Thursday, April 29, 2010

Easy Rice and Sausage Casserole

This recipe takes literally about 10 minutes to make if the sausage is precooked:

Sausage and Rice Casserole

1 1/2 lbs of crumbled sausage
2 bags of cooked Uncle Ben's Multigrain rice (takes 90 seconds in microwave)~ You can use the box kind but it takes longer because you must cook it before you add it to ingredients

1 can of cream of chicken soup

1 can of beef broth

1/2 cup of chopped celery and onions (optional)

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

*Mix all together in a bowl and put in 9x13 pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes
(I always double the recipe for company)

It's that easy!

Enjoy!
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Tuesday, April 27, 2010

The miracle~

I would like to say it is not the news I had been hoping for.  My journey with this baby inside of me is over, but after reading this poem, how could I ask for more for this little one!  In my eyes, no matter what the outcome turned out to be, it will always be considered a miracle in my eyes!  And someday, I will have the honor of holding this sweet baby in my arms and not just my heart!  So for now, I will say goodbye, but not forever, just for a time!


"A BABY'S SECRET"


I'm just a little person who didn't make it there;
I went straight to be with Jesus,
but I'm waiting for you here.


Don't you fret about me, Mommy,
I'm of all God's lambs most blessed;
I'd have loved to stay there with you,


but the Shepherd knows what's best.
Many dwelling here where I live,
waited years to ent...er in;
Struggled through a world of sorrow,
and their lives were marred with sin.


So, sweet Mommy, don't you sorrow ~
Wipe those tears and chase the gloom ~
I went straight to Jesus' bosom
from my mother's womb.


Thank you for the life you gave me ~
It was brief, but don't complain...
I have all of heaven's glory...
suffered none of earthling's pain.


- by Sandi Johnson

Thank you for being there for me and all of the prayers!  I cannot tell you how much it has meant!  I am letting go of the pain day by day and know that God's plan is best!  I will walk with no fear inside knowing my Heavenly Father holds me in His hand!


Friday, April 23, 2010

Just an update~

I'm one of those bloggers that get upset when blogs that I follow have things happening in their lives and they don't update as much as I like! :)  So now, I am officially a hypocrite!  Sorry about the delay on posting MY update but it has been a whirlwind of a week!  An injured 10 month old, a mother-in-law with a blood clot in her lung, and a 14 year old with pneumonia AND a broken arm and, (I won't even mention the ordeal with my BRAND NEW WHIRLPOOL DUET washing machine!)  Okay, maybe I will!  Exactly one month after receiving our NEWwashing machine, (after waiting 3 weeks for delivery), we are now WITHOUT a washing machine, potentionally up to 4 weeks!  Yes, I am frustrated to say the least!  The seal on the door broke, wrapping clothes in it and then leaking water all over the bathroom floor!  We are not having an easy time getting any answers!  So for now, we are going to have to pay $4.00 each load and haul our laundry to our local laundromat and figure out a way to fix our bathroom floor because the company said they only cover the appliance on the warranty and wait impatiently  patiently for the part to come in!  *SCREAM*  Okay, I feel a little better!

Now, an update with the pregnancy.  I am seeing signs that the miracle I am praying for, may not happen the way I would like for it too, but nothing definate or totally convincing yet!  The doctor said on Monday that allowing my body to do things naturally, was fine at this point although he did recommend a d&c.  I decided against it and will continue to seek God's council!  I just have such a peace that I cannot describe!  I am very normally a VERY impatient person and a situation like this would have destroyed every emotional thought that would keep me sane by now.  But God is soooooo good and has given me more than anything I could have ever dreamed of when it comes to waiting and perserverence!  His word has been a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path!  Your prayers have been so felt!  I sat the other night, just sure I was going to miscarry soon, and I began to cry with a deep pain and loss.  Weeks ago, I choose to love this child and have grown more and more in love as the days have gone by (13 weeks to be exact!).  It finally hit me that my time with him/her might be over.  I did not realize how God had filled my heart with that love that only a mother knows!  Well, the week has gone on and the syptoms stopped after only about and hour.  So, I am still waiting to see what God's plan is and when He will decide to show us.  During the ultra-sound on Monday, God quietly spoke to my heart and said to me, "It is time..."  I was not really sure what that meant and still am not totally sure.  It may mean, it is time to let go and hand this precious life to Him in heaven, or it could mean that it is time to see evidence that the baby is alive.  What I do know is, until it IS time to know, God will sustain me and continue to walk this road with me!  I have grown so much through this and have learned to trust Him no matter what I feel or am told by man! 

