tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10003266259651223672024-03-18T16:10:43.266-04:00Pray For LillyLisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.comBlogger936125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-36760470842313302192024-03-18T16:09:00.007-04:002024-03-18T16:09:59.174-04:00It's Trisomy 18 Awareness Day<p><span style="font-family: times;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">Today, March </span><span class="gmail-il" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">18</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">, is </span><span class="gmail-il" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">Trisomy</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;"> </span><span class="gmail-il" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">18</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;"> </span><span class="gmail-il" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">Awareness</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;"> </span><span class="gmail-il" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">Day</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">. What is </span><span class="gmail-il" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">Trisomy</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;"> </span><span class="gmail-il" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">18</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;">? It means there are 3 of the 18th chromosomes in the body, instead of the usual 2. That naturally causes real problems for the body. Early help can give these babies a chance to live longer. Lilly lived 17 months and I was grateful for every minute of her precious life.</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"> 💙👼</span></p><p><span style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4Rabz2y_RklLJHlGWGPKasifjhCp6-Xs4rIu3cPneD0SlhmM4wvQ0QFmGRqYM9f4nDx3ipmb2nF5wM7Sq5WU7PgPT05TSvQEvAywYOp8MQLEeMCBZybDA1wePLQsMekBQqREV1tchwqOc-L1Mbf84HTMgiFe8jlZmJL4VN3m_1598I0QgkJh53KX1uc/s1080/Trisomy%2018%20Awareness%20Day.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEii4Rabz2y_RklLJHlGWGPKasifjhCp6-Xs4rIu3cPneD0SlhmM4wvQ0QFmGRqYM9f4nDx3ipmb2nF5wM7Sq5WU7PgPT05TSvQEvAywYOp8MQLEeMCBZybDA1wePLQsMekBQqREV1tchwqOc-L1Mbf84HTMgiFe8jlZmJL4VN3m_1598I0QgkJh53KX1uc/s320/Trisomy%2018%20Awareness%20Day.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-31711494286543505422024-03-08T17:22:00.007-05:002024-03-08T17:31:07.933-05:00March is Trisomy Awareness month<p><span style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: times;"><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">SOFT (Support Organization For Trisomy) (</span><a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://soft.org&source=gmail&ust=1710020346578000&usg=AOvVaw2xz3PQywhsDtR_Qam3E7-X" href="http://soft.org/" style="font-size: small;" target="_blank">soft.org</a><span face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">) is a group that</span><span face="Sen, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif" style="font-size: small;"> has been educating and helping families with children diagnosed with Trisomy 18, 13 and related chromosomal disorders for over 40 years. I found them so helpful during Lilly's life and I still get cards from them every year, remembering her. The month of March is "Trisomy Awareness Month." See <a href="http://soft.org">soft.org</a> for plenty of resources.</span></span></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMr_roJ6d0YMPBJL1VLO2zTYuWjFRw70bhGClfmBukl34kR6jhEVHZaMk8sqFssdpJ0nAh6sfXD_up-h0lreh8OM0pPsU3c4PLdtmlGT7-LwE5XiR3-a-o30cF85Wz3yC0ZoduqanFAe6BQmoJ-e6MDpjpeCpL7wNKnF1GhYFvIld5VoZZR-8IzyiAOs/s1080/unnamed.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaMr_roJ6d0YMPBJL1VLO2zTYuWjFRw70bhGClfmBukl34kR6jhEVHZaMk8sqFssdpJ0nAh6sfXD_up-h0lreh8OM0pPsU3c4PLdtmlGT7-LwE5XiR3-a-o30cF85Wz3yC0ZoduqanFAe6BQmoJ-e6MDpjpeCpL7wNKnF1GhYFvIld5VoZZR-8IzyiAOs/s320/unnamed.png" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><span face="Sen, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">For the entire month of March, I will be donating, to SOFT, </span><b style="font-size: small;">90%</b><span face="Sen, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif" style="font-size: small;"> of any royalties I earn for my book </span><i style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/LillyBear-Goes-Chincoteague-Ch%C3%A9rie-Hollowell/dp/B0BM36FHDJ">LillyBear Goes to Chincoteague</a>.</i><span face="Sen, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDz4Y-Z6qASVtIhaeKka5U616L29O2BpKblpAjwb3ZShMeWVPj_NwCyS4j5xJ8UpKhhSGaNxK5N-gLqDsfpPkmzr0k8TYwZdhmSMaCPvVUUFa1zWRs8wQNwm0ATVTyilZiMS1mCF8STswTS1vC07hyphenhyphengxXmYtFVRuW5DT3cXg3oHW7EUKQ_wChIdMRipYc/s1080/IMG_20240308_121149_713.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDz4Y-Z6qASVtIhaeKka5U616L29O2BpKblpAjwb3ZShMeWVPj_NwCyS4j5xJ8UpKhhSGaNxK5N-gLqDsfpPkmzr0k8TYwZdhmSMaCPvVUUFa1zWRs8wQNwm0ATVTyilZiMS1mCF8STswTS1vC07hyphenhyphengxXmYtFVRuW5DT3cXg3oHW7EUKQ_wChIdMRipYc/s320/IMG_20240308_121149_713.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;"><span face="Sen, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif" style="color: black; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-size: small;"><span face="Sen, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif" style="background-color: white; color: black; font-family: times;">My book is available on Amazon.com. It is a print-on-demand book and can be ordered from whatever country you live in. </span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: small;"><span face="Sen, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif" style="color: black;"><br /></span></div><div class="gmail_default" style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: small;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikajc-dbW3AbunPMy0Rvp4h1u1gqabrEyNrggelR4FUEdvIs4pQGwEMi0nwYs94_d9VWm03_6iXlEDQYUlH3nWiGnZipg3hyKssv6ImL816yw-utDy1pQ88sIuwInYy9FIh0YcjoCBGK7bYBzqcx41gSC43m87nNUk6LLtfqa1AjfG58DkCtRGhWDuwJA/s4000/100_1530.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikajc-dbW3AbunPMy0Rvp4h1u1gqabrEyNrggelR4FUEdvIs4pQGwEMi0nwYs94_d9VWm03_6iXlEDQYUlH3nWiGnZipg3hyKssv6ImL816yw-utDy1pQ88sIuwInYy9FIh0YcjoCBGK7bYBzqcx41gSC43m87nNUk6LLtfqa1AjfG58DkCtRGhWDuwJA/s320/100_1530.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: times;"><br /></span><span face="Sen, Helvetica, Arial, Lucida, sans-serif" style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: times;">Of course feel free to just make a contribution to SOFT directly!</span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> 😉</span></span></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-91133100878281260412023-01-24T14:37:00.004-05:002023-01-24T14:37:48.637-05:00LillyBear Returns to Chincoteague<p>A few days after Christmas, my two youngest children, LillyBear, and I took a trip to Chincoteague island in Virginia. We'd never been to Chincoteague during the winter so didn't know what it would be like, except that we wouldn't have to deal with the pesky mosquitoes! My Dad and stepmom, and my siblings and their families, all came to Chincoteague too. </p><p>If you've read my book, <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/LillyBear-Goes-Chincoteague-Ch%C3%A9rie-Hollowell/dp/B0BM36FHDJ" target="_blank">LillyBear Goes to Chincoteague</a></i>, or my 2012 blog post, "<a href="https://pray4lilly.blogspot.com/2012/06/lillybears-adventures-in-chincoteague.html" target="_blank">LillyBear's Adventures in Chincoteague</a>," you are familiar with the activities and things we like to do on Chincoteague and neighboring Assateague islands. </p><p>We stayed in a cute little house called the <a href="https://www.seasidevacations.rentals/rentals/crepe-myrtle-cottage" target="_blank">Crepe Myrtle Cottage</a>, which I believe was built in the 1930s. One of my brother's and his family stayed with us. My Dad and stepmom, other brother and his family, all stayed down the road at the <a href="https://www.seasidevacations.rentals/rentals/starbright-cottage" target="_blank">Starbright Cottage</a>.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi139Hjym6RQHp024uDwJ77QF6-KPdJkezJUM6aBgWEec9iRUpvktTCGO5FSmRz5i4lwMrpbclaTwoxoiQvCDoyN03ie3PIumq3TADVARTCsHPhv0BNmN1_yrxEkM6qg_N0IQJfW37PyX3X7fcbnJA_I0GnCJ2Ll_lEhEB-1-2V9u_YwToF9mE-4KYp/s4000/Crepe%20Myrtle%20Cottage%20-%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi139Hjym6RQHp024uDwJ77QF6-KPdJkezJUM6aBgWEec9iRUpvktTCGO5FSmRz5i4lwMrpbclaTwoxoiQvCDoyN03ie3PIumq3TADVARTCsHPhv0BNmN1_yrxEkM6qg_N0IQJfW37PyX3X7fcbnJA_I0GnCJ2Ll_lEhEB-1-2V9u_YwToF9mE-4KYp/w300-h400/Crepe%20Myrtle%20Cottage%20-%201.jpg" title="LillyBear on the steps of the Crepe Myrtle Cottage" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LillyBear on the steps of the Crepe Myrtle Cottage</td></tr></tbody></table><br />I left copies of my <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/LillyBear-Goes-Chincoteague-Ch%C3%A9rie-Hollowell/dp/B0BM36FHDJ" target="_blank">LillyBear Goes to Chincoteague</a></i> book at both cottages. I hope other vacationers might enjoy them.<div><br /></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZ92DNcD7nzR8vG7lbFhACDsURuh4eXvh3RpCQKOyRkS_HG5EXbpNbM1pr2JaNpQMmfDgr7hAy0_jb1IfdGabj3Q-qzHascvkOVZX9zCcoW7P-PQ4MZBRVxnepMRzcAmvuOhWFr7U444BE_OZB1sKsrcIfleCd5No9Y6REOlJmZgOf6CSqTHT0drX/s4000/Crepe%20Myrtle%20Cottage%20-%20living%20room.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCZ92DNcD7nzR8vG7lbFhACDsURuh4eXvh3RpCQKOyRkS_HG5EXbpNbM1pr2JaNpQMmfDgr7hAy0_jb1IfdGabj3Q-qzHascvkOVZX9zCcoW7P-PQ4MZBRVxnepMRzcAmvuOhWFr7U444BE_OZB1sKsrcIfleCd5No9Y6REOlJmZgOf6CSqTHT0drX/w300-h400/Crepe%20Myrtle%20Cottage%20-%20living%20room.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LillyBear is sitting on a table in front of the window <br />with our book next to her</td></tr></tbody></table><div><p>Because of the time of year we were there, not everything was open. But it was still very nice because there were no crowds either. Just being outside and walking in the fresh air was wonderful.</p><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHSb5dBIW62PKWJNAeTrj-gvFIJ3UJhOWdIzyymvjQ-jw5DogM0OtXjuU5256U0e_hsQamsLAlnYgSi8PvA4y4rnTuh0lNxPy6XuElwP3CeYV-ZJvxCEIC4nQ02g6jQurmdeHNzUVvux5lAc2SmqCSii8bFxV4F9LJluJoEoi3_XTTQPkXkngpilw/s4000/Crepe%20Myrtle%20Cottage%20-%20tree%20-%20LillyBear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYHSb5dBIW62PKWJNAeTrj-gvFIJ3UJhOWdIzyymvjQ-jw5DogM0OtXjuU5256U0e_hsQamsLAlnYgSi8PvA4y4rnTuh0lNxPy6XuElwP3CeYV-ZJvxCEIC4nQ02g6jQurmdeHNzUVvux5lAc2SmqCSii8bFxV4F9LJluJoEoi3_XTTQPkXkngpilw/w300-h400/Crepe%20Myrtle%20Cottage%20-%20tree%20-%20LillyBear.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">LillyBear climbing a large crepe myrtle tree<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><p>One day it was rainy so LillyBear decided to stay in the cottage. (She prefers to be warm and dry!) Solomon and I explored a little part of the island that we had never seen before - the Chincoteague Waterman's Memorial. We had to drive through the marina parking lot to get there, and then walk up a little hill.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoTLTqcGPB3IQ_VJmxWk-C_0TORAFfKBA8JOEl94ueGAngkOGSvzRyM_oRRh1nGzC-QRgfXleH4EQ6KlIsrxGR5PaTk6Ucb8eWhOdKspLcdz_zLj0kedkYSZJ2awa9PLg1S0EWznEsBgkNJy46udTHAB_iJ1UfgXEDW7d0M6DryLUFVOMDmSNGUzko/s4000/CI%20Watermans%20Memorial%20-%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoTLTqcGPB3IQ_VJmxWk-C_0TORAFfKBA8JOEl94ueGAngkOGSvzRyM_oRRh1nGzC-QRgfXleH4EQ6KlIsrxGR5PaTk6Ucb8eWhOdKspLcdz_zLj0kedkYSZJ2awa9PLg1S0EWznEsBgkNJy46udTHAB_iJ1UfgXEDW7d0M6DryLUFVOMDmSNGUzko/w300-h400/CI%20Watermans%20Memorial%20-%201.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>It was so foggy we couldn't see very far around us. The only sound was water lapping on one side. The quiet and fog made reading the plaques even more sobering. Yet there was such a beauty in the place.</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_NVUDCFpj2ehUEmlT0vYiCF8dg8kfQz3-08Q1SyUX6cM7K6awYPfO4jKs6SRxaxXjbNzlrMXMpvkOj3EQFvc8iyb4dmIYgUXCb_v8IpYj6ZSWdP6Ct9FViZd6nxwi_1Pm_Fa0l3xr--RDpdfmaHd8inkMuICecHXtZolg7FxRWdllXb92sbbWN6ua/s4000/CI%20Watermans%20Memorial%20-%203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_NVUDCFpj2ehUEmlT0vYiCF8dg8kfQz3-08Q1SyUX6cM7K6awYPfO4jKs6SRxaxXjbNzlrMXMpvkOj3EQFvc8iyb4dmIYgUXCb_v8IpYj6ZSWdP6Ct9FViZd6nxwi_1Pm_Fa0l3xr--RDpdfmaHd8inkMuICecHXtZolg7FxRWdllXb92sbbWN6ua/w300-h400/CI%20Watermans%20Memorial%20-%203.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvKngwe5WtQlQ_bJ9LD6aG--4iuBaGfAVEOzEfQ8nKK4_u9M2rEurjl5C8Shej4bvIHh8IsxZgicqhgOjjm4a10Izf7dqn5UlR3hTHo9lDEiyb2TAtJ3EwIGMjRQ6jyvFxOWC5k0aiMwVis5bQxJZKWtBoOCYANaMIXKruppdqUzb1p7KNTqq_pud/s4000/CI%20Watermans%20Memorial%20-%204.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOvKngwe5WtQlQ_bJ9LD6aG--4iuBaGfAVEOzEfQ8nKK4_u9M2rEurjl5C8Shej4bvIHh8IsxZgicqhgOjjm4a10Izf7dqn5UlR3hTHo9lDEiyb2TAtJ3EwIGMjRQ6jyvFxOWC5k0aiMwVis5bQxJZKWtBoOCYANaMIXKruppdqUzb1p7KNTqq_pud/w300-h400/CI%20Watermans%20Memorial%20-%204.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_-lt_mOgtFnQTiaqM4qSmP-rPzoi5FpI7sCicLFkfSUYkxw9Xglxla0maOVpHl5MExHtDSRSQ_9tM5i_Cd1pQCXLKAsv6VxA4_d7D9iNrfOcrSydsB9ExA9h4ZPtwVFvVXBsUbus7U08dEKkoUUWm4VFYAUWbaL--5M7-oWVP0yg3VoRn2iBPVy-/s4000/CI%20Watermans%20Memorial%20-%202%20Lost%20at%20Sea%20sign.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt_-lt_mOgtFnQTiaqM4qSmP-rPzoi5FpI7sCicLFkfSUYkxw9Xglxla0maOVpHl5MExHtDSRSQ_9tM5i_Cd1pQCXLKAsv6VxA4_d7D9iNrfOcrSydsB9ExA9h4ZPtwVFvVXBsUbus7U08dEKkoUUWm4VFYAUWbaL--5M7-oWVP0yg3VoRn2iBPVy-/w400-h300/CI%20Watermans%20Memorial%20-%202%20Lost%20at%20Sea%20sign.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLMJ5dW0iQl4yT0t8SbVgI4rHM4YBoBs-39HiXa87xtAKAzpVi2hYCHfZHgWpsdyRdtRotBBOiUdYEExElc5NWANYA40jtitDgQw3MVUaI4X5nUA8PiiEM3rWb7EikDphxZRe-fEXke_wBt8spONTFmxMNFDQTaK_i1SpJfZQtLYk56UhiOEn3G13/s4000/CI%20Watermans%20Memorial%20-%2010.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3000" data-original-width="4000" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlLMJ5dW0iQl4yT0t8SbVgI4rHM4YBoBs-39HiXa87xtAKAzpVi2hYCHfZHgWpsdyRdtRotBBOiUdYEExElc5NWANYA40jtitDgQw3MVUaI4X5nUA8PiiEM3rWb7EikDphxZRe-fEXke_wBt8spONTFmxMNFDQTaK_i1SpJfZQtLYk56UhiOEn3G13/w400-h300/CI%20Watermans%20Memorial%20-%2010.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><p>Solomon and I followed a trail past the memorial for a while. It was very interesting. We're still not sure what this part, off the trail, was:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk6YjXAbJBhTcnRoijjC4vKDKNL6YONbLYG6nTFaggYEL8hWpBS3lCRNxQ6-ATTF9LC2mLHbAHvMvV6ecpC5fih03V_3Y0FNQKYKe6agH7OSXjkeb3Cy0kIjzY4rFav_xsQhxjaO2Lc-4CuZxPwwKy95M_MuaXMpXs3Orasd8guGxXMHrJSRtSRWEU/s4000/CI%20Watermans%20Memorial%20-%2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk6YjXAbJBhTcnRoijjC4vKDKNL6YONbLYG6nTFaggYEL8hWpBS3lCRNxQ6-ATTF9LC2mLHbAHvMvV6ecpC5fih03V_3Y0FNQKYKe6agH7OSXjkeb3Cy0kIjzY4rFav_xsQhxjaO2Lc-4CuZxPwwKy95M_MuaXMpXs3Orasd8guGxXMHrJSRtSRWEU/w300-h400/CI%20Watermans%20Memorial%20-%2011.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>LillyBear was happily waiting for us, when we finally got back to the cottage:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDeWIg6CPcK5H5te32Y8Rs3MdC4VSSJ61NVNTaMuyd9KdIyBj7kKoPiJMT0DCqwJVtDzsmlKgUI0UFYCltp8zsE2FKYInQz77NkfrqX1cT8vtP5e3puI0tZQltyQOBEG__Iy-PqcWc4i24HFGSc6MSxDG8SCIWZVcrOfCKCCO6yFygzfktJJ08M9e/s4000/Crepe%20Myrtle%20Cottage%20-%20LillyBear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUDeWIg6CPcK5H5te32Y8Rs3MdC4VSSJ61NVNTaMuyd9KdIyBj7kKoPiJMT0DCqwJVtDzsmlKgUI0UFYCltp8zsE2FKYInQz77NkfrqX1cT8vtP5e3puI0tZQltyQOBEG__Iy-PqcWc4i24HFGSc6MSxDG8SCIWZVcrOfCKCCO6yFygzfktJJ08M9e/w300-h400/Crepe%20Myrtle%20Cottage%20-%20LillyBear.