The Current Chapter

Time with Mom

2011-08-11T18:49:00.000-04:00

I have SO enjoyed having my mother here these past 2+ weeks. Less than one week 'til she goes home. I'm also glad my recovery has been quick so we've been able to get out and go places. We had a day out with the boys and a day out with the girls. We're trying to get a day out with just the two of us. Not eating as well as I should with all our excursions, but I'll do better next week! I'm having virtually no pain and my stoma opening is healing VERY well. The surgeon only stitched it from the inside, so the outside slowly pulls together and won't get infected. I'll see him tomorrow for a check up.

I can't believe it's August already. Our summer just hasn't gone quite the way I'd hoped. We have gotten two camping trips in and we're hoping to get three more in before the end of October.

Home!

2011-07-27T14:36:00.000-04:00

The surgery only took 2 hours, so the doctor must've been including all the before & after time when he said 5 hours. I woke up well, with only a little nausea. Recovery was a thousand times better this time.

Last time my abdomen was full of infection so I had 3 bags of antibiotics hanging at one time. This time I only had one bag and I'm not sure they started another when it was empty. If they did, it was only once. Last time I was on morphine for 2+ days. This time I needed NO pain medication! What a blessing! The morphine caused nausea and really clouded my thinking.

I ended up coming home Sunday afternoon, two days earlier than I was told. Saturday afternoon The doctor said I could begin eating at supper and they'd cap my IV if I did okay. When he came back Sunday morning he said I was way ahead of schedule and could go home after lunch!

Sunday evening I became nauseous and had a low fever. The children had had a stomach bug the week I went in the hospital and I could tell this was a bug, not a surgery related issue. Since I was home 2 days early, my mom was not here yet so we planned on J's mom keeping 2 children each day, while I would keep SK, SR & LG on Monday and AB, TJ & LG on Tuesday. The older girl could help me out and my little LG is just good medicine herself ;) I felt it was time for her to be home with Mama! Since I got sick Sunday night J stayed home with us Monday & Tuesday. Monday night I finally had the worst of the bug and while I felt better stomach-wise on Tuesday, I was totally wiped out from the day before. I'm so glad he was here to take care of me :) His mom still took 2 children each day which made for a much quieter, calmer house (separating the two boys and the two older girls!).

Eating is coming along slowly, but it's coming. Today I feel as good as I did on Sunday when I came home! I'm glad I didn't get sick in the hospital, though! It's much nicer to be sick at home.

I haven't heard the results from the colonoscopy biopsy. I guess I'll have to call them. Next up is the post surgery check-up, then more blood work in September. I'll also have some genetic testing done to see if I'm at risk for this or other cancers or if this was a non-genetic case. If it is genetic, then I guess I have a much higher risk of recurrance and my children have a higher risk.

Right now, I'm glad to be on my feet and bag-less!

Second Surgery

2011-07-20T19:25:00.001-04:00

Checking in at 5:30am tomorrow. Surgery is scheduled for 8:00. I was told it's a 5 hour surgery. Maybe that will make up for my missing sleep :) I was also told to expect a minimum 5 day stay again. I won't be posting again 'til I get home.

My mom is due to come on the 26th and stay for three weeks. I'm glad to be prepared this time, but it's also given me time to think of things going wrong, too. I will miss my dear children the next few days. J will be with me in the morning and evening, but I probably won't see the children 'til Saturday.

Results

2011-07-13T20:32:00.000-04:00

All went extremely well. No polyps. There was an area of "irritation" that she took a sample of to have biopsied. One more week 'til my hospital vacation ;)

Colonoscopy Prep

2011-07-12T09:35:00.000-04:00

Nothing but clear liquids today. I prepared myself by just juicing yesterday. I'm choosing cucumber/celery/apple juice over jello, kool-aid, soda, broth, etc. (All things I don't like and are no good for anyone.) 6pm I get to drink some yummy stuff!!! Will find out later today exactly what time my colonoscopy is tomorrow.

Yesterday morning while searching online for some healthy clear liquid ideas I happened to come across some articles on the dangers of colonoscopy and the (sometimes long term) after effects. As often as I check into things before I do/take them (or give to/have done to my children), I had not even thought to look into this before. I knew there was a risk of perforation and that could be dangerous. The packet of information I was given didn't list ANY effects or complications other than perforation. They make everything sound hunky dory. I was fearful for a time after reading the things I did, but I know there's no need to fear. God is in control and it's all for His glory!

I'm trying to wrap up a lot of household stuff before I go back in the hospital next Thursday. Jeff's mother will be keeping three of the children and some friends will keep the other two. My mom will be flying in on the 26th; the day I (hopefully) get out of the hospital. I think this arrangement is going to work out very well, though Jeff will have to do some running to drop off and pick up all the children twice (he'll bring them home for the weekend and take them back Sunday evening). I'm glad we can at least be prepared for this hospital visit!!!

Maybe in my down time after surgery I can post some bday pics from the May & June celebrations and from our camping trips... I don't want to just post about all this medical stuff ;)

Second Oncologist Visit

2011-06-09T07:34:00.000-04:00

Had the "real" appointment yesterday morning with the oncologist that I wanted in the first place. I am SO glad I switched. She is a much better fit for me than the first doctor. I was not comfortable with him.

The results: My PET scan was clear and my CEA (blood work) was clear. While that's good news, there are always the unknowns. The PET scan will only detect a tumor of 5mm or larger and the CEA doesn't detect very early cancer growth.

The recommendation: The doctor still recommended preventative chemotherapy; 12 doses over 6 months. The reason is that there was a rupture and it was impossible to tell if it was a rupture of the tumor or the colon. If the tumor ruptured then there could be cancer cells spreading around my body. She cited a 16% three year recurrence rate among stage 2 patients with 12 clear lymph nodes. She said chemo could reduce that rate by half to two thirds. Statistically speaking, that's 4-8% vs. 16%. Of course my recurrence risk would be higher IF the tumor ruptured, which we can never know.

So, statistics vs. a real person... Statistically speaking J & I don't see a huge improvement in recurrence risk after chemo, though we can't know what those risks might be if the tumor did rupture. I would certainly be doing a lot of damage to my body by taking the chemo drugs. Some of that damage could be permanent.

Right now we are very comfortable following a life style change that includes eating raw foods. Some may call us irresponsible or naive, but we are confident that this is how God wants us to proceed. This is not something new we've just heard of, but something we've been learning about for years. If there are cancer cells present, I won't be giving them fuel to reproduce and I'll be building my body to fight them. As the doctor said, we have to make the decision that's right for us and then don't look back or second guess ourselves. If it's chemo, be committed to the entire course of treatment; if it's lifestyle change, do it 100%.

I will go back for more blood work and another CAT scan in September. I will probably have blood work done every 3 months and several more CAT scans. I'm told that if the cancer is going to come back it usually does so within 3 years. Our lifestyle change will continue for life. We've had the knowledge for years and we've talked it to death, now we're faced with a critical choice. Cancer turns out to be a "health opportunity" as some have said!

I am going to call the surgeon today to see if I can have my surgery on July 27th. I also have to determine when to get a colonoscopy: in the hospital right before surgery or sometime before that.

Thank you all again for keeping updated, praying, and your kind words of encouragement. The love and support from everyone has really helped our family through this.

The Doctor Visit That Wasn't

2011-06-03T18:11:00.000-04:00

I was supposed to have an oncologist visit yesterday afternoon, but somehow it got deleted or something. They had no appointment scheduled at all. Now I have an appt. for the 8th.

Last week I had a PET scan and some blood work done. Since I didn't see the oncologist yesterday they were going to have a nurse call me today with those results. That didn't happen either and I didn't call the office until almost 4:00 and they were closed. So, I know nothing ;)

Anyway, I'm feeling great. I've tried many new recipes, most delicious, but some not-so-much. I did go out to my favorite Chinese buffet last night for my birthday, but it wasn't as wonderful as it always was. I think my tastes are changing. I've heard that happens when you're eating raw foods for a while.

