tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22158823663965926942024-03-13T12:20:57.617-05:00Faith, Family, Joy & AfflictionThe rambling thoughts and prayers of an abundantly blessed mother of 10...usually typed quickly and late at nightLeatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.comBlogger290125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-88666328975271265572015-12-25T23:50:00.002-06:002015-12-25T23:50:35.565-06:00Christmas Blessings 2015Each year I am humbled by the blessings that others bestow on our family. This year was no exception. As is too often the case, our year end budget looked bleak and certainly didn't indicate the Christmas that was to be. <br />
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However, fruit arrived from several sources, and we <u>feasted</u> on pears, apples, grapefruits, mandarin oranges and oranges. Chocolate goodies plates, a food basket with two hams, eggs and a huge load of gifted canned goods made our cupboards, refrigerator and counters overflow with abundance.<br />
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Then a surprise from a high school friend brought amazingly generous gifts for each of our kids and Aldi's gift certificates for Ed and I to fill-in the grocery gaps....we have had fun making a shopping list for the things that cause a crisis if we run out...pancake syrup, ketchup, garlic salt, SUGAR, cooking oil, etc...will soon be restocked and ready for 2016!<br />
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When we opened the mailbox we found surprises in the form of gift cards too. Each was a blessing. One came without a name, and we turned it into a FULL tank of diesel for the bus (and will be able to top off the tank again after our holiday travels). For those of you without a bus, let me explain that a 55 gallon tank is a BIG investment which usually lasts us 8 to 10 weeks. We typically cannot afford to fill it up so we feed the bus $10 and $20 bills with the goal of keeping the gauge above a quarter. Having a full tank of diesel before coldest weather of winter is a big stress reliever. <br />
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At the end of October, when we had not picked up many walnuts to fund Christmas because of flu/cold/ear infection bugs and a general lack of walnuts because the trees <a href="http://www.neoshodailynews.com/article/20151024/NEWS/151029311" target="_blank">just hadn't done their part in SW Missouri</a> this year, I never could have predicted the abundance that Christmas would bring from so many generous and caring people.<br />
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Thank you, blessings and peace to you all on this wonderful Christmas day!<br />
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">And my God will meet all your needs</span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29462A" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29462A" title="See cross-reference A">A</a>)" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> </span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">according to the riches of his glory</span><span class="crossreference" data-cr="#cen-NIV-29462B" data-link="(<a href="#cen-NIV-29462B" title="See cross-reference B">B</a>)" style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 0.625em; line-height: 22px; position: relative; top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;"> in Christ Jesus.</span></span></i></div>
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<i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; line-height: 24px;">~Philippians 4:19</span></span></i></div>
Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-5516945959655947962015-11-17T10:56:00.000-06:002015-11-17T10:56:15.553-06:00A Family Project: Sleep Deprived EEG<i><b>I hope you can see and enjoy the humor in how even the medically mundane can become an adventure in our family. </b></i><br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-guy9pKk-Ru8/VktZpxxJpQI/AAAAAAAAB20/kmDcSOKfwpM/s1600/matteeg3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-guy9pKk-Ru8/VktZpxxJpQI/AAAAAAAAB20/kmDcSOKfwpM/s200/matteeg3.jpg" width="112" /></a>When planning for Matt to have a sleep deprived medical test, it is a family project. For the test Matt would need to sleep less than 4 hours. I knew he would fall asleep in the car on the way to the test so I had to allow for an hour of sleep in transport. Therefore, we made a plan to keep him awake until at least 4:30am. <br />
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It went something like this...No bath because we will likely need a bath during the night to stay awake. We rented 3 movies and 2 "active" Wii games. I had snacks and activities ready. <br />
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<b>8:30-9pm</b> Twins are in charge because they thought they needed a shift. (The usual bedtime is 8:30pm)<br />
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<b>9pm-10pm </b> David was in charge of keeping Matt awake. (AKA Project Movies)<br />
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<b>10pm - Midnight</b> Corrine was in charge and rolled out snacks, hot chocolate and a bit of noise. (They woke me up a couple times.)<br />
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<b>Midnight-2am</b> Grace was in charge and I have no idea what she did, but he was awake when I started my shift.<br />
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<b>2am-8am</b> Mom (me) on duty....<br />
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<b>Here are my shift's highlights:</b><br />
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2:18am Matt falls asleep while using the potty. (I catch him before he falls.)<br />
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2:20am We do homework. He wants Corrine to get up and sit with him again. I say no.<br />
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2:40am Movie and snack in kitchen so the chair would be uncomfortable and keep him awake.<br />
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3:15am I literally "catch" Matt as he "falls" asleep at the kitchen table.<br />
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3:20am Matt goes through all the kitchen cabinets. I don't know what he is looking for, but he is awake so I don't care! He can look all he wants!<br />
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3:30am I break out the glow sticks so Matt wants to turn off all the lights...BAD idea!!!<br />
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3:45am Another snack....back to the Wii games<br />
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4:11am Matt brings me his piggy bank and wants to go the Wal-Mart. It is starting to storm so I say no (and I honestly cannot imagine a fate worse than taking an extremely tired child to Wal-Mart at 4am. I am pretty sure this is the "stuff" that causes concerned citizens to call Child Protective Services. Otherwise, it might not be a bad idea since I do need a few grocery items.)<br />
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4:30am Well timed LOUD thunderstorm. Thank you Lord! (I have a new prospective on why we have loud storms at night. It is just the Lord helping out a mom!)...still playing Wii.<br />
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4:45am Matt drifts off to sleep. Time for a walk and ice cream.<br />
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5:15am Daddy gets up for work. Twins and Nate wake up. Chaos ensues as the boys start arguing over the Wii, movies, getting clean and dressed.<br />
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H6W7dM8e-3o/VktZp0GJqRI/AAAAAAAAB28/F_5CjjfKf4Q/s1600/matteeg2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-H6W7dM8e-3o/VktZp0GJqRI/AAAAAAAAB28/F_5CjjfKf4Q/s320/matteeg2.jpg" width="180" /></a><br />
7:00am Everyone on the bus. Matt and I head to the clinic. He falls asleep.<br />
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8:00am Arrive at clinic and he is awake and ready to check this all out. He doesn't like the cold gel. Luckily, once he is "wired", it only takes about 8 minutes for him to settle down and sleep.<br />
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10:00am Matt falls asleep on the way home and gets carried in still asleep. Mom is drinking coffee ready to start paperwork and housework while Matt sleeps in my bed. Never mind, Grace just took my coffee.....<br />
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Another family project is completed except getting Matt the Happy Meal that he has been promised.<br />
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<br />Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-14299579572188881262015-03-04T18:00:00.000-06:002015-03-27T11:50:06.307-05:00Surviving Snow DaysAs I have mentioned before, snow days are tough for my kids to handle due to the unexpected change of routine. However, these recent "late in winter" snow days even caught me off guard, and I did not have my "secret" stash of activities fully stocked. I usually have a movie or two that they have not seen or a game save back for tough days or I have a small new toy or some old toys that has been hidden away for a while. I also usually have some "pinterest" type activity supplies to try and a kid-helper-friendly recipe or two, and I only had one of these on hand and it did not go well. (See photo below of snow coloring.)<br />
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So with the usual stash depleted, this is what we did....<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZEM3LQCohdc/VRWCTww31oI/AAAAAAAAB0g/igJYWDMNWvE/s1600/IMG_20150228_162234_334.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZEM3LQCohdc/VRWCTww31oI/AAAAAAAAB0g/igJYWDMNWvE/s1600/IMG_20150228_162234_334.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LOTS of snow ice cream...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mkVuWIrykBE/VRWCnEPHKJI/AAAAAAAAB0w/O6ih0RNQcb4/s1600/IMG_20150301_162525_373.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mkVuWIrykBE/VRWCnEPHKJI/AAAAAAAAB0w/O6ih0RNQcb4/s1600/IMG_20150301_162525_373.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Igloo building</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A0nXcXkr4KI/VRWCeajLHEI/AAAAAAAAB0o/V66UvjTe4Qw/s1600/IMG_20150302_120407_786~2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A0nXcXkr4KI/VRWCeajLHEI/AAAAAAAAB0o/V66UvjTe4Qw/s1600/IMG_20150302_120407_786~2.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bigger igloo building </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CAjemoLKVHo/VRV3gcAY8YI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/GplvPY638vw/s1600/IMG_2133s.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CAjemoLKVHo/VRV3gcAY8YI/AAAAAAAAB0Q/GplvPY638vw/s1600/IMG_2133s.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">David "wired" the igloo with Christmas lights and a power strip<br />for his electronics.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W5rnnWiaCSk/VRWC4rcMQKI/AAAAAAAAB1A/XM7S_hr_Gfg/s1600/IMG_20150301_121705_614.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-W5rnnWiaCSk/VRWC4rcMQKI/AAAAAAAAB1A/XM7S_hr_Gfg/s1600/IMG_20150301_121705_614.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Snow "iced" lattes.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AwNc_KeHkRw/VRWDEjj9ckI/AAAAAAAAB1I/xl3faUiR0ZU/s1600/IMG_20150228_142554_852.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AwNc_KeHkRw/VRWDEjj9ckI/AAAAAAAAB1I/xl3faUiR0ZU/s1600/IMG_20150228_142554_852.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soda slushies</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yEXusjkyb9g/VRWDFFORX4I/AAAAAAAAB1M/QS5y80whSxg/s1600/IMG_20150301_094432_961.