Stacy says: Happy New Year!

Kelly says: We had a great Christmas with my family. My brother and sister were able to stay another week with us. Whoo-Hoo! We are anticipating a very Happy New Year, and a very Happy Birthday in January!

Katelyn says: I stuffed Santa's underwear this week. Santa's shoes are black and fat.

Sarah says: Thank you Bubba and Kayla for my present.

LizBeth says: Wah, Wah, Wah.

Kayla says: I hope everybody has a Happy New Year! (Go Sooners!)

Bubba says: I like pie. (Sooners stink!)

We are having a good time enjoying the nice weather out here. This year has flown by. It did not start out the way we had planned, but has definitely come around as a great one. God is so good to our family!

The Youth Christmas Party.

Look at LizBeth's face!

That's better. I like her smile!

Oh whatever.

LizBeth's Babysitter.

The Pillow Stealer.

Too precious...

Katelyn (top row) and Sarah (bottom row) at their Christmas program.

Oh my - I have a lot of pictures to show, but can't find the camera right now! I will have to add those tomorrow. We are getting ready for Christmas here! I think even LizBeth is getting excited. She said "Bub-ba" this morning. We're pretty sure she was talking about my brother because that's what we call him. My family will be here Tuesday and I will have Santa Fe soup waiting along with some cheese enchiladas from a local restaurant. Oh and Puppy Chow. By the way, Liz really likes powdered sugar! (That's probably why she's so excited for Christmas!)

Last week during PT, a new lady came to see the Princess. She adapts toys with electronic buttons to make it easier for the children to play. I asked her what her opinion of Liz was and she said she thought the drive to do things was there, but LizBeth has so many obstacles to overcome to do even simple tasks. She placed this really big, blue button between LizBeth's knees and showed Liz how to put her legs together and turn on the vibrating cushion. The PT showed her once, and Liz remembered what to do. We were all so excited for her! She could turn it on and off. It was pretty cool. Liz gets tired pretty easy, but the only way for her to make improvements is to be pushed a bit. Stacy is better at this than I am. One day, Liz was on her tummy trying to hold her head up. She started fussing and yelling, so Katelyn said "Come on, Lizzie. You can do it. Hold you head up." Sarah responded with "She doesn't have to if she doesn't want to." Little Stacy and Little Kelly!

LizBeth's g-button fell out last Friday. Stacy was able to insert another one without any problems and remain his composure. Yeah right! He did insert another one, but I'm not sure about his composure. He said she was fussing and whining (that's not Liz's typical behavior) so he picked her up to see what was wrong and felt something poke him. When he raised up her shirt, the button fell out. He laid her in the floor, ran to get the back-up button, filled up a syringe with 5ccs sterile water, and readied himself for surgery. When he opened the new button packet, he found a 10cc syringe and shouted at it. He called me to confirm the need for only 5ccs and hung up. He proceeded to put the new button in and then collapsed on the couch. LizBeth took a nap too. There is never a dull moment in this house thanks to LizBeth!

Katelyn and Sarah had their picture made with Santa last night. They stayed all night with some friends and had a Christmas Sleepover. Katelyn sang for the crowd and Sarah had no idea what she wanted for Christmas. But, they had a good time. Katelyn and Sarah are getting the usual 6 and 8 year old girl things. But Liz is Liz so she's getting, a light-up Snowman that she chose herself by reaching for it, a jingle bells door hanger that she once again chose and some pony tail holders to hold in her hands. She has also taken a liking to Stacy's silky beanbag pillow, so I found her a Cars one at Wal-Mart. Stacy can have his back on Christmas day. Christmas will indeed be a blessed one this year.

No new pictures this time, but it is time for an update! LizBeth is doing well. She spoke out at the business meeting tonight at church. It was quiet funny. Katelyn is cured and Sarah is still well. Stacy and I are going to the gym together twice a week. It's a lot of fun when we're not so sore. :)

Our Christmas plans by Katelyn and Sarah:
Wait for Poppy and Nana and Bubba and Kayla to get here. Eat Puppy Chow and enchiladas until we get sick. Open presents after two hours of sleep and then let Nana cook all day. She will make pancakes for breakfast and then all her yummy food. Poppy will help a little bit. We will eat and watch movies. Then we will drive around and look at Christmas lights. Sounds good to me! We are getting excited.

