When Life Just Doesn't Make Sense.

This song kept going through my mind last night as I wrestled with surrender, what it means, what it looks like.  There is more to come, when I am not chasing a 2 year old around, but for now, the song:
Blessings

New Baby Joys And Woes

Baby and I had our 20 week ultrasound this morning.  My midwife sent me to a perinatologist whom she works closely with.  They have a wonderful, respectful professional relationship and it was a joy to be treated with the same respect.

The perinatologist spent over an hour going over every little bit of the baby, measuring and checking everything that could be measured and checked.

The positive results: 99.9% sure there is no spina bifida.  The spine looks wonderful, head and brain are just what they should be, legs and feet straight and strong. The heart is doing well, measures just as it should and all the parts are pumping.

The negative results: there are two possible indicators of a chromosomal abnormality.  The more serious of the two being that there is a high amount of fluid in both kidneys.  This indicates either a blockage in the system somewhere or reflux, where the fluid is coming out but some of it is going back up again.  This problem cannot be dealt with at all in utero and is something that we would deal with as we meet with the pediatrician after birth.

As we were leaving, the doctor reiterated to us that we have a very healthy baby and there is a 98% chance that we are going to have a perfectly normal, healthy child.  But, now we are aware that there is a possibility of something more when the baby comes.

We ask for prayer for us as we process what this all means and for the baby.  We know from prior experience that God will give us whatever we need for whatever we will face but it would be so wonderful not to have to face anything out of the ordinary.  I guess we just ask for prayer that we would be prepared for whatever is to come and that God's healing hand would be on this little one.

And, in case your curious, it's another boy. :-)

Another Milestone Today

The pictures of Damek's first day of school and video of Caedmon walking are still coming, I promise, but I just had to share that today Caedmon walked backwards, completely unassisted, for the first time today!  He did it first in the water at aquatherapy but a few hours later, when Adam took him to pick Damek up from school, he said, 'Watch this!' and proceeded to turn around and walk backwards for six steps.  It was actually more of a backward dance, our little crazy son.  I wish we had video to show you.

Summer 2011

I have been a terrible poster these last few months!  The reason being that we learned in early June we were expecting our newest addition to the family.  I have had terrible 'morning' sickness (actually, evening sickness) for the past three months but am now on my feet again. 

Since my firstborn's first day of school is tomorrow, I am operating under the pretense that summer is now drawing to a close.  Here are some of our memories of this very busy summer:

Caedmon began the summer by standing up from the floor!  He continued to amaze us as he began walking with no assistance and has grown stronger and stronger throughout the summer.

Damek is a whirlwind and such a joyous boy.

Our neighbor pointed out this dragonfly tree.  We'd never seen so many dragonflies sitting still in one spot before.

After spending a week in Hutchinson for campmeeting we came home long enough to do some laundry and then were off for Oklahoma to witness our friend's retirement from the Air Force and his son's baptism.

No summer is complete without swimming lessons but this summer we learned we should have paid Grandma the $50.  She did a lot better teaching Damek to get his face in the water in two days then his teacher did in two weeks.

Cousins on the top of Pikes Peak.

Cousins!

Somehow these got out of order, but more Pikes Peak.

Damek learning a few pointers from his cousin on how to cross those bars.

So fun!  Uncle Wilber's Fountain, plays music with coordinated spouting water.

The Tuba Man, hidden inside until the music starts.

Gymnast Cousin.

Damek's 6th birthday, celebrated with lots of family in Colorado.

Cousins are so helpful at parties.

They help you eat cake and ice cream, very nice.

It was so awesome to have so many people we love in one place!

Grammie and Pop Pop!

Caedmon loves babies and cousins!

A trip to the zoo was very exciting!

The family and Grandma!

My Sky Riding pal.

The family and Grandpa!

We even got to throw a birthday part for Booga!

Again, the order is totally out of whack but Caedmon was so excited to be this close to a train, until the whistle blew!

So, there's a bit of our summer.  Coming soon, school pictures and video of Caedmon walking!

Beatboxing Fun

Damek has been into beatboxing for a while now.  He told me a few months back that his spiritual gift was 'making music with his mouth' (beatboxing).  He has passed his love onto his brother, who really enjoys the spitting part.  At church on Sabbath Caedmon decided to show off his new talents.  Our friend recorded some of it and, using an iPhone app, actually made it rhythmic. 

Walking Free

We've just returned from a week away at our denomination's campmeeting. 

Adam taught in the Kindergarten division and had a great time with Damek and all the other 4-6 year olds who came out for the week.  In the mornings I took Caedmon to his class, in the afternoons I taught a session on prayer.  It was a beautiful experience meeting so many others on their own prayer journeys.

Our kids continue to grow and change and develop in awesome ways.  Sometimes getting away from the routine of home helps me see it better.  Damek is becoming a great helper, very eager to be of assistance where needed.  God has given him a lot of desire to be a leader and he continues to grow in that area.  Caedmon is a doer.  He gets something in his head that he wants to try and then he just does it.  We stayed in a hotel for the past week and Caedmon decided one afternoon that he would like to walk across the lobby, a couch to a chair about 10 feet apart, while we waited for Adam to finish up some business.  He started with just a few steps, then he would crawl back to the couch, stand up and try again.  Adam finished his business and we needed to get somewhere but we just couldn't stop watching him.  He kept trying, again and again, until he got to within a foot of the chair.  We couldn't believe it!

We are so thankful for our boys.  They teach us so much every day!

New Seasons, New Skills

Caedmon is again wowing us with his mad skills.  (And Daddy too, who showed us how to use the handyman's secret weapon to fix up Damek's old tricycle so Caedmon can ride it.  Hint: look for bright green in the video.)