Saturday was amazing! We got the honor of presenting the Miller Family with a $12,000 check from Cooper's Cause Foundation! It was an awesome feeling and they are such a kind family!
Cooper and Corah Miller
I had forgot to mention last week that Popo came to Lawrence to take Raelynn to Grandparent's Night at the Book Fair. Raelynn beamed when Popo and Lucy showed up and she even talked them into a Taylor Swift book. She had a wonderful time.....thank you Lucy and Popo for taking time to take her!
Sunday as luck would have it, I had another migraine. I was so upset because I really did not have time to be out for another day after all the sickness of last week, but there is little I can do about them. So I took my medicine and curled up under a blanket. The next thing I woke up to was Raelynn telling Cooper, "Be patient buddy I have to get this cleaned up and I can only do one thing at a time." I had gotten the playdoh out before I had gotten my migraine and the kids had spent the whole morning playing with it. It is very messy stuff and there Raelynn was cleaning up the kitchen. She Windex the table and mopped the floor and everything looked great! It was so sweet of her to make sure it was all cleaned up. The kids were great all day and by noon I was at least back with the living. We didn't do much but had some good snuggling time on the couch. So to wake up this morning and actually feel good enough to head back to the gym felt GREAT! After a full week of not working out it is time to hit it hard since I have a 5K this Saturday. It is quite possible it will kill me after doing nothing last week!
Today on the radio they were talking about the State Bird which made me remember a few weeks ago Raelynn was studying Kansas. At dinner one night I was quizzing her on all the things that represent the State of Kansas. When I asked her what the State Bird was she responded the Meadowlark but Cooper strongly disagreed and insisted it was the Jayhawk! It was pretty cute. Speaking of cute....tonight as I was working I hear little feet down the hall to the bathroom and then back to the bedroom. It was a good hour or so after the kids went to bed so I went to see if everyone was ok. As I walked into Coop's bedroom he was crawling back into bed. He said, "I need tissue so I went to bathroom and got one. You not need to put me back to bed I was going myself." I told him I was proud of him and he did really well. He responded, "I turned on my heater too cause I was cold, I not really need you anymore Mommy." I wanted to cry and laugh at the same time. He is getting to be quite the big boy but I think for now I will pretend he does still need me for something!!!!
This has been the longest week ever! I was sick ALL week. Tuesday I left work about 3pm to go to the doctor. They did a flu and strep test and both negative but seriously my chest had never hurt so bad. By Wednesday I was feeling a little better so I worked all day and into the night to make up for oast time the day before. Thursday morning I woke up and thought I was going to die! I felt horrible. I was so weak and my chest hurt and I was soooo tired. I went to work and worked until Raelynn's teacher conferences at 1:30pm after that I went home and slept. Luckily, today I am finally feeling better and I so hope after the weekend I will be good as new!!! On Tuesday when I had dropped Raelynn off at Mary Beth's she told me I looked really tired. I explained I was and didn't feel very well. She told me I should go home and rest while she and Cooper were at Mary Beth's. I told her I couldn't because I had to go back to work because I had a lot of work to do. She responds, "Work isn't going anywhere, it'll be there tomorrow!" I chuckled, if it were just that simple, but I also wondered where she hears these things!!!
So as I said, Thursday was teacher conferences and once again it was nothing but praise! I am so proud of how well she is doing. She is reading at a 1st Grade Level B and exceeding in all areas. Her teacher is the sweetest lady and truly loves these kids. It is astonishing to me to see the progress Raelynn has made since the beginning of the year. Her writing, reading and math is all growing by leaps and bounds and now she is learning to tell time as well. It was a wonderful conference.
