Stretching and Growing

Where have the last 4 months gone?  This family of six has been moving along at break neck speed – as usual.  And while some days it is all a bit of a blur, we wouldn’t have it any other way!  We love it! We are blessed to have the life we live, and each of our children is a gift.  We love being able to do things for them and with them.  We are all learning and growing every day!  The main point of today’s entry is to update Finn’s health status.  But I would be remiss if I didn’t recap the big events in the last few months…

JAKE:  Jake turned 8 at the end of January.  In the chaos, we weren’t able to have his birthday party until a few weeks after the actual day, but he had a GREAT time with his buddies at Stillwater SpaceWalk – an indoor inflatables facility.  He played basketball with Upward (Go Commodores!) in the early part of the year, then we transitioned in spring to SASA baseball (I Ride With the Stampede!).  His baseball team just won the silver bracket of their first tournament of the year last weekend – what a trip!  We head out to another tournament this coming weekend, and have league games every week. He is loving second grade and is an excellent student!  He recently became a patient with our favorite orthodontist! We’ve got a bad habit to break… He can finally ride his 2 wheeled bike! At 8 years old, he stands 5 feet tall and weighs 100 pounds – definitely the biggest of all his friends.  He is our gentle giant.

Lara: Since that last ER visit, we have worked very hard to manage her asthma and allergies.  Her braces have really started to move her teeth and change the look of her face.  We are excited for the next year for her!  She has dance classes 2 nights a week, and truly loves it.  Her studio is awesome, she has great teachers, and wonderful dance friends.  Recital is coming up in a couple of weeks, so she is working extra hard to polish her dances!  We had pictures a couple of weeks ago and can’t wait to see it all up on stage soon!  Lara also spread her wings and tried out for junior high cheerleader.  Even though she didn’t make the team, we are so proud of her for stretching outside her comfort zone!  She is a very good student and she is sad to see middle school coming to an end.  You can find her either dancing through life or reading a book.

Emma: Emma is our studious student.  She has maintained straight A’s all year, and hates to miss school for any reason.  She also tried out for the track team this spring, but missed it by just a bit.  Even while she was sick, she jumped almost 11 feet in the long jump!  She also spent some time with the orthodontist, but we aren’t putting her braces on just yet.  Her newest hobby is rodeo.  Yes, we’ve got a cowgirl on our hands!  She has joined a Junior Ranch Rodeo Association team and is competing in their circuit this year.  She has had 2 events so far and is learning so much each time – even how to fall gracefully.  She loves her horses and everything cowgirl.

Twisters: They will be teenagers in 11 days. Both girls are adapting to their father living in town near us.  They definitely get to see him more, but sometimes it is a challenge to meet everyone’s expectations.  It’s definitely an adjustment!  After struggling with mono in February and March, both girls were in their middle school production of High School Musical Jr 2 in March.  They had a great time, and it was a WONDERFUL show.  It is an experience they won’t ever forget!  Just this past Friday night, we celebrated their 13^th birthday (early since this is such a busy time of year) with a formal dinner and charm school event at their Aunt Paula’s house.  It was an EXCELLENT event and while they learned some etiquette, they made amazing memories.  Be looking for more on that soon… I can't believe they are off to the junior high school soon!

Britt & Betsey: Busy as ever!  Britt recently got a new “office” and new responsibilities at his day job with student health services.  He still does all his original tasks, but now has some new ones, too.  And he no longer has to sit at the front window.  Betsey is still working ¾ time with dining services, doing all things digital.  Getting home at 2:30 in the afternoons sure is good for the soul when meeting all the kids as the come home!  But the best part of both our days is ********!  Not only have the products helped us lose over 130 pounds between us, given us more energy, and helped us feel GREAT, but working the business side has afforded us more financial freedom.  Orthodontists are expensive!  But the best part of our job is helping others!  We are so lucky that we get to help other people get healthy, and improve their finances, too.  Lives are being changed.  Ours, but most importantly our friend’s and family’s lives.  Since January we have earned the Silver leadership level, been invited to attend and were trained at the first ever Leadership U class, and attended Leadership School for the up and coming leaders in the company.  We are looking forward to Success School in August – and earning another pin level before we go!  There are so many people out there still looking for what we have.  We want to share it with them!

