While We Wait

 With the children still being sick, we aren't really going anywhere.  We don't want to get anyone else sick and we don't want them to catch anything else, especially while they are on antibiotics with a lowered resistance.  Also, we are trying to keep Andrew well for his surgery.  But so we don't go totally stir crazy, we took them to the park yesterday and didn't really hang out with any other park patrons.  We decided to go to West Hills Park in Knoxville.  We chose there because it's a quick step down the road from the mall.  I had to go to Godiva to get my free $10 birthday cash!  MMMMMM, Godiva truffles!!!!!!  Evenings just got a little bit better.  Iced coffee.  Godiva.  Hubby.  Hallmark movies.  Comfy bed.  What more could a girl ask for!!???  :)  Any way, it was a really nice park with multiple playgrounds, tennis courts, basketball courts, walking trails, swimming pools, etc.  

We took the kids back to the doctor on Thursday.  Andrew is all good.  Ryan and Hunter had their antibiotics extended, but Ryan's ears looked good, just still coughing.  Hunter still has fluid behind his ears and a runny nose.  Hailey's ears still looked bad and her cough has been really crunchy so the doctor changed her antibiotic to Augmentin.  She said they have had sinus infections.  

We haven't been to church in a lllllloooooonnnnngggg time!  We are hoping that after Andrew's surgery this Wednesday we will be able to start back next Sunday.  

Munching on a plastic bag

Chik-Fil-A picnic

Our Andrew.  Who is getting way too spoiled by me because of his upcoming surgery!!!!!  I'm turning him into a little monster :(

Andrew Surgery Scheduled

Our little man Andrew is going in for surgery on July 30th.  We went to the ENT consult this morning.  He has had 8 ear infections in a year and criteria for tubes is 4 in one year so he has had double.  She said the tubes will also help with his language development and also his hearing, of course.  He has an ear infection currently, but they did a hearing test any way to get a baseline and he has hearing loss.  Hopefully not permanent.  The nurse practitioner said once the tubes are put in and the fluid drains he could have normal hearing again.  I'm nervous and teary, of course, mostly because of fears with the anesthesia and the fact that we can't be with him while he is in the OR. 


I feel like we have been getting hit from all directions lately.  Wondering what I am doing wrong and why God is disciplining me.  I'm discouraged.  It's been a difficult season of life with my uncle and my grandma's deaths, Andrew's upcoming surgery, and our household has been sick since the beginning of June and we are still not well.  Which means we haven't been able to go to church either.  And our house is for sale, which looms over us at all times.  And Ryan's behavior.  It's just a drag.  Sean says maybe I am not giving all my rights to God and I am still trying to control things on my own.  HA!  Me? Controlling?  Never.  Control may just be my middle name!  I'm sure I hold on oh so tightly to many things in my life.  Anyone know how to give EVERYTHING to God?  If so, tell me the secret! 


Any way, hopefully our Andrew will be feeling better after the tubes are in place and we will see a whole new little boy who talks and hears! 
Isaiah 40:31 KJV
³¹ But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Birthday Celebration

It's me and I'm back and I'm a year older now!!!  :)  Saturday we went up to Clingman's Dome, which in the Smoky Mtns and is both in TN and NC.  It's the highest point in the Smokies.  It started pouring as soon as we got there and so we hung out in the car for awhile, but God is good!  He stopped the rain and cooled it off and brought out the sun and it was just gorgeous as we walked the steep half mile to the top where the dome is.  On the way home I got my free birthday Starbucks, of course!  :) 

Sunday, my actual birthday, we went to lunch at the Stardust Marina.  We didn't know the restaurant was literally on the lake so it was a little treacherous getting the kids out there safely!!  lol  

The hubby also made me petite blueberry cheesecakes.  So delicious!  

Today, we just got back from the pediatrician.  All 4 kiddos have been sick for a week or so.  All 4 have ear infections and have started on antibiotics today.  And some prayers would really be appreciated because Andrew has an appointment with ENT on Monday for possible tubes because of his chronic ear infections.  :( 

Finally, Ryan, who has officially started kindergarten, is doing great and really enjoying Abeka!  We told him today that he wasn't going to have school and that it would be counted as a sick day and he said "why, is my teacher sick?" lol  He thought maybe Mrs. Bere, his DVD Abeka teacher, was sick!!!

