2nd Trip to the Pumpkin Patch

K was so bummed that T got to go to the pumpkin patch on a field trip and she didn't so we planned an afternoon that we would take them both together. So yesterday after Cliff picked up T from school, we went out to Lone Pine Farms. They have a great playground there that the kids love, we were able to pet the goats, play on old tractors and then pick pumpkins.

We considered riding the hayride out to the patch but knew it wasn't too bad of a walk so we headed out. When we came to the pumpkin patch, there was a sign advising that one was closed. So we had to walk about another 1/2 mile to the next patch on the farm. It felt like four times that long. The kids did enjoy all the mud puddles though. K kept stopping and bending over so far that her hair was nearly in the water, she thought she could see horses in the water. Yeah, she's a crazy little girl. :0)

So we finally got to the patch and every pumpkin was so big that there wasn't anything the kids or I could carry. We looked around for about 20 minutes and the kids decided they didn't want one anymore so we walked all the way back.

After some more playing on the playground, we let them go into the store for cookies where they found the pumpkins they wanted. They were the ones that are a few inches high and cost something like $.69. Too bad we didn't know that was all they wanted before we walked all over the farm!

First Ever Field Trip - The Pumpkin Patch

I can't believe my son is old enough to be going on field trips. We had our first one this week and it was to Northern Lights Christmas Tree Farm which also has an awesome set up for a pumpkin patch, hay ride, spider shed (?), massive pumpkins, turkeys, goats, cows, a catapult from which they made 3 pumpkins fly further than I've ever seen and much to the kid's joy, smashed all over the ground. I volunteered to drive for the field trip and by the morning of was deeply regretting it. I woke up feeling awful and sicker than I had felt in a long time. However, I figured it was just a cold and I could tough it out. I am so glad I did, it was a blast! All the kids were able to pick a pumpkin, two gourds and three ears of popping corn. They had different colors of corn, red, white and blue. We are supposed to let it dry for a week, remove the husk and then put it in a paper bag into the microwave and I guess it just pops right on the ear. We'll see if it works.

I'm so glad that I am a stay at home mom and get to participate in things like this. My only complaint, sitting in the rain on a hay bale in the rain didn't help my cold and by that night I was in bed with a fever and have yet to recover. So next time, if I feel sick, I'll send grandma. :0)

WOF Conference 2007

Last weekend my Mom, Aunt Karen, Debi and I made our way to Portland (with a few shopping stops) for the Women of Faith Conference. What an amazing time. I'll admit, the motel (and I do mean MOTEL, not Hotel) lived up to it's 2 star rating but it did have a pretty big TV. Making up for our motel in the ghetto were the 3 Starbucks all within walking distance. Although on Saturday morning as Debi and I were walking to Starbucks we started wondering if people driving by were thinking, "Hm, those two gals must be from out of town. No two women walk alone in this part of town." Nonetheless, the shooting that happened during the night wasn't TOO close to our motel. :0) Okay, enough about the motel.

The first session was Friday night at 7:00. The conference was held at the Rose Garden which held all 18,000 women for the weekend. There were amazing speakers, singers and even someone who performed drama monologues. We laughed A LOT and at times had tears in our eyes. These women had been through a lot and yet they were able to stand up in front of thousands of women and tell their stories. None of their stories were fun ones to share but yet they shared anyway, hopefully benefiting someone else. We were there until 10 o'clock or so Friday night and then back again Saturday morning at 9 o'clock for the next day of speakers. It also was a wonderful day full of laughter. We were able to meet up during the lunch break with my Aunt Kathy and my Aunt Sherri who were there but in a different seating area. Then after the day was done, we met Aunt Sherri for dinner in Portland and then Mom and Karen rode home with her.

I am so glad that I was able to spend this time with my mom, aunts, and Debi - it was a blast. Hopefully we'll be there again next year!

Six of The Best Years of My Life

Yesterday, October 6th, was our six year wedding anniversary. I can't believe it has already been six years. In some ways, it seems as if we've been married for many more years. In other ways, it seems like just a couple of years ago that we went on our first date.

I'm sure most of you know how we met but if not, I'll fill you in. In May of 2000 I was working as a dispatcher for EPD and Cliff was a deputy on the traffic team at LCSO. One of my good friends from work, Crystal, was dating a deputy at LCSO, Dave. Between the two of them they decided that Cliff and I would make a good match. So one evening at a get-together, they asked Cliff if he would be interested in meeting someone Crystal worked with and going on a second date. Cliff said yes much to his own surprise. Looking back now, he says that it must have been God and he knew that maybe I would be the one even before meeting me just because he felt compelled to say, "yes." I was so eager to meet a great guy that I jumped at the chance to meet him even though I was scared to death of a blind date.

