Aunt Sanny, Uncle John, Irene, and Isaac all came down from Nashville yesterday to visit with us. Lydia came up from Greenville to see them too. We made chicken curry with all the toppings, Mt. Kilimanjaro style, out of my new copy of the Herron/Cobb family cookbook that I got for Christmas. Aunt Sanny brought a delicious strawberry cake with cool whip and Irene made some chocolate cookies. It was yummy and VERY fun!
For any interested: I posted the link for buying the cookbook on the left-hand side of our blog among the links.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
It's a girl . . . maybe.
The doctor said today that he THINKS we're having a girl. He said not to rip off any tags yet, though. That would be good news to me -- I want a girl, but it is kind of scary too -- that's a whole new ball game for us!
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Sick Kiddos!
Both of our kids are sick. Just colds, but both sounding very croupy, which is not unusual for Ben, but is unusual for Luke. Greg took Ben to the Dr. Thursday morning (Luke was still okay at that point). Apparently his breathing sounded really bad to them, because the lady behind the counter heard Ben cough, and the office just about flew into a frenzy. He hadn't been there 5 minutes when they took them back to a room and got Ben on a nebulizer, which Ben HATED! They made him stay at the office for 2 hours to see if they wanted Ben to go to the hospital or not. They said we should have taken Ben to the ER the night before. Greg felt terrible, of course, but it sounds worse to explain -- "He sounds like this all the time!" They should already know that anyway. I guess we'll know better next time, but this time, we thank the Lord that it wasn't any worse.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Baby's Moving!
Feeling DEFINITE baby movement tonight. Thought I might have felt it before, but tonight, I'm sure!
New Office Digs
I got a new office at work. It's no big deal, but it's been fun to make a change. I am now in an office that looks like an office instead of a closet. It's given me a chance to get a little more organized, which seems to be my boss' special project, for which I'm very appreciative.
Friday, November 14, 2008
Crazy Family
We had an awesome family vacation with my ENTIRE family in Ft. Myers Beach, FL last week. The kids had a great time -- it was a great beach for them, pretty level and wide, with shallow, calm water. The adults had fun too. We could actually let the kids run on their own on the beach while we sat in chairs, which is not a very common occurrence with kids under three. Thanks for the pic, Kaki.
Ego Feeders
Luke just asked for carrots and tomatoes -- for DESSERT! Funny how that's an ego boost for me! =)
Monday, October 27, 2008
Moms Building Cathedrals
I love this. I thought about sending it as an e-mail forward, but e-mail forwards can be a pain, so here it is -- you can read it if you want, and you don't have to move it to your trash afterwards.
The Invisible Mom
by Nicole Johnson
This excerpt is from Nicole Johnson's novel The Invisible Woman (W Publishing Group, 2005). For more information, check out the author's Web site at www.freshbrewedlife.com.
It started to happen gradually …
One day I was walking my son Jake to school. I was holding his hand and we were about to cross the street when the crossing guard said to him, "Who is that with you, young fella?"
"Nobody," he shrugged.
Nobody? The crossing guard and I laughed. My son is only 5, but as we crossed the street I thought, "Oh my goodness, nobody?"
I would walk into a room and no one would notice. I would say something to my family - like "Turn the TV down, please" - and nothing would happen. Nobody would get up, or even make a move for the remote. I would stand there for a minute, and then I would say again, a little louder, "Would someone turn the TV down?" Nothing.
Just the other night my husband and I were out at a party. We'd been there for about three hours and I was ready to leave. I noticed he was talking to a friend from work. So I walked over, and when there was a break in the conversation, I whispered, "I'm ready to go when you are." He just kept right on talking.
That's when I started to put all the pieces together. I don't think he can see me. I don't think anyone can see me.
I'm invisible.
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?" Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.
I'm invisible.
Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?
Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again.
She's going … she's going … she's gone!
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a banana clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this."
It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:
* No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.
* These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.
* They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
* The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it."
And the workman replied, "Because God sees."
