VERY Productive Day!

 

Today was a RARE day for me!  It was very productive:)

 

I got up early went to Yoga and water aerobics.  We pay just $35 a month for a family membership to the Y.  I am so thankful for the YMCA.  The yoga class (Senior Sneakers) helps me.  I've been so stiff now for months and months and in such pain.  My neck and shoulders hurt all the time and I have less range of motion than Selah has in my neck/shoulders.  Since I've been going to the class, Jon tells me I don't groan in my sleep anymore.  Evidently whenever I'd move when I was asleep I'd groan!  I still hurt but this has helped me more than massages or anything else.  I wouldn't take any medicine because I don't like to take meds!  Advil or Tylenol did nothing to help and anything else...is just not good for me.  Plus I have to be able to react to the kids if I'm needed.   The past 4 weeks have really helped me.  the water aerobics is also a senior sneakers class but it gets me moving:)

 

Then I came home, jumped in the shower and went to meet my friend for a quick lunch before going to the attorney's office. 

 

 

 

Kafe Kokopelli's

in Dade City

 

 

Yvonne and Kandi

 

I'd been craving sugar cookies....no one had any so I had two cupcakes instead:)  I'm not a "sweets person" and do NOT keep anything like that in the house BUT sometimes a girl just has to have something! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then I met with a wonderful sweet lawyer that my friend Kandi had contacted for me.  She is going to help me get all the paperwork in for our RE adoption of the girls and Shad.  I am so very thankful and will ask if I can share her name on here to give her some publicity.  I so appreciate her interest in helping our family!!!!!

 

As I was going home, down our road I saw a ton of these...

 

 

(yes I live in the country!)

 

We had a tree that would get these every year and my uncle would have me pick up the worms so he could use them to fish with.   I could not for the life of me remember the name of them.  Some friends suggested Web worms....then another friend said they were Catoga worms that's what I remember them being called.  We have them up and down our road. 

 

Once I got home, I started working on Shad's scholarship from Step Up For Students Florida.  I thought I had some outstanding paperwork and that I had missed a deadline.   Thankfully I was wrong and he has received the scholarship!!!  YEAH!  he is ready to go back to his school in the fall!!!!

 

 

On top of that I am still working on our appeal to our insurance company for Selah's nursing....got some good advice today. 

 

 

Of course now I am behind on Sam's eye drops!  I can only get ahead in one thing at a time.  The story of my life.

 

Selah is doing ok, she had a small storm when we got back from Speech yesterday....although I was about ready to "storm " too.  I don't' really care for her speech therapist.   None of this is our "first rodeo" and we have had some really great therapists over the years....this one is NOT in that category although she thinks she is!  LOL  Believe we will be looking for another therapist for Selah.  Selah gets upset every time we go.  She is quite used to therapy and she doesn't mind going out in the car...it is the therapist.   

 

 

But Selah had a great night last night and rested well.  That is a good sign for her.

 

Thank you for continuing to pray for Selah

 

This picture was taken a year ago today, so wish we could go back....

 

 

Selah is in the middle

 

 

 

 

Sweet Selah:)  she is so cute in this picture....I miss that little one....

this was the last picture I took with my camera till we left for NY....so wish we had more pictures. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My advice to Pat Robertson.....Read James 1:27 & KISS MY GRITS!

Last year just two days after Selah's accident, while she was still fighting for her life and we were being told death was eminent.... This IDIOT Pat Robertson went off on his silly tv show about adoption....Even I heard about it and was horrified but didn't have the opportunity to post about it as my adopted child was fighting for her life and we were fighting with her.....


I came across this blog that addressed his rant.  This is probably one of the best blogs I've read lately.  I try not to read too many blogs as I'm afraid I'll start plagiarizing LOL but I came on her by accident....


http://www.minivansandmomjeans.com/  She wrote a blog that was just wonderful!    And the thing she mentioned was it was bad that Rev Idiot said it BUT what is even worse is that so many Christians actually really believe this!

