a-m-a-z-i-n-g

I haven't written in forever...not that this gets read by many people but it appears I may have disappeared or fallen off the face of the earth. First, I am alive and well but I have been so busy. Doesn't that just drive you crazy when people say they are busy. Like everyone is not busy. Really? Being busy isn't an excuse, everyone is busy! I always tend to set a major event in the upcoming future as my goal to work towards. I always have some kind of countdown until the event arrives and just work towards it. However, the past months of school it seems like I have a major event every couple of weeks. In a way it is good becuase I always have something to look forward to and it is making time fly by, however, I don't feel like I am getting to soak everything in. Always running around like a wild indian trying to get things done and not fall further behind. I have to admit it has been an amazing and wonderful year so far and we only have about 11 weeks of school left till another incredible summer. Some of the major events that have taken place so far this year include: - writing and receiving a grant - hosting Christmas at our house - attending a technology conference for 1 week (Trey did great as Mr. Mom) - writing and receiving a second grant - planning and pulling off a surprise 40th wedding anniversary for my parents - presenting our school wide PBIS plan to the Region Center - losing 18 pounds Some of the upcoming events that I am still counting down to include: - getting a student teacher - presenting to the Principals at the Region Center our PBIS system - 6 day Disney Cruise - losing 7-12 more pounds I am sure I have totally left off several of the things we have been doing but this is all that comes to mind right now. I must admit most of the evenings my brain feels fried by the time I get home. On another note my girls have blossomed this year. I could sit around and brag about how well my kids are doing in school all day long and not have enough time. They have been blessed with amazing teachers that fit their personalities perfectly. I enjoy seeing them grow academically and emotionally. They are such loving and kind girls. My cup runneth over all the time due to how responsible and sweet they are. Maddie is making straight A's and recently competed against 6 six schools at a UIL academic meet. She won 2nd place in Storytelling. It was an amazing feeling for her and I both. She overcame so pretty big fears and rocked it out. Mollie is doing wonderful as well. She has made so many friends and really learned a lot socially. She is a little social butterfly and looks forward to seeing her teacher everyday. Her academic growth, speech, and overall maturity has come so far this past year. Being that she was delayed with so many things due to her illness we are amazed everyday as she shows us all that she is doing and learning. Her pre-k teacher complimented her on behavior and adaptability. I know Kindergarten is going to be just as good. Trey is staying busy too. From working out everyday to soccer and keeping up with us girls he barely has any spare time. He takes care of us in an amazing way and supports all of our hopes and dreams. We are a pretty lucky family to have such an incredible leader of our family. His selflessness never ceases to amaze me. ( I think I have used the word amazing one too many times now) Maybe over spring break I'll get to posting something with pictures or it may just have to wait until summer.

Sugar

I snapped this picture of Sugar the other night while out on the dock. Then Maddie was flipping through the pictures on my phone and started laughing when she saw these. She asked, "How did you get Sugar to smile?" I guess it does look a little like she is smiling. I hope she is happy here at our new house. We have had Sugar for 5 years now. She is by far the best dog ever. We love her so much and she is such a pleasant sweetie to be around. Her new found hobbies have turned into chasing squirrels and riding on the boat. She spends countless hours a day doing both of these activites. Maybe that explains the smile.

Yarn wreath

Made my 1st yarn wreath yesterday. I saw a picture online and did a little blog searching about it. Then I decided to give it a try. It wasn't too difficult and I think it turned out pretty good.

Toys R' Us

We got this new toy a few weeks ago and we have been enjoying it on a daily basis ever since. It is the biggest jet ski Seadoo has ever made. It is coast guarded for 4 people but there is easily enough room for 5 or 6. The girls love going on rides and they have been tubing behind it too. I was reluctant at first to get one but I am glad we went ahead and did it. We have a jet ski lift in the boat house so we already had a place to put it. I guess it is just me being a tight-wade and nervous about change. I think and hope it will be used and enjoyed for years to come.

Splish, Splashpark Fun

Our dear friend, Anslee celebrated her birthday this past week. We attended her birthday party which was an absolute blast. She had it at the new splash park close to where we live. I had heard good reviews but just hadn't had the time to check it out. I loved it and was so happy to have had the chance to enjoy it. I felt like it was hands down better than the old splash park down the road. Props to good ol Whitehouse for doing a bang up job.

San Antonio

We took a trip to San Antonio a few weeks ago for a family wedding. We got to see lots of family and cool San Antonio sights. It was a refreshing although busy weekend. I love nice road trips, cool hotels, and making memories. I let the pictures tell the rest of the story.

