Our Journey to Healthier Foods...

On my journey to learning how to be healthier... My family gets some fun adventures too! This time, it was french fries made with Butternut Squash. I had THE BEST of intentions and a great recipe on this one. The only problem is, it turned out to be french fry MOOSH! lol I've gotten a few additional pointers from friends, and I'll eventually try this again. After all the thought that went into planning that night (I went out and bought that dumb fry maker and had hamburgers for my guys etc etc)... to have it not turn out to the wonderful plan I had in mind... BUMMER!  So, I told the boys (who are not afraid to tell me when one of our new health food adventures are not their favorites), I wont be doing that again, but I appreciate them trying it! :) I also tried a healthier version of a cupcake (dry cake mix, mixed with a can of pumpkin instead of the oil/butter) and they love that... So, it wasn't all a loss!

Supraventricular Tachycardia...and me.

By definition: Supraventricular Tachycardia (SVT) is an abnormal heart rhythm that causes the heart to beat very fast. This kind of fast heart beat originates in the upper chambers of the heart. An SVT can cause the heart to beat greater than 100 beats per minute. SVT can have a rapid burst of heartbeats. This can start and stop suddenly with out warning and is called non-sustained. SVT can also be sustained, in which the heart beats at a continuous fast rate.

For me... There was an occurrence about a year and a half ago.  I was on a work retreat, had just been blessed with a free spa treatment, a great dinner, and I was walking to my hotel room to get my keys and go to a movie. Slow paced, nothing exciting, but my heart started to pound in my chest. I was scared, but I was also the one 6 women were depending on driving them to a movie in Palm Springs... So, I took a pause in my hotel room, sat down and tried to take deep breaths, but it did not stop.  It wasn't until 1/2way through the movie when it finally went back to normal. I was scared, but I was more scared to find out what happened. Everyone said, "Oh, it was just an anxiety attack"... so, I never went to the Dr.

This past Saturday, Aaron was about 3 hours away from home on his way from Northern CA. I had just sat the boys down to eat their dinner and I was cleaning up the kitchen. It began. My heart rate was going so fast (over 250 beats a minute), I felt dizzy, short of breath and pressure in my chest. I got Aaron on the phone with the idea, "If I stop talking, call 911 and give them our address." I went upstairs and took 2 aspirin, thinking I may have been having a heart attack. I came into my office and put my blood pressure cuff on, it just kept giving me an error message. As I was sitting at my desk trying to get my body to calm, I sent my neighbor a text to see if they were home. Praise the Lord, both my neighbor and her daughter were able to rush to my help. Jessica stayed with my boys and Melody drove me to the hospital. I had called the hospital and they guessed it was SVT and told me to call the ambulance and get right in. But, I'm a cheapskate and my neighbor was right there ready... so we drove.

Aaron called his parents, they came to relieve Jessica and be with the boys. He called my parents, who then called me and said, "If I don't hear from you in an hour, we're on the road to get there!" ;) I'm so thankful for both of our parents who just wanted to jump in and be there for us!

We got to the hospital and Melody made sure I was all checked in and being taken care of before she had to leave... They did an EKG and had me on all sorts of monitors. The look on the nurses faces when they saw my heart rate was a bit unnerving... I should call them and let them know to get their game faces on for the next patients! ;)

It had been about an hour of the very fast heart rate when they finally brought in a medicine (I had only been at the hospital maybe 20 minutes, and they were doing the tests to just see what exactly my heart was doing before they brought it down... I guess)... So, they are standing there with the medicine and say, "Now, this might stop your heart for just a second and then it will start up with the right beat again." Ummmm, ok? lol Then, the Dr said, "You will feel a little funny." I said, "Dr, Funny is a very vague descriptive." He smiled and said, "Well, I've been told it's a very vague feeling." He was right.

The pushed the medicine... a few seconds later I felt very funny. After that really odd sensation, I got a tingle from my head to my toes. Almost like warmth and almost like electricity.  After the meds went in and my body did that reaction, all went back to normal. I was back to my typical 116/69 ish blood pressure.

(all the while, with an oxygen tube up my nose while having a cold... can I tell you THAT is not fun!?!)



Since being at the hospital on Saturday, I've been talking to God about my fears. They can't tell me why it happens or what I can do to stop it, or any signs of when it's coming again... That's a bit unnerving when I am home alone with my boys as often as I am. BUT, I still know God. ;) He set Jessica and Melody and Lynne and Gary up to be available, he allowed it when Aaron was 3 hours away instead of the start of his 2 week job out of town. It was not fun, but it was orchestrated perfectly for what it was. While at the hospital, I got to witness with a couple of nurses and I got comments about my joy in the midst of the feelings I had...I love that.

So... I've come to the conclusion on this one... Lord, your will be done. If SVT is my new "friend" in life, and I'll have the opportunity to witness to ER staff... then let it be.  If SVT was here for a short visit and He intends to heal me, then I can be a witness of his continual healing in my life.  There is one thing I asked of the Lord, though... If it happens again, that He be gracious in provision for my children as He was this time.  *I just got that tingle pain in my nose when tears are trying to come* I'm so thankful He meets us right where we are and makes a way.

Today, I am ok! It's a new mini-journey the Lord and I are walking through as to my feelings/fears on it...but just a bleep on the scale of my full journey and I'll be just fine!  I so appreciate every one's prayers and checking up on me! I feel very loved and I appreciate that from the deepest part of my heart!

The Lord is Good!!

Look what Santa Left!

Joe just came running into my office, "Mama, you are NOT going to believe this!"... I looked at him with anticipation. He said, "You know how Santa comes down the chimney?" ...yes..."Well, I just opened it up and I found this!!!"

