'Tis So Sweet

As I look back on everything our little family has been through, I am just blown away by the goodness and faithfulness of God. He has protected us through and from so many things. He has specifically protected R from major complications as a result of surgery. He has provided for us in so many ways, and I am (almost) speechless as I consider His care for us.

This picture was taken almost exactly three years ago at UW Hospital in Madison. I honestly thought that we might never really get to stay away from the hospital for very long because Christmas, 2006 was in the middle of a 8 month in and out of the hospital cycle. The revolving front door of the hospital seemed to turn endless for us both welcoming us (again!) and sending us back home again to worry and wait and pray. I honestly could not have made it through without knowing without a shadow of a doubt that Jesus was Someone I could trust with my long-awaited, precious, and very sick little boy.

We are coming up on almost three years since R has his last surgery (well, February, 2010, will be three years), and I am reminded of the hymn I sang to him as a baby. I would sit beside his little crib and sing late at night when I knew we were moving from Tennessee to Wisconsin, but I had no idea that the move to the midwest was really the least of the "hardships" we would be going through.

It truly is so sweet to trust in Jesus.

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus, just to take Him at His word.

Just to rest upon His promise; just to know, "Thus saith the Lord."

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I've proved Him o'er and o'er!

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! O for grace to trust Him more!

I'm so glad I learned to trust Him, Precious Jesus, Savior, Friend;

And I know that Thou art with me, Will be with me to the end.

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust Him! How I've proved Him o'er and o'er!

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus! O for grace to trust Him more!

(And yes, for those of you who are purists, I only put vs. 1 and 4 in this note because those are the two verses I seem to know from memory and, therefore, would sing to R.)

Adorenaments

One Advent season tradition we have as a family is our Adorenament ornaments that we hang throughout the month. Every night or two, we take one out of the box, read about it, talk about it, then hang it on the tree. These simple board book style cardboard ornaments each have a picture representing a name of Jesus on the outside with a verse and short description of His name on the inside. Family Life used to produce these, but I can't seem to find them anywhere anymore. I say this because I don't want you all to think this is a plug for something I'd recommend you go buy because I could only find one new set on Amazon, retailing for over $150 dollars!!

But, I digress....

These Adorenaments are one of our favorite family traditions, and I love that each year we are reminded of the names and therefore the nature of Jesus. I love that we are reminded of who He is and why He came.

We have allowed R to pick the "ornaments" in whatever order he chose to this point. He has some that he is wanting to save to the end, for whatever reason. Anyway, the other night he picked two...The Vine and The Shepherd.

The ornaments all open up like a little board book with a description of each. So, The Vine talked about Jesus being The True Vine and we His branches (John 15:5). We talked about how branches need to stay connected to the vine to live and produce grapes. Then, we talked about Jesus as The Good Shepherd and we are His sheep (John 10:11). We talked about how Jesus cares for us as a shepherd cares for his sheep, even if one wanders away.

Then R blew me away when he stated what took over 25 years for me to learn...

Well, mom, I guess our job is just to stay close to our shepherd or our vine, Jesus. We are just supposed to stay close to Him and let Him take care of the rest, right?

Yes, right, my son. (choked up tears!)

Thank you, God, that you are already teaching R about You and what it means to depend on You.

Low Tone and Low Temperatures

Personally, I have always deep-down dreaded winter. Those who know me know that I am a moments notcie from packing up and moving south. I'm not a fan of snow, ice, or dark evenings. I am especially not a fan of cold, heavy coats, and my cold hands. Winters in Tennessee were bearable because the snow was limited and the winters were short, but winters in Wisconsin are just so long...and dark...and cold. But, who am I to complain? Just as I started feeling sorry for myself that we are beginning yet another winter in Wisconsin, my son...

As many know, R has low muscle tone (hypotonia) as a result of his hydrocephalus. I have been told that his muscles have to work twice as hard to accomplish the same things as those without low tone. Metaphorically, he constantly feels as though he is "moving through mud" as he walks and runs through life. Honestly, R never complains about this, and I am so very proud of him. Summers are especially hard on him as the heat seems exhaust him, but I forget just how hard the summers are for him until winter comes.


Winter officially came this last week, and R seemed to come alive. His energy has been through the roof since the temperature dropped. Truly, through the roof! His therapists have told me in the past that the cold gives his muscles a little extra tone and tightening, but this winter we have seen it the most. The following are simply a sampling of comments we have heard since the temperature dropped...


"Feel my muscles; I am so strong."

"I LOVE winter, mom! Why don't you love winter?"

"Let's go outside and play!" (it was 6 degrees when he said this)

"Why do you say it is too cold to play outside?"

"No, I'm not cold...I'm strong!"

"The snow is brilliant!"

"I hope it stays winter forever."


So, God obviously did have yet another reason to move us north to the bitterly cold midwest. He has shown me so many reasons that R and his health are better off in the midwest, I guess I need to just embrace the weather. In honor of this new goal for myself, I voluntarily got out in the snow with him to play and build our best snow fort yet.


Remind me of this newfound positive attitude come below zero weather in February when the daffodils are blooming in Tennessee, please. Remind me of this a little bit louder and more forcefully in March when Wisconsin still has many, many inches of snow still on the ground and many cold weeks ahead while Tennessee has dogwoods and tulips blooming. Yes, seriously, please.

Making Friends

As most of you know, R started Kindergarten this year at yet another school. He is presently attending his third school since moving to the Milwaukee, WI area, and I feel just horrible about it. Finding the right school fit has been quite difficult for us, and R is constantly having to make new friends each fall. (I won't bore you with the whole story on why the three schools.) Thankfully, R makes friends rather easily, but the process does still take a bit of time. This year is no exception...

R is presently one of only two new kids in his Kindergarten class as everyone else went to this school last year for what we Wisconsonites call 4K (preschool or nursery school for you Southerners!). R is very outgoing and friendly, and he is getting to know the people in his class, but apparently he thinks that the process is not happening quickly enough. So, he decided to attract friends with something that most every boy loves, especially in the fall....

No, not food (this time!)

A football!

R has had four home addresses in his five years of life. He's had countless hours of therapy (the physical kind) with a total of nine therapists. He's been in three schools and has had somewhere in the neighborhood of 12 brain surgeries. He sounds like he should be a very troubled kid with alot of problems, doesn't he? Well, somewhere along the way, he has learned to cope, adapt, make friends, and be very creative in his problem solving. But, I digress...

R has watched me for five years now treat (err...bribe) our new neighbors and possible friends with baked goods at least a couple of times each year. He has figured out that gifting those around you will result in a bigger gift to you in the long run - friendship. So, R noticed that one 5th grade boy in his school carried a football in his backpack to school every day, and R decided to do the same. The first day, he had reportedly 9 boys from the two Kindergarten classes playing football with him during recess.

