Random Post (Bullet Point Style!)

I'm sorry that I haven't updated in a while! Things have been going well.

• I've been to the pain management doctor two more times since I last posted about it! We think we finally found the right long lasting medicine! This is my 3rd one to try. I only take this one once a day instead of twice a day like the other two I have tried. The long lasting medicine continuously releases medicine throughout the day and night. This is only my 2nd day to take the new one, so I'm still experiencing the usual sleepiness and dizziness that should go away once I'm used to it. I'm still having to take another short acting pain medicine for breakthrough pain, which I can take every four hours if needed. Once we find the right medicine combo (long acting med and breakthrough med), we'll adjust the doses to try and just take the long acting instead of also having to take lots of breakthrough medicine. 
• I finally finished one of my classes from last semester! I even got an A in the class even though I missed a lot of class! 
• I'm so excited for the Olympics! I can't wait to see the opening ceremony tonight. What's your favorite Olympic sport?? 
• We love to take one of our dogs to swim in the lake in our neighborhood! Our dog Tucker, who is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel, has never liked to swim. But our new dog, Charlie, who is a lab loves to swim. She's a little over a year old and would swim for hours if we would let her! Last week we were at the lake during sunset and it was gorgeous. I've never seen anything like it before. It is not edited at all! God is just that incredible. 

• Landon found some weird fake glasses so we of course had to take pictures with them in the car on the way to dinner one night! 

We've just been enjoying summer! I hope you're having a great summer and have a great weekend! Thank you for your continued prayers and encouragement! It really means a lot.

Mission's Sunday '12

Sunday was Mission's Sunday at church! For the past 10 years, we have had what is called "Mission's Sunday" on one Sunday in July. It's a day where we take up a special contribution to help spread the love of Christ around the world just as He calls us to do in the great commission. Our theme is "From Our Town to the World." We also called Mission's Sunday and the Sundays in July "Kukusanya". That means "gathering" in Swahili.

"Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:19-20

The contribution goes to missionaries all over the world that we support, mission trips that our members take, and so many other things that help take the Gospel literally all over the world. It helps people on every continent (except Antarctica...)!

This year was the 10th year we've had Mission's Sunday. Our goal this year was $707,000. Since it was the 10th year of Mission's Sunday, we decided to do something big. We made each country/continent that we have missionaries in for people to see. Through out the month of June and July we have given out "passports" to everyone. Each Sunday during church, we have had someone who has gone to a certain country tell about that country and how Christ's love is being shown there. Then, we hand out "visa" stickers for whatever country they talked about that week!

This page tells how the money will be spent and more about Mission's Sunday!

We had 6 different places to make. We did Africa, Brazil, Europe, Latin America, Oklahoma City, and Pac Rim! Each one of those places was assigned a big room in our church and 3 adult classes to help with it.


My mom was one of the leaders for Brazil! It was perfect because we have been there 3 times and it's our favorite place! My dad also helped with several different ones.


We were up at church some on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, and then all day Saturday working on the rooms! It was really neat to see so many people getting involved. 

Sunday morning everyone had Bible class in one of the countries or regions. They sang songs in English and then in the language of the country whose room they were in. I love hearing the same songs we sing sung in other languages. They worship the same God we do even though we don't speak the same language. It was really great in the Brazil room because the missionaries that live there are here right now! They got to answer questions in the class which was great.

After Bible class it was time for worship! Usually we have two worship services on Sunday morning, but in July we only have one. "Kukusanya." We love when we are all together. The singing is beautiful. Two thousand plus people worshiping God together without instruments is incredible. 

After worship it was time for everyone to go to the rooms to see the countries! People brought their "passports" to get stamped when they went to each country! It was so much fun. I helped stamp passports and little kids' hands and faces in the Brazil room. Everyone loved every country! There were food samples in each country and little gifts. In Brazil we handed out little backpacks that said Brazil on them and had the Christ Statue on it.

Here are pictures!

Landon helping build the Christ Statue on Saturday!

Where you got your passport stamped!

Where one of the missionary couples from Brazil stood! The map shows where they travel in Brazil to do classes and seminars. 

One side of the room

The front of the room. There was a Brazilian soccer game playing on the screen and under it there were soccer goals for the kids to play with!

Table with Brazil stickers and bracelets for everyone!

Another part of the room

At the back of the room! This is one of the churches we support in Brazil. It looks JUST like the church. The missionaries that we support at this church are here and stood in front of it and got to talk to people!

In Rio there is a mountain called Sugar Loaf and you take a cable car to it.  So here is the cable car in the room and it actually moved across the room!

Iguazu Falls! There was a video of Iguazu playing.

Soccer goals for kids to play with.

Another church we support! The church has a store front door and this looks just like it too.

The Christ Statue and market!

Copacabana beach! The boardwalk there is the actual boardwalk from Copacobana. Each beach in Brazil has it's own unique boardwalk!

We used water beads for the ocean and everyone loved them!

At the beach people hang clothes and scarves off of umbrellas and walk around trying to sell the items hanging off of the umbrella.

Landon and I with the missionary kids that live in Brazil!

