My Bionic Man!

The first surgery is complete. Wires implanted into his back at the site of his pain. The stimulator pack is taped onto his side and he has a little remote control to gage settings and strength of the pulse. Looks pretty narly and from what he tells me, wires in your back don't feel so good. But its only day 2 and the soreness from the procedure should wear off in a few days so he can better determine how it effects his daily pain. The next step takes place this coming monday the 30th, when they remove the wires and evaluate the stimulators effectiveness. Lord willing there will be a significant enough amount of pain relief that the date will then be set for the permanent stimulator to be place in his spinal column, wires and all. The only part left outside his body will be the remote.

Please pray for Michael this week as he tries out this new device.

Please Please pray for pain relief.

Please pray for new beginnings for Michael.

God has gotten him this far, we only hope that the road of pain has come to an end.

Be Near O God, Be Near!

Time to catch-up

Hi there everyone!

I'm realizing that a lot has happened in the last month or so that I have not had a chance to blog about. So, if you don't enjoy rambling, you might want to tune out. BUT, if you want to hear about some pretty exciting stuff that has happened recently, then read on.....

1. I finally got a job!!!! So exciting right? Even more exciting is God's timing because for the past 3 months or so my chronic pancreatitis has been really acting up, which then causes my chronic fatigue to get worse. But I was so determined to keep this job that I just kept praying that I would have enough energy to do training and hopefully not throw-up at work. And what do you know........ my first day of work I woke up feeling great!! (Although by the end of the day I am thoroughly exhausted and can barely convince myself that I have enough energy to change my clothes before I throw myself into bed.) But every morning I somehow find the energy to do it again..... whoohoo!

2. My new job requires me to buy new clothes!!!! I work at (a brand made by Ann Taylor). Their clothes are so cute and I HAVE TO WEAR THEM TO WORK! How conveinent right? My associate discount makes the experience even more delightful! O' it's been so long since I've shopped! And let me tell you, new clothes do a body good! Check out some of the new looks...

3. I got health insurance!!!! Michael's work finally offered him insurance and he was able to add me as well. It's not super cheap but it's worth it. Now I don't have to freak out every time I have a pancreatic attack wondering if it's bad enough that I need to go to the hospital or if it's safe to just try and tough it out at home. I got my prescription from the pharmacy the other day and it was $68 cheaper!!!!! SAWEET!!!

4. My sister-in-law Janelle got married to her sweatheart Brad this weekend!! It was a beautiful wedding at a small ranch in Camarillo, CA. Everything went well. The bride was stunning, the groom cried and the food was good!! Michael and I love our new brother-in-law Brad and are so excited to have him as part of the family. Michael's parents provided us with a free hotel stay up in Camarillo the night before and the night after the wedding so it was kinda like a mini vacation. We were away from home, had tons of fun, ate lots of great food, and came home more tired then we left....... yep, vacation. Enjoy some pic's from the wedding....

So, there you have it. You are officially updated. Enjoy the photos!

love,

Bethany

same old same old

You know your sick when.....

1. You still can't sleep after two doses of nightquill, two tylonol PM, two nausea pills, and four cups of hot tea.

2. You think the cold bathroom floor is more comfortable then your bed.

3. Your favorite drink is green sludge.

4. You only want to watch "Friends" reruns that you have memorized because you don't have enough energy to lift your head to see the TV.

5. You are convinced that a new Anthropologie sweater is the only thing that will make you feel better.

6. You cried when you realized you were out of ginger ale.

7. You resorted to asking your Dog what is wrong with you instead of your Doctor.

8. Standing up to take a shower is something you haven't done for a long time.

9. It's been so long since you went out that your clothes are out of style.

10. NOTHING feels good.

At least I have Mojo.....

Prayer Does Wonders So PLEASE READ

Hey all,

I hope that in your busy days you are able to take the time and read this blog.

http://www.footballandstethoscopes.blogspot.com/

It is a powerful and moving story of updates about a young couple from Biola who's first year of marriage has been anything but a "honeymoon". The husband Dan is battling cancer and has been for a number of years now. He received a new hip recently and thought he was finally cancer free, only to find out a short time later that it was in his bowels. He is going on 7 weeks in the hospital trying to recover from his latest surgery. However, complications have arisen and he desperately needs our prayers. To make matters even more complicated, his young wife Ashley is trying to finish up her last few months of her nursing degree at Biola. Unfortunately, Dan's hospital is up at Stanford, requiring Ashley to make the 6 hour drive almost every weekend to be with her husband and then back again for the school week. So please take some time to pray for Dan and Ashley Howen. They could really use the extra support!

