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I'm going to put notes and recipes about my adventures in the kitchen. Most of the recipes will be gluten-free because that is how we eat a lot of the time!

Final Four and Easter

Some of my recent posts are somewhat out of chronological order. So are some of the books in the Bible! Ryan went to Detroit to go to the first Final Four game with his dad. He saw a great game of Michigan State beating UConn. Of course, it was typical April weather in Michigan, and there were several inches of snow. Ryan said he'd never live there again!


For Easter, Molly helped me color eggs. She was dressed just in a diaper and bib. I wore a navy running shirt and a pair of Ryan's navy boxers. I was nervous about staining our clothes! She loved to plunk the eggs into the dye.



She also had a fun Easter egg hunt at my parents'. Everytime she found an egg, she'd open it right away. She'd want to play with the contents, or eat the candy within. We needed to persuade her to keep hunting.

We are so thankful for Jesus' resurrection. We always hope that our celebration of Easter brings Him glory!

Molly at Park

Molly loved being swung on this tire swing. She seemed like such a big girl climbing onto this. She is getting really good at climbing stairs like those on the play equipment. Unfortunately she likes to try to climb at home, too. We need to push our dining room chairs in or she'll climb on top of the table. Once, I stepped around the corner for a couple seconds, and when I looked she was standing in the middle of the table. Naughty! Ryan doesn't want me to spank her, and so we give her timeouts. She complies with these and often says "Sorry!" with a smile when the timeout has ended. However, I don't think she knows that the timeout is a punishment, even though we use a stern tone of voice. She thinks "Timeout" is a game.

Working in America

I had a nice visit with my Iraqi friends on Friday. The husband recently found a job. He's doing maintainance at a retirement living community. It is a great job for someone who is just learning English. He gets along great with his boss because he works harder than the others. That's no surprise. He had fled to Syria for two years before finally being able to come to America after his life was threatened in Iraq. He was unaware that he was getting paid, and he showed me his direct deposit slip. We were a little confused about where it was deposited because they do not yet have a bank account. We realized that he had been paid on a debit card that he had not yet received. His supervisor had asked if he had a card yet. I'm so excited that he has found full-time job. The pay is not much, but it is a great start.

I knew that Muslims normally visit the mosque on Fridays. He told me that he was not able to go because of this job. However, in Iraq, people typically are off of work on Friday and Saturday. Previously, before the invasion by the US military, Iraqis only had one day off of work, just Friday.

Molly and I visited with the family for a couple hours. The wife served us dates and shanina which is a salty yogurt drink. I drank this when I lived in Turkey. I guess this combination is very popular in Iraq.

Ready for Easter Ham?

I'm not sure if Dad will be up to eating ham for Easter. He has progressed to saltine crackers. Mom went home last night and wasn't around to remind him to press his button for morphine. So, this morning he felt more pain. Otherwise, he has been doing well and taking several walks.

Molly and I didn't make it to the hospital today. She's had a fever since last evening. So, we're going to stay away and not pass around germs. Hopefully it is just a teething fever.

Uncle Tim

My brother came to visit a couple weeks ago. Molly enjoyed him, and he didn't try to teach her as many bad things as he did at New Years. He thought Molly needed to have a two liter of bubble solution and finger paints. She loves playing with the bubble wands; thanks be to God that bubble solution is non-toxic! She isn't quite sure what to do with the finger paints.

This is the Day that the Lord has Made

Let us rejoice and be glad in it! I just talked to my dad. He is feeling much better today. He was sitting up in a chair. The tech was going to come and take him for a walk. He is eagerly awaiting the doctor's visit because then he'll be cleared to start on a liquid diet! Molly and I are going to visit this afternoon. Hopefully he'll be ready to see crazy Molly!

