Weird Post

I need to post these for a friend and you get to enjoy as well!

Lilly, Candle, Photo Box, crystals, pearls and organza ribbon

Tea cups, organza, crystals and pearls. Left cups level but used different sized cups to vary the heighth.


Another shot of the first set.

Candle, crstals, pearls, organza, mirror under table runner with candle. Very pretty.

Like this: Mirror, Lilly with organza bow, candle, crystals and pearls.

The double heart charm is tied to end of organza ribbon.

The Lilly is very elegant and simple to do. The ribbon was about $2.00 for each flower. A $6.00 box of crystals will do 3 tables. The photo boxes are $3.00 - a few that you give to Grandparents would be nice. Pearls would be $4. a table (we can probably find cheaper)

A Girlfriend's Way to Love

So, looks like it's on May 22nd! I also posted a Facebook e-vitation. Forward it to friends.

Any ideas or where to reserve for dinner? Remember, we want to work as little as possible on this so we really get a sense of rest. (Rest? 20 plus women together? Okay, our definition is different than most!)

What amazes me is that we have tapped a nerve. As we are talking about Relationships at church and in SMall Groups, we are seeing that we need MANY relationships! Our Father, our spouses, our friends - in small groups, at work, at church and at sleep-overs!

So, my next blog will be how we need to go to Alaska with L*nn! Surely, that would build strong relationships, too!

Wow!

Okay, Carie has offered her home on the following dates:

Friday, may 8th, may 22 or 29th

I'm good on May 22 - the others I'm being Soccer Mom!

Anyone else?

Forward to friends . . .

Women's Retreat

I'm thinking we need a Women's Retreat at the church. Our mom's are so tired and worn. So many women are hurting. We need each other!

Okay, but I don't want this to be too much work. Women like things nice and sometimes we work so hard to plan and accomplish retreats that we are exhausted afterwards!

So, how 'bout we all bring sleeping bags to the church on a Friday evening. For dinner, we go out - someone else can cook and clean - just reserve a huge room for all of us. Then we go back to the church and throw down our bags in the church auditorium and put in a Chick Flick. We eat ice cream out of the carton. We drink pop from the can. We burb in public! We wear our favorite, faded, worn-out pj's.

And Saturday morning, we sleep late. The first person up is tied with duck tape to the toilet! Breakfast? CJ's can leave burritos - quietly! - on the front porch by the Durango Joe's coffee delivery - and we'll get them when we want.

Or better yet - let's send our kids, boyfriends and husbands on a camp-put and we can stay in our own beds.

Nay, I'd rather be with my girlfriends.

Thankul Thursday . . .

. . . a Sense of Humour.

My parents gave me the ability to find laughter in everything. That ability has gotten me through some tough times.

David and I have developed that skill in our marriage, often laughing at inopportune times yet it was better than tears.

After Ashley had her stroke, we called her Ladybug. Not because she liked Ladybugs, but our weird sense of humour saw the resemblance for her head to a the tiny insect after they had scrubbed her head to remove the EEG cords yet had marked each placement with a blackmarker so they knew where to attach them again after an MRI. Her bright red head with black dots looked like a ladybug's body. Weird, but we smiled.

Yesterday, Chris had his endoscopy. While we were talking with Dr. B*B, I heard the words playing on the overhead radio - "She flew up to Heaven on the wings of angels/By the clouds and stars and passed where no one sees/And she walks with Jesus and her loved ones waiting/And I know she's smiling saying/Don't worry 'bout me." This prompted a laugh from me and we began laughing about songs you don't want to hear at a hospital.

And the list began:

1. Highway to Hell
2. Sissy's Song (where the lyrics above came from)
3. A proctologist whistling, "take this job and shove it"
4. The Christmas Shoes
5. "When we get to Heaven can I help pour out the rain"
6. "Don't Take the Girl"
7. "How can I help you say goodbye"


Got any to add?

Go God

Chris's doctor just called - the biopsy done this morning showed Chris positive for H. Pylori
bacteria which can cause gastritis, ulcers, pain and ickiness in the stomach! This is a diagnosis much more in line with Chris's age and symptoms. . . and can be treated with medications.

Yes, he had been tested with blood work, and we were assured that a negative blood test was accurate. Yet, false negatives happen all the time. So it is good we went through the steps to have him tested.

He should be feeling much better by Monday!

Thank you God!

C's Update

Endoscopy went well. No abnormalities that way. He is scheduled for surgery to remove gall bladder on Friday at 7:30 a.m.

