It's been a week...

Ever have one of those weeks?  You know where you think you are going along just fine, managing it all fairly well, and then BAM!  Sideswiped.

Yeah, like that.

This was one of those weeks for me.  I decided over the holidays that I would establish Sara and Hunter with a new pediatrician.  I had heard wonderful things about the doctor I chose, and our appointments were scheduled for Tuesday and Friday.  Sara went first and we found out that her tonsils need to be removed.  Anyone who has ever had them removed, or known someone who has had this procedure as an adult, knows that it's not an easy one.  We see the ENT this week to get a better idea of what we are looking at.  Sara will be less than thrilled to find out she will be having surgery.

Then Hunter went in and the pediatrician is extremely concerned (as we have been ALL these years) about his weight- or lack of it.  He's in the 3rd percentile for weight and the new doctor asked me at least three times if any other doctor had showed concern over it.  We know he's tiny- and his lack of gusto toward eating began at birth, but It's just something we have accepted over the years.  He eats small portions spread out through the entire day instead of one big meal per sitting.  We have asked docs over the years about it, but we were always told not to worry.  Now I'm worried.   We will be meeting with a diatician in the next few weeks, and they did a full blood panel on him to check for any other causes.

Throw an order for ten signs into the mix, along with teaching, homeschooling, and activities this week- and well, I'm cooked.

Stick a fork in me...

Teen life...

Ever have one of those weeks (okay, two weeks) where it feels like your life plate is so full that you ought to trade up to the LouAnne platter?

Yeah.  Like that.

As I drifted off to sleep last night I mumbled something to Travis about how I wish the kids were still in diapers.  Things were so easy then,  (no they weren't, but hindsight is always like a Hallmark commercial) and that teenagers are hard.  I may have whined and held out the word "hard" longer than required.  Travis just patted my hand, told me he loved me and proceeded to snore.  Does anyone else's husband fall asleep in less than three seconds?  He could medal in the Olympics at falling asleep.

I do have some great posts in mind and I will be back soon.  I just need a few more days to catch my breath and well, breathe.

It's not what I expected...

Yesterday I had the lovely opportunity to speak to another momma of a little with Down Syndrome.  As we spoke about our experiences, I was marveling at how similar our feelings and outlooks are in raising kids with DS.  Her birth story and finding out her daughter had Downs was eerily similar to mine 21 years prior.

I find it fascinating that as moms we can connect and because we have shared the shock, pain, grief, love, work, therapy etc. we speak the same language.  A sorority of sorts.  I shared the story of grieving that my little girl would never go to prom (ha! so wrong on that one) and that she would never be like other girls.  Grief is one of those things you experience in waves and at the most unexpected times.

The flip side to that is raising four kids and realizing that no matter what their chromosomal make-up, they all have issues, difficulties, failures, and accomplishments.  There are no guarantees in life as to how a person will end up.  Sara was certainly not what I had expected as a 22 year old mom to be.

She ended up being so much more.



PS- I promise to get back to some decorating and DIY this weekend.  There are some special things in the works regarding Sara, and I have been doing a lot of reflecting and writing on the subject.  Pretty material and a room makeover coming soon :)

Remodel with a purpose...

We home improvement bloggers to a lot of remodeling and fluffing to photograph for our blogs.
I'm not saying that those remodels/redos/fluffing experiences aren't important- I totally believe in the power of a well put together space....but sometimes the ones with the most impact are the ones with a purpose.

Meet Cristian:

Cristian is 13 years old, deaf and has choclear implants.  About six months ago things started to go wrong.  An infection started which led to other complications and the implants had to be removed, but it didn't end there.  Tumors, chemo, more infections- this kid has been through the wringer.  She's also been in the hospital for over 85 days.  For an avid dancer, good student, and social butterfly this has been painful.  The amazing thing is Cristian's spirit- she is a fighter and one of the most optimistic people I know.   She goes through being poked, prodded and operated on without the slightest complaint.  She just soldiers through.

I've known Cristian for some time now.  Her younger brother was one of my third graders and her mom worked at my school.  Every morning Cristian would walk her brother down to my room and instead of just leaving she would stay and talk to me.  Every morning.  She probably has no idea what our  talks meant to me- it was the most amazing way to begin my day.  To see a little girl with a spirit of a fighter who had just had procedures done with her hearing implants (sometimes the day before) and just get up and go to school then to dance- well, it made me feel like I was a bit stronger just for knowing her.

Today Cristian spends most of her days confined to her hospital bed...

We are hoping that changes really soon once her infections clear up.  The implants are out- a sad reality of what needs to be for now, but we are hoping that at some point they can go back in.  Music to this tiny dancer is everything.

Today I will be working on a total redo of her room.  Here are the plans:

 Material and bedding...

Walls will be in Watery by Sherwin Williams and the doors will be in Iron Ore with a large silver star and Cristian's name on it.

Chandy's for bedroom and closet:

All of her furniture will be getting a makeover painting/sanding/staining by me, along with an updated bling look for her furniture hardware.

