Back again! Having lots of fun with this story. :) More is to come after this!
Helen sighed as she placed one foot monotonously after another on her way home. It was a hot, hot day. The sun was sapping her strength and making her drowsy. She looked back at Katherine and Jamie, walking a little behind her. Then she looked up, to see a poster posted on the side of a factory. It showed a brunette woman, hair pinned up in the common style mothers and other married women wore. The woman was smiling in an almost clown-like way while she sewed. Above her, proclaimed in big letters, were the words "Home sewing is easy!" And then, below that, "Plus, it keeps the home fires burning!" Helen shook her head. The war followed her everywhere, even on the walk home from school.
She finally made her way into the house, Katherine and Jamie dragging behind her. Suddenly, fear-filled energy struck her as she saw her mom, still home from work since she had broke the news a few days ago of their soon-to-come hiding. She looked tired, as she had for the past few days, but there was something else in her eyes. Panic?
"Helen, pack. Quickly. Help Jamie."
Helen sprang into action, running up the stairs and bumping into a frenzied Eleanor.
"Elle, what is it?!" Helen cried, using her sister's nickname.
"We have to pack! They're coming for us all today. We just got the telegram this afternoon," she said quickly, out of breath. "I'll help Katherine, you help Jamie."
Helen ran into her room, Jamie trailing behind her. She opened her chest drawers and stared. What to take? She grabbed a little out of each drawer and begin shoving them into her teal leather suitcase. Without thinking, she threw in her hairbrush, soap, and a couple of hair clips and slammed the suitcase shut, laying her shiny black Sunday shoes on top. She let out a sigh and plopped down on her bed. Suddenly her attention was caught up in little Jamie's face.
He stood in the middle of the room, a toy car in one hand, the other hanging at his side. He just stared, silent, a forlorn little figure. Helen knew he was very smart. He had been listening in on past conversations and would not easily forget them. Suddenly she saw one tear slip down his cheek, then another. She stood up and threw her arms around him. She knew what he was feeling; he was feeling the way she felt that first day when Mom broke the news.
"Why are we packing," he finally managed to choke out in a strange voice.
Helen sighed, stepped back from him a little, and crouched to her knees. "Because...you know how we told you that Daddy is helping the army, and America, and other countries that need help?"
"Yes," Jamie replied solemnly.
"Well, Daddy is helping the army right now, and he needs us to help him."
Jamie's eyes widened. "Really? How?"
"He needs us to hide for a little while. You could even make it like a game, Jamie. Like hide-and-seek. We have to hide really, really well for a while. Can you do that for me?"
Jamie stood silent for a minute and then nodded. "Yes, I think so."
"Good. Now let's pack your things as quickly as we can, okay?"
Jamie put up his hand in a salute. "Ma'am, yes ma'am," he shouted proudly with a giggle, tears gone as Helen marveled at the ability that kids possessed to bounce back so easily.
No sooner had Helen packed Jamie's little red suitcase than Eleanor burst into the room. "They're here. Come now!"
Helen grabbed Jamie's hand and flew down the stairs. She stopped at the bottom and walked slowly into the kitchen. Then Helen stood stock-still in the doorway. First she saw a little bit of her. Then, as the woman stepped into the center of the kitchen in close conversation with Diane Cooper, Helen studied her closely, squeezing Jamie's hand.
She was a young woman, probably in her late twenties. She wore the standard deep green knee-length skirt and long-sleeve army coat of the same color, complete with all kinds of badges and official patches. She was middle-height, not very slim but not heavy. Her hair was cut just above her shoulders, a deep, fiery red. She had curls--curls that began as subtle waves and ended in little spirals at her cheeks. How pretty she is, Helen thought. Who knew that a military officer could be a woman, and a pretty one no less? Suddenly the woman stopped talking and looked directly at Helen, who shrank back a little, but still studied her face closely. She had pretty brown eyes and wasn't wearing much makeup, if any at all. But still, Helen thought, she is so pretty. Could she possibly be a...soldier?
"Hello, Helen," said the woman. "It's good to meet you. I've heard a lot about you from your father."
"My father?" asked Helen, with eager, new-found interest in her voice.
"Yes, I know him quite well," said the woman with a slight smile. "I'm Sergeant Audrey Milo, and I've worked with your father often. He never stops talking of you and your brother and sisters, and your mother."
Helen managed a weak smile. "Oh," was all she could think of to say.
"Helen, are you and Jamie packed?" Now it was Diane speaking.
"Yes ma'am."
Suddenly Eleanor flew through the doorway, still in a frenzy, pulling Katherine behind her. "We're ready, mom."
Diane suddenly stopped what she was doing and looked at her four children standing side by side, wearing traveling clothes and holding suitcases. Diane sighed and Sergeant Milo faded into the background as Helen studied her mother for one last time before she left. Her mother had dark brown hair and shiny, reflective brown eyes, just as Helen herself did.
Her mother had become a slimmer figure in the past few months, Helen realized, and it wasn't a good kind of slim. Eleanor had often worriedly whispered to Helen at night that their mother wasn't eating the way she should be. Once, the girls had even approached her about it, and she simply laughed it off and told them that they were the growing girls and needed their nutrition, and besides--she wasn't all that hungry. But still, Helen thought, despite all that, Mom is so beautiful. Inside and out. She holds our family together. Helen thought she saw a fleeting tear slip down her mother's cheek, but it quickly disappeared as Sergeant Milo said gently, "Mrs. Cooper, we have to go."
"Yes, yes," she said quickly. Come along, children."
"Mrs. Cooper," Sergeant Milo reminded her, "they have to be split up in pairs."
"Oh, yes, I almost forgot," replied Diane in an odd tone.
Sergeant Milo suddenly acquired a military air. "Eleanor and Jamie will be paired together and will head north for a small town in Wisconsin."
Eleanor looked up, a shocked expression on her face, the quickly tried to hide it. "Yes ma'am." Helen gave Jamie a kiss and he ran into Eleanor's arms.
"Helen and Katherine will be paired together and will head south for Tennessee."
Helen let out a sigh and realized she had been holding her breath. Katherine walked slowly towards Helen and looked up. Helen gave her as reassuring a smile as she could muster and hugged her close.
Diane stepped forward and hugged Eleanor. "Be a good girl and take care of Jamie. Make sure he gets lots of good food and gets in bed on time and...and try to explain things to him, at least a little. I love you."
Eleanor nodded, unable to speak, tears flowing.
Mom hugged Jamie and whispered something into his ear, then moved on to Katherine with a kiss and an "I love you." When she came to Helen, she said, "Helen, I know this is hard for you, but you have been a great help to me, and I consider you a strong young woman. I love you." And with a hug and a kiss, Helen walked out the door of her house, crying, holding Katherine's hand, Sergeant Audrey Milo leading her.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Upside Down ~ Helen's Story {Part II}
Here's the second part of Helen's story. More's to come. I'm starting to get really into this story...and I have to admit, I'm quite pleased with myself about it. :P Enjoy! :)
As Helen and her siblings tromped through the door, she heard it--that tone of voice her mom used when she was upset, anxious, or worried. It had already been a really strange day. Mom hadn't gone to work, and had asked Eleanor to stay home from school. No answers had been given, no explanations. Mom had asked a neighbor to make sure the girls got to and from school safely and quickly.
And there Helen was, walking into the moment that would change her life, not really even realizing it. She slowed down at the sound of her mother's anxious voice, and looked down at her younger siblings, holding a finger to her lips to signal quiet. She walked, or rather crept, into the kitchen where her mother and older sister sat, gesturing for her brother and sister to follow behind her slowly. Mom looked up.
"Hello, Helen," she said, quickly wiping a tear from her red face. Eleanor stared down at her glass of water, not speaking, not looking, not moving. Helen stopped suddenly and waited for an explanation.
"Jamie, Katherine, why don't you two go play in your rooms for a few minutes?"
Jamie and Katherine looked at each other, then at their mom, then at Helen. Again they looked at their mom.
"Well...okay," replied Katherine slowly. And she led Jamie off to her room, quietly shutting the door, sensing something unsettling.
Helen stood stock still, numb.
"Sit down, Helen, dear."
Helen slid into the chair across from her mom.
Silence.
"I need to tell you some things."
