Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to my mom! She also shares a birthday with one of her grandchildren. My brother's little girl is one year old today. Happy Birthday to Avery! Isn't that such a great birthday gift for my mom last year? Here is a pic of my mom with some of the grandkids.



My mom is in Philly right now. She is helping with my brother's family while they are waiting for a heart/lung transplant for my nephew. I am so thankful that she can be there to help. I am working a plan to go back to see them soon. Happy Birthday, Mom! Praying you have a blessed and wonderful day.

I love...

I love

going to the park to play

and the kids end up in the rocks and dirt.



I love

going to play at Nana's

and the kids end up on the ROOF.



But the main thing

you need to know is

I love




MY KIDS!!!

Workin' Girl

Today I got a new job. It is a part time job working one day a week at a church in their childcare department. I am very excited. I have missed working with kids. And there may be a possibility to work more hours later. The lady doing my interview actually prayed during the interview. How many places do that?

Special thanks to my mother-in-law for coming to watch my Little Bit this morning while I was gone. She got sick yesterday and stayed home to rest today. Thankfully she is already feeling better.

I also just turned in a show with my other business, too. It was the best one I have ever had, I believe. If my memory is right. It was a really good show.

Two Years

I got a card in the mail. It says, "Congratulations on two years of commitment!" It is a card telling me that I have been on my current medication for two years. It honestly gave me a mix of emotions. I thought about how in a way it has felt longer. I also thought about how it is also hard to believe that it has been two years. I went two years ago from a every other day injection to an every day injection. This medication is actually easier to take because it comes prepared. However, it is easier for me to forget. I like to take it at night. But I will sometimes forget and end up taking it the next morning. I don't know why. I do have less reaction to the medicine now. When I first started taking it, the medicine would cause a burning feeling. It would make a big red mark and be very itchy. Now there is still a red mark at times, but it usually doesn't burn or itch. My past few doctor's visits my doctor has been pleased with this medication. I had developed antibodies against the previous medicine. The medicine that I am on now doesn't cure my MS, it is trying to slow it down. Overall I am doing well. Still having the same struggles with the fatigue and cognitive issues. I know that I am still very blessed. Trying to take one day at a time and not worry about the future. The card told me to celebrate this two year mark. I don't think I will do anything besides blog about it. I have thought about doing something on the anniversary of my diagnosis. So maybe in a couple months, at my three year anniversary, I will do something special. I'll have to think on that.

Uniforms Are Here

Here is Haley's new color guard uniform. They are ravens. The show is based off of Edgar Allan Poe's poem "The Raven." Today the band had their first competition of the season. I was so proud of Haley and the rest of the band. They practice a lot. She is not wearing her make up in this pic. But she has to wear a lot of black!




Cute raven





This is the part of the uniform that they can pull up over their faces. She is being a little silly. :) Love her!

Blog Off: First Jobs

This time some of my blog friends are talking about their first jobs. My first job was at a yogurt shop called TCBY. We also sold Krispy Kreme doughnuts. Our main thing was the soft serve yogurt, but we also had some regular ice cream. I remember working the drive thru sometimes. From what I can remember about working there, I really liked it. I worked there when I was in high school and just starting out driving. I lived in a small town and did not have much practice merging into traffic. (I rarely drove on the interstate.) Sometimes when I would leave work, I would go out of my way to a red light to avoid merging onto the highway. That is funny to me now. I worked there until I was about to have my oldest daughter. I remember that after I was so far along in my pregnancy, the smell of the doughnuts when I would open the case would make me nauseous. I also would eat a lot of the pineapple chunks we had for toppings. I have not been back to one in a very long time. I don't think there is one around this area. But I did see the new soft serve yogurt place near Wal-Mart. I haven't tried it yet, but I hope to soon. What was your first job?

