Weight Loss Update: 150 pounds gone

A photo by David from a recent trip to Big Spring Park.
He loves to go feed the fish and ducks.

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. 

I do have a disadvantage of weight loss 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!

My next milestone will be to be half the woman that I was in January 2013...and that is only 10 pounds away!

Healing My Heart in Haiti

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.

On May 17, 2007, my only brother passed from this world into the loving arms of our Heavenly Father.  He was only 29 years old.  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.  He’s home.  God is good!  He is home.”  It was like my heart was being pulled in two directions:  the spiritual direction of rejoicing with my mother knowing his suffering had ended and the earthly direction of separation, despair and grief.  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.

A year and a month later, I got to revisit these emotions in a most unlikely place and time.  My husband and I were in Haiti bringing home our children David and Vanessa.  The 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.   Their hearts were pulled in two directions:  the side of rejoicing that their beloved ones had permanent and loving family and the side of separation and loss.  I watched as one family member went numb and just functioned.  Others judged her for being so stony, but I understood.  I ached for her as I knew the time ahead would be difficult. 

During that visit, I realized that this part of adoption was yet another beautiful picture of our relationship with the Lord.  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.  Just as I felt the void of my brother’s passing, these family members would feel a void.   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.  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.  I was comforted.

Behold, what manner of love

the Father hath bestowed upon us,

that we should be called the sons of God:

therefore the world knoweth us not,

because it knew him not.~~I John 3:1

Rhubarb: Revisited

As part of my search for a healthier lifestyle, I have revisited many veggies to see if I could find more variety for my diet.  Today rhubarb was available from a locally grown source so I bought $1 worth.  Then I started searching for a healthy way to eat this veggie, which has less than 30 calories an cup and is a good source of Vitamin C and calcium.

Prior today, I had only ate rhubarb in a pie.  However, after finding several interesting options, I decided that a Roasted Rhubarb and Walnut Salad would work well with what I have in my pantry.  After preparing this easy dish, I am not sure that I will ever put rhubarb in a pie again.  I thought this was much tastier and the salad was very satisfying.

Roasted Rhubarb and Walnut Salad

1 cup of rhubarb (raw & cut into bite size pieces) 
2 tablespoons of honey
1/4 cup of walnuts
A goat cheese such as feta
Mixed greens or baby spinach

I preheated the oven to 425 degrees.  I tossed 1 cup of rhubarb with 1 Tablespoon of honey and placed the mixture on a parchment lined cookie sheet.  Then I tossed the walnuts with a Tablespoon of honey and put them on the parchment lined cookie sheet too.

I happened to have some honey whipped with berry juice and some cinnamon infused honey from my cousin in Durango, Colorado so I used the berry honey on the rhubarb and the cinnamon on the walnuts, but plain honey would work fine.

I let these cook for about 7 minutes until the rhubarb could be easily pierced with a fork.  Then after it had cooled for a few minutes (but it was still warm), I put it on top of my mixed greens and sprinkled on feta.  Finally I used a light raspberry vinaigrette for the dressing.

The flavor is similar to a salad with a tart apple on it.  The rhubarb has a texture like a cooked apple and even the peel which can seem very tough when it is raw will become soft after it is cooked.  I found the warm rhubarb to be a good combination with the greens, and the warmth seemed to make the salad more satisfying.  I will definitely be making this again and I am looking forward to trying other rhubarb recipes.

The BUSY Weekend

Matt with the cake Angela made
for his birthday.

This weekend could not have been more packed full of excitement and energy.  In fact it has spilled on over into the start of this week!  Friday was Matt's 7th Birthday.  Saturday was lunch with family at grandma's. Sunday was David's 11th Birthday and Mother's Day.  Then Monday evening was Vanessa's 4th grade graduation and tonight (Tuesday) was Hannah's band concert. 

Friday started with Matt bouncing off the walls and he left for school almost vibrating! He had been waiting impatiently for this day for months!  So after the twins, Nate and I took Hannah to Pittsburg to school, I headed to Wal-Mart to get cupcakes and juice for Matt's class AND David's class.  (I must have looked like a pack mule carrying 48 cupcakes and 40 juice boxes into school!)



New glasses!