Dave & Crystal pretty much planned it. They picked me up at City Hall and we then met Cliff at BJ's restaurant. I can still remember him walking in, dark blue polo shirt, blue jeans, brown shoes and a good looking haircut. I sat next to Crystal, Cliff sat next to Dave. Cliff was a bit quiet, I think because he was nervous. I, on the other hand, tend to talk insanely fast when I get nervous and have no loss for words. Once we were done with dinner we left to go bowling (Cliff held the door for me - SCORE!) Dave rode with Cliff to the bowling alley and I rode with Crystal so I could tell her what I thought of Cliff, I imagine the boys were doing the same.

We went to the bowling alley behind Reed & Cross and bowled a few games. I remember one time sitting down next to Cliff when it wasn't either of our turns, I think I made him nervous by sitting so close. :0) Oh, by the way, he held the door open for me coming to and going from the bowling alley. (Again, SCORE!)

After bowling, Crystal took me to get my car and then we went to Shari's restaurant where we stayed until about 2 a.m. talking about everything, mostly work though. I was hooked, he was so handsome and I wanted to know more and more about him. When it came time to leave, Crystal and Dave rushed to their car and were gone before we could even hardly say anything. Guess this was their tactic so we would be forced to be alone. Cliff nervously asked for my phone number and I eagerly gave it to him. We said good-bye and went to our cars. I was all giddy and nervous, trying to find a good CD to blare on the way home to celebrate my first and hopefully last blind date. Once I picked the perfect CD, I looked in my rearview mirror to back out and realized that Cliff was in his truck, waiting to make sure I left the parking lot okay before he left. (Again, SCORE!) That was when I knew I wanted to marry him. No guy that I had ever dated waited to be sure I was safe, opened my doors or was such a gentleman. Diana and Don brought up a good man.

So obviously he called, we went on a second date (with Carl & Debi), a third (with SWAT guys) and finally a fourth that was just me and him. And the rest is history. I love this man.

These are just a couple of pictures from our date last night for our anniversary. We went to the movies and saw The Kingdom and then went to Lucky Noodle for dinner. We've done these things before but something was different last night, it was an amazing night. We waited for nearly an hour for our table but it didn't matter, we were like a young married couple again and it was incredible.

Trip to the Coast

We spent my birthday and the next couple of days following at a condo on the coast with my parents. It was wonderful! The weather was gorgeous so the kids were able to swim at least once if not twice a day. Of course that meant that we had to swim once if not twice a day but it was fun to do as a family. On the last day we were there the wind had picked up a bit so we would race from the pool to the hot tub, sit there for a bit and then race back to the pool. The kids especially loved the hot tub even if we would only let them be in there for a few minutes at a time. K especially loved being in the big pool and riding on either my shoulders or Daddy's and going around and around the pool. T taught himself how to hold his breath under water and spent most of the time down below the surface. Guess we've got a couple of water frogs who can't get enough of the water!

The second day we were there, Mom and Dad kept the kids so we could go into Lincoln City and I could spend my birthday money. If Cliff wasn't enjoying himself while we were shopping, he didn't show it. He was smiling a lot of the time and let me take all the time I needed, he's such a good man. After shopping we went to Kylos ("our" restaurant) and had a wonderful late lunch sitting at a booth with a view of the ocean. What a perfect day.

We spent a lot of time down on the beach which was just a pathway away from our back patio. T loved looking for cool rocks and it didn't take K long to get into it too. One of the evenings we had a campfire on the beach and made smores, it was my first beach campfire, lots of fun.

We would have been content staying there another week, it was so relaxing. But of course we couldn't stay there forever. Thank goodness my parents invite us to come along with them so much for vacations, we have such a great time and are blessed to have them in our lives.

Best Present EVER

On my birthday last week, September 20th, I received the best gift anyone could have given me, a letter advising that Dr. Redwine is familiar with my endometriosis condition and that he will do surgery if I wish to. This is such a huge answer to prayer after many months of losing hope. He said in his letter that he has seen, "Several cases of scar endometriosis" and that the typical outcome for removal of scar endometriosis is, "Immediate and complete pain relief." Woo-hoo!! He also noted that there, "Really is not any point in being on Lupron (menopause medicine) since everybody knows that this does not treat endometriosis and that scar endometriosis is best treated by surgery." Yea, no more menopause!! So November 1st is the big day. I'll be getting rid of endometriosis and hopefully gaining my life back.

Thank you to all of you who had my in your thoughts and prayers, it worked, I'm going to be healed in ONE MONTH! :0)

Kaleigh Margaret Guest

A week before my cousin Stephanie was due to have a c-section to deliver her second child, she didn't feel like the baby was moving around as much as usual. After calling her doctor, she was directed to go to the hospital as soon as possible. Once at the hospital, she found out the worst news possible, there was no heartbeat.

The next day, Kaleigh Margaret was delivered via c-section weighing in at 7 lbs. 6 oz. and measuring at 19 inches long. She had lots of dark hair and was one of the cutest babies I have ever seen. Her mom and dad, Jeff and Stephanie, and her grandparents, Dale and Jan, plus her sister, Paige, and a few other family members were able to take the time to hold her and spend some special time with her for the first and the last time ever.

