Don't Put All Your Eggs In One Basket...

Well, at least it when it comes to spring decorating, that is!!

Over the years I have gathered and collected various types of eggs.  I love setting them out when springtime rolls around.  This is my latest addition to the nest...

I've had the wrought iron cage since my early days of being a married girl, but I found those pretty green eggs the other day for a bargain, and my mom picked me up that fine little bird for a steal.  Isn't she something else?!  So prissy!  I love her bejeweled wings and tail and her frilly little hat.  Little Miss Thing just sits there guarding her eggs and adding a sense of fancy to my ledge!

But if you are going to put all your eggs in one basket this spring, it may as well be deviled eggs in a deviled egg carrier!

This handy little device is from Martha Stewart Living, and it is made to tote deviled eggs or other goodies around without messing them up!  

The eggs trays are removable so it can also be used for sandwiches, mini cupcakes or muffins, and more... but personally, this time of year makes me hungry for deviled eggs, how about you? Anyone hosting a spring picnic around here? Let me know, I'll put all my eggs in my basket and come on over!

I Wish I Could Tell You Everything!

Ohhh, Coffee, Chaos, and Contentment friends...

I wish I could tell you everything that I have been learning on my Jesus: 90 Days With The One and Only study by Beth Moore.  There have been so many days I have been itching to blog about what I learned in the lesson or two I did that morning, but I have gotten overwhelmed because I could literally share every day.  Which leaves me here feeling like I am in the third grade giving a book report with the whole, "And if you want to know what happens, then you need to read the book yourself" line.

But that's basically where I'm at!  I would so encourage you to do this study.  So far I have pondered His birth, wondered at His miracles (and at the people who so desperately and faithfully trusted Him for healing), and now am deep into His teaching and parables, which is timely because that is what our Sunday School class has been studying together the past few weeks.

I have 21 lessons out of the 90 left to go, and I imagine soon the study will be entering his passionate and painful suffering on the cross, and victorious resurrection over sin and the grave.  I am excited, because the timing will put me finishing this study just in time for the Easter season to begin.  What better time to have the life and love of Jesus so freshly imprinted on my mind?!  I am pumped.

So yes, friends...if you want to know what happens in this book, you will have to read it for yourselves!  It is simply too much for me to put into words!

I just know that I have been loving this in depth look into the Bible about the life and ministry of my sweet Savior.

Encouragement In Shades Of Yellow

My daughter brings such encouragement to my life.  At the end of her school day each afternoon she has "center time" where she can choose to draw, color, play games, play with friends, do computer games, etc.  Many days my little artist chooses to draw something.  Often she will bring me a sweet picture or craft.  The other day I got a handmade necklace and this note...

Her little heartfelt words brought more encouragement to my heart than you could know!  And what I knew is that she purposely wrote in a yellow crayon because yellow is my favorite color!  She knows that and many of her notes to me are written in yellow, or pictures she makes are on yellow construction paper.  Whenever we play board games she gives me the yellow game piece.  She naturally puts into action a way to encourage me by giving me something that is my favorite.  She does this with others too, and I.love.that.about.her.

I have unfortunately been down with the flu this week, which is why I haven't touched the computer in days.  The flu is a funny thing.  I had been feeling good for a few weeks after my nasty cold, fantastic even.  Saturday, Sunday, and Monday had been very long, wonderful days that were both productive and fun.  Monday afternoon around 5:00 I was at the park with Madi, the sun was starting to slowly make its descent so its warmth was hitting us as she played, and the air was at 72 degrees.  I had been outside with Jimmy and Trevor all day, and I had this thought that this day could not get any better.  I picked up a $5 pizza for dinner, we ate, and then I took a walk around our neighborhood, enjoying the weather and the day.  Then at 8:00 I felt like I couldn't move anymore.  I got the chills.  I had a rough night, woke up with 101.7 early the next morning, and knew I had the flu.

The good news is I did what I don't normally do...went directly to the doctor, tested positive for the flu (what an uncomfortable test!), and was immediately put on Tami-flu for the first time.  I have been drinking tons of fluids and taking vitamins, and I am seeing a difference.  I was admittedly disappointed to get the flu after almost a month of passing around viruses, but we are praying for some serious health needs in some people's lives right now, so I realize it is just a small little thing in the big picture.

