The Green Family

Forever Family

2011-04-28T09:54:00.004-05:00

Our family is about to change forever as we become a Forever Family for a special needs child from China. Ross and I are going to be parents again. I know what you are thinking. You already have four kids and your adding another?! That makes 5. Five kids, are you crazy? Yes. Crazy about the things of God. His Word says that "pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained by the world" James 1:27. To read more about how we came to this decision and follow our journey, click here to view our adoption blog, Bringing Eden Home.

Double Chocolate Layer Cake

2011-02-19T21:11:00.002-06:00

I would like to take a moment to thank Angela for this decadent recipe! It is the best chocolate cake I have ever made and possibly the best one I have ever eaten. I made it for Ross on Valentine's Day and it turn out great! He said it was restaurant worthy; which definitely means I will be making it again. Speaking of V-Day, my Sweets left 8 roses under the windshield wipers on my van, 1 rose was in my car seat being held by a Teddy bear (my childhood dream-that a boy would give me a Teddy bear holding a long stem red rose) and the other 3 roses he left in each of his daughters' car seats. There is a story behind the roses under the windshield. Not too long after Ross and I met, he left a single pink rose under the windshield on my car at work. There was a guy I worked with that was semi-stalking me so naturally I thought it was him. When I got off work, I went back to my dorm and told my friends who I thought it was from. After telling them, I went down to the main lobby (leaving the rose with my friends), and one of Ross' friends asked what was wrong. I said nothing, and he said, "Was it the rose?" I said, "What rose?!" He said, "The rose Ross put under your windshield." I said, "No, nothing is wrong." I quickly came up with a reason to leave and ran upstairs to tell the girls what happened, BUT when I rounded the corner, there it was! Ripped into a thousand tiny little pieces. The rose. All over the hallway floor. I gasped, explained what really happened, cracked up laughing and drove as quickly as I could to buy a replacement rose. I totally pulled it off too. Ross never knew...until I told him. Later. :) It made for a much better story to tell. I hope you all enjoyed your Valentine's Day!! Our family enjoyed a nice dinner at home with BBQ Pork Tenderloin, Gingered Purple Cabbage, and Crescent Rolls. I made Rice Krispie Treathearts for the girls. To make these, just make Rice Krispie Treats with Strawberry Marshmallows and cut them into heart shapes. Ross and I put the kids to bed and enjoyed our Decadent Double Chocolate Layer Cake, just the two of us. All-in-all it was a good day.

Busy Week

2011-01-26T22:27:00.002-06:00

This week has been a busy week, and it's only going to get busier! For several months now I have been having issues with my left eye; and putting off going to the Optometrist mainly because for me, having my eyes checked is equivalent to most people going to the dentist. On Monday I finally broke down and went. He said that I have some dry spots on that eye and gave me some special eyedrops to use anytime my eye was bothering me and especially before bed (as the middle of the night was when my symptoms worsen). For now I am going to use the eyedrops and get my new prescription glasses and see if that takes care of the problem. If not, he will then refer me to an Opthamologist. On a positive note I found a really cute pair of glasses I cannot wait to wear! On to Tuesday. Wow! First of all, it is inevitable that if it's bible study day you can bet on someone being late that morning, no matter how early you wake up and pre-plan the night before. Satan definitely attacks my household on these mornings! After dropping the girls off at school...one of which was late, I went to bible study. Then Abigail had a dental appointment to have her teeth cleaned. In addition to the cleaning, they also applied fluoride for the first time. The fluoride they previously used contained peanut oil, so they never used it for fear of an allergic reaction. Luckily the new product they are using does not contain any severe allergens in it. Although that didn't stop me from standing by with her Epi Pen in hand. ;) So thankful everything went well and now she can receive future fluoride treatments without complications. Woohoo! We left the dental office and met Ross for lunch and then it was time to get home to pick the girls up from school. Mary Grace had basketball practice from 6-7, so Ross picked her up for me on his way home from work while I got the other kids ready for bed. Man was that a long day! Today I have been walking around half dazed. I think I am just worn out from the busyness of the previous days. Our morning started out with Abbz going to therapy and then we visited Mandy, Alex, and Emma. I want to take a moment to talk about Abigail and Emma. They have NO personal space boundaries with one another. Emma hugs all over Abigail and Abbz lays right back all over Emma. While this is going on their is laughter and what I truly believe is their own little language that only the two of them understand. I LOVE it! Seeing them interact together is like watching two best friends with unconditional love for one another. I don't know what caused them to have such a bond, but I hope it is never broken! This evening we had church and now I am sitting here blogging instead of doing what I need to be doing. Sleeping! Tomorrow is my birthday and although I don't really have any plans, I'm sure Ross and the kids do. Plus MG has basketball team pictures at 7:15. Friday, Abigail has a follow up appointment with the Pulminologist and then the weekend begins. I am already exhausted, and praying He gives me the endurance to push on through the next few days. Good night all!

Nuggets of Truth

2011-01-24T11:06:00.002-06:00

I blogged towards the end of last year about finishing well so I can start off the new year right. As I prayed asking God to reveal some ways I can begin this new year, I felt it pressed upon my heart to read through the Bible in a year. I have always wanted to do this, but I never begun nor followed through with such a task before. After searching out several Bible reading options, I have chosen to do this in chronological order; mainly because it made more sense to my brain then trying to read some Old Testament and New Testament both in the same day. With that little bit of background let me say that although I have just begun, there are several fascinating nuggets of Truth my eyes have already read. For example, the whole saying, "Sins are passed down from the father," so true. Abraham lied to both Pharaoh and Abimelech about Sarah just being his sister she was, but she was also his wife), not his wife. We later see that Isaac (Abraham's son) did the same. He lied saying that Rebekah was his sister, not his wife. Both did so out of fear of being killed because of their wives beauty. This next story is not really a sin, but interesting non the least. Esau served his younger brother Jacob, and then Jacob's oldest sons bowed before Joseph, one of Jacob's youngest sons.

Other interesting nuggets, did you know Rebekah had her nose pierced? Yes, you read that right, and if you need proof it's in Genesis 24. ;) Abraham sent his most trusted servant to seek a wife for his son, Isaac. Abraham sent his servant with a nose ring and bracelets for Rebekah, as an offering for becoming Isaac's wife. So, the next time you see someone with a nose ring, remember this story and do not be too quick to judge.

Job. This book in it's entirety is interesting. Though I have read it before, there is such comfort in it. Comfort in knowing that while Job told God exactly how he felt, God ultimately respected Job's honesty and truthfulness. Unlike Job's friends who ranted. (Job 47:7) Oh, and I loved this..."And the LORD restored Job's losses when he prayed for his friends...now the LORD blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning." (Job 42:10; 12) Job prayed for his friends even after they verbally beat him up for days. He could have see I told you so. I told you I was righteous in the sight of God, but he didn't. He prayed for them. In doing so, although it isn't said I'm sure he also forgave them, and the Lord blessed him for doing so.

These are just a few interstings things I have learned from my daily Bible reading. I have also just started Beth Moore's, Here and Now...There and Then study on Revelation so I'm sure I will all kinds of things to blog about over the next 11 weeks. Happy Monday to you all!

Weekend Whirlwind

2010-12-14T15:24:00.002-06:00

Saturday Ross and I celebrated our 11 year wedding anniversary. It started out with the above pictured anniversary present from Hannah: It read, "Anniversary was mom and dad! Anniversary day! I love you dad and mom! I hope you have a great anniversary day!" That really could be the best anniversary gift ever! Thank you, Hannah, your gift was extremely thoughtful. It was perfect. The not so perfect part? Ok. This is a little involved. Sarah had surgery on an abscess two weeks ago and the doctor said he did not believe it was staph and not to worry about it. He drained the abscess and sent my sister on her way without any antibiotics or specific instructions. Well on Friday, mom had a place on her leg that she thought was a bug bite that started looking really badly. After going to the doctor she learned that Sarah did in fact have a staph infection and now she did too. Shame on the doctor who did the surgery for dropping the ball big time and not following up on the culture and shame on Washington Regional for not making it known either. Thankfully there are two other hospitals in the area that gives patients options. My family has already made the decision to avoid WRMC and MANA whenever possible. Ok, so back to Saturday...mom is sick and in pain with staph and daddy has the stomach bug which now means we have no babysitters on our anniversary. Luckily, Austin was around to save the night. He came to the house to watch all four kids until Blair got here to help him out after she got off work. Thanks guys, it was great of you to sacrifice your Saturday night to help us out!

Ross and I went to Noodles for dinner and planned on walking around the Square in Fayetteville and looking at Christmas lights, but mom called as soon as we were done eating and needed us to look at her leg. It looked really bad so we took her to the ER (remember dad couldn't; he was sick). Aunt Debi met us there because we had to get home to feed Jonathan. Mom ended up having her wound lanced, drained, and packed. They also gave her an IV antibiotic and she had to go back Sunday to do it again. Needless to say out night out was interrupted by more important things. What an Anniversary, hopefully next years will be better. Love you, Babe. At least we were together!

This brings us to Sunday. We had to get going early. MG and Han were singing with XLR8 as part of this years Christmas program; so they had to be there by 8:10. I did not want to get up...nothing like the kids' performance to hold you accountable ;). Long story short, I ended up sitting in the ER with Sarah all day because she needed an IV antibiotic to stop the staph from spreading even more than it already had. Needless to say, this was a whirlwind of a weekend.

Jonathan's First Birthday

2010-12-11T09:04:00.002-06:00

This post is a day late, but I was taking care of sick kids and a sick husband yesterday while still having to make and ice the birthday boy's cake.

Happy First Birthday J Baby!! I'm glad the Lord knew we needed a son when he blessed us with you. You have brought joy and happiness into our lives in a new way over this first year of your life. You have grown from an 8 lb. 1 oz. baby into an 18 pound little boy full of adventure. Your love for stuffed animal monkeys has intrigued us all, and your laugh is intoxicating. I am excited to experience the new milestones and first experiences this next year will bring. Mommy and daddy love you very much sweet boy.

Stomach Bug

2010-12-09T20:11:00.001-06:00

Our first attempt at painting the salt dough ornaments failed. Sadly, three of my four kiddos were stricken with the stomach at the same time. Abigail had Speech Therapy this morning and literally as soon as I walked in the door from dropping her off, Mrs. Tara called to tell me that Abigail had thrown up. Poor Mrs. Tara! Luckily she is the only one that vomited and it was only once, but MG and J both had potty issues and tummy aches all day. Abbz feel asleep on the floor at about 4:45 this afternoon and woke up for about 20 minutes before she asked to get into bed. I swear that sweet girl falls asleep somewhere on the floor when she doesn't feel well.

Tomorrow is my baby boy's first birthday so I am praying everyone will wake up feeling back to normal. I have had a terrible headache for two days now and still have a birthday cake to make...that may have to wait till morning.

On a happy note, Mandy saw my Facebook status stating my need for chocolate and she delivered. I love having a friend so close that she can swing by just to bring me chocolate without being asked because she loves me. Thanks Mandy, you have no idea how badly I needed that! Sometimes it's the small things in life that help you make through a day with 3 sick kids and a hubby working the night shift. Oh and as far as the ornaments go, next week is the new plan for painting.

Wednesdays

2010-12-08T18:38:00.001-06:00

Today has been a long day. Not a bad day, just a long one. I made, cut out, and dried the salt dough ornaments. Now all we need are 5 little girls and 1 almost one year old little boy to paint them!
Speaking of that one year little boy; I CANNOT believe my baby will be one in 2 more days! It makes me sad.

I took Mary Grace and Hannah to church for choir rehearsal and a pizza party for all of their hard work preparing for their Christmas performance. If you are in Northwest Arkansas and need something to do on Sunday morning, Cross Church (formerly First Baptist Church Springdale) is having their Christmas Program; it starts at 9:15.

Wednesday's are always hectic. Especially since we live 25 minutes from the church. We scramble to get the on time and then we rush to get home so the kids are up too late on a school night. Although it's chaotic at times it's worth it. Our kids always love going to church which makes this momma happy. Okay I'm exhausted so I'm callin it a night. Okay before I leave...I cant go before telling you what Ross and I happened upon last night.

True TV was showing an episode of Party Heat featuring "Rowdy River." No big deal right? Well, it was actually the Spring River in Arkansas. Oh yes. It was. It was ridiculous! Drunk, stoned, fat rednecks in swimsuits they shouldn't be wearing saying things so stupid you couldn't even make up. That's what was representing Arkansas last night folks. It was sad and yet I have never laughed so hard!

Finish Well

2010-12-07T12:58:00.001-06:00

Yes. It has been a ridiculously long time since I have blogged, but honestly I haven't been in the mood. Until now. Pastor challenged us to "Finish Well" on Sunday. What does that mean? It means between now and the beginning of the new year, we should strive to finish well in all that we do. Finish well personally, relationally, professionally, and spiritually. We cannot start well if we do not finish well. I intend on doing just that. I am going to follow through with the salt dough ornaments that we have been talking about doing. To ensure it gets accomplished, Mandy is bringing the girls over after therapy on Thursday so that all of the kids can participate. I'm so excited. I have wanted to start this tradition the past few years but haven't done it yet. Let this be the first of many ornaments to come. For the next 24 days, I am going to ask God to give me a life verse, complete what seems like an impossible God-sized task in me, and give me new direction over the 2011 year. I also intend on doing my everyday wife and motherly duties to the best of my ability. I am finishing 2010 well so that I am able to begin 2011 on the right path.

Shifting gears a little. Alex and Emma came over for a little while yesterday while Mandy was taking care of things with her mom. I just love those girls! It is so much fun watching Alex, Emma, and Abigail play and interact. Half the time no one, not even Mandy or I, can understand them; but I promise you they know what each other is talking about. They crack each other up which in turn makes me laugh...good times! Other smiles to share...feeding time was at 1 so this is how it went: Alex. Check. Emma. Check. Abigail. Check. Jonathan. Check. Me. Check. It was hilarious! Every time I fed one another was hungry, including myself. At least they were kind enough the patiently wait for the one before them to finish eating before the next one voiced their need to eat. I love it!!! :) Thanks Mandy for entrusting me with your little ladies.

Now I am getting ready to head to the store to get salt for our salt dough ornaments. I'm making the ornaments tonight so they will be ready to paint on Thursday. I can't wait! I hope you are all having a blessed day, and remember to finish well.

Hannah

2010-08-24T12:07:00.001-05:00

Hannah's teacher sent home a note asking parents to write a little note describing their child. Here is my Hannah girl in a nutshell...

If I had to sum Hannah up in one sentence; she is my sunshine! Her smile lights up any room and her giggle is contagious. She is a ball of energy, but her warmth and compassion tame that energy. She is incredibly creative and dreams of becoming an artist someday. She thrives in environments that are creative yet disciplined.

Hannah likes playing with her sisters and brother, and she is a daddy's girl through in through. Her greatest like would have to be panda bears; real or stuffed it doesn't matter, she likes them all! She also likes helping others; even it is as simple as holding the door open for them.

