RMECHAP143

The SPECT came back Clean

2012-01-23T08:38:00.000-08:00

The SPECT scan came back clean. The cancer had not metastasized. So my bones are clean, my liver is clean... He did however tell me I have a cavity in my back left top tooth. With inflammation I need to go get it fixed. :D
Praise God the SPECT came back clean!

A Point to Ponder

2012-01-21T09:02:00.000-08:00

Geiger counter similar to RAI day

The day(20 Jan 2012) I went in for my SPECT scan I also asked them to use the Geiger counter on me. See when they gave me the RAI they showed me the number on the Geiger Counter. It was at 184 when I saw it at the highest. So 10 days later I wanted to know what it was. Anyhow when the technician for the SPECT was done I asked and she offered to get the Physicist for me. The gentleman who came out was clearly of middle eastern decent. From the moment he came around the corner while he responded to my questions his body and language were pointed toward Ric. Now before you take the least bit offense please know I DID NOT! Why? Because in his culture he was honoring Ric and respecting me. I believe some in our culture would have taken offense to his rudeness, yet in truth he was showing me and Ric the best respect of his belief. Sometimes it is easy to take an offense where it isn't ment as one. Maybe instead of being so quick to take that offense if we can consider where the others shoes have walked then we can see they were showing respect and honor.
Side note; Mr. Heals (name changed to protect his identity) and Ric actually entered a rather quick conversation about the whole Iraq war. In which his last basic comment was he wished that it had been properly wrapped up BEFORE our soldiers had come out, and even then thinks there should be some there for years to come. Another interesting note was, he is a Nuclear Scientist and won't live in his home country because he never wants to be forced to use his knowledge to build something against his own wishes. Also fascinating to me was while in Iraq he had lived in one city and had not even seen others because they weren't allowed to travel or even see the rest of their country. Really I can't fathom not being able to travel even from Winnemcca, NV where I grew up to Reno, NV about a 2.25 hr drive.

Thyroid Cancer (ok so that is not a favorite thing... But watching God thru it has been INCREDIBLE)

2012-01-16T12:18:00.000-08:00

For the last 11 years I have had Hashimoto's Disease. In a nut shell that means my thyroid is hypo or hyper randomly. In the past three years I have known something was wrong with my thyroid, however all my TSH tests came back in the normal range. Two years ago I had an ultra sound on it because it was big. Big and lumpy and bumpy are normal for Hashimoto's, but they had questions so they finally referred me off post to see an endocrinologist.

The first doctor and I, didn't see eye to eye, so we fired each other. The second one spoke so quickly no one could get a word in edge wise, however to be certain he sent me to a third for a biopsy. They biopsied only the left side and it came back normal. It turns out the right side was the normal side, had they taken a biopsy from the right side they would have known something was wrong.

The second told me if I had any further questions come back. Then we moved to Ft Leavenworth so sometime about Sept 2011, still knowing something was wrong with my thyroid, I went to my PCM and asked for my TSH to be checked. She said no problem's all in normal range. I pushed so she finally said she would ask if there could be a referral. The referral was granted, so I was sent to Dr. Amanda Bell, number 4 Endocrinologist in less than 2 years.

DR AMANDA BELL!!!! Praise God, He moved her to KC, 29 Aug 2011. I do not know who else will be blessed by this Dr's talent but let me tell you she ROCKS! Dr. Bell had not even touched me and she said by the information in your records there is a 50/50 that you have cancer regardless of the biopsy, your thyroid has reached that magic size.

She still wanted me to have an ultrasound to make sure of the size. The ultrasound showed it was the same exact size and shape as it had been the year before. The tech is a sweet precious christian with whom I had a wonderful visit. Dr Bell still recommended that I have my thyroid removed, so she referred me to a surgeon.

Dr. Rouse, is the surgeon who removed the thyroid. Another Dr. who Rocks (Praise God)! Given a few more months no one will look at my neck and know I had surgery. I went to see Dr. Rouse for the first time on 23 Nov 2011, the day before Thanksgiving. While he did not believe it was cancer it was impinging on my swallowing. So we asked for the soonest surgery date, wondering how it was going to work with Ric's schooling. The soonest they had was 25 Nov 2011 the Friday after Thanksgiving. That meant that Ric would not have to miss any school due to surgery(Praise GOD!). It also meant I didn't have to think about surgery for a long time.

25 Nov 2011 we went to Liberty MO for surgery. We were in the pre-op area and there was a sign that said "Surgery no admittance" Ric teased I couldn't get in. As they pushed my bed around the nurses desk they pushed some sort of drug. I have NO recollection of going thru those doors (Praise GOD!). I woke sometime around 1300 just long enough for Ric to put my praise music into my ear, and recognize that I had the most wonderful leg massage going on (really not sure why people don't like the air pressure leg cuffs that provided me with the most wonderful 20 hr calf massage). Then Ric made the first of 3 (about an hr 1 way) trips home to take care of the dogs. While he was gone I woke and needed my first dose of pain meds... but alas I had no nurse call button to call anyone. Thankfully Patty heard my cries for help and came to my rescue! (PRAISE GOD!)

A little later I had a visit from Chaplain Lovell and while there he prayed (Praise God!). Very shortly after that a visit from Chaplain Carrothers and his bride Marinell and they prayed (Praise God!)

About an hr later Ric got back and then we had a sweet visit from COL J.P. and Nickie Silverstein. Then just before visiting hrs were up Gabe and Jamie showed up and brought dinner for my sweet starving groom (PRAISE GOD!, he gets grouchy without food yikes).

At about 2300 the new nurse Nathan told me I would have to swallow pills for my next pain killer. I cried, you see I had been gagging on my vitamins because they were to big to swallow, at least they were with a double size thyroid. He gave me the pill, I would only agree to 1, and I swallowed it... and I could tell there was room to SPARE! I had been more comfortable breathing and just lying there but that was the moment I realized that this pain was worth it purely from the comfort level. (PRAISE GOD!)

Ric made 2 more 2 hr round trips home to take care of our puppies. All so he could sleep with me at the hospital. Such a loving, caring, giving man God graciously allowed to be my husband... PRAISE GOD! And he stopped on his way back the 2nd time and brought me an iced CHAI! Yummmmmm!

When Dr Rouse came thru on his rounds on Saturday and saw me walking and doing well he removed the drain tube and sent me packing. But not before a sweet CNA Melissa helped me take a bath to get the ick out of my matted hair. (PRAISE GOD!) Come on what girl wants to get in the car with hair matted from surgery.

We got home and had 4 nights before I got the call on Wednesday morning saying it was cancer. My first reaction was well the first thing they would do for it would be remove it. Check... I next sent a text to Ric. I texted my mom, sister, and girls and then posted to FB. Not to much longer after that I got a call from a good friend from our days in Germany who is now stationed here. Then Ric was sent home. It was so sweet... yet kind of funny in my warped mind ... they had already removed the cancer. God really had given such a sweet peace that surpassed any human understanding.

On the 15th of Dec, I had a follow up appt with Dr. Rouse really he is an artist my scar will be so minimal and since he put it in the crease no one will really realize it is a scar... plus I think he gave me a little neck job... not that I was looking for plastic surgery, but hey if it came as a benefit of this I will take it. Dr. Rouse also referred me to Dr. Thompson for the next step in the process.

On the 22nd of Dec, was my follow up appt with Dr Bell. Come to find out for her specialty she basically did a research thesis on my kind of cancer. She is such a sweet young lady! A true blessing!

When we got home SURPRISE! One of our girls showed up a day early! It was SO good to see Chris! (PRAISE GOD!) It had been far to long since we had last seen her beautiful face!

On the 23rd of Dec, I went and saw Dr. Thompson for the first time and his physicist Nick and let me not forget his nurse Kay. They went over the process of doing the RadioActive Iodine (RAI). Then we decided the start date, which meant immediately going off T3 meds. Since there is a world wide shortage of the shot they would have given me instead of having to go off meds.

We had a lovely Christmas! Delivered donuts and coffee to the gate guards which has become a yearly ritual. Came home and opened gifts. Got the bird in the oven. Three great kids (Soldiers) came from Ft. Riley to spend the day with us. Thank you Clare, Joe, and Sean. Went to church in celebration of Christ's birthday. Came home finished up the meal and ate.

On the 26th I started the low Iodine diet to starve my body of iodine so any remaining thyroid cells would be starving to take in iodine. The thyroid is the only organ that process iodine and turns it into the thyroid hormone.

On the 29th Chris left for her home in AZ. :( We had such a sweet visit. (PRAISING GOD!) He gave us this time.
A few hrs later we left to visit our friends David and Marti.
Marti loved me in such spectacular ways... she made delicious satisfying food for our 3.5 days there and then sent home the left overs. Being so tired from no meds (T4), and still not 6 wks after surgery, I was of NO help. On the 2nd we came home.

On the 6th, I took the blood test to see if my levels were high enough they had to be at least at 30. On the 9th after much frustration the nurse Kay finally received the lab results. The level was 68 well above the minimum of 30, the 10th was a go.

That doesn't really sound like it meant that much but the low iodine diet is a kick in the bumm! Salt is fine as long as it isn't sea salt, soy... well I don't eat it anyhow, no egg yolks, are you kidding me? No dairy are you trying to kill me or what? No cheese? No cream? HELLO!!!! Really add that to my already gluten intolerance and things get ugly.

On the 10th of Jan 2012 at about 1400 I took 150 M Ci of RAI. After a 20 min watch to make sure I didn't have a reaction to it I was sent home. Instructions stay 6' away from adults, children, dogs etc for 10 days. So here I am sitting in bed, my family loves it! I am in solitary confinement, behind bars at Ft. Leavenworth, KS.

There are many things and people who are not listed here. That truly have made this much more a blessing. People who took me to the 2nd endocrinologist so I wouldn't be alone when Ric was deployed. Friends who have been more acquaintances before, who have established themselves as friends by coming to visit and prayerfully lift me before THE Throne of GRACE daily(HUGS to my friend Alison). Friends who have made meals, THANK YOU!