Yesterday we attended a funeral for Kaleigh. It was one of the hardest funerals I have ever attended. Such a tiny little baby, taken to heaven, why? I don't understand it. I know the logistics, her umbilical cord had wrapped around her neck but why? Over the past couple of days I have tried to imagine myself in Jeff & Stephanie's position and I just can't. How does one cope with something so devestating? Both Jeff and Stephanie spoke yesterday at the funeral and I was so impressed with them. They aren't angry, just so devestated. They are still trusting in God, and although this is an awful experience, their faith in him remains strong. What an incredible example they are to all of us. At one point during the service they played a song by Natalie Grant, the words are so touching and were so appropriate yesterday.

"Two months is too little.

They let him go.

They had no sudden healing.

To think that providence would

Take a child from his mother while she prays Is appalling.

Who told us we’d be rescued?

What has changed and why should we be saved from nightmares?

We’re asking why this happens

To us who have died to live?

It’s unfair.

This is what it means to be held.

How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life

And you survive.T

his is what it is to be loved.

And to know that the promise was

When everything fell we’d be held.

This hand is bitterness.

We want to taste it, let the hatred numb our sorrow.

The wise hand opens slowly to lilies of the valley and tomorrow.

This is what it means to be held.

How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life

And you survive.

This is what it is to be loved.

And to know that the promise was

When everything fell we’d be held.

If hope is born of suffering.

If this is only the beginning.

Can we not wait for one hour watching for our Savior?

This is what it means to be held.

How it feels when the sacred is torn from your life

And you survive.

This is what it is to be loved.

And to know that the promise was

When everything fell we’d be held.

This is what it is to be loved.

And to know, that the promise was when everything fell, we'd be held"

Kaleigh, even though many of us never had the chance to meet you, you will be greatly missed by us all.

Endometriosis

The online dictionary defines endometriosis as the:

"presence of endometrium elsewhere than womb: a medical condition in which the mucous membrane endometrium that normally lines only the womb is present and functioning in the ovaries or elsewhere in the body"

If I had to define it in my one words based on my experience, here is what I would say,

"Endometriosis is a disease that can take your life. No, it won't kill you - or not at least that I know of but it will take your life. The pain from endometriosis is so extreme that your life is changed dramatically and it is taken from you and is replaced with a sedentary, depressing one."

I am tired of endometriosis stealing my life away. I have a great life. I have an amazing husband whose love for me is so great. I have two beautiful, funny, smart and loving children who love me so much. I have an incredible family who is so supportive during this entire difficult time. And then I have all my friends. Friends who check up on me when I don't return phone calls or e-mails and make sure I'm okay.

So I have decided I'm not going to let endometriosis win. I've gained back weight due to comfort eating, steroid treatments, lupron treatments which put me into menopause, tests and tests and tests. Not anymore. I'm back on plan, have lost 14 pounds in these past two weeks and plan on continuing to lose until every last ounce of this weight is gone.

And as far as the rest of my life, I'm trying with all my might to put a smile on my face, have a cheerful heart and do what I can do to make myself not get so depressed.

I appreciate all the prayers and support that everyone has provided. Even if I don't respond to an e-mail or call back, I appreciate it, all of it.

Inside of me there is a small little corner that has a bit of hope left in it. I sent all my information to a specialist named Dr. Redwine who is the leading expert on endometriosis in the nation and happens to practice in Bend. Hopefully soon I will hear whether or not he'll accept me as a patient and be able to do a surgery to remove this awfulness from my body. I'll keep everyone updated on that as well.

Thank you again for loving me and caring for me.

Riding Bikes

Back in June on Ts birthday, we gave him this awesome bike with training wheels. Cliff and I were so excited to give it to him but then his birthday came and he wasn't the least bit interested in it. Needless to say, we were completely crushed. However, after spending two days at school and riding the tricycles there on the playground, T came to me asking if he could ride his bike. There was no way I was going to let this opportunity get away so I got both of their helmets on and rushed outside with the bikes. I gave Trevor one push and he was off, pedaling away like he'd been doing it for months. I was amazed. K doesn't have it down yet but she tries. Most of the time we just push her and she thinks she's riding herself but that's okay for now. :0)

My School Boy

T is now officially in school. September 5th was his official first day of preschool. He has been waiting for this day to come for such a long time and was so excited to put his backpack on and head to school. Cliff had to work so it was just K and I taking him to his first day. As we were walking up to the school I asked T if he wanted to hold my hand. He quickly replied, "No mom." It was as if he no longer needed me, I wanted to cry. I held off on the tears though. We went to his class and hung his backpack on his hook and he took off to go play. I had to make him come give me a hug and a kiss goodbye. As we were leaving I'm not sure who was crying more, me or K. She so badly wanted to stay with brother. I think maybe she somehow thought that since he was going to school and since they've always done things together, she'd get to go to school too.

Even though it was nearly time to leave for the first day of school, there is always time for silliness. :0)