Here's the recipe for those scrumptious cheesecakes!  http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/petite-blueberry-cheesecakes-50400000136150/ 

Post spaghetti and cheesecake shot

Few Words

Just a few things to say today!  Quickly though because Ryan is standing here coughing all over me and snorting and dripping mucus and talking my ear off and waiting to get on the computer BECAUSE he officially started kindergarten!!!  He is on Day 6 I think!!!  We are doing Abeka DVDs and we are also waiting for the workbook kits that go along with the DVDs.  He is doing very well so far and enjoying it.  He is doing it while the others nap, close to four hours a day! 


Ryan, Hunter, Andrew, and Hailey all have colds, but good news is Andrew went to have his ears rechecked yesterday and they look great!  The doc asked if we wanted to take him to an ENT doctor, but Sean said no.  We are hoping and praying that his ears stay good because there's been talk about getting tubes put in his ears.  Yikes!!!!!


Hailey has started her first solid....hard boiled egg yolk with sea salt.  She is doing very well with it!  She has not been sleeping as good as she usually does and so me and Sean have been a little tired, but thankful to have the little girl!  I guess we can sleep when we retire!!!!  lol


Finally, I have a new work schedule that will start in August that I'm excited about!  I will work 2 Saturdays a month (7a-7p shifts) and then the other two weeks I will work 3-11 on Fridays and Sundays 7a-7p.  That will mean only 6 shifts a month instead of 8 and less commuting and more time at home, especially since Ryan is in school now.  I had asked for it, but wasn't sure I was gonna actually get it! 


OK, time for Ryan to do school.  I will be happy when our lap top gets fixed because we are giving it to Ryan and then I can have this computer back!  :)

July 4th

We cooked out for the 4th at home and then we went to Norris to see the fireworks.  :0)  On Monday, Sean and Ryan and Andrew  and some of the neighbors set off all the fireworks Sean bought on the way home from VA.  

"Land of the Free"

"United States of Awesome"

Apparently these are not good wardrobe choices for Andrew anymore.  He unbuttons the bottoms and then it looks like he is wearing a dress!

"Red White and New"

First 4th!

Like Hunter's zebra noise canceling earphones we ordered for him just for the 4th?  It didn't work.  He was absolutely terrified and I ended up taking him to the car.

July 2011.  Miss her. 

Beeton-Vetter Family Reunion

We were not planning on going to the annual Beeton-Vetter reunion, which is my grandma's family reunion, because of Sean's school schedule.  Actually, we haven't made it in quite a few years, but I used to go often in years' past.  My grandma and dad and uncles and aunts make it some years.  This year my dad, grandma, and some of my other family had planned to go.  Then grandma died and no one was going to go until my Uncle Paul suggested that we all go as a way to honor my grandma.  So we easily decided that was a great idea and wanted to be there.  It was in Lexington, VA - only 4.5 hours from here.  The boys LOVE staying in hotels and traveling and they love seeing family.  They had a blast.  We did, too.  It was hard seeing some of grandma's sisters because I see grandma, but it was also comforting at the same time.  Ryan is now calling Aunt Pauline (one of grandma's sisters) "Naner", which is what he called grandma.  He said "our naner is in Heaven, so she can be our naner down here".  

We did have a very scary moment.  We were taking the kids swimming and I was snapping a couple of pictures and Sean was doing something else, when he felt prompted to do a head count.  And only counted three.  He immediately started running for the water.  Ryan had fallen in, in the deep end and he doesn't know how to swim.  He scooped him out and Ryan had a bit of a time breathing and he definitely swallowed a bunch of pool water, but he was okay, thank the Lord.  It was very scary and a few seconds more could have produced a very different outcome.  

Any way, here's some pictures from the reunion and then from a park we took dad to.  He came back with us after the reunion and stayed a couple of days before heading back to Fl.

Carriage ride through downtown Lexington.  Hunter stayed behind; he was scared to go on it. 

Hailey on the carriage ride

Touring Virginia Military Institute

View from our hotel

Selfie!

Back in TN at the park

My first time flying a kite