The NOCC walk was a huge success. It was raining cats and dogs, but we had a great turnout and I know Megann would have been so proud. Her parents were there and I was happy to see them. We had the brunch at church immediately following. It was a success as well. Leesa did a wonderful job coordinating and Jenny's Mom was the speaker. It was an emotional day, but a blessing.
In other areas, I feel like life is handing me lemons right now. Things are a struggle. Physical health is okay. I have a preliminary new diagnosis of Sjorgens Syndrome, which is moderately irritating. The girls are doing well, but other things in our home are not, so for all who happen upon this blog, we do need some really fervent prayers on our behalf. I don't know where we are headed, but I can only hope it is in the direction God has for us.
Saturday, November 6, 2010
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
TEAM MEGANN!
We are going to have Team Megann at the NOCC Walk to Break the Silence on Ovarian Cancer on September 25. Come walk/run with us! There is a one mile and a 5K. Go to the link below to register or I can register for you. When you register, select Team Megann from the list. All ages are welcome! We will order Team Megann T-shirts, so I will contact all those on our team and will get your shirt size. Let's get a lot of people out there! Tell your friends! We want to honor our wonderful friend, Megann! We miss her so much and don't want to lose anymore friends to this terrible disease.
REGISTER FOR TEAM MEGANN HERE
After the walk, there is a Ladies Brunch at Heritage. This is going to be a wonderful event and I encourage all of our women to go. You will have time to do the one mile and then go over to the brunch. There should be time to freshen up and change clothes between the events.
Leave a comment if you have any questions!
REGISTER FOR TEAM MEGANN HERE
After the walk, there is a Ladies Brunch at Heritage. This is going to be a wonderful event and I encourage all of our women to go. You will have time to do the one mile and then go over to the brunch. There should be time to freshen up and change clothes between the events.
Leave a comment if you have any questions!
Sunday, July 25, 2010
When one has not blogged in such a long time, one is tempted to "catch up" and talk about everything that has happened in the last 3-4 months. I will resist. Instead, I will say that this week has brought some sadness, with the passing of Thomas' grandmother, Wilma Smith. We called her Ninny. She was a great woman - very caring and LOVED us. She adored the girls. We went to see her last weekend and Thomas was able to say goodbye and that was such a blessing. He also was able to see her about six weeks ago and she was in slightly better health then. The last twelve months met us with the loss of many loved family members and friends. It is hard to come to grips with the fact that we are getting older and this will become more apart of our life. I suppose that is why God gives us each other.
Enough of the sad news! I guess I will go ahead and catch you up on a FEW things. :-) Since I blogged last, I celebrated my 9th year with GST - NINE years. We also decided to enroll our kids in preschool and look forward to the girls being in a classroom style environment. Thomas is due for another liver scan and is not to have raw shellfish. In honor of that, we have probably eaten more raw oysters in the last 12 months than we have in the last 12 years. I will turn 33 this week. That is only two years younger than my Mom was when my parents moved from TX to CA!! In my brain, my parents are still that age.
We are trying to get our house on the market right now. We have done a GREAT job of accumulating junk in the last (almost) five years of homeownership. Moving out of the house that Tim helped us buy and we brought our girls home to is very bittersweet, but the benefits will be awesome. We look forward to being closer to our church family and work.
One last note. I was cleaning out one of our closets and found a large storage tub full of "memories" from highschool and college. It was everything from pictures and letters to Kojie memorabilia and youth group papers. It was like going back in time. I probably sat in that closet for an hour looking at different items. After I was done, I sealed the tub back up and put it in the stack to go to storage. Such wonderful memories contained in that plastic container. It made me think of all that my girls have to look forward to and all their lives have to offer. I wonder what is ahead for them and if I am capable of helping them make the right decisions and letting them make the wrong ones when it won't hurt them and they can learn from doing so. I hope so.
