Thursday, May 10, 2012
Ian's new favorite video!!!
Another year come and gone...
Just last night Mike commented that he couldn't believe the school year was nearly over. I'm always so excited for summer to come and then so excited for school to start in the fall. Bryce is finishing up 2nd grade and Ian completing Kindergarten. Both boys have done so well in school. I'm so excited to see them grow and learn and achieve. Hayden turned one in December, Spencer turned 4 in January and Ian turned 6 in February. Bryce will be turning 8 this August and he is looking forward to being baptized. Over the last year we have experienced some ups and downs...
Last November, Ian had scans and we were once again rewarded with good news. Ian continues in remission and we were moved to the once a year scan schedule. YAY! YIPEE!!! What a relief. We have come so far and we continue to see the Lord's tender mercies in our lives. Ian is truly in my estimation a living miracle. So much could have gone wrong and even the doctors were surprised at how well Ian did in treatment and now they are just so pleased with how well he continues to develop and progress. It will be 4 years this June that Ian was diagnosed with brain cancer...and 4 years ago I could not have even imagined this day... Sometimes in the midst of deep despair and pain, it can seem like things will never improve...and yet I can certainly testify that even during these trying times miracles happen, blessing come, and things do get better! I know Heavenly Father keeps His promises and Ian is proof of that!!!
Our little man Hayden continues to make progress, albeit slow, it's still progress. He has been receiving physical and occupational therapy since last November. When Hayden turned 7 months I started commenting to his doctor that I was concerned with his development. Hayden wasn't trying to hold toys, roll over, or even sit up. It was very disturbing to me. Since he has been in PT and OT he has made significant progress. He can now hold his own bottle, he can hold toys and change them from hand to hand, and he is also rolling all over the place! He gets around. He still can't sit unassisted, it's a work in progress. He has low tone in his torso and it doesn't help that the kid has an enormous head. The lights are on, but his little body just doesn't instinctively know how to move and work. So we are teaching it. The therapists thought perhaps that he has a mild Cerebral Palsy, so I arranged for him to be seen by a Neurologist. Her assessment was that he didn't have CP, but she also ordered an MRI of his brain to see what was going on. She reported that his brain simply looks like a preemie brain and that it is going to take him more time to learn these things, but that eventually he'll figure it out. In the meantime, I'm enjoying my baby and enjoying his sweet nature! He is such a happy baby and really is so smart. He is so cuddly and has the BEST smile! I think it's funny that he will stare people down until they notice him and then he gives them the biggest smile, complete with dimples! It melts my heart!
Bryce is growing into such a wonderful boy. He has always been such a great helper...when I was expecting him, I used to pray that I would have a baby with a great sense of humor and Bryce has not disappointed! I can't wait to see this little man make promises with his Heavenly Father when he is baptized. He really wants to do the right thing. Even though he is almost 8 he still will cuddle with me, hug me and even give me a kiss goodbye when heads off to school. I'm so lucky. I love to watch as he gets on the bus in the morning because he will look out the window and gives me the sign language equivalent of "I LOVE YOU".
Spencer is my little companion during the day. He will sit by me when I'm folding laundry or perhaps when I sneak a moment on the computer and he will stroke my hair and cheek and tell me how much he loves me. This little boys looks forward to the afternoon when his brothers get home. He misses them and wants so much to do what they do. Spencer can be so obnoxious sometimes and yet he is equally as sweet. He makes me laugh and want to rip my hair out all at the same time. He's always asking me if I want to keep him...(I think I may have scared him once when I told him I was going to give him away...in my defense his behavior at the time was less than desirable...) and I assure him that he is most definitely a keeper!
I guess some of the biggest news is that Mike was informed that he was chosen for early retirement. He has served 15 years in the military this month, so we are getting out 5 years early. I have been with Mike nearly 10 of the last 15 years and I am so over the military life...in many ways we have been so blessed by Mikes career in the military. Specifically the health insurance has been such a blessing, especially considering all the medical needs are family has experienced. On the other hand, the long hours, the separation from TDY/Deployments and just the every day stress Mike experienced working with overstressed and overworked people... Mike is planning on going back to school and finishing up his degree... I hope that he can get it done in the next couple of years...
