Less than 1 week!

Well with less than 1 weeek until we leave for vacation, my house is starting to buzz with excitement!! Yesterday we laid out all our clothes and stuff that we wanted to take and packed it all away. We than weighed our luggage...we can only have 50 pounds. Ken and I are the only ones that went over and that is only because both of our stuff is in 1 suitcase. So we had to redistribute some of our things, but we have everything under control now...yeah!! There are just a few things that we need to add towards the end of the week but basically we are done. Now if we can just get through this week, we will be okay!

On a more serious note, my dad is still in need of prayer in many ways! He was released from the hospital yesterday after being in there for 1 week. He is still waiting for the results of the 2nd CT Scan to see if the blockage is still there. He also needs prayer for his kidneys. He is on the donor list and very impatient on getting a new kidney. I keep telling him it's all in God's timing and He has a plan, but he doesn't like those phrases very well! While he was in the hospital though, he prayed with one of his Pastors to make sure he is going to heaven...PTL!!

Getting Closer to vacation....

We are getting closer to our vacation. We have our itinerary done, our packing list written up and some of our things ready to go into our suitcases. We will be packing next weekend... This weekend Ken's parents are coming over from Ohio, so we will enjoy the weekend with them. Last weekend we drove to the airport to see where we will be going, since here in Indiana we have a brand new airport. They moved it 2 exits down. It is really nice and open compared to the last airport. So now we know where we will be parking, the ticket counter and than the best part the security we have to go through to board the plane!! It just made it more real to us that the time is getting closer....!! I'll keep you updated on how the packing is going and how our weekend went!!

Wow, what a week!

This has been some week... Last Friday night Ken was sick so I took him to the emergency room. We went to the new hospital and it was pretty nice. We were able to get right in and they take you to your own little room (no more curtains between you and the next bed) You have your own TV and even your own toilet in the corner that you can pull the curtain for privacy. High Tech here in Lafayette!! He has an upper respiratory viral infection. They have nothing to give for that, it just has to run its course on its own. So lots of Nyquil, cold medicine, frozen cokes for his throat and sleep!! He's doing a little better at least his throat feels better. He still has a cough that keeps him(and me) up most of the night. So the weekend was spent at home most of the time for me and the whole time for him. Monday he stayed home from work also. I just hope no one else gets it as bad as he had it. Mikaela is starting to feel sick so hopefully it's just a cold that she can handle...

Tyler is now pretty much done with his school... I did his transcript the other night so he is eagerly awaiting college this fall. There are a few last minute things he still has to wrap up... but I have 3 kids down and 1 more to go!! Hallelujah!!! Chelsey is just beginning High School so a lot more keeping records and making sure all the required classes for a diploma is taken. She already has the electives chosen as far as right now. She probably will change her mind as the years go by... we will see! She has been working on her first High school class so far this summer and that is Health. She loves Science and anything to do with Science, so she is loving it. Her first 8 years she has done very well... some years better than others :) I am very proud of all my kids when it came to homeschooling. Yes some years it was harder and some days really hard but overall looking back.. they did good. We all have learned a lot individually as well as a family. Homeschooling is one of the best things that we have chosen for our children.

This week I found out that some friends of ours from a few years back lost everything they had in a garage/house fire on Monday of this week. I haven't seen them for a while or talked to them lately but I hear they are doing well. Rodney has been working with the insurance companies and Karen left for a Mission Trip that she had organized at her Church. Not even a fire (purely Satan) will keep her from telling others about Jesus...amazing! She will be gone until June 11th. I know that the family will really appreciate all the prayers...please be thinking about them as they are going through a really tough time.

Hope all of you are having a fantastic week so far.....

This week has seemed like a long week for some reason. Maybe it's the weather which has been gloomy part of the time. Maybe it's because I've had to get up early every morning to take kids to work. Whatever the reason, I just hope this week goes better as it nears the end. Today it just seems like everyone/everything is in slow motion. Work went well, just slow! I've been trying to exercise more either walking or riding our stationary bike and even working on my abs on our ab machines. I have felt a little better, it just takes a while to get in a routine and to make myself keep doing it. I find myself coming home and being too tired or sore from the day before or just not feeling the energy that seems to disappear as the day gets near an end. Not sure how I can get past the energy-zapper monster.

I'm still waiting for a response from our Compassion child, Firji. I can't wait to get her first letter. Tyler has since become a sponsor but his child is through World Vision. He's just a little guy...age 2. He is adorable also. So to date we have 4 sponsored children in this household. Just knowing that we are helping someone else in need feels amazing. God is at work in our family. My children have complete joy in giving their hard-earned money (that they can blow on CD's and other stuff for themselves) on a child in need. Absolutely Priceless. God is so awesome how He gives to us. I just feel so lucky to have the family I have, God has blessed me with such wonderful, compassionate, loving and sacrificial children that love the Lord with all their heart and they want to please not only us as parents but God first and foremost. Please keep our family in your prayers and also our "extended family"...our sponsored children... I know they would appreciate it!!
Whitney's........ Jarbin from Mexico
Mikaela's........ Daniela from Bolivia
Tyler's.......... Luis from Honduras
Ours............. Firji from Indonesia

This week...

