Visiting Grandpa P - this time with Pictures!!

Well, we were thankfully able to visit Grandpa P again this week. On Sunday Grandma K called and told us we needed to come say our goodbyes as soon as possible. With a birthday party to plan and execute and going out of town on Monday for Myra, we weren't sure if we'd make it. We are thankful he's held on long enough for us to!

We video taped the visit and Grandpa said all the things he usually says. Talked to Mr. Prince about being a good cowboy and eating his beans (from childhood), told Myra she was sweet just like her Mama, asked a few times if Myra was Mr. Prince's baby and if she was #5 and then mentioned he knew she probably wouldn't be the last.

I love Grandpa's voice. I'll never forget his voice. And I hope I hear it again this week.

Ezekiel kissing Grandpa - he saw Grandpa kiss Myra and wanted his own lovin'!

Mr. Prince and Grandpa - this is the closest grandparent to Mr. Prince
and he will dearly miss him...

Grandpa loves babies, and Myra is no exception - he even got to nibble her ear this time!

All the kids wanted to hold his hand, but were wondering
why he was bandaged up and bleeding. They don't quite understand.

Kyler has developed a special love for Grandpa and keeps asking to visit him,
I think because he knows he might not see him again.
He was happy to know Grandpa knows Jesus and will be in heaven when he dies.

Grandpa has been transferred back to his nursing home into Hospice care. He was drinking Pepsi when we visited him and I think had a beer last night! He's ready to go I think. He wants Grandma K to be there. We will visit him as a family tomorrow evening if he is still around.

We love you Grandpa!

Myra's Trip to Riley Children's Hospital

On Monday we dropped off the other four kids and headed down to Indy, just me, Myra and Mr. Prince. It was actually a really nice trip to have hours of uninterrupted conversation with my husband! He made me laugh and inhale chocolate, we had fun testing the "no hitting" zone at Riley, and he even offered for me to sit on the floor and nurse Myra in exchange for the nice seat I was sitting on. Oh, wait... That wasn't a nice offer after all, but I did laugh until Myra stopped nursing and looked around seemingly irritated that I wouldn't stay still...ha!

Myra was surprisingly excellent in the car. It took her a while to fall asleep on the way there. Bad Mommy took her out of the car seat on the country roads before we got to the interstate to rock her to sleep. Once we got to I-69 she was out, transferred well and slept almost the rest of the way, so it was worth it. We only had to stop once on the way home and she thankfully didn't cry the rest of the way home after the stop, either! Makes me have higher hopes for my minimum five hour drive this coming weekend...

Myra was referred down to Riley Children's Hospital by her pediatrician. She seems to be tracking less and focusing more inconsistently on objects. She still only sees stark contrasts (black and white) and does not look at faces.

As far as the pediatric ophthalmologist appointment, there was a lot discussed and I'm trying to remember all the details. Dr. A was a really nice doctor, explained things well and wasn't threatened by questions like some other doctors. He examined her before and after dilation of her eyes and then consulted another ophthalmologist (Dr. P), too...which is awesome! Though Myra supposedly had the most brain damage in the vision area of her brain, this is what they told me:

-Myra's optical nerve looks small, but they don't see that as a problem. It's small for her, similar to her hair is brown or her feet are small. It's just characteristic of her. She is just small all around!

-If her brain was not reading a vision image at all due to damage, her optical nerve would look pale because it would have atrophied. Myra's looks completely normal right now. There still is a chance that could change in the next year, but I am not expecting it to. =)

-They know her vision is not normal, but thankfully were able to see that she does focus on things occasionally. Based on one test, they guesstimated that her vision is reading the large E on the vision charts. What I didn't ask was where kids her age fall in this particular category, but I'll try an ask my pediatrician next time I see her.

-Because Myra's vision issues have to do with her brain, glasses or surgery will be of no help to her. Awe, glasses on kids are SO CUTE!

-Myra's near-sided and far-sidedness is all within normal range. Children are usually far-sided until they are 7 and then that starts to improve. They expect her to do the same.

-Because of her microcephaly (small head), she is at greater risk of some lazy-eye type issues, crossed eyes or eyes that both go outward. These can develop any time in the first few years, but right now she has no issues like that. Thank you, Jesus!

-The GREAT news is, Myra has not developed nystagmus (involuntary eye movement), which is usually developed before three months if extremely poor vision or blindness is to occur. They said this was a wonderful sign that she could have useful vision in the future.

-They also said they see birth trauma brain injuries often and when the milestones and other neurological development kicks in, the vision seems to move right along, too. It's often times just delayed.

They don't even want to see her again for another year. They said at that point they will have a better picture of what her vision will be for the rest of her life. We will probably have a good idea ourselves by then, too. So, all-in-all it was a positive appointment. I wanted them to tell me she could see, and they did. And, they gave me high hopes to see improvement in the coming months, which I didn't expect.

So, another positive step for us. Hopefully many more to come! Please continue to also pray for her brain and skull to grow. Right now she is 6.3 standard deviations below normal. The further she gets, the worse the prognosis. Thank you for your prayers...

