The Sweet Life

On Tuesday evening, I dropped this girl

off at the high school to practice marching for the July 4 parade. There were big kids there, and my chest squeezed and my heart did a little dance as she hopped out of the car to join her friends.

She will play the synthesizer in the percussion pit this fall and, in spite of being a twin, she is the baby of our family--my cuddly, giggly girl. How can she be going to high school? In my heart she doesn't belong there. Of course, in hers, she does.

She used to look like this,

but I am thankful, thankful for the young woman she is becoming. Even if I do still miss the little girl.



Life Goes On. . .

That’s been one of my mantra’s through the years. Life goes on.

And this year, even while I was sick, our family life went on. It had too! And God in His infinite goodness allowed us some wonderful memories mixed in with the ups and downs!

Here are some glimpses back. Some reasons why I get out of bed every morning, no matter how I feel.


We hosted two Japanese students over Christmas break and showed them an American Christmas! We love you, Rina and Natsumi!


We went to a few basketball games. . .and scrimmages, and practices. And let’s just say we watched some basketball. Number one son loves him some ball!


We celebrated all five! of our birthdays—complete with gf cakes and lovely cupcakes. Thank you Green Goodies by Tiffany! This party included ice skating with girlfriends.


  And this one included a Thunder game and a paintball war with cousins and friends. Hurray for being 14!
 
We spent Easter Sunday at Quartz Mountain State Park. We met my sister’s family there after church for a late picnic lunch. The boys are not in the pics because they were too busy climbing mountains! Such a beautiful place. . .

We had end-of year chorus and band concerts—and this outdoor Arts Festival concert where youngest daughter played the drum-set. I love the look on her face!

Oldest daughter turned 19! How can that be? And came home from her first year of college—with a boyfriend. How can that be? I am so much enjoying having her home for the summer—and so dreading sending her off again—she leaves in September for a semester in China/Japan/New Zealand/Australia. GF tips for the PacRim anyone?

And my babies graduated from eighth grade! He wore a suit. She bought a special dress. It was a bittersweet day—so glad middle school is over and yet so sad for me to see their childhoods slipping away.

So you see—Life goes one! So glad it does.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.  Proverbs 3:5

Summer Camp Again!

Kids to camp, after one long, gargantuan day of cooking. Can a day be gargantuan? Well, it was! I still haven’t cleaned all the mess—and I finished two days ago! Six days of food for two gf kids—breakfast, lunch and dinner. And snacks. To match what everyone else is eating. While my kenelog shot was wearing off. I took extra pred, drank 6 cups of coffee and a coke and took my monthly B-12 shot a couple days early. And a couple doses of pain meds—before, during, and after.

That’s the way I got it done. But I did it!

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Another note. . .

Though I don’t blog much, I have decided to keep this blog mostly about RA and celiac and my experiences with both those things:

1. It’s what I’m living day-to-day, and often what I need to get off my chest.
2. There are a billion blogs out there, but this is mine. It will have to be about what I say it is about. Those of us with chronic illnesses learn from each other—I’m just contributing my small little piece. I take much more than I receive.
3. Parenting and feeding celiac kids and doing it all with RA—how many people are writing about that anyway? Not many, not that I’ve found! And though I might not be doing a great job, at least I am doing it.

This picture was taken in Vicksburg, MS on our recent vacation. All 3 of my kids eat gf now. (Another story for another day.)

This week, some precious mother of another gf child in Wichita, KS has been cooking for my youngest two children while they are painting houses on a youth group mission trip. She has prepared breakfast and dinner (I sent lunch for the work-site), and has made food so delicious my daughter has texted me about it all week! I usually send all their food for away trips, and her sweet sacrifice made my job so much easier.  Bless her!

Vacation 2011—Family, Fun and Inner Peace

Summer again! And a huge sigh of relief from me. Sometimes the school year feels like a race to the finish line, and I am dropping things along the way.

With three teenagers, it always seems there’s a lot going on, a lot to juggle. And I don’t always have to energy I need for my juggling act. I am still struggling with shingles and feeling a huge weight of anxiety about taking a live virus vaccine with my immune system low, but this seems to be the best option to have some hope of conquering this beast.

So we set off for Gulf Shores as soon as school was out—bathing suits and sunscreen and hormones all packed into our little Honda! I hoped the roar of the ocean would drown out the roaring in my heart and let us all relax a little.

The beach and sun and waves did their work. We returned to Oklahoma sunburned and relaxed, if a bit road-weary.

But God has been doing His work in me as well, and I feel compelled to share it. Throughout this year, my little Bible study group has come back to Philippians 4:4-7 and other verses like it, rejoicing and finding peace in spite of suffering. We think God really means it--He means for us to rejoice, not matter what.

At times I feel overwhelmed, but eventually I remember this: I cannot change my circumstances, but I can confront and endure with peace and rejoicing. With grace and not bitterness.

Be full of joy in the Lord always. I will say it again, be full of joy. Let everyone see that you are gentle and kind. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but pray and ask God for everything you need, always giving thanks. And God’s peace, which is so great we cannot understand it, will keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. (New Century Version)

Giving thanks for my wonderful family and friends.
Joy and peace to you.

The Lady in Pred