Just update

Thanks everyone for the prayers for my mom. We still don't know more than my last post. She has more test results set to arrive on July 14th so we will hopefully know more by then. She has been referred to a pulmonologist (geeze I think that's how you spell it). She is downplaying it all as though it's really not that big of a deal and she will be fine, but she really sounds hoarse on the phone when I talk to her. She has also had a pain in her gut for the last 2 years that won't go away and she is now telling me that the sarcoid is starting to show up on her skin, so of course I'm very worried. This and the fact that it seems it has probably spread to her other organs is very frightening. As I said, we will know more later on July 14th.

Here is a link to a website where you can learn more about the disease if you're interested. http://www.stopsarcoidosis.org/sarcoidosis/diseasefacts.htm It is very rare. However, it is peculiar that two people from the school where she worked at for many years now have it. Coincidence, who knows?

I'll keep you posted. I'm trying not to let myself freak out about it until we know more. Thanks for all the prayers. Keep em coming.

Our new pad and more

Here are a few views of our new pad minus pics of the inside; there's nothing to see there really. I enjoy waking up to the views and seeing the sun set on the hills and watching the birds on my bird feeders. Kadyn enjoys riding her trike up and down the sidewalk. The other pics are of the biggest pizza we ever got to date. We put Brennan next to it to give you an idea of its enormous size. It is our tradition to order pizza as soon as we move into a new place. Also, the towel on Brennan's head was a fun game of peekaboo we were playing. And there is a pic of Kadyn with her friend Ian from KC. Apparently he doesn't mind dressing up like the little mermaid. Hee hee!

Worried

I just got word tonight that my mother's disease is getting much worse. She has for several years now had sarcadosis. It seemed to only be in her lungs and had been in control for quite awhile. Recently she has been coughing a lot more than usual and has had a pain in her gut that won't go away. Her new scans are showing the disease has progressed. To what extent I don't know just yet. I am worried about her. The thought of a life without my mother rips my heart out. I really just want to be in denial right now that anything will happen, but there is always a possibility that the disease can kill. Her current doctor has only treated one other case and that woman did pass from the disease. I feel like I'm too young to be without my mom. I feel like my mom is too young to be taken away from us. Please, pray for my mom. I'm really scared to find out what news lies ahead as they continue to test her. Thankyou!

It's official!

We're Bransonites...or whatever you call it. We are all moved in and only a few things are left at the house but will be gone by Friday when we close. Somehow we managed to fit in our apartment. It has wall to wall furniture, but we still have a little room for the kids to play. Kadyn has really enjoyed riding her trike up and down the sidewalk and looking in everyone's sliding glass doors and waving. She doesn't quite understand privacy. We have gotten our bird feeders and are really enjoying our tiny visitors that come use them. We have also enjoyed using the pool. Kadyn is starting to overcome her fear of putting her face in the water and even jumped in the deep end without any help (with her vest on of course) for a complete stranger mind you:) It amazes me how Kadyn can be so outgoing one moment and then act very shy the next. It's like a switch is flipped.

Today after we swam I was telling her how she would have to tell her Daddy all about how well she did at the pool and then she crinkled up her nose and said, "I don't love you!" ....Gulp....a stab right through the heart. "What did you say? How would you feel if I told you that?" Her response, "...happy!" What in the world was going on here? I marched her to her room and told her she hurt my heart and hurt my feelings. Of course, I wasn't really taking this personally, after all she is 3 years old. It was obvious she was trying to provoke some kind of response from me, but I can't for the life of me figure out what got into her. I wanted to make sure she understood how much words can hurt people. I got her worked up pretty good with the tears before I finally gave her what she needed which was a big hug and a kiss to tell her I forgave her. She told me she would never say it again. I kept thinking I'm sure I'll hear it again some time...in her teens. Weird, weird, weird. Hopefully I left a big enough impression on her that she won't ever say that again. I'm not sure it will be as easy to take when she older.

