If I'm Completely Honest

I scheduled David's yearly check-up with the cardiologist the other day. It's on the 28th of this month and I can't wait to see how my little man's heart is doing. (For any new readers, David was born with only one ventricle. He was also born with Transposition of the Great Ateries and Situs Inversus.) You can read about his journey here, here, and here, and here. I very much look forward to these visits. I really wish he was going more often. But they also make me a little nervous, if I'm completely honest.

Okay, if I'm completely honest, I'll tell you that it's always at this time that I reflect on everything that he has been through in amazement at God's handiwork. The words "I am so thankful" are such a profound understatement.

If I'm completely honest, I'll tell you that I'm afraid of the what-ifs, and the unknowns. When we first found out about David's heart defect, I researched for hours a day trying to understand what was going on, what to expect when he came into this world, wishing I could just keep him in there where my body was keeping him safe and healthy. Then before each surgery I would spend time reading and researching what was to come, what to expect, to try and prepare myself.

I haven't let myself do any of that since after his last surgery. But today, I did and it brought back a flood of emotions. The truth is that the procedure that he had done is relatively new (the first being done in 1968) and they don't know for certain the long term prognosis. I've read that some speculate that a post-Fontan heart would last 30-40 years. I googled to try and find adults who have been through the Fontan and happened across a girl who is 32 and completed the Fontan 28 years ago. She says she is doing fine with just a few arrythmias. There doesn't appear to be a lot of information on the long-term prognosis. But I do know that the surgical procedures and subsequent care has improved over the years. And David has always fared waaayy on the better side of potential outcomes. He has amazed even his doctors in his recovery after all his surgeries. And he is doing absolutely fabulous right now. And we are so grateful for that!

With that said, I ran across some posts from other moms who also say that they are afraid. Wondering whether their child will make it to the teenage years, or whether they'll get married or hold their babies. I won't say that those thoughts constantly occupy my mind, I don't dwell on it. But I'd be lying if I said that I never shed tears thinking about it.

So I just pray. I know that David has a purpose here, and I pray that God lets me keep him until that purpose is fulfilled...whenever that may be.

In a Nutshell

Hi There!
I thought for sure once the summer came around, I'd be able to blog more. but as you can see, that hasn't happened. But I don't stress about it, because I don't want my blog to be one more thing on my to-do list that I feel pressured to do. So anyway, here's what's been going on.

The husband is out of town...again. We all miss him. I hate when he's gone, especially when it's the first two weeks of summer vacation.

I always feel like a lump the first week or so after school is out. I don't feel like doing anything. The house is always in need of major rehab because the last two weeks of school really stress me out and I don't get much done around here. But now all is good. The house is clean and orderly and things are going so smoothly. I wish Cecil was here to enjoy it with us...

My van is in the shop...has been for nearly a week. The air conditioner was/is broken. We held off until the school year was over to put it in the shop and lemme tell you it was misery riding without an A/C.

I'm currently driving a small Mitsubishi Lancer that my parents have. I have a new appreciation for the distance that my van provides between all the kiddos. All I've been hearing all week is, "Mom, he won't get his arm off of me" or "Mom, I don't have enough room". I am immensely grateful for the car that I was able to borrow and the money that I didn't have to spend on a rental, and the a/c that is in the car...but I will be so thankful to get my van back, hopefully, today.

I will be painting my bedroom in the next couple of days. I'm really excited about the vision that I have in my head of what I want my room to be. I hope I'm just as excited about what my room will actually be. It's going to be a lot of work. But if it works it will be well worth it.

Oh, and today I have four weeks left in my twenties.

Well, that's it in a rather large nutshell. We are off to go bowling with out Kids Bowl Free coupons with a great friend and her kids.

Summer Ambitions

I'm working on my list of things I want to get done over the summer. I'm trying to be very realistic and trying to include things that have been needing to be done for a very long time. So, I quickly had to remove tasks like planting a garden and refinishing my kitchen cabinets because they just weren't priority.



1. Paint my bedroom (has been pending for about 7 years)


2. Paint my bathroom(see above)


3. Get floors put down in my bedroom and bathroom.


4. Get garage cleaned out (its a total disaster)


5. Get wisdom teeth removed (pending for about 12 years)


6. Get Invisalign, or at least get started with getting Invisalign.


7. Sew myself a dress


8. Lose 10 pounds.


9. Read at least one fiction book, a book purely for fun. I never do this.


10. Camp outside with my kids.


11. Go to the beach for at least a long weekend.


12. Host a mini summer camp with the cousins.


13. Have fun with my kids!


I love this list pulled together by Crystal. We'll try and complete a few of these activities as a family this summer as well!

