CMA Christian Motorcyclists Association

We had a great day with the Christian Motorcyclist Association  CMA.  I had ran to the store and was coming back when I saw all these motorcycles turn into our church's parking lot.  It was fun to see:)   So the place was packed, the service was rocking and we had a huge luncheon!  We had food left over, everyone ate, sat around and talked.  It was nice. 

I am exhausted but in a good way:)  So I don't have much to say tonight

Just wanted to remind you to vote-we're at 2,928, would love to see us go over 3000 tonight.  The answer to the extra vote question is FALSE! 
http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/selah-clanton-zephyrhills-fl/
Please go and vote!

Selah has done better the last 24 hours in keeping her heart rate in normal range.  Everything else is perfect with her. Thanks for your prayers, I'd be very happy if she could stay off this drug!  I was beginning to think she'd have to go back on but maybe not!

Oh and if you ever wonder about my neck/shoulder/back pain....it is still very much here!  Today I'm so sore it is pathetic!   And on top of the normal pain, I weeded the garden last evening so my hamstrings HURT!  Standing is not bad, sitting is fine but getting to either position is a killer!   But at least that will go away.  I have no idea what to think about my neck issues........

Anyhow hope you have a good close to your weekend and a great start to your week!

I included some pictures from today, of course my blog is acting up!!!!

 

the bikes

Guy leading worship

Guy, Sam and Rodney

 

see my baby girl in her biker outfit!

You are invited....

Ok I'm trying to get this posted earlier in the day:)  Sometimes it is just too hard!

http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/selah-clanton-zephyrhills-fl/

"bridged mechanisms" is the answer for the extra vote!  We are at 2686!   You can vote DAILY!

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Today we are working on getting things together for tomorrow!  Our church is hosting CMA Christian Motorcyclist Association.  We have a few members who are a big part of CMA.  They are able to reach people that most of us wouldn't ever know.  It's exciting to see how God uses people, where their hearts are at-like in this case, motorcycles- to reach others and show them love. 

We are expecting a houseful!  I just ordered a huge FRIED CHICKEN order from Publix.  Fried Chicken is my total happy food if you know me:)  It's something we had at our house every day of my life growing up!  So we have it ordered for tomorrow and the tables are set up, and the church is being cleaned. 

Let me regress for a moment....being a pastor's wife is not the most fun thing to do at times.  But this past year has been the most rewarding for me.  We struggled here for so long and then all of a sudden, in spite of our personal tragedy and imperfections, God started doing something we couldn't explain.  To be honest, we have just sat back and watched....our church has grown by people moving to this area and becoming a part.  No one family knew another one, they just began coming and people were free to find their niche in the church.  It's been incredible.....  What I love the most is we are not a 'traditional" church in the sense of people's ministries....  Many of the folks who attend our church do ministry in unorthodox areas/ways.  But we don't try to be "cool" ( I can't stand cool LOL)
We are so Uncool....that we are cool LOL.   We all tend to be drawn to the "outcasts" of society, the ones others don't want to bother with; like the bikers, orphans, prisoners, special needs children/adults, the elderly, the Spanish speaking community, the homeless.....I LOVE it!   That's where our hearts are at, reaching the ones the world, even the church world, wants to forget.  I don't say that to say we are all so spiritual but I say it to explain that is our heart.  We are different, we will never be the "cool cutting edge church" (Not with my kiddos there turning in circles to the music) but I think God likes to be here:)

If you live in the central Florida area, come join us our website is:
http://www.gracechurchofzephyrhills.org/  there are some of Jon's sermons on there too.  You can find directions and a map to Grace Church. 

Country Roads....

 

On the way to take Shad to school, I had to snap this picture.  You can see our "Scooby-doo  fog" That's what we call low lying fog.  I thought the sunrise was one of the prettiest I've ever seen, this picture does not do it justice. 

 

Since I was a child, I've been fascinated by roads....and the cars traveling down them....  Where are they going?  Where have they been?  Where does the road go?  I can remember lying in my "summer bed room"  It was the converted half of our front porch turned into a bed room with EIGHT windows around two sides of it.  We didn't have air conditioning but I would have all 8 windows opened and the fan on and it was wonderful.  The room faced the street, we lived on a corner so I'd watch the cars go past and wonder "what in the world where those people doing up so late?"   "Where are they going, where have they been"  and "I want to go too!"  We also lived near the train tracks and I thought the train was so romantic.  I thought it would be wonderful to ride across the country on the train.  Well, I got cured of that idea in Ukraine, after the night ride across Ukraine!!!  So roads and railways have always fascinated me, there was a longing to go and see the world. 

