I am excited that after only four days of school Izzy is having day after day of good days!  Seeing her sitting so nicely in her chair and without pain makes this Summer seem worth it.  I am so optimistic about the things to come this year.

She had her first pt day with Camilla… and was able to be ranged/stretched with no discomfort.  I am excited to see her standing and riding her bike at school.

Melanie was excited about a timed test she took.  The first time she answered 11 of 25 questions in the given time and in the afternoon answered all 25.  I asked Melanie how accurate her answers were and she said she missed three.  She was using her hands to choose the answer.  This test will determine the level of AR books to check out at the library that she will bring home… we’ll read them to her and then she can do AR tests at school for points! Yay!  She is so smart.

Wow! What a Summer!  It is crazy to look back at the last few months … all the good and bad days we’ve had and just to know we made it out alive is amazing! Ha.  The true ending seemed to happen when Dr. Herndon said the hips looked great, done, amazing, etc.  While Izzy is still having times of discomfort and soreness, her hips are fixed and her feet are flat.

The second goodbye to Summer was beginning a new school year.  Bailey and Emelia started school on Tuesday, and are doing great so far.  Izzy started school Thursday and had a good first day.  She made it through the entire day without tears.  She actually was very happy when I took her into her class and squealed joyfully throughout the day.  Izzy is funny in that she can’t sleep when she is very excited.  The night before surgery she was awake all night, also the night before cast removal… and then Wednesday night, before her first day of second grade she was awake most of the night.

Emelia is working hard after school as the football manager/water girl.  She comes home exhausted but I think it’s good for her.  We initially wanted to transfer her to the middle school by Izzy’s school, but they were full so that didn’t happen.  She was so disappointed, but got it together and has made the best of NPMS.  Bailey is throwing himself into drama.  They are already preparing auditions for the first one act play.  It’s a big deal because Choctaw has won big awards for years.  He sat reviewing the script for hours last night.

Amanda is in Norman, in her house with her friends.  She’s been helping Freshmen move in this week with her Chi Alpha group.  She is tired too, she texted me a picture of her blistered foot last night.  Ouch!  Class will start next week for her and she got a job on campus so she’s all set!

Some of the mothers of children who have had near drowning accidents like Isabelle are planning a mother’s getaway in November… in Seattle… without children!  Abbie’s mom from Hawaii will be there, she talked me through so much of this hip surgery because they had been through it a year before us.  Sue is Luke’s mom and is doing most of the coordinating of the retreat.  She and I have been in contact through email and facebook for years.  I would love to meet these fellow moms face to face and spend some time with them.   I haven’t exactly figured out if I can go yet… there are a lot issues, the biggest being I am the sole feeder of Iz.  I’m praying there will be a way to make it work.  Sue has planned it so that the main expenses are only airfare and a day trip to Seattle.  I think it would be amazing to go!

I haven’t updated in a while!  My bff from junior high and high school (hi Darla.) left a message on my birthday… she has moved to another state and I didn’t really have her number to call her on her birthday.  For some reason June 18 is always going to be Darla’s birthday … anyway, it was sweet to hear her message and I can’t wait to catch up with her and her family.  She said she had caught up with me on the blog and I realized it’s been a while since I wrote anything.  Although I am sure she had a couple of years of intriguing posts to read.  ha!     My birthday was a pretty ordinary day which happens when you pass ten I think, but it sure was nice to read the happy birthday messages on facebook and texts.  I love modern technology!

The girls (Amanda and Isabelle) also had a birthday at the end of July.  Izzy wasn’t feeling great on her birthday, but we had fun dressing up in glitter and having cake.

Amanda’s birthday was fun too!  We went to the tea room and then to the pyop place to make pottery.  She made a ring holder and Emelia made a scentsy type pot to match her room.  We had so much fun!

Izzy is still a little sore especially when moved, but she is getting better and is excited for school to start!  Won’t be long now.  We have had a lot of “together” time this Summer, and she is as spoiled as ever!  I would be concerned about school if we didn’t have such a great group of people working with her.  They are so great and we’ve both missed them.

Amanda is getting ready to move back to Norman.  She is sharing a house with a couple of girls who go to OU too.  She will be moving in today and tomorrow.  Sad ….

It will be nice to get back into a routine.  It’s been hard to keep up with working out etc. this summer, but I’m happy I did at least semi keep up.

The next week is going to be full of school supplies, last minute shopping, schedule arranging, and more bday lunches.