So Proud!

I am so proud of my children! They got their report cards yesterday, and they all did very well. Rachel and Robby both improved in subjects they have struggled in. Rachel actually got an average of 100 in history and geography this time around! Matthew is displaying more self-control (thank God)! And Robby, who has been working so very hard, has improved his reading grade greatly! Good job kiddos! I'm so very proud of you and all your hard work! I love you!

Sick Boy

I found out yesterday that Matthew has pneumonia. I feel so bad about it. He's had a fever off and on since Tuesday, but it never seemed significant enough to take him in. Until Saturday. He developed a cough that sounds really bad, and his fever spiked to 102. I was on a retreat, and didn't know how bad he was until I got home Sat. night. I took him in on Sunday, and this is the result.
The little jewels of my day were the pediatrician's office that was open on Sunday, and the 24 hour pharmacy. I was able to get him a prescription that appears to have fixed him right up. His fever is gone, along with his congestion. His cough is still pretty bad, but is much better than yesterday. He should even be able to go to school tomorrow!
Thank you, Lord, for my precious boy, and for the wonderful people who helped me take care of him.

Wonderful weekend

We did go to Glen Cove. It was a nice, relaxing time, and it wasn't even that cold inside the cabin, once Daddy got the fires going. Mom put a heated mattress pad on my bed, and, as I promised John I would, I wore a scarf the whole weekend. I was able to relax and recuperate.
We did go a few places, like flea markets, and Wayah Bald, and we ate those yummy hot dogs at the Clayton Pharmacy. But for the most part, we stayed around the cabin. We watched movies, I cross-stitched, and talked with Mom and Dad and their next door neighbors who came for the weekend.
Robby had a great time with Adam, his captive audience for the weekend. Adam is the 16 year old son of the neighbors. He is a very nice boy, an only child, and he treats my kids like they are big too. They love him! Robby thoroughly enjoyed showing Adam all around Glen Cove.
As for me, I'm still coughing, and the cough causes me to have a headache, but otherwise, I'm much better. Thank God!
Mom and Dad are up at Glen Cove by themselves until this weekend. What a shame! I would still be there with them if I could! I love it there. Time there is a gift that God has given my parents, and they choose to share it with us. Each opportunity to go there is another little jewel from heaven.

Struggling

I don't want to write about negative things. But I guess this is more of a prayer request than being negative. There has been so much going on, and I have been feeling a little overwhelmed.
I'm still looking for a job. I've sent out resumes and gotten no response. Not sure what to think of that, but I know God is in control, and has one out there for me somewhere.
I found out that my Dad may have some health issues, pretty significant ones, and they are waiting a month to test him again. Please pray that it turns out to be nothing.
I woke up last Thursday with a cold. Started my day, as usual, had a doctor's appt., and on the way home, ran over a kitten. This upset me greatly, and I went back to try to help it, but it died. Other things happened that day that I won't go into, but let me just say my day did not improve. Then I got a fever.
I slept in a recliner all day Friday, all day Saturday, and all day Sunday. The fever finally broke Monday morning, and I started to feel much better. I actually had some energy, and my wonderful Mom took me shopping to get some much needed food in my house.
Tuesday, I woke up feeling really horrible again, and had a really bad cough. On the spur of the moment, after taking the kids to school, I decided to go to the doctor. He says my lungs are clear, and there is no immediate evidence of an infection, but he's treating it like an infection since I've been so sick for so long. So now, I'm on a Z-pack, Allegra, and cough syrup with codeine.
Today, I am some improved, but not as much as I would like. I still don't have much of a voice, and a pretty strong cough. My prayer is that I will be much better by Friday morning.
We are supposed to go to Glen Cove this weekend, and I want to go SOOO bad. But there's no heat. And I'm afraid I will get worse again if I go. My Mom says she will make me a bed with a heating blanket and I can stay in it all weekend and rest if I want to.
I really don't want to disappoint my kids again. I feel like there have been so many things they have asked me about in the past week that I haven't been able to do, or let them do, because I'm sick. They really look forward to any time spent at Glen Cove, as do I. Please pray that I will be better, that we can go, and that it will be a fun, relaxing time.

Spectacular Weather

The weather lately has been so wonderful! The mornings are fabulously cool, and the afternoons are very pleasant. I have had my windows open constantly for the past few days.
This morning, we actually walked to school. The kids were so excited about the idea, that they all were up about an hour early, dressed, and completely ready to go long before time to leave. This was Matthew's first experience actually walking that distance, and Rachel's and Robby's first experience walking that far while carrying their bookbags. Last year, Matt was in the stroller, and the bookbags were stuffed underneath. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but the kids were bemoaning their fate by the time we were a little more than halfway there. It was rather entertaining.
I hope the weather holds for a while. I love it when it's like this. It ought to be beautiful in Toccoa this weekend. I will be heading out on Friday for a women's retreat with all my Alleluia lady friends. Should be nice!

