On The Mend

Here's a shot of Bill's "new" knee from a week ago. His quad and calf muscles are a bit smaller from being immobilized after the injury. The knee looks great...no swelling & the incisions are all healed...it looks a little like a road map now after three surgeries. Bill has been working real hard to rehab it and has made huge strides in his strength already. He can ride the bike now and is even doing single-leg squats against a wall. I am really proud of him and continue to marvel at his strength and focus in getting well. Keep up the good work honey.......I love you!!

Don't Waste Your Life

The busyness of the summer coupled with my intense desire to relax and do nothing has allowed me to see my tendancy to become self-focused. One of my favorite worship songs has in it the verse..."It's all about you, Jesus". Well lately, it's been all about me...me, me, me. It's so easy to think that this world revolves around me...it is selfish & prideful.

I think we all have within us a desire to be & do what we were created for. To live a purposeful life and to not waste it. One of my favorite books is by John Piper titled, "Don't Waste Your Life". Here is what he says about the foolishness of being self-focused and how joy only comes when we can learn to run away from the mirror, constantly evaluating our own feelings, and look outside ourselves to a Magnificent God.

"The really wonderful moments of joy in this world are not the moments of self-satisfaction, but self-forgetfulness. Standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon and contemplating your own greatness is pathological. At such moments we are made for a magnificent joy that comes from outside ourselves. And each of these rare precious moments in life-beside the Canyon, before the Alps, under the stars-is an echo of a far greater excellence, namely, the glory of God."

Earlier on Piper talks about how we can falsely believe that joy comes from us feeling good about ourselves and building up our self-esteem. He says that this is like going to the Alps & being locked in a room filled with mirrors. There is no joy in that. So the next time I become consumed with what tile to pick for the bathroom, or bothered because my daughter woke up at 6am to tell me she was awake, I need to direct my gaze at the One who created all things beautiful & magnificent and the One who can give me rest when I am weary.

Please Touch Museum

Home construction is not a bad thing for a home-body like me. It forces me to get out of the house. So Friday I took the kids to the Please Touch Museum in Philly. We had a terrific time exploring, learning and playing. It was a little difficult keeping my eye on all 3 kids but I didn't lose anyone...and no body got hurt!!

Adrienne loved the supermarket and the pretend house. Matthew was the captain on the boat to "Where The Wild Things Live" and did a little weight lifting and Madison built a house and was a gas attendant.

Crazy Summer Update

I love this picture my dad took of the kids. It makes me think of how summer should be...happy, calm, relaxing and fun. Those are not the words I would describe this summer...though there have certainly been special memories made...Dutch Wonderland, birthdays, and Linvilla Orchards. Stressful, busy, scary, messy, chaotic...are words that seem to fit better. Even though the summer has been this way it does not mean God is not in control, loving & faithful. I know he sees the big picture..."He works ALL THINGS for the GOOD of those who love Him". I am holding on to that truth. So here's an update on all the Roths...

Bill's doctor apt was this morning. He called praising God...happy & upbeat. The doctor could not believe how good Bill's knee looked. Usually the surgeons need to drain the knee the first post-op visit but Bill had "no swelling" in his knee! (Answered prayer #1). He can now bend the knee to 90 degrees and walk on it in the brace. He begins Physical Therapy today as well.

Matthew is doing well. We saw the doctor yesterday & she thought the ear would heal normally and the swelling on his head went down. (Answered prayer #2).

They begin putting up drywall in the garage, bedroom and bathroom today. We also hired a painter who will paint within our budget. We were going to paint ourselves but with Bill's knee we figured it would be better to hire someone. (Answered prayer #3).

Madison is doing well wearing her new orthotics. It is hard to keep sneakers on her in the summer. Adrienne is happy & healthy and really growing tall & lean. We are all looking forward to our vacation down the shore in August. So that's all for now. I hope everyone reading this is enjoying summer.

