Challenge info

Heaven for Kids by Randy Alcorn
The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint by Brady Udall
Reading Lolita in Tehran by Azar Nafisi
Girl in Hyacinth Blue by Susan Vreeland
Girl With a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
Joshua by Joseph F. Girzone
The Myth of ADHD and other Learning Disabilities by Dr. Jan Strydom
The Metamorphosis and Other Stories by Franz Kafka
Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift
Treasure Island by RL Stevenson
The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

I took the Challenge and was not able to finish my list…but I gave it a good try and I read several books that I would not have normally read. Katrina over at Callapidder Days has asked us to give a summary of our reading adventure….

Best book read this fall….Heaven by Randy Alcorn. This book has been a “life-changer” book for me! This past May, my 16 month old son, Gus died while awaiting a liver/small bowel transplant. Since then, we have started a small ministry called Gus’ Gang and one of the things we do is send care packages out to grieving parents…this is one of the books we have decided to send in the package. It is my hope that this book will encourage others who are grieving…that it will bring some comfort and give hope!
A close second would be My Dream of Heaven by Rebecca Springer
This book gave me a wonderful and beautiful image of heaven….very nice read. I wanted it to go on forever….
Book I could have lived without… 90 Minutes in Heaven by Don Piper
Maybe my expectations for this book were too high…I didn’t care for it. I wanted more writing about Heaven!
Best thing about the challenge…. I really liked reading the other lists and discovering new authors and books…like Jodi Picoult!
For the next the challenge, I am going to do more read-alouds with my kiddos and I am going to read through my bookshelves. I have a lot of books that have been hanging out on the shelves that I haven’t read yet…I need to read them, decide if I want to keep them or pass them on to others.
Thanks Katrina for the fun challenge!!

My mom and grandmother came up today to visit and drop off some gifts. I was treated to a wonderful Turkey Ciabatta sandwich and a salad at Applebee’s…it was really nice to get out by myself! When we got back to the house, the kids decided to show off our new family member…Hyacinth, the Hamster. She was put into her hamster ball and we all took in her complete cuteness. And then….we forgot about her! Nik found her several hours later jammed behind the chair in the den…unable to get herself rolling again. I felt so bad…I’m glad she has a tiny brain and has probably forgotten our oversight by now….

when it comes to making binding for my quilts! I just hate to do it but I refuse to buy the pre-made stuff…..uggghh! So this evening I decided to be a big girl and just go ahead and make the binding for a quilt that will be going to a sweet family that lost a little baby girl this past year. I started this quilt while the little girl was still alive. I decided that I would go ahead and send it to the family because it was a quilt made for their little baby…it just can’t go to anyone else!

ready to fold…I like double fold binding (French fold) and I never cut it on the bias…I’m a maverick quilter!

folded and ironed…ready to be sewn on…

on the quilt…I wish I had chosen a darker fabric…what was I thinking??!!

Copying and pasting again from Yellow’s Caringbridge site:

SUNDAY, JANUARY 22, 2006 06:16 PM, CST
Staph Aureus is our “cootie”. We’ll be coming home tomorrow as soon as meds can be set up for us to give at home. Gus’ hemaglobin, hematocrit and platelets are low and being watched. A test is being ran to see if he is making baby red blood cells…there is a medical name for them but I can’t remember it! lol!! If he is not making his own, then he’ll have to get a blood transfusion. We’ll know more tomorrow. Also, Gus’ bottom is real bad shape…the antibiotics really break down his skin. I am trying different things right now but nothing seems to work. I may have Respiratory come in soon for some “oxygen therapy”. I bet they will say they can’t…but I’ll beg! lol!! He is miserable and can’t rest…can you imagine how he feels??!!

So…there’s your prayer list for today:

Gus’ bottom to heal quickly
the infection to clear

Praises:

I completed a little quilt I have been working on for a long time
I am about the finish a book about Marilyn Laszlo…Mission Possible…she has a neat testimony. You should read the book.
Belle had a great time playing with Jenny Simonsen yesterday
Nik and I are going to stay up late and watch movies tonight!!

