WHAT A MERRY CHRISTMAS......

We had a wonderful Christmas! Christmas Eve is always our big celebration and it was just as wonderful as always. We went to Christmas Eve services, ate way too much food and opened gifts. The kids are so fun to watch. We all were so happy with our gifts but this year my sisters and I actually got great gifts for our parents. We hardly ever are able to find perfect gifts for them but this year we did so it was awesome. Steph and Karli also gave Sherri and I an awesome gift. We had gotten each of them a "sister's" gift for their graduations. We got Steph a bracelet and Karli a necklace. Well this year they got Sherri and I a sister's bracelet. It is beautiful!

Anyway, we had a great time and then yesterday we went over to Sherri's house for Christmas dinner and some card playing. Raelynn and Chandler made a Ginger Bread House which was really messy but I think they had fun. My Aunt Barbara was suppose to be there as well but didn't make it due to the weather. Hopefully we will be able to see her before we leave.

Today is just a day of relaxation before we head back home tomorrow. With all the fun and excitement behind us we will be happy to get back to a normal routine.

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

FUN START TO CHRISTMAS.......

Well let's see.......last weekend was filled with fun. Saturday the kids and I cleaned and cleaned and cleaned and finished up our Christmas shopping,wrapping and baking. Then Sunday after church we went to our friend's Jill's Sprinkle Party. Jill actually has moved to Wisconsin but came back to host her annual party. The kids all bring sprinkles and then decorate sugar cookies. Raelynn and Cooper had a great time and it was fun to see Jill again. She has not changed at all! She is crazy as ever! Then it was off to Popo's for a little pre Christmas celebration. We ate and sang Christmas carols. We finally made it hope late Sunday. Monday was back to work. Dad called and said there was a storm moving in to Western Kansas and we should consider leaving Tuesday instead of Wednesday night. Well that just set the tone for the week. Terry had been trying to finish a carpet job and had work into the early hours of morning all last week and now he was trying to get everything caught up and done before we left Wednesday. So needless to say when I called him to tell him what Dad was advising he was less than excited. He was a champ though and we started getting ready. Dad kept us posted and we did end up leaving last night after work. We stopped in Abilene to pick up my niece's that had been with their Dad. We had a packed car load but it was all going great. We were just cruising along. It was misting/raining and foggy but seemed ok. The next thing we knew we hit black ice. It was the scariest thing ever. I have no idea how Terry managed to not roll the truck but we went from side to side, hit the ditch and then to the center median. It was terrifying! That is the worst "accident" I have ever been in fortunately. Anyway, everyone was fine. The funny part was Raelynn never woke up and Cooper never quit watching his DVD. We were thrown a little side to side and Coop just held tight to his movie and never looked up. Cassidy, Chandler and Terry and I were scared though. When we went of the road we hit a reflector so the front driver side of the truck is a little beat up but we have not taken the truck in yet to have it looked over. Anyway, the rest of the way home, about 75 miles, we drove 30 to 50 mph. It took us over 7 hours to get here. It was a very long trip but I am just so glad we made it.

So that is the exciting start to our holiday! I can't wait to see what the rest will hold!

Merry Christmas everyone!!!!!!

HOLIDAY MADNESS......

The holiday madness has really set in around our house. I don't remember it being this crazy last year but I am sure it was. First I want to say Congrats to our friends Kelly, Brett and Kaden Ballard for the arrival of their newest additions, Brooks Ballard. How cute is that! Brooks arrived 4 weeks early but is doing great. The kids and I got the privilege to visit them last night and Brooks along with the rest of his family look beautiful. We are so happy for them all. Tonight was Raelynn's Christmas program at preschool which was great. The kids are so cute and I love how excited they get. Last weekend when we were back in Scott City for my uncle's funeral, my Mom introduced Cooper to a keyboard. So below are videos of both our kids musical talents. Unfortunately I think Coop is one up on his sis! :)


Also we were taking pics before the program. After I took a few of Raelynn and Coop, Raelynn wanted to take some. Look what a great photographer she is.

FUNNY TO EXCITEMENT TO SADNESS......

We had it all today; funny, excitement, sadness. I will start with the good stuff first.