Enough of the sad news! I guess I will go ahead and catch you up on a FEW things. :-) Since I blogged last, I celebrated my 9th year with GST - NINE years. We also decided to enroll our kids in preschool and look forward to the girls being in a classroom style environment. Thomas is due for another liver scan and is not to have raw shellfish. In honor of that, we have probably eaten more raw oysters in the last 12 months than we have in the last 12 years. I will turn 33 this week. That is only two years younger than my Mom was when my parents moved from TX to CA!! In my brain, my parents are still that age.
We are trying to get our house on the market right now. We have done a GREAT job of accumulating junk in the last (almost) five years of homeownership. Moving out of the house that Tim helped us buy and we brought our girls home to is very bittersweet, but the benefits will be awesome. We look forward to being closer to our church family and work.
One last note. I was cleaning out one of our closets and found a large storage tub full of "memories" from highschool and college. It was everything from pictures and letters to Kojie memorabilia and youth group papers. It was like going back in time. I probably sat in that closet for an hour looking at different items. After I was done, I sealed the tub back up and put it in the stack to go to storage. Such wonderful memories contained in that plastic container. It made me think of all that my girls have to look forward to and all their lives have to offer. I wonder what is ahead for them and if I am capable of helping them make the right decisions and letting them make the wrong ones when it won't hurt them and they can learn from doing so. I hope so.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Spoon Theory
I have waited for quite some time to update my blog. After Jenny's passing and with so much going on at work and church, I needed to wait. Even though my previous blog about Jenny was very positive, obviously things for her physical body went downhill after that posting. She will be missed.
I have posted many pictures on facebook to catch up on the snow days, retreat and other various events that have taken place in the last few months, so that is where I have chosen to keep them. For now, I am using this blog as more of a personal space to express my thoughts on my health and other things happening. So few people read my blog now (and so many are on FB) that I feel this can be more of an occasional outlet for that sort of writing. On the other hand, I won't always be a Debbie Downer. :-)
Yesterday, after a few days of having a lot of pain in my hips and hands, I found an essay written by Christine Miserandino called The Spoon Theory. She has a website (or is part of a website) that is http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/. I found this after many tears shed over the fact that I am in a position in my life right now that I simply cannot do the things I want to do and have the heart to do, without risk. Not necessarily risk to my health right now (I will wear myself out and will crash), but to my marriage, family and to my employment.
My tears in the last 36 hours have come over Music Camp. I am so happy they are wanting to do Music Camp again. I went to the meeting today and am THRILLED that Brittany is taking a leadership role and I am excited to help her (and that she is willing to let me help). She and I were able to brainstorm some awesome ideas today that I think will really be incredible. Conversely, it has been devastating to come to the realization that I cannot do what I could do two years ago. I was able to be in the room by myself with 60 kids and control them, teach them, love them and learn from them and now I know I cannot. I could teach them, but I couldn't possibly do that all day with that many kids AND discipline them AND do everything else. I am limiting myself to working with the actors and doing lines, staging and blocking. I am mentoring Brittany and passing the torch on something that I love so much it hurts. I love Brittany and trust her so much. I trust her decisions and judgement and I know she is doing this out of love for the kids. I would not want to see it any other way. Ultimately, this is another thing in my life that is this way. It is not just Music Camp, it is a list of activities in which I have had to step back and set limits. I HATE LIMITS. I want to push the limits and in the last two days, when it has been painful just to walk up my stairs, I know that setting these limits is right, but it doesn't stop hurting my heart.
It has been so hard to express to Thomas my feelings on this subject. When I found this essay, I printed it and had him read it. The author is obviously much farther along in her journey, but there is one part that describes my feelings so accurately.
"It's hard, the hardest thing I ever had to learn is to slow down and not do everything. I fight this to this day. I hate feeling left out, having to choose to stay home, or to not get things done that I want to....When other people can simply do things, I have to attack it and make a plan like I am strategizing a war. It is in that lifestyle, the difference between being sick and healthy. It is the beautiful ability to not think and just do. I miss that freedom."
