Passport

I had my infusion today. I usually sleep through it, but today I only slept for a couple of hours. I paced for most of the day in my little circle from the kitchen through the dining room down the entry hall through the living room back through the breakfast room and into the kitchen again. I did not need to go for a walk around the neighborhood because I paced for at least a mile today.
Since I wasn't experiencing any particular side-effects from the IVIG, I decided to go get the official birth certificate I would need to apply for a passport.
Once that minor task was accomplished, I decided to run by the post office to see about picking up the passport application. The post office was a zoo. I found a parking space, and thought about leaving because the line was out the door. I remembered that passports were buried in a corner on the opposite side of the room from the doors and not subject to that line. I ignored the looks I got as I slipped past the people waiting. Sure enough, the passport office worker was saying that he was closed as I walked up. I asked for an application saying I would just fill it out and bring it back later. The next thing I know, I am calling my Mom for the exact dates and places of birth for my parents, hurriedly filling in the blanks on the application form, and staring into a camera with an expression that Don describes as "excited but freaked-out". I pay the fees and am back out the door with an assurance that my passport will be headed my way in 3-5 weeks.

Go Where?!

Yesterday I received an invitation to make the journey to Poznan to pray for Poland... IN Poland. This is definitely unexpected. It seems a little crazy. Okay, it seems a WHOLE LOT of crazy. Yet, I am planning to go. Praying for Poznan I can do right here in my cozy home. I can even ask others to pray with me. These are things that I can do. They are even actions that I have already undertaken. Shelley says prayers have begun coming in and she has become somewhat addicted to her inbox as the encouragement pours in electronically. What I cannot do by my own ability and resources is travel to Poland. For this to happen, God will have to step in to make everything go.
The first hurdle was overcome by willingness to go and the encouragement to do so from my husband and children. The next stumbling block was the need for a passport and the money to pay the fee. The funds for that purpose were provided yesterday along with instructions on how one goes about getting a passport by a friend who is far more experienced in these matters. (Shelley says that's probably a new record for quickest donation to a short-term missions trip ever.) Despite assorted medical conditions that have been a bar to travel for years, I have been given medical clearance to make this trip. My infusion schedule is dead-on to accommodate the doctor's stated preference for me to be able to go.
I will continue to pray for Poland. If I am supposed to do that from home, then I will. If I am supposed to do that from Poland, then I will. We will see.

Lightbulb

I am touched by the e-mail responses I received from Shelley Adler & Joan Stockdale this afternoon. God never fails to amaze me. He tells me to pray for Poland. I do. He keeps telling me to pray for Poland. I do. I also start reading Shelley Adler's blog. I contact Shelley's sister to ask about needs for the ministry team in Poland. I still pray for Poland. It still feels like too little despite my BIG God. I pray, e-mail the ministry team, and send out an e-mail asking people to pray for Poland, post the "Poznan" entry on this blog, and continue to pray.
This afternoon I hear from Joan & Shelley. I know how BIG my God is in my own limited way. I easily forget that it's an amazing testimony to Him that I have any idea how big... or how difficult that idea can be to grasp. Shelley says, "... everyone at church this morning was encouraged, as well as a little surprised I think! The Poles seemed pleasantly surprised that God had put their country on an American's heart all the way on the other side of the world! Of course, we know our God is that big and we have these international experiences often as missionaries, but I think for the Poles it was a whole new concept for them- that God is bigger than just Poland! Thanks for your prayers and for sending my email on to others who will also pray. Jack said this morning at church that there's no way of knowing exactly how many people are praying for Poland at this time, but it might be more than has ever happened. It was an empowering thought- that as we're covered in prayer, God will give us more boldness and hopefully we'll see more fruit soon!"
An empowering thought, and a sobering one that motivates me. Jack's words this morning that the congregants cannot know how many people are praying for Poland stick with me. They inspire an idea for glorifying our God while uplifting the people and missionaries in Poland. We live in world where technology makes communication easy. Prayers for Poland can be e-mailed to Shelley and she will read them at the Poznan church to glorify God and encourage His people there.

