Maturity and Home Good's Trade Page!

If my blog post sounds a bit scattered tonight I am so sorry- But not sorry enough to quit multi-tasking :) As I am blogging I am keeping an eye on a new facebook page that my friend Delaine started called 'Homegood and Adult Clothing Resale/ Trade Page'........In my tabs I have facebook open so I can see when that little red number pops up to say that something new has been posted........whoo hoo it just popped up- hang on a sec.............

Just bought my friend Treva's 'long' necklace to wear with my Easter Dress (totally wearing the same Easter dress this year as I wore last year)-

FOCUS STEPH!!

Back to blogging.......about Maturity.........I wonder if the paragraph above shows any sort of maturity? (smile)

My cell phone rang this afternoon just before I was picking up my son Ryan- When I heard the man's voice on the other end of the line I didn't recognize the name he gave- It was not until he went on further and said he was Ryan's teacher that my eyebrows raised a bit-

Oh my Ryno Chase.......REALLY were the thoughts running through my brain??

Ryan had been asked to stay in his seat (he had been out of it earlier in the class)- later in the class he had gotten up to blow his nose and on his way back to his seat had grabbed a girls binder- Joking around with her- The teacher was calling to let me know about Ryan's disobedience....

Oh Ryno......SERIOUSLY SWEETIE!! Does the teacher really need to have to call mommy to make you obey?

Ok so maybe I didn't say the sweetie part but everything else was said-

I assured the teacher the problem would be handled at home- not to worry........He said a big Thank you and the signal went dead-

I'll admit, after getting off the phone I had self doubt......where were we going wrong with our parenting- Was Ryan being defiant and if so, what underlying issue needed to be dealt with- Help me Jesus make a calm rational decision about what the best way to handle this is!

I heard Ryan's side of the story and immediately recognized he was already embarrassed- While the teacher was telling me about Ryan's disobedience he was standing in front of the class talking so the whole class heard the reprimand......I explained to Ryan that he had disobeyed the teacher in front of all the students and the teacher was correcting him in front of them also- I started filtering through the story trying to get to the root of what was going on....

Ryan is 12 almost 13- I remember when Eli was the same age.....I also remember some of the 'stages' we went through with Eli. It's an age where maturity seems to conflict itself- Your age say's you should be farther ahead but emotionally you are starting to deal with a HUGE range of emotions-

After a lengthy discussion in which Ryan called the teacher and apologized for his disobedience he and I settled (ok maybe just I settled on it) on his punishment-

No cell phone or Ipod for a week and he went to bed tonight after dinner at 7:30.....After hearing what his punishment was he said I was treating him like he was a 'bad' kid-

I told him very clearly that in no way did I think he was a bad kid- exactly the opposite I think he is a GREAT kid- I did think that he was being immature in his actions today- I explained what I meant about being immature- How his actions may have been 'all in good fun' and he did not intentionally set out to disobey his teacher......His actions showed a lack of maturity- He is at an age where he's got to think through his behavior and the consequences at a deeper level- not just think 'in the moment' and do what sounds fun in that moment....something even bigger though was at stake- His Christian Witness- I asked Ryan if that teacher would know he (Ryan) was a Christian by the way he acted in class today- Ryan said 'no'-

After talking to Ryan, I was standing at the kitchen sink doing the dishes......thinking about Maturity.......My maturity- The times my mouth has spoken not what I should have said but the what I thought 'in the moment' and how those moments affected my Christian Witness.

Ryno Chase, mommy is on this road to maturity with you- as a 36 year old I've had to call the person that I have offended with my words or actions and apologized too.........Keep going son- pick yourself up and learn from today...You are a blessing and loved so very much!

Kid Pup and Duck were Lookin' For Adventure (with Reese Too)

Last year, around this time, Eli had his friend Reese over and they were looking for something to occupy their time.  It seemed my boy's never tired of trying new adventures around the ranch we were Care Takers at and this day proved to be no exception- The new adventure included:

• 1 Dirt Bike
• 3 Kids 
• 1 Mountain

They had been gone for about a half hour when I heard the sliding glass door screen open and then shut with a distinct force- I could tell by the sound that it must be Ryan (we were always on him to not 'slam' the screen, the refrigerator door, and the door on the car).......He was back to fill up his Camel Back Pack with drinks- As he was walking out the door I asked him what they were up to....

