Breathe a Sigh of Relief

The results came in this morning, Laila's MRI came back normal.

Thanks a million times over for the prayers, fasting, and positive thoughts sent our way. We continue to hope that we can figure out the best way to help her.

On a side note, I got to ride in my first ambulance ride with Charlie yesterday. She fell off the couch at the dentist office onto a cast iron coffee table, and had a massive bump, and was bleeding out of her eye. The dentist said do you want me to call 911, and of course I was a total mess, and said "Do I need an ambulance?" We called the pediatrician, they said to get to the hospital, and so we did. Everything checked out, she's ok, looks a little battered, but is OK.

So... please don't ask what else could happen to me. I don't want to know.

I'm off to do my daily dose of exercise. Thanks again! Our family owes you.

Please Hold on the Phone Calls.

I've received so many phone calls and well wishes, and thoughts that I just can't keep up with everybody! Don't take it personal that I haven't returned a call. Remember I'm still managing a home with 4 kids! Life is busy.

Sometime this week we will have the results of the MRI. I promise to post the news as quickly as I can. Hopefully its good news.

But, I'm a bit overwhelmed, and need some time to just breathe.

I will keep you updated when I can. We originally thought we would get results today, but that has been delayed to the middle of the week. Again, I will let you know when I can.

Thanks again for the fasting, I appreciated it, and felt the strength.

Love you all!
Lucy

White Christmas, on its way!

If we are to get a big bad snowfall, it's only appropriate to have it the week before Christmas... I'm so excited. I'm heading out to pick up some snow pants for Hallie, Gloves for Laila and Hallie, a sled, and why not, a new pair of boots for me!!

We appreciate so much the well wishes with Laila, and for those who are supporting us this weekend, I already feel the boost.

Laila

Before the septic problems, like 2 days before, I knew I needed to make a decision about Laila. She has had so many random symptoms, and although the neurologist said we could do an MRI, I decided to wait it out, as Josh would be leaving. Needless to say, with the vomiting symptom, and a few other things, I realized I needed to proceed in the direction of a Brain MRI.

I wanted to wait to tell Josh, so that he wouldn't worry from 7,000 miles away, but the burden of everything came crashing down when I received the paperwork for the MRI in the mail yesterday. It's no small thing, and I need the support. I've been trying to do so much alone, that this is something I just couldn't do alone. I talked to Josh this morning, and of course he was as calm as can be, yet, trying to figure out if he should try and come home for the test. Our little Laila just can't exist without her buddy. We're not sure what's going to happen, if Josh can make it back. But we know they are looking for a Brain Tumor, which sounds bad, but, does happen in kids, and the prognosis is usually good. A surgery and some therapies. We are kind of torn because we want to help her in every possible way, and it is breaking my heart to watch her try to speak, and have all these weird symptoms that it might be nice to have a way to "fix" it. And yet, we are talking about a tumor.

So, friends and family, we are having a special fast on Sunday. We are not looking for a fast that it is not a tumor, although that would be great! We need your strength and support right now. So if you wouldn't mind fasting that our family can have the strength we need, and that no matter what Laila will be in the best care.

Laila will be going in on Wed. Dec. 23 at noon. It requires a Pediatric Sedation Team, and will last approximately 45 minutes. We will probably not have results until the Monday after Christmas, which happens to be Josh and I's 10 year wedding anniversary. We will keep you posted as best we can! Who knows, maybe Josh will be home for Christmas after all! Remember, I'm finding Joy this week.

Thanks everyone, and eventually I'll post some pictures again, I promise...

Have you ever had one of those weeks?

Sigh. Long week. Long Day.

I'm looking forward to Monday. It's going to be a new week. And I'm on the hunt for some Joy in my Journey.

Hopefully it won't be as hard to find as this past week.

Thanks to all those that helped in the smallest to largest of ways.

SH!T HAPPENS.

And it happened to me. I awoke from my slumber after a long night of rain, to find that my bedroom smelled a little off.

Raw Sewage was spewing from my washing machine's drain pipe.

A cleaning Crew came.

A 500 deductible paid.

Brand Freaking New carpet cut out.

Remember those Christmas presents next to the Washing Machine? Yeah, no longer.

A Septic Truck came and sucked out 2500 gallons of water (my tank holds 1000) and it's full again.

A back hoe is parked out front.

A 1500 dollar bill to be paid.

Determines that I might need a new Drainage Field. Could be 8,000 to 25,000 dollars. You read that right.

Merry Christmas to my family.

We got Sh!t for Christmas.

I'm not bitter, really I'm not.

Wanted: Hiding Places.

I know there are those who don't like to "lie" to their children. So they don't tell them about Santa, or his reindeer.

But I relish in it. I lie to them all the time when I tell them I'm the greatest mom in the world, and that they're lucky to have me. Or when I say I LOVE going to church, it's so much fun! And I absolutely believe in allowing my children to believe.

However, I'm discovering that as my kids get smarter, Santa has to, too. No longer is the closet a safe place, thank GOODNESS the UPS man came during the school week, that could have been catastrophic. I am certainly hoping Colson doesn't happen on to my blog by accident. He would be devastated. He's been trying to be good for all of one hour.

Anyway, I'm running out of places to stuff presents, and room in my brain to remember them. So far (next to the washing machine, next to the water heater, in the nazi closet (explanation for another day), up in my closet, under a seat in the car. This list is just to help me remember when it's late at night Christmas Eve and I'm wrapping presents alone... and Can NOT find that other thing!!

Merry Christmas to all!

Record Keeping

Laila is on a 30ish day cycle of vomiting. Every 30 days in the morning she throws up. It's been going on for about a year, but I've only started documenting it the last couple of months. Lucky you. She threw up this morning, and I'm keeping track. For my doctors who don't seem worried. I'm not crazy. She seriously does it once every month.

I feel the love!

Thanks everybody for your sweet thoughts and wishes... I should post more often like that. It's great to hear how you all are thinking of us!

I'm feeling much better (today, at least).

I have started to think about all the blessings I've been given. Seriously, ME. Of all the good people in the world, I get MY kids. Yeah they are work, and they outnumber me, and half of them, I'm required to change regularly, and they dirty clothes a lot. BUT, they love me. They think I'm the best cook in the world. They think I'm the greatest mom because I let them get their art stuff out. If only I could love others so easily.

My newest goal for the month is to see others as my kids would see them. Excited for their small successes (i.e. mini meatloaves) and cheer for them in a small way.

Why not? It's a great season to love.