A few prayer requests

* My granddaughter, Emma Rose, who has been dealing with JRA as a 2 year old is in need of prayer. The doctors told Rachel today that it appears that Emma now has RA in her neck, and possibly in a hip. She is also showing low levels of IGG, which fight off infection. If they can't get that level up they will have to do IV meds once a month. They cannot raise the Enbrel she is taking to help combat the RA in her neck because she isn't "heavy" enough yet. Please keep Emma in your prayers.

* My"pretend daughter" Erica will be induced next Friday, giving birth to my "pretend granddaughter" Emily. Please keep them in your prayers as Erica is on bed rest.

* Rachel's sister-in-law, Sarah, is 27 weeks pregnant, and has been hospitalzied... issues with the baby AND the pregnancy... they will be taking the baby on Monday as the doctor believes that the baby has a better chance of survival outside the womb. Please keep them in your prayers.

* My friend, and fellow adoptive mom Sandy, has been having trouble eating and can actually feel a mass in her stomach. She will have an upper GI to determine the problem. They suspect stomach cancer. Please keep her in your prayers. She is specifically request prayers for healing.

* Mickey and the Dominican Republic tean will be traveling on Tuesday, and will return the following Tuesday. Please keep the team in prayer as they prepare for their trip, while they are there, and for their safe return. I also ask that you be in prayer for those they will come into contact with... pray that they will meet Jesus in a mighty way!

Thanks for taking the time to lift up these prayer requests. Hope that you all have a wonderful weekend.

Shin Splints - Counting Calories - And More Randomness

I've started walking... okay, not literally just started walking.... I am 50... that would just NOT be right. Let me re-phrase... I've taking up walking for exercise. Better??? Thought so.... anyway... about three weeks ago, Mickey and I decided that we (I) needed to get some exercise. So we decided that we'd head over to the local high school and utilize their track (which is hard to get sometimes due to track season, but they have a nice sized campus, so we have plenty of paved area to use!) Right from the start my shins have hurt... I've never had that happen before. I used to walk alot (okay, that WAS 10 years ago... but whatever, it was still alot!). I've never had this type of pain when walking. And if it gets too bad, I stop where I am and it goes away, only to return when I start walking again. DON'T LIKE IT!!! Last week I even went and bought new shoes to see if it would help... not so much!! Anyone out there got any advice?? I am all ears!!! I am walking through the pain, as I am determined to do this, but I could use a little help here!!

Also....

Today I have started to journal my calorie intake... and I have to say this is VERY depressing. Here it is... 8:45 AM and I have already used 450 calories, and I should only have something like 1400!!! Wow... so this is going to take more effort than I thought... again... it should be totally worth it, right? Let's face it... I've gotten fat... and yes, I said FAT!!! Those of you who are reading this saying, "You aren't really fat, you have just put on some weight." ... to you I say... STOP BEING DELUSIONAL!!!!! I've seen myself in the mirror, I've cried when I try on clothes, so I KNOW what I'm sayin' here!!!

So the walking and the journaling... I am hoping that they will help with this problem... and I am REALLY hoping that if I drop some weight that my arthritis will ease up... wouldn't that be nice!!

In other randomness...

So You Think You Can Dance came back on last night. I really do enjoy this show... I was happy to see its return... Mickey, on the other hand, was not so happy. Oh well... at least it is summer and daylight is around much longer... he can use SYTYCD time to work in the garden!!!!

After today, only four more school days left and the kids will be on summer break... good-bye quiet time... but I'll be glad for the break... the kids are ready for it. And I am sure that the summer months will literally fly by. Since we took our vacation over spring break this year, I'm not sure what we'll do over the summer, but I do know that there will be some serious pool time involved. (If we ever get it opened!!!)

Have a wonderful Memorial weekend... may the sun shine on your BBQ!!!!

My Niche

You may not know this.... or you might... but I don't have a "REAL" job (as someone recently pointed out to me!) ... but I do have a job of sorts... (okay, besides being a mom!). I am a substitute teacher. I work in our local school system a few days a week, and for the most part... I love it! Yep... I said for the most part.... you see, I found out today that while high school kids are okay... they truly aren't my thing (sorry to any HS kid who might be reading this!)

