Prayer request

One of the guys from our church, Greg Moser, who is the founder and leader of Rock Solid Youth Center in Winona, was injured on Monday in a terrible accident.
He ended up losing all the toes on one foot and there is some other damage as well.
I haven't heard an update for a few days, but can only presume he is recovering okay in spite of all the trauma.
Please keep him and his family in your prayers.

No headache today

Well, today was the first day in over a week I didn't awaken with a headache!
YEAH!!!!!!
I went to the chiropractor yesteray, so I think she may have had something to do with it. She adjusted a few things she normally doesn't, so I am thinking those things that were off were the cause or at the very least, a contributor.
I am just thankful I get a day without it, I hope the trend continues!
Thanks for your prayers!

Favorite Foto Friday 06/20/08

This week, I am going to highlight my cousin Melannie and her new husband Angus. They got married last September and the picture is from that day.

The recently found out they were expecting a baby, I think s/he will make their appearance in later January or early February. Am so excited for them!

Happy Friday everyone!

Update on Grama Connie

Well, my Grama Connie is nearly completed with week two of six of her radiation treatments. She seems to be doing fairly well, although initially she had some issues with the mask and feeling clausterphobic, the techs have been really awesome and patient in helping her deal with this. She has been mostly taking it easy, she naps whenever she feels the need and my cousin and stepmom have been helping out alot with various household tasks. She did overdo one day and realized that she has to take it easy and is trying hard to pace herself. Its hard for a person who is used to doing everything herself and her way to just let things go, I have been there, so I can sympathize!
Anyway, please keep her in your prayers. We have just over four weeks to complete and hopefully that will shrink that tumor to nothing and we can get on with life without a health issue for a change.

Update on Migraines

Well, I went for the shot on Monday and it did the trick. It worked almost immediately. I was warned it might make me nauseated, dizzy or tired, but I felt completely normal, so I went about the things I had to do.
After I got off work, I went home to get my car and drive to the PAL office to work on the books. Around 7, I left and still had a little time to kill before the meeting, so I went to the grocery store to grab a few things before heading to the PAL meeting. The PAL meeting was over within an hour and I ate dinner while I was there. After the meeting, I ran to Big Lots, needed some cleaning supplies. While wandering around the store, I began to feel dizzy. I was doing the utoh thing! Apparently the side effects took a little while for me, so I decided I better head home before it got out of hand. Fortunately, I was only about a mile away from home, so it wasn't too far, but by the time I got home, got out of the car and into the house, I was feeling even more dizzy. Even sitting on my couch, I was dizzy! So I decided I best take my vitamins and medicine and head to bed.
I woke up the next morning around 4am. I had a headache again. I nearly cried! I was so tired of waking up with a headache and I really thought the shot would do the trick. I took some Tylenol as the narcotic they gave me was supposed to make me tired and I didn't want to worry about that with work. Fortunately, the Tylenol did the trick and I made it through Tuesday ok.
When I woke up this morning, I again, had a headache. Tylenol worked once again.
I am not sure what is going on in this crazy head of mine. I know part of the reason can be the fibromyalgia, but it just seems odd that all the sudden its happening like this. I had three MRIs and one CAT scan this year already, so am pretty sure I don't have any tumors, but am beginning to wonder what is up.
Please continue to pray for me. Migraines are no fun no matter what, but this every day for a week business is so getting old.
Hopefully the Pain Rehab Clinic will give me some solutions. Unfortunately, I have a month before I go.
Thanks for your faithfulness.

Happy Birthday to...........

Rebekah Ann!!
I can't believe how the time has flown. Seems like just yesterday I was changing your diapers!
You have grown into a beautiful, mature young woman.
Love ya kiddo!

Pray for me

I have had a migraine going on five days now. My regular medicine that I take for it only works for an hour or two. I called my doctor this morning and am going in for an injection this afternoon. Pray this does the trick, am really tired of the pain and the general feeling of malaise that it brings with it.
Thanks!

Update on Tricia

She came through surgery REALLY well and was off the vent immediately and only had one chest tube to deal with. She got to skip the ICU and go directly to a normal patient room. Praise the Lord for these small miracles!
The outcome looks to be as expected, most likely cancer. They will be meeting with the doctors to find out the course of action that will be necessary to get her back in recovery mode.
Please keep Tricia, Nate & Baby Gwyneth in your prayers!

