All I Want For Christmas Is My "OLD" Two Front Teeth

All of us know people that just seem to always have it together. The kind of people that have all the luck. The people that happen to walk into a store only to find out they are the 1,000,000th customer and win a huge shopping spree. The people that get a letter in the mail one day that tells them their great, great uncle just died and left them a fortune. The kind of people that have it so good it almost seems unnatural.

We are not those kind of people.

If there is anything crazy, unusual or just plain weird that is going to happen, it is probably going to happen to us.

If something that is outrageously expensive is going to happen, again it is probably going to affect us.

At approximately 10:00 am this morning I got a phone call from the Faith Community Center where Isaak was at his first day of Winter Camp. He was there for all of 90 minutes before he fell in the locker room on the wet shower floor before going swimming only to break his two front permanent teeth almost in half. We had to rush him to the dentist and thankfully there was no damage to the roots or blood supply but he did have to get temporary resin caps to even out his teeth. He will have to have them replaced several times before he can get permanent ones, probably by the age of 11 or 12.

How much might one of these TEMPORARY caps cost, you might be asking yourself. Only $214. Oh yeah, that is for one tooth. We had to have two, and x-rays, and an exam......

Seeing how we have already met our out of pocket maximum for the year on our health insurance which is $10,000, it only seems fitting that it was a dental accident and of course have no dental insurance.

New Nazarene Abstinence Program

I wrote a curriculum a few years ago for an abstinence plus program. Part of the project was to come up with practical suggestions for teens to deter them from having sex. Had this product been available then, it would have for sure been at the top of the list. Maybe this snuggie could be a requirement for all lock-ins and crazy nights.

Snuggie Commercial

The link takes a few seconds, but then you have to watch the video of the commercial. My favorite part is when the family is outside at a sporting event. Priceless!!

I Was Wrong

It was bound to happen sooner or later. I was wrong. Let me explain...

Friday night Dave and Gloria Powell and Brett and I went to Peru for the Colosseum Combat to watch Shawn Tague fight. He does cage fighting and I had already made up my mind that it was going to be terrible. I was expecting it to be in some backwoods barn where you had to know the secret knock just to get in the door. I anticipated the lowest of low lives and that it would be a night filled with horror. I was wrong.

I had decided long before the fight that this sport is wrong in every way. I made it out to be something that is no more than a glorified street brawl where angry and possibly psychotic men go to either beat someone up or be beaten up. I again was wrong.

I speculated that the only kind of people that could possibly enjoy watching this kind of violence probably fit into one or more of these categories; redneck, ex-con or mentally ill. For the third time, I was wrong.

I was prepared for the worst and instead it was not that bad, in fact, I actually enjoyed it. It was nothing like I expected it to be and I am so glad that I was a "big girl" about it and just went.

Shawn's fight was by far the highlight of the whole night. The first several fights were over in a matter of seconds, but Shawn's lasted almost 5 minutes. He ended up tapping out because the other guy had him in an arm bar, but he really was amazing. It was so great to see Shawn in his element. He had a peace about him that I have missed seeing and am grateful for. And little miss Cheri...she was right there at ring side cheering him on. I don't know how she did it. I would have climbed over the top after the first hit. She was so proud of him. It was a good night!!

I guess the lesson here is that things are not always what they seem and that sometimes you just have to step out of your comfort zone and give it a try. You might actually like it.

Hmmm.....I wonder if they have a women's cage fighting league?

On Your Mark, Get Set......

Go!!!!!

Black Friday is almost here!!! Some people train months for marathons and Super Bowls, I train for the biggest shopping day of the year. Since I am an expert in this field I thought I would offer a few tips for the amateurs out there. Now pay attention as these could very well save your life if caught in a mob of early morning shoppers.

1. Go early or stay home. They don't call them door buster deals for nothing. If you are not there when they open at 4a.m., then just don't bother.

2. Be prepared. If you go in there not sure where you are going or what you are looking for you are going to be devoured. Professionals such as myself get the Black Friday ads online a week in advance and have our list prepared. I like to go to the stores on Wednesday night to see where everything on my list is. The retailers can be just a bit tricky with where they locate high demand items. It might seem extreme to some, but this extra step could make the difference between you getting that top selling item to give as a gift or giving a fruit cake. Once you make your plan stick to it. They will try to woo you and confuse you by sparkly things and big sale signs, but don't fall for it. Get in, get the deals, get out and move on to the next store.