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yEXusjkyb9g/VRWDFFORX4I/AAAAAAAAB1M/QS5y80whSxg/s1600/IMG_20150301_094432_961.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A "pintrest" idea that wasn't very good. It was too tiring for the<br />little guys to keep squeezing the triggers. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F9vGEgc-Afg/VRWDV7Sb0JI/AAAAAAAAB1g/yBr5Zd3bByk/s1600/IMG_20150301_100815_208.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-F9vGEgc-Afg/VRWDV7Sb0JI/AAAAAAAAB1g/yBr5Zd3bByk/s1600/IMG_20150301_100815_208.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The teens and tweens liked the squeeze bottle painting better, but<br />even they complained about their hands cramping.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4loAwUCfBLo/VRWDUkmlRGI/AAAAAAAAB1Y/P3ietIPipY4/s1600/IMG_20150304_162203_807.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4loAwUCfBLo/VRWDUkmlRGI/AAAAAAAAB1Y/P3ietIPipY4/s1600/IMG_20150304_162203_807.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dances in the dining room</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3FfbA-sl__8/VRWDdMlF_FI/AAAAAAAAB1o/FuDj1KqHbrU/s1600/IMG_20150301_130903_367.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3FfbA-sl__8/VRWDdMlF_FI/AAAAAAAAB1o/FuDj1KqHbrU/s1600/IMG_20150301_130903_367.jpg" height="225" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lots of coloring</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xerofQd5FqM/VRWDgKHQDaI/AAAAAAAAB1w/qoUjrH85ws4/s1600/IMG_20150301_131330_408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-xerofQd5FqM/VRWDgKHQDaI/AAAAAAAAB1w/qoUjrH85ws4/s1600/IMG_20150301_131330_408.jpg" height="400" width="225" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not to say that they got bored, but even<br />Hannah asked to color!</td></tr>
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<br />Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-45255345918979637562015-01-08T21:26:00.001-06:002015-01-08T21:26:03.142-06:00My Birthday<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DscAiBiEYNo/VK9BuQeTPJI/AAAAAAAABzM/6x9K-Xgk2ew/s1600/IMG_2122a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DscAiBiEYNo/VK9BuQeTPJI/AAAAAAAABzM/6x9K-Xgk2ew/s1600/IMG_2122a.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a>For birthdays at our house, we let the birthday person pick the dinner menu. However, when it is my birthday, my kids have interpreted it to mean that they pick their favorite of what they think are mom's favorite foods. I think it is cute so I let them all order up their LONG lists of foods. Then I pick from what is in the freezer or what "shows up". (Everything marked with an asterisk below was donated to us today or recently. Sometimes I use donations to "pretend" that I am on a show like "Iron Chef", but today's blessings went together fairly easily. Needless to say, I am very thankful for the opportunity and blessing of being challenged to make meals out of free food!)<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KTXbU-Cy3UA/VK9B5Rf8LKI/AAAAAAAABzU/muRedbHqzKA/s1600/birthdayme1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KTXbU-Cy3UA/VK9B5Rf8LKI/AAAAAAAABzU/muRedbHqzKA/s1600/birthdayme1.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a>Tonight's dinner ended up being meatloaf, salmon (which I have had hidden in the freezer for months), mushroom* brown rice, squash*, steamed artichokes* with balsamic dip, baked potatoes* (baked in the crock pot), french bread* and Cowboys "clearance" cupcakes*! Salmon is one of the kids' favorites, but since it is pricey we only have it every several months so they were especially thrilled! <br />
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The kids (except Corrine) were home from school today on a cold weather school closing day. Some of my children do not deal well with unplanned changes of routine so it was a long day of being asked millions of times if we can go to school. The fact that Corrine got to go to school while they stayed home made the day even harder for them. My husband got me roses for my birthday, which is a rare treat (like 4th time in 16 years), and it was very nice to have them for comfort as I SLUGGED my way through the meltdowns, demands, snacks, lunch, snacks, demands, meltdowns, dinner prep....of the day. Snow days are harder than the weekend for us since these snow days "sneak up" on us. Also there was no snow/ice today, and this made it even harder for them to understand why they weren't doing what they usually do on Thursday. Plus I think having this school week start on Tuesday (since Monday was teacher's meetings) had already confused their schedules. <br />
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So when everyone was pleased with my birthday dinner and cupcakes, then that made me very happy with my day! (And now baths are done and everyone is snug in their beds...the day seems like it wasn't that bad.)Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-46124674312835301682014-12-31T05:00:00.000-06:002015-03-30T20:05:38.106-05:00Blessings of 20142014 had a lot of struggles for our family, but in the midst of the losses and hardships, there were beautiful blessings. I have always been amazed by how God has brought resources, people and encouragement to us through likely sources such as family and unlikely sources such as strangers and acquaintances. This past year brought exceptional blessings.<br />
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<b>In 2014, we had a number of needs that seemed like they would become overwhelming, but none of them did. </b><br />
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Needs which had me concerned and praying included the fact that our refrigerator had started freezing foods like lettuce, our vehicles were all having expensive "issues" some of which were caused by vandalism, Hannah's piano and Brailler needed fixed (at the same time), and our house (and the rentals in Kansas) had unexpected repairs needed several times. Plus "the usual" stresses of keeping our household running and our out-of-pocket medical paid had my prayer life <b>flourishing</b>. <br />
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Ed has always said that I can spin straw into gold, but there was no way to "spin" or even juggle the large number of needs that were coming at us! However, resources arrived as needed through so many sources! Extra jobs, gifts, unbelievable deals, and bills that never got billed despite my calling for an invoice several times...you know who you are, if you are reading this...well, all I can say is a LOT of thank you's!<br />
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A food ministry through our previous church from while we lived in Carthage provided us with many donated <br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a9hvNoZjwGc/VKDLsITxqUI/AAAAAAAAByY/2BkLK1v8TIs/s1600/thanksgiving3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-a9hvNoZjwGc/VKDLsITxqUI/AAAAAAAAByY/2BkLK1v8TIs/s1600/thanksgiving3.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our SURPRISE Thanksgiving Basket <br />
from Fellowship Baptist</td></tr>
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vegetables and food items. My cousin's family continued to supply us with venison. My aunt provided several donations of milk. Sometimes food just showed up in our garage from unlikely and sometimes unknown sources. Plus food and household supply deals through Surplus/Salvage stores and advertised sales and coupons made my household envelop go farther than it ever should have (which is good because I was taking money from it to cover other financial needs)!<br />
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My TOPS chapter and friends helped us fund our trips to State and International Award ceremonies. Several TOPS friends and family gave me clothes as I lost weight and did not have clothing in my new sizes. Plus a friend even gave me a formal dress when I won the TOPS award for weight loss so I could meet the stage dress code! (And as icing on my blessings, a TOPS friend from Kansas knitted and mailed all the kids stocking caps that they love!)<br />
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A friend on Facebook donated TWO huge bags of clothes to our quickly growing oldest son who officially became a challenge to keep up with this year since he sprouted from a size 10 to a 14-16 just this year. AND all these donated clothes fit!<br />
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We got "curbside" dishes and a recliner when a neighbor was cleaning out to move.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RMRt3x2XNns/VKDQJBJXJDI/AAAAAAAAByk/GdskzGevIKU/s1600/schoolsupplies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RMRt3x2XNns/VKDQJBJXJDI/AAAAAAAAByk/GdskzGevIKU/s1600/schoolsupplies.jpg" height="320" width="180" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the school supplies<br />
and snacks.....</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
My parents paid the kids' school lunches through April 2015! Which is NOT a small BILL even with reduced lunch prices!!! (My parents do a LOT for us, but this bill is almost $1000 per school year.) And my mom helped me buy and find deals on school supplies and the 48 days of school snacks that were needed for our youngest kids to meet their school's snack obligations...yes, that is 1152 individually wrapped, healthy, store bought snacks...the thought makes your head hurt doesn't it!<br />
<br />
My aunt and uncle gave us the refrigerator from her new house, and it does not freeze lettuce or eggs and it is bigger than our old one! Plus they gave us an unbelievable deal on buying their minivan (as our Durango was needing many repairs with over 318,000 miles on it).<br />
<br />
The Wassenaars gave us HUGE watermelons, bell peppers, oranges, their entertainment center...plus her sister gave Corrine a bedroom set...and you <i>thought</i> you had good neighbors! Truthfully, we have amazing neighbors everywhere in our neighborhood. <br />
<br />
People helped me find walnuts that we could pick up to fund Christmas. Two ladies in particular may have "scouted" the town and harassed ALL their friends with walnut trees into letting us pick up their walnuts! It was such a blessing! All I know is between the walnuts, the aluminum cans and some scrap metal, we somehow funded Christmas for our kids and our Compassion child (and could even afford postage on a few Christmas cards which is really something with the cost of postage)! <br />
<br />
Our family got approved for a reduced fee family membership to the YMCA in August. So for the first time, we are enjoying the local YMCA's facilities and I am enjoying the aquasize classes.<br />
<br />
Other blessings included the loss of our favorite (and the best) pediatrician Dr. Shari Smith <b>being temporary</b> because she was able to open a new practice in November! (Having a doctor and staff who values our kids as much as we do is an immeasurable blessing.)<br />
<br />
Pro-Lube continues to keep fixing our vehicles within what we can manage financially, which is no small task when our newest car has 220,000 miles on it and our bus has over 310,000 miles on it. It is a wonder that we don't spend all our time broke down along the roadside! I know sometimes they must think, "You broke what and how!"...thinking of a certain bus lift that they welded back into working order. These are a talented group of mechanics!<br />
<br />