"Is it dad?" Helen was suddenly panicked and frenzied. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. "Why didn't you go to work? Why did you ask Eleanor to stay home? What's going on?"
Eleanor still stared at her water.
"Tell me!"
"Helen, honey, it's not dad," replied Diane. "At least, it's not only about him. But...there's going to be some changes around here...and they are connected to some choices your dad has made." She sighed. "Or rather been forced into," Helen heard her murmur.
"Yes? I'm listening! Tell me!" Helen was desperate.
Diane looked up. "Do you remember the last letter we got from your dad?"
"Yes," said Helen. She memorized all of her dad's letters word for word. They were so special, so dear.
"Do you remember, at the end, when he wrote the name, Sergeant Milo? And it was in a small, small print? And we were...confused?"
"Yes," Helen replied, puzzled. She had brushed it off as some sort of mistake he had made. She had guessed that he had meant to write it on a different piece of paper. He was, after all, on a tight schedule, and if she knew her dad, she knew he could get absent-minded sometimes when under pressure.
"I wasn't really confused," Diane continued. "I mean, for a moment I was. But you see, Helen, your father got wrapped up in a very serious, very secret matter in the army. It's the development of some new weapons. Very helpful, but very dangerous weapons. And, well, you now how your father is. He loves to be of help, and he's so patriotic, and he's good with any kind of machinery. A friend of his recommended him to the more secretive departments of the army and it flew from there."
Helen shook her head. What? Stories like this only existed in spy books and mystery books, didn't they? Or did they? Diane rested her hands in her lap and sighed again.
"And?" Helen knew there was more to the story.
"And now, he's in trouble because of those weapons. His whole division is. But especially him. And the enemies overseas will do anything to take him out."
"Take him out? Anything?"
"Yes, anything," said Diane. "Including tracking his family down."
Helen let out a deep breath. Now she understood. Partially. She was dazed.
"So? What does this mean for us, mom?"
Diane placed a hand on her daughter's back. "It means that we have to go into the protection of the army. We have to split up, hide, lay low...at least for a little while," she said quietly.
"Split up?"
"Yes."
"What do you mean, split up? We're a family! And we're kids! We can't just split up!"
"Helen, it's the only way! I can barely keep the family afloat financially, anyway, and the army will house, feed, clothe, and educate you all if we go into hiding with them. It is," she sighed and said again, "the only way."
"Helen." Eleanor looked up for the first time and spoke now. "Mom is under pressure. We all are. But we need to be strong for each other."
Helen looked up at Eleanor. Eleanor gave her a pleading look. Helen sighed and looked at her mother.
"How can I help?"
"All of you will be split up in two pairs. Both pairs will travel out of state, and I'll be taken into hiding out of state, too. We will stay with different hosts wherever the army decides to send us."
Helen just stared. Pairs? Hosts? They were going out of state? Wherever the army decided to send them?
"Helen, are you okay?" She suddenly felt a tear slip down her cheek, then another, then another, as her mother's arms embraced her.
As Helen and her siblings tromped through the door, she heard it--that tone of voice her mom used when she was upset, anxious, or worried. It had already been a really strange day. Mom hadn't gone to work, and had asked Eleanor to stay home from school. No answers had been given, no explanations. Mom had asked a neighbor to make sure the girls got to and from school safely and quickly.
And there Helen was, walking into the moment that would change her life, not really even realizing it. She slowed down at the sound of her mother's anxious voice, and looked down at her younger siblings, holding a finger to her lips to signal quiet. She walked, or rather crept, into the kitchen where her mother and older sister sat, gesturing for her brother and sister to follow behind her slowly. Mom looked up.
"Hello, Helen," she said, quickly wiping a tear from her red face. Eleanor stared down at her glass of water, not speaking, not looking, not moving. Helen stopped suddenly and waited for an explanation.
"Jamie, Katherine, why don't you two go play in your rooms for a few minutes?"
Jamie and Katherine looked at each other, then at their mom, then at Helen. Again they looked at their mom.
"Well...okay," replied Katherine slowly. And she led Jamie off to her room, quietly shutting the door, sensing something unsettling.
Helen stood stock still, numb.
"Sit down, Helen, dear."
Helen slid into the chair across from her mom.
Silence.
"I need to tell you some things."
"Is it dad?" Helen was suddenly panicked and frenzied. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. "Why didn't you go to work? Why did you ask Eleanor to stay home? What's going on?"
Eleanor still stared at her water.
"Tell me!"
"Helen, honey, it's not dad," replied Diane. "At least, it's not only about him. But...there's going to be some changes around here...and they are connected to some choices your dad has made." She sighed. "Or rather been forced into," Helen heard her murmur.
"Yes? I'm listening! Tell me!" Helen was desperate.
Diane looked up. "Do you remember the last letter we got from your dad?"
"Yes," said Helen. She memorized all of her dad's letters word for word. They were so special, so dear.
"Do you remember, at the end, when he wrote the name, Sergeant Milo? And it was in a small, small print? And we were...confused?"
"Yes," Helen replied, puzzled. She had brushed it off as some sort of mistake he had made. She had guessed that he had meant to write it on a different piece of paper. He was, after all, on a tight schedule, and if she knew her dad, she knew he could get absent-minded sometimes when under pressure.
"I wasn't really confused," Diane continued. "I mean, for a moment I was. But you see, Helen, your father got wrapped up in a very serious, very secret matter in the army. It's the development of some new weapons. Very helpful, but very dangerous weapons. And, well, you now how your father is. He loves to be of help, and he's so patriotic, and he's good with any kind of machinery. A friend of his recommended him to the more secretive departments of the army and it flew from there."
Helen shook her head. What? Stories like this only existed in spy books and mystery books, didn't they? Or did they? Diane rested her hands in her lap and sighed again.
"And?" Helen knew there was more to the story.
"And now, he's in trouble because of those weapons. His whole division is. But especially him. And the enemies overseas will do anything to take him out."
"Take him out? Anything?"
"Yes, anything," said Diane. "Including tracking his family down."
Helen let out a deep breath. Now she understood. Partially. She was dazed.
"So? What does this mean for us, mom?"
Diane placed a hand on her daughter's back. "It means that we have to go into the protection of the army. We have to split up, hide, lay low...at least for a little while," she said quietly.
"Split up?"
"Yes."
"What do you mean, split up? We're a family! And we're kids! We can't just split up!"
"Helen, it's the only way! I can barely keep the family afloat financially, anyway, and the army will house, feed, clothe, and educate you all if we go into hiding with them. It is," she sighed and said again, "the only way."
"Helen." Eleanor looked up for the first time and spoke now. "Mom is under pressure. We all are. But we need to be strong for each other."
Helen looked up at Eleanor. Eleanor gave her a pleading look. Helen sighed and looked at her mother.
"How can I help?"
"All of you will be split up in two pairs. Both pairs will travel out of state, and I'll be taken into hiding out of state, too. We will stay with different hosts wherever the army decides to send us."
Helen just stared. Pairs? Hosts? They were going out of state? Wherever the army decided to send them?
"Helen, are you okay?" She suddenly felt a tear slip down her cheek, then another, then another, as her mother's arms embraced her.
Friday, May 25, 2012
Faithful Fridays ~ Whisper.
Hi everyone! This post was written and scheduled in advance, but as you're reading this, I'm in the south, visiting with the friends I told you about, probably having tons of fun with the girls (a heaven of hair to fix in pigtails and braids!) and getting ready to go to a really neat mountain park.
I started Faithful Fridays so that Christians could have one designated day (although, of course, we shouldn't have to keep it to one day) a week to share something from their Faith--a prayer request, answered prayer, Bible verse, song, poem, or just something God's laid on your heart. Just grab the button above (which unfortunately doesn't link to my blog automatically, you'll have to put the link), make your post, then leave a comment letting me know you participated! I'm trying to figure out how to get a link-up on here. Until then, I will have the links to other blogs that participate in Faithful Fridays here on my posts.
My mama participates on her blog, Country Girl at Home...
Ms. Patty participates on her blog, Blessings Beyond...
Ms. Retha participates on her blog, Retha's Rambles...
and Rachel participates on her blog, Stand Out Don't Fit In.
