When I was revamping our blog for Valentine's Day, it occurred to me that I've never really explained WHY the "Important Links" are important to me... So here goes it:
The first one is the Autism Society of America. We have known that something was different about Chase from a very early age. As a therapist, I think I've just learned to accommodate him as he's grown. Chase doesn't have a full autism diagnosis, but does have Pervasive Developmental Disorder with austistic tendencies as well as Mild Developmental Delay. So for us - this website has really helped us to understand Chase as he grows and changes.
Fight Prematurity is a website by the March of Dimes to help raise awareness about prematurity. This is a big one for us because BOTH of our girls were premature: Kayleigh by 7 weeks, and Paige by a whopping 9 weeks! Both had very different circumstances that really made Mike and I thankful for all we have with them. Kayleigh has no long term "direct" effects from prematurity and Paige only has challenges with asthma. We are very blessed!
The "In Memory of Mom" link is a link to the Melanoma Research Foundation. My Mom lost her battle with Melanoma on April 13, 2003. Melanoma is most serious type of skin cancer, and the hardest to treat. There is so much more research that needs to be done to keep others from losing loved ones as young as Mom.
The Juvenile Diabetes Association is another one linked to Kayleigh. When Kayleigh was in 6th grade she collapsed in school. We were called and she had to be taken to the hospital.... it was then that we learned she had trouble with sugar. This past year, her cousin also collapsed and was later diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes. It's hard to watch these young kids have to watch every little last thing they put in their mouth, for fear of what it will do to their bodies.
Kawasaki Disease is a very rare, and little known about auto-immune heart disease. The key to KD being treatable is for the child to be diagnosed by day 11! ELEVEN! That's not much time! Chase was very sick when he was 5 and had been in and out of the pediatrician three times in just about a weeks time. Chase was diagnosed on day 9... 2 days from what could have been complete devastation for our family! Since his initial diagnosis he has had two acute episodes - which is even more rare than the actual disease itself!
And Organ Donation! This is one that, fortunately, we don't have personal experience with. We do realize, though, that the simple gift of organ donation saves lives and brings joy to someone during a time of loss for another. It's just common sense to us!
I hope this encourages you to check out these sites and see how you can get involved!
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Why Is It Important?
Snowed In...
Well... 9 inches of snow followed by a good solid 1/4 inch of ice kept us in the house most of the weekend. Mike did get to the grocery store a mile up the road this afternoon... took him SIX tries to get the van up the driveway! Why did he go to the store? Well... because if we're cooped up in the house with a lit fire all day... we MUST make indoor s'mores.... right? They were soooooooo worth the risk of his life! Just look at that oooey goooey goodness!
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
School, Sick, and Snow!
Well... since we're snowed in for the weekend, I guess I have time to update everyone!
First - School...
We received word from Meadowlark Thursday that they AGREE that Chase needs help! Not only do they agree... the guidance counselor said that if we didn't put Chase on an IEP we would be doing him a huge dis-service! So - she's started the process and is putting Chase's team together. We should expect our first IEP planning meeting very soon! Woo-Hoo!
Second - Sick Sick Sick...
Chase had the flu last weekend... woke up with it one morning and spent a great deal of the day in the bathroom. By last Wednesday, it was me... I haven't thrown up that much or that hard in YEARS! By the weekend Paige wasn't feeling so hot. Then, the worst, MIKE! Yep... he came home from work yesterday morning with a bad headache and before we knew it he was throwing up too! Blech! He's feeling better and we're hoping it's all gone now!
Last - Snow...
Is someone pulling some sort of trick on us? Seriously? I want to know now! We moved SOUTH to get AWAY from the icky white stuff! We got hit in December with 7 inches... that was enough.... but NOOOOOOOOO.... old mother nature seems to think we need more! 12-15 inches by the time this is all done tomorrow! So, Mike's spending the night at the theater and the kids and I got a bunch of movies to watch while we're snowed in.
That's about it for now! I think that's enough! I'm sure by the end of the weekend I'll have some snow pics to share! Blech!
Friday, January 22, 2010
Thursday, January 21, 2010
What a Night of Love!
I was asked a while ago to help out at our church's Youth Girls Lock-In. Nervous as I was, I agreed... and so very glad I did! What a fun night with some of the best youth ever and even better youth leaders!
