Praying For Riker

Dan brought Riker into the vet today and things aren't looking the best. He still can't shake this infection, is losing more hair, and the vet says there's a good chance that the 1% spreadable cancer he had spread. We are, of course, very sad mixed with a little bit of hope. For right now we are hoping that if his diagnosis is not good in the long term that at least his infection will clear up with the different antibiotics he's on now. Because of the infection he is leaking urine so we have him partitioned off in our kitchen entryway to the garage. We want him to be able to hang out with us in the living room and feel terrible when he isn't right there with us. So, if you could say a little prayer for our little dog with the biggest heart. I've never had such a gentle little thing as him.

On another note, Sadie, Dan's sister's dog who lived with his parents needed to get put to sleep today. She was really struggling at Christmas time. She was such a sweet dog too...oh man, I'm a mess! We are thinking about you all today and in the weeks to come. She will surely be missed.

Haiti

I can't stop thinking about the people of Haiti and all they are going through. I know that at this time all we can do is pray for them and donate money as they are going to need it for many years to come. For a country that is already 70% poverty to now have this happen is incomprehensible to me. To have people trapped inside of buildings, possibly alive, but no machinery, or not enough to get them out just makes my skin crawl. I know God is with them all and I pray that he is comforting them and filling them with peace. I keep having nightmares of being trapped in a very small place after an earthquake. I am extremely claustorphobic and it makes me want to throw up. I wish there was more that we could do.

If you haven't heard about the seminary couple from Wartburg read here. At first when I read about Ben's possible final moments I was terrified that he was still alive and just passed out from the pain and trauma. Dan and I talked that maybe God was already with him, and he couldn't hear his wife and cousin because he was already halfway home. This theory brings me comfort and gives me hope that of course, God is always with us. I pray for his wife right now as for me this is one of my worst fears. I know I'm rambling on about all of this, but I guess that is where I'm at with it. I can't put it all together in my head.

Blessed Be Your Name

Dan's sermon today was all about blessing God during good times and bad. I've been reflecting a lot lately about my job. The climate is very harsh and cold and not a very comforting place. I've been trying to still be thankful through it all. It's hard, but I have a job, I have health insurance, I have a steady income, and my kids are awesome. My spiritual director sent me this prayer tonight that I want to share. It reminded me of Dan's message today.

A Prayer

Let me do my work each day;
and if the darkened hours
of despair overcome me, may I
not forget the strength
that comforted me in the
desolation of other times.
May I still remember the bright
hours that found me walking
over the silent hills of my
childhood, or dreaming on the
margin of a quiet river,
when a light glowed within me,
and I promised my early God
to have courage amid the
tempests of the changing years.
Spare me from bitterness
and from the sharp passions of
unguarded moments. May
I not forget that poverty and
riches are of the spirit.
Though the world knows me not,
may my thoughts and actions
be such as shall keep me friendly
with myself.
Lift up my eyes
from the earth, and let me not
forget the uses of the stars.
Forbid that I should judge others
lest I condemn myself.
Let me not follow the clamor of
the world, but walk calmly
in my path.
Give me a few friends
who will love me for what
I am; and keep ever burning
before my vagrant steps
the kindly light of hope.
And though age and infirmity
overtake me, and I come not within
sight of the castle of my dreams,
teach me still to be thankful
for life, and for time's olden
memories that are good and
sweet; and may the evening's
twilight find me gentle still.

~ Max Ehrmann ~

Tomorrow I am being thrown into the lion's den. We have a staff development day and I'm teaching three different classes. I don't know what it is about this school, but they are not very nice to their young. I am really missing my former co-workers.....I used to cry on the shoulders of the vetran teachers, grab a drink on a friday afternoon, and team teach with them. Instead of being an equal there, I am the lion's meat here. Seriously, I would appreciate any prayers. I "get" what kids go through when they are bullied at school. I experience it first hand almost everyday.

New Idea For DDR

If I only had thousands of dollars to throw around to get a patent for this idea I have. I guess I really wouldn't care if someone even stole this idea because I'd be too happy that it exhisted.

Are you ready....please don't make fun of me. Yes, I play Dance Dance Resolution quite frequently, and yes I love it. However, the music is just ok. I LOVE my ipod....hundreds of songs to workout to and drive Dan crazy in the car:) Why not combine the two. Create a DDR game that somehow adjusts it's steps to whatever song is currently on your ipod. I'm sure it could be done. I'd have to buy one of the hard surfaced dance pads though so I could play with shoes on. Right now I have a plastic pad that you can only play in bare feet. Once I played so long I gave myself plantar facitis for weeks. My mom called me on the phone and grounded me from it for 1 month. I was 25:)

Anyway, if anyone out there has any connections to video game creating please pass on my idea!!!

