A trip to the zoo and an 89er?

Let's see...the week started out pretty good. Monday Maddie had a playdate with her friend Bailey. And on Wednesday morning we had a trip to the zoo planned with her class. On Tuesday night Maddie informed me, "Mom, you're probably going to be mad and I'm sorry, but there are no seat belts or car seats on the bus!" Well she rode that no seat belt, no car seat bus and loved it! It was her first time ever to ride a bus and one of the big highlights of the trip! We teamed up with Maddie's friends Bailey, Kayleen, Ryli and Tressa and had a great time for about an hour and half! All of the sudden Maddie had a fever so she and I ended up leaving the zoo early AND in the minivan not the school bus! By the time we got home she started throwing up. I just knew she had strep throat again, but much to my surprise and the doctor she tested negative for strep. He decided she had a virus and we went home. She continued to throw up until late Friday morning. Friday afternoon I made arrangements for her to go to my best friend's house for a couple of hours so I could go and see Fletcher. When I picked her up at 3:00 she was back to her old self and has been fine ever since. Go figure!

Friday morning The Children's Center had a land run. I was unable to go because I was at home with Maddie. I was really sad to miss the land run, this would be the first time one of us wasn't able to be at one of Fletcher's TCC events! So, I asked if someone would please take some pictures. Well, one of the girls in the marketing department took some great pictures! Since I wasn't able to be there I'm not quite sure what took place in the picture below. But I am sure it's one of my new favorites. Do you suppose he's an 89er? The look on his face just cracks me up and that pie tin! What a hoot! I'm almost positive that there are several girls in front of him and he's flirting with all of them! Well, I need to close for now hope you all have a great week!

Busy, busy, busy...

Sorry it's been so long since my last post, things are crazy around here!!!! We had a great Easter. Craig, the girls and I went to church of course, where we had an egg hunt and a wonderful time of worship and a great sermon! Then after church we headed to The Center to have yet another egg hunt with the Burns and Milgrim families. It was very cold but the kids didn't seem to mind at all. Thanks to everyone who spent another holiday with us at TCC! We know it's not the most normal of circumstances but we really appreciate the fact that Fletcher gets to join in the fun with all of his cousins! It means a lot to us to be able to be with all of you.

Kayleigh, Maddie and Fletcher Easter 2007

Kayleigh is getting ready to do CRT testing at school so remember her in your prayers. She has also started playing softball she's the catcher this year. We're looking forward to going to games and hanging out at the ballpark. I sure hope it warms up a lot!

Maddie just finished a reading project at school. It was called 'Reading Around the World' we kept track of each book that we read to her and for every five pages that she turned in she made a trip around the world. Well, she read ten pages so she went around the world TWICE! They had an awards assembly last Friday and Maddie received a gold medal with two ribbons! Way to go, Maddie!

Maddie's Reading Gold Medal

Fletcher had his follow up appointment with the ENT. He has another bad ear infection and it's draining some yucky stuff! TCC did a culture on the yucky stuff and found out that he has three different bacteria one of them ecoli. Dr. Digoy wasn't too worried about it and decided to go the ear drop round instead of an IV antibiotic since he's resisitant to so many. We're hoping this will work and we won't have to have tubes again. Other than that he's had a pretty good week. He went to class every day and his PT is back from maternity leave, boy are we glad! Hopefully she'll start working with him a lot! He also got a big boy bed and a custom made wheelchair! It is a Tiger 2000, it's almost like a stroller and is collapsible so maybe we'll be able to put our whole family in our van when we take Fletcher home next time. That's it for now. I hope you all have a great week!

Fletcher's big boy bed

Fletcher's new wheels

Palm Sunday

Well, we had a successful time at home with Fletcher. He did great and we really enjoyed being able to go to church together. Craig and I were exhausted after we took Bubba back to TCC. WOW! Our respect grows for the nurses and respiratory therapists who care for him! We realize why it takes 3 shifts of nurses and 2 shifts of RT's to care for him, lots of medicine and breathing treatments! It was a lot of hard work, but worth every minute! Maddie and Fletcher waved palms, well Maddie waved palms. I have always loved Palm Sunday there is just something about seeing children walking through the sanctuary praising the Lord! I was so blessed to push my sweet Fletcher in his wheelchair with his sister walking proudly beside him.