God has blessed me in ways I can not even communicate. But some that I can are; that if Ric had come to ILE the year before as he was "supposed to". If life hadn't been so hectic in the first few months of being here at Ft. Leavenworth, I would had asked before Dr. Amanda Bell would have been here, she only arrived on the 29th of Aug 2011. If we had come the year earlier people like the Lovell's, the Batchelor's (friends from Germany years), the Kim's, sweet Lara Fiscus (she helped me so much in Korea when Beaux was so sick I thought he was going to die) wouldn't have even been stationed here. The Carrother's would have been in a different position and we may not have known them the same. A year earlier my dear friend Janet hadn't had the touch of God on her that she has had this past year which would have meant she wouldn't have pointed me to the grace of resting in God that has been so pivotal in my peaceful journey.
As a dear friend who used to be my youth leader said... and you thought you were going to Ft. Leavenworth for military stuff... humpt! You are so right Ellen!
Thanking God for HIS timing. Thanking God that His timing included such a wonderful group of "OLD friends"! Praying that I remain in this attitude no matter what tomorrow brings.

Thinking of Pink

2012-01-13T13:35:00.000-08:00

So one of my girls... those precious gifts from God sent me these beautiful pink roses yesterday. So as I sit in bed looking for energy to do anything. Waiting sleepily for the 20th to get here so I can leave my room I get to look at these beautiful flowers.

On the wall, I know you have seen them before but these are what I see. The stained glass my mother made, the painted are from my Gram, and I did the counted cross stitch.

Inside here is how I am able to watch tv, what little I have energy to watch. I had my thyroid removed the 25th of Nov. It had cancer so I am in the midst of a RAI treatment, which means no t3 or t4. On 20 Jan I will go back on T4 and the body and brain will be reconnected. :D

Thank you to Beverly from How Sweet The Sound for hosting Pink Saturday.

Do I need fixed?

2011-12-08T17:01:00.000-08:00

Of course I need fixed! Are you crazy!?! Romans 3:23 says "Because all people have sinned, they have fallen short of God's glory." do you see that ALL ... me, you, him, her, ALL! It doesn't matter the sin; to much time on the computer, to much to eat(gluttony), adultery, un natural relations, to much to drink, sex outside of marriage, I could go on but if you are reading this you get the point.
Some of these things are necessary and good i.e. food we need food without it we really could not last a long time. Sex is great for and inside marriage. Jesus made wine. For us sinful humans we take what is good and twist it to be harmful for us so much of the time. Even in those things moderation is needed. Yet as a sinful human that can be difficult in areas of our lives. 1 Corinthians 6:12 Someone may say, "I'm allowed to do anything," but not everything is helpful. I'm allowed to do anything, but I won't allow anything to gain control over my life.
I am thankful that I have a compassionate merciful Savior who took all my sins on that I might have eternal life. John 3:16 God loved the world this way: He gave his only Son so that everyone who believes in him will not die but will have eternal life. He is gentle with me... but yes, YES I need fixed and only God can do that in me. I am grateful He has made me willing.

gluten~free twinkies

2011-11-20T19:14:00.000-08:00

Even when I did eat gluten I really didn't eat twinkies. However recently I have been craving the random cake things. Off to google I went.... Gluten Free Canteen , had a "Out of a Box" recipe. It starts with a box then there are a number of other ingredients.
It would have been easier if I had a long tube to squeeze the filling into bites.
I had extra filling so I drizzled it over the top too.
Not exactly twinkles, but pretty good.

boeuf bourguignon... that is what was for dinner.

2011-11-19T19:10:00.000-08:00

For about a year now I have been contemplating making this recipe from gluten-free girl and the chef a love story with 100 tempting recipes(cook book).

A couple of days ago I started. It is supposed to be an overnight kind of marinade... mine ended up taking an extra night. I started cooking it last night, putting it away late in the evening. The smell of it woke me up three times in the night. Finally today I cooked it all the way. At the end of the recipe though it calls to take the mirepoix and herbs. I understand why the big pieces of herbs and the bay leaf should be removed. What confuses me is why would one take out the carrots, onion, and celery? Veggies are good for you and the fiber in them help a body's system. I just left them in, maybe it should look "prettier," OH WELL. I will say it was very good with the veggies.
There is something very satisfying about making food homemade.

Harvest Sweet Home

2011-11-12T16:36:00.000-08:00

There is a small grouping on the table.
The little shelf has silver sprayed pumpkins in it.

I normally do not do any Harvest decor. This year I really wanted to so.... Here is my little smattering of Harvest. The green thing in this terrarium is something inedible but bumpy apple like, Ric found it while out geocaching one day.
A little ribbon a few ceramic pumpkins a couple of green sunflowers, a random apple like orb, so burgundy leaves.

Growing Up Amish... A Memoir

2011-08-31T07:55:00.000-07:00

By Ira Wagler.

This is Ira's story of growing up and how he endeavors to fit into the Old Order Amish community. There is heartache and heartbreak through out as he figures out his way to God. In the end there is peace in his heart.
For some reason I did not realize this book is an autobiography when I started reading it. As I was reading I was drawn to wonder and feel for his momma. I can not imagine not being able to see my child. I am glad for Ira that he was able to see in the end that God is loving and merciful and not available thru the laws that man set, but in direct relationship. This book helps one see that there are all kinds of pain out there and that loving people thru the love that God gives us is crucial.

I want to thank Tyndale House Publishers for my complimentary e-read of this book for review purposes.

Mawage is wot bwings us togeder today...

2011-08-17T14:59:00.000-07:00

Mawage, that bwessed awangment, that dweam wifin a dweam...

And wuv, tru wuv, will fowow you foweva... So tweasure your wuv.

Impressive Clergyman ~ Princess Bride

Marriage is a blessed arrangement,... It is also daily hard work, somedays it is even harder. Many days it is ultimately the choice to love the other person rather than rely on some twitter pated feeling.

That dream in a dream. Interestingly here frequently I forget that Ric has a dream too and not always does my dream mesh with his dream.

And love, true love will follow you forever... For me some days I wake up and don't even like Ric, however I have entered into a covenant with God and Ric. So I choose to love him. In my humanness I can only attempt to mimic God in loving my husband as God loves me even when I do not "feel" like it. Thankfully God doesn't ever not "feel" like it.

So treasure your love. In the past year I have read a really great book it is called Love & Respect by Dr. Emerson Eggerichs. In his book he points out, Ephesians 5:33 But every husband must love his wife as he loves himself, and wives should respect their husbands. The surest way to show love to your man is to respect him just as the surest way for your man to show you love is to cherish you. Now honestly ladies I can say that when I read "RESPECT" shows your husband love I thought oh how LAME! Then I put it to the test. My sweet handsome husband reacted in ways I never would have anticipated. Treasuring means you take care of, you work to help it thrive. People who treasure money make sure not to spend it un wisely, and to invest carefully. That takes time, effort and research. If I treasure my husband I am going to invest my time, my effort, and I am going to study him to know what makes him smile and what makes him frown. Then I am going to do my best to make him smile. Oh I am not saying being some door mat. I am talking about investing my time in loving him. And for Him ... the male ... that is RESPECT. ( alternative words; honor, appreciate)

I think all of us want what we see in pictures... you know all smiles and happiness. The reality is:

We only see the good times in pictures, but it is the bad times that get us from one photograph to the next.

~ Just Married

Really how many of us frame pictures of our selves fighting or angry? I don't have any of those kinds of pictures in my photo albums.

Then there are those moments... those beautiful moments! The ones where everything just "fit." Or the times that we are talking and no one else really understands because we are talking thru our own experiences. Marriage is one of the sweetest hardest things I have ever done. Thank God HE is with me... I couldn't do it on my own.

Stories of Faith, and Courage

2011-08-16T08:56:00.000-07:00

Stories of Faith and Courage from the war in Iraq & Afghanistan is a a day by day reading thru the year. The days are about different people or situations, and sometimes continuing situations. The stories are about 2 pages long, each day is ended with a short prayer and a scripture. It is written by Jane Hampton Cook, Jocelyn Green, and John Croushorn.

I think that the "Dedication" sums up the book very well " Dedicated to those who live loudly for liberty in Iraq and Afghanistan and their families."

As a Chaplain's wife, I appreciate that the stories and adventures of our soldiers and their families are being shared. Some of the stories made me cry, some made me laugh, and appreciate the sacrifices. The stories made me think and consider how God would have me handle situations in my own life.

I want to THANK AMG and netGalley for the opportunity to read this on my iPad complimentary for review purposes.

Gluten Free Cookbook

2011-08-16T07:23:00.000-07:00

Quick-Fix Gluten Free is written by Robert M Landolpi.
The title is pretty self explanatory, this cookbook is specific to cook without Gluten.

Mr. Landolpi's wife became ill and after some long searching and many incorrect diagnoses she was found to have Celiac Disease. He began creating recipes and then was inspired to share what he had learned the hard way. Many are finding ways to make the original (wheat based) into something gluten free, such as cinnamon rolls, southern-style chicken and dumplings, spinach and ricotta cheese eggplant roulades or swedish meatballs. Others would be gluten free naturally, such as bacon-wrapped dates stuffed with almonds and goat cheese, or tangy thai baby back ribs. I like how he has noted if he has found something works especially well, like a spice or a beer for battering. He has a few recipes from breakfast thru dessert with interesting stops at teasers, tasty comforts and international flavors to name a few. Mr. Landolpi also goes into a list of likely needed items in the gluten-free pantry, substitutions, and techniques.

I recommend this book for people who have gluten issues at all. Since I am gluten intolerant it is very useful to me.

I want to thank Andrews McMeel Publishing thru netGalley for being able to read this on my iPad complimentary for review.

Honor Begins at Home Courageous

2011-08-14T21:22:00.000-07:00

Courageous is a novelization by Randy Alcorn, based on the screenplay by Alex Kendrick & Stephen Kendrick.
It begins with the carjacking of a man named Nathan that turns out to be a law enforcement officer. His new co-workers become close friends and surprisingly another man who is not in law enforcement is added to that number. Their friendship lead to decisions to be the men God has called men to be. Some of the choices they are left with are painful, some are hard, but they are all defined by a Resolution they take "witnessed by their family and their God."
I highly recommend that men read this book. It draws a person in from the 2nd page. I really like the moral of this book, which is that men need to be involved in their children's lives to effect a change in the world. In short ... WOW! Twist, turn, and MAN UP!
Here is my favorite paragraph in the entire book.
" Nathan folded his hands on the table. 'We can't surrender to the culture. We've minimized the role of fathers, so we've created a generation of barbarians--children who become men without growing up. They stay in boyhood through their twenties and thirties, sometimes their whole lives. They think of themselves first, indulge in pornography, do what they feel like, and leave their wives and culture and churches to raise their children.'"
I want to thank Tyndale House Publishers for my complimentary copy of this book for review purposes.