A Breath of Fresh Air

I have been sitting in my great room, in a rocking chair, in the corner where there are 4 windows. All of them are open, and the wind has been blowing constantly for the past few hours. I find this very soothing. Hearing the wind sigh in the trees, and feeling the cool breeze has such a nice, calming effect. I think this is my favorite spot in the house right now.

Magdalena Grace

I found out yesterday that a friend from high school, Noah Roberts, has a five week old little girl with Trisomy 18. It is truly a blessing that she has lived as long as she has already. Please pray for this family. Noah and Julie have only been married for less than 3 years, and sweet little Magdalena is their first child. They are a wonderful example of trusting God. You can see their blog at http://noahandjulieroberts.blogspot.com . They are collecting pop tabs for the Ronald McDonald House, so if you have some, let me know!

Look at them!

I simply cannot believe how big my kids are! School started on Tuesday, and Matthew went to Kindergarten! Where did my baby go? My last baby... sniff!

Robby is so handsome! Rachel looks like a little model! I can't stand it! They are growing up entirely too fast!

I am so proud of them, though! This week has zoomed by, but they have kept up with their chores and homework like troopers. No complaints, no whining. They really are such good kids. God has truly blessed me.

Too cute!

John sent me this on an email, and it's just adorable. Enjoy!
http://apostoliclive.com/play.php?vid=492

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

I didn't get a chance to post yesterday, but I do want to say a few words about my Dad.

Daddy, I'm amazed by you. You are strong, loving, funny, smart, wise, generous, handsome, gentle, a hard worker, an awesome Granddaddy. You love God with your whole heart. I have never doubted your love for me. You have always been there when I needed you, but respected me enough to let me make mistakes and grow from them. Thank you for all that you are to me, and to my family. I always have been, and always will be, your little girl. I love you, Dad. Happy birthday!

Nothin' much

All I have to say is... I PASSED!!!!!

Does adrenaline burn calories?

I hope so! I awoke at 3am, completely alert, and starving! Obviously, I'm not pregnant, so it has to be the adrenaline coursing through my system. This is the first time I've ever had a snack at 3am joined by my cat. I'm sure George will make sure to be awake if anyone gets up in the wee hours again. It might result in a bowl of milk for him.
I've already showered, and I think I'm ready to go, so now I'm just passing the time until mom comes to retrieve me. I hope I stay this way until after the test is over!

Scary thought

Tomorrow is my CCA exam. I think I'm ready for it, but... I'm always rather unsure of myself before a test. And this is the biggest test I've ever had to take. If I pass, I will be certified. That means, when I get a job, I will get paid more because I know what I'm doing. At least, that's what it's supposed to mean. Anyway, if I don't pass... well, I can still get a job, but it will mean less money at first, and I can't take the test again for at least 3 months. And there is pretty much no such thing as a local test. And it's $200 every time I take it. So, I would prefer to get it right the first time.
Please pray for me. Pray for peace and that my mind will be like a filing cabinet with the right files available at the right time. I had a little freak-out session yesterday. But I got lots of prayers, and I feel better today. Pray that I stay that way. How can I be so excited and so petrified at the same time?
I have enjoyed these classes so much, and I really feel that God has had His hand in it the whole time. I have been begging Him to give me wisdom in what to study, and good recollection. Please, God, don't let me fail!

Sweet Thing

I went to pick up Sophie from the vet yesterday, and it was very entertaining. I started talking to the girl at the front desk, and she asked me if I was Sophie's mom. I said I was, and she responded by gushing about how sweet she is. Then someone else entered the room, and she said,"Are you talking about Sophie? She is so sweet!" They told me all about how she would try her best to get everyone's attention when they walked past her cage, and she was very spunky, and doing very well for all she had gone through. Purring, stretching, rolling on her back for a belly rub... Every now and then, as we continued to talk, others would enter the room, and they all would say the same thing. "Are you talking about Sophie? She is so sweet!" It's funny how something so silly can make you feel proud. It was almost like they were talking about one of my kids.
And she really is doing remarkably well. You wouldn't even know she's had surgery.