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
The Invisible Mom
by Nicole Johnson
This excerpt is from Nicole Johnson's novel The Invisible Woman (W Publishing Group, 2005). For more information, check out the author's Web site at www.freshbrewedlife.com.
It started to happen gradually …
One day I was walking my son Jake to school. I was holding his hand and we were about to cross the street when the crossing guard said to him, "Who is that with you, young fella?"
"Nobody," he shrugged.
Nobody? The crossing guard and I laughed. My son is only 5, but as we crossed the street I thought, "Oh my goodness, nobody?"
I would walk into a room and no one would notice. I would say something to my family - like "Turn the TV down, please" - and nothing would happen. Nobody would get up, or even make a move for the remote. I would stand there for a minute, and then I would say again, a little louder, "Would someone turn the TV down?" Nothing.
Just the other night my husband and I were out at a party. We'd been there for about three hours and I was ready to leave. I noticed he was talking to a friend from work. So I walked over, and when there was a break in the conversation, I whispered, "I'm ready to go when you are." He just kept right on talking.
That's when I started to put all the pieces together. I don't think he can see me. I don't think anyone can see me.
I'm invisible.
It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response, the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone and ask to be taken to the store. Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?" Obviously not. No one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can see me at all.
I'm invisible.
Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this? Can you tie this? Can you open this?
Some days I'm not a pair of hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a clock to ask, "What time is it?" I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?" I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."
I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude - but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be seen again.
She's going … she's going … she's gone!
One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a banana clip and I was afraid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped package, and said, "I brought you this."
It was a book on the great cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me until I read her inscription: "To Charlotte, with admiration for the greatness of what you are building when no one sees."
In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after which I could pattern my work:
* No one can say who built the great cathedrals - we have no record of their names.
* These builders gave their whole lives for a work they would never see finished.
* They made great sacrifices and expected no credit.
* The passion of their building was fueled by their faith that the eyes of God saw everything.
A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man, "Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it."
And the workman replied, "Because God sees."
I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over. You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what it will become."
At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn pride.
I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be on. The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing to sacrifice to that degree.
When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My mom gets up at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table." That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."
As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.
Puppies gone!
Praise the Lord -- literally -- it was a prayer request -- we have sold all 6 of the puppies. Well, sold and/or traded. We actually traded one for $100 and a brand new Nintendo Wii. Kind of funny, but we're enjoying it!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
Just want to save this for later as an archive . . . it's old now, but I'll never remember how to find the website.
Arena(known to self and others) accepting, adaptable, helpful, intelligent | Blind Spot(known only to others) caring, clever, friendly, giving, kind, loving, mature, modest, patient, quiet, relaxed, sentimental, spontaneous, trustworthy, warm, witty |
Façade(known only to self) responsive, self-conscious | Unknown(known to nobody) able, bold, brave, calm, cheerful, complex, confident, dependable, dignified, energetic, extroverted, happy, idealistic, independent, ingenious, introverted, knowledgeable, logical, nervous, observant, organised, powerful, proud, reflective, religious, searching, self-assertive, sensible, shy, silly, sympathetic, tense, wise |
Dominant Traits
83% of people think that Deares' is caring
All Percentages
able (0%) accepting (33%) adaptable (33%) bold (0%) brave (0%) calm (0%) caring (83%) cheerful (0%) clever (16%) complex (0%) confident (0%) dependable (0%) dignified (0%) energetic (0%) extroverted (0%) friendly (50%) giving (33%) happy (0%) helpful (16%) idealistic (0%) independent (0%) ingenious (0%) intelligent (33%) introverted (0%) kind (33%) knowledgeable (0%) logical (0%) loving (50%) mature (16%) modest (16%) nervous (0%) observant (0%) organised (0%) patient (33%) powerful (0%) proud (0%) quiet (16%) reflective (0%) relaxed (16%) religious (0%) responsive (0%) searching (0%) self-assertive (0%) self-conscious (0%) sensible (0%) sentimental (16%) shy (0%) silly (0%) spontaneous (16%) sympathetic (0%) tense (0%) trustworthy (16%) warm (16%) wise (0%) witty (16%)
Created by the Interactive Johari Window on 31.12.2007, using data from 6 respondents.