Dislikes. It's funny because the only thing I can think of is chili and embarrassment. The girl does not like chili. She also does not like it at all when she gets embarrassed. She wears her heart on her sleeve so hurtful words and actions bring and extra sting. I hope this brings some insight into who Hannah is. She cannot wait for this year to begin, and her daddy and I are excited to see her grow throughout this first grade year.

Daddy and Mommy love you very much Hannah!

Thursday-Ross' Scope & Abbz' Results

2010-08-24T11:58:00.001-05:00

So this morning started out early again. Ross had to be at the office by 6:45 am for his scope. When he came back to recovery they allowed me to sit with him, and I noticed a nurse talking sort of secretively to another nurse and I suspected it was about Ross. It turns out my suspicion was correct. Apparently Ross put up quite the fight this go around. He kept trying to pull the scope out. Dr. K's exact words were, "He's a strong guy. I thought we weren't going to get it done today." He also suggested that next time we might want to scope him at the hospital so they can put him under general anesthesia. Lovely husband, just lovely. There is nothing quite like apologizing for someone who has no remembrance of their actions. Other than them having to give him a hearty dose of several sedatives he did great. He slept most of the day while Blair and I went to the mall and other stores with the girls.
The good news for the day....
Abigail PASSED her scope!!! She gets to eat grapes SAFELY!!! YEAH!!! :)

Wednesday-The Creation Museum

2010-08-19T20:57:00.001-05:00

Today was a great day. My mom surprised us by calling the Creation Museum and told them our story to see if they would be willing to give us discounted tickets to visit the museum while we were between doctor appointments. They did even better. They blessed us more then We could have ever imagined; they gave us free guest passes for the day to the museum and planetarium. Thank you, Jessie, for this unbelievable experience! It was wonderful to not only explain but also to show the girls how the world as we know it was created; how the flood explains things such as the making of the Grand Canyon to the extinction of dinosaurs, and much more. It was very interesting and I am humbled by the fact that we had this experience so that when my children are taught evolution in school I will have educated answers that support Creation. I think the exhibit I liked the most was the one that showed a child playing next to a dinosaur...pre-flood obviously.
So tonight was date night! Ross and I were able to enjoy dinner out together while Blair stayed at the hotel with all of the kids; yes even Jonathan. It was wonderful to spend a little quality alone time with each other for a few hours. Especially with Ross' scope tomorrow.

Orthopedist and Water Park

2010-08-18T20:51:00.001-05:00

Waffles for breakfast again then off to some stores before Abigail sees the Orthopedist. We went to big Dick's and found MG a pair of tennis shoes for school that were too good of a deal to pass up. I should probably explain...there is a big Dick's and a little Dick's Sporting Good's in Cincinnati and Ross just can't contain himself. Plus the big one is nicer. As he would say, "Size does matter." Enough of the off-color humor :).
We left Dick's and headed to see Dr. Wall about Abigail's legs. We were there for about two hours and literally 5 minutes was with the doctor, the rest of the time was spent waiting. The doctor was great though. He said that all we can do is wait and see how she does. Bracing will not help. Her legs will either correct on their own or she will need surgical intervention. The important thing he told us was that her legs will likely get worse before they get better. They should be at their worst at age 5, which is when he would like to see her again. Done with doctors for today so bring on the fun!
Kristen was so kind to ask her sister if she could get us tickets to the CoCo Key Indoor Waterpark which she was able to do. We had ALOT of fun!! Thank you so much Kristen and Carrie. Words cannot express our gratitude! It was such a blast watching and playing with the kids in the water and on the water slides. It was very age appropriate for each of the kids and us grown ups had fun too. Ross and I each road with one of the big girls on the big slides while Blair watched the little ones and then we all switched. Abbz had the best time just playing in the kiddie pool under the mushroom waterfall. After swimming for about three hours we went to Chili's for dinner and then back to the hotel to pass out from pure exhaustion.

A Scope and A Birthday

2010-08-18T12:40:00.001-05:00

We were up by 5 this morning. That wouldn't have been too bad except for the fact our bodies thought it was 4! Abigail was such a big girl. We had explained to her before she went to bed that she needed to drink one more "milky cup" because she would not be able to drink until she was all done at the doctor's. I was quite amazed because she did not ask for one drink until she was done. She is such a smart little girl. When they were getting her prepped she was so sleepy that she was fighting to keep her eyes open; so I told her that if she wanted to close her eyes and go to sleep that I would wake her before they took her back. She laid her head in my lap and did just that, sleeping through her temperature check, pulse check, and placing of the lovely hospital bracelets...she always has three or four because of all of her allergies. I woke her to give her the Versiad or " goofy juice" as we call it. That stuff literally hits her in a matter of a few short minutes. You can always tell because her body goes limp and she laughs at the funniest things. This time she cracked up when daddy inadvertently raised his eye brow while talking. Once the medicine kicks in good we carry her back to the OR where I have the luxury of holding her while they put her to sleep. She fought drifting off to sleep a little more this time; I am assuming because she is older. I say fought, but it wasn't bad at all it just took a little longer then it has in the past. Less than 15 minutes later we got the report from Dr. Putnum that she did great and that by appearance everything looked good. We will have to wait for the biopsy results to come back to know for sure. We were allowed to see her in recovery about 25 minutes after the procedure started which is about normal. They used a different anesthesia for the previous scope and it took her a very long time to wake up so they opted to go back to what they had always used prior to that scope. I am glad they listened to my concerns and adjusted appropriately because she did great with the anesthesia this time. She was still a little groggy when we left the hospital so we took her to the room and let her sleep while Blair took the big girls swimming.
After a short swim I took Blair to eat lunch for her 18th birthday. Happy Birthday Auntie Blair!! Murders (Blair's boyfriend) surprised her with another present...an Ariel (you know The Little Mermaid) crown that I promised I would make her wear all day. Which I did, and I have pictures to prove it. Ok back to the day. She wanted to eat at the Cheesecake Factory so we shared an appetizer and then each got a slice of cheesecake. YUM! It was a fun sister's lunch. Then we picked up the rest of the family took a little drive looking around and went in a few stores. Okay, now it's time to end our day with a birthday dinner. Blair wanted Italian for her so where to we go? Yep, Maggiano's it is. So for the real reason we love it so much...Chef Karl. You heard me. Chef Karl. If you have allergies the chef comes to the table to discuss them and tell you what he can do for you. He has done this from the beginning and always remembers us. He may not always remember our names but he knows exactly where we sat the very first time we ate there. They prepare Ross' Fettuccine Alfredo from scratch to ensure nothing in it would make him sick, and Hannah was able to eat pasta with rice noodles so she was happy as a clam. For dessert Chef Karl sent a free Creme Brûlée and a plate of Lemon cookies to the table for Blair. After all it was her 18th birthday. Thanks Chef Karl, you made our day!

Sunday- Movie, Friends, & Food

2010-08-18T09:47:00.001-05:00

Today was another day of fun. We started the day with Belgian waffles from the continental breakfast...yum...a great way to start the day. After breakfast we drove over the bridge into Kentucky to watch a movie. We all enjoyed watching Toy Story 3; poor Blair had already seen like 4 times, but it worked to our advantage when Abbz had to potty half way through. Ross nor I had to miss anything for a change ;). After the movie we grabbed a snack and headed to Mike and Ramona's. They were sweet to allow our whole family to infiltrate their home. Connor and Abigail always play well together, but this time was especially fun because they are both older and at the age where they can interact more. Plus with that many kids there couldn't possibly be a dull moment! Honestly they all played with one another better then I have seen four children play together. While we were there Mike made a bracelet for Ross' Medic Alert charm. It's more rugged then his last bracelet and more work appropriate. Plus, if we are in a pinch we have 12 feet of rope as long as Ross is wearing that bracelet! Thanks Mike, Ross really does like it a lot, and thank Mike and Mona for opening your home to us. We miss you guys already! We said our good byes and went back to the hotel to clean up a little before heading to Maggiano's for dinner. Maggiano's is our favorite restaurant in Cincinnati. Besides the fact that the food is delicious they are extremely conscientious about food allergies and more than willing to prepare something safe for you to eat. It doesn't get much better than ending the day with a little Italian food!

Saturday

2010-08-17T17:56:00.001-05:00

Today was a relaxing day to recover. The kids slept in this morning which was a welcomed surprise. We got up around 10:30, got ready and headed to the hospital to show Mary Grace and Hannah where their little sister has all of her procedures. Abigail was so cute showing the girls around. Hannah told her to get off the stairs and she turned around and said, "This is my hospital." Then she started to cry because she wanted to in her words, "show them my room." Once we left the hospital we ate lunch at the mall where Blair had the privilege of trying Cincinnti chili from our chain of choice, Gold Star Chili.
We were planning on eating dinner at The Cheesecake Factory but the wait was going to be over an hour so we decided to take it back to the hotel. This turned out to be a great idea. We had a make-shift picnic, and when we were done Ross took the girls swimming while Blair and I fed Jonathan and got him ready for bed. Once the kids were in bed, Ross, Blair and I piled up in bed, ate cheesecake and chatted for a while until we all got tired. And so ends another day.

Trip to Cincy

2010-08-17T14:14:00.001-05:00

Oh my! That's what I have to say about Friday. We left the house about 4:20 am and about 5 minutes outside of Siloam we heard a terrible noise coming from the front passenger side of the car, towards the wheel. The noise sound much like when you hit the ripple strip (you know the strip that tells you to wake up, you're running off the road), only the sound wasn't quit that loud. Ross pulled over and checked all of the tires but there didn't seem to be a problem so we started driving again. Everything seemed fine until we reached 65 mph. For some reason this was the magic speed for instigating the noise. Strangely if we slowed to 60 or sped up to 70 mph the noise went away. We pulled over for the second time at Wal Mart in Lowell (off the Pleasant Grove exit). We called my parents to see if Daddy had any ideas of what could be causing such a noise, and in his wisdom he suggested it could be weight. Of coarse none of believed that the van was overloaded with weight, but decided it could be the way it was distributed so there we were at 5:30 in the morning unpacking and rearranging the luggage in hopes that it would help. The one good thing about having to stop there is that by the time we were done Starbucks was open! It was really quite the sight. The "trunk" was pretty well loaded to the top of the backseat, two suitcases were shoved between Jonathan's seat and the door; you know the place where you step into the car to get to your seat. Needless to say every time we stopped we had to move the big suitcase to let the girls in and out of the backseats. It was a hassle but worth it because the redistribution of weight made the noise cease. The best part of the arrangement was what we lovingly referred to as the "Redneck Airbag," which was the foam mattress that fits in the bottom of the playpen. It was crammed between Blair's seat and the door. It really was quite a sight! After everything was re-situated we were on our way.
St. Louis is our halfway point so we stopped at the mall for lunch and headed to the Gateway Arch when we were done eating. You can see the Arch for miles before you actually get to it so I asked the girls if they wanted to get out and look at it up close and touch it. Hannah had the best response ever! She said (in her giggly voice), "No. I want to slide down it!" Only my Hannah girl. ;)
After spending a couple of hours eating, stretching, and sight seeing we were on our way...again. Other than having to make a few stops everything went well. We could not have asked for the kids to be any better. Especially considering it took 16 hours to get there. Normally it only takes about 12 hours but our difficult start and extended stop in St. Louis made it longer than normal.

Butter!!

2010-04-29T11:28:00.001-05:00

I told you in a recent post that I have started buying raw milk from a local dairy. There are many products that can be rendered from raw milk, and butter is one of them. So today I thought I would be adventurous and attempt to make butter from the cream that I had previously skimmed from the top of the milk. My attempt ends in success. We have butter! Interested in making your own raw butter and learning more about raw milk? Click here.

A Blog Book?

2010-04-21T09:41:00.002-05:00

Really? Did you know that you can print your blog in book form? I know it may be cheesy of me to say this, but I think that is great. All of those memories and pictures captured in a book. What a wonderful thing for a parent to have. Some of us would grab hold of that book and cherish those memories forever while others of us can pass them down to our children. I'm thinking at some point I am going to have to do it. Get a blog book. Am I the only nerd in the bunch or do others of you think that is a wonderful thing? Ok, maybe I don't need you to answer...I already know I'm a nerd, I don't need you all to confirm it. Ha! :) Oh, and if you don't believe me, just google it. The response is overwhelming. Have a GREAT day!

Hippie Lady

2010-04-16T14:40:00.002-05:00

Yes, I am sure that I am soon to be called, "The Hippie Lady," or hey that's my "Hippie Friend", but that's okay with me! We are picking up our grass-fed beef this afternoon from Greener Pastures Farms, and I can't wait until Ross can eat it! We have also started buying organic produce from Old Soul Organics ; which is a home delivery service for the Northwest Arkansas area. We go one step further by buying fresh, unpasteurized unhomogenized milk from Rusk Farms just past the Arkansas/Oklahoma border. Being that we are small business owners, I'm all about supporting local business owners; and with our special food needs those small business tend to work out the best for us.

I am in the process of transitioning our family's diet from conventional foods to organic foods; or all natural at the least. We are eating very little foods from a box anymore. No more heavily processed foods, no additives, no artificial colorings or flavorings, no more high fructose corn syrup...people, we are going back to the basics. With the exception of Smarties of coarse!! :) My new philosophy is if they didn't eat it 100 years ago, we probably shouldn't be eating it today. Why are we doing this? First and foremost, because we have been told that EE patients tend to have a better chance of passing a food trial with food that has not been sprayed repeatedly with pesticides and herbicides or processed so much that there is virtually no nutritional value left. Secondly, plain and simple. It has to be better for us. Lastly, I am actually saving money. That's right. Saving money. I'm not buying junk food or many prepacked items anymore; which has helped my budget tremendously. Now, I'm certainly NOT saying we don't indulge once in a while. If we want ice cream, we get ice cream. And chocolate....is a must! Of coarse there will still be those days we swing by a fast food restaurant for a quick meal, but they are becoming fewer and farther between. I see more "hippie moments" for me in the future...butter, yogurt and heavy whipping cream from my fresh milk, homemade organic breads...the possibilities are endless!

Recycling. Yep. We are doing that too. Now, I decided we should do our part and we are starting out very small and simple. I have 4 recycling bins labeled, "Cans, Plastic, Paper, and Cardboard." I figure doing our part should be fairly easy since Abigail and Ross both have a tone of cans that their formula comes in and just as many cardboard boxes that hold those formula cans. Plastic was a no brainer for us too because we go through bottled water like crazy...again for making formula. Paper is pretty much filled with the girls school work and doodle sheets from them coloring at home. There you have it.

Now for those of you who can't or don't want to go organic or green, that is perfectly fine with me. We still love you! This is just what is working best for our family at the moment.

I Wonder...

2010-02-22T16:03:00.006-06:00

Each new day that I look into the face of my precious baby boy, I wonder. Does the newness and uncertainty ever wear off? Will I ever feel confident in raising a son? I wonder, will he become the man of God I pray he will be? Will I be able to teach him to be that man of God? I wonder why God has chosen now to bless and entrust me with raising a son. If I have all of these questions and insecurities, I wonder what Mary must have wondered. I wonder if she questioned, "Why me? Who am I to carry such a sacred blessing?" I wonder how she felt knowing what her baby boy would endure. I wonder if she was scared.