 

Now I sense that in my older son.  He is wondering what life will bring him, what road he will travel.  Oh I almost kills me to hear him talk about his future, away from us.  I never "got it" when parents talked about the empty nest.  Oh my gosh do I get it now!  Just the thought that he might live on the campus at college, instead of at home just makes me want to blubber!   But at the same time, I'm so excited for him!  What will his future hold?  He's has had a much more exciting life than I did at his age.  He has been to three different countries, stayed in Ukraine for 6 weeks, traveled all over the USA, been to all the major cities in the East.  I tell him all the time, that he has had LIFE experiences that few people his age have had.  Who knows what will happen next for him?

 

Sometimes I read of how parents will say things over their kids like " You will be a mighty man of God and do mighty things  for God. "  I don't say that over my kids or thing like that.  Not that I don't think my kids have a destiny in life, but sometimes being a "mighty man or woman of God" isn't as important as being a faithful Christian, a good husband/wife, a nice person.....  Maybe the "mighty things they will do for God" will be stop their car to pick up a turtle and get it across the road, or let someone go before them in traffic, or take the time to talk to an old lady..... somehow that seems more important to me. 

 

Whatever road is ahead for them, I hope they will enjoy the journey.  The journey may not always be an easy road, but I hope they find beauty in the detours, joy in the pot holes and always have hope for what lies around the bend. 

 

 

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So do you want something to laugh about?  Today in my quest for health, I went to the dermatologist.  Everything was fine on my white body that I desperately tried to make become tan for far too many years.  However as the doctor was finishing the exam, she noticed something on the back of my knee....I was actually starting to get worried and then she said it was a TICK!   Yep, I was her first patient who she had to remove a tick from...EVER....!   Good thing I have a sense of humor as her assistant was saying things like "GROSS"  I was just cracking up!   She gave me a prescription for a medicine "just in case" of Lyme Disease but it's rare in Florida and the tick I had was not the kind it usually is in anyhow.  I had the BIG tick, not a tiny one.    Can you say with me "Only the  Clantons" 

 

Tonight a guy from our local newspaper came by, they are doing an article to help us win votes for  the wheelchair accessible van!   It should be out next week and I'll post the link on here.  My boys really liked this guy and he was a hoot.  We know some of the same folks, and have some of the same opinions. so we had some good laughs .

So if you get a chance to vote

http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/selah-clanton-zephyrhills-fl/

we are at 2,494 votes!  Thank you!!!!!

the answer for the extra vote is

"a person with a disability" Question is "what kind of person needs a side entrance van?' or something like that....I can't remember:)  

I'd love to get to 2,700 by tomorrow!

 

 

Selah continues to have higher than normal heart rates.  At times I want to stick the Blood Pressure patch back on her, but her BP has been absolutely perfect and not as low.  I'm trying to hang in there until Monday, she is in no danger, but I feel uncomfortable when her resting heart rate is 110, it's just too high and her brain is not able to handle keeping it in check yet ( says Dr Yvonne)  I'm thrilled that her BP has been perfect, and the area of the brain that handles the BP and heart rate is right together, but it looks like the part that handles the BP is healed and dare I say normal!  While the heart rate is something she still needs help with.  All in all this is what we were told to expect, but it's been a week now and she hasn't evened out as much as we'd like to see.  I'd appreciate some prayers for her.  I really LOVE that the doctor took her off the meds, and I don't want to see her go back on anything but .....  her brain needs to start regulating her heart rate better.

 

 

Thank you all for all you do for us.  I really appreciate all of you.  Your care, concern and love does come across to our family.  I'm thankful for your prayers and kind words.  I think having this blog, has helped me tremendously on this journey of mine!  Have a great weekend and don't forget to VOTE! 

 

   

 

 

Adoptions closed in Crimea .....pray for Ukraine

Busy few days around here.....

first I want to remind everyone to vote....
http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/selah-clanton-zephyrhills-fl/

we are at 2128 votes and the answer today is MORE THAN 600 dealers that is....  our local paper just emailed me and they are going to do a story to help us:)  YEAH!  Thank you all for your help too!

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Shad had fallen asleep all wrapped up.  Sam was asleep too)

I wanted to share those cute pictures.  Sam is now out of the car seat at 10 years old.  A few months ago, I had taken him out of it but then put him back in it LOL.  He is really too big for it so he sat like a big boy yesterday and it looks like the seat belts fit him correctly. 

