Good news, Not so Good news, Good news....

Good news. Addy's colonoscopy confirmed the "allergy" diagnosis. We are waiting for biopsy results, but the Dr. doesn't expect any surprises. This is the best possible diagnosis we could've gotten at this point. Little Addy Scott handled the whole situation so well. She had a few minor protests about not eating breakfast, but not the raging fit I expected. Not so good news....The doctor showed us pictures and our sweet baby is severely inflamed despite all our best efforts to avoid any allergen. Therefore, she was put on a prescription formula called Neocate for a couple of months to give her GI tract time to heal. Good news...I left and had bites of Scott's Egg McMuffin (yummy!), then I ate a cheeseburger and french fries for lunch (heavenly), and I got a pizza for dinner (yea, I didn't have to cook!). Oh, and chocolate chip cookies for dessert (oh my goodness!). It all tasted so good going down, but my GI system was thrown for a loop and began cursing me at 9pm last night. Was it worth it...definitely! Next sinful desire...Mexican food!

By the way...GO ASTROS!

My Uncle, My Hero!

We did it! Scott and I left the children with my mother this weekend and made a whirlwind trip to Kansas City, Missouri where we had a life changing experience. Lt. Robert K. Henderson, my dad's brother, was killed in action in Vietnam. This weekend, nearly 36 years later, he was awarded the Silver Star. I never met him, but I have always known how special he was by the way our family spoke of him. Spending time with men he served with brought my uncle "back to life" as my father put it. There were so many stories told of my uncle saving men wounded and dodging bullets to move an injured soldier out of harms way. Many of these men were moved to tears telling their tales of survival and last memories of my uncle. Although the Silver Star was not awarded for the incident resulting in his death, we now know he demonstrated heroic acts up until the moment he was killed. Even though he has been gone almost four decades, he still brings so much healing and comfort to those that loved him most. Talk about a legacy!

We spent 24 hours with some of the most amazing men I've ever met. If you have never been in a room of war veterans, I highly recommend it. There is so much comradery and profound respect between these men. These men demonstrated their loyalty and love for our country in such a way that I have never witnessed. As I read the draft papers and the letter a veteran's mother received when drafted, I realized most of these men did not volunteer to go to war, they went because of their profound love and loyalty to our country. What does that say about our military today? Every person fighting this war on terror has voluntarily enlisted and they deserve so much more respect and love than they are given. Many of the Vietnam veterans spoke of memories returning home. Many people did not even look them in the eye in the airport. There was no big "welcome home" celebration or many words of thanks for serving our country, they came home tired and weary without the support of many Americans due to the unpopularity of the war. If you know a veteran or see a member of our military, please thank them for their selfless service to our country. I know I will from now on.

Ready, Set, GO

So here it is. Mary Ella calling Addy Scott like she calls our dog. Addy Scott is crawling. In one day she started crawling and is pulling up onto her knees. Time to clear the table surfaces! I had hoped it would take a little bit longer...., but I still get excited watching her accomplish something new.

Addy Scott also has a colonoscopy scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 27th to see if we can get answers as to why she is still having problems. As a last ditch effort, I have given up wheat and corn (the last two of the major allergens) in addition to the dairy, soy, egg, and nuts. You must be wondering what on earth I am able to eat. I am currently surviving on chicken, beef, pork, potatoes, oatmeal and various fruits/veggies. I add canola oil and olive oil to everything for fat. The important thing in all this is that despite the problems Addy is gaining weight and thriving.

Notice the LSU outfit? Yes, they did have a heartbreaking loss. Scott was terribly disappointed and disturbed by the outcome of the game. Picture this, the last seconds of the game, LSU driving down the field in scoring range and a three year old on the floor crying because she wants to go outside and swing. Obviously, we have not done our job to instill the importance of LSU game days in our preschooler. Tiger fans, this will be done by season's end. I did find (after the game) that our LSU flag had been replaced backwards after doing the lawn. Rest assured, it has been corrected and we will be looking for a win next weekend!

Courtney the Hair Dresser

Aunt Mariberta, you might want to skip this posting as it might make you cringe.... The other day I invited Mary Ella into the bathroom (AKA torture chamber) to brush her hair. I received the normal protest. Who could blame her? It usually takes me a good 15 minutes to detangle the multiple knots in her hair. I am still amazed at how she can twist her hair into perfectly formed knots. Nevertheless, it was at this point I asked her if we could cut her hair. She was most excited, so I went and found the sharpest pair of scissors we had and wet her hair. I do realize this was a bit impulsive on my part, but "how hard could it be, right???" Of course, cutting my daughter's hair was on my list of "I'll never do...." simply because I have crooked bangs in almost all of my school pictures due to my mother cutting my hair. Anyways, I cut 4 inches off the bottom and when we were finished, she shook her head and said, "Thanks mom, that feels much better."