The only thing I am counting on is that in each new day that the Lord brings, He will also bring insight into how I should raise my precious son. He will equip me with the tools I need at each milestone and season of life that comes our way. I trust that He will instill the confidence that I need in raising a son; as I have my in raising daughters. I am thankful that I did not have to enter into parenthood alone; because the Father has always been there to help me. In all of my fears and failures, He is there. And in my security and confidence, He is there. Am I the only mom with these questions, fears, and concerns that also cries out to the Lord for help and assurance with parenting? I wonder?

Hospitalized With RSV

2010-02-10T08:34:00.007-06:00

You know it isn't a good sign when your child falls asleep during a breathing treatment at 5:00 in the afternoon. That is exactly what happened Friday evening, January 29th, when Abigail was getting what I thought to be a "normal" breathing treatment. After realizing that she had fallen asleep, I checked her forehead and sure enough she had fever. No biggie, we had had a few late nights so I thought she was just overly tired. I let her rest for a little while, got her up, did our nightly routine, and put all the kids to bed. She woke up early Saturday morning and crawled into bed with Ross and I and fell back asleep. This is where she stayed all day. In our bed. When I say all day, I literally mean all day long. I had to carry her to the bathroom to go potty; with her crying the whole time. She slept for hours at a time, and just when it would get to the point where I felt like we needed to take her somewhere she would wake up for a little while. She was only awake for about 20 minutes at a time, but at least we knew she was still responsive. Now you have to remember that because of all of the snow, all of the doctor's offices were closed; which meant if we did take her somewhere it would have to be the ER. Up until this point Abigail has never really been sick. Sick with EE, yes. Sick with a cold, yes, but really sick with an illness? No. I had listened to her lungs and they sounded clear and her temp wasn't terribly high; so we called it a night and all went to bed. Then Sunday arrived. Same thing. Won't get out of bed, won't drink her formula, won't talk, and temp is hanging out right around 103. The only good thing we had going at this point is that she had been drinking water so we knew she wasn't getting dehydrated. After giving her a bath, I noticed that her hands and feet were kind of gray in color. Thinking they were just cold, I tried warming them up. Then I had Ross try. While he was trying, I decided I needed to listen to her lungs. That is when I knew we needed to take her to the emergency room. At this point she wasn't wheezing, but she had significant crackles (indicative of pneumonia) in the bottom right lobe, and her lungs had been perfectly clear the day before. By the time we could get to the ER she was retracting at the trachea, indicating that her breathing was becoming more labored. Her pulse ox was 87 and dropping rapidly, even after a Xopenex updraft. She had two more breathing treatments and was placed on oxygen. After each of the breathing treatments, her pulse ox continually dropped, and she was admitted for RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) and viral pneumonia. She was on continual oxygen for five days straight. Just when they thought they could wean her down, they would have to up it again. Let me just say that it is very frustrating to see your child get weaned down to 1/4 of a liter of oxygen just to turn around a few hours later and see her back up to 2 1/2 liters. The oxygen levels continued going up and down until Friday morning when she woke up and was suddenly much better. After several hours off of the oxygen (including a nap without it) we were finally able to go home. We sure were glad to get home and finally be able to sleep in our own beds! Of coarse during this hospital stay, the other 3 kids ended up sick. We think Hannah must have been the original RSV culprit because she had what we thought to be "just a cold" the week before. So, she ended up with a secondary ear infection. Mary Grace and Jonathan both came down with RSV a couple of days after Abbz was in the hospital. Ross had the two sick big girls at home, and I had both sick babies with me in the hospital. At one point Ross asked me if they had family rooms at the hospital. :) Luckily, none of the other kiddos got it as badly as Abigail! Needless to say, if any of your kids get RSV, brace yourself and prepare for your entire family to end up with it. It's apparently highly contagious because we have never had all of the kids sick at one time before.

One Month Appointment

2010-01-18T10:48:00.006-06:00

Jonathan is a growin' boy! He now weighs 9 pounds 7 ounces and is 22 inches long. This puts him in the 50th percentile for weight and 100th for height. Taking after his two biggest sisters he is! Other than having a slight umbilical hernia that will correct on it's own, he is just perfect.

Photo by Amanda Dietz Scott

Jonathan Ross Green

2010-01-10T15:27:00.003-06:00

Introducing Jonathan Ross Green. Born at 9:42 pm on December 10, 2009. He weighed 8 lbs. 1 oz. and was 20 1/2 in. long. As you can see from the first picture, he was a bit blue after birth and needed a little help. He stayed in the NICU for a brief time for observation and it was determined that he just didn't have time to squeeze all of the amniotic fluid from his lungs because he came down so quickly.

So I had to have a picture of all the "stuff" on him. It's actually sad when it feels normal to see your child with an IV. I told Ross that it just seemed to fit. If you have a child in the hospital, it's only fitting that there be an IV; right? Now, I know this is not normal especially for a newborn. I did tell him that he didn't have to try so hard to prove he was part of the family; we will keep him...healthy and all! ;) Abbz was really sweet. She kept touching the IV, saying I have one of those. I think it was a bonding experience for the two of them.

The Green kids! My sweet girls and little guy. Somehow they all look different, yet they all favor. As Mandy would say, they are definitely Green Babies!

Look what Santa left us under the tree. The best little Christmas present ever! Eight pounds of pure joy!!

Update and Birthday Wish!

2009-11-24T04:58:00.004-06:00

Here I am, and yes I am still alive. Quite frankly, I just have not felt like even getting on the computer much less blogging. The baby and I are doing okay. He is still growing well, and I am too! ;) I had some significant swelling at my appointment yesterday, but my blood pressure is still holding steady so for now everything is still good. Dr. P is out all week so I am praying that this week proves to be a good one. The swelling is still pretty bad which is usually an indicator that my blood pressure is either on the rise or going to be. We are hoping to get me to 36 weeks, he would be happier with 37 weeks, and if I have not delivered by 38 weeks, he will for sure induce me then. So before Christmas we should have a happy, healthy baby boy in our arms at home. The best Christmas present ever!! Oh, I guess you probably would like to know how far along I am right now...35 weeks tomorrow. On another note, I have officially reached that point in my pregnancy when I can no longer sleep. Going to sleep usually isn't the problem, staying asleep, now that is a different story. If something wakes me, I am pretty much up for the night. I have been awake since 3:30 this morning, and don't foresee me going to sleep until bedtime tonight. Oh well. I guess God is preparing me for when Jonathan arrives. I have joked in the past that I have to have a baby to get any rest, and this time I am definitely thinking that may be the case. Oh.......I just realized what today is.........

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ABIGAIL!!!!!!!!!!!
Today is Abigail's 3rd Birthday! I really cannot believe it. She is getting so big, and her personality is really beginning to shine through. She has come a long way over the past two years health-wise, physically, and developmentally and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for her. Daddy, Mommy, and the Girls love you very much and hope today is a very special day for you! What was it you wanted?...a white kitty cat (stuffed animal) with green eyes? I guess we will have to see if your birthday wish comes true!

Sweet Boy!

2009-10-29T16:03:00.006-05:00

Here is a profile of Jonathan sucking his thumb. What a sweet boy!

Well, I had my 31 week appointment today. After an ultrasound to check Jonathan's growth, it was determined that he is a very healthy growing boy! It is estimated that he already weighs 4 lbs 10 oz., and he is measuring 11 days bigger than his due date shows he should be. As if I wasn't stressed that he was going to be a big boy before now, I really am after hearing that news! For goodness sakes, Ross weighed 11 pounds. Eleven pounds! Now I figure that I will be delivering before I am full term, so hopefully I won't be having anywhere near an eleven pound baby. The goal right now is to make it to 36 weeks. That will be December 2, and Dr. P will be on-call then; so for now, December 2nd is the goal. From here on out, I will have a non-stress test to check for baby distress and prenatal visits every week until delivery. I could be bringing home this sweet baby boy in 5 weeks. Oh, and bed rest. He did say that he was not putting me on strict bed rest, but that I do really need to take it easy. In his words, "I don't want you out running around all day, but taking care of your kids is okay." So, I will take it easy so that I can bring home my beautiful baby boy.

Bed Rest

2009-10-22T17:53:00.002-05:00

That's right folks, it's that time again. My blood pressure has been a little elevated for a couple of weeks now, but it spiked pretty high today. After seeing the on-call doctor this afternoon, monitoring the baby, and doing lab work, I was told to increase my medication and take it easy. "Take it easy" translates into bed rest. So for now it isn't strict bed rest. I just have to take it easy, laying around as much as possible...no cooking, cleaning, or shopping. Sounds like strict bed rest to me! Well, she did tell me that "if I had to" I could pick up and take the girls to school. Actually she said that realistically, complete bed rest would probably be impossible with three children. I appreciated the fact that she took that into consideration. All she kept saying was do as little as possible, call in favors from friends, have my husband help, and so forth. The husband helping isn't a problem. He is really great about helping with the kids, doing laundry, picking up the house, etc. Just so you know, as I am writing all of this my husband is reading over my shoulder (out loud I might add) in his seductive voice. No really, he is! Silly boy!! The only problem with all of this is that I am not at all prepared. When I was pregnant with Abigail, I already had the nursery done, most of the Christmas presents purchased, and all of the baby stuff done. I am not prepared at all! Nothing is done. I still have baby stuff I need. I haven't even started on Jonathan's room, and as for Christmas...well, Merry Christmas...they may be all anyone is getting. Have I mentioned that the baby bed and bassinet are still in the attic? Oh my. The good news is that she did allow me to still be a bridesmaid in my sister's wedding. I just have to sit down immediately following the ceremony and have people cater to me at the reception. Hum? How well do you think that will go with 3 little girls running around? I didn't mention to her that the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner are tomorrow night. I figure I just need to make it through this weekend and then I can really take it easy. I may just have to excuse myself and lay down and rest for a bit while dealing with the wedding and stuff, but that will be okay. I have to go instruct my children (from the couch) to start their bed time routine now. This should be interesting...

Small-town Inconvenience

2009-10-17T20:26:00.003-05:00

I love the small-town qualities of Siloam Springs, but it also has it's inconveniences. A major one being that it does not have a 24 hour pharmacy. Hey, at this point I would settle for one staying open until 9 or 10 on a Saturday night. We think there is a pretty good chance Mary Grace has the flu. Well, either that or mono. Both Sarah and Blair have mono, and we are pretty sure that Coy and Daddy have it too :( . Now, there is a better chance that MG has the flu than mono so Dr. B called in Tamiflu and said to start taking it immediately. Hence the reason I wish there was a 24 hour pharmacy here. Ross is on his way to Fayetteville as we speak to pick up said Tamiflu. Here is to hoping the Tamiflu works and we don't have to worry about anything more than keeping the rest of the family healthy!

Blog Time

2009-10-14T08:31:00.006-05:00

So, it has been a while since I have blogged. Prepare yourselves, this could be a long one. Last week was our trip to Cincinnati. I didn't blog while we were there because this was this first trip since Ross and I have had kids that we didn't have to bring anyone along. I decided to spend my free time with my hubby instead of updating our blog! :) His scope went well, and by appearances nothing has changed from last time. Although appearances really mean very little; we are hoping that is a good sign, and that he has passed his beef trial. We won't know anything until his biopsy results come back in about a week.

Our time together in Cincy was wonderful. Amanda said it was our "babymoon" and really it was. Our last chance to be alone before he gets here! It was nice being able to just walk through stores and around the mall without having to keep up with little ones or push a stroller! We were able to go to a movie at 10:20 pm and then to a restaurant afterwards because it didn't matter what time we woke up the next morning. We did see a family at the movie theater that I would like to address.

Dear young Mom with your pajama pants and over-sized sweat shirt and Dad standing outside the bathroom yelling, "Let's go!",

The next time you want to see, and I quote, "The scariest movie of the decade" (Paranormal Activity), you should probably leave your three year old little boy at home! Not only did that movie probably give your child nightmares for days, but really? did you have to take him to the midnight movie?! Let me give you an example of what "good parents" do: If you want to take your three year old to a movie, I suggest the 3D version of Toy Story and Toy Story 2. Accompanied with popcorn, M&M's, and a bottle of water. Oh, and let me mention that for best results take your child to the matinee or at latest the 7 pm showing. This way he will be able to enjoy a horror-free film and be in bed at a reasonable hour.

Sincerely,
Concerned Parents

Now that I have gotten that off my chest, let's get on with the rest of the week. We were finally able to find Jonathan's coming home outfit! It is a little blue cable knit sweater outfit with little brown suede shoes. So cute! My sweet husband literally took me to every baby store in Cincinnati in search of this outfit. We finally found it in the last store we went to. On our way home, we had decided to stop for the night in St. Louis to break up the trip a little. However, this plan quickly changed when Ross' dad called (as we were driving to St. Louis) to tell us that Ross' grandfather had passed away. Poppa was 93 years old and really lived a full life. His health had suddenly gone down hill so we knew this was coming. We just didn't realize it would be so soon. Fortunately he passed in his sleep and did not have to suffer long. All that to say, we ended up driving to Springfield, MO and arrived at 2:30 am. We slept for a few hours, got to Fayetteville about 1 pm, packed up the kids, were home for about an hour and a half and then drove to Hot Springs. The funeral was Monday morning, and by Monday evening we were finally home. So much for a relaxing trip home. We were in the car for about 20 hours over a 3 day period...I don't care if I go anywhere else until after this baby is born. My body hurts in places I didn't even know could hurt. Really, for being 7 months pregnant I did very well. Now we wait for results and go from there.

A Bitter Sweet BB&B

2009-09-25T11:56:00.003-05:00

So I really have nothing important to say. I should be up cleaning the house, but sitting at the computer blogging about nothing seemed more appealing. I can't imagine why, she says sarcastically. Ross is out riding his motorcycle. Bikes, Blues, and BBQ is this weekend. We anticipate it's return from the time it is over every year. This year is a little bitter sweet. Excited that it is here, sad that it's just not going to be quite the same. Grumpy (Ross' dad) always rides up here on his bike the week of BB&B, but couldn't this year. Ross' grandmother has been in the hospital and was just discharged today. Ross is disappointed and a little sad that Grumpy couldn't make it, and frankly the girls and I are too. (Although, let me say that we completely understand why he cannot make it.) This is the one time out of the year that Ross gets to spend some time alone with his dad. They always enjoy a ride together on Friday morning, and then we all meet up as a family sometime Friday afternoon. Saturday is probably the best day of the week. We all go as a family that morning, watch the parade that afternoon, and then that evening it's just Ross and I with Grumpy. We all get "our time" with Grumpy, and this year he is going to be greatly missed. My girls LOVE there special Grumpy time and looking at the motorcycles. As they are getting older, they have learned that when the motorcycles start rolling into town, it must be time for BB&B. I hope that we can continue this tradition for many many years to come, and we are already looking forward to next year! We miss you, Grumpy.

