Where'd Summer Go?

All I can say is WOW, summer went by really fast and I am dreading winter! LOL All of the children start school next week (I'm soooo excited). Jewel is actually starting back to public :( and will be in 7th grade. Dash will be in 4th grade and Spitfire will be starting pre-K which will be everyday (1/2 days). Twink will be starting a developmental pre-school which will be two days a week (1/2 day). She will receive some of her therapies at school and will also receive some at home. I think this will be great for her but I must admit I am a weeeeee bit nervous! LOL I just think of all the germs and then I think of her getting sick and then the seizures and then my mind goes a little crazy. It is out of my hands and I must give it over to the Lord.

We went away last weekend and I would like to say it was relaxing but how could it be with two toddlers!?!? I think I was delusional when I thought it would be. ;) We did have fun between the kids arguing and the melt downs though. We rented a cottage in the mountains on a lake (more like a cliff over looking a lake). Oh I must tell you, TJewel, Spitfire and I took a paddle boat out on the lake for an hour. Well about 5 minutes into our ride we could no longer peddle. We could not for the life of us figure out what was wrong. I got off my seat and went towards the front of the boat and realized the string that tied the boat to the dock fell into the water and wrapped around the peddles! So here we are in the middle of the lake unable to peddle and all but two boat just returned to shore! Spitfire by this point was ready to get out. I was able to yell to the closet boat (which happened to be two kids ages 10 and 12) and they were able to pull us in while their mom snapped pictures of the rescue! LOL Spitfire was determined she was not getting back into another boat BUT we got her in and we went out for a bit and was able to find our cabin where Daddy and Dash were waiting for us. The ride didn't last long because Spitfire (who was hanging on for dear life) started to cry so we headed back in towards dry land.

















We hit the water park the day before and I must say I like going in the middle of the week. Twink hates water so it was not much fun for her but as long as she was not set in the water she was fine. Spitfire on the other hand loved it!






I'm sure I've missed telling you some thing but I must go and visit some of your blogs! Oh yes, we finished our pastors house! It looks great and we are so happy they arrived safely!

Great Reports!

As many of you may know yesterday was Twink's "surgery". Twink went in to have ear tubes placed and a sedated hearing test. The doctors and nurses were great! I think I was only sitting out in the waiting room for less than 10 minutes and the doctor came out and said that he was finished. He did not have to place tubes in her ears because there was no fluid or mucus. He did say he cleaned a ton of wax out of both ears though. I then had to wait an hour for them to finish the sedated hearing test.

Exactly one hour later they came out to get me and brought me into this small little room. She didn't waste anytime in telling me Twink can hear just fine! Did you hear me? Lia CAN hear everything. Thank you Lord! Now if she chooses to listen or tune you out is another story. LOL We have a follow up next week and a possible hearing test at age 3 but I think it is the standard type. She did say she couldn't promise me how well she processed what she was hearing but at this point I'm taking our victory!

Thank you for your prayers, they have been felt. We are looking forward to a very relaxing weekend!

Seven Random Things About Me .....

OK, I've been tagged by Jeanette a couple weeks ago so here goes...

First, the rules...

1) Link to the person who tagged you

2) Post the rules on your blog

3) Write 7 random things about yourself

4) Tag 7 people at the end of your post and link to them

5) Let each person know they have been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.

6) Let the tagger know when your entry is up

Now, let the randomness begin...

1.) When I was growing up I used to volunteer in the local hospital as a candy striper and could not wait until I was a Jr. in high school because then I could start the Licenced Practical Nurse Program through our local tech school.

2.) My last labor and delivery (Spitfire) was 45 minutes! Let's say intense and I asked for an epidural when I heard I was at 7cm. The Not so kind nurse told me that I would be delivering the baby soon and that there was not enough time. I think I panic at that moment. LOL

3.) I love bed and breakfasts. We've gone to the following ones and loved all of them! The Chalet Inn Rose Haven Inn 1790Bed & Breakfast

4.) I had neck surgery 8 days before our referral for Twink. So in our referral video I am wearing my neck collar and I was in so much pain. The excitement pretty much took over any feeling of pain once the phone rang and AWAA popped up. Then I had to try and figure if I'd actually be out of the stinking collar before we actually left for China. I was able to remove the collar 4 days before leaving for China ( 8 weeks from referral ) That's what I call cutting it close.

5.) I'm debating on if I should grow my hair out long again! LOL I do this every time I get my hair cut.

6.) I love to mow the grass on our ride on. I find it good meditation. We have a good size yard to mow and it take about an 1 1/2 to do the whole thing.

7.) I long to move to North Carolina at some point. I love the Smokey Mts.

I am tagging...Cristy Denise CarlaB Angie CarlaL Jodi and Erica

Results of EEG

Well it was normal! Can you believe that, normal. The neurologist did say that seizure activity can take place deep within the brain and not be picked up on an EEG. He did want to put her on a medication called Dilantin but it required blood draws every 6-8 weeks so I requested a different drug. I told him that she has already been through so much that if there was something else we could use I would rather try that. I also told him that it took my husband and I to hold her down for the EEG. I can't imagine doing that every 6-8 weeks. He told me the only other med we could use was phenobarbital which is just as bad and would also require the blood draws. He did tell me because she has only had two (but lengthy) seizures he would let us try rectal Valium at the on set of her next seizure. If that does not stop the seizure then we would then have to start medication. :(

So the good news is we did not start any permanent medication yet. The bad news is we will more than likely have to start medication within the next year. The Dilantin does terrible things to teeth so I pray that they would do another EEG first.

Tuesday we go for ear tubes and a sedated hearing test. Also just so you all know my husband and I (and our church) have been working extremely hard on redoing a house for our new pastor and his family who will be moving here next weekend. So if I have not been to your blog in two weeks that is why. We only had three weeks to get this house in tip top shape. Seems like I have not visited anyone in so long. Hope all is well with you.

EEG Done

Let's just say that was worse than the first one! The poor little peanut looked like a terrified wild animal trying to break free. It truly was heart breaking. If you could have only saw the fear in her eyes, I had to look away a couple of time before I lost it. The tech finally finished placing all the wires on Twink and she fell asleep. She was beat from all the crying and fighting. I'll tell you one thing, that baby can move that right arm purposefully at will. (The one side that was weakened from the stroke that she pays NO attention to)

The tech said she was able to get a very good reading. She also said because Twink had general sedation for her MRI before her last EEG that it could have messed with those results. So hopefully Monday we will get some answers and we won't have to do that again for awhile. The tech said the fact that she didn't have a seizure with all that stress she was under was a good thing. Stress, Illness, Drugs, Alcohol, Lack of Sleep and one more item can cause seizures! Good to know! So I will let you all know and hopefully we will get clearance to have surgery on the 19th for her tubes and sedated hearing test! :) Praying the tests are coming to an end.

Happy Birthday Spitfire!

I can't believe my baby is FOUR today! Look how sweet she is! Just look how young the other two look. Boohoo, they truly grow up fast. This weekend Twink has her EEG so we will have some sort of party next weekend for Spitfire. I thought I'd share these pictures for you all to see. :)