God's timing is good timing

I learned a few things today…to be gluten free you must be made of gold, PURE GOLD!  Wowzers, talk about bucks.  I also learned that there is a high likely hood that I am pre-menopausal.  I will learn more when my blood work comes back next week.  And our adorable little house that was supposed to close tomorrow at 2pm is on hold again, for the same reason as before.  Title issues plague us; but that is ok!  I actually have an overwhelming peace about it.

Peace is awesome! Especially in the midst of upheaval.  I was up at 5am this morning (thank you Kael) so I decided to pack.  I have packed a ton, and I don’t really want to unpack any of it.  We will just learn to live with less.  I like how clutter free my house is right now.

The title officer was terrified to call me and let me know that it was delayed for a third time.  I think that I freaked her out even more with how calm I was about it.  She thanked me profusely for being so understanding.  She has been working very hard for us to resolve all this.  She is one of the last people I would want to dump on for this.  I am grateful for her and maybe my attitude will be a witness.

So please pray for a few things for us…that the blood work will come back with definitive answers so that my doctor can formulate a good plan, and that God will continue to give us peace regarding the house situation.  I would really like that to come together soon.

I don’t have much in way of recipes to blog about since I packed the cupboards.  So I will just end with God is good, and I am a very grateful lady right now.

Xoxo

Ronda

The pusher rests...And God works.

I sit here in awe filled wonder at the way God works in my life.  I push push push, and when I finally surrender He works and things work out.  When will I learn?

I have been working long hours at work so I haven’t even got to start my Gluten Free recipe week.  When I say long hours, yesterday I got to the bank about 7 minutes after 9am and I left work around 7 minutes after 9pm.  Today I had a 7:30am meeting and I finally left good old Liberty at 8pm.  Business is booming, and I am doing my best not to get behind.  A lot of people are counting on me.  Including a husband and two little toddlers at home who count on me for my time with them.  Balance is crucial.  So next week I think I will have to take a few days off. 

Good news is Kael’s bum is much better… and we have been diarrhea free for a few days now…that is a huge answer to prayer.  I still plan to do my Gluten Free recipe week, but as of right now with the hours I have been putting in I haven’t even made it to the Library to get a Gluten Free cookbook.  I will.  I am determined.

So what is all the push push push?  Well, I have mentioned here this last week that there were title issues on the house we are buying that had to be resolved before we could close.  I was tenacious with hounding people to make sure that no one left our file sitting around. Didn’t want any moss growing on it.

Another area I have been push push pushing is trying to find a company to ship our king size bed and mattress from Washington.  Can you say expensive?  I can… e-x-p-e-n-s-i-v-e!  So I decided yesterday that I would let that rest too.

And again, when I pause and let God be God, BAM!  My head nearly explodes when I get a text out of the blue from my sister that they are going to come through Joplin (from Seattle, Washington mind you) and drop off our bed.  And guess when…SATURDAY!  So I started thinking about how I would take down our queen and store it in the garage until the house closed…whenever that might be.

Last night I told Sam that this whole house thing could take months to sort out.  I told him that I was done pushing and that I was just going to pretend that we weren’t buying a house.  My friend Lisa text me late last night, about the time I was telling Sam I was pretending that there was no house, that she was rocking out some prayers for me; this was her exact text:

Rocked a prayer binding up hindrance and delay … I am already thanking Him for great news on this house.  Tigger style!  Can I get an Amen!

Amen Lisa, Amen.  The title company called me at 1:31pm today with the good news that we can close most likely (99%) on Friday at 2pm.  This was huge.  The title lady told me she hated to do it, but she pulled the Tornado card.

I was ok with that.  So now we get our house Friday, and our bed Saturday…Thank you Father.  You are so good to me.

I have a head ache building right now.  I am going to kick off my shoes, put on some sweats, and snuggle my babies.

My soul has been singing songs incessantly, and the ones that lifted out from my mouth echoed nicely in the empty bank tonight.

xoxo,

Ronda

And please pray for my good friend Stephanie who is sick with a nasty bronchial thing-a-ma-jig.  She isn’t feeling too hot.

Gluten free: Gimmick or a God send? We'll see...

