Blogging break

I am going for a blogging break here... for about 4o days. I need time to refocus and keep on target with teaching school, home-making, spiritual growth, mental recuperation, and physical fitness. So, if you don't hear from me for a while, don't panic... hopefully, I have a full report to give you when I return with great progress made. I enjoy blogging, but it just needs to take a backseat for a few weeks. Hope to catch up with y'all in about 40 days! Check back in around Oct 5th, okay! Don't quit praying, alright?!

I think I'll diagnose myself with...

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder...
Perhaps that is why I lack the normal emotions a gal would have if her dad just had his second surgery to try to get all the cancer, with yet a possibility of a need to amputate his leg... not sure about that last part there... sounds wild. You think I would cry, but I guess I am numb. What is up with that? Sometimes I just can't cry anymore... am I warped or something? I just think... hey, let's see what else I can do to dress up my house! There seems something wrong with my numbness. I think about Ron's scans next month and I just am not sure what to expect... part of me says, "Girl, where's your faith?" Then, part of me says, "Sarah, you know that the one physician said it was only about a 25% chance Ron would be cured with that transplant he had, and statistics are really against him." Then, come the thought, "I STILL cannot get over the thought that Grandma is GONE! How I treasure her memory!" My brain is whirling tonight... gotta get the house cleaned, got to teach in the morning, really ought to dress up this place, I really need to loose a whole lot of weight, what if the kids or me is next with some terrible disease, why am I so addicted to coffee, does my life really matter to anyone, what is God's will for our future, will my dreams ever come true, and I really ought to go brush those children's teeth before they fall asleep tonight. How could I think so many things at one time? Cause it's just one of those big news kind of days, but I can't seem to feel the pain... it's like I am on some emotional tranquilizer or something. It's really weird, if you've never been there. I would rather not feel the pain right now anyway. My dad might be able to walk again, even though he is missing muscle, that is with rehab and with limitations. He is 54 years old. Not exactly an old man there... definitely not. Sigh.
Well, on the happy side, I am excited to say, the curtains are well on their way to being done, and I have come up with an inexpensive way to address the laundry area situation. Faith started school early this morning and was done by noon! Woo-hoo! I was really happy about that deal! I'll have to get picts of my progress on here when I get the projects done. I have some more ideas how to make my mobile home a beautiful little place to be, and it is gonna require my handy-dandy sewing machine... I am in love with that machine these days!!! So thankful my MIL bought it for me a few years ago... it has blessed me time and again! I am also gonna need some paint... but, by and by, this home is gonna be cute. Trailor walls can be tricky though, cause they aren't so tough... kinda soft really. So, some decor just wouldn't work here.
Well, that is a bit of what is goin' on in my world... had a nice weekend vacation with my family... more about that later!

Home decorating and organization ideas?

Got three questions for those out there with creative thinking...

I live in a mobile home, okay. We have no laundry room... we have a laundry closet (with the washer and dryer and an above cabinet for supplies). I seek for ideas how to beautify an un-hidable laundry area. I want ideas that will actually make it pretty. Color scheme in kitchen is burgandy/red, blue, and white.

I would like to award Faith for each reading book accomplished (we are talking a hundred something page books, generally). What do you think would be some incentive for a six year old? She already LOVES her first reading book and reading it is exciting enough, but I think a child who must read several hundred pages ought to have something exciting to look forward to.

One more thing for today: I would like an idea for making curtains for Faith's room. Look at the earlier pictures posted. I am aiming for brights and whites. Her comforter is bright pink, green, and I believe there is yellow in it. Her favorite color is pink. If you have run into any material that would look great with this, where was it? Maybe you know of a link to a curtain design that would look cute.

Hope to share picts of what we decide in the future here.

I think we on the mends!

I do believe Faith is getting well. Yay! I feel like I have been torturing her the last few days, but it seems to have been effective. I hope that virus never visits our home again!

