Mon. 6/30 - update

Big day.....Caed ate quite a bit......and has now gone to bed! Zero throw-ups today!!! Praise God! Not sure what the night will hold, but again, we will still consider this day major progress. It wasn't very long ago that all that food would have already come up by now. He just seemed to want to eat ALL day long. If he wasn't eating, he was talking about food. Big change from days past!

His HH nurse came today. She will start coming every Mon. from now on. She changed his dressing again (he did fine) and drew the normal blood. Then....a few minutes later, another one of his nurses (from Covenant) came out to visit. Caed was excited to see her, but I could tell he was a little nervous too. He kept asking me what she was going to do to him. Poor guy. I told him she just missed him, and wanted to love on him. Thank you so much Laura for coming out to see us! Like I've said before, we don't miss the "hospital" per say, but definitely ALL the sweet faces we saw for 71 days! You truly became like family to us. We couldn't have asked for better nurses for Caed!! We're so grateful for you ALL.....you loved and cared for a little boy that wasn't always very cooperative. When Laura asked him today if he missed the hospital, he said "yes!" ha! We laughed. I know he didn't mean that literally....but I DO believe he does miss all his wonderful nurses.

We went to see Dr. Higgins today to get Caed's weight. He was holding steady!!! (36 lbs.) We will go back next Mon. for an x-ray.

After our "quick - easy" trip to the dr., Todd, Caed, Reagan, and I went to the movie to see Wall-E. Caed had been waiting for this movie for several months! He really liked it, and only had to leave once for a "bathroom run."

Tonight he has done wonderful. Ate lots and lots of chicken!!! Everytime we turned around, he was back at the table eating more. Pray we can get through the night and not see that chicken again. We are now up to 15 cc. with feeding tube. He has been doing really well during the nights now. Either he sleeps all night, or only gets up once! (huge change from even a week ago!)

We have a big day planned tomorrow. Reagan is having her birthday party! She doesn't turn 8 until Sat., but we usually don't get to have her birthday on the day because of July 4th. (plus we're needing to work around when Todd is here). She has invited 5 little friends and we are going to go to Joyland (sorry you're going to miss it Greg!) and then a slumber party here at Nana and Grandaddy's. She is VERY excited to say the least. Caed is too!! He has been wanting to go to Joyland for quite some time. I'm so glad he's doing well enough to really be able to enjoy it.


at the movies with Wall-E

Sun. 6/29 - update

Good day. We went to my parents' church (FBC Lubbock). It was so good to see some of the people who have been praying for Caed throughout all this. We went to Sunday School and 1/2 of the worship service. Caed started hurting. He got sick twice today....had very little diarrhea....and ate well. He was in a great mood and played a lot. By the way, he had a great night last night! Normally he is up anywhere between 3-6 times going to the bathroom. Only once last night. yea!

We picked up Daddy and Reagan from the airport tonight. He was SO excited! It's been kinda quiet around here the last several days.

We will go to GI dr. tomorrow to get his weight. Pray he's staying steady...................














playing hide-n-go seek w/ Nana

posted too early

I guess it serves me right for trying to post early and get to bed at a decent hour! Caed just threw up......never the less I will still consider this a GREAT DAY!

*also, please pray for my mom.....she has a bad cold now.

Sat. 6/28 - update

...for I am the LORD, who heals you. (Exodus 15:26)

So far....we've had a record day! No throw ups!!! (and very little diarrhea) He has done so well today. Caed and I decided to go to CritterFest at the Science Spectrum. We had lots of fun, and only had to find a bathroom once! (huge deal!!!) He saw camels, goats, llamas, horses, cows, monkeys, ponies, prairie dogs, snakes, lizards, turtles, dogs, alligators, and even tigers! (Lubbock doesn't have a zoo, so this was a treat) We even ran into one of his drs. there. She was amazed at how well he looked. He wanted popcorn....I was a little hesitant, but since he tolerated it well last night, decided to give in. I got the small box, and he ate almost the entire thing! I kept worrying during the tiger show (packed out w/ very little room to move) that he would wait until then to get sick. Nope! Then, around 4:00, he wanted a hotdog. (again...very nervous!) He did great. Ate 1/2 then and about 2 hrs. later finished the other 1/2. It has also stayed down! This is a HUGE deal for Caed. Like I said before....this is truly a record day. He went 23 hrs. in the hospital a couple of times without throwing up, but didn't eat a whole box of popcorn and a hotdog! He has just acted like he felt good all day. We started the new med for the diarrhea last night, and today has been a total change. Normally he goes 20+ times a day. Only about 2-3 today!