'Eli's trying to climb the mountain on his dirt bike'
'Oh!'
'Wanna come take pictures'
'Uh-Huh!!!'

The Below pictures are from that invite:
I love you Kid Pup and Duck........You make this mommy's heart smile :)

Half way up to meet them at the Half Way Point (you can see them under the tree on the left)

If you look in the back ground you can see Eli's starting point
(the roof's you see are where he started)

The view from where he climbed to- Not quite the top but close

This is what Eli was climbing- He made it just below the lowest peak you see (kind of on the right)

Christie's Remedy for Satan's Fiery Darts!

I received this note today from my sis in law Christie.
She was sending me some encouragement for when Satan just seem's to be coming at you from all sides (which is what I have felt in my own life lately and was sharing this with her)- When his carefully aimed, fiery dart's are finding their mark- When you begin to doubt and fear........
Thank you Christie for your straight forward use of God's Word and for encouragement that went straight to my soul......May God Bless You and Your family and may His truth always flow so freely out of you that you encourage many as you have me:

Praise the Lord Steph that you can see with clarity what satan is trying to do. You go girl and be joyful in ALL things!!!

 

Satan is putting this trial in front of you, he'd love to see you hung up on the little , inconsequential things (the fears and confusion) that way you are so busy dealing with those things, you are completely useless for Christ's kingdom - then he wins. Don't give in to the fears - 2 Tim 1:7 - For God did not give us a spirit of fear; but of POWER and LOVE and a SOUND MIND (I had to memorize this one myself and have used it OFTEN). Use the power offered to you through Christ and prayer. Use your sound mind to reason things out, the reality of things - satan loves to keep you occupied and looking down at your own garbage instead of out toward those Christ has put in your path to minister to and up to Him.

 

And then remember too that even  these trials can turn for good, they are for your good. James 1:2-4 says to count it ALL joy whenever you face trails of any kind because the testing of your faith develops perseverance and that needs to happen to mature you and make you complete. Like someone said last night, it's all in the attitude. Are you going to do this thing called life, God's way and with a willing, humble, teachable attitude or are you going to buck and kick and fight and be miserable... we all have a choice. Choose joy!!!! 

 

I'll get off my soap box now and get to my computer work. Have a blessed day and I'll be praying for you to see joy each and every day and in ALL circumstances (and for those fiery darts to slide right past you and come back around and poke satan in the fanny!!!!!!!  

Palm Trees and Imitation Wall Hanging Grandfather Clocks

We used to have a fake wall hanging grandfather clock that would play a small song on the hour- 'du du du duuuuu du du ta du'- The stomach flu had been going around our house.  Matt likes to be alone when he is sick so when his turn came to partake in the fun (smile) he slept on the couch.  When I came out in the morning to see how he was I did not notice anything different- It was not until I walked out the front door and saw our imitation clock laying face up on the concrete patio that I realized it was not hanging in it's usual place above the wood box by the stove.  I had known the batteries were running low by the slowed down chime.....'duuuuuuuuuuuu duuuuuuuuuu duuuuuuuuu duuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu duuuuuuuuuu duuuuuuuuu taaaaaaaaaaa duuuuuuuuuuuu but so what right?  I was going to get batteries at some point when I remembered.
Matt said he was feeling so nauseous during the night, every time the clock would chime that exaggerated slow chime it made him want to throw up- He said he could not stand listening to it anymore and put it the only place he thought he would not be able to hear it- outside the front door.  I laughed when he told his completely serious story and thought he was being dramatic.
Fast forward 10 years and move the scene 3000 miles over the Pacific to the island of Kauai.  The view, looking out of our bedroom window, was this tall skinny palm tree- This thing was lean with sparse palm leaves.  The wind could be non existent and it would still be swaying.  I could not look out the window for very long while laying in bed because it made me incredibly motion sick to watch- I tried and tried to explain to Matt it was equivalent to the clock I referred to above.  He thought I was being completely dramatic (I swear I'm not being dramatic- It might be a bad time to throw in that the same birds chirped EVERY SINGLE MORNING so between that swaying tree and the same sound of the birds It felt a bit Ground Hog day movie-ish). 
I would lay in this hammock that hung between two Plumeria Tree's a couple times a week- It was no more than 15 steps out our front door.  If you laid one way the palm was in your vision to the left or if you laid the other way you would face a few out buildings- This day I was laying facing towards the palm reading my book. 
The wind was not blowing so I don't know what brought it down- Maybe the rain water that was still sitting on the low lying areas from the heavy rain we had just before........I heard the small crack and looked up just in time.............In no longer than it took to blink the palm tree fell down!!
WHOOP! WHOOP!
No more laying in bed watching it sway........
I turned back to my book with a smile on my lips- My head resting on my pillow, plumeria flowers filling the air with a wonderful smell and the ever beautiful and persistent Hawaiian sun beaming down on me!