3. Dress for success. This is no time to look cute or hip. Tennis shoes are a necessity as well as dressing in layers that are easy to remove, but not too bulky to carry. Oh yeah, and leave your coat in the car. As cold as it might be to stand in line outside Kohl's at 3:45 a.m., you will be glad you are not wearing it or trying to carry it while you are standing in line for an hour waiting to pay.

4. Refuel often. This is no day for diets or eating healthy. A serious work out like this needs serious stamina. Just as marathon runners carb load before a race, I like to Diet Pepsi load early, then follow that by a Cinnabon a few hours in. The right combination of food and drink can make or break the day. You need to stay hydrated, but the last thing you want is to discover you need to potty really bad when you are 10 minutes from the front of the line and 45 minutes from the back of the line.

5. Know your limits. Don't be embarrassed if by 5 pm you are exhausted and sleep deprived. You can not expect to be a pro over night. If you must call it an early night, congratulate yourself on your accomplishment and remember that there is always Saturday door busters and Cyber Monday.

6. Finally, remember to be nice. Make friends with the people in line around you. You are going to be spending the next 30-90 minutes with them, why not chat a bit. It might just so happen that you forgot something on your list and they will hold your place in line while you run and get it. Be polite and gracious to the store employees. When you ask them if they have more Tickle Me Elmo's in the back, they might actually look if you ask them nicely. Remember it is not the cashiers fault that you stood in line for 90 minutes or that your item did not ring up the right price. They just scan it and push the buttons. Give them a break and a smile. If you are going to complain about the line or the enormous number of people, go home.

Stay strong, stay focused and you will be alright....hopefully.

Grateful

I was running just a few minutes late to pick Isaak up from school the other day when I took a "short" cut through a neighborhood only to get stopped behind a school bus. As I waited and waited I could not imagine what was taking so long for this kid to get off the bus. Seconds turned to what seemed like hours before I got the first glimpse of the boy. He had crutches that fit around his arms and as he would move one crutch up the driveway, his leg would drag behind. Each step was labored and deliberate. As I watched him struggle I could almost feel the pain of each movement. All of the sudden, my problems did not seem so big.

I have spent the last few weeks so immersed in feeling sorry for myself that I have lost sight on just how blessed I am. This situation with Isaak is bad, but it is not the end of the world. I am so grateful for a God that lets me pout and waits patiently for me to come back to him. I am also so thankful for my family. I love them so much and when I consider that the love that I have for them can not even compare to the love that God has for them I feel such comfort. I know that we are living in the midst of his plan for us and that his ways and thoughts are so much higher than mine.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and thank you for your comments and prayers. I pray that as you celebrate Thanksgiving you will be near those you love and that you will be reminded of just how much God loves you. Grace and peace be with you all!!

Heartbroken

These past few months have been very hard on our family. Isaak turned 7 in October, and with his birthday came a heartbreaking realization that he is not going to "outgrow" his autism. Isaak's official diagnosis is "autism with co morbid bipolar disorder". That is a lot of terminology to use for a seven year old.

This isn't just a phase or a stage. It is his life, therefore it is our life. This thing, this autism, it is incurable. We can never love him enough or spoil him enough or wish it away enough for it to leave. We have prayed and prayed and begged and pleaded with God, but it is still here.

The one thing that I hate more than anything in this world lives in one that I love the most. I am having a very hard time dealing with that.

I see all of these other families around me and I am so jealous of the life that they live now and the future that they will have. Autism didn't just take something away from Isaak, but it stole something from me. It took away that chance for me to be the mom that I had always dreamed of. As much as I tell myself that I am mad at the situation, I would be lying if I didn't admit that I am mad at God. I am mad the He let this happen, that He would let a 7 year old be so conflicted in his mind. I know intellectually that God did not "do" this to him or us, but it is hard to tell that to my emotions.