Poor Sophie

Our little kitty is getting spayed and declawed today. She is such a sweet little thing. I feel bad for her. The kids were all over her before we dropped her off. Nobody wanted to leave her. But I know she's in good hands, and we will be able to go get her tomorrow. She will be missed today, especially by George. We picked up a new toy for her to play with when she gets home. Hopefully, she won't be in too much pain. She will definitely need a little extra tender loving care.
It's funny. It's been a long time since I have had cats that have given me as much pleasure as these two do. I can't say I ever remember MISSING my cats when I or they were gone, but I miss these guys. They have become such a part of our family. It's almost like having more kids. Not quite, but almost. I want to know where they are, and I get worried when I can't find them. I miss them when we are on vacation, and call my neighbor to check on them. I love the fact that they call to us when things are too quiet and they want to know where we are. I love that George comes and sits on my night stand in the mornings and watches me intently until I move, at which point he starts talking to me to wake me up.
They each have very unique personalities that are perfect for our family. Sophie is our snuggler. She loves attention of any kind, and actually enjoys it when the kids manhandle her. She is a great companion to George, who loves to wrestle with her. They enjoy each other so much. George is more serious, and doesn't like to snuggle, but he does like to be near us, and has is own way of showing that he loves us. He like to lay right in the middle of whatever you happen to be doing, especially if you have a book lying in front of you.
You know, I have noticed recently that George has changed quite a bit since Sophie has arrived. He doesn't knock things over any more. He doesn't cry as much. He's not as likely to get into things he's not supposed to. I think he just needed a friend.

It's All Good

I got my stitches out a few days ago, and I'm very happy to report that the path report came back clear. The scar that's left is amazingly unnoticeable. Dr. Yu told me to wait about a month and then get some Mederma to minimize it's appearance, but I don't think I'm going to need it. It's not even red, and it's only a week and a half old. Right now, I'm not even putting concealor on it. Thank you, Lord, for such a wonderful outcome. I couldn't ask for more.

Skin Cancer

This past Wednesday, I spent the afternoon in a plastic surgeons office, getting a basal cell carcinoma removed from under my right eye. I'm very thankful that it was just a basal cell, and not malignant melanoma. Dr. Yu did an excellent job, and did his best to minimize the scarring that will result. Currently, I'm waiting for him to call me with the pathology report to find out if he got it all or not. Please pray that it comes back ok.
This was definitely a test in the vanity department at first. It's not that I think I'm gorgeous or anything, but I am pretty happy with the way God made me. I know that He protected me and allowed me to catch this early. However, I must admit that I was kind of freaking out when I found out that it was cancer. I was happy with the way the shave biopsy had healed up, and was hoping not to have to go back. When Dr. Yu showed me how big of a section he was going to have to take, I really struggled for a bit. But God gave me peace, and I was able to relax during the procedure.
I was pleasantly surprised when he handed me a mirror so I could see the end result. The incision is a little over a centimeter long, and I have 6 very tiny stitches. They will come out this Wednesday.
I am a tad paranoid now. The bump I had didn't look like anything, and the dermatologist thought it would be nothing. So, next time I go see him, I'm going to have him look at every little questionable bump, mole, discoloration, or whatever! Better safe than sorry!

ATT for the CCA

I got my ATT for the CCA! What that means is: I got my admission to test letter for the Certified Coding Associate exam. I have scheduled the exam for Aug. 26, at 9am in Savannah. Please pray for me! I will spend the next weeks studying for it. Once I take the test, they should tell me right then whether I passed. If I pass, I'm certified!(Not certifiable, although I might feel that way by the time this is over!) I hate taking tests, but I'm actually looking forward to this one. I'll let you know the results!

Fun and Beautiful!

Yesterday, we went to the Aquaduct park around 11am and stayed until about 1:30. If you've never been there, it's a wonderful place to visit. The water is very cold, like in the mountains, and there is a small waterfall on one side that trickles down into a big pool. There is usually more water than this coming down it, but it varies.
On the other side of the pool, there is a sliding rock of sorts. The only thing is, the amount of water coming down can change at any time. In this picture, you can see that there is a rather strong flow of water. It certainly doesn't stop people from sliding, but I'm not as adventurous as some.
Off to the right of the sliding rock is a train trestle that goes over the water as it flows away from the aquaduct. While we were there, two trains went by, and the conductors both waived and honked at us. The kids loved it!
We had a great time there, and definitely plan to go back. I think it's our new favorite place here in Augusta.
FYI: If you plan to go, where shoes that can be worn in the water. Those rocks are slick!

LOL

Robby, clutching his stomach: "I need something to hold me down!"

Me, trying not to crack up: "Do you mean 'tide me over'?"

Robby: "Yeah, that! I'm starving!"

Matthew Rocks!

The Matt-man is having a great couple of days. Yesterday, he learned how to roller skate, and he's actually fast enough that I have to jog to keep up. He was so proud of himself, he kept asking me if I saw how fast he was going.
Today, he learned how to swim. John took all the kids swimming this morning, and when they returned, they told me all about how Matt was swimming without floaties. He even learned how to hold his breathe and put his face in the water, and how to float on his back. We stopped at Walmart this afternoon and got him some goggles to encourage the underwater stuff. He really has had a fear about that.
I'm so impressed! I'm so proud of you , Matthew! Great job!
Here is a clip of him at the pool. He's a little nut, sometimes!

