My week and sharing the love on curriculum

Well, it's been a long week!!  After I posted last time I got really sick :(   With a lovely respiratory infection.  It was really upsetting to me because I felt like I never totally recovered from my bronchitis at Christmas.  By Friday morning I was coughing, hardly had a voice, runny nose and watery eyes and a very stuffed up head.  So, I had to call and cancel my going in to our co-op to teach my strings classes.  I felt so badly about having to miss.  Even though I was sick the day before, I had everything set out to try and go.  When I got up and could hardly walk or talk I knew that it wasn't going to be happening.  I continued to feel really bad until probably Monday.  Yesterday and today have been better but I still don't really feel back to normal yet.  I started getting a tooth ache a couple of days ago too.  I'm not sure if it's related to me being sick or just a painful tooth.  I am not enjoying it either :(   Sam has had it also, but not as badly as I did.  I'm glad because he is still having pain from the shingles.  That alone is bad enough for him. 

Since I'm back I would love to talk about what we are doing for school work.  Sam is in 9th grade this year!  So exciting!!  He is growing into such a handsome and kind young man.  For our math we are using teaching textbooks.  For science we continued from last years apologia on to apologia physical science.  For history we are using The Mystery of History volume II...the Early Church and the Middle Ages.  We are loving it!  A friend is letting us borrow hers and I can't say enough good things about it!  It is a very enjoyable history curriculum to use.  For Language Arts we are using "Jump In"...for reluctant or eager writers along with Easy Grammar Plus and I am hand picking literature books to read for this year.  As an example of that..for right now we are reading "The Hobbit," and "A Connecticut Yankee in King Aurthur's Court."  Both are really good and we are doing them as a read aloud because I love reading with him and being able to discuss the stories together!  You are never to old to enjoy an adventure or two together :)  I don't know about you, but I love talking homeschool curriculum!  Love, love, love it!!   If anyone wants to share with me what they are using this year I love to hear all about it :)   Of course, Sam is also playing in the strings ensemble at our homeschool co-op and he sings in concert choir.  We have an art book series that he is working in also.  We do our Bible lessons from our class at church also  So all in all we are having a wonderful year!  That is all for tonight.  Much love to each of you!  And for those dear friends who I have promised to pray for..I am praying for you and love you dearly!!  Please keep my sweet new grandbaby that is due in May..(but will probably come in April)..baby Elliana..in your prayers..and Maci too!   "And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. Colossians 3:15

With Love and Hugs,    Jerelene   

       

A beautiful day!

  It was such a wonderful day!  We had a little snow this morning..and then it melted into a beautiful and sunny day!  Sam and I took off for his weekly cello lesson this afternoon.  Then to my Mom and Dad's to stay and visit for the evening. Since yesterday was my birthday, my Mom had presents for me.  Lots of goodies but my favorite was a gorgeous Thomas Kinkaid Anniversary clock...it is just beautiful!!  We had a nice evening..visiting and talking and hearing my parents tell stories about my grandparents and great-grandparents. It was good to refresh my mind and it was nice for Sam to hear a lot of the stories that he had never heard before. My Dad had his pilot license for years and used to fly a 2 seater cub.  I used to fly with him when I was young.  He took off from a corn field at my grandparents home. It was so fun!  He had uncles and a brother that flew also.  It's funny, but Sam comes from a long family line of pilots.  On my husbands side..he is related to the Wright brothers!  Anyway, it was a wonderful evening.  We topped the evening off by stopping for a yummy blizzard from DQ on the way home.  Sam got a mint-chocolate blizzard and I got a turtle chocolate and pecan blizzard...yum-yum :) Well, I'm going to keep this short..it's been a long day!  

Love and Blessings,  Jerelene

 

I'm back! Yay!!