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>For those of you that are <i>Misty of Chincoteague </i>fans, here is Miss Molly's Inn on Main Street where Marguerite Henry stayed at in 1947 while writing her book:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-O6HOqCTgqA1nALOPJMRMf5S4hFnEJapXYmLctVt9U3YISG8Z5IhRYty3wOCbUqzKdHZ7oW2RfEgdnDhOhZhTst9Kr17IhwmbEphGwdkg3d0iHdtGfXDMH_r4tfPJa8DuNgqv7Ss1ncO09Fmgt_tcWoCobeQauSTlp6SjO5fbC83SpjdUzyMAp-WM/s4000/Main%20St%20-%20Miss%20Mollys%20Inn%201.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-O6HOqCTgqA1nALOPJMRMf5S4hFnEJapXYmLctVt9U3YISG8Z5IhRYty3wOCbUqzKdHZ7oW2RfEgdnDhOhZhTst9Kr17IhwmbEphGwdkg3d0iHdtGfXDMH_r4tfPJa8DuNgqv7Ss1ncO09Fmgt_tcWoCobeQauSTlp6SjO5fbC83SpjdUzyMAp-WM/w300-h400/Main%20St%20-%20Miss%20Mollys%20Inn%201.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsdTrjeaiDbba2eY77iNgO2HVDFOmh_KmmU60gjHwYdqRR7YGdx7MoRUZCP4fy4fLUfl7eZbjH-yCsnJEAPt-fW-JImOteRFfwawYkVJ7yWtuXTlkG6TIOq4_4fmolzoZB05OvdPsgxhdfGim5gzbSlZ8xSmvC39njizCFGNCpktkuqgig_GisIKG/s4000/Main%20St%20-%20Miss%20Mollys%20Inn%202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUsdTrjeaiDbba2eY77iNgO2HVDFOmh_KmmU60gjHwYdqRR7YGdx7MoRUZCP4fy4fLUfl7eZbjH-yCsnJEAPt-fW-JImOteRFfwawYkVJ7yWtuXTlkG6TIOq4_4fmolzoZB05OvdPsgxhdfGim5gzbSlZ8xSmvC39njizCFGNCpktkuqgig_GisIKG/w300-h400/Main%20St%20-%20Miss%20Mollys%20Inn%202.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><br /><p>It doesn't seem that Blogger sends out emails to subscribers announcing my posts anymore, so I have no idea if anyone that used to read this blog will see this. But if you are reading this, and for any new people who see this, I just want to say "hello" and that I hope you have a very blessed new year! </p></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-25113886616764972032022-11-18T11:19:00.005-05:002022-11-18T11:33:50.749-05:00MY NEW BOOK: LillyBear Goes to Chincoteague<p>LillyBear and I have an exiting announcement to make! We now have a published book on Amazon.com: <i><a href="https://www.amazon.com/LillyBear-Goes-Chincoteague-Ch%C3%A9rie-Hollowell/dp/B0BM36FHDJ" target="_blank">LillyBear Goes to Chincoteague</a></i>. </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStJ8N3d_PtByKn7IwGPnIUGR7iGJG4pMhU93JoKxbVx_2-phF2JXNQUi0E2tcGu2FTdnhJMenXFzaW3SQaSKbYjvav9zTCvWhwgzO9uofv3OoGq006cArbPHIzCbCNmWYBYuddXlqiAVdm6uylhZqPk_iIiFIwRKj2updcX3Ge_2l2JhuiueyhNL8/s4000/20221115_141649.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStJ8N3d_PtByKn7IwGPnIUGR7iGJG4pMhU93JoKxbVx_2-phF2JXNQUi0E2tcGu2FTdnhJMenXFzaW3SQaSKbYjvav9zTCvWhwgzO9uofv3OoGq006cArbPHIzCbCNmWYBYuddXlqiAVdm6uylhZqPk_iIiFIwRKj2updcX3Ge_2l2JhuiueyhNL8/w294-h391/20221115_141649.jpg" width="294" /></a></div><br /><p>Because the book is self-published through Amazon, it is a "print on demand" book. That means it can be ordered and printed from any Amazon website in the world. So if you live in another country and are interested in the book, you can get it without paying for overseas shipping. 😉</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3529BPPdAfgFKtGtagnHT3W2bW1kipuTj0qY7G1zO44GyQaLpZkVXE3AY0utdoMjiY4MFEjJL9kel62NvewJeAWu5v6EiviUwJdcmi0UDuxQD7RunT200TWWz5PLy8yRaTyc_THtAAXFo6p4qOv28jUV3Zaj1pprHgoEK_XHFkODkOKPDcDZnaFUp/s4000/20221115_140532.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4000" data-original-width="3000" height="407" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3529BPPdAfgFKtGtagnHT3W2bW1kipuTj0qY7G1zO44GyQaLpZkVXE3AY0utdoMjiY4MFEjJL9kel62NvewJeAWu5v6EiviUwJdcmi0UDuxQD7RunT200TWWz5PLy8yRaTyc_THtAAXFo6p4qOv28jUV3Zaj1pprHgoEK_XHFkODkOKPDcDZnaFUp/w305-h407/20221115_140532.jpg" width="305" /></a></div><br /><p>Here is a summary of the book:</p><p><i>When LillyBear travels with her family to Chincoteague and Assateague islands, she is amazed by everything she sees in the natural world around her and inside the many museums she visits. As much as she enjoys her days exploring, she starts to worry that she’ll never see the island’s wild ponies. Will LillyBear find all the historical links to the famous pony Misty? What will LillyBear learn about the lighthouse on Assateague island and why the mosquito was nicknamed their official bird? Will LillyBear ever see those elusive wild ponies before her vacation is over?</i></p><p><i><br />A heartwarming and informative story about a little bear and her (human) family as they explore Chincoteague and Assateague islands. Learn alongside them as they visit museums, a lighthouse, and all things Misty of Chincoteague. Hear a recollection of Pony Penning Day and see famous spots on the islands through the eyes of a curious little bear.<br /><br />Filled with photographs, this “living book” captures the spirit of the family’s adventure and the events and places described.<br /><br />This book was written in memory of a special little girl, Lilly, who was born with Trisomy 18.</i></p><p><i><br /></i></p><p>The front and back covers:</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Ppga4XfmJ-yqujvUB6nqtzLdpEsyWE0kUPKxAc37m298-iRcboe8UJGy5u9Qvf-TuYPFX67TfPreJzewlZHzrsFG2os_H-nU1_lRhdFVdKWCgiGQomfHoJVtbxw07IKtNPuoYl4vye7QT6h3t-hYRceieR3x_v18-CG7nW7AIB6pcAKUG2oAnTwX/s2550/FrontCover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="2516" height="396" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9Ppga4XfmJ-yqujvUB6nqtzLdpEsyWE0kUPKxAc37m298-iRcboe8UJGy5u9Qvf-TuYPFX67TfPreJzewlZHzrsFG2os_H-nU1_lRhdFVdKWCgiGQomfHoJVtbxw07IKtNPuoYl4vye7QT6h3t-hYRceieR3x_v18-CG7nW7AIB6pcAKUG2oAnTwX/w391-h396/FrontCover.jpg" width="391" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNyqBRWWbyjif1oXbl0t_8JIl-hlnviCVnwN1gFzxnWg8GnsfT3qkTpWt0tyCrysZr9geey55jbyCnxwVMQhJ3jaKeZbQpOKHwkqnqGf1PD-MreyXnUtLKeATfWG1aRSXMgPcI2lenbmJUd7v3U0_hVrkmyC6amNm8OvWRnterDAH6FAwt_hjzdfKI/s2550/BackCover.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2550" data-original-width="2516" height="391" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNyqBRWWbyjif1oXbl0t_8JIl-hlnviCVnwN1gFzxnWg8GnsfT3qkTpWt0tyCrysZr9geey55jbyCnxwVMQhJ3jaKeZbQpOKHwkqnqGf1PD-MreyXnUtLKeATfWG1aRSXMgPcI2lenbmJUd7v3U0_hVrkmyC6amNm8OvWRnterDAH6FAwt_hjzdfKI/w386-h391/BackCover.jpg" width="386" /></a></div></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">I hope that anyone who buys this book enjoys it. Thank you!!!! 😊</div></div><div class="adL"><br /></div><div class="adL"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDD2ewRyyugoAaelDq0QApc8kalXX-w6U_ZzT2mcfIXb52n3kS-CNcojhjaEK1Doql85ot8O3aTyYrZiO0PPapVTL3pyGwxoHbmSczKCgbRhmbR39hXuTM8KEvUa4AHXIvd6mwdpNmVx4yFSY2JJ26pYqSD_W036U-LUJ5PVfr6YkF6QQckRqBfkWv/s1200/BookBrushImage-2022-11-15-17-455.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="457" data-original-width="1200" height="160" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDD2ewRyyugoAaelDq0QApc8kalXX-w6U_ZzT2mcfIXb52n3kS-CNcojhjaEK1Doql85ot8O3aTyYrZiO0PPapVTL3pyGwxoHbmSczKCgbRhmbR39hXuTM8KEvUa4AHXIvd6mwdpNmVx4yFSY2JJ26pYqSD_W036U-LUJ5PVfr6YkF6QQckRqBfkWv/w419-h160/BookBrushImage-2022-11-15-17-455.png" width="419" /></a></div><br /></div><div class="yj6qo"></div>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-91966589595315616062019-06-08T10:54:00.002-04:002019-06-08T10:54:36.411-04:00"Newborns with trisomy 13 or 18 can benefit from heart surgery"<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">I just wanted to share an exciting medical journal article, which finally acknowledges that infants born with Trisomy 18 or 13 are more likely to survive if they undergo heart surgery. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Note that this article was published in October <b>2017</b> - but I don't remember seeing it before now. Since people are still doing searches and frequently ending up on this blog, I wanted to put this information here.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The <a href="https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2017/10/newborns-with-trisomy-13-or-18-benefit-from-heart-surgery.html">article</a> is here: <a href="https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2017/10/newborns-with-trisomy-13-or-18-benefit-from-heart-surgery.html">https://med.stanford.edu/news/all-news/2017/10/newborns-with-trisomy-13-or-18-benefit-from-heart-surgery.html</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Researchers at Stanford and the University of Arkansas analyzed data from the largest study of its kind and found that infants born with these two genetic disorders have a significantly better chance of survival if they have heart surgery. (Heart defects are very common in T-13 and T-18 babies.)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">For us parents of these precious children, this is a real "DUH!!!" moment. But to be getting the medical community on board? That is HUGE! Those of you that know my Lilly's story know that we had to go all the way to Florida to get her heart surgery because local doctors, here in N.C., would not treat her. They believed it was "unethical" since she was just going to die anyway.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This belief was common. From the article: </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> “The thought has been that it doesn’t make sense to undertake a major heart surgery if the patient’s death within a few months is a near certainty,” said Thomas Collins, MD, clinical associate professor of pediatric cardiology at Stanford."</span></i><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Instead of death being so certain, the researchers found this:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>"The researchers found that heart surgery increased survival and hospital discharge on average from 33 percent to approximately 67 percent for these patients, and that this benefit lasted through two years of follow-up. “When we analyzed the survival curves, the data spoke for themselves,” Collins said. “Especially for trisomy 18, the number of babies that survive more than doubles after surgery.”</i></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">As one of Lilly's heart doctor's said before her first heart surgery, it was her hope that Trisomy 18 (and 13) babies would one day be treated just as Down Syndrome children were. (Note that years ago, Down Syndrome children were NOT medically treated well either. But it finally changed for them.)</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jeeZYMq0fm8/XPvLxdRCWKI/AAAAAAAAPM0/KQI4cnXyNMELJPK82ErRDzkqe0tXQEtZQCLcBGAs/s1600/100_2333.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jeeZYMq0fm8/XPvLxdRCWKI/AAAAAAAAPM0/KQI4cnXyNMELJPK82ErRDzkqe0tXQEtZQCLcBGAs/s400/100_2333.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lilly sleeping after her 2nd heart surgery (Nov. 2011)</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lilly waving - on the way home after surgery & recovery!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: Source Sans Pro, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 14px;"><br /></span></span>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-4979862389374309752019-03-02T13:35:00.001-05:002019-03-02T13:36:24.658-05:00Lilly's Christmas and the Warrior MAMA IEP Binder Hi everyone! I know it's been SO LONG since I've posted. I actually still think of all sorts of things I'd like to write about but we've been dealing with some intense life "roller coasters" within our family for the past few years and I've had to let some things go, even things I love, like blogging.<br />
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Since I like having things about Lilly recorded (for my own record), so I wanted to post what I got her for Christmas last year. I always buy her an angel themed ornament for her tree. This one is little vintage angel poodle:<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ShLRMmmvxe0/XHrCByujs_I/AAAAAAAAPEQ/Awg27YDH8_g_yawcRn3z0rDW8Jryx_P1QCLcBGAs/s1600/Lillys%2Bornament%2B2018%2B2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1067" data-original-width="1600" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ShLRMmmvxe0/XHrCByujs_I/AAAAAAAAPEQ/Awg27YDH8_g_yawcRn3z0rDW8Jryx_P1QCLcBGAs/s400/Lillys%2Bornament%2B2018%2B2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Ever since Lilly died, I've put a little red-white-blue Christmas tree at her grave. However, they just do not hold up well. So this year I did something different. I found this adorable deer statute online (from Design Toscano - which is a company that has good quality items) and I tied on a cute bow and some garland:<br />
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<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TBZvrBBlE3s/XHrDP47mrdI/AAAAAAAAPEk/CX-79K4P_EovHg-N49_ck1qdmmcbCBMBQCLcBGAs/s1600/Darby%2B-%2BLillys%2Bpresent%2B1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-TBZvrBBlE3s/XHrDP47mrdI/AAAAAAAAPEk/CX-79K4P_EovHg-N49_ck1qdmmcbCBMBQCLcBGAs/s400/Darby%2B-%2BLillys%2Bpresent%2B1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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I think it's adorable! Hunter pointed out that the deer came already named - "Darby." He thinks that name is ridiculously silly but we decided to keep it. I like it. :)<br />
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What finally pushed me to take the time to post today is that I wanted to share about the "Warrior MAMA IEP Binder."<br />
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During Lilly's life, I kept a detailed medical binder with all her information. (I did a short post <a href="http://pray4lilly.blogspot.com/2011/08/lilly-books.html">here</a> about it.) This huge binder was incredibly helpful, time and time again. I always had the info I needed right there while at doctor's appointments or at hospital visits. Medication lists, all her doctors info, notes from her physical therapy and occupational therapy sessions, diet information, printed pertinent emails from case workers, etc.<br />
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I remember at a couple of Lilly's hospital stays, the nurses commented on just how helpful my binder was and they wished more parents would keep them. At one emergency room visit I was just sort of frozen in horror and was having trouble processing. I handed the doctor and nurse my binder and they quickly got all the info they needed from it and thanked me.<br />
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<b>I can not emphasize enough how important it is to have a notebook like this when you have children with any kind of special needs. </b><br />
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Now I LOVE making notebooks to organize papers in and felt I had everything I needed in mine. But what if you aren't naturally organized and just aren't into that sort of thing? What if you're unsure of what all to put in it? Well you can now buy one that is already put together and full of helpful, guided pages.<br />
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<i>NOTE: I am not affiliated with this product in any way. I just wanted to share about it because I know how helpful this type of binder is, when you have special needs children.</i><br />
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Lisa, of <a href="http://organize365.com/">Organize365.com</a>, is the mother of 2 adopted children with special needs and has dealt with everything that comes with that. Doctors, special diets, different schools, therapies, etc. She kept her own binders for her children. Now she has created one that can be purchased.<br />
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If you go to <a href="https://organize365.com/WARRIOR-MAMA/">https://organize365.com/WARRIOR-MAMA/</a> you will see links for information on the binder:<br />
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- a podcast<br />
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- a free online masterclass<br />
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- an unboxing video<br />
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- link to purchase the binder<br />
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Finally, just for fun, take a peek at the <a href="https://organize365.com/">Organize 365's homepage</a> - if you scroll down you'll see a picture of Tabby and I along with an email I sent Lisa. :)<br />
