I am posing about us first, know that by the time I post about the kids we will be the 4th post down... and nobody really wants to know about us anyway!!
CJ is still going to Denver once a month to see Dr. McCarty. He has never felt good or complete relief like he did after the first treatment, but we are still optimistic. Each treatment brings a "change", and at this point change is good. The treatments are going to last longer than expected because when he had his surgery 5 years ago they literally removed a piece of his skull, so he has a hole in the back of his head. When you are trying to restructure something, and a piece is missing, it takes a lot more work, and more precise work, to get the job complete. So that's what we are dealing with. The trial now is that he walks around all the time feeling like he is going to pass out... with a headache... and no end in sight. So you can imagine how frustrating that is for him... and for me as a wife, not being able to help. But it is what it is, and we just push forward KNOWING without a doubt that someday this will be over and he will be whole again! The doctor thinks it could just be that his glands that secrete things like adrenalin (which helps us to not get dizzy) aren't working properly. CJ is taking supplements to try to combat it, but we are anxiously awaiting his next trip to Denver, that's for sure!
I am as healthy as I can be right now. On top of my 3 years now of diabetes, I was diagnosed with hyperthyroidism last fall. You'd think that by having a diagnosis you could move on, right?!? NO... we're the Larson's we don't just move on from anything!! The problem is that I have hyPER thyroid but symptoms of hyPO thyroid... which means I am excessively tired and gain weight!! haha!! Funny huh!?!? What woman over 30 isn't, or doesn't!!! Anyway, I was put on a prescription that would essentially obliterate my thyroid and cause me to be on yet another medication for the rest of my life. CJ wasn't ok with that... and either was Dr. McCarty (we love Dr. McCarty!!!). So I am trying to battle the weight gain and fatigue and treat my problem naturally. I'll let you know how that goes!!
ON LIGHTER NEWS...
CJ and his friend Spencer (and Spencer's beautiful and MOST supportive wife Allison) are in the works to start another meat business. This time the idea is to NOT go door to door, instead they placed an ad in the local Valpak and have had a great response. It may have gone in a month early because all the kinks aren't worked out yet, so they haven't been able to make any $$ yet... but they are in the final stages and we are all really excited about it. Well, I think THEY are much more excited than I... as we have been through how many businesses so far?!?! I'm trying, I really am... and if Allison and Spencer still want to be my friends through all this I will be truly blessed!!! Anyway... here is their new website www.stock-save.com. It should be up and running within the next week.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Blog lazy
So how does this happen, you ask??? I do not know. I love blogging. I love reading other peoples "bloggings". I've just become a lazy blogger. Maybe its because its cold outside and we've been stuck in the house with nothing exciting going on. Maybe its because we are now at dance classes 3 nights a week. Maybe its because we've been sick... each.one.of.us. Maybe its because there is no new news on CJ (still going each month for treatments though). Maybe I'll just have to look for the more exciting aspects of life. I guess I have gone into a slump!
I know there are good things in our lives. I know there are things to be thankful for each and every day. Maybe its just time to look back at the basics and realize Heavenly Father really does bless me. I have shelter and food, and family... a beautiful family, and a loving family, and a family that actually gets along and enjoys time together. AND I have all my friends... blogging friends... and all my Facebook friends. We have good doctors. We have medicine. We have freedom, and education. I slept in a huge warm cozy bed last night. And even the fact that my son is spreading chocolate milk powder all over the kitchen right now.
You see, there are many, many things I could blog about... but right now... I have to go clean up chocolate milk powder!
I know there are good things in our lives. I know there are things to be thankful for each and every day. Maybe its just time to look back at the basics and realize Heavenly Father really does bless me. I have shelter and food, and family... a beautiful family, and a loving family, and a family that actually gets along and enjoys time together. AND I have all my friends... blogging friends... and all my Facebook friends. We have good doctors. We have medicine. We have freedom, and education. I slept in a huge warm cozy bed last night. And even the fact that my son is spreading chocolate milk powder all over the kitchen right now.
You see, there are many, many things I could blog about... but right now... I have to go clean up chocolate milk powder!
Monday, February 9, 2009
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Exploring talents
We are all given earthly talents. Some of them are natural talents, and some of them take a little honing. Talents come in all shapes, forms, and sizes.
One of my natural talents is being able to handle adversity. My other talents, I think, all are going to take a little honing.
Right now I am trying to explore a couple of different talents, one being the "crafty" version and the other a skill. On the craft side you may notice my blog headers changing periodically. While this is not really a "passion" for me I do find it fun (and fun is always good in trying to wade through adversity) and, who knows, maybe it could even turn into something else... although I cant say I am confident enough for that just yet.
The other talent I am focusing on - the skill - is sewing. Eventually times could get bad enough that knowing how to work a needle, read a pattern, or repair a sock could come in pretty handy. I made my first sewing creations as Christmas gifts, and even though they were well received, I pray that they will hold up (at least to get a few good uses).
