Monday, December 31, 2007

Happy New Year!

Here’s a goal I have for the New Year. I don’t want to read the cover of all the magazines at the grocery store. I don’t want to read any of them! I go to the grocery store every Monday and as I stand in line to check out I read all the covers of the crazy magazines. I catch up on all the celebrity gossip. I find humor in the outrageous claims that are made. I marvel at how many diets the magazine people can come up with. How to lose 20 pounds in 20 minutes. Lose weight while you sleep. Eat what you want, never exercise and still look great in a bikini. For some reason I search out for People magazine because in my mind they tell the truth. I only rely on what they have on the cover as fact.

It’s crazy! I would never buy one of those magazines and read it. (Wait. I did buy one fan mag and it was because my friend Elliott was in it!! I still have it!) But, on the whole I would not buy or read one. I don’t watch “Extra” to get celebrity gossip. I don’t read internet celebrity gossip. So, why do I read those covers? Am I just bored as I wait to load my groceries? Why is it since I haven’t wanted to read them that they’ve been taunting me at the store? It must be a gossip demon.

Well, my goal is to avoid them all. I will refuse to look at them. I will have to let you know what I find to do productive while I wait in the grocery line.

Friday, December 28, 2007

My Special Post

This is a very special post for me. It’s my 300th post. Yes 300. No one else is near that kind of number in our small Blogville community. That’s either because I happen to find myself more interesting than I ought or I have a lot of time on my hands. (I don’t really thing either of those is true.) I just enjoy writing and sharing. Obviously, with my big 300 birthday I’m not going to try to tackle some crazy “300 things I Love” or “300 things I hate” or “300 things I’d like to do.” If I were going to make a list I think it would have to be “300 Things I Can Think Of.”
Instead I decided that I would bring back to memory my very first two posts. It was titled: Taste of What You’ll Find Here. It dates back to April 10, 2006.

Taste of What You’ll Find Here.

I want to use this blog to get out into the air all the wonderful observations that go on in my mind. I say wonderful in the sense that some are wonderful/great and some wonderful/Full of Wonder. As a mother of 5 small children I hear all the time, "I don't know how you do it". I think this would be a nice place for some of those people to come so they can read for themselves all the "Wonderful" details.
Now I have read an article between the difference of a blog and an online journal. I do realize that they are not the same thing. Honestly, I'm not sure which mine will turn out looking more like.

Here's my observation for the day. It will be a pretty good example of what you will find here so if you're not interested now you may never be.

I was about to go to lunch today with my husband when my 4th (Melody) starts crying all over the house because she is simply finding it impossible to put on her Hello Kitty shoes. My husband comes home and he's having a hard day so I'm snuggling with him for a minute or two when Melody comes in with her shoe still undone and she climbs up on me and wipes her nose all over my shirt. OBSERVATION: I think there has only been about 30 days total of the last 7 and a half years that I haven't had snot, spit-up, vomit, or poop on my shirt! (I know I just lost Erica as a reader).

That's a long time. 7 and a half years! Now for the kicker...when will it stop? Melody is three already and she did it today. Who knows when Miles will stop doing it. The way he's still spitting up I'm not doing the countdown anytime soon.

THOUGHT: Here's something that crossed my mind today. Another good example of what you will find here.
I thought about how people think juggling is impressive. If someone can juggle three things pretty well it's a neat trick they can do. If someone can juggle five things and throw a bowling pin or a stick of fire in there then they can make a living at such a talent. I haven't touched a bowling pin today but let's see what I've juggled today:
2 boys up and ready for school
signed folders and tests
packed 2 lunches
brushed and fixed 6 people's hair
breakfast for 6
clean up breakfast for 6
made coffee
dressed 4 people
made a medicine bottle- 4 different medications one of them he has 3 times a day
fed baby
had one therapy and talk session with a friend that came to help with Miles (40 min)
put up laundry for 7 people...That's a lot to put up!
encouraged 2 friends
put 3 kids down for a nap...2 of them twice
went to lunch with husband and 3 kids
watered 5 plants
kissed a few boo boos
gave 4 spankings

It's now 3:00 and the busy part of my day begins. I'm about to have all five kids here. There will be homework and much more. I'm making a dinner for a friend of mine that just had a baby . They have 6 in their family and I have 7 in mine so I will be making dinner for 13 and there's no dinner party going on here!

