Answered Prayer

Today, in the morning, I couldn't make it to church because my jaw hurt so bad and I had to just take medicine and sleep. By lunchtime, I asked my husband if he would take me to get some soup. I was so hungry. A sweetheart that he is, instead of ordering his favorite meal, he just ordered soup like me. :D I really wanted to make it to church tonight so I got ready and went no matter how I felt. During prayer time (before church) in the annex, the pain was so bad. Finally I took some medicine a half hour before church started. It always just takes the edge off but not all the pain. Still my jaw was locked. During song service I just hummed along, wishing I could sing. I love praise and worship time. :) Before the sermon, pastor always has a short prayer time where we pray for our needs. I asked God if He would unlock my jaw and help me heal fast. Shortly after, before service was even over, I tested my jaw and it opened right away! I hadn't been able to open it in 3 days and within a half hour of praying, I could open my jaw. I may have been able to sooner but I didn't even check. I couldn't believe it! Yay! After church, I bought a baked potato from Wendy's and I scarfed it down like a crazy maniac. I still can't chew hard stuff but at least now I don't have to sip soup threw my closed jaw. Yay! (Even as I type, so much pain is gone that I no longer need my Tylenol/Codeine medicine which is a total miracle.) So, right away, when I got home I checked the mirror because I wanted to see what my mouth looked like where my wisdom teeth were removed. I almost fainted. Two huge holes that I can see down in. So gross! So then I went to my husband and without warning, I showed him so he'd be grossed out too....... Hee hee. He was.

Encouraging Comments and Helpful Husband

Kids from left: Chaz, Kyle, Ryan, Ivy, Ashley and
Caleb in mommy's tummy

To my friends who wrote me, yet again, you have totally encouraged me. Thank you! I got your comments and they made me smile. I'm so encouraged. My Tylenol/Codeine didn't kick in till the second dose 4 hours later and when it did, I was so relieved! My husband bought me soup and I was able to sip it. Yum! I wasn't hungry even though I hadn't eaten for 24 hours. The pain was too much to think about food but little Caleb needed me to eat food! :) I have a sweet and incredible husband who would care for me. I came back from the trip to a totally clean house like I left it. He didn't want me to come back to the stress of a dirty house along with feeling bad. He took the kids today on errands. He's just incredible. Man, I'm so lucky. So, so lucky.

Making It Through The Pain

I HATE ever complaining so it's hard to write this. Since it's my journal and I like to see journeys I go through, experiences, I'm gonna write my feelings. Risking nasty comments from those booger butts who love to come on my blog and harass me. :)

Last night I couldn't sleep because of the pain from my wisdom teeth being removed. I haven't eaten in 24 hours. My mouth is still almost completely clamped shut. The doctor said it is because of the trauma. Today I woke up at 5am and just stared at my computer screen, trying to take my mind off the pain. Tylenol just wasn't cutting it. Today is MUCH worse. (I found it that happens and is normal). Early this morning I called my doctor and begged him for stronger medicine. I was worried though for baby Caleb in my tummy but he said Tylenol/Codeine was safe. He couldn't believe I was only taking Tylenol. I waited 3 hours for the medicine to get called in. To take my mind past the pain, I laid in the bathtub for 3 hours. As soon as Charles walked in with the medicine I broke down crying. I was so relieved. I had endured this pain for 2 days and finally got something for it. I made it! When I got out of the bath, my kids all surrounded me and held me. They told me how much they loved me. They said it over and over just holding my hand. I smiled and my heart was happy. What sweet, sweet kids God blessed me with. When I shut the door to change, they all laid on the floor so they could talk to me thru the door. "We love you mom. It's okay. You're so beautiful mom." I opened the door and hugged them all. Goodness gracious, I love these little guys.

I'm Back From Mexico

I'm back from Dentist. I can't sleep much or open my jaw still. Thanks for your comments on here and on Facebook! I have more pics but I'm gonna blog about it more on Monday. Right now I'm in lots of pain. I wish I could take more than Tylenol but being that I'm pregnant, I just have to stick with that. Argh. It's like "oh, you've been hit by a car, here is some aspirin". Hee hee...