~*~
I started Faithful Fridays so that Christians could have one designated day (although, of course, we shouldn't have to keep it to one day) a week to share something from their Faith--a prayer request, answered prayer, Bible verse, song, poem, or just something God's laid on your heart. Just grab the button above (which unfortunately doesn't link to my blog automatically, you'll have to put the link), make your post, then leave a comment letting me know you participated! I'm trying to figure out how to get a link-up on here. Until then, I will have the links to other blogs that participate in Faithful Fridays here on my posts.
My mama participates on her blog, Country Girl at Home...
Ms. Patty participates on her blog, Blessings Beyond...
Ms. Retha participates on her blog, Retha's Rambles...
and Rachel participates on her blog, Stand Out Don't Fit In.
~*~
How many times do we worry about something? Or let our mind wander off to something it shouldn't? Or fail at keeping Jesus at the center of our thoughts? I know I do it a lot, and those are things I'm constantly working at. Seriously. I'm also guilty of being completely un-cheerful when asked to do something I don't want to do. I can get really irritated really fast. Human nature, huh?
But we have to keep working at it. I've mentioned Sarah Young's Jesus Calling Devotional (for kids) on my blog many times before--I absolutely loved it! Something that is frequent in her devotionals is the advice to just whisper Jesus's name. There's power in His name. We know that, don't we? But often I guess we (I) just forget that whispering His name can draw our thoughts and minds back to Him.
So here's my advice for you today: dealing with something? No matter what it is, just take a moment to sit back and whisper Jesus's name.
At Your name
Mountains shake and crumble
At Your name
The oceans roar and tumble
At Your name
Angels will bow
The earth will rejoice
Your people cry out
Mountains shake and crumble
At Your name
The oceans roar and tumble
At Your name
Angels will bow
The earth will rejoice
Your people cry out
At Your name
The morning breaks
In Your glory
At Your name
Creation sings Your story
At Your name
Angels will bow
The earth will rejoice
Your people cry out
The morning breaks
In Your glory
At Your name
Creation sings Your story
At Your name
Angels will bow
The earth will rejoice
Your people cry out
~At Your Name by Phil Wickham (first and second verses)
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Kicking Off Summer
So I'll bet you guys are pretty excited...summer's here, right? Or, at least, very close, right?
I finished school last Thursday, and let me tell ya, folks...it's nice to wake up and have the option of my day going like this:
Wake up
Free time
Breakfast
Free time
Lunch
Free time
Supper
Free time
Bedtime
Am I right? :)
So yes, summer is dawning. And with it comes...
Pretty summer sunsets! We've been having quite a few of them around here and I've tried to capture as many as I can.
Writing! I have more time and recently more inspiration for writing. I'm really having fun with the first and second parts of Upside Down ~ Helen's Story. :)
Hot days. :( We've had some really hot ones here and there. You know those times when it's so hot it makes you drowsy and just completely zaps your energy? Yep, that kind. :)
Road trips! We're traveling a little farther south tomorrow for a visit over Memorial Day weekend with our friends who were in China getting their daughter, Shiloh when we were getting Luke, Mr. Chuck and Ms. Kim and their daughters Dakota (7) and Shiloh (4). It's a pretty long trip...but I'm packing up the iPad for playing games, the computer for watching movies, the book I'm reading right now (Waiting for her Isaac by Mr. and Mrs. Stephen Castleberry; I just finished a biography on Lottie Moon by Janet and Geoff Benge), and a bunch of CDs to keep us busy. :)
And you know what else comes with road trips?
The vehicle you're riding in, right?
And do you know what that is for us?
It is......
Our new (to us, anyway) truck!
Daddy's been wanting a truck for a long time...I think he's made a hobby out of surfing Autotrader. :) But, now there's no need to do any surfing for a while!
That's a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado Z-71. It's a six-seater and it has a six-disc CD player. Yes, I find both of those traits very cool. :) We took off the camper it originally had on the back and then had it outfitted with chrome handles and those little bar thingies on the back. :) We're trying to decide what to name it, as all of our cars have names. Our little black Mazda is called Black Beauty...we're thinking of calling this one either the Black Knight, the Ninja/Black Ninja, or the Avenger (oh, yes). I'm thinking either the Black Knight or the Avenger...I'm just sayin', it would be really cool to have a truck named that! :)
Oh, and we've also done some summer shopping. Actually, a lot of summer shopping. :) I ended up with several new pairs of shorts for the summer, a skirt, about five new shirts, and a swimsuit.
Anyway, what are you guys doing to kick off the summer?
I finished school last Thursday, and let me tell ya, folks...it's nice to wake up and have the option of my day going like this:
Wake up
Free time
Breakfast
Free time
Lunch
Free time
Supper
Free time
Bedtime
Am I right? :)
So yes, summer is dawning. And with it comes...
 |
| Taken by me. :) |
Writing! I have more time and recently more inspiration for writing. I'm really having fun with the first and second parts of Upside Down ~ Helen's Story. :)
 |
| Also taken by me. :) |
 |
| Via Google...isn't it pretty, though? |
And you know what else comes with road trips?
The vehicle you're riding in, right?
And do you know what that is for us?
It is......
Our new (to us, anyway) truck!
Daddy's been wanting a truck for a long time...I think he's made a hobby out of surfing Autotrader. :) But, now there's no need to do any surfing for a while!
That's a 2009 Chevrolet Silverado Z-71. It's a six-seater and it has a six-disc CD player. Yes, I find both of those traits very cool. :) We took off the camper it originally had on the back and then had it outfitted with chrome handles and those little bar thingies on the back. :) We're trying to decide what to name it, as all of our cars have names. Our little black Mazda is called Black Beauty...we're thinking of calling this one either the Black Knight, the Ninja/Black Ninja, or the Avenger (oh, yes). I'm thinking either the Black Knight or the Avenger...I'm just sayin', it would be really cool to have a truck named that! :)
Oh, and we've also done some summer shopping. Actually, a lot of summer shopping. :) I ended up with several new pairs of shorts for the summer, a skirt, about five new shirts, and a swimsuit.
Anyway, what are you guys doing to kick off the summer?
Monday, May 21, 2012
Upside Down ~ Helen's Story {Part I}
Hi everyone! Today I'll be starting a story, as my mama has been encouraging me to do for some time...and believe me, it'll be a series type-story. Because I tend to get long-winded when I start a story. :) So...on with Part I!
To brief you: The main character in this story is 13 year old Helen Cooper. This story is set in the early 1940's, during World War II.
Helen slumped lower in her desk and sighed. This old hand-me-down dress of her sister's wasn't very comfortable, and certainly not stylish. Even at that moment, she could feel a pair of eyes piercing her, mockingly, rudely. That pair of eyes belonged to Margaret Anne Mason, the banker's daughter. Two more pairs of eyes were added when Margaret nudged her two best friends, Irene Hemmings and Edith Hammon. Soft whispering and even giggles abounded. Helen tried to focus on the history lesson Ms. Barker was teaching, but somehow Columbus' journey was being drowned out by the antagonizing whispers, stares, and giggling. Oh, how she loathed those girls and their rich backgrounds, complete with big houses, two automobiles (or more), and tons of store-bought dresses, each one unique and beautiful--no old hand-me-down dresses included! Why, Margaret's family even had a maid! When she contrasted their lives to hers, Helen became even more angry. Her life had been turned upside down with the coming of this second World War.
Her father had felt obligated to enlist a year and a half ago, and since then her mother had, out of necessity, begun working as a housekeeper, then as a nurse, then as a factory worker. Now she did all three. Housekeeping was failing, however--who had the time or money to hire someone to clean their house and watch their children? The war was sapping everyone's finances. However, factory workers were much needed. Chicago, where Helen and her family lived in their little tiny-tiny house, was a main city for the making of military parts. The medical field was also in need, as soldiers who weren't in shape to stay in a makeshift hospital overseas were sent to the big cities like New York and Chicago to be taken care of. Helen scoffed at the thought. Those make-shift hospitals overseas were hardly fit to house the performance of a mere checkup--much less vaccinations, amputations, and other operations. Helen's mother, Diane Cooper, had gone briefly to a medical school as a girl and was, therefore, accepted as a nurse. The hospitals would take just about anyone who qualified in the least way. All these jobs kept Diane busy. She left each morning, including Saturdays, at 5:00 AM and didn't return home until 7:30 or 8:00 PM. Helen's older sister, Eleanor, was 17 and able to take care of her three younger siblings while her mother was at work. And take care she did.
