Been awhile.....Momma's been busy...

Wow.....sure has been awhile since last I wrote! We started back to the school routine August 25th. It's kinda nice to have my days back! This is my second year without preschoolers. I think I like it. When the kids get home, I'm so excited to see them.

My support group for visually impaired people has gotten off to a good start! We met September 4th. We had 7 ladies including myself. We also had a beautiful guide dog. If my vision worsens to the point that I can't 'get around', I want a dog..... If you know me well at all, you know I LOVE dogs!

I'm really enjoying getting to know all of my new friends. So far, I'm the youngest person in our group & I seem to have the best vision. It's kind of strange to be some one's 'guide', but I am! I'm so thankful for this new mission. We all need to feel 'normal'....what's normal? Yes, I know that's what you want to know..... To me, all of you who are reading this without some kind of visual aid are normal...... Ha Ha Ha! You're so right, none of us is 'normal'.

It's been quite a journey to get where I am. When I first lost the greatest part of my vision, I thought I'd never be happy again! I had just given birth to the 3rd child in a row, & life was so stinkin' hard! I would have never imagined then, that God would put me in a place of ministry out of my pain..... Only God could take that kind of tragedy & turn it into a ministry. God is so good! Yes, it's true that some days it's really hard.... I can't pretend that I'm always ok with this place I'm in, but I do have an over all contentment. I know He's using me..... So grateful to God that I'm not in this dark, valley alone.....

New Friends....

Well.....things are going really well for the new support group I'm starting! So far I have a co-leader, a place to meet, & a time to meet! Yay! Now, we're waiting to find out if our county's transportation program will transport us. This is a very rural town w/ no public transportation....Unfortunately, visually impaired people cannot drive. I've spoken with 10 people over the phone about the group. Everyone is so excited! I'm so excited too! I have lots of awesome friends, an awesome hubby, & the best family in the world! I'm so blessed! But, something's been missing for years now.... People who really 'get it'!

OK, so what does that mean, Rach? Well, that means people who walk in my shoes. The struggle I face is different than what sighted people face. Yes, we all struggle, that is true. But, I struggle with the same stuff sighted people do & on top of that struggle with sight loss! I have one child with the same heart condition I have & will eventually need open-heart surgery (the same surgery I've had). Two of my kids have asthma. Asthma is sometimes frightening. In high school, I knew a girl who died during an asthma attack.... We go through periods where our nebulizer (machine used for breathing treatments) is going nearly constantly. My father-in-law died last year from lung cancer ...it was so hard to watch him, my mother-in-law, my hubby, his sisters, & my kids suffer thru it....& I was so sad too! We have family problems, I've had my share of misunderstandings w/ others, my husband works a lot! The list could go on & on....just as your list could go on & on! Life is hard! But, on top of all the 'usual' struggles is the all day, in your face struggle of low-vision.

I'm not complaining....Let me be quick to say! I'm so thankful that most of you have no idea what it's like to be handicapped. I'm very glad that my family & most of my friends have been spared from such pain.....it's something I'd wish on no one! But, the something's missing is gone! I now have ladies I can talk to who really know what I deal with! My hope & prayer is, that as we all get to know each otter, I'll encourage my new friends the way they've encouraged me! Pray my friends, please pray.

Vacation

we had a great time on vacation! We hadn't gone to the beach in 2 yrs!

This was the first time 'the Peeps' had ever been to Myrtle Beach....they loved it!

My hottie hubby worked 2 extra 24 hour shifts so we could go.....gotta love him!

We wen to Margaritaville! I love margaritas! They're actually my favorite frozen cocktail.....I really wanted this shirt, but I couldn't afford it....boohoo.....

'The Peeps' loved looking for shells, taking them out into the ocean, & 'cleaning' them.....Dustin had taken his dirty clothes bag (unbeknownst to me) for bringing shells home. He calls his mesh bag, his 'mush' bag.....he has for years. I just can't bring myself to correct that one!

This little one loved the ocean! She kept swimming way out to 'ride' the waves! If they were too much for her, she'd hold her nose, hold her breath, & take the plunge.....she swam right through!

My future biologist! If you ask him what he wants to be, that's what he'll tell you! I pray that he figures out how to heal the retina..... For now, he's just interested in bugs & creatures.

My precious, little sand monkey! She wasn't big on the ocean, but she sure loved the sand!

Well.....hope you enjoyed this short tour of our beach trip! We're so grateful to have been blessed with a vacation this year! We're blessed just to be the E's!