I am so excited to finally sit down and right a post! First time in such a very long time!  I had told myself I really wanted to do this again..so, as a birthday present to myself; I got busy playing around and tweaking it a little.  I am not done..by far. And to be honest, it has been so long since I've posted anything that I couldn't remember how to do some of it.  As an example, I had a horrible time trying to figure out how to change my background. Then I messed something up and changed my template and couldn't get the original one back!  So aggravating!!  For now I am just going to have to accept what I've got until I can figure out how I had it before..lol.
My hubby took us all out for a late lunch of yummy mexican food. That is my favorite, so it was awesome!  I haven't been out for mexican in a long time so it was quite a treat!  He also surprised me a little bad of donuts this morning...which I really didn't need..but the thought was SO sweet!
My sweet little grandbaby Maci is getting so big!  She spent some time with us this weekend.  She is potty training and doing such a good job!  I can't believe how big she is getting and how smart she is :)  She has been busy talking about her new baby seester that is coming this spring.  Baby Eliana is doing well. The last ultrasound showed her to be about 1 lb. and 15 oz.  I can't wait to see her! From the ultrasound pics I think she looks a lot like little Miss Maci!
Sam is doing well.  He had shingles back in December. He still has some residual pain in the area where the blisters were. They said the post-neuralgia can last a good while in some people. He has been exercising and working out and has lost probably 25 pounds or more. He is a lot taller now too.  He is growing up to be such a handsome young man.  He is in 9th grade this year. He is still playing cello..and doing SO well!  I am very proud of him.
I am teaching in Sam's homeschool co-op again this year. I am teaching and directing the strings class. I am blessed with wonderful and kind students.  Sam being one of them! We are busy working on music for our spring concert.  They are doing so well and I am proud of them all. They work hard on the music and it is challenging music at that.  "Rues Farewell," from Hunger Games, "Trumpet Voluntary", "Rondeau", "Allegro" and "Spring" by Vivaldi are the pieces we are working on. I feel very blessed to be able to spend time with these lovely young people every Friday.On the homefront,  Mark is staying busy.  He is still working as custodian at one of the local grade schools; plus he lays brick with friends and on his own when he gets calls for work. He still does the taxidermy some..but not as often as he used to. Mickey, Teddy and Peanut are doing well.  Teddy had a bit of a sick spell right after Christmas, but is doing ok now.  I can tell age is taking a bit of a toll on him. Mickey and Peanut spend their days begging for food and snuggling up with the nearest family member. I am hanging in there as far as my health.  I have good days and bad days. I treasure the good! After the last round of MRI's they finally diagnosed me with Occipital Neuralgia. It is from the bone spurs and bulges that I have in my neck. It causes severe neck pain and pain running up into my head and behind my eyes. At times on bad days it is so severe that I vomit. They have now given me phenergan to take at home to try to stop the vomiting before it starts. Between that and the ruptured discs in my lower back and the fibromyalgia and the fevers I run...it is a constant struggle to try to get everything done. I think my family is sometimes tired of me being ill..as I am also. All I can do is pray and have faith that God is with me and that everything has a reason....That our trials make us stronger!  I know that I am so much luckier than some that are going through so much worse of trials than me, by far.  God is good though..and blessings are plentiful.  Family, grandbabies, friends, all the beautiful things that God has blessed me with..those are what I focus on. I miss the interaction between my blogging friends.  Over the years I have found that those friendships have remained as strong as ever.  I am truly blessed by each of you..and you know who you are!!  Even though facebook has sort of taken over the blogging world..there is something so special about blogging :)  And on a happy ending note...A crocus has popped out in my flower bed!  It brought a huge smile to my face today. I am so very ready for spring and all the beauty that it brings with it! How about you?
  The flowers appear on the earth; the time of singing has come.   Song of Solomon 2:12
 With much Love,    Jerelene

Turning 44..

