Welcome Back! :)

Well I had no intentions of fully neglecting my blog and facebook pictures for a FULL 3 weeks but it happened. In fact, I was just thinking the other day that I was going to try to get more posts than the previous month and look at me.. Here I am with my first post of the month on the 14th of the month! Whoops! But I am back. I just always get the feeling when I get behind on my blog that it is going to take me so long to get caught up so I keep pushing it off.. do yall get the same feeling? Dang blog with its guilt! :) So now I am playing catch up again and picking and choosing which life events to document on here LOL Here goes..

Hmm.. it's probably been three weeks now but we went to the Hot Air Balloon Festival here in Abilene. It was a good time. We went during the day once so the kids could do all the rides and games and then went back at night because they do the big balloon glow. It's pretty cool... it's really cool for Abilene, ha!

And we had to play peek-a-boo in the car on the ride home.. :)

Just a couple days after that Braelyn wanted to make brownies.. how could I argue with that?!? We got the brownies all ready and as I was about to pour them in when Little Happy just reached over and stuck her hand in the bowl. Braelyn was shocked.. she looked up at me waiting for my reaction. I couldn't help it.. it was so funny and they persued to make this mess below. This is sooo Happy's personality.. to be daring and not care but reach out and grab what she wants... and Braelyn would never do such a thing. She is sweet and gently, always obeying the rules. I love them both so much!

This is THE MOST RANDOM POST EVER!! One night we went bowling LOL Here are the pictures.. :)

Dylan is such a character!!!

And finally one of Jeff's favorite nights of all year.. Abilene Cruise Night! This really is a cool event.. it is SO Abilene, so small town and people love it! Show up with your cars and cruise and afterwards there is a car show, dance and other fun stuff. The people here look forward to it all year long and thousands of people line the streets on the cruise route to watch!

I LOVE THIS ONE OF DYLAN'S FACE!!

OUR FRIEND CODY'S BABY BOY, TRENTON! HE IS SUCH A HAPPY LITTLE GUY AND SOO CUTE! LOOK AT THOSE BABY BLUES!!

Oh my goodness, are you up to date on the most random things in my life ever? I think so :) I had to pick and choose topics and photos just so I could get my blog back up to speed but here we are!

You might remember this post asking for prayers for Braelyn. Things have progressed the past few weeks and we have made (or been forced to make) the decision to go ahead with her third surgery.. more tubes in her ears. You can read the summary of Braelyn's medical history on that previous post but after much discussion and prayers, Jeff and I knew thats what we had to do for Braelyn. There is no way she can make it through all winter without tubes in her ears and we cannot let her run the risk of hearing damage or eardrum damage so I am begging you to pray for us FRIDAY MORNING as we send our precious firstborn in for her third surgery in her teeny, tiny life. We are confident in our doctor and the decision he has made but it is still very worrisome, even the third time around.  Braelyn is the epitomy of strength and I know she will do great, better than me crying in the waiting room, but I appreciate, in advance, the prayers sent up on her behalf. She is a priceless jewel! Friday morning early.. boo!

In good news, my grandmother has finally made it home from the hospital and rehab after many months of worry and stress. She is home and is still awaiting a couple procedures but vastly improving and we are so grateful!!

If you read all of this, you are a trooper, too! :)

Lots of things

It's been a fun and crazy week at our house. Monday we got results from Braelyn's kidney tests and everything was perfect! I am so thankful, I appreciate the many prayers that were sent up on Braelyn's behalf. We are so blessed.

Here is Dylan and James skating at the Bassetti Elementary skate night :)

My grandmother, who I shared before was having some health problems and in the hospital, has had a minor set back. She has been through weeks of rehab to build her strength back and is finally walking again on her own and then last night she fell and hurt herself again. I talked to my Papa today and she didn't break any bones (thank God) but she has a pretty bruised up hip and is very sore so she won't get to go home on Tuesday, which was the plan. I know she is pretty sad about that and I'm sure she is feeling pretty set back so if you would pray for her and my Papa, I would appreciate it so much. My Papa is Superman and handling all this like a champ. He is a great caretaker and he keeps those nurses and rehab people on their toes making sure my grandma is taken care of so pray for his strength.. I know he is exhausted and ready for her to come home!

