Kyle's Excellent Day!

Kyle's teacher came over today and Kyle presented her with the quilt we made. She was absolutely thrilled. Pictured above is Kyle and his teacher Theresa (in the middle) and her daughter Bethany. Bethany and Kyle have known each other for years. I am very much for home schooling, but I do have a high regard for teachers. Especially those who work with kids like Kyle. Theresa has the same kids for sometimes 5-6 years. She had Kyle for 5. Kyle signed the back of her quilt himself. We added the "h" later...he got ahead of himself. His finger is covering his last name, which he insists on signing every time he writes his name. While Kyle was having a great visit with Theresa, Kyle's doctor called. Not the nurse but the actual Doctor. He is a very compassionate man and had his nurse work hard today. Kyle has an appointment with a Neurologist on Jan. 3rd. Praise God!!! It is a good neurologist, who really had every right NOT to take us. Kyle sees a doctor outside her group and these groups stick together. We have 3 major hospitals in our city all with their own group. Anyway, life is better. We have to go to the family docs office on Wednesday for some blood work, and the doc wants me to continue watching Kyle...no open staircases, no cement floors, etc. but he thinks Kyle's seizure had ALOT to do with him watching video games and then not getting a full nights sleep. He was up late the night before and then up early. This alone would not cause it, but mix it with the video game and there is a problem. The young man he was watching had a grand mal seizure 7 days earlier than Kyle while playing the video game. This young man has no history of seizures. No coincidence! Thank you all for your prayers and good thoughts. Please continue to pray for Kyle when he is brought to mind.

I got a new friend last night. Introducing Hazel! Isn't she pretty?? She is a HARD worker too. She has a special lever for hard floors that makes the beater brush stop. The suction is so good she gets "stuck" if I stand her still for a minute. On carpet she is a WHIZ! She is so powerful, it is a workout for me. Best thing is she is fast and efficient! I really like her!

I may not get another chance to post before Christmas, so to all of you...Merry Christmas and blessings to you as you celebrate the birth of our Saviour.

I leave you with pictures of TJ, whose new word is "beautiful". He says it for everything...beautiful lights, beautiful tree, beautiful Grandma! (Notice my Christmas tree ornaments OFF the tree and on the coffee table!)

Back On Track

Ok, so I repented and now I feel better. Forgive my previous rant post. Kyle's family doctor's office called back and will continue to find him a specialist. They will continue to see him even though he is 100% medical card. Oh how horrible for our disabled, what they must endure.

Onto other things. It is 1 am. Kyle wakes up EVERY NIGHT at 12:30 to go potty. I did not know this, but for the last several nights he has slept in my room, like clockwork he gets up at 12:30. So therefore I get up at 12:30. Tonight I could not go back to sleep, so here I am. Joni and the Farmer made the kids day today!! They received this wonderful game. Zach can read now. Did I mention that? When the package came, he met the mailman at the door, tipped him 11 cents, and read the package. He knew it was from Joni and it was addressed to our last name, so he opened it. Charlotte came in on it too. It was ok...it gave them HOURS of fun! Thanks Joni. She received my package today too. Remember those cute girls? They were for Joni. Here is Rachel, modeling Joni's apron.

Joni does not raise this kind of cow, but Zach insisted right in the middle of the fabric store that "Joni loves ALL cows!" He seemed horrified that I would even question it. I do believe she does love all cows.

I spent yesterday morning making Cinnamon rolls for Sweet Hubby to take to work. These are a long drawn out process, but so worth it. Not a healthy snack...they contain 2 pounds of butter...8 sticks!! (2 are in the icing) I filled 3 disposable cake pans for Sweet Hubby to take to work in the morning. The above picture is taken just before the final rise. They turned out beautiful and the cream cheese frosting is the BEST EVER!

Wednesday, I received a beautiful fabric post card from Linda. My first ever! It is gorgeous Linda! Thank you! I also wanted to share Charlotte's new quilt design. She did it herself. She also drew a laptop on a piece of paper and asked me if I would help her think of her new blog name!!! Boy, they really watch us don't they!? Her quilt design has a Spring/Winter theme...I think applique will be her thing! She started with the butterfly theme, but like her mother, needed to "move on" and added snowmen. She was very proud of it, and she should be! I was honored with an award from Angelina and wanted to share it. This award was created by Kelley and you can read more about it here.

She says:

When the girls and I want to express our mutual admiration in public we say ‘Less than Three’ . The symbol forms a sideways heart, representing love.

I pass this award on to the blogs I read. I trust you will grab this award and post it. I am so thrilled with all the quilter's that took the "treasure" award. Keep passing it to other quilt related blogs. They are all such a treasure!

