Easter Dress

Easter isn't here yet, but Lent is and that means Easter is coming.  So I have to rant some more.  First off we don't call it Easter at our house, but most people do.  Now we refer to it as Passover or Resurrection Sunday, Easter is a pagan holiday, and we are not pagans.  For several years now I have been trying to do holidays different.  We don't to Santa, we don't give our children tons of presents.  Christmas at our home looks a little different then it used to.  We have been doing Resurrection Sunday different too.  One thing I stopped doing years ago is buying new clothes for Resurrection Sunday.  Now, I know Spring is about dead thing coming alive, flowers blooming, birds singing and all that great stuff you look forward to after a long winter of shoveling snow.

One thing I noticed was how much emphassis was put on resurrection Sunday dress.  Have you gone shopping yet? Did you get a hat? What are the children wearing? Do you all match? Let's plan a shopping trip! I found the perfect shoes!  Not to mention the money that goes into it. Let my just say that I think you should dress nice for church. However that might mean you nicest jeans, cleanest sneakers.  Every Resurrection Sunday every church we have gone to has always been packed!  Packed with lots of people wearing lots of new stuff.  Jesus didn't die so you could buy those new shoes you have been watching at the mall.  No matter where we have lived or what church we went to there is something that I noticed.  Not everyone can afford to buy the whole family new clothes for church.  You can totally tell who is wearing new and who isn't, not to mention all the fuss.  On Resurrection Sunday I humble go to the cross, not vain and all dressed up!

Not to mention the people that can't afford new stuff.  You don't think the other children notice that some kids don't have new shoes, dress, and a hat to match.  I don't want to go to church and make other feel uncomfortable.  I know of people that haven't gone to church because of not having brand new stuff to wear that Sunday.  Maybe it wouldn't be so bad but it is made into such a big thing. There are Easter sales, groups  of ladies to shopping trips, kids (mostly girls) talk about what they are getting.  When they should be talking about how Christ died for our sins, not if you got gloves or a hat!

There are women's organizations that help find batter women jobs, or shelters.  These women and children NEED clothes.  Women that have lost everything NEED clothes for job interviews.  These places take donations.  Last year I bought a dress and donated it.  Why? Because I had something to wear, because I never want to make other feel out of place being the only ones that can't afford something, because I am not worthy to go to the cross regardless of what I am wearing.  This year we may go to church in sweats, I go humble, not proud!

I know this isn't for everyone, I have been convicted you may not feel convicted that is fine.  My family is blessed, I am sure yours is too.  I don't want to collect riches in this world, I want to help and give to those that don't have.  I will set next to the homeless man at our church and not worry that my Easter whites will get dirty if he touches me.  And I hope he won't feel out of place watching everyone with all their new stuff shuffle in then out of the church, while he walks back down the alley to where he stay.  I know some people will say they buy new stuff, but it is not that big of a deal. Or we buy new stuff but we still talk about Jesus and our children know Easter is not about new clothes.  To that I would say good then the new stuff you buy they would happily donate, and you will buy the $100 pair of shoes and give them to away...right?

'I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me!' Matthew 25:40 Because I am doing this with my family doesn't mean I think I am better than people that don't agree with me. Obviously God convicted me for a reason! Because I put emphasis on what we would wear, and that I should buy Easter clothes for my family. Maybe you don't.

Fasting

Let me just give a brief history of my fasting.  I have fasted a meal to read God's word or pray for a person or situation. We have fish during Lent, most of the time, having a diabetic husband can make daily meals odd no matter what the season.  If he is low and needs to eat quick well, then that is what has to happen. Sure we could get the fish sandwich while in the drive thru, um, no thanks, I don't think that is actually fish. If you asked me I would have said "yes, I have fasted" if you ask God he might just roll his eyes and shake his head!

So I will be fasting on Fridays, till well, I don't know.  I drink only water. Yup, that is right no 3 cups of coffee in the am, no diet coke. P.S. I love my keurig, and diet coke! I need to go to diet coke rehab!

Yesterday, I started off and I thought it would be fairly easy to go the whole day 24hrs. with only water.  I usual don't eat till about 2:30pm anyway, that is almost half the day.  Well, when you don't have all that coffee and caffeine running through your body, the hunger kicks in WAY sooner! Let me just tell you by 10am, I cried! I did, I was so hungry and there were so many hours left, how could I do this.  I also have the will power of a two year old in a candy shop, and it is 2hours past nap time. I also need to mention that Friday is grocery day.  So I packed the kids up and went to the grocery, and I could smell the already cooked items just pulling up. So made it through, and nobody saw me licking the glass doors in the freezer section, at least I hope not.  I also do a lot of cooking at home. The menu for the evening was homemade-ish chicken pot pie. Not licking the spoon was so very hard!! Do you know how many spoon you lick a day? or knifes? or crumbs that you just pop-in your mouth? Half my calories any given day are completely mindless, licking while I make for others. Oh! back to dinner. Homemade fresh bread. Hot with dinner and pumpkin butter on top! I did not eat any crumbs as I cut the warm fresh, steamy bread, and as I spread the pumpkin butter I could smell it's butter goodness! But I also made desert, gingerbread cookies.  I also let the children decorate them.  Decorating is very messy, I did a lot of wiping my hands off. *shakes fist in air*. But I lived to write this today so it can be done!
Sorry there is no picture I could not punish my self further by having my yummy meal pose for pictures, besides my iPhone doesn't have an app for tasting.

It's been awhile!