Seems funny that I wrote one post about screening calls and another wanting calls. Actually, if one calls during breakfast, lunch, or after-school hours, that is cool... not that you have my schedule on your refrigerator or something... ha! I haven't actually gotten my schedule exactly to perfection myself... we are just getting into the swing of things.

Now, that two year old of mine is giving me quite the hassle during school hours... today she colored my carpet with chalk while I was teaching the other two. I might just go crazy if she keeps doing these things. Sigh.

Well, that is about it.

Bad news first, then the good... how's that?

Well, guess the old diagnosis of a fatty tumor wasn't quite right for my dad. The pathology report came back from the Mayo Clinic saying that that he had liposarcoma. I guess it is low-grade and they are going to do another surgery in about a week to make sure there isn't more. My understanding is that they think they can get it with surgery. So, there was a bit of the ugly C in that that tumor after all. Sigh!

Today, I took Faith back to the doctor due to EXTREME pain in her left side, and we are working on this situation here... if this doesn't resolve, she will need an ultra-sound to find out what is causing her problem. Poor girl, she has been through the wringer. I hate seeing her so sick. I am, however, weary of the pediatric appointments. It is embarrassing to have to come every week for the last three weeks because her symptoms have been so crazy, from 105.0 fever to extreme headaches to severe pain in her side to constipation... I can hardly wait 'til she is all well again! I think our new course of action here, though, is working... it's not very fun, though.

Ron preached in West Portsmouth on Sunday night. It was sooo fun to be back "down home." SOOOO many memories there! In the morning, though, we were at our church in Dayton, and we had about 28 children in our class ages ranging from 3 to 12! It was a powerful class, and I felt like God really was helping. Some children could be heard repeating after me to give their hearts to Jesus! Doesn't get better than that, my friends!!! Couple of kids came up to me after class to tell me that they had recently gotten saved... one at a camp, and one while having devotions with her big sister!!! Praise God! This teacher was tickled to pieces to hear their reports! I have a fantastic group of kids to work with! This Sunday, we won't be there, but we will have some folk filling in for us. We are to be back in Southern Ohio preaching at another holiness church. I LOVE hearing my hubby preach! If you think he is fun with the kids, he is just as good, if not better, preaching to the big guys! I enjoy the little people... big people sometimes make nervous. I can be myself with the children and they are rather cute! They are so tender, and you just never know what might happen in class... keeps life interesting! Big people sometimes sleep in church, clip their fingernails, twiddle with their cell phones, and doodle on paper... in Children's Church, it is not considered rude to say, "Okay, little Johnny, you need to put your toys under the chair and look up here. Little Susie, we are looking for quiet seats, so you best be not whispering to your neighbor!" You just can't do that to the big people without offending someone... although, I am sure there are ministers out there who wish they could.

As for me, I am up late cleaning house, and just finished listening to an episode of Unshackled! Can never tire of hearing how people's lives are transformed by the power of Christ Jesus! Well, I guess I had better get goin'!

That's that... the good and the bad... and, oh, yeah, I also had a fantastic time with my three little treasures at Carriage Hill Metro Park on Saturday... it was a blast! The highlight was playing in the shallow creek and watching the huge frogs. The animals on the farm are always fun to watch. We especially loved watching a calf show off for us... it would hurry over to the fence to where we were, then when we would walk away, it would run and jump around, as if to say "Look what I can do!" Soooo cute! Gotta love baby animals... they have little cute lambs, too. Now, it did storm while we were there, so that made our 3 hour adventure a bit more interesting. I can never seem to tire of that place. I would love to spend entire days there. Maybe we could have school there sometime. How fun would that be! We could study Science where Science is happening... the various trees, plants, bugs, animals, landscapes, etc., right there all around them... beats being stuck in a desk, in my opinion! Wonder what folks might think to see a family with their backpacks full of textbooks and crayon boxes sitting in the middle of a field or in the woods or maybe by the lake or creek, studying their lessons... who cares? I just think I might do that! Sitting inside all the time is too depressing... the walls start closing in on you. Kids need the fresh air and room to move, don't you think? There are also history lessons to learn at that place, too. If you live anywhere near Dayton, you just HAVE to go there... even if you have no children... I am convinced that when you live in the city, you have to find a country place to go to, just to get out of the crazy-ness!

