Posted in KjS

At lunch today I, Hubbie, took a look at the Bible and at the mainstream headlines. 

Keep in mind that every one of the below headlines is on the front page of the DrudgeReport today (05/13/08).  

Check out Matthew 24:3-14, watch out for verse 9 (also see Mark 13:5-13).  I personally think the earth's birth pains are at hand.  For those who believe in a pretrib rapture, and I am not saying I do or don't because I have found evidence for each of the most popular beliefs on when the rapture will take place, but ponder one question...  would God rapture the church and remove the salt at the most critical time?  Over time the Roman Christians would not say so, they could probably be quoted as saying "lions, and tigers and bears...  oh my!" What about the Chinese Christians who are praying that persecution will come to America's Christians to make us wake up.

Lord come quickly... what am I doing to drag someone with me?

You can add this to the blog if you want to...   KjS.  (Yes!!)

1 Thessalonians 5:1-6 (even better, read the whole chapter)  I think Jesus is telling us not to fear the coming events, but we ought to study what He is saying so we will be less anxious.  FYI...  if you are reading this and don't have a relationship with Jesus, it is tough to understand a love letter if you don't have a relationship with the sender.  If you would like to find out how to know Jesus personally leave a comment that I can get back to you.

1Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
 4But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. 6So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.

Today's frontpage headlines on www.Drudgereport.com:
 
1.  Denial of God and the Jews
2.  Massive earthquakes
3.  Dormant volcano wakes up
4.  Dormant volcano wakes up
5.  1/4th of wheat at risk
6.  Iranian President Ahmadinejad: Israel to be 'swept away soon'
 
1.  Belief in God 'childish,' Jews not chosen people: Einstein letter
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080513122249.m3ds3b6j&show_article=1
 
2.  Magnitude 7.9 - Report: Death toll in China quake exceeds 12,000
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=D90KS7HG0&show_article=1
 
3.  Lightning bolts appear above and around the Chaiten volcano as seen from Chana, some 30 kms (19 miles) north of the volcano, as it began its first eruption in thousands of years, in southern Chile May 2, 2008.
http://news.yahoo.com/nphotos/slideshow/photo//080511/ids_photos_wl/r4184494436.jpg/
 
4.  Etna volcano rumbles back to life in Sicily
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=080513115454.2kkv9hjr&show_article=1
 
5.  UN alert: One-fourth of world's wheat at risk from new fungus
http://www.worldtribune.com/worldtribune/WTARC/2008/me_iran0128_05_13.asp
 
6.  Iranian President Ahmadinejad: Israel to be 'swept away soon'
http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/show/205101,ahmadinejad-israel-to-be-swept-away-soon.html

Posted in KjS

Ok everyone it has been a long time since I wrote anything.  I seem to be back to "full health"...  several weeks ago we went biking in a local state park were I flipped over the handlebars of my bike and landed on my arm and head...  no lasting problems...  problems...  problems so I guess I am well again.  :)

Last night was the annual church men's/kids campout, camping with the kids moms get a free night.  The campout is held on private property with a large private lake.  I was not planning to go for two reasons.  Our tent is so big it takes two days to setup...  and if it is just the girls and I why bother, and last year I froze my hinny off.

Long story short I invited a friend to share the tent and so it only took us one day to set it up.  This year the temperature was pleasant so the night was great and we enjoyed a cool crisp breeze.

Warning longwinded Hubby story to follow:

In the morning Lovebug and Ladybug both wanted to ride the paddleboat, but we could never figure out where the line was or who was in it next.  Finally I threw each girl in the boat with someone (Ladybug, I literally threw because when I stepped in the boat it sank and so I pitched Ladybug and jumped for the dock, neither of us got wet).

Ladybug wanted to go fishing and I had heard there were a couple of boats around one end of the lake that no one was using so we investigated.  The boat we settled on had a lot of water and a "small' leak... since we both know how to swim we jumped in just as Lovebug came along, she decided she did not want to get in a boat that might sink so Ladybug and I took off to the other end of the lake.

Ladybug had her 2 foot Scooby Doo fishing pole along and so she kept dropping the bait over the edge and of course the hook would get stuck as it went under the boat, lots of untangling.

The wind was against us but we finally got to the other end of the lake.  I put a spinner on Ladybug's line and she threw it in and I showed her how to reel it in slowly.  She was reeling in her first cast when I notice the line took off in the other direction and went under the boat...  she was not paying attention so when she pulled the line in and had a bass flip into the boat she was quite surprised and excited, I was glad I bought those $0.64 stringers to put any catches on, I did not figure we would be throwing anything back.  By the time she had had her fill of fishing she had caught four nice size bass and two large crappie.