I'm off to the second part of my three part day. I like to call 3:00 "crunch time". If handled properly then the rest of the day goes smoothly.

So, there's a little taste of what my blog will look like. No worries to Randy. When he saw what I was doing he gave me instructions to not put my address or phone number on here. He recently saw a expose on blogs where teens give out too much information. I dare say I'm safe from 40 year old perverts. Not many of them like women with a lot of children and spit up on their shirts.

Post #2
I was thinking about my last post. I know when reading it's easy to read over things without understanding the scope of the material. In my list of things that I did this morning I said that I fixed 6 people's hair. Look at this more closely. When I said that I fixed 6 people's hair...5 of them did not want their hair done! Two people were eating Cookie Crisp cereal while I sprayed their hair down with a water bottle and then brushed their hair. Two of them are little girls that had many many tangles. One of them cannot hold their own head up! I had to hold Miles who weighs 22 pounds with one arm, balance his body where his head is available to me, spray his head with the water bottle with one hand which he hates, put the bottle down, brush his hair while still balancing him, curling his wet hair with my fingers then putting him back down. Then, the last person is me. Of course by now all that is done with my hair involves a brush and a pony tail holder. Thank goodness Randy does his own hair!

So, go to my last post and add this more involved list with each item. Now, you get a better idea of what my day looks like.




That’s it. My first two posts in Blogville. Happy 300th to Me! Was it an accurate representation of what you will find on my blog?

Thursday, December 27, 2007

Hugs

I am a learned hugger. I’m not a hugger by nature.

I remember when we first started going to our church I had to get used to hugs. I remember bracing myself before church because I knew the hugs would come. I had to tell myself that I would be just fine. Now I look forward to the hugs and I dish them out myself. There are some people that I look forward to receiving a hug from. I love getting a hug from Trish. I just feel healed after she hugs me. There’s something about how she embraces you, and I’m not talking about her boobs, that just makes you feel loved. She has healing in her hands and hugs. My favorite person to get a hug from is Rose. She hugs you with her whole being. Also, she doesn’t hug and release. Her hugs linger. Even if you try to break away from her hugs she doesn’t release until she’s ready. After the hug she lets out a happy sigh. Somehow after a hug from her I feel better about life.

Personally I’m not a great hugger. I’m a quick side hugger. It’s affectionate but not too intimate. It’s a step above a handshake.

What kind of hugger are you?

*Next Post Is A Very Special One For Me.*Stay Tuned.*

Monday, December 24, 2007

Just Stuff

We got our wheelchair lift. I’m so thankful. Freedom 2 Go went way beyond what they had to do for us. I’m really going to have to get used to it. It takes a couple of minutes to get it all set up. I think I will like it a lot more when I’m used to it. I feel very blessed and taken care of by God in the area of Miles’ needs.

The other day we were on our way to go get breakfast and Jocie didn’t really want to eat at McDonalds. She really wanted to go to a restaurant by our house called Dixie Pig. Only she forgot the real name and she kept calling it “Picky Dicks.” Too funny.

My last day of work was last Thursday. I will still be volunteering on Mondays so I’m not too sad. Miles is going to go with me and we’re going to work up there. I know he will love it and all the kids love Miles so I think it will work out well. The principal said that Melody can still go to pre-k for free. That’s a huge blessing. She’s so good to us! The school gave me a $100 Christmas bonus! How sweet is that? Melody loves school so much! I’m glad she gets to stay. I’m really looking forward to going to Intercessory prayer of Tuesdays and hanging out with some of my friends during the week while the kids are in school. I’ve missed them.

Right now we’re redecorating the boys room. We’re making it into a Star Wars room. We’re using all their amazing stuff they got on Ebay. I’ll get some pictures up soon. We (I mean Randy) is building them some shelves to display their stuff. I’ll be painting when he’s done. That’s our Christmas present to the boys.

