Shock & Awe

It's me. The real me, not the husband that hijacked my blog. It's hard to even know where to begin, or where to pick up our story. I feel like each day that has gone by, besides feeling like 3 days each, has been filled with a novel's worth of stories I could share. So, I'll try and give you some snapshots, in terms of shock and awe, of what life has been like for me.

I'm in awe of the immense outpouring of love and support for us. All these people really care about little 'ole me? I have felt like your prayers, visits, and kind words have been lifting me up to keep putting one foot in front of the other. {The yummy food ya'll have delivered hasn't hurt any either!} Your tears are so tender to me, as well, as if somehow those are less tears that I have to cry myself. Please don't be afraid to call, email, visit. I might not answer your call or respond to your email, but know that I am reading or hearing every word. Don't worry about saying the wrong thing or about even knowing what to say. I realize the enormity of the situation and that we all, friends and family included, may be confused, grieving, scared and sad.

I'm obviously shocked at the news itself. I am only able to live moment to moment. Some moments are filled with the deepest darkest despair and the most intense pain that I have ever known. At times it feels so crushing that I don't know how I will even survive. At other moments, I have a sense of peace and calm that I really believe only Jesus can provide. There are moments of confusion and questioning and other times when His truth is evident and the answers seem very clear. I have had times of incredible strength, which the Lord has graciously bestowed upon me, to do or say things that no mother should ever have to. I want you to be comforted in knowing that my heart has not been all gloom and doom. I have smiled. I have laughed. I am getting out of bed every day. Most of my time, though, is filled with quiet thoughtfulness.

I'm in awe that God orchestrated for Rick to be with me last Monday at my ultrasound. My mom was babysitting my other kids, so we figured if Hubs had to work then I would just go to the hospital by myself. I've been to many other ultrasounds without Rick & figured that this one wouldn't be any different. Can you imagine me sitting there by myself? I shudder at the thought.

I am shocked that earlier ultrasounds didn't pick up ANY of Olivia's imperfections. Seriously. A routine ultrasound didn't pick up a potentially serious heart defect?? They couldn't detect an abnormality in her brain? No one noticed her constantly clenched fists or cleft lip & palate? What then DO these routine ultrasounds pick-up on? This is more scary & worrisome to me than anything! If it were not for the fact of Olivia's delayed growth {she's only half the size of a typical baby at this gestation}, we would NOT have gone for any additional ultrasounds. Even through the devastating news, Rick & I are thankful beyond words that we found out this news now. We both can not even imagine what things could have been like, to go through the entire pregnancy or however long we will go through, believing that everything is alright, painting a nursery, purchasing baby items, our other daughters' excitement mounting, only to find out at the very end the news that we now are aware of.

I'm in awe of my husband. I don't know what I have done to deserve such a wonderful guy. He is so far out of his comfort zone in what he has had to deal with, I don't even think he speaks the language of whatever zone he's in. He is having to help bear such an incredible burden and has done so well to be strong. There is no measure of gratitude that could show how thankful I am for him. He mans the phone. He plans. He protects. He comforts. He blogs {well...tries to}. He is amazing! I know this is an unashamedly forward request, but I'm sure he could really use some "husband" support right now. We girlfriends do the talking, crying, hugging, sharing our feelings thing, but I'm sure a few words from other husbands out there couldn't hurt. Maybe even a movie or a bike ride or bowling would help. Rick can be emailed at rickrios009 [at] hotmail [dot] com.

I will leave you with one last thought.....
My pastor's wife asked me this morning what my overall thought has been about everything. My answer came easily. It is the one thought/feeling that has been there since the beginning, even amidst the horror and tears and soul-screaming in that ultrasound room: God chose us for this. There are many things I might not understand, but I know that this passed through His hands first, that HE is not surprised, that it is part of the unique plan that HE has for my husband and I and our families and friends. And that, the fact that He chose us for this, brings me at least some measure of comfort.

Be blessed.

I just wanted to write a thank you to all of you who have been praying for us. For your words of encouragement, your offers to help, your support, your emails, your posts, your visits, etc. Simply put, thank you for caring for us enough to walk with us during this difficult season of our life. Thank you for being "Jesus with skin on", for loving us.

