Happy little girls!

Last week Abigail participated in volleyball camp at her new school.  She had a great week, learned new skills, met new friends, and came home a "happy camper"!  Oh, but that first day when I dropped her off my heart sunk...literally.  Abigail's main prayer request has been that she make new friends at her new school.  It just about killed me to leave her after seeing her climb up into those bleacher stands with her posture sinking just a bit (no, it sank a bunch!)....uggh.  I couldn't stand it!  AA and I hung out for just a minute (tried to be inconspicious!) to see if her sad face would turn into a happy face.  Well, I casually walked over to her to give her an extra nudge of encouragement, but I knew she didn't want her "not-so-cool-mom" to be hangin' around...  SO, I left....like a good little momma ;-)

Since it wasn't too cool for me to bring the honkin' camera to camp (oh, little does she know I will HAVE to get pics during a regular season though!) I had to have her pose in our backyard.

Crazy hair day at volleyball camp.  SO proud of her and one of her new friends, Emily, for not being "too cool" to participate!  I do love that about Abs!!

 I prayed for my baby big girl ALL morning of that first day of camp.  I could NOT get her off my mind.  I just asked the Lord to send her a new friend and to help Abigail be strong and courageous in her new setting.  I prayed that when I picked her up she'd have a smile on her face then I would know all was okay.  Well, of course, God delivered, and she was all grins at pick up time.  THANK YOU!!!  Tuesday was a different story- not bad, just a different prayer ;-)  Unfortunately (or fortunately in some ways) , she's inherited he momma's perfectionistic ways.  She was down trodden with "I'm not good at this, and EVERYbody is better at volleyball than I am."....uggh.  Well, our prayers were concentrated in a different way the remaining of the week.  God was gracious and allowed her work through some of those feeling (not easy), have some ups and have some downs, and even score some points.  Life lessons are being learned, and my baby big girl is growing up!!!

  

This week, little miss energizer bunny attended cheer camp.  WOW...how thrilling to see our little flower bud continue to blossom.  In some ways, I just could not stop laughing (to myself, of course!) today as we watched them show off what they learned this week because they was such a difference in ability levels in the older and, ummmm, Audrey An.  She was just beaming though!  She just doesn't know how to NOT have a good time.  It was particulary great for me to see this today because I've wanted to pinch her little head off the past couple of weeks (Gasp!!!!  did I just admit that to blogger world!?!?)...if you know what I mean.  Okay, yes, yes, I did.  I'm a normal mom!!!  More on that later....well, maybe ;-)

Audrey An going for a jump!

Proud momma!

Sweet friends, sisters Amelia and Emily, who AA was attached to at the hip for all of camp...or least today with what I saw! 

Miss Reagan....her patient cheer camp coach for the week!  GOOOOO, BLUE!

Even though the girls are having a fantastic summer we sure are missing family vacation with my family this week.  I'm so bummed we're not at the the beach with mom, dad and my sister's family, but I thought it best not to push this week since a just started with another new doctor and new meds.

So...occupied our time trying not to think about the surf and sand.  We made pizza cupcakes (thanks, pinterest!).

The girls love to cook!

Abs taught herself to sew (well, her DADDY helped a lot, too!). 

We  have David's mom's very nice sewing machine and my little creative daughter can't get enough of this kind of stuff!  Thank goodness pinterest has inspired me a bit more to try some more recipes and get my creative juices a flowing.  We've really had fun cooking and trying out new things since we've been home!

Okay, seriously, is there not anything my man can't do???  He SO puts me to shame!  Once he figured out all the buttons and switches he just whipped himself up a little pillow for the girls' dolls.  Hello!?!?! You da man!!

Medical update:  Since my first appointment two weeks ago with my newest doctor I've felt some stronger.  I've had a couple of nights of better sleep which is just HUGE to me!  It's still very much an issue, but I'll take good sleep here and there!  Tomorrow (Friday) I go for another appointment with her, and I cannot wait to get all the test results back.  I'm reeeeeaaaaallllly curious to see what all THIS testing says.  She tested CPK, mycoplasma, and my hormone levels.  She ran a HDL panel, tested for food allergies, Lymes Disease, Rocky Mountain Fever (or something like that), and much more....can't even remember!  I'm VERY thankful I'm seeing some improvement.  Progress is slow, but it's in the smallest things I'm noticing.  I noticed I could wring out my washcloth this week!  I noticed it was a tad easier heaving myself out of the bathtub this week!  I had couple of "long" days of errand running without totally having to run for my bed when I got home!  Now, I hope my appointment tomorrow isn't 5 1/2 hours again, BUT I'll take it if continues to help me!!!!  Praise God from whom all blessings flow!

