~~It's Thursday!~~

Outside my window...  Cloudy and misty today.  The forcast is for rain tomorrow.  We've been wondering if we were going to get any more rain this spring.

I am thinking...  I am thinking about being on the mend.  I feel really well.  My incisions (there are 5)  are feeling and looking good.  I get sore easily and wore out quickly.  I am looking forward to being released from 'light duty' at my Dr. appt. on Monday.  I am also looking forward to a few more details about my surgery.  My husband didn't really communicate details really well.  Sounds like there was a lot of Endometriosis in there.  The pictures were pretty cool.  I'd post them but I think you'd gross out!

I am thankful...

Isaiah 45:3   And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.

Psalms 28:7   The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

1 Chronicles 16:8   Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the people.

Psalms 69:30   I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.

Psalm 34:1  I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Psalm 100:4  Enter His gates with thanksgiving, And His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him; bless His name.

1 Thessalonians 5:18   In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

I am thankful to God that he spared us from cancer.  I am thankful for what God is teaching me through this.  I am thankful that is helping me to be a witness to my neighbors.

Thank you so much for all you dear friends who have prayed for me and us!!  You don't know how much I appreciate it.  YOU ALL ARE AWESOME!!  Thank you to those of you who sent cards and flowers, it gave my heart joy to see them as I grow stronger!

In the kitchen...  I'm still doing light duty in the kitchen.  I'm thankful for all the freezer meals I made.  Tonight we're having grilled chicken breast, baked sweet potatoes and green salad.

I am wearing...  I'm trying to find comfortable clothes.  What's most comfortable for me is my short nighty and light bathrobe with socks.  I finally dressed yesterday after 8 days in my nightgown.  My belly seems very tender and bloated, waistbands are uncomfortable.


I am creating...  Got that perpetual list going.  I've got some things I need to do to finish decorating my husbands side of the bed.  I've got some doily's I need to starch and lay our around the house.  I've got a list going of garden plants for my new garden.


(these are my  new garden boxes, built by my men.  They are not complete yet.  They are upside down and need to be placed where I want them.  My man is finishing tuning up a plow that was given to him and then he and the neighbor will till some dirt to fill the boxes.)



I am going... Today is piano lesson for my student.  We'll be heading out soon to attend those lessons.

I am praying...  Praying for my recovery.  Praying for my grandchild...it's Momma needs to be done with nasea.  Praying for my married children and thier upcoming move to Juneau, Alaska in April.  Praying for far away family.  Praying for desires of my heart.  Praying for our family to be a good witness to neighbors and church friends.

I am reading/watching...  I'm between books at the moment.  Going on a library run this afternoon.

We've been watching  Siblings: Heartstrings and watching Mission Impossible.






I am looking forward to...  Getting back in the hot tub next week.  Working in the garden.  Planting flowers.

From the learning rooms...  Cut back on science and history to focus on English, Literature, Spelling and Math.  I may introduce cursive penmanship soon. 

Around the house... Oh yes, housework.  Ha!!  I've noticed lots of dust bunnies and dusty blinds.  My little man is good about running the vacuum and emptying the dishwasher.  I've got a pile of laundry on the bed to be put away.

One of my favorite things...  We've really been in to having tea at lunchtime.  I can't believe how much my little man enjoys doing that with me.

This has been my favorite tea lately.  It's really good brewed with a strong black tea and then made into ice tea!


A few plans for the rest of the week:
I don't have any plans.  My men are going out soul winning on Saturday morning.  Then they have to clean the church.  I think I'm going to try to go to church Sunday morning.

That's all for now.  I hope to be back to regular posting again next week!

She's Alive!!

Hello you all! This is Stacey,

Beth asked me to update her Xanga page so you (all of her Xanga friends) would know how her surgery went. 

First, let me personally thank you for your prayers.  God blessed us with good results.  

Despite all the poking, prodding, and test Beth had went through, the doctors wouldn't know definitively what they were dealing with until they could get a look at the cyst.  The oncologist was confident just by seeing it he would have a pretty good idea if it was cancer or not.  So, as soon as Beth got into the operating room,  the surgical team took a look what was going on inside.   

After taking a look, the head surgeon sent one of his team members out to tell me what they had found.  The surgical team member was also able to share some pictures they had taken of the cyst to help explain to me what they were going to do (pretty neat stuff).  As you can imagine, I was was greatly relieved just to hear that my sweet heart did not have cancer. 

