Update On Micah

HE'S HOME!! What an answer to prayer! From Wednesday on, Micah continued to make progress by leaps and bounds! His hip surgery went well. They did it in such a way that he could walk with one crutch rather than being stuck in a wheelchair. He has a long road to recovery, but his family is all home together again! Thank you for your faithful prayers on his behalf.

I proabably won't update much on Micah since he is home from the hospital. Please continue to pray for his family as they have no insurance and they have a huge financial burden. I'm sure a life flight and 1 1/2 weeks in the NICU adds up quickly. Micah's church is having a golf tournament to help raise money for his medical bills. It will be Saturday, September 19th at 1 pm.

Update On Micah

Micah had his hip surgery today. He is doing well and may even come home in the next day or two!!! PRAISE THE LORD!

I hope to find out more details tomorrow at church since we have been out of town the last few days.

Update on Micah

**Updated 10 pm**

Micah was moved out of ICU. His hip surgery is tentatively scheduled for Saturday. He is off all his tubes (chest tube, feeding tube). They are giving him oxygen to help with his belabored breathing.

**Updated 1 pm**

Micah will be moving out of ICU sometime today and will be moved to transitional care. He is awake & spoke today, but very weak. He needs to gain strength before his hip surgery. Pray as he will not be able to use crutches because of his broken collarbone. Thank you for praying.

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Micah has been moved down from critical status. He is making some improvement. He is breathing on his own, but his lungs are still week. He needs to have pins put in his hip which will require surgery. He is waiting to have that surgery. (Guessing that is more likely as he moves up to a stable condition.) Thank you for your prayers. Please continue to pray for Micah and his family.

I forgot to mention in the original post that Micah has recently surrendered to preach. A few weeks ago, he went for a ride on his horse and was reading his Bible. He came home and told his parents he felt the Lord was calling him to preach.

To read the beginning of Micah's story, please click here.

First Day Of School

(My fixed camera came in the mail today!!! I had taken a few "before" pics of school but haven't downloaded them yet. Here's what I took with my camera this afternoon / evening.)

Makenna started 3rd grade at the Christian school where she attended the last two years. Madison started K5 at home today. Because her birthday is after the cut off she wasn't able to attend a Christian school. She is SO ready, so we decided to start her at home.

Here is where she has school. We decided to do afternoon kindergarten while Isaiah sleeps. Worked well today!

She had a great time during school and says she's ready for tomorrow!

Little cutie!


Time to go meet sister at the bus!

Welcome Home Kenna!

Madi was excited to see her. Not so sure Makenna felt the same way.

Our big 3rd grader!

(She wasn't too happy to get her picture taken since I took some before she left.)

Isaiah enjoying the flowers and being outside.

Daddy wanted to take us out for ice cream since the girls had such a great day at school. Thanks Dad!

I think Isaiah enjoyed it the most. We gave him a dairy relief tablet before he ate his "i-ream". He seems to have handled it well.

Pray for Micah

For those of you not associated with SRBC ~

Monday, August 24
Our friends and a family in our church are going through a difficult time, and I would like to ask for your prayers. On August 17th, a 14-year old boy named Micah was working with his dad and others picking corn in a field. Micah fell off the truck his dad was driving, and he was run over.The initial report was a list of broken bones (collar bone, multiple ribs, arm, hip) and a collapsed lung with some bleeding in the lung. Over the last week, he had sugery on his lung and flat lined. He has been on and off a ventilator and is now on a feeding tube. Right now, the most important and rather critical request is that his injured lung will allow him to breathe on his own as they remove him from the ventilator and stay inflated. The next 48 hours (Monday 8/24 - Tuesday 8/25) is a crutial time in his recovery. He was life flighted to Children's Hospital shortly after his accident and is in intensive care.

Please pray for his parents Doug & Liz (friends of Rick & I), his grandparents Ken & Maryv Beth (deacon in our church and one of the main families in keeping our church alive years ago before we came) who are currently keeping Micah's four siblings, financial needs and for wisdom as the family makes decisions. His mom Liz is also dealing with some health problems of her own. Please pray that she will be able to stay at his side. (I will keep you updated as much as possible.)

Tuesday, August 25 (9 AM)
Since last report, Micah has been having some hallucinations because of the medications he is on. He is fine in that regard, but it is hard on his family. On a lighter note, Micah's lung has remained inflated for 20 hours! Keep praying!!