Katelyn is improving. This is a pretty pitiful pic if you ask me. She was able to go back to school today after a week off.

This is how to make a smile.

1-You must first be in the right postion.
2-Then the tongue comes forward.
3-Finally, you show all six teeth!

What is going on here?! LizBeth is sitting up for her PT. Way to go, Liz.

This was taken the night after Thanksgiving. After all the cooking and talking, LizBeth wanted a little peace and quiet!

Well, we are all doing well now. LizBeth had her second RSV vaccine. Katelyn is much better. Sarah had a headache and slight temp today, but we are not allowing her to get sick. If she even thinks about it, she's grounded! We had a Happy Thanksgiving complete with turkey and pies. We are thankful for all God has done for us. He is a great Father. We are especially thankful for having Elizabeth here with us, and for your prayers on her behalf. Thank you so much.

Katelyn is feeling better today, but the doc said we still had a very sick little girl on our hands. She's had 3 shots of Rocephin, and 5 different meds. (2 antibiotics, 2 meds for the breathing treatments and 1 steroid) After her check-up on Monday, we should be good to go. Thank you for your prayers.

LizBeth is feeling great. She had PT on Tuesday and did really well. Liz can push with her arms and legs now, so we have to work on pulling. She's not really interested in that yet. She does, however, like to bounce and "fly." She is so much more vocal now. We have a joke with our PT that Stacy works on physical therapy and I work on speech therapy. That is rather fitting, ya know.

Sarah is feeling well too. She went with us to the doctor this morning. Katelyn was nervous about shot #3, and was sitting close to me in the waiting room. Sarah was playing in the toy room. After a few moments of that, Katelyn said in her best mom voice, "Well, I'm going to have to go tell her not to be so loud!" I intervened and prevented a possible catastrophe.

One of my little students said "Thanks Happygiving," when we began to practice our program. So "Thanks Happygiving" to everyone!

Katelyn has pneumonia. Stacy took her to the doctor because she hasn't been feeling well, and that is the reason why. Bless her heart. She is being such a trooper though. LizBeth and Sarah are doing well. They're napping together right now.

Stacy's parents are coming to our house for Thanksgiving. Each year at the school, someone donates turkeys to all the teachers for Thanksgiving. Isn't that great?! So, we are having turkey and pies. The desserts are the most important meal in this family! hehe

My little three-year-old class performed their Thanksgiving program tonight. They did great! I do enjoy those kiddos. LizBeth has been practicing her angry face tonight. Those looks would be directed to her daddy. He's aggravating her... again.

Katleyn stayed home sick today. She and I watched old home movies. I cannot believe how much Katelyn and Sarah have grown! Why, they were no bigger than Liz at one time. hehe

Today I took LizBeth to the doctor for another snotty nose. Her sats were great (97-99) and she doesn't have a fever or a hard time breathing. He said it was just upper airway stuff. We will need to do CPT (smack on her back and chest to loosen mucus) and saline drops throughout the day. She also received her first flu shot. She goes back in a month for the other one. Katelyn and Sarah are also getting flu shots on Friday. I think the fact that Liz got one first and handled it really well is reassuring to her big sisters.

Katelyn had two teeth pulled and a filling today. Sarah had a filling and two wire spaces inserted between her back molars. Needless to say, I have three whiny girls here today, and I don't blame them.

We are continuing with the Love Dare. It's a lot of fun, when we remember!

LizBeth went to the City yesterday and received an A+ on her Swallow Study. We are free to feed her whatever she wants! Well, not really. She has definitely taken an interest in eating though. And since the Swallow Study revealed NO aspiration (food going into her airway), we are a bit more at ease about it. Right now her faves are still applesauce and mashed potatoes.

Stacy and I have started the Love Dare. We went to see the movie Fireproof (Loved it!) and then purchased the journal that goes along with the one in the movie. Here's a picture of the happiest couple in the world on Day 1 of the Love Dare:

Day 1 - You can't say anything negative to each other. Most harsh words are spoken in anger, so you must think before you speak. Not the other way around. We did quiet well on Saturday... even without tape on our mouths!

Day 2 -Do an unexpected act of kindness. We tried, but in the end, decided it was the thought that counted.

Day 3 - Buy your spouse something to show you care. My favorite day because these came to school:

Day 4 -Call your spouse just to check on them during the day. Have no hidden motives or agenda. We were with each other all day long in the City, so we did this in person.

