"Can I pray for you?"

This last week My Hero had yet another test to prove that cancer has not taken over another area of her broken body. Her spirit is stronger than most, but after many years of treatments, pokes and illness things start to fall apart. After Friday's appointment, she was told once more that her tumor markers had gone up quite a bit. 

This is devastating news as it simply says that cancer is growing somewhere; it's just a matter of finding it. Playing Hide-And-Seek with cancer is no fun task and it wreaks havoc on your emotions. 

The one stable in all of My Hero's journey is her faith. She knows who calls her by name. She knows where her Home is and who she belongs too. 

Recently, Tim and I canceled our traditional insurance and signed up with Medi-Share. It took Tim six months of questioning the poor fellow on the other end of the phone to make the step of faith into Christian Care. I had many questions myself and had many moments of, "Are you sure this is the right step for us?" 

It wasn't until I was about to hang up this past week as I was asking more questions in regards to the first doctors visits, that I was certain we made the right choice. In conversations with my girlfriends or family members the question, "Can I pray for you?" comes up often enough that it doesn't leave me speechless. When I was done with all my millions of questions on Monday, the gentle, soft voice simply said before hanging up, "Is there anyway I can pray for you?"

I sat on the edge of my unmade bed with tears welling up in my eyes as the weight of too many diagnoses, unknowns of birth siblings and pain in other marriages had been collapsing me to my knees. 

I could only say "No, but thank you for asking," before the tears were going to take over. 

Medi-Share may not be the smartest choice in healthcare to the traditional insurance carrier. It takes faith to know that others in the program will pay each month in order to cover the many medical bills sent in every month. What we pay each month is tracked and we get to see the name of the family our payment assisted in covering another families bill. If we want to send a note of encouragement or additional gift we may.

In all my years of dealing with medical insurance, doctor bills and watching My Hero fight for prescription coverage and state coverage, never, have I ever been asked, 

"Can I pray for you?"

It took me by surprise simply because our society has tried to erase faith from the foundation of this countries beginnings. This was a great reminder to continue to fight for truth in our schools, government and holidays. It will only get harder which means we, with Christ as our foundation, must fight louder, with more boldness and speak truth, humility and show grace in everything we do…..

even if it's at the end of an insurance phone call. 

(Best part of this program is once you refer someone to Medi-Share and they actually sign up, you in return receive a $100 VISA gift card! Can't say Group Health, Blue Sheild or all the others we've had in the past have done that for us before. )

It's Simple...

12th But Not Last: December Thoughts

I love the month of December for many reasons. 

I cherish all the family gatherings; the sense of belonging and togetherness. 

Even at the Element's work party, I felt like I was chilling with our extended family and I look forward to that special time chatting with as many as I can. Hearing about Anita's writing adventures, Cheri's expecting horse, Jennifer's boys and Doug's downtown apartment remodels makes me feel like I'm the background team member. I love knowing the accounting girls see me as more than just Tim's wife, but as a friend. Our Elements family has grown so much this year and it was my pleasure to introduce the better halves of many to other team players. 

Ever since we sold the salon , this has been the one and only thing I miss most.
The people. The relationships. The extended family.
 I still have contact with many of our stylists and I'm grateful for those amazing women as well. Family is more than just blood or those who married into a name.
Family to me, are those who share life together and those at the Windmill and past work adventures are just that: family.

Another reason I love December is the reflection and focus it brings to the manger. There would be no Christmas, no salvation or hope without Baby Jesus. There is immense pressure in society to keep up with the latest and greatest; to make us think we never will have enough. This entire month we are shelving the iPad in honor of Advent and Baby Jesus. There are a few in our home who resemble a two-year old having a temper tantrum when the words, "No iPad," are shuttered. Sometimes stripping the most wanted to make aware of the most important is needed. I would rather our family spend time pondering the birth of Jesus Christ and give Him our best as He always offers more then
we need daily.
The last few months has brought much fear revolving around health. I myself, find every headache or pain to make me question whether I should call the doctor or leave it alone. I've called many times reassuring myself that all precautionary tests are up to date and current. I try to pray for the worry to go away but it seems it's answered with another diagnoses. Am I having an anxiety attack? Possibly. Lately it seems most things are out of control when it comes to our health.
But, I will reflect on the past year and the good it has brought our family, the closer bonds and expressions of gratitude's rather then the negative…at least I'll try.

The sweetest reason I love December is simply because of ALL the treats!
My goodness they come in waves of chocolate truffles to sugar cookies and delicious pies and pastries found at the local bakery. If you haven't made your way downtown to The Lynden Dutch Bakery you should. They have four new scones which are dutch-bred and delicious. Yes, I've tasted and approve them all too.
Today the kids delivered another week of Lynden Tribune's to all 108 homes. Last week Addison snuck a Christmas card in the papers and was gifted with cards, tips and Russel Stover's truffles. Christmas is a time to celebrate, reflect, share and tell others
"Thank You."
These too, are treats for our family.
My board of faces in the salon is needing an update and all the cards being sent to us are eagerly awaiting their new placement for the year. My Love doesn't understand the importance of a card and quite frankly thinks it's silly. Me? I've always known my mom to do Christmas cards and I've always loved seeing and reading about the families
near and far to us.

