Goodbye Girl!

Nala had brain cancer. We just put it all together today when the final symptoms made themselves known. Before that, the things she had didn't really point to anything except "age."

When Clint woke up this a.m., she had lost coordination, had dizzyness and etc. Every thing matched up 100% with brain cancer, something that is not usually caught until it is in the final stages. The next steps were paralysis and then suffocation. She was put down quickly and gently this afternoon to spare her from going through that.

Our family can rejoice that we had nearly 14 wonderful years with her! She has been a part of our family, not just a dog. She would often get to our crying babies faster than we did and then look at us like "Where have you been? Why weren't you here sooner?" :-) She guarded over our children, watched over our livestock, was a companion on many trips and outings, kept us company during illnesses, etc. She defended us from illegal hunters with guns, angry people who meant us harm, wildlife, etc. There wasn't a single adventure we had that she did not want to be a part of with us. If we left her behind, she would stop eating, so we always tried to take her with us.

She had a wonderful day yesterday hanging out with the family. When Caleb separated from the group to go riding his bike up and down the driveway, she went and kept watch over him. That's what she considered her job.

We are sad, but thanking God for the many wonderful years with a fantastic dog. She will be the dog by which all other dogs we know will be measured by.

Less Than 24 Hours Later...

we took the tree down. Can you guess why?

Please keep Mark's family and Luke in prayer. We are also praying for our friend Lyn who is battling HG in her pregnancy.

When we knew we were coming home, we asked Brandon if he wanted to assemble the Christmas tree. He jumped at the chance. Amanda helped the middles and Emily put ornaments on. So, we got a tree up after all!

While we had fixings for a meal, nothing was cooked. Clint and Brandon went out and found a cooked, spiral sliced ham and we had that on croissants for Christmas.

Amanda cooked us a late Christmas meal yesterday and we will enjoy that today.

We are not doing much e-mail right now, so call if you need us. We are hanging out as a family and enjoying the down time.

I am on a strong herbal antibiotic that has the respiratory and ear infections on the run, PTL!

Hannah is gaining weight and sleeping so well. She's an "easy" baby so far!

We had been telling Emily there was a "baby" coming for weeks. The day we brought Hannah home, Emily looked at her and then us and said "Baby?"

The L&D Story

I've been asked how labor was. Labor wasn't that bad. I got the epidural hoping to slow labor down so I could rest after that rough weekend. I was really wiped out going into it but the i.v.'s and naps I was able to get helped immensely.

The nurse in L&D was in a WICKED mood. We asked to have her replaced with another nurse twice and were refused--they said no one else was available because not enough nurses showed up. I have never realized just how blessed I have been to have good nurses until I got this one.

She was belligerent, rude, nasty, evasive, etc. She clearly did not like Clint asking questions and would ignore or snap at him. He stayed calm and told her "Hey, we don't know this stuff and you are our only source of information. I am not asking you to give you a hard time. I am asking you because I want to know something." This was not the only time we had an issue with anti-male attitudes. At one point, I asked an argumentative woman, "Why can't he make decisions for the baby's health care?! He is the child's FATHER!" She had no answer for that.

Nurse Grump would not call for the epidural. My doctor was there "hanging out" watching interns and had told me on one of his visits to call for him if I wanted him. I asked for him 5-6 times and she refused to get him for me.

She deliberately hurt me many times. I was not sure if she was doing it on purpose or not. I wondered if I was so tired it seemed like she was being rough, you know? I had planned on saying something to Clint as soon as she left the room. Amanda came to me while the nurse was in a corner and said "Mom, she isn't taking good care of you. She's not listening to you either."

Clint HAD been watching her and thought she had been intentionally rough too. She yanked on my i.v. hard again and he came out of the chair so fast she flinched and stepped back. I don't remember what he told her but he basically said she needed to take more care in her treatment of me or she'd deal with him. She was better after that.

I asked for the heartbeat monitor to be turned up so I could hear it. She told me it was broken and "proved" it by pushing a button--nothing happened. Later, the doctor told her to turn it up and she pushed a different button..and it worked just fine!

It is a good thing Hannah was estimated to be 7 lbs or so. She felt that way inside the womb too. Speculation is that she was very deep into my pelvic bones which made her feel smaller. If they had told me she was 10+ lbs, I would have worried about pushing her out. When he said 7, I figured, "That's easy. I've done 9 lbs 13 oz, so 7 lbs should be nothing! I can do this one in five pushes." I gave it all I had the first push and delivered her head. The next two pushes delivered her shoulders. I was exhausted, but DONE!

After the baby was born and Clint and the doctor had left the room, Grump started ignoring me again. I told her I was cold a dozen times. I was shaking so hard, my teeth were chattering! Amanda, on her own, started raiding the supply drawers and pulling out gowns, the thick pads they sit you on, etc and draping them over me. When the nurse saw that, she finally brought me two warmed blankets.

This is how the hospital visit started off and it just went downhill from there. When I had Emily, it was great. I had an excellent nurse who thanked ME for letting her be a part of my birthing experience and for answering her many questions about mothering. The facility has run down so much since July 07 (Emily's birth), that I will look into another hospital if God chooses to bless us again.

I am more wiped out from this birth than any of them, probably due to that nasty third trimester, the weekend just before, the heavy blood loss and the respiratory infection. Clint is home another week and can take off an additional three, if we need it.

Thank you for the prayers and e-mail. It meant a lot that so many thought of us during their busy holiday plans. I'll catch up on e-mail next week.

Christmas Morning

Here they are waiting to get to those presents.
Amanda holding Emily, Joshua, Brandon holding Hannah, Bethany and Caleb
Notice Emily, held by Amanda, has one pink and one white sock :-).
Hannha is wearing a Christmas outfit Clint's mother gave to Amanda in 1994.

We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to everyone!

Thank you for the e-mails and for rejoicing with us that we are HOME.

