Check out The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry Coming September 18th

I am excited to share The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry website with you.  It comes to theaters September 18th and needs your help in spreading the word.  Get your local church involved and help bring The Secrets of Jonathan Sperry to a theater in your area.



http://gotaf.socialtwist.com/redirect?l=141381027149711718222

Answered Prayers

Just a quick note to share some answers to a couple of prayers. One never knows when, how, or who God will use to answer your prayers. I have been in need of a walker since Aug. 1, 2008. The day a surgeon severed nerves while removing my cervix. The reason I put it off was my Dr's were telling me that the nerve pain and damage would be better "next month". I didn't want to waste money on something that I wasn't going to need. Of course it never did get better, just worse. Since finding out the damage was permanent, my prayers have been focused on using my experiences with surgeons, hospitals, medications, and so much more to help others. That I can help someone know that they are not alone, or help someone avoid having the same pain inflicted upon them. It is a blessing to be able to share my experiences and research with others. Lately my prayers were focused on being able to purchase a walker. As often heard, it was a friend of a friend. He had no idea that this was something I had been praying for, and he had a brand new one, one that was given to him, one he didn't need, in the trunk of his car. It is mainly for indoor use, but it serves the need I have at the present time and my wallet. I am thrilled! Never would I have ever expected this person to be the answer to my prayer. God listens, he answers, in his time, and the way he knows is best at that given time. Another big answer came in the form of employment for my husband. He was unemployed for a short period of time, considering how many people are still out of work, we can not thank God enough.

Heavenly Father,
I can't even begin to thank you for blessing my family. Employment for my husband during a time when many are not able to find work. A walker to aid in my day to day living. You never cease to amaze me. Continue to give me strength to research and write. That my experiences help others in ways you see fit.
In Jesus Name,
-Mrs. C

A Pain in the Neck!!!

Take a look around. How many people do you see rubbing their necks? Most everyone we meet has pain or tension in their neck. Fibromyalgia pain is different for everyone, but I am willing to bet we all have neck pain, strain or tension. I experience severe neck and arm pain. The arm pain stems from my neck and goes all the way to my hands. On a bad day my biceps and forearms scream out in agony. Just lifting a phone to my ear or typing causes a rippling pain. On my worst days, the only relief I find is laying on my back with my neck supported, arms rested flat at my side, hands opened (not in a fist) with my palms facing the ceiling. Needless to say, not much is accomplished on these days.

Fighting extreme days will only make the pain worse. Instead I began a quest to find ways to keep my neck and arm pain from escalating. What I am about to share is not a CURE, but a way to find some relief on your better days. I hope as I keep following these tips, my good days will be better.


What are these tips? They are so simple, that at first I laughed at them. Then I began to try them, and yes, they helped!! Without spending extra money or falling for gimmicks, I was able to find some relief from changing a few physical habits.

1. Driving.
OK, we were all taught to drive with our hands at 10 and 2 on the steering wheel. I will not argue that this may be the safest placement to be in control of your vehicle, but it is a true pain in the neck! I had never been a 10 and 2 kinda gal, that is until it was time to be a role model to my son who was learning to drive. Four years later, I am still driving with my hands in that position. In my research, I read that if I placed my hands at 8 and 4, I would feel how much strain 10 and 2 were putting on my neck and arms. So as I was driving the other day, with my hands at 10 and 2, I caught myself rubbing my neck at a stop light. I thought back to what I had read. So I tried it. WOW!!! Just by placing my hands at 8 and 4, my neck AND arm pain decreased immediately!!! The only problem was, because of how this particular steering wheel was designed, my hands were not comfortable and I didn't feel I had enough control over the vehicle. So I began to experiment some more. With this steering wheel's design, I found that 9 and 3 gave me the control I needed and the same relief of pain. The next time you catch yourself rubbing your neck at a stop light, change the placement of your hands! Also, lower or raise your steering wheel to help you find your best number! Experiment as I did and see what gives you control and pain relief. One more tip for driving, use your arm rests if you have them!!

2. Talking on the phone.
We do it all day. Cell phones have made it possible to talk 24/7! It's no longer just at work, or a few phone calls from home. Stop and think about how much of your day is spent with your arm raised and bent or your neck cocked to the side to hold the phone without your arms. Not talking, is not an option for me, and I needed to find ways to do it on my extreme days. Later I began to apply them to my normal usage. Once again, I was able to do an ordinary task that didn't increase my pain. When possible, use the speakerphone. Just not in public please!!!! By doing this, I can lay my phone down and not use anything but my mouth. :-o Other solutions are using a Bluetooth or other hands free devices. There are many affordable options. With any of these options, your arms, hands and neck remain relaxed. That is unless you talk with your hands even when no one can see you! LOL!

3. Typing.
On an extreme day, even by following these tips, typing is too painful. But they have made bad days bearable and good days better. Whether using a laptop or desk top computer, by keeping my upper arms at my side, elbows by my waist and forearms supported by a chair's arm rests or by pillows on my couch or bed, and my wrists flat, I am able to spend more time typing than before without added pain. I also keep my neck supported with the back of a chair or pillow. Only the movement of my fingers play into any strain.

4. Relaxing on a lounge chair, sofa etc..
This is something I discovered one night, while lounging on my patio. My whole body was hurting, and as I was trying to find comfort by laying in a reclined position my arms were still throbbing with pain. I examined the placement of each body part. To my surprise, what I thought should have been comforting for my arms, ended up being the source of stress. ARM RESTS!!! The moment I removed my arms from the arm rests and laid them at my side, my arm pain level dropped, and I had instant relief!!! After waiting awhile, I placed them back on the rests and immediately the pain returned to its original state of throbbing. When you are not having to use your arms, keep them at your side and relaxed, hands open flat or with a slight curve of your fingers and wrists facing up or down (which ever you find most comfortable at the moment).

