Happy 20th Birthday Steve!

Happy 20th Birthday to Steve!  It does NOT seem possible that two decades have past since the day of his birth. 

On the 25th of October, I went in for a regular stress test.  Since I was high risk I'd been having four a week for the last couple of weeks.  I was so unconcerned that I told Jon to go out with his dad, who was visiting us BEFORE  the baby came-Steve wasn't due for another month.  So Jon and Papa were out in NYC and I was on the subway headed to my appointment at St Luke Roosevelt's.  The subway ride was memorable as a man actually stood up and gave me his seat LOL.  Once I got to the hospital and got hooked up....all hell broke loose.   Evidently the baby's heartbeat was so irregular and at times non existent that they had me up on Labor & Delivery floor before anyone could think straight.  

Of course this was back before cell phones....Jon didn't even have a pager so I had NO way of getting in touch with him, talk about feeling alone in NYC!   When they got me in the room, and handed me the traditional gown, I went to walk into the bathroom to change since there was about 20 people in my room.  One of the nurses yelled at me to "Change NOW" that made me realize how scary things were and I stripped right there in front of God and everyone with the door opened!   They had me sign all the paperwork for an emergency C-section and actually shaved me!  Then I got the nice surprise of an enema!  Yep.....my son better love me!

In an emergency situation, I get quiet and withdrawn.  I don't think I cried even once.  By the time, everything got done, Steve's heart rate was more stable.  So they held off on the C-section. 

Hours later, I got in touch with Jon and he got up to the hospital!  The doctors thought they'd work on inducing my labor slowly while watching Steve.  If things went downhill, we were headed right to the OR.  So Thursday morning they started me on some drugs, nothing really made much of a difference.  I really didn't feel like I was in labor.  That night they turned up the Pitocin (the drug from SATAN himself) and gave me an epidural.  (something I'd been asking for since I got to Labor & Delivery LOL)  I really wasn't in pain but the epidural didn't numb me at all.  I was such an idiot, I mentioned it but since I wasn't in pain no one really paid me no mind.......

THEN came 6 am Friday morning....October 27th.  I woke up in complete agony.   I kept telling them to FIX IT!!!!!   But I was at like less than 1 CM.  By 8 am I was at 8 CM and was pretty sure I was going to die and really did not care as long as the pain stopped!

If you've never had labor induced, you have no idea of what labor is.  The labor pains do NOT stop....not for one second.  Oh they'd peak, but the lowest they'd go was enough to make a person go crazy.  At one point, I pulled Jon up to me and said "I. WILL.NEVER. EVER. DO THIS AGAIN"...    He was agreeing to anything at that point. 

At 10 am I was at 10 cm and they told me to push- I had already started pushing.  Then they told me NOT to push.  I totally ignored them, there was no way to stop my body from pushing.  Steve continued to be a willful child and was is the position of "sunny side up" with his face facing up rather than down so he wasn't going any further. 

NICU was called in since he was a month early and had been having so many problems.  Luckily they were not needed at all. 

Finally after almost two hours of pushing, the doctor delivered him by forceps.  That was beyond awful.....  but it was over!  My words were "Thank God"  Smart aleck doctor said "What about thanking Me?"  He got a glare! 

They had asked if I wanted to see the baby delivered via a mirror- I had declined.  In fact in one of my few moments of clarity I had asked them to clean him up before they gave him to me.  I didn't want him just plopped up all me all dirty.  ( Yes you can tell I was a little bit unsure about all of this!)

Well my second statement was "what is it?"  since just two weeks before we'd been shocked that the little girl we thought we were having was in fact a little boy (that was at the 9th ultrasound)   So in my heart I was hoping the 9th ultrasound tech was wrong.   Everyone was like 'it's a boy" I was so disappointed but then they plopped that little very dirty boy up on me and the star dust fell on me and I was so instantly in love with him. 

I'd never felt a love like I felt at that moment.....of course I've been blessed to experience it four more times now, in an OR, and two different orphanages.....but that moment was amazing, totally beyond words. 

