THERE IS NO BEGINNING OR END TO THE CHAOS...

I must start with the last 24hours....Sunday the phone rings around 1pm, Lisa's son is sick. Ok, no problem will figure something out for the kids for Monday morning. Have an appointment with the Developmental Specialist at CMH for Cooper. Ok, Raelynn can just miss school and go with us. No that won't work she has her "Feast Day" at school and is signed up to take muffins. Oh no, Lisa is suppose to take her to school because we have to leave town early for Cooper's doctor's appointment. Ok, call Jan. Jan can take her to school and pick her up. Now for the afternoon, call Mary Beth. She can take them after lunch, Yea! All is set. This morning, wake up 15 minutes early (4am) go to the gym to workout, have to cut workout short because we have to get Raelynn to Jan's before we head to CMH. Get home...all is going well, kids are cooperating and looks like we will be heading out the door on time. 7:45 am, phone rings. It is CMH, they are calling to cancel our appointment for the 3rd time. The appointment I dread and think is pointless. Ok, great! Now call Jan and tell her she got up early for nothing and she doesn't need to take Raelynn to school. Oh no what about Cooper? Call Mary Beth, she says it's ok to bring him over this morning. Yea again. Now rush around to get everyone re situated. Head out the door with Cooper. Down the street....phone rings....it's Terry. "Do you need this cooler with Coop's milk and meds?" Turn around....back home....Raelynn runs cooler out to me. Back on the road to Mary Beth's. Get there and get Cooper in and settled. Headed to work. Remember I forgot the diaper bag. Don't think Coop can survive on 1 diaper all day. Back home, get diaper bag, back to Mary Beth's. Ok now headed to work. Call in Terry's prescription refills, call the dentist office to see about a missing toothbrush order, call to check on pictures being framed. At work, 8:45 am. Fells like 8:45 pm.

So that is how my week began, thank goodness it will be a short one. The weekend was great though. Saturday we had all of Terry's side of the family over so we could visit with his niece, Kylie and her family before they headed back to CA. We had a great time and it was good seeing them. Sunday we visited Nanny's grave. Raelynn needed some closure and today is Nanny's birthday so we thought it was a good time to visit. We took out some flowers and Raelynn layed them on her grave. Raelynn has been very bothered by the fact that she did not see them actually lower Nanny into the grave. Sunday when we got there and explained this is wear Nanny lay, she seemed very sad. I told her it was ok to talk to her and we did. It is very touching to see your beautiful 3 year old knelt down beside her Grandmother's grave and say Hi Nanny we miss you and I love you. I could not help but shed a tear. When we left she told her goodbye and we would be back. She is so smart and loving. Raelynn went home with Aunt Bonnie and Aunt Carol and they made cookies. I went to pick her up around 4:30 pm. The cookies were amazing! Raelynn brought cookies home for Daddy, herself and I. None were brought for Cooper because of course he doesn't eat. Yeah right! He ate half my cookie! He loved it and never choked once. Raelynn said he liked her cooking.

This weekend I watched Cooper and Raelynn play a lot. Cooper is getting so cute it is unbelievable. Between his dancing, head bobbing to the beat, laughing and getting so close to walking on his own, I could watch him forever. He loves his sissy and she can entertain him for hours. He was a little fussy this weekend because he is trying to get 3 teeth in right now, but his cuteness overshadows his crankiness. Raelynn is also very comical with her play. We now are in a robot phase. Our house is a robot house and we have robot names. We talk like robots and even act like robots. It is so funny.

The rest of the week is sure to be hectic but wonderful. Stephanie comes in tomorrow and will be here until Sunday. Thursday of course is Thanksgiving and then Friday our big shopping day that starts at 4am followed by decorating for Christmas and this year getting ready for Coop's Birthday. His little party is set for Saturday and my family will come in Friday night. I can't wait. It will all be so much fun. I love family time with both sides of our family!

THANK YOU SCOTT CITY......

Thank you to the entire Scott City community and surrounding area and my wonderful family. Last night went great from what I hear. Everyone had a wonderful time and there was so much support. My aunt and uncle from Lakin even came and that was a wonderful surprise for my family. I am so touched that people so far away care so much! They have offered prayers, kind words and now this. Thank you all so very much!!!

THE STORIES WE ENCOUNTER...