Each morning, Eleanor woke first when she heard her mother bustling around in the kitchen. She never was able to go to sleep again after that. No one in that house seemed to get much sleep now days. Eleanor would wait until a few minutes after her mother had left, and then she would get up, get herself ready, and begin quietly getting breakfast ready for the rest of the kids. She prepared the same thing every morning for each child: a piece of toast cut in half the normal size and a bowl of cereal with milk. Soon, Helen would wake up, followed by her eight year old sister Katherine and her six year old little brother, Jamie. Eleanor would hear them down the hall, looking for lost articles of clothing, trying to hunt down a hairbrush, occasionally arguing over whose turn it was to use the bathroom first. And then a steady stream would come flowing into the kitchen where she was waiting; Jamie needing help with shoestrings, Katherine wanting her hair braided, Helen asking to borrow a ring that belonged to Eleanor. And then they'd all crowd around the table, eat, and set off for their school.
"Helen...Helen Cooper...Helen!"
Helen awoke from her thoughts. "I'm sorry, Ms. Barker," said Helen apologetically among giggles from the entire classroom.
"Well, are you going to answer my question?"
"I...I'm afraid I didn't hear the question, ma'am."
Ms. Barker frowned.
"I asked you what year Columbus sailed to America."
Helen racked her brain...history wasn't her strongest subject, but Eleanor, sweet sister that she was, had often tried to help her with it. What was that cunning saying she used to remember the year Columbus sailed? In [blank], Columbus sailed to America? No...nothing really rhymed with America. in [blank], He sailed across the ocean? No, that wasn't it either.
"Helen? Are you going to answer me or do you need to visit Principal Fisher?"
Aha! In...1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue! She had it!
"1492, ma'am. I'm sorry."
"You are correct. However, Helen, I expect more from you."
"Yes ma'am."
Just then the bell rang.
~*~
I thought I'd leave you there...for now. :) Do you like it so far? I'd love to hear your feedback!
To brief you: The main character in this story is 13 year old Helen Cooper. This story is set in the early 1940's, during World War II.
Helen slumped lower in her desk and sighed. This old hand-me-down dress of her sister's wasn't very comfortable, and certainly not stylish. Even at that moment, she could feel a pair of eyes piercing her, mockingly, rudely. That pair of eyes belonged to Margaret Anne Mason, the banker's daughter. Two more pairs of eyes were added when Margaret nudged her two best friends, Irene Hemmings and Edith Hammon. Soft whispering and even giggles abounded. Helen tried to focus on the history lesson Ms. Barker was teaching, but somehow Columbus' journey was being drowned out by the antagonizing whispers, stares, and giggling. Oh, how she loathed those girls and their rich backgrounds, complete with big houses, two automobiles (or more), and tons of store-bought dresses, each one unique and beautiful--no old hand-me-down dresses included! Why, Margaret's family even had a maid! When she contrasted their lives to hers, Helen became even more angry. Her life had been turned upside down with the coming of this second World War.
Her father had felt obligated to enlist a year and a half ago, and since then her mother had, out of necessity, begun working as a housekeeper, then as a nurse, then as a factory worker. Now she did all three. Housekeeping was failing, however--who had the time or money to hire someone to clean their house and watch their children? The war was sapping everyone's finances. However, factory workers were much needed. Chicago, where Helen and her family lived in their little tiny-tiny house, was a main city for the making of military parts. The medical field was also in need, as soldiers who weren't in shape to stay in a makeshift hospital overseas were sent to the big cities like New York and Chicago to be taken care of. Helen scoffed at the thought. Those make-shift hospitals overseas were hardly fit to house the performance of a mere checkup--much less vaccinations, amputations, and other operations. Helen's mother, Diane Cooper, had gone briefly to a medical school as a girl and was, therefore, accepted as a nurse. The hospitals would take just about anyone who qualified in the least way. All these jobs kept Diane busy. She left each morning, including Saturdays, at 5:00 AM and didn't return home until 7:30 or 8:00 PM. Helen's older sister, Eleanor, was 17 and able to take care of her three younger siblings while her mother was at work. And take care she did.
Each morning, Eleanor woke first when she heard her mother bustling around in the kitchen. She never was able to go to sleep again after that. No one in that house seemed to get much sleep now days. Eleanor would wait until a few minutes after her mother had left, and then she would get up, get herself ready, and begin quietly getting breakfast ready for the rest of the kids. She prepared the same thing every morning for each child: a piece of toast cut in half the normal size and a bowl of cereal with milk. Soon, Helen would wake up, followed by her eight year old sister Katherine and her six year old little brother, Jamie. Eleanor would hear them down the hall, looking for lost articles of clothing, trying to hunt down a hairbrush, occasionally arguing over whose turn it was to use the bathroom first. And then a steady stream would come flowing into the kitchen where she was waiting; Jamie needing help with shoestrings, Katherine wanting her hair braided, Helen asking to borrow a ring that belonged to Eleanor. And then they'd all crowd around the table, eat, and set off for their school.
"Helen...Helen Cooper...Helen!"
Helen awoke from her thoughts. "I'm sorry, Ms. Barker," said Helen apologetically among giggles from the entire classroom.
"Well, are you going to answer my question?"
"I...I'm afraid I didn't hear the question, ma'am."
Ms. Barker frowned.
"I asked you what year Columbus sailed to America."
Helen racked her brain...history wasn't her strongest subject, but Eleanor, sweet sister that she was, had often tried to help her with it. What was that cunning saying she used to remember the year Columbus sailed? In [blank], Columbus sailed to America? No...nothing really rhymed with America. in [blank], He sailed across the ocean? No, that wasn't it either.
"Helen? Are you going to answer me or do you need to visit Principal Fisher?"
Aha! In...1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue! She had it!
"1492, ma'am. I'm sorry."
"You are correct. However, Helen, I expect more from you."
"Yes ma'am."
Just then the bell rang.
~*~
I thought I'd leave you there...for now. :) Do you like it so far? I'd love to hear your feedback!
Friday, May 18, 2012
Faithful Fridays ~ Encouragement
Hi everyone! Today's post will be kind of short as I'm having another flare-up with my pancreatitis. At least, we think that's what it is. However, it's way less severe than my last flare-up that landed me in the hospital and the GI doctor told us that it's okay to wait over the weekend and come into his office (not the hospital, thank goodness!) to get my enzymes checked and such. After that, we really don't know much else. We'll just have to wait and see. I'm able to eat, drink, and go about my business--I even took my daily bike ride with my parents yesterday. So anyway, prayers would be appreciated!
In other news...school is done! Yay!
I started Faithful Fridays so that Christians could have one designated day (although, of course, we shouldn't have to keep it to one day) a week to share something from their Faith--a prayer request, answered prayer, Bible verse, song, poem, or just something God's laid on your heart. Just grab the button above (which unfortunately doesn't link to my blog automatically, you'll have to put the link), make your post, then leave a comment letting me know you participated! I'm trying to figure out how to get a link-up on here. Until then, I will have the links to other blogs that participate in Faithful Fridays here on my posts.
My mama participates on her blog, Country Girl at Home...
Ms. Patty participates on her blog, Blessings Beyond...
Ms. Retha participates on her blog, Retha's Rambles...
and Rachel participates on her blog, Stand Out Don't Fit In.
~*~
"When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer."
-Corrie ten Boom
Have a great day, friends!
In other news...school is done! Yay!
I started Faithful Fridays so that Christians could have one designated day (although, of course, we shouldn't have to keep it to one day) a week to share something from their Faith--a prayer request, answered prayer, Bible verse, song, poem, or just something God's laid on your heart. Just grab the button above (which unfortunately doesn't link to my blog automatically, you'll have to put the link), make your post, then leave a comment letting me know you participated! I'm trying to figure out how to get a link-up on here. Until then, I will have the links to other blogs that participate in Faithful Fridays here on my posts.
My mama participates on her blog, Country Girl at Home...
Ms. Patty participates on her blog, Blessings Beyond...