Update on My Dad

Thanks to everyone that has been praying! I just returned a little while ago from visiting my dad. He seems to be doing well. He looked good- nice color in his face and no hair out of place. He asked me to get his button-down shirt out of the bag of his belongings and hang it up so it wouldn't get wrinkled! He was voted best-dressed in high school for a reason. He is dozing in and out and saying some odd things, probably due to the morphine. We were having mostly coherent conversation, talking about MSU basketball and what Molly was up to today.

The doctor actually removed 12 inches. He noticed another spot that needed to come out also. There was a pathologist in the OR that consulted with the doctor about what the spots were. They believe that they are not cancer. In any case, they are gone.

Dad's pain is mainly in his stomach muscles. Perhaps this is because they were really stretched out when they filled his abdomen with air during the surgery? He groaned when he moved because this is when it hurt most.

He is not allowed to eat anything. The nurses reluctantly let him have ice chips. He is permitted to have hard candy, and he ate one that I brought. Dad is used to his three squares and is eager to eat.

Surgery

My dad is having four inches of his colon removed tomorrow. This is mostly to PREVENT a major problem. During a recent colonoscopy, his doctor discovered a very small spot that concerned him. It is not cancer, but it needs to be removed. We are thankful that it was noticed. The surgery is at 7:15 am. I'm going to get to the hospital a little later in the morning.

He'll need to be in the hospital until probably Saturday. Hopefully his time in the hospital will be comfortable. My dad doesn't like to not be active!

Please pray for the surgery to go smoothly and for him to set his mind on things above prior to the operation and while recovering. Thanks!

Three miles with a toddler in a baby jogger

Challenged by the fact that my mother-in-law works out on the treadmill for at least an hour and a half several times a week, I decided that I should get back into shape. I just completed my second week of five days of running. I don't care how much I run each time, but I have to get my running clothes on and get out the door. Once I'm moving, I end up going at least a couple miles and having mild enjoyment of the activity. I decided that if I have too many days off during the week it is easy to get out of the habit.

Today, like usual, Molly and I headed out around 3 pm. She was strapped in to the jogger and had several pretzels on the tray in front of her. After turning onto the road my feet found a comfortable rhythm. I pointed out a squirrel as we approached and saw Molly's head turn, but I'm not sure if she saw it. Things were pleasant and steady for a minute or two until we took a turn that aimed us straight into the Texas wind. Straining and bearing down to push through it, I looked down and noticed that canopy that I pull down in front of Molly's face to block the wind is acting just like a sail. We are being pushed backward with a strong force. Thankfully, the wind dies down quickly, and I trot along. After a few paces, I hear Molly's version of "Pretzel!" I pull over and retrieve a couple pieces that have fallen into her cup holder. I'm hoping that these remnants will satisfy her. Nope. A couple minutes later I hear, "Pretzel!" Hmmm... I glance in the basket of gear in the bottom of the jogger. I see a not-so-fresh half-eaten box of raisins. I'm sad to admit that I know that Molly isn't too bothered by the taste of stale food (because I occasionally give her some!) The raisins amuse her for awhile.

Nearing our turn around area, I hear her babbling, "Baa, baa, baa." Seeking to educate at every turn, I decide to sing "Baa Baa Black Sheep". With my ragged breathing, it is neither educational nor entertaining. Halfway throught "Three Blind Mice" my voice trails off.

At the turn-around I'm feeling very good. I pick up the pace slightly as we head back. After a couple minutes we are running past the park where we sometimes stop. I notice that Molly is lifting up on the tray, and I know this means that she wants to get out. I'm a little discouraged because the run was feeling so good, but I want this to be fun for her, too. I walk a safe distance across the grass to a sidewalk parallel to the road. I set Molly down. I take her hand to walk with her. She hangs from my hand, wanting me to lift her up. When my in-laws were here she learned that when mommy and pa pere held her hands we would occasionally swing her up into the air. She thinks that I am able to do this all by myself. I finally convince her just to walk along the sidewalk.