And sweet Finn.  He is so cute.  We hear it all the time.  But he is also stubborn, strong willed, defiant, a bit on the aggressive side, and needs anger management lessons.  He is the epitome of a “threenager.”  And while almost all of his “Preemie Problems” have been dealt with, we’re now dealing with a genetic issue – more on that in a bit.  So, over the last 4 months, we’ve seen his pediatrician several times, his lung doctor 3x, his eye doctor, the dentist (still not a fan, but we did better this time and she got to observe his severe under bite), his ENT, and his endocrinologist.  Next week we see the audiologist, his new specialist the gastroenterology doctor, and the endo doctor again.  WHEW!  Over all, he is very healthy.  We are still monitoring the ear tubes he got last year, and due to his ear issues he has still not completely passed the hearing panel yet.  Hopefully this week!  He is talking up a storm and has a huge vocabulary, so we’re not really worried about his hearing but want to keep his ears healthy! 

But his issues lie in his height and weight.  He is still way too tiny for his age, and especially his genetics.  Remember the 5 foot tall 8 year old I mentioned earlier?  His doctor thinks this is not preemie related.  So, after a year of observation from the endocrinologist, he has recommended growth hormones for Finn.  Based on his diagnosis of “Small for Gestational Age” (SGA) at birth – meaning even for a 26 week gestation micro preemie – he was smaller than average, his slow progress over the last 12 months, and his current location on the growth and weight charts, it is time for intervention.  This revelation has been a hard pill to swallow.  While there is no “medical” ramifications of small stature, the social and emotional consequences can take a toll.  And if we can help him avoid some of that, we feel we should.  But, that also brings us to another specialist.  While he grew 2 inches in 6 months, he lost 2 pounds.  The hormone therapy will help his bones and muscles grow, but he needs body fat.  So, the GI will run tests to make sure he is absorbing nutrients properly, and we will meet with a nutritionist as well.  He is a very picky eater, and he is a grazer. He eats small amounts of food – all day long! 

All that to say, we have lots to learn.  And my stubborn boy has lots of obstacles to overcome.  We go to the pediatric gastrointestinal doctor first thing Wednesday morning at OU Children’s Hospital.  This is our first visit with him, and we hope to get some answers and a plan of action from him.  Immediately following that appointment, we go back to his pediatric endocrinologist at OU Children’s to learn how to inject the growth hormone.  Fed Ex delivered it Friday.  So, here we go….. It’s all happening so fast…

Please pray for us.  For Finn – I have to hold him down to inject the meds; it takes 6 seconds to deliver the medication.  That’s a long time for a 3 year old getting a shot.  For Britt and I – it’s never easy to make the decisions, let alone carry out the treatments to get desired results.  For his siblings.  It seems there have been so many time over the last 4 years where the focus was so much on Finn.  I don’t want them to get lost in all this.  And for our business.  This treatment is not cheap.  God gave us this vehicle so we could care for our children.  It is now our job to steward it, and grow it, so we can keep our babies healthy and provided for.  And as always, for discernment.  God’s will be done.

Best. Husband. EVAH!

With six people in our house, it is ALWAYS crazy busy.  And noisy.  And chaotic.  AND FUN!  And you know why?  Because of my AMAZING husband!  He begs me not to call him that – for fear he will fall short – but I tell him over and over and over again, “Ain’t gonna happen!”  In my eyes, and in my heart, there is no one better at being the first in command at Six Dream Weavers!  My husband, my friend, my confidant, my love.

As usual, we have had a super busy last few weeks.  Between March of Dimes committee work, the March for Babies, Finn’s birthday, Emma’s volleyball, Lara’s dance, Jake’s flag football, Finn’s numerous medical and developmental appointments, traveling over Fall Break for a family wedding, work, school and church, I MISS MY HUSBAND!  I feel like I don’t get to spend time with him much these days.  We haven’t had a date in months, and I don’t think we have seen a movie (alone, together, in a theater) in over a year.  We try to have lunch together most days, but even then we are under the time crunch of work responsibilities, and all we do is talk about our crazy schedule!

So, I want to take this opportunity to brag on my man a little bit.  He’s been feeling the pressure of being the Leader of our family this month, and he deserves some applause.  He wears the hat of husband/father/provider very VERY well, and I want to tell you about it!

He is the Head and Spiritual Leader of our home.   His God given charge and one he takes seriously.  Most important job he has.  He prays with us and for us, and reminds us to keep the Faith.  He lifts us up and encourages us, even in the darkest of nights.  He starts every single day in the Word, and encourages me to do the same.  I love him so much for his example of being an Overcomer!  