I will continue to walk in faith that He is able! 

Hope you have a great weekend and I do appreciate your prayers so much!  It has held me up!

Monday, April 19, 2010

What a day!



It was a very good thing I did not know when I woke up yesterday what my day would hold or I may have never have gotten up!  We went out of town for the day to see family and have a picnic at a park and all within one hour, my mother-in law was admitted to the hospital for a blood clot in her lung, my 4 year old pushed my 10 month olds stroller WITH HIM IN IT down a playground step and it turned upside down smashing his face against the play equipment, and my 14 year old then broke her arm while I was already at the ER!  Somehow, I took it in stride!  God was there with me and with the exception of me not being able to see blood on my children and freaking out majorly  just a touch, when blood WAS gushing from my 10 month olds nose, I was very calm!  Thank goodness my husband was there to take part of the pressure! 

My mother-in-law is doing okay, my 10 month old is acting VERY normal although he looks like he has been hit by a train on one side of his face, and my daughters arm is hurting but she is laughing as I type this!  So all in all, we are doing great! 

Today, still having NO miscarriage symptoms, I go for another ultra-sound, blood work, and doctor visit.  I am seeing a doctor at the office I normally go to, and he is a favorite of mine.  He will not do anything further until an ultrasound is done.  (The other doctor who told me 3 weeks ago that I would miscarry within the week, said he would not waste his time doing anymore ultrasounds!)  I just know God has guided every step and I have done nothing without asking Him and obeying what He says!  Not always easy, but ALWAYS best!  I am in His hands!  Still hoping I will see that little baby and heartbeat!  :) 

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Faith~ the evidence of things NOT seen...



Not the news from the "medical" side that I had hoped for!  Although this doctor was not in total agreement with my doctor what has been happening with this pregnancy, the verdict is the same.  Sac, no visable sign of baby!  The doctor was wonderful in explaining everything including my options.  I will be 12 weeks next week, so she recommended a d&c after next week to reduce the possibility of complications.  I will say I am not surprised with all the information, and I will also say, that my hope and faith is still in a miracle!  I know, maybe foolishness in some people's eyes, but in my eyes faith in God is never wrong and realizing that He makes the simple things divine is my comfort! 

My husband reminded me of how God asked Elijah to throw water on the God's of Baal before He started them on fire to prove even more of His power!  Maybe this is one more thing that God wants to use to prove He is God in my situation!  One more doctor to reach!  And even if this baby does not survive, God has given us countless times to witness to others with this situation!  He is bigger than my idea's and IF they don't turn out in the way I want them to, He is still God and His word will not come back void! 

I will continue to pray for a miracle and until God shows me otherwise and even IF that happens, I can give a testimony of the many ways He has used this for Him already!  For that, I am truly thankful! 

Thank you for all your prayers, they are being felt!  God is good and He will be faithful to complete the work He has started! 




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Tuesday, April 13, 2010

On my way...



Not sure what I will find out today, I am on my way for a second opinion.  This I know for sure, that God is in this entire situation and my steps are guided by Him.  I am praying for a miracle and whatever He has for me is what I desire!  My hope and faith is in Him! 

I would appreciate your prayers today as the journey continues...







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Sunday, April 11, 2010

Faith~ The substance of things hoped for...

I have struggled for weeks whether to put this on my blog or not.  (Because after 11 kids, pregnancy is not always considered a celebrated thing with my extended family),  and that alone causes me enough stress!  That is why, for the most part, we have kept this to ourselves. But I feel it is time to tell you of the journey.  Maybe one of the most misunderstood and confusing one of my life, until now!  But I have come to the point where I must share with others God's faithfulness and pure love that he desires to share with His children if we allow Him to show us HIS way and not our way.  (This is a long one, so bear with me!)

