Just RK

We have been surprised and so blessed by a neat provision of God through some very dear friends to grant us a newer,  nicer, better-fit-for-a-family-of-four car than our little sporty Eclipse that M drives to work each day.  So we’ve got an extra car that we don’t *have* to sell right away but are putting out there to see if anyone might need it.  Paying forward a great deal if you’re in need of some wheels with great gas mileage. What we’ll miss most…. remote start!! SO nice in both warm and cold weather. It sure spoils a driver quickly! Edited to add…. Good Gravy!!  It’s been on Craigslist for all of 60 minutes and I’ve got 3 who plan to see it tomorrow. Who knew?!?

Friends have lost daughters. Friends have lost mothers. Others have lost beloved friends and aunts and uncles. There has been much loss around my family lately. But today there will be a service for a husband and father to very young ones who thoroughly adored him. He felt he wasn't enough,  and he had no idea he was their all. It's heartbreaking to think of those children. Just now, another husband of a special friend, father to really great kids, faithful friend and example for many,  passed away after a totally unexpected health shock. It's hard to even grasp. I'm so sad for them,  but glad they are those who can grieve with hope. Their trust is not abandoned even in this. No matter what my current list of frustrating circumstances is,  and it's been longer than usual lately, my gratefulness is in need of ramping up. I am blessed. To have mine all with me. To have a shelter to sleep in. Count your blessings today,  friends.

First off,  the dentist went ok the other day. Not great but much better...   More details on B's blog when I can do more than these phone posts. Today we are at the pediatrician getting physicals. Kinlee for K4 (Yes we have been blessed to be able to find a curriculum-based program who will let her jump up a year due to academic skill. More details on that soon too.)  Braska is doing Kindergarten,  but no longer through the conventional means at public school. She will be attending the same private school as KiKi but in the half day academic Kindergarten class. She was screened and accepted and they have been granted a nice scholarship,  so reg ed private school it is!  I'm very excited to be involved in this new school and will talk more about it soon I hope. They are totally excited about having both the girls, and what more could I ask than to have teachers actively want my kids in their classes? I'm still so blown away that this all worked o...

After lunch watercolors. Quiet (except for that teeth-grinding fun). This is more like my kind of afternoon.

We are blessed by the generosity of so many people. It is not uncommon to have people share with us in ways we didn't expect. We do not take for granted this provision of God via others. Today was a day filled with such things. None of them life changing, yet all life enriching. People sharing without being asked. Of their time. Of their encouragement. Of their wisdom. Of their resources. It was a day that makes me go to bed so grateful for so much and so many. And icing on the cake, a little sister who just can not keep from sneaking into big sister's bed after she is asleep. So blessed.

A couple of weeks ago we met up with Jodie from F resh Art Photography .  The experience was lovely, good weather, the super cool and sweet demeanor of Jodie with the girls (while I was impatient, trying to get them to “put your hand down! Stand still! Put that tongue away!”).  The very gracious Jenny accompanied me to assist with Baby Patrick and the girls, so that I wouldn’t get swallowed up in the whole thing and miss the fun parts. Today we were excited to hear that our sneak peek was available to see.  PLEASE go over and see the rest that she posted. They are just beyond precious.  Braska’s glasses are Transitions, and I didn’t think about the fact that they would turn dark (cuz it’s their job!) being outside for photos.  But I actually like it because it’s they way she looks outside.  That’s what we see when we see them playing, so I kind of like that it’s captured. We were graciously nominated for this session and I was really excited about ...

Almost 3 years ago we were blessed with this van, from my parents since they had just bought another Sienna and passed the well-used-and-loved one on to us. Just this past week, in a matter of a few hours, we heard about another Sienna they were looking at, and they were proposing another switcheroo, giving the “old” one back to them for a great deal on a “new” one with 100,000 miles less. After some debate, we decided to go for it.  We don’t NEED a new van at this point.  I really do LOVE this old, dented, 242,000-miles used van.  I’m fine to hold onto it for a while.  We have been through quite a few vehicle transactions in the last few years… remember   this ? The final piece needed to talk me into it?  It was the same van.  I mean, a different van, but the same one.  One year older, but with 100,000 fewer miles.  Same interior, nicer exterior without the scratches dents and dings.  And for much less than we could con...

