Sunday, December 6, 2009

Saturday, November 28, 2009

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRADY!

During the first few months of 2008, there were a couple times in the hospital that we and the doctors weren't sure if Grady was going to make it so every birthday, while special for everyone, is especially wonderful for Grady! Today he is 2!! I thought I'd shock the 2 readers I have left by posting something on my blog today! :) The following is Grady's birth story. If you need reminding of how sick he was, there's a link over on the right.

Nov. 2007
I had gone to my dr. appt. on Wed., Nov. 21, and Dr. Bantz wanted me to go to labor and delivery due to 146/94 bp. I chose not to go. On Sat. the 24 my bp was still up and I got a headache so I called the hospital and the dr. on call said to come in. I went in and they watched me for about 4 hours. BP went down so they sent me home. Induction was still scheduled for November 29 (Thurs). The dr. told me to stay off work until baby was born. I went to my scheduled appt. on Tues. with Dr. Boothe. My blood pressure was 160/92!!! I was still only 1 cm dilated. Dr. Boothe wanted me to go ahead to the hospital that night. We all discussed that 2 days before the scheduled induction wasn’t a big deal and that the bp was high enough I should go ahead and get the induction started. So we went and got Taylor and made plans quickly. I was checked into the hospital around 7 pm on Tuesday, November 27. They checked me and I was still only one cm dilated. They started Cervadil around 8:30pm. I sort of slept off and on through the night. The Cervadil fell out around 3:30 am and they went ahead and checked me again and I was 4 cm! They started the Pitocin around 6 am. I went ahead and got the epidural around 7:30 am since the anesthesiologist was going to be unavailable until around 11 am. When they checked me again (around 11 am) I was 6-7 cm and the dr. came and broke my water. Ryan and my dad headed to get lunch. The nurse checked me and I was 10 cm and 100% effaced. She told me to call Ryan back up and she’d get the dr. Dr. came in around noon. Nurse talked to me through one contraction and then I started pushing at 12:05 pm. I pushed for 5 sets (3 pushes each) and Grady was born at 12:23 pm. He was much bigger than Taylor (she was early and only 6 lbs 4 oz) but he was 8 lbs 11 oz!! So, the pushing went faster but it was much harder!

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Saturday, October 10, 2009

Just yuck

We went to doc for husband's results and it IS Crohn's Disease. Won't be able to start treatment until the next doc sees him and runs more tests. Not what we were hoping for.
Daycare has H1N1 and now both of my kids are sick. Taylor's seeming pretty much over it. Grady got symptoms after Taylor and his seems to be hitting him harder (of course). Today was rough. Because of Grady's history, the ped. did call in Tamiflu for both kids so I'm hoping that relieves some symptoms/duration.
Now hoping I don't get it and really hoping Ryan doesn't get it.
Not sure if I'll be home with the kids on Monday or not. Guess we'll see what the fever does tomorrow.

Thursday, October 1, 2009

Update on Husband

Ryan had the colonoscopy today. It went as well as expected. The doc is about 99.5% sure it's Crohn's Disease. He took a biopsy and we'll get the final results next week. He's pretty confident there was no cancer. So, we'll go next week to discuss treatment options/meds. The doc seemed pretty upbeat and confident that this could be controlled with meds. So, we're thankful that it's not cancer and that the treatment looks promising.
Please pray for:
Treatment to be successful.
Ryan's state of mind (he's more "down" than usual with this)
Good things to come from this
Us to remember our blessings and continue to give the glory to God.

Ryan's still REALLY groggy tonight. Hoping it wears off soon.

Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Ready to be done with it

Husband is facing some medical issues and he's having a procedure tomorrow and we're hoping to get a diagnosis, preferrably one that is nothing or is treatable and not life threatening. I am just ready to get some answers.

We need prayers but so do so many others. At the Riggs Family Blog you can find others who need prayers.


Pray for MeWe participate in "Pray for Me... Pray for Others" on the Riggs Family Blog. Check out their blog to add your prayer request. Join a community of friends who care about you, and hope you will care about them.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Wow, it's been a while!

Wow! It's been a looooonnnggggg time! I knew once I went back to school, the blog would get neglected! I guess it's good that I take time for myself, kids, family before a computer blog! :)
Anyway, here are some pics of my kids. Just to prove they still exist and all is ok. :) We're dealing with allergies and snot but breathing stuff is going fairly well. And with Grady's history of respiratory distress good breathing is miraculous!
Here are the kids before church today. The kids in their Colts gear after a win last weekend!



