Another good weekend with Uncle T and Aunt S.

Over the weekend we just took off for somewhere on the Eastern Shore. We got home on Friday evening and decided, let's get outta here. So we did. We headed towards "Downtown Mayberry" (no RFD, whatever that means). It was nice. The kids were their normal selves. Fidgety, mine, no mine, I want, no I want, MAAAAMMMMAAAAA, DADDDDDDDYYYYYYYY, oh, and then it was Aunt S, Uncle T..............I have to admit, it was nice, even if for only 2 days, that the kids went to someone else for their rantings and toddler fury. *ahhhhh*


Did we go to the beach? No. NOT HARDLY! Mamma would say a definite, NO to that one. (In season? Are you seriously kidding?!!!!) We hung out, did the shopping thing, the eating here and there thing..............dontcha just love the "kids eat free" thing?! I know we do. It was nice. Daddy and Mommy both LOVE the Eastern Shore. We love looking at the HOMES books of the Eastern Shore too.

We went to our church, Oak Ridge Baptist. It's nice to go there. The pastor there is so down to earth and meets everyone right where they are. Doesn't speak OVER you, or is precisionistic in any way, shape or form. (His wife is something else too. OH yeah, if you think about it, or read this, say a quick prayer for them right now. They are leaving for a missions trip to Kenya. *8/2/07 to 8/18/07* I know they'd appreciate it.) The music is TOTALLY AWESOME and energenic......amped is what I think they call it.

Then, we came home. *yeah, home* said with little enthusiasm. (big sigh)

Ki

Totally Awesome Antics, huh? Might have to rethink that!

You know when you think you have everything under order and everything is just the way you like it and so forth? The kids clean their rooms, play, put their toys away, listen to the parents.............eat lunch, and then go play some more?

Then you hear total silence in the house and that OH MY GOD, IT'S QUIET IN THE HOUSE, FIND OUT WHY voice (more like alarm) goes off within every ounce of your body?! Well, that happened yesterday about 5pm. Total dead, DEAFENING silence. Then, without a shadow of doubt, you hear daddy's voice echo/bellow out all over the house, WHAT IS THIS? What are you doing?

Um, for a dad who rarely yells, much less raises his voice, to hear something like that is like, well, UH OH..........better go find out! OH YEAH, was it worth the charge? OH YEAH!!!!!!!!!! DEFINITELY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Picture this............two kids, crying now, mind you.........(because they are totally BUSTED BEYOND BELIEF!) Two kids, dressed in the day attire........shorts/shirts, full of petroleum jelly........and lotion.........and GOO! (all non-toxic of course!) This goo project is now running to the floor. (Making the carpet smell of sweet lavendar) Matthew's face is WHITE from lotion. Hair is plastered (and I mean plastered) to his head like the GREASERS from the 1950's! Rebecca's front part of her hair is just as bad.........not so full of lotion, but so incredibly knowing she's about to be in totally hot water!

I tell ya, if you don't cry, you laugh, if you don't laugh, you cry......and if you do neither............as I did, YOU JUST GO AND START THE BATHTUB! Matthew was definitely the first one in the tub. Crying the whole way. Saying sorry mommy. Becca, in the background just wailing away............Daddy who just had to walk away for fear of laughing, I think.

Totally awesome antics? I might have to rethink that one! SERIOUSLY! Lord, what's next?!

Ki

Our trip to Children's Hospital for Matthew

Wow, what a long day. Matthew, mom and dad did fine. The doctor answered all 31 questions that I had written down for him. (Plus some from dad.) Matthew was on HYPERDRIVE OVERLOAD (darn those Spiderman snacks!) doing circles around the doctor! One good thing was that the doctor could see Matthew's fistula "UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL" because daddy was holding him upside down! Also, Matthew was ALL TALK for Dr. Murthy! I think the doc was amazed and shocked how well Matthew could speak since last seeing him! He wanted to hear Matthew say Bye, Bye, about 5 times! He was definitely impressed!!!! LOL

Gosh, so much to say in a short article. Here goes......

