Broken Bones :(

Poor Alex has had a rough go of it! A week ago on Sunday he fell and broke his femur. HE had surgery to place pins and set the bone. He came home Wed. but, Friday we uncovered his bandages and found the pins sticking out his incisions. It was back to the hospital for yet another surgery. He got to come home Easter Day. Here are some pictures Alex said I could share. He says thank you for your prayers, and that he promises he was tough and brave because he knew God was protecting him! By the way, if you get quesy easily, I wouldn't look at the last photo. Scroll down slowly.

Kalika was worried about Alex. Since she just had a bath we let her snuggle with him today on our big oval red chair. Her and ALex both loved it!

This is the SWEET smile ALex gave me when I asked how he felt about being home again! NO words needed to get his point across I think.

This his poor leg. It has been causing alot of pain but, he sure is a trooper.

These are the pins placed in the bone after they set it. Even in the original copy of the x-ray you can BARELY see where the break actually is. They did an amazing job.

The break is quite obvious and severe here. You can see why he is in so much pain! Poor guy.

See what I mean. Gross right? The pins came through for a combination of reasons. One being that Alex doesn't have the body fat to support them at his knee like most people. The second surgery they put the pins in upside down and sewed them to the peri-osteum (its the outer most layer of bone, called the bone skin).

B is for: babies, balls, babysitting, and bouncing

In the midst of craziness, I wanted to take time to blog about the good things lately! First, I got to go visit my friend Rochelle and her new (and 2nd) beautiful baby girl, Paige Marty! She was born Feb. 25th on her Mommies birthday! I am hoping to get pictures of the two girls in their matching outfits, and big brother in his coordingating shirt! Next, a couple Saturdays ago I went to babysitt for the Allinson family. It was just Kenzie, Levi and I. We missed Josh but, I have to admit, it was fun to have only two of them this time. Once Levi was in bed, Kenzie and I got some good snuggling girly time in! Before Mom, Dad and baby Gabe headed out for a night on the town (hehe), I snuggled Gabriel. I also got some good pictures of the two baby boys being fascinated by balls! Then, I also have some pictures of Levi playing dress up, kenzie an levi building couch cushions, Caleb dressed as a firefighter and my nephew Zackery LOVING his jumper-roo! Gabriel loves his too!





Zackery is 7.5 months old now. He loves his jumper-roo and looks so cute in it!

Caleb, Ben and I went to the children museum a few weeks ago. Caleb loved getting in the fire fighter clothes!

Keznie and Josh had fun bouncing all over couch cusions. It's amazing how much quieter and less crazy this activity is minus just one kidd!

Violet and Levi up close and personal!
They built a "fort" and climbed under it together. They play so well!

Kenzie being attacked by me :)

Big smiles from the little dipple boy! He is so precious! And he is doing really well too!

Typical boy, swords and hats.

THese boys are gonna be great buddies as well as brothers. They already both enjoy balls.
Gabriel looking cuter than life itself, and showing off his sitting skills. AT the rate this kid is growing, he will be a line backer (haha, I don't know if htat is the apporopriate position, I know NOTHING about foot ball)

New sweet baby Paige

Proud Big Gavin brother of his 2nd little sister

Nicole is more than over joyed she has a new baby sister.

Nicole was sad that she had to wait her turn to hold Paige.

So darling, Baby Paige falls asleep on my shoulder!

Because Joanna "tagged" me.

So this is a list of top five's -- if a person mentions you in the last list (of those whose lists they would like to see) you are tagged and are supposed to put your list on your blog.Okay, a few of my friends in my homeschooling group tagged me so here I go... (make sure to check the list to see if your name is on it! I want to see your lists, too!)

5 things you can't live without under $5:
1. mint gum
2. black ball point pen
3. 3 generation old blue quilt.
4. My pillow (it goes with me everywhere, slumber parties, the hospital, etc.)
5. chap stick

5 Favorite Movies
1. The Sound of Music
2. Anne of Green Gables
3. Stardust
4. Gilmore Girls episodes
5. Smallville episodes

5 Baby Names you LOVE but won't use Girls:
1. Gwen
2. Julia
3. Madalynn
4. Ireland
5. Charlie

Boys:
1. Ezekiel
2. Noah
3. Isaac
4. Samuel
5. Zachary (Zachariah)

5 songs you could hear over and over again:
1. Amazing Grace
2. Wouldn't it be nice (by the beach boys)
3. The happy song (a worship song)
4. Hungry (falling on my knees)
5. O The wonderful cross

People who influenced your life in a positive way:
1. Jesus
2. Joanna (and Kaleb)
3. Sharon
4. My Dad
5. Andrew

5 Things that stay in your purse at all times:
1. Migraine medications
2. Something with sugar (usually a chocolate bar....in case my blood sugar drops really low)
3. chap stick
4. drivers license
5. cell phone

5 Moments that you knew changed you forever:
1. When Andrew Died
2. My MOm leaving for the first time
3. Talking about Christ with a Chinese girl, in china, at a boarding school, and seeing her pull her bible from a hiding place to show it to me.
4. Seeing my nephew be born
5. Moving out of my parents house the first time

5 Obsessions you have right now: (well I wouldn't call them obsessions, maybe current fads)
1. looking for apartments
2. engaging in more exercise and attempting to get healthier
3. Keeping Caleb "allergy food free" and finding new safe foods
4. Holding and loving babies (especially My Nephew and Gabriel)
5. Taking pictures

5 Places you would really like to go
1. Boston
2. Australia
3. Africa
4. Paris
5. Hawaii

6 People you would love to see their top 5
1. Tatiana
2. Kortney
3. Talitha
4. Alicia
5.Samantha

Tag! You are it! This was really hard for me as I haven't thought about some of this stuff in awhile. Good luck!

