Aunt Bev's Visit

We had a fantastic time this year, having Aunt Bev visit with us! She was a great help with the boys, and a lot of fun to talk with. I wish she were around more to help the boys with all the crazy school stuff... she's a smart cookie, and teaches them things really well. It was a blessing to have her spend a good chunk of her CA vacation with us, and get to know her more... and the boys to build memories with her! 

SVT & Me... Continued

This year has been trying with SVT. My episodes have increased, and my palpitations have increased. It makes sense seeing that my boys are older (and more, um.... well, not easy all the time! LOL)... and I opened a studio this year. My business has grown so much and it is all keeping me very busy and I'll admit to feeling stressed at times.... super rare of course! ;)

About October, I had a bad episode. Thankfully, it was the first that Aaron was home for. I was driving with him to pick up something for his work. My new cardiologist in San Rafael had told me I didn't need to worry about getting to the hospital within an hour, that there was no risk for a stroke. (Heartbreaking news, since I had just lived 4-5 years thinking I can't be outside an hour of a hospital... but I think I already blogged about that)... Anyway... I told Aaron to just keep driving, that it would go away and I'd be fine. I was a bit scared though, because this episode came on very strong and made me really uncomfortable and light headed. It had the strongest effect an episode has yet.

So, we continued to drive to pick up Aaron's trailer... until it was 1.5 hours into an episode of my heart beating over 250 beats a minute. I started to get nervous that it wasn't going away on it's own like the Cardiologist had said. I started to get jaw pain, and just felt really uncomfortable, so we decided to call the Kaiser advice nurse. She instantly passed me to an ER Dr who asked me to please get right in to the hospital. Ack. I didn't love that news.

What I hadn't ever been told (Amazingly, in my opinion) is that jaw pain is a sign of heart distress. What!?! I have a heart condition and I have never been told that fun fact. Anyway, moving on. lol

When Aaron and I get into the ER... I was in good spirits although not feeling well. The ER staff were joking with me and guessing my heart rate (based on my behavior etc, they hadn't hooked me up yet)... I told them it was 250+, they guessed like 140... Aaron and I both got a good laugh over how quickly their faces changed and how things became "STAT" when they did get my hooked up and saw that I was correct...250+bpm. :)

Thankfully, just before they were about to administer Adenosine (sp?)...which I have had before, and it stops my heart for a second so it can start back up again correctly (which is scary)... My heart rate finally did go back to normal on it's own... at about 2 hours/2.5hrs into the episode.

Soooo, the latest is... I have a procedure coming up called a "Catheter Ablation." They will go into my heart with a catheter to find the malfunctioning area of my heart and cauterize it. After that procedure (which is set for 2/13/15.... a great Valentines date! lol)... I should be episode free for the rest of my life! There's chances it wont work, there's chances SVT could come back... but we're just believing the procedure will go smoothly and I will no longer have any effects of SVT. :)

No more ER EKG images for my 2015 blog book! ;)

Holloween...

It is so funny to me, how differently my boys approach the same thing sometimes. Joe was FULLY PREPARED to get the most gruesome costume he could get. There were so many I had to say No to! ha ha Matthew, on the other hand, had decided this year that Halloween is not a holiday he wants to celebrate. That was, of course, until he was reminded about candy... and told he could be Uncle Rick's "Mini-Me." They were some kind of creepy clown together.

On Gas, or On Grace?

One morning, earlier this year (I'm putting a lot of posts together tonight because it's the last day of the year and I want to sneak moments in my blog book for this year!), I was driving the boys to school when I noticed I was low on gas.

I had actually noticed the night before, but I had forgotten and did not leave myself enough time to get gas and get them to school on time. Once you've passed the one gas station by my house, there isn't another one for the 20 minute drive to their school.

So, while on the way, I prayed, "Lord, if you could please get this car to the boys' school with out running out of gas, I'd appreciate it!" Needless to say, we made it to school. As I sat there and thanked the Lord once the boys were there on time, I smiled. Why did I only ask "to get to school"... why don't I ask for what I REALLY need... I needed to get to school and then down the road to the gas station.

It reminded me of a time when I was younger. We were on a long caravan vacation and we somewhere in UT when I had a HORRIBLE earache. I was about 8, and I prayed a very simple minded prayer, "Lord, please make me any other kind of sick but this." INSTANTLY, I felt the need to throw up. I ran into the bathroom, threw up, and I was completely better... no ear ache, no stomach ache... just better. I smiled, then, and told the Lord, "Ok Lord, next time I'll just ask to be BETTER, not to be any other kind of sick."

I believe, the morning my gas was low... I made it to the school AND to the gas station on Grace, not on gas. It was LOW... I was ready for it to start puttering back in Sonoma before getting the boys to school. I know it will sound silly to some, but that's ok with me. I'm thankful that my heart believes in a God who could run my car on grace, even if there is no gas!

