Chasing Lions

Today I am goint to write about a person who is an inspiration to me. Her name is Connie and she is a good friend of mine. She was diagnosed with terminal cancer about 2 and 1/2 to 3 years ago and given 20 months to live. When she was given the diagnosis at Mayo clinic she ministered to the doctors and nurses there, sharing her faith with them. Instead of being devastated by the news she smiled and told them it was ok, that she was in God's hands. She actually left the building singing the song "My God is So Good". They were amazed, just as I am daily by her strength. God had given her a message before she got the diagnosis that Man's verdict was not God's verdict and that she was already healed, so she was not surprised with the diagnosis and had a peace about it. She does not believe in the "Name it-Claim it" stuff, but does honestly feel that God has told her the outcome already.
At her last doctor's visit the doctor came into the room with her latest test results and looked crushed. He couldn't get the words out to tell her, but she knew. She told him it was ok, she knew the resulsts and he didn't have to say it. He apologized and she told him it was ok, she was in God's hands. He cried, amazed at her positive attitude. Connie told him that she was not naturally this optomistic, but that it was a gift of God. He had been so strongly with her, (his presence) blessing her and providing for her and giving her such a peace throughout it all. She said not to expect this with everyone, because not everyone was given the same gifts by God. He works things out differently with each person, and this wasn't of her, it was of God. The doctor told her there was no further treatment to do for her that could help. She is going back to Mayo for another consult. She told her doctor that sometimes God has to let us come to the end of our human efforts before a miracle occurs so that it is not of us, only from him.
She still believes that God intends to heal her. He has brought many people to her that have had stage 3 cancer and been miraculously healed. She feels that has happened for a reason. But she also said that if for some reason God chose not to heal her, that it was still ok, because she would be in a better place. Either way, God was holding her hand and walking her through this day by day and she has never been so blessed to expereince this closeness with God. Through this time since the diagnosis until now, she has fallen in love and gotten married. A group of us freinds put on her wedding for her to help since she was so sick. Her new husband is wonderful and treats her like a princess. She has a beautiful dream home and doesn't have to worry about working. She has never been so blessed with so much support and provisions. Despite her severe pain and illness, she praises God and sees all the good, all of God in this situation. I don't think I could ever do that. Not like Connie. She is truly a woman of God. I am humbled for knowing her and having the blessing of her friendship. I love you Connie! Keep on Glorifying Him!
A sermon I heard yesterday talked about the fact that sometimes God takes us straight through our biggest fear to reach our potential. The bigger our God is, the smaller the lion/fear becomes. The courageous person chases after lions, obeying God despite the fear. We need not look at the lion, but look at God. How big is your God? I know that Connie's God is HUGE, which is why her faith is HUGE and such a blessing to all who know her. I pray that my vision of God and your's increases so that we can reach our potential and Receive the blessings and Be a blessing. Now Go Chase That Lion!

A Poopy Day

Oooooh. I ended my blog too early last night. My hot bath didn't occur. Instead I got to give Sam an enima/sopository to help him finally poop to get out the blockage. Yes, it worked thankfully, but then I got to clean up two messes of poop off of the floor and later out of his bed last night. The floor had it the worst as Sam panicked and ran around then finally went to the toilette after I kept yelling at him to run to the potty. Poor guy. Poor mom. Oh, well. Hopefully today won't be so poopy!

My Goth Child

Today I had to take off work to take the kids to the doctor for their annual check-ups. It took an hour and a half which made me late for my first scheduled client---that I had to cancel and reschedule. Besides that, Max was late and missed his bus at summer camp so I had to drive him to Skateland to meet them for his field trip. This made Sam late so he missed his lunch at daycare---Ooops-school! (He likes to call it his school). Therefore I had to pick him up a kids meal at Wendy's. I dropped him off with his lunch and forgot his chocolate milk in the car. I went back downstairs to my car to get it, then up again and did the code to his hall, made it to his class and set up his lunch at a table and realized I had left his ketchup in the car. Sam is a Ketchup fanatic and was severely sad so I had to race back downstairs to get it, come back up, put in the code to get in his hall and squirt 5 ketchup packets (oooh I hate those messy things!). I kissed him goodbye and raced to work where I had hearing screenings to do all afternoon--1 every 30 minutes. Somehow I got double booked on the last one so had to push one even later. Then the last two I had a hard time getting results so they took twice as long to finish. I am tired and sweaty now. It was not the best day.
All that to say, when I was at the doctor's office and waiting and waiting I realized that Sam looked like a Goth child. His shirt had a monster on it and his shorts had a skull on them (given from a friend). His fingernails were painted black by his teacher yesterday since he wanted to have dog paw nails, monster nails and most of all Vampire nails, which is what he called them today. Yes, later the nurse commented on Sam's style. Ugh.
Poor Sam is so constipated right now. Besides that, the doctor's office messed up and gave him his last rounds of shots too early so he had to get them all redone today. He was not happy, neither was I. That is part of what took so long at the doctors. They were trying to figure out what happened to cause this mistake, but never had any real answers only a few possible scenarios of how it may have happened. Oh well, I didn't complain. There isn't anything I could do about it. He needs the shots to be effective and has to have them to start kindergarten in the fall. WHAT A DAY! Thanks for letting me vent. Now I need a hot shower and a good book. Well, that was my day. Hope yours was better.

Sammy, Bloody Sammy!