I also filled out enrollment papers for Cooper for preschool this week and now that was tough. I cannot believe it is time for my sweet little boy to go to school. I think I will for sure cry on his first day of preschool, kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade................................. :) It is hard to watch them grow up and become so independent. There is no doubt I have not pushed Coop as much as I did Raelynn to become independent but Coop is now taking it on himself. He now does so much for himself and as much as I love that is also a little sad. On Thursday morning as we were getting ready to leave for the day, I tell Cooper good bye and I loved him and he responds, "Bye! Thanks for coming by!" I knew things had been a little hectic but really?!
Tonight Terry is at the Leprechaun Leap, a charity event for the Lawrence St. Patrick's Day Parade. I think they are having a great time and I am sure I will be asleep before he gets home! Tomorrow will be a fantastic day as we get to present $12,000 to a local Lawrence Family from Cooper's Cause Foundation. Then we are off to a charity bowling tournament for the Lawrence St. Patrick's Day and then off to meet another family who just found out they were having a baby with heart defects. What a busy and emotional day it will be but at the end we were snuggle in our warm home and thank God for giving us the opportunity to do all we do and for the two must wonderful children we could have ever dreamed of having!
Besides Raelynn being sick.....we had a great weekend! Thursday night when I picked up the kids from daycare Raelynn looked horrible and felt just as bad. She ran a fever all night. I stayed home on Friday with her and one minute she would be just fine and playing and the next minute laying on the couch with 104 to 105 fever. This continued all weekend! On Saturday, Steph and Cody came to watch the kids while Terry and I attended the St. Patrick's Day Parade Auction. It was a wonderfully fun night with friends and we ended up with a wine tasting for a party of 20! We are looking forward to scheduling that come spring! Coop joined us for the first few minutes of the auction long enough to auction off his paintings he had made and the committee had framed. They brought $300 so he is now officially a paid artist :) Sunday morning we headed to church and Raelynn seemed to be doing much better, but about half way through she was laying on the floor and burning up again. We spent Sunday, which was a beautiful 70 degrees here, in the house watching movies. By Sunday night I had decided we were definitely calling Dr. Kelley first thing this morning because the fever was getting worse and this had been going on way too long. About 10:30pm I had went in to check on her. As I bent down to kiss her forehead all I felt was a sopping head of wet hair. I reached down to touch her back and her shirt was soaked as well. I woke her up enough to change her clothes and dry bedding. She finally felt cool and we were sure the fever had broke. This morning she woke up feeling cooler than she had in 4 days. We were extremely relieved however she still had a cough and we were discussing if we would still take her in to see Dr. Kelley when my phone rang......it was Dr. Kelley. Due to a Facebook post I had made last night he was calling to get us in. Do you know a more amazing doctor??!!! Seriously we have to be the luckiest family in the world to have found him. I am sure all his patients feel this way, but it is things like this that make us feel so secure in both our kids health. Both Dr. Kelley and his wife, Beth, are two of the most sincere and caring people I have ever met. Tonight when I asked Raelynn what her favorite part of her day was she said when she got to go see Dr. Kelley with me! Anyway, he checked Raelynn over and he agreed that her fever had probably broke last night and she was on her way to feeling better. She did great all day and felt good this evening just tired. Unfortunately it is now my turn to feel horrible!!! I am pretty sure that there is an unwritten rule that Mommy's can't get sick! We do not have time for that! My kids are wonderful when I am sick and really try to help out but it is just not an option with a family to run. Besides work, there is swimming, 3 doz cookies for the book fair tomorrow, soup and dessert for teacher conferences, t-shirt orders for the foundation and as of right now 34 emails to respond to. See.....no time to be sick! The really important thing is that so far Coop is doing great! The one who is to have a weakened immune system and he is the one who is fine!
Monday morning started off bright and early. We had to drag the kids out of bed after a long weekend at Grandma's house but once they remembered gifts were involved in Valentine's Day, they perked right up!
That is Raelynn hiding in there right?
Raelynn had her Valentine's Day Party at school and Coop at Day Care. They got plenty of sweets to eat for sure. Monday night I had an eye doctor appointment and the kids swimming so we all got home a little late but the good news is the kids didn't drown after having a few weeks off swimming and my eyes haven't gotten much worse which is fantastic.
