Happy Spring......

These pics were taken at the zoo!

.....a little late. We have been very busy lately which is why I haven't been blogging much. We have made trips down to my mother's to help her out, Doug is getting very busy with his fledgling photography business and the kids are getting restless to get out and run so we try and do that as much as we can. Today, Doug has a coworker coming to get family portraits done. He is hoping to get a lot more business from this one family. he is hoping that the co-worker will take the pictures in to work and show them around and tell everyone what a good experience it was. Because we have never had a coworker in the house before, we have been feverishly cleaning and getting everything ready for the photo shoot. We also have to make sure the rest of the house is ready in case the kids that are coming need to be distracted while the parents are getting their pictures taken. So our bedroom and the kids room is clean too. We have slowly been working to get the house totally clean and set up so that whenever someone comes to get pictures taken, we are basically ready. We have also been trying to just get rid of a bunch of stuff that we don't need that is just taking up room. Our little apartment is finally clean and not quite as cluttered as it used to be.

Last night Kali and I went to a Ladies banquet with my mother and grandmother. It was a nice evening and Grandma did pretty well considering that she couldn't hear what was going on and doesn't like to sit on hard chairs for as long as she did. I had forgotten that I had brought a long a cushion for her to sit on.

Next weekend everyone is congregating at Mom's for Memorial Day weekend. It will be a time of going through some of Dad's stuff and helping Mom get rid of some stuff that she wont be needing. It will be good to be together again but hard too. We would appreciate your prayers throughout the whole weekend. You can start by praying for Marc and Elizabeth as they are starting earlier the then rest of us. They have to do their presentation at a church in Michigan on Wednesday night and then they will get to Mom on Thursday sometime. Danny has school until Thursday but we may go down early too, so we can have as much time as possible with the family. I purchased a bigger pool for all the kids to play in in the yard and Doug and I went down last weekend to build a bigger sandbox for Momma so that all the grand kids will fit in the sandbox. Mom also has a smaller swimming pool that we will keep for the smaller kids.

So after this client is gone, I am not sure what we are going to do. I know Doug has a lot to do. He has some pictures he needs to finish working on and then post so people can buy them, and he also has two sermons to prepare for Sunday. At least Sunday morning. He can work on Sunday Evening on Sunday afternoon, although he doesn't like to do that. he may do some of both and then tweak the evening service sermon tomorrow afternoon.

Doug and I went to a meeting this past Monday for homeschooling Danny. It is with a group called OHDELA. It is part of the Ohio Public School systems so it is all free. No tuition. They provide computers and any equipment that your child might need in order to learn. For example, Daniel needs a Speech Therapist and an Occupational Therapist. they will pay those people to come out to our home and give Daniel the therapy he needs. If we were to find that he needed a special computer or a special keyboard for his computer, they would provide that also. We are still doing some thinking on what will be best so you can pray for wisdom. We would also start Kalista in Kindergarten at the same time.

So much to do so I will close for now. If I can find one, I will post a picture too.

Daddy and Danny

Doug has been working hard on his photography and he is having a lot of fun doing it. If you are ever interested in getting your picture taken or having family pictures done, ask him. He is really good! He can do all sorts of neat things with pictures. He has his own professional site. Check it out here. He loves using the kids as subjects. He has been working tonight too but the kids weren't quite as cooperative. Hopefully he got something he can play with, anyway.
Hope yo all enjoy these.

Kali

Loving Siblings

Daddy's little princess

Danny

Another new picture

We went to the zoo today. this picture isn't from the zoo though. I will post some of those next week after Doug has had the chance to do a little work on them.

Some new pics

Hey all. Doug got out all the equipment that he got from Daddy and he did some expeiramenting with the kids and I and himself. He gotsome great pictures of himself and the kdis and I. Seperately, and together. The one I am posting now was his favorite and the only one he was dressed up so far. There will be more soon, I hope so watch for them!

