D is for...

Diagnosis day. April 28th, 2011. My son, 6, charming, wonderful, sweet, and practically perfect has juvenile arthritis. Thi blog has been home repairs, things Ive made, etc, etc. And all of those things seem well, trivial to me tonight as I sit and ponder life. It started in january. the 11th to be exact. He woke up like this. Well, it was worse- this is better than how he woke up.



He couldnt walk at first. He was like a sobbing wet noodle tryign to stand. I thought of tumors, and strokes as I dialed the phone and panicked. I obviously wasnt talkign clearly because the nurse, and my husband thought he had growing pains! After bloodwork and exams we were told he had viral arthritis. My husband, whose neck could be 2/3rds severed before he ever saw a doctor took one look at my video footage that night and was silent. For five full minutes. Then quietly he asked when he saw the specialist.
After a short lived break, like 7 days,  from the symptoms they came roaring back, and we began to realize that viral arthritis never lasts more than 8 weeks. My sons ANA antibodies were positive, and it was time to see a rheumatologist.
It took 3 months to see our doctor. 3 months of me hoping it was something else. 3 months of me prayign it was someting else. 3 months of me watching him run around 1 day, then sob and shuffle and limp another.
I have prayed God would show my son perserverance. And as these 3 months have gone by, and Ive prayed for healing God has whispered to my heart- :why so quick to pray for perserverance, and then for the trial to be removed? My purpose will be perfected in yoru son. " I was reading abotu the man born blind from birth, who did not sin, but was blind that Gods glory might be revealed. matthew



The author asked- what was harder to accept? the condition, or that it was caused by one who could heal it?
As i read that I was shaken to my core. As Jerry Bridges says in Trusing God- it is far easier to obey God than it is to trust Him. The question I kept being asked was 'Do you trust me with your son?" Do YOU trust me, with your son?" Do you TRUST me with your son? Do you trust me with your SON?
And I have sat before God this week almost silent. I have sewed, and neglected housework to escape, I have driven to the mall, and neglected housework to escape. I have played board games with and snuggled a child who hurts, and is stiff, and is asking- Momma, will my legs ALWAYS hurt? Momma- is it wrong for me to think God is kind of mean to not fix my legs?
And I have tried to push away my thoughts crowding my mind with menial things. And I cannot. God loves me too much to allow it. Tonight as I sat to read with my sons our daily devotion I almost wept when I saw the title. Gods timing is perfect. The passage?
1 Peter 1:3-9

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy,he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, toan inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
and Phillipians 4:13
I can do all thrings through Christ who gives me strength.
And as I asked teh questions that corresponded with the story my son talked about his arthritis. His disease.
And we talked about how our life on earth is but a vapor compared to eternity in heaven. How God can heal Him, but God has a plan regardless. We talked abotu trust, and Gods glory beign revealed in our lives. And I just wanted to hold him, and take that weight from my 6 year old son. My son asking if this will affect his eyes as the doctor mentioned. My son who is too precious to me to see this. My son. MY SON.
How God must have ached as he watched Christ hang on that cross!
I know my God has plans. I look back and see the pain Christ went through was for GOOD. I want to see the future of my sons trial, and all I can do is trust. Do I trust Him with my son?

I'm BAAACK! Sort of.

Hello all of you out there! I think it's been about 2 1/2 months since my last post. Hmm... Time flies is all I
can say! I just don't have time for regular posts right now. I barely have time to do projects. Why so busy? Well- lets see. Between being a care group leader in MOPS, head room mom for one kid, doing Bible Study Fellowship, boy scouts, hubby having 2 meetings a week, couponing, and helping others coupon, teaching Sunday School, various committees at church... I am really just BUSY. It's okay- I like it. I really do. But I cannot blog, and refinish furniture and doors right now, too.
I think the craziest thing in all of this is half day Kindergarten. I. don't. like. it. Can I get an amen?!?!?! I mean- I am in the car CONSTANTLY!!! I think my next kid will go all day, and then I'll sub part time to pay for it, lol but seriously- that is really keeping me busy with all the broken up days and runnign back and forth. oh- and I hopefuly wil begin subbing on Fridays soon. WHEW! In the midst of all of this I have managed a few things. I have stained the top of our stairs, and am currently painting the 'kickers', I have made knock off Pottery barn sweater pillows for $0.50 each, and ive made some more anthro knock offs. I have stained about 400 feet of trim, but haven't put it up yet, haha. And I managed to fly to Maryland

 BY MYSELF for 4 days to see my ailing grandma, and visit the Holocaust Museum in D.C. with Poppa. Ill add some eye candy in, maybe link up to a party or two... We shall see.