I quote her....
"But you know what bothers me most about this clip? It isn't that he minimizes orphaned children of other nationalities. It isn't that he marginalizes single moms. It isn't that he calls adopted children "weird" and "damaged". It's that Pat isn't alone in his thinking. He was just silly enough to say it out loud on national t.v. Truth be told, Pat's sentiments are echoed daily in the passivity of Christ-followers who allow orphans to remain fatherless and widows to suffer alone because they are too afraid of having to get involved with a person who might turn out to be "weird".

So often Christians choose the easy road. We do what is comfortable. What is easy. We do what takes the least amount of time, money, emotional investment, and sacrifice. Oh sure, we want to help orphans...like Pat said, "We've ministered to orphans all over the world. Thousands of them. I love orphans. I love helping people."
But like Pat, we don't want to take all the orphans of the world into our homes.

Keep a safe distance. Don't get too involved. It might hurt. It might be hard. It might cause our family and friends to think we've lost our minds. "

This is true.  I've had people that say they are "bothered" by my posting of orphans.....  But they will post about finding a home for an animal?  I love animals BUT I'd rather write and focus on CHILDREN....who need families!

Again I want to quote her
"Yet Pat Robertson, and most people who claim Christ, aren't experiencing the fullness of their own adoptions into God's family because they refuse to live out James 1:27. Why? Because they're just too cowardly to get outside of their own comforts and completely let go of their plans for their life.

Think about what is standing in the way of letting go of your life and allowing God to use you however he pleases. Then, when you pray, tell Jesus those things. See if he answers you with "That's ok. I really didn't mean all that stuff in Matthew 25." My guess is he won't. He will give you ways to participate in caring for the least of these. I don't know what that will look like for you. But I do know this: it won't be easy. I've looked all through my Bible and I cannot for the life of me find where Jesus says if we want to be like him we should skip the hard stuff and only do the things that are easy and convenient.

Easier ≠ Better

Here's the alternative:
Matthew 25: 40-46

⁴⁰ The king will answer, “Whenever you did it for any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you did it for me.”

⁴¹ Then the king will say to those on his left, “Get away from me! You are under God’s curse. Go into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels! ⁴² I was hungry, but you did not give me anything to eat, and I was thirsty, but you did not give me anything to drink. ⁴³ I was a stranger, but you did not welcome me, and I was naked, but you did not give me any clothes to wear. I was sick and in jail, but you did not take care of me.”

⁴⁴ Then the people will ask, “Lord, when did we fail to help you when you were hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in jail?”

⁴⁵ The king will say to them, “Whenever you failed to help any of my people, no matter how unimportant they seemed, you failed to do it for me.”

⁴⁶ Then Jesus said, “Those people will be punished forever. But the ones who pleased God will have eternal life.”

 

 

In all honesty Pat Robertson had better be glad I was otherwise occupied at the time or I would have marched my little "damaged ones" up to see him!  What a NASTY NASTY attitude towards children made in the image and likeness of God!  It blows my mind that a Christian would say this let alone a minister but I've had a minister say something to me along these lines....  Bless his heart.....and we will leave it at that!

 

I wonder if he has any idea what James 1:27 really means?  It's doesn't mean to just throw money at a problem it means to really take care of orphans and widows.  He says he has done so much for orphans "but he doesn't have to bring them all into his home"  Wonder what Jesus thinks of that??????

 

What is amazing is when we first got to Ukraine, while we were in Kiev, we stayed in an apartment funded by CBN for 4 days....so in a way they were involved in our adoption.  I know that his organization does good works....but geez.....

 

Let me tell you what a BLESSING it is to adopt children who need a family.  Whether they are special needs or not....the bible says that children are a blessing from the Lord.  A blessing NOT a curse! 

 

Our three adopted kids are just as much our kids our biological kids.  They complete our family....they were meant to be our kids.....

 

Sure we rescued them from bad situations....but in the day to day life, we don't' think of that, we just think of them....being our kids!  We aren't saviors....they blessed us far more than we could bless them!  The mindset of the Christian church world needs to change. 

 

Remember you can be a part of helping change a life Channah!  She is our focus child this month!  Please send a check for her adoption to Grace Church 7060 Berry Road Zephyrhills Fl  33540

 

You can also help by dropping off gently used items for the yard sale for her! 

