Jenna. Aug 21. Gulf Sunset.
View from Crystal Beach, Texas.
[I never can take just one sunset picture, especially on the beach.]
1 comment August 21st, 2010
Posts filed under 'Faith'
Jenna. Aug 10. Library Time.
Well, actually this is the restroom in the library. Colby & Kennedy fight over who gets to push Carlee in the stroller, and Carlee fights having to be in the stroller. Usually our library times only last 10-15 minutes because that’s when Carlee gets tired of riding. I’ll let her out, but usually she runs to the stairs (the children’s section of the Bryan library is on the 2nd floor).
Today when we all got in the elevator, I thought we were going to be stuck.. the kids fought over who got to push the button, so when I lifted Kennedy up to push the button, she refused to push the correct one. Then the elevator shifted uneasily and I started praying… I pushed the button to go down and the elevator shifted again but in the direction of down. Thankfully. Makes me question bringing the stroller again.
2 comments August 10th, 2010
Jenna. Aug 4. Auf Wiedersehen.
It was really hard to say goodbye to our German friends. I can’t decide who had a better time – them or us.
We’re going to have to learn some German so we can take a trip there next summer.
Add comment August 4th, 2010
Jenna. Aug 1. Hallo, Deutschland.
The preacher from Siegberg, Germany, preached at our church today. He did a fabulous job speaking in English. At the end of the service, the team presented a German flag that their congregation signed. Here’s Marina & Christine displaying the flag.
Add comment August 1st, 2010
Jenna. Jul 25. Colby’s Self-Portrait.
His class made these at VBS in early June and they’ve been hanging in the hallway of the preschool wing ever since. Such cute decorations – and he drew himself so well!
What do you think?
1 comment July 25th, 2010
Jenna. Jul 22. Alleluia Conference.
I went to Baylor for a church children’s choir conference. This is a really big sign.
And, I got to be in a commercial! [Um, for this conference - it will be on the Baylor/Alleluia conference website when it's finished.] The guy behind the camera approached me and asked me to say a few words – so just picture the guy in front of the camera as me, and that’s what it would have looked like.
Add comment July 22nd, 2010
Jenna. Jul 18. Houston, we have Germans.
We have the privilege of hosting 2 students from Germany for a few weeks. They are here with a team from their church in Siegberg.
Meet Marina.
And Christine.
My kids have fallen in love with them already.
Add comment July 18th, 2010
Jenna. Jul 7. Rainbows.
Anyone else find the symbolism in the rainbows on today, 7/7?
I took these while driving and dodging rain.
Add comment July 7th, 2010
Jenna. Jul 4. Hooray for the Red, White, & Blue.
I took this pic right after church today, as we were packing the car and heading to Bedford, TX (Kevin’s hometown) for the fireworks show there. July 4th is my favorite holiday, and Kevin has been talking about his hometown fireworks for years now. I’m so glad I finally got to see them, and every bit of hype was true – they were fantastic! In fact, my Facebook status was this:
“My list of 4th of July essentials: barbeque, ice cream, fireworks, watermelon, & swimming. This year I had to do without the last 2, but it was worth it to see awesome fireworks in Bedford tonight. God bless America, land that I love!”
Add comment July 4th, 2010
Jenna. Jun 30. Time to lay down.
Kevin and the girls were tickling each other on the couch. So much fun.
In other news, I’m doing much better from my liver biopsy. I’m still a bit sore and can’t pick up Carlee yet. My gastroenterologist says I have Autoimmune Hepatitis from the Solodyn/minocycline, which means that my immune system is attacking my liver. He put me on 2 different types of steroids – Prednisone and Azathioprine – and he is checking my liver levels every month to make sure they continue to come down. The steroids have side effects of their own, including increased appetite, restlessness, and foot swelling, among others I’m sure I’ll experience later.
Please continue to pray for us. Every day is different and I’m still kind of “out of it”. I am just now starting to have fun with the kids this summer, because I feel much better than I have in the past month. My prayer is that I won’t have to take the medications for years as my doctor thinks, but that I’d only need them for a few months instead – but whatever happens, we will trust in God’s timing and provisions.
I’ll write more later, and if you want the long story of what all has happened, let me know and I’ll email it to you.
I just noticed what I named this post… really, it is time to “lay it all down”.
Add comment June 30th, 2010
Jenna. Jun 28. Ouch.
Carlee learned how to say a new word today after she saw this on my “belly”.
I had a liver biopsy this morning. This is a very up-close picture of my battle wound.
Why did I need a liver biopsy? It’s the question everyone’s been asking me, to possibly save me from an unnecessary procedure. It’s part of my long story (see June 12th), but I’m hoping to have more answers when I go back to the doctor on Wednesday.
The procedure itself wasn’t bad at all; the radiologist and RNs told me I did really well and they were able to take a good sample on the first try. For this, they located my liver via ultrasound – much better than them probing the area with a needle. They deadened the skin and the area inside my body with a syringe-type needle. Then they took what looked like a small exacto-knife and cut a hole in my skin. After that, they went in with biopsy needle-gun which was probably 2 feet long. No joke. I heard a sound a lot like what happens when you get your ears pierced, and they had FIRED THE GUN. (Their term, not mine.) This meant that they had extracted a small, sausage-link piece of my liver for sampling purposes. (Again, their term, not mine.)
Now, the area on my skin is a little sore and I imagine it will be bruised by tomorrow. It’s not bleeding much and has had a band-aid on it all day. I took this pic right after my shower tonight.
Kevin wasn’t allowed to view the biopsy (there wasn’t any room), but he stayed with me before and afterward. I had a fabulous RN there who was an answer to prayer and made jokes with me the whole time. All in all, the procedure was 30 minutes long (including all the ultrasound, setup and scrubbing in and such), but Kevin and I were there for 2.5 hours total – you know, for paperwork beforehand and for making sure I didn’t puke my guts out afterward.
Please pray for a good recovery from this and for good results for Wednesday. It’s been a rough month of June for me.
1 comment June 28th, 2010
Jenna. Jun 22. Phil 4:4.
A friend of mine once told me she would like to have a Verse of Scripture in each room of her house. I think that’s an amazing goal and so far I only have my kitchen and living room “covered”. Here’s the kitchen, right above the pantry.
3 comments June 22nd, 2010
Jenna. Jun 10. Water Play Day.
The kids got to participate in a water play day for the last night of VBS. The activities included playing hide-and-seek in a box, washing the toys, and sliding on the water slide.
To say they had fun would be an understatement.
Add comment June 10th, 2010
Jenna. Jun 9. Cowpoke.
After VBS tonight (and his bath), I made him put on his Saddle Ridge Ranch gear again to take his picture.
Add comment June 9th, 2010