights Burning, Abbie

Riding the Pony Express

The Secret Valley

Third-Grade Detectives #1: The Clue of the Left-Handed Envelope (we're currently on this one)

The Chalk Box Kid

The Paint Brush Kid

The Littles

Third-Grade Detectives #2: The Puzzle of the Pretty Pink Handkerchief

Viking Adventure

The House on Walenska Street

Cora Frear

Tippy Lemmey

A Question of Yams

Third-Grade Detectives #4: The Cobweb Confession

Third-Grade Detectives #10: The Mystery of the Stolen Statue

The Last Little Cat

Tornado

Jake Drake: Bully Buster

6. Math-U-See, Beta (Lesson on DVD, work with manipulatives, worksheet and weekly test)

7. Spelling and Phonics (spelling word list and phonics work from Modern Curriculum Press Plaid Phonics workbook with spelling rules and worksheets).

Handwriting (worksheet from Classically Cursive workbook, daily practice)
Read Alouds with Cultural Literacy & comprehension questions:

The Aesop for Children

A Child's Garden of Verses

Red Sails to Capri

Ginger Pye

Gladys Aylward (starting this week)

Little Pear

Strawberry Girl

Detectives in Togas

The Cricket in Times Square

The Door in the Wall

White Stallion of Lipizza

The Twenty-one Balloons

The Apprentice

The Little Riders

A Little Princess

And the Word Came with Power

Fun reading-student choice for 20 min per day (Emily can choose any books she likes and so far she is devouring the Magic Treehouse series, the Boxcar Children series, the Cul-de-sac Kids series, American Girl Doll Books, Nate the Great series, The Disney Fairy series...)
Language Arts (grammar) Monday and Tuesday
Expressive Writing Wed, Thurs, and sometimes Friday
Life Science with the texts:The Usborne Book of Knowledge, The Great Dinosaur Mystery and the Bible, Magic School Bus: Inside the Earth, Science Activities, Volume 3, Living World Encyclopedia, The Magic School Bus: Lost in the Solar System, Marie Curie & the Discovery of Radium, Science Experiement DVD; includes worksheets, keeping a journal, experiments weekly)
Art (treat as a "special"; read from our text/do activity once a week) using texts as a guide: How Artists See Feelings, How Artists See the Elements.
Music (in the car, CD series with bio story and music of famous composers...may restart handbell choir after January)
PE (not structured other than sports: cheerleading, gymnastics, and soccer)
Latin: Sing School Latin Curriculum with audio CD, worksheets/activity (also treat this as a special...once a week)
Vocabulary Building Activity (Wordly Wise Workbook- once a week)
Field trips, bi-weekly trip to Library, Fun gym for PE occasionally on Fridays, Girl scouts every other Wednesday and Cheer leading twice weekly

So, beginning this week with a new scaled down focus...

Creative writing, language arts, and math to be my primary focus...oh, and well history and geography are important too...and well, we have this neat Latin curriculum, it really doesn't take that long...and she loves doing the science experiments...and well, she has to be active, so we've GOT to do some sort of PE...maybe we can throw in some art and music enrichment once a week...and she has to read, read, read...and well, she has to learn about God and do daily devotions anyway, might as well make them productive, and we have to develop her vocabulary...she'll take those darn achievement tests and I'll , er...I mean she'll fail if we haven't developed her vocabulary...and where was I, oh yeah, scaling back to just the basics! ((sigh))...

Halloween...

2008-10-31T22:45:00.001-04:00

Presenting the Fire Chief and Queen Lucy of Narnia

We carved punkins and then went out and about in the neighborhood. We have a great neighborhood for trick-or-treating. Almost everyone gives out candy, neighbors chat in yards, grown ups dress up, the kids have a good time. Granma stayed at our house and passed out treats while we wandered around. Nate had to be carried the last leg and gave up early, bypassing a few houses once he 'got a bunch' of candy. Nate's bucket was sorted...he had about 1/4 left after I removed all the allergens, but we had plenty to replace it with and Emo got all his rejects. Friends came over with their little one, we had pizza, pulled our children off the ceiling and called it a night.

