Why do people find it so how to believe I am his mom? It's not like he was born this size.
He wasn't even my largest baby.
He wasn't even my largest baby.
See other Wordless Wednesday participants at 5 Minutes for Mom.
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Have you forgotten?
Have you forgotten about Haiti and the earthquake? I pray that you haven't and that you are continuing to pray for Haiti. Here is a link that Tara Livesay posted today about living through those first few hours after the earthquake. Grab some tissues before clicking on the link. I think you will need them.
The Livesay [Haiti] Weblog
Pictures from July 2008
Anna walking through the village with some of the kids.
A sweet young boy who was fascinated with my camera. That is Zack behind him.
A precious little girl waiting for her lunch at a food distribution program.
A beautiful mother who actually wanted her picture taken even though she doesn't appear to. She was all smiles when I showed her the picture after I had taken it. I showed it to the mom and kids in the background also and they were so excited to see themselves in the picture.
There is so much death in Haiti (even before the earthquake) that I often look at these pictures and wonder how the families are doing but even more so since the earthquake.
Let's not forget to keep them in our prayers.
Pictures from July 2008
Anna walking through the village with some of the kids.
A sweet young boy who was fascinated with my camera. That is Zack behind him.
A precious little girl waiting for her lunch at a food distribution program.
A beautiful mother who actually wanted her picture taken even though she doesn't appear to. She was all smiles when I showed her the picture after I had taken it. I showed it to the mom and kids in the background also and they were so excited to see themselves in the picture.There is so much death in Haiti (even before the earthquake) that I often look at these pictures and wonder how the families are doing but even more so since the earthquake.
Let's not forget to keep them in our prayers.
Monday, March 22, 2010
Guatemala bound this summer
This is a letter my oldest daughter wrote to mail out to family and friends about our upcoming trip to Guatemala this summer:
This summer from July 19 through July 26 my sister Kaylyn, my Mom, and I will be going to Guatemala on a mission trip with Lighthouse Community Church youth group and Paradise Bound Ministries. I am sending this letter to ask for your support. I would like to share with you more about the trip, why we are going, and what we will be doing there. I would also ask that you consider supporting the trip either financially or through your prayers.
This summer from July 19 through July 26 my sister Kaylyn, my Mom, and I will be going to Guatemala on a mission trip with Lighthouse Community Church youth group and Paradise Bound Ministries. I am sending this letter to ask for your support. I would like to share with you more about the trip, why we are going, and what we will be doing there. I would also ask that you consider supporting the trip either financially or through your prayers.
The time spent in Guatemala will be spent building homes for local villagers who currently reside in mud floor, corn-stalk huts. The homes we will be building are steel frame houses with dry wall interior, cement-board and stucco exterior, and a poured concrete floor. They are 12’x12’. They are incredibly nice homes compared to the corn-stalk huts of the villages.
In addition to the home building, we will also be holding two medical clinics. These clinics will be located in remote mountain or coastal villages many of whom have not seen outsiders for many years. The medical clinics will open the door to sharing the gospel with these people through the Jesus film, and through a local pastor’s preaching.
I would simply ask that you prayerfully consider how God may lead you to support our mission project. The cost for the 3 of us combined is $3900, plus we are raising money for supplies to build the homes. You can send your donation to us. Please make all checks out to “Lighthouse Community Church” and note “Hill family” on the memo line. If you need a receipt for a tax deduction please include a note stating that and we will make sure that church writes you a receipt.
I added a PayPal button on the side of my blog for anyone who feels moved to supporting us.
-Thank you for your consideration.
-Thank you for your consideration.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Libby's solo
Libby is in a school choir called "Singing Falcons". They had a performance Tuesday night at the Fine Arts Fair. She is the first solo in the song.
We went back!
You heard it right. Mark got re-admitted to the hospital last week Thursday. The infection stopped getting better and started growing again. He was put back on IV antibiotics which was a nightmare in itself. His veins were not playing nice. He had 4 different nurses attempt 14 times to get an IV started!!! I have never seen my poor husband so white and pasty (did I spell that right?) looking.
He was set up to see an Infectious Disease doctor and they also ordered an ultrasound for his neck and his elbow.
He had formed a blood clot in his right arm where the previous IV had been and had to go on blood thinner and a gel that he has to apply on the skin that soaks down to help break up the blood clot.
He was released Friday night with a oral prescription that get this.... cost $1600! Thank goodness we have health insurance. I can't even imagine if we didn't. The doctor asked us about insurance before he wrote the prescription because he knew it was costly. However, it is cheaper than paying to keep him in the hospital so that he can be on the IV equivalent.