By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.--John 13:35

Thank you, Rick

While we're waiting...

Thank you to all of you that have been praying.

We got the results back from the Fish study yesterday. That test is for problems with chromosomes 13, 18 & 21. Dr R told me that Olivia has Trisomy 18 which means there is additional material in her 18th chromosome. This explains the heart problems, the clenched fists, the brain things we have seen. 98-99% sure Olivia has this problem, the full panel results in about 12 days will confirm. What does it mean? Dr R has not given Olivia much hope; the websites aren't encouraging as 50% of children with this problem are born still born, of those born alive, less than 10% survive to their 1st birthday, etc. The higher the weight when born, the better the odds and Olivia is nowhere near where she needs to be, but girls are more likely to live than boys.

There is no surgery by human hands that can be done. There is no magic pill, no therapy, nothing but to wait. She is in the hands of the LORD and only He has the power to heal her however He so chooses. Yesterday we told the girls that Olivia may not come home with us but go to be with Jesus in heaven, then last night as I prayed with the girls, Sienna puts her hand on my arm and says "We forgot to pray for Olivia to come home with us." so we prayed for Olivia. The odds are not in favor of Olivia, but the LORD is not about odds. That is what I tell myself. But what do we wait for? I don't know what we wait for, but I am trying to wait on the LORD, and wait for His answer, whatever His answer is and just know that He is God.

Thank you LORD.

Dare to Hope?

First I want to thank all of you for your prayers and support and encouraging words and offers of help. They mean more to us than you could know. As my wife says, you have been “Jesus with skin on” to us.

As many of you know, when you get a lot of information in a really short time, something gets missed, so I wanted to share some more details with you all that I forgot two days ago. One detail is that Olivia also has a cleft left palate, and a misshapen head. All of the previous things and these things put together lead the dr in Rockford (dr R) to believe there is a chromosome problem. Also, many might not have known, but Beck had high blood pressure from the beginning of this pregnancy and was recently put on blood pressure meds. The dr R from Monday believes that this indicates chronic hypertension which would definitely affect the placenta and therefore Olivia’s growth.

Yesterday, I spoke with dr R and he did tell me that Olivia did grow between ultrasounds, but nowhere near the minimum amount that they like to see. But that is better than absolutely zero growth. At this point, we are waiting at home and waiting for the first result from the amnio, which should arrive between Thursday and Saturday, and then dr R will call us.

As I have had time to think and pray and absorb the information, I feel all sorts of things: fear, anxiety, pain, questioning, doubt, … I don’t know but the LORD reminded me the following lyrics:

I’ve walked the valley of death’s shadow
So deep and dark that I could barely breathe
I’ve had to let go of more than I could bear
And questioned everything that I believe
But still even here
in this great darkness
A comfort and hope come breaking through
As I can say in life or death
God we belong to you.

--Steven Curtis Chapman, “Yours”, 2008 Radio Version

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. --Philippians 4:6-7

Many of you have asked how to pray, so I ask that you specifically pray for the following:

Pray for Beck’s blood pressure, for the placenta to work right, for the umbilical cord to open up and supply Olivia’s needs, for Olivia’s heart to work right, for Olivia’s brain to develop right, for Olivia’s hands to open. I want to dare to hope for the healing only the LORD and trust the Him that Olivia belongs to Him, as does Sebastian, Sienna and Tatiana. Thank you all for your love and prayers.

Rick

PS-Beck is reading the comments is very thankful for all the support.

Baby Olivia

Hello to those who follow Beck's blog. Unfortunately we got some pretty bad news yesterday so this is her husband posting today. As some of you know, Beck has been pregnant for 25 weeks now and the baby has not been growing very much, so we had an ultrasound yesterday at a hospital in Rockford that specializes in high risk pregnancies. After the ultrasound, the doctor comes in and reviews the results right away.

The dr spoke in percentages and probabilities but is pretty certain that Olivia has Dandy Walker, which is a form of mental retardation affecting motor skills in varying degrees. It is a problem with her cerebellum and has most likely affected her hands at the least as one is in a fist and the other in a half fist, which indicate neurological problems. There is also a heart problem, which is VSD or tetri something or another. Then her umbilical cord has 2 arteries and 1 vein but only one artery is supplying blood, which leads to the original reason for going: slow growth. As a result of all these things put together, this dr is not optimistic that Olivia will live and that she has probably not grown at all over the last several weeks.