How I acknowledged this day

Last night I became rather upset because I knew that I wanted to acknowledge this day in some way but I had no idea how to do it. Ask, Doug. I got pretty cranky. This morning I decided that I would check to see if Beth, my sister in law could keep the kids all afternoon. She was watching them for me anyway because I had a meeting at Danny's school with his teachers and therapists. After the meeting, I stopped at the local florists and picked up 4 roses. Two white roses, a red rose and a lavender and white striped rose. I had wanted to get two white and two red but they only had one red left. The lavender and white striped rose was left over from an Amish wedding that morning. So, I had the man wrap up the white, red and lavender roses and keep one white rose all by itself. I headed down to LowellvilleI called Mom to see where she was and what she was doing and she was at home but headed to the Lawyer's office. That was fine with me. I went up to the cemetery and put the single white rose on Daddy's grave. I stood there for a while and cried. I felt the need to bring those emotions to the for front of my mind. I had been so busy the past two weeks and I felt numb. Everything still felt unreal to me. This seemed very strange to me. Anyway, I headed down to Momma'swhen I was done and went in and used the bathroom and wandered around the house looking at pictures, reading notes and cards. Then I went out for a walk around town. Thinking of memories the whole time. Doug told me that I was fine where I was and I didn't have to rush back, as long as I was home so he could go to work in the morning. I called Momma again and told her that I was in town and they were on their way home. "They" being Aunt Carol and Momma. We had a nice supper together and then I went digging around the basement for some stuff that Doug had seen a couple weeks ago. We loaded that up and I headed home around 7:55. I got home at about 9:05. I feel much better now and I think I have startedmy own little tradition in how to commemorate this day.Mom seems to be doing okay for now. The lawyer had all positive things to say and Mom was able to pick up the Guest book from the funeral home and she spent some time looking that over as well. There is still much for her to do so I am sure she would like continued prayer for strength, comfort and guidance.One more thing. My mother has one of those calendars that gives a verse of scripture everyday. Today, on Daddy's birthday was the verse we used for this blog. The verse Daddy chose to help him get through the last 4 months. My mother was so very pleased to see this. I think it made her day. God know just what we need, when we need it, no matter the circumstances!!!

JUST A HINT!

Click on the images to see them bigger. They are really great!

Kali and Melanie

Kali and Melanie were able to spend a lot of time together over the past few months. They became very good friends.

Some new pics of the kids and nieces and nephews!

Melanie is Ed's daughter and Nathan is Melody's oldest.

More pics

Joah is Melody's youngest (18 months) and Kalista is my youngest(4yrs)

Last two pics!

Danny is my oldest (6 yrs.) and Hosanna is Marcus' first (9 months).

Hello All

Well, It has been a while. Most of you know what has been going on in my family over the past four months. A week ago Monday, my father past away. It was a long week. This week has turned into a very long week as well. Monday morning I woke up to a very sick little boy. He has been sick ever since. He has a doctor's appointment today for his yearly check up so I will talk to the doctor about this as well. Maybe that is all we will talk about since I am sure that she doesn't want to get this too.
So far the rest of us have stayed healthy. I am giving all of us Airborne in the hopes of keeping it away.
I have some pictures that I want to post of my kids and nieces and nephews that Doug had taken for my father before he died. They are great pictures! We also have some pictures from the funeral that I want to post as well. Nothing inappropriate. I promise. Here is a link to the photo slide show that Doug put together http://chortler.smugmug.com/gallery/2729267.
Enjoy! I do.

Finally a few pics

And I do mean a few. In fact, two for now. Doug has the Photoshop on a different Viewing pattern and all the pictures come out like art work instead of photos. I think the pictures are self-explanatory but I will tell you that there is one of Danny and one of Kali. Yes, that is Kali's eye and her eyelashes. Take a good look at how long and THICK they are. Danny loves setting up dominoes and watching them fall down. We got out a birthday gift from last year and he loves it even more now. It is a domino set just for setting them up in patterns and knocking them down. Thank you Uncle Ed and Auntie Bean and Melanie! Oddly enough, the dominoes in the picture are also from Ed and Tina and Melanie!

