Texas, Mother's Day and swimming

To say the least we are busy. But it is exciting that we will have a summer break from school and some early morning hustle. Our therapy schedule is ever changing. We will soon be adding a new OT appointment on Wed afternoon that we will drive to. Carley will have to go with to two therapies a week through the summer. Since we have just discovered a new swim school life will be good for us this summer so we can actually swim at the pool some. We are excited that Carley seems to like swimming after her first amazing lesson today. She went under multiple times and floated on her back and stomach and kicked her feet too! The Swimming Safari School is great with young children and pretty much play and instruct while singing. Caroline and I also get a perk. We are able to lounge and kick and exercise her little muscles in the hot tub adjacent to the big pool. So we are so thankful to have this worked out for both girls to benefit.
Cameron and I really enjoyed our time away in Texas. We were gone for five days and I enjoyed every minute of it during the day. We ate ate our favorite restaurants, spent time with our very good long time friends, and I got a facial and shopped at a few kids stores. I almost felt like I was home until I went to bed at night and missed my sweet girls. We miss our friendships and our church in Texas greatly and realize now we will never replace or duplicate the blessings and time God gave us there. It holds a significant place in our hearts as a newly married couple. We had great spiritual mentorship and true friendships that are hard to find.
Although it is hard we are very excited about the opportunities we are having here at our new church. The nursery continues to go above and beyond in keeping Caroline and trying to meet individual needs. They are excellent and allow for growth and really try to accommodate if something comes up. We are seeing our SS class grow and double since we moved here a year ago. We are slowly starting to establish and create new friendships as time passes. Cameron and I have been able to plan and coordinate some social events as well as substitute in Sunday School. We feel God is stretching us and allowing us to meet new people that need a church home and Christian support.
Sometimes you just have to stop and not get caught up in all life puts upon you. We had a very low key Mother's Day.(Our lives can be stressful as Cameron's job can be time consuming and just normal stresses of a stay at home mom of a preschooler and a little one with extra needs gets quite overwhelming.) I feel so responsible for therapy, health care, budgeting, teaching values, and nutritional choices seem to consume me in today's health oriented society. I have not had much time for posting, e-mailing, or keeping up with our calendar very well since I have had to really step back and take some time out for me. Since January things have just been much harder for me and I finally feel like I am overcoming my stress in stead of falling asleep at 9:30 with stress and thoughts overcoming me. I am exercising whenever I can and that usually is a walk which has done wonders - 30 min for now. I also am choosing to be more all natural in our food choices. I am thinking fat free and sugar free may not be all good. I think the farmers from long ago had it all right by truly living organic and working together. So maybe one day we will have a small garden and tend it together as a family, but today I am taking small steps. Be in prayer for my continued health and stamina for my family. I have a mammogram at Mayo clinic in two weeks, just to check fibroids at this time, but pray it is only fibroids and nothing more.
Back to Mother's Day, we ate sandwiches from a sub shop. We cooked steak on the grill for dinner. Saturday am Cam booked a massage for me at Massage Envy very early, but it was nice to relax. Our sweet friends that also moved here from Charlotte, Sarah and Dustin, watched our girls and took them to the pool while we spent some time together at the TCP golf tournament here in Ponte Vedra. We got a quick look at Tiger, melted in the 95 degree weather , walked at least 3 miles, and ate a delicious lunch in the benefactor tent. A good day.
One more update: We have no stander and it has not been ordered!!!!!
I have made two phone calls and still no answer, so I am going to have to turn this one over to Cam. He seems to get people's blood flowing better than me. Goodnight!!!!

As the world turns

We have posted lots of pictures and not much news. Caroline is cutting a new tooth and back to drinking from her sippy cups. She is not aspirating at all and we have decreased her milk and thinking about losing the bottle in the next month or so. We are also thinking of taking her mickey button out sooner than July. She is happy and healthy and not signing or speaking any new words, but do not want to complain about much.....
Carley is busy as always. Last week she told me that yellow was a boring color while she was coloring. She is funny!!!!Tomorrow I will be taking the girls to a birthday party in the morning. Mimi is here visiting and will be back next week while Cameron and I get away to Texas for a few days. We are so excited to get away and see a few good friends!!!!
I took my first teacher certification test on Saturday and will now continue to work on Infant Toddler Specialist paperwork. I should be finished with that in a few weeks too!

Happy Easter!

Look what I can do!!! With the help of physical therapy

We went to a park today to hunt easter eggs!

Feeling Better

Caroline was sick, well she never acted sick, but deep coughs and breathing treatments. We have been on an antibiotic since Friday. I find it truly amazing that she has not been on an antibiotic since last April. Yeah!!! One doctor said it was pneumonia. Dr. Mary said she was sounding clear yesterday. So we will take the clean bill of health report. Please continue to pray for the provision of the stander. Caroline has been waiting for this device since October. we are trying to see if Early Steps or insurance or some other agencies will cover it through applications for children with disabilities. We have been connected to a lady named Mary Lyons through the Wheel Chairs plus company who has given us many applications and agencies for funding to help with Caroline's needs. We are hopeful and look forward to Caroline being able to stand up one day. We are hoping to have the stander sometime in April.