I can't believe it's done...

This junk was a thorn in my side. I hated going in the basement because it taunted me as I let day after day go by without making progress. I decided to just do it last night and with the help of my family we threw away and put away all of this stuff. It is soothing to my already cluttered up soul to walk down there and breath deeply again.

Kev...

Update on my hubby... He is doing well. He's at work everyday. He had a doctor appointment Tuesday and they took his large cast-like thing off and replaced it with a splint. I saw the pin sticking out of his finger (ick) and in about 4 weeks it will loosen and they will pull it out. His finger looked "smashed". I had a hard time looking. His medication was making him "loopy" and I was able to mention it to the doc and they lowered his dose drastically and after that Kev has felt normal. He hardly wants to take the pills because of how they made him feel. He's not really in any pain. Praying God will heal it in a way that it will be usable.

Sharing...

It is better to give than to receive. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Love one another. All these show how we are to extend our hand to others in need. No-one would like to think of themselves as the one in need. I would venture to guess most people would love to be the givers. I know I get a special thrill at Christmas and birthdays when I've found something special for one of the kids. We like to give to our sponsored child in Ecuador, knowing that she is provided for. In the same way we provide for our children and feel a sense of accomplishment our Heavenly Father likes to provide for us. Matthew 7:11 If ye then, being evil (natural) know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?

God in His ever reaching hand of grace and mercy blessed us this week with a sum of money given by a couple local churches for the care of Isaac. We are humbled and thankful for this blessing and give the glory to God. Praise God! It couldn't have come at a better time. Thank you to those who give to others in need. You don't always know what impact you have when you give and those on the receiving end can't always thank everyone who gives.

Impatience...

Kevin calls this picture impatience because that is what he feels caused his accident. He was hooking up the trailer without help thinking he could do it. Here he is with Jordan today, Sunday. When the doctors went in to operate on his finger the damage they found was worse than they originally thought. He has a pin sticking out the end of his finger going all they way down past the second knuckle. It sounds like it will be a few weeks like this. He is having trouble sleeping and is resting today off and on. The pain is less except when he lays down. Thank you again for your thoughts and prayers.

Vision...

We returned from our third day of home school activities. As always it was a fulfilling experience. Seeing people is by far my favorite part of the convention and catching up with friends and meeting new ones. It is also encouraging to see the many new home schoolers with young children just starting the journey. They have a vision of the future for their children and are pursuing this vision by coming to the convention before their children have even entered school age. I am reminded of our home school journey that began 14 years ago when we made the decision to home school Jordan, she was our only child then, three years old. The vision we had then changed over time and now we are near finishing our journey with her. Yet, if you think of the vision, the journey isn't nearly over yet. We do not get to the end of high school and say, "There! We are done! We've done our job and we have no more to do."

Jordan just came to me and is telling me about the purity conference she attended today and says (she did not read my blog post) "She told us about vision; if you don't know what your looking for, you won't know when you find it." I find this funny that she said vision when I was writing about it.

At www.kevinswanson.com you can find more about vision. He was the speaker of the convention and was dynamic, incredible and full of truth, love for the Lord and he has a vision for the future of our country and a future for our children. He has a heart for turning fathers back to their children and putting families back together.

By the way, Kevin is doing well after his surgery yesterday. He was in a lot of pain yesterday and is doing better today. He is supposed to lay down for two days but he finds it hard to do it. It also causes pain for his arm to be flat. It is better to stand up with his arm against his chest. He keeps on cleaning, picking up Lena, helping, etc. I can't get him to stop!

Update...

We have had a busy week so far and I haven't been on the computer once since Sunday. Kevin is doing well. He is at work each day, mostly doing office things. His surgery will be Friday if all things work out for the hospital's busy, busy schedule. They are just swamped there and can't fit him in sooner. He's been in some pain and did hurt his finger yesterday and once today. He has some good pain killers. I can't wait until his finger is correctly together.

We have the busiest week by far this year. As you know we have to leave our van at the end of the drive-way. The sun was out today and it was windy but, we still have an impassable spot and will walk another week or so. Monday, the kids sang at the nursing home for Great-Grandma Gretchen and the other residents. It was real nice. Jordan organized the songs and sang a solo that was beautiful, made me cry. She sang a duet with Em, played guitar with all kids singing, played piano with kids singing, played a couple mandolin songs, played the violin and ended with some piano solos. It was a long day for her. She got real nervous right before we got there. We left there to drop boys off at home and run to the house and get my purse and camera (you know, running to the house meant 1 total mile!!!) and drove to Moorhead for a bridal shower for a dear friend, then walked home in the pitch dark (forgot a flashlight).

Tuesday, Isaac had a computer test for his supplements and all his numbers showed improvement again! Such a praise! His body is really taking over and doing the job again. He still has plenty of supplements but all so good for him; fish oil, digestive enzyme, multi-vitamin, etc. It all helps his body handle the medication and grow and heal. He ran all the way to the van yesterday.

Today was AWANA. Several kids stayed home because most all of us have colds from walking in the cold night weather. Lots of coughing last night and sore throats. Late night and cold walk home again for the rest of us who went.

Tomorrow, transcript boot camp. I'm going to a all day seminar on how to prepare a transcript for Jordan and the rest of the kids so that if they plan to go to college it will be written properly. Then, the home school convention starts tomorrow night with a used book sale. Friday and Saturday the convention is on with sessions all day to listen to and a vendor hall to peruse all the good curriculum out there.

Thanks for praying and thinking of us! God Bless your week friends!