I am learning that how we sit, stand, walk and yes, even lay down can play a large role in the level of our pain. I also see that we are creatures of habit and it is not easy to break or change them. My hands keep creeping up to 10 and 2, but I am catching myself and making the times I do drive a bit more pleasurable.


Notice that I have stated that all of these tips "did not increase my pain", not cured! Do not let anyone fool you into believing there is a cure for Fibromyalgia. These tips only allowed me to do a few tasks without increasing the pain, they did not change the severity of my Fibro. And that is my goal, to find ways to add some normalcy to my very abnormal life.
Give them a try! Tell me what helped you.

Send me your ideas, I am open and willing to try as many natural and free ways to help ease my pain or to just keep it from escalating. While my family and I are praising God my husband found a new job quickly, I am also asking God for a miracle. I will be without health insurance until the first of November. This means I will be without Lyrica. Even with our new insurance it will still have a ridiculous price tag. I would rather experiment and find something affordable and share my results with you. Bad part is, Lyrica does help, A LOT! On bad days I complain that Lyrica does not help enough, yet it is when I am without it, I realize just how much it does. Not just for my Fibro, but also with my nerve pain. As I am weening myself off of Lyrica with the last of this months prescription, I can already feel the difference the full dosage made. Better to ween off of it than to go from a full dose to nothing all at once. I am praying for a miracle, that Pfizer. the makers of Lyrica, lower their prices, or that I find a different, affordable and effective solution.
What works best for you? Reply in a post to share with all or email me privately.

May your day be as painless as possible!

-Mrs. C.

As always, it is my prayer that you are informed and/or entertained by my posts. Invite your friends to stop by! In the works is a web site that I pray will be a source of information and support to all those in chronic pain.
Support my mission by making a donation.
Your donation goes towards the costs of purchasing a domain name, web hosting, and enables me to dedicate more of my time towards research and writing. If you were informed or entertained, please consider a donation. No amount is too small and all is greatly appreciated.

The Waiting Game

Why does waiting have to be so hard?

How is waiting for vacation different than waiting for healing from an injury?
A vacation is fun, you save the money, you pick your destination, you plan your trip. Each day is a countdown to the date you have chosen. You know it is going to happen, for the most part, you have control over it. When healing from an injury or surgery you are at the mercy of your body. You begin to wonder if you will ever begin to feel better. Sometimes it feels like an eternity, which can bring about frustration. Then all of a sudden one day you wake up to find yourself in less pain. The agony of waiting seems to fade, as you feel the results of normalcy coming your way.

What about waiting for a new job or waiting for God to heal you from something that doctors can not? Things we can not control or can not feel or see happening? What then? Do we get angry when things aren’t happening at the moment we think they should? Do we give up hope?

To take my mind off of waiting, I decided to interview Abby. As the saying goes “Out of the mouths of babes”, and my baby girl had some insightful and humorous thoughts, as well as some much needed advice.


Abby‘s thoughts on waiting:

Do you like to wait? NO
WHY? It is boring.
What is the hardest thing for you to wait for? For my computer to unfreeze in Pixie Hollow
What about waiting in lines? They drive me crazy
If you are waiting for something you like, is it worth it? YES
When waiting for something you like, do you get mad or antsy? Antsy
What if you have to wait for something you don’t like, but your friend does? hmm that’s a tuffy, I cant answer that one.
Would you wait in a line for 2 hours if you were promised $100? Yes
What about $1? No Why not? I like a bunch…
What if God asked you to wait 7 days for $1? It’s a tuffy, I don’t want to let God down, but I don’t like just $1, could you change it to $7?
Would you complain? I don’t know, I might….
What would you complain about? That I would only be able to shop at the Dollar Store.
Why not save it? Oh
Tell me something that is worth waiting for? The Finding Nemo ride at Disneyland.
Is your birthday worth waiting for? (crickets) um yes
Why is your birthday worth waiting for? I like the cake, except the one with the red dye, yeah, that was not good.
Do you trust God?. Yes
Do you trust that God will provide what we need and ask him for? Yes, he will always do that.
Does God love us? Yes
Do you think God ever waits on us? Yes
What does he wait for? (crickets)
Does he wait for us to obey him? Yes
Do you think he gets impatient? Yes
But does he still love us? Yes
So he wont strike us with lightning if we take too long? Eeeeeks!!
If God waits patiently for us, do you think we should be patient in waiting for him to answer our prayers? Yes
Why? I respect him.

While I was having fun making her think, I began to think….. Being anxious, edgy, and impatient doesn’t show God much respect. Let alone faith. God is more than patient with us. He always answers. It may not be in the way we expect or when we would like, but he does in the way he knows is best for us and in his time. Abby also brought to my attention how that even if we know when we are going to receive something, as well as know what it is, we still aren’t satisfied. We feel the wait is too long or that the gift is not enough. We want more, and FAST! Patience is good, but not if we aren't satisfied with the gift.

God’s patience with us is immeasurable. While we are busy trying to do things on our own, he waits, and waits. When we finally call out to him, he is there, and he takes pleasure in it. Instead of saying what took you so long, he is joyful. Instead of being edgy or upset that things are not happening on my time table, I will take joy in knowing he will answer in his time. And when he does, I will take joy. Will I remember this the next time I am in pain or ask for provision? I would love to say yes, yet most likely I will regress. Like Abby, I do not always know how to answer, nor do I answer correctly. If I did, I wouldn’t need God.

Heavenly Father,
I know you hear my prayers. I trust you will provide, in your way, in your time.
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

-Mrs. C.

It is my prayer that you are entertained and informed by my posts. Please pray about supporting my blog. If you feel led to make a donation, there is a donation button below my profile. No amount is too small, and all is greatly appreciated. If you liked this post, please share my site address with your friends and family.

Fibromyalgia: Who has it, what is it, and how do I find relief?

Do I look sick to you? Of course not. You can not see my pain, you have no clue that it may take up to three days for me to recover from an hours outing.

