Prayers are working :)

Hey - so I wrote the 2 below posts, said a prayer, took a nap, and then got an ENT appt for Monday. Over the weekend I felt better, and could breathe better. I still have symptoms I want checked, but it has been amazing....the pressure and pain are so much more tolerable. I have no doubt that prayers from you my friends have helped.

I'll keep the ole' blog posted on this breaking news. :)

Much appreciation!!!

Crosses

It was funny. I was walking to my bed to take a nap, and as I was complaining to myself about not being able to breathe, again, even with Claritin D, and frustrated my Dr. couldn't see a bigger problem and sent me home, and how I'm not sleeping well again or napping well and yada yada yada I tried to snap myself out of it by saying this was a SMALL cross to deal with. I'm so lucky, as it could be worse. Yet, why am I complaining so much when I don't complain over bigger crosses. I started thinking....

I think it sometimes is harder to carry a bunch of small crosses, than one big cross. Well, in the case of a fallible human. Sure, my constant sinus issues are one small cross, but it is happening on top of a lot of other crosses going on at the same time - juggling family, carpool, lessons, parenting, activities, prayer, all while pregnant, etc. It's like trying to carry a stuffed, bulky bag. I keep wanting to drop it, and find myself wishing I could grab one huge beam that while I can barely lift it, I could find a way to hold on to it tighter, balance it on my back more, or attract a kind Simon to come and grab a piece with me. Bigger, obvious crosses scream out for surrender to help from others, from God. Smaller "bulk" seems to make me want to just keep doing it on my own...complaining, venting, but little action past that - or faith.

With the smaller crosses, I just can't let go of the control. Our small group talked about how women really feel the need to control and create the space around us to bring us peace, while men can just let that go. While I am an advocate for communication in marriage and for husbands to help us "help them" so to speak (being "wired" a certain way doesn't always fly in my book as an excuse, and I'm blessed with a man who agrees) lol, I also know I need to meet my spouse (or God) halfway and release my control on things. I need to let go a little, have some faith, take some grace, offer my suffering up, tell someone what I need - but man, it is hard with those smaller crosses. I just want to do it all by myself.

So, I'm going to go crawl back into bed now... also I'll try to surrender this frustration at my nose issues, and try to trust that while this small cross is certainly making my load bulky and cumbersome....there is some grace waiting for me to help carry it - even if I fall under the weight more than 3 times....

Maybe say a prayer for me? Thanks...please know praying for you empowers me and makes me feel better. I'm here for you!

Small Successes and Thankful Thursday - "Need a Nap" Edition

Oh, I'm needing a nap! So this will be short....but a recap is good because I'm a bit down today (same song, new verse: sinus woes) and this could cheer me some.



Oh - a GREAT one - Advent stuff is out - doing the wreath, and Jesse tree with Advent Adventures. LOVE them and their program!!! Still need to get the other decorations, but....Christmas comes at the end of the month for 12 days, right!! ? :)

1. Cleaned the downstairs of the house, and straightened the upstairs. Ok...so maybe my parents staying a night with us and Hubby and I hosting a Christmas Party this weekend were helpful motivators...still, it is done!

2. survived practicing and rehearsals for the Advent concert we are in Friday while dealing with my personal pity party for my sinuses.

3. Felt really blessed by my woman's prayer group this week. I feel like God is working through each of the women there, and it is so uplifting to me. It gives me hope. I feel less alone and more a part of a community of believers that can lift each other up when we feel we can't do it ourselves (sermon Kate Wicker's mom's priest gave).


Thankful Thursday
This week I am most thankful for...

1. 2010 bringing forth precious life!
2. the prayers from friends for friends.
3. the support of friends asking how my family and I are. I love you!
4. my incredible husband (maybe that should be #1) and all his support this past month with all I've needed selfishly or unselfishly.
5. my girls.
6. the advice and help from people regarding doing something proactive for my sinus health.
7. SLEEP. When I can get it, it is most precious.
8. knowing I'm forgiven above for whining so much about my sinus issues. I pray for more strength to just take this gracefully because there could be WORSE things.

God Bless! Keep your chin up!! I'm trying for you with mine..... :) hehe

Wow - a record!

I'm sitting here, blogging again (can you tell the congestion has me looking for distractions since I can't nap or lay down when I'm "free" - like when kids nap, etc.) Ok , enough whining! I swear! I'll gather me some grace and gratitude...