My nephew Jess and Ryan sitting by the Hammock making Plumeria Lei' necklace

The Ventriloquist Sinus Infection

There was this fear deep inside of me when pregnant with both my boy's- When you 'think' you are in labor, are in significant pain, and make your way to the hospital- only to be told by the attending nurse that your not even close to labor and need to go home..........NNNOOOO!!  I really don't like when you think something is a certain way only to realize that it's not that way at all!
Going to the dentist is not even in my top 1000 things I like doing- ick! Someone probing in your mouth as you are trying not to gag on the saliva collected at the base of your throat- Then those shots before a cavity gets filled........blah!! I have a history of getting this warm tingly filling all over my body and then I start seeing stars when I get any sort of shot- It helps to ask the person giving the shot or drawing the blood questions about their life to get your mind off of it- only when you are laying in a dentist chair with your mouth open and the suction tube in your mouth (to get all that collecting saliva) you can't mumble a word.....
How does this relate to a sinus infection?
The first time it happened I was totally surprised- I was fully confident in myself when I made the 'emergency' appointment to see the dentist.  I knew something was wrong with the teeth on one whole side of my mouth.  When the dental assistant did the panoramic and I heard the dentist and his assistant talking about root canals I knew it was my teeth being discussed (It was a dentist office that had lots of dentists and patients working and getting checked at one time)- When the dentist came in to give me the news he said that my sinus's were very close to my upper teeth.  I would need to go to the doctor because it was not a root canal I needed but a RX for a Sinus Infection- He showed me on the pictures where the infection was- I laughed and said how relieved I was because I had heard him talking about a root canal in the hall and figured it was me (it was the person in the next room).
When my tooth started hurting a couple of weeks ago (and I've had a cold), I chalked it up to my sinus's- as the week wore on and the tooth ache was narrowed down to one tooth I started suspecting it may actually be a cavity (All those nights when Ellie was a baby and I would go to bed w/o brushing my teeth- just wanted sleep......).  I waited almost a week more before I called the dentist- who this time happens to be my cousin Luke (He had not graduated from dental school back when the first episode happened).  When I talked to his assistant Diane about making the appointment I told her that I thought I had a cavity but was not sure and I set the appointment 2 weeks out (wanted to make sure it was a cavity and not a false alarm).  Not 24 hours later I was calling to say I was having a lot of pain and needed to get seen......I was confident this time it was a cavity and not a sinus infection!
I knew one of the standard questions Luke was going to ask 'do you floss?'
No
Before heading out the door to his office I grabbed one of Matt's Floss Picks- As I got to the spot where my tooth ache was and put that floss up in there I pulled out a fairly large piece of orange- What in the world...........I had not eaten an orange since the week before!
When the picture came up of my teeth on the screen in front of me I asked Diane if it looked like I had a cavity- she thought everything looked good but was going to have Luke give the final answer- As he visually inspected my teeth and got to the suspected area he said that I had mild food impaction and my gum looked inflamed- He then took a tool and did some digging- Out came a piece of bacon (thankfully from that morning).
As I confessed my lack of flossing and the orange piece that came out that morning when I did floss he gave me that 'shame on you look' and showed me all the areas that had cavities starting from a lack of flossing.......All I could see when he was talking was how many shots it would take and how long I would have to lay in that chair to get all the prospective cavities filled- with great enthusiasm I promised to floss every day for 6 months with his assurance that it may cause those prospective cavities to not need fillings :)
He also confirmed that it was my sinus's causing the pain and not a cavity........
I get Ventriloquist (When something sounds/feels like it is coming from one place but actually coming from another) Sinus Infections!!

