Procedure

Mike's got to be at the hospital at 9am for a procedure to potetially unblock his bile duct (which may have already unblocked itself), and generally check out his insides to see what is going on. Assuming all goes well the procedure should take about an hour and the doctor said to plan to go home after about 4 hours. We appreciate all your prayers and well wishes. Tomorrow is also Jonathan's TWELFTH birthday! We hope to all be home and healthy to celebrate in the evening. Thank you once again to all of you who are always willing to pick up/drop off and look out for my kids!

We're still hanging in there

Well, this weekend has gone pretty uneventfully compared to what we were anticipating on Friday. We never heard from the doctor about Mike's blood tests or ultrasound. We're going under the assumption that that is good news. Mike did try to contact the answering service on Saturday morning, but they had no results for that doctor. Jonathan and Madi both spent Friday night with friends. Saturday Madi, Jake and I went to a Pampered Chef Party where I agreed to have a party of my own in November. Then Madi and I hosted our Mother Daughter Book Club. It was a really good meeting. The daughters and mothers all loved the book. I personally really enjoyed it and also thought is was great for Madi because the main character was not like anyone she knows (and someone she herself said she wouldn't want to be friends with). The character grew and learned throughout the book and I think all of the readers did as well. The book was The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Patterson, and I highly recommend it. I think it was the first book Madi has read that has bad words in it (unless you count Junie B Jones and the STUPID smelly bus). Right after the bookclub, we headed to the mall to get our book for next month (Homesick by Jean Fritz), I hope I like it as much as Gilly.

Today was mostly an at home day except for Church. Mike is feeling a lot better. I think we'll all feel even better once he talks to the doctor in the morning and we see what our next step is. I made a lot of mini cupcakes for Jonathan to take to Theatre on Tuesday for his birthday. I also made a round and a square cake that is hopefully going to be made into a "watch cake" for Jake for the bowling party next weekend. We are celebrating both boys' birthdays at the bowling alley on Saturday. I have a Cake's for Kids cookbook and Jake picked the watch (yes like a clock you wear on your wrist). I think I'm going to make a radio cake for Jonathan. At dinner tonight Jake's plate fell to the floor and shattered. It was a total accident (and I didn't even get upset), but it was ironic because more often than not Jake has a plastic plate, but tonight he had a real fiesta-wear one. Then a few minutes ago (while I was blogging), and apple pie was ready to come out of the oven and Madi said she'd do it. No sooner did she say that then..."Mmmmooommmm help".... the pie fell in the oven. Most of it was saved, but I had used all of my patience when Jake broke the plate, so I wasn't as gracious as I could've been. (also I was upset with myself for staying on the computer instead of going to get it out myself). On that note, I will go enjoy what is left of the pie with my family, and sign off for now.

Please Pray!

Mike just called from his appointment with the gastroenterologist, it's not looking good. They are sending him for more bloodwork (STAT) and an ultrasound. He might have a blocked bile duct. We need him to be healthy, please keep us in your prayers.

Cowboy day

Jake had cowboy day at preschool today. Doesn't he look great? He had fun too except for his hat getting torn, Madi's stick horse that he borrowed getting ripped, and bumping his cheek trying to get into his seat in the car! Actually he really did have a good time even though those things happened.

My poor husband Mike on the other hand is not having such a fun day. He was diagnosed with an ulcer in July and has been taking medication for it. He was in excrutiating pain when he first got it, but has been symptom-free since about 3 days after he was diagnosed. Well, last Friday night he started having pain from it again (remember a tornado hit here Thursday night), and he has had pain on and off since then. Last night was terrible. He went back to the doctor today and will see a specialist tomorrow. He is of course still working at both his real job and dealing with all of the rental house stuff during all of this. Please keep him in your prayers.

Jonathan and Madi had another fun day at their homeschool camp. Because they are learning about life in the early 1900's at their camp, they have been playing the things kids would play in "the olden days". They've been playing "marbles" all afternoon. (Actually first we made cookies with the Kisses that we have left from our trip to Hershey). Jonathan is more coordinated than I expected on a pogo stick and is apparently the reigning jump rope champ!

Thoughts for a Wednesday morning

I love the "village" that we are raising our kids in! I'm pretty sure that nowhere in the world is there another group of families as wonderful as the group that is our support system. I love that we can carpool. I love that on a random day I can leave the park with different kids than I came there with (not because I want to get rid of my kids, but because I love that my kids have great friends, and I love that they have the opportunity to expierence different things at someone else's house). I love that our friends are friends with each other. I love that we are all like-minded in the things that matter most and that there are so many families that I feel comfortable leaving my kids with. I love that we homeschool and have had the opportunity to hand pick all of the people that our kids spend time with and the activites they are involved in. I love that quite a few of the kids Jonathan is inviting to his 12th birthday have been coming to his parties since he was 4 & 5 years old. So often people talk about the good old days (most often when we grew up or when our parents grew up). I too can get nostalgic wanting a "Brady Bunch" or "Leave it to Beaver" type of childhood for my kids that doesn't really exist in today's society. When it gets right down to it though, I think our "village" is doing a great job with what today's society has to offer. Yesterday for example, Madi and Jonathan spent the morning at a homeschool camp put on my a local homeschooling teen (who we've been friends with since she was 5). They swam there, jumped rope, had blueberry muffins, and learned about life in the early 1900's. Then a group of us met at the park to talk, play and have lunch. From there I took Jonathan to his Orthodontist appointment. At the Orthodontist Jake and his buddy TJ played in the awesome playroom that they have for siblings and patients. Madi had gone to a friend's house where she swam and played some more. Then we picked up Madi, dropped Jake at TJ's house, went home to do some Math and AWANA, and peeled potatoes for Jonathan's supper because his braces had gotten tightened. Very soon it was time for their favorite part of the day THEATRE! Mike was home by 5:30 to mow the lawn, and we were all back home to eat supper as a family, do a few chores, a little more math, and watch Dancing with the Stars. Even Marcia Brady didn't have it that good! Thank you to all of you who play a part in creating this great environment for my kids to grow up in!

boys and girls

Here's a funny thing about boys and girls...my 9 year old girl is playing with matchbox cars right now while her 4 year old brother is is dancing and singing to the Highschool Musical CD!

Saturday morning

Does life ever slow down? Mike was up all night with his ulcer bothering him again. That is, after a full day at work and an evening boarding up the blown out windows at the rental house. Now after no sleep he is back over there (with Jonathan) nailing a tarp on the roof. Obviously the stress of the last few days is contributing to the ulcer problem (not to mention that he's been apparently drinking coffee at work and we had spaghetti & sausage for supper last night--when he finally came home from the rental house because more storms were blowing in!). So my question is...how do we slow down? Even when we try, circumstances beyond our control force us to keep going 100mph! Calgon take us away!!