Blowing Off Steam

Re: The Oprah show. If you don't want to hear me complain, please don't read this.

Although I intended to watch, I guess I missed on purpose. The more I tought about it, and yes it is a good story to share, I felt a bit slighted. We, the families, that spend countless hours caring for our child should have been featured as well. I don't want to bring any offense to those that have lost their child, but I hope you can all see where I am coming from. All of our children are miracles, and that miracle is that they have survived long past the expectations of the medical community. I feel the ture miracle is that we, as parents, live each day as a becon of strength and love for the world to see, that we don't give up on ourselves, or the children we love and care for. That we strive to keep normalcy in our life, bring joy to those we meet. And continue to have families that are strong and full of love, however that family is put together.

I felt even more slighted when watching my local news last night, they showed a clip of the Herrin twins on the show, which I have met and spent lots of time with Erin, their mom, at the hospital. I know their story is remarkable, but so are we. I just wish we had more recognition. I am trying very hard at this moment to find the humility that should be here in my heart, that what I have been given is a gift from God, that it is not my glory but His. I suppose I just needed to let this all out. Thanks for letting me rant.

This pic of Arianna is kinda how I feel. Give the world a BIG Karate Hi-Ya!!

Sunday mornings, My Fav

So here I sit in the newly reclaimed office, it was full of junk until two weeks ago. I can smell the yummy hashbrowns that Matt is cooking, made from potatoes from our garden, and loving that I have a great cook in the house. He makes breakfast on Sunday, Kenna loves to help him in the kitchen and mommy can't come in until they are done.
I and very happy today, my little family fills me with so much joy. Matt, what a hard working and loving Daddy. Kenna, a five year old, she wants to know and do everything for herself. She has just started to get ready for bed by herself without me asking. She will come and blow in my face and say my teeth are brushed and I am ready for bed, she then grabs a book for her Daddy to read. Arianna is such a little mover, just this morning I left her on the floor of her room and came downstairs, about 5 mins later I hear Kenna and Matt rescuing her from almost rolling down the stairs. I can't believe how much she has grown, now weighing in at 29 lbs. I get tired just thinking about hauling her around the house. I really need to get her on video rolling and crawling and post it.
The house hunt is moving along, we have seen alot and really like 3 of them, we just need our house to sell so we can put in an offer. Pray it happens quickly.
I am off to eat Matt's yummy breakfast!!

P.S. watch Oprah on tues Oct 28th, story on miracle babies, one with Trisomy 18.

Here's The Scoop

So let me tell you all why I have been too busy to blog. We are getting ready to sale our house, it takes a lot of work to get 12 years of stuff collecting looking good. We painted our bedroom and put in new carpet, the last room in the house to get an update. Matt and I have been so crazy cleaning and such, not to mention all the stuff I do with the girls.
We are hoping to find a good house, a rambler is preferred, Arianna is getting too big for me to haul all around and up and down the stairs. Plus we have just outgrown our house, we only planned on being there for 10 years and it has almost been 12. We will stay in the same general area, close to family and doctors.
Matt has also been busy with the 6 point bull Elk he nabbed on the hunt, my freezer is full.

So that is the gist of it, I will keep you all updated on the house hunt.

New Pictures!!!!

Pic #1 Arianna enjoying the bus ride in Denver.

#2 In her stander

#3 Playing with Papa Rod

#4 Loving her seahorse

#5 Kenna and The Biggest Sundae

Enjoy!!!!

Bad Blogger

I know I have terrible at keep up this past month, it really has gone by so fast. I finally got the hose put back together after the flood, yesterday. Kenna started pre-school last Wednesday and she loves it, she has a new best friend with hair just as long as hers. Arianna was fitted for legs braces about three weeks ago and we got them on Thursday. she is not to sure how well she likes them, we have to work our way up from 10-20 mins a day to all day long. She has really grown so much, now 28 lns and on the move a ton. She has really mastered the roll anywhere and has just figured out how to military crawl on her tummy. Her new joy is a panda mobile on her bed rail, she gets over to it and gets her head up and turns on the music with her mouth, smart thing.
We have her wheelchair and stander on order, I hope they get here soon. I am still hoping that our insurance will approve her special tomato chair, they say it is just a convenience item, whatever.
Kenna will celebrate her 5th birthday on the 19th, I can't believe how fast time fly's when you are having this much fun. I must plan her party, I think she wants to go to the a bounce place.

I will update pics soon. Matt has had the laptop at work. So I write this at my in-laws. I will be better and update more soon I promise.

We did it. We made to Denver and home again, what a drive. The kids did great, I was the one that needed the potty breaks. We had a great time and made tons of new friends, and caught up with the old ones. I have tons of pics and I will post them when Matt lets me have the computer back.
Kenna is a swimming fool, we spent time each day in the pool, had a hard time getting her out for meals or bed. We went to the aquarium as a family, the kids loved it, Arianna loved to watch the sharks, they were big and moved overhead.
There is an annual balloon release to remember those children that have passed, I get so emotional when the name of the kiddo that I am releasing a balloon for is read. I feel a great connection to the family that has loved and lost their child. I don't think there was a dry eye that afternoon.
We spent time at the new Children's Hospital, very nice, and met with doctors that could give us new insight in to helping Arianna to grow and thrive. It is nice to know that our children a being treated as any other child instead of a statistic. The medical community has come a long way, even in the past two years.
We met a family from Nebraska with a daughter with full Trisomy 13, she is the oldest at 22 years. She is beautiful, about the size of a 10 yr old, but she is the light and joy of her parents. She spends time ridding horses, and tubing behind the boat, all with some assistance. I have found great inspiration from them.
We also made friends with a couple from Cali, they have a 17month old, she is a partial 13, and is doing great. Arianna was teaching her how to roll over. We hope to visit them soon.
I was sad to see the conference end, I will miss our friends. Next year conference will be in Virginia, we'll see if we can make it.

Arianna is now fighting another round of pneumonia, she aspirated while in Denver and the climate and elevation change didn't help. We are fighting it and praying it will pass quickly.
We also lost a friend this past week. Our little buddy Isaac lost his heart battle, and returned to our Heavenly Father, please pray for his family at this time of need.

Where have we been?

So, yeah I know it has been far too long. I have been very busy with well life. Kenna and Arianna keep me so busy I have a hard time finding time to even have a shower longer than five minuets. SO what have we been up to, well we took a trip to Midway with the whole Snell family, it's an annual thing, we spent the 4th of July weekend just relaxing and playing. Arianna thought she would get a fever while there, but it was nothing. Kenna had a blast playing in the pool, Arianna liked it too, but didn't stay in too long. We all took a ride on the carousel, even Matt's 88 yr old grandma. Arianna smiled the whole time, she was riding a wild Boar.

I am getting everything ready to take a 5 day trip to Denver to get together with our Trisomy friends, it's the annual SOFT conference. We are planning on driving from Salt Lake, I hope it all goes well.

I will try to keep up a little better in the future. More to come from Denver!