My daughter had scoliosis and it is completely managed with chiropractic care. It was found when she was 6 and now she is 16.

I am a listmaker. I love to make lists. I ordered a moleskine notebook, got it all set up, and have been using it for a couple of weeks. My children hate it and want me to switch back to my trusty clipboard. I have a clipboard with about thirty pages of looseleaf paper. My lists are in the front, and blank paper is in the back. The first page is things to be done today. Every day, I move a blank page to the front and start over. The other lists stay on the clipboard. If the item needs to be done today, I bring it to the front page. If not, it stays on the old list to be done sometime. Every week or two I go through my lists, combine them on new paper and leave off things that are no longer relevant. After my to do lists, I also have a grocery list, things to buy list, lists of things for me to do related to school (make copies, buy books, research things), a favorite quote list (which I transfer to my quote book when the page is full), a list of Steven's meds, lists of things I'm looking at for the children's school for next year, and a list of things I want to plant in the garden. I keep a separate yearly calendar. I guess the only thing I am missing is the journal. I also can't go back and read my lists because after I am done with them, I discard them. The children work off my first page of things to do today. That way by looking at my list, I can see if they did their chores or any other jobs I have for them. They also frequently need to add things to my shopping lists. If they ask me to do something or remind them of something, I tell them add it to my list. They know if it's not on the list, it won't get done. I have a small bag that I take everywhere. It has my clipboard, my calendar, and a couple of books I'm reading. One day someone misplaced my clipboard and we spent the afternoon searching for it. Dh came in while we were looking and wanted to know what was going on. The children told him I was brainless. Everyone has been very careful of my list since then. After all, I'm no good brainless. I guess I'll go back to my old way of doing things.

In the last three years since Hannah and Steven were diagnosed with cancer, my children have waited in many different places. I've had three children ages 13, 8, and 3 wait in the hallway at the proton treatment center, the pediatric oncology clinic at our local hospital, the pediatric oncology clinic at MD Anderson, the family doctor, the lab, main clinic waiting room, etc. All of my children, ages 3-16, have waited at various times in the main lobby of the children's hospital. Most recently my boys, 13 and 11, have waited in the cancer center of a major teaching hospital, the large waiting area of a multi-specialty clinic (for four hours), the waiting room of our family doctor, the waiting room of the lab, the waiting room of the radiation treatment clinic, the main lobby of the children's hospital, the waiting room of a neurology clinic, the waiting room of the geneticist, the waiting room of the neurosurgeon, the waiting room of the pediatric oncology and hematology clinic, and the cardiology clinic. A majority of these waiting rooms are at a teaching hospital. They are huge and shared by many clinics. No one has ever said anything negative to them. They sit quietly and read books that we take with us. I think the children behaving and appearing to be taken care of (not looking like they are hungry or need to go to the bathroom, etc) make people accept it more.

My dh, Steven, has brain cancer. He is able to move around with help, but he has little to no control of the left side of his body. The question is what do I do in public bathrooms? Steven can't walk without help, get down and up off the toilet, pull up or down his pants, or wash and dry his hands. If he has to go to the restroom, I have to take him and help. We try to avoid public bathrooms at all costs, but that isn't always possible. Do we go in the men's bathroom or the women's. If it were a small one stall bathroom, I would just pick one and take him, but what do I do for larger bathrooms like the grocery store, the zoo, churches, etc. Target has the only family restroom in our area. Do I sit one of the children outside the door to warn people that someone of the opposite sex is in the bathroom. What? Any other problems or solutions I'm not thinking of?

Steven was placed on hospice today. Tomorrow the nurse will be coming by to get us started. I'll update more when I know what is going on.

I picked other. One dd has severe allergies. If regular every day clothing (not jackets, coats, etc) leaves the house, it doesn't go in the bedrooms and it gets washed after one wear. If you walk in the grass or are near the animals, you change immediately when you come in. If you don't go outside in the clothes, they last several days. This rule usually applies to my allergic with mono daughter, but rarely applies to anyone else since even in bad weather we have to go out to care for the animals. Pjs get worn for several days before washing.

We don't wear outdoor shoes inside either. I have a pair of indoor only Birkenstock clogs that I love.

My sil works at the Scott and White ICU. They've called everyone in and told them to expect 7-16 victims.

Praise the Lord! That is wonderful news.

Praying for all of you. I know what you're going through. Keep us posted.

16dd is four months into it and is no better yet.

I had never heard of it before, but I have registered for Homeschool Homestead too. 16dd is really excited about it.

DD is going to take English 2 in the fall with The Potter's School. Me too! Dd really wants to take biology, but has mono. How are we to know what she will feel like in five months? Right now, it's all she can do to keep up with English and Spanish. Dd was/is very shy in person, but has bloomed in her online class. She is one of the leaders in her English class and volunteers whenever the teacher asks.

Ranger's Apprentice (twelve books in the series) Brotherband Chronicles (three in series) Everyone, boys and girls alike, read these here. Even I read them.

16dd has mono and also tested positive for remote Epstein Barr Virus. She has been referred to a different allergist. The new allergist wants to do a methacholine test to check for asthma and skin test for allergies. We know dd has tons of allergies, but they are under control or avoidable. Would you get the testing done now, while dd is so sick, or wait until she is well (or at least better). She has been sick for over a year, but the last few months when the mono became active has been the worst.

Did school with the little girls. Watered the transplants. Read alouds done. Two loads of laundry washed, dried, and folded. Thank you notes written. Went over TPS classes with 16dd. Talked with children. Working with dh is off because his head hurts too much. I also need to pick up a prescription for him when I take dd to the dentist.