  I turned 44 on Sunday! I definitely feel older. I've been trying not to think about that in 6 years I will be 50!  I guess that's not really a bad thing..but, I've always been the baby of the family..so it makes it a little harder for me to think about.  Turning 30 was hard for me too.  It seems to me that the older I get, the faster time flies. Is that just me..or is it that way for everyone?  At first I thought it was just the year, then it was also the week..and now lately it seems that even the days fly by.  I remember being a child and it seemed like time almost stood still.  I think the hardest part of seeing the time fly by as it does for me, is seeing my kids also seeming to growing older so quickly too.  It has also seemed to give me an urgency to make the most of my time here on earth..as if I want to be sure and do everything that God wants me to do. And, to also walk as closely as I can with him.
  2011 was a rough year, healthwise for me.  It was a huge reality check in getting older. I am doing ok though. The medicines that they have me on for the fibromyalgia/chronic fatigue and the arthritis/degenerative disc disease seem to be helping me some.  The ruptured disc still hurts me if I do certain things.  I have had to learn to work around it.  The medicines have also seemed to have numbed my brain somewhat..or that's how I feel sometimes. I think that they make me a little more tired than I already am... but I am pushing my way through the fog...and that's been a good thing. I am trying to keep myself busy so that I don't have time to feel sorry for myself,  and to keep my mind going strong too:)  Last fall I started teaching  at Sam's homeschool co-op.  I am the new strings teacher...and I love it!  I feel so blessed and honored that they asked me to do it.  It's such a great way to put the gift of music that the Lord blessed me with to work for the Lord. They are such great kids too! It's only on Fridays during the months of September through the first week of December.  Then they come back in Jan. and go through to the end of March.  We have a concert the first week of December and then a final spring concert at the end of March.  It's been such a good thing for me.  I am loving putting the music together and watching the kids learn new things, and then me learning to conduct..which I had never done before..was amazing!!  I just praise Yahweh for all the good in my life!!

The picture is of me directing the strings ensemble class in the December concert. Both classes did a wonderful job!!  I was so pleased that they asked me if I would be the teacher next year too..How awesome is that!! :)

I really want to try to start blogging regularly again.  I just seem to stay so tired.  That and the migraines that I have quite often really cause me difficulty when I try to sit down and type. The scrolling of the screen really does bother me.  I have also been staying busy knitting and doing lots of interesting learning with Sam. That's one of the really nice things about homeschooling.  I love that I am always learning right beside him.  It's funny how there are so many things that I've forgotten and am now learning over.  That and lots of new things too!  The 12 chicken girlies..:) keep me busy too.  We have had such a mild winter here that it hasn't seemed to slow their egg laying down much, if at all.  On average I usually get anywhere from 9-10 eggs a day. I think there may have been one or two days when I only got 6 eggs..and some days where I got a whole dozen!!

There are also some days when you get the nicest and sweetest of surprises.  Like this!!

As I end this post.. I am hoping and praying that this is just the beginning of many more.  A verse that we read in Sam's history lesson today comes to mind.  We were reading about John James Audubon.  The verse was Matthew 6:26.   "Look at the birds of the shamayim(Heavens) for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into storehouses, yet your Father of the shamayim(Heavens) feeds them. Are you not worth more than they?"   I had the privilege of having a dear friend that often calls me to talk and pray together; call me tonight.  I am so thankful for her calling, because I really needed prayer tonight.  Our prayers brought me back to this verse.  I went and got Sam's notebook and looked at his copywork of this verse.  It made me smile.:)  This verse means so much to me..I often worry and worry.  I really needed to hear it today and the Lord led me to it through Sam's lessons:) I am always thinking of my on-line friends. I can't wait until the day when we all meet in person together with the Lord. I keep all of you in my prayers. Please keep me and my family in yours.         I am praying that it won't be long until he comes back for all of us!

With Love and Hugs,      Jerelene

Apron Giveaway Contest

I LOVE this....you must go check out her page and enter in the giveaway:)  I LOVE her pink one:)
Jen at 11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven is giving away a Flirty Apron!

Go HERE to enter!