Countryside Pharmacy keeps humoring my forever search for more affordable formulary medications to keep our co-pays low. But despite my relentless search of lower cost medications, they provide us with amazing and smiling service and even 7 free movie tickets to the Summer Kid's Movie! (You won't get that at Walgreens!)...which brings me to the blessing of Nate no longer needing his expensive heart medication as of March 2014. <br />
<br />
Mike's Heating & Air got our old HVAC system working despite our previous repair company telling us that it was unfix-able on one of the hottest days of Summer. Ed and I could certainly live without A/C, but some of our kids should not for medical reasons so when J.J. got that old system to pump out cool air...well, my stress level took a huge drop!<br />
<br />
Hometown Bank keeps providing smiling employees and wonderful services including letting me abuse their free faxing and notary services despite having a balance, which should not earn us any free services! <br />
<br />
The schools that serve our kids continue to be a blessing in their efforts to find and keep the right people and services to meet our kids needs. This year has been a struggle for them too as new people have had to learn the unique challenges, needs and values of our family.<br />
<br />
Then in the section of blessings that probably only a few families need. Jon finished getting his teeth fixed and<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8ldrqQ6mH0o/VKHxVL98GrI/AAAAAAAABy8/M8XaLgzSOoY/s1600/hannahbraille1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8ldrqQ6mH0o/VKHxVL98GrI/AAAAAAAABy8/M8XaLgzSOoY/s1600/hannahbraille1.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hannah with her working<br />
brailler!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
with some help from a friend, I am no longer making payments on that bill. Insurance finally agreed to cover some of Jon's diapers and let us get him a power wheelchair. Hannah got a manual Brailler loaned to us indefinitely so we could avoid repairing the Mountbatten Brailler. A friend sold an amazing baby grand electric piano at the right price so we could replace Hannah's piano that was needing repairs. Plus despite Hannah's cochlear implant becoming outdated, we had no repair costs this year because Boy's Town Research Hospital has enough donated parts from old systems to keep Hannah's processor functioning.<br />
<br />
And with Ed's 168 mile a day commute, lets not forget the blessing of lower gas prices! The daily commute price has dropped to $14 per day from $22 per day!!!<br />
<br />
The biggest blessing of all to me was being able to help others even as we struggled to meet our own needs. I am forever grateful when God provides a surplus of donated food or items that I can pass on to others who I know could use a blessing. This year we were able to pass on a neighbor's washer and dryer, garden surplus, "yard" eggs from our chickens, outgrown clothes, and so much more. <br />
<br />
God has provided us with an abundance of wonderful people in our lives...our pastor, teachers, doctors, nurses, therapists, mechanics, pharmacists, repair people, clerks, cashiers (yes, I know MY cashiers), neighbors, friends, family and so many more. Thank you to everyone! May we all have a blessed 2015! (Sorry this post was so lengthy!)Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-2472925760299374652014-12-28T20:56:00.001-06:002014-12-28T20:56:09.408-06:00Big Family Blessings vs. The CriticsNOTE: This post may be TOO much big family reality for some people.<br />
<br />
I get fatigued by the criticism that is often heaped on big families, especially growing families. Many, if not most, large families are hesitant and downright afraid to announce a new addition to their family, even if the new addition is a puppy! <br />
<br />
Critics who are often beloved, extended family will say things like,<br />
- "Just what you need! What are you thinking!"<br />
- "How are you going to afford more!" <br />
- "You want this? Don't even ask me to babysit."<br />
....and on and on.....and on. It is so discouraging!<br />
<br />
Equally difficult for big families is the ability to be honest about tough times, especially financial ones because someone will say,<br />
-"I guess you shouldn't have had so many kids"<br />
-"What do you expect! You have too many kids."<br />
-"You haven't taken your poor kids to XYZ!"<br />
Insert the theme park, water park, or movie of your choice for XYZ<br />
<br />
So as I am preparing a New Year's Eve post on the blessings of 2014, I realized that I need this post explaining a few things about the realities of big families.<br />
<br />
1. <b>The decision for a family to grow is NOT about what a family can afford! It is about what a family can sacrifice.</b> I frankly couldn't afford my first born. Most people probably shouldn't afford any kids, if they really thought about all the what ifs of parenting and what could or might happen. When a family grows, they are saying that they are willing to share and sacrifice all that they have for a new family member out of love.<br />
<br />
The growing family is <u>not</u> saying that they have extra money and they want to "pay for" a new kid! Kids are not living room furniture sets. If people want to tell a family that they cannot afford new furniture, go ahead. However, if they want to discourage a family from growing in selflessness, then they need to think about what values a family should teach their kids. Family success is not about how much a family spends per child, it is about how much they sacrifice per child. A child can be lavished in gifts, toys, clothes and entertainment and not feel like their parents love and accept them. The value of a child starts to be established when their joining a family is announced. People need to build up that value, not debate it.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n7x93NYjikc/VKC90PqwXvI/AAAAAAAAByI/TKe6Kkdf2kQ/s1600/halfgam.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-n7x93NYjikc/VKC90PqwXvI/AAAAAAAAByI/TKe6Kkdf2kQ/s1600/halfgam.jpg" height="239" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our family at half its current size (with Baby Nate whom we were<br />just hosting at the time): With half the children, we did not have<br />twice the resources. My abilities to use resources<br />wisely have grown with experience and God's provision<br />has been consistent. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
2. <b>Big family values may not look like small family values.</b> Parents of big families do not see it as a failure if their kids don't have snow boots and are using bread wrappers with rubber bands over their shoes. Parents of big families don't view hand-me downs and thrift store clothes as second best. <br />
<br />
Big families who cannot "do Disney", NEVER think to themselves, "If we just had fewer kids we could go". Big families instead think things like, "We ended the month with 78 cents in the bank and the dental bill paid so we win!" <br />
<br />
It is NOT a <strike>lifestyle</strike> value system for the faint of heart. If it sounds terrible to you, don't have a big family. However, realize that some of us LOVE all our kids and the rewards of "winning" with a bank balance that would make you shudder!<br />
<br />
3. <b>Having a BIG family and a small bank account is NOT irresponsible!</b> It is no secret that our family is Dave Ramsey fans. We think he offers the best financial advice out there. The point where we differ is on the goal. Dave suggest saving so you can give, but we feel called by God to invest in our kids. Emergency funds are important and they will get used in a big family. Being debt free (except the mortgage) keeps us sane. Having a retirement savings plan means that we have a hope that we won't live with our kids. BUT we will NEVER live at the level that Dave's full plan offers because we have too many expenses...yes, kids' expenses. Our affluence is not money. <b>Our affluence will be to turn out God fearing, loving and hard working adults with a desire to better the world and who are amazing parents to raise our grand kids! </b><br />
<b><br /></b>
4. <b>Big families are NOT trying to "milk the system".</b> Sure there are exceptions, but almost ALL big families have two hardworking and industrious parents. These are parents who know the enormity of what they are doing because they live it! <br />
<br />
We have 10 kids, and to be frank, it has gotten me gallons of free milk from WIC and reduced price school lunches. That is right...the "system" gave me milk for my kids to drink and a better price on their school lunches. No food stamps. No free phones, cars, etc. NOT ONE! <br />
<br />
BIG families don't get a check, just the public condemnation that comes with people <u>thinking</u> that the BIG family is "doing it" for the government check that doesn't exist, even if the kids are disabled! (Pardon the "doing it" pun, I couldn't resist.)<br />
<br />
My grocery list alone is probably more responsible for economic stimulation and development in our community than most government programs for small businesses! The reality is that "the system" is milking big families. Doubt that claim? How many of your kids can you count on your taxes? All of them, right? I only get to claim 3 for most sections of the tax code and I have never gotten credit for more than 5 because I would need much more income to claim the deductions of kids 6-10. The tax code is written to help families with 2-3 kids.<br />
<br />
So please think before you offer your disapproving opinion on a big family that is growing and/or struggling. BIG families have BIG responsibilities and they know their realities all too well.<br />
<br />
<br />Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-63447788868721406132014-12-27T16:28:00.000-06:002014-12-27T16:28:27.072-06:00Christmas 2014Thank you to Grandparents, Cousin Cassidy (the suspense to open your presents was killing them), House Hero Angela (who gave us pizzas and a movie for a perfect family movie night...and a mommy's cooking night off), Karry who sent several of the kids their own cards (Vanessa has hers hung up and may NEVER take it down), the Deckers, the Wassenaars and the Brazeals who gave us diet-friendly fruit treats, and so many others (known and unknown) who helped make this a truly special Christmas! <br />
<br />
The two anonymous cards with encouraging words and gift cards were especially surprising and helpful! Ed and I had so much fun planning and going on a restocking shopping trip for peanut butter, jelly, ketchup, dryer sheets, cereal, shampoo, razors, toothpaste, dishwasher soap, printer ink, spices, butter, cheese and so much more that keeps our household running...it is such a stress reliever to have these critical items on hand again! <br />
<br />
We appreciate everyone so much! Thank you.<br />
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Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-7260198823485585122014-11-30T21:46:00.001-06:002014-11-30T22:12:00.605-06:00"The Day We Take Down the Fly Paper and Put Up the Christmas Tree" & Other EventsThanksgiving came and went as quickly as ever. We spent Wednesday at my parents' house for a family dinner. The kids were excited because this meant a family trip in our bus. This was our first trip outside of town since we had mechanical trouble on the way to the farm in August. The kids were a bit nervous about every sound and wind sway at first, but they soon settled in and went to sleep for the trip. <br />
<br />
Then Thursday was Thanksgiving at our house with all the feasting and board games that we could handle.<br />
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<br />