Day 5, Today - Tell your spouse three things, very lovingly, they do that make you uncomfortable or irritated. Needless to say, we haven't done this one yet. Better to wait until after the sermon!

The school prayed for the Veterans and Soldiers on Veterans' Day. Sarah prayed aloud from the 1st grade. I was told she prayed, "And God, thank you for my dad. He was in the Army. I am so glad he did not die. If my dad had died, I would be so sad. It would be terrible to not have a daddy." At home, she prayed very similar, but added, "God - if I didn't have a dad, I might not have had a Mom!"

The Tiger - Sarah

The Barbie - Katelyn
Barbie and the Tiger
Rapunzel? More like the Tired and Fussy Baby!
A Scary Skeleton, the Tiger, a Cowboy and Barbie after several hours of trick or treating!
We had a lot of fun Friday night. Stacy and I took Katelyn, Sarah and the Cowboy out to collect candy and tromp through yards. LizBeth stayed indoors with some friends. She received her first RSV vaccine Friday afternoon. Stacy said she was not really a happy camper after that.

Our visits in the City were pretty good. Genetics could see lots of improvement. We are scheduled to go back in about a year. The ENT thought she looked great. We have scheduled a Swallow Study for November 11th just to make sure little sister isn't silently aspirating. She's starting to eat more "solid foods" now. Neurology was a bit of a downer. She couldn't see a tremendous amount of improvement, but still doesn't know what could be causing it. LizBeth unwillingly gave a blood sample from her ring finger to check for enzymes in the blood. This test was run to see if more tests needed to be run before next year. We haven't heard anything back at this point. She was so tired. By the end of our visit, she refused to cooperate or smile. She slept until Woodward, then demanded to be fed. She hasn't used the tube in over a week! So far, so good. She sleeps a lot better at night now too. That means Stacy and I do as well!

Katelyn decided she was tired of Sarah today. Sarah decided that Katelyn was the meanest sister in the world. It was a real joy right after school today. Now they are outside playing together as if they are the best of friends. I missed out on this Jekyll and Hyde relationship with my sister. If I had fought with her, it would have been called child abuse. (There's almost 17 years between us.) My brother is 18 years younger than me, and he didn't actually like me until he turned five. Anyway, your family is unique to you. I love my family; the whole bunch!

Today our church celebrated Pastor Apprecaition Day. They have always gone above and beyond on this special day, but today they even went even further. Here are some pictures of our stuffed kitchen!

Each person picked their favorite thing:

Stacy - T-Bone steaks

Katelyn - Hot Chocoalate with mini marshmallows

Sarah - Puffy Cheetos

Lizbeth - Juicy Juice

Me - oranges

Sarah and Katelyn did go on record saying ALL the snacks were their favorite.

We have been blessed with such a good Church family. They love us, our PKs, our cats and our extended family. God truly blessed us by sending us here. Without this day, we would still know how much they care for us. They have taken care of our family for six years now. They prayed so earnestly for little LizBeth, came to visit, allowed Stacy two months off with pay and made sure to dote on Katelyn (who now wants to be called Katie) and Sarah while we were away. God is so good to us!

LizBeth is responding well to her antibiotic, and even better to her breathing treatments. She's still a little snotty, but was able to take a whole bottle last night without any issues. Poor girl, she's been so clogged up, she couldn't eat without gasping and choking. We are so relieved to have the g-tube still in place. I'm not happy she has an artificial tube in her tummy, but it has kept her from getting dehydrated through this. She likes the game "A-Boo." We leave the peek off. Someday, maybe we can figure out to video the Princess and post some of these activities on here for you all to see.

We are set to go to the City on Wednesday afternoon of next week. LizBeth's appointments (Neuro, ENT, Genetics) are all scheduled for Thursday. Please pray about these visits: 1. We would have travel mercy. 2. The ENT would recommend the best closing procedure for LizBeth's stoma. 3. I'm not sure how to say this one... Pray that the Neurologist and the Geneticist visits would not be discouraging. We know that LizBeth is not where she should be, but she has improved so much. I know that God has answered our prayers for Liz. Since Stacy and I see her every day, we can tell these things. I'm not sure one visit in six months will reassure the doctors that she's getting better. I know they will give their best medical opinion and they will do it kindly, but I want to keep trusting in God and not give into the temptation to bottom out based on what the medical world can see. I want to enter their offices with the right attitude and do what's best for LizBeth. We know God has done exactly that for the last nine months! Thank you.