The irony...R doesn't even like football to watch or to play.

But, he does REALLY like having friends, and he knows his friends do like football. So, he chooses to be the football guy because he knows that simple little nerf ball will attract friends, and he longs to speed up the process on friendship. He and I have talked about the fact that his ball could get lost at school or that the foam could get holes in it, but he doesn't care. He just wants friends.

I will happily find him a new football is something happens to this one because I just love his attitude. He doesn't complain about having to transition to another new school. He doesn't complain about not having friends. He just looks around and figures out what to do about his current situation.

Makes me think, what are little things I could be doing to be more connective with others an "speed up the process" on friendship instead of complaining??

I learn so much from my little guy...

Believe it or not, He suggested the ride

At Family Camp this summer, one tiny little sentence and one tiny little statement from our teacher totally changed my thinking about a major thing I think about. I cannot get this tiny little sentence out of my mind, so this is what I choose to start blogging (again) about.

Jesus suggested the ride.

What? (you say)

Give me a minute to explain and give some background. First the explanation and then how it changed me...

Mark 4: 35-41

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. He said to his disciples, "Why are you so afraid? Do you still have no faith?" They were terrified and asked each other, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!"

I have read the above passage many, many times throughout my life, and this passage of Scripture has always pointed me to lessons on faith, the power of God, or the diety of Christ. But, now, I cannot believe that I had never seen this lesson before. (If you are wondering what I am talking about, I put it in bold type for you above.)

Jesus SUGGESTED the ride in the boat!!! He knew that a storm was coming and that it would be horriffic. He knew that their boat would be NEARLY swamped. But, not only was Jesus with them through the storm, He suggested they get on the boat headed straight for the storm that would rock the world of the disciples.

So, why did this little statement change me so proufoundly?

You know, by know, that R has a condition called hydrocephalus. As a result of this condition, his first five years of life have been filled with surgeries, therapies, doctor's appointments, MRIs, and lots and lots of both heartache and prayer. I have felt like the disciples many times when they asked Him "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" I have felt like I was drowning more than once on this journey this far. Hydrocephalus is just a crappy condition as it is treated, rather than cured. For this reason, the dreaded increase in spinal fluid pressure can raise its ugly head at any moment (pun very much intended). Yes, there have been many reasons to celebrate along the way and numerous blessings and answered prayers. I have written about many of these in the emails I sent out when R was in and out of the hospital and in previous blogs. But, I have felt many times like this hydro storm was both unplanned and allowed by God...but I never EVER thought that He actually suggested this ride.

He did. He suggested the ride when we finally were able to conceive a child after almost five years of trying. He suggested the ride when we were oblivious new parents who didn't see anything coming. He suggested the ride that has included some of the hardest circumstances and decisions for our precious child that I could ever imagine. He suggested the ride that would result in us having one son, not three to four kiddos as I originally had hoped and planned for. He suggested (or rather demanded) this ride for me, for David, and for R.

I never doubted that He has been with me in the storm because His presence has been so plainly obvious to me. I never doubted that He chose to calm the storm to a drizzle when the last surgery worked over two years ago. I never doubted Him (crazy as that may sound to some of you). But, I did believe that while God allowed R to have hydrocephalus, it was not necessarily something that was planned.

I find such comfort in knowing that He suggested the ride. Why? It means, to me, that this is a journey of purpose (for me and for R). It is a renewed promise for me that God is using this journey in some way in the lives of me, R, and others that is above and beyond what I can see or have knowledge of. It is such a reminder that nothing that happens that is outside His control or foreknowledge, and I am just called to follow Him into the boat -- and hang on tight!

All glory and honor to Him who sits on The Throne and who rides with me in the boat headed in the direction of His choosing...

Writer's Block

There's much going on here right now, but I seem to have little to say. I've been pondering my next blog post, with little inspiration. Hmmm. I guess you all just get to enjoy the silence from my end!

The above three sentences were penned back in early summer and saved in my "drafts", for I just haven't had the inclinication to write. Well, I think that may be about to change as I have been thinking about blog posts the last few days, and one particular thing keeps coming to mind that I want to write about. There have been many, many things, but I have been too busy soaking it all in to take time to write...

• Rob started kindergarten - as a 5yo, not a 6yo, as we originally thought he would have to do.


• Rob started kindergarten WITHOUT an IEP, as we originaly thought he would have to do.


• Rob started kindergarten about 1 week after he was discharged (i.e. graduated) from his final therapy (speech and language therapy) because he gained three "developmental years" in the last year.


• Rob started kindergarten, and he is so thrilled/happy/excited that it is impossible to be (very) sad or (very) lonely.


• The above picture is, obviously, Rob on the first day of kindergarten. We were waiting for the bus which forgot him, but we had a great time anticipating and being excited...before rushing to the car for a quick drive to school!

But, believe it or not, Rob starting kindergarten is not what I feel pressed to write about...more later this weekend. I feel like I have missed documenting so many things in this blog, but I have to remind myself that I really write this blog for me...when I feel the need to write. I am so prone to guilt trips that I refuse to feel guilty about the holes and lapses in this little 'ole blog, just so you know.

R Says...

Recently, I badly sprained my ankle. The doctor thought there might be a small fracture, so he asked me to use crutches and stay off my feet as much as possible over the weekend until the radiaologist could look at the x-rays on Monday. R was with me at this appointment, and he was intently listening to the doctor as he explained that I should keep my ankle wrapped, use the crutches, take ibuprofen, etc. The doctor asked if I had any questions, and I said no. R, however, interjected...

R (in his most serious voice)- "I have a few questions, doctor."
Doctor (with humor clearly in his eyes)- "yes?"

R- "Can my mom still take a shower?"
Doctor - "yes, yes, she can"

R- "Can my mom still change her pants? You have to stand on one foot to put your leg into your pants, you know."
Doctor - "Yes, I realize that. Yes, she can still change her pants."

R- "Can she still drive a car? We drove here today in our car."
Doctor - "Well, yes, she can drive you all home today."

R- "Can my mom cook this weekend?"
Doctor - "Well, I was hoping that your mom would stay off her feet this weekend, so no. No, your mom should not be up on her feet cooking this weekend."
R (with a slight tone of panic)- Oh, no. That is not good.

Yes, we did survive the weekend quite well. David and R did a great job taking care of me.

Happy Mother's Day!

Enjoy my special Mother's Day treat! I know I did!

Favor for a Friend -- the Final Push!

Facebook Message: The Final Push!!!

