Journal Entry #2

Today is Sunday, June 4, 2017. Its been a little bit of a stressful week, which always seems to be the way when you return from vacation.

Last Sunday my tire pressure light came on and we discovered on Monday that we had a slow leak on the front drivers side. Donald came home Tuesday and aired it up around 6:30pm and by the next morning around 6am it was down to 10psi. So I made an appointment with Goodyear to have it looked at on Wednesday around 1pm. The girls are always so good when we go there and super patient. We are truly blessed with good, good girls and I am so thankful for that. I think we get spoiled and expect them to be perfect all the time, so when they do have a 'moment' we tend to get frustrated. I often have to remind myself that they are still children and are going to whine, pout, cry, and not listen sometimes. Anyway, we weren't able to have the tire repaired so we were going to have to get a new tire. Donald thought it would be a better idea to just go ahead and get all new tires so they will all last the same amount of time. So, we did. Donald was able to take off work around 130pm and come to pick us up so we wouldn't have to wait for three hours. It all worked out well and I am so thankful we are able to take care of things like that without having a lot of hassle.

On Tuesday, May 30th, we found out that my Uncle Kenneth passed away. He is Pa's brother and had been in a nursing home in Burkesville for several years. He had been having to go to the hospital the past few weeks and receive blood transfusions and he recently told Pearl that he was so tired and done with struggling with his health. His body was failing, but his mind was always sharp. I wasn't super close with him, like I was with Reid, but it's because he had been sick since I was little and I havent gotten to get to know him well since. He was the sheriff in Cumberland County for 2 terms in the late 80s and he also worked at the hospital. Mawma cracked me up, because she told me he was the most handsome of the Brewington brothers. She said when he was in his Sheriff's uniform, he was 'good lookin'! His funeral was Friday, June 2nd and he was 86 years old.
http://www.balloustotts.com/obits/obituary.php?id=644385
Scott drove Mawma down for the funeral and Mawma said that Aunt Gertie isn't doing well at all. She said she doesn't think she'll be here with us much longer. She is shaking uncontrollably and is super frail. Mawma wants to go down and stay a couple days and visit with her before it's too late. I told her I would love to drive her down and maybe mom and the girls could come with us. We could stay at the Alpine.

Also, in the past couple weeks, Dwight has been dealing with a lot of health issues. Around the middle of May, he had a stroke and they discovered that he has multiple artery blockages. He was sent back home to do therapy because they couldn't do surgery. Then this Wednesday, 5/31, he had a blood clot and he went to Audubon and then to Norton's Brownsboro. While he was there they thought he had another stroke and they also did emergency surgery to try and clear a little passage for oxygen to make it to his brain. They discovered that pretty much every artery in his body is 100% blocked. So they were having to keep his blood pressure high so it could make it through those clogged arteries and also so it wouldn't clot again. Papaw went to visit him Friday and said Dwight is having 'spells' or 'episodes' which they think are because the medicines are all causing problems with each other. It's so hard because there pretty much is only one outcome for Dwight. It would take a miracle for him to get well enough to go home and have any sort of life. I know that God can do all things and if it is His will for Dwight to live, then he will. However, it is likely that he doesn't have much time left. I always feel such guilt during these times, because I could have shared the Gospel with Dwight a million times and never did. He always kept to himself and always seemed either drunk or mad about something, so unfortunately, I kinda avoided him. I have noticed that since Anderson has been born, Dwight had softened a bit and seemed more aware of what was good for Anderson. As of today, he is still at Nortons and they said they are going to have to call in hospice for him. We know what that means. Basically, they're just trying to keep him comfortable and there's nothing else they can do for him.

So, also on Wednesday 5/31, Judy's new granddaughter was born. Her name is Madelyn Grace and she is super chubby and adorable! Judy and Lenny drove out to St. Louis to visit everyone on Thursday, 6/1. They were having a great visit until Friday afternoon, 6/2. Lenny walked down a couple blocks with Jason to get Kaylee at the bus stop. When they came back, Judy, Kaylee, and Lenny were outside when Jason went inside to check on the baby and Sarah. As he was coming back outside, he saw Lenny twitching and starting to topple over. He immediately called 911 and ran outside to catch him. Lenny was falling over on top of Kaylee and Judy was trying to hold him up and get  Kaylee out. Lenny wasn't breathing and Jason did CPR and several friends and neighbors came by to assist until the EMS arrived. Judy said she knew Lenny was gone, even before the EMS arrived because he had lost his bowels. Also, his ears were extremely blue. They worked and worked and were able to get a pulse, not no real heartbeat. They had to take him to the hospital to pronounce him dead. It is still such a shock to everyone because he had no signs, or none that he communicated, that he was having any problems. I still cant hardly believe it now. They are still arranging to have him transported back to Kentucky and David and Papaw went yesterday to bring Judy and her car back home. We went down to be with her yesterday. She is doing OK, but I don't think it has truly hit her yet. She is trying to work out the details and arrangements, so she probably hasn't had time, or taken time to really let it sink in. She keeps saying she "has to stay strong" and I agree to a certain extent. But I don't want her to bottle it all inside and make herself sick. She stayed home alone last night, to mine and Nancy's protests, but she said she was just going to go through pictures and then sleep.

