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Prayer for wellness

Just sending a quick prayer request: our whole family has been bitten by the sickly bug.

Eric has bronchitis & a touch of pleurisy.

Madison has a touch of pneumonia

and I just started feeling really achy today and my throat is starting to throb.

Please pray that we all get better soon - Eric & Madison are both on antibiotics but unless I start the coughing I'm going to try to tough it out. We are throwing Madison's 3rd birthday party on Sunday...Lord willing we will all be there!

Thanks so much for all your prayers!!!

is 3 months too long...

OK - I just noticed that I haven't blogged in almost 3 months! OOPS! This has been a crazy busy summer and now that school has started things are even more crazy.

Brief summary of the summer to catch everyone up...

Eric was off for 6 weeks from July - Aug. We really enjoyed having him home. He got so much done around the house. Our doorwall is in and the back room is all finished. We took a few trips to the zoo down in Toledo. I love having a membership there.

We got to spend a little time with our cousins Jaime and Zach from AZ. Its always nice to see them - it stinks that there is not more time when they are in town. We did get to enjoy a day with them at Greenfield Village (courtesy of Aunt Mary & Aunt Betty - thanks!) This was actually the first time I have gone on the annual trip to the Village in the summer...needless to say it was HOT!!!!! and muggy! We were all rejoycing for museum.

Madison also had a few accidents this summer. Your typical 2 yr old things falling down and getting bumps and bruises...but there was one day that she fell at the local McDonalds playland and was rushed by ambulance to the ER. She was playing with a little girl and the girl hugged her and they fell backwards off 2 stairs. I rushed over to pick up Madison...her head was tilted to the side and when she straightened it out her eyes rolled back into her head and she stopped breathing. This was obviously terrifying for any mom. She came to after about 40 seconds and they rushed her to the ER. She was released after about 2 hours with a very mild concussion. She is doing fine right now. We did find out a few later that she seems to have fractured her nose. There is a small bump and she isn't wearing her glasses much these days - they really bother her. But we were told that she should recover soon and life (and glasses) will go on as normal.

I had right thyriod removed in August. It went very well and I am recovering quickly. I was in the hospital overnight because the thyroid does something with your calcium levels and that affects your heart so they keep you just to be sure. I did end up having about 3 EKG's while I was there - 1 before the surgery and 2 after. I was having a lot of heart palpiations...something I had grown accustomed to with my thyroid. My blood pressure fell down to 90 over 58 at one point and my heart was skipping a lot - that was scary. The EKG showed nothing unusal so they just gave me a more mild pain medication and everything went back to normal. The next morning I was given morphine again and my heart started skipping again...needless to say I am now allergic to morphin & dilaudid (spelling is probably wrong on that word). I see the surgeon on Wednesday to get the stitches that just won't come out on their own removed and then I will go back to see my doctor in October. As long as the left side of my thyroid picks up the slack from the right side then I should not need any medications - PRAISE GOD! I have gotten most of my energy back so that is good...something must be working in there :)

Eric's Mom was in the hospital due to low blood sugar in late August/early Sept. That was a very freightening thing for all of us. I know from Eric and I it made us realize just how UN-prepared we are to loose Cathy. I know you can never be ready but it all seemed too real too fast. She is doing well right now - better in some ways than she had been in months and then not so great in a few ways too. The Lord is keeping her strong though - so please continue to pray for her! Thanks

Eric's Aunt Ella passed away a few weeks ago. She had some tests done not too long ago on her heart and they had found a tumor wrapped around the back of her heart. The biopsy alone was hard for her. She came out of the hospital and was immediately had Hospice brought in. She passed 2 weeks ago this past Saturday I believe. There was a memorial service for her on Saturday afternoon. It was lovely - bagpipes (she was born and raised in Scotland) and it really seemed like a celebration of life - not a mouring of loss. Thats the way it should be :)

OK - I think that sums up the summer - now the PRESENT!

Madison started school on Sept 3rd. She goes to preschool 5 days a week from 9:15-11:55. She LOVES it! It has helped her so much already. She looks forward to it each morning.

Madison has just graduated out of OT this week. Her last day is Wednesday. Her mouth, cheeks and tonuge all have full range and are no longer tight. This has been a long road (a year) and we are so proud of her and greatful to the Lord for the therapist that have been in her life. She will likly go back to OT in about a year to work on some low muscle tone things but they want her to take some time and work with us at home and get accustomed to her new schedule at school.

Lastly, we just spent a lovely weekend with Eric's dad and stepmom. Russ and Donna came down on Saturday afternoon for a birthday bbq. Eric's Aunt Carole and Uncle Vic came over too. It was nice that the rain could join our party too :) On Sunday morning Granma & Pa took us out for breakfast and then we all headed out to Commerce to attend my nephew Devin's birthday party. He turns 3 on the 17th of Sept. Russ and Donna left this morning before Madison and I woke up - its always sad to see them leave. They are looking to move downstate to see their grandkids more often...we would love that. We really want Madison to know all of her Grandparents. She is SOO fortunate to have all of her Grandparents and all of her Great Grandparents on my parents side!

Madison just started the her MONTH of birthday celebrations. On Saturday she had the first of 4 birthday parties. The next is Sunday with my family and then the following Saturday is Eric's brother, sister and mom. Then we will finish off the month with (or even early Oct) with GG, Gramps, Aunt Betty and Aunt Mary (when she recovers from her shoulder surgery). Her actual birthday is the 19th - I can't believe she is 3 already...makes me want to cry actually!

BUSY BUSY BUSY around here. I will say this, with a little guilt, I really do enjoy my 2 1/2 hours alone everyday. I get so much done. I was actually in and out of Target the other day in 4 minutes...I walked out with new dress shoes for Madison and a box of diapers. I didn't know 4 minutes was possible >:)

Now that life is starting to slow down - or I at least have down time when Madison is at school I will do my best to update more often. I will also try to get some picks posted from her party this coming weekend - SOON.