I was first diagnosed with Fibro (for short), in 2003. What seemed like something out of the blue, I later learned that I had had it midly since childhood. Looking back I can see how it progressed. Early on it was being extremely fatigued, feeling like I was getting the flu. This would happen every 3-6 months. Then when I moved to Denver, where the weather was anything but stable, it began to happen more often, always with the onset of a storm. Once back in Arizona, it continued to happen more frequently, as my body was under stress with my pregnancy (my beauty is pictured above). I was extremely fatigued, hurt all over, sever pain in my joints.... When I could no longer change my daughter's diapers or hold her without pain, I turned to my Dr. for an answer. After tests to rule out all the diseases that Fibro mimics, I was diagnosed with severe Fibro. After years of having no success in finding relief for my pain, Lyrica finally came on the market. There is no generic for Lyrica, and it is very costly without insurance. This combined with other prescribed medication, my good days were better, and my bad, well nothing helps the bad days....

Clouds and rain are heavenly, unless you suffer from Fibro. They bring on headaches, muscle and joint pain, and will make you feel as though you have been ran over by a semi 100 times! Another way to describe the pain to someone who does not have Fibro is: think about the last time you had the flu, remember how achy your body felt, now multiply it by 1000!! Yes, OUCH! Other factors that bring on bad days are physical stress, emotional stress, weather, and noise.

Prior to the surgeries that have left me disabled, I was able to find relief from my Fibro pain by doing water aerobics. I miss it terribly, and pray that I may someday have the strength to do that again. But for now just floating in a pool, relaxes my muscles. I am expecting calls from my friends with pools!! LOL! Seriously, iced coffee on the deck, noodles to float with, and I am good for several hours of chatting without causing extra pain. In fact, along with the physical comfort of the pool, spending time with friends, laughing and smiling also brings comfort.

I would like to warn those who do have Fibro (which is mostly women, but there are some men who have it too), to be aware and be persistent, when you are having abdominal pain or symptoms of IBS. I had to fight for many years to be taken seriously about the pain I had after my hysterectomy and when adhesions were twisting and adhering my bowels to other internal organs. Many doctors do not believe Fibro exists, (so you would think they would take you seriously), they and other uninformed doctors will just right off your pain as a symptom of Fibro. Do not allow your physician to bully you into thinking that it is only Fibro pain, or a bladder disease, or IBS. If you have to, find another doctor, as I had to do. Insist that every possible avenue be explored before writing off new pain, even if it includes surgery. Not one of my tests including MRI's showed what was wrong with me. It was only during surgery that the problems were found. I have been the talk of many recovery rooms! I know my body.

For those who do not have Fibro, please do not judge a person for what med's they need to take to live comfortably. For those who have Fibro, do not be ashamed or embarrassed to ask your physician for med's that will bring you comfort.

As mentioned above, one of my medications is Lyrica. A negative side effect IS weight gain, but if you find relief, what's a few extra pounds!?!? Another that I had almost full relief from is Elavil. Weight gain was also a side effect. Unfortunately, I ended up being highly allergic to it. Elavil was the only medication that helped, I never knew I could feel so good. I pray I can find that type of relief again someday. Do I wish I could manage my Fibro pain without medication? You betcha! But my case is so severe, it is not possible. I also have permanent and severe nerve and muscle damage from two surgeries. I never thought I would wish that Fibro was the only condition I was suffering with. I am not saying that Fibro is a walk in the park, it is actually so painful that when pared up with anything else it is devastating. Life with Fibro is hard enough, I do not wish this pain upon anybody.

Support from family is essential! Without support from my husband and children, I would lose my mind. My husband takes care of all housekeeping duties and cooking, my son spent many of his middle and high school years helping to care for his sister while she was younger. He helped with changing diapers and giving baths. I was diagnosed when my daughter was 1 1/2. She has never known mommy to feel well. Yet because all this has slowed me down, she has my full attention! Because of my caring family, I am able to homeshcool our daughter, she loves curling up in bed to read. I am also able to spend time on Facebook, where I have met others who share my pain. Having people to pray for and with is very important for me. Facebook has helped me meet others who I have other things in common with, whether it be other homeschool moms or political interests, some family and friends that do not live near, FB connects me to the world.

I am so ever thankful that while Fibro is debilitating, it is not terminal. I have learned through the years to embrace my bad days and praise God for being alive. I used to hate the rain, now I can appreciate it and enjoy the gifts that rain brings. I no longer feel guilty, for having to cancel an outing or have to spend the day curled up in bed. It is life..... a painful life.... my life.... is it yours?

I have listed a few websites that explain the symptoms, tests, and treatments. They can help someone understand what Fibro is, explain the pain that a loved one is in, and help those who are in pain to find ways to cope. While no cure or cause has been found, there is help.

What is Fibromyalgia? MedicineNet.com

List of Medications used to treat Fibromyalgia WebMD

Support and information: National Fibromyalgia Association

May God bless everyone who struggles with pain associated with Fibromalgia, may you find comfort and peace. Life with Fibro is hard, but is possible.

Do you or someone you know suffer from Fibromyalgia? Have any comfort or relief tips to share? I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to share the link to my blog with others, by posting a link on FB, MySpace, or on your own blog or website.

-Mrs. C

If you were informed or entertained by my blog, please pray about supporting this site by making a donation using PayPal. If led to help, there is a donation button on the left side of my page. No amount is too small and all is greatly appreciated. I am unable to work outside the home, my "job" is sharing my story, and to inform and possibly help others.

The battle continues...

