April 4, 2010

  • Passover Supper

    Friday night we were invited to a Passover supper hosted by our friends, Roy & Kay Pickron. It was an informal night of learning a little about Passover and it was a great time! It was neat how everything that was done represented something specific!

     Emily & Kay were preparing the Seder Plates....

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    To start out the "Celebration", we gathered outside and each family had to go inside and hunt for hidden leaven (hidden sins). The house was to be cleansed of all leavened foods during this time and it was the children's job to see what the parents missed. So our children had to hunt for leaven which was conveniently placed around the kitchen counter. After they found some, they let their Dad know and he used a feather and a wooden spoon to scoop it up onto a piece of cloth. The children then tied everything up in that cloth with a red ribbon and the family took it outside to the fire and burned it!

    (all the families who participated....getting instructions)

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    The unleavened bread, feather and spoon ready to be wrapped up.

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    Danny tied the ribbon on, then we took it out to the fire.

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    A Seder Plate.....

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    Kay lighting one of the candles while Emily read a blessing~

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    Making a Hallel Sandwich....comprised of unleavened bread, horseradish, bitter herbs (parsley) and charoseth.

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    I recommend the book "Celebrating Biblical Feasts" by Martha Zimmerman if you are interested in learning more! It was a good experience and a great reminder of all God has done for His people!!

April 1, 2010

March 29, 2010

  • Stress....Or Not?

     Today I went to see Dr. Mubarak, the cardiologist. My blood pressure
    and pulse were good....he went over all the tests I've already had done.

    EKG-showed my heart skips (PVC's)

    ECHO-showed my heart skips, but also showed that my heart muscles are
    strong. I do have a very slight mitral valve prolapse, nothing serious.

    Chest X-ray- all looked great!

    Bloodwork A+
    Cholestrol A+ :)

    Event monitor- showed lots of PVC's but didn't look too bad.



    So today they did a stress test. He was hoping to see that as my
    pulse/blood pressure went up, that my PVC's would stop, not get worse.
    And Praise God that is what happened! Once my pulse rate got up near 90-100, the PVC's stopped, telling them that these PVC's are
    indeed benign and something I will just have to live with.

    Since the 25 mg. of Atenolol don't seem to be doing anything for me, he
    changed me to a different beta blocker that is supposed to last 24
    hours....I guess it's a 50 mg dose.

    If that doesn't make any difference, I think I am going to ask if I can
    try going off of them altogether! But time will tell.



    The biggest thing now is to keep convincing my mind that this weird
    "flutter" in my chest is okay....it just still feels so weird, but I am
    finding out there are MANY MANY people who live with it!! (Heard a young
    guy talking about it in the waiting room and have been reading bits and pieces of people's stories online)


    Thanks for all your prayers!! :) They've been very much appreciated!

     Today was a very long day. Left the house at 10:15 and got home at 7:40. I thank God for safety for all the miles I traveled, for a great kid-sitter, for good results, for Subway, and most of all for the beautiful huge moon in the sky that I got to enjoy all the way home!! :)

March 3, 2010

  •  So yesterday I went to the Dr. to have the EKG  and lab work done. While they were doing the EKG, my heart skipped and the Dr. was able to determine that it was coming from the lower ventricles. She was hoping it was from the top. Not exactly sure why? I guess from the lower part, it could be a sign of heart disease.
     Because of that she sent me to the hospital next door for a chest X-ray, to be sure my heart is not enlarged. She also ordered an ultrasound of my abdomen after I told her of some things going on that sound gall bladder related! So now I am waiting to hear results from all those tests!

     I had a good night last night...no skipped beats when I laid down to sleep, which is abnormal for the last 2 weeks. Then this morning I didn't have any till late in the morning. So it was encouraging to be feeling a little better for a few hours.
     Please keep praying.....thanks~

March 1, 2010

  •  Yesterday we had the privilege of having some nieces and nephews come to visit us from other states! My nephew Neil, from PA, was down in GA and then he and my nephew Tyler and nieces Nicole and Carmen and their friend Tia came down after lunch to spend the day.
     We all went to the beach for a little while. It was cold and windy, so no playing in the water although we did get our feet wet!

    The sand was blowing, making ripples....

