Shower Door Complete!

Saturday, November 24, 2012

Hurray!!!  The shower door is back in place, sliding smoothly in it's tracks!  *clap clap*  We're done!  Everything's sealed in caulk... complete!  Thanks everyone for your support and encouragement!  =D

Lord God, I know it seems kind of silly, but thank you for helping us complete this shower door and tub cleaning project!  Everything's back in place.  And even though the bathroom looks smaller, it's great to shower in a larger tub area.  *wide grin*  I feel so spoiled, but so happy that everything's clean too!

Thank you, Father God, for a warm and sunny day!

In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Just the Right Cake

November 20, 2012

A month ago: 

Yikes!  I've got a Groupon deal for a cake from some fancy, award-winning bakery.  *drool*  The expiration date is just after Noel's birthday.  A little too close!

*dailing the bakery*  

Me:  Hello, my name is Kristy.  I want to order a cake for my husband.  I've got a Groupon that will expire soon.

Owner:  Sorry, there's no Groupon I know of for a cake... only cupcakes.

Me:  What?!?  The cupcake option sold out so I bought the cake option.

Owner:  Sorry, I don't know of any Groupons for cakes.

Me:  Ummmm...  I have the Groupon right in front of me!  It gives me your address, expires November 28, it's for a 9 inch cake.

Owner:  Okay, I still don't remember issuing any discounts for cakes, but I'll take your order and show me the voucher when you get here.

Me:  Sure... let's see... what do you have?

Option after option.... *dizzy*  I've never even _heard_ of some of these types of cakes.  Yikes!  After going in circles, I ask for a yummy, unique, fruit cake with no alcohol (since I'm allergic to something in alcohol and want to eat some cake too!).

Father God... I can't even _remember_ what type of cake I ordered!  It's something unique and different all right... better be worth the fancy retail cost (even though I didn't have to pay that much).  Father, I don't know if Noel will even _like_ the cake... so I ask, Father, that whatever cake he gets for his birthday, he'll really really enjoy!

In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Today:

I arrive right at the stated time: 4:30pm.  Is this even a bakery?  All I see is a storefront with dusty wedding cakes, articles and awards stating how great this place is... and a little sign that says "by appointment only."  But where's the kitchen?

I see a lady wearing light pink.  "Hi, my name is Kristy.  I've come to pick up the cake I ordered through Groupon."  The lady smiles politely, then opens this nondescript door to find my cake.  Oh wow!  That's a very clean and fancy baking area in the back with multiple people busy hard at work and a wall filled with super large freezers.  Soon, the sweet scents of sugar and yumminess float in the air towards me.  *drool* 

I wait a minute, two, three, five... I hear someone yelling:"I can't find the cake!"  Ummmmm, what?  The first lady in pink pulls out my order slip, turns out I ordered a blackberry and lemon cake.  Why in the world would I ever order that kind of cake for Noel?  I really must not have been thinking!  Noel loves strawberries! *sigh*  Well, if they can't find the cake, I really don't want to make another trip.

Another lady wearing white steps out through the door with sweet scents carrying a white cake.  That doesn't look anything like a blackberry lemon cake, but what do I know about cakes?  Holding the cake out towards me, she says, "I can't find your cake, but here's another one we can offer you.  It's strawberry shortcake."

Oh Thank you, Father God, for redeeming my mistake in ordering a cake I doubt Noel will like and replacing it with a cake I know he will love! 

Lord, as soon as Noel stepped into the house, he asked me what kind of cake I got him... "strawberry shortcake?"  This was his first thought.  In all honestly, I looked him straight in the eyes and said, "Nope, I didn't order strawberry shortcake."  *smirk*  Thank you, Lord, that Noel, who is so very good at guessing surprises...  and I... who suck at diverting his attention while not lying, was able to keep this one gift a secret surprise.

Thank you, Lord God, for rectifying my mistake and maintain the surprise for my husband tomorrow.  Lord, I ask that you bless Noel with many new memories as we fill the next couple days with family, friends, a movie outting, sushi, go-karting, and more.

In Jesus' name I pray, amen!

Blog post to come...