This is Hannah on the quilt her Grandma Susan made for her. She's in the going home outfit Clint picked out for her just hours before she was born. I think every nurse we had made a fuss over the shimmery silver dress. It has such a soft lining inside.

I have a double ear and upper respiratory infection. I noticed my lymph nodes were swollen last week and assumed I was fighting something off. We are wondering if that affected Hannah's breathing or blood work results. We aren't really sure what was going on...if anything. A lot was going on at the hospital...inner politics, very new nurses, holiday plans of the dr and nurses, most of the experience nurses were out for the holiday, communication issues between nurses and the doctor, nurses angry with us because we make informed decisions about each procedure and don't just "go with the flow", etc, etc, etc. Our heads are still swirling trying to process it all, but God put us there and had us go through it for a reason.

It has been awesome celebrating Christmas with a newborn in the house. Things weren't picture perfect, but they were very, very good! Hannah has been in someone's arms all day.

Just A Few Minutes Old

Hannah Michelle

Here she is!

Her Hair

was the talk of the nursery. The ladies loved that she has "natural blonde highlights." You can see them a little bit in the pictures.

We are HOME!

What a blessing it is to be home and with all of our children! PTL!

We will post pictures of Hannah soon, probably tomorrow. Hannah, Clint and I are all very tired. We are also trying to get presents and something to eat ready for tomorrow.

Thank you for your prayers!

Going HOME!

We should be able to go home after 3-4 p.m. barring any thing cropping up. He is going to let the culture grow that long and if nothing is growing, he will send her home with us. The problem has resolved itself. He's not even sure what was going on. Join us in rejoicing!

Thank you for your prayers everyone!

The Night Nurse

said Hannah's breathing is "just fine." She said that we may be able to go home late tonight after the 4th antibiotic treatment has been done. Hannah will have #3 around 10-11 a.m. and then the other 12 hours later, but he might do it earlier so we can leave a bit earlier. She said to at least ask; all he can say is no. It will also depend on the culture they are growing too.

Hannah drank over 1 ounce of breastmilk again.

Please join us in prayer we can take our darling home and be with ALL of our children on Christmas.

40 is the New 50

I thought you'd enjoy a laugh with us. After the hard weekend, long night for labor and then the stress wondering what was/is going on with Hannah, we look 50 instead of 40. We got a good glimpse of ourselves in the future.

To our Facebook friends, we look NOTHING like our photos there now! We are looking old, tired and ugly :).

We are feeling aches and pains from our new beds too. Why do they put a bar in the bed RIGHT where your tailbone goes?!!!

Fellowship

Clint and I just had a beautiful time of fellowship with our nurse, Jackie, who is also our sister in Christ. She is an absolutely beautiful woman who has been such a blessing to us. I told her I felt she was a Christmas present to me. I believe the negative experiences we had with the young alarmist nurses since we arrived were to contrast how much God loves Clint, Hannah and me through Jackie. He sends His own to minister to His own through "Divine Appointments."

I am asking you to pray for Jackie and a mom here. Jackie CHOSE to be the nurse this young mother will see because she believes the Lord can and will use her. It means a heavier workload and she will be here hours beyond her normal shift. The mother just lost her baby and is going home empty armed. She is aching deeply for her child. I know how the arms ache when there is no baby to fill them but your body tells you there should be.

Jackie came in to tell us the new blood panel came back perfectly fine in every area. PTL! We got to fellowshipping after that and you could feel the Lord in the room! How wonderful it is to be in the Body of Christ!

*********

Hannah is having her 2nd dose of antibiotic. One nurse told me 4 is usually what they like to give in this kind of situation. It takes 45 minutes to give it to her through a pump (slow push) that goes into the i.v. catheter site.

The cyanosis noted on her chart was "typical." It was very light and in her lower legs. They consulted with a neonatal nurse on this even though it appeared to be something normal because of the breathing issue. They didn't want to overlook anything.

The RESOLVED blood sugar issue is normal for any large baby and is not considered part of her breathing issue. Her numbers were high enough yesterday that it is a non issue today. The doctor told us he was not worried about any except the first two and those he expected. The fuss and bother we got on those was from the "alarmist nurses."

High Potassium Level

Hannah had a blood panel done this afternoon. Her doctor wanted to look at her salt levels.

She has had two doses of the antibiotic so far. They are giving those every 12 hours. I used the breastpump to get a full ounce of colostrum into her. The nurses were impressed I could pump that much already and that Hannah gobbled it all up! She is nursing well on one side and ignoring the other.

The blood panel came back with a high potassium level. The level was 6.5 which was considered "critical" by the lab. They called the doctor immediately. The nurse said that when potassium is a factor, they start looking at the heart. The doctor is having the panel redrawn right now as he feels it is in error.

Hannah had some mild cyanosis (blue color indicative of low blood oxygen) earlier from what I read on the charts. We will ask the doctor about that tomorrow a.m.

Her doctor called us just now. He said it looks like we will be here Christmas Eve, Christmas and then maybe go home the next day. He wants to answer the question as to why she is breathing rapidly.

Her rapid breathing has improved according to the nurses. She is doing it less and at a slower pace.

Her white blood cells are not elevated enough to indicate an infection, but we will continue with the preventative antibiotics as a way to head off anything that could be brewing. He was concerned about how long the membranes were ruptured (less than 3-4 hours).

The nurses noted she is looking a little puffy which is indicative she is not urinating off the extra fluid from birth as fast as normal. This is why he had her salt levels checked.

Overall, her doctor feels she is OK, just having to work through some things to get started. We are not sure if the severe HG in the third trimester complicated things for her or not. Everyone is making guesses right now.

During my time with Him, God reminded me of the verses on the sparrows last night. I've started calling Hannah my little sparrow to remind me of God's promises. Please keep her in your prayers. Thank you to those who have written or called with encouragement and prayers.

