Play Date Day...

Here's a couple of pictures of Hannah and Jeida today. See the broke blinds in the back of one of the pictures....those are courtesy of our 12 yr old cat! LOL! Not! I think these two had a good time today. I know Hannah did. You be the judge! Where she got the idea you are supposed to make that kind of face every time a camera flashes I'll never know. LOL! It's kind of cute though, don't you think?

Fund Raiser....

Wow! That's about the only word that even remotely comes close to describing the experience we had on Saturday. It was one of the most amazing, touching, and inspiring days of our lives. These people were incredible to us. The amount that was raised was incredible. I'm talking unreal. I don't feel comfortable disclosing that amount but I will say that it will nearly pay for our 12 day hotel stay while we're at training.

The people at Central Baptist were very generous. The donations covered the entire back porch. Rachael and her team worked hard and tiringly to put everything out the night before. I came by to see if there was anything I could do and was unprepared for what I saw. I hadn't dreamed there'd be that much stuff donated. I cried on the way home that night. That wouldn't be the last time I cried either. We all got up Saturday morning and got to the sale about 8:30. It started at 8:00. They had already made $500 when we got there. People were so generous in their donations for the things they were purchasing.

Hannah was enjoying the playground with her brothers. I looked over and she was in a swing. I was so excited. She had never stood the swing before. It was a sensory issue and to see her swinging and enjoying it was a HUGE accomplishment. My heart was singing. She got to stay for a couple hours before she had to go home. I can tell you though that the two hours she was there she was having the time of her life.

I met several of the church people. I'm telling you, these people are amazing. Ruth Ann, her children, and husband were at the sale all day helping. The pastor's wife(sorry, lost her name) was there all day working with their daughter. Pastor Manning stopped by and we met him. Of course Rachael and her crew were there working. There were so many people. I wish I could remember everyone.

The whole day was incredible. Have I said that before? I have always been on the other side of this thing. You know, the side that does the work, the side that is doing the helping. It's a side I've always loved to be on. I loved the feeling I got when I was "giving". It can almost be addicting if you let it. To be on the receiving side was a little uncomfortable I have to admit. It's hard to NEED help. It really is. I don't know that it's pride. Maybe it is. I can tell you though, that I am so glad that I've had this experience. The feeling you get when you realize you're not alone. This burden is not one you have to bare all on your own is wonderful. It has brought a sense of peace to my turmoiled mind. I never want to forget what these people did for my precious little girl! NEVER.

Pictures from Sale Today

These are my guys! Aren't they handsome!?!?! Kyle and Zachary

Hannah enjoying the slide on the church playground

Hannah posing before heading down the slide. Note the white vest. That's her cooling vest. It keeps her core body temperature at a safe level so she doesn't overheat.

This is all the garage sale stuff. It filled the entire back porch area which is about the size of a gymnasium.

A closer look at some of the stuff and workers.

This is Rachael and one of her daughters. I think it's KC. I'll find out for sure and make a correction if I'm wrong. LOL! All three of her girls were there helping at some time during the sale. They are awesome girls. She should be one proud momma!

This is Ruth Ann. She is one of the leaders in with Rachael over Girls in Action at

Central Baptist Chruch. Her daughter, son and husband were at the sale too. I should have done a better job of picture taking. I'm regretting not having picutres of everyone. These people are amazing.

This is my man, David! Hot and tired, but still looking good!

This is a picture of the sale; shoppers, stuff, and workers. The lady in the brown shirt and pony tail is the pastor's wife. I forgot her name.(my memory is getting BAD lately) Anyway, she was really nice and down to earth. I wish I had gotten a better picture of her and her family. They were great! Her daughter was at the sale and her husband and son stopped in as well.

Here's Hannah striking her famous pose!

This is Hannah swinging. I have to say that this day was full of precious times for us. Hannah had never willing gotten in a swing. It's a sensory issue. She just couldn't tolerate the swinging motion. Not today! We had to pry her out of it. Her bubba Kyle had the honors of easing her into it and then the duty of giving her the pushes. LOL! He can get her to do alot of things none of the others of us can. I don't know what we'll do when he leaves for college in two years!
Still Swinging.

Still Swinging. Zach is looking on.

Still Swinging

Swinging. Zach and Kyle are hanging out to make sure all is well.