We decided for an amniocentisis to find out more information and hopefully be able to make better decisions, and the first test will/should return on Friday and will tell us if Olivia has a 13 or 18 chromosome problem, which if she does, will mean she has a "lethal" genetic problem. Meaning Olivia won't live and probably won't go the full term. Even if that is not the case, the doctors seem skeptical because Olivia is not getting all the blood she needs and isn't growing.

How to pray? Well, we are just trying to soak it in. Don't know what to think exactly but we know the LORD loves Olivia, even more than we love her. If she goes to be with the LORD there is no better place for her than in His arms and if the LORD wills for her to stay, we pray for a miracle, just like in the Bible when Jesus healed the lame, the blind, the deaf, the sick...

Already, many of you have called and comforted us as well as prayed and we appreciate you all at this time. I only ask for patience if my wife doesn't answer or talk much. I can't imagine what she must be going through, but we must trust that the LORD knows what is best and why, even when we are in the midst of the storm. Please continue to pray for wisdom for us as we make decisions for Beck and Olivia. God bless.

Rick

Easy Strawberry Shortcake

1 box white cake mix
1 container strawberries, sliced
1 pt. whipping cream
4-6 T. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla

It's really as simple as bake the cake, whip the cream, slice the berries & assemble, but I've given a little more detail below!

Make cake according to package directions. You will only need one layer, so you can either make half the mix in a cake pan and the other half into cupcakes for the kiddos or make both layers & freeze one. Depending on how many people you want to serve, you might want to make the layer in a pan bigger than 9", if you have one.

After cake is baked and cooled, split it horizontally. The best way to do this is to use your serrated knife and cut into one side of the cake about 1/4 of the way through, then gently turn the cake, always keeping the knife only about 1/4 of the way into the cake. This should make for nice really even layers. You can slide that top layer onto something flat, ie rimless cookie sheet, piece of cardboard, cutting board, etc and then slide it back onto the filled middle of the cake when needed. If you don't feel up to this "splitting" task, just leave the cake unsplit.


Sprinkle a little sugar over your cut berries to get them to juice up. Whip the heavy cream to soft peaks, add the powdered sugar & vanilla, whip to stiff peaks {taste for sweetness}. Spread a bunch of your freshly whipped cream on the bottom layer, add a bunch of your berries, replace the top layer, add more whipped cream and put the rest of your berries on top. If you're not splitting, just put a bunch of whipped cream all over the cake & put as many berries as you want over the top.

This is *so* much better than those spongy pre-made shortcake cups you buy at the grocery store. And who can even compare freshly whipped cream to that cream in a can? {Hey, I buy it too, but fresh is *so* much better.} This is perfect for a spring or summer meal. The best part is you can vary the cake flavors & the fruit for other simple cakes. How about chocolate cake, whipped cream & cherries? Or spice cake, whipped cream and grilled peaches? Make it your own!

Think Pink!

The official word is: our baby #4 is a girl! And we are mostly tickled pink! {Sorry, just couldn't resist.} Daddy & Biggest Sister were holding out for a boy so that things would be even and our Little Sport would have a brother. Bigger Sister was praying for a girl. She wants a sister badly. Part of me thinks it's so she can boss a little sister around. When we told her that it's a girl, she jumped up and down squealing, "God answered my prayers! God answered MY prayers!" It was really touching & made me wonder if we are having a girl because of the tender, availing prayers of a 4-year old......

I have been struggling with high blood pressure this pregnancy, which I have never had a problem with before. I finally had to be put on medication last week for the duration of the pregnancy & praise God that the medication is working! I test myself a few times a week with an at-home blood pressure cuff. The doctors would ask me at every visit if I worked outside the home & if I was under a lot of stress. STRESS? That would be an understatement, but I don't think they have enough time during those visits to listen to my story!