Lost and Found

Look what I stumbled onto...oh yeah! I do have a blog. I have totally neglected this blog for so long. Between school, renovating a house, raising two girls, being a wife, ect. I actually have a moment to sit down and write. I am thrilled that summer is here and we actually don't have any major plans. In January we decided that this was going to be "No Trip '12" to sum it up we were exhausted from traveling and felt like we needed a year to just enjoy all the hard work that was going to be going into our house. Other than a few short road trips around Texas for a couple of weddings we have stuck to our resolution. I know it may seem weird to most people but it has been so wonderful to just stay home most of the time and be together. This year has been filled with one thing after another. Between family deaths, major sicknesses, beautiful baby births for friends, and so much more I have come to a deep understanding of the importance of a strong family foundation created for our children. A stable, firm, safe, and close knit home has been pivotal and vital to our flourishing family. So much so that even as Trey and I celebrated our 10th wedding anniversary, we chose to stay home and enjoy the peacefulness of life while my parents watched the girls for a few days. It was very refreshing to get to know each other again and enjoy some of the wonderfulness of our home in a different setting. Nonetheless, we do have a few fun items on the agenda for summer. Some of these include tennis camp, Pine Cove, VBS, Dance Camp, and a whole lot of swimming. I hope to be more diligent about recording favorite memories of the summer. I also would like to share our before and after pictures of our house renovations too. We have pretty much finished everything except counter tops and flowerbeds. I don't know if we will replace the counter tops or not. They are old and not very pretty but I just don't know if its worth the hassle at this time. Maybe I'll change my mind later...I may just be tired of living in a constant construction zone. We have taken a 40 year old house and really turned it into a home. I am so proud of all the hard work and I truly love living on the lake. We have already made so many memories here and although I know this life may not be for everyone, we love it and are so happy to be here.

Semester Wrap Up....Yes I am still alive

I can't believe I haven't posted in months. I could give you hundreds of excuses but who really cares about all that. So instead I will just update you...

1. We have had a really good fall semester at school. I have had a student teacher and she has been a God send. She is wonderful and I know when she has her own class her students will be blessed. This week is her last and I am really going to miss her. I feel like I am losing a great friend and it makes me sad. I guess I have really grown accustomed to talking, visiting, laughing and discussing things together everyday. I know it sounds silly and how can you really build a relationship in just a few months but working side by side such an inspirational young lady has been a blessing to me. In fact, she may have taught me more than I did for her. Also, I wrote a grant to get 2 iPads for my classroom and I got it. This is the second year in a row I have written a grant and got it. I feel lucky to be a part of a school district that has a community that actively supports their schools. God is good.

2. We sold our house. We began renivating the lake house in a hurry and we are almost done. There is a small amount of painting left and two areas left to put tile down. Needless to say we already moved there and we are not quite situated as we are working around the areas still being updated. Some projects will take longer like updating appliances but all in all it looks really good and my husband is exstatic about being here. I love how quiet and peaceful it is and every morning I eat my breakfast while watching the wildlife on the lake. It really is a nice change. Trey has been amazing. I know the whole process getting out to the lake has been stressful. There have been numerous challenges, hurdles, and countless hours of work but he has done it all with a smile on his face. I am so thankful God has given me a husband that is willing and selfless. He has worked so hard and I am so proud of him.

3. Mollie has had a relapse per say...during the week of Thanksgiving the areas on her neck suddenly started to swell and bubble. They filled with puss and became very red and irritated. We took her into the pediatrician and he drained them to get a culture. However, I took the intitative to just call her infectious disease doctor back in Dallas because I knew something was wrong. It was a very emotional day for me...translating into tears being shed the majority of the day. God blessed us with a cancelled appointment that we were able to fill. We were able to go on Friday to our specialist. She was disappointed to tell us that it appeared to be the same infection (nontuberculosis mycobacterium) back. She couldn't believe it but she was glad that we caught it early. So Mollie is back on medication. Our doctor believes that she probably has a genetic condition where here body is unable to rid itself of this type of infection. She was born this way and there is no cure. She was tested for the genetic mutation back in March but it takes 1-2 years for the results to come back. Being that this the third outbreak with in 2 years our doctor feels that this is possibly the best explanation. It isn't for sure yet we still have to wait for results from the test. However, she will have to more than likely take medication for a very long time and it will act as preventative by keeping the infection at bay. If the results come back positive then we will seek help at an immunologist. We will deal with that if we have to when the time comes. Luckily, it will not shorten her life. It has been hard to swallow beacuse as a parent you always want the best and you hate to hear that anything bad is happening to your child. God has been good though by helping us find a great doctor, providing amazing insurance, holding our hands through this all, and allowing this test to take place. Please pray that there would be no adverse side affects from the medication and that Mollie would continue to blossom, grow, talk, and make up for lost time.