But - before the lock-in, the youth leaders hosted "Deeper"... a night of praise & worship for all the youth. This was an amazing experience for me, as a youth parent. When I was in school - youth groups were social time. But River Oaks Youth Ministry really is different! These kids go there to love our God! They sang together, prayed, and just spent time worshiping "as one"!
Big Big Kudos to our youth directors, Chip Herrera and Sonny Flowers, for a job well done and allowing God to work through them to guide our kids!
Catching Up a Bit...
For an after Christmas surprise - Mike got tickets to the Wake Forest vs Xavier basketball game Sunday January 10th for him and Chase. Chase has always loved Xavier, and Mike's been quite the Wake fan since moving here. Never did get any pictures of them in their favorite team gear, but Chase had a blast at the game and took over 100 pictures himself!!! The game ended up a Wake Forest win in double overtime by just a few points! They came home super excited and really enjoyed the father/son time!
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Kayleigh's Dance Duet!
Kayleigh never ever took a single dance lesson as a child. Last year, as a freshmen, she had an option to take a semester of dance and loved it. So - this year, she did it again! She and her friend, Cody, were selected to do a dance duet at tonight's semester end dance recital. She was sooooooooo nervous... but she did a great job anyhow!
Monday, January 11, 2010
It's Gonna Be a Long 12 Years!
Mike and I are not oblivious to the fact that Paige is a hand-ful... we've known for a LONG time that she's gonna be the one to push us over the edge. Seriously... this picture is a picture of her during one of her tantrums... and, remember... when she was 5 she DID climb out her bedroom after we sent her to her room! I even joked with my sister, Cassi, recently that the good Lord gave me her baby by accident (if you know my sis, you know she gave Mom a run for her money in her younger years as well!).
Anyhow - at the beginning of this school year, we warned Paige's soft spoken super sweet teacher that Paige HAS to know UP FRONT who is in charge, or there's gonna be problems. Well, she didn't heed that warning very well. Since the beginning of the school year we've had multiple phone calls, notes sent home, emails, etc. We had a phone call her very first day back after the 2 week Christmas break saying she pushed a desk because she got mad someone wouldn't play with her... that desk accidentally fell over on another child! We were asked for a behavioral plan and my response was "send her to the principal's office!".
Apparently the teacher thought I was kidding... who knows! But today, got another phone call right after school. The teacher tells me that Paige "was very defiant and disruptive in class today" and she wanted to know what to do about it. When I asked her if she sent her to the principal's office, her response shocked me! I was told that their policy is to NOT send a child to the principal's office for behaviors and they'd have to have written permission to do it!
Seriously!?! What on earth has this world came to that I have to give permission for my child to be reprimanded by the school for disrupting a class!?! When I was in school we were taken out in the hallway and had the "board" firmly whacked on our behind! It's no wonder the schools have so many issues with kids!
Well.. the permission slip has been written and the daughter has been grounded from everything possible! The husband is royally ticked off at both the daughter AND the school and me, the wife, just needs a drink tonight!
Friday, January 8, 2010
Thursday, January 7, 2010
No Way to Explain the Feeling...
... when you watch your son behind the podium, pouring his heart out about his faith in Jesus!
Mike and I have now listened to Devin speak at church twice. Both times have blown us away. He truly has a gift and watching how it unfolds has been an awesome experience for all of us!
The last time Devin spoke was back in November. He spoke on having faith. Now, mind you... this kid had been sick with a horrible flu virus for about 3 weeks prior to the night he had to speak and hadn't even returned to school yet. He was so nervous ahead of time, nearly passed out during it, and really doesn't even remember half of what he said, which is why I've waited so long to post this. He was so very upset with himself because he didn't feel like he did a good job... we think he did a great job!
I want to thank Doug Todd (a high school youth leader, and the man that was with Devin the day he accepted Christ) and Chip Herrera (Youth Ministry Leader) for praying with Devin afterwards, and for really continuing to encourage him. You two are absolutely fabulous and mean so much to Devin and our family!
Thanks to Spammers...