Africa on My Mind

2009-09-22T10:29:00.002-05:00

If you didn't know, our friend's the Kennedy's are in Malawi, Africa until November. See their amazing story and Africa journey here.

Coughs All Around

2009-09-21T14:16:00.002-05:00

Cough-cough-cough, cough-pause (about 2 minutes), cough-cough-cough, pause-repeat. This is how our past four nights have been. At times for hours...and hours on end. Usually ending with coughing so hard, Abigail throws-up, takes a bath, and then finally gets enough relief to fall asleep. Allergies, asthma, coughing, and no sleep. Exhaustion. That's all I can say; pure exhaustion. Just when things looked better with Abbz, Hannah wakes up with the same coughing spell. Oh, my two asthma girls. Abigail had to begin oral steroids to open up her airways, and I am hoping to avoid that with Hannah! On a happier note, Ross took the girls to school for me this morning and is picking them up this afternoon. That allowed Abigail and I got to catch up on our sleep a little.

Go Away Rain, Bring on Fall

2009-09-15T10:29:00.002-05:00

Rain. Rain. Go. Away! At least for a few days, so I can finishing painting the bunk beds. Really, it's been about three weeks since we painted the first half of the beds. I am ready to get them done so my girls can have their room back. It is in total chaos right now. Their mattresses are on the floor, and everything is in total disarray. Hopefully if the end of the week proves to be pretty I will be able to finish them up and get the girls' room done so I can begin on Jonathan's. If and when both projects are completed, I will post pictures of the finished products.

Total subject change, but I LOVE FALL!! Here are just of few of the things I enjoy most:

*Crisp, Clean, Cool Air
*Chai Lattes
*Apple Pie
*Pumpkin Pie, Muffins, and Cookies
*Pumpkins
*Hot Apple Cider
*Fall-Scented Candles
*Scare Crows
*Football
*Bikes, Blues, and BBQ

And the list could go on and on...Since I cannot get my fall decorations out (yes, I know fall does not officially begin for another 7 days) due to the above mentioned disassembled bed in the way, I will pay tribute to my blog by changing the layout to fall. Enjoy!

Showers

2009-09-04T17:30:00.002-05:00

So Ross, Mary Grace, and Hannah were discussing the fact that we (the girls and I) will be going to two showers this weekend. My sister's wedding shower and my baby shower. Here is the conversation that followed:

Mary Grace: I have already been to one shower and I am going to go to two more this weekend. Bragging...That means I will have gotten to go to three showers!
Ross: Do you want to go to the shower, Hannah?
Hannah: No.
Ross: Hannah, do you know what a shower is?
Hannah: Yes. We have one in our house.

Ross said I couldn't make fun of her because I didn't know what they really were until I was like 10. He thought a bunch of women got together and really took turns taking a shower (hey, at least he thought we took turns and not that it was a group event). Lesson to be learned? Please inform your children, girls and boys alike, that wedding and baby showers are not where a bunch of women get together to take showers. It is for celebration and gifts for the upcoming event. :)

Tires!!!

2009-09-04T16:00:00.002-05:00

Thank you Jesus!! He provided the money for us to purchase the two new tires we desperately needed. Ross' hard work lately (even harder than usual) has paid off. We have two brand new perfectly treaded new tires that have replaced the smooth, balding tires we had before. It's amazing to drive over 65 mph and not have the entire van shake anymore. Ha! :) He is faithful to provide...exactly when we need it! We are leaving at 5:45 tomorrow morning for a family reunion in Searcy (4 hours away). We were so thankful to be able to replace the tires before making that trip.

A Self-Reminder...

2009-09-02T11:51:00.005-05:00

Update on Lydia; the last I heard she was going to be okay, but her numbers were still a little too high. She was still in the PICU at ACH, but it has also been a few days since I have received any updates. Thank you for the prayers for the Macfarlan family!

So, Mandy and I went to Rhea Lana's last night. I got three outfits for Jonathan, a shirt for Abbz, and the cutest little camo backpack (with GAP written in orange) ever. I plan on using the backpack when "the boy" gets a little older. We had a great time. There were a TON of people and the check-out line was crazy long, but it was totally worth it. Plus, we got to enjoy a little free time without kids. We should have; however, thought through the Starbucks and then later the ice tea a little more carefully because neither of us slept very well last night. Oh, the joys of caffeine!

Ross' next scope is scheduled for Oct. 8th. We will leave on the 7th and come home on the 9th or 10th depending on how he does with his scope. The medicines they use tend to knock him out the first day and make him jittery the second. They are only doing an upper scope this time, so hopefully less drugs will equal less side effects! I am for some reason really stressed about this upcoming trip. It is because we only have $100 in our "Cincinnati Fund", but we have been in this situation before and the Lord has ALWAYS been faithful to provide. My heart knows that as long as this is where He wants us, He will provide the way; but my brain is having a hard time dealing with it this time. I'm sure it is because it feels like we are being hit from every direction for money. Hundreds of dollars in doctor's bills and medical expenses, a HUGE increase in personal property taxes...we are talking over $600...how is that even possible?! The baby. While exciting, we are totally unprepared. No clothes (well, 4 outfits, 2 gowns, and a pair of jammies), no carseat, no stroller, no diapers, and the list could go on and on and on! We desperately NEED 2 new tires; they are all but completely bald. Okay, I know that it sounds as if I am having a pitty party for myself, but I really just needed to vent my feelings. I am more than aware of the blessings in our lives. A roof over our heads with clean running water, electricity, heating and air; three beautiful children and another on the way, free formula...enough said, provisions to allow us to seek medical treatment at the best eosinophilic facilities for both Abigail and Ross. I know HE will provide for all of our needs. For everything listed and for those not listed, I just have to be reminded and remind myself sometimes. Thanks for being a sounding board today! Jehovah-jireh...the Lord is our Provider!!!

A Special Family with a Special Prayer Request

2009-08-28T08:54:00.003-05:00

The Macfarlan family is very near and dear to our hearts, and really need to be covered in prayer right now. Below is a copy of an email I received this morning. Before reading it you should know that the Macfarlan's really helped our family out when we were first learning about Abigail's diagnosis. Our laundry had gotten piled up because of hospital stays, doctors visits, and more pressing matters. That doesn't even do it justice. It was ridiculously backed up; so badly they took it to the laundry mat and spent several hours washing, drying, and folding our laundry. When they brought it back to me their kids cleaned my house while Laura took me to lunch. Not because they had to, but because they were showering us with His love and service that day. We had never been touched by a family in quite the same way before or since. Please join us in prayer for their sweet Lydia.

Please be in prayer for Lydia Macfarlan. She is the 11 year old daughter of Kevin and Laura who taught our Sunday School class for several years. Their children Ginger and Luke (with Lydia's assistance!) have watched our boys. They are a really special family to us. Lydia is the baby and their "miracle child" - her birth was what caught her mom's ovarian cancer in stage 1. Please join us in praying for this little girl. From what we have been told, she was in Branson with her mom this week and got sick -- that progressed and when they returned, she was really sick. They went to the doctor and her blood sugar was in the 800's. They decided to life flight her to Little Rock Children's Hospital for stabilization, but because we had storms last night, they ended up having to make the four + hour drive via ambulance. Please join us in prayer for this beautiful little girl. For God's healing, for peace and comfort for their family, and for wisdom. Please be in prayer for Laura and Kevin and their other three children, Kyle, Ginger, and Luke. Classes just began on Wednesday at JBU and Kevin is an Engineering professor and Kyle is a junior and Ginger is a freshman. Please pray for their studies in the midst of all of this!

Poor Jonathan Doesn't Have a Chance!

2009-08-26T08:50:00.005-05:00

See our friends' blog, more specifically the August 24th post and you will understand! Thanks Angela, for the insight on what it is like to raise a son! =)

Contractions

2009-08-26T08:27:00.002-05:00

So, I had an appointment with Dr. Pickhardt yesterday. On a side note...I just love him, he really is a great doctor! He said that since the contractions were not progressing anything that there is no need to worry at this point. I am to treat these previous contractions as a baseline and if they differ from that I am to call him right away. They have backed off quite a bit; more like true Braxton Hicks contractions now. He said that I could have uterine irratibility. That basically means that I am having consistent regular contractions (unlike Braxton Hicks which are random) that are not productive. If these contractions continue there is a test that can be done at 24 weeks to see if I am in or at risk for preterm labor. This test is very accurate, so if it comes back negative he said that I could contract all day long for several days and still not go into preterm labor. If the contractions cease or become more random then we will not have to do the test at all. Hopefully this was just a fluke one time ordeal. Since I have had to be induced all three previous pregnancies and never gone into preterm labor it is a really good sign that everything is going to be okay. Thank you all for covering baby Jonathan and I in prayer over the past few days!

The Little Man

2009-08-23T19:18:00.003-05:00

Contractions. Bet you weren't expecting to read that word so early in my pregnancy, but for the past few days that has been our reality. Friday morning around 6:45 am, the contractions began. At first they were just cramps, and I really thought they were just Braxton Hicks contractions. By about 11:30 am I realized that the contractions were regular and coming more frequently then they should be at only 21 weeks pregnant. They also changed from feeling like cramps to actually tightening and relaxing my uterus. Mandy and I took the girls to the park and I began timing my contractions. It was nice having Mandy there to feel my belly tightening up and relaxing...she was my proof that I hadn't just imagined having contractions. By this point they were coming every 10 minutes pretty much on the dot while sitting and every 5 minutes when walking or standing. Ross took me to the doctor, and I had to see the doctor on-call. This proved to be more frustrating than helpful. Long story short, he said that there was nothing they could do so go home and wait. Wait for what? To loose my baby? I don't think so! This did not set well with either of us. The contractions did slow down a bit later in the evening and I was able to sleep well. I really thought that I would go to sleep and wake up the next morning fine. That was not the case. I awakened at 6:30 in the middle of a contraction and they just kept coming. At one point they were as close as 3 minutes apart. After trying to decide what to do, I called our lovely family member who just happens to be an OB here in Siloam Springs. He checked me out and gave me several meds. Two antibiotics and a medication to stop the contractions. Luckily today my contractions have pretty much ceased. It seems the medicines have worked. I have had a few here and there, but nothing like Friday and Saturday! So much for "there is nothing we can do!" Even if the medicine had not worked, at least I felt like I was being pro-active and not just sitting waiting to deliver a baby that would not have survived. Thanks, Chad! You have no idea how much it that means to us!! I guess the little man is making his presence known early. This is not a problem I have faced before. Braxton Hicks contractions and high blood pressure yes, but regular contractions no. In fact, I have had to be induced with each of my other pregnancies. Boys...ornery already! ;)

Cleaning Machine

2009-08-18T16:43:00.005-05:00

Apparently I am sticking to my new motto "out with the old, in with the new." Although I don't have any new yet; that will come soon enough. I have cleaned out toys, closets, dresser drawers, and old baby stuff. All of this was done while also cleaning the house. I am consigning my "good" baby clothes, threw away icky toys, rearranged closets and drawers, and donated the rest. I started at 8 am and stopped at 4 pm. Oh, and did I mentioned the loads upon loads of laundry I have done today?! I have not vacuumed nor clean-cleaned the bathrooms, but that will just have to wait until tomorrow. That will give me something to do while the big girls are at school. School. I am so not ready to be sending Hannah to Kindergarten. I am way more upset about sending her than I was Mary Grace. Probably because MG was six going into the first grade, not 5! My baby is only 5...why do we have to send them to school so young? I do not like it! Can you tell this is a sensitive subject? She is so ready for the first day of school to get here. I am sure tomorrow will be exciting. We met their teachers last night, and both of them seemed very fitting for each of the girls personalities. Although it will take some adjusting to not having them home, I am excited to see how they will each grow throughout the year. Sorry for totally switching gears in middle of my cleaning conversation, but hey that is how a pregnant mind works!

Out With the Old, In With the New

2009-08-14T11:07:00.003-05:00

So, I spent several hours last night going through the one and only baby tub of clothes I had saved, plus Abigail's old clothes. It was much tougher to get rid of those last few baby girl clothes than I originally thought. Plus, it just felt wrong to be getting rid of Abigail's clothes that only she wore; they would have been perfectly fine to pass down to another baby ;). I am selling the old clothes to a consignment retailer in hopes to make enough money to buy Jonathan some new clothes. Bye bye old clothes, hello new! Let me also just say that it is really strange having clothes in blue, brown, and green hues. It seems as if they are the wrong color. Ha! I still find my eyes wondering to baby girl clothes, bedding, and accessories. I have to admit, it has been fun searching for the perfect "coming home" outfit. Which by the way, I have not found yet. Okay, I suppose that is enough of the boy talk for today. I can't help it. It's new. It's fun. A little scary. And totally exciting!

"Sons are indeed a heritage from the Lord." Psalm 127:3 (HCS)

The Boy's Name...

2009-08-12T15:55:00.004-05:00

Jonathan Ross

Jonathan means "God has given", and after re-reading his story in the bible we both decided this would be the perfect name for our son. You can find the story of Jonathan sprinkled throughout 1 Samuel and in the beginning of 2 Samuel if you are interested. Before you ask, we will not be calling him Jon. He will be Jonathan. :) Ross was actually the first one to mention this name; and the more we thought about it and said it, the more we liked it! It replaced our old standby of Nathanael that we have had since before we had Mary Grace, but it seems to be a better fit. Funny how those things change.

IT"S A.....

2009-08-10T09:22:00.004-05:00

BOY!!! Can you believe it? Neither can we. We are having a son! Wow, that still seems surreal. It almost seems as if we are starting over. From scratch. Like it's our first child. Ross keeps saying, it almost feels like we are having a child of a different species. I have to admit, it does feel strange. We thought we were meant to raise daughters and both of us were happy to do so. When the ultrasound tech said it was a boy, I think we were both a little numb and totally shocked. Although we were hoping for a girl and after the shock and fear wore off; we are very excited about the adventure raising a son will bring! The adventure began the moment she said, "It's a BOY!!" We have nothing! Not a car seat, stroller, nothing. No clothes, no bedding, no toys...poor boy, he will have to go to the garage with daddy to find any "boy stuff" in this household. :) I am thinking we have a lot to do and not much time to do it in. It should be exciting and will definitely keep us on our toes! When the girls go to school, mom will go to painting in hopes to bring a little "boy" to our lives.

Our Purpose

2009-08-02T19:34:00.003-05:00

This is an excerpt from Beth Moore's Blog found here.

“I cry out to God Most High, to God, who fulfills His purpose for me.” Psalm 57:2 NIV

Here’s what God is using that verse to say to me right now: When I’m in a really hard and hurtful situation, somehow the present difficulty of it overrides my conscious thought that God is going to use it in my life and then through my life. Not one time in my entire tenure on this planet has He ever failed to turn around and use the hardship for good. NOT ONCE. Not when I gave Him enough time and cooperation. Yet, in the midst of it, I often can only hang onto Him for dear life while we ride the wave to shore and then stand there in the aftershock and look like I’ve just been on the spin cycle of a washing machine. Afterward, when He invariably turns it into some kind of maturity, intimacy, insight or ministry, I think, “Why didn’t I just trust Him for that at the time??? Why did I have to take it so personally and injuriously?” I want to learn to CONSISTENTLY claim the victory right there in the worst of the pain or crisis. At the very moment that I’m crying out to God Most High for help, as the psalmist says, I want to proclaim that He’s smack in the middle of fulfilling His purpose for me. Challenging stuff.