But, the list goes on from there.  A little over 2 years ago he took over laundry duty since I was in the hospital.  I have never fully taken it back (I am in charge of towels and “miscellaneous” loads).  He is in charge of all things “outside” including the garage, the storage area, and the yard.  He is CFO.  That stands for Chief Food Officer (I loathe grocery shopping (ADD kicks in and I just want to leave), and while I am fully capable of “warming things up,” he is our head cook).  It stands for Chief Financial Officer (guardian of the checkbook, master of bills, stifle-r of on-line shopping).  And it stands for Chief FUN Officer.  He told me once long ago that his goal is to make me laugh once a day.  Most days, he far surpasses that goal!  Sometimes it is at our children’s expense (when do they “get” sarcasm?), but most of the time it’s just because he is so funny!  And so much fun to be around!  He loves to take the back roads and explore the unknown - traits I simply don't have!  He helps with household chores, leads our family meetings (ask me about this sometime – it’s a GREAT tradition we started (his idea) a couple years ago, and it works SO WELL for our family), helps keep our schedule in order (along with my organizing pal, Cozi!), and has the best logistics plans to get it all done when I just can’t see how it will happen.

I love the way he loves me.  And our family.  He is a giver in every sense of the word, and he truly puts my happiness and comfort, as well as that of our kids, before his own.  (Pretty sure he hasn’t had a new pair of shoes in ages.)  And he honors and loves me by loving my girls.  Emma, Lara and I were a package deal - with the added "baggage" of an ex-husband.  A deal he accepted with grace, humbleness and an open mind, but was genuinely overwhelmed by sometimes in the beginning.  Add two bouncing baby boys to the mix, and now and then, we wonder ourselves how we keep our heads above water!  But watching him parent, teach, and guide our babies – ALL FOUR OF THEM -- makes my heart swell with pride.  I admire the way he explains life’s ups and downs to them and how he comforts them when things don’t go their way.  He knows them each so well individually and knows just what they need and when they need it.  He can talk Emma off the ledge wen I don’t even want to try.  He helps Lara laugh at herself and see the joy in things.  He encourages Jake to try new things and never give up.  And, Finn would have cried A LOT MORE than he did the first two years of his life without his sweet Daddy constantly holding him and rocking him.

He is generous to a fault.  And not in a bad way.  We may not be able to even be in the same zip code as “The Joneses’” but if you need something we have, you can have it.  No questions asked.  We don’t always have money to donate or spend, but we have time, and a few talents, and he has shown me the importance of giving freely of those intangible things.  What an AWESOME example he is setting for the next generation!  I never fully understood what it meant to volunteer my time and get involved in something I believe in, until my husband showed me.  Now, I wish I could do more with my time!  He is an AWESOME fundraiser, and the time he spends at the Church welcoming everyone both make me so happy he is part of my life.

Now, don’t think for an instant it’s all perfect in the Weaver house!  Sometimes, we are tired, sick, and fed up.  We yell.  At each other.  Regretfully, in front of the kids.  Even at the kids.  We get frustrated with each other; with life’s circumstances; with too many kids (activities, homework, fights, OH MY!) and not enough time, money, energy.  But in the end, we know what really matters.  Each one of us, and the love we have for each other.  We are a family – and families stick together.  We may not agree on how to fold the towels, or what to have for dinner, or what “on time” means, but we will fight fiercely for our marriage, tirelessly for our kids, and ALWAYS look to God for the answers to our problems.  God promises to make absolutely every one of your life experiences – the joyful ones and the miserable ones – work for you.  I sincerely believe that with my whole heart.

We are so thankful for our parents who are wonderful examples (Weavers married 57+ years; Rickers 46+ years), our fabulous LTC LifeGroup who we get the privilege of doing life with, and all the people who know us, love us, and pray for us.  No, we’re not perfect.  But we are CONTENT.  And that’s a feeling I will take over perfect or happy anyway.  I wake up every day blessed to be in the place I am in, honored to have such an incredible (another word for AMAZING) husband, and to have more than enough under my roof and on my table.  My cup runneth over.

I love you, Babe!  Thanks – for everything! (You are AMAZING!  My phone even says so!)

Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.  Matthew 6:31-33

P.S. We definitely agree on how the toilet paper rolls.  OVER!  ALWAYS.