Taking A Break

Priorities is something I need to come to grips with right now. I have probably a dozen posts I could make, but I also have to get ready for Madi to start homeschooling and Makenna going back to school (along with the daily routine of housework).

I love to blog, but it does take up so much time especially since Blogspot has so many annoyances like a limit of 5 pics per upload, spacing issues, etc. All that to say, I'm going to take a break from blogging for a while. More so to ease my mind because I always have in the back of my head, "you didn't post this event yet or that." Rick & I are going away in a couple weeks for a couple days. Maybe I'll have time to catch up a little then although our schedule is packed since this will be a business / pleasure trip.

Here are two pictures from our trip to the park. It didn't last long and we headed to the indoor play area at a local fast food restaurant since it was in the mid-80s.

Thanks for always stopping by. Maybe we'll get into a good routine for school and I'll have time to blog on a regular basis or Blogspot will get the kinks ironed out to make posting go more quickly!

Steelers Pregame

Well, that time of year has come . . . football season! Not growing up in a sports enthusiasts home, we didn't get too excited about many sports other than the sports my siblings were involved in. Now that I married into a football fanatic family, we get rather excited around this time of year (and it's not because school is starting just ask Makenna)!

Daddy & I had the privilege of going to a Steelers preseason game thanks to the generosity of a ticket(s) donor and my inlaws (aka the babysitters). We went down a little early and met Rick's aunts for dinner. I could go on and on about the wonderful place we ate -- the Reuben Sandwich which was a wide as my outspread hand, but I won't.

Since we drove separately, his aunts arrived at the stadium before us. They waited in the line to have their pictures taken with the SIX, count them, SIX Superbowl Trophies!

Just as we found them, they were standing in front of the trophies and I yelled for them to turn my way for me to take a picture. Later we saw on the jumbo-tron (I have NO clue how to spell that), that you could go online and order the picture that was taken -- for a nominal fee, I'm sure!

After they moved past the trophies, I snapped a few more pics before the next guests were moved into place for their picture.

It was the coolest thing to see!

In the Great Hall were six towers representing each of the six superbowls the Steelers have won. This was the 2008 tower. There were displays on two sides -- this one where the trophy will reside and the other side contained memorabilia.

At the top of each was a big football and a ring with the superbowl number . . .

. . . and the year. (I recently watched a tv program that highlighted the company that constructed these footballs. I didn't realize this is where they were going to be displayed.)

We didn't want to wait in the long line to have our picture taken with the trophies, so Rick's aunt took a picture of us with the trophies from the side view.

Just another cool pic of the trophies!

Behind the trophy display these boxes and Brinks bags were stacked up -- that's some serious security!!

I laugh when I see this picture. Not for those pictured but for the memory of how it was taken. We decided we wanted a picture of the four of us. The only problem -- we can't take it ourselves. Thus we decided to ask some poor soul to take a picture for us. I was never so thankful to have a picture turn out on the first take. The unfortunate, mature man that took our picture was rather tech-challenged when it came to cameras. After a few repeated instructions on how to snap a photo, we ended up with this (with a little editing to center us all -- but hey, we at least all have our heads)!

Rick was showing his aunt where our seats were (see yellow marking).

This WAS a really cool photo opportunity, but I missed it because of yet again technical difficulties. By the time I got the camera ready, they players had started to lay down and stretch out. When they were all standing, it looked like a real life Foosball table.

Ok, excuse the photo, but I had to share one of my favorite parts of having club seats . . . the CLEAN bathrooms. You don't know the half of it unless you have attended a game on the "non-club" levels. Words can't describe . . .

Just a little bit of the skyline from inside the stadium.

A closer view of The Point, Mt. Washington . . .

Here come the players!

I'll have to try taking a video next time. The ocean of Terrible Towels waving is indescribable. A still shot does it no justice!

Making their way to the sidelines to start the game.

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Some of my favorite players (in no particular order)

#14 - Limas Sweed (2 yr player - did really well during the game - only one dropped ball I think=D

I think Kurt Warner is a great guy from what I know if his testimony. Didn't realize I took his picture until I saw the photo bigger on my computer screen.

#43 - Troy Polamolu (the best defense in the country)

The view as the sun when down.

I always seem to miss getting a picture of the Heinz Red Zone. Well, I finally got it this time!

After a slow start, we finally scored in the 4th quarter.

On our way out, we saw the 2008 trophy in it's case. It was being mobbed by the crowd.

I was having trouble getting a good picture because I had to stand back so far, the lighting, etc.