Matthew 10:29-31 Are not two sparrows sold for a farthing? and one of them shall not fall on the ground without your Father. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear ye not therefore, ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Please pray for our other children. Brandon has asked to be allowed to care for everyone on his own with Amanda's help and they are in constant communication with us. He is more than capable and responsible enough, but it is a lot on his shoulders. Amanda is a big help too. Please ask God to comfort Emily. She is crying for me. :-(

Hmmm...

A nurse came by to talk to me today and in a very cautious and diplomatic way said she is glad the doctor put Hannah on the antibiotics as a precaution, but some babies breathe fast like this. It's their normal. She also said that Hannah gets hot quickly (like her daddy) and can't be left under the lights for long because she will sweat. I think she was letting me know she believes Hannah is OK the only way she really can. I get the feeling she does not trust the other nurse's assessment.

Hannah has her i.v. port. They had to stick her 4+ times to find a vein. She is sleeping well right now.

Clint and I are going to try to get some rest. We are beat and aren't so pretty right now :-). Nothing ages you faster than worrying about your children!

Xray & CBC Back

The xray looked good. The lungs are clear and fully developed, no sticking, no meconium, no pulling away, no infection.

Because of that the doctor cleared me to breastfeed so she can get that valuable colostrum. We will supplement with formula because she will need the calories to give her energy to breathe.

Her CBC had high markers in a few places which leads him to believe an infection is brewing. A NICU nurse is putting in an IV port and then they will give her IV antibiotics every x hours via needle. That way she will be in the room with me where we can breastfeed and get to know each other. I have had very little time with Hannah so I am grateful they are letting her stay in the room with me.

We might be here until Christmas depending on when the cultures they are growing are readable.

Dr. said everyone will assume RSV when we say infection. It is not RSV. He said that is something she'd pick up outside of the hospital.

We have a great amount of trust, respect and a 17 year history with our pediatrician. He was thinking we'd be upset at not going home today. I told him "No, we want to take care of Hannah! That's MY baby!!" He said "Good, we are on the same page then. And, I consider her a little my baby too." He's like that. Whatever child is in his care, he is going to fight for.

Hannah and I have a wonderful nurse watching over us today. God has blessed us! Bev has commonsense, unlike the alarmists nurses I've mentioned, and I am probably going to let her take Hannah to the nursery later this afternoon so Clint and I can try to get some much needed sleep.

What Hannah is doing isn't the retraction (labored) breathing as the nurse called it. It is rapid breathing. I noticed when she latched on to nurse she slowed her breathing down. She didn't nurse much. She latched on and drifted off to sleep.

Please keep praying for Hannah. Ask God to let it be a simple infection that will be cured easily and quickly with the IV antibiotics.

Her left foot is very swollen from the glucose testing. It looks painful. She needs healing for that as well.

You can reach us through contentmentacres@yahoo.com or Clint's cell phone. Our main e-mail @cox.net is not accessible through this computer.

Thank you for the prayers and concern.

One last thought--hospital food: I am not sure whether to say grace over it or to ask for deliverance from it.

Dr's Report on Hannah

Hannah needs observation for her breathing and will not go home today.

The blood sugar is not an issue. What he has told us is the opposite of what the nurses have told us. He wasn't that worried at all. He also told us the same thing we learned on the internet about the differences in glucose charts, so he wasn't that concerned with her readings all along. He said the nursery tends to put more emphasis on the higher numbers. (Those alarmist nurses!)

Hannah is breathing fast. There is a difference between breathing fast and hard. He says right now, she is only breathing fast. If she were to go home and become too tired to breathe and needed to breathe that fast, she could end up in respiratory distress. It could be an infection brewing. It could be meconium in the lung or something else sticky making breathing hard. It could be the lung pulling away a little or the lung could be a bit immature. He is looking at chest xrays and will be back to see us in a little while with an idea of what we are facing and how to handle it. I'll add what we learn, when we learn it.

If she starts to breathe hard in addition to fast, I will not be able to nurse her because the hard breathing could cause her to aspirate the milk.

Please pray for our little girl. I long to hold her, but that may not happen for a while. Pray Clint and I are able to sleep soon. We have had very, very little and it is wearing on us.

Update on Hannah

We are not sure what is going on with our new daughter. She went out this a.m. for a PKU test and did not come back. We grew concerned and went to find her. The nurse told us she was sweating on her nose, so the nurse ordered a blood glucose test. She said she had never seen a newborn sweat on her nose or anywhere else and figured it had to be related to the blood sugar issues she had. So, she did a test. That came back fine. Btw, I've seen newborns sweat. :)

Her last two blood sugar readings were well above the limit so we thought she was good to go home.

Then the nurse said she noticed retraction breathing so she did an O2 sat test and that was fine. She called the pediatrician who told her to run a CBC, chest x-ray and one other test. We are waiting on these tests results and for him to get here within the hour. If we had not walked up there to find out what was keeping her, we would still not know these details. The hospital is not very good about notifying us about anything so we are constantly having to go find out what is going on with our child.

Please keep Hannah and us in prayer.

This has been an unbelievable hospital visit where we have had to deal with MANY issues. God has really blessed us with grace to extend to people who have treated us poorly. "There have been many things that have gone wrong and there have been things that were not handled appropriately." is what Clint said about the things we have encountered.

Our nurse last night was a delightful black woman who kept telling us we had such a "pretty white baby." After sharing a little bit of my faith with her, I learned she was a Christian too and we had a nice time together.

I do not believe we are going home today. I think they will want to keep Hannah for observation another day.

Please pray our family gets joined together again soon. The separation is very hard on all of us. Clint and I are exhausted. Brandon is managing our home, farm and three siblings. Amanda and Bethany are here at the hospital with us.

Hannah Needs Prayer

Hannah is having blood sugar drops that the hospital is concerned over. She is only 3-6 points lower than the minimum each time, but they are still testing her every three hours.

Her pediatrician did not seem that concerned this a.m. but has ordered more blood glucose readings as the day has gone on. She is on a high calorie formula now and they are sticking her twice for each reading. Her foot is literally black and blue. Based on what we learned from midwives, the supplemental feeding to raise her blood sugar can actually be compounding the problem. Clint and I do not know enough about newborn glucose levels to know what is best for her.