You can make your own Johari Window, or view Deares''s full data.
You can make your own Johari Window, or view Deares''s full data.
Monday, September 15, 2008
Our puppies are getting SO cute!
The four tri-color ones are still for sale and they are so adorable. I ALMOST want to keep them for myself!
Our online ad is here at Puppies for Sale...
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Link to pics of our new hall bath on ratemyspace.hgtv.com
Our new hall bath -- finally some pictures!
Please follow this link to see the recommended page:
http://ratemyspace.hgtv.com/SNC/viewitem.aspx?pguid=6db6be3f-1720-4ba3-a081-999042c09b6b&itemGuid=0d89e8cc-9c87-441c-8b59-81e5d8fb7b56
Please follow this link to see the recommended page:
http://ratemyspace.hgtv.com/SNC/viewitem.aspx?pguid=6db6be3f-1720-4ba3-a081-999042c09b6b&itemGuid=0d89e8cc-9c87-441c-8b59-81e5d8fb7b56
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
New Cavalier King Charles Spaniel Puppies!
We are the proud new owners (for now, anyway) of six brand new Cavalier King Charles Spaniel puppies! They were born this afternoon and they are so tiny and cute. We have 3 tri-color and 1 blenheim female and one of each male. I can’t tell yet if any are smaller than the others, but that will show as they eat and grow, I suppose. We have 6-10 weeks before they leave us to go home with their new owners =(. It’s pretty easy right now while they only nurse for sustenance because Tori cleans up after them. When they start eating puppy food, six cute little puppies will quickly become a pain in the you-know-what and we will actually be happy to get them sold. But for now, they are cute and tiny and sweet!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
At the Beach!
We just got back from a vacation with Greg's entire family in Charleston, SC. We had a wonderful time with his family. The boys really enjoyed playing with their older cousins and I think Ben's vocabulary doubled because he learned everybody's names.
I also really enjoyed the ocean like I haven't been able to for a while. We were able to float on the waves past the spot where they were breaking. Not only was it very relaxing, but it also reminded me of Mombasa with my Mom. She loved to go out beyond the breaking waves during high tide and just float, and I loved doing that with her and talking. It also reminds me of my friend Rinnie, though too, doing the same thing with her. I also have this vague memory of singing "Lady in Red" out in the Indian Ocean with Rin -- did that really happen?
I also really enjoyed the ocean like I haven't been able to for a while. We were able to float on the waves past the spot where they were breaking. Not only was it very relaxing, but it also reminded me of Mombasa with my Mom. She loved to go out beyond the breaking waves during high tide and just float, and I loved doing that with her and talking. It also reminds me of my friend Rinnie, though too, doing the same thing with her. I also have this vague memory of singing "Lady in Red" out in the Indian Ocean with Rin -- did that really happen?
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Our life
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bedroom. Our guest bed feels mighty small, and I've slept some on the top
bunk in Luke's room. I've been feeling like I was missing Greg, so last
night I moved back to the double bed. I was feeling that lack of adult
companionship. I'm actually kind of looking forward to getting back to work
and away from my kids a little! I feel awful saying it, but I know others
feel the same way at times.
Back to our house renovations. We're getting a tub and shower, plus wall, in
our bathroom. The other room with the biggest change is our living room. I
wanted it to be PERFECTLY clean before I took pictures, but unless I wait
until nighttime (bad pictures) it doesn't stay clean long enough for that,
so I just took them anyway.
Next Saturday we are leaving for vacation with Greg's family going close to
Charleston! The day after we get back, I have to start back to work, and my
cousin Clara gets married -- wish we could be there!
Summer is also birthday central in our world. For Greg's birthday we had a
little party, where I tried to invite people Greg would want, which included
Xavier and Kara. We need to do more with them. Timmy's birthday was last
week. Then, my birthday comes soon (although, it can stop if it wants) and
then Peter and Luke in September -- I can't believe Luke'll be three soon!