LizBeth has her first cold. That's not really something to be excited about, but she is handling it like a trooper. She's just very "rattly" and "gurgly" sounding. No fever or bad attitude, just trouble eating at times and lots of snoring at night. She is on a round of antibiotics and breathing treatments. She tolerates the treatments for about two minutes, then that's enough by LizBeth's standards. She has PT tomorrow morning. Hopefully, she will cooperate!

We enjoyed our trip to Ada, Oklahoma. It's always nice to go and visit family. But, Stacy and I always gain weight when we go to visit our parents. They take us out to eat, fix our favorite meals and buy us all the junk we want. It's always nice to come home and feel "skinny" again in about a week.

We are in Ada! Our trip was uneventful, thankfully. The girls are really enjoying themselves. Tonight everyone is going to the service. It's not official, but LizBeth may have been adopted by the Oklahoma State Free Will Baptists! I went to a women's meeting yesterday morning, and wrote my name and "Elizabeth's Mom" on my name tag. The speaker had all the ladies who had received emails about a baby girl named Elizabeth raise their hands. More than half the ladies raised their hands. It was amazing! God is so good! Oh, how I know He answers prayers.

We are getting ready to leave tomorrow, which means I'll be up late tonight! That is okay with me. I can do laundry and pack much better when everyone else is in bed. (I learned this little trick from my Mom.)

We were all sort of lazy bums today at the Ross House. It has rained all day long here in the Panhandle. The girls and I went to breakfast with a friend this morning. They all three enjoyed themselves.

The Vision Consultant came on Thursday and once again said Liz could see. She said could see improvement in her too. The first time the VC came, I had to turn LizBeth's head so she could track an object. Of course, she can turn her own head now. She also does better tracking (following an object or face) when she's holding her head up by herself.

Last thing, I overheard a Katelyn and Sarah conversation Friday morning while we were getting ready for school. Sarah did something that prompted Katelyn to say, "I will not help you at recess when I see you crying. You'll probably just be fighting with someone anyways." Sarah's response was about two seconds in coming. "You're... Evil Michelle. That's who you are." (Katelyn's middle name is Michelle.) At that point, the discussion ended with some tattling on Katelyn's part. Sometimes it is so hard to keep a straight face with them!

LizBeth has begun lunging for Stacy and me. We can't really call it pulling for us, because she throws her whole body in the direction she wants to go. The first time she did this was at church Sunday night. While our guest preacher was preaching, LizBeth noticed Stacy sitting beside her. First she laughed, then she lunged. Of course, he made me promise to put that little story in the blog, or he was going to hack in and post it himself! Well, today she lunged for me! That's even better news:)

While LizBeth is improving, she is also becoming quiet the Social Butterfly... sometimes. Sunday afternoon, she didn't like anyone. Today, she loved everyone. She's pretty fickle.

Katelyn and Sarah are ready to go to Ada next week. They are especially excited because they are getting to miss two days of school. And Nana said we could have a bonfire in the back yard. That's like the greatest thing ever. They get their own sticks and everything!

We received a good report today at the eye doctor. The doctor said LizBeth could definitely see. She said the parts of eye were perfect. There was no evidence of any damage to her eyes or its structures. The nystagmus, involuntary twitching of her eyes, is something she could possibly outgrow. The doctor and nurse seemed to think it is related to the muscle weakness. LizBeth performed well at the clinic. She laughed and cooed and rolled all around. It was wonderful!

Last night was indeed a great night! We went to the park to walk around, collect rocks and walk in the stream. Katelyn and Sarah led the way, while the other three Rosses followed. (Katelyn has begun calling us the "Odd Numbered Family." I told her it was very important for her to leave the word "Numbered" in that name.) Anyway, Liz was sitting straight up in her stroller, with two trunk supports along her side, and loving it! She jabbered almost the entire time. At one point, we were sitting close to the stream watching the girls jump on rocks, when Liz said "Nananananananana." Ha! She did not specify which Nana she was talking about, so she has scored some major points with both of them.

