kidney stone adventures, con’t

Posted on March 4, 2016 by Shanda

I’ve thought this a thousand times since yesterday but I took Sarah to her second procedure by myself because Rich was on a business trip. I’ve thought it frequently…..not because I’m resentful of the fact but because I’m proud of it. If you only knew the way I was when I was first married, in my early twenties I was still having heart palpitations and driving with my hands whitely clutched to the steering wheel as I drove on the highway, for goodness sakes. In my mind, highway driving was a near death experience. Yes, if you only knew how I was from childhood. My mother told me that people didn’t think I could talk when I was so very small, because I couldn’t bring myself to answer their friendly questions. I would rather die than get up in front of a crowd and speak. If I’ve done anything extra brave, its because I was taken over by a power greater than I, namely, love –for music, producing solos, for babies, producing many doctor’s visits and going through child birth seven times, for God– in leading Bible study one year, for travel–in boarding an airplane, etc (that’s about all the brave stuff I have done). LOL Perhaps this affliction is more common then I believe (am I a freak?), but the truth remains– I have lived life nervously but I.have.lived.it.regardless! Amen. I would be a timid mouse in an underground hole if I didn’t have a family to bring me out into the world.

Sarah had robotic surgery in January to remove a bucket-load of kidney stones. At that time she was given an internal stent. So this next procedure was using a scope to look in the kidney to make sure everything was indeed cleaned out and to take the old stent out. It was scheduled to last about 2 hours. (last time was 8 hours)

So yesterday when the two of us left home we went to Barnes and Noble. Sarah didn’t have to be to the hospital until 11:30 so I wanted to pass some time doing something fun. She picked out a shopkins keychain and I bought two Harry Potter books (3 and 4). Then we went to the children’s play area in the mall so she could play. She soon became tired so we walked down the hall and back before getting back into the car. We made it back to the highway and into the city. I found the parking garage and got the car parked up on the 6th floor. It was freezing cold, as usual, and we shivered our way to the lobby to take the elevator down to ground level. We crossed the street into the hospital…Sarah, myself, and my big brown bag full of stuff we needed. We checked in and received our identification stickers and made our way to 4G for surgery registration.

A lady took us in her little office to check us in. Then, we waited for a few minutes in waiting room before another lady took us down a floor to triage where the patients get prepped for their surgery. Sarah used the bathroom before we put her adorable hospital pajamas on. I forgot to mention that she had a bath at home before we left and I combed her hair back and braided it. She looked small and sweet, like a squeaky clean piglet. Since we had surgical experience, we were not as nervous as the first time. She asked for an iPad and the nurse got her one that had an Elmo case on it. Sarah promptly found a Lego game to play and I read Harry Potter #2 and was interrupted many times by friendly nurses and doctors, asking many questions which I answered, calling Jacob one time so that I could get the exact name of the antibiotic that Sarah was taking daily. Jacob was all stressed out because he couldn’t find his special cord that he needed to print his paper. He wanted to tell me all about it which made me laugh because in his mind it was much more important than having a child in the O.R.? He didn’t think of it that way, I’m sure. I love him so much….and he was helpful to the extreme yesterday as he watched the kids after school (and he did get the paper printed so it all worked out).

One cute thing was that Sarah rated her hunger pains as a 6 on the pain scale (10 being the worse). Poor thing!

Well, after over an hour of waiting for surgery, it was finally time. The hospital has small motor cars for the kids to drive down the halls to the O.R. if they wish. But Sarah became sad and decided at the last moment NOT to drive. The two of us decided it would be nicer if Mama carried her so I did, wearing yellow scrubs, and brushed the little tears off her face. She was quietly upset…no shaking or talking…just silent tears. I took her in the room where there were about 7 or 8 people, I think there were two of everybody. Two doctors, two nurses, two anesthesiologists, etc. Sarah sat cross legged and facing me as they put the mask on her and encouraged her to breathe deeply and make the balloon close and open. There were numbers on the screen and they cheered her on to see if she could beat the previous record of that day which was in the 600’s. She promptly got 724 and started to melt in my arms. Down she went, gently onto the bed sound asleep. Meanwhile, I felt like I was suffocating with the surgical mask over my nose and mouth. I pulled it down and kissed her cheek and left. I was a little sad but felt mostly like “okay, lets get this over with”……plus I was starving.

