On Friday Larry was able to get his baby back...yep, we got the Jeep back home where she belongs! Enterprise was really nice, and helped us deal with the clueless insurance agent from The Hartford. I was pulling my hair out from having to deal with the insurance agent, and the lady from Enterprise said that she ended up yelling at the agent over the phone because she got so frustrated with her. lol All that is done and over with, THANK THE LORD, and we are very happy to have our vehicle back. Larry is really happy with the repairs that Bucky's shop did on the Jeep. He brought it home and immediately washed it....lol.
Well, it is SUMMER TIME and that means lots of yard sales!!! To help clear out this house, I have been cramming things into my dining room to prepare for a yard sale. On Saturday, my friend Emmie and I hung out in the front yard with our babies and had a yard sale of our own.
Larry took the garage and completely gutted it. We had our driveway full of our garage junk, and people kept asking if it was part of our yard sale...lol. He finally had the chance to hang up my cabinets that were given to us last year!!! I am so excited to have them hung...I can finally organize all my kitchen stuff and put it all in those cabinets in the garage!
We had a handful of people stop by to say hello and buy a few things, but we ended up getting rained out a few hours into the yard sale. By the time we packed it all up and put it in the garage...the rain stopped! Isn't that how it always works!!! That's okay though, we made a little over $100 to put towards our bills...so it was totally worth it. We are going to have another yard sale this coming Saturday to see if anything else will sell. Whatever isn't gone by next weekend will be taken to the Rescue Mission.
I am going to start scoping out yard sales for baby items too. Emmie found a baby saucer for $3 at a yard sale for her daughter!! Those things are at least $35-$60 brand new! We still need a handful of things for her, and yard sales are the place to find them. I am ready to shop shop shop!
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
June 25, 2008 Medical Bill Drama
So my life has been engulfed in making phone calls to everyone under the sun that has to do with our medical bills. Unfortunately our insurance has denied all of our medical bills, and the bill collectors are on my toes for their money. I have talked to so many different people begging them to resubmit the claims because we have insurance under Larry...and it is supposed to cover a portion of our bills. The helicopter transport has resubmitted two times now...and has been denied payment both times.
Larry has spoken to a lady at work about the problems, and she continues to reassure us that everything has been taken care of and that Kennedy does have insurance. She says for us to tell them to resubmit...but that has not worked. For the past two weeks, my patience has worn thin...and we were even sent to a collection agency for one of the bills! I was HOT when I found out that we were sent to a collection agency for the one because I never got any notices for that bill, and I have never been sent to a collection agency before in my life. I immediately paid that bill in full when I was at their office, and walked away a wreck.
Someone at Larry's work gave him a number of another lady that we could contact for help with figuring out what is going wrong with our insurance. I called her today and she was super nice on the phone with me. She told me what she needed from me, and I packed up the kids and headed straight for her office. She made copies of all the insurance claims, and said that she will start working on everything tomorrow. She knows what she is reading, and what all those codes mean...so I really think she is going to be a tremendous help.
I am boiling over with frustration and I am tired of crying about our finances. I am scared that we are not going to be able to pay our bills, and I am watching our credit cards get piled up with charges just to make ends meet. I tried to get SSI for Kennedy when she was born, but they told us that we didn't meet the financial criteria and that we were denied. Yesterday they told us that we still have to have an appointment with them next week to review our income and assets one more time before they close our case. I started to cry over the phone with the lady because of all the problems we are having with the bills. In order to qualify for SSI, you cannot own more than $5,000 in assets (not including your car or house). We own $5,400 in assets and it makes us ineligible for SSI to pay for Kennedy's medical bills. It is just so unfair how the system works sometimes.
Anyway, Kennedy has another appointment next week to check on her heart. I am very eager to see the results of the echo because I feel that everything is healed up, even though they told me that it cannot close up on its own and would need surgery when she is a year old. I know that she will not need surgery and that God is working more miracles with her.
Kaylee got her back handspring on the trampoline tonight at her gymnastics class. She got it on the cheese mat two weeks ago, but now she is doing them on her own on the trampoline. We were so excited to be there to watch her tonight. She is so cute running around that gym in her little outfit! This is her last class until August because she will be leaving for her grandparents house in Ohio next week. We are seeing if she can be put in a gymnastics class in Ohio for a few weeks while she is there so she does not lose what she has worked so hard for.
Kennedy is starting to smile a little bit, but still not like we want her to. She is right on target for the average baby her age, so we are very pleased that she is not too developmentally delayed. She is starting to grab for things when they are near her, and she opens her hands more than she used to. Kicking her legs is one of her favorite things to do, and she practices standing up a lot now on our laps. I just can't wait to get one of her big smiles with a belly laugh...it will be amazing.
Larry has spoken to a lady at work about the problems, and she continues to reassure us that everything has been taken care of and that Kennedy does have insurance. She says for us to tell them to resubmit...but that has not worked. For the past two weeks, my patience has worn thin...and we were even sent to a collection agency for one of the bills! I was HOT when I found out that we were sent to a collection agency for the one because I never got any notices for that bill, and I have never been sent to a collection agency before in my life. I immediately paid that bill in full when I was at their office, and walked away a wreck.
