As promised - boat pictures

Yes...we are still alive.

Sorry it's been awhile, things have been crazy here. I guess that is the norm these days though. Today was the last day of school, so the girls are all excited for the summer!!

The drill team tryouts went well. Kati made the squad, and Tayler was asked to be the manager. So they will both be involved in drill team next school year. It has already begun though, and Bryan and I both realize our lives will never be the same.

Tayler and Kati at tryouts

And yes...I know. My brother Aaron pointed out: they have too much makeup on (it is done the way it was supposed to be for tryouts), and they both need a tan (it wasn't summer yet...give them time).



Other than that, we have been having fun on our new boat. I do have better pictures, but haven't rescued them from the camera yet. I will post soon though.

Next week is our family vacation. This year we are flying to Hollywood Beach, Florida. We are really looking forward to exploring somewhere we have never been. We will also be driving down to the Florida Keys for a day. We will stop in Key Largo in the morning for a snorkeling trip out to the living reef, and then continue on all the way to Key West. It will be a long day trip, but well worth it!!

We will have a ton of pictures from vacation when we return. I will try and post them as soon as I can.

Girls and Boat

I know it's been awhile since I've updated. It's been a crazy exhausting few weeks here! Both girls are trying out for drill team for next year. They have been practicing like crazy and are both excited. Try outs are tonight - so keep them in your prayers!! I'm sure they are both going to make it, and it will start a very exciting chapter for both of them.

The only other real news from here is our recent purchase of a boat. We are super excited to actually get it in the water. We are very much looking forward to a summer of fun on the boat with all of the girls!

Happy Easter to everyone!

FYI

Just wanted to let everyone know that the construction of our retirement home, Chateau Klein, is coming along nicely.

Leather Coral

Not only do we have picky girls in our house - we have picky corals too. Bryan decided to move our leather coral....the coral had other ideas.

Sad Leather

Happy Leather

And now for something different

I figured the blog could use some cuteness.




BTW - Kati is getting better. We are having to go back to the doctor every day to have the internal packing changed. It will be this way for the rest of the week, at least. Her arm is feeling much better, but it hurts to have the packing changed.

Poor Kati

So Kati had her doctor's appointment this morning. The doctor decided that since it was getting worse, and showed no signs of draining on it's own, that she would drain it. She gave Kati 5 or 6 shots all around the bump to try and numb it, although she said it probably wouldn't work very well - as it's very acidic and Lidocaine usually doesn't work. It did help some though, which was good. After that, she took a scalpel and sliced it open and drained it. She said the cavity was pretty deep, but she thinks she got it all. She put "dressing" into it to keep it open so the bacteria could continue to drain. We go back tomorrow morning to have the dressing changed, which she has forewarned Kati will hurt pretty bad.

So, all in all Kati is better today. Her arm isn't as sore now, and she can actually raise it some, still not anything above level though (when her arm is bent), but it's a start.

Luckily for everyone, there were no pictures of today's procedure. Although, Kati did want me to video it with my phone, but I did not.

I did get 1 shot of her with my phone while we were waiting on the doctor to come back and get started.

Update for today

This is Kati's arm tonight. It's still getting somewhat bigger, but still not draining on it's own. It is pretty tender and causing her a lot of pain. Her doctor's appointment is in the morning, so we'll see what she says. I'm hoping she goes ahead and drains it - Kati is not. It will be very painful for her, but then it can start to heal and stop hurting.

She has some other small spots, but they seem to be in control. There is one on her shoulder near where her other ones were last time. But so far it's not growing.

(The shiny stuff you see on her arm is the remnants of the antibiotic ointment)

The spot on the far left is new - the other 3 red marks are scars from the last round.

Update again

As of 10pm tonight, this is what it looks like. It's getting bigger, but hopefully it will start to drain soon. It's hurting her pretty bad as well. It's in a bad spot and she can't find a comfortable way to "hold" her arm. She is going to try and go to school tomorrow (she's been on antibiotics for 24 hrs, so it's not contagious) - we'll see how that works out. I'm not sure about it, but she missed an entire week last time, she missed yesterday and today, and will probably miss Thursday due to her next doctor's appointment. At that time, the doctor will probably try to drain it surgically, so I'm guessing I won't be taking her to school after. I told her if she starts to feel bad at all (nauseous, fever, etc) that she is to immediately go to the nurse and call me.

Please keep her in your prayers!

