She Said Yes!

Caleb and Elora are engaged to be married. Clint and I are very happy for them. Our entire family is ecstatic! God has poured out blessings upon us!

Cheap Grace

"Cheap grace is the preaching of forgiveness without requiring repentance, baptism without church discipline, communion without confession, absolution without personal confession. Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross, grace without Jesus Christ." - Dietrich Bonhoeffer

VIDEO: great Transgender COVER-UP is now being EXPOSED! Lawsuits EXPLODING ...

She gives sources. Worth a listen.

Birth Pangs Encouragement

 But all these things are merely the beginning of birth pangs.
Matthew 24:8

A birth pang is a contraction during pregnancy.

synonyms for pang: agony, anguish, discomfort, spasm

synonyms for contraction: decline, reduction, recession (a deterioration? -w)

As a woman who has had 14 pregnancies and has seven living children, one thing I am familiar with is pregnancy and labor. I contemplate this verse a lot. 

I learned my babies' personalities during the intimate relationship during pregnancy. I discovered their sleep patterns, movements, and how they respond to voices, music, and other sounds. I knew when they had the hiccups and towards the end could tell you who liked to sleep in which position in my womb. Those things helped me get a glimpse of their personalities. Every day, I would greatly anticipate my child's birth so I could get to know them face to face. The severe hyperemesis gravidarum, aches, pains, restless nights, and so on were sufferings that made time seem to stretch out further and further. Time just dragged on. It was hard to believe there was an ending! Then, before it seemed possible it was finally time! Labor had started! The contractions would come, and then I'd get time to rest between them. There was more rest between the pangs at first but the closer it became, there was less time to rest. Finally, there was no rest at all and the hardest part was upon me. I tucked my head and bared down. Then, I heard the cry that signaled the one I was waiting for had arrived. That cry signaled the end of pregnancy and the beginning of a new life! It was JOYOUS! Once I had the baby in my arms and was looking back, it didn't seem like the pregnancy was that long at all. The wait and discomfort became worth it to get to the one I was waiting for.

We are getting to know the Lord and each other through Christian fellowship. It is a foreshadowing of what is to come. We greatly anticipate the day our Savior will come for us so we can get to know Him face to face. But, these disruptive and painful things we are going through down here at the very end of the Church Age make the time pass so slowly. We get time to rest in between events, but I can't help but wonder if soon there will be no rest as the hardest part comes upon us. Soon, we will hear the shout to signal that the One we are waiting for is here! The Church Age is coming to a close and soon our new life with Christ will become a reality. It will be JOYOUS! 

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, it seems like time is passing so very s l o w l y right now, but that is because we are so eager for our Savior to arrive. When we look back on this time, we will see it wasn't that long at all. Like pregnancy and labor are worth it to get our child, what we are going through now will be worth it to get to Jesus.  "..the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us." Romans 8:18

Keep living for Him! Keep sharing the Good News of salvation through Jesus! It will be over before you know it!

Love to ALL! 

-Mama Asbell

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Religion vs Christianity

 Religion tells you what you must do to be saved, Christianity tells you it is done for you.

Jesus said "It is finished!" on the cross. The Bible is clear all we have to do is BELIEVE in Him.

Hannah's Graduation Photo

Hannah graduated at 14 years old in December 2023 if you go by the completion of her course. But, due to some issues on the school's part, she graduated at 15 years old in January 2024 if you go by the date the paperwork was finally finished.

She doesn't care one way or the other. She's happy to be finished!

She has been working on her driving coursework for the last several weeks.

Soon, Hannah and Emily will start college together as was their plan.

How does the Bible define sin?

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNOZ7ocLD74&ab_channel=BibleProject

I challenge you to listen to this and see if your beliefs are accurate. 

Security

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XOjNdJtbgLE&ab_channel=AndyWoods

During the course of this lesson, Pastor Woods goes into why we, those who believe in Christ as Savior, can not lose our salvation even if we later turn away from God. I agree with his interpretation of the verse he uses. It is a great comfort as extended family members who grew up in the church turn from the Lord and curse His name and the parents who taught them about the Lord. 

18

I don't mention my miscarried and stillborn babies often because I don't want to drag others down. Today, I will mention one of them briefly. I want it in our family archives that I did not forget my babies. In fact, I think of them daily. It was only weeks ago I dreamt I was pregnant and losing a baby and woke up with a troubled heart. 