17

As in 17 degrees is the current temperature outside. Sane people should stay inside when thermometers outside read 17 degrees. Don and I spent close to ten minutes layering on everything from thermals under jeans to a secondary pair of gloves before heading out to walk our doggies this morning. It was still pretty nippy. We trekked the mile and half circle down our street, out onto the major artery to the middle school, back around by the elementary, and back past the pond on our end of the street. We saw another dog-walking couple out bundled up like we were, a crazy man running in shorts and sleeveless track shirt, and that was about it for company outside on this less than hospitable day.
It could be worse. Don relates the Packers & Giants will be playing today on an open-air field with a projected temperature of three degrees. (He also says that's not even the record for coldest game played in the NFL. Cincinnati played San Diego in 1981 in -9 degree weather with a windchill of -59. Yikes.) He figures that's why those guys get paid the big bucks. I wonder if there was ever a crazy group of parents who sent their kids out to play in similar cold? I have seen some crazy competitive parents on the soccer field, in the dance studio, and certainly in the classroom, and I strongly believe they can be found on football fields. Actually, I know they can. I graduated from a W. Texas high school ever-so-slightly post Friday Night Lights. The player parents and coaches are rabid when it comes to football, but so is everyone else in town so it can be hard to pick them out of the crowd wearing team colors.

Poznan

There's a magnet on the fridge to remind me to pray for a ministry team in Poznan. I was blown away by the dedication and heart of Jack & Joan Stockdale when I met the missionary couple at a dinner a year or two ago. They are amazing. This couple, and those of their children who are still at home, live in Poland sharing the gospel. This pair is committed to teaching about Christ through English Clubs for the long haul. The team includes a young couple of Eastern European descent who have added a Russian Club, and Shelley Adler. Check out general info on the ministry at http://gospelforpoland.org/poland/index.htm
Don and I had the kids farmed out to the grandparents a couple of years ago for three weeks straight while we stayed at home. During that time we were asked to check on an ancient kitty whose owner was headed out to serve as a missionary in Poland. Shelley's cat eventually went to live with her sister, but her ministry stayed on our radar as a periodic blip from a variety of sources. Shelley's sister Lisa moved back to the area recently after a time in NY state. Shelley's Dad is one of the fellows Don has enjoyed fellowship with on Wednesday mornings for close to a decade. The Missions Team at Grace of course followed one of our own as she proceeded out into the mission field--- especially since our leader was Shelley's former youth pastor. Take a peek into Shelley's life through her blog at http://shelleyinpoland.blogspirit.com/
The magnet serves as a visual reminder of the ministry that absorbs this team everyday. (It also holds up a "fat picture" of Don & I to remind us to uphold our body-as-a-temple goals before we open the fridge.) I hope you will check out the web site and blog for this ministry team and join in prayer support for the Poznan team and the people of Poland.

Mixed Bag

My ew-o-meter was reading off the charts tonight. I haven't been in a bar in well over a dozen years since a visit to my Uncle Jules (who was tending the bar in question). The establishment I entered tonight to hear and see Don play bass was definitely a bar. Some strange creepy man sent his friend over to 'approach' me despite the fun comparison of wedding rings by myself and two of my companions after discovering we have the same ones. (Ew.) Said strange, creepy man then proceeded to point at me, draw a heart in the air, and then point at himself. (Super-gigantic, extra-humongous, golly gee whiz, EWWWWW!!!) I responded by gesticulating wildly at the stage and using my apparently nonexistent powers of telepathy to summon my spouse to my side. The people I was sitting with were wondering if Don would burst into flame, or just what might happen in response to my gesticulation. (These were new acquaintances from our church. We shall see if they say "Hello" to the crazy lady on Sunday.)
Don has a wireless thing-a-majig that keeps him plugged into his amp even when he moves off the stage to be he-manly and protect his freaked-out wife from a strange man. Okay, it could allow him to do the protecting. Unfortunately, as previously indicated, my telepathy failed. My spouse played the last few songs of the set on stage across the room from where I sat twitching and wanting to run away.
I just wanted to go say, "Yay! You play bass. Yay!" The goal was to support my spouse, and hopefully hear some good music. I was glad to have the opportunity to say "Hi!" to a couple of friends from our former church home who came out to see the show. I was also glad to meet a few new acquaintances from our current church. I just couldn't quite get passed my contentment with being a happily sheltered suburban mommy and wife who cannot figure out how to calmly and kindly deflect a random pick-up. So I freaked out. It's often what I do. If there is such a thing as a bar ministry (well, one that doesn't involve twelve steps), I am not likely to be cut out for it. Ew.