Thankfulness and friends...some of them furry :)

Hello to all my friends:)  Thank you so much to all of you that have been checking in on me..either here or on Facebook.  I actually did alright with the epidural steroid shots.  I felt rough for the first couple of days..but after that I have gradually felt just a tiny bit better.  I also went to see a new doctor.  He goes to church with us and so I knew him and his wife.  I know his wife better because he isn't always there with her.  He is often at the hospital with patients.  He is very kind and took lots of extra time to answer all my questions and discuss everything with me.  He did want to know what happened with the other doctor which was awkard for me because I know that they are sort of friends...so I treaded gently with the subject and was as kind as I could be and sort of chalked it up to not clicking with each other.  My new doctor suggested another couple series of epidural steroid shots.  But he won't be sedating me..and that makes me extremely nervous.  He is giving me valium to take before I have it done.  He said after we do these then he will get me in with another doctor in the office that deals with neck pain and migraines.  He said he would probably give me injections in my neck. That also scares me to death...but I would love to have some relief.  I think the steroids have lowered my immune system even more than it already was.  I've had a sore throat, eye infection and ear ache all week.  The dizziness returned this week with a vengence and the headaches as well.  My Mom has been checking my blood sugar.  It has been higher than it should be.  At one point this week it was lower than it should have been.  I had felt bad all day and couldn't figure out why.  My Mom had me drink some orange juice and that seemed to have helped a little.  I was suppose to get my glucose and potassium checked again after 2 weeks which was last week and I forgot.  So I will be making a call to the doctor's office Monday to set up a time to do that.  
My Mother is doing very well from her surgery.  I couldn't be happier:):)  She was sent home from the hospital the very next afternoon.  She went in for a follow-up with the surgeon on Friday and he gave her an excellent report..:)
I am so relieved...more than I could possibly put in words.  
My friend Diana also had surgery..she had both knees done.  I have been keeping her in my prayers as well.  She is a brave lady:)  I'm glad she will be able to do all the things she wants to without pain, when she is all healed up and done recovering.  She doesn't live to terribly far from me.  Maybe when she feels better she can meet me at our mall and we can visit and shop..and maybe have a coffee or tea too:) Diana,  I am keeping you in my prayers.
I have been having daily prayer...(if we're able) with my sweet friend Shelley.  We are recieving such a blessing from praying for each other and everyone on our prayer lists...
My sweet Mother gave me this beautiful mug before she had her surgery.  With me not feeling well..it gave special meaning to me.  It isn't just beautiful on the outside.  It is beautiful on the inside too..

It reminded me to be thankful for all the little things that maybe I've been forgetting about.  I think sometimes..speaking for myself of course..that when we feel badly..we just sort of forget all the wonderful things that God does for us on a daily basis.  The pain medicine of course has made me groggy and not thinking well.  But now since I'm not as medicated I have no excuses.  So many things have been jumping out at me every time I take a sip out of my sweet coffee mug.  I have a wonderful family...I have a roof over my head...I have food on my table..I have the most wonderful friends that a person could ever ask for.  Old ones, new ones, even ones I have never met...  But each one of them are precious gifts from God.  For each kind word,  and each loving prayer, I thank all of you :)  I am SO grateful :):)

I'm especially grateful for these little furry gifts from God.....I've had lots of good days,  and lots of bad...

And on the bad days, these little guys are busy loving and caring for their Mommy....And yes, Teddy is is here and loved too...he just doesn't like laying up close to me like these two fur babies...He has more fur and doesn't get as cold as they do...

Aren't they just adorable?  They are like little heating pads.  I just love them so much.   My family has been really helping a lot too.  It is so hard having to realize that some things I just can't do.  And that I am just going to have to make adjustments depending on how I'm feeling each day.
I go back in to see my rheumatologist on Tuesday.  Next week will be a busy week for me.  I'm hoping it all goes well.  
I've made a new friend that is suffering with such similar health issues as I am.  It has been so helpful writing back and forth...she gives me some encouragement which I definately need.  Thank you so much Tabby :)  If you have fibromyalgia like I do...her blog is full of information and encouragement. I am so glad to have met her:)
That's all for now.  I'ts been a long day and I am ready to head to bed.....
I hope everyone has a wonderful and rested weekend..
1 John 4:7 “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” (NIV)