Heather and Matt have July and August birthdays too.
Sunday, May 4, 2008
I just wanted to have future record of this. . .
I copied this off of Lydia's old blog:
Monday, January 08, 2007
Pray For My New Nephew- Benjamin
I am mainly writing now to ask for your prayers for my little nephew. He was born today by cesarean section. He is my sister's second boy. He is premature so he is having a hard time breathing and has been put in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Please pray that he will be able to breath enough on his own so that they do not have to put him on a breathing machine. Also pray that he stays healthy and does not get any infection, because when babies are that little its very easy for them to get sick. My sister has been in the hospital on bed rest since Dec. 20th so its been a stressful time for the whole family. And because Benjamin is in the NICU Esther does not get to see him or hold him.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Update on Benjamin
Here are a few pictures of Ben. This first one is of him on the breathing machine they have him on right now.
Jan. 24, 2007
I can thankfully say that little Benjamin is home and healthy. He has been home for about a week, after a ten day stay in the NICU. I left before he came home, but I did get to hold him a couple times in the hospital. He is so small...was 5lbs 2oz and now he is 5lbs 6oz. I will post a picture from the hospital. He is still having a harder time controlling his body temperature so you can keep praying that will be stable. Esther has to check it about 4 times a day to make sure he is staying warm, but that's nothing compared to the problems he was having two weeks ago:)
Monday, January 08, 2007
Pray For My New Nephew- Benjamin
I am mainly writing now to ask for your prayers for my little nephew. He was born today by cesarean section. He is my sister's second boy. He is premature so he is having a hard time breathing and has been put in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). Please pray that he will be able to breath enough on his own so that they do not have to put him on a breathing machine. Also pray that he stays healthy and does not get any infection, because when babies are that little its very easy for them to get sick. My sister has been in the hospital on bed rest since Dec. 20th so its been a stressful time for the whole family. And because Benjamin is in the NICU Esther does not get to see him or hold him.
Friday, January 12, 2007
Update on Benjamin
Here are a few pictures of Ben. This first one is of him on the breathing machine they have him on right now.
This one is of him just on oxygen, when he looked the best. This is what we want him to be on :) He looks so much more comfortable.
Jan. 24, 2007I can thankfully say that little Benjamin is home and healthy. He has been home for about a week, after a ten day stay in the NICU. I left before he came home, but I did get to hold him a couple times in the hospital. He is so small...was 5lbs 2oz and now he is 5lbs 6oz. I will post a picture from the hospital. He is still having a harder time controlling his body temperature so you can keep praying that will be stable. Esther has to check it about 4 times a day to make sure he is staying warm, but that's nothing compared to the problems he was having two weeks ago:)
Friday, May 2, 2008
Puppy Needs a Home
Puppy at 10 weeks old.
Tori (dame; blenheim) and Kaiser (sire; tri-color)
We still have one puppy left. I think he’s 14 weeks old now. At this point, we just need to find a home for him, so we’re offering to give him to anybody we know that wants him. (If we don’t know you, we’ll have to charge $100 to make sure you’re serious about wanting him and will take care of him.) That’s a really good deal – he’s a $1000 dog! E-mail us if you need more info, or leave a comment.
He’s mostly black with tan and white on him too. He’s a purebred Cavalier King Charles Spaniel that is ready to be registered CKC. He has been to the vet three times and got all his puppy shots/deworming. He’ll weigh about 20 pounds full grown (Dad weighs 22, Mom weighs 18). He doesn’t bark. His breed and his parents are great with kids, aren’t yippy dogs even though they are small, and just love to cuddle on the couch with us whenever they can. As far as I’m concerned, their only downfall is that they shed.
Saturday, April 5, 2008
Ben's Surgery
Last Wednesday Ben had his first surgery under general anesthesia -- WOOHOO!!
