Sunday Morning Havoc!

This is us last Sunday.

As we were getting ready for church, it suddenly it dawned on me that this is when I needed to break out Minnie's Christmas dress. And then that spiraled into a whole..."we should all sort of coordinate!!!"

This is a bad idea when you are ALREADY running late.

I am sure most of you have had a similar happening. You know it has not been the focused, worshipful morning when by time the family gets in the car--mom and dad are gasping for breath at the cardio workout, kids are whining, and there is an icy silence for the duration of the drive. So back to the "getting ready"....

I had made a perfectly matching flowerband for Minnie's dress but I realized as we were needing to leave for church in 15 minutes that I had sold it!!!!! (don't worry, Minnie had never worn it).

Well, I can't exactly not have a beautiful flowerband for my own daughter...after all she is my main advertisement! I should make a sign pinned to her back with my Etsy site on it! Just kidding.

So I zoomed down to my little crafting area and put together a headband that was not nearly as genius as the first... but oh well.

And then came the mystery of the missing black tights. After rooting through every drawer and other assundry places... no tights were to be found. This created a tense situation.

I then did what every mother would do--I pulled out a pair of my black trouser socks , that soon became thigh-highs and VIOLA--Minnie was styling and looked like she belonged to a family that was halfway put together! The rest of us somehow managed to coordinate and my aunt who happened to have her camera at church even snapped a picture of us. (evidence up top)

But my secret was soon revealed as by the end of our chatting after the church service, Minnie's trouser socks were suspiciously drooping to the floor and she looked like a melting elephant. So yes, the pretense was up... the reality of a frazzled family was realized by all!

The great thing about church is that it is not full of perfect people... but people wanting to be perfected--by His grace, love and Word, so we plan to go back next Sunday:)

Dessert- A Woman's Best Friend!

Does this picture make your mouth water?

You MUST double click on the picture to enlarge it to get the full effect and drama!

Last week was a Women's Christmas event at our church and it was topped off with fabulous desserts! I sneaked into the kitchen to snap a picture of all the delectable desserts.

This is only part of the desserts... I could not fit all the tables in the pictures.!!!! It was a beautiful sight, one that I will hold dear in my heart for many months!

My only regret was that I could not taste a bit of each one!

Tuckered Out!

This is how I found Mickey after his playdate with his buddy Tucker. Brings a new meaning to the phrase "tuckered out". I was so shocked as Mickey NEVER sleeps during the day. I was also amused at his funny sleeping position.

I then proceeded to the back of the basement and indeed found what had exhausted the boys so much. Looks like they made the most of their playdate! They played hard!

I am so sad that I did not get a picture of Minnie and Tucker's little baby brother. He is 9 months old and she is 16 months old and they are the same size. She loved "taking care" of him. She would put hats on him, give him a paci (even her own once), patted him, and swayed him from side to side singing rock-a-bye baby. Which she actually sings like so: "Wa wa wahh BAAAAAAAY-EEEEEE" And then she would come over to me, point to herself, nod her head and say "mama, mama" I would say " Oh yes Minnie, you are a GOOD mama!" She would prance away with a pleased look and begin the mothering again... and then back to me for affirmation!

What fun the kids had having little friends over! And the mess, you are wondering about? Oh, its still there, probably will still be there until I host Bible Study in the basement next Tuesday. The kids love it when the toys are all in disarray....they will play in the basement for hours when it is all messy--must spark their creative juices!

What Happens at Home When Mommy Goes Christmas Shopping..

....

The Banning of the Wiggles.

If you are not in Toddler World (aka where mommy brains disintegrate) and do not know who The Wiggles are, let me quickly explain.  They are an Australian group of guys that do musical videos for toddlers.  Today I had the kids watch one via Netflix Instant Watch on my laptop while I got ready for the day. 

A few hours later Mickey (just turned 4) said with a very serious voice, "Mommy, I don't think the Wiggles love God.  I should not watch them anymore."

Now in my estimation, The Wiggles are a very expressive group of guys that are entertaining and educational and have not worried a bit that they would be a bad influence on my children.

But today in their show, they sang a song that did not jive with my son's theology.

Mickey:  "They said that the LION is the king of everything.  But that is not true, is it Mommy?  GOD is the King of everything."

The sweet thing is that Mickey said this with no condemnation, but with sadness.

"Mom, we gotta go tell them.  We gotta go on a mission trip." 

When his daddy came home from work, Mickey informed him of his self-imposed ban.  Poor Wiggles.  I explained to Mickey that the Lion is known as the King of the Jungle as he is so ferocious and that the Wiggles were not trying to dishonor God.  Mickey just shook his head, "Well, the Lion CAN'T be the King of the jungle, mommy, cause God is the King of EVERYTHING!"

Ya gotta respect a kid who refuses to watch something that he thinks clashes with his beliefs! 

His daddy and I have prayed that Mickey would have a steadfast faith, and it is awesome to see that prayer taking shape in our little boy.  We have seen his passions go from balls, to tractors, to dinosaurs. Hubby and I often joke that when Mickey's sole passion becomes the Gospel, everyone in his path will be showered with the Good News! 

But for now, those of you in his path are showered with relentless facts about dinosaurs and the latest archeological findings.  Every friend that comes over to play is roped into Mickey's dinosaur world.  That boy makes us smile.. and shake our head. 