He's a trooper but tired of all of this. Just wants to feel better! Much better!

Waiting

I like instant - no waiting. I like drive-throughs- they cook and clean. I like buying bead at bakeries - it's already done.

I don' t like to wait.

But here I am waiting. Not sitting - my bathrooms are clean, laundry is done, house cleaned. I don't just "sit" well. But I am learning.

Sit at the emergency room. Sit in the doctor's office. Sit at the hospital - walk the halls in the middle of the night to keep from going crazy in the quiet!. Sit at home. Sit at another doctor's office. Sit at the hospital - again.

I have been here before. Waiting.

God, help me to sit quietly in you today. Only you know why my son is ill. Only you know how to help him. Give the doctor's wisdom. Give his father and I grace. Give Chris peace. . .

while we wait.

Tomorrow

Chris will have an endoscopy in the morning. If nothing new is found, they will proceed with surgery on Thursday or Friday to remove his gall bladder.

Today . . .

Chris has a surgical consultation tomorrow and then we will schedule an endoscopy for probably Wednesday. The doctor, in wisdom, wants to make sure there's no structural abnormalities in his esophagus and stomach before resorting to surgery. Why operate if you don't have to!

Please pray for our patience - with Chris who is a little grumpy with little food and l*rtabs! - with the whole process! with each other! with God.

Thanks for all the notes - and the food! Nice that I haven't had to worry about meals.

Nice to have a family made by the Spirit of Adoption by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" It is the Blood of Christ that binds us into one body.

Update

So being home doesn't mean he's better, just we're taking drugs here instead of at the hospital. His symptoms persist so we'll have more tests later today or tomorrow.

KB

Home

I have enough energy to let you know we are home. Chris does have gall bladder trouble made worse by the viral infection he battled last week. He is in no immediate danger and has some good meds to handle pain so we will treat slowly.

Thank you Lord for your provision.

Thank you Lord for sending Dwight to pray - the words you gave Dwight prepared Chris to come home knowing you would take care of him.

Thank you for friends who visited the hospital and made us feel protected.

Thank you those who texted to let us know life would still go on.

Thank you for chocolate and diet coke and their delivery driver.

Thank you for the rest you are sending tonight.

Thank you for Father Jim and his visits to encourage Chris.

Thank you for Adam and Kristen and coffee. They made Chris smile.

Thank you for cheese burgers - who knew so much fat could bring so much joy - if just for a little bit!

Thank you for friends who look after our precious daughter.

Thank you for friends who feed us!

Thank you for family far away who lift us in prayer.

Thank you for your love, God. We are never alone.

Still Waiting. . .

The doctor is on the floor! Yeah! Still waiting to see what we are going to do today. Eating was good for his mood but not his body - hurting. Breakfast was the same way.

Okay, I can trust God. He keeps asking me, "Do you trust me with your child?" Hard for me to say yes. I'm learning.

Father, I will trust you. Please give the drs wisdom. I don't want him to suffer. He needs relief and wants to be home - and to eat without any pain. Lord, he was yours before mine. You hold him in Your hand. Hold us, too. We will wait. Your timing is perfect - ours is inpatient. Your will is all-encompassing - ours is self-centered. Your grace is keeping - ours is fleeting. I will wait.

Inconclusive

Although most tests point to gall bladdar, they are inconclusive, so Chris got to eat tonight - we'll see how it goes. He is a more agreeable guy after 3 days without food!

Update on Family

Chris is being admitted to the hospital in about 15 minutes for rest and tests!

Thankful Thursday - with a Request

You may have heard the story of doctors telling us, after years of infertility treatments and a miscarriage, that David and I were "incompatable" (really?) and would never have children. So what a suprise when 4 weeks later, I was pregnant! (yeah, really!)

Chris was the son I prayed for - another David to carry his father's name as well as his grandfather's, a great-great grandfather, several uncles and cousins (it's a Southern thing!)

His birth was a little long! I went in on Tuesday night, he was born on Thursday morning at 2:07 a.m. (Ashley as born on a Thurday at 7 minutes til 2 in the afternoon!) I laughed with extreme, Godly joy was he was born! I've never laughed like that again but I knew in that moment how Sarah felt!

He has been our joy. He is talented. A little stubborn (hmm.) and loves little kids. It was my extreme pleasure to direct him in this year's Passion Play.