Poor Maddie...

Monday afternoon Maddie woke up from her nap with a 102.7 fever. We were just in the pediatricians office on Friday, March 16th where they determined she had a virus. Anyway, Maddie awoke in the wee hours of the morning on Tuesday, throwing up! So, Craig was up with her for most of the morning. I took her to the doctor that morning where she tested positive for strep and her first ever ear infection! Yesterday she ran a consistently high fever, the highest being 103.8 and she continued to throw up. Needless to say Maddie stayed home today, she only threw up once and hasn't had much of a fever all day. Prayerfully, tonight we'll have a good night and she'll be able to go to school tomorrow.

Kayleigh's home!

Yesterday Kayleigh returned home from Mississippi. We were all so happy to see her. She had a great time and was able to see a lot of her old friends. While Kayleigh was gone Craig and I surprised her by re-doing her room. We painted it pink and added two horizontal stripes around the top, one taupe (10 inches) and the other chocolate brown (2 inches). On two of the four walls in the taupe stripe I painted 1 Corinthians 13:13 and in the taupe stripe on the opposing walls I painted chocolate brown polka dots. We also got her new bedding. It's pretty cute. When Kayleigh got home the first place she went was to her room the door was closed. As she opened the door she paused and said, 'Whoa!' She was truly surprised! I think she really likes it and will enjoy it for a while. We took the girls and Kayleigh's grandparents (Monna & Pops) to The Center last night to see Bubba. It was a nice evening so we took him outside to the playground. Maddie loves to push his wheelchair so she pushed him on the ramp of the playground equipment and then we put him in the swing that his wheelchair fits on. Fletcher really likes that swing and Maddie really likes to push that swing! It was fun to have our whole family together. More later...

Trying to get back into the routine...

I know it's been a while since I last posted, but it's been really busy! It doesn't look like it's about to slow down either.

Kayleigh is in Mississippi with her grandparents for spring break. She is having a great time seeing old friends and family and SHOPPING! Boy, does she love to shop these days! I'm sure she'll come back with quite a few treasures. Our house is just not the same without our sweet Kayleigh!

Craig took Maddie and me out on dinner date Saturday night. It was fun to get to have some one on one time with daddy! She has had the opportunity this week to play with lots of her friends. Today she gets to go to Mrs. Jo's house and a birthday party this afternoon. I have planned a manicure/pedicure day for us on Friday. Maddie's friend Emily and her mommy are going to join us. I think it'll be a lot fun!

Well, Fletcher's unit is finally open and he has gone to class everyday this week. He's also seen this physical therapist several times. I was able to feed him yesterday. He's gotten a little bit used to just hanging out in his unit, so this has been a tough week for him. Craig says Fletcher is exhausted by the time he gets there in the evening. I'm sure it has to do with all of his activities!
I'm including a picture of Fletcher in his stander. It just so happened to be a good day for him, but normally he hates standing in this contraption!

One of those days...

Yesterday was one of 'those days' for me. Sometimes I get really tired of having to 'sign in' to 'visit' my baby. I long for the day when my sweet Fletcher will be home and all I will have to do is go into another room to see him. I long for the day when he can talk and tell me what he's thinking. I long for the day when he can walk beside me and hold my hand. The longing is unbearable sometimes. Sometimes, the longing is what gives me hope. Unfortunately, yesterday was one of those days for Craig and me, but we talked ourselves through it. By the end of our conversation we were both very thankful that Fletcher had made it this far. We were both very thankful for the Children's Center where we have to 'sign in' to 'visit' our son. We were both very thankful to be Fletcher's parents, because what if he had different parents who abandoned him at the Center and never visited him? We're grateful for our circumstances and we know where to turn when we're having one of 'those days.' And we know that God's Word can always provide comfort. Today as I was searching for some comfort I found this scripture, 'A longing fulfilled is sweet to the soul' Proverbs 13:19 This made me think of the dream I had of Fletcher walking, that's sweet to my soul. I need only to turn to the Lord for comfort for He knows me better than I know myself. I guess every now and then one of 'those days' isn't so bad.

My sweet boy