It took me 5 years to get pregnant with Isaak and when I found out I was finally pregnant it was truly a dream come true, but why did it have to end there. I know that so many people would read this and think that it is terrible to have these feelings, that I should just be thankful that God gave us a child at all. I can understand that viewpoint, but you have not lived this life. It is hard for a mom that isn't in my shoes to know what it is like to have your child look at you and yet you know it is not them that is looking back. When Isaak is cycling it isn't him that is there. Isaak is sweet, caring, loving, nurturing and a good friend. This other boy is mean, hateful, destructive, aggressive, deceitful and angry. We live half of our lives with this stranger and the other half waiting in fear of his return.

I know that I am rambling, but it has been a very long and hard day. I got called to school today because Isaak got in trouble for lying to his teacher ( again) and because he had been in trouble before, today he had to get a spanking from the principle. I have never felt so terrible. I had to sit in the office while I heard him screaming and crying, knowing what was going to happen. After his spanking they called me in and he just looked confused. It is a look that I will never, for the rest of my life, ever forget. I know, in my head that it was the right thing to do, but my heart is broken.

I keep coming back to the word of this song......

I waited for you today, but you didn't show..
I needed you today, so where did you go...
You told me to call, you said you'd be there...
I cried out with no reply and I can't feel you by my side
So I'll hold tight to what I know, you're here and I'm never alone

Politics......

Just like everyone else, I can not wait for the election to be over. I still am unsure of who I am voting for and probably won't be sure even after I vote. The thing that has been so interesting to me about this election process is how much Isaak understands, or at least hears about, the whole thing even at the age of 7.

The other day on the way home from Parent Teacher Conferences we were telling him that we saw one of his classmate's parents there. Brett said something about the Dad being different and we were laughing. Then Isaak laughed and said "Yeah, I think he is a democrat or something" He of course has no clue what that means, but has picked up on the fact that there are different political parties and that for most people one is the right way and one is wrong. It is amazing what they pick up....

Blog Loser :(

I feel like such a looser that I have not posted anything in so long. I have soooooooo much on my mind right now, but not enough time tonight to make it coherent enough for anyone else to understand. So for the time being I will pose this thought provoking, and possibly life altering question. This one happens to be my favorite from the random questions that come up on the profile screen.

If you could rename the ring toe, you know the one next to the pinkie toe, what would you name it?

Update on Dave

I talked to Gloria on Saturday and Dave is home from the hospital. His surgery went well but he will have to be given antibiotics through a PIC line for 2 more weeks. They go to the infectious disease Dr. on Monday to find out just what it was that caused the crazy infection. Continue to keep the Powell's in your prayers.

As a funny side note, Isaak has been really excited to go and buy his invitations for his birthday party. On the way to church this morning he asked if he and I could " skip the funeral part and leave after sunday school." What he meant was the sermon. I hope Pastor Troy wouldn't be offended :)

Pray for Dave Powell

Hey everyone!! I just got off the phone with Dave Powell and he is going in for surgery as I type. I guess he has an infection in his hip joint that they just found today using an MRI and by taking a sample of fluid. I don't know much more than that, Gloria was literally dropping him off at the front door of the hospital when he called. He is at Home Hospital and will be staying at least one night. Please keep him in your prayers!!

Strange

Today has been very strange. Could it be that everyday is this weird and I am just taking extra note of it today? Maybe, but nevertheless something is going on.

• My day began with reading this bumper sticker on the way to take Isaak to school:

"A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle"

• While at Goodwill this morning (my favorite place to go) a woman in front of me in line bought a purple sweatshirt. Just as she was finished paying and the cashier named "Joye" (that had about as much Joy as roadkill) handed her the receipt, she sat her purse down on the floor and told Joye she was going to try it on. After she already bought the sweatshirt, she tries it on and decides that it is too small. Hello!!!!! Are we missing something here. Generally you try things on either before you purchase them or in the privacy of your own home once you get there. So the lady decides to return the sweatshirt, for which Joye is not exactly thrilled about and has to call her manager, who must have been on sabbatical because it took him forever to get there. Crazy!!!!

• When I went to pick Luke up a preschool today at Brady Lane Church of Christ I ran into the bathroom really quick. On my way out there is a huge sign on the back of the door that says "No Smoking". Really, do you think? You mean you are not supposed to smoke in the bathroom at church. The worst part is that it was printed off the computer and laminated by hand, meaning at some point in time smoking in the women's restroom at church must have been enough of a problem to warrant the creation of such a sign.