I think I struggle with this because I am 32. I had a benchmark of where I was and I am in a place where I have realized I cannot reach that benchmark again. I thought losing 40+ pounds would give me just a hint of more energy. No. I thought medicine might. No. Maybe alternative therapies. No. My doctors don't think I am sick enough to really treat yet and I am stuck.
I find myself asking God why He is doing this and what my purpose is constantly. At church, we have been called to be lights of the world, but I struggle to be a light to my kids, let alone the world. Sometimes, Christians get the label of already having the light, but right now, mine is one of those little LED flashlights you get at Walmart. In my heart, I want to be a stadium light, but I just don't know how to get there right now.
I have posted many pictures on facebook to catch up on the snow days, retreat and other various events that have taken place in the last few months, so that is where I have chosen to keep them. For now, I am using this blog as more of a personal space to express my thoughts on my health and other things happening. So few people read my blog now (and so many are on FB) that I feel this can be more of an occasional outlet for that sort of writing. On the other hand, I won't always be a Debbie Downer. :-)
Yesterday, after a few days of having a lot of pain in my hips and hands, I found an essay written by Christine Miserandino called The Spoon Theory. She has a website (or is part of a website) that is http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/. I found this after many tears shed over the fact that I am in a position in my life right now that I simply cannot do the things I want to do and have the heart to do, without risk. Not necessarily risk to my health right now (I will wear myself out and will crash), but to my marriage, family and to my employment.
My tears in the last 36 hours have come over Music Camp. I am so happy they are wanting to do Music Camp again. I went to the meeting today and am THRILLED that Brittany is taking a leadership role and I am excited to help her (and that she is willing to let me help). She and I were able to brainstorm some awesome ideas today that I think will really be incredible. Conversely, it has been devastating to come to the realization that I cannot do what I could do two years ago. I was able to be in the room by myself with 60 kids and control them, teach them, love them and learn from them and now I know I cannot. I could teach them, but I couldn't possibly do that all day with that many kids AND discipline them AND do everything else. I am limiting myself to working with the actors and doing lines, staging and blocking. I am mentoring Brittany and passing the torch on something that I love so much it hurts. I love Brittany and trust her so much. I trust her decisions and judgement and I know she is doing this out of love for the kids. I would not want to see it any other way. Ultimately, this is another thing in my life that is this way. It is not just Music Camp, it is a list of activities in which I have had to step back and set limits. I HATE LIMITS. I want to push the limits and in the last two days, when it has been painful just to walk up my stairs, I know that setting these limits is right, but it doesn't stop hurting my heart.
It has been so hard to express to Thomas my feelings on this subject. When I found this essay, I printed it and had him read it. The author is obviously much farther along in her journey, but there is one part that describes my feelings so accurately.
"It's hard, the hardest thing I ever had to learn is to slow down and not do everything. I fight this to this day. I hate feeling left out, having to choose to stay home, or to not get things done that I want to....When other people can simply do things, I have to attack it and make a plan like I am strategizing a war. It is in that lifestyle, the difference between being sick and healthy. It is the beautiful ability to not think and just do. I miss that freedom."
I think I struggle with this because I am 32. I had a benchmark of where I was and I am in a place where I have realized I cannot reach that benchmark again. I thought losing 40+ pounds would give me just a hint of more energy. No. I thought medicine might. No. Maybe alternative therapies. No. My doctors don't think I am sick enough to really treat yet and I am stuck.
I find myself asking God why He is doing this and what my purpose is constantly. At church, we have been called to be lights of the world, but I struggle to be a light to my kids, let alone the world. Sometimes, Christians get the label of already having the light, but right now, mine is one of those little LED flashlights you get at Walmart. In my heart, I want to be a stadium light, but I just don't know how to get there right now.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Update
One of my co-workers came into my office this week and said they "wandered onto my blog" and "update the blog already." So, on that note, I thought I would go ahead and post something lighthearted. This is in lieu of talking about Jenny. FYI - I am SO thankful she has made it through the last week. It is a real testament to the power of prayer!
Anyway - onto the lightheartedness (is that a word?).
