If You Say "I'm Christian, But I'm Not...", Then You're Not

This video is a perfect example of what compromise and friendship with the world looks like.

"You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God." (James 4:4)


                                                       
                                                                        
This video is full of error and here are some reasons why:

1) If you're a Christian, you better be prepared to talk more about Jesus than yourself. Before you can do that, however, you better familiarize yourself with some of Jesus' words such as these:

“If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you." (John 15:18-19)

2) This is what happens when you rely on your own opinion instead of God's word: you make it all about you. God's word is recorded in the Bible. Because it is God's word, the Bible is the standard by which Christians determine correct doctrine. Our opinions count for nothing. If you disagree with what is written, then either you or God is mistaken. (Hint: It's not God.)

"There is a way that seems right to man, but in the end leads to death."(Proverbs 14:12)

3) It is obvious these young people have no clue about who Jesus is and what he did. Not one time do they quote from Scripture to back up what they say. There is no talk of Jesus taking our sins - in fact, there is no mention of sin at all - upon himself and dying on the cross nor is there talk of his victorious resurrection. There is no mention of the Gospel, which is the entire reason for being a Christian. In other words, these young people have not said anything that would set them apart from unbelievers. They have RELIGION, not a RELATIONSHIP with Jesus. If they do not repent and get to know the real Jesus, they will one day hear these terrifying words of Jesus:

“Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’ (Matt 7:21-23)

Friends,  get to know the real Jesus. Get to know what Jesus really said. The Gospel of John is an excellent place to start. If you don't have your own Bible, go to Bible Gateway.

For the record, a Christian is someone who:

• Believes that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of the living God. (Matthew 16:16)
• Believes that Jesus is the only way to heaven. (Acts 4:11-12) (John 14:6)
• Has repented of their sins. (Luke 13:4-5) 
• Understands that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23), and acknowledges that Jesus died on the cross in their place, thereby paying the penalty for their sin. (1 Peter 2:24)
• Believes that Jesus was raised from the dead. (Mark 16:5-8)
• Is a new creation. (2 Corinthians 5:17) 
• Is being sanctified by God so that they will be like Christ and not be defined by sin. (2 Peter 1:2-4)
• Is nothing without Jesus. (John 15:1-4)
• Knows that they did nothing to earn their salvation - it is the free gift of God. (Ephesians 2:8-9) (John 3:16)
• Gladly preaches the gospel so that others may be saved. (Matthew 28:16-20)

Yeah, It Still Hurts

Dusting off the cobwebs...

Most of the time, I try not to feel sorry for myself. For one, it doesn't change my situation, and two I end up feeling worse. It's harder not to follow my own advice in July. My youngest son will be thirteen years old this week. Cognitively, he's about 4 or 5. He has a closet full of preschool toys, musical toys, toy cars with sound. One can  only buy so many preschool toys before it gets old - really old. He already has most of the popular ones.

Tonight I was in Toys R Us in near tears wondering what to buy for him. It's not like I waited until the last minute; I have been racking my brain since Christmas over what to buy for him. And to think that I have to turn around and do this in 5 months for Christmas nearly sends me over the edge. How hard could it be? Plenty hard.

Currently, he likes his giant teddy bear and CDs. It's funny watching him listen to one of my Eagles CDs, but he still likes the nursery rhyme CDs, too. He has alot of CDs. There's always candy as he likes Hershey bars. There is also a cute sheepskin cover papasan chair that was at Target. He likes scooters - the kind where you can sit and scoot. Unfortunately, almost all of those kinds of scooters are for the 3-5 year old crowd. He's too big, but not too old, for those.

This really shouldn't be a big deal, but it is. I always feel as though I'm short changing him. When I think of the cool birthday gifts (hamster) and Christmas gifts (too many to list) that my older son has gotten...I can't go there.

This time of the year also makes me realize that I wish he were a typical 13 year old boy doing typical thirteen year old things: biking, skateboarding, swimming, playing, running, talking, checking his phone. He does laugh, though. Oh boy does he laugh. His laugh is a hearty, exuberant laugh that is infectious.

So, the pity party is over because I have a real party to plan. I will find something. It may not be extravagant or typical teen gear, but it will be something he enjoys.

Rejoice in the Lord, always. I will say it again: Rejoice! -Philippians 4:4

Romans 14 and Why I Don't Observe Lent

Growing up Catholic, I observed Lent. From Ash Wednesday, fasting, meatless Fridays (we were too poor to eat fish), all the way through to a looooooong Good Friday service. Yes, I observed Lent. I remember having conversations with my Catholic school classmates about what we were giving up for Lent. Typical answers were: candy, soda, pizza etc. At least, that's what I remember; my classmates might remember differently. But, hey, we're all middle-age now so all of our memories are suspect. :-)

When I left the Catholic Church, I obviously did not observe Lent. When I became a Christian (Catholics may say, "When you became Protestant...") I decided not to observe Lent for the simple reason that I did not find any value in it. The Protestant church I attend does have Stations of the Cross and some of my Christian brothers and sisters do give up something for Lent. I don't participate in any of these things.