A Giggle for You!

I love things that make me laugh!  I love being around funny people.  And I love replaying things in my head that make me laugh--it must be some strange coping mechanism that I have.  So I decided to share with you the funny thing that just made me giggle... again.

Three weeks ago I was talking with my sister on the phone.  I will be keeping the identity under wraps as I did not ask permission.  I was asking my sister how her foreign exchange son was doing. (HA! they both have sons from abroad this year so don't think that you have figured it out) 

Here is the conversation:

me: so is he liking school?

sis: oh, yeah, I think so.

me:  Is he fitting in okay?

sis: yeah, he has been hanging out with this group.. so thats been good.

me: is it a "good" group of kids--like are they trustworthy?

sis:  I don't really know them, they are a bi-sexual group (mentioned flippantly)

me:  (too shocked to muster a response)

sis:  wait....not bi-sexual... thats not what it is.

me: transgender (i offer)?

sis:  noooooooo(searching for the right word).... OH! co-ed.  yeah, thats right, co-ed.. boys and girls...thats what co-ed is right?

me:  yeah.. a big difference---by the way. 

So I don't even know if this will be funny to read.. but it sure is funny in my mind to recollect!  The funniest thing is that my sister then just transitioned into the next topic as if nothing humorous had taken place!  It wasn't until a few hours later that it popped into my mind again and I started laughing uncontrollably! 

So anyway, now you know what has been amusing me.... 

On a side note:  fellow bloggers-- I can't find a spell check on this new format?  Can you help me out?  I would hate to proofread all by myself!!!

Tender Moments

One of the best things about becoming a mom is watching your husband be a daddy.

Looking at this picture just melts away stress.  It is so precious and so tender.  I just want to keep looking at it! 

Thank you God, for giving my children a strong, loving father as I know that their view of You can be so affected by their view of their earthly father.   

Super Cute Dinosaurs

Halloween was a blast!  Look at these three cute dinosaurs!  Three?  Only two are mine!  The Dinosaur sitting next to the dinosaur Jack-O-Lantern is Mickey's buddy Tucker!  They were delighted to find out that they had matching dinosaur costumes! 

Tucker is the best friend a little boy could have.  He is sweet, funny and loves to play dinosaurs!  But he is also so thoughtful.  He knows that Mickey has food allergies, so he made a SPECIAL little treat bag full of Mickey-Safe treats and other fun things!  He (we) are so blessed to have so many peope in our lives that go the extra mile for accomodating him and making him feel special and not left out.  My next door neighbor called several days before Halloween and wanted to know what sort of candy she could purchase that would she could hand out to Micky when he came Trick or Treating!  That totally warmed my heart!

Mickey and Minnie LOVED being dinosaurs.  I took Mickey around Trick or Treating while Hubby and Minnie stayed home to hand out candy.  Minnie looked scrumptiously cute in her costume and gave her best scary growl to everyone she handed candy to. 

Mickey loved walking the sidewalks with me, well, I walked and he did his best Dinosaur stomp and was bellowing and growling with all of his might!  He will be a great actor some day as he NEVER stepped (er stomped) out  of character! 

Its Beautiful Outside and I DON'T want to face....

This!

ugg.

To put it in perspective of how massive Mt. Laundry is.  This is several feet high and takes up an entire KING BED.  And to make it worse, the washer and dryer are STILL going!  Why oh Why, you wonder is Mouseymom so behind in her laundry?  Well, I mean besides the obvious that it is a dreadful task and is often procrastinated.

 Well, last Friday I took my beauteous flowerbands into Belle's Boutique-- a new local upscale Children's Boutique and the owner loved them and she asked me to bring in my inventory on Thursday.  So instead of doing my normal household tasks... I have been madly sewing, creating, gluing, to come up with gorgeous litle girl accessories!  And oh have I had fun!  Isn't that exciting? 

Oh, and I have decided on a name for this little business, thanks to a faithful blog reader and friend.  Keri Plattner from Jamaica came up with "Frills and Flowers" and I love it.  Thank you Keri!  Keri and her husband and her three darling children are involved in a ministry for the deaf children in Jamaica. You may remember a few months ago when their newborn baby girl Daisha was in need of prayer due to health complications after birth.  I invite you to be a part of their adventures by following their blog which is on my blog roll or by clicking HERE!  She of course has been awarded by a free flowerband of her choice!

Announcing a Winner!

A winner indeed! The winner of my Flowerband Give-Away is Cathy Larson. She is my mom's dear soul-mate and has been in my life for as long as I have been breathing. So come on over Cathy and lets design a headband of your choice!

I have been getting orders and it has been so exciting. I LOVE making them. I did not realize that I was missing the need for a creative outlet in my life.

My friend Kaci Klenk said that she wanted to purchase a Flowerband so that it could be donated to a hospital where young girls are losing their hair due to chemotherapy.

Isn't that an AWESOME idea????? I love it!

Since then, a few more ladies have wanted to join in on the giving and my wheels have been spinning on how to bring this idea to fruition. So stay tuned and I will let you know how this works out!!!!

So I have to show you a picture that I took today:

Yes, I made a flowerband for Minnie's babydoll!

I wish I had a picture of Minnie's face when I handed her the doll. Her big brown eyes lit up and I thought her face would crack from her big goofy smile! The cutest thing was when she brought her dolly to show daddy when he got home. How sweet is that?

