New Outlook

My family suffered another blow this past week. My second cousin Karla suffered a stroke and passed away at the young age of 35. She was a diabetic who had a kidney and pancreas transplant about five years ago and was doing well. This came as a shock to her sweet family. They need prayers. She leaves behind a three year old named Raya. She was a wonderful Christian woman who will be greatly missed.


Karla's death was an eye opener for me. It made me realize how precious life is and how much I need to enjoy every minute I have until the Lord returns. This has been on my mind lately even before the sad news about Karla. A friend of mine invited me to start going to a women's Bible study (thanks Lita) and they were studying Matthew where it talks about the Lord's return and how we need to be prepared for that. Most of the time when I am reading that the only thing that sticks out to me is that we won't know the exact day or time of His return. Some of the notes that I have just keep running through my head. That we are to be working, watching, and eagerly expecting our Lord to return. That has been on my mind the past couple of weeks. Sometimes I feel like I am just tired and in a rut and just rushing through life. Now I feel as if I need to slow down and take pride in all I am doing here on earth. I think it makes it much easier to work when I have my sight set on things above. Even if it is just my daily routine. I have tried this the past week or so to think of things this way and I think everything seems a little sweeter. Just getting my kids up and ready for school in the mornings seems like a gift.


On the long car ride home from Houston this weekend Jonathan and I were listening to a Josh Groban song Thankful it really summed up the way I have been feeling so here it is. I hope I can get it to play. I don't usually like to put things this personal on here but just really felt like I needed to share.

April Fools

Jonathan had his annual employee appreciation banquet Tuesday, April 1st. He has never been lucky in his life except for his work events. Two years ago at the Christmas party he won $250, the grand prize. This past Christmas he won a $50 gift card. These winnings are very rare for us, we aren't usually lucky people. So when this dinner rolled around we knew he had to be there because he had been so lucky in the past at work parties. Spouses were not invited so I didn't get to go with him. He told me they would be done by 9:00. So 9:15 rolled around and Jonathan hadn't called. I knew if he had won something he would have called right at 9:00. Finally at 9:20 he called and asked if he could drive my car the next day. Automatically I thought something was wrong with his car. I said "oh no what's wrong". He said, "I don't think the 42" flat hdtv will fit in the back of my car!" What! I couldn't believe it. I asked if he was serious. He then said "April Fools". I told him that wasn't nice and continued our conversation for a while and he said "no, April Fools to that April Fools" by this point I don't know what to believe. He came home with no proof of the win but still swore he had won it. I needed proof. Wednesday morning he brought it home! I can't wait to see it in our remodeled living room. Now all we need is new furniture to go with the new tv and new living room!

Easter Pics

Egg Hunting

Joel really doesn't get the egg hunt thing. He doesn't understand why everyone thinks it is so fun to take the eggs out of the basket (where they belong) and hide them where we can't find them. It's been a hard week for little Joel.

Newest Diaper Cakes

Spring Break '08

The first half of Spring Break has now past. We took an Antrikin family trip to Branson, MO. Of course an Antrikin family vacation means we didn't plan it out weeks ahead of time like most. We made the reservations Wednesday afternoon and left Saturday morning. For my family that was a well planned out vacation. We stayed in a four bed four bath condo on beautiful Tablerock Lake. It was very nice and very new so there were only a few families there. We saw three shows that were all good, went to Ripley's Museum, rode go-carts, and swam. We also ate some great food! It was a great get away and started out our Spring Break perfectly. This picture is the view from our condo. It was a beautiful view of Tablerock Lake.

Inspired

Two weeks ago today my family lost a precious member, my Grandma Kelley. I have sat down several times to write this in honor of her but just can't find the words that accurately describe what a great woman she was and what great times our family had with her.

She was a wonderful Christian woman who has made quite an impact on my daily life. I have so many precious memories as a child with her, but the lessons she has taught me as an adult inspire me to be all I can as a Christian first, then a wife and mother. I cherish all the time I got to spend with her over the past several years. Her teaching me to sew and cook some of her favorite meals. I loved to watch her with my kids. She just adored the great grand kids and just lit up when I would bring them over to see her. I will never forget how she would sing to them as she rocked them so lovingly to sleep.