Now for the big test.....Todd flies back tomorrow evening. We have laughed because so many times it seems Caed takes a turn for the worse when Todd gets here! Pray he continues progressing like he has!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY UNCLE STAN!!!!!!!! WE LOVE AND MISS YOU!

David & Sandra...THANK YOU so much
for all the gifts from Disney World!! Caed was
so excited when he saw Mickey. He carried
him with us all day!!! (Reagan is not here yet, but
will love the picture holder!!!) You are too sweet!

feeding the goats


this was one of his favorites. (the girl is putting
little tennis shoes on him)

eating the whole box!


the tiger show

Fri. 6/27 - update

Caed has had a very busy day. Hopefully that means an early bedtime! His night (11 cc.) was eventful to say the least. He was up at 1:30, 3:30, 4:30, 5:30, 6:30, and 8:00! The good part of it was that he only got up to go to the bathroom, then was back to sleep very easily. Our dr. gave us some med for the diarrhea (which we finally got filled and will start tonight), so hopefully that can begin helping some. Caed ate a lot (for him) today. For breakfast he wanted a pop-tart and banana. Normally I would have said no to the pop-tart, but decided to see if he could tolerate it. (it was plain....no icing) He did great with both! Ate maybe 1/2 of pop-tart, and 1/4 of banana. Then, at lunch we went to Souper Salad, and he ate some ham, grapes, goldfish, club crackers, and a vanilla wafer. Again, did great! We had to find lots of bathrooms while we were out running errands...he still had quite a bit of diarrhea. Finally, around 5:00....he did throw up, but it wasn't a lot. (maybe 100 cc) Kinda sad that we have learned to eyeball things like that and can measure it in cc's. Before this, I probably didn't even know what a cc was! Anyway, after we got home, I was popping some popcorn , and he came in the kitchen wanting some. I gave him a very small bowl, and he ended up eating 2 of them! So.....we shall see! Again though, several weeks ago, he would have never asked for that much food to begin with....so progress there! And secondly, we would have already seen most of it come back up by now. We will have to consider today another GOOD DAY!!!! Thank you Lord!

Progress

Progress....steady improvement......forward movement.

I have heard this little word more times than I can count in the last few weeks. Everyone who has been around Caed from day 1 keeps using it. "Boy, he is really making progress!!" Like my dad said the other night....you really don't see much change day-to-day, but week-to-week, most definitely! And especially in the last 2-3 weeks. It has been an enormous one!

The past 4 months have gone so slow.....and yet in ways, they have flown by! I went back and read our "Caed Book" (all blog postings), and was absolutely amazed. So much of it was too hard to read, as it made me relive those moments over again. However, I also couldn't believe how much progression you really could see with the turning of each page. It was slow, but progress none the less. I wanted to recap just a few of those moments:

March 1, 2008:
"...he threw up a couple of times and then began REALLY crying out w/ severe stomach pains. This went on for about 30 minutes, and by the look on his face we decided it was serious enough we needed to bring him into Lubbock to a clinic.......The surgery lasted over 3 hours and she (Dr. Goldthorn) came out and told us he had a condition known as a volvulus (twisting of the bowels and stomach). Blood vessels were also wrapped around it which had caused the internal bleeding. She took out 50% of his sm. intestine and and also part of his large.....she said it was a very serious condition and we were "lucky" (we say blessed) that we got to the hospital on time or it would have been fatal........"

March 10, 2008
"...he ran fever the entire day! Caed struggled again with pain alot today (always), and also the occasional throwing up bile. We did get him up out of bed to do his dreaded daily walk. He went to the hallway again and touched the wall of the nurses' station. He cried the whole way (as well as his Mamma)...Only minutes after we got him back to his bed, my phone rang. It was Caed's t-ball coach in Celina informing me of his 1st practice tomorrow. All I could do was cry!..."

