This Is It....

The last week of school. Mike has one clinical day left (Thursday), the ERI test to take (he has one out of three tries left, he failed the first two times), two days of theory and one big, huge all encompassing FINAL EXAM (to be taken next Monday). After all of this he has the NCLEX boot camp. This is a week long class to get them ready to take the NCLEX, which is the test he needs to pass to be a licensed RN.
This post is a plea for prayers. This next week will determine pass or fail, LPN (which he already has) or RN, graduating or not....it all comes down to this.
So if you could please add your prayers to ours, we would deeply appreciate it.
KKS

Enjoying The Sunshine

Can I just tell you how weird it is to be sweating outside and yet there is still snow on the ground? Not much, mind you, but a stark reminder of where we were just three weeks ago.

Today we worked out in the yard, preparing the flower beds for their new occupants, picking up more fallen branches and raking leaves left over from last Fall. I really enjoy yard work, it is so cathartic to the soul, mind and body.

I had many willing helpers.....

Looking up the trunk of a White Birch tree.....

Our swingset is fully employed.

Last but not least....

What would warm weather be without these?.....

KKS

We've Moved Outside

Hence the lack of posts.

I don't think the TV has been on at all in the last week or so. There is dirt all over the stairs, even though we vacuum them. (Didn't I tell you about MUD season?). There are bikes, bats and balls all over the yard. Through the open windows one can hear the laughter of happy children. There are fifty dirty fingernails in my house. My house stays clean for more than five minutes since the kids are out of hibernation. My Popsicle supply left over from last summer is almost depleted. We haven't made a cup of hot cocoa in about three weeks. The kids come in with black feet and have to wash their feet before getting into bed. Everyone has delicious, kissable sunburned cheeks and Lundi's freckles have, once again, made an appearance. Ahhhh! I love Spring!!! We are welcoming it with open arms.

Last week we did Green Hour Challenge #2 and had a wonderful time.

We did some sap sucking (the buckets were gone so the kids decided to have a taste.........)

More later. Mike is home and I miss him so I'll go for now.
KKS

Quick Post....

I went for the CaT scan yesterday. That was uneventful, though I forgot about having an IV. That was an unpleasant surprise.
They told me that i would need to wait until Monday for the results. Mike used his medical connections to get the word yesterday. The scan was incredibly boring, as in nothing abnormal. Good news. He said that I must have a virus of some sort, which to me says "Suck it up and move on.!" I am off to spring clean today because I feel alot better.

KKS

Where To? (Part 2)

Right here. We aren't moving from here (as in this area). We have had some sacred spiritual experiences the last few days and the Lord has let us know that we need to stay here. We aren't exactly sure what the future holds for us. Sometimes the Lord's admonitions do not make sense. We know, however, that everything will work out. We have faith that He will direct our path.
We will eventually move out of this house (we out grew it 3 children ago) but not out of this world.....I mean ward. It feels good to write that. It makes it feel more final, as if announcing it publicly is the final step to acceptance. In all honesty, I have been somewhat resistant to except the will of the Lord. I was really looking forward to moving and seeing new places. I guess the long commute will continue for now.
There is something not good going on with my belly. I went to the doctor on Tuesday because I was having rebound pain in my lower right quadrant. (How is that for medical talk? I am getting so good.) I am also having some constant mild pain, occasional severe pain in my lower abdomen. So they sent me over to FMH for blood tests and x-ray. My blood work came back with an elevated white blood cell count, which is indicative of an infection. So, tomorrow I am having a CT scan at 10:30.
I hope that it is nothing major. I don't have time to be sick. If it is something that will require surgery, it will have to wait until after May 9th. The doctor mentioned that it could be "fringes of scar tissue wrapping itself around my intestines" because of all of my c-sections. "This long after!!!???" I said, "the youngest is 2!" He said "Oh yes, it is the gift that keeps on giving." I really hope that it isn't this. This will require major surgery. I hope I am just majorly constipated and he tells me to take a laxative or something. Yes. I poop every day, but ya nevah know. No need to speculate, tomorrow will come soon enough.
KKS

Where To?

We don't know yet. We haven't figured out the particulars of it all. We do know that Mike did not get a job at FMH. So now we have three choices.....

• Apply at all of our local nursing homes. There is a problem with this option. It simply does not fit into our traveling plans. In order to be a traveling nurse, Mike needs a year experience in Med Surge. Nursing homes don't have Med Surge units.


• Apply at other surrounding hospitals. While that is all good in theory.....they are all atleast an hour away. Mike has been traveling an hour to school and back for two years. There are so many better ways to spend two hours a day. Frankly, he is sick of such a long commute.


• Move closer to the hospital that he gets a job at.

I choose option three. It is the most logical. We DO NOT want to move, we love it here. I think it is the best place on earth for our family. But I am also sooooo tired of being poor students, that I am willing to go just about anywhere if it means.....(what's that E word again???)....oh ya....EMPLOYMENT!

We don't know if it will be in Maine or not....we will pray about where when we see what our options are.

KKS

Progress Report

On March 25 our snow looked like this......

Today our snow looked like this.....

On March 28th our plants looked like this.....

Today they looked like this......

What nature delivers to us is never stale. Because what nature creates has eternity in it. Isaac Bashevis Singer

KKS

Green Hour Challenge #1 (Part 1)

 

Even though we still have plenty of snow on the ground, that didn't discourage us from heading out on an adventure.  So we put on our puddle boots and away we went.

Here are just a few of the treasures that earth had to offer us......

Tapped Maple trees are a sure sign of spring around here.

And did you know that MUD is an official season here in Maine?  Just ask anyone who lives here.  We found plenty of that.

 

Lots of melting snow and a few leaves left over from Fall........

Plenty of sunshine......

Rocks in our neighborhood stream that were shiny and clean...... (aren't those the best kind?).  When I was a kid I use to collect rocks.  If I couldn't wait until I got home to wash them to find out there hidden beauty, I would lick them clean.  A pound of dirt anyone?

BIG holes in the snow, which upon further investigation,  revealed a running stream and another great place to get wet.

We also found White Birch bark....

"Prickly seeds"......  

A dead mouse.....

And walking sticks.

But the highlight of our adventure was most definitely this......

NEW LIFE!!!!!!

I found beauty in a neighbor's window.......

On the way home, we made numerous stops to shed a few gallons of water.....

  

Stomp and splash in the biggest puddle we found....

And do some more "fishing"......

Almost home......

KKS

Growing Naturally

Though I think that this concept can be practiced in varying degrees, we are excited to be part of it. We are not necessarily homesteaders, or even headed in that direction. We do, however, believe that we are stewards over this earth and should treat it with respect. We also believe in Provident Living, having a year supply of storage and living within our means. I have faith that through making Growing Naturally a part of our daily lives, we can increase our awareness of the gift that we call earth and more fully appreciate the things that God has created.

KKS

Liam

Every night before I go to bed, I go into your room to make sure you are covered up. I always hope that you are at the wrong end of your crib so that I can pick you up and kiss you, then put you on your pillow. I love your warm, soft, sleepy cheeks.

The only thing worth stealing is a kiss from a sleeping child. ~Joe Houldsworth

KKS

Four Is My Favorite Age

The prime purpose of being four is to enjoy being four - of secondary importance is to prepare for being five. ~Jim Trelease, The Read-Aloud Handbook, 1985

I love you Lauren.

KKS

I Was Hungry

"Hunger makes food very delicious. Hunger for the Gospel of Jesus Christ makes us enjoy [our] conferences."
Heber J. Grant - Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Heber J Grant
Listen
Today I have been to a feast.
KKS