Above all my Grandma Kelley was a servant. I remember her taking pies to the nursing home every month for pie day, and fixing meals for the sick. She was even fixing meals for people when she could barely walk. She would fix it and have me deliver it to the families. Even when she was really ill I don't remember a time that she didn't ask how Jon and I were feeling and all of Jon's family. Even the Monday before she past away on Friday she asked if Jon's sisters had had their babies and how they were doing. She was always serving and thinking of others.

She also taught me to take time to laugh. She had such a wonderful sense of humor. She was always telling stories and laughing even when she didn't feel well. Sometimes she would get to laughing so hard she couldn't finish the story.

I feel so blessed to have such a great woman in my life for as long as I did. I hope I will always remember the great woman she was and always strive to be like her.

No More "B"

Joel is officially off the binki! He has been binki free for six days now. I broke Jennah at two, but for some reason I let Joel have his longer. He was completely potty trained by two so I guess I thought since he potty trained early he could have his "B" longer. He has done very well and only asks for it at night for about five minutes then he is okay. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. My baby is getting so big!

Missing Our Microwave?

Jennah has been sad the last week or so. She came home from school last week crying and saying she wanted to go back to Pre-K with Mrs. Lindsay. Mrs. Lindsay was a wonderful teacher with many years experience teaching. Jennah's teacher this year is very young and doesn't have near as much passion for teaching. At the end of the school year last year Mrs. Lindsay put together a year book of Jennah's class. I didn't tell her about it. I thought I would save it for a day when she was missing Ft. Gibson and surprise her with it. So I gave it to her and she loved it. She spent all evening looking at it and talking about all her old friends. I thought this was the end of it until Sunday night when she asked me if I missed our old house. I told her I do sometimes, then I reminded her how much closer we are now to all our family and how much more we get to see Jonathan. Then last night in the car she told me she missed our old microwave in Ft. Gibson. I thought maybe I misunderstood her so I asked again. Yes, she misses our old microwave the numbers on it were bigger and it was lower where she could see in it. She wasn't being silly she was serious. I feel bad for her. We are getting a new microwave here so I think I will take her with us to help pick one out. Maybe that will make her feel better. Crazy girl!

I've been tagged by Jeny! I think I will do five random and/or weird facts about myself. These are things I try my hardest to hide, but it felt kind of good to get them out in the open.

1. I cry almost everytime I get my hair cut.

2. I hate to hear people play with change in their pockets especially in church.

3. When walking down the sidewalk I can't keep from counting my steps and NEVER step on the cracks!

4. I have been known to go out in public with only one eyebrow plucked (when you don't have time, you don't have time). To my defense, the one that didn't get plucked was covered by my bangs. For some reason I tell myself that makes it okay.

5. I don't like going to movie theaters all I think about is all the germs, the different smells, smacking of popcorn, loud talkers and the list goes on. Poor Jonathan going to movies is one of his favorite things.

I tag: Jenny, Amy, Shelly, Lita, Crystal, Jenny C., Annie, and Brittany (sorry I don't know how to link)

The Rules: Link to the person that tagged you and post the rules on your blog. Share 5 random and/or weird facts about yourself on your blog. or Share the 5 top places on your “want to see or want to see again” list. or Share 5 things you never pictured being in your future when your were 25 years old. Tag a minimum of 5, maximum of 10 random people at the end of your post and include links to their blogs. Let each person know that they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog. The tagees have a choice of which they want to do.

Creativity

Can you tell what this is? A butterfly! Jacksen is always easy to please when it comes to birthday cakes. Jennah on the other hand is not so easy. The last few years on the kids birthdays I have made their cakes instead of buying them. At first it was just to save money and then I realized how much fun it was trying something new. This year the kids were old enough to help make their own cakes and what a good time that was. I think we will have to make it a yearly tradition.

This is my latest diaper cake. It was the hardest one yet. I had never attempted a sports themed diaper cake. I think it turned out well.

Is It Spring Yet?