A plug to a water gun! ;)

He continued, "Santa left one of his BELLS!" He was so sure of himself and so in awe of what he had discovered. He kept walking around, "I just can't believe this." He told me I needed to call Santa, and I told him I couldn't because he's on his vacation right now. ha ha ha  Then, he held it up to his ear and wiggled it. He said, "It's just like the movie, I can't hear the sound!" Oh that boy, so cute!

"What does Overwhelm mean?"...

1st Day Joe ever wore Flip Flops!

The other night, Joe was SO SAD that Aaron was gone. He wanted him to pray with him before bed (and we couldn't call cuz his job was too loud to hear anything)... Joe was just tore up and I prayed. I prayed, "Lord, please overwhelm our house with peace tonight.".... When I was done with the prayer, he said, "Mama, what does overwhelm mean?"... I told him, "Well, if you are super frustrated, God can just sweep through your body and wipe all of that away and make you have peace." My poor boy burst into an uncontrollable cry and said, "Can you pray that for me?" Awwwww. So, I said, "Well Joe...I would love to, but I also think it would be great for you to talk to God about your heart on your own sometimes too, so hold my hand and you ask God for what you want." He held my hand and through tears asked God to overwhelm him with peace. ;) So sweet.

Typically, Aaron or I do the nighttime prayer, but I've been having Joe take his own turns to be in charge of the prayers. At first, he thanked God for dinner. ;) That was the only time they had been in charge of prayer, so that had that down! lol Last night, I told him, "Mama's throat hurts so I can't talk well...would you like to pray tonight?"... He grabbed my hand, and with out me telling him what to pray for at all... He asked the Lord to heal Mama and make her better, and he asked the Lord to help Dada drive safely home today... He thanked him for our fun day and for the great sleep we would have. I was so impressed with him. When he said Amen, I rubbed his forehead and told him, "Wow buddy, you have really gotten good at talking to God." He smiled this proud smile that was so sweet!

If my boys getting bigger means I get to see their own depth in the Lord grow, then I'm not so sad to see them grow... I stand in awe of my God who loves us all so much, he woo's our hearts and makes it so easy for us to love Him.

Something I love...

This has made its way on my "loved" list. I will admit, I "copy and pasted" the picture from a website, and then "fixed" it to have our names and anniversary instead of the original. It is so tender and sweet and something Aaron and I would have done if we found ourselves next to that tree... and, as we all know... if I had my camera, I would have taken this very picture! ha ha ha I have decided, I want to own this picture someday...It's $50 on the website...what goal should I set for myself to earn it?...reach my goal weight?...don't yell at the boys for a week straight? hmmm. Maybe I'll just leave a hint on my husband's desk! That's the ticket! Anything that makes my heart smile towards the love Aaron and I have, is worth way more than $50 to me... I WILL own this! ;)

Uncle Bonding...

Uncle JJ got to come for an Easter visit! The boys had two fun days of playing with him and just spending time. This was at the end of his visit, cuddling to a movie. They have always gotten "Uncle Ricky" and "Uncle Justin" confused... I think, after some great time in Sonoma we just had with Uncle Ricky and now a great visit with Uncle Justin... they FINALLY know the difference! ha ha ha

Spring Break in Sonoma!

The boys and I got to take a trip up to visit my family in Sonoma for Spring Break. At the end of our 10 day trip and 90 miles into our drive home, we got a call from Dada that he was headed up north. So, we turned around and got to continue our vacation with Dada in Sonoma!  Here are some fun pictures from our adventures!

Me and my handsome fellas.

Matthew REALLY wanted Dada to ride bikes with him!

Meme brought Joe a cake again... yes, a whole cake!

Matthew LOVED sharing the cake!

The kids used the red cups for a water fight!

Me and Meme...I love our times of getting together with her!

Dada brought his trailer and busted out the screen for a night time outdoor movie for the kids!

Joe's face painting from Matthew's birthday party!

I love this man, and I love this view!

Aunti Christina made Matthew's "Turtle Cake"..."fire shoes" and all! SO great!

Christina also made a cake for cousin Abe, who turned 2 while we were visiting!!

Matthew, in deep conversation with his Great Grandpa Don.

"Cubby GG" holding our newest cousin Ronan...and Mr Lips sharing a kiss!

We had a great time... So many adventures. Matthew's Birthday, Abel's Birthday, Mama sang at church, Joe got to walk from my friend Katie's house to his friend Ben's school where we all picked him up from Kindergarten... for a 6yr old, that is PRETTY cool stuff! He also got to have a sleep over at his cousin's house down the street!! 

There is one thing that hit my heart very hard when I was in Sonoma this time. I was taking my boys for a walk down the road to visit their cousins, and it hit me like a ton of bricks. Sometimes it's hard for me to be thankful for all the time that Aaron has to be away for work. On that day, with the breeze blowing, the sun shinning, my boys laughing, and me able to be with them with out concern of work... I was VERY thankful. I sent my husband a txt to thank him for all the work he does, so the boys and I can enjoy moments like that.  I'm SO thankful for the opportunity to travel to see my family and to just play with my boys and enjoy time with them.

Costco: the best place for lunch with a growing boy!

He finished the whole thing, minus a small piece of crust! He's getting thick and I'm not ready for the growth spurt that is soon to follow.

Im thankful THIS is what he's doing to be like me. :)

I put on a movie in my living room for Matthew, so I could walk on my treadmill while Joe was at school. When I was done, he stood on my treadmill and said he wanted to be like me.  I LOVED that! So, I turned it on very slow, 1mph, and let him stroll for a few.

Look at all those white cows!

The last time we drove to Sonoma, something happened that I just didn't want to forget.  We drove past a field and Joe gasped. He said, "Look at all those white cows!" I looked over and saw a field of sheep! ha ha ha I realized at that moment that my boy needed a bit more time in the country! ;)