Fall ponderings

2008-10-31T11:25:00.012-04:00

In the fall, I experience an arrhythmia of great proportion...my heart changes it's rhythm...my chest thumps with the misfiring of a few beats of pre-ventricular tachycardia that lasts for a millisecond. Before I have time to cough, hold my breath, or bear down there's a sinus pause followed by some bradycardia before my electrical system finds it's equilibrium...The relief that follows ushers in a slower pace...a slower sinus rhythm replaces the tachycardia caused by crazy schedules, being late to all the activities I promised that I wouldn't let crowd my life, stress from overcommitment and the pressure to do it all, too much caffeine and too little protein...and wondering what my hematological profile will reveal (enough iron and hemoglobin?) or if my blood pressure could be up.

What comes is nirvana...ahh, AUTUMN. A different state of mind. A time when to slow down, pause with a cup of coffee and realize the air is a little crisper and the sky a little clearer. A time to reboot and enjoy the spoils of the hard work of the harvest.

Amazingly this moment comes annually, but always catches me by surprise. I'll be driving along on the way to somewhere behind schedule (as usual). Children squealing in the back, one hand on a pen and a to-do list in the passenger seat capturing a thought and the other on the wheel. And, suddenly between whirling thoughts of where I have to be next and the endless list in my head I am awestruck by the fact the leaves are actually transforming!

I feel myself begin to transform as well. My memories are sharper and my senses in tune with the season...

Scenes of the past attack me...scents of golden hay bales stored for winter in the old house, tobacco stalks speared and hanging on sticks to cure in the barn, potatoes being dug and the muskiness of the turned over autumn soil that is spent from nurturing them, the rough feel of those potatoes in hand as we complete our task of picking them up and delight in their shapes. Shiny glass jars with golden lids lined on shelves. Filled to the brim with home grown, home canned green beans, peaches, chow-chow, tomatoes, too many varieties of pickles to count, and the grand finale: homemade vegetable soup. Cinnamon Apple butter with red hot candy simmering in a copper kettle over a wood fire, thin cane sugar syrup magically turning to dark thick molasses after hours of being stirred in long seven foot vat, coal fires lit in pot belly stoves as the evening air gets heavy with frost. The moon hanging slightly lower in the sky...larger than life.

Ahhh, autumn. For me, this time of putting away of things, the feeling of failure...failure to feel...and the getting of furrows ready for the next seasons planting, is all about preparing my heart for the coming spring growth.

Two little girls playing

2008-10-31T11:01:00.006-04:00

What would C.S. Lewis think?

If, when standing with a listening ear to the door of a little girls' room beheld sounds from a land of adventure another world away? If he could eavesdrop on the goings on in the next room...he would hear creativity and dreams in action. Emily and her friend P are pretend-playing...their imaginations soaring in adventures and a journey in a land far, far away...Narnia. Em is Lucy, the youngest sibling and P is cast as Susan...although Em has been known to play either role. She tended to favor Susan while reading The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe...Lucy while reading Prince Caspian. Em and P have been enjoying this pretend game together with Thomas G. since pre-school. About the time we read her The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe during our evening family time for the first time, about a year before the movie came out.
This is a game often played at our house and depending on the playmates, several roles can be cast simultaneously. Inside and out...and always with props. Sticks have been tied and carried on backs as bows and arrows...long pocketbooks and cloth pouches have provided snacks for the long journey to find Aslan and while fleeing from the White Witch...the long dresses adorn the queens of Narnia when appropriate...and crowns made of zoobs (small plastic building toys with nubs on the end...love 'em!) for the Kings when they make appearances.
and Mr. Lewis' adventures continue. I hope it would make him smile!