Mine. $7.00

Theirs.  Necklace $38.00 Shirt $ 58.00

total $96.00

Mines not perfect, but I have had several people ask where I bought it when I am wearing it.It looks adorbale with a long sleeved cream shirt underneath, and long slouchy boots! :-)

my newest project

Has it really been a month! Geeze. Sorry. I have been spending about all day every day in the pool. If it's not in the pool it's in the herb garden, at bible study, couponing, learning to coupon better, and creating new menus for the fam. I feel as if Ive been way too busy to blog much of anything and my house projects are at a stand still. Why? I. am. sick. to. death. of. them.

Seriously- I needed a break. I ahve hundreds of feet of oak trim needing stained. I have the stain. I don't wanna do it. Not yet. How abot this fall when its cool, but nice, and dry, not sticky, and my 2 oldest are back in school? Yep- sounds like a plan to me!

So- have I done ANYTHING???  I mean besides lay in the pool? Yep, I have. I have been readin gsome fashion blogs. Eek! Fashion, not houses? Yeppers. I have been loving Anthropologies website, and ahve decide dthat I can and will make myself some less expensive knock offs.

The first is for my brothers wedding in 3 weeks. I fell in love with this skirt

at Anthropologie

But the price... Eh, not so much love

4 hours and $5.17 later I had this

Not too shabby, eh?

 Like my Steve Madden pumps I paid $0.50 for? Me, too, ladies, me, too!

Please ignore my messy dresser. ;-)

My next adventure was  this dress-.

at Anthropologie as well. Price tag $148.

My version cost $4.00 and some change...

I think thats a smug look... Sorry. I wasn't thinking smugly. Well, maybe a little seeing as I saved a whopping $234.00 Next up is their attic treasures tank

 We shall see. We shall see.

What have you been doing this summer? Lazing by the water like me?

I have been MIA lately. I have some good old pictures of previous projects I COULD whip up a post on. But I don't wanna.

Hear the whine in my voice? lol

We have jumped into summer full steam ahead. My kids have swam the past 4 days for a MINIMUM of 8 hours a day. My youngest has had quite the asthma flare, and has kept me up at nights and on my toes during the day to make sure he doesn't turn purple. He did that 3 nights ago. The turning purple thing. By Gods grace we didn't ahve to go to the hospital, but it was a rather close scare. He is a cute kid, but not when he looks like that little girl from Willy Wonka.

I, although not burnt, have somehow got sun poisoning... Go figure.

I have started a new summer schedule for my boys. Call me crazy but I do believe kids THRIVE on structure. They have workbook pages M, W, and F. Quiet reading time mid afternoon, instead of a nap. It gets them out of the sun, and if they fall asleep, fabulous. If not at least they are resting and feeding their minds. And of course there is the chores.

Cause this house doesn't clean itself!

J, 7, and B, 5 are responsible for a bathroom each. Q, 3 has to sort the dirties and they all have to sort/fold/put away their laundry and daddys whites.(I love to hear the cries of "EW! DAds UNDERWEAR!!!!! They're HUGE! Of course hubby is tall and lean and nothing on his frame is huge, but they think so, lol) 1 kid has dishes each meal, the others have kitchen floor cleanup, etc. And of course there is the weeding, stick picking up (our willow sheds like a dog!), etc etc etc. We all pitch in and try to teach these boys the value of hard work so one day I can say "I raised you to know how to do that!" and really mean it, lol.

In the midst of our new schedules I have added in working out 6 times a week

and changed our eating habits.

NOW you get why I haven't posted projects, eh?

Seriously- working out that much and coming up with new menu plans and changing our cooking style has kept me BUSY BUSY BUSY! I am feeling much better, as is hubby. My tummy is getting tight, and my thighs are getting firm. My boys are actually enjoying the new menu stuff. Especially mommas homeade- whole wheat -flax waffles. And they adore the yogurt, fruit smoothie popsicles. It's amazing how making all these changes can put a ripple in the rest of our lives. I haven't go it down to a fine science yet. My friend laughed and said that I probably won't until August when they all go back to school. Okay with me! This Wednesday starts a new womens bible study at church, as well. I am looking forward to it!

So- that is what we have been doing.

 I shall go now to work ont hat menu and grocery list, and leave you with my waffle recipe!

2 Cups whole wheat flour

1/8 cup ground flax seed

1 3/4 c buttermilk ( I cheat and use 2 T ob lemon in 1% milk)

1/2 C canola oil

4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp salt

2 eggs

mix, pop in your waffle iron and enjoy!

