"again me go to doctor?"

"again me go to doctor?" Is what I heard today! - This poor boy of mine is sick and tired of the doctor and I don't blame him one bit. We do not need to go back to his infectious disease doctor at the U of M until January...Araya remembered that so why in the world did we have to go back today!! I had some explaining to do.
Today we saw the ENT, and the audiologist. He is virtually not hearing out of his left ear at all and his right ear about 1/2 of what he should. I have promised myself that I will be patient no matter how many times I hear "What mom?" We went over his cat scan which didn't make a lot of sense to me other than the fact that it is a mess in their. His mastoid bone behind the year is "diseased" his ear drum is basically gone. He will have surgery on November 11th, with the hope of "cleaning up" his ear. We will not expect hearing to increase after this surgery, that will hopefully happen with a second surgery. So on November 11th Araya will have surgery, he will have Tympanoplasty (repair of ear drum), a Mastoidectomy (removal of infected bone from middle ear) and Ossicular Chain Reconstruction (middle ear bone surgery) we are hoping that they do not need to replace three middle ear bones. They will go in behind the ear first. Anyways probably way more info. than you wanted! Araya then was fitted for a hearing aid for his right ear, he is not at all happy about it and refused to pick out a color, so I picked! ....bright pink...just kidding....I did pick camouflage!! Araya overheard the doctor talking about instructions for surgery...no eating for 24 hours...no basketball for 3 weeks (not happy about that one at all).....Anyways when I took him back to school Mr. DeJong, our Administrator asked him about his appontment he said..."today good, next week not so good." Mark said, Why is that? Araya said "No Food." He is quite concerned that he cannot eat that day. I tried to explain that he will be sleeping the night before and he doesn't eat while he sleeps, it will really just be missing breakfast. I think he may have understood, but, I thought about it later and realized that food is really an important thing when you have gone without it, I felt bad for him today. He was so good! He looked at me today and said, "Me not miss basketball, my team needs me!" He is right, we all need him! I am loving this little boy!!

"Re-Do" kind of day!

I will not make excuses for today...we did not go to church. Why is it this happens.... I think Satan loves to sneak in and loves a good attack on a Sunday. Today was not a good morning at our house....I could start going into all the reasons why we didn't make it. I won't. We are not going anywhere today and we will have a "re-group," "re-focus," "re-wind," "re-do," kind of day! I am thankful that God forgives me when I don't deserve it!

A GREAT AFTERNOON!

Today was a great day! I enjoy my job, but I really enjoy a day to get together with friends. Today was that day! I left work at 12:55 for an important afternoon "get together." I didn't know who all would be their, but, I did know what we were celebrating. Six of us share a common connection and some of these ladies I know better than others! I will tell you that I felt instantly connected to all of them as we chatted in the living room. All six of our families have a different story to share about an "adoption journey." We gathered together today to encourage each other, share stories and support Mary and her family, they are leaving very soon to pick up three of their newest additions! How exciting, how scary all in one. It was fun to hear how all of our families came to the decision to adopt, as we shed a few tears, laughter and smiles, I was so impressed by the openness to discuss the challenges and fears that go along with this journey...it is a journey. A journey that brings you closer to each other, other families and new friends! As Mary and family anticipate their "new arrivals" I get excited for them! It's a time like no other! It's an experience like no other. I was blessed today by my friends, Mary, Barb, Renee, Del Rae and Julie! Some of us are at different places in our adoption journeys ...today we were all in the same place....Mary's house, celebrating and anticipating what God has called us and encouraged us to do, and what he will see us through!! What a blessing! Thanks for a great day my friends!!
P.S. I am very disappointed that not one of us took a picture!! (what is wrong with us?)
I can't wait to get together again!

An apple a day, for a few days anyways!

Grandpa Arnie and Grandma Jane....pastries anyone? Where is the apples?

We went to an apple orchard on Sunday in White Bear Lake. It was a great day! I just was wondering if all the apple pastries that we bought count as a fruit?? We actually did buy 2 bags of apples!! A great way to end a 4 day weekend! Happy Monday everyone!

A WEEK IN REVIEW

It's been a good week! Araya went to the U of M for the endocrinologist, and his infectious disease doctor. He was awesome, they usually do his blood draws right in the clinic but we had to go down to the lab at the U because of some of the labs that the dr. wanted to run for his thyroid. We waited for about 45 minutes before they called us in for the "dreaded blood draw". We were greeted with a lady that said, "oh, are you Araya? We sure are taking a lot of blood out of such a little body." I looked at her and said, "that was not the best thing to say." She looked at the other lab tech and said, " I am going to need back up for this one." I was not sure if she was talking about back up for me or her!!!! The other tech who obviously has kids said, " oh no problem, I can do him." So she was awesome she did it by herself and Araya was awesome! I was so proud of him. He has come such a long way in 3 1/2 months!