However, the cyst was quite large and the procedure to remove it and the affected area took the surgical team some time (about 2 1/2 hours).  I finally got to see Beth at about 4:30 PM yesterday, and the hospital released her come home at approximately 8:30 PM.  The hospital would have permitted Beth to stay the night, however, both Beth and I felt she would get better rested at home.

I've included before and after surgery pictures of Beth that she let me take for your viewing pleasure. 

If you ask me, I think she's a pretty tough and brave lady.  In the second picture, she is smiling, and no one had told yet what the results were.  They let me be the first to give her the good news after she was settled in her recovery room.  She was very thankful for the good news.

Love,

Stacey
   

Victory

I'm a huge mess.  I've done a lot of crying and praying.  Seems like an endless cycle the last few days.  I wish I had more faith.  More strength.  More hope.  Just more.

I went to church on Wednesday night and this song touched my heart.  I sobbed through most all of it as the church sang it.

I heard an old, old story,
How a Savior came from glory,
How He gave His life on Calvary
To save a wretch like me;
I heard about His groaning,
Of His precious blood's atoning,
Then I repented of my sins;
And won the victory.

CHORUS*

O victory in Jesus,
My Savior, forever.
He sought me and bought me
With His redeeming blood;
He loved me ere I knew Him,
And all my love is due Him,
He plunged me to victory,
Beneath the cleansing flood.

I heard about His healing, Of His cleansing power revealing. How He made the lame to walk again And caused the blind to see; And then I cried, "Dear Jesus, Come and heal my broken spirit," And somehow Jesus came and brought To me the victory.

CHORUS*

I heard about a mansion
He has built for me in glory.
And I heard about the streets of gold
Beyond the crystal sea;
About the angels singing,
And the old redemption story,
And some sweet day I'll sing up there
The song of victory.

CHORUS*

I have a Great and Mighty God.  I know in the end he will perform a work in me. . .and then I will know why I needed to go through this. . .valley.

Philippians 1:6   "Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:"
 
I do have a time to report to the hospital for my surgery. . .7:00 a.m.  Monday the 25th.

Please be praying for my family and I.

It Will Be

It Will Be What It Will Be

Not sure where to begin.  I hate asking for things for myself or requesting prayer.  I don't want to be the center of attention.  That's just not me.

 Psalms 34:1   "I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth."

I requested prayer the other day.  My referral Gynecology Dr. did some blood work on me testing specifically the CA 125 levels in my blood.  Mine are 169.  The normal level for that lab is less than 20.

John 15:5   "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing."

That test alone is in NO WAY a diagnosis of cancer.  It could still be because of my ovarian cyst, fibroids, endometriosis or where I am during my menstrual cycle.  The only way to know for sure if it's cancer is to remove the cyst and have it biopsied.

Hebrews 4:16   "Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."

I have however, been referred to a Gynecology Oncologist who specializes in surgeries where you may need a bit more of an expert.  That appointment is Wednesday, February 20th at 10:30 a.m.

Mark 7:37   "And were beyond measure astonished, saying, He hath done all things well: he maketh both the deaf to hear, and the dumb to speak."

I am anxious to say the least.  I've been through many stressful surgeries, facing unknown results, in my life starting at age 15.  This one will be no different.  I am very confident God is in control of my life, I will be able to handle whatever comes my way.

 Matthew 6:34   "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof."

I'm praying just for removal of the ovary and cyst and a clean biopsy.  I want the rest of my female parts left where they belong, leaving those hormone producing organs there for the rest of my life. You already know, one of my great desires is to have more children. 

Isaiah 41:13   "For I the LORD thy God will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, Fear not; I will help thee.".

So. . . if you will be in prayer for me and my family.  My husband is handling things remarkably well.   He originally said to me, "It will be what it will be.  What can we do about it?"  We've told all the other family except for my Sully.  I'm just not sure how much he will understand about what is going on.  Like I said, I am very anxious, but I know "The Great Physician" and trust him with my whole life.

Joshua 1:9   "Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest."

I will try to keep you updated especially the date and time of my surgery.  Please PRAY!  Leave me verses of encouragement.  It really does help me to read and meditate on God's word.

Psalms 56:3   "What time I am afraid, I will trust in thee."

