Have you ever been this tired?

Pictures courtesy of my Aunt Karin. :)

A Little Vacation to Oregon

We had a wonderful little vacation to Oregon this last Monday and Tuesday. On Monday morning we drove down to Portland and went to the Oregon Zoo. The weather was rainy and very cold but we had a wonderful time anyway. The weather seemed to make our little trip even more spontaneous because who goes to the zoo when it is cold and rainy! The Oregon Zoo is nestled in some wooded hills east of Portland. Needless to say there were not very many people there. The animals seemed pretty mellow and weren't really doing much. But I don't blame them. When it's rainy and cold one the nicest places to be is all cuddled up warm with your mate.




This is my favorite picture from this trip. Actually I have to say it is one of my most favorite pictures ever! Ruh made a little buddy! :)





Daisy made a little friend too! :)


This elephant was amazing! I have never seen an animal so big. You can't tell by the picture but he was massive!




Daisy on safari.



These little guys were adorable. You can't tell from the picture but these are little monkeys that are about the size of hamsters! I just wanted to squeeze them.

After the zoo we headed over to our hotel. We got settled in and Daisy and Ruh went for a swim in the heated indoor pool. I stayed in the room and enjoyed watching Fox News on cable. I love Fox News but since we only have basic cable at home we don't get Fox News. I got to watch Hannity and Colmes!

The next morning we had the continental breakfast they served in the dining room. I had one of those yummy Belgian waffles that you make yourself. I love those! I also had a fruit bowl. After breakfast Ruh took Daisy back to the pool for one more swim and I did some reading. After we checked out we went to the end of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Oregon City. When we got there we went into the gift shop which is where you buy the tickets. The lady there said the only way to see the Interpretive Center is to take the guided tour which wouldn't be for another hour. So we looked around the gift shop a little bit and decided we would go ahead and head over to the coast. Also I thought we would be able to see the Oregon Trail which you can at the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center in Baker City, Oregon but not at this Interpretive center. Before we headed over to the coast I did get a souvenir. I saw an adorable doll which looks like one perhaps a little girl on the Oregon Trail would have had. I fell in love with the doll immediately and my hubby bought her for me. She now has her special spot on my shelf at home. :)




When we reached Seaside the rain was coming down in torrents. At one point it even started hailing. It hailed for quite a while and we waited it out in the car. Once the hail stopped the sun came out. We walked around downtown Seaside and enjoyed the little shops. Ruh found a small video arcade which had a game he used to play all the time in middle school. So he spent some quarters and I went to a very cute country store which I spent quite a bit of time looking in.



On our way out of Seaside I saw a sign for a Pioneer Cemetery. I actually really like going to these cemeteries. I think it is good to read the gravestones and remember the pioneers who came before us. At this cemetery I could tell it was not kept up very well and most likely these graves were hardly ever visited. There were quite a few baby graves which really tugged on my heart strings because of my recent miscarriage. I took my time walking from grave to grave reading the names, when they were born and when they died. The graves in this cemetery were from the 1800's. Some of the gravestones could no longer be read because they were so worn. Many were lopsided and some completely fallen over. I wanted to pick them up and put them back where they should be.



Here is a little baby boy who died when he was only a year old. The back of the gravestone was very sweet.

On our way home we went through Astoria. Here is the opening of the Columbia River to the Pacific Ocean. The Astoria Bridge over to Washington is so long. It takes a good several minutes to get across!


We had such a wonderful time on this little vacation! My sweet hubby planned the whole thing in one day and I am so glad he did. I am so thankful I have a husband who will do these kinds of things and love spending time with his family! :)

"The earth is the Lord's, and everything
in it,
the world, and all who live in it;
for He founded it upon the seas
and established it upon the waters."
Psalm 24:1

Yay!

Tomorrow Ruh, Daisy and I are going to head down to Portland overnight. Ruh made reservations for us at a really nice hotel in the city. We are going to visit the End of the Oregon Trail Interpretive Center and the Portland Zoo. Ruh also made sure the hotel has an indoor pool and spa so he and Daisy can have fun swimming as well. And in the morning a continental breakfast will be served. So Wednesday I should have lots of pictures and some video to post of our little vacation!

SGT Gabriel Glenn DeRoo I

Painted by Ezra Suko for Hannah DeRoo.

Midwife Appointment Update

I had my follow-up appointment for my D&C yesterday. The midwife told us she talked to the doctor who did my D&C and they found that I did not have a molar pregnancy after all. She said it was just a normal first trimester miscarriage that they caught before I actually started to have the symptoms of a miscarriage. This is good news. Because it was not actually a molar pregnancy I do not have to worry about any of the health issues that go along with it. I will not have to get my blood taken every week! I will get it taken next week just to make sure my hormones are back to normal. The midwife said most likely by next week my hormones will be where they need to be. Also she said that because it was a normal miscarriage we can start trying again as soon as I have a normal cycle! Rue and I talked about it and we decided that even if I get all back to normal really soon we are going to wait until this summer to try again.

