BOOKS I FINISHED - SEPTEMBER 2020

 *****

The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek, written by Kim Michele Richardson

This work of fiction draws from two real things, the Blue People of Kentucky and the Pack Horse Library Project, combining them into the story of a woman who was both blue and a pack horse librarian. It's about a love of people and books and independence. It's also about hatred of what's different and poverty and the unfairness of the world. It's a great story of strength, determination, and commitment. 

p. 88, Before I could give the rag back, she groped for my hand, latched on, and said quietly in her old voice, "See all my fabric, child?

"Sure is a lot."

"Well, them cloths are a lot like folks. Ain't much difference at all. Some of us is more spiffed up than others, some stiffer, and still, some softer. There's the colorful and dull, ugly and pretty, old, new 'uns. But in the end we's all fabric, cut from His cloth. Fabric, and just that."

"Yes, ma'am," I whispered.

p. 94, That there were stores full of the cure for hunger kept me awake with that special kind of anger that comes from helplessness.

p. 253, "Cussy Mary, I've been wanting to apologize for my words back on the trail that day. I had no right telling you how you should feel. No right claiming knowledge on things I could and will never feel. I've never known harm or exile because of my skin. Nor felt the lash of leather whips or angry tongues because of it."

I shifted uncomfortably.

Jackson stepped toward me. "Forgive me. I was damn foolish, blind, because I only saw a smart librarian, a fine lady. I see more now ... see your burden and grief, and I am sorry for it."

p. 306 (A Conversation with the Author), Poverty and marginalization are not so much economics or politics or societal issues as much as they are human issues. They are best grappled with by reaching deep into the lives of those suffering them. Knowing one small piece of this world - the the earth, the sky, the plants, the people, and the very air of it - helps us to understand the sufferings and joys of others ourselves. 

*****

Fast. Feast. Repeat. The Comprehensive Guide to Delay, Don't Deny Intermittent Fasting - Including the 28-Day FAST Start, written by Gin Stephens

I've heard lots of friends talk about intermittent fasting and read this book out of curiosity. I like that it doesn't demonize any particular types of food, puts you in control of when you eat, and is easy to adapt to your own life. I'd say it's a flexible structure for when you eat, but not a guide for what to eat. 

p. 214, Whenever you start to feel like you deserve to eat something, remember that what you really deserve is to be healthy.

*****

The Impossible First: From Fire to Ice - Crossing Antarctica Alone, written by Colin O'Brady

A competitive athlete his whole life, O'Brady went from being burned so badly as a young adult that he was told he'd never walk normally again to being the first person in the world to cross Antarctica without any assistance at all. Weaving stories from his past into the one of crossing Antarctica, he's just as quick to admit his foolishness and failures as he is to discuss his more mature and successful moments. I admire his his determination to keep moving forward, both literally and figuratively, and his humble gratitude for everyone who's played a role in his accomplishments.

p. 22, My first grade teacher, Shannon Pannel, understood my energy. She saw a boy who couldn't sit still, and instead of trying to force me into some quiet conformity I probably wouldn't have achieved anyway, she had a simple three-word prescription: Burn it off. 

"Go and run outside around the playground for fifteen minutes," Ms. Pannel said to me and my best friend, Lucas, after we got into some trouble, egging each other on in some kind of classroom craziness. We went out and sprinted and screamed and jumped as high as we could, and when we came back in I could be, at least for a little while, Colin the student again, not Colin the problem child.

p. 133, (speaking of a quote from Des Linden about choosing to just show up each day and do your best) It was a sentiment my dad himself would say and live by, that the good fight itself was the victory and that the smallest moments of life say the most about who we are inside.

p. 230, For reasons that are cooked somewhere deep inside me, I've always resisted thinking like that, about what-ifs and worst cases. Listing things that could go wrong in pursuing a goal somehow makes it feel more likely that those things will go wrong. But Jenna's idea was simpler - that every change, even if it looks like a setback, creates new options. 

*****

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A TALE OF TWO BETHANY WEATHERSBYS

A while back, probably two or three years ago, although I don't remember exactly, I received a Facebook message and friend request from someone asking if I was Lucy's mom. I told them I wasn't and moved on with my day. Another day someone else asked me the same question. Then later, another person.

Time to do some sleuthing!

If you search "Bethany Weathersby" online, what you'll usually find, other than all the public record pages, is a great cornbread recipe and the story of Lucy. The recipe is mine, one Granny shared with me and I shared with the world. Lucy belonged to another Bethany Weathersby, my name twin. The cornbread recipe is delicious and makes people happy. Lucy's story is one of loss and grief that might make you cry. But, that's not all her story is.

Have you ever heard of anti-kell antibodies? I hadn't either until I discovered who the other Bethany Weathersby is. She gives a thorough explanation here, but the nutshell is that if an unborn child's blood is kell positive and the mom has developed anti-kell antibodies, then her body will try to kill her child's in an attempt to protect itself.

So, back to Lucy's story. The tragedy is that Lucy was stillborn. Bethany had unknowingly developed anti-kell antibodies at the birth of her second child and Lucy was kell positive. Between the fact that Bethany wasn't aware of the problem going into her third pregnancy and the lack of appropriate medical care, Lucy's life ended before she was born. But, like I said earlier, that's not all there is to Lucy's story. Or Bethany's.

Bethany started a blog, Losing Lucy and Finding Hope, chronicling her journey through the aftermath of Lucy's death and looking for the good she trusted God would bring out of such a heart-breaking loss. What's happened is that parents facing pregnancies with anti-kell complications are hopping online to learn more about their new reality, a medical situation that very few professionals have any experience treating, and discovering both information and hope in Bethany's story of Lucy. And their babies are living. Why? Because one precious little baby died and her mom chose to research, find experts, and share those resources, along with her own experience, to empower others to help save the lives of their unborn babies.

So, back to those Facebook messages and friend requests I was still getting on a regular basis. I kept responding by saying I wasn't the person they were looking for, but one day I did a little sleuthing and quickly found the Bethany they wanted. Then, a little over a year ago, I gave someone a link to the right Bethany's Facebook page. I immediately felt awkward about doing that without her permission. It's not a huge problem, given that I found her page myself in about 30 seconds and her story is public, but it still felt a little odd to pass along a stranger's info to another stranger.

I wrote to Bethany, explaining who I was, who I'd been hearing from, and asking how she wanted me to handle future messages from people. We exchanged a few messages and then moved on. But I started reading her blog. And I kept hearing from people who were looking for her. And about a month ago I sent her a Facebook friend request. I could count on one hand the number of those requests I've sent out, so that's a bigger deal than it seems.

This woman, my name twin, a person I barely know and who knows even less of me than I do of her, has taught me about a subject I previously knew nothing about, been one of those people we need in our lives who shift our perspective from time to time, and given me opportunities to pray for and encourage the parents who cross my path in their search for her. I'm thankful that our worlds collided.