Hannah in the Paper/You'll have to click on it to read it...

Meet Jeida

This is Hannah's newest little friend, Jeida. I've attached a couple of pictures. Ignore the mess of a table behind the pictures. I've been getting things ready to take to Hannah's fund raiser Saturday and well, my house is a disaster! (stop laughing....o.k.....it's more of a disaster than it normally is) Anyway, Jeida is very kind to Hannah and tries to help her play. Believe me that's a frustrating job at times! LOL! Anyway, Hannah loves Jeida and was really excited when Jeida came home with her today. They've had ice cream, chicken nuggets, watched videos, played with games, and play doh. I'm so excited that Hannah has this opportunity. It's been tough to work out play arrangements that work for everyone. That, and it's just tough to find kids that will tolerate another child that isn't just like they are. Kind of sounds like our adult population, huh? Anyway, we wanted to share this day with everyone because it's VERY special to us. This is the FIRST time anyone has ever came and played with Hannah, EVER.

First Week

The first week of school just came to an end. It didn't go smoothly but what has ever gone smoothly with Hannah! LOL! She's been super cranky lately and irritable. I have to remind myself that we always go through this when getting on a new medication. Once the medication is at the right level and her body gets used to it, I get my precious little girl back. But, until then, life is not too fun!

She doesn't want to get up to go to school. Once she does, she's fine though and seems to enjoy it. I think it is just a huge adjustment for her going from one school to another. Different teachers, building, kids, etc. She seems to like all her teachers. She talks about Mrs. Mobley, who btw, got a desk slammed on her foot this week. Bless her heart. These teachers really are angels. Anyway, Hannah told me one day, "Mrs Mo-ba-lee say.....YEOOOOOOOOOOOOOW!" The next day I go to school and find out why Mrs. Mobley said "YEOOOOOOOOOW!" Hannah's back to bossing the boys too. At home she is constantly telling Alexis, "no, no, no, no Alexis. Trash Alexis. Good Boy Alexis!" Alexis isn't here but he still gets bossed.

This year I am taking a little girl to school when I take Hannah and picking her up. She's the little girl of a friend of mine that I worked with at Mikasa. The little girl's name is Jeida and she is absolutely adorable. Her daddy is going to be fighting the boys off with a stick! Anyway, Hannah just loves her and Jeida has taken kind of a mother hen roll. Helps Hannah buckle her seat belt and unbuckle it, etc. They have become "sisters". Tuesday Jeida is going to come to our house after school and watch a movie with Hannah. I'm nervous because Hannah is "different" but Jeida doesn't seem to mind at all. She just wants to play and she helps Hannah play. Their relationship may just be an answer to prayer for me.

Just when I about give up on Hannah ever "getting" something she surprises me. This morning she brought me her letter easel and started pointing at letters and telling me their names. She picked out f - r- o - g and spelled and sounded out frog. Mind you she learned that spelling from Super Why but hey, what kid doesn't learn some things from videos anymore. I felt encouraged anyway.

I think her story comes out in the paper this week. Hard to believe that her fund raiser is this next Saturday. Please keep it in your prayers. We need around at least $4,000 just to go to training in March. That will cover hotel, food, and gas to get there. We have to purchase supplies for the dog too. I know what we'll all be getting for Christmas this year. Dog supplies! LOL!

Who's the Brave one?

O.K. So, school started this morning....I know I've said it over and over how brave Hannah is, but you know what, she may be brave, but her momma is brave too! I left my little girl in the hands of other people for a whole day after nearly losing her just a little over a month ago! And I'll have to do it day after day too! Mind you, I know they are perfectly capable and very caring people, and will love Hannah to pieces once they get to know her, but still! LOL!

I heard from her teacher earlier who told me not to worry, and I'm trying not to. LOL! So far she's thrown things, hit the occupational therapist and told her she was killing her, and has not eaten or drank anything. I'm literally in shock! She never acts this way. I tried hard to prepare her for the change she would experience. She went from Franklin to the elementary this year. New school, new teachers, new everything. I just coulnd't get it through to that mind of hers no matter how hard I tried. When I say school she thinks Franklin. My hope is that she'll adjust in the next few days and she'll enjoy her new school as much as her old. She did have an absense seizure they think at lunch time. It only lasted a few seconds though so that is good.

