New Pastor??

Today was rather a shocker at church. It started out great.. the VBS kids choir sang one of the fave songs.. we sang one of our fave choir songs... 2 decided had a new song... sermon was great.. I met a visiting family that were HOMESCHOOLERS (and not weird ones!).. the kids were so well behaved and then.. the bomb dropped. After the closing hymn, Pastor Wes stepped down with THE LOOK and said he had something to say... basically that even as Moses was brought to the edge of the promised land before being succeeded by Joshua who took them into the land, he felt he had led us to a point and we needed a Joshua to finish the task. He isn't leaving for a new church.. in fact in a months time he is unemployed. There is no dissension, we all love Wes and Diane. Simple fact is that God is moving in his heart and leading him to something else.... and like Abraham he is packing up and not knowing where he is going... and like Sarah, Diane is willing to follow. Now how do I give up my confidante and friend?? I am excited for them, but selfish for me. I'm not thrilled with change... however, who knows what the next few months will bring? I am waiting expectantly to find out.

What a gift!

"Can you fix my shirt, Mom? Y'know, like you did Molly's. I want to wear it to chruch tomorrow?", sweetly asks my 12 year old. I can fix spaghetti straps. As long as no one looks too closely, it looks fine. Caitlyn dutifully puts her shirt on inside out so I can tack it up... but the straps are fine. She wants me to put darts in her shirt!!! And fully believes I have the, ahem, talent to do the job. Just the fact that I know what a dart is impresses me. "You can sew it with me in it, right?"
"Caitlyn, honey, you know I can't sew."
"Yes, you can. Just put some pins in and sew it up. You want to use your machine? Can I stay up and watch? I love to see you sew." (Like she sees THAT a lot!!)
"I'll just use the longest stitch to make sure it fits and then tidy it up later.." (and its easier to rip things out like that too... lots of ripping out experience here which is why I DON'T SEW!!)
"I'm so glad I have a Mom that can do anything. Not all moms can you know." (REALLY?? and that makes me...)
The shirt turned out perfectly. She bragged me up to her dad and can't wait to brag me up to her friends tomorrow at church. I'm so blessed with a daughter who believes in me enough to stretch me beyond my capabilities. Isn't that what I should be doing with her?? What a gift of a daughter I have!!
Back when she was preborn I had a doctor who told me I would be truely blessed by this child. He was right.
I need to remember this when she is having a 12 year old MOMENT! What a gift!

He's Certified!!!

Dave and Matthew came home tonight at about 10:30 pm.. Dave wrote his Project Management Professional (PMP) certification in Halifax today and passed!! For those of you computer minded and management people, you would understand this was a VERY BIG DEAL!! Matt stayed at Dave's parents for a visit since they live just off the highway on the way to Halifax.
I'm so glad that the test and trip all went well. We needed some good news. Once again we found lice on the kids and had to treat them all again today. That is 6 little heads and a few more weeks of torture as we aggressively do laundry and check heads. They aren't as bad as the last time, so hopefully it won't be too terrible to clear up. I hope the other kids in church are getting treated. Nit pickin' kinda takes over our home and its expensive!! All the kids are sleeping here in the living room. I love seeing them all sleeping.
Courtney had more bloodwork today. She's getting more subdued. She tires quickly and her appetite is next to naught. 2 or 3 bites and she's full. She is also getting dark circles around her eyes. I'm calling another doctor in the office tomorrow to see if we can see her. Our doctor won't be back until the 8th of Aug..
Mom wants us to go to St. Andrews on Aug 7th for NB day. I don't think that is going to happen. Between having to take 2 vehicles (cuz we don't fit in 1!), Court not well and trying to ditch the little head critters, I think we are about done in. Someday I plan to ask God why we have lice. I am glad its treatable... at least in Canada. I can't imagine living somewhere where headlice is a fact of life for everyone. I am so thankful to live where I do. We are sooooo blessed.

Gotta' love physio

I used to think that going to physio and/or massage would be a fun thing to do. People who don't even need to go to these pay to go. Let me tell you... its no fun! We (Cait, Matt, Jack, Molly and I) were in an accident in December. We hydroplaned on slush and ended up in a ditch facing the direction we were coming from. It was a rather scary few min. Connor was upset for weeks that we do "all the fun stuff" without him. Cait was in near hysterics if there was even a smidge of snow coming down when we drove. Molly for months did the "we aren't going anywhere today, right" routine and .... I'm still in therapy!! Physiotherapy of course.. every Monday and massage... every Weds. They used to be gentle, but now I think they are trying to KILL ME!! I am so suprised my back did not break today. I guess I'll be better soon. Seriously, both therapists have been wonderful and have definitely pushed me to wellness. Hopefully this will be over soon! For a relatively healthy family we sure have a lot of doctors appointments!!