On Easter Sunday he woke with a sore throat. By Monday he couldn't talk and was complaining of his stomach hurting. Tuesday to the doctor - no strep just a virus (and yes, Ashley hasit too) but his stomach was hurting - something his sis did not have. Wednesday night we spent at the ER. They thought gall bladder or enlarged spleen from the virus. Nope. Did CT scan, ultrasound, a ton of blood work and still no results. They sent us home around midnight with pain meds and a "hmm, this is a mystery. call your doctor."

With meds he slept last night, but today he is hurting. Badly. We go back to the doc at 1:50 today. We need an answer or a healing. One or the other. Or both! Just a move towards closure. He's in pain, uncomfortable and a little irritable. Hmm, wonder why.

Pray for us to know what to do; how to help him; how to force the doctors if we must.

Passion Play Pictures 2009

Check out these pics from the Passion Play of Durango!

Lovin' this awesome cast!

waiting for makeup

Jim and Seth

Kale and His daddy!

Fatigue and Sickness

I didn't realize how tired I really was until Sunday afternoon. After dinner, we came home and everyone found a couch while we attempted to watch a movie. Attempted because there was nothing decent to see so we watched a movie on TV - which I slept through.

Chris was sick on Sunday and the first diagnosis was strep. Wrong. The antibiotics helped none on Monday so first thing Tuesday, off to the doctor. It's a virus. A bad one. Their body temps are low and they are very, very quiet. Very unusual in our home.

With them both sick, I took a nap on Monday after cleaning on the house all morning. Company is done for awhile so I was able to get the house back to pre-passion play status. Almost. But the laundry is done. That's a miracle.

Slept all night Monday. And today I'm thinking of a little snooze.

Hopefully tonight I'll post some pics from the play. This cast deserves all the credit we can give them. They are awesome!

My thanks to each on of them and all of you who prayed for them as well. It takes us all rowing together to get anywhere!

Easter in Durango

Join us tonight for our final production of The Passion Play of Durango.
7 pm MST

www.iriverchurch.com/streaming.

Passion Play of Durango!

Join us this week as we celebrate the

Passion and the Love of Christ.

www.iriverchurch.com/streaming

Friday and Saturday Nights

7:00 pm / Mountain Time

If you are in the area,

Please Join us Live!

Wednesday - Saturday

6:00 pm Musical PreShow

7:00 pm Production

The River Church

806 Plymouth Drive

Durango, CO

(970) 247-7777

Mixed Emotions

Tonight is our last rehearsal, then 4 performances. And although I'm glad this production will be over, it is a little sad to see your work end. I look forward to Monday's and Tuesday's at home! It's been eleven weeks on the go.

To see the production on-line, go to www.iriverchurch.com/streaming We air Friday and Saturday at 7pm MDST.

PS - my family is excited to have some home-cooked meals soon!

It's Time!

Here we go! Two open dress rehearsals and then 4 performances. Work in between. Sleep a little forget to eat; bathe kids, do hair, wash costumes.

And why? Hmm, a song comes to mind:

"We will abandon it all/ for the sake of the call
No other reason at all / than the sake of the call
Wholly devoted to live and to die for the sake of the call!"

Let's Go Troops!

Durango needs to hear The Call!!!!

Peace

The past 2 weeks - especially the last 5 days - have been a roller coast of emotions. Up, down, in, out, upside down and finally - right side up!

Yesterday morning there was a much needed peace in my soul. My body felt better. Last night I slept well. The striving I had been through was producing a calm.

Oh the storm my wage around me, but I'm okay.

Physically, I feel so much better! I was running around at practice last night without pain! Woo-hoo! When I took the downstairs two at a time without my knees grinding, it was a great feeling!

Sunday night's praise service ended with Benjie giving a word that "someone is striving with God and that's a good thing. You're in a good place." I knew it was me and wept as we sang "it is well with my soul!" I was striving with God: where are you! why are you waiting! where is your hand! But I knew my soul was well - in fact it was excellent!

Just like our children push our boundaries, sometimes we must push ours with our Heavenly Father. Our children are wanting to know that we are a safe place; that we love them. We want to know that from God, too.

Parenting is full of oxymorons. The one that hit me the hardest was telling me child, "I love you so much, I will let you fall. Because in the fall you learn how to land. In the landing you learn how to sit. In the sitting you find you're okay. When you are okay, you can get up. And in the getting up, you learn perseverance. And perseverance builds character. And your character builds hope! And Hope will never fail you!!!" (Romans 5:3)

God loves me so much, He's willing to let me be tired, in pain and strive with him. He is teaching me that my Hope is in Him! Not my job or the economy. Not in my family. Not in my church. In Him!

Thank you Father!