There are several of us in this same situation that Beth is speaking about in this expert. God has shown me many times personally that every situation, place, and timing were for His purpose; most of the time it is for nothing more than for His and His Son's glory (John 11:4). Although He has shown me that there is a purpose in everything, I do not always remember this during the midst of a trial. It often comes to me afterwards. May we strive to remember to "...cry out to God, who fulfills His purpose for us!" I hope this brings forth encouragement for you as it has me.

Glorious Day!

2009-07-22T12:21:00.004-05:00

It is a glorious day when your seven year old walks into the kitchen, sees the sink full of dishes, and ask what might be the most monumental question in her little life; "Mom, can I do the dishes?" Trying to contain my excitement I said, "The dishes in the dishwasher are clean and have to be unloaded first." She simply said, "Okay." The best part...she enlisted the help of her little sister! A glorious day indeed.

The finished product...

Wish and Dream...and do it BIG!!!

2009-07-20T09:51:00.005-05:00

Let me just say that I am in desperate need of a "real" vacation. One without doctor's appointments and procedures. One where we can escape from the real world for a short time and enjoy our family with no worries. It has been over three years since we have been able to enjoy a relaxing vacation with our children...and poor little Abigail has never been on vacation. Not that she would remember anyway, but Ross and I would. Please do not view this as complaining because we have been able (with the Lord's help...and most likely yours) to pay for our medical trips to Cincinnati and other medical expenses that have accumulated throughout the year. Without the continued support, Ross and Abigail wouldn't be getting better; and our continued trips to Cincy wouldn't be possible. I cannot afford to trade that for a vacation nor would I want to! It would just be nice to have a little break. Vacation or a weekend away with my hubby...no kids??? Humm...I don't know which would be better! ;) Ha! Sometimes that's nice too, and I can't remember when...oh wait; yes I can. We haven't had a weekend without kids since we have had kids! :) What?! If I'm gonna wish and dream I might as well wish and dream big! Right? I declare this wish and dream day. But...if you are going to do it, do it BIG!!!

The Smarties Bandit!!!!

2009-07-15T16:45:00.004-05:00

Smarties, where have you gone???

Ross and I have decided that there is a Smarties bandit on the loose in Northwest Arkansas. This above mention bandit has apparently hit every Wal-Mart in NWA. Not only can we not find them, but they have been totally stricken from the shelves. Why does this matter? Why make such a fuss? Smarties are the ONLY thing that sweet little miss Abigail can eat, and the ONLY thing keeping my husband sane while he is on formula and beef only. They are not easily found at Wal-Mart or any other stores for that matter, but IF you happen to run across them please call me, email me, hunt me down and find me so that we can get some...or possibly have you pick them up and mail them to us (depending on where you are located). We will refund said purchases.

New Africa Themed T-Shirts

2009-07-10T12:42:00.006-05:00

Our friends, The Kennedy's, adopted a sweet baby boy from Ethiopia nearly a year ago, and have created a new T-Shirt. The proceeds for the shirts will go to Esther's House, and new orphanage in Malawi, Africa. Click here to order yours today! Check in frequently for new designs and accessories.

Ross' Results

2009-07-02T11:19:00.003-05:00

So, Dr. Kushner called with Ross' preliminary results. He still has mild to moderate eosinophils, but the numbers went down from 245 to 26. That is huge improvement but the disease is still prevalent. He is going to continue his beef trial along with the formula until all of the the doctors (from U.C. and Cincy Children's) meet sometime in July. They will discuss his further treatment options and get back with us. He also still had eos in his small intestines as well as in his esophagus; so this may change his diagnosis a bit, but we will have to wait and see. Please be praying that they will continue letting him trail beef and the eos continue to deplete. I did point out to Dr. K that it took Abigail nine months on formula only to have a clean scope and he is definitely taking that into consideration with Ross.

Abigal's Results

2009-06-17T21:40:00.002-05:00

I received a phone call from Dr. Putnum today. He said that Abigail's scope looked great! There were only minimal eosinophils; nothing to prevent food trials. However, because of Abigail's status with this disease and her age, he suggested that we wait another six months to a year to begin trialing foods. This is because most of the children like Abigail fail their food trials, especially at her age. Another big reason we are waiting is because Abigail shows little to no interest in food. She is curious about what certain foods are, but other than asking what it is and if you eat it, she shows no desires to consume it herself. If and when she shows an interest and we cannot put her off any longer, then we begin the trials. Unless of coarse, we reach close to the year mark at which point we will begin them either way. When we do begin, we will start with grapes. She will have to eat them for 3 months and then be re-scoped. Although this was a bit disappointing, I agree that this is in her best interest. I would hate to set her up for failure by beginning too soon. Plus, the Lord has perfect timing! Having a high-risk pregnany and a potentially very sick two year old would not be a good thing. By the time she is ready to begin trials, the baby will have already been born and we will all be in a better position to handle possible mishaps with the foods. Okay, I think I have rambled long enough. I will post Ross' results as soon as we have them.

Home Sweet Home

2009-06-14T08:30:00.003-05:00

We are all home together as a "whole" family again. I do not like it when we are apart, but it makes it that much sweeter when we are together. The trip home was good but long. Apparently if you are pregnant and you think you are drinking enough fluids, you should drink more. I am pretty sure that I got slightly dehydrated, making the muscles in my legs hurt when applying pressure or flexing my feet. For two days I hobbled around like Frankenstein...a sight to see I'm sure! Needless to say the trip was pretty uncomfortable. I think I have been drinking my weight in water since we have been home and that seems to be helping some. All-in-all everything went well and we all all happy to be home!

Abigail's Scope and A Birthday

2009-06-12T19:54:00.003-05:00

After an hour in recovery without us by her side, the aid of oxygen, and a little girl who did not want to wake up we got a sigh of relief. They gave Abigail a new medication to help with the nausea, and it knocked her out. She was fine, just a little sleeper than normal. Recovery usually takes about 20 minutes before we get to see her, so having to wait an hour was quite nerve-racking. Though, I would gladly wait an hour in order to prevent the vomiting that occurred last time. The medication worked and next time we will be prepared to wait longer before we see her. ;) Dr. Putnum said that her esophagus looked really good, and hopefully we will begin a food trial soon. We should have her pathology report next week. If her scope is clear and she begins a food trial then she will be scoped sometime in September.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ROSS!!! The girls made daddy birthday cards before we left and he got to read them this morning...it was really sweet having them. They also called this morning to sing him "Happy Birthday". They actually beat me to it! Ross got a new grill, grilling cookbook, and last but not least he ate STEAK (for the first time in 3 1/2 months) for his birthday. It was a crazy birthday, but totally fitting for our family! :)

Ross' Scope

2009-06-11T19:47:00.004-05:00

Ross' scope went well. The doc said that he has scarring which may not ever go away, but visually there were some subtle improvements. We are all hoping and praying for clear pathology results. We will not know any real results until those pathology reports come in, but for now he can begin a beef trial. He will continue the formula diet as well until he has a well-rounded diet; this will take some time to develop. If his scope is indeed clean then he can continue the beef trial and add a new food about every 3-4 weeks; tracking his symptoms. He will do this until he has four foods and then will be re-scoped.

Abigail's scope is tomorrow at 12:20. We have to be there at 11 am and she cannot eat past 4:30 am. Please pray for her safety during the scope, that her last feeding at 4 am will sustain her until after the scope, and that her results also come back clear.

Another Day

2009-06-10T20:34:00.003-05:00

I have decided that if you have children, your house should come with hotel darkening curtains (fashionable I know) and highway noise because Abigail has slept in every morning we have been here. Of coarse, we have to be up early in the morning for Ross' scope, but we have enjoyed getting some extra rest the past two mornings. We have to be at the office at 6:45 in the morning and his scope will be sometime between 7 and 7:30. Today was uneventful. We rested most of the day with a quick trip to the mall, and then Ross began his prep for the scope at 4 pm. I will post an update after the scope tomorrow.

Orthopedic Appointment

2009-06-09T21:12:00.003-05:00

Abigail's appointment with the Orthopedist went really well today. The doctor spent at least 45 minutes with us drawing pictures and explaining everything to us. Abigail does have a twist in her tibia (the bone from the knee to the ankle) on the left leg, but she said that it is relatively mild and she expects it to correct itself as she ages. Now, the hips/femur are a different story. Her femur is definitely twisted inward in the hip socket. This is not something that will correct itself, but as long as she is functioning normally surgery will not be necessary. Even if we see a need for surgery it would not be done until she is 8 years old. At this point the doctor doesn't anticipate having to do surgery unless she doesn't progessly get a little better or if she is made fun of incessantly; becoming severely self-conscience about it. Her comment was she would rather see a child have a surgical scar verses a psychological scar. I was really impressed with this doctor and glad we got a third opinion. Having these answers and a doctor that was willing to sit down with us was an answer to prayer. So for now we wait, see the doctor in a year, and plan on having a sweet little girl with a little different walk. Thank you all for the prayers...they were answered.

We Made It...

2009-06-09T09:23:00.004-05:00

We arrived in Cincinnati about 6:00 last night. We had a good, but very long trip. Sorry I didn't let everyone know that we had arrived last night, but by the time we got here all I wanted to do was get in bed and go to sleep! ;) I was ordered by Dr. P to get out and walk every few hours, so it made the trip longer than usual. Of coarse, I cannot complain because Abigail was great!! Abigail has an orthopedic appointment at 12:20 (11:20 your time). I will let everyone know how that went later this evening. We also have plans with Mike, Mona, and Conner around 5:30 this evening. We are so blessed that the Lord has brought them into our lives. It makes these trips more enjoyable.

Green Family "EE" Update Letter

2009-06-02T15:27:00.003-05:00

The following is a copy of the update letter we mailed out concerning Ross and Abigail's progress and trip to Cincinnati. I posted a copy just in case some of you didn't receive a copy by mail.

Beloved Family and Friends,

Ross and I want to thank each of you for your support over the past 17 months. We have seen the face of Jesus through every answered prayer, word of encouragement, and financial support each of you have provided our family with. Our trip to Cincinnati was well worth the anguish, hard work, and patience it took to get there. I have honestly never seen a more educated and passionate team of doctors. They are dedicated to finding the best treatment option, and hopefully someday a cure for Eosinophilic Gastrointestinal Disorders.

Dr. Putnam (Gastroenterologist) performed Abigail’s initial scope in August, and said that her esophagus actually looked very good; however, the pathology report stated that the disease was still prevalent. Since there were still eosinophils present in her esophagus, Dr. Putnum decided to omit bananas from her diet. Her diet now consists of Neocate Junior only; a hypoallergenic elemental formula. In order to protect her oral motor functions, she is allowed to eat Smarties candy, Pixy Stix, and ice chips.

We also discovered in August, that Ross has Eosinophilic Esophagitis. His digestive track was in such terrible shape that he had to begin a formula only diet on March 1. The Neocate Jr. formula that he is on cost approximately $1200 per month, and the Lord has graciously provided $8440 worth of formula, free of charge from other families in the same situation. Praise God!! He is Jehovah-Jireh, the Lord our Provider! Ross is doing well. He has lost 52 pounds to date, and feels better than he ever has. Although there are days he “wishes” for food, I have never once heard him complain about drinking the formula. He and Abigail have shown unexplainable strength throughout this whole process.

We are currently awaiting our next trip to Cincinnati. We will be there from June 9 through June 13. It is our prayer that their eosinophil counts will be zero so that they can begin food trials. This has been our desire for quite some time; please pray that the Lord will bless the hard work and sacrifices made, so we can see them both eating food again.

Thank you again for all of your support, and most of all for the continued prayers. We could not have done all of this without you all nor could we have done it without our heavenly Father’s help. He has proven His sufficiency and faithfulness from the beginning. We have truly found joy in the midst of Eosinophilic Esophagitis, and look forward to seeing what the Lord has in store for our family and this disease. We will continue keeping everyone posted on our progress and hopefully the next letter will include foods! We love you all.

Blessings,
Ross and Lisa

And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Playin' Catch Up

2009-06-01T17:09:00.002-05:00

I have not fallen off the face of the earth; just been battling morning sickness and exhaustion. I haven't found the extra energy to post lately, but I decided I would catch everyone up before we leave for Cincinnati on Monday. This is Mary Grace's last week of school. Her last day is Thursday, and I don't think she is looking forward to it. She loves school; it helps that she had a wonderful teacher. I can't believe I will have a second grader and a kindergartener next year! Where does the time go?

Softball is officially over for us. Our little Lollipop Girls had a great season; winning ten out of twelve games. Mary Grace will be moving up to the pitching machine next year, and Hannah will continue in Tee Ball. It was fun watching Hannah progress throughout the season; and I cannot wait to have the four older girls move up together next season.

Abigail tested out of Physical Therapy a little over a week ago. This is huge because when she started at 6 months of age she wasn't rolling over or sitting up; she just flopped over our arms like a little ragdoll. She is now running, jumping, and doing most everything that a two year old should be doing. She will also be having a speech evaluation this week which I am fairly certain she will pass as well. She has been in therapy for the past 2 years and I'm not quite sure what it will feel like not having that as part of our schedule. Thank you Mrs. Alissa, Mrs. Heidi, and Mr. Daryl for all of your hard work! It has paid off.

Ross has been doing really well. He is feeling great, and as a bonus to drinking nothing but formula for the past three months has lost 55 pounds. He is anxiously awaiting his scope next week so that he can have that steak he has been dreaming about. Beef will be his first food trial...hence the steak ;).

I am doing well, and the baby is great. We heard the heartbeat (much to Dr. P's surprise) at 9 weeks. We have a fast little heart rate of 170. My blood pressure has already shot up so I have started my bp medicine. With the meds, my blood pressure does well and will most likely do so until the last trimester.

Wow, that was a lot. That's what happens when I slack on my blogging!! Well, this week will be busy with doctor's appointments and packing. Hope you all have a wonderful week, and I we promise to keep everyone posted while we are in Cincy.

Surprise....

2009-05-04T09:50:00.003-05:00

We are happy to announce that the Lord has blessed us with a surprise. We found out, April 24, that we are expecting our fourth child!! I am due December 30. So as many of you already know, that means anytime from Thanksgiving on for me! While my blood pressure has been great thus far, we did have a little scare this past week. I was having pain on my lower left side, so I had to have blood drawn on Thursday and then again on Sunday to verify that everything was proceeding normally and that I was not having an ectopic pregnancy. My doctor called at 7:55 this morning to let me know that this pregnancy is progressing normally, that the sac was in fact in the uterus as suspected from the ultra-sound, and in fact the hCG levels actually quadrupled; which is a very good sign. The pain was probably the result of a cyst that occurred during ovulation, and is of no concern now. Yeah, mommy and baby are healthy!