Miles is still looking around at everything. He smiles when he sees me! That’s such a joy to my heart. He’s been interested in toys for the first time in his life. When JoBeth, his physical therapist saw him last week she almost started crying at how great he looked! Todd, his other therapist was so impressed. We’re all very excited and thankful! We’re expecting big changes!!!

I took my sister in law to the hair store the other day. (She’s black.) While she was getting some hair I saw some pink hair. For years I’ve wanted pink highlights in my hair. I can’t help it. I just love it! Erica, my sister in law, told me that she could hook me up. I bought the hair, some thread and curved needle and some clips. She’s going to sew the hair on the clips and I can wear them in between my hair and it will look like I have some pink hair mixed in my hair. I’m so pumped. I think she will have them done by tomorrow. Yay me!

Game night was so fun. It always is. We schedule our family stuff around that party. I would like to win one time though. I did almost win one year. You may not remember but it was a show down between me, Honeycutt and maybe one other person. Brandon ended up beating me at the very end. Dang it.

Today (Christmas Eve) would have been Sharon’s birthday. Sharon is Randy’s sister that died of cancer. I still feel sad and confused about her death.

I’m excited about the kids opening up their presents this year! The girls got everything they wanted. I got a great drum set for Miles. I know we’ll have fun playing with that together. The boys got their R2D2 they’ve been saving up for. They have no idea! How exciting!!!! I love Christmas!

I guess that’s all for now! I’ve got a lot of work to do still!