Tuesday morning started off just great. I got to work and got out of my car but forgot I had my phone laying in my lap. As I attempted to grab it the case came apart and my phone flew into a pile of gravel and mud. I picked it up and went inside to clean it up. As I wiped the mud away I discovered I had shattered the screen. I further discovered that I could not respond to emails or texts either. Since my phone and I are best of friends this was quite devastating. What was equally horrifying was that I had talked about Verizon's new iPhone the entire way home from Scott City and Terry was never going to believe that this was an accident. Indeed he didn't but we still ended the day at the Verizon Store and I am now a proud owner of an iPhone and it is AWESOME! I finished up at Verizon 5 minutes before I had to be at a meeting so I rushed off to the meeting and the kids and Terry headed home. While at my meeting I receive a text and phone call but had no idea how to respond to either. So for about 2 days I was completely shut off from the world simply because I had not idea how to communicate on it. Fortunately, 3 days after, I am a successful user! After my meeting I got home in time to tuck the kids into bed and find two single vase roses. Raelynn and I had both received a rose from Terry for Valentines Day. It may have been a day late but very sweet all the same :)
After a full week of late meetings and getting home late, Thursday finally came and we had no plans after work........thank goodness. When I had dropped Raelynn off after school she had not seemed her self but did not have a fever. When I picked her up she had definitely gotten a little worse. She ran a fever all Thursday night and then about 3:30 a.m. she calls my name. I went in and she wanted some water. After drinking her water she returned it all right back to me! So needless to say work was out for today. That was the only time she actually threw up but we spent all day battling her fever. The symptoms are the same as when she spent a day "sick" about a 3 or 4 weeks ago. So I find it a little frustrating and not sure what this fever is all about. Anyway, I hope she is feeling better tomorrow as Cody and Steph are coming to watch the kids while Terry and I attend the Lawrence St. Patrick's Day Auction which should be a lot of fun. Since I was home with Raelynn I kept Coop home too. So while Sissy lay on the couch, Coop was anything but tired. At one point Raelynn is watching Hanna Montana the Movie. In one of the scenes Mylie Cyrus is up on stage and about ready to sing and what does Coop do? He starts running in the living room chanting with a fist pump, "Hanna! Hanna! Hanna!" It was hilarious!
Coop also got his new glasses! He loves them so I love them too!
This weekend we headed back to Scott City for a surprise 60th Birthday Party for my Dad.It was a great turn out and he loved it.We actually managed to keep it a secret at least up to the day of the party (Saturday).For a small town like Scott City, that’s pretty good, not to mention my family, Steph and Cody had to “hide out” all day Saturday but it was just a good excuse to head to Garden City shopping.Anyway, Dad had a great time talking with people and although he is not a big fan of crowds I think he felt very honored.I love my Dad.We have always been very close and he has a heart of gold.He has a complete inability to say “No” to anyone or anything that needs help which I think has became a family trait.I am blessed with wonderful parents and love anytime we are able to bring them a little joy.I truly am blessed to have been born to such wonderful parents.My Dad wants for nothing so to be able to help organize a little gathering that he seemed to really enjoy made us all feel very good.So Happy Birthday Dad!I love you so much!Thank you for teaching me to work harder, love stronger and help more than is ever expected of someone.You are a father and a friend and very much loved!
Before we left for our fun weekend we survived a very long week.Early in the week I received an email from a friend who had read some of my posts about how Raelynn was having a hard time leaving me.She suggested I send her to school with a picture of me and tell her that when she misses me she can hug the picture.It worked like a charm!I cannot even tell you how great it was to leave each other with no tears from either of us.I was beyond excited.