UPDATE - Since this post, Bethany formed Allo Hope Foundation. It's a fantastic resource for women in her situation who find themselves dealing with Alloimmnuizaion and Hemolytic Disease of the Fetus and Newborn. 

BOOKS I FINISHED - FEBRUARY 2014

I don't know what changed with Amazon and/or Blogger between last month and this month, but trying to get pictures of each book was a huge hassle this time around and I gave up. Bummer, as I like seeing what the book looks like, but no big deal in the scheme of things.

Prayer for a Child, written Rachel Field and illustrated by Elizabeth Orton Jones
Caldecott, 1945.  Sweet bedtime prayer for kids.

The Little House, written and illustrated by Virginia Lee Burton
Caldecott, 1943.  I've read this story before, maybe for school, and I think it's cute.  It's the story of a house in the country that ends up in the middle of the city.  City life versus country life, contentment versus curiosity, times that are always changing.

Many Moons, written by James Thurber and illustrated by Louis Slobodkin
Caldecott, 1944. I loved this story of a king who is trying to fulfill his daughter's wish of having the moon.

The Light Between Oceans, written by M. L. Stedman
Fiction for me. I put this on my TBR list after seeing it on Sharon's book blog a year ago and really enjoyed it!  It's about a child who is rescued by a couple tending a lighthouse and the ripple effects of the decisions they make about what to do with the child.

The Year of Miss Agnes, written by Kirpatrick Hill
School for Naomi.  An all-time favorite book of mine!  It's the fictional story of a woman who comes to teach kids in rural Alaska, the story of how one person can make a huge difference in people's lives, a story of pursuing dreams, recognizing strengths, personalized education, and caring about others.

p. 64, That was a good thing to think about, always learning something new.  It wasn't like you had to hurry up and learn everything right away before the learning time was over, it was like you could kind of relax and take your time and enjoy it. 

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, written by Rachel Joyce
Fiction for me. This was on one of Sharon's weekly book lists last year and I added it to my TBR list.  I just got around to reading it and loved it!  An unexpected walk across England, a struggling marriage, wonderful friends, and lots of hurting people.  Adventure, closure, and healing. It's a fictional book, but I loved the reminder that everyone has a story, everyone has hurts that you will likely never know about. You may not agree with someone's decisions, understand their choices, be able to relate to their circumstances, or even enjoy them, but you can still show compassion, respect, and kindness.

Back to Normal: Why Ordinary Childhood Behavior is Mistaken for ADHD, Bipolar Disorder, and Autism Spectrum Disorder, written by Enrico Gnaulti, PHD
Non-fiction for me. The title of this book is pretty self-explanatory.  Although the author believes the listed diagnoses are valid and will/does treat them appropriately, he explains why their broadened and loosely defined descriptions can make it hard to distinguish normal developmental issues and actual medical problems.  Either way, the resulting challenges need to be dealt with directly, but the approach will vary depending on whether or not the behaviors fall on the spectrum of normal (appropriate to age, development, and circumstance) behavior.

Understood Betsy, written by Dorothy Canfield Fisher
School for Naomi.  This is one of my favorite school books and I love it more each time we read it.  It's the story of a girl who moves from the home of some loving, but very high strung, relatives to the home of some equally loving, but more relaxed ones.  City life to country life, fear to courage, and the lesson to love people right where they're at.

Greek Myths for Young Children, edited by Heather Amery and illustrated by Linda Edwards
School for Naomi.  This is my third time through this book and our kids have enjoyed it.  I don't get particularly excited about mythology, but I do think it's fun when they connect Greek mythology to everyday life.

BOOKS I BAILED ON
Pete Maravich, written by Wayne Federman and Marshall Terrill
I remember when Pete Maravich died and have wanted to read this book for a long time. I made it past my 50 page rule, but I just couldn't get into it.  I don't know if it was too much basketball stuff for my taste and not enough of the rest of life or just too many details in general. So I looked at the pictures, then returned it to the library.

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BOOKS I FINISHED - NOVEMBER & DECEMBER 2013

I forgot to do a post last month and didn't realize it until December was well underway, so I decided to do a combination of both months in one post.  Here we go, starting with the most recent book and working our way to the oldest.

The Pioneer Woman Cooks: Recipes from an Accidental Country Girl, written by Ree Drummond

Tana gave me this book and I had fun going through it, both alone and with Naomi.  Now that I've read all of it, I look forward to trying some of the recipes!

Homeschooling: The Middle Years: Your Complete Guide to Successfully Homeschooling the 8 to 12 Year-Old Child, written by Shari Henry

Random pick off the library shelf.  Nothing particularly enlightening and I'm not a fan of the attitude that homeschooling is superior to public school or that public school has nothing positive about it, but I did get a couple of ideas and some websites for the kids to use.

Money, Possessions, and Eternity, written by Randy Alcorn

Excellent book!  Alcorn takes a significant amount of time to talk about money from a spiritual perspective of eternity, talks quite a bit about materialism and prosperity theology, places great value on giving, and discusses money issues pertaining to individuals, families, Christian organizations, and churches. The book is filled with scripture references and includes a study guide in the back, which I didn't use and don't have an opinion about.

Here are some of the other topics he addresses - asceticism, stewardship (eternal destiny, eternal rewards, relationship to master), pilgrim mentality, tithing, giving, helping the poor, reaching the lost, ministry finances and fund-raising, making money, owning possessions, choosing a lifestyle, borrowing, lending, saving, retiring, insuring, gambling, investing, leaving an inheritance, teaching kids about money, financial integrity and accountability in churches, using ministry funds for buildings, co-signing, and whether or not giving should be done secretly.

While Dave Ramsey can be very helpful for someone needing practical help with getting out of debt and forming a budget, the "how" of money management, I think Randy Alcorn does an excellent job of getting to the "why" of money management.  Each man addresses both issues, but their books are totally different.

One of the things I liked about this book is that he talks a lot about raising your standard of giving, not your standard of living, when given pay increases and about keeping your own life fairly simple in order to make impacting changes in the lives of others ... but he does not take it to a point of legalistically coming up with numbers of acceptable or unacceptable dollar amounts and is totally fine with budgeting for things like vacations or eating out.

