Mom's Choice Monday...

Some photos make you smile. Mostly 'cuz they are of people who make your heart smile too. This is a photo I shot of Miss Grace and her lovely, talented teacher last week. I can't say enough good things about her. We are REALLY gonna miss her , but we are SO thankful for the blessing she has been in preparing Miss Grace for Kindergarten next year. Words cannot describe it really. But I think the joy she exudes properly depicts why she is so great.

Last week we had our Parent-Teacher Conference, she explained her goals and happily reported that Grace has accomplished them all this year, and then some. She is reading at Level B, just what her teacher wanted to see. She loves to write in her journal, to learn about Math and Science in particular, and she is really strong acquiring her Spanish words. I could go on, but I won't. We just couldn't be more proud of her. Kindergarten here she comes...I just wish I were as ready for her to go as she is!

I am also happy to report that our apple trees are in full bloom. The maples are quickly forming a lovely canopy over our front yard. It seemed this day would never arrive. Praise God for Spring, it lifts my heart to see all things new.

Meanwhile, our Ross has been working hard in school and is doing very well. He's had a full year of lacrosse which has been very demanding both physically and on his time. Despite this (and a full social calendar!) he's kept Honors all year long. Way to go! My Mom's Choice photo is one that Peter took last week.  Did I mention that the team is 10 and 1? Keep up the great work guys!

A quick update on our Ryon, though he's not home much so I have no photos to post :) The good news is-- he recently received a promotion at his job. He likes working in a restaurant and the hours are well suited to his night-owl lifestyle. The bad news is-- he spent a few hours at the ER Saturday due to this new promotion. Apparently he prepares salads which are quite fancy (as are the dishes they are served on). It happened while trying to prevent such a dish from breaking as it was slipping of the shelf. Well it did break as it bounced off a lower shelf, then the broken edge sliced his finger open. Five external stitches and one internally, OUCH! Praise God that it did not cut anything other than skin. Let's hope this promotion has no more such "excitement" involved. The up-side to this job is the doggy bags are a delicious family fringe benefit. Perhaps one day we will splurge and actually go there for a real meal, LOL!

Laying low on a rainy day ~ Kate-Lyn

Still waiting on the warm weather but it's not keeping us down...

Nope not one bit. We may have to bundle up and remind ourselves not to complain, but we're having some fun times.

Soccer has began for Miss Grace and she's off to a great start. Indoor was fun but according to her this is "way funner"!

Listening to Coach Betsy

Out front - Go Blue Blizzards!

Lacrosse has been in full swing for over a month now. Ross is training hard and having lots of fun on JV.

And other signs of Spring are everywhere.


Like friends dressing in their finest for the Spring Semi-Formal.

Lax Bro's

The Boyz

The Girlz

Oh, Boy!

Elsewhere little flowers are a bloomin'

Fair Flowers

Singing Inch by Inch, Row by Row at the Spring Concert

Wishing I Could Just Stop Time ~ Kate-Lyn

Will Spring Ever Come?

Last weekend we had a great time in our favorite "little city". It was one of those days where if you stay in the sun your body just soaks it up and you are cozy and warm. But if you linger in the shade too long, the wind bites and steals your warmth. So, we strolled on the sunny side while we window shopped, found some bargains at a great bookstore then capped off our afternoon with a visit to Coldstone Creamery. Our final stop was our favorite park. It's a lovely place no matter the time of year, filled with great memories of days past. Did I mention it's a really fun place to take photos of those you love?



We're Getting Ice Cream!!!





Sunshine Makes Me So Happy





Our Little Photographer at Work





Sunny Smile

 So Ready for Spring  ~Kate-Lyn~

Thank God for Friends Who Pray...

Our Grace had a VERY rough weekend. What began as a nasty cough one week ago Monday had turned into one scary cough by Friday afternoon. Her teachers called me at work saying she had a low grade fever and was "not herself". When I arrived at her school 40 minutes later she was lethargic, had a 101 degree fever and was not speaking. I rushed her home to give her Tylenol and get her comfortable while I called the doctor. They were out to lunch, oh my goodness...

So I waited on pins and needles for them to get back. Meanwhile the symptoms continued to advance. She was now complaining of pain in her ribs and arm. Finally by this time, they had returned from lunch. Once I explained her symptoms the nurse told us to immediately bring her to the Emergency Room. That is, the one that's a forty minute drive away and the one that you bring people to who are really sick. I was scared. I drove legally but quite quickly straight there.

Once we arrived they got her right in. Amazing really 'cuz, how often does that happen?! Did I mention she was still crying out in awful pain? And still burning with a fever, despite the Tylenol?! The doctor ordered a chest x-ray and determined she had pneumonia. After about 1.5 hours we were on our way home with a prescription, relieved. Little did we know, it...was...not...over.