The nice male nurse walked me back to my stuff and said that Sarah was exceptional because usually when kids get nervous and cry like that on their way to the room, they end up having a complete breakdown once they are in there and fight the mask and everything. Nothing wrong with that of course…and I did see the look of panic that flickered in Exceptional Sarah’s eyes as she made the choice to breath and not fight.

They put our coats and Sarah’s bag in storage and I took my purse to the cafeteria and got a bowl of salad and a package of fig newtons. I brought my food back to the waiting room and the quiet room section was free of people so I went right in there and set up my Kindle, put in ear buds, and watched two TV shows which I had downloaded at home that morning. I ate my salad, drank some coffee, and texted with Mom and Dad, Rich, Colleen, and Hannah. I updated FB and was cheered by all the instant encouragement there.

After a while, a hospital worker updated me that the Doctor was “removing stones”. This information caused me distress as I imagined that her kidney had more stones in it then we had previously believed. I braced myself for a long wait as Hannah encouraged me to replace every worry with a truth from God. I had just opened a magazine when in walked the doctor telling me they were through and that Sarah was doing great!

I was so surprised and grateful. I followed him to a small conference room and he went over all they had done. He said it took longer then they originally thought–not because of stones–but because he had put dye in her system to see how her urology system flowed and he believes he may have found the area that could be a partial blockage. She will need further tests but he had not not ever seen a child with as much stone burden as she had when he first saw her back in October so he tends to believe there must be some abnormality somewhere that CAN BE FIXED when and if we figure it out….there is even a chance she could outgrow the problem. In the meantime, her right kidney (which is the one causing all these problems) is swollen which to me has been the freakiest bit of information so I asked him several times if that was okay and would she be okay. To make a long story short, he said her kidney is like a stretched out balloon at this point and now that the stones are out it could and should heal. He said she should have further testing to see if her stone making condition is metabolic but I said she already did that (with another doctor) and there was nothing abnormal except citrate levels so he said that was very good. He said we should do another 24 hour urine collection test at some point. He said we are just letting her heal and recover now but there are tests to be done in the future to check for a blockage or a reflux abnormality. If they do find something she will need more surgery.

She goes back on Wednesday to get her stent pulled out, which is now attached to a long thread-like string taped to her leg. This is a blessing because if he had put in the other kind of stent she would have had to go to the O.R. again.

He walked me to Sarah in recovery and she was sitting up with two nurses leaning close to her. She was groggy, pale, shaking slightly, and crying. She had red circles under her poor little eyes and as I got close I smelled that smell of the gas (or whatever it is) that they use to put her to sleep. Ugh. They were giving her Morphine which helped settle her down and she dozed as I talked with the nice nurse and called the pharmacy to make sure they had the prescriptions I needed to fill.

We left after an hour. I went first to go get the car and they wheeled her out in a wheelchair. Off we went through rush hour traffic (white knuckles? not too bad). I finally made it to the entrance of the highway for the first time like ever, without making wrong turns and getting lost (even with the map on my phone, lol). CVS was crazy busy, Sarah peed her pants in the car but thankfully I had extra clothes and helped her change as I was in the line to the drive through pharmacy window. Sarah spent most of the trip home on my iPhone watching a movie. They said it would take a half hour for the medicine to be ready so we went to Wendy’s drive through. She wanted a chicken sandwich. I did have to carry her inside to use the bathroom again but she was able to slowly walk back herself, holding my hand.

After we got the medicine (18 dollars for bladder spasm medicine, pain meds, and antibiotic) we headed home. My head felt as if it was going to explode. It was about 7 or so when we arrived and all the other kids were home. Before I had even sat down, Rich pulled in the driveway. I was utterly relieved, boy did that hug feel good and Rich confirmed what I had been thinking—that I had done a great job taking care of Srarh.

