Sinus Update...

I am happy to share that I went back to see Dr. Korver yesterday (my ENT doctor who performed my sinus surgery back in January) and for the first time I actually received some good news.  After several visits following surgery due to constant sinus infections, headaches, feeling miserable, and medication after medication, they took a culture last visit and found a medication that has worked and cleared up or at least slowed the polyp growth in my sinus cavities.  Apparently there are several antibiotics that work for “most” people, but my body wanted to resistant just about every one, except for the very last one that I was put on.  It was pretty funny because Dr. Korver asked if I noticed anything different while I was on the pills-like being hungry and wanting to eat all the time…the feeling of just wanting to go-go-go and being really alert.  Charlie just laughed and said…oh man…that explains things now…she was hungry like all the time.  We helped my sister and brother-in-law move into a new home two weeks ago too and boy did they pick the right time to move because those pills made me just want to clean, organize and sort like crazy.  It would explain the nights of not being able to go to sleep until for sure after midnight too-my body just was not ready to shut down.

Anyways, every visit Dr. Korver would put a scope into my sinus cavities to see how things were looking and time after time things did not look any better…there was polyp growth, infection and scabbing…except for yesterday.  Dr. Korver usually has Charlie look into the scope to see how things look as well and he said for the first time things actually looked pretty good.  So, the good thing is that we believe we may have found a medication that seems to clear up the infections, but the problem is that they do not want to keep me on this medication as there are several side affects that could greatly affect me.  The other problem is that my body is obviously still reacting to something as I continue to fight all of these sinus infections when not on medication.  So we have decided that it would be best for me to re-visit the allergist (Dr. Tumpkin out of Sioux City) to be re-tested and see if there may be additional allergens my body is reacting to that I might not be receiving injections for. 

This past year has been quite the road for me medically, but yesterday’s news was very exciting.  I am hopeful that we will soon get to the very bottom of this and I will feel like a “new person”.  I look forward to not as many doctor visits or trips to the pharmacy in the near future (although I have gotten to know them all so well).  Yes, Charlie has to laugh at me when I go to the pharmacy too because about every pharmacist and pharmacy tech. there knows me by name.  Oh well ;)

Anyways I know there are several of you that ask often how I am doing and tell me that you are thinking of me and praying for me so I just thought I’d give you an update as to how things are going.  I hope you all have a great rest of the week!

~Jamie~      

GUESS WHAT???

We have some exciting news....

...drum roll please...

We Are GOING TO BE AN AUNT & UNCLE AGAIN....

Yep, that's right

"Thing 5"...will be arriving around the end of March!

Kansas & Danny shared their exciting news with our family when we got together this past Tuesday at Pumpkinland.  Yes, we have know since Tuesday and have had to keep our lips sealed for 4 whole days which is way too long when you're excited and just want to share the news with everyone lol ;)  Anyways, we are very excited and cannot wait for the arrival of our new little niece or nephew in March.  Congratulations Kansas, Danny, Coyer & Kedren!

So...now that I can finally share my news, I will share the rest of the pictures from our fun night out at Pumpkinland as a family:

The "Dordt Volleyball Fans" Team

Team "Post It"

The team that won "Best Dressed" AND the "Maze Race"

Team "Thing 1...2...3...4...5"

Our team...Mr. Plug In & Mrs. Outlet

Team Grandpa & Grandma Kiel

Yes they know how to have a good time & are very comfortable in their skin ;)

Check out Jeff's hair...he shaved his head just for the night-priceless

 Checking out the animals on the farm

 Kedren loved the little baby kittens

 Coyer having fun feeding the goats

 Finding feathers

 Picking out pumpkins

 Sisters...we know how to have a good time :)

 Feelin' the love

~OUR FAMILY~

Another Restless Night...

Man it's another one of those restless nights alone at home.  Charlie has been working an overnight rotation this week, and although you'd think I'd be used to it by now (which I am) I still dread these nights.  The nights get so long and quiet so I usually try to keep myself pretty busy.  I manage to get a lot accomplished when I'm the only one home (like tonight...I got the lawn mowed, cookies made, checkbook balanced, school work caught up, bills pd., supper made & brought to Char in Orange City, etc. etc.), but it's just not quite as enjoyable when you're all by yourself.  Charlie gets off work at 3:00 a.m. and I think as soon as he's off we're going to head up to Sioux Falls to catch a couple hours of sleep and then begin moving my sister Kansas and her family.  They currently live on the west side of Sioux Falls, and as of tomorrow they will be living on the west side.  So...not too far to travel, but it will all take time and after a couple years of being married and two children later am sure there will be plenty to pack up and move.  I read my sisters blog tonight about tucking her boys into bed in that home for the Last time as they will be moving tomorrow and it just kind of made me tear up.  Charlie and I too are hoping to move as soon as our house in town sells and I'm sure it too will be hard for us to leave behind a place where we have created so many memories and "firsts" but just like she said...we can still cherish those memories, and also look forward to creating new ones.  I'm glad we are able to help them move tomorrow and so happy that they have finally found a place they are happy with and excited about moving too.  It will be so nice for them to have a little bigger place to raise their family. 

Tonight I also got news from my parents that they are stuck in Denver, CO.  My younger sister Jasmyn is on Dordt College's Volleyball Team and the Varsity team flew out to play in a tournament in San Diego California this weekend...yes just a little jealous ;)  But anyways, so Jazz flew out with the team on Wednesday afternoon and made it ok to Cali and my parents flew out of Sioux Falls tonight around 5:00 p.m. and were to stop in Denver and then fly from Denver to Cali.  Well...I got a text at about 8:00 p.m. that there is a power outage (or something along those lines) in San Diego and so they are not sending flights over to Cali. at the moment-possibly a 1 hour delay at that point.  I just talked to my parents about half an hour ago now though (11:00 p.m. or so), and it sounds like they are going to be staying at my Aunt & Uncle-Barb & Galen's house in Denver for the night, as their flight was canceled for the night.  Hopefully they will be able to get a flight out first thing in the morning as the tournament starts tomorrow and their time in Cali. was pretty short the way it was (as they are flying back on Sunday).

