Well today for the first time in about 3 weeks, my entire family was able to attend church. What a blessing! Now we are gearing up for Dennis to have drills this weekend and for me to attend the Dazzling Grace Womens' Conference with the Salvation Army. I am really looking forward to attending this conference.
Tomorrow night we start back with our weekly activities - including Beginner Band. Then on Tuesday, Rebecca attends Worship Arts and afterwards she and I attend Timbrels. It ought to be a fun time. Wednesday is Youth Activities. Thursday is Cantata Practice. Friday the boys have Youth Group. And of course in there we also have schoolwork to do.
I am loving the Advanced Training Institute Wisdom Books. The children seem to be gaining a lot from them. Rebecca is really enjoying doing Paths of Settlement, a Trail Guide to Learning series published by Geography Matters. I also love Life of Fred for Math and Institute for Excellence in Writing - for you guessed it - Writing. Easy Grammar has been a big hit around the house as well.
So life is going to get a little more normal by becoming a little more busy. We have lots of activities and school assignments to keep us occupied. On top of that I want to get the house prepared for our next move (whenever that may be). This means we need to purge a lot of stuff, organize a lot of stuff and redistribute a lot of stuff as well. So I am getting ready to try FlyLady along with some other organizational informational sites and so forth I have found.
It is going to be necessary to also get the children back into helping mode. After all Dennis and I can't do it by ourselves.
Sunday, September 29, 2013
Friday, September 27, 2013
What a week we have had
Boy have we had a week and a few days! It began a week ago this past Thursday, when we had to take my oldest son to the ER at 5:30 in the morning. He was throwing up, having severe stomach pains and was just miserable in general. So off to the ER we went. We found out he needed fluids and possibly had the Intestinal Flu, could have just been his lactose intolerance acting up.
So they pumped him full of fluids and pain meds and sent us home. I spent a quiet weekend with my oldest and youngest (youngest had been running a fever off and on). Well by Monday, darling girl's fever was still really high and this had been going on a little over a week (off and on), so off to the doctor's we went. This time I expected to go in to the office, be given some antibiotics and sent home. Wrong!!!! Wrong!!!! Wrong!!!! Instead they tried drawing blood (couldn't because she was too dehydrated). Then they kept trying to get her to urinate (couldn't because she was dehydrated). We found ourselves being sent to the ER. She kept asking, "Can't we just go home and do this tomorrow?" Of course we couldn't. We get to the ER and whisked into a room (helps when doctor informs ER you are on your way)! We got a fantastic male nurse named Jimmy! He was incredible - great bedside manner, caring, compassionate and excellent at his job. We also had a good doctor. Jimmy was able to draw the blood and get the IV started using the same stick site. Of course Baby girl hated this part.
Next thing we know, we are told the doctor (the one we saw at the doctor's office - not the ER doctor) wanted to admit us. We were whisked away to a room. This was our first hospital stay ever with one of our children (other than when they were born). Now from my birth experiences, my husband's stay in the hospital for pancreatitis, and various visits to hospitals for other family members and friends who were hospitalized, I was under the impression that doctors make normal rounds for the patients admitted to the hospital Boy was I wrong in this case!!!! Monday night we did not see our doctor at all. But we did receive a visit from one of the majors from our Salvation Army Corps.
Tuesday we did not see our doctor at all until after 9 pm. We did however receive visits from the housekeeping supervisor, a nursing manager (who actually was one of our nurses for the day), and one of the members of our Salvation Army Corps. We received word through a case manager with the bedside manner of an elephant in a stampede that we were not going home. (Mind you we were told in ER that the doctor wanted to do 24 hours of IV antibiotics for her infection). So that made two nights I spent in the hospital with our daughter. Tuesday afternoon, Dennis went to the house though and picked up the three boys and my mother and brought them back for a visit. This sort of perked Rebecca up a little.
So Wednesday came and we thought we were going home - wrong!!!! We were not allowed to leave. So we settled in for another night, fortunately Dennis was able to stay the night since he began leave. We received a visit from the housekeeping supervisor, a nursing supervisor plus one of the majors from our Salvation Army corps. The best part about Wednesday was getting to go home and take a shower while Dennis stayed with Rebecca.
Thursday we expected to see the Doctor at 10 am, noon came and we still had not seen the doctor. However, we did receive a visit from the Chief Financial Officer of the hospital. She was a loverly lady. Around noon, our nurse came in and said she had received our discharge instructions over the phone. She said the doctor wanted our daughter to receive one more dose of IV antibiotics and then she would be in to unhook her IV and give us our discharge paperwork. We finally got to leave. I know our daughter was thrilled to be going home.