I also took Sarah out of the car seat yesterday after these pictures were taken.  We had stopped at a store and when we got back in the van, part of her chest strap had come out from the back.  This is the 3rd time that has happened with this car seat so I decided to let her sit in the  regular seat.  She is the same size as Sam so the seat belt seem to fit her fine also.  She is 7.5 years old.  In the state of Florida the law is a child must be in a car seat until they are 5 years old. I actually called the Sheriff's office to make sure I was reading it right.   I had even kept Steve and Shad in car seats until they were about 6 years old themselves.   It's unnerving to me to take them out of car seats but since Sarah's  chest strap kept coming off, that bothered me more. 

Last night I got to go out with some great friends.  Two of my closest girl friends that I've made over the past few years AND my college roommate, who is moving to Florida soon.  We all had so much fun together and seemed like they all had been friends for a long time.  Friendships as so precious, and so vital to our lives.  After I left them last night, I just felt happy and loved:)    (and thankful that my husband put the kids to bed for me!)

Yesterday I also took the kittens to "get fixed"  UGH!  I hated to do it but it is a necessity.     They also got all their shots.  Last night they were mad at each other and growling.  It was cute.  The low cost vet place I go to Planned Pethood (they are awesome)  gave me meds to give them daily to help with the pain.  This morning they already seemed better and weren't so mad at each other.

Selah is doing better daily.  she has been off all her blood pressure meds for a week and her BP is perfect.  However her heart rate is a bit higher than normal but the doctor said it is normal and we need to quit watching the machine LOL!  It had gone up to the 130's when she has used the bathroom but the doctor also said if we had a probe on our finger tip, it would show our heart rate up when we pooped too!  I like her numbers to be perfect and always under 80 but he said that is not normal, that the heart needs to go up and down.  Selah has not had any 'storms" due to being off the meds.  Her new drug is in, the one to take to see if she will respond to more stimulation.  We will probably wait out the weekend and give it to her on Monday.  I don't want to see her heart rate up too high over the weekend.  All the nurses agree that she seems more alert off the BP meds.  For that I'm glad, I just get so nervous because I like STABLE and change is hard for me with her.  But I don't want anything to suppress her mind at all.  I'm so very thankful that she can be taken off both of the drugs (actually 3 doses-one drug was given in 2 different ways)  Selah is amazing to me, to think of how far she has come, gives me nothing but hope.  I know she has so far to go, but she has ONLY progressed in the past year.  So many kids like Selah regress, we have much to be thankful for that we have not had to deal with so many issues other have had to deal with. 

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That was all our family news....but this is what is on my heart....

I read a report today from Ukraine Medical Outreach
https://www.facebook.com/UkraineMedicalOutreach

This morning the Coalition for Children at Risk met in our flat. Roman Korniyko, Ukrainian President of the Alliance for Ukraine Without Orphans was the guess speaker. As he spoke, it became clear, there is a humanitarian crisis beginning to unfold. In Crimea there are 22 orphanages with 3600 children. An eyewitness report from Roman's personal friend indicates Russian soldiers are being barr...acked in orphanages, as well as using these areas to store weapons and food. These developments raise two concerns, first using these children as human shields and second, the possibility of abuse, both physical and sexual. When Roman has spoken with officials, they acknowledge there is no plan to protect children in orphanages if military activity escalates. There are no plans for refugee camps. For children in Crimea, some say this is now Russia's problem. In Ukraine, the reality is there are no funds to do these things. The government has sharply decreased funding to the orphanages and encouraged the directors to find sponsors, close schools and kindergartens and decrease salaries. On the brighter side Roman was scheduled to meet with acting Ukrainian President Turchinov to discuss suggestions on how to care for Ukraines 118,000 orphans. We pray for God's mercy and help in bringing an end to this crisis affecting the peace of Ukraine and indeed the world.

 

 

I am sick in heart....God help those children.  The case that many of you have followed and given to of The Burman family, that is where their children are from Crimea....SO if Shelly hadn't been able to get those little boys out, they'd be stuck there now.  What a miracle to have left there just days before this...now all adoption is closed down in Crimea. 

 

There is more at http://childrendeservefamilies.com/news-adoptions-halted-crimea/#comment-938

I commented on there since my family was mentioned in a negative light about adoption.  I rarely read comments on anything but happened to and saw the comment so I thought I would share and set the record straight.  . 

