A little late...but we're still chugging along!

Well it's a little late for my weekly blogging attempt...but at least I'm still here!! Jim is getting stronger every day and for that we are very grateful to God. This past 2 weeks has been so incredibly busy and full that I hardly know where to begin!

Rebekah got to go sledding for her first time ever last week. Our church has a little hill in the back and the kids get to sled on it one Wednesday night of AWANA. Last week was the first time Rebekah had ever gone sledding. She was so excited that she got dressed in her snow pants, coat, and boots about 5PM and AWANA doesn't start until 6:45!! She was so excited and so cute!! The cubbies went sledding first and they had such fun. Rebekah and the other little girl that was with her went down the hill screaming and laughing and loving every minute. They would pull the sled back to the top of the hill and promptly jump in for another run down the hill!




Rebekah has also been potty training. She all of a sudden decided that it was time to use the potty instead of a diaper. I was in the bathroom the other day and Rebekah came in and said...I have to go potty Mommy. So she proceeded to pull off her diaper, lift the lid and sit down and go. She was so excited she hollered for Daddy to come look at her. "I'm doing it" she told him and proudly showed off the results!! So I got her some pull ups as a reward. It is still a work in progress...she's had a couple of mistakes, but she's getting it down.

She is also developing an independence streak a mile wide! She wants to do everything herself. We let her do what she can as long as she is not in any danger. She wants to help fix dinner with me. She stirs things, shakes gravy, mixes koolaid, even puts milk away...she can lift the heavy milk carton!! I'm grateful that my daughter is interested in cooking. At least I know she will be able to cook and clean when she gets older!



I have been working on a project that is really lovely...but I won't be able to finish in time for the ravelympics. I have to work the next 2 days so I won't be able to knit like when I'm at home...so I decided to finish up Rebekah's socks so that I could at least have those completed...


The other project that I have been working on is a test knit for DeDe...I will post pictures when it's finished and I have permission! It's been really fun to knit!

God is still working in Jim and my life while Jim recovers and adjusts with new medications. I am dealing with trying to get overtime in while taking care of the stuff around the house. God showed His care for us last week when my car quit. I got a ride home from the store from a nice couple and didn't end up dead. A few guys from church tested out the car and loaded it up and took it to Davison to be worked on. The guy who works on our cars was able to fix the problem for only 240$ and he changed the oil too. He also replaced the headlamp that was burned out. Would you believe that the next day the other headlamp burned out!! I still have to fix that.

We experienced 2 dumpings of snow in this week. I have Dad's snow blower but it failed to start. New gas and oil...but it still wouldn't start. So I had to bring it in to the kitchen to warm it up for 2 days...and then it started. So like a guy! You have to feed it and keep it warm for it to work well!! Oh well, it's works now and that's all that is important.

Olympics 2010

I'm all about watching the winter Olympics. I prefer them to the summer. Maybe because I grew up on a lake in Michigan where my Dad used to create a great sled run from the back of the house up against this huge oak tree, down between our house and the neighbor's, and across the front lawn out onto the ice in the winter. It was fantastic! We used to have kids from all over the neighborhood coming to our house to slide...I remember the hours my brother and I spent skating on the lake, and ice fishing. I prefer the winter activities to the summer...I prefer the summer weather to winter though...don't get me completely wrong on this! I'll take sun over cold any day! I just really enjoy the winter Olympics!

That said...I have been looking forward to the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics and the Ravelympics that go on during the same time. It's a chance for me to look at stuff I'd like to finish or frog or try to complete during the 17 days of the Olympics. I'm trying to finish Rebekah's socks, make a second pair of socks for her,and I'm working on a really cool test knit...all for Rebekah! I would love to finish my SIL's sock from Christmas but in all honesty... I have the SSS (second sock syndrome) with that particular pair of socks!!

I've been reading, and finished The Graveyard Book and started one by James Patterson The Eighth Confession I think.

I'm ashamed to say that I haven't kept up with daily scripture reading like I have with other things. And I failed to memorize another verse this week. Those 2 things are now my priorities. I didn't lose anymore weight this week...but I didn't gain anything either.

My husband is improving everyday and although it is still hard for him each day, he is persevering through God's graciousness. It just takes time and I was never aware of how long recovery takes until now.

Now back to the Olympics!!

The one without pictures...

Well this post will have to be without pictures...Jim and I both lost our computers to the place that is called "Geek Squad"/Best Buy...on Tuesday we took both computers in for service...again. Mine has a corrupt hard drive that will have to be replaced...and Jim's won't turn on...go figure...they just replaced this when they had it in for service in September and October for a month and a half! We are crossing our fingers and hoping for the best this time...

A bit of an update on Jim...he is getting stronger every day. Trach hole is closed completely...He is moving around better, more steady now. We have seen 1 doctor already and will see another this week. Rebekah has been trying to "take care of Daddy" she's really helpful with some things. She's been showing her independance though...most heard phase right now is "No, I want to do it". Just wish it were about the potty training!