Monday, December 17, 2007

Miles' Vision

For a few months I’ve felt that the Lord was reveling to me that I needed to concentrate my prayer on Miles vision and that he would understand what he’s seeing. When that thought would come to me I would quickly dismiss it because I thought it was better to pray for his complete healing or for his brain. Well, the thought wouldn’t quit coming to me. I kept picturing me talking to Kathy about his vision and how I thought it Miles could see and understand what he was seeing then all the other development things would follow.
A week ago, before Miles’ eye surgery I talked to Kathy about what I had been thinking about. She prayed with me and told me that she would agree with me about Miles’ vision. She said something funny that I keep thinking about. I was talking about how valuable it would be for Miles to have eye sight and she said, “Yes, without vision the people parish.” All the other times I’ve heard that verse it’s been about vision as in “destiny”. It really is true about physical vision as well.
Okay, so last Monday evening we drove to Ft. Worth for Miles’ surgery the next day. We got to the hotel about 11:00. We were so tired that we went to bed almost immediately. Miles was all tucked in his big bed all by himself while Randy and I quickly fell asleep. All the sudden I was woken up by Miles letting out the most hilarious rolling laughter. He was squealing so loud I was afraid that he was going to wake up the people in the next room. He was laughing so hard that he had trouble catching his breath! I began to laugh at him laughing. After a while of his crazy behavior I finally asked Randy what time it was. He looked at the clock and told me that it was 12:41. His laughter continued. 1:00, still laughing. I ended up bring Miles in bed with me so I could settle him down. I let Randy get in the other bed so he could hopefully get some sleep. 2:00 laughing his head off still. 3:00 I had given up on sleeping at all. The t.v. was off and Miles and I just laid in bed and laughed and laughed. He was so full of joy that I couldn’t help but just lay there and laugh with him. I sang worship songs over him and just enjoyed listening to him enjoy the presence of the Lord. 4:00 came and we were both still in bed laughing. Our alarm was set for 4:30 in the morning because we had to be at the hospital at 5:30. We never did get to sleep. We just laughed the night away. This has never happened ever! Ever! He was just filled with the Holy Spirit! That’s the only thing I can say that makes any sense!
We took him to the hospital and he continued his laugh fest. He made the nurses so happy. I think he probably made their day. I don’t think they had ever seen such a happy child before surgery before. Miles was cracking them up. They kept asking us if he was always like that and I kept saying, “No way! I don’t know what’s going on with him.” This one lady said, “It looks like the Lord is talking to him. He looks like he’s talking to someone.” I’m thinking she was right.
We had to wait in the waiting room after admission while we waited on the doctor to arrive. We were sitting there with other parents and Miles was laughing so hard his face was turning colors. He was quite the spectacle. Finally, the lady next to me couldn’t stand it any more; she asked me, “What did they give him?” When I told her that he had received absolutely nothing she just looked at me with a confused look and she said, “Well, he sure is happy!”
I was enjoying him so much that I almost didn’t want to let him have surgery. I just wanted to laugh the rest of the day away with him! His eyes were still not straight so I went ahead and let him have the surgery. I had peace about it. Miles had the surgery and everything went according to plan. The doctor came to tell us that all was well and that the eyes were perfect. We waited forever for Miles to wake up after surgery. It always takes him so long to wake up from anesthesia. After being there already for 8 hours we begged them to let us leave. Everyone else had been long gone that had surgery the same time as Miles. Finally they had mercy on us and let us leave although he was still asleep. I assured them that he was playing possum. He would wake up as we left there. He always did.
Sure enough before we got to our car that kid was wide awake and LAUGHING again! The people that we passed in the hall had no idea the kid just had surgery! We got in the car and he was cracking up! We stopped for lunch and he was the loudest person in The Cracker Barrel. He was so happy which was crazy because his eyes were bleeding! People would go to talk to the happy kid in the wheelchair and then they would see his eyes dripping blood. There’s no telling what they thought. I didn’t offer any information. I was getting a kick out of the whole thing.
So, back in the car and more and more and more and more laughing! He didn’t stop all the way home. He didn’t take a nap. He just looked all around and laughed. All the sudden I said, “Randy, do you think that kid can see?” We started messing with him the car and we were amazed at what we saw! For the first time since we left the hospital for the very first time three years ago (almost to the day) Miles followed objects with his eyes and head. We were shocked! He was looking back and forth. For so long he had been keeping his head to the right. I thought it was because of muscle tightness, but I really think it was because he had a little bit of vision that way. I say this because since that day he has had full range of motion in his neck. He is constantly moving his head side to side to take in the view.
It’s a week later and Miles can see. He’s still moving his head side to side to check things out. He’s following objects sometimes. It’s not 100 percent of the time, but it’s more than he has even done before. And, yes, he’s still laughing all the time! That’s one reason that it’s taken me a week before I wrote all this. We’ve all be so entertained by him. I’ve been on a high for a week now as I’ve celebrated the wonderful gift of vision and joy in Miles!
I’m not entirely sure how well he sees. He has a follow up appointment with the eye doctor on the 5th of January. We’ll know more facts then. Right now I have to rely on what I can tell myself, and I KNOW he sees more than he ever has before. I know that the Lord is not done with him. God is doing something amazing with Miles right now. He’s so full of the Holy Spirit. He’s making sweet noises that he’s never made before. It just isn’t getting old! We were trying to watch a movie the other day and Miles kept cooing really loud with this new angelic noise. Every time he would do it we were all distracted and would say, “Awwwww, you’re so sweet Miles! We love when you talk.” Then he would answer us with a new beautiful phrase. We just kept melting over him.
So, that’s how my week has been. I’ve so overjoyed at the Lord!
Not only is he healing my son, but he’s healing my husband’s heart. He had given up on Miles’ healing. The Lord gave him a dream of Miles’ healing and it is changing Randy. It’s so beautiful to watch. The Lord is melting his heart of stone towards healing. I’m so thankful. Thankful isn’t even a good word. I actually can’t tell you the burden that takes off of me.
I’m renewed, refreshed, in love, overjoyed, thankful, excited and enjoying life. Jesus is doing things in my family that is world changing. My heart can’t stop praising him!

MORE!!!!!!!!

Saturday, December 15, 2007

Christmas List 2007

Randy
Dewalt cordless set
Miles’ healing
My debts to Uncle Richard & Michael to be cancelled
Emglow compressor
All expenses paid vacation to Corpus Christi Texas for my family.

Brandi
Miles to be totally healed
Gift certificates to all my favorite places.
Something made from Rachel. I just can’t get enough.
Hello Dolly on DVD.
An embosser from Williams & Sonoma.
New flooring in my entry way.