My Christian brothers and sisters: Do not let anyone tell you that you must give up something for Lent, or that you must attend Stations of the Cross, or do extra devotions, or do meatless Fridays. Don't let anyone else tell you that you shouldn't, either. While I personally question the value of these things, I believe that whatever you choose should be between you and God. If you're fasting and giving up something for Lent, the world doesn't need to know about it:

Matthew 6:16-18English Standard Version (ESV)

16 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces that their fasting may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, 18 that your fasting may not be seen by others but by your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.

If you don't observe Lent, you also, do not need to go on about it. Whatever side of the Lent issue you fall on, don't look down on your brothers and sisters who are on the other side.

So, my unsolicited opinion regarding Lenten observance, or any observance for that matter is this: You're not holy if you do and you're not holy if you don't. It's not a salvation issue and observing Lent is one of those non-essential matters. You are only made holy by the blood of Jesus.

I invite you to read from Romans 14.

 Romans 14 English Standard Version (ESV)

14 As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 2 One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3 Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 4 Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand.

5 One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 6 The one who observes the day, observes it in honor of the Lord. The one who eats, eats in honor of the Lord, since he gives thanks to God, while the one who abstains, abstains in honor of the Lord and gives thanks to God. 7 For none of us lives to himself, and none of us dies to himself. 8 For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's. 9 For to this end Christ died and lived again, that he might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.

10 Why do you pass judgment on your brother? Or you, why do you despise your brother? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God; 11 for it is written,

“As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to me,
    and every tongue shall confess to God.”

12 So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.

13 Therefore let us not pass judgment on one another any longer, but rather decide never to put a stumbling block or hindrance in the way of a brother. 14 I know and am persuaded in the Lord Jesus that nothing is unclean in itself, but it is unclean for anyone who thinks it unclean. 15 For if your brother is grieved by what you eat, you are no longer walking in love. By what you eat, do not destroy the one for whom Christ died. 16 So do not let what you regard as good be spoken of as evil. 17 For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. 18 Whoever thus serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men. 19 So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual upbuilding.

20 Do not, for the sake of food, destroy the work of God. Everything is indeed clean, but it is wrong for anyone to make another stumble by what he eats. 21 It is good not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything that causes your brother to stumble. 22 The faith that you have, keep between yourself and God. Blessed is the one who has no reason to pass judgment on himself for what he approves. 23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

Echeverias in My Drought-Tolerant Garden

I am not a natural-born gardener. In fact, it's safe to say that I have no gardening skills whatsoever. If a plant does happen to thrive in my garden, it's by the grace of God. So when we got rid of our lawn a few years ago, we realized that we would have to replace the lawn with some drought-tolerant plants. Where we live in California the temperature can reach 100°+ in the summer and 25°-30° in the winter. I needed hardy plants that could tolerate these extremes.

Although they are among my favorite succulents, Echeverias don't exactly fit the bill. They don't like the cold and must be covered up or brought inside, and yes we do bring down property values when we cover up our succulents with burlap.☺ Most of the varieties that I have are cold hardy to about 25°. The only Echeveria that I bring inside is 'Berkeley' simply because it's in a container, and even though it says it's cold hardy to 25°, it really didn't like 30°. The others are planted in the ground, or in the case of 'Perle von Nurnberg', in a container outside. You can see some bits of frost damage, particularly on 'Blue Sky' and 'Gibbiflora'.

They don't mind the heat, but they can't be subjected to full 100° sun for hours at a time. 'Dondo' and 'Golden Glow' are planted in full sun. They did get some sunburn over the summer, but fortunately I planted them at the end of August so they didn't have to endure summer heat for too long. We'll see how they hold up this summer.

Out of all of them, 'Topsy Turvy', 'Lila', and 'Perle von Nurnberg' seem to have weathered the worst of winter and summer. My favorites are 'Lila' and 'Perle von Nurnberg' because of their unusual color. Are they particular? Yes. However, these Echeverias have really grown on me and I can't wait to get some more.

