Christmas at the woods

Christmas Day evening we drove over the river and to the woods to my parents' house to spend the night and have Christmas together with my brother and his family. There are now 6 grandkids and we ha a wonderful time together. I am so thankful for family, even though we don't see each other all that much. Here us a picture of my parents with the grandkids minus the baby who is one week old. Carter gets his own picture this year. :)

Christmas time is here

We went out and found and cut down our first real tree today. We bought a real tree a few years ago but with the kids smaller we usually just put up our plastic tree. This year we got a great recommendation or a tree farm from our neighbors and decide to head out. Welcome Christmas!

Eight.

Happy birthday to the sweetest, most tender-hearted young man I know. Eight years old. Wow.
His favorites at eight:
Color: black
Movie: Avengers
Book: Kim Possible Cloned
Best Friend: Joshua
Subject in School: Math
Car: black Corvette
Hobby: rc cars
Character: Batman
Chore to help mom: wiping bathroom counters
Food: Pineapple Pizza
Candy: cookies and cream Hershey bar

Dog Days

The summer has finally settled down to some fun relaxing days just to start thinking about school again! Just to update, Jason is doing great. He's been able to get back to work now. We haven't really noticed any problems with the Crohns acting up, so that is great, but still just being cautious. School starts in just two weeks. I will be teaching history and science for 3rd-8th grade and PE, art & music for preK-12. Payton will be starting 3rd grade and Ashleigh kindergarten. Due to some recent developments it looks like Adi will be starting school this year too! Last Wednesday it was literally like a switch was switched and Adi comes up to me and tells me she wanted to wear underwear. Not really having done too much potty training with her, I was real hesitant but put a pair of underwear on her. Feeling like I needed to walk around with a drip pan under her, I was cautious about where she was playing (not on the CARPET!!) and asking every 15 minutes if she needed to go potty. To my surprise she told me every time she needed to pee. She had one poop accident but since then has been dry - even at night!! We will still give it another few weeks and as we feel ready, even up to the first day of school will sign her up if she continues on this path. I "think" I'm emotionally ready to have my baby be in school. I do know that after almost 8 years of buying and changing diapers, I am definitely ready to be a diaperless house!!

Jason update

It's now been 11 days that Jason has been in the hospital. 11 days of ice chips. 11 days of daily vampire visits (thats what Jason calls the nurses who take his blood for testing each day). 11 days of waiting and praying. I'm happy to report that he is doing much better. He is up and walking and finally got all the tubes out if him minus the PIC line that is feeding him his nutrients. The final diagnosis is Crohns Disease. So after 2 years of adjusting cooking to exclude flour in our house for my diet for Celiac Disease now we will have to watch fat intake and he will keep a food diary to record foods that cause flare ups. A chronic condition that has no cure, but something completely live able. So thankful for great doctors, nurses, and the prayer support. It's been a long couple weeks, and Jason will still have a long road of healing ahead.

Turning the tables

Life has a way of keeping us on our toes. Jason has been battling some stomach issues or possibly what he thought was a golf injury by not stretching enough. Sunday afternoon he had had enough and went to the ER. They did a CAT scan and found he had an abscess in his intestine. They admitted him Sunday night. The oldest two kids have day camp this week, so after dropping them off at the church for the day, I brought Adi to the hospital and spent the day with Jason. Shortly after 1 the doctor came in and had decided that surgery was gonna be necessary. The abscess was in the back of the intestines so the first plan of going in via radiology to drain it was not going to be possible. So plan b was to go laparoscopically and drain the abscess and see what else was going on and what needed to be fixed. Jason went back to surgery just after 4. I then traded Adi so she could get supper and a bath and join her siblings and I got a home cooked meal from our neighbors and waited. Just before 8 I met with the surgeon to hear how everything was and went. Jason had 6 inches of his small intestine removed that was diseased and as thick as a garden hose. He also had part of his colon removed and another section of bowel (it all came so fast so the details are already getting lost) repaired. I went back up to his room with our pastor who was waiting with me and made calls to family to let them know what was going on, and then a member of the nursing staff let us know that he wouldn't be staying on the surgical wing as planned but would spend the night in Critical Care. I finally got to see him just before 11pm and I spent the night with him here. It's always been me on the bed and him waiting and I hate seeing him so week and knowing close to the pain he is facing the next days and weeks as I've had the 3 c-sections and hysterectomy. Belly surgeries are amongst the worst. I am so glad to have such an amazing group of family and friends who step up and step in to take care of the kids and support us with prayers. They are so much appreciated. There are going to be many trying days ahead pain wise for Jason and budget wise for us as he won't be back at work for a while. But God has always shown his hand and carried us through and I know he won't drop us now.