March 16, 2008
"Well...what can I say, the last 24 hours have been extremely difficult. Caed was in pain constantly! They gave him medicine for it, which only knocked him out. So, if he wasn't sleeping, he was crying out in excrutiating pain!...Meanwhile, he threw up LOTS of straight bile!!..."

March 28, 2008
"Our GI dr. did go ahead with the nasal feeding tube. It goes all the way down into part of the sm. intestine. Caed was not happy when he came out of anesthesia. They had a big oxygen mask (covered his whole little face) and of course the nasal tube. He has been crying wanting it gone!..."

April 13, 2008
"Surgery at 1:30!!! Possible partial bowel obstruction. Dr. did not want to wait. Please pray all goes well..........."

April 24, 2008
"The times my heart breaks the most is when he is in pain and all he can cry out is "Mommy!"...It's excrutiating when he is looking at me with tears rolling down his checks begging me to help ease the pain!! I want so badly to tell him it's going to be ok and that I can help him. I can't...."

April 27, 2008
"Wow! What a day we've had! THANK YOU GOD....we talked to the drs. today about getting Caed a 4 hr. pass each day...We left the hospital about 3:00 and drove out to Idalou to Nana & Grandaddy's house. It was so good for him! He fed the fish in the pond, played golf, went downstairs in the basement to play air hockey, rode in the jeep, played soccer and baseball, and went for a ride down the street in his wagon. He did not speak a lot today, but we knew he was HAPPY!...."

May 5, 2008
"...Dr. Goldthorn asked me if I felt comfortable with bringing him home...I want to stress that he did not get dismissed because he is all well and doing so much better. He is doing fine, but we still have a long road ahead of us! Nothing with Caed has changed other than his address...His G-tube is still being drained; although we are clamping it a lot through the day. He is still on his TPN 19 hrs./day..."

May 14, 2008
"...So, with those 3 factors: lots of pain, 103 fever, and green drainage we decided to take him to the ER (2:30 am)...They decided to admit us back into the hospital so we could have some testing done..."

May 18, 2008
"There is another aspect of Caed's illness that we don't talk a whole lot about....We have known that he will most likely develop some post-traumatic stress from all this. I am not sure what Caed's screams are from. Is it anxiety, the pain, being "mad" that he's hurting, frustrated that he isn't able to do the normal things he used to do...?"

June 10, 2008
"Caed's day has not been too bad. He ran fever again around noon, but just low grade. Caed's bilirubin level is high (liver), which explains the yellow skin/eyes..."

June 17, 2008
"He ate today, not a lot, but was interested in it. Several times I would see him go to the kitchen and stare into the frig. I asked him if he was hungry and he said yes. That is a big change....we're just having to really watch WHAT he eats..."

June 24, 2008
"Today was a very good day! He only threw up once and that was 1st thing this morning. He ate several things (ALL of which stayed down!) Thank you God for giving us this encouragement..."

Now a visual reality of HOW FAR Caed has come!.................


Less than 2 weeks after the 1st surgery (3/12/08)


1st attempt with nasal feeding tube (3/29/08)


2nd time in ICU...this was after surgery #3 (4/14/08)


4 hr. pass - 1st time out to Nana
& Grandaddy's house (4/27/08)


1st trip HOME!!!! (6/21/08)

Dear God,
As we look and read through the journal entries of the last 4 months, we are absolutely speechless. What do we say?....YOUR hand is evident in the turning of each page. "What is man that YOU are mindful of him?... (Ps. 8:4)" You have lavished Your grace and mercy on us and we are humbled and eternally grateful. Please continue to use this experience in our lives. Don't allow us to forget....to get complacent...or allow a hint of pride into our hearts. YOU have carried us through this major storm and now the clouds are rolling back, the winds are dying down, and we are seeing the shoreline on the otherside. Thank you for not letting us go! Thank you for using this for YOUR glory! We pray that You would continue to work in Caed's life (specifically), get him ready to be used by YOU. We expect great things, and are in awe that You chose such a special little boy to be Your vessel. Hold Reagan and Caleb in Your arms...and use this also in their lives in ways we would never imagine. We give them all to YOU!!!

