Memorial Day!!!!!!

Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service.

In 1915, inspired by the poem "In Flanders Fields," Moina Michael replied with her own poem:

We cherish too, the Poppy red

That grows on fields where valor led,

It seems to signal to the skies

That blood of heroes never dies.

 

 

 

Since Mother Nature was very GOOD to us on the Beautiful Memorial Day we spent the morning outside:

 

 

First:  Nick playing his trumpet for Persell Middle School in the Memorial Day Parade

Nick was on the farthest side and sadly I don't know how to use the "zoom" on my camera :(

But he did such a great job!!!!  I am so PROUD and I LOVE him very much!!!!!

Two Of Nick's Biggest Fans

Sara is a FAN of big brother Nick too!!!!

I sure do LOVE this group!!!!!!!

Sara taking a moment to give her sister her teether!!!  So SWEET!!!!!

Bellie LOVING the pool!!!!!

Owen was in the middle of telling me a very important story

Sara just relaxing!!!!! 

I took a million pictures and this is the BEST of all 3 of them!  It was impossible to get them all to face me at the same time as they were much to busy!!!!!!

Bellie Update and Scary Sister Stuff

Bellie is doing great!!!!!!  She is simply the BEST at everything including recovering from surgery!!!!  For the most part she leaves her eye alone which is allowing for quick healing!!!  Belle only has to wear an eye shield at night and has about 10 eye drops (4 different meds) a day.  She handles all of this so well - it amazes me all the time!!!! 

Now for the yucky part of our last week.  My sister came to visit Tuesday from Miami.   Wednesday morning we were in the kitchen talking and eating breakfast.  And all of a sudden she said "What was I saying" and looked up at the ceiling.  Her right arm started a rapid punching motion.  She had been holding a bag of pretzels that were flying all over the kitchen.  I honestly thought she was joking until she fell straight back and landed so hard on the floor.  Where she laid seizing, gasping for air and choking on the pretzels in her mouth.  I tried so hard to turn her over so she wouldn't choke but her body was so stiff I couldn't move her at all.  I have never, ever been so scared in my life.  My sister has 7 brain aneurysms - she has had surgery on 2 of them but the others are free to grow and explode at any time.  I thought this is what was happening since she didn't have a history of seizures.  I called 911 and the medical crew was there so quick.  She stopped seizing and was looking at me as if she was back in her body.  Oh my, I was so relieved.  They took her to the local hospital but decided to send her to a hospital 2 hours away that specializes in the brain.  After tons of tests and procedures she was released last night - Thank GOD!!!!  So now she has a seizure disorder!!!  Oh My Goodness!!!!!  Heather is my only sister - I Love her sooooooooo Much and I am sooooo not ready for her to leave this EARTH - PERIOD!!!!!!!  I am so GRATEFUL that GOD wasn't ready for her - So Grateful!!!!!!

Here are some pictures from today.   Sara wanted to get a big girl haircut today, she was so excited and sat in the chair like a PRO.  I just LOVE her new style - so sweet!!!!  Owen and Daddy went the barber to get haircuts too.   Bellie will be next after her eye heals.  She has not had a "real" haircut yet, just a bang trim  5 weeks ago by her Mom - oh my, it wasn't good!!!!

This picture was taken when Belle woke up from her nap the day of surgery - Look at her hair - it was the funniest thing!!!!

My Beautiful Little Girl!!!!  Her little cheeks are starting to get a little chubby - YAY!!!!

My Big Brown Eyed Girl - Miss Sara Grace

I just LOVE this handsome HUNK OF LOVE!!!!!

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday weekend!!!!!  



Yay!!!!! Bellie is Home and Happy!!!!!!

Wow - what a morning!!!!  But we are done, home and our sweet Princess is happy!!!!!  Thank You Lord Jesus!!!!!!  I am so very GRATEFUL!!!!!!!  Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers - My goodness what in the world would I do with out all of you???????  For real!!!!!

In the car at 5:30 AM and of course she is Happy - she is always Happy

Looking out the window at her Daddy putting gas in the van just knowing she is such a lucky girl to be his daughter!!!!

Uh Oh - Where is Bellie???????

THERE SHE IS!!!!!!!

Shortly after the "sleepy juice"

Kisses

Getting pretty tired

Getting super Tired!!!!!

Sweet Angel - Night Night Mommy Loves You!!!!!

How about those legs????

Ready to go have her surgery

Poor Bellie cried for about 2 hours - it was AWFUL and I was just about to call the Doctor and she started to fall asleep in the car and rest peacefully - Thank GOD!!!!!!

Then we got home and she decided she better EAT!!!!

She was very happy to have a full Tummy

"WAIT - What is this on My EYE??"

"Are you Kidding me - you let them operate on my eye??????"

"Oh, I get it - I am going to be able to see NOW????  SWEET!!!!"

Pictures and Prayers Please!!!!!

Belle changes every day and it is just so AMAZING to watch.  It is hard to believe that this is the same little girl that we met 5 months ago.  Belle is the sweetest and happiest little girl I have ever known.  She wakes up smiling and laughing and goes to bed the same way.  She has PT, OT and speech twice a week.  She was fitted for orthotics and we should have those in  2 weeks.  Belle is having her eye surgery this Monday (yep, I am a nervous wreck) and her dental surgery in June.   Her poor little eye just can't handle the sun light so she has to keep it closed.  Fluorescent lights are very hard for her to keep it open too.  So I am so happy it will be fixed and she will be able to (PRAYING) have some vision with her left eye.  And her poor teeth - oh my it is just awful.  Sometimes when she is eating she will just start screaming and she will try and put her whole arm in her mouth.  Her mouth must hurt so bad - it kills all of us to watch her in pain!!!!  I can NOT wait for her to be pain FREE!!!!!     We would appreciate PRAYERS for her surgery Monday - Thank You So Very Much!!!!!

And now for some pictures: 

Sara had to put a jacket on her doll - so sweet

Love, Love, Love

Even a Princess gets grumpy!!!  How about that face? 

Night, Night Baby

These two are like magnets - it is the BEST

Another attempt at a picture of the 3 littles

Oh My - How I LOVE this GIRL!!!!!!!

SEE?  Magnets!!!!!

Yep, she will be walking soon - We just know it!!!!!

How I LOVE this picture!!!!!!

Kisses!!!!!

After working hard all day - Dad is still a jungle gym!!!!!

We are so BLESSED to have this Man in our lives!!!!!

Love Bugs Forever

And then this SMILE!!!!  WOW!!!!!!!!

Happy Happy Mothers Day!!!!!

Wow!!!  I am so blessed to be a MOM to 6 of the BESTEST kids around!!!!!  We all went to church this morning and I couldn't concentrate at all on the sermon - just how absolutely grateful I am to OUR FATHER for these children!!!!!  I looked at each one of them and remembered the day they entered my life.  Three of them I met after giving birth, one I met in the newborn nursery after her birth Mom gave birth, one I met when he was 4 months old when the social worker brought him to our house for foster care placement and the last I met as a toddler in an Ukrainian orphanage.  WOW!!!!  If you would of told me this is how my life was going to play out even 5 years ago - I would of never believed it!!  HIS plan turns out to be a road of never ending BLESSINGS!!!! 

A Beautiful MOM of an extra chromosome Princess has an Amazing Blog post today!!!!  I have already read it several times and imagine I will read it again and again.  Patti included Belle and I in her post too - it is such an honor!!!!  It is an absolute Amazing tribute!!!!!   Please take a moment and read :  http://babynumber10.blogspot.com/2011/05/mothers-day-messagefrom-our-hearts-to.html

Happy Mother's Day to All of YOU!!!!!!