Spaghetti Spectacular - 3am...goodness at any hour!

This post is from my Husband Michael...I'm cooking!

Whoohoo...my first post. (It's 3am, we were laying in bed and Bethany wanted Spaghetti, it sounded so good, do we glanced over at each other, smiled and hoped out of bed)

I presume that everyone has had spaghetti before...we all have; it's one of the 5 meals your mom rotated for the family during your entire childhood (at least mine). But, what you might not know is that there is spaghetti and then there is SPA-HA-GHET-TE-TE-TEEEE....the later is what Bethany makes. Her spaghetti isn't a can of Ragu dumped on some sticky starch pasta, oh no...that's shameful (still spaghetti, so good none the less).

Before I get into the details of the dish I should note that this meal as in all meals my wonderful wife makes, is different every time. She doesn't follow a recipe and even if she does because it's a new dish, she always adds in something else for flavor.

Bethany's Spaghetti like most starts with a big bed of cooked pasta, then the sauce (what really separates the spaghetti from the SPA-HA-GHET-TE-TE-TEEEE). The sauce has some type of a base sauce, could be Prego, or any old tomato paste, then there's cooked tomatoes (big 2 inch chunks), mushrooms, onions, bell peppers, sometimes squash, spinach or broccoli and for seasoning, garlic cloves, bay leaves, oregano, basil and a bit of salt and pepper. Depending on what we are feeling like we can keep it vegetarian or add ground beef, ground turkey, shrimp or even tofu.

The result, is one amazing plate of spaghetti, one that has your mouth enjoying the complexity of so many wonderful flavors.

If you're wanting to make this on your own, don't forget about being creative and liberal with all of the needed spices to complete the meal. Bethany throws in a little of this and a little of that...some of the common favorites are basil, oregano, italian seasoning, garlic salt, parsley, thyme, celery salt and white pepper.

Just got done eating mine.....oh man that hit the spot. Don't forget you always need some garlic bread or toast to go with it, especially with all the great sauce to scoop up and enjoy.

Well, I guess it's time for a peaceful and enjoyable night of sleep...with spaghetti in the belly.

Thanks for the Spaghetti babe!

Michael

PS Bethany just got a haircut yesterday and she looks super good, like real real hot....aaaaaamazing. Love it, I doubt she'll post a picture, but maybe I can persuade her to.

A True Stud-muffin!

Hi there friends!

Just a little update on how life is going right now. I have been really sick. It's like having a really bad flu for the past 2 weeks. MISERABLE! The worst part is that each day I hope to feel a little better but instead I seem to be getting worse. Achy, nausea, dry heaving, coughing, sharp stomach pain. Let's just say, that I never recommend having chronic pancreatitis, EBV, chronic fatigue, and the flu. But I was able to go to the doctor the other day and he gave me some meds to help mask the symptoms. Anyway, the real reason for this post is not for me to have an on-going self-pity party because anyone who knows me is well aware that I hate pity. The reason I am writing is to say thank you to my WONDERFUL HUSBAND MICHAEL! He has been an incredible source of help and support this past month. Waiting on me hand and foot, staying up late with me, taking care of the housework. Basically, he has been busting his butt to make me comfortable and still getting up and going to work each day. I know what most of you are thinking... duh, he supposed to do that, in sickness and in health right? Well, Michael is no ordinary husband. He is a strong and courageous, he faces pain every moment of every day. Most people know that he has a "bad back". Most people know that he has no tailbone. But few people really know all the complications that come with having a severely painful chronic back problem. I could give you all the medical terminology and explain what is medically and technically wrong, but nothing says is in a way that can fully depict how hard each moment of every day is for him. Sitting is painful, laying down is painful, standing is painful, bending over is painful, reaching for things are painful, putting on his shoes in the morning is no small task. Not to mention, how hard it is to put on a smile each day and go to work to provide for your wife. He really is a stud! So the next time you see Michael, the next time you shake his hand or call him on the phone, remember that behind that cheerful smile and that witty humor is a man who makes the conscious decision each moment of each day to persevere despite incredible amounts of constant, unrelenting chronic pain. I am thanking God for Michael today, as I do everyday. Please take the time and say a prayer for Michael today. Perhaps even go a step further and give me a call, write him a note, or send him an email letting him know that you acknowledge his pain and are proud of all he accomplishes daily. I can say it over and over again, but there are times when he deserve a little more encouragement. So take the time and encourage today! Michael you are an incredible example of what God has called a man to be, and I AM SO PROUD OF YOU!!!! LOVE YOU MICHAEL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR TAKING CARE OF ME!!!!