Wannabe

I am a wannabe--- a wannabe fan for the Reloaded Band. I wanna be at the gigs they play to support my husband in pursuing one of his favorite activities. I consider myself to be one particular bass player's groupie. Tonight the planets are finally in alignment for me to go check out the band.
There have been several near-misses when he plays the night before or after a grandparent visit. It's difficult to find a sitter since the majority of available sitters are in the 13-15 age range which leads to several issues. The first being the boy's age--- he's just a couple of months shy of 13 himself. The second is the boy's tendency to strip to his drawers without considering that most people do not wish to see whether he wears briefs or boxers. Couple the oddity of a 13 year-old girl being in our home at night with an almost 13 year-old boy in his drawers and you have a compelling third reason. The fourth is Katie's resistance to the idea of any sitter at all.
Tonight Evan will spend the night at Joey's house. That frees me up to look for a sitter for the girls. Katie objects to a sitter while begging to be allowed to stay home with Erin. I point out that I will be almost 45 minutes away, and that 45 minutes is a long time to be home waiting for parents to return when one is frightened, ill, or injured. (Or longer if there is any delay in reaching Mom or Dad because they do't hear their cell phones or have an interruption in service!) On with the hunt for a sitter. There is one who moved to Lubbock so she's out, another has a boyfriend and is now making bad decisions... Ariel C. would be great except that I would have to drive almost to the location where Don is playing to pick her up, then bring her to our house, drive back to the location, and repeat the whole back and forth procedure to take her home at the end of the evening which would require getting the girls out at 10:30 or 11:00 at night because Don will still be out playing a second set when I leave to head for home to relieve the sitter who is not yet legal to drive. Things are not looking good on the sitter front. I don't typically ask friends to let the kids come visit just while I am out because these gigs are almost always after bedtime!
I call a mom with girls Katie & Erin's age to ask for sitter recommendations. She tells me about her misadventures with the sitters she calls in an emergency. This is not an emergency, and I would prefer to avoid the sitters she describes. This mom is a night owl. She offers to just have me drop our girls off at her house to hang out and watch a movie with her four girls tonight while I drive to hear the Reloaded band play tonight. Part of me wants to say "No thanks, I know you have your hands full with your own girls." That part gets shut-up by the part of me that really wants to finally see Don play with band tonight.
So tonight I will run Evan to Joe's house, hurry home to shower and dress to go out (not that challenging since Bullwinkle's is a pool hall), drop off the girls after dinner and showers at their friends' home, and I am off to be my favorite bass player's biggest fan.

How Great

I heard a very cool story about God meeting needs through the church. I thought I would share.

A lady is at home with her 5 children (age 5 and under) waiting for her home to sell. Her husband is half-way across the country working while waiting for the family home to sell so he can be reunited with the wife and kiddies. She looks for a phone number to a restaurant wishing to place a food order because she feels concerns that her husband is not eating well in his temporary digs, and she wants to help him because he is ill with the flu. She reaches out to friends that her husband has met through the church he is attending via e-mail. (I love that this sweet lady identified her need to virtual strangers.) God met her need not in the way she asked which would have been largely dependent on her own resources. Instead, He used the church to extend the care and food needed by this fellow. He arranged for both nourishing meals and transportation to get the food from out in the suburbs into downtown. How great is our God?

Food Pyramid

It really doesn't matter what the food pyramid featuring recommended nutrition guidelines looks like. My children each have their own versions of what one ought to eat. They break down something like this:

Evan:
Processed sugars 43%, Fats 24%, Salty Snacks 14%, Red Meat, Ham, Bacon, Sausage, or Pepperoni 11%, White-flour Carbs 8%
Vegetables and fruit are useful for scooping up dip or holding dressing, but should be ingested with moderation.

