What is a miracle?

I know some people won't like me sharing this but I'm going to anyway. I follow a blog of a girl who had a heart transplant just a couple of months ago. They had no idea anything was wrong, she collapsed at school, PE teacher saved her life. She got a heart in no time and was out of the hospital 10 days after surgery. She is doing GREAT! Someone dared to ask the mother how, if there were 4 heart transplants at that hospital that month, how is it that her daughter's experience was a miracle. After all, if it happens everyday, it can't be a miracle, they said. (RUDE!)

I BEG TO DIFFER! And this is why I want to share this story. We ALL receive miracles every day and we must recognize them and who they are from if we want to keep receiving them. I for one NEED them!

So, I have been very interested in Chiroptric work on Matthew. I have never been to a chiropractor but I have heard great results about others and have been curious if it would help with anything he suffers with. We went to a little community thing here where a local chiropractor had a booth set up so we talked to them and decided to go ahead and do the initial scan and find out more about what they would do and how much it would cost.

Of course, our insurance didn't cover them. It was going to be expensive. He wanted to see him 3 times a week for 12 weeks. And then twice a week for 4 weeks and then once a week for at least 5 more months, if not, forever. The muscles need to be retrained and strengthened on the side he has trouble with. I did have him adjust him that day and then we were supposed to call and let them know if we wanted to move forward with the plan.

Before the adjustment, we've been watching a leg length discrepancy. One leg has been longer than the other and we had talked about needing to see an orthopedic doctor to watch that while we do the growth hormone. After the adjustment, Matthew's legs are the same size!!! Really...it's that easy?

We talked about it all week. Can we find the money somewhere? I was feeling strongly that this could be really good for him and wanted badly to make it work. If ever was a good time, it was now while we are doing the growth hormone. In the end we decided, NO, we can't do it. I called to let them know Friday morning.

Friday afternoon the chiropractor called and offered us a 6 month scholarship! He really felt like he could help Matthew and is as excited to see the results as I am! Miracle? Definately! There's no doubt! (I was surprised at how difficult it was to swollow my pride and go in and accept the scholarship yesterday and even more surprised that Mike accepted without a debate.) Hopefully it works!

For us, this was a miracle. I think it's sad that we often MISS these miracles. Miss noticing and recognizing and seeing them. But they are there!

What have we done?

We decided to bite the bullet and get Noah into flag football and Isaac into Soccer. Both have been begging to play for a LONG time. Isaac would LOVE to be playing football too...tackle football that is...but he'll have to wait. Mike is coaching soccer again. 4 year olds are hilarious to watch running around the soccer field trying to make sense of the game. Not surprising...at one point, Isaac could be found sitting on the field, bored, during some plays that were happening on the opposite end of the field.

Of course the best part is the snack afterwards.


Noah is picking up the game of football quickly and made some great plays in his first game. They do well to rotate the players around so they are getting experience in all positions. They do a blow up tunnel and announce every player at the beginning of every game and have them run through the tunnel. So FUN! Everyone got in the way of my picture so I'll have to get one next time.


Both sports are through churches so there are spiritual thoughts and prayers said. It is AWESOME! Noah's is a methodist church and he was brave and was the first one to give the prayer. I was proud of him.

This is just one reason I don't sign up the kids too often for sports. Practice Thursday night. Practice Friday night at the same time as a fireside for Josh and a scout campout for Matthew. Saturday...Two still at scout camp, football game, race to church for scout service project, race home for lunch and change of clothes, soccer game, neighborhood ice-cream social at pool, pigs and peaches festival...then crash...house a mess...Sunday lesson still needed work. VERY FUN day BUT VERY exhausting.

Isaac was dying to get a football uniform. We found this helmet that he loved at Goodwill. He spent some of his birthday money to buy it for himself. (Don't tell him it's not a football helmet!) So now he looks like this everyday. Still 92 degrees outside and he is wearing his regular outfit underneath his soccer uniform. He'll put it on and take it off about 20 times a day. He'll play coach and teach invisible players the game of tackle football all day long.

School Daze

School has begun! The boys are all doing great and seem to really enjoy their teachers and classes. We haven't even had a melt down this week which is usually a tradition with the first week of school and everyone being so tired.

Not posting two of them because I just realized they are wearing their school shirts. Their backpacks were so heavy they were hunched over and couldn't make it to the bus.
This one thinks he is too old for 1st day pictures...I got a few groans and sighs.


Isaac is doing home preschool, at least for now.

He thinks we are "playing school" so he's been talking to invisible students, telling them his name and showing them his crafts he made.

Isaac had his cardiology appointment for the murmur and everything looks fine! It is an innocent or functional heart murmur which are common and totally harmless. PHEW!

Another summer gone

I can NOT believe that summer break is over. It was SO short. I can never have enough time with my kids...things are always getting in the way of spending fun time with my kids and I don't like it.

I figured since tomorrow I need to post first day of school pictures, I better hurry up and finish summer break.

We had lots of birthdays. Isaac won't stop saying..."Now that I'm 4..." He thinks he should be able to do everything with Noah now that he's 4. That hasn't worked out too well for him.




Noah's Baptism Day
It was a small group since we are new here and family being so far but I think Noah appreciated that...so it was PERFECT! He doesn't like being the center of attention.


YES...my BOYS are SEWING! This is Matthew's birthday present and it turns out they all like to use it, even Mike. He's done a great job getting all 5 of our scout shirts done and ready to use.



Joshua and Mike had a lot of fun at scout camp.


We have done some fun community things but I keep forgetting my camera! We went to national night out and there was hardly anyone there, which was sad, but we didn't have anyone in our way. We sat in a helicopter and then watched it take off, police cars, food, fun. Also, a free parks and rec day with jumpy things, rock climbing, lunch, entertainment, demonstrations, etc.

This was a bribe for Isaac that he earned...to swim in my big tub. He loves the water.


Everytime Isaac passes me, he is someone new...Fireman Sam, army guy, a policeman, Spiderman, etc. He cracks me up.



Unfortunately, we had to break out the vest for a cough that wouldn't go away along with some good old zithromax. Clears him right up.


All of the kids have been fighting over the piano. They are loving having a piano again and I love listening to them play.


We'll be starting back up the growth hormone this week for Matthew. Another Dr. office I'm not too happy with. We were there 3 months ago for the new prescription and are just now getting it. We ran out of our last prescription about a month ago so hoping we don't have the fluid issue again. Also, found a murmur in Isaac so we're seeing the cardiologist this week. He was checked out and cleared as a baby so I'm sure it's nothing...they are common at this age.

The boys are looking forward to the school year and other activities they have signed up for. Life just gets more and more busy! AHHHH!