Grady trying on the giraffe costume that Taylor wore 2 years ago.

Taylor making (and Grady not putting up too much fight) him wear Tinkerbell while she wears Cinderella.





Tuesday, August 18, 2009

Just Some Pics of Me and the Kids





A New School Year Thoughts (Ramblings)

School started August 12, 2009. I'm teaching Reading/Writing to both 4th grade classes and Sci/Soc/Hlth and English to my 4th grade while my colleague teaches math to both classes. It's working well for us and we're glad.
The school isn't air conditioned (I've been there 9 years now and been waiting for air all that time!) We're getting remodeled this winter/spring (have to move bldgs) and will come back to air next year!!!! My room is supposedly air conditioned but it's not working well and I have no windows so it's still hotter than Hades (that's an idiom, simile, and hyperbole all in one!) I'm ready for a big Indiana cool down!!!!
We send home supply lists knowing that not all of our students and their families can afford supplies. But it's really sad/frustrating to have to provide all the notebooks/folders/pencils, etc. to the kids. Their parents can buy their cigarettes but not their kids' school supplies? So who gets to foot the bill? That would be me. Yes, we get reimbursed for some of it but it's still sad and aggravating.
HOW DO YOU STRESS A BUILDING FULL OF TEACHERS OUT?? (Yeah, I know, don't end a sentence with a preposition. Sorry!) Have 6 copiers and a risograph and have only 1 or 0 of them working since the day before school started. Yep, that will stress the teachers out. I'm not kidding, 6 copiers and most days one is working but some days none are working. Seriously, how are we supposed to meet our requirements and do the paperwork required of us if we're not able to make copies????
Ahhhhh, I only have 23 kids right now and I'm LOVING IT!!! I have 31 on my list and 30-33 is usual so this 23 is AWESOME!!!! But of course, there are other grades that are at like 26 and they are complaining to me. Um, 26 isn't bad compared to my usual 33 so just stuff it and let me enjoy my 23. Yes, I know what you're going through. I've been doing it for the last 8 years!!!
I wish I had a job like some of our "big wigs". They basically get paid big bucks to critique every single aspect of our room/teaching/etc and pile more and more mandates on us. I could do that for a 6 figure salary!
I'm so sad. I wish I was one of those people who had more money than they know what to do with it. I would SO TOTALLY USE IT FOR GOOD!!! First, after doing a few things for my family, I would buy my students new clothes. We wear uniforms and it's a sad thing for some. We started wearing these 2 years ago and I know some of my 4th graders are wearing shirts from 2nd grade. One boy has two shirts that are so short his belly shows. One boy is wearing a very obviously girl style uniform shirt. Many of them have shirts/pants that are stained or have holes. Many have one shirt/pants that they wear for 5 days with no guarantee of it getting washed on the weekend. I wish I could buy them all new uniforms. :(
I have a great group of kids this year. My homeroom/morning class is awesome! My afternoon class is much more wearisome but still a good group. I'm feeling good with this year so far. Now, if I could just get copies made and all my paperwork crap done, I could start to feel like I'm not drowning!! Oh, but I get a student teacher on the 24th so that will either make more work or make it easier. Or both. We shall see!
Here's to 175 more days!!!

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

McLinky Blog Hop----Favorite Photo

Here's a recent favorite of mine. It was taken on my Grandma's front porch on one of our visits down home.




MckLinky Blog Hop

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

WHY????

Why??

Why do magazine articles state that I could easily get my child to eat whatever I offer her if only I 1) make it more flavorful, 2) cover it with cheese, 3) hide the good stuff under/in it, 4) cover it in sauce/dip???? NO! These things DON'T work with my child!!!! Stop making it sound like I'm an idiot who can't get my kid to eat new things!!! It's not as easy as calling broccoli, "dinosaur trees".

Why do the ads for "slimming jeans" use a size 2 model??? Um, yeah, it holds in HER tummy because she doesn't HAVE ONE!!! Put a size 16 girl (not that I wear that size, nope!) in those slimming jeans and lets see how great I (I mean, SHE) looks!! Yeah right!!!!

Why do the employees at McDs look at me like I'm crazy when I leave the drive thru with what's supposed to be COKE only to find it's DIET and then have to walk into the store and ask for actual COKE!?!?!?