Please click on the following link and vote for Susan to win a trip to Hawaii to run a marathon. My friend from college, Antonia, is a friend of hers...and I am trying to do all I can to support her as her friend. It's really easy...just click on the link and then click on vote! Also, posting this link to your facebook, email, blog, etc, wins her more points...so post away!!

http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.brickfish.com%2FPages%2FPhotosAlbums%2FPhotoView.aspx%3Fpicid%3D834899_95026973%26pid%3D2123951%26scid%3D418&h=f9371d353b9c2c85e4ab1ba8d8527066

Update: May 10, 2009...We do not yet know if Susan won the trip/opportunity to race. We do know that she finished first in the number of votes and second in the "most viral." Nike will be selecting the winner in the next couple of months. We'll just have to wait and see the results! I'll let you know when I know more from Antonia.

Update: June, 2009 -- GOOD NEWS! Susan won the trip to Hawaii and the opportunity to race in the marathon from Nike!! Way to go, friends; thanks for your help in making her the "most viral" online!!

R Update...just like my "old fashioned" kind

R Update, April 20, 2009

Hello, friends and family,

Remember us? We have not written a “R Update” since September 2007, and much has happened since then that I thought you would be interested in. Don’t be nervous; I have nothing but good news to report this time!

While I haven’t written in 18 months, life has not been without its challenges. To review. . .

· In February 2007, R had his last surgery, a third ventriculostomy (ETV). This ETV was the relatively new and risky procedure where a small hole was put in the base of his third ventricle to open up a passage for spinal fluid to drain into the basal arterial space. Only about 50% of all ETVs seem to be successful for any length of time, and not many people with hydrocephalus are even candidates for such a procedure. By God’s grace, the procedure has worked flawlessly thus far, and R has had over two years without surgeries or complications to this point! We are, of course, continuing to pray that God will keep this little hole in his third ventricle open and working, and we are trusting God to do just that.

· In March 2007, God provided us with gifts, contributions, and a benefit for R that allowed us to pay off all of R’s existing medical bills and to pay for the rest of his medical expenses for 2007. Without such an amazingly generous gift from so many people, there is no way that we would be “in the clear” with his surgical and therapeutic expenses. What a gift that was to us!!

· In April 2007, it became clear to us that David’s commuting from Madison to Milwaukee, WI on a daily basis for over a year was just too hard on our family, so our house went on the market. Even in the face of a quickly declining housing market, God sold our house in less than 5 weeks. Amazing.

· In June 2007, we moved from Madison, WI (which we, by the way, still miss!) to Brookfield, WI, a small town just outside of Milwaukee.

Our move has not been without challenges. R’s first year of preschool (2007-2008 school year) was a difficult one. Transitioning his therapy (physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech/language therapy) and pediatric care were both rocky in the beginning. Remodeling our badly neglected and out-dated “good deal” home proved to be challenging, time-consuming, and inconvenient. And, finding a church home, a community of believers, and friends has proved very difficult. But, God is faithful, as always, to provide for our family. We feel like we have turned a corner in the last few weeks, and we wanted to share the faithfulness of God in our lives with you.

· In January 2009, R was officially discharged from occupational therapy at the clinic because his fine motor skills had progressed to the 79th percentile for his age from the 3rd percentile for his age in June 2007. He will have a re-check and re-evaluation in a year to ensure that his skills are still improving, not regressing. I am confident that R will continue to see progress in his fine motor skills, and we are praying for God to continue to strengthen his hands and arms so that progress is possible.

· Last summer, in June 2008, R started twice weekly speech therapy for a language comprehension delay, which is common in children with any type of neurological issue and which had revealed itself during his first year in preschool. This last week those appointments were decreased to twice monthly, and we expect him to be discharged sometime over the summer. R is doing so well in this area, and his understanding and comprehension of things spoken or read to him has just blossomed!

· In December 2008, our physical therapist suggested a three to four month break (i.e. challenge) to see how R would do without weekly physical therapy. In his gross motor skills, he had progressed from the 19th percentile for his age in June 2007, to the 50th percentile for his age in December 2008. After a three month break (during the cold, snowy winter, no less!), R’s gross motor skills improved to the 55th percentile for his age in April 2009. He will be re-evaluated for progress in his gross motor skills in about a year, and we are praying for continued progress in this area. It is so fun to see R run, jump, climb, and keep up with his friends at play!

· R’s progress academically has been nothing short of a miracle this year as he has learned to write his upper-case letters, and he is in the beginning stages of reading and sounding out words. In school this year he has gone from begging me not to take him to school (ever!) to asking if he can please go more often. Six months ago we were firm in our commitment to send R to kindergarten after he turned six years old, and we are now seriously considering sending our new five year old to kindergarten in the fall. Please do pray for us as we continue to pray and ultimately make a decision regarding R’s schooling next year.

· Relationally, we are all making friends in the Milwaukee area, and we are so blessed to have people in our lives here to call friends, a “care-group” to be part of, and a church that we are all content with.

· In January 2009, we met Brandon, Cheri, and Jackson (4yo) Barnett, a family newly moved to the area from South Carolina. Jackson was born prematurely, which resulted in hydrocephalus, and, like R, he has had many surgeries and complications. R and Jackson became instant friends, and both sets of parents really enjoy having another couple who understands experientially the journey we have all been through. Like R, Jackson has been surgery free for about two years, but, unlike R, he still has a VP shunt to control his hydrocephalus. We are praying that Jackson will remain healthy, will continue to develop normally, and that his shunt will continue to work.

· Work at Harley-Davidson for David is not without some challenges, but we are grateful for his job security in this uncertain economy.

· Work for me has been beyond wonderful. I am still privileged to be able to work on a flexible, part-time schedule for a company that makes insulin pumps doing their patient trainings. I absolutely love the work I do, and I love that I can work around our family’s schedule and needs.

When R was diagnosed with hydrocephalus in January 2005, God led me to a verse that has been my comfort and prayer ever since.

John 9:1-3 says, “As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, ‘Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?’ ‘Neither this man nor his parents sinned,’ said Jesus, ‘but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life.’”

The works of God have definitely been revealed in R’s life throughout his five short years! We pray that R’s life will continue to be a testimony to the glory, goodness, and faithfulness of God. We praise Him for the work He has done and continues to do, and we thank Him for letting us see His power and His love as He works in R’s life and body. R is happy, healthy, social, growing, learning, and active. These things are nothing short of a miracle, and we are thankful, amazed, encouraged, and elated!

Thank you all for humoring me by reading this update; thank you to those of you who have prayed for R and our family. Thank you to those of you who continue to ask how R is doing; it means so much to David and me. I said early in my “R Update” emails that R would know of his prayer warriors, and this is so true! David and I talk about the goodness of God and the power of prayer so much with R, and it has been wonderful to see him embrace God as his own personal Savior.

I have included a recent picture of R, just for fun. He continues to do his much enjoyed horseback riding therapy (hippotherapy), and he has recently learned to guide “his” horse, Gola. Also, I’ve included a picture of “our little monkey” hanging out on the playset at our neighbor’s house!

