January?

Really, January is over? February is here...and spring is on its way? As much as January creeped by, I can't believe the winter is almost over and that we have been in Raleigh 6 months. January has been quite busy and full of surprises. Most of those, are not really exciting nor worth sharing, but church planting seems to bring some good competition to STinT as far as random goes.

As for writing, I have little to say. I've been dying to blog about something, but could not come up with anything. I finally had a great topic the other night, but never made it to the computer. And now, I can't remember it for the life of me. So, I'm leaving this post with a list of 25 random things for January. (You can blame Facebook for this boring post.)

1. My (almost) 4 year old niece shoved multiple pieces of toilet paper up her nose thinking it would somehow release the booger that was stuck. My sister spent the next 4+ hours with a doctor for a house call.
2. I embraced 2 days off school for a few inches of snow on the ground.
3. Mike built his first snowman.
4. Mike drove to work blindly as he used water instead of windshield wiper fluid to try and melt the ice across the windshield.
5. We discovered the marvelous "Movie Cube" at Krogers. $1 for a movie/night
6. We have played more games of Settlers of Catan during this month than any other game in our life.
7. Sara's photography website was purchased along with business cards.
8. Sara introduced her students to the blogging world. They now never complain about "journaling", but I have to watch like a hawk to make sure they're not on MySpace.
9. We actually started working out consistently...but only because of the Wii Fit.
10. Sara was able to catch up with a high school friend for the first time in 3 years or so.
11. Sara bought her third pair of Crocs.
12. Mike played a real game of basketball for the second time in three years.
13. Sara made only ONE visit to Staples this month.
14. Our credit card bill was the lowest it has ever been during our marriage.
15. We found the desk under everything in the office.
16. We finally put up all of our Christmas card pictures and such of family and friends.
17. Mike's car continues to fall apart.
18. We discovered the joy of Costco and freezing food in bulk.
19. Sara bought her first label maker! :)
20. We hooked our iPod up to speakers so we can actually use it around the house.
21. We bought our first fresh pineapple.
22. We have adopted a very bad habit of staying up late, college student style, and try to keep our regular schedules during the day.
23. Sara has eaten 3 boxes of Rice Chex during the month of January.
24. Sara found her sunglasses after 6+ months missing.
25. Both of Sara's sisters joined Facebook.

and let the games begin...

Yep, it happened. Our first set of friends has announced the birth of their daughter. She was two weeks early and from all that we know, mom, baby, and family are doing well. The countdown is beginning for numerous other families. It is sure to be an eventful spring and summer. Can't wait to meet all the little ones (and maybe take pictures).

Mike spent this morning with the guys playing basketball and then a little cookout. I spent the afternoon in Chapel Hill catching up with a friend from high school. Gill is one of my dearest friends, but after I moved to Ohio, England, and Florida, it was pretty difficult to keep up with everyone. Well, now Gill is around the corner (Boone) and working at Appalachian State. She was working her magic at a track meet today, so I went up to join in the fun and catch some action. A little disappointing as I was hoping to find the Jamba Juice listed on campus, but for the time I got to see Gill, it was well worth it. Thanks for inviting me!

I'm hoping to post some snow pictures soon. Mike and I are spending the evening alone together and maybe carving at some business stuff. Things are rolling with the new website and it shouldn't be too long before it is up and running. We might play a game of Settlers with our imaginary friend, Bob, but tonight is a quiet night to ourselves. This next week is already starting to fill up and could be very eventful and draining.

Saved Alone

I'm really looking forward to an extra day off from work. I'm even crossing my fingers that this cold rain turns in to ice or snow for Tuesday and gives me a two day work week. I love days off and sleeping in!

Mike's off at a meeting and I'm able to enjoy some solitude. It seems rare, but well needed. I've fixed myself some lunch and the drifted through some things on the web. I've found myself stuck on savedalone.com David is a friend of ours and leads worship at Fellowship Raleigh. I soon found myself listening, and enjoying, some of his music, photos, and thoughts. It's a refreshing moment of worship to God that makes me realize the grace found in Jesus. If you have some time and want a new song to listen to, I'd encourage you to check out his stuff. I'm excited to see how and where the Lord takes him.

