Hmmmm....
Since I last blogged
~Son#5 turned 6. He refused to remain a cute, sweet 5 year-old for his mama & is insisting on growing up. We went to Elitch Gardens (one of the local amusement parks) on his birthday. It was his first time there, & even though we only were able to ride a handful of rides before the rain started pouring down, he thought it was "AWESOME!" We came home & rented the "Up" Wii game for him to test out before we buy it. It's a bit hard for him, so we'll find something else.

~Son#2 got a new, hopefully more lucrative job. He began working for FedEx Ground this week. He starts his actual physical labor tonight. He's unloading trucks & is going to be one sore, tired puppy for a while. He's working graveyard shift.

~Awana started last night. I was only expecting three Cubbies, maybe four this year, but I had six, & one who wouldn't come in. Seven seems to be our number for Awana. Even in years when we've had more than that enrolled, we usually only had seven or eight kids each night. I guess God knows what we can handle with the kids we get. Three of the kids from last night are coming with another family, & I've found that those kids usually need extra help getting their books done, because the parents don't do it at home. I also have two sets of siblings this year, which is always interesting.

~Son#1, who a year ago, looked like he was walking away from God & mostly from us, is helping in Awana this year! I'm excited. He will be helping out with games when our game leader has to miss due to her job.

~We are still working through my mil's estate. It's been slow going. But now that most of the my major activities are done, we can work more on that. We've had some very busy weekends recently, & I know my bil thinks (he hasn't said it) that we should skip church to work on the sorting & stuff. We have been informed that "The house has to be our priority!!!!!!!" Nope, God & family are our priority. We won't budge from that. We should be able to schedule an appraiser for the antiques & collectibles this next week.

~We may be closing on the house during the first week of October. We just need a professionally done contract, an appraisal & the title work. My bil brought us a contract that he made up himself, using an on-line source, & it miserably failed our mortgage broker's inspection today. My bil was a realtor decades ago, & just doesn't realize how very, very picky lenders are getting. Instead of paying a realtor, he decided DIY was the best way to go. I'm a real DIY person, too, but in this circumstance, going pro is the best way. There is good news, though. We, as things stand right now, don't have to pay any out of pocket expenses. Down payment & closing costs are being covered by a wonderful thing called a "gift of equity" that is built into the loan. I'm stoked about that! God is so good!


~I'm busy rearranging the house in my head. We don't know how long we'll have my mil's things in the house: whether we'll try to sell them individually, or let an estate auction house handle things.
We are keeping most of the living room furniture, & the dining room table & chairs. I honestly don't remember how much of our furniture we put in storage, & how much we got rid of when we moved in here, so it will be interesting. There are a few special pieces I have plans for already~ I know we still have them.


~We still haven't started our school year. We are going to start, even if it's minimally, this next week. Son#4 & TheGirl expressed an interest, just the other day, in unit studies this year, so I'm backpedaling with my plans a & rethinking them. We'll continue on the same course with math, get a lot more writing in, & the two older ones can help research & teach the unit study lessons to Son#5. I don't know whether we'll re-do the Weaver unit studies, which we did years ago, or God Bless America, which we started, but then were forced into a more "traditional" way of schooling by the constriction of not being in our own home. I'm leaning toward "God Bless America", because it's on the shelf & The Weaver is packed up! But we will start math & writing next week, & reading for Son#5, next week.

Things are settling into a new normal, & it is nice.

A Simple Woman's Daybook~ August 3




The Simple Woman's Daybook ~ a weekly meme

Outside my window...
sunny & HOT. I'm enjoying looking at my snowy page theme so much more.

I am thinking...
about all the things I need to get done today. The to do list is full of big tasks.

I am thankful for...
being able to help my parents celebrate 50 years of marriage over the weekend.

From the learning rooms...
silence, stillness & non-activity. Still working Son#3 through.

From the kitchen...
spaghetti & salad today, & planning the menu for the rest of the week after I check out the budget & see what I have left for groceries.

I am wearing...
a blue t-shirt & jean shorts

I am creating...
a new pantry in the basement, a storage area for paper goods, vacuum cleaners, brooms & mops in the patio closet & implementing other rearrangement ideas.