Dental Work in Mexico

Explaining pictures: That's the casino hotel we're staying at (not gambling though). I thought that "no guns" sign was hilarious because we all know there are lots of guns here. Just like in America. That's me BEFORE having work done in dentist office. All I did was walk in and be immediately seated. Didn't have to have appointment and wait forever. After my root canal I wanted to eat because I knew I was about to endure some wicked stuff with my wisdom teeth being taken out in the next hour. I loved how my diet soda just said Coca Cola Light instead. My dad enjoying his wonderful and huge buffet while I am sipping my mash potatoes through my teeth (after wisdom teeth extractions). All the rest of the pictures are of me with chubby cheeks because my face is so swollen. Isn't that nice? I'm not getting those blown up and framed for sure. It was so hard to smile in the pictures. I wasn't even talking yet. After we went in the lazy river at the hotel (which is across border into Califonia. 5 minutes from Mexico) we went back inside hotel for Starbucks and we saw this live band. She was singing a Selena song. She did pretty awesome too. Read below for more....

My dad and I, last minute, headed to Mexico at 5am. I was happy to go but scared! I had broken a tooth the day prior and the dentist I came here to see said I had a nerve exposed. Well, I had to get a root canal. While I'm at it, I asked if he could possibly extract my two wisdom teeth that came in. So after I got my root canal he started the process on my wisdom teeth. I have only 3 words that best describe that. Oh...my...gosh. I couldn't be put out because I'm pregnant so I had to get some shots for the numbing. It hurt so bad!!! Finally he gets the first one out and says the second one should be a breeze. Half hour later, he's still working on it. It's not coming out. At one point, he had my head in a hold and was pulling with all his might. I literally tried to fight him off me. He was stronger than me. ha h! Finally, 45 minutes later, he says, "we need to do an x-ray of just that area so see what is holding it. Sure enough, my roots were curled! Yike-ees! No wonder. So he had to break took in half down the middle and take it apart. My gosh. At one point, I was so scared my body started shaking violently. I was just really scared. I only wanted so much numbing stuff (even though it's safe for baby) because I wanted to be cautious. He finally got it out, I hopped up and said, thanks! I'm outie! He said, "wait, you need to get up slowly!" I sat back down impatiently. I got my prescription for Tylonol. That's all I can have! Argh!!! My mouth is killing me. The root canal? NOTHING in comparison to the pain of my wisdom teeth area. My gosh. I still have to go back in, in the morning, and have a crown put on since that tooth broke and do a couple more things. He's gonna have to pry my mouth open because my jaw hurts so bad I can't open it. Maybe this time I might accidently punch him in the face. I'm gonna ask my dad to hold my hands down. He's an amazing dentist you know. Lots of people I know travel from all over just to see him. So I won't punch him. It just hurt so dang bad!

Adios: Going To Mexico

I'm going with my dad to Mexico for one or two days. I will be back soon! Adios mi Amigos! Did I say that right? You never know. I didn't pass Spanish class in school. Tee hee....

Awww.... I'm gonna miss my hubby and kids so much!

Ultimate Act of Selfishness

I got this link from Daddy Forever about a mom who was upset that her estranged husband got custody of the kids. So, what was the answer? Throw your little kids off a bridge. There, that'll solve the problem! Gosh, this is so heartbreaking.

Nasty custody fight preceded Sellwood Bridge tragedy

My Big Sis' Birthday

May 14th was my sister Tammy's 32nd birthday (dang Tam, I'm still in my 20's, hee hee) so we had her and my nephews over for some yummy guacamole dip and chips, Jalepeno Chicken, and spanish rice. :D So yummy! She lives pretty far so I love to get a chance to visit with her. The boys are so big they could barely fit in the electric car but they found a way! So many kids tried to fit in it at once that it was trying so hard to pull them all.

Beautiful Nights

The beautiful quiet of the night. The laughter is replaced by whispers and then finally to soft breathing. It's the time of night where I think about my day. I remember the giggles and funny antics. I'm thinking about how I miss Charles right now but understanding how much he loves to fellowship with his Christian friends and talk over board games. He deserves it and doesn't demand it. I can imagine them sitting around Roger's table, laughing and eating snacks while evaluating their next play. My little hen is sitting next to an egg. My dog is curled up behind my door. I can hear the sniffs under the door as she is hoping to be let in sometime soon for the night. I hear nothing but the typing of the keys while I write. I think about what God is teaching me in my life right now. I wonder if there was any way I could of handled any situation better today. Whether it was how I asked my son to do his chores. Did I give Chaz a kiss today and tell him how proud I am of him? How grown up he is getting? I cuddle him knowing that in just four years he'll be a teenager and maybe cuddling won't be as cool for him. I think about my friendships and which ones encourage me. I wonder if there was someone I could have called up and encouraged or just listened as they told me about their day. I love going to sleep next to my best friend and talking late into the night. At night I think about so many things while it is so quiet, sometimes long after I hear Charles' soft breathing while he sleeps. I love my beautiful and quiet nights.