Echeveria 'Topsy Turvy'

Echeveria 'Gibbiflora'

Echeveria 'Golden Glow'

Echeveria 'Dondo'

Echeveria 'Dusty Rose'

Echeveria 'Lila'

Echeveria 'Berkeley'

Echeveria 'Blue Sky'

Echeveria 'Perle von Nurnberg'

The Kindness of a Stranger

I don't remember her name. I barely remember what she looked like. All I remember of her was that she had blonde hair and a kind face. That's it; no more, no less. But what she did for me will last a lifetime, and dare I say that it will last into eternity.

I'm talking about the kindness of a NICU nurse during a time when my life was falling apart. Shortly after my second son was born, he experienced a Grade IV intraventricular brain hemorrhage and was transferred to Seattle Children's Hospital in their neonatal intensive care unit. He stayed there for nearly two weeks, after which we were told that nothing more could be done for him and that we should take him home to enjoy our remaining time with him.

During his NICU stay, this caring nurse took it upon herself to do something for me for which I did not have the skills, the presence of mind, or the foresight to do - she started a baby scrapbook for my son. I only remember snippets of our conversations:

     "His milestones will look alot different."
     "Scrapbooking is my hobby."

I don't know how long she had been working in the NICU or how many babies she had seen who had experienced this type of brain hemorrhage. (For the record, most babies who experience a Grade IV brain hemorrhage are preemies, and their prognosis is not good. My son was not a preemie. Go figure.) I also remember her saying that she had four patients to take care of, my son being one of them. Four. Holy Toledo that is alot of responsibility. I don't know the conditions of the other babies, but I do know that being in the NICU is never a good thing. I don't even remember if she started a scrapbook for the other babies.

All I know is that without this nurse's kindness and initiative, I would not have these precious mementos. The green blanket that you see in the picture is one that I ordered from Land's End a couple of days after he was born. I ordered it because I had done the same for my oldest son. I ordered it because in case he died, I wanted something real, something tangible that reminded me of him.

Thanks to this nurse and her kindness and generosity, I have: a newborn picture, gold footprints, a lock of newborn hair. Certainly this woman went above and beyond the call of duty. Most nurses would not do this in their spare time, but they do so many other things. I've had nurses who have: cleaned up my barf, wiped up my blood, put their arm around me to comfort me.

Has every nurse that I've encountered been exceptional? No. Some were rude, some were mediocre, and some were annoying. Maybe they were having an off day when I encountered them. Or maybe they were just annoying. This woman clearly was exceptional.

To my nurse friends: I want to encourage you to realize that the comfort and the care that you give does make a difference. A kind word and a hug goes a long way. In fact, it can be life changing.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

Soli Deo Gloria

Further Reading:
Glory to God Alone - Ligonier Ministries

Solus Christus

Further reading:
John 11:23-26
John 14:5-6

Sola Gratia

Further reading:
Romans 3:21-24
Romans 11:5-6
Galatians 2:19-21

Sola Fide

For further reading:
Romans 3
Acts 13:38-39

Sola Scriptura

OK, so I'm a day late as usual. It is my intention to post one of the Five Solas (or Solae) of the Reformation with an accompanying Scripture verse every Friday of October. The first one, Sola Scriptura, is being posted on Saturday just because I forgot.

Remembering the Reformation

The Value of OT - I Stand Corrected

So, if I'm honest, I would say that OT (occupational therapy) is a waste of time. At the very least, I would say, "It can't hurt, but I don't think it helps." Well, I think I might want to tone down my opinion just a bit.

You see, my youngest son had OT during the early intervention years. He still has OT at school to help build strength in his fingers in order to use a Brailler. My oldest son has OT to help with writing. In each case it seemed as though progress took years; even then in the case of my oldest son, it didn't seem to help as his writing is still barely legible. Progress did happen, but I wasn't convinced that it was a result of OT.

7/17/2014

8/11/2014

I have OT to rebuild strength in my arm and hand. Last month, I was sent home from the OT's office with a rubber band, an exercise band, and a list of exercises to perform. I thought, "Seriously?" Nevertheless, I resolved to do the exercises because 1) deep down I'm a good girl and do what I'm told - HAHAHA, just kidding! I do what I'm told when I agree, or when it suits me but that's a moral failing and I digress; and 2) there was no way that I could start with lifting weights. In my last post I noted that my left hand strength using a dynamometer was 2 PSI (pounds or pound-force per square inch). I went to my OT appointment today, and it was 5 PSI - more than double what it was last time! The OT exercises are working, albeit slowly (from my perspective). The fingers on my left hand can curl a little bit more into a fist. It's not a very strong fist, and I still can't squeeze or flex. However, I am building strength.