Someone at Larry's work gave him a number of another lady that we could contact for help with figuring out what is going wrong with our insurance. I called her today and she was super nice on the phone with me. She told me what she needed from me, and I packed up the kids and headed straight for her office. She made copies of all the insurance claims, and said that she will start working on everything tomorrow. She knows what she is reading, and what all those codes mean...so I really think she is going to be a tremendous help.
I am boiling over with frustration and I am tired of crying about our finances. I am scared that we are not going to be able to pay our bills, and I am watching our credit cards get piled up with charges just to make ends meet. I tried to get SSI for Kennedy when she was born, but they told us that we didn't meet the financial criteria and that we were denied. Yesterday they told us that we still have to have an appointment with them next week to review our income and assets one more time before they close our case. I started to cry over the phone with the lady because of all the problems we are having with the bills. In order to qualify for SSI, you cannot own more than $5,000 in assets (not including your car or house). We own $5,400 in assets and it makes us ineligible for SSI to pay for Kennedy's medical bills. It is just so unfair how the system works sometimes.
Anyway, Kennedy has another appointment next week to check on her heart. I am very eager to see the results of the echo because I feel that everything is healed up, even though they told me that it cannot close up on its own and would need surgery when she is a year old. I know that she will not need surgery and that God is working more miracles with her.
Kaylee got her back handspring on the trampoline tonight at her gymnastics class. She got it on the cheese mat two weeks ago, but now she is doing them on her own on the trampoline. We were so excited to be there to watch her tonight. She is so cute running around that gym in her little outfit! This is her last class until August because she will be leaving for her grandparents house in Ohio next week. We are seeing if she can be put in a gymnastics class in Ohio for a few weeks while she is there so she does not lose what she has worked so hard for.
Kennedy is starting to smile a little bit, but still not like we want her to. She is right on target for the average baby her age, so we are very pleased that she is not too developmentally delayed. She is starting to grab for things when they are near her, and she opens her hands more than she used to. Kicking her legs is one of her favorite things to do, and she practices standing up a lot now on our laps. I just can't wait to get one of her big smiles with a belly laugh...it will be amazing.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
June 17, 2008 Car Accident!!!
We had our whole day planned out together. Larry took a personal day at work, and we were going to spend the whole day doing family stuff with the girls. Our plan was to head out in the morning, go to the DMV, the post office, eat Chinese for lunch, and then head over to Berkeley Theatres to watch Kung Fu Panda.
We slept in the best we could, and then headed to the DMV to finalize all the paperwork on the Jeep. The lady was very helpful, and we weren't even in their all day!! We got to the DMV just before lunch time, and the wait wasn't very long at all.
After the DMV, I asked Larry to drop by the post office so I could buy a handful of one cent stamps and pick up a package. He dropped me off at the front, and was attempting to pull around to get a parking spot when he was T-boned by an elderly couple!!!! I was opening the door to the post office when I heard the sound...and I knew it was my family. My heart went up in my throat as I turned around to see Larry getting out of the Jeep. He was not a happy camper as he looked at his precious Jeep laying in pieces all over the parking lot.
I ran over to the accident to make sure everyone was okay, and tried to calm Larry down the best I could. The police were called to the scene and I called my insurance company to file the claim. It was very obvious that Larry was not at fault because he was hit on the rear passenger side of the Jeep, but the couple that hit him kept saying that it was his fault. Well, that just made Larry more enraged, and it was hard to keep him calm. I talked the elderly man (passenger) to get back in the car and wait for the police. I needed to keep those two away from each other!!
No one needed to go to the hospital, and Kennedy slept through the whole thing! Kaylee was very shook up and became pretty emotional about the whole event. When Martinsburg PD showed up, they tried to cheer her up and get her mind off of the accident. A tow truck was called for the Jeep because it was not in a condition to drive, and we kept Kennedy in a cop car while we waited on Enterprise to pick us up.
I got all their insurance information from them, and told them that they need to call the accident into their insurance company ASAP so we can get all of this resolved. Once we got to Enterprise, I went ahead and called their insurance company and filed the claim myself. My insurance company told me that if they don't do their part, the process of payment could take forever!! We have enough on our plate right now, and I don't want to add this to it for another 6 months.
Needless to say, we did not get to the movies in time to see Kung Fu Panda. I promised Kaylee that we would take her to see it...just not today. We went home and tried to relax for the rest of the evening. This is just another test that we will pass with flying colors. Yea we aren't happy that our Jeep is in the shop, but I am thankful that no one was hurt. I can't imagine my husband and girls being hospitalized.
WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS!!
We slept in the best we could, and then headed to the DMV to finalize all the paperwork on the Jeep. The lady was very helpful, and we weren't even in their all day!! We got to the DMV just before lunch time, and the wait wasn't very long at all.
After the DMV, I asked Larry to drop by the post office so I could buy a handful of one cent stamps and pick up a package. He dropped me off at the front, and was attempting to pull around to get a parking spot when he was T-boned by an elderly couple!!!! I was opening the door to the post office when I heard the sound...and I knew it was my family. My heart went up in my throat as I turned around to see Larry getting out of the Jeep. He was not a happy camper as he looked at his precious Jeep laying in pieces all over the parking lot.
