Ramblings of a Fevered Brain

My talking thermometer can't decide if my temperature is 101 or 99.3. Can a person's body temp be different from one ear to the other? I have an older thermometer that you put under your tongue, but the batteries haven't been changed in it in like forever, so I'm leery of it, as well. Note to self: Don't buy a cheap thermometer from that particular company again. :) Do to the fact that my feel bad is hurting, this post might not be the nicest or cheeriest, but I have a few things on my mind and wanted to jot them down. Recently, I received an email from that wonderful new part of our lives called face book. It said that a particular person just accepted my friend request. I don't remember asking this person to be my friend, but since we used to go to school together, I left it alone. Now, keep in mind this person past away several months ago. I just figured the person's family kept the face book page up for folks to post memorials to them. No harm in that. Well, here's my gripe. First of all, this person, as far as I know, never claimed to be a Christian. They may have been. I don't know, but I do know this person spent quite a lot of time in a particular bar. Does God say in His word that it is a sin to go to a bar? No, but the Bible does say to abstain from the very appearance of evil. Anyway, whoever is posting on this person's wall, talks as if they are this person talking from heaven. They say things like, "Hello my families and friends. I made the sun to shine because I want you to know I love you." This person, bless their heart, can't spell very well, and needs to learn more about punctuation and correct grammar. Now, i know me saying that is kind of like the pot calling the kettle black; I'm not the best when it comes to punctuation, but it irritates me how bad this person's posts are. Regardless if you believe Christians who die go straight to heaven or not, that person, if they are in heaven, has no control over the sunshine. And, if there are no tears in heaven, why would they be able to look down and see all the suffering going on down here? Everyone is entitled to their opinion, and this is a free country; you can say what you want. You can even think what you want, and you can even type what you want. So, I did. I mentioned in my last post that I had been doing a lot of crocheting. Well, I finished another Mother's Day gift. It's a bit misshapen, but the recipient, I hope, won't mind. :) I also finished 2 more tiny garments, which are also crooked. lol I have one more gift I hope to complete by Sunday. As for baking, haven't done any of that this week. Didn't make brownies last week, after all, but the cookies, I believe where a hit. :) Are you looking for a new author to check out? Look up Rachel Hauck. I bought a book by her from http://www.audible.com/ the other day. It's called "The Wedding Dress", and I really enjoyed it. A heroine with a gift that had nothing to do with a man, a longing for love and romance and a deep faith in God. A hero whom I liked from the get-go, even though he needed to learn a few things along the way. I couldn't hardly put the book down, and it even made me dream about my own wedding dress, which i haven't seen in twelve years. lol Go look it up. You'll be glad you did. A glass of sweet tea, 2 cups of coffee, a couple of Aspirin and a chocolate doughnut. Yep, I think I'm gonna make it...ok, make that 2 doughnuts. lol Actually, on a more serious note, all sugar and caffeine will do for a person is hype them up and then a few hours later leave 'em high and dry and feeling worse than before. A dose of God's word, now, that will last for quite a while. And, a dose of the Word has no calories. :) "We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;" 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 KJV A song puts it this way: "When I think of the love that you've given When I think of the price you paid for me, The trials on earth seem like nothing, When compared to dark calvary." Y'all have an awesome Thursday, and remember, you ain't gotta be perfect, but you'd better be forgiven. :)