But on that Tuesday when I was pretty miserable and feverish, my husband picked my daughter up from school and she told him she wanted to get me some flowers.  So he took her to the store and she came home to me with these...

He said she had come up with the idea and picked them out herself.  And of course I knew why she picked these particular flowers.  I love my girl and the encouragement she brings to me in shades of yellow.  I learn from that, and am inspired.

Vanilla Noodles!

Last night I was cooking dinner.  I was making some egg noodles with a white alfredo sauce, and as the aromas started to fill the house my son came up to see what I was making.  He took a peek in the pot and exclaimed, "Ooh...I love vanilla noodles!"  (Which sounded like "Ooh...I wuv vaniwa noodles.")

Vanilla noodles.  That.is.classic.Trev.

Paper Lanterns

If you are looking for a simple, affordable way to add burst of spring to your home, just hang a paper lantern!  They only cost a few dollars and add a bright pop of color and dimension.  I put one up between our kitchen and living room yesterday and I love it!

What a cheerful change!

Sunday Letters

Dear Madi,

Girl, you have finally had two fever free evenings and we are happy and praying you are over this awful virus (or two) you have been fighting!  You did a good job asking for donations for the Jump Rope For Heart tonight...I know you can be shy, but you quickly got the hang of it and filled up that donation sheet!  You have a lot of extra things going on at school right now - so exciting for you!  I loved playing with you on the back porch today.  You and I both love to soak up the sunshine and breezes.  It's fun to watch you fly down the road on your scooter with your princess helmet on and your ponytail flying in the breeze. And today wearing a floral romper and hot pink cowgirl boots.  How much better can life get?!

Two times this week you have told me about when the children went up to Jesus and the disciples told them not to bother him but Jesus said to let the children come unto him.  I think you like that story and relate to it because you are a child that loves Jesus.  I hear it in your prayers, I see it in your life.  I pray you will love Him more each day.

I hope you have a fantastic, full week of school with no sick days!  And then...spring break!!

Enjoying making memories with you every day,

Momma


Dear Trev,

You made me laugh so hard tonight!  Between your dance moves and hilarious comments it was just hysterical!  I get such a kick out of you.  You are fully loaded with personality, and it keeps things so fun around here!

I also love your affectionate heart.  Like tonight when you ran to your Sunday School teacher, so excited to give her a bouquet of flowers.  Or when I told you I would save you something and you said, "Thanks, Sweetie."  You are a bringer of smiles.

And your obsession with donuts continues.  You are so spoiled by one adult Sunday School class that every week you go in for a morning donut while Daddy and I practice with the praise team.  Normally your Paw Paw takes you but today he was home sick.  So you had to wait....and wait...and wait for that donut.  Finally you just couldn't take it anymore, so you looked at "Pappy Tim" (our music pastor), tugged on his pants and said, "Pappy Tim - can you stop practicing the music so I can get my donut?"

Practice stopped. :)

Hanging on to every word you say,

Momma


Dear Jimmy,

You did a great job preaching this morning.  A really great job.  And as I sat there listening to you speak on what you live out, I was reminded that I don't just love you, but that I am honored to be your wife.  Because you are an honorable man.  And it is a privilege to share life with an honorable man.  There is comfort in having an honorable man as the head of our home. There is trust in having an honorable man father our children.  There is respect when an honorable man displays integrity day in, day out.

So thank you.

With my love and respect,

Jennifer

Bad News, Good News!

An attempt to give a (somewhat) consolidated report on the past few weeks around here...

The Bad News:

For the past three weeks our family has been spreading sickness around.  This is one reason I haven't been blogging as much as I'd like. We have all had varying levels of illness and some of the same symptoms, but some different.  Between sick visits, follow up visits, and previously scheduled appointments and tests, we have been to the doctor a fairly ridiculous amount of times in the past couple of weeks!! The worst was last Wednesday night though.