 

All the news coming out of Ukraine just makes me so thankful that Sarah and Selah are safe and at home with us.  I want to thank my friends and family who gave to help us adopt them.  And I want to thank folks that we don't know personally who gave too!   I just want to hug them and squeeze them, knowing they are safe, at home, with full bellies....

 

But for the ones left behind, all we can do is pray....But God is a merciful God, He will hear our prayers.   I pray for the believers in Ukraine, there will be dark days ahead. 

 

BTW, I do not think Putin is going to stop with Crimea, I don't think he is going to stop with Ukraine.  He wants the old Russian Empire back, that is his desire.   Just like Hitler, Putin wants world dominance.  He needs to be stopped. but in my opinion, our president is not a strong man who has the backbone to deal with a man like Putin.  I worry over the plight of the world.  I know God is in ultimate control but I foresee much suffering coming from all of this.   

My heart is heavy this morning......

 

 

Happy Garden and over 1.5 million hits:)

 

 

My garden was happy happy happy with all the rain we got yesterday. 

 

Above you can see potatoes on the bottom left, collards on the bottom right

 

then more potatoes on the top left

onions and squash on the middle right

the top right is peppers and squash

 

 

 

here is lettuce and some herbs, also in the top left side, is some watermelon coming up from seeds

 

 

 

 

 

Collards anyone???  This whole box of collards was less than $4 and I will have 20x what we need.  This is a good veggie for me to share.  Collards is a southern food.  I LOVE the smell of it cooking, I'm not too much into eating them but Jon tells me I cook them just right LOL

 

 

 

Almost 3 inches of rain from yesterday.  WOOOHOO!  Love the rain, nothing can grow a garden better than a full day of rain!

And more collards....I'll be sharing this summer!



I love my garden, it is just so much fun to work it and watch it grow.  I know it sounds nerdy but being out in the garden sooths my soul.  Plus we get good exercise and good food out of it.  People ask me if I save money by having a garden.  I really don't think I do for the most part (except for the collards) but I do all my gardening organically so I know exactly what is in it.  Plus there is nothing like going out and pulling some carrots, onions and potatoes to make your own stew.  Or cutting your lettuce, tomato and pulling up an onion to make a salad!  It's so much fun!

I put the wood mulch in between the square foot gardens to keep the grass out from between them so walking is easier AND to keep grass away from the SFG, so there is less weeding.

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Don't know if you noticed, but my blog has now over 1.5 million hits!  CRAZY:)  Thanks to all of you for coming back and checking on us!  I really appreciate it!

NOW if those 1.5 million hits could translate into 1.5 million VOTES......


http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/selah-clanton-zephyrhills-fl/

the answer today is WAV = wheelchair accessible vehicle

You can vote daily, please post and share.  I'd love to be over 2000 votes by tomorrow!    We'd only need about 200 people to vote and get the extra vote to make it!   She has 1,684 right now....Please vote and get the extra vote tonight.  I sign in thru the FB symbol as that is the easiest for me.  It takes just 1 minute to do the whole thing.  Thank you so much!!!!


Speaking of Selah, her BP is still perfect without the BP meds but her heart rate is still a little high off and on.  During the day today it's been the best it's been since we took her off the meds last Thursday.   We are so thrilled the doctor felt she no longer needed the extra medicine.  Her body is just adjusting to doing the job of regulating her heart rate on her own.  The med was originally given to help her control her BP and heart rate. Evidently it is easier for her brain to handle the BP, she is working on the heart rate but all in all doing fine.  We are proud of our strong Selah! 

Every doctor tells me how it is not usual for kids "like Selah" to go OFF of meds....most kids keep having meds added on for various reasons.  We are so very thankful that Selah keeps being taken off of meds and doing good.  Thank God!  It's a great thing to see her body/mind began to work a little better and not need a med that she has been on since the accident.  Now she is just on a med to prevent reflux, 2 meds for spacity of her limbs, and the inhaled antibodic every other month.  She does have prescriptions for meds IF she needs them like Valium and Clondine.  She is also still on the fish oil study and is given olive oil also daily.  It's pretty amazing!   Please keep praying for Selah.  She should be starting the new pill this week to see if it will "wake her up"  It had to be ordered.

Thanks for all you guys do for us, the kind thoughts and prayers, the sweet emails and comments.  All the voting and sharing:)  Thanks for visiting back daily.....

Rainy Monday......

