Sorry, It's been awhile!

So, I know it's been awhile since I've put up a post! So much has been happening around here and with everything going on, the blog got pushed to the back burner. Going back to the end of June, first part of July. A wonderful gentleman from our church passed away, we didn't know him well but our best friends from NM did. They came down for the memorial and stayed with us. It was a whirl-wind weekend, we had to get the house ready for another family to stay. Then so many folks wanted to spend time with them so we had an impromptu BBQ here so more folks could share their time. We had 13 adults and 7 kids running around, playing music, talking and the ice cream maker going! It was a blast.

 

 

The next week, the boys had to be packed up and sent off to church camp. The left on Wednesday morning, and returned Sunday afternoon. Over the weekend while they were gone, Marty and I just chilled out. Then when starting the laundry, to have clean clothes for the boys, the dryer decided not to heat anymore! New dryer, only 3 months old. So, that had to be fixed on Monday and then the loads of wet clothes the boys brought home, cleaned! 

     I had a Dr. check-up, well just a quick visit for RX refills as she didn't have any openings for a full check-up. With Marty's job change we have had a change in insurance. Also, had to switch Andy's SSI Disability and Medicaid to Texas. That has taken most of my time lately. I have gotten appointments for the boys, myself and working on the dentist appointments. 

     We had Soccer Camp at church, in place of a traditional VBS. All week, we had to be at church at 5pm until almost 9pm. It was hot, Marty was camp nurse, the only medical staff, and we had a few having problems with heat exhaustion. Being the spouse of the nurse, whenever a kid needed to sit inside and be watched, it became my job, so Marty could get back onto the field. It was a great week and no problems. Had Dr's appointments for the boys this week as well. Ryan's weight is up, a little more than we want. He is working on watching his eating and exercising more.

     We then had gotten a call from the Irving Chapter of AMBUCS. They are an organization that helps special needs kids and adults with bikes and sometimes build ramps for homes. The National Convention is in Fort Worth this year and they were gathering some folks to receive bikes at the convention. Andy was on the list. So, we had to get to downtown Ft. Worth by 10am on Saturday the 27th. Got his bike and then had to take it apart into 3 pieces to fit in the back of the Highlander. We then spent the rest of the day trying to find a way to haul it around! The bike is so big, the traditional bike carriers would not fit. We looked at a platform the would go on the hitch, not big enough. We also knew we would need to be able to carry a bike for Ryan. We ended up going to a trailer store and buying a 5x8 ft box trailer. We looked at a 5x6 and 5x8 ft open, flat bed trailers. The 5x6 had small tires and would only allow up to 45 MPH speeds. The 5x8 was only 200lbs lighter and the cost was only $900 cheaper, at that point, why not get the closed for more security and that way we can pack more items like camping gear and use it more! We then went an bought Ryan a new bike! I had a coupon for 5% off everything at Target and we found a 7 speed bike on sale for $40 off regular price. That is his early Birthday gift.  

   

 The same day was a work day at the church. We are getting new air conditioning for our sanctuary, it's been out for over 7 months and we have had to use our fellowship hall for everything. The electrical work was one of the last things on the list of work to do for the day and was scheduled to start around 5 pm. We got there at 6pm and were able to help a little. Well, Marty was a help, I just watched! We finally left there around 8pm, a long day!

     That next week was my birthday! I have been dreading it! Yes, now I'm 40, yes I know it's only a number. But still, it brings you to a point of focus. What have you done with the first half of your life, what accomplishments, what happened to your goals and such. Also, you realize that you are not getting any younger and the weight you have been saying you need to get rid of is still there. It's a milestone that brings reflection and time for re-dedication/ re-focus. 

     So, I have signed up for my first 5K. I also signed up Ryan to do it with me. Between his need for some weight control and my BIG need for weight loss, I am hopeful that this will do us both good. It's a Color 5K, they throw "Color Bombs" at you throughout the race and by the end you are covered in different colors! It should be a fun way to get some extra encouragement to keep going. At first, the thought of 5K was daunting, but then I looked it up and realized, it's only 3.1 miles. When you think about a SLOW walking pace is around 2 miles per hour, 3 miles shouldn't take that long. Marty and Andy will have to watch and take pictures! Neither of them were interested anyway.

     

So, the boys and I went shopping on Thursday, to buy me some birthday gifts, new clothes. I found some great ones and the boys had fun helping pick them out. Plus, I got them on a great deal! Then on Saturday, the church children and families went to Hawaiian Falls water park. We stayed all day, had fun and got pink skin (sunburns), not too bad on most but a few! We already have a plan to go on the 17th, they have a special day for special needs folks and their friends and family, with special pricing of course! We decided to stop at the customer service area and ask about renting a cabana for that day, glad we did because the ones we like the best had only 1 left to rent, we paid and got that all set up. 

So, now your all caught up on our lives. We are planning a trip to NM to visit with our best friends, going for Ryan's birthday. We have been just taking care of things around the house, Marty has been painting and working on the church website. I have been working on the choir folders and helping with music needs. We have to help Marty with his lawn care day at church this Saturday, always hot, but this week the forecast in days in the 100's and heat index warnings. The neighbor has her granddaughter this week, the kids are out in the garage playing and have been riding their bikes. I am thinking it's time to make some lunch and get back to work around the house. I have been working on organizing all the papers in the house. Bought a filing cabinet and a label maker, didn't think it was too bad until I realized we have got papers shoved everywhere! I need to find a supplier for Andy's stuff, one that takes both insurances! 

Talk to you all later. Yes, I am going to try real hard to post sooner than 6-7 weeks. Remind me if need be!

Catching up after busy weeks!

It's a never ending battle to catch up on things when you keep busy. Life doesn't take a break and allow you one. We've been busy around here. While Andy was at camp, I went to the Southern Baptist Convention's Annual Meeting in Houston. Ryan stayed at home with Chris staying here with him, they went swimming both days at the Starrett's house. Marty worked and came home sick 1 day.
It was a crazy week,
 Sunday- Andy off to camp, Marty meeting at church, Ryan and I clean up and make a room/bed up for Chris, Marty home- I leave for Youth night, I bring home dinner and all off to bed.
Monday- Marty at work, I finish laundry and pack for Houston, Chris arrives and go over everything with him, I get picked up and am off to Houston.
Tuesday- Marty- work, Ryan and Chris- swimming, me- in Houston
Wednesday- Marty- work then home sick, Ryan and Chris- swimming then church, me- Houston then home for 15 minutes then go pick Ryan up from church, pick dinner up for Marty and me.
Thursday- Marty- work, recovery for me, unpack, sort and pick up from the few days gone.
Friday- 5AM- Take Marty to work, Ryan & I- pick Andy up, home- unload, shopping for B-day present, Parent's night out at church- 6PM drop boys off, Marty- still working- late, Me- pick boys up at 9:30pm, off to pick Marty up from work, Grab dinner drive thru for Marty and I, home around 10:30pm.
Saturday- 9AM Top Golf for Andy's last practice before tournament, Lunch then B-day party at Foreman's, swimming party, home around 8pm