After a routine 20 week ultrasound revealed a smaller than average baby, we had a follow-up ultrasound this Tuesday at 24 weeks. Unfortunately, the growth lag has increased. I am concerned, but trying not to worry. My OB called me personally today to give me the results and has decided to send me to a high-risk pregnancy hospital {probably Lutheran General} for evaluation, necessary testing, and additional ultrasound(s). I keep telling myself that I am in the loving and capable hands of my Great Physician, but at other moments I wonder if I can really handle one more thing.

I consider it a privilege to be able to share this with my dear readers and to ask to you to pray for me & our daughter. As always, I would love to lift YOU up in prayer, if there is anything you need. You can always email me privately through the link in my sidebar.

School Bits: Lapbooks

What is a lapbook? Well, I'm glad you asked! {Well, not really YOU, but...} Anyhow, a lapbook is basically a educational tool made from a file folder that you fill with little activities, mini-books, games, and information based on whatever your topic is. Topics are typically either literature-based {revolving around a book you're reading} or unit-study based {a broader topic of study}.

Tatiana's current lapbook

Why lapbook? We haven't done too many yet, but the value is that it makes your subject come alive in a way that say, a book report or worksheet, really doesn't. It's a great way to review material you've learned/read and solidify the important facts. For the littles, it can also improve various motor skills, such as cutting, coloring, and pasting. Besides that, it's fun! Lapbooks also create a sort of "living record" of the things my kids have learned. They can look back through them, re-read things they've written, do the activities in them, etc. I think this would also be beneficial if your children actually attend school, as an alternative to a "report", supplemental summertime or at-home learning to enhance what they're reading, or as a creative alternative for a presentation/project on a given subject.

What ages can lapbook? All ages! Tatiana {7 1/2} is just finishing her second lapbook now and Sienna {4} is working on her first one! Starting from the time your child can color, cut & glue, they can lapbook!

Here's the inside. It has a Oregon Trail mapping activity, T/F questions, and wordsearch.

What supplies do I need? Besides your topic, you'll need manila folders {either repurposed from the household or purchased}, adhesive {so far I've just used glue sticks}, and an assortment of activities, pockets, mini-books to add to your lapbook, many of which can be found online for free {see here}.

Pockets for a vocab memory game & other mini-books

Where do I start? A google of "free lapbooks" will get you going! There is an excellent thorough guide to many aspects of lapbooking found here, including pictures of sample lapbooks, instructions for various mini-books, how to plan lapbook units, and more. My all-time favorite resource so far though is Homeschool Share. I am actually going to use their preschool/kindergarten lapbooks {based on good children's books} as curriculum for my 4 year old for next fall. If you are looking for a great learning activity for your preK-er based on books, these are wonderful because the units & activities are already organized, so all that's required for mom or dad is obtaining the book {library!} & printing the lapbook pieces.

Any other questions, feel free to ask!

He listens!

I had a rough couple of days last week. Hubby and I were both feeling down about our work situation and it's just no good when we're both feeling that way at the same time! I attended my Tuesday night Beth Moore Bible study, where she said in the video:

You'll never have anything more contagious than your joy.

It stopped me dead in my tracks. I felt, at the moment, that surely no one would be "catching" anything from me because I really felt less than joyful. I cried nearly the whole way home feeling like God is not listening to me. {Notice all the "feeling" I was doing. Certainly not thinking my way to success!} I cry out to Him & wonder if He hears me up there. I just kept saying, "He's not listening. He's NOT listening."

Wednesday comes & Hubs goes to do some truck driving practice. As he finishes up, he pops into the trucking office and lo-and-behold, there was some work that came up that he could do! He hopped back into that truck lickety-split! And when he called to tell me, I was...dumbfounded? I don't even know the feeling word to describe it. All I could do was imagine the look on God's face {compassionate & satisfied} for sending the message to me that He does indeed hear my prayers AND answers them.

And then on Thursday, during my quiet time, to further solidify the message I needed to hear, He sent me this verse:

Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. (Jer. 29:12)

He WILL listen to me. He DOES hear me. I just broke down in tears being reminded of that fact. {Besides, at that exact moment the song "Hope Now" starting playing on the radio!} It's fascinating to me because I've had Jer. 29:11 memorized for quite some time {"For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord....} and had overlooked the verse(s) following. I am now clinging to that promise: He will listen to me!

And for whatever your need is today, my friend, He's listening....