I finally managed to get the first book of 2010 finished! I have listened to all 34 CD's of Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon. I also listened to Coraline by Neil Gaimon. I'm finishing up listening to The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaimon also. I'm reading 2 others...but haven't finished them yet...since my iTunes was on the hard drive that failed...I have lost all the new books I loaded into iTunes...Bummer! well the library will have them again...
I'm trying to have a vareity of things to listen to and to read...

I have lost a total of 8 pounds since the begining of 2010...which is good! We are not eating fast food now...Seems that we ate a lot more fast food when Jim was in school...probably the convenience...I don't miss it! I enjoy cooking and Jim and Bekah enjoy eating what I cook...It is rather lovely to have a family that enjoys eating good food! Not to mention a daughter that prefers veggies and apple slices to french fries!!

I haven't been so good in memorization and scripture reading...those are the things I really should be focused on...and I am not going to offer any excuse. I can find the time to do anything that I want to do!

I haven't started any new knitting projects, although Rebekah asks when I am going to knit her next pair of socks...during the olympics!!I'm on Team Michigan for Ravelympics...should be fun! I haven't been part of a team before!

Well that's all for now...have a fun week!!

A Gift from the Past

We have spent a great week so far. Jim has seen a visiting nurse, physical therapist, social worker, and a new Doctor. He is gaining strength every day and for that we are grateful to God for His Blessings on our lives. We are trusting Him for even greater things. We spent the weekend together with Chris watching TV and playing games. Just a quiet weekend at home.

I also got a small gift from the past this week. Mom sent a package with a book that has helped her and she wants Jim and I to read...You Are What You Think. But along with the book was a small baggie of yarn. Mom had been doing some cleaning in their house in Florida. This is the place that Grandma T lived in before she passed away. Grandma used to manage a Stretch and Sew shop here in Michigan. I can remember going to work with her. She let me roll elastic and bag the customer's purchases. I must have been 9 or 10 and this was some of the best memories I have with Grandma. Years later Grandma worked alterations for Jacobson's Department store. Grandma was a great knitter...she was one of the ladies at the Rochester store in MI who could work alterations on St John knit dresses. I watched her steek and re-knit entire skirts...and at the Florida shop, she was the only one ding those dresses. I was proud of my Grandma! So when Grandma passed away, I was able to rescue her sewing machine (the one that I learned how to sew on...A Bernina) and her knitting stuff. Apparently I didn't get everything because Mom found this bag of pink yarn which I am sure came from one of those St John alterations. It is fingering weight yarn and I have 88 ounces of it. It's a really pretty pink. I burn tested it and although I can't tell if it is cotton or wool...I know it is not acrylic. Rebekah took one look at this little treasure and exclaimed "My new socks!"

And it only took 4 and a half Years!!

Well, I have just finished Jim's wedding present. I bound off my Reversibly Cabled Afghan about 20 minutes ago. The ends of the yarn are not tied in...but Jim is using it and he loves it. He was discharged on Friday from the hospital so I didn't meet my goal of finishing it before he came home...but I am glad to finally have it off the needles. It is incredibly warm almost hot. This is Aran weight yarn to begin with and the afghan is reversible so it is knit almost double and very heavy. It's gorgeous if I do say so...and you can't find the mistake I made in counting rows. When I first began this afghan...I had a deep set aversion to charts and wouldn't use them to save my self...I have learned to use charts since because of all the lace knitting i have done in the mean time...and looking at the charts for this was so much easier to follow this month. I'm sure if I'd figured out charts before...I would have been done before the wedding!

On the other note...We are praising God that He has seen fit to allow Jim to come home. He is adjusting to home life again. He lost close to 30 pounds while he was in the hospital...most of it muscle, I can see the lack of muscle in his arms and legs. He is really weak but was able to navigate the stairs yesterday so that he could sleep in bed. He's already been seen by the VNA of Michigan and is supposed to have home Physical therapy and Speech Therapy. He is gaining strength every day but still has a long road ahead. He has to learn how to deal with anxiety and stress in more appropriate ways and he knows that. She we are both praying for God's leading to the best ways for Jim to manage his own stress. He came out of this whole ordeal a diabetic as well...so dealing with dietary changes has been challenging for him. He has an appetite and taste buds for the first time in years and is wanting to take advantage. Beside that, he isn't smoking and wants to snack all the time. These are just matters that we are turning over to God in prayer.

Playing the waiting game...

Well so far this year it seems like Rebekah and I have been playing a waiting game...waiting for Jim's slow recovery. As of right now, Jim is finally off the ventilator and the trach was removed today and he is being transferred from the ICU as I am writing this! God is Good and His Mercy endures to the heavens! We are so grateful for the prayers that have been prayed on our behalf! It seems like so long ago that I took him to the ER, it's actually been 3 weeks today...and now it seems that things are really going fast towards his homecoming! We are hoping that he'll be able to come home, but realistic that if the doctors feel he needs inpatient rehab somewhere that's what we will do. Patience is a very difficult thing to learn.