Tonight seems to be a little difficult for me. Cooper is doing so well. Finally things are seeming normal to us, then it seems we are over come by news of other families struggling. You will find two new links of my blog list, Pray for Baby David and Heart of a Princess. In both cases the families are encountering difficulties with their children and congenital heart defects. I feel this unbelievable urge to help them. I have spent the evening researching funds and grants and requesting applications I can forward them. I also am finishing additional paperwork our foundation is requiring from the IRS. I guess now that I feel our situation is currently fairly stable I have to help everyone else. The problem is I am much too emotional. I know we all go through difficult times but these people I know how hard it really is and how it feels to spend days at the hospital and wonder if you will leave with your little one. It sucks! Anyway, please check out there blogs/websites and add them to your prayer lists. We have been so luckily with everything I just want to share some of that with them.

Tomorrow night is the Cooper's Cause Night at Pizza Hut in Scott City. Karli, my little sis, has worked so hard to make this fundraiser happen. Her really good friend, Shanea has been helping her along with Mom. I am so proud of her and hope the night is a huge success not just for us but for Karli. She is one of those people who is the happiest when she is doing something for others. They put this whole fundraiser together and I knew nothing about it until a week or so ago, they wanted to surprise us. Anyway I am looking forward to hearing how it goes and wish we could be there too. Thank you Karli, Mom, Shanea and everyone else who is helping and supporting this fundraiser. The entire community of Scott City has been amazingly supportive in various ways of our family and we are truly grateful!

QUICK COOPER UPDATE.....

Cooper saw Dr. Kelley today and it was the most "normal" visit we have had since Cooper was born. He has gained 4oz and is up to 16lbs 3oz. He has grown 2" and is up to 29". He got his flu shot and synagis shot and that was that. It was great. Nothing really to discuss and nothing really to change. It was simply and unusually uneventful. Yeah!!!

WHERE HAS THE WEEK GONE....

This week has been so busy but I think I always say that now. Tuesday night we went to the KU vs. Emporia State game. In the past we have always made sure Raelynn makes it to at least one game each season and it is usually easier to get tickets to preseason games than any other time. We had to introduce Cooper to our little tradition this year. The kids loved it. We had so much fun. At one point when Emporia State had the ball and KU was headed down the court on defense Raelynn stood up and yelled "DEFENSE HAWKS! DEFENSE! Of course it had to be at a time when it was fairly quiet. Our entire section turned around to look at her with big smiles. The girl gets into her games! It was so cute. It was equally as cute to watch Cooper enjoy the atmosphere. Every time the band would play he would start bobbing his head to the beat. When the crowd clapped, Cooper clapped too. He was all smiles. We had a terrific time. I really cannot tell you how much I love doing things with Terry and the kids. They are all just so cute and watching them enjoy events is priceless.

Wednesday night the kids stayed with Kelly while Terry and I headed to Overland Park to pick out the pictures we wanted from our Sunday visit to Flash Portraits at Oak Park Mall. This place does an amazing job. We have been going there since Raelynn was born. This time was kind of special because it had been the first time we had really been able to have professional pictures of Cooper. We did his one year photos and then had a family picture taken since we had not done that either since Coop was born. The pictures turned out great and it took us 2 hours to finally decide what we wanted. The have a great set up there and are so much help. Feel free to check out our pictures at www.flashportraits.com. Select My Portraits from the list on the right and then select Go To My Portraits, type in Keefer and there they are.

The kids seem to be changing daily right now, not so much in looks but in personality. Raelynn is so "grown up" and I know I could write a best seller just on the daily conversations I have with her. She is so smart yet so innocent. She is always respectful but yet in my opinion getting a little mouthy in her tone. We discuss respect and how to treat each other with love and how family is special and on and on but I am feeling like we are beginning to mold her and discipline her into the adult she will become. Quite honestly it scares me to death. I pray every day that we are teaching her well and giving her a good foundation to build a wonderful life on. I know it sounds like I am exaggerating but Raelynn is 3 but seems to know and understand so much. We talk to her directly about things and give her the facts and leave her out of very little in our conversations. I think this has helped her learn to communicate. Then there is Cooper. He smiles all the time and is all over the place. He is not walking yet but as long as he can get his hands on anything he cruises right around. He still does not crawl but he scoots and that gets him where walking can't yet. He is quick too! Raelynn and he are starting to play a lot. I could sit and watch and listen to them play all day long. They are precious!

Dr. Kelley called today to let us know Cooper was approved for Synagis, yeah! Synagis is a vaccine given to prevent RSV. It is a very expensive shot and has to be preapproved by your health insurance. The process is difficult but we had been through it with Raelynn too because she was a preemie. Anyway, our doctors office is awesome and they do all the work. It was necessary that Cooper be approved and our cardiologist had even said if we weren't we would still need to consider doing the shot. The shots are given monthly during RSV season which can vary but usually starts in October or November and lasts through April or March. The shots are based on weight but easily can exceed $1000 per shot. This is the first time that Cooper being small is not so disappointing :) He also reviewed the MRI with me. He too said there was nothing to worry about and confirmed my understanding of everything. He said if he had to say something bad about it, he would mention that the Germinal Matrix does put Cooper at a higher risk of seizures. But even if that does happen, people with seizures are normal functioning adults and most you do not even know suffer from seizures. So basically we will remember the MRI findings but will not worry about them. I do plan to ask what we should do in the event of a seizure so that we are prepared but I will leave it at that and there will not be any further imaging done at this time.