Kael woke up early early yesterday morning, but thanks to TEAM WORK!  Sam corralled the little man and got him back to bed while I got Caleb back to bed.  Caleb was roused in the repeated efforts to get Kael to stay in bed.  But then Kael didn’t get out of bed again until 6am.  Can I get a ‘WOOT WOOT!’

Today was a similar story but it was me being the corraller, enforcer, and finally at 5:40am I told Kael he did a good job and we came downstairs.  He is a good boy and I feel more rested.  My go-juice, Seattle’s Best Coffee, is kicking in now and my eyes are wide open.

My weekend was a pleasant little one.  I have a dear friend who is getting married this coming Saturday and he and his fiancé asked me to take some engagement photo’s for them.  I was honored.  They turned out really good.  I am not a photographer…I just have a really nice camera (THANKS DAD!).

We went to our friends Steve and Angie’s for dinner Saturday night.  They are a wonderful couple and she made Zucchini Soup which I have never had prior to that night, but I plan to make and blog about it because it was delicious!  Creamy and delicate, beautiful in color and texture…yummmmmm.

Have you seen that movie Juila & Julie, oh if you haven’t you should.  It is really cute, and it is about food and blogging!  It is about a present day woman who starts making and blogging all of Julia Child’s recipes over the course of a year.  The story flips between the present day gal and Meryl Streep who plays Julia.  I enjoyed it.  And it gave me an idea…but I will be much less lengthy since I want to try something for a week and see if there is any weight behind it.  (for our family at least).

Kael has had chronic diarrhea (don’t worry I will bring this idea together in a second…I know what you’re thinking, ‘what possibly could Julia Child or that movie have to do with your kids bowel movements???’  Well let me tell you.

Upon searching the internet for answers as to why this could be happening I stumbled upon some answers that have me ready to try something new for Kael…Gluten Free.

I have in the past somewhat snubbed my nose at the Gluten Free diets since we went all natural and it seemed to really make a huge difference for Kael.  I felt bad for all the people who had omitted gluten from their diets when they maybe didn’t need to.  Gluten is found in foods processed from wheat…so basically everything delicious.  Bummer.

Celiac disease is what is behind it.  And Diarrhea is one, just one, of the symptoms of this disease which basically is like a food allergy to gluten.  So I am going to give this little thing a whirl.  I would be totally bummed if that is what it is though because I went to the grocery store yesterday and there was hardly a thing he could eat (or would eat…picky toddler).  Oh well, this morning his poo was actually totally normal.  So maybe we are past the problem.  We have been giving him Culturelle which is live cultures (like in yogurt) that you mix with their drink.  It has helped a TON.  Not cheap though, and I would just rather this yuckie problem get resolved.

Well, today I am getting a Gluten Free cook book at the Library (hope they have one) and I am going to see if it makes a difference for Kael, and his butt.  I will try it for a week and blog about it.  Just one week…can’t be too bad.  And if it works I will switch back to his regular diet for another week and see if the problem comes back.

I know that a lot of parents with Spectrum kids go Gluten Free…I think it is worth a shot for us to see if it helps.

Sunday was nice except we had to leave church because Kael was hurting kids in his sunday school class.  He wasn't sharing, he tried to choak a kid, and then he slapped a little girl right in the face.  Sam went in and gave him a swat (his teachers had already tried timeouts and nothing was working).  It was bad timing as we were just about to go on stage to lead worship.  As soon as worship was over we went and got him and took him home.

Children are a lot of work.  The young girls working at the mall yesterday were mortified, and I was mortified with them as both the boys Team-Worked themselves against me...but Sam got new shoes! :0)  I kept the little boys busy for him.  Grateful for the wisdom that came to this weary mother and I forked out the ridiculous $3.87 for a medium strawberry banana Orange Julius.  I don't ever remember them being so expensive.  Inflation I guess.  The little gal on the otherside of the counter stared at me in mild disgust as I held one toddler between my legs and one by mid arm while attempting to pay her. I looked her right in the eyes and said, 'don't ever have children.' She smiled.  I don't mean this of course, but I will say that it is 100% more difficult to raise children then I ever thought it would be.  Maybe it is just my children...but I doubt it.  Mom and Dad, you amaze me.

So…here we go Gluten Free for a week (I already failed this morning with him and gave in to his repeated requests for a roll).  Wish me luck.

Xoxo

Ronda

Oh my omelet!