So...it's been an eventful week and I think it will continue to be an eventful weekend as well.  But...I was just sitting at home trying to kill 3 more hours until my hubby gets home.  I just can't sleep when he's not home or I lay in bed wide awake just "thinking" of so many different things...so instead I figured I'd blog :)  Well you all have a great night and a great weekend!

~Jamie~

Life Light Weekend 2011

This past weekend Charlie and I had the opportunity to spend the weekend in the Sioux Falls/Worthing, SD area taking in the Life Light Music Festival.  We headed up to Sioux Falls and met up with Kasondra and Kelsie Friday night and enjoyed some Buffalo Wild Wings before heading out to the festival to take in some of the artists that were performing that evening.  It got a little chilly that night, but we bundled up and made the most of it.  Then on Saturday, we all slept in (over at Kansas & Danny's house) and headed out to the festival later that afternoon to take in the many other artists and speakers that were performing that day.  On Sunday my sisters and I, (True Emotion) performed on the Triple Shot Cafe Stage at 1:00 p.m.  It was great to see so many family members, friends, supporters and first time listeners come out to worship with us. Not only did we share of our ministry of music, but we also shared about our upcoming mission trip to Haiti and how we feel God's calling as a family to reach out to the Hatian community this coming January.  I look forward to Life Light weekend every year as it is a weekend to get away from work, school, and the busyness of life and take time to come together as a body of believers to worship and praise our Heavenly Father. The weekend was full of amazing artists and speakers who not only shared their personal testimony and faith journey, but also their passion through music and/or speaking. I am so thankful that I had the priveledge of growing up in a Christian home my whole life where I was learned about Jesus Christ daily and where I came to a point in my life in which I made the decision to accepted Him as my personal Lord and Savior. It is my prayer that the Lord will continue to work in the hearts and lives of those who may have been at the festival and heard about Jesus Christ for the very first time or were on edge with their faith.  I pray that they may continue to seek out individuals that can help them come to know Him more on a personal level. Even though the festival may be over, I am constantly reminded that our job as Christians to be "Disciples of Christ" is never over. We need to live each day out for Him. We need to show through our actions, our words, and our daily routines that Christ is living in us and because of Him we have a reason to believe. Jesus Christ, the true and living God died for our sins and was raised again so that we may have life eternally.
I just want to encourage you today to think of those you may have come into contact with in the past year. Are you 100% sure that they know your Heavenly Father. Have you taken the time to share Him with them?

Here are a few pictures I thought I'd share with you from our weekend away:

Taking in some of the artists at the Triple Shot Cafe Friday Night

Oh my rockin' the double chin...lol...let's try again...

Ok now we just have the chipmunk cheeks going on...no more pictures for me tonight ;)

Taking in some of the Main Stage Artists on Saturday

 Our performance at the Triple Shot Cafe on Sunday afternoon

Wild Water West

Tuesday Charlie & I enjoyed a wonderful day off with my side of the family.  Kasondra, Jeff, Charlie & I left Sioux Center at about 9:00 a.m. that morning, drove up to Sioux Falls and did some browsing at several car dealers (as we are looking for a pickup), made a stop at Scheel's for the guys to pick up some hunting items, and then met up at Wild Water West with Mom & Jamaica, Kansas, Danny, Coyer & Kedren.  The weather wasn't the greatest for a day at the water park since it was cloudy and a little breezy...but it didn't seem to phase us too much as we made the most of it.  We enjoyed taking several trips down the slides (yes including the steep scary ones), did the ropes course across the lilly pads, crocodile & logs, did a couple loops around the lazy river (while trying to avoid every possible fountain that could get us wet & cold), the guys went in the wave pool for awhile, while us girls laid out on the chairs for the 5 minutes out of the day that the sun was out, and then we hit the other side of the park to take in the bumper boats (which the guys really enjoyed soaking mom on), the batting cages, mini golf & go karts-my favorite!  Kelsie & Dad had to work until about 3 p.m. or so that day, but they made it up by about 4:00/4:30 and still got to enjoy a big chunk of the day with us.  At about 7:30 p.m., after a long day at the park, we were all starving so we headed to Kansas & Danny's house, and dad & mom treated us all with Pizza.  Kasondra, Jeff, Charlie & I stuck around for awhile after pizza just to hang out with Kansas & Danny after they laid the boys down for bed as we don't get to see them or hang out quite as often as we'd like being that they live in Sioux Falls before.  We had such a fun, relaxing, enjoyable day & made so many memories that I will never forget.  I love my family & the time that we get to spend together.  Life can get so busy sometimes as is has been this summer with concerts just about every weekend, ball games that the boys are in, and just several other things that everyone has going on in each of their own lives, so setting aside time (even if it has to be during the middle of the week) to get together was so worth it.

Take a look at the fun we had:

Charlie going down the steep slide

Myself giving the black hole (the other steep slide) a try

"after a little convincing"

Charlie tryin to knock Kansas off the logs

The boys all excited to race go karts

At the batting cages

What a kid at heart...he's so focused on the race

Bumper Boat time...

Jamaica with our niece Jorja who happened to be at the park

with her grandparents on the same day as us

Trying to teach Kedren how to bat

Pitching to the boys while the "big kids" play in the batting cages

Waiting in line to go on the go karts as a group

Do you see who is in the lead?  ;)