Sarah screamed and moaned the first few times she went potty at home. Grace was upset and spent a bit of time with her and I gave her a good dose of the narcotic pain medicine they gave us which helped tremendously. I thought Sarah was amazing. While she was in the midst of pain she said, “I wish I was somebody else right now.” To articulate this was smart and completely understandable, I thought. She got through the night just fine without me, which amazed us as well. I saw her at 6 when she came in to ask if she could turn on a show.

She has a slight addiction to ginger ale at the moment. 🙂 She said it tastes just soooo good.

She’s cheerful today. She happily did a little painting with Jacob which was precious to see. She had the tape on her arm from the nurse bandaging her after pulling out the IV and she said it bothered her all night. I promptly took it off which she didn’t appreciate but at least it was gone, leaving behind just a small bruise from the needle and red tape burns. She still has the white circle chest stickers on and after what I did with the last bandage she won’t let me near them. She managed to get one off herself after a bath.

She hasn’t needed any pain medicine today!

That’s about it for kidney stone news. This has been quite an adventure. 🙂 But we aren’t complaining because we believe this is a childhood issue for her and won’t be something that will effect the quality of her entire life…so very thankful for that. Time will tell. We have today and it’s been a lovely one of relaxing and snuggles and also truffles with my girlie. Right now she’s bored and can’t wait for the boys to get home (mean mommy said no more TV). She loves her lamb from Dad, too.

Speaking of her Dad…Rich and I have got to get out tonight and get prepared for tomorrow, which is Ethan’s 18th birthday and he’s having a bunch of friends over.

at barnes and noble

play scape

in the bathroom…she was excited to see a picture of Snoopy!

playing the iPad provided by hospital

waiting

back home! Rich gave Sarah gifts–nail polish and a stuffed Lamb.
Sarah was busy eating Pringles.

we had a long day but we were glad to be home

painting with Jacob

she added a cardinal because we saw one out the window as she was painting

me and my little girl ❤

cream cheese sheet cake

Posted on March 2, 2016 by Shanda

cake

eggs contain the highest quality protein you can buy
egg yolks are one of the few foods that are a naturally good source of Vitamin D

~ thinkegg.com

I thought I would start a category here on the blog of recipes which use five or more eggs. This will make a good resource for anyone out there who has a flock of chickens and is trying to use up eggs. I’ve been keeping hens for years now and last spring I went a little overboard with ordering new chicks. We have a flock of 20+ hens which each industriously lay one egg a day. These fresh, beautiful eggs are like little treasures and I love to use them up in the kitchen. (I’m wanna be just like Bubba in Forrest Gump, only I’ll be spouting off egg facts and recipes instead of shrimp…..”goals”….) 🙂

**********

I made this cake last night for the first time and it was delicious. I like sheet cakes as they are thinner than a typical cake, and more like a soft bar cookie easy to eat “out of hand”.

This is a good recipe to use if you are going to a potluck, as it makes 30 servings.

Cream Cheese Sheet Cake

1 cup plus 2 Tablespoons butter, softened
2 packages (3 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
2- 1/4 cup sugar
6 eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
2-1/4 cups cake flour

frosting:
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

In a large bowl, cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Add flour; stir until well blended.

Pour into a greased 15 in by 10 in by 1 inch baking pan. Bake at 325 for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.

For frosting, in a small sauce pan, combine sugar and milk; bring to a boil over medium heat. Cover and cook for 3 minutes (do not stir). Stir in butter and chocolate chips until melted. Remove from the heat; cool slightly. Stir, then frost the top of the cake.

family photo album

Posted on March 1, 2016 by Shanda

This morning I got up at about 6:30 to find Ethan just about to make waffles, Jacob getting ready to go see Emily and take her to school, Grace and Dave ready & waiting for the bus, Michael’s rooster-crowing alarm going off so he could go jogging, and Sarah already awake and playing with toys.

I thought I had to take Gentleman Gray to the vet and got 10 minutes down the road before I got to thinking and realized his appointment was for the following week……sooooooo, I came back home, washed the syrup off Seth’s pants….as he told me it was “wear red and white to school” day, I hugged him because he was so dang cute, I got their snacks ready, waved to them as they rode away on the bus, then cleaned the kitchen and living room even though I didn’t want to. And now here I am on the couch ready to type up a blog post and then continue on with my day.