More Pink

2011-08-12T16:42:00.000-07:00

I love pink! I have always loved pink from the moment I remember picking a color. When I was a little girl my Gram painted me a picture of a rose in my favorite color... PINK!

Our 2004 Christmas Ornament from Germany

Here are a few more items in my collection, and the flowers left from our 25th Anniversary.
Thank you to Beverly from How Sweet The Sound for hosting Pink Saturday

Jeremiah 29:11 I know the plans that I have for you, declares the LORD. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope.

Moving

2011-08-12T16:08:00.000-07:00

My father is so gleeful that he no longer moves his momma's piano!

This move has probably been the most stressful one I have ever encountered. In part because we decided that I would come with Ric pretty late in the game. We had planned that I would stay with the house until it sold. Well after almost a year deployment being apart for even a few more months of our own choosing just was not realistic. So while Ric started school I stayed back and prepared the household goods for pack out. The packers packed us out in 2.5 days! That is the quickest we have ever been packed and loaded! Packing started Wed. and they left on Friday at 12:30. As soon as they left I finished packing my car, locked the house up, and drove like a mad person to beat the movers to Leavenworth. By 15:00/ 3:00pm they were unloading! Today the movers came and picked up the empty except for paper boxes.

With many thanks going to my dear friends Shari and Ms Barbara for coming and helping me during the pack out.

Stealing Jake

2011-07-03T15:15:00.000-07:00

Stealing Jake by Pam Hillman This book quickly drew me in!
Livy's childhood left her feeling untrusting and fearful. She has in the past few years come to know God, yet her past continues to haunt her. The new life she has been living leads her to make sure other children do not grow up with the same hardships she did.
The story of Livy's childhood is interestingly unwound as you move thru her present. An interesting point that is an under theme is that God makes a way thru if we just will trust.
Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers for making this book available to me thru NetGalley.

Hawaii

2011-06-21T19:31:00.000-07:00

4 wks after surgery for Tasha, 8 months old + for Teo

I spent 6 weeks and 3 days in Hawaii. Going just a short 6 wks after Ric got home from his last deployment.
Our daughter Tasha had back surgery. Dr. Orchowski fused her L-5 to S-1. I visited Tripler so much that by the end of my trip I was able to direct people to different area's of the hospital. Our grandson Mateo was 7 months old when I arrived.

Ric and I went to the International Market in 1989

6 days before I left I made the girls get in the car and I drove them around the island. They told me some 20 miles into the drive I had to turn around cause the road ended and we would fall off into the ocean. Later they realized we were on the opposite side of the island and we hadn't fallen off into the ocean. Tasha was able to see parts of the island she hadn't seen in her almost 3 years.

A CRUISE A CRUISE HE TOOK ME ON A CRUISE!!!! CAN YOU SAY FABULOUS!

2011-06-21T16:43:00.000-07:00

He has promised me a cruise since Christmas 1988. He took me! We went to the Eastern Caribbean, San Juan, Saint Martin, and Saint Thomas, on Celebrity Solstice.
I can honestly tell anyone that for me this is on the same level as the first time I went to Paris. Celebrity treated us to such decadent luxury!
We left on the cruise on 3rd of April returning 7 days later on the 10th. Ric had just returned from a deployment to Kuwait of almost a year.

State Room 3133

Old Town San Juan PR

Marigot, St Martin

St. Thomas

Ric's favorite pic from the cruise

From the moment we checked our luggage at the porters we were treated like royalty. We boarded and had lunch, afterward making out way to the Solstice deck our favorite quiet place to sit. We had such a wonderful time that by the 5th day Ric was talking about the next cruise. I think my favorite part of the cruise was the lack of phone coverage and internet. We actually spent time together without interruption.

There will be more cruises! I so enjoy the days at sea that I can just sit and watch the water pass. Loving our quiet time. Other than that the days we disembarked we were able to see places that we wouldn't go for a vacation to for any length of time, and we did not have to schlepp our luggage from hotel to hotel. Most important was the service I received being gluten intolerant. (They even bake g-free on board)

He's on the PLANE!

2011-03-13T23:11:00.000-07:00

I am so excited. As I write this Ric is now aboard a plane on the other side of the world. But on a plane which means he will soon be on this side of the world. By the time you see this he will be home! I have not touched his handsome face or held his strong hands in 333 days (or 479,520 minutes, or 7,992 hrs, or 1102 meals).
This year has had it's ups and downs and swerves and jerks. I was able to spend a couple of weeks with my cousin, sometime with one of our girls before her family moved to Alaska, a month with the Freier Team, sometime with my mom when she came out to visit. Beaux was sick and in ICU (vet) at K-State in Dec.
God is always good. However, this year has gone quickly even though there were times I felt would never pass me by. I am Thankful to a gracious God who makes time keep ticking at the same rate regardless of the good, bad, or ugly that we are walking thru at the time. I am grateful that God loves me enough to put the right people in the right place for "such a time as this." I pray that I have been faithful enough to what it is that God planned for me in this time. I am human only with God's mercy and grace could I have been "enough."
Well I am off... to bed... prayerfully my last night of this deployment.

Footstools

2011-03-09T13:54:00.000-08:00

In our bathrooms we have these little plastic foot stools/steps. They are ugly and every time I look at them I think "surely there is something I can do to make this look prettier!"

So the other day I sat down and started sewing. Here is what I came up with. I have no pattern other than the stool itself. I have to finish the pink one and make one more for the 3rd stool.

I am so excited!

2011-03-08T14:38:00.000-08:00

Ok so there are a couple of reasons to be excited. But right now I want to talk about makeup, GLUTEN FREE makeup. I have been using my normal Bare Minerals .

For years I have not worn mascara more than one or two times a year because every time I did it hurt my eyes. Well recently I thought maybe since people are talking about gluten free mascara I should look into that. I am happy to say I am now wearing mascara on day 2 and am having NO reactions. Other than compliments. I usually go no more than 15 minutes without a reaction. This is very cool. Maybelline! The inexpensive stuff can you believe that! Great Lash Big Washable Mascara (NOT the WATERPROOF!!!!)

3 Favorite things

2011-03-02T08:39:00.000-08:00

Ok so this is a random post. Today I just want to list a few of my favorite things. Things that I am thankful I do not have to live without.
My phone My hair towels My Wii

Affect Change

2011-02-28T20:17:00.000-08:00

I am doing a Beth Moore Bible study, Breaking Free.
This paragraph really strikes me.
"Sometimes we're willing to criticize what happened before us, but are we willing to take the challenge of positively affecting those after us? The little slice of time God offers each generation is a trust. Those before us who were not faithful with their trust will be held accountable, but we're still here. We still have a chance to positively affect the generations that follow us." Isaiah 39:5-8 ... what kind of "link" was Hezekiah?
Oh God help me to be faithful and honoring of the slice of time you have given me.

Be my Ma'amaw...

2011-02-27T17:44:00.000-08:00

Friday night I was out with my friend Jamie and her 3.5 boys. We had gone out to eat at the local mexican restaurant and then had come back to my house. At the end of the evening Ry had decided that I should be his Ma'amaw. So meet my newest Grandson... Rylee, he is 4. No we don't have another kid. Just have an extra grandson.

A long year

2011-02-24T18:56:00.000-08:00

This has been an interesting year. One which I am very grateful is nearly complete. My beloved groom has been working far away. God has been most gracious and merciful to us. I am very proud of my handsome man. He has been working to make his soldiers comfortable.

He has loved his soldiers as God has asked of him. He has my utmost respect.

Thank you to anyone who reads this who has lifted us up in prayer. I appreciate it more than words can express. We will soon be together again.

Decorating... Nikki's

2010-11-30T11:27:00.000-08:00

Decorating is probably the thing I MOST enjoy. It is a passion! This week at Nikki's she gave me carte blanch and said do what you want. Oh Nikki do you know how wonderful that makes me feel. Anyhow She has a smallish office room which I was able to design the arrangement for and re-arrange with Nikki and Roger's help. If I do say so myself the room went from feeling closed in to much more open and for Nikki more usable work space. I think she was most excited that she now has a space for her idea wall. Roger, I appreciate your help so much!

Sunday with Em

2010-11-30T11:20:00.000-08:00

Lillie during Bible Quiz study

This past Sunday I was able to spend some one on one time with my other cousin Emily. We were at church while Nikki, and Lillie were doing Bible Quiz study.

Em and I had a great time we ate lunch and then we went outside for a bit and I was able to take some pictures of her with the background being Pikes Peak. She is a bit of a practical joker and has an imagination that is always going. Here is one of my favorite pictures I took of her.

Geocaching

2010-11-30T11:05:00.000-08:00

So this week I have been visiting with my cousin's in CO. We have had a lovely time. One of my favorite things to do is to geo-cache (cache is said cash). My cousin Nikki loves being outdoors and hiking and walking so since she had never actually found a cache we went out together. Geocaching is a natural fit for Nikki. So far being together we have found 10 cache's. One of them especially sticks out in my mind. We started up the road and the gps was bouncing all over one minute it said 436' right next left and we were still walking straight up the road. So at a point we decided the compass said left for long enough we would go UP the hill. We climbed and pulled and made our way probably about 100 yards UP the hill. And then the compass said it was completely the opposite way. Thus we carefully picked our way back DOWN the hill. We continued up the road and then it said it was like 120' away so we went up the the rocks and across a slightly frozen stream then there was a water fall we couldn't cross yet we remained about 75' away from the cache. Back down the rocks and then around over the bridge and we find a real trail. Up Up UP we climbed. Nikki leading the way. At about 25', I came around a corner and BAMM there was the cache. Nikki is not yet accustomed to looking for what doesn't fit was continuing on. She picked up a Germany travel coin.
This cache is somewhere at the feet of Pikes Peak.

Today I am Thankful for...

2010-11-26T07:12:00.000-08:00

So I was slow on the whole Thankful for month. However I think that having this list is a great reminder of ALL I have to be thankful for.