Where?

photo by colinjcampbell

I've often wondered where I would've been as Jesus went to Calvary. I don't know the reason why, but throughout my walk with Christ, it's a questioned I've pondered many times.

Would I have been tending to my daily duties as the sky and everything around me went black?

Sitting in somber reflection as the days events transpired?

Following him as He carried His cross, weeping?

I guess all my pondering really points to one more interesting question: would I have believed Him and in Him enough to care? Which reminds me of the question we all have answered in one way or another: "Who do you say that I am?"

Hope your Good Friday is filled with thoughtful reflection.

Creative Fun: Bubbles

Here was last week's creative fun activity: Bubbles! The recipe came from the Ultimate Book of Kid Concoctions: More than 65 Wacky, Wild & Crazy Concoctions.

World's Best Bubbles
2 1/2 quarts of water
1/2 c. corn syrup
1 c. liquid dish detergent

Put water in large container and mix in corn syrup until well blended. Gently mix in dish detergent. Keeps for two weeks in an airtight container. Use a variety of objects for bubbly fun!





My review: I made this in a large juice pitcher & it makes ALOT. I definitely would half the recipe. I wasn't TOO impressed with the bubble making abilities. With a name like "World's Best Bubbles", I was expecting some awesome, easily made bubbles. It didn't have the consistency that I thought would help make better bubbles; seemed like it should've been more viscous, if you know what I mean. We used several different objects for our bubble making: the paddle to my mixer, a small whisk, metal rings from mason jars, standard bubble wands, and some plastic cross-stitching canvas. I think it was a great science/learning experience, especially for the olders, to see what kind/size of bubbles each object made. The plastic canvas made what the kids called a "bubble hive" and they really enjoyed using that. My disappointment in the bubble quality aside, THE KIDS PLAIN LOVED IT. Seriously. They sat in the kitchen for well over an hour experimenting with making different bubbles. Even the 16 month old was enthralled. Medium mess level, but high enjoyment level!

Anyone ever make homemade bubbles?

School Bits

I've been trying to refocus my attention in many areas of life, one of them being homeschooling! God has given me a renewed passion and interest for this very important job, so I thought I take some time to share some of the tidbits that I like about it, what we use, how we make it fun, and so on. Hopefully, you'll find something of use, interesting or just plain informative about what homeschooling is all about.

My first bit is:

Open and Go!

Before I started homeschooling, the aspect of PLANNING seemed extremely daunting to me. I imagined having to sit among stacks of textbooks, 1" thick planner and pencil in hand, stressfully trying to figure out how much of each subject to cover every week. My image couldn't have been more wrong & am truly blessed to have discovered the nature of "open and go", which describes our current curricula, by Hearts of Dakota. You simply open the teacher's manual where each subject is laid out for you in detail and begin your school day! Very little preparation for me! The manual tells you which pages in which books to read, the main idea of what you've read to review with your child, and gives you detailed instructions for simple activities when applicable. The first year we homeschooled {kindergarten}, I pieced together our curriculum based on the literature program Five-in-a-Row and therefore did much of the planning including which subjects to do, in which order, how many pages/lessons to complete for the different subjects, etc. I initially thought a open and go curricula would stunt my creative side, but it actually reduces the stressload of planning, allowing me to enjoy and focus more on the teaching and very little on the planning.

Open and go is perfect for the non-planner, busy mom, and new homeschooler alike!

If you have any questions, feel free to ask about our homeschooling methods or adventures!

Friday Funny

Seems like every Friday my schedule gets disheveled & I'm unable to make some "creative fun". I'll be sure to fit that in this weekend though. In the meantime, here's a funny:

Tatiana: Can I have some chocolate milk, Mom?

me: Sure. Get out the stuff & I'll make it for you.

Tatiana: {gets out necessary ingredients} I made a nice display for you, Mom.

me: ???

Tatiana: You know....in case you want to post about it on your blog.

And here's the evidence:


Guess that falls under the "you-know-you're-a-blogger-when" category. Hope you enjoy some good laughs this weekend!