4. We are going to Disney...it has been in the works for a year and I must say I can't wait. After all the craziness and business it will be a welcome event for our family and it can't come any sooner. Being at Disney World during the Christmas holidays will be priceless. I can't wait!

I know some pictures would be nice but lets be honest...its a miracle I am even posting!

The best present ever!

I can hardly believe that three years has gone by so quickly. On the 29th of July we celebrated Mollie's 3rd Birthday. It was a great day with lots of fun and family and we had a small family birthday party on Saturday out at the lake. However we had to wait one week for the best birthday present ever...

We went to Children's Hospital and the doctors cleared her from treatment. What does that mean? Well, first of all it means NO MORE MEDICATION! Mollie has been dealing with this disease for 18 months and has basically been on at least one and up to three heavy antibiotics at a time since the onset. She hates taking it and it has been a battle. These medicines have been from the texture of sandpaper, to looking like kethcup, and tasting like metal. She even went through one that was a pill. Giving a pill to a two year old is not exactly easy but all in all something must have done the trick. After surgery, blood work, ct scans, more doctor appointment than ever imaginable I give the glory to God that this chapter in our lives is closed. The optimist in me says that at least it all happened during a time in her life that she won't remember however part of me feels that we got robbed of those precious memories. Nonethesless, we are making up for lost time. Mollie is blossoming and becoming such a different little girl. She is filled with laughter and smiles and she now she talks like crazy. Sometimes it is hard to understand but I don't care she is talking. God has given us such a testimony through her and we are very thankful that he has kept his hand on her through this journey. Thank you God for this miracle!

Mollie is such a sweet cuddle bug. She loves to hop in bed with us in the morning and snuggle up to us. She has a special handshake we do every night before bed. She is learning about sharing and doing really well. I love hearing her and seeing her grow everyday. Her fascination with princesses and girly things is endearing and her imagination is endless. I never would have thought we would have two little girls but I wouldn't trade it for anything I love you Mollie and I am so proud of your determination.

30

It finally happened...I am 30. I officially joined the club about two weeks ago. I guess that I haven't really been looking forward to it and felt that it was relatively anticlimatic because the majority of my friends are already 30 and have been for sometime. However, it is still a milestone that has taken some time to get used to and frankly I haven't fully embraced it yet either. Nonetheless, I was able to celebrate with lots of family and friends.

We took a special trip to San Antonio with another couple for a long weekend trip. We stayed at the beautiful Resort and Spa of Westin's La Cantera. The boys enjoyed several rounds of golf while us girls indulged in some quality spa treatments. I must admit it felt heavenly to lounge around, sleep late, eat at random times, and have no responsibilties whatsoever. We enjoyed some wonderful foods, the river walk, lots of shopping, and some great company. God really reminded me just how blessed I am to have strong God fearing friends, and a self-less husband. It was a refreshing get away and overall just the rejuvenation I needed especially since school will be starting up in just a few weeks. There was one small hiccup during our trip that I can't leave out. As we embarked on the trip it quickly became a joke that this was "Jennifer's Birthday Extravaganza" and I was therefore expected to make all decisions in terms of plans, eating, ect. Anyone that knows me very well knows that I do not enjoy making those type of decisions. So all in all it was fairly comical. Nonetheless, half way through our trip, Trey and I decided to spend some time laying out at the pool. When we found some lounge chairs and got situated I felt a sting on my foot. I looked down and saw a tiny little ant biting me. I quickly brushed it off and thought little about it. I have always swelled more than typical when bitten by an ant but it is something that I am used to. I have had a mild allergy to ants as long as I can remember but nothing that has ever caused me to worry. However, about five minutes later my hands began itching relentlessly. I couldn't figure out why they were itching but it was very uncomfortable. As the itching continued I also started experiencing intense stomach cramping. Not like your typical tummy ache but more like it was twisted into knots. It was so bizarre and I really didn't know what was going on. I hopped in the pool thinking maybe I was getting over heated even though we had only been outside for a short while. Trey came over to check on me and he said I didn't look so good. I finally admitted that I felt terrible. Upon further conversation Trey noticed my lips were swelling. He suggested we find a doctor or nurse to have a look at me. We did not even make it out of the pool area before I was laid out on some chairs. I had hives up my arms, all over my neck and ears, my stomach pain was INTENSE, I had begun vomitting, and my chest was getting tight. Too make a long story a little shorter, the ambulance was called and I was shipped off to the hospital for anaphylactic shock. About half way to the hospital the symptoms started to tone down and eventually everything stopped. They pumped me full of benedryl, pepcid, and steroids. I was released about an hour later to go back to the hotel. All from that silly little ant bite. When I looked at my foot. I had a track from the bite traveling up my foot to my ankle that was red and swollen. It was basically the path that the toxin from the ant bite had traveled up my foot. It was bizarre and totally different from any other ant bite I had experienced. So now I have the joy of carrying an Epi-Pen with me and I am instructed to administer this if I get bitten by another ant and any symptoms begin to appear. It is very concerning to me but my PCP has assured me that it is not something to mess around with. Luckily, Trey stood by my side and took the best care of me. Our friends who traveled with us where also very supportive. From that point on "Jennifer's Birthday Extravaganza" took on a whole new meaning.