Alligators and Crocodiles

No, this is not a post about the National Championship or Tebow. This is a special entry just for Brittney.

My new shoes - crocs. I know. I know. I know. You either love them or you hate them. I'm pretty much somewhere in the middle. I don't have a pair in every color. I don't have little things to decorate them either. I don't think they are a trendsetter, but I do have to agree they are comfortable and practical. I do have three pair: alice, prima, and mary janes. When I need a new pair of flats, I think they should be comfortable and not too expensive. With crocs outlet (and a coupon code), I think it's typically a good buy. My primas and alice, are great with jeans, pants, and even skirts. My mary janes have yet to be worn, but I think theyre great for canoe trips and such.

I think some people need to give them a chance, maybe just buy them as house shoes or gardening shoes. I also think there are some people that need to give the crocs a rest and not wear them every day. However, I do tend to think, like most things, there is a time a place where they are appropriate.

If anyone is looking for a gift to buy my near British friend, please look up the most hideous color and design possible.

a not so relaxing day off

So, it's Friday. I typically don't work on Fridays and Mike and I try to use the afternoon as our productive time around the house, errands, bills, etc. Saturday tends to be more of our Sabbath. Today, was a bit different than usual.

I had a meeting at work at 3:00pm. It last for 2.5 hours. Needless to say, I wasn't much up for the game night or girl's night out I was invited too. Luckily, Mike took care of all the Christmas decorations and was ready to take me out to eat when I got home. Unfortunately, eating out is an adventure with Celiac. Red Robin is my friend though. (I dreamed about their french fries last night.) So, off we went. Since I didn't pull myself out of bed until 11, I skipped lunch. By dinner time, I was starving. I did manage to enjoy some peanuts during my meeting at work though. Well, Red Robin was packed. I ordered my usual burger (minus the bun) gluten free. The waiter was pretty swamped and had no idea what I was talking about. By this time, I was feeling pretty sick. I wasn't sure if I needed some food, or a bathroom. The first round of fries were a good choice. But by the second round and cheeseburger arrived, I was ready to leave and my stomach was ready for.....not something to be in it.

So, I asked for a box. Mike asked for the check. I think he was able to finish his meal. And we were out the door. I felt really nauseated and dizzy and weak by this time. I warned Mike that we might have to make a pit stop on the way home. We made it home ok and I hurried to the bathroom and requested some pajamas from my dear old hubby. After a somewhat normal trip to bathroom and a couple checks of my temperature, I was feeling normal again.

The cause: I think the peanuts are apparently NOT gluten free. No, they don't have wheat or that in them, but I think they must be manufactured/packaged in a wheat plant. Otherwise, something else didn't agree with me. (I had some rice cereal for breakfast.) ::sigh:: It's still great to know the reason I'm sick, but does NOT make it any more enjoyable. Thank goodness tomorrow is another day to sleep in!

Roasted Chicken

I had such a good experience with my chicken, I thought I would share the recipe.

Buy a whole chicken.
Trim any excess fat off and remove the gizzards and such.
Pat dry with a paper towel.
Pour 1/2 cup wateror chicken broth in roasting pan or crockpot.
Place chicken in crockpot.
Squirt fresh lemon juice all over the chicken and inside the cavity. Insert lemon inside chicken.
Sprinkle with spice and herbs (my choice was salt, pepper, and rosemary)
Cook for 3-4 hours on high or ~8 hours on low in crockpot.

Check on the chicken at least once during cooking. Use a baster to squirt liquid on the chicken.
If the liquids dry out, add an additional 1/2 cup water or chicken broth.

WARNING: use caution in removing the chicken. The meat will be so moist that it will literally fall apart.

New Beginnings

After the trip around Florida, we settled back in and I attempted to get my life in order. I hit some speed bumps along the way, but I think I can look back with a smile and feel productive, for the most part. I now have a schedule of 42 main courses for dinner that will double as lunches the next day. And yes, these are all Gluten free. Most of them are already gluten free, but a few had to be altered. I've started to work on a daily schedule and weekly schedule to help keep us moving and intentional with our time. As an extra, we also went over some "chores" to divide them up and seem to very pleased with where things are headed.