We have much to look forward to and plenty of its unknown...but I feel hopeful and happy. Things always work out....
Last November, Ian had scans and we were once again rewarded with good news. Ian continues in remission and we were moved to the once a year scan schedule. YAY! YIPEE!!! What a relief. We have come so far and we continue to see the Lord's tender mercies in our lives. Ian is truly in my estimation a living miracle. So much could have gone wrong and even the doctors were surprised at how well Ian did in treatment and now they are just so pleased with how well he continues to develop and progress. It will be 4 years this June that Ian was diagnosed with brain cancer...and 4 years ago I could not have even imagined this day... Sometimes in the midst of deep despair and pain, it can seem like things will never improve...and yet I can certainly testify that even during these trying times miracles happen, blessing come, and things do get better! I know Heavenly Father keeps His promises and Ian is proof of that!!!
Our little man Hayden continues to make progress, albeit slow, it's still progress. He has been receiving physical and occupational therapy since last November. When Hayden turned 7 months I started commenting to his doctor that I was concerned with his development. Hayden wasn't trying to hold toys, roll over, or even sit up. It was very disturbing to me. Since he has been in PT and OT he has made significant progress. He can now hold his own bottle, he can hold toys and change them from hand to hand, and he is also rolling all over the place! He gets around. He still can't sit unassisted, it's a work in progress. He has low tone in his torso and it doesn't help that the kid has an enormous head. The lights are on, but his little body just doesn't instinctively know how to move and work. So we are teaching it. The therapists thought perhaps that he has a mild Cerebral Palsy, so I arranged for him to be seen by a Neurologist. Her assessment was that he didn't have CP, but she also ordered an MRI of his brain to see what was going on. She reported that his brain simply looks like a preemie brain and that it is going to take him more time to learn these things, but that eventually he'll figure it out. In the meantime, I'm enjoying my baby and enjoying his sweet nature! He is such a happy baby and really is so smart. He is so cuddly and has the BEST smile! I think it's funny that he will stare people down until they notice him and then he gives them the biggest smile, complete with dimples! It melts my heart!
Bryce is growing into such a wonderful boy. He has always been such a great helper...when I was expecting him, I used to pray that I would have a baby with a great sense of humor and Bryce has not disappointed! I can't wait to see this little man make promises with his Heavenly Father when he is baptized. He really wants to do the right thing. Even though he is almost 8 he still will cuddle with me, hug me and even give me a kiss goodbye when heads off to school. I'm so lucky. I love to watch as he gets on the bus in the morning because he will look out the window and gives me the sign language equivalent of "I LOVE YOU".
Spencer is my little companion during the day. He will sit by me when I'm folding laundry or perhaps when I sneak a moment on the computer and he will stroke my hair and cheek and tell me how much he loves me. This little boys looks forward to the afternoon when his brothers get home. He misses them and wants so much to do what they do. Spencer can be so obnoxious sometimes and yet he is equally as sweet. He makes me laugh and want to rip my hair out all at the same time. He's always asking me if I want to keep him...(I think I may have scared him once when I told him I was going to give him away...in my defense his behavior at the time was less than desirable...) and I assure him that he is most definitely a keeper!
I guess some of the biggest news is that Mike was informed that he was chosen for early retirement. He has served 15 years in the military this month, so we are getting out 5 years early. I have been with Mike nearly 10 of the last 15 years and I am so over the military life...in many ways we have been so blessed by Mikes career in the military. Specifically the health insurance has been such a blessing, especially considering all the medical needs are family has experienced. On the other hand, the long hours, the separation from TDY/Deployments and just the every day stress Mike experienced working with overstressed and overworked people... Mike is planning on going back to school and finishing up his degree... I hope that he can get it done in the next couple of years...
We have much to look forward to and plenty of its unknown...but I feel hopeful and happy. Things always work out....
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