Halloween -just a little behind

I just have to post this for historical reasons. The kids had such a great time trick-or-treating in our new neighborhood. I stayed home with Norah, it was a cold night, to pass out candy. Cole was dead set on wearing the dog costume that I think he wore last year and was Jackson's before that. Reduce, reuse, recycle. Jackson got to be Thor. Mia was a butterfly princess and Norah Jane was a cute and cuddly little flower. She wore this costume on another outing just because it was so warm.

Norah Jane on Christmas Day

My Sister-in-law took these AWESOME pictures of our super cute little girl.

They really are to die for. Thank you Rebecca!

This little dress was Mia's when she was about the same age.

Here she is with her Uncle Matt

My Girl Turns 8

Just 8 short years ago Mia Catherine came to my life and I can't believe that we are here already. She helped us become a family and we have been all the happier since. She is smart, helpful, loving, sassy, caring, patient, beautiful and many other things. I love how she is kind to everyone and sensitive to their needs. She has been trying hard to get along with Jackson. I am just so proud of her and so happy to be her mom. She gives me fashion advice and is always honest about it. Good or bad. I know she really loves her family, her Savior and her Heavenly Father. She is really looking forward to being baptized on Dec. 3 with her cousin, Alex. I am so blessed to have a child who is so eager to follow the example of Christ.

We had almost all of my family here and most of the VanderLouw's to celebrate her special day. I loved giving her her first set of nice scriptures. She was anxious to start reading them so we read together before bed. Mia is one great girl! I love you my Mia Girl! Love, Mom

Some firsts from September

My 3 oldest kiddos are all in school now. Mia and Jackson started just after Labor Day and Cole just started too. I could have gotten a little emotional but I held it together.

Poor Jackson has to be bused to another Elementary school about 1 mile from what would be his regular school because they were full in all the classes and there weren't enough kids to make another class. It has been interesting for him and a bit dishearYN tening in some ways. He does go with some kids from church. He got a few warnings at school about paying attention and a few times on the bus for being too loud. We are trying to keep things very positive for him and focus on the good. He just has that "I am so bored" personality even though he is really having fun. It will be interesting this year. I really wish he had all day Kindergarten. If I were rich I might send him.

Mia, my amazing girl, has taken to her new school like a champ. I am waiting for something to go down that will make life difficult but she is making friends easily. Riding the bus isn't her favorite if she doesn't have someone to sit by but she is really used to having a best friend by her side. She doesn't have that this year, yet. It will come. She is just so friendly to everyone in her class.

Cole was very excited that he was going to be able to stay and play at school instead of just meet his teacher and get a sneak peak at all the fun. I am excited for the kids and myself too. I ran to a doctors appointment for Norah while the three were in school so I didn't get to soak up the silence at home like Colin did but maybe another time. Also, Norah started solids. Well, if you can count runny oatmeal as "solid". She seems to like it.

Norah went to see the ENT doctor. She had a hearing test and passed. Her tonsils are big for a baby her age so we will probably be taking them out just after the new year. I can't think too much about it because I get all nervous just because of the anesthesia and its effects on children with PWS. We have lots of time to get informed, thankfully.

Cole turned 3 and had a party at home with his VanderLouw cousins and a group party with the Cazier, Wright and VanderLouw cousins. We celebrated lots of August birthdays with my family. We have quite a few.

Jack and Mia started soccer. Mia has had a few practices and is pretty timid about getting in there and Jack's team has not practiced yet. Colin is going to be the assistant coach since he seems to have an abundance of free time, much to his dislike. I keep him busy with things to do and he never complains. We have yet to hang any pictures. Maybe tomorrow. We have some pretty full days throughout our week and I am working on nailing down a schedule. So much fun. I really am enjoying having a schedule again. It's the adjusting to it that hurts.

Happy 3rd Birthday Cole!

We love you so much you crazy little guy!

So happy to be going to school too!

Jackson and Mia on their first day!

Can't forget this little ham bone!

Mmmmmm oatmeal cereal!