One of my goals in parenting is to raise kids who are wise managers of their money and cheerful givers. We start to work on those things when they're young and so far they are doing well for their ages, but I think I'm going to make this book be required reading as they get older.

p. 90,  (on prosperity theology)  For any gospel that is more true in America than it is in China is not the true gospel.

p. 93, (talking about money, but true in many areas) Unless the right choice is deliberately made and tenaciously clung to, the wrong choice will naturally be implemented.

p. 101, What we do with our money doesn't lie.  It is a bold statement to God of what we truly value.  But what we do with our money doesn't simply indicate where our heart it.  According to Jesus, it determines where our heart goes.  <snip>  If I want my heart to be in one particular place and not in another, then I need to put my money in that place and not in the other.  <snip>  As surely as the compass needle follows north, your heart will follow your treasure.  Money leads; hearts follow.

p. 120, What you do with your resources in this life is your autobiography.

p. 309, (the first of six assumptions of the debt mentality) We need more than God has given us.  (the third) God has failed to provide for our needs, forcing us to take matters into our own hands. <snip>  It's one thing to trust God to provide for our present needs (Matthew 6:33).  It's another to presume upon him by dictating (via a decision to incur debt) the terms of his future provision.

p. 344, (on the way people used to depend on family, neighbors, church, and community, rather than insurance, in times of need)  His "insurance" was his own participation in the community.  People cared, helped, and prayed.  God worked through these personal relationships to meet not only material but emotional and spiritual needs.

p. 365, There's an unfortunate myth that if our hearts are right God will automatically bless us, even if our heads are empty when it comes to sound business principles. We must be careful not to presume upon God's favor and expect him to bail us out of unwise decisions.

True Crime: True Stories of the World's Infamous Murderers, Thieves, and Con Artists, written by Nick Yapp

My dad gave me this as a birthday gift over the summer and I've been slowly making my way through it over the last several months.  Morbid and graphic, so it's definitely not for everyone, but I really enjoyed it.

Motherless Daughters: The Legacy of Loss, written by Hope Edelman

I didn't actually read the whole book, but I skimmed through it.  I bought my copy of this book in college, nearly twenty years and half my life ago, shortly after it came out.  There were things I didn't agree with or couldn't relate to, but I remember soaking up the feeling that someone understood my reality.  I wrote notes in the margins and a roommate later bought me Letters From Motherless Daughters, which I proceeded to sob my way through.  Eventually both books ended up on my shelves and I kinda forgot about them.

A couple years ago Beep asked if she could look at Motherless Daughters and I gave her permission to read my notes and make her own.  So reading the book this time around meant reading notes of my own that I'd totally forgotten about (some feelings are the same, some are different now), reading Beep's notes, and reading again parts of the books that intrigued me.

Misconception: One Couple's Journey from Embryo Mix-Up to Miracle Baby, written by Paul and Shannon Morrell, with Angela Hunt

This was the second book I read about this IVF disaster, the first being written by the couple carrying the baby and mentioned farther down in this post.  The first book was definitely written better, but I wasn't interested in figuring out who was the more gifted author.  I just wanted to hear the perspectives of both sets of parents involved in this mess.  I can't imagine what it must have been like for either couple.  Such stress, heartache, fear, anger ... and no one else who could understand what they were going through.  Hard stuff, for sure!

Henry Huggins, written by Beverly Cleary

School for Naomi.  We opted to listen to it on CD this time around and heard this version, which is read by Neil Patrick Harris.



Mountain Born, written by Elizabeth Yates & illustrated by Nora Spicer Unwin

School for Naomi.  The story of a boy who raises a sheep from a nearly dead newborn through adulthood.  A story of maturity, farming, hard work, simplicity, and relationships.  I think I quoted this part the last time we read the book, but I like it.

p. 47,  Old Benj once said, "A man must have a care to what he puts in his mind, for when he's alone on a hillside and draws it out, he'll want treasures to be his company, not regrets."

Inconceivable: A Medical Mistake, the Baby We Couldn't Keep, and Our Choice to Deliver the Ultimate Gift, written by Carolyn & Sean Savage

Shelley recommended this book and I really enjoyed it.  It's the simultaneously fascinating and disturbing story of a couple who, through errors made by medical staff during the IVF process, end up pregnant with someone else's child.  It's their last chance to be pregnant and the baby, through no fault or choice of their own, is not theirs.  Great read!

Here is what I told Shelley.

I did/do have some thoughts about them calling Logan a gift.I don't think he was. He belonged to the Morells the whole time and never belonged to the Savages. What happened was so phenomenally wrong. Wrong, wrong, wrong. I can't even begin to fathom what it would be like to be robbed of your last opportunity to be pregnant with your own child *or* to go through an entire pregnancy/delivery/etc. for a baby that you wanted to keep, but couldn't *or* to have no one in your life who truly understood your situation *or* to be the one paying the consequences for someone else's grandiose mistake, while simultaneously not really having any rights ... and on and on. I have nothing but sympathy for the situation.

That being said, Logan simply wasn't Sean and Carolyn's baby. You can't gift something that didn't belong to you in the first place. 

If you and I both order new couches, but yours comes to my house while I'm gone and my family, not realizing it's the wrong one, starts to use it, that doesn't make it mine. It doesn't matter that it's not our fault it came to us, that it goes perfectly with our decor and we love it, that it's going to be an inconvenience to get it to your house, that the furniture company slacked in their work, or that we'll have to wait and figure out another way to get our couch. Getting the couch from my house to your house doesn't mean I've given you a gift in any way, shape, or form. I'm simply returning something to it's rightful owner. I know that couches aren't equal to humans and that there are holes in my example, but I'm sure you understand my point. 

So, I wouldn't say they gave a gift. I'd simply say they did the right thing. A very painful thing that required great sacrifice on their part, the effects of which will never go away completely.

Six Word Lessons on Growing Up Autistic: 100 Lessons to Understand How Autistic People See Life, written by Trevor Pacelli

Short book that I read after crawling into bed one night.  I've heard friends mention it in the past, so I got it from the library.  The author is an autistic college student who gives very brief lessons about autistic people. I know a lot of people with family members on the spectrum and have learned much from them over the years,  so I didn't learn a ton from this book.  However, it would be a good read if you have someone on the spectrum in your life.

Actually, you probably know people on the spectrum, even if you don't think you do.  So read it anyway.  It will help you better understand them and, perhaps, help you extend grace toward their parents when you don't think they're handling things correctly.  Sometimes there is more going on than you think.

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BOOKS I FINISHED - AUGUST & SEPTEMBER 2013

I haven't done much reading lately, so this is actually what I finished over the last two months.  I'm ready for some mindless fluff!

Healing ADD, written by Daniel G. Amen

Several friends have spoken highly of this book, so I read it.  Lots of interesting and practical information.

Living Without Brakes, written by Martin L. Kutscher, M.D.
Ended up skimming this book.  It was choppy and hard to follow, particularly after reading Healing ADD.

Tales From Silver Lands, written by Charles Finger and woodcuts by Paul Honore
Newbery, 1925.  The copy of this book I checked out from the library had a hardcover with the price of $.95 on it.  Old book!  I actually skimmed it, reading some of the stories and skipping over others.  I just couldn't get into it.  Lot of short stories, lots of fairy tale/fable/fantasy stories, which I often have a hard time staying interested in.

Quiet, written by Susan Cain
I've seen several people talk about this book over the last few months.  It's all about introverts.  I'm definitely an extrovert, though I've developed an appreciation for silence and solitude during this season of my life, but there are introverts in our home and I figured it would be worth reading.

