Homeschooling Home Economics

As I have mentioned before, this year I am teaching my two oldest girls a fairly comprehensive Home Economics course, that I created specifically for them.  I have been pleased with how it has gone.  I still need to take pictures of the long tiered skirts they finished back in January.

Today, I have a post at The Homeschool Classroom that describes how I taught budgeting money to my girls.  I plan to write a series of posts for The Homeschool Classroom that will describe other aspects of our Home Ec course this year.

We had a congregational singing at our church service last night, and I was reminded of God's promises to love and take care of us through all situations as I really listened to the words of the songs. One song we sang is called There's a Rainbow in the Cloud.  I do believe that.  I am looking for the rainbow right now.  I know that the outpouring of love, support, promises of prayers, and words of encouragement from my family and friends have been to me a rainbow in my clouds of fear and anxiety concerning my surgery and recovery.  I also know that God has a purpose and possibly a bigger rainbow!  I am still thankful.  I am still scared.  But I am trusting in the Lord to help me these upcoming days.

There's a Rainbow in the Cloud

Alton Howard, P. West

As I journey here mid the toil and tears,

There's a rainbow in the cloud

He will safely lead, I must have no fear,

There's a rainbow in the cloud.

After storm and rain, fields of golden grain,

There's a rainbow in the cloud,

Winter's cold and pain, summer's harvest grain,

There's a rainbow in the cloud,

When the storms all pass, comes a brighter day,

There's a rainbow in the cloud,

In that City fair, there's a crown to wear,

There's a rainbow in the cloud,

There's a rainbow that is shining,

There's a rainbow in the cloud;

When life's race is run, and the victory's won,

There's a rainbow in the cloud.

Update 3

"Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you; He shall never permit the righteous to be moved." Psalm 55:22

I met with the plastic surgeon yesterday, and we have a plan!  My surgery will be next Wednesday.  I will be having the bilateral mastectomy, a sentinel node biopsy (lymph nodes), and the beginning of reconstruction.  In a few months, I will have a second surgery to complete the reconstruction process.  I will be staying in the hospital for one or two nights, depending on how I feel, and I will have to rest completely for a week, and then gradually resume my activities after that.  I can't remember when he said I would be able to run, but it was either after one month or two months.  I plan to begin walking as soon as they clear me to do so!

I now have a few more days to do what I think I need to do before my recovery period.  I checked many things off of my "to do list" yesterday.  I still need to go to Walmart for my monthly shopping, and I plan to gather and/or purchase the books I plan to read while resting.  I am still a little behind in the Bible in 90 Days plan, so I will use my down time to catch up on that too!  

I am still so thankful that this surgery is all that I have to do to be well!  I know how much worse things could be, and I am grateful for my situation.  I am looking forward to putting this bump in the road behind me!  

Thank you again, so very much for all of your kind, encouraging words and promises of prayer.  It means so much to me!  My friend, Esther, emailed me the words of this hymn, and it is perfect.

"Day by Day"

Carolina Sandell Berg, A.L. Skoog, Oscar Ahnfelt

Day by day and with each passing moment,
strength I find to meet my trials here.
Trusting in my Father's wise bestowment,
I've no cause for worry or for fear.
He whose heart is kind beyond all measure,
gives unto each day what he deems best.
Lovingly it's part of pain and pleasure,
mingling toil with peace and rest.

Every day the Lord himself is near me
with a special mercy for each hour;
all my cares he fain would bear, and cheer me,
he whose name is Counselor and Power.
The protection of His child and treasure
is a charge that on Himself he laid;
"As your days, your strength shall be in measure"
this the pledge to me He made.

Help me then in every tribulation
so to trust your promises, O Lord,
that I lose not faith's sweet consolation
offered me within your holy Word.
Help me Lord, when toil and trouble meeting,
e'er to take as from a father's hand,
one by one, the days, the moments fleeting,
till I reach the promised land.

Update 2

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."  Proverbs 3:5-6.