Sunday- Church, Father's Day lunch, shopping for Andy's tournament- gloves, shirt, new driver club.
Monday- 5AM- take Marty to work, 12PM pick-up Fernanda, 12:30PM pick-up Marty from Work, 1:15PM check-in at golf tournament, 2PM- tee-off, run home, Marty change clothes, grab drive thru lunch, back to the golf course, 4:30PM lightning, rain- start dinner and awards at the tournament, 6:30PM sky is clear, dinner/awards over, pool party is starting- we head home.
Tuesday- still catching up on laundry, Marty done with work early, go window shopping at pop-up campers, Scottish Rite for golf clinic, dinner and home
Wednesday- Laundry-still, church
Thursday- Marty work, me- paperwork, bills, housework
Friday- Marty work, on-call day means late night, me- kids, laundry, more paperwork, bills
Saturday- Drop Marty & Ryan at church for lawn care, Andy & I go to Hawaiian Falls to get tickets, back to church, help with lawn care. Lunch drive-thru, home change, off to Hawaiian Falls for the afternoon, home, change and off to dinner, home, movie, bed.

Sunday- Church, lunch, Me- meeting at church, family- meeting at church.
Monday- Marty- off, work around the house, Me & Ryan- church to help move things around and do choir folders, Home- grocery list, Andy & I- grocery shopping, dinner for all and movie, bed.
Tuesday-TODAY.... take Marty to work, Me- blog and paperwork, Boys & I grocery shopping, Inspection by Garland City, Scottish Rite golf clinic, Marty from work, dinner (somewhere in there)

I have a long to-do-list this week as well. I have ordered some supplies to help organize, unfortunately they are all coming in different shipments. I am really behind on my coupon clipping, never get caught up there it seems. With all the changes in insurance and permanent move, there seems to be so much paperwork to be done. I am working on getting the boys ready for pre-teen camp coming in 2 weeks, planning a family vacation trip in August and need to get a Doctor's appointment for me and really everyone in the family!

Andy's 1st trip to Spina Bifida Camp

We took a day and did all the shopping for everything he needed. Then the laundry and packing, finally we were off to Scottish Rite for a 9:30am appointment on Sunday morning. They do last minute pre-camp health check-in's and go through all the med's while filling pill keepers for the week. We get through all the check in stuff, he does a craft and then get a small tune-up on his wheelchair. He has not been fitted to his chair in over 6 years. (Need to get a full tune-up and fitting done soon, just in case.) We all grab lunch and then they start to load up the buses. They have 3 large tour buses, 1 for larger kids in Wheelchairs, it has a lift and they can then transfer into a bus seat. Then for smaller wheelie kids that can be carried onto the buses and those who can walk (with or without assistive devices) ride the other 2 buses, there is 1 for girls and 1 for boys. Then they load all the wheelchairs in a large box truck.
The camp is 1 1/2 hours away, SW of Dallas. There were some issues with traffic in the Dallas area and then 1 of the buses was having mechanical problems. The buses all stayed together and made it down ok, they used a different bus for the return trip.


  Andy got to do all kinds of neat stuff all week at camp. They had a wildlife experience time, he got to hold a gerbil and pet a snake, he didn't like the snake much! They had a Wizard of Oz theme night with a yellow brick road and a Hollywood Dance Night with Red Carpet. That night a cabin mate offered Andy some cologne and told him to use 3-5 squirts, Andy puts on 9 sprays! The big fun event was a camp-wide water fight complete with a fire hose being used! We bought him a super soaker for this event, he liked using a small traffic cone and a bucket of water better! They do this event every year, they cover the wheelchairs in plastic bags, stretch wrap and duct-tape. All the staff are involved, Andy said the nurses were lined up on the med-hut porch with syringes filled with water. He went horseback riding, participated in archery, climbing wall, swimming, canoeing, cook-out, camp-out, pottery, and fishing.
Of Friday morning, Ryan and I went to pick him up. They had everything all set up and ready, signs for each cabin's belongings, shade tent for check-out and water for the heat! The fire trucks rolled in with helpers to unload the belongings and wheelchairs, also to help get kids off the buses. The box truck arrived first with the chairs, then the buses. They unloaded most everything first and then the kids. By the time Andy got off and to us, we had all his stuff and were able to put everything in the car before going through check-out.
 At check-out we got a DVD of camp photo's and video's. As we all watched it, Andy was telling us that he was going to try other things next year! So, he is already planning on going again, that means he had fun.

Busy weeks!

So we've been real busy lately. I have also had things to get done while Marty is at work, so if I want to car I have to get up at 5 AM and drive him to work at 5:30. It makes for a long day and I am dead tired by the end of the day!
Last week was the first day of Tues-night golf. First was off to Top Golf (3-5pm) for Andy to practice for his golf tournament. Then grabbed dinner on the way to Scottish Rite (6:30-8pm) for golf lessons. Ryan gets to participate if there's enough room and golf clubs, there was. On Wednesday evening was the last night of AWANA with a church wide Ice Cream Social! Lot's of folks came out for that. It also was sing up time for Summer All Star's Wednesday Night program including soccer, and for our summer VBS/ Soccer Camp. I am continuing the role of secretary/ registration desk for these activities, so I was somewhat busy (I had some helpers, Thanks).

          That weekend was our Yard Sale Fund raiser for camp for both the pre-teens and the youth. We also had a car wash going at the same time. I spent time here and there over the last few weeks getting ready for it, I was the chairperson. The kids and I spent most of Friday helping get everything set up. My folks also were still close by and wanted to see us for 1 last visit Friday night, so after picking Marty up from work, grabbing a late lunch, and running back to the church to do more setting up,  around 7pm we all headed up to McKinney to eat dinner and have Ice Cream at Dairy Queen.

          Then on Saturday morning, the whole family got up to church at 6:30am to finish set up and started the sale at 8am. I sent Marty and Andy off around 10:30 to go attend a 1 day special event for physical impaired kids and adults. He had lots of fun. Ryan and I stayed back at the yard sale, the sale ended at 3pm then started the cleanup. We loaded all that was left over into a donations truck, put away tables, vacuumed, and set up the fellowship hall for Sunday service. With all the great help, everything was done by 4pm. I took care a few more things and then Ryan and went and took care of the choir folders for Sunday service. By the time we were done Marty and Andy were on their way back to the church to get us. We got out of there shortly after 6pm. Long day!!