Happy Father's Day!

To my Dads!

Mark W. Pittman ~ father to Aimee & Mark; stepfather to Ted & Mario

Mike Wood ~ father to Donald, Al, Marissa & Elijah; stepfather to Aimee & Mark

To my Grampas!

George Booth ~ father to Mark, Mitch, Mike & Matt

Wayne Gardner ~ father to Ken, Bryan, Sherri & Tim

Bill Rutledge ~ father to Mark, Mitch, Mike & Troy

Bertie Wood ~ father to Mike, Mark, David & Daniel

And to my Brothers!

Mario Ricci ~ father to Autumn

Ted Ricci ~ father to Dominick & Olivia

Donald Wood ~ father to Maya & Alex; stepfather to Desiree, Andy & Michael

Albert Wood ~ father to Austin

Prayer needed - Tricia

I have been following the blog entitled "Confessions of a CF Husband" for over six months now. If you don't know what CF stands for, it is Cystic Fibrosis. Nate is a really awesome blogger and has been chronicling his family's medical traumas. Nate married Tricia almost four years ago now and together they have been battling Tricia's CF. About a year ago, Tricia was to be evaluated for a double lung transplant when they found out that she was pregnant. Not wanting to harm the baby or get rid of her, they chose to proceed with this pregnancy against medical advice and take their chances. Well, in January, Tricia's lungs just couldn't handle the extra work to support the pregnancy and Gwyneth Rose was born a little more than 15 weeks ahead of schedule. Gwyneth was a huge miracle and was breathing on her own almost from the start and completely amazed all her doctors with her progress. During Gwyneth's early start, Tricia was again being analyzed for her double lung transplant again and in April, some awesome family made the decision to donate and Tricia got her new lungs. Tricia did really well post-transplant and was released from the hospital in May and only had outpatient therapy daily to deal with prior to coming home. During her outpatient therapy, Gwyneth was released from the hospital to come home and both her and Tricia have been doing really well. They got to go to their actual HOME last week for the first time in over six months.
This week however, brought some bad news. Duke called to say that Tricia had the mono virus in her system and she needed to come back in for a PET scan and a bronchoscopy/lung biopsy. Needless to say, this is a big setback, but they are very upbeat about the situation. Tricia's PET scan was positive for the virus and the lung biopsy did not go well during the bronchoscopy, so she is going into surgery right now to be opened up to do a better biopsy. By having a full surgery, this puts Tricia back on a ventilator and of course, anesthesia complications are always a risk.
Please pray that everything goes well and that Tricia will have a quick and easy recovery.
Basically, they know what it is, it's a fairly normal outcome for lung transplants, its more or less the extent of the disease and what will be necessary to overcome it.
Tricia and Nate have been through so much and I honestly believe that God will see them through this next storm, but they are going to need our prayers very much.
Please be thinking about them and praying for God's will.
Thanks!

Favorite Foto Friday 06/13/08

This week, its about the Dad's! Wishing a Happy Father's Day to my biological Dad, Mark and my stepdad, Mike. Enjoy your day!! My biological Dad, Mark
My stepdad, Mike

Love you both!

Also want to give shout outs to all of my Grampa's, but I don't have photos to post.
Happy Father's Day to Grampa George, Grampa Wayne, Grampa Bertie, Grampa Lloyd and Grampa Bill.
And to those not with us any longer, Grampa Ray and Grampa Stanley.

Happy Father's Day to my brothers as well, Ted, Mario, Donald and Al are all Dads now and I am grateful for all my nieces and nephews!

Happy Birthday to...........

KERSTEN!!
She is three years old today! Cannot believe how fast it went!!
Love you pumpkin!!

Cody Graduates

Goodness, can it possibly be already?
Cody James Peaslee, Class of 2008.