Please say a prayer her blood sugar stabilizes. She is already to the point where she starts crying as soon as they mess with her feet. It is heart rending for us to watch.

Thank you!

Early CHRISTmas Present for Our Family

When people have asked me what I wanted for Christmas, I told them I just wanted the baby to come early so I could rest and get some relief. I was staying hungry, tired and was feeling very frustrated by the battle with HG.

Saturday night, I was very, very ill. I threw up repeatedly and then had contractions for hours. I think the heavy vomiting is what put me in labor. We were up until 6 a.m. Sunday. I was having contractions and passing plug that a.m. and did not want to be in labor feeling that weak and worn out. I asked for an epidural when I arrived at the hospital that evening hoping it would allow me to rest and recover a little. Long story short, I had to go through a lot and wait two hours to get it even though I was 6 cm when I arrived. I am so thankful Amanda came as she took better care of me than the lazy nurse assigned to me did.

Hannah Michelle was born early today at 2:31 a.m. after 8 hours of labor. She is a doll! She latched on and nursed right away.

Everyone who has been following along knows we thought Hannah would be smaller than Emily and we actually thought she would be our smallest baby. This is because I kept losing weight the entire third trimester and she felt much smaller in the womb. We are not sure how she hid those 10 lbs and 3.4 ounces, but she did.

She came out in three pushes!!! Her shoulders got stuck on the second push and the doctor told the nurse and Clint to bend my knees back to my shoulders. I looked like a pretzel, but she came out with some wrangling by the doctor. The pediatrician says she looks great all the way around and will sign papers for her to go home in the a.m.

Clint is soon going to head home and pick up the rest of the children so they can meet Hannah.

I have been ravenous. Whereas I had to force myself to eat before she came, I am eating everything in sight now. What a blessing it is to be able to eat again without pain or fear of vomiting!! I can already feel my strength returning! PTL!

Thank you to everyone who prayed with us and encouraged us along this amazing journey. Hannah is here! The hard part is over and the rejoicing has begun!!

We'll post pictures after we get home...no way to do it from the hospital.

Wendy is in labor

We just arrived at the hospital and Wendy is 6-7 cm dialated. She had a rough night of contractions, vomiting and very little sleep. We are hoping that things slow enough for her to get her epidural. Please keep her and the baby in prayer as we await the arrival of our newest blessing.

Clint

House Down the Road From Us

Clint took me out to see the house they are elevating this a.m. There were people living in it at the time Hurricane Isabel flooded it but it has sat empty since. They had to tear off the large, old general store that was on the front of the bottom picture. I think this is as high as this house will be elevated. Clint and I will be watching it to see how quickly or slowly it progresses.

If you click on the pictures, they will enlarge and you can see more details.

Hospitality 2

The rest of the story: The engineer, Thomas, called his workplace and they brought him a key from Portsmouth. This was the second time Thomas locked his keys in the truck. The first time, he was with his boss. He told Brandon he was worried his boss would think he was incompetent. Brandon enjoyed talking to him and sharing the woes of Algebra 2 and Calculus.

There is some concern about elevating the back porch (which was closed in for a laundry room) probably because it is on wooden piers. The piers look like telephone poles. I am hoping they do not need to tear that off. We need all of the square footage we can get. Our file is suppose to have an official letter saying our deck, addition and the back porch were all approved as part of the elevation.

As the children poured into the room to say hi to Thomas, he started looking left to right and said "Just how many children do you have?!" LOL

A house similar to ours, just down the road from us, is being elevated. It is up on wooden trusses. I'll TRY to get down there to get a picture soon. Clint told me about it and I am eager to go out and see it. I just need a good day.

I have had contractions every few minutes for the last 2 hours. Earlier I tried to nap in case it gets like it did last night, but that didn't work out. Like most women at the end of pregnancy, I am uncomfortable. Throw in the nausea and vomiting, sore throat and fluid in the ears and I am a barrel of laughs.

The children are counting the days to Christmas while I am counting the days to the baby's due date...and praying she comes sooner! LOL

Hospitality

I had hard contractions until about 6 a.m. Then, I finally was able to drift off to sleep. Clint had told the children to let me rest as long as I needed.

I woke up at 11 and Amanda came to tell me the engineer (FEMA) was here and had locked his keys out of his truck. Brandon was keeping him company in the rain under our little awning by the front door!! I was horrified! I grabbed a quick shower, threw on yesterday's clothes (wrinkles) and asked him to come in the house. I brushed my wet hair in front of him....didn't want to make him wait any longer.

I thought he had been out there for hours, but Brandon said it was only about half an hour since he finished the job and locked his keys in the truck. So maybe we didn't do too bad on the hospitality.

*********

Please keep Luke in your prayers. He's in the hospital with possible pneumonia.

The Thing About Mark

Thank you to EVERYONE who has joined us in prayer through Mark's illness. I have been asked how the family is doing and when Mark would be laid to rest. His obit is below. I have removed the identifying information to afford his family the privacy they deserve.His wife and children are with family in PA until early January. Clint had wanted to go to the service, but with me so close to having the baby, he did not want to be so far away.

Mark Xxxx Xxxxx, 53, of XXXXXXXX Va., died December 12, 2008, in his home following a brief illness. He was born January 11, 1955, in Kxxx, Pa., and was the son of XXX and XXX.

Mark was a fun-loving man, a devoted husband, father and a wonderful uncle. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends. Mark was employed as an electrician with Xxxx Inc., Williamsburg, Va. He graduated from Xxxxx High School in 1973, where he enjoyed playing football.

Upon graduation, he joined the US Navy as an Aviation Electronic Technician, deploying on the USS Forrestal and the USS Saratoga. While serving 20 years, he was awarded "plankowner" for being the 10th man assigned to a new class of amphibious assault ship, LHD-1 USS Wasp. He participated in Operation Desert Storm and retired from the Navy in Sept. 1993.