After school, we had to make a quick trip to the Vision Center because Vanessa had broke her glasses at school so we had to buy new frames (of course the warranty had expired..ugh).  Then we headed home for me to make Matt's requested birthday dinner....frozen pizza!  Have I mentioned how much I love this kid!  Such a simple request!  And he was more excited about his frozen pizza than the other kids have been about culinary masterpieces that they have requested! 

Saturday morning started at 5:40am.  Not because it had to start so early, but because the twins decided that we had overslept and should be on the way to Grandma's house!  Ed kept them busy until it was finally time to go and we loaded the bus...and found out the battery was dead.  So we UNloaded the bus and tightly packed everyone and everything into both of our cars.  At Grandma's the kids ran and played with cousins and ate ice cream/cake and opened birthday presents.  Then we packed back up and drove home.  After we got home, I cut 4 little boys' hair and Ed's hair.  Finally ending the day with head washings and baths.



David's pick!

Sunday started with church.  Then a light lunch at home before Grace took David and I out for OrangeLeaf.  While we were in Joplin, David did some shopping with his birthday money and I picked up the final groceries for his requested birthday dinner of salmon with shrimp and watermelon.  David did not want a cake...just watermelon..so that is what we did!



Photo by Barb Lake of the graduation program

Monday which originally had only one appointment quickly filled with activity, and it was afternoon before I was ready!  However, we still made it to Vanessa's graduation program on time.

Hannah at her concert.

Tonight, Hannah had a band concert in Pittsburg and she did great.  Hannah has only been back in Pittsburg Schools for about 6 weeks so we did not know if she would be ready for tonight, but she did it.  She obviously enjoyed the second song that they did.  It included marching and she smiled and would laugh every time that it was time to march.  A man sitting next to me who did not know that she was my daughter and said, "She loves music."  I said, "Yes she does.  She is my daughter." He said, "She is a joy to watch."  I thought to myself, "I couldn't agree more".

Busy weekends are fun, but I am ready for a slower pace next weekend!

Simple Weekend Fun

This last weekend was a simple, easy weekend at home with Daddy away at the state debate tournament.  The kids played in the yard.  Matt finally wiggled free his front tooth...this has been a long awaited tooth fairy visit!  We ate pizza for dinner, and David had picked movies from the library so we had a movie night.

Matt's tooth!

Luke in his favorite truck.  He wouldn't
believe me that it was also Grace's
favorite truck.  She got it for her 1st birthday!

Nate watching the neighbors play
catch so we discussed bird watching
to try to give his binocular interest a less
stalker-like focus.

 After Daddy got home, we went to the park on Sunday and had an easy picnic of Wendy's $1 sandwiches and McDonald's $1 large drinks. (McDonald's drinks are a great value because I can split one large into 3 plastic cups from home and get 3 little ones a drink for a $1.)  The kids fed the fish and played until it was almost time to take baths and go to bed.
 


Vanessa feeding fish

David & Nate watching the fish jump
for food.

Don't anyone faint from the shock, but it is a picture of
me.  David took some pictures at the park and he took
this one of me.  I thought he took a good picture.

I love Spring & Comp Ad Shopping

 

Not my CSA (community supported agriculture) share,
it is my goodie bag from my mom.

I met my mom today after she had visited her garden and after she had been shopping with the grocery ads.  She gave me a bag FULL of goodies that I love! 

I immediately turned the cauliflower, asparagus and some of the peppers into dinner!  I love riced cauliflower, but I rarely buy cauliflower due to the current price.  Tonight I made it and topped it with grilled mixed veggies so it would provide more servings.  I usually only make it when I am REALLY hungry for rice and I do not have the carbohydrates left in my meal plan for the day.  The easy and hunger-satisfying recipe is below.  I served it with Tuna tonight (and cheese quesadillas and hot dogs for my picky eaters).

Riced Cauliflower with grilled veggies.

RICED CAULIFLOWER

Rinse and cut up one head of cauliflower.

Season to your taste with herbs (like oregano, parsley, basil, thyme & lavender) and a dash of lemon pepper.  Steam on low for 18 minutes. 

Let it cool a few minutes and then mash it with a potato masher or a ricer. 

Then while it is still warm stir in some butter buds or similar product and some garlic salt.

Corrine is 14!