I thought since I'm up, sipping some blueberry tea (!!) I'd post some pics from today....Little Val practicing some walking, and Lovely doing today's Advent Adventure and making her Jesse Tree ornaments (somehow sleepy mommy got a day ahead and we did two ornaments lol - it's all good, tomorrow is a busy day!)

You can see Lovely watched the cute kid bible story as she colored on the laptop - I love how the kids lead everything in the Adventures. Lovely really gets into it! She was proud after hanging them at the bottom of her tree. It'll be fun to fill the tree to the top!

Ignore the mess of things on the kitchen and dining room tables. All our decorations are out on the table, hanging out...one day I'll do something with them :)



Ok - this is the medicine I needed - seeing my babies sweet faces after time spent together!

(hopefully) GOODNIGHT!

(Oh - I posted this, then turned around and saw the bed....HA on me if I thought I was about to crawl into this sanctuary....look at it. I guess instead of looking at pics of my kids and blogging them I SHOULD have tackled this...but...I had to snap a pic...this is also part of my REAL life haha!)


HA on Goodnight. Congested or not...no more procrastination.... lol!

"I SO Rock" AGAIN :)

So, I was back at my GP again today to make sure I still was not infected (I'm still not convinced I don't have a hidden infection brewing still - her diagnosis is that I'm just pregnant and stuffy and she can't do anything until I get infected - I'm bummed and considering getting an ENT for this issue. I need more proactive care. I don't want to keep taking antibiotics and creating scar tissue and drug resistance with every infection - plus I'm PREGGO!!) and while I came without books (silly brain) and the girls read waiting room magazines - lol - the girls read:

AHEM....

Prevention Magazine (Valiant)

Woman's Health (Lovely - until the attraction of playing quietly with a small toy and a office potted fern as a "forest" in her imagination became a more exciting way to pass the time).

The waiting time went great AGAIN (need the backstory? Read this), and I just have to say...

"I SOOOO Rock!!" AGAIN!!

Happy New Year!! :)

Howdy Howdy!!!

I'm attempting some happy wishes while feeling sick again on a GORGEOUS day. I may have to get the girls and I out despite my swollen sinuses for a walk before the sun sets. But, I'll end this pity party with a hearty "Happy New Year!"

No - I'm not confused from my medication! For any Christian followers who enjoy the season of Advent, today is the first day of Advent and the start of a new Christian year. For Catholics, it's the start of a new liturgical year which includes reading a different new testament book of the bible than the previous year (new cycle). The older I get, the more I think these trivia facts get cooler, and I appreciate them more.

I'm also excited because Advent is the time of preparation for Christmas! We're preparing our hearts, homes, and minds for the coming of Baby Jesus and the Promise! It's a time rich in tradition for so many families. People love their Christmas traditions, and I love hearing about them. As Lovely ages, I've tried to do new traditions that can make this season more enjoyable and meaningful for the whole family. I guess I feel that with each passing year, we rush from Halloween into Christmas in the retail world, and their calendar dictates what we think and feel. Poor Thanksgiving gets skipped over, and then in the countdown to Christmas it seems stressful -rush rush, buy buy, etc. Sure, I can be working on myself to stay calm, but a lot of that pressure can be external. The true reason for the season, and the whole reason Advent is around is to help us quiet down, prepare, have hope, peace, and joy as we await the coming of Hope and Life. It's a time to enjoy Advent and Christmas traditions, family, and friends. It's more than just shopping and presents (though the making of presents can be fun!) and I like that something out there is telling me to slow down, listen, and wait.

Many church denominations share the same traditions (Advent Wreathes, Jesse tree etc), hold Advent Women Teas, focus on scripture, pause and reflect each Sunday and every day - and I love how Christ brings us all together in the hope of this season! Even when we feel the pinch of the economy on our wallets, if we just look to each other we realize just how RICH we are in those around us. My life is so full of blessings, I can hardly list them all. Now that's MY 401K!!

