Another Update Post

Sewing Update: I decided to play around with my 2008 challenge. Every year I try something new. Sometimes it sticks and sometimes it doesn't, but I like to broaden my horizons every once in a while. This year I learned bags and aprons. 2008, I want to learn to knit.Karolee encouraged me that I could do this, so I decided to just "play". It was quite painful to watch. I am incredibly slow and there is no needle clicking going on. My tension was off the first row and now I think I have the hang of it. I do not enjoy purl stitches, but I will get the hang of those too. Kid's Update:

Kyle, Charlotte, and Zach are all doing well. Kyle needs to work, but we are still waiting for his funding. Pray for him to be patient as this is taking much longer than we thought. The State of Illinois is not his best friend right now. Charlotte is doing well in school. She is doing her very first major book report. Learning to write an outline and then put in into book report form. I enjoy that, but I am not sure she is having much fun with it. She will make a lapbook also. She has read the first 3 Little House on the Prairie books and I told her she could choose one to do the report on. She chose "Farmer Boy". I was quite surprised. Hmmmm.

Zach is an ace in math and loves to read. He is smart as a whip, though he does not trust himself to follow the instructions independently. Tuesday he did his math worksheet at my dresser while I made my bed and cleaned my room.

Homemaking Update:

Thanksgiving preparations are well underway. Here is TJ's Thanksgiving "napkin."

My little 1lb bread machine will not do the job of all those rolls, so I will go get one from my mom's house (she never uses it) and have 2 going at once. I did my grocery shopping again this week. By the way, we are eating wonderfully. Lots of healthy, well balanced, tasty, homemade meals. Last week, you will remember I was only $6 over my budget. Well this week I came home with $29 in my pocket!! I even bought some spices for my baking cupboard, and a 9 lb pork tenderloin which I cut up and froze for 4 different meals in the future. Yesterday, I baked 2 loaves of home made bread, 2 apple cobblers and made meatballs and Spaghetti using the sauce from last week that I made from scratch and froze. It was suppose to be bierock night, but we had company for dinner and I was afraid to try a new-to-me meal on company! (Blogger will not let me fix the text size here...does anyone else have trouble with Blogger's moodiness?) Spiritual Update: I am feeling very blessed. I do not know if it is the Thanksgiving season, or if I am just feeling that, always coveted, contentment wash over me, but I feel very blessed.

Family Update:

My sister in law Sherry (she taught me to quilt) and her husband, Scott are in from Colorado. This morning is Shane's adoption! They came for dinner last night and brought their 2 youngest with them. Conner is 5 and he and Zach became fast buddies! Shane is 15 months old. He shares the same womb as Charlotte and Zachary. I mentioned him in my post, "My Zachary". He is such a cutie...an elf almost. He is only 14 pounds (but not skinny) and just under 2 feet tall. He will be seeing a growth specialist. It seems so strange to watch him walk around...he looks to little to walk. Rachel was so thrilled to see him. For those of you who do not know, my son and daughter in law kept Shane for his first 6 months until he could leave the state to go with his new family. He was very drug addicted and Rachel did a wonderful job of getting him through those tough months.

Sherry is a blessing to this little guy. She is 57 and has adopted 2 babies in the last 5 years. I am trying to think of how many kids she has raised....4 bio/5 adopted and then there were SO many teen kids that she fostered. She lives on a mountain; a 45 minute drive from town, so troubled teens did well out there. Sherry lost her last husband in a plane crash they were both in. Scott, her husband of 11 years is an angel. He is so gifted with kids. About a year and a half ago, Scott was diagnosed with esophageal cancer. He underwent surgery, which required a month in California, and months of chemotherapy, and though it was very difficult, he was cancer free for a time. About 5 months ago, the doctors gave Scott 6 months to live. He is fighting cancer in 4 places in his body. He is fighting with natural treatments and they actually seem to be working. A biopsy of one tumor showed very few living cancer cells, but lots of dead ones. His weight is way down (he use to be fluffy), and he suffers with pain and other digestive related symptoms. PLEASE pray for Scott. He is 43 years old. He is a blessing to anyone who knows him.