Today Corrine celebrated turning 14 years old.  We went to lunch at Ruby Tuesdays.  Then we visited the pediatricians office for her well check (and a shot).  On the way home, we stopped at Sonic for Happy Hour drinks. She went to the library and got a book that she requested months ago so she was happy that it arrived for her birthday.  Finally, we went and picked out the last items for her birthday dinner while the Italian Chicken finished cooking in the crockpot.  

Corrine chose Italian chicken, spinach salad, broccoli, and  garlic pasta for dinner.  By the way, if you have not made Italian Chicken in the crockpot, it is so easy and tasty.  Plus it works well for a dish to pass at potluck dinners.  The recipe is below, but I think that I have shared it before.

Italian Chicken


She started laughing and couldn't
blow out her candles.

2 pounds of chicken breast

1 block of cream cheese (reduced fat works well, but fat free does not melt easily so it makes a lumpy sauce)

1/2 can of evaporated milk (if the chicken is thawed and drained/if the chicken is frozen then I omit this.)

An envelop of italian dressing mix OR 1 Tablespoon of Italian seasoning and 1/2 Tablespoon of garlic salt.

Put it on low and let it cook for about 4-5 hours, if thawed.  If frozen, cook on low for 7-8 hours.  Then stir sauce until smooth.  Finally stir in a handful of your favorite Italian cheese and serve. 

18 Years...is that possible!

Today is Grace's 18th birthday.  We planned her day to include some window shopping and some thrift store shopping.  (We bought a formal dress, 2 pair of pants and a vacuum cleaner...all for a $6 total at the thrift store so we were pleased with our bargains.)


Along the way, we took a break and had a birthday lunch of sushi with mochi for dessert.  (Mochi is pounded sticky rice around a small ball of ice cream.)

Later, we went and bought the ingredients for her birthday dinner.  As is our family tradition, Grace got to pick the menu for her dinner.  She chose crab rangoon dip, grilled shrimp and stir fry. 

Then after dinner, Grace and her Dad headed out for some father/daughter time at a fast and free WiFi spot.  He installed some new birthday gift software and fixed some problems on her laptop. 

She says it was a great day.  Last year her birthday was interrupted by an unexpected family commitment and nothing seemed to go right or on time that day.  I am so glad that this year's birthday was much more enjoyable and relaxing for her than last year!  

Easter Weekend

Waiting for lunch to be served.

As usual we packed a lot of activity into one 3 day weekend.  Friday was full of running errands and kids' appointments since they were off school. 

We went to Grandma's house for Saturday dinner and an Easter egg hunt with cousins.  Grace even took advantage of the great weather and went flying Saturday morning.  We had a full day!



Hannah sat in front of her
favorite lasagna.

Sunday included Easter dinner, Easter treat bags, another egg hunt and some gardening with mom.  We did a non-traditional lunch with salad, two types of lasagna, stuffed mushrooms, grilled asparagus, spaghetti squash, and NO DESSERT...there was enough candy! 

We never got around to coloring eggs this year, but we were so busy that no one missed it.  We also didn't spend money on fancy clothes for Easter this year, and not a single one of my boys missed wearing a suit.  Two of the girls asked about dresses, but even they were satisfied with what they had already. 




Luke at the Egg Hunt

Vanessa hunting eggs.

Waiting for your treat bag can apparently be intense!

Diving into their Easter bags! (our version of Easter baskets)

We tried to focus Easter on its true meaning, but like any parent we always wonder if the kids understand that the Easter bunny and eggs and candy are just noise around the real celebration of Jesus giving us a way to have a relationship with God.  It is such an important time to remember that our relationship with the Almighty God came at a price because of love...pure LOVE...simple, yet complex and life changing.

For God so loved the world that

he gave his one and only Son,

that whoever believes in him

shall not perish but have eternal life. ~~John 3:16 

No!...Oh nevermind, rock on!

Grace and I had a mom/daughter evening out and took Nate along with us.  We "window shopped" plants for the garden.  Next we stopped at Fox Farm Whole Foods for dried seaweed and Fruit Leather to put in Grace's Easter Basket. 