I ran over to the accident to make sure everyone was okay, and tried to calm Larry down the best I could. The police were called to the scene and I called my insurance company to file the claim. It was very obvious that Larry was not at fault because he was hit on the rear passenger side of the Jeep, but the couple that hit him kept saying that it was his fault. Well, that just made Larry more enraged, and it was hard to keep him calm. I talked the elderly man (passenger) to get back in the car and wait for the police. I needed to keep those two away from each other!!
No one needed to go to the hospital, and Kennedy slept through the whole thing! Kaylee was very shook up and became pretty emotional about the whole event. When Martinsburg PD showed up, they tried to cheer her up and get her mind off of the accident. A tow truck was called for the Jeep because it was not in a condition to drive, and we kept Kennedy in a cop car while we waited on Enterprise to pick us up.
I got all their insurance information from them, and told them that they need to call the accident into their insurance company ASAP so we can get all of this resolved. Once we got to Enterprise, I went ahead and called their insurance company and filed the claim myself. My insurance company told me that if they don't do their part, the process of payment could take forever!! We have enough on our plate right now, and I don't want to add this to it for another 6 months.
Needless to say, we did not get to the movies in time to see Kung Fu Panda. I promised Kaylee that we would take her to see it...just not today. We went home and tried to relax for the rest of the evening. This is just another test that we will pass with flying colors. Yea we aren't happy that our Jeep is in the shop, but I am thankful that no one was hurt. I can't imagine my husband and girls being hospitalized.
WHEN IT RAINS, IT POURS!!
Father's Day
Father's Day was very nice. Each of us got Larry a card...even Kennedy! We gave him some of his presents a few weeks ago because he wanted them so bad. All of us went to the WV store and he picked out a WVU front license plate, and a WVU hitch cover for the Jeep. On Sunday morning, we gave him his cards and the 3 pack of Indiana Jones movies. I think he really liked all of his gifts.
We went to church and then came home to get ready for a Father's Day dinner for Larry and my dad. We had steaks on the grill, corn on the cob, and buttered red potatoes. It was a wonderful day, and everything turned out great for the both of them.
We got my dad a gift card to Lowes because that is one of his favorite stores to shop in. We have never gotten him a gift card before, and he said it was perfect. We also framed a picture of Kennedy from AnnaGPhotography for his wall at home. He says every year that we don't have to get him anything...but we always try to get him something if we can.
We went to church and then came home to get ready for a Father's Day dinner for Larry and my dad. We had steaks on the grill, corn on the cob, and buttered red potatoes. It was a wonderful day, and everything turned out great for the both of them.
We got my dad a gift card to Lowes because that is one of his favorite stores to shop in. We have never gotten him a gift card before, and he said it was perfect. We also framed a picture of Kennedy from AnnaGPhotography for his wall at home. He says every year that we don't have to get him anything...but we always try to get him something if we can.
Thursday, June 12, 2008
June 11, 2008 Visiting family
Larry's dad was in the ER last night for muscle spasms in his neck, but he is doing better now. He was given a handful of medications...some helped, and some did not. He stayed in bed the whole day, and just tried to relax.
The girls and I went to Maryland to visit Heather and Pammy today. Pammy is Larry's Aunt, and Heather is one of her daughters. Heather is expecting a baby girl at the end of August, and I was so excited to head over to Mount Airy to visit them for the afternoon. Liz, the kids, and Ellen Mae joined us...so there was 7 of us showing up for the visit!
Heather has a beautiful home, and a gorgeous in-ground pool in her back yard! The kids couldn't wait to hop in and play with little Ray (Heather's 3 year old son). They had a blast jumping off of the diving board, and putting on the goggles. I dipped Kennedy's little feet in the pool, and even though the water was 88 degrees, she wasn't the happiest about it touching her toes. She hung out in the shade with just a diaper and sunscreen on while we were outside. Heather had a little yellow tent we layed her in....it was really cute.
The girls and I went to Maryland to visit Heather and Pammy today. Pammy is Larry's Aunt, and Heather is one of her daughters. Heather is expecting a baby girl at the end of August, and I was so excited to head over to Mount Airy to visit them for the afternoon. Liz, the kids, and Ellen Mae joined us...so there was 7 of us showing up for the visit!
Heather has a beautiful home, and a gorgeous in-ground pool in her back yard! The kids couldn't wait to hop in and play with little Ray (Heather's 3 year old son). They had a blast jumping off of the diving board, and putting on the goggles. I dipped Kennedy's little feet in the pool, and even though the water was 88 degrees, she wasn't the happiest about it touching her toes. She hung out in the shade with just a diaper and sunscreen on while we were outside. Heather had a little yellow tent we layed her in....it was really cute.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
June 10, 2008 Counting my blessings
I was reading the comments that have been posted by JR Butcher's friends and family, and ran across the Sherrard family. I clicked on their blog and was shocked to find out that Katelyn had passed away while Kennedy was in the hospital.