Thur. 6/26 - update

Like cold water to a weary soul...is good news from a distant land. (Proverbs 25:25)

Praise God! Today's dr. appt. brought us the news we've been praying for...Caed is improving! Even though on the outside we have been seeing it, there has been some anxiousness in wondering if his "insides" were doing the same. Our GI dr. said all his numbers had gone down!! He was very pleased with what he saw. The only thing we will really be watching is his weight. Caed has lost 2 lbs. in the last 2 weeks. (he had gained almost 10 throughout the 2 months in the hospital) So, yes, he has some to lose....but we can't afford him to continue this pattern. The "magic number" will be 35 lbs. The dr. doesn't want him to go below that for now. (he is 36.3 now) We will go back next week for them to weigh him again. He also has prescribed Caed some med that should help with the diarrhea. After we left, Caed was SO excited and has continued to tell people his good news......"Dr. Higgins said he won't touch my tummy ever again!!" ha! Well, not sure those were the dr's exact words. I think he just meant he wouldn't touch it today! But, we won't tell Caed that. We also got good news from our HH nurse. She said Dr. Higgins and Dr. Goldthorn decided since Caed was doing so well, she only needed to come out once a week instead of two. So, now she will draw blood and do dressing change every Mon. Caed ate a fish stick (he's kinda stuck on those lately), 4 grapes and 7-8 goldfish today. So far, they have stayed down...... We will also try to increase his G-tube 1 cc. each night. (until we get to the point we can increase by 5's or 10's) So, tonight we will see how the big #11 goes!

Thank you for praying for Caed today. His dressing change went fine. He cried (of course), but like our nurse keeps saying, "he's getting better each time I do it." Also, for his dr. appt. It truly was a great encouragement for us (Todd was on speaker phone during it)! THANK YOU GOD!!

Wed. 6/25 - update

We had another good day! This morning Caed, Caleb, and I went to one of my friend's house in Lubbock. It was with 3 other high school friends...Lesli, Holly,and Marnie. We all had our kids and had a play date. It was a lot of fun (especially reminiscing!!!) When we got there, Caed told me he was hungry and wanted his Jello. (ate the whole thing!) Then, when lunch rolled around, the other kids were having fish sticks/chicken/fruit. Caed looked at me and said he wanted a plate too. I was pretty nervous about it, but fixed him a plate with 1 fish stick and a few apples. He ate all of it, and told me he wanted some more fish. So, in all this morning he ended up eating 2 fish sticks, some apples, grapes, and Jello! When we were leaving he began complaining his stomach was hurting. Then, on the way home, he got sick. However...it wasn't very much (& primarily the Jello! ????) He had a great rest of the day! He's still having diarrhea, but not as much as before. I increased his G-tube to 10 cc. tonight. That's where his dr. wanted us to get. We will see him tomorrow afternoon. Pray for the numbers to be the same or lower! And also for our dreaded "Thursday morning dressing change!" He is getting better, but it still scares him quite a bit. Good thing our HH nurse is fast!!

Tues. 6/24 - update

Today was a very good day! He only threw up once and that was first thing this morning. He ate several things (ALL of which stayed down!!) Thank you God for giving us this encouragement! The trip back to Lubbock was good. Although we did not tell Caed we where leaving (until the last minute). We dropped Reagan off at VBS, and then Todd drove us to the airport. (he and Reagan will stay all week and then fly back Sun. night) Caed was a little sad at first, and didn't understand, but I quickly explained....and he was totally fine with it. He enjoyed the flight, only needed to "run" to bathroom once while in the air (which was interesting fitting both of us in it).

Caed has a GI appt. tomorrow. Please pray his numbers have not elevated (bilirubin, in particular). He is looking so much better, but you can still see the yellow in his eyes.

(to answer your question...WE are not selling the candles, but a few sweet women in Celina are)


Finally all 3 home at last
(we pray for MANY more fun days
together playing in their playroom)


it was crazy hat day at VBS
(they decorated their own)


surfin' at the airport


on the flight back to Lubbock
(he was pretty serious about "reading" the
safety booklet)


little brother did great too!
(thanks to Nana!)