Oh, and last but not least, my apron swap partner got her apron, so I can share it with you. And a scrunchi to match!!

A Rant and A Rave

My first official rant!! I need to repent, but will do it after this post. The Neurologist's office called and informed me that "Dr. S. will be unable to see Kyle, as he has reached his quota of these kinds of patients for the year. You may however, take him to Crusader Clinic, where they have a wonderful Neurologist." First let me say, Crusader Clinic is our city's homeless clinic. I would not take my dog there. I know...not a very Christian attitude. Well God does not want to see His Prince Kyle go there either! This is a battle I am willing to fight. When I was told this by the "compassionate" nurse, I replied in a not so nice way. First I asked her what kind of patients are "these"? I did not wait for an answer, but said "I assume you are referring to patients like my son. Those who were disabled by the medical community in the first place. Those who had responsible hard working parents who paid their insurance premiums even though they could have gotten "free" medical. Those who like my son, have a life threatening illness, not a cold, and need to beg to see a "good" doctor, only to be turned away like scum. Those patients, who for the rest of their lives, will be dependent on some type of government hand out and then have the privilege of being treated like TRASH!!!! Are you referring to THOSE kinds of patients????" By the end of that tirade I was not speaking softly. The "compassionate" nurse on the other line quietly, in almost a whisper said "I am not suppose to tell you this but one of our associates will see you if you drive to D***** (a town an hour from here), but he is in India until the end of January." I took a DEEP breath and kindly responded that I would not require the services of any associates and that I would appreciate her passing on my Christmas greetings to Dr. S. I have a call into my family doc (who I wonder now if HE will see us as Kyle had insurance the last time he was in for a check up over the summer). I have learned I am prejudice. I have a real hard time with scum. Not poor people..I have been one step up from poor. My own son is poor. No, but those who suck off the system to get what they can. People like the womb and the vampire. (somehow I can turn ANY situation into THEIR fault! Not rational, I know) Because of them my son can not get medical treatment for a potentially dangerous condition. AND then I get treated like I am one of them! Can you BELIEVE he had a GRAND MAL seizure on Sunday...today is Thursday and he is still not being treated???? I am typing this in tears of frustration and fear. MY mom called to say the Legos she wanted to get Zach were out of stock. Oh My Gosh...I was so mean to her. I need to apologize. I told her I could give a (insert expletive) if they had legos! I need a NEUROLOGIST for Christmas!

Well that is the end of my rant and rave!! I had some really cool stuff to share, a beautiful fabric post card from a dear friend, Charlotte's new quilt design, Cinnamon rolls made for my husbands office breakfast tomorrow, a new award from a sweet blogger, and my apron received by my swap partner. Sorry. I don't have it in me today. Thanks for listening.

Big Loser!!!!

Eating to Live...not living to eat.

This is my plan for 2008. The same as about a trillion other Americans. We ARE FAT! I am tired of being fat. I lose and gain the same 30 pounds once a year. It is really hard to lose that 30 but somehow it goes back on so easy. I do not think it is healthy to lose and gain that 30 pounds over and over either. Now since I quit smoking over a year ago, I have put on 40 pounds, but let me tell you...it has gone on my body in a very different way. My middle use to be thin...I had that hour glass shape to me even when I was heavy. Now I have no shape...more like an apple. Since I started baking I have added even more inches. Baking is not bad...will power, or lack of it, is what is bad. One of the fruits of the Spirit is "self control" I have none where sugar is concerned. I love sugar. It makes me feel good...for a second, then the after effects are terrible. I get rapid hard heartbeats after eating anything with High Fructose Corn Syrup...it is called dumping syndrome and is awful. Ketchup, unless organic, makes me very ill. I get tired and need a "nap" after eating sugary treats. Of course I do not eat just 1 cookie, and my "slice" of pie is equal to 1/4 of the entire pie...those "slivers" add up! So what to do??? I have done Atkins and lost 63 pounds. I did not eat a piece of bread, noodle, or potato for an entire year. I looked GREAT! and felt really good too. Problem is my body can not flip flop back and forth...I need a lifestyle change. A program that is something I can live with for the rest of my life. I have had great success with Body For Life in the past. Not as many pounds came off but I changed my body in a way that I actually saw "definition". I also felt good. Weight Watchers is a great program too. Not for me. I feel sick on it. I am thinking I will go back to Body For Life. This will mean LOTS of work and I will need to get the treadmill back up somewhere, somehow. Here are my 2 cookbooks that will become my best friends.

