Blizzard 10'

to the left is the highway

I hope this doesn't discourage any of my blog buddies from coming to visit us in the country someday! This isn't our typical winter weather. I am pretty sure this is the kind of blizzard written about in "Little House on the Prairie"; the one with howling winds and blowing snow that stings your eyes. These pictures were all taken by the neighbor at the post office. I can't believe she even went outside to snap them in the chilling wind! Of course, in dutiful postal fashion,I came to work. It takes a while for the highway dept. to come clear our roads, as I-40 is top priority. I am only hoping and praying that I make it home and not by Clyde having to come get me in the tractor!

His Mercies are New Every Morning

Happy New Year! I think we can say it is still "new", even though we are 2 weeks in at this point. Honestly, I think the saying should be, "Happy New Day!". "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. 23 They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness. Lamentations 3:22-23.

Our year began with the whole family being on a gluten-free diet, due to test results Macey had gotten with our primary care doctor, revealing that she has an allergy to gliadin. He really believed that she has celiac disease. It was a little stressful through the holidays making sure that she didn't get ANY gluten, because a celiac cannot have gluten ever, at all, for life. I would say that the family has adapted well.

This week we took Macey to a GI specialist, as we wanted to verify our primary doctor's findings. When the Dr. came into the exam room he was looking at her chart and he said, "She doesn't have this". We were both very surprised, because she has exhibited many of the, somewhat elusive, symptoms. He told us he would retest all of her labs and in addition do an intestinal biopsy. Which will be more conclusive than blood work. We left his office feeling a little conflicted. He said Macey can go off the GF diet until we know more...the thing is, she felt better (not 100%) on the diet. So, basically we let her choose. She wants to stay on the gf diet until we know more. Ah, smart girl! Biopsy is scheduled for February.

On the home front: our house is finally getting close to being finished. Someday maybe I can process all the struggles that wanting a "thing" has caused. God has taught us tremendous lessons through this; I hope I never forget them and "return to Egypt". We had a trim crew almost complete trim last week. Today we are going to pick up our custom cabinets. Clyde and I will be poly-ing them this weekend, to save some money. Hopefully next week the cabinet guy will be here to install them!

Christmas 2009 on the Slopes

Marshmallow roasting

Hyewhan, Macey, Dawson

Hyewhan was my SIL's exchange student from South Korea.

We consider her a part of our family; this is her 3rd Christmas with us! She is currently attending HS in Chicago. She asked that we pray she can go to a US college.

Taherai (our neice) & Blake playing string games

Christmas Recap

The holidays, in many ways, were a new experience this year with Macey's newly diagnosed celiac disease. For right now it is a lot of our focus and attention as we learn to live gluten-free. Macey is feeling some better, not 100% yet, hopefully that will come with time and careful attention to her diet. Our whole household will be going GF at home; all of the gluten is already gone for the most part, anything with gluten is marked with a big X.

Here are some of the things we did to avoid gluten contamination during the holidays:

emailed teachers to let them know what items are "safe/unsafe" foods.

Macey read labels of every goody given to her (provided by a teacher) before consuming and gave away the rest to friends.

Did not eat/bring home anything homemade (sorry), it was re-gifted.

Immediately re-gifted all food items containing gluten, which was most all.

avoided church Christmas brunch (and Jesus birthday cake), for this year, until we can figure this out (didn't want Macey to sit in the corner alone).

took GF food to family Christmas, even though my SIL tried to accommodate.

"helped" in the kitchen at family Christmas, so I made sure our food from home and safe foods were not contaminated (caught butter, with crumbs, about to be put in the corn).

cooked all meals at the cabin for our Christmas ski trip, it was easier than I thought, but did require some pre-planning.

We did have a wonderful Christmas at Sipapu Ski Resort. The kids all took ski/snowboard lessons the first day. I took a lesson too, because it had been so long since I had been on the slopes, and had an awesome time! My girls were hitting intermediate slopes with their aunt by day 2, it was amazing to watch them be so graceful and confident. My boys snowboarded. Blake did really well for a first-timer and Dawson was a blast to watch, it melted my heart. Dawson was brave enough to ride the chair-life up with me and Clyde and board down! I'll post some pictures later when I have a minute to upload. Blessings to all and Happy New Year!