Because of the time it will take to fix Matthew's fistula, Dr. Murthy will NOT do a nose and lip revision. The fistula needs to be the functioning item to be fixed (and we totally agree) and also because the fistula will have part of his nasal cavity upset as it is, we don't want to do more harm when it's "puffed up" (swelling). We are good with that. It will be every bit of 2 hours JUST for the fistula alone!!! He has to fix the inside, inside part of the palate, and then the outside, inside part of the palate! *stay with me! Just think about it.......layers inside your mouth!*

THEN, as if that wasn't enough, Matthew will have his urological issues dealt with, which will also be 2 hours worth. (give or take some time) OUCH!

The week before we go to the hospital, our own pediatrician will do last minute PRE-OP stuff for Matthew. 24 hours before surgery, we will be called by the hospital to say what Matthew needs to eat/drink (or not). And on September 10th, we will drive to Children's Hospital at a VERY EARLY TIME! (As daddy would say, before the chickens pass gas!) At 9:30am, he will be operated on. The OR is reserved for a little over 4 hours for him. He will be in recovery for a short time, and then back to his room the rest of the time. *Mommy will be with him the whole time.* (Providing everything is ok and normal *talking about going home*.) If he can eat food/liquids the next morning/day, Dr. Murthy will release him, not sure about Dr. Kalloo. (not sure how long she wants Matthew in the hospital) If Matthew cannot, or will not eat, HE WILL NOT BE GOING HOME! It will be difficult for him to eat after surgery!

Here's the catcher! 3 weeks, NOT 2! 3 weeks at least of wearing TOTAL ARM RESTRAINTS for Matthew!!!! Arms straight out, not able to touch the mouth! AT ALL! NO SPOON feeding, nothing in the mouth for at least 3 weeks!!! NO SOLID FOODS for 3 weeks!!!! NONE! Everything has to be liquified! (Boy is Matthew going to NOT like that!!!!) NOT A HAPPY CAMPER!!!! And the urological issues? OH GOODNESS! Potty training or not, he WON'T be a happy camper for at least a week after his surgery. Mom will be nursemaid for at least a month! Oh boy!

PLEASE SEND YOUR BEST RECIPES for blended smoothie's! or blended food! I could use them!

It was a pleasure to go to Children's Hospital today! The folks there are so nice! So helpful! I'm so thankful the Lord led us there for Matthew! Dr. Murthy is such a humble, sweet man, young and KNOWS the cleft kids! He understands their problems and sufferings! I am so, so thankful to God for him!

Mom

The Great News...

I guess we have kept you in suspension for long enough so we'll break down and give you the great news. Matthews surgery is now scheduled and pending our confirmation he'll be going under the knife on September 10th. He will be cut, nipped and tucked in all ends of his little bod, all at once poor guy. We figured that it would be better for us that he hates us from the pain just once and not from multiple surgery dates. Please pray that he will not hate us to much for doing this and that all "systems" will be "go for launch". Also pray that us parents keep our wits about the whole ordeal and that Rebecca will take it in strides.
The kid's daddy

While you wait for the Great News....

Today we took a little field trip to Sears Portrait Studio and had our pictures taken. Here are a couple of samples from the session. Enjoy!




The Dad!

The "almost" great news?

Still waiting folks...........sorry. I guess perfection takes time! LOL


It's about Matthew, so still stay tuned! BY the way.........Matthew has now grown PAST his sister. He's taller then Rebecca now. I tell ya, he's going to be tall! He's skinny and tall! Rebecca? Well, she's more shorter and um, solid. :o)

Matthew goes to Children's Hospital this coming Wednesday. Keep us in your prayers. Oh, also an "unspoken" prayer request. Please.....thank you. We appreciate it.


Ki (aka, MOM)

COMING SOON...............GREAT NEWS!!!!!!!!!

Stay tuned! It's just about here, but just working out logistics! STAY TUNED!


Might have something by this afternoon! :o)



Momma