 

Thank you for caring for orphans!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

God will make a way of escape

You know the famous saying that I HATE...."God won't give you more than you can bear"  It comes from 1 Cor 10:13

 There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.


I rant about the SILLY and inappropriate statement that is made to me on a very regular basis but that's NOT what I'm going to write about.  I'm going to write about "the way of escape"

Going through life and trials and temptations. we often think we have such a heavy burden.  I know I feel overwhelmed with my life at times.  Often people will tell me their problems or worries and then apologize since they feel my problems are worse.  My problems may be different but that doesn't mean they are necessarily worse.   Up until the accident, I was quite happy with my UN normal life.  Actually I was thrilled with it and did not think of it as any type of burden or hardship.  Sure things were different with three handicapped kids but it was a happy difference.  No there were places we didn't go or things we didn't do BUT it was such a small sacrifice to be the parents of these wonderful little people! 

We are still happy to be their parents, we just have a big hole in our hearts where we miss our Selah and the life we had with her before the accident.  But I'm still honored to be her mommy and will take care of her with all that is within me and see that she has the very best of care always. 

But I CHOSE to cling to Jesus through all of this.  I CHOSE to make my home a happy home.  I can't change the fact that my daughter suffered a brain injury BUT I can chose to love with all that is within me.  I can still chose to show my kids how to trust God and not become bitter and angry.  I still can chose to love my husband....

There may be things in your life that you can NOT change BUT God will make a way of escape.  It might not be the way you would make but HE will make a way of escape! 

For us, the way of escape we would chose, would be for Selah to be completely healed.  But that might now happen and we have to trust in God's way of escape....which is to look to Him, and look towards eternity.  He will make a way of escape so we can bear this temptation.

You might be thinking "they aren't tempted by anything, what does she mean??"

We ARE tempted!  We are tempted to give up on God, to give up on each other, to be in a bad/sad mood, to be ANGRY, to hate, oh yes we have some temptations we have to fight in our lives! 

One day when we were still in NY, I left the Ronald McD House by myself to drive to the hospital.  I had my purse, some money and my passport.  I actually was tempted to keep on driving....go to Canada...turn off my cell....  I'm telling you it hit me like a WAVE!  I didn't want to live the life that was before me.....But God's peace came in and filled the van that day.  He gave me a way to escape that temptation...and it wasn't to run off to Canada! 

So I don't know you all but I can imagine some of you are going through some issues.  Different than mine but still hard things.  But GOD IS FAITHFUL!!!  He has been faithful to me and He will be faithful to you!

My dear brother in law posted this uplifting quote on my FB page yesterday.  I laughed so hard! 

 

He so knows me!

 

 

It's just a funny take off the Serenity Prayer but there are situations that YOU can change!  

 Maybe you are in a bad relationship....GET OUT!  (unless you are married...then get counseling!) 

 

 

God can give you a way of escape IF you will take it! 

 

Often times the way God gives us to escape is to REMOVE ourselves from the temptation....

 

Say you are tempted to watch dirty movies or go on porn sites....get rid of your tv and computer and focus on God's word, church, exercise....other things...

 

Sometimes when you FOCUS on the problem or sin, it is harder to stay away from it.    It's like telling someone NOT to think of an elephant...and then that is the very thing the person thinks of.

 

When I was in high school and college, I became anorexic and bulimic.  I fought it, gave into it, fought it....THEN a friend asked me to go street witnessing with her my sophomore year of college.  I had never been and really didn't want to go....until I went!  I became so focused on the homeless and the prostitutes needs that soon I found that battle of anorexic/bulimia was no longer a focus of my life.   God gave me a way of escape by letting me see the needs of others!  Within a year, my battle was won.  It was amazing, working with street people and getting my mind off of ME, helped me to win a battle I'd fought for years! 

 

I think of friends who are bound up in things. It's so easy for me to see a clear path that God has given them so they can escape that particular temptation in their life.  But it is harder for them to take that path. 

 

I firmly believe God will give you a way of escape from the temptations/torment in your life IF you LET Him! 

 

Believe me....I know what it is like to give in to various temptations....I'm not really talking about sexual things here, although that is usually what one thinks when they think of temptation.    But that is not always what the biggest temptation in your life can be!  Right now my biggest temptation is to give into despair!