March 2, 2007

Again, It has been a while since I have written anything. With having to keep my father's site up to date I don't usually feel very much mike doing my site too but I know we have some new pics that I want to post.
Since the last post, my father's leukemia has come back. His oncologist didn't give him much hope. He told him he had two choices, go home or go thru the chemo again with a very slim chance of getting a bone marrow transplant. His told my parents that his chances of getting the transplant were like winning the lottery. My parents didn't like those chances and Dad didn't want to be sick like that again if it was for nothing, so my parents made the choice to go home and they were told that Dad had, at the most, 2 weeks to live. We were stunned by this news. Plans were made for the whole family to come into town to spend as much time with Dad before he died. The kids and I were at Mom and Dad's by Thursday afternoon. Dad's sister, Aunt Carol, and her husband, Uncle Roger came in a about an hour after the kids and I got there. Now, my kids were fighting a nasty virus but Dad said to come anyway. The kids wore masks and gave Papa Cheese (my father) a hug. then they went down to the playroom and were more then happy to stay there.
Dad and Mom received a few calls from a friend who is in the medical research profession and works in the bone marrow field. She told my parents that she felt Dad had better chances then what they were told and urged him to take steps to go after the bone marrow transplant. Hospice delivered a hospital bed and oxygen. On Friday morning I made the decision to take the kids up to my sister in law because they didn't seem to be getting better, but worse. After I left, I found out that Mom and Dad had made the decision to go back to the hospital to start the chemo. They went in to the ER and Dad's family doctor paged the Oncologist. No could find the oncologist and so they sent Dad home. This was discouraging to us but Dad's family doctor called and told Dad that if he was going to do this, he needed to get up to the Cleveland Clinic ASAP. The Leukemia was more aggressive this time and he was going down hill fast. I really believe that if he hadn't gone back to the hospital, he would have lasted maybe 5 - 7 days.
My Aunt and Uncle and Mother drove Dad up to the Cleveland Clinic ER. They were in the ER for a while. I guess Dad wasn't showing any signs or symptoms of the Leukemia and they were going to send him home and told him to make an appointment with the Cancer Dr. And then they did a blood test and they admitted him right away. The numbers for the blood work are on Dad's site (sjcphotos.blogspot.com) My sister and her family got a hotel room near the Clinic as well as my Aunt and Uncle and Marcus and his family. We all met in Melody's hotel room on Saturday We had lunch together and took it in turns to visit Dad. He was very tired and would fade in and out of sleep while we were there. Dad started Chemo on Saturday night. Three days on Chemo, 5 days off. I spent most of Tuesday with Dad. He was feeling okay and we got in a good visit.
Ed and his family have been around all week and are heading back to PA today. Marcus and his family are coming here for a visit this afternoon and evening. I don't know when they are planning on heading back.
I think I have caught you all up on the goings on here with our family.
Just for every one's info, I tuned 30 last week. It wasn't the way I had wanted to celebrate my 30th birthday, in fact it was downright depressing but things have turned around. I don't feel any older then I did two weeks ago but I never do feel very old.
I will post some pictures in a little while!

Wow it has been a while.

So much has happened since I wrote last. My dad got home from the hospital. He is slowly adjusting to being out. Our van broke down. The front Suspension was basically gone. The struts were riding on the tires and digging grooves in the tires. We got a new van too. It is newer, nicer and has fewer miles. In order to get the new van, we traded in the van and the car that used to be my grandparents. We are still adjusting to being a one car family. It is hard for me because I want to be able to go to my parents and go visit my sister and my friend Katie but with Doug working everyday, I can't go anywhere.
We got a couch, my in laws old one, we got rid of two tables and got one new one, we got some new file cabinets and have done some rearranging. We have a little more room and yet a little less. I also got a new mattress this month. Something that I have needed for the past year or so.
the kids are doing great. Doug didn't have any students in his BBI class this semester so he gets a break. It is a load off for him. he is teaching Sunday School this semester and that was going to be almost more then he could handle. He ahs some other commitments that he needs to finish up with soon. Some family portraits he took back at Christmas.