I also got to have a great conversation with a fairly new Christian lady who took my blood last week. God just has neat blessing around every corner!

Thanks for reading and keeping up with me. I'll post my test results when I know them. I'll probably just wait for my visit next Wednesday.

Non doctor related news...

We had several terribly hot days, but the weather broke and yesterday and today were just perfect: about 80 degrees and breezy! We got to work in the garden and pull weeds in the flower bed last night. This weekend I hope to get some mulch down.

J is trying to finish up a few cars he has to work on and then take a few weeks off from the extra work. We have our first camping trip planned for Father's Day weekend. I'm really looking forward to camping again!

The Oncologist

2011-05-10T21:08:00.000-04:00

Briefly: The visit went better than I expected. He commented that several things were good: my bloodwork, the clear lymph nodes, clear nerves surronding the tumor... He said he may not recommend any chemo at all. Now I go for a PET scan for any active cancer and a CEA blood test that measures a certain protein in the blood of cancer patients. He would also like to test for genetic markers to get an idea of the risk of reoccurance. I will go back on June 2nd.

The only down side to the visit is that this was not the doctor I wanted to see and he seemed a little pushy; saying "he" would determine the treatment to cure the disease. At the very end he did say that treatment would be up to J & I.

All in all, though, some good news. So here we go with all the tests :/

A New Chapter

2011-05-06T09:46:00.001-04:00

Looking forward to a "new normal", though it's going to take some time.

Mom went home on Tuesday. Please keep her in your prayers. She had a cold or something before she left; congestion and a low fever. After she got home she went to the doctor who gave her breathing treatments (she has asthma), antibiotics, Allegra, and prednisone. I was very thankful she was feeling good on Sunday, because we took her and J's mom out for an early Mother's Day brunch. I did partake in the food myself. I considered it my farewell dinner! It was a wonderful afternoon. The restaurant was beautiful, and the food was delicious.

Yesterday my mother-in-law kept the children while I went to the dentist, bank, hospital, and two natural food stores. Then J & I had a few hours for a date :) That was the longest we've been alone (out of the house) in a l-o-n-g time. I'm actually thinking we need to go away for a weekend for our anniversary this year. That would be the first time we've ever left the children more than 24 hours.

I've been reading so much about nutrition and health these past weeks. I keep seeing the same theme: juice, raw fruits and vegetables. Simple; sort of. I've collected several raw food recipe books and I'm looking forward to trying things. Our friends have lent us a juicer and we've been juicing more regularly. We've ordered our own juicer and dehydrator. A dehydrator works at low temperatures so the enzymes in the foods are not destroyed. My change in diet may not only prevent cancer later, but prevent any current cancer from growing. I just read that the 5 year survival rate for stage 2 colon cancer is 60-80%. That's not good enough! I want to be cancer-free for a lifetime. I want that for my whole family!

This next week is going to be a busy one. I've got to get a lot of work done in the basement; clearing out "stuff" so I can have room to get out the summer clothes and wrap birthday presents. I also need to get ready for the homeschool convention next Friday. Two weeks ago I didn't know if I'd be up for the convention, but I am feeling great. The convention is like a day at an amusement park for me! I can hardly contain myself, lol!

Tuesday J & I will go see the oncologist. It's not the one I wanted to see, but in the same practice. The one I want to see is out until the end of June. My naturopath works with her. The oncologist is supposed to schedule a colonoscopy before my next surgery. My surgeon said it could be done right before the surgery. That would be nicer, I think.

I am SO hoping I can manage to declutter the house before my next surgery (hopefully July 27th). It will be even more of a challenge to get that done while I'm spending much for time prepare new foods and continue schooling the children. At the very least I will be better prepared for a week away from home this time!

Thank you for your prayers for our family! We have been blessed by cards, phone calls, visits, meals, flowers and other gifts. What a blessing to be part of God's family!

Thank you for the valley.

2011-04-28T16:32:00.000-04:00

Thank You for the valley I walked through today.
The longer the valley, the more I learn to pray.
I found You where the lilies were blooming by the way.
So I thank You for the valley I walked through today.

Thank You for every hill I climbed,
For every time the sun didn't shine.
Thank You for every lonely night,
I prayed 'til I knew everything was alright,
And I thank you for the valley,
I walked through today.

Life can't be all sunshine, or the flowers would die.
The rivers would be deserts, all barren and dry.
Life can't be all blessings, or there'd be no need to pray.
So I thank You for the valley I walked through today.

Thank You for every hill I climbed,
For every time the sun didn't shine.
Thank You for every lonely night,
I prayed 'til I knew everything was alright.
And I thank You for the valley,
I walked through today.

Follow up appointment.

2011-04-26T19:08:00.000-04:00

Saw my naturopathic doctor yesterday and got a lot of good information and nutritional advice, along with some supplements. He works with Cancer Treatment Centers of America. I am not supposed to eat any sugar, corn, potatoes, pasta, bread, or grains. Does that rule out the Chinese buffet for my birthday ;)

J & I saw the surgeon tonight for a follow-up. He said I can schedule my second surgery 3 months and 1 minute after the first one, lol! He went over the pathology report. The tumor had not penetrated the colon wall. All margins were clear. They believe, though can't be certain, that the colon ruptured above the tumor. Since it was too difficult to tell they want to treat it as a ruptured tumor. I will also have a colonoscopy before the second surgery. He said I should be in the hospital a minimum of 5 days again.

The children are doing well and I think J is caught up on his sleep. My mom is working on some new curtains for the girl's room before she goes home.

Next up is an appointment with an oncologist. We've chosen one, but don't have a date set yet.

Cancer

2011-04-22T11:11:00.002-04:00

On Sunday, April 10^th, I went into the hospital with severe abdominal pain. I had spent Friday and Saturday in bed with a low grade fever and occasional cramping. Sunday morning I felt better, but in the afternoon the pain returned suddenly, only much worse, and my fever went up. I had never experienced pain like that and began to think it could be my appendix. I called my doctor, who agreed, and went to the emergency room. After hours of blood tests and CT scans it was determined I had diverticulitis that had ruptured. I was scheduled for surgery the next morning. Before the surgery the surgeon told me he would take about 10” out of my colon and I would have to have a colostomy for three months, until a second surgery to reattach my colon after everything had had time to heal.

After the surgery the doctor said he’d removed an inflamed mass from the colon that would be sent to pathology to determine why it had ruptured. When the lab report came back we found it was not diverticulitis, but the mass he has removed was cancer. The colon had ruptured. Thankfully, the twelve lymph nodes that were taken out with the tumor were all negative, so the cancer had not spread. Because my colon ruptured, however, he said I would probably be treated as if the tumor itself had ruptured since they didn’t know about any spillage.

At this point I don’t know any more than that. I will go see the surgeon again next week and an oncologist a few weeks after that.

I was released from the hospital Saturday, the 16^th, which was earlier than we expected. I have no physical restrictions except on lifting. I am still feeling the effects of all the IVs, but am getting around fairly well. My mom came to stay the day after surgery. She will be here a total of three weeks. She has managed/is managing the household very well! I’m so thankful for that. We are also blessed by many meals from friends and family.

Right now I am changing my diet, reading, and talking with people who have been down this path. Jeff & I will have many decisions to make in the coming months. I covet all your prayers, especially for him. He has gotten worn down over the last week.

From the first day in the hospital I have been privileged to see God’s hand at work in so many things I can’t begin to count them. I am so thankful for this opportunity. So often we don’t even recognize the ways that God is working in our life. We may go about thinking everything’s on autopilot when it’s not ! God is in control all the time and he is working everything together for HIS glory and for the good of those who love Him.

"Where Were You?"

2010-09-14T10:28:00.002-04:00

That is the question many people ask about 9-11.

