Simple Pleasures...

There are some things in life that can be described as simple pleasures... things that bring a slight smile to your face or pee your pants laughter
... but nothing that you'd ever blog about...  You know, it's new sheets on the bed or a warm towel right out of the dryer!!

Some that I've experienced recently...

It's walking up the stairs and having my neice, Emily say, "Thanks you Aunt Kelly for making me this tutu.  I love it!"  :)

It's getting on Facebook to find out that you've been "punked"...

Oh, Fonda you know you love the Cyclones!!

It's sitting next to my husband on the love seat and resting my head on his shoulder.

It's watching Antoine sing, "Hide your kids, hide your wife..." with Ben and Michael.  That still cracks me up.

You have to listen to the remix song!!

It's squinting my eyes and looking at a Christmas tree.

It's getting a picture of all five kids looking at the camera at the same time.

I just love this picture!

It's making funny faces at Jack and having him crack up... and then sitting with him as he winds down.

It's hearing Hannah pray every night for Rachel Dake.

It's listening to Benjamin explain how people got into the TV and how Jesus made some people out of the TV and some people in the TV.

It's playing this terrific game that Dan and Rebekah taught us... You know you write a phrase followed by a picture... until everyone is rolling on the floor laughing...

 How did those crazy Indians make it out of the river and the box and get into the washing machine?  Crazy, crazy, crazy Indians!!

It's knowing that my nephew, Drew loves cuddling with his favorite Aunt Kelly!!!

Drew is behind that hand... man that kid loves his aunt!

It's getting an amazing angel made out of an At Home America lemon, sequins, feathers, pipecleaner and blue eyes!! Fabulous!

 I'm pretty sure no one else in the world got on of these babies on Christmas Day!!

It's knowing that my husband is the best and that there's no one in the world I would rather be with.

We're pretty much amazing! 

These are just a few of my favorite things...

It Is Well With My Soul: 4Him

The Good? The Bad :( And the Unspeakable.

There are moments in life when you know that no matter what is said next you will never remember.  Because what was said previously is so heart wrenching that your brain graciously begins to shut down a fog builds around your mind and heart to protect you from what is to come.  I have had few moments like that so far in my life and while I know that it will most likely happen again my fervent prayer is that a protective bubble will form around those in my life who share my heart.

Huntington's Disease.

Less than a week ago I had no idea what it was.  Interesting how in the matter of a few days I have soaked up all the information I can get my hands on.  What is it?  What does it do?  Why does it do it?  What can be done to prevent it or cure it?

Oh.

...that's not good.  To put it simply it's unspeakable.

Rachel is 27 years old.  Which causes me some confusion... well, not that she's 27, but what that means in terms of HD (I will abbreviate Huntington's Disease as HD from now on because I'm lazy like that).  From what I've read Adult-onset HD is usually discovered around mid-age.  The U of I defines mid-age as 30s and 40s.  For those who are diagnosed at an early age it seems as though the symptoms are much more aggressive and horrific. So 27?  Mid-age?  Never hoped so until now.

HD is defined as a disorder passed down through families in which certain nerve cells in the brain waste away, or degenerate. (source University of Iowa website).

According to Mayo Clinic:
Early signs and symptoms of Huntington's disease often include:

Personality changes, such as irritability, anger, depression or a loss of interest
Decreased cognitive abilities, such as difficulty making decisions, learning new information, answering questions and remembering important information
Mild balance problems
Clumsiness
Involuntary facial movements, such as grimacing


Later signs and symptoms of Huntington's disease can include:

Sudden jerky, involuntary movements (chorea) throughout your body
Severe problems with balance and coordination
Jerky, rapid eye movements
Hesitant, halting or slurred speech
Swallowing problems
Dementia

Young people who develop Huntington's disease may have signs and symptoms that mimic Parkinson's disease:
Muscle rigidity
Tremors
Slow movements

So now that I have a better grasp on symptoms I begin to wonder what causes this and quickly learn that it's a genetic disease that messes with proteins in the brain ... whatever that means.  In short Rachel's mom, grandma and great-grandma all had/have it. You see there's a 50% chance that you'll pass the gene on to your child... and so Rachel has made the choice to never have children biologically.  Heart breaking.  As if the diagonoses wasn't enough.

Currently there is no cure for Huntington's.  I believe that Rachel called it "a death sentence"...