With Love and Blessings,
Jerelene

Mothers, Flowers, Chickens, Maci, Health and Prayers

A lot has happened since I was on here last...I know that most of my friends see me on facebook too...but to be fair...I'll post on here too...and try to tell a little more than I did there. I started my morning today...off with a nice brunch of pancakes...I'm hoping today will be better as far as feeling better..than yesterday. Isn't it funny, how even at 43 yrs. old, that when you're sick..you still think and sort of want your Mother? I have found that I've always tended to be that way...strangely enough, even more so as I've gotten older. My Mother is such a dear lady, she was always..when she was younger and in better health...the dear one to invite visitors, or any of the people from our church...esp. the newest members... home for a lunch after church...sometimes keeping them there visiting and then playing board games and having pizza that evening. My Mother truly had the gift of hospitality. I don't see that in people as much these days. I guess because everyone is on such a strict budget? Or maybe they are so busy with their own families they feel overwhelmed at the aspect of company...I'm not sure which it is.. Church was always a pleasant time for me..even as a child. I feel like I learned so much more from all the time spent with the older people in the church. We didn't have the big youth groups that the churches have now. My time with the older people gave me insight into so many interesting and valuable information...(good information) that I would have never learned from young people my age. Sadly, I think the young people today...(which I hope I don't hurt any one's feelings) miss out on so much from being separated from the older people. They have such wisdom to share..it's a shame to miss out on it. :) Anyway, my dear Mother, will be having a surgery on her hernia next Friday..She is diabetic and always seems to have a hard time with things...so please remember her in your prayers if you could. This picture was taken quite a few yrs. ago..probably when my older kids were young.. She was as beautiful on the outside as she was on the inside...and still is :)

I know this picture was posted on my facebook..as well as the one at the bottom. But, as I've not been feeling well over this summer....my flowers have been a big blessings to me. They have given me great pleasure..either from the window or in a vase, jar or cup :) Roses, Hydrangeas and daisies of any kind are favorites to me...I do like my black-eyed susans too. I had a couple of rows of Zinnias last year, planted in the garden. The butterflies loved them and they looked beautiful brought in and put in a vase. I sure wish I'd been able to (I forgot) plant them this year. But I've made do with what I have...the chickens have kept me busy...so I didn't really have time to feel sorry about anything I didn't plant....except the giant pumpkins...I had promised Sam that I would (try) to plant some again this year...It didn't happen :( It is so exciting watching them grow from a tiny orange ball into a huge pumpkin..and they make such nice pictures...

One thing we did have plenty of was corn :) Every year Mark says..."I don't know...I think maybe we shouldn't plant the corn," then I say "Please!! Please!! " :):) I LOVE to watch it grow and see it blowing in the breeze...and the eating it part..isn't too bad either:)

The chickens have NOT been enjoying this heat...and no one...including myself...has been enjoying going out to feed and water them...on the days that we have had excessive heat warnings. It was brutal...I took frozen 2 liter bottles and big frozen blocks of ice out to them. I also put ice cubes in their water containers. I froze goodies that they could share from me and took it out to them..such as left over food that is edible for chickens...or tomatoes that fell off onto the ground. They LOVE left over spaghetti noodles!! I think they think it's worms :)

The barred rocks are almost the most friendly I would say...that's the black lacy looking ones. We have one of them that's named Bitsy...she was and is still...smaller (just a little) than the other ones...She kept getting hold of the camera strap...and then trying to pull it and run:) She made the funniest noises when she got hold of the strap..and looked so disappointed when I wouldn't let her have the camera :) They are funny...and so fun to watch :)
Maci is growing like a little weed :) She is crawling and pulling up! And...saying Momma like crazy. When Sarah is eating...she begs for her food...and screams when she won't or can't give it to her :) When that little girl smile....it just makes me melt...I just love her SO much. I hate it because I've not felt well...it seems...since she's been born. I didn't mean for that to happen..it just did:( I'm hoping that soon I'll feel better and be able to do more with than I have in the past. She has her Aunt Liz's smile...that big, beautiful smile:) Being a Grandma...is beyond words...It just MOVES you...totally...into wanting to be even a better person, Christian, woman, everything:)