After a couple hours of people going to each country, we had another short devotional! My dad got up and announced how much we had given for missions that day since he's the missions director. The total was $724,446.98!! Our goal was $707,000! We spent time praising God for that and asking Him to bless it as we spread His word around the world. 

Sunday was a great day! I'm so thankful to be a part of a church who's focus is on spreading God's love to everyone around the world. We are thankful for the opportunity to do that.

Busy busy busy

I've been very busy lately. I mean, so busy. What have I been doing you ask? Swimming, getting snow cones, being outside, playing with the dogs, more swimming, getting more snow cones, and things like that. Obviously it's been very stressful. You have to decide whether to go to the pool or get a snow cone first. Very hard decisions. Just kidding. I love summer!!! Here are some pictures from recently!

Tacy and I at the pool!

Thunder design on our toes!

Charlie loves to sit on the air vent when it's hot outside. She is one smart puppy!

Leisel and I (and Sleeping Beauty) at lunch on Sunday!

Charlie enjoying the neighborhood lake! She would just sit in the shallow water and chew on her stick. She loves to chase the geese all around the lake. 

Getting ready for fireworks on the 4th of July!

Drop A Love Bomb!

I recently realized that I never posted about this wonderful group of people. Almost two years ago I wrote a post called "30 Things You Might Not Know About My Illness-National Invisible Illness Awareness Week". The next morning, I woke up and found that my email was flooded with comments on that blog post. I got on my blog and was speechless. I had over a hundred comments on that one post. Where were all these comments coming from? Several people posted in their comments about a love bomb, but I didn't know what that meant. As more comments came in that day and week and month, I was just speechless once again. There were almost 200 comments on that one post. I was in tears as I read the comments that day and the days that followed.

I don't remember when I finally figured out where all the comments were coming from. These people are part of a group called "Love Bomb (or Drop A Love Bomb)".

People from all over the world participate in encouraging people every week through this website. Their motto is, "We change the world every week, in just five minutes". People that are a part of love bomb nominate other people that need some encouragement. Every week, they pick one blog or person to "love bomb". Then, they go and leave encouragement in the comments. Leaving a comment takes less than five minutes, but these comments really change the world.

Two years ago when they left comments on my blog, I didn't have many followers. I thought that only people who knew me in person read my blog because I hadn't been blogging for long. I didn't really see how my blog made a difference or made an impact. I definitely didn't think people all over the world would read it.

To hear from hundreds of people that what I'm doing really IS making a difference, is incredible. They encouraged me to keep going, to keep spreading awareness for this disease, to keep trusting in God, and to keep sharing my story and faith because it is making a difference and helping people. They said that God is really using me. To hear that from people literally all over the world was so encouraging, and still is today. I've never felt more inspired to keep sharing my story and faith.

Even to this day, if I need encouragement, I go and read those comments. They still encourage me.

I wanted to tell you about them so that you might join them in encouraging people. It takes literally less than five minutes a week, and you can do it from your computer or phone anywhere. They really made a difference in my life and continue to make a difference in other people's lives. You always hear negative things on the news about crimes, or bad things people are doing. But there are still good people who are doing great things. I wish the news would show more positive things like this.

Their website is Drop A Love Bomb (http://dropalovebomb.com). You can partner with them to get notifications each week of the next love bomb mission. They will email you the next mission!

If you want to read where they posted all the comments on my blog, click the link in the next paragraph, or go to the top of my blog and click on the post "30 Things You Might Not Know About My Illness-Invisible Illness Awareness Week"

Here is the link to the post where all the comments are on my blog! "30 Things You Might Not Know About My Illness-Invisible Illness Awareness Week"

I'm so blessed by and thankful for these people! I feel very honored that they chose to love bomb me. I can't thank them enough. I'm sorry that it's taken me so long to give a proper thank you to the people at love bomb. Thank you so much!!! I will continue to support you!!

"So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11

2nd appointment with pain management doctor!

My 2nd appointment with the pain management doctor Monday went great! It was a quick visit which is always nice.

As I was waiting to be called back, a lady dressed as the statue of liberty came in...apparently she was from a physical therapy company and was bringing info to this doctor's office, but I'm still not sure why she was dressed like that. It was funny though! The lady in front of her to check in said, "introducing your next patient, the statue of liberty!" It was really awkward but funny to watch. So that was exciting!

I was called back really quickly. There is a main doctor, and then two PAs that work there. The first visit I saw a PA and the main doctor. But for follow up visits they just randomly assign one doctor to see you unless you request to see a certain doctor. On Monday I got the main doctor which was good!

Since the extended release medicine that they first put me on wasn't really helping and causing more side effects, they put me on a different one. I felt bad saying that it wasn't really helping because it was a strong medicine (morphine). But they said it's not a big deal, and I shouldn't feel bad. That's why they have different medicines. Not every medicine works for every one. So they switched me to an extended release that's a little stronger than the one I was on.

They left the breakthrough medicine the same since that still works well. Hopefully this new medicine will work better so that I don't have to take as much breakthrough medicine!

