7 Quick Takes Friday

1.

 I went to a home school seminar about loving your kids.  The lady talking said God gave her a microwave and a crock pot for her first two kids.  Her eldest rushed through everything and turned in a poor result.  She likened it to cooking a chicken breast in the microwave.  While it's done, it's inedible and rubbery.  Her second kid, the crock pot, turned in wonderful work.  Everything done precisely as asked but it took forever.  This made me giggle.

2.

 It was a CRAZY Thirty-One month.  Next month is a bit slow, and my director decided to throw in a friendly wager.  Party anyone?  I think I might break out of my comfort zone and do something different. (gasp!)

3.

I have found that people are amazing.  I am guilty of prejudging and making assumptions about people.  I don't mean to but my insecurities are stronger than my warm fuzzy feelings.  I think this may be changing.

4.

I am failing miserably at my healthy eating.  It's harder to get to the gym when you don't want to take the kids.  The petri dish of germs doesn't seem appealing, so we haven't been taking them.  It's just not the priority it once was, and that makes me sad.  AND...I'm not the most patient person, so this one to two pounds a week is TORTURE.

5.

It's really hard to watch your loved ones make mistakes.  REALLY HARD.  

6.

Another thing I liked that the lady at the seminar talked about was how your most difficult kid is not a punishment from God.  :)  Our job as parents is not to fix our kids.  It is not to rewire them.  They come pre-wired according to His will.  She talked about how we have to be careful to not destroy the will of that child in disciplining because he/she might need it to do God's will later.  This spoke VOLUMES to me.  My little Marley will move mountains.

7.

I walked into our room one morning, and she was sitting like this on the nightstand.  I screamed because she scared me, and she started crying.  Poor kid!  

   

Wordless Wednesday

Comfort

"For I am convinced

That

Neither death

Nor life,

Neither angels

Nor demons,

Neither the present

Nor the future,

Nor any powers,

Neither height

Nor depth,

Nor anything else

In all creation,

Will be able

To separate us

From the love

Of God that is

In Christ Jesus

Our Lord."

ROMANS 8:38-39     

Thank you

I have amazing people in my life.  Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, kindness, support and love.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.

Praying for you all!

School Daze

We have been plugging away at school here.  It feels good.  Rory said that she thinks shes doing better because we're keeping at it rather than taking breaks like we do (enter embarrassed look here).  I agree.  Here are some things we've been up to.  

I've been making a bunch of these file folder games for Marley.  They're something she can do without my help, and she loves that.  Pay no attention to the turtle in water on the table.  It was one of those "growing" toys that didn't grow.  Go figure.

 Making a volcano.

 On to Logan's morning work.  This is what he does before anything else...after prayer and memory work (sometimes).

 Marley has one of these books too, but hers has different things in it.  I like this because it's a daily drill.  He likes coloring his "what do you wear in this weather" guy.  

 We studied Elijah Pierce.  He was a Folk Art sculptor, Wood Carver.  I cut up all the soap boxes we had in the house, and shoved clay into them.  I gave the kids bamboo skewers and paper clips to carve their clay.  

 It doesn't look like much, but I'm pleased with what we're doing.  I could stand to be more organized with it all, and I still need to get my workboxes figured out.  Maybe since it's going to be freezing, I can hunker down and get some things done.  

I should do another post of Food Daze.  It's going REALLY well this week with menu planning.  Thanks, Kevin!  He does the cooking.  Have a great rest of the week!

Chemo Chronicles

I had chemo on Friday, and I decided to take pictures, so you guys could see what it entails.  Actually, I had Kevin take pictures, so most of the first ones aren't going to be posted.  He had the nerve to take a picture of them weighing me!  Looking through the pics on the camera, it didn't seem like you could read the weight, but when I uploaded them it was there!  Sorry.  You won't be seeing it.  Let's roll film...

This is the water fountain in the waiting room.  If I have to use the restroom even in the slightest, this feature turns it into a must go.

Me waiting to be called back.  Have you ever seen the movie Big Daddy?  Remember when the little boy feels better when he wears the sunglasses?  Like no one can see him?  That's my red hat for me.  

I can never look.  They draw blood first, then start the meds.  

Nothing is done until the bloodwork comes back.  My white blood cell count was pretty low, but not low enough for them to pull the plug on the treatment.  I love the little netting band.  It makes it all feel more secure.

Kevin said to add the picture of me laughing.  I don't remember what I was laughing at.

First on the scene is Benadryl.  My first chemo appt. they gave me a high dose, and it knocked me out!  Since then I only get half of that.  I used to get Steroids too, but they thought they were causing my headaches.  These are given first along with Tylenol pills to ward off any reactions to the medicine.  (*whispering*  It has mouse protein in it!)  Kevin does NOT like mice.  I'll explain later.  

