Thankful Thursday

The vast majority of the time I've had this blog, a small number of people have visited it on any given day. For some unknown reason, the numbers drastically spiked at the end of June. For that reason, in early July I decided to make it private - meaning I'm the only one who can read the blog at this point and time. I started this blog at the end of 2006. We shall see if I ever open it up again. I've received very little feedback or comments over the last few years so for me the change to private is not a big one. I considered ending the blog when my mom passed in 2016, and it turns out that 2023 might be the year I cease to write posts that others can read. I have periodically deactivated my Facebook account. Currently my account is deactivated, and I'm giving serious consideration to permanently deleting it, which would be a first for me. Here are some things I'm thankful for today.

1. The boys really enjoyed the Stronghold camp last week. I think they're going to join a club in the future.

2. Nadia had a great week of camp at Camp Susque last week. She chose arts and crafts and pottery for her electives. 

3. Last Saturday night I chose for my family fun night that the five of us would go swimming at the Exchange Pool. We didn't get a membership this year. It was the second time the kids and I swam there this summer and the first for Paul. 

4. We were able to visit the Eisenhower National Historic Site on Sunday. It definitely wasn't one of my favorite National Park sites, but we did learn a little about President Eisenhower. The kids each earned a Junior Ranger badge.

5. On Sunday we also spent a few hours with Yvonne's family. Some played in the creek at Messiah University while others played tennis or went for a walk. All sixteen of us had dinner at Primanti Brothers. Joe treated everyone as they wanted to celebrate the sale of the company, which is now scheduled to take place on July 31. 

6. On Monday we drove to Six Flags Darien Lake for Kingdom Bound. Nadia had been throwing up starting at 2 am so we left seven hours later than planned. We made it in time to hear some of Cain's concert as well as the entire concerts of We are Messengers and Matthew West. I had purchased five tickets. Paul wasn't able to come, and then at the last-minute Cheri changed her mind.  Due to our late arrival, we didn't ride any rides on Monday. On Tuesday we had breakfast at Denny's and then spent about 6 hours riding rides. I rode a wooden roller coaster with Oliver and Superman with Ian. It was Ian's very first time going on that ride. Oliver and Ian rode their favorite roller coasters quite a few times over the two days. On Tuesday we attended several concerts including Anne Wilson and We the Kingdom. Both nights we arrived at the Econo Lodge around 11 pm. On Wednesday morning, Oliver threw up, so we went to a Tim Horton's instead of Denny's for breakfast. The two concerts we attended were of Katy Nichole and the Newsboys. The kids spent the majority of the day in the water park although they did spend some time riding dry rides again. They enjoyed spending some time with Ean and Ivan at the concerts on Tuesday night and in the water park on Wednesday. Oliver and Nadia were interested in the Skillet concert, but given it wasn't supposed to start until 9:15 pm and I had to drive a little over 3 hours to get home, we left after the Newsboys. It also started raining at that time. We got home a little before midnight. I viewed it as a once in a lifetime experience. I'm thankful that after Paul sells the company and helps the new owner through the transition, he will be able to join us on outings like this! 

Thankful Thursday

Last week was a humdinger of a week for Paul and I emotionally. Something rocked our world at a level in the same ballpark as when I learned that my brother had passed away. Thankfully, our stress level began to recede last Thursday. When I'm feeling completely overwhelmed, it can be challenging to appreciate the blessings in life, but by Sunday I had regained my ability to do so. Today I'm giving thanks:

1. Margie is a believer. We know that when her suffering comes to an end (in the probably not so distant future as last Friday she stopped eating), she will be in a much better place. Every day I pray for her to be as physically comfortable as possible and for the Lord to strengthen and comfort her family and friends who will grieve her absence (her two sons, her daughter, my father, her grandkids, her nieces and nephews, etc.). 

2. From the pictures I've seen, it looks like Nadia is having a great time at Camp Susque this week. 

3. The boys are having a great time at the Stronghold camp this week. Four of their friends are also participating, and I'm thankful that two other moms have been carpooling with me. It's a foam sword fighting class. They want to join a Stronghold club. 

4. On Monday morning I called the dentist to see if they had any cancellations this week because we will be losing our dental insurance at the end of the month. They had one for that morning! We're looking forward to Paul selling the company, but I was also grateful to get one more free cleaning before his company stops paying for the insurance. 

5. We've been paying $600+ a month for the medical sharing program for 20 months and had never submitted any medical bills for reimbursement. Over the last about four weeks we had more than $4K in medical bills. Almost exactly half of that was for Paul's skin biopsy. I decided to submit that to Samaritan even though the result was good (benign). They gave initial approval to our submitting the bills. If they approve the bills, then we will be reimbursed approximately $1,600. 

6. On Tuesday morning while the boys were at camp, I was able to walk around Bucknell with my friend Cheri, and then we had lunch together at Gram's before I picked up my van at Bastian and five boys at camp. Yesterday morning I was able to talk with my friend, Joyce, on the phone during their camp. We've been friends since 1996 but haven't spent much time face to face since 2000. We don't talk that many times a year, but we always really enjoy getting caught up. Today I took the van back to Bastian because the tires failed the inspection on Tuesday, and I also did some grocery shopping while they were engaged in archery and sword fighting. 

7. Last Saturday morning Ian, Nadia, and I auditioned for the Sound of Music. Ian didn't prepare a monologue because he only wanted to be in the chorus. It turns out that for this particular musical they aren't having any boys his age in the chorus. He did an amazing job singing Hakuna Matata (had the judges laughing!), but it was pointless. Nadia's audition didn't go well. I only auditioned because Nadia has wanted to be in a musical at our church for many years and figured if I was going to be chauffeuring her to rehearsals, I might as well participate. I was confident I'd be chosen to be in the chorus (as a nun), but I was pleasantly surprised because almost seventy people auditioned, and I was one of twenty-four who were assigned a speaking part. About half of those were given one of the main roles. I was given one of the smaller parts - Frau Zeller, who is the wife of the primary antagonist. I will also be a Nun in the chorus. I sang a song from Fiddler on the Roof and performed a monologue as if I was Mother Gothel for my audition. In prior years I had never given any thought to participating in the musicals at our church. At first, I wasn't sure if I should accept since I had only planned to do it with my kids, but in the end, I accepted, and I'm excited! I haven't been in a choir for two years, and pretty much my entire life revolves around my kids. The rehearsals begin on August 22, and the five performances are in November. The director knows I will miss five rehearsals when we are on vacation out west. Depending on how this goes, I might decide never to audition again, or this might become something I do on an annual basis. Time will tell, but I am very thankful for this opportunity.

8. I had a really, really delicious nectarine today. YUM! 

9. I saw the movie Sound of Freedom with Cheri on July 6. I thought it wouldn't be appropriate for the kids, but that isn't the case. I'm planning on having them see it once it comes out on DVD. I'm thankful for people who are trying to rescue those trapped in sex trafficking. 

10. The kids and I were able to help the First Baptist Church youth group at Experience Missions for two days earlier this month. 

11. Although the closing has been delayed, it appears that it will happen next week. We are very, very thankful! Paul will still work FT until he completes two projects and trains the new employees. We're looking forward to seeing him a lot more. I am hoping to sign us up for some ballroom dancing lessons.

12. Paul took down and hauled away our dilapidated shed and swing set! He also cut down some branches and weeds from two of the three evergreen trees in our backyard. I'm hoping the next two projects will be to finish the third tree and also install a new mailbox that I recently purchased.