So we are home now. My house still isn't back to being under control and I hate that but it will get there.
On an interesting side note, while Mark is on the expensive prescription he can't eat anything pickled, smoked, or aged (like cheese) and he can't have red wine. Both the doctor and the pharmacy technician warned us and highlighted it so we wouldn't miss it. Apparently it could raise his blood pressure to a dangerous level. So what did I almost buy yesterday morning? Corned beef and cabbage. When I set it on the checkout belt it dawned on me that it is probably considered "pickled"! My family LOVES corned beef and cabbage but we will have to wait a couple weeks for that meal.
He was set up to see an Infectious Disease doctor and they also ordered an ultrasound for his neck and his elbow.
He had formed a blood clot in his right arm where the previous IV had been and had to go on blood thinner and a gel that he has to apply on the skin that soaks down to help break up the blood clot.
He was released Friday night with a oral prescription that get this.... cost $1600! Thank goodness we have health insurance. I can't even imagine if we didn't. The doctor asked us about insurance before he wrote the prescription because he knew it was costly. However, it is cheaper than paying to keep him in the hospital so that he can be on the IV equivalent.
So we are home now. My house still isn't back to being under control and I hate that but it will get there.
On an interesting side note, while Mark is on the expensive prescription he can't eat anything pickled, smoked, or aged (like cheese) and he can't have red wine. Both the doctor and the pharmacy technician warned us and highlighted it so we wouldn't miss it. Apparently it could raise his blood pressure to a dangerous level. So what did I almost buy yesterday morning? Corned beef and cabbage. When I set it on the checkout belt it dawned on me that it is probably considered "pickled"! My family LOVES corned beef and cabbage but we will have to wait a couple weeks for that meal.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Wordless Wednesday - Do they ever out grow it?
How old do boys have to be to stop trying to wrestle their dad's?
Poor Mark. He was just trying to rest.
It looks like Mark can still take the "Mighty Man" even when he isn't completely back to good health.
Awe! Father son love!
See other Wordless Wednesday participants at 5 Minutes for Mom.
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Well that caught us off gaurd!
Sunday started off like any other Sunday. While we were still at church Mark complained that his neck was starting to hurt like he had slept wrong on it. I felt it and I could feel a small lump at the base of his skull. We both thought it was like a knot in his muscle. When we got home from church he grabbed an ice pad and went and laid down for a little while to see if that would help.
As the day went on he started feeling like he was getting flu symptoms. He had fever and chills, sweating, and was getting a terrible headache.
I left around 5:30pm for a mtg at church and then Youth Group. The girls mentioned when I picked them up for youth group at 7pm that Dad really wasn't feeling well.
While we were gone the pain got really bad. Mark said he almost called me to come and sit with him. That is NOT like my husband. He's a pretty tough guy.
When I got home at 9pm he asked me to take a look at his neck for him before he tried putting ice on it again. Oh my! When I seen what had become of the little lump from earlier I said "You ARE going to the ER to have someone look at that." It had gone from only feeling a little bump to seeing without even touching it a huge swollen lump on the back of his neck that was about 3" by 6"!
Here he is in the ER. I laid his coat and sweatshirt over him because he was freezing. The ER doctor took one look at the back of his neck and said, "OH BUDDY!" I thought that was an interesting response. LOL! The nurse had told us within being there not even 20 minutes, "You do know you are staying right?"
It turns out Mark had cellulitis which is a deep skin bacterial infection and he would be admitted for 3 reasons.
1. He's diabetic and therefore doesn't fight infections well.
2. Because of how fast this took off.
3. Because of how close it is to his brain and spinal cord.
All of these meant they couldn't just send him home with a prescription for antibiotics he needed to be on a stronger medicine that would need to be administered via IV.
We were hoping that the hospital beds were a bit longer than the ER beds. We do find humor in all situations. Wink!
This is a picture I took while Mark was sleeping Monday.
Monday afternoon the nurse drew an outline so that we would know if it was changing in size. Mark said it felt like a neck roll (that is what football players wear between their helmets and shoulder pads to protect their necks) on the back of his neck.
I took this picture Tuesday. Mark was starting to get a little stir crazy from being confined to a small hospital room so we went and sat in the patient visitors lounge and watched tv together. He was hooked up to IV but it was the kind that can roll down the hall so it could go where he went. He still looks tired to me in this picture. Both of us ended up falling asleep on the couch. I woke up to his snoring. LOL!
