Company Girl Coffee 10.9.09

Good morning! Coffee's on, or if you would like, I also keep a variety of hot teas around this time of year. Our weather turned VERY cold overnight here! I should be used to it by now. We pretty much have Indian Summers and early Winters.

We've had quite a week here emotionally. It started off normal with a pretty boring Monday, but then things picked up on Tuesday. I finally took my daughter to be tested for Growth Hormone Deficiency. It's one of many tests that she's been going through to test for Hypoglycemia. It all started back in July. You can read that story here.

The test was only supposed to take 4 hours. We went to check in and that was the first delay. The check in was all the way across the hospital from the fusion center. Then, the pharmacy had a problem sending up her meds for the procedure. I am still not sure what the mix up was there. So a test that was supposed to start at 9:30am was now starting at 11:30am. Of course, there was a problem putting the IV in. I have yet to see anyone get an IV in my daughter on the first try.

For the next three hours, they drew blood every 15 minutes while I read to my daughter, and waited. I watched her go from perfectly healthy, to pale, tired, and very upset. I know all the signs. At one point in the test they almost had to stop because her blood sugar dropped below the designated "stop test" level. A second test showed it was still ok. My daughter was anything but ok. Don't get me wrong. We were at a children's hospital, so she was being cared for well. But I knew that when the test was done, we were going to be there for at least the afternoon, possibly admitted overnight.

My concerns were confirmed when the test was finished and she was given a cracker and some Gatorade. She began to throw up and the attending nurse called her doctor. He told her to change her IV to a sugar water solution to bring her blood sugar levels back up and he'd be in to see her at 4:15pm. Eventually, I got her to keep some ice chips down. By the time the doctor stopped in she was looking a little better, but still didn't want to try food. He said that if she wouldn't eat and drink on her own by 8:00pm, they would have to admit her. Thankfully, I finally got her to eat some of the mashed potatoes that were with my dinner and then she had a dinner plate of her own around 7:00pm.

We made it home by 8:30pm with instructions to feed her a snack before bed and wake her up for another snack at 1:00am. I kept her home on Wednesday just to restore her energy level before sending her back to school. We should have our test results back at the beginning of next week. Hopefully we'll know once and for all what the problem is and what we can do to help her.

Over all, I am a very lucky mom. I have five pretty healthy kids. We have our little problems here and there but nothing serious. I am thankful for that. I am also aware that there are parents and children out there that are not as fortunate as we are. So my friends, if you are one of those parents, or if you know someone close to you that is experiencing some tough times with a child of their own, please share with me. I will add them to my prayers. I am not one of those people that says "I'll be praying for you" and then forgets. I consider it a privilege to pray to our awesome Lord on your behalf.

Thanks for sharing coffee with me today....and for sharing your lives with me.

From my heart to yours,
~Melissa~

Company Girl Coffee 10.2.09

Good morning! The little boy that I watch is taking a nap and my youngest two are playing nicely, so I thought I'd take a minute for a coffee post! I hogged all the coffee this morning due to a horrible night's sleep, but it's feeling like fall out there finally, so I can offer a cup of hot apple cider!

Does anyone else ever wish you had a tape recorder going in your head when you get a good idea to write about but don't have time to sit down and do it? That's been me all week. I've resorted to keeping a notebook nearby at all times so that I can just quickly jot down what I'm thinking. Sometimes it's a scripture that comes to mind, sometimes it's an entire devotional. Other times, I just wish I could sit down and write about what my kids are learning in school, and here at home. I've always been a big journal person, but this season in my life is tough to find time for one blog entry a week, let alone my personal daily journal!

This morning I was really meditating on my current memory verse. It's Hebrews 12:28 "Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe".

This verse has really been applicable in many areas of my life as I have thought about it in the past 24 hours. There are so many things in this life that cause us to be "all shook up." There are the major natural disasters, like the 7.6 earthquake that happened two days ago in Southern Sumatra, Indonesia. Then there are the personal shakers. Sometimes it might be an unexpected bill that throws the budget for a loop. It could be that things are getting a little shaky at work, as they are for my DH right now. Or maybe it's just a random phone call, like the one my friend got yesterday, that shakes you up. Whatever the cause may be, we all have shaky moments.

But there is One who will not be shaken. He is Jesus Christ. He is our Rock, our Stronghold, and our Fortress. So whenever I feel like my world has been shaken, I am going to remember Hebrews 12:28. And I am going to be thankful, and worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. I might even give a shout "Hallelujah!" because God deserves my praise no matter what the circumstances might be. :)

Have a great weekend all. Don't forget to stop by for more great Company Girl Coffee over at Home Sanctuary!

Siesta Scripture Memory 10.1.09

How fitting that my 200th post would be on October 1st, and it would be about my memory verse! I have had so much going on in my life lately that I have felt a little shaken. God is so good though! As I was reading my Bible and wondering what verse to pick to memorize this time around, Hebrews 12:28 jumped off the page at me!

"Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe"

WOW! Talk about perfect timing. I am so VERY thankful that God's kingdom cannot be shaken!

What a great God we serve!

Company Girl Coffee 9.25.09

Hello friends! By now you must have read Rachel Anne's funny story over at Home Sanctuary! I laughed out loud when I read it. It's ranks right up there with some of her funny donkey stories. If you haven't read any of those, I would encourage it!

Speaking of funny stories, I have one that's sure to give some of you a good chuckle. I promise there are no critters involved. You see, I have been deep cleaning my master bedroom this week. I know, it's a little late for Spring cleaning, but something got into me and motivated me to start some serious cleaning/decluttering around here!

We've lived here for five years now, and for five years I have been saying how much I dislike the peach curtains hanging in my bedroom. I will admit, they are great quality curtains. They are lined, so they keep the warmth in and the light out. Peach just isn't in my color pallet as on of my favorites. There has always been something more important on our list of "home improvement" so I've just put up with them over the years.

Well, in my major cleaning frenzy I decided to take them down and wash them. Whew! Were they dusty! I figured I'd be brave and wash them here at home to save some money. So I set my machine on "hand wash, cold". I only put in one set to test what would happen. You can probably guess what's coming next!

When the cycle was finished I pulled them out of the machine and held them up to take a look. UH OH!

"Honey, I shrunk the curtains!"

I hung them up to dry, just in case it was only the way the moisture made them hang, but alas, they had definitely shrunk. This wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that only one side of them shrunk. The taffeta front side was now shorter than the lining.

I called my mom because I knew she would get a laugh out of it, and laugh she did. Through her laughter she joked "Come on now, you can't tell me that part of you wasn't hoping that would happen!" She's right. Part of me was probably wishing that those peach curtains would be ruined for good. (Sorry, for those of you who adore the color peach.) Now, if I were any good at sewing, or if I even owned a sewing machine, then I could probably fix the problem. Instead I think I'll just call it a day and chalk it up to lesson learned. For now, blinds will have to do.

Anyone want some slightly ruined but now very clean peach curtains????

I plan to continue with my deep cleaning in another room of the house next week. You never know what else I can find to ruin...um...I mean, clean!

Have a great weekend all! Thanks for dropping in for coffee!
~Melissa~

Company Girl Coffee: What's holding you together?

Good morning! Grab a cup of coffee and let me give you something to think about this morning. I am sure that most of you have heard the phrase "pull it together", or something like it, at some point in your lives. Maybe you've seen it in the movies with the infamous face slap, or perhaps you have even said it to yourself out loud, in a frenzy. I know that I have given myself the "come on now, pull it together" pep talk several times over!

Of late, I have not felt at all like I have it "all together." Quite the opposite, actually. Most of the time I feel like I'm losing my mind. Between school starting for the kids, me supplementing our income by babysitting here at home, (which I am very thankful for) and my husband's busy work schedule at the church, I have been quite overwhelmed.

Last night at our worship night, I finally found some peace again. It came to me in this verse:

"He is before all things, and in him all things hold together." -Colossians 1:17

I know now that I don't have to "have it all together!" He is before me when I am doing the dishes for what seems like the gazillianth time. He is before me when my two year old has the flu. He is before my husband in the middle of a crazy busy week. He is before me in the morning when I am trying to get the kids off to school on time and in the afternoons when I am helping them with their homework. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. When I feel like my world is falling apart around me, He is holding it together for me!

Isaiah 43:2 says "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze."

So even though I am weary and I feel like I'm struggling to keep my head above water right now, God is with me. And He's with you too. He is the super glue of our lives!

Thanks for stopping by for coffee. Have a great weekend everyone!

~Melissa~

Pockets of Time

Today over at Home Sanctuary, Rachel Anne asked us to think about what we can accomplish during small "pockets" of time during the day. This is a list that I have made before, but I often revisit, and revise it as I think of new things to do.

De-clutter my Car: Are you early for a meeting or waiting to pick kids up at school? De-clutter your car! Gather up all the recyclables, including plastic bottles, soda cans and paper, and put them in a bag. Put all trash in another bag. Use a damp cloth or disposable wipe to clean all surfaces. Group any remaining things that you need to remove from your car later, such as clothes and newly purchased items. When you leave your car, take all the trash and recycling with you. Remove the other items as soon as you get a chance.

Prep for a Meal: When you have an extra 15 minutes at night or in the morning, use it to prepare a meal. Slice some sourdough bread and make your favorite sandwich for a bag lunch. Or your meal prep might include tossing some meat, spices and vegetables into a slow-cooker or crock pot.

Clip, Sort, and File Coupons: If you are a coupon clipper like me, you might have a stack set aside to sort and put away! Coupons can be organized with minimal time and effort. That way when you think of something you need or find something on sale, you don't have to shuffle through a mess of coupons to find the one you need!