Bill Phillips designed the Body For Life program and his cookbook, Eating for Life has some great recipes. The Biggest Loser cookbook has many also and they are easily used in the Body For Life program. PLUS...Angie has lived this program and can encourage me along the way. My first goal...50 pounds. I am even going to put one of those little tracking deals on my sidebar to keep track of pounds lost. I will not blog on a regular basis on this subject as, "WHO CARES!", but I may do a weekly update on my progress. I am old. Too old to be raising little kids and be fat along with it. So far, at 47, I have had no surgeries in my life, I am not on any medications, and have no health issues to speak of. I am testing God here if I keep on the path of obesity.

On the quilting front, I am finishing up the binding on Kyle's gift quilt. His teacher is coming Friday (she thinks) and he will give it to her then.We still have not gotten Kyle into see a Neurologist. I cried on the phone to the nurse and I think she will talk to the doc herself. I was so completely horrified. We have paid insurance premiums on Kyle for 21 years. We have paid 20 % plus copays of all his medical care (which has been extensive), all the while he qualified for medical assistance. We chose not to do this as he is our son and we felt to take from our government when we did not need to was wrong. After Kyle graduated at 21, our insurance dropped him. He now HAD to have a medical card. Well guess what?? When you have a medical card, you do not get in to a doctor just because you have a referral from your family doctor and you need to see a specialist. NEVER have I felt like such a...what's the word?....LOSER in my life (and not the weight loss kind). So after crying to this lady about how we did the "right" thing for years, only to now be treated second class because we HAVE to have a medical card, was heartbreaking for my son, she changed her tone and said she would take care of it herself and call me back this afternoon. Pray that Kyle is seen SOON. I am off to spend my Wednesday with Sweet Hubby and the kids...it is our Saturday, and hopefully get some more sewing done on this binding.

Awards

Lib gave me these awards today. I am honored and love to visit her blog. I had to look up the word bodacious as I am an old fuddy dud and was not sure of the meaning. Here is what I found.

Bodacious can mean:
A full-figured female body shape, also known as a voluptuous or Rubenesque figure
Bodacious the Bull
In CB radio jargon, a general-purpose word of praise
A variety of iris (plant)
Extremely cool, most excellent, "that is bodacious!"



I have a feeling the award has the definition of "extremely cool, most excellent." So I will give this to the blog that I think is "Bodacious".... Charlene....Living Life Outloud. Just the name of her blog is really cool! (Also, if you are "voluptuous" feel free to take this award!)


Now the treasure award...based on my post from yesterday, "Quilters" I want to give this award to all the quilting blogs out there! PLEASE take it if you have a blog and you are a quilter! I plan to visit you and want to SEE this, otherwise you will prove my point that unless you are NAMED, awards are not taken. SO...again, if you are a quilter and you blog take this award and pass it on to other treasured blogs. Don't let this one die. If I see no one took it, I will be forced to come back and list the entire quilt ring membership...please do not make me do that!
Thank you again Lib!!

Tackle It Tuesday

Today's Tackle It Tuesday....wrapping gifts. This is a definite tackle for me, as I would rather scrub a row of public toilets than to wrap a present! I think a beautifully wrapped gift is a work of art. I am not gifted at gift wrapping! BUT....it has to be done, so I tackled it with the help of my assistants. All 3 kids helped me and we got it done. I still need to wrap their gifts, but that will happen one night after they are all tucked in their beds, with visions of sugarplums.....you get the idea.
NO PEEKING!!!!

Quilters

What is it about quilters? We can be from all different parts of the world, have different faiths and beliefs, be different age groups, have entirely different upbringings, have completely different views on politics, yet we all have the same "something". What is it?? It is a kindred spirit for sure. I am a Christian. Period. I have a deep faith in Christ and believe in one God. Someone else that shares my same views, speaks my same language (spiritually), a person whom I am connected to in the spirit as a sister, and as long as we agree on every other thing, life is peachy. Disagree on one point and all hell breaks loose, literally. Christian's can learn something from quilter's. I know a sister in Christ who turned on me so fast my head spun!! You may say "Well, she was not a true Christian." I think she was. I also know an atheist quilter, who is one of my greatest cheerleaders, no matter if she agrees completely with my view or not. Now I am not saying anything bad about Christian's, most quilter's I know are Christians also, but a dear wise woman pointed out that old adage to me "Christian's are known for shooting their own wounded." Why? Why do we do that? And why are quilters more apt to get along with each other? That same wise woman said, "Quilters like to put things together, make pieces fit and turn them into something beautiful, that is what makes them different." That hit a chord deep inside of me. I learned something today. Like a quilter's heart that wants everything to work out, to fit together, to work out something beautiful, I want to be known as a Christian that is like a quilter. Visit some quilting blogs if you do not already do this. You will see a common thread (no pun intended) running among all of them. You will be blessed by each and everyone and you may even learn a thing or two from a non-believer...yes, it can happen!