During all this time, the girls have been dealing with colds. Stuffy and runny noses, coughing, diarrhea and vomiting...

Needless to say, we didn't make it to church today. I HATE missing, but I was worried about Anna going for an hour car drive after just throwing up in her bed last night. Also, she was still running a fever. I was going to have Donald and Elizabeth go alone, but Donald was super tired this morning. I was also supposed to take Donna Bailey's graduation DVD, but I will have to let Mom take it to her. Also, Papaw had a shelf for us to pick up and use in our garage, we were supposed to get that today...
But the girls have been singing Bible stories to each other this morning and singing, "We praise You, Lord!!!" I have been feeling a little overwhelmed this morning and had a upset stomach. Liz, Vicki's mom, share the lyrics to Near the Cross on fb today and I have been praying those words over and over today.

Journal Entry #1

I have been thinking about journaling for several months now, but never have. 

Mawma has been telling me since the girls were very little to write down the cute things they do and say and keep a record of them because I will forget it in fifty years. Boy, was she right! I know there are so many things I should have documented and never did that I would love to reminisce about now and even later in life.  

I also started thinking seriously about journaling after Sue Vaughn, at church, mentioned keeping an answered prayer journal. She said it will amaze you how many answered prayers you have to thank God for everyday. I shared this idea with Mom and she agreed, but I have yet to begin keeping one...

Then today, while on the way to Goodyear in Frankfort (to repair a slow leak and my tire, which resulted in 4 new tires) I heard David Jeremiah on the radio sharing about journaling and how much of a difference it made in his life. He shared some practical points about not just writing your thoughts down, but also going back and reviewing your journals at the end of each month or every 6 months. He mentioned how he could see patterns in his prayer requests and answered prayers and also gained so much perspective on how God was working in his life. 

So, I thought that I could finally take a hint and so here I am. Journal entry number one!

At this very moment, 12:17am, June 1, 2017, Elizabeth has a stuffy nose and a cough. I have given her zarbees nighttime medicine, but lavendar on her feet, and in her diffuser, put a mixture of coconut oil, lavendar, and peppermint oil on her chest and she is still awake coughing and peeing and coming out of her room to see what I am doing... She went to bed at 8pm, but is wide awake now. I don't know how she has so much energy... I am ready for bed. Especially because I have to get up at 5:30am when Donald goes to work. I am having a hard time getting Elizabeth to truly listen and follow directions. She is a very good and sweet girl, but she expects to get her way and do what she wants all the time and I am trying to NIP IT immediately. I dont want her to turn out to be ungrateful and hateful, when I know she is not truly that way.

Answered Prayers:

• Safety with a slow leak in our tire
• Ability to pay for four new tires
• Donald able to come and get us from goodyear
• home, cars, healthy children
• hard working, christian husband
• loving parents and grandparents
• ability to be a sahm
• amazing vacation to orange beach with safe travels to and from

Prayers:

• Donald's job situation (either get hired at toyota or get a good job that will allow us to move closer to family - build dream home on Richard's property)
• Anna's kidney reflux
• Donald's health
• Cornerstone Christian for Elizabeth?
• Elizabeth's cold/allergies
• Me, to be more patient with Elizabeth and Anna and teach them, not yell at them