          Sunday morning started with Sunday School class, then service, sing with the choir and then slip out the door to check on what else was needed for the fellowship meal lunch. I ran home to put together a salad and grab the coleslaw we had forgotten to bring, back to church for lunch. We had a special business meeting and on the way home around 3:30pm. I had a little while at home before I was off again. I had told some of the youth that I would try to come and hang out during the youth program on Sunday evenings. I went and picked up 1 at 5pm, off to church. At 5:45pm, head out to pick another 1 from work at 6pm, back to the church. Hangout until after 8pm, run to grab some take out dinner (Marty was to tired to cook, and so was I) and stop to fill the gas tank before going home! Dinner and bed!

          Then started a new week! Monday- I was lazy all day! Tuesday, took Marty to work, did some errands and then pick Marty up with a change of clothes for him, and Golf events! Wednesday first night of All Stars, worked the registration table, took care of choir folders, choir practice afterwards and home around 8:30pm. Thursday, took Marty to work. We needed to do some shopping for items Andy will need at camp next week. He is expensive!! Pick Marty up when he finally got done after 8pm! Dinner on the way home and then bed for the whole family!

          Today I have been going through the packing list for Andy. Have the kids cleaning up their toy room so Chris can have a room to himself when he comes to stay next week with Ryan. Marty will have to work, Andy will be at Spina Bifida Camp Sunday through Friday and I am going to the Southern Baptist Convention in Houston Monday through late Wednesday. I started to realize that I also need a packing list! We also need some labels for Andy's camp stuff, so I ordered some from Staples online and a stamp to share contact info with new friends. We have to run and pick them up later.

          Tomorrow Marty has to be at church by 9 am for lawn care, Andy has another practice at Top Golf  9-11am and then we need to finish washing clothes and packing for both trips. We are missing church this Sunday as Andy needs to be at Scottish Rite at 9:30 am for his pre-camp physical, then get all the check in process done, lunch ate and ready to get on the bus at noon. Marty has a meeting at church at 2:30 and then I am going to the youth program again in the evening. I have to be ready to go on Monday around noon, Chris will be coming over at that point so I'll have to cover things with him then. I'll be picked up around 2 pm to head down to the Southern Baptist Convention in Houston. I have signed up for extra break-out sessions at breakfast time and lunch time on both days. There also is a movie screening of Grace Unplugged on Tuesday evening 9pm- 11pm. We'll head back to Dallas after the day is over on Wednesday late afternoon.

          Andy gets back from camp on Friday around noon time and then there is a Parents Night Out event at church that evening. Top Golf again on Saturday morning, then church on Sunday. Andy's Dallas Golf Tournament is on Monday around noontime. Then it will be Tuesday so he'll have the golf lessons at Scottish Rite again.

          We don't have anything planned until beginning of July, when the kids go to pre-teen camp with church. And then at the end of July is VBS/ Soccer Camp week. Fathers day is going to be a quick blip! But at least we know the kids have something to do this summer! LOL We also want to find Ryan some rec department activity to participate in. He's starting to get jealous of all Andy's activities.
          So, there's the update and forecast..... I will try to catch you up again soon! Forgive me and don't give up on me if I don't check in that often for awhile.

Andy's Birthday, remembering back to the pregnancy 11 years ago!

My baby is growing up too fast! He was born 11 years ago, on Friday, May 24th at 10:03am. He weighed in at 3427 grams (7 1/2 lbs) and 48cms (19 inches) On Saturday May 25th at 6:30am he had his first or 14 surgeries. They said he might not ever walk, or would need assistive devices like braces and walkers. Today he runs and walks with no assistance, is very smart (spells better than me!) and is above all, a happy, God-loving child. My miracle, (Dr.'s said I would never have children), my oldest, my son!
 When I started my journey into mommy-hood, I didn't know what to expect. I knew that I always wanted to be a mom, but was told so long that I couldn't have children I was starting to believe it. It was an unusual start to the pregnancy. The first weekend in October of 2001, Marty and I went camping, we were checking out a time-share campground. The whole weekend we kept talking about how nice the place was and since it had an adult only clubhouse and activities, we could find ways to be happy and enjoy spending time without having children in our lives. We had been told, again, earlier that spring that we could not get pregnant. So all summer and into the fall, we had been spending time together finding a way to make a life without children. For the 9years before that summer, every choice we made was with the plan of how this or that would work with children in the picture. Now we had accepted that there would be no children. 