They have heated blankets there.  They are WONDERFUL!  It was pretty chilly by the window, but I love my window seat.  I started reading....

 Then my Benadryl kicked in.  Normally I would be fine, but it knocked me out this time.  I asked the nurse if she gave me the lower dosage, and she assured me she did.  I was loopy and then out.  

 During this time, they started the treatment.  They have a little sheet with the intervals that they up the meds.  This is so if my nurse goes to lunch, and my box beeps, another nurse knows where we are in the process.  I did not have my normal nurse at this appt.  She doesn't work on Fridays.  I had another nice nurse I had once before.  I did not get the MEAN one.  Thank goodness!

 Kevin says I was out for a while.  

 Done.  This is why I love the window seats...the sun shines on me.  I finished about 1245p.  They went a little bit slower since it had been a couple months since my last chemo.  

 Finis!  That's how it goes.  One more to go that we know of in March.  Then we reevaluate.  Thanks for all the thoughts and prayers!


























 



 

7 Quick Takes Friday

So I got this concept from another blog.  *shocker*  It's just telling...well, 7 quick takes on things happening at the time.  So here goes...

-1-

People are amazing.  I have some friends doing such loving things for my family right now.  It's overwhelming and humbling.

-2-

I am a week and a half into my healthy eating.  So far so good.  I'm not completely starving myself either which is always good.  I'm using the Fitness Pal App, and when I want to eat more because I'm hungry, I work out more.  Simple.  That and I'm not eating a package of cookies a night helps too I think.  Kevin's doing well at it too, which also helps.

-3-

Chemo tomorrow.  The nerves don't really go away.  I've learned that much.  It'll be fine, but it's just getting through it.

-4-

Kaelyn has been driving everywhere.  I'm trying to get the "Driving Contract" in tact to go over and have her sign.  We basically don't want her driving her friends around for a while, and don't want her going anywhere far at night.  She doesn't know her way around.  Geography and maps were never her strong point. *Ahem*

-5-

I am hosting the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University at our church starting next week.  It's kind of scary because I'm shy.  What better way to put myself out there?  You would think Thirty-One would've prepared me for this, which it has, but I still have major nerves.

-6-

I haven't started the workboxes for school yet.  Surprised?  It's a work in progress just like everything else in my life.  I am making file folder games for Marley.  She is loving them.  I'm trying to pay extra attention to her since we had to take her out of preschool.  I think she's liking it, and Rory and Logan are great "teachers" to her too.

-7-

Why is she already posing like this?  She's four!  This scares me and Kevin.  Pray for us.

          

Wordless Wednesday

Pinewood Derby Time!

Logan is in his first year of Boy Scouts.  This weekend was their Pinewood Derby car race.  Logan placed 1st in den!  He called his car "Christmas Car."  Can you guess what colors it was painted?  Kevin and I were quick to take the "as long as you have fun" road.  There are some kids (read: Dads) who took this way too seriously.  Anyway, here are some pics of Logan and his car.

Congratulations, Logan!  I'm so proud of you!

18 And Fancy Free

It has happened.  Shout it from the rooftops.  Kaelyn got her license today!!!!!!  I can't believe it.  We went to a completely different MVA than last time.  She got a grouchy old man that failed the two girls in front of her.  SHE STILL DID IT!  This means...

1. No more driving her to school every day but Friday back and forth.  I will miss our talks, so maybe sometimes I might sneak into needing to take her or something.
2. Chores that involve DRIVING to get me something from the store, or gas in the car, or take a kid somewhere.  The possibilities are endless.  I see a couch and bon bons in my future!  Just kidding
3. I will be able to shower in the evening without having to worry about her not being home yet.  I normally wait to shower until I'm in for the night.  She works late three days a week, and I would normally have to go get her.  NOT ANYMORE!  And yes, I shower at night because my kids wreak havoc when I even just go to the bathroom, let alone get my hair washed in a shower.  
4. We will have to figure out car schedules.  We simply do not have the means to get her a vehicle of her own, so she will be driving Kevin's stick shift sedan.  She kind of likes the idea of this and kind of doesn't...for the same reasons you're thinking about either side.  Besides, insurance goes through the roof when a new vehicle is put on, and I don't think she would be able to carry that and college.  
5. If I'm upset at her, I can make her go to the store with a kid.  HAHAHAHA!  That's a punishment for anyone.  I would never make her take Marley by herself.  I'm not THAT mean.

It was a great day!  I'm so excited for her!  Congratulations, Kaelyn! 

Wordless Wednesday