There are a few treatments that help with the symptoms and she will begin a few in January.  One side effect is vomitting and will cause her to rapidly lose weight... which of course can cause other health issues.

Before she left for home last night we were able to circle around her, lay hands on her and cry out to God who is able... more than able... to do much more... so much more... than we can ever imagine or hope or dream ...

And so for those who read this I ask that you would pray not only for healing, for a cure, but for grace and strength and for His mercies to be made new every morning.  That she might know that Jesus is Savior, Healer and Sustainer and that for as long as He gives her life that she might glorify His holy name.

So I leave you with this favorite hymn:

It Is Well With My Soul

When peace like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Refrain:
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, with my soul,
It is well, it is well, with my soul.

Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
Let this blest assurance control,
That Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
And hath shed His own blood for my soul.

My sin, oh, the bliss of this glorious thought!
My sin, not in part but the whole,
Is nailed to the cross, and I bear it no more,
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, O my soul!

For me, be it Christ, be it Christ hence to live:
If Jordan above me shall roll,
No pang shall be mine, for in death as in life,
Thou wilt whisper Thy peace to my soul.

But Lord, 'tis for Thee, for Thy coming we wait,
The sky, not the grave, is our goal;
Oh, trump of the angel! Oh, voice of the Lord!
Blessed hope, blessed rest of my soul.

And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight,
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll;
The trump shall resound, and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.

Rickey.org Street Corner Symphony Down on the Corner

5 Years Ago Today...

Just one year and 9 days after delivering Emma Elizabeth Driscoll we were back in the hospital getting ready for a scheduled c-section.  It was a hard pregnancy for me mentally.  Emma was only around 4 months old when I found out I was pregnant AGAIN!  I was supposed to be pregnancy free in 2005, but God obviously had very different plans for us.  Towards the end of the pregnancy I began to enjoy the idea of having another baby.  We were going to have our first son!
I arrived at the hospital around 5 am... which meant that I was up by 4 am getting ready to go to the hospital.  I had to shower before I got there and wash with special pre-surgical soap.  I wasn't scheduled to go into surgery until 7, but the nurses had to prep me before I went in for surgery.  Let me tell you, those few hours of prep for surgery are some of the most uncomfortable and embarrassing moments... actually that's all I'm going to tell you.
Going into surgery is always a little nerve-wracking for me.  I am nervous, excited, half-naked and cold... very, very, very cold.  For some reason in the operating room I always want to cry... long before they even set me on that freezing cold table.  Perhaps its the knowledge that life is going to change.  It's going to be harder, better, more full and for a few days painful.
When they put the spinal in I would always look through a window to watch Ben, watch me.  He wears his brave face... but even in his strength there is no mistaking that he is scared and hurts for me.  It's this moment when everything changes for him.  He's about to have another baby and his wife is about to have another c-section.  Life gets pretty real for him in those moments as I begin to get even colder.  They paint my back with that copper colored ice cold solution that inevitably runs into the crack of my bum which causes all sorts of sensations that no one really wants to hear about... and then as though playing some sort of evil joke it stains my backside for weeks and I'm utterly incapable of washing it.
Now comes a stressful part for me.  It's the "Can you feel that?" quiz.  You see at this point I'm literally strapped down to the table with a blue screen in front of my face so that I can't see them cutting into me (whew)... but then comes the pin that they poke you with and ask, "Can you feel that?"
Barry is in charge of the anesthesia at this particular hospital and he wears bright colored scrubs... he always assures me that there's no wrong answer, but somehow I feel like he might try to trick me.  "Can you feel that?" he asks.  I can't.  But, what if he's not even really touching me?  I mean it's possible right?  Ben will look at me sometimes and nod in away that assures me that he really did touch me... he knows that I'm paranoid.

So as the surgery starts my worse fears are realized.  I can feel them cutting into me.  Not the usual tug that you feel... not the "It might feel like you're getting skin taught in a zipper" feeling (that I never had)... this was them cutting me open and me feeling it.  It was dulled, but horrific all the same.  I begin to cry.  I wonder if I'm imagining this because this doesn't really happen.  I started to talk, but can't.  Somehow I feel like screaming or crying out will only intensify it... or make it more real.  I turn my head to look at Ben and will him with my eyes to look at me.  He finally does and his face twists in horror.  "What's wrong?  Are you ok?"  I barely whisper, "I can feel it."

