DCM and Crohn's ~ An Update

We were at Children's Hospital

for a cardiology appointment a few days ago.

The usual tests were performed.

Nothing has changed.

Austin's heart is still enlarged.

He still takes three medications

for his condition daily.

He is functioning well all things considered.

And, the cardiologist does not need to see him until Christmas.

These are good things.

We must be patient. We give thanks.

God's ways are higher than ours.

Five months ago, it was not known if Austin was going to live.

He was so incredibly ill. He was in heart failure.

By God's grace, Austin did not die.

He was allowed to come home.

Oh! How thankful we are that he was!

It was thought that a pacemaker

may have been needed within a month or two

of that hospital stay ~ it's now been five months.

He hasn't needed one placed.

What a great blessing!

On another note ~ Austin also has Crohn's Disease.

He began taking the starter medication for it

just after his stay in the hospital.

It's a maintenance dose.

It would appear that the honeymoon is over.

He continues to take it, however,

it seems to be less effective than it was initially.

We are seeking to be wise in how we deal with this condition.

Austin pays careful attention to his diet while taking the medications prescribed.

It's a long road. But, one worth travelling, it would seem.

We pray that the LORD would heal our precious son,

and that He would give us wisdom to know the way forward.

What a blessing it is to know that HIS ways are higher than ours.

We are aware that He may be able to use Austin

better through his illness than if he were perfectly well.

This life is not all there is.

In fact, it is so short in light of eternity.

This is but a shadow of the eternal.

What a blessing to have that perspective!

It changes everything.

Many Blessings to you!

Camille

must haves monday

I'm linking up with my friends at Blog Hoppin' to share my ABSOLUTE classroom must-haves...{a.k.a. my favorite "teacher things"}:

1.  Nice lighting.  I hope that isn't weird, but I'm serious!  I have 5 lamps in my room, and wish I had places to put more!  I love the way the lamps add warmth to classrooms.  My newest addition this year was my string of lights on the back wall.  Sooooo cozy--especially on rainy days!!!

2.  The WOW Binder.  This binder is amazing.  It keeps the kids organized, parents informed, and it makes me happy.  I can't tell you enough how amazing the binder system is for school to home communication!  

3.  Class mascots.  Everything is just so much more fun when they're around.  Who doesn't love a stuffed toy?  Especially one that is magical, like Richard--our class bird!  Class mascots are a wonderful motivator for good behavior.  

4.  Mini laminator.  Oh, how I LOVE my new little laminator!!!  It makes things shiny, and the laminate is thicker than most school laminators, so my projects/activities will last longer.  I also don't have to run down the hall during my planning period to go laminate something small!  I can just run it right through in my classroom!  

5.   Class Cheers!  Nothing builds community like cheering on your classmates when they work hard, solve a problem, share an answer, or need recognition for being a super smartie.  

6.  Melonheadz Illustrations clip art.  Basically, my classroom theme should just be her clip art, because I have it EVERYWHERE this year.  From my helper cards--to my math detective wall--to my daily five cards, and my hallway headers.  I also used her art on our journal covers and poetry binders.  What a talented lady.  I wish I could take some drawing classes from her!  This bulletin board+her clip art=precious.

7.  My HP laser printer.  I print, and I print A LOT.  I might say that my laser printer is one of my most prized possessions in my classroom {besides all of my books}.  The ink costs a fortune, but it lasts months, and the color is incredible.  If you are thinking of getting one...just do it.  Now.  You'll be happy you did.

8.  SmartBoard!  I literally did the happy dance and screamed when I found out I was getting one of our SmartBoards.  I still have so much to learn about it. The kids absolutely love it, and it is perfect for interactive lessons.  It's glorious.

9.  Coffee.  This might be the most important.  Ha!  Just kidding...kind of.  Ideally, I would make time to wake up in the morning, drink my coffee out of my favorite Anthropologie mug--but I don't have the time for that business anymore!  Luckily, my sweet teacher friend next door has a Keurig, and so does our workroom, so I have stocked up on all kinds of K-cups.  I also carry around lots of gum--I don't want to have terrible coffee breath while teaching reading groups!  ;)

   

In the Midst of Mess

It takes messing things up to get things done.

Sometimes. And, this is one of those times.

Awhile back, I mentioned that we were

switching things up in our home.

We are still in the midst of it.

And, it isn't pretty.

Here are some *in progress* photos to prove it.

Out with the old...

In with the *new-to-us*...

How ARE we going to get this inside??

"It" was Howie's desk

and it was HEAVY and awkward ~

In the end it had to be taken apart.

This is the old office space ~

Howie somehow managed to work during the upheaval.

(No, it didn't always look like this!)

The corner of the old schoolroom...

...And the boys' room with school stuff piled high!

We have books under the beds in three bedrooms

and spilling out into the living room ~

we *love* books, and it's obvious!

I thought the title of the book

most prominent in this picture was appropriate ~ LOL!

But, we are thankful.

Thankful that we are able to rearrange and make

this home more serviceable for our family.