September 11, 2001 I was getting ready to make my weekly grocery store trip with my one year-old daughter. I did laundry on Mondays and went to the grocery store on Tuesdays. Just as I was getting ready to walk out the door J called from work. He asked if I had the news on. That was an odd question. Of course I wasn't watching the news... did he think I watched TV and ate bon bons all day? Not to mention it was late morning and the news wasn't even on. He told me to turn it on and said something about the world coming to an end. A bit dramatic I thought. I really didn't want to turn the news on. I was ready to walk out the door. I didn't want to sit down. Besides, I had something else on my mind. I was going to buy a pregnancy test at the store.

But I sat down in front of the TV... and watched... I didn't know what to make of it, but it was a tragedy of a magnitude I had never witnessed in my lifetime. Of course as the days and weeks went on and I saw and heard more, it became even bigger.

I watched for about an hour that morning then went on to the store. It was rather surreal because I was carrying out my normal activity while so many people were living something so horrible. Here I was in a grocery store... Not only that, I was considering the possibility of a new life while all those people were dealing with a death toll we couldn't imagine.

The test was positive. 9-11 was the day I found out I was pregnant with my second daughter. It was a day of healing for me. You see, in February of that year I had gotten pregnant. SK was just 13 months old. I freaked. She was just beginning to walk and talk. It was such a fun time. I felt like I was just getting into the swing of this parenting thing. My little girl was really communicating with me now and we were having so much fun together. She was my little buddy. I held her tight, crying that I was going to lose something with her. Of course it never crossed my mind that this new baby wouldn't come for another 9 months! I literally laid face down on the floor and bawled like a baby because I thought I was going to lose this special closeness we had. Through my weeping I asked God to forgive me for my selfishness. I knew in my head that this child was a blessing, but I was simply selfish of my bond with my first daughter. Over the next few months I came to grips with the thought of another child. Of course I wanted a sibling for SK, I just hadn't wanted one so soon. Then, I actually became very happy that we were having another baby (there's a reason pregnancy lasts 9 months!).

Just when I was happy and excited; looking forward to another child, I miscarried. Oh, the guilt I felt. I had not been thankful for this blessing. I had not trusted in God's sovereignty. No, I'm not saying that God took that baby to punish me, but it brought to light my selfishness and my desire for control. Somehow I thought I knew what was best.

This 9-11 I am thankful to have four more blessings to care for. We've experienced more miscarriages too, which just strengthen my knowledge that God is in control. James 4:13-16 comes to mind: Now listen, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money." Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." As it is, you boast and brag. All such boasting is evil. J & I tried to plan and time "our family" just like WE wanted it. We were proud. Through births and losses we have learned to trust God for his plan. No, we're not perfect. This is just one area of life. We still have many areas that we're holding on to; trying to control. We have a lot of growing to do. Actually, it's a lot of shrinking ;)

Just for Fun

2009-12-02T09:10:00.002-05:00

I'll post something "real" soon, but I had to pass this on!

After I retired, my wife insisted that I accompany her on her trips to Target. Unfortunately, like most men, I found shopping boring and preferred to get in and get out. Equally unfortunate, my wife is like most women - she loves to browse. Yesterday my dear wife received the following letter from the local Target.

Dear Mrs. Samuel,

Over the past six months, your husband has caused quite a commotion in our store. We cannot tolerate this behavior and have been forced to ban both of you from the store. Our complaints against your husband, Mr. Samuel, are listed below and are documented by our video surveillance cameras.

1. June 15: Took 24 boxes of condoms and randomly put them in other people's
carts when they weren't looking.

2. July 2: Set all the alarm clocks in Housewares to go off at 5-minute intervals.

3. July 7: (too icky to repeat)

4.. July 19: Walked up to an employee and told her in an official voice, 'Code 3 in Housewares. Get on it right away'. This caused the employee to leave her assigned station and receive a reprimand from her Supervisor that in turn resulted with a union grievance, causing management to lose time and costing the company money.

5. August 4: Went to the Service Desk and tried to put a bag of M&Ms on layaway.

6. August 14: Moved a 'CAUTION - WET FLOOR' sign to a carpeted area.

7. August 15: Set up a tent in the camping department and told the children shoppers he'd invite them in if they would bring pillows and blankets from the bedding department to which twenty children obliged.

8. August 23: When a clerk asked if they could help him he began crying and screamed, 'Why can't you people just leave me alone?' EMTs were called.

9. September 4: Looked right into the security camera and used it as a mirror while he picked his nose.

10. September 10: While handling guns in the hunting department, he asked the clerk where the antidepressants were.

11. October 3: Darted around the store suspiciously while loudly humming the 'Mission Impossible' theme.

12. October 6: In the auto department, he practiced his 'Madonna look' by using different sizes of funnels.

13. October 18: Hid in a clothing rack and when people browsed through, yelled 'PICK ME! PICK ME!'

14. October 21: When an announcement came over the loud speaker, he assumed a fetal position and screamed 'OH NO! IT'S THOSE VOICES AGAIN!'

And last, but not least:

15. October 23: Went into a fitting room, shut the door, waited awhile, then yelled very loudly, 'Hey! There's no toilet paper in here.' One of the clerks passed out.

The last days of Saturn: "A different kind of company; A different kind of car"

2009-11-05T06:02:00.007-05:00

Our Saturn retailer will be closing Friday. It's hard to believe J has just two days left. Saturday night as we sitting together it dawned on me that this was his last week. I said "Wow, it just hit me; you only have 5 days left at Saturn." He said "Yeah." and there was a long pause. I said "It's really surreal." to which he replied "That's just the word I was thinking of.".

I know Saturn isn't an American icon that's been around for 75 or 150 years, but it's been a huge part of our lives. August marked 15 years with the company. It is very surreal to imagine such a big change.

I also know that we have had it much better than so many people who have lost their jobs. Not only did J have an offer to stay with the company, but he had 7 other possible opportunities! We were praying fervently for direction and I know we had friends and family praying for us as well. One by one 7 of the 8 possible directions he could go in fell down the list of feasibility then dropped off all together. At the same time, one direction climbed to the top and was left as the only one. We prayed for clear direction and God granted it. We are very thankful for that.

J has offered to help with the closing of Saturn next week if he is needed. He will start his new job Monday, the 16th. It is about 7 miles further and the hours are a little longer. He will also be working on things he hasn't worked on in 15 years and some things he's never really worked on like pick-up trucks and Corvettes. He will bring a large following from Saturn which we believe will help his paycheck. It is a benefit to a GM dealer to be able to advertise they have a trained Saturn tech now. Your continued prayers are appreciated as he begins this new venture. He says he's going to be "stretched" and "out of his comfort zone". At the same time he has been very excited after his talks/interviews with the owner and the service manager.

If he isn't needed all next week at Saturn, J plans on taking a day to ride his dirt bike with his buddy and another to go catfishing with his dad. I'm hoping they don't need him much so he can have some days at home, too. It will be kind of like a vacation. He does have 7 days of vacation left that he will get paid for.

Below is a letter from the owner to Saturn customers (bolding mine): http://www.saturnoflancaster.com/MiscPage_2 What makes it sad, I believe, is that Mr. Sutliff was involved with the development of Saturn, was it's first retailer, and his 5 stores consistently ranked top.

Saturn was "A different kind of company; a different kind of car". I believe they would've remained that way and continued to profit if GM had kept their fingers out of it, but that's another story.

The letter:

GM Dealer of the Year 2007
Sutliff Saturn Inc.
Sutliff Chevrolet Co.

Dear Saturn Owner,

Perhaps you were as disappointed as we were when the news appeared that new Saturn Products were terminated.

Some of us think it was an error of judgement, some might say it was the result of errors in judgement. It is true that over the years, the Saturn product zigged when it might better have zagged.

Sutliff was involved with the development of Saturn. Business practices of Sutliff Chevrolet were, to a certain extent, models for Saturn business practices. When the time came, we were the first signed Saturn Retailer. Our five stores in Central Pennsylvania were arguably the most successful anywhere in terms of market share. Our stores ranked in the top five Saturn retailers in volume. Often when stores were ranked by percentage of objective, Sutliff Saturn stores were 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Our new sales since opening in 1991 will reach 48,000 by this year end.

