Encouragement

My Honey and I have just started a new Bible study together, just the two of us.  :)  We are going through 1 Peter.  As we talked and the conversation lead around to many things, I found myself admitting the defeated attitude I have let settle on me so often of late.  The "What good am I doing?" and "Why am I not impacting the Kingdom." issues I've mentioned a few times maybe...

Then, the very next day after that admission to him I was at the baby shower.  So many friends I haven't seen in a long time were there, and I made a few new ones too! :)  It was great!
My kids roamed in and out among other ladies there then back again to me, and helped care for Karissa.  One thing I got from a few people was what a good job I must be doing with my kids since "they are such a joy to be around." Now being one whose Love Language is Words of Affirmation, I was on a real high from the sincere, and un-phished-for compliments I received.  They felt like the Spirit stirring in me saying, "What you are doing with them is just what I have called you to do.  Continue to be faithful with these littles."
It is seldom that one can realize the impact of their words or actions on another, but those few ladies and their kindness was the refreshing drink this parched soldier needed... the cup of water to the least of these, my servants - so to speak.

I left there not only refreshed, but also with renewed vision that this place I am at of laundry, dishes and dirty diapers is where I have been called, is important and is working to His Glory!

So be encouraged to grow right where you're planted!  I know I am!

Camping!!!

A picture speaks a thousand words... so... :)

 

We *all* went camping!!! :) Yea!

These two sweet cuties are responsible for the menagerie and posing above. ;)

 Not all the locals we so sure about us. ;)

 We picked some flowers.

 Did some fishing... 

or rather did some getting our hooks caught on rocks or trees, 

and having our bait stolen by the fish we never caught. lol

 We did some hiking/walking.

And checking out the sand by the lake.

 Some of our pictures turned out well.

 Some did *not!* LOL

 

We splashed in the creek and washed our faces. :)

or Karissa did.

 

And just enjoyed the view.

~Happy Trails!~

Monica

:)

Post-Follow Up Update

Aliyah and I went to her follow up today.  The ultrasound was a smooth, easy success last week, but we knew little from it.  Her kidney did look a little different, but it certainly couldn't be told whether the change was good, bad or indifferent... at least, not by us.

Dr says: To his mind she still has hydronephrosis.  Her radiologist report said "no evidence of hydronephrosis.  Mild to Moderate renal pelvis dilation."  So to the Dr (who is a specialist) it is the same as hydronephrosis. 
He also says: "Looks good.  Looks very good."
He still does need to watch it since it is still dilated and is the only working kidney.
When he was talking about watching it, he said "I don't want to do another isotope scan."  In the past he has said he knew I didn't want to do it so he would wait.  I liked the change in that phrase. :)


So the nest thing is another ultrasound next January/February.  So a nice break for us. :)


After her appointment was over we got the chance to go to breakfast together at a local favorite restaurant.  All in all our trip was good!

Thanks for your prayers!!! :)
Blessings!
~Monica

When I was in a funk

I had the pleasure of going to a baby shower this weekend with all of my little ladies. :)

We were so blessed to join the Momma to be and Grandmas to be in their joy and celebration!

Oddly though, I sometimes feel the need to avoid these situations.  I get nervous about who will be there, just like my first grade self so many years ago worried about "having a friend." I also worry about the gift portion... it seems I can worry about nothing if I let me.  What if they don't really care for my gift, especially if I made something... or what if someone makes a big deal out of it... that gets nervous too.  Like I want them to like it, but I don't want any attention from it. :\
So when I looked into going, I got nervous!  If I didn't love this Momma so much, I may have allowed myself to back out to avoid the inner conflicts.

Then this morning came.  I was excited, yet apprehensive about the hand made parts of the gift, and a little rushed to get everyone ready.  I felt a little flustered about certain things not coming together.  As we tried to get my little Aliyah and Brianna together for a picture and it wasn't working out, and Honey got irritated, and my hope of this memorial picture fizzled before my eyes... I allowed myself to get in a funk, announced it was time to go, and got everyone in the car.  Now I was feeling mad at just about everyone, and I was "running behind" on the time I felt we needed to leave, and my attitude was icky!

In the car, I told the girls I was not in a good mood, and that we were not off to a great start.
Within a couple of minutes of silent reflection, the Lord gave me a Psalm song to sing: "Create in me a clean heart oh God, and renew a right spirit with in me."  After that another song: "Father I adore you.  Lay my life before you.  How I love you."  I began to feel that I was so concerned over what doesn't really matter at all, that I was loosing track of what was.  I am His vessel, and I need not get so worked up over these little things that aren't His plan anyway!

I sang "Have Thine Own Way" the verse with the potter.  A thought came to me of the polymer clay I had made a few things with especially for the Momma at this shower.  One of the colors was extremely soft and supple, while another was drier and a bit crumbly.  I remember thinking, I want to be the soft workable clay. (Going to get a hands on Bible Study for the kids with this idea!)

Another couple of songs, and I was a new Momma!  I was ready to do my job... Love my Husband and Children.  I was ready to face the party with a proper perspective and with an uplifted face.
:)
Thank You Lord for not leaving me in the mire I made for myself.  Thank you for friends and a chance to rejoice with them.  Thank you for the reminders of the work you will complete in me.
I love you!
Amen.

Aliyah Update

It's been awhile since I've posted an update about Aliyah.

She continues to grow and develop fairly normally.  She is 5 1/2 years old, and is ecstatic about her first day of school today.  She has been hounding me about when June will finally come so she can start school, and have her ultrasound.

Six months ago her Pediatric Urologist ordered an ultrasound to be done around now, and a follow up.  We will have her ultrasound on Wednesday and her follow up next Monday.  When we last checked her left kidney was still about the same as it had been, which is holding fluid (and it shouldn't) and large for her size person, but that is to be expected with it doing 88% of the work for her.

Really it wasn't bad news, but it wasn't good news either. 
This ultrasound will show what has or hasn't happened in the last six months, and will tell us where to go from here.  Her Dr really wants to do another Isotope Scan, but knows we prefer non-radioactive children, so has been holding off.  I have had the suspicion he will order one, and been wrong twice. (Which was really nice to be wrong!)  So I don't venture to guess what the next step will be.  It could be more wait and see. 
It has been about 4 years since her last Isotope scan I believe... I was pregnant with Brianna (who is 3 1/2 years old) and not able to go into the room for the test due to the radiation.  Of course then she was radioactive for the next 3 days, so I was still around it, but it was much less than during the test.

I will update with what the next thing is and how everything went. :)
Thanks for praying for our little Pumpkin and the rest of us!
Blessings!
~Monica :)

~The Tenth Commandment~

Thou shalt not covet they neighbors chickens.

The other day we were at our friend's house for piano lessons.  One of their lovely daughters teaches one of mine, while the others play together or visit.  Usually I get to see the Momma there for a few minutes anyway, and catch up. 

That day, the Momma was just heading out the door with her honey to go get chickens. 

Now I have wanted to get some here for a couple/few years and this year we've even been planning our coop and location for it.  We got the pipes for the gravity feeders, "chicken nipples" (that sounds so wrong!) for watering them, chicken wire for fencing them in... but alas, we have not finalized our location and built a coop, so no chickens. :(

This friend could've been telling me they were expecting another baby for all the excitement I had.  I gave her a big hug and was like "Yea for you!" LOL 
At that point the chicken envy hadn't reared it's head, just the excitement of the moment. ;) 


Later, I had a good laugh with my kids over my over-ecstatic-reaction to the news! I also had a good laugh with their kids over my chicken envy! ;)