Waiting For Answers

At the beginning of December, my eyes suddenly got bloodshot. I stopped wearing contact lenses, thinking that my eyes just needed a break for a couple of days. My eyes weren't clearing up and they felt uncomfortable, so then I thought, "Oh, I must have pink eye." I went and bought some Polysporin and it didn't clear them up. I figured I would look into natural products, so I went to the health food store and bought Colloidal Silver. I also started putting breast milk into my eye with an eye dropper. Neither of those worked, so then I went to the doctor and got prescription eye drops. That was right before Christmas and they didn't work. I couldn't see a doctor between Christmas and New Year's and during that time I started experiencing pain in my eyes, so early in January, I went back to the doctor. They said there was one last prescription eye drop I could try with a steroid in it, so I tried it. It did nothing. Around this time, the pain stopped, but turned into intermittant pressure behind my eyes. So, the next step was seeing my optometrist. I saw her and she said there was no surface damage on my eye and the pressure in my eyes measured normal, so she wanted me to try artificial tears and go back to the doctor to get checked for a sinus infection. The artificial tears did nothing and I went to the doctor and he said my sinuses were clear. At this point, I just really wanted to get referred to a specialist, so I called my optometrist and she said she had to see me again before referring me. So, that was my 5th appointment between doctors and my optometrist and she finally referred me yesterday! Praise the Lord! She said it could take 2-3 months to get in, so while they were calling right in front of me, I started praying it would be sooner. My appointment is in one month, so that is another answer to prayer!! I have had 2 reflexology treatments from my Mom's friend and that seems to make the pressure go away for a couple of days, but then it has returned. Chiropractor adjustments also seem to help for a couple of days, but again, it has come back. So, I don't know if it's just an eye problem or a nerve problem or just due to the stress of having 3 young kids and having to hold Haley a lot. I'm tired of wearing my glasses and would love to be able to wear my contact lenses again and for things to feel normal. We'll see what the specialist has to say and in the meantime, I will continue to pray for healing.
At Christmastime, I got prayer for my digestion problems and they totally went away...for a few weeks. At the beginning of January, I started getting random tingling in various parts of my body, which were freaking me out. I told God I would rather have stomach problems than tingling and after getting adjusted at the chiropractor and starting to exercise a bit, the tingling went away and then a week or 2 later, my digestion problems started again. It's under control as long as I stay on track with my eating. So, it's been an interesting and slightly frustrating start to the New Year for me. Before Christmas, God gave me the word He has for me this year. In 2010, it was thanks and in 2011 it was trust. This year's word is joy. I have come to realize that joy is not dependent on my circumstances being perfect. My joy is in Jesus and continuing to praise Him no matter what situation I'm in. It's something I'll be learning for the rest of my life. I was reminded on Sunday that Jesus is my life and if I have Jesus, I have all I need. That totally challenged me as I often don't live that way. There are many people and things I think I need. So, these are the things I am dealing with and thinking about.
I made it easier to comment on my blog now, in case you want to. You don't have to sign in anymore. I ran out of deep thoughts, so that's all for now!

Counting Gifts in the New Year

“The more I count these blessings, the more I realize that they really are not the product of my own efforts. They are truly gifts of grace from God above. It’s incredible to open my eyes to them week after week. And humbling. That I should be graced with such wonders? Me… whose heart is weak and black, yet covered with much mercy. How great is Your unfailing love, Lord God of all!” ~Sharaya Crossan

It’s been a while since I’ve done a thankful blog post.  I have a thankful journal that I have been recording gifts in, so I’m about 100 farther in there than I am on this blog.  That’s why there will be a jump in the numbers, although I’m not sure anyone would have caught that if I hadn’t said anything! :)

950. Haley giggling away in her high chair when Jared and I brought her along on our date at a restaurant last week-end

951. This fabric I found at my Grandma’s after she died and my Mom made it into a blanket for Haley

952. My reflexology session with my Mom’s new friend

953. Caramel apple cider…dessert in a cup!

954. Sparkly ornaments

955. That “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come” – Revelation 4:8

956. Haley starting baby food 3 weeks ago

957. Cute sisters

958. The truck with the bright tail lights that we followed all the way home (about 45 minutes) in the fog at night

959. Jared unloading and reloading the dishwasher

960. Haley sitting in a high chair at a restaurant for the first time

961. That those who fear the Lord lack nothing and those who seek Him lack no good thing – Psalm 34:9 + 10

962. A gift that is sweet – lemon meringue pie

963. A gift that is sour – limes

964. I finally have a baby with darker eyes (and I love all the blue eyes in our house, too)!

958. The truck with the bright tail lights that we followed all the way home (about 45 minutes) in the fog at night

965. When Jared drives by while delivering pizza and beeps the horn

A Couple More

Our friend, Jermey, doing his Bollywood dance moves...makes me laugh every time!