More on Grandma Wright

I went to visit my Grandma this last weekend. She is very sad and very depressed. It is so strange to see her like that. I have only seen her cry twice in my life. The first time we were all getting in the car to go do something. Robert, my brother, had his hand in the way as Grandma closed the door. It smashed his hand and he cried. She felt so bad that she cried too. The second time was this weekend. Grandma has anxiety and depression. Both of which she is being treated for but frankly, she wants to die. I feel that most of it stems from her depression but she is 90 years old and suffers from chronic back pain. She sleeps about 20 hours a day and gets up here and there for about 30 minutes at a time. She was sleeping when I arrived but got up soon after. We visited, she held Norah and watched Cole play and then wanted to go back to bed. My uncle helped her up. I was standing already and as I looked over I noticed the tears in her eyes. It was just so sad to see her that way. She feels bad that she can't stay up longer and visit and that others have to care for her. I could hear the tears in her voice as she got into bed and spoke to my uncle. It was just so sad!

The next day, before I left to go home, we visited more, she walked outside in the sunshine and she smiled as I put her back in bed. Cole was playing with the flashlight and clock on her nightstand in his curious little way. It made her smile. I told her that is was so good to see her smiling.

Details then Thoughts on my Grandma Wright

Details:

My Grandma is back in the hospital. She turned 90 on September 6. The night before her birthday party she fell and broke her arm. The party went on anyway. She wasn't going to let it get her down. That's just how she is. She lives in a little town in Montana. Libby, MT. I can't remember her living anywhere else. She is my father's mother. They took her to the hospital. A very little hospital. It was Memorial Day weekend. There weren't any Orthopedic doctors there. They put her arm in a sling, gave her pain medication and told her to come back on Tuesday. On Tuesday they took her in. They were concerned about her heart due to high blood pressure issues and a conflicting EKG from two years ago. My aunt and uncle brought her to Spokane. Bigger hospital. Better services. Apparently she had had a "small" heart attack approximately two weeks prior to the fall that broke her arm. It was probably when she wasn't feeling well one Sunday, stayed the whole day in bed, went on with life when Monday came. The doctor found a clogged artery and put a shunt in. It's a minor procedure. That was Thursday. She had surgery on her arm on Saturday. I visited her a few times and she went home Monday. My dad called me tonight to let me know that Grandma was back in the hospital. My Uncle Paul, who moved in a month or so ago to take care of her, noticed her slurred speech this morning. He took her to the hospital in Libby. They suggested a stroke. Blood is "collecting" somewhere in her heart. Her heart could be failing.

Thoughts:

While my Grandma was in the hospital I had a phone conversation with my dad. At one point he said, "This could be the beginning of the end." I knew he could be very right. It's not really something you care to truly admit but she is 90 and has been as healthy as a horse most of her life. While I was getting ready for bed I was thinking of her and wondering how she was. I was thinking of something she told me when I was leaving the hospital after visiting her. She said, "You take care of my little namesake." I have thought of this several times. It led my thoughts to Norah and the challenges that she has to face with PWS. If I get to see my Grandma before she passes, at whatever point that might be, I want to ask her to send angels to watch over Norah. (Now that I write it it sounds a little silly.) I want her to tell my Granddad that I love him. I have such a firm faith in my knowledge of what happens in life after this one.

I was thinking of a time when I was staying with her as a child. I had these really terrifying nightmares for a few years and my father was the only one who could pray them away so I could go back to sleep. My dad wasn't there. I woke my Grandma up. She prayed with me and helped comfort me when I was very frightened.

My Granddad passed away in 2001. He had poor health and in the end it was a blessing. I know he was made whole again. I know my Grandma will be too. When Colin and I arrived in Libby for the funeral I first walked over to my Grandma and held her. I wanted to comfort her but in turn it was her that comforted me. In her embrace I felt her burden of caring for my Granddad lifted. I felt her faith in her knowledge that he was well again. That he was healthy and that her knowledge of their Eternal Marriage was certain. They had been married over 50 years.

My Grandma is the epitome of a practical, thrifty, make-it-do or do without woman. She wastes nothing, uses up everything and makes everything from scratch. Her Salmon Quiche was so tasty. She is a master seamstress and could sit and crochet a doille (sp?) in about an hour before her eyesight became too bad. She can probably do it by feel still.

