Happy 4th!

For 16 years now, the 4th of July has meant more than just fireworks and hot dogs on the grill.   July 4, 1994 is the day my husband and I were married and became a family.   It's hard to believe that 16 years and 6 children later...  

I'll be the first to admit that our marriage is on pretty rocky ground.  Life is tough.  Life with kids is tough.  Life with a bipolar kid is tough.  Life with a kid with special needs is sometimes tough as well.   It all takes it's toll, I suppose.   I'm not sure what keeps me hanging on, but even on the days when I am hanging on by a thread, I keep chugging along.

Anyway, moving on...

I have enjoyed the reprieve from doctor appointments lately.  I actually don't think I have had Faith into the doctor since her cardiology appointment.  ( I could be wrong about that though, but I don't think so!)   That being said, after this next week, the dizzying pace will begin again with another onslaught of appointments.

A visit to the eye doctor to schedule a tear duct probe surgery, a 15 month well baby visit, to include labs to check her blood counts and thyroid,  a visit to the ENT for a  hearing test...pair that with twice a week therapies and this girls calendar is full!    However, I am SO very thankful that we are not having 2-3 visits a week to the Oncology/Hematology clinic for blood draws and injections of Neupogen to bring her neutrophil count up.  Nor are we in the hospital on O2.    My view on a "normal" life has really been put into perspective with the challenges of raising a child with special needs.    Even so, I wouldn't change my sweet baby girl for the world.

Mama loves you baby girl, barbecue sauce covered face and corn in your teeth (if you had any teeth!) and all!

From one special girl to another...

                                         Get well soon Ella!
                                                                                                  Love, 
                                                                                                  Faith
                          
* Click on Ella's button on my sidebar for her story...

She's a Rockstar

                                                      

Her future is so bright...

She has to wear shades.                                                                

So full of love and life...she's going to do great things!                            

She's a rockstar, you know.

Having this little girl in my life is a lesson of something that is a whole lot bigger than me. A lesson that I am excited to be a part of.  A lesson that I plan to excel at.

Faith's sweet soul just makes me drink her in.  She is beyond anything I could have ever asked for or imagined.  She gives me so much joy it makes me weak in the knees!

I love you my little rockstar.

Wordless Wednesday, Sorta

Faith "yelling" so she can go downstairs :)

(Be sure to pause the music player so you can hear her!)

Summer Time Fun

There's nothing like some water fun when it's stinkin' hot outside...

Even if the water is a little cold.

Okay, I'm outta here...my brother wants to play!

                                        
                                 Here comes Sam!

                                                             Time to do it again!

                                                                 Gracie's turn!

Here comes Aunt Teri!

Whew! That was COLD!

A little summer time toes...

A little sidewalk chalk...

And this is what happens when you party at Aunt Teri's house...

Nap time is VERY good!

I am rather weary these days.  Summer vacation must really be getting to me.   6 kids.  24 hours a day. Every day.  You do the math.

When I went to make Faith's bottle today, I realized just how weary I am when instead of pouring this into her bottle...

I poured this instead...

Ooops.  My bad.

I Love Me Some Dog!

Yes, I do know that title wasn't proper grammar.  I'm only saying that just so you know that I know.  Okay?

Faith has a love for anything fluffy and furry...especially dogs.   We have a toy schnauzer, Abbey, that is terrified of Faith, but Faith LOVES to go after Abbey pointing and saying "dawg dawg" (if you could only hear that in her 14 month old cute voice)

While at a friends house, she was totally taken by her two dogs, this big one, especially.

The look on her face is somewhere in between giddy and weirded out, I think. She must have been thinking that this was no Abbey dawg!

Titan, the dog, was totally unimpressed at first...

Then, he decided that Faith tasted pretty darn good, and decided to have a few hundred licks...it must have been all those Gold Fish crackers she'd been eating.

Who could resist kissing this sweet babe anyway?  Who cares if the kisser is furry!