Mark is survived by his wife, Sheila; two sons, Christopher, Robert; and a daughter, Samantha Rose, all of Xxxx Va. He is also survived by three brothers, two sisters and several nieces and nephews.

A memorial service will be held...at 3 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 18, 2008.

*****************

For those of you who joined us in praying for Mark, I wanted to give you a little bit of who he was. The thing about Mark that touched me deeply was his concern for his family. Through Clint, I learned Mark did not ask "Why me?" He did not have pity for himself or say he didn't deserve his illness. His concern was for his family. He knew his death would hurt them deeply and that reduced him to tears. He said THEY didn't deserve that kind of hurt. I love that a big, strong man who served our country and worked so hard to provide was tender to the needs of those around him while facing his own death. I have met most of the people my husband works with, but I never got to meet Mark. I feel like I missed out on meeting someone very special.

Prayer Request: Luke in Hospital

Luke has been admitted to the hospital with possibly the beginnings of pneumonia.

http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/lukekrentz

Hesitant Christianity

The love of Christ in us enables us to "rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep." (Rom 12:15) We are exhalted to show His love to the world. (Matthew 25: 35-40) Showing His love to the "least of these" requires action on our parts.

Many times, godly people want to do something to show they care for someone going through a difficult time, but are hesitant for fear their expression of Christ's love will be rejected or resented. Fear is not of the Lord and I do not believe hesitant Christianity is either.

The only permission you need to reach out to someone in Christian love is your Father's. You do not need to wonder if it will be welcomed or rejected. That is between God and the recipient. If they reject you, don't take it personally, they are rejecting Christ.

If God has equipped you with a way to minister to another through a similar experience, you should do it and soon. He tells us it is through our own trials that we learn how to "comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)

If you feel God's leading to do something, do it! He says "Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin." (James 4:17)

Upon God's leading, Clint and I have reached out many times to strangers during their personal crisis and never once have we been rejected. Instead, they welcomed the fact that our family cared enough to be moved into action on their behalf. Some of them have become steadfast friends of ours. A card, a shared story with what helped us through something similar, a monetary gift to those undergoing financial hardships, a candle, a teddy bear, meals, a "just because" gift, etc--all have been well received. We have often been told we were the only ones who did something kind for them. That says some very sad things about the Body of Christ, don't you think? Don't assume someone else is reaching out; you might be the only example of Christ's love they experience!

Love is an action verb! Let Christ move you into action to show His love to another soul. Be His Hands and Feet. It will bring you to a new level of faith and joy.

Christmas Stocking Filler Ideas

We don't do Santa Claus, so we use fabric gift bags that we call Wise Men Bags in an effort to keep the focus on the Reason for the Season-the amazing and wonderful gift of Jesus Christ. Filling those bags for everyone in a large family can get expensive fast. We try to fill them with practical things and healthier choices than the traditional chocolate Christmas candies.

Here are some of our favorite items:

nuts (buy in bulk and use small sized snack bags)

raisins

pretzels (drizzle white and dark chocolate on them to make them festive; ditto on the buying in bulk and using snack bags)

individually packaged fruit snacks, fruit leathers

pretty pieces of fruit

exotic fruit like star fruit or clementines

homemade cookies

individually packaged granola bars

combs for the boys

brushes for the girls

deodorant for the teens

razors (shaving) for the teens

sample items/snacks we receive in the mail

flashlights with batteries for everyone

homemade perfumed body lotion for the older girls

homemade lip balm for everyone (recipes online are easy to find and make)

fish food for the ones who have fish bowls* in their room

cat treats/toys for the ones who have cats* (that are constantly sneaking into the house)

lip gloss for the teen girl

keychain and a tire gauge for the drivers

sippy cups and toddler sized spoons for our 17 month old

pacifiers for the baby

card games

toothbrush-everyone gets a new toothbrush-great timing with it being in the middle of the cold and flu season

nail clippers-everyone over 5 gets their own nail clippers

pencils and pens with Bible verses or other novelty sayings/pictures on them

a new box of crayons for the younger ones (purchased with school supplies when prices are low)

a water color paint set (the ones found in dollar type stores) for the youngers

glue or glue sticks for the younger ones (purchased with school supplies when prices are low)

various crafting supplies for our creative teen daughter

small books we find in the thrift store

safety scissors for the younger ones

birdseed/treats for Caleb who has parakeets*


We put initials on some items for easy identification.

Any small gifts they are getting that will fit also go into the Wise Men Bags.

*Our children are expected to pay for their pets food/treats/toys with their allowance so they appreciate the food as a gift. The exception to that is that we do buy dry cat food since the cats work on the farm keeping pests away.

********

A wonderful idea for homemade Christmas gifts is to make your own homemade marshmallows with a toasted coconut topping. Packaged in cellophane gift bags with a festive ribbon and name tag, these are very attractive. You can find recipes online and they are relatively easy to make. Give with a homemade cocoa mix and coffee mugs in a basket. I have found nice baskets in our thrift store for under a dollar and spray paint them (if needed) for gift giving.

No bake cookies are a good gift for busy moms to give too. I also like putting a nice big bowl with popcorn and homemade popcorn seasonings with a good family movie in a basket.

********

Wise men still seek Him.

"Seek ye the Lord while He may be found, call upon Him while He is near." Isaiah 55:6

Don't wait until it is too late!

The Miracle of Christmas by Stephen Curtis Chapman

I just love this song!

This can't be imbedded, but you can listen to it and watch the video here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkQI8sst8u8

I really, really love this one from Brandon Heath. It can't be imbedded either. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OihvG607W-c

Angel Food Ministries Grill Box Dec 2008 Special #1

DECEMBER SPECIAL #1

6.5 lb. Grill Box $22.00

1.5 lb. Prime Rib Steak (2 x 12 oz.)
2 lb. Boneless Pork Roast
2 lb. Hamburger Beef Steaks (4 x 8 oz.)
1 lb. Bratwurst with Cheese

To buy a special box, you have to buy at least one of the regular, senior/convenience or holiday boxes.

http://www.angelfoodministries.com/

People have been very interested in this ministry and we have been happy to get them and show you pictures so you can see the value for your dollar. There are no requirements for purchase, anyone can buy them. We saw ALL kinds of people waiting in line-upper, middle and lower income. The time I went, I was surprised to see wealthy people there as well as the seniors and single mothers on very limited incomes. In other words, don't think you make too much or too little to participate.