November 20, 2012

I want to post the blog I've written, but then Noel will know what cake he has for his birthday... hard enough for any kind of surprise... so I'm not posting the blog about his cake until Thursday or Friday.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!!!  There's a ton of things to be thankful for... I'm soooooo happy!  =D

Love,
Kristy

Dirty Work

Monday, November 12, 2012

A couple days ago, I got this bright idea to clean and re-seal the main bathtub's shower doors.  Well, our home is over 25 years old and the sealant in the tub has probably never been replaced.  Edged in black mold, two areas under the shower door appear to leak rust-colored water after showers. *shudder*  Not clean!!!

Knowing myself, I'm way too lazy to undertake a project by myself.  Currently, the weather is cold and the sky is overcast, my tendency is to hibernate. *Sheepish grin*   To encourage myself (and to make sure I don't back out on this shower door project), I ask my friend, Annie, for help.  She so nicely agrees to spend Veteran's Day (Monday, November 12) doing a very.... Ummmmmmmm...... inglorious project. Does she know what she's getting herself into?  Do I know what I'm getting myself into?

Come Monday afternoon... It's COLD!  Heheheeeeee.... I know's it's afternoon already, but the air feels crisp with a bright cold snap.  The sun shines bright, so I crawl into a small patch of sunlight; unfortunately, the sun is not enough to warm my skin.  Brrrrrrrr.... So cold!  Annie's coming soon.  It is so NOT fair if she has to get out of bed, drive over to my home to help only to find me huddled in bed.  No good!  Okay, Kristy, out of bed and get ready to face the day.  *sigh*

After a warm lunch, Annie and I prepare to start. Screwdrivers, two, check.  Razorblades, check.  Caulk, check.  Metal pokey thing for fine-point scraping, check.  Gloves, check.  Mask, check.  Ready?  Maybe and maybe not.  *shrug*  I'll never know until I start.... and then, it's too late.  *grimace*

Taking the shower doors off required lifting the whole top frame assembly with the doors hanging on it... then sliding the door sideways out of the frame.  Bottom of the doors are black and slimy from unmentionable gunk mixed with mold.  Unscrewing the side frames and bottom bracket... easy.  It's the next part I shudder to think too much about.  Hidden behind the gold-colored metal is white caulk edged in black mold.  Ewwwww!

Annie and I drag the shower door pieces outside.  Sitting in the cold sun, scrubbing and chiseling at mold coated rubber, spraying chill water, Annie and I work diligently to finish, clean and dry each piece of the shower door.  Leaving the separate components outside to completely air dry, we trudge back inside.  Heads bending low, we use flat-head screwdrivers and razors to scrape away the old sealant.  Ick... more gunk.

About 5 hours from start to almost-finish... we have sealed the bathtub edge, placed the shower door frame back in place and resealed everything in sight!

Lord Father in heaven, thank you for such a great friend... one who tirelessly worked beside me and encouraged me to properly complete this project.  Thank you, Father, for just enough caulk to reseal everything!  Lord, the shower door's still sitting on the side because we hit a glitch.  The bottom frame of the shower door doesn't quite touch the tub's edge so I squeezed more caulk there.  Now, it's Wednesday, the abnormally thick layer of caulk isn't curing well in this cold weather.  Thank you, Lord God, that we have another shower in this household to use.  *wide grin*

Lord, can you please seal the bathtub and door with it's frame properly for me?  I jump into these projects knowing the theory behind what to do, but rarely do things go perfectly smoothly... so Lord, I ask that you minimize my mistakes and give me wisdom in what to do.  Should I scrape out the thick sealant, add a rubber filler and then reseal?  Or should I just wait a couple more days in hopes that the caulk will be able to seal itself?  *deep sigh*  Lord, I ask for your wisdom and your blessings on this "simple" shower door project.  I place my worries and my cares into your capable hands... and I NEVER want to have to redo this bathtub again in the next 10 years!  Please?  =O

In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

Pumpkin Carving

Sunday, Oct 28, 2012

Today is the big day! 