When she walked into the camp carrying that stringer of fish she was standing 9 feet tall and walking like she had been fishing for years. 

She put the stringer down at the dock and showed anyone who wanted to see it.  Finally the catches were to be cleaned for lunch and so Ladybug proudly carried her stringer up to the gentlemen who were cleaning the fish.  She was still holding the stringer when he took the electric knife and filletted the fish from the folks in front of us.  When I finally caught up with her halfway to the lake and asked what she was doing she said she was taking them to let them loose.

Come to find out she and her friends had named the fish on the stringer and she did not want to take them to the gentlemen cleaning the fish.  I told her that the fish had been out of the water too much and would probably die anyway even if they were released now.  After many tears I handed the stringer to one of the men to deliver for cleaning.  Ladybug wanted to go to the tent.  We went and she cried because she did not want "Silver" and "Gold" (the crappie) to die and be eaten.  She asked me when the fish die and when thier blood would stop.  Needless to say she did not eat any lunch, I hope she will eat fish again someday.

I am reminded of the innocence that my girls possess and the tenderness that they harbor within them...  I encourage all of you dads to step up to the plate and protect your child's innocence and teach them God's way.  There is a circle of life... it is not defined by Disney.

Hubby

Posted in KjS

Happy Birthday Daddy!!!! 

Love your girls!

Posted in KjS

Things here are going well.  I am recovering pretty well, but slow, the second surgery was harder than the first and the recovery has been longer… the weekends seem to be the hardest.  I don’t know why but through the week I feel pretty good, minor discomfort but when the weekend hits I start to hurt in mainly two areas of my lower abdomen.  I still have some swelling that as the day drags on it seems to shift toward my beltline and once it contacts my beltline I then start to bend over and it hurts pretty much until I get home and in bed for the evening.  I think the doctors would tell me when that happens I need to stop pushing myself.

I have been back at work for two weeks since the surgery.  It has been a help to be back here because I come in and do something consistent from day to day and I can feel myself getting stronger.  Each day I am able to last longer and longer before the beltline issue above starts.

Tuesday I went home and we picked up pumpkins and carved them up for the girls, and they loved it.  I will have to post some pictures of it.

Posted in KjS

Today my parents returned home to Ohio after being here for two weeks.  It was great to have them here, quite a relief from trying to juggle where the girls would go each day to just being able to rest assured that they were going to sleep in their own beds and that the grands would be there for them.  Thanks for all your help Mom and Dad.

Each day we have gotten out and done some errands and each day it seems that I get pretty tired from them.  I have to keep remembering what my surgeon told me as I left the hospital...  "You are not well yet!"

I have been taking it easy and Wifey has taken up the slack.  She is great...

Don't take your health for granted.  The simple things like getting in and out of the car can be a chore if you are not careful.

I am still hurting and I would guess I will continue to hurt for days if not weeks.  The staples in my gut are a constant reminder that it was not a simple procedure.  Coughs, sneezes and laughing are killers to my gut.  Pray my staples can come out on Monday when I go to see my doctor.

Tonight Wifey was looking at the photos that she took of my staples and gut shortly after surgery and she was going to post them here on the blog.  I will try to warn you before you accidentally scroll into a photo like that.

I hope things can return to normal...  we are still dealing with the miscarriage and trauma of the surgery.  Like Wifey said in a previous post our oldest has begun fasting, from some of her favorite things, and praying for another baby.  Her example and sincerity brings me to tears by itself.

Regards, KjS

Posted in KjS

Well for those  of you who have been following and praying for James as well...  good news!

James called me and told me that he was now at home as well.   He was released yesterday.  He said he is having to adjust to some changes but he is glad to be home.

Thanks for all who have been praying for him and or sent him any of the health-e-grams...  he really appreciated them.

Thanks,   KjS

Posted in KjS

Grands agreed to watch the girls so Wifey and I could get an evening out together.  Can't remember the last time that happened.

We really did not know where to go when wifey suggested we head to Shreveport and walk the boardwalk.  So we went out and had dinner at one of our favorite places, and then around 7:00pm left for Schreveport.  When we arrived we only had about an hour before everything closed down so once everything was closed down we walked the board walk.  It was great to be able to get out and walk with very few hills and it was very quiet. 