A month after that camp-out, I got up on a Monday morning and decided to take a pregnancy test. Don't know why but I had an old one sitting in the cupboard so I took it. It had a faint 2nd line! I called Marty in to look at it, he didn't even know what having 2 lines on a pregnancy test meant. (this was before nursing school) Off to the store we went to get a new test kit. After letting Marty read every box in the store and choosing what one he thought was the best, we head for the checkout only for Marty to ask, "What happens if this is negative?" I answer, "Wait a week and re-test." We do a u-turn and head back for a 2 pack! After we get back home I re-test..... positive!! After all these years of trying and not getting pregnant, I want a blood test and Dr.'s confirmation! So I call the office and get in that day. They re-test and take blood, tell me to stop taking my medications and hand me a prescription for pre-natal vitamins. I also need to find a different Dr. as that one was a General Physician, need a good OB. So I call around, find one in Raleigh and have an appointment for the next week. Get the lab results back on Wednesday, I am 2-3 months along??? That next appointment they do a Ultrasound, I am 10 weeks along. Everything looks and good and we set up the appointments for the next 2 months. 
The next few months are great, we tell my folks, call Marty's folks and tell everyone else! We celebrate Christmas, my Mom fills a small pink stocking with gifts and a blue one. There are gifts for the new baby under the tree. My mom and Marty are convinced that it will be a girl, I tell them it will be a boy since they think it's a girl! LOL We decided that we don't want to know the sex until birth. I am having an easy pregnancy and no problems.
The week between Christmas and New Year is my lab appointment for a "tri-panel" blood test, it is now a "multi-panel" test. This test looks for indicators of Trisomy 18, Downs Syndrome, and Neural Tube Defects. I didn't think anything about it at the time, just another test for me. A week and a half later, I get a call. The lab results are not normal, they want me to go to a special Ultra Sound clinic and meet with a genetic councilor. I ask what do the lab results indicate, "possible Spina Bifida." I had never heard of it before. We start researching and go talk to a friend at the health department. Everyone tells us not to worry, there are false lab results like this one all the time. 
January 10th, 2002 we go to the Special clinic and meet a genetic councilor. She talks with us for awhile and asks us if we want to abort if there is something wrong with our baby. We know at this point that Spina Bifida doesn't affect intelligence, only physical problems. We let her know that if there is the slightest quality of life for this baby, it's ours and we will not throw it away. We then go back into a room for a "level 2" ultra sound. The technician is very nice but very calm, she does the looking and we can't see the screen. She leaves the room for a few moments and brings back in a Doctor we have never met. He says, "We see the Banana Sign and the Lemon Sign but we can't see a defect clearly. We know this baby has Spina Bifida just not exactly where. We still want to do an Amniocentesis to confirm, so please sign this release form." He hands me a pen and a form, then starts to get ready for the procedure. We start mumbling, and he says, "Well I guess we can give you a few minutes to talk it over but we need to do this." He leaves the room and the tech steps out for a few after handing me some tissues. I am numb at this point. I try to talk but everytime I open my mouth I just cry more. Marty is standing next to me and just looking at me asking, "What does this mean?" I want to answer him, but again I just keep crying. I calm down, the tech comes back in and we sign the form. The Doctor comes in and does the procedure then asks if we have any further questions or would we like to schedule an abortion. We tell him no, we are not aborting. He directs the tech to help by showing us the pictures and do further measurements with the ultrasound and he leaves. She is great, she showed us the pictures and explained the findings. We are now feeling better, so back into the genetic councilors office we go. Again we are asked if we want to schedule an abortion. "No!" We answer again. We don't stay long, talk very little, I remember asking her questions and she kept just telling us to go home and wait for the results. 
A week later she calls with the results, our baby has Spina Bifida. During this time we have been doing some research. I had asked her about a surgery that could be done while still pregnant at that 1st appointment. She had responded with, "Oh you don't want that surgery, those babies die. It doesn't work." Well, in our research, it does work. In fact there was a national study getting ready to start to compare the benefits to the risks. So when she called I asked her why she had lied, "Well, I thought you didn't need all that info. You just needed to go home and deal with the new news. And I thought you might want to abort the baby anyway!" Really??? I told her that no, I would not abort. I also would have like more info, how can we make informed decisions without the information? I then asked her for the sex. She says, "Why do you want to know? I thought you both wanted to wait for birth to find out?" "We want to name the baby. We want to talk of our son or daughter has Spina Bifida and this is what we are going to do for our baby!" So, it's a boy! "Great, that means Andy has Spina Bifida and who do we need to see now to learn our next steps to make Andy be the healthiest kid we can?" She is stunned, she is expecting us to crumple with grief. Not us, we are ready to meet it head on and make plans for a great future with our miracle baby! We looked into doing the surgery, no insurance would pay for it, and we would have had to pay $34,000.00 up front. There would be travel to either San Fransisco or Philly and lots of other restrictions on top of that. Andy's level of defect (L5-S1) was still being debated on... benefit verses risks. The risks were high... 90-100%, preemie birth 30-35 weeks, gestational diabetes, not to mention possibly loosing the ability to carry another baby ever again or any future pregnancies would then carry high risk for preemie as well because of the surgical scar tissue. We decided against it, the benefits for his level were not that great and we could give him a stronger start if we could "cook" him longer.

The next few months went along with preparations for Andy's arrival. We had lots of extra Doctors appointments, changed Doctors to a Fetal Maternal Specialist. Delivery was planned for June 11th at UNC Chapel Hill. They have the NICU and the important Pediatric Neurosurgeon Specialist that will need to perform Andy's first surgery within 24-48 hours after his birth to close his back. We met with the head of the NICU to discuss the details of his hospital stay, how things work and what to expect. We met the Spinal Bifida clinic staff and the Physical Medicine Specialist at UNC.  We had lots of ultra sounds to check his development and to watch for possible complications that can effect Spina Bifida kids. And asked close to a dozen times, "Do you want to abort?" and answered everytime, "NO!"

My in-laws came to visit in March and we re-painted Andy's room and painted the extra bedroom. Marty and his Dad worked on tiling the bathroom we had started to redo before the pregnancy. Marty and I finished the rest in April. My folks came back to North Carolina from Florida in mid-April. The baby shower was planned and happened on May 19th.
   
We started calling around and looking for a Pediatrician that could handle a special needs child and would be able to work with all the specialists Andy would have.We found a great practice in Raleigh and were told that there was a meet the staff event for new parents on Monday, May 20th in the evening. So we drove down and got to the office to find the event had been cancelled. When we explained our situation and what we were looking for in a Pediatrician, the desk gal went to talk to a few of the Doctors. She came back and said that 2 of the partners wanted to meet us and talk. We spent only about 20 minutes talking to them but walked away knowing that these were the Doctors we wanted.


On Thursday, May 23rd, we went down to UNC for our 37 week check-up and twice weekly BPP (Bio-Physical Profile) an ultra sound that measures growth, breathing, movement and fluid. We had been doing these visits twice a week since the 32nd week. We had the ultra sound and were at the appointment when my Doctor starts the conversation with, "We had a meeting Monday about Andy and we want to make some changes to the delivery and schedule." Well, it seems that they are concerned with how big he is growing and that he is not going to wait for June 1th to be born. Because of the opening in his back, they do not want him to go through labor, they want to do a C-section instead to be able to control the birth. According to the ultra sounds, he is around 7-8 lbs already and can gain 1/2 to 1 lb a week during the last few weeks. My Doctor is also going be out of town the week before his scheduled delivery date and wants to deliver him herself. So the plan is to do an Amniocentesis and confirm his lung development, then plan the C-sections for the following week. We agree to this plan and they find that we can do the Amnio after lunch time. We grab lunch and go in for the Amnio. My Doctor is able to do the procedure herself but has to have the Attending covering that department review and sign off on it. So this little 4 foot 10inch woman comes into the room to review everything and says, "I want to help deliver this baby too. I am free tomorrow morning, so let's do it tomorrow!" 
Ummmmmmm, Wait a minute. "The last I knew, the neurosurgeon was on maternaty leave, is she back? And we don't even know if he's ready to come out yet!"
She pats my belly and says, "Don't worry hon, we'll take care of this." 
Well, she talks for another minute to my Doc and leaves the room. My Doc is calm and says don't worry about anything, she'll call me later with the results. So we head home.