My hero gasps and looks at Barry, "She can feel it.  She can feel them cutting."  The next few minutes are a blur.  I'm getting nauseous.  I just want them to put me out.  I know that I should want to see my son's face the instant that he is set free from my womb... but I'm going to die if I have to feel anything a second longer.  I vomit.  I feel them pulling Benjamin out.  I look at him long enough to see his face and then close my eyes in a sweet surrender.  Not long after (at least in my world) I awaken in the recovery room feeling very tired and sick... and anxious to see the boy who's entrance into this world I know I will never, ever, ever forget.

He still has the large forehead...

Seeing him and all of the fear that I had about having another baby faded... as did the botched c-section pain (at least for awhile).  My sweet baby boy had arrived and he stole my heart.

Today we celebrate his 5th birthday and it was a fun day.

He came into my room this morning and I wished him a Happy Birthday right away.  He replied, "Happy Birthday your face!"  I should have never laughed because he's told everyone that who's wished him a Happy Birthday since then... including Grandma Cyndee.

We did tell him that he was getting a Barbie for his birthday since he wanted everything else that Emma got for her birthday... Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwhiches for lunch and Mac & Cheese with hot dogs for supper.

Look at that face!  Trying so hard to pretend like he's glad that he got the same Barbie pool that Emma got!  Loved it!  Fortunately for him it wasn't his real gift!  By the way, he's wearing a Spiderman robe that the Kapler's gave him earlier in the day for a birthday gift.

His real gift was a set of 2 pound weights.  He's been asking for them for awhile now.  He's under the impression that he needs to work out to get skinny!  We try to convince him that the word he's looking for is strong... but he's not buying into it!  Love Gabe's face in this picture!
We're still waiting to have cake since it's Weds. night and the older kiddos had to go to Awana.  He wanted a Super hero cake... which he told me after I bought a cake... so this was our spontaneous super hero cake!

This last face reminds me of Popeye!

Oh, the other thing that Benjamin asked for, for his birthday was a mo-hawk.  Which turned out incredibly crooked... but that's ok he loved it and Daddy says that the mo-hawk might need to be gone by Christmas!

 And I'll just finish with some random pictures from the day...

Told you... random.

Counseling... maybe? Funny... yes!

"Once upon a time there lived a lion named Hannah. Hannah lived in a cave. She ate meat and humans.

One day when she was playing with her friends when some humans came by we were so scared we got our moms and dads. Then we ate them up. And when we were done we went to bed.

The next day we were surrounded by millons of humans but we ate them all up. They capt on comin and camin and camin.

Two months past, when it was over the lions won the war. The End."

By Hannah Driscoll
Age 7

Baskin Robbins Ice Cream and Cake Commercial

My Baby Girl Turns 6!

After finding out that I was pregnant with child number two I immediately hoped that it would be another girl.  There was nothing that I wanted more than a sister for Hannah!  My sister, Krista, is my best friend... though it hasn't always been that way (perhaps another blog for another day!) and I wanted the same for Hannah.  And so my prayer was answered on December 6th of 2003!

Emma Elizabeth was as beautiful as she was feisty from the day she was born!  The girl is spir-it-ted!!!  And yet at the same time she is incredibly gentle and compassionate and truly lovely.  She is my encourager and my baby girl.  My Lou.

She loves Jesus, Barbie, Hippo, Gus, Monkey, un-matchey clothes, bling-bling and her best friend, Hannah.  Emma loves her baby brother Jack and tries to entertain and love on him more than any of the other Turkeys.  And she makes us laugh... oh does the girl make us laugh.  And recently she becomes extremely embarrassed when we bust out laughing when she says something funny... ahhhh, mother like daughter!

On her Golden Birthday, as per tradition, Emma was able to pick what we would have for lunch and supper.  For lunch we had Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwiches and Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes.  She wanted a Christmas tree Birthday cake, but I couldn't find one and I'm not a talented cake-baker...

For supper she picked her favorite (as well as Daddy's favorite) meal... Mac and Cheese with hot dogs, raw carrots and broccoli with Ranch Dressing and Garlic bread.  And for her actual birthday cake we found a snowman ice cream cake.  Oh, and Julayne blessed us all with a song and dance called the "Ice Cream Cake"... I guess it's a commercial?