Wednesday we went to look at a Suburban to trade my Equinox in on. After much debating and dealing, we picked one that we loved and got the most amazing deal ever! It is not brand new.. just new to us! :) The Equinox, although I loved her, had a hard life with the kids and was, quite frankly, falling apart so we decided her time with us was done! Haha! I am loving the new suburban because it has SO much room! Three rows and we needed it! Since I have Dylan most of the time, 3 kids was pretty packed in my old car. Plus the suburban is fully loaded and I am thankful for the leather seats.. the cloth ones on the Equinox were destroyed by three sweet little kids! :) Leather seats should be a requirement with toddlers! And to be honest, I have never owned a big, long car so I am really trying to not smash anything anytime soon :)

In other news, this weekend is the MDA Telethon and I would like to personally encourage you to make a donation to an organization that is very close to my heart. MDA, as most of you know, is one of the leading sources of funding for ALS research. My mother passed away from ALS in May 1999 and I can not begin to tell you how much MDA means to my family. So sit at home, enjoy your family and watch the marathon on tv while you make a donation. Here is the link to MDA-ALS and here is the link to the MDA Telethon website. So many of us are blessed with our health and we can help out even just a little to those who aren't so fortunate. It's all in God's plan.

This weekend we are having some friends, Chris and Kristie, over who are in town and Braelyn is beside herself waiting for them to get here! We can't wait! Looks like we are going to get some rain too so hopefully we can still squeeze in a Labor Day Weekend Cookout. Saturday, Jeff and I are watching his two neices and my nephew again for the tonight so wish me luck with 5 kids again! :) We are going to have a blast! Can I just tell you that being an aunt is sometime more fun than "mom".. I can spoil them rotten and send them home! :)

Is that enough updates for you? Sorry to write a long blog but I had to get it all out! :) Donate to MDA and pray for my Granny and Papa.. that is your homework for the weekend :)

The gymnast and Happy :)

August has proved to be a rather peaceful month at our house, so far. Our definition of peaceful might be a little different than yours ;-)

Braelyn has started back to gymnastics last week except this class is for "big girls". Since February, Braelyn and I did the "mommy and me" class and now that she has turned 3, she is on her own. It was a hard first day for her.. she cried a little because she wanted me to come out there with her (which, of course, made me tear up too) but she ended up doing great and this week, she was a pro! I am so proud of her! Sorry the pictures are blurry from gymnastics.. they have a "no flash" policy so this is the best I could get. She has the same teacher from Mommy and Me class, Braelyn loves her!

Walking on the balance beam.. she is great at this. She can practically run it.. super for a barely 3 year old! :)

Learning cartwheels.. not her strongest point but we are working on it :)

And just because Little Happy doesn't get to do gymnastics yet, doesn't mean I could leave her out of this blog post! :) She will be starting Mommy and Me classes when she turns 2 but that is still 7 months away! Here she is looking so cute this morning.. I could just kiss her all day!!

Can you believe how big she is getting?!?

Pink Converse :) Love them!

Look at this precious ponytail.. love, love love!

Here's Happy last week in her red overalls. This outfit was Braelyn's when she was 1.. I love all the precious clothes that I get to use again!!
One special prayer request for Braelyn Grace, also! Next Thursday (the 27th) Braelyn is having a couple tests run on her kidneys. She has had recurrent UTI's, which can be fairly common in toddlers, but we are checking to make sure there isn't a problem that might be causing them. Please join us in praying for good results! Thanks soo much!

