THE LATEST...nose vacuuming, laryngitis and other fun stuff

Today is my 7 week anniversary for illness. Yeah! Yippee! Happy Anniversary to me...

After 5 antibiotics I am still fighting this infection. There have been many blessings in this journey, one of the main ones being my ENT (translation: the sick singer's best friend!) Dr. Chenault has been incredible. He is one of those doctors that wants you to be well as much as you want to be well. My checkup was Friday, and after looking in my nose he paused and stared at the floor, looking visibly disappointed, and said I was still sick with a nasty infection on my right side. Precious! I just wanted to hug him for taking this so seriously. Anyway, he extended my antibiotic (Leviquin, ugh, my tummy's enemy!) and said I am to return in 2 weeks. If I am still sick, he will do a culture, CAT scan and possibly a "procedure" afterwards (during which I will be asleep!).

Did I mention he vacuumed my nose? Not something I desire to experience ever again.
We are praying for complete healing in the next week, so as to avoid any "procedure," scan or anything else.

To add to the situation, this morning I woke up with no voice. And I mean NO voice. It turns out that having no voice as a singer can be a bit frustrating. (haha!) My kick-off for adult choir is tonight, and children's choir is next week...our new contemporary service (in which I am singing, Adam is leading) starts this Sunday. Not a good time to have no voice!

Would you please pray for complete healing? For my voice to return and my nose to clear?

I am well-aware that in the world of sickness this is no biggie...I have thanked God many times that my ailment is not serious. But it is lagging, and I am ready to return to normal life. :)
Thanks!

Happy Birthday, Lyric!

Today is our little baby's 6 month birthday.  I can't believe we have had her for 4 months!  Lyric Melody has been so much fun.  We have become one of those couples that we used to make fun of; you know, the couples with no kids that treat their puppy like a child.  She is our pride and joy!  And we are unashamed.  :)  I always got a kick of out of seeing Ginger--the dog I grew up with--open gifts, so we decided to wrap a few new toys for Lyric and let her go to town.      Note: This was also our first mattress weekend since Lyric joined our little family, so that is why there is a mattress in our living room.  She has adjusted well to the large bed and loves mattress weekends as much as we do!

Opening her first gift...

A new toy to fetch and squeak!

And a new frisbee!  Her first one, sniff sniff.  :)  Lyric loves to put her toys together and play with more than one at a time.  It cracks us up.

She's a fan of the frisbee!  Can't quite catch it in the air yet, but we will get there eventually!

Our gift to ourselves was this new storage bin for Lyric's food.  Airtight=no smell in the pantry!  And the best part?  (see next pic)

The food scooper stores inside the lid!  Adam was so wowed by this we decided to we had to have it.  We both love new storage things...

After playing with her new frisbee outside it was time for her 

birthday bath and a nice nap in daddy's arms...

We love you, Lyric!  Thanks for bringing so much joy and life into our home.  You are precious!

Today Is the Day

(Clint played matchmaker with Adam and I 7 years ago...

the three of us were in a band together.

This pic was taken during our visit with him 2 weeks ago.)

that our precious friend Clint will ship off to Iraq for the next 7 months.  I just confirmed that he is indeed leaving today, and wanted to ask my blog friends and family to pray for him 

Will you pray for 2nd Lieutenant Clint Eubanks? Would you also lift up his parents, B.J. and Phil, and his brother, Travis?

Clint is in the Marines and will be patrolling the streets--pretty much the most dangerous job over there right now. Please pray for his protection, for peace and joy, and also that he would continue to impact his 40 marines for Christ. Clint's desire is that these young men (many 19 or 20 years old) would see that his life is different and would want to know the God--the one true God--that Clint knows. That's Clint for ya.

Please pray.

Lyric kissing Uncle Clint

Yeah for Jeff and Sara!

This Thursday morning our family will grow from five to six!  My big brother Jeff is getting married to a wonderful girl he met while studying at Berkeley in California.  I am so thrilled for both of them; Sara is just amazing, and we had a great time getting to know her during our trip to California in May.  Jeff proposed one week after we got home from our trip, and just 8 weeks later they are getting married!  Sara, we are so excited to have you join our crazy but loving family, and Jeff, you sure know how to pick 'em.  :)  Can't wait to see you both tomorrow!

