Lyme Disease Awareness

May is Lyme Disease Awareness Month! Lyme Disease is a caused by a bacteria that comes from a deer tick bite in simple terms. I want this post to remind everyone that if you are bitten by a tick to keep an eye out for a red ring around it and immediately find a doctor if that occurs. My 21 year old daughter has suffered for years with symptoms of this disease and we were unaware that she was ill until almost 5 years ago. She still undergoes treatment for this horrible illness.
Symptoms of Lyme disease are similar to the flu so nothing that screams Lyme and it is a disease that is hard to get diagnosed. Patients know that something is wrong with them, but many doctors don't find this until the patient is extremely ill.
There are many Lyme disease awareness groups and there is a lot of information about this illness, but many doctors will say that this disease doesn't exist or is easy to treat. Let me say from experience that is not true in some cases.
I am thankful that our family doctor is caring and constantly learning things that he can do to aid my daughter in leading a fairly normal life. There are still many days that she is just suffering all day and that she barely feels like getting up, but she is still fighting and she is trying to bring more awareness to the disease.
I ask that all who read this wear a Lyme disease ribbon today!

Lyme Disease Awareness Month

I know it has been a while since I posted here and for that I am truly sorry. Been trying to get a new job with a home health agency and with activities for school and 4-H it has just been a very busy week! I am hoping that things get better soon.
 I am asking that you all consider wearing a lime green ribbon during the month of March in support of Lyme Disease Awareness Month. My oldest daughter suffers from Lyme Disease and there is not much talked about it as an illness, but she has suffered for over 4 years since we finally got a diagnosis. Many doctors do not feel this disease is real or that patients are making up their symptoms, but when a 17 year old girl looks like she has has a stroke and complains of pain on the right side of her head that feels like she is on fire, it is real and a parent knows that there is something wrong!
 Thank God for a family physician who tested for odd antibodies in the system and we found what was causing her joint pain, fatigue, etc. while also giving us hope that he would research as much as possible because he was not sure of the medical issues with this disease.
 Lyme Disease Awareness needs to be more prevalent everywhere in the United States!!

So much news

I have so much that I need to share with all of my friends here that I can hardle contain my excitement! I have been driving a car that I really don't like for several months now with the promise from my husband that it would not be forever. Well, give the man his dues- he found me another one that is reasonably priced and that I adore! I will soon be the proud owner and driver of a white Pontiac Grand Prix.
Second of all, the horse trailer that we bought last week is sitting ready for camp! I found the time to completely load all of our camp stuff up last week and now I am just waiting to go. With the temperatures here being above average and us breaking record highs so many times, the fever has officially hit! I am ready to go camping!
Also, our garden has been tilled and it is ready for planting. Any tips on canning that anyone can give, I will be ready for. I have never canned before, but this seems to be the year that I will do it. I know that it is a lot of hard work, but I think that it will sure help with the costs and I will know what it is that we are eating. Many fruits and veggies for our home anyway, but this will be an added blessing!
Discovered that I have carpal tunnel in my elbow and that the computer doesn't help it any, so these posts won't be very long anymore. Also, was treated this week for bi-lateral tendonitis in the same arm, so a little tender anyway. Will certainly be back this week with some more news as it happens.

Hope you all have a fabulous week!!

Barn Building

For a couple of years, we have been discussing how we want our barn to be when it is finished and my busy husband had started it a couple of years ago, but it just never seemed to be a priority for him. However, for me, I really wanted a horse barn- not just a shelter for them, but a barn. I am finally seeing a barn in our future and in my backyard.

This may not be the prettiest of barns and the most well built barns, but it will be the design that I was hoping for minus the indoor riding arena that I really wanted. I am hoping that we can add that later. Of course and minus my apartment above the barn with glass floors looking over my horses. He thinks I have lost my mind when I tell him that I really want that. However, this barn is being built from materials that have been left over from other projects.

The barn will have three stalls and a feed/tack room. We have a tack room already in a minibarn, but I want one in this barn too. Each stall will be big enough for two horses to get into and feeding will be easier than it is now.