Friday marked our annual decorating day which we tease that it should be called "The Day We Take Down the Fly Paper and Put Up the Christmas Tree". With so many kids constantly fanning the back door, we indeed keep a fly paper or two up from April thru November, and Thanksgiving marks the point that I feel we no longer have a fly problem!<br />
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We got most of the decorating done, but we were short a strand of indoor lights so we will have to finish "decking out" the big Christmas tree (pictured above with the fly paper) sometime this week. <br />
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Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-71555261397440383582014-08-12T19:51:00.000-05:002014-08-12T19:53:48.461-05:00First Day of School Worries (Revisited)<em>On this First-Day-of-School Eve, my three kindergartners to-be have been very excited. At dinner we asked them to tell us why they are excited. Both Mark and Luke explained because they will get money. After a few moments of confusion, we realized what they were saying. Both of them thought that they would get money for perfect attendance like during Summer school! Needless to say, we had to burst that bubble as we couldn't let them think the school would pay them on Friday! After the bad news, the boys are still excited for the bus ride in the morning, but they are much less excited about actually going to school.</em><br />
<em></em><br />
<em>As I was sitting at my desk tonight and thinking of all my worries for my kindergartners, I could not help but remember when Vanessa and David started kindergarten. I had so many worries. However, on that day, a misunderstanding lessened my worries. I found this story that I had written about their first day. I thought that you might enjoy reading it too.</em><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In May of 2009, I was dreading what was ahead for
David and Vanessa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew my own early experiences
in school and I was worried. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">For the past year, I had stayed at home with the
kids after their adoptions. We had worked on pre-school skills, life skills
and English skills to get them ready for kindergarten.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, that year flew by quickly and it was soon going to be time to go to traditional school in August.
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was very reluctant, but I knew this
was a step that they needed to take.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Kindergarten would be a big step with
all new adventures, new skills, new friends and new discoveries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, it was the new discoveries that
worried me and to be honest, even scared me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I can remember my first year of school, and while it was not a bad year,
I learned some tough lessons that year. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lessons
that I <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">still</i> sometimes wish were not
true.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I cringed at the thought of David
and Vanessa learning similar truths about their world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">In the 1970’s, I lived an ideal life with my parents
on a small farm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My grandparents lived
beside us and our community and church were small.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Due to my being born with a disability, I had
been to see the “Big City” many times and frequently spent weeks at the
Children’s Hospital with kids from all over the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>School would prove to be an intrusion into my
ideal life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From my very first day at
school, I started to learn tough lessons.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No one looked like me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one was taught like me, and ultimately I learned
that not everyone wanted me in their school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Unlike the hospital, with kids with all types of disabilities and unlike
my home, with my father who was a disabled veteran and our neighbor with a
wooden leg, at school I was the only one with an obvious disability and at
first I was a curiosity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Eventually, my
classmates became bored with being entertained by my every move and they mostly
accepted me as a playmate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Recess became
the best part of my day because I mixed freely with my new friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the classroom, I sat in the back at a
table and colored.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could catch
bits and pieces of what the others were learning and I was occasionally given a
book like theirs to look at while they did their lesson. I learned the words
for kids like me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I disliked the word
“retard” the most.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some teachers didn’t
think I could be taught and I learned that some did not want to waste time with
me. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even the principal doubted aloud in my presence if
I belonged in their school.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">My early experiences were the solid foundation of
my fears for David and Vanessa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Haitian
by birth and now living in rural America, they enjoyed a small community of
family and friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They had already
made many discoveries, just coming to join our family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Starting in the airport and continuing at
church, they found out that few black people spoke Creole, even the darkest
skinned people spoke English.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To add
confusion, a white woman with light hair spoke Creole to them because she had
lived in Haiti.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David knew that he
looked different than me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As he colored
pictures of moms and kids, moms were orange and kids were brown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, what concerned me the most is that
like me, neither David nor Vanessa knew that their community was not like their
home and church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">To try to ease the transition to go school, I made
arrangements for David and Vanessa to go to pre-kindergarten, two Vacation
Bible Schools and a day camp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> When the first day of Summer school </span>arrived, David and Vanessa were so excited to get to go play with lots
of kids.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I drove the kids to school that morning, and I got Vanessa to her class first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Due to her disabilities, she had already met her teacher and toured as
part of the process of getting the school ready for her so she separated from
me quickly and was ready to start her day with the help of a classroom aid.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David and I went more slowly to his
classroom, pointing out where the cafeteria and restrooms were located and
finally stopping to take a picture of him outside the classroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">We entered the room and we were greeted by an
experienced and prepared teacher who had activities already going at the
tables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I took David to the seat for him,
and he immediately dove into playing with the building blocks at his table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I lingered and took a couple more pictures as
he started to talk to the boy next to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I was pleased to see that the boy was a minority, and based on a brief
exchange with his mom as she left, I knew they were from Guatemala.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was pleased that David would not be the
only minority student!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David had told me
bye, and I was across the room when I heard the little boy
ask in a suspicious tone, “Who was that?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I stepped behind a cabinet out of view. David said, “My mom.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boy said, “That’s not your mom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’s white.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I sucked in my breath and waited to hear David’s response.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David said insistently, ”She <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">is</i> my mom.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boy said, “Not your real mom.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was about to step back around the cabinet, when the teacher interrupted the boys with a new activity. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">That afternoon I went to get David from school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The little boy and David saw me waiting in
the hall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could hear enough to know
that they had resumed their previous conversation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I stepped closer to the door as the boy was asking
David questions again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David replied, “There are
white moms too”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then the
little boy asked, “How do you get to school?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>David seemed annoyed as he answered, “I told you; in a car.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boy inquired, “But who drove the car?” David seeming
more annoyed, ”My mom!” The boy confused, “Your real mom?” David pointing to
me in the hall, “Yes.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The boy then said, “She can't drive.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>David who was looking completely annoyed now; responded, “White moms can drive
too!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As luck would have it, the bell
rang and David came running to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I figured I’d explain the little
boy’s concern about my disability and driving later.<o:p></o:p></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">On the way home, David told me all about his day
including about the boy who kept asking him about his mom all day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>David explained,” He has a brown mom. He doesn’t know about white moms.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He exclaimed, “He didn’t even know that white moms can drive!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I decided that David understood the little boy just
fine so I never explained the boy’s concerns.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, that afternoon I felt more confident that David and I would do
just fine handling the tough realities of kindergarten…one misunderstanding at
a time. <o:p></o:p></span>Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-87277918738191008762014-08-09T19:44:00.000-05:002014-08-09T19:44:31.547-05:00Give Me What Is Right for Our Kids....