Today I am Thankful for... God who loves me so much that HE pursues me and shows me how I need to change. He is so good to me. 5 Nov 2010
... my wonderful husband who keeps me grounded and he loves me so much. I respect him. Thank you Babe for all you do for me for our girls for our country. 6 Nov 2010
... for my girls.... you know the 7 beautiful girls that God blessed Ric and me with. Cherish, Rhonda, Machelle, Chris, Mandy, Lisa, and Tasha! 7 Nov 2010

... my son's in law... I love them. Kevin, Larry and Jeremy! Thanking God that they all love God and their perspective family! 8 Nov 2010

... Faith, Colton, Zac, Tyler, Jordan, Tristin, Kyran, Kegan, Kaylin, and Mateo... our beautiful daughters children, and Cameron... who will be our Tyler's first child making us great grandparents. 9 Nov 2010

... close friends who keep me grounded. Today I will be specific... Marti, Tina and Janet. Hahaa 2 of these people will never see this. oh well God knows. 10 Nov 2010
... cousins who invited me for ThanksGiving... 11 Nov 2010
... our two dogs... Beaux and Nevada. 12 Nov 2010

... clear blue skies and no snow on the ground. 13 Nov 2010

... a chapel that preaches the Word of God and worships Him. I have an extra Thankful today too... I am Thankful that Ric is getting to worship with Casting Crowns today. 14 Nov 2010
...that... my God is not surprised... He isn't confused ... and HE loves my husband, me, my daughters, my grandchildren, and my great grand child more than we can possibly believe. 16 Nov 2010

Well travel dropped off my Thankful for's... so I will just leave it as it is.

Fishbowl

2010-11-19T23:58:00.000-08:00

A few years back when we lived in Europe, I was able to do quite a bit of traveling. Whenever I travel I come home with "something" to remember where I have been. One of my favorite places to shop was Soufflenheim France. I would usually travel there for the day with my daughter Lisa or my friend Lisa. Soufflenheim is known for it's poteri. There are many styles of poteri made there and while I by no means got them all I did get many. Here is what I call my fishbowl. It is one of my favored tea cups, mostly because I can fit over 3 cups of tea in it.
Thank you to Beverly at How Sweet The Sound for hosting Pink Saturday.

Sunset

2010-11-13T20:10:00.000-08:00

One night this past week I went outside to let the dogs out. You know the boring normal chore. And when I opened the door ... there it was. Now my pictures do NO justice to the splendor and beauty that God painted on this particular evening. Let me tell you it was spectacular.
God is maker of Heaven and earth... and in HIM we can put our trust. No matter what is happening around us.

Psalm 40: 3He placed a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see this and worship. They will trust the LORD.

Psalm 124: 1 "If the LORD had not been on our side..." (Israel should repeat this.) 2 "If the LORD had not been on our side when people attacked us, 3 then they would have swallowed us alive when their anger exploded against us. 4 Then the floodwaters would have swept us away. An [overflowing] stream would have washed us away. 5 Then raging water would have washed us away." 6Thank the LORD, who did not let them sink their teeth into us. 7 We escaped like a bird caught in a hunter's trap. The trap was broken, and we escaped. 8 Our help is in the name of the LORD, the maker of heaven and earth.

Potato Soup

2010-11-12T16:15:00.000-08:00

Ah! It is rainy and cold out. The perfect elements for Potato Soup!
Thanks to my Aunt Sandy, I have made this soup for 25 years. That's right longer than I have been married. I was living with a friend and she had a trip to LA. So I went with her and took care of her then baby Andrea. Since I was in the LA area I went and spend the evening with Uncle Pat and Aunt Sandy. And we had this wonderful soup for dinner. She shared this recipe with me and I am sure that as in the past 25 years I will continue to make this warm soothing soup for years to come. That it was shared from Aunt Sandy is heart warming too.

Here is Uncle Pat and Aunt Sandy just this past year.

Veteran's

2010-11-10T11:00:00.000-08:00

Oh I love me some Veteran's! I do realize now though that I am missing pictures of a few of my soldier's in uniform.
I am proud of my family and their ability to put their lives on the line so that our country can have freedom. I can guarantee that our freedom's are not free. I mean how many people who have never served have spent a year away from their growing son or from their newborn daughter? Or watched as someone they know has died to protect their fellow soldier? I would venture that not many people who aren't in the military can say they have or would.
My prayer is that you take your freedom's seriously. By that I mean that you vote that you take seriously your civic duty's. Someday and I am thinking not to far from now our "rights" as US of A citizens might be stripped from us. These people the ones in this picture have taken seriously protecting your rights. In this picture are 10 deployments. I thank my soldiers for all you have given. And those soldiers all have families... Thank you to them also.
btw... Rhonda I am missing pix of you in uniform... and Larry I would love to have your BCT pic too. Love you all!

Livingroom

2010-11-07T13:13:00.000-08:00

Seems like I just love re-arranging my home. Thankful for my neighbor for coming to move the shelf up the stairs so I can fill it back up with fabric. At the same time lighten up the living room.

OH GOD ... help me

2010-11-05T18:56:00.000-07:00

This week I am feeling really concerned. Concerned about what is going to be happening in the next year in our country. I wonder are we really "there" are we to the end? I wonder am I where God wants me to be? Am I doing what I need to be doing? Am I ?? NO really Am I?
Romans 15: 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

‎1 Peter 1: 4 We have been born into a new life which has an inheritance that can't be destroyed or corrupted and can't fade away. That inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 5 since you are guarded by God's power through faith for a salvation that is ready to be revealed at the end of time. 6 You are extremely happy about these things, even though you have to suffer different kinds of trouble for a little while now.

(This week... the republican's have taken the house back. Harry Reid remains in power. Nancy Pelosi plans to try to stay as speaker. The President went on a vacation. )

Oh Lord God I do know know what your plan's are, and I know that your ways are not my ways, yet I pray God that you will help me to be where you want me to be. I pray that you will help me believe and trust. Help me have the strength, compassion, and wisdom to do what you call me to in the day's to come. Help me to love the people I want to despise. Amen

UNDERwhelmed

2010-11-01T11:17:00.000-07:00

Somedays I just feel all out of sorts. Today is one of them. I call it UNDERwhelmed because I feel UNDER it all. Nothing is really wrong. Yet not much seems right either.

Oh God, I know you are with me because your word says so. I pray that you will come down and comfort and calm my heart.~ Amen

Jeremiah 29:11-14

11 I know the plans that I have for you, declares the LORD. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope. 12 Then you will call to me. You will come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 When you look for me, you will find me. When you wholeheartedly seek me, 14 I will let you find me, declares the LORD. I will bring you back from captivity. I will gather you from all the nations and places where I've scattered you, declares the LORD. I will bring you back from the place where you are being held captive.

FLOUR FLOUR FLOUR

2010-10-27T19:17:00.000-07:00

Sweet Rice flour, Sweet White Sorghum flour, Corn flour, Tapioca flour, Potato starch, All purpose baking flour (g-free), Corn starch, Brown Rice flour, Teff flour, Garbanzo & Fava flour, Xantan Gum, Guar Gum and not pictured is Almond flour.
Who would have believed all these flours would be needed to take the place of wheat flour?

Pizza...

2010-10-27T18:42:00.000-07:00

thin crust pizza

So this is the 2nd Gluten-free Girl and the Chef pizza recipe I have made. The other one which is earlier in my blogging is a thicker crust. This crust is really nice. Probably will be my go to crust, especially since I can make it the day before and then bake it off when I am ready to eat it. Further it makes 2 crusts so this seems like great for left overs or company. I topped it simply with basil marinara, about 5 oz of mozzarella cheese, olives and pancetta. I baked the crust alone for about 18 minutes at 505*. Then about 10 min or til the cheese was melted on the pie. While this crust is not elastic at all and I would definitely recommend rolling it on plastic wrap as Gluten-free Girl recommends. Thank you Shauna and Danny for all the time and effort you put into your recipes. More than that THANK YOU for showing me that even gluten free I can enjoy cooking again.

uncooked pizza crust

Quiche

2010-10-17T14:51:00.000-07:00

Quiche... well I guess not technically quiche since there is no crust. Anyhow I am feeling lousy... still glutenized from Friday. So made my version of quiche and baked some chicken. My "quiche" is usually decent but today it is especially enjoyable. I can tell you about what I put in it

10 eggs and about

1 T of mustard and about

1/2 c of cream and about
4 oz cream cheese and
1/2 tsp of herbamare .... all mixed

1.5 cups of cheddar cheese covering the bottom of the baking dish and
a big handful of spinach juliann'd

1 oz of mozzarella sprinkled on top of the egg mixture after it is poured over the cheese and spinach

And baked it at 350* for about 45 min... maybe an hr

Pumpkin Soup

2010-10-16T17:45:00.000-07:00

So Gluten-free Girl ... struck again! Pumpkin Soup! I started last night and finished it today. A number of veggies beyond the pumpkin. It is topped off with just a drizzle of olive oil. Shauna's recipe leaves part of it "chunky" and since I prefer a smoother soup I puree'd it all. Yes I will be making this again.

Click here to find the "cookbook" I got the recipe out of. Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef

printer poem

2010-10-11T13:30:00.000-07:00

printer fatal error

new printer ordered

printer here

you not

could be days

could be ugly days

Oh yeah much fun

Apple Clafoutis

2010-10-09T10:58:00.000-07:00

So for years now I have basically given up baking. Clear back into high school I would take an occasional stress day and just bake. Everything from cookies, to breads, to pies. Mom liked it cause I always left the kitchen sparkling when I was in that mood. Anyhow, since realizing I needed to be gluten free I have essentially given up cooking. Recently I started following a blog Gluten-Free Girl and started ... dreaming of baking again. So in the past few days since I received her books I have been baking. Ahhh...

I had located this Apple Clafoutis at Living Without (and it is one of the free recipes). One note if you decide to make it I would re-stir the 2/3's before adding it to the 1/3 already baking. And on a personal note... don't forget the sugar until after it is all in the oven then try to add it. This really seems to me to be like a crepe recipe over fruit of the season.
When I make this recipe with apples again I will add a little cinnamon.

Sunbutter cups

2010-10-09T10:39:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe for a treat. Very simple although just a little time consuming. These aren't an immediate treat. Kinda nice ... slow down make the chocolate... just don't want to swallow them as fast as buying them and not putting any effort into there making.

Sunbutter
Chocolate
cups

Pizza...