<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-202917138191965672018-07-30T20:20:00.000-04:002018-07-30T20:20:08.761-04:00Dear Lilly ... Happy Belated Birthday<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lilly's Memorial Garden this month</td></tr>
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<i>Dearest Lilly,</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Happy belated 8th birthday, my sweet girl! Wow EIGHT!!! I am so curious about you. What are you like in heaven? I can't wait to see you again one day. I hope you will run to me and give me, what Solomon likes to call, "the biggest lion hug ever!"</i><br />
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<i>By the way, your little brother is so looking forward to meeting you one day. He loves looking at pictures of you and sometimes wishes he could be in some of them.</i><br />
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<i>Let's see, this is your first birthday in 6 years that we did not have our traditional Lilly's Birthday aka July 4th Celebration. But have no doubt, we all remembered you on your day. Just as we do every day.</i><br />
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<i>During your birthday week, Tabby and I were at a church camp in Virginia. It was the first camp that either of us have ever been too. Though I missed getting to come to your grave, I did share your picture with several people at camp and told them about your birthday. They were very kind. Tabby told some of the campers about you too.</i><br />
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<i>The boys and your Dad were planning to carry on your celebration by attending the parade and fireworks however something else happened. Hunter came down with the chicken pox! He had a fever and was all spotty and itchy. There was no way he felt like going out anywhere. But the boys and Dad did set off some fireworks at home. Did you see them?</i><br />
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<i>About two weeks later Hunter was all better but then ... Solomon came down with the chicken pox! So we put off going to the store to buy balloons for you once again. However, Solomon did argue that even boys with chicken pox were still able to eat birthday cake! So your siblings all voted on cupcakes for this year. We imagined red-white-blue ones. But when I went to the store, I realized oops! With July 4th passed, there were no longer "Lilly colored" desserts out. I know I could have made something at home, but there was too much going on. So I bought these cupcakes and they were very yummy!</i><br />
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<i>For your birthday present this year, I bought you a set of red/white/blue bottle brush trees. I have a bit of an obsession with them.</i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">bottle brush trees made by @oldvintagebits (Instagram)</span></td></tr>
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<i>I never did share a picture of your last year's Christmas present on your blog, so I will do that now. I just love the work of Polish artist Amelia. </i>(Etsy shop:<i> </i><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/inameliart">inameliart</a><i> </i>) <i>I have bought several prints from her over the past year. Last year she had 2 that made me think of you! One is a little girl that wears red-white-blue! Amelia told me her husband said that she had painted an "American girl." (They live in Poland.) She sure did! She painted my Lilly girl. I told Amelia about you and your story touched her deeply. She is such a sweet and talented artist. The other print I bought is an angel girl holding a bunny. So I feel I have my 4th of July Lilly girl and my angel Lilly girl. They are so special to me! </i><br />
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<i>Last week we bought your birthday balloons at the dollar store. But every time we thought about sending them up to you, someone wasn't feeling good, or it was raining, or something was wrong with the timing. But finally! This morning, in between rain showers, we hurried outside to let your balloons go. This is the first time we did this at home, instead of at your grave. But that's OK. You know we love you anywhere we are. At first we were going to release them by Solomon's big pumpkin patch. But it got windy all the sudden. So we went out by the road and let the balloons go over the cow pasture across the street. They all went up up up! No tangling in trees. </i><br />
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<i>I watched them until they disappeared. I thought about you and how much your short life of 17 months blessed me and stretched me beyond what I thought I was capable of. What a gift from God you were and I thanked Him all over again for you.</i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lilly's 1st birthday</span></td></tr>
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<i>We all love you, Lilly-girl, forever and ever!!</i><br />
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<i>XOXOXOXO </i>😘💗<br />
<i>Mama</i>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-68364700752815683862017-12-22T16:43:00.001-05:002017-12-22T16:43:30.677-05:00Lilly's Pulse Ox is in ... Honduras!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aC2sFOVVsfg/Wj16ihE2zYI/AAAAAAAAOSQ/LdbUXCdzGfQcxLZMm-Hk-b-QYTqWeBElQCLcBGAs/s1600/100_2641.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-aC2sFOVVsfg/Wj16ihE2zYI/AAAAAAAAOSQ/LdbUXCdzGfQcxLZMm-Hk-b-QYTqWeBElQCLcBGAs/s400/100_2641.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"I can't say I'm very excited about the new pulse ox, Mama." - Lilly (Dec. 2011)</td></tr>
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This morning I was reading through a <a href="http://www.healthyninos.org/uploads/1/1/1/5/111589139/christmas2017web.pdf">newsletter from "Healthy Ninos Honduras,</a>" which is a new organization by <a href="http://www.mamaproject.org/">MAMA Project</a>. Suddenly I noticed a picture of a baby hooked up to a blue & black colored pulse ox and thought "wow - Lilly used to have one just like that!" Then I read that section:<br />
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"<i>A family in the USA unfortunately suffered the loss of a child. As they sorted their child's belongings, they decided to donate a few items to our work in Honduras. Little did they know the difference it would make!</i><br />
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<i>Donations were given to the maternity public clinic in Santa Cruz. Shortly after receiving the donation, the one nurse asked to be excused to use the oximeter on a baby they were monitoring that day. The Staff told them they were using an oximeter designed for adults and we [are] extremely grateful for the gift!"</i><br />
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It hit me then - that WAS Lilly's pulse ox in the photo! I had forgotten that I had donated it to them back in October 2015. (<a href="http://pray4lilly.blogspot.com/2015/10/the-lilly-memorial-project-donation-to.html">My blogpost on that is here</a>.) <br />
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How awesome is that??!! Lilly's pulse ox is being put to good use helping babies in Honduras. I LOVE that. It totally made my day. :)<br />
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Link to newletter: <a href="http://www.healthyninos.org/uploads/1/1/1/5/111589139/christmas2017web.pdf">http://www.healthyninos.org/uploads/1/1/1/5/111589139/christmas2017web.pdf</a><br />
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Good job Miss Lilly! You're still blessing others!<br />
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Just for laughs, here is an old photo of Hunter (he was 3). He was so enamored with Lilly's pulse ox that he had me help him make one for his dog Sam.<br />
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<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-60775905875009805552017-12-17T09:50:00.000-05:002017-12-17T09:51:17.184-05:00Lilly's 6th Angelversary<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>Dearest Lilly,</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>I was so glad to get to bring your Christmas tree Friday. </i>December 15th ...<i> your Angelversary. The events of that day in 2011 forever burned into my mind.</i><br />
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<i>Your old Christmas tree had finally fallen apart. Mom Jenny gave me this artificial tree branch and I picked out some ornaments at Walmart to put on it. I think it turned out nice. Red white and blue - for my July 4th baby! I really liked how the red glittery bows sparkled in the sunshine. Beautiful! Though not as beautiful as you of course. </i><br />
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<i>Do you like your new cherub? It was time to replace your original one. It was cracked badly and parts were gone. It is not easy picking out a new cherub! I looked on Amazon and the choices were overwhelming! I felt so frustrated because I wanted you to have the perfect one. Just when I felt like giving up, I saw it! I just knew that was THE ONE!</i><br />
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<i>I did notice the cherub isn't quite as heavy as your original one though, so I hope it stays put OK. I brought your old one home to put in your memorial garden. (Which is colorful with pansies for the winter.)</i><br />
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<i>As usual I'm anxious to hurry and get through December. I'm looking forward to the new year and what always feels like a fresh start January 1st. So many things in life have spiraled out of control since you died. But we're picking up the pieces and healing. It sure can be a slow, confusing journey. But I am blessed to have HOPE.</i></div>
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"'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'" - Jeremiah 29:11</div>
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<i>Love always,</i></div>
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<i>Mama</i></div>
<i><br /></i>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-31208504898958293642017-07-04T06:55:00.000-04:002017-07-04T06:55:19.873-04:00Happy heavenly 7th birthday Lilly!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">"Mama - just what is this crazy outfit you have on me?!"<br />
photo credit: Steve Rubin Photography</td></tr>
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<i>Dearest Lilly,</i><br />
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<i>Letters usually start with a "how are you?" But wouldn't that be rather silly for me to start your birthday letter that way? After all - I know that you are perfect, whole, and full of joy! You have everything that those of us still on earth long for! And that makes me SO happy for you.</i><br />
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<i>So instead I will get to the point: HAPPY BIRTHDAY LILLY!!!!! Yes today is birthday number 7 for you. Amazing! I sometimes wonder what it would be like to have a 7 year old little girl running around the house. But I know that wasn't God's plan for you. You packed a whole lot of living into 17 months. You definitely lived up to your nickname of "Little Firecracker!"</i><br />
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<i>Your little brother Solomon loves to hear stories about you and ask questions about you. He is super into all things holiday. Lilly's birthday/Independence Day is no exception. He delights in the Lilly-colored decorations all over the house and in the stores. He made special star shaped chocolate lollipops for Tabby and her friends to eat, in memory of your birthday.</i><br />
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<i>Big brother Hunter seems to remain just as interested in hearing stories about your medical equipment as he does you. You know that's just how his brain works! Yep - engineer boy. Do you remember how he was only 2 years old and helping me operate your milk pump, oxygen, and pulse ox? And nebulizer ... etc. </i><br />
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<i>And Tabby. She remains as fiercely proud of you as ever. And still hurts having lost her special little sister.</i><br />
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<i>Speaking of stores, your siblings and I were at Walmart a few days ago. Tabby and I stopped in front of the red/white/blue clothing for little girls. Tabby pointed out an outfit that she would have loved to get for you. I pointed out the ones that I thought you'd look adorable in. There were several "awwwww" moments before we could move on.</i><br />
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<i>And that got me to remembering how when you turned 1 year old, I had a collection of red/white/blue clothing for you to wear. You had many days of celebrating in your colors!</i><br />
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<i>Shall I remind you of some?</i><br />
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<i>I guess you should have had a special red/white/blue outfit to wear home from the hospital on the day you were born. Only I had no idea you were going to be born on the 4th of July! You were due on June 17th. Oh well! </i><br />
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<i><br /></i><i>Well my Lilly girl, I've got go now. We've got some celebrating to do. We'll be sending your birthday balloons up to you later!</i><br />
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<i>Love forever,<br />Mama</i>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-13154809854363379912016-12-18T20:23:00.001-05:002016-12-18T20:23:39.558-05:00To my dear Lilly girl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<i>To my dearest Lilly,</i><br />
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<i>Your brothers and I were talking at dinner tonight - wondering whether or not you ever get to peek down on us on earth. If you do, then you know why I didn't write to you last Thursday. On your 5th "angelversary." </i><br />
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<i>I'm not going to mislead you Lilly. This year has been hard. REALLY hard. Hunter says it's been our worst year since you died. Maybe you know what's going on. But if not, I don't want to tell you and give you sadness because remember - "NO tears in heaven!" It will be OK though. I have the two most important things in life: Jesus and Hope.</i><br />
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<i>Last Monday I was coming home from an evening appointment and the alternator in the little old car I was driving died. It was so dark outside but thankfully I finally made it home safely. When I got home I found that my 5 month old laptop had died. Your Uncle Patrick looked at it for me but there wasn't a quick fix. And your sister had 6 appointments last week so I didn't have time to follow up on warranty stuff yet. And that is why I didn't blog on your Angelversary. </i><br />
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<i>Here I am now though. I gave in and bought another laptop - at a fantastic price. Figure the way my luck runs with computers, it's great to have backup.</i><br />
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<i>It was a bit weird in a way, that December 15 was on a Thursday this year. Just like 2011 - the year you died. This was the first time and well, it just was sort of unsettling. I will always remember starting to pick you up from your nap that evening, and finding you dead. Something so horrific for me yet such a blessing for you. How can something be so contradictory? </i><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Sister hugs - last time I took pictures of you alive</span></td></tr>