We are home now and he will be on 2 antibiotics for 2 weeks. We feel very loved from everyone that prayed, called, shuttled kids, visited and left messages for us on Facebook. We had no idea how many people cared about the big guy.
That being said 2 of his friends (cough, MIKE, cough, ED) asked if they could have his guns if something happened. NICE!
As the day went on he started feeling like he was getting flu symptoms. He had fever and chills, sweating, and was getting a terrible headache.
I left around 5:30pm for a mtg at church and then Youth Group. The girls mentioned when I picked them up for youth group at 7pm that Dad really wasn't feeling well.
While we were gone the pain got really bad. Mark said he almost called me to come and sit with him. That is NOT like my husband. He's a pretty tough guy.
When I got home at 9pm he asked me to take a look at his neck for him before he tried putting ice on it again. Oh my! When I seen what had become of the little lump from earlier I said "You ARE going to the ER to have someone look at that." It had gone from only feeling a little bump to seeing without even touching it a huge swollen lump on the back of his neck that was about 3" by 6"!
Here he is in the ER. I laid his coat and sweatshirt over him because he was freezing. The ER doctor took one look at the back of his neck and said, "OH BUDDY!" I thought that was an interesting response. LOL! The nurse had told us within being there not even 20 minutes, "You do know you are staying right?"
It turns out Mark had cellulitis which is a deep skin bacterial infection and he would be admitted for 3 reasons.
1. He's diabetic and therefore doesn't fight infections well.
2. Because of how fast this took off.
3. Because of how close it is to his brain and spinal cord.
All of these meant they couldn't just send him home with a prescription for antibiotics he needed to be on a stronger medicine that would need to be administered via IV.
We were hoping that the hospital beds were a bit longer than the ER beds. We do find humor in all situations. Wink!
This is a picture I took while Mark was sleeping Monday.
Monday afternoon the nurse drew an outline so that we would know if it was changing in size. Mark said it felt like a neck roll (that is what football players wear between their helmets and shoulder pads to protect their necks) on the back of his neck.
I took this picture Tuesday. Mark was starting to get a little stir crazy from being confined to a small hospital room so we went and sat in the patient visitors lounge and watched tv together. He was hooked up to IV but it was the kind that can roll down the hall so it could go where he went. He still looks tired to me in this picture. Both of us ended up falling asleep on the couch. I woke up to his snoring. LOL!
We are home now and he will be on 2 antibiotics for 2 weeks. We feel very loved from everyone that prayed, called, shuttled kids, visited and left messages for us on Facebook. We had no idea how many people cared about the big guy.
That being said 2 of his friends (cough, MIKE, cough, ED) asked if they could have his guns if something happened. NICE!
Friday, February 26, 2010
Why I love Friday's...
It means I get Emily. I also get her on Tuesday's while my parents winter in Arizona. It never gets old. In the picture she is yelling "Gunner! Come here." Even though she knows he is in the garage and will tell you that if you ask her. So cute!
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Esther
I have done a lot of Beth Moore studies and I have enjoyed them all. I am currently doing the study "Esther - It's Tough Being A Woman" by Beth Moore. I have to say this is my most favorite one so far. It has really been speaking to my everyday life challenges. I highly recommend it.
Here is a video promotion clip on it:
Saturday, February 13, 2010
Subway endorsement?
Zack was presented his award last night for being named Mr. Track and Field of Michigan.
Zack's Head track coach was also selected as Coach of the Year for the 2nd year in a row.
Zack's Head track coach was also selected as Coach of the Year for the 2nd year in a row.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Look who finally got to Haiti!!!
Troy Livesay welcoming Nate Yonker.
Nate and a team have been trying to get to Haiti and this morning they finally made it. Nate is a member at my church and he lead the team that I went with to Haiti the summer of 2008. We stayed with Troy and his family while we were there. These men move mountains in order to help the Haitians! Please keep them in your prayers.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Goodbye for now.
John Gordon Van Dam, Sr.
1/1/1919 ~ 1/27/2010
He is now in heaven back together with his lovely bride and they are both whole and pain free.
Monday, January 25, 2010
She caught me way off gaurd and I loved it!!!
Let me introduce you to Maddy....
She has a warm, gentle personality,
A bounce in her step,
And she loves herself some ice cream! My kind of girl!
She is one of the girls in my small group. I don't think she ever misses a night of our small group. She is very committed to being there. I love that about her. When she first starting coming to our group I couldn't get a word out of her and I was afraid she would stop coming. She was so quiet. That was 2 years ago. Now, I don't think I could keep her quiet if I tried. LOL!