2010-10-07T20:07:00.000-07:00

So I have been collecting all these flours... I finally had enough to make gluten free pizza dough. Oh can we just say YUMMMMMMM... sigh so so good.
It was baked about 8 minutes before adding the toppings.
Toppings are sauce out of a jar, a roma, about 4 oz of mozzarella and some fresh leaves of basil.

Girls

2010-09-22T11:41:00.000-07:00

Sometimes I am asked how we picked our girls. This is really laughable, because I really don't think we picked them. God sent them to us.

Our first daughter so beautiful... I remember the first time I met her. Her eyes so filled with hurt. Back then we didn't know what God was doing. I mean honestly I was still looking for that little baby to bring home and bath and change the diapers and go thru the sleepless nights. We are SO blessed that we didn't loose her. This sounds crazy to some but we THANK GOD that we didn't "miscarry" with her. Really while I remember vividly the day that looking into her eyes so filled with pain it was almost 3 years before we realized that this was God's plan. I really THANK GOD that she held on.

Our second daughter so precious... I remember her attending Chapel services. I remember her showing me pictures of her 3 boys. I remember praying for her and her boys and their entire situation. BUT we still didn't have ANY idea what God was doing.
Now the next three girls came all together. I remember Ric talking about one he had told her to wait, hold on til tomorrow it was a new day. Sure enough tomorrow it all worked out. These three came to us on 14 Feb 2002. Cali and FL came as twins, which is funny since they are both twins. If you hadn't already guessed one was from California and the other from Florida. They always came up after chapel to give me a hug and say hello. Cali got sick on Saturday and when we went to visit her in the hospital she almost fell out. (I think for me that was the day I knew she was mine) As for the third one, she just seemed to KNOW she was ours. Finally we were getting the clue that God was using these girls for us to pour out our parental love.

We really thought 5 girls we had a full quiver. HAHA... After almost a full 3 years we had another who ... decided we were Mom and Dad. I remember the first time I saw her... she was standing behind a stroller, her son wrapped in blue, in a Chapel with her husband beside her in his car-harts. Then all the trips we took to France and Czech and Italy and the hospital in Amberg.

Then we were PCS'ing and all of our girls asked how many more kids we were going to get... We said we were done. You know we humans make plans and God laughs. This young lady was enduring some pain I can not imagine ... and yet she was still so desperately looking to be loved.

I must say that we have many people thru the years that we keep in touch with. And even with those many God has asked us to love these 7 beautiful precious Gifts as our own. Our children are like ... anyone else's... they don't do things the way we want them to always. Some walk closely with God others not so much. But all of them were birthed into our hearts in a way that only God can do. Many people do not understand our family. Frankly I don't always. God doesn't like the box that I like to put Him in. Isaiah 55: 8 "My thoughts are not your thoughts, and my ways are not your ways," declares the Lord. In no way has HE more clearly demonstrated this than in our girls. I doubt if we had had biological children if we would have known that these were our girls. Known... haha figured out.

I do not know why God picked these 7 and not others... I just know that HE did.

You know when your heart breaks for kids for ... To hear the words mom and dad or momma and papi is so sweet. Really I adore my girls and I am so grateful for God bringing them and their families to us. Yes we had to obey God... but really we didn't pick God did. If any of my girls read this you need to know we aren't all that and a bag of chips... but God loves you and wants you to know that. So He sent us to love you and cheer you on. And He loves us so he sent you to mend our broken heart. Jeremiah 29:11 I know the plans I have declares the Lord. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope.
My current dream... a picture with all my girls... a huge bonus would be with their spouse's and children. You never know ... but God knows my dream.

Lasagna

2010-09-21T10:36:00.000-07:00

So while my mom was here I made zucchini lasagna. Hehee my son in law would think I was out to get him. Really just like the idea of eating g-free.

So the layers are meat sauce, zucchini, ricotta mixed with parm, spinach, and egg, and then mozzarella. Layered to the top of the pan.

Apple Pie

2010-09-21T10:17:00.000-07:00

So after a VERY long time of not being interested in cooking ... like almost 11 years. I have had a little inspiration again.

Most of that inspiration comes from Gluten-Free Girl and the Chef.

Last year I helped make pies for our Post Apple Day's. And thought about... dreamt about having apple pie. So this year Apple Day's preparation came and I again helped. But this year instead of dreaming I started looking. You know for a crust recipe that didn't start with flour. Shauna (Gluten-Free Girl) has been talking up some recipe she just came across and is tweaking to make it wonderful. In the mean time I came across a recipe here...

A Baking Life . So last night I made the crust dough. I don't have a food processor so I did it the "old fashioned" way with a pastry cutter. To do that I pre chopped the butter (next time I will chop the butter even smaller) and then put it in the freezer for about 1/2 hr. Also this recipe doesn't have a cook time or temp... I cooked it at 375 for about 18 min... I think if I bumped it up to 400 for about the same before putting the apples in it would have been much better.

Ok so please don't ask what all I did for the filling it is apples, cinnamon, lemon juice, and a couple of T of baking mix, and other random things. On top of that I made a carmel sauce and poured over the top of the whole thing. (sugar, butter, and cream no measurements)

Life

2010-08-31T11:59:00.000-07:00

Interesting how life continues on. Thankfully even when we want it to speed up or slow down it just continues on its normal merry way. When things are coming to quickly say someone dies or a dream dies it just keeps ticking by. Or when we are having the time of our lives and we would just like it to slow down and be able to savor the moments. Thankfully it all keeps going. I can't imagine time slowing down when life was painful and having to live the pain of a death or a death of a dream longer. In the same light I think something that is wonderful would be a lot less wonderful in slow motion. God made time to click by at a measured rate. Not always do I like how fast or slow it seems to be going but time really does help heal our hearts if we just allow it to do so. Time helps us remember the good and let go of the sad. Time helps us to move past the horror of loosing a child to soon, or a relationship that we thought was solid.

Ecclesiastes 3:1 Everything has its own time, and there is a specific time for every activity under heaven: 2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pull out what was planted, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build up, 4 a time to cry and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to hug and a time to stop hugging, 6 a time to start looking and a time to stop looking, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7 a time to tear apart and a time to sew together, a time to keep quiet and a time to speak out, 8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. (God's Word)

Jeremiah 29:11 I know the plans that I have for you, declares the LORD. They are plans for peace and not disaster, plans to give you a future filled with hope. 12 Then you will call to me. You will come and pray to me, and I will hear you. 13 When you look for me, you will find me. When you wholeheartedly seek me,

I am so glad that time keeps ticking on. I am so glad that my God, Jesus Christ my Savior has a plan for me. A plan for everyone. Remember HE and HE alone loves you so much HE died for you. HE and HE alone knows what you are going thru. And HE and HE alone knows how he will use the pain you have and will endure to love someone else. He hasn't forsaken us take heart.

Trellis Quilt

2010-08-14T10:38:00.000-07:00

I started this quilt sometime in early 2005 or even late 2004. My cousin Nikki figured out all the measurements while we lived in Germany. I bought 2004 and cut out all the fabric 2005 while Ric was in Advanced Course at Ft. Jackson, SC. We moved to Ft. Lee, VA and I continued to work on this quilt. I could have 2 lovely twin sized quilts instead of this huge thing that has been harassing me for years. Then we moved to Daegu, S. Korea and the quilt was left in storage. Now we are at the current duty station and I have been working on this quilt for hours. Finally at about noon Saturday 14 Aug 2010 I have finished this quilt. After it gets washed it will go on my bed for at least a month.

Ok so the quilt is SO messed up. If I had marked the original squares Nikki had me cut I would have known that there were some that were about 1/4 inch bigger than others. As it stood I did not know that until I was putting the quilt blocks together and some were a little sort and some a little long. If I had been smart at this point when I realized the size I would have cut it in half. But since my blond roots stood in the way of common sense I continued on foolishy. At some point in the past year while quilting and trimming thread I cut a part of the trellis. So the Rose that is weirdly out by itself is indeed to hide a big booboo. If it was truly complete it would have a name tape on it. Well right now it doesn't ... maybe it will never get a name tag.
To my friend Lisa... I highly recommend making 2 twin's. To my cousin Nikki... Thank you for all your work to help me even though I managed to mess it up as much as possible.

Gluten Free... or trying to be as completely as possible

2010-08-10T06:45:00.000-07:00

So today I am IM'ing with my sister-in-law while she is in Landstuhl Germany. When we get onto the subject of my gluten intolerance. She is asking me all about it. We have been moving around with the Army for 11 years now so we really haven't been around the families for to much time.
I say that Ric calls me on gluten Dr. Jeckle and Mrs Hyde. That he doesn't like the FLASH ANGER or the PMS on steroids and the lack of rational thought processes.
Char says... a new superhero...FLASH ANGER, superhero on PMS steriods cause by eating gluten
to which I respond no all of the superhero's are against FLASH ANGER
Char says "oh evil villain"

My gluten intolerance is indeed an evil villain. And as long as I consume no gluten the evil villain remains in check. The moment I consume even a little the evil villain attacks.

If for some reason you think there might be even a chance of Celiacs or Gluten Intolerance a really great book to read is "G-Free" by Elizabeth Hasselbeck

Hashimoto's

2010-08-06T21:18:00.000-07:00

Yay! The biopsy came back. My thyroid is just an ugly ol Hashimoto's lumpy, bumpy and goitered.
Thanks to my friend Shari who took me to my appt in Topeka since I destroyed my tired on Friday and my appt was Monday morning.
Of course Lisa would NOT let me drive to Topeka. Which is why I asked Shari.
And on this day My incredible husband and I celebrate our 24th Anniversary. I so appreciate him and all he is and all he does for our family.

Random couple of weeks... Hasimoto's and a biopsy

2010-07-09T07:09:00.000-07:00

Life has been rather crazy the last few weeks. A few sunday's past a friend asked what I had planned for that week and since I had NOTHING planned on my way home from church I decided to throw stuff in the car and go to one of my daughters for a while. I was home for a week and then I got a call saying that this same daughter was having gall bladder surgery. So back down I went to help a bit with the kiddo's so her husband could give his attentions to her. Oh and did I mention that they put their house on the market the day I left the second time? So we were also getting the house as ready as possible for listing pictures.
I got home on Tuesday and on Wednesday the 7th of July I had a needle biopsy of my thyroid. The best I can describe it is lipo for the thyroid. Stick a needle in wiggle, jiggle, suction... do that 4 times. Glad it only had to be done on one side. I don't really think they are going to find cancer. I have Hasimoto's disease and that grows a lumpy bumpy thyroid. I have had my thyroid goiter before in 2000. The fix last time was a higher thyroid level. I am hoping that is what happens this time. If so I will feel better within about 48 hrs. Kind of funny what a little endocrine level can do to a person.

