General Update

Life has been very busy, so I haven't had a lot of time to update in a while. I replied to a family email, and before I knew it, I had gone on and on about what was going on with us. I opted to copy the bulk of it and post it here. As I have been reading through again for edits, what jumps out the most is how normal it all sounds. So blessed and blissfully normal - so very different from where we were a year ago. Over the past couple of weeks I have gotten several reminders of how lucky we have been. I got a call from an audiology friend who's stepmom works with a young woman. This woman is halfway through her pregnancy and found out the baby has a DH and about a 50/50 chance. I don't know any more than that. Keep them in your prayers. Another family my sister-in-law knows round about through work has a little one at Riley right now, struggling with multiple heart defects. Our dear friends, the Hufty's, are doing well but continue to struggle with colds and some setbacks. They got the news we were dreading, but never got. Time to hunker down for winter and become reclusive again. Keep all of them in your prayers, please.

Ok, here's the update - the ordinary, normal, day-to-day stuff we are so pleased to be able to tell you about.

Justin was telling us he is now in the "AR" program at school. He reads a book twice, on his free time in school, then answers questions about it on the computer. He loves it and has read 4 now, I think. He says he hasn't missed any questions yet! He really loves reading and is moving quickly through the "Magic Treehouse" Series at home. We have finished the first 8 books and are getting ready to purchase the next four-pack. We read the chapters with both older boys (Gabe is usually around but doesn't tolerate sitting and listening very often at this point)but Justin has gone back and started rereading the earlier books on his own and is doing really well. We have to help him with a few words, but not many. He has also been given his first piano solo to get ready for spring contest! I didn't really expect that this year - he is also winning the practice contest (meaning he has logged in the most practice time of all the kids taking lessons with this teacher). He is also getting better at tumbling, especially with the bar work. We are switching him to an "all boys" class, which spends more time on the elements that boys would do in competition. He is really interested in diving, so we'll see... Oh yeah, and he is still excited about Scouts. Josh just found out that the city is allowing officers to take an hour of comp time a week to devote to volunteer service, so now he shouldn't have to miss any of the meetings, unless it is really busy at work (which is helpful since he will be a co-leader).

Kendrick wants to join everything. He is currently taking "All Star Sports", which exposes the kids to a little bit of everything. Basketball leagues are starting in a couple of weeks at the Y and he wants to do it. He also wants to start swim lessons again and take tumbling with Justin. He would kind of like to try soccer some time too. WHEW! On the academic side of things, he has finally taken an interest in coloring and writing (primarily writing) which he has never really wanted to do before. He now asks to do a workbook when he comes home from school and wants to go over his "homework" (which consists of whatever art project they had that day). I suspect at least some of this is his attempt to grab some attention. We spend a lot of time with Justin on piano lessons and homework, and he can get overshadowed sometimes. I am making a more concerted effort to keep from happening. Over night he has gone from scribbling pictures for me to drawing recognizeable items. Last night he showed us a bunch of scribbled circles on a page from earlier that day and told us it was a picture of the YMCA. Naturally we responded, "OH! Ofcourse! Nice drawing Kendrick!" (scratch the head) Not thirty minutes later, he came up to me with a picture he had drawn just for me. It was a picture of himself picking me a flower. The self portrait consisted of a head with eyes, nose and a big smile. He had arms with five fingers at the end of each appendage. These arms were attached to a body, not just a stick or the head itself but a potato-shaped body! From the bottom were clearly legs. Interestingly there were two loops right where the legs connected to the body, which was curious so I asked him what they were. Innocent enough question which earned me a droll look and response, "They're HIPS, Mommy". Silly me. So he goes straight from scribbles to anatomy - who knew?

Gabe is coming right along in therapy and is likely to drop next month from OT and PT every week to OT once a MONTH and PT every other week. Amazing. Our most significant accomplishment is probably staying clear of the ER in over a month (knock on head). He has only been to the doctor for a flu shot recently. All three boys have theirs and we need to get ours. He is babbling more and more, starting to slowly add actual words and now has four consistent signs: more, eat, milk & please. He pretty much walks everywhere, looking very much like a little old man as he goes. This past Friday we made a quick trip to Indy for the members preview of the "Haunted Train" at the Children's museum and then a small reunion with some of the night nurses who took care of him. We haven't had much opportunity to visit with the night nurses, so we were very excited to stop in. Tabatha and Amanda fussed over Gabe's transformation from the last time they had seen him, and the boys' costumes from the party at the museum. As we were preparing to leave, we even ran into Dr. Rouse, who did a double-take seeing little Gabe the lion, accompanied by the Scarecrow and Tin man!! It was cute.

All in the same weekend, we took the boys to the Fall Festival on Saturday and then got up early Sunday morning to run in the Evansville Half Marathon. Josh did phenomonal - running the entire distance and coming in under 2 hours, right around 1:51. He also stated that he felt much better than the last time he ran it - which was about 3 years ago. I finished, which was all I really hoped to do. I made it in 2:41, which was much better than the 3 hours I was just hoping I could do. I didn't run the whole way, but am pretty sure I ran about 80%. It was an amazing feeling to cross the finish line and shock of shocks, may do it again. I am still sore today, but getting around really well, which shocks me too. I had only made it to the 6 mile mark in training, so my expectations were not too high. Not bad for thirty-something who hasn't run much since high school.