Last night I received an email from a woman who had just found out her son has DORV (Double Outlet Right Ventricle) too. She had just found out yesterday and wanted any advice or information I could give her. I cried as I read her email remembering what it was like when we first found out and the hard and difficult road they have ahead of them. I emailed her back and I have no idea if I said anything of relevance because my mind was racing. I almost wish I would have simply said, "You are in for one amazing journey both awful and wonderful. Hold onto one another and always look for the light at the end of the tunnel because it is there, but the tunnels are long and many." I will never be able to explain how this experience has changed me but I can promise that although I would never wish this for us or anyone else, the good that has come out of it will always remind me that God has a plan. I wish this family the very best and hope that if I can help in any way she will again contact me.

TERRY'S BIRTHDAY WEEKEND....

Terry's birthday was Friday. It is always so hard to figure out what to get him. There is nothing he wants except things that are too expensive for us to buy and that is why he doesn't have them. He has been looking at buying a GPS system for his truck for months. A few weeks ago I decided to get that for him for his birthday and Christmas together. The problem was I knew he knew exactly what he wanted but I didn't. So I called Kathy at the store and asked her if she thought we could fool Terry into going to Best Buy for a "carpet measurement" but instead I would be there and surprise him. He could then pick out what he wanted. Well it worked like a charm. He was definitely surprised and I think he was really happy and excited. I was so happy because I love to do nice things for him it is just that he never really wants for anything. Anyway that was my gift to him. Earlier in the week I had taken Raelynn and Cooper shopping for their gift to him. Raelynn decided he needed a new stocking hat to keep him warm this winter. she picked out a really nice KU one. She was so excited to give it to him but did such a good job of keeping it a secret.


After their gift Raelynn wanted to make Daddy Birthday Brownies. Everyone helped including Terry. Well actually Raelynn and I made the brownies and everyone helped clean up.


Today was a big day too. We went to Kansas City and had our family picture and Cooper's 1 Year pictures taken. I was so happy to finally be able to do this. I did not want to take pictures until Cooper was free from all tubes. Pictures went really well and the kids were great. They are both so darn cute! Cooper did a fabulous job and did not get fussy at all until the very end and we had already gotten several pictures. We go back on Wednesday to pick them and I know it is going to be hard but I am so excited. After that we headed to Nebraska Furniture Mart to check out washers and dryers. My washing machine was on its last leg. There was only 1 cycle that worked, Permanent Press, and often it would not spin the clothes. We have known for quite awhile that we needed to get a new one but they are just so expensive. Then on Friday, the dryer stopped drying. I would run it and run it and clothes were still wet. I could not take it any more. So I am now the proud owner of a new washer and dryer and they are amazing. It is unbelievable the things they do now. We did buy a front load but by no means bought the top of the line. I am very happy with them though and since doing laundry seems to be what I do in every second of my spare time these days, it is nice to have a set that actually do what they are designed for :).

Oh yeah, and how can I forget, Raelynn and Cooper are starting their own band using my bowls, pots and pans. We are so thrilled that their practicing has become a nightly event. Unfortunately, they are not improving very rapidly, hahaha!

RAELYNN'S NEW DO.....

I have not yet decided if I like it, but Raelynn has a new do. She loves it. It was just getting to the point that we were putting in up in some fashion every day. If not, by the end of the day it would just be tangled and stringy. It should be much easier for us both to take care of and hopefully it will thinken up a bit and then look better as it grows out.

ELMO LIVE.....

Last night Raelynn and I went with some friends to Elmo Live in Topeka. We had so much fun. Raelynn does not watch Sesame Street all that often but she does know who Elmo is even though she calls him Nemo! We road to Topeka with Kelly and Kaden and Kaden is a HUGE Elmo fan. The fact that Raelynn calls Elmo Nemo really made Kaden irritated. He continually corrected her which made us laugh, including Raelynn. I think this is why she continued to call him Nemo. Anyway, the evening was so much fun.
We went with three friends and thier little ones and it was so cute to watch all the kids. Raelynn also had her first experience with cotton candy. I wish I could have caught her face on camera when she first tried it. Her expression was priceless. None of the other kids were too eager to try it after they saw her reaction, but after a few more bites she was hooked.