"Every good and perfect gift is from above." James 1:17

Rock and Worship Road Show

2009-04-18T08:57:00.003-05:00

I have done a terrible job keeping up with our blog lately. As most of you know, I was in a car wreck in January of 2008. This was five days after being discharged from ACH with Abigail; so needless to say, I didn't have time to focus on me at that time. I have paid the price and am now having to do physical therapy. That being said, I have been in a lot of discomfort and thus failing to blog. I will try to keep each post limited to a couple of updates so you don't have to read forever :). The most recent excitement was last Saturday. Sarah and Coy, Blair and Nathan, and Ross and I went to Springfield, MO, for the Rock and Worship Road Show. We saw Mercy Me, Jeremy Camp, Tenth Avenue North, Hawk Nelson, and Addison Road. However, we were unable to see Addison Road because she was having her baby!! It was amazing and the best part was that the tickets were general admission and cost only $10 per person. Thanks little sisters and boys for a wonderful Saturday...it was a blast!

Easter Pictures

2009-04-13T16:14:00.005-05:00

Change is in the Air...

2009-03-19T10:02:00.005-05:00

My sweet baby is no longer a baby anymore. She is officially a toddler! We transitioned her from her baby bed to her "big girl" bed this past weekend. She has done better with the change than either one of the other girls did. Timidity is a good thing a times. All I have to do is threaten a spanking and she obeys....wonder how long that will last?! She has also been doing very well with the potty training. Yes, I do have pictures of that as well, but will save her dignity and spare her from embarrassment today. Of coarse, becoming a toddler also means curiosity and adventure! For the mothers who are new to toddlerhood...if your child is quieter than normal...RUN! See what they are doing! It usually means they are up to no good! ;) This is how I found my toddler as she was supposedly playing innocently in her room. No obstacle is too great between a girl and shoes!Last but not least, our newest developement. Reactive Airway Disease. Basically, this is the diagnosis before Asthma. Dr. K didn't want to diagnose her with asthma yet for several reasons. The main two being that it is a diagnosis that will haunt her forever (insurance wise) and the other because she hasn't had enough respiratory issues to warrant that title yet. So for now, when her respiratiry signs desipate or her coughing won't cease, we give her Albuterol updrafts through the nebulizer. When we first started this process there was screaming, squirming, and many tears. However, she quickly learned it helped her breathe more easily and that it was way more fun to do it herself. She is getting so big!!!

Dad/Daughter Date Night and More...

2009-03-07T07:43:00.002-06:00

Our church had a Dad/Daughter date night late night. It was a Hollywood theme, complete with a Red Carpet, pictures, and the whole works. They had a chocolate fountain with fruit and other fun foods to dip, yummy dinner, and speaking about daddies and their daughters. It would have been a wonderful night if Mary Grace hadn't gotten sick halfway through it. She told her daddy she wasn't feeling very well, but did not want to go home. They stayed for about an hour longer than they should have, but she just wasn't ready to leave her night with her daddy. Ross called to tell me they were heading home after leaving early because she wasn't feeling well, and his words were, "She feels a little warm." Prepared mommy had her jammies ready to go and the thermometer in reaching distance when they arrived home. By the time they made it, she had fallen asleep and was running 103 degree temp. I got her dressed for bed, gave her some Motrin and put her to bed. Her temp. spiked to 104 at 5 am; I sure hope she doesn't have the...do I dare say these words?...the flu!!!

On another note, Amanda, called me yesterday with some exciting news. Her parents had to evict a family from their rental home (no, this isn't the exciting part, actually it's rather sad), and found 6 1/2 cases, or 39 cans of Elecare Elemental formula! That is the exciting part. Elecare is the other formula allowed for treatment with EE. The Lord sure moves in mysterious ways, and we are thankful! God is good.

Ross' Journey

2009-03-01T15:41:00.003-06:00

Today marks day one of Ross' three month formula ONLY treatment. He is going to needs lots of words of encouragement; as well as, your prayers. Please join us in praying for strength courage, and that He would continually bless us financially throughout out this new journey. God has been so faithful to provide, and to do so abundantly. Ross attended the men's conference at our church this weekend. At this conference the Lord revealed the scripture listed below to Ross. I will be praying it over him everyday until this journey is complete.

2 Corinthians 12:9
And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Our God is AWESOME!!!

2009-02-26T08:30:00.003-06:00

Beloved family and friends, I can barely contain the excitement I feel as I tell you of how God is moving. What an Awesome and Mighty God we serve! My dear friend, Cassidy, posted a message to an eosinophilic message board about our family's needs, and here are the responses we received...are you ready for how Powerful God is? Let me share in His wonder....

"I have some extra Neocate Junior that I can send him. You can give them my email address and they can contact me."

"I have Neocate Jr. which I would think could be mixed to his needs. I may be able to give 30 or more cans. I have to go take stock but I always keep way ahead on supply. I am willing to continue to help and share my supplies ongoing if it is helpful for them. Please let me know if this is helpful. That is sad. They cannot get insurance to pay? I will send you all the extra cans I have now and then each month I can get 4o cans, but only need to use about 30+/- so I would love to share whatever surplus I can with your husband regularly. Is he planning to drink it? Yucky . . . our is unflavored not that flavored is good. I am sure this will help him feel and be better. Does your child also take formula or are you on elimination diet? I am willing to share anything I have that would help you guys. Let me know if there are other supplies you need and I will see if I have them."

"Just wanted to let you know that I am happy to help your friend out in any way. I know that there have been multiple people offering different types of formula. Once your friend gets on a formula and can tolerate it please have them contact me and I will be happy to purchase a case or two of whatever formula works for him.Thanks."

"Hope you do not mind me emailing you off list, but I did not want to post this. My son was on an elemental formula, Neocate Jr., and got worse (EOS were the highest ever!). We opted to go with swallowed Flovent. While on the formula, I ended up with several extra boxes of the Neocate, which is not expired. I would be willing to ship it, assuming that I would be reimbursed for postage. Let me know."

Are you smiling yet? I am. Thank you for joining me at the Throne; please continue to meet with us there. I am so thankful I can share in this experience with those I love so dearly. There is nothing more empowering than the Mighty Power of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Jesus! Thank you, Jesus! We give You ALL the glory.

Pray, Pray, please Pray...

2009-02-24T11:07:00.003-06:00

FYI: God just provided 8 cans free!!! He is working!

After much prayer and consideration, Ross has decided to do the hypoallergenic Elemental diet for the next three months. He will need to begin this by March 1 to have his 3 months in by June. This formula will help begin the healing process for his digestive system with the ultimate goal of putting him into remission. There is no risk involved with the formula and it will help with Abigail's future with EE as well; unlike the steroids. Here is where we are needing the prayers...this formula is extremely expensive! If ordered directly from the manufacturer, the cost will be minimally $1100 per month. However, I have found 24 cans on eBay for $375, BUT the bid only lasts for another 18 hours and 32 minutes! I know that it is only 24 cans, but that is 24 cans that we can get for nearly a third the price. Please be in prayer that the Lord will provide. I do not ask this lightly; I ask those reading this to join us diligently in prayer over the next 5 days. This is the part where I may very well melt down, but this formula is for my husband. The man I love and cherish will all of my heart. The man who is the best Daddy I have ever known. This is something that he NEEDS. It isn't something we want to do nor it is something we desire, but it has to be done. No amount of money should limit how we can care for those we love, but the harsh reality is that we don't have the money. We are barley scraping by as it is. We have hundreds upon hundreds of medical bills piled up on the bar that we have hardly put a dent in. Please don't see this as complaining...please see that this is coming from my aching heart. The Lord has provided for our every need, and I know He will not stop now. This is just me being very real. My husband is sick everyday. Stomach cramps, abdominal pain, difficulty swallowing, and vomiting are among the list of daily issues he faces. I rarely hear him complain. I talk about the strength Abigail shows, but the strength this man has is equally as powerful. The true testament that strength is ageless. I want to help him to feel better and to ease his discomfort! I just desperately want to give him the treatment that will be best for him; and I don't want cost to stand in the way. God's resources are not our resources, and we have seen Him move in mighty ways. Thank you for your prayers!! Thank you, Lord, for what You have done, what You are doing, and for what is yet to come!

The Hill Grands!

2009-02-20T12:06:00.005-06:00

Aunt Belinda, this one is for you. Enjoy! Thanksgiving was a blast, let's do again soon.

The Grands (left to right)...Hannah, Caroline, Tyler, Andrew, Mary Grace, Lauren, and Abigail

Strength Comes in All Ages

2009-02-18T10:13:00.004-06:00

Abigail recovered from pink eye just to find herself with a violent stomach bug. She was up from midnight to 5:30 throwing-up every 30 minutes to an hour. Poor baby!!! After the vomiting stopped, then started the diarrhea, and when that all ended...the fever came. (I'm sure when she is older, she will be happy to know that I am writing this for all the world to see). My child never ceases to show me but a tiny glimpse of the strength the Lord bestows upon us exactly when we need it. Oh...I have just remembered the perfect verse to back up that statement. This is taken from the Prayer Book Version, the Great Bible; published 1488-1569. Psalm 68:28, "Thy God hath sent forth strength for thee." Our loving God has already sent forth strength for us before the trial we are going to encounter even begins.

Conjuntivitis...a.k.a. Pink Eye

2009-02-10T10:25:00.003-06:00

My child of strength can smile through anything...even Pink Eye! Her poor little eyes are so pink, swollen, and oozing with green stuff. Since nothing comes easily to her, we were calling the doctor on call last night after having an allergic reaction the the eye drops. The sad thing is, I made her have a reaction twice before I really believed that she was allergic to them. Not five minutes after administering the drops, she broke out in a rash all over her stomach. Poor girl was literally clawing at herself. Mark one more down to the already growing list of antibiotics that she is allergic to. Thankfully we are able to give her Omnicef; which she is starting today to get rid of the Pink Eye. Hopefully in a few days she will be back to "normal" again. I leave you with the conversation Abigail and her daddy had...

Daddy: Well Abigail, I know why you have Pink Eye. Abigail: ....confused look.... Daddy: It is because Mommy and I argue over what color they are. Mommy says brown, daddy says green, and God says....PINK! :) Abigail: yep...

He thought he was so clever.

A Testimony that God is good...ALL THE TIME!

2009-02-01T20:48:00.010-06:00

C.S. Lewis writes, "God whispers in our pleasures and SHOUTS in our pain." I can think of no better quote as I begin this post that I have wanted to write for so long. As I have pondered over the past several days of how the Lord has provided for my family over this past year, I really marvel at His work. If I am going to start this, I should really begin at the beginning. In July of 2005, the Lord began convicting Ross and I about our tithing habits. We have always tithed, but never regularly until then. Now, I have to admit that in the beginning this was neither easy nor was it pleasurable; it was out of obedience. During this same time, Ross was being approached by a friend to start their own business together, and we were longing desperately for our third child. Ross had dreamed about starting his own company some day, but never thought it would turn into reality. After much prayer and continued obedience through our tithing, the Lord provided the opportunity for Ross and Richard to start their business, Control Services Inc., debt free in March 2006. We also found out that after trying for 14 long months we were expecting our third little bundle of joy. I am so glad that God's timing is not our own because my pregnancy wasn't an easy one; and with two small children at home already it was about to get much more difficult. I am so glad that the Lord knew that Mary Grace and Hannah needed to be a little older and a bit more independent before enduring eight weeks of total bed rest. After bed rest, multiple hospital visits and several overnight stays we had our sweet Abigail in November 2006. This sweet baby has been blessed and showered with prayer from before she was conceived until this present moment. On December 18, 2007, Ross and I took Abigail to the emergency room at Arkansas Children's Hospital out of desperation to find out why our daughter refused to eat. Much to our surprise our sweet girl was admitted for 15 days and diagnosed with dehydration, malnourishment, failure to thrive, and eosinophilic esophagitis. Eosinophilic Esophagitis...what is this rare disease and what does it mean for my daughter's future? At this point, we knew very little about EE, but what Jehovah-Rophe, "The Lord who Heals" was quick to show us was this: "This sickness is not unto death, but for the glory of God, that the Son of God may be glorified through it" John 11:4. He showed me this through our first and our last roommates at ACH. The night we were admitted to the hospital, Ross had to go back home to work. I prayed that we not have roommates and no sooner did the words come out of my mouth did I have to change them to whomever we share this room with, let them be sent here by You. We did share that room that night; little did we know that He would send us a christian family that we would become friends with, laugh with during some of our hardest trials, and stay in contact even now. Thank you Jesus for sending Jerry and Rita to room 4703! Our last hospital stay was very exhausting and stressful; the last thing I wanted was a crying baby (who wasn't mine) in the bed next to us, but that is exactly what God sent our way. Lying in the bed next to Abigail's bed was the most beautiful little boy named Elijah, who has Downs Syndrome. That isn't even the best part! They were a nice christian family, and even though he was screaming at 2am I didn't mind because God had reminded me that He was in control and He has a purpose for everything. He brought Elijah's family and Abigail's family together in that place at that moment for a reason. Let me also tell you that He allowed Abigail to rest even throughout the screaming. What an AWESOME God we serve!!! After leaving ACH, Jehovah-Jireh, "The Lord our Provider" pointed us to Cincinnati Children's Hospital after Ross and I completed three days of prayer and fasting. I chose His name, Jehovah-Jireh, because He and He alone is our one true Provider. He knew that we were not financially in a position to take Abigail to Cincinnati, OH for treatment, but trusted that He would provide the way. Provideth He has done and He is still doing! His provisions have not been limited to health care alone, but have radiated throughout every aspects of our lives. Our dear friends, the Harris', knew that Mary Grace did not have a winter coat nor did we have the money to buy one. So after picking Gracie up from school we returned home to find a package hanging on the door. This package contained the most beautiful, meaningful white coat I have ever seen, and a perfect fit I might add. The funny part of this story shows God's amazing sense of humor; I had previously told Mandy that the only color I would not pick for a child's coat would be WHITE; yet white is all they had! A few weeks later, Amanda sent us a Christmas package a little early. There were Christmas pajamas for each member of our family, family pictures she had taken for us, and a gift card to Ozark Natural Foods. She knew that we had no Christmas jammies to sleep in Christmas Eve night, and the gift card would help with Ross' grocery needs. I never even had to tell her we needed these things...she just knew because after a 20 year friendship, there are some things you just know. See, the reason we needed these things is because Ross has had little to no work over the past four months. Because of this, we were unable to buy any gifts for our children or any others for Christmas. Our family members showered us with love and gifts for our children this year. That was a humbling lesson, and the best Christmas we have ever had. We will never forget the enormous generosity each of you have shown. Month after month we have gotten to the point where we have told Jesus we wouldn't make it without His help. It might be the day the bill was due, but each month He has been faithful to provide. Just this week we received two letters in the mail. A reimbursement check from a doctors office and a bill to another. The check was a credit of $41.71, the bill $41.76. Coincidence? No folks, that is the Mighty God we serve! The most recent example of God's faithfulness to provide came today. Ross and I were discussing and praying about where we were going to spend our money. Do we pay the car payment or do we eat? As I was praying I really felt like He was instructing us to pay the car payment because He was taking care of the food. In the next moment, Erin called to tell us to make a "Wal-Mart list" because our Sunday school class wants to help us out by getting us groceries. Thanks Directions Class! Throughout this whole experience Ross and I have cried tears of sorrow and tears of joy; and we have been in complete awe of how many times we have seen the face of Jesus in those we love and in those we have never met. Thank you Jesus for the amazing people we would have never met if not for EE! Thank you for Cincinnati Centers for Eosinophilic Disorders, and thank you for allowing us to build a friendship with Mike, Mona, and Coner while we were there. We have gone from controlling our own assets to completely entrusting them to Jehovah-Jireh, and honoring Him with our first fruits that He has given to us. I know this has been a long post for me, but that is really who it was for...me. I hope that our testimony can be strength for those of you who are in the midst of your own trials. God is good...all the time!