Inspiration

Lots of inspiration going on this weekend. I am on a mission to redecorate my house. Well, not completely, there's just too much here already that I love and can't get rid of. My mission started out with me telling the hubby that I wanted to redecorate in a cottage chic look. He looked at me like I was insane, knowing that that is totally, totally not me. But he went along with it and even humored me with looking at some pictures and ideas on the internet. As I searched the same decor caught my eye over and over, the same decor that I have loved since we got married and got our own place. I just CANNOT get enough of Tuscan style decor. I LOVE IT! I love the natural stone and wood, the plastered walls, the earthy colors, the wrought iron, the archways. It all just literally makes me giddy. Source

My dream home has always been a Tuscan villa-type home. Something like this actually:

Source

But unless we win the lottery, we won't be getting that house anytime soon. And since I don't play the lottery, there's not a good chance we will win.

So I just decided to fill my house with old world treasures, paint my walls, redo my bedroom floors (we currently have none). A lot of the colors, accessories and light fixtures that I already have go perfectly so I'm just going to be adding to what I already have. Cecil made me promise that I would buy a little at a time, 'cause he knows how I am. When I see something I love, I have to have it right then, because, you know, it's the only one like it in the whole world and I'm sure it won't be there much longer. Yep, that's me.

Okay so my other bit of inspiration came from this cute little lady at La Vie Petite. Isn't she just adorable! Anyway, she made this dress. And I love it. It's actually a skirt and top, but it looks like a dress.

I have sewn for my kids and for my home and for others. But the thought NEVER crossed my mind to sew for myself. I guess I could never see myself in a pillowcase dress so I never entertained the thought. But there are some really great patterns for women out there.

My goal for this summer is to make myself a stylish outfit that I will actually wear. Thank goodness for summer vacation.

Last night I picked up a cute dress pattern and some blue and white summery fabric that is so super classy-looking. And I can't wait to get started. I will post pics when it is done.

Have a great day everyone!

Angry Birds Cake

One thing I really enjoy doing is making and decorating cakes. But it's so time consuming for me. Plus, I make such a mess that my husband just kind of rolls his eyes when I start to make one. But when a friend asked me to make an Angry Birds cake for her son's birthday, I couldn't turn it down. We love Angry Birds in our house, so I was so excited to make it.

I made each of the birds and pigs from fondant. I used to make my own fondant but I have recently found Duff fondant and its soooo much better. I just wish it wasn't so stinkin' expensive.

I have never made a cake for anyone but my family so I had nooo idea what to charge. I stressed about it all morning before I delivered the cake. Yes, next time I will establish that little detail before I make the cake. But when I delivered it, they loved it and made the whole payment thing easy for me.

Two lessons were learned:

1. Always spend as much time as needed to ensure that the cake is perfectly level.

2. There is always a backside to the cake.

I didn't level it perfectly, which would have been fine had I not stacked the brown blocks. But when I did, it just looked completely wonky. So I had to do some reconstruction. All in all I was pleased with it and I think the family was too.

Chasity checked in at.....

That is something you will likely never see on my facebook status. I. Just.Don't.Get.It. No offense to anyone who does it. But I do have to admit that I roll my eyes and give a sarcastic chuckle when I see that someone has checked in somewhere.

Notice that people only "check in" at cool, trendy places. Starbucks, posh boutiques, unique eateries, etc.
As a joke, my husband and I have considered driving around town to "check in" at some of the most unglamorous, uncharacteristic places. Can you just see it? Chasity checked in at Goodwill, or the local bar, or the local "adult" store... Except that maybe my church family and Christian school parents may look down on that, joke or not. I think it's funny nonetheless.

*Not that there is anything wrong with Goodwill, just not so glamorous*

And then there are those who check in and tag every one that they are there with as if they all wanted the world of Facebook to know where they are. Yep, I roll my eyes and chuckle.

And don't even get me started on those who check in "at home".

I have considered deleting my Facebook account because it's a huge distraction and also just for the silliness of it all. As if the world cares about every event of my day.

Facebook....It's a strange, strange creature.

So What did You do Today?

Here's what I did.