The next phase is to continue strength-building exercises while working on coordination and dexterity. That's going to be difficult. My hand and arm movements are choppy and clumsy. Sure, I can curl my fingers a bit more, but I still can't grip anything properly. Yet. (As a side note: thank goodness I no longer drive a stick shift or I would be up a creek. Gripping the steering wheel with my left hand is challenging.) The shooting pain still hasn't gone away. Yet. Although I'm still flabbergasted and annoyed that all of this resulted from donating blood, I'm glad I had the opportunity to do so. Regardless of where I am now, I have hope that things will improve. Yes, things could be better. Things could also be much worse: I could be in a situation where I'm the one needing donated blood. So if you get anything from this post remember: there is value in OT, and don't be afraid to be generous even with your blood.

Slow and steady wins the race.

When a Routine Blood Donation Isn't

It's good to be back after however many months it's been. I just haven't felt like blogging. It's not that I lost interest, it's just that I didn't have alot to say or share. There is something that I would like to share, however, and that's why I'm back.

Back in May, I decided to participate in a blood drive. It was one of the many service projects going on around our church that weekend, and this was one that I knew I could do. Afterall I'd done it before and it was no big deal. Just before the needle was inserted, I remember thinking, "Holy crap, that's a huge needle." It turns out that the needles used for blood donations are much larger than those used by a lab for a routine blood draw. This wasn't the case the last time I donated blood. Mind you, I'm not afraid of needles and I'm not afraid of blood and no, I've never wanted to be a nurse or a doctor because I don't want to deal with other people's blood. (How's that for a run-on sentence?)

As the needle was inserted into my skin I said, "OWWW!" A shooting pain ran down my arm, but the phlebotomist assured me that I was OK. Unfortunately, I have a high tolerance for pain, so I just tend to grin and bear it. I kept thinking, "Bleed faster, bleed faster." Afterwards, there was minimal bruising and stinging, shooting pain, but I thought nothing of it.

Over the next few days, that stinging pain didn't go away. About 10 days later over Memorial Day weekend, I noticed some weakness in my forearm and hand. I brushed it off because I had too many other things to do: upcoming graduation, anniversary, another anniversary party, vacay in Tahoe. I didn't have time to deal with it. It's quite easy to live in denial.

Finally, at the end of June, I called my doctor. She proceeded to test my finger strength by inserting a piece of paper between each of my fingers. I was to squeeze my fingers together while she tried to pull the paper away. I failed. She did several resistance tests and I failed those, too. Thinking that I might have nerve damage, she called the neurology department and it just so happened that the chief of neurology was on phone duty that day. (A total God-thing) He said to send me on over and he could squeeze me in for a consult right away. He performed many of the same resistance tests that my primary doctor did, and decided I needed to undergo a nerve function test. While in his office, I learned that he had been a regular blood donor. It was from him that I learned that at some point, blood banks switched to larger needles because they enabled faster blood collection. Nice.

Right hand

Left hand

A week later, I went back for the nerve function test. The good news is that none of my nerves were damaged. PRAISE THE LORD! The bad news is, it still doesn't explain the stinging pain and weakness in my arm and hand. The neurologist referred me to occupational therapy to try and rebuild strength. I had my first OT appointment today. She used a hydraulic hand dynomometer to measure the force of my grip. My right hand measured 80 pounds per square inch. Pretty darn good for a middle-aged gal. My left hand? Only 2 pounds. I was sent home with high tech tools such as a rubber band, an exercise band, and a list of exercises to perform each day. I go back in 3 weeks for a progress check. All of this from a seemingly routine blood draw. As you can see from the pictures, I can't fully squeeze my left hand and make a fist, nor can I flex my left arm muscles.
 
So what's the moral of the story? I'm not sure there is one. I guess I've learned not to assume that a routine procedure is not without risk or potential complications. Ignorance can be painful. Sometimes we just get the short end of the stick. We get shafted; we get screwed over. Yes, the shooting pain hurts. Yes, the weakness in my arm and hand is frustrating. Yes, I'm annoyed. In spite of this, I put my hope and trust in the Lord for his perfect timing and will continue to praise Him in good times and bad.

But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips. Job 2:10

Daytripping: Yosemite in the Fall

Since the boys were out of school on Monday, we decided to take a spur of the moment drive to Yosemite. I've never been to Yosemite in the fall. I've heard that the best time to visit the park is in the spring because all of the waterfalls are gushing. In the fall, the waterfalls weren't even trickling. Still, it was beautiful. Plus, as an added bonus in honor of Veterans Day, the entrance fee was free. Of course, our family has the Access Pass, so it was free anyway.

Yosemite is about a 3 hour drive away from us. We left early Monday morning and decided to take Hwy 120. In the past, we've always entered the park via Hwy 140 as we camped at the KOA located just beyond the town of Mariposa. This time, we decided to try something different.

