Pumpkins and such....

This week was pumpkin week in our house.  We did a "five little pumpkins sitting on a fence book" and then yesterday we were supposed to go to the pumpkin patch.  Instead, we did a "5 little pumpkins on a fence craft" and they also wanted to do some painting, so I painted their hands to make pumpkins.  I hope it clears up tomorrow so we can go, because I have nothing else planned for the day.
It's been a discouraging few days.  I think it just may be the rainy blah days.  I feel like this dark cloud hangs over us lately with things.  Jack's doctor is not helping him the way he needs to be helped, my medical bills are still coming in, the unexpected goof last week that caused  me $160 last week, some other personal trials that are going on, the car battery died this morning (I am hoping that is all it is), and I think someone was trying to accuse my two younger kids of something this morning of something I KNOW they didn't do.  Even through all of this the last little while, I can't get the thoughts that none of this took place without God knowing about it ahead of time, and without him allowing it to happen.  We've been blessed so much that I can't dwell on the "black cloud" that has been over us.  I know there are other people who are much worse off than I am, and this stuff is just minor.  I think of the words of one of the songs that says "This is the stuff that drives me crazy, this is the stuff that's getting to me lately, in the middle of my little mess, I forget how much I'm blessed".  Thank goodness tomorrow is Friday and thank goodness God is in control.

Feeling horrible

I'm feeling horrible right now, but at the same time grateful for a husband that doesn't get upset with me.  Just when we got cleared of all his medical bills (which weren't too bad) I come along and have some doozie medical bills.  So far I am about 27k and counting!!  Just when I think we are done paying, I check the website only to find more bills are coming in.  We don't have to pay the $27k or anything close to it, but we are still paying a pretty penny on things...too much!  The stress of it all is driving me nuts.  Then last night I did something stupid.  Well, maybe not stupid, but an honest mistake.  It was an honest mistake that cost me $161.  Yep, this dark cloud hanging over the McLean household just won't go away and most of it is because of me.  I should be happy on this Friday, but right now I'm wishing we had a money tree in the backyard.....not to be rich, just to pay off these BIG unexpected bills that have occurred all because of me.  Thank you my love for not getting angry at me, but for loving me and telling me we will get through it.!!

Apple week

I tried to unload my phone pictures, but I made a mistake and now they won't unload.  This has been apple week at our house.  Yesterday we made these apples and we are going to do another apple project tomorrow.  I guess I should have done this a week earlier since we are not in October.  It's been keeping me on my toes having a "theme" week this year.  I can't just wing it any more.  Jack's mom took him out of preschool to be with me (and also because their schedule was changed due to her new job) so I want to keep her happy.
Everything else at the McLean household has been pretty quiet.  I think we may be back to "normal" if that is possible!!

Daniel and Misc.

Can you believe that something as little as 7mm can cost more than $23k and the bills keep coming in?  Thank goodness for insurance and them covering the majority of this, but even what we had to pay was in my opinion too much for something too little.  The good news is that the stent is now out!!  I feel great!!  I didn't feel well the night it came out, but now I'm slowly back to normal.  I went to zumba last night and am thinking about going to boot camp tomorrow at 5:15 am.
     This week we have been talking about Daniel and the Lions Den.  Monday and Wednesday we made lions and I hope to make some praying hands on Friday.  I am so attached to Kara and Jack.  They are both such sweet little kids.

Magnificent Mile and Street lights

So Sunday the family was supposed to run the Magnificent Mile race after church.  Everyone did except me.  I hated being on the sidelines.  I wanted to do this one so bad.  Jack put in a great time, Josh was like 8 1/2 minutes and Jake was right under 9.  All of them would have beat me.  This was Jenna's first race and she did it in 11, which is great.  I missed her coming across the finish line.  I can't wait to go back to the gym starting Tuesday.  How I have missed working out!!
Other news.....Josh worked the dunk tank at our family fun fest and this week we have been making stop signs and traffic light snacks!!

7mm

7mm....the size of approx an m&m.  Yep, that was inside of me, but this was jagged, like a rock.  It all started the day before our church picnic (August 31st).  I woke up in a middle of the night with bad side pain and felt sick on my stomach.  I thought it was a kidney stone.  I took some medicine that I had from a few years ago for something else and the pain eased up and I was able to sleep a little bit.  I woke up Sunday and didn't have any side pain, but I didn't feel well.  After church I decided to run by urgent care before our church picnic.  I explained my side pain, but they said I definatley had blood in my urine, so it was a UTI.  They put me on antibiotics and I was able to go to the picnic.  That week I felt pretty good, but I would have some bad moments.  About Thursday I told Jack that the antibiotics didn't seem to be doing the trick.  I felt fabulous on Friday and Jack came home Friday night and I started to feel bad again.  We went shopping and then to get ice cream  and I went to bed.  As soon as I went to bed, my side pain came back.  I was up the entire night....running to the bath tub to take away the pain, doubled over on the couch, putting heating pads on, throwing up etc.  I wanted to go to the ER but I didn't want to leave the kids home alone in the middle of the night and I didn't want to take them.  About 7-8 am I woke Jack up and told him I needed to go somewhere.  We decided not to go back to urgent care because they would probably not help me, so we went up to the ER on 42.  They were wonderful.  After blood work and a CT scan it showed a 7mm kidney stone.  I was well drugged up at the ER and feeling wonderful and sent home with 4 meds.  I went Monday to see the urologist and he said a 7mm is very hard to pass.  I would need surgery on Friday.  I felt good Monday going to the doctor and then picking up the kids, but when I got home I was SO sick again Monday night.  This continued all week.  After Monday night, I was ready for the surgery because I knew I couldn't go on like this any more.  I'm hardly ever sick, so this was hard for me.  Surgery went well and I saw part of the stone that was blasted....it was about a 2mm stone.  He got it all, thank goodness....nothing left except they had to put a stent inside of me that has to stay in for 10 days.  It doesn't feel comfortable, but I know it is healing the kidneys up and I think slowly I am on the mend.

Monster week

Thanks to Labor Day, this was a short week.  We are finally in a routine and although I am tired, I do not feel run down.  I did however on the weekend think I had another kidney stone, but after things calmed down and I went to urgent care on Sunday, we found out it was just a UTI.  It's not been a pleasant week, but the antibiotics are sure working today!!  this week was monster week.  Wednesday we make "cookie" monsters and today we took paint and blew it with a straw.  The results are not what I wanted, but they still turned out cute.