Celebrate!

Hallelujah! I'm officially finished with my internship! I just turned in my last assignment. I should have my final grade in the next few days. Now, I just have to apply for my CCA exam, and study until I get to take it. My teacher has been very helpful, and has given me all the necessary info needed to prepare myself for the exam. I can start trying to get a job pretty much any time. My brother, Rob, is looking at my resume for me. That's what he did for a long time, so he should be able to give me some good pointers. I'm so excited!

Peaceful vacation

We returned from Glen Cove yesterday. I spent 10 days there, and it wasn't nearly enough. The kids and I spent the first week with my parents, and our friend, Irene. Then, I came home for the women's meeting, and to get John. Jim, Laura, and Carlie Thompson came up for the last weekend. It was all so peaceful and wonderful. I love that place. Minnehaha Falls is right next to the cabin, so the kids spent most of their time playing in the creek. I grew up playing in this same waterfall, so it holds alot of great memories for me. We went to the county fair, watched WallE at the drive-in in Tiger, picked enormous blackberries at Orchard Farms, got fresh veggies from Osagee Farms and had them for dinner, had fabulous hot dogs and hot fudge sundaes at the Clayton Pharmacy, and went to the flea market, among other things. I wish we could have stayed longer!
But, alas, I only have one week left in my internship. I have to concentrate on getting the last of my assignments turned in. Hopefully, we will be able to go again soon!

That was so much fun!!

I just returned from an awesome women's meeting! We had about half an hour of worship, then everyone went off to various areas to play board games, do crafts, or exercise. My Jazzercise instructor, Loralee, came from North Augusta to do a demo Jazzercise class for us. It was wonderful! We had the room we were in packed from end to end, and, God bless those Alleluia ladies, they all were gung-ho about it. Not only did they join in the exercises, but they whooped and yelled at the top of their lungs. I think the best part for me was watching Loralee's face when she realized that every woman in the room was thrilled to be there. She said this was the best class she has ever taught in 20 years of teaching! I think we blessed her almost as much as she blessed us by coming. I have loved Jazz from the beginning, but I don't think I have ever left a class as energized as I did tonight. Thanks, Loralee! What a great night!

Fr. Ted

I haven't posted lately because our dear friend, Fr. Ted, was here visiting from Africa. He stayed with us for two weeks, which was a wonderful blessing for us. He is such a precious man, and everyone who knows him loves him dearly. He is a true servant of God. It was truly a pleasure for me to be able to serve him in little ways when he needed things; whether it be in doing laundry, cooking for him, or whatever other little task he set me to. He is always very concerned that he not put anyone out. I only hope that our home provided a place of much needed rest for him. Where he lives is very dangerous, and he doesn't ge alot of rest. Please keep him in your prayers.
He just left this morning, and the kids have already mentioned several times that they miss him. I understand what they mean. He's never stayed with us for that long before, and the house seems somewhat empty now without him.

George and Sophie

Here we have George and Sophie. They are, by far, the most entertaining pets I have ever had. We have had George for about a year now, and thought he might like a companion, so we got Sophie about a month ago. They have become fast friends, and spend most of their time chasing each other around the house, wrestling, and play fightning.
They definitely have their quirks. George can't leave a glass alone; he has to knock it over to see if something is in it. This also applies to vases, bowls, and anything else that can be tipped over. He also likes to see just how high up he can get, so he's constantly looking for new high places to conquer. Like the top of my china cabinet. His favorite seems to be the top of the entertainment center.
Sophie will eat until she's sick. I've never had a cat who's done that before. She will eat all her food as fast as she can, then go stick her face in George's bowl, and still follow you around crying for more. She also likes to watch tv. She seems to be enthralled with anything on the screen, watching every move.
I'm glad we decided to get Sophie. I was a little worried that George wouldn't like her, or that he would hurt her, since she was just a baby when we got her. But he adapted to her much faster than we expected, and now he actually bathes her when he thinks no one is paying attention. That's what he was doing in this chair with her, until we took out the camera. Then he quickly found something else to do.
It may seem a little weird to say that cats are jewels from heaven, but they are to me. They give me alot of joy. They are so much fun to have around, and I think God arranged for me to have THESE particular cats, just when I needed their antics.

Robby's 9!