Vegetarian Omelet

Good morning!

It is overcast out and it reminds me of Washington.  I think it might even be sprinkling out.  Hopefully it will clear up soon because I am going to go take some pictures this afternoon.

Kael woke up at 5am this morning.  Sam kept him up until 10:30pm last night.  Before I had kids 5am seemed ridiculously early…now it is like sleeping in!  Kael and I went to Walmart and stopped by the donut store.  I recently learned that my wonderful husband Sam loves maple bars.  I had no idea.  So I bought some and when he woke up this morning he got maple bars and a nice cup of home brewed Seattle’s Best coffee.  Perfect for an early fall overcast morning.  What a delightful way to start the day.

I made myself something a little bit healthier and I will share this super easy, highly nutritious treat.  I made a Vegetarian Omelet.  It was delicious.  I ate it and drank my cup of coffee and it was a perfect little morning.

What you will need:

2 whole eggs whisked together with 2 additional egg whites

1 teaspoon butter, I used a yogurt based butter that is a lot lighter in calories

1 tablespoon feta

½ zucchini sliced thin

¼ cup sliced mushrooms

Steak seasoning

½ tomato

I used two frying pans so I could do it all at once.  Put ½ teaspoon of butter in each frying pan to coat.  Add ¼ cup water to one pan and place each on medium heat.  Place your zucchini and mushrooms in the pan with the water.  Add steak seasoning to your taste preference. And let them get lightly cooked through.

In your other pan pour your lightly whisked eggs and add a little bit more steak seasoning.  Once I can see the bottom of the eggs getting cooked I peel up the omelet and let the uncooked egg pour underneath it.  I keep lifting up the edges and doing this.  I fold it over itself and make sure it is all cooked.

Place your eggs on a plate, top with your lightly steamed veggies, sprinkle with feta and serve with tomato slices lightly salted.  YUM!!!

Now I get to go play with toddlers and drink another cup of my ‘go juice’.  Have a wonderful day!!!

Xoxo

Ronda

Homeless happenings and Toddler training

Good morning again.  Thank you for your prayers.  Kael slept in until 4:15am this morning.  But per a few parenting books, instead of getting up with him I had a glass of water ready for a drink, and a diaper ready for a fresh change.  After he had his drink and new diaper I put him back in bed, tucked him in and told him “it is still night night time Kael.”

I put him back in bed over and over again.  By 5:30am Caleb was awake too.  So at that point I finally took them both downstairs.  I will try again tonight.  I am feeling more empowered to be consistent.

On my lunch break yesterday I went to the Library and was able to buy a heap of magazines for a quarter a piece.  I am pretty excited.  I really enjoy looking at them for ideas on entertaining, house renovating, parenting, family time, recipes, crafts, etc…

Last night when I got home from work the little boys were so hyper.  I decided we needed to get out of the house and go burn some energy.  I took them to a park in Joplin that I have taken them to many times before.  Apparently since the tornado though the park has become a homeless villiage/drug deal central.  After about 8 minutes of play time I told the little boys it was time to go.  They both started crying as I hauled them back to the car.  I just kept my eyes forward and kept saying out loud to them that it was time to go change Kael’s diaper because he pooped.  This was true, but I also thought it would be a good deterrent.  Who wants to mug a mom with two little boys who stink like poop…well, hopefully no one, but I wasn’t taking any chances.  I got out of there.  Not going back either.

Lord willing we can close on our house next week and then the boys will have lots of new places to roam and have fun.

I am amazed that it is already fall.  My house smells AMAZING!  Bath and Body Works candles were burning last night in my kitchen and the smells were so delicious it made me constantly hungry!  I have the wall plug in making my kitchen/living room smell like apples and cinnamon…..mmmm….smells like fall.  Smells engrain memories.

The little boys are doggy piling on me right now. Better go.

Xoxo,

Ronda

Oh and doesn't this look like Paul!  Amy reminded me of this picture I found years ago, and it was just plain creepy how much it looks like my little brother...This is Prince Albert Victor.

Marvelous

 Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

Lord have mercy.

Here I am again.  Tired.  But I write to you with a grateful heart.

