ER last week

ER the show. Not us in the ER. Thank goodness. Because there was a point, when Em had a temp of 105, that I thought we would end up at the ER.
But the show, ER. You know, the one that is going to end this week. So very sad!
Anyway, last Thursday's episode was so great.
It basically focused on kids who had heart disease, and who had had open heart surgery. It was all about a camp for kids with CHD. Camp del Corazon. The camp really exists, but it is in California, NOT Chicago. But that is neither here nor there.
The point is, it was awesome. They talked about Tetrology of Fallot and the surgeries that go along with that. About Hypoplastic Righy Heart Syndrome and surgeries that go with HLHS. And one other that I can't remember right now. One girl even had a defibrilator implanted. At the end, Morris told a girl a bedtime story about a blood cell that was blue, but desperately wanted to be red.
I was in tears the whole time. It was soo good to see CHD getting media coverage.
I was also in tears because the Chief of the ER was adopting a baby. Oh man, my heart is yearning for a baby. Matt too. So I figure I'll tell you all now so that if God decides to bless us with another baby, it won't surprise you!
Anyway, kudos to ER for doing this!

Lessons learned at the Library

I did it. I made the trek to the library, signed my boys and me up for library cards, and fell in love.
This particular library has a totally closed off kids area. I mean closed off. Doors and everything. Which means the kids could be noisy! Woot!
And, there was nobody there since it was during the day.
And, since we are home schoolers we were informed that we could check out eleventy million items at a time. Which is both a blessing and a curse.
It left me wondering why I had waited so long.
Which led me to wonder how often we do that in life.
I mean, how often do we think, "her? not sure I want to be friends with her.." and then once we do, we wonder why we waited so long. One of my very best friends started like that. In fact, she used to ignore me. But I was a pesky little bugger, and now we are the best of friends.
Matt does this often with food. He used to be very particular about what he ate. Now, he is more adventurous, and I'm sure he wonders what took him so long.
In life, I'm convinced, we just need to bite the bullet and go for it.
Oh, but what about the other side of this? What happens when we are quick to befriend someone and they burn us? There's always two sides. And that side often leaves more of an impression than the good side. It's what makes it so hard to step out in the first place.
But we must. Otherwise, our lives will be so boring not even we will be able to stand it.
Here's to trying new things out! And not years from now. Now.

The unpardonable sin of Home Schooling

Yes. It's true folks. I commit the unpardonable sin of home schooling. Someday, maybe the head home school people will forgive me, maybe not. And who are these people in charge? Oh yeah, it's us. We're in charge of our home schools.
What is could possibly be so bad that it is unpardonable? Well, I'll tell you. But you have to promise not to hold it against me. Promise not to think, 'well she's obviously not a real home schooler' Because I try! I really do!
OK, are you ready for this? Are you sitting down? OK...here goes...I do NOT utilize the library.
I KNOW!! Pretty bad, huh? Pick yourselves up off the floor. Stop hyperventilating and just hear me out.
I'm intimidated by the library. While I was thinking about this post I was trying to put my finger on what it is that scares me. It comes down to one thing.
One rule. A rule that was so ingrained into my mind as a child that I am terrified to break it.
QUIET IN THE LIBRARY
PEOPLE! Have you any idea how hard it is to keep a 2 year old silent? Or a 5 and 7 year old who always feel the need to giggle uncontrollably until they are laughing big guffaws?
I hear of people who take their kids to "preschool story time" and while it sounds all nice and sweet, it is pretty complicated for people like us who don't just have a preschooler.
And so, I avoid the library. I'd much rather fork over our hard earned money to buy the darn book than to go through the hassle of the library.
Now, in my defense, when we moved here, I actually got excited about the library. I mean, San Antonio. It's huge, surely the library is great. Well the one near our old house was far from great. I even got us library cards, but hated the library.
But now. Now things have to change. The time has come. Matthew has to do a report on the capital of Texas (Austin in case you had forgotten!). His lesson went all into depth about checking out reference books and finding them at the library. So now I feel as though we must go. It wouldn't be the same to just google the info. I know I need to expose my kids to the library more. I know this. And I will.
I heard of a good library. It happens to be the library on base. I actually went in there a couple weeks ago in search of tax forms. It certainly doesn't look kid friendly, but hey..no late fees!
Tomorrow is the day. I'll trudge into the library, and perhaps my sins will finally be forgiven!

My Shadow

Last Sunday, Em and I ran to Costco together.
On the way, I stopped at Starbucks and treated myself to a frappucino and Em to a chocolate milk.
We went into Costco with our drinks in hand, and we shopped.
She has gotten so independent and wants to walk with us instead of ride. She also enjoys helping us push the cart.
On our way out, she was feeling around at my pockets. I asked if she wanted the keys. She said she did. Then she went for my handbag. Then her drink. She had me put her sunglasses on next.
Walking to the van she had my handbag hanging from her left forearm, with the keys in her left hand. Held ready to push the 'unlock' button. In her right hand, she sported the chocolate milk.
I looked down and saw a miniature version of me. How I wish I had a camera.
I hope I am a good enough example to her in the coming years that when she copies me, she is copying nothing but good.
God is good, and I know it's possible with His help to model great behaviour to these kids He has so graciously given us to raise!