Proverbs 3:5-6  "Trust in the Lord with all thine heart: and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."

It's Friday!

(hot-tubbing with some of my peeps!)

(homemade Squirts!)

Outside my window...It's beautiful here.  Things are greening up.  We had a bit of rain this week.  I was looking at the yearly calender on weather.com.  The average temperature for this month is 70 degrees.

I am thankful...I am thankful for God's word.  It's always meaningful.  There is always a scripture that applies to my life, either as encouragement or conviction.

Psalms 139:17-18 
 How precious also are thy thoughts unto me, O God! how great is the sum of them!
  If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand: when I awake, I am still with thee.

In the kitchen...I need to go grocery shopping.  I think tonight it will be homemade thin crust pizza, one meat and one vegetable.

I've got a freezer meal list going.  I want to take a day next week and stock up the freezer with casseroles and soups.

Bisquick Lasagna Pie
Bisquick Cheeseburger Pie
Bisquick Taco Pie
Quick Baked Pasta
Tereaki Chicken and Rice
Sweet and Sour Chicken
Chili Rellenos Casserole
Cheese Noodles and Turkey Keilbasa
Lemon Chicken
Tuscan Vegetable Soup
Beef Barley Soup
Oven Stew
Chicken Gumbo


I am wearing...  Jeans, socks and a green 3/4 sleeve tee

I am creating...I'm still creating in my mind.  I still have some computer graphics I'd like to complete and use as decorations.  I'm really wanting to get out and start garden boxes and build a chicken house before we loose the soft ground.

I am going...I heard back from my Doctor last Friday.  She has referred me to the Gynecology clinic the Navy Medical Training Center, February 11th.  She said the second ultrasound showed NO change in the cyst.  I'm hoping whoever I see will recommend a laparoscopic ovarian cystectomy.  I'm really ready to be back to normal and pain free.

I am praying...I'm praying for the desires of my heart, for my grandchild, for my children, for far away family, for my husband.

I am reading/watching...I've started the series The 39 Clues.  It's juvenile fiction but an action packed series for sure.

The Dead of Night

We are watching several things:

Six Million Dollar Man

Mission Impossible



I am looking forward to...One of these days, I am going to sneak off to the desert for some camping.





From the learning rooms...we've been doing Math drills with multiplication and division.  My student needs the extra practice.

Around the house...Yesterday and today are sick days for my student.  He's running a pretty high fever and says his neck and head hurt.  Last night, at bedtime, he said, "The only things that hurts now is my eyelids."



Smoked Turkey, Noodle and Cheese soup with Kale, Carrots and Celery. . . YUM!

We had a meeting at church last Saturday.  I am now the Sunday church bulletin maker and the person in charge of arranging food for the guest speakers.  It feels good to be helpful!

(this picture I drew will be my bulletin cover and the cover for a salvation tract I'm making)

Would you believe...We celebrated a tenth birthday last Friday.  I didn't get any pictures!!  We had to change plans at the last minute as we had a rainy day.  We had bought tickets for 4 people and planned to spend the day at Legoland.  Due to the rain, we went to the Creation Museum and an Air and Space Museum, we went to Von's and bought a cake and ice cream.  We had pizza dinner and invited some of his friends.  I'm sad I didn't get pictures!

(Missing some teeth!)

A quote for today... "We can be tired, weary and emotionally distraught,
but after spending time alone with God,
we find that He injects into our bodies energy, power and strength."
Charles Stanley

One of my favorite things...It's been a couple weeks since I had carne asada nachos.  I'm day dreaming today. . . .

A few plans for the rest of the week:  Nothing special is planned.  I was informed that my husband had duty the next 7 days.  No out of town trips for us.

A peek into my day...

Three Day Weekend

 

Wow!  The weather has been so nice around here.  We had a marvelous three day weekend.

Saturday~  On Saturday I babysat Tonya's girls, Samantha and Katherine. 

We went out to the back yard and fed the neighbors goats some grass.


Opa, Pa Pa, Grandpa, Grumpy. . .tried on his new reading glasses for facebook pictures.


Then he got some cuddle time in after lunch.



We're enjoying being on the recieving end of free produce from the neighbors next door.  Pictured in the basket is a Pomelo, oranges and grapefruit.




Sunday~  A church day.  No pictures of that.  Most everyone was out sick.

Monday~  an extra day off.  Thank You Martin Luther King!