She loves sidewalks. They are like running tracks to her. Whenever she is on one, she really wants to run! I start jogging a step ahead of her. For some reason, this is hilarious, and she laughs and runs. We have a great time, jogging together. After a couple minutes, Molly is satisfied and returns to the jogger.

After I load her up, I offer her a choice of toys from the stash: a toy phone receiver, a tiny book, a toy cell phone and a My Little Pony. She wants them all. I comply and warn her not to drop any of them on the ground.

Shortly after we resume our run, I see a little hand dangling the receiever over the concrete. I warn her not to drop it, and reach over to take it from her hand. She then proceeds to do the same the book, cell phone, and pony. And we continue our forward motion.

She then amuses herself with the raisins and sippy cup. I occasionally adjust the canopy to protect her from wind and sun. A short while later, she hands me the raisin box. I jog with it in my hand. After a car passes, I muse that it might look like I'm holding a pack of smokes. Pondering this, I smile and run. The sippy cup soon follows. I smoothly bend slightly as I continue to jog and toss the raisins beneath the jogger. The curved handle on the cup affixes nicely to the handle I'm pushing.

As we are just less than a mile from home we pass beneath a pair of overpasses. The design of these make them just like a wind tunnel in the right conditions. Of course, as I'm barely moving forward fighting the wind, several cars pass and see me straining.

I press on and am relieved at the calm breeze for the next portion of the run. Molly then decides that she wants out NOW! She twists her body and shrieks as she wrestles the restraints. Desperate, I notice a dog being walked quite a distance ahead of us. "Look, Molly! A doggy!" I double my speed as I realize that catching up to the dog is my only hope of pacifying her. Panting I get closer and closer.

Yes, I no longer try to catch others on the running trail for sake of competition or challenging myself to go faster. I strain and strive to catch a doggy so Molly will sit still. It works and the rest of the run is smooth. Ironically, we walk in the door as we arrive home and Molly is content to stay seated and is in no hurry to get out!

Spring Break

Molly was a cheerful traveller. A box of raisins is keeping her content as we wait for her car seat to arrive.

Swimming, swimming.



Breakfast at Waffle House

Dinner with friends Heidi and David

Near Tampa Bay with Granny and Aunt Mary

Who's Your Daddy?

If I were named in the tradition of the Iraqi people, my name would be Emily Larry John. While helping my Iraqi friend fill out paperwork, I noticed that his last name was different from his wife's, and that the children had an entirely different last name. Each person is given a first name. The middle name is his/her father's name, and the surname is the paternal grandfather's name. Each person actually has many, many names which are basically a list of the paternal ancestors. Upon marriage, the wife does not take the husband's name but keeps the names of her father and grandfather.

Imagine having the same middle and last names as your siblings for your entire life. Or, imagine your children having no name in common with you if you're a female. Instead your children are identified by your husband and male in-laws. In our American society it would get even trickier. Divorce is so prevalent; there are also many children that don't know the identity of their father, especially when a single woman decides to adopt or conceive by in-vitro. I guess it works in their society because everything is so much more traditional. And, a person's family of origin is very important.

March Madness

March is halfway over! Ryan is officially on spring break! He's already had several track meets. During the winter, he was offered a position as an assistant track coach. He's working with the distance runners that he coaches in cross country. It is great because there are several track coaches, so he's made several new friends, too. Teaching the kids in his inner city classes continues to be a challenge, but he has a heart for reaching the troubled ones. Many are in gangs, and he often comes home with stories of fights and other trouble that they were involved in. We are going to Orlando for a few days this week, thanks to a Christmas gift of money from my parents designated for travel. We hope to visit some good friends and Ryan's granny and aunt while we're there.

Molly's ma mere and pa pere came to visit earlier in the month. We had a great time with them. The temps were in the 80s almost every day. We saw a lot but had a relaxing time as well.

