What's Up?

Well, I've decided I need to spend a little more time keeping my blog updated. I like Facebook for keeping up with what my local friends are doing in little snippets of time without having to read long paragraphs. However, it's not a great way for my family members and homeschool loop members to keep up with the details of our lives, pictures, etc. We had a family meeting about fall activities today and how to get it all done. One of the things we've decided to simplify this year is Christmas cards. For years I've written and published a newsletter. For the last two years, we did a fun Christmas quiz. However, these are a LOT of work on me. Most of the information in the newsletter is stuff I wrote about in detail on my blog. So, I found this place where we can order Christmas postcards, put a picture on the front and a message on the back. I can even upload my address book and they'll print those on the cards, too. Much less time consuming. I plan to refer everyone to my blog on the card. This way it won't be a long, boring newsletter filled with old information for our local friends and family who already know what we're doing.

Not much exciting has been happening here this month. In September, we attended an event at the boys' Civil Air Patrol squadron. An artist had given them a new painting he did after 9/11 called Wings of Freedom. Gerren was promoted to Cadet Airman and Landon had his Cadet Honor Society induction announced to all present. Here is a scrapbook page I made of the event for Landon's album. This is a Smilebox layout, by the way.



It's been an emotionally tough month for me because of some half-truths told to manipulate me by a leader of a ministry I'm involved with. The funny thing is that, even though I have told details of this situation to almost no one, many others at church have noticed that I've been hurt and have been an incredible source of love and encouragement to me. What a dichotomy!

We've been running around like crazy trying to deal with medical issues this month, too. My left foot is really bothering me now that the right foot is better, of course! I really believe this plantar fasciitis is exacerbated by my thyroid issues. Anyway, I've been running to the chiropactor 1-2 times a week for this. It helped my right foot immensely, but I'm not getting any relief for the left one. Chase had 2 baby teeth pulled last week (under anesthesia) to prepare for braces which both she and Gerren have put on October 20. I have been referred to an endocrinologist probably to have a fine needle biopsy of a thyroid nodule I have which has grown in the past 6 years. I am being torn between traditional and alternative methods of dealing with my thyroid. I would have thrown over the traditional methods long ago if it wasn't for this nodule. So, it is a source of worry.

Of course, all these medical issues bring a big financial burden, too. We really like our insurance policy/HSA. However, all these expenses are just too much for any family to bear at one time. We're only allowed by law to put $5800/year in our HSA. This is $483/month and $330/month of that goes automatically to braces. $153/month isn't much for a family of 6 for medical, dental, and vision care. We were putting $416/month and basically spending all of that before orthodontics. Help, Lord!

Well, that's the nitty gritty update for now. I will try to take some pictures and get more regular about posting again!