We drove out to the desert and did a little hiking, rock collecting and sight seeing.
 
ooppss. . .sorry couldn't resist throwing this one in.  She sure is a pretty truck!


This trail was called Palm Canyon.  Out in the middle of nowhere, grew these grove of Native California Fan Palms.

Posing.

Granite rock with mica.
 
Mica settling into the sand after a rain.  In the right light the black appeared as gold.
 
I'm guessing some retired artist made these metal sculptures and placed them (in the middle of nowhere)  Gives you a reason to visit I suppose?


 
Dragon head.  Dragon body.
 


Our family.

Have a great week friends!

~~It's Thursday!~~

Outside my window... I've been cold recently.  Outside the temperatures are mild.  In the 60's most days.  Today it will be over 70 degrees.  But this house sure does hold the cold night air
. . .all day
 
(my Christmas Cactus is really happy.  It's twice as bushy as it was in New Jersey.  It has a bit of sunburn.  But it's really happy and full of blooms.)
 

I am thinking/creating...  I am always thinking.  I am thinking about to do projects.  I've completed several recently.  Right now, my project list includes:
a.  finish a simple salvation tract for our family to use to invite folks to church
b.  Finish a simple salvation tract for use in auto shows for the 'TOY'
c. complete some computer graphics projects for art on our bedroom walls
d. start my Bachelors (of Christian Education) degree coursework


I am thankful...  I am thankful that the Lord continues to provide our needs over and above what I could ask for or think of.  I am thankful he made a way for us to purchase airline tickets for a trip to see my sister and family in Washington state for the New Year.  We continue to have enough to eat and heat in the house!  I am thankful for my friends, my church, my husband and family.

In the kitchen... Stuffed Peppers, Spaghetti squash, wilted Kale.




I am wearing...Army green cargo pants, long sleeve turquoise tee shirt, Navy cardigan and fusia scarf.

I am going...  Tomorrow is my second abdominal ultrasound.  Please be in prayer that my doctor makes a good recommendation for me.  I have been in a lot of pain.  I just want to be done with 'it'.

I am praying... Praying for my health.  Praying for the desires of my heart.  Praying for far away family.  Praying for the Lord's will. 

I am reading/watching...  I am reading 'Devils Gate' by Clive Cussler.  I love these action adventure stories.  They are always a good, clean read.

We have been watching Adam 12.  A 1970's era police show. 


I love Netflix!!

I am looking forward to...  I am looking forward to fall 2013. . .
September 22 to be exact.




We're so excited for Aaron and Maggie!  I've been looking at Grandma names.  We thought we'd be MaMa and PaPa but there are sooo many cute nicknames.
Oma- Opa
Mom mom- Pop pop
Gee gee-Poppy

From the learning rooms...  Second week back at school after what seems like 4 weeks vacation.  Our December was just sooo busy.  Leaning lots more about writing sentences.  Keeping up with multiplication and division.

(he is showing you the holes, he's lost two teeth in the past 3 weeks.)

Around the house...  We came home last Monday, January 7th after a week away.  I took down the tree and other Christmas decorations.  I really did like having the swag over the window.  It was pretty.  the rest of the house is good.  Maybe a tad bit dusty.  I'll run the vacuum around tonight.  But laundry is caught up, dishes are clean.  We've even had a hot meal today.


A favorite quote for today...
"Grandma always made you feel she had been waiting to see just you all day and now the day was complete.  "~ Marcy DeMaree

"There's no place like home except Grandma's."

"A house needs a grandma in it."  ~Louisa May Alcott

"Grandmothers are the people who take delight in hearing babies breathing into the telephone."

Grandmother - a wonderful mother with lots of practice.-- Author Unknown


One of my favorite things...

A warm cozy kitty sharing my lap!

A few plans for the rest of the week:  I believe it's a three day weekend.  I'd love to go camping!  I will be babysitting all day on Saturday. Not sure what my manly man has planned for himself.

A peek into my weeks...

Whidbey Island, Washington on the visit to see my sister


Mt. Baker

Sunset over Puget Sound

My sister in love~ Jo

Ready for church

geocaching
 
Slumber party with cousins!

Manicure night.

Church music

A blog friend meeting with @diaryofapastorswife~ Kimberly


Park day with babies

'TEA' for lunch

Have a great weekend dear friends!  Happy New Year