Good morning everyone! So far we got ready for the day, had breakfast, cleaned up, did animal chores, and discussed plans for the day. Today I have to help dh lots. Read and send emails. Discuss training he wants to take. Shave his head and change arrays. Look at Lumosity scores to see how he is doing. Also on the list: -Take Hannah to dentist. She has a soft spot on her tooth due to chemo so they are going to fill it. Thankfully this is a late appointment, 4pm, so we can get lots done before then. -two thank you notes -6dd PP, Essential Mathematics -8dd PP, MM -11ds continuing skimming through MM, Beast Academy -13ds Systematic Mathematics, WWS -check on chicks -meeting with children while dh is napping (they can be more honest how things are going and we get more discussed without him interrupting, denying, and joking about everything) -read alouds at lunch -water transplants -finish binding books -discuss classes 16dd wants to take this summer and next fall at TPS -laundry -take trash to front -at supper discuss how we are going to garden this year and what we are going to do to keep ahead of the weeds The rest of this will be done after 8pm when everyone else is in bed. -clean desk (actually it's really bad, so it's more like find desk) -call my mom -call friend, Annette -text friend, Michael -text sister -email friend, Melissa

It rained last night so that takes some things off my list. And it's so cold fil's diesel truck won't start so he's not coming to take the trailer to the dump. -take 16dd to clinic for pulmonary function test The doctor neglected to tell us that dd has to be off her medications for three days so this is rescheduled for Tuesday. -take trash to front -change chicks -bind copies of Math Mammoth, WWS, and Grammar the Write Way that I printed yesterday -work on bills -sew up hole in 8dd robe -call compounding pharmacy to check on 16dd prescription -call oncologist about Steven's headaches and see if we can get him back on steroids for brain swelling -go back through Phonics Pathways with little girls -go through Math Mammoth with 11ds -introduce ds to long division I'm taking back school from mil after not quite three years of cancer treatment for Hannah and dh and a three month break to move into our new doublewide. I'm having to go back and find out what everyone knows. For instance 13ds has asked to go back two years in math because he can get the answer but he doesn't understand. The little girls need phonics help. I'm going back through everything and finding where we need to start, making copies, and plans.

Good luck getting the nap, but I do have five pieces of yummy homemade by dd vanilla cheesecake frozen and stashed in the back of the freezer for such a time as this. Come on by!

hot water in toilet On our honeymoon, our car broke down halfway to our destination. We ended up staying two days in a hole in the wall motel while we waited for the car to be fixed. Roaches in the motel and there was nothing in this town. We spent a lot of time sitting in the snackbar at the convenience store. On our first anniversary we stayed in the honeymoon suite at a nice hotel. Waterbed heater was stuck on high with no way to turn it down. The chocolate they put out melted on our pillows, and Steven and I ended up sleeping on the floor. The hot tub we paid extra for was "out of order." Dh had training for his work and we went with him. The town where we stayed was very humid. At the motel, the first room they gave us oozed water when you walked across the carpet. The second room didn't ooze, but had mold and water damage everywhere. Another time we went to training with Steven and stayed at a high price hotel. All of the water was hot. Super hot. As in no cold water at all. The shower was hot. The sink water was hot, and the toilet water nicely steamed your bum if you sat too long.

Praying for all of you.

It didn't happen to be a large book with a white cover did it?

We have had to take off at different times. Sometimes we have had to take off a lot. The only scheduled days we take are birthdays and Family Birthday. The rest of our time off is unscheduled, but we do know we have to take time off in the spring to plant the garden and time in the fall to butcher. We've had lots of I need to take Hannah/Papa to the doctor/ER right away days. Three weeks off to set up the lot for our new doublewide. Three weeks to move into the doublewide. Work days off to butcher, fence, or plant the garden. Fun days like kids (goats) being born. Emergency days like the cow is out and the sheriff wants you to come get her because she is bothering the road crew or the delivery guy broke the water line. Crazy days like last week when one of the calves pulled up all my daffodils, and we had to replant them. Usually it comes in little bits, but sometimes we just have one of those weeks. This week we have gotten very little scheduled stuff done. It started with the repairman we have been waiting on for two months to finally come. Plus friends stopped by to see if they could take one of the children and buy groceries for us. The post office called to say the chicks were here and for us to come get them now. The repairman came back with parts he ordered to fix the rest of the stuff. Another friend came by with her children to drop off a party favor bag since I couldn't come to her "old hen" party. Finally, today we had a "person who was taking Steven to clinic, doctor visit, and chemo can't come so Mama has to do it" day. Add in a visit to a friend who just had surgery since we were already at the hospital. Add in a stop at Natural Grocers since the friend in the hospital is a doctor and he recommends several supplements to help dd get over Mono. Sometimes things go smoothly and without much interruption, but the last almost three years since Hannah's cancer diagnosis and now Steven's cancer have really made things unpredictable for us. Add in living on a farm with live animals that get into lots of trouble and that makes life really interesting.

16dd has had swollen glands in her neck for over a year. At her most recent ENT visit, he did another mono test. It came back positive and he referred us back to our family doctor. Our family doctor did bloodwork for Epstein Barr. Apparently, dd's swollen glands could have been caused by Epstein Barr and finally she got mono from it. I got this test result in the mail. Doctor is out until next week. What does this mean? "Your lab results show remote infection of the virus that causes mono." Does this mean she has had EB for over a year and this is likely the cause of the swollen glands?

I would give up a coat closet for a pantry. Right inside the front door, I have this rack from IKEA which has our town coats, town jackets, and town shoes on it. Our farm jackets and coats are by the back door. Farm boots are on the back porch. For guest, we either hang them in the guest bedroom closet or lay them across the bed. http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/40099792/