I am going...
nowhere. This homebody is worn out from being out every day last week. It's time for some time at home.


I am reading...
The book of Amos in my chronological Bible, The coronation of Saul in 1 Samuel for my Sunday School Class & stalled in Book 1 of "The Morgaine Saga" by CJ Cherryh. I just haven't been reading that much lately.


I am hoping...
that the rest of the estate issues go well. An estate appraiser will be coming tomorrow.

I am hearing...
quiet. Most of the kids are still in bed. Lucky kids!

Around the house...
we're getting my mil's things accessible for an estate appraiser to look at tomorrow. I started my "overstock" pantry in the basement yesterday, moving it from the enclosed patio it's been on for the last ten years.

One of my favorite things...
is reunions. My sisters & I hosted a dinner for my parents' 50th Anniversary on Saturday. There were about 60 people & most of them were family, whom we see fairly often, but not often enough. Some we haven't seen for several years travelled to be here. Some were from my mom's church, which we attended up until 12 years ago. Some were just old friends of my parents, whom we would see occasionally at various family & church functions. Our family is close enough that I knew every person at the party. It was great!

A few plans for the rest of the week...
Along with estate & rearranging things, I need finish planning the school year & get a flyer ready to mail out for the new Awana year. Other than that, I am "holding my plans loosely" as another very wise Xangan is fond of saying.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...
my parents cutting their cake.

The Simple Woman's Daybook~ a weekly meme

Outside my window...
sunny & hot. The pine tree that has looked half dead since our drought a few years ago is sporting new green needles, thanks to our abundant summer rain.

I am thinking...
that this week is going to be chaotic.

I am thankful for...
the peace & comfort God has given our family since the passing of my mil. I know so many people who have been practically paralyzed, emotionally or physically or both, by the loss of someone close, & I praise God that we can trust Him, His plans & His will enough to continue to function.

From the learning rooms...
still trying to get Son#3 finished. This week, I hope.

From the kitchen...
organization. I need to separate the collectable kitchen items from the everyday, so I can put them on the list of estate value.

I am wearing...
a patriotic t-shirt & jean shorts.

I am creating...
VBS crafts. Two are ready to go~ a votive candle screen made out of wax paper, craft sticks & wooden shapes (complete with battery operated candles!), & a bracelet using letter beads to spell "Jesus", separated by pony beads in the "Wordless Book" colors. One other craft will be a two-day project: a painted wall hanging that says "Trust and Obey", & I'm still trying to come up with #5.

I am going...
with my sis to price & order 50th anniversary cakes, maybe. I need to call her & see if she still wants to go today.


I am reading...
2 Kings & 2 Chronicles in my Chronological Study Bible.
My "Moses" lesson became a three-parter~ only got up through the crossing of the Red Sea yesterday!
Book 1 of "The Morgaine Saga" by CJ Cherryh


I am hoping...
that we will be able to buy this house. I really don't like the house, but it would be the easiest & probably least expensive thing to do.

I am hearing...
too much quiet; I should be hearing vacuum cleaners!

Around the house...
cleaning chores today. The kids are cleaning the first floor; I need to clean the desk off, & try to get my mil's things organized. She has pieces of her china in three different locations on the first floor, some hobnail crystal in four different places. I need to get them together & count pieces for the estate inventory. Hubby very kindly relocated his keyboard & set up a plastic shelving unit in the dining room so I have a place to put things while I'm sorting them out.

One of my favorite things...
helping out in VBS. I prefer to teach, but when that option isn't available because of the program we're using (puppet shows this year), I will gladly be craft lady. Especially if I get to choose or create my own.

A few plans for the rest of the week...
...Finishing the estate list. That may be a lofty goal, but I think once I get past the kitchen, it will be easier.
...Planning a remembrance dinner. I am working with the auxiliary my mil volunteered in, as they were already talking about having one.
... Getting all of the VBS crafts done, so I can take them to church Sunday night & not have to do anything at home next week, since my "babysitting" staff will be gone. I also have to get some song lyrics written out on poster board, because I will be leading songs, too.
...Making sure Son#2, Son#3 & TheGirl have everything they need for camp. They leave next Monday.
...Posting a bunch of things on Freecycle.