Crazy!!!

Viewer Discretion Advised

I have this kind of " rule" I guess you would call it that I don't watch anything on TV that I could not watch with my kids, even after they go to bed at 8:00 pm. This "rule" of mine pretty much eliminates 99.7% of whats on. Last night while flipping through the channels, I must confess I broke my own rule.( And no, it was not the new Levi 501 Buttonfly ad. )

I have posted the link, I think, to get to the clip from the show, the Colbert Report on Comedy Central. It is called Better Know a Lobbyist : Atheist and is an interview with a leader from the Secular Coalition. I will warn you now, it has very raw humor that some might find offensive, but I find the point behind it to be very well made.

http://www.comedycentral.com/colbertreport/videos.jhtml?videoId=180127

One Man's Trash......

I recently bought a small piece of pottery(5in. x 3in.)at a garage sale for $.50. I just sold it a few minutes ago on Ebay for $163.55. Who says I don't have a job?

A New Found Sense of Security

I saw a bumper sticker today that said,

Fat People Are Harder to Kidnap

I have never felt safer :)

Thou Shalt Not Covet Thy Neighbors......

Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors.... recycling award?

As I was pulling into our court last Friday morning I saw a sign in our neighbor's yard that says " A Recycling Champion Lives Here". Well, if he got one then I was sure there would be one in our yard, probably even a bigger one with flashing lights, solar powered of course.

As you can probably guess, no sign. Nothing but 4, yes I said 4, empty blue recycling bins. We recycle everything! Not one thing is allowed to be put in the trash can that does not get checked for it's recycleablity ( is that a word?). We take our responsibility to our planet very seriously and are proud to be "green". However this time we are green with envy.

I am still holding out hope that they are saving the really big signs for Monday, when the Mayor himself can deliver them along with a ticker tape parade of biodegradable paper, but we will see. I am trying to be a big girl about this, but there is that ever so slight desire to put the empty toilet paper roll in the regular trash just for spite.

Wedding Photo Scandal

When I find out which one of our relatives released this copy of our wedding photo to the media, there are going to be some serious consequences and repercussions.

Shut Up So I Can Hear What You Are Saying

"God created man, Sam Colt made him equal"

That is what I was staring at as I waited in line to drop Isaak off at school today. The truck in front of me in line had this bumper sticker as well as some other NRA stickers and I have been thinking about it all day.
Faith Christian School is such an amazing place. There is such a feeling of warmth and genuine interest in our children there. Every morning, rain or shine, the teachers take turns lining up along the drop off lane and they wave the American Flag as the cars drive by. It is almost like a parade that welcomes the kids to school each day. Today, however, I was just struck by this dichotomy between that guys bumper sticker and the values of the school that he willingly pays a lot of money for his son to attend. I am not at all debating the gun issue, that is not my point. What I am wondering is how much what we do, what we say and what other people see when they look at our lives causes people to get a mixed message.

"Shut up so I can hear what you are saying" was something that a teacher I had in high school would say. He was referring to the fact that our actions really do speak louder than words. We all have heard that a thousand times and most of us would agree with that. But what about what we don't necessarily do, but how other people see us in general. I know that people are always going to have an opinion of us and to some extent we can not control what other people think about us, but where does our responsibility lie in sending these mixed messages.

Let me give you another example. A few years ago I was sitting outside on campus waiting for a class to begin when I saw an older woman driving a van that had several Pro Life bumper stickers on the back of it. There must have been at least 8 or 10 different anti-abortion stickers plastered all over the van which is why it caught my attention in the first place. What caused me to remember it three years later is that the woman had two younger kids in the middle row of seats and she was smoking, with the windows rolled up. I am sure that she felt like putting the stickers on the back of her van was sending a message to people that she believes we should protect the life and health of all children, but what I saw was someone who did not even care about the two children sitting directly behind her breathing the second hand smoke.

I have been pondering these two situations all day and trying to figure out just what God is trying to teach me here. I know that He has put these images in my mind and on my heart for a reason, I am just waiting to realize exactly what that is.

........ to be continued.