Pray

Surprisingly, there has not been much to blog about lately, which sometimes, is a good thing! Not that it's been calm around here or anything crazy like that :) but we have mostly just been hanging out. I am all caught up on my blogs just in time for our mini-vacay this weekend to San Antonio. We are spending Saturday doing fun things around San Antonio and Sunday we are taking the kids to Sea World. I haven't been since I was really little so I might be more excited than my children :) I am mostly excited about staying in a hotel.. haha.. I LOVE hotels! :)

I do need to ask (beg) you to pray for my precious Granny (the one who just celebrated her 60th anniversary with my sweet Papa). She has been in the hospital since Friday night and is doing better but still needs your prayers. She had surgery yesterday to correct a small problem and probably will require a second surgery in a couple weeks. I won't go in to details but please pray for her fast recovery and regaining of her strength. She is very weak right now. Once she is released from the hospital (hopefully tomorrow or the next day) she will have to spend another week in a rehab center to get lots of help building her strength back. She and my Papa (who has been back and forth from the hospital with her) could really use some prayers right. Thankfully, my aunt is back in town now to help them out because me dragging the kids back and forth from the hospital to help is just not really possible and it breaks my heart to not be able to help!!
I appreciate all you out in the blog world who keep up with us and would spend some time on your knees for my family today!

Sorry, no pictures.. we have been full of activities that don't require photography.. example: doctor's appointments! BOO! However, Braelyn does start back to gymnastics tomorrow morning.. the big girl class sans Mommy... :-/ So, okay, pictures tomorrow of gymnastics class! :)

The House that Kerry Built

I am special posting tonight (from my cell phone as to not wake up my baby princess who is sleeping in my room) to share with you a special prayer request about The House that Kerry Built (THTKB) here in Abilene.
THTKB is a daycare for medically fragile children. All of the children there have special needs and have been attending there for little or no cost. I had the privledge of doing my college internship there back in the summer of 07. The place is amazing, the people are some of the best you will ever encounter and the children are simply the greatest. It was a life changing and mind altering expierence for me and I have always missed it since I left.
Unfortunatley, due to debt and a failing economy the THTKB daycare will be closed as of Monday morning. It is heartbreaking.
I need you to pray for several things: 1) that the amazing people who were laid off can find new jobs. Some of them have been there for many years and this is not a job to them. These children are there life and they are hurting so much right now. 2) Pray for the families of these children who are now struggling for child care for children with special needs. Pray there will be open doors for them and comfort for the hearts of these kids who will greatly miss THTKB. 3) Pray for the financial struggles of this company as they try to get back on there feet. Half of the business that does the home health care will still be open.
This is a sad time for many involved with THTKB and they could really use your prayers. I appreciate all who read this and spend some time with God on this matter.
Sorry for the brief summary but I am texting this all in and my fingers are... hurting!!! lol

Addison Paige

Jeff's cousin, Ashley, had her first perfect little baby yesterday! She did great and Addison is beyond beautiful. She is perfect and I think she looks just like Mommy. She is having a few problems feeding and breathing at the same time and still has some Magnesium in her system that Ashley had to have while she was in labor, due to high blood pressure, so she is spending a few days in the NICU. Say a prayer for baby Addison today. I can't wait till she is out of the hospital and we can hold her! Ashley did sneak me back in the NICU tonight to see her and I cried. She was so gorgeous and I can't believe she is finally here! Welcome to the world, baby princess Addison!

Addison Paige

May 27, 2009

5 pounds even

Swine Flu Part 2

Here is the latest of what I have heard here in Abilene. Although, I am sure my friends in DFW are getting an earful of it as well.

Posted on the BigCountryHomepage.com here in Abilene..

NEWS HEADLINES
- AISD has made major changes to policy because of the swine flu scare. Cancelled are all: field trips and off-campus activities. Staff members won't be able to travel. District says the objective is to reduce co-mingling classes or gatherings where students from other campuses or districts are included. This remains in effect until further notice.
-In addition to AISD, Brownwood, Sweetwater and Jim Ned ISDs have cancelled all field trips until May 11.
- World Health Organization raises its pandemic alert for swine flu phase 5, one step short of a full pandemic.
- Texas reports one death and 26 confirmed cases
- Texas Governor Rick Perry issued a disaster proclamation after the state saw the first U.S. death from swine flu.
- Texas UIL activities suspended until May 11
- TSTC West Texas and Cisco Junior College have cancelled its spring commencement.
- NO CONFIRMED BIG COUNTRY CASES. 14 flu swabs have been sent to Tarrant County to be tested. Some results are expected today.