On the health front, I am still sick, but I got my third antibiotic today, hoping it is my last!  My chest infection has turned into a sinus infection.  I am loathing the plane ride tomorrow...clogged ears don't feel too great during the landing.  My sudafed, gum and cough drops are ready!  Thanks for the prayers, they mean so much.  I hope to blog after the wedding as a well, drug-less woman.  :)  I have so many posts from the last few weeks to catch up on once we are back!

Vocal Rest...

...is stinkin' hard!  It is times like these when I realize how much I want to talk and fill up silence with my talking, even with just Adam and I alone at home!  I talk to Lyric, I talk to him about Lyric, I talk about work, how I feel, what I want to do, what I wish I could do but can't since I'm sick...I have way too much to say.  Interesting that I am realizing this because I am left with these thoughts and can't say them...is God trying to teach me something here? :)  (honey, don't answer that)

Why vocal rest?  I am supposed to sing this Sunday in church, and next Wednesday Adam and I leave for pre-teen camp to lead worship for 4 days.  This is one of my favorite things we do all summer--lead worship together.  I love it!  I love the connections we make with the kids, the band that we get to play with, the practices and services; all we do is sing or get ready to sing, and I get to do it all with my favorite person in the world.  There is something amazing about leading worship next to my husband...we fell in love singing in a band together, so it always brings back those memories, but it is truly amazing worshipping our God together.

Well, that ain't gonna happen with this coughing.  I still can't talk without coughing.  I actually feel better otherwise, except at night when I get a nasty headache, I'm assuming from all the coughing I have done all day.  So, Adam  ordered me to stop talking completely to see if that helps with both the coughing and my voice in general.  I figure after nursing me back to health for the last 2 weeks he has earned the right to tell me what to do...you know, besides that whole submission thing.  :)  Anyways, vocal rest...not a bad idea, although now that I am left to my thoughts that I can't say and hearing how much I talk in my head, I can't help but wonder if his "order" is little bit selfish.  Ha!  He is, however, having to put up with my miming and I'm sure, eventual note writing.  

So if you have called me this week (and thank you to my precious friends who have called or commented to check on me!  You have encouraged me so much!) unfortunately you won't be hearing back from me for a few days.  But maybe, for you, that is a good thing.  :)

Side note:  For any concerned family members, I did go to the doc and am on some strong meds, so those should eventually help too!  My cough syrup helps me sleep like a baby.  Love it!

Sick of Being Sick

Ugh. The last week has been so annoying...it all started with a nasty stomach virus last Tuesday. I got sick in the car on the way home from the groomer (poor Adam, he was driving and had to witness the whole event!) at 7:00 a.m. Tuesday morning. Two fenegran later I am still throwing up, so we were off to the doc to get a shot that afternoon. Thank the Lord for that shot! The "sickness" subsided and I was on my way to recovery.

Fast forward a few days...I am feeling better, eating normal foods, almost feel like going to the gym...and wake up Sunday with a cough. Huh. Must be allergies, I think. But the cough doesn't go away. It grows from a dry, light cough to a gutteral, shake my chest every time I cough-cough. So I guess I am back to the doc again, this time, the allergist will be my doc of choice.

Sorry for the complaining, but I am sick of being sick! It's hard to get on the ball with a new job when I am not in the office! Not much else to report in our household this week, other than Lyric's interesting results from the groomer. I'll have to post on that later. :)

Happy Anniversary!

Our Anniversary dinner on Sunday

6 years, honey. The best 6 years of my life. I look at you and am reminded of God's goodness...you are so precious to me. And you're stinkin' hot, too! Thanks for taking me to dinner Sunday on our anniversary, and for always knowing how to comfort my heart. That's just like you--to take me out after a long work day even though you are exhausted.

The last two years have not been exactly what we pictured or even prayed for, but still, they have been perfectly ordained by our sovereign God...the God we serve, we love, we worship...you live your life in complete surrender to Him, and I am challenged to do the same, even when we suffer from things that are out of our control.  I am so thankful we can go through the rough times together, on the same team.  You make the trials--this trial--bearable, even beautiful, and the victories all the more wonderful. To live is Christ, to die is gain. I love you, and I can't wait to see what God is going to do in our life together!

