It's A Cupcake Kind Of Day!!!

We are so rejoicing in the blessing and mercies of God today!  Katie saw her Oncologist today and as usual, she had her finger "snapped".  I was cautiously hoping for a bit of encouragement that I could see.  I know Faith is not for the seeing.  I just needed a little sight..... can you give me that?

The Lord did.  He heard my cry.  He answered big!  The numbers we look at are her Absolute Neutrophil Count (ANC) and her White Blood Cell count (WBC).  Today her ANC was 1130!!!!  Last time it was 110.  See the difference? Normal is 1500.  In her life, I'm not sure she has had a ANC count that is this high.  Her WBC was 5.  It hasn't been that high on a day she needed a shot in a long time either.  I'm so thankful.  The Dr. said it was a fluke.  Maybe so.  He also said he would take a fluke!  I know I will!  

Last month after going to the Dr. and getting such a low count, I posted on facebook that even if her ANC was multiplied ten times it still wouldn't be normal.  Well, her number is more than times ten and I am rejoicing!  God is so good!  

I was thinking about baking a goodie to celebrate, but didn't know what.  Well, Linda over at Prairie Flower Farm knows all about goodies!  She posted the best cupcake recipe that I've ever seen!  It's called Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cupcakes!  What's not to like?!  You should go and check out Linda's blog, she has lots of great ideas over there!   I'm going to make those right now!  So blessings to you all and thank you so much for your prayers!

Truly His Mercies Are New Every Morning!

Hilltop Blessings, 
Sheri

"You Is Kind, You Is Smart, You Is Important!"

As a believer do you know your value?  Do you know it deep in your core?  I've said this before, but it was such revelation to me that I had real value that was not based on my looks, or anything I had done.  It was based on what Jesus did at the cross.  He gave me value.

Recently, I saw The Help.  I loved this scene with Mae-Mobely more than any other scene in the movie.  Abileen was imparting value to this little girl.  When I first saw this trailer, I loved it and started doing it with Katie.  As an adopted child, I figured that the more I impart to her the more solid a foundation she will have, if doubts of belonging ever hit her.

I tell her:"You are wanted.  You are a blessing.  You are loved."  She has gotten to the point that as soon as I start saying it, she does exactly like the little girl in the trailer.  She tells it right back to me.  She loves it!  When our 12 year old son was little I would tell him I was so proud of him when he had done something really good.  Later he would ask: "Mommy are you so proud of me?"  We all love being affirmed!

There was a season in my early walk with the Lord, that I had written out many verses about who I was in Christ.  Daily, I would read these verses.  I would recite these verses and after several weeks of reading and reciting, they were in my heart.  I knew I was loved. I knew I was wanted.  I knew I was bought with a price.  It was an amazing transition in my life.

I love the Word Of God, but without getting it in your being, it's really hard to know who you are in Christ.  I challenge  you to pour the Word Of God into your heart and mind and pour it into your children.  While you have children in  your home, this is an incredible opportunity to pour into them The Word Of God.

Take the verses that fit your child's needs and pour them in.  For example, if a child is struggling with learning.  You can tell them they are smart.  Why?  Because they have the mind of Christ!  Whatever the issue, you tailor fit it to your child or yourself.  God wants us to be full of His ammunition to withstand the darts of the enemy.


Philippians 3:11-13
"Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me" 

We are to press on and take hold of all that Jesus has for us.  It takes continual work.  It takes continual pressing into His Word.  I pray that as you enjoy your weekend, you are filled with the knowledge of God and that you know you are loved and have value! 

Hilltop Blessings, 
Sheri 

This One Is For The Tough Days!

We all have tough days.  My dear friend Christy sent this to me for my tough days.  I thought this was so good, I just wanted to pass it on.  We must remember that God DOES have the whole world in HIS hands!

In a world where we can control so much, we are often abruptly reminded that there are some things we can't control.  I pray that you are encouraged by this video as much as I. Be sure to turn off my music or you will have an abundance of music going on at one time!

Hilltop Blessings,
Sheri

Ahhhh The Smell Of New Crayons....!

Was there a particular school supply that was your favorite?  Oh there was for me!  The joy of opening a new crisp box of crayons.  Rarely was it the pristine box of 64 with the sharpener on back...no those were reserved for special Christmas gifts.  Normally teachers just liked the plain Jane box of 24.  That was okay because nestled in those 24 glorious waxy colors was the Red one!  