Ms. Retha participates on her blog, Retha's Rambles...
and Rachel participates on her blog, Stand Out Don't Fit In.
~*~
Today I just want to share some encouraging quotes, scriptures, and such. Sometimes things like this just make my day...so maybe it'll make yours! :)
"When a train goes through a tunnel and it gets dark, you don't throw away the ticket and jump off. You sit still and trust the engineer."
-Corrie ten Boom
Have a great day, friends!
Monday, May 14, 2012
The Avengers
Okay...we went to see this movie on Tuesday, and let me tell you--it was great. :)
I'll start off by saying that I go into more detail about movies, especially about any bad parts they may have so that people are warned. This movie, however, was pretty decent compared to most movies these days. There were a few bad words, but nothing past a few mentions of the "S word" or "D word" or I think one time the "B word". There was one point when they used "OMG", in an amazed way. But there was also reference to Jonah and the whale (it was kind of funny, too. :)) and an awesome line by Captain America that I'll share below, because Captain America deserves a category of his own. :) There was no nudity, nor were there any "bedroom" type stuff. There's really hardly any romance (except for one scene with Iron Man and Pepper Potts), which suited me just fine. :) This is more of an action-packed, thriller type movie with some pretty hilarious scenes stuck in there. :)
So...the Avengers.
Basically, what the movie is all about can be summed up in this little synopsis from IMDB:
Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. brings together a team of super humans to form The Avengers to help save the Earth from Loki and his army.
*My note: I think this is also a movie about all the superheros having to overcome their egos and their pride, put aside their differences, and work together as a team, because, in the beginning, as Bruce Banner puts it, "We're not a team, we're a time-bomb!"
There's a lot you have to know from other Marvel movies to understand some things in The Avengers. We've seen Iron Man 1 and 2, as well as Captain America, but we've never seen Thor's movie and we haven't watched the Hulk in a long time, so there were some things we had to guess at and put two and two together for--and do some quick internet research when we got home--to understand it all. So, in case you haven't seen all the movies, I'm going to give you a few key facts about the characters and try not to spoil anything! :)
Alright, first of all, I'm just not going to pay attention to either one of those posters up there, because they have it all out of order. ;)
In my opinion, Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff is one of the best.
Natasha (Scarlett Johansson) is a Russian spy, so clever and cunning that she's known as the Black Widow (as in a Black Widow spider). Let me tell ya...this girl can fight, and she's pretty awesome at it. :) She's very smart and did an awesome job outwitting the villain, Loki, in one scene. You may recognize her from Iron Man 2. She also has some curly, fiery red hair that stays almost perfectly in place even when she's riding on the back of an alien rocket ship or running from an angry Hulk--why isn't my hair like that?! :) She's also the only girl in the Avengers crew, and kind of the only one that doesn't have "super powers". She's just a really cool spy with some really cool skills. :) Her best friend on the team is Hawkeye, as they've worked as a team before.
I also really like Captain America.
Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is the guy that (in case you haven't seen his movie) saved hundreds of people in WWII by choosing to crash-land the missile/plane that he had overtaken from the bad guys into the ocean, saving the big city it was headed for (New York, I think). He was frozen/asleep for almost 70 years, until he awoke in present day and had to come to terms with today's time, another world for him. He is everything that the other Avengers are not. You've got arrogant, smart, filthy rich Tony Stark/Iron Man, sly spy Natasha/Black Widow, otherworldly Thor, polar extreme Hulk/Dr. Bruce Banner, and master archer Hawkeye/Clint Barton...and then you have Captain America. He's old-fashioned in about everything--values, uniform, beliefs, thought pattern...even his hair is old-fashioned! He is very wholesome and loyal and has one of the best lines in the movie.
When Natasha advises him to "sit out" during a fight between Loki, Thor, and Iron Man, he tells her that he doesn't see how he can, whence she replies that they (Thor and Loki) are "basically gods". Then Captain America says, "Ma'am, there's only one God, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't dress like that." That line right there scored extra points with me! Captain America doesn't have a big suit, or a thunder hammer, or amazing archery skills, or even spy skills. He is strong and he fights courageously in an honorable way. The guy hardly ever uses a gun! He's disgusted with the modern world and wants to know what happened. Plus, he might be..well..not unpleasant to look at. :)
Anyway, on to Dr. Bruce Banner/The Hulk.
Bruce Banner/The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) was laid-back, smart, and funny as Dr. Banner, and destructive, furious, and hilarious as The Hulk. He was one of my favorites, too. :) Most of you know the basic story of the Hulk so I won't go into that. Mark Ruffalo did a great job and had most of the funny parts/lines.
Iron Man/Tony Stark: Dr. Banner, your work is unparalleled. And I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster.
Bruce Banner: Thanks.
And Hawkeye/Clint Barton.
As my brother, Colt, put it, Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) is just bad (In a good way). :) You just don't mess with him. What's neat is that he's like Natasha Romanoff and Captain America; he doesn't actually have powers; he's just awesome. :) He has awesome archery skills and is just quick-thinking (and also has some tech-y, explosive arrows :)). I won't spill all the beans, but he does some quite involuntary switching of the sides. You'll see. :) I
Okay...Iron Man/Tony Stark is not on my favorite list.
Iron Man (Robert Downy Jr.) is awesome; he's got a neat suit and he's really smart and everything, but in my opinion, he's a jerk. :) He's arrogant and, worst of all, he picks on Captain America, so that especially irritated my mama and me as he is one of our favorites. :) Robert Downy Jr. does do a great job at playing the part, though.
Nick Fury: It's called the Avengers Initiative.
Iron Man: I thought I didn't qualify. I was considered, what was it....volatile, self-centered, and I don't play well with others.
On to Thor.
I don't think Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is very popular. He's Loki (the villain)'s brother through adoption, and both are from other galaxies/worlds. He acts sort of...above the rest of them, and in fact, he calls the humans "petty, and tiny". Lol! I personally find him kind of silly...the hammer and the hair and the clothes are just a little over the top, I guess. :)
But then again, he is supposed to be from another world/time era. Thor also has his own movie, which I haven't seen. He does (as Iron Man puts it) have a "mean swing", and he and Iron Man and Captain America have an all-out battle before they can work together as a team. Thor's character does help out by giving insight into Loki's tactics and background, and Chris Hemsworth did a great job portraying him. Is it just me, or does he remind you of Brad Pitt at a glance? He also has a very, very deep voice which is perfect for the part.
And I have to include Nick Fury, even though he isn't actually part of The Avengers. He's kind of their headmaster, or adviser, or director. In fact, he is the director of S.H.I.E.L.D, a spy agency sort of thing.
Nick Fury (Samuel Jackson) was calm, collected, and smooth--he played his part perfectly. I don't really know if I like the character though...he's a good leader, I suppose, just not a necessarily friendly or kind person, if that makes sense. He's kind of...emotionally withdrawn. He's not really friends with anyone. Anyway, the rest of the Avengers do kind of resent him, although they follow his lead. He's the one that brings them together and he's the one that gives them plans of attack, for the most part.
And I have to throw in a picture of his right hand man, Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg), because he's a loyal, rather funny, guy to the end. :)
And what would a superhero movie be without a devious, creepy villain to fight?!
Presenting...Loki.
Creepy, right?! Loki (Tom Hiddleston) was a great villain, if that makes sense. Tom did a great job playing him. He was cold, and creepy, and scary, and terrorizing. :P Loki is the adopted brother of Thor, and they are both from outer space. They have been fighting over the throne of Asgard for a while. Loki is using the tessaract to try to take over the world that Thor especially loves--the earth, of course. He also has an army of some kind of alien. Loki, was, like I said, creepy, but he could also be funny, especially when he was mad or nervous. :)
The Hulk has a dealing with him...it's the funniest part of the whole movie. :)
~*~
All in all, I really liked this movie. I give it 4 stars. I would give it five, but because of the few bad words/parts it does have, I won't. I really do recommend it, at least for people 12 or 13 and up, or even for a more mature 10 or 11 year old. Luke didn't go see it with us as he thought it would be scary, but we probably would have let him come if he wanted to.
Until next time,
Have a great day and God bless!
Joy :)
So...the Avengers.
