Jesus Take the Wheel

Sunday, April 25, 2010

Rebecca's First Holy Communion

Rebecca made her First Holy Communion today. Truly, there are no words to describe how I feel. More than anything...to know Jesus now dwells forever in our daughter's heart, and she really understands what that means...how can you express that?

Since I'm at a loss for words, I'll just let the pictures tell you everything.

The day was beautiful, Rebecca received the Body and Blood of Christ perfectly. We are so happy family and friends shared our special day with us, and we owe so much to Ms. Katie and Ms. Valerie for preparing Rebecca so well. She was calm and reverence at Mass, but she did say one adorable thing Sunday morning:

"Mommy, I feel famous!"

I said (laughing), "Sweetheart, you can be famous for now...today is all about you!"

"While they were eating, He took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and said, 'Take it; this is my body. Then He took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, 'This is my blood of the convenant, which will be shed for many.' " Mark 14:22-25

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

The Kids and Summer Plans

I have been remiss...I haven't posted about all the kids since last summer. They've all changed so much since then. Here is the latest.

Joshua will be 11 in June...I still haven't recovered from his double-digit birthday last year. He has been diligently saving up his allowance, birthday money, etc. for a Nintendo DSI. Apparently, David and I are the only parents who did not give their child a DS for Christmas last year. I guess we are just cruel and insensitive; making our kids pay for an expensive electronic toy themselves. There will also be a written contract governing the use of the DS that Joshua will have to sign. He already asks me a million times a day if he can go play on the computer or watch TV, so there had to be some regulation plan. At least it's one more thing I can hold over his head if he is disrespectful, brings home a bad grade, harasses his sisters, etc. Joshua is enjoying being in Cub Scouts with David...they shot off model rockets yesterday at the high school parking lot. He said it was "really, really awesome!" We were really impressed with his last report card, three A's and three B's, which was insanely good for him.

Rebecca (8) also saved up her money to get a Nintendo DS...because she can't bear to be outdone by her older brother (and yes, she'll be signing a contract too). I constantly find papers, journals, and her other writings all over the house. The past few weeks, her conduct at school has been below par...talking too much. After an email to her teacher, and a stern discussion regarding her behavior, we have not seen much improvement. But...I know it is spring fever; it's running rampant at school, and she is bring home stellar work and grades (she's made straight A's all year long on her report cards). So...we told her to be quiet, or that new DS coming in the mail would not make it into her eager little hands! The biggest event for Rebecca is her First Holy Communion this Sunday. I don't know how I'm going to get through Mass without crying...I got choked up just getting her pictures done. She is really, really ready!

Christina (5 1/2) is starting to emerge from the shadow of her big sister. We'ver tried very hard to give her a little more attention. As the third child in birth order, I really think she doesn't get enough. Now that we know she has allergies, (read more about that here) she is getting fussed over, although we're trying not making a big deal about it. She understands more than I give her credit for--and she has assurred me if she needs her inhaler, she will tell her teachers and go see the school nurse. Sometimes she is rather quiet and shy, so I wasn't sure she would speak up for herself. There are times she acts like a baby, and throws massive temper tantrums...which require every ounce of my patience to get through. But she loves coloring, drawing, and making sweet pictures for me, and is slowly becoming a more independent child. She went to a birthday party all by herself yesterday (I didn't stay, and her older sister wasn't invited), and everyone told me she behaved beautifully...I am really proud of her. ;-)

Gabriel (3) still thinks he is the baby of the house, and will tell you this is true, ("I the baby, I not a big boy."). But officially he is...he was fully potty trained just after Christmas, and loves going to Mother's Day Out 2x a week. Unfortunately, he went through a period of separation anxiety in January, right before he was supposed to start a new speech program. Being in a new environment for speech didn't help his anxiety at all, so we pulled him out, and will have him tested again in the fall. I am hoping he won't need speech at all...his MDO teacher say he communicates very well, speaks in full sentences, and interacts with his other classmates. We will just have to wait and see. Gabriel is in love with Elmo, Blues, Clues, and is constantly singing in the van along with the radio. He tries very hard to keep up with all the other kids, and just learned how to pedal a tricycle. The girls dote on him...sometimes too much, but he certainly doesn't lack for attention around here.

