Playtime!!!!!!!!! (and the weather finally cooperated)

Games were played, Treasures collected, Rides had, and Memories made

Love This...Don't I Always

http://tesoro-photo.com/Slideshows/Ethiopia2009/

Real Men

Real men can wear skirts while playing football!
They don't like it very well when brother sticks his finger in their ear.

Great Organization

This organization was started by adoptive moms who saw a need and are trying to fill it. Great organization and a great group of moms!

http://www.ethioamericanfamily.org/home

Just Trying to Recover

Why haven't I posted? Let's call it "The Flood of 2009". Twenty (that's a 2 and a 0) inches of rain in less than 5 days. In fact, over 10 inches came down Sunday night and Monday morning. We (Randy and I) were literally up all night Sunday and early Monday morning. Randy stood in 3+ inches of rain on our back patio with a push broom pushing water out of our back door. I sopped up water with towels. All week long in between bouts of thunder and lightening, we'd go out with shovel and pick ax and dig out a trench to help the water drain from that area.

We had our basement water proofed several years ago. There is a french drain along the back of the house where the patio is. Part of our problem was a stopped up gutter that could never be cleared due to the constant rain. There is a wall system on the other side of the house that directs water into a drain. Water was flowing down that system under the a/c system into the drain. It looked like a water fall, it was coming so fast and furious. Most of the night, it held and did the job it was supposed to do. Sometime closer to day light it failed. We aren't sure whether the water backed up from the drain or the system has a weak spot. Either way, it started coming into our storage area and partially onto the carpeted area. So we began moving stuff out of the area and Randy used the wet vac to suck up the water. All during this time, the kids slept! Luckily, the rain stopped not too long after that and we were able to contain the influx of water.

We were very lucky. Most of our neighbors had several inches of rain in their basements. Many people in the area had 'feet' of water in their houses. Some have insurance. Some do not. It's a mess to say the least. There is one road close to us that will be closed indefinitely as they fix the damage caused by the water. We are on the east side. The folks on the west side have it multitudes worse than we have it. We are counting our blessings. We are also saying a little prayer for those families who lost loved ones during this time.

Just Because

Everyone should have such a blessing. Read This Please.

Saturday's Adventure

Today was the monthly Down Syndrome group meeting. What a great time the kids had. We stayed 3 hours and they would have stayed another 3. They were thrilled, to say the least.

We met at a 'therapy/play place'. Here are some of the things we did. Again, my camera and I are having a bad time. I should have taken Judson's birthday camera!

There were 'wheeled' vehicles (bikes, scooter,trikes, tractors)

There were climby things of all sorts
Ball Pit
Play RoomSwings
Zip Lines

They tell me Turner did the zip line too and I missed it!

They also had: art room, kitchen for parties, sensory room, therapy rooms

Great times were had by all.

Friday's Fabulous Fotos

World of a 7 year old

If you'd like to see life as a 7 year old, go HERE.

Hike @ Fort Donelson

Pictures

What to do when the cat won't let you sleep. (Yes, I could have done something to the cat but I chose to post pics)

We spent the last few days in Tennessee visiting family. Here are some pics. (Can't believe I didn't get the camera out and get pics of Gigi, Margaret, Cousin Abbey. I"m slipping)

At my Dad's place: (on ballgame day, hence some Orange and White)


We also went to Fort Donelson. I took the 2 little ones for snacks and then exploring while Randy took Ansley and Judson hiking. (you'll have to wait for hiking pictures. They are on Judson's camera and I haven't downloaded them)

Sawyer is trying to move the cannon.

It was an earthen fort, not what you typically think of when you hear the word 'fort'.

Be sure the check out Judson's blog in a couple of days. We'll put some pictures he took on there. He got a new camera for his birthday and is enjoying learning how to use it.

We are Back

Pictures to follow. Have to decompress right now.

Toothless

Buddy Walk 2009

Hey. It's Buddy Walk time. If you're in the area, wish you'd come out and support us. Here's the link with all the info. Check out the items on the left hand side of the screen. There is a place to volunteer if you're in the area. We also appreciate any financial donations you wish to make. The money goes for advocacy/education for peoples with Down Syndrome. It is tax deductible.

CLICK HERE.

Guess Where We Went Today?

"Chip-Poo-Lay" or you may know it better at Chickfila. Only Sawyer eats the chicken but they all love the play place. We all got free chicken sandwiches for wearing sports team logos. Now I have a frig full of sandwiches!

He's 7!

Wow. Where has the time gone. Seems like yesterday he looked like:Then only a day or two ago that he had his first haircut:
His first (technically his 2nd but he was too little to enjoy the 1st) Halloween:Where has the time gone between:


And this:

How lucky I am to have such a wonderful son!

Status Quo

Sawyer had his follow up cardio appointment today. They were able to get a better look a the clot. The clot is about the size/shape of a pinto bean, 1.2cm at it's longest. As of now, we're maintaining the current course. (he did up the aspirin dosage to a full aspirin/day) Other options are very invasive: Open heart (on bypass) or meds that require daily shots or blood work. He said on the extreme end you might could find a "Cath Cowboy" to go in and try to cut it off and bring it out. Not something you'd really want to try.

We will go back in 2 months to see if there is any change. The hope is his heart will outgrow the clot or if they have to do surgery, they can postpone it until he is older and bigger/stronger. BTW, Sawyer tracks on the 75th percentile (plus) on height and 25th percentile on weight, using the down syndrome charts. That's pretty good since he doesn't even make the charts our pediatrician uses.

Alphabet

So, Ansley is working on an ABC book. Each day, she cuts out 10 pictures starting with the 'letter of the day' and glues them on a piece of paper. Then by the time we finish, we'll put it all together into a book. This appeals to her very artistic side. Plus, she loves to cut and glue. The thing she doesn't realize is she is also learning to figure out the beginning sounds of words. That appeals to me!

Today was the letter "I". The first 20 minutes was spent saying, "I can't do it" "It's too hard" "It's boring". Translation, I"m confused about "I" words. I don't recognize "I" in this book. She just doesn't want to admit any 'weakness' or ask for help. (We are working on that) What I've realized when this is happening, I need to point out her need to ask for help. Then I point out some words that begin with "I". Then she can continue on. I do have to leave the room or she'll just let me do it all for her.

I went to the next room and pretended to be working but actually I was listening for signs of T-R-O-U-B-L-E. What I hear next is: " 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10. I did it! Sometimes I think I'm a Genius!"

Emergency!

This just in! Ansley fell off her bike and scraped her hand. THEN while running, she fell and scraped her knee. She is now convalescing on the couch wishing she had NEVER, EVER gone outside. Fiddle-de-dee, Miss Scarlett.
Notice the large 'bandage' over the wound. That is because it is BLEEDING! SEE!Now someone else is 'tick' too.

(notice the shoes on the wrong feet)