Talent Show

Well, one good thing came out of my dryer being on the fritz. An impromptu talent show put on by my three girls and their friend Madeline. The laundry hanging on my makeshift clothesline provided the perfect backdrop for this entertaining talent show. My digital camera is supposed to have a video option, but I couldn't figure it out. So pictures will have to do =)
Here is the magnificent Madeline and her baton. I think she is a cheerleader in the making, just like her mom =)











Here are Kasey and Alyssa, for the dancing part of the program. In case you are wondering, the blanket wrapped around Kasey is the train of her "dress".










This is Kinsey singing. She wrote a beautiful song.

When you're feeling alone, don't sit watching TV. Go outside, look at the clouds, you will think of God. God will take your gloomy thoughts away. Just sing to God like I am doing right now. I love you all so very much.

Not bad for a 9 year old. Of course, I am slightly prejudiced =)




Kinsey's song prompted a cloud dance. The blanket is now being used to represent a cloud. (That's Kasey underneath the blanket.)











Here is Alyssa, dancing by herself. The really sad thing is, her entire outfit belongs to her sisters. She's 2 and they are 9. No safety pins or belts necessary.










It was a great talent show. I admit, when my dryer started overheating, I was pretty peeved. It was amazing to see the girls take something that I found irritating, and turn it into something pretty neat. I guess that is one of the reasons God blesses us with kids, is to remind us of the little things that we can find joy in.

Lisa

Trip to the library

We walked to the library this evening, again =) It is our third night in a row. The kids love the walk and then we get movies that help everyone settle down for bedtime. Timothy says we are all superheroes, even me. But, he is the superest superhero, and so he gets to lead. So, he happily leads us to the library and all the superheros fall into line behind him. Tonight I happened to have my camera with me, so I managed to take some pictures.
Here are Brandon and Timothy, such a handsome picture of the back of their heads.












Here are Madeline, Alyssa, and Kasey. At least I got one of them to look at me.












Last but not least Kinsey. Whew, all six kids accounted for.












So that was the trip to the library. I didn't say they were great pics, I just said I managed to get some pics =) Actually, I am quite happy that in the group shot all of the kids are facing in the general direction of the camera. I am off now to watch one of the movies that the library thankful provides for free.

Lisa

Update, Update, Update

We have now been home one week since Brandon's surgery. He is doing great. He had a checkup yesterday, and the doctor said that his heart sounded great, and his color and everything was excellent. We have been truly blessed by how uneventful the surgery and Brandon's recovery has been. If anything, I wish he had a little less energy. I feel like I am constantly telling him to take it easy. Luckily, the kids have 2 friends over to visit this week, and Timothy is helping keep Brandon relaxed by playing video games with him.

Thank you Sony.












In between gaming, Timothy sneaks in a cuddle with Ben. The cats have been spoiled with all the attention they are receiving from this loving little guy.










Much as I would like to keep Brandon laying down all day, that is not to be. Yesterday, the kids went out in the backyard and had a water gun fight. They all had a blast, and they were great about not squirting Brandon in the chest area.
Here they are getting prepared.













Here they are engaged in a full on water fight.













I think we have a little bit of conspiracy going on here.












Timothy having a blast.













We are so happy that Madeline and Timothy get to spend the week with us. Brandon and Timothy are about the same age, and Madeline and the girls are close as well. So everyone gets along really well, and they are all having a great time together.
Here is a pic of Madeline and Alyssa. Madeline has been so patient with Alyssa. The twins had to leave for a few hours last night, and Maddy was great. She played with Alyssa and really kept her occupied until the twins returned.








I almost forgot the play-do people. The kids were creating with play-do, and Brandon wanted pictures taken, after I explained that the people had to go back in the containers or the play-do would get hard.
So here are the play-do people.













So that is my update. Brandon is doing great, and so are the rest of us. We are having lots of fun with our company. It hasn't even been that hot the last couple of days, so I have been able to catch up my gardening. That blog will follow soon.

Lisa

We're home

Brandon was released today, and we just made it home. We got home to find a spaghetti dinner and goulash waiting on the stove for us, thanks grandma and mom. Brandon is doing really well. He is up and around to both James and I's amazement. The power of the Playstation is awe inspiring. I will post a longer blog later with some pics. Trust me I took pics of everything!! Right now we are just glad to be home. Very glad.

Lisa

Update

I can't believe it is Monday already. Brandon is doing really well. He spent an extra night in the ICU, but it was just precautionary, and everything is good. We moved to the heart center yesterday about 10. They removed his arterial line yesterday, as well as his catheter. Today his IF was removed and his chest tube. We are down to one IV line, YEAH!! We are currently in the lounge where Brandon is happily playing Incredible Hulk on the PS2. It is what he has been anxiously awaiting since he came out of surgery. It is the first thing he said to be when he started to come out of the anethesia, "I want to play a game" =) Daddy surprised him with a Nintendo DS, which he was excited about, but Daddy also bought him Incredible Hulk and so that is the one he has been waiting to play. Though, I am betting that the DS is going to come in handy on the three hour drive home, which the Dr. is saying could happen as early as tomorrow. I am not sure how I feel about that, kinda mixed feelings. I am ready to take him home, but not sure I am ready to take him home this soon. James and I are off to find some lunch. The patio is actually open today. I was surprised how the hospital became a ghost town over the weekend. Most of the food vendors were closed and even the gift shops were closed. It's Monday though, so everythings hopping. Thanks again for all the prayers. I truly believe that it's through God that this experience has been what it has.