Madi had a fever the Tuesday evening before so I kept her in from school.  On Wednesday she ran a low grade temp but was fairly healthy during the day.  In the afternoon she complained to the point of tears that her hands and feet were aching and itching like crazy.  I thought she might  have been exaggerating a bit and put in her the bathtub to rinse off.  Afterwards she said her feet and hands still itched.  That night after Jimmy and I  got home from youth group her lips were swollen, and started swelling more at a rapid rate. They got huge.  I am not exaggerating, she looked like a duck.  It was almost comical if it hadn't been so worrisome. Then her face started swelling.  I called the doctor because I was becoming aware she was having an allergic reaction to something.  In the five minutes I was talking to him going over the events of the day her eyes swelled underneath and on top, almost making them shut.  The doctor said to give her Benadryl and go to the ER right away.

Thankfully I had some on hand, and have sort of vowed to always have it on hand after this experience.  We were obviously scared, but trying to stay calm and keep her up and talking, making sure her throat wasn't closing.  The Benadryl took effect immediately and we saw some improvement, but she was still visibly swollen when we got to the ER and waited to be seen.  They gave her priority to the triage nurse but once we knew she was stable we had to wait several hours to be seen by the doctor.

Both the doctor I spoke to on call and the doctor in the ER, as well as her pediatrician when we followed up, think she was actually having an allergic reaction to a virus.  I never knew this, but sometimes the body can have a bad histamine reaction to a virus in the body that causes different reactions; sometimes it is hives or a rash, other times it can be the type of reaction Madi had.

She really hasn't been the same since this happened.  We've been in communication with the doctor and back for another appointment because of fatigue, joint pain, low grade fevers during the day, and spiking fevers at night.  Thankfully we had some labs done Thursday to make sure all is well, but right now the doctor thinks either the reaction really wiped her body out, or she is now fighting a secondary virus that she may have picked up when she tried to go back to school for a few days.

Honestly, I am just grateful she is okay.  And a bit worn out from all of this, combined with everyone else passing around sickness and keeping up with normal responsibilities.  But still, I am thankful! Neither one of our kids had ever had an allergic reaction before, and it was unnerving.

The Good News

I recently went to the Women's Center for my one year follow up on a biopsy I had done last February. I had diagnostic mammograms and an ultrasound.  The tumor and cluster of cysts they found last year are still present but there were no changes, so I did not have to go through another biopsy.  Praise God!!  My mom is a breast cancer survivor and I was shocked last year when my first "routine" mammogram ended with a biopsy, so I am thankful for every good report!

On President's Day (a day before Madi first got sick) Jimmy was still feeling miserable from his bout with this sickness, but it was a beautiful day and there was no school so I took the kids to Disney by myself.  We ended up meeting up with my parents and some friends of ours.  Trev left early with them, but Madi and I stayed for fireworks with a friend.  We had an amazing day that included something huge - Madi used money she had been saving up for awhile now (as well as every last bit of cash I could scrape up) to buy a lanyard and some pins.  I can't even express how much she had anticipated this and how happy she was! Who knew a lanyard could be such an exciting thing?  She has worn it so much since then and just beams telling everyone about her pins.  I get such joy from seeing my kids enjoy simple pleasures in life.

I think I mentioned that I was heading to a Girls Retreat last Friday.  More good news is that we had a blast at the retreat!!!  I love camp.  I love seeing teenagers let their guard down and just be themselves, without all the pressures of their peers, media influences, and social circles.  I love laughing with them, and hopefully helping them see God a little more closely and clearly while life's distractions are temporarily put on the shelf.  I was reminded on this retreat that so many teenagers out there are simply trying to find their way in the world.  I am just grateful for the privilege of guiding them a bit on the journey, building relationships with them, and trying to show them the unconditional love of Jesus.  I hope that in some small way I am helping point them to the One who can love them best.

My gracious mom, who has helped us a lot the past few weeks, watched the kids one evening so Jimmy and I could finally go out on a Valentine's date - we hadn't been able to because of all this sickness, the Girls Retreat, finances, etc... We were super excited to get out, just the two of us, and eat Mexican food!  I am so in love with my husband.  And chips and salsa.  :)

Wednesday, which was one of the days Madi was able to go to school, my mom and I took Trevor to Animal Kingdom spur of the moment. It was a gorgeous day outside!  We had fresh air fun.  We are definitely enjoying and getting our use out of these Monday-Friday seasonal Disney passes we were blessed with at Christmas!!

I've been reminded again these past few weeks that while life can shift from Disney to doctors or happiness to hospitals in a minute, God is constant, faithful, and good.

He is there in the bad news and the good news.

Aware. Thankful.  Blessed.