And then there was sun

photo by furiousgeorge81

The tornado sirens went off yesterday at about 5:30 pm. We take that kind of thing pretty seriously around here, so the kids and I headed down to hide under the stairs, while Daddy checked for weather alerts to verify the alarm's veracity. After waiting for several minutes and the alarm ceasing to sound, we came back upstairs and I immediately left for my Tuesday night Bible study. The rain was coming down. The clouds were black and luminous. The wind was harsh. I kept on the look-out for funnel clouds. About 7 minutes into my drive, the rain started coming down harder than it had been. The windshield wipers were on full blast. And then....

...it was over.

I could see the edge of the storm as I drove out from under it, into a blue sky, and blinding sunlight. The wipers squeaked against the windshield, almost laughing at me since I didn't need them anymore. I was...full of wonder. The radio played:

Amen, amen to the God of grace
Amen, amen He is worthy of praise

I realized that those choruses were playing even in the roughest part of the storm and continued to play as I put down the sun visor and just drove in amazement. I felt like laughing and crying all at the same time because it was if God spoke to me through that odd weather moment. And I immediately started praying. That that glorious moment would be a metaphor of my life at present. That our lives as it pertains to working and finances would change as suddenly as that storm. One minute hiding while danger is looming and the next, basking in the sunlight and blue sky. That my husband and I would drive out from under that storm together. There is a song that says, "Sometimes He calms the storm and sometimes He calms the child." I asked God if He could calm the storm now and thanked Him for endlessly calming His child.

And on my way home later that evening, I prayed for you. Whoever and wherever you are. Knowing how painful that time in the storm can be. And hoping that if you are there now, that soon, we can be basking together in the glorious sunshine.

Does He ever speak to you in out-of-the-ordinary moments?

Creative Fun: Crayons

Hope your weekend was full of many blessings both great and small! Due to some family errands and unforeseen circumstances, we were unable to do Creative Fun Friday, but we did have some Creative Fun on Sunday.

::Muffin Tin Crayons::

We loosely followed the instructions here. Mine took longer than 10 minutes to bake, though, and even so there were some big chunks in the crayons that were not in the outer edges of the muffin pan. Also, I sprayed my muffin liners with cooking spray & it seemed like the paper peeled a little easier. I loved this project because it used up all those broken bits & pieces of crayon that don't seem to get used anyways. Frugal & fun!

Peanutty Playdough

In an effort to do more hands-on activities {a.k.a. being the Fun Mom}, I'm digging into some books I have on hand for easy crafts & science experiments. I'm planning on incorporating these ideas on Fridays, as that is usually a light schooling or catch-up day. Tatiana has dubbed it "Creative Fun Fridays". So here was our first activity:


Peanutty Playdough
from the Ultimate Book of Kid Concoctions: More than 65 Wacky, Wild & Crazy Concoctions
1/4 c. peanut butter
1/2 c. dry milk powder
2 T. honey {I used corn syrup as I didn't have any honey}

Place all ingredients in a ziploc bag & knead together until dough forms. Do NOT reuse or save for later use.

Mine was a bit on the crumbly side so probably could've used another drop or two of corn syrup. This only makes a small amount, say enough for two young children. If you have more than two or several "olders", you might want to double the recipe.

Best part? It's edible! Great for little ones who aren't over the putting-everything-in-my-mouth stage or just for yummy eating after playing!

The Midnight Oil

photo learningful_rcb

A couple of nights a week, he burns the midnight oil. While the kids and are tucked warmly in our beds, my Hubs is out sweeping commercial parking lots, as a glorified-trash collector, if you will. He picks up trash, cleans up cigarette butts, empties garbage cans, all while trying to stay awake!

This week he was able to pick up a couple extra night shifts and no sooner did he commit to working Wednesday night, did he get a call that there was dump truck work for Thursday morning! We were thrilled at the opportunity, if not a little nervous for how to manage the schedule. After working all night, Hubs slept in his car for a couple hours then began his first day transporting loads of material. {He just got his CDL license a few weeks ago!} At 2:15 pm {just in time for me to race to an OB appointment}, he arrived home tired, dirty, and joyful. Hubs was beaming with satisfaction at a job well done. He never complains about lack of sleep or being tired. Together we have developed a new thankfulness for the blessing of work. I am so proud of his attitude during this season and the fact that he is willing to do any type of work {even 3rd shift trash duty} to take care of his family. I am honored to be his wife!