I wish I had pictures to share but I didn't even bother with taking a camera on our trip. As you can tell the start to being 30 has been an adventure already. The past 30 years have been wonderful and I am looking forward to what the next 30 years have instore for me. I look forward to the blessing and revelations that God will show me as I continue to walk with Him. I am already so thankful for all that He has bestowed on me and my family.

Maddie

So it is time to update again. This time lets talk about Maddie. This has been a whirlwind of a year. Maddie has successfully completed her first year of public school. She finished Kindergarten and she really loved it. We were so blessed to have a great teacher. She is reading fairly well and starting to gain some confidence in her ability. She is even better at writing. She amazes me with some of her sentences. I can't wait to see where she is going to go with all of this and what she will really excel at as school continues next year. We are going to keep working on reading in hopes that we don't lose any ground during the summer. Don't worry though we will be spending the majority of the time in or around water to stay cool.
We have been so busy with activities the last few weeks of school that we haven't hardly had time to do anything. Maddie played her first full season of Tyler Soccer Association. She was on the Mustang Sallies and they were so cute. They didn't win every game but they did have a lot of fun. Maddie scored 5 goals during the season and I must brag for a minute because she scored a hat trick in one game (3 goals). It seemed like once she got the hang of it she did really good. She was even a little scrapper out there. After getting run over a few times she did admit not liking getting hurt but she kept at it.
We also completed another year of gymnastics. Maddie is really excelling at gymnastics and I am very proud of her. The coach has recommended that she join the pre-team group. This would entail that she go twice a week to practice and they would begin coaching them for competition. We are thinking about whether to do this or not. We want her to still have fun and not be pressured too much so we shall see. However, her coach did pay her a compliment that she was one of the top gymnast in her class. She looks so cute out there and she has learned so much over the last two years. I am really glad she has pursued this sport.
Maddie is so sweet and really a blessing to our family. She is growing so fast and sometimes I wish I could just put a brick on her head to slow it all down. I can't believe she will be a first grader next fall. I don't have pictures to post at this moment because I haven't uploaded them from my camera but I will very soon. Maddie is such a joy in our lives. We love you baby!