Please update us on your lives when you have the time. We love hearing how our faithful prayer warriors are doing, and we find great joy in being able to pray for you all as well.

Praising God from whom all blessings flow,

With love and thankfulness,

XXX

…And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever! Amen.
–Ephesians 3:17b-21

Cinnamon Sugar

Last Saturday, the day before Easter, R and I made breakfast for the family. We made the following recipe as a sweet, yummy way to symbolize the resurrection and to celebrate Easter.

Easter Lesson Rolls

Ingredients: (each item represents how Jesus'body was prepared for burial)

Large Marshmallows

Melted butter

Sugar/Cinnamon Mixture

Can(s) of crescent rolls

1. Open can of crescent rolls and separate into triangles. The rolls represent the linen wrappings used in covering the dead.

2. Dip and roll one marshmallow (representing Jesus' body) into the melted butter. The butter represents the oils used in anointing the dead body.

3. Roll the marshmallow in the sugar/cinnamon mixture. The mixture represents the spices used in burials.

4. Place the marshmallow in the center of the crescent triangle. Fold and pinch the edges tight. Put each crescent-wrapped marshmallow on a slightly greased cookie sheet.

5. Bake the rolls as directed on the package. (The oven represents the tomb.)

When cooked, the marshmallow melts, leaving only the puffed crescent roll. This demonstrates how Jesus rose from the dead. All that remained in the tomb were the linen wrappings.

Luke 24
The Resurrection

1On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.

2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,

3but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

4While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.

5In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead?

6He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:

7'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.' "

8Then they remembered his words.
9When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others.

10It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles.

11But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.

12Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

The rest of our 2009 Easter Story...Rob's interputations...

• Really, in his defense, R has the Easter Story pretty correct from Palm Sunday through Resurrection Day. He can tell you about Jesus riding the donkey into Jerusalem and most of what happened all week concluding Jesus coming back to life!
• When we made the Easter rolls, R shouted "Jesus is ALIVE" when we took the rolls out of the oven (so cute, love the enthuasism!).
• When asked, R is happy to tell you all about Easter week, in as much detail as he knows.
• He will tell you that once Jesus died, his friends took him down from the cross, rubbed him with oil, rolled him in cinnamon sugar, and wrapped him in strips of linen cloth! Yep, cinnamon sugar...not "spices."

Hilarious...we will definitely try the rolls again next year. Maybe I'll emphasize spices, not cinnamon sugar...then again, maybe not!

One of These Things is Not Like the Others

We had a GREAT time Easter weekend dying eggs, hunting eggs, filling plastic eggs with candy for his Easter basket, and learing about the Easter story using resurrection eggs...Can you see why R thinks of eggs when I ask him how we celebrate Easter?? See http://store.familylife.com/detail.asp?id=10851 for information on the resurrection eggs as they are one of my favorite ways to go through the story of Easter with R (his, too!).

My parents were here, and everyone had a wonderful time just being together. I was so glad that David grabbed the camera to capture this picture of R dying eggs Saturday afternoon. He decided that he didn't want to get egg dye on his new truck t-shirt, hence the apron with no shirt! He had a great time moving his eggs in and out of the dye cups, and there was ALOT of splashing, so it was a good thing that his shirt was spared. (I can't really say the same for mine!) I absolutely LOVE Easter, and it was so fun this year to see R really getting into both the story and the traditions of the holiday.


The irony, however, is that somehow...all but one of our eggs turned out pink or purple!! We used a different type of dye this year that is supposed to result in tie-dyed or speckled looking eggs as you move the eggs through the dye from lighter colors to darker colors. Well...there are specks (that you can't really see) on our purple eggs.

We all had a good laugh as we jokingly noted that "one of these things is not like the other...."

On the other hand, purple is the color of royalty, and R's verse this week at AWANA is Revelation 19:16..."and He has this name written: KING OF KINGS and LORD OF LORDS." I am always looking for symbolic ways to teach Biblical truths, so I'll take 11 purple eggs anyday!!


"For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5: 7-8

Thank you for demonstrating such a love. Thank you for both your death and your resurrection. Thank you for a reason to celebrate the risen Messiah!

The Father Holds His Bride

I met Sutton at Michael and Slaton's wedding (my brother and sister-in-law), and I immediately understood why Michael, Slaton, and all their friends loved her so dearly. I fell in love, too! Sutton has a smile that lights up a room, and a spirit of joy, peace, and perseverence regardless of the circumstances. Sutton had a car-wreck her freshman year at Auburn University, which left her with a paralyzing spinal cord injury. I have followed her recovery and therapy from a distance as I have prayed for her progress regularly and "cheered her on" when gains were made. Sutton was married on Saturday, and the following is a video and part of an email shared with me by Slaton's friend Stephanie. The video is of Sutton dancing with her dad at the reception, and the email is Stephanie's thoughts and impressions...Enjoy (and grab some Kleenex)! Please take the time to watch the video.

From Stephanie Short...

"Sutton dancing with her father was one of the most emotional moments of the entire wedding weekend. All the feelings that I have experienced from the past 10 years were felt all at once in that moment. I just kept thinking... 'This isn't fair! Why Sutton? This isn't how it's supposed to be.' But at the same time, I also thought it was the best visual I have ever seen of the Gospel. The Father holding his Bride because she cannot stand on her own two feet without Him. We are all like Sutton, whether we want to admit it or not...."

Here is a clip of Sutton and her father dancing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ot868ggaHIA

Thank you, Father, that you love me because you made me and because I am Yours...not because of something I have done or accomplished. I want daily to be completely at ease and at rest, depending on your loving arms...

And...CONGRATULATIONS Sutton and Will!!! I am just thrilled for you both! (The picture - above - is an engagement picture of the cute couple.)

Steering On My Own!

Well, Monday was the day...the day I learned that a horse can walk faster than the shutter speed on my camera. Seriously, though, Monday was the day I captured my big boy steering his own horse, after taking dozens and dozens of really bad pictures. A year ago, he was sitting on his horse with an army of volunteers to keep him safe -- one person to lead the horse, two to walk on either side of him/the horse to catch him if he lost his balance or fell off, one therapist to give directions for exercises throughout the session, and one parent (me!) to cheer from the sidelines. While there are still grown-ups on standby, even today, we have whittled that number down because only one volunteer is needed to walk alongside...sometimes. Monday, R got 30 minutes to steer the horse through a series of obstacle courses with no one walking alongside as his body guard and no one leading the horse in the front. What a big boy he is!

(Above) R riding solo!

(Above) Check out R turning Gola...good job R for remembering to pull the reins toward your pockets, not your chest! Gola is much happier that way.