Challenges bring hope, right???

Well, it is no surprise to those who know me best that when challenges surface, I put my head down and barrel through them. I always ask myself, "do you want to get through this painfully fast or painfully slow?" I usually like to go the fast route. Problem is the challenges over the last month seem to be dragging on and on. It has been a daily struggle to remind myself as much as I want to fix it all, I really have no control over any of this. I believe in Romans it says it is only through challenges that be may build character and in building character, we can have hope. I am relying on that truth. For those of you who think we have dropped off the face of the earth, here is the run down:

1. Scott's schedule is crazy
2. Addy is slowly getting better. We tried the special formula, Nutramigen...didn't work. She was more allergic to it than the "mommy milk". I have now given up milk, soy, eggs and nuts. I know you must be thinking I'm starving, but as I have learned this diet, it has become easier. I just can not eat restaurant food. Everytime I have tried, we have been burned. Turns out they put milk protein in chicken breasts at restaurants and there is lots of cross-contamination. Yes, our little baby is that sensitive, but thankfully has never been in any pain.
3. Chelsea, our 8 y/o golden retreiver, has been diagnosed with pancreatitis and has been in and out of the doggy hospital over the last two weeks with two kids in tow. I am currently cooking her potatoes and turkey to eat. When she gets over this, the vet thinks she has myositis that is causing weakness in her legs, so we will start steroids which she might never come off of.
4. My sweet brother, Robin, and his fiance, Kim, called off the wedding that was set for the end of August. They are trying to work some things out. Please keep them in your thoughts as they try to sort life out.
5. My best friend's mother was diagnosed with cancer. Outlook is positive, but she will have to undergo treatment, which might present challenges of its own. Her name is Linda. Please keep her and all those that love her in your thoughts and prayers as she begins this process.
6. Did I mention Scott's schedule is crazy???

Needless to say, I have been staying close to home, cooking, and transporting children and dog to/from school/vet. My sweet husband is my rock and my cheerleader when he gets home in the evenings and for that I am thankful.

On a positive note: Seriously, let me take a moment to celebrate the fact that it was only $44 to fill up my car yesterday. I took a second look, just to confirm my mind wasn't playing tricks on me as it often does. I was so excited, we splurged and bought a car wash. The car needed it and Mary Ella loves it when the car gets a "bath". So I got the code and proceeded to remove my antenna (I've made that mistake once, won't do it again...). I worked on that sucker for twenty minutes in the Houston, coastal heat. Did I mention I was in long sleeves and slacks? My multiple attempts were not successful, but the sores on my fingers proved I tried...hard. I got back in the car and grunted, then chuckled. Mary Ella was thoroughly confused on how to read my "mood cues" and finally asked, "Mommy, are you frustERated?" I broke the news and thankfully she took it really well as we drove off. At this point, it is only appropriate to laugh when the "little" things don't go as planned. Thank God for a sense of humor.

Labor Day Lake Trip

We decided to go to Horseshoe Bay, Texas for our Labor Day weekend to visit my grandparents and extended family. It was a much needed break from the coast and precious time with family. My cousin has a daughter the same age as Mary Ella and they played hard. Mary Ella spent the night with her the first night we were there. At about 3:30 pm the following day I noticed her trying to run with her thumb in her mouth. I thought, "oh my goodness, no nap in two days...it'll be interesting to see how this goes." Needless to say, Mary Ella is not ready to give up the naps as indicated by the full-blown panic episode we had later that evening. I picked her up and she was a 30 pound rag doll. She was actually begging to retreat to the bed which is not the norm for our sweet daughter. She has become a master in "stalling techniques" from singing songs to making her night prayers extra long just to keep us from walking out of the room. I can hear her humming in her bed as I write this.

Addy Scott enjoyed being hugged and cuddled by all. There was another little girl there, Aubrey, who was born in June. I am sure they will be running around just as their sisters by next year and then I'll have to buy some more running shoes. Addy Scott is getting dangerously close to crawling. I am already preparing for the aimless wondering stage when they can and will get into everything. Addy's genuine excitement over her new discoveries is fun to watch. Everyday is more of an adventure than the day before.



Scott also got some much needed "fun time" as he and the other men played "washers", a game where they give each other a hard time as they attempt to get washers into a board with holes. As usual, there was a lot of laughter and scheming going on between the teams.

Overall, it was a great weekend and a great visit with our loved ones.