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    The water was blue and choppy from all the wind~

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    Proof that it was cold!

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    The whole crew minus Dan & I.....Tamara, Carmen, Tyler, Nicole, Neil, Tia and Danny

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     They were throwing small shells in the air and got quite the gathering of sea gulls thinking they were being fed....imagine their disappointment!

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    Came back and had a late supper of burgers, chips, Symphony chocolate cake and ice cream!

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     This morning I had an appointment at the Jackson hospital for an echocardiogram. Thanks to Ruth D. for offering to go with me while her girls kept our kids. It was nice to have someone go along since everything was "unknown". Of course it went well...now I just have to wait for the results. I also am going to my regular doctor tomorrow for blood work and an EKG. Praying for answers....but hopefully nothing serious!
     
     It felt so good to turn the calendar page and see a very empty March schedule....compared to February! Tomorrow is sewing circle which I am going to try to take in after I'm done at the doctor. Then in the evening we have our homsechool Mom's night out! I always look forward to that!!

     Saturday is the annual GEMS Fundraiser Ladies Tea. There have been so many "issues" with this tea, but I know God will bless it and am looking forward to it being here! Thanks to Candice for all the time she is putting into it, while also preparing for the arrival of their new blessing! 

      Next week is E.M.P.T.Y. on my calendar and is also Dan's final week of school for this semester!!!! He is taking the last part of the semester off! Yippee!! We are looking forward to putting our plans together for our trip to CO and MO in April and also getting outside work and inside organizing done! And just spending LOTS of time together as a family!!

     Praying you are having a blessed evening.... God is good.....ALL the time!

February 15, 2010

  • ~6th Birthday and Valentines Day~

       Saturday evening we were invited to Sean Miller's birthday party....can't believe he is 6 already! He was so little when we moved down here!
     He requested a Wall*E cake for his birthday! I think his mom does a great job at decorating cakes!! And it was SO yummy....layered with creamy icing in the middle, and covered with peanut butter icing!! MMMMM!!

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    Heidi (cousin of the parents), Carol (the Grandma), Naomi (the Great-Grandma) and Alma (the former Sunday School teacher) visit while preparing the food.....

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    Sean requested that the children come dressed up. Danny & Tamara wanted to by cowboy/cowgirl. Neither of them have boots anymore, and Tamara's cowgirl hat is too small, and Danny couldn't find his. (We found it laying in plain sight after we got home!! How does that happen, when 4 people are searching for it?? ) So they wore what they could!

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    *Happy Birthday to Y-O-U!!!*

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    Time to blow out the candles and make a wish!!

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    Yolie & Collin, sporting Tamara's hat!

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    Saturday night, I woke up at midnight and felt a wave of nausea come over me. For the next 3 hours, I went from the bathroom to the bed, to the bathroom, to the living room, to the bathroom.....thinking I must surely feel better soon! I had uncontrollable shaking, which made me wonder if I was having seizures...wondering if I should write my family a note telling them I loved them and that I want to meet them all in heaven someday! Seriously, why do things look so bad during the night!?? I was sure I was going to pass out! But about 3 AM, I finally felt a little better and was able to lay back in bed and go to sleep!
     Woke up Sunday morning feeling drained, but not nearly so bad! The kids and I stayed home from church....I had NO idea what I had and sure didn't want to spread it to anyone else! Thanks to Heidi for teaching my class again!
     Dan was on schedule to preach at the prison yesterday, which was kind of a bummer beings it was Valentine's Day. Earlier in the week I planned to make a nice supper for us, but with the way I was feeling I just wasn't sure if I felt up to cooking. By 1 PM I was feeling much better and food didn't turn my stomach anymore, so I proceeded with the planned meal.

     Dan came home with these..... He also gave me a box of chocolates and a soft little teddy the day before!

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    Our family

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    I made breadsticks, Olive Garden salad, and Chicken Divan for supper. We also had Blueberry Danish and coffee later in the evening!
     Pic taken after my salad was half eaten! LOL!

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    The Chicken Divan

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     Got to watch a little of the Winter Olympics in the evening....and then Extreme Home Makeover!! That has got to be one of the best shows around!! Tamara told me, "This show makes me so emotional!" Me, too, sweetie, me too!!