It is crazy to think that the last seven years just zoomed right by. I know it didn't feel like it at the time, but this week, that is definitely what I am thinking.
How can the adorable 11-year-old momma's boy be graduating? Do you remember when you first came Cody? You hated ANYone taking your mother's attention. You would throw the biggest tantrums over it. But you grew up, you matured, and now, I'd like to think that I played a part in the person you've become. You are still the sweetest boy, but definitely have grown up! You were shorter than me when you came, now you tower over everybody! You still have a tender heart for your baby sister, and she loves you so much in return. And you even managed to let Jess sneak in there too. Those babies love you to death! You have your own car now and soon, you'll have a license to drive it. Am a little scared about that still, but I know you'll do fine.
You still don't know what you want to be when you grow up, and, well, that is part of growing up sometimes. Just remember Cody, you can be anything you want to be. Don't ever let anyone tell you different!

Congratulations on this huge milestone Cody! I know we'll be seeing great things from you.

I love you kid!

Favorite Foto Friday 06/06/08

This week, its all about Cody! We don't have any of his baby pictures, so I can't show you the complete progression of his growing up, but from the time he was 11 to now at 18, here are the changes.

Cody, 11 years old, with his younger brother Joey

Cody, 11 years old, with his younger brother Joey

Cody, 14 years old

Cody, 17 years old, fall of 2007

Favorite Foto Friday 05/30/08

This week, and I hope Doni doesn't mind, I have to post a picture of Tori Savannah! She is the third child of my blog friend Doni, they live in Arizona. This week Doni posted a photo of Tori with a close up on her face and eyes. This little girl has eyes you could drown in. She is SO adorable!




For even more great photos of Tori, as well as her brothers, Tanner & Ty, please click on Doni's name and you'll go to their family site. Doni is the photographer of all these photos and while technically she isn't a professional, she has a ton of skill!
Hope you enjoy your weekend!

More Prayer needed

God sure has been busy lately.............please keep the Smith/Sponberg family in your prayers again. Todd Smith is in the band Selah, his sister, Nicol Sponberg was a member a few years ago and is now a solo artist. Seven weeks ago, the Smith's lost their daughter Audrey Caroline. Yesterday, Todd's sister Nicol found their two month old son, Luke Gregory Sponberg, not breathing. They were unable to resuscitate him.

My heart just breaks into pieces not being able to understand why these things happen. I and they know its all part of His plan, but so many little ones lately, just devastating.

Lord, please cover the Smith/Sponberg family during this time. Help them to be able to cope with a second loss in such a short time. This family is hurting so much, help them to continue to see You throughout this trying time.

Tuesday Funnies ~ Kersten again

Kersten is at a really fun age. She'll be three in two weeks and she is just too smart! Potty training has been in full swing for a little over a month now and most days(and nights), she does really good about staying dry, however when it comes to #2, that is another story. It does not matter what we bribe her with or if we punish her(time out), she has no desire to poop in the potty.
We keep telling her that only babies go in their pants, big girls go potty and poopy in the toilet and we even have a book we read to her, which she has memorized by the way, every time we are in there. So this week, she got creative, she knows that Baby Jess is the baby, she isn't, BUT, she IS the baby sister of JoJo and Cody! So I guess to her, that means she still is a baby and its ok??
Oh boy, where do these kids come up with this stuff!

Prayer needed

Hello everyone~
Wanted to put out a new prayer request. A girl I grew up with many moons ago was found dead in her bed yesterday. She was I think 35, has a husband and two children still at home. No details on a cause of death.
Please just be in prayer for Carrie's family members as they go through the next few days and of course the weeks and months to come without her. It was a complete shock and as so many of you know, its never easy to bury anyone, let alone a child. Her dad, stepmom and two half sisters are close family friends. I hadn't seen Carrie in many years, but am still sad for the impact this will have on the kids. Please remember them all during this time.

Favorite Foto Friday 05/23/08

This week's favorite foto Friday consists of updated pictures of both Jess & Kersten. Mommy took them two weeks ago to Sears for their 1 year and 3 year pictures and they turned out really good! They are both so cute and growing way to fast, but I bet you'd never guess they were biologically related!! They are!

Happy Birthday to...........

Mom Johnson!
and
Wendi!

Hope both of you have a wonderful birthday!

Prayer needed

Please be in prayer for the Steven Curtis Chapman family.
Last night, their son pulled into their driveway and he accidentally struck the five year old daughter and she did not survive.
Pray for the family in the midst of this tragic loss. Pray for the son to be able to get pass the guilt he must be feeling. It's never easy to lose a family member, but this situation is beyond imagination.
Prayer is the only answer.
Thank you!