Now, it isn't that I don't like them, it is just that I like elementary kids better! Way too much major drama in the HS arena... I can tolerate the drama in elementary much better... you know... "she doesn't want to be my friend"... and two minutes later they are inseparable! Or how about... "he took my pencil" and then five minutes later the whiner offers the same child a pencil to use during math. Yeah... that is my type of drama! In HS you get the "he said this about me" and "she talked to my boyfriend" etc... etc... etc.... you know... the 'END OF THE WORLD" type of drama.

And elementary kids... they still listen.... don't get me wrong... they don't listen great... but at least they listen. HS kids... yep... they already know all the answers and have figured out life... and when they look at me... they can't believe that I would understand... after all I was surely born at the age I am now, right?

I think that everyone has their "teaching niche" and I think that today I learned where mine is... down at the Elementary where the hugs are the greatest... and they are ALWAYS happy to see me!!!

My Favorite Night

Okay... Tuesday nights are the greatest... AMERICAN IDOL and THE BIGGEST LOSER both come one... unfortunately at the same time, but they are both on! (I do alot of flipping back and forth, but I just can't go without watching them both!)

Sunday in our sermon the guest speaker asked if anyone was interested in Reality TV... yeah... five people raised their hands... WHATEVER! You KNOW they were all watching...

But what is it about reality TV that sucks us in? Is it the potential for failure? The thrill of the win?? Do we see ourselves in the people on the show?? Do we see others??

Whatever the reason, reality TV is HUGE....

So my thought for the day.....

DOESN'T IT SEEM STRANGE TO WATCH REALITY TV TO ESCAPE REALITY?????

Happy viewing!!!!!

Thanks Kids!

Well... here we are... another Mother's Day. Just want to thank my kids... they are all four great, and they make it a pleasure to be a mom!

So... thanks Chandra, Rachel, Carly and Michael!!! You are awesome kids!!!

Happy Mother's Day to all you mom's out there... and to all of you who "mother" children, whether they are yours or not!!!

Kaiya Update... Prayers Answered!!!

Kaiya is coming home tomorrow!!! How cool is our God?!

They have given them a diagnosis (which of course I cannot pronounce, much less spell), but a study was done on this in the Neatherlands, and in the study of 10 children over 10 years, 7 out of the ten walked away with no issues... one had CP, one epilepsy and one developed learning disabilities by age 7...

Kaiya is now off of the oxygen, and her feeding tube has been removed... she is also exhibiting "baby startle" patterns (when touched etc.) AND... she is locking onto people and objects with her eyes. All great signs.

They will do a follow-up MRI at 1 month and then again at 3 months. They were told that the 3 month one would indicate to them what to expect over the course of her lifetime.

Our prayer is now for continued healing and that she will fall into line with the 70% who walked away from this virus with no permanent issues.

Thank you so much for all of your prayers for this little one... I know that God has heard them and answered in a mighty way!!!!

Prayers Needed

A good friend of our oldest daughter recently had a beautiful little baby girl... Kaiyah. (Now, I am totally unsure of the spelling, but God knows this little one!) I believe that today, Kaiyah is 10 days old, and she is in desperate need of your prayers.

On Wednesday, Kaiyah began to scream when touched or held... she also turned blue as her mother fed her. She was ultimately admitted to Kosair Children's Hospital where she was diagnoised with sepsis... an infection that travels through the blood stream. At this time, they are very unclear as to what has caused the infection. They have found that she now has an enlarged heart, and an MRI has came back unclear... indicating that the brain has been compromised. Yesterday, they went ahead and intibated her as she has been unable to sustain a high enough oxygen count.

I was able to visit Kaiyah yesterday for a brief period ... long enough to lay hands on her and pray. I am still overcome with tears when I think about this perfect little girl laying so still under my hand.

I would like to ask you to be in prayer for this little one, and her mommy and daddy. Please be in prayer for the doctors and the nurses who will care for her. Pray for her every time she is brought to mind...

I know that God's will for this child is perfect... His plan is perfect... and I also know the power of prayer. So if you can take the time to ask God's protection and healing for Kaiyah, it would be greatly appreciated... if you can pass this request along to all your blog buddies... that would be awesome... the more people who are in prayer for her the better.

Yet give attention to your servant's prayer and his plea for mercy, O LORD my God. Hear the cry and the prayer that your servant is praying in your presence this day. 1 King 8:28