Then we headed to Han the Sushi Man to try out the place.  Nate was our entertainment for dinner.  As soon as he saw the chopsticks...he knew what they were!  Drum sticks!  He started laying down a beat and having a great time.  Even after he saw Grace eat with her chopsticks, he was still determined that they were the most awesome kid's meal toy ever!  (By the way, Han's is good, fast and affordable.  It has a nice, clean and bright atmosphere.  Plus there is even a kid's menu with sushi without raw fish and it starts at $2.99.  Service is their weakest point and I had to borrow water from Nate's cup...which was okay because he was busy rocking his new drum sticks.)




















After Han's, we went to try OrangeLeaf.  It was good, but not great and expensive!  I don't think we will be going there again.  The small dishes were huge so my 4 ounces looked like 4 teaspoons.  Plus I had hoped to try the no sugar added options and there wasn't any.

Lastly, we went to the grocery store to restock on a few items and to get ready for Easter dinner.  It was a nice night out.

Weight Loss Goals Check-In

When started my weight loss journey, I did not focus on a number as a goal weight.  Instead I set quality of life goals.

My weight loss goals from my January 2013 blog entry were as follows:

Done!  1. Be able to wear my wedding ring again comfortably. (With my arthritic hands, my weight may need to be lower than when I stopped wearing it to get it back on, but I'm going to try.)

Not yet.  2. Be able to travel with my crutches on short trips such as in and out of a doctor office, library, or friends' homes. (But no stupid excessive stuff that causes falls and injuries.)

Done!  3. To be able to reduce and potentially eliminate my high blood pressure medicine and to avoid further health damage.

Almost! 4. To buy and wear clothing that are not in a plus size store.

Almost!  5. To have more energy, more endurance and more strength than I did for most of my thirties!

I have lost 70% of the weight
that I set out to lose.

I have now lost 70% of the weight that I needed to lose, and I have met 2 of my goals.  However,  I have realized that I now must build up strength and endurance to reach goal 2 and 5. 

Until now, I have not "exercised" by any traditional definition.  I don't have the disposable income for a membership at our YMCA, which is expensive.  I don't really have the time to use it anyway, especially with it being so far out on the south end of town.  I have "exercised" by doing more housework, lifting/loading more groceries/stuff without assistance and standing at my microwave timer trying to build up to 5 minutes of standing.  Now this week, I have started walking on my crutches in an effort to reach goal 2 before July.  Unlike my activities until now, walking on crutches feels like exercise which is rather invigorating.

I doubt that I'll start a "crutch it" fitness craze, but I am enjoying the energy boost that it is giving me.  

Recognition and Encouragement

Recognition

In 2013, I lost 131 pounds.  Grace lost 49.25 pounds.  Corrine lost 23 pounds.  We did this with the support and encouragement of our local TOPS chapter in Neosho.

TOPS divides members into divisions based on their weight at their first weigh in each year and they have a special category for teens and pre-teen.  In our local chapter, we all were 1st place winners because we were each in different divisions.  At our Tuesday meeting, we each received a recognition ribbon, pin and a special lunch out with our chapter friends.  It was very nice.

Then this weekend, we traveled to the Missouri TOPS meeting in St Louis AND we all received 1st place in each of our divisions for the State of Missouri!  We had a lovely time and we met the TOPS President Barb Cady.  As part of the program, we each had to give a short speech.  Grace and Corrine did awesome!  Grace is not a crowd/audience lover and she survived.  No one would have guessed that she was out of her comfort zone.  Corrine was a crowd favorite with her smile and animated speech.

Left to Right:  TOPS President Barb Cady, Me (Leatta), Corrine & Grace

Encouragement

So far in 2014, I have only lost 10 pounds.  It is understandable considering the pregnancy and miscarriage, but it is discouraging!  By this time last year, I had lost 42 1/2 pounds!

It was encouraging to see the success stories while in St. Louis.  It was even encouraging to see the folks who had lost a lot (like me), but then they had not yet finished the job to get to goal.  It reminded me that I cannot get discouraged!  It would be incredibly unhealthy to lose 42 1/2 pounds in 12 weeks considering my current weight, but I know from my past success that I can and will do better than 10 pounds in the next 12 weeks!  The guest keynote speaker spoke on cognitive psychology and the effects that our outlook has on our weight loss.  It was all "stuff" that I knew from college, but it was a well-timed reminder! 

Chick Days at Our House

I think Spring might really be here soon.  Today a dozen baby chicks arrived at our house.  These chicks are sleeping soundly tonight after a busy day of meeting the many Workman's!  The little Workman's are sleeping well tonight too!  (All photos except the 3rd one were taken by Angela Covington.)