Kael is sleeplittle again.  Not sleepless, the boy is sleeping, but he is waking up consistently earlier then this little momma appreciates.  I don’t think he has slept past 5am in…well, a really long time.  This morning it was 3 am.  The last two nights in an effort to curb the waking trend we have kept him up past 9pm in the hope that we could adjust his schedule, but it so far has proven to be unsuccessful.  Pray for us.

I finally succumb to his persistent pawing this morning (an hour worth of persistent pawing to be exact) and crawled out of bed and followed him downstairs.  I sat at our table, wearily drinking my coffee thinking about our new house.  Many of you know that we are buying a house and the closing date, as of right now, is undetermined.  We were ready to close last week but when I called to schedule our closing appointment I learned that the title company was working to clear some issues on title.  This was news to me.  Apparently when the home was foreclosed upon the bank who owned the note failed to settle on a lien.  So until all that gets sorted out house is on hold.

 Adorable new house

I thought about this as I drank my “go-juice”.  Let me just pause and say, coffee is a gift from God.  I was thinking about how God knows why this is taking so long and how one day when I stand before him I will see how his hand was in it and how he protected us and I will be amazed at how he worked without me knowing he was at work.  Then I began to think…why don’t I just praise him now for how clever he is?  I already know that one day I will marvel at his mercy and grace, why don’t I marvel now?  So that is what I am going to start doing.  In everything I am going to marvel at God and the work he is doing.

You might be thinking right now, ‘duh’, and to you I would say, sorry, but sometimes I am a little slow.

I am marveling at God right now that Kael who gets so little sleep is a cheerful happy little guy who is growing and learning, and talking more and more each day.  I marvel at how far God has brought him this past year, and that by God’s mercy we have a little boy who loves and recognizes us and who since my Birthday has been calling me Mommy.  You don’t know how marvelous this truly is.  It is not easy to have a 3 ½ year old that can’t say Mommy.  But, now he can, and he does.  It makes my heart happy every time I hear him say “it’s a Mommy!”

This has been a busy month.  I turned 30, I had my one year anniversary at Liberty Bank, I went on a road trip to Chicago, I read through Paul’s letters to the various churches, and up through Revelation, and I have made several new friends.  God has been giving me a tenacious appetite for his word.  I crave his word.  I noticed that these past few weeks as I have been working longer hours at work that I have had less time to spend in his word.  And I missed it.  A lot!

I have a new Bible, fresh with no highlights.  I am excited to mark it all up.

So what does a tired lady who wants to stay fit without the fuss eat?  I know that was a terrible transition, but my exhaustion is seeping into my writing and my coffee is wearing off.  This is something that you will really enjoy if you like Chicken or Tuna Salad.

Chicken Salad Lettuce Wraps

1 can chicken meat drained

2 tablespoons of fat free or light mayo

Salt and pepper to taste

1 tomato sliced

4 leaves romaine or iceberg lettuce.

Mix chicken, mayo, salt and pepper together.  Line a lettuce leaf with tomato slices and top with a few tablespoons of your chicken mixture.  Fix shut with a clothes pin.  I served it with some whole grain Scoop’s.  YUM!

I have missed writing to you and sharing the happening’s of the Hickey Household and my sweet little life here in Missouri.  If Kael keeps this up I may be back for good!

Sending my love and prayers to my church family in Washington who is celebrating the blessed departure of Ray Gephart who went home to be with the Lord last week.

xoxo,

Ronda



Oblivious

I had a minute to spare while a file loaded on my computer screen at work.  Life has been busy.  Life has been very busy; heavily loaded with work and activities which have resulted in minimal and inconsistent blogging.  While I waited on my customer’s information to fill the screen I grabbed the TIME magazine sitting on the corner of my desk.  Set there for clients to flip through if for any reason they should have to wait on me.  So today I flipped through it while I waited on them.  I stopped when I saw a picture of a little boy, 7 years old, completely wrapped in a beautifully colored transparent fabric, while two men poured what looked like gasoline over his dead body to prepare him for burial.  At the top of the page were the words Famine, and Drought.

There were more pictures of mothers as they clung to their starving children, skin and bones themselves.  I can’t imagine what it would be like to watch my children die of hunger.  This is reality and I was oblivious.  Daily I am oblivious.

Scripture in the gospels come to mind…whoa to the pregnant women and nursing mothers in those days…

It breaks my heart.

Praying for those who have nothing.  We are more blessed then we know, understand, or appreciate.