Another Crazy Day

Most of you heard about my son Matthew and the incident at Home Depot. Here is a picture of my baby's ear...poor guy. He is doing fine today so I thought I'd share the whole story here.The AC was going to be off at our house most of the day as we were getting a whole new unit put in that would heat & cool the addition as well as the existing house. Of course it was going to be in the low 90's and humid...so we planned to try to be out of the house & in AC most of the day. We went to breakfast at Tom Jones (Bill & Madison are big Blue Ribbon Special fans) and then headed over to Home Depot to look at ceiling fans for our new bedroom. While walking through the store I made a quick left turn to look at some vanity samples & Matthew must have followed me. A second later I heard him screaming and all I saw was this vanity & sink lying on my son with the sink pressed into his head. I pulled it off him and noticed a bleeding ear & a bruise across his head. It was so scary...I started praying right away & so did Madison. Matthew & I took the ambulance to the ER where he quickly perked up (after some Motrin)...he seemed fine. There was some swelling on his head but no "step down" as they call it which can be a sign of a fracture. The doctors observed him for an hour and he was released. We arrived home at 3:30 to an air conditioned home...thank God. It was certainly a scary day. All I can say is that I believe God protected my son from a serious injury. The vanity had one of those sinks that juts forward, making the vanity...which was just standing in one of the isles...extremely unsteady. As for me...I'm just about done seeing doctors, surgeons and ER's. I'm ready for vacation!!!!

The Espys

One thing Bill & I have in common is that we LOVE a great sports story or movie. You know the ones...the underdog overcomes huge odds to finally win the game. "Remember the Titans", "Invincible", "Rudy", and "We Are Marshall" are some of our favorites. We both get chills and sometimes cry at the end...we love that stuff!

Well last night we watched The Espys...ESPN's awards show to honor great American athletes. We were inspired to see the story of the girl who blew out her knee while rounding first base after hitting a home run, and the girls on the opposing team picked her up & carried her around the bases. And the story of the Buffalo Bills player Kevin Everett who against all odds is walking after fracturing his spine causing a serious spinal chord injury.

Well this morning I am awarding my own Espy to Bill. He is really doing well this morning. He is able to walk around on the knee now & has been able to increase his CPM machine to 108 degrees of flexion...which is excellent for 5 days post-op. He really never complains about his situation and is always positive about his recovery. You can often hear him saying..."I have no pain...God is soooo good!" Bill has a doctor's apt. on Thursday to get the sutures out and begin physical therapy. Our TV room is where Bill's been camping out...and yes the remote has been his friend during this time but he has been able to play with the kids a little & read stories to them.

Happy Monday everyone!

Bill's Surgery

Well I thought everyone would enjoy the before & after pictures of Bill today. We went in at 9:30, surgery started at 1pm & we were home by 5:30. Dr. Marchetto explained how it all went. He was happy at the overall condition of the knee. He shaved a little of the meniscus that was torn, removed the old screw from Bill's first ACL repair, and placed a cadaver achilles tendon into the knee as the new ACL. He was able to leave in a few old staples (they would have been difficult to remove) and also noticed that a small portion of Bill's PCL was actually still attatched...praise God!! Bill was a little loopy after surgery & asked me the same question 3 times...(hehe, poor guy)...I was so happy to see him, I didn't mind.

Bill is now resting in his CPM (continuous passive motion) machine which bends & straightens his leg and under his dressing is an ice pack which I have hooked up to a cooler to pump cold water to his knee. His knee is still numb from the femoral block (nerve block to numb the leg), but I'm sure he'll need the percocet tomorrow.

So all is well. Thank you for your prayers & a big thanks to Emily for watching the kids all day & for the wonderful meal from Whitney. We'll keep you posted on my man's knee so keep checkin in!

Fun With My Son

The girls have Vacation Bible School from 9-12 all week so I thought this would be a great opportunity to spend some one-on-one time with Matthew. Yesterday it was raining so we did some "school". Matthew glued shapes on paper & then named them and counted them. We then talked about animals that live in the ocean & he circled all the animals. We also did puzzles (one of his favorite things to do). I love to hear his little voice say "I did it Mom!!"
Today it is beautiful so we went to Linvilla Orchards. We saw deer, fed the chickens, ducks & geese, and played in the play area. Then we bought some of Linvilla's famous Apple Cider doughnuts, sat on a bench and ate them all up. What a special day with my son. Not only has the Lord blessed us with 3 healthy children, but He gives us Joy to delight in them as we raise them...what a privilege!!!