 I bought it at Walmart and while it's not the most fabulous looking cake it was pretty delish... tasted exactly like a Dairy Queen cake... perhaps cheaper... not absolutely sure on that though.  She also received some Barbie stuff tonight which she loves and I will continue to live my childhood out through her as Barbies were something that I always wanted more of... someday I will tell you of my friend, Maggie's Magical Barbie World.
Until check this out... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dpzwbcrKDFs

Merry Christmas vs. Happy Holidays and the debate goes on and on and on...

Dear Christian friends,
There is a war in this world.  The war is not one that we can see with our eyes.  It is a war that battles for souls, for lives, for our children, for the glory of God.  It is a war that has the most serious of consequences... it is not for boarders, for oil, for weapons of mass destruction - at least not in the typical sense.  It's not a political war or a war between MSNBC or Fox News... it is not even a war between retailers who say, "Merry Christmas" or "Happy Holidays"...

Retailers have nothing to do with Christmas.  It is about the humble birth of our Lord and Savior.  It is the answer to prophecy that foretold of a baby born to a virgin.

It is the knowledge that this baby who Herod tried to kill would one day grow and be the way, the truth and the life... and this baby would one day die on the cross to save us from the wrath of God.

 So while we are easily offended by those who wish us a Happy Holiday and we toss and turn at the thought that perhaps they will take Christ out of Christmas ... we forget... we forget the basics... Boxmart and Waldo's Supercenter may tell its employees not to say Merry Christmas (which is a violation of their constitutional rights) they simply cannot win the battle before them.  If Christ is the Lord of the resurrection is he not also the One that will one day lead his armies to the destruction of Satan, his demons and his followers?  
Please friends, let us remember that Boxmart doesn't determine the meaning of the Christmas season... and try as they may they cannot remove Christ from any aspect of this world.  Instead let us love others into the kingdom and daily show them what a follower of Christ is and how we respond to those who foolishly oppose the cross of Christ.
Merry Christmas!

The Grinch WON'T Steal My Christmas...

Today I went to a Basket Bash in West Des Moines.  Perhaps someday I will take the time to describe what a Basket Bash is, but for now I will stick to a story that I hope will stick in my mind for years to come.

The theme of the day was not allowing The Grinch to steal your Christmas.  There are so many things in this world that is warring to steal the joy of the season and it's all at the hands of The Grinch - aka. Satan.  In this time where we are to remember the birth of the most wonderful of miracles I often find myself wrapped up in an overwhelming weight of stress to provide the perfect Christmas for 5 of the most precious people in my life.  I worry that what we wrap under the tree won't leave them eewwwing and ahhhhhing ... that when the last gift has been open somehow they'll be left disappointed.  And if somehow I fail them in this area they will grow up not wanting to have a large family because perhaps they'll continue this legacy of letting down their babies. 

And today I heard Thelma Wells speak...  and she told a story from her childhood.  She was four years old (the same age as my Chubba) and living with her great grandma.  Her great grandmother would lock her in a closet all day... everyday.  There was no food.  There was nothing to drink.  But there were large cockroaches.  And rats.  And so all day she would spend her day in the dark closet not knowing what was running over her feet.  In the evening her great grandmother would take her to church... 7 days a week.

One would think that she would grow up bitter and angry and hating church and most of all hating the God of the church that her grandmother attended.  Instead she learned hymns and at the young age of 4 she put her trust in Christ.  When she sat in that dark closet she did the only thing that she could... she sang those wonderful old hymns.  And today she lives with no scars, no bitterness, no anger and no trauma.  Her God was bigger than that closet and He protected her.

And so perhaps on Christmas Day my children may not have the biggest, the best, the most... perhaps they will be disappointed... but I will teach them about my Jesus.  I will teach them about real joy, the kind that lasts and doesn't have anything to do with wrapping paper and bows.  I will love on them and hug on them and make sure that they know about unconditional love.  I will pray for them and let them know that there is more to life than what we see and feel... I will committ to respect their daddy and I will refuse to give up on my marriage, so that God will be honored in my family.  And we will laugh and sing and dance and hold hands...

Hannah the writer...