Katie:
Fruit & Vegetables 53%; Red Meat, Ham, Bacon, Sausage, eggs, & Dairy (excluding most cheese, milk unless under duress, and yogurt that is not rainbow colored) 24%; Plain white rice, pasta, or bread 10%; Salty Snacks incompatible with orthodontia 6%; Candy and Soda 6%; Brownies 1%
Katie will never turn away from a sweet, but she will prepare meals of plain rice with gigantic dishes of veggies when left to her own devices. The issue here is the lack of lean protein and low-fat dairy in her diet. She experimented with vegetarian/vegan options before realizing that animal products are utilized in baking and meat.

Erin:
15% eggs, bacon, Miss Sylvia's fajitas, not breakfast sausage or chicken, only barbecued turkey sausage made by Mom; 15% candy & gum; 15% cereal and waffles; 15% Rice; 15% LaCreme vanilla yogurt or Go-Gurt; 15% ice cream; 15% Nuts; 15% Chips & Pretzels; 15% Mac & Cheese; 15% Grilled Cheese sandwiches
Fruit and vegetables are for losers. Dips and dressing can be eaten with a spoon or one's fingers. (Adding is for losers, too. 15 is the new 42. It's the answer to life, the universe, and everything!)

Grocery Game

Don and I gleefully left Kroger after paying $56 for $102 worth of groceries--- a $46 savings without clipping coupons! Here are my recommendations for this week:

*Buy 3 boxes of Kleenex @$1 each. Receive a coupon for a free box worth up to $2.50. (If using self-check, the coupon will print before you pay, so go ahead and pick up one of those pretty decorative oval-shaped boxes at 2.49--- You know you're worth it.)
*Split chicken breast for $.99/lb (Pilgrims Pride or Kroger brand)
*Jumbo Cameo Apples $1/lb
*Buy 4 participating Kellogg's items (We opted for the 19.1 oz boxes of Apple Jacks w/ Barbie or Hot Wheels sports watch inside @ 4/$10.) and receive a 24 pack of Kroger 16.9 oz bottles of water.

Why not pay a bit of your savings forward at the check-out? There are little pads of tear-off slips with bar codes making it quick and easy to donate $1, $3, or $5 to benefit hungry people. Just give a slip to your cashier that will be added onto your bill.

Sandwich

This morning I discovered the latest in a series of lunch sack oddities on the part of our Katie. I suggested the child take a banana in her lunch, but she explained to me why this was simply not a good idea. Per Katie, bananas turn black the second they enter a backpack. (I wish someone had shared this tidbit with me when I was last baking banana bread and wishing for riper bananas.) Her solution is to instead take a whole bag of microwave popcorn. (My thoughts on how that does in her backpack over the hours between leaving the house and her snack time shall remain my own with the exception of, "Yuck.")
Prior to the great banana/popcorn issue, our favorite lunch sack point of contention with Miss Katie is her adamant refusal to take a sandwich or any other sort of entree approximation. She says she will take extra fruit. We have tried to explain to her that there are insufficient calories, protein, and calcium (I'm dancing around the kitchen waving yogurt or string cheese while singing "Calci-YUM!" without convincing her that these are good additions to her midday meal. She does believe that Mom is a big dork.) in the fruit to substitute for the lunchbox holy of holies--- a sandwich.
She says she would just throw a sandwich away, and she does not want to upset me by wasting food. Uh-huh. I wonder if she has given equal thought to how upset I will be when she is diagnosed with malnutrition. I have tried suggesting pretzels or crackers with cheese or peanut butter as an alternative to the dreaded sandwich, but little duckie doesn't like peanut butter or most cheeses. Anyone have any brilliant lunchtime substitutions to suggest?

Slow news day

Front page on YAHOO! News today:
UFO over Stephenville, TX - This explains why people might mistakenly believe Texans to be ignorant. Actually the gentleman who saw the pretty lights while out hunting (but refrained from shooting out of a desire to avoid an intergalactic war) seemed pretty together. The fellow who offered up footage of the last time he saw a UFO (over Cleburne) detracted from credibility a bit. Oh, brother.
Apparently the plague is making a comeback, too. We need to be on the lookout for that.
In really important news today, we found that our Bella is most definitely not an outdoor cat. She crouches in terror before fleeing back into the safe haven of our home. I tried taking her out again several times, but she just looked terrorized. The last time, as soon as I let go of her, she raced back to the front window and peered inside before snaking back through the small opening in the door to hide under a chair. Nope. Definitely not an outdoor kitty.