Life Lately (Part 2)

It's hard when someone moves away. We have had friends move away before, but thankfully, they have moved back!!!

We had very good friends move away this year in January. We love the Abel family very much and we were sad to see them leave. Our whole family got along well with their whole family!! Not only is Kelly a good friend to me but her daughter is one of Micayla's best friends.

Kelly and I weren't sure how much more we could take of our daughters being sad over missing each other. We try to be sympathetic and understanding but at the same time telling them that they need to stop being so down and that they have to move on with life. I kept telling Micayla that Ashley didn't die and to stop acting like it!

So..... after several months of missing them, we were able to go visit them, in Michigan!! Alex, Micayla and I flew to Michigan and spent 11 great days there with them!!

We went to Splash Village in Frankenmuth, MI. It is an INDOOR water park! It was lots of fun!! Two of the slides go outside the building and then back in. And they were fast... and in the dark since they were complete tubes!

Afterwards, we went next door to Bronner's Christmas store. It's the largest Christmas store in the world with year round displays!! It was crazy. If you can think of it, they probably have an ornament for it!!

One day we spent at Dan's parents house on Loon Lake. The kids had a great time swimming in the lake. It's the first time my kids have swam in lake water that they remember. They weren't too fond of the mucky feel of the bottom but it didn't stop them from having fun! Here is a pic I took sitting on the deck.

We had so much fun there, even on the days we just stayed at home! Very relaxing!!

Thanks Dan and Kel for such a great time with you guys!! We feel right at home in your home!

A Funeral

Have you ever had a funeral for a pet? Well, we did two weeks ago. I'm slightly behind in my blogging. It was a sad day for us as we buried Micayla's hamster, also known as Hamilton John Gentges. (I know, I know.) We called him Hammy.

She's had him for almost 4 years so it was slightly emotional.

Thankfully, she has wonderful brothers who were there for her since Dad was out of town. (Why does he get to miss these events???)

Here Josh and Alex are preparing the hole...



Micayla had decorated the box for Hammy. His full name is on the top.



We were so happy when her friends came over to bring her flowers and cheer her up!!! I was especially happy they were able to be there for the "funeral"!!!



All done and over!



So here is some dialogue we had after he died....

Micayla: "So Mom, do you think Hammy is in heaven?"
Me: "Well honey..."

Micayla: (looking at me with big sad eyes)....
Mom: "I think that God wants us to be happy in heaven and God made hamsters. So I believe if it makes us happy and He made it then it will be in Heaven."
Micayla: (big smile) "Thanks Mom. I think he will be there too."

Oh geez. I have no idea if pets are in heaven but I believe OUR pets will be!!! It makes me happy. I need happy thoughts right now so there.

Trip to UF and Updates on Joshua

We had our monthly trip to UF this week. It was a good visit. Most of the same but a little deeper conversation.

Joshua's pressures look the same still. There is still no improvement on the meds. They are going to give him two more months on the meds he is currently taking before adding a new one on top of it. The new one they will add in two months, if things don't improve, has just been approved by the FDA. I don't remember the name. It will be taken 4-6 times a day and is inhaled.

We have a hard enough time getting his three times a day meds in so we are also getting him a medical watch. It's one he can set alarms to (like his cell phone) but it has 10 alarms on it. I'm going to set one of them to say "give your mom a hug" or maybe "unload the dishwasher" or possibly "start your laundry". Hmmm.... many options here!!!

No really, I am hopeful the watch will be a better reminder than the cell phone. If he doesn't hear the phone alarm, for whatever reason, (usually it's in the car or needs to be charged, or he's outside), then he doesn't remember the meds.

Joshua has been having nose bleeds almost every day the last week and a half. I took him in to see an ENT here in Jax. They said he has a "small bleed in the lower, left turbinate." Did you know we have turbinates?? He treated him with Affrin hoping to get the vessels to constrict and said to watch it and treat as needed and then start moisture therapy once it stops for three days. Then we are to follow up with him in 4 weeks. Well, we haven't had three days yet so we are going to start the moisture therapy anyway.

We also saw a pulmonologist in Gainesville for the first time. Dr. S was great. It was quite a L O N G visit. It seems to take F O R E V E R to give someone new all of Joshua's medical history. Not to mention all the copies we have of labs, meds, tests, etc. We were in her office for 3.5 hours. UGH!

So... after speaking with the doctors at UF, they want him to go back to ENT before the 4 weeks. They want us to discuss POSSIBLE removal of the tonsils. The risk may be too high for Joshua to have this done. Pulmonary hypertension patients are not great candidates for any type of surgery requiring anesthesia.