Some people say they forget the pain, I may not be able to explain the pain but I dang sure I've never forgotten the pain.  In fact when the doctor told me that Sam was breech and had to be delivered by C-section I said "Thank God!"  He just started laughing and told me that was the first time he'd had a mom say that!  And by the way, the C-section was the easiest thing in the world!!!  Not only was the delivery a walk in the park (although there were so many worries about Sam), the recovery was amazingly easy for me.  Let's just delicately say Steve's birth was something I have never fully recovered from.  Sam's birth was so unbelievably  easy- I'm still grateful to him !!!!

But despite 8 months of throwing up every day.....I had morning sickness until I was home from the hospital with Steve....and the world's worst delivery..... Steve was the most wonderful baby/toddler/pre-schooler/adolescent and teenager EVER!!!!  We've enjoyed each and every part of the journey with him.  He's the one who started us on this parenthood path.  It's still unbelievable that he is now out of his teen years.  This part of his life as a young adult is thrilling to be a part of, but hard since he is away from us at college.  It does make us treasure every time we are all together.  We can't wait to see what is ahead for him.


Today we dropped by the college and brought him some cupcakes.  Luckily he had left something he needed for a class at home LOL  and no I didn't hide it so I'd have an excuse to go by!   I have worked on any little bit of helicoptering I might feel to do.  I was determined to not call or even text him daily and certainly not drop by too much.  We don't even get his grades or anything from the school, we feel that he can share things with us, but we don't want to be too involved.  We've always had a great relationship with him, it just is his time to make his own decisions and path.  Well it must be like that old saying "if you love something let it go, if it comes back to you it's yours, if it doesn't it never was "  LOL  I actually had that on a t-shirt!!!!!!   Anyhow he calls and texts us and comes home most weekends.  I love it.  He actually thanked me recently for not being like some of the parents who have treated college like it's an extended high school situation.   FOR THE RECORD- I'd prefer to live in an underground bunker with my kids for the rest of my life!  I don't like this growing up stuff LOL!  But I also realize there are meds for that.......

 

Look at Sarah looking at the camera!  A once in a lifetime moment!!!!!

 

 

 

 

 

The funny thing to me, since he is at our Alma Mater, I can remember hanging out in that lobby with friends 30 years ago.....that's just freaky to me (but in a good way) 

 

 

 

Being a parent has been the biggest adventure of my life.  We've had so many scary medical moments with our pregnancies and experienced losses.  We've had such highs and so many lows.....  I can relate to a lot of ladies out there who have had a hard time having a child.   If you are in that position, I encourage you to continue trying, but maybe adoption is a viable option for you too.  It certainly makes you a parent just like birth does (and it's a whole lot less painful LOL) 

 

Well Happy Birthday to Steve-O you started us down a path we never imagined....but have loved!  

 

 

We are still here!!!

WOW!  It's been awhile since I've updated.  As always I've written lots of blogs in my mind but they never got to the page.....

So since our anniversary, we were away a couple of days at a conference for Jon's work.  We stayed in Orlando and had a friend stay with the kids at home.

Then  Jon took Sam to NY to see his eye doctor last Sunday- Wednesday.  We thought it was the least disruptive to the family if just one of us flew up with him.  Since I was still dealing with a lot of nausea from the meds I was put on, we thought it was best for Jon to go with him.   Sam did great and his eye pressure was with the safe range.  He did have an exam done under anesthesia and they were able to get some good pictures of his eye and his optic nerve, which proved that his glaucoma has not worsen.  Sam loves to fly and made it easy on daddy.  It was hard for me to not be with him but everything went good.  I gave him lots of kisses when I dropped them off and when I picked them up! 

 

This was Sam at 3 am when they were leaving!

We've always struggled with trying to find someone in Florida or at least the South that could oversee Sam's eye care but each time, we have had failures.  Every single time the doctors have flipped out on us, and diagnosed problems that were not really there. Having a corneal implant (K-Pro)  is rare.  We've made the decision that we will just continue with seeing only the doctors in NY.  It is too complicated to try and work with a doctor that does not have their experience.  Our main doctor, is nearing his retirement but he has other doctors who can oversee Sam, since he is 8 years post op.   It's easier to just go where we have people we trust!!

