Wordless Wednesday

Summertime, Summertime, Sum, Sum, Summertime.......

Saturday

My heart is heavy this morning. 3 year old Jillian, daughter of a blogger that I've been reading for over a year, has a football sized tumor inside her chest that is squishing her heart. Her condition has gone from serious to grave in a matter of hours. If they don't do something quick, she may die within 3 days. Her mom's name is Katie. Please keep them both in your prayers.

It seems that lately I've read about alot of children that have gone to be with Jesus on blogs. Canon, Elena, Eliot, Joel, are just a few. Many days I've read the blogs with tears streaming down my face. How easily it could be my children.

My oldest son turned 17 yesterday. One more year and he will be of "legal" age. We're not sure about his future direction, but he is committed to following God's plan for his life, as are we. We are praying God will make that direction clear in the next few months.

Thursday

I finished reading Terri Maxwell's Managers of Their Chores. It was a great book, and offered a unique way to do chores with chorepacks. We will implement this system; however, I don't think it will work until we impliment a schedule. So, back to Managers of Their Homes.

I do not like the idea of a schedule. I do not like the idea of having to do what the schedule says when it says it. I want to do what I want to do, when I want to do it. However, this mentality has caused us to have the worst homeschooling year in our 10 year history. Even I know we need a schedule and I am willing to do what it takes to get it done right. Flexibility is great, but it can also be a detriment. Balance is the key and we are falling short on the side of structure in the name of flexibility. So changes are coming......

This is one of my favorite pictures of my son Samuel. He was 2 months old and so cute. I miss the days of having a baby around. I'm praying God will send me 1 or 2 more. I'm only 40, so it could happen, but it's not. Pray for me!

Have a great day.

Beth

Psuedotumor

Have you ever heard of this medical condition? I hadn't either until I was diagnosed with it about 1 year ago. I had been experiencing horrible headaches for 4 months. They were positional headaches- usually, if I laid down flat, they went away. At their worst, I couldn't even lay on a flat pillow. I was convinced that it was my blood pressure medicine. I went to doctor after doctor to no avail. I had two cat scans and lots of blood work. I have no medical insurance, so I was dependent upon whatever help I could get.

Anyway, my church intervened and paid for me to go see a neurologist. She picked it up right away. My body was producing too much estrogen and causing the covering around my brain to not let brain fluid out. Therefore, I had too much brain fluid in my head which was causing the headaches.

It is a condition that never really goes away. After the initial 4 months of terrible headaches, they slowly got better. I still had some pressure, but nothing like the first headaches. Since October, I've not even had the pressure. I was convinced I was cured.

Last week they returned. I've had a headache, on and off, for 8 days. They're not as bad as they were, but they are annoying and make me want to lay down at all times. They make me crabby and grumpy (I don't need much help here!!) and I don't want to be bothered with anything, including my children.

So, that's where I am. I would appreciate your prayers that this pressure will go away. The one "cure" is to lose weight, which I have been diligently trying to do since October. However, I found out I have a fatty liver, which makes losing weight all but impossible and very s-l-o-w. It's a catch 22 situation, one I'm trying to make the best of.

Beth

Time for another WFMW! I am kind of at a loss at what to tell you all about. But one Valentines Day sticks out in my memory. We had been married about 5 years and had 2 little boys and an even littler amount of money. It was Val. Day, and I had nothing for my sweetheart. I scrounged around and found a card that would work, but nothing for a gift. In my scrounging around, I came across a poem Paul had written. It was on the back of a piece of paper, like most of his poems were. I had a lightbulb moment! I flew around that house while my boys were napping, and came up with most of the poems that I knew he had written. I typed them up on the computer, printed them up and bound them in a folder.

He was shocked when he saw what I had done and touched that I would put that much work into a gift for him. He loved seeing his poetry all typed and printed and looking so nice. And, a few weeks later, I copied all the poems and sent them to his mom for her birthday. A double whammy!

That's my big idea! It worked for me and maybe it will spur your imagination to a homemade gift for your sweetheart. Read more ideas at http://rocksinmydryer.typepad.com.

Sunday

Our church was full this morning. We had a send off service for one of our fine young men. John is 19 and has landed a job in the political field, his dream for years, but it entails him moving 13 hours away. He also had a dream about a certain young lady and God brought that all to fruition this past week. It is amazing to watch a true courtship and betrothal take place. No dating, no kissing, no touching, no baggage when married! This young couple is starting out further ahead than most today. It thrills me to watch how God brought them together in a non cultural way. It gives me great hope for my children!

My oldest son turns 17 this week. I am in shock. How do the days, which tend to pass so slow, add up to 17 years? I was so excited when I found out I was expecting him. I had always loved babies and to think that I was going to have one of my own was beyond exciting. He has always been a good boy and always looks out for his mom. I am praying God will send him a very special young lady.

Paul, my oldest and Samuel, my youngest.

Free Jewelry!

http://www.5minutesformom.com is having a contest for free jewelry! The piece they are giving away is very cute and worth the small effort to enter to win. Go on over ant take a look.

Beth