We meandered along Hwy 120 through quaint little towns like Oakdale and Groveland. We stopped at the vista point "Rim of the World" in order to check out some of the damage from the Rim Fire, which was named after this vista point. My crappy phone camera can't possibly do any justice, but here are some snapshots of the fire damage:

 

Contrast

We finally got to the entrance of the park. We headed toward Yosemite Valley, but then decided to head on up to Glacier Point. Patches of snow were located here and there along the road and discreetly tucked away between trees. The seemingly long drive up to Glacier Point felt like we were driving away from the park. The drive is simply a testimony as to how big Yosemite is. Once we got to Glacier Point, we postponed trips to the bathroom in order to catch the views of Yosemite Valley and Half Dome. Breathtaking can't even describe the views that we saw from Glacier Point. I'm forever apologizing for my phone's camera, but I have no intention of getting a new phone any time soon, so:

Half Dome

View of Half Dome from Glacier Point

There were patches of snow surrounding the parking lot of Glacier Point. My oldest son decided it was time for a snowball fight and nailed his dad pretty good. Of course, he can dish it out but he can't take it. We made our way back down to the valley and took a final tour. The trip took longer than we thought, but there were no regrets. On our way home, we decided to take Hwy 140. The afternoon long shadows were catching up to us and it wouldn't be long before it was dark. Hwy 120 was beautiful, but Hwy 140 is an easier drive, especially in the dark.

Leaving Yosemite

Would I visit Yosemite again in the fall? Absolutely. The website states that, "Yosemite is not known for having spectacular fall colors because most of the trees are evergreen." But that doesn't mean that there isn't some fall color. There were some beautiful trees (Oak, I think. Maybe aspen. Sorry, I don't know trees.) that were turning a fabulous shade of yellow, which made a nice contrast with the evergreen. I'm already looking forward to seeing Yosemite in the spring.

"You alone are the Lord. You made the heavens, even the highest heavens, and all their starry host, the earth and all that is on it, the seas and all that is in them. You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven worship you." Nehemiah 9:6

Watching, Waiting, and Hoping that Third Time's a Charm

Third time's a charm or so the old saying goes. I hesitate to say that things are 'charmed' around here, but I will say that my youngest son is tolerating Topamax better than I expected. Topamax is the third anti-epileptic medication that he has tried. Tried. I say that as though it's like trying a new food or a new restaurant. If only it were that simple.

I can't say for sure that the Topamax is working. He has had at least one, and possibly two, seizures at school so far this year. Both occurred earlier in October at school. The neurologist increased the dosage of Topamax to 100mg per day - 50mg in the morning and 50mg in the evening. Finding the right therapeutic dose is a frustrating game to play. And it's not a fun game as you watch and hope for seizure control and hope against side effects.

No medication is without side effects. Some side effects of Topamax are: loss of appetite, difficulty concentrating, and memory problems. There are more, of course, but those are the most common. So far, I've noticed that he's not eating as much as he used to. He's eating, but his portions are smaller. To be honest, I haven't noticed problems with concentration or memory, but I have noticed that he is a little goofy. Maybe it's just my imagination, but since the dosage increase he seems goofier than usual. Being goofy is not officially a side effect, but I have read that other people on Topamax feel this way. Since my son can't tell me how these meds affect him, I read epilepsy boards to see how teens and adults describe how they feel when they are on these meds.

Some people seem to experience little or no side-effects and the medication works wonders for them. Other people, however, seem to experience moderate to severe side-effects that make taking the med impossible. And to add insult to injury, the med provides inadequate seizure control. It frustrates me just to read about it. I'm sure it frustrates the people taking the meds and the doctors who prescribe them. Epilepsy is just infuriating and frustrating all around.

In the meantime, chocolate pudding has become one of my best friends. Fortunately, the pills are small and I'm able to put each pill in a spoonful of pudding and give it to my son. Unfortunately, the pills leave a bitter aftertaste, so I give him an extra spoonful of pudding sans pill to help eliminate the bitterness. "Just a spoonful of pudding makes the medicine go down..." Sorry.


"Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." Romans 12:12

Santa Cruz - Another "Kamping" Trip

Yosemite was fun and beautiful, but there was not alot for my youngest son to do. This year, we decided to take a 4-day weekend (Friday through Monday)  KOA "kamping" trip to Santa Cruz. During this trip we planned to visit the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk as well as one of the state beaches.

I chose the Santa Cruz/Monterey Bay KOA as it was the one closest to the Boardwalk and to the beaches. I have to say that out of all of the KOAs that I've been to, this one was the most crowded both in terms of how many people were there, and how many spaces/cabins were squeezed together. That's neither good nor bad; just an observation. Of course, we were there on a weekend...in the middle of summer...right before school starts. So, yeah, it was crowded. However, alot of people left on Sunday morning so the campground was a little quiet on Sunday and Monday morning. The camp store had just about everything you could need or want in case you forgot something, or in our case because our car wasn't big enough to bring. Since we couldn't pack our coffee maker, we were soooooo glad this KOA store served fresh hot coffee for a fair price.