Ah......a nice rainy day, my garden is growing. Usually on Mondays I really try and get a lot of stuff done but Sarah wanted mommy to hold her and mommy loves to hold her:)  Then went over piano lessons with Shad and taught it to Steve since he is starting classes tomorrow too.  Then I had to play for awhile LOL, it's been awhile since I've played, managed to butcher a few hymns.  I did get about 5 loads of laundry done and supper is cooking (chicken parm, shells, garlic bread and salad)  And I managed to get a few appointments scheduled.  I have a date for the biopsy on my thyroid, that is something to look forward to isn't it? 

So I've checked on our contest, we are at 1,369 votes.  Please vote today... the extra vote  answer is 20 hours is how many hours a week a caregiver gives care....20
http://www.mobilityawarenessmonth.com/entrant/selah-clanton-zephyrhills-fl/
thank you all for your votes and sharing it. PLEASE keep sharing as we'd love to win a van for Selah

Speaking of Selah, she has just been a little different the last few days, her oxygen levels have been a little low (but not bad) and her heart rate a little high.  We really think it is because she is coming off all the BP meds (her BP has been perfect-but the meds were also given to help her heart rate)  I always feel a little unsettled if everything is not perfect with Selah but we think she is ok. 

So we are not surprised at the vote in Ukraine.  But we are concerned that Crimea is not where Putin will stop....  please keep praying for Ukraine. 

Life is so uncertain.....

My Crazy Day

Do you ever have "one of those days"?   Well I just had one today!

Yesterday was a perfect day, we took Sarah with us to our sister in law's dad's memorial service, she was perfect in a new dress, behaved perfect.....we looked like we had it all going on in the parenting department....Fast forward 24 hours.........

This morning started out fine, I got the little ones bathed and dressed for church, blow dried Sarah's hair, got a bow in it.  She had on a new black & white sundress with colorful flowers on it.  Sam had on his little black & white suit.  Ironed the older boys' clothes, they both looked good.  The nurse had Selah bathed and dressed nice.  We make it to church early.  I helped Steve do a new song for our worship service on the computer so it would go up on the screen. I'm meeting and greeting everyone....

It went straight downhill from that point on.  As the worship began, one of the guys came to tell me he thought Sarah might need a diaper change.....I went to pick her up from her spot  in the altar area and checked....well my son and one of my best friends said I said a word that should not be uttered in a church, by a pastor's wife.  At that point the music minister loudly began playing the piano.....there was POOP all over the floor....the NEW carpet.....  I did not even know what to do!  Another friend came and helped me walk Sarah out so we wouldn't' get poop anywhere else, while my other friend cleaned the carpet.  I had to clean Sarah from just about head to toe and throw everything into the washer.  We go back in church, and as I walked in, Selah started spitting up mucus, so I put Sarah down, and ran and got paper towels to clean Selah up. 

Things settle down for a few minutes, then Sarah pooped again and I took her to change her and just went home with her.  The nurse came over to, since Selah was bringing up all this mucus (which is good) 

Then after church we go out to eat.  Sarah got so excited that she fell out of her chair, just spun right out of it.  Sam was beyond grumpy....go to put Sarah in the car, she'd pooped again.....had to change her clothes....in the parking lot. 

We drive up to our house and there are TWO police cars there and our nurse outside....I fell out of the door of the van thinking something had happened to Selah....  Thank God they were there because the church's alarm was going off.  Someone (my oldest son) had left the church door unlocked but the alarm system on.  Someone had come up to the church and opened the door and left when the alarm went off.  Nothing was taken but it was a good scare!

I go back to the house, Selah had to go on oxygen, because for some strange reason her oxygen levels are dropping.  She is not sick, we think she may have a mucus plug.  I should say we don't' think she is sick.    Not sure if I shared but the new neurologist took her off of two meds that worked on her blood pressure.  she had needed it right after the accident but her BP is always low now and which means her body can regulate her own BP and she doesn't need extra help.  Right now her BP is perfect, but her heart rate is a little high but still fine.  We think it will all level out after awhile.  Right now we are all just watching her to make sure things are ok.

So this has been one crazy day.....all I want to do is to go to sleep! What a day.

Hope you got a good laugh, we laughed too.  I really don't believe I said what I was accused of saying BUT I can't be positive.....LOL



Ok we are over 1000 but please go and vote!
The answer today is :  OEM = original equipment manufacturer!
You can get TWO votes if you vote now!!!!!
thank you so much1!!!!!