Funny Story #1: So Raelynn asks me, "Mom am I going to get gas in my stocking?"
"What?!" I reply.
"Have I been good this year or am I going to get gas in my stocking?"
"Well honey, you have been good for the most part so I don't think you will get gas in your stocking but who told you you would get gas in your stocking if you were bad?"
"Paige's Mom told her if your bad you get gas in your stocking and when her Mom was a little girl she got gas in her stocking one time and I don't want gas in my stocking...did you get gas in your stocking when you were a little girl?"
By this time I am cracking up. "No honey", I reply, "and I have never heard of anyone getting gas in there stocking, maybe coal but not gas."
"YEAH, THAT'S WHAT SHE GOT, COAL IN HER STOCKING!"
I have no idea how she knew coal had anything to do with fuel to confuse coal and gas but I guess she did. Needless to say we got things all cleared up and she is now going to continue to be good until Christmas so she does not get "coal" in her stocking. So as if that wasn't funny enough, she also proceeds to tell me to please not tell Santa how ornery Cooper is because she doesn't want Cooper to get coal in his stalking either. She is always looking out for him :)

Funny Story #2: I pick Raelynn up from school and she is telling me something her teacher said that was really nice. I say, "well that is sweet, Mrs. L seems very sweet." Raelynn responds, "she is but when the kids are not being so good she can really get her mood up!" I don't know where this girl gets her phrases but if you knew Mrs L who is this awesome German lady, you just can't help but laugh!

On to the excitement.....the Foundation opened up the application process on November 15th and it closes on December 15th. This is a huge deal because this is what we have all been waiting for. I cannot even tell you what a huge deal it will be to select and give to this first family. Up until today we had received no applications. I was getting very nervous because it is hard to get the word out that we are accepting applications and I just couldn't imagine having to go another year before providing assistance to someone in need. However, today that all changed. We started receiving applications!!! Yeah!!!! I am so excited I can hardly stand it. I cannot wait to see who the panel selects.

Now for the sadness........My Uncle Wayne passed away today. This is one of my Mom's brothers and the first sibling to die. My heart goes out to my Grandma. Never should a parent outlive their child. I cannot imagine the pain she feels. I also feel for my Mom and her other brothers and sisters. I don't know what I would do if I lost one of my sisters. Death is so unfair really. To those that die,for the most part, are finally free and are eternally happy but those of us left behind are so selfishly sad. We can't help it but wouldn't it be nice if we could just be happy for them? I guess it is just like when Raelynn left this summer to go visit Grandma. I cried most of the time she was gone. I knew she was having a wonderful time but I missed her and I was sad for me not her. So we will all be sad for ourselves but in the back of my mind I am smiling because I know my Uncle Wayne feels something so wonderful that we cannot even begin to grasp the extraordinary calmness and serenity upon him.

I love you Mom and Grandma and Aunt Ann and all of you. I am so sorry Uncle Wayne is gone, but please smile somewhere in side of yourselves because we all know he is smiling bigger than he has ever smiled before.

MY DAY WITH COOPER........

Yesterday was quite the day with Coop. We have been having a little trouble in the last couple weeks with his circulation and color. This is nothing uncommon when he gets cold so we have just been going along as usual. He will quite often turn purple on his hands and lips but that is that. Recently however, when his hands have been purple he holds them out to me and says, "Mommy owie(ouchie)". This has worried me a little but I was still just monitoring it. Then the past two days we have had some episodes of rapid breathing, shaking and he has not been sleeping well. So yesterday morning I decided it was time for a call to the pediatrician. As I assumed he wanted to see him so we headed in for a visit. The good news is Coop's heart has not changed and he is not sick with a flu or cold. This is what we believe is going on.....

Cooper has no tolerance for heat or the cold as most of our bodies do. The slightest of temperature change can make him extremely cold or extremely hot. Therefore, with the cold weather his body temperature is falling quickly at times. His circulation is very poor because his veins are extremely restricted and therefore the blood flow to his extremities is limited causing his hands and feet to be purple and them to hurt. They described it to me like when your foot falls asleep hard and it tingles and hurts like hundreds of needles sticking you; that is what he is feeling. This can be treated with medication to open up the veins however the fact that Coop's veins are restricted is the only thing keeping him alive right now. Because they are restricted the majority of his oxygenated blood is flowing to his vital organs and less to his extremities. If we open them up and the blood flows freely throughout the body his there will not be enough rich oxygenated blood going to his vital organs and therefore he would die. So obviously treating the restriction in the veins is not an option. We will hear from Cardiology today but I am expecting that they will agree with our pediatrician and we will just wait it out. If Coop can handle the pain, we will be just fine but if the pain becomes too great then we may have to proceed with his next corrective surgery earlier than we would like. The other thing to consider is that he may not be in any more discomfort than he ever has been but he is just finally able to communicate it with us.

Every day I learn something new with Coop's condition and I find it to be so amazingly interesting. It seems there is always a new twist or situation to consider. Right now I know that Coop is not is extreme discomfort or anything so it does not bother me and I know he is fine. However, if it gets to the point of him being in tears over the pain I will not be able to let him stay that way. We just don't want him to enter into surgery during the flu and cold season but he has been there before. Coop's heart condition only occurs in less than 1% of all congenital heart defects. It is very rare and only until recently have they been able to treat it. I think every day he lives he gives another little baby a greater chance of making it as well. What a strong little boy!