I can not believe it has been three weeks since I made my last entry. I have a notebook of topics I have wanted to write about. I feel as though time has been slipping through my fingers. Each week a new battle. I have had more thrown at me in the past few weeks than I ever thought imaginable. The day that I learned my disabilities were permanent, my husband also rec'd bad news. He was abnormally quiet as I shared my prognosis. I just figured he had prepared himself for the worst or that he was just letting me vent my anger and sadness. The next blow came as my knee surgeon refused to treat me when he realized that my injury was a result of the nerve damage. Even though my knee is worse and nothing he has done has helped, his prognosis and advice was "sorry nothing I can do for you, and stay away from doctors"!!! I am so sick of Dr.'s being afraid to treat me out of fear of having to testify in a lawsuit. They have nothing to worry about. I have yet to find a lawyer who will take on my case. They all agree I have a clear cut case of malpractice, but no one, including the AZ Med. Board are able to find a Dr. who will testify against my surgeons. As if this was not maddening enough, a week and a half later he mentioned his company was having a BBQ, so I asked if families were invited. Then he revealed why...... it was a sorry we have to lay you all off party... :(. This is the 2nd job he has lost in the past 3 months due to the economy. He is a truck driver, and the company he has worked for has lost many contracts due to companies losing business. Last time , praise God, he was only unemployed for 2 hours. They found another job for him, unfortunately the pay was much less than what we had been living on. Tomorrow we find out if he has a new job. The pay is still less than what we had been living on a year ago, my medical bills lie in a pile. According to Social Security I do not qualify for Disability because of how long I have been out of the work force.

I am unable to work. I am bedridden most of the time. I tire very easy from the toll that the pain takes on my body. If and it is still an if, he is hired tomorrow, we will be without health insurance for at least three months. That is three more months of agonizing pain in my knee until I can find a new surgeon. That is three months that we can not afford to pay for my meds. According to my pharmacy, Lyrica, which I take for both Fibromyalgia and my nerve damage, will cost me $680 a month. My other meds will bring my total monthly cost to $1000. I am putting this in God's hands and praying for a miracle. Because we are not at what is considered a poverty level income, I do not qualify for any assistance program for Lyrica. I am watching this months prescription bottle dwindle down, fearing what will happen when I run out. With my meds my pain level is a 7-10 daily. The pain is constant, never gets better, only gets worse with activity, like walking, standing and sitting. I can not imagine what the pain will be without my medication.

I am not one to ask for help. It is humbling to be in this position. I do not want anyone to think that I am expecting your help, but I am asking for you to pray for me. Please pray that God provides what I need to get the medication I need to make it through each day. In a earlier post I listed items I need to help with my quality of life. Those are not as important to me today as making sure I can pay for my meds. If you are led to help financially, I have added a PayPal button on the left side of this page. No amount is too small. All is greatly appreciated. In the meantime I will keep you updated on my condition, my husbands job, and it is my goal to educate men and women about their patient rights, and take you step by step as I fight for disability and justice. If I can spare just one person the pain that I live in, all will be worth the pain I will endure by taking the time to post information. I will share my joys and sorrows. I will also whip out my notebook and get my other, some quiet humorous, thoughts posted.

It is my faith in Jesus Christ and my sense of humor that gets me through each day.

Not my loaf of bread!?

Today Abby and I decided we would do something nice for her daddy. Drew does most of the cooking, since I am not often physically up to it. I was actually excited, Abby and I planned to make scrambled eggs,orange juice and French toast. So we went to the grocery store last night and bought all the needed items. We had a coupon to get a French bread baguette for free!! Whoo hoo!! We were very blessed, in fact so blessed that we even found the only bag labeled french bread among several flavors.

This morning I started slicing the beautiful loaf of bread to make nice thick pieces of french toast with. While slicing, I noticed something in my bread!?! By sight it appeared to be an almond. HHMMM... I have never had french bread with nuts in it..... then I pulled it out.... HHMMMM almonds don't usually get soft and squishy with baking. Oh well, I just threw it out and continued slicing...... there was another, and another, finally brought it closer to my face for a better inspection. Sniff, Sniff, oh, oh...... these weren't almonds, they were cloves of GARLIC! The bakery put the wrong bread in my bag, what we got is what we tried to avoid, GARLIC BREAD.

Since I was so hungry and did not want to have to go back to the store, I just continued to make my french toast. I would wait and see if anyone would figure it out.

Well, not only did they not notice.... we have declared it the BEST FRENCH TOAST ever. It was really, really good. I have a secret recipe that is so sweet that syrup would be too much and ruin it. After we finished eating, I came clean to my husband. He got a kick out of it and we laughed about my Famous Garlic French Toast!

And no, I won't be sharing my secret ingredients that can make even garlic bread into the best darn french toast ever!!! :)

Ya know, this may be the other reason I do not cook often!!!!!???!!!

-Mrs. C

Celebrating Fathers!

Happy Father's Day!

My little family never does anything small. Nothing is a DAY! Holidays are a weekend event and sometimes a month long event. While most are finishing their plans for tomorrow, we are in the middle of our Father's day celebration. Starting Friday evening, we all went to Abby's Vacation Bible School closing program. There we watched daddy's little girl perform songs celebrating the love our Heavenly Father has for us. After we all went out and had a treat, nothing big, just a little french fries, ice cream, chicken nuggets, coffee and soda! Big were the smiles, laughs and love, for each other, for my children's father and our Heavenly Father. Today is a bit more subdued. Abby and I are both finishing up last minute details to make sure that our surprise tomorrow will show Drew how loved he is. He is a great father to both of our children. To Justin, he is an example of how to be a loving husband and father. To Abby, he is an example of the type of man she should seek to be her husband when she grows up. Drew is an example to both kids and me, of how to follow Jesus Christ. To trust, to follow, to teach, to love, and most importantly how to submit to Christ. He is an example of patience and respect. His faith is not an "in your face" kinda faith, but a quiet and peaceful faith, the kind of peace that makes people want to know more about it. Drew serves Christ and works hard to provide for us, all with very little complaints. I am blessed to have a husband who puts God before me, whose love of God is shared with me and our children.