Mon. 6/23 - update

...for they will soon come home. (Ezekiel 36:8)



I know I am taking this verse out of context, but it so describes my feeling today. Caed had a very good day overall. (minus a couple of times getting sick and hurting this evening) Probably more today has the reality of us getting to come home (for good) been so clear. The last 2 days have been very hard to describe. We're here...in our own home...and yet I felt like I was "visiting" someone else....and living out of a suitcase. I know it probably seems hard to understand, but it has taken the last day and 1/2 to familiarize myself with stuff and jog my memory of where certain things are located. Yesterday, I found myself seeing things that seemed like a lifetime ago. My closet is still full of maternity clothes. There is a small tub that still sits on the kitchen counter that is full of all those things we used the 1st 2 weeks of caring for a newborn. There are clothes in his dresser that he never got to wear. His bassinet still sits in our bedroom. Special soap the dr. gave me after my surgery sits in the shower. The kids' Valentine pictures and also their latest art projects of marshmallow snowmen hang on the wall. You saw their calendar (March 1). Reagan and Caed's closets are still full of winter clothes. I could go on and on...but these are just a few examples of the things that I have been surrounded by. Just constant reminders of the day we left the house so many months ago. Finally this morning, however, while everyone else was still asleep (except Caleb), I began putting away dishes, made my bed for the 1st time, gathered up laundry, etc. I guess it took that for me to feel like this was MY house again. Todd and Caed woke up next, and Caed came to the couch to watch cartoons just like he used to. The scene was SO familiar, and I loved it!

We went to church this morning for VBS. We dropped Reagan off where she needed to go, and then Caed wanted to go find his class. He did not want to be "dropped off" like Reagan, nor would I have done that anyway. I knew we needed to stay close by in case he began feeling sick. He stayed with his group for about 1/2 the time. He sat during Bible story time, sang during music, and even did a craft. After that, I could tell by the look on his face he wasn't feeling well. We headed for Daddy's office and he rested on the floor awhile. Soon he was feeling better, so we then just walked around and watched the other groups. (we had to run to the restroom several times during the morning as well) When we got home, he was hungry and ate a very small lunch. (few bites of meat and pears) Addie came over and played with Caed and Reagan most of the afternoon. (thank you Addie...they loved it!) Caed did great, I think only complained once that his tummy hurt, but didn't last long. (he also ate 7-8 goldfish) Tonight, Caed asked his Daddy if some of the teenagers could come over. (he was referring to the group of Sr. guys who would always come over on Thurs. for Bible study) Todd made a few calls, and Seth, Clay, & Travis came. He was SO excited!! They boxed, had a sword fight, shot dart guns at him, etc... Just like old times. It was really good for him. He loves all these guys, and it was always the highlight of his week when they came over. Thank you for loving him like you do!! It means a lot to him.

We (my mom, Caed, Caleb, and I) fly out around noon tomorrow. Such mixed emotions. I want to stay. I hate having to leave Todd and Reagan, but I also know Caed still has aways to go. He IS progressing, and these last 2 days have been major proof of that. However, we're trying to be patient and not rush things too quickly. I know so many things can happen, but we're going to try to get through the summer, and then attempt the transition of transferring to a specialist here in the Dallas area. Please pray specifically that the Lord will begin putting all those details into place. I am very nervous about "starting over" with new drs. (just having to explain a VERY complicated medical history)

Todd made a statement yesterday and it hit me so hard. If we had gotten on the road the afternoon of March 1 and headed back to Celina....it would now be almost 4 months after Caed's funeral. Oh GOD!!! Thank you that YOU were in control that day. Thank you that YOU allowed certain things to happen that prolonged us getting on the road. Thank YOU for sparing our son!!!!!! Thank YOU that I was able to bring ALL 3 of my children home this weekend!

To all our friends in Celina: We loved being here, and getting to see your smiling faces again. We look forward with anticipation the day we can be home for good!



singing in music class (Caed is in bright orange)


making his sunflower in art

more pics of our 3rd day home

running through the "sprinker"





Caed wanted to eat his cookie so bad.
We knew it would not be a good idea
with all the icing, but decided to let him
just eat the ears!!


"Candles for Caed"
Thank you all SO MUCH!!!!