Belle and I were invited to make Gingerbread Houses at church. I think Belle did a great job!!

Look at those blue teeth! Mmmm..candy!

Close-up of the gingerbread house.

This is my favorite!! The little snowman just cracks me up!

When will it end???

Gus‘ First Christmas

Claire left this Christmas poem in Gus’ Caringbridge site guestbook. I really appreciate her taking time out to send this to us… it’s really nice! This is Gus from last Christmas…

Christmas In Heaven

I see the countless Christmas trees

around the world below

With tiny lights, like Heaven’s stars,

reflecting on the snow

The sight is so spectacular,

please wipe away the tear

For I am spending Christmas with

Jesus Christ this year.

I hear the many Christmas songs

that people hold so dear

But the sounds of music can’t compare

with the Christmas choir up here.

I have no words to tell you,

the joy their voices bring,

For it is beyond description,

to hear the angels sing.

I know how much you miss me,

I see the pain inside your heart.

But I am not so far away,

We really aren’t apart.

So be happy for me, dear ones,

You know I hold you dear.

And be glad I’m spending Christmas

with Jesus Christ this year.

I sent you each a special gift,

from my heavenly home above.

I sent you each a memoryof my undying love.

After all, love is a gift more precious

than pure gold.

It was always most important

in the stories Jesus told.

Please love and keep each other,

as my Father said to do.

For I can’t count the blessing

or loveHe has for each of you.

So have a Merry Christmas and

wipe away that tear.

Remember, I am spending Christmas with

Jesus Christ this year.

~Author unknown
Love~ Claire www.caringbridge.com/visit/lakenroy ^i^

to “squirrel” Gus’ things away and never get rid of them! In fact, here are some pictures of Gus’ stuff that I have found lately….and I have left them right where they are. You see, when I come across these things sometimes I am sad and sometimes I am happy…all the time I rejoice that my sweet little son is in the presence of our Lord and no longer sick. These things remind me that we will be spending eternity together….these things make my heart beat fast as I think about Home!! I was inspired to post these pictures because a Gus’ Gang mom had written that she still had breastmilk in the freezer that she is unable to throw away…I wanted her (and others who are grieving the loss of a loved one) to know that it is FINE to keep our loved one’s things! Here’s a small bit of things I am keeping and I please over look the dirt and the blurriness!!

Soothie Pacifier in the junk drawer

Two Soothies in the buffet

Yep…that’s a “Sharps” container that I used to discard glass vials and needles. I had to prepare Gus’ TPN daily by adding iron, Vitamin K and multi-vitamins…I used a lot of needles and syringes. I just can’t throw these away yet…

Stripey sock that stays in the “sock basket”

Soothie and syringe (with out needle) in my basket hanging on my armoire

Betadine used along with alcohol to clean Gus’ central line.

Portagen formula…well, 4 cans of it! These hang out under my project shelf in the studio/school room

I may get rid of these things one day…then again, maybe I won’t! For right now though, these are a few of my tools I use to do my “Grief Work”. They are cherished items…especially the soothies…

I would like to introduce you to “Spike”…designed by my very creative nephew, Ocean. Ocean’s drawing of “Spike” does not look this mean…I’m not sure what I did or how to fix it! lol!! This is “Spike” embroidered:

This is “Spike” embroidered and “Spike” the Softie as a WIP (work in progress). He is missing part of his mouth….hmmm…I wonder if the dog ate it??

Look at those spikes on “Spike’s” arm! That’s some of that polyester I was given awhile back…it makes great spikes because it doesn’t ravel as much!! WooHoo!!

Don’t you love “Spike’s” nose?? heeheehee!!!

This makes my toes curl!

photo courtesy US Air Force

Be sure to check out this video too. Joe Kittenger reaches Mach 1

I came across this site the other day… Remember the Milk I’m a “list-maker” so I think this site is wonderful! I also like 43 Things and All Consuming . I have to be really careful at these last two sites….they are kind of addictive! lol!!

Today is Jake’s 10th birthday. No school today…that’s one of our rules. We took Jake to eat ribs at Smokey Bones . We had a great time…I can’t believe he is ten!!