Mollie

Okay so look at me...can you believe it two posts in two days!!! Crazy I know! Anyways I thought I would post an update on Mollie. Anyone who reads this knows that we have been through some serious medical issues with Mollie over the last 18 months...which is crazy to me because that is basically half her life. We have been to more doctor appointments than I would care to mention, so many blood tests, xrays, scans, surgery, ect. Well, we are currently receiving treatment from the Infectious Disease doctors at Children's Hospital. They are really great and truely care about Mollie. It is such a refreshing experience every time we go. Now...each visit usually involves lots of screaming on Mollie's end becasue as you can imagine with so much poking and proding happening over these last 18 months she has developed a pretty good case of doctor visit adversions. However, the staff at Children's is so patient and understanding to her. In March our doctor wrote a letter to The National Health Institute (NHI) asking permission for them to take Mollie's case to run an analysis of her immune system. Our doctor explained the details of Mollie's case and they accepted it. It was really a great thing. They are basically the only facility in the world that will run the extensive immune test that our doctor was looking for. Therefore, Mollie and I made the trip to Dallas for the blook draw. They had to take A LOT of blood to send overnight to the NHI. Our doctor also submitted her blood as the control comparison. Needless to say, it was an aweful day for us. Mollie cried so hard and so long. It took the lab techs over six times to get the amount of blood necessary for the test. They stuck her and stuck her and stuck her. Her little veins would roll and bust making it near impossible. Her little arms were black and blue all over. I cried more than I have in a long time. It was excruciating pinning her down so they could use her as a pin cushion. Even our doctor felt terrible about the ordeal. She felt so bad she walked us to our car apologizing and trying to confort us. She also called us the next day to check on Mollie to make sure she wasn't too tramatized. The NHI will be analyzing her immune system by looking for a specific defect in one of the specific cells that is suppose to clear infection from the inside of the cell. If the cell is not emmitting the chemicals that treat the cell from the inside it could be the reason why she has had multiple cases of the this NTM (nontuberculosis mycobacterium). However, the test can take up to 1 year before results are found. We aren't in a hurry and it won't change the treatment it will just provide valuable information for her future. Meanwhile we are still taking two heavy duty antibiotics with check ups every 6-8 weeks. Just about a month ago the second nodule burst through the skin and drained. It happened in the middle of the night. Although, it periodically continues to drain. All of this is good and it means the disease is progressing through the proper stages so that the body will eradicate it. Even though it is gross it continues to look better with each passing day. We are encouraged by the progress and hope that in a few more months we will be able to stop the medication. Our doctor is very hopeful too. God has provided us with the strength to get through this. The biggest draw back to all of this is that Mollie's development has been delayed. She barely talks, is somewhat withdrawn from social settings, and struggles to communicate. Being that she will be three in July we worry about her communication deficiencies but we continue to try to be patient. As she improves in her overall health and wellness feelings we notice that she is coming out of her shell more and picking things up. I know that we are going to have to play catch up for quite a while with the hopes of eventually getting to a place where she speaks clearly and communicates with others appropriately. It is trying at times and makes my heart break for her because I know she must be so frustrated as well. I just love her so much and would do anything to take all of this away from her. For any one who knows her, Mollie is such a sweet and loving little girl whose temper can get the best of her when she just can't express what it is that she needs or wants. She is smart, funny, loving, energetic, and wonderful. I look forward to when she shows all of that to people other than just us. On a positive note friends and family are noticing the changes in her as she continues to feel better. Please pray for her...pray for her continued speech development, improvement in health, and social ability. All prayers are so appreciated and I know that God is listening. He is already interceded for Mollie multiple times.

Also, Mollie took on potty training at Christmas. She learned in about two days what to do and has been doing great. We have a few ups and downs every now and then but we couldn't be happier with how quickly she grasped the concept and ran with it. Once she put panties on she hasn't touched a diaper since or even a pull up. She sleeps in panties at night and nap time...and keeps them dry. We just love that she acts like a big girl. We have had a few accidents every now and then but I am impressed considering all that she has been through that she mastered this potty thing so quickly. I must admit not having to change diapers has been great.

She is doing gymnastics once a week and loves it so much. She has learned a lot over this year and really seems to thrive. We are working hard to place her in situations that give her structure but also provide a fun outlet to develop social skills as well as gross and fine motor skills. I have been so pleased with how well she is doing. She has her "recital" performace this week where she gets to show off all she has learned and I am so excited. I know it will be wonderful.

God gave us a special blessing when he place Mollie in our family. Even though she is nothing like her sister and does everything in her own way, God has used Mollie to stretch me, increase my faith, and learn a deeper and greater understanding of love. Our family is honored to have Mollie as a member of our family. God is our provider and healer and as he continues to work in Mollie I look forward to see just what and how he will use her to further His kingdom. We love you Mollie and are so proud of your determination!

House for Sale!

I know it has been forever. I have so much to get caught up on but it just seems I don't have time or I am exhausted. So I will start by stating this...our house is for sale. About 18 months ago we thought we would try to sell our house and see what happened. We didn't have a plan but we just thought we would test the waters. Well after about 3 months on the market we decided to go ahead and stay put. It was perfect because I ended up going back to work and lots of changes and adjustments took place and it was truly better that we were here. God really guided us through that and protected us from a potential bad decision. He also provided us with a great opportunity to buy a lakehouse. So now we own two homes. Needless to say taking care of two homes is really hard. Two yards, two sets of bills, two places to clean is hard work. We love going to the lake whenever we feel like it and we have done some serious praying. We have decided to permenately move out to the lake. The lakehouse needs some work and some tlc but in all honesty we really want to raise our children on the lake. So we feel like it is just one step closer to meeting our goals. With all that said, our house was listed just a little over a week ago. We are really trusting God that he will provide the right buyer. We have done so much work to make our current house our home and we hope that someone else will want to make it their home. I believe God is going to bless this move and provide us with an opportunity to build beautiful family memories on the lake. Please join me in praying that God would put together this puzzle for us and send us a buyer at the right time. Please pray that we would be able to make all the adjustments when we move that would make it easy for all members of our family. Please just pray that God would be completely entwined in this process.