Grocery Blessings

I have said it before, and I shall say it again. God is faithful to grow us. He always is. Especially when we realize we need to grow in an area and ask for it!

I was blog hopping yesterday and came across a fabulous post. Unfortunately I. cannot. find. it.

It's not in my history, Ive spent hours looking. I cannot even remember the name of the blogger or how I got to her site. So- I shall summarize for you. This woman does not like to grocery shop. I understand. I spend, on average, 2 hours making my lists, gathering/clipping/organizing my coupons and deals and calculating my costs before I leave for the store. (budget is King!) I then drive to the store, load things in the cart, then on the conveyor belt, then back in the car, then in the house, then in the pantry/fridge.

However, this woman had a lightbulb moment.

Let me highlight some words above for you.

Drive.

Car.

Store.

Cart.

Car.

Pantry.

Fridge.

Are you getting my point? The point this woman made, who has a great blog that  I. cannot.find.

Am I really complaining about going to the store to purchase food for my family? I have a store to go to. My children do not look like this.

And I am complaining!?!

Shame on me.

Shame on you.

According to the CDC  in 2008 19.6% of 6-11 year olds were obese.

18.1% of 12-19 year olds were.

Lets not even discuss adults.

Now- I  am not picking on people who are overweight due to health reasons, or really picking on overweight people at all. But lets ask ourselves- WHY the large numbers?

Because we can afford to feed our children.

We are cramming them full of sweets and junk and there are THOUSANDS of children dying the world over DAILY from hunger related causes.

Because we are SO well fed we take it for granted and think it's our right to even complain about going to the store. I spent 3 summer soverseas- 1 of them in Asia. Ive seen people lying in the streets hungry and children as little as 1 trying to sell things on the streets for food.

And yet I complain about going to the well stocked, clean grocery.

I vowed yesterday morning to not have a bad attitude while shopping.

Ever. Again.

And then I took 3 boys to the store, to 3 stores actually.

And the gal at Meijer rung my order wrong and owed me $15.00 for not scanning my coupons correctly, which I didn't notice until I was BACK in the car with all 3 kids and had to go BACK in the store to wait in line to get my money back.

And I thought to myself- I could complain. This is frustrating. I am hungry and it is dinner time. My kids are rowdy and hungry, too.

But I just spent more in this store than some people will have in a lifetime. I am going home to put my food away, and I can eat a disease free, bug free meal tonight. I will be getting more back in change than many people live on in a years time. Hungry to me means nothin really. I don't KNOW hunger like many people around the world do.

And I praised God for the oppurtunity I had. For the country I live in. For giving me the tender heart to see how truly blessed I am. For the oppurtunity to grow my attitude and perspective. For my children being well fed and cared for. I thought of the little guy we sponsor. And the girl we sponsored for 10 years until she went to college. And I praised God. And I praised God. And I praised God.

How is your attitude?

Morning Bessings

My mornings are hectic. What else could you expect with 3 boys, 7 and under, and a puppy? I wake up, crawl immediately walk to my coffee pot and get it started. My sons are NOT morning people. Well- I take that back, the 2 that are in school are not morning people. I am usually greeted by whines, and 'more sleep!' or a made up ailment such as 'my tummy hurts, 'my head hurts', etc. I think that they think I was never a child myself and maybe I will one day buy into it and let them stay home. NOT HAPPENING boys.

Usually after the whining comes the craziness. A hyper puppy thrilled that his best playmates are up is racing to and fro. And I mean RACING. As in Indy 500 time trials racing. And the oldest is racing right along with puppy, the youngest has spilled his milk, AND oatmeal, and the middlest is making some sort of odd noise- this morning it was an indian war cry. Why you ask?

I have no earthly clue.

I laughed and shook my head and bit my tongue wanting to be short and say 'Will you be quiet??!! Calm down, stop being so...

Happy? Full of life? boyish? a child for now?

I have not had a peaceful quiet morning in 7 years, 2 months and 15 days. I probably won't have one for another 14 years, and 6 months. And then- will it really be peaceful? Will I enjoy it?

Or will I be crying my eyes out as my baby flies the nest?

A tempted as I am some mornings to squash the child in my children I realize that they will be children for only so long. Instead of the shushing, I giggle at the indian war cry, instead of grumbling and being angry I remind myself these are memories, moments I can not get back. I want my sons to remember mornings full of laughter, and a puppy and his boy gallopping along happy to see each other. NOT some monster mom in all her grogginess snapping their heads off and getting their day off to a rotten start. Who wants to be snapped at first thing in the morning?

 I doubt you'd see any hands raised if this question was asked in a room full of people!

My children are a blessing. A gift from the Lord. Even if that blessing is using his Indan war cry at 7 am.

