We got EGGED!!!

It was a beautiful day today so we decided to head on over to the beach! Joel was able to come and hang out with us and see our usual routine: run, hang out on the pier and play on the beach. Joel can't run yet so he rented a bike and rode along side us...I had my own peparazzi following us taking our pictures :)

I wish we lived close enough so I could run this path everyday :) But, I'll probably be here at least once or twice a week in the summer!

Stopped for a photo op!

Picture on the pier

Carousel on the pier

We got home and their was a basket by our front door filled with fun, yummy treats. There was a sign that said, "You've been egged"! The kid's loved it! They think the Easter Bunny brought it :) I have no idea who did it! The kids and I are talking about who we should go "egg" now!

What we have been up to...

We have FINALLY been getting back into some what of a routine. B started back at Awana/Cubbies... of course there were only 3 weeks left. He started Preschool again! I pick him up 1/2 hour early because he can't do recess yet. About 3 more weeks and then he is cleared for all activities! Joel will probably start back at work in a couple weeks. He's been off work for almost 6 months. His leg is healing more. He is still doing his physical therapy to make it stronger. Joel's parents are still struggling with his dad's ALS. The challenges continue to mount and we are helping them out as much as we can. The kid's love their grandma and papa so we are trying to spend as much time with them as possible. It has surely been an emotional roller coaster... this past 6 months... but we are still doing our best to hang in and trust God through the process. Since B still hasn't been able to do many things since his surgery (6 weeks ago already), we have been doing different things to keep the kiddos busy! Joel spent the day helping his parents out so I took the kiddos to the beach. I love that we live about 45 minutes away (that is with no traffic of course). It's low key for Brennan so it worked out perfectly. I did my usual run with them along the bike path and then ended up on the pier to do some people watching! We ended the day at the beach and they got to play in the sand. I bought B a hat to keep his ear out of the sun, it worked great! Both kiddos kept their hats on the whole time :)

And yes... they were exhausted!

We took the kids to cool little place where we live. It's an area full of different farm animals for the kids to look at, pet and feed.

Pnut was kind of fearful of the animals so B gave her a kiss... so sweet!

Brennan still can't go to the playground yet. We took them to a park by us that has a huge green grass area. We had a little picnic and let the kids run around. That's the safest thing for Brennan right now and it gets a lot of his 'pent up energy' out!

Visiting a dog park to check out all the different dogs!!!

Joel's parents are in the process of looking for a new van and needed to go to Carlsbad. We all ended up going to Lego Land for the day with his parents! It was such a fun time, our first.

We had a little family gathering for Pnut's 2nd birthday!

With her new Tinkerbell outfit! This girl sure loves to dress up!

Future Cheerleader?!

Love this one!!!

B is finally back at Cubbies!!! It was picnic day and we had to be very careful because of all the kids running around. B was excited to be back with his friends!

Brennan has always loved Preschool. He has been out for 7 weeks. He was so excited to go back and see his friends and teachers! To be honest, it was a little hard for me to let him go. He's been with us 24/7 since his surgery. It was hard to let him go and just 'trust' that he will be okay and that he wouldn't harm his ear. His ear is doing great but I still have worries about some kid throwing something hard at it, B running into a doorknob, a ball getting kicked into it, being elbowed really hard... the list goes on and on. I have realized I need to 'let go' and just trust that he will be okay. Brennan has been really good with it and knows to be careful.

When I picked Brennan up from school, his teachers said that he is very careful and when all the kids are together close that he stands a foot back... so I know he is being careful!!! Also, his teachers said they notice his hearing is better and that he hears well in the noisy environment... such an answer to prayer!!!

So, that's what we have been up to. Please continue to pray for Joel's dad as ALS is taking a serious toll on his body and pray for our whole family that we can support him through this.