Thinking back, it all makes sense now...a friend of mine said that she was going to a funeral that month, and she said that I had probably heard about her condition. I guess I was so numb and my brain was way too full of NICU news, that it wasn't making any sense to me. Now, I feel foolish because I knew exactly who she was talking about.
www.caringbridge.org/visit/katelynsherrardMy heart poured out for Katelyn's mom when I read over her blog. I sat and prayed for the family, and hoped that each day gets easier to cope with the loss of their precious daughter. I am sure that the roller coaster that they have been on has not stopped quite yet, and that some days are much harder than others.
I am counting my blessings every day, but when I read about battles that other families have gone through...it makes me feel even more that we have a huge miracle to be thankful for. God has been so awesome, and we are thankful that he has chosen to give us our beautiful Kennedy this year.
June 9, 2008 Kennedy is sick
Kennedy has not been sleeping very well the past few days because of her nose being congested. It gets really bad at her 2:00 a.m. feeding, but I can't get anything out of it with her nasal aspirator. This morning she was not happy at all, and I tried my best to get some of the congestion out...with no luck
So while Larry worked, we decided to run out and go to K-Mart and Wal-Mart to get some medication for her, and grab some other things on our list. We get to K-Mart and Kaylee was trying on some summer clothes when Kennedy started to vomit profusely in her car seat. It had to have been at least 6 or 7 ounces worth of formula that came back up. I flipped out and yelled for Kaylee to come out of the dressing room so we could go to the bathroom to clean her up. I used her blanket to wipe most of it up, but it soaked both her blanket and her outfit. The car seat was covered...it was a huge mucus mess.
We bought her the medication they had, and gave it to her before we even left the store. She seemed to be feeling much better once she got all that out of her system, so we went to Wal-Mart and finished up our list of things before we went home for the day.
She was a little cranky for the rest of the evening, but that is totally understandable. Every little thing scares Larry because we still look at her as a fragile baby, but I kept reassuring him that she just has a head cold and she will be fine. Really, she was breathing fine out of her nose once she got all that out of her system at K-Mart. It will take a few days for this to pass, but I am glad we have the medicine to help ease her discomfort.
So while Larry worked, we decided to run out and go to K-Mart and Wal-Mart to get some medication for her, and grab some other things on our list. We get to K-Mart and Kaylee was trying on some summer clothes when Kennedy started to vomit profusely in her car seat. It had to have been at least 6 or 7 ounces worth of formula that came back up. I flipped out and yelled for Kaylee to come out of the dressing room so we could go to the bathroom to clean her up. I used her blanket to wipe most of it up, but it soaked both her blanket and her outfit. The car seat was covered...it was a huge mucus mess.
We bought her the medication they had, and gave it to her before we even left the store. She seemed to be feeling much better once she got all that out of her system, so we went to Wal-Mart and finished up our list of things before we went home for the day.
She was a little cranky for the rest of the evening, but that is totally understandable. Every little thing scares Larry because we still look at her as a fragile baby, but I kept reassuring him that she just has a head cold and she will be fine. Really, she was breathing fine out of her nose once she got all that out of her system at K-Mart. It will take a few days for this to pass, but I am glad we have the medicine to help ease her discomfort.
June 8, 2008 Family Picnic
Well, I forgot my coupons the other day when I shopped in Winchester, and they told me I had 48 hours to use the coupon by bringing the receipt back for adjustments. It was a $30 off coupon, so even though gas prices are crazy...I felt like it was worth the drive. We stopped by Flying J's to fill up on our way so we could get cheaper gas, so that made us happy.
We picked up the pictures we got taken at Wal-Mart last month...and they are very cute. I got a picture of Kennedy that is almost identical of Kaylee when she was her age. Kaylee thinks it is really special that I had their pictures taken alike...hers had purple rose petals in it, and I put yellow rose petals in Kennedy's. I was glad that we could pick up the pictures today, so that I could pass them out at his dad's house later on at the picnic.
After we left Winchester, we headed to my in-law's house for a family picnic. It was supposed to be a Father's Day picnic...Liz just had her week's mixed up. It worked out great because everyone was able to show up, we had lots of food, and the kids swam in the pool together. Later on in the evening, Larry and I got in the pool with the kids and played Volleyball with them. We hadn't played with all of them like that in a long time, so they were all over us. It was a lot of fun spending time with everyone.
We picked up the pictures we got taken at Wal-Mart last month...and they are very cute. I got a picture of Kennedy that is almost identical of Kaylee when she was her age. Kaylee thinks it is really special that I had their pictures taken alike...hers had purple rose petals in it, and I put yellow rose petals in Kennedy's. I was glad that we could pick up the pictures today, so that I could pass them out at his dad's house later on at the picnic.
After we left Winchester, we headed to my in-law's house for a family picnic. It was supposed to be a Father's Day picnic...Liz just had her week's mixed up. It worked out great because everyone was able to show up, we had lots of food, and the kids swam in the pool together. Later on in the evening, Larry and I got in the pool with the kids and played Volleyball with them. We hadn't played with all of them like that in a long time, so they were all over us. It was a lot of fun spending time with everyone.