I host a small group of moms from my church on Tuesdays. Molly loves snacking and playing with the other kids. We discuss the messages from church and try to incorporate a little activity for the kids, too.

Molly loves playing in her box of stuffed animals. Xander joins her here!


With Ryan's parents we visited the Stockyards and watched the cows amble down the street.

Molly has been watching MSU basketball with us. She points to the screen and exclaims, "Ball!" Here she's wearing her pink MSU shirt from her ma mere.

We got a new computer free as a promotion for opening an account with a local credit union. It is pretty small, but it is a great second computer and perfect for traveling. When we went to pick it up, a credit union employee wondered if the computer was for Molly. Not really, but it is a perfect size for her!

Summer Weather

Molly and I went swimming on February 26! The temperatures were in the upper 80s, so we decided to check out the pool. Molly loved the water even though it was very cold. She kept wanting to climb in and out and then run around on the deck. She loved splashing and throwing her rubber ducky and hippo into the water. After 30+ minutes I was exhausted. I put her into the stroller, and she was very upset to be leaving so soon.

Good-bye Kit Kat

Our kitty died yesterday. The house seems empty knowing he's not curled up on the bed like he normally is this time of day. Molly is napping, Ryan is at work, and I am melancholy. We've had Kit Kat since August 2003. He was a stray that I convinced Ryan to allow us to keep. He was very spunky and a little bit naughty. To get attention, he liked to go outside of Molly's bedroom as she slept and meow as loudly as possible! He acted a lot like a dog, following us around the house, and greeting visitors at the door. He was quite athletic, sprinting around the house and begging to be chased. Even on Friday night, he was acting like himself, wanting to play with some kids that were over and running around. If you want to read what happened to him read on, but it is pretty sad!

We had no indication that there was anything wrong with him until Saturday morning. The morning started out fairly normally, but a short while after waking, he came into Molly's room where we were all playing and curled up on the pillow. Ryan and I immediately noticed that he looked sickly. His third eye lid was showing, and he seemed lethargic. I guess it was mostly intuition that told us that something was very wrong. Ryan took him right away to a vet. They wanted to keep him all day, run tests, and give him an IV because he was dehydrated. The tests all came back inconclusive. They sent us home with some high calorie food and an antibiotic just because they had nothing else to try.

When he returned home he seemed almost normal. He walked around checking the place out and meowing. He hungrily ate the new food. He gradually got worse throughout the evening. His breathing became very shallow and quick. Around midnight he had no balance and didn't seem to see very well. We just tried to keep him laying down. We felt like he could pass away at any time, and we wished for that because he seemed so incapacitated. I finally convinced Ryan to try to sleep for a short time. We thought maybe he would peacefully pass away if we were sleeping. Ryan awoke a short time later noticing that Kit Kat had climbed over him and fallen to the floor. We knew that we couldn't go back to sleep and leave him unattended. We decided to take him to an emergency vet and have him put to sleep.

We woke up Molly after deliberating whether to wake her or a friend to come watch her. After the vet did a quick exam, she surmised that he had some kind of brain problem- an infection, tumor or stroke- because only one of his pupils was dilating. We decided to leave him there for a few hours and let them give him some injections of antibiotics to rule out the possibility of an infection.

When she called back in the morning, Kit Kat had stopped moving at all and was not maintaining his temperature. Ryan returned to the vet to say good-bye and have him euthanized.

We all then went to my parents' to bury him. It was a breezy, sunny Sunday morning. We dug a grave for him next to the barn. A short while after mounding the dirt over him we noticed a couple small birds dancing around on his grave and flying around the area. He would have loved to watch and chase those birdies.

I am missing him very much today. I miss him whenever Molly brushes her teeth because we would let him drink from the faucet. I'll miss it when the afternoon is warm, and he won't run to sit in the window after I open it. I missed him sleeping against my legs last night and sitting on Ryan's legs as we watched TV last night. We are thankful for our good kitty and his adventurous life.