The High Speed Wobble

I haven't been on here in so long that it took me a while to figure out how to even post.  I have had  story on my mind for a few weeks that I really wanted to write about, so this morning I decided to take the time to do it.
I know this seems weird, but now that school has started back I have more time to write or sew or craft :)  In the Summer I try to focus on spending the majority of my time with my family.  We did things like walking/bike riding, berry picking, flying kites, going on picnics, going for quad rides, fishing, going out for ice cream, roasting hot dogs/ smores in our backyard.  Summers are great.  Now that we are back in school the girls are busy, busy doing their studies and I am here just to direct.  So during certain classes I have a little "me time", sewing clothes for the girls and such.
Well, anyway back to the story.  I tend to be a little suspicious and can let things run wild in my brain sometimes.
 I have been warned to watch out for bears when we are walking the trails around here and especially when we are out picking berries.  I also try to have my eyes on my children at all times because you never know what kinds of creeps are out on the trails too.
Well, the girls and I went out on the trail a few weeks ago.  All 3 girls on their bikes and I was walking.  We got to the end of the trail and turned around to come back.  Sammy and Rachel said "Mom we are riding down the hill and will meet you at the bench".  (It is in the woods, down a hill and around a corner.  So out of my view, but still within ear shot).  So, I agreed.  Off they went as I was still helping Margaret up the hill with her bike.  I could hear a little something over the sound of the training wills from Margaret's bike on the rocks, so I stopped.  I could hear screaming.  It took me a few seconds to discern whether it was happy screams or hurt screams.  It was very clear that it was hurt/scared screams.  So, I took off running and yelled over my shoulder to Margaret to catch up.  I was running as fast as I could and all I could hear was very frantic screams from both girls... "MOM, MOM, MOM".  I cannot begin to explain to you the fear and feeling I had in me.  My first thought was a bear, but as I continued running I thought maybe someone was trying to kidnap them.  I was ready to FIGHT whether it was a bear or a person.  I think whichever it was better be glad that it wasn't them because I was ready to rip animal or person to bits and pieces.  I also cannot explain the relief I had when I came around the corner and realized that it was "just a bike wreck".  There was blood coming out Sammy's nose, her nose and eye were already quite swollen, she had major road rash on her hand and she was holding her belly saying that she hit it too.  I wish I could say that I picked her up and consoled her and said that everything was going to be ok, and that I quietly carried her home and washed her up and all was well. NO, first thing I said was "quit screaming"... then I sat on the ground beside her and tried to calm myself.  I had the major shakes and tears were coming very quickly.  As I sat there trying to calm my nerves I did say "you will be ok, it doesn't look very bad, nothing is broke".  As I came to my senses I saw a lady walking up the trail from a nearby house. She said she thinks she had felt the crash and had to come see if everything was ok.  Our house is quite a little walk away from the trail, so she offered for us to come in her house and get Sammy washed up.  She then only spoke to Sammy and kind of ignored my existence.  We did take her up on the offer to go inside her house and get Sammy washed up. Rachel and Margaret sat on the front steps outside and waited on us.
The lady got a bowl of water for Sammy to dip her hand in and she was speaking very quietly and consoling to Sammy.  I started to get a weird feeling about being in there, but continued to let her doctor on Sammy.  Then she said to Sammy "I am a psychologist and I am going to do a treatment with you that will enhance the healing process".  When she turned her back I whispered to Sammy "We need to get out of here".  Sammy said "why?".  I said "because this lady is crazy".  I had been texting my neighbor and about that time my cell phone rang and it was the neighbor.  I asked her if she would drive up the road and pick Sammy and her bike up because she was hurt.  She said that she would be right there.  That was a great excuse to leave that house.  I kindly told the lady thank you but that we have a friend coming to pick us up so we needed to get outside to meet her.
How do I always seem to get myself in those kinds of predicaments?  Oh well, we made it out with no treatments, and Sammy is all healed now!
When I got home I texted Dave at work and told him what had happened.  He said "kids have been bailing off bikes for years and never needed treatment for it." He also said Sammy had been introduced to "the HIGH SPEED WOBBLE" (that is what happens when you are going down a hill at a high speed and you feel your front wheel starting to wobble and then you lose complete control of it and head-over-teakettle you go).

OK so a couple more things.  The neighbor did come but only had room in her car for Sammy and her bike so she took Sammy.  Rachel, Margaret, and I walked home.  I also had our dog (a Boston Terrier). When the dog gets excited she starts choking and you have to hold her nose so she will breath out her mouth.  I am NOT a dog person and never EVER expected to be caught dead holding a dog's nose.  BUT as Rachel, Margaret and I made our way home at a brisk pace I had to keep stopping and holding the dog's nose.  That just topped off the experience!
I think I have a few more grey hairs on my head from the excitement!~  We did have a talk about screaming.  Dave told the girls it was ok to scream but maybe next time scream what the problem is instead of just "MOM, MOM, MOM"!!!