Gola is the Islandic Pony he was riding. She was a little fiesty on Monday, as ponies tend to be, but R handled it with charm (for the most part). It is hard to believe that Gola is technically only a pony because I still think that my big 5 year old looks so small atop her. Notice that R is still only riding on a riding blanket without a saddle, so he is essentially riding bareback!

"Spring-time" in Wisconsin

We are officially one week into spring on the calendar, and this was our Sunday afternoon activity today. Hopefully, this will be our last snow of the season, but we were pleased that the snow was finally wet and packable enough to build a good sized snowman! When given lemons, they say...

I'm am not very sure that this WILL be our last snow of the season. I could celebrate this snow much more if it was the last! It is hard to believe that last week I was just starting to think about flowers, short sleeves, and days at the pool...I obviously thought too soon.

It is fun to watch my boys enjoy whatever season we are in, though. Winter is definitely not my favorite, but I am learning to embrace whatever comes because God created it all. (Now, please, God, melt this snow and bring me SPRING in the truest sense!)

A tiny little bit of heart-failure

Most of you already know that R does weekly hippo-therapy (PT/OT on a horse!) through the "warmer" months of March through December each year. He absolutely loves it, and it is by far the most effective type of therapy we do for his core strength, motor planning, and self-confidence. He's been doing this type of therapy since just before he turned three years old, and he has done some crazy things on a horse thus far. He has ridden his horse, Gola, backwards, sideways, kneeling, laying down, and even standing up! R has done all of this therapeutic riding on the horse bareback while someone walks beside R as a bodyguard of sorts and someone else leads the horse from the front.

Well, today, all that changed...

I came into the barn this afternoon to see R steering the horse himself, with no volunteer bodyguards to make sure he didn't fall off. My little newly-turned 5 year old is using reins and steering the horse, all by himself, through a series of obstacles. He has been learning little things about starting, stopping, turning, and trotting in the last few months, and TODAY, without warning, Steph (his wonderful OT) had him put it all together. (Hence, the tiny little bit of heart-failure today.)

I couldn't have been more proud (or petrified) to see him doing it all with relative ease, without panic, and practically flawlessly. I plan to take a picture next week...a better picture taker would have had a camera today. But, for your viewing pleasure, I included a picture (for proof, because I wouldn't believe it, either) of R standing up on a horse last summer. I realize the picture is dark; the barn is a tough place to take good pictures because of the lighting. Yes, the horse is walking. Hopefully, I'll get a good picture next week while he shows off his new skill. Who knew my little R would actually be a budding horseman! I wonder if he will be bit by the riding bug?

Rob Says...

Time for more facebook fun! This was a survey sent to me that I did with Rob this morning. (I, of course, did it at a time he was in a great mood! I'm not an idiot!) I decided to also put it here so that I would remember this. So sweet.

Ask your child(ren) to answer the questions and type their answers in.

1. What is something mom always says to you?
I love you

2. What makes mom happy?
when I smile at her

3. What makes mom sad?
when I am sick

4. How does your mom make you laugh?
by saying cookie (silly) words and things

5. What was your mom like as a child?
she was little

6. How old is your mom?
I think you are 34 (I am 36)

7. How tall is your mom?
this tall (reaching up high)

8. What is her favorite thing to watch on TV?
cooking shows (true, in part; it is the only "mommy show" I'll watch while he is awake!)

9. What does your mom do when you're not around?
work

10. If your mom becomes famous, what will it be for?
for giving me hugs

11. What is your mom really good at?
giving me hugs and kisses

12. What is your mom not very good at?
wrestling (so true, because wrestling is a daddy job!)

13. What does your mom do for her job?
helps patients with their insulin pumps (he's good...that is true!)

14. What is your mom's favorite food?
strawberries (ummm...I think that is HIS favorite food!)

15. What makes you proud of your mom?
when you come help in my preschool room

16. If your mom were a cartoon character, who would she be?
Hmmm.

17. What do you and your mom do together?
color, read books

18. How are you and your mom the same?
we both have alot of hair

19. How are you and your mom different?
well, I have short hair and she has long hair

20. How do you know your mom loves you?
because she snuggles with me

Budding Streaker?

So, today, I'm helping R get dressed after swimming lessons. He has his bathing suit off, and his t-shirt and his undeware on. (That's it! Got the visual?) Out of the blue, R says...

"I've got to run!"

And, before I can say anything, he takes off! He runs at top speed out of the locker room, down the hall, through the parent observation area, and to the front door of Swimtastic Swim School.

What in the world was he thinking?? I had to gather myself and stop belly laughing before I could go corrale him back into the locker room to finish dressing. He didn't seem to understand that running around in his underware just wan't a good idea. He insisted that all of these people had just seen him in his bathing suit and without his shirt on, so "why was this not okay?"

He does have a point!

Just wanted to share my today with you; I wish I had my camera in my purse.

Firefighter Forever?

My little one LOVES being a firefighter. If you ask him, he's not playing firefighter...he IS a firefighter. Truly. I think he has done more studying on the subject than most employed firefighters. We have watched every kids video I can find at the library; we have read every book I can find at the library (dozens of times). We have even bought books on the subject of firefighting. He varies his costume (er...uniform) depending on which book he is in that day. He can recite the fire safety rules better than I have ever been able to. He'll tell you if you need to "Stop, Drop, and Roll" or "Stay low and go" or "Get out and Stay Out!" I will have to remember this stage because he is just too cute, in my opinion! "Stage" is a word used loosely because we have been in this "stage" for a full year now. R received his uniform for his birthday last year, and we are two weeks away from his birthday THIS year. Best money ever spent on a birthday present, I'd say. I've needed a laugh this week, and Firefighter Frank, or Bob, or Smoky, or Small, or, or, or... whoever he is...has provided just that.



This picture represents a typical day at work for my little guy. He's fighting a fire in the foyer because, for some reason, our foyer catches on fire ALOT, using his rope as his fire hose attached to the fire hydrant (i.e. piano bench) behind him. Note his air tanks on his back (thanks, daddy, for making these!) and his air mask made from a pirate's eye patch. He is wearing the pants from a lion costume, I believe, and house shoes represent his fire boots. He has tried to immulate every detail of a real fireman's uniform to the best of his ability with the resources we have here. The imagination and creativity he has put into the accessories of his uniform just amaze me.


Thank you, God, for the innocence, imagination, and joy of childhood! May I not rush him to grow up too fast!!

Eeyore Day

Do you ever have those days where you feel like Pooh's little depressed friend, Eeyore? I'm having one of those days. I've pretty much cried off and on since about 8:30 this morning, and I have a splitting headache.


For those of you whose mind will go straight to R...he is just fine. He just wishes his mommy would quit crying. For those of you who will go straight to David...he is fine, his job is secure, and our marriage is still intact. For those of you who are still wondering...

