Christmas

Christmas this year was very nice - and quiet! Mike and I so enjoyed the kids on Christmas morning. James came into our room about 3am and whispered, "Mommy...Santa came! He left my stocking at the end of my bed!" Thankfully he did go back to sleep until about 7am. I remember that "Christmas Morning" feeling like it was yesterday - waking up so excited Christmas morning and looking for the faithful stocking that was always left at my bedroom door or at the foot of my bed. (Thank you Mom for making such a special memory for me and a tradition that I can pass on to our kids!) Kelsey was not very interested in unwrapping anything - she was more interested in the toys that had already been unwrapped by her big brother.

The obvious "best gift" for the family was Leo, our new little friend. He continues to bring us such joy and James especially just loves him. Leo has managed to worm his adorable little way into snuggling in bed with James as he falls asleep at night. It so warms our hearts to see James so happy with his new best buddy! Kelsey also loves to lay on Leo's new cedar dog bed and cuddle with him.

Christmas evening was spent at our home with Mike's parents, Brother Erik and his family. The kids had a wonderful time playing with their cousins Ryan and Meredith.

Mike also turned 35 Christmas day. We celebrated with cake and gifts for Mike after Christmas dinner.

My mom continues to heal from her surgery in the comfort of her own home. She says she is sore, but feeling better and better - depending on the day.

Here are some pictures of Christmas...

"Leo"

Santa came a week and a half early this year with a special gift for our family...Yes, another furry friend. "Leo" is a AKC purebred German Short Hair Pointer. He is such a sweet and kind animal! He is 6 months old, his previous owner has already trained him a bit, but most importantly they potty trained him. The kids (James especially) LOVE him! Unlike Ben, who is getting stiff and grumpy in his old age, they can hug and snuggle with Leo. Where do we stand now in the pet department? 2 Dogs and 2 Cats, ("Mo" the fish passed away a few months back). Mike and I both truly believe that having a pet is one of the great joys in life - especially for the kids. We both reminisce about the dogs we had as children and how fun it was to grow up with a dog. Here are some pictures of our new friend!

O' Happy Day...

Okay, I believe each day we have air in our lungs and ground to walk on is a gift - but some days are just greater than others. Today was one of those days for me and our family! I spent a WONDERFUL morning in Sisters with a friend that I have not seen in a long time. No kids, no crowds, just 2 friends enjoying hot chocolate, endless chatting, and shopping! It was a wonderful and much needed break for me!!
I have had lots of updates on my Mom's surgery and all is good! Her surgery was about 5 1/2 hours long - as expected. It went well and her spirits are good. She and my Dad have also made the decision that she will go to a rehabilitation facility before going home. I believe this will be such a good stepping stone in her recovery!
As some of you may know, we applied to the Sparrow Club in Bend in hopes of getting some financial assistance with Kelsey's Hippo and Water therapy bills. I had called many time in the last 6 weeks and never heard back, so at the beginning of this week, I truly had given up on the idea and just figured that God had another plan in mind. Not so fast...This afternoon the phone rang, and it was the new applicant coordinator for the Sparrow Club. YES! We have a meeting at our home tomorrow morning, and it sounds like Kelsey will most likely be "adopted" by the club as a project. We are so thankful for this early Christmas Gift!
Thanks for your continued thought and prayers for my Mom. She has a long road ahead!

Wednesday

Quick update on my Mom...She is in surgery right now as I type this. They tested the infection and found that it was safe top proceed with the planned back surgery, so it should take around 5 hours. She went in at 2pm. I will update here when I know more information. Thanks!

Mom's Surgery Update...

My mom went in for her back surgery today with high hopes of correcting the problems that have developed since the last surgery. My Dad called me this morning about 10:30 and said unfortunately, when they opened her up, they found that she has a "pocket" of infection in the area that was to be operated on. So, long story short, they had to close her up and must clear up the infection before they can proceed. Obviously, very disappointing news. If the infection is able to be cleared up, she may still have the surgery done later on in the week - but time will tell on that! Keep her in your prayers as I know when she wakes and learns that she has not been "repaired", she will be terribly disappointed. PS...Any well wishes to her would sure be appreciated. She is at St. Vincents in Portland.

Christmas Tree Hunting

Today, Mike, James, Grandpa Roger, and I headed out into the Beautiful Deschutes Wilderness area to find that O-So-Important symbol of Christmas - our tree! Mike could spend a lifetime looking for the "perfect" tree, but we managed to find a great Noble Fir tree in a few hours time! We scaled it down a bit this year - only about 10 feet or so instead of the 15 foot monster of last year!! The tradition of picking a Christmas Tree is extra special here in Bend where we are so close to the wilderness!

