Why I haven’t been blogging much!

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

Happy Chinese New Year! It is the year of the Dragon and we had a great celebration. This year was a little bit of a different group and it was fun to share the tradition with new people too. I made a dragon cake that I am quite proud of and the kids were thrilled with.

Just before CNY we finally had a mini snow day. There was no school, since no one knows how to drive anything more than rain around here, so the kids built a snowman in a hurry before it melted! Then we peeled the drenched clothes off their freezing bodies and started the drying process. By afternoon it was all gone and life had returned to normal.

Heaven has a new angel tonight

I have followed the blogs of a couple of little boys for more than two years now. Both of them were born with a horrible, awful disease called Epidermolysis Bullosa, EB for short. Jonah is a little cutie who, despite this disease, is thriving and growing. Tripp has not been so lucky. Tripp has suffered every possible side affect ending up with a feeding tube, trach, constant pain, blindness and the inability to even move over the last couple of months. Today he finally earned his wings. He was a special blessing whose mother has proven to be an amazing young woman. The life Tripp lived was by no means a life of high quality. Yet he touched thousands and thousands of others in his short time here - more than most of us will be able to say! He has brought about an awareness of EB that never before existed. The two years of agony he lived had a purpose and now that purpose will live on in his memory. Please say a prayer for his mother and others who loved him! His blog is in my side bar if you want to check it out.

Why do I follow these blogs? Why to I subject myself to the sadness and suffering when I don't have to? I have asked myself this many times. I don't do it to make myself sad, nor is it to make myself feel better about my life. I find it very hard to put in to words the reasons I follow these stories.

The word compassion means: (1) a deep awareness and sympathy of the sufferings of another. (2) the humane quality of understanding the suffering of others and wanting to do something about it.

In addition to having the sorrow that is felt for the suffering of others, it is a willingness and an urge to assist them. The word compassion actually means to do something about feeling sorry, to be affected by their situation. It is to enter into another's sorrow and pain. When we feel true compassion, we will be moved inwardly. It means to be tenderhearted; to be sensitive and affectionate, to be moved with tender feelings over the pain and sufferings of others.

I have cried with and for these families. I have held my own children tighter. I have celebrated the triumphs as well - not every situation has a tragic ending. To be with these people in spirit is to feel a human connection that is unlike any other.

The suffering of innocent children is horrifying beyond words. But if we can somehow participate in suffering that we can not relieve, then somehow maybe our silent presence will relieve it.

Tonight I celebrate how well Jonah is doing while aching for the loss that Tripp's family is feeling. Do I know their pain? No. Lord willing, I never will. But if I should, then I can only imagine the comfort I might feel in knowing others were hurting with me and trying to ease my burden by simply sharing it.

First Grader!

I haven't made it very public yet but I guess it's time. Paige "graduated" from Kindergarten in December and started first grade today (January 3). We went through a long drawn out evaluation process and finally got the results we expected in December. All Fall she spent 1/2 of her kindergarten day down in a first grade classroom so the transition was not difficult. I suspect the full day will take some adjuting too though! We are very proud of her and how well she put up with the testing and moving around - kind of a rough start to a school career. Now we hope things can settle down into a semi-normal routine!

Gymnastics

Paige started gymnastics in November. I had told her that as soon as football season was over she could start. She was always so good sitting through two hour practices in the rain and going to two games every Saturday!

By the end of the month she was asked to join the pre-team class! It is two hours of hard work every Saturday and she loves it! Somehow she still has the energy to come bouncing over to me at the end of it too. We have been amazed at how natural it all seems to her and how quickly she learns! They would like her to start a second day of training to get her ready for meets by Fall. Who knew?

A Very Merry Christmas

We spent the first part of Christmas Eve across the street at Rick's sister's house. Once Paige was ready to collapse we went home to play some Mexican Train and watch It's a Wonderful Life with more family.

Paige and Daddy checked out NORAD to see where Santa was.

Trace was shocked that Santa brought him the skis he had dreamed of but never in a million years thought he'd actully get!

Caden loved his little remote control helicopter! He brought it when we went to my parent's house for Christmas dinner and had a blast flying it up into their vaulted ceilings.

We had a wonderful Christmas and were so very blessed in so many ways. Not only was there food on the table and gifts galore, but we were all together as a family and everyone was healthy. Our kids are happy, we have jobs to support them. Life is good. And I am thankful.