Tonight, I'm making my first new dish - Roasted Chicken (a whole one) in the crockpot. Becky and Graham managed to do this a few times and I was inspired to try it myself. I do have to say that it doesn't seem like a money saving idea compared to the rotisserie's at the grocery. Unfortunately, I can't do those anymore, so I'm off on my own. I managed to even take out the organs by myself (and bare hands) and had it set up to go before work. It cooked all day and was ready to go by the time I returned home. Now, I'm trying my second dish - sweet potatoes and carrots. Once, those are done baking, we're off to dinner.

I'm pretty impressed by my new system, but let's hold off to make sure that the theory is as good in practice. With this chicken, we'll eat it tonight and some for leftovers for lunch. A new meal is tomorrow, but using leftovers from last night. On Thursday, we'll add the leftover chicken to paella and even use the chicken broth I'll make from the juices. I'm pretty excited to see how well this works.

So, back to school for me. A week FILLED with extra duties here and there too. These are all things I'm excited about, but had no idea how much I had on my plate at one time. So for now, I'm off to dinner and to spend time with Mike before we head out again.

Happy New Year!

This time last year, we were on our way back from Ireland. Although it was a great vacation, we spent most of the time, at least day lit hours, site-seeing. We did not get the rest we needed or desired. However, we were just beginning to understand our love for photography.

Well, this year, we barely made it to midnight. We feel the weight of life a little more than last year, but we think we are rounding the top of the hill. Some diet changes and exercise plans (thank you wii fit) have already shown some small changes in our lives. We are grateful for the eye opening procedures, but sorry it took us so long to figure it out. (My wii fit age was 47.)

So, with a new year, comes new things. This year, like last, one of my biggest resolutions is to spend more time in the Word of God and grow in my relationship with Christ. I have struggled to get through the Bible in a year and have decided to try the chronological reading plan for 2009. I'm pretty excited about that, except for making my way through the entire Old Testament before on to the New.

Most of this week was spent organizing my life, meals, guest room/office, and cleaning. The Christmas tree is still up, but will be finding its way to a box shortly. (sad) Back to work on Monday. The church move in to a new office...and it is a BIG step up from before. Lot's of changes are coming our way.

Next on the list, photography. Some friends are working on a logo and website for me. I hope to have that up and running in a month or so. Business cards will soon follow and I'm hoping the spring will bring some new life within the business. Ideally, I would love to concentrate fully on photography, but otherwise I will be looking for a new job over the summer. Your prayers are greatly appreciated.

Merry Christmas!

Christmas - I love it! I'm the one who wants to start playing Christmas music and put up the decorations right after Halloween. I'm always disturbed at how early the stores prepare for the next holiday, except for Christmas. Somehow, I think I would be ok if Christmas stuff was out ALL year. And if nothing else, we really should celebrate Christmas in July as well.

So, with both excitement and anxiousness, Mike and I set out on a three city tour of Florida in 7 days. Surprisingly, we found some time to relax, spend time with friends, enjoy both sides of the family, and even get time with each other. We were very pleased with our visit. The lack of drama is something we embrace. Pleasantly surprised!

For an official report, my biopsies were confirmed as Celiac Disease. I already feel much better, in even a short amount of time. I can easily pinpoint if I eat something I shouldn't have, but the recovery is miserable. Luckily, we have started to find our way around the grocery, kitchen, and even eating out (thank you Red Robin, Jason's Deli, and Outback). And to make it even more feasible, Mike's family took really good care of me. They made me a crustless Pumpkin Pie, Turkey pie with potatoes instead of crust, and had plenty of fruit for me to enjoy. And, one of my Christmas presents was a bag FULL of Gluten-free food and a cookbook! It's much more comforting now.