So I have been trying to think up a name for this little cottage business. I received some good suggestions, but still taking more. Any more ideas out there?

My wonderful sister-in-law Nancy is making me some price tags with her handy-dandy scrapbooking machine-thing and I am looking into the option of selling the flowerbands on ETSY or creating a website. Or could I put a button on my blog that would lead to post on how to order flowerbands? And do I need a logo? So many things to think about! Its been a really good diversion for me so that I am less focused on the neurological muscle twitches that continue to plague me. .

I do have to say that my Mickey and Minnie get the short end of the stick when I pull out the flowers, nylons, gems, needle, thread and hot-glue gun. I get so inspired about creating that I get a little carried away! (why are the kids so whiny? oh, its 2:00pm .. and we have not had lunch yet!!!! eek)

I am sure that there will be more give-aways in the future!! I will soon be working on some Christmas flowerbands... so maybe that would be a good time!!

Thanks for all your sweet comments!!

Mouseymom (flowerband creator, blogger, facebook addict, allergy manager, wife, mom, saved- by-grace sinner)

Beautiful Baby FlowerBands!

My official business name is Frills and Flowers.  Isn't that cute? This is where I will add new pictures of my designs. 

Check out my online store where you can purchase directly online at http://www.frillsandflowers.etsy.com/

For my local peeps, my flowerbands are for sale at Belle's Boutique on Jefferson St.


Need the perfect baby gift for a baby girl?  My headbands fit newborns perfectly and are so comfortable!  The flowerbands are extremely stretchy so one size fits all--up to age 5.

Many have asked if I can make clips for older girls. Absolutely!  I can use a clip that snaps together or a little aligator clip for girls with fine hair.  Those I line with fleece so that it will STAY in the hair!  It is very cute to do a combination of clips and bands for pictures for families with several different ages of girls! 


Here are some pictures of Minnie modeling some of the flowerbands that I have created.


This first picture makes me laugh...such a girly pose with her tutu, polka dots ,flowerband .... and dinosaur!!!

And some pics of just the flowerbands...

Here is a fun brown flowerband.  So many darling outfits with brown!! 

This turned out to be one of our favorites. It is a nylon band and delicate cream flower. It is so versatile and subtle.  It is exquisite!

This one is not so subtle! This flowerband looks best with trendy outfits like the cute new outfits out with bright leggings!

This one was designed for the new classic-modern black and white babywear

I LOVE using buttons with the flowers.  Gives it a classic, yet whimisical look.

This turned out gorgeous!  The picture does not do it justice as you cannot see the detail of the metal work and gem.

I gave this one as a baby gift recently. It is so versatile that it matches almost everything.  If you are looking for a baby gift, I would recommend any from the cream collection as pictured below.

This is the Ebony Collection.  These are stunning.  Some have velvet centers, some have gems, some have buttons.  They all turned out amazing.  Many of the Christmas dresses are are using these rich tones.  These bands have a definite dressier look.  Keep these in mind for special occasions. 

And my brown collection.

I love brown.  It just looks cute with everything!  I can put ANY color combination of buttons or jewels to accessorize any little outfit. 

Here are a sampling of the clippies that I designed.  You can click on any of the above pictures to enlarge for detail. 

So here is a little bit more about this little business of mine.  Mostly, its a creative outlet for me and I love making them. 

For a couple of months I have been making Minnie's flowerbands to match her outfits and she has become quite well-known at church for her array of head decor! In fact, a few Sundays ago, hubby dressed Minnie for church and forgot the headband and a few people had trouble recognizing her without her "bling".

Others mothers are constantly asking me where I buy her headbands, so I figure I might be able to sell a few. Support my habit.. ya know! (headband making habit, that is :) Actually I would like to put any profit towards a nice camera as I LOVE taking pictures but get so frustrated at the limitations of a point and shoot camera!

Okay, so I would have to sell like 5 million flowerbands to afford a "good" camera... but any little bit can help, right?

So if you are interested in purchasing a baby flowerband you can contact me by:
email: nickntricia@mepotelco.net
or you can go to my Etsy site (a site for selling handmade items):

http://www.frillsandflowers.etsy.com/

If you would be interested in advertising for me on your blog so that you can get a FREE flowerband, or flower clippie, contact me!

Thanks So much for your interest! 

Mouseymom!

YAY! Good News!

I am so tired... see previous post and you will understand why! So this will be a short post, just to let you know that Mickey was a TOTAL trooper at the allergist today. He got 12 pricks and only winced with each one. I was so proud of his bravery. My sister Gayla and her son Garrett met us at the allergist and that made it super fun for Mickey. He did not mind the appt. as he got to play dinosaurs with his cousin Garrett and that makes it a wonderful day to remember in his mind!

So on to the results

Shocking.

Seriously!

Not what we were expecting.

Everything came back negative. EVERYTHING! Even milk. And that was positive just a few months ago. So if the skin prick test is correct--that means NO new allergies and maybe even done with the milk one!!!

So this takes us back to one year ago this week. Mickey tested negative for milk and did an milk challenge where the doctor administers dropperfuls of milk over several hours. We then began our carefree life of happily introducing all the wonderful foods that Mickey had never tasted... ice cream, brie cheese...etc

One week later Mickey had hives after eating dairy and both blood tests (RAST) and skin prick tests (SPT) were a high positive.