It's been 19 years since I held and said goodbye to my son, Josiah. He would be 18 years old today. 

Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection have made my loss a gain. I will get to be with ALL of my children for an eternity. This is not the end of the story. The story with Josiah and my other babies is just beginning. The best is yet to come! Thank you, Jesus!

Hatching Time Quail Cage Update

Because I recommended the cage to so many, I want to give a full disclosure. 

I am using JB Weld Water to fix the leaking issues with our 5-layer Hatching Time quail cage. This is a very common problem with all of Hatching Time cages going back many years. One can find plenty of evidence of this if one looks at forums and groups and the different websites with reviews.

The first cage was a pain to assemble due to holes and plastic pins that did not line up well and flash (excess plastic) in the holes. Reviews show a lot of people have struggled with putting it together.

The second cage was much easier to assemble (holes and pins lined up), but it is leaking like crazy from five different places. Five gallons of water on your floor makes a mess and can damage things.

The square plug that you see is one leaking issue. This area is assembled at the factory. The gasket is pushed out on this particular one, but the others don't have this showing..and they still drip. We have three of those square plugs leaking. I contacted the company, and they said they would send replacement plugs. From the reviews, they will most likely leak again or develop a leak over time. JB Weld solved the issue in an hour. However, I will not be able to remove the square water pipe intact again.

The black hoses are leaking from three places. I made sure they were seated with no gaps, but they still drip. Clint checked my connections and said they were correct. We are now trying to get hose clamps to work on that side. I am close to having it resolved, but I am days into it. I don't like using my time to fix a known issue. Hatching Time should provide better support and should come up with a better watering system.

I researched the competitor, Wynola Ranch, who makes a nice metal stackable cage that can be used indoors and outside. It is predator-proof and has a float valve on the water troughs. However, I learned from several reviews that the wire floors are tearing up the birds' feet which is worse. Bumblefoot is not fun to treat. I'd rather work out the water issues than have injured birds.

If you buy an HT cage, expect to have to work with the leaky water system. So many of their customers are having a problem, I guess it is a given it will be a problem. It is very frustrating with the $826 total for one cage. It should be a turnkey system, but it is not.

Clint did not have the time to build cages, so I had to find something I could assemble quickly to accommodate our birds who needed to be moved out of brooder boxes. I strongly recommend you build your own if you have the time and skillset. You can save yourself time, money, and frustration. If you can't do that, maybe you can contract someone to build one.

For a more affordable indoor system, Amazon sells sets of six cages (24x16) for around $150 with slide-out trays. I THINK three of those are close to the space in one row of the HT cages. Even if it takes all six of them to equal the space, it is still a much better deal. For the savings, they can affordably be modified with auto feeders and waterers and placed on inexpensive plastic shelving. The trays are not very deep, but they can be suspended over containers with the tray removed. I can not speak for how well the birds' feet will do on the wire in the cage, but that can be modified with coated wire or plastic grid. If it still flexes, a support in the middle could help. I am just throwing out ideas for others. I kind of wish I had gone that route, but I did not learn about it until after my purchase.

As a side note, we have hard well water that will clog up the water system (ask me how I know), so we collect rainwater for all of our nipple watering systems.

If you have any questions, please see the header. Our email is there.

Update: Hatching Time sent out five entire water pipes (the long square-shaped pipe with water nipples that runs along the back of the cage). They arrived about two days after our emails with them.  It is more than we expected or needed. It will allow us to replace all of the pipes in one cage. We could have fixed the issue with two of the $3 square end plug. We are very pleased with their response to the leaking issues we experienced.

Please pray for Tippy

April 9: Tippy is at home. He has been continuing treatments. He said the treatments are different each time and he is tolerating them OK. 

March 3: Linda, Tippy's wife, says that the past few days have been very hard. He is feeling better today, but there will be more chemo tomorrow. Please keep him in prayer.

February 25, 2024: Tippy has been mentioned in the blog before. He is a family friend and a co-worker of Clint's and Amanda's. 

Tippy recently discovered he has brain cancer. He is undergoing treatment this coming week. Because it is in his brain, he has to stay in the hospital for the first week. 

This cancer is treatable and possibly curable. 

Please keep him and his family in prayer. Thank you very much! May the Lord bless you for praying for our friend.

Peace in the Midst of Turmoil

Friends of mine asked why I was talking so calmly about our world's current state of affairs. 

