King Daniel

Daniel was cleaning the toilet bowl and Sarah came over to visit and observe.  (I agree.  That is a gross place to hang around.)

Daniel slips into performance mode and starts straining to remove the toilet brush from the bowl of the toilet. He makes a reference to pulling the sword from the stone.  When he finally frees the brush/sword, he declares, "I'm the next king."

I don't know what gets into that boy's head.  But I did think to myself, at least your "throne" is clean!

Joseph's Jelly Fish

Joseph has been focused a bit on jelly fish lately.  He keeps asking me why they are called jelly fish.  I give him my best guess...because they move like they are made of jelly.  He has a different idea this morning.

"Mommy, I know why they are called jelly fish."
"Why?"
"Because they eat jelly."
"No.  They don't eat jelly."
"Yes, they do!"
"There isn't any jelly in the ocean."
"Yes, there is!"
"Where does it come from?"
"People throw it in!"

OK.  I know we have a pollution problem on this planet.  But even so, we aren't supporting whole species with our waste.  So I didn't believe him.  ;)

Nathan's Hip

Many people are wondering what is happening with Nathan's hip.  Join the party!  We are also still wondering.  Here is what we know so far, and the questions our knowledge inspires.

Based on an MRI and a CT scan, Nathan does not have cancer.  We were unsure about that for a while and spent a long weekend wondering if that would be the diagnosis.  There is a higher bone density on the side that he is experiencing pain. The "impression" from the doctor reading the CT scan is that there is a "mild chronic stress reaction" of the iliac bone.  But that is an unusual place to have that problem.  The fact that something like that should have healed long before now has meant we get to see a doctor at Primary Children's Medical Center in Salt Lake.  The doctor mentioned something about possibly having fluid "in there."   I can't elaborate on something I don't understand.

We did that on Tuesday this week.  They also agreed that nothing too serious or scary was going on (like cancer), but they were still unsure what was happening - exactly.  Nathan had some blood drawn that day and we have an appointment next week for a full body scan.  The scan is supposed to be even more in depth than a CT scan (which is more in depth than an MRI).  They will have to give him some contrast of some kind and wait for it to work before they do the scan.  We've been told to expect the appointment to last about 4 hours.

So now we are trying to figure out what to do with the rest of the kids on that day.  School is out.  It seems unnecessary to make them also take a 10 hour trip.  It's the day before Thanksgiving so we could just hang out with family for the weekend, but Chad would have to meet us separately and there are animals to care for and we'd have to add packing to our plans.  Besides, with all of the traveling we've been doing, and the stress we've been feeling, nothing seems more appealing than being home.

And that's an update on Nathan.  Thankfully, his pain seems to have lessened.  I think the physical therapy, while helping straighten out his back, was aggravating his hip. He is nearly pain free unless he has a day of a lot of extra activity.

Maybe my next post will be an update on Daniel!

Jaw Trouble

It looks like I have to take Daniel in for his jaw.  This has been going on for over 3 years.  I don't know if I should take him to PT or the doctor for this recent trouble.  One is cheaper now, the other is cheaper over all.  One can only make certain moves to help him, but it might be enough.  The other can make a decision to send us elsewhere if he feels it's time.  Either one is going to be tricky since I don't have an appt and Daniel really needs relief NOW.

*sigh*  I was hoping today might be a quiet day.  I think that somehow I've been too wicked and am paying the price!  (I am "this" close to busting out in tears!)

Sarah's Afghan

Years ago, when I was teaching myself to crochet, I made a tiny pink and white afghan.  I was early in my pregnancy and hoping for a girl.  I had some scrap yarn on hand, so the stage was set.

After the afghan was complete, I met Daniel for the first time on the ultrasound.  I knew then the pink wouldn't do.  As sentimental (or is it just mental?) as I am, I still had to use the afghan.  It became padding under the thin mattress of the bassinet (which we didn't get until Nathan was on his way).

All the babies from then on slept on the comfort of the afghan without knowing it was there.

Eventually Sarah, the last baby, outgrew the bassinet and we emptied it to pass on to family.  Somehow, the afghan hung around long enough for Sarah to notice and claim for her very own.  I had made her a blanket to love just as I had for all the other babies, as well as other blankets.  But the afghan remained her favorite. 

At the height of Sarah's obsession with blankets, I was covering her with every blanket she owned, or claimed as hers...6 total, all made by me at some point.  The afghan always had to go on first, followed by a certain blue blanket and then the rest could be added in any order (if she was in an agreeable mood).

Added to the order and attachment was her need to weave her fingers and/or toes through the holes of the crocheted yarn.  It would drive me crazy to have yarn between my toes, but it soothes Sarah somehow.

Now that she is 3, Sarah's dependency on her afghan has waned just a little.  She can take a nap without it, but usually doesn't. And her habit of grabbing it with her fingers and toes is as strong as ever.


Thirteen years ago, when I was crocheting an afghan for my baby, I never expected it would become the best friend to my child born 10 years later!  I guess I was just prepared with that project a little early!

More?

I thought I was stressed and overwhelmed.  Then it got harder.  I haven't cracked yet, but I'm not sure it's not coming.  This "diamond" is going to SHINE after all of this pressure!

Big Unword

We are trying to leave the house and were looking for Sarah's shoes.  My children all have the same blindness when it comes to searching for something.  So after Sarah AND Joseph had made a thorough search of Sarah's room, I went up.  I found them under a dress in the closet.

When I came down with them, Sarah asked me where I'd found them.  When I told her, she replied,

"That's a probabadility!"

I don't know if was or wasn't, but I was impressed by her use of a big word (or unword).

Humming...

You may or may not have noticed that I haven't been around much.  Not only haven't I written much, but I haven't read much either.  Blogs have slipped down the priority list.  Life has pretty much taken me down a rugged road lately.

I've decided that I'm so tightly wound into a taut line of nerves that you might actually be able to hear me hum if you listen.

Chad's working out of town and not being home 3 nights of the week is taking its toll on our family.  He was released from his calling, but I was not.  My meetings often take me out of the home in the evening and the kids are left alone.  They don't like it and I feel guilty.  Not to mention taking care of 6 kids, and their school needs, and the house, etc.

We'd love to sell the house, but we've been dealing with a legal dispute and then waiting on approval from the mortgage company.  No one cares that we have issues.  No one rushes to help us meet our deadlines.  It's very frustrating and stressful.

We've had numerous trips to the physical therapist for Daniel's jaw and Nathan's leg/hip.  It was finally decided a few weeks ago that physical therapy was not helping Nathan anymore and he's since had an MRI and a CT scan.  A long story made very short...we are headed to Primary Children's Hospital next month to visit with a pediatric orthopedist.  I don't even know what the medical bills are at this time. I just know that we don't enough money for everything that is demanding it from us.

On a positive note, we spent the weekend wondering if Nathan has cancer and were relieved this morning to find out that is not the cause of his pain.  THANK GOODNESS!

My family is still not a support to me.  It's hard to not feel abandoned, since that's what it is.  My mom can't listen to my needs and I have stopped listening to hers.

The house is a mess because I can't keep up with all the kids.  When I can finally get them to bed, I try to catch up.  THEN I can try to wind down.  I often don't get to bed before midnight.

Meanwhile, life does go on, despite my negative view and constant whining.  I have a zillion pictures to share but don't know if I ever will.  Halloween was fun and I'm glad it's over.

Maybe soon I will post a bunch of pictures and if you're lucky, I'll even tell you the stories behind them.