Ok, break from the story, we are actually on the road and Hanna Montana just came on the radio and Terry is jamming out…..HILARIOUS!It is amazing what kids will do for ‘ya!Just as funny is that Raelynn just asked, “Dad, are you rockin’ out?”“Keep on rockin’ out Dude!”
Anyway, so thank you Sarah for the best suggestion ever given to me! So with this phase passed us (I hope) we are on to enjoying the good parts even more.This past week Raelynn brought home a picture that looked like a large house and said "I Bravery" at the top. When I pulled it out of her backpack I asked her what it was.She said it is a picture of when I showed great bravery.I still wasn’t sure what I was looking at until she continued….”it’s a picture of when you and Dad and Cooper were at the hospital and I had to be brave while you were there with Coop because he needed you more than I did.”Wow, it is amazing how powerful the picture became to me.“You were wonderfully brave then and you have been amazingly brave since and you will be extraordinarily brave in the future and you know why?” I asked her.“Because you have strength and bravery and strength go hand in hand and you know where your strength comes from?”I expected her to say no but instead, she pointed to her heart and with a smile said, “God put it right here!”The funny thing is that wasn’t what I was going to say but that was so much better of an answer than I could have ever come up with.I love when my lessons are turned back on me and it is me that learns and they that teach.
Wednesday night was the most exciting night of the whole week.Cooper’s Cause Foundation Board of Directors met and selected the 2010 Recipients of Grant Funding.This year 4 families were selected and funded $16,000!I cannot express to you the amazing feeling this gives me.I still remember this one day sitting on the couch at home and me telling Terry we should start a way to help raise money for other families like everyone did for us.It seemed so small and insignificant then.I had no idea what I was saying or dedicating our family too.However, if I knew then what I know now I would have worked even faster to get things going.I am unable to express how it feels to call a family and tell them you are sending them a check for the amount of money they needed to buy a piece of equipment that their precious child needs but the insurance company doesn’t see as a necessity.It is truly far more empowering then you can ever imagine.Many of the families say they don’t know how to thank us but what they don’t realize is that I know how it feels to be given funds that help ease so much burden and stress and to be able to give someone else that peace of mind is more than thanks enough.The truth is I should thank them because I love doing what we are doing! I am also so thankful for everyone who supports our cause because it is them that make this all possible.I feel like we are living a dream and everyone who supports us in so many ways are making that possible.THANK YOU!
As I mentioned before we are headed back to Lawrence from Scott City as I make this update.The trip home has been a pretty fun one surprisingly.Raelynn has been reading some books out loud and it is amazing to hear how well she is reading and she feels so accomplished.We also got the kids Valentine Cards done for school and daycare and then there was the whole potty incident.Well we were in between Scott City and Hays and let me tell you there is nothing between Scott City and Hays.From the back seat we hear, “I have to go potty!”It was Coop which meant we didn’t have much time to find a place.I ask him to hold on and we would stop as soon as we could.A few minutes pass and then we hear a tearful, “I have to go potty!”I look at Terry and we pull over to the side of the road…..what other choice did we have?!I jump out and grab Cooper out of his car seat.Up until now I have made it a point to keep Coop from realizing that boys can stand up to go potty.So now, as we stand at the side of the road, pants down and I am telling him he has to hold on to his peepee and make it shoot out in front of him.He looks at me for a minute and I tell him he has to hold it.So he does and begins to potty with a giggle.I am cracking up and tell him not to potty on himself.At one point I tell him to point it up.Well I forget that he takes things literally so he shoots it straight up!Thank goodness we had some wipes in the truck and thank goodness he quickly realized maybe not that far up!Anyway, funny stuff but we were soon back on the road and all was well!
We are almost home, yea!So I better wrap it up and start gathering trash and toys from the back seat.Then on to unpacking, dinner, baths and laundry.Love weekends away but as Raelynn says, just wish we had a magic wand to unload the truck, put everything away, clean the house and do the laundry!