June 7, 2008 Bday Party
The girls and I went over to Rosie's house today to celebrate her son's 3rd birthday! What a hot day to have a party, but Rosie had everything under control. She had 4 or 5 coolers full of waters, Gatorade, and other beverages to keep everyone hydrated! Kaylee loved the bounce around float, and all the kids went crazy when the sprinkler, pool, and slip-n-slide was brought out.
Kennedy stayed inside while we were at the birthday party. There were a handful of people that just didn't want to deal with the heat, so they stayed inside and kept an eye on the baby for me. She slept for the majority of the party, while I got to catch up on "adult time" with friends I haven't seen in over a year. It was really nice getting the chance to hang out with old friends and seeing Kaylee having so much fun.
We didn't get home from the party until later that evening, and Larry was home from working overtime for the soap box derby. All of us were really tired from a long day...so it didn't take much for all of us to hit the beds.
Kennedy stayed inside while we were at the birthday party. There were a handful of people that just didn't want to deal with the heat, so they stayed inside and kept an eye on the baby for me. She slept for the majority of the party, while I got to catch up on "adult time" with friends I haven't seen in over a year. It was really nice getting the chance to hang out with old friends and seeing Kaylee having so much fun.
We didn't get home from the party until later that evening, and Larry was home from working overtime for the soap box derby. All of us were really tired from a long day...so it didn't take much for all of us to hit the beds.
Friday, June 6, 2008
June 6, 2008 Awards Assembly
Ava and Kennedy slept most of the morning for me, so I was able to take a shower and update the blog! lol They were so cute because I had them laying together on the couch. They are best of friends already...when one gets upset, the other one follows. It's almost like having twins when I have Ava...lol.
I was invited to Kaylee's school today because she was selected to receive the Trail Blazer award! This award is only given to one student per class each year and it is the award for overall excellence in every area of school. Kennedy and I showed up to support her while her dad was at work, and we took pictures so she could show him when he got home. She was very proud, and Mrs. Funkhouser let her tell everyone that she had a new baby sister this year to share her award with. It was very sweet, and I was filled with pride while I watched her get the award. It even has her name engraved on it!
Kaylee, Kennedy and I went shopping in Winchester so I could get a few shirts for the summer time. Kennedy wasn't feeling well, and screamed the entire time we were in the store. I was so frustrated because I didn't know how to help her. We went to the dressing room and Kaylee fed her a bottle, and that didn't even calm her down. I was very eager to pass her off to Larry as soon as we got home. Kaylee and I needed a break!
I was invited to Kaylee's school today because she was selected to receive the Trail Blazer award! This award is only given to one student per class each year and it is the award for overall excellence in every area of school. Kennedy and I showed up to support her while her dad was at work, and we took pictures so she could show him when he got home. She was very proud, and Mrs. Funkhouser let her tell everyone that she had a new baby sister this year to share her award with. It was very sweet, and I was filled with pride while I watched her get the award. It even has her name engraved on it!
Kaylee, Kennedy and I went shopping in Winchester so I could get a few shirts for the summer time. Kennedy wasn't feeling well, and screamed the entire time we were in the store. I was so frustrated because I didn't know how to help her. We went to the dressing room and Kaylee fed her a bottle, and that didn't even calm her down. I was very eager to pass her off to Larry as soon as we got home. Kaylee and I needed a break!
June 5, 2008 Kaylee's School
Today Kennedy and I went into Kaylee's school so she could show off her little sister to her class. This is something Kaylee has been begging me to do since the baby came home, but I wanted Kennedy to be a little stronger before I put her in with 27 little kids. So Kaylee had her very proud moment showing off Kennedy, and then we went to lunch together in the cafeteria.
I had to leave after lunch because I had an appointment with Anna to see my proof pictures. She sat me down and showed me a slide show of most of the pictures with background music. OH MY GOODNESS...it was the most beautiful sight I have ever seen! I started to cry as soon as the first picture showed up on the screen and didn't stop crying until it was over. The sight of all those pictures took my breath away. I am so glad we were willing to invest into professional pictures by Anna. I wish I could show you guys all the pictures, but I don't have the capability of doing it online.
I made Mariah come over to watch the slide show of the pictures as soon as she came home from school. She was so impressed, and it just got her more excited to see Ava's proofs next week. I am excited to see Ava's too now that I have seen what Anna can do with her camera.
Dad came over to have burgers on the grill and to watch National Treasure movie tonight. Yep, I sat him down and showed him all the pictures too...lol. I am such a proud mom of my children, and this is just one way I can show them off. I swear these pictures belong in a magazine somewhere because my girls are so beautiful. Kaylee is so photogenic, and her eyes just melt your heart when you look into them in those pictures. Dad was really happy with them, and he is going to decide which ones he wants for himself.
So Larry came home from working overtime, and we had dinner together with Dad. National Treasure Book of Secrets was a really good movie. I liked the first one better, but it was a close second. Kaylee really like it too!