Just so you know.. that is not normal. No, not a normal path for allergies. Last year, I contacted a renowned allergist via email and he said that he had never heard of such a thing happening. My allergist that we see now attended an Allergy Conference and she consulted with the top Food Allergist in the U.S and he said that he has never heard of that happening.

So actually I think my allergist is a bit excited to have such an unusual case on her hands. She can't wait to try milk and see what happens. She said that she might have to take Mickey with her to an Allergy Conference so that she can prove his case! ( I assume she was kidding:)

So I don't feel bad that his is such an uncertain case, I would rather it be uncertain than to not have any hope. And who knows, maybe Mickey's unusual case will cause a breakthrough in the allergy world.

So, my heart is lighter and I can't wait to sink into my bed and sleep... peacefully.

We are so thankful that there is no signs of new allergies. We will slowly reintroduce the foods that we cut out (rice, oats, wheat and flax). We are so thankful that we were even more blessed by the unexpected Milk result. I was not even planning on testing for milk but I am sure glad we did!

So sometime in the coming weeks we will first introduce Minnie to milk. Then Mickey. And who knows, maybe my neurological issue will be resolved!

We are so thankful for our loving, encouraging, prayerful family and friends who lift us up during these uncertain times. Yes, these last few months have had some hard times, but we are so thankful for the unconditional love and support we have.

My mom deserves an allergy award. I don't think that there is any other grandma who could be more supportive. She was here in an instant when the hives appeared. She filled my house with all sorts of alternative flours for baking when we had to avoid wheat, she came to the allergist with me today and treated me to sushi. She fasts and prays for us all the time...she just keeps on giving and I am so grateful!

Thank you for reading my blog. It is very therapeutic for me knowing that I can be pro-active in educating my tiny corner of the world about food allergies. It has also given me the opportunity to share more freely about our life with allergies and I feel less isolated as my blog readers grow in understanding about our challenges. So thank you for taking the time to read, respond and pray!

Hugs to all!

Tricia

Allergy Testing

I am procrastinating.

I don't want to go to bed. How can that be? Today I was counting down the hours until I could rest!!! But now, I am finding all sorts of things to do. Early tomorrow morning (Tues. morn) we take a long trek (2 hours) to our allergist and will do more allergy testing.

Last time we went I was concerned about Mickey and his terrified feelings about the skin prick test. This time, I am sure he will do fine and I am not worried about him, but instead find myself dreading the "results". I don't remember ever feeling so apprehensive about this!

I keep reminding myself that God has given us the strength to take on the many changes that come with new allergies.

I keep reminding myself that the first few months of "newness" are horribly overwhelming but then it will settle into a routine--with bumps.

I keep reminding myself that its not about us, its about bringing Glory to God no matter what our circumstances are. (Have I told you how much I love the bible study I am doing called Crazy Love? It has been awesome--especially during this uneasy time)

I keep reminding myself that Mickey absolutely loves his life and wakes up with a sparkle in his eye and joyful as can be...every morning. He tells me he LOVES being a kid and does not want to grow up. He is blissfully unaware of the challenges in his life as we are trying to ride the fine line of educating him while shielding him. We know he will have to take full responsibility some day, but we believe a four year old should have the chance to feel carefree as much as possible. He is not one bit burdened by anything. Except for Bible-less people.. but I will save that for a future post.

So what Mickey was eating when he broke out in major hives: oatmeal--with flax seed, wheat germ, rice milk, agave nectar ( honey alternative) and cinnamon. So those are the things we will be testing for. We drew blood last week for a RAST test but the results will not be in until Friday.

Of course I am mostly concerned that he would be allergic to oats, wheat or rice as that would be a MAJOR transformation in our life. Just avoiding this stuff for one week was really really hard. Poor Mickey, he kept requesting different stuff all week and I had to say, "ummm, no". He was most devastated at the fact that play-doh contains wheat.

So back to my procrastinating. I realize I am procrastinating as I just don't want tomorrow to come.

As if me putting of sleep will delay the onset of Tuesday.... ridiculous.. I know!

Well, dear friends, pray hard for us Tuesday! Will let you know, of course!

Here We Go.. Again.

Ever feel like life is throwing so many things at you that you can't really catch your breath in between? Right now I am a sorry sight. I look like I am carrying the weight of the world on my shoulders.. and I feel that way too. I don't even have to look in the mirror to know that my eyes are red, puffy and smeary.

Mickey has hives. Bad ones.

I woke up in a happy mood and excited to start the day with my sweet little mousekins. During breakfast I noticed that Micky had a red splotch on his neck. I assumed it was nothing but out of habit of being overly cautious about hives, I lifted his shirt and literally watched his back fill up with hives. I had Benadryl down his throat so fast it would make your head spin. The Epi-Pen was looming nearby but thankfully remains unused--for today. I called mom and dad and they rushed over in case I was needing to call an ambulance. The hives covered his body and remained for most of the day.

I was sick to my stomach as I try and process what our/his life will be like with more food restrictions. I try and reason with myself that sometimes kids get random hives. And I pray, pray pray that this is all it is. His hives eventually totally cleared up and I was breathing a little easier. Then tonight just as the my Ladies Bible Study group was finishing, my husband summoned me and my heart dropped. "Hives?" I asked tentatively. Of course.