Why does the power go out in a massive storm while I'm at school today?? I was planning on getting LOTS done but couldn't with no power!!!

What are your WHYS for today????

Did I Give You a "One Lovely Blog Award"????

Heather gave me a One Lovely Blog Award. Wasn't that nice? Check out her blog!

In accepting the award, you are asked to pass the award on to 15 other sites you love. I have visited so many new blogs recently, thanks to the MckLinky Blog Hop. Sadly, with school coming up, I haven't kept up with my blog or others' blogs as much as I would like. Here are SOME of the blogs I like and follow:


Jimmie's Miraculous Journey http://rachaelsupdateblog.blogspot.com/


Jenna's Journey http://jennasjourneyblog.blogspot.com/


Our Full Quiver http://rfullquiver.blogspot.com/

Seoul Searching For Our Daughter http://seoulsearchingforourdaughter.blogspot.com/

Surviving It all http://survivingfive.blogspot.com/

The Daniel Family http://beauandbrittanydaniel.blogspot.com/

To Write Their Names in the Sand http://namesinthesand.blogspot.com/

Two Bs and Me http://twobsandme.blogspot.com/

The Roeh Rundown http://roehfamily.blogspot.com/

The Drays Today http://thedraystoday.blogspot.com/

Growing Colin http://growingcolin.blogspot.com/

Joy Boy Joshua http://bohlmanfamily.blogspot.com/

More Love In Our House http://moreloveinourhouse.blogspot.com/



MckLinky Blog Hop

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Philippians 4:13


There are so many Bible verses that comfort me and speak to me but this one is one of my very favorites!
Through ALL of the trials and tribulations in my life, most recently Grady's illness and all that came with it and from it, I know that GOD carries me through and that I can do anything he brings my way because (another favorite quote), "If God brings me to it, He will bring me through it."



MckLinky Blog Hop

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

MckLinky Blog Hop


This week's MckLinky Blog Hop is favorite photo of kids. I have so many but this is a recent one that just strikes me.

MckLinky Blog Hop

Monday, July 27, 2009

PLEASE PRAY

I know most of you who read my blog also read The Riggs Family blog and My Charming Kids blog but I wanted to be sure everyone was praying.
http://www.riggsfamilyblog.com/ Please pray for Abby. Things are serious right now.

http://www.mycharmingkids.net/ Please pray for Stellan. He's in extremely critical condition right now.

Thursday, July 23, 2009

Got my hair cut......

I decided that my hair was looking WAY TOO SHAGGY!! I know it's summer and I was really only pulling it back or up into a pony tail but school is starting again soon and I wanted it to look nice. When it's longer, styling it takes FOREVER because it's so thick and wavy. This style is much easier to achieve!


Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Proof that I can have fun.....

or at least let my kids have fun!
I'm not one for outside. Well, I like a nice breeze and warm air and sitting on the deck to read. I don't like sweat or bugs or heat. Hence, I don't love going outside with the kids. BUT, they LOVE IT!!! So, yesterday, I was cleaning drawers in the kitchen and bedroom all day so I let them open the windows to get that outside feel and pull all the couch cushions off (8 of them) and build/climb with them.
Today, since I know I'll be at an all day meeting tomorrow and it isn't terribly hot out, I let them go out. Since we still have to nap/rest, I steered them onto the deck and away from the sand table! We started with bubble snake blowers. Fun stuff!
See it here
http://jas.familyfun.go.com/crafts?page=CraftDisplay&craftid=12210
Then, since Taylor was having fun "washing" with the bubble snakes, I let them "wash" the play house and water table and slide and glass door with shaving cream.
Then I let them draw on the glass door with dry erase markers.

Finally I let them just play in their water table (and make a ramp with the slide for their cars).

Monday, July 20, 2009

Favorite Recipe/Food MckLinky Blog Hop

Okay, I'm not much for recipes. I like to see new ones and try ones that sound good but I don't have tons of favorites.
One I've used a couple times lately is a Buffalo Chicken Dip. It's yummy.
http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Buffalo-Chicken-Dip/Detail.aspx

I see all sorts of recipes all the time that look good but I'm not much for trying new things, I sort of stick with things that work. I'd like to cook more but I don't like the mess, the clean up, the buying of all the ingredients, plus my husband likes such simple stuff that it's not much fun making new stuff.

So, instead of going all recipe crazy, I'm going to post some pics of my favorite foods.
I love chicken fajitas (love the flavor of the peppers and onions but don't like to eat them). Lots of cheese and sour cream on soft tortillas with beans and rice. Yum!