Thankful that we have a home to work on!

As the children grow, things change.

We must flex and change with them.

And it is good.

The next few weeks will be full of painting

and rearranging and preparing for the new school year.

I trust to be *back in the saddle*

in this space once school begins in earnest.

May all of you, kind friends,

enjoy the remaining days of Summer!

Many Blessings to you!

Camille

Talented Teacher Friends

So...I went shopping!  I found the best little packets for Back to School, thanks to my extremely talented teacher friends.  I am so excited to get started with all of these fun activities:

Cut, Stack, Staple, and Read by the amazing Kim Adsit!  This packet is going to be copied and used immediately in my small groups!  These fun sentence strip flap books are a creative way for students to practice sight words and phrases, with precious pictures that the kids will absolutely love.  

Wow.  About all I can say is, "Wow." We begin our year with a Kevin Henkes author study--and this packet by Brooke Hilderbrand is incredible!  It not only has great book extension ideas, but it has character building activities, too! 

I LOVE this pack of Literacy Journal Prompts by my sweet friend, Anna Brantley!  It is the perfect tool to go along with the Daily Five.  It has very thoughtful prompts that will get my students thinking and writing about their reading! 

Teachers are so talented.  I am absolutely amazed at the incredible ideas out there!   Thanks for sharing these with the teaching world, ladies!  We are grateful!!!

"Mischievious"

This is the story of a girl

who desperately wanted a pet.

Her parents decided to start out small.

Very small.

The girl and her parents settled on a fancy bear hamster.

Mischievious was carefully selected and brought home.

Yes, his name is Mischievious (Mis-chee-vee-ous),

and not Mischievous (Mis-cha-vous).

We prefer it that way.

I am trying to get over the fact that

he belongs to the rodent family ~

Methinks it's an important factor to

come to grips with.

Having said that ~

He is rather cute, wouldn't you agree?

He already has brought us much joy.

It's hilarious to watch him run around in

his exercise ball...he's learning to navigate

amazingly well in it.

Oh, and he is living up to his name!

Many Blessings,

Camille

Math Investigators

Math is a mystery...and we're here to solve it!  This year, my new little friends will get to become math investigators during math station time!  The management board above will show them the stations they will go to each day.  After our whole group lesson, the investigators will have time to go to 2 stations.  When it is time for the 1st station, they will check their flashlight for their group name and look at the circle badges for the stations they will go to that day {I am waiting to meet my friends before labeling the flashlights.}  I will have 4 total stations:  Meet with the Chief, Computer Clues, Case Files, and Gumshoe Review.  I am PUMPED about my Gumshoe "Review" tub names--they all go along with the investigator theme!  Here is what the review tubs will look like this year:

And here is a close up of one of the tubs:

I will place 2 or 3 review activities inside each tub.  The investigators will choose from the 9 tubs, and they will be limited to 2 investigators per tub to ensure that each friend is participating in the activity equally, and to keep conflicts from happening.  

I have also found a creative way to store my TpT games, investigations series games, and other printable activities:

I will place a label at the top of each Case File with the title of the math game or activity inside!  Little investigators will choose from the case files for the "Case File" station!

I can't wait to meet my new investigators!!!   

Conquering Mayne

Conquering Mayne.

Well...actually only half of Mayne.

So, I don't think it is accurate

to say that we *conquered* after all.

But, it was the way we felt!

Mayne Island is one of the Gulf Islands off the coast of British Columbia ~

About an hour's sail from the Tsawwassen ferry terminal.

We cycled it. All of us.

Even Austin was able to do it ~

What a blessing!

What a miracle!!

The day before Fraser's 13th Birthday,

we went over to Mayne Island for the day.

We walked onto the ferry with our bikes in

the morning, and returned about eight hours later.

Here we are about half way through our cycling adventure...

do we look like we know what we are doing?

Have you ever cycled a little island?

They tend to be hilly.

It seems like so much of it was UP.

As soon as we rode off the ferry we were going up.

Up and up and up.

First stop ~ the Lighthouse

for a picnic and some exploring time.

And, the required photo shoot ~

Of course! :)

Isn't the view from this spot pretty?

And, while the children did some of this...

And some of this...

We did a little of this...

I was feeling it for a few days afterward.

But, it was worth it.

And, I would do it all over again.

Just not anytime too soon ~ LOL!

How about you?

Are you doing anything *special* this Summer?

Our *special* times are being slotted in

a day here and a day there ~ it's been a blessing.

Sometimes it's the very best thing to do.

Whatever you all are up to,

I trust you are enjoying it!

Blessings to you!

Camille

**Photos in this post were taken

with Calvin and Emma's point and shoot cameras,

and I cannot properly account for who took what. :)

Being Partial

Something I've been thinking on lately.

Something that isn't right in the Christian Church at times.

Not right at all.

Being Partial.

There are times when I have struggled

to keep this one in check.

In balance.

Oh, it's easy to be exclusive.

To be partial.

To have favourites.

Too easy.