When we were driving into the airport to pick up Sam and Jon, a Delta plane flew in right over us.  I thought it would be funny if it were them but we were about 30 minutes early BUT it was them!  Jon called me to say they'd landed before we'd gotten into parking.  I thought that was cute!

Steve was home a bit more than usual last week as he drove me back and to from the airport for me and spent a couple of nights home.  Then they had a long weekend so when we took him back to college last night it was hard!  It's so much fun when he gets here and so sad when he leaves.  We did some fun things while he was home this weekend including going to see Goosebumps.  Shad had been waiting to see it with Steve. 

We also moved all our outdoor stuff to our front yard.  We'd thought the back yard with all the beautiful pine trees would be the best place to have the swings but the ground has stayed too wet and there are more bugs back there.  So we moved all of it and I cloroxed everything off.  We finally have outdoor weather in Florida!!!

 

 

 

 

I found a set of clearance seat cushions for our outdoor swing!!! 

 

 

Jon's dad is still defying the odds and is still with us.  He is such a strong man, despite his age and health conditions.  We all went to see him last night and it was a sweet time.  I hadn't gone to see him in awhile, Jon goes almost daily but of course I keep the little ones at home so he can spend time focused on his dad.  Last night I shared with PaPa about what a good father in law he has been to me.  He's been better to me than my natural father ever thought of being.  I was blessed with good in laws.  My mother in law passed away only a few months after Jon & I married but we had time to bond.  I've missed her many times over the years.  Thank you for your continued prayers that he will remain comfortable and at peace.

 

 

Thank you to my Winter Haven Florida friend who sent the kids two Cabbage Patch dolls and a horse for the dolls.  Sam really likes them.  My friend had sent me another one a couple of years ago and Sam played with it a lot, then I bought a little girl outfit and gave it to Sarah.  It was even our Baby Jesus in the church play last Christmas.  Now he has two little boy Cabbage Patch dolls to play with!  Thank you my friend!

 



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Between my blog and our church over $500 has come in for the Philippine orphanage.  We were able to buy 100 pair of Crocs for just $1 a piece for another ministry in the Philippines also.  We also were able to buy two washing machines for the orphanages  I love to give in practical ways!  You can get involved by sending a check to Grace Church- Orphan Fund

7060 Berry Road

Zephryhills Fl 33540

 

 

It's a CRAZY life

Today is our 26th wedding anniversary!  The years have flown:)  I'm so glad to be married to Jon and realize as the years go by how blessed I truly am.  We are at a conference in Orlando for part of this week (part of Jon's work). This year the conference is at a nice hotel....one time it was at a church's camp....I was NOT a happy camper about that! 

 This is a first for us, we have our wonderful respite worker (that we know and love personally) watching Sam and Sarah.  We've never left them over night with anyone but Steve.  That sounds so funny but Steve is very capable to taking care of the kids.  Anna, the young woman who is watching them is also and we are really happy that God allowed our paths to cross because otherwise I wouldn't feel safe leaving them.  Steve is at college so I feel like our family is very spread out this week.  We pretty much did any type of traveling as a "tribe" before now.  Life does bring changes.

So last week I ended up in the ER.  For the past six years I've had stomach/side pain that has gone undiagnosed.  The last two months things have been worse than ever so I was getting pretty worried about what was going on with me.  After a lot of testing, it seems that I have Crohn's Disease. 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crohn%27s_disease
Only people who have been undiagnosed for years with something can relate to my feeling of relief in having an answer.  Honestly I was relieved it was not something worse and shocked that after all the testing that's been done on me that I've not been told this before.  In the past six years I've had two colonoscopies.  And while I knew I had colitis, and some diverticulitis,  no one ever said Crohn's. in spite of all the issues going on.  It may have just now gotten to the point that they feel it's Crohns and not some of the other, I don't know but my entire digestive system is involved at this point.  So..... I'm on two antibodics and a steroid.  Unfortunately they make me nauseated.  I'm being really careful with my diet right now, hoping to get the inflammation down.  I believe this will be quite the weight loss diet of the year for me LOL~!  

