Hadassah's 1st Orchestra Concert

Note: I forgot about trying to post this. Sadly, I still haven't figured out how to upload the video.

Yes, I know I am WAY overdue (again) for an update, but I just wanted to give everyone a chance to see Hadassah in her first orchestra concert. So, from the ECISD Music Department's "A West Side Orchestra Concert" presenting the orchestras from Odessa HS, Ector JHS, Bowie JHS, Crockett JHS, and introducing the 6th grade elementary orchestra students from Austin, Alamo, Blackshear, Burleson, Cameron, Noel, Pease, San Jacinto, Travis, and Zvala Elementaries.... here is the First Year Orchestra, conducted by Dr Larisa Bairamova (Hadassah's orchestra teacher) performing "Aunt Rhodie's Appetite"

Miracles Still Happen

In a 30 minute time period, there were 172 car wrecks in Tarrant County today. One of those was my husband. Ronnie avoided a multi-car pile-up, but in the process, the truck hydroplaned and hit the retaining wall tail end first. Ronnie is okay and on his way to his dad's house in Abilene, where he will spend the night before coming the rest of the way home.

God still looks out for us, people. He is still there, and He still cares.

Overdue and Probably Boring

Yes, I know it's been over a month since my last posting. Honestly, not much has been happening, except that all of us have been having problems with our allergies. Let me think...



We took a second trip to Tyler to visit with Ronnie before school started.



The three older kids started school on August 25.



Hadassah auditioned for, and made, solo & ensemble choir, even though she hasn't been in choir at school. She is also taking viola lessons this year.



Michael's blinking picked back up around the start of the school year, but has settled back down again. He has auditioned for the regular choir. We'll find out if he made it on Friday. He will be taking guitar lessons.



Kimberly is being Kimberly again this year. She has impressed everyone with how well she does with her glasses. Her teacher and I think she will make improvements over last year (provided she settles down).



Stephan was staying home with me, but he started "school" on the 15th. He is doing wonderfully with potty-training at school but has regressed a bit at home.



I have been doing some volunteer work at the school, including one day when Kimberly's teacher aide was out. That made me decide that I still wanted to sub for the teacher aides again this year. What can I say? I just love being up at the school. I think I'm fascinated by all that those tiny kids can do. I really enjoy the Montessori environment. I also have become the proud owner of my very first sewing machine and table(Thank you Diane & Kerry), and I have a plan rolling around in my mind for the first project I want to do on it No, I'm not counting the $30 or $40 machine I picked up this summer at Michael's, which I'll use to eventually teach the kids with.


Ronnie has managed to come home for his days off... twice, but our family sure did enjoy both weeks when he was home. The company he works for, ECCO Drilling, doesn't look like it's going to be doing too well though. He was contacted by someone at a company that he had previously really wanted to go to work for, and they're talking to him. We're keeping our minds and options open. We don't like the thought of uprooting our family again only to wind up stuck without any options.



What is to come? Honestly, I don't know, but that's okay. I will try to do a better job of keeping things up-to-date though.

Praises!!!

Can you guess by the title what I am going to say?

Michael had a 3rd EEG this morning, this time at the neurologist's office. His EEG was normal, and he has been cleared. Of course, the neurologist says it's because the EEG was done in his office, by his technician, where he can control everything. (Hmm, 2 EEGs showing suspicious activity, and he wants to take the credit for the normal 3rd one? Possible, but I think there's more to it than that.) The MRI he had the other day was normal as well. The neurologist believes that the blinking is a mannerism that Michael has developed, aka motor tic.

Yes, we will continue to watch Michael. Yes, there is still a possibility that he could develop seizures, but so could any of the rest of us. I will be speaking to his teacher and the other school staff so they will know what to look for in case he does begin to have them.

Do I believe that this is the end of the matter? My belief is, probably not. My hope and prayer, "Please God, let Michael be completely healed of this and never have to worry about it again." Realistically, I know God's will for our lives is also God's perfect will, even if we question it.

Thank you everyone for your love, prayers, and support.

Neurologist's Appointment

We just got home the neurologist's office. Thankfully, he doesn't think it seizures. However, Michael has to do yet another EEG (3rd), but this one will be done at the neurologist's office. I'll let y'all know when we get the results from that. Now, I'm off to find some nourishment for my stomach.