In 2008, General Motors recognized the best 1% or so of their 2007 dealers at the most recent Dealer of the Year presentation in New York City. Both Sutliff Saturn Inc. and Sutliff Chevrolet Co. were among the honorees.

Nationally, however, Saturn was not able to maintain competitive volume after the Ion was cancelled.

Sutliff Saturn will remain open in the Harrisburg area no longer than October 2010. Lancaster, York, and State College will cease operations as Saturn stores before the end of this year. Saturn technical service and parts availability will continue well beyond that time in our other GM stores in Harrisburg and State College as well as other GM stores possibly nearer to you.

Sutliff Auto Group expects to be operating GM stores in Harrisburg's East and West Shores and State College this fall, all of which will welcome Saturn owners with experienced Saturn service advisors and technicians. Our new automobile portfolio will include Chevrolet, Buick, GMC, and Cadillac as well as other brands.

Greg Sutliff

A Job Update

2009-10-10T07:36:00.003-04:00

As some of you know, GM was going to sell Saturn to Roger Penske, but the deal fell through last week. GM said it would not go back to taking bids and would shut Saturn down. When the news came out, Mr. S (the owner of the local Saturn Retailer) expressed that he would keep his store open as long as he could pay the bills, pulling cars from the other stores to sell. We knew this could mean a few weeks or a few months at most.

J was told yesterday that his Saturn store will be closing no later than the end of the year. It could be much sooner than that, of course.

There is a BMW dealer that has contacted Mr. S about buying the building to move his BMW dealership in. That could hasten the closing.

I believe Mr. S would like to buy another dealer franchise in the area, but there are none available right now. There are rumors that two local owners have been considering selling, though. If that were to happen, he could bring another franchise into the building.

J has been asked if he would be interested in staying with the company if a position were to become available in Harrisburg (Mr. S owns other dealerships). It would be a 45+ minute commute, but he would retain his tenure and benefits. He's been with the company 15 years and they've been good to him. He is valuable with more training, experience, and ASE certifications than other techs.

At this point J plans on riding it out and being "the last one to turn the lights off at Saturn". It brings tears to my eyes thinking about it. He is very sad about the closing. J admired the Saturn car since it came out. He said they were well designed and made logically so they'd be easy to work on, not complicated like other cars. When I saw an ad in the paper that they needed a tech I pushed him to go apply. For some reason, he didn't think he had a chance to get in. I said "This is what you wanted. You have to go." and he finally did. He's been with them 15 of their 19 years. It was sad when GM took over Saturn. The car changed, the company changed. It was built differently and became just like other cars to work on. But the family at the Saturn store remained. We have had good years with them and it will be especially sad for J to see everyone go their separate ways. He has said he's not worried about what comes next, just dissapointed that Saturn will be no more.

J has an idea in his head to open a Saturn service center. There are so many huge things to consider with that, but he says he just can't stop thinking about it. He would be able to buy some of the equipment from the store. We don't know if this is where God is leading, but it's on his mind.

If he stays to the end, J will be "laid off" (if he doesn't/can't go to Harrisburg). He was told that if he comes back to work for the company within a year he will retain his tenure and benefits as they are now.

Thank you for your prayers.

Seventeen Years!

2009-10-10T07:24:00.004-04:00

At 7:14 this evening J & I will have been married 17 years. It was a 14 minute service :)

Winning the War Over Worldliness

2009-10-10T07:14:00.007-04:00

A great sermon series from James MacDonald. It can be downloaded or listened to free- probably through the weekend.

http://walkintheword.com/Broadcast.aspx halfway down the page.

Two other awesome sermons are Reality Check for Husbands and Reality Check for Wives. So worth the time to listen to. They're $3 for an MP3 download.

http://store.walkintheword.com/p-962-reality-check-for-husbands.aspx

http://store.walkintheword.com/p-961-reality-check-for-wives.aspx

A thousand words are worth a picture.

2009-09-23T21:06:00.005-04:00

I can't tell you how many pics were taken on this morning! These are dresses I made for the girls. I'll have to get a full length pic of them... someday, lol! Click on the pic to make it bigger if you want a better look at the gang. Yes, SR needed a haircut. He got one, too.

Very briefly...

2009-09-10T07:38:00.005-04:00

Let me start by saying I will try to get some pics posted very soon!

We're going camping today. It will be LG's first camping trip, not counting our camping trip on her due date ;) It's supposed to be rainy and chilly today, but nicer the rest of the weekend. We are camping next to a (very shallow) creek. Hopefully the water isn't too cold by now to wade in. Last year we went this same weekend and it was much warmer.

TJ is doing great with his math. He just gets so excited to do it he doesn't want to stop for the day. He's also doing well with reading, though I haven't kept at it like I wanted to. I wanted to be finished with "the book" before starting kindergarten. He started his new class in church this past Sunday and he's so excited. We gave him his own bible and if you know him, you can picture how he was bouncing around with excitement. Nothing holds that boy down!

This weekend both TJ and AB got the training wheels off their dirt bikes. They were all riding for HOURS on Labor Day! I can't believe they can ride that long. I'm afraid we're going to wear the grass down to dirt in some spots.

LG is growing, smiling, trying her best to talk. I could just eat her up. She is in a wonderful routine now. She's going to bed about 10:30 and usually waking between 6 and 6:30 to nurse, then going right back to sleep 'til 10:30! I always go back to sleep, too. The other dc have been sleeping 'til 8:30 this summer. This morning I was awake at 6 and LG wasn't... and still isn't at 8:00! She's never slept this long! I'm sure she won't sleep quite so well this weekend while we're camping!

I've been sewing some things the last 6 months. First I sewed the girls some matching dresses. I'm attempting to modify some of my dresses so I can nurse in them, and I've played around at sewing a dress for myself. Last week I made TJ some flannel pajama pants. He had picked out the fabric quite a while ago. It's got helicopters on it. He was SO excited. Of course he wanted to wear them all day. I've got enough fabric to make another pair, plus I have some race car flannel to use. Saturday I decided to make a dress for LG to match the other girl's dresses. I went for simplicity... I took a little summer top that buttons over the shoulders and traced it on some big paper. I lengthened it to be as long as one of her gowns. I cut out my own pattern and managed to make a dress that can go over a onsie. I didn't have time to make button holes (I wanted to put it on her for Sunday) so I just put some hook and eyes on the shoulders for now. I'll go back and put buttons on the shoulders and trim to match the other dresses. I was happy with it, though it's no professional job. I'll post some pics of everyone... soon, I hope!

Meaningful...

2009-08-20T14:36:00.005-04:00

We sang this on Sunday.

"God of My Days" from Gateway Worship

You awaken my heart from slumbering
Meet me in mourning, and You speak to my grief
You're the light in my darkness, the delight of my eyes
The hope of the daybreak when the sun's slow to rise
I trust that every moment's in Your hands

You're the God of my days, the King of my nights
Lord of my laughter, sovereign in sorrow
You're the Prince of my praise, the love of my life
You never leave me, You are faithful, God of my days

You unveil my eyes, help me to see
The arms of my Father encircling me
You're a constant companion, I am never alone
Your love is the banner that's leading me home
I trust that every moment's in Your hands

You're the God of my days, the King of my nights
Lord of my laughter, sovereign in sorrow
You're the Prince of my praise, the love of my life
You never leave me, You are faithful, God of my days

My eyes are on You, my hope is in You
My faith is in You
My eyes are on You, my hope is in You
My faith is in You

God of my days, the King of my nights
Lord of my laughter, sovereign in sorrow
You're the Prince of my praise, the love of my life
You never leave me, You are faithful God of my days

Here's another song that's really meant a lot to me.