Loss

It seems almost impossible to be missing a baby, especially when we were so recently surprised by the news of his/her pending arrival.  However, when the loss is the life of a pre-born baby, it is truly a loss...no matter how much of a shocking surprise the news of our pregnancy was to us!

Today I had another ultrasound which confirmed that I miscarried Workman #11.   After a miserable weekend, I am feeling better today and I am hoping to be back to my regular routine tomorrow.  Although, I am going to take a few "me minutes" tomorrow for a hair cut and maybe even have lunch out.  Plus I plan to take it "easy" this week with crock pot meals and a couple naps.

The little Workman's don't understand why their new baby won't be arriving and they still want their baby.  (Of course, since they thought the UPS man would bring the baby, this is especially confusing!) Corrine is very disappointed as she has been knitting and sewing since we got the news.  She is planning to go donate the baby items that she made to the local crisis pregnancy center so this may develop into a new ministry opportunity since she loves knitting little hats. 

Please keep our family in your prayers as we adjust to the loss.  It is amazing to think that God gives us such a love for our children that even the loss of a "surprise" baby is felt so deeply!

Praying for Workman #11

Today was supposed to be our first ultrasound to establish a due date, but the testing did not reveal the expected.  The baby is at least 3 weeks younger than expected...only 6 weeks.  The doctor is concerned that Workman #11 is not going to make it.  I go for another ultrasound next Friday to look for growth and we are praying for a strong heart beat. 

Even though Workman #11...oh let me digress....please don't be offended by this baby's title, we are notoriously slow on naming children...It is a wonder that Corrine is not still "Workman #2"...which would be awkward since we adopted Hannah and Corrine is #3 in birth order.  It is just so much easier when adopted kids come with names!

So as I was saying, even though Workman #11 is a BIG surprise, this baby is still a blessing created by God and already treasured by our family.  Corrine has already knitted several hats.  Grandma and Aunt Doris have secured baby furniture because that is what Fleming women do.  They are always prepared in advance!  Matt, Mark & Luke think every box that arrives at our house might have the baby in it.  (Yes, our delivery guys are probably VERY confused by now.)  Vanessa is ready to move a baby girl into her room now...we have been talking about how the baby stays in Mom & Dad's room, but Vanessa has other hopes and plans.

Needless to say, I would appreciate your prayers for our family and Workman #11.  (So far this newest Workman is one of my favorites because I have not had terrible morning sickness like with Grace and Corrine...only a bad cold.)

Shocked!

Well, we are shocked. 

It has been almost five days since we found out and I can almost believe it now...almost. 

So I guess we are ready to tell the world because some of our kids already have...we are expecting Little Workman #11. 

Yes, expecting.  You read that right... expecting...not applying, not completing a home study for...expecting.

We will greatly appreciate your prayers right now.  Not all of our kids are excited about this new addition.  We are all adjusting and some of us are letting go of what we thought was ahead for our family.  For me, realizing that I will not have everyone to school age this Fall is a BIG change to my plans. 

We understand if "Congratulations" is a bit hard to mutter for some folks who aren't fans of big families, and we are still getting used to the idea of hearing "Congratulations".  As the shock is starting to fade away, we are realizing how blessed we are by this VERY unexpected addition.  We will have more info such as a confirmed due date after our February 28th ultrasound appointment.

McCune Clean-Up Progress

This week we will have both the houses in McCune rented!  We have them listed for sale also and they can be viewed at www.realtor.com under McCune, KS.  Getting them rented is a huge stress relief and an even bigger relief to our budget.  The mortgages and the cost for utilities to keep the pipes from freezing were adding up!  We have a few last things to finish up before the renters get the keys on the 19th, but we will be working with smiles on our faces!

Forty-something...

Well, today marks one year of trying to make "my forties" a good decade.  I have accomplished some great things, some okay things and I made a couple BIG mistakes.

On the great things list, I lost 131 pounds since this day last year.  I am very pleased with the results and I met some wonderfully supportive people at Neosho's TOPS chapter.  On the good list, I had a tumor removed this year that was benign. (But it only weighed 10 ounces...I was hoping that it weighed a lot!)  On the bad list, I tried to improve my housekeeping skills, and I think I made progress.  However, I irritated my kids with constant reminders and I limited their "fun" to limit the messes so I still have to work on balancing all that fun vs. clean "stuff".  Unfortunately, most of my kids' favorite activities tend to be messy.

