The Easter bunny visited our church this morning… Me and Amanda posed for a quick pic. 

Next week is Easter Sunday.  Looking forward to it!  I have the girls dresses ready, just need to get something for Bailey.

I’m handicapped and wheelchair bound
Expected to sit and not make a sound…
Just to smile and let the World go by
With Saintly patience and never sigh.

Inside my head thoughts come and go
Ideas are born which long to flow
Flow from my lips and link me with others
But my words sound strange so no one bothers.

My tongue and lips do not as I ask
I cannot perform the simplest task
But I have a mind and I’m still there
Don’t lock me out in your ignorance there.

Talk, though I seem not to understand
touch me, include me, hold my hand
I am alive and I have time to give
Let me share in the life I was given to live

Anon.

Izzy has had a good week.  Yesterday she said “elephant” twice when she was shown the elephant flash card.  I witnessed the second!  Here she is with Camilla and Melanie working hard.

Today she kept her back brace on all day.  I put it on before school and she still has it on! 

Bailey and Emelia are headed to Tulsa right now for “Acquire the Fire.”

Spring Break has come to an end… the first day of Spring 2010 brought with it a snow storm!  Fortunately the roads stayed clear. 

We’ve been spending this week doing lots of “things” like…

The big kids have stayed up for late night movie watching courtesy of the roku every night… emelia actually cried when she saw Amanda packing to go back to OU because she hated these late night times to end.

Quiet mornings, kids sleeping in!

Trying to get Izzy acclimated to the new back brace.  She did better today than she has all week… kept it on for several hours without complaining.  It is a hassle to get all these braces on etc. 

Cleaning things… got my closet cleaned out! YAY.  Seems like I have to do that about every couple of months but honestly there is just not enough spaces for things which accumulates.  I need more storage!!! 

Amanda and I went to the mall and had lunch.  We spent the time using coupons for panties at VS and stuff at bath and body.  I have been toting those coupons around for a month so it was good to finally use them all!

We partied for Em’s 12th birthday.  Twice!

Dieting!  I did so well all week… didn’t miss a day at the gym or park, until Saturday!!! well… and Friday night.  OOOPS.

Really enjoyed the kids.  They are such great people. 

I’ve been “trying out” diet products and have a few favorites so far… diet mountain dew, crystal light lemonade for water bottle, yogurt covered pretzels (100 cal), orbit white bubblemint gum.  Only one coke per day is hard, but it is possible with some substitutes!

Matt worked tons of overtime this past week! 

Found izzy’s blood type card in a purse while cleaning out my closet.  It was from her birth… she is B pos.  I was sure she was O pos!

To do…

Starting renovations this coming week for widening spaces (for iz’s surgery).

It’s been fun having all the kids home this week… and it’s half way over!  Yesterday Amanda went with tme to Children’s to have the back brace adjusted.  It was really rough under one arm and seemed too high up on her chest, almost in her chin.  I have decided I prefer early appointments when we have to go there, it seems quieter and quicker to get in and out.  They put some padding on the brace and shortened it both at the top and bottom.  I really thought that she would be completely fine with it after those revisions, but she seemed really irritated in general with it when I put it on her at home.  I kept it on for several hours twice yesterday. 

The other kids went with mom and dad for a “nini day.”  They ate at Hideaway pizza and then went to Farmer’s Market with them.  I think they had fun and entertained mom and dad.   While they were gone me and Iz took a short nap. 

It was a pretty afternoon.  I am so excited to have spring again.  It is a little chilly, but I’m sure that will change soon.  I went to the gym when the kids came home and then went for a run in the park.  There was only one other person in the whole gym and almost no one at the park. 

Izzy’s flowers are starting to turn orange (note to Melanie).  I’ll take a picture when they are more orange.  I think Izzy wishes she was at school this week!  I did speak to the lady who coordiantes the indoor pool at Harrah and she does swimming on Saturday mornings with kids like Izzy.  I may try to coordinate some swim times for Izzy.  I think she would love the warm water.  They even have a cool chair to lower her into the pool.

I took Izzy to the orthotist at Children’s hospital this week to pick up her new back orthotic.  She was not excited! 

It has been going pretty well, but we will go back this week to have some adjustments made.  Hopefully we can get it comfortable enough for her to wear it happily. 

Iz made lots of st. patrick’s day crafts this week at school.  Including this cute leprechaun house.  It’s so cute and has a furry floor and everything! 

She brought home these flowers.  The intent was to have green water to turn them green for the holiday… but when someone suggested orange her yes hand went up instantly so they made her flower water orange.  She also brought home a beautiful flower they’ve been growing at school from a bulb.  If I haven’t mentioned it before, she has the best teachers at school! They do the most fun stuff ever!

She has had a great week at school this week!  Lots of good reports from her teacher!  She had a great day working with Camilla on Thursday too.  Here she is snuggled up with me all tired out from big school days …

Bailey had a drama competition this weekend that was a pretty big deal and a qualifier for state.  He MADE IT!  This is him all ready to go early Friday morning.  He tried to pretend that he didn’t make it when he got home late Friday night, but I saw through it.  He hasn’t made it home yet tonight, but texted to tell me he got a medal!

Today is Emelia’s 12th birthday! What a day!  It ended with a shopping trip.  I think she had a great day!

She opened her roller blades last night and was pretty excited.

She’s been skating all day!  In the house, and everywhere else! 

Amanda is home for spring break.  It’s so nice to have the kids all home.

What a rainy Monday!  Getting up this morning was hard… but we did.  I started week three at the gy m.  I’m down 9 pounds and feeling better every day.  Izzy had a pretty good day, although was a little fussy in the afternoon. 

We have to be up bright and early tomorrow for a 9 a.m. appt. to pick up/fit the new back orthotic.  Hope it a. fits comfortably, and b. is not huge. 

I took Amanda and Emelia out for a surprise dinner Saturday night.  They had no idea where we were going!  We ate at Mama Rojas and walked to the lighthouse while we were waiting.  It was a really fun night. Have to do a post for best colon cleanser.

The surgery coordinator called to get things scheduled.  It is set for May 21st.  We will be banking blood for Izzy. 

So much to do!