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<i>And I am thankful, that most of the time, I only have good memories of you. Of your smile, of how you loved to talk to us - and to ceiling fans! Of your curiosity whenever we went anywhere. Of how you liked to watch Tabby and Hunter. Of how much you loved working hard in your therapy sessions. Of how you liked chocolate! And playing with dried beans. Of the time when you pushed and scooted across the floor. Of how you were almost able to sit up on your own. Of how, on the day you died, you had such a good day!</i><br />
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<i>The boys and I were talking about a bunch of the pictures on your photo collage tonight at dinner. It's the one I made for your viewing and funeral. I love that we have it in the dining room and we can look at it. Solomon is fascinated with hearing about you and likes to ask questions about you. Hunter was pointing out all the photos he was in with you. Lilly - he still likes machines! Remember how fascinated he was by all your medical equipment? He was only 2 and 3 years old then but he understood how to run them!</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yN4SjLza9C4/WFcwk6dwndI/AAAAAAAANsw/IISD-WIMrBUzbM_wEH8xYgZ5SHq8DtnSQCLcB/s1600/100_2649.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yN4SjLza9C4/WFcwk6dwndI/AAAAAAAANsw/IISD-WIMrBUzbM_wEH8xYgZ5SHq8DtnSQCLcB/s400/100_2649.jpg" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">This just made Hunter and I laugh - here he is with Sam hooked up to a pulse ox that looked similar to yours!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<i>On the 15th your siblings and I went out together. Because of Tabby's health situation I didn't want to go to your grave. You understand. We went to the store and bought pansies to put in your little memorial garden we have here. Pansies. I know. I have expanded my flower choices for you. At first I would only allow lilies in your garden. But then I realized it would look prettier and be more honoring of you to have pretty flowers in their all year long. So you now have pansies. Then in the late winter you will have daffodils popping up. Pretty! Though not as pretty as you were! </i><br />
<i><br /></i>
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VPsA4TSV3pw/WFcudC-RHgI/AAAAAAAANsg/NAD8cj3AdmQVHHiQY0R6JhWqiQn5aSMnwCLcB/s1600/DSC_0009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VPsA4TSV3pw/WFcudC-RHgI/AAAAAAAANsg/NAD8cj3AdmQVHHiQY0R6JhWqiQn5aSMnwCLcB/s400/DSC_0009.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<i><br /></i>
<i>Mommy loves you forever Lilly, and one day I will see you again! Until then, the Lord will continue to be with us both. Give Blueberry a hug for me Lilly. I'm glad you two have each other.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>All my love,</i><br />
<i>Mamma</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
"The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit." - Psalm 34:18<br />
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"The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love." - Psalm 147:11<br />
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<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-39355821869466422382016-11-26T07:06:00.000-05:002016-11-29T06:45:05.377-05:00Mesothelioma Awareness - Katherine Key's story<i>I'm sorry I haven't posted more recently. Things are just difficult and busy at home. Tabby has had some good days though. Solomon, though better overall, had a stomach ache and threw up several times yesterday. Hunter's beloved hen Kelly was killed last Sunday. He is still sad and also is really struggling with a lot of worries about Tabby. Tis the season to be ... ????</i><br />
<br />
<i>I've been making it a game for myself to think of things to be thankful for. I was also pleased to make my 745th entry into my thankful journal this morning. One day the light will shine again. Though honestly it may be awhile. Even in normal years, in the weeks approaching December 15th - Lilly's angelversary - are not my favorite days.</i><br />
<br />
<i>Well I suppose that was not a cheery beginning for a blog post. However, my actual blog post IS cheerful. It is a beautiful story of healing for a woman named Katherine. Katherine contacted me earlier this month and wondered if I would share her story of healing from Mesothelioma. I have blogged about this cancer caused by asbestos once before <a href="http://pray4lilly.blogspot.com/2014/09/today-is-mesothelioma-awareness-day.html">here</a>. I have been impressed with the initiative that survivors of this cancer take in spreading awareness. (I have been contacted by a couple other survivors, through my blog, over the years.) I have been thinking that those of us in the Trisomy 18 world might could learn some awareness spreading tips from these people.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Now - here is Katherine's story, in her own words:</i><br />
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<span id="m_4993682268930700914m_-7967294356133793592docs-internal-guid-18863e7c-922d-3071-2219-ae4dea5f1d79"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Katherine Keys has been fighting Mesothelioma for 9 years. </span></span><span id="m_4993682268930700914m_-7967294356133793592docs-internal-guid-7d473799-922f-f646-992a-f89aac54607a"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If you don’t know, <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.mesotheliomalawyercenter.org/what-is-mesothelioma/&source=gmail&ust=1480246432854000&usg=AFQjCNFNvF4QUEiEUJZT1Gjzn2-Fq4C3Ng" href="https://www.mesotheliomalawyercenter.org/what-is-mesothelioma/" target="_blank">mesothelioma</a> is a cancer caused by <a data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?hl=en&q=https://www.mesotheliomalawyercenter.org/asbestos/exposure/&source=gmail&ust=1480246432854000&usg=AFQjCNFjwgx3o0Ud1wFzw4XkyUqstIxiuw" href="https://www.mesotheliomalawyercenter.org/asbestos/exposure/" target="_blank">asbestos</a> exposure. </span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">When she was first diagnosed doctors told her she had less than 2 years. Katherine refused to believe her time was limited and instead decided to fight the cancer. Katherine is convinced that it was her positive attitude and determination to win that has allowed her to survive against the odds. </span><br />
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<span id="m_4993682268930700914m_-7967294356133793592docs-internal-guid-18863e7c-922d-3071-2219-ae4dea5f1d79"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At first Katherine thought she had the flu. She was prescribed medication and painkillers but the pain persisted. When the pain was too much to take, Katherine went to the ER, it was there that she discovered she had cancer. Katherine was 49 years old when she was diagnosed with Stage 1 pleural Mesothelioma. </span></span><br />
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<span id="m_4993682268930700914m_-7967294356133793592docs-internal-guid-18863e7c-922d-3071-2219-ae4dea5f1d79"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">For treatment, Katherine had her right lung and the lining of the lung removed, a major surgical procedure called extrapleural pneumonectomy (EPP). After several months of recovery, Katherine began radiation treatments. She had treatments five times per week for several months. Although she had been scheduled for chemotherapy treatments, she was relieved to learn that she didn’t have to have them. </span></span><br />
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<span id="m_4993682268930700914m_-7967294356133793592docs-internal-guid-18863e7c-922d-3071-2219-ae4dea5f1d79"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Upon completing her treatments, Katherine attended her regularly scheduled follow-up appointments. At first, they were monthly, then every two months, three months, six months…and now annually. Her follow-up appointments typically consistent of blood tests, a PET scan, x-rays and other tests to confirm that she is still cancer-free. </span></span><br />
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<span id="m_4993682268930700914m_-7967294356133793592docs-internal-guid-18863e7c-922d-3071-2219-ae4dea5f1d79"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Today, Katherine feels blessed to be able to spend time with her family and share her story with other people living with mesothelioma. While she has been through a lot and is still challenged by physical pain and limitations after having a lung removed, Katherine sees every day as a gift. She hopes her story brings resilience and positivity to people living with mesothelioma.</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fYnrwXIDlew/WDl6F1qYYdI/AAAAAAAANrU/W9_4ARbxVPA_7R3tBaMhbMUAmJr5eN7HwCLcB/s1600/Katherine%2BKeys.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fYnrwXIDlew/WDl6F1qYYdI/AAAAAAAANrU/W9_4ARbxVPA_7R3tBaMhbMUAmJr5eN7HwCLcB/s1600/Katherine%2BKeys.png" /></a></div>
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<span id="m_4993682268930700914m_-7967294356133793592docs-internal-guid-18863e7c-922d-3071-2219-ae4dea5f1d79"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><i>Thank you again Katherine, for sharing your story!</i> <i>I love that you see every day as a gift. :)</i> </span></span><br />
<br />
<span id="m_4993682268930700914m_-7967294356133793592docs-internal-guid-18863e7c-922d-3071-2219-ae4dea5f1d79"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "arial"; font-size: 14.6667px; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><span style="color: red;"><b>UPDATE:</b></span> I asked Katherine how she was exposed to asbestos. This is her reply:</span></span><br />
<br />
<i>I was exposed from years of wiring work for Texas Power and Light
Company. Asbestos was a commonly used material in construction up until
the 1980’s because of it’s fire resistant characteristic. Some of the
materials that contained asbestos include wire insulation, vinyl floor
tiles, paint, ceiling tiles, wall insulation, cement, window caulk, and
much more. Sometimes tearing out some of these things is necessary. This
can release toxic asbestos dust into the air.</i><br />
<br />
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-87580255668220461562016-11-15T20:40:00.002-05:002016-11-15T20:40:19.686-05:00One down, one to go ...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZmCS4v8BCNM/WCuwlmv8bBI/AAAAAAAANqc/ZiPk4pM8EhEHU0dicJpcKe0qPyQuHctqwCLcB/s1600/DSC_0040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZmCS4v8BCNM/WCuwlmv8bBI/AAAAAAAANqc/ZiPk4pM8EhEHU0dicJpcKe0qPyQuHctqwCLcB/s400/DSC_0040.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Exhaust Pipe the horse!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Great news - Solomon <i>seems</i> to be back to normal health! Frank treated our <a href="http://pray4lilly.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-case-of-disappearing-reappearing.html">well water for the Coliform Bacteria</a> (no E. Coli) last Friday. Saturday morning Solomon had a tummy ache for only a little while. And nothing since! After weeks of tummy aches every single day, and about two weeks of diarrhea every morning, he seems totally fine. Much to his great happiness he got to eat cheese again! (I had put him on a dairy-free, gluten-free diet last month but it didn't really help. Nor would it if it was only the bacteria he was reacting to.) <br />
<br />
So yay! Maybe one medical case solved.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0YL4WboI0II/WCuxnG21ZyI/AAAAAAAANqg/y93Rpca0C1QxkX0oETlJb5qIv1HhjKW4QCLcB/s1600/DSC_0019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-0YL4WboI0II/WCuxnG21ZyI/AAAAAAAANqg/y93Rpca0C1QxkX0oETlJb5qIv1HhjKW4QCLcB/s400/DSC_0019.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Odysseus is almost all grown up!</span></td></tr>
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Tabby remains a mystery overall. But we have some more puzzle pieces to consider. Last Friday we got the results of her fecal test back and she had no parasites, etc. It did show that her Lysozyme level was elevated, which signifies she has internal inflammation. Yep, knew that.<br />
<br />
Dr. H went over what we do know. Tabby has a lot of internal inflammation. She has leaky gut. She is insulin resistant. Her adrenal glands and cortisol levels are a terrible mess. And she struggles a lot emotionally.<br />
<br />
He talked to her about the mind and body connection. How staying under emotional stress will eat a person up. How damaging it is for the body to think it needs to stay in the "fight or flight" mode. How gratitude and positive thoughts have been proven to have healing effects on the body. He recommended two interesting sounding books about the mind-body connection: <i>Molecules in Motion</i> and <i>Biology of Belief</i>. He feels that what is going on inside her is all related and she is in a vicious cycle.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PH4QYr03eIw/WCu1tyuo77I/AAAAAAAANqs/S_59UwEmD8ASvAhn__F5fL8E3K024YQbQCLcB/s1600/DSC_0011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PH4QYr03eIw/WCu1tyuo77I/AAAAAAAANqs/S_59UwEmD8ASvAhn__F5fL8E3K024YQbQCLcB/s400/DSC_0011.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Exhaust Pipe seems to be one of our main photo props around here!</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
So we are going to stop testing for awhile and see how her body responds to supplements and food to repair her gut, fix the insulin issue, and heal her adrenals and cortisol. Counseling for emotional help. Getting up and moving more. Taking short walks in the sunshine, or at least sitting outside some each day.<br />
<br />
Honestly it was kind of deflating for me to hear all this. I wanted a solid answer and for it to be a quick fix. When I asked Tabby how she felt about what the doctor said, she was fine with it and answered "It makes total sense."<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z1V3o2_HjiY/WCu2khENq2I/AAAAAAAANqw/lnnZL0EqA-QqZ_115jjsHOS727ahYceGwCLcB/s1600/DSC_0024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Z1V3o2_HjiY/WCu2khENq2I/AAAAAAAANqw/lnnZL0EqA-QqZ_115jjsHOS727ahYceGwCLcB/s400/DSC_0024.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tabby was happy the goats still remember her</span></td></tr>
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So Saturday afternoon, Tabby went outside with the boys and I. The sun felt wonderful and so did the walk around, visiting with the animals, and hanging out while Solomon worked a paying job. (He was hired to pick up a bag of pine cones to be used as decorations for an event. He took his job so seriously and examined each pine cone carefully. He'd be a good "quality control" inspector!)<br />
<br />
After being outside, Tabby felt so good she showered for the first time in days. Then that evening she cleaned up her room for the first time in months. Sunday she went to church in the morning and then back in the evening for a teen lesson. Monday she went to school. She was totally exhausted in all these things but doing OK!<br />
<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bl9SDaDZKZY/WCu3PYwh2CI/AAAAAAAANq0/Y3N7Ab1aLrUelPlbXjJPIqtBCEUJgBEJACLcB/s1600/DSC_0034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bl9SDaDZKZY/WCu3PYwh2CI/AAAAAAAANq0/Y3N7Ab1aLrUelPlbXjJPIqtBCEUJgBEJACLcB/s400/DSC_0034.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yep - Exhaust Pipe again</span></td></tr>
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Then this morning at 4:30 she called me. She said the excruciating <a href="http://pray4lilly.blogspot.com/2016/11/the-case-of-disappearing-reappearing.html">"hollow stomach pain"</a> was back. She threw up some. She hurt so bad she was afraid to be alone. So I sat with her until she was finally able to go back to sleep about 5:30. (By the way, <a href="http://www.steadyhealth.com/medical-answers/unexplained-hollow-feeling-in-stomach">here is an interesting article </a>about possible causes for hollow stomach pain. It's not the same as being hungry!) <br />
