Special Thanks

I don't know what I would have done with out Lyndi. She had my kids for the whole 12 days that I was gone. As if that wasn't enough she came over while I was gone and cleaned my house top to bottom. She also had a cake, balloons, and flowers waiting for Hailey. My sister Emily brought us dinner.

Derek could not wait one more second for a bite of that cake.

Jayden made us a sweet welcome home card.

Lyndi's kids and Jayden made this welcome poster for us.


The night before we left Lena and Stacy had us over for dinner. They also went all out! The kids made a Get Well Soon poster and They had a special cake for Hailey. We are seriously spoiled!

Hailey's Update....

Here's a quick update on Hailey.....

She ended up having her surgery on friday. When the Doctor did his exam he found that she had significant retnal detachments... more than what we saw on the previous exam, so he wanted to go ahead and do the surgery instead of opting to do just the drops.

During the surgery he made scleral windows. The sclera is the white part of the eye, and he took part of it out to make room allowing the fluid to drain. She's doing very well. She had a follow up check today that went well, and has another check up on Tuesday. If everything looks good we get to come home! She then we will have to come back in four weeks for a post op check up to make sure things are moving along as planned.

Thank you all for your prayers and kind words! We are so grateful to have such wonderful friends and family supporting us through this.

Tuesday's Exam!!!

Today was really good. I feel totally confident in the doctor out here. He wants to take Hailey into the OR on Friday and do an Exam on her. He wants to do a Florscine Angiogram and a OCT. He says that she may have fluid between her sclra and her Retina causing the Retina to Detach. If the Retina is only detached where we see the fold then he would like to try giving her eye drops to decrese the fluid and pressure in her eye before he trys surgery. If, on Friday he sees more detachments during her Exam he will go ahead and do the surgery then. Then he said we will have to see if any permenent damage was caused by the evusion (the medical term he used). Katie's parents are taking care of us out here. Really, I love them already. What a blessing they have been. They are totally fun and easy to be around and they really are taking care of me like I was their own. Great People. I'll do another update on Friday. Thanks to all. Seriously, thank you everyone for taking care of me. Best case senero: We can relieve the fluid and the Retina will lay back down and Hailey will see beter. Worst case: He finds it is really a true Retina Fold and then I don't know what. He is 90% sure it is the first. He was just unsure if the Retina would be fine or not.

Thanks so much!!!

Kara reminded me that I needed to explain the picture. My kids made the cake and Jayden thought is was hilarious to make me an old lady. He was laughing his head off. He likes to playfully tease, thanks to Judd. Hopefully that's all it will always be. In the picture: Jaren, Britney and Me and our kids. :)

Okay, so I feel kind of stupid blogging my birthday but it was so great I want to tell everyone thanks. I was really not looking forward to my birthday this year and for those of you who know me very well, that is not normal. I was dreading September and my birthday meat that it was hear. Anyway, so many people made an effort to make it a special day and it was one of my best birthdays that I can remember. In the morning I went out to send Jayden off to school and my sister Emily was waiting outside with a gift and hug. That just started the day off really well. Then Lyndi, my sister-in-law, took me to lunch. All through the day I was getting calls and visitors wishing me a Happy Birthday! Then later that night Jaren and Britney came over for pizza (my favorite). We had so much fun laughing and telling stories. It was just what I needed! The whole day was so great!! Then the following week a bunch of my friends took me to lunch. I love you all so much and I feel all of your support and love. Thanks to all who took time to spoil me this year. All the celebrating and distractions was just what I needed to pass the time until I leave. And don't worry Dad I won't expect this next year!

MY YEAR SUPPLY!!!

I finally took time to get my year supply! The kids loved helping Judd and I fill the buckets. They played in the empty bags and loved melting the dry ice afterwards.

Hailey Started Pre-School

Hailey was so excited to ride the bus just like her big brother! The bus picks her up right at my door and then drops her off right at my door. I love that!

This is her meeting her teacher Mrs. Newby. She seems really nice, I'm sure Hailey will love her. I went to an IEP meeting for Hailey (a meeting where they talk about accommodations she might need) anyway, they put a bunch a books in braille and a braille type-writer in her classroom. She will have a teacher for the vision impaired teach her one-on-one for 20 mins. every week. They said that it would be good to introduce her to braille just in case the worst happens. Hopefully she'll never need it.



This is how Hailey watches T.V. ! I hate it when I see Hailey doing something like this because it reminds me how badly she sees.

Random Happenings

A few of my friends and I did a triathlon in Showlow last weekend. It was seriously one of the most fun things I have done in a long time....A much needed break from all the stress. I found that a "little girl time" can be the best thing for a stressed out mom. Thanks girls, you did great.

I bought a bag of clementines at Costco and my kids ate the whole bag in three days. They like them and everything but they were gone as soon as the kids realized they didn't need help to peel them. Even Derek could peel one on his own. It was hilarious!

Jayden got his contacts!!!! I was really excited for him. He loves them too. He has been so easy to deal with, he just opens his eyes and I can take them in an out. He does way better than Judd and I did when we went to the training. (We had to learn on each other first so we could do it to our kids since neither of us have ever had contacts) Hailey wasn't able to get her contacts yet. Her prescription is just to thick and her eyes are so small still that the angle is too sharp. The Doctor has tried two brands so far but they haven't worked. He is trying one more lens so cross your fingers for us.

My sister Emily, me, and Britney (my sister-in-law), on our date night. We went to Famous Dave's. The food was really good, although we all felt like we were stuffed in a crowded cafeteria. Afterwards we weren't ready to go home yet so we went Shopping, we really just wanted a quiet place to talk longer. Anyone have any good spots they go to "hang out"?

Swimming all Summer

Derek always says that he wants to go swimming but he doesn't like to get in the water. I don't mind at all, it actually makes it easier to watch him.

My kids love to play with their uncle Colt. He is awesome because he actually plays with the kids and you can tell he enjoys it...most of the time.

First Day of Kindergarten

Jayden had his first day of Kindergarten. He was very excited! He walks to the bus with his friend Casey and her big brother, he thinks he is such a big kid.
I am really excited about his class. There is about 8 kids in there that he is already friends with and he loves his teacher.

I'm Going to Detriot

I have an appointment with Dr. Trese. I am so nervous that my legs get weak when I think about going to Detroit by myself and all the decisions I might have to make. I am awful with directions and I get to the airport at 8PM with a 40min drive to the Hospital housing that I am staying at. I have thought about getting a shuttle to take me so I don't have to worry about getting lost late at night. Me, in a big city, driving who know where.....SCARY. I am also terrified of making the wrong decision regarding Hailey's eyes. If the Doctor says that he would like to try a surgery, I will likely have to decide right then. She already has those surgery dates set up on the 19th and the 23rd of Sept. just in case. The receptionist said that is how Dr. Trese does it with out-of-state patients. If Hailey does need surgery I will be in Detroit until Oct. 8th, giving her eyes a chance to heal and giving the Doc a chance to make sure things go well. I am so exhausted and am day dreaming of more care free days, if there is such a thing.

Today Hailey had a screening for special needs placement in the Gilbert Schools preschool program. Of Course she got in but it was very emotional for me to see all the accommodations available to the visually impaired. I have very mixed feelings. I was very grateful that they had such amazing accommodations and at the same time upset that we even had to talk about her needing them.

It's days like today and many of my days lately that I miss my mom. My kids get their blue eyes from her. This is an old picture at Jayden's 4th birthday so about a year and a half ago.