Well, I guess I really ought to go now... have a good week... and, if you think of it, pray for my Dad's cancer situation and for my little girl... pray our home treatments we are giving Faith will "fix" her issue, as much as she hates it! If you want to know all the crazy things we have done to help Faith, you will have to call me and ask... I simply am not going there on my blog... besides, that will give you a reason to give me a call. When the phone rings and it is not my hubby or close family member (or, a sales person), I might just fall over! Calling on the phone and saying Hello must be out of style these days when there is Facebook and all. Kind of miss those voices, and even visits... those are out of style now, too, I think. Too bad. There is nothing like knowing that you are cool enough to just sit with and drink a cup of coffee... but, this is a fast-paced world. Since my Grandma passes away, I guess people's presence has become more special... you never know when they just won't be there to hug or touch, to eat with, to smell their scent, to hear their voice, to cherish their smile, to know they love you with all thier hearts 'cause they just tear up when they see you at their door, or their waving as you leave, saying, "Come back anytime. You are always welcome here!" That's how going to my grandparents house was. That was the old-fashioned way of lovin' people... I rather like it. Blogging is fun, too, but real people are the BEST!

Alright, I really ought to go now! Good night, my lurkers!

Dramatic story number 2,349,689 for the year!

The burnt surge protector... how do you like all the stuff in the background? AAAAUGH!

Got to get down to find the problem. So thankful for the guys who were willing to risk it.

The guys who were out here to work on it today.

Getting us GROUNDED!

BURNT!

The burnt carpet

The room where the smoke was... Faithy is lying down here, cause her tummy was hurting. Excuse the naked dolls. We just recently painted this room pink for her. I love a freshly painted room. Someone "back home" hand quilted that blanket on the wall for her when she was a baby.

I would like to make some curtains for her room, as I just did for her sisters' room.

Last night we had an electrical situation happen, and it resulted in a gas worker under the house getting shocked and our house filling with the terrible smell of burnt wire. Faith's bedroom was a cloud, and it was later discovered that the computer's surge protector was burnt clear through, there is a black area of carpet, and a small amount of the computer desk. The poor electricuted guy seemed fine, though he recounted his story to me in a way that makes me never want to become the "ground", as he says he became. He said he was glad it was him and not my children, and that it happened during the day and not at one in the morning (something about a short or something wrong with our electric... I have noticed something didn't seem quite right with our electric here. So glad God protected us... they shut all the electric off when they realized the house was smoked... who knows what might have happened if they hadn't. When the guy under the house was being shocked the lights in the house went crazy... like lights went bright while others went off, and back and forth. Poor guy! People were working on it last night and this morning... our house is now grounded... that is a good thing.

Now on to something fun. I have a fantastic Secret Sister this year, and she is royally spoiling me! The other day, she got me Bath and Body Works and peppermint patties... I was sooo excited. This Secret Sister seems to know just what I like, but I don't always get for myself... she has gotten me fantastic candles (they are the expensive ones, too... I check the bottoms to see what kind they are, and one of them was like about $20!) She even got me stuff for St. Patrick's Day... now that is dedication!!! I wish I was such a good SS! I always know that when I open that bag from my SS, there is a treasure inside! She has good taste!If you could read the bottom of this candle, it was like $19.50! It smells wonderful!I was in love with these bowls and they were great for my kitchen! They are red, and my wall is more burgandy, but it still looks fine to me.

The basket below and the star candle below were also from my SS. The bouquet is from my sister's wedding, and I just put up that calander/memo board... a great help organizing homeschooling and life. Notice all the 7UP on the counter... we got it for when Faith was sick, but she preferred ice water. The little calander encouragement book on the deep freezer was also from my SS.