My cousin Luke (Right) fishing with my boys and our cousin Patrick in Hawaii

Prayer For Precious Nicholas

4/13/15- Nick underwent his 4th Heart Surgery this morning at Doernbecher Children's Hospital in Portland- The surgery went well and his recovery is going great too (Praise God).  Please keep Nick and his family in your prayers as he continues to recover-
Here is a picture Nick's mom Kristi posted on her facebook wall this morning just before surgery.
Nick, Kristi, Lenny, Kailin, and Jacob we are praying for you-
Love you guys

2015

SCROLL DOWN FOR NICHOLAS STORY- THIS BLOG POST WAS ORIGINALLY POSTED 3 YEARS AGO DURING NICK'S 3rd HEART SURGERY.
_________________________________________________________________
I am introducing my dear friend Kristi to you today. Kristi and I have gone to church together for almost a decade- Over the course of those years I have seen first hand the incredible faith Kristi and her family displays as they face the medical issues their son Nicholas has had to endure.

Kristi- It is with a heavy heart that I post this blog tonight........I love you friend and will be faithfully praying as your family get's ready to head to Stanford for Nicholas 3rd heart surgery- May God Bless and keep you all-
SCROLL DOWN TO READ NICHOLAS' STORY..................

Nicholas 2015

NICHOLAS' STORY AS TOLD BY HIS MOM KRISTI:
There is nothing more heart-wrenching than saying goodbye to your child as a medical team wheels him through those double doors to take him into surgery. Waiting for 5 or 6 hours knowing that his heart is stopped and a machine is keeping him alive – horrible. And there are no words for how a mom’s heart feels seeing her precious boy for the first time after surgery with tubes and wires attached to seemingly every part of his body, eyes closed, body limp, not able to breathe on his own. Knowing the kind of pain that he will be in when he eventually wakes up.

Yet in the midst of the physical and emotional pain is peace and blessing. God is so real you can almost feel Him. Surrender…… at some point in our journey, we had to surrender. That moment is forever etched on my heart. My little guy was fast asleep and I was sitting by his bed watching him sleep. Then, the tears started flowing and the prayers. At that moment, I knew that every time I had ever said, “My children are yours Lord, I trust you,” there was a piece of me that didn’t completely mean it. I trusted Him, but asked (begged) that He not let anything bad happen. I wanted His will but I wanted some control, too. I knew He loved them but that had to mean He’d never let them suffer. So, that night for the first time I started to mean that prayer, really mean it. No matter the cost, God’s plan was the best. When that plan was done, He would take my children home. And, I had to be o.k. with that – I either trust Him or I don’t………..

I guess I should rewind so you can follow our family’s story from the beginning….

It’s a boy!! A perfect, healthy, beautiful baby boy – the words every expectant parent longs to hear when birth day arrives. They were the words we heard when our son Nicholas was born almost 12 years ago. Those words were the answer to our prayers of “It doesn’t matter what we have, as long as he or she is healthy.” We never imagined what a crazy, amazing journey we were beginning after such a “normal” start to our son’s story.

When Nicholas was a year old, we were blown away to find out that he had actually had a heart murmur since birth but we were not told since “these things usually disappear on their own.” And then imagine the shock when the cardiologist said he had a congenital (meaning present at birth) heart defect that would need surgery some day. Much to our relief, his defect was fairly minor and in the vast majority of cases, completely fixed after surgery with no long-term problems.

Well, it hasn’t quite worked out that way. His first open heart surgery occurred the day after his third birthday. The defect was repaired but our surgeon told us it was not “normal.” We’d have to give it some time to see what that would mean for Nicholas. It didn’t take much time. Six months later, it was clear that something unexpected had happened in his heart. Now his aortic valve didn’t work properly. Six years later he went in for his 2^nd surgery with a badly leaking valve and an enlarged heart. To our great relief, the surgeon was able to fix the valve that, as it turns out, had been damaged by his original problem. Our world-renowned surgeon was highly confident the repair would last at least 5 years.