I am so ready for Spring! Jacksen, Joel, and I have been sick for the past six days, and today after school Jennah started running a fever. I am getting so tired of being sick. Moms aren't supposed to get sick especially SIX DAYS and counting. I finally went to the Dr. yesterday evening to see what was wrong with me. My blood pressure was high 153/101. They did a strep test and mono test and both came back negative so they said it was just a virus. They told me I needed to watch my blood pressure, but it may just be because I am sick. I am so frustrated there are so many things I need to be doing besides sitting and being sick.

We finally got three estimates for the house so now we will have to wait for approval from the insurance and we can get started. Now I can pick the new ceiling fan and paint color. I can't believe how long it has taken.

This picture is from last spring at the Azalea Festival in Muskogee. I was wanting a spring picture to put me in a good mood. This one did the trick. The kids look so little in this picture, they have grown so much since then.

Jonathan has had a lot going on at work and with his health lately, so in the evenings and on the weekends we have been just stay home and taking it easy. Seems to be the best medicine for my "old" husband. It has been kind of nice though. I never though I would be able to be content staying at home all the time, but I have gotten use to it. The kids like it too.

Big Six Year Old

Jennah turned six years old on Sunday. We always celebrate her birthday with Jacksen's on the 1st. It works out well for us but one of these years she is going to want her own party. We always like to do something special for her around her birthday too. Jonathan sent her flowers at school on Friday. She adores flowers like her mom. Jonathan has sent her flowers every year for her birthday since she turned two. I always thought it was really sweet. I heard a famous basketball player say once on Oprah that he always sends his daughters flowers so when they get older they won't fall in love with the first guy that brings them flowers. I thought that was smart thinking.

This weekend we took the kids to Build a Bear Workshop. They all got gift certificates for Christmas and were all going crazy wanting to use them. We let Jennah pick where we ate lunch. She decide to eat at the mall. Jennah and Jacksen thought it was so neat that they got to eat where ever they wanted without us all deciding as a family. Jon and I thought it was so funny. We couldn't believe they thought that was such a big deal. I guess we need to take them out more often. Build a Bear was so much fun. The kids had such a good time. I am going to get a picture of each of them with their creations. We spent about an hour putting them together. They stuffed, washed, brushed, and dressed their new animals. They were so proud of them. It was kind of expensive, but it was well worth the money for once a year or so.

Eight Years Old

Our little Millennium New Years baby turned eight years old this year. He is growing up so fast. He is now known as Jack and not Jacksen and is quite the OSU fan. He loves to tease his Daddy about OU. I am so proud of the big boy he has become. He is such a blessing to us.

Happy Birthday Jack!

Annual Family Picture

Here is our annual church directory picture. I think it turned out okay. Very similar to last years picture.

Injury

One hour after the power came on we were running around the house celebrating the return of light, heat, and tv. I had Jonathan help me move the two mattresses to our room and Joel's room and was making some progress on getting the house back in order and Jacksen was chasing Joel into our bedroom and Joel jumped onto a pile of pillows at the bottom of my bed and his little head completely missed the pillows and hit the corner of our wood bed frame. He immediately started screaming and blood was pouring everywhere. So I called his dr. of coarse they were closed for the day so I called the insurance to see what they wanted me to do. They told us to take him to the er. The RN on the phone was in California so he had no idea what all was going on here. I informed him that hospitals here were without power and they were telling people to not go unless it was life or death injury. With no help from the insurance I decided to just take him to an urgent care facility where they super glued his head back together. He did amazingly well. Before gluing it the dr opened the wound to see how deep it was and it was a half inch deep. Jonathan and I both about got sick.

He is fine today just has a headache. Jennah is also sick today. She started running a fever about 102 yesterday afternoon and has a bad cough. What a week!

Thank God for Electric

Okay maybe I need to be thanking God for natural gas rather than electric. Without natural gas I don't think our family would have survived at home the 81 hours we were without power. So much happened in that forever long three and a half days I feel the need to give a play by play.