Tonight we will go praise our Heavenly Father. I plan to praise God for giving me the type of family I dreamed of as a child. A family that plays and prays together. I will praise God for His never ending love.

Romans 8:39 No power in the sky above or in the earth below - indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Tomorrow we will wrap up our weekend of celebration, but I pray we show our love to both God and Drew everyday.

How do you show thanks to your father, husband, and to God?

May God bless all men who rise to the call and raise their children to love and respect God. Whether quietly or loudly, seen or heard, may your faith be an example to other men.

Buckle up, we are in for a bumpy ride...

You may notice some of my past posts are missing. There is a reason for this.

After a lot of thought and prayer my husband and I have decided that we are filing a complaint with the AZ Med Board and will attempt to retain a lawyer for the permanent damages caused by a surgeon last August. Now that we know that I am disabled for life, we need to do this. So to make things a bit easier on myself, I have removed all comments about the surgeries and surgeons. I do not want my blog to be used against me if we go to court.

There is a chance the AMB will throw this complaint out, but a chance I need to take. If anything I pray that when the surgeon finds that he caused so much damage he will be more careful with future patients. As for the law suit, this took much prayer and talk with my husband. I know alone I could not face this emotional battlefield that we are heading into, but with God and my husbands promise to hold me tight when I cry, I am ready. I have medical needs that we can not afford, so we are taking the plunge. No matter what the outcome, in finding a lawyer who is brave enough to take this Dr. on, or what a trial will bring, I do know that God will provide. Somehow, someway, God will make sure we have what we need.

God has blessed us with a friend who his lending us one of his cars for the summer.

Please join us in prayer as we ask God to guide us to a permanent transportation solution.

Our van is beyond repair, and with what it would cost to repair what is fixable,

we could purchase a "new' used vehicle.

I am also in need of many items to help with my quality of life.

Those items include (but are not everything) a wheelchair with rising leg support, a walker with a seat and back rest and basket underneath, a bath chair, a king size foam mattress, and the funds to hire a housekeeper.

For those new to my blog or didn't see the last post update, that I have removed:

While performing a common procedure, my surgeon severed nerves that can not be fixed.

For the rest of my life I will be fighting pain.

I am very limited in my physical activity.

Everything I do causes great pain.

Walking, standing and sitting straight up causes uncontrollable pain.

I do walk, but it is not without consequences.

I spend most of my day in bed or in my lounge chair where I can elevate my feet and take pressure off the source of pain by remaining in a reclined position.

My bed and couch have become my "office".

There is more, but do not feel I should be posting it at this time.

Please pray for me, everyday is a struggle.

It is my faith and trust in Jesus Christ that get me through each day,

and sometimes each hour.

Thank you all for your prayers. Please continue praying for me. The pain never ends and life must go on. I will be vaguely updating the situation on my blog.

Have no fear!!!! I have many other subjects to write about!!!

God bless,

Mrs. C.

A Childhood Dream Come True!

I have been a serious for awhile in my posts. But those close to me, know I have a sense of humor. Laughter is what gets me thru stress, and the day. I love to laugh, and can usually find humor in anything, even my lack of physical abilities. So those of you who have just met me or don't think I have a funny bone in my body, get ready for a chuckle.

***

I was born in and lived all over Ohio. We moved to Arizona less than two weeks before I began 6th grade. The last Ohio town I lived in was where I spent most of my Ohio life. Like every town or city, there are rich areas and poor areas. Our town was no different.

***

First you had the rich section, they had the two-story and tri-level homes, all with basements. The richest had above ground pools. These pools were beautiful with wood decks, and some had slides! They also had indoor A/C as well as cars with A/C. These people lived on one side of our quaint downtown area, that included a beautiful gazebo.

***

Between the downtown area and the railroad tracks, the upper middle class lived closest to the rich side and it trickled down the financial scale to the ones barely above poverty living next to the tracks. These people mostly lived in apartments, single story track homes, with only a few two-story and/or basement homes.

***

On the other side of the tracks were the poorest. They lived in one bedroom apartments and homes so tiny they resembled sheds.

***

My family was barely in the second classification. The only thing dividing my family's house from the tracks were the ABC apartments. We, the neighborhood kids referred to them as the ABC apt's because each building had a letter of the alphabet on them. We thought we were so clever. I went over the "tracks" only a few times. Once on a Baptist church bus for a week, on my way to and from Vacation Bible School. The other times were during the gas crisis and they cut our school days in half, allowing the school from the other side to use ours during the other half. We would share the bus as we were getting picked up and the other was getting dropped off.

***

My life was simple. I had no idea what else I was missing other than the size and type of homes. I dreamed of having a tri-level home in the rich section of town, with an above ground pool. I prayed I would never have to live in a one-story home, when I grew up. (I have a personal phobia about one-story homes). I had no clue that people actually had central air conditioning, let alone A/C in their cars!!

***

I remember a hot, sticky summer day riding in the back seat of our family's two door car. My parents had their windows down, and the hot air was blowing in my face. I felt gritty from the dirt also blowing in. We came to a stop at a traffic light and a car pulled up next to us. I suddenly felt so blessed! The car next to us had their windows UP!!! I thought how sad that the father in the car was making his family sweat, I was darn happy to have the wind in my face. Two years later my parents purchased their first car with A/C and I quickly learned that the everyone I saw with their windows up, were not suffering. Funny that until that moment I thought I was better off!!

***

It was after we moved to Arizona that I learned about central air. We lived in an apartment complex that had A/C and a pool. Wow!! I thought my family hit the lottery. Had no clue I was still living on the edge of the "tracks".

***

Many years later I was blessed with a husband, two kids, and a childhood dream of a tri-level home and above ground pool!!!! Only one thing wrong or maybe it is right, I am still on the wrong side of town!!! LOL! Oh, I almost forgot, I have A/C too!!! Of course I don't know anyone in the valley who doesn't!! Below are pictures of our tri-level home and our above ground pool !!!