On Saturday, we went to the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. I purchased tickets at Costco (follow link for other discounts and offers) and then had to exchange those tickets for the all-day ride wristbands and arcade tokens. While we were at the ticket booth, the clerk behind the counter noticed my younger son and mentioned that we might want an Exit Pass. I did not know that the Boardwalk had those. I did not see any mention of those on the web site, but they are mentioned in the Accessibility Guide that you can download. Basically, this pass allows you and your family (4 people maximum) to go to the EXIT of a ride and get on the ride that way. Not all rides can accommodate this and the pass clearly lists which rides do and which rides don't. (See pictures.) Also, since there was no way that my youngest son would wear the all-day ride wristband, a clerk stapled it to the pass. Really, everyone was very nice and accommodating, but I do want to say that my son has an obvious disability. Other people's experience might be different.


Everyone in my family loves the beach; it's one of the few places we can go where everyone has a good time. The Santa Cruz area has many beaches and it was difficult to make a choice. We opted for the Manresa State Beach because it was literally a 4 minute drive from the KOA. We were not disappointed. This beach was littered with shells, sand dollars, and little crab carcasses, along with lots of seaweed and surfers. The sea gulls were annoying, but really this is their turf and it was fun watching toddlers chase them.

For this beach, you park in the parking lot and then you have to walk down the cliff to the beach. Parking for all state beaches is $10. What we loved about this beach was that there were concrete stairs as well as an accessible ramp down to the beach. Score! This made walking with my youngest son so much easier. He is very apprehensive about walking up and down stairs; consequently, he is very slow. With the ramp, I could walk with him and haul my beach stuff without feeling like I needed my inhaler. Very awesome. The fog decided to lift about the time we decided to leave. All in all, it was still a lovely day at the beach only this time, we had a 4 minute drive back to "kamp" instead of a 2 hour drive home.

Tiny crab carcass

Sand dollars and shells

    

Manresa State Beach - view from ramp

Brothers

Eleven Years Ago Today: Then and Now

Then

On July 22, 2013, much of the world seemed to celebrate the birth of the new prince in Great Britain. Hooray for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge! I mean that, even though I'm American and don't quite grasp the concept of a royal family. Congratulations are in order, nonetheless.

Yesterday, I was remembering eleven years prior - July 22, 2002 - when I went for a routine doctor appointment while pregnant with my second child. There were no rose-colored lenses while walking down Memory Lane this day.

He wasn't due until August 1^st, but I was tired. I wanted him to be born yesterday, if you know what I mean. The doctor said, "The baby isn't doing well and neither are you. I need to induce you today." That jolted me out of my lethargy. I started making excuses like, "I need to go home and get my husband. I need to arrange child-care for my oldest son. I don't have any extra clothes." The doctor was kind but firm, "I'm sorry, but I can't in good conscience let you go. It's time to go to the hospital." We only had one car at the time, so my husband had to make arrangements with my sister to come babysit and with a neighbor to bring him to the hospital.

I went to the hospital shortly after 1:30pm. Since my first pregnancy had been induced I already knew what to expect. Despite this experience, I was in for a rough night ahead. My blood pressure spiked dangerously high and I was given some medication to bring it down. About 6:00am the following morning I was given an epidural. Finally, I could get some rest. Or not. By 6:25am he was ready, except that because of the epidural, I was not. Because of this the doctor had to initiate a vacuum-assisted delivery. If I had only known.

The first thing I noticed after he was born was that he didn't cry. I don't even remember if I got to hold him because I passed out. When I came to about 11:30am, I went upstairs to the ICU to visit him. I wanted to hold him or at least stroke his arms and face. At this point, I thought it was just a precaution that he was in the ICU. Before I realized what was happening, the seizures started. My baby was enduring seizures and all I could do was watch. He was having trouble breathing and there was nothing I could do. Little did I know he was experiencing a brain hemorrhage.

That evening, he was transferred to Seattle Children's Hospital where he stayed for nearly two weeks in the NICU. At the end of his stay, we were told that there was nothing more that could be done for him and that we should take him home to enjoy what time was left. In all likelihood, he would soon die. By the grace of God, that did not come to pass as we are celebrating his 11^th birthday today!