• I'm homesick for Tennessee, in a bad way.


• I'm lonely with so few people I can call friend here in the area I live in. Building community is easier in some places than others; here it has not been anything close to easy. It's been 18 months, and the lack of community is really getting to me.


• I made a mommy mistake and yelled at R today, and I am sick about it.


• A ministry group I am helping with has some dynamics going on, and the stuff hit the fan today via email and phone.


• My emotions are just raw.

My only solice...tomorrow is a new day.

Lamentations 3:22-24
"Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, 'The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.'"

I'm waiting, Lord, but I wish it were tomorrow already!

Heaven

R's AWANA lesson last week was on heaven. His verse was John 14:2, which says "I am going to prepare a place for you." After reading our story and lesson, he was asked to describe some things about it. I think he put it best given who he is...

"In heaven, Jesus is there. There is no reason to cry or get pictures (i.e. MRIs) because there is no hydrocephalus in heaven. Jesus is building me a house in heaven to live in one day; I think he is putting the roof on right now!"

Amen and Amen!

Proud of Dad

My dad is an introvert with a servant's heart. He notices what needs to be done and does it. He works hard. He serves without asking for or looking for any recognition. He loves others by serving them. He deserves to be noticed, but he isn't typically noticed because he truly prefers not to be.

Well, HE WAS!!!

My dad, the civil engineer, was honored this week as a "2009 Top Ten Federal Engineer of the Year" by the National Society of Professional Engineers. In the world of engineering, this is a big deal; and I am so proud of my dad. Those awarded as Engineers of the year came from a variety of federal agencies such as various branches of the military (army, navy, airforce), the Department of Health and Human Services (National Institutes of Health, Food and Drug Administration, and Public Health Service), Department of the Interior, the US Department of Energy, the Department of Transportation, the USDA, and Tennessee Valley Authority.

Dad works for Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and has for the bulk of his professional career. He was worked in a variety of areas within TVA including design and construction, nuclear quality assurance, and environmental engineering services most recently. In addition, dad serves as an adjunct faculty member at The University of Tennessee in the College of Engineering teaching two Professional Development courses. He also serves on the board of ABET for the accreditation of civil engineering programs nation wide. These things only highlight what we have known about dad for a long time...he is absolutely passionate about engineering and the integrity of the profession of engineering. Not only does he want to be a great professional engineer, but he wants future generations to be strong in the profession as well.

WE (the family I grew up with...my mom, brother, and me) got to join Dad in Washington D.C. on Thursday at the National Press Club for the awards ceremony. Fancy place, fancy lunch, important people abounded. It was definitely a treat for this stay at home mom! We even got to have a long weekend of sight-seeing in D.C. It was perfectly-perfect in every way, in my opinion.

I am so grateful that he was nominated for this award (by his boss!). I am so grateful that he got the award of a "top 10". I am so proud of his accomplishments professionally. I am so proud of him.

Dad may have been awarded the "Top 10" award, but...award or no award....engineer or not... he has always been #1 to me.

Thanks, Dad, for showing us what it means to serve. Thanks for modeling a strong work ethic to us and for teaching us to work hard with a good attitude, regardless. Thank you for living a life that honors God, even when it seems no one is watching. Thanks for being my dad. I love you.

Cold is a Relative Thing

Picture above...a trip down memory lane. This was a year ago. My son, the true Wisconsonite, helping his dad blow snow. R doesn't get cold, and the following really rings true, especially for him! I don't know who wrote this, but I find it to be too true to be too funny. I'm just hoping we might be through with the snow for the winter...although I am sure that we are not!

COLD IS A RELATIVE THING. . .

65 above zero:
Floridians turn on the heat.
People in Wisconsin plant gardens.

60 above zero:
Californians shiver uncontrollably.
People in Wisconsin sunbathe.

50 above zero:
Italian & English cars won't start.
People in Wisconsin drive with the windows down

40 above zero:
Georgians don coats, thermal underwear, gloves, and wool hats.
People in Wisconsin throw on a flannel shirt.

35 above zero:
New York landlords finally turn up the heat.
People in Wisconsin have the last cookout before it gets cold.

20 above Zero
People in Miami all die.
Wisconsinites close the windows.

Zero:
Californians fly away to Mexico .
People in Wisconsin get out their winter coats.

10 below zero:
Hollywood disintegrates.
The Girl Scouts in Wisconsin are selling cookies door to door.

20 below zero:
Washington DC runs out of hot air.
People in Wisconsin let the dogs sleep indoors.

30 below zero:
Santa Claus abandons the North Pole.
Wisconsinites get upset because they can't start the Snow-mobile.

40 below zero:
ALL atomic motion stops.
People in Wisconsin start saying, 'Cold enough for you?'

50 below zero:
Hell freezes over.
Wisconsin public schools will open 2 hours late

Friend Like Me

Here at our house, we are just happy to have friends. However, the social one of our group is most definitely R. He LOVES playdates with friends here, in Madison, in Knoxville, etc. A typical daily question is "who do we get to see today, mommy?" But, every once in a while, a friend comes along that just has a special connection. Our new friend, Jackson, is just such a friend. You can learn more of his story at his mom's blog Jackson Dean.(http://jacksondeanbarnett.blogspot.com/)

But, long story short...

Jackson's mom and I met on the Hydrocephalus Listserv. This listserv is an online, email based support group for both people with hydrocephalus or parents of children with hydrocephalus. We noticed one another because we both had boys with hydrocephalus who had a number of episodes/complications/surgeries in a relatively short period of time. Our boys have hydrocephalus for different reasons, but the resulting surgeries are just the same (mostly). Both the boys are doing great at the present time, and both of the boys have been through a journey that we don't want to repeat! Jackson (and his parents) moved here last summer from Greenville, SC, and we have had the pleasure to get with them a few times since Christmas. R and Jackson had an instant connection. They both smile from ear to ear the whole time they are together and seem to really enjoy each other company. They both know a little about what the other friend has gone through, and that gives them a person "like them."

Having a "friend like me" is really important to R right now. He wanted to know if Jackson was as scared of pictures (i.e. MRIs) as he was, and he loved knowing another kid who has had pictures. I thought R would want to dwell on the dreary side of their experiences, but they got their simple questions out of the way in about 60 seconds and have just enjoyed having each other as a friend every since.

By the way, R's parents really like hanging out with Jackson's parents, too.

Thank you, God, for giving us another family who knows about this path we have been on. Thank you for moving them to the area. Thank you for providing us these new friends.

Because having friends who understand can (and does!) make a big difference...

25 Random Things, Revisited

Well, I stand by my original 25 things because they are true and most heartfelt. However, I feel like I need to have a list of whacky, simple things about myself as well. So, I am trying again. The first list got more serious than I really intended, so here I go again...