12:45 am After a very relaxing Sunday of napping, stocking the kitchen (we knew the weather was going to get bad and wanted to prepare), and cooking soup and baking homemade pecan sticky buns it seemed like this was going to be a great little vacation from all the craziness of this time of year. Like I wrote before I had taken a long nap and stayed up vegging in front of the tv until 12:30. I finally got sleepy enough to go to bed. Fifteen minutes later the electric went off. I woke Jonathan and we decided to go ahead and move the two queen size mattresses to the small living room where the gas log fireplace is. After getting the kids tucked into their new sleeping arrangements we decided we better shower now so we would have hot water. Finally at 2:00am we were asleep.

Powerless at 4:15 am I get a call on my cell phone. Who could be calling at this time? It was my new neighbor and cousin Jenny. She had slipped on the ice while getting firewood and hurt her hip. Jonathan and I ran to her house to see if we could help. As we got to Jenny's the neighbors on the other side of Jenny were pulling a tree off three of their cars. Jenny said Alan (her husband who was working) was on his way to get her to take her to the hospital. I completely flashed back to five years ago when I broke my tailbone on the ice. We were now in charge of Riley. I decided to stay there with her until she woke and then take her to our house.

Powerless at 4:45 am The next hour was spent walking from window to window every time I heard a tree fall which was pretty constant.

Powerless at 5:45 am Riley wakes up. I called Jonathan to help me get over to our house with Riley. Then I changed her and fed her a bottle in the dark trying not to wake all three of our kids that were sleeping 5 feet away.

Powerless at 6:45 am Riley finally goes back to sleep so I lay down and try to sleep again. 10 minutes later Jenny calls and they are heading home. She has bruised her hip. They will shower and be over to get Riley.

Powerless at 7:00 am I decide to outside and survey all the damage. It was crazy. I have never seen anything like this. We had three neighbors taking pictures of the damage at our house.

Powerless at 8:00 am I head back inside to find all three of the kids are up and wondering why we are all sleeping in the small living room. They are also telling us to try again to turn the lights on. I wish it was that simple.

Powerless at 8:45 am We discover we have a gas hot water tank! Yeah! We have hot water.

Powerless at 9:00 am Alan picks up Riley and Jonathan leaves for work.

Powerless at 9:15 am What am I going to do with three kids in one 250 sqft. room with no electric on 2 hours of sleep?

Powerless at 11:30 am We made it to lunch time. I heated up soup for Jonathan and I on the gas log fireplace and the kids roasted hot dogs on the fire. Not Bad!

Powerless at 1:00 pm This is where the real fun begins. I walked through the big living room to get something from the kitchen and water started pouring out of the ceiling fan WHAT! Luckily my parents had just come over to see the damage for themselves. My dad helped me find where it was coming from while my mom stayed with the kids.

Powerless at 1:05 pm Jonathan called right before his meeting with the CEO of the bank to make sure we were okay here at home. I told him what had happened and he rushed home just in time to crawl through a small hole into the attic that I was dreading climbing into. The rest of the afternoon was spent temporarily stopping the leak with lots of buckets. Until the ice on the roof melted this was all we could do. I think we ended up dumping about 10 gallons of water that afternoon. Thank God we stayed at home and discovered the leak. There could have been much more damage.

Powerless at 8:00 pm Not much to do after dark with no electric I went to sleep. Jonathan and the kids played a game of chess and checkers then went to sleep about 8:30.

31 hours w/o power We had a good nights sleep and woke up thinking today was going to go much better than the day before only to find multiple leaks in an area about 10ft by 6ft. Pure panic set in!

37 hours w/o power It is as good as it is going to get. We sealed the hole made by a 2 inch in diameter branch that was sticking in the roof about 2 feet!

44 hours w/o power We had just settled into bed for the night and heard a crashing sound so we ran into the living room to discover the ceiling has caved in. We suspected this would happen and bought a tarp and had it down in preparation for this. Only thing we didn't prepare for was that upon collapsing the soaked drywall and insulation would swing out and hit our entertainment center that we had pulled out of the way. Not much damage was done though. We will just need to clean it up a little.

This was most of the branches and trees after cleanup.

After Tuesday nights collapse nothing really big happened. Wednesday we mainly tried to clean up as much as we could without power. Then Thursday morning at 10:00 the power came back on! YEAH!