Christmas

Well, I did it, I bought my 6 year old a real skateboard. Everyone asked, "isn't he a little young for that" and "Where will he ride it, the dirt hill you live on" and my favorite, "are you trying to kill your son?"

But the look on his face when he saw it was priceless. I bought him safety pads, he already has a good extreme sports helmet and we have a cement floor in our basement. He can practice inside for a while, then progress to the tennis courts at school once spring comes. Next year we'll live in an apartment with pavement outside anyway, so he'll be fine.

Now, if I can just remind him to be safe and not get too discouraged when he can't do tricks on the first try we'll be in business!



On a less fun note, this Christmas was bittersweet. My Grandpa Dex is going blind. I didn't realize how bad it was until I saw him on Christmas day and he couldn't see his presents, or his dinner. It's so sad to see a man who works like crazy all day every day loosing his sight. He is having such a difficult time accepting it. My prayer is that he will be able to accept it and stop working (before he gets himself killed). My continued prayer is that he and Grammie will be able to relax and enjoy life until the Lord finally calls them home.

My other grandmother, Memere, is also not doing well. She's so old and frail. She's just not the same woman as she was even a year ago. The oxygen and walker seem so foreign in her house. It will be difficult for the family when she finally looses her battle, but I know the Lord is saving a special place for her in Heaven.

Mission Trip

Well, I'm back from my mission trip. I traveled with a group of Vermont Volunteers in Mission to Camp Hope in VanCleave, Mississippi. We worked on a variety of home improvement (and recovery) projects. The work day went by fast, despite struggles with plumbing and walls that were far from square.

I was doing physical labor from 8am to 5pm and felt great doing it! My joints and muscles were feeling good (only a little sore in the mornings). The warmer weather and higher humidity was great for my joints and my lungs. It was quite a blessing for my body. Who knew doing construction would feel like a vacation?!
My group never met our home owner, but I am glad that we didn't. That way we were able to serve without recognition... the best way to bless someone, anonymously.
We ended our trip in New Orleans to do some site seeing and hear some great jazz.

It was interesting to see how much of the sinful stuff is back in the gulf, while other areas are still so destroyed. We noticed that in Biloxi the casinos were up and running, while small businesses and residential neighborhoods seemed almost empty. The same was true in New Orleans. Bourbon street and the french quarter were alive and well while the ninth ward and other poor residential neighborhoods were still boarded up and mostly deserted.


My trip really made me appreciate the work I am doing at home. I don't need to travel to do mission work. God has me doing mission work at home in Central Vermont. We have plenty of poverty, drugs and social struggles right here in our own back yard.

I am enjoying my work at Hedding with the youth and other neighborhood ministries, but I am prepared to leave for seminary in the summer. After that, only God knows where I will be and what I will do. I can't wait to see where He will send me next!

Dinosaur Boy

Check it out, Jeff is famous! http://lindaslymediseasejournal.blogspot.com/

My latest adventure

I started a part-time job in September. I LOVE it!

I am now directing a teen/tween center at Hedding. We get between 1 and 10 kids, usually around 5 or 6 each day after school. They eat snacks (healthy of course), play computer games and sometimes even do homework ;-)

The best part is, most of these kids are not from our youth group. They have no experience with church and have not yet met Jesus. This is a gentle evangelism mission that first meets basic needs, then leads to the open door for spiritual needs.

Our webpage with basic organizational info is: http://humctc.org
Our Blog is: http://humctc.blogspot.com

Check it out!

Mission

I am on a mission. I will not let Lyme get me down anymore. I am trying to do more for my family, more around my house and then more for the world.

I am going on a mission trip to Mississippi in December and bringing one of the youth from our church with me. I'm also taking any trainings I can and filling in my knowledge gaps before I leave for seminary next year.

We've visited 3 seminaries and still haven't completely decided which we will go to. It's between Wesley in Washington D.C. and the Methodist Theological School of Ohio (MTSO). Both have their own flaws and some great pluses. I like the programing and mission opportunities at Wesley better, but the campus and housing is much better in Ohio. Either has potential for community building and ministry opportunities. The decision will most likely come down to financial aid... and MTSO will most likely win.

Another diagnosis

Well, it's official... all my worry was worth it. My son, Jeffrey, was recently diagnosed with babesiosis and chronic Lyme disease. He'll start treatment soon. It will be a challenge. Not many 5 year olds like taking 3 kinds of meds twice a day, and in liquid form (yuck!).

He's tired and cranky. His attention is sometimes pretty bad, as is his patience. He whines, he wets himself and he gets headaches and knee pain. Fortunately, none of that lasts all day long, so there are still plenty of opportunities for the fun-loving, extremely smart and creative little boy to play and be silly.