An Update

Ok, so Blogger has a new format for posting entries. I don't know if I'm even typing in the correct place or not, but I'm willing to give it a try. Just to make things clear, I'm still alive. lol As for writing, haven't been creating much of my own, except here in the last day or so. A friend of mine and I are writing a story together. So far, it's just for fun, but you never know what will come out of it. What I have been doing quite a bit of is crocheting. I've made a few kitchen items, a tiny garment and a Mother's Day gift for one of the mothers in my life. Don't get too excited, ladies. I'm not giving away any secrets today. :) I've started on another Mother's Day gift, but I have to wait to finish it, when I get more yarn, which I had to order. Another homemaking thing I've been doing, is baking. Last week, I made about 6 dozen chocolate chip cookies for my daughter's youth group at church. Tomorrow our church is having a hot dog and bake sale, and I have been asked to make more of those cookies. I'm planning on baking a pan of brownies, as well. All of that baking will take place some time today, the Lord permitting. I've done a bit of reading, but I'm not really in the mood for it. I read "Cinnamon Roll Murder" by Joanne Fluke, last week, and this week I've been reading on "The Irish Healer". I don't know the author's name to this one. Forgot it. :) But, it's a good book. It's set in England, in 1832, and it concerns a woman who is an herbalist from Ireland who believes her talent lies more along the lines of letting folks die instead of curing them. The hero in the story is a physician who believes he has let everyone down, from his late father to his 3-year-old daughter. These 2 come together and are forced to face a few truths about themselves and what God has called them to be. It's a slower book...those who love action will be let down, but it's a perfect book to crochet to. :) You know, sometimes I wish I was like Samantha on "Bewitched." If not her, then I'd like to have some kind of super powers. Sometimes, it seems like there is so much to get done in such a small amount of time, and I feel like I won't be able to manage it. But, I guess I do have strength that is out of this world, because every time I pray about it, the important stuff gets done. Of course, I have to put action to those prayers; wouldn't get anything done if I asked God for something and then sat back and waited. Yeah, I know He says to wait on Him, and i believe He means for us to do so. But, I think His waiting means, keep busy while you wait. lol Going to try and post this now, so y'all have a happy Friday and a good weekend. Catch ya next time.

The Blind Housewife: Morning Devotions

This morning I felt the Lord leading me to read the following Scriptures. I copied them here for you. I tried to copy and paste the King James 1611 version, but the website I found had it copied from the original text, which is not a bad thing, but I didn't think y'all would be able to read it with U's as V's and V's as U's and I's as J's and... Anyway, this is the 1769 version, which reads just like my King James. So, here's what I read when I opened up the word.

1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,
2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:
3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord [is] gracious.
4 To whom coming, [as unto] a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, [and] precious,
5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ

Do I feel malice toward anyone? No. What about guile? I don't think so. What about envy? Uh...well, not the evil kind. Am I a hypocrite? No, at least I try not to be. I try to be true to what I claim. I guess, though, if I do feel some envy, even if it isn't filled with hate, then I am not being as true as I thought i was.

Now, what about those spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God by Jesus Christ? Well, I desire to do more for God. I want to be a daughter He can count on. There are places I would like to go, things I would like to do in order to spread His love and message of salvation. I want to do my part to be that living stone, part of the house. But, it feels like God is closing the door on what I want to do.

Here's where I might be a bit envious. A friend of mine has her own publishing company. Now, I don't envy her; I don't want that responsibility. :) Today she is going to a book signing. A couple of months ago she went to a book signing. I'm an author. I have published two books, and yet, I'm still here at home. Two months ago my youngest was sick. Today my oldest girl has a fever and a bit of a cough. I want to promote my books. Both of them are Christian books. I am certain God gave them to me. So, what on earth does He want me to do with them? How can i promote them, if I can't go anywhere?

Just so there's no misunderstanding, I'm happy for Peggy Hoy and her books. Y'all can check them out at either

http://www.hoyfamily.net/

or

http://www.fhpublish.com/

Here's something else. I have a friend who is in the ICU, sitting at her husband's bedside. He's on a ventilator, and the doctors don't know why. He can't talk to his wife because of the tube down his throat, and he can't communicate via sign language, because they have restrained him. My friend is blind, so even if he points to something, she can't see it. The hospital he is in is about twenty miles from my house. I'd like to go down there, and at least give my friend a hug and let her know I care, but I can't. I don't have a driver; I don't have a babysitter...and well, it irritates me that I can't be of any help to my friend.

But, one thing I'm sure of, God knows best. My Father in heaven is telling me as clear as the day to be content to stay home and take care of my own. Sometimes, I find myself asking Him, "But, every day, Lord? Day in, day out, stay home?" His answer, I reckon is "YES!"