We're going to the zoo, zoo, zoo...how about you, you you...?

You can come too too too! Were going to the zoo zoo zoo!

With the crazyness of Alex being in the hospital, I really needed to get out of the house and do something fun and somewhat social for me. I called my friend Joanna up to see if a play date for the kids would work on Wed. or Thurs. I was relieved when she said a trip to the zoo sounded good for wed. I thought it was a great idea.

That morning I started singing the zoo song. Caleb would say yell "thoo", (his version of zoo).WHen I said " Are you read to go bye bye Caleb? He said NO! Play! Then I said "Wanna go to the zoo?" He say YAH, threw his toys across the room, and ran to get his coat.

Caleb, Ben, and I loaded up and met Joanna and her 4 kiddos their. It was alot of fun (although I think another hour or so would have been fun to!). Ben and Josh hit it off great. Kenzie was a good sport about not having a little girl friend to pal around with, and she was a great help with the babies. Levi and Caleb enjoyed themselves immensly. We missed out on the baby gorilla her and her mama were hiding but, we did see the baby giraffe. Caleb loved the peacock too. I love gorillas in general so, he put a picture of the sleeping one. It was their dominant female.

Pictures:Ben, Josh, Kenzie, as turtles

Levi climbing, Gabriel sitting so well against the egg shell looking so grown up), Caleb sliding

Kenzie, Ben and Josh in the tree; Caleb and Levi on the elephant statue

Toddlers running away and loving it!

7 months and counting.

My little nephew turned 7 months 2 days ago. I took some pictures but haven't downloaded them yet so....say tuned! Anyway, we have a few concerns about the adorable little guy :( .
He is NO where near sitting up yet. My sister was a slow go-er as a baby too. She has cerebral palsey. Shannon didn't sit up until 10 months and was nearly 4 before she walked on her own. We are unsure as to if Zackery is suffering from low muscle tone like his Mama, or if she just isn't giving him enough opportunities to practice using his tummy muscles. It is likely the latter, or both. We (other family members and I) have noticed she still lays him on his back ALOT for play time. She doesn't like to hear our advice however. We are praying for wisdom to my sister, as well as a change of heart. We are also praying Zackery does not have low muscle tone, and that he catchesup quickly! He is bright eyed and very alert so, at this time we are not concerned about his mental capabilities. In fact he seems to be very bright. Sometime you can just see those things in their eyes!

Your gonna miss this...

Here are the lyrics to a song I really like:
Your Gonna Miss this: by Trace Adkins.

She was staring out the window of that SUV Complaning, saying "I can't wait to turn 18"

She said "I'll make my own money, and I'll make my own rules"Mamma put the car in park out there in front of the school.

Then she kissed her head and said "I was just like you"

You're gonna miss this You're gonna want this back You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast

These are some good times, So take a good look around You may not know it now But you're gonna miss this

Before she knows it she's a brand new bride In a one-bedroom apartment, and her daddy stops by He tells her "It's a nice place"

She says "It'll do for now"Starts talking about babies and buying a house

Daddy shakes his head and says "Baby, just slow down"

Cause you're gonna miss this You're gonna want this back You're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast These are some good times So take a good look around You may not know it now But you're gonna miss this

Five years later there's a plumber workin' on the water heater Dog's barkin', phone's ringin' One kid's cryin', one kid's screamin'

She keeps apologizin' He says "They don't bother me. I've got 2 babies of my own. One's 36, one's 23. Huh, it's hard to believe, but ..
.
You're gonna miss this You're gonna want this backYou're gonna wish these days hadn't gone by so fast These are some good times So take a good look around You may not know it now But you're gonna miss this"

Whenever I hear it on the radio it remind me to enjoy life while it is happening and not just hope this season ends, not to just sit and wait for what is next. For me, I'm much like the girl in the one bedroom apartment...only I'm not a new bride. I can't wait to have a house, and a couple of babies. But, when that time comes, will I be too busy to really enjoy it?