Joey
Books from the Warrior series by Erin Hunter
Nintendo DS

Spencer
R2D2
Xbox 360
Star Wars Legos The Complete Saga
Wii
All the Mario games for the Wii
And I want all the other game systems.
And a baby boy bulldog.

Jocie
A little tea cup with a tea party set
Tea
A Barbie
Ballerina dress
A little ball that’s gooey and it makes the ball blow up. Okay?

Melody
I want a baby crib, highchair, rocker and chair
A new baby
When I’m a grown up I want to be a balloon maker.
I want a computer when I’m a grown up.
I need to go to the bathroom.

Miles
To run and play with my brothers and sister.

Monday, December 10, 2007

Vision

Tuesday, tomorrow or today depending on when you're reading this Miles is having eye surgery in Ft. Worth. The surgery is to align his eyes to make the best of the vision that he does have.

I would like to ask you to pray that when Miles gets out of surgery, by some miracle of God that Miles will have 20/20 vision and that he will understand what he sees! This surgery will not be able to do this for him. It's a brain issue more than an eye issue. So, I'm asking you to pray that God will let the blind see!

I believe that if Miles can see then other things will follow.

Also, please pray for me to have peace.

Also, gifts and surprises are always welcome! :) I've been a little sad about all of this. Thank you dear friends for hanging in there with me while we wait on such a huge miracle of God in Miles!

Friday, December 07, 2007

Kindergarten Moment

There is a girl in the Kindergarten class that is known by all as a talker. She knows everything already so I don’t know why she comes to school. I’m sure if she were taller then she could teach. She’s a sweet and sassy girl! Her mouth is always moving. You don’t know this girl. Rachel, I think you met her at a birthday party!

Well, today she decided that she wanted to make a picture for Jocie’s little brother Miles. I told you she was sweet. She was making her picture and telling everyone she was making the picture for Miles. This is how the conversation went:

Sassy Girl: I’m making a picture for your little brother Jocie! Hey, what’s wrong with him?

Jocie: Oh, he got some brain damage I think.

Sassy Girl: What does brain damage mean?

A Boy: That means your brain doesn’t work too good.

Another Boy: No, it means you can’t walk.

Jocie: No, it means you can’t talk.

Sassy Girl: (Very sure) Oh, then I never had that before!

Mrs., Brokaw and I laughed so hard we had tears rolling down our face. I’ve been cracking up about it all day. If brain damage means that you can’t talk, then I agree that girl doesn’t have any brain damage at all!

Wednesday, December 05, 2007

How's This For Random?

Publicly I would like to say whatever type of sense of humor that Jennifer Chavez has is my favorite. Nothing makes me laugh as consistently as her take on things.

Monday, December 03, 2007

Gifts & Surprises!

You know we've been confessing certain things on Sunday mornings. Well, I always get the most excited about the "Gifts & Surprises" one! Today I got a Surprise Gift!

When I got off of work today I went to get in my car when I saw a large envelope on my wind shield. It had Miles Wilson's name on it. I opened it up and it was one of the most touching gifts I've ever recieved! There was a framed photo in there.




When I saw it I just sat in my car and cried. It was such an unexpected blessing to my heart. When I showed the boys the picture frame they teared up too. The picture was so touching to our family.

There was not a card to say who it was from. I hope God shows that person how much the photo meant to me. Just thinking about it makes a little teary eyed.

Saturday, December 01, 2007

It Cost What?




Miles had Botox shots again this week in Ft. Worth. This time the Botox was injected all over his legs. The Botox helps him move his muscles more freely. He gets pretty tight all over so the injections helps relax more so he can move. I'm very thankful for it and I know Miles must be. He went just 5 weeks ago to get his top half done. Well, I just got the bill from the hospital. Basically, he has a brand new Kia Spectrum in his little body. The total for the last two visits was $14,000! It only lasts three months! WOW! It works great for the three months, but it seems so crazy that it costs so much! I have to say it's worth it because if I couldn't move on my own for three months I would really like something to help me. I would hate feeling so stiff.
So, again, I praise the Lord for Miles' insurance! It continues to help his quality of life all the time!