For now we will wait for the appointment to see the ENT and then the three docs will get together and discuss what will be best for Joshua.

Also, we are holding off on the CPAP with oxygen until we see the ENT.


One more thing... could you please pray for a sweet family in our church whose 2 year old son passed away. He had Leigh's disease. It's a bittersweet time for us. We know baby Mack is able to run, laugh and play now, but we sure wish we could see it ourselves.

Thanks so much for your continued support and love of our family.

We're baaaacckkk!!!!

We are still alive. Really.

Barely.

Many of you have let me know that I haven't updated in a while. Here's why.

My family moved into my sisters house for 12 days to take care of our grandpa while my sister and her family were on vacation in Missouri. He lives with her and requires light nursing care and just someone to check on him periodically, get his meals to him, and put him to bed.

It was A LOT for me. I'm such a wimp. I just don't do bodily fluids well. Of any kind, from anything or anyone. Between Grandpa, her three boys, four cats and a dog, she's always said her life is one big bodily fluid and she was right. I was not made to be a nurse, I'm sure of it.

Pray for her.

I don't know how she does it! And she even had home health care come every morning to get him up, clean him up, do his meds, and straighten his place up... just for me. I love her.

Anyway, it was an interesting 12 days. Lots of time for pondering and perspective.

Even more so than usual, I am forever grateful for Joshua. He was a HUGE help to me with Grandpa. He loves just sitting up there with him. Sometimes they talk. Sometimes they just sit. And watch TV. LOTS of TV.

(Just how many hours of Fox News or Deal or No Deal can one watch, really?)


Joshua and Grandpa have an unusual relationship. They really do love each other. Grandpa thinks Joshua is just wonderful. I think it's because Josh is the one who spends the most time with him just sitting with him. Joshua laughs at his jokes. These are the same jokes we all have heard as long as we can remember. But Joshua still laughs. He's great like that.

So, with all that being said... Joshua was able to do something I'm not sure anyone else would've been able to do.

He got Grandpa to do this... (sorry for the picture quality. It's from my cell phone and there are too many windows!)

And then he even did this...


Joshua would push him in his wheelchair around the pool table. Sometimes he would shoot sitting down, several other times he would stand up! That is big for Grandpa. He almost beat Joshua but Josh won!

We did enjoy our stay at her house for the most part. We really missed our own beds, and of course Mick! Remember him???

But we sure did enjoy this...

We did take full advantage of their pool and had friends over to swim while we were there.

Peter even brought his guitar to entertain us!! Fun times with friends!

We had a fish fry with the fish that John and Chad caught while deep sea fishing. I would post pictures but for some reason, the men don't think about taking pictures while they are bringing in their big catch!!!

We had shark, kobia, sea bass, and snapper.

It was yummy!!

I guess this post is plenty long now. I just wanted to let you all in on what we've been doing lately. More to come.

So Blessed

I've been thinking this week of all we have going on and the many things I'm trying to juggle and keep up with. Some days I feel like I can't possibly handle one more crisis or one more request. Other days I just want to sit and cry.

Then other days, more so than not, I have peace, a peace that passes all understanding. I'm so thankful for those peaceful days. I feel like the world says I should be freaking out and worrying, not that I don't some days, but for the most part, I feel peace with all that is going on. That is only from the Lord.

Today I've been reminded over and over how blessed we are and what wonderful friends and family we have. Even friends we don't get to see often are there. Today, the doorbell rang, and Micayla comes to me and says, "mommy, there's a police officer at the door." It happened to be an old friend of ours we haven't seen for a while. He and his wife have kept up with us through a mutual friend as well as our blog. He stopped by to check on Joshua and make sure we're not totally losing it see how things are going with us. What a nice surprise.

Several of our friends, as well as family, have offered to help us with whatever we need. Especially figuring out what to do with Alex and Micayla while we're gone and our zoo Mick and Mac and Hammy. Gotta love all those pets!

As it stands now, John's sister Julie is going to come down from Missouri and stay with the kids. They are gonna LOVE having Aunt Julie here. She will probably have second thoughts have a great time while she's here too and most likely learn a whole new appreciation for her approaching empty nest.

Anyway, I am just wanting to tell you all today how thankful we are for such great friends and family. They are willing to do whatever we need at a moments notice. Thank you so much for loving us.

Thank you Lord for such wonderful gifts of friends and family.