<strong>A BIG apology to everyone who has had to hear me rant this week on this subject. I finally just put it all in writing to our Board of Education and emailed it. <br /><br /><span style="background-color: yellow;">Neosho is an awesome school, but we need everyone's input, expertise and vote of confidence to stay awesome! Awesome takes work and facing some often harsh self-images for the purpose of improvement. </span></strong><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<span style="color: black; font-family: "sans serif","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">Please disregard any typos or grammar errors
that I tend to make more freely when I feel passionately about something and I am passionate about this subject. We have needed a new Jr. High School for over 5 years.</span><br />
<strong></strong><br />
<strong>If you are not from Neosho, but an educator or school administrator please consider reading point #4. It is true in most every community in our area. </strong><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 4;"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count: 7;"> </span>Dear Neosho R-V Board Member;</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">I have been hoping that this letter would not need to be written.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My letter is concerning the inability to pass
the increase needed for a new school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
is typically my policy to only offer solutions, not criticisms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I am finding it difficult to offer
solutions without explaining what has gone wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please set aside egos and read this with an
open mind. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am hopeful that my
observations may help our district get the Junior High School building that it
has needed for over 5 years.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt 0.5in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">1.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Our new superintendent was not given the proper
chance to build a rapport with voters before he was out “with his hand in their
pocketbooks”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Decker’s first contacts
with community groups should have been to give a “state of the district”
assessment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He should have had a year to
brag on what is going well and prepared people for what he saw as challenges for
the district.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He needed to give people a
vision to “buy into”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, Decker
was introduced and then sent to tell the community how badly the school needed
money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am sure it was done out of
urgency, but it disengaged some voters from the feeling of being a part of
improvements and made many informal community leaders with concerns appear as
opposition in open forums.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Additionally,
it is generally believed that passing tax increases is good for a
superintendent’s career so without rapport, Decker’s meetings with the public
seemed self-serving to some, rather than being a genuine need in our community.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Our
school needs other things too, and by mentioning the building on a list of big
and small things that are needed would
give time for people to see progress and “buy in”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even a <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>SWOT
(strengths, weaknesses, opportunities,
threats) analysis written by/for Decker and published in <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;">t</span>he newspaper or online would
have prepared voters to be a part of change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Changes
to the front of the high school surprised the community.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Signs should have been up <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>months before construction started and a
media blitz should have explained how and where the <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> m</span>oney was coming from and why the front of the school was
selected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The way it was handled, <span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>lead many to take the attitude “See, I voted no
and they found the money in their deep pockets.”
</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">2.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">A clean-up of past mistakes and misunderstandings
should have occurred.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Carver was a big
disappointment to many voters, especially older citizens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I have explained to Shawn Dilday and Tim
Crawley, the day after Grandparents’ Day is not a positive time to get school reviews
at the Senior Center and other meetings of grandparents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lack of parking at South and Carver and
the excessive walking distances at Carver are viewed dimly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Carver has never had ADA complaint parking
despite complaints since the ribbon cutting event (that I could not attend
because the only ramp was blocked).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
second ramp and parking in the back lot was added, but the door was kept locked
for 6 years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crawley says a buzzer was
added over the Summer and I look forward to using it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, unless a note is added to the
information sent home concerning Grandparents’ Day, most people won’t know that
the back lot is now an option.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Crawley
explains that he is new and did not know of these problems, but our new leaders
must fully understand our past mistakes and challenges! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was furious when I saw the artist’s
depiction of the new Junior High with the disabled parking as far from the main
door as possible!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It told me that the
district is not learning from its mistakes and it is not interested in “my” issues,
which should be “our” issues.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Crawley
had known that the parking at Carver is viewed negatively, he could have asked
the artist to correct the drawings before they offended people.</span></div>
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span><br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Questions and concerns about past problems,
donated land, location, and clumping so many schools close together by a bus
barn needed lots of public forum exposure at community meetings, on the web, on
the radio and in the newspaper before asking for money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have heard so many people say, “the bus
barn, Carver, Middle School and a Junior High that close together?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if there is a tornado?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our community will have too many assets in
one place.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Plus there are concerns
about traffic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Some people already feel
that pickup and pulling onto Norway is too congested.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If intersection improvements are planned,
then this should be public knowledge.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The Devil is in the details…asking for millions of
dollars before releasing a floor plan sketch that demonstrates good stewardship
of the money is only inviting critics and “no” votes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of course construction costs can be estimated
by square footage, but voters want to know what is in that square footage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I toured the high school on a day that the
air conditioning was running and the fire place was burning in the
library.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The nice amenity of a relaxing
fireplace was instantly rebranded as “showing off” and wasting resources.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Current estimates say that 30% of our
population is in arrears on one or more major loans.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When people must keep their thermostat in the
60’s in the winter and people are forgoing air conditioning, neighbors have a
hard time voting for an increase that will place further hardship on their
friends and loved ones, especially if they are thinking that the new building
could be built for less.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">4.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Neosho is a town of hardworking and thrifty
people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is not a town of cheap
people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is a town of people who know
the value and power of a dollar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
school has presented itself at “odds” with the basic community values of
stewardship and fiscal responsibility numerous times without realizing it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One example is the school supply lists.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those lists have more name brands than they
should, and the name brands are even <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">bolded</b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(Elmer’s ® purple glue, what is wrong with Scholastic®
purple glue at ¼ of the price!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Metal blade
Office Depot ® scissors are identical to Fiskar’s ®at 1/3 of the price!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Post-its, Crayola, Play-doh, Eagle, Avery
binders, Clorox wipes, Papermate <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and
Ticonderoga pencils, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Expo markers, and Germ-X
just make me want to scream, “Who do you think we are!” (BTW- Kudos to Dr. Fox’s
building which did not include a single brand name on any list!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is much appreciated.) <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does the BOE realize who buys 60% of our kids’
school supplies?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let me tell you, it is
grandparents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You just asked limited income
patrons for <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">more</b> at the ballot box
right after they just bought “you” brands that they don’t have in their own homes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yes, I said “you” and not “their kids”
because when the school asks for brand names it becomes about the school’s
needs and not the kids’ needs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Name
brands need to go!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">5.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Shorter Fridays cost people money.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the school day was shortened many folks
found themselves searching for affordable after school care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>People have turned to grandparents and the
goodwill of neighbors who are now providing funds for snacks and recreation for
little ones and big ones every week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our
family is adding extra hours for a nurse’s aide because my children’s medical needs
cannot be met through a program like the YMCA.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We are not alone because other special needs families have called me
looking for affordable ideas. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our
nurse’s aide costs $12.38 an hour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That
may seem small, but it will equal <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">$1,188.48</b>
or more in new expense for our family by May 2015.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Was this even considered when the BOE voted
to shorten Fridays?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This Friday
schedule change has hit a lot of people in an already empty wallet.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">6.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The problems need clear explanations.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Never did I hear the public being informed
that the 8<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup>-12<sup><span style="font-size: x-small;">th</span></sup> graders are dismissed a minute early to
get to/from the trailers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If that 1
minute happened just once a day, that is almost 3 hours of lost instructional