Noel, Melissa and I have been constantly praying for God to bless this pumpkin carving event: weather, location, people coming, our attitudes, enough food and drinks... that everyone who comes will have fun, meet new people, expand our neighborhood community... and my personal worry, that God will provide enough pumpkins!

Lord Father, my head's a jumbled mess.  I'm super excited today... for what you will do, who you will bring, the people I will get to meet or even just the opportunity to deepen friendships!  Part of me is worried about how many pumpkins we have.  Other parts of me are concerned about having the right set-up, enough tables and chairs so that everyone coming can feel comfortable, welcome, and relax.  Lord God, I have no idea how this whirlwind event will turn out, but you definitely made this day possible!  The sun's out, the air is warm, a cool breeze floats through the trees.  Outside, quiet and peace prevail.  In my nervousness, my thoughts are jumping around... Do I have enough utensils?  How about food?  Drinks?  Ahhhhh... part of me knows everything will turn out great!  But another part of me worries that I'm missing something.  I dread the start of the event, but I'm also sooooo looking forward to the fun!  Basically, I feel that I'm pulled in two directions, one knowing that you, Lord Father, will provide... and another part worrying about if I've fully prepared my part.

So Lord, I ask that you give me peace, joy, a fun-loving attitude, a heart to serve, wisdom to take care of whatever unplanned circumstances happen... Lord, I give this day and this event into your hands.  My initial intention is always to serve you first... and I know that when I serve you, Father, you provide and guide everything else... so Lord, help me to let go and be who you've called me to be today... to be who you've made me to be as I serve you and not myself.

In Jesus' name I pray, amen.



Set-up... a little rough.  I should've planned the even layout.
Food, drinks, utensils, tables and chairs... no problems!  God provided everything we needed and more!
Pumpkins... totally had extra left... so much that I returned a bunch.

Weather... beautiful sunlight, breeze, cool shade.
People... got to know my friends and neighbors better... super fun time hanging out.  I especially loved dunking my arms up to the elbow in soapy water to create bubbles!


Lord Father, looking back... all my worries and fear... useless!  I feel so silly wondering about the logistics of the event, how the event will play out, wondering who will come.  The heavy weight of my fears now feel insignificant as you have taken care of all potential issues.  Father God, thank you for the blessings of a super fun day, a time to serve and be served by others, a day to share in laughter and memories, and even new friends who stayed a LONG time to help clean-up.

In Jesus' name a thank you, God, amen.

Doctor Appointment

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

Father God, I'm going to see my oncologist today.  I know that the usual timeline for check-ups is every 3 months for the first year and then every 6 months for the next couple of years.  These follow ups always include tests... for me, more CT scans with contrast and blood draws.  *deep sigh*  However, Lord, I really don't want doctor appointments that often.  Can I get like a check-up every 6-8 months?  I feel lots better now and really... it feels like a waste of time to see a doctor when I'm not on any medicines, have no new problems that would require medical attention, and if my test results are all normal/clear... there's really nothing that needs to be done right? 

Please???

In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

I know I've prayed many times that God will lead my doctors and guide them in the decisions that are made.  This means that I will do my best NOT to argue my personal wants and preference. Well... at least going in to my oncology appointment, I try to remind myself not to argue.  *sheepish grin*  Who knows?  Once I'm in the room with my doctor... *shrug*  God... you know me best, so I'll give this appointment into your hands.

In the room, I nervously shift in my seat and slide my feet around under the chair... waiting.  First, a nurse practitioner introduces herself, asks me a TON of questions, collects my printed test results and completes a very thorough physical exam of my nervous system (probably since I mentioned my continued neuropathy in my fingers and toes). 

Afterwards... in comes my oncologist.  At first, she lists off a bunch more tests she wants done, then states that she wants me to get my normal round of test every 3 months until I hit a year mark post-chem. 

"Do I have to???"  I plead a little bit before remembering that I'd leave the final decision up to my doctor.  *grimace* Tossing up a quick prayer for God to guide this appointment, I shut my mouth and listen to the doctor's concerns. 

"Okay, I'll make a deal with you" she says.  "Get these tests done, and if they're clear, then you can get the CT scan with contrast for your abdomen and chest done with the blood tests in 6 months.  If those tests are also clear at that point in time, I'll see you in a year."