And, yet, it's wrong.

Very wrong.

We are not to be partial.

Not to have favourites.

Not to give ourselves exclusively to one person

or group of people within the church body.

We are to be a family.

And, we are to serve one another.

This is not to say that we are not to be discerning.

Not at all!

We ought not to embrace every *wind of doctrine*

in the name of peace and *unity*.

Unless we are united around the LORD and HIS Word,

we do not have unity at all!

There is no peace to be found outside of HIM.

I am speaking here of excluding people within

our local church fellowship who may not be *our kind of people*,

or those who we would perhaps not seek out as friends.

I am also speaking of those ones who we seek out

to the exclusion of others on a Sunday morning.

Perhaps there are those who are lonely,

or hurting, or new?

They are the ones we ought to seek out.

I chose this photo to go with this post because it

shows one *special* tree in it ~

Just like that one special friend.

Or, perhaps, it's like that one who is excluded.

It is often a temptation to exclude or to be exclusive.

How sad it is!

May it never be said of us!

May the LORD be glorified in all we do and say.

And, may we be instruments of HIS grace to

many along the way!

"My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring,
in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing,
and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place;
and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:

Are ye not then partial in yourselves,
and are become judges of evil thoughts?
Hearken, my beloved brethren,
Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith,
and heirs of the kingdom which he hath
promised to them that love him?

But ye have despised the poor.
Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture,
Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well:
But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin,
and are convinced of the law as transgressors."

~ James 2:1-9 ~

In HIS Love,

Camille

**Photo credit ~ Calvin...thank you my love! xo

I've Missed You!!!

I'm BACK!  I can't wait to tell all of you what I have been up to.  It has been the craziest, busiest summer of my whole life, but...Yay!  We built a house!  That's me and the Mr.--very excited because after 4+ months of making endless decisions, worrying, and waiting...we have our little dream house!  AHHHH!  I am so happy I could cry.  Actually, I did cry.  A few times.

I LOVE, love, love my stairs!!!!  And, the blue walls!  Y'all--this house is just SO me.  Once I have it all decorated and precious, I might just have to give a little bloggy tour of it!  ;)

So, what else?  I have been enjoying spending time with this sweet little face:

She is so stinkin' precious and hilarious.  I have loved spending time with her and watching her grow this summer.  But, seriously--if I have to watch Sid the Science Kid or Elmo's World ONE more time...I will probably run down the street screaming.  Just keeping it real, people.  

Also, time out has been in full force {I mean, she's TWO} so the picture below shows just how familiar she was with the corner.  She decided to put ALL of her stuffed buddies in time out one morning.  I wonder what they did?  Who knows, but they all got stickers a few minutes later!  Ha!

Becoming best friends with our pug Teddy isn't hard to do when you feed him Cheerios.  Emma discovered this was the best way to get Teddy to stay in her room and "play".

Teddy LOVES Cheerios!  He's so happy about it, he's smiling!!! :)

We also tried potty training this summer.  Did it go well?  Not so much.  Yep...that's undies...on her  head.  We'll try again soon.

Yesterday, I went to work in my classroom.  This is what I saw when I walked in the door:

No, I did not move schools!  We have to clear everything out at the end of the year so the floors can be cleaned and waxed!  But, oh my goodness...I have SO much to do before my new little friends arrive for Meet the Teacher.  I was slightly overwhelmed when I walked in.  So, I sat there for awhile...looked around, found a few dead spiders that were the size of my face...and I turned right back around to go get massive amounts cleaning supplies!!!  I am planning on changing the theme and colors in my room this year, so I can't wait to share the "after" picture with you soon!  

Three Years

Three years.

It will be three years tomorrow since I posted my first post.

Three years since I tentatively hit *publish* for the first time.

I had no idea where it would lead.

Some of it has been surprising...

mostly in a good sort of way. :)

So much has happened since then!

Many things have changed.

Others have remained the same.

Three years of life and living.

Life is interesting.

At times.

God is Good.

Always.

I am thankful.

At least, I should be!

This is a thankfulness post ~ without the numbering.

~ Photo taken a few weeks ago on my Birthday ~

It seemed to match the *party* theme of this post.

I'm not in it because I took it. :)

Happy. Happy.

I am so glad I began this journey.

It's been a blessing to meet friends through this means.

And, to have friends like you (some who we have never met in person)

pray for us in times of deepest sorrow has ministered

to my heart in such beautiful ways!

It has been a privilege to do the same for those

of you who have shared your burdens with us as well.

Encouragement and challenges are a part of this life.

It is always a blessing to share in the joys and sorrows

of life with one another.

Thank you from the bottom of my heart

for your sweet friendship and for being a part of this journey!

May the LORD bless you each and every one.

Now, in keeping with the party mood of this post ~

Do you remember how we met and when it was?

Please share in the comment section if you do.

If you can't recall the details, perhaps I will.

And, if neither of us can remember, we can rejoice

in the fact that we know each other now. :)

Let's have a party!

Many Blessings,

Camille