Hannah is Eight!

Today is the day my little middle child was born. She came into this world on a Friday evening at 7:21. She weighed 8lbs. 5oz. and was absolutely perfect. She was given the the name Hannah Katherine. Hannah was a name that I had always liked and Katherine was a name from both sides of our family (my maternal great grandmother and Chris's maternal great aunt). She has been a great joy to us with her creativity and independent spirit. She is quite and thoughtful and determined. Hannah tends to have a stubborn streak, but let's face it, she gets is honestly. I am truly blessed from our heavenly Father to be her mother. Happy Birthday Hannah and God bless you.

Fall

Even though its not exactly Thanksgiving yet, I decided to go with this new background because it was so adorable. I love fall and Thanksgiving. I love fall decorating, fall foods, fall activities, fall weather, fall sports. In fact, I would dare to say it's my favorite time of the year. Don't get me wrong, I adore the spring when new things are blooming and growing and the cold days of winter are over, but there's something about fall. Maybe I enjoy it so much because it's a cozy home time or maybe its the smells of fall that comfort me: pumpkin, cinnamon, spices, chili, camp fires. Maybe it's because I use candles alot in the fall or I tend to decorate my house more. I'm not sure why, but I love it. I love Christmas, too, but it's such a short time period and I get tired of my Christmas decorations after a while. Fall is fabulous and I'm glad it's just about here. The air has that feeling that the seasons are changing and that is always exciting to me.

Vacation, All I Ever Wanted...

We just got back from a restful and fun beach vacation in Pawley's Island, S.C. It was great to take a week to slow down, play, read, rest, and enjoy God's creation. It was a perfect uneventful week with lots of wave riding, castle building and bike riding adventures.

When at the beach, I am always reminded of a chapter in one of Max Lucado's books about sand castles. He says that children understand that at the end of the day the castle will disappear into the waves and we should look at our lives with this childlike perspective. We should work hard to do the tasks that we are given to do, and then applaud when the end comes and take our Father's hand and go home. Sometimes, we hold on too tightly to the things of this world and forget that it is all temporary. Children, for the most part, aren't tainted by the hustle and bustle of this life and can accept when the castles fall down and even find joy in it. Should that we have such faith too.

SVT

Remember this?...

This picture was taken two years ago at Walt's cardiology checkup (He hates EKGs), after he had been on his current SVT medication (Sotalol) for about a year. He has been doing great, so great in fact that I forget that he has a heart problem (except for the fact that I give him meds three times a day everyday). I was curious what would happen if I backed off his meds just a little because it had been so long since his last run of SVT. Well, my child proved to me today that he is indeed medicine dependent and has not "outgrown" this condition just as his cardiologist said that he would not. He had an episode that he himselft caught while playing over at a friend's house. He went inside and told this friend's mother that his heart was beating too fast and she, in turn, promptly gave me a call. I didn't think he knew what he was talking about because sometimes he says that his heart is beating too fast when in fact it is beating a "normal fast". When I got there and hooked him up to the monitor, his heart was clipping along at 233 bpm--indeed in SVT. I had to get the ice and try to get him to flip out of it. I hate icing him. It seems so mean, but it worked and no ER---yeah! No more experimenting for me, but it does beg the question...when will we consider ablation?

I've been following this blog for a couple of weeks. It has become fairly famous in blogdom and has caught my special attention because the writer has a small son with SVT that has been in the hospital for five weeks and undergone ablation surgery that was unsuccessful. He is home now and on the medication Sotalol (wouldn't you know it). It is helping him like it has helped Walt and hopefully will continue to until he is big enough to undergo ablation again--maybe with a successful outcome. It was weird that Walt had been so long with no episodes and then, bam! I had been reading about this little boy and hoping the doctors could help him too and thinking the whole time--Walt hasn't had an episode in forever.

I know that the day is coming when we will need to decide how to proceed. Our doctor wants to wait as long as possible for ablation to procure the best outcome and I agree, but that day is coming. I have decided to begin praying now for that DAY, whenever it may be, for God to watch over my son and guide the doctors hands and heal his heart. I want to commit and bathe that request in prayer. Want you please pray with me?

Camping

Over spring break, we took the kids camping in Northeast Georgia at a state park. It was a lot of fun. We also had some excitement during the trip---a severe thunderstorm. Yes, we tent camped through a storm which produced rain, lightening, thunder, wind and wait for it------hail. All was ok until the sirens in town sent us to the cement block bathhouse to wait it out. Thankfully, the storm passed quickly and we went back to a dry and still standing tent. It was an adventure and one I'm sure the kids won't soon forget.

New Clothes

My girls love playing with their favorite dolls, The American Girl Dolls. I love that they love playing with dolls. I want to keep them interested in this type of play for as long as possible. Recently, they've decided that their dolls need new clothes. I'll admit that from time to time I have and will purchase clothes from this company; however, they are pretty expensive. They average around $30 plus shipping for an outfit. I rarely spend that much for my children's clothes. Of course, I justify it by reminding myself that the dolls don't ever get any bigger! As I look through the catalog, I tell myself--you know that you sew and can make all this! So, that is what I have started doing. I bought many patterns for 18" dolls at Hobby Lobby (all their simplicity patterns are $.99 every other week) and set to work. I have made some modern clothes and some "vintage" using what I know about heirloom sewing. I modified patterns to make the dolls and my girls matching outfits. It is so much fun! Doll clothes come together in a snap and they are so darn cute!!!

This is my third grade class, minus a couple who were absent, on dress up day during Spirit Week. They had a lot of fun coming up with outfits for each day's theme. It was a little wild, but fun for them. I have been looking at these pictures and thinking about how much they have already changed since the beginning of the school year. It's amazing how quickly they grow up. Third grade is a big transition for children. They have to become more independent and responsible for their work. Many adjustments have to be made from the days of the teachers holding their hands through it all. It's a really hard grade. They are doing well, some better than others (of course, that is to be expected) and I am proud of their progress.

Today, we said goodbye to one of our classmates. Rithvik (boy--last on right) is moving back to India with his parents. His father has a new job there and they must go. I will miss him. I have thought alot about him this week. They are Hindu and will be returning to a place where it is doubtful they will hear any more about Jesus. I took this seriously this week as I took opportunity to pray out loud with and for him. I realized that I might be the last person to speak the name of Jesus to him. Thankfully, his parents chose to send him to our Christian School (I'm not sure why). He has heard the truth of the gospel day in and day out for the past four years. I trust that God's word will not return void. Pray for Rithvik, that he will remember everything he has learned about Christ and that the seeds so carefully planted will take root and yield fruit in due season.

Why Can't I Blog?

I don't know why, (I mean I've tried and tried to begin doing this) but I can't seem to get it going. I want to. I love reading others. I have things to say. I'm pretty organized. I like it when I sit down and actually do it. Am I just not a writer? Am I afraid of others reading what I write? Have I spread myself too thin between teaching, mothering, wifing, bookkeeping, projects, etc. to have the time? I don't know, but I need to make some space in my life to do things I want to do before I regret not doing them.