I can't believe I haven't written about my handsome boy's birthday yet! Robby turned 9 on June 13. His birthday was drawn out a bit, since we had Father's Day the same weekend.
We took Robby to Harbor Inn for crab legs (his favorite) on Friday.
By Friday afternoon, we were on our way out to Mistletoe State Park to go camping. I must say, I was a little wary because of the heat, but God blessed us with fairly mild weather and low humidity. The kids had a great time swimming, playing on the playground, fishing, cooking over the campfire, and, of course, making smores.
We got up early Sunday morning to pack up and head back for church. After mass was lunch under our carport with John's family (FABULOUS steak).
Saturday was my brother, Rob's birthday, so we headed out to his house Sunday evening for a birthday/Father's Day party. We had a cookout and Rob, my Robby, and Dad exchanged gifts amid cake and ice cream.
It was an incredibly busy weekend, but I think after all was said and done, everyone had a good time.
I'm so proud of you, Robert! You have such a loving, kind spirit. You are growing up so fast. I love that you still go out of your way to come give me a hug. I love you!

Thank God for Mom!

Today, I will be going to Charlotte to pick up Fr. Ted, a missionary priest who currently lives in Africa. He has become a very dear friend, and a part of our family. He will be staying with us for the next two weeks (I'm so excited!).

The thing is, since school let out, I have been having an incredibly hard time keeping up with things. Having the kids home brings a whole new dynamic to the whole internship area, not to mention just daily tasks. I barely have time to buy groceries, much less finish my school work and clean the house.

This is where MOM comes in. Also known as Evelyn and Petie, but Nana to most. This is one incredible woman! She spends most of her time taking care of others, and those others include me. She saw that I had a need, and she came and took care of it. My house was a disaster area, and she took three different days this week to come help me. In fact, she ended up doing most of it because I was out running my kids all over town. And my house isn't exactly small, either.

Mom, Nana, wonderful woman that you are, I simply cannot thank you enough for all that you are and do for me. You aren't just my mom, you are one of my best friends. I love you so much! You are a jewel from heaven.

This has been a very interesting week so far. I had noticed recently that, every now and again, I would get a whiff of gasoline when close to my van. I could not figure out where it was coming from, and it concerned me, but I just couldn't pinpoint anything. On Monday, after having lunch with my mom, she smelled it too, and was trying to help me figure out where it was coming from. When I cranked up the van, she said she could see it dripping on the ground. So, I promptly called Rick, our local mechanic and all around wonderful Christian friend, who told me to bring it to him right away. He replaced the fuel filter, which was cracked, and all seemed well until the next day.
Tuesday, the plan was to take Mom's car to Rick to have the air conditioner charged, and I was going to pick her up there, at which time we would head out to the new Aqueduct park for a swim. As soon as I pulled up at the Peach Orchard Tire and Auto, gas started gushing out from under my van. And I mean gallons. I quickly cut the engine and got the kids out while Mom ran in to tell Rick. He and several of his mechanics piled out the front door in a hurry to make sure no one was in danger and get the mess cleaned up. The young man who had actually fixed it the day before was apologizing profusely. He was completely astounded at this development.
Well, it turned out to be something pretty simple. The clip that held the fuel lines into the gas tank had gotten stretched somehow, and the line popped out just when I pulled up in the parking lot. Thank God it happened right there, and not when we were at the Aqueduct park! It could have been a much worse situation, possibly very dangerous. God really protected us. Sometimes His guardian angels are in the form of mechanically inclined friends.

Kickin' it off right!

Today was the last day of school. Summer has officially arrived, and we started it off with a bang! This morning was spent at the school, spending time in each child's classroom, watching as they got rewarded for all their hard work. They got out at 11:50, and I took them to lunch at our favorite Mexican hangout, Veracruz, where we saw numerous friends and relatives who were also celebrating the start of summer.
Now, Rachel and Robby both have good appetites, but this was amazing! They consumed an outrageous amount of chips, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, and cheese dip before the rest of the food even got there. You would have thought they had not eaten for days. But, it WAS really good, so I can't blame them too much for being enthusiastic. And they thoroughly enjoyed talking to all their friends as they passed our table.
They spent the afternoon playing with friends. Rachel even got in the sprinkler with some of her friends in the neighborhood. As soon as she got home from that, John told her to put on her bathing suit to go swimming. The water was very cold, but they still enjoyed it. I think what they like best is coming home after playing hard in the pool and getting in a hot shower.
They had such a good day. Summer has arrived!

Discovery Place

Last Friday, I went on a field trip to Discovery Place in Charlotte with Rachel's class. It was a very fun day. The kids had such a great time! The girls all loved the thing that did this to them...
The other thing that was best loved was the Gizmotron. It's a little hard to describe, but you can see Rachel and others from her class working on it in this next picture. Essentially, there are beads in it that get moved through various tubes, and it takes at least 5 people to do it. It was a very good exercise in teamwork, and they did it for almost an hour before they got tired of it. They also had a very large dinosaur exhibit, and an Imax movie about dinosaurs. It was a long day, but well worth it. I really enjoyed spending time with Rachel, as well as fellowshipping with the other parents that went.