Blessed Be Your Name by Matt Redman

Blessed Be Your Name
In the land that is plentiful
Where Your streams of abundance flow
Blessed be Your name

Blessed Be Your name
When I'm found in the desert place
Though I walk through the wilderness
Blessed Be Your name

Every blessing You pour out
I'll turn back to praise
When the darkness closes in, Lord
Still I will say

Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your name
Blessed be the name of the Lord
Blessed be Your glorious name

Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's all as it should be
Blessed be Your name

Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, blessed be Your name

I think these songs have special meaning to me because of my miscarriages. As the second song says, "there's pain in the offering". I want to offer all my children to God for His service. J and I have left our childbearing in God's hands, and there has been pain in that offering. I know others have experienced far worse pains in their lives, but for me, this is the worst I know so far. He gives and takes away... and I will bless His name.

I remember the first time we sang Blessed Be Your Name. We sang the first lines:
Blessed be Your name
When the sun's shining down on me
When the world's all as it should be
Blessed be Your name
and I thought, "Yes, God is good".

Then we sang the second lines:
Blessed be Your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there's pain in the offering
Blessed be Your name
and after a pause I realized how often we forget to praise Him in our suffering.

I CAN praise Him because I KNOW he is good and faithful and he will work my suffering for good.

I am really tired of the word "sexy".

2009-08-05T10:22:00.004-04:00

Now we have a toilet paper commercial where a puppy is talking about being sexy!? What does that have to do with tp and why do the advertisers think it necessary?

We're trying to teach our daughters that they don't need to wear make-up, jewelry and perfume or dress in the latest fashions and hair styles to be beautiful. Everywhere they're bombarded with the opposite.

There is almost nothing on television that we allow our children to watch. Something we think is safe suddenly takes a turn and we don't know it's coming. When we do allow them to watch something we always turn it off during commercials.

There are a few shows J & I watch, but when I see things that I would not want my children to see it's hitting me harder and harder. It's too easy for them to walk in the room and see something I don't want them to. Some days I want to get rid of the tv all together. We do have some uses for it, though, so I doubt we'll ever get rid of it.

I'm an information junkie.

2009-08-05T09:57:00.003-04:00

That can be a bad thing, of course, but I love learning about things. Well, certain things anyway.

I just got a few new books that I'm reading through: Mother Food: A Breastfeeding Diet Guide with Lactogenic Foods and Herbs - Build Milk Supply, Boost Immunity, Lift Depression, Detox, Lose Weight, Optimize a Baby's IQ, and Reduce Colic and Allergies http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0979599504/ref=ox_ya_oh_product, and The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316017507/ref=ox_ya_oh_product.

They have been very interesting and informative so far.

I also got The Breastfeeding Mother's Guide to Making More Milk, which I haven't started yet http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/007159857X/ref=ox_ya_oh_product.

I've got plenty of milk for LG and she's gaining very well, better, I think, than my other babies did. But while my babies have always been content, they seem skinny compared to some. I'm not looking for a fat baby, but I have seen that when I pump there's not a lot of fat on top of the milk. The book I'm reading addressess that.

TJ got some money for his birthday and he wanted another Where's Waldo book. They don't print them any more so I ordered him a used copy along with my books. He is really into I Spy books, too. I found several new I Spy books at a closeout store and gave them to him for his birthday. He was thrilled. He wanted to get the next Waldo book, too. He can look at them for an hour it seems. It's a rare time that he isn't moving! I'll have to get a picture.

Here she is!

2009-07-31T10:09:00.020-04:00

If you just want pics, skip to the end. It looks like you have to click on the pics that look like there's only half there to see the whole pic. For those that like to read birth stories proceed :)

We went to the church camping weekend June 18th-21st . We had a great time. Everyone there thought I was nuts for camping on my “due date”, but I’ve never had a baby on or before my edd so I wasn’t worried at all. I joked that I just needed two days afterwards to get all the camping laundry done. It had rained and it was muddy so in addition to the usual extra dirty camping laundry there were lots of towels and extra wet and/or muddy clothes.

I got my two days: exactly two days! I actually got the laundry started Sunday evening after we got home and finished on Monday. Tuesday I got some other loose ends tied up.

Wednesday morning I was awakened at 7am by a contraction. I had been having Braxton Hicks, which I had never had before, for a week and a half. This one was real, though. I went back to sleep until 8:30 with two more contractions during that time.

Contractions continued all morning and afternoon, but they were very mild and I was only having about four an hour. I finally called my mw, Pam, around 2:00 and she sent the birth assistant, Debby (another mw,) out to check me. I think Debby got here about 2:30-2:40 and she said I was at 5cm. I was shocked! Pam has a student mw (Heather) working with her right now so Debby called her to come out, too. She got here sometime after 3:00. This is the time I always feel silly; I have these ladies in my house just waiting for me to do my thing. I feel like I’m wasting their time, though I know it’s their job. Debby or Heather would check my blood pressure and the baby’s heart beat every half hour. Other than that they were taking care of paperwork, eating their supper, reading a book, or catching a little nap. The children and I were carrying on our business.

About 4:30 the contractions started coming more frequently, but they were still very erratic; 5, 8, 12, even 20 minutes apart. It stayed like that all the way to delivery- very odd. They never got very strong either.

I’m not sure what time Pam got here. She had been at a hair appointment earlier and would call in to see how I was progressing. I think she got here around 6:00, but I wasn’t really paying attention!

I was kind of playing the waiting game on whether or not to call my mother-in-law to come down and hang out with the children. The way things were going I didn’t want to give her a heads-up call and have her wait for hours in worry for the “come now” call. It turned out we were able to put the children to bed shortly after 9:30. Sometime after 10:30 I was finally at 9.5 cm and I told Heather, the student mw that she could break my water. The contractions didn’t come much quicker, but they were stronger. I had three painful contractions and then one big LONG push. Baby’s shoulder was stuck and I had to pull my legs way up then she was out. Daddy caught her and rubbed her back until she started to cry.

LG was born at 11:10pm, June 24th. She weighed 9 pounds, 9 ounces, just like her oldest sister, whose shoulder also got stuck. She was 21” long. Her head was 14”, her chest 14 ½”, and her shoulders 16 ¼”.

We discovered another thing in common with her oldest sister; she has a deep dimple in one cheek! She has big hands like TJ had and long toes like Daddy’s. Later we were to also discover that she was a "power pooper" like SK was! Oh, the joys.

I get to hold her for a few minutes before everyone else tries to steal her!

The weigh in

"The girls"

This is like 6am the next morning. No one knocked on the door or anything, they just bursted in to see Laura! SR hadn't met her yet. Notice TJ in the red shirt. He just has this look about him like he's thinking "Hey, this is really cool!". After 5 min. I sent them out so I could go back to sleep! I didn't pose this shot at all, this is just how they came in and checked her out.

SR would always ask before touching her. Then he'd stroke her cheek and say "He's nice. He's a nice sister." LOL!

Sunbathing for her jaundice

And one funny one!

Judge orders homeschoolers into public district classrooms

2009-03-18T10:22:00.008-04:00

I could say I'm speechless, but if you know me, you know that's not possible ;) I think the statement near the end of the second article sums it up well by saying the judge conceded his guiding principle required him to put his judgement in place of the mother's.

I think I'll just intersperse my comments...

http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=91397

Judge orders homeschoolers into public district classrooms
Decides children need more 'focus' despite testing above grade levels

Posted: March 11, 200911:25 pm Eastern
By Bob Unruh
© 2009 WorldNetDaily

A North Carolina judge has ordered three children to attend public schools this fall because the homeschooling their mother has provided over the last four years needs to be "challenged." Who is he to say what these dc have been taught needs to be "challenged"? Does he know everything they've learned? Does he order public school parents to "challenge" the state schools' teachings at home in the evenings?

The children, however, have tested above their grade levels – by as much as two years.

The decision is raising eyebrows among homeschooling families, and one friend of the mother has launched a website to publicize the issue.