I have our summer nearly all planned out. Swim team for May and most of June, and VBS the last week of that month. Then a math camp for Joshua, a cooking camp for the girls, and a trip to Dallas in July. The last week of July, the girls will have Choir Camp, and Joshua has a science camp (otherwise he will be bored at home with no sisters to harrass. ;-) In August, we will head up to Wisconsin for the 2010 CCL Convention in Green Lake with plans to stop in Mansfield, Missouri to vist the Laura Ingalls Wilder Historical House and Museum, and visit with relatives on David's side of the family (in Wisconsin and Chicago). Our 10-year-old van has 112,000 miles (and counting!) miles on it, and just had a major transmisson overhaul last month. I hope it makes the trip and back!

I think that is enough for now. I will be one busy bee this week, getting ready for family coming into town for Rebecca's First Communion. Here's praying I won't stress too much, or cry too much on Sunday!

Wednesday, April 7, 2010

100 Years

I've been a fan of this song for a long time. This has to be one of the best music videos ever. No fancy props, sets, or a big band in the background. Just a man and a piano, simple and pure...it doesn't get much better than that.

Sunday, April 4, 2010

Happy Easter

Happy Easter everyone! May we rejoice in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ!

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Christina

About a month ago, we took Christina to an allergist for tests. The doctor we saw was good, but David didn't think he answered all of our questions. My husband is very logical, and prefers information delivered without a lot of hype, along with concrete evidence backed by numbers. (That's a banker for ya, right?) Long story short, Dr. F just wasn't convincing enough for David.

At first, I was like, "Honey are you kidding? Christina is really allergic to dust mites...we have to do something...NOW." We even had a couple of fights over it! I felt David wasn't being proactive or supportive enough. But once we talked some more, I realized David was right. I know I was being a mom...and I wanted to immediately work on reducing Christina's exposure to dust mites as much as possible. David wanted a second opinion, and was quite adamant about it. I knew it was a smart thing to do.

Yesterday, we went to see a different allergist. Dr. B was VERY thorough. She sent us a stack of paperwork to fill out even before we had our appointment. Once in the exam room, she spend nearly 3 hours talking to us, Christina, and running a few tests. One test involved analyzing her peak flow (how much air she could blow out), before and after running non-stop for 12 minutes. Our poor girl was coughing and gasping only 5 minutes in...she couldn't keep up the pace, and had to slow to a walk. Towards the end, she got a second wind, but was clearly spent. Dr. B looked at the results and told us her output was quite poor. So she got a dose of a steroid inhaler...and her levels went back to normal.

So what does all this mean? It means Christina has allergy induced asthma. Because she is so allergic to dust mites, her airways and nasal passages are compromised...they are always a little swollen and irritated. We had taken her off all the medications prescribed by Dr. F, (as David was hesitant to give them to her), but now Dr. B told us to put her back on all of them, and to keep her on them. The medications will keep her body from reacting to all the things she is allergic to, and keep her airways healthy. This was disappointing to hear, but we certainly don't want her to get sick, have an asthma attack or wheeze/cough after physical activity (which we really hadn't notice before, but are seeing now, since we know what to watch for).

Dr. B still has a few tests she wants to do. We have to get a peak flow meter and measure Christina's output 2x a day for 3 weeks until we go back to see Dr. B. We also have to have blood drawn and an upper GI done at Texas Children's. The blood test is to check all her immunoglobins and make sure she is fully immunized against everything she's ever been vaccinated for (certain diseases could make her very sick, and result in a severe asthma attack). The upper GI is to check for reflux (or anything else that might be irritating her digestive track).