December Days

It has been a busy month for us - as I'm sure it has been for everyone! With work, shopping, school activities and meetings, kids parties, shopping, tree hunting, did I mention shopping? This year we were able to resume our tradition of hunting for the perfect tree up in the Gifford Pinchot near Mt. Adams. Because of the weather we haven't been able to go the last couple of years and the kids were thrilled that we could go this year! It turned out to be a real Currier and Ives kind of day. Uncle Woody built us a small fire and we roasted hot dogs, hiked through the snow in search of our tree and the kids did a little sledding with their cousins before calling it a day. The best memories!

Trace doing his imitation of a polar bear after loosing his sled!

Caden's reaction after one of his first runs down a really fast and long hill!

Hiking through the woods. The snow was almost up to my knees in some areas!

On the last day of school before Christmas Vacation Trace's school hosts the Red and Green Games. They divide the grades into boys and girls teams then assign them red or green. They each play a ten minute game of basketball. It is a loud and roudy tradition that everyone loves. The teacher in the picture is Trace's P.E. teacher, a great example of how the teachers get into the spirit.

This last week we made our gingerbread houses with the Biundos. It was really fun to watch Paige, who just last year didn't get it, take the longest time to carefully work on her creation. We've taken the kids to a $3 movie and spent an afternoon at an indoor trampoline "park" and now we are getting geared up for the big day. We will spend Christmas celebrating with family and trying to enjoy some peace. I wish the same for all of you!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

Having a daughter …

Sometimes brings the simplest of joys. Tonight as I was cleaning up the kitchen Paige appeared asking for ice cream. I told her when I was done cleaning up I would get her some. Do you know what that girl said? “Can I help you, Mommy?” Usually I am too hurried, too tired, to whatever and tell her no (I know, I know I should always let her), but tonight I decided to let her help. So I got out the stainless steel cleaner and told her I had a big job and I could only let her do it if she was really responsible. Of course her little eyes lit up as she assured me she could handle it! So I got down on the floor and showed her what the “grain” is in the stainless on the dishwasher. Then she got to work. She did a fabulous job! What was most amazing to me though was that when she moved to the fridge she noticed on her own that the grain went the opposite direction! Rick was impressed when she demonstrated what the grain was on the stove (and that it went the same way as the dishwasher!).

When she had finished and had her ice cream she went to watch a show while I mopped. When a commercial came on I asked her if she wanted me to fast forward it for her. Well, little Miss. Big says, “No, I’ll do it.” And she did. The things she knows just never cease to amaze me!

There are many, MANY days that I wonder what on Earth we were thinking to want a daughter so much! But it only takes a one tiny moment for that huge wave of love to wash over me and remind me how blessed I am. My little girl is beautiful, smart, loving, and carefree. People tell me all the time that they wish they could just squeeze her because she is so cute. You know what? I GET TO! Every. Single. Day. And not because she is cute, but because I love her so much!!

Thanksgiving...

Caden and Paige got out all of our Playdough yesterday. I asked them to sort through it and toss out whatever they didn't use anymore - which is actually all of it but they would disagree with me on that. Once they had it sorted they decided it needed to be played with - of course.

So, while they were busy with that, I was a tad busy doing a few other things.
Uh, ahem, cough, cough... yes this was my house.
I posted these for all the world to see for two reasons. 1. To make you all feel better about the way your own house may look. You're welcome. 2. Because I'm quite proud of the end result. Which I'll get a picture of tomorrow.

As has become our new tradition, we celebrated Thanksgiving on a different day. Rick has had to work every year so we just pick another day and it works out great. Except when you have a job, a husband out of town, three bickering kids and a house that looks like, um well that! Somehow or other I managed to get it all done though! By last night the laundry was washed, folded and put away, dishes done, counters cleared, and the floors were picked up and vacuumed. Then this happened...

Yeah, 2am, 4:23am, 7am, and I lost count of how many time after that. I was up washing sheets bathing her (no one tells you about vomit getting in little girl's hair!), and generally cleaning up the aftermath for about 20 minutes each time. Then, because I knew how much I had going on the next morning (Thanksgiving was at our house) I couldn't get back to sleep for a while. So essentially I got very little sleep!

Thanksgiving turned out beautiful though! Everyone made it, the food was fabulous - as always, and Paige even manage to rally for the afternoon!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

I told you!

Sometimes in life is stinks when you have to act like an adult. Especially when you really, really want to act like a child! The kindergarten teacher said today that Paige's reading is, "out of my league!" She is a very experienced teacher who is retiring this year. Apparently when the reading specialist first had Paige read to her the other person in the room emailed Paige's teacher saying, "Oh-my-goodness! Have you heard this kid read?" Um, yeah! She is well into first grade level math also. Sooooo they are arranging for testing asap to determine if she would be better off in first grade. Criminy people - I TOLD YOU!!!