So, after my upgrade for a camera, we had several other surprises. My sister and dad bought us the Wii Fit. And may is that entertaining! You should see Mike hula hoop 8 hoops at once! His little mii even does his pelvic rotation crazy dance! It's a great work out, especially when it's raining too. Ontop of all that, we have some gift certificates to spend, clothes to wear (including the good ole underwear), and toys to break in. THANK YOU SANTA!

On a completely different note, I'm trying to get this photography business up and running and make it more of a stable thing. Hopefully the website and such will be up and running shortly. I've posted a few photos from our time in Florida, including a maternity session with Graham and Becky (our old roommates and dear friends) filled (literally) with joy for the new addition expected in March. There should be more photos to view at the website and Facebook.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

  
 

It is finished.

This time last week, I had no idea what I would encounter in the days ahead. Mike and I were able t escape for a few days and had an incredible break. I got greedy quickly and began longing for Christmas break and another weekend away. Sunday I felt sick again. And then...it was Monday.

We had already decided that it was going to be difficult to fit my birthday celebration, so Monday we had set aside for dinner. Monday morning, I received a phone call. The doctor. My results came back from the previous week - abnormal. They asked to schedule a epsoejaherj. I had no idea, what the lady was talking about. Finally, she said EDG and that I would be sedated so I needed a driver. I scheduled the appointment...Wednesday morning. And then I began my research.

The last script I had for blood testing was for celiac. Thanks to Google, I found EDG or Esophagogastroduodenoscopy. The short, they were going to shove a tube down my throat. Take some pictures and sample tissue. Being deathly afraid of throwing up and gagging on even the tongue depressor, I called back in a panic to see if I would be knocked out. She just kept saying, "IV sedation." I didn't want to know how or what, just to what extent. I wanted all to be OUT...completely. They couldn't give me the answer I was looking for.

So, Wednesday it was. We arrived an hour early and they started prepping me. I had a pretty little gown and cozy little bed and blanket. Luckily, I've gotten used to needles, so the pricking and saline IV wasn't a big problem. Surprisingly, I was able to relax. THANKS to all of your prayers! Right on time, they wheeled me in to the other room. I had two shots of something and then they had me turn over. That seemed like and easy task, until I sat up. DIZZINESS! She said that was normal. I made it over and couldn't open my eyes any more. She put something in my mouth...hard plastic. It had an opening for the tube to fit in, but was a bit uncomfortable. It was difficult to swallow, and I tried to pull it out. She didn't really like my stubbornness, so I think she gave me another shot. That's all I remember.

Next thing I know, I hear Mike. He was holding my hand and said "You can't have oatmeal anymore." Somehow my eyes opened. The doctor and Mike were with me. The doctor apparently explaining what he had seen. Meanwhile, I drifted in and out of consciousness. Somewhere along the way, I had a nice wheelchair ride, car ride, stopped for a coke, and made it home to the couch. Some things started to surface, and I began to realize everything going on. Drugs...and the results. Celiac disease. Finally, an answer. I have pretty pictures, or maybe not so pretty, of my stomach and intestines. The villi, they're dead. The treatment: Gluten Free Diet, for life. Yes, nothing with wheat, rye, barley, oats, etc. Fruits, veggies, potatoes are ok. Nothing else is...or so it seems.

And Bob's your uncle! The good and the bad. I am sooooo thankful for all of your prayers and support throughout the past two years or so along this long battle! It seems as though we have an answer. The biopsies, due back in a week, will confirm the accusation. For now, we are both thankful and distressed. We are very grateful for answers, but for me, I am searching for the way to make this normal. There seem to be quite a few options now. I have yet to find them. We are hopeful, very hopeful. It is just another chapter and transition period. Please keep praying for me during this transition. It seems as Celiac Disease is probably the end, but there does seem to be tendency for thinks to worsen and even lead to cancer. Like I said, we are hopeful. But we are also prayerful. Thanks again for ALL of your prayers, support, and encouragement!

OK, so more good news...we celebrated my birthday and Christmas this week. A new camera (and other photo goodies.) I am soooooooooooo excited! It's amazing what a step (or two) up can do. Take a look for yourself. I'm really hoping to get this photography business up and running sometime soon too. It will be a great day when that is my primary source of income for the family.