I don't have any pictures to post but I promise on upcoming posts with more updates I will post pictures! Hope to be back soon especially since we only have 10 more school days left.

Christmas 2010

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1,2,3...All together smile! OR CRY!

Our visit to Santa that I described in the previous post. Well here was the outcome. I can't help but laugh. My two girls are just polar opposites. Maddie has always loved Santa...I am sure next year we will have two smiles instead (at least I hope).

Potty training and a nativity scene

Christmas is almost here! I am so thrilled to be celebrating Christmas time with my family. The time off of work has been great. We have really relaxed and been pretty lazy. We have shared some dinner dates, light watching, and other festive activities with friends and family. I have done zero picture taking as of right now but I will pull it out for the big day. I think I needed the break from work more than I realized. It has been a gift in itself.

Maddie had the flu last week but she is all better and enjoying the holidays as well. We have been trying to keep reading books and doing some school type stuff occasionally but really we have just enjoyed dressing up, dancing, and Wii playing. It has been wonderful.

Mollie is doing great. We have decided to get committeed to potty training. We started Monday and she has done really well. She has had a few accidents here and there but I am so proud of her. She doesn't get the poop in the potty part yet so any suggestions at this point would be great. The rest of it is wonderful. We have totally focused on the positive and have been super patient. She amazes me. She can hold it for a long time though! I am talking hours on end. We ask her often to let us know if she needs to potty but she usually responds with a no. She comes running at us when she is ready so I guess she just likes to do it in her own way. I am proud of her.
On another note, Mollie will be going back to Children's Hospital on Dec. 31st We will meet with their infectious disease doctor to discuss options besides surgery. We will see if there is anything else we could do. The affected area actually looks terrible. There are three large bumps and two of them are turning purple and causing the skin to peel and appear irritated. The doctors told us they could probably rupture through the skin and drain by themselves. As gross as that will be it could have the end outcome of completely going away after draining. We will just have to find some type of way to keep her little fingers from messing with it. I have one picture where you can kind of see what it is doing but it isn't that great. It was taken with my phone.
She has acted pretty good and started to enjoy the holidays as well. I think her favorite part is the advent calendar. Every morning we open the window and she gets a piece of chocolate. She and Maddie have shared this tradition so sweetly. It has been fun.

I have so much to be thankful for. I can't wait to see the girls faces light up, tear into presents, and sing happy birthday to our savior. On of my favorite highlights this season is that fact that Maddie asked Santa for a Nativity Scene. I think he was even surprised. He told her that it caught his attention when she said that and then he asked her what it was all about and she gladly told him "Jesus' Birthday" I was so proud I even had tears in my eyes! God works in mysterious ways because I had bought a wooden nativity scene for her earlier in December and about two days after the purchase out of no where she told me she was going to ask for one from Santa.



Merry Christmas to all!

catching up...

We are home today sick...more poor Maddie has had a fever for the last three days. It seems to be some type of virus. She doesn't act like she feels bad but can't go to school when you have fever.

I am so excited about Christmas. I love this time of year and having kids makes it so much more fun. I enjoy seeing them light up when we put the tree up, look at gifts, talk about Santa, write letters to Santa, and so much more. We got a new tree this year. It was about time. When we first got married my parents gave us their old tree that was almost thirty years old. It has been fine to use over time but lets face it after 30 years it was time for a new one. We got a nine footer that was pre-lit. It was a Christmas present in itself. I went out and got some new ornaments too. I would like to get some more but we will just have to add some new ones each year till we get it just right. Don't worry though the old tree is still getting some use. We put it up out at the lakehouse. We wanted to decorate both houses since we will be spending time in both locations during Christmas.

Just like everyone else, we have been busy lately. It seems like birthday parties, Christmas parties, family gatherings, litter our calendar every week. Sometimes I wonder if life will slow down but if I am realistic it probably won't.

Enough talking here are some random pictures. I need to upload the camera to the computer but I just haven't done it in awhile.