No one was there except us for the most part, every once in a while we would pass someone but only when they were standing still considering I am not able to really move very fast.  I am moving around much better but I am really looking forward to the staples coming out they seem to jab me all the time.

I am thankful for Texas roads...  the ones in Louisiana had bumps that really jolted me.

Regards,  KjS

Posted in KjS

Posted in KjS

It is 5am and sleep eludes me...

It is definitely different sleeping in a flat bed and no one coming in and poking me to take blood at 4am every morning.  All my nurses were great!

The pain remindes me to pray for those who are hurting.

I would like for all who have been following this blog and praying for me to also continue to pray for James in the room next to me.  He seemed to have no hope...  Would you consider sending him a Health-e-gram?  You can go to www.gsmc.org hit the health-e-gram link and his name is James Thomas in room 1458.

I know he would appreciate a card...

Sleepless,  KjS

Posted in KjS

I wanted to be the first to say "Only 3 more months till Christmas! Are you done with your shopping?" 

I thought I would send a quick e-mail to many of you who have not had an opportunity to know the latest updates and roller coaster ride we have been on.  If you want to be removed from these e-mails let me know and I will remove you from my copy list, but then you might totally forget Christmas.  If you have a roller coast going on in your life let me know and I will pray about it with you too.

If you are not familiar with what has gone on up till.. you'll find alot of it here in our blog:  If you scroll to the very bottom you can read the updates that happened during my hospital stay at the end of July.  Wifey was sending out updates from her cell phone so some of them read more like a text message.

I'll summarize the events if you don't read blogs, but Wifey writes better than I do...

·          03/15/07 - Holly our dog was killed in front of my girls when hit by a truck

·          03/19/07 - I was offered a job by Norit-Americas, Inc in Marshall, TX

·          03/26/07 - Gave my 2 weeks notice @ General Dynamics VertexRSI

·          04/06/07 - Went to Beaumont to spend Easter with family

·          04/09/07 - Left for Colorado on our first care-free vacation (No cell phone coverage, but the little cottage and the skiing were great)

·          04/16/07 - Started with Norit-Americas, Inc.

·          FAST FORWARD three months...

·          07/28/07 -  Bought used Honda Civic (36 MPG gas mileage) Caught a beautiful garden spider almost the size of your hand, became family pet... 

·          07/29/07 - Commented that buying the car would be a good move for us as long as nothing big happened.

·          07/30/07 - 5:30pm Came home not feeling good, quarantined to my room with 100° temp. slept ate small dinner

·          07/30/07 - 10:30pm got out of bed heading to rest room...  pain was too great and I passed out cold on the floor, hit my eye full force on the tile floor.

·          07/30/07 - Went to the hospital, diagnosed with a burst diverticuli.

·          07/31/07 - 2:30am Emergency surgery to repair damage...  removed my guts (so I literally spilled my guts I guess) cleaned them off and put them back or at least most of them.  Installed colostomy, you can look it up if you don't know what that is...  I didn't either until I woke up with one.

·          08/01/07 - Found out that Wifey was pregnant...  excited!!

·          08/14/07 - 08/20/07 Went to Pennsylvania to participate in a weekend honoring my Grandfather, my dad spoke in the service.  Was a rough trip but would not have traded the time there for anything.  Got home and our guard spider had put a web across our front door so that you could not get in the front door of the house.

·          09/17/07 - Had X-rays to determine when my reconstructive surgery to reconnect all the plumbing would occur. 

·          Went to listen to the babies heartbeat, doctor could not find the heartbeat. 

·          Found our guard spider dead at the base of it's web.

·          09/19/07 - Blood work confirmed that we had lost the baby.

·          09/20/07 - Rough day for Stephanie dealing with the loss of the baby.

·          09/22/07 - Went out and caught a bigger guard spider... she has taken up residence exactly where the other one was too.

·          09/24/07 - Saw my surgeon...  he has scheduled me for surgery on Oct 2nd.  I will have to be admitted on Oct 1st and will be in the hospital for 7-10 days.

·          09/25/07 - 3 MONTHS TODAY IS CHRISTMAS!!  Remember Jesus is the reason for ALL seasons!

You are up to date... 

Thank you to all that helped out on my previous surgery whether watching kids, or some actually mowed my yard which was a big relief to not have to deal with.  All the flowers were wonderful and the notes through the www.gsmc.com website were wonderful as well, we decorated the room with them.

Pray that all will go well with this next surgery.

Feel free to let others that you think might be interested in the update know as well...

Thanks,

KjS (aka Hubbie)