I bought hot sticks the other day, and they worked nice on the girls' hair Wednesday night, but I think they sweated some of the curls out and the humidity was not on our side, I guess... but, these picts were taken before they went off to church. Faith and I didn't go, but I took her after church to be annointed. I believe the Lord has touched her. She seems to have improved so much... she still has tummy pain, but I think we are done with the high fevers! Thank you, Jesus!

Hope and Charity's hair.

This is Faith dressing up... thought it was hilarious... I made that mask in high school!

Princess is, um... a Prince... ooops!

Well, there was a mistake at the pet store... the lady told me the wrong gender of our bunny... as it is very obvious now. Faith is a bit troubled at the news that Mommy discovered today. Not sure why I hadn't noticed earlier... guess I never paid attention, just took the lady's word for it. HAHAHA! The rabbit is having an identity crisis.

On a whole different note, my dad is out of the hospital. Local result showed the mass on his leg was a fatty tumor. Now he just needs to recover. It is a painful recovery.

Faith is still battling fevers but, it seems to be improving.

Do you see the temp on the thermometer in this photo?
We've been having a good news sort of day... that is... until it was discovered that Princess was not exactly what we thought... I think we might just call it Prince, so it's not too big of a change. Faith wanted to know if it was still a dwarf... :-) Glad it still is a tiny critter, at least!

105.0 F and random things

You are about to view pictures taken with a broken camera... Can't you tell?
On Faith's birthday.

I made this cake for her with musical notes... I don't know if I have posted these, but as you can tell, I didn't spend alot of time decorating this cake, but it was yummy. For her birthday, she got her violin. She said that she was so happy, she felt like she might cry. Now I need to find out how to get ahold of my friend who offered to give her lessons.

On our feild trip to the Air Force Musuem.

Wow, Hope, that is a huge smile there!

Can you work that helecopter?

Can you land that plane?

What do you think of the insides of this plane?

Hope just HAD to have her doll and a blanket in the museum... and, it was so hot outside!

Who is your mama, child? Your hair is a wreck!

We've organized this school mess since this... looks like a disaster zone here... that is something you risk with homeschooling. Things can get a bit messy.

Notice the backwards 7. She seems to really like her arithmatic. She LOVES her first reading book as well!

Below you will see the scrappy style quilt I made for Ron's mom and dad. It has all their children and their spouces, and their grandchildren's names on it.

The blanket behind it is my comforter she bought for us a couple of years ago.

Camp is still being remembered by my children... they really made good memories there.

Back to the quilt...

Back to camp... gotta love the orderly fashion that I posted these in!

Loved the ape!

Rachael and Roger did a fantastic job!

Our gardening theme... now we are doing a hunting theme. Need to get pics... it is cool!

Ron having fun with the kids.

My man is the church bus driver at our church.

105.0F

That was Faith's temp yesterday. Took her to the pediatrician AGAIN... cause this mama is paranoid. They did some tests, which all came back norm, so "it's a virus." Sigh! Faith had a fever again this morning. Poor kid... just so you know, when my kids run 105.0 F temps, they get excused from homeschool. No kidding, huh?! Actually, I think that was the first time any of my children have had that high of a fever. I tend to panic when fevers get like 103 even.

I thought she was doing better yesterday, and the girls and I went to Wal-Mart to get some stuff, but half way through the store, Faith started feeling sick. We got home, and that is when her fever soared to ridiculously high numbers. After the dr visit and tests, etc, we came home, and I mowed the lawn, cleaned house, and washed everyone's sheets and blankets from their beds.

For some reason, I also had sympathy toward the critter in the cage outside who looked overheated. So, I brought it in and bathed it, cleaned its cage, and gave it fresh treats. The girls are in their room now playing with that bunny, who seems VERY happy to be indoors instead of the 90 degree weather. Much more lively now. I just hope my allergies don't act up again. I just couldn't seen myself letting their little bunny die from the heat.

Well, old and new, there's a little post for the day.

We are still awaiting Dad's biopsy results. He is still in the hospital and in pain.