1-28-14 snow day

So weathermen predicted no snow for us...only east of Charlotte HOWEVER schools called me at 10:30 and said early real ease due to conditions at 1pm. They then called back at 11:20 and said conditions got worse faster than they thought and they would be releasing at 11:30! ❄️❄️❄️

Boys had to come to town to get me (were working on one car right now) and the road especially old mountain is nothing more than a sheet of ice!

That didn't stop the kids from enjoying it when we got home! I pulled them in a sled, they pulled each other, they made snow angels, and of course threw snow balls! Then I made them hot chocolate to help them warm up😀

I'm sure as soon as they get up today they will be right back out 😜 love those boys!!!

1-22-14 my little mess

What a day...

Yay God Isaac felt well enough to go to school today!!!!

I locked my keys in my car and had to be rescued making me 30 mins for work...

When I got to work and started it was non stop all day...doc had a surgery this am starting him off behind...so we worked through lunch...I worked 30 mins late trying to get caught up to then rush home...thankfully Bryan had supper cooking :)

Once I got home things took a different spin...Eli and I worked on his party invites for his daycare friends. He was set and determined that he NEEDED to help me, so I had him write his name on every invite (see pic below) he LOVED it, got practice writing his name and it's personalized 😀 now if only I had bought extras for me to keep one in his handwriting 😢 

Then as has become our new normal we go off to the bed room early. We have been doing 100 day bible challenge (boys, Bryan and me) 

We are reading from isaacs comic bible he got for Christmas...so we are a little off from the plan but trying to read every night!

Last night we read about Joshua and how God told him to be strong and courageous over and over...Isaac breaks out in song...I love music...one of the easiest ways for me to memorize scripture so I wanted to share. (I think this was even a vbs song)

http://youtu.be/NoG0DahAbDY

Tonight we read about Joshua taking over after Moses and how they came to the Jordan river...the men held the ark while the Israelites passed through the river on dry land. Eli excitably points out that this happened when Moses held up his arms at the Red Sea! This makes my heart so happy because we are not only reading through but it's sticking!!! They are listening and begging every night for me to keep reading!!!!

I beg of you, if you haven't started or your behind...jump in there...we give it 30-45 mins a night...that's one tv show and it means more than that show ever will! The kids are having time invested in them, and we are all learning! Every time you read through you see something new and different...God is so good and faithful. The Israelites failed him and questioned Him time after time...just as we do. Man and I thankful that He never fails me!

And today this is my "theme song" after being locked out, losing my cell phone (even though it was in my hand), rushing from here to there sometimes I forget how much I am blessed! I am thankful for singers who at the moment I need it point me back to Jesus! I would encourage you if you aren't already, listen to Christian music such as Klove...it encourages you and uplifts you by pointing you to Jesus when you need it the most!

http://youtu.be/Xe4SckesWLE

Night y'all!

1-21-14 Isaac Gran and others

So other than SLIGHT fever at 6:30am Isaac has been fever free today... Now 7:30pm temp is 99.5...another night of me getting up and checking every hour. I don't want to give meds under 100 but I don't want it spiking back up either...

Other news...we found out last night that Bryan's great grandmother "Gran" was hospitalized due to fever and pneumonia. Pray for her healing as she is 89 years young (as I'm sure she would say).

I saw a man today, still morning the life of his wife...my heart breaks for him as she was his everything! Please pray for him (God knows the name).

Also for those who have lost little ones or have little ones fighting sickness/illness. While this last week has been hard on me  with Isaac I see and pray for those who have it worse and know how blessed I am! I am thankful for the snuggles even if they are sick ones!

Oh and did you see thy beautiful sunrise this am? If you didn't here's a snapshot that doesn't do it justice...

And I leave you with this...a devotional that just clicked...we think that we play some grand role sometimes, that God can't do things without us or inspire of our failures but this verse says quite the opposite...

I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. (1 Corinthians 3:6, 7 ESV)

Praying that God is able to use me! 

Refocus

“And now, O sons, listen to me: blessed are those who keep my ways. Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it. Blessed is the one who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors. For whoever finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord, but he who fails to find me injures himself; all who hate me love death.” (Proverbs 8:32-36 ESV)

Blessed are those who listens to Him, who hears, who watches and who is waiting...some of the hardest things to do...nothing...be patient and silent before God. 

As rough as this week has been I am reminded that there is worse...always worse. There is a wife who's husbands days are coming to a close...a grandmother who sits with her grandchild at the hospital tonight uncertain of what's to come, and on and on...

Blessed doesn't always mean easy...blessed is knowing "we can face uncertain days because He lives"...blessed is knowing no matter what we aren't alone...blessed is knowing this is not the end. 

I'm thankful I have a God who isn't dead but can empathize with me when I'm tired...who knows what it's like to see your child sick/hurt and be unable to help...I thankful that I have a God who has an army of angels watching out for us! 