She made me a double wedding ring quilt, at my request, for Colin and I when we were married. She said it was the last hand quilted quilt that she would do. It was just getting to be too hard to see what she was doing. I keep it on our bed always. I don't let my kids climb around on it. I will sometimes look at it very closely and follow the stitches around. I am so amazed at how even and precise they are. It is also hand pieced from scraps of fabric she has kept for a very long time. Some pieces are very dated and some are more modern. It is very bright just like the clothes she would sew for herself. My quilt is a masterpiece. Someday I hope to pass it on to one of my kids. Maybe Grandma's little namesake. Norah Jane.

I love you Grandma!

Growth Hormone

We started giving Norah her growth hormone injections tonight. It was hard to see my baby girl cry and know that this will be part of her life for a very long time. It is just another reality, for me, in coming to grips with PWS. She just brings such an enormous feeling of love and joy to my heart. She is grinning from ear to ear with her gummy smile. I know, I need a picture on here. I just love her so much! She also cut her first tooth earlier in the week. The others are right behind.

Book of Mormon Musical

The production may attempt to entertain audiences for an evening, but The Book of Mormon as a volume of scripture will change people's lives forever by bringing them closer to Christ.

—Official Church Statement on the Book of Mormon Musical

The Insanity of it ALL!

Wow, where do I begin. I have hit so many roadblocks with healthcare lately. I have to say, I feel greatly blessed that we have been able to get insurance outside of what was offered through Colin's work. It was so expensive!!! However, the offices around here are killing me to the point that I am about ready to bang my head against the wall and pull out all of my hair. I made an appointment about 4 weeks ago for Norah to see a pediatrician. I had to reschedule because we were in the process of being approved for our insurance. I certainly was not going to pay cash for an office visit with immunizations when I was going to have insurance 10 days later. I gave at least 24 hrs notice and rescheduled for today. I went to my appointment. I had to drive 25 min and I was maybe 3 min late. I give them my ins. info that I received on-line. The receptionist said that there should be some letters in front of it. I offered to call the insurance. I call and get all the necessary information. I take the info back up to the receptionist, she takes it and walks to the back where there are two other people. She speaks with them. comes back and tells me that because it has taken so long to get the insurance information that I am going to have to reschedule. It will just put the doctor behind practically an hour and that is just too much. "ARE YOU SERIOUS!" were the words that came out of my mouth. "Yes, that is why we tell you to come 20 minutes early." Guess what? No one told me to come 20 minutes early and it was 15min past my actual appointment time and according to the board they had it posted the doc we were supposed to see was running behind by 10 minutes. WHAT!!!???? My mind was reeling and my emotions fuming. I reached my hand out for my insurance paper. The receptionist offered to put the information in now so they would have it for our rescheduled visit. Rescheduled visit? Are you kidding me? I told her that I would be finding a different office to go to. She apologized and said some other things, she was patronizingly nice. I said that we had had this appointment scheduled for months, that this was new insurance to us and that Norah had special needs. I then walked out. I was just so furious! I couldn't believe that they wouldn't see us. I went to my car and cried, called my mom, cried, talked to my dad, cried. It is just so very frustrating!!

I went home and started to look up other pediatricians. I found one much closer to home and tried them. They won't schedule Norah until they have her records. Of course, one more thing. I don't have her records because, back in May when I requested them, they didn't get sent to me. I called June 22. They hadn't sent them yet. I called yesterday. Still not sent. I am just amazed at all of this. So, now I get to wait until I get the medical records from our pediatricians office in Cleveland via mail so I can take the records to them and then schedule an appointment for Norah. We can't start the growth hormones because she needs an apnea monitor that the ENT wouldn't write for because she doesn't see us on a regular schedule. We have to get the primary care doctor to write for it. I am so disheartened by all of this. I don't like this day and because I am irritated my kids are driving me crazy. Of course, they have sprayed water into the house twice now from the hose. Mia has been very sassy and that doesn't make it any easier. I need a vacation!

Event Pictures