<br />
When she woke up again later, she was just really sore but the hollow pain was gone. This afternoon she had "regular" stomach pain again and was briefly nauseous. <br />
<br />
Man oh man. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i2P-xjmyStg/WCu4hGKm0AI/AAAAAAAANrA/NE4Kqt4UHJgAcxBySDqgMyyLM6gAw5njACEw/s1600/DSC_0008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-i2P-xjmyStg/WCu4hGKm0AI/AAAAAAAANrA/NE4Kqt4UHJgAcxBySDqgMyyLM6gAw5njACEw/s400/DSC_0008.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hunter built and installed a radio for Kelly in her chicken coop</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
This is my prayer for ME in all this:<br />
<br />
<i>"</i><span class="text Jas-1-5" id="en-NKJV-30272"><i>If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him."</i> - James 1:5</span><br />
Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-5051737966222588712016-11-10T20:54:00.001-05:002016-11-10T20:54:39.344-05:00The case of the disappearing & reappearing chicken AND Pain pain go away ...<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-80jmheVGrno/WCUYrKW0mmI/AAAAAAAANpI/PCJd3R1N-V0NMdnvVl93Z1DU3W2DEWr9gCLcB/s1600/DSC_0062.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-80jmheVGrno/WCUYrKW0mmI/AAAAAAAANpI/PCJd3R1N-V0NMdnvVl93Z1DU3W2DEWr9gCLcB/s400/DSC_0062.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Hunter is Kelly's best friend and she follows him around</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
-Sunday night Hunter's beloved hen Kelly was missing. It was dark though, when he searched for her, and she is a black chicken so we thought maybe she just couldn't been seen. But the next morning, Hunter and I were out at sunup looking for her.<br />
<br />
No Kelly.<br />
<br />
We periodically looked for her throughout the day, hoping and praying she might show up. By supper time, Hunter was struggling not to cry. He said, "This has been the worse year! Tabby is so sick and then my chick Carla was killed and now Kelly is gone!" We all felt sad. Kelly was the tamest chick ever, thanks to Hunter! And of course we felt terrible for him.<br />
<br />
The feed store near us has more baby chicks in stock so Frank took the boys to pick out new chicks Tuesday afternoon. (Solomon felt he should have a chick too because our little guinea, which he named Toad, had disappeared a few days ago.)<br />
<br />
So, new chicks were purchased and brought home. Shortly after arriving home, there was a stunning discovery. Our old dog Lucia started getting all curious about something and upon investigation, Kelly was found alive!<br />
<br />
What crazy timing is that?<br />
<br />
So Kelly is back, much to Hunter's delight, and the boys each have a new chick.<br />
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Solomon named his Americana chick "Neil Pharaoh" and Hunter named his Buff Orpington "Kayla." <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Little Miss Pharaoh fell asleep!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Kayla is about a week older than Neil Pharaoh, so she's got more feathers than fuzz</span></td></tr>
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Tabby enjoys when the boys bring their chicks to her so she can hold them. Sunday afternoon she felt well enough to stay out of the recliner for a bit and went outside to sit in the sun and pet Exhaust Pipe. There's just something special about animals!<br />
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Tabby woke very early yesterday morning with a new kind of stomach pain. She said her stomach felt "hollow." I wasn't totally sure what she meant but googled it and sure enough, there were plenty of people out there who have "hollow stomach" pain. (And yes it is very different than just being hungry!) Tabby was in extreme pain most of the day and nauseous too. The only time she felt better was when she was throwing up. She hurt so bad last night she was afraid to be alone. We would have gone to the hospital if we thought they could actually do something for her. (The pain meds they use worked a few times but now only make her feel loopy.) I sat with her until about midnight, when she finally fell asleep.<br />
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This morning she felt much better. She's just back to "normal pain" now. Sigh.<br />
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I've gotten two more possible pieces of the Tabby-medical-mystery-puzzle. Last Friday we got the results of her adrenal stress test. Her adrenal glands are a complete wreck. Her cortisol is out of wack too - and explains why she is so dead tired in the mornings and completely wired late at night. (The rates are very low in the morning and very high at night.) Her test showed she has also become insulin resistant, which can explain why she's often so hungry and can't get full.<br />
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The other puzzle piece is the first part of our well water testing has come back and it was found we have "Coliform Bacteria" in our water. This bacteria is common in our county. We use a Berkey water filtering system for our drinking water and ice - which filters out this bacteria - but there are plenty of other times a day when we use straight well water. (ex. brushing teeth, washing produce, cooking, etc.) <br />
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This bacteria can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach cramps. It often effects children 5 and under, pregnant women, and chronically ill people the most. <br />
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The well water must be treated with chlorination. Frank bought the stuff for it today and will treat it tomorrow. Then we have 24 hours where we can not use our well water. Hopefully all will be good after that! (A friend told me that when this happened with her family's well water, they all were feeling better in less than a week after treatment.)<br />
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I am praying this helps Tabby! Though I don't believe it's her whole problem. And - I am praying this is the answer to Solomon's stomach problems! He has been having diarrhea almost every morning now for a week or so. And still having almost daily stomach aches. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">reading and snuggling help Tabby and Solomon both to feel a bit better</span></td></tr>
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So what will tomorrow bring? I am almost afraid to ask.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-83369837171809514512016-11-02T16:50:00.000-04:002016-11-02T20:39:27.109-04:00Random! Tabby health update, homeschool, stopping bedwetting with essential oils<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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This picture of Tabby says it all. Still waiting to find out what exactly is wrong with her. Even our mail carrier told me today that she is praying for Tabby and for answers!<br />
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Tabby had to repeat the stool test earlier this week. (What "fun.") The company changed up their testing. But the good part is, they are now doing a far more extensive test and we still pay the original price. Have to wait about 2 weeks for the results.<br />
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Last week Tabby took a saliva test that checks a bunch of things. Still waiting for those results.<br />
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Yesterday I had our well water tested. Just in case. Will find out next week if there is any bacteria present in the water. Then in 2 weeks, we'll get results about any "non-organic" matter.<br />
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I've got Tabby on a strict diet. Lots of meat, veggies, and fruits. Also some nuts and goat milk and a little goat cheese. And I found a farm that has duck eggs and I'm getting some today from them. I thought we should try them in cooking and baking and be sure Tabby's body agrees with them before I invest in ducks.<br />
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I reviewed several paleo cookbooks and have been cooking some from them. But I've found that a lot of the recipes use some variation of coconut which she can't have. And many use ginger or garlic. She can't have those. I've decided baking gluten free things doesn't necessarily make them healthy. Several of the gluten free flours heavily relied on raise the blood sugar levels. So we're using Trim Healthy Mama recipes (just tweaked when necessary) as that is low glycemic cooking/baking.<br />
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Sunday evening, Tabby suddenly got a "lull" in the pain. (That is what we've dubbed those brief times when her pain level suddenly drops. It's still there, but is much lower.) When the lull comes on the first thing she does is take a shower, as on a normal pain day she just can't stand up long enough to take one. Then after her shower she does homework. The lull lasted all through Monday so she was able to go to school! (Only the 3rd time in all of October.) Tuesday morning she was getting ready for school and wham. Pain came back so hard she hobbled to the recliner. And has been there or her bed ever since.<br />
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This really blows my mind. She's had the constant pain since September 7th!! SO beyond sad. :(<br />
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And ... Solomon's health update - I've had him on a dairy free, gluten free diet for about a week and a half now. He has not thrown up any at all. He is still getting some stomach aches but they are much briefer. I plan to continue his diet for another week or so and then slowly reintroduce diary. (He think's he's dying without getting cheese every day!) If that goes well we'll try gluten a couple weeks later.<br />
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On happier news, Solomon has been loving homeschool/preschool. He really wants to learn to read so we've been working on phonics. He knows all the letters of the alphabet and so we're learning the sounds. Each week I've been introducing 5 letter sounds.<br />
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I bought wooden letter "plates" at a yard sale and Solomon lines them up. He matches the blue <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000296LNY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1">magnetic letters</a> to the proper letters on the wooden plates. I have a 77 cent metal baking tray for putting different <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0015KEB2M/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1">foam magnet objects</a> on. We talk about the sounds each letter makes and then he lines up picture magnets with the right letters. ("Lion" starts with "lllll" etc.)<br />
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He usually takes this very seriously for 2 days. Then the third day he get silly and puts the pictures by the wrong letters on purpose. Which really is fine, because we sound out that picture using the wrong sound. (Ex. "Drum" becomes "Trum.") Then on the 4th day I get out a timer and set it for 3 minutes and he hurries to beat the timer. We usually do the same thing on Friday and it's a breeze then. Then we start the next week with new letters/picture magnets.<br />
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Then we reinforce letters with some <a href="http://www.funnycrafts.us/alphabet-do-a-dot-printables/">free alphabet "Do-A-Dot" printables</a>. Solomon loves <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Do-Dot-Art-Washable-Original/dp/B00004W3Y4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1478116607&sr=8-1&keywords=do+a+dot+markers">Do-A-Dot paint markers</a> and is always asking for printables to use them with, or making up his own pictures. (You can find free printables for all sorts of activities including fun pictures and math and reading, etc. just by doing a search.)<br />
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Solomon is my first kid that seems to naturally love math. He walks around doing addition and subtraction and asking me to verify his problems he comes up with. Ex. "So does 2 + 3 = 5?" Last spring I bought "<a href="http://www.timberdoodle.com/Farmland_Math_Mat_Bundle_p/377-012.htm">Farmyard Math</a>" from Timberdoodle during a sale. My only regret is that I waited until last month to introduce it as a lot of the lessons are too easy. I thought it was for "preschoolers" but it seems more at a "toddler" level. But that is OK! Solomon loves this math and I make up harder problems for him with it.<br />
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<a href="http://www.timberdoodle.com/Farmland_Math_Mat_Bundle_p/377-012.htm">Farmyard Math</a> comes with a tub of farm animals, farmyard mat, and a 36-week curriculum guide. (We've blazed through the whole guide in just a few weeks and I'm making up stuff now.) For each lesson, there is a little story, and the child follows instructions in the story. They learn basic counting, patterns, and some easy addition and subtraction. It really does teach the child to listen carefully to the details in the story so they can do what it is asking. (You can see a video about this math program on the Timberdoodle webpage <a href="http://www.timberdoodle.com/Farmland_Math_Mat_Bundle_p/377-012.htm">here</a>.)<br />
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Hunter really enjoyed a science experiment we did last month. But I warn you - it is not for germ phobics! Like me. :( We tested for bacteria on a range of different things around the house. We swabbed objects then rubbed the swabs in petri dishes of agar. (Kit I bought is <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00W4XHF3G/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&psc=1&linkCode=sl1&tag=notifoflca-20&linkId=cb6fcf47e1fba156569403e0ca293c9f">here</a>.) Then we waited a few days. YUCK! Seeing bacteria growing is gross. But interesting. (The only thing I didn't like about this kit was it didn't tell you how to identify if it is good or bad bacteria.)<br />
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I found the most bacteria covered thing that we tested for was one of the kitchen sink knobs. (Really! Why would someone put knobs at a kitchen sink? You have to get it all gross when your hands are filthy with say raw chicken, just to turn it on to clean your hands. I told Hunter we must replace those knobs with something else as soon as we can afford to! In the meantime I clean the knobs several times a day now!)<br />
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On a different note, if you've never read <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Up-Slavery-Dover-Thrift-Editions/dp/0486287386/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1478118581&sr=8-2&keywords=up+from+slavery"><i>Up From Slavery</i> by Booker T. Washington</a>, I HIGHLY recommend it. Tabby and I both read it yesterday and thought it was incredibly inspiring. And as it is an autobiography - there is no re-writing of history! ;) This is one of those books that challenges the reader to better develop their character. My boys will be reading this as soon as they are old enough. (Fun aside - we lived in Tuskeegee when I was a toddler. My dad taught at Tuskeegee University. He said he used this book in his humanities class and it was always received well.)<br />
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Finally, I just wanted to share an essential oil blend to help combat bedwetting, that Donna, one of my reader's makes and has had good results with. (Her 9 year old son stopped wetting after several days of consistent use.) To make the "Clean & Dry" blend, Donna <span class="null">adds 10 drops each Cypress and Copaiba and 5