I love my kids, don't get me wrong, but this is getting hard, and i need y'all to pray for me. Being a full-fledged Titus 2 woman is apparently God's will for me, and I know He will give me all I need to accomplish what He wants me to. So, why am I struggling?

I'm stubborn, and that's the reason. I'm hard-headed, too. lol I'm tired, and the flesh does grow weak, sometimes. But, the Word does say that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. It also says, He will never leave me. Jesus tells me to cast my cares upon Him, for He cares for me. He also says His yoke is easy and His burden light.

All right, God, I give up. Your will be done, not mine. I'll stay home today. I'll care for my babies, do the laundry, clean the kitchen. I'll keep to home. :) Now, Lord, help me to do it with a cheerful attitude. As for tomorrow, well, your word says to take no thought for the morrow, so I won't.

Well, there you have it. I didn't write all that to invoke sympathy or to complain; just being as honest as I know how to be. These are thoughts and feelings anyone would have, sighted or blind. I guess if I could give any advice, it would be, live in an accessible area before you have kids. Then, when you need or want to go somewhere, it won't be so difficult. Other than that, pray, pray and pray some more. And, if you can't think of anyone to pray for, pray for me. :) Happy Friday, y'all!

The Blind Housewife: On Cleaning, Laundry and Occupying Children

There was something gross on the bottom of my bath tub. I don't know what it was, but I was bound and determined to get rid of it. I sprayed the tub with Clorox Clean Up, let it set for a few minutes and took a wet washcloth and wiped it up. Um...yeah, well, that didn't work. So, I put some Soft Scrub with bleach on it. I rubbed it in, waited a few minutes and wiped again. Still no change. I went looking for a scrub brush, but aliens must have sneaked in and stolen it, because I couldn't find one anywhere. Then, I remembered that scrubby thing that I had scrubbed my pizza pans with. It needed thrown away, anyhow; I'd just use it. Y'all know what I'm talking about. Right? Not the soap pad thingies. No, the thing that feels like a net...sort of? Anyway, I put more Soft Scrub on the crud and went to scrubbing. I scrubbed and scrubbed. I scrubbed with the right hand, and then I scrubbed with the left. I had music playing on the iPod feature on my iPhone, and on my knees by the tub I scrubbed and scrubbed. After several minutes, I started to notice a difference. The scrubbing was working, but it was sure taking some muscle.

About halfway finished, I suddenly wondered what it would be like if God had to scrub like I was scrubbing in order to clean the sin out of us. Hmm. A thought. No? I reckon sometimes, God allows us to be scrubbed, but when it comes to asking Him for forgiveness from sin, He just takes it away, no scrubbing required. With one word, He can wipe the slate clean. He does this, too, when we come to Him with a repentant heart and a contrite spirit. Aren't you glad? I know I am! As for the tub scrubbing, I think I got it all cleaned up. :)

So, how did I keep the girls from bugging me while I attended to the bath tub? Easy. They love playing with those little ducks and things. Well, I told them to clean the ducks and mermaids while I cleaned the tub. I had just finished washing a few dishes, so the dish water was still warm and sudsy. I gave them the tub toys, a chair and a couple of rags and told them to clean them up. They did, and when they were done, the 6-year-old took a towel and wiped up the water on the counter. How cool was that?

I think today breaks a record. I told the girls they could have an ice cream cone after we put all the clean laundry away. I never knew a basket of clothes could get put away so quickly. lol But, my 6-year-old stepped in and helped me put the clothes away, and it was finished in less than 5 minutes. No kidding. :)

Now that my cleaning spree is over for now, I sure could use some good lotion. My hands are itching and dry. I also need someone with a knowledge of pinning up pant legs straight. Haha, my jeans are too long. I had to roll them up a bit. Looks silly, probably, but at least I'm clothed and in my right mind. ;)

It's rather cool and rainy, making me want to fix another cup of coffee. That stuff sure does go fast when a person likes it. :)