Baked Peanut Butter Oatmeal

I do not usually care for oatmeal unless it is cleverly disguised as a no bake cookie. My kids like it though. I usually just whip up some and mix brown sugar and cinnamon in it. The other day I found this recipe online and even I thought it sounded good. I made it on a morning when my niece and nephew were over for breakfast. I served them all a tiny bowl of it with some milk. Some of them liked it with milk and some liked it just plain. They all asked for more. Success! I thought it was ok. It did remind me of cookies. I really love it when I find a recipe that my kids enjoy. Thought I would share. Let me know if you try it. :)



Baked Peanut Butter Oatmeal

Type: breakfast, gluten free
By: Amanda@AFewShortCuts.com
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 20 mins
Total Time: 25 mins
Serves: 12-16

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups quick cooking oats (or gluten free oats)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup milk (or milk alternative)
1/4 cup melted butter (or margarine)
1 egg
1/2 cup Peanut Butter
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°
2. Grease a 9×13 pan.
3. Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl and stir well.
4. Spread evenly in to pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until edges are golden brown.
5. Serve with warm milk poured over top.

Notes:

Mix in raisins, chocolate chips, bananas, or whatever else floats your boat.

Remembering 9/11

On September 11th, ten years ago I was married with two small children living in Knoxville at Johnson Bible College. It was a Tuesday. I was supposed to go to chapel at 9:00, but for some reason I didn't go. I remember watching the tv and having a hard time believing what I was seeing. My husband was at work and I couldn't get him on the phone for a long time. I called my mom and didn't get her on the phone either. Almost everyone at school was in chapel where I was supposed to be. I found a neighbor that was home and we talked some while we were watching the news. I remember thinking it was some crazy accident. Then after the second plane hit.... It was still so hard to believe that anyone could do that on purpose. I finally got my husband on the phone. He had heard what had happened, but didn't have time to talk. He just called to say I love you. The rest of the day is kind of a blur. I remember feeling incredibly sad. Then also very proud of the stories of all the people helping each other. It was a very emotional time. What do you remember about that day?

Mom's without Mom

We had the rare opportunity to come to Tennessee for a short trip with all five of us. We came to my mom's house. My parents were with my nephew in Philly, so it was a bit quiet. It was still a nice visit. We were able to see all of my grandparents and a lot of my other family. We ate some great food. My grandma made cornbread! Yum. Got to play with Lucy, my mom and dad's dog. We are just now home. It took us longer to get home because of all the extra traffic on the road and it rained most of the way. My papaw said it made his day that we came down to see him. Short visit and the trip was long, but totally worth it.

Dear Donor Families,

I wanted to tell you that I have been praying for you since transplants became a part of my life. I thank God for the gift of life that you chose to give. I pray for God to send you his love, peace and comfort.

My nephew is currently in the hospital awaiting a heart/lung transplant. And today is his fifth birthday. He has three sisters and two brothers, with a third on the way. He was born with aortic stenosis and mitral stenosis. He has had three open heart surgeries. He has also developed severe pulmonary hypertension. He is very special to our family and to many others.

Also my very best friend, who happens to also be my sister-in-law, had her first liver transplant before we met in 1994. She was born with a rare liver disease called biliary atresia. Then in 2009, she received her second liver transplant. She is a wonderful friend, mother of two, wife, daughter, sister. I cannot imagine my life without her.

Again there is no way that I could ever thank you enough for the decision that your family made. We will probably never know the full impact that your gift has made. I just wanted to share with you how grateful I am. I pray for God's blessings for you all. Thank you.

Thankful for Family

Yesterday I had to be in 3 different places at the same time. Thankfully it all worked out just fine. My wonderful in-laws came over to help me out. One place I needed to be was postponed until next week. And the second place I needed to be was the middle school open house. I stopped by but the schedule said the time to meet the teachers was after the start time for my next meeting. So, my mother-in-law and I went on to the other meeting. The last meeting was for the band. They had a general band meeting and then we met with a lady about the colorguard. She had sign-ups for help sewing the flags. She also had the make-up with her that the girls need for their performances. It will be lots of black. Their theme is Nevermore. It is from the Edgar Allen Poe poem "The Raven." I can't wait to post pictures of the whole costume put together. So, today I am very thankful for my wonderful family.