Eyes Wide Open

Last night my husband and I were up late talking (Like till two in the morning) trying to figure out why so many things were coming to a head at once with issues in our lives. The last two months especially have been a struggle, a battle and I felt like there was never a break. Seeing friendships fall apart or with other people in my life. Last night, about midnight, it dawned on me, or God was opening my eyes, to the fact that everything I was cutting off in my life was for a better purpose. Why do I compromise? I'm compromising because I'm allowing these influences to constantly have a say in my life. The bible says, "Bad company corrupts good morals". Well, guess what? If you have a family and you are always hanging around someone who condemns families and says that by you having so many kids, you are doing wrong. Those words have power and they will continue to haunt your thoughts. Sure you tell yourself to blow it off. Does it work? Why continue to be around someone who makes you have to blow it off constantly? If you hang around someone that is always cynical of other people and has nothing good to say, could you maybe start having to struggle with cynical thoughts towards people? I know I have. If you hang around someone who constantly finds ways to justify sin and will even use scripture to do it, could you start having those same temptations? Even though you know full well what the Bible says about it? One by one, I went through and evaluated why I was having these struggles and I realized it was because of the influences I was allowing in my life. I love my large family! Why was I letting someone speak constantly insult me for loving it? I love my friends in church! Why was I allowing evil words to be spoken against them? I want to live my life whole heartedly for God, why was I fellowshipping with those that try to tell me I'm too fanatical about God? Why? When my eyes were opened last night, joy flooded through my heart and peace came into my mind. I knew now that this battle, this hard time, had a purpose. It was a time of pruning. I felt like I was sludging through mud up intil this point. I woke up this morning and felt like it was a new day. A NEW day in my life. This is why I love blogging because I have found friends that love families like I do. You have no idea how much you have helped me to realize that, although big families aren't popular, God has a special place in His heart for them. He only said it repeatedly in scripture over and over and over! Children are a blessing and an inheritance.

Family Night: Miniature Golfing!

We plan a family outing for every two weeks. Friday night was miniature golfing and we got lucky with some really good weather! Wow! It was so fun to take them just before the sun was going to set and watching them try to golf. Ivy was especially funny to watch because when she got her ball closer, she would just pick it up and put on the very edge of the hole and then hit it in. Then she'd be so proud of herself. So cute! I love the picture where Ashley is golfing some. She would get into it too while being strapped to her dad. LOL! By the way, in the picture where you see Ryan fallen on the ground is because he wants to show you a reenactment of his fall. He went to run after a ball that got away and he didn't see the rope. As he was falling, his club flipped up in the air and came down only to conk him in the head just as he crashed. We were all laughing so hard that we were crying. Ryan was laughing too. I'm happy he saw the humor in it! What was so cute was that we decided that whoever was the last one to get their ball in the hole was to have attack kisses from all of us. So they were all trying really hard to not be the last. With Kyle, my 5 year old, he loves hugs and kisses so much that when he wasn't the last to make it in the hole, he cried because he wanted all those hugs and kisses. He's just like his dad!

I Love Nights Like These!

It's so cute to see my kids sitting down together and watching the fire. It was pretty warm out so now I have an excuse to have Ashley just be in her cute little diaper sometimes. Hee hee.... This night was especially relaxing because we actually had no plans and I was cleaning up after making dinner. Everyone's tummies were full and soft music was playing while the kids were just playing so nice together. I love nights like these. Of course if every night was like this, I wouldn't think these nights were as special and I would take it for granted.

Finally... Ashley Has Pigtails!