My Dad emailed me this video today.
When I was 14 years old our house burned down.  I had been deep-frying corn dogs and left the grease on the stove and thought I turned the burner off.  Instead I turned it on high and then went next door to my Grandmothers house where we would eat the corn dogs.  The grease caught fire and burned the house down.  Everything was destroyed except the log walls remained standing.
Anyway after this I became ill with Mono and couldn't seem to shake it for over 9 months.  My parents and family cleaned up the mess from the fire and rebuilt the house (with LOTS of help from friends and relatives). I stayed in bed or resting most of that time.
I needed something to occupy my thoughts during this time.  My Mom told me that her grandmother collected hummingbirds.  So, I started a collection.  People would give me little hummingbird figurines and such for gifts.  I really loved it!  Then someone told me that if I put a feeder out that I would be able to watch "live" hummingbirds.  So, I put one feeder out.  Within a few days I had a few hummingbirds at my feeder.
We lived in a little one room canning kitchen during the 9 months that it took to rebuild the house.  This little kitchen had a sink and a wood-burning cook stove and a gas stove/oven.  We had a camper parked beside it that had a little bathroom in it that we could use.  This canning kitchen was in between my grandmother's house (Nannie) and my Dad's sister's house.  So, we could make use of their bathrooms too.  Just take a little hike :)
So, when we were able to move back into our house I hung a feeder up there and the hummingbirds just followed.  Every year I would hang a feeder up and then we started getting so many birds that I added another feeder. I enjoyed reading about them and learning about the different kinds.
 I graduated from highschool and moved off to college, then got married and moved to Canada, but my parents kept up feeding those hummingbirds.  They have LOTS now.  I still enjoy watching them.  I thank the Lord for HIS creation! These little creatures are magnificent!!!
My Dad was so sweet to video my hummingbirds for me!!!!
Thank you, Dad.  I love you!

Surprise!!!!!!!!!!

Today is our Pastor's 65 birthday.  I have a surprise birthday party planned for him this evening at our church.  Who knows if it is still a surprise?  You know when lots of people know it is harder to keep it a secret!!!  We took up a collection to go toward a train trip through the mountains.  I guess that is something that he has wanted to do for a long time.  I am excited about getting to the church and getting it decorated for the party!!!
Oh I have a little funny story.  We were in church Wednesday evening.   We usually sit toward the front (on the second row).  Well, Margaret took her shoes off during church and had her feet up in the chair.  Her tights are worn out and all of her toes were poking out.  Dave leaned over and said to me "tell her to get her shoes back on.... what the stink???"  I got tickled because of his reaction and then Dave got tickled.  We were both working very hard to stay contained.  Well, I guess our Pastor saw us bouncing trying to keep the laughter in.  He was preaching away and then I heard him starting to lose it too.  The Pastor got so tickled that he had to stop for a minute.  He said "I'm sorry I just saw something that struck me as funny."  He said "I don't know if I am going to make it through this."  Well, he got control and Dave and I both got our laughter under control.  The Pastor seemed to be back on track when I heard him starting to lose it again.  He started chuckling and I lost it again.  I was laughing so hard I was crying.  We finally all gained control and I kept my eyes on my Bible the rest of the service. I didn't want to be a distraction (any more than we already had).
After church I went up to our Pastor and told him sorry for the little distraction.  He said that he had only had that happen to him 3 or 4 times in all of his years of preaching.  Well, if anyone can bring a smile to your face (or a laughter) it would be Margaret.
I have had that happen in church before.  Something really strikes me as funny but then after church it isn't so funny.  I was laughing writing this so I guess it is still funny to me.  I threw those tights away.  But you never know what she will do next!

First day

I am not planning on posting every day.  I will just do this as I get time.  My thoughts are usually scattered and random :)
I guess I will start with my testimony.  I grew up in a Christian home in Texas.  My parents raised us in a good Christian home and taught us right and wrong from a very early age.  I have one brother and one sister.  I am in the middle.  In my eyes my parents are the perfect parents and I hope and pray that we will be able to raise our children just like they did!!!!
I thought I was saved when I was five, but when I was fourteen our house burned down and I got to thinking about that if I was in that house and had died that day that I wasn't sure where I would have gone.... Heaven or Hell???  What a scary time that was.  I talked with my parents one evening about that and was able to get that settled that evening.  What a peace came over me to know that when I die I will be in Heaven.
I graduated from HighSchool in 1997 and went on to Bible College at OBC in Oklahoma City.  I majored in Missions and met my wonderful husband there.  We were married in 2001 and moved to Kelowna, B.C. to help in a church there.  We worked in Kelowna for 10 years and have recently moved up to Northern Alberta.  My husband is a Heavy Duty Mechanic and is now working in the Oil Sands on the big Tonka toys.  We actively work and serve in our church here.  We love it here!  It is such a peaceful feeling to be right in the middle of God's Will for our lives!
We have three daughters, who were all born in Kelowna.  Sammy and Rachel are just finishing up 2nd grade and Margaret will be starting in K-4 next school year.  I can't say that homeschooling is "easy", but I know this is what we should be doing.  I use the Abeka DVD program.  The kids love all the singing and reviews involved in that.  It sure makes schooling much smoother for our family.  We choose to homeschool to protect our children from lots of the bad influences that they would encounter in a public education.  Not that we think that we can shelter them from everything, but that we should do the best we can!
Well, there is my first post.  I  will be using this to write down my thoughts and things that happen so that I won't forget the funny, silly, loving, sad, and happy things that happen during our childrens' growing up years!!!