There is a brain!!

The ENT's office called to say--YOU REALLY DO HAVE A BRAIN and it looks good--lol!! What a relief! I was hoping they would say that i had an exceptional brain and that my hubby should listen to me more but I'll take a good looking brain--lol!!

I had an MRI done 10 days ago to help rule out things for why I'm still having some dizzy unstableness. The doctor was confident that the scan would be clear but we needed to do it anyway as they had to rule out tumors on the brain. I have been praying that the doctor would get clear results from any and all test run and that we would get to the bottom of this so I can get on with the abundant life God has for me. So far there are no tumors, no ear infection, no fluid behind the ears but also no relief from that disconnected unstable balance I have been feeling now for over 7 weeks.

The good news is I'm getting better and better every day. I have actually driven the car a few times with another person with me which a HUGE improvement and I can make it through the store to buy groceries without having to sit down or leave because it feels like I'm fainting. I still have yet to go shopping alone but I"m working on it ( so watch out honey 'cause once I can manage around those stores on my own I plan on making up for lost time--lol!!) . The new computer with the LED screen has cut down on the eye disturbance and in turn cut the dizziness, this has allowed me to venture out of the house and walk without holding on to someone. The kids and I have made it through the zoo twice and can go do fun play dates once again!!! You never realize all that you take for granted until you no longer are able to do something.

The one thing I have been forever grateful is that GOD AND HIS WORD NEVER CHANGES I am still the healed no matter what outward symptoms try to hang on and disrupt me!

Vacation on the fly

Friday morning John called to say PACK THE BAGS HONEY WE ARE OUT OF HERE!!!-lol!! He has been wanting to go to Branson where his sister lives for some time now and the work stress was at it's all time high so a break was in order. All I could think when he first called was how often God wants us to be instant in season and out so I put aside my feelings about leaving town on a holiday weekend and heading to the vacation mecca for the tristate area and packed the bags.

To be truthful I DID NOT WANT TO GO--I have been feeling "off" in my physical body for so long and I'm having some inner ear disturbance, so the thought of going on all those windy, hilly,curves was not my idea of a great vacation but I knew how much John needed to get away so I put on my happy face and sucked it up. Life isn't supposed to be "all about me" but more about what can I do for others. I so wanted to say "what are you thinking man!! I can't even walk for more than a quarter mile without feeling like I'll fall down and you want to go to the "walking capital of the world" not to mention car sickness that has developed over the last few months and being stuck in bumper to bumper traffic." But it really isn't all about me.

We made it out the door before noon and pulled into my sister-in-loves house by three. She had moved into this house over 2 years ago and wanted us to come visit and see it but we just never had the money or time to get up there. I love my sister-in-love to pieces as we have a great relationship to the point that most people think we are the ones related as sisters and not John and her-lol!! Because she lives in Branson she can get tickets to shows and events at discounts-we are TALKING HUGE discounts--lol!! The only trouble was they don't sell tickets to locals until 30 minutes before the shows so there is a chance you won't get any--and on a holiday weekend it was darn near impossible--lol!! We made it to the chinese acrobats but left without taking any pictures of the boys with the performers! I cant believe this was our first real vacation with the boys and I didn't get a single picture of it at all--just goes to show that being an older mother sometimes means you FORGET things--lol!!! I did manage to do a little bit of shopping despite the fact that I felt sick and dizzy the whole time. John took the boys with our brother in law to the fish hatchery and they had a wonderful time and later that evening he and Pete went fishing which was the refreshing fun filled time John was seeking in the first place. I ate some shrimp on sunday lunch that didn't agree with me at all and showed how much it didn't agree with me while at an outlet mall--ugh!! My sister in love was a good sport about it though and we would run to a store take a quick peek inside and see if there was anything we wanted than go to the next restroom visit--we repeated this for about an hour when I discovered I had some pepto in my purse and after I took it and felt like it had kicked in we headed back to her house( there was no way I was leaving a working toilet to sit in bumper to bumper traffic without some relief.) of course we had a great laugh about all the "possible" hillbilly toilets we could fashion along the way home--lol!!! It really is wonderful to have someone who shares your since of humor when in a time of distress.