Sammy, bloody Sammy!!! (You are suppose to sing this to the tune of "Sunday, Bloody Sunday"---Yes I am a U2 fan). No, Sam didn't get hurt. But as I have stated before he has a love for gore. His favorite shirt for the last two years has been a jackolantern shirt that he wears year round. When he draws pictures, which he loves to do, they are of Super Maizie dog or of monsters or people dying and hurt with blood coming out of them. He loves to draw Halloween pictures. Oooh my sweet sweet Sam. He constantly talks about blood. He is fascinated with it. Maybe it goes along with his old obsession with bandaids. I know all kids love them, but his teachers had to always have extra on hand to put on him for his pretend injuries. (Sam) "I'm bleeding!" he would say. (Me) "Where? I don't see anything." (Sam) "Here," he says pointing to a perfectly beautiful spot of skin with not as much as even a scratch or wrinkle on it. (Me) "I don't see anything." (Sam) "I'm bleeding! I need a bandaid!!!!" He would hold out and fuss for one for thirty minutes until I gave in.
Anyway, today the car ride conversation went like this. (Sam) "Look at my bandaid." (Max) "I see George the monkey." (Sam) "No it is bloooood. (Max) No its not. It's Curious George. See." (Sam) "No its blood. It's a blood design. (Max) It looks like a splat of paint from George's paint can." (Sam) "No, it's blood. His blood smashed out all over it, splat! Oooo gross."
See what I mean? Besides his long lasting kick on blood and gore, he is using the word dissolve often I have noticed. (e.g. yesterday---"The Coco puffs dissolve in my mouth. I really like the way they dissolve in my mouth. They really do!"). Yes, we have found that many things dissolve in your mouth. I have no idea how he learned this word and why he likes it so much.
Sam finally got his white belt---first belt---in karate. He had to go three times to class to get it. On his third day he didn't listen well to Mr. Lance so he didn't get it and had to try again on Tuesday when he did finally get it. It was a good learning experience for him, only with Sam, he never seems to really remember the consequences. It only lasts for a little while then he does the same stuff again. Oh I love the guy, but he does keep me on my toes.
Sam just finished his first swim class at his daycare and did well. He loves the water. Max just finished his first week at summer camp. He had fun, except that the kid that bulleyed him last year is there again and it started right back up. Ugh! I had a talk with the staff so they can keep an eye on the situation. I tried to not complain and be patient last year, but I won't let Max go through another summer like the last one. I have to put him in God's hands.
Well, enough of my yapping and gabbing. I hope everyone is having a great summer.

Boys, boys, boys

Today Max had his friend Elijah over to play. They had a great time. It was soo cute to watch them. They were swapping advice on how to get the most out of the fake toot sounds they made(e.g loudness and length of time). I never realized there were so many ways to make toot sounds. There is the regular mouth toot sound, the straw in the armpit blow technique, the fart gun--pulling your arm back and forth quickly with a gun finger pose, the regualr hand under your arm--"armpit fart" or as I like to call it the "chicken wing toot", then last, but not least, the back of the knee kick toot. Whew. I certainly got my education today. I just laughed and laughed inside---of course I couldn't let them know how cute it was.
I was a bad mom today. I am off and home with the kids since Max is in between school and summer camp. I let Sam stay home too, but forgot his first day of swim classes was this morning and missed it. Oooops! I can't keep it all together. Besides that we also took Maizie to the vet to get fixed today. The vet called and said she did fine and we will pick her up later. Sam meets with Mr. Lance today for a one on one Karate assessment to see if he is ready to start. I think I have my day cut out for me today. Did I say that I didn't have to work today? I guess work never ends at the official job or at home. Ha.

Too Hot

The last two days we have braved the brutal heat. Yes, summer has truly come to Tulsa. Friday the kids and I spent the day at the pool and got a great sunburn. Today we went to the zoo and sweated it out with the animals, panting and trying to find any spot of shade to rest in along the way. The animals looked as lethargic and drained from the heat as we did, laying around panting and baking in the sun. Not the best idea for the day. Even the kids complained and wanted to go home. No dragging them out of the zoo fussing as they usually do, wanting to stay longer. I guess you can't force fun. Sometimes it's just too hot! I am happy to be home in the air conditioning again.
On the way to the zoo, Sam cracked me up. He kept talking about how soft his hair felt today. He thought it must be because it (his hair) was very dry today. It sounded like a shampoo commercial that kept repeating itself in the backseat. Max has been doing something very nice, surprisingly sweet lately. Yes the kids are still in a love-hate tango, hence Sam giving Max a bloody nose the other weekend---Ugh! They are best buds and mortal enemies depending on the moment. It can change in a second, back and forth making my head spin. Anyway, Max's sweet expressions have been keeping me from going berserk. He randomly comes up to me with a very serious expression and quietly says, "Thank you mom," then gives me a big dramatic hug. I ask for what? And then he says something that I have done recently like...for letting me play on the computer, or for making me lunch,etc. I am stunned and softened instantly. Yes, it doesn't take much to melt me with these two. Thank God he made them so cute! Or else thay wouldn't have survived this long. Just joking. Anyway, it certainly helps to balance the diffcult times. My little "hot heads" need to learn to cool down, but I wouldn't trade them for anything.

Here are some new pictures of the kids.

Max's 7th Birthday!

He wanted a Roller skating party with a Mario and Luigi theme.Max and his best bud, Elijah. Aren't Besties great!Skating

Mario is a trademark not many bakeries have. Our solution:

Turtle and mushroom cupcakes!

Just like the game.All lit upMax just tested in Karate and moved up from a camo-purple belt to a camo-red belt!

Reverse thrust kickBoard breakThe new red beltSam in frog pose

Sam is hoping--or should I say hopping--to start karate soon!

Today he was already planning what he wanted to get at his next birthday---next February. Sorry kid, you have a wait ahead of you!