I am not worried. My Savior has it all under control. He loved those who follow Him so much that He took the time to inform them about what was to come, so they would know He is real and so they could have peace. God is in control! As His child, I am under His protection. 

I find what is going on fascinating and exciting! I have looked forward to the day I would meet Jesus ever since I accepted Him as my Savior. That's almost 50 years of waiting. While I want to complete the mission He has for me on this earth, I am also eager to the best part of my existence...eternity with Him. 

Bottom Line: I am confident in God's ability to protect and provide for me and mine. 

Happy Easter 2024!

  Happy Eas✞er!

to our family and friends

near and far, 

old and new,

close and estranged

from The Asbell Family!

Dear Reader, As we observe Easter, let us examine ourselves and truly see weak areas that need to be strengthened so we can increase our testimony. Let us live like we truly experience the redemptive love the Father has for us. He offered His only Son.

Father, we ask that You show us our hearts and convict us of where we need to work so we can become brighter testimonies of Your love. Please help us to become resolved to make the changes in ourselves as necessary. Thank You for Jesus and for loving us so very much!

My love to all!

Therefore, brothers,

since we have confidence to enter the holy places

by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that he opened for us

through the curtain, that is, through his flesh,

and since we have a great priest over the house of God,

let us draw near with a true heart

in full assurance of faith,

with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience

and our bodies washed with pure water.

Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering,

for he who promised is faithful.

And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works,

not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some,

but encouraging one another,

and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

Hebrews 10:19-25

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How I Start Off Plant Cuttings

I recently shipped a young friend a box of cuttings, plants, etc from our farm to get her started at her new home. She asked me if she could put the plants on her porch to protect them from the deer. This was my reply. I am sharing it here in case it helps another new gardener. Take what you can use and leave the rest. My love to all!

I don't know the light conditions of your porch, so I'll tell you what I do. I start my cuttings off in pots in the house. They stay inside in bright but indirect sunlight until I have good root growth.

Then I harden them off right against the north side of our house. I try to do it on an overcast day if possible. I use a 20-minute timer on my phone to remind me to check on them. If they look good, I reset it for another 20 minutes. I move them back inside as soon as they look like they are starting to droop or wilt. Once I get them to 5-6 hours, they are hardened off and can stay outside. If I have a lot of plants (like the 250 tomato plants I am selling this year), I will leave 2-3 out instead of all of them. That way I don't lose too much if things go wrong.

Once they are hardened off, I leave them on the north side of my house for about a year, sometimes two. They get some direct light (about 2-3 hours) but it is mostly bright indirect light there. The cooler side of the house helps protect them from too much heat/drying out while they are getting established. As they grow, I plant them in 5-gallon buckets with drain holes. 

The buckets can be placed in kiddie pools with an inch or two of water (enough to be taken up into the bucket as needed but not so much the plant's roots stay soaked.). I learned this practice from a master gardener. 

If it rains, I have to drain some of the water out of the kiddie pool, but I use my heel and crush the side of it down to let water out. If you know you won't use the kiddie pool for anything else, you can drill a hole in the side of the pool at the height you want the water. My pools get recycled to my waterfowl or dogs, so I don't put holes in mine if I can help it.

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Please Pray for Katelynn aka The Pampered Princess

March 23: Katelyn is HOME! She still can't stand or walk, but she is making progress towards that daily. She has outpatient PT for the next several weeks. Please keep praying for her.

March 11: They approved the insurance for Katelyn (spelled with one N) to stay in rehab longer. She will go home soon and then do outpatient rehab for six weeks. Katelyn can still not stand or swallow well, but she is improving in moving from chair to bed/bed to chair. Mr. Duman has been very good to the family, and JoLynn is able to work from the hospital.

March 3: Katelynn is doing well with the therapy. JoLynn asked us to pray that the insurance company approves more rehab so they can get her walking.

Feb 16: Update from JoLynn: The Pampered Princess moved to rehab today, she will be getting 3 hours of therapy Monday thru Saturday. She has lots of work ahead for the next 4 to 6 weeks , then we will be in out patient therapy for a very long time but they think she will be able to walk again. Mommy is in rehab too to learn the best way to take care of her Princess and manage her calorie intake and feeding tube.