Kati update

I took these pictures of Kati's arm today. This spot hasn't come to a head yet, we are still working on that. It is hurting her pretty bad, she can barely lift her arm.

The pictures don't really do it justice, it's hard to tell, but it is larger than a quarter in size, and quite swollen, and hard.

Sick house

Sorry I haven't updated in awhile, it's been busy at our house. Bryan and I are both fighting head colds, that we can't seem to get rid of. We've both been sick since before we went to Arkansas, so it's been awhile. He'll go to work where he gets worse (all the ups and downs in the airplane wreck havoc on his head) and I'll start feeling better, until he comes home and gives it to me again. It's a vicious cycle. He went to the doctor today and got some medicine, so hopefully that will kick it.

Kati is on her 2nd round of MRSA (Medicine Resistant Staph Infection). The first round was pretty bad, she had spots on her shoulder and thigh. The one on her thigh really concerned her doctor, as it was pretty deep, but it drained ok. They will leave scars, which sucks. So far this time, she has 1 bad spot just under her armpit. She has several other spots, but none seem to be bad yet. She is on several medications again, and goes back to the doctor Thursday so she can hopefully drain this new spot. This is a tough thing to deal with, and can be very dangerous. We are having to watch her constantly to make sure she doesn't develop a fever or get sick. At the first sign of any of that and it's off to the ER for us. This stuff can be fatal if it gets into the bloodstream or organs. There is also the possibility of it getting into the muscle, which could be bad also. And of course it's contagious - and the school treats her like she has the plague (which I can understand, as we are sure that is where she got it in the first place). It's also hard to get rid of in the house. Everything she has been in contact with has to be washed in hot water.

I'm attaching a picture of what it looks like. This was her last round, and is on the front of her right shoulder.

I know it's gross - sorry - but someone requested to see it. (click on the picture to see it enlarged - if you are so inclined)

Tulips

My wonderful husband got me tulips for Valentine's Day. I was messing around with my camera and took these pictures of them today. These are the straight, unedited pictures that I took.

Loralye

Loralye got to spend her first night ever away from her mommy - and chose to spend it with us!! I kept her on Sunday night so her mommy and daddy could have a very much needed night away.

I think Harley has a new best friend!!

Here Harley..here is your bite

I wasn't feeding the dog - I promise

Harley...where are you??

I'll just squeak his toy -maybe that'll bring him back

Yay!! It worked

Tayler couldn't decide whether to give the dog toy to the dog or me

I wonder what is outside of this Loralye sized door

Go get it

Give me a kiss

I love Harley kisses

and Harley loves kissing me

I really do love my Aunt Phyllis

Even if she won't put the camera down

I even perfected the Aunt Phyllis eye roll!!

Oops...forgot one...

I forgot a picture from our Hot Springs trip. Bryan said it was imperative that I add it.

Did we go in......or not???

My best friend

Most of you know Michelle, her name is usually followed by the phrase: "my best friend since the 2nd grade". I always feel the need to qualify that, so whomever I'm talking to knows how important she is to me. As if that statement could somehow explain it all. There is no way to describe our bond, our shared memories, or the place she holds in my life. It is a bond that no matter distance or circumstances, will never be broken. Life has tried to break it, but failed.

So this week was my birthday. I got a very unexpected gift delivered to my door. First I read the card, which made me cry. This is very unusual - I'm the sentimental mushy one - she is not. Once I finished reading the poem, I opened the box, and again cried. Below is a picture of what I found. It is an eternity band (stones all around the ring) - with 29 stones in it. 1 for each year we've been best friends.

Here is the poem that was in my card. She collaborated with her step-dad Will to write it for me. I don't believe it could have been said any better!!

I could think of a thousand blessings,
That simply would not have been,
Had not that special person been there,
Whom I call, my sister, my friend.

I think back to that time in the 2nd grade,
And how my life was changed back then,
When God introduced me to an angel,
Whom I call, my sister, my friend.

And oh the times we've spent together,
In my memory they never will end,
Of endless summers I've spent with you,
Whom I call, my sister, my friend.

In my heart there is a special place,
That I visit again and again,
A place for that special someone,
Whom I call, my sister, my friend.

On your birthday, I send you this band,
To always be worn on your right hand,
With 29 stones, to reflect each year,
You have been with me, forever so dear.

You wear yours, and I will wear mine,
Forever and ever, till the end of time,
And I promise, that you will always be
My sister, my very best friend!