I have followed the stories of many of these children from birth and all of them for many years now. I sat and sobbed over the deaths of each of the "angels" shown in this video. Though we've never met, this connection through the internet has brought us together. I follow Tripp and Jonah's blogs especially close and encourage you to check them out. (The links are on the right).

This week is EB awareness week:

Be Part of the Cure

Happy, Happy Birthday, Trace!!!

Trace requested a football cake and I was quite impressed with the way it turned out. I ran out of brown food coloring so it's a bit more tan than I wanted but close enough! This was also the first time I ever added whipped cream to homemade frosting and boy did that make it wonderful!
Opening his gift from the grandparents - a LEGO set. Aunt Chris gave him $25 on a Target card. Rick and I decided a long time ago to get him his own laptop for his 13th birthday. So in early September we went shopping for the one we had decided we wanted only to find it had been discontinued. A week later we were able to buy the floor model - but the keyboard was broken. So off we went to another store that had the only other floor model. THAT one had blown speakers apparently. It was sent in for repair and came back a week later UNrepaired! So back it went and after three weeks we still didn't have it back. After spending all weekend on the phone with managers we were finally informed on Monday that the computer was being junked and our money refunded. Trace's birthday was on Wednesday! Talk about a stressful couple of days! In the end we found a new computer, wrapped it up and set up a scavenger hunt for him to find it. After a lot of laughs over the clues he finally found it. It was a great surprise and he loved it!
For his birthday dinner I made him steak (which he'd been begging for for weeks) and baked beans (which he loves) with salad and parmasean noodles. It tasted great!

So another year has passed and technically we have a teenager in the house now. I'm glad that Trace isn't in a hurry to grow up. No girlfriends, no loud music and no gangs of kids hanging around all the time! It will come - Caden will be 13 in only 3 more years! Until then, I'm going to just enjoy the kid that he is and take each day as it comes!

Football is our life right now!

Trace is really doing great in football this year! His team is one point (literally) from being undefeated! Trace was asked to fill in for center when the regular one broke his hand - when the regular guy returned they had a contest and Trace beat him out to keep the position! Apparently the other boy has played for three years too! I wouldn't say that Trace is an all-American football star, but he is eager to learn, asks lots of questions and works really hard to follow instructions - his coaches love him! The picture above is pretty typical of most games where the other team doubles up on him and he holds his own!
Practice in the mud! Somehow this night it rained at Caden's practice but not at Trace's 5 miles away!
Carson was excited to try on his big cousin Caden's football gear! A little future CCYF player I think!

The Pumpkin Patch

For the second year our (totally awesome) friend gave us each a ticket to get into the local pumpkin patch. At $8/person x 5 we really couldn't justify it on our budget so we were extremely grateful! We went early this year and managed to avoid both the mobs and the rain. Rick's parents as well as his sister and her family all met us there for a fun morning.
The great pumpkin launch! No one got it in the bucket, maybe next year.
The whole crew!

Kindergarten days

Paige is loving school this year! I suspect that most kindergartners do though. Her teacher has been great and makes a real effort to keep her challenged. Just today the teacher told me that they are still in the process of testing her reading level. At this point she has cleared first grade and still going strong! I’m anxious to see how close she is to my guess of 3rd grade. Yesterday I gave the teacher her homeschool math book to work with at school (now that’s a pretty receptive teacher!). We’ll find out on Halloween at our conference what the recommendation is as far as testing her to be moved to first grade. The teacher told me the other day that a lot of parents talk about how smart their kids are, “but this one… this one should definitely…” I believe she meant Paige should be tested for first grade, or maybe moved, I’m not sure. Fun, fun, fun!

A few more of my favorites…

This girl won’t be ignored!

I love this picture!  It just seemed to fit the mood of this post too.

So, we’ve known for a VERY long time now that Little Miss was smart as well as a wise old soul.  At two she would sit in a chair during a busy party and contentedly watch the goings-on.  At three, Caden’s first grade teacher asked repeatedly what we were going to do with her.  By four I was asking teachers and school administrators what we should do with her. 

I’m so frustrated!  I’ve researched and talked and asked and asked and asked again.  I’m getting no where!  The teacher smiles and says she’ll keep an eye on things, the principal smiles and says I’m just like a lot of other parents who think their kid is smart (in other words I’m one of “those” parents) and everyone who knows Paige says, “what the heck is going on?!”  The answer is, I don’t know!  I’m trying.  At this point I’m balancing too many balls and trying to make too many people happy at once without upsetting anyone.  And what usually happens when we do that?  We end up miserable!  I wish I was better at expressing myself.  I do great in my head but not so well in person!

To be cont…