We are going to create a dedicated space for her duct tape collection, because it is seriously out of control!

I don't put much on her about donating to causes, but this is one where I know the family.  They are parents who encourage creativity in their children and support each other unconditionally.  If you have a few dollars or some spare change to give, you can go here to make a donation to Cristian's family.
If you are not able to give I totally understand!

Follow me today on Instagram and I will post updates of our redo progress!  I am looking forward to seeing the smile on this little girl's face when she gets home from the hospital :)

Down Under...

So we are going to Australia.

Just like that.

I know.  Me too.  It's a bit surreal....but in August we will be in Perth for nine days.

 This trip required passports and a visa...which if anyone has applied for these lately, they ain't cheap!

My dad, my childhood traveling partner, offered to take us.  It is beyond generous and I keep stressing to my kids how lucky they are for this opportunity, and how if my dad talks to them on the plane they better unplug and listen, because they are about to learn so much!

This kid could NOT be more excited about the trip!!  She will get to meet an on-line friend of two years when we get there.  

In other news....this boy of ours.  So. Proud. Of. Him.  He bought  his first car yesterday....on his own....big down payment...at 18 years old.

I'm not sure if I shared this or not on my blog, but David dropped out of high school his senior year (last year).  He was in the early college program, and by IQ standards the kid is literally a genius, but standardized school, not for him.  He is a learner- reads physics for fun and loves anything about medicine, but seven periods a day of other people's interests, not so much.  So I gave him my blessing and he quit.  Just like that.  Two weeks later he got his GED.  One month later his little part time job offered him a general manager's position.  He makes more money than I did as a public school teacher, and in less than a year his salary will be the same as my husband's base salary- not bad for an 18 year old kid :)  To say we are proud of what he has done in less than a year of being out of school is an understatement.  He is doing what he loves and thriving.  Well done.


Also, if you follow my cousin on Sweet Tea and Linen- she made the most amazing bench. Creativity runs amuck in our family!

Oh, and if you haven't heard of Snapstagram....it is so fun!  It is a site where you can upload your instagram pics and get 12 copies for $6.99.  I keep mine in an ironstone bowl on the table and the kids as well as guests like thumbing through them.

I know this post was a bit all over the place, but so much going on here at the cottage!  Tonight I hope to sweet talk my hubby into installing that new front door lock set ;)

Have a great day!!

Summertime...

This has been a very hectic and busy week!  Kids finishing up their last week of school, projects to complete at the shop, consults to do...

Hunter and his sweet 5th grade teacher, Mrs.Rooker...

Peace out!

Not going to miss seeing this for the next few months...

I am going to spend many summer evenings on my patio, drink in hand, looking at lots of these...

The view from our patio...

Also on my summer to-do list....

Playing with the fur babies...

bread making...

decor-ranging...

tending to pots of lovely flowers...

cooking for my family...

Some projects to tackle this summer:  

The library.  I know, the start of this one is a bit like spotting big foot or the Loch ness monster.

The garage- it needs to be purged, cleaned, and organized.  I'm tired of feeling embarrassed every time the garage door is open.  

For homeschooling:

Summer of "de-schooling" (I will be doing a post on this soon!)

Planning ahead/lesson design.  Still trying to decide if working in thematic units will be best for Hunter, or if we should do more of a Waldorf method.  Still researching with our child's needs in mind. 

Meeting with other moms/dads to talk about homeschooling, share ideas & collaborate on lessons. 

Traveling:

I am assuming this includes schlepping kids to and from camps...

A week in Wimberley, Texas to go antiquing.

A weekend down at the Guadalupe river to go tubing with the kids.

*********************************************************************************

That's about it!

How about you?  

Any big summer plans?

Gardening & a winner...

I love this time of year in our garden!  Blooming hydrangeas, gardenias bursting with flowers, and my poor dill in the herb garden.

This is NOT my dill.  My dill is gone to the nub, so nothing to photograph!  However, if I could grow dill without a certain rabbit eating it I am sure it would look like this!

The culprit?  Rabbits.  Wah, wah, wah...

I've read that planting lavender around the other herbs will keep the bunnies away.

Not so much for my garden it seems.  I picture fat rabbits, bellies full, but sleeping beautifully because the entire time they were eating my herbs they were inhaling the sweet scent of lavender.

In other news...

This kid is beyond ready for summer break!

Last night Travis and I stumbled onto a garage sale at the Extreme Home Makeover house in Kemah.

The people whom the home was built for are moving.  We spent quite some time talking with them and their lovely children.  Also, I bought this...

I literally sat down on it and said SOLD!  It was built from doors in Galveston after Hurricane Ike.  Love.  (not the hurricane, the bench!)

And last but not least, congratulations to Andrea of Willow Wisp Cottage  for winning the Sew a Fine Seam bag by Jill!  Sending it off to you this morning :)  If you have not visited Andrea's blog- go now! She has a newly styled living room by the lovely and talented Holly Mathis.  It is just gorgeous!

Have a lovely weekend!