My list

OK, I so have been intrigued by the incredibly popular "To-Do List" blog that became a book and is now a best-seller. So I went to the blog to take a look around. The author claims that a list says a lot about a person.

I have not posted in forever and a day. I had to get over being sick, and then have Thanksgiving, and since we got home from Ennis (where my brother, mom and dad live) I have been playing catch-up. And besides, I couldn't think of a topic.

So since it's too late to make a "Things I'm Thankful For" list, I'll just make an impromptu list of things I love.

So, in no particular order, here are some things that Mindi loves!!!

1. The obvious! The triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and the Bible so we can read and learn about Him
2. Another obvious! My awesome hubby, my awesome beautiful six children, and extended fam.
3. Still another obvious! My amazing friends, and the fact that I have so many people who care about me (as I found out when I was sick . . . my phones were ringing off the wall, er, nightstand). A MILLION thanks to the many many people (my mom called them "Mindi's Angels) who chipped in with food, childcare, running kids, etc.
4. Yada yada yada . . .. this is getting boring but of course my house, my car, my computer, my phone.

OK, now for the little things:

Beautiful sunny fall days
The smell of Myla's neck
Hot kettle corn (the real stuff, not microwaved)
How it feels to crunch dead leaves
Friends (the TV show), Survivor, Grey's Anatomy, and Jeopardy
Google
Loud, hard thunderstorms that rage when I'm home for the night and while I sleep, but clear up to a clean wet world by dawn's early light.
Just-bathed baby toes that are wrinkly and pink
Giving someone a present that I KNOW they will absolutely love
Pictures of my kids when they were babies
The look and feel of a slight sunburn at the end of a day on the lake
Wings 'n' More pickle chips
Sitting at the edge of the ocean, staring out and wondering where I would end up if I went straight out
Diet Cokes (fountain) with REAL cherry flavoring, not sugar-free cherry flavoring that tastes like bad cough syrup
A roaring fire in the fireplace on a freezing night
Texas A&M Football and the Dallas Cowboys

OK, that's enough for now.

What do you love?

Mindi

I survived!!!

Well, I am back among the land of the living! Thank you to everyone who prayed for me, called to check on me, emailed your concerns, etc. Some of you kept my kids, drove them around, and cooked me dinner!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!

My goal for Friday was to get out of bed and make it to the living room couch. Once I got to the couch, I felt much better and by Friday night was up and dressed in real clothes! My mom felt okay about going home at that point (she had been staying with me and helping with the house and children).

By Saturday I took a REAL shower (standing up!) and put on jeans. Matt declared me well enough to go to Red Lobster and to go see a movie. And Sunday I went to church, and today I am at work!!!

So, praise God, I am well!

Mindi's Horrible Illness By the Numbers:
2 trips to medical facilities
3 IV attempts (2 successful)
3 bottles of Advil taken
1 spinal tap
1 chest xray
2 sets of bloodwork
8 days in bed
3 cans of chicken broth
3 packages of jello
104.3 - highest recorded fever

Tomorrow I will write something more exciting to read about!!
Thanks, friends, for being there for me!!

Mindi

hey friends . . .

Hello friends.

Please please pray for me. I am really sick and have been sick since Thursday night. I spent 6-7 hours at the Urgent Care Clinic today getting blood drawn, painkillers, and IV rehydration. With some debate the doctor let me go home but I am absolutely miserable.

Please pray that this is not meningitis or something that will take a long time to recover from, and pray that my kids/hubby don't get the same bug, whatever it is.

I cannot get my fever down despite prescription painkillers/fever reduces and 4 Advil every few hours. I just got up (it's nearly 4 a.m.), thinking my fever might have finally broken since I feel a little better, and I just took my temp (oral) and it's 102.1.

I am SO sad now that I realize that I will not be able to go to church tomorrow.

And yes, you did see me at the concert on Friday night. It was probably a big mistake. I just couldn't not go. You might have noticed, though, that I was wearing Matt's pajamas for a shirt and dressed in layers and shivering despite the 80 degree weather.

Again, please pray for me. I rarely get sick and just don't know what to do with myself. The staff at S&W thought it was funny that I had only gone to the doctor (for illness) once in my adult life that I could think of.

OK, I'm dizzy. I would like to go to bed but I keep having febrile convulsions racking my whole body for 30-40 minutes and as a result my entire body is so sore, and I have such bad heartburn (I guess from the convulsions/chills) that I can't lay flat.

Have a great day. I sure miss you guys already! (since I won't see you tomorrow).

I'm going to go try attempting sleep in my rocking chair . . .

Mindi

Vote for a Real Man of Faith

OK, I need to admit something.

I'm somewhat of a political junkie. Especially when Presidential elections are involved.

But I have actually been avoiding all talk of Presidential candidates, not being thrilled with any of the choices that I knew about. I also can't stand the thought of any of the Dem candidates actually being voted in as President . . . it literally makes my stomach turn to think any of them could WIN. And since all signs have been pointing to a Dem win this time around, I have just decided to avoid watching or reading about the race at all. I didn't even watch the debates.

However, for some reason today I felt an urge to find my candidate. Right now!!

I believe that the number one issue for us should be abortion. The Bible speaks clearly and often about our duty to protect the widows and orphans. I believe these orphans include unborn babies, a creation of God without anyone to fight for their rights to take their first tiny breaths. We are commanded to take care of them.

Our Republican forerunner, Rudy Guiliani, is pro-choice. He states (I'm paraphrasing here because I'm too lazy to look up his actual quotes) that although he is against abortion personally, he doesn't think it is right for the government to make the decision. So although I think he might be the candidate most likely to actually win (based on popularity, name recognition, and his middle-of-the-road stance on a lot of issues), I canNOT in good conscience vote for him. I think I might actually NOT vote or vote for a 3rd-party candidate if Guiliani wins the primary.

While Mitt Romney seems likeable enough, he is Mormon. I cannot get around that. Although his values seen strong and align with mine for the most part, his Mormon-ism bothers me.

So I started looking at some of the other candidates . . . including reading comments on the Values Voters website, and lo and behold I found my DREAM candidate! Not only do we agree on everything politically, but he is a strong Christian!! Who, when asked if he would let his personal faith influence his decision-making, he replied, "My faith doesn't influence me . . . it DEFINES me." This former Baptist pastor and youth minister is Mike Huckabee.

I could go on and on, but here is a short video of Mike:

I don't think that link will work, so here is a URL link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lt6sxY6LaW4

Go and read about Mike. I hope you like what you see.

If you like it, please click on this link which takes you to his website:

http://www.mikehuckabee.com/index.cfm?FuseAction=VerticalDay.Home&l=BB8FF93781DD6D298959C71CC9A59397

If nothing else, PLEASE PLEASE pray about this election and the leaders of this country, and do your research about the candidates yourself before casting your vote.

God Bless America!!

Mindi