***

By the way I love where I live and am thankful for my above ground pool :)

***

Count your blessings, I am counting mine which include TWO above ground pools! Also laugh a little, or as I do, A LOT, ROFL!!!

-Mrs. C.

Still climbing...

Strangely I am thankful for my "climb". "It's not about whats waiting on the the other side, it's the climb". That is how I feel. What I think about when I listen to this song is, no matter how bad the pain is, as long as I am still climbing, I am OK. I can't let the words of others bring me down. So while some think because I can't fill my schedule with places to go, that my quality of life is less, I can't and won't think that way. In fact at times I feel more blessed than those I see always on the go. God has slowed my life so that I can enjoy so many more quiet moments, so much more quality time with my family. I personally don't know many people who have the kind of relationships that I have with my children.

Everyone has their own mountain to climb. Some of us just climb slower than others. My prayer for you is to take your time, don't climb so fast that you miss the beauty around you. Don't miss out on the quiet times. And if you see someone who has fallen, help them up, unless they are just resting, then join them and enjoy the view!

-Mrs. C.

Blessings of being a Mother.

Today I pray that every mother knows how much she is loved, cherished and most of all blessed.
Pictured is me and my mother, my sweet hubby and my babies. Ok so one of my babies is an "adult" according to U.S. law, but no matter how old my children are they will always be my babies.

This weekend is for families, a day to thank moms, for being there thru good times and bad. For always having a shoulder to cry on or for just listening to us ramble on about nothing. It is also a day for children to thank their moms for loving them, not to mention for giving birth to them, especially when many feel a child is a burden if not born into perfect circumstances. It is a day for husbands to thank their wives. And a day for women to thank God for blessing them with the gift of motherhood.



Being a mother is an honor. Whether we give birth or adopt a child, God knows who our children will be. To be trusted with this gift, this responsibility, this blessing that brings joy and sorrow to us daily, is truly amazing. We ask why me? Why was I blessed with this privilege?



How can we even begin to thank God for trusting us with His children? Just as we are children of God, so are our children. We love them, we baptize them, we teach and show them God's love and mercy. We hug them, we kiss them, we bandage scraped knees, and we discipline them. We watch them grow, and the time flies by..... One day they are babes, needing us for everything, then in a blink of an eye, they are adults who no longer need us to do things for them, but they still need our love, hugs and at times a shoulder to cry on. Just as their Heavenly Father, mothers are always there for their children with open arms. While we hope they will always heed our advice, we know they will make mistakes. As God forgives us and them, we too forgive a repentant child.



While motherhood is a blessing, it is also a challenge. There is no rule book!! If there was, would we seek God's wisdom during times of trial and frustration? Being a mother without the guidance of God would make raising a child even harder. It is funny when our children are little, we think it will be easier when they are older. That is actually when it is the hardest. There are times we don't know what to do or say when we see our older children making mistakes and they do not want to listen to us. Yet God is there for us with open arms and ears, as we pray, we pray for God to guide our babies.



Being a mother never ends. Like I said, my "adult" son, will always be my baby. I will always see him as my little boy, yet respect the man he has become. Our relationship has grown thru the years, and changed over time, but no matter how old he becomes, he will always know he can come to me. I may not offer advice, I may not have answers, but I will always have a listening ear, a hug and a prayer. My daughter is still young, she still needs my guidance on a daily basis. I thank God she does, because one day I will wake up and she too will be an adult.



This weekend may our love for our children remind us of the love our Heavenly Father has for us. May we take time to thank Him for the gift of motherhood. May God bless every mother today and for every tomorrow that follows.


Happy Mother's day!
Mrs. C.

Freedom of speech, freedom to cuss?

(Pictured is our female kitten "Angel")

Yes, she is speaking, and I find her words to be offensive!

Freedom of speech
What follows is what usually comes to my mind when I hear these words.
Freedom to say what we want,
freedom to share what we feel,
freedom to express ourselves.




Along with freedom of speech is freedom to THINK!
Before something explodes out of our mouths we should think about it.


We are all guilty of foot in mouth syndrome.
No one is perfect.

When speaking verbally, it is easier to make these mistakes,
because there is less reaction time.
Sadly the sage advice of
think before you speak
seems to have been forgotten
(This itself is a topic for another day).


I am on several social networking sites, and have seen a trend that I find disturbing. Some of the posts are truly vulgar! The reason I find this disturbing, is one's brain is utilized more for typing out thoughts, rather than when they just fall out of one's mouth. When typing we have control over our fingers and what ends up on the screen. We even have time to read and edit what we are saying. Whether we are online (PC or mobile) this includes texting, we have the time to think. I know some very well educated people, who have a wealth of knowledge to share, but once they add a vulgar word to their post, many just pass it by. Would you take your doctor seriously if he used cuss words in a conversation about your health?
It's not professional.
What needs to be shared is the information.
There is no need to act like a child who thinks it's "cool" to cuss.



I know I am not the only one bothered by this.
I have seen people comment on posts asking people
to clean up there language.
Don't worry, if you are an offender of foul fingers,
I won't be reporting you.
It is your freedom to speak how you choose,
but I will de-friend you if make it a continual habit.
While you have the right to say what you want and how to say it,
I have the right to not listen or read it.
This is not an issue that needs government intervention,
instead it is an issue of moral conduct.



I am going to end this with some discussion questions.

1. Does it bother you to see cuss words in someones post?
2. If you saw a lot of cussing posted on someones profile page, would you friend or follow them?
3. Have you de-friended anyone because of their crude language?
4. Do you use cuss words in your posts? And if so why?
5. When scanning posts, do you pass on reading the ones that have a cuss word standing out?
   
   

I look forward to your comments and thoughts.

Please feel free to share this link with your friends!

FYI: No cussing allowed :)

-Mrs. C.

My baby girl is growing up.....