Sun. 6/22 - update

We had a wonderful day back with our sweet church family. Oh, how we have missed them!
The service was especially meaningful, and they made reference to Caed several times....including singing his favorite (Blessed Be Your Name)! The tears were rolling at that point. They also gave the Lord a standing ovation for continuing to heal this little boy and all the answered prayers on his behalf. This church has poured out their love and support for us and for that, we will forever be grateful. We love you each so very much!!!

Caed had a pretty normal day (for him). He woke up this morning hurting and vomiting. (wasn't sure if we would be able to go). Then, after church the youth were having a fundraiser luncheon and of course we stayed for that. I brought Caed his own food (pears), but he kept eyeing the meatballs. ugghhh! It's so hard telling him "no" when he wants to eat. How many months did we try and try to get him to put anything in his mouth, and now, we're finding out he really does need to avoid certain foods/drinks. (which is usually anything his sister or anyone around is getting to enjoy!) However, like I've said, he is learning more and more what things don't settle well with his tummy. I cut up about 3-4 tiny little bites of meat. Before we even left the church, he was already getting sick again. He took a short nap and then got a big surprise. All morning at church he kept asking for one particular person.....Nolan!! (one of our youth last year - Sr. '07) Finally, Nolan stopped by the house this afternoon. Caed was very excited to see him. He even brought Caed a Superman cap. (he wore it the rest of the day, Nolan) He played awhile and was feeling really well. Then, he asked me if we could go to the Celina Park. Of course! I had totally forgotten about that. He and Reagan always loved to go there. So, we spent several hours there this evening. He did great! He got sick while we were coming home, and had a pretty bad pain spell tonight before he went to bed. Other than those times.....he was the "old Caed!"

In the morning we will take the kids to VBS. Caed wants to go, but also wants Mommy to stay very close by. I think it's been so good for him to be back in "familiar territory" and especially see and be with all his friends. I know he has missed them!



Sitting with his Sunday School class (striped blue shirt)
He only stayed a few minutes, but it's a start...


Gifts from Celina Christian Academy (minus the trumpet).

*Sorry we're just now getting it! Todd and I decided not
to bring ALL the gifts to Lubbock. (could have gotten too
overwhelming, plus it was difficult bringing them on the plane)
We wanted him to be able to open some of them when he
came home. Thank you so much for all the
Build-a-Bear clothes and very special pillow case (signed by the
students)!


Cookie Bouquet (looks too good to eat!)


Daddy, Caed, and Nolan racing his new cars
(thank you sweet Addie!)


Got a good left hook!!

more pics from our 2nd day home

Grace, Reagan, & Caed at the park





Reagan and good friend Grace


Reagan and good friend Carlie
(also neighbor across the street)


Caleb finally getting to use his highchair
(so many of his things are here...and don't
load too well on an airplane) ha!

Sat. 6/21 - update

This is the scene we drove up to this evening as we pulled onto our street in Celina! It was amazing!! We thank you very much to our dear sweet friends for making Caed feel so special. He did great on the airplane (ate a whole bag of pretzels, in fact), and also played hard at the "homecoming party." He was so excited to be here! We had a cook-out and all the kids played just like they used to. As for myself....it was a very surreal feeling walking into my home for the 1st time in almost 4 mos. It was familiar, but yet I felt like it was someone else's house I was in. Can't quite describe it. In fact, at one point, my mind was completely blank as to which cabinet the glasses were in. They ladies who came and cleaned did a wonderful job, but there were things I could see that were exactly in the same spot as when I left back the end of Feb. Just a very bizarre feeling!

Caed did well today. He got sick right as we were getting in the car to drive to the airport. Great timing on a mother's nerves! But, after that, did fine. The diarrhea was also better today. I did not increase his G-tube feeding last night. I decided to try to keep it the same for several days before increasing it. Hopefully, his body can get adjusted a little better. ??? Today he ate a few apple chunks, some grapes and wheat thins, pretzels on the plane, and watermelon at the party. ALL of which stayed down (except a small amount of grapes). Praise GOD!!

We are excited about going to church in the morning. Just seeing so many faces that we have not seen in such a long time. Caed is looking forward to seeing his friends again.

Thank you all for your prayers. Today was a very big "first step" for Caed!!! We were so encouraged by his progress. We know that one day very, very soon we can be coming back home for good!



on the airplane with his Celina Bear


in his room playing pirates


he and Reagan played for a long time
in her room...just like they used to


finally....back in his own bed at last! While he was
getting "hooked up" he looked at me and said,
"I sure am glad to be back home!"