Dancin' Jack

Yesterday was our VBS finale at church. We had plenty of kids come who ususally do not attend church!!!! And... they brought thier parents. It was a great morning with the kids singing about half of our Fiesta songs up on the stage. We even took our Silly Chilis out of the nursery and up on the stage for the music. Jack, being only 2, was the youngest and we weren't sure how that would go... but he was amazingly cute. He did all the actions except for the song he doesn't like. His little arms were waving, he felt the music right to his toes and it showed. Everyone was watching him with huge smiles on... God must have been delighted. The verse we used in our text for the evening service was Zech 8:5 which speaks of the streets of the new Jerusalem being filled with children playing. When I see little children singing (and dancin') thier praises to God, I have no problem believing He wants His city full of them. Jack is totally unconcious of his effect on the whole church. He didn't for a second think of what anyone else thought of his style of praise. We need to be a little more like that... focusing on God in our worship and not of those around us. Its ok to cry in the middle of the prayer, or stop to bow and pray in the middle of the service or be moving in the music. Its all worship and its all good.

Oh yes... Bibbles is still here. The kids are working hard to show they can handle a pet.. they are actually working very hard... cheerfully!! I'm starting to like Bibbles!

Happy Birthday to me!!

Do you ever wonder how many crazy things can happen in one week?? I thought that after a rather zany beginning, the week would slow down. Yet again, I set myself up for disappointment.
Courtney started to feel ill on Weds.. She wasn't actually sick, just lethargic and achy.. the kind of sickness you almost like to see occasionsally on the wilder kids.. you know, for a break. Those of you who "have never felt that way" are lying!! She seemed to perk up again Thurs. and was thoroughly enjoying bossing around her siblings and being waited on hand and foot. When she asked if she could put on her princess dress, get her wand, and wanted to set up a throne so she could make Caitlyn her slave..... I got the inkling that perhaps she was on the mend.
We all went to VBS that night and everyone told Court how she was missed. She fairly glowed with all the love showered upon her. As we were about to go home I asked her if someone had beat her up a bit since under her eye and part of her neck were red and raised. That was a negative. Well, we have Benadryl and she had some when we got home. Let me just tell you that Courtney HATES Benadryl. Connnor will fake an itch to get some, but not my girl. She gagged it down and went to bed. Thankfully, we put he on my bed so we could keep an eye on her. As Dave was putting Justin down (yes, at 6 mos he still sleeps in a bassinet by the bed!) he noticed Courtney's face.. and who could miss it!!! Bright red with major rash... we have a pic if I can figure out how to add it on... one eye swelled almost shut. Her neck, shoulders and armpits looked like they were scalded and it was going down her back and chest. I gave her more of the Benadryl and then Dave thought that maybe she was allergic to it since she got so bad after the first dose. When she started with a whistling sound in her breath, I bundled her up for the hospital. Caitlyn wanted to come to and since I thought she could keep me awake in the way home, we 3 went to the ER at 11 pm.
The people at the hospital were concerned as the rash was still in full force when we arrived at 11:40. The waiting room was full and we bypassed them all... that was scary... they took blood and as we waited for the results Courtney commented on how nice it was that the signs kept changing. I saw the signs, they were not changing. They were just functional instructional type ER signs. That was a little more scary that my kid was hallucinating. Then the nursed decided she needed more of the B word. Courtney had taken that medicine at home and there was no way she was taking it again. The nurses tried cajoling, calling it princess potion, threating and trying to force it down her throat... nothing worked.
The bloodwork had come back not good, white cell count and platelet count very low and we decided to admit her. The ER nurses figured the pediatric nurses could deal with the Benadryl problem and rather happily sent her upstairs to the MEAN nurses who had no qualms about 3 of them trying to force it down her throat at once... Courtney spit it at the meanest of the three and I could see why she did it. Courtney did apologize later. Finally the nurse said "If you don't swallow this we will poke you with a needle and you will have to have a shot!!" I told her she was wasting our time and go get the shot ready. Courtney doesn't mind needles. At about 4:30 am we finally got some sleep.
She had more bloodwork done in the morning with not great results. The rash went down though finally. Oh yes, I almost forgot! The pediatrician, Dr. Swami, checked her in the morning and said it was not an allergy, don't bother with the Benadryl!! Like they couldn't have told us before. All that foolishness for nothing! They sent us home at 11:30 and we are going for more tests next week.
I just checked on the little sweetheart and her rash is getting all flared again... her face neck and ear are getting blotchy again.
I did get a nap today... and then was woken by a phone call from my sister in law Karen to wish me a happy birthday. Wow, forgot about that happening.. Dave suggested that todays birthday was a wash (since I got home for lunch, had a nap and got up to go to VBS tonight) and I could have an extra day of being 38 as we'll celebrate tomorrow. HELLO I just turned 38!!! Since we are the same age you'd think he'd get mine right. That's my day.
Then I saw Angela's blog.. I'd link you to it if I knew how!!... with a picture from my 12th birthday on it. That brought a smile as I remember that day. I loved that dress, on of the few I've really loved, and we went out to a Chinese Restaurant and tried to use chopsticks. We vowed they were utterly impossible to use and ate with forks. I love eating with chopsticks... who knew?
Well, I'd better wake up Dave and consult about Courtney. He took today off to be with the kids today!! .... and didn't complain before, during or after about being home or said anything negative about the kids... makes me remember why I married him... VBS closing was a blast. Jack did all the actions to the songs and made everyone smile.
While in hospital I saw a friend who I hadn't seen in at least 10 years, came in with her little guy. He got a stick stuck through the socket of his eye (I hear missed the eyeball) when he was roasting marshmallows. They aren't from the area and seeing them there was so surreal... I checked with Dici tonight and got the scoop from her. These little ones are so precious and fragile...
Gotta go get Dave. Pray for my Courtney and Dee Dee's Jacob.