So what are your Advent and Christmas traditions? I wonder what my family could be missing? I love making this liturgical season special, and a time to renew my own faith, and today starts so much of that for my family!!! Here is a starting list to what we'll be doing in our home. Some of these things we've always done, some we're starting this year:

Christmas Tree
Decorations all over the house
Nativity (I love having them everywhere - and the girls have a set to play with)
Advent Wreath
Advent Calendar (I wanted to make one, but ran out of time. We got one of those cute door and chocolate ones from my childhood for Lovely. I LOVED those! See picture - she's holding it!)
Bible Stories
Christmas Stories (many from the books I read as a child!! I still have them!)
The Nutcracker (we have a big music box the girls love watching and hearing, and the story and the ballet music are so wonderful!)
Holiday Music in the house (more sounds of the season - to calm and enjoy. We'll also have less TV )
Jesse Tree (our first one!! This is a new tradition for us, kid led with Lovely making the ornaments. We're using the Advent Adventures as our guide!)
Coloring pages, projects, and games (again, many in thanks to Advent Adventures!)
Special Holiday foods (both traditional and some more symbolic - all tasty hehe!)
3 Gifts on Christmas morning (my parents did this...not sure how old the tradition goes back in the family - but my parents never let us have more than 3 gifts from them and Santa - Santa and my parents only give us the same amount of gifts Baby Jesus got. LOVED this idea...even as a child! It helped me remember Christmas is Jesus' birthday and "the reason for the season.")
Santa/ Ole St. Nick (yes, we love Santa here. I love the magic of the imagination with the blending of the Christmas spirit. My parents always told us Santa/St. Nick was a way to spread that love of the season of giving on Jesus b-day and he was a Saint too! It made that spirit, that magic, STILL fun, even after we were old enough to know who acted on Santa's behalf hehe!! Here is a great post about Santa/St. Nick from Sarah at Snoring Scholar)
Christmas Stockings
CLASSIC holiday movies ( love Rankin Bass classics like Rudolph, Nestor [LOVE Nestor - the story of the donkey who carried Mary], Little Drummer Boy, Santa Clause is Coming to Town, Frosty the Snow Man, etc.)
Christmas Cookies and Reindeer Food!
Reading of the Christmas Story and Twas the Night Before Christmas
Advent Adventures (I LOVE this home program. It helps all of us learn new traditions, understand why we do what we do, craft together, learn liturgy, as well as gather us in prayer)
...and I'm always remembering more....I'd love to hear more!

Here is a New Year's picture from the girls to you :)



This was today after Lovely and I got the Advent wreath ready with greenery (this pottery wreath is from my childhood and growing up years!! I love it for both sentimental reasons and the fact it holds both the candles AND water for the greenery!) and did our lighting blessing and song. She's also holding a tradition of my childhood - the Advent calendar - the chocolate kind - open a door and find a surprise as we countdown to Christmas (maybe next year I'll have made my own...). Little Valiant enjoys the candle, singing, and snacking :) It's a good day to just hang out, ready the house, and be together in this new season, new year.

I hope you all have a great season! Blessings abound if you look hard enough! Fill free to send any traditions you do. I LOVE ideas and hearing other people's stories! This season is SO RICH!

Happy New Year! Happy Advent!!

(Oh! An another cool thing? Once Christmas is here, it REALLY is 12 days long hehe, not just one day like retail says!! FUN!! Bring on the Christmas music!! But I digress....lol)

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Oh - if you didn't click on the above links to those classic movies, below is a clip of Nestor, and Rudolph. I love how both address lovely aspects of faith, the season, and the magic - along with overcoming obstacles with some grace (Nestor trips over his ears and is made fun of, but yet is chosen to carry the Holy Family, and Rudolph has to overcome teasing to save the day (Hermie too, and the misfit toys...lol!)





and just for fun - I have this book based on the art of this lovely version of the 40s Rudolph:

"I SO Rock!"

Ok - so I've had a "real" day today :)

We've had one of those appointment days - Baby checkup, Lovely school conference, mom's group coffee, the store, doc appt for ME, and the checkup/appts were all during nap time, so Valiant has barely slept today.

I picked Lovely up, had her GREAT conference (more on that another time) and then we RUSHED to my doc appt (my sinus infection is creeping back...ugh!) at 3:30. Of course, this is smack DAB during Val's nap time #2, so when I walked in and saw a crowded waiting room of older people (elderly) I looked at my "pent up from a day in the K classroom" elder daughter, and my "has not napped today" 17 month old and thought..."These older people are going to TAKE ME OUT."