I had to leave after lunch because I had an appointment with Anna to see my proof pictures. She sat me down and showed me a slide show of most of the pictures with background music. OH MY GOODNESS...it was the most beautiful sight I have ever seen! I started to cry as soon as the first picture showed up on the screen and didn't stop crying until it was over. The sight of all those pictures took my breath away. I am so glad we were willing to invest into professional pictures by Anna. I wish I could show you guys all the pictures, but I don't have the capability of doing it online.
I made Mariah come over to watch the slide show of the pictures as soon as she came home from school. She was so impressed, and it just got her more excited to see Ava's proofs next week. I am excited to see Ava's too now that I have seen what Anna can do with her camera.
Dad came over to have burgers on the grill and to watch National Treasure movie tonight. Yep, I sat him down and showed him all the pictures too...lol. I am such a proud mom of my children, and this is just one way I can show them off. I swear these pictures belong in a magazine somewhere because my girls are so beautiful. Kaylee is so photogenic, and her eyes just melt your heart when you look into them in those pictures. Dad was really happy with them, and he is going to decide which ones he wants for himself.
So Larry came home from working overtime, and we had dinner together with Dad. National Treasure Book of Secrets was a really good movie. I liked the first one better, but it was a close second. Kaylee really like it too!
Thursday, June 5, 2008
June 4, 2008 Childrens Hospital Appointments
Today was a wonderful day!
Mariah dropped Ava off to me this morning bright and early so she could head off to work. Ava ate the rest of her morning feed, burped, and then fought sleep for about 30 minutes before she gave up and crashed. Josh came to pick her up when he got off of work at 8:30 a.m. so I could leave to head over to Children's in D.C. for Kennedy's appointments.
Larry worked today, so I headed to the hospital alone. The long drive wasn't so bad because I left after the morning rush was over. The way home was horrible and very scary because I got stuck in the tornado storm...it was not fun. But while I was at Children's, I enjoyed my stay very much.
I found out last minute last night that they could squeeze Kennedy in for her ultrasounds on her tumor and her brain bleed, so we didn't have much time to plan for anything. I wanted to get there early so I could see the Concierge staff that I love so much. I have been getting together gift bags for the three of them, and I was excited that I could give the gifts to them in person rather than in the mail. I went in to see Kathy first and she was so surprised. She immediately held the baby and just couldn't get over how great she looked. She called Paula and Nikki to come up too, so I was able to hang out and chit chat with them for a little over an hour before the ultrasounds. Kathy showered us with presents too, as usual, and gave us a hand made blanket from someone and a baby toy. She also gave me a lunch voucher so I could eat, and a free parking sticker. I don't know what I would do without that woman! It was awesome to hear how God is working in all of their lives because each of them are doing well, and their children are healthy. Oh, I miss them so much! All three of them have a special place in my heart forever. Before I went downstairs to Radiology, Kathy and I told each other that we knew God was taking care of Kennedy and that her results were going to be more miracles to add to her life. We were both confident that everything was going to be fine.
The ultrasound technician was very nice, and she was so excited to see Kennedy. It turns out that she was the first one to do an ultrasound on the tumor when the baby arrived at Children's. She said that she has wondered how Kennedy was doing, and was very happy to have her again today for her check up. We took a look at the brain bleed first and found that it was completely healed!!! She couldn't believe how great her brain looked! She kept showing me different spots where it should have been bleeding, but there was nothing there but healthy brain tissue! I just kept praising God throughout the appointment, and I couldn't wait to scan her tumor.
Well, she looked and looked and could not find any trace of the tumor that she left the hospital with. She had that wand all over Kennedy's back and butt area, but there was nothing to find. She called in a doctor to try to find it and she too didn't have any luck finding it. I kept saying it was gone and that God had healed my baby...but the doctor wouldn't say that it was gone. I know that both of them were in shock, but very happy for our family. They even called the NICU to have the copies of the previous tests sent to them so they could compare the two tests. The doctor ended the appointment requesting an MRI to scan for the tumor. I am totally fine with that, because I know that it is gone and I have no problems getting further tests to prove that God took care of the impossible. What's another couple of thousand dollars to show them that...lol?!?!?!?!
I didn't get home until after 5 p.m. and immediately threw something together for dinner so Kaylee could eat before gymnastics. I went and watched her gymnastics practice again while Larry stayed home with Kennedy. Of course everyone there wanted to know where the baby was...lol.
Long day, very tired, and SO ready for bed. Just another day of witnessing the awesome work of God's hands on my family.
Mariah dropped Ava off to me this morning bright and early so she could head off to work. Ava ate the rest of her morning feed, burped, and then fought sleep for about 30 minutes before she gave up and crashed. Josh came to pick her up when he got off of work at 8:30 a.m. so I could leave to head over to Children's in D.C. for Kennedy's appointments.
Larry worked today, so I headed to the hospital alone. The long drive wasn't so bad because I left after the morning rush was over. The way home was horrible and very scary because I got stuck in the tornado storm...it was not fun. But while I was at Children's, I enjoyed my stay very much.