Pretty Daddy

2009-01-20T12:08:00.002-06:00

Two words you don't often place together; but indeed, he was "Pretty Daddy." Saturday evening, Mary Grace walks into the living room and says in her sweetest voice, "Daddy can we (she and Hannah) dress you up like a girl?" This process started with Baby Pink fingernail polish with sparkles. Hannah painted his left hand and MG his right. They took turns back and forth on each fingernail. Of coarse it couldn't stop there...he was adorned with the most gaughty plastic beaded necklace and bracelet in the girls jewelry box. Oh, but wait! Every girl must have lipstick; so we compromised with lip gloss. Again, Mary Grace in her sweetest voice then says, "Talk like a girl now daddy!" Oh it was so sweet. Sorry gang, no pictures. Only a story of possibly the very best daddy there ever was.

Ross' Results

2009-01-16T18:21:00.004-06:00

We wanted to let you all know that we received Ross' results in the mail today, and they were not exactly what we were expecting. The results were actually much worse than we had originally anticipated. There were increased eosinophils present in his small intestines, large intestines, and blood vessels; as well as, his esophagus. The numbers were outstanding in his esophagus at 245 eos/hpf...they should be zero. His doctors have a meeting scheduled for February 5 to discuss his treatment options. At this point, his options are very limited. The three options that we know about at this time are: 1. Formula only for three months (like Abigail) 2. Large doses of inhaled steroids swallowed (indefinitely) 3. Biological trail drugs. Please be in prayer that God direct the doctors and us down the right treatment path and that we are prepared to do what needs to be done. Thank you all for the prayer and support you have shown our family. Although this news was difficult to take in we know the Father has mighty things in store for the future!

Pasta Picture

2009-01-12T16:07:00.003-06:00

Thanks for the compliments on the picture. Yes, to answer any questions, I did take the picture. I decided that I had to have a picture to remember all of my hard work ;). Also, I have not yet tasted the pasta, but Ross and Hannah both gobbled it up. I suppose that means it was good! I am hoping to try it next time around.

Updates and Noodles

2009-01-08T15:56:00.005-06:00

Although we do not have an update at this time on Ross' progress; Abigail, does have results. She still has a few (11 eos/hpf)residual esoinophils. There was some progress from the last scope, so we were instructed to continue formula only for the next six months. At that point we will scope again, and hopefully be able to start food trails.

Here is a picture from what I like to refer to as "Ross-free" pasta that I handmade today.

Home Sweet Home

2008-12-20T19:00:00.002-06:00

We have made it home. The trip was very long and exhausting, but we made it. I will post more later...after we have recuperated. We are home, and my sister just dropped off the big girls a few minutes ago. It is nice to be a whole family again!

Our Friday

2008-12-19T21:05:00.003-06:00

Well, we decided to stay an extra day because Abigail still isn't feeling well. Abigail's allergist here worked her in today and said that she has a viral infection. We have albuterol that we can give her in case she starts having breathing difficulty on the way home, but hopefully we have avoided that situation this time around.
We were able to spend time with Mike, Ramona, and Conner again this evening before heading home in the morning. I am so thankful that the Lord has united our families, and I am looking forward to growing our friendship for years to come.
We are all packed up and ready to head home early in the morning. Our goal is to leave here by 4 am...that's right, that would be 3 your (AR) time. I will leave you with this sweet moment. Ross and I were eating dinner tonight when Ross suddenly got this "what are you doing" look on his face. He said, Abigail just reenacted a scene from The Little Mermaid. I started to ask which one when I realized that she was holding a fork. Yes, anyone who has children will know that Scuttle tells Ariel that the fork is a dingle hopper and that it is for brushing your hair. So when Ariel "gets legs" as my kids would say, she is eating dinner, sees a fork, and begins brushing her hair. After I, "Awe she's soooo cute," I realized how gross that really is. Although it could be worse; at least all she was eating was ice! In case you didn't know, she LOVES Ariel. I leave you now with a smile on your faces.

Past and Present

2008-12-18T10:57:00.006-06:00

A year ago today, our sweet baby was being admitted to Arkansas Children's Hospital for dehydration, feeding refusal, failure to thrive, and malnutrition. Little did we know that she would be diagnosed with Eosinophilic Esophagitis; and exactly one year later, Ross would be in Cincinnati having an upper and lower scope for the same disease. It is amazing how things can change in the span of a year. Here are a couple of pictures from where we were last year...

Ross came through both scopes well; although, the doctor said that he was very agitated while they were trying to get the upper scope down so they had to keep sedating him. He is sleeping now and will probably be out most of the day. Apparently they gave him A LOT of medication.
It will be a couple of weeks before we get the results of his scope because after Dr. K's lab read the pathology reports, his biopsies will be reviewed by Cincinnati Children's and then the doctors will discuss his future treatment options.

Snow, Allergies, and a Fever

2008-12-17T19:57:00.003-06:00

This picture was taken while it was snowing. The snow has melted off of the roads, but a dusting remains on the grassy areas.
Look familiar? Yes, those are the same looking whelps that Miss Abigail had on her little arms!

Here you go, Ross' allergies: milk, wheat, peanut, soy, apple, apricot, banana, blueberry, cantaloupe, coconut, lemon, orange, strawberry, watermelon, barley, corn, oat, rice, rye, sesame, sunflower, almond, Brazil nut, cashew, hazelnut, pecan, pistachio, walnut, codfish, flounder, lobster, scallops, shrimp, tuna, green beans, broccoli, carrot, celery, onion, lettuce, pea, squash, tomato, molds, ragweed, grass, trees, weeds, mites, cockroach, and cat. Basically, he can eat meat and potatoes, every man's dream! :) Although, my husband used to enjoy eating fruits and vegetables. I knew it was probably going to be bad, but luckily he will be able to eat all of the meats. Ross is now doing the prep for his upper and lower scopes tomorrow. We have to be at the office by 7 am and his scope will be at 8.

Now for the fever part...Abigail started running a temp. of 101.2 degrees. We are assuming that she has picked up a virus from spending the past three days in and out of doctor's offices. We are praying that she doesn't have the flu! The hospital has a strict visitation policy in place during flu season where children under 12 aren't allowed to visit and all of the "community toys" are locked away, but she still managed to pick up something. I guess we should feel fortunate that this is the first time that she has gotten sick from one of our many visits to the doctor.

Today's Recap

2008-12-16T21:11:00.003-06:00

Ross' appointment with the GI went well today. Dr. K was very nice and more importantly, he was well educated in EE. He asked a lot of questions about Ross' previous history and prepared us for the scope on Thursday. Tomorrow's appointment with the allergist will be more eventful I'm sure. That appointment will be at 11:30 am.

On another note, it snowed here a little today. Unlike Arkansas, they know how to treat and scrap the roads here. However, if you ask our friend, Mike, he says they don't know what they are doing...obviously he hasn't been to Arkansas when it snows! :)

We went to dinner with Mike, Ramona, and Conner tonight. Poor Conner wanted to get down and play like any normal 18 month old, so he ended up with Grandpa for a while. Next time Conner, we will have to go somewhere that will allow you and Abbz to run around and play!
Thanks Mike and Ramona for working us into your busy schedule and for a wonderful dinner.

Abigail's Scope and MG

2008-12-15T20:04:00.004-06:00

Mommy's sweet baby had her 7th scope today. Abigail did very well, and Dr. P said that her esophagus looked normal. He also said that when they look that good most of the time the results come back clean. That is what we have been praying for. We will hopefully have the results before we head back home. All in all today was a quiet day. Tomorrow, Ross has his consultation visit with the GI at 8 am.

Mary Grace went "home" from the hospital today. She is with my parents at least for tonight and tomorrow, and they will discuss the remainder of the week. Hannah is with Ross' mom at our house and loving every minute of her alone time with her Nana.

Gracie Update

2008-12-15T10:11:00.002-06:00

Mary Grace was admitted to the hospital last night for observation. The doctor said there would be significant bleeding if the clot broke loose again; so he wanted her close. She was able to sleep all night, but she her throat is very sore this morning (which is to be expected). The doctor has not been by yet this morning, but hopefully he will let her go home today. Thank you for your prayers! We will continue to keep you all up-to-date.

On another note, Abigail's, scope is today at 4:30 pm. Please be in prayer for her safety and that this is a clean scope and there be zero eosinophils. We will not get the biopsy results for a few days, but as soon as they come in we will let you know.

Mary Grace's Tonsilectomy...

2008-12-14T21:25:00.002-06:00

This is a pre-surgery picture of Mary Grace before the tonsil and adnoidectomy. The surgery was on the 5th and she has done very well; until today. The unfortunate thing is that Ross and I are in Cincinnati with Abigail. Mary Grace started bleeding apparently A LOT tonight. Ross' mom is staying with the girls so my dear and sweet Mandy took her to meet my parents so they could take her to the ER. Nana and Hannah are at home, we are in Cincy, and MG is on the way to the hospital. We are hundreds of miles away and as you can see Ross and I are a little stressed. I know that God knew this was in the works and He is in control. We are leaning on Him to take care of our little girl while we are away. Thank you to all of our friends and family members who have helped in taking care of her through this process. In case you are wondering why she is bleeding; 1 in 20 people have bleeding when the scabs fall off. Lucky us...Mary Grace is one of the 5%. Okay, I am going to go for now. I will keep everyone update on Mary Grace and on Abigail and Ross as well. Abigail's scope is at 4:30 pm tomorrow.

Appropriate Scripture for Today's Economy

2008-11-19T09:29:00.002-06:00

Matthew 6:25-34

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Storms and Very Special Thank You

2008-11-18T11:36:00.004-06:00

Many of us are familiar with story of Jesus calming the Sea while on the boat with the disciples, but how many of us have actually stopped and really read this passage?

Mark 4:35-41

35 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” 36 Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. 37 And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. 38 But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” 39 Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. 40 But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”41 And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!”

Matt read this passage in our Connection Group Sunday morning, and I have been studying and pondering over it ever since. His big lesson was being prepared before the storm of life hits, and I was screaming to myself, "What if you are already in the midst of the storm!!!?" So begins my reading. You can find this passage in Matthew 8 and also in Luke 8; however, Mark paints a beautiful picture for us. While Matthew and Luke simply say that Jesus is asleep, Mark says, "He was...asleep on a pillow." This shows Jesus' fleshly-side tired from preforming miracles and teaching parables, but also his deity-side knowing all was okay. Now here the disciples are in the middle of a storm, there boat is taking on water, they think there is no way they are going to survive, and Jesus is asleep on a pillow. How many times do we get all worked up and say, "Jesus do you care? There is no way we are going to make it through this situation. How are we going to make it?" How many times does Jesus have to calmly remind us, "Have faith my child, I can see the whole picture. I will never leave you nor forsake you. It will be okay."

I know that this passage was for me this week. Thank you Jesus for working through Matt to remind me that even though I am in the midst of a storm, He is there reminding me to have "faith of a mustard seed". When we have faith, He shows us a little ray of sunshine to show us that is He is ever-present in our times of need. My ray of sunshine came from the Harris family this week. Yesterday after picking MG up from school we returned home to find the most precious package anyone have ever given me hanging from the front door knob. As soon as I drove up to the house, I knew what it was. You see, they knew that Mary Grace did not have a winter coat and that we did not have the money to go buy one, so they as a family lovingly purchased a coat for our daughter. Thank you Drew, Mandy, Alex, and Emma! God has used you in more ways than you know. For those of you in a storm, I hope this helped and for those who will be someday, I hope this passage comes to mind and can help you like it has helped me. I will leave you with a picture and a quote from my beautiful girl in her beautiful new coat.

She says, "Mommy, I like it and I can't feel the cold anymore!" She is so strong, she never mentioned once to us that she had been cold, and that her little jacket just wasn't cuttin it. God is good!

Pictures in the Park with Alex and Emma

2008-11-17T17:00:00.008-06:00

We had a wonderful day watching Alex and Emma while their Poppy was having heart surgery. We tried to stay occupied while Drew and Mandy were at the hospital. Oh, I should mention this did not occur today, but I have just now had to the chance to upload the pics to my camera. First we laid down for a rest while watching the new Tinker Bell movie. Then we went to the park, amazingly several of the pictures turned out really well. My favorite one is the first one (hence the reason it is bigger than the rest) because they are just being themselves! We finished the night with cheese pizza, a bath, and PJ's. We are glad that Poppy is home and doing better, and even prouder that the day went so well!

Yes I am Alive and Kicking...

2008-11-13T19:57:00.005-06:00

I know I have been missing for a while, but I am alive. The family has been stricken with the lovely stomach bug, and Abbz with bronchiolitis. They have all returned to a "healthy" status, and things are starting to return to what we like to call, normal. I really have nothing exciting to write about; so I will leave you with my latest gluten-free recipe.

Grilled Parmesan Chicken with Alfredo Sauce and Quinoa:
3-4 Boneless, skinless chicken breast
Salt, Pepper, Garlic Powder, and grated Parmesan Cheese

2 cups heavy whipping creme
1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup fresh minced parsley
6 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 tsp. tapioca starch (opt.)
1/2 tsp. salt

Coat chicken breast with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and parmesan cheese to taste. Grill chicken on prepared outdoor grill and cook until done (or until no longer pink inside). While the chicken is cooking pour whipping creme and tapioca starch (if using) into a sauce pan and mix together with a whisk. When well blended, add all of the other ingredients minus two crumbled bacon slices to the whip creme mixture. Heat until just boiling. Once the chicken is done slice on a diagonal.

To serve:
Prepare Quinoa as directed on box. Scoop as much Quinoa as is desired onto plate. Pour Alfredo mixture on top. Top this with grilled chicken slice, and a drizzle of Alfredo sauce. Garnish with crumbled bacon from reserved bacon and shredded Parmesan cheese. Can serve with bacon-wrapped asparagus on the side.