love,

Bethany

Rejoice

Hello there friends!

I just wanted to say hi! It's been a rough week or two for Michael and I. In the last two weeks everything we had planned for the next couple months suddenly went up in the air. Our intended move into the new apartment is not working out, the health insurance plan I finally qualified for is not longer offered, my year long healthy streak was broken by multiple pancreatic attacks in the last two weeks, Mojo hurt his foot, Michael's pain has really escalated in the past two weeks, my diet sucks, and basically everything that could go wrong did. Let's just say, we have been feeling very overwhelmed and totally let down by everything. Sometimes I am woken up at night by Michael moaning in his sleep from pain or the extreme nausea that comes with pancreatitis, and all I can do is just sit there and pray until I eventually just fall asleep again.

But amidst all the stress, pain and discouragement Michael and I are once again blessed with a reason to rejoice! I got a job interview at J Crew...whoohooo! Not only do I love the clothes but they offer health ins for part-time employees. A $1200. medical bill that Michael has been appealing for the past 6 months finally went through and were are free of any payment on it (which is good because we didn't have $1200. to spare). Brent (michael's dad) came over and helped us do our taxes only to find that we are getting $1800. back, so that we can pay our rent next month without tapping into our much depleted savings!!!

In short, we are touched by God's goodness once again! Over and over again we are reminded that God's faithfulness is constant and that our lives are in great hands! I am so thankful that even in the toughest of situations I know that there is a bigger and greater purpose that goes beyond my own troubles.

Thank you Jesus for the sacrifice that you made so that I can have redemption even in moments of doubt and questioning. You are more then I need each day, it's my decision whether or not I acknowledge that. And today, I acknowledge that!

Psalm 37:23-24 "The steps of a man are established by the Lord, and He delights in his way, when he falls he will not be hurled headlong, because the Lord is the one who holds his hand."

Matt 7:34 "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of it's own."

So rejoice with me today because God's goodness reaches far beyond our daily needs!

1 Thess 5:16-18 "Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks."

Sick and tired...so I crafted.

Health has been rough these past two weeks, and so has my diet. No chocolate, no spaghetti, and no pop tarts....lame. But to keep my spirits up I decided to try my hand at necklace making. Haven't made a necklace since I was little when yarn and fruit loops were my supplies. But it can't be to hard right? I like a particular style I've been noticing lately where the necklace is strung using ribbon in multiple layers with chunky beads. So while trying not to break the budget, this is what I came up with..... Thoughts anyone??

.

Love,

Bethany

As many of you know, I've been struggling with my health lately. I went an entire year without a back pancreatic attack but the night of our anniversary put an end to that. I'm guessing old Hank (the name I have given my pancreas bc I don't like that word) didn't like that roasted duck. Anyhoo, Michael and I have been trying to re-create our meals to cater to my strict diet. As a result, Michael has been doing some of the cooking on days that I am to sick. So, I would like to introduce you to Healthy Cooking by Michael Strawsburg!

Reciepie #1.

The Healthy Egg Omelet.

1. egg substitute (fat free)

2. bell peppers

3. red onion

4. tomatoes

5. bacon (leave out for fat free option)

6. Motzorela cheese (less fat then most cheeses

7. avacodo (healthy fat to be added on top if desired)

8. Salt and pepper to season

Oh, and was it delicious! Feel free to add other favorites, low fat turkey, tofu, mushrooms, herbs, anything you can think of. Then of course, add your favorite fruit as a side and you're set. This dish has a small amount of healthy fat, vitamin c, and some protein.

