betheelouwho: Where, Oh Where Have I Been?

For Today... Today is Thursday.

Outside my window... The weather has been fantastic here in San Diego. Cool and drizzly, sometimes rainy. The forecast is for mid 80's through the weekend.

I am thinking...That I have to catch you up on a lot off happenings.

I am thankful... I am thankful for God's goodness to me. I feel so undeserving of His goodness.

I am wearing... I am wearing an olive green maxi skirt with ruffled blue tank top and a blue and white button down shirt as a cover up.

I am creating... Well, in the creating department I just finished the nursery set for my second grandchild. I can sneak you a picture of it but it needs to remain a surprise until the baby shower June 6th.

Baby Walter's Cribset

Cathryn's Cribset, My previous work :-)

I have purchased two more collage picture frames. One is for my Alaska family pictures, especially the grandchildren. The other frame will be for our Sully. That photo album update project hasn't gone anywhere. But I will be working on that as well.

I've cleaned out a bookshelf in the office. I've also gathered a large bag of clothing. I've spied a few old throw pillows and some picture frames that will soon be empty. I need to go through my craft and sewing supplies and empty some of those things out. I will be hauling it all to the thrift store.

I also organized a storage room at our church last night and have a few things to take to the thrift store from that as well.

(pics from our overnight camp out in the desert on Sunday)

I am going... I have a doctor appointment next Friday. Church on Sunday. Nothing else that I can foresee.

I am praying... I have a HUGE unspoken that I am praying for God to move on.(it's not for me :-)) Praying for far away family. Praying for the changing going on with my in-laws.

I am reading... I picked up a book by Richard Castle at the library. It is based off the television show Castle. I have not seen the show but the book is okay. I wouldn't let a youngster read it however. The main character would be the offspring if MacGyver, James Bond and Dirk Pitt produced a child.

From the garden... The garden is producing very well. I've recently replanted some old favorites: spinach, lettuce, collard greens and kale. My Mother's Day present was more tomato plants and some starts of spaghetti squash, they are already in bloom! My zucchini's are just starting to produce and we are enjoying their great flavor as I have been purchasing them for several months now.

From the kitchen... Big News from this household department.

In April husband failed his required bi annual weigh in for the Coast Guard. It goes against his record and he has 35 weeks to reduce to a certain weight, measurement and BMI. Soooo we started a 'diet.' We are trying Trim Healthy Mama. THM is a low Glycemic, low carb, food combining diet. I've had good success with it so far. I've lost 10 pounds and 9 1/4 inches. I think my manly man has lost 2 inches from his waist. Tomorrow is our weigh and measure day so we will see how far we've come in four weeks :-)

Is been challenging to use things like flax flour, coconut flour, almond flour. I've had a few success stories and an equal amount of failures in the baking department. I did have a good success today with a Lemon Cranberry muffin that was very good.

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/379498706077525281/

One our favorites was this Cherry Cheesecake Desert

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/32158584814330657/

From the learning room... School is almost complete. We are working on end of year review and gearing up to take our final exams. We'll probably do the exams next week. We had an end of year party yesterday making Fairy Gardens. I think they were a big success. Even the boys liked them and called them Army Men Gardens.

(pics of the fairy garden makings)

(these last two pics are my fairy garden)

Favorite quotes for today...
When you get to your wits end, you will find, God lives there. ~Author Unknown

When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn. ~Harriet Beecher Stowe

A bend in the road is not the end of the road... unless you fail to make the turn. ~Author Unknown

I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much. ~Mother Teresa

I ask not for a lighter burden, but for broader shoulders. ~Jewish Proverb

I have sometimes been wildly, despairingly, acutely miserable, but through it all I still know quite certainly that just to be alive is a grand thing. ~Agatha Christie

(feeding the ducks at a lake)

A peek into what is going on with me...
My female problems have returned. I've had an ultrasound in March that shows a mass on my remaining left ovary roughly 9.9cm X 7.4 X 7.0 CM. The Gnyecologist/Ocologist who performed my last surgery gave me two options~
1. remove the remaining ovary and my uterus
2. remove the remaining ovary preserve the uterus and remain on progesterone supplements for that remaining uterus the rest of my life.

I have asked for a second opinion. The fantastic government health care we are provided with says my second opinion has to come from WITHIN the clinic where I received my first consult. That second opinion is next Friday. I will then ask for a THIRD opinion. I am trying to get into see a gynecologist who works with my friend Tonya at the Womens Hostpital in town. I am hopeful that he may remove a bit more of the Endometriosis than my previous surgeon did.

Endometriosis is a terrible disease. Like cancer, but not fatal. To have more success with treating it, it needs to be removed, lasored, vaporized etc. If I decide to do Estrogen/Progesterone hormone replacement the endometriosis may flare up again if its not all removed.

Truthfully I don't know if I want to use hormone replacement due to the increased breast cancer risk associated with it. I don't know that I want to totally go without any hormone replacements due to increasing the chances of high blood pressure, high cholesterol and osteoporosis.

My husband (God love him) has said the two options are feasible options. He thought the surgeon was less highfaluting than last time. Honestly, I think he would take me on a cruise if I just decide to have a hysterectomy and move on.

So pray for me if you will. I need to have peace over the decision I make.

One of my favorite things... Since this diet, I crave all things carb.