Crazy Mamma

We call this one Crazy Mamma, all the kids think it's is mean looking and are scared of it. She/he reminds us of the Looney Tunes cartoon with Tweedy Bird, remember the episode where Tweety drinks a potion in the laboratory and becomes Dr. Heckle and Mr. Hyde.......lol. We don't know if this is a rooster or not, but it's funny looking.

Cool Freebie on my blog today!

I like the KJV of the Bible, but this sounds like it would be a pretty cool addition to our learning of the Bible.
Enjoy!
Podcast Description
The English Standard Version Audio Drama New Testament (ESV) is a unique presentation of the Audio Bible with approximately 180 different characters and a digitally recorded sound track with full sound effects. For a list of other available languages go to our website at http://FaithComesByHearing.com.The mission of Faith Comes By Hearing is to bring His Church together and make disciples from every nation, tribe, language, and people: to give every person the opportunity to listen completely through the New Testament in their heart language.

http://itunes.apple.com/lv/podcast/youve-got-the-time-esv-bible/id349510010

Some good days!

This past week our first rooster crowed!! It was a proud moment for us all. I clapped each time he crowed. He sounded like he needed a cough drop, though.....lol. I've been told it will get louder and stronger as time goes on.

Had a wonderful lunch out this week, we attended our local electric companies annual dinner and enjoyed pork chops and potato salad without getting sick!  Every year I would go and then have to run home since I was ill after eating. This year I skipped the BBQ pork sandwich and was fine! Though it looked really good, but I thought "It ain't worth being sick over!"

Our Pastor talked about the fact that nowhere in the Bible does it say that our lives will be trouble free or storm free. We will encounter hurts and hardships this side of Heaven, it's good to hear that when you are in the midst of a life changing storm.    

Philippians 4:11 "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, [therewith] to be content." So according to the MIV (the Moe International Version as my DH calls it), when life gives you lemons, make lemonade and add a bit of extra sugar to make life a little bit sweeter  :O)

Summer has crashed & burned! lol

Background info
Well this has been an interesting start to summer. I became very ill the week before Memorial Day weekend and found that I have diverticulitis, fibroid tumors, my thyroid was out of whack again and I had double ear infections starting up. I got antibiotics for the diverticulitis, as a side note here I've always had stomach issues going back to early childhood.
Trip to the ER
After a day on the 2 antibiotics I started looking sunburned, had a scratchy throat and mouth, then started getting spots on my face like a teenager with acne! lol. Then had trouble breathing, after a fast trip to the ER, I found that I am allergic to one of those antibiotics, they don't know which one. During this time I was on a liquid diet from my doctor, only 7-UP and Jell-O. I was feeling pretty good, no stomach issues, then I had some chicken broth and got very ill, my friend Kathy, an RN with a DH that has Celiac Disease asked me if the broth contained wheat, I read her the ingredients and guess what it had Modified Food Starch (wheat). Kathy said to get some gluten-free broth and try that. I did, guess what? I did not get sick! Kathy has been telling me for 10+ years that I probably had Celiac Disease, I did not want to hear it! "LaLaLaLaLa blah blah blah! I can't hear you!!"
6 days later
I go back for my follow up doctors appointment and tell what I have found regarding the gluten and being sick. I had a lot of time to think back to different times I had been sick and I came up with a few scenarios of being very ill over the years. I also brought in a list of symptoms I've had that other doctors have blown off over the years, turns out that I have all but 3 of the symptoms of Celiac Disease. So they did blood work, test came back negative, then I find out that you must be consuming wheat and gluten foods to have an accurate blood test, well I had been off gluten for sure for 6 days, but I had been off of it longer since I had been ill and not eating much at all for the last few weeks. What a waste of money! They don't do the genetic testing here, so that is out for now. They want me to see a GI specialist, not sure what I am going to do about that, I am praying about it all.
4 more days later
We attended the IAHE conference (more on that later) and celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary this past week, I was not sick at all! My DH would ask me "Do you need to lay down and rest?" "How are you feeling?" "Do you need to find a bathroom?" He was so use to me being sick, he was actually able to enjoy an after meal cup of coffee instead of his usual: grabbing the check, while I run to the bathroom, then heading straight to the car so I can get home to use the bathroom AGAIN and then lay down. (this really has been my life for years!) I kept saying "Honey, am I dreaming this? Or was it really not that bad all these years? I just can't believe we are sitting in a restaurant and I ate my meal and I am NOT doubled over!"
16 days later
I have been gluten-free and wheat free for 16 days and guess what? NO STOMACH problems!! No symptoms what-so-ever! I am feeling refreshed, more energy, less tiredness, clearer thinking, and I am not hungry all the time, for years I was just starving day and night. I did try to have some dairy, a slice of Munster Cheese and that gave me a bit of a stomach ache and I ran to the bathroom......lol. Guessing that dairy will still be out of the question, but I was hoping.
Today
I will be honest that it sure seems to be easier to not have dairy than to be wheat-free and gluten-free! I am learning a lot and will pass on the info here and some great reads/websites I have come across.