So again let me encourage you if you have anything going on medically, get it checked out!  I'm terrible at letting myself go while I'm taking care of my family but that doesn't help them in the long run. 

In spite of everything going on with me, we had a wonderful weekend.  Our son was home from college again, we went to the movies, I helped a little on some schoolwork and we just hung out together as a family.  Nothing else can be any better than that!

Sunday mornings are always a bit rough around our house.  Jon does an early service at the prison and that leaves me to get the kids up and going.  This past Sunday we had it all working ....we were going to be to church EARLY! BUT........  Shad comes running inside to tell me there was a bird stuck in our fence....WHAT??   Of course I thought he was exaggerating, nope not at all.  There was a BIG bird stuck in our chain link fence.  It was some type of crane, or maybe a blue heron, never really was sure of what kind it was....but I was SURE it had a LONG neck and a LONGER beak.  When Steve was little we watched "The Crocodile Hunter" and learned from Steve Irvin to always cover an animal's face.   So we got gloves on and a big towel out.  I was able to wrap his head/neck up and we tried to work him out.  We couldn't without a wire cutter so I called 911 and our wonderful Sheriff's Office came out and helped me.  The Officer could not have been any nicer.  He managed to cut just one small link and we were able to work the bird out.  He called a bird rescue that came to get the bird.  The funniest thing, the bird rescue people wanted to know WHAT kind of bird it was before they came out.  I wouldn't take the towel off its' head to take a picture of it because I did not want that thing to kill me.  So the rescue person told me if it was a blue heron (which is what they thought it was) the bill could go through my skull....that was reassuring as I was holding its body up facing it!  I dang sure wasn't going to take the towel off then!   Anyhow he lived and hopefully will recover.   I was praying out loud for the bird as we were trying to get it out.  It just seemed so hopeless.  I figure that the bible says that God knows when a sparrow falls to the ground, so He must know when a big bird does too!  You just can NOT make up my life.....there is no way!

We may be leaving for NY this Friday- it's hard because my dear father in law is nearing the end of his life and we just hate the thought of being so far away at this time.  However, Sam's eye pressure is up and the doctor's office had to reschedule him due to their situation last month.  It's very hard to know what to do.  We are putting off making a decision until we can talk to the doctor's office.  Sam will be having a procedure done under anesthesia and has to have two of his doctors there.  It's hard to get that all coordinated.  Every year there is some shifting but this year is worse since we are more concerned about Sam's eye than ever and also worried about Jon's daddy. 

Please keep Jon's dad in your prayers.  He has been a wonderful father, father in law and grandfather.  We pray that he stays comfortable and that this process is peaceful for him.  He's fought for a long time and is a strong man in so many ways. 

King's Garden Children's Home Philippines

King's Garden Children's Home Philippines  was founded in 1994 by a 76 year old widow.   The current director spoke at our church yesterday and I'm excited about partnering with them. 

Here is a short video clip that tells about their ministry.
https://vimeo.com/leecomm/review/131959876/29d9c748b7

They have a monthly operating budget of about $10,000 and which comes out to about $200 per child!  WOW! 

 

This is a list of their extra needs.

 

I've committed to buy the two washers.

 

If you'd like to contribute to them there are several ways you can do it.

 

 

Send a check or money order to

Grace Church

7060 Berry Road

Zephyrhills Fl 33540

attn :Orphan fund

 

Send a check or money order to 

Assembly of God World Missions

1445 Booneville Ave

Springfield MO 65802

Acct # 292122 9

 

Online

http://s1.ag.org/Jarvis

 

I'd really like for us to get behind this orphanage!!!

 

 

Their FB page- go like them!

https://www.facebook.com/Kings-Garden-Childrens-Home-Philippines-118791484842226/timeline/

 

Their web page is in the process of being updated.  They are 5 hours from Manila and have sketchy internet- I can relate!

http://kingsgardenchildrenshome.org/portal/

 

 

If you want to ship something directly to them NOT cash

King's Garden Children's Home

Palonatin Road, Upper Sabatan, Orion, Bataan 2102 Philipppines

 

Our church has already helped to do some Christmas shoebox projects. 