I am thankful my God loves me enough to touch my heart and remind me that 'mans anger does not bring about the righteous life that God  desires.' (James 1:9) And I so desire a righteous life in my children. How can they love God more when momma doesn't model that love?

 Even at 7 am.

 Even with a war cry.

 Even with a puppy knocking into my legs.

 Even when I was tossing and turning all night due to a migraine.

Even with a whiny 'I don't want to get up!'

Even with spilled milk.

Have you remembered your blessings in the morning? Or is today a day to be reminded of that?

The Joys of Boys 3

My house is full of testosterone. Even our dog is a boy. There is so much 'boyishness' a gal can sometimes get overwhelmed. What does an overwhelmed Mama do? She laughs ALOT, she has her girls nights, and she decides fi you can't be one, why not join them?

On Sunday morning we were running late to church. I was 'putting on my face' and Jackson comes running into my bathroom holding this

MOM! (In a whiny tattletale voice, wearing an impish smile...)

'LOOK at what Brennan drew!' I looked, and tried to not bust a gut laughing in front of my 7 year old. 'Mom- just look. ' I looked again, said 'Thank you' and continued applying my mascara. I am prettys ure he was hoping to get his brother in trouble. No such luck. A few moments later hubby comes in for his shower. I showed him and we both cracked up. I mean seriously? Fart, Pee and Poop? WHY are little boys obsessed with bodily functions? My kids have recently learned how to make that 'fart' noise with their armpits. I hear it ALL DAY. And then last week when in Meijer Jackson went to use the bathroom. I waited outside, listening, always afraid for the scary man in the bathroom picking on my kid like thos horror storied youve heard. Jackson comes out giggling. Well he met a scary man alright. And that man ripped one at the urinal and declared' Ahh... that's some paradise'. WHAT? WHAT?? I thought boys outgrew this- or at least some of them?

Hubby and I decided Brennan need no punishment. If we make a big deal out of his drawing poop, he will be all the more obsessed with drawing it and quite frankly, I don't care. Call me names, tell me I'm a bad mother, email me how I should be teaching my child about poo. I'm just not worried about it. We did however tell him that potty drawings do NOT belong in school or at church. While my boys love to rip one, it may not be done at the table, or during prayers, and family devos. They are learning to go outside to the sandbox and giggle about it, or up to their room and howl with laughter while belching the ABC's.

After I was ready for church, Quin came downstairs declaring he was ready. He was in grubby shorts and a play shirt. I promptly told him to take off those shorts, they were not church shorts. He drops his drawers and it is all hanging out.

'QUIN! Where you going to NOT wear underwear to church?!?!?!'

The most impish smile I've ever seen was accompanied by a matter of fact grin and a 'YEP!'

That boy hates underwear- I think he may be a boxers kinda guy...

Table and chairs and such

After our week of craziness I have been unwinding. Unwinding in Gods word, unwinding by relaxing, unwinding by actually letting a few things go around here. And then today I caught up, well, mostly. I have also been working on some new projects. Here's a peek of my inspiration and what I have to start with.

This lil' Lady I have had my eye on for a couple of months. She was in our Salvtion army, and I couldn't believe it when I went back for her and she was there. She was hiding among several large couches, as if playing hide and seek with me. She was not priced, and since the manager knows me because I am in there ALL THE TIME, she let me have it for $5.00.

$5.00!

Look at those awesome feet! I love how they are metal, so they won't get gnawed to bits by Noodle dented or chipped.I cannot wait to see the end result!

Now this next set of photos is my chairs that have me thinking if I EVER see another piece of sandpaper it will be to soon. I bought these a year ago for $5.00 a piece, with the seat cushions. They have been hanging out, being used, but needing loved.

I believe the previous owners were smokers. I was literally SCRAPING this gunk off the legs of these chairs. and It was nasty sticky, too. There were so many layers under the top one that it took me 6 HOURS with a power sander to even get to the bottom on the flat surfaces of 2 chairs. Power sander and 6 hours do NOT belong together in the same sentence!

UGH! I was wanting this set of chairs to become like this...

Pottery Barn... Beautiful... $299. per chair... $999. for the table...

So- I rounded up some Rustoleums Heirloom White, some Kilz Spray primer, Some clear coat and got busy.I would show you what they looked like after those 6 hours, plus many more hand scraping ones,  but my camera battery died. Here one is after a coat of Kilz, and such...

I am almost done them, and by done I mean the cute little slip covers they are gettng on their seat is almost done. You can wait for the final shot, right?

To go with these lovelies I want a table to match! I already have a table, but she is orange honey oak in color. However- this is what I am thinking...