Moving Rooms

We had a very productive weekend. We spent pretty much all of Saturday switching the weight room with the boys' room. I love the progress we made. Robby and Matthew both seem to be very happy with the results, as well. The original plan was to make a space room for them, and we definitely will have that as a major element. We have a shelf shaped like a boat that will be converted into a space ship, and we already have a good start on solar system posters. However, it seems that the hobbits will be moving in as well. And John and the boys spent the evening painting pictures of Mount Doom and the Eye. So, I guess it's going to be Hobbits in space.

Happenings of Late

I am finally able to post pictures from Robby's play and Rachel's country report. They were both so good! Here is a picture of the three robbers from the Bremmentown Musicians talking. Robby was Curly. You can see the mustache and the hair the teacher drew on his arms. He had such a good time!

Rachel's report was on Austria. Her Aunt Kathy let her borrow this cute dirndl to wear. They lived in Germany for a few years, so they had some authentic clothing. Thanks, Kathy! Her cousin, William, to her right, did his report on Germany, Kathryn did Vietnam, and Jonathon did Italy. All of the kids in her class did an excellent job on their reports, and the costumes were all very authentic. I think the hit of the day, though, was a young man by the name of Caleb. He did his report on Egypt, and dressed like a mummy. Very cute!

This last weekend was my 12th anniversary. John told me to stay away for most of the day while her prepared the house. He rearranged things to make the house look like someplace else. He met me on the front porch with wine, and surprised me with a new porch swing. While we sat on the new swing, John's dad came up with bruschetta, which happens to be one of my favorites. Inside was candlelit, with music playing. A table for two was set up in the dining room. He showered me with gifts, including a dress, a necklace, and earrings. Dinner, made by his dad, was fabulous! Chicken marsala, pasta with homemade pesto, and veggies. Chocolate pie for dessert. We danced and ate, drank wine, danced more. We ended the evening by watching a movie. It was all very nice. Thank you, Papa, for the wonderful food. Yes, I am going to say thank you, John. But he wasn't done yet.

The next morning, he took me to see Iron Man. Absolutely fabulous movie! I would go see it again. Then, we went to have lunch, at Chili's; another favorite of mine. On the way home from that, he had one last surprise for me. He dropped me off for a massage at the home of a young lady by the name of Victoria Payton. Vicki just got her Licenced Massage Therapist certification, and she is very good at what she does. She even helped me with a painful area in my shoulder. It was very nice, indeed. So, thank you, John, for all that you did to make this weekend special. It was all very relaxing and enjoyable. It meant alot to me.

Sunday, we had Matthew's birthday party. He will be turning 5 tomorrow. We invited a few of his friends and grandparents for dinner, and then we had the rest of the family over for dessert. It was all alot of fun. Lord of the Rings was his chosen theme. As you can see, John made a wonderful mural of the hobbits for the boys to have their pictures taken with. And yes, Charlie does have his eyes crossed; a trick he is very proud to have learned recently.

I made two cakes: one of Hobbiton, and the other, Mount Doom, made of brownies. All in all, I think it turned out great. Matthew got this fabulous Gimli costume. I just had to post the picture. He's so darn cute in it!

Needless to say, the weekend was really busy, but it was also wonderful.

So much good news!

I know it's been almost 2 months since the last time I posted, but things have been really busy around here. At last, I am TOTALLY finished with my classes! I finished my last CPT class on the 13th, and I am completely shocked at my grade. I ended up with a 100 on the final, after the teacher went back and gave partial credit on some things. I got a 105 in the class! My teacher said that this is the first class she has ever taught that the whole class passed!

My internship starts on the 23rd, and being that it is all online, it will seem like another class, I suppose. But, if I decide to get a job, it will give me credit toward my internship! I think I will wait and see just how much work is involved in the internship before I get one, though.

In other news, I just talked to my mom, and she is on her way to get an infusion! There has been a big mixup with her insurance, and she hasn't been able to get one, even though she really needed it. But, praise God, today, everything has been cleared up, and she is on her way to getting better!

We took Matthew to the doctor this morning, about some behavioral concerns(nothing bad, just...different), and the doctor says he is doing very well, and the concern we had is a very common thing, especially in boys! I am so relieved!

Robby has a play coming up on Thursday. He will be Curly, a robber, in the Brementown Musicians. I will post pictures when I get them.

Rachel has a country report due on Wednesday. She has chosen Austria, since that's where John's family is from. I think she has done well on it, but there are still a few things to get together for it. Please pray that we can get it all accomplished on time.

I got back from New Mexico on Saturday. I went to visit my friends, Theresa and John, and family. They moved there 2 years ago, and I have only seen Theresa once since. NM is such a beautiful place! I had a really good time. They took me to some absolutely gorgeous spots, and it was nice to be somewhere with no responsibilities for a time. It was a very nice, and much needed, break. Thank you so much, John and Theresa, for letting me stay with you, and for taking such good care of me while I was there. It was wonderful to spend time with you again.

