Carlsbad Seapointe

Caleb and I are spending a few days in Carlsbad at our timeshare. What a blessing, this place is so beautiful, we love it.

Vacations are funny things though, if I just go and do nothing I come home feeling refreshed and rested but I always feel kind of cheated out of something "fun". If I end up doing a lot of "fun" things I go home exhausted. Such a dilemma.

These last few days have been pretty

restful, yesterday Crystal went to

another doctor visit at Rady so I

watched the kids here, that was fun there is a fun little playground for them and of course just being in a different place is fun for kids. We also got to BBQ and have a yummy dinner with Justus and Crystal after the appointment. God is good to us.

Tonight we go back home for two days to work and go to ICAP then I am coming back alone for a couple days to work on curriculum in a quiet uninterrupted environment, I am hoping to get all of next years first semester for all three of my classes at least penciled out. We'll see.

Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.

Training for the Event

Olivia has HLHS the diagnosis was confirmed.

Yesterday Crystal and Justus saw the specialist

in San Diego, he did an echo cardiogram and confirmed.

So away we go. We weren't caught completely of guard,

this was the diagnosis after her last ultrasound but

I was hoping it had all been a terrible mistake and

the "specialist" would straighten everything out.

He didn't. He was very helpful to Crystal, very

informative and encouraging but Olivia still has HLHS and we are still going to have to deal with it. How do we do that? It seems so big.

Today when I was talking to Crystal she reminded me, we're runners, we've run races together, we know how to train! Yes that's it, I need to start training. Last year Crystal and I ran, and finished, the Disney half marathon, 13.1 miles. Yes We Did! But to get there we had to run the Sun City 5k and the La Cresta 10k, and miles and miles in between, we trained...
Training for a run is not just running, it is actually mostly in you mind. (after Disney my quads would beg to differ) I subscribe to running magazines and running forums and running groups and..... yes I need a lot of encouragement, but once I get going its all great, in fact I love it, I love running through the pain, it gives me a feeling like no other, a feeling of strength.
So today I started training for Olivia, I went on the Internet and pursued knowledge, not like last week when I was so sad and scared but like a participant in this event. Yes it was a little painful but now I feel stronger, I know the terrain, as it were, of this event, I know how to train, we won't be running on flat streets for this one, this is an all out mud run. I need to be a strong partner for Crystal so I can encourage her when she is tired and weak. Just like the half marathon, when your so tired and wanting to quit someone calls your name from the sideline "good job Renee, way to go, you can do it!" Yes I can.
When we were training for the race Crystal was my encourager, "way to go mom, I'm so proud of you." That really kept me going. Now it's my turn, "Way to go Sis, I'm sooo proud of you!" Your an awesome mom and wife and daughter and especialy a woman of God. Your going to do a great job as Olivia's mom too! And you have a whole bunch of people at your back. That's right, we are in this together. Crystal and Justus and Erik and I and Ken and Cherie, grandma's and grandpa's and brothers and sisters and extended family and friends. We can all train, be informed and strong, we must finish strong.

2 Timothy 4:7I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

Nothing is impossible!!

THE WORLD SAYS: "It's impossible." GOD SAYS: "Nothing is impossible for Me." ♥ "Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26 ♥

A friend of mine from church is always posting scripture on face book, she is such an encourager. Her posts usually make me smile in an "awww" sort of way, but lately God has been using her as my personal messenger. Thank You God for Christina, and thank you for your word being true.... Nothing is impossible for you! Thank you for the healing you are doing on Olivia's heart right now, and thank you for the work you are doing on my heart too.

Easter and Ezra

Today was Easter Sunday, what a wonderful day, so full of hope and promise. Jesus Christ has risen today! Church was awesome Pastor Dean was on fire and I feel renewed.

It was a beautiful day and we even had an exciting earthquake to remind us the stone had been rolled away!

We also celebrated Ezra's 4th birthday. His actual day was Friday but this worked out better, we went to his other grandparents house and had a wonderful day.

There was an egg hunt, kite and plane flying, bubble blowing, dog and uncle chasing and lots of yummy food including cake and ice cream.

Evangeline, our fairy princess just needed a little bit of rest to make it through the whole day.

Roadrunner San Diego April 2,2010

Today my husband treated me. We went to an awesome running store in the San Diego area called Roadrunner, this place rocks! I had to walk on a treadmill and had my gait analyzed, two very knowledgeable employees helped me find just the "perfect" pair of shoes. It was a great experience and just what I needed to motivate me back to the streets.

After leaving Roadrunner with a bag full of loot Erik headed south on the 15, stopping at Rady Children's Hospital for a little look around at where Olivia will be treated. We didn't stop, just a drive by, the facility is huge. Crystal and Justus will be seeing Olivia's cardiologist on Wed. we will know so much more after that.

Leaving there and heading even farther south we ended up at the Blue Water Seafood Market and Grill, we saw this place on the food network on an episode of Diners, Drive inns and Dives and figured we would see for ourselves if this place really was as great as Guy Fite said. Oh boy, it was! We stood in line to order for at least 20 minutes, had to wait for a table and ate off Styrofoam but it was the BEST! The grilled Mahi Mahi was so good, I strongly suggest everybody try this place if you get the chance.

What a great day (date) it turned out to be. I am very fortunate to have a wonderful husband who knows just how to bless me.

Grandchildren; I'm not sure who I'm quoting but "grandchildren are the reason we put up with our teenagers" is probably true. I LOVE my grandchildren, this is Evangeline, 20months and Ezra, 4years. they are only 2 of my 12 but they are the ones who live closest to me. One day a week my daughter works so I get to have fun. Ezra is a whiz kid, he is so smart he is a challenge to keep busy, everyday we do some kind of "school" he know all his numbers, shapes, letters, colors, he is way beyond "what your preschooler should know" so yesterday we did math, counting all sorts of things, he's a whiz! I will have to work hard to figure out what to do next week.

Evangeline is the picture next to "little girl" in the

dictionary. She is adorable, never to be left out she

follows and copies everything her brother does. She is also very opinionated and has no problem shushing whoever is pestering her, it drives Ezra nuts. Get used to it Ezra, girls will be driving you nuts for the rest of your life.

They say writing is good therapy, I feel like I need therapy, I think I'll try writing first.

This last week has been crazy, Crystal my 30 year old daughter was told her baby daughter due in June has a heart defect. That's just crazy! Olivia Renee (after me) has a cardiologist, she is high risk, she will need surgery. I just can't wrap my head around this. Crystal has an appointment April 7th, April 12 and April 19th, just to get started. Life has turned upside down.

"Take one day at a time" "Stay positive" "Trust God" all good advise, my head understands but my heart has broken. The trouble with a broken heart is sleep, sleep has not been my friend this week, the parts of my mind that I can keep in check when I'm awake go wild when I sleep and I wake up worse than before so tonight I don't think I will even try.

Psalm 139:13-16 says "For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise your because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

I do believe the Bible to be the Word of God, I do believe it to be true. I know God has ordained Olivia's days and He sees her even now. Please God heal Olivia's heart.