Christmas 2016

I'm sitting on the couch at 11:33pm on Christmas day, thinking about so many things.
First, Elizabeth hasn't been sucking her thumb since around Thanksgiving of this year. It started when I noticed her thumb getting super chapped and raw from going out in the cold after having it in her mouth. She pretty much didn't suck it unless we were in the van or at bedtime. When I started examining her thumb, I also noticed that it was flatter than her other (non sucked) thumb. She has been sucking it since she was about 6 months old, and I guess over all that time it flattened while she was growing. My momma always told me that babies grow when they sleep, so it makes sense. So, we decided to put some aquafor on her chapped thumb and a couple barbie bandaids over night. We told Elizabeth she could still have her Blankie, but couldn't take the bandaids off and sucked her thumb. I really thought she'd take them off, but she didn't. I had to go in her room 6 or 7 tines to help her soothe herself to sleep. I talked to her about choosing a soft stuffed animal buddy to snuggle tight and to sink down into her bed and dream that she's sleeping on a cloud. I still sleep with GW that mom bought me when I had my wisdom teeth out when I was 17, so Elizabeth liked the idea that she could be like mommy! Since then she has gotten better and better at getting to sleep without sacking her thumb. She even said she didn't even want her Blankie, so she hasn't had it wither her anytime either. She is still waking every night, but I thinks it's bc she is stuffy and cranky and still doesn't know how to deal with that. I'm praying for guidance on how to help her deal with feeling rough and still resting.

Also, we thought we'd work with Anna Leigh on getting rid of her pacis by giving them to Santa to take to the baby elves in the north pole. Anna has always been more mature and ahead of the game, due to keeping up with Elizabeth! So we wanted to give it a try. Last night, Anna put bother her pacis on the plate for Santa, along with some cookies and chocolate milk. I didn't realize until right at bedtime that she also put her Blankie beside the plate for Santa too. I told her she didn't have to give up her Blankie, that it was hers and had her name in it. But, she said she wanted to and "didn't need it anymore." This made me so emotional. It was all I could do to hold back the tears while reading out Night Before Christmas book. She slept perfectly and  ever once woke up asking for either her Blankie or paci. I am so proud of her, but sad because my baby is growing up. She's still only 2, and I want her to stay little and innocent and sweet, sucking that paci.

I'm also thinking about Elizabeth and how she has started showing signs of being ungrateful for what she gets. She did this at Memaws, asking where more presents are and saying she wants more. Also, at Mawma B's, she and Anna got puppy and kitty surprise toys and immediately when Elizabeth opened hers, she whined saying she wanted the kitty and stomped her foot and pouted. I had lectured her all the way from Memaws to Mawma's about having a grateful heart and being happy with what you get because it came from someone's heart and they don't have to buy her things. I told her if she did it again, she was going to get spanked. I couldn't let her get away with that reaction to her puppy surprise, so in fromm of all my family, on Christmas eve, I had to take her out on the deck and spank her and talk to her about her choices and attitude. I'm sure everyone thought I was such a mean person and over reacting, but I don't want to raise brats, and they don't know the history behind this issue. I am praying for guidance on this attitude of hers too, bc she showed it again today about her Barbie puppy mobile.

Garter/Stockinette Stitch Scarves - Cindy's Creations

Cindy knitted these beautiful scarves for her grandchildren. She used size US 8.0 needles and cast on 20 stitches. It is a simple, but very intricate looking pattern.

Step 1: Knit five rows
Step 2: Knit next row
Step 3: Purl next row
(Repeat steps 2 and 3, alternating knit/purl rows until desired length is reached)
Step 4: Knit last five rows

Jackson's scarf was knit using worsted weight yarn.

Emma's scarf was knit using bulky weight yarn.

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Ruffle Scarf with Sashay Yarn

My next project is going to be using Red Heart Sashay yarn to make the ruffle scarf below. It is so cute!

Click below to learn about the yarn:
http://www.redheart.com/yarn/boutique-sashay


Watch this video to learn how to knit with this yarn.

Click below to download the ruffle scarf pattern.
http://www.redheart.com/free-patterns/smoky-swirls-scarf


I will post a picture of my scarf when it is finished.

Ruth's Scarves

Here are a few of the scarves that Ruth has knitted.



Ruth held two strands of worsted weight, pink and white yarn together for this scarf. She used US 11 (8 mm) needles and a garter stitch (knit every row).

 


This scarf was knit with size US 11 (8 mm) needles using a garter stitch and Loops & Threads Charisma Deep Woods chunky yarn.

 

This scarf was knitted with Loop & Threads Pom Pom yarn in the color called Outdoors. Ruth used size US 11 (8 mm) needles and knitted every row. She used the backward loop cast on method (see video below) and cast on 12 stitches. Remember not to pull the pom poms through the stitches, work only with the carrier strand between the pom poms.