Ok, so since you sighted folks are wondering how I managed today, the tub scrubbing was all by feel. I should have used gloves, what with all that bleach and such, but if I had worn them, I wouldn't have been able to feel whether the tub was clean or not. If I can't feel it, then I can't do it independently. So, get over being messy, and get your hands in there...if you're blind,that is. Ha! As for dishes, it's the same; I know they are clean by the way they feel. As for the washer and drier, I memorize which buttons are what and too bad for me if I forget. Wait, that's not true; the 6-year-old has learned to read and helps when I ask. As for matching clothes, my children help me with their's. I know mine by the way they feel. Using my sense of touch, I know when I have grabbed a pair of my pants and when it's the hubby's I'm holding. :) He's shaped different than I am, ye know. Now, as for buying ice cream from the Schwan's man, well, I used my sense of touch to know which credit card I grabbed, my sense of touch, again, to know what foods I was putting away, and when it came to enjoying that ice cream, I used my sense of taste. lol I had my first grader to read package directions for one of the items i bought, and memorized them so I won't have to ask again.

Did y'all git all that? Ha! Well, if you didn't, feel free to drop me a comment and ask away. Until then, my sense of tired tells me it's time to git off here, so I'll catch y'all next time.

How Do You Do It?

Yesterday evening, my dentist asked, "So, how do you cook...the big stuff, I mean? How do you do it?"

A few days ago, a new friend asked, "So, what is it like being a parent who is blind?"

I started thinking about these questions and realized that many people are just too shy to ask them. Yet, they really want to know. They don't want to know what some people do; they don't want to know what studies show. They want to know what I do, because once they know that, they can modify to fit their own needs and wants. It's like cooking. Give me the recipe. Then, I can modify it to meet my needs and skill level. Of course, some folks never stray from the recipe, but that's their own fault and a subject for another post.

I could tell you cooking without sight is hard, fun, exciting, scary, and anything in between, but it doesn't answer your question. I could say being a mother who is blind is wonderful, terrible, exciting, scary, mind boggling and joyful all wrapped up in to one, but, again, that does not answer your questions. So, I am thinking of starting a series or two here on the blog to address how I manage things. I don't know what order the articles will be in, but I think I'll separate the two main questions folks have in to two series: one for cooking and the other for parenting.

If you have specific questions, feel free to comment either on here or on Facebook and ask them. If you want to email me privately, the email addy is
ShannonNicoleWells@suddenlink.net

I'll try to address one issue a week for both subjects. Just y'all keep in mind, what I do works for me and might not work for you.

How do I drain a pot of boiling macaroni without scalding myself?
How do I fry hamburger without setting the house on fire?
How do I know when my bread/cookies are done?
How do I change a dirty diaper without wearing the mess?
How did I nurse my babies?
Which was easier, breast feeding or bottle feeding?
How did i know if my babies were sick?
How did I administer meds when they needed them?
How did I bathe my babies?
How did I manage to keep the babies clothes all matched up?
How did I feed the babies baby food?
Do I always know what my children are in to? Do you? Haha!

I'll be the first to admit, some of these questions do not have an answer. I am not perfect, and neither am I an expert. But, I'll do my best to answer these questions and more.

If you are a new parent who is blind or thinking of starting a family, then, honestly, my best advice is trust in God. Take time to put Him in the center of it all. Because, y'all, sometimes the answer is God. I'm not kidding, and I'm not being flippant. Sometimes, there is no rhyme or reason why something is a certain way, and only thing I know is God did it or God told me so.

The Bible says that faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. It also says that the things we see are temporal, and the things which are not seen are eternal. So, embrace the fact you can't see it, and let God be your pilot.

Hope to hear from y'all soon!