A little bit of news

Hello all. It has been a few days since I wrote anything and a while since I posted a good picture. Today Doug and I had a meeting at Danny's school. It was the start of the transition to Kindergarten for Danny. Basically we just made decisions about which areas we wanted Danny re-tested in before he goes into Kindergarten. It actually went very well. I was dreading it but they were nice and it was helpful to have Doug with me this time. He had some really good questions for them that really helped to clarify things a lot.
This past weekend we made the decision to start looking for a place to live in the county south and east of us. We know that they have a good Special Education school and program because we know someone who is a teacher in the school. We will start to get some info from them and we are starting to search for places to rent in the area. Please pray as we look that we would know what God's will is for us. Since the meeting today, we are not quite so set on moving. We would be okay with staying in the area but since the other county is cheaper to live in, that would be our preference, I think. It will mean that I have to stay very busy getting information from t eh school and looking for places to rent. Plus all the general busy-ness of staying at home.
Danny stayed home from school today because he has a cold. Apparently a number of kids and the teachers aid from school are all out sick too. I had hoped to go visit my Dad soon but with Danny being sick, I wont risk exposing him to that.

For Christmas, Kali got some dress up dresses and things and she dressed up for us the other day and we got a good picture of it. Cute, isn't it? This other picture was taken of me on Christmas night. I was being silly but everyone seemed to think I looked cute too.

I am back.

(This is the latest family picture we took over Christmas in Dad's hospital bedroom. No kids were allowed except the baby)

Finally! It has been a while since I have had an update of anything other then my job and my Dad. I am glad to say the job is over and my Dad is doing well.
the kids are doing great. Doug and I have a meeting with Daniel's teachers and a few other people about transitioning to Kindergarten. Since we don't want him in Public school this should be an interesting meeting. Doug feels very strongly about this so I told him he had to come to the meeting too.
It was so cute, the other day while he and I were waiting for the school bus, he pointed up at one of the many airplanes that fly over our house and said,"Look Momma, see the air plane? How does it stay up there?" DUH....... My answer was something about going very fast and having strong engines. I then thought that it probably wouldn't be too long before he will be able to explain to me how airplanes stay in the air!
Kali has been obsessed with singing and being a princess and many little girl things. She was given dress up clothes fro Christmas along with dress-up jewelry and a crown. I have been having conversations with her about how she doesn't need all those things to be beautiful but that what makes a little girl truly beautiful is what is on the inside. I don't think I have penetrated much but it is a starting point. Last night on the way home from AWANA she had a very long conversation about her smile. Apparently she lost it and when I asked her where it was, she said that it was in the trash? I had to know how it got into the trash but she just kept going on and on about finding her smile and then losing it in t he trash again. At one point, I had apparently lost my smile and my eyes in the trash. I found the whole conversation hilarious. The things she comes up with astound me. She grows up a little more everyday. We have had a few issues with some inappropriate phrases coming out of her mouth. She usually stops and thinks about it before the whole phrase comes out of her mouth and that is very fun to watch because she stops mid phrase and looks at me and then changes her mind about what she is saying. I love watching her learn!
I spent quite a bit of time last week with at my parents and when I came back, Doug had nearly the whole place looking great! He didn't have a chance to get to our bedroom but the rest of the house looks great. I am trying my hardest to keep it that way. Since I am not working anymore, it shouldn't be too hard. (Yeah right)
Well, I have lunch to get for the kids and some straightening to do. Maybe I can get in a nap. That would be nice!