drops Frankincense to a 10ml roller bottle, and tops with a carrier oil. Her son applied it his lower belly, lower back, and the
bladder vitaflex points in his feet. </span><br />
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<span class="null">I hope that helps someone reading this! I actually got a lot of feedback from my posts last winter on Hunter's bedwetting. (He has been dry since January.) This is a problem that more kids face than I realized in the past.</span><br />
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<span class="null">Well I know this was a long post. So if you've made it to the end - thanks for reading! :) </span>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-6074950173887341932016-10-19T20:28:00.000-04:002016-10-19T20:29:16.595-04:00Tabby update: Food Sensitivities test results<i>These photos were all taken by Tabby, at our Botanical Garden field trip last Friday. I love how she sees everything that I do but at different angles.</i><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Tabby felt OK enough to go to school this past Monday and Tuesday. Yay! She stayed home today though, feeling horrible, and I highly doubt she will go tomorrow. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Boo!</span> She is aching and feverish and has very swollen lymph nodes. But we're staying positive about that - those are detox symptoms. We want all that bad junk out of her system.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yesterday we went to her <a href="http://www.horvathchiropractic.com/">functional medical doctor</a> for the results from the food sensitivities test that she took. It was so interesting and encouraging in this journey to figure out what in the world is making her feel horrible most of the time.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">It turns out that she has a high sensitivity to many foods she eats almost every day. Including chicken eggs. Now how horrible is that considering we now have 64 chickens! But thankfully she can eat guinea hen eggs, which we have. And - she can eat duck eggs. Yay! Solomon and I have been wanting to get some ducks for awhile. Is that not a perfect excuse?</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dairy is not good for her either - but that is only COW'S milk and cow's diary products. Yay for our goats that I milk since she can drink that. Tabby also likes goat milk cheese. I need to start making that (in all my spare time, right?). But even Walmart has one that she likes. </span></span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This sculpture is called "Spring Chicken". Get it?</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> Grains/starches are another problem for her. Which I found interesting since she didn't test for gluten issues at the scopes she had. And ginger. Ginger! I've always wondered why when I gave her ginger to soothe her stomach it never helped her.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V_8qIpeTwoA/WAgF9qDZ_YI/AAAAAAAANmM/VfiuTVOFsS4wt_QdywzG7Urp0jirkgs3QCLcB/s1600/IMG_4044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-V_8qIpeTwoA/WAgF9qDZ_YI/AAAAAAAANmM/VfiuTVOFsS4wt_QdywzG7Urp0jirkgs3QCLcB/s400/IMG_4044.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bursting Heart plant - we have some in our woods too</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Here is the list of foods she tested a high sensitivity for:</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">cow's milk & cows milk products </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">chicken eggs</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">garlic<br />squash<br />green peas and lima beans<br />peanuts <br />soybeans</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">almonds, cashews, sesames, walnuts<br />coconut <br />watermelon<br />barley, bran, gluten, malt, rye, wheat<br />ginger</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Isn't that interesting? I'm going to have to learn how to cook some things differently. Like no more using coconut oil to cook food she will eat.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">The test results came in a very helpful packet which includes more details on foods to exclude, special considerations, shopping lists, and a suggested food rotation list.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Dr. H said it would be best to try and basically follow the paleo diet for Tabby. Fruits, veggies, meat. So we'll give it a good try.</span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zj5LCh9qhOE/WAgIvlRdd7I/AAAAAAAANmY/kU4xnGvhUsAJNveY0okG76LV7acyT6QCQCLcB/s1600/IMG_4038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zj5LCh9qhOE/WAgIvlRdd7I/AAAAAAAANmY/kU4xnGvhUsAJNveY0okG76LV7acyT6QCQCLcB/s400/IMG_4038.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">This statue is based on a scene from <i>Cold Mountain</i></span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> There are still a couple tests we are waiting for results on. I'm just so grateful to have <i>something</i> to work with. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I have another mystery child that I need to figure out too. Solomon. For a couple years<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> now, he would occasionally w<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ake u<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">p in the morning, say h<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">is stomach hurt, and then throw up. This increased in fre<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">quency some this summer. And now, <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">for the past month or so, it has suddenly bec<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ome very common. Ugh. </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZRMQzdp_GE4/WAgLeMA00zI/AAAAAAAANmc/QBG8_lCr3dkQb-O0Zo3uszteCfQwriohACLcB/s1600/IMG_4081.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZRMQzdp_GE4/WAgLeMA00zI/AAAAAAAANmc/QBG8_lCr3dkQb-O0Zo3uszteCfQwriohACLcB/s400/IMG_4081.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">In the herb garden - Solomon rubbed a plant and then sniffed his fingers to smell it</span></span></td></tr>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> I was lactose intolerant as a child, so I<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">'ve had <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sol<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">omon off dairy here and there for a few days at a time. I didn't <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">notice any differen<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ce. Maybe there wasn't a problem but maybe I didn't try long enough. <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I'm <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">thinkin<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">g I ou<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ght to try having him go gluten f<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ree for a while. Dr. H said children who are sensitive to gluten can have stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting.</span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For the zillionth time <span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">- I wanted to be a criminal det<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">e<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">c<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">tive when I grew up. Not a medical dete<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">ctive! </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Life is full of irony. </span></span></span></span></span></span> </span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here are<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> several more of Tabb<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">y's pictures:</span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span><br />
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-10343512550703568602016-10-16T15:51:00.001-04:002016-10-16T15:51:04.557-04:00Botanical Gardens - Fall field trip<a href="http://pray4lilly.blogspot.com/2015/05/field-trip-to-nc-botanical-garden.html">Last spring, we went on a field trip</a> to the <a href="http://ncbg.unc.edu/">Botanical Garden in Chapel Hill, N.C. </a> We went back again last Friday with our field trip group. My kids (and I!) just love it there. <br />
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Tabby was well enough that morning to go with us - thank you God! Then that afternoon she became extremely nauseous and has high pain every since - please heal her God. Still though, she was SO happy to be able to get out for a bit.<br />
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[<i>Little update - we got some of Tabby's blood tests back last week. Everything was normal except her Vitamin D level was a bit low. That could be contributing to her bone pain and inflammation. Should get back more lab test results over the next 2 weeks.</i>] <br />
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The boys LOVE to play in the "twig house". Unfortunately we learned it is going be taken down this winter. It is apparently starting to fall apart and some people have gotten hurt.<br />
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I saw a beautiful plant that I want for my yard! The berries on it are gorgeous. It is appropriately named "American Beauty Berry":<br />
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Since we have goats, we thought this one was funny. Apparently it is a plant that goats hate! It is called "goat's rue":<br />
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We got to go inside this old log cabin. It was originally built in the 1800s. It was used by North Carolina playwright, Paul Green, as a place to do his writing.<br />
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Lily pads and fish! Our tour guide showed us how if you push a lily pad under the water, it just pops right back up to the top and all the water runs off. We needs raincoats made with that material! This section had raised gardens were they had some sort of garden therapy for people in wheelchairs.<br />
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Hunter's favorite plant was the Venus fly traps, which were mixed in with pitcher plants. We got to watch our guide feed some of the fly traps potato bugs. Too cool!<br />
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Solomon's favorite plant was "Solomon's Seal." We will plant some in his garden next spring.<br />
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Hunter loves a sundial:<br />
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For humor, Tabby copied the leaf sculpture called "Running Man". (She can not wait to start running again herself.)<br />
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Hunter was fascinated with this spinning sculpture and was watching it for awhile to figure it out:<br />
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We have decided to go back to the Botanical Garden in this winter to see what it is like then. :)<br />
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On a different note, Hunter told me this morning about a funny dream he had. Right before he had a nightmare about an old lawnmower we have. (He usually dreams about machines.) He said he dreamed he was at Lowes looking to buy a pump. Jesus and the apostles were there, shopping. (LOL!) And Joseph (Jesus's earthly father) was there too - buying carpentry stuff - but he kept disappearing and reappearing. Hunter said the worst part of the dream was that of all the pumps they were selling, they would not let him buy the one he wanted!<br />
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-11541360499297263242016-10-09T16:56:00.002-04:002016-10-09T16:56:55.700-04:00Hurricane Matthew's gift of firewoodWe had A LOT of rain and wind yesterday, courtesy of Hurricane Matthew. It began in the morning and lasted all day. The house seemed strangely quiet when it stopped last night. Our electricity flickered a few times, but were grateful not to lose it because loosing electricity means loosing water for us. (Our water is delivered from a well via an electric pump.)<br />
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Tabby was looking out the window mid-morning and saw an old post oak tree fall and crash to the ground. Thank God the only thing destroyed by it was a portion of our fencing. The tree narrowly missed both chicken coops. If it had fallen the other direction it would have hit our house.<br />
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Today the boys and I went out to inspect the tree. I wonder if the tree was there when this house was built in 1907. It is huge!<br />
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I don't guess home owners insurance covers things like this. Not sure though. So Frank drove off this afternoon to borrow a more powerful chainsaw than what he has. Good thing he has this week off work because this job is going to take awhile. And we will be well stocked with firewood. Well stocked indeed.<br />
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I kept expecting to see chickens flying through the yard when the wind gusts were extra strong yesterday. But they pulled through just fine. Even Mama Mia kept all nine chicks safe and marched them all up to me this morning, wanting their feed.<br />
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So thankful we didn't have any more damage. On extra happy news, Tabby felt well enough to go to church this morning, for the first time in months!Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-19523170776080885242016-10-06T20:36:00.003-04:002016-10-06T20:36:35.390-04:00Tabby Update: It's not Lyme's disease<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Finally got Tabby's results today from the Lyme disease test she took last week. And ... it's negative. The test's aren't totally accurate, but we'll go with the "no" for right now.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Dr. H, her new doctor, had gotten copies of Tabby's lab work from her many (eight!) hospital visits this year. He noticed that her neutrophils were high on every single test. (Neutrophils are a type of white blood cell, which fight infections.) The normal range should be 40-60%. However Tabby's scores were all high - all the way up to 85%. Dr. H said that was a red flag that her body is battling an infection/inflammation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Tabby had blood drawn today for more labwork. Plus she has to give a fecal sample kit (what fun) for some "GI Health Panels." These are 22 individual yet related tests. The informational paper I was given listed screens for:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">bacteria</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">fungi and yeast</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">parasites</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">antibodies to gluten</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">digestive function markers</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">markers of intestinal inflammation</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">fecal occult blood</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">total SlgA</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">antibodies to dairy, soy, egg proteins</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think it will take about 2 weeks to get all the test results back. (Sigh. Wish those companies could do faster turn around times!)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the meantime, Dr. H gave Tabby two things to begin taking daily. One is something to mix into a drink once a day called <a href="https://www.apexenergetics.com/repairvite">RepairVite</a>. This should help her intestinal tract and lining to begin healing. The other product is <a href="https://www.numedica.com/Product_detail.cfm?Fname=NM223">PRP Balance</a>. This is a spray that she will use twice a day. It is colostrum to help modulate normal immune responses. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She'll also continue the regime of Plexus products I have her on because she now has several hours, most days, where her stomach and chest pain is gone, and she"only" has bad joint pain and weakness. (I have her on Slim, Ease, Nerve, ProBio 5, and BioCleanse.)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We feel positive, working with Dr. H. But we sure wish everything could be done super fast. It's hard to see normally energetic Tabby sitting or laying down, day after day. Tomorrow will mark 1 month straight of her being in pain every. single. day.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We are so grateful for your prayers.</span>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-42316605563145039402016-10-04T20:36:00.003-04:002016-10-05T20:34:26.951-04:00Calling all parents of children with Trisomy 18 or 13! Your input is wanted!<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">holding baby chicks is so sweet</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: red;"><b>UPDATE: I heard again from the doctor regarding the questionnaire. If you have not submitted your answers - please HOLD OFF for right now. I'll update again when it's time to send them in. Thanks! </b></span><br />