    About 2 hours later, 10 mins after walking in the door, the phone rings. It's my Doctor, "Yeap, he's fully cooked! Why don't you be here at 8am and we'll deliver him?"
"Ummm, Ummm???"
"We know he's ready to come out, why not get it over with. We'll see your then, bye!"
Stunned???? I was! Well there starts the whirl wind. I now have to call my parents, Marty has to call his. We have to double check and make sure we have everything packed for the hospital, make arrangements for the dog and cats to be taken care of. I call my mom and just tell her that Andy's birthdate has been changed, she asks for the date and I just tell her the date, May 24th. "Ummm, Ummm, UUUMMMM...... That's Tomorrow!!!!" Yeap, dirty trick I played!



So, the next morning, we left the house at 6:30am to make the drive down. My folks met us there and at 10:03am, Andy was delivered into this world. He was passed across the room by his legs, they didn't want to touch his back. Then I got to catch a glimpse of him before the NICU team whisked him away to the NICU. Unfortunately for me, the maternity floor was filled and I had to wait in the recovery room until 5pm to get a room. That meant I couldn't go to the NICU to see Andy. My folks and Marty got to visit and hold him all day, I had to wait. When I finally got into my room, lactation was there and I had to learn about and use the pump. So, it was 5:30 before I got to the NICU. I got to spend the evening holding him, loving on him and enjoying him. The next morning they took him to surgery before I got there (15 minutes early). After surgery, he had to stay on his belly and we could not hold him for a few days. 
During surgery, Andy started crashing. They had to put a temporary covering on his back and flip him over to start CPR. He responded quickly and was fine after that. I don't remember how long that first surgery took, but we didn't get to see him until late afternoon. The rest of the week went un-eventful, and by Wednesday, he was ready to go home as soon as he gets his circumcision. A mix up in scheduling, he has to wait for Thursday afternoon for the circumcision. So one more night. Everything goes well with that and we are home before dark on Thursday!
So, there is the start of Andy's life and my Mommy-hood!! I'll try to write more soon about the surgeries and the experiences we have been through. Life has not been easy, but we have come through it all together and stronger for it.

Time is getting away from me!!

So, we have had some busy days over the last.... almost a week! I am working on a very long post. Last Friday was Andy's 11th birthday. I started to just write about the weekend fun, but that turned into remembering finding out I was pregnant and all that came during the pregnancy. I still have not finished it!
So, I'll give you a quick review of the last 5-6 days.
     Friday, boys went with Grandparents to In-Sync Exotic Wildlife Rescue in Wylie, TX. They got a private tour but the thunderstorms rained them out. We will have to back and finish the tour on another day. Then had dinner out at Olive Garden.
      Saturday morning was his last baseball game, he got an announcement by the MC and wished Happy Birthday by all in attendance, was last in the batting order so automatic home run! They got trophies and
pictures after the game. Then went to lunch with the Grandparents, then to pick out a birthday gift- new fishing pole and tackle! Finished the day celebrating our friend Chris's b-day at a park.... even in the rain!

Not very good at sharing in their sleep! LOL

      Sunday morning, Grandma calls and asks if the boys can miss church and can I pack them for a couple of days. They come pick the boys up and take they on a ride in the motor-home up to friends in Denison, TX. Marty and I go to church, lunch, back to church, to the store shopping for cookout planned for Monday, and clean up at home.
       Monday, Marty and I finish the prep for cookout, Grandma calls and wants to know when we can come pick up the boys? Not until after cookout, or they can join us! Great fun with friends (more like adopted family) and cookout ends around 8pm. Now off to go pick the boys up! Home, snack before bed and off to bed.
       Tuesday, was planning on going up to the church to work on Yard Sale prep, so I took Marty to work (leave home at 5:30am). Ended up sitting around talking to the neighbor most of the day. Off to pick Marty up from work, sit and wait for him.....(late added case- 1 1/2 hrs late!) off to Top Golf for Andy to practice for the KidSwing Golf Tournament. Got 1 hour in there and off to Scottish Rite for golf clinic, done there at 8pm, homeward bound and picking up dinner along the way!
       Wednesday, today.... I took Marty to work (again) and working on blog. I have some paperwork to do around here, then I am going to the church to work on yard sale prep. We have dinner at church tonight followed by an Ice Cream Social to celebrate the end of the year for Awana's and the beginning of the summer program, All Stars!

So, there is the catch-up since the last post! The boys spent the time up in Denison fishing, swimming, and driving a golf cart. Ryan says he worked on learning how to drive a golf cart, Andy learned how to crash one! I guess Andy hit a fence, gate, took a chunk out of a tree and almost ran into a pond! I think we'll have to start working on driving skills early! Sounds like he needs all the extra help he can get.

They are learning how to fish, Andy seems to be very lucky at catching them! You'll notice, they still wear matching clothing. Ryan is the one who insists, Andy just found it easier to go with the flow on that subject!

Shopping and saving money????

Saving on shopping puts money in the bank!

Most of you know that I LOVE COUPONS!! Using coupons and finding deals, I have a small stockpile of a few items. I have enough laundry soap to last the next year, enough dryer sheet to last the next 6 months, deodorant to last a year, and a few other stockpile items. I don't do the extreme coupon shopping, just collect items that we use when they are at a good price. I don't have enough room to do a huge stockpile and don't like to invest that much time and effort into building it! I just try to get the best deal I can for items we use.


I home school the boys, that means all meals are in the home! Marty does get lunch at work sometimes, but only about 2 times a week. That means I need food for 3 meals a day all 30 days of the month, for a family of 4. Over the years, I have worked out what my personal price point  (PPP) was for most items. Following that PPP and couponing, I can feed the family for around $300 a month. Lots of folks spend that each week. I stock up when the cost is lower than my PPP, and skip buying items when they're over my PPP. Simple, right?? Now that doesn't mean that each month I only spend $300, some months I might spend $400 other months only $100. By stocking up at the lower price, I have food to use up some months and only have to pick up a few perishable like milk or bread.

Here are some other basic rules I follow to keep that cost so low.

I try to keep the cost for every meal under $5.00 for the whole meal, not per family member. That means I have to be careful to buy meats at lower costs.
Buy in larger packages and make more than 1 meal out of it.
I don't meal plan for everyday or even for each week, I buy items that I can make into a meal at anytime. Our daily cravings change so having a variety of foods to choose from keeps everyone happy.
I buy items that I can make quickly or that I can put into the crockpot.
I will buy an item that is not on my list if it's a good deal!
I will shop at different stores to get the best deals. The savings can add up to more than the cost of gas.

So now, here are some of my Personal Price Points.