Although this recipe is "allergen-free" for us, it is really very delicious. Let me know if anyone tries it. Oh, and by the way, Quinoa is a grain much like rice, but packed with much more protein. I actually like it better than rice and I think it is much more flavorful.

A Quiet Moment

2008-10-22T19:48:00.006-05:00

Ssshhhh....do you hear that? Of coarse you don't because you are there sitting staring at a computer screen, and I am here in my quiet house. Quiet? Yes, quiet. The girls are nicely tucked into bed, and Ross is fast asleep. Ross had a bad encounter with a bag of chips today. These chips he has had several times with no adverse reaction...until today. First his lip starting swelling, then his gums, and finally the lump in his throat indicating that he was in fact having an allergic reaction, and yes his throat was closing up. He quickly took 2 Benadryl and headed to Wal-Mart with the Epi-Pen tucked into his pocket. Why Wal-Mart you ask? He bought Children's liquid Benadrly to swish around his mouth and gargle to hopefully stop the swelling. After a couple of hours there was success. Oh, did I mention he was in Ft. Smith working? Yes, imagine my distress knowing that he was a good hour and 15 min. away. I felt completely helpless; as I am sure he did, but luckily everything turned out fine. Now he is fast asleep in our bed breathing normally. He will probably be out until morning. Wow...12 hours of sleep...I could go for that! Let me leave you with this...

"Count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience." -James 1:2-3

I have known this verse since I was a child, but came across it again in my reading last night. This verse and this verse alone may be the single most important verse for my family and the trails we are facing together. "Count it all joy..." I can honestly say that I see the joy in this disease called Eosinophilic Esophagitis. Yes my daughter and my husband both have this disease, but I see that my God has a bigger plan. A plan bigger than the disease, bigger than not being able to eat, bigger than the strange and confused looks, and much bigger than the tears. I know that this is for HIS glory. I am honored and blessed to be the wife of an incredibly strong man that restricts his foods so that he can be healthier, and so that someday he can tell his baby girl that he made sacrifices that paid off so they can both be well. A man who is willing to face this disease knowing that God is standing there with him through it all. Ross and I are equally as blessed to know that our Heavenly Father entrusted us to provide for such a sweet and beautiful little girl. Although Abigail isn't able to eat the foods we eat, she has brought us joy beyond words. Her name has truly brought meaning to our lives; even more so than we could have ever imagined. Abigail means "My father's joy," and she is just that. Not only has EE brought us joy, but it has also brought us patience. Patience in waiting for doctor's appointments, money to provide the medical care needed, test results, and the unknown. Through this trial we have met amazing people with children that posses unexplainable strength. We have seen doctors with passion like nothing I have ever seen before. We have become a part of a church family that many do not find in their lifetime, and relied on family and friends for the support they have promised to show. So, if asked, yes I have found divine joy and patience during this trial, and thank God that He knew that with Him we could handle it. This trial is a process, but someday I know there will be healing, and we will give Him and Him alone all of the glory!

Cincinnati Follow-Up and New Beginnings

2008-10-22T10:03:00.002-05:00

We have our dates for our next Cincinnati trip. We will be leaving Dec. 14th returning Dec. 19th. It will be another busy trip; hopefully filled with just as much great information as the first trip. This will be a follow-up visit for Abigail. She will be scoped on Monday, and with much prayer she will have ZERO eos! We want 0 eos/hpf because that will mean that the elemental formula alone is working, and her levels should be able to control through diet. Although this is a follow-up for Abigail, it will be Ross' intial visit. He will see the GI specialist on Tuesday for a consultation, allergy tested on Wednesday, and scoped on Thursday. We are anxious to learn what his treatment options are and to see what improvements have occurred since his new diet restriction.

Baby Sister All Grown Up

2008-10-15T13:20:00.006-05:00

Fayetteville's Homecoming was last weekend; and much to my surprise, my baby sister is all grown up! I still think of her as my little baby sister, when in fact she is turning into a beautiful young lady. Her beauty shines from the inside out, and I couldn't be more proud of her. Here are a few pictures I took of Blair and Nathan from that night.

FHS Homecoming 2008

Strep Throat and Busy Plans

2008-10-07T08:43:00.003-05:00

Mary Grace has been unfortunately stricken with the dreaded Strep Throat. Poor baby was miserable. Her fever didn't break for two days and her throat was so swollen it is difficult for her to breathe when she was lying down. We started her antibiotic yesterday and let me tell you, it's a miracle drug. Dr. K said that his "drug of choice" for strep is Omnicef and that most children respond by the next day. I was hopeful, but realistic because it usually takes MG a good 5 days to recover. However, she woke up fever free and able to eat 1/2 a chocolate doughnut. That was huge improvement since she ate nothing the day before. Hopefully we are on our way to recovery which is good because we have a busy weekend planned. Friday is Fayetteville's Homecoming and my sister is cheering in the game, so I must go. Saturday we are going to Hot Springs for Ross' grandmother's birthday, and Sunday my grandmother will be in town; so of coarse we have to get the family together for a visit. It has been several months since she has seen Abigail; in fact the last time she saw her we were at Children's. I am looking forward to seeing family, but not the chaos that goes along with it.

Nonsense

2008-10-03T10:30:00.002-05:00

I don't have anything exciting to talk about, but I don't want to clean house so I am going to think of something. What have we done? Yesterday, we went to the park with Mandy, Alex, and Emma. My girls always enjoy playing with "Emma and Alex" and it gives Mandy and I time to laugh...most of the time at one another. We had decided that our kids need a padded room, but then quickly remembered that wouldn't work because Abigail would most likely be allergic to the material in the padding...i.e. Latex. You have to laugh at that one.
Let's see, what else? Oh, I had another MEMEC meeting last night. It is always nice to talk with other mothers that are experiencing the same trials and tribulations that you are facing. Plus, it is a great escape for us mother's that are taking care of sick children all day. Four and a half hours later our meeting came to an end...only because Barnes and Noble closed, but I am sure our husbands were glad they didn't stay open any longer. Thanks husbands for letting us go out last night!
Amanda is coming over today to take pictures of my girls. I am so excited! The last time we had pictures taken, Abigail was 5 days old. Amanda is wanting to start her own photography business some day; so I figure she can practice on my girls any time! ;) I hope she is able to fulfill her dream; I know she will be great at it. Between Kristen and Amanda you would think I would have new pictures all of the time, but I don't. Who has time for real pictures (not just snap shots)???
You are all probably bored out of you minds reading this nonsense, so I will go for now. Until next time, have a wonderful day!

Thankful

2008-10-01T10:35:00.003-05:00

I decided to do a tribute to some of the things I am most thankful for that most people take for granted. Hope you enjoy!

*Freedom of religion...loving the Lord my God, having Jesus Christ as my personal Savior,
and knowing above all else He is in control!
*Parents that taught me to have a personal relationship with Christ
*Good Health
*Having the freedom to eat whatever I want without having an allergic reaction.
*A wonderful husband, 3 beautiful daughters, family
*Friends that I can count on no matter what...even if it is about a problem that is entirely too
much information.
*My garbage disposal, dishwasher, refrigerator
*Washing machine/dryer and hot water heater
*Coffee, sugar, and cream because no good coffee is without sugar and cream.
*Hair straightener and make-up
*Work...not me, but my hubby :)
*Clean water to drink
*A house with heating and air
*Laundry...dirty or clean because at least I have clothes!
*Disposable diapers...I have washed, folded, changed, and cleaned dirty cloth diapers-NO FUN
*A reliable vehicle even if that makes me a "mad mom in a mini-van"
*Chocolate

Okay, so my list could go on and on, but you get the idea. Hopefully it has reminded you of things to be thankful for during our current economical status. Stay happy, be thankful, and remember that God is always in control. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." -Jeremiah 29:11. A quote from Pastor Floyd, "We live in God's ecomoy, not our economy." Trust and believe and He will provide.

TAG YOUR IT!

2008-09-30T15:54:00.006-05:00

Annie tagged me! Here are 7 weird and random facts about me:

1. My children must always have on shoes and a hairbow before leaving the house; and I prefer they be in coordinating outfits.

2. I cannot go to sleep with the closet door open...it creeps me out.

3. I'm an FHS band geek. I played the flute and was Captain of the Flag Line 3 years in a row.

4. I absolutely hate going to the eye doctor, but don't mind going to the dentist.

5. I have always wanted to have identical twins.

6. I put garlic in every thing...excluding desserts of coarse!

7. Ross and I were engaged before we went on our official first date. What?! We were poor college kids and couldn't afford to go any where. Unless of coarse, you consider lunch in the Pomfret cafeteria a date! Ha!

I hope you enjoyed my list of random facts because it took me forever to come up with anything. Normally I have a list a mile long, but put me on the spot and I clam up. Amanda, Mandy, Erin, Kristen, Alicia, Stacey, and Alissa...TAG YOUR IT!

BB&B 2008

2008-09-29T12:57:00.005-05:00

Who is in that picture? That's right. Jesse James was signing autographs at the "6th Street Wal-Mart" on Saturday Morning. For those of you who don't know who Jesse James is, he builds West Coast Choppers among other things.
Ross, Grumpy, and Jesse James. Good thing I took a picture with Grumpy's camera also because Jesse isn't looking at the camera in this one!
Grumpy and the big girls...Abigail still isn't up for touching Grumpy...I think she is afraid! ;)
Look at that hot momma on the back of that motor cycle!...Somehow I ended up with a picture of my mom and Ross on the bike and none with me! So sad. :( At least she looks good.

I have about a million other bike pics, but thought I would spare you the agony of looking at them. Ross always wants to take pictures, but they don't look as good as they did in person. All-in-all the weekend went well and we had a great time. It is a wonderful weekend for both Ross and the girls to spend time with just their "Grumpy" (aka Ross' dad).

Mary Grace's Baptism

2008-09-28T11:25:00.010-05:00

"My eyes have seen your salvation." -Luke 2:30

When Mary Grace was three and four, she was involved with Cubbies, an Awana program. During that time, she learned to memorize scripture. As she did so, she kept coming back to Luke 2:30, "My eyes have seen your salvation." This was her favorite verse for quite some time, and as it turns out, on January 9, 2007, she accepted Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior. On July 13, 2008, she was baptized at our church First Baptist Springdale. Mary Grace was honored and excited to have Mr. Zach (our family friend) baptize her that morning. It was an amazing experience; one I know she will always remember. I have been meaning to post pictures, but never seemed to find the right time; so Mary Grace, this is for you. Mommy and Daddy are so very proud of you for making the single most important decision of your life. We are happy to not only have you for a daughter, but also to know you as a sister in Christ. We look forward to seeing your relationship with the Father grow and mature throughout the years, and expect to see mighty things done through and in your life as you walk with Him. Here are some pictures from your very special day!

Mr. Zach and Mary Grace

The Green Family
The Hill Family
The Moore Family

The Girls are ready to go...

Brownie Points for Momma

2008-09-28T10:49:00.003-05:00

So I attempted to make my husband "pizza" and "cheesecake" a couple of days ago, and you know what? They actually both turned out very well. The flat bread pizza crust was made from tapioca flour, tapioca starch, basil and rosemary. It was very yummy...much like a pizzeria pizza! Then, as if that wasn't adventurous enough, I made a crust less chocolate cheesecake with ganache and whipped cream on top. It was also good, but a little too sweet for me. A little went a long way. Yes, my husband is the luckiest man in the world to have a wife that is willing to be a little adventurous; so that we do not have to eat the same foods over and over again. :) Enjoy the pictures of my master pieces.

Oh, I did not stop there with the coolness. I let my children have cheesecake and coffee for breakfast! Yes! Coffee...mind you, there was very little coffee and a WHOLE LOT of sugar and cream. They thought it was the best and I won several "coolest mom ever" points with the big two this morning. While I am bragging about myself, I might as well rack up on those brownie points while they are rolling in 'cause I have no idea what's for lunch today. ;)

Happy Fall!!!

2008-09-22T12:31:00.002-05:00

For those of you who know well, you know that I love fall! Today is officially the first day of fall; so Happy Fall to you all! In honor of fall and in no particular order, here are a few reasons why I love fall:

*The crisp, cool, clean air.
*Autumn colors on the leaves.
*The smell of warm apple pie.
*Football
*Thanksgiving and Family
*Celebrating the birth of our 3rd daughter.
*Pumpkins
*Scarecrows
*Cornstalks, Hay, and Mums
*Hot apple cider

Catch Up

2008-09-08T12:41:00.003-05:00

Okay, so in search of a doctor for Ross, we have been led back to Cincinnati. I spoke with three different clinics in Arkansas including UAMS, and none of them have had much experience with any eosinophilic disorder much less EE. After talking with the Centers for Eosinophilic Disorders in Cincinnati, we have confirmation this is where we are supposed to be. He will have to go through the same "approval" process that Abigail went through, but since she has already been seen and he has such large numbers of eos this should not be a problem. In fact, we already know that we will most likely be traveling during the weeks of Nov. 5 or Dec. 17. So....MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY...because we aren't gonna have any money left for gifts! Oh well, it's the thought that counts, right? RIGHT?!? ;) I'm sure we will work something out.

In other news, I took Abigail to the dentist last week. Dr. Rhodes, by the way is great if you are looking for a wonderful pediatric dentist that loves his job. Now that I have put my plug in for Dr. Rhodes, I will get to the point. He wants to see her every three months because she has calcification build up from not being able to eat anything abrasive, and since she has such severe allergies he wants to avoid decay at all costs (because she could be allergic to the material in fillings). He also suggested that we have her frenum (the thin piece of tissue that connects the top lip to the gums) cut. It is tight and very difficult to brush her top teeth. Our appointment with the oral surgeon is Thursday. Another procedure and anesthesia...is it ever going to end?

Hannah and Mary Grace are doing well, I am happy to announce. Mary Grace is loving school and Hannah is loving being the "big sis" while Gracie is there! I have to admit it has been fun having Hannah basically to myself for a few hours each day! As for me, well I was sick all weekend, but I am feeling much better today. I guess I just had a virus...or my body said it was time for rest because I ran a fever without any other symptoms for about 24 hours and felt crummy afterwards, but like I said am good today. Ross was wonderful though!! He kept the house clean and did laundry...he even cooked a little! Well, I am done playing the catch up game until next time.

Results are In...

2008-09-04T08:27:00.002-05:00

After much waiting; Ross' pathology reports confirmed that he does in fact have Eosinophilic Esophagitis. Just to show you how he compares with Abigail, his highest eos count was 80 and Abigail's was 90. Pretty close to the same...in other words, he isn't doing too well either.
I have had several questions about how Ross is handling his new diet. He is actually doing quite well with it at the moment. It has effected all of our diets, but surprisingly it hasn't been that hard so far. Although reality hit me yesterday as I was watching the Food Network channel and I realized that I will not be able to bake like I used to. Baking is/was my passion and now I won't be doing that...for a while anyway. That's okay though; I will just have to learn to change my passion from baking to cooking. All in all we are doing okay! We are now in the process of seeking out doctors for Ross. Doctors who have seen adult EE patients. Well, it's time to get Abigail from therapy so I hope you all have a wonderful day!