Welcome to our family's blogging home - where I share life beyond our red door! I hope that you will enjoy your visit with us.
Today's Verse
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Things That Make Me Smile
Seeing the kids reading their Bibles on their own
Hearing the ocean
Smelling a cake baking
Remembering our wedding day
Singing in the church choir
Shopping for my family
Feeling good
Reading in the tub
A quiet house
Watching a funny movie with the kids
Seeing my kids playing a game together
Ron's little finger dance
Hearing my kids being excited about church
Watching Ron play with Faith (our dog)
Hearing Ron snoring beside me after he has been gone on a long trip
Chatting with special friends
Feeling hot sand under my feet on a beach somewhere
Game night with Brian & Kim and kids
Spending one on one time with Kim
Double Dating With Brian and Kim
A clean house
Sitting on my front porch in my new rockers
Walking on a cool evening with my family
Losing weight
Seeing my kids make a great play on the soccer field
About The Hunters
My dear sweet hubby, Ron, and I have been married for 20+ years. We began dating during my freshman year at Free Will Baptist Bible College in Nashville. He is my college sweetheart. We have ministered together in various ministries during our lives together. We pastored for 10 years in Florida. We moved to TN in 2000 to Co-Pastor with some friends of ours. The Lord has given me a fabulous provider whom I love more than any words I write could ever express. He is now the CEO at our denomination's publishing company, Randall House Publications. I am honored to support him.
Our oldest child is named Michael. He is now officially a teenager, although I don't think I'm old enough to have a teenager. He is a very sweet and considerate young man. He is my thinker and my reader. He absorbs every piece of new information that he comes across. He loves playing soccer, riding his bike, skateboarding, reading, watching the History Channel, the Military Channel, ESPN and any documentary on TV. I am privileged to be his Mother.
Lauren is our youngest child. She is just 15 months behind her brother in age. She is wise beyond her years. She has a sharp-witted tongue (which sometimes has to be tamed), a quick sense of humor and a heart for people and animals. She loves organizing anything and everything. She loves being with her friends, singing, talking on her cell phone and playing soccer. I am blessed to be her Mother.
Just the knowledge that a good book is awaiting one at the end of a long day makes that day happier.
- Kathleen Norris
Well, I have 3 months of life to catch everyone up on. The sad thing is that I can't remember that far back. So I will hit the highlights. First and foremost Lauren and her boyfriend broke up. Please don't give me the whole "my teenager won't date until the day she graduates from high school" speech - especially if you don't have a 13 year old daughter. WHEW! My goodness! What a roller coaster! At any rate, we made it through the first broken heart. It's like trying to stop a run away train with your hands tied behind your back. All we could do was guide her the best we could. We stuck to our guns and held to our boundaries. Ends up that is what led him to break up with her - HE got tired of dealing with our boundaries. It was very touchy at the end. But she finally saw him for what he was. Since then she has thanked us for how we watched out for her (and him) and stuck to our rules like we did. It's not been an easy couple of months but she is almost over him. It helps US that he turned out to be a jerk to her at the end. She learned so much about herself, us and life in general. It was WAY before we were ready for but we made it through with every one intact.
MIchael has been enjoying his season of soccer. I think he likes having a whole season to himself - just being on a boys team. The coach is the same coach Lauren had in the Fall for the school team. I could spend the next 3 days writing about what we feel about him. But I will spare you the diatribe. They won 2 games last week. This coming week they have 4 games (M, T, TH & F). The following weekend is District tournaments. The teams record is really rough so we aren't expecting much. But I can honestly say that even though this school year has been the busiest we've ever had I have enjoyed every single day! We still have a month to go before school is out so I won't go there for now. But anyway, he has also been refereeing the NYSA games (the local city league that we have been playing in every season and that Ron has been coaching in). He has made some very good money. He gets scheduled for about 3 games each Saturday. He gets paid the age amount of the team he refs. For example, last Saturday (not yesterday) he reffed 3 U-15 games. So he got paid $15/game. If he had been the center ref (he was sideline ref in each game) he would have gotten the age group plus an additional $3. So, we have been requiring him to pay for some things out of his own money. We are still paying him his regular allowance as well. So, basically he's had more cash than any of us!! The reffing school and all of his equipment, which he has to provide himself, cost us about $400. But it's been worth it. He can ref until he is 90 now. Although I wouldn't want to be one of the parents on the sidelines with a 90 year old ref. HA
Ron's board meeting is next week. He always has one in December and then one in April. The meeting will be MOnday - Wednesday. Then Wednesday afternoon he will leave to go to the Florida State meeting. So, we won't be seeing much of him this week. He will be home during board meeting - it meets at the office. but he is always out so late and not available during the days that I pretty much treat it like he is on a trip out of town. It is tiring for him. But the meetings go a little better each time.
Finally, some how about 7 weeks ago I managed to fracture a bone in my foot. For the first 6 weeks I assumed it was just another pain from the fibro and kept going at my regular pace with it. But when I went for my regular monthly pain management doctor's appointment about 10 days ago I mentioned it. She wanted an xray. After that she said it was fractured. I've just beeing R.I.C.E.ing it. (Rest, Ice, Compress and Elevate). So, for the last 10 days that's what I've been doing when I haven't had to go anywhere. It is a little better. But It's still hurting when I'm on it for any significant amount of time. so, if I can find time this week - I'm going to go to my PCP and have it looked at. I would like it treated a little more aggresively.
I haven't written an update in a while. I have been on a picture kick lately. But a lot has happened so I thought it was time to share. My MIL came, Ron ended up going to Rhode Island without me, Ron had surgery, We had Christmas and now I have a toothache. See, you've really missed a lot!