I've been waiting for a year and a half to be able to do something with little Ashley's hair besides just letting it look like a mullet. Seriously. Finally one day, while I was doing Ivy's hair, Ashley came up to me in the bathroom. She turn around and motioned for me to do her hair. She even handed me a brush. Okay, cute! She's already been asking me to paint her fingernails and toenails so I thought I'd give it a try. I had just enough to make the pigtails and I was so happy. Yay! After having three boys before any girls, I am so grateful to have girls I can do cute stuff with.

Good Friends Are Hard To Find

My husband and I were having a discussion in our van today while driving home. He asked me what I felt a good friend was. I said that (for me) it was someone who is not temperamental, not easily offended, doesn't overuse their friends, understands boundaries in asking favors, understands that family comes first, loves God, talks respectful and positive of other people, is not cynical, and fun and upbeat to be around! Also that I am able to talk about things close to my heart and they will keep those secrets quiet. I have such a hard time trusting people because I'm so afraid to get betrayed again. It's happened so many times in the past. My husband pointed out some things to me of my characteristics that might scare people. Charles' words:

"With you, it's 'what you see is what you get'. There is no hiding around the bush with you. You don't act one way in front of someone but then secretly think something else about them. If you don't like them, you just don't hang out with them. You don't waste your time. If you have a problem with someone, you are upfront about it rather than go and talk about them behind their back to other people. That is what I love about you is that you are not a fake. You are the same girl at home as you are at church."

He reminded me that although sometimes that can scare people, it's better than being friends to someone who you have no idea if they are talking about you behind your back or they are shallow. I come from a family that doesn't hide around the bush. They just like to have fun, be goofy, be truthful, and be honest about our feelings towards each other or with circumstances. I think this is why I tend to hang with just a friend or two at the most and that I'm happy to just hang out with my husband and kids. I don't like shallow people. I don't waste my time. My dad always told me that if someone is willing to gossip to you about other people viciously, be guaranteed, they will do the same thing to you with their friends. I like my dad's wise words. :) Lately I've been really searching my heart and dealing with things not only in my own heart, but what kind of people I hang out with also. The bible says "Bad company corrupts good morals". I really believe it and I've experienced it as I'm sure everyone has at times. That's just life. I'm not into clicks and will never be a part of one. I look for the person that doesn't have a circle to be in. Sometimes, you find gold in them. They might've just been looked over because of the way they dress, or their style (or lack of it), or that they are shy, or quirky. I pray that God will reveal what things in me are hard to like as I pray that God will bring friends to me that are Godly and can see that the glass is half full! Life is wonderful. I do believe in forgiveness. But where is the line? When do you say, "Okay, now you've crossed the line way too far. I forgive you but that's enough. No more. I can't trust you anymore." This part is hard for me. I've made mistakes and I want to be forgiven also. So where is the line? This part remains hard for me to figure out.

Perfect Lemonade Recipe

It's sooo hot outside where I live so all I could think about was a nice tall glass of homemade Lemonade! After I was done working out at the YMCA this afternoon, I noticed someone had brought a ton of HUGE lemons from their backyard tree. They wanted anyone to take them so we did! As soon as I got home, I went straight to it. :) What I like about this recipe is how you heat the sugar and water together first so all the sugar doesn't go to the bottom. Yum...

Just click on this link for recipe: Perfect Lemonade Recipe

Everybody knows how to make lemonade, right? Squeeze some lemons, add sugar and water. But how to make lemonade so that it tastes right everytime? Here's a surefire method.

Remember the starting proportions - 1 cup of sugar, 1 cup of water, 1 cup of lemon juice.

(This ratio makes a pretty sweet lemonade. Reduce the amount of sugar if you want your lemonade less sweet or if you are using Meyer lemons which are naturally sweeter than standard lemons.)

The secret to perfect lemonade is to start by making sugar syrup, also known as "simple syrup". Dissolving the sugar in hot water effectively disperses the sugar in the lemonade, instead of having the sugar sink to the bottom.

Perfect Lemonade Recipe

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup sugar (can reduce to 3/4 cup)
• 1 cup water (for the simple syrup)
• 1 cup lemon juice
• 3 to 4 cups cold water (to dilute)

METHOD

1 Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely.

2 While the sugar is dissolving, use a juicer to extract the juice from 4 to 6 lemons, enough for one cup of juice.

3 Add the juice and the sugar water to a pitcher. Add 3 to 4 cups of cold water, more or less to the desired strength. Refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes. If the lemonade is a little sweet for your taste, add a little more straight lemon juice to it.