Human Fly Paper

So this last Saturday, my temporary crown fell out.
I had to read online about what to do. Which involved putting it back in.
I did this, but without an adhesive. Later that night, I went and bought some temporary adhesive.
Let me tell you..painful. It was like I'd get close to me stub of a tooth with the crown and the nerves would reach out and touch the crown long before the crown actually touched the nerves. It hurt so bad, and ultimately, I put it in wrong. But it was in, and there was no way I was redoing it.
I had taken pain meds and laid down on my bed to lick my wounds.
Emmie was in the bathroom, playing in the bottom drawer. You know the one. That one that holds the feminine hygiene products. We all have one.
And Emmie loves pads. Poor thing, some day she will grow to loathe them like the rest of us. But for now, she just loves pulling the little green envelopes out of the package and littering the bathroom floor with them.
It's like a game. She pulls them out, says, "MAMA!!" then I tell her to put them away, and she does.
Only Saturday night, I was too out of it to play Scatter the Pads.
After awhile, we all went to bed.
Now, it's important to note at this point, that if I'm already in bed, Matt will use the hallway bathroom, so the bathroom wasn't used after the beginning phase of Scatter the Pads.
Several hours later, we were awaken by ,"rip, rip, rip"
Collin had gotten up to go potty, and was stuck to the pads, which Emmie had actually opened up, and the pads were stuck to the floor.
He was so confused and couldn't figure out how to get free from the sticky paper.
It was so incredibly funny. It made the tooth pain totally subside.

Pain

I have a really funny story to share with you. Well, it's funny to me anyway.
But my temporary crown fell out on Saturday and when I tried to readhere it, I put it in wrong. The top of my tooth is exposed, but it hurt so bad that there was no way I was pulling it out to try again.
I go to the dentist this evening. All of this to say, I am in so much pain.
And therefore, the story will have to wait.
Hopefully, I'll be feeling better by tomorrow.

Going completely crazy

My temporary crown is driving me absolutely insane.

I want to rip the stupid thing out.

My mouth hurts and it is just making me nuts. I'm certain if I could rip it out, I'd feel much better. OK, not really.

I certainly hope the real one doesn't feel like this, because feeling this fake thing is driving me nutso!!!

Going out on a limb

Emily had her dreaded VCUG. I talked about this earlier. The test where they cath her and fill her bladder, inject dye, and check for kidney reflux.
Matt checked the results at work today and it says everything was normal.
PRAISE THE LORD!
I really didn't think she would outgrow it that quickly, but she did!
Have to get the official word from the doc, but it looks like the daily antibiotics will come to an end! YAY!!!

Yesterday

As you all know, yesterday Emily had an upper GI. What you may not know is that she is still nursing. She couldn't eat or drink after 7 am. If you've ever nursed a toddler, you know that the last times they give up are at night and first thing in the morning. I was so hoping she would sleep late and it wouldn't be an issue. We weren't so lucky. She woke right around 7. And she cried, and was so upset that she couldn't have her morning comfort.
By 8, I didn't know what to do to distract her, so knew we needed to get in the car and just drive. So, we did.
We made it down the road when Matthew announced that his eye was hurting. His good eye. He said it felt like it was exploding. Then he told me it felt like something was inside it, eating it. Lovely.
In case you don't know, Matthew has glaucoma in the other eye, and just has funky eye problems that pop up and surprise us.
So, we turned around and went home to get him some Tylenol. When I came back to the van, I thought he had gotten out, because I couldn't see him. He was curled up in pain on the passenger seat. I had never seen him in pain like this from his eyes.
Matt had gone into work, but finished up and came home and came with us to the hospital.
On our way there, we called the ophthalmologist to see if Matthew needed to be seen. Of course, he said yes.
Once we got to the hospital, I took Emmie, and Matt took Matthew and the boys to the ophthalmologist. Thankfully, they are about two doors down the hallway from each other.
I was nervous about the upper GI. But Emily did great. She was frozen and didn't budge the entire time. I had told her she was going to take some medicine. She opened her little mouth like a bird and drank that nasty barium.
All we found out is that yes she is refluxing. We already knew that. The pediatrician is concerned about a hernia being the cause of the reflux. So, I think she'll be scoped in the near future. Just have to wait and see.
As for Matthew, the pain went away, and they said it was probably an ocular migraine. But the pressure was way up in the bad eye. We stayed there for hours while they gave him drop after drop to try to get the pressure down. They never did get it down past 32. He'll see his glaucoma doc in two weeks. For now, though, the pain is gone.
Later I had the privilege of getting my temporary crown put in. It was horrible. I hate the dentist and am always in such pain afterwards. I just wanted to curl into a ball last night and run away from the pain.
Today is a new day, and it's sore, but nothing like yesterday.
I feel totally overwhelmed. We still have the science fair on Friday, the concert on Sunday, Matt is preaching in a different church on Saturday, and the dreaded VCUG is tomorrow. What I really want to do is clean out my house. Shovel out all the clutter. But that takes time, and I don't have a lot of that right now!