I am usually the Eeyore of our family, seeing the cloud behind every silver lining. When it comes to LizBeth's progress, I tend to be that way too. However, I will have to say that she IS making lots of improvements. She sat up last night (with support) for 40 minutes before getting tired and resting on my arm. She likes talking to us. I've also noticed if things are too noisy or unfamiliar, she still "shuts down." She will go to sleep while in a new or loud situation, and then wake up immediately when she's removed from it. When she comes to visit at school in my class, she is wide awake and curious. When we go to pick up the girls after school and 100 children are out running around and yelling, she goes to sleep until we get back in the van!

There's not much to tell, and I haven't posted any pics recently, so enjoy!

Enjoying some sleepytime cuddling with Daddy.

LizBeth's first time drinking apple juice. "Mom, this is goooood!"

This is her first time in the high chair.

Oh, I love my bath.

C'mere Mom. I'm gonna get you.

Katelyn and Sarah are ready for school! (Still some talk of homeschooling though.)

Below are some pics taken by Katelyn and Sarah. I'm not sure if they are intended to delight or frighten, so view with care!

We went to pick out LizBeth's stroller today. She cried the entire time. As soon as we left, she stopped. We are home now with Sarah napping, Liz playing with her new toy, Katelyn on her Barbie laptop and me on Stacy's laptop. Stacy is at the gym "getting really big muscles like Hercules." The girls told him that once, and he loved it!

Well another first happened today. Liz shrieked in excitement at the prospect of taking a bath. I was filling up the bath tub while holding her up next to the tub. She kicked and punched and yelled! It was so funny. I hurried to call Stacy and coax Liz to do it again, but nope, not even a peep. We finished her bath with both of us soaked.

I adapted her high chair so she could sit in it this morning for her bananas. She did very good. She just needs some trunk support added. The high chair is made so that Liz can't rest her head on the back in her "snobby" position. (She holds her head back with her neck extended.) She had to hold it up straight. I think that will help her with her neck strength.

Sarah has a theory on how to make your legs longer - you just run more. Why, when she was little, she had these little bitty short legs. Then she just started running really fast, and they grew. Pretty amazing. Katelyn, however, is a little skeptical. I'm not sure she agrees with all her sister's scientific theories.

We just got home from a faculty & parents vs. students flag football game at the school. If you made a tackle, you sat out for five minutes. Pastor Stacy stayed on the sidelines more than he played in the game! (He says that's what happens when you learn to play football in Uncle Dean's pasture:) The girls ate hot dogs and popcorn while running wild with their friends. Liz and I sorta stuck to the "cheering section." It was fun.

We are set to go see the Neurologist and ORL doctor on October 30th. The only check up we have yet to schedule is with Genetics. The PT called Liz a handful today. She's still getting stronger in her neck and likes to see all the action. She's also getting three more teeth at once. Two on the top and one more on the bottom.

Liz had a check up today. She weighs 15.15 lbs. and is 27 1/4" long. He thought she looked really good. We are scheduled to meet with an opthamologist in Amarillo on October 6th to check her vision. Our pediatrician thinks that would be a good idea. We do too. And Amarillo is a lot closer than the City! As for her "blowhole", he said it looked fine. This is pretty common from what I have read. We go back to the ENT in November. Maybe then we'll decide what to do about it.

The issue I couldn't name for fear of retaliation when she's older, is being taken care of with apple juice:) For the first time, we let her drink it through the bottle. She did great! Stacy took pics. I'll have to add those later. She didn't get strangled at all. In fact, when I would take the bottle out to give her a break, she would stick her tongue out and lift her head toward the bottle for some more!

Katelyn and Sarah are the best big sisters. They take care of Liz and make sure to check on her when playing. Today she stayed down in their room to play. Liz was very interested in the doll house. Kate and Sarah were playing and "shouting" in their Barbie and Pet Shop voices, so Liz shouted as well. It was sweet. I was a bit concerned about bringing this fragile baby home that would take up so much of our time, but the girls treat LizBeth just like any other baby sister. "Oh gross Lizzie. I can smell your dipey." "Aw, Liz, don't slobber on me." And my personal favorite, "Dear God, Please help Liz to stop crying so we can sleep tonight."

This is the Monday after Katelyn's birthday party! We might have to call it the World's Messiest, Yet Funnest Room!