These are just some photos taken over the weekend. This one because I was walking around the (melted!) “long pond” and noticed I had one single friendly hen following me. All the rest of the flock was back at the coop where I had just stopped to give them treats and gather eggs.

We walked all the way around but didn’t see any signs of life in the pond, it was only wishful thinking.

See the dirt? she went barefoot!

Our other pond still has ice on it and Ethan was hitting golfballs. One of them landed on the ice and he went after it. The ice held but he stayed by the dock just in case.

I learned a new crochet pattern and made a dishcloth. Next one will be the basket weave, as suggested by my fabulous aunt.

David practiced shooting his bow.

I took the kids to church. Sarah said to me, “Don’t take a picture of my dress.” “Well, what should I take a picture of then?” “My shoes.”

She didn’t like wearing her dress, whenever she sat down it choked her so she would have to pull on the neck of it frantically to get herself breathing again. (slight exaggeration)

Rich was away with Caleb and Seth all day long for Caleb’s wrestling tournament. He ended up getting 6th place at States. Rich texted me the news with this picture. I was like, “awesome! when are you coming home?” 🙂

Yesterday I had a doctor’s appointment and some errands to run and as I was putting on my make up in the bathroom I looked down to see I had company.

During these extremely busy years of being a housewife/mama to a large family, one of the ways I give myself a *small pick me up* is by ~~buying jewelry at Tiffany’s every chance I get~~ going to Goodwill and/or the Thrift stores to see what treasures I can find. You never know! (I’m always looking for fiestware but only find a piece .001 % of the time) Yesterday I bought three framed pieces. One is Lady-slippers, one is Trilliums, and one is Violets. Two of them are signed and numbered prints and the other is a painting on velvet. I loved them because they are wild flowers that grow in our woods. Last week I bought the “Thank you for Not Smoking” sign which NO ONE understands but I think is funny because no one in my life smokes or would smoke at my house~ LOL. I bought it because of it’s irony, but also because it’s handmade embroidery in colors that i like and, only 50 cents.

This picture is for my parents because they hadn’t seen this gift and asked for a photo. It is a little felted bird within a little felted egg that their church mailed to Sarah as a “get well soon, we are praying for you” gift. Isn’t it so sweet?

This morning Jacob practiced the electric guitar.

Ethan drove himself to his dentist appointment and to school, looking very handsome indeed. His 18th birthday is SATURDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can’t stand it.

nice clean eggs from my darlin’s

Isn’t it a wonder that God created birds that lay all different sizes, colors, and patterns of the humble egg? He loves variety! That’s why YOU need to be YOU!

View from the porch this morning.

(32 degrees)

lit candle, part of a hornet/bees nest I found on the ground in the woods, a Scarlet fiesta vase filled with branches of fragrant white flowers from Costco (which I keep sinking my face into and drinking in) and ………plain unromantic bananas. 🙂

And oh! I’ve had such a lovely walk in the May twilight; I stopped by the barrens and picked these Mayflowers; I came through Violet-Vale; it’s just a big bowlful of violets now — the dear, sky-tinted things. Smell them, Marilla — drink them in.”

Marilla sniffed obligingly, but she was more interested in Anne than in drinking violets.

~Anne of the Island

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Ethan’s Waffle Recipe

2 eggs
1 3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter
2 cups flour
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tablespoon sugar

In a large bowl beat the eggs. Add the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth. Do not stir the batter between bakings. Makes 6 round waffles.

He doubled the recipe so we could freeze the leftovers. They can be popped in the toaster for a quick breakfast or after school snack. We eat them with butter and Grandpa’s homemade maple syrup.

alive

Posted on February 27, 2016 by Shanda

Everything is flowing — going somewhere, animals and so-called lifeless rocks as well as water. Thus the snow flows fast or slow in grand beauty-making glaciers and avalanches; the air in majestic floods carrying minerals, plant leaves, seeds, spores, with streams of music and fragrance; water streams carrying rocks… While the stars go streaming through space pulsed on and on forever like blood…in Nature’s warm heart. John Muir

Hello, it was one of those weird weeks when things are sort of crappy but sort of unexpectedly nice, at the same time.

