Predators and Prey

I'm not sure HOW but we made great progress on school today...so much that we took time to play a Predator/Prey game.  We were discussing what senses animals would use to either find or avoid each other if they couldn't see in the jungle.  What other senses could they use to find their prey or escape a predator. It was a fun learning activity...

Stacia is the predator

Guess she'd rather capture the elliptical than the prey

Near miss

Zander found his prey as she was saying, "I'm scared"

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Yuuki Goes Visiting

How many Gherkin's does it take to bathe Yuuki?

So many epic fails in this story...


I was distracted when Zander and Stacia asked if they could take Yuuki for a walk. I told them I didn't want to go right then...they took that to mean they could go alone. Fail on their part; fail on my part. 


As I said, I've been distracted, and didn't REALIZE they weren't at the table doing table school. Fail on my part.


They went way past our "block boundary" and went down by the ponies and ponds. Fail on their part. 


Stacia came running in screaming, crying, nose running...I finally deciphered  Yuuki was fighting with a Shiba, by the ponies, and Zander needed me to come quick. I did. It's cold when you run outside without proper winter apparel. 


Sure enough their leashes were tangled, they were barking and yipping and they were in the Japanese Veterinarian's yard.  He heard and came out (I'm not sure WHAT took him so long, it was at least 5 min for Stacia to run home, get me, and for me to get back).  I was saying over and over "Gomen nasai, gomen nasai" and trying to hold the dogs. He helped. He said "Dai jo bu" - it's o.k. I thanked him, apologized some more and left with our two young hooligans and sheepish dog. 


Zander was crying, I was lecturing...not yelling...and our friend popped around the door and said, "ee, ee, ee" and made crying motions. I suspect he was saying it's all good...but I haven't a real clue.  


I'm mortified the kids took Yuuki into his yard....then fought his dog. Mortified. They wanted the dogs to be friends and tried to introduce them. We had a long talk about dogs, about territorial instincts, about the fact that you don't walk into someone else's yard...and you don't leave the block without one of us with you.....Stacia suggested we bake cookies for them.  I'm at a loss. Hoping we didn't lose the ground and witness we've tried to build for over 2 years.....and wondering how to teach  common sense strategies which evidently are not common sense to our two youngest. 


We decided Yuuki needed a bath after this.....we were worried about fleas and other bugs Arielle thought she saw. 

Tell me again WHY we're doing this?

Yuukie shows us how to dry a dog

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Today's Dr. Appointment - Warning! Mild incision photo

Mike has had a big day. He's spent a lot of time downstairs, went to the doc and ate a real meal for dinner tonight....Chicken Pot pie, salad, broccoli....thanks Carmen and family. 


Things weren't as great as we'd hoped for at the appointment today. There is certainly progress. He's been UP more today. The drainage has slowed. I got some really good shots of the drain without the dressing...but again we'll save the really gruesome photos for Michael's upcoming story. LOL 

He ASKED if I had my camera, I would have forgotten 

His liver numbers are going down, though still not normal. This is good. 

His pancreas number is still rising.

Another number is rising but I can't remember it's name, it would indicate stones or a clogged bile duct.

He still has the drain in case they need to do another "procedure" - not happy words.

He's lost 10 more pounds and Zander told him he looks like a skeleton.

Look close - see the drain pinned to the shirt? 

We aren't sure what is up with the lab numbers. The dr. is being cautious. We'll have more labs on Thursday...maybe they'll be normal then. In any event that will be 2 weeks post op and about time to see if it could be something other than "slow recovery" if things haven't gotten noticeably better. I think. Maybe I'm still impatient?

Oh, and he has a marvelously hoarse voice - from being intubated. This should go away with time.

Your continued prayers are appreciated......and after such a big day....Zander, Stacia and I are watching "What's in the Bible - Vol 6," the older kids are at Youth Group, and Michael is wiped out.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Day 2 - Status Updates

• Michael woke up once with break through pain but 800 mg of Ibuprofen took care of it; we're getting the pain managed
• English muffins baking and dough started for cinnamon craisin English Muffins which I'll bake this afternoon.
• Titus 2 is the chapter today for PWOC Japan TnT (Truth n Treasures) - why DO so many hate to talk about "doctrine"? It simply means teaching, one who teaches. How can be sound without knowing what we believe and paying attention to proper teaching?
• For those who wonder about Mike's photos - it's Mustache March in Misawa...and it was Flat Top February....women are threatening Armpit April....stay tuned. 
• Yuuki meets neighborhood Shiba....will this be good in the long run?* 
• How do you teach a child "common sense"?*
• 4.6 shaker while we do couch school
• Labs and Doc today - still have a drain; liver numbers are down, something else and pancreas numbers continue to rise. *
• School done*, doc done, whole wheat and Cinnamon Craisin English Muffins baked....I'm done. 