So I turned on my flash . . . and look at the hand prints! HA!

This helmet is in the middle of the Great Hall. You can see a couple of the superbowl towers in the background. I thought it was neat how the helmet looks like it's breaking through the ceiling.

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It was an awesome game. WE WON! Even if not, we had a wonderful date and enjoyed the time together!

Vacation Adventure (Part 1)

Due to yet more camera technical difficulties, I had to buy a disposable camera at Hershey Park and since 35mm is an ancient form of photography, I have to wait DAYS to get it put on a CD. Hence, Part 1. Oh yeah, and since I don't have the right cords I am taking the photo card to the store and getting CD printed in order to use my photos, so there is no editing (unless someone has a tip on a free program I can download to edit them without downloading through the manufacture program).

Now back to the point of the post . . .

Rick's parents joined us for our mini vacation. The girls were thrilled to ride in Nana & Pappy's car. Nana bought crafts and activities for the 4-hour ride. (Looks like boxes, but pictured is a cork board they used it to have a flat surface to work on.)

"Pappy?"

Zaya wasn't so lucky. He got stuck with Mom & Dad.

Makenna is part fish. She loves to play in the water; however, swimming is another story. She was thrilled when the hotel pool cleared out, and she had an opportunity to get in the pool.

Madi -- different story

She prefers to be out of the water!

A couple times while we were at the hotel, Isaiah crawled between the pillows and would hang out. It was too cute. I had to take a picture.

One night for dinner we went to Texas Roadhouse. Mommy thought it would be funny to take pictures with the bull horns. The girls finally humored me, but they weren't happy about it. Their pics didn't turn out real well, plus they'd probably be scarred for life!

Pappy bought Zaya a "ractee" for the trip. It came in handy as we had a long wait for dinner.

The girls enjoyed eating peanuts and watching the servers line dance while they waited.

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(INSERT HERSHEY PARK -- pics to come)

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We had planned to go to Zoo America in Hershey on Friday, but it rained. We noticed there was a Chuck E. Cheese in the shopping center next to the hotel. The girls continually ask to go there at home, so we figured we'd kill two birds with one stone (nothing personal about birds you understand).

Isaiah was a little afraid to ride on this horse . . .

(This is him after we rescued him and he stopped crying. I told him Mommy wanted his picture with the horse.)

This might give you an idea why -- it was HUGE!

This horse was a little more his style.

This Chuck E. Cheese had a lot more games and activities than the jive store by us. They had a little section for Toddlers. It was so nice, and Zaya loved it (other than the fact that bigger kids kept chasing each other through there -- no worries -- I chased them out)!

The girls played lots of games, but Makenna loved the "Deal or No Deal" game the most.

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After game time, we grabbed a quick bite and headed home. There was a torrential down pour as we tried to get back in our car after lunch. Yea!

The view was overcast but beautiful.

We did have to drive through a lot of rain. (Mind you this was my view the majority of the time. Daddy doesn't believe in turning his wipers on very high! =D

The sun finally came out, but so did the traffic. We still don't know what happened, but we were at a dead stand still for over an hour.

There were quite a few people that thought it was appropriate to make the emergency lane a driving lane. Some people (see pictured semi) blocked part of the lane so they couldn't get through. Why should they get to drive past all this traffic while we wait our turn?? If nothing else, it added humor and made time pass more quickly.

The kids watched movies and tried to stay entertained, but the waiting did get old.

The kids & I walked on the highway for a while once a big truck behind us started blocking traffic. They threw gravel in the weeds and asked a hundred questions about all our fellow travelers -- still don't know why kids think parents have an answer for everything . . . where are they going? Where is their mom? Why aren't we moving?? (Kids really should come with manuals, and I apologize to my parents because I'm sure I did the same thing!)

On the rare occasion that we did move, we walked along side our vehicle. Once it looked like we MIGHT move significantly, we got back in but didn't buckle everyone in until we actually WERE moving. Zaya loved pretending to drive.

About a mile up from where we first stopped was an exit. Thanks to Daddy's new work phone's navigation, we took some back roads and bypassed the traffic. It was two-lane roads, but at least we were moving!

The back roads gave us a simpler view.

Once back on the highway Daddy humored Mommy, and we got off at the exit for the stadium where Penn State plays. It is huge and one of the largest college stadiums.

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Almost 3 hours behind schedule, we finally arrived home. Thankfully it was bed time, and the kids went right to sleep! It was a long day for all of us!