I found out last minute last night that they could squeeze Kennedy in for her ultrasounds on her tumor and her brain bleed, so we didn't have much time to plan for anything. I wanted to get there early so I could see the Concierge staff that I love so much. I have been getting together gift bags for the three of them, and I was excited that I could give the gifts to them in person rather than in the mail. I went in to see Kathy first and she was so surprised. She immediately held the baby and just couldn't get over how great she looked. She called Paula and Nikki to come up too, so I was able to hang out and chit chat with them for a little over an hour before the ultrasounds. Kathy showered us with presents too, as usual, and gave us a hand made blanket from someone and a baby toy. She also gave me a lunch voucher so I could eat, and a free parking sticker. I don't know what I would do without that woman! It was awesome to hear how God is working in all of their lives because each of them are doing well, and their children are healthy. Oh, I miss them so much! All three of them have a special place in my heart forever. Before I went downstairs to Radiology, Kathy and I told each other that we knew God was taking care of Kennedy and that her results were going to be more miracles to add to her life. We were both confident that everything was going to be fine.
The ultrasound technician was very nice, and she was so excited to see Kennedy. It turns out that she was the first one to do an ultrasound on the tumor when the baby arrived at Children's. She said that she has wondered how Kennedy was doing, and was very happy to have her again today for her check up. We took a look at the brain bleed first and found that it was completely healed!!! She couldn't believe how great her brain looked! She kept showing me different spots where it should have been bleeding, but there was nothing there but healthy brain tissue! I just kept praising God throughout the appointment, and I couldn't wait to scan her tumor.
Well, she looked and looked and could not find any trace of the tumor that she left the hospital with. She had that wand all over Kennedy's back and butt area, but there was nothing to find. She called in a doctor to try to find it and she too didn't have any luck finding it. I kept saying it was gone and that God had healed my baby...but the doctor wouldn't say that it was gone. I know that both of them were in shock, but very happy for our family. They even called the NICU to have the copies of the previous tests sent to them so they could compare the two tests. The doctor ended the appointment requesting an MRI to scan for the tumor. I am totally fine with that, because I know that it is gone and I have no problems getting further tests to prove that God took care of the impossible. What's another couple of thousand dollars to show them that...lol?!?!?!?!
I didn't get home until after 5 p.m. and immediately threw something together for dinner so Kaylee could eat before gymnastics. I went and watched her gymnastics practice again while Larry stayed home with Kennedy. Of course everyone there wanted to know where the baby was...lol.
Long day, very tired, and SO ready for bed. Just another day of witnessing the awesome work of God's hands on my family.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
June 3, 2008
Mariah and I got up first thing this morning to walk Wildflower Ridge again. We walked at 11 a.m. and that was definitely too late in the morning to walk. IT WAS SO HOT and I was dizzy towards the end of it. Last night we didn't start until the sun started going down, so we need to stick with it being cool like that if we are going to walk. We decided to either stick with leaving earlier in the morning, or late in the evening. She hung out so I could round up all the thank you cards for the people at school and give them to her. She is going back to work tomorrow morning from her maternity leave, so she can put the cards in everyone's mail boxes for me.
Pretty uneventful day for us here at the house. I spent time with Kennedy, did laundry, and worked on bills online for a few hours and then Larry came home. Kaylee and I ran out to Food Lion to return a rotten watermelon and pick up some odds and ends there for the night.
Went to bed by 10 p.m. so I could try to get some sleep for the early morning tomorrow when Mariah drops Ava off. I hope Kennedy helps me out and sleeps better than she has been.
Pretty uneventful day for us here at the house. I spent time with Kennedy, did laundry, and worked on bills online for a few hours and then Larry came home. Kaylee and I ran out to Food Lion to return a rotten watermelon and pick up some odds and ends there for the night.
Went to bed by 10 p.m. so I could try to get some sleep for the early morning tomorrow when Mariah drops Ava off. I hope Kennedy helps me out and sleeps better than she has been.
June 2, 2008 Rice Cereal
Not a whole lot of fun stuff to talk about today. It was so hard to try to get to the computer today because I was busy taking care of Kennedy. She is starting to get really needy and I can't get anything done because she is eating so often. The NICU told me to feed her every 3 hours and not to give her anything in between if I could help it. Well, this child eats like every 1 1/2 hours and it takes her a good 40 minutes to eat it...so I feel like I have a bottle in my hand all day long. If I feed her more formula every 3 hours, she ends up vomiting it up because her stomach can't hold it.
I ran errands part of the day with the baby and even saw Larry out while I was at the bank. I went through the drive thru and when I wrapped around the corner, I saw Larry getting out of his car to go into the bank! I asked him if he would arrest me...but he said no. lol.
We had Annette's lasagna for dinner tonight. It was a very nice dinner. I had never had lasagna like hers because it had vegetables, wheat noodles, and ground turkey or chicken instead of ground beef.
Mariah and I started walking around the neighborhood tonight to get exercise. Kaylee wanted to join us, and we pushed the babies in the strollers to add more resistance to our workout. Wow, we were very tired after were done our walk. Pushing the stroller was definitely an added weight to the workout! Kennedy seemed to really enjoy the walk, and Kaylee talked our ears off the whole time. She was planning out when Mariah and I would walk just so she wouldn't miss all of them. Kaylee wants to walk every other day with us because she said every day would be too exhausting for her...lol. She is so funny.
