Life’s a Dance

I recently got a subscription of Taste of Home through SheSpeaks. I have, in the past couple years, subscribed to their Simple & Delicious magazine as well as their Healthy Cooking magazine (my current subscription). In the past, ToH has had some recipes I enjoy but mostly they were so heavy, outdated, calorie-laden. I was pleasantly surprised to see how “current” their magazine is now. Recipes are lighter and include more fresh ingredients and the magazine itself has received a makeover with a fresher look.

As part of the offer, I had to fill out a survey about the magazine. With the survey, I was offered a deal for a year subscription for $10 to pass on to someone. So if you’d like to take advantage of the offer, please let me know and I’ll send it on.

I am really enjoying the Healthy Cooking magazine too. Most of the recipes are quick and easy with the added advantage of also being on the healthy side. They also include recipes that are gluten-free, dairy-free, etc.

First Hair Cut--Before

My boy got his first haircut.  And I cried.  I didn’t understand crying over a haircut.  Its just hair.  And then I got HIS hair cut.  In a matter of minutes, he went from my baby to a BOY.   I had her leave most of his hair on top–I have spent too many hours pushing that back as he nurses; I’m not ready for it to be cut.  I got it cut at the barber shop on base.  She wanted him to set by himself  in the chair!  HAHA.  He did really well.  I had to hold his head still a couple times.   They gave him his first sucker–orange–and he LOVED that.

First Hair Cut--After

Jim’s parents were visiting earlier in the month.  We spent one week here and then went over to the Big Island for a week.  We had such a wonderful time both weeks.  I did a trip report, posted photos and the link to the rest of the photos on our family blog, if you want to check it out.

If you’re the praying type, I’d appreciate your prayers.  This deployment is doing a number on me.  Mostly I’m doing okay with it mentally but I’m WAY tired and quickly approaching burn out.  And, mentally, I have my moments.  Jim’s leave getting pushed back six weeks was really my tipping point.  On the plus side, we’re half-way done!!!

I’m not sure I’ve talked about it here but we’ve had “issues” with Ben and eating.  He has been taking solids for months now but wouldn’t swallow anything.  I met with the hospital’s feeding team about a month ago.  They strongly suspect, based esp. on the history of all the horrible troubles we had with latching, that its simply a matter of training the mouth and tongue muscles on how to swallow.  With latching, I’d finally get him on well and then, the next nursing session, it would be like he’d completely forgotten how to do it.  So they instructed me to do a positive reinforcement food (they got him to swallow chocolate pudding, so chocolate pudding it is!) every day to help with the training, in addition to continue offering a variety of other food.  Its working!!  He will generally swallow most any foods, asssuming he’s hungry and the food is in really small pieces.  He loves foods with strong flavors–lime yogurt, pepperoni, taco meat, chili, etc.  He doesn’t do well with drinking yet.  He is better with an open-faced cup than a sippy or straw cup.  But, like nursing, its like he forgets how to do it.  After several attempts, he’ll swallow but then has to start again the next time.  But we’re working on it.  I don’t mind if he skips a traditional sippy but it’d be awafully handy if I could get him to take a straw cup at least, especially considering his delight in dumping cups!!

We all know about the combat-related deaths related to the war.  But combat isn’t the only killer. Suicide rates are the highest since 1980 (when rates began to be tracked). Of the 143 deaths in 2008, two-thirds were either deployed at the time of death or had been deployed previously. The rate within the military, specifically army & marines, is *TWICE* that of the civilian world.

Tomorrow, April 8, the Army Chief of Chaplains has declared a day of prayer and fasting for our soldiers. Please keep our soldiers in your prayers tomorrow. And please pass this information (or send them the link here) on to others who may be interested in participating.

An article about it:

http://christianpost.com/Society/Church-state/2009/04/chaplain-declares-day-of-prayer-fasting-for-u-s-army-07/index.html

The proclamation:

http://www.militaryministry.org/wp-content/uploads/proclaimation-to-pray-and-fast-mar-09.pdf

Some articles about the suicide rates:

http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/03/military_suicide_rates_congress_031809/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/04/AR2008090403333.html

A few days the kiddos were playing outside.  I had some scrap wood out there from a printer shelf I built.  Elizabeth was busy playing with them and Ben was toddling around.  Then I heard Elizabeth say “Ben, its your turn to come over here and play Jesus dying on the cross for our sins!”  What?!!!  “Ben, you have to stay on the cross.  Jesus didn’t run away and you can’t either.”  At that point, I decided I better rescue the nails and hammer that were still sitting outside!!! LOL