Finding the Perfect Tree

We still cut our own Christmas tree every year, on family property. It's really important and special to my kids, they love it! I have fun too, but I am thankful for a strong son that is now able to help carry the tree back up the hill.

In Times Like These

~Picture by Priscilla Hazen, November 09'

UPDATED TO ADD: We found out that Dawson does NOT have an allergy to gluten, so far only Macey.

Today playing is my head is the song, "Praise You in This Storm" by Casting Crowns. I posted the picture of Dawson because it is a picture of how I feel inside. I praise the Lord, not because of my circumstances or where I am, but because of who God is. He is God and our job is to make his name famous. Here is the quote from Casting Crown's website as the inspiration for the song:
"If there ever were a test of our faith - if there ever were a test of the motives of our worship - it is when a storm rolls into our lives. We watched and prayed for a precious little girl named Erin Edwards struggle with a deadly disease for several years. The courage, the witness, and the worship of Erin's mother Laurie inspired this song. Sometimes God calms our storms. Sometimes He chooses to ride them with us".Romans 8:28

I love that God allows us the opportunity to flex our faith, it lets us know that, indeed, it is real and He is real. For today, God is riding the storm with us, no, He is in control of the storm and we are riding it with Him, playing in the leaves!

Back in October Macey was sick and we didn't know what was wrong. We thought we had it figured out only to have her continuing to be sick off and on, mostly constant nausea. We went to a new doctor who was absolutely determined to figure out what was wrong. He ran tests (CT, blood work) and more tests. Finally, this past Tuesday we got a call that she is allergic to gliadin, a protein of gluten. On her chart he hand penned, "likely this is celiac", "treatment is gluten-free diet". On Wednesday, after a heavy diet of wheat products before the call on Tuesday, Macey came down with fever and a horrible itchy, red rash all over her body. Probably an allergic reaction. It was awful. Clyde took her, with her rash, and Dawson, for blood tests, to the doctor, because Dawson has also exhibited mild symptoms of what we now know is celiac disease in Macey. I was thinking, "I don't think I can handle much more, Lord". I cleaned out my pantry and fridge of most unsafe gluten-containing products , including the ranch dressing, soy sauce and miracle whip, and went to bed exhausted, wondering how the wheat farmer's wife will effectively manage a daughter with a severe allergy to wheat. "I lift my eyes unto the hills Where does my help come from?My help comes from the Lord. The Maker of Heaven and Earth."(Praise You in This Storm, Casting Crowns).

I rested well until 3:30 AM, when the phone rang. At our house, a 3 AM phone call typically means bad news. It was Clyde's sister calling to tell us that their dad had passed away. This was not a shock, he was 83 years old and in fair health, at best. Still, it was a surprise as he was not hospitalized, rather he was home and had a good day yesterday. I told you we would need our friends, just did not realize it would be so very soon. Today I know my friends are praying for our family as we prepare to say goodbye to the man whom I can thank for fathering and loving a son, whom I was privileged to marry. "As the thunder rolls I barely hear You whisper through the rain“I’m with you”And as Your mercy falls,I raise my hands and praise the God who gives and takes away." (Praise You in This Storm, Casting Crowns).

I will praise you in this storm, I will lift my hands for you are who you are, no matter where I am. Every tear I've cried you hold in your hand, you never left my side and though my heart is torn, I will praise you in this storm. (Casting Crowns)

Grace in the Gospel

I recently got caught in a conversation about a guy that married a girl who, at the time, was expecting a baby, which was coincidentally not the guy's child. The person I was talking to said, "what kind of guy would marry a girl that was pregnant with someone else's baby?" Yes, I know it sounds like an afternoon talk show. As I thought about this situation a little more, in my car driving again, God whispered to me, "Joseph would".

"But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost." Matthew 1:20