I've never had a school list for my crew, because we just did our homeschool thing.  But, I've always felt compelled to buy new crayons!  I just couldn't help myself!  This year is different.  We are going to attend a coop, and I actually  have a school supply list.  On that list are several boxes of Crayola Crayons!  I have to say that my boys do not exhibit any thrill of opening a new box of crayons.  In the early  years one cherub had the gal to rip open the box!  Imagine just ripping into that box of brand new crayons.  No Respect.  Then the same cherub pealed and broke the crayons into tiny bits (except the ones he chewed!).  I could have sat down and cried!  


One of my dreams was to take my first little one and solemnly introduce him to the joy  and honor of coloring in a color book with (of course) a brand new straight red crayon.  He looked at me, dumped them on the table.  Swiped them haphazardly across the paper and smiled and said: "All done!"  I had to have someone explain that many little boys don't color.  At least they don't color what you want them to color!  I have been vandalized by green dry erase marker and we don't want to even go there!


Well it's dawning on me that I've spent this whole blogpost on red crayons.  I meant to say that we are going to be very eclectic in our schooling this  year.  I've got four cherubs doing four different things this year.  I've not done it this way before, but hey, it's a new  year.  I've got new hopes and new energy!  (let's just pray that it holds out!)


Our curriculum include Abeka Language Arts, Learning Language Arts Through Literature, Institute In Excellence in Writing, Texas History, Daily Grams, Teaching Textbooks 6 and 7, ACE Math, and Rod and Staff About Three.  I'm also going to begin going through the questions of the Catechism.  We will use that for both Bible and Handwriting.  I'm also adding some books with Progeny Press as well. 

So that's about it friends.  I pray as you start your school year,  you are filled with hope and excitement with the newness of all that is to come!

Isaiah 54:13
 
"All your children will be taught by the LORD, and great will be their peace."

Praying this for you all!


Hilltop Blessings, 
Sheri

Living With Severe Chronic Neutropenia and Overcoming Mommy Worry!

I wrote earlier in the year about our daughter Katie.  She was diagnosed with Severe Chronic Neutropenia.  We discovered it in December. ( For more about that, you can look at my January 1, 2011 post.  I gave the details about our experience there. )

I wanted to write a bit about this journey for others who are struggling with ongoing health issues.  It's scary as a mother to watch your child for every little sniffle.  Does she have a fever?  Will she develop Leukemia?  Did I hurt her when I gave her the shot tonight?  I bruised her leg...again.  We didn't have to hold her as tight tonight.  I heard her coughing.  Will she wake up in the morning?  She's sleeping too long.  She's not sleeping long enough....The list goes on.

Part of the list is normal...part of it is the attack of my uncontrolled thoughts.  As I continued to put on a happy face and live life, these thoughts assaulted my mind day and night.  Mostly night.  Often I didn't even realize I was worrying.  There had just been so many talks of Leukemia and all that goes with it.  I would see all the little ones at the Oncology office.  They were in my heart.  I was praying for many of them.  I met their mothers and felt compelled to pray for them.

By March, I had evidently crossed over the line from concern, worry to all the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome.  I didn't even see it coming.  One night I sat up with my heart racing, sweat pouring off my body and thinking...well this is it.  I'm going to die.  I finally went to the ER about 6:30am.

I was not having a heart attack.  I was having a panic attack.  Me.  The girl who rarely worries.  I'm fairly strong.  I believe God is a healer.  I know He loves me.  Why was I panicking?  They asked me if I had any abnormal stress in my life....uhh yeah. I guess I do.

They sent me home with Zannac.  It worked like a charm.  I knew from the beginning, that I probably shouldn't get to comfortable with this medication.  By the end of June, I had taken all ten tablets.  Then I thought...hmmm how am I going to get some more?  That's not a good thought!

I decided to mention it to our pediatrician.  She told me upfront to NEVER take another.  She said  you need to identify what's happening.  You need to address the panic attack for what it is.  It's uncomfortable.  You will not die.  You need to think on things that are good and choose to relax.

She added that she had seen perfectly good parents become complete addicts and literally have to be placed in a mental institution due to the side affects of the drug.  I did not want that.  (By the way, this is for me.  There may be instances where you may have a prescribed medication and need it.  Please take what your Dr. prescribes you unless you feel the leading of the Holy Spirit to do otherwise!  There are instances where medication is very necessary!)

Driving home I felt the Lord confirm what she told me.  I felt that I was to acknowledge what was going on in my life.  I was to speak to the symptoms for what they were.  I then began to just sing peaceful scriptural songs in my mind.  It was amazing!  It worked!