Disney, Cat Scan, Revelation

So much has happened in the last month I hardly know where to begin. We had the opportunity to go to Florida over Halloween and go to Disney World for one day, which by the way was awesome! However, that is a whole other post in itself.

After we arrived back from or trip we received a phone call from our infectious disease doctor that he felt like we needed to go ahead and see the ENT again so that he could remove the lymph nodes. This was a surprise to us because we thought he wanted to wait a few more weeks to make that decision. Nonetheless we got into the ENT a few days later as a priority appointment. After a good examination and a lot of questions the dr. told us he felt it necessary to remove them. However, he was concerned that there could be permanent paralysis to her lower lip as a result of surgery. He therefore wanted us to get a cat scan done so that he would have enough information to prepare for the surgery. I was floored that this was even a risk but thankful that he wasn't just willing to cut her open. The dr. also said that he had two doctor friends at Children's hospital in Dallas that he was going to review her case with and seek their opinions as well. I loved that idea! So today we had the cat scan. Needless to say I have been pretty nervous about the whole thing because they would be using anesthsia so that she would be still and because she would have to have and IV. There were a few hiccups during the day and most of us ended up with throw up on us but I must admit it went really well. I know that sounds crazy, but God had His hand completely on us. My 2 year old laid in a hospital bed for an hour and a half with an IV in her hand. She cried a little but remained still for the majority of the time. She allowed BP cuffs, thermometers, poking, and even the removal of her IV without hardly putting up a fight. I was so proud of her and knew that God was rocking us in His lap during the entire day. We won't know the results for several days but next week we should find out when the surgery will be to remove these lymph nodes.

I can't end this update like this because I would be leaving out the most vital information. Over the last few months all of these health issues have been a heavy burden and a lot to deal with. After so many internal conversations, questions, and tears I still felt completely overwhelmed. As a parent you do anything in your power to take care of your children and seeing them suffer and go through so much is difficult to say the least. A little over a week ago before Mollie's ENT appointment our Sunday school class prayed over her. It was so emotional and so powerful to me. I felt God's presence and moving in my heart. That day was also the kick off to our revival. Being able to experience God in a different way was something I won't forget. I finally realized I was still trying to handle all of this myself. God was telling me I was placing my children first instead of putting him first. I am not saying that God was punishing me because I don't believe that is true but I am saying I realized I had lost sight of what I needed to be placing my love in first and making my first priority. It happened so easily and I am ashamed but I see that now. I laid my baby at Jesus feet and totally gave it to Him. I felt peace and reassurance right away and even though there are things that are scarey I know I have the Creator with me. He loves her more than I do and I find so much peace knowing that. I believe that he provides everything and that I don't have to endure this alone but that He will develop in me greater Faith and character, and my prayer is that Mollie herself will see that faith one day and love the Lord back. I have the opportunity to continue to be His light and reflection during this time. So all praise goes to God for the blessings he poured on us today and the ones he continues to rain down.

Wordy Update!

Being that it has been almost a month since my last blog, I thought I should go ahead and update. I am going to use the excuse that we have been really busy but honestly who isn't busy? Well, be prepared this may end up being a long post...

Trey: He is doing really good. Work has been busy and keeping him running all over the place. Don't think I am complaining because I am not. Busy-ness beats the alternative. He has been so helpful with school, doctor appointments, and all the other day to day stuff. He had a college alumni game back in September which is always something he looks forward to. Even though they didn't win they had fun trying to be young again! Haha! He has also been really involved with hunting this year. He has joined up with his brother to be on a deer lease, added feeders and cameras out on a friends land and made many a trips to multiple locations to check game cameras, ect. He hasn't shot any deer yet, especially since it is only bow season right now, but he has shot quite a few hogs. In East Texas hogs are really a problem and Trey takes pride in doing his "Civic duty" or so he refers to it as this and one by one riding the area of them. It is all fun and I myself enjoy hearing his stories and seeing him light up as he talks about it. In fact about a week ago, we got a sitter for the girls and headed out to a friend's land. We climbed up about 15 feet in a tree and sat in the dark for 2.5 hours waiting for the hogs to come in. It was quality time together and I enjoyed being outside in the woods as well.