After our visit to our pediatrician we had a scheduled appointment with the eye doctor. This brought great news. Coop's eyes are starting to work together as they should and seem to be getting stronger. There may even be a day he does not have to wear glasses! I was very excited for an encouraging report although his little glasses have grown on me :) I love Cooper so much and admire his perseverance. I have learned so much from him. Last night I game him an extra long hug and told him how much I loved him and he replied "O tay!". Oh if he only knew what his life has means to us!

THE FIRST SNOW......

This morning it was rush rush rush as usual. I had finished my shower and was ready to start getting the kids ready. I was rushing down the hall but as I rounded the corner their stood Cooper at the end of the hall right in front of the door. He was wearing his cute little footy pajamas, hair a mess and eyes still puffy with sleep. I stopped because he looked so engaged. He turned to me and said, "Momma....wook"! I knelt down beside him too "wook" at what he was so in awe over. Snow.....it was snow. I began to laugh and told him it was snow, "snow", he said. If you have never seen snow with a 2 year old who does not ever remmber seeing it before you are missing out. I personally have always despised snow, but this morning, it was beautiful and funny and enchanting. Maybe it wasn't the snow but rather Cooper but it was perfect. Terry took him out and let him feel it and get a closer look. Once we were all ready, Terry headed out to start his truck and Raelynn wanted a shovel to start scooping the driveway. Cooper just watched and I am not sure what he really thought of it. I am sure he will get to experience it plenty more times this winter, but none will be like the first.

SO MUCH FUN.....

Well Thankgiving was a delicious, Coop's Birthday was a blast, Disney on Ice was fantastic and this week has been cold! In a nutshell that is what has went on since my last post. Thanksgiving went really well. I ate way too much food but it was all delicious. Black Friday Sherri, Karli and I headed out at 3 a.m. It was a lot of fun and we got a few really good deals. We were back home before 8 a.m. and started decorating the house. Thanks to Mom, Sherri and Karli we got the whole house decorated before we headed downtown to see Santa.

Terry even put up lights outside this year which I have asked for since we met. This year Raelynn told him she would not give him any hugs, kisses, snuggles or M&M's if he didn't put up lights and what do you know......we have lights! Santa's arrival went well too and Raelynn asked for candy canes and Coop just cried. I think Santa will be able to come up with candy canes and so yet another simple year for Santa :)


Saturday was Coop's 2nd Birthday! It is hard to believe he is already 2 and at the same time, I can't believe he is only 2! His party was a lot of fun and he got some of the greatest gifts. Thank you everyone. Coop was so cute and got excited about everything. When he was finished opening presents, I asked him "what do you tell everyone?". He said really loud, "THANK YOOOOUUUUUU!" It was so cute.

We then all headed out to eat in support of the Cooper's Cause Foundation fundraiser, Cooper's Birthday Bash. After dinner the family got a little silly back at the house. He is a little glimpse of the performances by Steph.

Sunday morning my family headed back home. I could never pull off a birthday party without them. They are so much help. Raelynn was sad to see them go too as always but we reminded her she would be seeing them again in a few weeks. Steph, Raelynn and I went with Kelly and Kaden to Disney on Ice on Sunday afternoon. The show was fantastic and by far the best show Raelynn and I have been to. Coop would have really liked it too so Raelynn and I agreed that next time we will take him along too.

This week has been crazy just trying to finalize the fundraiser, order Christmas Cards, do thank you's, and all the other chaos this time of year brings. The kids are great and Raelynn seems to be more mature by the day. It is amazing to me how we talk and joke around about stuff now. She is such a great kid. She and Terry went to the KU game last night and had a blast. Raelynn gave me all the details when she got home and said she was sorry Coop and I missed it. When she told Terry goodnight she said, "Goodnight Daddy, thank you for taking me to the game tonight, I had a really good time!" How grown up and sweet is that????!!!!

Cooper is doing great too. We are having some issues with his circulation and he is a little purple right now but we are assuming it is just the colder temperatures. We are also watching him as he seems to be a little short of breath at times but none of this seems to be slowing him down. He is talking in 3 word sentences now and will mimic anything Raelynn does.

Tonight we headed downtown to the Festival of Trees. There were 54 trees that are decorated or made by people and then donated. They are then auctioned off and proceeds go to The Shelter. The trees were amazing, but the one bad thing was that Raelynn couldn't understand why we couldn't buy one. I had never been but it was definitely worth the trip downtown.

So the holiday season is definitely in full force and I couldn't be happier. I love this time of year and just can't wait for more excitement! Enjoy some of Coop's 2 yr pics!