The words of this song came drifting back to me today as I was riding a bike around my parents neighborhood. A couple houses down and I saw two little girls sitting close to one another on a porch. One was Kaitlynn, a sweet but VERY energetic brunette cutie pie. I use to babysitt for her and her 3 brothers. The other was a cute little red head with a sort of farrah faucet hair do. I could tell from where I was she was missing a bunch of front-top teeth. They were narrating for Kailtynns twin brother Josh who was doing skate boarding tricks in the drive way. I instantly flashed back to when I was about 7. My neighbor (who also happened to be a little red head, 6 years old, and missing her front teeth at the time) and I use to sit on my front porch and narrate for circus's and other shows my litte brother and sister use to put on together in the front yard. All I could think of was "Man, I miss that!" Things were much more simple. I had almost no care in the world! All I had to do was drink my milk, go to school and make my bed. The rest of my days were mine to run around and play with friends. Tiffs with my siblings lasted moments and not days, and pain was usually physical and fleeting, due to a fall off the bike. At that age I hadn't experienced the deep emotional pain that comes from death or harsh words, the kind that still stings years later when you think of the people you have lost. Days weren't consumed with worries about choices my friends, family, or I myself were making.
I need to realize that this season is exactly that, a season. When I think about it, I know that right now all I have to worry about is myself. I need to worry about getting myself through school, paying my bills, and getting myself out of bed in the morning. Someday, I will have to worry about cooking dinner for my husband, making lunch for the kids, getting them dressed and bathed. I will worry about if their is enough $$ after bills to buy them clothes, toys, and enroll them in extra curricular activities. Not to mention scheduling and attending Dr.s appointments, trips to the dentist, and whatever else the kids might need. I pray that when this time comes form me, I don't see it as just those things. I pray I enjoy every minute and live for the hugs and kisses, the learning of new things, the bedtime stories and family bike rides.
For now though, I need to learn to enjoy the life of a single young woman, who can do what she wants when she wants. I need to remember to enjoy that I can go to coffee with a friend any night of the week, and if I am not tired, I can go to a midnight showing of the latest flick by myself without a second thought. I am sure some day I will be a mom of 5 0r 6, in my late 30's or early 40's, on my way to one kid activity or another, and I will see a young woman out the window with her fit figure, going for her morning running with head phones over her ears and I will think "I miss that."

Vacations, illness, and new beginnings.

On top: Caleb. On bottom: Levi

Lots of things have been happening.

Feb. 12-20th I spent a week in Florida. I visited some family (Great Aunts and 2nd cousins).

My mom and I went to the lowry park zoo together where we fed giraffes, rode a camel, and pet sting rays! My cousin, mom, a friend and I spent 2 days in Orlando where we stayed in a REALLY nice hotel and visited Universal Studios as well as Disney Worlds Magic Kingdom. We also went to a Manitee refugee center and to the beach. It was alot of fun.

Upon returning I spent a week VERY sick. I had a sinus and ear infection as well as bronchitis. Ugh. I am all healthy now though.

On Feb. 28th I started an online Psychology program. It is going well and I feel like I am doing exactly what God wants me to do.

I have had a bunch of problems with my taxes this year. That has been stressful. Oh well, life goes on.

Finally, the littlest of the boys I nanny has tested positive for more than a few Allergies. This was no suprise to me as the other little boy I often mention here (Levi) has been diagnosed with many over the last couple years. Caleb presented with increasingly bad eczema (he would scatch his wrists/face/ankles to the point of bleeding). He also seems to get an uncharacteristicly numerous amount of croup like coughs and other respitory illnesses. Both of these are linked to Allergies. Caleb was diagnosed with a SEVERE egg white allergy, as well as: wheat, peanuts, potato, tomato, oranges, corn, and soy (I think I got them all).

If you think that is bad, you should see Levi's list! At about four months Levi was exposed to peanuts on his skin (I ate trail mix and picked him up while he was in just a diaper and he broke out in hives, this happened again with someone else a couple days later). That was the beginning of his saga. Since then he has struggled with vomiting, eczema, wheezing, and coughs. He has been a pretty sick little boy (although suprisingly active for what his little body was handling). Gods hand has definately been on this boys body and life. He has amazing parents who have sought out the best for him and God has been faithful to their efforts and brought them in the hands of an amazing Doctor and delivered much modern information. Levi is severely allergic/sensitive to: Peanuts, Eggs, Dairy, Soy, and Gluten. He also has moderate or mild food sensitivties (basically a delayed allergic reation) these are: Sunflower seeds, potato, garlic, pear, tomato, broccoli, watermelon orange, eggplant, asparagus. He has a temporary ban on: avacado, canteloupe, celery, coconut, cucumber, grapes, lemon, and olive. This kids is going to the kid that says "I'm allergic to broccoli" and mean it! Lucky for Mom and Dad, he is not allergic to spinach (I don't think).

These two boys are SO special in my life. Please lift them in your prayers. Pray for complete healing. Pray Levi does NOT have celiac disease, pray that their parents have wisdom for seeking treatment, pray for safety and protection when these kids are in the hands of others and in public situations where they may be exposed to their allergens, and pray that these kids learn understand their allergies at a young age.

Also, if you have any suspect you or a child you know has allergies, please do some research. If you know I child with eczema, presisting or re-occuring coughs, or any of the other symptoms, check it out. If you are curious about some information friends have gathered check out this book: Healing the New Childhood Epidemics :Autism, ADHD, Asthma, and Allergies by Kenneth Bock, MD. I plan on picking up a copy to read myself.

Love,

Violet