The book was fine, though more textbook-ish feeling than I expected.  It did, however, end up being a good reminder for me to make sure introverted little Ws get some quiet time alone each day.  As an extrovert in a large-ish family, that's an easy need of theirs for me to forget about.  I thought the following points were good for people who are trying to figure out what to do with their lives.  Cain elaborated on each one, but I'll just list them here.

p. 218,  First, think back to what you loved to do when you were a child.  Second, pay attention to the work you gravitate to.  Finally, pay attention to what you envy.

Wild at Heart: Discovering the Secrets of a Man's Soul, written by John Eldredge

This book was loaned to me by some friends who thought it would be a helpful read as the parent of boys.  I don't think everything in the book is absolutely true for every male, but there was a lot of good info to consider.  

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THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY

* Church - I went on Sunday morning and it was the first time I'd been there in 3 1/2 weeks. While I've been able to ustream the services on the weeks I've stayed home, I've really missed seeing people. It was great to be there Sunday and chat with everyone!

* Cute babies - He may have a raging case of baby acne and have a tendency to cross his eyes when he's pooping, but he's still cute. Bonus for the fact he loves to snuggle!




* Dylan's The "it" Bar - A friend gave me a candy bar that I slowly ate over the course of a week. Milk chocolate, toffee, sea salt. Delicious!

* Kids who do their part - I love seeing the kids laughing and chatting as they work together, especially when they've butted heads for a significant part of the day.



* Magic dinners - It's sooooo nice to have meals just show up in the evening. Tim can, will, and does cook, but in the wake of my unexpected surgery, it's nice that he hasn't had to worry about preparing dinners. He's just been available to help me out more than I've needed with past births. So thankful for the people who have taken the time to bring food to us!

* Nipple shields - If I'd have known about them when I first started having children, then my life would have been spared oceans of tears, phenomenal amounts of pounding fists and stomping feet, incredible tension in my shoulders, a fair amount of profanity, and then a few more oceans of tears over the torture of the first couple weeks of nursing. They are essential for anyone who blisters, cracks, bleeds, and scabs. TMI? Sorry. Actually, I'm not. I seriously wish I'd known about them before last week and maybe mentioning them here will spare someone else the misery I've endured four times.

And I guess that's it for now. What makes you happy?

ODE TO THE SINK

Roses are red
My toilet is white
When I need to hurl
It's an unwelcome site

I'd have to kneel down
With my face where butts go
When out of my mouth
My last meal starts to flow

If food's coming up
And I must hold back my hair
Then at food in the toilet
I don't want to stare

I could close my eyes
To block the view
But then I couldn't watch out
For the backsplash of spew

So when I am preggo
And feel the puke coming
Into the kitchen
You'll see me go running

I don't have to kneel
I just stand at the sink
I turn on the water
But don't take a drink

Instead I just hurl
And it goes right down the drain
No staring at vomit
To make me insane

The flow of the faucet
Also muffles the noise
So the sound of my wretching
Won't bug the girl or the boys

When I'm throwing up
My head gets really hot
So I splash running water
To cool down that spot

When it's all said and done
When the chunks are all blown
I flip on the disposal
And hear the thing groan

There's no mess to look at
And my puke is all gone
That's why I like the sink
Instead of the john



And, yes, in case you were wondering, this poem was inspired by preggo puking this morning. I only puked once per pregnancy with the other little Ws, so I'm hoping today's excitement was the first and last time it happens.

WANT TO DIAGNOSE TIM'S FUNKY HAND?

Tim took a shower after Bible study and called me into the bathroom to see this.





He said this ring shows up only when he's taking a shower, appears within a few minutes and lasts around 10-15 minutes. He doesn't remember when it started, but knows it's been at least a couple months. It doesn't itch, isn't raised, and there are no other symptoms. Despite the fact it looks like he just pressed on the lid of a bottle, he hadn't touched anything. Plus, you'll notice it's his right hand and he's a leftie. He said it always appears in the same area, though not always the exact same spot. Sometimes it's closer to the base of his thumb, other times closer to the bend between his thumb and pointer finger. He hasn't noticed rings in any other places and it doesn't show up while washing his hands or doing dishes.

Is that bizarre or what? Anyone have a clue as to what it could be? I'm leaning toward "bodies are weird", so Beep and I have had fun Skyping tonight about all the possibilities and ramifications. Sarcastic style, of course, cause that's how our family is.

Anyway, we're not worried. Just curious. So, if you have clue, then feel free to enlighted us!

UPDATE - The mystery has been solved. My original suspicion that he was pressing something was correct, but he didn't even realize he did it. I win.

It's true that there are no bottles in our shower that would make that shape. However, he realized today, as he paid extra close attention, that he rests his hand on the faucet and dangles his fingers under the water while waiting for it to warm up. The circle is the shape of the plug thing that you pull up for a bath, which is on top of the faucet. I don't ever rest my hand there and it never occured to me that could be an option.

Anyway, that's that. No alien invasion, CIA microchip implants, or contagious diseases. Just a guy who doesn't pay attention to what he does.

BOOKS I FINISHED - JANUARY 2011

The Hand of God: A Journey from Death to Life by the Abortion Doctor Who Changed His Mind, by Bernard N. Nathanson, M.D.
Jess mentioned this book on her blog a while back and I thought it sounded interesting. I am most definitely anti-abortion, but am equally not anti-person-who-got-an-abortion. The vast majority of girls and women who choose to abort do so because they truly believe they have no other option or that an abortion is their best option. I think that would be a really hard place to be in and do not think less of someone who made that choice. So, while I was interested in this book, I was afraid it may be harsh toward women who have had abortions. It wasn't. Not in the least.

Nathanson, who is Jewish, weaves his story of being agnostic and then becoming a Christian into the story of his life in the medical field, specifically as a successful and respected abortionist. Truly the two, his spirtual journey and career, are so intertwined that he couldn't share the story one without including the other.

p. 130, The crux of the issue as defined by most pro-abortion theorists is whether the embryo, or later fetus, is to be considered a "person". It is crucial for them to move the debate onto that ground because there is simply no doubt that even the early embryo is a human being. All its genetic coding and all its features are indisputably human. As to being, there is no doubt that it exists, is alive, is self-directed, and is not the same being as the mother - and is therefore a unified whole.

Unhooked: How Young Women Pursue Sex, Delay Love and Lose at Both, by Laura Sessions Stepp
I can't remember where I heard about this book, but it was interesting. Not particularly shocking and often sad, but still interesting. Using the personal stories of young women who chose "hooking up" over traditional dating relationships, Stepp talks about the definition of hooking up, the motivation and expected benefits of it, the way that parents influence the lifestyle, and the consequences (physical, emotional, and in future relationships) of a culture that encourages & expects physical relationships without commitment.

p.195-196 Cleo summed up her parents' generosity this way: "We've have had everything handed to us."

