Update on Sofie. . .

Sofie is the 6 yr. old daughter of a friend of mine and is suffering a stage 4 Wilms cancer of her kidney.  They got good news yesterday and this particular type of cancer does well with Chemo therapy.  Sofie started her Chemo yesterday.  Their doctor told them that all of the cases she has treated were successful.  This gives them great hope.  Cindy posted on the Caring Bridge,  "Thanks be to God".  She also was very thankful for all of her "prayer warriors".    I like that term.  We are prayer warriors.  We battle evil every day in prayer.  So thank you to all of my friends and folks reading my blog for praying you can tell God is working this Thanksgiving season.  Even though we know he never stops, it so nice that he lets us be privy to his work sometimes. 
I got to see Cindy yesterday and I have to say that was one of  the hardest things I have ever done.  It seems so simple, go visit your friend at the hospital.  It is so much harder than that.  I wanted to be strong for her.  I did not want to loose my cool and blubber like a big baby.  She is the one going through this turmoil, I should be able to hold it together.  I did ok, I broke down a little.  I guess when it is your child going through something like that, the Lord gives you that unmeasurable strength you hear about.  Cindy has a strong faith and I know the people that are around her also have that faith as well.  I could see it in her.
Please continue to pray for Sofie, Cindy and their family as they continue Chemo and recovery.

As Thanksgiving is fast approaching. . .

As Thanksgiving is fast approaching, we are getting ready for our Thanksgiving eve Lovefeast at Church.  I am so proud of my boys.  Jack will be reading scripture during the service and they both will be ushers for the service.  I am so proud because they have taken a keen interest in our Church and the Lord this year.  This is something I have been praying for since the beginning of the year.  It is part of "The Power of  a Praying Parent."  I am truly thankful that I am able to see them grow in their faith. 
They are also participating in our Christmas program.  Jack is a Sheppard named Grumble.  HA HA HA!!  you can guess how his character is going to act.  Thomas on the other hand has chosen not to have a speaking part.  Thomas will be singing with the choir.  He really does have a great voice. 
You all know I will be in a puddle. 

Sick children

It is so easy to complain sometimes when we are bothered by our kids being sick with the average cold, runny nose or pink eye.  But then God steps in and shows you how lucky you are.   Unfortunately it is at the expense of someone elses child.  I am guilty of this, I am the first one to say I am guilty. 
My friend Cindy posted that her little girl Sofie has just been diagnosed with a tumor on her kidney and tumors in her lungs.  She posted so that all of her friends could pray for them not so people could feel sorry for her.  Cindy is an amazing woman and has great faith in the Lord.  I am posting this so that all of my friends and anyone else that reads my blog can pray for little Sofie as well.
I am a firm believer in the power of prayer so I am asking anyone that reads this to please pray for Cindy, Sofie and their family. 
Sofie had surgery today and will begin chemo treatments as the rest of us are beginning our Thanksgiving Holiday.    The chemo is to shrink the tumor so that it can be removed at a later date.  For those I have already told and are praying now I thank you very much.  

Pink Eye. . .

Pink eye, Really?  Yes, Thomas has Pink eye.  Came home from school and said Mommy my eye feels like someone threw sand in it.  I asked, "Did they?"  He said no and continued with I need to go to the Doctor.  Now, when my 8 year old requests a doctors appointment there is something wrong.  While sitting in the middle of Dantes' seventh layer at the Middle school car rider pick up line, I made Tom an appointment.  They both have appointments for the flu shot tomorrow.  We go to the doctor and not only does he have pink eye he also has the beginning of an ear infection and is running a low grade temp.   He cannot get the flu shot due to the temp.  They give him oral antibiotics for the ear infection and eye drops for pink eye. 
Have you ever tried to put eye drops in the eye of a squirmy,screaming,whining 8 year old?  It is not fun and the bad part is you have to do 2 drops 4X a day.  HA HA HA HA HA!!!

Football is over. . .