 

Just had to add this story I found about the founder of KGCH

http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20130202/NEWS01/702029953

she was a missionary until she was 89!!!!!!!!!!   And I think my little tiny family wears me out sometimes!

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In Clanton news....

Eleanor the cat (yes this is one of the "kittens) wants to make sure Shad was clean for school today. As he sat reading last night, he got a good cleaning!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 she got the back of his head too LOL

 

 

 

We had a great weekend. Our oldest son was home from college so that automatically makes it great:)  My heart was heavy as I thought of the families who lost their children to the shooter in Oregon. And my prayers remain with those families who had such strong loved ones that when asked they said "I am Christian" even knowing they were going to be killed. 

 

 

 

 

 

Abortion from a 12 year old's perspective

Last night our son Shad off handedly asked us what was an abortion as we were cleaning up after supper.  I gulped....so did Jon, we were quiet for a minute.  How do you explain to your child about the killing of other children?  We weren't discussing abortion.  The news wasn't on.  It was an earth shaking question.  When we explained to him....his face actually blanched.  There was a look of disbelief & horror on it.  I truly don't think I've ever seen that look on his normally very happy face.  He asked why didn't the police stop it!  And we had to explain that it is legal in America.  Our 12 year old son was horrified and shocked....yet we adults allow this to continue.

Today Planned Parenthood's director  Cecile Richards had to tell the truth under oath on Capital Hill.  Here is a recap of it, written by Matt Walsh.

Big news happened today. Planned Parenthood testified on Capitol Hill.
Fittingly for an organization that murders 300 thousand children a year, it was a bloodbath. Planned Parenthood lies about literally everything, nothing they say about anything can ever be believed or taken seriously, and every point and every statement they make is either an obvious untruth or a really obvious untruth. You can only imagine, then, what happens when these people are forced to give honest answers under oath. It's like opening an overflowing garbage can after it's been sitting out in the hot sun for a week. Only, in this case the garbage can is filled with the dismembered remains of murdered infants.

The stench of death and lies seeps out of every Planned Parenthood clinic, so when forced for the first time in their history to actually admit to a few basic facts, the results were devastating. Or they should be devastating and they would be if we lived in a culture that possessed even the faintest affection for the truth.
It started badly for Cecile Richards and company when a forensic analysis earlier in the day determined that the undercover Planned Parenthood videos were not manipulated or deceptively edited at all. Even the shills Planned Parenthood hired to investigate the videos last month concluded that there was no "widespread evidence of substantive video manipulation." We've now had two forensics investigation, one paid for by Planned Parenthood, that have both confirmed the authenticity of the videos. Still, Cecil Richards breathlessly repeats the claim that the videos were "doctored" despite two separate investigations -- including her own -- explicitly stating otherwise.


As I said, these people lie about everything. This is the level of dishonesty we're dealing with. Total. Complete. Pathological. They could stare at a brick wall two feet from their faces and tell you it isn't there (of course, I would then insist they run into it headfirst to prove their point). As noted late term abortionist Adolf Hitler once said, if you tell a lie often enough, people will believe it. Planned Parenthood tells the same lies every day, all day, unrelentingly, and the dupes in this choose to country believe it.
Cecile Richards' testimony was disastrous. She was forced to sit quietly as Rep. Chaffetz outlined how Planned Parenthood -- a "non-profit" -- spends millions of dollars on lavish parties, banquets, travel, and exorbitant salaries. The head of the nation's largest abortion provider then reported that her position at this humble little charitable child killing outfit pays her over half a million dollars a year. Next, after repeatedly claiming on the record that Planned Parenthood performs mammograms, she had to admit precisely none of her 600+ clinics conduct the procedure. To be clear: this is a lie she told, a lie her supporters repeated ad nauseum, and a lie she just admitted was a lie under oath. This is a woman with no shame, but I suppose you could expect nothing less from a person who pays activists to throw condoms at presidential candidates (another worthy venture for taxpayers to fund).