It is actually really comforting to know that I did actually get attached to a baby and not just a mass of tissue. The baby probably died VERY early on in the pregnancy. So now I know the baby went straight to heaven. This last summer we were learning about Heaven in Sunday School. We talked about whether or not a baby is actually still a baby in Heaven when it dies and then it grows up there or if when it dies it goes to Heaven and immediately is grown up and has its new body. We kind of thought that perhaps it is already grown up but of course we cannot be certain until we get there ourselves. Either way we know the baby is in Heaven. Thank you again to all of you who have been praying for us! God is good! :)

Pen Pulpit

“NO MORE THAN YOU CAN BEAR”

I Corinthians 10:13

August 19th , 2001

No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow your to be tempted beyond what your are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, that you may be able to endure it.

In 1 Corinthians 10:13 Paul assures us that God will not put more on us more than we are able to bear. Sometimes what we are called to bear is other’s pressures. They can be devastating, especially if they are pressures relating to our children. We worry and wonder what we can do. The more we think about it the more frustrated we become. Three of our children are in really crisis situations at this writing. How we hurt watching them hurt and how helpless we feel not being able to “fix it”.

God is so good to alleviate the pressure although He doesn’t take it away. He does, however, lighten the load considerably. I am also reminded that the purpose, as far as I am concerned, is a strengthening of my faith (James 1:3-4).

The first thing we should do is go to Him in prayer. There is something about prayer that is very consoling (I John 5:14-15). What a comfort it is to know that our Heavenly Father can “fix it”—far better than we—and He knows the very best way to work things out, so we leave our children in His hands.

So what pressures are you experiencing today? Do they seem more than you can bear? Just remember, “There is no testing that has taken you that is not common to man but – GOD IS FAITHFUL”.

God has not promised skies always blue,

Flower strewn pathways, all our lives through.

God has not promised sun without rain,

Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

But God HAS promised strength for the day,

Rest for the weary, light for the way,

Grace for the trial, help from above,

Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

So, beloved, look at your pressures straight on, and thank God that He has chosen your to undergo this trying time! God Bless.

Love to you all.

--Pastor Charles Covington 1933-2006

Good News

I got a call from the doctor today and the tissue from my pregnancy is not cancerous! That is a huge praise! I have an appointment with my midwife on the 12th. I am assuming that is when I will start getting blood taken every week to monitor my hormone levels. I will keep you all posted. :)

Here are some verses and quotes that have brought me comfort during this time.

"God has his comforts for His afflicted ones. His people are never so assured of His love as then, for there is love seen in their afflictions." Thomas Manton

"Let us come with boldness to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in the time of need." Hebrews 4:16

"My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." James 1:2

"trials. This Greek word connotes trouble, or something that breaks the pattern of peace, comfort, joy and happiness in someone's life. The verb form of this word means to 'to put someone or something to the test,' with the purpose of discovering that person's nature or that things quality. God brings such tests to prove - and increase - the strength and quality of one's faith and to demonstrate its validity. Every trial becomes a test of faith designed to strengthen..." John MacArthur

"Now if we are children, then we are heirs - heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in His glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us." Romans 8:17&18

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him." Romans 8:28

Sad News

I went in for my ultra-sound on Wednesday and they found I had a molar pregnancy. This is a pregnancy where once the egg is fertilized it multiplies into a mass of tissue instead of a baby. I was scheduled for a D&C the next day. The D&C went well and the doctor said everything looked very clean. They still have to do a biopsy on the tissue to make sure there is no cancer as this kind of pregnancy can cause cancer. They said they caught it very early, these kind of pregnancies can go for months, so I should not have any problems. I have to go in every week for 6-12 months to have blood taken to measure my hormone levels. With a molar pregnancy hormone levels can reach triple the amount they are suppose to in a normal pregnancy. The midwife said I will be able to get pregnant again. She has had four of these kind of pregnancies and all of the ladies went on to have normal pregnancies. But I do have to wait until my hormones come down to pre-pregnancy levels and my cycle is back to normal which will take several months. And as soon as we get the all clear from the midwife we are going to try again.

I am doing good. I know the Lord is in control and I trust Him completely. I, of course, was very sad the day of the ultra-sound as it was all so shocking. When I went to the hospital on Thursday to have the D&C I felt a little nervous because I had never had surgery before, but I felt very peaceful. I know there were a lot of family and friends praying for me. I am so thankful for how the Lord has brought me comfort in all of this and I want to give Him all the praise for how well I am doing. My sweet husband has been so wonderful and has the next few days off to be with me and help around the house since I am suppose to just rest and try not to do too much. Thanks to all of you who have been praying for me. God is so good and He is giving me joy in Him in the midst of this hard time.