I bought rice cereal today at the grocery store to try out with Kennedy tonight. Larry and I gave her a little bit to try out tonight just to see if we can get her back on eating every 3 hours, but she spit it all back up. We didn't burp her in between the formula and the rice...so I am not sure that was why, or if it was just too early. Maybe we will try again in a couple more days.
I ran errands part of the day with the baby and even saw Larry out while I was at the bank. I went through the drive thru and when I wrapped around the corner, I saw Larry getting out of his car to go into the bank! I asked him if he would arrest me...but he said no. lol.
We had Annette's lasagna for dinner tonight. It was a very nice dinner. I had never had lasagna like hers because it had vegetables, wheat noodles, and ground turkey or chicken instead of ground beef.
Mariah and I started walking around the neighborhood tonight to get exercise. Kaylee wanted to join us, and we pushed the babies in the strollers to add more resistance to our workout. Wow, we were very tired after were done our walk. Pushing the stroller was definitely an added weight to the workout! Kennedy seemed to really enjoy the walk, and Kaylee talked our ears off the whole time. She was planning out when Mariah and I would walk just so she wouldn't miss all of them. Kaylee wants to walk every other day with us because she said every day would be too exhausting for her...lol. She is so funny.
I bought rice cereal today at the grocery store to try out with Kennedy tonight. Larry and I gave her a little bit to try out tonight just to see if we can get her back on eating every 3 hours, but she spit it all back up. We didn't burp her in between the formula and the rice...so I am not sure that was why, or if it was just too early. Maybe we will try again in a couple more days.
Want to get family pictures done??
A few of you were interested in getting some pictures done, so I wanted to post Anna's information on the blog for you.
Anna G Photography
Check out her beautiful website at: http://www.annagphotography.com/
Her blog with sample photos: http://www.annagphotography.squarespace.com/
Her phone number: 304-839-2681
*You will be very happy with her work. She pays attention to detail to get the perfect shots.
**Tell her Kristen and Larry Ruffner sent you! :)
Anna G Photography
Check out her beautiful website at: http://www.annagphotography.com/
Her blog with sample photos: http://www.annagphotography.squarespace.com/
Her phone number: 304-839-2681
*You will be very happy with her work. She pays attention to detail to get the perfect shots.
**Tell her Kristen and Larry Ruffner sent you! :)
Sunday, June 1, 2008
June 1, 2008 Baby Dedication
Oh my oh my, Kennedy and I barely slept a wink last night. I didn't go to sleep until 2:30 a.m. and she was up screaming at 4:00. By the time I fed her and got her back to sleep, I only had another hour of sleep before I had to get up for church. I got up early for church because I had to get myself and two kids ready and be there by 7:30 a.m. for rehearsal. Larry would not get out of bed...he said he was too tired. He slept the whole way through the night and didn't even hear her crying...lol...and he was tired! We both should have been in bed WAY earlier than we were, but the time just got away from us. I paid for it today because I was so weak from being so exhausted.
We had an awesome speaker today at church, and the baby dedication went perfectly. I told myself I wasn't going to cry, but Mary Beth made me (I will blame it on her). All the children were so beautiful and we were so blessed to have the church pray over our families. Kaylee came up with us to support her sister's dedication, and she wore her new pink dress to celebrate.
Annette totally surprised us by bringing in some lasagna for our family to eat! She said that she was going to make us meals when we first got home from the hospital, but never got around to it, and it was still weighing on her heart to make us something to help us out. It was an awesome surprise, and she was the first one to cook us something. So many people had planned on cooking for us, but when Kennedy got out of the hospital so unexpectedly...it made things a little more hectic.
We went to eat chinese again, but this time Larry's parents joined us with the kids. They came for the dedication, and made it just in time for us to have her dedicated. It was great to have them there for the special day.
I finished up most of my thank you cards the rest of the day. I wanted to take a nap, but there was no time for one. Larry helped out with the baby so I could sit down and focus on playing catch up.
We had an awesome speaker today at church, and the baby dedication went perfectly. I told myself I wasn't going to cry, but Mary Beth made me (I will blame it on her). All the children were so beautiful and we were so blessed to have the church pray over our families. Kaylee came up with us to support her sister's dedication, and she wore her new pink dress to celebrate.
Annette totally surprised us by bringing in some lasagna for our family to eat! She said that she was going to make us meals when we first got home from the hospital, but never got around to it, and it was still weighing on her heart to make us something to help us out. It was an awesome surprise, and she was the first one to cook us something. So many people had planned on cooking for us, but when Kennedy got out of the hospital so unexpectedly...it made things a little more hectic.
We went to eat chinese again, but this time Larry's parents joined us with the kids. They came for the dedication, and made it just in time for us to have her dedicated. It was great to have them there for the special day.
I finished up most of my thank you cards the rest of the day. I wanted to take a nap, but there was no time for one. Larry helped out with the baby so I could sit down and focus on playing catch up.
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