The Date Says it All

If you came here via Facebook, then you might hear some repeats. Just saying, just in case you can't handle my sarcasm or whatever it's called. :)

So, last night my dear husband put Angry Birds Space on his phone...I think, anyway. He also put it on the 2 old iPhones that we gave to the girls to play with. I stretched out beside him on the bed, lay there for a minute, then realized we had reached a new family pasttime-lazing around playing Angry Birds on our individual phones. Ok, so I wasn't playing Angry Birds. Not sure if it would work with the VoiceOver, but ya never know. lol And, my girls thought I would download the Angry Birds song as a ring tone. It's like we used to say when I was a lil kid in 6th grade. NOT!

There is a website where I get a lot of the audio books I listen to, for free. I went there this morning to see if they had anything new. They did, but I reckon Friday the 13th is like a SciFi day or Final Frontier day, because no matter if it was romance or adventure, every book on there had something to do with space. There were mostly Star Trek books, but there were some r-rated romances where the characters live on weird, made up planets. Not my cup of tea, but I'm glad they are out there for those who like that kind of book. Course, I ain't got any room to talk, really, I have read some vampire romances before. We'll not go in to that, though. ;)

Would it be child abuse if I put duct tape over my kids' mouths to shut them up? I get so tired of hearing, "Mom, she won't stop looking at me! Mom, she won't leave me alone! Mom, she's pushing me! Mom, can't you hear me?" Goodnight! Since it probably would be abuse to do that to them, maybe I'll just buy some ear plugs for me. Ha! lol

I'm in the mood to crochet something. Apparently, the 6-year-old is too, because she's been chaining with a size K hook and some old yarn of mine. She wanted to make something bigger, and I tried to show her how to single crochet (SC) but she didn't get it. Her biggest problem is she is too much like her mother in that if she can't do it right the first time, who needs it. But, her chain looks nice, and with age will come the want to do more. After all, I was married before I had the patience to learn how.

Ok, so the other night at church, all 3 youth teachers did not show up. Two were sick and one had to work over and couldn't make it in time. But, besides my own 2 girls, there were 3 other kids plus 2 teenagers. I told them if they wanted to go downstairs, I'd teach youth. Lemme tell y'all something, it was interesting. lol Teenagers like to try and sneak off, but thanks to the others kids who were wonderful tadlers, we made it through and nobody got in trouble. I like kids. They are so funny, and they don't even know it. Ha! The funniest part was when I couldn't think of anything else to do with them and took one of my prosthetic eyes out to entertain them. Some were like, "OOO," and some were like, "COOL!" I can say one thing, though. I sure did sleep good Wednesday night. lol I'm already looking forward to next time when the teacher isn't there, but when that happens, somebody else can take the teens. I will gladly take 10 and under. lol

Well, now that I have vented some of my frustration and talked about what weirdness has been on my mind in the last hour, I'm thinking of dozing off for a minute or 2. Get some Angry Birds going, and they will never notice. :) Then, again, they'll probably start arguing again. But, it's all good. Those babies are what keep me going. Think my mom is going to stop by here in a bit, too, and there's the usual dishes, laundry and straightening up to do. Never a dull moment round here.

Just want to leave you with one more thing... That banana song on TV is almost as annoying as the Angry Birds song! lol

I Dream: A Poem

I dream of houses big and small,
Of large front porches and leaves in the fall.
I dream of coffee steaming in my mug,
Of plenty of food and the comfort of a hug.
I dream of woodsmoke and fresh, white snow,
Blue skies in summer and biscuit dough.
I dream of plastic eggs hiding in the grass,
Of an old, spring mattress with a headboard of brass.
I dream of rhubarb so sour I shiver,
And the sting in my hand from a tiny, wood splinter.
I dream of moonlight on white, gulf coast sand,
And the smooth certainty of my wedding band.
I dream of the jangle of an old, rotary phone,
I dream of the roughness of a human skeleton bone.
I dream of apples fresh off the tree,
And of shifting sands beneath a blue-green sea.
I dream of things in the present and the past,
Of things meant to perish and things meant to last.
Of the person I was, life full of sin,
And a far away country to which I’ve never been.
I dream of a cross bridging the gap between,
The woman I was and the one yet unseen.
I dream of mercy, pure love and grace,
And when the dream is reality, I’ll see His face.