My heart was happy and subsequently broken on July 23, 2002. Words like "Grade IV intraventricular hemorrhage", "seizures", "cerebral palsy", "developmental delay" and "cortical visual impairment" were not yet part of my everyday vocabulary, but they soon would be. Every year I remember this and thankfully the grief becomes less and less as I see the progress that he makes. But I digress. His party is this weekend, but we're still going to celebrate today. We're going swimming after lunch. We sit in the shallow end of the pool while he splashes. We're going to McDonald's for dinner because that's his favorite. After dinner, we're going to Whole Foods for dessert because they have the bomb brownies that he loves. Later this week I have cupcakes to make, more presents to buy, and a party to plan for this weekend to celebrate the birth of my little prince who has come a long, long way.

Happy birthday to my sweet little prince!

Now

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

Medication Merry-Go-Round

Back in May I was lamenting the no-win situation of trying medication for my youngest son's seizures. At that time, we were starting the second medication (Trileptal) because the first (Keppra) had undesirable side-effects, a.k.a. "kepprage". With the Trileptal, there did not seem to be any side-effects and my son seemed to do well on it. Until the last week of May.

Shortly after Memorial Day, my son developed a dry cough. I dismissed it as being a symptom of allergies, or possibly an on-coming cold. However, as the days turned into weeks I realized that it wasn't allergies or a cold. For one thing, there wasn't the usual accompanying runny nose and watery eyes. And when he coughed, he wasn't spitting up mucus. It was just a persistent dry cough.

I began to suspect that it was a side-effect of the medication, so I did a little reading. Sure enough,  a dry cough can be a side-effect of Trileptal. Before calling the neurologist, I made an appointment with the pediatrician just to be sure it wasn't bronchitis or pneumonia. I didn't want the neurologist to think that I was a paranoid mom, so I took my son to the pediatrician first. The result? A clean bill of health. No bronchitis, no pneumonia, no nothing.

When we got home I called the neurologist. As luck would have it he was out of the office for that week. The nurse practitioner spoke with another neurologist in the office who recommended decreasing the dosage by half to see if it made any difference. It did make a difference in that it reduced but did not eliminate the coughing. Mmmhmm. The following Monday, July 1, I received a call from the neurologist's office and his regular doctor was back in the office. He wanted to wean my son off of Trileptal and start him on Topamax. I hesitated. My son had been on Topamax as a baby and he was a zombie. I said, "You know, we're scheduled to see you on Monday the 8th. Let's wait and talk about it then." In the meantime I weaned my son off of Trileptal per the doctor's instructions. Saturday was his last dose and what do you know? His coughing all but disappeared.

At the appointment, we talked about alternatives to Trileptal. Tiagabine (I think) came up as did Topamax. The doctor also mentioned Depakote, but said he preferred not to start my son on that just yet as it requires alot of blood work. I tentatively agreed to try Topamax again. We talked about possible side-effects: tingling in the hands, confusion, weight loss. Sigh.

Today, we're starting antiepileptic drug #3.

I want off this merry-go-round. I'm sure my son does, too.

Daytripping: Amtrak Capitol Corridor to SF Exploratorium and Pier 39

This is the week that both of my boys are out on summer vacation before my youngest returns for 4 weeks of summer school. My plan was to take them to San Francisco via Amtrak. Follow me as I recount our day trip.

We live in the Sacramento region of California. On a good day it's about a two hour drive to San Francisco from where we live. I don't mind driving; I don't even mind driving in San Francisco. I grew up in the Bay Area, lived in Oakland for a number of years, and spent alot of time in SF. I always liked living in Oakland because it was only a bridge away from SF.  Even though I love SF, I never wanted to live there. The reason? Parking sucks. It's not the driving that bothers me; it's the parking. Oh, and freeway traffic sucks, too.

With this in mind, I thought it would be cool to take the boys on an Amtrak ride and spend the day at Pier 39. If you are considering a similar day trip, here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. The Amtrak train does not go to SF.
You take a train to Emeryville and then board a bus to SF. There are several bus stops in SF: Ferry Building, Financial District, Moscone Center, Caltrain Station, Shopping Center, Civic Center, and Fisherman's Wharf. The Fisherman's Wharf bus stop actually drops you off at Pier 39, but Fisherman's Wharf isn't too far. The Ferry Building bus stop is down by Pier 1. If you're going to the Exploratorium, which is located at Pier 15, then you could use either of those two bus stops.

2. Decide how many bus-train transfers you want to make.
Even though it's called "The Capitol Corridor" and runs from Auburn to San Jose, it's not always a direct train service. If you are coming from the Auburn, Rocklin, or Roseville stations, you might have to take a bus to Sacramento and then catch the train in Sac to Emeryville. (Keep in mind that you'll disembark at Emeryville.) Of course, it goes without saying that the most direct service is also the earliest service. However, I chose the one train and one bus option because I wanted to make as few transfers as possible. The price is the same regardless of what you choose; it just depends on how early you want to get started. If you live close to Sacramento, just go to the Sacramento Amtrak station.