Well, ChloeJace's heart surgery went well! That is the reason I haven't written in awhile.  Make the 3hour drive across the great state of Ohio with 2 kids takes a lot out of you!  ChloeJace started school like everyone  this fall.  In fact by the time she started you would not know she had the ICD/Pacemaker put in just 2 weeks earlier.  She was a bit tired the first couple of days, but what kid isn't? I still need some more time before I go over that day with you.  It was emotionally and mentally draining.  But well worth it! And our EP (electrophysiologist) Dr. Clark was great!  As of now she has not used the implanted device! Praise God!

Just a few weeks after surgery ChloeJace was able to ride a bike again! Something that she had not be allowed to do in years. She rides a lot now, she is learning the no hands trick!  Just the other night she was in her p.j's outside riding her bike! She is also in band now, she wanted to play belles (percussion).  She is also in bowling and starts girl scouts this coming week. None of these she was able to do before unless she was transported separately and I stood over her with an AED!

Sad to say since she got her ICD there has been a girl pass from sudden cardiac arrest (in CA) and another live to get an ICD (texas). Here is the thing they both happened at school! The girl that live had an AED on her in seconds, not 10 min. later.  If your school has an AED in the office locked, if a student collapses on the football field how long does it take to find someone that has a key and run up to get the AED and run back?  What if only office staff have the key?  I can't imagine help being so close but out of reach and a child dying! Can you? Does your school have an AED? Don't you think CPR should be a life skill? If you have children it should be! So why are we pretending our children aren't dying! Because we don't want to change, we don't want to spend the money on an AED?

The truth, whole truth and yadda, yadda, yadday!

Ok so I failed to mention in the last blog. That  ChloeJace's up coming surgery scares me! I am terrified. I am afraid of being alone in the hospital with her.  Afraid of the actual surgery.  ChloeJace has only had 3 surgery's in her life but has been put to sleep over a dozen times.  I know the financial burden will be heavy, but that doesn't scare me, maybe it should?  Recovery at home with her and George scares me.  The 3 hour drive home from the hospital with just her and I scares me.
  George love, love, loves his sister, when she is away for a night, he is uneasy.  For her and I both to be gone, will be very dramatic for him, especially if Brian has to work!  I know he will want to be with her and play and get in her bed. It will be hard to keep him in a safe distance from her.
 So here it is my fears, all of them written out so I have to face them, and not just look over till I am ready to deal with them.  I am not ready to deal with ANOTHER life saving, changing...surgery!  I have strong faith and know that ChloeJace's is in good hands,  God's hands.  But I am just a human, and I love my child very much, and I know if he brings me to it he WILL see me through it!

Heart Surgery for ChloBug

Since we found out of the possible LongQT Syndrome in 2009 Chloe's life has changed.  She is not supposed to swim, participate in sports, run, ride bike, participate in gym.  Most of the things that kids do she is not supposed to do.  In school while the rest of her class goes to gym, she attends another music class.  During field days she just walks around.

Friday we went to see the electrophysiologist in Akron, OH.  That is a 3 hour drive from our house! We have decided to go forward with have an ICD (implantable cardioverter-defibrillator).  Within the next 2-3 weeks.  Because she is small, the doctors will go in her stomach and attach it directly to her heart.  After she gets older and bigger it will be placed in her chest.  She will have a scar but it will be small.  She will have to stay overnight possible 2 after the surgery. Recovery is about 2 weeks.  I still have no idea what I will do with George, I am sure it will all work out.


ChloeJace is looking forward to the surgery, the first thing she wants is a bike.  We have talked about the surgery and what it means and what will happen.  As any child would be she is a bit nervous, but still excited to be able to do more normal things.

Brian, is nervous too, he has never had a child go through any type of surgery. Due to the cost he will not be able to take time off during or for the surgery.  That is ok, Chloe and I are pro's at this.  The doctor that did ChloeJace's brain surgery is at the same hospital now, he is on the floor just below the heart doctor..

Cedar Point trip 11

Since July 4th is my favorite holiday, this year we actually did something.  We packed up the car and kids and headed to Cedar Point. 

The car trip was only about an hour and a half. Not Bad!!

First stop was the carousel! Something the whole family could do.

George found lots of rides he could go on.

Some he needed a big person with him.

Some CJ could do.

Some she needed Mom for.

Brian even got to do some.

Oh! and Boom in the sky at Lake Erie!

Day 2 called for the world's biggest snow cone!

Blue Steel!! hehe

But all good things come to an end!

Food, Food, Food

I guess it should be no surprise that I have issues with food, who doesn't! I guess it goes back to my childhood ( what doesn't)?  For a long time I was a vegetarian, my father was not! He was a man like most and MEAT is the only food group.  Not good for a person that doesn't eat any meat (not even fish).  So I went to bed many nights  hungry. There is an old saying that kids will eat when they are hungry.  Not true they will go without instead of eating something that is gross or icky!
So My issue is if it is on my plate, I eat it, if it is left over I eat it.  Their are starving kids and families all over who am I to throw perfectly good food out, when someone is dying this moment from malnutrition. So I eat the food. I also try to have already made foods ready so it is easy to grab and go, or have a quick snack. 

I have noticed that on t.v. most of the people are thin but you see them they are eating junk, and Cheetos! By the way I love Cheetos! (Dear makers of Cheetos if you read this please send me lots of Cheetos. thanks xoxox).  I have looked into Celeb. diets, and I am very surprised at what they eat.  There are lots of natural foods, but also lots of food service orders, personal trainers, and personal chefs, healthy living coaches, ect.  So from what I get the average person should have the average body.

As a woman I look around, and I see woman with better, and worse then I have.  I am not worried about worse, I am worried about better.  I think every woman wants their husband to look at them like they are the only woman EVER! We have been told what to think is sexy and beautiful. So next time you see me if I look like I have a few extra pounds now you know why!