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!

A few finished projects!

I've been knitting this summer. Here are just two projects that I've finished.

First is a Gelato bag. It is a felted bag made from Lamb's Pride wool mohair blend. It was SO fun and easy to make. And it's so tiny and cute! My mom felted it for me since I've never felted and I have a front load washer. She also made the lining and I stitched it in. Not the best stitching job, but it works for me.

And the other is a baby blanket from the Stitch 'n Bitch book. It is a seed stitch border and blocks of stockinette stitch and garter stitch. I made it from dishcloth cotton and it turned out so nice! Our neighbor had a baby last month and this was her gift.

Have you been working on any projects this summer?

A Knitting Contest!!

KnittySue is having a blog contest. It's fun and easy. Just take a picture of your knitting corner and explain what is around it. The contest closes on the 20th.

So here is my knitting corner. It is in the corner of my bedroom.

To the right of the chair is a big basket. Inside the basket you will find patterns printed off the internet, yarn, finished projects and needles.

Beside the basket is a bag with yummy wool in it. I have wool for 2 different Gelato bags and also sport wool for 2 small Lucy bags, and the needles I need for those projects.

To the left of my chair are several bags with ongoing projects in them. The front bag has a baby blanket I am crocheting, a large Lucy bag I am making, plenty of patterns, needles, notions, crochet hooks and scissors, and dishcloth yarn and an unfinished dishcloth.

The next bag has an Ilene bag I started today. I'm making it from dishcloth cotton. It also has patterns and needles and notions and yet another unfinished dishcloth.

The next bag has a baby blanket I am knitting, extra yarn, needles, notions, etc.

The back bag is full of patterns and needles.

The wicker chest in front of the chair I use as a foot rest, hence the pillow. I sit in my room most evenings knitting and browsing the net on my laptop while watching tv.

So there you have it! My ADD knitting corner!

Better Than " " Cake ~ Weight Watchers

I posted this on my Cooking Blog a little bit ago, but decided it needed to be here, too. Oh my is it so decadent! It doesn't taste like anything you'd expect a "diet" recipe to taste like. It is so YUM!

1 box devil's food cake mix
10 oz. cola
1 egg white
6 oz fat free caramel topping
7 oz. fat free sweetened condensed milk
1 c. Heath toffee bits
8 oz. fat free cool whip

Mix cake mix, egg white, and cola. Bake according to cake mix directions in a 9x13" pan sprayed with cooking oil.

During the last few minutes of baking, mix caramel and milk in saucepan, heat and stir until smooth. Take cake out of oven and poke holes all over the top of it. Pour caramel mix over top of cake. Sprinkle with 3/4 c. of Heath bits. Cool cake.

Once cool, covered with cool whip. Sprinkle with last 1/4 c. Heath bits. Refrigerate until serving.

YIELD: 24 or 12
1/24 = 3 WW points; 1/12 = 7 points

Unconventional Work Schedules

I am cross-posting this from my marriage blog.

Doug has always worked an unconventional schedule. He spent 12 years working a job where he got up anywhere between 2am and 6pm and came home 12-16 hours later. He'd find out on Monday evening what he was going to do on Tuesday, and every day was like that. He did this when the boys were little. It was tough, but at least he came home almost every night.

So when that job ended (and put 57 or so drivers and all the office staff out of work), and had to go over the road, I thought, "How bad will it be? He was rarely on home anyway!" Well, it's a lot worse than I thought. It is down right hard.

There are so many women whose husbands are gone a week, a month, a year, and/or do a lot of travel for their work. It is hard. I didn't realize how hard it would really be.

In an emergency I cannot call my husband home from work. He's states away from me and can't come home. He may be sleeping when an emergency happens; leaving me to make all the decisions. I do not like that at all!

I have 3 teenage boys. Let me tell you that teenage boys act much differently when Dad isn't coming home every night. It is exhausting for a mom to parent and home school teenage boys mostly alone.

It is lonely! I hate going to bed alone. I stay up until I am utterly and totally exhausted and then collapse into bed with a book wishing that my husband were home to kiss me goodnight. I even wish to hear him snoring!

It is frustrating. I am a hormonal mess by the time night number 4 rolls around. I am short tempered and impatient on Thursday and Friday. I really have to work at being kind to my family.

Although we can talk on the phone frequently, we really can't have important conversations or even personal ones. Doug drives with another guy. Corky is always 1 foot away from him. They live in that truck. It is very easy to feel disconnected.