I know I promised to tell you about what's been going on with my health...and got carried away with everything else...I had a sedated mri done of my neck...it showed quite a bit of degenerative disc disease just like the lumbar region...of course. And it also showed foraminal stenosis and foraminal encroachment in a few places. Disc osteophyte complex in a couple places..flattening of one of the dural sacs and dehydration of three of the interspaces? I'm not sure about some of the stuff on the paper...but, I do know that the foraminal stenosis and encroachment means that I most likely have some pinched nerves. The doctor just would not discuss the neck pain with me at all. He did an electromyography on me and huffed and puffed and sighed the whole time. I had taken Sam in with me...my in-laws drove me because I've not been driving much due to dizziness..High blood sugar and low potassium is what the lab work showed...that's another story. Anyway, the doctor evidentally was rolling his eyes at me quite a bit while doing the test too. I came home with a couple..(one was really bad) big bruises. He and I for whatever reason..were not clicking..I went ahead and had epidural steroid shots in my back on Wed. I was scared to death!! It actually went ok...he did not say one word to me before or after. So I got a call from my family doctor and he had sent notes back to them saying I have carpal tunnel in both wrists..one much worse than the other and that I needed to be referred in with a hand surgeon. The pain is radiating down from my neck into my shoulder, elbow and wrist and hands...still he would NOT address my neck. So I told the nurse at my family doctor's office what had been going on and asked to be sent to another doctor. There is one that I go to church with...I should have asked that to begin with...but didn't. So I go to see him next Friday. He loves God and is a very, very kind person. I am relieved...I still see the foot doctor at the other place..but he was very nice. He even said he thought I was having some major issues of radiculopathy...with my arms and legs...So I felt pretty rough after the epidural..esp. that night. Yesterday...I felt ok when I got up...then I think I did too much...was up too much and I was running a pretty good fever. I called after hours at the surgi-care where they did the procedure and the nurse was very nice..(all the nurses were incredibly nice before, during and after my procedure.) They said the fever could be due to the steroids putting my body into overdrive...trying to heal itself...or I could be getting infected..but to just take it easy...stay down(take it easy, which I seem to sometimes have a problem with :) and drink lots of cool fluids. My temp was down some when I got up this morning...I'm hoping it stays down..I am still sore, but they said it could take a while. So many people that I've talked to...have so many different outcomes with the epidurals...they either help...or they don't...But sadly pretty much all of them that had ruptured discs tell me that they all eventually had to have them fixed surgically. I'm praying that doesn't happen. But I've had this pain..in the lower back and neck for a couple of years...So, I'm trying hard to be optimistic and to put my faith in God. It's sometimes hard for us to do..or at least it can be for me..but I've been praying so much more than I ever have before...Not just for myself...myself at the least...but more so for my friends...(a couple in particular:) and my family...A dear friend so sweetly gave me the nicest little book...on arthritis..it is full wonderful, and promising Bible verses...I have been praying with these verses and have found them to be a blessings to me...

I am suffering and in pain. Rescue me, O God, by your saving power. Then I will praise God's name with singing, and I will honor him with thanksgiving Psalm 69:29-30

I am so thankful for all the wonderful friends that I have...even if I've never met you in person...The prayers are still just as important and the kindness that you bestow upon me still as precious....

The picture at the bottom I also posted on facebook..It's of my moonflowers...It's such a blessing how God even gave us such beautiful things that we could enjoy at night:)

I'll end with this...

And so, dear Christian friends, I plead with you to give your bodies to God. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice--the kind he will accept. When you think of what he has done for you, is this too much to ask? Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will know what God wants you to do, and you will know how good and pleasing and perfect his will really is. Romans 12:1-2

I have found the last verse to be very important to me these last couple of months...

That's all for now....May the love of Yahweh be a blessing in your life....

With Love and Hugs, Jerelene