Basically, what the movie is all about can be summed up in this little synopsis from IMDB:
Nick Fury of S.H.I.E.L.D. brings together a team of super humans to form The Avengers to help save the Earth from Loki and his army.
*My note: I think this is also a movie about all the superheros having to overcome their egos and their pride, put aside their differences, and work together as a team, because, in the beginning, as Bruce Banner puts it, "We're not a team, we're a time-bomb!"
 |
| That's Iron Man (left, Robert Downy Jr.) and Thor (right, Chris Hemsworth) there in the front, with Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johannsson) between them, and Nick Fury (Samuel Jackson) behind her. Then you have Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) beside/behind Iron Man, the Hulk (Bruce Banner) behind him, and Captain America (Chris Evans) back there with the big red, white, and blue shield. |
Alright, first of all, I'm just not going to pay attention to either one of those posters up there, because they have it all out of order. ;)
In my opinion, Black Widow/Natasha Romanoff is one of the best.
 |
| See the hair?! :) |
I also really like Captain America.
Captain America/Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) is the guy that (in case you haven't seen his movie) saved hundreds of people in WWII by choosing to crash-land the missile/plane that he had overtaken from the bad guys into the ocean, saving the big city it was headed for (New York, I think). He was frozen/asleep for almost 70 years, until he awoke in present day and had to come to terms with today's time, another world for him. He is everything that the other Avengers are not. You've got arrogant, smart, filthy rich Tony Stark/Iron Man, sly spy Natasha/Black Widow, otherworldly Thor, polar extreme Hulk/Dr. Bruce Banner, and master archer Hawkeye/Clint Barton...and then you have Captain America. He's old-fashioned in about everything--values, uniform, beliefs, thought pattern...even his hair is old-fashioned! He is very wholesome and loyal and has one of the best lines in the movie.
When Natasha advises him to "sit out" during a fight between Loki, Thor, and Iron Man, he tells her that he doesn't see how he can, whence she replies that they (Thor and Loki) are "basically gods". Then Captain America says, "Ma'am, there's only one God, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't dress like that." That line right there scored extra points with me! Captain America doesn't have a big suit, or a thunder hammer, or amazing archery skills, or even spy skills. He is strong and he fights courageously in an honorable way. The guy hardly ever uses a gun! He's disgusted with the modern world and wants to know what happened. Plus, he might be..well..not unpleasant to look at. :)
Anyway, on to Dr. Bruce Banner/The Hulk.
 |
| "The Other Guy," as Dr. Banner refers to him. :) |
Iron Man/Tony Stark: Dr. Banner, your work is unparalleled. And I'm a huge fan of the way you lose control and turn into an enormous green rage monster.
Bruce Banner: Thanks.
 |
| He cracked me up in this first scene with Natasha Romanoff. :) |
As my brother, Colt, put it, Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) is just bad (In a good way). :) You just don't mess with him. What's neat is that he's like Natasha Romanoff and Captain America; he doesn't actually have powers; he's just awesome. :) He has awesome archery skills and is just quick-thinking (and also has some tech-y, explosive arrows :)). I won't spill all the beans, but he does some quite involuntary switching of the sides. You'll see. :) I
Okay...Iron Man/Tony Stark is not on my favorite list.
Iron Man (Robert Downy Jr.) is awesome; he's got a neat suit and he's really smart and everything, but in my opinion, he's a jerk. :) He's arrogant and, worst of all, he picks on Captain America, so that especially irritated my mama and me as he is one of our favorites. :) Robert Downy Jr. does do a great job at playing the part, though.
Nick Fury: It's called the Avengers Initiative.
Iron Man: I thought I didn't qualify. I was considered, what was it....volatile, self-centered, and I don't play well with others.
On to Thor.
I don't think Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is very popular. He's Loki (the villain)'s brother through adoption, and both are from other galaxies/worlds. He acts sort of...above the rest of them, and in fact, he calls the humans "petty, and tiny". Lol! I personally find him kind of silly...the hammer and the hair and the clothes are just a little over the top, I guess. :)
But then again, he is supposed to be from another world/time era. Thor also has his own movie, which I haven't seen. He does (as Iron Man puts it) have a "mean swing", and he and Iron Man and Captain America have an all-out battle before they can work together as a team. Thor's character does help out by giving insight into Loki's tactics and background, and Chris Hemsworth did a great job portraying him. Is it just me, or does he remind you of Brad Pitt at a glance? He also has a very, very deep voice which is perfect for the part.
And I have to include Nick Fury, even though he isn't actually part of The Avengers. He's kind of their headmaster, or adviser, or director. In fact, he is the director of S.H.I.E.L.D, a spy agency sort of thing.
Nick Fury (Samuel Jackson) was calm, collected, and smooth--he played his part perfectly. I don't really know if I like the character though...he's a good leader, I suppose, just not a necessarily friendly or kind person, if that makes sense. He's kind of...emotionally withdrawn. He's not really friends with anyone. Anyway, the rest of the Avengers do kind of resent him, although they follow his lead. He's the one that brings them together and he's the one that gives them plans of attack, for the most part.
And I have to throw in a picture of his right hand man, Agent Phil Coulson (Clark Gregg), because he's a loyal, rather funny, guy to the end. :)
 |
| That's him and his helper, Agent Maria Hill (Cobie Smulders), on the big boat/plane thingie. |
Presenting...Loki.
Creepy, right?! Loki (Tom Hiddleston) was a great villain, if that makes sense. Tom did a great job playing him. He was cold, and creepy, and scary, and terrorizing. :P Loki is the adopted brother of Thor, and they are both from outer space. They have been fighting over the throne of Asgard for a while. Loki is using the tessaract to try to take over the world that Thor especially loves--the earth, of course. He also has an army of some kind of alien. Loki, was, like I said, creepy, but he could also be funny, especially when he was mad or nervous. :)
 |
| There's that nervous-angry expression. :P |
~*~
All in all, I really liked this movie. I give it 4 stars. I would give it five, but because of the few bad words/parts it does have, I won't. I really do recommend it, at least for people 12 or 13 and up, or even for a more mature 10 or 11 year old. Luke didn't go see it with us as he thought it would be scary, but we probably would have let him come if he wanted to.
Until next time,
Have a great day and God bless!
Joy :)
Sunday, May 13, 2012
Happy Mother's Day!
Mama,
You're awesome.
You'da bomb.
You're the cooliest.
You rock.
You rule.
You roll.
You're cooler than Captain America.
And Natasha Romanoff.
And Antonio Banderez.
And Catherine Zeta-Jones.
To put it simply...
I love you! :)
Thank you for teaching me:
How to be a lady.
How to keep house.
Writing (and all my other schooling!)
Photography.
How to pick a good book.
People skills.
Thank you for helping me overcome my fears (and with me, it's still a work in progress!)
And thank you, most importantly, for teaching me to be a godly young lady. Thank you for never being to busy to talk, and treating me and talking to me as a mature young lady.
Thank you for being the best mommy in the world! We're lucky to have you as a mama. I love you! 8!
Happy Mother's Day to everyone and God bless you!
Love,
Joy :)
You're awesome.
You'da bomb.
You're the cooliest.
You rock.
You rule.
You roll.
You're cooler than Captain America.
And Natasha Romanoff.
And Antonio Banderez.
And Catherine Zeta-Jones.
To put it simply...
I love you! :)
Thank you for teaching me:
How to be a lady.
How to keep house.
Writing (and all my other schooling!)
Photography.
How to pick a good book.
People skills.
Thank you for helping me overcome my fears (and with me, it's still a work in progress!)
And thank you, most importantly, for teaching me to be a godly young lady. Thank you for never being to busy to talk, and treating me and talking to me as a mature young lady.
Thank you for being the best mommy in the world! We're lucky to have you as a mama. I love you! 8!
Happy Mother's Day to everyone and God bless you!
Love,
Joy :)
Friday, May 11, 2012
Faithful Fridays ~ CAN
Hi everyone! I'm finally able to get back to doing Faithful Fridays, and today I wanted to share something from the year-round devotional book I've been reading this year, Jesus Calling (for kids) by Sarah Young.