Today has been a busy, bustling day. My little school children are getting sick with allergies and colds. Lots of little noses to wipe! The girls went to Spanish and Art. One of their friends came over to play and watch the new Barbie movie. Liz is right up there with them. Four girls, all in a row. It's too cute. Before the girls came home, Liz was playing with her best friend, Minnie Mouse.

And finally, while getting ready for school this morning, Sarah did this:

She organized the shoe drawer. She said she couldn't stand it anymore! My mom would be so proud! Oh and one more thing, Liz is blowing air out her trach hole. We covered it up with a Barbie band aid until we can ask her doctor about it tomorrow. It's just a routine check up. We're going to discuss her "blowhole" and one other thing that I'm sure she will appreciate me not mentioning when she gets older. :)

Today has been a good day. Liz and I slept in. Then we called the Nanas and talked to them. LizBeth likes Katelyn's birthday balloons. She turned herself over this morning trying to get one. She could only get a hold of the string, so she would jerk it around and yell. It was pretty funny. I took one of the big Mylar balloons and tied it to a wrist band; then attached it to LizBeth's arm. She just played and talked to that balloon. Now she's napping.

Our appt. to view the adaptive stroller and equipment has been postponed until the 30th. So Liz will have regular PT today. She does pretty good now. No more crying or faking sleep when the PT comes.

Katelyn and Sarah are no longer going to get up for school in the mornings. They will only get up for church on Sunday:) We've not had anymore homeschooling conversations. But they do think it's unfair that I get Tuesday and Thursday off. The week of Fall Break and the State Meeting of FWBs coincide this year. So we all get to go to Ada! Nana and Papa may be just a little excited. I'm sure it's b/c they will get to see Stacy and me. Ha! It doesn't matter if we go to the Ross' or to the McCullough's (my parents), we are only allowed to stay b/c we brought the grand kids! I'm pretty sure this is universal! :)

Tomorrow starts a new school/work week. I took a very long nap today for my birthday present. It was nice.

This morning in church, the congregation clapped and yelled when it was time to take up the offering. "The Lord loves a cheerful giver." After the applause ended, LizBeth added her opinion of the whole thing. She wailed and pouted. It was great! Tonight, she was just plain old spoiled. She cried and whined unitl I took her to the nursery to rock her. If I would quit rocking, she would open her eyes and look at me. So I would rock again, and she would doze.
While in the nursery, the girls snuck back there to "find" me. Katelyn played quietly, while Sarah tried head stands on the couch. We have one daughter (Katelyn) that acts like me and one daughter (Sarah) that acts like her daddy. We are anxious to see who LizBeth will act like!

Katelyn had her birthday party today. It was at the arcade room in the movie theater. She had a blast!

Stacy scored with his present, the new Barbie movie!

She took a moment to say "Cheese."

Sarah the Skee Ball Champ. It's not rather you win or lose, but how hard you can throw that ball!

LizBeth stayed with a babysitter! That's exciting too. A friend of ours came to the house and babysat while we were partying. She said Liz did great! (That's a milestone for Stacy and me.)

Has it really been over a week since I last updated the blog? For Heaven's Sake, as Sarah would say. Time has gotten away from me. LizBeth is doing well. She's almost only wearing the pulse ox at night. (Stacy is the reason for the almost :) She is holding her head up much better. She likes to lie on her tummy, pull her head up and look around. Her trunk is still weak though. We are trying to help her strengthen her lower back and ab muscles. (I recommended crunches. Our PT didn't think so :)

We are scheduled to go next Tuesday to pick out LizBeth's adaptive stroller. They look a lot like little wheelchairs. This was a hard pill for me to swallow at first. "We are resigning her to a wheelchair at seven months old?" The PT explained that it would be beneficial for Liz, because right now, as weak as her trunk is, she can't sit upright. These adaptive strollers offer a 45 degree angle for Liz to sit at. This way, she can be "vertical" when she's awake instead of lying down all the time. I can see that she's improving, but some days it's not as fast as I want. She is definitely on her own time table.

Teaching 3 year olds is definitely fun! The girls are enjoying school... some days. The other morning, they asked me to just home school them. That way they could sleep in, not have seat work, and not have to play with boys. Once they get to school, Katelyn is just fine. Sarah asks me every time she sees me, "How many more hours?" Depending on my response, she will either jump and down or sigh in exasperation. We are only into our fifth week?