Feb 12: Update from JoLynn: After 41 days in ICU The Pampered Princess is in a regular room 🙌😀 has moved to the Neuro Science Unit room 704 . God is so good ! Thank you for all the prayers we will soon be on our rehab journey to home

Feb 10: I texted with JoLynn. Katelynn is on an upward track, but the progress is very, very, very slow. She was able to have a few sips of Pepsi a couple of days ago.

Clint and I were able to continue working on a big project that had been put on hold due to the rain, but now we can do the work. That makes it hard for me to update about Katelynn. If she has any significant setbacks, I will post the prayer need.

I do know she has some fears about standing and walking due to the number of falls she has had, so please pray for her peace and sense of security. One of her lungs still has some gunk from the pneumonia to clear out.

JoLynn has been able to work from the hospital. Her boss is a Christian, city official, and owns a business in our hometown. From what I have observed over the years, he has always been very good about working with JoLynn as she cares for Katelynn.

Feb 10: Praise report on The Pampered Princess … her sleep results are in, No oxygen required at night, she will use a regular CPAP at night but otherwise lungs are healing , the Doctors are amazed at this progress, we will be leaving ICU in next few days waiting on a bed to open up, by end of next week we should be transferred to Rehab with a plan to go home first week in April. She is starting to eat, food has to be chopped real fine but she enjoyed a baked potato tonight, Chick fil is in her near future

We are blessed to be on this journey but it is not going to be easy on her, we thank you for all the love , support , and prayers, keep the prayers coming

Feb 6: Update from JoLynn: The Pampered Princess is having a milestone day, this afternoon was able to have her first sips of water and did great, swallow test tomorrow and working for Chick fil a first of next week, qualifies for rehab therapy and should be coming out of ICU by end of the week!

God is blessing this girl and answering our prayers daily while I was at lunch today her nurse did her hair

Update from Jeanie, Katelynn's Aunt: Katelynn is doing so much better. Please keep the prayers coming. She has a lot of therapy ahead to learn to eat, drink, sit up alone and ultimately walk again. We are so thankful for the power of prayer. ...With God all things are possible,” (Matthew 19:26)

Feb 5: Update: The Pampered Princess had a good night, she is talking a lot, asked her Doctor this morning “did you bring Chick fil A”

hoping to get a swallow study done in the next few days so maybe some Pepsi is in her future this week.

Feb 4:The Pampered Princess has passed her test and now is on regular oxygen. God is good!!

Feb 2: The Pampered Princess is having a good day… music therapy, physical and occupational therapy, just got her hair washed and blow dried, now busy coloring, I see a nap coming this afternoon. Doctors say pneumonia has cleared in her right lung, still have some issues with the left lung, her high flow oxygen has been turned down to 10 and they are begining to make plans for her leaving ICU and moving to the neur floor possibly end of next week. God is good

Feb 1: The Pampered Princess is having a good day, all cleaned up, hair done, watching some Price is Right waiting for therapy this afternoon. Tremors are improving and high flow oxygen down to 15… a little progress each day.

Jan 31: PTL!! BIG UPDATE: Today is day 32 at CHKD, day 30 in ICU and we finally have answers all the labs and tests have come back No autoimmune diseases our respiratory issues are from a severe case of the flu, and our mobility problems are from a vitamin deficiency and Carnitine deficiency - this converts fat into muscle, she is storing fat instead of building muscle and is painful to get up and move around, she is getting her vitamins replenished and when she can eat and drink will be on a high protein, low-fat diet. Her respiratory is slowly improving high flow oxygen during the day, bi-pap at night, and chest x-ray showing improvement, today will have PT with a goal of sitting in a chair for 1 to 2 hours, being in bed has made her extremely weak but should be able to recover. Her road ahead is still a long one and we will be here 6 to 8 weeks depending on how she progresses but we are beyond thankful for answers and for all the support and prayers from you all. Continue to keep her in your prayers and give thanks for the miracle we have received.

Jan 30: The Pampered Princess got good news… MRI shows nothing new but did not give an answer for tremors, they made an adjustment to her VNS and are adding a medication in the morning time that should help. I washed again today .. got to keep her beauty treatments going

thank you all for your prayers God is good" <--I was unable to get this to post last night. I dripped water on my keyboard while preparing Thai basil cuttings for rooting.

The Pampered Princess had a restful night and is headed down to her MRI, the nurse asked her was she ready to go, she shook her head yes and whispered Target. Praying the Doctor get the answer to the tremors today.

