Special Kids

Trusting Radiance

Thankyou for your prayers for Kierra.

It’s Sunday morning here and the kiddos woke way too early 🙂 Time to get the coffee brewing and let it sink in that heading back to bed is not an option.

Kierra’s kidney function has definitely deteriorated since last time we did labs in August. Her creatnine levels are at 1.4. That’s high for a child. She had been at levels like 0.4 or 0.5 and that was pretty good. Even 0.94. But i think this is pretty much the highest they have been.

The Doctor gave us orders to cut back on her Lasix. This medication helps her lose fluid as long as her kidney vessels are functioning well enough to actually receive the medication into her kidneys. If her kidneys shut down, the vessels become so constricted, that medication will not reach them, thus the only option is a kidney transplant, which we do not plan to do.

If she has had an overdose of Lasix, this can cause dehydration which could also make her Creatnine levels rise, and reduce her urine output.

So our little girl could go two ways. Continually better. or continually worse. Her last few days have been amazingly well, although she is battling a cold. We are fighting back with lots of rest and Unker’s (or Amish Salve) and nose suctioning (uggh, poor girl). I LOVE the Amish Salve!!! Any mommy should have a bottle full 🙂  Her lungs still sound good and she is not gaining significant weight at this point. That is wonderful!!! She is urinating more again, which we take as a miracle and we give God Glory and Praise!

So our Montana trip is still on schedule! The Dr. thought it would be good to take her if we are OK  with the extra stress of ‘what if she gets sick’, and we have a plan in mind in case that would happen. We feel good about going…so hopefully, it will work out!

Sometimes in life, you need to stop living with the fear of dying and live in the moment and make the most of it. (easier said then done at times !) So although we don’t want to  take unnecessary risks with Kierra’s health, we also want to experience LIFE and Love and ties that bind and make good memories of the days we have.

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So today, we will stay cozy and warm in our little house. If you think of Kierra this week, pray that she could stay well enough for this trip.

And you can pray for me also…that I would not let fear and worry consume me, but anchor my faith and trust firmly in Our Creator. I don’t want to live in the scary places of ‘what if?’ and ‘when?’ and ‘how?’… I want to live in the light of the Son , who is the radiance of His glory! (Heb. 1:3)

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Recently i saw Kobe, chasing morning sunshine that fell across the apartment floor. Isn’t that just what God wants of us? Basking in His light…marveling at it’s transformation and warmth.

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Wearing it like a halo of glory.

Have a blessed Sunday!

Special Kids

Prayer For Kierra

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Kierra was feeling so well this week. Totally off oxygen for about 4 days!!! And yesterday, she had a ‘perfect’ day! 🙂

Today her oxygen levels kept dropping again and she slept for hours.november 020

The worst thing is  that her nephrodic syndrome seems to be flaring up again. She gained about 2 lb. since Monday 😦 She has barely had any urine output since last night. Not a good sign.  So tomorrow morning, we go see the good Dr. S. first thing in the morning. Maybe she is catching a bug. Or maybe it’s her kidney’s having issues again. Or maybe she’ll be just fine by the morning.

So would you pray for her? november 035 november 036

We have been planning to travel to Montana for Thanksgiving, leaving next week, and seeing family and friends we haven’t seen since we left, not to mention, sorting through the little, large pile of mis. stuff we stored out there.

Trusting God…and hoping and praying our little girl will start peeing again! (amazing what we mommies pray for 🙂 !!

Recipes

Delish Pumpkin Pancakes

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“Come, little leaves,” said the wind one day.

“Come over the meadow with me to play,

Put on your dresses of red and gold, 

for summer is gone, and the days grow cold.”

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As soon as the leaves heard the wind’s glad call,

Down they came fluttering one and all!

Over the brown fields they danced and flew,

Singing the soft little songs they knew.

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Dancing and whirling the little leaves went,

Winter had called them, and they were content.

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Soon fast asleep on their earthly beds, 

The snow lay a coverlet over their heads.

 

I learned this beautiful poem in one of my first years of school. I still LOVE it! Although I have no clue who the author is…It captures the beauty of autumn so well.

