Life is CRAZY!

Has it only been a few days since my last post? Seems like forever! So much is going on my head is about to pop off! I'm really thankful for the new phone/pda that Warren got me a few weeks ago, it's really helping me keep track of everything I have going on. Not only do I have my ever-changing child care family schedules. I also have all of my kiddos' schedules. Plus, Warren's schedule to keep me on my toes! Daily chats with mom and dad keep me updated on things going on with them. Here's a brief list of what's going on.

1. Abbigail...no, she didn't make the musical, but she started Brownies (Girl Scouts) today. I also got her all signed up for her dance class that begins in Oct. Her teacher wants to move her up to the next level because she memorizes the moves so quickly, and just in general loves to be there. She would also love to take piano lessons, and a girl we know plays wonderfully...we're thinking about asking her to teach Abbie the basics and see if she really wants to learn, or if it's a passing fancy. I just don't want her getting so busy that she doesn't have time to have fun on her own. How much is TOO much? Anyone know??
2. Bethany...preschool. She also is old enough for dance classes, but we haven't decided whether or not we are going to send her yet, or wait another year. I know she would love it, but it's just one more thing!
3. Andrew...has a bad cold/cough right now, so that means his asthma is acting up, AGAIN! I talked to his teacher this afternoon and she said his cough got progressively worse through the day (the medicine was wearing off I'm sure), and around 1:30 or so his lights started shutting down. By the time school was out he had that "look" about him. Just feeling icky. If he's not a ton better tomorrow, I'm going to keep him home. On the activity front for Andrew there is really nothing to report. We would love for him to be able to do Karate or something like that, but we would have to drive to Garden City (40 miles) and that alone would make it very expensive. A friend of mine has boys who participated in wrestling last year, I'm going to give her a call and find out about it...but I'm so hesitant about wrestling! My brother wrestled all the way through Jr & Sr High, and I only attended ONE meet the entire time. During that meet a boy had his elbow dislocated and he laid there on the mat screaming for over a half hour waiting for the ambulance to take him away. Is this something I want my son doing?????
4. Warren...went to Bazine last night to do their Sunday evening service (this is where he is serving as vacancy pastor). He planned to spend the night in their parsonage so he could go visit their shut-ins and sick people today. There was a lady in the hospital about 1 1/2 hours away that he had visited and was back in Bazine by 10:00 this morning. They took him all over to visit the shut-ins, and in the middle of the day they found out that a gentleman who was on the way to Wichita for a doctor's appointment, didn't make it to Wichita. He started feeling really bad just an hour into the trip, stopped in that town at the hospital, and died. So, Warren STILL isn't home yet, and I don't really expect to see him before 11 or so tonight. Tomorrow he is supposed to drive 3 hours in the opposite direction to Elkart, KS (literally, RIGHT on the Oklahoma boarder) for Winkle (pastor's meeting). I don't know how he can do it! He's already so tired, I will worry all day about him driving! So, now, above and beyond the normal stuff, he has a funeral to plan...for a man he only talked to, on the phone, once! Please keep him in your prayers.
5. We re-arranged the girls' room this weekend. They have twin beds that can be bunked, or separated. They have had them apart, and wanted them back together. So, that was an all day Saturday project. Warren was an awesome daddy! He took apart Bethany's dresser and redid it so the drawers actually work! This is the dresser my brother Aaron had growing up, I have painted it to match their room, but it was in such horrible shape that I had to take out the second drawer in order to access the clothing in the third! He said he would look at Abbie's dresser (the one I had growing up) next weekend...but now I think he'll be sleeping the weekend away!
6. Andrew is sick (did I mention that already?) He is such a boy...doesn't handle sick well, AT ALL! Is it just the men I know who don't handle being sick well, or is it all men (and by man, I mean boys, too!)?? He lays around whining, and whining, and mumbling, and whining. I know he doesn't feel tip-top, but give me a break!! God, please give me patience!!!
7. Dad...He continues to mend. The hospital is making arrangements for him to go to a long-term care facility. He just is too well for a hospital (yippee!), but not well enough to go home or to the rehab hospital. The rehab hospital wants them to be able to do at least 3 hours of therapy every day. They do mostly group-type therapy in a big gymnasium type room. This would require him to sit in a wheel chair for at least three hours a day. He simply cannot do that at this point. They turn his hospital bed into a chair (amazing thing!), and it causes him SOOO much pain in his back and chest that he just can't stand it for long. He's trying to go longer and longer every day, but it's so hard. He still has full feeling, but no voluntary movement to speak of below the waist. Please continue to pray for him and Mom.
8. My sewing machine is working again. Something stupid that I figured out, and now it's working wonderfully!! I've made 5 slings and 3 hooded towels in the past few days. I'm also working on quilts for the girls' rooms. I might even find something to make for Andrew's room. I started the girls' quilts almost two years ago, but didn't get very far before the machine started throwing fits. I'm hoping to have a new quilt for each of the kids to give them for Christmas. They have seen them, but I still think it would be a good gift! What a surprise, after two years they are FINALLY done! Now I gotta get to work!!! :-)

Well, it's about time to start thinking of bed...and we haven't even done our chores yet. Nighty night all. Hopefully I'll have pictures to post again, soon.