Well here we are, it has been over a week since I posted and it feels like it has only been a day or two. Last week was basically dominated by SNOW! On Tuesday we actually had a snow day from work. It didn't really get bad until afternoon but Raelynn was still not feeling well and fighting a fever so I had elected to stay home with her anyway. The blizzard was something else. It had been a long time since I had seen a complete white out and the kids were in awe. It was kind of nice to just be able to stay in our warm house. Other than that life has been its usual crazy self. Raelynn and Coop have not shorted us on laughs lately. This weekend Raelynn put together an outfit that was actually pretty darn cute but a style much of her own. It was a little random but she had layers and like I said in a crazy way it all worked and looked cute. As she walked out of her room I said, "Well that's quite the outfit but it's cute!" She responds, "Mom I'm one of the cool kids I have to have a style, that's how we roll!" I literally cracked up, "that's how you roll?" She giggled and shook her head. After I finished laughing we had to have a little chat about what really makes her one of the cool kids like being kind and accepting of others and a person all of her own. She responds to my short lecture with, "well 'ya but once you do all that you need some style too, we haven't been shopping in a long time." I don't think I was really getting anywhere with my lecture but I could hardly keep it together anyway because I kept thinking about the fact that my daughter just said, "that's how we roll". Funny stuff! I think maybe she is watching a little too much Hannah Montana! Then there is Coop. He informed me tonight after he went potty that he really likes his peepee. That's great to know Coop! Tonight as I lay down to tell him goodnight he says, " I forgot to tell Daddy a story." "Do you want to tell me a story instead?" I ask. He was happy to do so. "One time Tom was on his boat and he fell in the lake and the crocodiles ate him." "Oh no!" I reply. "Did you save him?" "No I am just a wittle boy he forgot his life jacket and you not be on the boat without a life jacket so the crocodiles ate him!" I guess if nothing else Tom's life jacket rule at the lake made an impact on Cooper :)!
Saturday afternoon we watched a little Baker Ball which is really one of our favorite things to do. It is fun for us all and the kids absolutely love it. Raelynn literally chased down the Wildcat for a photo shoot.
Then Sunday Raelynn and I made it to early church then headed home to clean house. Late afternoon we went to some friend's house for the Super Bowl, again we had a great time. As always the weekend went by way too fast and next thing we know Monday is here again! Raelynn is still struggling with goodbyes and I cannot wait until she gets past it. I am trying to be much firmer just to see if it works. This morning I told her goodbye outside her room and then insisted she go into her class. I turned around and headed down the hall. I heard her calling my name but I kept walking. She literally chased me down the entire hallway screaming for me. Finally I stopped and took her back to her room. Everyone says she is perfectly fine minutes after I leave and when I pick her up she is nothing but laughs and in no big hurry to leave. This is why I know she is fine but I have no idea why the tears when I leave. Hopefully this too shall pass. I keep reminding myself that a year ago she and I would go round and round because she refused to wear jeans and now she wears them all the time, just a few months ago she refused to layer shirts such as a long sleeve under a short sleeve and now it is almost a daily outfit requirement. So whatever the reason for this go around....this too shall pass, right?
Tonight Raelynn had Daisy's to make up for her meeting missed last week due to snow. Tonight they learned about being strong and feeding their bodies with good foods and about being brave. I love this whole Girl Scouts thing....who would have known?! Coop and I made his Valentines for his friends and he can now successfully write the "oo" in his name and he is quite proud of himself although he still doesn't understand why we call them O's instead of circles!
Tomorrow should be another fun filled day. I have a meeting in KC from 1-4pm and then have to have Coop to the eye doctor by 4:45pm so that we can confirm his prescription for his lenses since last week he successfully bent his frames and cracked his lenses. Then I have a committee meeting at 6:30pm, PTO at 7pm and St. Patrick's Committee meeting at 7pm too. I am still trying to figure out how you are two places at one time???? Another one of the world's mysteries!