1. My favorite color is red and has been for years.

2. I love dishes, and would have multiple sets of dishes if I had the room to store them all.

3. I would rather have something sweet than something salty, and cookies or ice cream are the best of all.

4. My son makes me laugh - hard. He loves to be silly, and his humor is really funny (to me, at least).

5. I don't like to drive; I didn't even go for my driver's license until I was almost 17 years old because I didn't even like to drive then.

6. I used to play the piano. I still fiddle around with it, but I used to be much better than I am now.

7. I wish I could play the guitar, but I lack the time or resources to devote learning this new skill at the moment. Maybe in a few years?

8. I keep a cross-stich project that I take to "craft days" with other women. I don't really like to craft, but I do like the fellowship. This project gives me a reason to go, with respect.

9. I love to do in-depth studies of Scripture, but I don't have an in-depth study going all the time. My time permits me to read the Bible more devotionally at the present.

10. I like my in-laws...yes, really. I'm lucky to have in-laws that like me, too!

11. My son wants to be a firefighter when he grows up, and I hope that he will grow out of this phase.

12. I like both coffee and tea -- hot and cold coffee, but only hot tea.

13. I love to cook, and I sometimes love to bake. I don't really like to use measuring cups and spoons or recipes, so baking only happens when I am willing to measure and follow the directions.

14. I am presently cold -- in my house -- with a jacket on. I think that is crazy, but I don't want to pay for the heat if I turn up the thermostat (It is 9 degrees outside presently, which is warm compared to the last couple of weeks!)

15. I would wear blue jeans every day if I could.

16. I don't like to fold socks or iron. Thankfully, my husband is willing to do his own ironing.

17. I know how to (and enjoy to!) pack a car as well as my engineer dad (and better than my husband!)

18. I love to organize things (not parties, but drawers, closets, etc.)

19. Sometime I let things get messy just so I can re-organize it later.

20. I enjoy having my closet organized and everything hung by category (pants, shirts, etc) and by color within each category. My husband thinks that is strange; we are both thankful that we are not sharing a closet.

21. I have never been good at sports, but I have always enjoyed being active.

22. It bugs me that at 35 years old, I am beginning to get wrinkles, and I still have occasional break outs. Ugh.

23. The sound of Rob singing while he plays is one of my favorite sounds.

24. I love fresh fruits and vegetables (fresh, not canned or frozen, are my favorite), and I struggle with meats (including chicken, beef, and pork). I have tried for years to learn to like meat, and I still really don't. I don't know why. I see my son being this way as well.

25. I still find it hilarious that I am even doing this blog. Still don't know why I am, but I do find it strangely fun.

25 Random Things

I was tagged on Facebook (five times) before I finally sat down and did this list. I thought I would also post my FB note here, just for fun. My sister-in-law pointed out to me that I have two #4's and two #5's. I was writing my list with R wandering in and out of the kitchen asking questions and telling stories. Obviously, I wasn't paying attention to what number I was on!! So, the following is actually 27 things...

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are suppose to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. (So, blog readers/writers...ahem...Ann-marie, Sherry, Jess, Susie, Cheri, Seaton, Tonya...consider yourself tagged.)

I'm going to do my best at this, but I'm truthfully a little nervous. 25 things seems like alot!

1. I grew up in Knoxville, TN, and my family never moved until I graduated from highschool. (My parents moved to Chattanooga, TN the summer after I graduated from highschool.)

2. In the last ten years, David and I have moved six times. Most moves I say (sort of kidding)..."I'm not moving again!" I haven't said that this last move. (See #5)

3. I didn't even know where Wisconsin was until my husband asked "What do you think about Wisconsin?" when he was job hunting. Honestly, I had never thought about Wisconsin, and I had to get out a map to determine where it was!

4. I loved, loved, loved living in Madison, WI where we lived from 2004-2007. God provided us such a community of friends that it felt like home in just weeks after moving there. I felt loved and supported during one of the darkest seasons of my life in a way I did not know possible. (See #6 ) The MCF group at our church was just fabulous, and I miss it still.

5. Our move to the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area has not been so seamless or effortless; I honestly have struggled here in a way I didn't know possible. I'm grateful for the friends I have made, but I am craving a more cohesive community.

4. I love my husband, David. He is fun, funny, and a great listener. He makes me laugh, even when I don't want to. He keeps me grounded. He keeps me from taking my life too seriously (as I have a tendency to). He chose me when I wasn't even looking, and I am so grateful. I will gladly continue moving every few years with him, if necessary, as long as he enjoys what he is doing.

5. We struggled to get pregnant (and stay pregnant), and I am so thankful for our son, Robert. Motherhood is a role I longed for, and it is even more fun and challenging than I anticipated.

6. My heart broke the day Rob was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, and re-broke each time he had to go back in for surgery. I am so grateful that he has been healthy these last 23 months (but, who's counting!), but I really fear that he will need surgery again at some point in the future.

7. Everytime Rob was in the hospital (12 times), I gained about 5 pounds. (Please, don't do the math.) Believe me, I am working on it and paying for my stressful blunders now.

8. I don't know how people live through their child being sick except for the grace of God. I couldn't have made it (with any sanity at all) without my relationship with God. I am thankful that I had a relationship with God prior to Rob's diagnosis, because that is what got me through. Well, that and ice cream at the nurses station (see #7).

9. The last four years have changed me. I cry more easily. I feel more deeply. I am more sympathetic to others going through hard times. I pray more. I read my Bible more. I long for deeper relationships and less chit-chat. Again, I need my husband because he keeps me from taking life too seriously. I am easily too serious about things.

10. I like to read all sorts of things and am thankful for my bookclub (both now and in Madison). There is very little that I won't read except slutty romance.

11. I enjoy doing Sudoku puzzles to relax and unwind - the hard ones. My brain just thinks that way.

12. I love summer; I love hot and humid. I don't like cold and snowy.

13. My grandma (my dad's mom) died my senior year of highschool. I still miss her and think about her just about every day. I think if she were still living, she would be my best friend. I still wish I could just call her to chat.

14. I keep a blog that I started months ago. I've only told one person (Tonya) about my blog, and a few others have found it by accident. I don't really know why I do it, but writing is somewhat therapeutic for me at times. I kept an account of what was going on with Rob's health with a email newsletter of sorts called "Rob Updates", and I found myself missing the writing after I quit sending out the updates.

15. My husband and I tend to buy homes that need "fixing up" in some way. I don't know why we do this, but we do. We both say we won't do it again, but we probably will.

16. I really, really enjoy my job as a product trainer for a company that makes insulin pumps and continuous glucose sensors. I love teaching people how to use these products, and I love that it seems to make a difference in their quality of life. I also like the fact that I can work around Rob's schedule and work while he is at pre-school or when David can be home with him.