Friday night was family night to see Santa at the Alyce Hatch Center. It was very crowded, so we only got to see Santa from a distance, but Kelsey thoroughly enjoyed the cupcake walk in her classroom!

It's hard to believe we are almost into December with this very clear and warm weather we are having! The "Men" - James, Mike, and Grandpa Roger took advantage of the Spring-like weather today and went out fishing at Lake Billy Chinook. Catch of the day - 14 Kokanee! They had a very pleasant, uneventful day until they got home...Poor Grandpa hooked his thumb with barbed fishing hook! Ouch! A quick trip to the urgent care center took care of it.

James has become quite the little fisherman! He had a struggle with one fish today, but handled the pole and reeling the fish in all on his own. It's so fun to watch him grow more independent and develop into a young man!

Healing Reins...

Finally!! Kelsey had her first "Hippo" therapy session today at Healing Reins, and it went FANTASTIC! She had not an ounce of fear to leave me and go off with Kristen (her physical therapist) and the other 2 horse handlers. The children get onto the horses by way of a ramp, so Kelsey happily climbed right on "PEACHES" and was so happy! I was amazed at the Healing Reins riding facility - it's a beautiful ranch and arena. I was also pleasantly surprised at how hard Kelsey worked riding the horse. She is supported at the hips by a belt, but the rest is all her! She had to use lots of core muscles to keep herself sitting tall and steady on Peaches. They played a bunch of reaching games with Peaches assistance like basketball, ring games, and riding at different speeds and over obstacles - all in the name of working that Kelsey's muscles (without her realizing how hard she was working!). My apologies for the picture quality...The arena does not have great lighting for pictures and I had to take them from a distance as no parents are allowed in the riding arena! When it was time to put Peaches away and Kristen asked Kelsey, "Are you ready to get off?" Kelsey had a firm answer of "NO!!"

Happy Thanksgiving to you all -

Small blessings...

Wow what a week!! I have been reminded of a very important lesson this week...We only have so much control of our lives, the rest is in Gods hands! Monday, Kelsey had her pool therapy - went fabulous! She loves Kristen (her p/t at Healing Bridge). We will have Hippo therapy this upcoming Tuesday, and I will be sure to post pictures! Tuesday, Kelsey had group and did great - I left her once again in the loving hands of her teachers - and she never fussed or looked for me! A great thing!

Tuesday afternoon I fulfilled my promise to James to put the garland up on our staircase at home - very fun and sure helps get us all in the Holiday spirit!
Wednesday, James had an early wake up call when he fell out of bed and bonked his head. We took him in late to school that day and on the way home from dropping him off, I figured out that I had a screw poked in my rear tire on the Expedition and it was going flat - so my planned morning of getting "Tons Done" was cancelled and replaced with an hour and a half of sitting at Les Schwab eating popcorn. Today, I had 2 extra children at our house - and lets just say that it was a rough afternoon! What do all the bumps in the road mean? I believe that it is God's way of keeping us on track! This week especially, I could have easily been steered off course with worrying about some other family issues at hand. Instead, the bumpy week has kept my focus on my first and foremost priorities - my family!
Blessings...I had a very close friend say to me this week, "Blessings are coming in all the time, you just have to look for them." Correct you are my friend! $1.99 per gallon of gas this week when I filled up, James was not injured when he bonked his head, Kelsey was happy at group, I got in touch with an old friend from high school, etc., etc., etc.! You just have to look!

Uncoming dates...

Friends and Family...
Times they are a busy!!! Here are a few important dates we have coming up that I want to pass along...
*Yesterday - Kelsey had her yearly evaluation to set goals for the upcoming year. Comparing her progress from last year to now was AMAZING! She is almost right in line with a "typical" child. Her goals we set for the upcoming year are mostly balance items. Yeah for her!
*November 25th - Kelsey starts Hippo Therapy at Healing Reins (Finally). We are sooooo excited for her to begin working with a horse, and her therapist is a wonderful woman who I know will ensure that Kelsey thrives in this new venture!
November 27th - We will travel to Portland and spend Thanksgiving dinner with my parents and also make a few other family visits while in Portland, then will will return to Bend on Friday.
December 8th - My Mom (Laurie) will have another back surgery. Mike and I and the kids will travel to Portland on Sunday the 7th and stay at my parents home for a few days to help with John and free my Dad up to spend time at the hospital with my Mom. (Would you please keep this date in your thoughts and prayers?).
"LIFE...a miracle of love, a journey of joy"

Weekly Update

We had a very busy week this week! We saw some of our first snow flakes flying in Bend! With the snow came some cold temperatures - and a broken furnace! Thankfully, we found someone to quickly fix it!