186 Minutes

186 minutes doesn't seem that long, it is only a bit over three hours, but today it might as well be a lifetime. 186 minutes ago I said goodbye to Isaak at school for his first day of 1st grade. His first day of all day school, my first day to be without him all day. In the weeks leading up to today, I have been excited about him starting school. I have been looking forward to the break, longing for it at times. Today I am not at all excited, but instead sad and worried and just a little bit lonely.



I was sure he would want me to walk him in to school today, but not the case. He really wanted me to just drop him off and drive away. Leave him all there by himself to find his way to his class? What if he got lost? Went into the wrong class? Spent the whole day in 6th grade before somebody noticed he was in the wrong place.



What if he is scared? What if he is not making new friends? What if he had to play alone at recess? Can he get his shirt tucked in and belt fastened back all by himself? This is his first time eating lunch at school and he decided to take his lunch today. What if he is still hungry? What if he spills something all over him? Can you get salmonella poisoning from peanut butter and jelly?



All of these worries numb me and what I really want to do is jump in the car, drive to the school and steal just a glimpse of him. Just to check on him, make sure he is alright.

But I won't.

Instead I will spend the day offering little prayers of protection and safety for him and sanity for myself. I know he will be OK and I will be to, in about 225 minutes when it is time to pick him up.

An Answer to Prayer

Just wanted to update everyone on Luke. We went to the neurologist on Monday and he was really pleased with the results of all of his blood work and his latest MRI. He seemed extremely positive and his thought is that Luke is getting better from a neurological standpoint and is hope full that the spot on his brain was from a virus and not MS. He will still have another MRI in 6-12 months to see if there has been any change to his brain, but for now he believes that his problems might not be neurologically based. This news was a huge blessing, BUT..........

There always seems to be a "but". Our prayer now is what is wrong with him. He is in a lot of pain, particularly his fingers and legs. He will just roll around on the floor whimpering that his legs hurt. He is also very tired all of the time. He can spend hours just sitting in his room, seeming not even to have the energy to get up and play. Our next stop is to a pediatric rheumatologist at Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis. The question now is does he suffer from arthritis or another autoimmune disease that causes joint pain and weakness. Our pediatrician has faxed them his chart, MRI reports and blood work and we are waiting on them to call us with an appointment time.

Please just continue to keep Luke in your prayers. It is so hard not being able to "fix" him. When someone that you love more than yourself is in pain, sitting back and waiting for answers is excruciating. I know that God is teaching me patience and to trust not only in Him, but in His perfect timing.

In Training for the 2012 Olympics

It is official, somewhat. I am announcing my bid for the 2012 Women's Individual Badminton team. I am completely and utterly obsessed with Badminton. I can't wait for Brett to come home every night just so we can scarf down dinner and get on with our Badminton tournament. I am considering having our back yard filled in to make an official, Olympic size court. We also need to build a tall seat for the judge, who is usually Isaak, to sit on. When I found out that my passion is also an Olympic sport, I was elated. Sign me up! Put me in coach, I'm ready to play. They might have to consider a few alterations to the uniform, namely making it much larger and not in spandex, but we still have four years to work on that. Go USA!!!

Do You Know Someone Who Stinks?

Let's be honest, we all do. Have you ever wondered if they know they smell. Can't they smell themselves? I once had the unenviable task of telling an employee that he smelled. I was getting complaints from his coworkers and even some customers about the body odor that seemed to seep from his pores and something had to be done. Henry*(name has been changed for confidentiality purposes) was a really sweet young guy that was a hard worker. He was just a bit strange, some might have even called him weird, but aren't we all. He was exceptionally smart, fluent in Japanese and Spanish and read constantly but did not have the common sense to come in out of the rain.

Anyway, the bottom line is he smelled really bad. It was a combination of infrequent bathing and too little laundering and probably some other things. I am not a medical doctor, but I am sure there were some other issues there. So I get to talk to him about his personal hygiene and it's affect on the workplace. This happened several years ago, but I can still remember feeling so nervous and embarrassed for him. I was angry that I had to tell him. Didn't anyone love this poor guy enough to tell him. He lived at home with his parents. What kind of Mom lets their kid walk around funky? Either she had a major olfactory deficit, or she just didn't love him enough to tell him. Or maybe she loved him too much to tell him. Maybe she didn't want to hurt his feelings or embarrass him. Did she figure someone else would tell him and she wouldn't have to, that way she didn't have to be the bad guy? Had she been waiting for years for someone to finally get the courage to tell him what she couldn't?