Meats- in general I try to stay below $3.00 per pound.
   Chicken- bone-in below $1.00 per pound
   Chicken- boneless below $1.70 per pound
   Ground Beef- below $2.70 per pound
   Steaks- below the $3.00 per pound
   Pork- chops and loin  $2.50 per pound
   Ham- bone-in below $1.50 per pound
   Ham- boneless below $2.50 per pound
   Fish- close to $3.00 per pound
Cheese-
   Block or shredded- below $4.00 per pound  (watch the package size and do the math)
   Slices- below $2.50 a pound
Dairy products- Butter, sour cream, cottage cheese, cream cheese- below $2.00 a pound
Milk- Below $2.60 a gallon
Produce- all below $1.00 per pound or $1.00 per meals worth (That means some things like lettuce might cost $1.50 per pound but I can get at least 2 meals out of it.)
Canned Veggies- below $0.60 can (This is where shopping at the Dollar Tree can help.)
Canned Fruit- below $0.80 a can
Paper towel- below $0.50 per roll
Toilet Tissue- My real target is as close to $0.01 per sq ft. But lately the price is higher at $0.02 per sq ft. (This is easy math, 100 sq ft package= $2.00 or less)
Laundry soap- as close to $0.05 per load (34 load package= $1.70)
Condiments- Ketchup, BBQ sauce, salad dressings, ect. Below $1.00 per bottle
Dry Pasta- below $1.00 per pound
Mac-n-cheese- $0.35 per box

Frozen items is harder to put a PPP, they vary in meal size and value to your needs. This is where my meal cost price point comes into play more. If I still target under $5.00 for the meal yet am wanting to buy a frozen Lasagna for an easy meal night, I might look at coupons and sales to find one around $7.00 or less for the larger family size. Then I have to look at cutting my meal cost for the rest of that day to make up the difference. Lunch might be cheap sandwiches at a meal cost of only $3.00 to offset the dinners higher cost.

Shopping at different stores, what deals can you really get???

I enjoy shopping and saving money, I get more excited to see a total savings of 50% or more than opening gifts on Christmas morning! When Dollar Tree started taking coupons in the Fall of 2012, I was delighted. I was able to stock up on different products at a huge discount! They carry Hefty brand baggies, there are coupons out for $1.50 when you buy 2, that means paying only $0.50 for 2 boxes at the Dollar Tree.
I shop at the hispanic/ ethnic stores for great deals on meats and produce. They put dry pasta on sale regularly, it's usually a 7oz package size but at a sale price of 3 or 4 for $1.00. That make the price right around $0.60 to $0.75 per pound. I have gotten some great deals on cereal there too.
Drug stores are great for finding deals on paper products and cleaning supplies. I have also gotten awesome deals on frozen pizza and Splenda at these stores. Pay attention to their coupon books, you can "stack" at these stores as well for extra savings!
Big box stores, well I don't do much shopping at Walmart, yes they will price match but the hassle you might go through is now worth it. I can get a better deal elsewhere most of the time. Target is a great place to shop, but you have to know your prices and do your homework before you go. They offer coupons to print from online, and mobile coupons. You can "stack" coupons, use a "Red-card" for extra 5% savings, and bring your own bags for $0.05 off for each bag used. Another way to get extra savings is to fill your prescriptions there and sign up for the RX Rewards. For every 5 prescriptions filled, they mail you a 5% savings card. It is only good for 1 day, but multiple purchases in that day. The "Red-card" is either a credit card (you can apply online) or a debit card. The Debit card is easy to get, take a check into the service counter and ask for a Red-card, they will scan the check and issues you a temporary card, the card will come in the mail. You will use it like a debit card, mine used the same PIN as my bank debit card. I have noticed that it takes a few days for it to show up on my bank website, so be careful not to overdraw your account. The best of all, you can stack all these savings together!
Office supply stores can be good to find paper products and coffee. Sometimes you can get deals on cleaning supplies as well. And of course, paper and ink for printing coupons. I also sign up for the rewards programs and get coupons. I used one to buy a paper cutter to cut coupons.

Now, onto coupons!!!

Coupon policies are different for each store. But there are a few basics to remember, Use a coupon if it is a better deal, and don't buy something just because you have a coupon. Buy the products your family is going to use, exception is when you are buying free or close to free for donating. Check the expiration dates, but also if it is with in a day or so after expiration, ask the store if they will accept it. I have been able to use a few coupons for great deals after expiration by asking first.
Most of the time you will only get "face value" for your coupons, that is a $0.50 off when you buy 2 is worth $0.50. But when your store has a doubling policy, that coupon can be worth $1.00 off 2 items. In my area, Dallas/ Ft. Worth, there are 2 stores with doubling and tripling policies but there is a catch!
Tom Thumb, a Safeway store, will double coupons up to $0.50- i.e. worth $1.00, and will triple $0.39 or less coupons. The catch, only the 1st like coupon with double or triple. So, if you have 2 or more coupons that are exactly alike, only 1 will double. Now you can do separate transactions to make both double, but that doesn't work if the sale is a Buy 1 get 1 50% off! You also have to pay close attention to the numbers in the bar code of the coupon, sometimes the coupon might look different but have the same number, in that case the 2nd will not double.
Albertson's is another store the doubles and triples. They triple only $0.35 or less coupons, and double the rest up to $0.50. While they have a benchmark for triples at only $0.35, they triple like coupons up to 4. And I have never seen a coupon with an odd value of $0.39! Albertson's also give a bag credit of $0.05 per bag used, so bring your bags with you to save more.

Stacking??? What's that?

Some store put out their own coupons, you've seen them in the paper, gotten them in the store and can recognize them because they say "Store Coupon" at the top as opposed to "Manufacture Coupon". Some of those stores allow what's called "stacking". It means that if you have a store coupon for a product and a manufacture coupon for the same product, you can use both on the product. Recently, I had a Target coupon for $3.00 off when you bought 3 Bounce Dryer sheets. I also had a manufactures coupon for $3.00 off when you buy 3 Bounce Dryer sheets. Target had small packages containing 34 sheets, for $1.97 each. By stacking the coupons, I got all 3 packages for free.

Where to get coupons???

There are many sources of coupons, most known way is from the Sunday papers. These days you can also print them from on-line locations and get them from the stores themselves. In the stores you will find them at displays, tear pads and blinking machines, and even "peelies" (on the product where you peel and use at the check out.)
You can also get E-coupons, electronic coupons that are loaded to your store rewards cards. I do some of the e-coupons but am very careful about the coupon values. If I load a $0.75 off coupon to my Tom Thumb card and then find a $0.50 off manufactures coupon, it is a better deal to use the paper coupon since I know it will double. I primarily only load coupons with a value of $1.00 or more to my rewards cards. Even then you have to watch for them to be good off 1 product and not off 2 or more. Example, e-coupon value of $1.00 off when you buy 2 is not as good as 2 paper coupons valued at $0.75 off 1.
E-coupons can be loaded through a stores website and sometimes extras through Cellfire.com. You pick and choose your coupons and then load them, they usually are available for use within 2 hours.
I have asked folks at church to bring me their unused coupons. I even have 1 person that brings me her grocery ad's because she gets ad's for some stores I don't. I can then price compare and plan a shopping trip to a different part of town if the deals are good. That brings us to the next point!