The Real Meaning of Easter...in the kitchen

Since it is Good Friday, the kids and I got into the kitchen to make some special treats. We made Resurrection Rolls. This is such a great way to talk with your kids about what Jesus did for us on the cross and about the miracle of his resurrection and what this all means for us as believers. My kids loved it! And they were pretty yummy, too!

Here's what ya need:

Crescent Rolls

Regular sized marshmallows

Melted Butter

Cinnamon and Sugar mixture

Explain to them that the marshmallow represents Jesus. I also explained why Jesus died on the cross...for our sins, so that we can live with Him one day. I actually just prompted and they told the story.

Roll the marshmallow in the butter and then in the cinnamon/sugar mixture. This represents how his body was prepared for burial with oils and spices.

Jesus's body was then wrapped in cloths before He was put in the tomb. Wrap your marshmallow in the crescent roll and be sure to seal up the ends really well, or the marshmallow will ooze out and create a gooey mess. Not that I know that from experience or anything.

Put them in the oven and bake according to the instructions on the crescent rolls. We pretended that we were leaving them in for three days.

And what did they find in the tomb on the third day?? Nothing, the tomb was empty!

Have a Blessed Holiday and please remember the real reason that we celebrate.

God Bless

5QF

Today, I'm linking up with Mama M. at My Little Life for 5 Question Friday. Hop over and say Hello!

1. What is your favorite Easter tradition?

Of course, I love the egg hunts for the kids, but my favorite Easter tradition is pokkings(sp?) eggs. My grandpa taught us to pok eggs when we were little and we have done it every year since. Now my kids do it, as well.

Oh, you want to know how you go about pokking an egg?

Well, it's very simple. Two people each hold an egg in their hands with the end showing. Then one person taps the other's egg. The egg that breaks is the loser.

My sis and Alyssa pokking when she was just a weee little girl.

2. Are you a "shower" or a "long, hot bath" kind of person? LOOOOONNGG, HOT bath! Yes, I know the whole, "how can you sit in dirty water" reasoning. But I don't care...I LOVE baths!

3. Can you parallel park and if so when is the last time you did it? Yes, I can, given perfect circumstances. I mean, there has to be just the right amount of space between two cars, there can't be anyone waiting on me and there can't be anyone in the car distracting me. It stresses me out and I'll just move on to another spot.

I don't remember the last time I did it...but I remember the first time I tried.

I was 15, yep...just a baby! just gotten my license a few months before. My mom, dad and I were going to see a family member in the hospital...in New Orleans. I was driving. And my dad, wanting the best possible spot, points out and empty spot on the side of a very busy street.

It didn't go well...He was fussing, I was crying, Mom was in the back shushing him. I gave up, we switched places and he parked.

4. What is your favorite Easter candy?

Mini Cadbury Eggs or Robin Eggs. I love all Easter candy though! It just tastes different than all other candy. I don't care what anybody says, Easter M&M's taste different than regular M&M's.
5. Easter: do you go all out with the Easter Bunny or focus on the religious part of the holiday?

I have, honestly, never mentioned the Easter Bunny to my kids. I don't guess we are particularly against the furry fella but it has always seemed a bit silly to me, even as a kid. I mean, c'mon...plump guy in a sleigh shimmying down chimneys...totally possible. Oversize bunny giving out eggs...not so much!

All my kids are 100% familiar with the real reason of Easter. This week my two-year old has told me the story of how Jesus died on the cross for our sins many times.

Have a Blessed Good Friday!

Time for a Change

I don't know if you can tell, but there have been a couple of changes around here! Hard not to notice right? I felt it was time to go in a different direction with my blog. And I'm really happy with the results.


So what's this all about?

Well, I'm glad you asked...

We all know that a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. In life we are given lots of medicine, but we are also given lots of sugar, hopefully more sugar than medicine. That sugar comes in many forms, our spouses, children, things we enjoy doing, etc. And my spoon is overflowing! I hope to blog more about the sweets in my life and those little things that help make the days a little brighter.

Does that mean I won't also blog about the "medicine" in life? Nope, it's all about being real. I'll let ya know when I'm having a not-so-good day, just because everyone has them and it's a little comforting to know that someone else out there has to fish through piles and piles and piles of laundry to find their kids' socks or has to dust their feet off before putting their shoes on because it's been one of those weeks when you can't even find the time to sweep.

What's that? You've never had to do that?? Sure ya haven't...


I'm still working on my new blog and I have some neat things planned for the future. So I hope you will come back to visit me.


Chasity