The dance of life…and the easing into the folds of winter.

These autumn days  bring out the best in pumpkin!

Here is my favorite Pumpkin Pancake recipe right now..adapted from  Taste Of Home  cooking magazine.

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Pumkin Spice Yogurt Pancakes

1 1/2  cups flour

2 T.  brown sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

2 eggs

1 1/3 cup milk

3/4 cup canned pumpkin

1/2 cup vanilla or plain yogurt

Whisk together eggs, milk, pumpkin, and yogurt. 

In a separate bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder , salt and pumpkin pie spice.

Stir the dry and wet ingredients together just until moistened. 

Pour desired amount of batter into rounds on a hot greased griddle. Flip over when bubbles form on top.  Fry until a golden brown.

Serve with Buttery Nutty Syrup…

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup chopped nuts.

Melt butter in sauce pan. Toss in nuts and roast lightly.

Stir in

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/4-1/2 cup maple syrup

Heat to a gentle boil. Let cool slightly, then ladle liberally over pancakes.

Brew a big pot of coffee. Enjoy!

Money Savers

My Favorite ‘Homemade’ Cleaners

I was cleaning my house today.

It’s amazing how the most ordinary cleaning days can be So Much Fun!!!

Cheers to Living and Enjoying an ordinary day!

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Caught! Sneaking cookies.

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Doing breathing treatments. I could just sit and watch him! ❤

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And pretending to be a photographer 🙂

As I wiped down the kitchen counter, I noticed my oil jar needed a MAJOR scrubbing. ( yep, i’m embarrassed to post this picture, but you need to see to believe!)  🙂

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Yep, that’s  baked on oil on the outside of that jar! Having a small kitchen makes me store things pretty close to our tiny stove that breathes heat like a monster when it’s turned on .

I pulled out my favorite household cleaner (recipe coming)  🙂

I sprayed. And let it marinate. And scrubbed.

The transformation was astounding.

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Squeaky clean. Why didn’t I do this longgg ago? 🙂

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The best part about this cleaner is that it’s super simple. Not to mention the fact  that there is a two year old rampaging around here, and we all know that  most store bought cleaners with chemicals and kids don’t mix so well.

I bet some of you make it already. Here’s my version. I use it all over the house. In the bathroom…shower, toilet, and sink…in the kitchen..counter tops, cabinets, and cruddy, baked- on dishes 🙂 in my mop water… and it would even work great for windows if you do a squeegee washing method.

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Dawn Household Cleaner and Degreaser

1/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup  Dawn dish soap

1 cup tap water

Heat vinegar in microwave. Stir in Dawn soap. Pour into empty spray bottle. Add water and swish gently. 

This is just the right amount for my spray bottle. It seems to be fairly concentrated so if you have a problem with too many suds, you can always increase the amount of water.

I also use Dawn to make my Laundry Soap. I DID NOT ENJOY  grating bar soap like so many recipes recommend, and I had a problem with my clothes fading. But I really wanted to save my husbands hard earned dollars in little areas that were actually do-able for me.

I like this recipe much better 🙂 It took the finger paint right out of Kierra’s clothes without even pre spraying them.

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 Homemade Dawn Laundry Soap

3 Tablespoons Borax 

3 Tablespoons Washing Soda

3 Tablespoons Dawn soap. ( i like the blue because of the bluing and degreasing power)

8 cup water

Heat 2 cups of water. Stir or swish in your Borax and Washing Soda until dissolved.  Dump in Dawn. Add remaining 6 cups water. Store in empty clean jug. Give a little swirl or shake before using.

Use approx. 1/2 cup per load.

Oh! and you can always add a dash of vinegar to that mixture too 🙂

Now you have a new idea to explore:) I don’t always use the full half cup and still have good results.

I also know that everyone’s opinions on laundering are different. We all know what works for me might not be OK with you 🙂 After my ‘always neatly dressed’ used- to- be neighbor lady shared this Dawn  laundry secret with me, I jumped on the idea! And I’ve been  so glad ever since!

Happy cleaning to you, my friends!