The * items are ones which I'm writing blog posts on for the day. 


Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Breath Prayer

I'm sure there is a fancier theological name...but my friend, Renee, shared with me a church tradition with which she is familiar.  As you inhale you praise God or name an attribute; as you exhale you petition. The breathing sort of helps to calm a person too. 


I found myself doing a lot of deep sighing today as I watched Michael go up and down and I kept saying to myself over and over,  "I just want this over."  I've made a conscious effort to capture rebellious thoughts....and I believe it is God that reminded me of Renee.  I told God, that's it...I'm coming up with a prayer to mutter instead of THIS phrase.....and instantly....

"Emanuel, You are close,"  replaced "I Just want this over." Or "Emanuel, Draw me closer."

Who knew? Another tool to take every thought captive to the Lordship of Christ.

A huge encouragement today was an email sent by PWOC International Prayer Coordinator to the International Board and Regional Presidents. She asked all to intercede specifically for myself and Michael. What a joy to know the specific verses they are praying and that they are holding up my tired arms.  Tonight I only drained 20 ml from Michael's gut drain - that is more than 50% less of what it's EVER been since surgery. I think he may get his drain out tomorrow. I'm believing the labs are going to be positive and we'll have some positive steps forward towards full recovery.

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Yuuki Photo of the Day

Yuuki thinks she's a cat. She's never far from one of the children. What a blessing she is. 


Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Day in FB like Status Updates

• Amazing group of leaders I call sisters...PWOC International Board and Regional Presidents holding us up in prayer, praying specific verses for Michael. I feel encouraged. 
• 3 hours to add titles and edit Feb/Mar 2007 of Choosing Joy for printing....5 years ago....
• I ran a produce co-op, a natural foods co-op and weighed 30 lbs less
• I had had 7 kids at home
• Spent a lot of time at parks with friends 
• Had an unbelievably cute toddler and young kids
• Was waiting for Michael to come home from Kuwait
• Solitary Sunday....we're all pretty laid back today
• Guess who came downstairs for breakfast? Though spent the rest of the morning/afternoon in bed?
• Beth Bowers had a BRILLIANT idea! The next time I change Michael's dressing, I will draw a circle around the infection...then we'll know if it's spreading. 
• Pinterest - I wonder? Just more mental clutter for my already cluttered mind? Or would it help organize perfect brilliance?
• Really praying for PWOC Japan Region leadership - I can't maintain boundaries and start up a new region without a team.  God is calling women - just praying they'll hear and respond positively. 
• I have food in my fridge that is scrumptious and I don't know who brought it...a guacamole/salsa thing....
• "I just want this over" becomes "Emmanuel, You are close"
• WONDERFUL meal from another amazing family for dinner
• Mike looks really worn out tonight...is it normal or a downturn
• Woot - I stripped and drained and dressed the drain site like a PRO....and there was ONLY 20ml tonight....have been trying to get to 30ml and then it can come out....yesterday it was still at 45 ml
• English Muffin dough souring on the counter

Yes, I AM thinking about FB  again. Re-evaluating tends to happen when one spends several hours revisiting past sections of family history.  Is this really how I want to relate with (or to, or at) friends? Just the bottom line? But it's SO convenient and so fun....and a robber of time...and while it clutters my mind with info, I'm not sure true intimacy is bred...a private message or email to a friend may take more time....but more of our hearts communicate....but it's fun and convenient and I need to be on FB anyway for various ministry pages. It's an effective tool for some things....but do I PERSONALLY want to interact via FB? Do I PERSONALLY want to rely on FB for intimacy with friends?

Michael reminds me  what I post on FB is NOT saved for our family journal (Choosing Joy)....I have taken to going over FB updates to remind myself of what to blog about....

 I'm conducting a test this week...open a blog post in the a.m. and every time I have a moment of pure FB brilliance I'll jot a bullet statement. At the end of the day, I'll post some to FB (one one time to post should save me wasted time when I'm led astray to cool links),  delete some, and leave some to publish on the blog. That will be our "Day in the Life" list for the family journal. There will be a  few updates I want to expound on and they will become  blog posts. ::snort::  Meanwhile my FB brilliance will be saved for the family journal during the test week...satisfies all.  

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...