The ruling was made by Judge Ned Mangum of Wake County, who was handling a divorce proceeding for Thomas and Venessa Mills.

A statement released by a publicist working for the mother, whose children now are 10, 11 and 12, said Mangum stripped her of her right to decide what is best for her children's education. One example of the "nanny" state. The governement will tell you what is best for you and your family.

The judge, when contacted by WND, explained his goal in ordering the children to register and attend a public school was to make sure they have a "more well-rounded education." Again, does he know everything they've learned over the last years? Is he an education expert? Who is he to determine what "well-rounded" is?

"I thought Ms. Mills had done a good job [in homeschooling]," he said. "It was great for them to have that access, and [I had] no problems with homeschooling. I said public schooling would be a good complement." A complement would be public school in conjuction with homeschool. He has ordered it in exclusion to homeschool. Why didn't he order online public school courses be taken in addition to the mother's homeschooling? Should I answer that...

The judge said the husband has not been supportive of his wife's homeschooling, and "it accomplished its purposes. It now was appropriate to have them back in public school." "Appropriate" is his opinion.

Mangum said he made the determination on his guiding principle, "What's in the best interest of the minor children," and conceded it was putting his judgment in place of the mother's. Yes, it was.

And he said that while he expressed his opinion from the bench in the court hearing, the final written order had not yet been signed.

However, the practice of a judge replacing a parent's judgment with his own regarding homeschooling was argued recently when a court panel in California ruled that a family would no longer be allowed to homeschool their own children.

WND reported extensively when the ruling was released in February 2008, alarming homeschool advocates nationwide because of its potential ramifications.

Ultimately, the 2nd Appellate District Court in Los Angeles reversed its own order, affirming the rights of California parents to homeschool their children if they choose.

The court, which earlier had opined that only credentialed teachers could properly educate children, Good grief, how were children educated in the past? How in the world did this country's founders manage to get anything done without "credentialed teachers", was faced with a flood of friend-of-the-court briefs representing individuals and groups, including Congress members. Who better qualified to teach a child than his parent that is actually taking the time and effort to do so; and to meet his individual needs. Who is more invested?

The conclusion ultimately was that parents, not the state, would decide where children are educated. Thank you.

The California opinion said state law permits homeschooling "as a species of private school education" but that statutory permission for parents to teach their own children could be "overridden in order to protect the safety of a child who has been declared dependent." Ah, "permission"... back to the nanny state.

In the North Carolina case, Adam Cothes, a spokesman for the mother, said the children routinely had been testing at up to two years above their grade level, were involved in swim team and other activities and events outside their home and had taken leadership roles in history club events.

On her website, family friend Robyn Williams said Mangum stated his decision was not ideologically or religiously motivated but that ordering the children into public schools would "challenge the ideas you've taught them." Already addresses this.

Williams, a homeschool mother of four herself, said, "I have never seen such injustice and such a direct attack against homeschool."

"This judge clearly took personal issue with Venessa's stance on education and faith, even though her children are doing great. If her right to homeschool can be taken away so easily, what will this mean for homeschoolers state wide, or even nationally?" Williams asked.

Williams said she's trying to rally homeschoolers across the nation to defend their rights as Americans and parents to educate their own children.

Williams told WND the public school order was the worst possible outcome for Ms. Mills, who had made it clear she felt it was important to her children that she continue homeschooling.

According to Williams' website, the judge also ordered a mental health evaluation for the mother – but not the father – as part of the divorce proceedings, in what Williams described as an attack on the "mother's conservative Christian beliefs." We can't know, of course, if the judge would've handed down the same decision if the mother was a secular homeschooler. By some of his comments about "challenging" what the children had been taught it would seem that teaching Christian world views is his hang up.

According to a proposed but as-yet unsigned order submitted by the father's lawyer to Mangum, "The children have thrived in homeschool for the past four years, but need the broader focus and socialization available to them in public school. The Court finds that it is in the children's best interest to continue their homeschooling through the end of the current school year, but to begin attending public school at the beginning of the 2009-2010 instructional year." Why did the judge order attendance in public school? Why didn't he simply order the children into a brick and mortar school; private, Christian, or public? Someday I'll have to post about the myths of socialization.

The order proposed by the father's lawyer also conceded the reason for the divorce was the father's "adultery," but it specifically said the father would not pay for homeschooling expenses for his children.

The order also stated, "Defendant believes that plaintiff is a nurturing mother who loves the children. Defendant believes that plaintiff has done a good job with the homeschooling of the children, although he does not believe that continued homeschooling is in the best interest of the children."

The website said the judge also said public school would "prepare these kids for the real world and college" and allow them "socialization." I'm screaming...

Williams said the mother originally moved into a homeschool schedule because the children were not doing as well as she hoped at the local public schools. SO LET'S PUT THEM BACK THERE! NOW THAT'S IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE CHILDREN!!! Way to go, judge.

...continues on WND site.

Four days later:
http://worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=91843

Mom will fight judge's order against homeschooling
'I couldn't believe how he overlooked all the facts to legislate from the bench'

Posted: March 15, 20091:45 am Eastern
© 2009 WorldNetDaily

A North Carolina homeschooling mother, ordered to stop teaching her children at home and send them to public school, said she will appeal the judge's ruling.

"I couldn't believe how he overlooked all the facts to legislate from the bench," said Venessa Mills of Wake County District Court Judge Ned Mangum's ruling that it would be in the "best interests" of her three children, ages 12, 11 and 10, to be placed in public school, even though two are learning at two grades above grade level while the third is at grade level. Yes, he overlooked facts. The children are doing BETTER than they were doing in public school, but they would be better off back in public school.

As WND reported, the judge's action came in the divorce proceeding between Mills and her husband, Thomas.

At a court hearing last week, Mangum conceded the children are "thriving" under Mills' instruction but said they need to be exposed to the "real world." Still screaming!

"It will do them a great benefit to be in the public schools, and they will challenge some of the ideas that you've taught them, and they could learn from that and make them stronger," the judge said. You know, not all Christian parents or Christian homeschoolers keep their children from hearing about any conflicting beliefs. Some of us actively teach our children what other people believe and how to determine truth for themselves! THAT makes them stronger!

Mangum, when contacted by WND, explained his goal in ordering the children to register and attend a public school was to make sure they have a "more well-rounded education."

"I thought Ms. Mills had done a good job [in homeschooling]," he said. "It was great for them to have that access, and [I had] no problems with homeschooling. I said public schooling would be a good complement."

The judge said the husband has not been supportive of his wife's homeschooling, and "it accomplished its purposes. It now was appropriate to have them back in public school."

Mangum said he made the determination on his guiding principle, "What's in the best interest of the minor children," and conceded it was putting his judgment in place of the mother's.

In her court filing, Mills said her children already interact with other children at organized homeschool activities.

"These kids are doing well," she told the Raleigh News & Observer. "That's why it's such an injustice. It was an injustice for the kids." Yes, it's an injustice for the children!

Mangum's ruling and reasoning sparked public outrage after WND's story, reported the News & Observer – including an organized campaign to have the judge removed from the case. District court officials received more than 25 calls Thursday complaining about the decision while other court offices also reported being contacted.

Even Alan Keyes attacked Mangum's ruling in a column on his website: "If his idea of socialization includes the need to challenge the Christian ideas their mother has taught them, then he not only interferes with her natural right to raise up her children, he tramples on one of the most important elements of the free exercise of religion."

Mangum said that while he expressed his opinion from the bench in the court hearing, the final written order had not yet been signed.

Pro-Lifers: The Red Envelope Campaign to President Obama

2009-02-10T16:27:00.003-05:00

Below is an email message originally from Christ (rhymes with wrist) John Otto. This campaign is growing. I'd like to help it along.