I pray my ears, eyes and heart are open even now to what God is saying and receptive to follow Him! And I hope and pray for those who are seeking...He is standing at the door knocking, let Him in!

1-20-14

Sitting here with Isaac...doing another breathing treatment...

Last post I was hopeful for a restful weekend...I got none of that...soon after posting Saturday morning I realized Isaac still wasn't up (not normal for him, it was 8am). His cheeks were rosy, he had a 102.4 fever!!!! We went to er, lungs clear again...tested for flu, neg...they gave him a zpac and sent him home.

Yesterday, Sunday 1-19 he woke up with fever...sat with me under the covers (Isaac is not normally my cuddler...I knew he was sick) 

Today At 3:30am he woke up with 102.6 temp...we got Motrin in him and bathed him to get temp down quicker...he did fine the rest of the day Bryan did well to keep meds in him.

As long as no meds are missed even by 30 mins temp stays controlled but miss one by just a few mins and fever spikes FAST! I am SO ready for this to be over with and I think he is too!!!

Good news: PawPaul is home from the hospital!!!! Yay God he went in Saturday after passing out but they couldn't find out why even though we worried heart.

Update on Isaac

Ok, so I posted a little about this earlier but here goes...

So he had a cough that began Sunday 6 days ago. It was worse by Monday so I made him an appt with his Pediatrician for Tuesday after school. He had no fever or other symptoms but the cough was wet and deep...he has been on singular for asthma before and I wasn't sure that wasn't what it was but with rsv and tore chest stuff going around I didn't play around...

Tuesday Bryan took him for his appt and called me when leaving, they were sending him to hospital for chest X-rays. They wondered if it wasn't phenomia and began him on prednisolone and albuteral. 

Wednesday I called the doc, I found out lungs were clear and neg for phenomia. We were told more than likely asthma, could be bronchitis (as the doc said that is no more than a cough). 

Friday I called back to the office as hi cough sounded no better. They said it could take up to 3 weeks to sound better but with no fever still to continue treatment for asthma. 

This morning. Saturday, I got up and Isaac was still asleep...at 8am!!!!!! Isaac is normally up at 6 or 7, and his cheeks were red...he had a 101.4 fever! I gave him tylonal and called the doc on call. We were told to go back to er for another chest X-ray, this was neg as well. Flu test was done...neg. Ears, throat, everything looked normal. They gave him a zpac and sent us back home. We were told could be bronchitis worse or could be asthma and virus. Basically no one knows. 

To a "normal" mom, so what 101 fever and cough...but just 4 years ago in March my dad was diagnosed with phenomia and tested neg for flu (h1n1) on a Saturday and was icu for 10 weeks by Wednesday...of course that's when they diagnosed him with h1n1. 

Praying and following treatment, hoping it is nothing more...of course still worried...

 

Week of Jan 12, 2014

Wow, what a week!

Monday we started 100 day challenge, reading through the bible in 100 days. We are reading through Isaac's comic bible, and the boys are LOVING this! We have read about Adam and Eve, Noah, Joseph etc and at night they don't want to quit reading...I have to make them go to bed...it's not to late join with us! 

Monday I called the doctor for Isaac due to HORRIBLE cough! We got him in Tuesday and they sent him immediately to the hospital for a chest X-ray they thought phenomia. When I was able to get with the doctor Wednesday we found out chest X-Ray was neg for phenomia!!! Yay!!!! But now no answers, doc wonders if it's even just asthma...Isaac was put on steroid and we are giving him breathing treatments every 4 hours...

In better news, I finally did our shadow box for Winter Jam!!!! We had 4 badges (3 got signed by artists), one newsboys drum stick, one news boys guitar pick...argument waiting to happen!!! So here it is...

And last night (Friday 1-17) we went to visit Nana at work, out to Cici's to eat (Isaac got his face painted), then we went to party city...what an adventure! We went in planning on a hulk party...changed to power ranger...searched up and down the party ile (several times!!!!!) and finally decided on pirate theme!!!! 

We stopped by Nana's and picked up so movies to watch this weekend...no plans...

1/7-1/10

1/7 normal work day for me...Isaac didn't have school, wind chill got down in the negative numbers and actual temp was 2!!! It was so cold there were many buses that wouldn't start 

1/8-1/9

I'm so proud of Isaac, Wednesday when they returned to school with a 2 hour delay due to VERY low temps, Isaac ended on yellow (they have a clip up/down chart, yellow is 3 from top...good)

And Thursday Isaac ended on green which is below yellow but still good. 

1-10

Friday, Isaac clipped so far up he clipped off the chart!!!!! I am SO proud of him!!!!

I let him choose where we went for supper and he wanted Arby's before heading grandmas house 

At grandma's we missed Bryan, Joe, Ronnie, Meg Daniel, and Phoebe...just our usually bunch enjoying company and watching the boys love on each other! Kam was giving out kisses and loved hugging on Eli! Kam wouldn't keep his socks on lol but cousin Hannah resocked him.  

