Blondepedia: The Source For All Your Misinformation Needs

I am starting up a new website for misinformation of all kinds. It's going to be called Blondepedia.



My husband, Michael, read my last post and said, "Poppy didn't have an angioplasty. He had an angiogram."

So, I said, "No, he had an angioplasty."

And he said, "Nuh-uh!"

And I said, "Yuh-huh!"

And he said, "No way!"

And I said, "Way!"

Turns out I was wrong. Darn. I mean, fabulous, amazing news that Poppy had an angiogram instead of an angioplasty, but darn that I misreported. By the way, the results were GREAT, arteries look clear, so he's good to go for his appendectomy tomorrow... See, there I go again! (Really, he's having open-heart surgery in a few weeks.)

But that goof was just the beginning of my professional career as Dr. of Erroneosity.

In discussing Mother's surgery I missed her using the word "partial". Oops! I was wrong again. Darn! I mean, incredible, miraculous news that Mother's surgery was not a radical mastectomy, but darn that I misreported again!

So, the truth and nothing but the truth so help me God is that the surgeon was able to do a partial mastectomy! One doctor even referred to the surgery as a LUMPECTOMY and we like that term so much more that that's what we're calling it from here on out! By the way, the lumpectomy went wonderfully, lymph nodes look clear, and she's recovering beautifully!

PRAISE THE LORD!

So, just to completely clear up all confusion...



Got it?

By the way, I am also the one that twittered Jeff Goldblum's death. I am a virtual fount of misinformation. Thus, my new career as CEO of Blondepedia.







"I'm Margie McClure and I endorse this blog post as non-misinformation."

The Goodbye Girls

Today is a big day.

Today our sweet Mama is getting a mastectomy.

We had thought, and had reported with rejoicing in April, that she was in remission, but the last MRI showed that her breast cancer is a vicious beast that wouldn't die even after very aggressive chemotherapy treatment.

So, without any other options, Mother the Cheerfully Stalwart said, "Alright, let's do this thing!"



Right before they heard that surprising news, Poppy's doctor told him that he'd have to have open heart surgery... like NOW!.. to replace a bicuspid aortic valve that has deteriorated very quickly and possibly for a bipass. He had an angioplasty last week that hopefully did the trick. We'll see. We've known for years that Poppy would probably need to have this surgery at some point in the future, but it was a big shock for everyone to find out that it had become an emergency.



So, Mother's surgery is today followed by 6 weeks of radiation and Poppy's surgery will likely be in 2-3 weeks.

I know what you're thinkin'... DUH-ANG!!! And, you're right! This is a crazy, crazy time for our dear, sweet parents. Please, pray with us for both of our folks for their complete healing. They continue to have amazing, grateful, faithful, happy, uplifting, other-centered hearts and attitudes throughout this entire ordeal. Both are completely at peace and trusting in Jesus. They bless my soul.



Today, in particular, please prayer for Mother. Losing "the girls" is tough for any woman...

even Mother The Cheerfully Stalwart.



(I'm sorry for being a bad blogger this month and I promise to update about Jack's radical summer camp, our Minnesota trip, the Ethiopian Mehaber, and a fabulous time with our brother, sister, and nephews whom we had not seen in way, way, way too long. I should share about a couple of funny mishaps, too, and also about The Haus Remodel That Ate Summer. I promise to get to it soon. Thanks, friends, for your prayers!)

Mehaber 2009

Are you going to the Ethiopian Kids Community Summer Mehaber 2009?

For the last two years, more than 700 people from 17 states and 3 countries have attended! Look what's happening this year.

Ethiopian cultural demonstrations and traditional music
Coffee ceremony
Ethiopian cooking lesson by Fasika Ethiopian Restaurant
Family portraits in traditional Ethiopian clothing by Getachew Yadette Portraits
Ethiopian food and snacks for purchase (also American sandwiches)
Ethiopian traditional children's games
Hair braiding instruction by Biftu Merdassa from Global Braids Salon
(including free hair braiding during the event)
Performance by The Andenet Dance Group
Ethiopian dance classes
Face painting and tattoos by Malerich Arts
As well as inflatable bouncers, wii sports, carnival games, etc.

There will also be a large Merkato (market) including nonprofit organizations, adoption information, and vendors selling Ethiopian merchandise:

Everything from hambasha to Amharic Bean Bag sets
Amharic Kids will be releasing - "Explore Ethiopia: a coloring book"
Cultural items, clothing, coffee, cookbooks, spices, children's books and DVDs, card games, hair products and accessories, and more!

It's going to be GREAT! Who else is going?

Last Poison

Many kisses to our precious mama, the Maternal Person, today.