I started Faithful Fridays so that Christians could have one designated day (although, of course, we shouldn't have to keep it to one day) a week to share something from their Faith--a prayer request, answered prayer, Bible verse, song, poem, or just something God's laid on your heart. Just grab the button above (which unfortunately doesn't link to my blog automatically, you'll have to put the link), make your post, then leave a comment letting me know you participated! I'm trying to figure out how to get a link-up on here. Until then, I will have the links to other blogs that participate in Faithful Fridays here on my posts.
My mama participates on her blog, Country Girl at Home...
Ms. Patty participates on her blog, Blessings Beyond...
Ms. Retha participates on her blog, Retha's Rambles...
and Rachel participates on her blog, Stand Out Don't Fit In.
~*~
God bless you and have a great day!
I started Faithful Fridays so that Christians could have one designated day (although, of course, we shouldn't have to keep it to one day) a week to share something from their Faith--a prayer request, answered prayer, Bible verse, song, poem, or just something God's laid on your heart. Just grab the button above (which unfortunately doesn't link to my blog automatically, you'll have to put the link), make your post, then leave a comment letting me know you participated! I'm trying to figure out how to get a link-up on here. Until then, I will have the links to other blogs that participate in Faithful Fridays here on my posts.
My mama participates on her blog, Country Girl at Home...
Ms. Patty participates on her blog, Blessings Beyond...
Ms. Retha participates on her blog, Retha's Rambles...
and Rachel participates on her blog, Stand Out Don't Fit In.
~*~
Life can be stressful. Problems arise a lot. So many times, we have days that nothing goes right. It may be the little things--you forget to turn off a light and run up the electricity bill. You lose your phone. You spill a drink all over the floor. Your kids make a toy-tornado site out of your living room. Here's a common one: You're late. You don't have time to make up your bed or clean you house before you leave, and come home to a messy house. All these small things, when put together, can be so frustrating, right?!
Or maybe it's something big. For me, recently, it was going in the hospital. You may not get the job you need. You might lose a loved one. Or have a conflict with a family member or close friend. There are so many things in this world that can be so frustrating, irritating, stressful, and angering! But there's a key word in there: can be. These problems can throw you out of shape. They can bend you until you're ready to cry. They can make you miserable.
But there's a different route that you can take. Sarah Young said it really well when she wrote the devotion entry for May 8th in Jesus Calling for kids:
Or maybe it's something big. For me, recently, it was going in the hospital. You may not get the job you need. You might lose a loved one. Or have a conflict with a family member or close friend. There are so many things in this world that can be so frustrating, irritating, stressful, and angering! But there's a key word in there: can be. These problems can throw you out of shape. They can bend you until you're ready to cry. They can make you miserable.
 |
| Via Pinterest |
Smile in the Face of Trouble
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
--Philippians 4:13
Don't waste your time wishing away all your problems. In this world, you will have problems. That's just the way
it is here. But rejoice and be thankful! Why? Because you're My child, and that means you have an eternity of problem-free living waiting for you--in Heaven. No one can take that awesome future away from you!
And while you are here on earth, I will equip you for whatever troubles come your way. Start each day by asking for My help. Tell Me everything that is worrying you, and I will guide you through your troubles. I promise.
Try to see problems as I see them--challenges that you and I can handle together. Challenges that will make you stronger. Remember, together you and I can do anything--even smile in the face of trouble.
And the other verses from that day were:
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”
-John 16:33
and
For I am the Lord your God
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you.
who takes hold of your right hand
and says to you, Do not fear;
I will help you.
-Isaiah 41:13
Have a problem? Try to look at it as a chance to trust God and turn it into something that will make you stronger. Try to look at them like God looks at them: challenges that two can handle together.
 |
| Via Pinterest |
Joy :)
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Update (Again)
Hi everyone!
Okay, so many of you know I was in the hospital this past weekend. Scary, right? I wanted to give you an update on my formerly-hospitalized self. I'm home and I'm able to eat and drink now! This was going to be a joint post with my review of the new Avengers movie. But I realized this update would fill up a whole post, so the review will have to wait for the very near future. :)
Many of you have probably seen me mention stomach issues. It turns out that I have pancreatitis...and there's no telling how many of my past issues have been related to this. Anyway, I started having one of my time-to-time flare-ups last Tuesday, and I think this time was one of the most severe as far as pain goes. I couldn't eat, and I sure couldn't sleep. I generally ended up in the floor, trying to curl up into just the right position so I could get some sleep. I held my breath to try to cope with the pain and groaned in my sleep. Pretty painful. :( Mama had been debating taking me to the doctor, but I always shot the idea down as I'm really afraid of needles, shots, swabs, hospitals, ERs, and things like that. And anyway, I reasoned, every other time we've gone to the doctor with this (as I've had flare-ups for about three years now), they've never been able to do anything but tell me to rest, so why bother, right? Finally, on Friday, I was asking my parents to take me in. I was in some pretty bad pain. We called the doctor and were advised to head for the local children's hospital (LB) as we've been to the doctor several times with this and have never gotten very far with it. So we headed out between 8:30 and 9:30 PM.
We were there for a long time. They poked. They prodded. I had an X-ray done: nothing there. They drew blood and checked my liver: nothing there. They came in to let us know that they were checking the blood work for my pancreas...and five minutes later they came in to let us know that I had pancreatitis, which just totally floored us and really scared my parents, I think. All I got to say, ya'll, is that God helped me to not be afraid of needles (I had to have blood drawn four times and had to be stuck for the IV twice) and not be scared about the diagnosis (after the initial shock). And I also might have been too darn worn out too care. :) But really, I think I've gotten over the worst of my needle fear, so something good did come out of the hospital.
Anyway...where was I? Oh, they came in and floored us with the news. Yeah. Then they announced that they were putting an IV in and admitting me. Woaaah, people, slow down there! I've never stayed in a hospital overnight and never had an IV done and never had a condition like this. And all this bang, bang, bang right in a row? Slow down! Oh, and they also mentioned that I was on a nothing-by-mouth diet.
We ended up staying three days and three nights. Kind of like Jonah and the whale, right? :) Basically, here's what pancreatitis is: For some reason, the pancreas is irritated and angry. It's kind of...sick, so to speak. And it hurts. It hurts really bad when I eat and the food hits my pancreas to be ground up--because it's already irritated and having to work makes it even more mad. So the best thing to do for pancreatitis is to let your digestion system rest--don't eat or drink (of course, I kept hydrated through IVs). And let me tell you, that's not easy.
Make sense? So they set off to find out what the cause was. Some of the main ones are gallstones (in that case, the gallbladder has to be removed). We had an ultrasound done and found that there were no gallstones. Thank you Jesus! Another common instance is an enlarged/swollen pancreas. I didn't have that; the ultrasound lady remarked that my pancreas looked very normal and was also very visible--good. A blocked duct from the pancreas, maybe? No, I didn't have that either. A pseudo-cyst? Nope. An injury to the abdomen? No, not that we could remember. Nothing at all like that. An infection or recent virus? Not that we could remember. So what is it? We still don't know for sure. In fact, we may never know! Like I said before, the best thing you can do for pancreatitis is to rest your digestion system (don't eat or drink) and to treat the pain. We started off with morphine through the IV (let me tell you, folks, that stuff feels funny at first. Lol!) and later moved on to Tylenol by mouth once I was allowed to drink clear liquids on Sunday.