Jan 29: The Pampered Princess is resting this morning , back on high flow oxygen, getting all her seizure meds, had to have ativan around 4 so she is getting some good rest …praying we can stay seizure free today and keep making a little progress with respiratory and physical therapy

I just posted for the 28th. I apologize for not updating over the weekend. I was very tired and we were very busy. -W

Jan 28: PM UPDATE: The Pampered Princess is in need of your prayers just had a seizure, Neurologist changed her seizure medication due to tremors and obviously she still needs it. She had been 2 1/2 years with no seizures . A rescue IV had to be put in her foot since her veins in her arms are not cooperating from all the other ivs. I am afraid the staff tonight had to see the ugly side of a Momma that fights for her child but they are on the case now. Going to be a long night!"

AM Update: The Pampered Princess is getting a little stronger each day, chest X-ray shows some improvement , going to continue high flow oxygen all day, bipap at night to give her lungs a rest, should hear from some labs middle of the week

in the chair and watching Barney

Update Jan 26: Update from JoLynn: The Pampered Princess is having a better day, sat in the chair for over an hour, had speech therapy, told the respiratory therapist no in a loud whisper and is on a trial of high flow oxygen.

Update Jan 25: The Pampered Princess is ending her day on good note, fever has been below 100, and the bipap and her have maintained her oxygen level in the high 90’s, at 99 right now, she had her EEG this afternoon, hope to hear some results tomorrow. Thank you for the prayers

The Pampered Princess needs your prayers this morning, having trouble maintaining her oxygen level, is back on the bipap at 100% , has pneumonia in bottom of her lung, having EEG around 11:00. Keeping the nurses and doctors hopping this morning!

Update Jan 24: The Pampered Princess had a restful night after an eventful afternoon of throwing up, they changed her feed formula and she did not tolerate it , today we try another formula are on high flow oxygen and hoping to do away with bi pap mask, pt and ot therapy is in our schedule as well as speech therapy. She still is not talking just a whisper every now and then but they say it’s a time thing to let her voice box and throat heal, she is swallowing so that's another step in the right direction.

Update Jan 22: I asked JoLynn if Katelynn was still in ICU and she said yes. Originally, they thought she'd be out of ICU around the 12th-13th of January, but Katelynn was worse off than doctors originally thought.

Update from JoLynn: "The Pampered Princess is a little stronger today, lots going on, Respiratory therapy is being increased to work on getting the secreations out of her lungs, Physical therapy will be coming to get her into her chair for a couple of hours, speech therapy is coming to evaluate her swallowing abilities and a few Doctors will be checking to see how things are going. Thankful for small steps everyday."

Update Jan 21:

Update from JoLynn: The Pampered Princess made it 12 hours on high flow oxygen 😀😀😀and she whispered today for me to “sit down” beside her, so happy the boss lady is returning 😀😀😀. The Butler Boy stayed with her this afternoon so I could get a few things done at home and had lunch at Mammie’s it was good to be out but don’t like to leave her to long, but they were just fine❤️❤️❤️

Update from JoLynn: The Pampered Princess had a good day her 2 hour trial turned into 3 and she just finished her 4 hour, may try all day tomorrow. She is much more awake and alert today with sedation being completely gone, enjoyed lots of stories, cards playing, and Disney movies. She is slowly winning this fight!

Update Jan 20: Last night's update from JoLynn: The Pampered Princess working on another breathing trial, we played connect 4, cut some fruits, and read stories she still has not said a word but hoping she will tomorrow they say her throat is sore from the breathing tube for 2 weeks and all the secretions, but it feels so good to get hugs again.

Jan 19: Update from JoLynn: "The Pampered Princess had a restful night, she will be having 2 one hour trials with high flow oxygen today, she enjoyed the music man and tried to clap her hands, they are cutting her sedation back as well, she is able to sit up in bed today and gives the nurse a fight when she has to be suctioned, baby steps but slowly improving." Please keep praying for Katelynn.

Jan 18: "The Pampered Princess is resting this morning it was a busy night in ICU and thankful we were not in need of too much attention but getting a bath at 1:00a.m. Did not make for a happy Princess, we are still waiting on blood work to come back from outside labs, hoping to start trials on high flow oxygen to get rid of bipap mask and to try sitting up in bed for 30 minutes, taking baby steps on this road to recovery,"

Jan 17: "The Pampered Princess had a restful night but is having a bit of a rough morning dealing with lots of secretions in her throat, her chest X-ray looks better today, and her lungs are getting stronger but are requiring lots of suction and it’s making her scared. Praying that she can continue to stay with BiPAP mask and oxygen and not have to be put back on the ventilator."