Today she goes in for her very last chemotherapy session, what she has dubbed "The Last Poison". Praise the Lord it's almost OVER!

I'm sure you know that chemo has a cumulative effect, so each infusion has had a greater impact. Round one is a doozy, but seems pretty bearable, but they get tougher and more sickening every time. This last round was exceptionally difficult, so she's not looking forward to an even worse couple of weeks after today's treatment. It's the pits.

But, God has been incredibly gracious through this whole season. She is in remission. Her life is not in danger. We get to keep her, and for that we are so grateful to God.



What's next? In three weeks, we think, mother will have surgery to remove the formerly cancerous tissue. Thankfully, it will be an outpatient procedure and she will likely not need reconstructive surgery! After that, she will go through 6 weeks of daily radiation. Yikes!



But first she's got to get through this last round of chemo. So, please pray for our mother today and over these next few weeks when she'll be feeling the worst she has since the beginning of her treatment. She's tough. She doesn't complain. But, I know she's feeling horrid and that it's only going to get worse for a little while. It breaks my heart.

Lord Jesus, be with Mama.

Buckle up!

'Tis the season of finals prep and music recitals.

I feel like



and a little like



Heads are



Brains are



Lots of



to the point of



and even more of



to the point of



But it's almost



Then we're going to



and



Then we'll hop a plane to



for the Mehaber



As soon as we get back Marg & Ricker head off for a two week mission trip to



and then two weeks of summer camp at



Whew!

And finally, this mama's gonna catch her breath and



and the papa's gonna



but not yet. For now, it's

Remembering... With Thankfulness!

Smells Weird

The other night I crawled into bed exhausted, fluffed my pillow and was just getting into my comfy position when I slid a hand under the pillow...

and discovered that there was something wet & slimy already there. It felt like what was (hopefully) a large, flat wad of damp, oily paper. ACK!



"Oh my goodness, what on earth?.... I don't even want to know what this is!"

Now, here's the difference between men and women. I wanted to get rid of the nasty, pillow-defiling offender as fast as possible before I figured out that it was something more disgusting than wet paper. Michael, however wanted me to hand it to him and then he stuck his nose up to it!

"Here, give it to me. What is it? (sniff sniff)... Smells weird."



After he turned the light on, it turned out to be a slightly damp cheese quesadilla.

Yep.

Under my pillow.

That's what happens when you've got five kids and two dogs under one roof. Ya gotta just roll with it.

Que(sadilla) sera sera!

Top Five

Michael and I decided that we needed a Top Five list of special things that express love to each other. Top Five things to help us keep our heads above water when life is challenging. Top Five ways to show we've got each other's backs. Top Five gifts of love.

Michael's Top Five for Me to Do For Him:
1. Verbal affirmation.
2. Lower the air conditioning before I get home so I don't come home to a hot house.
3. Spoil me by stocking up on my favorite soap (L'Occitane Lemon Verbena).
4. Set the coffee to brew before I get out of bed, especially on my early days.
5. Hugs and kisses. And LOTS of both.

My Top Five for Michael to Do For Me:
1. Do all of the things that I like.
2. Don't do any of the things that I don't like.
3. Say nice things.
4. Don't talk too much about things that I don't care about or too little about the things I do care about.
5. That's all. Just four. I'm easy.

And, ya know what, I'm a little bit mad that he didn't know my list by heart already! Yeesh!

Happy 9th Birthday, Jack!

Happy birthday to our beautiful boy! What a gift he is to us in so many ways. We are so proud of our Jackie.

He's the most strong-willed and determined kid imaginable and also the biggest helper around. He's very responsible, very polite, very "very" about most things one way or the other. Jack doesn't do anything half-heartedly. He's a boy who wouldn't know the middle of the spectrum if it bit him on the hand!

He's an animal on the basketball court comfortably playing with the high school and college age guys' pickup games at the gym. It's cool to go out for ice cream together and run into a bunch of older boys who greet him like he's just one of the guys. "Hey, Jack-o! J-man, what up? See ya, J!" That's 9-year-old heaven!

He's absolutely fearless on his bike racing down hills and risking his life on jumps and ramps. And, as you've already learned, our little Jeff Corwin loves reptiles enough to abandon all common sense and bike around holding a rattlesnake. That's our boy. Someday, (if we survive raising him!) I know we'll be amazed at what wonderful plan the Lord has for his unique gifts and talents.

We love you, Jackie! Happy birthday, big boy!

We're off to DISNEYLAND!

Blog Plug

Check out Taking the Yoke by our dear friend, Ray Hollenbach, pastor of the Vineyard in Campbellsville, KY.