Thank your husband today for how hard he works or encourage him in his job hunt if that's where you're at. Tell him how much you appreciate that he works to provide for your family!

P.S. Happy First Day of Spring!

WFMW: Bedroom Door Lock

Hubs & I decided that all parents should have a locking bedroom door for, well....er...obvious reasons. Upon determining that we wanted one, we didn't want to actually go buy one. *Insert frugal solution here!* Our master bathroom DID have a lock on it and since only Hubs and I use that bathroom, it really wasn't too critical to have the lock. So we performed a switch-a-roo and in about 15 minutes changed our bedroom door lockset for the bathroom one. So, if you don't have a locking bedroom door, you might be able to "shop" in your own home for "new" door knob.

Visit We are THAT Family for more Works for Me Wednesday!

Choices

The other day I read an interview with Michael J. Fox in a recent issue of Good Housekeeping Magazine. He shared a lot of his heart and journey regarding his struggle with Parkinson's. He was asked what advice he'd give someone who's dealing with a chronic illness. His advice though, I think can apply to any trying season of life:

I would say to look at the choices you have, as opposed to the choices that have been taken away from you. Because in those choices, there are whole worlds of strength and new ways to look at things.

That just resonated so deeply with me, especially during this season of part-time income for our family. I think a lot of times, we look at difficult things that happen with a sense of loss and perhaps even that some choice has been taken away from us, even if that "choice" was misguided. So, here I am, focusing on the choices I *do* have:

• what to make for dinner each night
• which possessions I'm going to sell next
• to stay-home full-time
• to homeschool
• to continue striving towards being a wife of excellence
• to continue to tithe
• to work wholeheartedly to care for the home He has entrusted me with
  
• to give generously as we can, of what resources we have
• to love my children, train them as He sees fit & have fun with them daily
• to choose my attitude

I choose to live with joy, knowing that although I may be poor by some standards, I have an abundance of riches that money can't buy. I am, in a way, more content than I have been in a long time. I feel His hand over my life in such a real and tangible way. Someone in small group the other evening said that we need to go to work and be responsible because "Christ doesn't pay our bills". I nearly burst out laughing! REALLY?! So since we only make $800/month and our bills are a little over $2000 and they are all current, how would you explain that?! I knew the point this guy was getting at, it's just that....it all comes from Him, whether it's in the form of a paycheck, an unemployment check or a check in the mail. That's what I come away from this season with. He blesses us with work, He blesses us with unemployment, He provides for our needs when neither of those apply. And it's because of Him, that I choose joy.

Beauty, Boy with a Basket & Blessings

How's that for a post title? Guess no one is too interested in Baked Potato Soup, eh? Meh. I guess my feelings are only hurt a little. {*giggle*} Here's a couple snapshots of my day:

:: before ::

:: after ::

Does anyone else cut their own childrens' hair? I am just too frugal to fork over $10-$15 {times each kid} for a kid's hair cut. I really need to get some sort of book or find a website for cutting girls' hair. Suggestions? I think for the first major cut {just trims up until now}, I did not half bad. Sienna got hers cut as well, but it was more of a trim. I nearly freaked out after making Tatiana's first cut, but I know it will grow back. It was just soooo long and straggly looking and very high-maintenance. Hopefully this shorter do will be a little more brush-n-go.

And since this somewhat fits under the beauty category, here was my score at Wal-greens today:

Total OOP: $1.13 for the tax and one candy bar.

I plan to go back to get 2 more free Garnier products, since they were limiting to 2 per day. I *so* want to do the Huggies deal, but unfortunately they only had 2 Gentle Care products instead of the 3 I needed. I was so bummed. I may try a different store later in the week, but think because of the popularity, I may have a hard time succeeding. I'm trying to do more Wal-greens/CVS deals, even if it's just one or two a month, to keep my stockpile going for myself and any other families that may need it. It can kind of be a pain to collect all the coupons & research the deals, but I think of it as my opportunity to possibly bless others. Guess it fits in the blessings category too!

Now for my boy.