While John was out fishing on sunday evening I sent him a text and asked if we could go home when he got back even though they weren't coming home till after 10. He surprised me with saying YES!!!! So at 11:10 in the evening we loaded up the car and headed home!! Even though we got home at 2 .Am. I was so excited to be back home I had a hard time falling asleep--lol!!

Colton and Braden had a wonderful time playing with Uncle Pete and they held up well with all the car trips to the strip with the promise of going to the 'cowboy' show that we never got to see because it kept selling out before the "local" ticket time came around. Since Colton doesn't always pronounce words correctly we all got a kick out of him calling Uncle Pete -- Uncle PEE !!! Everyone waiting on the outside porch at Olive Garden let out a chuckle when he would run around saying Uncle PEE Uncle PEE!!!--lol!! We visited Janice and Pete's church on Sunday morning and the boys walked right in to the classroom like they owned the place -- this was the first time they had ever visited a different church and I was worried how they would do( the teacher didn't look to frazzled when we picked them up so I assume they did OK--lol!!)

After we got home my dear hubby admitted that the windy roads were "getting to him" and since he didn't have an inner ear issue it must have been "not fun" for me( AAAH YA THINK DEAR!!!!), he was glad when I texted him and asked if we could go home early and not wait till morning. All the way home I kept thanking him for taking me home and not making me wait till morning when all the vacation traffic heading home would be bumper to bumper.

Our vacation on the fly wasn't as fabulous as we had wanted but it meant the world to John for me to be willing to GO as he needed the break and it meant the world to me that he was willing to LEAVE when I felt like I couldn't take traveling home in heaving traffic with intestinal distress.

Next time we will plan things better when we are BOTH feeling great and there isn't a holiday that weekend!!

An apple a day.......

WOO HOOO!!!!! I finally got an apple computer!!!! I'm so excited as I have wanted one for so many years and now my prayers have been answered!!

John and I were planning on getting a new computer for me after we moved as mine was a little over the hill and slightly running a bit faster than a turtle on a hot summers day--lol!! After a visit to the specialist John decided it would be best to go ahead and get it now. We are finally getting some answers to all the dizziness I have been having and I'll share the details once all the test are completed ( it will be another month till they are all in so don't expect it soon-lol!!), But in the mean time the doctor said that the old computer screens and tv's have a scrolling line that my eyes are picking up on and that is part of what is keeping me so unbalanced. That meant a new computer screen was in order and since I had been LUSTING over the iMAC at Best Buy for months now my wonderful hubby surprised me with getting it for me.

So this is my very first post on my dream computer!! It might take me a few weeks or months( or years to be honest--lol!!!) to figure it all out but I'm thrilled. The greatest blessing of all is that after having had such a hard financial year last year that we had the money to pay CASH for the computer. God's word has been working in all areas of our life and we are seeing the fruits of hard work and obedience coming in on every wave!!!!

I never dreamed last summer I would be at the place were we are at right now and so I owe God all the glory for what He has blessed us with. So THANK YOU FATHER FOR WHAT YOU HAVE DONE AND ARE CONTINUING TO DO!!!

Now I'm off to "play" with my new toy some more-lol!!

Blessings from above!

We are going to be grandparents AGAIN!!!!! Our daughter called to say that she and Daniel will be having baby number 2 sometime in the spring. I have always wanted a late spring baby and look forward to welcoming our newest little bundle of joy. Of course this means Nanna will have a new little one to watch when Ashton goes to work but I love babies so bring them on--lol!!

Last year when all our adult kids where having babies we were at a serious dry spell in our finances and so having grandbabies was fun but I couldn't spend any money--this time around I plan on making up for that--lol!!! Watch out Honey 'cause I'm so going shopping--lol!!!