And to my husband, John, thank you for taking care of things while I was gone. I really appreciate the support, and the down time without worries.

Theresa has an adorable puppy, named Mejito. He is a teacup yorkie, and he's no bigger than a guinea pig. He spends most of his time with his tongue stuck out. So cute! Theresa says you can't even get teacup yorkies in NM. It's probably because the birds are big enough to carry him away, not to mention the mountain lions and bobcats.

I recently heard that our friend, Fr. Ted, will be staying with us for a week this summer. I am so excited! He is currently living in Africa, so we only get to see him once a year. It is always a blessing to have him in our home. He is Matthew's godfather (one of them), and we have always considered him family.

Please pray for John(my husband) this week. He has to have an endoscopy to dialate his throat, on Thursday. Pray that it is nothing, and for a quick recovery time.

The Tempest

Rachel's play was Friday morning, and it went great! The kids did a really good job. I was there most of Thursday and Friday morning to help get things ready. I helped the kids get dressed, and put makeup on all the girls. Rachel was so excited, and rightly so. She did a really good job as Ariel, even if it is me saying so. She made up her own tunes for the singing parts. She was a little disappointed that her back was to us in alot of the video, but it was still great.

Thank you, Mom, for the beautiful costume. Everyone has been asking me where I got it.

The first picture is of Rachel with her cousins, Jonathon, William, and Kathryn. The second is the whole class. The last is Rachel with her teacher, Mrs. Murrell.

Thank you, Mrs. Murrell, for all your hard work. I think this is one lesson the kids will always remember. They had so much fun!

Much needed prayer

Please pray for my mom. On Friday, when I last saw her, she was fine and dandy. By Friday night, apparently, she had come down with a horrible case of the flu. Dad says he hasn't seen her this sick since they had the Hong Kong Flu in '74. And that's saying alot, since she has an immune deficiency that causes her to catch things fairly easily. I'm so worried about her. I hate not being able to help her. Please pray that Daddy doesn't get it, either.
Lord, please heal Mom quickly. Help her stomach to settle, and her cough to lessen. Help her to rest peacefully, and regain her strength. Please keep Daddy healthy. Give them both the grace they need to get through this. Thank you, Lord, for your blessings and healing. Amen.

Thrilling!

I just finished taking my final for my CPT-4 coding class. I am SOOO excited! I am happy to declare an A in the class! This course has kicked my behind for the whole session, and I finally "got it"! I only have one class left and I will be finished with my courses. Then I will start a 4 month internship.
I am trying to decide whether or not I want to get a job before I finish my internship. If I do, some of my hours will be credited toward the internship. But I'm not sure if I can keep up with both of those and my family too. I guess I will wait until the internship starts and see how time consuming it is.
God has given me so much grace to do this. Thank you, Lord!

My 10 year old girl

My sweet Rachel turned 10 on Feb. 9. I haven't had much chance to write about it, but we had a great weekend. Her birthday always lands on the birthday weekend of our fair Community. So she had an extended celebration.
Friday night, there was the Community birthday party with games for the kids and cake and ice cream.
Saturday, Rachel's actual birthday, we had a women's prayer breakfast, and they called Rachel up on stage to sing to her. She looked super cute that day. We had curled her hair, and took extra time the night before to pick out an adorable outfit. She was so excited! That night, we had a Lord's Day Meal, and I made her a cake to have at our table.
Sunday, there was a Mass, then breakfast, then our Community's covenant signing. That evening, we had grandparents and godparents over for her family celebration. She asked for a book shelf and lots of books, which she got, and is currently spending every free moment devouring said books.
This weekend, we are having some of her friends over for a sleepover. I wish I could let her have all of them, but I know myself, and I just can't handle that big of a group. I limited her to 6. We will have pizza and karaoke, among other things. She is extremely ecstatic. Lucky girl, there's no school tomorrow, so we can spend the whole day preparing for her friends to come.
I plan to take lots of pictures, so I will post some after the party.
Thank you, Lord, for my wonderful girl. She is lovely, talented, imaginative, outgoing. I can't imagine my world without her.
I love you, Rachel!

Prayer Needs

My parents returned from Arkansas last night, where they were visiting some longtime friends. Mom has come home with a terrible cold. Her doctor says it's the same type of stuff everyone else is dealing with, but I still worry about her. She has in immune deficiency, and she tends to catch things, and hang on to them, a little more often than the rest of us. Please pray for her quick healing.
Also, my friend Patti's niece, Amanda, was in a terrible car accident at the end of January. I knew she was in bad shape, but I just didn't realize how bad. Amanda was thrown from the truck she was in, the truck rolled, severed a tree, and the tree fell on Amanda's abdomen. She can use all the prayers she can get. Patti has a blog, but for some reason I didn't think to look at it for updates until today. If your would like to know the details, go to http://www.mercydropsfalling.blogspot.com.
Another who needs prayer is our friend, Father Ted Hochstatter, who is a missionary priest in Africa. He lives right in the area where all the violence is happening over there. Please pray for his protection. He is a precious, wonderful man of God.
To anyone who reads this, thank you for your prayers!