He got tubes in his ears and they took out his adenoids. The ENT also did another bronchoscopy - the last one was done by a pulmonologist. Dr. St. Charles showed me pictures and explained each one. He decided not to fix Ben's subglottal stenosis because they said his airway was only 30% smaller than it was supposed to be and he would grow out of it. Next, Dr. St. Charles said Ben has mucus in the spot where his bronchial tubes branch off into his lungs. The pulmonologist consulted with him on this and they decided to prescribe high dose amoxicillin for 3 weeks. Finally, he showed me the picture of his esophagus, which looked sort of bumpy. He said it was inflamed, likely from reflux. He prescribed continued Prevacid (we had already been doing the Prevacid) and said we need to see a GI doctor, but we would talk about that again at his follow-up visit in 3 weeks. He seems to be feeling fine and has acted pretty much the same since the surgery. Hopefully, once everything is healed up, he will feel even better than he did before.
Ben did really well. He slept on my lap afterwards, which was so sweet, because he never does that anymore. He was really cute too, because he was hanging on to his favorite stuffed lion. I wish I'd taken a picture now, but didn't even think about it then, of course!
He got tubes in his ears and they took out his adenoids. The ENT also did another bronchoscopy - the last one was done by a pulmonologist. Dr. St. Charles showed me pictures and explained each one. He decided not to fix Ben's subglottal stenosis because they said his airway was only 30% smaller than it was supposed to be and he would grow out of it. Next, Dr. St. Charles said Ben has mucus in the spot where his bronchial tubes branch off into his lungs. The pulmonologist consulted with him on this and they decided to prescribe high dose amoxicillin for 3 weeks. Finally, he showed me the picture of his esophagus, which looked sort of bumpy. He said it was inflamed, likely from reflux. He prescribed continued Prevacid (we had already been doing the Prevacid) and said we need to see a GI doctor, but we would talk about that again at his follow-up visit in 3 weeks. He seems to be feeling fine and has acted pretty much the same since the surgery. Hopefully, once everything is healed up, he will feel even better than he did before.
Ben did really well. He slept on my lap afterwards, which was so sweet, because he never does that anymore. He was really cute too, because he was hanging on to his favorite stuffed lion. I wish I'd taken a picture now, but didn't even think about it then, of course!
Friday, April 4, 2008
Movie You Have to See
If you guys haven't seen August Rush, you need to. It was a feel good movie without raunchiness (PG) and a very touching story. Not really a "chick flick" in the true sense of the word, meaning not a romance (although it did have a strong element of romance), but definitely not a "guy" movie.
According to http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0426931/plotsummary: A drama with fairy tale elements, where an orphaned musical prodigy uses his gift as a clue to finding his birth parents.
The story of a charismatic young Irish guitarist and a sheltered young cellist who have a chance encounter one magical night above New York's Washington Square, but are soon torn apart, leaving in their wake an infant, August Rush, orphaned by circumstance. Now performing on the streets of New York and cared for by a mysterious stranger, August uses his remarkable musical talent to seek the parents from whom he was separated at birth.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Happy Easter!
My kids are growing up!
Ben now says five words: bye, uh-oh, ball, fan, hi, all done, mmmm (as in yummy). And he does signs for bye-bye (of course), all done, and more (when he feels like it). His personality is really showing up. He seems to be a boy of extremes -- when he's good, he's very, very good and when he's bad he's horrid. He's stubborn and strong-willed, yet gets very upset when you just barely tap his hand to discipline him. He loves balls and food. And he's very mad at me right now because I won't let him touch the computer =).
Luke surprises us pretty much every day with a new word or concept. We just got bunk beds for the boys (though Ben is still in a crib) and Luke is very excited about his big boy bed. Of course, he's very into his independence: "Lukie do it by hisself!", and being a "big boy." We're working a little on potty training, but not hardcore.
Ben now says five words: bye, uh-oh, ball, fan, hi, all done, mmmm (as in yummy). And he does signs for bye-bye (of course), all done, and more (when he feels like it). His personality is really showing up. He seems to be a boy of extremes -- when he's good, he's very, very good and when he's bad he's horrid. He's stubborn and strong-willed, yet gets very upset when you just barely tap his hand to discipline him. He loves balls and food. And he's very mad at me right now because I won't let him touch the computer =).