Because of the Lord's great love, we are not consumed for His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; GREAT IS YOUR FAITHFULNESS!!!!!
(Lamentations 3:22-23)

more pics from our 1st day home

The kids at the party
(Caed is in his Texas Tech helmet)


Caed and Addie
(neighbor across the street)


Caed and his "partner in crime", Reid


playing in the bounce house


this is the calendar in the kids' playroom!

Fri. 6/20 - update

We leave for our Celina visit tomorrow! Should get there around 8:00 pm....... We are all excited! Todd told me that we had some VERY special people who came to our house today and worked! Oh my goodness....I am speechless! I can't believe what they did. He said they cleaned everything (sheets, blinds, baseboards, etc...), and also left lots of food! There were also some men who came and helped fix our fence. YOU ALL HAVE BLESSED US TREMENDOUSLY!!! It is extremely hard being on the receiving end, but we know it is the Lord working through you...thank you so very much! We will never forget what you have done.

I would also like to specifically thank ALL of those who continue to provide us with air miles. Todd has had to do LOTS of flying the last 2 months, juggling family and work (300 miles apart). He could never have done it without all the support from SO many of you! We are truly overwhelmed. We have been given air fare from complete strangers! Thank you GOD! We continue to be amazed at how He is providing for our every need. We have been receiving many medical bills in the mail, but the "biggie" came last week. $865,000!!!!!!!!! Total, so far...we have reached 1 million dollars in dr./hospital bills! However, instead of that weighing us down, we were relieved. Thank you Blue Cross Blue Shield!!!! We continue to see the Lord's hand in this and are thankful for providing us with good insurance. We know that this is a long way from being over, including the bills, but we just have to remember He is in control....and He will provide (like He already has)!! We want to thank each and every one of you who have had a part in that provision. We are truly humbled. May the Lord bless your GENEROUS HEARTS!!!!!!! We love you!

Thur. 6/19 - update

I wasn't able to post last night due to the severe storms here in Lubbock. We had a fairly lengthy power outage. With 3 kids (Reagan, Bergan, & Caed) and a baby, we decided to camp out in the basement with our candles and flashlights "just in case." We knew it would be easier if we were all already down there and prepared. The kids of course had a blast. Although I will say it was quite interesting administering all Caed's meds and hooking him up by flashlight. I just kept praying, "Lord, please help me to get all this right!" We finally moved back upstairs around 10:30 - 11. Caed's night was eventful. He woke up with diarrhea every hour. He has struggled with this from the beginning, and the drs. told us it might last 1-3 years. However, he's never had it this bad! The good thing is that he didn't complain too much about the pain. I have upped his G-tube feedings to 7 cc. It always seems to go so slow in the beginning...like we're barely inching up. I am going to try to get it to 10 cc by the time we see the dr. next Thurs. He does better if he can stay on a number for several days. The dr. said we could increase it 1 cc. every night until we get to 10. However, the diarrhea seems to be bad until his body gets used to it. Seems SO weird that we can tell a difference in 1 cc. It's just basically nothing! (5cc=1 tsp.) So, he's getting a little over 1 tsp. into his tummy each hour throughout the night. Again, just like the hospital, our goal is around 60-70cc.

Today was a very special day for Caed! Some very, very dear friends of our family sent some money and said to use it for fun, a need, whatever! We thought hard about it. Caed is pretty limited at what he can do for "fun." Each day he gets to watch Reagan swim, eat whatever she wants, etc... The one thing he has really enjoyed throughout all this is riding in the little red jeep. (however, this jeep is about 12+ yrs. old...and you are reminded of it everytime you ride it!) So, my parents decided to use part of the money and get another "vehicle" to leave here at Nana & Grandaddy's house. We took Caed to ToysRUs yesterday to pick one out. He chose the red Corvette, of course. He had lots of fun last night riding around with the other kids. THANK YOU SO MUCH! You put the biggest smile on this little boy's face. He told my mom, "I'm so glad I got this!!"

Racing his cousin Logan in his F-150

This was the little tent the kids made when the
electricity went out the 1st time (before we moved
to basement)