Here is picture thought I am sharing...
another shot from our picnic last week. Even outhouses can provide great photo opportunities!

A Simple Woman's Daybook for a not so simple week~ July 6, 2009
In memory of my mother-in-law

The Simple Woman's Daybook~ a weekly meme

Outside my window...
Sunny & humid from all of the rain over the last week. The landscaping company for the townhome complex is out making noise with their trimmers & blowers.

I am thinking...
about far too many things. My mind is a flurry of thoughts, plans & to dos.

I am thankful for...
An easy passing for my mil, & so many friends, most of them online friends whom I have never personally met, upholding us in prayer over the last week or so. I am so blessed.

From the learning rooms...
Still working to get Son#3 finished & officially graduated. Our Constitution study was put on hold because of my mil & doctor & hospital visits. We will start back up next week. Son#4 & TheGirl are done for the year, except the Constitution discussion.

From the kitchen...
Very simple meals today, & plans to reorganize. I need to go through my mil's food, & discard or Freecycle what we won't use. We'll see if any of the family wants any of my mil's cooking utensils, small appliances, dishes, etc, then i will go through & get things that none of us will use ready for a garage sale or Ebay.

I am wearing...
A t-shirt my parents brought back from Alaska & denim shorts.

I am creating...
A huge to do list. I'm going to set up a spiral notebook with a page or two for every room of the house & carry it with me where ever I go in the house for the next couple of days. It will mostly have to do with the disposition of my mil's things.

I am going...
no where today, I hope.

I am reading...
2 Kings & 2 Chronicles in my Chronological Study Bible. I need to check what my next Sunday School lesson is; I just haven't gotten that far today. Nearly done with The Lord of the Rings.
I hope I'll be able to change this soon! Reading simply hasn't been on the top of my list over the last couple of weeks.

I am hoping...
that my mil is at the feet of Jesus. We don't really know what her relationship with the LORD may have been.

I am hearing...
water running, Son#5 playing with his little toy keyboard, the tv. And the phone. It will be ringing off the hook all day, I'm sure.

Around the house...
Oh, so very much!!!

One of my favorite things...
the knowledge that the death of the body is not the end of life.

A few plans for the rest of the week...
One big plan... beginning the transition of making this house our house, keeping the pleasant reminders, but disposing of the things my mil no longer needs & we can't used.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...
I was going to put a recent picture of my mil here, but Xanga is being uncooperative.

This blog took me three hours to write. Interruptions galore! Phones to answer, phone calls I was reminded to make. Gotta get my to do list going, or I will forget half of what I need to do.

My mil went from having what we thought was a simple fracture of her vertebrae to ICU in the matter of a few days. Last Tuesday, we got my mil in for the MRI on her back. Thursday, her kyphoplasty was approved. Friday, we had the pre-op work-up done. All of these required her to be taken to dr's offices. She was in so much pain. By Thursday, she was on Valium for muscle spasms & Percocet for pain. She was miserable. Even with that powerful combo, she still hurt every time she moved.

Saturday morning, we got a call from one of her docs asking us to take her to the hospital, because her blood sugar was way high & she was dehydrated. We took her, & spent 8 hours in the ER while they poked, prodded & scanned her. She was put on high levels of oxygen, because she was only at 65% when they checked her. She ended up that night in ICU. Yesterday, they determined she has an infection in her spine, & there's something blocking her bile ducts. She has a mild case of pnuemonia & congestive heart failure. Today, they found infection in her blood & she has gone into kidney failure. They have started (or will be starting soon) dialysis. They are still trying to determine the reason for the blockage in the bile duct, & tomorrow, they want to do a biopsy of the area around the broken vertebrae. They are occasionally having to use a C-PAP machine to keep her oxygen levels up.

It is touch & go at this point, but they are still treating her as someone who can be saved without extreme measures. So far, they tell us, it's to soon to be concerned about hospice care.

We are praying for God's will for her. He knows the number of her days, & He knows what we can handle as long as we lean on Him.