Crafty Things

Well, with limited ability to leave the house these days since little Myra hates doesn't like the car, I've had to find extra things to do here at home. So, on a craft spree I went!

I relearned to crochet and made these adorable hats for Myra:




I also made this hat for Myra that was slightly too small, but Angelica Pickles found it just perfect for her dolls. I think Myra was upset we were giving it away, ha!


I saw these flowers on a friend's Facebook page and had to have one. I had no idea where to get them, so I just figured out how to make them. I have quite a few now to sell, too. I can also make bow clips and I bought these headbands to go with both the flowers and bows. They also look great on her crocheted hats and this brown hat I bought. My big girls love them, too.




I learned to stockinette knit to make these adorable leg warmers for the girls' ballet class:



I made another sling for myself in my two favorite colors. I can't believe there was a time that I hated didn't like pink!


I added a panel to my wrap to fancy it up a bit, but I think I might take it off and put a different, more stretchy fabric instead....someday:


I actually made these prior to Myra being born, but since I'm showing off my crafty self, I LOVE them......my diaper bags:


I posted a lot of my baby bazaar stuff on Facebook this past month and have sold almost all of it! These are the taggy blankets I have left, though I still have lots of fabric to make more diaper bags, slings and blankets someday, too....maybe.


I didn't finish my Valentine's Day project with the kids yet. We are making felt sugar cookies, with sprinkles and all! They are going to be so cute, but I found out I didn't have the right beads so I have to get back to the store before we move forward with them. I'll post pictures when they're done!

Now I must want to finish a year overdue project for my dear friend, Cherry. Her baby boy is now almost....how embarrassing to admit....14 months old....and she STILL doesn't have her diaper bag I promised her! I could give all the excuses about how Christmas 2008 was busy, I found out I was pregnant in January and was sick for weeks, how spring and summer buzzed by, how tired and pregnant I was at the end of my pregnancy, and then how my baby was in the hospital and it's been a long 5 months, but...I won't do that. I'll just say I am a BAD friend and I WILL finish it THIS month. Love you, Cherry!

I have hopes of other fun projects this Spring, like Angelica Pickles' birthday, summer dresses to match all three girls, floppy hats for the two littles.....sigh.....

For some reason it is very satisfying to make something with your own hands. And, I think having a FINISHED project when my life as a Mommy is full of unfinished business like laundry, dishes and diapers, makes me feel accomplished, too.

Verse of the Day

Jeremiah 18:1-6

"This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD: 'Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message.' So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him. Then the word of the LORD came to me: 'O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?' declares the LORD. 'Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.'"

Form us, O God....

Miracles!!!!

I took Myra to the healing prayer room tonight at our church. I've been wanting to take her for a few weeks now and just never carved out the time to do it. It was a nice prayer time with three men I didn't know, but they seemed sincere and believed wholeheartedly in what they were saying. After I explained to them my prayer requests, one of the men asked, "Is this the little girl Pastor Ron had a vision about?" I'm not sure why he asked in that way, but I definitely think it was God's reminder to me of the promises we have already been given. And it made me feel so much peace as they prayed. Another of the men asked to share something with me before we prayed. He said he was told his daughter would never talk, walk or eat by herself when she was a baby and that she would be institutionalized before she was a teenager; but, that she is now 31 years old, takes a bus to her job at a sub shop downtown, takes the bus back home and is doing well. It was very encouraging. And what are the chances that someone with such similar circumstances would be in the prayer room tonight? Only when God is in control.

The men prayed for Myra, and as they did she smiled over and over. She fussed before and she fussed afterward, but during that prayer she was as high as a kite! It was sweet and I wonder what her little eyes could see of the supernatural world in those moments. We left and I found an empty room to read a few Psalms and some of Job's story. I headed home feeling good about the prayer time and feeling peace that God will do what He desires with Myra. I really held onto what one of the men said during the prayer....that God would continue to show His glory through Myra's life and that she would be a living testimony of who He is. Amen!

When I got home, I shared with Mr. Prince all that had happened. I expected it to be another normal night of watching American Idol, doing therapy with Myra and relaxing with my hubby. I was wrong.

As I started to do Myra's therapy I began to notice how incredibly loose her legs were. She only has slight tone issues in her legs, but noticeable enough. I began bicycling her legs and was just about to say something to Mr. Prince. Instead, I decided to see how far they could stretch. Before tonight, with bent legs, Myra's feet could only goes as far as her belly button. I used to clap the soles of my other children's feet on the side of their faces at this age, but I had never gotten anywhere close with Myra's feet.

In that moment, with no effort at all, Myra's feet touched her mouth!

I excitedly told Mr. Prince and asked him to quickly grab the camera. Here she is...


God has done yet ANOTHER miracle in Myra's life!!