It is with joy and sadness that I watch my daughter grow up. She is the baby, the one who makes me feel young. This weekend we had another milestone moment of our daughter growing up. She has spent the past few months debating with herself whether or not she was ready to do this. She would go back and forth, driving me crazy. Until I finally told her that it is her decision, not mine, but when she is really ready for this and the responsibility that comes with it, I would take her to have it done. I explained that she did not need to rush into this, that I did not have this done until I was 12, nor have I ever pushed the idea on her. Finally she decided to have it done. And on Friday night after a week of her excitingly telling every person she met, our family went to the mall.

We had a nice dinner, she was nervous, so we took her dinner home. All thru dinner, this was all she spoke about. She was skipping and bouncing thru the mall, joy was in the air until.......she sat in the chair. Her big brown eyes filled with tears, yet she wasn't really crying, her little body began to quiver........

At this point, I thought she was going to back out and I would have an extra $30 to shop with that night. I asked her one more time, if she really wanted to go thru with it. As she stared at me with those big wet eyes, I could see how much she wanted to do this, I could also see her fear. So Daddy and I each took a hand, she squeezed hard, and before she knew it her ears were pierced.

Afterwards I told her how proud I was of her. Not because she had her ears pierced, but because she overcame her fear to have it done. That night I saw my baby girl go from being one who would cling to me crying when she was scared, to a little lady, who was determined to get what she wanted done. I am thanking God that she still needed to hold Daddy and Mommy's hands. I am not ready for her to not want or need me to help her. So in honor of her milestone, I am gifting her my 14kt gold Mickey Mouse earrings, once her ears are healed. She can not wait, and I will have to endure a very long six weeks until she can wear them. :)

Coffee, my best liquid friend :)

I read an article that has put coffee on my brain.... So I thought I would ask all my friends a few questions relating 2 coffee. Do you mostly brew your own, or get it on the run? If on the run, do you bring your own cup, who do you purchase your on the run coffee from and what is your favorite coffee drink(s)? Now if and when you brew your own, do you buy whole bean or ground, what is your favorite brand, and what determines the brand of coffee you choose? I am looking forward to your comments and will share my fav's and why sometime this weekend, right now I need to brew some coffee and get some work done :) Have a caffinated day!

2 trust or not 2 trust!?

2 trust or not 2 trust, that is my question?!


Who do you trust? Your spouse? Your children? Your Parents? Family? Friends? Co-Workers? These would be people you physically interact with.

A yes to any of these I could understand. You have built a relationship with each of them. You can tell by their eyes or body language if they are lying. After time you can even tell by how they word something, or use a tone that sends the warning bells.

Who do you share your most intimate feelings with? Who would you trust to baby, house or pet sit? Who would you share the location of where you live with? Who would you make vacation plans with? Who would you buy a house with? Let alone live with?

If you list shrinks depending on the question, that's good. Who would you trust with your financial information example: check book, debit or credit card? Is your list shrinking, if not shrunk to only one physical person by now?

Now............. what if the only contact you had was thru email or phone? How much of your personal info would you indulge? This includes people met thru Facebook, Myspace, and anywhere else online. Take some time to ponder this post and reply. Even if you choose to not post a reply, please think about these questions, and how they apply to your own life.

Now I want to give you some more things to think about and to be aware of. First understand that I have nothing against making friends, and believe that a few make actually find love online. I have made some awesome friends online and hope one day to meet them in person. Meet at Starbucks, have a latte, or meet at a restraunt. But I would never invite someone into my home, nor let them know my address until I have met them and have gotten to know them. Online you can be anyone you want to be. If you have never met me in person, would you know if what I was saying was real or made up? That's my point you have no idea, nor do I about you. My home is my safe place. the place where my family plays and sleeps. It is our safe haven from the weather and the world. When we are having a bad day, things get better once we are home and able to relax.

It seems everyday we hear on the news about another woman killed, by an obsessed idiot, or ex-husband. We hear about woman who have been conned. A friend who will remain nameless, had this happen to her: She met a man online, he said the right things, she thought they were in love, he needed money, she lent it to him....... Her money is gone, so is he, and her heart is broken.

What I am getting at is, please be carefull!!!! Even when I meet people in public, it takes a long time until I invite them to my home, my sanctuary. Think I am paranoid? Hardly, once when leading a bible study, we had a new woman, who was not a member of our church, we were thrilled, for she was a new believer. I never met her anywhere outside of church. She became obsessed with me. She scared the crap out of me. Finally I had to confront her. She was angry, and began stalking me at church!!!! Of all the places to be stalked, I am thankful that it was church and not my home. When it was very evident that she was not going to stop, my husband and pastor stepped in and they protected me and we filed a report with the city police. She was never seen again, at least at my church. I have had one occurrence where she was at the same place at the same time, but there is no way she could have known I was going to be there. So I kept my distance, and moved on. Thankfully she never followed me home!

So I leave you this last thought. Please be very careful about what you tell someone online and in person. Really take the time to get to know them. There is nothing rude about not inviting someone to your home in this day and age, when violence is the norm. If I sound paranoid, it's because I have seen to many get hurt or taken advantage of.

Stay safe and God Bless!

Mrs. C.

Justin is home!!!!!!!!

Justin arrived home safely today!!! We managed to keep Abby clueless, she actually believed me when I told her that we (her, me, daddy, granny, di, and jesse), were having dinner together at the airport since there is a variety of food and everyone can get what they want!

I can finally relax, he is home, he looks great! Below is the video of her reaction to finding out why we really ate at the airport. Once we all had our hugs, we rushed off to church and I felt whole having my entire family worshiping together once again.

Pictured at top is Justin, Drew (aka dad) and Abby, middle is the three amigos, Jesse, Di and Justin, and the bottom is Justin, Drew aka dad, and Abby, and the lower pic is Granny, Justin and Abby. If after this edit they don't match up, I think you can figure it out! LoL!