My table has the same legs as the PB table, but I would like the top to resemble the picture below.

Little Bits of Bliss

You should check out the total transformation!

Hubby said building a new top would be easy- and Knock Off Wood has plans for a similiar table. I would also like to build some benches. Our kitchen is too small for 6 chairs around a table. I believe that just looks cluttered, so... We are in process of table transforming!

I also took a sad day and turned it into an Anthropologie knock off of sorts.

You see- I had this beautiful little vase- Kind of reminded me of Ballards Onion pendant

My puppy knocked down my side table, and the glass broke. I kept the piece of metal, I knew I would find a use for it somewhere!

Theirs...

Mine...

It's unique, and makes me happy that I salvaged something from my lil vase to reuse.

Have you salvaged something damaged that you loved? Or redone a table and chairs lately?

Enjoy your weekend!

Someone tried to take a dump on my week...

Ever had one of those weeks? You know THOSE weeks? I swear we have gone through periods in our life where our circumstances would make a 'Uh-Lare-ee -us' sit com episode. This week was one of them. On Tuesday, unbeknownst to my hubby I began painting my boys room. It was in seriosuly bad shape- they had gone through a color on the walls phase 2 years ago. Yeah- it was bad! I moved all of the furniture myself, etc.
Wednesday my littlest got bit in the face by a neighborhood dog. Thursday my  middlest was 'triple dog dared' to jump OVER the sprinkler. He takes after his clutz of a mother, and landed ON the sprinkler splicing his foot wide open. A trip to the E.R. concluded it was so wide and deep it could not be stitched back- the tissue was dead. It has to 'fill itself back in'. So, after a needle being jammed into the wound, and the dead hanging tisue cut off ( I know GROSS) we were sent home with orders to stay off it. In carrying around a 50 pound kid I pulled a muscle in my groin area. I am sure it has nothign to do with my new rigorous workout schedule, or moving dressers and bunkbeds by myself!
Then Friday rolled around. I was having Jacksons friend party that night, and had been up till 1 am the night before finishing a dragon cake. Jackson woke up in so much tummy pain, that we went to the doc. He hasnt been eating, it hurts to touch, etc. We were thinking appendicitis. Honestly- we have no clue what is going on, so we will be seeing a G.I. Soon.  I had no way of getting ahold of 5 of the kids from school that he invited to the party, and my house was a wreck. BEFORE we left for the doc, he was wanting to show his brothers his cake. It was on the botton shelf of the garage fridge. They left the door to the fridge open, and then the littlest let the dog out to go potty. Need I say that the dragon got mauled? I had nothing but dragon butt left to serve the kids. Dragon Butt Cake. FAB-U-LOUS!
At this point I cracked up, because it was either laugh or cry. Hubby suggested the kids wouldn't care- it would be awesome to eat mauled dragon. I think the look I gave him told him otherwise.
So- how does my week end? I have NO IDEA. I am baking some crazy deserts for a family get together, carrying around a gimpy kid, and concernedly looking over a 'not himself' kid.
I DO know that Gods grace is sufficient for me, and His power is perfect in my weakness. For without Him I think I would have pulled my hair out this week! Go ahead ABC/NBC call me, we can work on the script together!

Etsy update!

Hello! I know, it's been awhile. Life has been Busy. BUsy, BUSy, BUSY. Did I mention we have been busy?

Spring break was last week, and besides my 3 wee-uns, I had another lil guy for the week. I am SO outnumbered. We packed the week full of hiking, picnicking, indoor water parks, treasure hunts, a movie, a sleepover, and the like. It was fun. It was also exhausting. So- I'm playing catch up on the house, and catch up on sleep, and catch up on laundry.... You know what I'm talking about! Add to my being behind, 3 boys and a dog in the mix, and working out, and house work... And, well- my poor blog was neglected. But my kids have kept me on my toes with things like toothpaste in brothers hair, etc, etc, etc.  I also have been working on a little something for my etsy shop. I have handpainted myself several pillows- numbers, definitions, monograms, etc. And, well, I finally decided to update the neglected Etsy shop. If you click here you will find my pillow covers. I am loving the Jamaican Sea Monogram. Turquoise is finding it's way into my heart... Yes, I still love red, but um... I'm thinking I'm having a little emotional affair with Mr. T lately. He's just so fresh, and young, and lively. Sshhh! Don't tell Mr. Red, he would really be heartbroken. And do NOT tell him that once I repaint my living room I MAY have Mr. T on my windows instead of him.

Anyhwo- check it out. Tell me what you think. I could use some feedback seeing as I really am just getting my feet wet. Thanks!