October 2016

It's been almost a month since I last posted, mostly because we don't have data up here.  We have a little extra this weekend, so here I am!  It's been a big month, so I'm going to try to do this in bullet form, even though each bullet could be it's own post.

 * my tennis elbow is really bugging me.  It's been months and is only just recently showing any signs of lessening in pain.  But now my forearm and elbow joint really hurts.  I'm thinking it's because they're weak now.
 * Kara's emotions have been so great lately.  I attribute that to the kitties.  They are distracting and cute and work and love.

Shiloh snuggles with her in her blanket
on a cool morning.

Shiloh falls asleep upside down in
Kara's arms because she's being
held like a human baby.

She always wants to be near Kara.

Our kitties are big nuzzlers.

Kara started crying during the song we were
listening to (hello hormones!) and Shadow
jumped into her lap to love her until
she stopped. 

Shiloh didn't need a leash that day.  She
followed Kara around everywhere.

Kara took this.  Shadow's favorite toy is
their brush.

 * school is going really well.  We are doing 6th grade, which is serious business - grades, hard work, foreign language, etc.  Kara had a hard time with all the extra work and responsibility at first, but she is doing well now.  I am going to add a little more toughness next semester (January).
 * speaking of school, when things are going well, I like to think about the next year.  But thinking of seventh grade just made me realize I can't plan seventh grade without keeping high school in mind.  So, I have been spending any spare time and any spare data researching curriculums.
 * Early in October, my sister came down with pancreatitis again and we all FREAKED out.  The first time she got it, she was very, very sick and we didn't know what was wrong.  We honestly all worried we'd lose her.  It took her months to recover, including months living with a feeding tube, sleeping in a chair in the living room because she couldn't lay down, not able to wash her own hair, etc.  Every time she mentions the word pancreatitis or says she doesn't feel well, we have flash backs and worry it'll happen all over again.
 * Fortunately I already had a trip planned to come see her.  I spent every day texting them, "should I change my flight?" like 10 times a day.  I wanted to come early, stay late, something.  She's not just my sister, she's my baby sister, and I take care of her.  When my parents did that thing all parents do when she was born and told her she was my baby sister, something clicked in my head and "big sister" became a big part of my whole personality.  I feel the need to take care of her, and my friends too, for that matter.
 * Christina was miraculously home from the hospital by the time I got to Maryland, Praise God, so we continued with the plan for what I was going to do that weekend anyway.  The plan was for me to fill her freezers with meals for her because she is really busy and needed help getting that part of her life together.  We shopped, we cleaned out her pantry, fridge, freezer, then we cooked.  And cooked.  And cooked.

One pantry, all pretty now.

Another pantry - so organized.

Lots of expired stuff!

Hanging out and resting with two of my
favorite people.  Jake at my feet.

Sisters (and a brother photo bomb).

 * When I came home from that trip I rested for days.  I was exhausted!  Then we got back to school and chores.
 * Meanwhile, since September, I have been living with a secret.  My mom has nodules on her thyroid (very common), but one nodule grew so big, she needed to have surgery to have half her thyroid removed.  Stressful!  My mom is always the healthy, strong one.  Oh, by the way, when they removed it, they were going to make sure she didn't have cancer.  The "c" word.  I totally let myself go down that path for a few days.  Couldn't sleep, freaking out, I can't lose my mom, sadness.  Then I prayed and prayed and God helped me sleep.  God showed me he loved my mom more than me.  God showed me he already decided whether she had cancer or not and to let it go.  So I did.  But he had to pry it from my hands.  My mom is such a private person, I couldn't share it here or on Facebook.  After the fact, I am sharing it here, but it was really hard.  I know I got through it because I had several friends praying for her, and praying for me too.  Oh, she doesn't have cancer.  Praise God!
 * Shortly after my mom's surgery, I had a trip planned to go to Florida, so Kara and I drove down there.  We also brought the cats.  My mom is recovering nicely, but is still tired and her boo boo still hurts.  That's pretty normal, if you ask me.  But here are some pictures from our Florida trip:

Mom's stitches just a few days later.
Don't they look good?  She had them removed
and she is doing really well.

In the car on the way to Florida, the kitties were hyper in
the morning, but then they settled down and Shiloh
slept on my lap while Shadow napped with Kara.

Pruney swimmer's fingers catching lizards.

Whoa.  It was humid the first day.

The kitties did really well.

Shadow napping on mom and dad's porch.

Mom and I snuck out to shop one day.  It was really fun,
but I know it wiped her out.

Kara swam and swam and swam.

I got to sleep in the same bed with this
sweetie while we were there.  When I see
her sleeping, I see my little baby.

More swimming.

Chilling on the porch at the guest house
with the kitties.

They have never seen cars driving by before.

More swimming.

And more.

Even more swimming.

On the drive home, this is Shadow.

This is also Shadow.  On top of the carrier
for a good view, then he fell asleep.

Meanwhile, Kara stayed behind to swim
some more with grandma and grandpa.

More swimming

Shiloh was on my lap the whole time again.

After that long drive, it was nice to see my lake.  I'm home.

 * Kara stayed behind in Florida for some quality grandparents time.  She will be flying home by herself Tuesday.  She has flown a million times, but I'm a wee bit nervous about it.
 * Contractors are finally coming back to start working on my list from July.
 * I'm balancing cleaning and planning next year's curriculum with hanging out with Michael and watching tv.
 * Trunk or treat happened at church, so I had to come home from Florida sooner than I wanted to.  I was thinking about decorating a minecraft trunk with Kara, but October was so overwhelming with my sister in the hospital and my mom having this procedure and possibly cancer.  Add two trips to that and I was wiped out.  This is all I could muster for this year:

Honestly, they're lucky I came and brought candy.  I was on the verge of tears when I pulled up.  I so didn't want to be there.  I need rest.
 * Something I learned from kids today - only like 1/3 of the kids said thank you.  only like 1/10 of the kids said trick or treat.  only like 1/3 of the kids were okay with the candy they got - they whined and cried because they wanted something else.  Ugh.  I'm not a kid person.  Next year I want to serve in a way that I don't have to be with kids.
 * Bible study is going really well.  We finished the Armor of God and we started the Fervent book that goes along with it.  I have about a zillion things to say about this, but I'll leave it with I love this study and big prayers are happening.
 * Football has been really fun this year.  I saw this on Facebook and thought it was so funny!

 * The weather is so pretty here now.  Low 80s for a high, cool overnight.  Now that summer is over, we begin non-summer, which is always so pretty here.  We are in a serious drought here, which is sad and a little scary.  The trees aren't pretty because it is so dry, but that's okay.

Like I said, I could do a whole post for each bullet, but this is all the data and time I have for this post.

Now, I think I'll go fishing with Michael.