This week has been a good week. Last Monday, I started walking with a friend around the neighborhood. It was so nice and relaxing to get out and exercise..yes I said relaxing. We walked and talked and were able to catch up on each others lives. Thursday night, she had called and couldn't make it so I took Mikaela, Tyler and Chelsey with me...that was fun too. The kids did great and I listened to my MP3 player and talked to them...Yes, I can multi-task pretty good by now! Saturday night I went by myself, and this time it was very relaxing also, I listened to my music and walked and had time just to think about life. Today Ken and Tyler played golf while Whitney and I tagged along. I was Ken's caddy so I pushed the automatic cart bag that would go by itself, (golfing has come a long way) and put the clubs away when he was done. Mikaela and Chelsey went to the mall for the afternoon. We walked on the par 3 course, so I was able to get some exercise again. I feel pretty good after all this week of walking... a little sore just because of my joints but it felt good to get out and move. I just need to keep it up and stay motivated.

In Church today the service was about worrying. It was good to be reminded that God is in control and we shouldn't worry about anything. It is so easy these days to worry about the economy, money, jobs, layoffs, food, etc. It was good to hear that God loves us so much more than the birds and flowers, He will give us everything we need and He even gives us much much more that that. That gets me thinking about all the people who don't have much, like in other countries. They depend on God so much more than we do... We get to the point of us forgetting that everything we have is because God has given it to us... we do nothing on our own! It's very humbling when you really think about it and let God speak to your heart..We are His children and He will provide for us our needs... not our wants!

Ken and I sponsor a child from Indonesia through Compassion. She is so adorable, and I can't wait to get the first letter from her. Please pray for her and her family... her name is Firjinia (Firji) Marcelia Marlina Manurip. God has blessed us so that we can be a blessing for someone else. Isn't God Awesome, the way He works through others!!

New Medicine...

Well I've been on my new medicine for a week now and it seems like I'm doing okay. He is gradually decreasing my dose for the prednisone each month until it is done. He put me on a new medicine...It's called hydroxychloroquine, which helps reduce the inflammation, swelling, stiffness and pain. It does take a long time to build up in the body, and I may not notice the benefits from it for 2-6 months. It does affect the eyes so I need to be in constant communication with my eye doctor and let him know I am taking this medicine, and if I have any problems so he can know if there is any changes in my vision. I am still going to be on the prednisone for a while and I still have the Naproxen that I can take for pain. So by the time I am done with the prednisone, this medicine should be all I'll need! I guess this medicine was initially developed for the treatment of malaria... very interesting! It's nice to know what kind of prescriptions I'm taking and I really like my Rheumatologist, he definately knows what he's talking about and very knowledgeable. He makes sure I understand everything including side effects to watch for, what I can take and not take, etc. So I feel very relieved to know that I have a good doctor, since this is something that doesn't go away. Tomorrow I go for my mammogram... not fun! I am going to go for the night and I will write more later. Thanks for visiting me...

It's a wonderful day!

Today was a good day. My parents are down here from North Dakota and we just goofed off all day. We went to the mall, sat around and talked, had a great supper and watched the Phipps Gospel sing! For you that don't know, that is Southern Gospel. My parents LOVE the southern Gospel music. They go to the conventions down in Nashville when they can. Now I like the gospel music but I prefer a little more contemporary! I did enjoy sitting and watching it though and learning a little more about it, and my mom was very glad to educate us on who the different groups were. It was a beautiful day here today... around 80 today and tomorrow. Tomorrow we are going to go to Church, Tyler will be doing a skit during the service so my parents will get to see him in action! He does a great job, it is definately his personality! Well I will write more...gotta go get to bed!!

Saturday...

Today was a pretty quick day, it started out with me going to a meeting at work. I had 1/2 a donut (not my favorite thing) but I was hungry and I had just taken my pills. I also had my coffee, so I could counteract the sweetness. I stopped at Walmart on the way home to pick up a few cleaning supplies. When I got home, I spring cleaned and cleaned and cleaned! I am exhausted but hey, my windows are shiny and clean!! Yeah! The kids helped to, so it's almost done, just a few more things to do. It always feels so much better when you can have a clean house, open the windows and enjoy the fresh smell after being cooped up all winter. Awesome!!