Things only got worse for Baby Killers R Us from there. When asked if a child born after a failed abortion would be provided care, she said she'd "never heard of that circumstance happening." It was a fascinating statement considering abortion survivors just testified in front of this very same committee. I guess denying the existence of people who were just in the room was, in her estimation, a better strategy than admitting they'd let the child die right in front of them, as Planned Parenthood officials have testified in the past.
Later, Richards had to confirm that Planned Parenthood raked in 127 million dollars "in excess of revenue" last year, while dramatically reducing the number of "additional services" it provides. Now, I'm no economist, but I'm pretty sure "excess" revenue is the same as profit. So today we learned -- although some of us have known it for years -- that the "non-profit" tax funded Planned Parenthood actually earns over 100 million dollars of profit. Only in the nightmarish fantasy land of pro-abortion propaganda could 127 million dollars in profit equal no dollars in profit. I wonder, precisely at what point does profit become profit? Could Apple call itself non-profit by this logic? Is Microsoft a charity? Is McDonald's really nothing but a philanthropic endeavor? If a company can make nine figures in profit and still be non-profit, haven't we effectively destroyed the meaning of the term?

But the most significant moment came early on when Cecile Richards again confessed to being a dirty rotten liar, admitting that abortion does not account for "3 percent of their business," as she and her minions have repeatedly claimed, but in fact abortion is a full 86 percent of their non-tax funded revenue. As some of us have been saying for years, abortion is almost their entire business. Everything else is a smokescreen. A front. It's like a store that sells old VHS Disney tapes in the front and hardcore porn behind a door in the back. Everyone knows it's really a porn shop. Just like everyone knows Planned Parenthood is an abortion warehouse and nothing more.
Of course, none of this matters much. Planned Parenthood supporters have largely sold their souls and their brains. If you're willing to defend an organization that kills over a quarter of a million human beings every year, I wouldn't expect you to be too concerned about stupid, pesky little things like honesty and truth.
Regardless, we should all take notice of the fact that the entire Planned Parenthood narrative just crumbled and fell apart on live TV this afternoon.
Some might consider this a notable development


So if you are interested in watching it and confirming for yourself what the director of Planned Parenthood said, please feel free to do so.  I watched some of it, it made me sick.  I've watched all the videos that have come out about Planned Parenthood and it was almost more than I could handle.  I watched them like I watch documentaries on the Holocaust, I do it to honor those who died, even though it leaves me with a sick feeling in my stomach. 

How can people allow this?  I guess a 12 year old has it right.....

Survive!

 

Ok I survived turning 50 years old!

 

Steve came home for the weekend and we had a great time.  On Saturday he took Shad to a movie and I went and spent some a gift card at the bookstore!  I found another author I really like Victoria Thompson. 

 

 

 

 

It's so nice to have Steve close enough to come home some weekends...it's just sad to take him back to college on Sunday afternoons!!!  There's always a little hollowness in my stomach when I drop him off.  It's funny I drop him off in the parking lot of the building I lived in 30 years ago this year.  NOW that is ironic to me.  It's one of the few places that has not changed one iota at the college, it's still cramped and hard to get in and out.  On our way out, I was thinking how I used to park my old brown Comet there in that same parking lot....it's just funny/sad to me....

While I was dropping Steve off, Jon took Sarah into Urgent Care.  It seems like she's had too many really wet diapers lately and has been cranky.  She's also had some unusual bruising on her legs.   I was worried about a UTI/Kidney infection and/or anemia.  She did so good to go pee-pee in the little "bonnet" they gave her.  Jon got really stressed about it, but she performed perfectly:)  The blood work....they couldn't do it.  We had to take her back Monday and it took 4 people to hold her down.  Everything came out completely normal.  We are assuming the little round bruises are just from her being active and our floor is not carpeted so it's easier for her to bruise herself .  They just were small and bothered me (I've read too many Care Bridge stories)  I'm thankful she is no where near anemic:)   The doctor (after seeing her in action) just thinks she bumps things, and just keeps right on going. 

