Here's The News

 In an effort to keep everyone in the loop so to speak, here are some updates on changes in our lives at the moment.

And without going into the very long stories of how they all transpired, just allow me to say, Hubby and I spent much of the Spring and the ENTIRE Summer wondering and praying about what this fall would look like for our family.

We even thought we had made some decisions a few times, and then something else would come to light or another factor would present itself and he and I would come back to the discussion table, and the PRO/CON lists and consider other options.

As of today... here is the news.

Hubby will be teaching 5th grade this coming year at a school very near our home.

  Tracey will be attending 1st grade at the same school.

Our Twins will be attending half day preschool at the same school.

Lee Lee and Hunter will be home with me full time.

I will be working part-time providing distance learning services to my students.

While with the turmoil and uncertainty of the world right now, I don't know that I can say we are thrilled or overjoyed with the plan... I can say given ALL the factors, and the uncertainty of COVID, Hubby and I feel about as good as we possibly could given the information we have.

Tracey and the twins are INCREDIBLY excited to be attending the same school, the school where Daddy teaches, AND a school so close to our house.

Maybe you remember, all our children have been attending school an hour away from where we live.  We loved their years at those schools and we still strongly value the Montessori education they were receiving... times have changed, and now other priorities have become factors and everyone will be switching schools.

Hubby has taught elementary school before but is has been a number of years, so this year will look different for all of us, but we know God has opened these doors for a reason, and we really are thrilled with the school they all will be.

We also feel, perhaps foolishly, like we are limiting our exposure with COVID a little by having everyone in the same building and my providing distance instruction.  Last year, Hubby was in one district an hour away, Tracey was in one school an hour away, the twins and Lee Lee were in another school an hour away, I was serving students across three districts, and Hunter was looked after by a friend of ours about 20 minutes away.

Even though Hubby, Tracey, Howard, and Caroline will still have some exposure to peers and colleagues and the germs they carry, it will be on a much smaller scale than we were exposed last school year.

Thank you for your prayers as we all prepare for these changes and prepare for a safe and healthy year.

Keep In Mind

We are living with some very strict fire ban policies in effect right now... on a pile of tinder called Colorado.

Please pray for rain and a lot of precipitation this winter. 

 

Newest Family Addition

Introducing our newest family addition...

Melvin the Moose Miller

Hubby's grandfather shot this moose in British Columbia in 1972 (if memory serves) and he has recently been handed down from Hubby's uncle to our family.  Hubby is thrilled but not nearly as excited as our children all of whom love moose.  I kid you not, moose are very popular among our children - moose was even one of Caroline's first words thanks to a moose lamp in our bedroom (although she called them "Meese" for about six months).

We are happy to welcome Melvin to our Mountain Miller family (although I will admit he might take some getting used to before he no longer startles me).

 

What's Going On

I don't really want to write this post, but for better or worse, this blog has sort of become a record and family history of our Hubby and my journey together, so without revealing specifics, I do want to share some of what's going on in our life right now.

Hubby and I received some medical news a few days ago that may turn out to be nothing, and may turn out to be something pretty big.  We are just processing things and praying and making appointments to gain more information and get a firm diagnosis as fast as possible.  That being said, we really don't know anything yet... we just know we need to get more testing done.

So, we've been on a roller coaster the past few days, and Hubby has still been trying to complete graduate work like a madman -- so things are a little stressful around here.

All that to say, a neighbor brought me food last night.  She was very sweet and brought me two big pans of enchiladas and cookies.  It was very very nice of her, but as soon as I accepted the food, the first thought in my head was, 

"Wow... someone is bringing me food... this really must be a big deal and bad news if people are starting to bring me food."

The truth is, most of the time I think I'm fine, and I'm not having trouble trusting God until I say something out loud -- like when I tell Hubby about the research I've done, or tell my parents about a doctor's appointment, and then I get choked up... which is weird because I just read this stuff twenty minutes ago and I had no emotional reaction at all, but now when I'm saying it out loud, I'm getting emotional.

Also, this is the first time that I'm getting calls and texts from family and friends reaching out to me to check in on us.  It is also the first time that I'm feeling the need to turn off my phone at certain points, because I just need a little break from all the other people wanting to talk about this right now.  Sometimes I want to talk -- sometimes I want to ignore the text messages on my phone, cuddle with my kids and watch Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood without thinking about this situation that we don't actually know what's going on yet.

Most of the time, I am not emotional at all because we really don't know the facts yet, and it doesn't make a lot of sense in my head to become emotional when we don't know the facts... at least that's how I feel most of the time... ask me again in five minutes and you might get a different answer. 

So please keep us in your prayers knowing that God knows all of the specifics and so your general prayers for our family are perfect and very much appreciated.