On February 28th, I suspected I might be pregnant with my 15th child.  (11 on earth and 3 in heaven)  The home pregnancy test confirmed my thoughts.  A faint pink line was seen!  I took it very early in the morning and my heart leapt with joy as it has with all of my children.  I then sat down for my morning devotion time and opened my bible to Psalms and just began to read without looking at where I was specificly.  I soon read, "...you knit me together in my mother's womb, I am fearfully and wonderfully made!"  I began to cry and lifted my hands to the heavens and began to thank Him for this little life inside of me.  That is where it all began...

I always take two (have been known to take more)  :) pregnancy tests.  The first one was so faint that I thought I better make sure there was no mistake.  3 days later, the line was there but still very faint and not really any darker.  Because of pervious miscarriages,  I began to be a little concerned.  With one of those miscarriages, the same thing happened so it is always a fear of mine.  The next day, I began to spot.  So I called the doctor and they decided to do my blood work and told me that it is not uncommon for spotting early in pregnancy but just to be safe, they would check my hcg levels.  On March 4th, my levels came back 30.6.  (To quickly explain, hcg levels should double early in prgnancy at least every 3 days.)  The first level tells nothing, they must do another one 3 days later to see if they are increasing.  March 7th, my level had only risen to 34.  Knowing right away that was not good, I was devestated!  The nurse said this was inevitably a miscarriage and to call if I had any other questions.  I then asked if she had ever seen levels do this and everything be okay, she said, "Never!"  I spent the day and the next 3 days, mostly crying and feeling angry and dreading the days to come and just wanting it to be over.  I went to bed that night and as I was almost asleep, I felt the Lord gently speak to my heart and ask me if I had loved this baby yet.  I said back to Him, "NO it is too hard to love something I am going to lose.  But God, since you are asking me too, I will."  I began to speak out loud to God and this baby and allowed myself to love this child and told God whatever plan He had, whether this child was in me for 2 more hours or 8 more months, I loved it and knew it was a gift from Him.

They continued to check my levels to make sure they were going down.  3 days later on March 10th, my levels did something unexpected, they  nearly tripled to over 103!  The nurse could not figure out what was happening.  So every three days, my levels were checked, and they continued to soar.  Once they get to over 1800, they can do an ultrasound and should be able to see something.  Mine levels did just that so an ultrasound was scheduled for the next day.  Well, it did not go as I had hoped.  They saw something that may have been a sac but to small to measure but not unheard of with what my levels were.  So 3 days later they did another one and the sac was measurable!  It only measured 5 weeks 2 days but it had grown signifcantly!  The doctor was very optimistic.  I was still a little concerned because I was still spotting and the dates were off about 2 weeks or more! But hope began to rise within me.  Another ultrasound was scheduled 1 week later and the news was not good.  The sac had grown  a touch and there was now a yolk sac seen but it did not look like it should.  That night, another emotional rollar coaster!  Very down and feeling sad, I began to go upstairs to bed and my husband said to me, "Do you believe God is able?"  I said, "Yes!"

He then asked, "No, do YOU believe He is able to raise this baby up and can do a miracle for US?"  I would love to tell you st this point I had enough faith by this time to not fall back into my what my flesh felt, but not so!  At that point I was mad because I just wanted this whole thing to be over!  I was tired of the emotional drain!  I just could not imagine after all that I have seen and been told, that this pregnancy could end up okay.  I then made a choice because of my husbands incredible wisdom, to go to my room get on my knees and pray.  I asked to touch the hem of my Jesus' garment and to be made whole!  I let God know that I believed He could and would bring this child to existence and until I saw any proof to believe otherwise, from HIM, I would believe!  I prayed with my husband and oldest daughter, and my heart was released to His plan, for the time!  Being reminded ofthe coutless times in the bibe that Jesus said to people who were healed, "your faith has made you well!"