We sat down, and Val started to get restless. I did NOT want her on the floor (germs!) and she did NOT want her stroller, so I put her in a chair like her big sister. To keep her there, I sent Lovely for waiting room magazines. Lovely came back with 2 of them, gave the smaller one to Val, and to my astonishment...for the next TWENTY minute wait, BOTH girls flipped through their magazines contented, interested, QUIET.

I sat in my chair with a mixture of "I can finally rest my body and catch my breath" and PRIDE as I met the impressed glances of 80 year old women giving me approving nods at my obviously amazing parenting skills my angelic young daughters were expertly exemplifying. My daughters were not being "those" kids one sees in waiting rooms, store lines, etc being whiny, hyper, and fidgety. My daughters are always this good because "I SO Rock!" with my consistent parenting. Also, I'm pregnant expecting yet another example of parenting perfection!! I was enjoying my moment in the affirmation spotlight.

They finally called my name, and I gathered our things to go to the examining room (no doubt to wait a bit longer). Lovely asked if she could take her magazine. I said "sure", and we went in. As we waited in the tiny room - I go to give the girls back their magazines when I see that Lovely's magazine was an old Cozmo Swimsuit edition and Val's magazine was Soap Opera Weekly. Their pages of airbrushed girls , with "barely there" swimsuits or clothes popping off every page, ad, and story, captured my girls' attention.

Yes.....I....uh..what was I saying again?.........."I so Rock??"

So yes, while I thought my attempts at being a consistent parent in teaching my girls good manners were paying off while looking good to the masses, my daughters were actually distracted by 'quality' literature with an added dose of body image stripping. AHEM.

Again..."I SO Rock!" NOT!!!!

Does it count I can laugh about it...somewhat....ok...a lot? :)

What a DAY.

I still Rock ;)

Bring it ON!

Ok - war is declared...on my NOSE.

I need all the tips and holistic procedures anyone can send me on sinus health. I have chronic sinus issues, that NORMALLY I can keep at bay using my beloved neti pot, steam (either in shower OR ever heard of getting a baby diaper, wetting it, then microwaving it a few seconds to put on face to both relieve pressure AND breathe steam? AWESOME idea!), and peppermint & eucalyptus.

It isn't working.

Pregnancy is aggravating my sinuses.

I had a sinus infection about a week ago. I had to take antibiotics for a week. I've been off them a week and all the signs are starting to return. There is still hope - hence my desire to attack this head on before drugs are needed. Seriously...I don't need antibiotics when preggo, and I don't want to develop resistance! I had all these issues (plus resistance) when pregnant with Valiant too. UGH!

Please send me help, ideas, and yes, prayers. I get really whiny when my sinuses act up. Who needs whiny?

Stuffily and Plugged,
Yours Truly

"You give me Fever..."

I've been humming that Eva Cassidy song "Fever" the last few days, as Lovely has had this fever (sounds like her class has it) and now Baby Val does too. Luckily, they sleep well, and are happy as long as fever reducers work. I've canceled our plans for dinner tonight, and with our niece (she would have been our babysitter) and we'll settle in for a quiet weekend. The girls and I will stay home from church tomorrow too and hopefully rest this virus away!

I'm up early this morning, enjoying the sounds of a sleepy, quiet house, and doing some internet reading. I'd better get off to it before the little ones tell me it is time for them, hehe!

Stay Well!

Hugged a Rhino lately?

I think one of my top favorites in life is the Rhino Virus. It's sooo stinking fun! You feel a bit stiff and achy a few days before (but what's new with that - could be anything) and then WHAM overnight you have this congestion, headache, blurry vision, impacted hearing, and fatigue. There is nothing like it. It is genius actually. I mean, come on - the common cold wiped out the aliens during the War of the Worlds. Biology at its best!

Then, if you are prone, and REALLY lucky - The Rhino creates the perfect environment for a sinus infection. A civilization of a million infective cells and 1 rhino inhabit the small recesses in my face. It's facinating, and I've gotten to experience it first hand for 4 days now. I'm "one" and bonded with some of the tiniest creatures of God's creation. It's a beautiful thing.

Now, everyone take a moment to create a quiet space, empty your mind, and meditate on the goodness of life - the tiniest germ cell, the miracle of biology. Inhale...

.........


.........






oh wait. I can't inhale.

@%#$# cold!!!