Life in a College Town

paparazzi1004 on Flickr

We have enjoyed a somewhat sleepy, slightly slower paced summer in our college town.  The population dips, not like it used to “back in the day,” but enough to make it noticeable, from mid-May through the end of July.  But then, they come back.  Starting late July as Greek women head back for work week and recruitment, camp counselors return to start camps, and Leadership students begin their fall semester plans.  Then, it continues to grow as these activities gear up into full swing – Camp Cowboy, Formal Fall Recruitment for the women’s Greek organizations, Welcome Week for Freshmen.  Of course, since Britt and I both work on the Oklahoma State University Campus, we get busier and busier too.  Summer is Britt’s SUPER busy time – glad we got to squeeze in a road trip during a slightly slower time before this month started.  And before we really even are ready, the MASSES are moving in!  Wal-Mart is sold out of everything.  Out of State car tags are everywhere.  KIDS (college kids, that is) are jay-walking on 4 lane thorough-fares!  Then, classes start.  Monday is the big day!  

I have a tale to tell about this summer in Stillwater, and how God’s whispers can turn in to amazing blessings.  One of the things Britt does with his job at Student Health Services it to attend EVERY Freshman Orientation session over the summer.  (There are lots of them!)  While there, he talks to future students, parents and families about the immunization requirements the State of Oklahoma has for college students, and *hopefully* collects records from these students at that time.  He talks to NUMEROUS people during one of these sessions.  As a member of the Weaver family, it is not rare to be out in the evening to get dinner, groceries, or take a kid to an activity, and Britt will say, “Hey!  See those people over there?  The dad in the blue shirt and the kid in the neon shoes?  Yeah!  I met them at orientation today.  They are from Woodward.”  Or something along those lines.  All the time.  Night after night.  Sometimes he has a fun story to go with it, sometimes, he just “recognizes” them and points them out.

Thursday nights are “Kids’ Night” at Eskimo Joe’s.  When you have 4 kids, this is HUGE!  (***Shout Out to Stan Clark for knowing some families have more than 2 kids – including his – and giving 2 kids meals per adult entrée!***)  One Thursday night in early July, the Six Dream Weavers were eating dinner and behind us at a tall table was a family of 3.  Dad, Mom, college-aged girl.  Britt pointed them out and said he had talked to them earlier in the day at orientation.  Then he says to me, “I feel led to buy their dinner.” (God Whispers!)  I looked at him like he was off his rocker, but said, “OK!  Good idea.”  Then, after a closer look I said, “Hmm.  Maybe not.  They’re drinking beer –that makes the bill larger! LOL!”  But, I agreed it would be a very nice thing to do.  So we did.  When that Dad asked for his check, and the server told him it was taken care of?  The look on his face was priceless!  He came over to thank us, profusely.  Britt briefly introduced our crew,  and we left feeling good about the gift we had given. 

A couple of weeks later at work, Britt got a beautiful thank you card from the family - all the way from Colorado!  They mentioned how we made their visit to Stillwater memorable and how they looked forward to their daughter being here in the fall.  Again, super sweet note from a great family.  We put the envelope in our desk, thinking we would send them a Christmas card when the time came.

Fast Forward to Formal Fall Recruitment week for the Greek women’s organizations on campus.  As an advisor for Alpha Delta Pi, I am involved in this week a bit and offer my time to help out our chapter.  Britt had asked me if I knew of a list of who was going through.  I asked why, and he reminded me of our dinner encounter form a month earlier.  I told him there was no way of knowing, and again, blew it off and forgot about it.

First. Finest. forever. Since 1851.

Last Saturday was Bid Day.  The day all the young ladies who went through Recruitment find out which house they will be a member of.  Which sisterhood will be with them the rest of their lives.  It is a fun, crazy, exciting, memory-filled, HOT day!  I had to be at our Chapter house in the morning for some bookkeeping issues, and while I was there working, I got a 2 word text from Britt.  It was the young lady from Colorado’s name.  I knew he wanted me to check the list of ladies coming home to Alpha Delta Pi.  I was tied up, but one of our other Alumnae asked if there was anything she could do.  I showed her the text on my phone and told her to go check our bid list for that name (the houses get the list before the new members do).  Again, really thought nothing of it, just wanted her to feel useful.

Shine Bright Like a Diamond

She came back into the room, and with no idea why I was looking for THAT name or how I would react, she very casually says, “Yeah.  She’s on our list.”  I jumped up, said “WHAT?  Are you SURE?!?” like 10 times.  Went to check for myself.  Texted my husband.  And placed myself at the parent check in table as soon as parents started arriving.  I was in COMPLETE shock that not only did this young lady go through recruitment, she came to MY HOUSE on Bid Day!  She is going to be my sister (God’s Blessing)!  WHAT ARE THE ODDS?  