Happy Father's Day...I'll Always Be Your Baby :)

Today I did something I have never done before and will probably never have the chance to do again; I sang a song to my dad on Father's Day in church.  During the song (I'll Always Be Your Baby, by Natalie Grant) a slideshow played with pictures of us together for the last 27 years, including baby pics and wedding pics.  I was so excited to sing this song for my dad; I had never heard it before, and it really expressed so much of what he means to me.  He did so great on stage...if you know my dad, then you know he is NOT one who loves to be "center stage."  But he went up there this morning--completely calm--in front of a few thousand people!  It was so special to thank him and all of the dads in our church for being a godly influence in our lives.

Dad, I will forever cherish this morning... as I held your hand during the song, I was reminded of God's goodness and grace in giving me such a sweet daddy.  I am humbled to be your daughter, and I love you.

Whew!  After the service, knowing we had made it through the song without me completely breaking down into a blubbering mess!  Thank you, Lord!

My beautiful Mom, she's pretty cool too!

After church we went to our house for lunch and pie.  It has become a tradition that every year for Father's Day I make my dad his favorite, Lemon Meringue.  Last year I was so excited that the filling wasn't runny; this year I am pumped about the meringue!  I have never made a meringue this high before--I used a "stabilizer" recipe for meringue from my Joy of Cooking cookbook (the best cookbook ever, in my opinion) and it worked!  Woo-hoo! (Yeah, That's right, about 2 1/2 inches tall in the middle)
Words to the song from this morning:

(Tip: if you are not yet married, this would be a great song for a daddy/daughter dance!)

Always Be Your Baby

You were my first love, always there for me

you taught me how to walk and how to dream

God gave me your eyes, but it was you who showed me how to see

Now I can stand on my own, but I know you'll never let go

Chorus

I'll always be your baby

no matter how the years fly by

the way you loved me made me who I am in this world

I'm a woman now, not a little girl

Wherever this life takes me

I'll always be your baby

You are my hero, and that will never change

you still can dry my tears with just your smile

The one I've leaned on, from my first steps to walking down the aisle

Now there's another man in my life

but I know by the look in your eyes...(chorus)

Your faith, your love, and all that you believe

have come to be the strongest part of me,

and I will always be....(chorus)

--Natalie Grant

San Francisco/Monterey

We were blessed to have more time with my brother as we toured San Francisco.  We walked around Pier 39, grabbed some great clam chowder, stared at Alcatraz and laughed at the seals (which were a bit stinky).

After lunch we made our way to the Ghirardelli Chocolate Factory and indulged in a giant sundae...Adam wanted caramel, and I wanted a banana split, so we settled on hot fudge.  :)

My sweet-aholic...less than 5 minutes after our gigantic sundae, my sweetie had to have a cupcake from Kara's Cupcakes, a bakery specializing in cupcakes made from organic ingredients.  Can we say kid in a candy store?

We spent a little bit of time walking around the stores downtown...I had to get a pic of the three-story Williams Sonoma!  Amanda, my dear cook-of-a-friend, this one is for you!  How I wished you were there to look around with me...I only stayed a minute or two because the boys weren't nearly as interested.  I could hear beautiful voices singing as I walked into this wonderland!  Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah!  (Hallelujah chorus, Handel's Messiah, written 1741, am I making you music history buff's proud?!?!)

Our last day we drove around Monterey.  We started with a trip to the aquarium, which was incredible.  My brother used to read about this aquarium as a child, and now he has a student pass that allows him to visit whenever he wants.  We had a blast looking at the huge fish.

Then it was off to drive on Highway 1 and see the beach!  Did I mention Adam was sick?  The last day of our trip he woke up with a sore throat...by that night he had a fever and chills.  Poor baby.  He was such a trooper, standing on the cold beach with me!  You are the best! 

Last week we had a wonderful visit with our nephews and Adam's side of the family--I will post about that soon.  Right now we are in Chicago for a music conference at Willowcreek.  We are having a good time, but I am ready to get back to my little four-legged snuggle-muffin!  I miss her so and am ready to not leave her again for a long time!

The Valley

After spending a few days with my brother, we drove into Napa/Sonoma for a romantic retreat.  I was amazed at the beauty of the hills and vineyards!  It seemed every acre was covered with either flowers or vines.

We spent our first afternoon touring and ate lunch outside at Etoile restaurant. The food was incredible and we loved sitting outside in the cool, DRY weather.  