I began to not fear going to bed.  I began getting real rest.  The heart racing still comes on occasion, but I don't sit up all night worrying I'm going to die!  I have peace.  The peace that only God can give!  Truly God does give sleep to those He loves!

Katie is still considered severely neutropenic. her numbers are considered extremely low.   Clinically she stumps them.  She is doing great.  She has had very few illnesses since last winter.  God is a good and faithful God.  I continue to press on in the things of God, knowing that He holds  us in His hand.  He loves us and He has good for us!  He has good for Katie!

I pray that if you are struggling with things in  your life, that you would be comforted by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Please know that real peace comes from Him.  If I can pray for you, please let me know.  If you know anyone with this disorder, please let me know.  I would love to meet others who are struggling with this rare disorder. 

Hilltop Blessings,
Sheri

If At First You Don't Succeed.....Update On Solar Cooking

You try again another day.  The day hasn't come yet!


I put my dinner outside at 2:15.  I figured that it would cook much like a crock pot.  My timing was way off.  I think it would have done fine if I had put it out there about 10:30.  My brain is having trouble adjusting to the thought that it's okay to put your dinner outside on a hot sunny day!

The temp was 104, so I know that it got hot enough, BUT, raw chicken....  All those years of cooking with my mother, just bothered me.  When I went outside to check it at 5:15, everything was VERY hot, but not ready.  I brought it in and cooked it in the oven for about 40 minutes and it was just as tasty as I had imagined!

Lessons Learned: This is a slow bake kind of meal.  You have to give it plenty of time!  I need to put a thermometer inside so I can see what the temperature.  I really need a piece of Plexiglas for the top.

We are going to try this again, but with something a little more simple.  I think we will try a cake or brownies.  Once I get the bugs out of this system, I think it will be very useful!  We have many more days of this infernal heat left, so I might as well make them a little sweeter!

Hilltop Blessings!
Sheri

If You Can't Take The Heat...Get Out Of The Kitchen!

Making A Solar Oven!

So we did!  We are going on 39 days of over 100 degree temps here in the DFW metroplex.  Yes it's hot....unbelievably hot.  So hot that we have been facing the threat of brown outs because there has been such a pull on the power grids here.  I do NOT want to face this heat without AC so, I have turned up my thermostat and tried to keep things cool by closing blinds and such.  

One of the chief ways that I can keep the house cool is to not heat up the kitchen.  I have wanted to create a solar oven for a long time.  I decided today was the day.  I got on youtube and started looking for ideas.  There are a ton!  I found one that took old tires, wood and foil to make.  I have all those things and it wasn't labor intensive.  I don't think it will be featured on any of the cute home decorating blogs that I salivate over on a regular basis, but none the less, it's an oven!  It's free except for the shower curtain I bought.  I decided to use new on that one!    

 So here we are.  I used two tires.  The bottom tire has boards that become your cooking surface.  Then I stacked the next tire on top.  Pretty simple.   We stuffed newspaper inside the hollowed out part of the tire. 

 The children covered the tire in sheets of tin foil.  Unfortunately, I had to use those little sheets that come out like Kleenex.  (I saw them an Sams and thought they would be convenient...not so, but we have a blue jillion of them, so it's what we  use!)  

The boys worked on molding them into shape.  All the way around the inside and outside.  This forms the reflective layer.  By the way, this is when  you want the shiny part of the foil facing out.  
 

 We had to tape it down to keep it from blowing off.  If I had silver tape, that may have been better.  I just used the blue painters tape and it seems to hold good enough.

 Here is my chicken breasts, thighs, sweet potatoes, white potatoes and baby carrots.  I drizzled olive oil and sprinkled it with Canadian seasoning.  I put sliced onions on the bottom of the pan to keep the chicken from sticking. 

 We put the lid on and then began wrapping the whole thing in a clear shower curtain.  The youtube video showed using a large sheet of clear Plexiglas and another showed using just plain glass.  I was fresh out of Plexiglas and plain glass seemed dangerous....

 We had to wrap the whole thing around the tires and pull it tight with tape.  Yes it would have been a good idea to cut the shower curtain into a smaller piece.  That just too easy! Hey we found the tape, I'm not sure we could find the scissors and I didn't want to rant! 

 There she is all put together.  Aside from the blistering heat while putting it together, it wasn't difficult and we did it with very little fussing!  (You know the too many hands in the kitchen thing....)

There she sits.  I pray it's cooking!  My husband is a little concerned about fire.  I told my friend that if she calls in the morning and there is no answer, she might want to send for some  help!  This is new, but I love learning new and different things, so hopefully we won't be having eggs for dinner!


Hilltop Blessings!
Sheri