Speaking on her just going....today she got herself to the table AND got in a chair by herself!  I turned around and was shocked!!!!   If I hadn't been here alone with the kids, I would have assumed someone helped her but she did it by herself and was quite proud!

 

This is not the best picture but she was ready to eat!  I'm so proud of her!!!!  She is figuring things out.  The other morning she was halfway down the hall, scooting on her bottom looking for me.  She startled me then too! Exploring is hard for a little blind girl, but I'm so glad she is starting to do it here.  At first she hardly left the couch without one of us carrying her.

 

We've also been having her "walk" with us holding her hands/arms.  She is doing much better and it works for in the house.  That helps so I don't have to carry her as much.  We've been working with her so much that it's becoming a lot easier for her and for us too.  It seems like that is easier for everyone rather than using a walker inside. 

 

 

She is sleeping with me about every other night.  I take her in Steve's room (yeah for a free room) and sleep with her.  We've never been "co-sleepers" with any kid- me and Jon like our sleep way too much for that because you know Kids are not the nicest bedmates!!!  But we've also tried to meet the kids' needs at various times in their lives.  Sarah is a little bit on the roll of sleeping with me.  But when she takes my hand and holds it, it just melts my heart.  We always start her out in her bed and some nights she does fine.  There are times when she wets herself and by the time I have her changed, she is awake enough to know she wants Mama.  It's really not been too hard, I think she's had a lot of changes with the move, the new bed, the floor not having carpet on it (that's a biggie for her- a year ago we stayed at a cabin that had wood floors and she would NOT get on them)  so I hope this will get her over her little hump in the road.   At least I hope that in 20 years I don't have to sleep with her every night!!!!!

 

OH BTW...the recipe for Italian Pie- I had some mix left over so I cooked it for lunch on Saturday.  I had bought some crescent dough ( reduced fat but still way too many chemicals) It tasted sooooooo good in the crescent rolls that even Steve liked it despite it having spinach in it.   So you can try that if you want to.  It's not as healthy.

 

Well I'll try and post some more recipes tomorrow.  I had a reader send some really good sounding ones that I need to try, since my people want three hot meals a day. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Turning 50!

Today is a banner day in our home!  Shad turns 12 and I turn 50!

I can't believe Shad is 12 (nor can I believe I am 50!!!!)

 

Shad the day he came to the orphanage

 

And today by the front door!



 



 At school when I delivered his cake and cookies for his class. 

 

Next year he will be a teenager!!!!!!!!

 

 

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Ok his birthday is all fun and games but MINE???   50?????  How the heck did that happen?????

 

 

Here's me at about 9 months old. 

 

At my old year old bday party

 

 

My 4 year old bday party with my Uncle Mack.  He moved in with us and I adored him.  He died when I was 12 years old and it devastated me. 

 

 

 

 

Kindergarten picture 1969

 

 

1st grade

 

 At my 8th bday party with a friend

High school Graduation 1983

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

College 1986

With my roommate and some close friends at a Sadie Hawkins 1987

 

I rocked the 80's!

 

 

Christmas in college 

 

 

 

Ok IN MY MIND, I feel like the girl in the last few pictures.....LOL  however I KNOW that's not true!

 

Turning 50- that's huge!  When there's a TV ad on and the business says "we've been in business for 50 years" it makes you think that that business is stable.  It's been there a long time.  Well that's what I'm feeling today. HAHAHAHA!

 

Honestly I feel in shock, to me 50 seems old.  I apologize to anyone who is reading this who is 50 or older but.....in my mind 50 is not young.  I even got an AARP card in the mail last week!  ME!  Who do those people think they are sending ME a card like that????

 

I look back over my life, over the stories I was told of hard times that I was too little to know about, and of all the memories I have and I know God is faithful.  There are many things I don't understand, how or why God protected me like He did but I'm so grateful that as a baby and small child, that I found a sanctuary with my great aunt and she chose (at 66 years old) to raise me.   As a mother, I am so grateful to my great aunt Bertha ( Boot Mama- ok we give Southern names)  She saved my life in many ways.  Also as a mother I don't know how she had the energy to do it!