Support Group

I'm starting a support group for VIP's here in my county. What are VIP's you wonder.?...well, very important persons, of course! Well, those very important persons are actually visually impaired persons. I was in a local mom's group last year, & really thought that I'd help coordinate it this year. Long story short & to prevent giving anyone a bad name, it was made clear that that just wasn't the road I was to take. I was really upset! One of the reasons given by someone else was my lack of transportation.....that made me so sad! I hate to ask people to drive me around, but when I need to go somewhere, I have to ask. So, after a month of the 'poor me, pity party, blues', the Lord reminded me that I'm not alone in this world. There are others who deal with exactly what I do! I also thought about the fact that some of them may not know Jesus..... So, upon my mom's suggestion, I decided to start a support group!

I first contacted the social worker for the blind here in my county. She was so easy to talk to, & very helpful! She sent a letter out to all the VIP's telling them about me & my cause. I got several calls right away. So far, I have 8 people interested in joining me in this endeavor. I now have a co-leader & another lady who's been calling around to our local community college & our local libraries trying to find a place for us to meet. We must really be very important persons to our social worker, she's helping me in any way she can! She called the county transportation to try to get us transported....I really think they're going to help us! If they don't, there will be no way for us to meet..... Pray my friends, please pray!

If this takes off like I think it will, this could be a huge ministry. I don't know if y'all know this, but we visually impaired people are lonely & really like to chat! So, my need to talk on the phone, help others, & feel normal will be met....But, on top of that, I'll be sharing the gospel with lots of other lonely people!! I hate that I had to get hurt to come to the realization that I needed to start this, but.....God knew what He was doing, I have to trust that!

The summer they'll never forget.....

Yep, this is the summer my kids will never forget, not because we got our pool this summer, but because this is the summer we're helping Grandmommy move. My mom has picked us up & taken us to her house A LOT this summer! We've been packing boxes, cleaning, & making decisions on what would go to a storage unit away from the house & what would stay in the storage shed on their property. My little ones have gone with me every time.

They've had plenty of land to roam, a double wide (that we're packing up), & an RV (that Mom & Dad are in until their new house is finished) to play in.They've not complained very much either. They've taken things to the shed when we've asked, they've gone outside to play when I've asked (because my nerves were fried with them inside). They've done so well! But, as we packed up the van this morning to ride over, they were dragging their feet.

Today they were able to earn money, though. They're all saving money to spend at the beach. So, needless to say, they were very willing to work! Today was GREAT! We were able to finish up the packing & the house is ready for 'Two Men & a Truck'! Now, it's a waiting game as to when their new house will be finished.

Everyone is so excited! Dad & Mom bought this 30 acres 10 yrs. ago with a plan to build on it. They moved in a double wide 'temporarily'. The double wide has held many gatherings.....it's seen good times & bad. Three kids left home from there. My little sister was only 15 when they moved there....she now is married & has two kids of her own. My younger brothers were 13 & (barely) 11 when they moved in....now, one of those brothers is newly married & the other has his own place & has a full-time job! The house has been a great 'temporary' residence.

All this talk of 'temporary residence' has me so excited! This earth....this fallen, decrepit earth is just a temporary residence..... For those of us who know Jesus & have been bought with His blood, we have that great, new mansion being built for us. This is just a 'waiting game' for us. What are we gonna do with it? Are we gonna squander it, or are we gonna do as Dad & Mom did, live life to the fullest where we are? What's the Lord asking you to do?

That's all I have for now......

ow-Vision Momma

The Grocery Store.....

Today was an afternoon filled with errands. First, I got to go for a 'fun errand' with my sister-in-law, Carol, while my hubby stayed home to watch all the kids (her 2+our 3). We went to Good Will & found way too many cute things!!! After spending who knows how long (we didn't look at the time before we went in....on purpose?!...hmmm), we went to Sonic....we had to take advantage of their half price drinks! :) We had a fabulous time.....one of the benefits of low-vision is having to have a chauffer, therefore, having a companion while shopping! Once home, we found all the kids watching movies & my hubby on the computer.... We weren't shocked! We expected to see all the litte couch potatoes.We saw the cousins off & then we were off to run more errands.

I have to give praise where praise is due. I've been unable to drive for nearly 7 years now, which means I've been unable to go to the grocery store by myself for a LONG time. My awesome hubby takes me to the store when he's off work, today was one of those days. We loaded everyone up in my van for a trip to town. This meant bringing water bottles for the girls (I think Dustin was too distracted by Scoobie Doo to fix one today), a 'blankie' for Jancy, my Aldi bags, the list, & all 5 people! We were off! We stopped in at Wal-Mart first.....we all know you can get everything you need at 'the stuff mart', I mean Wal-Mart! After a long wait for my perscription (dentist tomorrow means anti-biotics for heart patients), we headed over to the food side, got the things I can't get at Aldi there, then headed for the really fun trip....ALDI!!

I must tell you that I'm only paid once a month, which makes July 27th a really tight day here! So, I had to really 'think' & spend the money wisely today. That meant the kiddos had to stay out in the van with Daddy! Poor Daddy! I know it took me forever today.....probably close to an hour! By the time I got done & had all the groceries bagged & out to the van, the kids were comparing who had been 'starving' the longest. ..... my hubby said they'd been doing it most of the time I was in there!