This was Haley in November. Now I'm only 2 months behind on videos. :)

A Fun New Discovery

We recently got out the exersaucer for Haley and returned the play mat that we had borrowed from our friends.  I think it’s safe to say…

…she likes it!

Playing Around

Almost as soon as I opened up my camera Christmas present, I charged up the battery so that I could start playing with it.  One of the things I discovered is when the camera is on auto and you go to take a close-up, it automatically switches to macro!  LOVE it!  Most of these were taken at my in-laws’ house on Christmas Day.

Me: (blond moment) “Wow, that fruit looks so good, it looks fake!”

My sister-in-law: “It is fake.”

I got this for Christmas from my Mom.

I LOVE Christmas decorations!

My favorite picture of them all:

Back to Blogging

When I decided to take a break from Facebook, I was undecided about whether or not I would extend that break to blogging, but it turns out that I did.  I haven’t had much time to blog anyway.  There are always other more important things to do.  There’s almost always something to clean, cook, a kid or 3 to spend time with, Jared who I also need to spend time with, etc.  The break was good and needed.

Kiera has progressed when it comes to drawing.  It makes me smile that the arms come out the side of the head because that’s exactly how I used to draw people when I was her age!  I think that was supposed to be Winnie the Pooh and Piglet, can’t you tell? :)  She likes writing names but places the letters wherever she feels like (below is Mom).

The last picture: the circle with the line on the left is an apple, that ovalish thing on the right is a pear and on top is an upside down cake with 3 candles on it.  I love her drawings!

She’s becoming more independent, like wanting to make her own sandwich, pour her own drink, use the remote for the t.v., etc.  Oh, and I have I mentioned that I have to register her for KINDERGARTEN next month?!  Half of me jumps for joy while the other half wants to just sit and cry because my baby will be starting school and out of my care 5 half days/week. 

Blake learned to use a breast pump, ha ha!  He continues to make us laugh a lot.  The other day, I was saying good night to him and I told him that I love him and he said to me, “Love you, dude!”  Hilarious and totally random!  He eats vegetables and likes them, which is miraculous and Kiera is starting to eat veggies, too.  Cue Hallelujah Chorus.  He likes to do things he sees Kiera doing, like drinking from a regular cup, spreading honey on his bread with a butter knife, carrying the milk jug to the counter, except he often makes messes.

Haley Joy is growing and changing all the time!  She is over 5 months now and she is 25.5 inches (75th percentile) and 14 pounds (just under 50th percentile).  She started rolling from her back to her stomach at the beginning of the month, so we can’t leave her on the couch unattended anymore.  She started teething, so she wants to be held more often now, too.  She’s not very fussy, though, and continues to sleep very well, praise God!  Her talking is developing as she now says, “Ma ma ma ma” and “Ba ba ba ba…”  Just for fun, here’s a comparison of Haley, Kiera and Blake at similar ages.

I don’t know if Haley was in a growth spurt, but she wanted to breast feed every 2 hours and I was just exhausted, so I started her on rice cereal last week Saturday.  I mix it with breast milk and she’s not pumped about it, but I’ll keep trying and I’ll probably start baby food next week.  I’m thankful that breast feeding has gone so well, but I’m also thankful that I won’t be her only food source anymore.  I don’t know how much time I’ll have to blog in the next coming weeks, but I do hope to catch up on posting pictures and videos.  Ta ta for now!

New Toys

This Christmas, we were blessed beyond what I could have imagined!  Besides all of the family we got to spend time with, we were lavished with incredible gifts.  The kids opened up one of their gifts and inside was a picture of a full-sized trampoline with a net around it.  They aren’t in season right now, but come spring, they will get a trampoline!  My jaw dropped and I was SO excited!  The kids totally didn’t understand and tossed the picture aside, ha ha!  I had put a top of the line Canon pocket digital camera on my list just for fun and I got it!  I couldn’t believe it!!  CNet rated it one of the top 5 cameras on the market and another website said it’s one of the world’s best pocket digital cameras.  Here is a picture of it:

The photos are night and day compared to my 6-year-old Canon camera that I had before.  I didn’t want a big dSLR, but I still wanted something that takes professional-like photos and this one does!  It has a flash that pops up when needed

and it only uses the amount of flash that it needs, depending on the lighting.  I can take crisp, clear macro shots without any blurring and I don’t have to try to hold the camera as still as I possibly can!  One of the best things: peoples’ faces aren’t white from the flash.  It has an incredible low light setting, too, that sets it apart from other cameras.  When I opened up the gift, I thought, “This isn’t what could possibly be in the box,” and it was!  Again, I almost had to pick up my jaw from the floor.  We were going to save up some money so that I could buy this camera sometime this year, but now I don’t have to!  God continues to bless us in so many different ways! :)