CASES AND COUNT
- The Texas Department of State Health Services today announced that there are 26 confirmed cases of swine flu in the state.
- 180 confirmed domestic cases in 18 states: 51-NY, 26-TX (including 1 death), 62-CA, 10-SC, 5-NJ, 4-AZ, 4-DE, 3-ME, 2-CO, 2-KS, 2-MA, 2-MI, 2-VA, 1-IN, 1-MN, 1-NV, 1-OH, 1-KY
- 335 or more international cases (74 new cases, mostly in Mexico)

REGIONAL CASES
- Dallas ISD officials announced Thursday morning that they are closing Daniel Webster Elementary School because a student there has a confirmed case of swine flu.
- All Fort Worth schools are closed
- Hebron Valley Elementary (Lewisville) will be closed until May 7, school officials confirmed this afternoon. School officials say three probable cases of swine flu have been reported there.
- Health officials say there are now 11 probable cases in Dallas County and no new confirmed cases (3 confirmed earlier this week).
- Canyon Creek Elementary School in Richardson closed after a confirmed case of swine flu,
- The Cleburne school district in Johnson County began closing all its schools today after a report of four probable cases.

LIST OF SCHOOL CLOSURES: http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/swineflu/schclosings.html.



Pretty scary that we are one stage short of world wide pandemic. Be praying for fast results to these tests and for the minds of those who are quickly working on ways to stop this virus. I am trying to really not freak out about this but I have very little comfort knowing that there are no confirmed cases in our area yet because they keep on telling us "it's coming..". Being that I have two kids who seem to get sick very easily (if Braelyn or Brylee are around someone who even has a cold, it turns into a full blown asthma attack for them and probably a trip to the ER), Jeff and I have decided to not take the kids out in public places (i.e. restaurants, grocery store, anywhere were they are groups of people) and only allow them to friends or family houses and home until this all settles a little. I'm sure there is much overreacting about this going on everywhere but if the WHO has this much reason to be concerned then I would rather be safe than sorry with really sick kids!



We are going Nick and Maher's house tonight for a BBQ (don't worry, everyone is well there) and then the kids are going to a sleepover at Jeff's parents house. Tomorrow we have a wedding to go to so after all that, look for an update post from our weekend.

BYE and HAVE A GOOD WEEKEND FROM HAPPY!

Go wash your hands right now :)

Those in need of prayer..

Please be praying for these two families. Strangers who are in need of prayer for their precious little ones.. Click on each picture to visit their blogs.

Happy Hot Humpday!

If you could see my face right now, you would see I am glowing.. which means it is going to be HOT here in West Texas today! I am obsessed (big time) with hot weather! The hotter, the better and my weather alert says the high is 99 degrees today! Hallelujah!

It took me two long evenings of working on the flowerbeds to get them to my standard. I am not a gardener in any way at all. I was almost clueless while I was working. Since we have lived here (two years in May) the flowerbed in front of our awesome front porch has been just full of grass and monkey grass. So, it took me a whole afternoon just to dig all the monkey grass out (left enough to make a cute border) and then the next day I got to actually plant the flowers. Gardening is so cheap.. why didn't someone tell me?! Anyways, I have plans to go back in a couple days and fill in different flowers (or maybe small plants) between these flowers but I am proud of my start on this project. We did our Earth day project a day early :)

I got an update from Colleen about little Ryder, who I asked prayers for earlier this week. Ryder's Cystic Fibrosis test came back clear which is great. So, they are actually on their way to Lubbock right now to a Gastrointestinal specialist to check for any blockages or anything like that. She did say that his first and second round of tests showed that his thyroid levels are high so it is possible he may be diagnosed with hyperthyroidism, which is controllable by meds. Hyperthyroidism would actually be one of the better diagnoses so continue to pray that the results show something as simple as that. I know Colleen appreciates the prayers and thoughts. Leave me a comment to say you are praying so she can see them when she checks my blog!

Go outside today and soak up some heat!