David was very pleased with Dr. B's treatment plan for Christina going forward. Once Dr. B explained Christina's needs and backed it up with medical evidence, David had no problem taking her recommendations to heart. Chrstina will be on Singular, Veramyst (nose spray), and Xyopenex (inhaled steriod). She only takes the inhaler as needed (if she starts coughing or wheezing). Within the next year, we may start her on allergy shots, since Dr. B feels certain her allergies will not lessen as she grows older. We also will encase both the girls' mattresses (since they share a room and sleep in bunk beds), get a air purifier for their room, slowly remove more items that hold dust (like dolls, stuffed animals, etc.), keep her room and bed linens as clean as possible, and eventually replace the carpeting with laminate wood flooring.

It seems like a lot...but we already have a kid with ADHD. That was really overwhelming at first, but now it's second nature to us. I know in time Christina's allergies will become second nature and we will be taking the necessary precautions without any prior thought. Our number one goal is to keep her as healthy as possible so her allergies won't compromise her already affected body. This means giving her meds and making her environment as dust-free as possible. David is already looking into an air purifier big enough to keep most of the air in the house dust-free.

I am thankful we now have a good doctor that David likes, and have a plan of action in place, for the present and the future. And I thank God Christina has been very healthy her whole life. Except for the one wheezing episode she had at school a month ago, she rarely gets sick. She's never even had an ear infection, whereas everyone else has had at least two. Dr. B says this is reasurring. I personally think her guardian angel has been working overtime for quite a while!

Monday, March 22, 2010

Cub Scout Fun (with cake!)

Joshua's last Cub Scout meeting was the best one yet. When you put together a group of boys, a cake auction, and an egg-dropping contest, it's bound to be a fun night!

First of all, we had to make a cake. After some debate, Joshua decided he wanted to try and win the "Most Chocolatey" catagory. So we make a 3-Tiered, Triple Chocolate Cake with chocolate buttercream, chocolate ganache, chocolate sprinkles, and a white chocolate candy topper. Gracious...I'm exhausted just typing that!!!

I did a separate post about the cake on my cooking blog...take it on if you dare!

Once we got the cake made and safetly transported to the school gym, we went around and admired all the other cakes on the tables.

Here's some pics:

This cake won for "Most Patriotic."

This one had no competition at all. It was probably 6 feet long, and the entire Boy Scout motto was piped on it! It was brought in the back bed of a pickup truck...of course. ;-)

This cake was precarious...but pretty.

Everyone thought this one was neat...and creative.

And this one was just cool.

This cake won for best depiction of a Cub Scout activity.

Another multi-tiered cake...don't you love all the badges?

Look...a submarine!

And this one...this one is a kitty litter cake. It won the trophy for being the "Most Creative." Um...yeah, no kidding!

First up was a the ceremonial business. All the packs advanced in placements...Tigers became Wolves, Wolves became Bears, etc. Joshua officially became a Webelo II.

Next we had the egg drop!

This is not your ordinary "walk with an egg balanced on a spoon" people. The boys were divided into teams according to rank, and each team got a kit of materials. Using the materials, (ballons, some craft sticks, tape, plastic straws, and other things) the boys had to create a contraption to cradle an egg...the goal being to drop the entire device from the top of a ladder (about 12 feet high), WITHOUT the egg breaking.

After a designated amount of time, one of the adult Den Leaders had each team take turns getting their eggs dropped. All the boys counted each drop down, "5, 4, 3, 2, 1!"

Here's pics of the fun!

It was hilarious! After each drop, a second Den Leader would run and check to see if the egg had survived.

Mr. Justin was very dramatic...he'd yell, "IT'S ALIVE" if the egg was intact, or "IT DIDN'T MAKE IT" if the egg was broken. The boys whooped or cried with dismay with every drop. I think about 1/2 the eggs made it. The funniest device was a water-filled zip-top bag filled with water...I am sure that egg feared for it's life...and of course, it didn't make it. ;-)

Nothing like a little competition among boys!

We got home late, and I promptly collapsed on the couch. My feet hurt from the hours I spent in the kitchen, but it was worth it to see Joshua so pumped about his cake. He won the prize for "Most Chocolatey" and our cake went for the highest bid ($15). I'm just glad we didn't have to bring it back home! And...I'd saved 6 cupcakes for the kids (using leftover cake batter and frosting) which they happily devoured before bed.