Intermediate update on Michael

Well, I finally talked to the neurologist. According to him, both of Michael's EEGs are "suspicious" but are not showing "classical seizure activity." He is consulting with a colleague on Michael's case, and he is having his office work us in around 9am Monday morning. It is possible that we will have another EEG done in the neurologist's office.

Mom, if you're reading this, thanks so much for everything you've done for me lately. I love you!

Sneak Peek at Michael's MRI

Quick update on Michael --

He had a 2nd EEG this morning, followed by an MRI this afternoon. Mom was able to bring his MRI up on the computer in NICU and review it with the neonatalogist that she works for. While he is not a neurologist, Mom says that he didn't see anything big wrong such as a tumor or missing chunks of brain. Yes, we cheated a bit doing this, but at least it relives a little bit of concern.

Now, for the waiting part again...

And the Countdown (Officially) Begins

Ok, so technically, I started counting down the days until school starts a long time ago. We just got home from registering Hadassah and Michael for school, and I registered Kimberly on July 21. August 25 is our first day of the new school year... and possibly our last year at Austin Montessori.

Our children love school. I remember the year Hadassah was in PK. She was devastated that she couldn't go back to school for the whole, entire summer. I love that my children love school. Austin has been a great school for them, and I love it as well. If I could pack up the school and teachers, I would so I could take them wherever we go.

Hadassah and Kimberly have the same teachers they had last year. Michael has a different teacher, but she shares the teacher aide with his 1st/2nd grade teacher. Of course, I had to leave the medical information form for Michael blank until we find out what is happening with him. I do know that no matter what is going on with him, the faculty will be as helpful as they always have.

To those of you who have chosen to educate our future, thank you. Even if it's not my children in your class, I appreciate what you're doing.

How Times Change .... (Part 2)

I hope you remember where I left off, but I don't. The hazards of motherhood, being gone for a week rather unexpectedly (both the being gone and the length we were gone), a long drive back across Texas, and stress all do weird things to one's mind. Let me catch up...



During what should have been a restful, carefree weekend with my loving extended family that I don't get to most of often enough, my 8 year old son started doing some rather odd and erratic blinking, as well as a little bit of face scrunching and a couple of head twitches. So far, he has seen his pediatrician, been taken off his Claritin, and had an EEG, a sleep-deprived EEG. Why is it that things like that mean more sleep-deprivation for the mom than the kid in question?

Michael's pediatrician called me (yes, her and not her office) with the results. The neurologist found some abnormal brain activity that is possibly seizures. She scheduled him for a repeat EEG and an MRI on August 6th.

Honestly, I had considered seizures, but promptly dismissed them. The way he is presenting seemed to be much more like Tourette's or another tic disorder. Even Mom told me that his symptoms sounded like Tourette's. As a mommy, of course, I was hoping for a diagnosis of a simple motor tic that he would outgrow. As his mother, I'm watching him (and videoing off and on), doing my research, taking him where he needs to go... basically doing the mother thing. As his mommy, I'm trying not to randomly think about it too much, bite my lip, and trying not to let him or the other kids see me get upset about it.

I am thankful though that I grew up with a mom who is a nurse and let me peruse her literature. I am glad to know that my EMS training will never be wasted and will always be useful as long as I have children, especially ones that take after their daddy so much. I am thankful that I have a wonderful husband who has more than enough strength for me to lean on when I have none left of my own. And, I am grateful to have a loving family I can turn to.

I love you all very much, and I will keep you as up-to-date as I can. For now, I'm off to write y'all a mass email and do some more research since it is now possible that my son may have something more serious than what I had first thought.

How Times Change (Sometimes in Only a Week)

This time last week, I was by a lake and surrounded by family. Now, I'm here at home, with thousands of things running through my mind. This time last week, I was wondering why I left our allergy medicine at home. Now, allergy medicine is the least of my worries. This time last week, I was trying to figure out why neither allergy eye drops nor dry eye relief drops were helping my son. Now, I anxiously await a call from our pediatrician.

(I was called to hot shot some parts across Texas before I could finish this. Look for Part 2 tomorrow, hopefully)

Morning Musings

Yes, it is morning. I was up before my alarm. Of course, it may take all day to finish this once the kids all get up.



Gee, I knew it had been awhile since I last posted, but a month? It's not that there wasn't anything blog-worthy, I just didn't sit down and put my thoughts to pen and paper, or in this case, keyboard and computer screen. After all, with a husband and 4 (sometimes 6) kids plenty has been going on around here.