You can order online or in person and probably (not sure) even on the phone. You need to buy a regular, senior or holiday (if offered) box to buy the "special" boxes like this grill box. The quality of the meat we have sampled in the grill boxes so far has been very good.

For those who are put off because pick up is at a local church, there wasn't any preaching or proselytizing whatsoever when we picked up ours the three times we have done this. There were two pamphlets inviting us to visit area churches, but that was it. People were friendly, but busy.

The church we picked these up at is run very efficiently. You might need to bring a box, cooler, laundry basket or something to hold your food as the "regular box" is not packaged. The rest come well packed in cardboard boxes.

Nutrition Info for Dec. Senior/Convenience Box

Senior/Convenience Box picture is below. Click on the picture to enlarge it enough to read.

We would not purchase these again. The pork with black eyed peas was good. The rest were awful.

www.angelfoodministries.com

Senior/Convenience Box

For Seniors or People on the Go!

Ten perfectly seasoned, nutritionally balanced, fully cooked meals—just
heat and serve. Each meal has been developed with the dietary needs
of senior citizens in mind, and contains 3 oz. of protein, a starch & two
vegetables or fruit.

BBQ Pulled Pork: Slow Roasted
lean pork in our special Hickory
BBQ Sauce, served with Black
Eyed Peas, Collard Greens and
Cinnamon Apple Sauce.

Ground Beef Stroganoff:
Tender Ground Beef in Cream
Sauce served over Parsley Egg
Noodles, Green Beans w/Onions
and Fruit Cocktail.

Chicken Parmesan: White
Chicken in Italian Style Tomato
Sauce and Mozzarella Cheese
atop Spaghetti, Seasoned Green
Beans and Garlic Bread.

Meat Patties with Country
Gravy and Onions: Lightly
floured and seasoned, served in
Brown Onion Gravy, Mashed
Potatoes, Steamed Broccoli with
Cheese and Diced Beets.

Meat Loaf with Brown Herb
Gravy: Traditional Meat Loaf with
Herb Seasoned Brown Gravy,
Sweet Potatoes, Green Peas
w/Mushrooms and Green Beans.

Sliced Roast Turkey: Roasted, Sliced
Turkey Breast served with Dressing
and Sage Flavored Gravy, Red
Potatoes in Cream Sauce, Green
Beans and Jellied Cranberry Sauce.

Chicken and Mushroom Bake: Slow
Cooked White Chicken served with
Mushrooms in a delicious sauce over
White Rice, seasoned Turnip Greens
and Stewed Tomatoes.

Chicken and Broccoli: Tender white
Chicken, Broccoli, Creamy Mashed
Potatoes, a side of Creole style Okra
and a Chocolate Chip Cookie.

Burger Stew: Tender Lean Ground
Beef Stew with Vegetables served
over Seasoned White Rice,
accompanied by Broccoli with
Mushroom Pieces and Sliced
Peaches.

Red Beans and Ground Beef: Skillet
Cooked Ground Beef served with Red
Kidney Beans over White Rice,
accompanied by Southern Flavored
Collard Greens and a delicious Southern
Style Biscuit.

$28.00

Clint wanted to try these so we could show you what they looked like. He is going to take some for work and put in the freezer there to microwave for lunch.

The tops of the trays are just the blister packaging, so you'll need to be careful not to punch holes in them.

Each deep tray contains 1 lb of food. There is more there than I can eat in one sitting!

Nutrition info is in picture above this post.

http://www.angelfoodministries.com/

The pulled pork with black eyed peas was good. The rest of the meals were not something we'd want to eat again. We will not buy the Senior package again.

Angel Food Regular Box December 2008

Angel Food December 2008 Regular Box

$30

1.5 lb. Choice Cut Beef Roast
2 lb. Breaded Chicken
Tenders
2 lb. IQF Chicken Breast
1.5 lb. Pork Chops (4 x 6 oz.)
1 lb. 80/20 Lean Beef
Patties (4 x 4 oz.)
28 oz. Salisbury Steak Entreé
1 lb. All Meat Hot Dogs
1 lb. Carrots
1 lb. Green Beans
1 lb. Rice
24 oz. Steak-Cut Fries
32 oz. 2% Reduced Fat Shelf
Stable Milk
7.5 oz. Mac and Cheese
14 oz. Chicken Broth
7 oz. Corn Muffin Mix
Dozen Eggs
Dessert Item (This was a half of a Vanilla Creme Bunt Cake-8 oz. Our family inhaled it in a matter of seconds. :-) It was very tasty.)

http://www.angelfoodministries.com/

Angel Food Fruit and Veggie Box #4 December 2008

DECEMBER SPECIAL #4

Fresh Fruit and Veggie Box $21.00

3 lb. bag North Carolina Extra Fancy Red Rome Apples
3 lb. bag North Carolina Sweet Potatoes
2 lb. bag New Crop Medium Yellow Onions
1 stalk Sleeved California Celery
1 lb. bag California Premium Carrots
4 lb. bag New Crop Florida Navel Oranges
2 lb. bag New Crop California Lemons
2 each New Crop Florida Ruby Red Grapefruit
8 oz. California Extra Fancy Raisins
4 lb. bag New Crop Idaho Potatoes

To buy the special boxes you have to purchase at least 1 of the Regular, Senior/Convenience or Holiday Boxes (if offered). Just one of the three will do.

http://www.angelfoodministries.com/

Pray for Mark's Family

Sheila just called Clint and told him Mark died earlier today. She thanks you for the prayers.