With Doug's schedule of being gone 5 days/5 nights and home for 2 days/2 nights, I am constantly having to change between being the one in charge to not being in charge. That frequent changing back and forth is trying.

The days he is home are so busy we often don't have time to just be and talk and connect. He needs down time. He needs to spend time with the boys. There are always things that need done around the house. We try to go on a date. Laundry needs done, food needs bought and prepared for the coming week in the truck, he needs to nap before leaving for work on Monday, so there goes 1/2 of one of his days home. And then there is family commitments! If you are the mom or sister or whatever of a man that travels for work and isn't home much, please realize that his wife probably doesn't want to share him with you ever weekend, or even every other weekend.

If you are the friend of a woman that is a married single parent (her spouse is gone frequently for several nights or longer at a time), your friend would love to hear from you. It is LONELY! The evenings are the worst. Most people are doing family things. Call her up and ask her if she wants to go to coffee or even just chat on the phone. The computer has become my friend. The few forums I belong to keep me company. I feel like I don't fit into groups at church. I'm not a single mom. But I really can't do things with the couples because my husband isn't home. It is a hard and lonely place to be.

Also, when you call your friend, please don't complain about your husband and all of his shortcomings. Because while she'll sympathize with you about his inability to pick up his socks, she'll really be wishing and longing for her husband to be home so she has the opportunity to pick up his socks.

I am fortunate that Doug does come home on a regular basis and has somewhat of a schedule. I know many trucker wives that have no clue when they'll see their husbands again.

I am also fortunate and very, very blessed and thankful that Doug has a job. Yes, I know that is a wonderful thing in this economy and we are thankful. But reminding me of that after you ask me how I'm doing and I tell you how lonely I am or how hard of a week I'm having does not make the week any less hard or the nights any less lonely. Yes, I am thankful Doug has a job. I just wish he had one where he came home far more than he didn't. And it really is hard to listen to you complain about your husband being late for dinner again. I rarely get to cook my husband dinner.

And there are so many military wives with their husbands gone for very long stretches. I'm sure she faces even more challenges that I am dealing with. If you are a military family, thank you so much for your sacrifice for our country and our freedoms. I am very grateful to you.

We have learned so very much through this schedule. The value of time spent together. Not taking each other for granted. Making love as often as possible when he is home, because it will be a while before we get to do it again, no matter how tired we feel. Taking time to sit and talk. Holding hands and looking into each others' eyes when we talk. It is so not the same to have the majority of your conversations on the phone. How much we really, really do love each other. And that sometimes absence does make the heart grow fonder, but week after week of absence just sucks. Oh, that is another thing not to say to a friend that has this lifestyle.........occasional absence is good for a relationship and does make the heart grow fonder. Regular absence is hard, painful and totally sucks.

I have friends that tell me how lucky I am that my husband has this schedule. They'd love that. A break from sex and not having to take care of them. I am sad for their marriages. I can't imagine being happy that Doug is gone so much more than he is home. After I kiss him good-bye for the week, I can't even watch him pull out of the driveway. It just hurts.

So, the next time you talk to a woman with this type of lifestyle, why don't you give her a hug and ask her what you can do to help her not have to do it alone this week, how she can not feel overwhelmed, if she'd like to go for coffee, or if she has little kids if you can give her a break.

I got my nose pierced!

The first week of June I ran away from home and got my nose pierced! I think it is totally adorable!

I drove to my girlfriend's house in PA and then we continued on to another friend's house in VA. We spent three lovely nights with her. Peg is such a dear, sweet friend. I love her bubbly personality and staying in a houseful of girls! She has 4 of them. So different than boys.

Anyway, back to the nose. So Monday evening Peg, Jen, Liesl and I drove to Richmond and met Danielle, Anne, and Kelly for dinner at Bottoms Up Pizza. Oh my is that the best pizza I've ever had! Dana was supposed to join us, but she was occupied with babymooning. She had her sweet baby daughter that morning. We missed her!

Then it was on to the tattoo parlor. The one we had planned to go to was closed. So we walked around until we found another one. The piercing guy wouldn't be there for 30 minutes, so we went out to dessert. We found a lovely restaurant. It has nice atmosphere and AWESOME dessert. I had a chocolate cake with raspberry filling, chocolate ganache icing and caramel sauce. It was SO yummy!