Jan 16: "The Pampered Princess had a restful night, she was able to keep her oxygen levels up, possibly today will get rid of the mask and go to nasal flow oxygen. She was able to color a little bit yesterday and loved listening to Winnie the Pooh stories and hand-holding with Mommy and Daddy. Keep the prayers coming as we travel this very long road ahead."

Jan 15: Update: "The Pampered Princess is breathing on her own!! Praising God for answers to our prayers , Doctors will be discussing our treatment plan today and our long road to recovery." PTL! The Asbells are rejoicing!!

Update from JoLynn: "The Pampered Princess is improving she passed 2 2-hour breathing tests during the night and the plan is to take the breathing tube out this morning and switch to a bi-pap mask."

Jan 14: Update from JoLynn: "The Pampered Princess is having a good day, enjoying stories being read to her and lots of hand holding, she is not getting the breathing tube out today, but hoping for tomorrow. Praying her lungs are ready to go back to working on there own after 2 weeks on the ventilator ❤️❤️❤️she got to FaceTime with Mammie and her onions (what she calls her cousins)"

More progress! Update from JoLynn: The Pampered Princess continues to improve and the breathing tube maybe removed today 🙌 so thankful for answered prayers ❤️❤️❤️

Jan 13: Update: The Pampered Princess is definitely getting stronger she was able to do 30 minutes of breathing on her own last night and this morning for a whole hour, she will continue to have these tests until she is strong enough to come off the ventilator. She is definitely making progress and much more alert at times, working on taking bandaids off, her pulse Sox is always coming off and she tries to adjust her blankets around her stuffed animals all while her hands are restrained so she does not disconnect all the stuff hooked to her… look out nurses the busy body is coming back😀😀😀Praising God for answers to our prayers

Jan 12: Update: from JoLynn: The Pampered Princess has an early start today, heading to the OR for a muscle biopsy and bone marrow sample at 7:30, had a good night. They are adding steroids today to help with the inflammation of her muscles . Please pray that her lungs can build strength so she can get off the ventilator

Jan 11: More Progress! This morning from JoLynn: "The Pampered Princess had a good night, the ventilator setting has been turned down and so far she is handling it well, it may be tomorrow for her biopsy as the OR is very busy today, but she will have plasma exchange treatment, and dialysis today."

Jan 10: From JoLynn: The Pampered Princess has a diagnosis today: Polymyosits Nerve Syndrome it’s an autoimmune disease that occurs from a viral infection in the muscles . She has to have a biopsy on leg muscles to determine what stage we are in but we are taking the proper treatment and will be adding a few other meds. Myasthenia Graves results are negative 

pered Princess is getting her plasma infusion treatment now and will have dialysis later this evening , The Neurologist does not have a answer yet so the lower MRI will hopefully happen tomorrow he believes she is getting the proper treatment no matter which condition she has but his quote” she is still a very sick girl “ Keep those prayers going!!!

From JoLynn: "The Pampered Princess had a good night not much sleep but still good, preliminary MRI report shows no bleeding or tumors and the Neurologist maybe able to give a definite diagnosis today. She will have her plasma exchange treatment around noon." JoLynn also said that there were no issues while the VNS was off so the first MRI could be done.

Jan 9: I lost this update while trying to fix an HTML error.

Jan 8: Update from JoLynn: "The Pampered Princess will have her MRI at 4:00 today just of her brain, then do lower body tomorrow … it’s is safer for the VNS implant. She is considered stable, she was looking around this morning and able to shake her head yes or no to a few questions . Our prayers are being heard so keep praying."

Update from JoLynn: "The Pampered Princess had a pretty good night, her MRI should get done sometime this morning , her VNS will be turned off for this procedure making for a nervous Momma , praying she can get thru this with no seizures!!"

Update Jan 7: From JoLynn: "The Pampered Princess had a restful night, she had dialysis late yesterday and that helped with the fluid she was retaining, also had a ultrasound of the kidneys. The plan today is just the plasma exchange treatment and hoping for the MRI tomorrow and getting the puzzle pieces put together for a definite diagnosis of which autoimmune disease we have. Keep those prayers coming and enjoy your Sunday."