This nerdy post is now over!

Good News and Bad News

Ok so bad news first. Riker's tumor was cancerous, but the good news is it's a very rare cancer that rarely spreads. There is a 99% chance that he will be just fine!!! We are so thankful and have noticed some changes in him. The tumor must have been sucking some of his energy (obviously)! He runs around like he did when I first met him and sleeps less often. Our neighbor, Larry came over to give him a bone today. He hasn't lost his shyness that's for sure. At the same time, we are sad. Larry and Darcy lost their Golden Retriever the day after Christmas. We knew it was coming, but it's still very sad. She was only four. We feel really lucky Riker is healthy right now and will miss "Belle".

Why I Love My Husband

-when he orders shrimp he gives me his shrimp butts to eat (in my world this is a thoughtful gesture for which my cousin Josh makes endless fun of me)
-when I want to play DDR he'll come down to the extremely cold basement to make sure it's working correctly
-he doesn't complain when I go to bed before he does bringing Meeko with me to snuggle, making him take on the job of putting him in the basement
-he gets fiesty with me when I come home and tell insane stories about work
-he randomly brings noodles and company home for me from st. cloud
-he talks figurative language with me in the middle of the night when I go into my "nerd alert" mode
-he doesn't buy into the woman=domestic slave crap....he splits the housework with me, does his own laundry, and never complains. This has never been a major issue for us
-he plays bananagrams with me even though scrabble is his favorite word game
-he's overly protective of me and my feelings-
-he buys me flowers when we are on vacation because he knows it's the only time I can have them (Meeko destroys them)
-he always kisses me goodbye on the one day of the week (sunday) that he leaves the house before I do
-On the days that I get up first, he stays in bed and leaves me to myself as I cannot even stand to be around myself in the morning

Just a few quirky things on how much I appreciate my Dan:)

Riker's Surgery

Well, we didn't go too much into detail earlier, but it seems that one of Riker's testicles grew a tumor around itself like the vet guessed. We are getting it tested to determine if it's cancerous. We are just hoping and praying that it's benign. Right now here's what he is doing snoring mildly.

We'll update on how he's doing and the results of the test. He was so sweet today when I picked him up.....beyond tired/still drugged up, but still his little tail was wagging away. He's got to have the biggest puppy dog face, but today it's magnified.

Random Thoughts From the Dornfelds

-Dan took me up to Appleton and then Green Bay for our 2nd Anniversary. It was fun to play 20 questions in the car trying to figure out what we were going to do. We ended up going to dinner and a BoDeans concert, which is somewhat sentimental to us since we went with Kristin and Shane the first time I came to visit Wisconsin. We stayed in Appleton and came back the next day.

-Riker had another check-up, he'll finally be neutered this coming Tuesday. They think he may have a tumor growing around his man part that never "dropped". We'll find out more soon. This might explain all of his odd symptoms he's been having.

-Meeko was very happy to have us home. He hasn't left my side since.

-Stuart and Megan lent us the Twilight Series, so far I am team Edward and Dan is team Jacob (mainly because he doesn't like Edward), but we haven't got that far yet. For the record, great books (I'm hooked), but total disrespect to women. Ms. Meyer makes the main female character out to be obsessed with the lead male character. He's constantly referred to as perfect, he laughs at her, etc....there's just these underlying connotations that make Bella seem very weak, and although I'm enjoying the suspense, the male dominant tone is annoying! Any girl that can't resist a guy that "might" easily kill her is stupid. I'm ready for women to stop making women look so damn stupid. You rarely hear about a book that is opposite of a puppy love sick boy in love with a female vampire. arhggh..makes me mad. Let's just keep oppressing women into the little domesticated, can't live without a man, my life is over without one, etc. into a little box.

-Have to go back to work on Monday, and yep can't even talk about it it makes me so depressed. This coming month is supposed to be insane and I'm just not ready for it.

-As for Dan, hopefully January won't be as busy as the last one:)

Wisconsin Christmas

We spent Christmas this year in Wisconsin. We finally made it out on the 26th and just got home last night on the 1st. We shared many pictures, laughs, memories, gifts, and sickness. Yes, at least one person was sick each day we were there. We thought Dan might have escaped the 24 bug, but we hit the twin cities and it hit him like a brick, so it was my turn to take care of him after he took care of me one day. We're hoping that now no one else gets it in Wisconsin as a few were able to escape it. Here are a few memories:)







Here's proof at my questionable mommy skills. I took this picture of Elizabeth and then didn't do anything....oh neat, she has a scissors. How was I ever allowed to get paid to work with kids? Who knows!