I don't know the answer. I don't know why she never sat down and had that conversation with him. I also don't know why I haven't had that conversation with the people in my life that wreak of sin. The guy that I love like a son that stinks of alcohol and whatever bar he passed out in last. Why can't I tell him that what he is doing is wrong, that it his hurting not only him but those around him? Don't I love my other friend enough to tell her that she wreaks of hatred and grief. To tell her that people can smell the hurt coming from her so strongly that they can't stand to even be near her. I don't want to be the bad guy. I keep hoping someone else will tell them so I don't have to.

After having a talk with the guy at work, I realized that the answer to the question of don't they know they smell is simply NO. They don't know they do, or at least they don't know that anyone else thinks they do.

They just need to be told, but who is going to tell them?

Luke's Prayer

All of this time we have been praying for Luke, but it turns out Luke has his own prayer. Whenever we eat breakfast or lunch, either Isaak or myself prays. Isaak's prayer is always the same, "Thank you for our friends and thank you for our food." Short, sweet and to the point. If I pray I try to include the customary like, "...and please bless this food to our bodies." I usually then add something to the point of being with Daddy while he is at work, traveling or wherever he might be. So, the other day I asked who wanted to pray for our lunch and Luke volunteered for the first time. I was shocked, but thrilled and so he began. " Thank you for our friends, thank you for our food and please be with our Daddies bodies." He was close :)

Update on Luke

Thanks so much for everyone that has been praying for us and for Luke. He had his EMG test done today at University Hospital in Indianapolis. It was quite painful for him and equally as heartbreaking for Brett and I to watch. They specialist was able to confirm 100% that there is no nerve damage in his legs. This is good news I guess, if you can call it that. The fact that his nerves are not damaged indicates that his issues with walking and his legs are coming from either his brain, his spine or both. This further points to a demyelenating disorder, like Multiple Sclerosis. We already know from his last MRI that he has the one spot on his brain, but at the time his spine looked clear. He has started to show some signs that he might be having vision problems as well has some numbness and pain in his cheek and face.

Because of the worsening of his symptoms he will be having another MRI on Wednesday, July 30th. He will also be having his vision checked in a few weeks by another specialist. With all that is going on around him and his weekly visits to one doctor or another, he never ceases to amaze us with how well he handles it all. He just stumbles around, drooling like a St Bernard with a huge smile on his face. God is amazing and we praise him for what He has done in Luke's life already, and what we know that He has planed for him. We are so blessed!!!

A blog, who me?

OMG!!! I can't believe I have made it this far in setting up this blog without breaking the computer or crashing the ENTIRE world wide Internet. All who know me can attest that I am not exactly technically literate, but I must be doing something right. A blog, who me? I can't believe it myself! So am I officially a Blogger, is that even a politically correct term?

Anyway, here I am.

I must confess that it took me a few minutes, and more than a few attempts with spell check, to come up with a name for this blog. I was reading something recently that posed the question that we all have thought about. "How do you want people to remember you?" It was in a women's magazine and many of the readers responses centered around being remembered for their mothering and their love of their family. It really made me think about what I want to have accomplished. Of course I want people to remember me as someone who loved her family and her children, but more importantly I want to be significant.

The dictionary defines significant as:

1: having meaning, 2 a: having or likely to have influence or effect, 2 b: probably caused by something other than mere chance.

I want my life to have meaning and more importantly for everyone to know that how I lived was caused by something other than mere chance, but instead created in me by God.

That brings me to the word relevant. This was another concept that I really had been struggling to attain. This need to be of the world, to be like everyone else. Recently I have been realizing how much my striving for relevance has been interfering with my relationship with God. God hasn't called me to blend in. If I really want my life to have significance than I have to stand apart from that which I have been trying so hard to fit in to.

And so, this is my attempt to sort through the thoughts that bombard me and the experiences that amaze me as I am on a path to be significantly irrelevant.