Update Jan 6: From JoLynn: "The Pampered Princess got her spinal tap around midnight , it went well and we should now results Monday. This afternoon noon she will have MRI, her VNS implant will be turned off for 2 hours, please pray she can get thru the MRI without seizures occurring."

Update Jan 5: From JoLynn: The Pampered Princess had her plasma infusion treatment, is going to have a spinal tap later today, and an MRI is going to happen tomorrow. The Doctors are still waiting on bloodwork to confirm myasthenia gravis but some testing is making them think another autoimmune disease.. she had 3 neurologists around her bed today and they are puzzled but working on answers. Keep those prayers coming for answers for our girl❤️

From JoLynn: "The Pampered Princess had a good night,they had to increase her sedation due to Miss Fiesty trying to pull on the tubes, she gave her nurse the evil eye everytime she did anything to her… she will receive her 2nd plasma exchange this morning, The Red Cross comes and performs this with this fancy machine that hooks to the port in her neck her blood comes out goes into the machine where it takes the bad antibodies out and puts new plasma back in. Keep those prayers coming she is winning this fight."

Update: Jan 4: The doctors made their rounds. Update from JoLynn: "The team of Doctors came in today The Pampered Princess is slowly improving she will be on the ventilator until at least January 12, she will continue with Plasma exchange therapy, and today she will get some nourishment through her feeding tube. She has a very long road to recovery but we are feeling very hopeful. "

From JoLynn: "The Pampered Princess had a better night last night, she is more stable this morning, she opens her eyes and shakes her head for yes and no questions, they will be doing an echocardiogram today and not sure what else until the team of Doctors make rounds this morning. I am sitting by her enjoying holding her hand."

Update: Jan 3: From JoLynn (mom): "The Pampered Princess (Katelynn Butler) had the port put in place today and received her first plasma exchange, there are so many things going on for our Princess but Doctors remain hopeful they can fix her, she is dealing with pneumonia, the flu type A, blood issues as well as the myasthenia gravis crisis we feel the love and prayers from you all and appreciate it so much❤️❤️❤️"

Wendy's note: Katelynn is 22, not 20 as I previously stated.

From JoLynn: "Todd and I want to thank you for all your prayers, support, and donations you are making our lives a little easier and we do appreciate you all!!! Keep praying and if your Church has a prayer list feel free to add The Pampered Princess to it!!!"

From JoLynn: "The Pampered Princess had a busy night but is more stable this morning, she gave us a big scare yesterday afternoon when they intubated her her heart stopped for 39 seconds but with chest compression came right back, she had red blood cells this morning and more platelets are on the way from Richmond, she has pneumonia but lungs are looking a little clearer so antibiotics are working, she has a lot to overcome but when the nurse tried to do her oral care she tried to fight it, and she opened her eyes when I was talking to her this morning. Everyone keep the prayers going."

From her aunt: "Update on Katelynn... yesterday was a tough day. She is a fighter and we know God is helping her. Keep the prayers coming. If you want to help with tunnel fees, food while Jo Lynn is out of work by Katelynn's bedside, please use Venmo. We thank you for the prayers and support. Keep them coming. She has a tough battle but God provides." If you would like to help out, contact me and I will tell you where to get the QR directly from her family for the Venmo account.

Update Jan 2, 2024: From JoLynn: "The Pampered Princess was unable to have surgery, her breathing is to unstable and her blood count is too low. She is being intubated right now to give her body the rest she needs. She will be receiving a blood transfusion later this afternoon as well. Keep praying !!!"

From Jolynn: "The Pampered Princess has been struggling with mucas, nausea, and keeping her oxygen level above 88, she will go to surgery late morning and the Doctor says we need to be prepared for to go on a ventilator and moved to ICU. Dr Ashe is confident once we begin the plasma treatments we will see progress in 6 days. Please send prayers for her!!"

From JoLynn: "The Pampered Princess had a restful day, still on oxygen, had her 2nd IV infusion, respiratory therapy , and lots of rest. Tomorrow they are going to do surgery to put her port for her plasma treatments and the feeding tube. Her color has improved and her arms are strong , it’s a slow process but she is a tough little lady. Hoping 2024 will soon be filled with good times."