Match the Socks: Grab a container and pile all solo socks inside. Match what you can.

Clean up "Message Central:" Wherever messages are taken, clutter seems to arise. Go through any miscellaneous messages or notepads and discard items no longer needed. Test the pens; get rid of those that don't work. Clear off your answering machine.

Clean Off The Fridge: If you have kids' artwork wallpapering the front, consider featuring them in an alternative style. If you keep reminder notes on the fridge, straiten them up and remove outdated notes.

Sort the Mail: Gather all the mail into one place. Don't read the mail--just make piles. Create a pile for garbage, one for bills, one for to-read items and additional piles for other people in the home (i.e. give to husband, child, mother.) When done transfer the piles for others to somewhere they will see them. Put the to-read items in a place you will read them. Toss the junk in the garbage. Return the bills to the inbox.

Go through the Bills: This is best to complete after the task above. Remove all bills from their envelopes and lay flat. Staple of paperclip those with multiple pages. Tuck the return envelope around the bill. Throw out all the miscellaneous offers included in the bills. Stack them in three piles... receipts/file only (if you use auto-pay), to pay within the next 14 days, to pay after 14 days.

Wipe Down the Appliances: Grab the Windex and wipe down the front surfaces of your kitchen appliances.

Clear the Junk Drawer: Empty the drawer entirely. Go through each item and either throw it out or return to its proper place. There is no reason to use up prime storage to hold "junk."

Wipe Down the Microwave: Give your microwave a thorough cleaning--inside and out!

Wipe Down a Shower Door: Spray the front and back and let it "set" for a couple of minutes while wiping down the vanity area. Return and wipe down the shower door. Go ahead...set your timer! You'd be surprised at how much you can get done in only 10 minutes.

Wash a Window: Wash a window (inside or outside--your pick). Be careful on this one though, if you only have 15 minutes you need to have the discipline to stop at one window!

Match-Up Your Media: Return CDs, DVDs, video games and computer programs to their proper storage cases.

Go through Your Media: Do you need to keep the install disks to printers you no longer own or programs you no longer use? Get rid of any unneeded items to make it easier to find what you do need.

Check the Medicine Cabinet: Check the expiration date of all vitamins, prescriptions and medicine cabinet supplies, discarding any expired items.

Toss 10: Find 10 things in your house to donate or throw away.

Sweep the Entry Way: Take a moment to sweep the outside entrance of your home.

Wipe down your mirrors: Take your Windex and and clean a few mirrors in your home.

Change a light bulb: Quit walking by that burned out light bulb! It only takes a couple of minutes to replace it with a new one.

Load or unload the dishwasher: If you don't have a dishwasher then put the dishes in the sink to soak, or put away the ones away that have finished drying.

My list continues on, but you get the idea. The important thing is to take advantage of those priceless pockets of time during your day that you don't actually have anything "scheduled." Sometimes if I only have five minutes, I take a water break. I fill my cup, sit down, and enjoy an ice cold glass of water while I re-focus. It's important to take time for yourself too!

Thanks Rachel Anne, for the reminder that there are so many things you can do in small increments of time!

Company Girl Coffee 8.4.09

Good morning girls! Even though Rachel Anne is having technical difficulties this morning, I thought I'd share a cup of coffee before I head out for the weekend with my family. You see, this weekend is Tent City, at my in-laws. :) It's where my DH's many siblings get together and camp out for the weekend. We're the only ones with children so far, which means lots of attention for my kiddos from their aunts and uncles! It is loads of fun.

Speaking of fun, my mom came out on Monday. We went to see Fiddler on the Roof on Tuesday night. My sister in law joined us. It was so good! It is the last tour for Topal, who played the father in the movie as well. We missed the first song (because guess who forgot the tickets). Even so, I enjoyed myself immensely. It was such an incredible performance! Thanks mom!

Kids are back in school and trying to settle into a routine. It always takes a while before we are used to the school schedule. I am still debating if I want to have my kids ride the bus home this year. I really enjoy picking them up at school. I love chatting with them on the way home about the day's events. My problem is that I still have two kids at home and I've been having to wake them up from nap on occasion to get there on time. I don't like the thought of the kids riding the bus home, (they had to do it all last year and bus life is INSANE) but I also don't like having to wake up my little ones either. What do you think?

Starting soon they will at least have to ride the bus twice a week. I got a babysitting job watching a cute 10 month old. :) He is adorable. It is two days full time and one half day. I met with his mom this week and it turns out that her husband played softball with my husband at our church a couple years back. God is so good. I got the job because my hairstylist gave my number to her friend, and it turns out we already know the couple! Small world, big God.

Well, I better tend to last minute packing and get my kiddos some breakfast. Have a great weekend all!
~Melissa~