The one with giggles

March 16-19, 2018

Not much to report from last weekend.  There was nothing on the calendar and it was a nice time to relax and just spent time with family.  There was Netflix, and Hulu, and family bonding.  Shooting hoops, window shopping, dinners out and sibling squabbles (inevitable!) It was the “closing weekend” for Emma’s Spring Break; and the “opening” one for Lara.  Emma had spent most of the week at Nana and Grandpa’s house in Perkins.  She got some driving in, some shopping in, and had a nice relaxing time.  This coming week is Lara’s turn!  She has big plans to get in on the shopping action!

The girls each took turns “measuring up” to Jake.  He has officially passed Lara, and he is *very* close to catching Emma.

Jake (11 - 5'7") and Lara (15 - 5'6") *measurements approximate

Jake (11 - 5'7") and Emma (15 - 5'7") *measurements approximate

On Sunday, Emma spent a few hours at our house, and I caught a fun picture of them lounging together on our couch.  They were both on their phones, of course, but they were laughing, giggling, and having a good time jest being teenage girls.  Made my momma heart happy.

Twins, Sisters, Twisters #redhairdontcare

In other news, Lara and Colby are no longer an item.  And that’s all I have to say about that.

Here’s to another week of Spring Break!  Rest up, so we can finish sophomore year STRONG!

The One with Omaha and a 5K

March 9-12, 2018
One was on Spring Break; One had just finished finals.  Never a dull moment and always an exercise in logistics!

Emma was out for Spring Break as of Friday afternoon.  She has signed up to do a 5K Color Run with her sister (more on that later), and then go to Western Kansas with her Nana to visit our Kansas family.  But!  An illness sidelined the Kansas trip, and her Dad and step-family had planned a trip to Omaha for a couple of days, so off she went on Friday - to return Monday afternoon!  Here are some pics from her adventures being a tourist.  She even went skiing at Mount Crescent Ski Area!

Right before Spring Break, she also had some time with her Lady Panther Basketball team, and they took some pictures to commemorate the year.  Here is Emma and the rest of the Sophomore class!

Lara had just finished finals for the first 9 weeks of her second semester, and baseball season was in full swing, so she needed the time off to rest a bit!  Friday night was spent in Ponca City with her beloved Pioneer Varsity Baseball team.  And after a late arrival home that night, she had to get up BRIGHT and early Saturday morning to participate in the SMAC Week 5k Color Run!  (Her sister was supposed to be there, too, but, life happens!)

This was Lara's fist 5K, and she ran it without training first.  Needless to say, she spent the rest of the weekend, um, RECOVERING!  But she had a blast and loves supporting SMAC.  Her committee event is coming up in just a couple weeks - barring the teacher walk-out in Oklahoma that is looming.

So for Emma, this week is Spring Break; while for Lara it is the first week of the LAST 9 weeks of her Sophomore year.  Wow - that went FAST!

If you would like to donate to SMAC (Stillwater Makes a Change - an annual philanthropic campaign initiated and led by Stillwater High School students to raise money and awareness for a local charity), this year's recipient is Our Daily Bread.  HERE IS A LINK to  donate directly!

Here's to another week of fun adventures!

Spring has NOT Sprung

There is snow/wintery mix in for forecast for this coming weekend, yet today is the first day of Spring.  Oklahoma, you are CONFUSED! LOL!  In all reality, this is typical of Oklahoma March weather.  I distinctly remember one Spring Break (I don’t know what year – it was either late high school or early college – it was VERY important that I call my boyfriend everyday!) I went out to Western Kansas to stay with relatives for a couple of days, and got stuck out there for the whole week!  The weather was fine there, and fine here in Stillwater, but I-35 was CLOSED between Wichita and Blackwell, so I had to wait it out!  Snow on Spring Break it not that uncommon, but my kids think it is the end of the world that it might snow!  Poor sweet souls!

Looks like I haven’t been on here to update in a bit.  It’s been BUSY!  As usual, I guess, but still...  Here are the highlights:

** Finn had his post op follow up with the ENT – all is well – go back in 4 months

**  Finn is taking steps and waving a bit!  Video Proof:

** Lara finished up her 6 week intensive Hip Hop dance class – still working towards her recital in June (next up – leaps and turns in April!)

** Nana the Wonder Sitter (aka “Mom” to me) and I attended ΑΔΠ State Day on the Oklahoma State Campus – it was WONDERFUL! Love my sisterhood! #WLFEO

**Jake played his last Upward basketball game of the season and served cupcakes to his teammates, and had the end of season celebration which was SUPER fun!

Instagram of the event!

** We went to an OKC Thunder NBA basketball game as a family (again.  Thunder Up!)

** Except for Emma who was diligently preparing for State Competition with her Odyssey of the Mind team

** Had our first “Restaurant Night” fundraiser for the Stillwater March of Dimes March for Babies ta Panda Express (YUM!) Click Here to donate to Finn's Fans!

** The Spring Version of the semi-annual Adorable Affordables sale happened last week – I spent 2 solid days helping set up, and shopped on 4 different occasions!  Had to re-shop for Jake, 10’s are too small, he needs 12’s!