When we were at the ER we noticed a collar-shaped redness around her neck and down her torso. The doctor attributed this to the pneumonia and the vascular upset that she was experiencing with the fever, coughing and crying. So we went along with that. Until 2 a.m. She awoke crying again, still in pain, itching wildly and was red from head-to-toe looking like she had spent two hours too many on the beach with no sunscreen on. Recalling the discharge paper which said that pneumonia is often accompanied by a rash that looks like MEASLES I told myself, "Well, this is one serious manifestation of that side effect!" To help try and soothe her I rubbed her down with powder. That didn't work. She was still beside herself digging and scratching. I then rubbed her down with lotion. That didn't work. Now it was nearly 5 a.m. and she was hysterical, burning with fever and had made scratches all over herself.

She needed help, and quick! I called her pediatrician who wanted her to come in immediately. On the way I had an AH-HA moment while thinking of those discharge papers (measles like rash) and remembering the doctors words 10 days ago at her five year check up after she received her MMR vaccine. "If she is going to have a reaction to any vaccine at all it'll be this one." No! Could it be?! Once we arrived I told the doctor about her shots. She was certain that not only did our Miss Grace have DOUBLE pneumonia (we weren't told THAT at the ER-they said it was only on the left side where her pain is), but...she was having an extreme reaction to the MMR vaccine.

My. Poor. Baby. I've never seen any of my children such as mess, it was awful. After leaving there (with yet another medication to give her) we went home praying that she would get some relief from the fever, the pain in her side and arm, the itching and the weakness that was now making her listless.

Amazingly after just 24 hours on ALL of those medications and LOTS of prayers from the good people at our church, she was showing major signs of improvement. Sunday morning she went back for more blood work and we received the good news that they were where they should be. Praise God!

Today, Tuesday, she returned to school. Her teacher reported that she did well considering all she'd been through. We are SO grateful. It was a scary three days. Mostly because of how quickly her condition declined. I will NEVER take a nasty cough for granted again. And I am SO glad that it'll be many years before she needs an MMR shot again.


Grateful and Humbled,
~Kate-Lyn~

A Special Day for Father and Daughter...

Miss Grace's school had a lovely dance for Father's and Daughter's. It was a day to remember for all...



Feeling Very Grown-Up




Girly Smiles




Lovely Grace



It's taken a bit, but I'm back...

The last two weeks have not been good for our family. On Friday, February 11th I received terrible news from my niece, Kim. My sister gave up her courageous battle with cancer and went home to be with Jesus. It's still hard to fully conceive the reality of this still even as I type. Our only consolation is that she is well again, no more sickness, no more chemo, no more radiation. Just peace, so much deserved.

She was remarkable, I'll never do justice to the impact that she had on so many people with my feeble words. She made a career of helping those who were the "have-nots", and she did it with grace, mercy and total acceptance with not a hint of judging. Her eternal rewards are being enjoyed now I'm sure. Back here, she is being rewarded too. The shelter where she worked is dedicating a garden in her memory on March 10th, six days after her birthday. A lovely place bearing her name to rest the weary soul--a perfect parallell to who she was to those she advocated for. I will miss you so, my dear sister and friend.



A Special Day, Special Memories



A lovely location discovered...

Last year was Grace's first time on snowshoes, she did great and she loved it. Now that the snow is really here to stay we decided to take her on another excursion. After much family debate we chose a new location that we'd never been to before.

It's a newly created preserve in our town and I'm confident our friend, Mr. B., Sr., had ALOT to do with bringing it into existence. He volunteers tirelessly to ensure our town will always keep it's green space and to protect the "Wild Things" among us. We owe him a big thanks. I guess I'll have lots of questions for him around the campfire this summer. What a great story teller he is to young and old alike; I could sit and listen for hours, and have! He is likely the closest Ye-Ye that Grace will ever have. She has even called him Grampa one or twice. I think he was flattered and would happily add one more to his flock.

Our walk started before the snow began. It was simply a brisk, fairly clear day, perfect. Miss Grace took a few minutes to get her "snow legs" since last year.

With a few pointers from Mom, she was clipping right along in no time. A real natural.

One of my favorite things about hiking with little ones is helping them discover the awe in nature. All things are designed by our Creator with a plan and a purpose. We were fortunate to come upon a milkweed pod that had dried and it's beautiful silk and seeds were still intact. A mini-science lesson opportunity taken! We of course left it there for someone else (perhaps a  furry or feathered friend) to enjoy.

Then all of a sudden the snow began to fall. It was absolutely awesome. We felt like we were living in a snow shaker!

The whole character of the trail changed once the snow came. All of a sudden the world took on a stillness. It felt wilder, chillier and farther away from home. A great adventure for our little one.

All along the trail are bitter sweet vines. I happened to catch this shot as we crossed a stream. For Christmas, Peter and I bought each other a Nikon D90. We he learns a lot quicker than me have a lot to learn but it sure makes moments like this fun to catch!

Then just as Miss Grace was getting tired and ready to turn back, we found this really cool tree. Check out the bark, it looks like a pattern. I'm now on a quest to find out what kind it is. More later on that...

A lovely day indeed to enjoy nature's beauty.

Still hearing the snow fall ~Kate-Lyn~