Yes, I said sometimes 6 kids. We finally got the twins here for a visit. We arrived home from Tyler late Saturday night, and Ronnie drove up to Lubbock and picked them up at their sister's on Sunday. Randy and Cody were here for several weeks, but Ronnie had them all to himself for 2 because they stayed at the rig with him since he still had to work. Between Ronnie's 2 work weeks, we went to Lake Brownwood for a couple of days and enjoyed boating, tubing, and Ronnie began teaching Cody how to wake board. On the way home, we stopped in Abilene and visited with Ronnie's dad and step-mom. We had a really nice time with Randy and Cody here, and while they enjoyed the antics of their younger siblings, I'm sure they were glad to get a break and have some peace and quiet once they got back home.



More summer adventures... potty training!



Yes, it's that time again. I'm potty training another kid. This time, I decided to take advantage of the fact that we have various forms of hard, yet easy to clean, floors and let Stephan run around the house without his pull-up. Thankfully, we have lots of old towels, and they have been recruited to help mop up the puddles as they occur. Now, I am extremely glad that I have at least attempted to cultivate the habit of doing a load of laundry a day since I've had my own washer and dryer. How does it go? Well, Stephan had good days when he will at least attempt to sit on the potty, and he has not so good days when he refuses every single time we ask if he would like to sit or try to make a tee-tee. Of course, within those days he also has good moments and not so good moments as well.

Ronnie started his week on the rig June 24, came home for some clean clothes on Michael's birthday June 30, and headed to East Texas at 4:30am July 1. His rig was being moved to Marshall, and while that was happening, he was working on a part at the shop in Tyler. Then he had to head to the rig site because the company digging the holes to set up the rig were digging them in the wrong places, and the rig parts were being transported across Texas in the wrong order. July 1 - 7 were supposed to be his week off. (Thank you, God. You're giving us a nice paycheck to look forward to, and it's getting close to time to buy school clothes and supplies for 3 of our children.) Now, he's back on his work week.

Yes, Daddy missed Kimberly's birthday, but since we were surprised when he came home on Michael's birthday, we were already planning on holding birthday celebrations for when Daddy comes home from work. Both kids had special meals, and they are eagerly awaiting their birthday cakes.

I can hear all of you now as I type this. I'm talking about Ronnie's job, and you want to know if I have any updates since I left you hanging with last month's blog. Actually, I do. I did make a pro and con list for staying in Odessa and moving to the Tyler area. Both had the same number of pros and the same number of cons. It did help me think things through though, and it took most of the emotion out of it. We will, most likely, be moving. We have figured out what we would like from the company, and Ronnie is awaiting an offer from the owner and whoever else is involved in that type decision. They do want him up in Tyler as soon as possible; they even have another toolpusher lined up to replace him.

Don't get overly excited just yet. We still have work to do on this house before we put it on the market. The kids are going to go to Austin again this coming school year, which is something I was concerned about. I've already begun researching the schools in the Tyler area because there are several school districts, I've got lots of work ahead of me in that area alone.

Well, it did take me all day to write this, and now it's late, so I am putting myself to bed for the night.

Love y'all!!!

I can't believe I'm writing this as my first blog, but here it goes...

So, I'm laying across a motel bed in Tyler, TX. Ronnie had to come do some repair work on a drilling rig here. Only a few people know this, but the company that Ronnie works for has asked him what it would take to get him (and us too, of course) to move here. Nothing has been decided yet, and many options are being tossed around between the two of us. Last night, Ronnie knew that something was bothering me, and in typical Ronnie fashion he would not allow me to keep it inside, so I told him that I wasn't sure I wanted to move. He was unbelievably accepting of my feelings and even said that we didn't have to move. While having my feelings validated on the matter had made me feel so very much at ease, I'm not 100% positive that staying in Odessa is the right decision for us. As you can tell, much more discussion will be needed before we make our final decision.

Honestly, I don't feel that Ronnie's career should be restricted due to my reluctance about leaving our home town. I guess that leaves me with trying to determine why I'm not sure I want to move. As with every major decision, both moving and staying have their pros and cons. Don't worry, I won't bore you with my thought process on that. As a famous philosopher-type not-quite-person once was quoted as saying, "Think, think, think"

So, I guess I'm off to think while I wait for Ronnie to finish his work for today.