Health Update

So, here's just a quick update on my health . . . I had been having liver pain since July, and after tons of blood work, appointments with various doctors, an ultrasound, CT and an endoscopy . . . the doctor who originally told me "You don't have liver pain, because the liver can't feel pain." Has finally agreed that I have liver pain! So, I'm not crazy! Well, at least not about this. Anyhow, he came up with three possible causes, and went over the treatment plans for each. There's no test for any of them, so we picked one (the one that seemed most likely the cause to Karl and I - the doctor did not agree it was most likely, but what does he know???) Seeing as how the meds he gave me for this treatment have me pain free, my next appointment should lead to a diagnosis of something that has a big name that means nothing to anyone unless they have a medical degree . . . but the long and short is that my liver was spasming constantly, therefore - pain. Duh! Me put me on an anti-spasmotic (?spelling?) / smooth muscle relaxant. The most major of the side effects is that it gives me dry mouth and throat, so I have been drinking way more water (not a bad thing) - but it also limits how much singing I can do. I know, I know, the world is a better place for less Trinette singing, but I love it, so I miss being able to sing as much as I would like. But will happily stay on the meds for the two month trial to be pain free! Anyhow, that's about all for now . . . we are enjoying some much needed rainy days this week. I'm looking forward to getting some things done around the house, but I may need to pull out my galoshes and/or webbed feet for a little (or maybe, some serious) puddle jumping! Puddle jumping is a subject that brings two specific friends to mind. Miranda and Jessica. They were my puddle jumping pals in junior high and high school! Such sweet memories, from a simpler time, when happiness could be found in a mud puddle. It may be time to introduce my kids to the fine art of puddle jumping. There will be smiles all around if I manage to work up the courage to do such a thing for them! I promise that if I do . . . pictures will follow! :)

Just another random blog post.

So, in order to ward off the impending text begging of my sweet cousin Abby, I figure I had better write a blog. Now . . . what to write about??? I have no idea! We've been extremely busy, but nothing much to report . . .

I am in a slight panic in these days heading up to Katy's 12th birthday! Yikes! Where has the time gone??? She is growing up way too fast. She's in middle school this year, and she is gorgeous - so the shotguns have been cleaned a lot lately! ;) Just kidding . . . but I'm sure they will be soon!

Homeschooling is in full swing, and we have brought in all the subjects for the year. I chose to add some of them in one at a time, so we could "ease" into things this year, and I think it helped. We had our first Homeschool Fellowship day yesterday, and that went really well . . . the kids are excited to be back into seeing their friends multiple times a week. Today, Josiah and I started into our regular school schedule (it was an introductory section for the first couple of weeks.) And, we already have "lost" his math book. :( Ugh . . . it's a never-ending battle when we get "cool" books that are supposed to be for school . . . they randomly disappear from the school area. Frustrating to say the least, so Joe is on a hunt today to find the lost book! :)

Yesterday, Karl and I, for the first time ever, voted at a polling station! Well, I think I voted . . . We have always voted absentee in Oregon, as that is our home of record, but this year we decided we should vote here. So, we registered (or so we thought) and even double checked our registrations (as Karl got his card, and I did not.) So, the long and short is that we both had to fill out provisional ballots. Karl's will count, as he was in the system, but I was nowhere to be found! So, if my ballot doesn't count for this primary, I will at least, be all set for the general.

Oh, and we also picked up a Freecycle treasure! For those of you who may not know about freecycle.org, you should! It's a website/group, kind of a classifieds where everything listed is free, or you can post a "Wanted" ad. It's a great resource! We picked up about 7 linear feet of National Geographic Magazines! We have great plans for this treasure trove! We'll be using them for reports and collages and all sorts of fun projects! I can't wait to rip into them! :) teeheehee!

Hunting season opened up for Bow today . . . no, we are not hunting today, or tomorrow, but Friday, Karl will be, and Saturday - we'll see . . . after this week, things should settle down a bit and more hunting time should open up. ("Should" being the key word!)

We are already looking forward to October when we have a trip planned to visit friends and family in North Cackalacka (as Karl would say.) Then come the holidays! I can't wait . . . Christmas music may make it's debut around here very soon! The Amish market up the road will soon begin selling many more candies and breads and pies, and not so many vegetables and plants. I'm looking forward to the peanut butter balls and the peppermint patties . . . YUMMY! Until then . . . I'll stick to the eggplant, squash, still abundant tomoatoes, as well as the wonderful people we get to see there when we visit the market! Oh, and speaking of Amish . . . we'll hopefully soon be picking up a couple new little pigs to raise here at the house!

A good Navy day . . .