And I might add that the hospital was so nice. Luke likes staying in hotels, and so when we got to our room, Mama told Luke that this would be like staying in a hotel--and that's exactly how he treated it. :) He and my parents never left that hospital (and my grandparents even offered to take Luke). They all curled up on the futon couch and extending chair for every night we were there and had leftovers, order-in pizza, and cafeteria food for every meal. So sweet. Luke would dab my face with tissue when I cried and bring me my drink when I asked. :) He really took care of me! I actually have fond memories of my time in the hospital because the pain wasn't so bad once they began to give me meds and my room was great. I personalized the dry-erase board and got to use the Nintendo and free movie channel anytime I wanted to. :) Plus, the staff there are amazing and my parents said the cafeteria food was pretty good. :) I had lots of sweet visitors, many of whom brought sweet gifts--people from the homeschool group, our pastor, my friend Christina, and of course my awesome family. :) And my other friend, Molly Grace, and her family sent flowers. :)
Okay...where was I? There's these things called pancreatic enzymes that they checked every day I was there (by taking blood really early in the morning--one time I didn't even wake up, but other times I wasn't so lucky. :P). There is one called amylase (I'll call it "A") and one called lipase (I'll call it "L"). My L was way up when we came in to the ER. Normal rates for both A and L are in the lower 200's. My A was just slightly above normal and came down to normal within a day or so. When we came in, though, my L was around 1300! Amazingly enough, we were told that my case was, in a mild/moderate/severe ranking, mild. Some people's enzymes get up into the multiple thousands! By Sunday, L was down to 500, and by Monday, it was at about 296 and my pain was a lot better--I was practicing old ballet moves and even attempted a (pretty sloppy) one hand cartwheel when I was out of sight of the nurses. Lol. :)
So now, looking at me, you would never know that I was in the hospital. I'm back to myself with very little hints of pain--a little at night and when I lay directly on my belly. We went to see the Avengers (ooh yeah!) yesterday in a sort of celebration and, like I said, a post is coming up on that soon. Right now I'm on a low-fat diet especially for the next two weeks and am headed into our local pediatrician's office for a follow-up. I'm a really, really picky eater (I know everyone out there that knows me really well is totally nodding their heads in agreement. :)). In fact, my diet has caused issues with my stomach before and while it didn't cause this pancreatitis, it does irritate it more. The foods I eat aren't good and I have a big, big sort of phobia of trying new foods. I won't really go into that but I'm having to slowly change some things and would appreciate it if you guys would pray for me in that area. It's something I definitely need God's help with. And He already has helped me a lot with it.
Anyway, I didn't mean to ramble this much. If you made it all the way through, good for you! :)
I'll be back soon with word on the Avengers. In brief, I'll tell you that's it's an interesting, action-packed, and decently clean movie. I recommend it. :)
God bless you and have a great day!
Joy :)
Okay, so many of you know I was in the hospital this past weekend. Scary, right? I wanted to give you an update on my formerly-hospitalized self. I'm home and I'm able to eat and drink now! This was going to be a joint post with my review of the new Avengers movie. But I realized this update would fill up a whole post, so the review will have to wait for the very near future. :)
Many of you have probably seen me mention stomach issues. It turns out that I have pancreatitis...and there's no telling how many of my past issues have been related to this. Anyway, I started having one of my time-to-time flare-ups last Tuesday, and I think this time was one of the most severe as far as pain goes. I couldn't eat, and I sure couldn't sleep. I generally ended up in the floor, trying to curl up into just the right position so I could get some sleep. I held my breath to try to cope with the pain and groaned in my sleep. Pretty painful. :( Mama had been debating taking me to the doctor, but I always shot the idea down as I'm really afraid of needles, shots, swabs, hospitals, ERs, and things like that. And anyway, I reasoned, every other time we've gone to the doctor with this (as I've had flare-ups for about three years now), they've never been able to do anything but tell me to rest, so why bother, right? Finally, on Friday, I was asking my parents to take me in. I was in some pretty bad pain. We called the doctor and were advised to head for the local children's hospital (LB) as we've been to the doctor several times with this and have never gotten very far with it. So we headed out between 8:30 and 9:30 PM.
We were there for a long time. They poked. They prodded. I had an X-ray done: nothing there. They drew blood and checked my liver: nothing there. They came in to let us know that they were checking the blood work for my pancreas...and five minutes later they came in to let us know that I had pancreatitis, which just totally floored us and really scared my parents, I think. All I got to say, ya'll, is that God helped me to not be afraid of needles (I had to have blood drawn four times and had to be stuck for the IV twice) and not be scared about the diagnosis (after the initial shock). And I also might have been too darn worn out too care. :) But really, I think I've gotten over the worst of my needle fear, so something good did come out of the hospital.
Anyway...where was I? Oh, they came in and floored us with the news. Yeah. Then they announced that they were putting an IV in and admitting me. Woaaah, people, slow down there! I've never stayed in a hospital overnight and never had an IV done and never had a condition like this. And all this bang, bang, bang right in a row? Slow down! Oh, and they also mentioned that I was on a nothing-by-mouth diet.
We ended up staying three days and three nights. Kind of like Jonah and the whale, right? :) Basically, here's what pancreatitis is: For some reason, the pancreas is irritated and angry. It's kind of...sick, so to speak. And it hurts. It hurts really bad when I eat and the food hits my pancreas to be ground up--because it's already irritated and having to work makes it even more mad. So the best thing to do for pancreatitis is to let your digestion system rest--don't eat or drink (of course, I kept hydrated through IVs). And let me tell you, that's not easy.
Make sense? So they set off to find out what the cause was. Some of the main ones are gallstones (in that case, the gallbladder has to be removed). We had an ultrasound done and found that there were no gallstones. Thank you Jesus! Another common instance is an enlarged/swollen pancreas. I didn't have that; the ultrasound lady remarked that my pancreas looked very normal and was also very visible--good. A blocked duct from the pancreas, maybe? No, I didn't have that either. A pseudo-cyst? Nope. An injury to the abdomen? No, not that we could remember. Nothing at all like that. An infection or recent virus? Not that we could remember. So what is it? We still don't know for sure. In fact, we may never know! Like I said before, the best thing you can do for pancreatitis is to rest your digestion system (don't eat or drink) and to treat the pain. We started off with morphine through the IV (let me tell you, folks, that stuff feels funny at first. Lol!) and later moved on to Tylenol by mouth once I was allowed to drink clear liquids on Sunday.
And I might add that the hospital was so nice. Luke likes staying in hotels, and so when we got to our room, Mama told Luke that this would be like staying in a hotel--and that's exactly how he treated it. :) He and my parents never left that hospital (and my grandparents even offered to take Luke). They all curled up on the futon couch and extending chair for every night we were there and had leftovers, order-in pizza, and cafeteria food for every meal. So sweet. Luke would dab my face with tissue when I cried and bring me my drink when I asked. :) He really took care of me! I actually have fond memories of my time in the hospital because the pain wasn't so bad once they began to give me meds and my room was great. I personalized the dry-erase board and got to use the Nintendo and free movie channel anytime I wanted to. :) Plus, the staff there are amazing and my parents said the cafeteria food was pretty good. :) I had lots of sweet visitors, many of whom brought sweet gifts--people from the homeschool group, our pastor, my friend Christina, and of course my awesome family. :) And my other friend, Molly Grace, and her family sent flowers. :)
Okay...where was I? There's these things called pancreatic enzymes that they checked every day I was there (by taking blood really early in the morning--one time I didn't even wake up, but other times I wasn't so lucky. :P). There is one called amylase (I'll call it "A") and one called lipase (I'll call it "L"). My L was way up when we came in to the ER. Normal rates for both A and L are in the lower 200's. My A was just slightly above normal and came down to normal within a day or so. When we came in, though, my L was around 1300! Amazingly enough, we were told that my case was, in a mild/moderate/severe ranking, mild. Some people's enzymes get up into the multiple thousands! By Sunday, L was down to 500, and by Monday, it was at about 296 and my pain was a lot better--I was practicing old ballet moves and even attempted a (pretty sloppy) one hand cartwheel when I was out of sight of the nurses. Lol. :)
So now, looking at me, you would never know that I was in the hospital. I'm back to myself with very little hints of pain--a little at night and when I lay directly on my belly. We went to see the Avengers (ooh yeah!) yesterday in a sort of celebration and, like I said, a post is coming up on that soon. Right now I'm on a low-fat diet especially for the next two weeks and am headed into our local pediatrician's office for a follow-up. I'm a really, really picky eater (I know everyone out there that knows me really well is totally nodding their heads in agreement. :)). In fact, my diet has caused issues with my stomach before and while it didn't cause this pancreatitis, it does irritate it more. The foods I eat aren't good and I have a big, big sort of phobia of trying new foods. I won't really go into that but I'm having to slowly change some things and would appreciate it if you guys would pray for me in that area. It's something I definitely need God's help with. And He already has helped me a lot with it.
Anyway, I didn't mean to ramble this much. If you made it all the way through, good for you! :)
I'll be back soon with word on the Avengers. In brief, I'll tell you that's it's an interesting, action-packed, and decently clean movie. I recommend it. :)
God bless you and have a great day!
Joy :)
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