Rich was away for five days in a row and we dealt with the stomach bug while he was away. Sarah was supposed to go in for surgery on Thursday morning but as things would have it, I went to bed that night and NEVER SLEPT because my stomach was roiling. My stomach felt as if it contained a turbulent, oily sea. I was looking forward to vomiting. Sarah had been sick on Monday, then David, and then Ethan. They shared it with me! I called the hospital at 4 in the morning so I could stop thinking about it. They kindly rescheduled her surgery for this next coming Thursday. I was happy. I thought to myself, how nice, Rich will be back by then and I won’t have to go with Sarah alone after all. I thought this for about 24 hours before I found out that Rich will be in Baltimore on that day. I just have to laugh. At least he will be home that evening.

I spent Thursday on the couch, with Ethan on the other couch. It was the most relaxing sickness I think I have ever had. This was the unexpectedly nice part. The throwing up went away and I was left completely spent…..totally wiped out but with a smile on my face because I had no energy to even OVERTHINK…praise the Lord! 😉 I didn’t feel guilty in the least for not cooking dinner, not cleaning, drinking lots of sugar laden ginger ale, not tucking the boys into bed, watching too much tv, not showering, etc, I was just plain too tired to care! LOL (and so was E).

I fell asleep on the couch with Sarah at 6:30 pm Thursday, it was truly heart achingly sweet to be snuggled up with her. We woke up and went to bed at 8 (when the little boys got home from wrestling practice thank you Jess) and I slept until 10:30 Friday morning. It was awesome, and even better–Rich got home during that time. He got out of bed in the morning to get the kids on the bus and then came back to bed and we both slept in.

Today is Saturday and he took the kids out for a little while. Ethan broke his iPhone dropping it while playing basketball so they went to take care of that and to go shoot bow. He sent me a picture of them eating lunch at Buffalo Wild wings. He has David, Ethan, Tessa, Zak, Sarah, Seth, and Caleb with him. LOL -the more the merrier- Grace is at school helping out at a band retreat and Jacob is working today until three.

When they left I watched a little TV and then went outside for a walk. Yes, I’m feeling much better and it was wonderful to be outside. Cold, but wonderful. (34 degrees currently).

Dried Queen Anne’s Lace

I didn’t charge him a portrait fee. In fact I paid HIM for sitting so nice. I gave him a warm hen egg from my pocket. He loves them. (he eats them)

I try to point my nose to the ground AND up to the sky, so as not to miss much.

Granted, I’m a pretty loud walker (trying to scare away bears) so it’s a miracle if I can get a bird within 35 feet of me. Today I had a short lens but I cropped this pic….see the titmouse on the branch? There were several of them, including some chickadees, and they were being quite communicative. They were clearly mad that I was walking with a cat.

Sam had a great time running around, up and down trees and boulders, leaping over streams and such.

One of my favorite colors—dark brownish yellow–

Who knew the inside of acorn caps was such a pretty brown?

curling thin papery tree bark with veins of moss

moss under a sheet of ice (turns out we had two storms Thursday night…one in my tummy and one outside the window….tons of rain, thunder, lightening, and wind)…all that rain left puddles to freeze up again so prettily.

*prettily*

Someone has a very nice home.

I spoke to a cardinal. It seemed quite happy. As it flew after a female, I understood why.

Another type of moss (growing by a running stream).

Beautiful icy water

See the ice on either side of the photo?

I looked down and saw this:::

So then I looked up and saw this::

It’s my favorite picture of the day!

And then I came home and saw the first FLOWER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very exciting.

Inside pics.

Cats giving each other baths. Candles lit.

Card from dear friend. Thank you Dawn.

An entirely gray cat.

FIRST GREEN EGG from this flock of chickens! Isn’t it lovely?

I repotted the string of pearls plant and put it in a red hanger.

flowers by the sink

lastly,

crocheting a dishcloth.