The kids have about ten days left before Christmas break and if the older two don't strangle, trip or chase the other out of the house, then I've done my job well. I have even gone to the extreme of tempting to cancel Christmas if the "normal" sibling fighting doesn't stop. Actually, what I should do is buy each of them a big red button and every time they want to push the other over the edge they just push the button instead of egos and emotions. I should work on this and bring it to the Shark Tank. Who needs a demonstration when they could just watch and listen to a normal day here with Addi and Charlie? I just tell myself they love each other. Right? This I would not classify as a treat.

December is known to not be such a happy time for my Dad, but I'm praying as we wait for more test results from surgery and procedures that God will grant us more reasons to celebrate then to fear. Until then, I will continue my E2 Fitness workouts so I can overindulge in the treats and party meals of this rich, glorious season.

"Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men 
on whom his favor rest."  Luke 2:14

Quality Control with Gingerbreads

Day four of our countdown to Christmas: Make Gingerbread Houses!

The kids love making these sugar-themed houses and usually eat the makings before the final project is completed. At least that's how it goes for the shortest in the family. With Auntie's help, the frosting was perfectly placed and some laughter was had. Charlie choose the choo-choo and Addi created a crowd-pleasing home. Myriam…

Well, she didn't make it past the tube of frosting and ate the candies before the grout was even dry. 

So, now were left with a few masterpieces until little fingers and curiosities pick and peel all the color and walls off the gingerbread beauties. 

{ Charlie's quick, minimal design so he could start eating the leftovers. Well played. }

{ I see you! }

 

{ Sorry for the fancy finger. I'm blaming this one on Auntie and the frosting. }

{ Our quality control, detailed child. }

{ Perfection comes with age…excellent, great job, needs some work. }

Check out how much the kids have grown by viewing 

the first "broersma five" gingerbread post:

http://thebroersmafive.blogspot.com/2012/12/gingerbread-houses-2012.html

A Connection Worth Happening

Anyone that has ever used our facilities knows to watch their backside after flushing as our "system" is known for burping and causing one to panic after a loaded dumb gives way to a possible fake flush.

Each year our septic has gotten worse and worse which finally, after seven years of toilet burps, caused us to make the connection happen. 

This was no easy decision as it would have us completely tearing up our front yard. There's really no good time for that to happen. Being that the city lines are 22 feet down, we feared the worse. Thankfully, we (Ray, the guy with the master skills on the tractor) only had to dig 12 feet deep without disturbing our driveway. 

It started with Jose cutting the many-years-old rhododendron down and then the Holly tree right next to it. Charlie was most upset as the Rhodie was known as the climbing tree or the "Ninjago" tree for him and the neighbor boys. Perfect timing for the Holly tree to come down as it gave many of us Christmas accents throughout our homes both inside and outside. 

After Jose managed to locate sprinkler lines and uproot the trees, Ray did his thing and made some massively large dirt piles in a flash. 

The kids loved watching this happen through bedroom windows and standing in awe of the depth of the hole dug. Myriam was barking orders for the guys to leave Mommy's plants alone as she watched them dig each one up. She received many laughs that day…

With just a few hours of no water to make the city connection, we were back and running…darn, had to do laundry again. Although, that too has been a challenge as our dryer of twelve years finally decided to be done with us making the spare bedroom look like a drying room filled with racks and hangers everywhere. 

We have a huge appreciation for non-crunchy underwear now that we've had line-dried skivvies for a few weeks!

{The connection at the house after the tanks were destroyed and filled in.}

{Holly for the taking. }

{Twelve feet down sure makes a mess.}

Oh no. 

Oh yes. That's a faucet turned on with no running water. 

Sunday morning we woke to this. 

The main water line was exposed in our frigid, northeastern temperatures which gave us frozen pipe lines and no running water. Thankfully, we were spared a water damage by only having the outside pipeline freeze and nothing inside bursting with frozen glee. After an hour of some heat gun usage and some more work on the tractor covering up the water line, we were back in running business. 

A baby wipe shower can only do so much…

And, why not make more mess to match the front yard. Tim decided to have Jose and his fast working crew take down a cedar and evergreen too! I was so busy making dinner for a work party that Jackie and I didn't even notice there was this HUGE tree down in the back yard. 

Charlie is LOVING the dirt mess creating BMX bike jumps and tracking in mud everywhere. 

This will be my life until April. 

Our spring project list has grown by a mile over the past week, but that doesn't even worry me a bit.

My toilets are flushing, there's no burping noises or bubbles to clean up and the only worries about having a fake flush is if you really did plug the joy ride to the ocean.