Beautiful

I was just checking facebook when I heard Collin hollering to Matt. "WHAT IS THAT BEAUTIFUL SMELL?" Matt didn't hear him.
"DADDY..you HAVE to tell me what that beautiful smell is!"
"Ummm, just dinner"
"Well it's BEAUTIFUL"

Bullet post

I don't know where to go with this post, so maybe I'll do a bullet post. Cause those are always such good reading. Ha!

~ We have been busy. We are having a benefit concert next Sunday at our church. We are raising money for the Pathfinders. They are going to an international camporee this summer in Wisconsin. It's been a lot of work and I'm hoping we earn enough to go.

~ I can't tell you how excited I am for the kids to be going to Osh Kosh (the above mentioned camporee). As a Seventh Day Adventist, sometimes you feel like you are the only SDA out there. I imagine as a kid especially. They are counting on 35,000 Pathfinders being there, and I just think it will be such a great experience for the kids.

~ If you want to donate any money to help the kids get there, you can email me at luckiestmomeveratgmaildotcom.

~ Tomorrow Emily has an upper GI. I'm not looking forward to it. I don't know what I'm hoping for. I'm hoping for nothing to be wrong. If they find nothing, then she will go on to be scoped at a later date. I don't want that. I guess what I'm hoping is that if there is something to be found, it will be found tomorrow.

~ Tomorrow, I'm also getting a crown. I know it sounds lame, but I'm terrified. I hate the dentist and put it off at all costs. I know I'm a chicken, but that's ok.

~ Thursday, Emily has a VCUG. This is a test where they catherterize her and shoot dye into her bladder to see if she has kidney reflux. There are five grades, with five being the worst. Last year she had grade three on both sides. I'm not really hopeful that this will have resolved in a year. It would be nice, but I just think she needs to grow more. This test is awful. I am really really not looking forward to this one. I'm thankful that the upper GI is before the VCUG because after the VCUG it is going to be pure hell to get her to cooperate with any doctors. She is just getting over it from a year ago, now we'll restart the cycle.

~ Friday is the science fair. Dillon has grown his bacteria and discovered that our tv power button has the most bacteria on it. Matthew was growing plants in the garage, but something came and ate them! One by one. Now, what is in our garage?!?! He is now testing to see what environment crickets prefer to live in. Matt has the day off tomorrow so will be helping get their boards together.

~ We are busy. It seems there is barely time to breathe. I keep thinking of what Jim Bob Duggar says, "these are the best days of our lives, and we don't even realize it". It's so true. My kids are growing up way too fast. I tell Matt that after this concert, we have to step back from our commitments. We have to be a family and have time to just hang out as a family.

~ FIFTY-FOUR DAYS TILL DISNEY. Enough said!

~ Oh yeah, I almost forgot this one. We got a letter saying that Zachy qualifies for a wish from Make a Wish. So now we need to figure out what once in a lifetime experience he wants to have. This is much harder than you might think! I don't expect anything to happen quickly, but it's great to know things are indeed moving forward.

One more

I forgot I wanted to add this picture.
Sometimes, I'm amazed at the beauty around me. I have to say, Texas has certainly grown on me.
This was the same day, on the bike path.

Fun in the Sun

It has been so beautiful here. In the upper 70s-mid 80s. Perfect weather.
Sunday, we decided it was time for Zachy to ditch his training wheels. We headed off to the bike path on base. It happens to go by a pond, so we parked there and fed the ducks and turtles for a bit.
By the end of the day, Zachy was able to go little distances. He needs to realize that he needs to keep peddling to make things easier. In due time.

Happy Birthday, Baby

Two years ago, our lives changed, once again.
Emily Jean came to us a tiny, red, screaming ball.
Now she is an adorable, happy toddler.
She is my little helper. She especially loves to take the boys' lunch to the table for them, and to help me fold the laundry.
We've had our struggles with her, but as long as her reflux meds are working, she is such a happy little girl.
Her speech could probably be better, but she gets across what she needs to get across.
She has all of us wrapped around her little finger, especially her brothers.
She is my daughter. I never dreamed I'd have a daughter after four sons. She is so different from them, and I love it. She is such a little mommy to her babies.
Time is passing far too quickly, and at the same time, I can't wait to see what the future holds for her.
One thing is certain, we have been so blessed and our lives are so much better with her in them.
Happy Birthday, Bug..I love you more than you can imagine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
We went to a pizza place Saturday night to celebrate her birthday while Matt was in town.



How did I get such a beautiful daughter??



Yummy...birthday cupcake..




We got her a lot of clothes for her birthday. She held every item up for a picture.



Even the shorts!



What a cutie!



She LOVED the play set there.