Kelsey was scheduled to have her first "pool" therapy this week, but that was cancelled due to a cold she is getting over. Doing some swimming pool therapy is part of her preparation for Hippo (Horse) therapy. We will try again Monday. Kelsey also had her "Pre-Pre-School" this week at the Alyce Hatch center. I left her for the first time in the hands of the teachers (I was just down the hall in a parents room :-), and she did great! The ratio of the teaches to kids is usually about 4 to 6!!! I actually got very choked up peeking in on the class. Those women that are teachers for these special needs kids are just amazing human beings! They genuinely care for these kids, and maximize every second they have in the classroom to work with the children. I feel so incredibly grateful for them!

We had James's first parent teacher conference of the year this week as well - both teachers sung his praises (always great to hear!). He so enjoys school and is learning so much! He is still very quiet at school, but that is okay - it is probably why he is absorbing so much information - he is not chit chatting!

James's best little pal Colby, lost his precious Dog Jake to doggy Heaven this week. The other night at dinner, Mike and I were asking James where he thought Jake was. Keeping in mind the recent passing of our fish "Mo", he looked up at us and said, "Flushed down the toilet?"

Happiness...

I feel like I'm almost always grateful for our life, family, and friends. But do you ever notice that certain days, you feel even more grateful for the simple things?? Today, I feel so grateful for a number of things... Grateful that I survived a trip to Wal-Mart today with Kelsey (who did not scream at all, thanks in HUGE part to some early Halloween candy!), grateful for a nice visit and talk with a friend today, grateful for my husband Mike - who is the best Dad ever!!! And this evening, watching our kids carve pumpkins and totally enjoy this simple tradition - I thought to myself, "It does not get any better than this!".

DD Pumkin Patch Trip

Today James and I went on his first official School Field Trip to the DD Pumpkin Patch in Terrebonne. The weather today is absolutely beautiful! Kelsey spent her morning with Grandma and Grandpa, so James and I were able to have some special time with just the two of us.

A Moment in Time...

This entry is dedicated to my cousins Kathy, Chad, and Chris who are dealing the with loss of their Dad, Jerry. Jerry past away last night at 8:45PM with his children by his side. Our thoughts and prayers are with you Kathy, Chad, and Chris today. We are truly sorry for your loss.

I was running errands yesterday - alone - and had the luxury of listening to the radio instead of the kids DVD player. With thoughts of Jerry on my mind and the recent loss of Colette's Mom, Chris, I heard the song 100 years by Five for Fighting. As I listened to the lyrics of the song, I was so moved at the truth of the words in that song. We are here for just a moment in time, even if you are blessed enough to live 100 years - It still goes so quickly! Here are some the lyrics of that song...

""I'm 15 for a moment, Caught in between 10 and 20, And I'm just dreaming, Counting the ways to where you are.

I'm 33 for a moment, Still the man, but you see I'm a they, A kid on the way, A family on my mind.

I'm 45 for a moment, Chasing the years of my life,

Half time goes by Suddenly you’re wise, Another blink of an eye 67 is gone. The sun is getting high, We're moving on... I'm 99 for a moment, Dying for just another moment, And I'm just dreaming, Counting the ways to where you. There's never a wish better than this, When you only got 100 years to live.""

We never know when our "moment" will be over. God bless Jerry Ferguson today, and welcome him into your kingdom!

"Hippo" Therapy

We have some exciting news for Kelsey! For some time now, we have heard about "Healing Reins" from a number of people that are involved in Kelsey's life/therapy. Healing Reins is a therapeutic riding center where they do "Hippo" therapy for young children (Hippo is Greek for Horse). We did some investigating into it and had Kelsey evaluated this past week to see if she would be a possible candidate for the program. Because she has Nystagmus, balance issues, low tone trunk muscles, and being diagnosed with mild Ataxic Cerebral Palsy (which we still question), she was accepted into the program!! The program is very full, so we feel grateful that they have made a spot for her. Unfortunately at a large financial cost, but we are trying to iron out that detail with Mike's insurance and we are also going to apply to see if Kelsey may be eligible to join the Sparrow Club of Bend. That is a wonderful program where a local school and business sponsors a child that has a medical need and helps to fund raise and do community work to assist the family with medical expenses and/or therapy. It is basically "Kids helping kids". We have faith that the financial end of it will work itself out.
We are so excited for her to begin this new venture! Like her Mommy and Daddy, she adores all animals. In therapy, she will ride bareback (yes, can you believe that at 2 1/2?!?!) She will have 2 therapists on either side of her, and she will ride and work on those trunk muscles, do lots of balancing exercises with the horse, lots of reaching, and learning to use her core muscles to keep her balance on the horse. It will be a few weeks until she is actually working with a horse, but I will be sure to post pictures! Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we work out the many details of this new venture!