Just getting started and seeing what fun things we can come up with. Post some great recipes if you have some ideas!

Suitcases already packed

Take a look at this unique dresser (from Anthro) that consisted of wood suitcases stacked to create an incredible bedroom piece. Simple concept yet it's distinctive character makes it an eye catcher no matter where it's displayed. I love the versatility of this piece and would be inclined to place it in a living room instead of my bedroom. I love pieces that don't require an extras such as picture frames or nick knacks to give it that creative edge. I would only change one thing, I think I would give it leather suitcase handles with perhaps an old suitcase lock in the middle or each drawer. Give it just a tad more of a vintage look. But either way it really is an awesome dresser, and one that I would buy if only........

Love, Bethany

ribbons, flowers, and t's

As many of you are probably aware, money is tight these days. But, that doesn't mean you can't have the latest styles!! (At least that's what I'm telling myself). So I decided to try my hand at some good old copy-cat! Here is an example of where I am getting my inspiration (Anne Taylor LOFT, J Crew,) you get my drift right?

I started with a $5.00 t-shirt from Target, then I bought some clearance fabric from Joanns. I also dug through my ribbon supply and found some leftover wedding gift ribbon. So here is what I came up with.....

I used Ribbon that was used in our wedding to decorate the isles in order to craft these lovely flowers!

I used some sheer material to make these, I like how they are a little off-set with the larger flower on the right.

This is the ribbon from a wedding gift we received, the gift that keeps giving!! Basically, I just twisted, pinned and stitched.

These will be up on my etsy site soon if any of you would like to claim one as your own.

Love,

Bethany

Magical to say the least

So, I just heard today from my lovely cousin Rachel and fellow blogger that a popular Anthropologie brand "Liberty of London" is now at Target!!!!!! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?!!! To good to be true? I know, that's what I thought, but it's real!! Even better, for those of you with little kiddies they have children's clothes as well! Stop for a second and get your mind around this concept..... Anthropologie.......Target....... now together.. "Anthroget"!!!!! Mind blowing!!!

Good luck Shoppers!!!

love,

Bethany

Coming Soon

LoveLee Bath Salts by Blovelee! Enjoy the bliss of natures own aromatherapy in my special blend of Eucalyptus orange, lemon and hints of tangerine. It contains epsom salt which helps to relieve aching muscles and sore joints for a relaxing experience that comforts both your body and your senses! Made and tested in my own home! Take a look at some of the steps...

Soon to come on my Etsy site!!

Anniversary

Michael and I celebrated our first anniversary this past weekend! It was so much fun! We had a great weekend together! Michael took me to my favorite store ever (Anthropology) and bought me a dress!!!

I got to show off my new dress at dinner that night in Dana Point. We went back to Dana Point Harbor which is where we spent the first few days of our honeymoon last year. We had been given a gift certificate by Michael's work (The Free Wheelchair Mission) last year to use on our honeymoon. But we decided to save it for a little reunion with our honeymoon spot. So off we headed, me in my anthro dress and Michael in the slacks he wore at our wedding. We went to Gemmell's French restaurant in the Dana Point Harbor. It was super fancy! We got a table seated right in front of a fireplace... so romantic!

We had shrimp scampi for an appetizer which was AMAZING!!!! For dinner we decided to splurge and take advantage of the very french cuisine, so Michael got the Filet Mignon and I got the Roasted Duck. Super rich, super thick and super yummy! Michael didn't stop moaning with delight every bite he took.

We also brought with us the top of our wedding cake (which we saved in the freezer for an entire year). It was carrot cake with a sour cream filling (the experts say that carrot cake saves the best). The restaurant was nice enough to serve it for us. They displayed it on a large platter with "happy anniversary" written in chocolate syrup. And believe it or not, it was super yummy! Didn't taste old at all!

So there we sat with coffee and our wedding cake reliving the memories of the past year together. We are both amazed at how fast it went. We both recognized how God has truly blessed us and provided for us in spectacular and unexpected ways.

Sadly the night ended with me having a pancreatic attack (let's just say my body didn't appreciate all the fat in french cuisine!). But Michael, being the wonderful husband that he is, took good care of me and we were still able to have a wonderful first anniversary!!! We decided that after a year of trials we are still together and still in love, which is nothing short of a great success!!!