It's hard to keep up with him, whether he's having a good day or a bad one. My own Lyme and Babesia wear me out.

Soooooooooooooo TIRED!

One thing about Lyme disease I can't push myself through is the fatigue. I have been so tired all week! It seems no matter what I do, or what I eat (keeping my limited choices in mind) I can't seem to perk up. Naps are no help either.

On the plus side, I've only had a little pain, mostly in my head.


We brought Jeffrey to a doctor who has lots of experience with pediatric lyme. We're waiting for the test results, it will be a couple of weeks. I'm praying that the tests are 100% negative... but I don't think that will happen.

I hate Lyme Disease! I want my life back!

I've started on my "summer meds", so my whole body is going wacko again. I spent yesterday having a major depressive episode, I apparently cried for hours on end, yelled at my family, and I don't even know what else. All I remember was being curled up in a ball wishing I was dead, I felt so awful.

So, I didn't take my meds yesterday. I called the Dr. today and he said it's probably not the Rx but something else (maybe I over did it on Saturday)... but told me to reduce the amount I take anyway, at least for now.

This comes after a month of feeling good and getting my hopes up again that I was actually getting better. Obviously not. I obviously have a long way to go. DAMN!

Seminary

Well, we're doing it. Heath and I are going to sell our house and most of our "stuff" to follow the call. The Lord is calling us into deeper relationship, understanding, knowledge and service. We are going to visit seminaries this summer and begin the applications for enrollment and scholarships in the fall.

Anyone with advice on United Methodist seminaries and scholarships?

Lyme disease

I keep saying I should use some of this blog to educate people about lyme disease. The truth is, I'm too tired. But look! Someone else is already doing it, so I don't have to :-P

Bronchitis... again

Well, one of the curses of Lyme Disease is that your immune system is weak. I have contracted another horrible cold with Bronchial infection. My asthma has been acting up, I can't get comfortable enough to sleep well... wah wah waaaaaah

I blame college kids.

After being stranded in NYC I finally got home, by Amtrak. It was a great way to travel, the seats are much larger than on an airplane. I was even able to lay down (in a ball) and rest for a while. However... the ride is much longer, so I was exposed to many more germs.

The train was full of kids returning from spring break. I sat near a ditsy blond who had spent the entire past week getting drunk and "hooking up" in Cancun. She also brought back some nasty germ... which she spread to the entire train cabin by coughing wide mouthed into the open air repeatedly. My 5 year old was appalled when I told him about my ride. He said if he was on the train he would have told her the proper way to cough (into your elbow) so you don't spread germs.

Oh well, it just means I take azythromycin for a week, then wait a while before starting back up on my antibiotics for my Lyme. Probably I'll start on the Clarithromycin and Plaquenil combination again soon... but I have to get over this respiratory infection first. Sometimes I wonder if I'll ever finish my Lyme treatment. I seem to keep having to stop due to other illnesses. The good news is, when I'm off the antibiotics I can definitely tell that I am getting better on the whole... it's just taking a long time.

Stranded in NYC

Well, after an incredible week in New York City studing the theology of mission, I am now stuck here for a few extra days. Don't get wrong, I loved the course and I had a great time, I'm just ready to go home. NYC is fun, but it's expensive. It's very difficult to find inexpensive entertainment ideas... especially if you are disabled.

There are limited subway stations with elevators, but who can afford a cab?! So, I've been doing a lot more walking than I should with my Lyme disease. I'm just glad I'm having a "good week" because otherwise I would be stranded here in this house.

Back to the disability access rantings, elevators are rare in public areas, and the sidewalks are trecherous. I have seen very few people walking with canes, and only one person in a wheel chair the entire time I've been here. Tell me, in a city with 9 million residents (and an additional 4 million who come in for the day)... where are all the people with mobility issues? Is there some secret way to get around the city? If so, please tell me! My legs and my back are killing me!

Inspiration

I'm looking for inspiration. I want to write in this thing more often, but can never think of anything to say.

Is my life so dull that I have nothing to say? Or, is my life so fulfilling that I have no time to write in here. Perhaps I don't have the right words to describe all that is happening.

Only I know the real truth, so HA!

Growing up

My Baby is growing up so fast! He's half-way through Kindergarten. He comes home every day singing something new or saying something in Spanish.

We bought him his first pair of Cross-Country Skis yesterday and boy did he take off! He's such a fast learner. I'm so proud of him. He didn't get frustrated, even when he fell. Of course, he earned himself a big cup of Ovaltine Hot when he got back inside.