Thanks!

more pictures :)

I know, I just posted pictues of B's ear yesterday...but it looks so much better today! Day by day it looks better and better! It's less swollen in certain areas and less red. I took these pictures today and emailed them to Dr. Lewin to ask her a few questions and see what she thinks on how his ear is looking. She emailed me back in within 2 hours and said, "I think he looks fantastic. And what you are doing is perfect..." First of all... she emailed me back so soon, on a Saturday (that's just the kind of doctor she is) Second, I feel a LOT better! Not that I was too worried, but I had questions about how I was washing it and applying the cream and she made me feel a lot better about it. After his bath

Behind the ear shot. You can notice the stitch line behind his ear and the stitch on his scalp by his ear. The skin between those stitches is a skin graft from either under his arm or behind his other ear. Cool huh? Those stitch lines will fade with time. It's still so amazing to me!

Closer view. The swelling is going down a bit. I'm seeing more groves in his ear! It's been almost 5 weeks post-op and I'm still amazed at how great it looks already!

And...

Today I went to the memorial service for Mr. Hendricks, my kindergarten teacher ...from many years ago... and I had been close with him throughout the years. The service was almost like a mini reunion with some of my past teachers and some classmates. I was able to re-connect with a dear friend of mine, Nikki!!! We were in kindergarten together and our moms were really close and we spent countless hours at each other's houses for playdates. I have so many great memories with her. When we saw each other we just held each other and cired. We have lost contact with each other for so many years and I'm so glad to reconnect!!!

looking good!

So, here are some picts from yesterday, and it even looks better today. His rash on his cheek is going away! His ear is still swollen but looking so good day by day!!!

Happy boy!

I still love this view so much! I find myself just staring at him during the day, amazed at his 2 ears! It's so unbelievable to me how different it makes him look... in a good way of course. I do miss his "little ear" and just being able to kiss it. I've been so careful with his new ear that I only touch it when I wash it and put cream on each day. Can't wait till I can kiss it!

Lil Pnut had her 2 year Dr. visit yesterday. She did awesome! Joel and I are still laughing about the appt. She didn't cry the WHOLE time, even during the shot. In the past, anytime we would walk into the office she would start screaming her head off. Yesterday, she just walked right in, down the hall, head held high, waving to all the nurses and dr.'s, trotted right in the room, dancing around in her diaper, got weighed (and didn't cry), got checked (and didn't cry), and held down for a shot (AND DIDN'T CRY).... I'm seriously still in shock :) I think that going to all of B's dr.'s appts has helped and maybe she is just growing up more :)

On that note, she is finally above 2% on the charts!!! In fact, she is in the 11% !!! She is now 23.7 lbs and she grew 2 inches in 6 months! She is growing more and talking more... Such a fun little girl!

At the junior high where I used to teach, they have an annual PE fundraiser. It's a 50 minute walk/run during the PE class. I took the kiddos and walked with them. Here is a picture of them with my mom (she is a secretary at the school).

AWWWW... One of my best friends had her baby boy, Ashton (AJ), on Faith's Birthday!!! I really forgot how little they are. He is so precious!

My friend Christy and her baby Ashton!!! Love them!

Tonight we went to visit one of B's favorite friends, Fernando! Fernando has Microtia/Atresia as well. Fernando has the same Dr. as B also! On Tuesday, Fernando had a surgery called the "tissue expander" procedure. He has a 'baloon type' object placed under his "little ear" that will stretch the skin in a 2-3 month period. Then, Fernando will have a second surgery, just like the one B just had. The thing is, since Fernando has the tissue expander, he will not need any skin grafts taken from his head, arm or orther ear. All the skin used for the surgery will be the skin right by his new ear. It's a new procedure and we can't wait to see how he does. B did not qualify for that procedure because he has his ear canal and ear drum from his previous surgery. So really, each surgery is case by case depending on each patient.

It was fun to visit with his family and talk about our surgeries and experiences. It was just hard to not let our 3 year old boys run around and be crazy little boys... we had to be careful with them because they both had surgeries. I can't wait until I don't have to worry about that anymore!

It's been fun getting to know Fernando and his family. Please keep them in your prayers as they have many appts. ahead to increase the size of the tissue expander on his head and as they prepare for the new ear surgery.

Thanks!