In Sickness and In Health

Today Jon and I celebrate twenty-six years of wedded bliss! It doesn't even seem possible for that much time to have passed.  Like all good husbands, Jon took off work for today and the balance of the week for us to spend time together. 

Not every anniversary can be a cruise in the south Caribbean.  And this year was a take of the vows, "in sickness and in health."  After all what doesn't scream twenty-six years like a few x-rays and a pre-op appointment! 

I have a sprained sacroiliac joint with idiopathic scoliosis.  The translation for that is I have a S-curved spine, and currently have a pain in my bum at the left sacroiliac joint, causing swelling and inflammation.  The solution is surgery, well at least the insurance company calls it surgery, it's an out-patient procedure at the hospital. 

They will do a camera scope and x-ray while injecting an anti-inflammatory and pain medication into an area about the width of a dime. It will be performed at the hospital with an IV cocktail and recovery should be about :30 minutes and then I can go home.  The spinal surgeon said I should have relief for several weeks.  I will have physical therapy twice a week for six weeks following the procedure. 

This will be a walk in the park compared to the multiple cervical neck fusion with titanium plates and screws that I have done earlier. I'm fortunate to have the same spine surgeon performing this procedure and feel very comfortable with his skills.  I'm very lucky to have Jon and Frankie to take care of me next week, because I'm not a very good at being still! It's a blessing that Abigail will be at camp and I don't have to be responsible for running her places.  It's also great to have Caleb home to make those runs to the grocery store for me on his way home from work. After two years of back trouble, I'm looking forward to a little PT and I'll be good as new!  

Then shall your light break forth like the dawn,

    and your healing shall spring up speedily;

your righteousness shall go before you;

    the glory of the Lord shall be your rear guard. Isaiah 58:8

Super Women of Faith

With the school year ending, Summer is quickly approaching and with it are a few of my favorite things including Vacation Bible School.  At the Church of Christ on McDermott Road we host an evening VBS for youth and adults.  

Classes are offered with age appropriate lessons complete with games and lesson reinforcement's for the kids.  Each evening finishes off with a twenty minute musical production of the days lesson.  Like the last ten years, I've written the play for each night and other great team members have prepared the music, props, and costumes.  

Our theme this year is 'Super Women of Faith.'  Night one will feature Rahab; night two will highlight Ruth; night three will be Mary and we will finish off night four with Lydia.  I love that we track the lineage of Christ through Rahab and Ruth to Mary the mother of Christ and then conclude with the first Gentile believer in Europe, Lydia.

I will narrate part of the story on stage as the 'Mom' along with my kiddos 'Michael' and 'Carolyn.'  Abigail will be on-stage with me as Carolyn.  Caleb will be in each night's story playing various roles like Joseph, Timothy and others.  I like that Caleb was cast as Timothy, especially since my Dad's mother was named Eunice and my Mom's grandmother was named Lois! Talk about Super Women of Faith!

Right now we are rehearsals twice a week, the music is fantastic, I'm looking forward to seeing it all come together!   

I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother
Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well.  2 Timothy 1:5

You Had Me at ;)

I get practically giddy when one of the kids ask for my help with some sort of craft project! So you can imagine my excitement when Abigail said she wanted a little help with t-shirts for Camp Blue Haven.  Every year camp has a 'Twin Day' and each year Abby, Tate and Abigail wear something matching, last year they went as M&M's.  

This year the girls decided to go as emojis.  The girl's priced t-shirts and iron on transfers and were afraid that it wasn't very economical for a shirt they would only wear one day, enter today's craft project.  Abigail and I visited Five Below, our local dollar store, and purchases three emoji pillows.  Next we bargain shopped for black t-shirts. 

The next few hours were spent with a seam ripper!  Abigail used my Brother Serger to run a rolling napkin hem around the faces.  We were able to use a light weight Wonder Under to position the faces on the shirts and then Abigail hand-sewed the faces to the shirts.  

The picture in the lower right corner is the finished t-shirt project.  From left to right: left (Blowing Kisses) is Abby; center (Tears of Joy) is Abigail; and right (Smiling face with heart eyes) is Tate! 

The Lord make His face to shine upon you and be gracious to you.  Numbers 6:25

Floaties, Flip Flops and Fastballs

The end of the school year brings lots of parties and celebrations, tonight was the end of the year festivities for the CHANT Chargers softball team.  The girls enjoyed a pool party with special honors for the three graduating seniors. It was also an evening to say thank you to the coaches who have given up so much of their time to work with the girls.  

The water was still a little chilly for most of the players, but the younger siblings didn't mind at all!  Frankie feel in love with the sweetest Basset Hound that seemed pretty fond of her too! 

