summer 2011

summer 2011

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012

Paul and I, all 16 kids and Ashley, Benjamin's wife...Christmas 2012
family

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

um...uh..well...didn't get to that laundry room yet...

Paul gently reminded me that he still wants to replace the dryer vent hose...and...well, he has to move things in there...and it is not quite possible at this time....I just plain didn't get to the job yesterday. Here are my excuses: 1. I think it would be like seventy times easier if I do it when I have a helper or two...and I am not talking about Charlotte Claire and Camille. 2. I ended up going to the dreaded Doctor yesterday. I hate going to the dr. But...I have been having heartburn for months and months and months. I treated it with an over-the-counter med, pepcid....then it stopped helping. I would get acid reflux just leaning over to pick up a dirty sock off the floor. I decided that before I self-diagnosed, again, and moved up to a stronger over-counter med, I should probably be checked out.... So I called the dr office and was told their first opening was May 3rd. What??! I got off the phone, and decided to call back and say that was not acceptable, when the phone rang and the office lady said there was an opening...yesterday. So off I was to the dr. Big surprise: my blood pressure was 156/86. What!!!?? I have ALWAYS had low pressure. I felt really panicky. The dr. took it again after a few minutes, and it was down to 136 over 84. Still too high for me. I have always been 120/70. rrr. He didn't see too concerned about it, but I am!! He gave me a prescription for a high dose of a prilosec type of med, but when I asked the lady at the pharmacy at Walmart, it was $55! So I bought it off the shelf in the lower dose and will just take two instead of one..... This blood pressure thing has really sobered me up about my health. I need to eat better, and get on that treadmill no matter what. Actually eating better isn't such a difficult thing now, I don't eat in the evening anymore because of the heartburn, and tend to eat smaller meals. I have lost eleven pounds, the dr. beamingly told me! I haven't been there in a few years though, so that is dismally dismal. Then again it is better than having GAINED 11 pounds.... I was feeling rather weighed down by these things....blah, anxiety creeping in....then I read the new brunstad story (http://www.brunstad.org) about Jerry's blindness. Oh my goodness, it is good to be reminded that it is not our circumstances that determine our happiness, but rather how we seek God in our trials. So the laundry room is still in shambles, yet I am alive. I did match a huge basket of socks last night. Funny how that makes me feel like The Mother Of The Year. "Kids, there are plenty of matching socks here!" I mentioned the Great Treadmill Spectacle the other day....the girls decided they want it in their room. Fine. It looked awful in the living room. So..they struggled and toiled and got it down the stairs and as far as their doorway...and it doesn't fit. No way, no how. So...now we have a treadmill in the closet under the stairs, sticking out into the hallway. The good part is the empty space in the living room. I moved the dog's crate into the space, now the bookcase is opened up again. The girls found lots of new books to read. I cleaned it up and threw away some stupid books and old phone books. (see, just because I didn't tackle the laundry room doesn't mean I didn't do anything!). I also looked at the photo albums of the older two and three kids when they were little. I was also little. And so young! I was 23 when Ben was born. Three kids. I had no idea what I was doing. I had eight kids by the time I was 30....what's interesting about that is that I had another 8 (or nine if we count Robert) AFTER I was thirty. Phew. I just hope my heartburn gets under control so that I don't have to give up my coffee. blah. I bought four shiny new red mugs the other day, and somehow it makes that coffee so much more enjoyable. The couch monster is creeping back. BLAH!! It isn't much, but it is growing. I should be smart and conquer it before it overtakes me again. Mirielle and Joseph are on college break this week. The have no jobs, no money, so no Orlando for them. The weather...cloudy and cold. But they are enjoying doing nothing. Joseph plays his guitar and draws and goes running and doesn't get bored. Mirielle plays the guitar and goes running and today, she is making cookies for Benjamin again. Benjamin Paul - he called me last night. That boy has the gift of gab, just like his mama. No awkward pauses with us, no sir. Where he is stationed (San Antonio, Texas) there are also AirForce and Navy guys training as medics. He said one of the Navy guys hung himself the other night. The next day they all had a suicide prevention lecture. He said the suicide rate in the service is three times the regular national average. He seems to be doing well though. Part of me doesn't understand why they don't just let the poor guys study and learn though. They have to get up at 4:30 am, and since they have so few guys in their particular "bay", they have frequent Fire Watch duty, which interupts their sleep, which is not enough anyway. He said learning and memorizing is so hard when all you want to do is conk. The good thing about him though, is his new attitude. He says there are no "likeminded souls" there. A few nice guys, friends, but he is alone in is desire to be faithful in all things. He is able to use his ipod in the evening hours though, and keeps in touch with some friends from church, one of them has just been deployed to Afghanistan. Anyway, I was talking to Ben and all of the sudden he said he had to go, and hung up. An hour and a half later, as I was trying to fall asleep, he texted me. Said the whole bay got in trouble and was "smoked". For that whole time, over an hour. "Smoked" is when they have to do intense excercise or stand at attention the whole time. I don't know who did what, but he said he personally wasn't in trouble. Said he would call me tonight. Poor kid. He was so tired. I guess he got tired-er! All nine of the school kids went out the door to school today, so it is another quiet day here. Camille is now awake too, so off I go to snuggle with her.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Hi, I'm Gladys Borntrager from Iowa & you don't know me from Adam but I came across your blog awhile back & enjoy reading about your family. Than this morn I read about your heartburn/acid reflux. I found out a year ago what that is & was very miserable, pills didn't help any longer. Than I found out about this website that helped wonders www.GreatTasteNoPain.com. Thot you might be interested. I lost 30lbs from April to Dec. which was great,too. I did give up my coffee tho which wasn't that easy but felt so much better. Anyway do what you want to but wanted to share what worked for me. Keep up the good work with your family & God bless you & have a great day. Gladys

Tereza said...

I'm pretty sure you can get the heartburn under control just by cutting out all refined sugar and dairy for a while! Please try it...it has really worked for me about 3 years ago when I felt like my body was falling apart...like it totally went away!!! Just 15 min on the tredmill daily would help too.
I had 9 kids by the time I was 30:) I'm 33 and the baby will be 3 this summer...where does the time go! Your stories of your life with your kids are always so fun to read!
Wasn't that story about Jerry great? Sure puts things in perspective when we read of the trial others experience and how they still manage to be HAPPY people!!! Wow...I have a lot to work on in myself! I feel getting upset about unimportant things~and then I am reminded that hey it doesnt have to be that way! God can give victory!So today is a brand new day...it's not wasted yet...we can overcome!!!

Good luck witht he laundry room. I'd come over and help you...not that my laundry room does not need help or anything:):):)

Cindy @ Marriedtothemilitary {dot} net said...

I am acually suprided that they are even still allowed to smoke them at boot camp anymore. there were some laws implemented a few years ago due to abuse of soldiers.

I recentally bought a treadmill and I am trying to get on it 30 minutes a day. I am sure that with so many kids that it would be hard to get our schedules in sync for a set time for the both of us, but I am willing to offer reminders every day if you want. My goal is 5 days a week :-)

FLmom7 said...

This quote: "it is not our circumstances that determine our happiness, but rather how we seek God in our trials" really spoke to me today. Thank you for that. Your life may not be perfect, but you are a beautiful person and you are touching lives, both in your family and even on the internet amongst people you have never met:) I only have 7 kids, and a pretty big laundry room and...it's still a mess ALL the time! I do clean it, but...you know. LOL, we all have our flaws. Hang in there. And yes, eating less sugar and more fresh (uncooked) fruits and veggies will probably help with heartburn. 1/4 tsp baking soda in some water is helpful too (and cheap!).