Sharron Angle

2010-06-06T15:29:00.000-07:00

Sharron Angle... who is she ... to me? Let me tell you she taught me paino for at least one year (to many years ago to remember if it was 1 or 2 years). She discipled me for a very long time... taking me thru the Bible and helping me learn now to study the Bible, helping me to understand it so much more clearly. She was my Young Life leader, a teen group thru the local Baptist Church in Winnemucca. She taught me how to make homemade pizza. Later she was my Principle and teacher at Word of Light my senior year. Still years later she taught me to make yummy enchillada's. And now.... now she is running for Senate! In 2 days the primary will happen (absentee... I have already voted weeks ago). Sharron is exactly who SHE tells you she is... and look, look at her record. If you are a Nevadan please go check her out! All you have to loose is a little time... Sharron Angle Republican for US Senate

Congressmen

2010-06-06T15:16:00.000-07:00

In 2005-2006 we made many trips from Ft. Lee to DC. We visited many many places. At some point Ric found out that our congressman had Thursday "breakfast" (donuts, muffins, juice, coffee) when Congress is in session. So Ric signed us up and we soon had tickets to go. We went twice. So the first time Ric was dressed in his Class B's. The second time he dressed in civies. Here you see three pictures the third is me the time Ric wore his Class B's. Now I could tell you my conclusions... but I will let you make your own. I just find it interesting that the one time Harry isn't smiling is when he is next to someone in uniform.

STAY off of the table!

2010-05-09T15:45:00.000-07:00

For a few months now one of our dogs has been getting on the table and shredding anything that is upon it. So today just before I left for chapel I put packing tape all around the edge and across the center of the table. Each piece of tape was from 18-24" long.
Here is what I found upon entering the house this afternoon... Notice the shine on his back... there is a total of 3 pieces 2 on his feet and the third on his back.

Now notice that the dog on the higher step is completely tape free... The culprit has been found... Now how many times will I leave tape on the table before he decides the table is off limits? Nevada is innocent, Beaux has implicated himself.

Mothers Day

2010-05-08T20:11:00.000-07:00

My dear sweet husband ordered me flowers for Mother's Day. Pale pink being my favorite color... Tulips sprinkled in, again my favorite. Roses are a close second.
Thank you for the beautiful flowers Babe... I love you too!

This last picture I added the Red rose from earlier today it was so lonely all by itself.

Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates

2010-05-08T15:55:00.000-07:00

Late this week I was invited to a VIP Town Hall Meeting, VIP unnamed. I got there early ... with my key to the car, phone, and ID ONLY. And as per normal town hall meetings with VIP's we waited... They actually had a nice little spread of tea, water, coffee and cookies. In a very comfortable room with comfortable chairs. (the food and the comfortable room and chairs are not normal)

Anyhow it turns out that this is the first Spouse's Town Hall Meeting ever held by Secretary Gates. I was so surprised at how ... real, and down to earth he is. He was very impressive. I would say what most impressed me is how he genuinely cares.
When I get the picture his staff took of the two of us (in a line 10 seconds coin and picture taken, times 150 other spouses) I will post it. The picture of him is from my phone camera so... well that is the best I could get.
He visited us in honor of Military Spouse Appreciation day which was yesterday. We each got a coin and rose, after his speech of about 10 minutes and about 30 minutes of Q & A.
Now I know anyone who believes like me believes I should have been praying for him in the first place. OK you are right. And now it will be much easier to do just that.

Pink Tulips

2010-05-07T19:53:00.000-07:00

My favorite flower is a pink tulip. Back in 2004 I had the opportunity to go to Holland and see tulips in bloom. Here are a few pictures... One is with me and my cousin... she is a flower too. ;)

Deployment 2010

2010-04-15T14:50:00.000-07:00

My handsome man Mr Chaplain.

Well the latest deployment has begun. This is our 3rd deployment, and let me just say this does NOT get easier with each deployment. Of course our last deployment was really stressful with the loss of 19 of Ric's soldiers. To say I did not feel "strong" enough to do this deployment is an understatement. Ok, so I know today at this moment I can do this. However that is only by the grace and mercies of God. I am sure people are praying because in and of my own strength I do not have it.

So here is my groom waiting to get on one of the 7 buses. This last picture is of 2 trailers filling with all their rucks.

NLT Bible Contest and Giveaway

2010-04-01T21:55:00.000-07:00

The New Living Translation Break Through to Clarity Bible Contest and Giveaway

Visit www.facebook.com/NewLivingTranslation and click on the tab that says “Sweepstakes”

Fill out a simple form, take a quick Bible clarity survey, invite your friends to join and you’ll be entered to win one of our exciting prizes.

With each fan number milestone a new prize will be given away.

Grand Prize

Apple iPad 64G and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the fifth milestone
Retail Value: $829.00

2nd Prize - Already awarded

32G iPod Touch and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the fourth milestone
Retail Value: $300.00

3rd Prize – Will be awarded when fan count hits: 3500

Kindle DX and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the third milestone
Retail Value: $489.00

4th Prize Will be awarded when fan count hits: TBD

Apple iPad 16G and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the New Living Translation Fan Page hits the second milestone
Retail Value: $499.00

5th Prize Will be awarded when fan count hits: TBD

Apple iPad 32G and a Life Application Study Bible
Awarded when the NLT Fan Page hits the first milestone
Retail Value: $599.00

Prize Eligibility – Recently updated to include more countries

Sweepstakes participants and winner(s) can be U.S. residents of the 50 United States, or residents of any country that is NOT embargoed by the United States, but cannot be residents of Belgium, Norway, Sweden, or India. In addition, participants and winner(s) must be at least 18 years old, as determined by the Company.

Sweepstakes Starts

March 17, 2010 @ 10:24 am (PDT)

Sweepstakes Ends

April 30, 2010 @ 10:24 am (PDT)

Wait, there’s more!

Visit http://biblecontest.newlivingtranslation.com/index.php for a chance to win a trip for two to Hawaii!

Here are the details:

Choose one of six passages of Scripture from the New Living Translation and consider:
How do these verses encourage you to know God better?
What is God teaching you in this passage?
How does this passage apply to your life?

Submit your answer and you’ll be entered to win.

Just for signing up: Everybody Wins! Win a Free .mp3 download from the NLT’s new Red Letters Project. It’s the dynamic, new presentation of the sung and narrated words of the Gospel of Matthew. You win the download just for entering! Or choose to download the NLT Philippians Bible Study, complete with the Book of Philippians in the NLT.

Every day, one person will win the best-selling Life Application Study Bible!

The grand prize: One person will win a fantastic trip for two to the crystal clear waters of the Turtle Bay Resort on Oahu’s North Shore in beautiful Hawaii.

London Confidential

2010-04-01T21:41:00.000-07:00

Asking for Trouble is the story of a 15 yr old American girl that has moved with her family to London. This follows the ups and downs as she figures out her way in her new life, after remembering to put her trust in God to direct her life.

Sandra Byrd has this to say in response to this book.
Your new series is London Confidential. Book 1 is called Asking for Trouble. Savvy Smith moves to with her family to London. How would you describe the journey she goes through in the book dealing with her new surroundings?

I think she finds out a lot about herself, her family, and her God. Each of us can relate to not fitting in, and Savvy certainly finds out that while everyone speaks English there are many things she has to learn about living in London. This series is really a fun series, though. Lots of excitement, mishaps, friendships, fashion, and good times.

Asking For Trouble ~ Sandra Byrd ~ trailer

Thank you to Tyndale House Publishers for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book.

Kitchen Backsplash

2010-03-15T19:48:00.000-07:00

Here is the kitchen before the tile backsplash. Just in case anyone wonders we too think that the opening above the sink that looks like it should have a window in it is weird. That will be another project for another day.

Here is the kitchen with the tile up. Waiting for the glue to cure so we can grout.

Ok so below is the finished backsplash. Mr. Chaplain did a great job!

Babies Michael and Brandon Michael

2010-03-15T14:29:00.000-07:00

This has been such a sad few days.
On Thursday night we found out that my cousin's baby had died earlier in the day. Michael (only child) was born 13 Oct 09 and passed away on 11 Mar 10. To my cousin and her husband... I am so sorry. My heart is so pained for you.
Later on Thursday night we found out that Brandon Michael was back in the hospital. Brandon is our Niece and Nephews (only child) son born 4 Mar 09. He had had a pretty rough time since about Sept. On Saturday these precious brave young parents had to make such a difficult decision. And at 22:20 (our time) Brandon was removed from the vent and he went immediately home to Jesus. To my Niece and Nephew... again ... I am so sorry I can not even imagine having to make that decision. (Which I know you don't need my "blessing" ... but I am going to tell you I really think you were making a best choice for Brandon although it was ripping your hearts and frankly that is what loving parents have to do... yours was just VERY amplified).

Ecclesiastes 3:1-3 & 11
1)Everything has it's own time, and there is a specific time for every activity under heaven: 2) a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to pull out what was planted,
It is beautiful how God has done everything at the right time. He has put a sense of eternity in people's minds. Yet, mortals still can't grasp what God is doing from the beginning to the end {of time}, 3) a time to cry and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,
Isaiah 55:8-9
8)"My thoughts are not your thoughts, and my ways are not your ways," declares the Lord. 9) "Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts."

It sure is a good thing God says His thoughts are NOT mine... and it is a good thing that I KNOW because HE said in HIS WORD that HE loves me and these precious parents who are in relationship with HIM.
John 15:9-11
9) "As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Now remain in my love. 10) If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. 11) I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

To these 4 young parents... I pray God bless you and keep you and make HIS face shine upon you and be gracious to you and give you His peace Numbers 6:24-26. I pray that HE wraps you tightly in His love and you have your hearts and ears open to experience His love.
Know you have my deepest sympathies and continued prayers as you learn to live in and thru this. Love you ... all.