Looking forward to next year with this great group of girls! It is really a night and day difference in the relationships and general attitudes of this team of Christian home schoolers versus the other select teams Abigail has played on.  The select team help hone her skills but this high school team really enforces the reason why team work is important! 

We know that for those who love God all things work together for good,

 for those who are called according to his purpose.  Romans 8:28

Team Captain (America)

Several of our friends have gotten together to see most of the Marvel super hero movies.  Today we took in the latest installment in the Avengers series, Captain America: Civil War.  

In this movie a disagreement over international oversight of the Avengers fractures them into opposing factions—one led by Steve Rogers and the other by Tony Stark. The movie has huge overtones of big government and global over sight, but it also has great action sequences!  

Sissy did not like the Avengers fighting, at all! Fortunately she is a big fan of hanging out with friends and the ice cream at Baskin Robbins after the movie!  

Gracious words are like a honeycomb,

    sweetness to the soul and health to the body. Proverbs 16:24 

School's Out for the Summer

The baby girl has finished up her first year of high school!  We prefer to take a break during the summer. She will continue with Spanish and math over the next few months just because it's easier to keep up those skills if they are on going.  The summer will also be filled with Driver's Ed with Dad! 

This is the picture Abigail posted on Instagram today with the caption, "I want you to know that just because our theater season is over, doesn't mean I won't stalk you on social media." My funny girl! I'm looking forward to seeing what the Lord has in store for her next year. 

May He grant you your heart's desire

    and fulfill all your plans!  Psalms 20:4

That's a Wrap

This afternoon our PEACH Drama Club met up to celebrate another successful year.  The group autographed each others t-shirts, a favorite cast party tradition!  Kids and parents alike participated in a Karaoke contest.  Abigail sang back up for Krissie for the Disney classic Hercules, 'I Won't Say I'm in Love.'  Abigail has always enjoyed the muses lyrics for the song. 

As always any gathering of teens includes great food.  The photo on the lower right is the kids Converse sneakers, you know the kind all the 'cool kids' wear!  That is said with a great deal of humor, because no one ever tags 'cool kids' and 'homeschoolers' in the same post!  It's more likely that one of them looked down and realized they had on the same style shoe and thought it would make a great photo! 

Ponder the path of your feet;

    then all your ways will be sure.

Do not swerve to the right or to the left;

    turn your foot away from evil. Proverbs 4:26-27

The Road Less Taken

Abigail's team, Rage, advanced in the tournament today with two additional games.  My catcher girl had a double and 2 RBI's!  She did catch for one of the games and Abbie caught for the other game.

Jon took her out to the fields while Caleb and I had VBS practice.  On the way home the snapped a picture of her under the East Kirkwood street sign. 

O you strong man. He will seize firm hold on you and whirl you around and around, and throw you like a ball into a wide land.
 Isaiah 22:17-18

Softball is All the Rage

Remember the excitement of high school softball season ending?  Hmm, well all during high school ball Abigail was also practicing twice a week with her tournament team, Rage.  As a general rule, high school coaches don't want their players competing with other teams, mostly for fear of injury.  But, players can do conditioning practice with another team if they are not actually playing games.  

From late August until the first of May Abigail practiced about eight hours per week with Rage.  Now that the softball season has ended, Rage can begin competing in tournaments with other select tournament teams.  Today the girl had four games each an hour and a half long in a tournament in Ft. Forth.  At the end of the day the girls will find out where they placed and will play one or two additional games tomorrow afternoon.  

The girls played well, they are still getting used to playing as a team, but they are shaping up to be real contenders.  Abigail had some good hits and caught for two of the games, she and the other catcher, Abbie took turns.  Abbie and Abigail have played ball with since they were elementary age together playing on the Blue Crush. 

Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

Ask Glenn Anything Day

Caleb wouldn't feel like he was home unless we headed to Mecury Studios for a taping of the Glenn Beck show.  Today's taping was an 'Ask Glenn Anything' style show.  

Before the taping Glenn came out and welcomed everyone and then took them on a tour of his Oval Office at the studio.  He has an Oval Office with replicas of many of the items that have been in former President's Offices.  He gave the historical significance of some of the artwork.  It was a great reminder of the door added to the front of the Resolute desk by Franklin Roosevelt to conceal his leg braces.  That would later set up the iconic photo of John-John peaking through the door while JFK sat at the desk working. 

Much of the conversation today centered around the upcoming election and what do conservatives do now that there isn't really a conservative candidate.  Later when we were home we streamed the program on TheBlazeTV via the Internet so Jon and Frankie could see how we spent the afternoon!  

But it is God who executes judgment,

    putting down one and lifting up another. Psalms 75:7