I'm thankful that her teachers are so good and have been so willing to work with me. Please pray she can make this adjustment as quickly as possible, and that she'd continue to be well. Thank you all so much for your continued prayers and support.

Wow....School

Things have been busy around here. We took Hannah to "Meet The Teacher" night Thursday. We drove up in front of the school and she said, "WOW, school!" So, my fears that she would not understand that the new school was now her school were unwarranted. She knew. She walked into the building very excitedly and we found her classroom. When we got into the classroom Hannah discovered her desk and had to try it out. She was in heaven! She calls her teacher Miss Mo-ba-lee. Her name is Mrs. Mobley. I have not met the people that will be assisting in that classroom but have heard great things about them. Hannah should have an enjoyable year for sure. I think I talked way too much to Mrs. Mobley and kept her past the allotted time. She was kind to listen and I really feel good about leaving Hannah in her care. I'm always nervous about her being in another person's care, but I do know that God is in charge and He's the best one to be in charge!

This morning we went to Central Baptist to visit. It was an enjoyable service. I didn't get to talk to Rachael. I'm not even sure if she knew we were there. LOL! The congregation was very kind as they were when Hannah and I did VBS there.(the one day before she got sick) The music was fantastic, and the message fed both David and I. There was a couple of times Hannah said "amen" and got a few chuckles from the people around us, but they didn't seem to mind much. Hannah really gets with the preaching! What can I say? LOL!

It's only two weeks until the garage sale. I'm still trying to relax about letting other people help us in this way. It's not the end I'm used to being on. I know though that if I were doing this all alone it would be almost more than I can handle. I'm thanking and praising God everyday for people who were willing to help. I'm in awe of how God works, and the love His people have for others.

We are less than 6 mths away from going to get Hannah's new companion. I don't know who is more excited. Me, or her. She talks about her doggie but it's hard to know if she really gets that she's going to get one. I've read some amazing stories lately about what these dogs do for their owners. Once again, I stand in awe at how God works. He has created some pretty amazing things.

We're getting ready to start school on Tuesday. Oh, did I tell y'all Hannah has to have glasses again. She hasn't worn them since she was 2 years old! She had her surg and it corrected her vision. The other day she had her check up and her vision has been affected and we can either have another surg or do glasses. We have chosen glasses for now because the opthamologist told me that even if Hannah had the surg. she'd probably still have to have glasses. I'm just not up to putting her through a surg. right now. So far no new seizures. We'll see the neuro again on the 8th of Sept. Her rash is almost completely gone too. So, things are improving.

Thanks again and please continue to keep her in your prayers!

The Rash....Results

Drum Roll Please.............It's Fifth's Disease! Can you see me doing the Happy Dance?????? Yep, I am! I cried in relief! It's not lamictal!!!!! WoooHoooo! Did you ever think you'd see a mom happy her child had Fifth's Disease?!?! LOL! I feel like we need to go celebrate! Thanks for your continued prayers and support!

Sigh of Relief....

Can you feel my relief from there? I had Hannah's ARD today and I am so relieved. The staff was great. They did an excellent job of making me feel like what was important to me was important to them. They listened to my over zealous information laiden self! LOL! And were so kind about it all too! I cannot tell you what a relief it was to know that Hannah would be in good hands and that my concerns and Hannah's needs were important and would be met to the best of their ability. I know Hannah will thrive in her new school with her new education team. She'll miss Mrs. Wheeler and all the people who took such wonderful care of her at Franklin, but I'm betting she'll love her new teachers and the people who work with her too. Thank you God for putting such awesome, wonderful, caring people in our path to help us let Hannah have a life!!!!!!

Hannah still has the rash and we're still waiting on test results. They are taking FOREVER! LOL! She has done well otherwise. Still no fever, welping, blistering, swollen glands, etc. We see the opthamologist next week to see if the swelling went down on her optical nerve and also to see if she needs glasses or additonal surgery.

