Livvy Update...

Thank you for your prayers! Livvy and her family are home from the hospital. She has a double ear infection and an upper respiratory infection, and is on antibiotics.

Also, I have a mommy crisis! Kaitlynn has a foreign substance in her hair, and after talking to the others at school, we narrowed it down to stick glue. Problem is this: the hair is matted together, not even the least bit sticky, and I have washed and washed to try to get it out. About 4 inches from the scalp her hair becomes what I can only describe as "angel hair" and is difficult enough without this mess! Does anyone have an idea (short of using some toxic chemical that would harm her scalp) of how to remove this mess? I'm looking for answers, but haven't been able to get a comb through it for two days. Last night I just pulled the wad of hair up onto her head and nailed it down with bobby pins. She may be bald before the weekend. :)

Prayer Request...

Please pray for little Olivia Lorraine Nichols. She is currently in the E.R. in Chicago following a seizure this a.m. Her temp was 104 upon arrival at the hosp, so they are giving her IV fluids and running tests. I'm sure her parents and baby sister would appreciate your prayers, as well. These kinds of things tend to promote fear and stress...most of us can empathize.

PCS's Newest Addition...

Okay...so I'm thinking there is this little empty spot (not so little, actually)...it would make the perfect place for a gazebo with seating for parents to watch their little munchkins play (or a teachers lounge??????) Hahaha!

A couple of years ago, a donor gave $10,000 toward the school playground. As you know, the Health Dept. has pretty tight regulations on equipment, spacing, foundation materials, etc. After spending over $5,000 in pea gravel, and placing the equipment from our former property, we began to look at options for a large playset. If you have been involved with an organization that does not receive government money, you know how frugality is a must, and wasteful spending just doesn't exist. I think we could feed all the orphans in the world, as well as educate America's children, with what the government spends on educational programs! Anyway, the types of equipment that the parks and public schools get for free was just out of the question for us. $35,000 would be more the kind of money necessary to get what they have.
Our search led us to an Amish company that builds quality, durable playsets. Since we are a church, the kind gentleman gave us a $500 bonus (free staining), and brought the thing out and put it together. Within just a few days, the children were having a wonderful time on the new set! Thank you to the donor!!!

Havin' Fun At The Apple Festival!

The "gang"...I don't know how many times Mrs. Pouzar and I get to say, "Yes, this is our WHOLE school - kindergarten through 12th grade. Yup, this is ALL of them....uh huh, yes, that's right..." But as I shared with Mrs. Pouzar the other day, I am amazed by the downpour of compliments we receive anytime we are out and about with the kids. We take lots of little field trips, educational ventures, whatever you want to call them, and people just can't get over how well-behaved and respectful our students are! We don't threaten them or give them orders before we go, they just know what is expected. The piano tuner came during the schoolday a few weeks back (yes, that was a bad idea, hopefully never to be repeated - lol-) and he was able to watch the students for several hours. He said that he had never seen such well-behaved kids. That speaks well of the training they are receiving at home. I'm very proud of them!

Kaitlynn with her buddy, Isaac, who is in kindergarten this year...

Learning about Johnny Appleseed (who, according to my grandmother's investigation into the family tree, is a long, lost relative of ours)...

Each student was able to choose their own apple to take to the press...


I think he could pass for a pioneer!


Explaining all of the different foods and products that are derived from corn and from the cob itself. He was amazed that our students could correctly answer his questions without hesitation. He said most of the kids that come through don't know much about any of it! Sad!

Awwww...

One of the groups enjoying cider...

With Thansgiving....

We welcome Aubrey Nicole Profitt to our family! To see a few pics and read a commentary by Adam, head on over to Valerie and Adam's blog.
From an aunt's perspective :), I am very excited! Now I just get to wait, and wait, and wait for the day when I can hold her in my arms! She's quite an armful now (8lbs./4.5oz), so hopefully she can still cuddle comfortably in a few months!
Things were a lot different on this end than I had assumed they would be. For those who don't know, Adam and Valerie have an internet phone (I think that is what it is) and we can call them without it being long-distance, let alone international calling. That is cool. They also have high-speed internet with a web cam at the apartment. Also cool. I can also send and receive texts to my phone from their email, chat on Messenger, etc. What I didn't understand is that the hospital seems to me a whole lot less hi-tech than the rest of the island! I haven't been able to talk to Valerie yet. I guess I'll have to wait until she is home, which I assume will be tomorrow.
After quite an unpredictable course of events in my own child-birthing experiences, I usually tell new moms not to have expectations for labor/deliver, because it seems things don't usually go as predicted anyway! Valerie had quite an experienced doctor, who was world-renowned and was a surgeon before being an ob, but he made a few predictions that were, let's say, not even close! Honestly, I'm surprised doctors even venture to make statements about how things will be...it's usually anyone's guess.
I'm so thankful God protected Valerie and Aubrey. It puts a new perspective on family visiting down there! I sure hope none of them ever have to experience a hospital visit for any length of time!
Well...I should quit rambling, but not before I tell you the dumb thing I did this a.m. I usually stop at Speedway on the way to school to grab some caffeine (I know, bad girl). I filled my cup, and headed back out the door to the van. Halfway to the van, I realized I still had a handful of quarters! I hadn't paid for the coffee! Embarrassed half to death, I headed back in, where the two employees gave their explanation on what they thought I was doing...one thought I was going to the van to get my money, the other thought I had given the cashier a Speedy Rewards coupon for a free coffee. I laughed and told them that my sister had just had a baby and I was thinking about her, and not paying attention. I also said, "Thank goodness this is Cridersville! If I had been in Lima they probably would have called the cops before I could make it back inside!" Hope this isn't an indicator for the rest of my day...I'm taking 4 kids to Penney's for pictures this evening...and I'm going alone!!!