“Just to be alive is a grand thing.” Agatha Christie

plant notebook

Posted on February 23, 2016 by Shanda

(breakfast, Bible reading, journal)

“They were totally amazed, for they still didn’t understand the significance of the miracle of the loaves. Their hearts were too hard to take it in.” Mark 6:51, 52

“Jesus, according to your Word, keep my thoughts fixed on You, so that by your grace, my heart will be, not hard, but soft with the ability to take in your miracles, Your work in my life every day.”

plant3 1

Oh Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us.
Your plans for us are too numerous to list.
You have no equal.
If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds,
I would never come to the end of them.

Psalm 40:5

*****

P L A N T N O T E B O O K

plant2

Christmas Cactus
purchased at Logee’s
reminded me of Great Grandma
plant needs partial shade, blooms during the short winter days and cooler temperatures
water thoroughly after soil looks dry
fertilize once every two weeks

plant

String of Pearls or Bead Plant

Purchased at Logee’s
I bought it because I think it’s beautiful.
plant is an easy grower and needs fertilizing once every two months
blooms small white flowers that smell like cinnamon

plant3

Life Saver Plant

also from Logee’s
I purchased this one because I thought it was very cool. The flowers bloom to look just like life saver tubes.
full sun, little watering, fertilizer from spring to fall once a month.
perfect for windowsills

plants4

Aloe Vera

given to me by my Mom

Leaves contain juice that helps with the pain of a burns and scrapes.
needs full sun and well draining soil.
water deeply and let dry to a depth of 2 inches before next watering.
Plant produces babies that may be repotted (as gifts for friends and/or daughters).
my pinterest board to inspire houseplants galore

happy here

Posted on February 19, 2016 by Shanda

corners of our home

I remembered my old gentle books. They were scattered throughout the house, neglected, so I searched all the bookcases we have in our home, and found most of them. I’m still missing several (gasp), no doubt under someone’s bed or tucked away in a forgotten spot.

I still remember the first time I pulled Anne of Avonlea out of a bookcase in the elementary school library. After enjoying Anne, I happily went on to read every one of Montgomery’s other novels. I discovered newer publications of her short stories and gobbled those up as well. Then, as an adult, I found her posthumous journals and read a biography written by Mary Henley Rubio as soon as it came out. The journals and biography were fascinating but depressing for me, as her mental state was quite fragile, but this mind of hers was a beautiful gift regardless of her struggles, as out of it came stories that remain beloved by so many even after all these years.

During the same years that I read LM Montomery’s books, I found and read Cynthia Voigt with the same passion. I loved reading all of Voigt’s novels and shared them with my mom and my book-loving friends and then my daughter, who loves them, too. I read On Fortune’s Wheel over and over through the years…..the Dicey books and the Kingdom books will always be mine.

On my bedside table……..

I am reading The Seven Storey Mountain, by Thomas Merton. Although I just started it, I can already tell it is a most excellent book that will remain in our home library.

While I was waiting for the boys in the dentist office the other day I picked up a current copy of People magazine and came across an article about the woman who wrote The Life Changing Habit of Tidying Up which I have purposely avoided even looking at because it has been everywhere lately. Surprisingly, I read the article with fascination! No wonder the book is a best seller….the author is intriguing and unique to say the least. I read just one of her many suggestions, this one about folding clothes into little bundles and standing them up in drawers, and just look at what happened in Sarah’s room (only)!!!!

(I ordered the book).

Rich gave me this perfume for Valentines’s Day. It’s my new favorite!

(and by “gave me” I mean, I bought it for myself on Valentine’s Day while he was coaching Seth’s wrestling meet)

This is how we keep track of our receipts…with an old vintage invoice spike that I found thrifting. This is the only way to do it, IMO.

I keep track of daily life by writing everything (appointments, birthdays, Rich’s business trips, the kids sports games and school concerts, etc) down on the calendar in our room. By the end of the year I don’t want to throw them away because it’s such a condensed but detailed view of our family life.

I’ve had this plant for years now and to have it rebloom is such a satisfaction. It’s saying in the language of flowers, “I’m happy here.”

old magic

Posted on February 17, 2016 by Shanda

Today was dentist day for two of my children.

I wrote a list of things to do and I only have one more to cross off.

There is homemade chicken soup simmering on the stove.

The house is quiet…..

“Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds, your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the ocean depths. You care for people and animals alike, O Lord. How precious is your unfailing love, O God! All humanity finds shelter in the shadow of your wings.” Psalm 36:5-6

One of the joys of life for me personally is when I manage to get outside for a walk through the woods and the field up by our house. I never know what I might see, but always with a hopeful heart, the sign of my hope is the ever-present camera around my neck.

Sometimes it’s simply the way the sun shines through the trees, or the beauty of a pattern in the bark of a tree. Other times it might be a butterfly or a moth, an interesting insect, or bubbles in the stream. Once I saw a porcupine way up in a tree top.

Today I saw a flock of bluebirds. Seeing them brought me right out of my thoughts and into the challenge of trying to get a decent picture.

I tried to send as much of a “I’m your friend” vibe as I possibly could but they were still suspicious.

I also saw a woodpecker, a cardinal, and a flock of juncos. I’m thankful to live near a place where there is running water and plenty of wild seed and berries for the birds.

I collected this lovely little nest out of the bushes and briars. I love the way paper birch bark is used and wrapped round and round the nest. And after a season of fall and winter, all the old nests have filled with berries and seeds.

I left this one in the briars. But see how it’s all filled up? Nature’s own bird feeder.

I sat under a tree for a little while to listen to the water and pray.

And then I walked back home to feed the hens and gather (3) eggs.

I put the nest in a vase of baby pink carnations.

Grace surprised me by coming home after school because she’s feeling under the weather. I gave her pain meds, hot tea, a warmed up corn bag, and a blanket. She put her robe on and snuggled up with a book, and is now currently sleeping peacefully.

I stopped by the library today to return books. I discovered three LM Montgomery books in the discard/withdrawn pile, free for the taking. Since I already have copies of these I would like to offer them to one of my blog readers….I only ask that whoever wants them doesn’t already have them and also has not read them. You are in for a treat!

~~email me at goodtobe.home@yahoo.com. I’ll need your address and will mail them to you book rate ASAP. If there is more than one request, the first person to contact me will receive them.~~

The books have been claimed! I’ll post more free books if and when I come across them.

*****

“Oh, the old magic had not gone. The world was still full of it.” Anne of Ingleside

what’s the special occasion? “life”

Posted on February 16, 2016 by Shanda

“The true secret of happiness lies in taking a genuine interest in all the details of daily life.”

*****

“And now we thank you, our God, and praise your glorious name.” 1 Chronicles 29:13

We spent the weekend in literal freezing temperatures. Saturday there was a wrestling tournament. My brother Isaac and his wife Cassandra came and watched it with us. Ethan came in fourth in his weight class.

On Sunday, my sister came and dropped off Abigail and picked up Sarah. It was Valentine’s Day. Rich took Seth to compete at States for wrestling and Seth won.

While they were away doing that, I took Ethan and Tessa to Texas Roadhouse and dropped them off. Abbie, Grace, and I went shopping at our favorite store, Sephora. Also, as a nice Valentine’s gift for Rich and I, I went to Pottery Barn and bought a beautiful dark gray linen duvet cover for our bed. When we came home, I found flowers in a vase on the counter from Jacob. He gave me a rose, and he gave each of his sisters a red carnation. Later on that evening, Caleb came by to take Grace out to dinner for Valentine’s Day.

On Monday, I had a dentist appointment. I had to have a filling in one of my very back molars. It was not fun for a variety of reasons. And then my face was numb for several hours. After the appointment, I picked up Zak and brought him home to spend time with Jacob and Ethan. I dropped him off at the house and picked up the kids and we went to see the movie Kung Fu Panda 3 with my sister, and we exchanged back our girls. When I came home, I found that my new TOMS had arrived. I LOVE THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

8:30 last night we were all visiting and chatting in the kitchen….David showed everyone a youtube video. Aren’t these smiling faces wonderful? (Oops I forgot to crop out dinner, which was meatloaf and everyone picked on it saying it looked like something else all together.)