What can happen in our home in 48 hours or less

I've actually been meaning to start a journal. This would be a great place to start. The past couple of days have been relatively uneventful. There has been only on physio appt.. and Dave was able to meet me and watch the kids. Vacation Bible School (VBS) started at church. We are having a Fiesta and enjoying every second of it! Jack (2) and Molly (3) are in the Silly Chillys group, Matt (9), Connor (8), and Courtney (6) are all active participants, Caitlyn (12) is a helper and I am a group leader. Justin (6 mos) gets passed around and we are all having a blast! Last night coming home we almost hit a huddle of skunks. I didn't know skunks can group thier little noses together and have all those tails stick out in all directions... missed 'em by about 6 feet. When we got home we saw another black and white critter in the driveway. Thankfully it was only a kitten... about 2 months old. The kids were sure God was blessing them in some miraculous way because we only have 7 kids, a crazy 20 month old black lab/husky, and a cat who thinks he is human and owns the house. "But we don't have a kitten!!!"... or do we? It is still in the carrier out on the porch. No one in the neighborhood knows where Bibbles (I know, I know!!) came from but they all agree its now ours. In straining to see if Murphy (our cat) would kill Bibbles in the great showdown on the porch steps, Matthew leaned over the kitchen sink while talking on the phone and dropped said phone into the pot soaking in the sink. As Dave attempted to dry the phone I found the need to get some, ahem, air... and 5 kids spilled out the door behind me. While thought I'd rescue the kitten and put it in a cat carrier, Matthew decided Murphy and Bibbbles should be better acquainted.... I'll leave it to your imagination to understand the catfight that happened on my hand, arms and face and to hear the shrieks of some wild kids and one wild momma as Murphy tried to kill Bibbles.
Are we entertainment for the neighbors or what!!!
Today we still have Bibbles because we are IDIOTS!!! The SPCA will take him/her (we aren't even checking..), but they are closed tomorrow and will reopen on Thursday. Molly can't believe we would want to give away "Murphy's Baby". She's a little confused about Murphy's love for little Bibbles.
This morning there were no Doctors appts!!!! What a banner day! The kids went out to play and I noticed the kid population double. We never have kids stop in here. Its hard to break into a new neighborhood... we've only been here 4 years!!! They had a great game of soccer baseball and all the kids were great. One even came to VBS tonight.
Again, we had a blast at VBS.. all my kids even had shoes on which didn't happen the night before, Dave met us at the church as we were getting ready to leave which was great. No critters on the road on the way home. Is all perfect? What could the neighbors possibly see tonight as we come home from church? A perfect little moon as Molly decides the walk into the house is much too long and pulls down her drawers to pee on the front lawn. They are all asleep now... everyone but me. The physio guy worked on my head again and removed the get to sleep switch. I decide I needed to check on the only blog besides Angela's I have ever submitted a comment on. I've commented twice before tonight. The first time someone responded in such a negative way the blogger had to remove thier comment. She'd never had to do that before!!! The next comment brought someone who I believe I offended... I had to apologize for offending her, but not for what I said... you know... then I messed up in the process and ended here. Dave was smirking when he went to bed. He still has the sleep switch.
I just can't wait to see what tomorrow holds!!! Glad I don't know in advance tho.
I'm sure you are all thrilled that the phone dried out and works great!

This was an accident

I didn't mean to start a blog. I pushed the wrong button and kept answering the questions so I could move on outta there. All I wanted to do was post a comment on another blog ... you know in response to a response to another comment where someone misunderstood me...
Its ok. I'll never be able to find this again!!!
Cheerio to anyone who got here by mistake or otherwise.