*blink blink*  Did I hear that right?  I get a potential whole YEAR away from the doctor's office and minimized testing.  *drool*  Hurray God!!!  I still don't know what happened!  One second the doctor is adamantly insisting on having my body checked up every 3 months... then total switch around!  Praise God.  YAY!!!  I year away from the doctor's office is even better than I ever could have hoped!  *so excited*

Father in heaven, thank you so very very much for the extended periods away from tests and doctor offices.  *wide grin*  I can't wait!  Thank you for answering my prayers and closing my mouth when I wanted to argue.  *happy*  Thank you Father God for making clear that the impossible is totally possible!

In Jesus' name I praise my Father God, amen.

Here's what we bought today for this Sunday's pumpkin carving event... 34 PUMPKINS!!!

6-Month Challenge

Thursday, October 18, 2012

"I'm ready to take the challenge."

What?  Huh?

"Remember when you talked about the challenges you took to not buy clothes for a year.   And that other time when you donated clothes?  Well, ever since our conversation, I feel that God wants me to have faith in him.  A year's a really long time... but I'm willing to depend on God and not buy clothing for myself for 6 months."

Ahhhhh... yup!  When we were hanging out, I remember saying that if my friend was willing to take the step and trust God to provide clothing... that I'd take the challenge with her... whatever she felt God calling her towards.  *wide grin*

Part of me is like... okay, this is easy!  I've done this before where I didn't buy any clothing, accessories and shoes for 12 months.  Back then, I trusted in God to keep my clothes from tearing, provide me with the types of clothes I'd need in different situations and weather... as well as if I really needed anything, God would provide the item without me buying it for myself.  That last time, I found so much freedom and a significant decrease in stress in not having to provide for myself... it was amazing!  (Also saved a ton of money too!)  =D

This time... not so easy.  *sheepish grin*  I told Noel that I wouldn't ride on the back of his motorcycle unless I have an armored jacket to protect me.  I already bought a helmet and wanted to honor Noel's sense of safety by buying a jacket... just in case.  However, I didn't buy the jacket yet!  *eyes wide open*  Noooooooooooo!!!  This means that I can't ride on Noel's motorcycle for 6 months?!?!!?!!!  *deep sigh*  I really really _want_ to ride on Noel's motorcycle... in fact, the more I think about it, the more I want my own.  *smirk*

In an attempt to get around this 6 month no shopping challenge, I told my friend that we'll start the next day and I'll spend today (Sunday, October 14) to buy the motorcycle jacket.  Thinking I'm so smart... I tell God, "Father, if it's your will for me to get a jacket now, please provide one with all the requirements I like for under $100."

I search and search until midnight... no jacket that fits my prayer request.  *sniffle*  Does that mean I can't ride on Noel's motorcycle until April 16, 2013 when I can next buy a jacket?!?!?!!!  Dang... but that's a LONG time.  *smirk*  Sometimes, I think something is easy just because I've done it before... Nope, second time around is just as difficult!  Having to trust in God to know best and keep my promise is HARD when I really really WANT something NOW!  *tsk tsk*

Father God, I give you my pride, my impatience, my stubbornness!  Please give me the patience to wait on your timing and your provision for the motorcycle jacket...one that fits my shape well.  Lord, please provide a jacket that I can feel comfortable wearing and moving in, a jacket that is leather to protect me from a bad fall (if it happens), a jacket I can wear if I ever get my own motorcycle, and lastly... one that Noel approves of as "safe." 

Lord Father, I believe that when the time is right, you will provide me the perfect motorcycle jacket.  All the jackets that fit my parameters are expensive!... So Father God, I'll trust that in time, I'll be able to ride on the back of Noel's bike.  *wide grin*  But until then, Lord, I give you the stewardship of my money, my time, my clothes, my life.  It's easy to "give up" stuff that I don't want or care about... but when I really want something, it's hard to let go... so Father, I ask that you continue to speak to me your truth, your love, your faithfulness.  Father of all creation, may this challenge bring you glory and honor as my friend and I learn to be better stewards of what you've given us.

In Jesus' name I pray, amen.