Our Week in Prison

A week has gone by since the Returning Hearts Celebration at Angola, not a day has passed where I haven't thought about what a powerful weekend that was for everyone involved. It was another wonderful trip that will leave a lasting mark not only in the memories of those who were there, but lasting into the rewards of Heaven as well. From the official report from Awana there were 608 kids, 272 dads, and 175 guardians and 501 volunteers from 26 states, representing 156 local churches. The founder of Awana led one child to Christ, and we know of one guardian and a volunteer accepted Christ, but we could see the spirit moving throughout the barbed wire and chains of prison and I saw many dads being "free" for even just a few hours. Free to just be dad. I was working with a couple inmates on Thursday packing bags for each child containing local church information and other Awana goodies, and one inmate was telling me how much his daughter was looking forward to be able to come and spend time with her daddy again. He told me that every time he got a letter or was able to talk to her Returning Hearts was all she could talk about and was counting down the days til she could be with him again. Just hearing that story reminded me why we do this - for those kids. For those dads. For that few hours where there are no bars or wire or numbers. They are dads - bringing smiles to the faces of their children. A heartbreaking story came from an inmate who was ready and waiting for his 11 year old son to meet him for the first time. He was incarcerated just before his son was born and everything was all arranged that he was going to be able to meet him and spend the day with him. He had made a gift for his son too - a spongebob necklace with his son's name on it: Caleb. Saturday came and this inmate gets the news that there has been transportation issues and his son is not able to get from Texas to come meet his dad. I was in charge of the family photos and when I heard this story, I asked if I could take his picture with the necklace and then Awana would send the picture of him to his son with the necklace. We got permission and that's what we did. So even if Caleb couldn't be there, he could get a little momento and "see" his dad and prayerfully, Caleb and his father can meet next year at Returning Hearts.

I am so blessed that I was able to witness and be a part of such an amazing day in prison. That still seems such a strange phrase but it's true. An amazing day. It's also even more amazing to say I personally was blessed incredibly by the inmates and their heartfelt words, advise, and worship within the chapel walls of Angola. Yes these men have made a mistake. But we all have. Some just make the BIG mistakes and pay with their time and their life. But even locked up, they are not locked out of the love of Christ.

Next year, the Returning Hearts Celebration is set for May 17-18. Prayerfully consider coming with us. You will be blessed.

Sweetness

Payton is really starting to live up to his name. He is named after the Chicago Bears #34 Walter Payton whose nickname was Sweetness. Yesterday Payton made me this card after school:

Break for Spring

This past week has been out spring break and the kids and I were able to get out and enjoy some beautiful days outside. I have started an exercise regime of walking at least a mile a day and didn't break the stride this week. Helpful to know we can walk to the library and back and that is exactly a mile. That is a healthy walk. The one that isn't so helpful to know is the bakery is 1.15 miles one way, and Dairy Queen is 1.25 miles one way. The girls rode in the wagon and Payton rode his bike.

You look like a monkey

Happy 5th birthday Ashleigh!

I want to buy the world a Coke

Best laid plans... My weekend was supposed to be a trip out to the Rockford area to meet friends for lunch and then get two kids haircuts by another friend. Ashleigh had cut a chunk out of Adi's hair that others would tell me was not noticeable but as mommy it bothered me. The day started out well enough. I went with a teacher friend for coffee in the morning and then planned to head out. Well, as it turns out, that coffee run told me I wasn't going to go anywhere. Including all the way back home. On my way to Starbucks the radio turned off. I knew I wasn't going anywhere else. I headed back toward home and about a mile away from home my gauges flat lined and I pulled into the nearest parking lot and called the hubby for a rescue hr came and got the kids and I and jumped the van to get it home. Long story short, after 5 hours of wrestling with Dodge engine small spaces, 2 trips to Auto Zone to test the alternator (fine) and then the battery (fine), turns out all the can needed was a drink of Coke and an old toothbrush to clean off the corrosion on the terminals. I love my husband and how handy (and patient!) he is!

Happy birthday "smidge"

Adi turned 3 this past Friday. Happy birthday to my little angel!

Time for a commercial

I don't usually do this, but I received a calendar this year to journal a daily blessing. The calendar also has an ap (there's an ap for everything!!) for my iPhone so I started doing that too. The ap steps a step above the calendar challenging user to find 3 blessings a day so one can count 1000 blessings for the year. I can tell you now 35 days into this challenge it has completely changed how I view life and the daily grind. The ap also has a book -- okay, so the book came first, but for me this is the order I found them. -- and I recently have started reading that too. Triple blessing right there! It may be too pre to start journaling your 1000 blessings for the year, but if nothing else pick up the book and open your eyes to the many ways God is working in your life!

Grandpa Winston

My grandpa died January 8 at the age of 81. I told my mom I'd read something for his funeral this Friday. He had huge strong hands and thats one feature I'll always remember. I'm posting it here in memorandum.

Grandpa’s Hands
Grandpa’s hands have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent.
Grandpa’s hands wrote the letters home from halfway around the world
Grandpa’s hands have fought in war and laced up his Army boots.
Grandpa’s hands were decorated with his wedding band
that showed the world that he loved someone special.
Grandpa’s hands were uneasy and clumsy when holding each new daughter or son.
Grandpa’s hands trembled and shook when he and walked each daughter down the aisle.
Grandpa’s hands held tightly to the hands of his wife as he said goodbye to her.
Grandpa’s hands have held children, consoled neighbors,
and shook in fists of anger when he didn't understand.
Grandpa’s hands have covered his face, combed his hair, and held a cigarette.
Grandpa’s hands have been sticky and wet, bent and sore, dried and raw.
Grandpa’s hands have held him up and laid him down.
Grandpa’s hands are the mark of where he’s been and the ruggedness of his life.
Grandpa’s hands have worked the ground to provide for his family.
Grandpa’s hands have tended to houses to keep his loved ones safe.
Grandpa’s hands have wrapped around the arms of his grandchildren
as he hugged them with his arms so full of strength.
Grandpa’s hands have touched the face of an angel and the scars on the hands of Jesus
as he is now home with them again.

Toothless!

Payton lost his very first tooth (finally) yesterday. He was so excited, but the cutest part was as he was going to bed he had to make a sign for the tooth fairy so she knew where the tooth was. :)