Love pizza!! Pretty much just cheese but I can eat pepperoni too. I like most all kinds of pizza and one of my favorites (if it's not piping hot) is to eat it cold the next day. YUM!! I do like lots of other foods but these two stick out as faves. I love:

*bread and cheese

*pastas

*fresh veggies (corn, peas, green beans, zucchini, etc) in the summer

*pastries

*chicken and noodles and mashed potatoes

*I LOVE LOVE LOVE ham gravy on white bread

*bread pudding

* apple, peach, cherry pies....my mom's butterscotch pie....my sister-in-law's blueberry pie

* oh, there are so many more but I'll stop now.....gee, any wonder why I look the way I do??? :)

MckLinky Blog Hop



Random Stuff

Grady pooped on the potty today! Not that I have any thoughts of this being the beginning of potty training (I don't think we'll even think about it until next summer--2 1/2--) but I was proud of him!

Taylor has gotten up to pee the past two nights. This isn't unusual but she has peed and then WALKED BACK TO HER ROOM BY HERSELF WITHOUT ME CARRYING HER!! This IS a BIG DEAL!!! She comes in, tells me she's going to pee, wipes herself, and then walks back to bed!!! Yay! True, she's still waking me, but at least she's just going back to bed and not making me carry her/walk her back!

Taylor's 4 year old fits/attitude are about to drive me insane. How can she be so sweet/thoughtful/kind/smart and then turn into a screaming/crying/arm flailing mess in the next second??

My family is coming to the zoo today. The zoo is about 20 minutes from me. I'm not sad to be missing the zoo but I'm sad that my family can't come over and see the kids and me for a while. They have 2 hour drive and work this evening so I understand, but it still makes me sad that they'll be here and I won't get to see them.

I've got the windows open and it feels awesome! The kids and I will probably not make it outside for a while, maybe not until after naptime. Everything is wet from rain/dew. I so wish we had a fence to keep them in. I could do the work I need to do and let them out to play. As it is, I have to keep an eagle eye on Grady because he bolts!

Speaking of work, I am planning on cleaning/organizing the drawers in the kitchen and my bedroom. Should be loads of fun! :) Better get to it!

Saturday, July 18, 2009

So many emotions

Frustration: As Grady cried out through the night for no apparent reason. I got little sleep. Ryan got little sleep (and he had to be at work early for the big back to school sale!)

Pride/Love/Happiness: As Taylor and Grady played dinosaurs together in her room. They are getting closer and closer to being able to just play together. They were so stinkin' sweet to listen to and watch.

Fear/Sadness/Anxiety/Excitement: As the kids and I walked by Back to School stuff at Target and I realized (not for the first time, but it hit me harder this time) that next year at this time it will be ME buying school supplies (and not for my classroom!) for my daughter who will be heading to Kindergarten. It's just not possible.

Sadness/Despair/Anxiety: As I realize that I have less than a month before I have to be back to full time work. I love my summers with my kids but they go so stinkin' fast!! But, as I'm home and growing more and more impatient most days, I realize that me being a SAHM isn't the best option (and not just because we'd lose our house!) I LOVE my kids but I don't think I'm made to be home with them 100% of the time! I guess I've got the best of both worlds as a teacher.

Excitement: As Ryan's big Back to School sale started today I wished to be there. I always want to be there to see/feel the excitement of the teachers as they get ready to head back to school. He called a while ago and said that customers were lined up already waiting to get in!! Amazing! Hope sales are good sweetie!

Contentment: As I sit here with the windows open and feel the cool breeze (it's only going to be like 70 degrees today IN JULY!! We're usually in the 90s with 100s from the humidity) Ryan hates the windows to be opened but I just couldn't pass it up. Taylor just told me, "I love to feel the breeze!" Awwww.

Relief: As I think about how sick Grady was and how very healthy he's been this year it makes me sigh with relief. We will start his Flovent back up on Aug. 1 for the duration of the Fall and Winter and probably Spring but we'll stop his Zyrtec in the Winter.

Anticipation: As I think of the meetings/outings/appointments/projects/etc. coming up I feel a flutter of anxiety and anticipation.

Nervousness/Pride: As I think of how proud I am of a project that should be great for our school and it will help countless others in the process. I'm nervous, hoping it all goes well.