Mia's baptism

Now that I have finally figured out how to post pictures, I can show you sweet little Mia. Pray for her. She has been very sick. Even after how careful Heather has been to try to keep her from getting exposed to things, she has RSV, an ear infection, and a throw up bug. Poor baby! I hate that I haven't been able to see her more, but my kids have been sick too, and I don't want to expose her to anything else if I can help it. These pictures are from her baptism. This one is of me with Mia. You can see her face really good in this one. And this one is of Paul and Heather, Mia, me, and Christina and Jeff. Christina is my niece, and she and Jeff are also Mia's godparents.

Pinewood Derby

Robby, and all the cub scouts in our community, had their pinewood derby last Saturday. I wasn't able to go to the first part of it because Matthew was sick, but John came home in time for me to catch the last part of it. It's always alot of fun. Loud, raucus, tons of kids, and parents yelling just as loud as the kids during the races. Robby won second place for his troop. I love his car. I think it's the best one yet! Congratulations, Robby! I love you, buddy!

Friday Night

I had such a great time Friday night! Heather, Holly, Andree, Jennifer, and Jen took me to Miyabi for dinner. The food was excellent! It was a little loud in there, so I had a hard time hearing those who weren't sitting right next to me, but it was still alot of fun. Afterwards, Heather, Andree, and I went to see 27 Dresses. It was very cute.
When Heather and I got home, I went in to her house to see Mia for a few minutes. She is sooo cute! She is smiling alot now. So sweet!
Thank you so much, my wonderful friends, for such a good time. I love you all!

What a blessed couple of days!

My birthday was wonderful! Tuesday, I was surprised to find my friend, Rachel, at my door, with her little cutie, Jacob. Her visit was short, but wonderful. Tuesday night, Papa made the BEST polenta I have ever eaten. And it was even better the next day. Mom made "the bowl" for me, which is always fabulous. I got pretty much everything I wanted, including spending time with my family, and even a few surprises. Jen was missed, since she had to work, but she's going out with me and the girls tomorrow night.
Wednesday was very relaxing. At Jazzercise, I tried desperately to work off the polenta and pudding from the night before. My instructor, Loralee, gave me a very cute Jazzercise tank top, and a plaque with a scripture on it, not to mention a low fat, low sugar chocolate pie that was very good. After that, I went home to relax. No studying, no cleaning, nothing. I even took a short nap with Matthew. My friend, Cecelia, made an impromptu visit, which I thoroughly enjoyed. That evening, we had a potluck at my house, with our support group. During the potluck, it actually snowed! It has never snowed on my birthday before! It was beautiful... short lived, but beautiful. The kids all went out and played in it for as long as possible.
Sadly, the snow was gone this morning. I just got back from shopping at Marshalls with the gift card I got from my parents, and having lunch with my Mom. I have started Weight Watchers, with the at-home kit that John got me as a birthday gift. And, yes, I did ask for that. He made sure that's what I wanted before he got it.
It's raining, which usually makes me feel sleepy and moody, but, not today. I am soaring on all the love poured out on me for the past few days. Thank you, my wonderful family. John, Mom, Dad, Papa, Mom Bea, Rob, Rachel, Robby, Matthew, Irene, Rachel C., Cecelia. I love you all so much.

New Year

Well, so far we are 11 days into the new year, and things really haven't slowed down any.
I just started another class. It sounds like it's going to be a challenge. The first thing my instructor said on the web site is "get ready for a rollercoaster". But after this one, there's only one more!
This weekend, we will be having Mia's baptism, and the reception is at my house. I can't wait! By the way, to see a picture of her, go to www.fullhouse1.blogspot.com.
I will be turning 34 next Wednesday. We are having my parents, John's parents, and my brother and sister-in-law over on Tuesday to celebrate. John's dad is making polenta conzalazol (spelling?) for me. My favorite! And my mom will make "the bowl" for me, which is my new favorite dessert. Lots of chocolate. I think I'm gonna have to not eat all day to be ready for all that!
Oh, and on my birthday, we are having a potluck here with our support group. Those are always fun!
Next weekend, Heather and some other friends will be taking me to Kurama for dinner. It's one of those places where they cook in front of you. I haven't been there for a long time, so I'm really looking forward to it.
Life is definitely busy, but I have so much family and friends who love me. So much to be thankful for. Thank you, Lord, for all the jewels in my life.