time per year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one explained that
instructional time is also lost during tornado watches/warnings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one took a picture of a crowded hallway at
the high school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one showed the class
meeting in the atrium.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was no list
of classes/opportunities that cannot be offered at the high school because we
are out of room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Neosho is a VERY giving
and generous community, but in order for generous people to help, they must see
the needs.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">7.</span><span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Do you fully understand how much money the
school asks our community for already?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">ü<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Field trip money (<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">lots</b> of field trip money), </span></div>
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">ü<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">money for required school planners,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">ü<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>school
picture money two times a year (and you just try to tell your little one that
you aren’t buying their cute picture!), </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">ü<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">3+ fundraisers a year plus a PTO Carnival with
baskets to donate to and raffle tickets to buy/sell, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">ü<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">book fairs, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">ü<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">school dances/fun nights with concessions, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">ü<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">book orders, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">ü<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Spirit Day tattoos/face painting, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">ü<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">sports fees, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">ü<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Stuff the Bus donations, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">ü<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">school T-shirt money, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">ü<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">gifts for teachers, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">ü<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">classroom snacks (about 9 times per year per
child..store bought and individually wrapped) plus store bought birthday cupcakes,
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"> ü<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">teacher appreciation carry-in meals, and <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">ü<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">donations for Trike A Thons and Pennies for
Patients and on and on….</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is no wonder voters may be
experiencing “compassion fatigue”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
time to say “Thank you” and limit the requests.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>One school picture is enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One fundraiser is enough (and fundraiser
assemblies are a BIG waste instructional time).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I personally would pay money to not have my kids involved in
fundraising!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Ten dollars a year for
field trips (including Summer school) is enough.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Book orders and book fairs are <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>often a financial burden, and the carnival
trinkets are a choke hazard and in the trash in a week. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My kids
have seen more movies in theaters with the school than with our family.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Who spends cash this way?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In today’s economy, less is more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Steps in the right direction include the
following:</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Align the schools needs with the community’s
values.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Work on engaging in a rapport and cooperation
with all citizens by providing multiple opportunities to ask questions of the
public and to share concerns with the public in a variety of settings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Create a system for “knowledge management” in
which mistakes and misunderstandings of the past are imparted to new staff so
consistent answers can be given as these issues are revisited.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Take the narrow focus off the building/overcrowding
temporarily.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Broaden the lens and show
people the other challenges.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I, for one,
am alarmed at the small percentage of students taking advanced and honors’
classes and the stagnant average of our ACT scores.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If the district can show the public their problems,
the creative solutions, and the opportunities to help be a part of the
solutions, especially in non-monetary ways, then people will feel more a part
of the school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This will show the voters
that money is not the only solution that the R-V uses to solve our community’s challenges.</span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Don’t put this back on the ballot for at least a
year and consider an April 2016 election.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>(April is a great time for people to give money at the ballot box as some
have just gotten a tax return.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact
even fixed income families often get the Property Tax/Circuit Breakers credit
return right before the April election so they will have just had a reminder
that the increase will likely not affect their overall budget.)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt 1in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-bidi-font-family: Wingdings; mso-fareast-font-family: Wingdings;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">Ø<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Get a focus group of about 18-20 people and look
hard for folks who openly say that they voted no to serve on the committee. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During the wait time for it to be on the ballot
again, get a specific plan and get feedback from the focus group before
releasing it to the public.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Adjust the
plan accordingly and then “wow” people with the value of their dollar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Tell
them exactly what they are getting and show them that it is the right building
in the right place, with the right features and at the right price.</b></span></div>
<br />
P<span style="font-family: Calibri;">lease
feel free to contact me if you have any questions or need any
clarifications.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I apologize for the
length of the letter, but I should have drafted it sooner...five years sooner.</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; mso-add-space: auto;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Sincerely,</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Calibri;">Leatta
Workman</span><br />
Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-11025589866409454842014-07-30T12:32:00.000-05:002014-07-30T12:34:06.547-05:00When the scales won't drop...<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PaCn48zvNCM/U9kkRqF9wKI/AAAAAAAABwI/LZrKoaIdh64/s1600/usheadstogether.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PaCn48zvNCM/U9kkRqF9wKI/AAAAAAAABwI/LZrKoaIdh64/s1600/usheadstogether.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hubby and I on a recent (and rare)<br />
date night.</td></tr>
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I have been stuck for 4 weeks. I have had what TOPS calls "turtles". No change in my weight and no progress. It is the pinnacle of frustration. Especially when I haven't splurged, indulged or even sniffed a food that I shouldn't! Sacrifice equals results...right?! Well, not so much here lately.<br />
<br />
I tried a number of "tricks" to try to end this plateau including eating more raw, increasing my water consumption and avoiding all except the leanest proteins. However, I had to admit that it might be time to apply some of that nasty "E" word. You know the one. Exercise. I went to two water aerobics class and did some crutch-walking (1/4 mile). I am pleased to say that yesterday I weighed in, and I had a 1 1/4 pound loss. It wasn't the 3 pounds that I was dreaming of...but I am happy to see the scales moving down again. Considering the results, I guess I will be scheduling some more of that E word this coming week.<br />
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For those of you who don't know, this brings my weight loss to 157 pounds. Just 2 1/2 more pounds and I will be half the woman that I was in January 2013. (Now if only, I hadn't let myself get to be 3xs the woman that I was on my wedding day!) Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-55363407148126562612014-07-24T12:33:00.000-05:002014-07-27T14:31:20.613-05:00July Review #4: KitchenAid DishwasherWe purchased a KitchenAid dishwasher with ALL the bells and whistles (on clearance from Best Buy) in the Fall of 2012 and it has been a huge disappointment. We picked it over a Bosch because it had a built in disposal and a third tier flatware rack. It was also energy star approved and well rated by Consumer Reports.<br />
<br />
However, almost exactly a year after we bought it, the (3rd tier) silverware rack that we thought was so neat, broke and fell out. Then at Christmas time 2013, the latch on the soap dispenser broke and it would no longer stay closed, which meant the soap did not dissolve at the right time for the dishes to get clean. In January 2014, a pan got against the rinse agent stopper during the wash cycle and melted the stopper enough that it no longer holds rinse agent. Then in February 2014 the front started separating and no matter how we put it back together the screws strip out and it separates! <br />
<br />
When I contacted Kitchen Aid the customer service representative said this was not typical, but it only had a year warranty. His only advice was to let the parent company which turns out to be Whirlpool know about the problem. He also suggested than an extra extended warranty may have been a good option at purchase. Of course, I am on the phone thinking, "I shouldn't NEED an extended warranty!" We do not plan to buy a KitchenAid when we replace this "new" KitchenAid dishwasher...and I am very leery of Whirlpool now too.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The broken third tier flatware track.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The separating front panel with stripped screw.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U65ugejMkY8/U6c9YEYcMfI/AAAAAAAABns/vAOZB8gccyQ/s1600/IMG_0762.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-U65ugejMkY8/U6c9YEYcMfI/AAAAAAAABns/vAOZB8gccyQ/s1600/IMG_0762.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The broken soap dispenser and melted rinse agent stopper<br />
that now leaks.</td></tr>
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Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-63907067469140133432014-07-14T19:33:00.000-05:002014-07-14T19:33:35.148-05:00July Review #3: Riccar Vacuum<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MIodzL4Hngg/U8Ryf8wHOhI/AAAAAAAABuI/ukudQehA6fk/s1600/IMG_1168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MIodzL4Hngg/U8Ryf8wHOhI/AAAAAAAABuI/ukudQehA6fk/s1600/IMG_1168.JPG" height="320" width="121" /></a>This product is made in the USA! That is rare these days and this vacuum is even made right here in Missouri.<br />
<br />
Our vacuum cleaner is a <a href="http://riccar.com/index.asp" target="_blank">Riccar</a> that we got used. It has been very durable and is affordable to get repaired. In 7 years, the only repairs have been to replace a filter and the power cord. With my wheelchair, I am tough on power cords because they catch under my wheels and before I realize it, I yanked on the cord until it pulls loose while I am vacuuming.<br />
<br />
Previously we have had a Singer, a Kenmore, and a Hoover. Each of these lasted less than 5 years and eventually had poor suction. <br />
<br />