Luke surprises us pretty much every day with a new word or concept. We just got bunk beds for the boys (though Ben is still in a crib) and Luke is very excited about his big boy bed. Of course, he's very into his independence: "Lukie do it by hisself!", and being a "big boy." We're working a little on potty training, but not hardcore.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Re: Hello!
Well, Ben has to get tubes in his ears. April 2nd is the day. He will
get tubes and have another bronchoscopy with a different kind of
scope. The ENT doctor said if they could fix the throat with a laser
quickly while they're in there, they will. If he needs some other sort
of surgery, they'll have to do that at a different time. I'm hoping
that the tubes in his ears will help him feel better and even hear
better, so maybe he'll be able to communicate more! He's doing much
better in terms of motor development. He can crawl and get himself all
over the place, though he prefers to cruise. He tries to take a couple
steps without holding on and will play with toys without holding on to
something for balance. My baby boy is turning into a toddler!
get tubes and have another bronchoscopy with a different kind of
scope. The ENT doctor said if they could fix the throat with a laser
quickly while they're in there, they will. If he needs some other sort
of surgery, they'll have to do that at a different time. I'm hoping
that the tubes in his ears will help him feel better and even hear
better, so maybe he'll be able to communicate more! He's doing much
better in terms of motor development. He can crawl and get himself all
over the place, though he prefers to cruise. He tries to take a couple
steps without holding on and will play with toys without holding on to
something for balance. My baby boy is turning into a toddler!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
Greg's 2nd Award
Proud of my man! Check him out in the article below:
Several police officers have ended up on the wrong side of the law recently.
Here are some on the right side.
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
A drop in the bucket
Compassion International has started a blogging campaign, so I thought I'd take this opportunity . . . I chose to sponsor a child with Compassion International starting when I was in college because I could sponsor a child in Uganda, where I grew up. The cost (~$30 per month) feels like a drop in the bucket to me, especially when I don't feel like I can contribute extra for special projects. However, I know it doesn't feel like a drop in the bucket to the little Ugandan girl that we sponsor or to her family. She gets school fees (education's not free in Uganda), good nutrition, and spiritual mentorship. It literally changes her life forever. I wonder that we don't do more. . . If you don't sponsor a child in the 3rd world, you should. A drop in the bucket for us makes the difference of a lifetime for a child.
Greg's Valentine's Day present
Greg got a white boxer puppy for Valentine's Day. His name is Max and he's so cute!
Monday, February 4, 2008
Another dr. visit for Ben
I'm taking Ben to get a CAT scan tomorrow morning, just to make sure his huge head is not related to his developmental delays.
Last week, I took him to the ENT. He gave us Prevacid and Nasonex, saying that his throat problems could be caused by reflux and that Ben had fluid in his ears that needs to clear up in the next six weeks, or he'll need tubes.
Pray for the little guy . . . and us. I believe he'll be fine in the end, but I need to trust God no matter what happens.
Last week, I took him to the ENT. He gave us Prevacid and Nasonex, saying that his throat problems could be caused by reflux and that Ben had fluid in his ears that needs to clear up in the next six weeks, or he'll need tubes.
Pray for the little guy . . . and us. I believe he'll be fine in the end, but I need to trust God no matter what happens.
Sad news
Poor Greg had to take Ike to the vet this morning to be put to sleep. He was 10-1/2 years old. He had stopped eating and drinking much and couldn't get up anymore or control his bladder. Anna graciously cared for him while we were gone, cleaning up his messes, and dragging him back into the house at the point when he wouldn't get up anymore. It was sad, but obvious to us that Ike was absolutely miserable. He had the saddest eyes I've ever seen. I feel bad for him that we were gone and he had to live like that for a few days, poor boy.