The school week ended on Wednesday and it was an eventful, crazy day at school. Mark (Administrator) received his head shaving, the kids who sold over $200 in cookie each were able to go on a Hummer Limousine for lunch...Araya and Syfah were able to go this year! They had a great time!
He had to fix it later!!


Brothers on the Limo!!
Micah Bonkoski and Araya getting ready for limo!!
Syfah and Marshall the Limo driver!


On Thursday, we decided very last minuted with the help of my gracious parents to host a hayride/bonfire at their house! It was wonderful and about 25 kids came, many were out of town due to MEA, but it turned out to be a wonderful evening of food, a long hayride and fire.

Grandpa and Araya getting ready!

HAYRIDE!

Fun Weekends!

I finally downloaded some pictures of the last few weekends! We are loving this weather! On Saturday the 7 & 8th grade soccer team took first place at a two day tourney! It was fun to see such excitement in not only the players and spectators but also the coaches (dear hubby on left, Doug on right!) It was a great way to end the season!

We also were invited to the Swensons house a couple Sunday evenings ago, a last minute invite that turned out to be great fun! We cooked hot dogs on the fire, some fished off the dock, smores and dilly bars! I think the Swensons were probably glad it was a Sunday night and we had to get up the next day for school and work...we had a wonderful time chatting...which isn't hard for Troy and I to do- I don't think we get out enough! Thanks Swensons....we had a blast!

off the roof!!

WELL THANK THE GOOD LORD...WE SURVIVED!!! IT WAS NOT A BAD EVENING FOR THE ROOFTOP!

I have to tell you that I was dreading the night! I was praying for rain and it was not looking too good (yeah!) for a night outside. It started to clear and we set up at about 2:30 so that we could wave to all the kids when they left school. We had a good wind break, which happened to be the taller part of the school, that wall also came in handy for a "movie on the roof", the movie Hitch, was entertaining and a few joined us on the roof for that!! We bundled up and several friends brought us hot chocolate, cookies, Perkins muffins, Dove chocolates and Mark joined us for Pizza Hut. The Varsity Soccer team came up for a quick hello too. I had a great time with Sarah and she truly is a great friend to me...thanks Sarah! All good things must come to an end......after the movie on the rooftops it was time to go in for a bit, we were in the teachers lounge warming up and I had just layed on the floor, the power went out (we were already sitting in darkness, because we didn't want to give a way our location)! We were attacked by a masked teachers....we screamed... the masks were frightening. Before I knew it I was being covered in silly string, I covered my face and just let it hit me. I looked and Sarah was calmly sitting in a chair not saying a word....I think she was _ _ _! Anyways Shelly and Rachel were also covered in the stuff! I did realize that I will never mess with my dear friend Sarah....look out "fellow friends" I think I heard the word revenge out of her mouth a few times!!!!!!

Thanks to all who supported the adventure...I am not doing it again! :)

"Up on the Roof Top"

Well up on the "house top," "Roof top" whatever it is will be taking on a new meaning to me on Friday October 10th. I along with Sarah, the secondary principal at CCS will be sleeping on the school roof. I am really not sure how it all happened...somehow our school sold over $20,000.00 worth of cookie dough...along with that "goal breaking" came an "understanding" that we would sleep on the roof. Mark our Superintendent will have his head shaved by the "top seller" on October 15th at a school wide "pep rally"! Let's just say that I am praying that is rains so we can pick a rain date in the SPRING!!! Sarah and I are gathering our "camping"equipment and we will be anticipating Friday night all week....WARNING....STUDENTS AND FELLOW STAFFERS IF YOU ARE NOT NICE TO US WE ARE COMING DOWN. I WILL NEVER GIVE YOU AN EXCUSED PASS AGAIN...FELLOW FRIENDS (TEACHERS)..REMEMBER I FIND YOUR SUBS AND HELP YOU IN DISTRESS!!! BE NICE!! YOU ARE WELCOME TO JOIN US FOR S'MORES ON THE ROOF. We also love CARIBOU HOT CHOCOLATE AND SMOOTHIES.
Any local pizza places deliver to the roof tops???? Oh what I don't get myself into! Have a great weekend!
Jody