The four children were thrilled to see each other and be back under the same roof. Dad and I went and crashed on our bed for a while. Rebecca crashed on the sofa a while. Everyone got a great night's rest in our own beds.
Unfortunately, Jacob had a bad night. So I am not sure whether we may end up having to take him back to the doctor's on Monday or not. Another long week may begin then.
So they pumped him full of fluids and pain meds and sent us home. I spent a quiet weekend with my oldest and youngest (youngest had been running a fever off and on). Well by Monday, darling girl's fever was still really high and this had been going on a little over a week (off and on), so off to the doctor's we went. This time I expected to go in to the office, be given some antibiotics and sent home. Wrong!!!! Wrong!!!! Wrong!!!! Instead they tried drawing blood (couldn't because she was too dehydrated). Then they kept trying to get her to urinate (couldn't because she was dehydrated). We found ourselves being sent to the ER. She kept asking, "Can't we just go home and do this tomorrow?" Of course we couldn't. We get to the ER and whisked into a room (helps when doctor informs ER you are on your way)! We got a fantastic male nurse named Jimmy! He was incredible - great bedside manner, caring, compassionate and excellent at his job. We also had a good doctor. Jimmy was able to draw the blood and get the IV started using the same stick site. Of course Baby girl hated this part.
Next thing we know, we are told the doctor (the one we saw at the doctor's office - not the ER doctor) wanted to admit us. We were whisked away to a room. This was our first hospital stay ever with one of our children (other than when they were born). Now from my birth experiences, my husband's stay in the hospital for pancreatitis, and various visits to hospitals for other family members and friends who were hospitalized, I was under the impression that doctors make normal rounds for the patients admitted to the hospital Boy was I wrong in this case!!!! Monday night we did not see our doctor at all. But we did receive a visit from one of the majors from our Salvation Army Corps.
Tuesday we did not see our doctor at all until after 9 pm. We did however receive visits from the housekeeping supervisor, a nursing manager (who actually was one of our nurses for the day), and one of the members of our Salvation Army Corps. We received word through a case manager with the bedside manner of an elephant in a stampede that we were not going home. (Mind you we were told in ER that the doctor wanted to do 24 hours of IV antibiotics for her infection). So that made two nights I spent in the hospital with our daughter. Tuesday afternoon, Dennis went to the house though and picked up the three boys and my mother and brought them back for a visit. This sort of perked Rebecca up a little.
So Wednesday came and we thought we were going home - wrong!!!! We were not allowed to leave. So we settled in for another night, fortunately Dennis was able to stay the night since he began leave. We received a visit from the housekeeping supervisor, a nursing supervisor plus one of the majors from our Salvation Army corps. The best part about Wednesday was getting to go home and take a shower while Dennis stayed with Rebecca.
Thursday we expected to see the Doctor at 10 am, noon came and we still had not seen the doctor. However, we did receive a visit from the Chief Financial Officer of the hospital. She was a loverly lady. Around noon, our nurse came in and said she had received our discharge instructions over the phone. She said the doctor wanted our daughter to receive one more dose of IV antibiotics and then she would be in to unhook her IV and give us our discharge paperwork. We finally got to leave. I know our daughter was thrilled to be going home.
The four children were thrilled to see each other and be back under the same roof. Dad and I went and crashed on our bed for a while. Rebecca crashed on the sofa a while. Everyone got a great night's rest in our own beds.
Unfortunately, Jacob had a bad night. So I am not sure whether we may end up having to take him back to the doctor's on Monday or not. Another long week may begin then.
Saturday, September 21, 2013
What a Week!
Well it has been quite a week! (well actually 2 weeks). Jacob and Rebecca have both been sick. Jacob has been dealing with stomach issues and Thursday morning we had to take him to the emergency room. We were blessed to get there and be able to go right in. After pumping him full of pain medication and iv fluids, we were able to bring him home. He had a diagnosis of intestinal flu. He is slowly improving.
Rebecca has been running a fever off and on. If she doesn't really improve by Monday morning, we are going to take her to the doctor's office to see what they say.
So needless to say, neither of them have been getting much schoolwork done. Fortunately we homeschool, so it won't take much for them to catch up. Starting this week we should have all our normal weekly evening activities at our church.
Yesterday, Dennis and the middle two boys spent the day helping the Young Marines with the Antes Forte Historical days. The two boys spent last night there and will be spending the night again tonight. Then today Dennis went back to help again. He is on his way home now so he can hopefully get some homework done for his two college courses.
Meanwhile I have been home with the sick ones. It has been a pretty quiet weekend. Not a lot has gotten done, but hopefully Monday things will be back closer to normal.
Rebecca has been running a fever off and on. If she doesn't really improve by Monday morning, we are going to take her to the doctor's office to see what they say.