Children are the greatest gift from God and the only one that you can return back to Him by training them to serve Him with all their heart and soul.There is beauty in receiving a gift from heaven and turning around and dedicating that gift right back to Him. It is such a privilege to be a parent no matter how your kids come to you ( birth, adoption, marriage, or foster parenting)and one I look forward to doing over and over again!

When you least expect it....

Just when you least expect it God shows up and rocks your world in such a way you can only sit back and reflect on HIS mighty love and plans that He has for you.

For months now our church has been expecting a missionary from Australia that we support. We have known about this man for over 20 years as he was a missionary with our former church many years ago and I was looking forward to hearing from him and what they are doing in Australia. Having had surgery on Tuesday of last week and then coming down with a double ear infection I knew the "opportunity" to lay down under the symptoms of not feeling well was going to be there, but I was determined to not miss church on Sunday. By Saturday I was feeling real good from the gallbladder surgery and wasn't having much discomfort but the dizzy unbalanced feeling from the ear infection made it hard to sit upright or walk very far--still I wasn't going to miss out.So I wore slacks to church in case I needed to lay down in the chairs and brought a pillow to prop up my head. At church I found a chair in the farthest corner and sat there all by myself with my head leaned against the wall so I wouldn't feel the room spin so much--lol!! I looked like I was in time out--lol!!

I sat there and listened as the missionary told of his families obedience to go where God wanted them to go and how the journey there took longer than expected but they never gave up on what God had revealed to them. That even when they took what looked like a very different path to full fill what God had for them they persevered and were steadfast that God would bring to pass all that HE wanted for them to do. He was very real in his ability to admit he failed in many ways but didn't let that defeat stop him from dusting himself of and going forward once again, and reminded us all that we are very real and not so perfect people but God still uses us and wants the best for us. It was a good service and I was thankful I hadn't stayed in bed even though I could have easily.

At the end he asked if anyone needed prayer--but stated that if you came forward he didn't want you to tell him what you needed prayer for as he was just going to pray the prayer of faith over you and it was up to you to receive what you needed from God as he wasn't the "healer" just the vessel that God was using, and if he had a word for you he wanted it to have come from the Holy Spirit and not from what you just told him you needed. Since I was sitting there dizzy all service I thought it would be a good idea to go and let him pray the prayer of faith over me as only a fool would sit there sick when someone asked if they could pray and ask God"s healing to come. So I went forward expecting just the simple prayer of faith to be prayed over me but God had other plans and I wasn't expecting what happened next....

As soon as the missionary reached out to pray for healing he stopped and asked me three simple questions than spoke a word from God to me and quoted a scripture that I had stood on for over 13 years....God revealed the exact book, chapter, and verse through this man that had NO IDEA that I had prayed that EXACT SCRIPTURE FOR SO MANY YEARS. He looked me square in the eye and said "That is the exact word from God to stand on to bring to pass what God is wanting done in your life" I was speechless and trembling with tears as I hadn't expected God to have anything to say to me--I thought I was just there to be prayed for because my ears were infected.

What this man from half way around the world said confirmed these dreams and visions that I had been having for the past three months.God knows the plans He has for you and he can bring someone from clear across the world just to remind you that He isn't done with you just yet!! For the past three months every time I have dreamed this dream I have woken up and thought that it was so weird to be dreaming this dream once again since I thought God had already full filled that dream in another manner,but God isn't done with me and John yet. I have no idea how this will come to pass and quite frankly it isn't up to me to make it happen it's just my part to be willing to receive what God has planned. On the way home from church I told John that I had gone up to be prayed for and God said something that I wasn't sure he wanted to hear( he was teaching the elementary that morning and wasn't out there), but he said he always wanted to know what God spoke to me and so I shared with him. I was very surprised at how willing he was to receive this word and some day in the near future we hope we will be able to share the exact word and the fulfillment of that word in our life.

until then know that GOD ISN'T DONE WITH YOU and the things HE PROMISED YOU ONCE HE WILL DELIVER--HIS TIMING MAY NOT BE YOUR TIMING BUT HE IS NEVER LATE!!