The Riccar picks up dirt on carpet exceptionally well. However, it does not do well on solid surfaces like hardwood. There are lots of attachments and the only design problem is that the hose to connect the attachments is 2" off the ground so it requires being able to reach the ground to use the attachments. However, it you need exercise, this vacuum keeps you caught up on toe touches! It is not a lightweight design and it is not fun to use on stairs, but it can be done.<br />
<br />
Once again my reviews are not paid reviews. They are just based on our family's use of the product.Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-37621230369089439472014-07-13T21:18:00.000-05:002014-07-14T12:37:34.890-05:00Traveling Home From IRD<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g-H-e_I6UQo/U8QUkeIJyQI/AAAAAAAABtg/_5yHJCco2Tg/s1600/mompizza.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-g-H-e_I6UQo/U8QUkeIJyQI/AAAAAAAABtg/_5yHJCco2Tg/s1600/mompizza.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a>We made it home tonight around 7pm. There was a lot of driving today and only a few stops. However, I had my one and only diet splurge of the trip. Of course, it was Imo's Chicken Pizza! And having stopped at a St. Louis Imo's, I was able to buy a bottle of their O calorie Red Wine Vinaigrette Salad Dressing, which our grocery store no longer carries!<br />
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<br />Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-77707260192119824772014-07-12T22:44:00.000-05:002014-07-13T00:45:30.624-05:00Day 5 & Day 4's SecretsToday Grace, Corrine and I were all awarded International First Place Awards for our weight loss with the help of TOPS in 2013. I don't have the official photos yet, but here are some snap shots that we took in our room on Day 4 before we went to a wonderful dinner to honor the winners. (We couldn't tell you yesterday because it was still a SECRET until the ceremony today.) <br />
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Now you know that I am not a complete wimp that I went to bed early last night! We all had to do our makeup and get dressed up for the dinner and then we started today (Day 5) at 5am so we could be at the Milwaukee Theatre in the green room by 8:30am.<br />
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To review what we achieved, Grace lost 49.25 pounds in 2013. Corrine lost 23 pounds, and I lost 131 pounds. We are each in different categories of weight and age so we did not compete against each other. However, since we were all involved in the awards ceremony, we have very few pictures since it was hard to carry things like a purse and camera. The TOPS official photographer took lots of photos, but it will be a few weeks before we receive copies of the photos.<br />
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Today wrapped up our time in Milwaukee at the conference. Before we left, we got in a visit to the Bastille Days Festival, and we made it to Springfield, IL before we had to get a hotel for the night. After some swimming, a visit to the fitness room and a hot bubble bath, I am headed to bed and plan to sleep in a bit in the morning before driving the rest of the way home. I am anxious to get home and see my husband and kids!<br />
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<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tkE2grg8rNI/U8IbGFzyfYI/AAAAAAAABtI/KzWqt6iWgyU/s1600/IMG_1096a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tkE2grg8rNI/U8IbGFzyfYI/AAAAAAAABtI/KzWqt6iWgyU/s1600/IMG_1096a.jpg" height="320" width="270" /></a>Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-36129674572646759902014-07-11T20:15:00.000-05:002014-07-11T23:16:22.218-05:00Day 4: THAT Call from Home & Being SoreThe first session today started at 9am and went until almost 12:30pm. It was a great session with a wonderful before and after parade called Lost Baggage. People showed their old clothes and their new healthier size and everyone looked great!!! The Century awards were so inspiring. Jo who has lost over 300 pounds is my hero! I cannot wait until I qualify for the Century award.<br />
<br />
Then this afternoon, I got THAT call from home. The "when will you be home...I am exhausted" call. I actually thought that I would get THAT call Tuesday, but hubby is tougher than I thought! However, I was able to give him some encouragement and tips on bribes, deals and food choices that should improve his last two days on solo. (Come to find out, he was giving the boys Kool-aid as a treat for good behavior which is kind of like shooting yourself in the foot with our boys...red dye does not improve behavior and the sugar just makes them hyper.) <br />
<br />
I am so proud of my husband for taking this on alone! No one call Family Services...Angela (our house hero) is helping him during the day...but even with Angela our crew is a 24/7 job and it works best with two parents on duty. Trust me, I know when hubby is away on debate team trips; it is a BIG job AND without Grace and Corrine to lend a hand, it is even a BIGGER job! I am so proud that he is willing to do this to help us stay motivated and on our journey to better health.<br />
<br />
The long sit during the morning session left my hips sore...VERY sore so I confess that I had to skip this evening's long session. My morning will start very early in the morning so we can be packed and ready to check out of the hotel. I took a LONG soak in a VERY HOT bath and went to bed early! Tomorrow afternoon I start the long drive home and my hips are probably not going to like that sitting either.Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-72965243940263452672014-07-10T22:09:00.000-05:002014-07-11T22:09:41.380-05:00Day 3: IRD is in Full Swing!Today was the first full day of IRD events and sessions including the opening session. We are learning a lot. The section by Dr. Joseph Skelton , MD was our favorite so far. He had great information and ideas for new "diet rules". He suggested some rules of three including three meals a day and snack only when it has been three hours since a meal and three hours will pass before the next meal. His advice and ideas were practical and do-able.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The beautiful stage backdrop.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The theme displayed on the BIG monitor.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hvE69wAQ2yQ/U8CmhN7clBI/AAAAAAAABr8/YZmCAjZxOoo/s1600/IMG_1065a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hvE69wAQ2yQ/U8CmhN7clBI/AAAAAAAABr8/YZmCAjZxOoo/s1600/IMG_1065a.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corrine with the program booklet.</td></tr>
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Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-50101622785021682342014-07-09T21:48:00.000-05:002014-07-11T21:51:54.613-05:00Day 2: Taste of Chicago<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fo6rbsBFrlY/U8CeiUdjeMI/AAAAAAAABrM/olLpmzBjdSw/s1600/JellyBelly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fo6rbsBFrlY/U8CeiUdjeMI/AAAAAAAABrM/olLpmzBjdSw/s1600/JellyBelly.jpg" height="180" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At the Jelly Belly Factory</td></tr>
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Our morning was busy, but then we had free time at the TOPS International Recognition Days so we headed into Chicago! Along the way, we visited the Jelly Belly Factory. Then we got our nails done. Next we took a train into Chicago to Union Station and a cab to Millennium Park. Grant Park was our next stop for the Taste of Chicago Festival where we had the BEST Jerk Chicken that we had ever ate! Then we walked by Willis Tower (aka Sears Tower) and took the train back out of Chicago. We finished the evening with dinner at Taste of Tokyo where they bring sushi to you by floating boats. At the restaurant, we enjoyed amazing food and service! Reviews online were mixed about the service, but we are pleased to report that our server was TOP notch! We got back to our hotel very exhausted, but it was a great outing!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BkLwML0i4WM/U8CdVAiPihI/AAAAAAAABqM/VoqiNSclgnU/s1600/IMG_0947.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BkLwML0i4WM/U8CdVAiPihI/AAAAAAAABqM/VoqiNSclgnU/s1600/IMG_0947.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Showing off their nails while waiting for the train.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sr5mAnvyliw/U8CdpPSlR8I/AAAAAAAABqc/vodxFyBWPg4/s1600/IMG_0986a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Sr5mAnvyliw/U8CdpPSlR8I/AAAAAAAABqc/vodxFyBWPg4/s1600/IMG_0986a.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grant Park</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k3QKH5_1yHY/U8Ce_7gwpPI/AAAAAAAABrU/2x-x2LqSpdA/s1600/IMG_0967a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-k3QKH5_1yHY/U8Ce_7gwpPI/AAAAAAAABrU/2x-x2LqSpdA/s1600/IMG_0967a.jpg" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Millennium Park</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tklA_3zHEb0/U8CeZKC7zqI/AAAAAAAABrE/jR8bGC-DlrM/s1600/IMG_1019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tklA_3zHEb0/U8CeZKC7zqI/AAAAAAAABrE/jR8bGC-DlrM/s1600/IMG_1019.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Garden at the Chicago Art Institute</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nFkYT7e1skA/U8Cd0XjhqXI/AAAAAAAABqk/P1u-fJ3NHZM/s1600/IMG_1020a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nFkYT7e1skA/U8Cd0XjhqXI/AAAAAAAABqk/P1u-fJ3NHZM/s1600/IMG_1020a.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corrine discovers why taxis and wheelchairs are not<br />
a good mix...cramped travel!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GnYSKt4y5Ps/U8Cd7x7qI3I/AAAAAAAABqs/OTNTTOQ35AE/s1600/IMG_1035a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GnYSKt4y5Ps/U8Cd7x7qI3I/AAAAAAAABqs/OTNTTOQ35AE/s1600/IMG_1035a.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">On the train we discovered that our T-Shirt meant it<br />
when it said EXTRA large...oh well, Daddy gets a <br />
new T-Shirt.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8nN1LRwD7s0/U8CeDrD9k2I/AAAAAAAABq0/s_K7-dEhFWY/s1600/IMG_1047a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8nN1LRwD7s0/U8CeDrD9k2I/AAAAAAAABq0/s_K7-dEhFWY/s1600/IMG_1047a.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Taste of Tokyo</td></tr>
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<br />Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-49052001510617597972014-07-08T23:55:00.001-05:002014-07-08T23:55:43.131-05:00Arriving in MilwaukeeGrace, Corrine and I have arrived in Milwaukee for the International Recognition Days of <a href="http://www.tops.org/" target="_blank">TOPS</a>. We drove over 8 hours to Holcomb, IL yesterday and then on to Milwaukee today after spending the night at Aunt Treva's and Uncle Bill's house. Here are some pictures from our adventures today.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vubNP269wqQ/U7zGPVj0t-I/AAAAAAAABoM/7Km7SdSZN6s/s1600/jakecorgra.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vubNP269wqQ/U7zGPVj0t-I/AAAAAAAABoM/7Km7SdSZN6s/s1600/jakecorgra.jpg" height="256" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cousins: Grace & Corrine with their Cousin Jake</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8fHLU5EHWEo/U7zGsyUz3DI/AAAAAAAABos/rqAJgiRKa_Q/s1600/IMG_0859a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8fHLU5EHWEo/U7zGsyUz3DI/AAAAAAAABos/rqAJgiRKa_Q/s1600/IMG_0859a.jpg" height="400" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We rented a bike for 2-4 people with a surry top!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One of the nice views of the city on our bike ride.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FtiH8dhsJII/U7zGXEli5YI/AAAAAAAABoc/DqZtHCI1Kck/s1600/IMG_0868a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-FtiH8dhsJII/U7zGXEli5YI/AAAAAAAABoc/DqZtHCI1Kck/s1600/IMG_0868a.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Corrine riding in the basket while Grace peddled.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3EB9gE4cPyQ/U7zH8u1DcNI/AAAAAAAABpE/MiuWeNA4oAM/s1600/IMG_0876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3EB9gE4cPyQ/U7zH8u1DcNI/AAAAAAAABpE/MiuWeNA4oAM/s1600/IMG_0876.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"We" peddled around Lake Michigan near the Art Museum. <br />
One of us peddled more than the others....</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o3zWktAObtQ/U7zGbdeiE8I/AAAAAAAABok/wiiZ4sVvSYM/s1600/IMG_0888a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-o3zWktAObtQ/U7zGbdeiE8I/AAAAAAAABok/wiiZ4sVvSYM/s1600/IMG_0888a.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At South Park Beach</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vnRhw75MGe8/U7zHPBKlzeI/AAAAAAAABo8/QPqkn8PiI8E/s1600/IMG_0880a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vnRhw75MGe8/U7zHPBKlzeI/AAAAAAAABo8/QPqkn8PiI8E/s1600/IMG_0880a.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Beach was pretty much empty...and it was beautiful.</td></tr>
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</div>
Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-73193541733442506892014-07-03T07:56:00.000-05:002014-07-03T07:56:00.551-05:00July Review #2: Cuisinart Waffle Iron vs SnoopyMany years ago while in college, I bought a "fun" Salton Snoopy waffle iron for less than $10. I used it until 2007, when I was given an expensive Cuisinart Waffle Iron. <br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r4qE2sH3M3o/U7SpjQ-ngEI/AAAAAAAABn8/-2NOjLal_cw/s1600/waffleironsnoopy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-r4qE2sH3M3o/U7SpjQ-ngEI/AAAAAAAABn8/-2NOjLal_cw/s1600/waffleironsnoopy.jpg" height="320" width="193" /></a><br />
The Cuisinart worked as expected for the first 5 years, but during year 6, some plastic trim came off. Then this year, the handle <br />
came off. I had to open it with a butter knife and close it with an oven mitt. Recently, the back hinge has broken, but it still works so now I use oven mitts to open and close the waffle maker...yes, I am still using it in this condition. The plates are still wonderfully non-stick and look like new. The outside looks terrible, but it cooks. I think Cuisinart has done okay for our family, but I did not pay over $70 for it. Remember it was a gift and a truly great gift is one that you would never splurge on for yourself! So this was a great gift! I have appreciated the convenience of making waffles faster, but I had hoped that with a name and price like Cuisinart that it would last forever, like Snoopy who is still with us in the farm kitchen to make our visits special! (But as you can imagine, it takes a long time to make enough Snoopy waffles for my crew!)Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-46966783853176436522014-07-02T12:05:00.000-05:002014-07-02T12:05:00.193-05:00July Review #1: SkilletsIn the past 25 years, I have probably had 8 to 10 skillets come, get worn out and go. Some were cheap sets and some were expensive brands. However, I have one skillet that has lasted for over 20 years and if you read my blog, you can already guess what brand it is...<a href="http://www.lodgemfg.com/" target="_blank">Lodge Cast Iron</a>.<br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VPei8iX8q9A/U6c1erHXDAI/AAAAAAAABnM/ToBz4ThaDiQ/s1600/Bottomcrackstamp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VPei8iX8q9A/U6c1erHXDAI/AAAAAAAABnM/ToBz4ThaDiQ/s1600/Bottomcrackstamp.jpg" height="205" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The crack: After 20 years of heavy use, and Lodge<br />
replaced this griddle free of charge.</td></tr>
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To be fair, I must explain that my Lodge Cast Iron flat skillet 90G recently developed a crack after 20 years, but the outcome has me even more impressed with Lodge. I contacted the company and they explained that they do not have a written warranty, but they stand behind all their products. A week later a new 90G griddle arrived at my house! (I am pretty sure that Lodge paid more to ship it to me than I paid for the skillet over 20 years ago.)<br />
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Some of you may be saying, I hate cast iron because it sticks and when cooking eggs, I agree! (I have never gotten eggs done to my satisfaction without using a lot of oil.) However, with the exception of eggs, I have found that keeping my skillet seasoned is the secret to great non-stick cooking in cast iron skillets. I oil the skillet after each wash and complete a full heated seasoning about once a month. <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gg6S6vWyPH8&list=PLF41A72C04A6AE443&index=2" target="_blank">Here is a link to how I keep my cast iron seasoned.</a><br />
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By the way, for the best pizza crust ever, make a pizza in a cast iron griddle or skillet, but you may never use your pizza pan again!!! There are even cast iron pizza pans. Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-31660355519631528862014-07-01T12:37:00.000-05:002014-07-01T12:37:00.098-05:00July ReviewsDuring the month of July, I am going to do a series of reviews of household appliances and products that we use and abuse as only a large family can. These are not sponsored endorsements nor are they meant to be vendictive rants. Instead they are to be informational about our experiences. Often people ask me about what products we use and how we make life easier in such a big family. <br />
<br />
Personally, I almost always consult Consumer Reports before buying, but as I have discovered, their testers may not be as tough on things as 10 kids!Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-87080585757888966942014-06-22T14:21:00.000-05:002014-06-22T14:21:35.218-05:00Staycation #1/2<strong>Sometime the worst part about vacationing (or in this case staycation) with family is the family.</strong> <br />
<br />
In our case, generally the youngest 5 have no interest in most of the vacation activities of our oldest 5 children and vice versa. <br />
<br />
So this year we are taking our staycation outings in groups according to what interest which kids. For example, this way we are not paying admission for Hannah to feel like we are punishing her with a day at the aquarium! (Think about it...Hannah is blind and hard of hearing so she mainly gets to feel glass with loud strangers all around her and the sounds of water running limited what she can hear for an afternoon. Plus Hannah hates the touch tables at the aquarium since she has no idea what she is about to touch! If no one else likes this new attempt to please everyone, Hannah will!)<br />
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So for this first 1/2 staycation, <strong>the crew was Daddy, Mommy, Grace, Corrine, Vanessa, and David</strong>.<br />
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The venue was Crown Plaza with <a href="http://www.fritzskc.com/" target="_blank">Fritz's Railroad Restaurant</a> for lunch, <a href="http://www.legolanddiscoverycenter.com/kansascity/" target="_blank">LegoLand</a>, SeaLife, window shopping and the Crayola Cafe for dinner. Then we went to Overland Park to see Daddy get his 2nd Diamond at the National Forensics League Tournament. Photos are below, but the first 1/2 Staycation seemed like a success with limited sibling bickering. (Yes, Mr. Wolff, as hard as it may be to believe, when you joined us for lunch, that was an improvement!)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PvcMFD2XiHw/U6cj4IJgJGI/AAAAAAAABmE/qgGxP6la0Qs/s1600/IMG_0758.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PvcMFD2XiHw/U6cj4IJgJGI/AAAAAAAABmE/qgGxP6la0Qs/s1600/IMG_0758.JPG" height="320" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Daddy only got to meet us for lunch and at the awards ceremony <br />
AND this is the BEST photo that I took at the ceremony. Ugh! </td></tr>
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<br />Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-73284553288269028942014-05-20T12:38:00.000-05:002014-06-16T00:50:00.562-05:00Weight Loss Update: 150 pounds gone<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CZqH35TWP_8/U3uQIHwXalI/AAAAAAAABh4/gax1nNGRlRM/s1600/IMG_0291.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CZqH35TWP_8/U3uQIHwXalI/AAAAAAAABh4/gax1nNGRlRM/s1600/IMG_0291.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A photo by David from a recent trip to Big Spring Park.<br />
He loves to go feed the fish and ducks.</td></tr>
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Today's weigh-in at TOPS had some milestones. I reached 20 pounds lost in 2014 and a grand total of 151 pounds lost since January 8, 2013. Every weight loss milestone is personally rewarding to reach, especially now since weight loss is becoming slower and more difficult now that I am getting closer to my goal weight. <br />
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I do have a <strong>disadvantage of weight loss</strong> to report and this disadvantage has caused me a bit of an identity crisis. As I am becoming closer in size to my daughters, laundry is becoming harder to sort and return to the proper owner. Therefore, I spent some time this weekend labeling my clothes with a laundry pen. As I started labeling, I realized that most initials in our laundry system were used. Matt, Luke and I had already had a sock mix up as the kids thought L meant Leatta and M meant Mom...so I was a bit clueless on what to label my clothes so I decided to go with "MOM". It is short and unclaimed. However, about the time, that I started writing "MOM" on all my unmentionables, I realized....I may be taking this "MOM" role a bit to seriously! Leatta would have been too long to write, but having "MOM" on all my undies is killing my secret self-image...well, not such a secret now! Gotta love blog "secrets". LOL!<br />
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My next milestone will be to be half the woman that I was in January 2013...and that is only 10 pounds away!Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2215882366396592694.post-65040325615776537362014-05-17T18:11:00.000-05:002014-05-18T18:15:50.252-05:00Healing My Heart in Haiti<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><em>In honor and recognition of the 7 years that have passed since my only brother died suddenly from an undetected brain tumor called a colloid cyst, I am posting a journal entry that I wrote many years ago. It explains how an adoption trip to Haiti helped me to recognize God's loving care even in death.</em></span><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On May 17, 2007, my only brother passed from this world into
the loving arms of our Heavenly Father.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was only 29 years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Around
5pm, I had just finished sitting by his bedside until he passed and I was
standing in a hospital corridor, while my mom proclaimed, “He’s home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He’s home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>God is good!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is home.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was like my heart was being pulled in two
directions:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the spiritual direction of
rejoicing with my mother knowing his suffering had ended and the earthly
direction of separation, despair and grief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>So I chose to try to stay numb and function to make arrangements and
deal with the details until several weeks later when I could painfully sort out
the realities and balance these emotions.</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
A year and a month later, I got to revisit these emotions in
a most unlikely place and time. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My
husband and I were in Haiti bringing home our children David and Vanessa.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> The</span> remainder of our children’s birth
families came to the orphanage to meet us and say goodbye to their beloved
family members whom we already called our son and daughter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Their hearts were pulled in two
directions:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the side of rejoicing that
their beloved ones had permanent and loving family and the side of separation and
loss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I watched as one family member
went numb and just functioned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Others
judged her for being so stony, but I understood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I ached for her as I knew the time ahead
would be difficult.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">
</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">During that visit, I realized that this part of adoption was
yet another beautiful picture of our relationship with the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just as we called David and Vanessa our
children before we traveled to get them, God calls us His children before He
brings us to a perfect home with Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Just as I felt the void of my brother’s passing, these family members
would feel a void.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just as I rejoiced
that my brother was home with the Father so these family members rejoiced that
we loved our children and thanked us for coming to get them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was after this meeting in Haiti that I was
able to thank God for accepting my brother, whom He already called His son,
home to a perfect home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was comforted.</span></div>
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<strong><em>Behold, what manner of love</em></strong></div>
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<strong><em>the Father hath bestowed upon us, </em></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><em>that we should be called the sons of God: </em></strong></div>
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<strong><em>therefore the world knoweth us not, </em></strong></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<strong><em>because it knew him not.~~I John 3:1</em></strong></div>
Leatta Workmanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14489011800860131389noreply@blogger.com3