Hannah's been a mess this week. She has lauged all week long over the silliest things. I mean giggled herself silly. She's decided that she needs naps. Well, not the kind of naps you'd think....her naps are mommy and her laying in bed and playing. She's been saying the word...."boogar" to me and I've been telling her "Gross Hannah!" Well, this week she's taken to putting a finger in each nostil and twisting them around and saying...."Boogar Momma!" Then she just giggles. Another thing she did this week that just fascinates me is that I picked up my cell phone to call someone and she came and stood by me and said, "254-498-2999. Thanks so much!" I'm like....WHAT? Then I realize that everytime I leave a message on the doctors answering machine and that's been alot lately I say, "my number is 254-498-2999 thanks so much." It amazes me that she can memorize something like that and is hit and miss on her alphabet and the sounds the letters make. Oh, to get in her brain and see how it works!

Thanks for your continued prayers and support! It is appreciated, I promise.

The Rash Continued...

We saw the pediatrician yesterday. She thinks Hannah has 5ths disease. Let me tell you the story....The doctor comes in and asks me to take Hannah's shirt off. Then she says, "that doesn't look like a drug reaction. That looks like 5ths disease." The doctor then turns and walks out the door to order labs and I started crying. Hey, 5ths disease sounds pretty scary to me. I had never heard of it before. When she returned she found me crying. Asked me if I was o.k. and I said, "no, I'm so stressed out and I wanted this medicine to work." She was hugging me and telling me she'd get my girl straightened out. I felt really foolish when I found out that 5ths disease is really not that big a deal. I think they should really reconsider the naming of it. Good Grief! Anyway, we had labs done yesterday and are awaiting the results. I should know today or tomorrow I'd think. I'm really hoping it is 5ths because that means we dont' have to stop lamictal and try yet another drug. On top of that if this is not 5ths and it is a drug reaction then I have to watch for serious skin complications that can turn lifethreatening. I want lamictal to work. It has next to no side effects and that is so important to us. So, please continue to pray.

The Rash....

Hannah has developed a rash. We're watching it carefully because lamictal is known to cause a possible serious life threatening rash. We're hoping and praying this rash is not that one. The neuro told me to keep giving her the lamictal, watch the rash carefully and if it spreads to call him back. I haven't gotten a very good picture of the rash, but I'll post the one I have.

Complex Partial

On Friday night Hannah went to sleep. It took her a very long time to go to sleep which is not something unusual for her when she's adjusting to new meds. I went to the livingroom to spend some time with the boys and David took his laptop to our bed so he could keep watch and get some work done too. I had just settled in with the guys when David hollored my name and started banging on the wall. When I got to our room he thought Hannah was seizing. She had hollored out in her sleep and her arms and legs were shaking. She acted like she couldn't see him. We turned on lights and when I got to her she was shaking, crying a strange cry, and her eyes were glazed over. I told David to get the emergency meds and did what you do during a seizure. We didn't have to use the meds and this all only lasted a couple of minutes. When she stopped she just went to sleep like nothing ever happened. I spent half the night researching what it was and I believe she had a complex partial seizure. Which is a new develpment really. She's only had a partial one other time when she was 2 1/2 years old. I've got a call into the neurologist this morning as he wants every seizure reported. Saturday and Sunday were uneventful.

We took Billie to the podiatrist this morning and Hannah cracked us up. The doctor would say, "um huh, um huh" when she talked to Billie. Well, Hannah started repeating her. Then when she was using the file to round out Billie's toe nails Hannah started making the buzzing noise the file was. You had to be there but it was pretty funny. She also tooted once and looked at me and said, "it smells like......GROSS!" Some other mom's who have kids with autism were telling their echolia stories last night on a forum. I think it was good therapy to laugh about it. One of the little girls would hollor out during a quiet part of mass "chica chica ow ow" from the Chipmunks movie. LOL! Another would hollor out at mass when things got boring, "SAY AMEN!" You got to laugh. When Hannah gets tired of people she tells them bye whether they are ready to go or not. She also tells her daddy he's gross whether he's doing anything gross or not. For a while she'd tell him over and over "shut up David". That would be my fault because David is an aggrevator as most of you know and he can tell these really off the wall corny jokes sometimes. And he always waits for the best opportunity to spring them on me, ya know. So, I didn't realize it, but I would say, "shut up David" and well, Miss Hannah picked it up unfortunately. I had to start being nice and say, "Quit being silly David" all the while giving him the rabbi salute! LOL!

There's really no new information. Oh, yeah, I took her to the doctor on Thursday last week and she had a touch of pneumonia in her right lung. We've had to give her steroids for a few days. I'm afraid though that those have not reacted well with her other meds. (((sigh)))

Please keep praying!