What ended the mission early was that the org. that Justin was working for decided it would be economically better for them to replace Justin with a Kenyan and pay the Kenyan half of what they were paying Justin.

I am just so happy to have my son back home!

We are having a WELCOME HOME OPEN HOUSE PARTY on Tuesday April 14, 2009 from 5pm to 10pm. Whether you know Justin or want to meet him, we would love to have you over. We are asking anyone who has a favorite dessert, snack, or dish they would like to bring to share to do so. If you do not know where we live, please email me and I will send you directions.

We are also asking for assistance to cover the financial hit my husband and I took this week to get Justin home as quickly and safely as possible. If only this would have happened two weeks earlier, we could have cancelled our vacation and had the full amount to pay for his flight. If you would like to help, we will have a free will offering at the party, or you may make a donation on website http://www.tkpp.org/, or purchase some TKPP gear at http://www.covertdesigns.org/.

We want to thank everyone who helped get Justin to Kenya, his time was well spent. I am really tired and will share his full story another day.

May God Bless you in all you do!

Mrs. C.

My baby comes home 2day!!!

It is after midnight and I can not sleep. I need 2, but I am so excited to see my son today. He left for Kenya the day after Christmas and was originally supposed to come home in March. Then he was offered a two year long term volunteer gig (you can read about the whole saga at http://www.tkpp.org/ ). Then due to circumstances out of our control, Justin sent me a text Saturday morning, as I was getting finishing packing and getting ready for breakfast with Chip and Dale at the Disney Grand Resort and then fly home. This is the text you never want to get from your child. "Mom, call me asap, it's an emergency"!! So I called him, got the scoop and since I knew he was safe with a friend (that I believe God put in Justin's life to protect him), I told him to sit tight and I would handle everything as soon as I got home. We were able to get him on a flight this week and today I will get to hold my son tight and praise God he is safe and home. As I write this, I am praying my son's flight from Kenya to London was safe, as well as the 8 hours that he has to wait for his flight from London to Phoenix. I am praying for him to arrive home safely. I have missed him so much, but yet had peace from God, that my son would be OK. God is Good. Even though Justin won't be staying for the 2 years that he was so excited to do, God was with him all the time, and still is. No matter where Justin is, God has plans for that boy, and I can't wait to see what is next.

For me, this is the best Easter Gift God could have given to me, other than having Jesus die for my sins, kinda wish is could have happened two weeks earlier so Justin could have gone on vacation with us. It is ironic that this happened at the end of our vacation. We have not had a family vacation for years. I have been sick for many years, had too many surgeries last year and this year is going to be a frustrating years of more doctors and therapy. We kept waiting for me to get better, and knowing now that it is not going to happen (don't worry its not terminal, just disabling), we decided now was the time. And with the economy, we figured if we did not go now, we may not be able to afford to go for many more years. It felt odd not having Justin with me at Disneyland. This was the first time, I have been there without him, he has been there once without me for a Jazz band competition. Our Disney trips started with me and Justin (and his Aunt Ami) going for Justin's 3rd birthday. Then I took him for his 5th, 7th, and 8th. My mom joined us for his 8th and we skipped the bargain hotel and stayed at the Disneyland resort. Then later that year Justin and I went again for my 30th bday. For his 9th birthday, my husband (at that time he was my fiance, we married later that year) and his brother joined us. After Drew and I married, our new family moved to Denver. It wasn't as affordable to go as it was when we lived in AZ, so we didn't, then after moving back to AZ, I became pregnant with Abby. Once Abby turned 3, we headed back to Disneyland. This was our first trip to Disneyland in over 5 years. On our 2nd day, I had to be taken to the hospital, ended up having an appendectomy. But that did not stop me! We added a day to replace the one lost during surgery and with a wheel chair and meds, my husband, kids. and I continued to enjoy the happiest place on earth. As a make up trip we went for a few days the next year. It has been 3 years between the last trip and our current one. We had a blast, we have been there enough to be able to relax and do what we want and not feel we have to rush and do everything. We always go for a week, that gives us time to see all the shows, or parades or spend time at the hotels or resorts. The only thing missing this time was my son. I pray I can earn enough money to take us back next year and have him with us.

Besides Disney (which I will tell you all about another time), the most awesome thing about Justin's return is: The last time we worshiped at church together as a family was Christmas Day morning, the day before he left, and now after we pick him up at the airport, we will be heading to church together, with my mom and prayerfully his friends, to worship together for Maundy Thursday. What a Blessing! I am crying as I write this, because God is so good, and I will be praising Him for so many things tonight.

I spent today getting Justin's bedroom freshened up for him. Will finish doing some laundry for him and washing his bedding when I get up in the morning. Plan to buy him some comfy new pillows too!

We will be having an Open House Welcome Home Party for Justin next week. I will be posting the time and day on our website. And for those who are out of state, the next week we will have an internet chat party! We are also scheduling speaking engagements for Justin at Holy Cross and Family of Christ Lutheran Churches. His experience was amazing and he touched the lives of many.

Well I better head to bed, have laundry and shopping to do tomorrow, before we head to the airport. Oh yeah one last thing, Abby has no clue!!!! She thinks we are just going to Starbucks with Di and Jesse before church tonight!!! And because our family is known to go out to eat at a hospital (good and cheap food!), and other crazy things like that, she won't catch on when we go to the Starbucks at the airport, she will just think it's cool! Can't wait to see her face, when Justin comes thru the gate!!!!

God bless and good night!
Mrs. C.

My first Blog!

Wow, my first blog. Never thought I would be doing this. But as my Facebook addiction grew and I wanted to share more, I found that writing notes, wasn't enough, unless I reposted them to my profile daily. Seeing, that more of my friends have started blogging, I thought I would give it a go! But it is late and I need my beauty sleep. Will give you some insight into my life 2morrow!

Good night and God Bless!

Mrs. C.