As we gather together

A few years ago some great friends, after having us over for two or three Thanksgiving meals, said we now have a standing invitation to their house for turkey day. I can't tell you how much a small act of kindness and friendship like that means to a family of eight. Since B broke her leg three weeks ago, we again, have been humbled and greatly moved by the acts of love and kind support we've received--in word and deed. Prayers, meals, errands run etc., have been a means of grace to us as she recovers and as the rest of us try to pick up the huge amount of work she does for our family. God continues to work on changing my complaining, impatient, angry heart and is helping me resist corrupting, rotten, decaying speech.

The aforementioned family also started a yearly holiday tradition with us. Each of us writes down something we're thankful for on a slip of paper and everyone else has to guess who it was that wrote it. I was thinking about my entry this year when I ran across a quote from Abraham Lincoln from his original Thanksgiving Proclamation. The Proclamation was given in midst of the Civil War in 1863. It's a little long , but worth the read. So in light of the above and given the seasons we're in (holiday, political, economic), think about this:

The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God.

In the midst of a civil war of unequaled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle or the ship; the axe has enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consiousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy. It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and one voice by the whole American People.

I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to His tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquillity and Union.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be affixed.

Done at the City of Washington, this Third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the Independence of the Unites States the Eighty-eighth.

By the President: Abraham Lincoln

Of Spiders and Such

One of the amazing things about being a parent is discovering who your children are. We can look at them as infants and think we know who they are, but when they start showing signs of being their own person, it is really fascinating to me.

Of all of my children, Boo is the most puzzling. She looks very much like I did when I was her age. My brother has made comments about her being a little "B." So because of that, I tend to think of her being just like me. This is not the case.

Boo is all girl. She loves dresses, babies, barbies, and all things girl. She likes crafts and cooking. She also loves eating good food. She also loves to sing!! She also has a great fear of spiders. We have joked with her that we will buy all kinds of Halloween things and throw her a birthday party with them as decorations. She saw a daddy long legs walking on my driveway and she gave us a blood curdling scream!! She has a love/hate relationship with our kitty. She loves to pet her, but if the kitty makes a sudden move, Boo will flinch. She also is not keen on jumping into the pool.

Boo loves her family. She is not the demonstrative type. But if you spend a little time with her, she will love you back with interest. I have seen a few people outside of our family do this and I am sure that they would agree with me. She is also very compassionate. You might think she is shy, but she is not so with people that she likes. While she is the quietest member of our family, she is not boring. In fact, she is quite interesting to talk to.

Boo is also very serious and practical. I took this photo to reflect that side of her personality. In a family full of silly people, she is always telling it like it is. She has a unique sense of humor, but she will not fall for any jokes. She also tells it like it is. She is up front an honest and will give you her opinion on anything. I remember that we once had a discussion onf someone we knew who did not like broccoli. My kids eat everything (well....except for their allergens). Everyone here eats all of their veggies. Well, Boo said in the most serious of tones, "If you didn't like broccoli, then you would be silly because broccoli is good for you!"

When she was small she had GERD and a hiatal hernia. Because of the hernia, she developed something called Sandifer Syndrome. This is a peculiar posturing that people do to relieve their symptoms. In her case, we would hold her in her arms and she would bend backwards away from us and end up kind of upside down and twisted. I'm telling you this because in some respects, she still has a different perspective on the world. It is as if she is still hanging upside down and looking at things from a different angle than the rest of us.

There is so much that I could say about my girl. She is a neat person and we went through so much together those first few years. It is really fun getting to know her.

For those of you who don't know, I'm a Bobby Bowden fan. B and I met at a Division III school so we don't really have any alumni ties to any college team (though we have family @ Penn State). But our neck of the woods is smack dab in the middle of the ACC so years ago I started rooting for Florida State.

Truthfully they've been mediocre at best since I started pulling for them (hmmm) but they're usually in the thick of things and they're fun to watch for a few hours on an occasional Saturday. N likes them too.

While I don't hear much about the players, except for those that choose to act like thugs and get suspended, I was proud to read about Myron Rolle, one of FSU's best defensive players. On Nov. 22nd, he's chosen to miss the game with Maryland (which may turn out to be critical to our shot at a bowl game and his career possibilities in the NFL) to conclude final interviews in hopefully becoming, get this....a Rhodes Scholar! Pretty awesome!

How about that Gator fans?? (=

I think it's cool too that the FSU coaching staff is totally behind his decision and encouraging him to go for it.

Makes me proud to be a 'Nole fan!

And now for something completely different....

I stumbled across this video. The guy in the clip is NOT singing. The song is actually by a group called Moosebutter ( I don't know why). Anyway, it's a pretty clever video....

2008 FAAN Walk

About 10 days ago we participated in our third FAAN Walk for a Cure for Food Allergies. Every year this event seems to get bigger and better. This year it was held in a local park with the walking route around a small lake. There was also a game/Halloween treat area with non-food treats, craft making area (pom-pom spiders, bead necklace making and temporary tattoos) and vendor area (my favorite) with lots of schwag from companies like Enjoy life foods, Epipens and Crayons drinks. Yes, allergy free juice drinks in crayon shaped cans. Some of them were tasty.


B had volunteered at the registration table once again but this year she had volunteered me and the boys to help set up. We were put in charge of most of the signage. Since we had to be there pretty early (6:30-7am) it was great to have something for us to do. All the kids and I put up signs directing people to the event as well as "food allergy fact" signs along the route.

I was with IZ in the craft area when he noticed the other kids who also had MedicAlert bracelets like he did. (they compared colors) I'm sure he felt pretty good seeing all the other food allergy families there having fun with their kids. And I KNOW he enjoyed the free sample cups of SunButter given away in the vendor area (don't ask how many he ate!)

THANK YOU to all who prayed for great weather (it was beautiful) and who gave or considered giving. I had set a pretty low goal on our fundraising page and had a difficult time updating/increasing it which may have thrown some people off. This year our town's walk ALONE raised $40,000 for food allergy awareness and research! That's AWESOME!!

ps....B here....I just wanted to add that the most awesome thing is that there was food there and Iz could eat all of it!! How cool is that?!?!?! He ate about 5 little things of Sunbutter. :-D My favorite thing was the Enjoy Life chocolate bars (**Those WERE good!! -ski**) . Yummy!!! And safe, too!!! Such a fun day!!

The cool thing about the Internet

One thing that is really cool about the internet is that you get to meet people from all over. If you join any kind of message board or email loop, you will soon feel like you know people. I know that a lot of people think this is a bad thing. But I have not experienced that. I am on a number of email loops and message boards. Most of the ones that I post to, I have been a part of for quite a while. I have met people who live both near and far. I have learned about all kinds of people's lives. I have been challenged to look deeper and to see other perspectives. I have found support when there was none around me. Particularly, when I have struggled with medical issues in my children. I have found people struggling with the same thing when I did not have that luxury in the people around me. I have met all kinds of people. Those like me and those not. Those who are generous and giving and those who are in need. Right now I have a person of great need in mind and I'd like to ask a favor of you.

I have added a prayer list to the right, though it is not up to date at the moment. On that list is yet another woman who I met via the internet. I have never met her IRL, but have learned to know her through her posts. In a rather sudden and whirlwind-like chain of events, my friend has been diagnosed with breast cancer. It is very aggressive and it will be a difficult road ahead. She is a mother of 7 who homeschools and a wife of a pastor. She is a very gifted woman and I have always enjoyed her posts. Please pray for her and her family. They really need comfort and peace. God is really moving in her life through this, but she still needs great prayer. Please take a moment to pray for my friend!!