17. I had never played a video game until David's parents gave us the Wii for Christmas. I am enjoying it much more than I thought I would because it is both active and interactive.

18. I make a to-do list almost daily.

19. I thought I would be a mom to many, many children. I get the question (almost daily) about having more. I'm happy to talk about this, but the answer is not easy or short. I tend to avoid bringing up this topic because I honestly don't know if someone REALLY wants to know the answer because it is not a short, simple answer. I also tend to cry when I talk about it. That is okay; it is who I am now. (See #9)

20. I miss the South, terribly. There are certain ways and cultures in the mid-west that I find a little strange. I know people here find me strange, too, and I am okay with that. Again, I love hot and humid. January, February, and March are hard for me in Wisconsin.

21. I worry that I am not a good wife or mom. I pray about this alot, and I work very hard at both roles. I know for a fact that they both deserve better, but they are kind and gracious to be happy with me.

22. I don't really like to paint my fingernails, but I almost always have my toenails painted.

23. I love flip-flops and sandals, and I wish that I could wear them all year.

24. I love things that are old and have some history, especially things that were my grandma's (furniture, dishes, books, Christmas ornaments, quilts, etc). My dad gave me my grandma's wedding scrapbook for Christmas, and I cried. It cracked me up that she really never finished it because I haven't ever really finished a scrap book either.

25. I enjoy exercise, once I am doing it. I find it hardest to just get going...just like this list! I had a hard time getting going, but found it easier than I thought it would be once I started.

Whew! Done!

Did I Mention?

By the way, I forgot to mention...

R was re-assessed last Thursday for OT (Occupational Therapy). (Yes, it was the coldest day of the year with wind chills in the -25 to -40 degree range, but that is beside the point.) We have been on a maintenance program with Donna, our OT for the last several months. It was sort of a test balloon of sorts to see how he would do checking in every month but not doing weekly therapy. Well, after six months of monthly check-ins, Donna decided it was time to re-evaluate.

He IMPROVED his score from six months ago! Yes, I said IMPROVED!! Six months ago, he was testing at about the 50th percentile for fine motor skills, and last week he tested at almost the 75th percentile.

We don't go back to OT for a re-check for a year. (applause...cheers!) Yes, I did say a year. You can get back off the floor and into your chair again!

R has been in intensive weekly or even twice weekly OT since he turned one year old, and now, after almost four years, we get a year off. I can hardly believe it!

No OT for a year, no PT till spring...God is so good.

This gives me hope that we will one day graduate from the other therapies.

Thank you, God, for using therapy to do so much good for R. Thank you for his progress. Thank you that we get a break because I think that we were both needing it. Thank you for showing me that no phase lasts forever, even if I feel that it might!

Facebook Reunion

I feel like I am living in a slow, strange reunion of sorts. In the past few weeks, old pictures from middle school, high school, and college have been showing up on Facebook. Some of them are of me and others of friends. It is truly strange. I don't know whether to laugh, cry, celebrate, or run screaming from my computer because who knows how many people have been reminded just how scary my awkward phase was.

My old pictures were living in a shoe box at the back of a cabinet until the overwhelming compulsion to look through them overtook me! I thought I would share one that I found...the dance team at Bearden High School in 1989-1990. I am choosing NOT to share my middle school cheerleader picture (because it is MUCH scarrier)... just in case you haven't yet seen it on facebook! Who needs reunion only once every 10 years when you can have your past and present crash into each other on a daily basis on Facebook?!?! It is crazy that I am getting notes on any given day from friends from Kindergarten (at a small Christian school in Knoxville, TN) and friends from MOPS (here in WI). I am reconnecting with people I thought I would never see or hear from again on this earth.

The problem with Facebook (for me!) is that while it is a fun walk down memory lane and an easy way to stay "connected" (if you call it that)...you don't REALLY connect. You chat. You keep things light and airy. You go about as deep as you do during sorority rush, and that, my friends, was my issue with rush to begin with. So, as I watch my friend count go up, I wish that I could have a lunch date or coffee with each person to really, truly connect.

Loving our Wii

Okay, I am not a video game person -- at all! When all my friends were playing Atari games at home, I preferred reading books. When they were playing Packman or Donkey Kong at Mr. Gatti's pizza, I much preferred watching, flirting, or talking. I've never quite understood the attraction, and I've never had the skills necessary to work the joy stick or the controller. Well, let me tell you...all that has changed...

David's parents gave us a Wii for Christmas, and we are all three having so much fun. R is enjoying bowling with David and I. David and I are particularly enjoying a spirited game of tennis after R goes to bed!

But...the real story is Maya, our Personal Training Coach.

Now, this is not the Wii fit, nor does this game (if you call it a game) require or use the Wii fit. I think that is a good thing because the Wii fit is much more expensive than the $29 "My Fitness Coach" game. This game is an interactive exercise game that adjusts the workouts based on what you want to work on both long term (and that day) and how long you are wanting to work. It uses your own personal exercise equiptment, such as hand weights, step, and stability ball. Maya, the animated trainer, pulls from over 450 exercises so that there is new variety daily. She also changes her clothes, music, and location to keep things interesting. As you progress through the game, additional exercises, music, and locations are unlocked.

For some reason, I am finding this game much more interesting and fun than the drawer full of exercise videos I have purchased over the years. I am oddly fascinated with unlocking more and more locations, music types, and exercises. I am consistently exercising...for the first time in, well, that's for me to know...

So, for those of you Wii owners. Try it! I think you'll enjoy it as much as I do! This has been fun enough for me that I actually look forward to my daily time with Maya -- David and R do, too! It's been three weeks, and we are not even close to getting bored or frustrated.

50%, officially average

As most of you know, R has hydrocephalus. His "hydro" caused a secondary condition of hypotonia -- or, low muscle tone, in normal people speak. As a result, since R was about 12 months old, he has received weekly PT and OT and he has received speech therapy off and on. Well, R was re-assessed yesterday, and his gross motor skills have improved to the 50th percentile! That means that he is officially average.

Average is not what most people are looking for in their children, but considering that R started this climb 3 1/2 years ago at the 20th percentile...we are thrilled beyond words with average!! This was cause for huge celebration at our house. This also means that R doesn't have to go back to PT until March of this new year...10 weeks with no PT! What will we do with our time?!?!

We are hoping to continue this trend when he gets reassessed for OT this month. It would be great to only have speech on the agenda right now. He has been given the gift of cutting back from 2 speech appointments a week to only one a week, so that was cause for smiles regardless.

I, as mom/chauffer/cheerleader feel like a huge weight has been removed from my chest and shoulders. Praying that his development continues...

Yippee! Yippee! We now have Monday and Wednesday afternoons FREE!!! Anyone for a playdate?