I've been reading the book "Lies women believe and the truth that sets them free" by Nancy Leigh DeMoss. I'm only in chapter 5 but there are so many things that you wouldn't believe that women/girls believe in todays culture. Things that I have even heard and believed growing up. It is unbelievable that when you sit down and read the lies and than read God's Word and how they are so different. You can't help but ask yourself "Duh..Why haven't I seen this before?" The way the author takes you back to the garden of Eden and the very first deception, is incredible. I highly recommend this book to all of you! She tells you that she has come to the conclusion about the root of most of our struggles is that "You and I have been lied to. We have been deceived"

I've seen this in my own life and the lives of the ones I love too many times. Now that I realize some of the lies, I just want to haul off and hit Satan right in the nose and yell "Leave us alone". But then I realize, I don't have to do that, because Jesus will have the last word and He will make Satan pay for all the Lies and Deception he has done. So I just need to keep reminding myself the Scripture verses that counter the lies and place everything at the feet of Jesus. Once I leave everything up to Him, and place my Life in His hands and do His Will.... I will be Okay!!

Hope all of you have a fantastic day and I will talk at you later!!

John 8:31-32,36 "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free...If the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."

Yeah!!

Well I hope everyone had a wonderful Resurrection Day! My day was relaxing and I had time to reflect on how awesome God is and was trying to decide if I would give up my only child for a death that cruel, I came to the conclusion that I just couldn't. That's what makes God so special to me and makes me really understand just how hard it was to turn His head when Jesus said It is finished.

Well I've been doing a lot better on my medicine. I go back to see my rheumatologist in a couple weeks. He's going to see if I am doing well on the prednisone and if I am, he's going to be giving me a different prescription for the long run of the arthritis. I'm curious to see what he will say about my swelling and I have a few questions for him as well that I can't wait to hear the answer. I still have some soreness and stiffness in my fingers, but my feet & ankles are doing better. I have some good days and some sore days, which he said will be common.

Still not done with my quilt, I've laid it aside for quite a while now and I keep thinking to myself, "Just one square a day and you can get it done" but somehow my hands don't want to follow my head. I just can't get myself to pick it up right now for some odd reason, I don't know if it just really frustrated me to take on such a big quilt to begin with. At least with baby quilts you can see progress much quicker. Oh well, that can be added to the prayer list for me to get done!

Well, I'm going to go now and go to bed... Have to work tomorrow, it will be one of my longer days! Hope all of you have a fantastic day and please keep me and my family in your prayers... I/we appreciate it!!

I'm back for now!

Hi, it's me again! I found it finally. Now I just have to keep updating my postings. That is the hard part. Today, I went back to work after having a week off on vacation...boy that was tough to get back into the swing of things. When I walked in my office, I had stacks of papers everywhere with little notes on them to have fun!! My co-workers have a good sense of humor!! It was nice to feel like I'm needed though. Our vacation was so wonderful!! We stayed in a cabin in the Smoky Mountains near Gatlinburg, TN. (actually the address was Cosby, TN) It was 4 levels of pure relaxation and fun! If I wasn't swimming in the pool on the lower level, I was in the hot tub on the 4th level or the Theatre Room on the 3rd level and who can stay away from the kitchen on the main level! (not me) The kids had a great time as well... we just enjoyed not having to be anywhere at anytime and sleeping as long as we wanted! Of course I did take my new coffee pot with.. had to, it is the most wonderful invention.. the Keurig! did I mention it was awesome!! If you are a coffee lover.. a must have!! Some of the kids are sick now.. Whitney has swimmers ear, Tyler and Chelsey both have colds... Mikaela and I were sick before we left... so that just leaves Ken now, and he is walking around with all the latest masks and gloves..J/K lol!!
I did see a specialist when I returned from TN, if you didn't know I've spent the last year in some sort of pain, it started in my neck and upper back, moved to my left elbow and then my right elbow. My middle finger on my left hand started swelling and then my pointer finger on my right hand. The last straw that took me to my family doctor was when my 2nd toe on my left foot started to swell. Very odd. He took all sorts of tests and all of them came back normal. So we scheduled an appt with a Rheumatologist. He did quite a few tests as well and came to the conclusion that I have Rheumatoid Arthritis. I told him I was concerned about the crippling that my grandpa had and he reassured me that with the technology today, they can stop the crippling before it even begins, if it even gets that far. Medicine has come a long way since my grandpa was diagnosed!! So he put me on 2 different medicines and now 4 day later, I can actually move around with less pain, and the swelling has gone down a little. He said I should be good as new in about a week, after the medicine had some time to work. Yes, I was upset about this diagnosis, but I am praising God that it wasn't something more serious, like fibromyalgia or lupus...etc. God is awesome and He is in total control of my life, and if it is His Will that I have arthritis than so be it... I will face it everyday with Jesus by my side. That's the only attitude to have and I even thank Him for this opportunity... He will be glorified somehow, someway, I just don't know how yet!
Well I hope all of you that read this will have a fantastic day and remember that God is in Control of ALL situations, even the darkest ones!!