PRAY FOR JOSH

This is going to be very quick but please pray for Josh Buck. While on vacation he suffered a spinal chord injury and is in critical condition in Miami.
He and his wife attended IWU with Tony and I, and 1 1/2 years ago their sweet Ava went ahead of them to heaven.
You can keep up on his recovery and ways to help at http://www.greenhouseministries.org

We're Home

Cora went to the Doctor 8am Thursday and by 9 was admitted. To make a long story short it took almost the whole day to get her IV started . . . There is somewhere between 18 & 22 little holes in her body because her little veins just couldn't handle the fluids. Unfortunately she wasn't drinking anything and so by 8 pm they went in determined and came out successful. I was very relieved that she was getting the fluid and IV meds she needed (her ear infections still hadn't cleared up), I was relieved they didn't have to stick her anymore, but my heart broke a little when I saw her head! By morning though, I decided she could pull off the look and maybe even start a new fashion trend! :)

The good news is her fever broke and after breaking-out in a rash they were able to diagnose her with rosella (a.k.a. sixth disease or baby measles). Rosella within itself is pretty harmless it's just fever and dehydration that can cause problems. So anyway last night around 8:30pm we came home. She still wasn't feeding (too tired to suck) but was accepting milk from a syringe. So . . . knowing I could get fluids in her a few mls at a time, I felt comfortable bringing her home. I knew she was feeling better when she started blowing zerberts at the nurses and playing peek-a-boo with Pastor Steve . . . But after about 15 minutes of spunk she would be exhausted and fall asleep.

I would like to thank everyone who prayed . . . her fever was as high as 105.4 and we were very worried. Please continue to pray that she builds up her strength and returns to her "hoover-like" eating habits!!! :) I was also like to say a special thanks to Mum and Dad for taking care of Laynie, for 2 days, so I could stay the hospital and Tony could continue to work. Thank you to Chapel Pike and Pastor Steve for visiting with us and the sweet balloon and stuffed toy. Thank you to Nurse Tracy for having some "hutsbah" and not giving up on the IV. Also thank you for the peace offering in the form of a stuffed doggy - she loves it!, and thank you to Tony for pushing me to take her to the Doctor, for holding down the fort, and being generally wonderful!

Just when we thought we were cheap parents . . . .

Some people will think we are horrible but Tony and I are quite proud of ourselves when we can "save a buck" . . . even at the expense (ha ha no punn intended) of our children.
When we prepared to make our trip to NC we decided to buy a DVD player for the car. The catch? Well, this would be our Christmas present to the girls and so we would only have to buy them something little. They don't care - they have a ridiculous ammount of presents from everyone else!!! So, Laynie could a Vegietales CD that we got for $2.76 and Cora got a set of Peek-a-blocks for $7. Wooohooo Christmas morning under $10! I couldn't be prouder. And then Cora wised-up to our big plan . . . Cora got sick.
After cold wash cloths, endless medicine and baths we ended-up at the ER. We just couldn't get her 104.6 F temp to break. She wouldn't drink and hadn't had a wet nappy in 6 hours and so off to the hospital we went. A bunch of tests, meds and I couple of IVs later she was out of the woods. She started to drink a little and her temp had dropped and so I was faced we a decision - to admitt or go home? The Doctor said she wasn't septic so she didn't HAVE to go upstairs, but that it wouldn't be a bad idea either. If she stayed they would be able to keep her hydrated and control her fever, but if I was comfortable taking her home I could. I HATE MAKING DECISIONS, ESPECIALLY AT 1am!!!! I took her home. I decided that if I could keep her drinking, and keep her comfortable, she were better off at home. Also, if things got out of control I could just call and the Doctor would admitt her to the Peds ward immediatly. So now we are in wait and see mode. Her temp was high again yesterday . . . but she ate. Tony is being a wonderful, but slightly paranoid, concerned Daddy and so we have cut a deal. If I can keep her temp under 101.5 she can stay home, if not he's calling the Doctor.
So far so good . . .
Anyway, our cheapest Christmas has now become our most expensive. Hopefully Cora's first Christmas won't be repeated every year!!!
The nice thing though is that Tony got a great Christmas present - Cora hugged him for hours. Obviously she was dillusional from the fever :).

Christmas Special

Woops! Sorry I'm a first time "You-tuber".

Quite a "holiday" season

I will write more at a later time, but for right now I wanted to get some pictures up . . . .

We went to NC, to visit Tony's family, the first week of December. We had a great time celebrating Layn's birthday and an early Christmas. Our family and friends have been very supportive of my obsession with keeping Christmas and Laynie's birthday separated . . . It's not easy being born on the 22nd.

Laynie at the Fun Factory

December Birthdays ~ Tracy, Mark, and Laynie

After returning home we got ready for Laynie's Birthday party. All her little friends, cousins, and second cousins came over for cake and ice-cream . . . and to see her new SURPRISE "big-girl" room.

All of the family got in on the action:

Grandma Ju Ju and Grandpa Jim gave her the comforter, mattress pad and drawer pulls.

Grandma and Grandpa Foster gave her the bed head, sheets, and a blanket.

Uncle Wil (& family) gave her the gift of a mural (flower, 2 bees and a lady bug) . . . The flower is about 7 feet tall!

Aunt Jan (& family) gave her Bambi jammies.

Tony, myself and Cora gave her the bed frame, mattress . . . And time required to pull it off.

It was a great surprise - she had NO IDEA and when she saw it for the first time she stood in the middle of the room and giggled.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY LAYNIE-LOU!

Child-tested and approved

Her first night in her new room

Last Sunday the children did a Christmas story presentation at a Church. I was VERY excited because this was the first year Laynie could participate . . . And she LOVES to sing . . . I was crawling out of my skin with anticipation. Then the almost 3 year old kicked in and what you see below is a portion of what ensued. Laynie was a lamb . . . And I guess lambs in Bethlehem don't sing and get their kicks out of traversing the altar.