I know many of you check here for updates and worry when there are none.

Thank you.  Thank you for your comments and prayers.  Believe me, I have felt them.  There’s no way I would have the strength and peace of mind I have now without the prayers God is putting on your hearts.

She’s still with us.

She went a full week without eating, and then ate six bites of chicken on Friday.  I was confused.  I can’t even truthfully say I’m happy about it.  I was so sure that her suffering was almost over that the nourishment she found in those bites just seemed bitter to me.

I spent the night with her on Saturday to give Rich some rest.  I got more sleep with newborns than I did that night.  Up from 9:45 to 10:45.  Up from 12:45 to 2:05.  From 2:05 to 4 is a blur.  Up at 5:45 again.  I have no idea how Rich does that.  Please pray for him.  He also has a business to run.

But yes, she is up.  A lot.  She can’t walk by herself, but she refuses to sit or lay down for long.  It’s a full-time job caring for her.  When I tried to talk her into laying down at about 3am, she responded with, “Well, you’re an ornery one…”

Most of her ramblings that night were nonsensical because of the medication she took before bed.  She talked of contributing to programs and slowing down horses (one at a time, of course) and eventually, I stopped trying to make sense of it all and just sat there beside her.

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So the day of my marathon (Sunday) came and went.  I celebrated with church, a visit with my mom, and then after the kids were in bed, I ran 12 miles on a treadmill.  I wasn’t sure I was going to run that 12.  I spent most of the weekend contemplating just quitting the training.  18 weeks is a long time to train for something and then cancel the week before.

I’m sick of running by myself.  (I had a running partner and group back home.)  I’m sick of running on the treadmill.  (I run after the kids are in bed so that I’m not leaving them in Josh’s grandparents care more than I need to.)  I’m sick of cramming in runs that last for hours when I’m already busy spending as much time as I can with my mom, homeschooling, and making Halloween costumes.

But by Sunday night, my legs were itching for a run and it was a relief to spend an hour and a half on the treadmill, believe it or not.  Plus, this way I can continue to eat like Michael Phelps.

I’m kinda whiny tonight.

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We are almost done accumulating/creating costumes for everyone.  We found Benjamin a Peter Pan ensemble at Goodwill (green polo shirt, dark green pants, brown belt, brown shoes).  Josh is going to make him a wooden dagger and I’m going to make him a green hat out of felt and a red feather.

We found Levi a crocodile/dragon costume at Goodwill, just minus the arms, legs, and head.  We got him green pants and a green visor there, too.  At Hobby Lobby, we got white foam board which we’ll use to make teeth and eyes for the visor.  At Target, we found a green long sleeved shirt half-off.  Now we just need to train him to say, “Tick, tock, tick, tock…”

Olivia’s costume is completely homemade.  My mom had gotten a Tinkerbell pattern and all the fabric, but then got too weak to make it.  So I’ve been working on it.  The most time-consuming part is trying to understand what the instructions are telling me to do.  YouTube has been my mentor.  I’m almost done.  Just a poufy tulle skirt (that she’s already told me multiple times that she doesn’t want and won’t wear) is all I have left to do.  She’s as stubborn as I am.

We found the perfect ingredients for a Captain Hook outfit using both Goodwill and Hobby Lobby, but everything was a size too small for Josh to wear.  And since we couldn’t find anything Wendy-ish or Tiger Lily-ish, we decided that both he and I will go as Pirates.

While at my mom’s I found the perfect lace and ribbon to make a bonnet for Lucy.  And then we’ll all be set.

And with that non-whiny note, I sign off for the night.

But not before I ask, what are you all (and your children) going to be for Halloween?