Now for my 41st year, it seems that I will get to spend at least part of it recovering from our biggest mistakes of 2013.  Those mistakes, of course, were buying two homes in McCune, Kansas where the local school district voted to close the school right after we closed on the houses.  I am so glad that our home in Neosho never sold and that we did not complete the expensive home modifications in McCune!  Please be praying for a quick sale of the McCune houses.  We could also use your prayer for us to have clear direction from God because we really were hoping to end Ed's long commute to work.  He has driven it since 2008 without complaint, but it is three hours of family time (and sometimes sleep time) that is gone from everyday.  God protected us by having the school make its decision before we invested money in modifying the new houses, and I am trusting Him to make the McCune mistakes resolve quickly.  It seems like a lovely town, and I am sure He knows the right people to buy the houses.

Christmas 2013

Christmas was not exactly picture perfect.  On the 23rd, we had planned to see Christmas lights on the way to Grandma's house, but the thick layer of ice on the side windows of the bus would not melt fast enough.  It was blocking our little passengers' views.  Therefore, we had to postpone this annual outing to Carthage.  Then Nate sat in front of french doors that caused most of his photos to be overexposed so there is virtually no photographic evidence of his Christmas gifts. Hannah ate too much Christmas candy and had it suddenly revisit us at Christmas dinner.  We arrived at the farm and the propane tank had been turned off so there was no heat. We all huddled around the oven and ate pizzas while waiting for the whole house to heat up.  Each of these non-photographed items will probably be more memorable than most of the photographed events.

Below is a collage of a few of the 2013 Christmas highlights.   This is the first year that Vanessa had something that she desperately wanted for Christmas.  She has been asking for months and thanks to grandma and grand-dad, she got it...a Nintendo DS.  Everyone had more fun, just because Vanessa was so excited!  Plus I got a picture of my folks that proves that my Dad has a ton of fun when he is annoying my mom. (I hope you can see his big his smile in the photo on the collage.  If you double click on the picture, it will make it bigger.)

Like most families, challenges are all around us.  Owning multiple houses and trying not to let multiple mortgages rule us, having what seem like "the usual" unexpected stresses and most importantly knowing that God has it all under control gives us reason to celebrate His amazing love and sacrifice.  May He help us to remain faithful and may we be better examples of His love during the holiday season and throughout the year.

Reflect upon your present blessings,

of which every man has plenty;
not on your past misfortunes,

of which all men have some.
--Charles Dickens   

Christmas Spirit Challenges

Not only have I been neglecting my blog, I have been neglecting Christmas.  Oh, I have made cookies, sent cards, received cards, put up a couple Christmas trees...but my heart and spirit are just not embracing Christmas this year.  This failure on my part to feel all the joys of the season is only intensified by one our of children, who I am sure could easily hold and defend the title of "Miss Merry Christmas".  (You can probably tell which child from the photos below.)

Christmas cookies are NOT a dieter's best friend, but they are a must in our house!

Decorating one of the Christmas trees.

Christmas isn't complete until we ring the bell!

Stamping the special postmarks in Noel, MO

The Postmaster's Elf

Like many people, I am going through the motions, but I simply feel too unsettled to really feel the extra peace and joy that Christmastime brings.  As many of you know, we bought 2 homes in Kansas and have been in the process of transitioning to Kansas.  We were in the process of widening doorways, adding bedrooms and building ramps when we learned that our new community's school will be closing.  As a result of the closing, the kids will be bused to a school with three unconnected buildings and many steps.  (I cannot even get into the office or lunch room.)  The buildings require frequent trips outdoors to get between buildings and this setup will not work for three of our children.   We are researching our options including out of district placements which Kansas allows, but so far no district has committed to taking our whole family.  Due to these situations, our Kansas house is not home; our Neosho house is not home and the Ava property which does still feel like home is too far away to visit regularly. 

Please be praying for us as we try to ensure that Kansas is the right place for our family before we complete this move. 

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.

I do not give to you as the world gives.

Do not let your hearts be troubled and

do not be afraid. ~~John 14:27