Lisa

Surgery

Brandon's is out of surgery. Everything went really well. The Dr. said everything went as planned and there were no unexpected surprises. We are waiting to see him in ICU, they are trying to wake him up enough to take out his breathing tube without waking him completely. The nursing staff and everyone we have come in contact with has been awesome today. All of the prayers were answered today, in every way =)

Lisa

Off to Indianapolis

We appreciate all the prayers that we have received from everyone for Brandon and for ourselves. We are all off to Indianapolis for pre-op and pre-admissions tomorrow. We have to be there at 11. Friday is the day of Brandon's surgery, we don't know what time yet. We will know tomorrow at 2. We are on the waiting list for a room at the Ronald McDonald house and we are praying that we get in there. We dropped the kids off at my sister-in-laws house tonight (thanks Kate). The leave taking went really well. The girls did much better than I did. Though I am proud to say I held the tears in check until I got into the truck =) I am hoping to be able to update this blog while we are down in Indy, but in case I am not able to, I want to thank every one again for the prayers and well wishes.

Lisa

Baseball Game

Brandon and I had an awesome visit to the Coveleski stadium for a baseball game. My dad treated Brandon, myself and my brother to a game. It was a great time. It was Brandon's first sporting event. He did really well, we made it through 8 and a half innings. I wasn't sure if he would make it past 3, me either for that matter =) The only reason we left early was to beat the traffic, plus the Silverhawks were leading 6-0. It was dollar Mondays, so hot dogs and pepsi were a buck. We got there early to get some good cheap seats and some hot dogs.

Here is Brandon enjoying a Pesi before the game.

My handsome brother and my equally handsome dad.

Here is a picture of swoop. This guy was one of Brandon's favorite parts of the game. He laughed hysterically every time this "bird" climbed on top of the dugout.

Seventh inning stretch in the fun zone.
Here is an a pic of the actual game that Brandon took himself.















Brandon and I in front 0f the Silverhawks van.














It was a great night out, thanks Dad. I am sure it is a night that we will look back on with found memories, especially after the sun started going down.

Lisa

Fourth of July Parade

We had a great Fourth of July. Brandon is visiting his dad for the weekend, so its just the girls and James, and I. Don't feel sorry for him missing out on anything. Darren has plans for the air show that I am sure Brandon will enjoy immensely. Early this afternoon we went swimming out at friends of James's parents. Rudy and Bobbie are super nice people and I would say that even if they didn't let me and the kids come out and swim in their pool =) Then this evening at 7, our town parade started. Alyssa was especially excited about the parade since she doesn't remember the one from last year.

Here she is anxiously awaiting the start of the parade. The plastic bag is to catch all the candy in.


Here are the twins dressed very patriotically. Kinsey is making that face, because two boys walked by and I told her to look at me and not at the boys =)

Here is James and Alyssa enjoying the parade. For those of you wondering, the tattoo is new, and their is a story behind it that I am not going to go into right now. Suffice it to say, it is kind of a memorial tattoo.

Here are the girls waving the flags that someone was handing out.

Here is Alyssa, not quite the cookie jar, but mom caught her hand in something =) So, that was the parade. We saw fireworks last night at the lake. I planned on taking lots of pictures, but alas I never got around to it. Even without pictures it was a great night with family topped off with some great fireworks.

Lisa

Visits to Grandmas house

We have had a great couple of weeks. Brandon's surgery is coming up on us fast, July 11th. So, we have been trying to get some visiting in. We visited Grandma Marilyn in Fort Wayne, and Grandma Lake...at the lake. So without further ado, pictures =)

Here is Brandon riding the triceratops at the Fort Wayne mall. For those of you that haven't been there recently they have installed a giant two story carousel. No trip to Grandmas is complete without a ride or two on the carousel.








After the dinosaur, Brandon switched to the tiger.













Here is Alyssa riding a horse, her favorite! Grandma was nice enough to ride with her =)












Then, on to the zebra. Did I mention that each ride costs 2 bucks =)











Eight dollars later, we were done on the carousel. We all went back to grandma's and hung out. Grandma had a big bottle of bubbles that she and Alyssa enjoyed. Unfortunately the batteries in my camera died, so no pictures of that. It was a great visit though, one we don't get to make often enough. Later in the week, we went and visited my grandma. The kids refer to her as grandma lake. My cousin and her two kids were there. The weather was pretty yucky on the drive up, but we got lucky and had a break in the weather. So after eating our McDonalds lunch, the kids were able to swim for about an hour, and then they played inside with lots of great toys and their cousins.
Here is Grandma and Kinsey, while she was taking a break.












Brandon the fish.













Here are the twins getting dried off, and ready to come inside. The weather was starting to turn on us again.











I love this picture. These two are so cute. This is Alyssa and Alex. They loved coloring together, though to be honest I think Alyssa just loved having someone her age to play with for a change =)








We all love spending time at the lake. It's another great place that we don't get to often enough. We are trying though. We are going up to the lake tonight for fireworks, hopefully I will get a chance to take some great pictures, with my camera. I had some really cute pictures of the twins with their cousin Taylor, but they were taken with my grandmas camera. So I am prepared, I have my camera and an extra set of batteries. Hopefully I will get some great pictures and be able to blog again soon.

Lisa