 

Despair could easily rule my life.  Sometimes it does for a few hours or so.  BUT GOD always gives me a way of escape! 

 

I can not change things in my life, I can only change how I react to them.

 

You may be in a different situation where you can change things...maybe that is God's way of giving you a way of escape. 

 

Pray and ask God for a way of escape from the temptations in your life....He is faithful!!!!!!

Singing Sunday

Today I helped out with our music...then found my son had my mike off LOL He "says' it was an accident!   I'm not so sure about that!!!

The last time I sang in church, I was in 6th grade and a lady said I sang off key (which I probably did)  But that was it for me.  But our worship leader, Guy, likes to involve everyone in worship.  He & I grew up singing out of the Red Church of God Hymnals so we know all the "good old songs" that you sing in with various parts  ( one line for the altos, one for the sopranos etc...)  Today we sang "I'll Have a New Life" and "I Never Shall Forget the Day"   Anyone remember those old songs?    It was fun, and I'm still laughing about my mike being off. 

 

 

This is Guy and me working on a song for next week:)

 

 

Here is me and Sarah after church.  Can I just tell you how much I love this girl?  I believe she was meant to be my daughter from eternity.  The stork just got lost and dropped her off in Ukraine instead of  Florida.  I love her so much I let her drink out of my cup and I do not let anyone but Sam do that and then ONLY to make him happy.  I have a thing about anyone drinking after me or with me:) 

 

She has Peter's just like Sam.  I know some families have a child with Peter's and they don't want to even have another child for the fear of having a second child with PA...but not me:)  I would have been blessed to have been Sarah's birth mom but I am so thankful I am her mommy now!!!!!  Just wish we would have known about her earlier, she could have been saved so much pain & suffering!

 

 

Selah is doing good.  She had a really good night last night.  She slept good until 5 am and then we got up and changed her and suctioned her trach.  She did something new...  she lifted first one arm, then the other arm a few minutes later all the way up.  Before the accident, she used to put her hands/arms up and night and wave them until she fell asleep.  It was an "institutional type behavior"  I always tried to give her a toy to hold or something to help her stop doing that.  This morning I was THRILLED to see her do that.  It certainly was a little thing that seemed like a "Selah behavior" 

 

She seems to be doing better, the last few days I've felt like she was on the verge of getting sick but I'm feeling better about things. 

 

This week is going to be busy for me....lots of work and a few fun things planned too. 

 

Hey I want to invite you if you are in our area, please feel free to visit our church!  We had a visitor today who reads my blog and I was really glad to meet her:)  We meet at 11 am Sunday mornings...7060 Berry Road Zephyrhills Fl 33540  come and visit.  Wear whatever you'd like, some folks dress up, some dress down and some wear their motorcycle gear:)  Please feel welcome!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hillsborough River State Park

 

 

Welcome to the REAL Florida!

 

 

 

The river is up from all the rains.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We've taken pictures inside that tree...not today!

 

 

As we were getting out of the van, I started putting on bug repellant.  It sprayed out so much and with a great force.  I did my arms and legs and wondered how in the world was I going to spray it on the little kids, it was so forceful I was afraid I'd get it in their eyes.  So I looked on the can, and it was a bug FOGGER for the yard!!!  I started wiping my arms and legs off with baby wipes!  Luckily it is an all natural spray but still....   we all laughed so hard!

 

Once we got in the woods, the mosquitoes were as bad as I have ever seen in my life.  We were miserable and it didn't seem to help me that I had the bug Fogger all over me!  They seemed to like me the best!  We basically did a fast walk/run through there!  I only stopped for a few seconds to take some pictures.  It was awful!  But I thought you'd like some pictures from one of my favorite places in the world...except NOT today! 

 

EXCEPT I stopped to go to the bathroom and on the floor was a $20 bill!!!!!!  WOOHOO!  At first I thought it was a trick but it was for real!  YEAH that will probably go towards my hospital bill for the bug spray inhaling and some disease from all the mosquitoes bites LOL

 

This evening the Monier family picked up all the items donated to them for their yard sale.  We were happy to help load up their van.  YOU STILL HAVE TIME TO GIVE!   That was just the first load so if you live in this area and want to go through all your stuff and donate to their yard sale, you still have time!