** Had parent-teacher conferences for all three big kids!  Emma and Lara are crushing 5^th grade, aside from a couple minor bumps in the road we are working out, and Jake is head of his Kindergarten class as far as reading and helpfulness go!

** Britt and I got to be part of a surprise birthday party celebration for one of his longtime friends and co-workers.  The guest of honor was truly SHOCKED and surprised.  That was fun

** My father-in-love celebrated his 80^th birthday!

** Mom and I attended a cute bridal shower for my future niece-in-law (Is that what she’s called? My nephew’s bride?)

** Did I mention, IT IS SPRING BREAK THIS WEEK!  They love the time off.  It just means MORE babysitting for Nana the Wonder Sitter…

** Nana and Grandpa took the big kids to the Chickasaw Cultural Center  in Sulphur, OK for a day trip yesterday while Mr. Finn hung out at Krista’s Kids day care.  BIG day for all of them!

** I am enjoying the creative outlet Dream Weaver Prints is giving me!  Love to see the orders roll in!  (Check us out on Facebook!)  

Life just keeps moving forward, it seems!  And so QUICKLY!  Emma and Lara are gearing up for the BIG move to the Middle School next year, and Jake is ready for summer and baseball!   For some reason, I have been reflecting on Finn's NICU stay the past several days, which has led me to pin a few more things to his board on Pinterest.  I have also been working with a fellow NICU mom in her efforts to do some fundraising for her Oklahoma City March for Babies family team.  She has truly inspired me, and given me some GREAT ideas for our team, too!  Stay tuned for a fun event I am dreaming about!  Our March in Stillwater it not until late September, so we are not in full gear quite yet.  PLUS!  There is going to be a "Mercy Miracles" team for Mercy NICU graduates in the OKC March the first weekend of May, so the Six Dream Weavers are going as a team to that one as well!  We sure love our March of Dimes and NICU family!  Such a crazy time in our lives - yet it has made bonds and relationships that will last us a lifetime! #blessed

A milestone – of sorts

In the beginning, we counted things by hours.  Soon, that got to be days. Days turned in to weeks, finally.  We’re almost to where we can say months, but not quite.  Today, it’s a milestone we can count in weeks.  We have been home for 12 weeks today.  84 days.  That’s the exact same amount of time we spent in the NICU.  It almost doesn’t seem possible.  Some days, it feels like we have been home a lot longer than we were there.  Other days, the memory of our NICU days seems like it was YEARS.  But, I am very happy to have reached this milestone.  It gives me a sense of normalcy.  It reinforces the fact that Finn is home, is getting healthier by the day, and he is part of our family!

Since my last post, it has been a whirlwind of changes and steps taken to care for Finn.  Colic is still the monster we deal with every night in this house.  It’s painful for all of us!  The girls complain that it keeps them awake, Jake comes out of his room several times to check on him, it simply breaks my heart, and Britt is the one holding, cradling, and trying to comfort him most nights.  Plus, now he was so constipated!  We had called the nurse mid-week and been told to stop the Poly Vi Sol with Iron drops and to add Karo syrup to his bottles until he pooped, but I wanted a more permanent solution.  We went to see the pediatrician again on Friday as Finn’s congestion was back (both RSV and Flu negative), and the colic had escalated to a point I was not comfortable with.  He seems to be in such PAIN, and there has to be something I could DO for him.  After reading on the Internet (I know, I know…) Dr. Google had me convinced his inguinal hernia HAD to be bothering him.  So, we walked into the appointment DETERMINED to get some answers.  Here’s what we came away with:

• ·         An 11 pound 6 ounce baby

• ·         Monitor only at night (YIPPEE!!!!!!!!!!!!) – reevaluate at the 6 month visit

• ·         D/C the Poly Vi Sol with Iron until the CBC at the 6 month visit

• ·         Change the formula from Similac NeoSure to Gerber Good Start

• ·         e.  Today, it'A REFERRAL TO THE PEDIATRIC SURGEON FOR THE HERNIA!!!

All of this is such great news.  Finn is growing well – his curve is mimicking his full term peers.  We only have to put the heart and apnea monitor on him at night, so he is much more FREE to carry around the house and to take places (although we are still staying home as much as possible until RSV and flu season is over – he has one more Synagis injection next week).  Discontinuing the vitamins with iron and changing the formula should relieve the severe constipation.  The iron contributes to that, and the formula was iron fortified PLUS high calorie and THICK, so we’re hoping a thinner formula means he will drink more ounces and therefore take in more liquid, consequently  helping with the constipation – but not effecting his weight gain.  (The transition has not been smooth by any means.  We started it late Friday, and it is now Wednesday.  Yesterday was his first good intake day.  He is still constipated, though!)  But most exciting to me, is the referral to the surgeon!  YAY!  So glad to get this process started.  They called with our office visit appointment for evaluation on Monday, and it is not for a few more weeks, but it feels good to have that ball rolling.  Hoping to get him some relief SOON!