That's my handsome son, concentrating hard on putting raisins into a little toy basket. He loves this basket. Go figure. I think because it's just his size & opens and closes. I've been sitting him in the booster seat from time to time, instead of in his high chair and he looks like such a big boy! Kinda makes me sad and happy all at the same time. He got so excited when he saw the camera. What a little ham!

And finally, here's a wonderful blessing that was given to me by a lady in my small group:

It's a basket filled with fancy shampoo, conditioner, Bath & Body Works hand soap, a body loofah, and a bag of chocolates {yum!}. She had won it as a door prize for something & passed it along to me, saying in a lovely card that she knows how hard pregnancy can be and wanted me feel pampered a little! It made me feel so special and like God cares about even the little things, like me.

Hope your week is filled with blessings both big and small alike!

Baked Potato Soup: Take Two

subtitled: How to Creatively Use Left-overs

Last night, our small group enjoyed a baked potato dinner, complete with a variety of toppings, all provided by one of the families. After the evening ended, I asked {somewhat sheepishly} if I could take home the leftovers. {A couple of tears ensued. I think I was just embarrassed at my own gratefulness, if that makes any sense.} Anyhow, besides about 8 humongous baked potatoes, I also took home an unopened container of sour cream and about 3 cups worth of shredded cheddar cheese. I knew the instant I saw all the ingredients together what they would become: Baked Potato Soup. Not coincidentally, I'm sure, I attempted this recipe for the first time earlier in the week, and although thick & rich & yummy, felt it needed a little tweaking. Here's my own updated, detailed-instruction version:

Makes about 6 servings

3 T. butter or margarine
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 T. flour
2 c. chicken broth
2 c. milk
2 large or 3 medium baked potatoes, peeled & diced into bite-sized pieces
3 green onions, chopped
6 slices bacon, cooked til crispy & chopped up
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
s & p, TT

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Add the garlic when the butter is about half-way melted so it can cook a bit & flavor the butter. When the butter is melted, add the flour. Stir well with a wooden spoon until all the flour is incorporated. Let cook for about 1 minute. Slowly add the broth. {I like to literally just dribble it in a couple tablespoons at a time.} You want to stir well with each addition to prevent lumps. You should be able to nearly add the entire 2 cups, with the mixture still being thick at the end. Don't worry about that. Slowly add the milk, stirrring constantly. Add the potatoes and bring to a simmer, stirring often. Milk based soups have a tendency to scorch on the bottom, so you want to stir pretty often. My potatoes were pretty sturdy since a) they were russets and b) they had been refrigerated overnight. If your seem like they'd fall apart too easily, you can just add them after bringing to a simmer. Add the green onions, bacon, sour cream and cheddar cheese. Stir well to combine. Season "to taste" (TT) with salt & pepper. Season gently, especially if you're using broth from bouillion cubes and since the bacon will be salty.

Notes: I used whole milk because that's what I had, but I'm sure 2% or skim would work just fine as well. I also used light sour cream and turkey bacon. Still lots of wonderful flavor with those substitutions!

I will probably double the recipe next time, as since the day was cold, rainy, and dreary....well, let's just say those 6 servings were eaten by far less people.

Slim Down Sundays: Simple Changes

Anyone else out there still doing Slim Down Sundays? Or my version, which is just tryin' to stay healthy! I thought I'd share my latest technique for taking baby steps & making small, but meaningful changes in my life. I originally came up with this idea as it pertains to keeping my eating habits in check, but it is applicable in every facet of life! It's as simple as this: too much, too little. What things am I eating too much of that aren't quite good choices? What things am I eating too little of that I need to include more often? This week's baby steps were:

Too much: sugar
Too little: water

How easy was that? I think sometimes I tend to make way too many goals & get overwhelmed by all the things I need to change. So, I am simplifying. I cut back the sugar in my tea & replaced it with mostly Splenda. I drank more fluids by bringing my water bottle with me whenever I left the house & filling up my cup as often as possible. It was an improvement! What about you? What have you been doing too much of and too little of that you can change this next week? Too much internet/TV? Too little Bible time? Too much yelling? Too little romance time with the husband?

I'd love to know any baby step goals you're making for this next week!

P.S. My pregnancy & other health updates will mostly be on my other blog, Chronicles of an Almost Healthy Foodie. Feel free to stop by for a visit!