Nervous/Apprehensive: As I think about the fact that I'm getting a student teacher this year. I had one in 2004 and it was HORRIBLE so I'm concerned about this one already! :)

Sadness: As I think of a girl who lost her husband recently in a car accident. He left his wife and two boys who are the same ages as my two children.

Wow, how's that for emotions that run all over the place?

Friday, July 17, 2009

I forgot to share these.....

These are the unedited pics we had done with my kids and my nephew last weekend. We were pleased with how they turned out. My newphew and Grady are just 10 wks apart (nephew is older).






Ok, this one below isn't the one I meant to pick. We got a better one where Taylor isn't cheesing so much but I'm too lazy to change it! :)

Monday, July 13, 2009

MckLinky Blog Hop--3 Things You Didn't Know About Me

Hmmmm, three things you didn't know about me?? Well, I'm sure there are 3 thousands things but I'll pick just 3 and try to make them somewhat intersting or amusing.
1) I had never had a cavity in my life until I turned about 23 and then I had 8 at one time. The dentist said they get tons of women around that age that have never had cavities and then BOOM! I was devastated. Never had one since though!
2) I had to have my gall bladder taken out when Grady was 4 weeks old. Never had a single problem with it and then BAM! On Christmas and the week that followed I was deathly ill and finally realized it wasn't going away. Went to doc and she sent me to ER. Waited 3 hours there for them to say the gallbladder was infected and I needed it removed. I couldn't wait for them to take it out! 2 weeks later they had to go BACK IN and do a scope thingie because I got deathly ill again! Finally, all was ok! A couple days after that was when Grady started his 3 month critically ill phase!
3) I had to have my ingrown toenails surgically removed because they were that bad! They put me all the way to sleep to cut them out when I was a Senior in high school. Now I have messed up big toenails but no painful ones!

I can tie cherry stems in a knot with my tongue, I'm deathly afraid of deep/open water, I grew up in a small town, I can't carry a tune, I don't love to cook, I did better in college than high school.....
That's it for now!

MckLinky Blog Hop

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

I need your help!

I'm in charge of an upcoming blood drive at my school (where I teach 4th grade). My biggest job in the beginning will be to get the staff on board so that they, in turn, will get their students and the students' parents excited and willing to participate. I'll be doing a Power Point presentation in which I show pictures of Grady when he was so sick and needed his blood transfusion in order to survive. I'm hoping to really tug at some heart strings here! :) But, I'd like to end my presentation with some other "faces" to make this all the more real to the staff. Here's what I'm needing.
1) Have YOU or anyone you know ever needed blood? For surgery? During illness?
2) I'd like to have a picture of you or that person. Picture only would be fine. If you want to include a first name to make it more personal to the staff, I'll include first names only. I want them to see the faces of people who have benefitted from others being willing to donate blood.
3) You can email the picture to me at amandarouse31@hotmail.com
4) Of course, you probably would want to have permission from the person (if it's not you) in order to send me this photo.
5) I will be grateful to you and your help should lead to MANY others helping by donating their blood!
6) I don't have many followers so would you help by passing this along to those you know who may be able to help?

THANKS SO MUCH!!!!

Favorite Photo MckLinky Blog Hop

Hello to all MckLinky Blog Hoppers! I missed this last week but I wanted to participate this week! Pick my favorite photo? I don't know if I can pick just one!
You can read more about me on my sidebars but overall I'm a wife, mother, teacher. My son was critically ill in 2008 with respiratory illnesses (which is where the name of my blog came from)
Okay, I'm sure this is sort of cheating but I just couldn't pick ONE favorite photo! This is a collage of many of my favorites. I didn't go all the way back to Taylor's infant years--I had many to choose from there too! Anyway, this photo collage contains some of my very favorite more recent pictures of my children. MckLinky Blog Hop

Monday, July 6, 2009

MckLinky Blog Hop Carnival Coming Tuesday!

This week's Blog Hop with MckLinky is about favorite photos. How can I pick just one?!!? Well, I'll have to pick one and post it for tomorrow's Blog Hop Carnival with MckLinky! Check back Tuesday!

MckLinky Blog Hop

Sunday, July 5, 2009

My Little Dancers 7-5-09

Taylor wanted to put on a show and Grady is never one to be left out so he found an outfit and joined the fun! :)

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Holiday World

Took the kids to Holiday World with our inlaws. Had a good time.
Should have taken a pic with Santa at the BEGINNING of the day! :) Last ride of the day= tired= hated it! :)