Our family sure needs your prayers!

I copied this from my mom's blog.

I have been really ill--diagnosed with SIADH--which I do not really understand it--it has to do with ineffective anti diuretic hormone and my sodium dropped very very low and I was unable to function for 7 days.. I then spent 7 more days in the critical care unit to treat and find they cause.. And the cause was found. They found a lesion on my lower right lung--which is what they feel triggered the SIADH. It was biopsied and it is a small cell cancer. for now that is all we know. I will see an oncologist on Oct 12--have more testing to determine stage etc and then they will decide on treatment. I do know it is not operable.

I spent yesterday Googling.  Googling isn't so fun sometimes.  My mom, all of us, would appreciate your prayers.

Thankful Thursday

Today I am incredibly thankful that I can move. I hurt my back on Sunday. Every day I have been feeling better. I am still in pain, but I am able to do all I need to do.

I'm thankful for the beautiful week I had at the lake with Isaac and Allen. What a great place to recover. We go home today.

I am so thankful that tomorrow is Friday, which means Doug comes home sometime!!!!

What are you thankful for today??

Why are mothers so judgmental of each other?!?!?!?

I do NOT understand why (some) mothers feel the need to judge others on their parenting decisions.

I know better, really I do, than to get involved in the breast vs. bottle debate on the SL forums. It always turns hot. But here I sit resting my back, in severe pain and on drugs (not a good combo for staying out of debate LOL) and just didn't stop myself.

There are so many choices in parenting. They start before the baby is even born!

• Hospital birth or birthing center or home birth
• Totally natural or utilize drugs
• VBAC or repeat C-section

And the choices just go on and on and on, don't they?

• Breast, bottle, both?
• Cloth diapers or disposable diapers or elimination communication
  
• Family bed or crib
• Attachment parenting or Baby Wise
  
• When to start solids
• SAHM or Working Mom
• Public school, private school or home school

Doug and I made the choices we felt best for our family. We had 1 hospital birth and 2 home births. I exclusively breastfed, tandem nursed and extended breast fed. We had a family bed. We home school our children all the way to graduation! We feel these are the best decisions for our family!

Guess what?!?!? I really don't care if you don't choose the same way I did. All of those things are valid and have pros and cons when it comes to parenting.

I also don't want to hear how I'm a horrible mother if I didn't do it your way. I am not selfish nor am I lazy. I am happy and confident in all of the choices I've made. I don't want to hear snide remarks about how I educate my children. I also don't want to hear you complain about the public schools and then criticize my educational choices.

But in return, I will not criticize your parenting choices. What difference does it make to me if you have a medicated hospital birth, bottle feed, go back to work when your baby is 6 weeks old, let your babies cry it out in their cribs and send them to public school when the time comes? Those are your choices! I will not criticize you. If asked, I will offer an opinion. But I will do my very best not to sound like I'm coming from my high horse and my way is the only way and it's God's only way!

So, ladies, wouldn't it be so much better if we encouraged each other along the way. Just because somebody does it differently than you do should not make you feel threatened nor should it make you judgmental!

I am SO glad God only expects me to answer for my own family. It's all I can do to make sure I/we are following God's plan. I really don't have time to make sure you and yours are too!

Thankful Thursday

My friend, Bethany, over at The Land of Curly Hair does a weekly Thankful Thursday blog post. I thought I'd borrow it and join in the fun :)

Today I am thankful that I will be spending the afternoon and evening with my Gramma. After school Isaac will drive over to pick her up (Have I mentioned how much I love having my kids drive?? Well, I do!) and bring her back here. Then I'll drive an hour to the yarn shop.

We will sit and knit, chat with each other and the other ladies that come to knit, have coffee and eat goodies, and shop :) It will be a lovely day! The only thing that would make it better is if my mom were able to join us.

So what are you thankful for today??

Woo Hoo!!! First day of school :)

We're starting our 13th year of home schooling today \o/ The first year schooling only 2 in years and years. Jordan graduated this spring and is now working full time. Where does the time go? Only 2 more first days of school ever!! Ok, I'll stop that now before I get all sniffly :-P

It is the perfect weather for school starting; rain, gray, rain, dark, rain, cold, rain, rain. All week until Friday even! Great weather for hunkering down and reading. I'm so glad we delayed starting and enjoyed the beautiful, sunny, dry, warm weather last week!

I am so blessed to have the privilege of educating our boys at home. Thank you Lord!