Prayer Request

We would really appreciate your prayers for Kylie.

She is currently on the waiting list at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City for some very specialized testing (upper motility testing).  This testing is offered at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, OH as well as in KC and we opted for the closer option.  Though I haven't updated her blog in quite sometime, the tummy struggles continue.  We are really hoping and praying that she will be able to get in this fall for this testing.  My greatest fears are the development of another severe c-diff infection and loss of function of the small bowel as a result of severe, long-term bloating.  Most days, her tummy is absolutely huge.  By the way, I should mention that she remains on a very strict lactose-free diet which seems to be doing nothing at all.  In the mean-time, I am extremely anxious for her GI appointment here in Omaha mid-July.  Perhaps her GI doctor can expedite our trip down to KC?

As soon as I know anything more, I'll be sure to let you know.  Thanks for keeping Kylie in your prayers.

Nine Years Ago

Nine years ago...we knew we were going to have a baby born with an unusually small head, specifically microcephaly. We didn't know any more than that and only time would tell us more specifics. My labor and delivery were completely normal. Carson was born at 38 weeks weighing 7 lb 8 oz. All we knew was that we had a sweet little boy with a tiny little head. As a first-time mother, I so clearly remember wanting to be excited about my baby boy but trying to hold back those emotions just because I didn't know what the future held. Shortly after he was born, I remember sitting in the lobby of Children's hospital lobby after an appointment with the geneticist and crying buckets of tears over my little boy. It was at that point that everything seemed to become more real. There was nothing doctors could do for Carson...no surgery to open the sutures in his skull to provide room for his brain to grow. There was more than enough room for his brain to grow.  All we knew was that we had to pray, wait, and watch our little boy grow.

We were more than ecstatic when Carson began smiling at 3 weeks of age. What a huge blessing and answer to our prayers. Each month in that first year of life brought so much wonderful development. He began crawling 2 months after his first birthday and started walking at 18 months. And nine years later, I stand amazed and in awe of our Lord and what he has done in Carson's life. His head is still small, and intellectually, he is about the the age of a 2 or 3 year old. But he has come so far. It warms our hearts to see him watch out and try to protect his little brother, to see him hug his friends from school, to have him come to us with his hands folded and wanting to pray, to see him run as fast as he can down the track on track and field day at school, to see him going to find a Bible of his own to take to church. And the list goes on. We love this little boy to pieces and pray that he will someday come to understand how great God's love is for him.   Happy Birthday Carson!

Looking back...our sweet little Carson.

  Nine years old.

Brooklyn, 6 months

Just a few of my favorite shots of Brooklyn from our evening at the park a few nights ago...

Picture Catch Up Time

Some highlights from the past month or more: 

-Kaycee and I were able to attend the NE homeschool conference!

-My sister Kelsey graduated from UNL with her degree in interior design. Congratulations Kelsey!  Yay for an interior designer in the family...I'm looking forward to the great ideas and advice!! :)

-Carson has finished 1st grade and Kylie and I have wrapped up our first year of homeschooling.

-Brooklyn is growing like crazy...she's 6 months now.

And now for a bunch of pictures that took my computer forever to load:

Things like this make Carson so incredibly happy...

 

Kylie always thinks Brooklyn needs her stuffed lamb.  It is so cute.

I love morning pictures.

This boy loves to vaccuum and he does a great job.

Our little park outing.

One of Austin's favorite things to do: play and eat at the same time.

Austin is becoming such a good helper.

He insisted on eating lunch without clothes on. 

Time to kick back.

One of my favorite pictures!

Kylie begs to wash dishes.  Do you hear me complaining?

And she begs to sweep.  You go girl!

Can you get any cuter than this?

This is an accomplishment...finding the thumb while sitting upright!

Kylie even helps me feed Brooklyn occasionally.

Do you spy Brooklyn in this picture?

My two little firefighters.

Kylie's daily chore: unloading the dishwasher.

Watch out folks, she even handles sharp knives.

I bought this nice big floor puzzle for Kylie and the next day, Tennessee is missing and could not be found anywhere.  Well, I did find it 4 days later laying outside in our lawn and completely ruined.  Carson thought it looked like a knife and thought it would be fun to saw trees with it outside.  Thank you Carson.

Big blue eyes.

This has been the sight at little too often lately.

Lake Zorinski.

Track and field day.

Carson using his imagination.  Don't ya love it?