Shelby's Hat and Ruth's Scarf

Shelby used a round loom that she got for Christmas to knit this adorable hat. She is so talented!

Ruth knitted this scarf using the same yarn that Shelby used in the hat above. She used size US 8 (5 mm) needles and a garter stitch (knit all rows). It is a bulky yarn made by Lion Brand called Aspen Tweed. This is the very first scarf that Ruth knitted. What an awesome job!

Scarves for Dogs!!!

Here are some scarves that Shelby knitted and crocheted for her dog, Baby Girl.

Shelby knitted this pink scarf and said, "Dogs can support the cause too!"



She crocheted this white scarf with a small needle. Isn't Baby Girl a wonderful model?!?!

This one was crocheted as well. Shelby knitted her scarf from the same yarn. She used homespun yarn for these. Too cute!!!

Shai and Kathryn's Scarves

Shai and Kathryn have created beautiful scarves using size US 11 (8.0mm) needles and one skein of yarn!

Shai used yarn that changes from light blue to medium blue and she followed a garter stitch pattern (knit every row). She dressed it up by adding thick tassels on each corner.

Kathryn used a coral colored yarn and the pattern she followed was:
K1, YO, K2tog (knit one stitch, yarn over, knit two stitches together) for every row. The yarn over creates a slightly lacy pattern.

 Shai and Kathryn

MJ modeling Shai's scarf.

Great job ladies!

Basket Weave Scarf

For this scarf, I used the basket weave pattern. This was the first scarf I ever made, so it took me quite a while. I cast on 16 stitches with a worsted weight yarn and I used size US 9 (5.5 mm) needles.

I found this pattern from the video below.

Rows 1-4: K4, P4, K4, P4
Rows 5-8: P4, K4, P4, K4
Repeat rows 1-8 until you reach your desired length.
I used one skein of yarn. I also used different shades of pink and red ribbons in the fringe.

Breast Cancer Support Scarf Pattern

I saw the pattern for this scarf on Knitting Daily on KET:
http://www.knittingdaily.com/media/p/30977.aspx

·        Use all 5 yarns together for the entire project.

·        Cut the fringe first – cut 30 10” pieces. You will want 15 pieces for each end of the scarf: 5 sets of fringe on each end of the scarf – and each set is comprised of 3 “pieces”. Remember, each “piece” is actually 5 strands held together.

·        Using US 19 needles, cast on 9 stitches.

·        K1, *YO, K2TOG; repeat from * to end of row.

·        Follow every row until you almost run out of yarn.

·        Bind off.

·        Attach fringe – 5 sets of fringe on each end of the scar – and each set is comprised of 3 “pieces”.

Note: You will have some yarn left over. Try knotting it all together – end to end – and knitting another scarf – you’ll have created a one-of-a-kind project!

The video and pattern above suggests holding five different yarns together, but on the scarf below, I held two yarns and knitted with US 15 (10mm) needles.



I have used this pattern several times. Here is a scarf I made using three strands of pink yarn of different shades and textures. I used size US 15 (10mm) needles for this scarf.

Here is another scarf I made using US 9 (5.5mm) and one strand of worsted weight yarn. You can see what a difference the needle size makes on the look of this scarf.

Potato Chip Scarf

This is the Potato Chip Scarf that I made for my sister-in-law. I got the pattern from another blog post: http://www.oceanwavesquilts.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/02/potato-chip-scarf.html

I used Red Heart Royal Shimmer and Snow Shimmer yarn.
http://www.redheart.com/search/apachesolr_search/shimmer

I held both strands of yarn together and followed the pattern below. I used size US 9 (5.5mm) needles. The next time I knit this scarf again while holding two strands of yarn, I will use larger needles. This turned out nice, but it is a little tight. Also, it takes at least three to four inches before you see the ruffle start to form.

You need around 200 yards of a worsted weight yarn
Size 9,10, or 11 needles (depending on the size of your yarn)
Cast on 20 stitches
Row 1: knit 8, turn, knit back to beginning
Row 2: knit 6, turn, knit back to beginning
Row 3: knit 4, turn, knit back to beginning
Knit across all 20 stitches
Repeat these rows until desired length is reached
Bind off as usual

Hot Pink Eyelash Scarf

For this scarf I cast on 22 stitches using size US 9 (5.5 mm) needles. The yarn is Bernat Boa – Chick (see link below). I used a garter stitch (knit every row).

http://www.bernat.com/product.php?LGC=boa&SPP=999