Maddie: I must start with saying that she loves, loves, loves school. She has something to tell me everyday. She has started buying her lunch on occassion as well. She says her favorite part of the day is riding the bus over to my school which is less than 0.25 miles away. She has started bringing home books to read and she is doing really well. I am so proud of her. She even wants to do math workbook pages. I am so glad she has a love for school. They had a fundraiser recently and she was one of the top three sellers for the school. The top sellers got to ride in a limo to the local burger place in town for lunch. Then they had a dance contest, which she won for all the girls in the school. Finally they had a money wheel to spin. She won $10. Needless to say, she had an AWESOME day at school. Last week she also brought home her first report card. She did wonderful in everything and didn't have any negative marks. It made Mommy and Daddy so proud of her! She is also still doing gymnastics. She is doing so well. She is very agile and learns really quickly. She will be testing for level three pretty soon. Level 3 is when they start competing in gymnastics. I am not sure if I am ready for that but we are happy that she loves it so much. Last week, she even asked if she could start taking private lessons with a coach! This girl is dedicated! Everywhere we go she is cartwheeling all over the place. We are so lucky to have a her as a sweet daughter. She loves Jesus and is even telling other kids at school about him.




Mollie: Mollie is adjusting well to all the new things going on. She loves staying with Mrs. Shannon and playing at her house. I think she does pretty well or at least Mrs. Shannon makes me feel like she is doing ok! Mollie is definitely in the terrible two's. We didn't experience too much of that with Maddie but Mollie is making up for that. We are trying our best to stay consistant and take it one day at a time. Things get better and then she tests us again. At times it is very difficult but then she will cuddle up on our laps and just love on us like nothing else and all my worries fade away. She is starting to talk more. I think being with another 2 year old is helping her. Not all of her words are very clear but we are just happy to hear her starting to try! YEAH Mollie! The lack of communication is very trying and often makes the fits harder but God is carrying us through and we are working through it all. Mollie is also in gymnastics. Not every week is great but she is doing well and learning lots of things. She does like it and is really good at forward rolls. It is her favorite skill. Many times she runs past everything else, cuts in line, and rolls down the mat...getting in trouble the whole time. Trey and I just laugh all though I know her coaches are probably frustrated. It is just too cute how much she likes it. Every week she gets better and better. Last week we went back to the infectious disease doctor. She is right now on two incredibly strong antibiotics. They make her tee tee and poop orange as well as her tears. They are very hard on her liver too. Therefore, she has to have her blood taken every two weeks to ensure there is no damage being done to her liver. All of this has been difficult to swallow. They believe that it is still Non-tuberculosis mycobacterium but they aren't 100% sure without a biopsy. The doctor feels like as long as the lymph nodes being affected don't increase in size or change texture then we are making progress. We will be on this medicine for at least another month. The meds are the same things they treat patients with full blown tuberculosis so you can imagine how a little toddler body handles them. God is good though, because we could be dealing with lymphoma or something worse. We are praying that he will keep his hand of protection on her and help the doctors to discern and diagonose correctly. Mollie is my little angel. Even though her temper is strong it just shows me that she is a fighter. I am so proud of her because she has gone through so much at such a young age. I know that as she grows up she will know how to persever through trials great and small. It is strange how your heart can break and be inspired at the same time.



Me: Well, school is well underway and I think I am finally getting my feet under me. I have a great class and I feel a unique opportunity with the kids I have. I have had a few break downs as I too have had to adjust to going back to work but I don't think things could be going better. We have had some amazing friends help us through all of this. Even friends bring us dinner on the first day of school and invite us over when times are tough to make it a little easier. We are lucky to have people like the Prewitt's in our lives. They are the definition of "church" and friends. They minister to our family and our hearts all the time. I was so routinely working out before I went back to school and I haven't been able to go as much as I would like. I had lost 25 lbs before school started and even though I haven't been able to go to the gym as often as before I haven't gained it back. I was afraid I might. I think I underestimate how much exercise I actually get at school. I also participated in a Women's ministry event at our church. I was in charge of decorating a table for a dinner event with a guest speaker. My Mom came for the event and it was lots of fun. Right now I am looking forward to Halloween. We will be going to Florida to spend four days in Tampa to visit Trey's dad as well as go to Disney World for one day. It is a special treat. The last year we got to trick or treat in Maryland and this year we will do it in Florida. We might just have to make this a yearly tradition.




There you have it a major Carlile Crew update! I told you it would be long.

Maddie's Baptism

Last week Maddie got baptized. I can't tell you the words that express the emotions that I felt. Here are a few pictures. I haven't downloaded all of them just yet. We had family and friends present to celebrate the occassion. I was so glad that our pastor baptized Maddie because he has known Maddie her enitre life. It was such a beautiful thing. It is so exciting to have Maddie make this decision and I pray that one day Mollie too will also make this decision.