TOGETHER DAY

Together Day is a day in honor of sibling rivalry and fighting. We've tried numerous things to get our kids to play nice with one another. They do fairly well at times but there are times when they just can't keep from picking on one another.

Tonight Suzanna and Haydn begged to do something before bedtime and I said that they could do it for five minutes as long as they did it together. From almost minute one they kept arguing and when I told them to stop and just get into their beds they just kept fighting about it and blaming the other.

As I'm talking to them, probably a little too loudly, it occurred to me what I was going to do. I told them that on Saturday, they are going to have to spend the day and they couldn't do anything without the other person. Suzanna started crying because she said that all Haydn will want to do is play video games.

So here's the plan that I came up with and I have told them this. For six hours on Saturday they will have to do everything together. They each will come up with six activities each that last a half hour. They are not allowed to do anything more than an hours worth. I will take the total of 12 activities and divide up their day. If it's reading, they have to be in the same room. Whatever it is, they have to do it together at the same time.

One thing that I have not told them but I will. Each time I have to tell them to get along, it adds 15 minutes to their six hours of togetherness.

It's going to be an interesting day on Saturday.

Frustration

I'll be honest. I'm very frustrated over the health of our daughter, Aria. I don't mind taking care of her or paying for the hospital and doctor visits, medication, and everything else that goes along with it. I even help her with her medicine almost every night. It's a lot of work, time, effort, and money, but she's worth every penny and more.

What frustrates me is that no matter what we do she can't seem to get better. She just had surgery a couple weeks ago. She's been on antibiotics already a lot this year and she's on lots of medications to help her lungs but she's still having trouble breathing. Her lung function is down to 43% today and so her Advair prescription dosage has been upped and now she's back on antibiotics and regular breathing treatments.

I know God's in control but it's hard not to see the medication work. It's hard to keep seeing her struggle with her health. She takes it in great stride and she does really well. I pray that as she gets older she'll keep getting stronger and her health improve. We'll see what God has in store for her and our family.

HEALTH – It’s been rough this past week

Last week started well with my birthday on Feb. 4^th but went down from there, health wise. Aria’s surgery to remove the puss pocket from her sinuses was scheduled for Friday morning. I took the day off so that I could take Haydn and Suzanna to school. I ended up taken Haydn to the doctor instead because he’d been complaining of not feeling well for a day or two. It turned out that he had an ear infection, possible strep throat, and pimple near his mouth that turned out to be MRSA. Later that day we took in Suzanna to the doctor because she’s had a persistent cough that the antibiotics that she had been on a week earlier had not cured.

So, by Friday night, all three of our kids were on medication for one thing or another. Aria was on pain meds from the surgery. Haydn and Suzanna went on antibiotics. We also had to deal with Haydn’s MRSA and that was not fun, especially for him. It’s a very painful process of removing the infection.

We decided that everyone was staying home for the weekend and so the kids we stuck watching TV, playing video and board games, and reading. They did pretty well for being cooped up for almost 48 hours straight. 

We sent Suzanna and Haydn to school Monday morning but Aria developed a bad cough and so we kept her home and now she’s on another round of steroids to help her increase her lung function. Hopefully she’ll feel well enough for school today.


UPDATE (TUES. NIGHT) - And now Tina is coming down with something. She's running a fever, can't seem to get warm, & went to bed early. We'll see what happens tomorrow. 

ANOTHER UPDATE - It turned out that Tina has Bronchitis and a sinus infection. So, she's on medication also.


We'd appreciate your prayers for the health of our family and the ability to pay the doctor bills. Thank you!! 

One Thing or Another

When it comes to our daughter, Aria, it seems like if it’s not one thing it’s another. Well, here’s another.

Yesterday, two things happened.

First, Aria had a doctor’s appointment with the ENT specialist and found out her sinus cavities are fine but she has a puss pocket that is surrounded by a membrane in her sinus cavity that the 30 days of antibiotics she was just on was not able to penetrate and so she’ll be going in for another surgery to remove it.

Second, Aria broke her arm last night. It’s considered a “buckle” or incomplete break. She and her brother were fooling around upstairs and she ended up falling on her arm. She could move her fingers and wrist and so we hoped it was just a pulled muscle but this morning we knew it was more than that and Tina took her into urgent care and now she’s in a cast.

Aria is one tough little girl that puts up with a lot. I don’t know how she puts up with it all but God has given her such a sweet, loving spirit with a strong, inner tenacity towards perseverance. We are blessed to have her in our life. She’s been through a lot and we’re really proud of her.

Our 2012 Christmas

Due to our family situation, our Christmas is spread out over a few days. Typically, we'll allow the kids to start opening presents a couple days before Christmas so that they get to enjoy each present instead of being flooded with lots of them all at one time. It makes Christmas last longer.

Our typical schedule is to go to Tina's dad's house on Christmas Eve and spend time with him, his wife, and an assortment of kids, grandkids, friends, and friend's kids. You just never know who'll be there but it's a good time. On Christmas Day we'll open presents at home and then in the afternoon we'll go over to some friends of my family that are honorary grandparents to our children.

This year was a little different and our celebrations were spread out even more. On Sunday, two days before Christmas, we went over to Tina's dad's house and celebrated an early Christmas. There were six adults and about seven kids. We had a great time.

 

On Christmas Eve, we opened a couple presents and hung around the house not doing too much. That night we went to our church for the annual Christmas Eve celebration that we usually miss because we're usually with family. It was a great service and part of it is our pastor reading a Christmas story to the kids.

 

On Christmas was more presents and having a good time together as a family.

 

Since we were not able to go to Grandma and Grandpa Key's house on Christmas like usual, we headed over there the day after Christmas.

Aria in Christmas Program at IWG

Our kids go to Imagine West Gilbert and are doing great there. They have programs all the time but today Aria had a Christmas one and she is so cute that I just had to share.

Christmas at DSC 2012

We go to Desert Springs Church in Chandler. We love it!! I just wanted to share some of the events that our kids have been involved in this Christmas. I hope you can see why we love it.

The Children's Choir

(my daughter, Aria, has her hand over her mouth)

The Children's Christmas Production

My daughter, Suzanna, being a great angel with lots of enthusiasm.

And the snow brought in that leads to snow ball fights.