Brennan is sitting like a champ these days. She isn't sure what to think of the pool but did loosen up a little today in it and finally splashed with her arms a couple of times. She had trouble adjusting to the new room the first two nights but all is well again as alas her crib, changing table, and rocking chair are all set in her room and it feels "normal" to her again. She is sleeping like a champ and even sleeps in quite a bit now that I put a black blanket over the window to darken the room. Stroke of genius I must say, as this move has exhausted both me and Jeff.

I think in a prior blog I had wrote that I would be sharing a room with Brennan. Actually the way things worked out, the girls both got their own rooms and Jeff and I bought a futon for the living room which we use. We each share a closet with one of the girls. It cozy but it works. The only complaints I have so far are that the other tenants smoke, so our apartment smells a bit of a hotel room and our upstairs neighbors turn their TV up at night and have obnoxious laughs. Other than that, I think it won't be as bad as I thought. As of Saturday the builders still haven't started our house so it's looking more and more everyday as though we will be here longer than we had originally planned. I sure hope this all works out and we still get that house. I'm a bit worried, but trying to trust in God's will for us.

We have already enjoyed one of Branson's entertainment features and went to see the new 3D movie "Up" last Sunday at the IMAX theater. Great movie, I highly recommend it. The glasses were a bit too big for Kadyn. She struggled to keep them on but enjoyed the movie anyways. Brennan did amazingly well and slept through at least a quarter of it. I almost didn't go for fear of taking a 6 month old to a movie, but I'm blessed with easy babies and she proved to be none other for this experience.

Well there's the latest. I'll have to post pics soon of our view from the apartment. It's been kind of fun taking in the sights of our new surroundings. We are very lucky indeed:)

5 days and counting...

.....until we are officially moved. The girls and I have been trying to milk every last moment here in Springfield while we can. We've had about 3 playdates with local friends, went to the farm, went to the park and plan hitting at least two more of them, and today we went for a hike at the nature center. We also set up the kiddie pool twice while we still have a back yard to do so.

We are looking forward to having a new playground and real pool to play in at the apartment and we have made a bird feeder to feed the Branson birds with. We also bought a hummingbird feeder to see if we can entice some hummingbirds to entertain us on the patio while we're cooped up in the tiny space. Hopefully time will pass quickly. I'm not too hopeful that our house will be finished on time as they are now officially three weeks behind schedule. They still have not broken ground. Grrrrr!I guess this is a great test of patience.

As for the pictures, Kadyn and I sometimes like to pass time taking goofy pics and I actually figured out the self timer on our camera, so the last shot I took all by myself:) I love digital cameras!

Happy 6 months!

To my sweet 6 month old,

You have grown so quickly I can't even believe 6 months have passed. My once rolly polly has now turned into a sitting ducky. You are mommy's precious baby, sissy's living doll, and daddy's funny bunny. We love you sooooo much and can't wait to see you grow and change the next 6 months. Happy 6 months!

We now have a teeny tiny....

....apartment. We finally are no longer homeless. We signed the papers on our apartment yesterday and will offcially move to Branson in 3 weeks. It seems to be half the size of our house. What once seemed too small (our current home)is now looking somewhat like a mansion. Our living room is about the size of Brennan's current bedroom and Kadyn's room is like an overgrown closet. I will be sharing a room with Brennan, sleeping on the other twin bed we bought when we got Kadyn's twin (it's a bunkbed set); this will allow us to fit the crib in our room. Jeff has opted for the couch. Most of our stuff will be in storage. We may have to eat off of TV trays for 3 months, but if all goes according to plan it really should only be temporary and hopefully will pass quickly. If something goes wrong, I suppose we will be looking into finding a more accomodating place.

To make myself feel better about being trapped in such a tiny place I keep reminding myself of the people in Mexico who we built houses for in highschool. They lived in houses made pallets. And I suppose people in New York would die to have an apartment this size. It's just hard to go to something this small as a family of four. I'm hoping the excitement of being a new town with lots to do will keep us occupied enough to get out and about and not dwell on our living arrangements. And of course, it should only take me like two seconds to vacuum, so that should be nice. And to fit with the theme of teeny tiny the complex comes equipped with a teeny tiny pool and teeny tiny playground. Oh joy!