In Hannah's free time she has decided to write letters.  Lots of letters.  The first letter she wrote was to me and here's what she wrote:

Dear Mommy,
I know how hard it is with 5 kids.  That's why i like to help you.  I'm sorry that in school i quit.  Pleasle take my apology?  Your the Best Mommy ever.  I Love you.  Emma Love's you.  Congratulations!  that's all.
Love Hannah

I cried like a little baby when I read the line about her quitting in school.  The girl is really hard on herself when it comes to doing well in school.  She rarely quits, unless of course it has to do with Art.  Also I'm not sure why she congratulated me at the end... but I'll take it!

Here's a letter to her friend Anika.

Dear Anika, I hope your having fun in school.  gess what i'm leanring latin this year. My Mom is selling at home America.  It's were you host a party.  Emma loves Honey Nut Cheerios.  I got a new winter hat and a pair of gloves wint with it.  Me and Emma share a room like you.  Here's a peom Roses are red, Violets are blue, And i love you.  Love Hannah.

I love that she mentions At Home America and Honey Nut Cheerios.  Honey Nut Cheerios are on the same level in Emma's world that At Home America is in mine!!  I hope that Ben doesn't get a hold of this letter before Hannah has a chance to give it to Anika or Hannah will be erasing the line that says "Me and Emma" ... he's a stickler for "Emma and I". 

And now a letter for cousins in Idaho:

Dear Rebekah, Dan, everybody.
We are realy good.  Pray for the Kapler's because Christian is a way and Tanya had a baby boy named Josiah Adolf Kapler.  We miss you a lot lot lot.  Din't you know Mama works for the at home America?  gessing no.  At home America is were you host a party.  We love you all. 
Love Ben Kelly Hannah Emma Benjamin Gabe Jack.

Hmmmm. There's a theme in these letters...
Don't you love how she wants the Frank's to pray for the Kaplers because the baby boy is named Josiah Adolf Kapler!! ;)  Too funny.

She's also becoming quite the author of short stories!  Here are a few that I just found and read this morning:

"Benjamin and Hannah Emma Gabe"
Once upon a time Benjamin went to Hannah's house.  Emma and Gabe were already there.  Benjamin said let's ride our bikes.  So everybody went and got there bike.  everybody met at Benjamin's house.  his house was on fire.  And everybody helped Hannah called the firefighters.  It was Sunday 11:30 am.  Benjamin called the ambulance.  The end.

Ahhhhh... what happened?  Why the ambulance?  Why did Hannah need help dialing 9-1-1???  Cannot wait for the sequel to come out!

And perhaps my favorite:

"Hannah's First Lamb"
Once upon a time a Girl named Hannah was veay veay veay happy because she was going to the vet with her mom and dad.  When she got there she brought home the lamb.  The thing she allwas did was play with her lamb.  that's it.  A few week's later the lamb died.  The end.

Awww.  Poor lamb.  Wonder if it died Of Mice and Men style?  :)

*Hannah age 7, 2nd Grade

Ohhh Facebook, how you have deceived so many...

I know that we've all seen the Facebook statuses that say stuff like, "I bet we can't get 56 trillion people on Facebook to say that they love Jesus... Remember that if you deny Him that He will deny you!"  And as a Christian I think to myself... "Seriously?  If I don't put this status up to make others feel guilty then I'm not going to heaven?  Honestly?  I lose my salvation because I didn't copy and paste that status update?  So what you're telling me is that someone who is an atheist or is agnostic can copy and paste that status update and now they're in?"
The Bible is sure in trouble if the new authority on salvation comes from Facebook... No, no wait... WE are all in a lot of trouble if Facebook trumps the Bible on the way, the truth and the life.

Here's another one that I almost fell for tonight...

Change your FB profile picture to a cartoon from your childhood. The goal is to not see a human face on FB till Monday, December 6th. Join the fight against child abuse, pick your cartoon character then copy & paste to your status and invite your friends to do the same.

 Seriously had my picture of Smurfette all picked out...

 

And then I thought to myself... "How does changing my profile picture to Smurfette help fight child abuse?  Are child abusers going to get on Facebook and realize that there's not a single human face pictured and think, "Hmmm.  I'm not going to beat my child today because I remember these cartoons from when I was a kid!"
I would have loved it if the status just read, "Hey change your FB profile pic to your favorite childhood cartoon character!  Why?  Because it'll be fun!"