God has spoken to me so clearly during this difficult time in my life. Each time I doubted, He has reminded me of His faithfulness, of His promises, of His power, of His love. Every week at church he has spoken directly to me. Every time I open His Word, it was written just for me in that very moment. Every time I cry, He comforts me. And every time I've asked for healing, He has delivered! And I think with each and every whisper, each verse and each miracle, God continues to tell me that He's not done with Myra. His miracles haven't stopped, His plan is not complete, His full glory has not been revealed in her life. I think He knows I need the constant reminders right now. And I am thankful. Oh, so thankful! Thankful for my beautiful daughter, for this trial that is bringing me closer to Him, for my healthy children, for the friends and family who are walking this road with me holding my hand, for my supportive husband... for everything.

For Everything.

This past week I believed I was given a vision. I am still asking for confirmation of this, but I'd like to share it.

The dreamed started out with me looking at a blog where a lady had made some beautiful flowers (I know, weird). These flowers changed into new flowers over and over on the blog, and then they began to make a picture of this scene. A blue country house with a porch and a willow-type tree in the right front. It looked a lot like this:


I was standing off watching this scene thinking to myself, "This country scene is beautiful! I would love to live here!" I kept watching and the house lifted off the ground and began to spin. On the first rotation I appeared on the porch by myself. On the second rotation, Mr. Prince was standing with me. Then the house stopped and landed, and children began to run out of the back door into the backyard. I remember thinking "Is this my family?" and "Is this a vision from God?" and I began to count the children.

1...2...3...4...5...6...

I didn't really recognized any of them because they were so far away. But, as soon as I counted 6 I was distracted because I saw a little boy running toward me....and he had a dark face. I remember thinking in my dream, "Is this the child I will some day adopt?" At that moment I realized I had stopped counting. There was never a definite number of children and when I looked back at the house, a neighborhood had appeared around it and I couldn't distinguish my own children from the neighborhood children. I remember thinking that I didn't have a clear picture of how many children I will some day have, but....all of a sudden I realized something.

All of the children were RUNNING....and there was no distinguishing "disability" about any of them. And I began to cry.

And when I woke up I was a little hazy and wondered in real life, "Was this a vision?" And in real life, began to cry. And, like I said, I'm still asking for continuous confirmation....but I wonder if I got a small glimpse of that confirmation tonight...

God is good.

No...

God is Great!

Visiting Grandpa P

Grandpa P is Mr. Prince's maternal grandfather. He lives at a nursing home 30-40 min away, but ended up in the hospital nearby due to pneumonia. Because Myra HATES the car, this is our first opportunity to see him since her birth. Apparently, he has been asking to see "the baby" for quite some time...

We saw him on Sunday, but he was a little out of it and had an oxygen mask on that made it hard to talk to him. Today he was doing much better! Each of the kids held his hand and talked to him. I brought my camera, but because I was rushing to get the kids out of the car for the valet man, I forgot it! But, the images will be forever imprinted in my mind...

I won't forget how Grandpa smiled as my 3-year-old shyly smiled back at him as he told her she had beautiful blue eyes...

I won't forget the large, bruised, worn hands intertwined with perfect, chubby toddler fingers and the young, innocent eyes looking up at the wise, sad eyes...

I won't forget Grandpa squeezing Myra's sleepy face saying "don't you just want to eat those cheeks" and just staring at her with a quiet happiness about him...

I won't forget my 6-year-old who, as soon as he found out Grandpa was close to 120 (the days God limited human life to) told me we should ask him if he believed in Jesus, so that we could tell him if he didn't. I won't forget how impatient he was to ask him when we got there, nor how Grandpa chuckled as he said "Yes, of course....don't you?"

I won't forget the three different times Grandpa counted the children, always knowing one was "missing" from the five, nor how disappointed he was when I told him Paul was working...

I won't forget how sad the children seemed when I told them as we left that I wasn't sure when we'd see Grandpa again...if we'd see Grandpa again...

I won't forget my 5-year-old saying that Grandpa would be ok if he died because he would be with Jesus and Grandma...

I do so hope we see him again soon...and next time, I'll bring my camera!

Back to the Books.....Finallyl!

Well, it's been a full 5 months and we are just starting to do school again daily. Now, that doesn't mean we didn't read together, play games, or learn new things on this break. It just means we weren't getting through "curriculum" during this time. What is curriculum for, anyway? It's a guide to teach. Well, I think my children have probably done a lot more learning about life these past few months than the 8 weeks we did "curriculum" last summer. These are just a few examples of what they have learned...

...how to diligently pray for a loved one
...how to make a pb sandwich by themselves (because mom was too busy with the baby)
...about the organs and how they work (as we discussed with them their baby sister's issues)
...about the brain and how amazing God's creation is
...about the community of God and how we take care of each other ("Mom, are they bringing us dinner again today?")
...about milk production if the female homo sapien and other mammals
...how to be patient and be selfless when it is required of them
...how to clean the bathroom
...how to fill and empty the dishwasher
...that God is faithful in answering prayers
...that God is in control of everything in this world and man is not

So, I'm ok with that. Curriculum has its time and place. Just rolling with the punches....

But, back to work we go. Mostly because my kids LOVE school and CRAVE learning. Poor kids, they are bound to love learning with two educators as parents!