I've changed my comments to "moderated". Please - continue to leave comments! We love reading them! But, they won't be automatically published. I'll get an email that tells me what the comment is and then I will have to publish it. This change was made because of the multiple spam comments that have started popping up lately.
Thanks!
Monday, January 4, 2010
Meet "Bailey"...
Devin started working at Outback Steakhouse a few months ago to earn money for (a) his own vehicle and (b) money for a mission trip to Jamaica. A youth leader and his wife watched Devin working hard and then racing to the church on Sunday's to still be there as a leader for the middle school. After talking with Devin one evening, Mr. M said he really felt upon his help to help Devin out. Little did we realize how much help he was about to give!
He contacted Devin later that evening and said he had a 92 Ford Ranger that Mrs. M bought brand new and was now only being used to haul yard waist. Asked Devin if he was interested... Devin said absolutely and asked how much... Mr. M. said "how's free sound?". Devin about peed his pants he was so excited!
A few days later I took him to see the truck and he fell in love! Mrs. M. explained to me that they were going to donate the truck to Goodwill, but they really felt led to offer it to Devin. They said he can now put his money towards other things including the mission trip that he'll be taking next summer.
He's learned quickly what expenses come with owning a vehicle.... inspection, battery, gas, title fee, registration, etc.! But he's handled it well and is thrilled!!! Devin has cleaned this truck inside and out and has affectionately named her "Bailey"!
We are so very grateful to Mr. and Mrs. M. for this gift they have given to Devin! May the be blessed over and over for the blessing they've given to Devin!
Happy Birthday Dawnya!
I really believe that people come and go in our lives at certain times for a purpose. Some people come into our lives, and just become family. Dawnya is one of those people.
She and I met in 1998. She actually interviewed me for a job at Hirons & Company Advertising and we immediately clicked! It wasn't long that our families met and we began spending time with each other outside of work. In January of 2001 I moved 4 hours north and she moved 2 hours south. But - our friendship continued.
Just before Easter of 2001 we headed to Evansville for the first time to spend a weekend with them. It was then that I knew why she came into my life...
For many years, Mike had questioned his faith. We had been through a lot by that point in our life and it was tough for him to understand how a God who loved him could present him with so many trials in life. But that weekend our lives were forever changed. We attended Crossroads Christian Church with Dawnya and Neal that weekend and our lives were forever changed. I remember driving home that Sunday afternoon and Mike saying it was time for us to find a church home for our family.
Sure - since then - we've continued to have trials in our life, and times where our faith has been weaker. But our God is right there with us, reminding us that He is in control and to trust in Him!
I am so very blessed to have Dawnya in my life, and in our life! In the 11 years we have been friends we have cried together, laughed together, vacationed together, and most importantly... prayed together. I look forward to continuing this amazing friendship that God has created!
Happy Birthday Dear Friend!
Sunday, January 3, 2010
I'm Not Ready...
Someone said in church this morning "I bet you're ready for the kids to back to school tomorrow". My response... nope!
We've had a really good Christmas break with no traveling, plans, no one was sick, etc. Just us. Laughed a lot, spent a lot of time together and with each of the kids individually. It's been very relaxing and enjoyable.
Tomorrow starts the chaos again... getting up early, homework, projects, practices, recitals, concerts, tests... the list goes on and on!
So no, I'm not ready to dive back into the non-stop activities and events! I kind of like my quiet family time and I'm gonna miss it...
Friday, January 1, 2010
A Pixel Here... A Pixel There...
Started with a template from Simply Blog It, then tweaked it here, changed a pixel there, added some personalization... and now ya got it... our January winter blog background! I used to just use templates from other sites and leave it... but slowly I'm learning how to make it our own and having fun with it!
So... what do ya think?
Happy New Year!
The Hobeck's joined us last night to welcome 2010! It was the first get together since school let out almost 2 weeks ago, so the kids had lots to catch up on! When 11:59 came around, 3 of the kids were ready to toast to the new year with us... the 4th child... well....
Leave it to Miss Paige to bail out! I guess she was a little too tired and grouchy to participate!
Even Kayleigh had a few friends over! Andrea and Kayla are pretty much part of the family these days! It's so fun to see Kayleigh enjoying her friends company!
Hope all of you had a fabulous New Year's Eve celebration and we wish you many blessings in 2010!