So, another week of waiting for another ultrasound but the doctor suspected I would miscarry within the week.  A week passed and my levels were checked again.  At my last appointment, the doctor had said that my levels would begin to drop during the week and he would be shocked if that did not happen.  My husband asked him if he would do another ultrasound next week.  The doctor said not unless they jumped 10,000 or more.  But that was a very slim possiblitly.  The next week, my levels jumped over 25,000!  Another ultrasound was scheduled that day.  Not good news.  The sac had not grown much and still no baby.  He wanted to schedule a d&c and my husband happened to be out of town just to make things more difficult!  So I said yes, but I would have to talk to my husband first and would let the doctor know if anything changed.  My husband left his meeting early and that night we were on the way to the hospital with every intention of having a d&c.  I walked in feeling sad and desperate.  We sat and waited and I asked my husband what he thought and what he would do.  He said he was not going to tell me what to do, it was up to me but he had some scripture that God had given him as he prayed for me on the way home from his meeting.  (He had prayed to God that I would ask him him for advice!)  It would have been so much easier to just be told what to do!  But then my husband knew that God could not accomplish in me what He wanted too!  It would have been his because he told me too and I would have missed the chance to see God work in my heart!  (Oh, how wise!)
 
I was signed in and made my way up to the room.  We talked the entire way up and stopped in the hall.  My precious husband began to remind me of what faith is...the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things NOT seen!   What is our hope?  That this child is living inside of me!  What is the evidence of things SEEN?  That there is no baby on the ultrasound And the evidence of things NOT seen was that God knows what is happening!  If I do this d&c, my hope is gone because I can no longer have faith that the baby is okay!  I soon began to see that the d&c was MY desperate plan to move on, not God's!  I could not have both faith and follow MY plan for the whole thing to be over!  That devestated me!  I always want my life to be led by faith and to think that I might make a decision that would break God's heart was too much to handle.  The nurses had been waiting for me and soon came and asked if I was ready.  I said I did not think I could do this.  She then led my husband and I to a room to talk.  We prayed and I  my decision had been made.  A nurse then entered and asked what I was thinking.  I began to reveal my heart to her.  She said she was a christian and if God was sharing with me not to do the surgery, then I should not do it.  She started crying and hugged me.  I said to her that God sent her to me!  She said, "NO today, God sent YOU to me!  I needed to be reminded today that God is still God!  Thank you!" 

My husband quickly made me aware that only five minutes after I decided to walk in faith, God had already began using our situation for others!  It was incredible!  My husband and I left the hospital walking hand in hand and my spirit soaring!  I walked in feeling like a coward and left, feeling strong and secure in what I knew, that God is faithful and always wants what is best for us!

The journey has not ended!  Since that day, I have not spotted once!  I feel all of the pregnancy syptoms that I usually have with all of my "normal" pregnancies.  I have faith that God is faithful and CAN bring this little one to life and maybe just maybe has kept it hidden for a time because He has a better plan than I could ever think of!  Tuesday of this week, I am going for a second opinion because I feel that God has laid that on my heart.  Not sure why except that maybe He wants another doctor to see His hand.  God has not spoken to my heart that this child is alive inside of me but He has spoken peace to my heart that His plan is best whatever that plan is.  He kept me from making one of the worst decisions of my life and spared me the turmoil.  He asked me to love this child and I have never swayed from that!  I am in love with this little life and know that it has been given to me for a reason!  He has also shared with me, that although this child is inside of me, it is a life He has created and He has a special plan for it's life and what He does is up to Him!  It's not just about the things I am looking at now, but that it is also about this baby's future and how He can use it for His glory.

I will keep everyone posted and if you could pray for this child and myself, I would greatly appreciate it!  I am believing for a miracle and know that God's plan is best!

Psalm 138:3-8~ In the day when I cried out, You answered me, And made me bold with strength in my soul.  All the kings of the earth shall praise You, O Lord, when they hear the words of Your mouth.  Yes they shall sing of the ways of the Lord, For great is the glory of the Lord.  Though the Lord is on high, Yet He regards the lowly; but the proud He knows from afar.  Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch out Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, and Your right hand will save me.  The Lord will perfect that which concerns me; Your mercy, o Lord, endures forever!  Do not forsake the works of Your hands.




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Friday, April 2, 2010

Resurrection Day~ Remember the Cross

I Hope you don't just celebrate Christ this coming weekend but all year through!
The sacrifice He made is to be appreciated everday.
But take time this weekend to read with your children the story of the resurrection.
With older children, take communion with them and reflect on the importance of Christs love for them and the power of the cross
And take time for you to thank Him once again, for being your Savior!
Because of Him, we have no need to fear death
Because of Him, we have eternal life and our sins are no more!
Celebrate what He has done for you!

Happy Resurrection Day!



May you have a truly blessed time with Him!
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