Indeed, many in their generation have. They are spectacular specimens raised in glass houses that are temperature-controlled and as disease-free as humanly possible. / When young they are bathed in antibacterial soup and showered with educational toys. When they go to school and appear to be failing a course, their teacher may be asked to reevaluate his or her grading policy. If their mind wanders, they're taken to doctors who prescribe Adderall, and if they have trouble sitting still, Ritalin. Schools lay cushioned rubber on outdoor playgrounds so kids won't skin their knees when they fall and remove soda and snack machines because too many are getting obese. Principals cancel classes at the first threat of snow because they fear parents would sue if there was an accident on the way to school, and of course if the buses can't run, kids would - God forbid - have to find some other way to get to school.

Their opportunities for learning how to be responsible for their own wants are few. /

They are, in short, the heroines of their parents' lives before they ever get to college, and once in college, they have no reason to believe that will change. / They have learned little about taking risks, making tough choices, attending to others' needs or weathering disappointment on their own - in short, some of the tools they will need to forge strong, intimate bonds and forgo connections that are not good for them.

p.238 Girls and young women know they can dodge the pregnancy bullet by sticking to blow jobs, but an alarming number of them, especially high school girls, think that will protect them from infections as well.

The pregnancy rate among girls ages fifteen to nineteen has decreased by about one-third since 1990, a large proportion of that decrease among black girls. The abortion rate as dropped as well. But the incidence sexually transmitted disease (STD) remains stubbornly high - higher, in fact, in the United States that in any other developing country.

Although only slightly more than one in ten women report having an STD, almost nineteen million new cases, including HIV cases, are reported each year. And although fifteen to twenty-four-year-olds represent only one-quarter of sexually active Americans, they make up nearly half of these new cases.

p.241 So there the young woman is, avoiding real relationships because they consume time, energy and emotions, and discovering to her surprise that hookups take just as much. Doubt becomes her constant companion, forcing her to ruminate on what she should have done. The most difficult, dissonant moment may come when a girl understands that by trying to take control, she has simply done to herself what she meant to prevent boys from doing to her.

p. 252 One out of five girls in college will be raped on campus, according to a Justice Department study. Between 85-90% of the assailants are known to the victim.

2007 Letters to Mothers & Daughters - The whole letter was great!


How to Get Along With Difficult People, by Florence Littauer
Several people on the Sonlight forums and in other places have recommended a book called Personality Plus. I tried to find it at the library, but it doesn't exist in my county. So, I opted for another book by the same author.

p.80 And Jesus said, "With God all things are possible." Not guaranteed or even probable, but possible.

p.105, Let's look at Paul's approach to a difficult situation. Compliments - Concern - Congratulations - Compromise - Choice - Challenge - Confidence - Conclusion

p. 113-114, As Christians we like to call our observations of the negative in other people a "discerning spirit, a true gift from the Lord." If you really are a designated discerner, God won't let your talent go unnoticed. He will send people in need to your door, inspire you to write positive passages, and place you on Oprah.

If these adventures haven't come to you, perhaps your ability to judge is not a spiritual gift, and you might try to make the giving of compliments a new goal in your life.

p. 116, A home with no compliments is not a happy place, and it's up to the parents to set the tone.

p. 144 Ask yourself today, in your human relationships: Are you looking for other people to fill your needs, to give you approval?

If you are, you will never be happy and you might be thought of as a difficult person. To get along with others, we have to ask ourselves:

* What is their need?
* How can I fill it?

** This post contains affiliate links and I'm grateful when people use them. **

BOOKS I FINISHED - NOVEMBER 2010

I did better in November than in October! Five non-school books for me, compared to two last month.

Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God, by Francis ChanThis was recommended by someone on the Sonlight forums, but I can't remember who and I can't look it up because the forums are down for maintenance today. Oops! I only had time to quickly read this book, but I loved it and am going to check it out again, taking notes. Basically it's about how amazing it is that the God who created the world loves us immensely and how our realization and acceptance of that "crazy love" will cause us to love him passionately.

Squanto: Friend of the Pilgrims, by Clyde Robert Bulla
School pre-read for Silas. He liked it when he read it. Quick and easy read about an Indian who spent time in Europe and became friends with the Plymouth Pilgrims.

Mr. Popper's Penguins, by Richard & Florence Atwater
School book on CD for Devon. He heard it two years ago when I read it to Silas and enjoyed listening to it again this year. The story of a man who receives a penguin as a gift and eventually ends up with several of them. As he can barely feed his family, much less afford multiple pet penguins, he ends up training the penguins to perform as a source of income.

The Mood Cure, by Julia Ross
This was recommended by Kathy when I was in a funk last month. In hindsight, I think much of that experience was rooted in insomnia-induced sleep deprivation. I read part of this book thoroughly, then skimmed the rest. Interesting. I definitely believe that what we put into our body plays a big role in how we feel and I may try some of the ideas recommended for people with the "mood" I scored highest on.

To Fly Again: Surviving the Tailspins of Life, by Gracia Burnham
Super easy read and filled with lots of "duh" things that we often forget. A good book if you're in an emotional funk, working through some difficult circumstances, or just want to maintain a healthy perspective on life.

If you haven't read her book "In the Presence of my Enemies", then I'd recommend that one too. It's about her and Martin's (her husband) kidnapping and year of captivity in the Philippines.

Cool quotes - p.32 (On being defined by what we do and have) Who are any of us down deep inside, minus the accessories of modern life? If some force vacuumed away our many possessions, what would be left?

p.33 Less than one-fourth of the world's population sleeps in a bed at night.

p.44-45 (On forgiveness, bitterness, and working toward resolution) In fact, sometimes it is a bigger struggle to forgive little things than big ones. If one of my kids forgets his assignment to take the trash out to the curb on Monday morning, I have a choice to make: Am I going to fume about this for hours, or am I going to forgive my child for being imperfect?
Obviously, I have to haul out the trash either way. But on the inside, I say, I think I'll just forgive Zachary in my heart. It is an act of my will.

That doesn't mean I won't mention the incident when he gets home from school. But the tone of the words will be more constructive than accusatory.

Whenever you are hurt or wronged, your first inclination may be to lash back. Even if you thwart that urge, you may still cling to bitterness and resentment. In such a time, it's not hard to find someone who will sympathize and reinforce the anger.

You say to your friend, "You know, so-and-so really did me dirty."

And your friend replies, "Yes, they sure did, and you didn't deserve that at all. I don't blame you for being upset. I'd be mad too."