How to read the ad's and find the deals!!

I sit down with a pad of paper and the sale ad's. As I go through the ad's I write down the store name, and then list items that I think we might need, things that are at my PPP or better, and things that I know we need. As I go through each store ad, I make a new column for each store. If I come across an item at a better price at a different store, I write down the new price under that store's column and then go back to the higher price and draw 1 line through it. Only 1 line! If later in the week when I am out shopping and find most of the items I really needed at other stores but still have 1 item listed at a great price at a store I haven't made it to, I can then make a decision if it is worth my time or gas to travel to that store or pick it up where I am at for a higher price. Example; I put tomatoes down for $0.88 per pound at Sprout's, but I have found everything I need at Albertson's and they have tomatoes for $0.99 per pound. I will probably pay the $0.99 a pound for tomatoes and not drive halfway across town to get only tomatoes at the cheaper rate.
The other thing to keep in mind is prices off multi packs. If you buy soda, you will see prices for 6, 12, 24 or even 30 packs. This is where you have to do the math. Take the price and divide it by the count. You might think your getting a better deal buying the larger count but in reality the better deal might be on the medium count package.

So, I have given you just the basics. If you have questions, PLEASE ask. It might, probably will, spark more helpful information.

Spina Bifida..... What is it?????

So, I had promised a few years back to write more about Spina Bifida and what it is. Well, I'm finally getting around to it! 

Wikipedia says, is a developmental congenital disorder caused by the incomplete closing of the embryonic neural tube. Some vertebrae overlying the spinal cord are not fully formed and remain un-fused and open. If the opening is large enough, this allows a portion of the spinal cord to protrude through the opening in the bones. There may or may not be a fluid-filled sac surrounding the spinal cord.

Other neural tube defects include anencephaly, a condition in which the portion of the neural tube that will become the cerebrum does not close, and encephalocele, which results when other parts of the brain remain unfused.

 Spina bifida malformations fall into three categories: spina bifida occulta, spina bifida cystica with meningocele, and spina bifida cystica with myelomeningocele. Spina bifida can be surgically closed after birth, but this does not restore normal function to the affected part of the spinal cord. Spina bifida is one of the most common birth defects with a worldwide incidence of about 1 in every 1000 births.

Myelomeningocele;  This type of spina bifida often results in the most severe complications. In individuals with myelomeningocele, the un-fused portion of the spinal column allows the spinal cord to protrude through an opening. The meningeal membranes that cover the spinal cord form a sac enclosing the spinal elements.

So, now you know what the technical description is.... Andy has Myelomeningocele. It is a hole in the spine and the cord/ nerves come out the hole, and then go back in. They are damaged during pregnancy as the amniotic fluid becomes acidic to those nerves around week 25 of pregnancy. The actual opening happens  during the first month (weeks 3-4) of the pregnancy,  before most women know they are pregnant. Before I knew I was pregnant!

What causes Spina Bifida???

 Lots of different things are believed to be the cause. Medications such as some anticonvulsants, diabetes, having a relative with spina bifida, obesity, and an increased body temperature from fever or external sources such as hot tubs and electric blankets may increase the chances of delivery of a baby with a spina bifida. Research has shown the lack of folic acid (folate) is a contributing factor of neural tube defects, including spina bifida. Supplementation of the mother's diet with folate can reduce the incidence of neural tube defects by about 70%, and can also decrease the severity of these defects when they occur. The recommended amount of folic acid for women of childbearing age and women planning to become pregnant is at least 0.4 mg/day of folic acid from at least three months before conception, and continued for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Women who have already had a baby with spina bifida or other type of neural tube defect, or are taking anticonvulsant medication should take a higher dose of 4–5 mg/day.

Ok, so now we know what it is, how it's caused, but what problems does it create???

Physical signs of spina bifida may include:

Leg weakness and paralysis
Orthopedic abnormalities (i.e., club foot, hip dislocation, scoliosis)
Bladder and bowel control problems, including incontinence, urinary tract infections, and poor renal function, Neurogenic bladder resulting in the need for Intermittent catheterization several times a day to empty the bladder,  constipation requiring medications and sometimes surgical interventions.
Pressure sores and skin irritations
Abnormal eye movement
68% of children with spina bifida have an allergy to latex, ranging from mild to life-threatening. The common use of latex in medical facilities makes this a particularly serious concern.
The spinal cord lesion or the scarring due to surgery may result in a tethered spinal cord. In some individuals, this causes significant traction and stress on the spinal cord and can lead to a worsening of associated paralysis, scoliosis, back pain, and worsening bowel and/or bladder function.
  

Neurological complications

Many individuals with spina bifida have an associated abnormality of the cerebellum, called the Arnold Chiari II malformation. In affected individuals, the back portion of the brain is displaced from the back of the skull down into the upper neck. In about 90% of the people with myelomeningocele, hydrocephalus also occurs because the displaced cerebellum interferes with the normal flow of cerebrospinal fluid, causing an excess of the fluid to accumulate. In fact, the cerebellum also tends to be smaller in individuals with spina bifida, especially for those with higher lesion levels.The corpus callosum is abnormally developed in 70-90% of individuals with spina bifida myelomeningocele; this impacts the communication processes between the left and right brain hemispheres.
Several studies have demonstrated difficulties with executive functions in youth with spina bifida, with greater deficits observed in youth with shunted hydrocephalus. Unlike typically developing children, youths with spina bifida do not tend to improve in their executive functioning as they grow older. Specific areas of difficulty in some individuals include planning, organizing, initiating, and working memory. Problem-solving, abstraction, and visual planning may also be impaired.
Individuals with spina bifida tend to have better reading skills than mathematics skills. Children and adults with spina bifida have stronger abilities in reading accuracy than in reading comprehension. Comprehension may be especially impaired for text that requires an abstract synthesis of information rather than a more literal understanding. Individuals with spina bifida may have difficulty with writing due to deficits in fine motor control and working memory.

Social complications

 Compared to typically developing children, youths with spina bifida may have fewer friends and spend less time with peers. They may be more passive in social situations. These children have also reported feeling less close to their friends and feel they do not receive as much emotional support from their friendships. However, not all studies have found social difficulties in these youth compared with their typically developing peers.

