October

Ohhh, the weather has cooled off, the leaves are in their bright and crimson colors, and my house is blessed with the scent of apples and cinnamon.  I do like this time of year.  I am afraid I am a fair weather girl.  I like all the seasons but I am most comfortable when the temperature is between 35 to 85.

I have been able to get some canning done.  My parents brought me some apples from my Grandma's tree.  Then my friend got ALOT of apples and I was able to take a small 160 pounds off her hands.  I haven't quite finished, but I got 16 qts apples and cinnamon, about 15 qts jelly, and 12 qt. applesauce. It puts a smile on my face.  And I have 4 more boxes left.  I still plan on a few pies, apple crisp and dehydrating some.

Next on my list is the start of Christmas pjs.  How exciting is that. I got 23 yards of material washed and some even pressed!  Latisha is coming over in a couple days and we plan on getting a lot done.  She is going to bring her new sewing machine, and I think I am more excited then her to check it out.

Today was fun.  We had Danika's soccer game and then decided to go grab some pumpkins to carve.  Latisha and Brent joined us and I got some baby time with my handsome grandson.  It is always so fun to watch little ones cleaning out the pumpkins.  Aidric was so excited to carve the pumpkin but lost interest after a couple minutes of cleaning his, and just wanted me to make a smilie face.  I tried to do a snowman, not sure it worked out.  Cassandra wanted a soccer ball, but it was a bit more then either of us could handle.  Isabella spent a couple minutes with me as I carved her a tradition pumpkin face then decided the swing more interesting.  We had fun and are happy with are results.

I hope you are all enjoying your fall.  God bless.
Alicia

ooooooo

a good start

Soccer

So many choices in this life.  There are so many good things to do with your kids but only so much time.  When Alex and Latisha were little we lived in a smaller town and they did soccer twice a year for fun.  Then we moved here and soccer went to a new level.  We began serious club soccer.  It was nice to see people appreciated our children's soccer ability and wanted them on their team.  But as time went by it became more and more consuming.  Out of state games, high fees, and lots and lots of practices.  It was fun but then it became overwhelming.  When they began high school we took them out of club and stopped the madness. :)  In our state homeschoolers can play on the school teams.  Alex played all four year and was even the team captain his Senior year.  Latisha played varsity level her freshman year, got her letter and that was enough.  She didn't really care for the attitude and conversation of the girls.

Then what to do with the little ones behind them.  Soccer is a good sport.  It is important to exercise and learn team work, but it can also take over your life.  We were very content to step back from it for a while.  Occasionally the girls will ask about soccer or some other activity and we will allow them here and there but we have definitely learned moderation.  I really enjoy the kids being involved in church activities and that keeps us quite busy.  This fall we decided to have Cassandra do soccer.  She has really enjoyed it.  David is her coach and has his hands full with these girls.  It is for fun and for her first year she is doing great.  We really enjoy watching the girls and we just keep laughing along with them.  Danika also wanted to do soccer.  She hurt her leg but she has enjoyed it this year.  She has a fun team and although they haven't won a lot of games they too are having fun.  It is good to keep things in perspective and non club is fun and good for us at this stage of life.  Anyway here are some fun pictures.  God Bless
Alicia

Latisha giving Aidric a few pointers

Such concentration

Half time

Isabella a little hot, silly weather

Danika

Oh What a Beautiful Morning

This morning I woke up to an amazing sunrise.  I sometimes miss the sunrise with so much going on but this time of year as it rises around the same time I do with such vibrant colors, it is hard to miss.  So much is going on and yet things are still the same.  God is still good, the sun still rises, and life goes on.

Sierra and Danika have decided to try a coop this semester.  A friend of mine takes her daughter and offered to take the girls.  It is only one day a week but it sure makes things a bit more challenging to stay on track with school.  The girls are enjoying it and it is nice to have a day where I have been able to focus a bit more on the little ones.

We had a check up with Isabella's Developmental Specialist last month.  When you only see someone once a year, and I am sure he sees many, many patients between us, it is hard for the doctor to remember your child.  He had asked his usual questions and observed Isabella and encouraged me to get her to the new Geneticist.  Isabella has made little progress since the last time we saw him and he was hoping the Geneticist might add new insight.  It was odd because last year he had told me there was no need to see a Geneticist again unless we had more of an idea of what was going on.  That we could do a hundred different tests and still have no answers.  We had had testing done on her a while back for Angelman's and Retts Syndromes, which thankfully, she had failed.  He had seen the test results a year ago and agreed that she did not have Angelman's Syndrome, but now he was thinking she did.

A couple days later the Geneticist office called me and told me of openings they had and could get Isabella in.  They explained the the referring doctor really wanted her seen as soon as possible.  I did not enjoy my last visit with the Geneticist, as it is terribly discouraging.  It is their job to search for answer, but some of those answers are really hard, so I was not looking forward to this appointment.  The meeting went as I had expected and they want to do more testing.  Getting Isabella's blood last time was a bit of a nightmare.  She doesn't understand what we are doing and it is terribly upsetting to the both of us.  The Geneticist agreed with the Developmental Specialist, that it looked like Isabella has Angelman's Syndrome.  She said there are different areas of testing and would like to continue down that avenue. As for an outlook for Isabella...she will be just as she is for the rest of her life.  That she will never talk more then a few words and developmentally be as she is.  She should live a long life unless there are complications with her seizures.  This prognosis broke my heart.  I think as parents we want the best for our children and to see that she may never be able to do more then she does now is very upsetting.  Isabella cannot talk, feed, dress, or use the restroom herself.  Living with a child with special needs, I want hope that things will get better.  I want so much more for her.  The doctor said that even if Isabella never tests positive on the blood test that all signs point to Angelman's and that would be her diagnosis regardless.

The one thing I want to hold onto from that meeting is the Geneticist said Miraculous things happen with these kids all the time.  She said it several times and so that is what I am praying for... the miraculous things.  Wether or not Isabella has Angelman's doesn't change my love for her or God's plan for her.  I will continue to seek God's best for her life and pray that His will be done in Isabella's life.  I spent several hours the other night researching Angelman's and there are many similarities but not all the characteristics fit Isabella.  I am well aware that all these prognosis are on a spectrum and Isabella might not have all the characteristics.  For now we just say she has Isabellaism and she is fearfully and wonderfully made by her Creator who holds her little life in His able hands.  This I know for sure, God is Good and he is not surprised by what the doctors say or my weakness.  He is good.   Every new sunrise reminds me that he is still in control and loves to bless us with such beauties as the vibrant sunrise and our Isabella.  God gives us what we need when we need it and I am so thankful for his faithfulness.  What then shall I say, according to Romans 8:21if God is for me who can be against me. I shall not worry or fret.  God bless you all and have a great day.

Alicia

Our Belly Bear

such a work of art