Katelyn has a birthday coming up on Thursday. She is so excited to be 8 years old. We are having her party on Saturday. Sarah is excited for her too. However, Stacy and I are in denial over the whole thing. How can she be 8? Good grief (another Sarah Saying), where did the time go?

LizBeth made her first trip to Wal-Mart this evening. She is officially a part of the Ross Family now! She talked and napped and watched as we shopped. All in all, it was a good experience.

We have enjoyed our long weekend. We finally got the yard mowed and the house cleaned. The laundry is even finished. That may sound boring to most folks, but as for us, we are terribly excited. The girls and I have started Scrapbooking. Well, we've sorted pictures, but are well on our way!

We made a flying trip to the City yesterday, and returned home today. LizBeth got a great check-up at the ENT Clinic. We are supposed to go back in 3-6 months when we schedule our Neurology and Genetics appts. She did great on the trip too! After the stunt she pulled on the way home from Ada last weekend, she has to be good for at least one year.

Right now she is sort of napping in the floor and trying to keep tabs on her sisters at the same time. And, she laughed out loud again today. This time it was for Stacy.

Katelyn and Sarah are in their third week of school. So far the report has varied from "the worst day ever" to "boring" to "boys are just gross" and Katelyn's pat response of "fine." Teaching three year olds is just as challenging and exciting as I thought it would be. God bless the teachers!

We are home again! Elizabeth had a terrible time on the way home yesterday. Her heart rate was very high and her O2 was low. She wore O2 all the way home, and cried most of the way. We were pretty sure she was getting sick or something. When we got home, Stacy put her in her bed, and immediately she went back to normal. She had a good night last night with only a few desats. We had our church and family praying for LizBeth last night. God is so good! (Hopefully, she was only allergic to her car seat.)

This morning I let the girls sleep in and go to school this afternoon. That makes me the best Mom ever, according to Katelyn. Sarah wants to know why they have to go at all.

Stacy performed a wedding in Ada this weekend. His cousin Shane was married to Camille. It was a beautiful wedding complete with Marines in dress uniforms carrying swords. Katelyn was afraid of the "Army men"(ha ha) and their swords. I told her the swords were fake. They were for decoration only. However, I did not know what happened before the wedding. It seems that Stacy stabbed the best man with one of the fake swords. Turns out, the edges are dull, but the points are sharp. A trip to the ER was avoided that day, and thankfully, the best man was Stacy's cousin. It's always exciting wherever we go.

LizBeth laughed out loud this morning! I went in to look at her, and she laughed at me. It was so precious! Here are some pics of the Ross Girls as they were clowning around this morning.

We took LizBeth to the doctor today for making noises when she breathes. He seems to think it's because of her secretions. We are now using a sulfate mist in the Nebulizer at night. Boy, does Liz hate it! She is still not talking to me.

Stacy and the girls had a Yahtzee! marathon. Katelyn likes to talk smack. Sarah loses interest rather quickly. Katelyn will be trash talking the other players while Sarah is practicing her head stand. Somehow, Sarah won the last game. Let's just say, she's not a gracious winner and Katelyn is a rather poor loser.

I start teaching at school tomorrow. I am teaching our three year olds this year. Stacy and Liz will be here tomorrow hopefully doing laundry!

Please continue to pray for Liz. She's making noises when she breathes. Her O2 sats are fine. We may just need to give her time to adjust. She doesn't ever seemed panicked or distressed. In fact, she was Miss Smiley tonight. She and I both have Thrush. Isn't that nice? I do have a new level of sympathy for her though. That stuff hurts! She sticks her tongue out when it's time for her medicine. (I do too.)

LizBeth's Big Day!

Getting ready for surgery.

Adenoids out now. Surgery went well. The trachea (windpipe) is a little swollen, and her nasal passages are very irritated. She let us know she was not happy with her silent cry.

She cried for her daddy,

she cried for her momma,

and then she was trach-free! Her first reaction was one of panic. When she heard her own voice, she stopped abruptly and looked around. Then she let it out again and I believe she liked it. The doctor was very impressed with her. We were too!

She is doing great at home. A bit gurgly at times, but learning to cough those secretions up. She is quiet the bawl bag now. She likes the sound of her voice I do believe. She talks and "gripes." She likes to make long, loud sounds. She also moves her head from side to side a lot more already. And she eats better. All in all, the Little Princess is doing great. Thank you for all your prayers.