I was divided today. I held Braska for a while this morning in the recliner in her room, as she went back to sleep after crawling into my lap.  I should have been taking a shower. But I just kept praying for the mother who would never know that feeling again.  (Unfortunately I know too many mothers whose arms ache for their little precious ones, gone too soon.) I enjoyed watching my girls go to dance class with their friends and do a GREAT job, prancing around in their Halloween costumes and being adorable.   But I had tears slowly rolling down my face as I thought about Maddie never dancing here again. (Though I happen to be quite sure she is dancing with Laynee and Carly right about now.) I drove all over the metro area today, between dance class and visiting PaPaw so he could see all the cuteness and get some hugs, then going to work and jetting over to catch the end of a birthday party.  As I drove, I got a very ill feeling several times, thinking how...

I’m worn out.  But I’m thankful.  For access to great medical care.  For NO months-long waits to get that medical care. For family who helps out in so many ways, hands-on, with gifts, prayers, or time. For friends who check in often, and who send smiles of encouragement. For my girl, who is some kind of miracle that she can have endured so much in her short life and still waltz into the hospital with the charm that is her calling card and win over all her new friends today. For my bed. I love my bed. Always, but especially tonight. Thank you for your thoughts, prayers, well wishes, and love.  We are blessed to receive them all.

I’m in the midst of a very busy season.  It’s a bit hard for me to keep my sanity when things are like this.  When the obligatory “how are you?” gets asked, this is what flashes in my head…. (Photo by JLMphoto) But I always say, of course, “oh, I’m fine.”  Or if I’m feeling more honest, “I’m doing ok, thanks.” When the truth is that I’m yearning for something like this to be my lot… (photo by dipity.com) Days like today… *Up at 8 after nicely being allowed to sleep in a little. *Scrambling to get two girls fed, dressed for dance, myself ready for work, and out *the door in just under one hour. *9am leave for 30 min drive to dance class. *930 to 10 am at dance class. *10 am head back home to have M grab the other car and we all go to the Y. *1045 arrival at the Y. Quick change for Braska from dance outfit to swimsuit for lesson. *1115am get Braska dressed, assist with KiKi finishing lunch in the lobby with Daddy. *1130 begin work...

Because my daughter has Down syndrome, I’ve met a lot of great people. Because my daughter has Down syndrome, I’ve come to this city. Because my daughter has Down syndrome, we are a part of a great school. Because my daughter has Down syndrome, I’ve been given reason to be on a superb team of support in our community. Today all these elements came together.  Today I sat with two groups of ladies whose lives connect through my tiny little girl and enjoyed fellowship in the midst of hundreds of women.  But none of these special ladies would be in my circles at all if it were not for my daughter, who has Down syndrome. How blessed I am to have this phenomenal group of women around me.  How blessed I am to have Braska’s team at school be full of those who are also excited to praise God alongside me, learn about how to be more faithful and in tune with His plan, and determined to allow that faith to make them better parents, teachers, therapists, and friends. How...

My girls are sick of my being sick. More so than they are tired of being sick themselves, I think. Kinlee says I sound funny and sometimes she laughs when I try to talk. Because nothing comes out. She says I’m a sad mommy. They are so good and polite. Something that is very important to me, and we work on it diligently. When someone sneezes, they are both all about a good, hearty “Bless you!”  Braska has also taken to blessing those who cough. And let’s just say I’ve been doing plenty of that lately.  So she has been blessing me over and over.  And it’s nice, I admit. But the poor thing is stopping what she’s doing to send me her little “bless you” so many times that I feel a little bad interrupting her so frequently. So when I’m able, I have been going to the other room to do my hacking.  But the little superstar that she is… she followed me in there, “Bless you, Mommy. Bless you.” Then she turned around, walked back to the living room, and resumed watching W...

We're two weeks in to being a "two-income" family. Though that little title is a bit of a misnomer compared to what it generally means. Our two incomes are just to meet what our previous one income provided. My job is designed to provide enough to pay for our increased costs for medical benefits. We were able to get an individual health insurance plan (HDHP with HSA), including M, KiKi, and Braska. Braska's at the most expensive tier they can give her, but at least they can't deny her, so that worked in our favor. I'm covered on my new work health plan. It is a very very limited plan, but it works fine for what we need right now. But the jobs themselves are going well. We are SO thankful to have both of them, especially since we're really enjoying learning the new places (mostly me, as far as "learning"...M just fit right in and hit the ground working). I'm currently doing shadowing during the days, so we've made some adjustments t...

This morning I logged on just minutes ago to see great news… YES!  I saw just that word on a post title in my reader and got all squishy inside. I clicked on the post to see that it WAS as I’d hoped!!! I just starting thanking God and praising him right on the spot, as the tears came so quickly it startled me.  I am SO thankful for this outcome!!!  The judge said YES! You see, Evan’s new mommy and daddy… (photo from the Hooks family blog .) …they were given the answer literally thousands were praying for over the last 36 hours.  Many were fasting and dedicating extra time to prayer yesterday. The judge they were facing is the same judge who just a couple of weeks ago told another family NO. Remember Kirill? (photo from the Davis family blog .) His family went to bring him home. They pleaded their case before this same judge, asking that region to allow the FIRST adoption of a child with Down syndrome.  And in the end, after hours of quest...