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Yesterday morning we had a surprise outside. One of our Black Austrolorp hens marched out of the woods with nine tiny fuzzy little chicks trailing behind her. What?! We weren't expecting that!<br />
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The hen, who I've since named "Mama Mia," puffed herself up extra big and fluffy as we neared her and her biddies. She wanted us to know that she would do everything she could to protect those precious babies.<br />
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That same analogy is used in scripture, when God wants to show how He longs to protect us: <i> "how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings ..." </i>Matthew 23:37<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Mama Mia and her 9 baby chicks</span></td></tr>
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Don't we feel the same way about our own children? Even the ones that have not been born or died before birth? Even the ones that we are told won't live? The ones that are "special needs" and considered by many in society to be useless? Maybe especially those children. We mamas (and daddies) fight for those children.<br />
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And if you've had a child born with Trisomy 18 or 13, you know what a fight it is. Just to get common healthcare for your baby can be hard! We live in an area surrounded by highly recognized hospitals yet our Lilly could not get her heart surgery here. We were told these surgeons believed it was "unethical" to put a child through that when they are just going to "die anyway." (So fine - we took Lilly all the way to Florida for the surgery!)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Lilly at 16 months - our happy girl lived 17 months with full Trisomy 18</span></td></tr>
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Last week I was contacted by a UNC Hospital task force (Chapel Hill, N.C.). The man from the pediatrics unit that I talked to said they are attempting to improve their communication with families who face a diagnosis of T-13 or 18. They recognize that these children “are staying alive longer and that the hospital needs to change their approach.” For example - “to stop using hurtful language, whether the child is well or not.” (Let’s wipe out the use of “incompatible with life!”) In order to better counsel families, he e-mailed me the following questionnaire that he is hoping to receive feedback on, and asked me to share it. <br />
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<span style="color: red;"><b>UPDATE: I heard again from the
doctor regarding the questionnaire. If you have not submitted your
answers - please HOLD OFF for right now. I'll update again when it's
time to send them in. Thanks! </b></span><br />
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<b>Trisomy 13 and 18 Workgroup</b><br />
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<b>Workgroup Goals: </b><br />
Improve communication between caregivers and families faced with diagnosis of Trisomy 13 or 18<br />
- Increase consistency and accuracy of communication <br />
- Improve caregiver/provider understanding of management options at UNC <br />
- Increase sensitivity around terminology<br />
- Improve collaboration between family and caregivers, and among medical providers<br />
- Understand family’s values and set appropriate goals based on those values<br />
- Improve provider/caregiver understanding of family decision-making <br />
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<b><br />Questions for families (feel free to answer as many questions as you wish</b>)<br />
1. Please tell me something about your child. <br />
2. Please share with me memories of the initial encounter when you learned your child had Trisomy 13 or 18. <br />
a. How were you told? (Who told you? Where were you? Who was with you?)<br />
b. What do you remember being told? <br />
c. What was the most important thing you heard? <br />
d. What more do you wish you had been told? <br />
e. What do you wish had not been said? <br />
f. How much information were you able to hear at that first encounter?<br />
g. How did you feel about the way the diagnosis was communicated? (words used, setting, etc)<br />
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1. How did you share that information with your spouse/significant other/extended family? Is there anything that would have made that easier for you?<br />
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2. Did you receive consistent messages about the diagnosis and prognosis from different medical providers? <br />
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3. After knowing your child had Trisomy 13 or 18, what were your hopes for your child? <br />
a. How did these hopes inform your decisions around their care? <br />
b. Have these hopes and expectations changed with time?<br />
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1. Did you feel support for the decisions your family made with regards to interventions/treatments from the medical team?<br />
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2. Did your decisions about intervention evolved over time? If so, how did they evolve?<br />
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3. What was it like to care for a child with Trisomy 13 or 18? <br />
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4. What was been most challenging in providing care for your child? <br />
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5. Could you please tell me about any barriers you encountered in caring for your child?<br />
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6. Which aspects of caring for your child were most fulfilling? <br />
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7. Could you please share with me any resources that were helpful for you in caring for your child? <br />
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8. Are there ways doctors and nurses can assist families who care for a child with Trisomy 13 or 18?<br />
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9. Is there anything you want to say to physicians in training (or nurses in training?) when interacting with a family whose child has a diagnosis of Trisomy 13 or 18? <br />
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10. Do you have any other advice or guidance for us?<br />
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<b>You can e-mail in your answers to the questionnaire OR discuss it by phone. Our contact is Wayne Price, wayne_price (at ) med.unc.edu , 984-974-7854</b><br />
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<b>If you would like me to e-mail you the questionnaire as an attachment, just let me know. Otherwise, just copy and paste the questions. </b><br />
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Mr. Price seems very earnest in really wanting this information, so let’s respond and be loud, clear voices for our precious, special children!<br />
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This verse always makes me think of our special children: <br />
<br />
<i>"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well."</i> - Psalm 139:14<span class="p"><br /></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jgOknxqml74/V_RK2k9p2hI/AAAAAAAANiI/fOmzXVYqUrYctWF5qjNJ00pzSOPZMJtaQCLcB/s1600/100_1071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jgOknxqml74/V_RK2k9p2hI/AAAAAAAANiI/fOmzXVYqUrYctWF5qjNJ00pzSOPZMJtaQCLcB/s400/100_1071.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Little Firecracker on her 1st birthday - July 4, 2011</span></td></tr>
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<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-51892358152271433972016-10-02T11:05:00.003-04:002016-10-02T11:05:56.005-04:00Better late that never ... back to school time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kPsECpVESGk/V_EQuyrLJFI/AAAAAAAANfU/4Qi2jyC5FE4OtVllFSPQkwSTgEzwLcr1QCLcB/s1600/DSC_0025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kPsECpVESGk/V_EQuyrLJFI/AAAAAAAANfU/4Qi2jyC5FE4OtVllFSPQkwSTgEzwLcr1QCLcB/s400/DSC_0025.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Last week Aletha Academy was FINALLY back in swing. ("Aletha" means "truth" in Greek and is the name of our homeschool.) Though we had a "soft start" to get used to school again. This week we will be back to all our regular subjects.<br />
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I am following the <a href="http://amblesideonline.org/curriculum.shtml">Ambleside Online </a>(Charlotte Mason) curriculum for "year 3" for Hunter. I've been homeschooling for 10 years and have been all over the place with different schooling methods and curriculum. But a few years ago, we gave Ambleside's suggestions a shot and worked out awesome. I used it the last year that I homeschooled Tabby, and she says that was her best year. <br />
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Solomon will have a mix of Montessori, Charlotte Mason, and whatever else we want to work on. I don't think you HAVE to have specific sit down learning time with a 4 year old because they are learning by doing things with you, and alone, all day. But, Solomon LOVES learning and asks to "do school." Hunter loves learning too, though he prefers doing his own thing. ;) Solomon usually listens to anything I read Hunter. And last week he learned 3 scriptures right along with us. (I decided to try the memory verse method by Simply Charlotte Mason and it is working wonderfully. <a href="https://simplycharlottemason.com/timesavers/memorysys/">Click here</a> to learn about it and download scripture cards for free.)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g_DsnbH0jUc/V_EdxIW2Z6I/AAAAAAAANg4/OC5FPnh9YgIYi7fN4UfRTryRFnsNdZI1QCLcB/s1600/DSC_0001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-g_DsnbH0jUc/V_EdxIW2Z6I/AAAAAAAANg4/OC5FPnh9YgIYi7fN4UfRTryRFnsNdZI1QCLcB/s400/DSC_0001.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">finally a use for my strawberry file box!</td></tr>
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I am SO THANKFUL that Hunter is a self motivated learner. I had initially wanted to start our school back by mid-August but that didn't happen. Tabby was sick so much and sick almost all of September. So much of my time was researching, caring for her, and taking her to doctors. (We are eagerly awaiting her lyme disease tests results which should be in on Tuesday. She is still sick but continues to have an hour to a few hours a day now where she does not have the chest/stomach pain. Though her joint pain continues and her face is terribly broken out with acne and lumps. These increased when she began the Plexus so we know her body is detoxing.)<br />
Back to Hunter, he keeps himself busy every day, and usually comes downstairs with a project already in mind. Last week he built a radio using snap circuits and miscellaneous speakers he had taken out of things. He likes to listen to the Classical Station because he said the music helps him to feel calm.<br />
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He reads every day - from the Thomas the Train original books to electrical and motor technical manuals to other good literature. (He's been enjoying the original Doctor Dolittle series lately.) He watches videos on YouTube by <a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/Matthiaswandel/videos">Matthias Wandel</a>, a man in Canada that is an engineer/wood worker, and has learned so much. (I often find myself getting drawn into the videos too. This guy is like a grown up version of Hunter.) So why am I sharing all this? I'm not bragging - I'm making myself feel better that we are starting school so late! ;)<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rYpBrvnsko0/V_ETWRMcUkI/AAAAAAAANfg/snmpc7gQ2eMM54QSZufShsS9G_wDpbdvQCLcB/s1600/DSC_0019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rYpBrvnsko0/V_ETWRMcUkI/AAAAAAAANfg/snmpc7gQ2eMM54QSZufShsS9G_wDpbdvQCLcB/s400/DSC_0019.JPG" width="266" />ne</a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Yes I know the sign is upside down - that's why he's smiling so big</span></td></tr>
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I printed these wonderful Charlotte Mason motto signs, that I downloaded from<a href="http://hodgepodgemodgepodge.blogspot.com/2014/10/embracing-charlotte-mason-our-2014_25.html"> this blog</a>:<br />
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I need to add some quotes to our bulletin board, but for now have up my favorite Beatrix Potter quote: "<i>Thank goodness I was never sent to school; it would have rubbed off some of the originality.</i>"<br />
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For our work organization and so Hunter can see what we will be working on each morning, I use the <a href="http://workboxsystem.com/">Sue Patrick workbox system</a>:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j-Y8V64mNR4/V_EVaA3ClgI/AAAAAAAANf0/Wi-koR0Q93Qm-oCyqpf_BIuVb9NP0gqNgCLcB/s1600/DSC_0007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-j-Y8V64mNR4/V_EVaA3ClgI/AAAAAAAANf0/Wi-koR0Q93Qm-oCyqpf_BIuVb9NP0gqNgCLcB/s400/DSC_0007.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">the boxes on the left were Tabby's, and I use them to store related work or books Hunter won't use that day</span></td></tr>
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When Hunter finishes a subject, he can just flip the card around to show the red checkmark. For subjects that he will do with me, I've added a "with Mama" card to the outside of the box:<br />
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I've printed several books from online that we will be using this year. I love the idea of doing some beautiful book covers and binding. But alas, there is that pesky time restraint crippled further by my perfectionistic ideals. So for binding I decided I would laminate the cover and backpage, hole punch the sides, and use book rings to hold them together. I can always redo them "more perfectly" one day, but for now I am pleased and they are working nicely.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hOIGS5W64r8/V_Ea1M4G-dI/AAAAAAAANgo/qT73BK18rxYhAdYsWirDrE1AHZpeVJEvACLcB/s1600/DSC_0005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hOIGS5W64r8/V_Ea1M4G-dI/AAAAAAAANgo/qT73BK18rxYhAdYsWirDrE1AHZpeVJEvACLcB/s400/DSC_0005.JPG" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">3 book rings on this Marco Polo book I downloaded and printed</span></td></tr>