It feels good to hear, but it only serves to churn the spirit. It doesn't help the cause of restoration.

p. 61 (Just a statement I thought was pretty accurate, though it seems extreme) "Worry is Atheism" - E. Stanley Jones

p. 70 Impatience is a way of saying, I'm important. My needs and my schedule ought to take priority here. Whatever is happening in another person's life doesn't rank quite as high as mine.

p.99 I knew in my heart that I had to forgive this person. It was very hard. If I stiffened my back against forgiveness, not only would I be disobedient but the smoldering anger would sap my strength. I had to let go of righteous indignation and recognize that God's grace was big enough to forgive and heal. - The opposite of forgiveness is bitterness. When you let seeds of bitterness take root in your heart, your whole life becomes tainted. The bitterness you hold against one person soon spreads to others. You continue to collect offenses, seeing the worst in others, getting picky about little things, even plotting revenge. In such a case, you become the loser.
p. 155 Martin rather gave evidence of what I might term the Jesus Syndrome: to walk through the midst of a cruel situation with poise and control, saying only what would edify and build up.

The Bears on Hemlock Mountain, by Alice DalglieshSchool pre-read for Silas. He thought it was ok. It's about a boy who has to walk over a mountain alone and is assured by everyone that there are no bears on the mountain. Turns out everyone was wrong.

Gooney Bird Greene, by Lois Lowry
School book I read to Devon. We loved it just as much as when I read it to Silas two years ago. Funny book, an easy read, and some good reminders to not judge things by how they look or sound.

My Enemy's Cradle, by Sara YoungI don't remember where I heard about this book, but I ended up staying up way too late to finish it all in one night. It's historical fiction, the story of a Jewish girl finding a way to survive in Nazi Germany by living in a Lebensborn, a maternity home for girls carrying German babies. I didn't even know such places existed, but they did. Heads up that there are a few sexual scenes in the book, though two of them are critical to the story. I know that can be a deal-breaker for some of you, so I'm just letting you know ahead of time.

Safe Haven, by Nicholas SparksThis was different than any other books of his that I've read. A little mystery and suspense mixed in with romance, which is not his usual style. Loved it, though.

The Courage of Sarah Noble, by Alice Dalgliesh
School pre-read for Silas. He liked it. Set in the 1700s, it's the story of a young girl who goes with her dad to build a home in the wilderness. She learns that courage is not lack of fear, but the bravery to do what needs to be done in the face of that fear.

The Witch of Blackbird Pond, by Elizabeth George Speare
School pre-read for Silas. He's currently listening to it on CD and thinks it ok. I really enjoyed it! Set in Connecticut during the 1800s, it's the story of a girl's move from Barbados to America. It's got a little of everything - mystery, romance, politics, religion, friendship ... and a witch trial. I know it was a school assignment, but if you're an adult who hasn't read it, then give it a shot.

QUESTIONS, MONEY, SMILES

Questions - I've got a few.

* Is there any reason not to give regular, non-chewable, multi-vitamin to a child who is at least four years old? The bottles for kid vitamins have the same dosing for adults and kids four plus and they match up in daily value percentages with non-chewable ones, so it seems pretty silly to pay significantly more for a chewable vitamin. What am I missing here?

* How long do you keep your check registers? Just until all the entries have been reconciled?

* How long do you keep EOBs from medical appointments? Just until the bill has been paid?

Money - We moved into an apartment for the sole purpose of paying off Tim's school debt more quickly. We've lived here five months. Our normal payments for that length of time are $1,926. Guess how much we've paid? A whopping $5,470. That's three times our normal amount!!! That also dropped us past the halfway point in paying off the original debt. I'm so encouraged! I really, truly, massively hate debt. It's so ... well, I'll save my tangent for another day and just say I'm really happy to see it getting paid off more quickly.

Smiles - Just goofing off with the kids yesterday. We did silly faces too, but you'll have to check out yesterday's Picasa page for those.

GOODBYE TO ALLERGIES

I have dealt with seasonal allergies since middle school, for over twenty years. The months of May and June are the worst, but the symptoms last all summer long. My eyes itch like crazy, get totally bloodshot, create ridiculous amount of nasty goop, and swell up like golfballs. It's horrendous! I try to tough it out during the day, using cool compresses to ease the misery, then use Benadryl at night if the discomfort is keeping me awake. A couple years ago my nose decided to join in the activity, so I had massive amounts of snot to deal with too.

Well, this year I had two weeks of a mildly runny nose in May. That's it. Just a little snot, not tons. For two weeks, not an entire season. Even better? I had absolutely zero eye symptoms. None!! I had stocked up on bargain Benadryl in the spring, but never used a single one. Folks, this is nothing short of miraculous.

Needless to say, I've been totally perplexed by such a drastic change after decades of symptoms. Happy, but perplexed. I think I finally figured it out. A while back I remember seeing something about a link between allergies and vitamin D. I don't even remember where I saw it or exactly what I read, just that the two were connected. So, I did a little swagging and found some articles that confirmed what I remembered reading.

It just so happens that I started taking some vitamins & supplements toward the end of last summer. Guess what one of them is? Vitamin D!! That is the only thing this last spring and summer that was different from every other spring and summer of the last 20+ years of my life.

So, if you suffer from seasonal allergies, then start taking some vitamin D now and see how you do next year. You've got nothing to lose!

BREAST MILK DRIVE

A friend recently told me about a breast milk drive that's happening at St. V's on 8/3/10. The drive is the first step in Portland getting it's own milk bank and they're looking for donors. I'm not breastfeeding right now and barely make enough milk for my babies when I am, so I can't donate. However, I know at least a gazillion nursing moms and would love for them to take part in this.

Here's more from Cher, the one who told me about the drive.

Donors need to be prescreened through Mother's Milk Bank in Colorado (click here for info). They will send a packet with all the stuff to get screened. The milk is collected all over Portland (check out Northwest Mothers Milk Bank for collection sites). I'm actually helping the volunteers at St Vincent for this! Once the blood tests are done, pumped and frozen breast milk is then taken and left with one of the donor areas here. They hospitals will then ship to Denver, where the milk is pasteurized and sent all over. Much of the milk from here is sent back. All the milk goes towards NICU babies. The moms usually don't have any of their own milk or colostrum yet, so the babes will get donated breast milk which encourages and promotes healthy growth much better than formula. (I do realize I'm preaching to the choir here.) I'm very pro-donation and love helping these guys out. The Fed Ex driver who picks up the boxes of donated milk feels very connected and is his favorite part of his day.

Even if your mamas can't be pre-screened in time for the milk drive on August 3, St Vincent's accepts donors every Tuesday. Kimberly Bepler is in charge of it here and her number is: 503.216.6455.

One story that is very touching and inspirational:

A mom recently lost her baby. She pumped for a while and had several ounces of colostrum that she donated to the bank. The bank was very excited as this is super and nothing they ever get donated. Yet, tinged with sadness as the reason was the loss of a sweet angel-baby. It breaks my heart to think of losing a baby, yet this mom thought of all the good she could do with what she had.

Thanks for passing this on. All those small and fragile angels hanging on in the NICU make me want to do what I can to help them.