This was my first...
Its an "ugly" quilt I made for Andrew and Lisa. Its not made to be especially beautiful, just useful. And I learned a lot. I learned how to sew a straight line (almost). I learned how to measure and cut squares. I learned how to back a quilt. I learned how to tie a quilt. AND I learned that all things come together better if you take your time. Overall though, I had fun doing it and assured them their quilt was made with love.
This was my second...
Another quilt, this time for Kandis. Different fabric. Different challenges. AND I learned a little more... OK, a lot more.
So now, onto my third project.... a king size quilt for our bed! This is kind of where all of the talents I listed in the beginning come together. Adversity = $$, which means I couldn't buy all the fabric at once. Creativity = trying to find fabric and a pattern that both CJ and I would be happy with. Skill = the whole darn thing.
I would like to "journal" my trials of this monster quilting project... so you get to benefit from my learning! Lucky you... unless you decide not to read it... then... whatever... but anyway..
I figured by doing this I will keep myself on track and work on it as much as I can... not getting too discouraged along the way.
SO here is what I started with.
Most of the fabric (still want to find a green and another brown) and tools... once I figured out the design (which is mostly in my head so you can't see a picture of it until its finished).
Step 2 is cutting the squares, then cutting the squares into triangles.
Seems easy enough! So far so good.
Third is sewing the triangles into a block (that's where a pattern comes in handy). My finished block size is 12".. so without knowing what size triangles will make a 12" block... complicated. But my good friend Jessica assures me that its not too math involved... true... if you have a pattern!
So, after jamming the sewing machine a few times (Mom gave me temporary custody of her sewing machine, thanks Mama). Ripping one seam apart, because somehow I managed to sew it incorrectly. AND almost fine tuning the art of measuring... here is my first block!!
I have made 2 so far. YEAH! These blocks are going to make one big square... or probably a diamond (which is actually just a square tipped to the side :0) in the center... and corners... of the quilt. With the solid green and darker brown around that.
The image I have in my mind seems like it will work nicely... hopefully my real life work will come out as well as I envision!!
One of my natural talents is being able to handle adversity. My other talents, I think, all are going to take a little honing.
Right now I am trying to explore a couple of different talents, one being the "crafty" version and the other a skill. On the craft side you may notice my blog headers changing periodically. While this is not really a "passion" for me I do find it fun (and fun is always good in trying to wade through adversity) and, who knows, maybe it could even turn into something else... although I cant say I am confident enough for that just yet.
The other talent I am focusing on - the skill - is sewing. Eventually times could get bad enough that knowing how to work a needle, read a pattern, or repair a sock could come in pretty handy. I made my first sewing creations as Christmas gifts, and even though they were well received, I pray that they will hold up (at least to get a few good uses).
This was my first...
Its an "ugly" quilt I made for Andrew and Lisa. Its not made to be especially beautiful, just useful. And I learned a lot. I learned how to sew a straight line (almost). I learned how to measure and cut squares. I learned how to back a quilt. I learned how to tie a quilt. AND I learned that all things come together better if you take your time. Overall though, I had fun doing it and assured them their quilt was made with love.
This was my second...
Another quilt, this time for Kandis. Different fabric. Different challenges. AND I learned a little more... OK, a lot more.
So now, onto my third project.... a king size quilt for our bed! This is kind of where all of the talents I listed in the beginning come together. Adversity = $$, which means I couldn't buy all the fabric at once. Creativity = trying to find fabric and a pattern that both CJ and I would be happy with. Skill = the whole darn thing.
I would like to "journal" my trials of this monster quilting project... so you get to benefit from my learning! Lucky you... unless you decide not to read it... then... whatever... but anyway..
I figured by doing this I will keep myself on track and work on it as much as I can... not getting too discouraged along the way.
SO here is what I started with.
Most of the fabric (still want to find a green and another brown) and tools... once I figured out the design (which is mostly in my head so you can't see a picture of it until its finished).
Step 2 is cutting the squares, then cutting the squares into triangles.
Seems easy enough! So far so good.
Third is sewing the triangles into a block (that's where a pattern comes in handy). My finished block size is 12".. so without knowing what size triangles will make a 12" block... complicated. But my good friend Jessica assures me that its not too math involved... true... if you have a pattern!
So, after jamming the sewing machine a few times (Mom gave me temporary custody of her sewing machine, thanks Mama). Ripping one seam apart, because somehow I managed to sew it incorrectly. AND almost fine tuning the art of measuring... here is my first block!!
I have made 2 so far. YEAH! These blocks are going to make one big square... or probably a diamond (which is actually just a square tipped to the side :0) in the center... and corners... of the quilt. With the solid green and darker brown around that.
The image I have in my mind seems like it will work nicely... hopefully my real life work will come out as well as I envision!!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)