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Finally, I'll leave you with some silly Solomon pictures. He thinks it is so fun to be silly for the camera and asks me to take lots of pictures:<br />
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<i>"<span class="text 2Tim-3-14" id="en-NKJV-29868">But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them, </span></i><span class="text 2Tim-3-15" id="en-NKJV-29869"><i><sup class="versenum"> </sup>and
that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able
to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus."</i> - 1 Timothy 3:14-15</span>Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-28644474244772483862016-09-26T20:31:00.002-04:002016-09-26T20:31:41.981-04:00Tabby update - Lyme disease test today <table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CRSb6bhvo58/V-m1oczNyiI/AAAAAAAANeo/3W4IsUpYIiI55XGpJMtiwOM4elpk8xkQQCLcB/s1600/Tabby%2Bsunshine%2Bbasket%2B2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CRSb6bhvo58/V-m1oczNyiI/AAAAAAAANeo/3W4IsUpYIiI55XGpJMtiwOM4elpk8xkQQCLcB/s400/Tabby%2Bsunshine%2Bbasket%2B2.jpg" width="298" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tabby received a "sunshine basket" from my mom's church</td></tr>
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<br />
Today my stepdad took Tabby and I to his acupuncturist/chirpractor. This doctor is also a "functional medical doctor." At this point, I want Tabby to see a doctor that considers her whole body in trying to diagnose what might be wrong with her.<br />
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Our specific focus today though was for Tabby to get blood drawn to test for Lyme's disease. We talked to the doctor for awhile first as he gathered information about her. He was very interested that her health problems began shortly after her bout with pneumonia this past January.<br />
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We have a lot of ticks where we live. Some years we see more than others. This is one reason we like have free ranging chickens and guinea fowl - they love to eat ticks!<br />
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In my research as to what may be causing Tabby's pain and problems, I found that Lyme's disease is something that regular medical doctors don't talk a lot about. It is something that is not uncommon though so I don't understand why people with mystery issues aren't routinely tested for it.<br />
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When I google "teens and Lymes disease" many lists pop up. A Lyme pediatric specialist posted a <a href="https://www.lymedisease.org/lyme-basics/lyme-disease/children/">symptom list online</a> and I reviewed it with Tabby. <br />
<br />These are the symptoms she has had very frequently this past summer, and many are now almost constant:<br />
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- headaches<br />
- nausea<br />
- abdominal pain<br />
- impaired concentration<br />
- poor short-term memory<br />
- inability to sustain attention<br />
- being overwhelmed by schoolwork<br />
- confusion<br />
- outbursts and mood swings<br />
- fevers/chills<br />
- joint pain<br />
- dizziness<br />
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The symptoms she has sometimes:<br />
<br />
- severe fatigue unrelieved by rest<br />
- difficulty thinking and expressing thoughts<br />
- noise and light sensitivity<br />
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If you want to see this doctor's entire list click here: <a href="https://www.lymedisease.org/lyme-basics/lyme-disease/children/">https://www.lymedisease.org/lyme-basics/lyme-disease/children/</a> Note that fewer than 10% of children have the "bulls-eye" rash.<br />
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We should have Tabby's test results next Tuesday.<br />
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The doctor said that if she tests negative for Lyme's, then he would like to test her for "leaky gut" as there are many of the same symptoms.<br />
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Tabby is still in pain most of the time. BUT there is improvement! Last week I ordered a number of Plexus products that several other families have used to successfully treat Lyme's in themselves and/or their family members. (Plexus is also great for treating quite a number of other health issues.) My order came Friday afternoon and I started giving Tabby the stuff right away.<br />
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Saturday morning, when she woke up - the pain in her stomach and chest was GONE! For the first time in weeks. She was sore - but no sharp pain! She did complain about really bad joint pain though. The stomach/chest pain were still gone when she woke up Sunday morning. She was so happy as she got ready for church but then when she was eating breakfast, the terrible pain came back. The depression and pain were crushing and she had to go back to bed. STILL ... that was improvement!<br />
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Today her stomach and chest pain again went away for several hours! The joint pain remained. But again, it was improvement.<br />
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She's already exhibiting a number of detox signs since starting Plexus - joint pain could be from that. (Or Lymes of course, if she has that.)<br />
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We're new to the Plexus world, though I have read about it in the past few years. So I'm going to observe a bit more and then I will share about the products Tabby is taking and how things are going.<br />
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Thank you again, so much, for your prayers as we try to unravel this mystery so Tabby can get back to a normal life again.Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-28610769817816530272016-09-21T20:12:00.001-04:002016-09-21T20:17:36.480-04:00Tabby's GI test resultsJust a quick update on my should-we-rename-it-"Pray for Tabby"-blog.<br />
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I got the results for Tabby's Hida gallbladder scan last Friday. Everything looked good. No problems.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JYirLyJhikE/V-Md2X0zDQI/AAAAAAAANd8/vZfwaJvGj1kGhJ4nXHlK1GDsjVhKgKsMwCLcB/s1600/Tabby%2Btesting%2BSept%2B21.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JYirLyJhikE/V-Md2X0zDQI/AAAAAAAANd8/vZfwaJvGj1kGhJ4nXHlK1GDsjVhKgKsMwCLcB/s400/Tabby%2Btesting%2BSept%2B21.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Special pillow case provided at the hospital testing center - isn't that a special touch?</span></td></tr>
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Just a quick update on my should-we-rename-it-"Pray for Tabby"-blog.<br />
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I got the results for Tabby's Hida gallbladder scan last Friday. Everything looked good. <u>No problems.</u><br />
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This morning I took Tabby to the hospital for an endoscopy and colonoscopy. (Yikes. I know. Well I don't - but I've heard.) The procedure itself went smoothly. <u>NO problems were found.</u> Well other than a tiny polyp which will be checked, but the doctor doubts it will be any sort of problem. So that means no celiacs, gluten issues, crohn's disease, etc etc. Somehow we weren't surprised. But we were disappointed. We wanted this search for what's wrong to be over so we can take some action.<br />
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Tabby's wake up after the scopes did not go smoothly. (She had anaesthesia during the procedure.) Tabby was very disoriented and started sobbing. Then she was gasping with pain. She said her stomach pain was incredibly sharp. They said "gas pain" was normal. But her's was much worse. Her doctor said her nerves are "hyper sensitive." So they gave her some pain medication. Of course it didn't really work Nothing seems to. <i>She's been in almost constant pain now for TWO weeks!</i><br />
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Her GI doctor wants to see her again soon. But I also am going to be pursuing a different path. I'm considering whether Tabby might have Lyme's disease. Her symptoms fit with the symptoms of many teens with the disease. From what I've learned from my research, it is tricky to diagnose and tests are not very accurate, unless you get one within 30 days of being bit.<br />
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I am too tired to share more about that, but I will post about the treatment I am putting together for her very soon.<br />
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Thank you everyone for your prayers and support. We really need them!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0eBKCZxzGwg/V-MiprbDnnI/AAAAAAAANeI/WKBqqoG5V9YkFDUr00DkYnMoGKIAOOcrQCLcB/s1600/Tabby%2BSolomon%2Bhealing%2Bsnuggles%2BSept%2B16.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0eBKCZxzGwg/V-MiprbDnnI/AAAAAAAANeI/WKBqqoG5V9YkFDUr00DkYnMoGKIAOOcrQCLcB/s400/Tabby%2BSolomon%2Bhealing%2Bsnuggles%2BSept%2B16.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">Solomon snuggles help ease the pain</span></td></tr>
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Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-12714542742750627962016-09-18T20:09:00.001-04:002016-09-19T06:42:25.383-04:00Keeping up with our feathered friendsI'm needing a light hearted post, to amuse myself, and just leave present reality for a few minutes. Read along if you want to see silly chicken stuff!<br />
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Hunter's chick Kelly follows him everywhere he goes outside. (She's still inside in her bin most of the day though, as she's still growing.) When he sat on the swing, she hoped onto the swing, and then onto her favorite place - his shoulder:<br />
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When Hunter and Solomon have played in the sandbox lately, Kelly seems to be enjoying flying up onto Solomon's head. Solomon doesn't appreciate that. So he decided to wear his fireman hat to prevent Kelly's landing. So far so good ....<br />
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Last Sunday morning, we got to watch several Guinea keets hatch in our incubator. I was so sick of "egg sitting" - turning the eggs several times a day for weeks. It was worth it though, to watch the hatchings, and have all 5 keets survive. The boys and I cracked up at this keet - it struggled and struggled then it's head and neck popped out and it fell back, exhausted, and we just stared at each other:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">"what are you lookin' at?!"</span></td></tr>
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Solomon gave the five keets names from Thomas the Train: Toad, Oliver, Sir Handel, Rusty, and Molly:<br />
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I'm the one that cares for our chickens in the mornings and afternoons. So I spend a lot of time looking at them while doing my chicken chores. Of the dozen chicks that hatched this spring, there are six roosters. I've now given them all names. Let me introduce them to you:<br />
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This is Rocky 1 (half-Barred Rock). Many of his smaller feathers are outlined in green:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rocky 1</td></tr>
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And this is Rocky 2! It took me a few days to realize there were TWO roosters that looked almost alike. I finally noticed this rooster's smaller feathers are outlined in a gold-ish color:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Rocky 2</td></tr>
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Next we have Harold the Handsome-Cut-Rooster. (Have you ever seen the frozen french fries for sale at Trader Joe's? We got them a couple times and we think the "handsome cut" part is too funny.)<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Harold the Handsome-Cut Rooster</td></tr>
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Then we have Fabio. Do you remember the old ad (shampoo?) with that blonde guy that said "<i>Don't hate me because I'm beautiful ...</i>" Well our Fabio has long yellow neck feathers and he struts like he thinks he's God's gift to the hens:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fabio</td></tr>
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Here we have Swiss Mister. He looks just like a hen that I named "Swiss Miss" because of her coloring. The white with brown reminds me of hot chocolate and marshmallows for some reason!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swiss Mister</td></tr>
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Finally we have Regal. The name just fits him as he walks calmly around in his excellent rooster posture:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Regal</td></tr>
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Here's just a funny picture - I think he's telling me I need to get up, and go put my boys to bed:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DWjFnL58elo/V98sV-9IvcI/AAAAAAAANdU/4DtJMOlARo0hn_SGn3YEHXLtYe_v8NrZQCLcB/s1600/what%2Bare%2Byou%2Blooking%2Bat.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DWjFnL58elo/V98sV-9IvcI/AAAAAAAANdU/4DtJMOlARo0hn_SGn3YEHXLtYe_v8NrZQCLcB/s400/what%2Bare%2Byou%2Blooking%2Bat.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;">"Enough wasting time woman! Get back to work!"</span></td></tr>
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<br />Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1000326625965122367.post-39876325393640008902016-09-15T20:08:00.001-04:002016-09-15T20:08:22.972-04:00Solomon's 4th BirthdayMy youngest boy is growing up! And he is thrilled. Solomon is always asking me if he has gotten taller and how long until birthdays. He turned 4 today and is already planning his birthday cakes for the next several years.<br />
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Solomon is my "<a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=Rainbow%20baby">rainbow baby</a>" and was born 9 months to the day that Lilly died. By God's blessing, Solomon helped me not to dread the 15th of every month. He brought me more healing than anything on earth. I wish that all mamas that have lost a child could have a rainbow baby.<br />
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As soon as Solomon woke up today he smiled and said "Birthday!" And then he excitedly asked for his present. I had a box of several Thomas the train cars that I bought cheap off Ebay. He was thrilled with them. He cracked Hunter and I up because as he got them out, he separated them by size.<br />
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Solomon's other highlight of today was helping make his birthday cake. He wanted to make a "giant sprinkle cupcake." <br />
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Frosting the cake and adding sprinkles was so much fun!<br />
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But candles and eating cake were the best:<br />
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What else does Solomon like to do besides playing with trains and baking and eating cake? He loves reading books, playing outside, helping with chores, and giving me lots of hugs. <br />
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Yesterday he had the best time cleaning our mirrors and then the front door glass:<br />
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<i>Thank you Lord, for binding up the brokenhearted and bringing beauty from ashes. </i>(Isaiah 61)Lisahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06306217651417023803noreply@blogger.com1