The next day we drove to St. Helena, where we saw this statue on one of the estates.  Adam said this guy was clearly wearing fruit-of-the-loom...I had to take a picture. :)

We drove around in this green Bug all week long.  It was so much fun!  I kept trying to figure out why the light green exterior and black interior seemed so familiar, and then I realized they are the colors of my guest bathroom.  Ha!  We called the car Granny, Smitty, or Granny Smith, depending on the mood of the moment...Adam and Smitty got along quite well.  :)

While in St. Helena we dined at the restaurant connected to the Culinary Institute of America (CIA).  The food was delicious, and it was fun watching the chefs cook as we ate.

I had a plate of "small bites," and the cauliflower soup in this little cup was one of the best things I have ever tasted.  When something is really good, and I mean REALLY good, I tend to stop and praise the Lord for it.  This was definitely one of those times 

where some praise was necessary...

Our final day we stayed at a bed and breakfast in Healdsburg.  The breakfast was made with herbs and fruits from their own garden!  I was really excited about the popovers they served--my grandma from Canada has made popovers before and I had to take this pic for her.

We also drove to Muir Woods and hiked around a bit...the trees were HUGE!  I was taken aback by the beauty of the trees and loved the way they grow in "families," with different trunks using the same root system.

This is a tree stump that fell in the woods years ago...it dates back to 900 A.D!

I have one more post about our trip to San Francisco.  As far as the fitness challenge goes, we made it!  With all the walking in Berkeley, San Francisco and Muir Woods, we finished the challenge with 55 miles.  Woo-hoo!

Loving California!

Yesterday afternoon we left for California!  It has been a long time since we have had a vacation, and we decided to combine a visit to see my brother (who is finishing his PhD. at Berkeley) with a little vacay of our own.  We have tried to visit my brother since he moved to Berkeley 2 years ago, so it was thrilling to earn 2 free tickets and finally find the time to travel. My mom and dad kindly dropped us off at the airport and are taking care of our four-legged little one while we are gone.  

We hit the ground running (well, rolling on the plane :) and started sight-seeing immediately.  It was 5:30 California time, 7:30 our normal time.  The first thing we did was drove down the crooked street in San Francisco.  I loved looking at all the pretty houses-SO different from ours in Texas!-and also enjoyed the huge incline we drove on to get to the top of the road.  I am still amazed at the drivers who have to park their cars on this ramp of a street!

The crooked Lombard street, view going down

Then we headed to dinner.  Jeff has a favorite restaurant that overlooks the ocean.  On the way to eat, we got a glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge at sunset...

Dinner at the Cliff House by the ocean...

This morning we had brunch at a delicious little restaurant, Sunny Side Cafe.  I had the most amazing french toast with peanut butter cream cheese and grilled bananas on top, yum!  I would eat here every weekend if I could!  Delish!

This afternoon we walked around campus and visited the Sather Tower.  The view from the top was amazing, and we even got to hear part of a bell concert as we toured.  

View from the tower

Huge bells in the tower

We also got to tour Jeff's research lab and see some incredible microscopes.  This one is worth somewhere between 3-4 million dollars!  That just blows my mind!  I can hardly believe he gets to work with such amazing equipment--it is right up his alley.  Jeff will finish his PhD this year and then return to Rice/Baylor in Houston to finish his M.D.  He has worked so hard; I am so proud of him.  It has been such a treat to spend time with him and his precious girlfriend Sara.  We are so excited to see them again at the end of this week!

No doubt one of my favorite things all day was our visit to the Rose Garden.  I have never seen so many roses so beautifully displayed.  It was incredible!  We walked around and stopped to smell as many roses as we could...the fragrance was lovely.

Berkeley Rose Garden

A few of the beauties

Jeff and Sara

Clowning around

Tomorrow we leave for the valley to spend a few days in Napa and Sonoma.  I can't wait to see that part of the country!  Wednesday we are going to Muir Woods to see the ginormous trees and hike a bit.

Did I mention the weather here is incredible?  We left 90 degree temperatures and arrived to 60.  The day warms up a bit, and the nights are chilly.  We love cold weather and are savoring every bit.

  

As for the fitness challenge, we walked 5 miles today around Berkeley, so I think we are going to make it.  44 miles down, 6 to go!