While Jim has been in the hospital, Rebekah has spent every day with very generous people from our church. It is going to be wonderful to let her go see Daddy tomorrow! In the mean time, Rebekah and I have been really enjoying our Mommy/Daughter time together each evening. She has turned into a Tinkerbell fanatic...on top of Disney Princess obsession that I bet every little girl has! I must say that I can't wait for Jim to get home so that he can have his share of Tinkerbell watching. 4 times a day to watch the same movie starts to get monotonous...good thing for iPods and Audiobooks! We have learned to play some games and I get all of the smiles right now! I'm not sure how I'm going to feel going back to sharing my daughter's attention when Jim does come home!

Toward my 2010 goals...I lost 4 pounds this week..only 21 more to lose! I also completed 1 skein of yarn towards the completion of Jim's Wedding Present Afghan...It's Lily Chin's Reversibly Cabled Afghan. It's only taken over 4 years to finish and I'm feeling in the home stretch now. When I began 2010 and challenged myself to finish this...I had 4 skeins of Woolpak 10 plus half of the one I was currently knitting with. As of tonight's blog post...I have the half I am knitting with plus 1 more. So consider that this is so huge it is not a take-a-long project, therefore I only work on this one while I'm home and watching TV after Rebekah falls asleep...before I fall asleep myself. I have found myself knitting in my sleep so to say. Or should that really be sleeping while I knit???

I also turned the heel and am half finished with Jim's prayer socks..the pattern is Kristi Schueler's Gentleman's socks so that is another step towards my 2010 goals.

I am working on memorizing Psalm 138 and have been able to memorize the first verse so far. I cheated for the first 2 weeks of January and refreshed my memory with Philippians 4:6-7. Scripture and God and Knitting and Friends have been what has gotten us through this trial so far. I intend that these things are what will get us through the rest of 2010 as well!!

Some days are better than Others

I've been making some progress on goals that I have challenged myself to this year 2010...I weighed myself on Sunday...and I will officially tell you that I weigh 200 pounds plus some! I wrote it down in the calendar that I am keeping track of everything in. I have also managed to blog once a week now...it's only 2 weeks.but it's coming along. I am working my way through a very long audiobook and even though I've been listening to it everyday and everytime I visit Jim...I still have 17 CD's of the book to finish. I started working on Jim's socks...prayer socks now, and I have only 2 balls left to be finished with Jim's Wedding Afghan. Somehow I find myself with less time now than before!

I have managed to re-memorize scripture. Philippians 4:6-7 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. THis is an old favorite and perhaps for the first full week of 2010...you could consider it as cheating, but it is so appropriate for what our family has been going through to memorize this verse...hiding God's word in my heart...It gives me something to think on during the difficult times when fears and doubts arise and I want to rail against God. I remember the verses I have learned now and as a child and they comfort me. i honestly do not know how people could make it through difficult times in their lives without the Lord.

So as the title indicates, Jim had a pretty rough day on Sunday but Monday was great! He was confused and restless all day on Sunday and wanted to go home. On Monday, he was calmer and off the ventilator. Praise be to God!! It's been a very rough Roller coaster ride this past week with the decisions that needed to be made for Jim's care in the hospital and for taking care of Rebekah. It is really hard to leave your daughter with someone else for the night while you go to work. But my church family has been awesome!! And Rebekah is having a grand adventure in all of this. I think she likes going to "Old McDonalds" every day and the dollar store! The sad thing is that Jim is missing out on a lot of firsts for her.



We had a wonderful snowfall over the past 2 days...I didn't teach her this, but she immediately flipped on her back and started making snow angels...must have been something she picked up from TV. We had so much fun outdoors...then Becka asked if the snow would still be here for Daddy to play in. So incredibly hard to answer that one! Like I said...some days, or even moments, are better than others!

We experienced a dreadful financial setback today as well...totally unexpected and immediately, my mind went back to that verse! It is very hard to leave those burdens in God's hands...but I have too much other stuff to deal with and need God's help to deal with everything He is putting on my plate right now. God had to know in advance what a shock it was going to be to me today, so He provided a care package from a dear friend I have yet to meet in person but is most dear to me. God prepared for her to send the package and mail it so that it would arrive on the very day I needed it most. If that isn't God...I'll eat the box it came in!! Rebekah and I had such fun going through our care package from DeDe today. Isn't it lovely! Rebekah wants me to knit her some more socks today!







look at all the fun things I got today! And I have it from good authority that the books is a great read...another to add to my list. Will start reading this one tonight!! thank you so much DeDe for being a vessel that God used to help me today!



So I have a choice now...i can choose to give in to the melencholy that accompanies the facts that my husband is still in hospital with a tracheostomy and I have to leave my daughter with other people while I go to work and I now have no padding financially to fall back on...or I can Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication WITH THANKSGIVING let my requests be made known unto God, and His peace which passes all understanding will guard my heart and mind in Christ Jesus...