We are planning to add rain barrels to the outside of it and take advantage of the wet weather that we have in the spring and summer around here. The last two years have been wet so I am sure that the next one won't be as I will be planning to reuse the water. Gutters from one side of the barn will run into a rain barrel and gutters on the chicken house will run into another one.

Life on the farm is good right now as it is supposed to be almost 80 today and we are certainly enjoying this weather. I came home last night and had grilled steak for dinner and had a fire in our fire pit to sit around later. My husband can really be thoughtful - can't he?

Well, it is about time to take our neighbor to work, so I will write more later ( after I check out the progress on the barn).

Manning No Longer a Colt

Well, as many news reports have announced, Peyton Manning is leaving the Colts team. It was such a sad press conference to watch as the announcement was made and to watch him discuss his past in Indianapolis and how he is not sure as to where his future is. Although, he did announce that he is wanting to play next season and that he is confident that he will. The only excuse that they gave was that the team is undergoing a rebuilding process and that circumstances made it an impossible situation for Peyton to stay.

It was announced that Peyton's #18 jersey will never be worn on the field by another Colt player and I believe that was a wise move. Peyton also announced that he will always be a member of the team and that he is not leaving Indianapolis.

With Manning gone and several other key players being free agents this year, it seems to be that team owner, Jim Irsay has decided that he wants his team to go in a different direction next year and that fans are certainly going to pay the price.

The number one draft pick seems to be the deciding factor is much of what moves Irsay is making and let's hope that Andrew Luck can deliver what Irsay is hoping that he will. However, this gal doesn't see him being the star that they are projecting and hoping that he will be. I believe that Colts fans are going to follow Manning wherever he goes and I believe that Lucas Oil Stadium, the "house that Peyton built" is going to be an emptier place next year and for many years to come.

Peyton, the residents of the state of Indiana love you and in our hearts you will always be our quarterback! #18 Always a Colt in our books!

Praying for Rebuilding

Prayers are really needed for the residents of Henryville and Marysville, Indiana. Those two small towns along with a few other small towns were hit really hard last week by an EF4 tornado and pretty much demolished. One entire family was killed and several others deaths and injuries were reported.
The residents are extremely blessed that the death toll was not nearly as high as it could have been with the damage that is being reported. I am not in that area as I live north of there, but I am within probably less than 100 miles from there.
I am hoping to take my day off next week and take my daughter to help a family to clean up or do something that they need to do. I may attempt to take food in as well as I am sure that the shelters are in dire need at the moment and will be for a long time.
The Henryville High School was completely demolished and will be a long time in rebuilding. There was a girl interviewed on the news that talked about how she had went to school in that town her entire life and will not be able to graduate in that school now. How sad! A story of this intensity affects more than just the families who lose homes.
These survivors can rebuild and they will and the towns will return in time, but for now prayers are greatly needed!

An Update

Well, my blogging time has really slowed down since I went to work. However, I wanted to catch everyone up on what has been going on here and how we all are. The animals are doing good. I found a home for the mama dog that I was hoping to get rid of and my husband found a great dog that is going to be his buddy as he enjoys riding in the back of the truck. His name is Bandit and he is half Austrailian Shepherd and half Blue Heeler. He is really sweet and I am excited to have him on the farm!
School is going good here. We have chosen a new name for the school and we are now Heavenly Horse Homeschool. We knew that we needed something with a horse involved with it. We are working on a History fair project on Betsy Ross and it will be a lot of fun to do, I think. I believe that Bridget has decided that she wants to even dress the part for the day. We are also looking into possibly getting some colonial period food that we might be able to incorporate into the display as well.
She will also be doing a science fair and so it should be a lot of fun as well. Not sure what the project will be yet, but we must get busy. It is a couple of months away, but after attending our first Horse and Pony club meeting I realize just how busy we will soon be. Projects are going to be really exciting this year and I am already getting excited about the fair.
Well, will close for now.