Mickey was almost due for a new dose of Hydroxizine which is a high powered antihistamine. We will be on night watch to make sure that his lips and throat do not swell.

It will be a year ago next week that his allergies took a weird and wild spin and has been crashing down hill ever since.

First the recurrence of the milk allergy, then in January, daily hives, then high fevers and hives, then anaphylaxis (life-threatening reaction that restricts breathing). So here we go again.

And of course I am still wading through the difficulties of having my own illness which complicates so much. I am coming into this new issue already weary.

I had an appt. with my MD a few weeks ago and she went over the Neuro report with me. I told her my concerns about the testing that was done and how it reported no muscle twitches but continue to have them every minute. I am sure that it has crossed your mind if I have lost mine and if this is all a figment of my imagination. I wish. They are very visible when watching closely and have woken up my husband in the middle of the night. Anyway, the Neuro report basically says that I have a Neurological Disorder. Most Likely Benign. That gives some comfort but leaves much room for panic. It has been going on for 3 months now. Its exhausting knowing something is wrong but not knowing how bad it will progress. My Dr. would like me to get a second opinion at the University of Iowa. I am also seeking some alternative methods called Integrative Medicine.

Back to Mickey. Knowing that we have tests upon tests ahead of us and major food restrictions will be very hard on him. Due to what he was eating we will need to avoid oats, wheat, flax, and rice.

uggh!

It was hard already today. His hot dogs contain wheat, his "butter" contains flax... my head was spinning trying to figure out what to feed him without letting him be aware of how restrictive it was.

Its hard when I just want to sob and cry and pray, but must be a strong mommy and present a strong and unconcerned attitude. I know he takes his cues from me so I want to be strong for him, yet real.

I realize that I was avoiding writing this post all day even though I started this blog as support for allergies. I actually hate writing depressing posts and would much rather write entertaining and fun posts. But over and over I get "referrals" for moms that have just been told their child has a severe food allergies or has random hives. I am thankful that I have been able to help others and it is because of how I have publicly shared our experiences. And I am so thankful for all the other "allergy moms" who share their experiences as that has been a huge resource and community for me.

Last week I was talking with another "allergy" mom and we both confessed that sometimes we feel a little jealous of "normal" families, and wonder what it would be like. Yet we both know that even in our circumstances we have tremendous blessings. I told another "allergy mom" the other day that sometimes I just go back to the basics to focus on what a blessed person I am as dealing daily with the difficulties of allergies can definitely crowd out the feelings of gratefulness.

I thank God for clean drinking water, for Salvation, for friends and family, for a roof over my head, for medicine, for hospitals, for technology that allows me to research and grasp what I am dealing with. The list can go on forever and counting my blessings is the only way I can keep my head above the water.

Well, I must get to sleep as this will be a fitful and anxious night. I know I ask for your prayers all the time. And really, I am not usually this high maintenance, but we have just really had a tough year. Hopefully, maybe, some day our lives will return to a not-so-dramatic state. I can't wait.. but until then... help me press on!

Have You Ever Pondered?

I love being a mom! And for some reason I am absolutely delighting in my children's stages right now. (okay, besides Minnie splatting her food to the floor with glee). My life would be so dull without the questions that I must ponder due to my very inquisitive Mickey.

Mickey: Why was Judas Iscariot named Judas Iscariot?

Me: (more interested in Facebook updates and so I reply half-heartedly) That is what his parents named him.

Mickey: (dissatisfied with my dismissive answer) But WHY did his parents name him Judas Iscariot?

Me: I don't know, that is what they wanted to name him when he was born

Mickey: Well, Judas Iscariot's parents died shortly after he was born, you know.

Me: (peeling myself away from Facebook after determining that perhaps this conversations demands my undivided attention) Really?

Mickey: Yes. (In all authority). Judas Iscariot had two parents and when he was born they named him Judas Iscariot. And then they died. When he was just a baby. And then he grew up, with NO PARENTS. And then he became a disciple. (His voice lowers and he shakes his head slowly as he says this next part).....And then Judas Iscariot betrayed Jesus.

Well there you have it. The Oprah version of Judas. I just looked at Mickey with questioning eyes, unsure for a moment of what to say.

Mickey: Isn't that how it happened, Mommy? Is it true? (pregnant pause) Or is it a FIB!? (a new word in his vocab thanks to a new Pooh book I got at a garage sale this weekend)

And so the conversation continued...

Being a Mommy is so exciting. I mean really, who else gets to sit around and ponder why someone was named Judas Iscariot? I never really thought about Judas's past and what his childhood might have been like.

Its weird to think that even Judas was a cute little inquisitive boy at one point.

I love these conversations with him. I love how it expands my wonderings and notions. What a blessing to walk alongside our children and get pulled into their thought-provoking world!

Just Showing Off..

I just got back Minnie's pictures from Sears and I had to show them off!

These are her official "One Year" pictures. Well at least that is how I will remember it twenty years from now. I guess if we are going to get all picky about it, these are actually her 14 month pictures.. but really--who does that?

I wonder if in twenty years I will forget that I nearly lost my mind during this photo session and that I am pretty sure that the lovely girl who was in charge of photographing my daughter promptly found another career.

And will I forget that we nearly had to call an ambulance as my son somehow ended up catapulting dear little Minnie from her stroller clear up in the air while still strapped in her car seat and landing face down?