Pink Dolls From Around the World

2010-03-12T21:18:00.000-08:00

Here are a few of my dolls from a few places I have been. The doll to the left is about 3' tall and from Germany. The next one is from Spain. The next two are Chinese mud dolls, made from the silt where they grow rice. The last set of dolls is from Kosovo.

This pot is random for this post. I had a lady who lived in the area when we lived in Korea paint the cherry blossoms on the kimchee pot. Which my loving husband hand carried all the way home from Seomoon Market on the subway. Cherry blossoms in spring in Korea are mesmerizingly beautiful.

Thank you for visiting my Pink Saturday. Please make sure to go visit Beverly at How Sweet The Sound. Thank you Beverly for hosting this happy day.

Ecclesiastes 3:1

Everything has its own time, and there is a specific time for every activity under heaven:

With a sad heart about my cousin's baby. Michael 10-13-09/3-11-10 Make sure to make the most of every moment with your loved ones. No one knows when they will draw their last breath.

Paintings

2010-03-06T12:54:00.000-08:00

Growing up my Gram was constantly doing some sort of painting, drawing or quilting. I grew up loving real paintings. So once Mr. Chaplain and I got married we started collecting paintings. The top 5 are all from my Gram.

These 2 are from starving artists.This one we bought at a flea market in Germany. This is one we got in Korea and so looks like the cherry trees in blossom and reminds me of Apsan. This reminds me of Paris.

Pink Dusters

2010-03-05T19:13:00.000-08:00

Ok so I have so many prettier pink things in the house why I feel the need to share these... I don't know. These are the items I use to dust. The little one is only big enough to put 2 fingers in and is great beside my computer. The big one I use to dust and I have one to wipe my sink out after I clean it daily. Honestly I think I use them more because they are so pretty.

Whew! I really had to have something to look at than dusters. I so wish I could find this beautiful fabric! Although if I did I would go plum crazy with it in my house so maybe it is better that I can't!

So I want to say Thank YOU to Beverly at How Sweet The Sound who hosts this Pink Saturday. Personally there is so much happiness wrapped up in pink! Go to her sight and check out all the others participating in this happy little day.

This week I visited Vintage Frenchhen for the Pink Saturday challenge. Her tussie-mussie is so pretty! Have a great weekend!

Psalms 107:1

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.

Teacups in pink

2010-02-26T22:15:00.000-08:00

Beverly How Sweet the Sound is hosting Pink Saturday go check out the happy pinks.

All my growing up I remember having tea at home, at Gram's. And I remember mom always letting us pick the teacup we wanted to drink out of. Oh how beautiful to relax with a simple cup of soothing tea. Back then mostly I drank camomile, peppermint or sleepy time and always sweetened with a healthy dose of honey. I always choose a floral and mostly pink since it has been my favorite colour since I was a little girl. Years ago my mom split my Gram's teacups between my sister and me. Pretty elegant sophisticated teacups always make me smile. These days my favorite teas are English Breakfast, Vanilla Almond, and Earl Grey and I am a cream and honey kinda gal for all of them. 1) picked up in a thrift shop in KS , 2) Currently my favorite teacup picked up in an antique shop in SC, 3) the cream small floral is from Germany, the tiny green one is from China, the far left one was my Gram's, 4) was picked up in my time in Europe at a yard sale, 5) the rose is one that a French friend gifted to my mom, 6) both of those cups came from France also. 7) This was probably my all time favorite to drink out of.

This week I visited Bellamere Cottage , I must say I just love the name she picked for her blog. Go check out her place and sweet what fun she has gotten into.

Christmas ornaments in Jan and Feb

2010-02-26T18:38:00.000-08:00

Ok I know Christmas is over! I know! NO REALLY I KNOW!
I saw these ornaments at Mr Chaplain's bosses house and had to make them. Of course I didn't have time until well into January.
The pink ones are just fun for me.

The other is one of his unit patches. I will make them all so we can have them for the military tree.

Harry's the nicest local restaurant

2010-02-26T18:31:00.000-08:00

Recently I went to Harry's it is THE nicest local restaurant. They had 2 things that were absolutely WONDERFUL! I don't often get excited about food with my allergic like reaction to wheat.

The first is their Bruschetta ok ok so it is bread but it is served with the most delish balsamic marinated goat cheese topped with green olives, and served with herbed Roma tomatoes. I can't be going to Harry's all the time so I made my own version of their appetizer.

The second was their flour less chocolate spice cake. OH MY WORD! Smooth, thick, and the spice... the spice was Cheyenne pepper. Seriously it is a good thing that they serve such small triangles because I ate 4 of them!

Rosebud

2010-02-19T22:51:00.000-08:00

The rose stained glass is made by my mom. The paintings water colour and oil were painted by my Gram. This little doll is a larger version of a doll I got as a small girl... her name is Rosebud. This one is actually a gift from a sweet friend who is really like a sister. Rosebud was my favorite Christmas gift as a child. She came with a pram and a bassinet. Please make sure to check out How Sweet the Sound and see other happy pink places. Thank you for stopping by.

Happy Valentines... pretty in pink

2010-02-12T22:07:00.000-08:00

Here are a couple happy pink places. I have been so impatient to have live flowers this snow filled year. The hearts plates and the tea cup are gifts from friends and have such sweet memories tied to them. Hope you have a great Pink Saturday. Please make sure to check out How Sweet the Sound and see other happy pink places. Thank you for stopping by.

Beth Moore's So Long, Insecurity...

2010-02-09T17:54:00.000-08:00

Ok I just HAVE to share this Beth Moore is hands down my favorite Bible study author. Last Tuesday her newest book came out "So Long, Insecurity you've been a bad friend to us". Her "LPM Blog" is doing kind of Book club with those who sign up. This woman helps me to come face to face with God. I really Thank God that He has placed such a calling on this precious woman.

Silver shiny shiny silver

2010-02-07T15:28:00.000-08:00

This was a gift from my boss when Mr. Chap graduated getting his BA in Pre-Seminary. It says "As for me and my house we will serve the Lord" These spoons are what we each got when we were born. As you can see his was used while mine looks almost new. The spoons have our names and some additional birth information on them. (And yes the spoons are basically identical we were born in the same small state and this must have been the gift with birth back then in our home state really the only difference is our information birthdate and time)

Pretty Pink

2010-02-06T00:01:00.000-08:00

I love flowers! These are such a joy especially in the winter when flowers in the garden aren't. Pink flowers are my favorite. Tulips, Peonies, cabbage roses, roses... all pale pink...

Bathroom colors

2010-02-04T14:03:00.000-08:00

Here are the paint "chips" on the living room mantle. The color isn't exact but it is pretty close to the center light one.

Here the chips are in one of the 2 bathrooms Ric has painted. This is the top color of the light "chip" and it is Behr 700C-3 Pecan Sandie. Also in the picture are some lovely pink things.

This is the master shower room. The color I painted it was Brown Teepee (Behr 700D-4) It is the lightest of the
dark card. The picture is a print from Paris.

Silver Silver More Silver

2010-01-29T20:25:00.001-08:00

When I found this lovely little lamp at the Thrift shop it had a dirty white shade on it and the bottom silver part was pitted tarnished and brassy in color. I loved the crystal stem and the marble base, so I bought it for 3$. I brought it home and took it apart and spray painted the harp and center stem and the metal at the bottom in silver. One day at some outlet I found this shade for 5$. LOL ok ok so I paid more for the shade than the lamp but it is such a joy now.

Be sure to visit the rest of the Silver Sunday contributors, and our hostess, Beth over at Gypsy Fish Journal.

Pink! Pink! Sweet, Sweet Pink!

2010-01-29T11:52:00.000-08:00

Here is what I call my welch cupboard. I bought the bottom at the Thrift shop it was horrible MP green (Military Police) and I scraped off the color. Anyhow a few years ago I had my darling talented husband built this top green shelf, I designed specifically to fit the pale pink spaghetti bowl (from Italy) on the bottom shelf. In our travels I pick up pottery. On the top shelf this pretty pink is from Ireland. On the middle shelf is a gift from a friend it is from Germany. On the bottom shelf is a pitcher from my mom. There are many other pink things in this picture but for today I will stop here.

Wall flowers

2010-01-26T17:46:00.000-08:00

So late last year... sometime in November or December I saw something in someone's house that just made me SMILE. It made me smile so much that I went out and got parts to make my own version. I will be updating or adding pieces for the different seasons. Oh the feathers are from Ric's pheasant hunting trips.

These are to the left and right of the mantel.

Silver

2010-01-23T19:16:00.000-08:00

So Friday I went to a place called T- La - Re. They buy stuff from yard sales and then sell it in their shop. Anyhow I went out Friday looking for Silver. This is what I found. First this "vase" is about 16". The 2nd item is the tray on the right. I think for 11$ I did pretty well. I still want to find a rectangular footed tray. The silver pitcher was a gift from my mom. The Coffee service was my grandmothers.

Home...

2010-01-23T17:57:00.000-08:00

I just found a statement made by Thomas Jefferson that I really like, so I am sharing it.

That which we elect to surround ourselves with becomes the museum of our soul and the archive of our experiences. - Thomas Jefferson

Oops missed Friday

2010-01-20T15:32:00.000-08:00

So the coffee went very well! The ladies enjoyed themselves and stayed late.

While I was entertaining mr. CHAP was going to pick up one of our girls and 2 of her kids. YAY! We love having our kids come home! We just spent a quiet weekend together playing Mario. Mr. Tart came with their oldest and picked our girl and took her back home on Monday.

So I had made a chocolate torte for the party on Wednesday. To say that it flopped would be a complete understatement, so at 1300 (1 pm) the afternoon of the party I am quickly making another torte. Which PRAISE GOD! came out like a dream!

Coffee

2010-01-13T22:36:00.000-08:00

Today I will hold my first "coffee" and I can not even explain how far out of my comfort zone this is. However, with God ALL things are possible. I will post some pix showing the festivities on Friday. If you read this please pray for me. God Bless

Lovely Lamp

2010-01-08T09:07:00.001-08:00

Here is my newest little re-arrangement. The lamp is a new addition (was a gift~ THANK YOU VERY MUCH!). I love how warm this lamp is. In the frame below is a picture of Ric's mom as a toddler, and then Ric's parents at their wedding. The table is a Hascall family piece, and the doily on top my Gram made for me years ago. The painting is from Korea, the throw blanket is from Ireland.