"Dear Friends and Intercessors:
This afternoon I was praying about a number of things, and my mind began to wander. I was deeply distressed at the symbolic actions that President Obama took as he began his presidency. Namely, that he signed executive orders releasing funds to pay for abortions, permission to fund human stem cell research, and federal funding for contraception. I have been involved in the pro-life movement for nearly 20 years, and it pained my heart to see a man and a political party committed to the shedding of innocent blood. This man, and this party lead our country, but they do not represent me or the 54% of Americans who believe that abortion is wrong and should no longer be legal. As I was praying, I believe that God gave me an interesting idea. Out in the garage I have a box of red envelopes. Like the powerful image of the red LIFE tape, an empty red envelope will send a message to Barack Obama that there is moral outrage in this country over this issue. It will be quiet, but clear. Here is what I would like you to do: Get a red envelope. You can buy them at Kinko's, or at party supply stores. On the front, address it to

President Barack Obama
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20500

On the back, write the following message:
"This envelope represents one child who died in abortion. It is empty because that life was unable to offer anything to the world. Responsibility begins with conception." I would use the word "fertilization".

OR

"There is no God who condones taking the life of an innocent human being. This much we know." -- Barack Obama at today's National Prayer Breakfast I think I'll write both on my envelope.

Put it in the mail, and send it. Then forward this email to every one of your friends who you think would send one too. I wish we could send 50 million red envelopes, one for every child who died before having a chance to live. Each one counts. Maybe it will be used to change the heart of the president.

Warmly,

Christ John Otto"

A Quick Update...

2009-01-31T08:51:00.003-05:00

to prove I'm not completely neglecting my blog.

SK turned 9 last week. WOW! Her last year before the double digits. That is hard to swallow. We had a great bday week. She got a ton of books (I couldn't narrow the list down any further). She got a new wallet, since she's lost two. I won't buy her another one, though. She also got a math game, some puzzle/game books, a small cross stitch kit, sewing pattern book, and a painting book. That was what we gave her, anyway. Her grandparents (3 sets!) gave her a museum membership, Little House dvds, and a shopping trip to her favorite store where she got lots of crafty things. Her stocking was filled with chocolate (to share), gum, pencils, and a marble. The dc like to collect marbles. They're only 10 cents at the store I mentioned.

TJ bought her a pack of mints and AB, with my help, bought her a little doll that matches the doll she's taken to this last year. SK has never been a doll person, but when AB was born she was given a Gund Sweet Dolly with her name embroidered on it. I always wanted SK to have one, too, and I got her one when she turned 8. She named hers Madelyn and now carries it everywhere. She even bought the doll a bday gift since she is now one! Anyway, this little doll AB gave her is almost identical, just much smaller. SK had seen it in the store and really liked it. She was so surprised to get it. I love to see the dc pick out gifts for each other and never balk at spending their own money for them.

SK's desserts of choice this year were blueberry muffins with crumb topping and chocolate chip mint ice cream (the green kind... that's important). Of course, there was no green kind the day Daddy went shopping, but she was quite content with white!

J turned 42 yesterday. We celebrated at Shady Maple Smorgasbord where you get a free dinner on your bday. You MUST visit there if you're ever in Lancaster County. (Dad, they had a special prime rib weekend.) The girls made him some kind of gifts. I'm not sure what they were. One was a colored tissue "hanky". I gave him two Rush cds. We have 4 more days to celebrate. Today I'll have to make his chocolate pecan pies. I didn't have a crust yesterday, my bad. But we were going to Shady Maple anyway!

Hmm... what else?

For those that don't know we're expecting a new baby late June. I'm getting close to half way. The dc are excited.

School is going very well. SK's cursive is beautiful imo. I must learn to write in cursive! So many of the past generations have beautiful penmanship. It's a dying skill. We started more formal spelling with Spelling Power and we're really enjoying that. AB is reading better. It's not her strong suit. She's very good at math, where SK struggled. Her handwriting is also getting better and both the girls are enjoying the new border sheets used in A Reason for Handwriting where they get to copy a bible verse (or a thank you note) on a page with a border picture then color the picture in. It's added incentive to do their best. I started teaching TJ to read. He was showing an interest. So far he is whizzing along. We'll see if it continues that way. I'm using Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons like I did with the girls. It has worked well for us so far.

I think I'll stop there. I could ramble on, but who's still reading by now, anyway???

I've got a new computer (thank you, Dad!) and I need to figure out all the picture stuff and then I'll post some pics from the last year.

Christmas Costs Less at Wal-Mart!

2008-12-16T15:56:00.006-05:00

Just what does (did) Christmas cost?

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. John 1:1-4

Jesus Christ; God himself; creator of all things, gave up a life in heaven for a 33 year life on earth. On earth he experienced the physical discomforts of pain, fatigue, hunger and thirst. Why? To show people the very face of God. To live among His creation and teach them... SHOW them God's love for them. He sacrified a life in heaven, a life in the daily presence of his father God. And while many people were accepting of his message and sought to follow him, many others ridiculed him and sought to do him harm. But he endured this for every one of us, even those who spit in his face, lied about him, and beat him brutally. He loved us all so much that he willingly, and literally, gave up his life. Can any of us imagine the pain of having someone you love so much you'd die for spit in our face, ridicule us, beat us, and sentence us to death?

He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. 1 John 1:10-14

In just the final hours of Jesus' life look at what it cost:

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Lake/3894/easter/cruscourg.html
Scourging Practices (this is graphic)

Scourging, practiced by the Romans was a cruel punishment that usually preceded crucifixion. The only ones exempted from scourging were women, Roman senators and soldiers except in cases of desertion. Normally there were between one and six trained Roman officer called lictors who were responsible for dispensing the blows to the victims. The lictors chosen to administer the scourging had previously received special medical training. They knew how to wield the whip so as to open bruises which had already formed. The instrument used for scourging is a short whip called a flagrum or flagellum to which was attached several braided leather thongs of variable lengths. Knots were tied in the ends of each thong, and sheep bone or iron balls were inserted into the knots at the end of each thong. This whip is called a flagrum or flagellum.

The person to be scourged is stripped of his clothing and his hands are tied to a post. Roman soldiers repeatedly strike the victim's back, buttocks and legs with their full force causing deep contusions. Lacerations from repeated blows cut into the underlying muscles and rip the overlaying skin of the back to a point where it hangs in ribbons of bleeding flesh. The capillaries and veins were often torn causing intense bleeding and at times leaving the entrails exposed. Even once the victim fainted, if the lictors could feel a pulse and detect sufficient respiration, the beating would continue. Once the centurion in charge determined that the prisoner is near death, the beating is halted.

According to Jewish law the prisoner was to receiver no more than forty lashes. The Pharisees, always making sure that the law was strictly kept, insisted that only thirty nine lashes be given in case an error occurred during counting.(Deuteronomy 25:3) The Roman law did not have any set limit on the number of blows which could be administered.

The object of the scourging was to weaken the victim to a state of collapse and bring them as near to death as possible without killing them. Many did not survive this punishment and it was given the name "half death." The extent of blood loss may well have determined how long the victim would survive on the cross.

After the scourging, Jesus was mocked more, had a "crown" of thorns pushed onto his head, and made to carry his cross beam.

But, somehow, Wal-Mart has made Christmas cost less.

The "Freedom" to Homeschool

2008-07-10T07:34:00.005-04:00

The last few months I've been reading through the laws, codes, and requirements of homeschooling in PA- one of the most restrictive states to homeschool in. This is the year, now that SK is 8, that I must file my affidavit with the school district saying I'm going to homeschool or, in my case, use my teaching certification to teach as a private tutor (completely different law). I've learned that Pennsylvania is so gracious that back in 1988 they passed a law giving parents the right to teach their own children. Excuse me? I believe GOD gave me that right when he gave me the child. It doesn't take a village, it takes a family. I have been appalled reading through the requirements of the homeschool law. It's ridiculous.