Our State Fair is a grand State Fair

I decided to start a new string of posts on my blogg of things that I love, things that are expensive, things that I would buy.....IF ONLY I were rich! Why? You are probably asking. Well, like most girls whether or not they admit it... I love to Shop, I love new things, I love clothes, I love to decorate....etc, etc! BUT, like most people in this horrid economy I cannot afford to buy everything I want, simply because it's cute. So I have decided to feature things that I like and would buy if only I was rich because it gives me a place to store ideas and tips for any future sewing escapades or thrift shop ventures I might go on. It's also going to be used as my own personal window shopping, tailored just for me! So be inspired, look when you have no money to touch, and please..no drooling. I promise to let all of you borrow whatever you like...IF ONLY...!!!!!

love,

Bethany

State Fair Dress!

Poor little guy

I am sad to report that our little Mojo has not been feeling well, an upset tummy. I wont give you all the icky details, but let's just say he's had better days. Michael took him to the vet where he was given 4 different kinds of meds and they wanted to give him 2 different shots. The grand total amounting to something over $200.00!!!!! I would just like to point out that Mojo is not a person, he is a dog. I would also like to point out that I have been going to the doctor for 4 years for my "tummy" issues and all I get is a strict diet......Lame. Michael turned down the 2 shots because we could not afford such a high bill and the vet gave him her typical "you are lower then pond scum for not spending hundreds of dollars on your pet" look. I've gotten before too when I turned down a years prescription for dog calcium pills! Since when do dogs take calcium pills?

So, here I am giving Mojo 4 different meds at 3 different times a day, and he hates them!!! I'd just like to say that you are not officially a dog owner until you can get your dog to swallow a large capsule dry. I tried putting it in his dog food, in peanut butter and in water...no success. I tried stuffing it as far down his throat as I could, then holding his jaw shut....no success, he just sits there. He lasted 5 mins once and then simply spit it out when I let go. I even tried holding his jaw shut and plugging his nose.... nope... nothing. (I had to stop because I thought I was going to suffocate him). My last ditch effort was to cut open the capsule and pour out the powder into a little bowel where I had to mix it into peanut butter and spread it on a cracker....THEN.... FINALLY...SUCCESS!!!

Just so you know, Mojo is feeling much better! He is back to his lively self, in fact, I think he's has so much energy he doesn't know what to do with himself because he decided today to try to dig up the carpet...no success. (But I'll let you know how it goes!) Right now Mojo is showing me how fast he can run back and forth across the room, he doesn't know I'm not watching.

Anyway, Mojo thanks you for reading about his life!

More!

I'm hooked on this new center piece idea. Thanks to the Goodwill I found some more treasures and went to work on them. I decided to paint this one white instead of silver, it was tarnished beyond repair. But now it has the look of band new clean white that compliments almost any china. Just so you know, the main idea behind these center pieces came from the latest County Living Magazine. Their rendition is has a much more elaborate candelabra that I fell in love with. And like my Mom always said, "why buy it when you can make it?!!". The awesome feature of this piece is that the little china bowls are the perfect shape and size to accommodate candles or tea lights as well as tasty treats. Multi-functional!

Tea Time

It's no secret that I love tea!! So it's about time I did something to promote my love for tea and tea parties!! A few old candle stick holders, some antique blue dishes and some hardcore glue left me with this......... my latest creation!

Furniture Sale #1

Here's the story; my 10 year old cardboard dresser from Ikea fell apart on me... finally. So I was in search of a new one for a cheap price. I went to my favorite place to find free stuff.... the apartment dumpster!!! The phrase "one man's trash is another man's treasure" is one of my fav's! I found an old entertainment center. One of those mega old ones that took up an entire wall. I recruited my little brother to help me carry is up the 3 flights of stairs to our apt which was not an easy task by any means. But a good scrub, some fabreeze, a fresh coat of white paint, some sand paper to antique the edges, some beautiful toile material and some upholstery material to line the drawers transformed my dumpster dive into a romantically unique piece. We are moving and I wont have room for it in the new place so I posted it on craigslist for $60 thinking it might go for $50. But in one afternoon I had 10 offers. It went for $60 which I was super happy about, considering it came from the dumpster! I probably could have charged more, but I'm still testing the waters.