    ~Be a blessing and be blessed~

    Proverbs 15:4 The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.
     Let's use our tongues for the glory of God this week!!


February 5, 2010

January 26, 2010

  • I have been going through some rough times in
    the past few weeks. Growing pains, I guess! So it's not in vain, but
    it's not fun either! There are things in my life that I need to work
    on, things I need to let go of, and it seems like it is taking forever
    for it to sink in.
     I heard this song again tonight and I want to claim this as my prayer! God never promised us a smooth road, but I am thankful He is with me every step of the way!!

    Lord I come to You

    Let my heart be changed, renewed

    Flowing from the grace

    That I’ve found in You

    Lord I’ve come to know

    The weaknesses I see in me

    Will be stripped away

    By the power of Your love



    ~ chorus ~

    Hold me close

    Let Your love surround me

    Bring me near

    Draw me to Your side

    And as I wait

    I’ll rise up like the eagle

    And I will soar with You

    Your Spirit leads me on

    In the power of Your love



    Lord unveil my eyes

    Let me see You face to face

    The knowledge of Your love

    As You live in me

    Lord renew my mind

    As Your will unfolds in my life

    In living every day

    By the power of Your love

     Today was a good day! We got school done in good time and the kids played SO nice together!! They built a Lego house/garage and had beds for their men, a place for their cars and they also set up a stable with Tamara's Breyer horses next door to the Lego house! They played a LONG time with that stuff. And I didn't hear one frustrated word between them....they had FUN!! It's days like this that make you feel like maybe something you tried to teach them actually sank in. They are so much at the "pesting each other" stage right now! But I remember going through that with my younger brother and we survived!!
     We are looking forward to having some PA company this weekend! Cleason & Phebe Martin, who sing with Good News, are at the We Care crusade in AL and will be spending some time here before heading up to the Gospel Express crusade in SC.
     The next couple weeks are so FULL!! The children have Upward practice two nights each week. Well, Tamara's practice is one night and Danny's another, then each Saturday they have a game. That goes till the middle of February. I am also planning our secret sister supper, along with Carol Yoder for the end of Feb.. Jill Smith and I are supposed to plan some games for the GEMS Ladies Tea fundraiser in March. Dan & I are serving as reception coordinator's for Ben & Ruth Ann's wedding in March. And I agreed to help with some of the planning for our Homeschool Valentine's party. There's also sewing circle, bible study coordinating, Bright Lights, Encouragement Night, Upward award banquet, a visit to my sis in GA to see my nephew and his wife and new baby from Canada, Park Day,etc.....
     So, till the middle of March, my plate is pretty much full! That means time is going to fly! That also means that I will have about 1 more month to get my act together and get ready for our trip out west, Lord Willing! We are excited to have the opportunity to go out to CO to visit our friends, Conrad and Chris Riehl, Lynford & Alta Weaver and Jennifer Z. And then on the way home, we will be stopping in MO to see my brother Lynn and his family and Jim & Dorcas Swartzentruber. We are planning to take our time getting out to CO and want to do a little sight seeing on the way. We have NEVER been on a trip like this. When we lived in PA, any vacation was spent with Dan's family in GA and then since we moved down here to FL, our "vacations" were usually to GA or PA to visit family again. And don't get me wrong, I love visiting family!! But I am looking forward to taking a "real" vacation! I want to make lots of good memories, because who knows when this will happen again!??
     
     Well, enough of chatter! It's time to put all good little girls and boys in bed so they are ready for another day of school!! And that includes their teacher!!
     

December 31, 2009

  • I want to wish each of you.......
    A Blessed New Year!
     May our new years resolution be to bring glory to God in ALL we do!!

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    And I said to the man who stood at the gate of the year: Give me a
    light that I may tread safely into the unknown. And he replied: Go out
    into the darkness and put your hand into the hand of God. That shall be
    to you better than light, and safer than a known way. 
    ~Minnie L. Haskins

    "When you're lonely, may you find Love!
    When you're down, may you find Joy!
    When you're troubled, may you find Peace!
    When things seem empty, may you find Hope!"
    Go with God this New Year!

December 14, 2009

  •  I am in the market for another camera. I am looking for a small relatively inexpensive camera....under $200. What do you use, features you like about it, things you don't like!??
     Thanks~