Serve with ice, sliced lemons.

Serves 6

Are You Bored...Yet?

Just in case you are bored, I'll give you a really boring blog to read. This is my boring closet. Just to let you know, I took it all apart, donated lots of stuff, put it all back together, organized my shoes and color coordinated my clothes. See? Boring, huh? I thought it was great! This last month I've been completely going through each room and organizing it. I have to get totally finished because come July, I'll be homeschooling again, and I don't want any clutter ANYWHERE. I'm almost done. I just have my husband's office (which is also the Wii room), the garage, my kid's closet, and the hallway closet and the whole house will officially be finished. :D Yay!

Nana & Papa Come Bearing Gifts

My mom and dad came back from a visit to Mexico bringing these two cute dresses. I love it when something actually comes from THAT place. Like when my relatives went to Hawaii and they came back with a Hawaiian dress that is actually from Hawaii. Such great keep sakes! Before church tonight, I went to hang up these dresses and Ivy started to cry saying that she wanted her Nana to see her wearing it. So I had them both wear them to church. So cute!

Becoming a Mommy (And a Babysitter) The Hard Way

You know, when I was a teen, I said I would never babysit anymore. I didn't like it. Kids scared me and the church couldn't get me to do baby nursery to save my life. No way. In fact, I was such a kid magnet that when I walked in the church doors, all these kids would run towards me and scream "Jennyyyyyy"! Aaagghhh! Seriously, kids scared me. I knew maybe I wanted some... someday. But the thought scared me. In fact, when I got pregnant with my first, I was so terrified, I got scared every time I thought about it. I knew nothing about even changing diapers. I was so slow changing a diaper that Chaz would pee straight up in the air while I was trying to figure out the diaper. I was so sleep deprived but I felt guilty if I took a nap in the day so I wouldn't allow myself. Ha ha! Wow, don't ever do that first time moms. Just sleep while you can! I made it too hot in the house because I was afraid I was freezing my son to death. Now that I think about it, poor little guy would wake up sweaty because I did that. Sheesh. I cried on my Nurse Lactation Consultant's shoulder because I told her I had no idea what I was doing. She just hugged me and told me I'd get a hang of it, sooner or later. For now, just to concentrate on not being engorged and in pain from needing to let baby nurse so badly. Ha! So 8 years later (I'm counting from the time I figured out some basic concepts.... it took awhile), here I am. I've never NOT had a kid in diapers. I take naps when I get my chance, it's like getting beauty sleep for real. I don't mind babysitting, hence the picture you see of Desmond playing on the slide. He was with me the whole week... just because! I figured he'd have fun at our house. I got five kids, one on the way, so what's one more?? He had lots of fun and got spoiled with attention and love. He loved being around the boys. They loved him. I think kids are great and the adults are actually the scarier ones! LOL. No seriously, I could share with you so many crazy stories of my first year as a mom...but I will spare myself the humiliation.

Making Changes

My friend, a fellow blogger, gave me good advice the other day. She said that every year, she evaluates her relationship with people her in life and she cuts off what is not healthy. I felt like for so long I just took so much. Allowed so much to be said to me, really harsh things by they same people, year after year. Why do I go on pursuing relationships that hurt me? It's so weird, but this last year, it's like these relationships, the detrimental flaws, all came to a head at once. I kept putting myself in situations where my family, my homeschooling, my kids, my finances, and my church was questioned and insulted over and over. Why do I do that??? My husband and I both decided that even if it hurts, we have to let go of what is not healthy for us as a family. I don't like to walk around with a guard up all the time. I don't like doing that because it's almost like by doing that, I had to harden my heart. I'm not that kind of a person. I've always been a very positive person. Thank you friend for helping me see what I had to do because I did just that. My pastor says to stay away from people that are always negative. It only pulls you down. I don't want to grow old and become this crotchety and cynical person. I want to be peaceful, fun, thoughtful, growing, and encouraging person. :) My kids and my husband are too precious to allow others to make us feel ashamed for who we are. I'm so incredibly blessed. On a positive note.... I love these pics! We were running more errands and in between driving, while stopped, I would play math questions with them. Of course we had some ice cream too. By the time we got home, the kids were so happy to be out of there seats, they were all happy and being goofy together.