Sometimes the Smallest packages are just so sweet!

2009-12-26T13:30:00.000-08:00

Warmest wishes... Today in the mail I received such a sweet little gift. One of my friends is madly in like with tea. I have always enjoyed tea, but since hanging out with her it has such a larger meaning. Anyhow in the card she sent were 3 of her favorite teas. Along with a note that she would have sent 4 but she KNOWS the 4th is already my favorite. I am thinking that for such a small package it is a wonderfully thoughtful sweet package of joy. Thank you to my tea friend.

Baby Quilt Nov/Dec 2009

2009-12-23T05:19:00.000-08:00

I got the idea for this quilt when I was down in TX visiting~ meeting Tristin our grandson. Since I needed to make another baby quilt I decided to go with my idea. So glad I was able to strip cut this even the 3 colors put together took a bit of time. Even for this smaller quilt the top took almost all of 3 yards of fabric ... less maybe 1/8th of a yard of the green. So glad to finish it BEFORE Christmas break.

pictures 1-3 you can see that I stitched "straight" down the center of each block. Then obviously the back of the quilt, followed by the "full view."

I wish I had down the "stripes" the other way.

Christmas decorating 2009

2009-12-21T20:34:00.001-08:00

Oh what a joy decorating this year for Christmas has been! Last year we were in Korea so we were VERY limited as to what we had and could decorate with. I think this year there is NOTHING left that we could decorate with!

I love all of our victorianish ornaments and yes there are a lot of them. Hence VICTORIAN :D

On the mantel besides the Nativity that my mom made and gave to me years ago, I also hung a swag and our stockings. (The side note to that Nativity is that the entire time my mom was making it I harassed her as to it being TOO bright and NO one would want to decorate with it... oh to eating ones words)

Here in the Kitchen are the little beaded trees I made with a friend back when Ric was in Seminary.

The joy of our little wooden soldiers! The first one we got was the green guy in front that Ric's father got for him when he went to Germany in 1980.

In our dining area we have our Red, White and Blue tree, and we are celebrating Advent we have really enjoyed how the scriptures remind us daily of the reason we celebrate Christmas.

The table cloth is another quilted topper I made while in Korea last year.

On our entertainment center I have put up another swag as well as the stockings I cross stitched years ago and the angles I made way back in the 90's.

Down lower you see little dwarfs. My Grandmother made me this set it is one of my most precious gifts from her.

Oh the happy happy joy of this time of celebration of our Sweet Baby Jesus coming ... all so He could die for you and for me so we could go be with Him for all eternity!

Almost September

2009-08-31T10:58:00.000-07:00

Here we are almost September. Wow so much life has passed since I last blogged. We traveled from DC to NC to KS in the 66 'stang. Then found a house to buy. Stayed almost 4 weeks with Lisa and Jeremy. Signed on the house, got household goods. Traveled out to CA/NV for business then visiting family. Tasha spent almost a month with us. Been to Branson, MO 2 x's for Chaplain conferences. Ric went to a schooling in SC. Nadine and her family came and spent almost 2 wks with us. Went to Dearborn, MI for the BRO reunion (Big Red One). Began a new hobby called geocaching thanks to our son-in-love Jeremy, have found over 200 geocaches since 20 Jun 2009 (geocaching.com). I attended an ASIST class last week. Sure was interesting to learn a suicide prevention method.

Back in the USofA!

2009-02-25T04:47:00.000-08:00

So we are all packed out on Monday and I fly Tuesday morning. Sounds pretty calm. Except that Delta had "archived" my tickets, which kind of means cancelled.

Not knowing this because we kept getting e-mails from Delta saying I was flying (I got the last e-mail on monday) I show up to the Daegu airport and get checked into that leg of the flight (which the Army has paid for) but they can't find my information to check me thru to DC. So I get on the airplane and go to Seoul. From that time until I land in Seoul Ric is on the phone (almost 2.5 hrs) working to get my tickets fixed so that I can get on the plane in Seoul. In Seoul I get in the line which is at least 100 deep to wait to check into my flight. When I finally get up to the counter the guy can not find my flight so he goes and consults with the supervisor. Finally a man comes from somewhere and explains that he has spoken to my husband who is very concerned and that yes I will get on that flight. I still have to pay for Beaux to fly with me so I go pay that and then make my way thru customs and security. When I get in the line to get onto the plane my ticket clears red as in stop, the reason Ric wants me to call him. The problem is in a year I have not memorized Ric's cell # I can not reach him. Thankfully he had called Korean Air so much they had his number and the agent just called him from her cell. The love my husband showed for me this particular Tuesday I can not even explain! I love him so much! And he took such GREAT care of me!

I am very grateful to be back on American soil I can not even properly put it into words. Please if you read this say a prayer that God will not ever send us back to Korea or changes my heart.

Newest Quilt top

2009-02-04T04:06:00.000-08:00

Here is a variation of the last quilt I pieced yesterday. Kind of an interesting mix of blocks.

I am now ready to quilt it. For my Jooyan (Korean Dr. friend)

This week in review

2009-01-24T21:06:00.000-08:00

So this past week...

Ric was sick with ... kind of flu symptoms. I went to the Fabric Market and got more fabric ... I almost have my shelves full. I helped with the delivery of furniture at the Apple Tree.

Sometime on Friday I got a call from a friend asking if I would help her she needed a top pieced for a quilt. Friday eve she brought me the fabric, Saturday morning I called her to come lay out the blocks (only 15) And today I finished piecing it. It was really nice to do something so quickly. Now I want to finish my couple of pieces before we leave here.

In just an hr I go to pick up Jooyan.

buying a house... part IV

2009-01-19T23:42:00.000-08:00

So the construction company was supposedly motivated to sell the house we were looking at. Oh well not that motivated. So instead of buying from Korea we will keep looking until we get there. That is fine we want God's will for our home, so at this point we wait.

Buying a house ... part III

2009-01-15T04:59:00.000-08:00

So today we put an offer in on a house in KS. The seller has until the 17th to respond. So here is the irony... I am reasonably calm, Ric is STRESSED! Ok if you know us you know that is COMPLETELY backwards. I am rather enjoying not being the stressed one. Ric is saying I can take the stress back.

I can hardly wait for the next 40 days to go buy on one side... on the other I know that as soon as we leave here we will be counting days until the next deployment. We actually fly 2 days apart and from there will make a fast/slow trip from DC to KS, stopping multiple times to see friends and family at least for a meal some overnight.

In the mean time there is a lot of life to live right here in Korea. To include taking a Beth Moore Esther class, a Fireproof marriage study, more fabric to buy, and the farewells have already begun.

Follow up to buying a house from a Distance

2009-01-09T05:26:00.000-08:00

This will be short and crazy... seems like we have decided to put an offer on a house. One of our Beautiful daughters went and saw it for us and so here we go the interesting world of house buying from A DISTANCE! ARE WE NUTS! Oops we both come from a family that fits that description I guess the answer is YES!

Our Girls and our Infertility

2009-01-09T02:39:00.000-08:00

God doesn't do things normally with us... so He choose not to give us kids the "normal" way.

After years (1986-2005) of trying to get pregnant and going to dr's to figure out what the problem was. In 2006 after years of significant pain I had a hysterectomy( 4 fibroid tumors in and out of the uterus) and prolific endometriosis which I had, had surgery for in 1997.

Starting in 1999 God started sending us girls that needed to know God's love. Needed love from a safe place regardless of their choices. Need cheering on as they step thru life ~Ric is a great cheerleader... me I am mostly step up you are selling yourself short. It took about 5 girls before we realized that this was God's plan... we certainly didn't see this as a direction for God to work in. We almost lost one but she is tenacious and kept up with us. I am glad she has such FAITH in us, giving us time to figure it out. Our 7 girls so far have given us 8 grands who call us Nana and PawPaw.

Walking the life of infertility has been very difficult, even now it can make me cry given the "right circumstances" . I have frequently in the years wondered why God had this path for us. It has been some of the most painful times in my life. And it certainly makes me wonder why God chooses to give "stupid" people children to hurt. Children are such beautiful gifts and to intentionally hurt them or not stand in the way of harm makes me crazy. I am so thankful when I see parents who love their children.

This week my heart has been especially pained at missing getting to raise our children... and yet if I weren't in this position would I have been open to love the beautiful girls that God has given us? Probably not...

2009-01-04T23:09:00.000-08:00

Buy a house. From a distance. I do not understand how people buy a house site unseen. Maybe it is because they have purchased a house before. Even though we have no intention of staying in the house we purchase for the rest of our lives it feels like such a huge decision. And taking into consideration that we want it to easily able to sell in a few years and making sure that others will want it ... whew. So we have looked and looked (online), one of our beautiful girls went and looked at the ones we were interested in. Some we thought looked great our Lisa said she couldn't even get all her furniture into it... meaning there is NO way I could get ours into it. All the decisions and really once we get there we will be making the decisions within about 24 hrs if not less. Ready or not here we come... and yet the days must tick off before we can get there.

sigh

2009-01-02T06:33:00.000-08:00

just sigh ... do you ever just ask why? Well I do and tonight is one more of those times. WHY?!

Merry Christmas

2008-12-25T07:35:00.000-08:00

Merry Merry Christmas!

This has been an interesting Christmas. OINK comes to mind. Only IN Korea. We opened our gifts and then went to a 168 pot luck lunch. It was very quiet and since I only had to take one part very nice to not have to cook all day.

About 1830 we had a friend from Ft. Lee whom is now in Korea on an unaccompanied tour came from another area Camp and we went to Bennigan's for dinner.

While it was an interesting day I have only Thanks that I was not spending Christmas day alone, and that my husband is not deployed to some hotspot at the moment.

Please remember to pray for our soldiers who are away from family right now.

God Bless!

mud ladiesIIII

2008-12-10T17:41:00.003-08:00

Mud ladies... she is pouring tea. Again she has tiny fingers and and her bangles move.

mud ladies III

2008-12-10T17:34:00.001-08:00

Mud lady... She is sewing... that needle in her hand is smaller than a toothpick... Again she is dressed in traditional garb. And her tiny fingers and those bangles move too.

mud ladies II

2008-12-10T17:31:00.000-08:00

Mud lady... she is playing a sad instrument... it plays a low sad music. Again tiny fingers and the bangles move.