Two cannibals were eating a clown. One looks at the other and says, "Does this taste funny to you?"
THANK YOU!! I'm here all week!
Anyway - onto the lightheartedness (is that a word?).
Two cannibals were eating a clown. One looks at the other and says, "Does this taste funny to you?"
THANK YOU!! I'm here all week!
Monday, January 11, 2010
Snow White
There is something about watching Snow White for the first time with your child. I bought Callie and Lyla Snow White and Sleeping Beauty today (before they go back into "The Vault") and we sat down to watch Snow White and Callie was so excited. It was amazing to see her face light up when Snow White came onto the screen and there she was, not just a picture of her on a book or some sort of toy. Anyway, I can't really describe it, but I can say Callie was pretty cute.
This blog entry is really about updates. I am still taking 150 pills every night. Okay, so it is down to something like 8-1/2. That is positive. The doctor confirmed today that I am crazy, so at least we all got that diagnosis correct! Just kidding. He did assure me that I DO have Lupus and I am not a hypochondriac (sp?). That made me feel a little better.
I think I have decided that if I can round up enough friends that I want to take a long weekend trip somewhere. It can be either just women or women and spouses, but then we have to deal with childcare in a lot of cases, so maybe we should just say women. Just kidding. Hmmmm...let's go somewhere fun, yet inexpensive. I will have to think on that, but we need to do it soon. March is all booked up with Spring Break for many and a lot of church events, but maybe after? Who is with me? :-)
On a very, very positive note, Thomas FINALLY had his scan done and his liver situation has remained unchanged, which is an answer to prayer. He will go in for another scan in 6-12 months. We will just assume that it is a hemangioma and is nothing. :-)
If you are a Heritage woman (or want to be one), think about going to the retreat. It is going to be A-W-E-SOME! I'm not blowin' smoke. Seriously. This is a fun time had by all (women over 18). We need some of our more mature ladies to join us this year. We need some mentoring going on! Get your grass skirts and come on out! Actually, if you show up with grass skirts, I will laugh. That has absolutely nothing to do with the theme. However, if you bring a grass skirt, I promise to bring a coconut bra. Just ask Jeana. I have one. I wore it to Mistee's house for her Hawaiian themed Bunco. Over my clothes, of course. TMI? Sorry ministers, since I know some of you tend to wander this direction sometimes. :-)
Have a good one!
This blog entry is really about updates. I am still taking 150 pills every night. Okay, so it is down to something like 8-1/2. That is positive. The doctor confirmed today that I am crazy, so at least we all got that diagnosis correct! Just kidding. He did assure me that I DO have Lupus and I am not a hypochondriac (sp?). That made me feel a little better.
I think I have decided that if I can round up enough friends that I want to take a long weekend trip somewhere. It can be either just women or women and spouses, but then we have to deal with childcare in a lot of cases, so maybe we should just say women. Just kidding. Hmmmm...let's go somewhere fun, yet inexpensive. I will have to think on that, but we need to do it soon. March is all booked up with Spring Break for many and a lot of church events, but maybe after? Who is with me? :-)
On a very, very positive note, Thomas FINALLY had his scan done and his liver situation has remained unchanged, which is an answer to prayer. He will go in for another scan in 6-12 months. We will just assume that it is a hemangioma and is nothing. :-)
If you are a Heritage woman (or want to be one), think about going to the retreat. It is going to be A-W-E-SOME! I'm not blowin' smoke. Seriously. This is a fun time had by all (women over 18). We need some of our more mature ladies to join us this year. We need some mentoring going on! Get your grass skirts and come on out! Actually, if you show up with grass skirts, I will laugh. That has absolutely nothing to do with the theme. However, if you bring a grass skirt, I promise to bring a coconut bra. Just ask Jeana. I have one. I wore it to Mistee's house for her Hawaiian themed Bunco. Over my clothes, of course. TMI? Sorry ministers, since I know some of you tend to wander this direction sometimes. :-)
Have a good one!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)