Treatment

There is no known cure for nerve damage caused by spina bifida.To prevent further damage of the nervous tissue and to prevent infection, pediatric neurosurgeons operate to close the opening on the back. The spinal cord and its nerve roots are put back inside the spine and covered with meninges. In addition, a shunt may be surgically installed to provide a continuous drain for the excess cerebrospinal fluid produced in the brain, as happens with hydrocephalus. Shunts most commonly drain into the abdomen or chest wall. However, if spina bifida is detected during pregnancy, then open or minimally-invasive fetal surgery can be performed.
Most individuals with myelomeningocele will need periodic evaluations by a variety of specialists:

• Physiatrists coordinate the rehabilitation efforts of different therapists and prescribe specific therapies, adaptive equipment, or medications to encourage as high of a functional performance within the community as possible.
• Orthopedists monitor growth and development of bones, muscles, and joints.
• Neurosurgeons perform surgeries at birth and manage complications associated with tethered cord and hydrocephalus.
• Neurologists treat and evaluate nervous system issues, such as seizure disorders.
• Urologists to address kidney, bladder, and bowel dysfunction - many will need to manage their urinary systems with a program of catheterization. Bowel management programs aimed at improving elimination are also designed.
• Ophthalmologists evaluate and treat complications of the eyes.
• Orthotists design and customize various types of assistive technology, including braces, crutches, walkers, and wheelchairs to aid in mobility. As a general rule, the higher the level of the spina bifida defect, the more severe the paralysis, but paralysis does not always occur. Thus, those with low levels may need only short leg braces, whereas those with higher levels do best with a wheelchair, and some may be able to walk unaided.
• Physical therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, and speech/language pathologists aid in rehabilitative therapies and increase independent living skills.

Spina bifida is one of the most common birth defects, with an average worldwide incidence of one to two cases per 1000 births, but certain populations have a significantly greater risk.
In the United States, the average incidence is 0.7 per 1000 live births. The incidence is higher on the East Coast than on the West Coast, and higher in white people (one case per 1000 live births) than in black people (0.1–0.4 case per 1000 live births). Immigrants from Ireland have a higher incidence of spina bifida than do natives. Highest rates of the defect in the USA can be found in Hispanic youth. Although, the rates are only partially accounted for because some fetuses are aborted when tests show signs of spina bifida.

Return to blogging! Now what?

Now that I have returned to the world of blogging, I wonder if this title/ blog name is the best? I can't seem to think of our family in any other way than, "The RN travel family!" So, for now, I am keeping the name the same. So many of our friends and family think of us as always on the move. We still are on the go alot, just more locally instead of cross-country!

 Storms out this afternoon, golf trip canceled! Andy was to have some simple lessons at Scottish Rite at 6:30 after a practice time at Top Golf. He is participating in a tournament on June 17th. I am adding a link to his fund raiser page! We have been trying to get him involved in sports/ activities that challenge him and help him gain confidence. He has been having trouble with a self-defeating attitude. Thinking that because of his Spina Bifida, that he can't do everything the same as other kids, so why bother. NO MORE! He is a highly intelligent kid that should be able to make his own way of participating.

So, other than all that.... This week is going ok. We have ants getting into the house, landlord supposed to come spray! AWANA at church is finishing up, now onto the summer program! I keep adding items to the shopping list, no idea when I will get to the store to get anything. Andy's birthday is on Friday, not made any special plans yet. I haven't even figured out what to get him! Ryan is easy, but Andy...... no so easy. I need to start on dinner, originally we were going to eat out in between golfing stops.

Tomorrow, I will try to focus on some of my frugal tips and shopping helps. I have been asked by different people to teach a class, so I guess if I start putting it together on here, you all can let me know what you think.

Change is in the air!!!

They tired of traveling!!!

So, I know that I have not been doing very good at updating and posting, but life has been changing..... A LOT!
After 18 addresses in the last 6 years, we have decided to settle down, in 1 location! We made 3 trips to the Dallas area over the last 6 years. We have ended up at the same church every time, it's family.
In January, we decided to take a leap of faith. We wanted to settle down and stay in Dallas, but Marty was having trouble finding a job. Some said he couldn't start soon enough, others just couldn't seem to get the right people to look at the right paperwork. So in March, we said we were just going to make a way to do it. We cashed out an old 401K and rented a townhouse. Moved in the 1st weekend in April. Marty got a permanent job and started within 2 weeks.

While for the last 8 years he has been working in Pediatrics, he found a job in an adult day surgery clinic. He works 5 days a week, 6am to 2:30pm. Has 1 day a week he is on-call and works late if needed, and will have 1 weekend every 7-8 weeks on call. It's been hard getting used to the different lifestyle. We all are not used to him being gone every day of the week. He is getting used to being busy everyday!

Andy has been participating is recreational therapies and activities. First there was Tues night dance class for 8 weeks, this week is the last week for Baseball every Saturday morning, and starts Tuesday night Golf lessons for the summer! Most of the activities have been offered through Scottish Rite Hospital at no cost. The Baseball is a Miracle League for $40 for the 6 week season. He also is going to Spina Bifida camp in June. With all the traveling we have done over the last 6 years, we have never been in a location long enough to sign him up and stay long enough for him to attend.

Both boys will be attending pre-teen church camp this July! I am working with a few of the adults that are going to handle Andy's needs while there. 

Ryan took a profession of faith and was baptized back in December! Both boys have now been saved and baptized at the same church by the same pastor. That pastor decided to move on, and the church deacons asked him to move on, back in February. Marty and I have plugged ourselves in to lots at church. Marty is on the search committee for a new pastor, is a team leader for yard mowing/ maintenance. And I am on a few committees, Children's and finance. I became the Awana secretary in January and take care of the choir music closet and prepare the choir folders for Sunday service. I was nominated and appointed the yard sale chair person as well! Soooooo much to do!

My folks are currently in town visiting, staying in their RV. It has been 2 1/2 years since we had seen my dad and 1 1/2 years since my mom was able to make a trip to visit us. They are only going to be around for these 2 weeks or so, but it's great to see how happy the boys are to spend time with them.
Last year, we got an assignment in Wisconsin. We spent 6 months up there and were able to go spend about 10 weekends with Marty's folks. We took the opportunity to clean out some of the storage, put some things into storage and get some items out of the storage. I still need to plan a way to get back up there and completely empty it out and bring it all down here!

Ok, I think that is enough of an update for 1 day! I have a little more time to update this blog now, and plan on doing so! I have been up-ing my game when it comes to couponing and frugal living, so I will share more on that too. Bye for now!