Dad's Day and an infusion

Happy Father's Day...thanks for being a great dad!  My three favorite memories with my dad are him taking our family out on the boat, looking up in the stands during one of my track practices and seeing him taking the time to watch his little girl round those corners, and him teaching me how to triple jump.  Love you, dad!

David, thanks for being an awesome daddy!  Your girls adore you, and I'm so thankful that you are always looking for fun things to do with them...making memories!  They  love spending time with you (as do I!).

Two weeks Super Daddy planted a garden with the girls- something he'd been planning for quite awhile.  He loaded up the girls in the car and off they went to pick out some veggies and flowers to plant.  It was a great project for daddy and his girls!

The girls are already seeing results from their tomato plant...very cool!

All planted!  tomatoes, sweet basil, cilantro, watermelon...yummy!  The girls are learning to take responsibility with "their garden"...fabulous!

Then...they built a birdhouse!  It wasn't good enough to buy a ready-made one, Super Daddy had to build it from scratch, BUT the girls didn't mind.  They LOVE doing projects with their daddy!

He SO puts me to shame!  (I did buy the paints though...lol!)

We're not able to be with David today due to his flying schedule...fooey!  The girls and I hid little surprises in his suitcase so he'd find throughout his trip this weekend.  We hope you're having a great day...we love you!  Hurry home ;-)

Two more special daddies to mention on this special day:  Audrey An's birth father (who we'll never know ) and her foster dad.  The above picture are her foster parents and foster brother (Audrey An is on the right with the Mickey Mouse shirt).

I know I've posted photo before, but I THIS is a very cool picture...adoptive daddy meets foster daddy!  So surreal and such a very special moment in our lives.  This was taken several months ago.  Just like Mother's Day, Father's Day has different meaning to me since Audrey An joined our family.  I praise God for all these special men in her life and see HIS story being played out in her life.

Medical update:  I had my appointment last Wednesday with another new doctor.  David was able to go with me, and I was so thankful the girls were in vacation bible school and sports camp this week because we were there for 5 1/2 hours!  It was a great appointment though,  and I was so thank for my sweet friend, Gina, who recommended her and helped me get an appointment.  After a quick exam and review of my last lab results from the rheumatologist, she basically said my body is riddled in infection (that's what David and I have been saying for over a year now!).  Looooong story short, I had several vials of blood taken, and I spent almost 2 1/2 h ours in the "infusion room".  I had never been to a doctor's office like this.  The infusion room reminded me of when I've seen picture of friends who are going through chemo treatments and they're lined up with the IV poles.  That was me on Wednesday!  I have to say I didn't feel any improvement until Saturday (but, hey....that's not too long of a wait!).  I had a GREAT day yesterday! It's amazing what some sleep will do for me.  WOW...I haven't been able to write that in a very long time.  I just cried with the girls in the car yesterday because I was (am) SO thankful for a good day!!!  We ran several errands with out me giving out.  I did laundry without giving out.  I even took the girls swimming at a friend's house after all of that.   I had more strength....it was just a good day! Although Friday night I had about 7  hours of sleep cumulatively and it helped SO much, I was back to 3 hours last night....uggh!  Keep praying for NO INSOMINA.  Slept deprivation just makes me whack!!!!

I follow up with this new doc in two more weeks and will get all the lab results then (hoping sooner!).  Again, thank you to all who continue to pray for my healing and wisdom for doctors.  I feel like I'm this gigantic jigsaw puzzle, and I might have at least the corner pieces put together now.

The other thing I'm thankful in regards to David today is that he's had to remind me over the past few weeks that I AM making progress.  For me, it's so slow I can't see it sometimes.  The night before this last appointment I was discouraged and just sick and tired of being sick and tired, ya know!?  He reminded me that just a few short months ago I could barely get out of bed, wasn't able to drive my car and just a few short WEEKS ago he was still having to get me out of the bathtub. I'm able to maneuver the tub now, and I even started walking (for exercise) just a tiny, tiny bit a few times a week.  Thanks for being my cheerleader, David.  not only are you a great daddy, you are a wonderful husband!  I love you!