I'm no longer unemployed. I don't like that term because it sounds like you wish you were employed, and except for the financial implications, I haven't missed it much. But whatever. I've been without a paying job for almost 3 years, but today that ended. I became official at my new part-time job, and as first days go, it was pretty great. The people are super nice...which is not news, since we were already members at the Y before I got a job there. I think I'll like the actual "job" part, too. Today was computer training, part 1, and tomorrow evening will continue that. I am looking forward to the point where I am once again knowledgeable about what I do and am able to do it without thinking about it. It is weird to be in a completely different environment from the medical practice surroundings that I've worked in for the last 15 years where I could do anything in any situation that could be thrown at me. No more big responsibility and people r...

We got up. Shower dressed and breakfast. Dropped Braska at school. Now we dance in the kitchen to Glee mash-ups...goooood times. M took his last personal day today since his last day at the current job is Friday. It is a beeeeaUtiful day and we are enjoying some midweek playtime. THANK YOU GOD!! We have come a long way and I have to remember to be always aware of our blessings. Loving seeing the sunny day smiles today!

I love cars.  They’ve been a hobby of mine since before I could drive.  Not like I work on them, but I like the pretty ones, I like the powerful ones, and I like to drive GOOD cars.  I really enjoy driving just for the experience when it’s a well-handling machine with spunky engine. But I’m practical, too.  And especially in the last 2 years, I’m also painfully frugal, out of necessity, mostly.  This creates a problem… Last year we opted/needed to get out of debt, and the only debt we had besides our house was the cars.  Two nice cars. Cars we loved.  I mean, we REALLY liked our cars. We were thankful for them, liked driving them, knew they were going to start when we turned the key and would get us where we were going in comfort and style.  They were “middle of the road” type cars in reality, but to us, they were perfect and we seriously loved our cars, though we NEVER forgot to be thankful for them every day. Used to be mine… ...

My fave music dude is Steven Curtis Chapman .  No shock if you’ve been around awhile.  He has recently written a new song for the upcoming Veggie Tales movie, It’s a Meaningful Life .  The video was just released today, and since it combines great music with clips of Bob and Larry, the girls and I have watched it almost a dozen times today already.  Braska kept asking for “more min to be please.” (Don’t miss the beautiful faces in the video below… smiles, tears, and celebrations surrounding adoptions) He writes from a perspective of a full-time orphan advocate, a father who lost a little girl tragically, and someone who believes that every life is precious… and meant to be.  No wonder, then, that these words seem to remind me of Braska. My special little gift. Wrapped up just for me.  Sure, they apply to every child, and Kinlee is a gift, too, no doubt.  But somehow this seems to just speak Braska at this time in my life…  Meant To Be Here...

Time for a Weekend Update.  Before I bolt down the hall for my bed. Overall, we’re seeing improvement!  Let’s have a celebratory cheer from wherever you are! Woo hoo! To be a bit more specific, for those of you who like that kinda thing, she’s had no screaming fits today (except when she screeched a little during some reprimand response) and her belly seems to be calming down.  We did use the probiotics and got her back on yogurt, which she accepted better today than she has previously.  She seems to be having no pain with her surgical sites, so we’re very happy about that.  She did have a bit of a screaming fit last night that led to a bit of bleeding, which is supposed to earn us a trip to the ER, according to surgeon’s instructions, but it was minimal and short-lived, so we just waited it out. No problems there. She still is having issues sleeping.  She was up last night again every hour for about the first 3, when I gave in and brought her to bed ...

1. Does this happen to anyone else?  Every time there’s a nice long holiday weekend to enjoy and relax, I get sick. Or at the very least feel very icky.  Sure enough, after acting completely bizarre and disturbing, at times, for the last couple of weeks (more on that in another post…maybe), Braska has a 101.6 fever tonight. And I’ve been feeling horrible today, worse tonight, knowing that it’s only going to get worse.  I can feel it.  It follows the same pattern.  She’s only been to school 6 days, and here we go again.  I seriously think I’ll lose my mind. 2. Kinlee’s really twitching me out with her talking.  After we got in the van on Wednesday morning, she looked and pointed at the seat next to her and said, “Braska’s seat.”  Possessive, identifier, two words. Clear as day. (Well, to be fair, it was more like “Brakka’s” seat. The SK sound is hard.) I don’t know much about normies, but that seems pretty good to me for less than 17 months....