I'm Home!

Here is a copy of an email I sent out yesterday after I got home with a few updates about today.

Today I'm surprised about how much swelling I have--lol!! Having never had surgery before I didn't think my belly would swell so much which means I'm lounging around in my pj's for today.

I pulled a muscle getting in my bed last night so I have more pain than I should and may sleep on the couch tonight if it doesn't start feeling better soon.

The staff at the hospital was wonderful except I thought they really shoved you out the door pretty darn quick after surgery. I woke up at 2:05 from surgery and was heading out the door by 3, but being home was great and I could tell John was ready to get out of there-lol!!

The highlights--surgery was delayed because of other surgeries going on and I didn't go back until almost 1. we had cable in the room so we watched the deadliest catch which is one of our favorite shows so waiting wasn't bad but I was STARVING FOR KING CRAB BY THE TIME I LEFT--lol!!!

The gallbladder was inflamed, very diseased and not functioning, there where adhesion's attached to it with scar tissue and the surgeon said "other things" in the area was attached to it that shouldn't have been--don't know what that means but he said it REALLY REALLY was good we took it out. I'm having some pain but it's bearable--the dry mouth is bothering me though. Getting comfortable is hard but something I'm sure will pass soon.

Alisha and Baylee will spend the night so someone is here first thing in the morning with me--Annie has to go babysit over night so she won't be here.

Who knew chicken broth tasted so good--lol!!
Thank you for the prayers and I'll let you know if I need anything

Nesting.....

Not sure if it's pre-surgery jitters or feeling sympathy for a friend as she waits these final days/minutes/seconds until her travel call to say their son is ready to come home but either way my house is as clean as it gets--lol!!!

My hubby should be pleased when he arrives home to find that every stitch of laundry we own is cleaned and neatly folded and in it's proper place---that proves there are still miracles being done today-lol!! I so hate doing laundry, I'd much rather wash dishes or scrub toilets than sort and fold and put away the laundry. I think it stems from my childhood days when each of us three kids had to take turns doing the laundry.Back then my mom only did it on Saturday and we somehow always had about 13 loads on my weekend to do it. I think my brother and sister changed their clothes about every 3 hours on the weeks they knew it wasn't their turn and I got stuck staying in the house all day long sorting,washing and drying then folding,ironing( yes my mother made us iron the clothes right then and there!) and putting away everyone's stuff. It really is a wonder I didn't grow up to live in a nudest colony after that--lol!! So if you ever stop by and see 2 or 3 loads of laundry just sitting there waiting to be folded you'll know why.

I'm hoping to take the boys to the free splash park here in town after nap time and then it's back home to eat and go watch my hubby and daughters and sons-in-laws play softball. Anything to keep my mind busy today. I'm not really nervous about surgery or any pain afterwards as my surgeon promises I will not be feeling all that bad,I"m just not looking forward to being forced to take it easy and not do the things I normally do for my kids and husband. I won't be babysitting my grandkids this week and I have a feeling I'm really going to miss them. Since moving back to town we have not hardly had a day when one or more of the adult kids have been over spending the entire evening with us--our house is usually a zoo around dinner time with anywhere from just us 5 to over 11 people or more all squeezing around the dinner table. So not having them around will be a little sad and a lot of quite!!!

My mom is coming up to the hospital to "sit" with John so say a prayer for him--lol!! She is a talker and he is not and he isn't looking forward to making small talk for so long without me there to rescue him--lol!! I think he may be the one that needs the pain meds tomorrow afternoon and not me-lol!

I'll let everyone know how I am as soon as possible. John and I are believing that this will resolve all the problems that have been going on including the heart palpitations and both of us are looking forward to me returning to my perkier active self soon!!!