The Road is long and exhausting...

The day Emma came into the world, my life changed.  Well, anytime you bring a human into the world, you change, but wow my world was rocked.  I realized quickly that it was going to be a bumpy road as specialist after specialist was added to a list that was longer then she was at birth.  Our days were quickly filling up with appts, therapies, and home visits with teachers.  Surgery dates started to be discussed and Daniel and I started to have to make hard decisions.

It is horrible to sign paperwork that will cause your child pain, even if that pain is to make her healthier.  I still cringe ever single time, and make Daniel sign it sometimes too.  Because even though you know it is the right thing, it stinks!  It is even harder if you and the doctors are not sure of what will happen once they get to the OR.

Putting your trust in your own instincts and then in the skill of men and women behind blue masks, is scary!  And honestly that is the nicest word I can think of to write, in my head it is a much harsher word.  My husband and I have spent countless hours discussing and praying over medical decisions.  We have spent more sleeplessness nights then I can count, but the dark circles under my eyes show each one. Each decisions comes with highs and lows, but each normally starts in a hard good bye as someone takes her from us and goes behind swinging doors.

It never gets easier, but it does get more familiar.  I know more of the nurses, I know where the best snacks are, I know to go eat before she gets to recovery, I know that my family and friends is there to support and love us, I know that the time in the OR will end and we will get to see her again, and I know that it has to be done for her to get better.  I still cry, I still hate every second of it, I still cant stand to see her scared or in pain, and I still have nightmares that wake me up in cold sweats about the memories.

We have been blessed with a lot of time away from serious OR time in the past few years.  She has had to go to sleep for a few test and a few minor procedures but nothing to bad.  But that time has come to a close.  We will be starting a new healing journey with Emma in March!  The end results will be exciting but the road there is full of more bumps and is already exhausting us.  Emma will be having a cochlear implant surgery at the start of summer, but in true Emma fashion it cant be a easy task.  She has holes in her ear drums and the ear drum that will have the new hearing device must be fixed first.  So the first week of spring break we will be having out patient surgery to fix that ear drum.

The papers are signed and the prayers already flowing for a smooth procedure.  Now it is time to wait and try to soak up all the fun we can.  She will be down a few days and limited in some physical activities but hopefully we will be back and feisty as ever fast.  The older she gets the harder this gets, she is more aware and has more questions.  We are working through them as they come and letting her know she will be okay.
The road is hard people and we are blessed to have a large group of family and friend on this road with us, but it is hard and it is tiring.......

Is this happening...

It has been an amazing weekend!  I am so tired and have a full day of training for work, so till later you will just have to enjoy these teaser photos!  

Adventures in Potty Training

This little cutie and I have been having fun potty training for a few weeks now.  He has done really well and has been dry for weeks now.  One or two accidents in my floor but all in all dry, including all night and all nap.  I am so proud of him!  It is so cute to see his little booty in undies.  But he is having a harder time keeping his little pants up, poor child has no booty to speak off.  It makes life funnier however when they fall down:)  Taylor does wonder why the pictures are on the back of Undies?  He wants to be able to see his choo choo trains on the front:)

We are having a few issues with going number two on the potty, but hopefully we can figure something out to make that easier.  A few diet changes and/or medicine might be needed to help that process.  But I am so proud of the fact that he is doing as well as he can.  I might just be able to get rid of a diaper bag when it is just us two!!  That would be so amazing!

Bible Stories for His Beautiful Princess

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the Tyndale House Publishing Company in exchange for an honest review.

So here is my honest review!

I have spend a lot of time recently trying to find a easy to understand, devotional type book I could share with Emma.  We tried a few popular kids devotionals, but they were a little above her language level and we had to quickly discard those books.  We just went back to reading the toddler Bible they both had.  But I kept hoping I could find a good fit for her as she is getting older.

I was thrilled to see Bible Stories for His Beautiful Princess by Sheri Rose Sheperd come out as one of the choices on Tyndale House Blog Network to be reviewed last month.  I quickly sign up to try it out.  It came in the mail last week, and Emma and I quickly opened it together. She loves loves getting mail.  She asked right then to start reading it.  The cover was so cute and really engaged her right off the bat.  We sat down and read about five stories right then.  They were easy to understand and so well written.  Emma was able to follow the stories easily.  I was so happy!!

Sheri Rose Sheperd choose great stories to share, she starts each story with a verse, an easy to understand storybook type telling of the story, a simple prayer, and a take away point from Princess Jewel.  Emma loves what Princess Jewel has to say and repeats it with me each time.  I love how she wraps the story up in a way kids can understand.  We also spend a lot of time talking about the beautiful illustrations by Shelley Dieterichs.  They really bring each story to life for kids and adults alike.

I will happily be recommending this book to all of my friends with girls.  I think most girls will love sharing Bible stories with Princess Jewel as their guide.  

Check out my Amazon Review

Please leave a comment if you have or go get this book and let me know how you enjoy it.  I am looking forward to many more snuggles in bed sharing this book together.