Marathon Texas Tour

Howdy, pardner!  Yes, it's me the long lost blogger.  It's been almost a month since I gave an update, and I feel kind of lost without journaling! I really didn't fall off the face of the earth.  The girls and I were in the Lone Star State for two weeks, and David was able to join us for a portion of it, too.  We had a great time, and I'm so thankful I was up to making the trip.  I was pretty exhausted from all the travel (3 flights and getting bumped on our return trip), but it was worth it to see family and friends!  Thankfully, everyone, of course, very gracious and understanding knowing that I couldn't do much other than sit around and rest quite a bit (and do a liiiiitle bit of shopping and eating devouring mexican food!).

First stop on the Texas Tour: my bff's house!  Here's Owen, Audrey An, Abigail, and my beautiful god-daughter, McKenzie Grace...best buddies reunited after almost 2 years!

They swam and swam and swam...

They swam enough the two blondie's hair turned a lovely shade of green!   After some research and a plea on facebook of what to do about their lovely hair color, the consensus was to shampoo their hair in ketchup!  I did one night of ketchup and the next night I used lemon juice.  Between the two trial runs, Ab's hair is back to normal now.

"Uncle" Troy served us up some awesome burgers to go with the ketchup!

Two princesses!

the future Mr. and Mrs.  (oops....don't tell them Kristina and I are arranging their marriage!)

We had a great time with Kristina, Troy, Owen and MG.  Love that I can go almost two years (well, I don't love that it was that long!) without physically seeing my bff and we pick up right where we left off!  Love ya, girl!  You're a great friend, mommy, wife, and encourager.  You always sharpen me and always put my mom skills to shame!!!!  GOOOOOOO KAMP KRISTINA!!!  Ok, and why didn't WE get a picture toghether....hello!?!?!?!

Next stop on the tour:  My sis and family!

Cousins!  Jonathan, Abigail, Steven (who is by the way MAN CHILD, now...16 and 6'3"!!) & AA

Da Boyz with The Green Egg

Texans at heart ;-)

Debra and Mark

time out for...

swingin'

swimmin'

and soccer!
Next Stop: David's family!

I made "David's favorite chocolate cake" for his birthday two days ahead so we'd have plenty of time to enjoy it!! (although I think we consumed it in one sitting)

A birthday for David would not be complete without mexican food!

David's dad, John, and sister, Deborah, with the birthday boy!

 the whole gang...minus Mark! (I heard you were in DC...lol!)

His girls!

Arriba!

Yes, everyone had to make nice with the sombrero!  It cracks me up the difference in the girl and boy photos...can you tell the differences!?!?!

Ride 'em, horsey!  Whose the kid here...love him!

Next stop: "old" friends (I won't say how "old" we're getting!)-  Tricia, Ardis, me, Amy, Leslie, Julie and Elizabeth Ann...precious friends who I hadn't seen in a very long time.  It was awesome to catch up these sweet ladies!  I've got sweet memories with each of the gals and lots of life lessons learned with them as well...good times.

Then, Next stop: AMERCIAN GIRL store.  It's a must stop whenever we come to town!

Next stop: Mom, Dad and Nini!

The girls with their great grandmother Nini.

Sippin' some summertime lemonade with Nana!

Abigail lookin' all tween like with Papa D!

Mom made me sift through my closet that had my high school track medals, homecoming mums, bible drill certificates, basketball awards...also found a few love letters, ahem!  Much to mom's dismay not much of left their house and found it's way into my suitcase.  I just couldn't seem to find room ;-)

Abigail was OBSESSED with playing Monopoly with her daddy and Papa D.  MOST of the time she was quite congenial!!!

Can't for the life of me remember what we were laughing at...

4 generations!

from another perspective...

We enjoyed another mexican birthday dinner for David and myself with mom, dad and grandmother- plus this beautiful sunset!

Ok, now you have the marathon tour (minus sooooo many more photos that were taken....yes, we're obsessed with pics!).  Grateful to be home.  Grateful to be able to have flight benefits (even when we get bumped!).  Grateful for family.  Grateful for friends.  Grateful to have some improved health although it is very, very slow.  Grateful to have the opportunity to see yet another new doctor this coming week, and I am still waiting to get in with the neurologist.  "Be still and KNOW that I am God."