Throw What You Know!

As afternoon rolled around and the young women got to come to the houses, I made sure I was where I would run into her parents.  When the dad came to the parents’ table to check in, before he could even introduce himself, I said “Do you know who I am?’  He looked bewildered, but my husband and kids had come to the house for the festivities, and Britt was standing right behind me.  Since my husband is pretty distinctive looking, the dad instantly recognized him and his smile was SO BIG.  He was almost as shocked to see us as we were t see him!   After the day’s festivities, meetings and information sessions, we exchanged contact info before they headed back to Colorado that night.

It came full circle!  We listened to God’s whisper, and we got the blessing of being able to be in this family’s path as they send their daughter to college far from home.  We are excited about watching her come to love OSU the way WE love OSU and watch her grow during this adventure.  I thought Britt was crazy for randomly wanting to buy this family’s dinner.  But, I get the biggest blessing of all – she is now my SISTER.  

 First. Finest. FOREVER.

<WLFEO>

and for Alpha Delta Pi

One Way (Finn's Way)

Hard to believe it is March 5 – ALREADY!  And Finn is 17 months old.  WHAT?!?  But, February was a blur.  With him being sick, in the hospital, and a short month, it FLEW by.  So, yes, Finn is 17 months old.  He is standing on his own for 20-30 seconds, babbling up a storm, has 10 teeth (2 molars on the bottom!), eats everything he can (but yet we still have to supplement with PediaSure – he just doesn’t GAIN), and weighed in at 19 pounds 7 ounces – fully clothed with shoes (Tiny Toms! So cute!) – at the doctor yesterday.  He is a SUPER FAST crawler, and is in to EVERYTHING!  If you can’t find it, check the drawers and cabinets he has been opening – Nana found a missing toy that way, and I found a missing remote control!  (These items had been missing several WEEKS when they were finally found.)  He is still a complete joy and such a happy baby!  His shirt today says it ALL!    Even if the sheer number of doctor appointments has been a bit overwhelming these past few weeks! 

Finn - 17 months - MY WAY!

Britt and I were going through old pictures and videos on our phones over the weekend, and we watched a few videos from our time in the NICU at Mercy.  It still seems surreal – to both of us – that THAT was our lives for over 3 months, and that the tiny struggling baby in those films is OUR son.  It doesn’t seem real.  Or that it happened to us.  But, it was our Finn!  As strong and crazy as he is now, he started out so tiny and frail.  God’s work blows us away.  To HIM be the Glory!

In the meantime, Finn had his first evaluation with the pediatric pulmonologist (physician who specializes in treating diseases of the lungs) yesterday.  We were recommended to see one after our stay in the hospital, and this Doctor came HIGHLY recommended.  While we didn’t really learn much from the visit yesterday, we are glad we went.  They did a chest X-ray (I think this was probably the 20^th one he has had in 17 months), a full exam, and tried to do a sweat test.  This is a test where they stimulate muscles, then collect sweat to evaluate the chemical content in it.  Unfortunately after the (long) procedure, Finn didn’t sweat enough to test anything.  Traditionally, this test is used to check for Cystic Fibrosis, but we know Finn doesn’t have this disease.  So, we assume (no one told us) they do this test routinely just to see what the chemical make-up of the child’s sweat is.  I have another preemie mom friend whose son sees this same physician, and she said they did it with her son as well, and he does not have CF.  So, we were told there is residual evidence of the RSV in his lungs, and to come back in 6 weeks for a follow up and to attempt the sweat test again.  And for Finn to drink LOTS of water before he comes!

(CF sidebar: The girls' father does have CF.  He has a rarer mutation that only slightly effected his lungs, but the end result is what caused us to have to do IVF/ICSI to conceive Emma and Lara.  Before we went ahead with fertility treatments, I was tested to see if I was a carrier since he had the disease, and I am not.  (Both parents have to be carriers in order for the offspring to inherit the disease.)  Each girl has a 25% chance of being a carrier.)

TOMORROW, Finn gets his first HAIRCUT!  I’m sure I will cry.  My last baby’s first haircut.  WOW.  (Emma was over 2 before I cut hers (because she was bald before that), Lara was 11 months,  and Jake was 8 MONTHS at his first haircut!  He had SO MUCH hair!)  I can’t wait to share pictures!