Mark no longer needs morphine to handle the pain. He is free of the cancer. His name was written in the Lamb's Book of Life and he is with his Lord and Savior! He knows what it is like to fall at the feet of the Lord and worship. He has heard the angels sing at a saint's homecoming. We can rejoice in those things and be happy for Mark.

Mark was VERY much loved. He had a loving relationship with his wife. When he would speak of Sheila to Clint, his entire manner would change so that you knew she was literally his other half. Most of the men Clint works with tear down their wives; Mark was not one of them. He always had the highest regard for Sheila and never said a negative word about her. Clint visited with Mark Monday night while his children were present and it was very apparent they had a loving and close relationship with their father. His absence will bring deep sorrow.

Mark had less than a month with his family and loved ones from when the cancer was diagnosed. Their heads are still reeling from the diagnosis and sudden loss. It's been a whirlwind for all involved.

His loved ones still need their brothers and sisters in the Lord to lift them up for comfort, peace, grace and strength.

Psalm 116:15 Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.

"When the storm is passed, the brightness for which He is preparing us will shine out unclouded, and it will be Himself." Morrow Coffey Graham (Billy Graham's mother)

I am not able to check e-mail.

As I explained yesterday, I can post to the blog from my bed. To do e-mail, I have to get up and go downstairs to the main computer. That exertion can trigger vomiting so I am not checking e-mail daily. I am upstairs most of the time right now. If you need us, you need to call Clint's cell phone.

Now, I tell people to check the blog if they have not heard from us so they can find out what is going on. I also tell people to call if they need us, not to rely on e-mail. (Even when I do get on the main computer, I do not always check e-mail.)

I just know someone we love is going to get upset with us because we didn't get their e-mail and missed something they feel is critical. It happens every time I am on bed rest. They'll tell us, "I saw you were posting to the blog, so I know you saw my e-mail." Nope, it doesn't work like that here. Our e-mail goes to a certain computer. Clint rarely checks it and I am not always able.

If you need us...PHONE.

I am warning you, if you give me a hard time about e-mails, I am going to give you one right back. :-D I might feel like something a cat drug up which the dog then stole and chewed on for hours, but I am still spunky.

Dr's Visit

I lost 7 lbs since my last appointment. That caused some initial concern today. I knew it had been hard, but had no idea my weight had gone down so much. I AM trying to eat.

From how everything checked out, we are both doing fine. I am feeling weak and tired, but that is to be expected. It's nothing good food and rest won't fix. Baby's growing well, moving plenty and had a target heart rate of 160 bpm. I just need to keep trying to minimize the vomiting and rest when I can. I came home and took a nice, long nap.

I am napping when I can because I will need my strength when the baby comes and she is coming soon! The antiemetic knocks me out every time I take it too. Clint says pregnancy is God's way of slowing me down for a time.

The blessing about the slower pace is more time to pray for those on our prayer lists. I am reading the Word and some books on homeschooling too. There is a time and a season for everything and this is my time to rest and draw closer to the Lord.

Lyn C. in VA, I am praying for your pregnancy to be smooth sailing! Carla T. in AL, I am praying for you to "catch pregnant" and not have to deal with this nasty stuff again. I figure I have hurled enough for all three of us. LOL

Denise N. in NY, I am praying for things to go favorably for you on the 19th. Gramma Susan and Grandpa Vencil, we love you dearly and are thinking about you. Wendy T. in FL we are still enjoying the tangelos. Thank you again for sending them. Christy K. in KS, I got the pictures a few days ago but was unable to write. Gloria S. of Williamsburg, I doubt I will be able to see you when you and Andre come by tomorrow night. Evenings are "not pretty" for me.

I have not heard anything about Mark. Clint is respecting the family's privacy and not calling them for updates. Keep lifting them up in prayer.

Update on Mark

Mark is dying. He was sent home yesterday with hospice care. He went downhill much faster than anticipated and has not had a lucid moment today. They are keeping him comfortable and do not expect him to make it through the weekend. Please ask God to carry Sheila and their children through this difficult journey.

~Clint

Wednesday

I started throwing up again last night. Phooey! The HG is increasing the further I go along. Most of the vomiting is coming suddenly with little warning. That keeps it interesting! Clint snuggled with me and rubbed my back the rest of the night which was very nice!

The temporary filling did not hold. Clint picked up some Dentemp from Walgreens. It was less than $5 and says it will fill it over 8 times.

I can post to the blog from the laptop upstairs, but all of my e-mail goes to the main computer downstairs. I do not go downstairs on the yucky days.

Hebrews 12:2-3 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

That Wasn't So Bad

Yesterday around 4:30, I started throwing up again even though I was on the antiemetic. It was a bad episode in which my throat suffered, but it did not start bleeding. I wasn't able to eat supper and felt so weak and shaky I stayed in bed the rest of the night. I needed help getting dressed this a.m. and the nausea was intense. I wondered how I'd manage through the appointment without throwing up and embarrassing myself. Messing around in an HG patient's mouth is a risky gamble!

God took care of me and I made it through the appointment without any problems! The solution was quick, easy and painless. The dentist just pulled off the part that broke and filled it. He said I need to come back after the baby is born and have it redone, but this will get me through labor. PTL!

I am beat. I am going to try to eat a little breakfast/lunch (rice) and then rest.


Just wondering, why do I have the very best hair on the days I feel the very worst?!

State of the Pregnancy Address

I am sorry I haven't been able to keep up with the e-mails. Things are going OK. I haven't thrown up in two days. I am taking the labor prep herbs, but not my vitamins since swallowing large pills is not easy with my throat as swollen and tender as it is. I am very happy to report I have not had any more blood clots from my throat or any bleeding at all...PTL!

I see the OB again Thursday and have the Strep B test. I will refuse the pelvic exam. It serves no purpose except to satisfy curiosity and exposes the birth canal to germs.