This morning I read this: "The supervisor of the home education program [that's the parent] must certify on the affidavit that the supervisor [parent], all adults living in the home and persons having legal custody of the child have not been convicted of the criminal offenses listed in section 111(e) of the School Code." So, if you send your child to the state's school you, any adults in your home, and anyone that has legal custody of your child (x-spouse) can have a criminal record, no problem. If, however, you want to teach your own child you have to prove that no one in the home or with legal custody has a criminal record. Brilliant!

The other part of the law that gets me the most is that a private tutor must teach "loyalty to the State and National government". This is required in elementary school, but not required in secondary school. It's also not required in the homeschool law at all. Ah, consistency. In this case, it may just be the feelings the word "loyalty" evokes in me that gives me concern. I will teach my children our country's history and to obey the laws of our nation, but loyalty to the government... I don't know. Loyalty to country, or respect of country, is different in my thinking than loyalty to a government.

If you're bored for some reason you can read the PA homeschooling law & codes here http://homeschooling.gomilpitas.com/laws/blPA.htm or here http://home.comcast.net/~askpauline/hs/homeschoollaw.html. Yes, you'd have to be really bored ;)

That's my morning vent!

Obituary

2008-06-19T06:30:00.001-04:00

This is worth posting ;)

Please join me in remembering a great icon of the entertainment community. The Pillsbury Doughboy died yesterday of a yeast infection and trauma complications from repeated pokes in the belly. He was 71.

Doughboy was buried in a lightly greased coffin. Dozens of celebrities turned out to pay their respects, including Mrs. Butterworth, Hungry Jack, the California Raisins, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies, and Captain Crunch. The grave site was piled high with flours.

Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy and lovingly described Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded. Doughboy rose quickly in show business, but his later life was filled with turnovers. He was not considered a very smart cookie, wasting much of his dough on half-baked schemes. Despite being a little flaky at times, he still was a crusty old man and was considered a positive roll model for millions.

Doughboy is survived by his wife Play Dough, three children: John Dough, Jane Dough and Dosey Dough, plus they had one in the oven. He is also survived by his elderly father, Pop Tart.

The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes.

If this made you smile for even a brief second, please rise to the occasion and take time to pass it on and share that smile with someone else who may be having a crumby day and kneads a lift.

Note to self:

2008-06-12T08:18:00.005-04:00

Don't wait 6 months to upload pics from my digital camera...

I take TONS of pictures. No, you wouldn't know from my blog. I hear you. I have two cards with a total of about 12oo pictures on them. Maybe a digital camera wasn't such a good idea for me. It's going to take hours to upload them so I can get prints!

I promise I'll add some pictures soon of everyone's birthdays and all the happenings over the last 6 months (There have been a lot.). I just haven't taken the time to write about them since I didn't have the pics on my computer yet.

Right now we're getting ready for two camping trips. Next weekend is our church camping weekend. Last year we went up Thursday night and had much of Friday to ourselves. That was relaxing. The campground has a really cool water slide. We'll get back Sunday afternoon then Tuesday morning we head to Creation '08 with our youth group. We offered to organize everything for the group since we've taken other groups, but somehow we ended up going along, too. That was NOT my plan. I know the children will love it, though. Sawyer may be the difficult one, especially after just coming off the weekend camping trip. If you're not familiar with it it's a 5 day Christian festival with about 20 bands and a dozen or more speakers. All day, every day is worship, teaching, and music. It's ALL outdoors on farm fields. 70,000 people in the sun. Porta-potties. No electricity... J is such a handyman, though, that he has made a battery powered sink and shower. We have to carry buckets of water daily from the spigots on the grounds. We also have to buy ice every day.

I hope to post the pics and things before we go, but there's so much to do for such an undertaking (we're planning and packing food and supplies for 24 people) that I don't know if I'll be able to.

********************
Later that day... There were 3 cards from my camera with a total of 1802 pictures since 10-19-07. We did have a really big trip in there when I took a lot of pics. See, I have no memory, so my pictures will be my memory! Thankfully, prints are just $ .09 each and there was a free shipping offer. It took hours to upload them all :0

Irresistible!

2008-05-12T07:08:00.003-04:00

It's hard to get out of bed in the morning when
you have these four snuggled up with you!

The Facts About Mustard

2008-04-14T19:54:00.005-04:00

"I don't like mustard. Some people don't like mustard; except for the people that do." T, age 3.9

The Lecture

2008-04-12T11:19:00.007-04:00

Yesterday SK, in tears, tells me that A told her she didn't love her. We had this discussion about words; that even if we say we're sorry, we were joking, etc. the pain is still there for the other person. We talked about different scenarios with their friends. I then related a story that circulates on email about driving nails in a fence. They listened intently, understood, and hugged each other. I thought it was a nice time.

Last night at bedtime SK proceeds to tell J the same story (about A). I walked in to hear him talking about the pain our words cause others. I said "we went through this already". SK said she tried to tell him that I'd already talked to her about it, but he started talking and she didn't want to interrupt him. Then she says "He told us basically the same thing you did, but shorter." ... Now my own child accuses me of talking too much ;)

And on that note, I'm off to clean the basement!

Here's the story I mentioned:

NAILS IN THE FENCE

There once was a little boy who had a bad temper. His Father gave him a bag of nails and told him that every time he lost his temper, he must hammer a nail into the back of the fence. The first day the boy had driven 37 nails into the fence. Over the next few weeks, as he learned to control his anger, the number of nails hammered daily gradually dwindled down. He discovered it was easier to hold his temper than to drive those nails into the fence.

Finally the day came when the boy didn't lose his temper at all. He told his father about it and the father suggested that the boy now pull out one nail for each day that he was able to hold his temper. The days passed and the young boy was finally able to tell his father that all the nails were gone. The father took his son by the hand and led him to the fence. He said, "You have done well, my son, but look at the holes in the fence. The fence will never be the same. When you say things in anger, they leave a scar just like this one. You can put a knife in a man and draw it out. It won't matter how many times you say I'm sorry, the wound is still there."

They won't ask forever.

2008-01-05T08:51:00.002-05:00

Yesterday as I went out for the mail it dawned on me that no one had asked to go with me for quite a while. They used to ask every time and it really was a pain to get 3 children's shoes on just for a walk down the driveway.

They used to always ask to drive "the long way" home so they could see the neighbor's horse. Then he sold the horse.

SK used to always ask me to read her a book. Now she reads by herself.

There are so many things that they used to ask for that they don't any more. Some of them were cute things we enjoyed with them. Some of them bothersome. Either way it's a reminder that time is passing quickly when we realize they don't ask any more.

Whenever possible, take the time youre children are asking for, because before you know it, it's gone.

A new year!

2008-01-02T23:42:00.002-05:00

Here we are in another new year. SK will be turning eight in just 17 days! Every year I almost (or do) cry before her birthday. Eight, though... it's like the beginning of a journey as a young lady. I can see it in her face. She made breakfast twice in the last week. She helps mother the other children. I have a chance to make it or break it right now. It's my last chance to keep her heart. I feel like I'm teetering on the edge. If I don't give her the training and responsibility she needs I'll miss the opportunity. She wants to learn and grow and be fed. I can't fool around here! We've found the hardest thing is finding a balance in what we expect from her.

Snow!!!

2007-11-19T06:57:00.002-05:00

I woke up to a thin, but beautiful coating of snow this morning! How perfect for Thanksgiving week. SK (7.75) is going to be thrilled when she wakes up. In the past, A(5.5) and T(3.5) haven't cared. It seems the cold weather has come on us quick this year. We probably think that every year, though. I feel like we just skipped October all together because of our trip.

We have been working through some of the stuff in the basement this weekend. I have a lot of clothes to put away from the season change.

Welcome!

2007-11-05T08:39:00.003-05:00

I've created this blog for a few reasons: to keep our friends and family up to date on our family, and to have a place to put my thoughts down. It seems quicker and easier than hand writing in a journal.

We've just gotten back from a 16 day vacation and J & I are really excited about some things I'll have to explain in my first official post (eta: I should've said someday ;) ). I hope I can get my thoughts compiled and write something interesting.