So, there are many days that I could write a list (or book) of complaints about the life I live as a Navy Wife. Being a Navy Wife is not usually convenient. Weeks and months of being a single parent, sleeping alone (if can sleep at all,) worrying about all things house and home, being mommy and daddy to the kiddos, not having friends or a church family when we first move, and so much more. Something always seems to go terribly wrong when my sailor Chief is away. Sometimes the Navy is there to help, support, and fill in the gaps, but often not. Today though, the Navy pulled through for us! We had a situation arise, and felt a strong desire for Karl to go home to Oregon for a bit to offer support. He called his boss at 11 pm last night and by the time they were off the phone Karl had purchased a plane ticket with his bosses assurance that his leave would be approved. This morning we all treked to the office and by about 9, the leave was already approved. I love that for this short time in Karl's career, we are able to have bosses that care about not just us, but our families. Also that his job here provides so much flexibility in his schedule. The hardest part of military life is being so far away from all of our family. So, when we can be "there", literally, it is a huge blessing.

On a side note . . . I am so blessed to be married to the most handsome-est (yes, that is a word . . . because I said so!) Chief in the entire United States Navy! He's the only Chief I'll ever love, and I love that he desires to support his friends and family spiritually, emotionally, verbally and even physically when need be.

So today, is a good Navy day.

What's catch up?

So, those of you who know Us Wards, know that our youngest, Josiah, is a sweet and silly little man. He has gorgeous eyes that smile all the time, and a heart that could melt an ice burg! He didn't talk until he was 3, and hasn't stopped since that day! It has been obvious to Karl and I that he has been developing and refining his personality over the past year or so, as he goes from toddler to child. We can't believe he is school aged! KINDERGARTEN! Yikes.

So, Jojo (as he is most commonly referred to) had a couple of appointments on Monday, so I got a sitter for the other kids and we made a little mommy-date out of the time. We went for his well child doctor visit... He is well. But he had to get a couple shots. He didn't think that was a very good idea, but he survived. Then we had a bit of time, so we scooted over to Taco Bell, (his favorite place to eat,) before his next appointment. He LOVED the fact that we got to go sit inside! He just thought he was super cool. It was so cute! He was watching the lunchtime rush of miscellaneous people filter through, and was just fascinated. We sat and ate for awhile, then I decided to ask him a question. "What's your favorite thing about school?" I asked, and Jojo says "Um, pro'ly my ABC pennies chart." So, as any probing mom would do . . . I asked "What's your least favorite thing about school?" He thought for a good long time, and I was about to ask the question again when he said "Nothing." Great, I thought to myself . . . I am doing great with this whole kindergarten thing! I haven't made him hate school yet! But then . . . he spoke again, and said "Ak-chlly, I don't like it when we don't do school." Uh-Oh! That's all my fault. I'll be honest and admit that adding a new grade level into the mix this year hasn't been easy, and some days are more miss than hit for getting kindergarten done. Well, we'll get it figured out, and this week, minus Monday (because of his appointments) has been all "hit".

Fast forward to yesterday . . . I was setting out his stuff for school onto the table and announced to Joe, that "Today, we are going to play catch up!" He looked up at me with those very seriously questioning eyes and asked "What's catch up?" I couldn't resist, so I replied "You know... red, tomato based dip." :) He thought for a quick second and then asked "Can we play ranch instead?" - It's official! We may have the funniest five year old around! I still can't stop smiling about it! I was laughing so hard my stomach hurt!

Our first egg?

So some of you may know that this spring, we got some day old chicks to raise for eggs . . . this was back in March. We bought 12, assuming that some may die from shock, stress, etc. Well, two did. Oh well, I guess we figured that well seeing as we wanted 10 chickens! We bought straight run chicks, which for those of you who don't know, means that the chicks weren't sexed - we didn't know if they'd turn out as hens or roosters. Knowing that we didn't need or want roosters, this was a bit of a risk, but we lucked out in the end, and got all hens! We built a pretty (really) makeshift coop, and let the kids go to town painting it with leftover cans of paint from years of projects and various room paintings (it's quite the picture - speaking of, I should take a good picture of it and post that!)Then, after a couple weeks of living in the garage, set the chickens out in the pen and coop. We have been, for 5 months now, anxiously awaiting our "first" egg. The kids and/or us parents check every day (sometimes multiple times a day) for our "first" egg. We knew it was due anytime now, but it just didn't show up. I think the kids were growing tired of looking and not finding anything, and the chickens must have sensed this, because where this morning there were none, this afternoon, there were FOUR!!! Yup . . . We didn't get a "first" egg, we got a bunch! The kids were and are still so excited, that I don't think we'll have any problem getting them to check for eggs! (At least for a few days!) Oh and don't ask me why we decided on 10 chickens . . . we were thinking that we might get up to 7 eggs a day, but to get 4 on day one . . . we may just be up to our ears in eggs in the very near future! Now, it's time to hurry up and wait for our first "double-yoker"!!!