So needless to say, neither of them have been getting much schoolwork done. Fortunately we homeschool, so it won't take much for them to catch up. Starting this week we should have all our normal weekly evening activities at our church.
Yesterday, Dennis and the middle two boys spent the day helping the Young Marines with the Antes Forte Historical days. The two boys spent last night there and will be spending the night again tonight. Then today Dennis went back to help again. He is on his way home now so he can hopefully get some homework done for his two college courses.
Meanwhile I have been home with the sick ones. It has been a pretty quiet weekend. Not a lot has gotten done, but hopefully Monday things will be back closer to normal.
Thursday, September 12, 2013
#IsaidYes
So I have been participating in a Proverbs 31 Online Bible Study. It is entitled "What Happens When Women Say Yes". Although I have not participated as much as I would have liked to this time, I have still have learned quite a bit. For the past year we have been undergoing quite a few changes in our lives. This past December, my husband and I had the chance to say yes to God. We began examining the possibility of changing careers.
We are considering making a move from being full time in the US Army Reserves to becoming officers in the Salvation Army.
By making the initial commitment to say yes to God, we have opened doors to make new friends, have new experiences and have new opportunities and activities.
It is amazing what a blessing this one little step has made. My youngest two joined the church as Junior Soldiers. My second son has become a Senior Soldier and is beginning to take a more active leadership role in the Youth Group - in fact he is leading their devotional time tomorrow night. My oldest son has just begun teaching a Sunday School class and is now beginning to examine if God is calling him to the ministry. So by one little three letter word - lives have changed in very meaningful way!
We are considering making a move from being full time in the US Army Reserves to becoming officers in the Salvation Army.
By making the initial commitment to say yes to God, we have opened doors to make new friends, have new experiences and have new opportunities and activities.
It is amazing what a blessing this one little step has made. My youngest two joined the church as Junior Soldiers. My second son has become a Senior Soldier and is beginning to take a more active leadership role in the Youth Group - in fact he is leading their devotional time tomorrow night. My oldest son has just begun teaching a Sunday School class and is now beginning to examine if God is calling him to the ministry. So by one little three letter word - lives have changed in very meaningful way!
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Not a good week
Have you ever had one of those weeks? A week where things just didn't go as you planned or as you expected/wanted them to? Well I am having one of those weeks. This was supposed to be our first real week of school and activities since the spring. Now don't get me wrong, we actually started back to school the 1st of July. But the children have had time off to attend Music and Arts Camp in July. We took a vacation to Busch Gardens Williamsburg in August. Plus we have had some other things go on, like Salvation Army Family Camp. But this week is the first full out of summer and back to serious school rountine attitude on my part and for the children.
The week started off on a bad note with Dennis being sick with sinuses. Anytime his act up, it is bad news. Of course, my sinuses started acting up too. I need to get some eucalyptus essential oil that I can use with my filter queen.
Plus, Jacob is sick with both sinuses and some other things (however nothing to do with his Lactose Intolerance). But it basically has him laid out in bed. Then our baby girl started acting like she was not feeling her best yesterday. Then last night she developed a full-blown high fever. So today my bouncy Boo has been just laying around and being pitiful. I just wanted to pick her up and love on her (but it felt like picking up and hugging a hot, hot, hot frying pan). So not much school has gotten done around here.
This means I will be looking at the calendar trying to adjust the schedule to allow for additional or make up days. This is not an auspicious beginning to the new year.
We were able to begin Corps Cadets on Monday night at our Salvation Army Corps, which I am in charge of with Dennis' help. We were amazed and thrilled at the number of teens who attended. We had twice the number we expected and everything went really really well. I am really excited about doing this. So life ought to be interesting around here with never a dull moment.
The week started off on a bad note with Dennis being sick with sinuses. Anytime his act up, it is bad news. Of course, my sinuses started acting up too. I need to get some eucalyptus essential oil that I can use with my filter queen.
Plus, Jacob is sick with both sinuses and some other things (however nothing to do with his Lactose Intolerance). But it basically has him laid out in bed. Then our baby girl started acting like she was not feeling her best yesterday. Then last night she developed a full-blown high fever. So today my bouncy Boo has been just laying around and being pitiful. I just wanted to pick her up and love on her (but it felt like picking up and hugging a hot, hot, hot frying pan). So not much school has gotten done around here.
This means I will be looking at the calendar trying to adjust the schedule to allow for additional or make up days. This is not an auspicious beginning to the new year.
We were able to begin Corps Cadets on Monday night at our Salvation Army Corps, which I am in charge of with Dennis' help. We were amazed and thrilled at the number of teens who attended. We had twice the number we expected and everything went really really well. I am really excited about doing this. So life ought to be interesting around here with never a dull moment.
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