Yesterday she made Profession of Faith at our Sunday morning church service. She was SO nervous. She had been texting me Saturday night asking me questions about it and what she needed to know, and how nervous she was. She made me promise I would sit in the front so that she could see me so that way I could shake my head yes or no for how she had to answer the questions. That cracked me up and I agreed but I reminded her that they were questions she had already answered in front of the Elders. Her arguement was that when she gets nervous she doesn't hear what people say. I think we can all relate to that.
We have four rows of chairs in our sanctuary and her family ended up sitting all the way on the right side and I ended up all the way on the left side, but right up front mind you. The pastor called her up to the front and the way they were standing she was looking right at me. She was all smiles. The pastor, bless his heart, reminded her that all the answers were "yes" unless she has changed her mind (chuckle). She did just fine without any help.
As soon as the pastor welcomed her into the church family and gave her a student Bible as a gift he told her she could go sit back down with her family.
Here is where I got my socks shocked off....
Instead of walking back to her parents, remember this is quite a shy girl around strangers, she walked across the front of the church (as the pastor said, "and she is leaving in a different direction" which brought even more attention to the situation) straight to me to give me a hug!!! She had already told my oldest daughter (also in my small group) that she was going to do it but of course the stinker didn't warn me. I stood up and hugged her REAL HARD but couldn't say anything because the girl made me cry.
So have you fallen in love with her too?
Feel free to welcome her into the family of believers. I will be showing her this post.
I love you Madison!
She has a warm, gentle personality,
A bounce in her step,
And she loves herself some ice cream! My kind of girl!
She is one of the girls in my small group. I don't think she ever misses a night of our small group. She is very committed to being there. I love that about her. When she first starting coming to our group I couldn't get a word out of her and I was afraid she would stop coming. She was so quiet. That was 2 years ago. Now, I don't think I could keep her quiet if I tried. LOL!
Yesterday she made Profession of Faith at our Sunday morning church service. She was SO nervous. She had been texting me Saturday night asking me questions about it and what she needed to know, and how nervous she was. She made me promise I would sit in the front so that she could see me so that way I could shake my head yes or no for how she had to answer the questions. That cracked me up and I agreed but I reminded her that they were questions she had already answered in front of the Elders. Her arguement was that when she gets nervous she doesn't hear what people say. I think we can all relate to that.
We have four rows of chairs in our sanctuary and her family ended up sitting all the way on the right side and I ended up all the way on the left side, but right up front mind you. The pastor called her up to the front and the way they were standing she was looking right at me. She was all smiles. The pastor, bless his heart, reminded her that all the answers were "yes" unless she has changed her mind (chuckle). She did just fine without any help.
As soon as the pastor welcomed her into the church family and gave her a student Bible as a gift he told her she could go sit back down with her family.
Here is where I got my socks shocked off....
Instead of walking back to her parents, remember this is quite a shy girl around strangers, she walked across the front of the church (as the pastor said, "and she is leaving in a different direction" which brought even more attention to the situation) straight to me to give me a hug!!! She had already told my oldest daughter (also in my small group) that she was going to do it but of course the stinker didn't warn me. I stood up and hugged her REAL HARD but couldn't say anything because the girl made me cry.
So have you fallen in love with her too?
Feel free to welcome her into the family of believers. I will be showing her this post.
I love you Madison!
Saturday, January 23, 2010
What to wear?
I really wish I had my own personal "dress me up"-er. Maybe I also need someone to teach me proper English. Anyway I have a really important banquet to go to on Feb. 12. It's a "Hall of Fame" banquet for track that Zack will be recognized at for Mr. Michigan Track and Field.
It makes me think back to going to awards banquets for Mark when he was playing college football. His parents always invited me along. Mark's mother dressed very proper for every occasion. I don't have that sense of style. You know the kind that can find the perfect shoes, earrings, and necklace to go with the outfit.
Where do you even buy fancy clothes these days. My favorite store is Kohl's but I have this desire to be a little more "edgy" than that. But not this edgy...
Or even this...
It makes me think back to going to awards banquets for Mark when he was playing college football. His parents always invited me along. Mark's mother dressed very proper for every occasion. I don't have that sense of style. You know the kind that can find the perfect shoes, earrings, and necklace to go with the outfit.
Where do you even buy fancy clothes these days. My favorite store is Kohl's but I have this desire to be a little more "edgy" than that. But not this edgy...
Or even this...
Ugh! I need help!
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