Memories...

I am so blessed to have a husband who is rarely gone in the evenings, but tonight Mike had a rare dinner meeting for the Landscape Contractors board - so it was just the kids and I. The kids are always squirmy at night before bed, so as a special treat we watched a family movie of "James's first year". What a wonderful trip down memory lane! One of the first "scenes" was Mike holding a 1 day old James in the hospital. Not only did Mike look a lot younger, he looked like a deer in the headlights holding this tiny little boy - and not sure what to do with him. It was so sweet! Then, there were many takes of my voice talking to James as I filmed him doing what babies do (rolling over, eating sweet potatoes, sleeping) and as I listened to my voice on the tape oooing and ahhhing over my perfect new son, it brought back those amazing feelings of love and pride that you can only get from your brand new baby! Then, it hit me...I felt a bit sad in a way as I watched and listened to the innocence of my voice on the tape. We missed out on so much of those innocent, love-struck times when Kelsey was an infant, because so many of our moments with her were filled with worry of the unknown . What is wrong with her - if anything? Will she be okay? Will she lead a normal life? Get married? And also times were filled with many moments of relief each time she "passed" another test to rule out some dreadful problem that was given to us as a "possibility". Thankfully, we now know with much more certainty that she is okay and she hopefully will lead a pretty normal life. Though the past 2 1/2 years of her life have been challenging to say the least, Mike and I have grown tremendously - and we are so grateful we have her! We both believe with all our hearts and soles that Kelsey was a gift from God, given to us for a very special reason. We are grateful that he entrusted her to US! What an honor!

Pumpkin Fun...

We went to the Pumpkin Patch in Terrebonne this weekend...Here a some pictures. It was very fun, but very windy and cold! Fall is in the air in Central Oregon! James and Kelsey both chose to get "Casper" white pumpkins again this year.

School Pictures...

You have to love school pictures! This is James's Jr. K class pictures that we just got back today! Though he looks a bit concerned, he really loves school!! Partly because he gets to go to school with his best buddy, Colby (to the left of James in the top row). They are inseparable from what we hear from the teachers. We also heard from the boys that the teachers have opted to separate them during circle time!

Kelsey update...Kelsey had an evaluation on Thursday by one of her new physical therapists. We went over her goals that we had set just 6 months ago, and she has met almost all of them! She is just about up to speed in all of her developmental milestones and we feel so very encouraged for her! She will be re-evaluated again around her 3rd birthday.

A Special Gift...

Tonight, as Mike and I were getting dinner prepared, James was unusually quiet. He sat in a corner, busily working on some sort of project that looked to involve scotch tape, pens, and scissors. When we all finally sat down to dinner, James proudly presented me with a gift - neatly wrapped with paper towels. And even a card attached to the front. I told him I would open it after dinner so we could take a picture of his beautiful wrapping job. With dinner over, James and I sat on the front couch together as I opened his gift that he so lovingly put together for me. See pictures for the rest...

The gift and card...

Wow! My boring grocery list notebook - made much more meaningful by my sweet son. These are the moments that make it all worth it!!

Kindermusik...

I signed Kelsey up a few weeks ago for Kindermusik - a music class for children 18-36 months. Kelsey is such a musical child, she loves to sing and dance - so I thought this would be so fun for her and I. Today was our second time at her class and I think it may be our last! You know how there is always that poor parent at children's classes with the kid who is misbehaving: laying on the floor playing the "limp noodle", taking off her shoes and socks and tossing them at innocent bystanders, trying to escape out the rear door, attempting to raid the teachers personal items? I was that parent at her last 2 classes. But, this is actually a blessing to me! Kelsey still struggles with some motor delays, but has come so incredibly far this past year! So, her acting like your typical naughty 2.5 year old at a silly music class warms my heart. God Bless that little girl that we were so lucky to have been given!

New for me...

I have been so very inspired over the past year by the "blog" of my wonderful lifelong friend Colette. It has been such a wonderful way for me to have a peek into her day to day life since we live such a distance apart - and would not have the opportunity to keep up with details of the Hudson life without Colette's blog. After keeping up with her blog for some time, I started to kick around the idea of starting one of my own for the same reasons that her blog has served. Express thoughts of day to day life, joys, sorrows, etc. and provide a way for family and friends that are unable to see very often a way to "peek" into the Bjorvik's little life here in Bend! So here goes...
Save this to your favorites and check back every so often to see what we are up to!