 

News From My Field

Many of you know that I work with students who are blind and visually impaired.

There are very rewarding parts of my job, and very challenging parts of my job.

Thus far, the most challenging part of my job has been working with a student who is slowing losing his vision... he doesn't exactly need my services today, but I have to try to prepare him to adjust to the idea that someday he might need my services -- and by that time he might be out of school, and I won't be there.

There are several eye diseases that slowly rob people of their sight, but last night on NBC Nightly News, they announced a tremendous breakthrough for people with one specific eye disease, Retinitis Pigmentosa.

I have a few students with this disease and know several adults who have lost, or are losing their vision to this disease.  The below news story is an answer to prayer and the biggest breakthrough people with Retinitis Pigmentosa have ever seen.

Wouldn't it be amazing if, in time, eventually, I had to find a new job because people's vision had been restored through the miracle of science and technology?  Please, Lord, let it be!

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Rescuing Missy

Sometimes I hear a story or I watch a news report and I can't get the story out of my head.  Such is the case for me regarding a news broadcast I heard nearly a week ago about a German Shepherd named Missy who was rescued off a 14,000 foot high mountain in Colorado.

via

An owner and his German Shepherd, Missy, hiked a 14,000 foot high mountain (commonly called a "14er") together and apparently the weather took a turn for the worse when they were near the top (which frequently happens atop 14ers).  Missy had sustained injuries to her paws along the hike and the owner apparently couldn't carry her down... so he left her on the mountain.

All of the above, I can understand.  Hubby and my wonderful pup is nearly 70lbs, and I would have a hard time carrying him across a level meadow let alone down a treacherous 14,000 foot mountain.

But then, after leaving Missy at the summit of the mountain, the owner "assumed the dog died" and didn't go back to get her.

I have no understanding of that above statement.  I typed the statement, I heard the statement reported on the news, but I still just stare at it in disbelief.  I do not understand those words.

Other hikers eventually came upon Missy... they had to leave her at the top too, but they recruited help to go back and attempted to rescue her.  EIGHT DAYS after being abandoned by her owner, seven hikers eventually went after Missy hoping to find her alive and hoping to be able to get her down the mountain safely.  She was very weak, extremely dehydrated, and her paws were still injured, but she was alive.  I wish I could hug this dog for myself because I'm so overcome with emotion when I think of her on that mountain alone for eight days and nights and then, finally, rescued.

Below is the full news story that I still just can't get out of my head.  I understand an unfortunate situation where you have to leave a dog behind.  I do not understand not going back the next day to get her, look for her, retrieve her remains, find her.



I feel such a strong responsibility to my animals and cannot understand abandoning them for anything.  Thank you, Lord, for entrusting us with the care of your amazing and beautiful creatures.  Please teach us to be worthy of their affection and unconditional love.

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 Seven strangers went after an abandoned dog, up and down a mountain and through a snowstorm.  The Bible promises that the Lord leaves 99 sheep in order to find the 1 that wandered away.  When He finds that one missing sheep, He hoists the lamb onto His shoulders and calls his friends to come celebrate with Him.

If our human love is capable of this kind of rescue on behalf of a dog, imagine the Heroic rescues God completes every day through His love on behalf of his children?!?!

Oh, Colorado...

There are some things that very uniquely happen in Colorado.

The below clip is one:


This is clearly a bear after my own heart.  He doesn't want berries or fish... he wants chocolate!

I suppose it could also happen in Alaska or Montana... but, in this case, it was Colorado.

Words for Memorial Day

Friday night, Chris and I were watching NBC Nightly News and we saw a clip of a speech Vice President Biden said to Military Families that have lossed loved ones.  I am SO GLAD we saw clips of his speech.  I was crying just in the 2 minutes highlights that Nightly News showed.

I did not know much about the Vice President before I heard this speech, and I still do not know much about him.  But I know he can give a very moving, memorable, heartfelt, comforting speech that perfectly embodies what should be said on Memorial Day.

His words are so much better than any words I could write for today.  Please, do yourself a favor and watch this extended clip of his Memorial Day Weekend speech:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Thank you, Those who Serve and Their families.
THANK YOU!

Everybody Lives Famous in a Small Town

 They say "Everybody dies famous in a small town" but I really think that you don't have to die to be famous in a small town.  There isn't much news in Muskegon, Michigan... how else can I explain the fact that both my birth and my wedding (and several other events throughout my 27 years of life) made the local news?

January 25, 1984 The Norton Shores Examiner:

"Shores Pediatrician Finds Own Baby's Birth Proves Obstetrics Isn't An Exact Science"

 

June 23, 2011 The Muskegon Chronicle

"Couple Will Be Racing To The Alter"

 

 Here is the full story written a few days before the race.  Couple will be racing to the alter.