The pharmacy we use has been out of the medicines I need for the past 3 times. And it's not like they're uncommon medicines. So on Monday after I left the doctor I went to drop off the new prescription. I got there and they said they didn't have that medicine. Of course. They said the medicine is a new one, but they also just reformulated the medicine so they didn't have the new one. So I asked if he would call and see who had it. Two out of the three pharmacys around were out. The one that had it was on the other side of town, and it took about 30 minutes to get there. Once there, they told me it would take an hour for the medicine to be ready. At the pharmacy we usually use, the wait is never over 30 minutes.

So I had no choice but to wait for the medicine because it was far from our house and it wouldn't be worth having to come back that night. It was actually really close to where we used to live. It was so busy around there so I decided to go to Sonic to get a drink and hang out there till the medicine was ready.

I headed back to the pharmacy after an hour, but they were super busy and I still had to wait 30 more minutes in line. The doctor gave me a coupon for the medicine and we are so thankful he did. I guess since it's a newer medicine there's no generic so it's really expensive. For a month's supply it was $112 dollars! Wow. I wasn't sure if the coupon would actually work because a lot of times there's a catch to it. But all I had to do was activate the card which only took 10 minutes, and then it worked! All we had to pay was $15. Thank you to the best doctors in the world!

The doctor's appointment only took 45 minutes, and then it took 2 and a half hours to get the medicine. It was crazy and frustrating, but everything is good now and we're so thankful for the coupon for the medicine. We can also use it up to 12 times! I didn't even know something like that existed and actually worked.

I go back to the pain management doctor in a few weeks again to see how things are going. They said that we can call 24 hours a day if we really need something! I'm so thankful for them!

Update since pain management appointment!

So how have I been doing since my first pain management appointment and starting the new pain medicines? I've been doing pretty good! Last week I was able to do VBS, and one of friend's parents were out of town so she stayed with me last week! We also watched the Thunder games which went pretty late at night. I've been on the new pain medicine for about 12 days.

Tomorrow is my 2nd appointment with the pain management team. I've never been so excited for a doctor's appointment before! I really love these doctors.

Even though I've been able to do more since starting the new pain medicines, I've been having a lot of side effects from the extended release morphine, and it's not helping as much as I thought it would. I'm still having to take lots of extra medicine for breakthrough pain.

So tomorrow I will discuss this with the doctors and see what they want to do. It seems like the morphine is not helping enough to be worth taking because of all the side effects. But, it could just be that it will take longer for my body to adjust to this since I'm getting constant medicine. I've never taken anything like this so I'm not sure what's normal and what's not normal. They might decide to increase the dose, or just change to another medicine. Thankfully, they started me at the lowest dose, and we have tons of other medicines that we could try. At my first appointment they said that since I'm so sensitive to medicines, that if something isn't working or causing lots of side effects, we'll just start over and find something that will work. They said that it's not a big deal and we'll do whatever it takes to find a combination of medicines that work.

The goal is to get me to where I don't have to take extra medicine for breakthrough pain. We want to get to the point where I just need the long lasting medicine, which right now is the morphine, for my pain. But right now I'm still having to take a lot of the extra medicine.

The doctors will do whatever it takes to get my pain at the lowest level! I'm confident that we will be able to. It might just take a while to figure out what medicines will work best for me. I'm so thankful for these doctors!!!

Vacation Bible School!

This past week was VBS at church and I got to help! I was in a couple of the plays!

Before I got sick I was in plays and musicals. I did community musicals and then some at school. I took acting classes and voice lessons. I really miss performing! But I was so excited that they asked me to help with the VBS plays!

The theme of VBS this year was Jonah (You can run but you can't hide!). The first play I was in was a black light play. It was right before Jonah got swallowed by the whale! He had been thrown off the boat and was in the ocean. Our part of the play was the sea creatures under water!

This is what we had to wear for the black light play so we wouldn't be seen. Black pants, long sleeve shirt, socks, gloves, and a mask.

The whole outfit. We looked like ninjas!

I got to be the jellyfish! The pictures aren't very good because we were moving, but you get the idea. I'm the green jellyfish in the middle. There are two fishes on the left, a sting ray, then me, then a school of fish, a clam, and seaweed and coral. It's hard to see all of them in the pictures but they are there!

Then after the black light part, Jonah came and a whale chased him around. The whale was a balloon thing on sticks that people carried up and down the isles so it went by all the kids. It was huge and the kids loved it!

I didn't take this picture. I got it off facebook. That was right before the whale ate Jonah. 

The next day I was a villager in the town of Ninevah! It's hard to see me but I'm in the red dress. Sorry, the pictures are blurry.

It was so fun helping at VBS. I'm so glad I got to! Last week was a crazy week with VBS and then the NBA finals. Unfortunately the Thunder lost, but we are so proud of them! They've only been here for 4 years and already made it to the finals. They are so young, but so humble and respectful, even when they lose. When they came home yesterday, 5,000 people went to the airport to welcome them home. I love how they have united our state and country. A survey said that 49 out of the 50 states wanted the Thunder to win. The only state that didn't was Florida where Miami is. How amazing! We can't wait until next season!!