Update for Wednesday

I love the top one of Julia playing with Dad. She was getting great reactions from him. I also love our family picture. I was thinking about it and it has been 3 years since our last family picture. And lastly, Dad and his girls.

I had to share some family pictures of our visit with my Dad. This was over the weekend. I am happy to report that he is laughing, smiling and talking at times. My mom was able to get him to eat some things today which was better than yesterday since he did not eat a thing.

Hopefully, I can make it back soon.

update on Dad

Hello all-

First and foremost I would like to thank all of you for your thoughts and prayers throughout this time. I know the prayers have worked and God is offering us so many new hopes. We have seen my dad for the past few days and each day he seems to be better.

He is still in hospice care and some people have said that patients do get better before the end but I am just looking at it as he is more responsive and actually talking at times. I haven't heard his voice in over a year and that alone is a blessing.

He is making eye contact and when he does look, at times he smiles and laughs. He is making comments here and there saying, "Oh God. or even saying, "Oh shit." haha We all just laughed. My sisters and I feed him ice cream and Julie brought him a beer. He liked the beer. I asked him if he liked it and he said, "Yeah!". I also asked him if I was his favorite and he said, "Yeah!"

So, the report is still that he is terminally sick with pulmonary embelisms (sp?) and one could burst at any time. He is still in hospice care for up to 6 months. He is currently off all of his medications and just trying to keep him comfortable. He is eating more which is so good to see. When people have asked me how he is I am not sure what to say. Yes, he is dying but he is better in responding and constantly holding my hand or caressing my face.

That in all has been the best! I hope this doesn't sound rude to anyone, but once you have lost the touch of your dad or mom, nothing is better than getting that back again just one more time. The girls have really been all over him. Kissing on him as he makes the kissing noise. It has been such a blessing.

We are heading back up there in a bit so hopefully I will have more good news to post. It has been hard but you know, it has been so great spending this time with him.

Thanks again for all of your prayer and keep it up! We are so grateful for each of you!

My dad

Well, i thought my next post would be about how we survived the hurricane with no damage to the house and no power for 5 days.

Now, we have other news that my dad isn't doing well. He has Alzheimer's which was diagnosed in 2001 shortly after Chad and I were married. Progressively, he has gone down hill and been in a nursing home for the past 2 1/2 years.

We received a call that his breathing was labored and they found blood clots in his legs and lungs. He is in Hospice care at the VA and it isn't looking good. We were able to drive to Dallas and see him today.

It was great to see him and he was somewhat responsive to us and even talking at times. He smiled and held my hand, which was well worth the trip.

Please keep us in your prayers that God will take him when it is his time. Our prayers are being answered that he isn't suffering. I am just looking for strength that God will provide us comfort when it does happen.

Hurricane Ike

Well, we are now getting prepared for another hurricane. I wasn't at all thinking Hurrican Edouard was even going to get close to us. We didn't get any rain at all. Well now, I am a bit scared.

We are not going to evacuate and just stay put. We bought the standard water, flashlights, batteries, food and filled up both cars. I have explained to the girls that it will rain a lot and that is about it. I think Julia is more mad that she will not have soccer this weekend.

School closed at noon today and now we are just getting the house prepared. It is way too late to leave and after riding out Hurricane Rita 3 years ago at Debbie and Doug's we decided to stay. Plus- if we left then we would be in Arlington maybe by Saturday. The traffic is already horrible.

Thanks to those who have texted, emailed and called. We are fine and actually going to enjoy the time together. May have a hurricane party tonight at Amanda's just to ring in Ike!

Love to all and I will post again when we have power. Hopefully if we lose it, the power will be back on by Monday or so.

Lake House Weekend!!

We had a great time at the Lake house this weekend, thanks to Debbie and Doug. We had 4 families with 10 kids in all. The jet skis were a bit hit and we had some first timers for everything.

New to things this weekend:

New to the jet ski was: Raegan, KiKi, Ava (so proud!), Will and Allison.

New to jumping in the lake or being lowered and dropped in the lake- Will, KiKi, Raegan and Ava

New to the rope swing with massive burn marks- ME! I really need to work out my upper body!

New to the ropeswing and is a Mini- Tarzan- Julia

Over all we had a great time! Thanks to the Sotelos', Litteer's, Jeffress and Gullingsrud Families for coming out and enjoying the weekend. We all had a great time!! Oh- and the babies did amazing- Props to Staci bringing 7 week old Peyton and Jenny bringing 4 month old Lincoln who can say Momma! I sware he can!

Ava - Future Project Runway contestant

Does this take anyone back to the 80's? I had to post this
since it was so hilarious and I am so glad I was able to capture it on film.

Ava went to Gymnastics earlier in the day and wore Julia's leotard from when she was in gymnastics. She woke up from her nap and wanted to wear panties. Chad, the great daddy that he is, puts them on over her leotard as she asks. She picks out her socks and of course, her favorite new shoes. I added in the hair band for looks.

We were getting ready for the Fletcher's to come over for dinner. I wish I could have captured Debbie, Doug, Kyle and Laura's face when they saw Ava for the first time. Needless to say, she was looking pretty sharp for dinner at home.

First Day of School!! A little late..

Ava on her first day at Mother's Day out.

Eating

Breakast to start the day..

I know, Matching outfits for school, but who could resist??

Well, I am a tad bit late in sending out this post but what the hell. The girls both started school the last week in August. Julia is in Preschool and Ava in MDO (mother's Day out). We had a rough start since Ava freaked out when we pulled in the parking lot but then said she was excited about going.

Chad was able to go with us to mark this event as I was about to have my first day off for a few hours. We dropped off Julia with a "see ya Mom" like she was a pro. Ava on the other hand was a different story. Her ENTIRE classroom of younger two's were either crying, screaming or trying to escape. Ava looked at us like,"What are you doing to me? You are crazy to drop me off here." With a little crying she was in the class. Chad and I made another lap around the hallway to peek in on her and she was fine.

Yeah to our first days at school!