And will I remember that after an hour and a half of pure torture and I thought I was finally leaving and only needed to pay before I could sink into the privacy of my van and weep--only to find out that Mickey had to go pee NOW and that the aforementioned photographer said that her in-studio bathroom was not for PUBLIC USE!!!!?

Yes I am aware that the former sentence was a horrific run-on and would make any English teacher cringe and hide. I would change it and make it more publicly acceptable but both children are in their beds only a small slice of time and I have few more things to do!!!

I just had to show off these pictures. For all that I went through in that day, you can bet your bottom that I am going to show these off! Of course I just melted when I saw the pictures.

Isn't she darling? I just love her to pieces.

Family Matters!

This is my family!

It consists of the following:

2 parents

3 daughters

3 son-in-laws

9 grandchildren (1 of which just started college)

1 German Foreign Exchange Student (front row blue shirt)

You can double click on the picture to enlarge it.

We were in Michigan for the Labor Day weekend and my oldest sister hosted us. It was so fun to be with the whole family as it does not happen with so many busy schedules. We enjoyed Settlers of Catan--my family never tires of this game. I do, but the rest can't get enough. Sand volleyball was a first and it was a blast. Usually I shy away from any sporting activity as I am not gifted with any coordination, but I played and had great fun because they all played at about the same level as me!

I should have known that bad volleyball skills would run in the family!

Speaking of althletic abilities...my two sisters left the family fun for a few hours to go to the gym and work out.

Not me.

I opted for three trips to Coldstone Creamery and two trips to TJ Maxx. So coming out of the weekend I am fatter and poorer.

My college age niece gave me some of her clothes that she has shrunk out of so I will be undeniably cooler looking in the weeks to come. She also talked me into buying a scarf--the fashion accessory kind. I feel weird wearing it--so I have not yet. Me and fashion accessories is a walking oxymoron.

And we got family pictures taken! My family is very adverse to family pictures so we make it as painless as possible. There is no dress code, and it will be done with VERY quickly! So my sister's friend Chris Cavaliere showed up with his mighty looking camera and got a great shot! Our family pictures will never be color coordinated or themed but by golly we are all in and that is what matters. And the best of times come when sisters are primping. Many heartfelt moments and memories are shared beneath the cloud of hairspray and warmed by the blazing heat of the many hair appliances.

All good things must come to an end, and so we all left Michigan and went to our separate and busy corners of our world.

Because Giraffe Tongues Are...

not something that you get to watch everyday. Hence this cool video from our visit to the Fort Wayne Zoo!

Enjoy!

Out of the Mouth of Babes!

I love the imaginations of children! I am amused all day long by Mickey. I want to share a cute story with you. A few weeks ago we were eating in the grocery store deli. (we always bring a cooler of food in for Mickey as eating out is simply not an option with his food allergies). Anyway, as we walked in, an older couple (80 yrs old) were mesmerized by our bouncing young family. They gazed at us with fondness and smiled. I could hear them discussing how darling our children were. As much as I believe that cuteness does not add value or worth--it always feels good to hear someone say it!

This couple came over to our table to meet our kids and both kids were delightful and charming. (phew). This is not always the case! The lady leaned in close to Mickey to tell him a story and as she spoke she clicked her long painted fingernails on the table. I saw Mickey take note and I knew it would not go unmentioned.

Sure enough. As soon as the lady finished her story, Mickey exclaimed with delight and admiration, " YOU LOOK EXACTLY LIKE A TYRANNOSAURUS REX!!"

My eyes popped open in horror and I was ready to intercede and explain that my child was obsessed with dinosaurs.

This gracious elderly lady responded so well. "A Tyrannosaurus Rex? Did you say that I look like a Tyrannosaurus Rex? Confusion flitted across her face followed by an "aha"look.

"OH, Do I have claws like a T-Rex?" she asked as she waved her fingernails in front of him

"YES!!!" shouted Mickey, thrilled that she understood him, " You have claws EXACTLY like a T-REX!" And he admired her long claws with a huge grin.

Well this lady was smitten and delighted! Hubby and I were quite relieved!

I found a dinosaur costume at garage sale that is sized 12months. It is intended for Minnie, but Mickey wanted to try it on. Here is video footage of the first few minutes. He paraded around like that for a few hours until mealtime.

It made me smile to see him fully immersed in his imagination.

How Are You Doing?

This is a question that I have been getting a lot of lately. I am never quite sure how to answer. I study the person's face for a second before proceeding. If the "asker" has their head tipped to one side and is wearing a concerned look, I can safely assume that this person has gotten wind of my health issues. I really don't want to burden some poor unsuspecting person with my medical status!

So how am I? Thank you for asking:) Today marks eight weeks since my muscle twitching/spasms began. They are constant and unrelenting. I hate them, despise them. They are annoying, but that is not the seat of my hatred towards them. I despise them because they are a constant (and annoying) reminder that SOMETHING is wrong with my body, we just don't know what! That is very unsettling. It is hard not to worry and wonder. However I am very thankful that the difficulty that I was having with swallowing is doing MUCH better. Thank you God!

Many people say to me, " Oh, not knowing is the worst!" I respectfully disagree. Not knowing is FAR better than a horrible diagnosis.