I don't even remember if I wrote about Ron being invited to go to Hasbro to speak to their Preschool Toy Division VPs about leadership. I was supposed to go. It was the week before christmas. Of course, the morning of the trip my body shut down and refused to cooperate. So, I sent Ron on to Rhode Island and then went upstairs to unpack my bag. He had a great time without me. If I had been able to go there would be pictures to share. But I didn't make it so there are no pictures. You know, sometimes my illness just really ticks me off! For the most part I am used to it and deal with it the best I know how. But at times like that it makes me so furious. I don't think anyone but those who deal with a chronic illness of some kind truly understands the emotional swing from acceptance to pure anger at the way it interferes with not only my life but the lives of my family as well. I think Ron and the kids are used to it and really have no expectations from me anymore. And THAT makes me mad. I try to remember that noones life is "normal" and everyone deals with disappointments of some kind. Some days that is easier to do then others.
Anyway, Ron had his second carpal tunnel surgery of 2008 last week. He had his right hand done in the spring. And had his left hand done last week. I believe he thought he was going to be more disabled by it then he actually is. I figured it would be easier this time since he is right handed. He goes for his post-surgery follow up appointment tomorrow morning. They will take off the bandage and give him a brace to wear. Then the process of strengthening exercises begin. That is the painful part for him. He hasn't had any pain at all post surgery. That even surprised me. We have joked that we don't really think the doctor did any cutting under that bandage. I guess we will find out tomorrow.
Grandma was here for the surgery. She came early to stay with the kids while "Ron & I" went to Rhode Island. Even though I didn't go she still did the school runs for me that week. That is such a big help to me. It is nice to get a break from the driving to/from downtown every now and then. The kids just had half days that week because of semester exams. She and I enjoyed watching some Hallmark Christmas movies. We have the same taste in TV and movies. So, we always have plenty to do during the days while the kids are at school. We nap and watch movies. Pretty much what I do every day anyway. HA
Christmas was great! Grandma brought lots of FSU stuff! YOu can't go wrong with FSU stuff! GO NOLES!!! We did something different this year with the four of us (Ron, Me, Michael & Lauren). We bought each other a "thoughtful" gift for $10/each. It made us really think about what would be special for them. For the most part we all usually know what we are getting for Christmas. We each know what our budget is per person and we each spend time searching for what we want. So, it's the time of year that we really get what we want. Ron did a GREAT job of buying for each of us in a special way and spending the money frugally. I, however, am TERRIBLE at buying gifts!!! TERRIBLE!!! That's mostly why I want a list for each of them. And then I get exactly what's on their list. If I am out and see something for them that jumps out at me I will get it too. I am hoping to do a better job with the "thoughtful" gifts next year. I need a little more notice so I can do lots of thinking about it. Didn't have enough notice this year.
Well, I think that brings us all current. We are heading to Ohio for Christmas on Tuesday. So, I will have more to share next week. Oh and yes I mentioned I have a toothache - what else is new? About every 6 months or so I have some kind of major tooth issue. I HATE MY TEETH AND I HATE THE DENTIST!!!! There is nothing new or exciting about any of that. So, I won't expand on that at the moment. I have some decisions to make about it. Maybe I will share more when I am through the denial phase. SIGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH
What a way to start the day! I had my regular monthly doctor's appointment this morning. The office is in Cool Springs/Franklin. It normally takes about 20-25 minutes to get there. This morning it took THREE HOURS! I had heard on the news before leaving home that there was an accident on 65 South in the general vicinity of where I get off to go to his office. They had closed 65S in the area. It was the worst traffic jam I have ever been in - even on trips. Follow this link to see a brief article about the accident. There is also a video showing the site. It was very sad. It made me think how fragile life is and how quickly the end can come. When a person is sick and dies it is usually an expected and sometimes welcome experience for the person as it means their suffering is over. I wondered how the person driving the SUV must have felt in that second they realized they were going to be in an accident. Did they wonder which direction they needed to steer in order to avoid the accident? Were they singing along with the radio? Did they think about their family? Did they think about the last conversation they had with their spouse? Did they wonder if they hugged their children enough? Did they think about what would happen if they had only left a few seconds earlier/later? Did they think about where they would spend eternity? Did they imagine themselves standing before their Maker? Life can change in the blink of an eye. I wondered if they were prepared to spend eternity with the Lord or if they were, at that moment, in the presence of satan. The sight of the accident made me think of how many hurting people there are all around me. Do I smile enough to them? Is Christ visible in my day to day actions? Do I show others the love of Christ when I interact with them? Or do I display judgment and negativity? Do others feel better after spending time in my presence or do they feel worse? Do I affect them at all? Have I been Jesus to someone today? I prayed today for the family members of the driver of that SUV. And I prayed that my life would also be changed because THEY met Jesus today.
How will you respond after reading this? Will you let Christ change you?
Take voice lessons
Lose 100 pounds
Take a yearly vacation with just my girl friends
Break completely free from the strongholds that have a grip on me
Find a hair style that I'm totally happy with
Become a great grandmother
Live on the beach
Drive a racecar on the race track
Learn to swim confidently
Go sky-diving
Learn to knit
Scrapbook our family's life
Build a house with an inground pool
Own my own laptop
Visit Alaska
See the REAL Eiffel Tower
Take a short term family missions trip
Own a black Jaguar X-Type car
Be a REAL wife/mom who cooks/cleans and everything
Have Lasix Surgery
Bungee Jump