I'm thankful for Grace, and I'm thankful that God has a sense of humor when we don't quite think out our prayer requests before talking to him! ha ha

Cardboard Boxes...

Matthew and I were driving down the road when he had a thought.

Matthew: Mama, if cardboard boxes had feelings, and I were a cardboard box... I wouldn't like that.
Me: Why not?
Matthew: Because I would get cut open with a knife! Same to you?

Ha ha ha, this boy and his random thoughts crack me up!

Red Lips....

I volunteered my time for the school district at the Red & White Ball... Everyone was dressed in Red & White, and I was the photographer for the night. I never wear much makeup, but I chose to wear red lips! :) As I walked out to go to the job, Joe says, "WOAH!!!" ha ha ha

Homeless Joe...

Occasionally, my boys come along on jobs with me; as my assistants. This past Sunday, I opened up a spot for a client and let them know I'd have a "junior assistant" with me! Most of my clients have kids, and enjoy meeting my dudes.

While Joe and I were waiting for my client to arrive, there were a few homeless men (which, we made as an assumption, but if they aren't homeless... well, I'd be surprised). One of which looked a bit tweeky and lead me to feel a bit protective of Joe. The other two were working on a bike. They were having a hard time holding the handle bars up while they worked on it.

Joe, walked up to them and said, "Hey, can I hold the bars for you so you can do that?" At first, the one doing more of the working looked at Joe and said "No thank you man." The other one said, "Hey, the kid wants to be a helper, be nice!" ha ha ha The first man smiled at Joe and told him he was sorry, that there were just a few sharp things and he didn't want him to get hurt.

I stood back a bit and let my big guy do his big heart thing. The first man asked Joe his name... They all shook hands and introduced themselves. The first man asked Joe, "Have you ever gotten any grease on your hands?" At this point, I had to interject, "He has now!" ha ha We all had a good laugh, and it let the guys know I was friendly too.

Joe held the handlebars, shook hands again, received a "Very lucky quarter" from "Jason" (the "second guy.")... received instructions to "STAY IN SCHOOL!" and walked away with a smile. That's my boy. It's his heart. "See a need, fill a need." (watch Robots if you don't know that reference!)

As we walked away. Joe saw Jason ride away on his bike with a cup of water from the Starbucks. He said, "Mama, look, he's NOT homeless, he has Starbucks!" ha ha I let him know Starbucks gives water for free.

Joe, as he always does, thought about the situation. He had his thinking face on and then said, "Hey Mama...."  Yes Buddy?.... "I think it would be kind of fun to be homeless." *my typical deep sigh* lol I have to hear his whole thought before I respond, because sometimes his "twist on things" is pretty amazing. This time, he just thought it was cool that these guys had free time to hang out and ride bikes. :)

I asked him... Do you know that you will have dinner tonight?.... "yes." Where do you think they will get dinner tonight?... "I don't know." Do you know you will have a warm bed tonight?  "yes.... But, I could sleep in a window with some cardboard!!" :)

As the shoot went on, I was photographing a little girl sitting in a window... when Joe took it upon himself to climb up into the window next to her and see how it would feel to sleep there. ;)

Joe and I definitely have our battles. We struggle to see eye to eye sometimes, and I struggle to calm down and see some things in love and not just a demand for respect etc. I'm an "old school mom" with a new school kid and we're a work in progress together. As I fail and I succeed, my heart is greatly blessed that HIS heart is full of love for mankind. He could not see you struggle and walk by. He cried the other night because I didn't have any coins or dollars to give to the bell ringer for Salvation Army. 

Joe Jackson... I thank God for you, and I thank God he made you Ours. We wont always get it right, but you hold that love and kindness deep in your heart always and ask God to help you through the rest. ;) <3  <3 Mama.

Face to Face: A Lunch Discussion

While out to lunch with my boys...

Joe: Hey Mama, when we die and go to heaven, do we get to see God's face? 

Me: I believe the Bible says we will see Him face to face, but we can study and make sure. 

Joe: smiling... Well, then that is something nice about dying. 

.... I love to get to jump into his brain with him sometimes. He is always thinking, and when he shares with me, sometimes it is amazing. 

Face to Face: A Lunch Discussion

While out to lunch with my boys...

Joe: Hey Mama, when we die and go to heaven, do we get to see God's face? 

Me: I believe the Bible says we will see Him face to face, but we can study and make sure. 

Joe: smiling... Well, then that is something nice about dying. 

.... I love to get to jump into his brain with him sometimes. He is always thinking, and when he shares with me, sometimes it is amazing. 

Do NOT go in there!!!

I walked in my house today to find Matthew with his hands up towards me saying, "mama do not go in your room!" I said, "why not?" He says,"Dada is naked in there, DO NOT go in there!" 

I asked, " well, how do YOU know he is naked?" He says, "Because I am a boy, I can go in there, but YOU are a girl!" As he proudly walked in the manly room to go potty. Lol