I am heading back to HomeschoolBlogger.

You can catch up with the Eblings HERE.

I look forward to seeing you there. 

Thirteen Things I Love About Spring

1.) The smell of fresh air coming in my windows.

2.) The singing birds.

3.) TULIPS!

4.) The grass perking up and turning green.

5.) Planting seeds in the fresh dirt.

6.) Camping season!!

7.) Long walks.

8.) Wearing flip flops.

9.) Barbecuing!

10.) The pitter patter of rain on the rooftop.

11.) Thunderstorms!

12.) Clean laundry hung on the line.

13.) The buds of new life all around.

It started on Monday morning at 3AM with a flash of light and a stabbing pain in my right eye.  I woke with a start, wondering what could have happened.  Looking around my room and seeing nothing, I closed my eyes again…only to quickly open them again.  The pain from closing my eyes was unbearable.  I laid there for several hours, agonizing in pain, unsure of what to do.  When the sun finally shone in my windows I stumbled down the stairs in search of some medication.  I took one Percocet, then started my day….well, I tried to start my day.  By noon I was in such horrific pain that I decided to take a second Percocet and put a call into my OBGYN.  The nurse urged me to go the ER.  (With 7 kids and a husband at work, that is easier said than done.)  At 2PM, I took another Percocet and had my husband come home from work.  I went upstairs to our bedroom to try to “sleep it off”.  After laying there for over an hour with no relief, I called my mom and told her that I needed to go to the ER.  Within an hour my mom and aunt were at my house and we were on our way.  When we walked into the ER, I was immediately brought back to a room – Praise God!  They started an IV and I was given three doses of IV Dilaudid, followed by one dose of IV Morphine with Benadryl and a steroid, followed by a CT scan, followed by another dose of IV Morphine.  I was then given a massive dose of IV Decadron.  At that point they decided to admit me to labor and delivery to give me more medication and to monitor my baby….after that it is all a blur.  (Actually everything before that is a blur, too, but my mom was with me in the ER and was keeping track of what I was getting.)

When I was admitted to labor and delivery my mom and aunt went home.  My room was at the end of the hall – a quiet little nook in the hospital.  All of my lights stayed off, no TV noise and no phones ringing, I never opened my curtains, and I barely opened my eyes.  The nurses pumped me full of pain medication and steroids.  Finally, after 48+ hours of fighting a migraine, I was pain free.  The unbearable pain had lifted and I, again, felt like myself.

It seems so unbelievable, how something that nobody else can see can be so painful.  Only the person fighting the migraine can truly see it.  I am so thankful for doctors who understand that pain doesn’t have to be seen.  I am so thankful for the love and support of my family and friends who empathize with me, even though they can’t see my pain.

In Him, Beckie

Thirteen Things (I didn’t know) About Closing on a House

1.) Siding cannot have hail damage on it on the day of closing UNLESS you have special financing to take care of said hail damage.  This special financing is nearly impossible to get, however, so you are better off to walk away from any prospective house with hail damage.

2.) Any and all checks written to you in the past 30 years must be explained.

3.) Your general contractor must fill out all paperwork promptly and correctly.  And every “t” must be crossed and “i” must be dotted.  (Make sure that all writing is legible, as well, or your financing company might boot it back to you.)

4.) You must know how your retirement accounts work, even if you have no plans of accessing them until you retire.

5.) You must be able to communicate with your mortgage broker.  (Who knew?!)

6.) You must understand your life insurance policies and the terms that relate to them.

7.) You cannot forget any little detail, like the $37.00 that your sister paid you for Mary Kay last month.

8.) You should plan on having enough ink to print 384 copies with your personal printer…or you will be forced to pay big money for printer ink at a store that carries ink 24 hours per day.

9.) Be sure to pray for the health of the families of anyone processing your loan – a sick baby can set things back by a week or more.

10.) You must spend 24/7 in front of your computer because a necessary email may come in at any time and your delay in responding can delay the entire process by weeks.

11.) You have to know the language as spoken by mortgage brokers and their associates.

12.) You ought to always play “nice” with your mortgage broker and their associates, even when you are ready to scream.

13.) Bribery is sometimes a necessity.

Unplanned Bath

My family is participating in Red Envelope Day tomorrow.  We are sending out one envelope each, in honor of babies that have been aborted, to President Obama.

The Lord has laid it on my heart to do something for the innocent babies who lose their lives to abortion.  I have been praying for guidance…  What can I, a simple stay-at-home mom, do for these babies?  I am so thankful for this opportunity to participate in Red Envelope Day.  I know that God has other plans for me, as well, and I plan to continue to prayerfully seek His will for my fight against abortion.

If you are interested in participating in Red Envelope Day, you can get information at http://www.redenvelopeday.com/index.php

Blessings, Beckie

Psalm 139:13 For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

Confused Spring

This is a new idea for me – menu planning.  Not sure how it will go, but I thought it would be worth a try.

I am going to start with planning my suppers.

Monday: Hamburger gravy, mashed potatoes, bread and butter.

Tuesday: Ravioli with spaghetti sauce, corn, garlic french bread.

Wednesday: Potatoes, beef and corn hotdish.

Thursday: Pork roast with carrots and potatoes, french bread.

Friday: Homemade pizza, salad.

Saturday: Tacos.

Sunday: Adrian and I cook together on Sundays, so I can’t plan ahead.  )

For Today… March 9, 2009

Outside my window… fog (or is it smog?).

I am thinking… about all of my boxes that need to be organized.

From the learning rooms… papers spread all over – everything from bills to favorite pieces of artwork.

I am thankful for… snuggly littles.

From the kitchen… dirty dishes that need to be loaded into the dishwasher.

I am wearing… Adrian’s Sponge Bob Square Pants jammie pants, a comfy sweatshirt.

I am reading… I Know my First Name is Steven.

I am hoping… that the forecast for snow is wrong.

I am creating… file folder games.

I am hearing… commercials on Nick Jr.

Around the house… a lot of little projects to be completed.

One of my favorite things… the smell of Spring!

A few plans for the rest of the week… the Stimpert family coming over, an overnight with our camping friends.

Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you…

(Thinking of Spring.)

Thirteen Things to do in the Winter

1.) Drink hot cocoa.

2.) Snuggle under a cozy fleece blanket.

3.) Build a snowman.

4.) Make snow angels.

5.) Rent a movie On Demand.

6.) Shovel.

7.) Spread salt all over the sidewalk.

8.) Thank God for the remote start in your vehicle.

9.) Make snow cones – literal snow cones.

10.) Catch a snowflake on your tongue.

11.) Buy swimsuits on clearance.

12.) Build a snow fort.

13.) Wish for 4-wheel drive.