Yesterday I had the MRI, and let me just say, that was a terrifying experience!  It ranks up there with my root canal last year!  I am claustrophobic, and the combination of lying on my stomach with my face down in a donut-shaped pillow plus not being able to move, and of course being inside a tunnel with jackhammers pounding in my ears for about 30 minutes, about did me in!  I really thought that I was going to crawl out of the machine for the first five minutes or so.  I just kept repeating to myself, "medical technology is a good thing".  Then I calmed myself by recalling how I had survived the 85 degree Andrew Jackson Marathon, and next I began praying for anyone I could think of and reciting Scripture.  I bet I said Psalm 23 fifty times!  Finally, it was over!

"Oh give thanks to the Lord, for He is good!  For His mercy endures forever."  1 Chronicles 16:34

Later in the day Jimmy and I met with my general surgeon, who is so kind and understanding.  After he and the radiologist discussed the results of my MRI, and after he explained everything to Jimmy and me, I now have my surgical plan--a plan that will completely cure me and also reassure me that the cancer will not return.

Bilateral mastectomy with reconstruction.

"Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand."  Isaiah 41:10

I do not have a surgery date yet, but I will after I meet with the plastic surgeon this afternoon.  It will be one day next week.

I am so thankful for all of my family and friends who are offering to help out in any way.  My parents, of course, want to do anything for me, and they are going to do what will give me the greatest peace of mind while I am in the hospital and recovering--they are taking my children to their house to stay for several days.  I will not be worried about my children at all while they are at Mims and Pops's house!  My mother has two sewing machines and a serger which she will set up for my girls.  They are planning a sewing/crocheting/crafting marathon!  My parents have thousands of Legos for Clay and Sam to play with, and of course they will eat yummy food, watch TV, and in general have a mini-vacation.

My sweet sister-in-law Megan visited me Tuesday, and she came to help out!  She folded all of my laundry (which was a lot!), vacuumed and vacuumed and vacuumed, checked some schoolwork, cleaned three bathrooms, and took my girls to Hobby Lobby so they could buy a birthday present.  Thank you Megan!

We have declared a hiatus from school for now.  I am distracted, and I just keep thinking of one more thing to do, one more errand to run, before I am house-bound for a short time.  I am hoping that while I am recovering I will feel like reading aloud to the children, but that is all that I plan to do school-wise, until I am feeling back to normal.  

"My brethren, count is all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience."  James 1:2

I am still trying to stay positive.  I know that I am fortunate that my cancer was diagnosed early, and that it is curable without months of treatments.  That really is a blessing.  But, the anxiety of the entire situation is sometimes overwhelming.  I can cry at the drop of a hat (and I am not a cryer).  I am afraid.  I can't put my finger on what I am afraid of, but it is still there---maybe it's the unknown of the discomforts of the surgery and recovery, maybe it's the lack of control that I have of the entire situation, maybe it's the fear that I will not regain my physical strength (I wonder if I will be running a half-marathon or doing Insanity again anytime soon?).  But, just like God's Word says,

"Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You." Psalm 56:3

So, I am praying about my fears, and trusting that God will carry me through it all!

"I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears."  Psalm 34:4

Update 1 and a Road Trip

Thank you, thank you, thank you!  I was overwhelmed yesterday by your kind comments, encouraging words, and promises to pray for my family and me.  I appreciate that so much!  

"Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11

Well, I had a change of plans yesterday!  As I was driving to the clinic for the MRI, a nurse called me saying that the MRI machine was down, and they would have to reschedule my MRI for Wednesday.  That also means that my appointment with the surgeon was rescheduled for Wednesday as well.  So more waiting!

"Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord."  Psalm 27:14

So, I am given today to be used as a normal day for me.  We will have a full school day plus art lessons.  I also plan to catch up on laundry and do a good bit of housework.  Also, I have gotten two days behind in my read the Bible in 90 days plan, so I want to read extra today to try to catch up a little bit.