My voice keeps coming and going. I have fluid in my ears from throwing up so much the past couple of weeks. I am feeling stronger after a couple of days of good meals. Getting decent food to stay down perks me up.

There is still so much for me to get ready for both the baby and Christmas. We decided against decorating indoors this year to make it easier on me and safer for Emily. I can't be up enough to guarantee she won't get into the decorations. Safety is more important than tradition. I have decided to not think about the FEMA home elevation and what needs to be done for that until the baby comes.

I broke a tooth Friday. Rotten timing, huh? It is the corner of a molar and is not painful. I see the dentist tomorrow.

Hannah (or possibly Benjamin?) is still head down, but not engaged. At 36 weeks, I feel like I did at 33 weeks with Emily, so I am pretty sure this baby is not as large as she was (9 lbs 13 oz). She is not as feisty in the womb as Emily was either.

It is definitely true that the more children you have, the stretchier the womb gets. I have only gained 1 pound so far, but you would not know it looking at me. When my shirt rides up and I unintentionally flash a bit of tummy, I tell the children it is the baby trying to peek out of my belly button. They are having fun with that! "She's looking at us again!"

I am not sure if I mentioned it, but we are praying the baby comes before the end of the year. That will save us from paying another $3,000 deductible on our insurance that could be better spent towards the elevation.

I have the late pregnancy waddle and the baby's weight makes me feel like I have to go to the restroom all of the time. If I sit too deeply into the couch, it's going to take some work on my part or help from someone to get back up. All are wonderful signs I am nearing the end of this journey.

Thank you everyone for your prayers and encouragement. I can't wait to meet and hold the baby and see the fruit of my labor. I am eager to see Clint and our children holding the precious gift God has allowed me to grow for them.

Sometimes when I am in the middle of the harder parts of a pregnancy, it is easy to lose focus. I have had to remind myself quite often this last trimester that there IS a baby coming. I am not just "sick," I am growing a baby who has a special plan and purpose according to the Lord.

Psalm 127:3-5 Lo, children are an heritage of the LORD: and the fruit of the womb is his reward. As arrows are in the hand of a mighty man; so are children of the youth. Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them: they shall not be ashamed, but they shall speak with the enemies in the gate.

Update on Mark: Specific Prayer Request

Mark needs the numbers for his kidneys to come down. I am not sure what the numbers are for, but I know they are too high. It is very critical they come down and soon. There's more, but that is all I am able to share right now.

Thank you for supporting our friends and us in your prayers. You will never know how precious your prayers are or how much we covet them.

A Shield

Every word of God is pure: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him. Proverbs 30:5

As for God, his way is perfect: the word of the LORD is tried: he is a buckler* to all those that trust in him. Psalm 18:30

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust; my buckler*, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower. Psalm 18:2

For The Lord giveth wisdom: out of His mouth cometh knowledge and understanding. He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: He is a buckler* to them that walk uprightly. Proverbs 2:6

In this crazy world of uncertainty where there is so much hurt and disappointment, I find God's promise to be a shield a wonderful one! A bold walk in Christ is not a merry walk through a field of daisies. It is not for those who are looking to "coast through life." The life in Christ calls us to step into the deeper waters of faith where we are put through trials that shape and form us for His use.

Once we begin on the path following Christ, we are challenged by many obstacles including self doubt, Christians/family members who do not understand and/or oppose where God is taking us (or feel challenged/threatened), the world view and even satan himself. Not only are we challenged, but we are called directly into battle. Ephesians 6:10-18 A quick Bible study makes it clear we are going to get knocked around.

MY Father! I love that God calls Himself my Father. As a child, I can relate to the need for a father in my life. As an adult, I can relate to Him through my deep love for my own children. There is no love greater or deeper than God's perfect love. I know just how fierce that Mama Bear instinct in me is so I can only imagine at how protective He is over me! What a wonderful One He is to run to when life seems to big to handle.

*The word for buckler is the same as for shield.

Update on Mark: Prayers Needed

Mark and Sheila met with oncology yesterday. The news was not what we were hoping to hear. The cancer is too invasive for surgery. Chemotherapy is not an option unless they can get his kidneys working better. The cells have become so cancerous that they can not tell what the cells were originally. If his kidneys get better and they can isolate the specific kind of cancer, they can do the chemo. Sheila said they did not find out what this means as far as how much or how little time he has.

Please join us in prayer for Mark and his family. They need the body of Christ to intercede on their behalf.

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. Galations 6:2

Murcott (aka Tangelos) From the Tree in FL to Contentment Acres

Thank you to George, Wendy and Hannah for the beautiful and fantastic smelling Murcott fruit that arrived by UPS today!!

The top picture is the fruit on the tree in Florida and was taken by Clint's cousin Wendy T.

The bottom picture is what we found in a box that was delivered today!

Wendy grew the trees from seed from her Grandmother's fruit! It took 15 years for them to bear fruit, but here they are! George built fires between the trees on cold nights and strung up Christmas lights to keep the fruit warm during freezing temps.

Wendy told me she and George have taken these trees with them from house to house. The trees are at their third home.

We are going to try to start some seeds growing here on Contentment Acres. They may never fruit in our cooler climate, but it will make for a nice story.

We love the Murcott! What an amazing and thoughtful Christmas gift!

"The actual origin of the Murcott is unknown but is most likely a tangor which is a cross between a tangerine and a sweet orange."

And Later-Light Saber Battle

You'll note all of this happened while I was quietly watching t.v.!
If I wasn't sick with the pregnancy, I'd be right in the middle of them!

Once again, they are all going after Brandon!

I believe my words were "Alright, if you are going to cut up, at least go get the camera for me so I can document it."

Sleepy Baby

All of the horseplay was too much for Emily so she found a quiet corner.
Note her dirty socks...that happens when Mama is sick and can't mop the floors!

Caleb Putting on the Finishing Touches

Daddy DOWN!!!

Now He's In For It!

Get DAD!!!!

Only a brave man would get down on the floor in this house with all of these rough and tumble children!