 

Don't forget you can still give to their adoption by sending a check to GRACE CHURCH 7060 Berry Road, Zephyrhills Fl 33540.   Please give as we only have $200 that has come in as of yet!!!!!!  I'd love to be able to bless this family with a larger check!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Healthy Happy Saturday!

Happy Saturday!  We slept in as we were up several times with Selah.  She is doing fine, still not quite herself.  Thankfully she is on her monthly Tobymincin medication for her lungs/trach  so if anything is trying to grow this will stop it.  Thank you for your prayers for her. 

We are planning on taking the kids out to eat and then go to the Hillsborough River State Park.  We love the park and the walking trail. 

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In this blog I wanted to talk about HEALTH!

Being almost 50 and Jon turning 50 this year makes us think about our health.  Jon has always been a rather healthy eater and exercising nut:)  Me?  It took a bit longer to get there!  I always say if I hadn't married Jon I'd be 500 pounds cause I LOVE fried food!  I'm not a big sweet eater but give me some fried food and I'm HAPPY!   But right before Jon and I married, his dad had to have open heart surgery and the surgeon really talked seriously to Jon and his brothers about their risks.  Jon took it "to heart"  So we have always had healthier eating habits at home.  Now I was always one to go and get some fried chicken every now and then but we didn't eat like that at home. 

When Sam was born and we learned he had a chromosomal  deletion and that it included a tumor inhibitor....  (meaning he has ONE tumor inhibitor that fights cancer but not the normal two)  we got very serious about cutting out preservatives.  We absolutely do not eat anything with Nitrides in it.  We still eat hotdogs, pizza, bacon, lunch meat  (not too much) but we buy the kind without preservatives.  Nitrides have been linked to cancer in many studies. 

We also buy organic...grass fed beef, no antibiotic chicken, free range eggs, milk and butter.  Yes it costs more BUT in the long run...you pay NOW or you pay LATER.

We made a lot of these changes over time and as we learned more and more about healthy eating.

Recently we have made a big change.....NO package foods whatsoever....   Everything is either from scratch or it not used.  There are a few package foods we can use but very few!

Our other big change is NO vegetable oils or margarine.... you can read this article....
http://authoritynutrition.com/are-vegetable-and-seed-oils-bad/

So what do we use?  We use Expeller Pressed oils, you can actually buy them at some food stores or any of the more health food stores like Whole Foods, Trader Jacks's etc....  I actually found some at Publix.  It's vegetable oil that has been extracted more healthier.....

We use REAL butter now too...and lots of Olive Oil!

You have to read ingredients of things like chips, boxed foods (even health foods) to ensure the Oils used are Expeller Pressed.  We buy some Frito Lay chips that are expeller pressed and sometimes I can even get them on sale!

You even have to pay attention to breads.  I have only found ONE bread...It's the Healthful Arnold Bread...  that doesn't have vegetable oils in it!   Thanks to Publix's buy one get one sales....I buy them and freeze them!   And I've started making our own bread....at least I know what is in it.

You have to watch things like salad dressings, mayo, etc....it ALL has the vegetable oils in it! 

When I go shopping, I read labels and if something has 20 different ingredients in it, I do not buy it! Or if I can't pronounce any of the ingredients...I do NOT buy it!

 So we really watch our diet.....but we do go out and eat.  This week I've gone out several times as my friend is here but usually we try and just eat out once a week, but sometimes we fail!   When we do eat out, we try to be health conscious in our choices.

We exercise daily!!!!

I get up and go to yoga and water aerobics at the Y.  Jon either goes for a long bike ride on one of the trails around here after work or he goes to the gym and works out with Steve.  Most weekends find them kayaking on Sunday afternoons after church.  Sometimes I walk a lot too. 


In America we die from our diet and lack of exercise.  So many folks our age are starting to have heart issues and diabetics and high blood pressure.  I've seen older folks who are so unhealthy, they are in wheelchairs with oxygen.....and I see healthy older adults who can kick my butt daily at the Y!  I want to be one of the healthy ones IF I have anything to do with it!  Of course illness and accidents can strike but MOST of the major health issues are because of lifestyle choices!!! 