I write all of this today to let you all see what a precious man I married! We had no idea that ocular histoplasmosis would claim my vision when we got married....when he said in sickness & in health, but he honors me & his vows so sweetly. He never complains that he's having to spend his day off driving us around town, that he has to warn me about curbs, that he must walkme across parking lots,that he holds my hand & counts stairs for me, that he lives in a house with dirt his wife can't see, or that I have days that I just have the blues & can't really be there for him. He works really hard for the kids & for me......He deserves recognition! I love that man!

Every Third Saturday.....

Here I sit....it's that dreaded third Saturday! Why do I dread every third Saturday? My hubby woks a 24 hour shift every third day! He works in between that as well, but on the days he only works 9 hrs, he comes home at night! So, every third day, I'm on my own with the three peeps. I guess if I could drive, it probably wouldn't be quite as bad. We could go to Wal-Mart, go visit Daddy at the fire dept., or maybe go to the pool. I think being able to leave the house is a luxury most people probably take for granted. But, for a mom of three with low-vision, it's not! I'm so thankful when someone comes to rescue us! I just have to keep reminding myself today, that my hubby did take us to Wal-Mart last night & I do get to go to church tomorrow. So, maybe it's not as bad as I'm making it out to be......

Yesterday I was at home most of the day & was able to be quite productive! I polished all the wood furniture & swore if the kids dared to get my dining room table dirty again, they'd be in for it! I've started making them eat on place mats (plastic ones, that I can wipe off), so far, so good... Of course, after vacuuming the living room yesterday, I swore that no one would eat in there again. But, this morning, while I was in the kitchen, finally getting around to making my breakfast (I had to make the peeps first), I realized that my son was eating in there! Ugh! Well, at least the dining room table was still clean.

Today I'm working on a few things in the kitchen. I'm cleaning the oven (wish I had gloves for that!) & hoping to get my tupperware cabinet re-organized. I just did that!! But, when children help empty the dishwasher, things seem to get thrown in cabinets instead of carefully nested in each other....I know you fellow mommas know exactly what I'm talking about!!

Oh yeah! I also have to work on our Sunday School lesson for tomorrow! That should be fun. I'll be teaching the preschoolers about 'the Fall'. That of course is not fun! 'The fall' is so sad. I so wish we still lived in that perfect world. In that perfect world there was no such thing as low-vision. Of course, I do still grieve over the loss of my sight, but I grieve not as a person without hope. I do have hope. One day, I will see perfectly again!! My hope is in Jesus, who took my sin to the cross. I will never die, because Jesus paid the penalty for me! That just blows my mind! Why would Jesus become human, knowing what would happen? I'm just so grateful!

I hope as you read my ramblings of the day, you won't feel pity for me. I do hope this makes you aware of the handicapped people in this world & what they're dealing with behind closed doors. It's very lonely to be someone with a disability! But, I hope this blog today, gives you hope! Jesus is the reason I have hope! I'm praying the same is true for you!

All about us!

We are a family of 5! My hubby, Jon-David & I had no idea what we were getting ourselves into when we said,"I do". Fourteen months after we got married, we had Dustin, who is now 9. Sixteen months after Dustin was born, we had Emilie, who is now almost 8. Stixteen months after Emilie was born, Jancy was born. She is 6 1/2! We certainly have our hands full, but to top it off, during my pregnancy with Jancy, I had a blood vessel grow through my retina, & bleed. Because I was pregnant, the doctors were unable to operate on me, thus causing low-vision. Low vision alters everything we do here at the Everharts! So, that's why this blog is called 'Life with Low-Vision. It affects every single one of us. But we know, even in this, God has a plan for us! Our hope is in our Savior!

Last week, we celebrated my 33rd birthday! My family made a cheesecake for me. I love cheesecake with cherries on top! My hubby took me out to eat at Cities in Winston-Salem. We shared a delicious steak! I LOVE steak!

We will soon be headed to the beach on vacation. We will be taking Jon-David's little sister, Becca with us. For all of the time that we've had all of these precious children, we've also had younger siblings to help out. Becca is soon to be 15, and I don't know what we'd do without her!


Today was a fun-fille, sun-filled, pool day! My siter-in-law, Carol, along with her two little girls, came to pick us up this morning. We went to Jon-David's grandparents' pool. I love 'pool days'! The kids get to swim, play, eat, and release all that extra energy! I get to sit on the side of the pool, chat, & get some sun! It's a win-win! We don't get to go as much as I'd like. If I could drive, we'd go every day. It's so awesome!
Yes, my life is hectic & hard, but it's my life. It's the life God gave me. I absolutely love the people He put in it, too!