 

I'm so grateful for the life experiences I've had, both good and bad.  The good ones are precious, the bad ones make me thankful for the good ones!

 

Who would have thought I'd go to college, graduate and work a career job for years?  I'm not sure I even had those kinds of dreams as a kid. 

 

I'm amazed that I've been married now for almost 26 years to a wonderful man.  I can hardly believe I have five kids, each with such unique stories.  Me, who never really thought she'd be a mom!  As a child, I remember when Nixon opened the doors of travel to China, never ever thinking for a moment that one day I would go there and adopt a son!  I remember when the Wall fell, watching it on TV with Jon, never knowing what that meant for me- that one day I'd go and stay in Ukraine for weeks while adopting two little girls. 

 

As a little girl, I'd watch shows based in NYC and I never dreamed that one day I'd live there  and have a son born in Manhattan! Having the experience of giving birth was just amazing. It was awful but at the same time, there was this wonderful boy born to me!  I was privileged to be able to birth a child!  And it's been a privilege to watch him grow into a young adult and go from being his mom, to being a friend also.   

 

  I got to experience living in NYC, the largest city in our country. Me, just a poor girl from a little tiny pulp wood town in North Florida.  I rode the subways and buses like a native.  I got to explore areas all over the city and out on the island.  What fun!

 

Of course, I also never would have dreamed that I'd lose twins while living there and almost lose my life in the process.  The whole experience of their death just reminds me of NYC.  I remember walking in the rain to the Upper West Side to meet with an undertaker to do all the paperwork to have them cremated.  That was a hard time.  There's nothing like NYC in the evening, in lightly falling rain.  That will always be a memory to me that I'll hold sacred. 

 

Growing up only knowing a very few handicapped persons. I never imagined that I'd be the mom of a handicapped child....and then two more.....   I never knew of the privilege I would have to be able to be their mommy.  What a blessing it has been in so many ways.  Although as an avid diaper changer avoider it is very ironic that I have three little ones in diapers at age 50! 

 

As basically an adopted child myself, I never dreamed when I was younger that I'd have the honor to walk out of two awful orphanages with my children in my arms!   There are no words for it......

 

Over the years, I've got to travel and see a lot of the USA and aboard.  Things I never even had the dream of doing as a young girl. 

 

Even the hard times, losing the twins, Sam's birth and early years, Selah's accident.....all of those times helped me to know God better and to cling more tightly to Him.  While I would not chose on my own to go through any of those events, I can look back on them assured of God's grace, provision and sufficiency.   I've learned through it all that God is very faithful!

 

God's given me some life long friends that I'm so glad that they are in my life.  People I can be real with and who "get me".  Even if we all have busy lives, they are there.

 

I've got to do some incredible things over the years.  I've seen miracles of provision, I've had the help of an angel while in China (yes really I think so) 

 

I've managed to still be a pastor's/minister's wife without killing anyone....that's just should be a life time achievement award for me! 

 

I saw that today and thought it was very fitting for me!

 

 

 

This one too!

 

 

 

 

I've got some regrets for some stupid things I've done in the past.  Three specific things....and I have a few regrets for some things I did NOT do....  Although some of those things may have caused me to have other regrets LOL!   But all in all I'm pretty happy with my life, and where I am at.  I feel extremely blessed with my husband and children.  They are the stabilizers of my life.  When something goes wrong I remember that NOTHING really matters but what happens in our home.   If somebody gets mad at me or upset with something at church, or in a friendship, other family or whatever.....if it's not between me and one of the other six people that share my house, then it's not worthy of my worry or pain!   I really live by that!  100%!  That causes me to put everything else in perspective!  And it helps me to live calmly. 

 

It's been an interesting life so far.  I don't know what lies ahead, good or bad.  Of course, I hope ONLY good but I know that is not realistic.  I hope that I'm here on my 100th birthday, writing a blog talking about how young & silly I was when I turned 50!  Ha!  I hope I have a long healthy life ahead so I can take care of my younger children and watch my older ones hit milestones in their lives. 

 

I'm thankful for every day that God has given me....all  18,263 according to one of my friends!!!