My family (grandma, great aunts and uncles) all lived into their late 70's and early 90's.  My uncles all died in their late 70's and early 80's  most from lung cancer.....they all smoked all their lives....:(  BUT no heart disease....my grandmother did have to have a pace maker around 90 but hey....she was still doing a garden then!

They ate REAL food and they exercised, out on the farm.  Even in their 70's and 80's they did gardens and got out and MOVED!  No cancers other than lung.....no heart attacks....just old age, finally got them....  They ate their own meat, vegetables and eggs no preservatives there!

I want to be like my granny, driving and doing a garden at 90 years old.....

The good news is YOU can change....I have a friend who had diabetics and she lost weight, by watching her diet and exercising and she was able to go off the medicine!!!!  It can be done!   You can reverse disease if you put forth an effort and you can prevent it in the first place also! 

We want our kids to be healthy.  The past year, it was hard to eat right or exercise but being home, we have been able to get back on track. 

So I don't think of myself as a total health nut, I'm not into counting calories, carbs or fats...too confusing....but I try to eat right and exercise.  I'm not a size 2 LOL  You see my pictures but ..... I'm happy where I am.    I encourage you to do the same.  You will NOT regret it!  (well you might regret it when you are in the middle of a lunge or a run....LOL but in the long run....you will be happy!) 

Sweet Day

"Those who go down to the sea in ships, who do business on great waters; they have seen the works of the Lord, and His wonders in the deep." Psalm 107:23-24

"This is the reason that [God] often brings His people into problems and difficulties, so that, being made conscious of their own folly and weakness, they may be fitted to behold the majesty of God when He comes forth to work their deliverance. He whose life is one even, smooth path will see only a little of the glory of the Lord, for he has few occasions of self-emptying . . . Those who navigate little streams and shallow creeks know little of the God of tempests, but those who 'do business on great waters' see 'His wonders in the deep.' Among the huge Atlantic waves of bereavement, poverty, temptation, and reproach, we learn the power of Jehovah, because we feel the inadequacy of man. Thank God, then, if you have been led by a rough road. It is this that has given you your experience of God's greatness and lovingkindness. Your troubles have enriched you with a wealth of knowledge to be gained by no other means. Your trials have been the cleft of the rock in which Jehovah has set you, as He did His servant Moses, so that you might behold His glory as it passes by." ~ Oswald Chambers

 

My friend shared that today....I have no other words to go along with it.  It's so deep & true.

 

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I was able to go to lunch with some of my college friends as we are still celebrating our friend Charlene being here this week.  I'm going to miss her when she goes back home, she is such a dear friend. 

 

 

me, Charlene Leslie and Laurie

 

 

                                                           Leslie Laurie Charlene and me

 

 

 

Fun day with "the girls"  We ate at Cracker Barrel  All morning I thought about  what I was going to order....so I worked out really hard this morning.  Don't know if it evened out but I tried!  I loved the fried okra and shrimp anyhow!

 

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Selah is still a bit "off" thankfully she started her monthly med tonight.  We can only get it in Brandon, a 45 plus mile drive.  But we are so grateful for Bill's Pharmacy there.  Tonight they were so good to us.  There was some issue with our insurance and they didn't' even want us to pay.  We did anyhow just in case it was a mistake and we owed it.  We figure it will be worked out.   They are just an amazing pharmacy!

 

Selah almost had a storm this morning and nothing was going on.  That's the main reason I think she is not feeling good.  Everything is a bit off with her.  I'm hoping this medicine will kick out whatever is going on with her.  It is usually a trach infection. 

 

 

Steve told us he dreamed that Selah was back to normal...  it's just so odd to me the amount of people who dream about her and ALWAYS that she is back to normal.  I dream it about every week or so.  It's upsetting to me when I wake up but great when I'm sleeping.  Dreams are odd to me as I usually don't remember my dreams so when I do, it's almost scary to me.  But I have friends contact me all the time saying they've dreamed about Selah

 

 

PLEASE keep her in your prayers.  We'd love to see some of these dreams come true!