Luke is a little confused. Not really sad, but doesn't understand. I keep telling him Ike's not coming back. I first told him Ike was going to the doctor and he asked if Ike was getting a shot, which I then realized wasn't good because I didn't want Luke to be scared that the same thing would happen to him if he went to the doctor and got a shot. So I said Daddy was taking him to the hospital, which Luke then equated to his trip to the ER, so I had to backtrack on that one too. I finally just told him he went to doggy heaven and isn't coming home. I'm just not quite sure how to explain that one!
Luke is a little confused. Not really sad, but doesn't understand. I keep telling him Ike's not coming back. I first told him Ike was going to the doctor and he asked if Ike was getting a shot, which I then realized wasn't good because I didn't want Luke to be scared that the same thing would happen to him if he went to the doctor and got a shot. So I said Daddy was taking him to the hospital, which Luke then equated to his trip to the ER, so I had to backtrack on that one too. I finally just told him he went to doggy heaven and isn't coming home. I'm just not quite sure how to explain that one!
New puppies
While we were gone to Orlando, Tori had four puppies, thanks to Anna Meiners. One of them died the next day, sadly, but it didn't look quite normal from the beginning, Anna said. So we have two red/white (blenheim) girls and one black (tricolor)boy. They're cute. I'll have to take some pictures and post them.
Lots of "Goings On"
We've been busy lately. We went to Orlando last week so I could go to a conference. We got to see Rinnie and her kids and had such fun going to Downtown Disney with Johnny, Kaki, and Ella. That was definitely THE highlight of our trip.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
A chip of the old block
Luke is turning into a chip of the old block, the block being me (Esther). He's always talking about who he wants to come over to our house or who he wants to go see. He says "Alli come over," "Go Unc'a Petr's house." I love to see him enjoying the people that love him. Sometimes it's sad because he wants to go see Granmama and Granpapa and I wish he could. Today, as soon as he got back into the sanctuary from nursery, he whispered to me very shyly, "Go Matt's house." Matt was at church with us. What a sweetie!
Friday, January 11, 2008
Ben's Birthday
Ben turned one on Tuesday. We are waiting to celebrate until next weekend when Greg's parents will be up here, but my friend Alli surprised us with cupcakes when we got our kids together to play. Ben pretty much just ate icing.
Saturday, January 5, 2008
An exciting Thursday night
What an exciting Thursday night we had! Luke got a hold of the bottle of children's vitamins AND got the childproof cap off. That was probably about 8pm. I didn't know it until 11pm when I saw children's Tylenol spilled on the floor, as he had also gotten the lid off that. I called poison control and they sent us to the emergency room. Greg was still working, so I took Ben to my friend Heather's and Greg met me at the hospital.
At the ER, they ended up taking his blood 3 times at two hour intervals, starting at about 4 hours from when he took the medicine. It took 1.5 hours to get the tests back. (They also informed us that Poison Control had called Family and Children's Services because there was so much time between when he got the meds and when I called.) I was there with Luke until 6 am, when his iron levels started to go down.
It was a bit scary for us (they called it an overdose) as his iron level was high the first time and higher the second; and scary for Luke as they kept coming back and drawing blood. I was awake the whole time and Luke didn't go to sleep either until 5am. Greg went home about 2:30, after the first iron level report, so at least one of us could get some sleep that night and then I could sleep the next day once he was awake.
Praise the Lord that everything was okay and don't trust the childsafe caps!
At the ER, they ended up taking his blood 3 times at two hour intervals, starting at about 4 hours from when he took the medicine. It took 1.5 hours to get the tests back. (They also informed us that Poison Control had called Family and Children's Services because there was so much time between when he got the meds and when I called.) I was there with Luke until 6 am, when his iron levels started to go down.
It was a bit scary for us (they called it an overdose) as his iron level was high the first time and higher the second; and scary for Luke as they kept coming back and drawing blood. I was awake the whole time and Luke didn't go to sleep either until 5am. Greg went home about 2:30, after the first iron level report, so at least one of us could get some sleep that night and then I could sleep the next day once he was awake.
Praise the Lord that everything was okay and don't trust the childsafe caps!
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