This morning I had my yearly check up. I took Grace and Sarah along so we could go shopping together after the appointment. We went to Costco and then Target. We picked up Grace’s boyfriend on the way home. When we arrived, I had all the kids help bring in the food and clean up the kitchen a little. I was so very happy that all my favorite kids were here and so I took a portrait of them to hang on my blog and on my wall. I love these people so so so so much.

from left to right: Caleb, Grace, David, Zak, Ethan, Tessa, Sarah, Emily, Jacob, Michael, Caleb (sitting on floor), and Seth.

I have to show you a picture of the shoes Sarah picked out today. We were in Payless. She didn’t hesitate at all. She said, “I am going to get these because I have NO high heels.”

She twisted her legs so I could be sure to take a picture of the heels so Aunt Amanda could see them. Grace was unamused at Payless, “She’s FIVE, Mom.” But then as we watched Sarah take her first wobbly steps she changed her mind, “Well, if you get them for her now by the time she’s my age walking in them will be a piece of cake.”

Since we came home she’s been wearing them nonstop and I have to say, walking in them is already a piece of cake for this girly girl of mine.

When we paid for them, the lady asked if they were for a special occasion. Sarah said “yes”, and when she then asked what the occasion was I said, “life”.

‘Tis true, ’tis true.

*****

you are loved

welcome

Posted on February 12, 2016 by Shanda

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If you are paying attention, then the day is going to be pretty joyful, and a lot of delight will fill it. ~Greg Boyle

*****

This morning when I woke up I looked at my phone and already had a text message from my brother David wishing me a happy birthday and that he couldn’t believe “the 40’s are here.” I thought about it. I began to get the sensation that I was standing in a doorway and would I welcome the 40’s into my heart with joy? Or work myself into a rather bittersweet melancholy about how time is passing by?

“I want to sing like the birds sing,
not worrying about who hears
or what they think.” ― Rumi

The three younger ones filled out the obligatory tiny cards for Valentine’s day.

This morning they wore red (the boys) and pink (in a cheetah pattern).

And went away to school.

Rich took the day off and the two of us, alone, went out for breakfast at the diner. They make the best mushroom and swiss cheese omelets. We played UNO while we waited for our food. The waitress called us “you two”. After we ate we went out shopping. It was about 3 degrees at that time, and this afternoon it felt downright warm at 23.

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I got some books and a pair of Tiffany sunglasses….this beautiful lady helped me with the purchase (my sister).

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We arrived home at noon and oldest son Jacob was awake and had cleaned the kitchen as a birthday surprise. He gave me a big hug. Rich made us coffee in fiesta java mugs and we watched a movie together.

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Look at the stickers my parents put on my birthday card envelope!

(I love chickens and pigs)

Rich asked me why I was sighing. (I heard that sighing makes you live longer, am I right Nicole?) I was looking at raw chickens and wondering how to truss them without the long needle and proper butchering string that Julia Child had in her explanatory cookbook?

They may not be Julia-perfect but I bet she would be proud of my no-sew pattern of cutting small slits in the loose “shoulder” skin, in order to insert the legs. The wings got folded under. There. Two very nice chicken bundles.

When Caleb came home from school he exclaimed, “WHAT SMELLS SO GOOD??” and I said, “It’s chicken in the oven.” “OH MY WORD, IT SMELLS SO GOOD, IT SMELLS BETTER THAN HOMETOWN BUFFET!” When I laughed he assured me he wasn’t kidding, it really did smell better than Hometown Buffet in the house. Then he ran downstairs to where David was playing video games, “Call me up when it’s done!”

Today I am thankful for so much:

many many friends on FB writing words of birthday blessings
my parents and siblings
my husband and the way we are together
my children and how they are growing and the way they pay the ultimate compliments
home
roasting chicken especially the smell
books
the candy hearts Sarah shared with me (the pink one is in my mouth)
and so on.

Everything.

Opening it up and letting it in.

the scary vegetable peeler

Posted on February 9, 2016 by Shanda

No lie every time I peel things with this nasty peeler I cut myself! The injuries are not usually this bad though. Truth be told, today’s injury wasn’t quite this bad, either. (I used David’s fake blood to make the picture more dramatic.) However, it is true that every time I use the peeler I peel not only a potato but also a knuckle or a finger or a fingernail. Today I slam-dunked the thing into the trash and good riddance!

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