If you are a nursing mom, then please seriously consider donating some of your milk to the babies who are unable to get any from their own mothers.

CLEAN YOUR HOUSE & HEAL YOUR EARS

For those (and I may or may not be referring to the man formerly known as "Buck") who already think I'm a hippy, I'm going to add some more evidence to strengthen your case.

Cleaning - With the exception of the original scented Pine Sol (and who could resist that?!), I can't stand the smell of cleaning supplies. They're strong, stinky, and linger forever. Blech. Though they come at a significant discount with sales and coupons, they're still not cheap. And they stink. Have I mentioned that part already?

Anyway, I know a lot of people who use baking soda and vinegar for cleaning, but I'd never tried it. Until recently, that is. Several months ago I'd written down the solution my friend Faith uses and I whipped some up a week or two before we moved. It doesn't stink, was almost free, and was amazingly effective for all the deep cleaning (think of nasty kitchen grime in places you didn't realize were grimy) I had to do during the move. I'm hooked!

Here's how I did it. I cleaned out an empty milk jug and measured 1/2 gallon of water into it, drawing a mark in black Sharpie at the water line so that I can fill it from the tap next time. Then I added 1/2 cup vinegar and 1/4 cup baking soda, put the lid on the jug, then shook it like crazy. I poured some into a spray bottle for convenience and that was it. Easy peasy!

Ears - Naomi started crying and complaining of ear pain, with no other symptoms, four days before our move. You may remember the ear pain she had back in December, the time she complained occasionally over a few days, then ended up with a ruptured ear drum and double ear infection. Well, I didn't want a crisis on moving day, but it was too late to see the doc and the thought of ER charges didn't excite me. So, I tried something my friend Paula had suggested during December's ear drama. I used garlic. Guess what? It worked!

While there wasn't any drainage, I couldn't be sure her ear drum hadn't ruptured, so I didn't want to put drops directly in her ear canal. I perused a few websites for ideas. This Organic Authority site is great at describing what's going on during an ear infection and has a variety of home remedies. We started off with the following suggestion from that site, as we always have garlic in the house.

Another way to use garlic is to take a clove of fresh garlic and cut a piece to the size that will fit comfortably in the outer ear. Do not put the garlic clove into the ear canal; you only want it to rest on the outer ear (kind of like an old-fashioned hearing aid). The raw garlic may cause a burning sensation, which can be lessened by coating the side that will come in contact with the ear with olive oil. This may not be the most socially acceptable way to fight an ear infection, however this technique is very effective.
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I think a garlic clove hanging out of the ear actually looks kinda cute when it's modeled by the Nomes-a-licious all snuggled up and sleeping on her daddy. Wouldn't you agree?
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We kept that in her ear for about two hours. Unsure if it would stay in her ear once we put her in bed and quite confident it would fall out while she ran around the next day, we moved to step two. Garlic oil. Due to time constraints and the work of moving, I opted to fork out money for drops instead of making my own oil. Such is life. I bought Gaia's Children drops, though Herb Pharm (I've used their drops countless times over the years) also had some. The clerk said those two are the best brands for ear drops. I used the following suggestion from Christina's Home Remedies and it worked like a charm.

Put a drop of warm garlic oil on a cotton wool swab and place it like a plug in the opening of the ear. Leave it for 30-40 minutes in the ear and use it several times a day.

I placed the bottle of ear drops in a cup of hot tap water for a minute, then put a couple drops on a cotton ball (we actually cut the cotton ball to make it fit more easily) and put it her ear before tucking her into bed. We pulled it out a bit later when we hit the sack. The next morning she mentioned once, without tears, that her ear hurt, so we did another cotton ball. She didn't complain again. That was it. The end. I actually did one more cotton ball when we left the house around lunch time, just to err on the side of caution, but it wasn't really necessary.

Now, I realize some of you may think she never had an ear infection to begin with. However, she has a high pain tolerance and the only other time she mentioned her ear hurting (that was the December saga and she complained less about that than she did about this) she ended up with a double ear infection. I'm confident this was the start of an ear infection. I wish I'd known about this option back when Devon was having major ear issues. He ended up with tubes, which I'm totally fine with, but I wonder if we could have avoided them. We'll never know, but I'm curious.

So, there you go. I'm just a little more hippy dippy than I was when I was only homebirthing and making my own laundry detergent. Of course, I'll never be a total hippy. I shave my legs too often, don't eat organic food, love anything made with refined white sugar, and avoid incense. I just happen to love things that are easy, frugal, and/or effective, which often sometimes falls into the "hippy" category.

WHAT DO THESE THINGS HAVE IN COMMON?

Nothing! Well, other than being on my mind, that is.
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Cups - Ok, this is totally random, but people often chuckle when I explain about cups around our house. So, I'll share the method to my madness. We each use one cup for the whole day, just refilling as needed. We never used sippy cups and have several kid cups like the ones below instead. Want to take a guess at which cup belongs to which kid?

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All right, I'll tell you. The two orange cups are for the boys, same color for the same gender. The dark cup is for the dark boy and the light cup is for the light boy. The turquoise cup is for Naomi, different color for a different gender. This system make it easy to mindlessly remember which kid is drinking out of which cup. The colors change from day to day, but the boys always use two shades of the same color and Naomi uses a different color.
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Meconium - Do you know what that is? It's the sticky, tar-like poop that a newborn has for the first few days of life. The midwife I had during my pregnancy with Silas gave me a tip on how to deal with that nasty stuff. I assumed it was general info shared with all preggos, but only a couple people I've mentioned it too had ever heard of it. Maybe that's the difference between my hippy midwives (and I use that term with respect because they were ... and it was awesome!) and the more traditional route of docs and hospitals. So, if you're preggo and don't have any hippies in your life, then let me share this nugget of wisdom. Ready?

Olive oil. That's it. You just need to keep some handy for diaper changes. Before the first diaper goes on the baby you'll need to smear some oil all over it's bottom and groin (in case the poop spreads). Then when the first meconium diaper comes along, it will all wipe off easily and you can oil the baby up again. If you forget or if you miss a spot, then you'll realize just how sticky that meconium is!

You know the little travel bottles you can buy for shampoo, etc.? We just put some olive oil in one of those and kept it by the diapers. Easy peasy. You could actually use olive, vegetable or baby oil. I don't suppose it really matters. Just get some oil on that little bum and keep it there until the meconium diapers have ended.

Funny story. After Naomi was born the midwives (we've had different ones with each kid, totally beyond our control) were getting the two of us cleaned up. When it came time to put a diaper on her, one of the assistants turned to Tim and started to say something. Then she started laughing because he was standing behind her with some olive oil, the very thing she was about to ask him to get. Ok, so that's not really funny, but they were impressed that he already knew that little trick.