I am so thankful that we have a close knit family who enjoys each other's company, I love watching these kids grow up together and love on one another! Love you all!

1-5-14 winter jam & 1-6-14 Groucho's

So last night 1-5-14 when I got home it was after midnight and I was WORE out...but it was so worth it!!!!

We went to Sunday school then scooted on down to North Lake for lunch (the boys LOVED riding the escalators, yes I have country boys). 

Then we drove down to Charlotte, we arrived and began looking for parking. As we near the arena we noticed prices were going up...but just about the time we decided to turn around we saw a place across the street for $6!!!! We pulled in and I had Bryan check to see if we paid before or after parking (we have paid to park before only to realize when leaving we were suppose to pay upon exit). From the time he left the board walked to the van and walked back to the board some guy changed the sign to $15 parking, Bryan realized this after he paid...

To make a long story a little shorter I called and told them we were there when  they changed the sign, and we wanted a refund to go somewhere cheaper they told us to stay!

We walked around the arena in the rain (boys loved it with their umbrellas) 

We stood in line and met the people around us for 2.5 hours 

We finally got in, gor our passes, our t-shirts, our seats (3 rows from the front and beside the catwalk) and the show began!!!!!

It was a BLAST!!!!! So great seeing the boys sing along and worship...to see that you can have good clean fun!

Today 1-6-14

Isaac had a 3 hour delay, there was a threat of bad weather. I took Eli to school and worked all day. 

After work I met Bryan and boys at Groucho's for dinner, I used the gift card I won last week in their "swag bag" worth $45 along with a t-shirt, hat and goodies for the boys.

We had fun!

Praying, tonight is suppose to be a cold night!!! Suppose I get down to 3 tonight...Grandfather Mtn is reporting wind chills at -113!!!! I can't imagine, praying for all those out in it or those without hear!

1-4-14 run, family, rest

Today started with a COLD run/therapy session with my best friend down town!!!

(Pic from 1/1)

We stopped by Groucho's to pick up my Swag bag I won containing: $45 gift card, shirt, hat, frisbee and stickers! I am so excited and still don't know how I won't it out of the 90+ people that entered!!!

After that we had lunch at Bryan's great grandmother (Gran)'a house and boys opened up some Christmas presents.

They sang their annual Christmas song, we learned that Gran sang this in Chuch as a young girl. Words and notes posted below along with Gran's mother's house drawn in the background credit to Joe.

(Sorry can't get pic to load)

After a long morning we took an afternoon nap, watched movies, and hung out at the house with anticipation for tomorrow's Winter Jam (we won VIP passes) praying the weather is decent enough for us to go!

New Years Eve-count down to 2014

New Years Eve after a wonderful hike at Rocky Face, supper and a nap...boys Bryan and I then went down to Grandmas house...we had pizza and ALL kinds of snacks!!!! We watched Kam, Isaac and Eli play together...

we also had fun playing board games (the adults) and had a blast. So glad to have had Sarah and Joe with us, happy first New Year together...praying for MANY more!!!!

Unfortunately as it got late, some had to leave but many of us stayed to ring in the new year together...what other way could there be??? 

This year I pray that everyday we don't take one min for granted. We know that everyday could be our last, but thank God for each additional moment we are granted! Love to you all!

1-3-14 Friday Night Family

Today was a long day...dropped Eli off, stopped by Starbucks and used some of my Christmas gift cards, then off to work. 

After work I went to get Eli and we went to visit a friend. If you are reading this I plead for you to take a min and pray over this sweet friend and her family, God know their needs and will supply them according to His will (we know this). 

And as ritual on Fiday nights the kids entertained us...Phoebe and Kam played so well together, I can't believe how much they are growing!!! Isaac and Eli played with them for a bit but once the tv came on it was all done lol 

I am so blessed with a wonderful caring family who enjoys being together! (Missed mom, she didn't get off until late...missed Sarah and Joe...and Dale and Mike but glad y'all had a good date night :) and of course missed Bryan...I know you enjoy being with us as much as we enjoy having you with us!

Look forward to many more times together, love you all!!!

New Years Eve-Hike at Rocky Face

So I am BAD about journaling, bad about scrap booking...bad about memory keeping...I am going to TRY to keep this up...idk who follows, I certainly don't lead an exciting life but maybe one day my kids will want to look back on it?!? Maybe not...

I figured I would share my (our) adventures beginning with New Years Eve...we went on a hike to Rocky Face. It was cold, so we double layered clothing. We wore old shoes since it has rained recently. 

And packed out lunches along with pudding for snack. We stopped 1/2 way up to eat...

daddy did some geocaching too. 

During the 3 hours we were there we hiked 4.5 miles and had some awesome views 

Boys enjoyed the views , the water puddles the stops on logs that looked like benches and Bryan and I had fun as well. 

We had a great time (def one of our fav hiking places)...followed by a good supper at Ruby Tuesday (coupon came in the mail!!!!!) then a GREAT nap before the count down to the New Year (2014) at Grandmas house