We took a hard loss today.  Jacks' team played one of the undefeated teams in our League today in the play offs and we got beat.  He took it really hard since this is his last year to play county football.  He was very upset and to add insult to injury he took a hard hit to the head at the end of the game.  He is ok no lingering side effects.  I am going to keep an eye on him though.  You know me, the worry wort.  We are sad, but glad we are done with this season.  We will get a week break and then on to Basketball for Jack and wrestling for Thomas.  Thomas has decided he wants to compete this season in wrestling.  Not sure if I am ready for that or not.  They have good coaches and he enjoys it so, I guess he will compete. 
Jack will be playing basketball with the 7th and 8th graders because of the way his birthday falls.  Not sure how he is going to feel about that. 
I guess you can call me a court side and a mat side Mom this season.  Still don't know if I am ready for this wrestling stuff though.

Thanksgiving. . .

I have seen several people doing 30 days of Thanksgiving on Facebook and that is cool.  With today being Veterans' Day I would like to thank all of our Veterans.  When I was younger and we celebrated Veterans' Day I always thought of old men.  My Uncles all were in the War and fought on air craft carriers and destroyers and my Dad was in the Navy during the Korean War.   Today when you think of Veterans you have to think about men, women, and mere children.  I guess I am old.  There are some Veterans that are younger than I am.   I am old.
I am very thankful for our Veterans, some of the boys I went to High School with are Veterans. I am very thankful for all of our Veterans both young and old.
So here's to all of the Veterans,  Thank you!! 

Football. . .

Jacks' team made the playoffs.  Yeah!!  I am very happy for them.   They play Saturday at 10 am and it is going to be cold.  They play the best team.  This team went 6-0 and they are big and mean.  I am worried about poor Jack, he plays quarterback.  Mark says his position is merely a ball distributor.  Some of the parents were complaining because Jack was playing quarterback and Mark laughed because all the glory goes to the running backs not the quarterback in this offense.  But for those dads' that think the quarterback is the most important part it was a sore subject.   They actually use three different boys to take the snap on different plays.  So Jack really only is the "quarterback" for a small amount of the time.
Any who, back to my concerns.  There is one kid on the team we play that is huge!!! and he is good too.  Our kids, for the most part, are afraid of him.  The other teams have told them how big he is and how physical he gets with the opposing team. 
Just pray nobody gets hurt on Saturday.  That is what I will be praying for and that we don't get beat too bad.  I would like for us to make a good showing.  I would really like for us to win, but I don't see that happening.  It is not that I don't have faith in our team.  I just know the reputation of this other team.

Caution Mom going to brag a little. . .

The boys got their report cards today and I am so proud.  Jack made all As' and one B that is very close to an A.  He made his B in math, they are doing pre-algebra in the 6th grade.  Thomas made one A and the rest Bs'.   He is very close on the Bs' to being As'.  They are both very happy and so am I.  Thomas was touch and go there in the beginning so I am very happy. 
Jack made a deal with Thomas that if he made the AB honor roll that he would give him his ipod shuffle.  Jack just got a new mp3 player for his birthday this year so he is willing to give the ipod away.   Tonight after dinner we had the "passing of the ipod" ceremony.  The boys also get $10 each for good grades. 
Thomas has struggled this year and probably will struggle more but he is sticking with it and has decided he needs to study a little more.  Thank goodness.
Jacks' homework has picked up in the last couple of weeks.  At first he had no homework and now we are doing something everyday.
Thank you  for letting me share my good news.

Knitting. . .

I am a part of our Prayer Shawl knitting ministry at my Church.  I am a beginner knitter.  Sorry for the bad grammar.  This is a group of women that knit shawls and squares for our sick, elderly, or anyone that may have lost a loved one.  We knit the shawls and squares and our Minister delivers them when needed.  We have only been doing this since the beginning of the year.  We have given many shawls and squares to people.  The squares are small knit pieces, almost like a pot holder, we call them prayer hugs.  We use these for kids and men.  The kids and most men would not use a shawl per say, but they can hug and hold a prayer square.  We also have lap shawls for the men as well.
As these items are made they are prayed over by the person making them.  Once they are complete the group  prays over them too.  We get together a couple of times a month to talk and knit and enjoy fellowship with one another.  Those of us that are beginners get help on our shawls where we have made mistakes and so on.  We also get advice along the way on how to do better the next time.  I am so glad to be a part of this ministry.
I learned to knit from my niece when she was in High School.  She is now in College. She and some of her college friends made baby blankets and took them to a local Hospital.   She inspires me.  I am excited I am almost finished with my shawl I have been working on for a while.  I knit very slowly.  We have thrown around the idea to make prayer scarves for our youth for Christmas.  That one is still up in the air.