And then back to the tattoo parlor. I was starting to get nervous. But I had my reinforcements with me. I went all the way to VA so I would have reinforcements :) So this totally freaky looking, but very, very compassionate and kind, man takes me to the back room. He explains how the cork he just pushed up no nose is to stop the needle. I start to get nervous, but just closed my eyes and waited. When he put the needle through my nose, my right eye just watered and watered. And then I got hot and dizzy and nauseated. I thought I was going to pass out. The guy kept asking if I was OK and trying to get my nose to quit bleeding. He did go get me a cool, wet cloth and talked softly to me. Then he helped me off the table, gave me the stud he would have changed it to in 4 weeks if only I didn't live in OH, and sent me on my way with my girlfriends.

It hurt more than I expected. I had a horrible headache that night. The next day my nose burned. Wednesday is was really itchy. And now it is mostly healed up and only hurts when I twist it. I can change it in 4-8 weeks. I'm going to wait at least 6.

So that's what I've been up to. How about you?

Congratulations Jordan!!!!!

Jordan graduated today! I cannot believe he is all big and everything. I also can't believe I've home schooled for 12 years already!! Where does the time go?

We had a very casual graduation ceremony at the beginning of his open house. Doug said some wonderful things and gave him his diploma. What an awesome thing for a dad to be able to do.

Then we opened it up for all who were there to come up and say a few words to Jordan. It was really nice. Such a personal graduation ceremony.

We had a picnic at my in-laws' home. They have a fabulous yard for it! And the weather was simply gorgeous!!

Here is Jordan with Doug and me. (Do not ever take your picture at that angle!)

Isaac got up and said quite a few things.

Brother Love

His long time friend, John, also had great things to say. Jordan and John have been friends since Jordan was 1st grade and John was 2nd. John was also home schooled through graduation.

Everybody hugged him. They didn't do it long, and I only got a few shots since the delay on my camera took longer than it did for these guys to hug LOL.

Brenda, John's momJordan and Cay (my step-mom) Cay really tried not to cry, but she isn't very successful at that. So after a teary little speech, she smacked him in the stomach, told him to take better care of her boat and cottage, and then walked away. It was a nice comic relief.

Jordan and his friend Zach

Zach's mom, DavinaJordan and Kevin

Jordan and Gramma Chris (my mom)

The Graduation Boy

Jordan, Doug and Isaac

Me

The trampoline was a big hit!

Jordan and our neighbor, Adam

And the cake!
We had a great day!

Happy 15th Birthday Allen!!!

I cannot believe that my baby is 15 today! But he is. Time fly so quickly. Just yesterday he was born, or at least it seems that way. And now he is 15. Allen is a fabulous young man, kind, considerate and loves the Lord!

Happy Birthday Allen!!!!

The day after he was born. Jordan was 3 1/2 and Isaac was 20 months.

He's 13 here

Fishing at the lake!

3 months. Wasn't he a cutie??

May Already?!?!?!

I cannot believe it is May already!! Where is this year going?

I've been busy posting a gazillion (or so it seems) recipes on my cooking blog. Jordan has finished school, and we are busy getting ready for his graduation and open house on June 13th. And the time before then is very busy.

• I'll be going to the CHAP convention on Friday
• Mother's Day we'll be at the lake opening it up and putting in the dock. That will be great fun!
• I'm helping Doug with the end of the year bowling banquet for the boys' bowling league the next weekend.
• Memorial Day will be coming up. I need to figure out HOW to schedule a birthday party for Allen. My baby will be 15!!
• On the 31st I'm leaving for a trip to VA. I'll be visiting girlfriends and we'll be celebrating my 40th birthday (Which was in Feb.) I'll be getting my nose pierced and we'll go for yummy pizza.
• I get home on the 4th.
• There's an open house on the 5th
• My mom's 60th birthday (I have a young, beautiful mom) is on the 7th and so is my Uncle's wedding, but it is THREE hours each way.
• I hope we can all go to lunch for my mom's birthday the week afterwards
• Then it's Jordan's graduation/open house.
• The next weekend we're having a Sonlight meet up (where SL'ers from near and far will come meet each other) at Cook Forest, PA forthe day.

So all these things are going to be great fun, but I'm feeling quite overwhelmed! Somehow Doug and I need to find time to just be during this busy time. It's hard to cram so much into the few days a week he is home.

So that's what's happening here. What's going on at your house?

A Word of Warning!!!!