Bookmark - I love my new bookmark and I'll tell you why. Devon gave it to me. That's why! Actually, he likes to be sneaky. He came to me one day and, with a smirk on his face, asked if I'd looked under my pillow the night before. I hadn't. That's not really something I do before falling asleep. So he told me to check that night when I went to bed. As you can guess, I found this dollar bill under my pillow. A little gift from my favorite five year old. I'm using it as a bookmark so I'll see it each day and remember (because sometimes I need the reminder) what a blessing my kids are.
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Allergies - My allergies kicked in this week. They won't get really bad for a while, but I've definitely had some itchy eyes, ears, and throat and done my share of sneezing over the last few days. The start of allergies each year always reminds me of a book we had when I was a kid. It's called Robert the Rose Horse and is about a horse with allergies. Have you ever read it? I still have my childhood copy, copyright 1962 and have read it to the kids a few times. They love it. Anyway, that's random too, but I thought of the book as I was clawing my eyes and sneezing to death after mowing the lawn yesterday.

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Reality - Tim has been home for the last 10 days and we've been off of school. We've had fun days, mellow days, and insanely busy days. Tomorrow morning he heads back to work and we dive into week 29 of school. We have eight weeks of school to complete this year and twelve weeks to get it done in. Lovely!

DENISE

I got to spend last night with Toni, Cheri and Denise, some girlfriends who I love to hang out with. Every time we get together we spend a lot of time laughing, talking, laughing, eating, and laughing some more. Did I mention we laugh a lot? None of us live in the same town. In fact, we cover three states between the four of us. So we only get to visit a few times a year.

Four friends getting their picture taken by a very friendly and cooperative stranger. Notice I'm wearing my Sachi bag?

This particular visit was to send Denise off on a trip. It's no vacation though. She's going to be checking into a hospital tomorrow morning to spend three days in the ICU with an IV dripping meds in her that another hospital wouldn't do give her for more than 15 minutes because it's considered too dangerous. She's stuck between a rock and a hard place - do nothing and risk having blood clots kill her or do a very risky treatment that has worked for some others with her diagnosis. Here's what she has said online, including a link for information. Please note that the links she mentions are accessible from the Facebook page she has dedicated to her journey with her illness. If you would like access to that page, then I'll give you her contact info.

I am including links with information on DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis) and PE (Pulmonary Embolism). The fact is that I was in the best condition of my life when all of a sudden I found myself critically ill. I was doing regular weight training, was in training for a marathon, had excellent nutrition, and was living a very healthy and active lifestyle. I did not have the stereotypical risk factors yet I got what the doctors describe as an acute and massive case of solid blood clots from my pelvis to my ankle. In that process a rare anatomical disorder was also identified, May-Thurner Syndrome which is where the artery compresses the iliac vein. In my case my iliac vein had been completely crushed. I am extremely blessed and grateful to still be alive.

While I lived a healthy lifestyle, in hindsight having the knowledge that I do now on simple actions of prevention, risk factors, and the symptoms of identifying a problem would have very likely prevented me from getting this 'sick'. As a result I will deal with this condition for the rest of my life.

Please educate yourselves regarding DVT and PE. If this can happen to me, it can happen to ANYONE. It has no limits of age, gender or race.

Several articles by multiple sources and statistics indicate that DVT kills more people every year than breast cancer and AIDS combined. Many people die instantly without a chance to fight it. By God's grace I do have that chance and am fighting. Good health should never be taken for granted. On that note, I have been told by multiple doctors that the fact that I was in good health and condition when this happened that it 'paid it forward' regarding my surviving so far and the extreme of the disability I am facing being less than what it would have been. You never know when you are going to need your health and strength in a time of trauma, that was encouragement to me to continue to be as healthy as possible.

Are YOU at risk for DVT (Deep Vein Thrombosis - aka BLOOD CLOTS) & PE (Pulmonary Embolism - aka clots that go to your lungs, heart, brain)?Are you SURE?

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Can you be praying for her over the next few days? I'd love for her to be one of the few that survive this diagnosis and to go on with life free of blood clots! I'll be sure to give an update later in the week.

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Making the best of a lousy situation, "The Clotter" gets to ride in style through Target because walking is slow and painful. I'm pretty sure we're the only shoppers in our 30s and 40s who have someone riding in the cart, which would be why the guy behind us is gawking.

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TOUGH AS NAILS

We do delayed and very limited immunizations for our kids, which means Naomi got her first shot a month ago. She didn't bat an eye. Today was round two and we were curious to see if she'd have a different response knowing what was coming. Nope. She's tough as nails. In fact, on the way home she was saying "more doctor" and didn't want to go home.

Suffice it to say the boys didn't have the same response to their shots. So we always hit a doughnut shop on the way home from their appointments to help ease their pain and suffering. Well, Naomi didn't know about the doughnuts last time and she wasn't upset, so we saved a few bucks and skipped doughnuts. This time, however, I decided to take them anyway. Silas is gone for the day, so Devon and Naomi scarfed some doughnuts on our way home.

Since we're on the topic of shots and since there is H1N1 hysteria in our country right now, I'll just encourage you guys to make educated decisions about the vaccinations you do. There is not a "right" decision! We have friends and family who have made different choices and I'd probably make similar ones in their situations. We all have different health circumstances, moral convictions, and living situations. Just educate yourself about the diseases and the vaccinations, find the pros and cons, look for info from a variety of sources. Then make a decision that is good for your family and don't apologize for it.

I make a point to review our stance on shots with each pregnancy, but I'm going over it again now. I think it's good to evaluate it every couple years. Medical decisions, including vaccinations, are not something you should make mindlessly because your doctor told you to or to avoid because of emotional and/or practical arguments.

And that's that. Now I'm off to hang with our tough girl and one of her brothers.

BODIES ARE WEIRD - THE DEVON VERSION

UPDATE: Have I ever mentioned how much I love the Sonlight forums? I have? A lot? Well, here's another reason. One of the women there, who also happens to be a pediatrician, told me what the thing on Devon's head is. I wasn't concerned about it, but still a little curious. She said it's a solitary mastocytoma and the swelling is Darier's sign. So, there you go.

When Devon was two months old he got a mark on the side of his head. At first we thought it was a bug bite, but it just turned brown and flat. The doctor said it was a birthmark that just came a little after birth. Weird, but whatever.

Here it is. No big deal.




Well, this little birthmark has a special feature that we'd forgotten about. When Devon was an infant he'd periodically scratch the birthmark and it would turn red and swell up. Weird, but whatever.

Flash forward almost five years to last week. The boys were goofing off and next thing I know Devon's birthmark is swollen. I can only assume it got scratched.

Here's what it looked like. Kinda gross.




No discomfort of any kind, but it looks like a marble got shoved under his skin. Isn't that bizarre?

Anyway, he wanted to know what was going on and immediately called Becky, his favorite nurse, who assured him it would be flat by the time his nap, which he was about to go down for, was finished. And it was. Weird, but whatever.