Update Jan 1, 2024 8 a.m.: Update: From JoLynn: "The Pampered Princess had a better night, she is able to whisper this morning “I want to go home” , today she will with get a feeding tube or the IV port in her neck for her treatments. The Butler Boy took care of her last night so I could get some rest, thank you all for your prayers."

Update Dec 31, 8 p.m.: The Pampered Princess has completed her first of 5 IV infusions, with no complications , she is resting calmly, her cough and drainage has improved praying a restful peaceful night. Thank you for all the prayers , love, and support!! Happy New Year!

Update: Dec 31, 2 p.m.: From JoLynn: "The Pampered Princess' (aka Katelynn's) Doctor has a plan to get our Princess back to herself but she has a long journey ahead, she will begin IV infusion treatment today, Tuesday will be getting a feeding tube as she can not swallow, after infusion treatments are complete she will have to have a treatment to clean the bad antibodies from her blood, We expect to be here 2 to 3 week. Thank you for all your prayers and support."

Update: Dec 31, 8 a.m.: From Joelynn: "The Pampered Princess had a rough night but is considered stable this morning. We should see the neurologist sometime this morning praying for some answers to this excessive mucus, she is unable to swallow any kind of liquid or food, her seizure medication has been changed to IV form and not all of it converts so the dosage has been changed to accommodate, she also is on oxygen, her oxygen dropped to 37% last night during a coughing episode it took 2 teams of Doctors and nurses to get her stable, please keep praying!!!!" Katelynn's nickname is the Pampered Princess.

Update Dec 31, 12:30 a.m.: Prayer works! God made a way where there was none. She was admitted to the regional children's hospital. It was the insurance company that was fighting her admission due to her age. Please pray for quick answers, treatments that help, and rest for all of them.

Dec 30, 7 p.m.: Please pray for my friend JoLynn's daughter, Katelyn. She is a 20-year-old woman who was brain-damaged from seizures after her 6-month vaccines. She has the mental capacity of a 2-3 year old. She has been rapidly declining over the last few days. They thought she had Myasthenia Gravis but are now questioning that diagnosis. Because of her age, the children's hospital does not want to admit her, but due to her mental capacity, it is the only place she knows and feels comfortable. All of her doctors are there. They have cared for her since the seizures. The insurance is fighting admission. They are battling right now to get her admitted. She needs IVs because she can no longer swallow easily. She has lost her ability to walk and chew food. Even liquids are causing her to choke at this point. Thank you all for praying.

Plant Tags

(I am an Amazon affiliate. They pay me a tiny commission for sharing links. I appreciate everything you purchase through one of my links.) 

I gave up buying the write-on plant tags a good while ago. They quickly became illegible because of the outdoor conditions. That is very frustrating when you are tracking when you planted or propagated them, the source, the plant name and variety, and other info. 

My solution was to engrave tags I cut from aluminum drink cans. I do not drink soda, so I have people who save them for me. I do infrequently consume a health drink in an aluminum can, but I need many times more for my gardening needs. 

I cut the ends off of the cans with a sharp paring knife. Then I cut the tube down the middle with a pair of scissors. Then it is easy to cut off the tags in the size you need. After that, I use a ballpoint pen on a paper tablet to engrave the information I want. I punch a hole with a single-hole puncher. Then I use galvanized wire to attach it to the plant. I started doing this several years ago, and the plant tags are still legible. I am not losing pertinent information any longer.

If you do this, you do so at your own risk. You should wear gloves and work in a way so you do not cut yourself. However, I do not wear gloves and have never been cut doing this, but I take my time and try to do it when there are no distractions. 

If I am short on time and have a job that I need to do quickly that requires only a few tags, I will buy a pack of ready-made engravable tags. These ready-made tags are good in a pinch, but the cost adds up when doing hundreds of plants at a time.

Prophecy Update: Keep Looking Up!

https://www.prophecynewswatch.com/article.cfm?recent_news_id=6772

A massive altar for the red heifer sacrifice has already been built. See it in the video embedded in the article. 

My Amazing Husband

 

Chainsaw Clint has many talents including electrical, technical, construction, car repair, HAM radio, and even calming frightened and rearing horses, etc, etc, etc!!! He also enjoys the gentler pursuit of bonsai. When we were teenagers, he told me he liked bonsais. I kept that tidbit in my heart for nearly four decades and gifted him this bonsai four years ago. He has done excellent with it. He is in my phone as "Your Amazing Husband" for a reason!