I am thankful that my life is mostly back to normal and fear is not running rampant. Some fear is there and of course I am still worried, but it is manageable now. Every morning I wake up with great hope and ask God that this be the day that the spasms disappear. They came on suddenly without explanation, certainly they can leave the same way, right? Go away, weird muscle twitches, you are not welcome here!

I have a Dr. appt. in a few weeks with my regular Dr. just to follow up and see the next course of action. But if the twitches leave.... then there won't have to be a next course of action. Do you sense that I am hoping you will pray for this to happen? Oh you all are so perceptive!

I do look at life a little differently now. I take so much less for granted. I stopped myself from complaining yesterday when I was peeling splatted food off the floor (compliments of the gleeful one year old) and thanked God that I had the mobility to clean up my child's messes. When my child's cries get me out of bed, I whisper of prayer of thanksgiving that I am able to attend to my child. Trials do have a way of putting things in perspective.

In fact I have noticed that trials brings a greater compassion. So many of you have touched me with your support and love. I have found that it is often those of you who have gone through some tough trials and know first hand how crucial it is to show you care. People that I barely know have cried with me and prayed with me after reading my blog or hearing about it via someone else. Then there are others that are closer to me that seem oblivious to the hard times that we are going through. I say that not in bitterness, but in wonderment and thankfulness for the unexpected blessings that have been sent my way. It moves me...it moves me to greater compassion ands opens my eyes to the love of God that He sends through others!

Blessings to all of you!

Transformation Complete!

So about our pet chrysalis... I know that you are dying to know :) Well the story begins last night (Sat night). I had some time to myself as Mickey and Hubby were camping with my dad. I was starting to wonder about my chrysalis and started to do some research. I read that the chrysalis might stay that way all winter!

WHAT!!!?

That is certainly delayed gratification!! Then I read that the only way to tell if your chrysalis is dead or not is to put it in water and see if it floats. Dead ones sink, morphing ones float. So I took the tender twig out of its jar and put it in a shallow plastic container and held the twig down. It floated. phew.... sigh of relief. I would really hate to have an ugly jar in my kitchen ALL winter just holding a dead caterpillar.

Well apparently almost drowning it made that butterfly realize that her owner was one crazy lady and that it should break out of that chrysalis ASAP! Because the VERY Next morning-- today-Sunday- I noticed that the chrysalis had darkened and I could see wing patterns!!!

AND I saw it wiggle!!!--the first sign of life in weeks!

I was very giddy and exclaimed that we probably should not go to church so we did not miss the emerging butterfly. I was over-ruled.

After we returned home, I immediately abandoned the over-tired kids and bazillion sacks of groceries and ran to check on the chrysalis!!!

TWAS EMPTY!!!!

AND a gorgeous "Black Swallowtail" had emerged and was drying her wings.

I was ELATED! ( to say the least)

Based on the crumply looking wet wings, I think we missed the "breaking out" by only a few minutes.

Hubby, Mickey and I studied this new creation in amazement. The whole process is mind-boggling and so fascinating. God is truly the Artist! We took her outside and she danced around in the marigolds. We then named her Marigold. She hopped around, practiced short flights and fluttered about!


After about 20 minutes of being outside she was ready for her final flight away from us. With out warning, she took off like the wind and with great pride we watched our precious butterfly soar to new heights. We watched her till she was just a dot on the horizon. What a perfect day for a butterfly to discover the world.. warm, sunny and bright blue skies!

I dare say that one cannot watch a caterpillar transform into a butterfly and not be drawn to the Creator. So many spiritual lessons I have learned from this process. I love how God uses nature to teach us.

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has COME!

So remind yourself next time you are feeling like you are struggling with the same stuff over and over... when you place your trust in Jesus Christ and are set free from your sins--You ARE a new creation, just like that butterfly...transformed from the inside out! So fly high today, butterflies!

Poor Petless Mickey

I grew up on a farm and thoroughly enjoyed our pets. We always had lots of cats and probably 5 different dogs throughout my childhood. We also had the occasional random pet... a rabbit, a pigeon, a hermit crab, and a few fish. I LOVED having animals around and I doted on them constantly.

So why is it any surprise that my son would long for a pet?

Even my husband has looked at me with puppy dog eyes and petitioned for a dog. "Not until you stay home and I frolic off to work" was my reply!

Now I would love an outdoor self-sufficient cat, like we had on the farm, but we are town folk and so we are petless.

Saturdays are Mickey's favorite days and he has high hopes every Saturday of doing a "project" with daddy. Yesterday Mickey had big plans, "DADDY, can we build a dog house today???"

Suspiciously I ask, " why do you want to build a dog house?"

Mickey:"So we can get a dog, mommy!" (insert the sad and neglected face of a 3 year old) We don't have any pets and I want one SO bad!

Me: "But we DO have a pet!! We have a CHRYSALIS!!!!

I know, I am such a pathetic mom trying to pass off the pupa stage of a butterfly as a pet.

Meet our family pet:

So how did we end up with a pet chrysalis? I know you are dying to know! So last week I was picking some cherry tomatoes out of our garden and I noticed a caterpillar on my parsley. I was inspired so I snatched it up and made it a little home in a glass jar.

Of course I did not have any glass jars on hand so I had to open a pasta sauce. For the next few days we fed it and then poof, one morning we went to check on it was a chrysalis! We were so excited to see that the caterpillar was beginning the transformation process.

