What have we been doing?

Hello

We have been doing a little art

Taking selfies with Mom's phone

And of her brother

Lucy had a little bit of bed head

All the kiddos went to the dentist this week. 

And all had a clean bill of health :-)

We also drove to Pittsburg on Saturday, it was fun to check out a new city. We will have to go back and explore more!

Maple Syrup Day

On Thursday we got to go and see the process of making maple syrup. 

First we learned how to identify a sugar maple and what the inside of the tree looks like. 

We learned how early Native Americans and settlers collected the sap and made syrup, then we learned a few different modern ways that it is done. 

Kyle enjoyed playing in the woods 

Boiling down the sap

Collecting more sap, it takes 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of Syrup!! 

Checking out the evaporator 

Sampling the syrup 

Picnic lunch in the metro park after our field trip

Checking out the nature center

Ahhhhh!

Lucy wanted her picture with the fish, but did not want to get to close

We also learned that we are in a prime maple syrup making area 

Fun family day :-)

 

When 40 degrees is exciting

The last few days we have been getting up in the 40's, it has been a welcome change from the cold weather we have had. And the snow has melted! Yeah, we have had snow on the ground  continuously for OVER 50 days. 

Yesterday the kids and I had a little pinic at the park while we were waiting for Wade at the dentist. 

Teeter toter time

Lunch time!

This was a few days ago, we were checking out plants and tree in our yard

We were very happy to see our pear tree came thru the winter. 

Wade's winter break

Here is a little bit of what Wade spends his winters in Ohio doing. Once the lake starts to freeze we pull the boats out of the water and switch to ice rescue. The following is a drill to get a new Coastie qualified. I was evaluating the process. 

The first step is to put the person in that yellow sling. 

Next hook them to our MARSAR board. 

After that have the crew on the ice pull them out of the water. 

Then reposition them on the board and transport them to EMS. 

Talking though what what I saw that went well and what could be improved. 

Yep still talking. 

To add more fun to the winter I participated in a basketball tournament in Toledo with a team from the station. It was a fun day but I'm not a teenager anymore and I paided for it for the next two days. It was worth it though we came home District 9 five on five champs. 

CC & a Party!!!

Yesterday was a school day as well as Delaney's over due party. It was a good day for everyone but Wade who had to go to the dentist, but even that didn't stop him from eating Delaney's yummy cupcakes. 

The girls listening to Ryan give his presentation. 

Josh explaining how to make lizards using rubber bands and a loom. 

Science time

More science

The boys playing at recess. 

Happy BIRTHDAY to YOU!!! Happy BIRTHday to You!!! HAPPY birthday Dear DELANEEEEYYYYY!!! Happy birthday TO YOOOOUUUUUI!!!!

I'll huff and I'll puff and I'll blow those candles out!

Happy times with friends

A good weekend

Kyle had a really good weekend. He smiled and ran and jumped and climbed all over the house this weekend. We got our old Kyle back, the one that had been missing for almost 6 weeks. That made it a really good weekend. His arm that had the IV that went bad is looking lots better, it still has some spots that I am watching closely so they do not get infected but the hours of massage and wrapping are paying off and it looks very good. He is tolerating the new medications well and they seem to be helping. 

Praise The Lord, we have our little guy back, it was a scary few weeks wondering if this was our new normal, we are so happy he is feeling better. 

Happy boy building trains

So last month we had a birthday that was celebrated by our little family but the "party" was put off for obvious reasons, so tomorrow afternoon is the day! Delaney is so excited she is having 2 friends over for cupcakes and crafting. Today we made cupcakes

She is getting so big!

Yep that is cake batter being flipped on the floor, I guess the dog will be happy. Stay tuned for more pictures to come. 

We are home

Sorry I did not update last night. We got home from the hospital around 8, then it was the mad dash to get kids fed, Kyle massaged and wrapped and put them all down before Wade and I colapsed into bed. 

Kyle woke up this morning with a swollen face and his body also has a lot of swelling. His arms look a little better but the one that had the IV still has me concerned. I gave him an extra long lymphatic massage last night before I wrapped him and I think it helped, but I think it is going to take a while to go down. Kyle will get more labs drawn in a week and he is taking 2 diuretics daily now, so we will see if that will get some of the fuild off his body. I know there are no quick answers but we are just praying we are on the right track and for strength and  perseverance  for Wade and I to keep all our other "balls in the air" that we are juggling right now. Thank you for walking along side is on this journey. 

Our happy boy

Hanging out

Kyle had a pretty good night. About midnight I could tell his breathing was getting better and his tummy was not as distended. We slept curled up in his hospital bed together, he did not want me getting to far away, I had to bargin with him for bathroom privileges, (the bathroom is about 4 feet from his bed).

Today we are getting another albuim infusion, a chest X-ray and we just got a breathing treatment. 

He really likes the TV while in bed thing. 

We have been reading books and snuggling our babies in bed, he still loves his "seamore" the seahorse to snuggle with at night. It has done hospital time with us for years. I can remember it in his crib in Portland. Thank you Auntie Marcy that special gift that he has loved for years. 

The plan is still to go home later today after we finish this infusion and the diuretics after. Thank you for the prayers. It is always hard to be so far form our family and friends that support us and love us, at times like this it almost feels unbearable, but we are thankful for technology to make us feel closer and for the wonderful team of doctors and nurses that we have here. But most of all we are thankful for your prayers they are they only thing that has kept us going these last 5+weeks. Tears still come, sometimes often but we feel the comfort that can only come from our Heavenly Father. I was reading Psalm 86 this morning and I am so thankful for his steadfast love and that he hears us when we call out to him. 

For you O Lord are good and forgiving abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon your name. Psalm 86:5 

Back in the hospital

Today I took Kyle to get lab work done, after calling his Doctors  because he has started to have increasing puffiness that I was not comfortable with. When we got the results back they had us go downtown and have Kyle admitted for the night. We will be getting an IV soon so he can get an Albuim infusion and hopefully that will help with his swelling. Prayers are appreciated. It has been a long month or so. 

He jumped right up in the bed like a pro

It was family pizza night in the Ronald McDonald family room so everyone enjoyed pizza for dinner. Kyle likes having all his people with him. 

So the IV is in he is getting his first infusion, we will give you an update tomorrow. Hopefully we will get some sleep tonight.