OUR FIRST FOUNDATION MEETING....

Last night was our first Cooper's Cause Foundation Meeting. I cannot even tell you how excited I am. First of all, I do not think we could have selected a better board of directors. They all seem to have fundraising experience and no one was hesitant to offer suggestions. We are all ready to make this foundation something big and make big impacts on families' lives. We have already established committee heads for 3 of the fundraisers for next year and hope they will begin working right away. There are also some additional fundraisers I found out about today I am really excited about but cannot say just yet as the final "ok" has not been given. I would never wish to go through what we have nor would I ever wish this upon Cooper, but given the situation, I could not be prouder to be where we are now. We were given such a challenge and have been so fortunate to make something so good out of it. I don't think we could honor Cooper any better than to be doing what we are now. I hope he grows with the foundation and has the passion and respect we do for everyone involved.

Today was election day! I wish I would have taken Raelynn with me to vote. I think it would have been a good experience for her but unfortunately our schedules did not allow for it. Raelynn enjoys watching the news in short spurts these days. She is quite the weather woman. This morning I told her I had to go early to vote. She of course wanted to know what vote was. I explained by saying we choose who we want to run the world. I don't know why I said world, I was trying to find words she would understand. As soon as I said it she says to me, I thought God ran the world. I smiled as I am trying desperately to leave not only to go vote but to get away from these difficult questions from a 3 year old. I told her that I misspoke and we vote to see who is in charge of our country. Then she wanted to know what "our country" was. I said it is where we live, she says I thought we lived in Lawrence. Needless to say I was getting no where. Then the guy on the news says something about election day and to get out and vote for our next president and Raelynn turns to me as though I had been completely wrong about everything I was telling her and says, Mom you're voting for the next president, Obama or McCain, you should watch the news. What!!!???? It was that simple. I didn't have to explain who or what a president was, just simply tell her that I was voting for a president! I would have been out the door 15 minutes earlier had I just known! It was cute though and just reminded me she knows more than I think. Raelynn also got her first homework assignment today. She was to practice squares, rectangles, diamonds and cutting out circles. Before bed we got a story book that has these shapes and each time she saw one I asked her to draw it on a piece of paper I had given her. Well, I now know why she was sent home with the assignment. It is quite apparent that my daughter has inherited my inability to comprehend geometry. I am sure her father is very disappointed :). After 20 minutes of drawing squares and rectangles we decided we would save diamonds for another night. I wonder if her teacher would find humor if I taught my daughter diamonds came in rings, necklaces and earrings and their shape was irrelevant but rather the color, clarity and size were of the utmost importance? Not sure I should go there yet, but it is much more interesting than trying to explain to her why her squares and rectangles look the same and they shouldn't and why it is of any importance to know how to draw them anyway :) (No worries, I really do not project that to my daughter, I keep it for complaining to Terry later.)

HAPPY HALLOWEEN....

We had a great time at Halloween. Every year Terry is in charge of carving pumpkins. I do not have an artistic bone in my body nor do I in any way enjoy doing anything crafty and carving pumpkins definitely falls into that category for me. However, I truly love watching them and taking the pictures. Anyone that knows Terry knows he is a perfectionist and watching him try to make perfection out of carving pumpkins with a 3 year old is very entertaining.


They had a great time and gave Terry a reason to get out some of his tools, oh yes, in this house pumpkin carving is done with power tools!




Raelynn had a Halloween Party at preschool too on Friday. I went to work feeling horrible because they had the first 45 minutes the parents could stay and the kids had a little parade. I felt like I could not take off work so Terry stayed. I know it all meant the same to Raelynn having Daddy there but I felt horrible. I sent the camera with Terry and asked him to please take no less than 10 pictures so I could see how it went. Like the perfectly wonderful husband he is, he showed up at work with the camera and 20 some pictures for me to look at as soon as he left preschool. I was so happy to see them. I guess Raelynn was a little shy at the beginning which carried right on into Halloween night. She said everyone dressed up scared her. Silly girl! Anyway, we got home from work Friday night and got the kids dressed up and out we went. We still just visit a handful of people we know around town and then usually walk one area. The kids had fun and we got to see all our friends and their adorable kids.


This morning we got to watch Kaden for a few hours. It was so much fun. He and Raelynn played and played and played. Kaden tried to play/wrestle with Cooper but Cooper was just not quite ready for that yet! It was all so cute and fun and made my job really easy. It is amazing how much easier it is to watch other kids once you have your own. They completely entertained one another and I even tried to play with them but Raelynn told me it was just play for her and Kaden. I guess Mom is already not so cool!!!