I immediately went to the library as the last time I learned about this I was in Mrs. Campbell's second grade class. So armed with books and chock full of information, Mickey is now the complete authority on the life cycle of butterflies!

We are not sure what kind of butterfly will hatch, but I am certain that it is not a Monarch as the chrysalis is different than that of a monarch. We are having so much fun learning about this as a family and are so excited for the metamorphosis

to be complete! Although we have been warned that many a butterfly never make due to parasites.

Micky assures me that this will not happen to our Chrysalis. phew.

Here is a tidbit that I did not know : a cocoon and chrysalis are different. Butterflies hatch from chrysalis, not cocoons. Cocoons are a wrapped webbing, and a chrysalis starts as a protein jelly- like substance that hardens around the caterpillar. Aren't you glad that you read this blog? Don't you feel smarter now?? ;)

I guess since this is our family pet, we ought to name it! Any suggestions??

Inspiration from the letter "t"!

Our refrigerator is always cluttered with bright letters of the alphabet. Mickey and Minnie love arranging them. Two weeks ago, smack dab in the middle of my health issues, Mickey arranged the letters as pictured above and announced, "mommy, I put the letters like this because the "t" looks like the cross that Jesus died on and I put it in the MIDDLE so we can think about Jesus all day!!"

My heart melted, I thanked God for sending me comfort through my precocious 3 year old, then I immediately snapped a picture!

I should have this picture framed, a reminder to keep Christ at the center of my life.

the follow up neurologist visit.

This is just pure boring medical stuff that most of you won't be interested in, but wanted to write about it for those of you who are. I had my follow-up dr. appt with my neurologist. It was a let down to say the least. Those of you who read my blog yesterday found me rejoicing that the EMG had not found any signs of muscle diseases.



Today I find myself, confused, relieved, thankful, nagging worries, and unsure. The doctor said that everything looked good and that I probably don't have ALS. I was looking for a full rule out. The most disconcerting thing is that he told me that the EMG was normal and there was no muscle irritation and no twitches. Well, the problem lies in that I DO have twitches and can visibly see them constantly. That did not line up with my test results. So hmm.



My mind is circling around.... does that mean that they did not test enough muscles? Why am I having twitches? There was no explanation and the doctor I think does not really believe me that I have twitches even though Nick said that he has viewed them as well.



So now what? Do I just ignore the inconsistencies and move on? Do I pursue more testing? Do I go to a different doctor in a bigger city? I feel overwhelmed. I need God's wisdom and peace. I know that with dealing with Solomon's allergies that several of the "experts" were wrong and it was my insistence to find the answers that has gotten as far as we have.



But is that really what I am to do? I am so exhausted. This has been over four weeks of turmoil.



Both my neurologist and GP have said that I need to go get a scope done to evaluate my swallowing problems that have developed over the last 2 weeks. So that is probably my next step. Don't really have the energy for that right now, so I am hoping that the acid reflux medication can resolve the swallowing issue.



Still, I am so incredibly thankful for GOOD NEWS and not a horrible diagnosis. I honestly can't fathom what that would feel like right now.



So the bottom line... its not really over yet. I still have twitching muscles. I want to be fully relieved and dancing with joy, but the unanswered questions are robbing me of that.

Still, I praise God. I thank Him for his unending mercies. Unanswered questions are far better than a bad diagnosis. I recognize that and am thankful.



Pray for full healing for me, peace of mind, and continual trust in God. And don't forget to thank God for giving good news today. And pray that we can have wisdom if we are to pursue more answers. Sorry I am so high maintenance these days, but I really appreciate your prayers!

Psalm 30:11-12

Psalm 30:11-12

You turned my wailing into dancing;
you removed my sackloth and clothed me with joy,
that my heart may sing to you and not be silent.
O Lord my God, I will give thanks forever.

These verses sum up the song of my heart.

Today I had an EMG. It is a nerve conductivity test. It was not altogether bad, lets just say it involved electrical currents and needles. I know, it sounds like a torture method, but it was okay. I was told specifically by the nurse that the neurologist performing the test would not give me any results so I was not expecting anything today.

But out of the mercy of our Father, the very kind doctor told me that my muscles and nerves passed the test great and that there was not any signs of ALS or any other muscle diseases that were in question. He also told me that he looked at my MRI and that looked fine as well. AND my labs all came back normal ( no Lyme disease, heavy metal toxicity... etc)

Tomorrow I still have a follow up appointment with my neurologist and I guess he will go over the results in more depth and see where we go from here. Yes, I am still having symptoms, but they are much more manageable knowing that they are not signs of the diseases that I was being tested for.

My mind is still trying to wrap around this. I don't feel like it has totally sunk in yet. I of course have lots of questions and such, but right now I just want to bask in the gratefulness to God.

Psalm 34:4
I sought the Lord, and he answered me;
he delivered me from all my fears.


I have learned so much in this month. Not that I would ever want to go through this again, but I am grateful for what I have gained in my relationship with God. I will share more in the coming weeks.

I wanted to share this with you as quickly as possible as I know many of you have prayed on my behalf and have shared tears with me through this month long process. I had been so hesitant to share this so publicly, but the encouragement, prayers, and love shown has been so worth it. Thank you for walking alongside of me.

To God be the Glory!