Home again Home again

Mom in law is home again. I hope for good this time ^.^ Bruising has stopped growing but is still pretty painful as the blood moves to the surface of her bones and reabsorbs into the body. She has a low pain thresh hold. She is also coming off of percaset. She doesn't like taking that stuff, it makes her too sleepy. To say she is grumpy is an understatement. I actually saw her smile for the first time in weeks yesterday. It was short, but gives me hope. Her new meds seem to be doing their job, keeping her blood pressure under control. We have only been asking for these changes for four months. Oh well, better late than too late. I finally made it to the doctors and surprise, surprise, surprise, (in my best Gomer Pyle accent ^.^) I have a sinus infection. My sweetheart is so patient with me. He's been trying to get me to a doctor for 2 weeks. So I am now taking the world largest pill twice a day. I hope it works fast, my head is killing me! Since I have no energy, passover cleaning has come to a complete halt. I'll start again on Sunday. I'm not even going to try til then. I need time to recover from the last few weeks. I've had a kid in my pocket everytime I walk in the door. How do working mom's do it? I feel like a tall glass of water in a kiddy desert!

What a month!

Rest in Peace Grandpa

Wowzers! The last couple of weeks have been a roller coaster of events.

Went back into the hospital with mom in law. It was scary, we actually lost her for a couple of minutes this time. A week in ICU and for the most part, should last another 10,000 miles ^.^.

The kids all got sick in the same week. That was a lot of snot! And the tissue we went through was pretty amazing. And after refusing to catch it, I got it. Still have it. May have to go to the doctor and get something for a sinus infection. I'll see if I can squeeze it in ^.^!

Then we had another Speech and Debate Qualifier. This time it was in good weather and more local. What a great time we had! The entire college campus we used was on a hill and therefor, lots of steps. Lots and lots of steps. I knew my thighs would be sore, but I didn't count on my calves and the tops of my feet. The kids did well, we kept getting lots of compliments on how well they spoke and how poised they were. We didn't move on though, so we are done for the season. One of our team mates made it though. Pretty good for a first year team. I think my favorite part was watching the kids in their suits and dresses spontaneously start dancing. One of the girls is a square dancer and started teaching some of her friends. Pretty soon there were 50 kids dancing and a few of the kids pulled out instruments and started to accompany. It was fun watching them try to figure out a song when none had played together before and some never played that genera of music. But they did it and it was beautiful. It was so refreshing to see wholesome fun. My Sarah had such fun dancing again after so long without because of her ankle injury. A blessing for sure to see her shining face.

While we were there, we got a call that mom-in-law was back in the hospital. Her chest was hurting and she was pretty grumpy. After CPR, that is pretty common, but we found out the concern is internal bleeding. You see, because they had to put a stint in, she is on a blood thinner. Because of that, the places she is bruised from the CPR is still bleeding a bit. So they kept her over the weekend. We find out today if she comes home. She has a hard time making blood because of the kidney failure so there are a lot of variables.

Then ... as we were recovering from sleep deprivation... I get a call from my mom that my grandpa has died. We were expecting it. For the last two weeks he has been on his death bed at the hospital. The dear soul was in his mid nineties. I'm not as close to my mom's side of the family, but I do have some fond memories of Grandpa. I grew up as an Army Brat and my grandparents often came to visit us. When we lived in Hawaii, I remember him asking if we thought they would take American money in a local little store. He liked eating at bufets, no that's not a mis spelling, that's how he said it. And ja lap en os. We still call them both by his pronunciations at our house. He was a farmer. A big man who worked hard and raised seven kids. He was married to the same woman his entire life. I can't even imagine the depth of her bereavement. He was the head of his family and clan . He and his brothers had a group of farms. in the same small town in Kansas. Our family history goes back a long way, I just started to learn about it at my uncles funeral a few short months ago. I got to spend a few weeks at the farm when I was 10 0r 12. Although I don't remember how old I was, I do remember how fun it was and how much I learned. I will really miss my grandpa.

The hardest part about losing my grandpa right now is that I can't go back and be there for my mom. This is obviously very hard for her. She has been there for two weeks and just extended for another week. Because of our obligations here and the price of tickets being so high, I just can't go. That makes me really sad. I praise God that our business is growing in leaps and bounds and that money and time won't always be an issue. But right now I'm still sad.

So I start my week with my list of things to do. Need to get mom in law home. Need to get my kids schooling back on track. Lessons and classes to attend. Meetings to set up and business to start. And passover cleaning. And that most evil thing in my life. TAXES. Shiver, shiver, scowl. Oh yeah, and make a doctors appointment for myself somewhere along the line.

Success by Bessie Anderson Stanley

Success by Bessie Anderson Stanley

He has achieved success
who has lived well,
laughed often, and loved much;

who has enjoyed the trust of
pure women,

the respect of intelligent men and
the love of little children;

who has filled his niche and accomplished his task;

who has left the world better than he found it
whether by an improved poppy,
a perfect poem or a rescued soul;

who has never lacked appreciation of Earth’s beauty
or failed to express it;

who has always looked for the best in others and
given them the best he had;

whose life was an inspiration;
whose memory a benediction.

The Power of Potential

The power of potential. I've had these words running around in my head for over a week now and they just won't go away. I have been around so many people in the last bit that are so full of potential. And it brings to mind what I used to find on my report card all the time; She has so much potential if she would just apply herself. Did you ever get that one. I didn't believe it then. I sure do now. But it doesn't really matter how much potential you have if you don't do something with it.

Over the last ten years, I have worked diligently to become a better person, wife, mom, teacher, believer, homemaker. I've studied books, been to seminars, listened to CD's and DVDs. I've humbled myself to mentors who have the kids, marriages, friendships, relationships with God, lives in general, that I desire to have. The one thing I haven't done is to apply it. Well, that's not all true. I have an awesome marriage, my kids are smart, wise and beautiful. My house is only a disaster area part of the time ^.^ and I feel pretty good about my relationship with God. So what else is there?

My grandpa always said that we need to give back to the world. My dad always interpreted that as I need to get a job. He doesn't see the value that I do in being a full time mom and homeschooler like I do. That's cool, I don't need his approval anymore, I just love him where he is. But I do feel like I need to give back to the world more.

I saw these kids a week ago or so at the speech and debate competition. The talent was super amazing. These kids were full of knowledge and understanding about the world economics and government; they possess confidence and excitement. But when asked what they were going to do once they were done with school, they had no answers. A few did, things like college and "something" in ministry. Wow, these Christian kids could so touch the world they live in, they just need someone to tell them they can.

We had a house full of excited, fired up people, young and old, who have a direction and dream. But a lot of time I see these people get knocked down by the world because they lack the confidence that they can be all that God intends them to be. At least they have a dream. That, I have found, can give you strength to discover your potential.

I have not touched the world in a way that I believe God wants me to. I have the potential to unleash peoples inner strengths. I have the potential to touch a hurting world with a healing hand. I have the potential to be a force for God that will change lives. I have to apply my potential to the world, not by having a job, but by freeing others from the bondage the job world puts on people, limiting their potential by telling them how much they are worth by how much they are paid. We are ALL created with potential.

What are you going to do with yours?