I was spontaneous last week! Last Wednesday night Jimmy and Kelly talked me into buying tickets for the musical Wicked.  So Friday afternoon I took my three girls on a little road trip!  We followed Lynn and her children to Birmingham where we met our friend Leigh and her oldest daughter and Lynn's husband Kelly (who was already in Birmingham for guard duty).  We all enjoyed a nice dinner at Macaroni Grill, and then we attended the musical.  It was fantastic!  We laughed, cried, clapped, and cheered all the way through.  This really was a nice distraction for me (as Jimmy and my friends intended for it to be).  We spent the night in a hotel, and Saturday morning we had Starbucks and Chick-Fil-A for breakfast, and then we shopped at Target for two hours before heading back home.  It was a good road trip!

Jimmy and the boys had some fun while we were gone too.  They visited Jimmy's parents and family Friday night, and on Saturday they attended a blacksmithing demonstration.  Jimmy took pictures of their day, so I will blog about that next!

Thank you again, friends, for your encouragement and prayers.  This bump in my road is just that, a bump!  I will be on my way to recovery soon, and hopefully before we all know it back to my normal way of life!  Leah is training diligently for her first 10K in May, and I really hope that I will be able to run that with her.

"But those who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint."  Isaiah 40:31

A Bump in the Road

I have been traveling along this well-planned road of my life, taking care of my family, juggling homeschooling, housework, exercising, keeping us all on a predictable routine.  Even though one of my New Year's goals was to choose to be more spontaneous, and I have really tried to do that, for the most part my days fly by like a well oiled machine.

And then I hit a bump in the road.

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;"  Philippians 4:6


Beginning February 7, I have undergone repeat mammograms, ultrasounds, ultrasound-guided needle biopsies, surgical biopsy, and day after day after day after day of waiting on pathology reports.  It has been a long almost three weeks.  Friday, I finally got the diagnosis:

DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ)---which is non-invasive breast cancer.

"casting all your care upon Him, for he cares for you."  1 Peter 5:7


I am having an MRI later today, and I will be meeting with my surgeon tomorrow morning to discuss my next surgery, which will most likely be later this week.  The good news is that this type of cancer is cured surgically.

"in the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul."  Psalm 94:19


I had no symptoms.  I consider myself healthy.  In fact, I had put off even having my first mammogram for over 2 years.  My doctor recommended that I have a mammogram the last time I had a check-up, when I was 40.  Now I am 42.  For some reason, back in January I decided to make an appointment for a check-up with my OB/GYN, and I made the appointment for the mammogram for the same day.  January 27th.  And that's when the questionable areas were first detected.

Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You."  Psalm 56:3


Jimmy has been perfectly loving, comforting, and supportive throughout this entire process.  I could not ask for a better husband, and I certainly don't deserve him.  Lynn, my dear friend, who has run countless hours with me and endured two marathons with me, has been a rock for me. She has accompanied me on doctor visits, and always asks the right questions.  She also stayed with Jimmy the entire day for my surgery (she even arrived at the hospital before we did!).  She has coordinated food being brought by other dear friends to my family.  She has kept my children.  I have many other friends and family who have also kept my children, and helped out in other ways as well.  I have been surrounded by love and support, and most of all encouraging words and prayers.

"I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears."  Psalm 34:4


My prayer throughout the last couple of weeks has been for God's will for me.  For strength to handle His will, graciously, even thankfully.  That's what the verse in my blog header says....give thanks in all circumstances.  God's Word is true, and it is to be obeyed.  I am to give thanks in all circumstances, so I am trying.

"You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.  Isaiah 26:3


One benefit of all of the anxiety I have had is that whenever that feeling of anxiousness creeps up on me, I immediately begin praying for other people.  I bring to mind all of the email prayer requests I receive, people who need prayer in my church family, my personal family, friends who are enduring hard times, anyone who has expressed a need for prayers that I am aware of......I am praying for them!

I will keep you all posted of my upcoming surgery plans.

"Bring joy to your servant, Lord, for I put my trust in You."  Psalm 86:4 (NIV)