3. Be prepared to transfer quickly.
We had less than 5 minutes to make our connections. This wasn't a problem going from train to bus as the bus driver had to scan each person's ticket. However, going from bus to train on the way home, we had to haul it. It's not as bad as it sounds unless you or your child have mobility issues. I don't want to scare you off, but prepare yourself for the fact that there is almost no time to linger between connections.

4. Amtrak is not cheap, but it's convenient and comfortable.
Don't think that taking the train is a cheap way to go. The fares listed in the above picture are for 1 adult and 2 kids each way from Auburn. Note: Fares may change at any time, so be sure to go to the Amtrak web site for the latest fares. My plan was to include the train ride as part of the day's fun. Both of my kids thoroughly enjoyed the train ride, and I enjoyed bypassing all of the freeway traffic and avoiding the parking in SF.

5. BYO snacks and water.
There is a cafe car on the train, but I think it's a little pricey. If money is no object to you and this is part of the overall experience, then go for it. I like to economize when I can, so I brought some water, crackers, and granola bars. Plus, I like having my own water when we're doing alot of walking.

View of the Bay Bridge from the Exploratorium at Pier 15

We got to SF at 10:00am. Most of the people got off at the Ferry Building, but four of us were going to Pier 39. As we were passing the Exploratorium at Pier 15 on our way to Pier 39, the bus driver mentioned that he thought it was free on Wednesdays (it wasn't). The other lady on the bus said that my boys would have a wonderful time there, especially my youngest son. The Exploratorium had not been on my agenda, but I said we'd go. The bus driver was very kind and let us off well before the Pier 39 bus stop. He only did this because there were four of us on the bus; I'm positive this would not have happened with a full bus.

As it turned out, the lady and the bus driver were correct: my boys had a wonderful time at the Exploratorium. No, it wasn't free on this Wednesday and yes it was pricey. However, it's one of the few places that both of my boys enjoyed. All of the exhibits are touchy-feely, so they're perfect for kids. My youngest son was absolutely giddy when exploring the sound exhibits. All in all, we spent about two hours at the Exploratorium. I will definitely be taking them again before the summer is over.

The sea lions at Pier 39

After a quick bite to eat at the Exploratorium's cafe, we walked to Pier 39. My original plan included lunch at Pier 39 and then going to Ghirardelli Square for some chocolate and then hanging out at Fisherman's Wharf. Because of the detour, we did not have time to go to Ghirardelli Square mainly because my youngest son is a slow walker. We stayed at Pier 39 and found a chocolate place. My oldest son was in heaven. We saw the sea lions and I was blown away by the size of those animals; the picture doesn't do them justice.

Since the Amtrak bus stop is right in front of Pier 39, we didn't have to walk too far. We caught the bus back to Emeryville and quickly boarded a train bound for Auburn. On the return trip, we sat on the top level of the train. The boys and I were tired. As we passed Hwy 80 and I saw all of the traffic, I was glad to be aboard the Amtrak train. All in all, another fun day trip.

Summer Lunches: Check the Freezer

Today is the last day of school for my boys. Our annual tradition is that I take them out to lunch after school. We're trying a new burger place, which I'm told has awesome milkshakes and fries. And burgers. Yum!

Although we like going out to eat, my bathroom scale and my checkbook both dictate how often we can do this. You may have guessed that it's not very often. In order to circumvent these benevolent dictators as well as trying to be frugal and fun, I started the tradition of buying prepared freezer food and Top Ramen noodles to have on hand for summer lunches.  I never said it was healthy, but then eating out isn't healthy either.

Whenever my oldest son asks if we can go to McDonald's I say, "Check the freezer." If he complains, I remind him that he is the same kid who will eat peanut butter sandwiches every day during the school year and that he's welcome to eat one of those.   My youngest son is more flexible in his lunch preferences so he is easier to please. He's happy with the chicken nuggets or the frozen burritos.

Is this really frugal? No. The most frugal option, of course, is to eat leftovers or make a sandwich. However, I look at it this way: there are some foods that I only buy at certain times of the year, like pumpkin pie. I only buy pumpkin pie in the fall. If buying prepared freezer foods is something that I only do during summer, then I'm okay with it. And buying prepared foods is cheaper than eating at a restaurant - even a fast food restaurant. By the time you buy a burger, fries, and a drink you can easily spend $4 - $6 per person. Is any of this necessary? No, but my kids enjoy it and it gives me a break from making lunches. Happy Summer!