Wings

This year is going to produce a lot of growing pains -- for me!   I now have a high school senior and a freshman and two little ones starting preschool next week.   How does that happen?  It seems like the boys were just in preschool.  I remember their little backpacks and their excited little faces with their cute grins.  Now their backpacks are bigger, and so are they.  We are looking at colleges and talking about careers.  

I'm excited to see them grow and blossom and learn from life experiences, but there is always a part of me that would love to keep them little -- and tucked under my wing.  Is that bad? 

I know that's not God's design for our children (or the parents).  Children will sprout wings and fly, but this mama bird has to get used to that!  Luckily I have exactly 8 months to prepare myself and the little ones -- they get upset if someone is missing at dinner time!  (And hopefully I prepared the first of the flock well)

Good thing I have these two to keep me busy!   

Proverbs 22:6  Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.

Bye-Bye Giardia!

Yay, it's true... we've finally gotten rid of Giardia in our household.  We've been so busy, that I haven't had time to write about our 'experience'... because you just-can't-make-this-stuff-up and the story is kinda complicated.

There's lots of twists and turns to this story that includes lost stool samples, a lab catching on fire, researching the wrong parasite, and the list goes on . . but long story short... We got rid of giardia -- Praise God!   But, we waited almost 4 months for a 'treatment' plan from the Infectious Disease specialist, were given a course of medicine -- 2 kinds -- retested, received another POSITIVE result and then waited several weeks for a phone call that NEVER CAME.   

After receiving no return calls from our referring pediatrician or the ID doctor for 2 weeks, I contacted Johns Hopkins Infectious Disease to schedule a second opinion.  Hopkins quickly agreed that we needed to get Faith to them ASAP, but I first needed to gather her records. I drove directly to the Infectious Disease Dr's central records department to obtain her records.  To my surprise, her medical records only consisted of 5 pages. . .  no clinical notes, etc.... just a 3-page referral letter from our referring pediatrician, and 2 lab results . . . one from March and one from June.  

My eye's quickly scanned the lab result from June, which read, "NO GIARDIA OR CRYPTOSPORIDIUM PRESENT - NEGATIVE"

**!! What?? Are you serious.  I didn't know if I should celebrate or be really angry!  After a few frantic calls, it was discovered that the nurse who gave the results to me, accidentally read the MARCH lab results, not the JUNE results.  I am so thankful that I decided to gather and review her records on my own.  Her referring pediatrician was going to retreat her again with the same meds (for another $300 and 2 weeks) . . . because he was literally out of ideas and maybe this time it would work (I'd heard that before!!).

But, bottom line -- the girls are BOTH Giardia free  -- It only took 16 months, 9 treatments, 7 different medicines, and lots of patience and prayer.

The thing is, I was so confident that the treatment worked  because I had a feeling of calmness every time I prayed about it -- it was a sense of "don't worry about it .. I got it covered..."   So you can imagine my  devastation  when we received the positive results.  God and I had it out.  I stewed for a couple of weeks -- teetering between trusting the doctors to come up with another plan or jumping ship and starting the process over again with a whole new set of doctors.  Once I talked to Hopkins and they requested Faith's records, I was still irritated because I was starting the process all over again.  I could have had them all transferred as they suggested, but something in me urged me to go get the records my self.  I'm glad I did -- and then I felt horrible for doubting what I already knew deep down in my heart . . . I'm sure if God was a god of "I told you so's" He would have used that opportunity to "tell me so" ... but He's not and for that I am grateful. 

I cast all my cares on You O Lord for You care for me. 1 Peter 5:7

More Beach Pictures

More beach pictures... sorry... (and my sister in law took all of these too!!  I can't take the credit).  Ellie wasn't feeling the best and Faith was a crazy lady, ripped her headband out and started throwing sand everywhere..... so we don't have too many of either of them -- but the ones we got are cute!

Ellie Chillin' (not a happy camper)

Faith (before the sugar set in)

Colton & Delaney 

Delaney, Dylan & Colton 

Boys with cousins, Jack & Nathan

I would love to know the conversation here . . . 

Goofing around . . . 

C & D

There's a smile! 

and another one! 

 

C & D

Happy Birthday Elliana! #3

I. cannot. believe. . . . that Ellie will be 3 tomorrow!   We've known her for 22 months . . . and she's been home with us for only 16 months, but we can all agree -- we forget what life was like without Ellie!  

In the last month is seems like the baby in her has grown up -- all at once.  Her personality is FINALLY bursting through that shy little girl.  She is smart, funny and yeah, a little tricky, but she's our Ellie.  She continues to amaze us and we can't wait to see what God has planned for her.   