Today, Nicholas’ journey is still winding around turns that we don’t understand. It’s only been two and a half years since his 2^nd surgery but on March 23^rd, he goes back in for #3. His leak is bad again, his heart has enlarged further, and sometimes he feels winded or tired. We get to choose between crummy choice A and crummy choice B. A biological valve that will only last 5-10 years or a mechanical valve that requires daily blood thinning medication and monthly blood work. And, in all likelihood as his heart grows, either valve will become too small. He will almost definitely need a surgery #4.

To be honest, there are moments I feel as though I’ve been punched in the gut; I can’t breathe, and I just want to throw up. But most of the time, I am so thankful for our journey. I have watched God provide for our needs and bring amazing people into our lives. I see how my son affects the medical staff he is around and how he touches their hearts. I have a compassion for families in crisis that would not have existed before. I am thankful for the perspective change when I see the kids and their families in the hospital who are facing terminal illness, months in the hospital, and those precious little bald heads. I have learned that my definition of perfect is not God’s definition and there are no mistakes. I would never choose this story for my son. But it is the one God wrote for him.

I asked Nicholas what he would say to people about his heart. Here are his words: “I’m ok with having a heart condition. I can’t do a lot of things that other kids can do with a normal heart. But, with my heart condition I can tell people that they can get through anything. God helps me to always look forward (to after recovery) and not focus on what’s about to happen (surgery). Sometimes I pretend not to have a heart problem and that helps me. If you know someone who is going to have a baby soon, don’t expect the baby is going to come perfect. Bad things can happen to people close to you. Nothing bad happens without a purpose. God has a plan.”

Of course, we would appreciate prayers for his upcoming surgery and recovery, for financial and logistical issues, and making wise choices for Nicholas. Thanks for reading our amazing & courageous son’s story.

Blessings,

Kristi

L to R: Lenny, Kailynn, Nicholas, Kristi, and Jacob

Come Sit Outside With Me Me Me!

This time last year marked our 22 month in Hawaii- It marked our 12 month of waiting for the right adoption placement........Matt and I were trying to decide whether to stay in Hawaii or move home........My heart was so heavy with longing for our baby, Home Sickness, and missing comfort zone- 2 day's ago over one year ago, I got up in time to see the sun rise.......I had long since forgotten to look at my surroundings with joy and amazement.  When I looked around I would see the same things.......mountains, ocean, green grass, and work- In my mind it was 360 degrees surrounding me at all times-
Just before the sun rose I hear Matt's voice....'come sit outside with me'.......I replied to his request with a shrug as I followed him out the door........We were headed to look at the same mountain I had stared at 1000 times-
As we sat, I looked around me- my eye's were seeing the same thing I had seen so many times before......my heart carrying the same annoyances and burdens- the weight of my self imposed grievances radiating off of me...
I wish I could tell you what my thought process was to make the transition I am about to describe but for the life of me I can't remember (hee! I could sound super spiritual and say I begged God for it)- What I do remember is a firefly looking bug flew over to Matt and I and hovered- Like it was looking right at us- I was completely flattered that it choose to stick around and check us out.......As I was watching it my focus was transitioning from me to it-
He flew away for just a bit and my gaze followed- I picked my eye's up with an expectation that I would see something different than the view I had seen 1000 times before- My expectations exceeded anything I could have imagined- His flight took him around the butterfly bush that was teaming with caterpillars, whizzing by the red bird sitting on the fence post eating bird food, over the red geranium that I had no clue had bloomed, and out into the field where his fellow species were at.......
I wanted to remember the moment- the lesson taught.  I ran inside the house and grabbed my camera.  Wouldn't it be so easy if a simple picture could cause a lesson taught to be a lesson learned!!

While the lesson was taught that March day, I am sad to say I am a slow learner- My view is so often me- my attitude is often petty and filled with annoyances- Think of the moments I've missed and the opportunities passed by because of my refusal to pick my eye's up and look beyond the me me me to the amazing blessings God puts in my path every minute of everyday.

Heavenly Father please help me to live each moment with appreciation- Forgive me for the times I have chosen to keep my focus on myself and turned a moment you had for blessing into a moment of selfishness.

Below are some of the pictures I took on the morning above.

Our firefly looking spectator