I am doing major decluttering for the next several weeks. I am going through years and years of Taste of Home magazine (from 1999 through 2008 sometime) and also Quick Cooking from the premiere issue until 2 years ago.

I am going through these magazines, finding our family's favorites and putting them on my cooking blog, and then I'll be giving them away.

So, if you have my cooking blog in your Google Reader or are following it, be warned that there will be a LOT of recipes posted over the next couple of weeks. I didn't want to freak you out LOL.

I'm still alive and kicking!!


Remember a couple weeks ago when I mentioned that my girlfriend was having a baby and I'd be going to help? Well, she had her baby. A sweet baby boy.


So I'm at her house until Wednesday. I've been here for a week now. I'm really going to have baby and 3 year old withdrawals when I go home. It is lovely to snuggle her kiddos. This is the first time I've not felt like I wish I had littles again. Ahh....it's good to be content.

Going on a date tonight!!

Well, we go on a date most every week. But this will be our first date alone since mid-January :) :) :)

For the past few months we've been double dating with friends. And even when we're not, the band we listen to, the member's wives and girlfriends are there so we sit with them, which is way fun.

But tonight, everybody is busy and we didn't invite anybody to go with us :) We'll have dinner and dancing at one of our favorite places.

So that's my evening.....what is yours??

What's Happening?

We've had a lot going on here. We're in the home stretch of our hs'ing. I'm looking forward to a break in June. We're also graduating our first son this year. Wow! Where did that time go?? He's busy looking for a job. He isn't sure what he wants to do and has no desire to go to college right now. So his plan is to work for a while and figure things out.

Isaac is counting down the opening of the cabin. We all are, but he is really looking forward to it. In the next couple of weeks they will start putting in docks. They love that little side business.

Allen is looking forward to a visit with our friends while I'm out of town.

Doug is still driving to and from California every week. We both look forward to Wednesday night.

I'm on baby watch. My girlfriend is having a baby and I'll be going to the hospital with her. She lives about 3 hours from here. We're in hurry up and wait mode in the last few days of her pregnancy. I am so blessed she asked me to be with her.

So that is us lately. What's been up with you?

I've started yet another blog!

In January I started a marriage blog, Love Lasts a Lifetime (I'll also put a link in my sidebar). I talk about all aspects of marriage over there. I'm doing a book discussion on Sheet Music by Dr. Kevin Leman on Wednesdays, issue weekly challenges on blessing your husband, and talk about all kinds of things.

So hop on over and check it out if you like. Mom and Gram, you really don't need to hop on over there ;)

I can see clearly now :)

I picked up new glasses yesterday. It's been 3 years since I've had an eye exam. The past 6 months or so things have been blurry, even with my glasses. I cannot see far, so what does that make me, nearsighted?

Anyway, things far away have been burry, even with my glasses. Although I can still read just fine (thankyouverymuch) :)

So imagine my surprise when the doctor told me that my prescription is not as strong as it was. My nearsightedness is actually getting better. I was elated! And then she went on to tell me why. Well, because I am getting older and my eyes are shifting. Shortly I won't be able to read OR see far and will need bifocals. I have a few years yet, anyway.

So I wanted a totally different look this time. I couldn't decide. I tried on dozens and dozens of frames. The ladies there helped me and this is what I decided on. I like them. And gosh, I can read street signs again!!!

Peanut Butter-Banana Oatmeal

I thought I'd share a recipe here. I usually just post them to my recipe blog, but thought I may as well share some here, too, right?

Peanut Butter-Banana Oatmeal

1/2 c. old-fashioned oats
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. fat free milk
1/3 c. chopped banana (about 1 small)
1/8 tsp. salt
18 tsp. cinnamon (I used nutmeg)
1 1/2 T light brown sugar
1T natural-style chunky peanut butter (I used creamy)

Combine first 6 ingredients in a 3-cup microwave-safe bowl; stir well. Microwave at high 3 minutes.*

Add sugar and PNB to oat mixture. Stir until thick and creamy. Serve immediately.

YIELD: 2 servings; 2/3 c. = 4 WW points

*I always boil oatmeal over in the microwave. So I put this into a 4 cup small PC batter bowl. I cooked it for 3 minutes and the oats were still crunchy. It put it back in for 2 minutes. The oats were cooked, and also spilled over the bowl. I'm going to cook it on the stove-top next time.

This was very, very yummy. Tasted like PNB oatmeal cookies!