In the meantime, it’s Spring Break here.  And it has been raining for 3 days – no end in sight.  The big girls are with their other dad, so it is a bit quieter around here.  Jake has been a tremendous help, and we have enjoyed our time together!  He is thrilled that I rented a Wii game he likes for him from Redbox, and yesterday we tried to go to the movies, but we got there and discovered it was sold out.  We have plans for an adventure tomorrow, but every time I see a weather forecast the chance for rain goes up, so we may have to change our plans a bit for that.  The good news about tomorrow is the girls come home!  And Britt has the rest of the week off.  So, on Friday, all 6 Dream Weavers will be home and together for a day.  Sounds good to me!

SO proud of my little man and how far he has come!  We are creeping up on 6 months old SO QUICKLY!  MONTHS!  We can count in months… He is still fighting the good fight.  Seems like the last 2-3 weeks have presented us with some struggles, but we keep moving forward, and that’s all we can do.  Finn is truly a miracle, and we are so blessed to be his family.

Spring Break Rewind

Technically, we still have 2 more days of Spring Break.  But, my babies are coming home in about 4 hours, and all chaos will ensue at that point, so there is no time like the present!  

Spring Break is an interesting time in our house.  The Hubs and I both work for the University, so while our week is (painfully) slow at work, we still have to be there.  (Seriously, on Friday, I got to work at 8:10 and literally did not see another soul on campus as I walked from my parking lot to my office!)  Plus, we don’t really have anywhere else we are going, so we work.  And Little Man’s day care is paid in full for the week, so he hangs out there with the few of his friends with parents like us that work on Spring Break.  The last 2 years, the Twisters have spent this week with their Other Dad in the Oklahoma City area.  While this time affords us two-on-one time with our son, it still seems eerie not to have the girls in the house!

One bonus to them being gone (besides the food bill for the week is drastically lower)?  We (OK, my husband) got to clean their room!  All I wanted to do was completely strip and wash every piece of bedding they have.  He went through and thoroughly picked up, cleaned, rearranged, and threw stuff away – going so far as to buying large tubs at Wally World to “organize” the floor of the closet.  Among the “missing” items he found was a Nintendo DSi game, one SwitchFlop flip flop (no idea where the other one is), and the FLOOR!  You can actually see it!

Our boy really missed his big sisters this week.  Mainly because I think they entertain him better than we do, but I also think he honestly admires them, looks up to them and loves them.  Almost every day while he was at school, he “forgot” they were out of town and he would ask about them on the ride home, or open their bedroom door when we got here to see what they were doing, only to be disappointed.  We allowed them to take the cell phone we have as an extra line (we call it the “house” phone and it stays in the house unless there is a good reason one of the girls need to take it with them), and that was a new twist.  Monday, we didn’t hear from them at all.  Tuesday, I texted them to tell Lady Bug that a friend was trying to get a hold of her.  Wednesday got a couple of “I miss you” and “I love you” texts.  (I thought that was so sweet, I even tweeted about it!) Thursday, they blew up my phone (Tweeted about that, too!)
  I got a video of one of them singing a song, several texts with various messages, a picture of an owie – all also sent to their Dad and Nana -- and a couple of calls asking when they could come home!

TODAY!  They will be home today!  And then (because the original plan was for them to stay until Sunday) we are taking them to my parents’ house to spend the night so the Mister and I can have date night!  Time to reconnect, revisit our dating days, and recharge – Monday morning will come too soon, and no one will be ready for it!

Fork in the Road

Yogi Berra is quoted as saying "When you come to a fork in the road, take it!"  I kind of like that!  Life leads you down a lot of long and winding roads, and the one God has me on now, has led me back here, to a blog I started AGES ago, to refresh it, revive it, and bring new life into it.

Another great fork story (and I am not referring Forks, Washington, home to some illustrious fictional Vampires that I have been known to talk about) was told by a mentor of mine, Pastor Steven Furtick from Elevation Church.  The story goes like this:

A woman was diagnosed with a terminal illness and given three months to live. She asked her Pastor to come to her home to discuss her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at her funeral, and what scriptures she wanted read, and which outfit she wanted to be buried in. Then she said, “One more thing… I want to be buried with a fork in my hand.” The pastor was surprised.
The woman explained, “In all my years of attending church socials and potluck dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably say to everyone, ‘Keep your fork.’ It was my favorite time of the dinner, because I knew something better was coming, like velvety chocolate cake or deep dish apple pie – something wonderful. So, I want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and wonder, “What’s with the fork?” Then, I want you to tell them, “Keep your fork, because the best is yet to come.”
The pastor’s eyes welled up with tears of joy as he bid the woman goodbye. He realized she had a better grasp of heaven than he did, and knew something better was coming. At the funeral, when people asked him why she was holding a fork, the pastor told them of the conversation he had with the woman before she died. He said he could not stop thinking about the fork, and knew they probably would not be able to stop thinking about it either. He was right.

“Keep Your Fork.
The best is yet to come.”

 

I am still dedicated to my weight loss goals, and you can still ask me about Beachbody and how to purchase Shakeology, but the thing that brings me greatest joy is my life in Christ and my family.  So, the focus of this blog will be there.  Thanks for following me over form the other blog, and WELCOME if you are new!

Here's to Spring Break -and Forks!