PS...This ones for Poppy

New Roof, Siding & Windows

Happy Monday everyone! Here's the latest picture of our home. Things are a little slower now with the plumbing, electrical & outside trim going on. We now have a hallway into our new bedroom (which used to be the girls' closet). I picked out my tile & fixtures & the tub is here also. Bill & I both had the chance to sit in it. It is 6ft long & 22 inches deep. It's not a whirlpool tub...just a calm, peaceful soaking tub...YES!! We have a new hot water heater (big enough to fill the tub) & will soon have a new heating/air conditioning unit. My house is a mess and there is always some sort of banging going on. I am not really bothered by it because I am excited to see the finished product. It's like we are getting a new houuse without having to move!

Weekend Update:

Madison had her last meet Saturday & swam the 25m butterfly. This is the hardest stroke to do but she did great! She loves this stroke because she can swim like a mermaid doing the dolphin kick. We spent Sunday at the pool after church. Matthew started going underwater & really had fun. Adrienne did the monkey bars all day. She actually got a rip from swinging so much. She's a monkey & I can tell will love gymnastics...she reminds me of myself...cartwheeling everywhere & swinging on anything she can hang on to. Bill's surgery is Wednesday. Please pray for him & for the surgeon. Thanks & have a great week!

Eat Her Bubbles!

We are all really enjoying Madison's swim meets. We are all together as a family, yelling & cheering Madison on...(and she's so darn cute in her swim suit and cap/goggles). She swam in the Varsity meet last night at a local pool near us.

She asked Bill if he would make a sign for her. I know...it's a pretty lame sign. Madison asked if it could read, "Go Madison Roth. Eat her bubbles!". Too funny! Anyway, it rained before the meet started but cleared up soon after. Madison got 3rd in the backstroke, 4th in freestyle and also swam in the free relay. She does great for the first 15 meters & then poops out and starts lifting her head to see what place she's in. The best part for her is making friends and hanging out with all the other swimmers. Enjoy the pics!

Maggie May

Here's a couple pictures of my sister & brother-in-law's new family member, Maggie May. Isn't she cute! She is the new sister of Jenna Lynne (below) and Jordyn Leigh.

Home Improvements Are a Pain in the Neck!

Can you believe they put this thing up so quick!! It is alot bigger than I thought it was on paper. We LOVE the dormer. Bill & I crawled through the girls' bedroom window to see the layout on the second floor...what a view!!
Well the title of this entry probably sounds like I'm being ungrateful & complaining. Let me explain. Last night my neck went completely out of whack. So much so that I could not lift my head off the pillow or move my left arm. Picture my poor gimpy husband trying to help me move my head & attempt to fix my neck at 3 in the morning. I'm crying & he's exhausted and cannot see because his contacts are not in...not a pretty sight! Bill prayed & got me Tylenol & Advil & a hot washcloth. I finally fell asleep on the couch from 4-7.
So this is what I'm learning about myself. I'm pretty easy going. I don't get stressed alot...atleast outwardly. Well I am realizing that the stress of doing the addition & making decisions, Bill & his knee...are all adding up. Making my shoulders bunch up & creating a poor situation for my old neck. Yes I am getting old. My knees grind, my ankle is arthritic and now my neck acts up when I'm stressed. I am reminded of the verse in 2Corinthians..."So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison."
Yes...so true. I need to be reminded that this affliction is exactly that...slight and momentary. We are so grateful to see the Lord's blessings...one being built even as I type.

More Pics Today

Front view...who's house is that?

Back view above...

Side view...top left is our closet!!! YES!!!!

We Have...A Porch!!!

This is too exciting!! Here is a shot of our new porch. I love the little details they put in it. If you look close you can sort of see that the outer portion of the porch has a rough surface to prevent little feet from slipping (and it looks nice too).

And here the framing has begun! It's amazing to watch the whole process.