Just in the last couple of weeks she has mastered peddling her tricycle, swimming in the pool (yep, she'll now jump off the step and swim by herself), going potty (not 100% yet, but working on it), recognizing letters, singing songs and just so many big girl things!  She also is the first to point her finger at her big brothers and tell them exactly what she thinks... tee hee... boy we have our work cut out for us :)  She loves to pick on her brothers -- and they also like to return the favor... that's what siblings are for, right?  And Ellie and Faith are like peanut better and jelly.  God really knew what He was doing when we gave us double blessings.  I often wonder what either of them would do without each other.  What one doesn't think of.. the other does.   And Ellie likes Faith to be the guinea pig and go first... then it if looks ok, she'll do it too.  (note to self:  DO NOT send these girls to college together!!).  

I am met daily with many non-stop hugs, "I love you mommy's", and sweet serenades of twinkle twinkle little star (how me wonder what you are) -- so stinkin cute!  I honestly wondered at times if this would be possible since she was so withdrawn and shy when she came home to us.  I love watching her blossom and I'm so glad she doesn't feel the need (as often) to test us.  She is finally comfortable with her surroundings, her family and her boundaries.  She is a very happy and confident girl!  I love that about her.  

Here's a few impromptu pictures from her at the beach.  My sister in law took ALL of these.  She has the amazing ability to capture Ellie's true personality.  Thank you Ann Marie!!  

    

Happy Birthday sweet girl. 

Monster Trucks

The girls recently found Dylan's stash of monster trucks (pronounced mon-sir twucks - in case  you were wondering . .  ) and have found them very fascinating.  

I said to Faith the other day, "Faith, do you like Dylan's monster trucks . . . ?"  She looked at the truck with a puzzled look, then looked at me and said, "It's not scary mommy . . !" 

I just chuckled. . . (although The Grave Digger looks pretty scary to me)!  

Who would have thought I'd have 2 princesses that like to play with monsir twucks (that aren't scary!)  

Let's Swim!

I am amazed at the progress Ellie and Faith have made just this year in swimming.

Faith has always loved water.  I think she's part fish.  She is not the least bit afraid -- which isn't always a good thing.  Just in a few weeks, she has gone from sitting on the side, to floating by herself, doing the back float and now she'll jump off the side, go under, swim up to the top and over to the steps (with floaties on, of course).  We literally have to drag her out of the pool when its time to quit.  The boys are now working on teaching her how to do cannon balls -- all at the ripe old age of TWO!

Ellie's not a huge fan of large bodies of water.  When we first welcomed her home, she despised water. Bath time and hair washing was a nightmare.  She would scream like I've never heard any baby scream before! Last year she was content to sit on the side with her containers and fill them with pool water -- and she would sometimes drink the water too... we had to be super careful not to splash her in any way.... But, this year she will allow us to carry her into the water and has even floated around by herself with her floaties on! And, just recently has started holding on to the side and kicking -- and blowing bubbles.  It's a huge breakthough!  It's really cool to see Ellie begin to trust us and know that she's safe when we have her or ask her to do something.  And, having a 'daring-come-on-let's-try-it' sister helps reassure Ellie too. (See, God's plant is always perfect)

We also started swim lessons and Ellie is doing fantastic! Even though you can't tell, she's still terrified inside, but she is oh so proud of herself when she does it by herself.  We are trying to build her confidence and sometimes have to push her just a wee bit to try something new... or she would be content to sit on the side and watch --  but after she does it once and see's that it's ok, she wants to try it again!  Progress!!  Spending a week at the beach and in the pool every day helped out too.  I'm hopeful by the end of summer that she'll be jumping off the side by herself too!

 Here's a few pics of our swimming girls!

Don't worry - he caught her! 

Blowing bubbles -- huge success. 

I did it! 

 

Fishy Face! 

 

A Cheerleader in training! 

Weekend getaway

We had the opportunity to take a quick (5 hour) trip to the beach for an extended weekend. Although the thought of packing all that 'stuff' for a family of six for just a few nights is exhausting, we did it anyway. Since we now have an official high school "senior" we know our trips as a family of six may be limited, so we try to cherish every moment we have.

We went to the beach last year but the girls don't remember it, apparently. What's awesome is that now we can have conversations with them and they are hilarious!!! The things they say!!

Here's what they would say ... (In their own words...)

We went to the big pool (ocean) and it had the biggest sandbox (beach)! We chased the water and it chased us back (waves)! We rode the alligator (elevator) where we stayed and we also rode in a roller skate (umbrella stroller). Ellie loved her new 'tiny' (bikini) and Faith wore her new gobbles (goggles). They saw segels (sea gulls) and watched the big boys go out on pop's float (boat). We also rode on "sunny" the pony. We had a great time!!

Here's a few pics. We don't have many pictures of the beach because it took all 4 of us (us and Colt and Dyl) to keep after the girls!! Boy they're fast!