Quotes from the boys

Nash (5) and Nolan (3) were playing cars.  There was a lot of shooting and crashing going on.  Nash yells, "Finn McMissile...he's dead..oh no..wait..look Nolan..he's alive..he's not dead..he's not dead, I checked his tailpipe!"

After reading a book in bed with Nolan, I asked him if we could pray.  I started to pray and usually he will repeat me.  This time he said, "No mom, I'm da leader."  And then, the sweetest prayer..."Hey God.  Thank you for all my family.  Thank you for my friends.  Thank you for shirts.  Thank you for the MS walk."  Melted my heart!  Since then, most of his prayers start out like this..."Hey God.  Thank you for Monster Jam..."  So cute!

Me, Nash, Great Grandma Phyliss, Nolan, and Whit (taken on Mother's Day)

MS Walk 2013

You may remember a previous post when I mentioned a couple of curveballs in 2012.  Curveball number 1: We learned some new information about my health.  I had been having some weird symptoms since March of 2011.  A more recent round of testing suggested what I had been suspicious of since the start.  My neurologist informed me I probably had MS.  I know, a huge shock to most!  Last August, Nyle was just 20 days old when my feet started going numb.  The numbness quickly climbed up my body to my rib cage.  SCARY!  I went through another round of testing and MRIs.  I had these tests back in April of 2011 after my very first signs but nothing showed up.  This time the testing was consistent with signs of MS.  My neurologist diagnosed me with transverse myelitis which is basically like a single attack.  I had a series of steroid infusions which I didn't think really helped at the time.  In January I decided to start on daily injections to decrease the number of exacerbations and slow the progression of MS.  Unfortunately I had another flare up in February which was very much like the one in August.  This time I decided to wait on the infusions.  My numbness got worse and I felt like I was walking on gravel.  I also noticed my balance was getting worse and decided to get another series of steroid infusions.  This time my symptoms started getting better the very first week.  Since then my symptoms have been well controlled.  I started taking vitamin D and I have been pretty serious about a gluten free diet for at least 6 months now.  I feel good.  I have a little bit of numbness on the bottom of my feet and my abdomen is pretty numb.  My symptoms tend to come out a little more after I exercise and when I'm hot.  Overall, I feel great and I feel SO fortunate that I feel the way I do.  And I have the most amazing support group of family and friends.  My friend Tosha texted me a bible verse shortly after my tests came back last fall.  It gave me peace and got me through that dark time quicker than I ever knew possible.  Isaiah 41:13  For I am the Lord your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you 'Do not fear, I will help you.'  Are you kidding me?  How can I be scared when God is on my team?

I was sitting at the infusion center the first week of May when I looked down at the lab order in my hand and noticed the doctor had officially diagnosed me with Multiple Sclerosis.  I felt a weird feeling of relief actually.  In my heart I already knew I had it, and now I felt like I could do something I had been thinking of doing for a while.  Until I saw that diagnosis, I didn't feel that I could tell my whole story.  I wanted to get a team together for Walk MS.  But first, I had to "come out of the closet" so to speak.  Up to this point, only my family and a few close friends knew.  I decided I could either keep it to myself, or I could use my story to help other people.  I am a physical therapist, so I have worked with several patients with MS over the last 9 years.  I felt I had a great opportunity to encourage others.  On March 20th, I told my boss and on May 1st, 2013, I posted my personal story on Facebook and started to raise money and recruit team members for the MS Walk.  I entered my goal of raising $200 for the walk.  I thought this was a good amount for my first one.  Well, I have absolutely amazing, generous people in my life and God is good!  With the help of my kids, we named our team 'MS Avengers.'  On May 18th, our team of over 35 Avengers walked 3 miles to stomp out MS and raised over $5000!  Amazing!

Nash and Maddox

Jason and I with our Little Avengers: Nolan, Nash and Nyle

Me and my mom

Avengers

Avengers

Avengers

Me and my sis

My dad and I

Caelen, Erin (college roomie) and I

Andrea, me and Laura

Jen, me and Riley

Me, Jason and Nyle

Jessica, Beau, Gia and me

Kaden, Kelly, Me, Jen, Harper, Leah and Shauna

Mom and Linda

MS Avengers

What a success!  Planning to do it again next year!
I do not plan to make this blog about my MS.  But it is a part of my life now.  I really wanted to post about our big, successful weekend and say thank you to all who walked and/or donated to this cause.  THANK YOU!!!

Nash's Last Day of Preschool

Nash finished preschool this week.  He will be heading off to kindergarten in a few months.  I have mixed emotions, of course.  It just seems like not too long ago he surprised us by arriving into this world over a week earlier than expected.  And now off to big boy school?!  I'm excited because he is really looking forward to being in the same school as some of his older friends.  And he LOVES to learn.

Nash-5

Nash and me

Picking daisies for his teachers

Project "Crossroads"

We have some land not too far away and this year we decided to try our hands at farming.  OK, it's more like gardening, but its a huge garden so we feel like farmers.  We've never had a garden before.  A few weeks ago we went out to "the farm" and Jason tilled up a 28X70 foot area.

Farmer Jason

Nash and Nolan supervising

Farmer's wife and CEO

Ready for planting

Last week, it finally dried out enough that we could get the seeds into the ground.  Jason and I planted about 500 sweet corn kernels by hand.  When that was done I wanted to call it a day.  Thank goodness Grama Jo and Nana showed up to give us our second wind.  They are the reason the watermelon, cucumbers, peppers, sugar snap peas, pumpkins, squash, and brussel sprouts also got planted.  And we even got the electric fence up and running to keep the coyotes and raccoons at bay.

Taking a break for a golf cart ride around the farm

Nash, Me and Nyle

Farmer Peg, Farmer Nash and Farmer Julie

Bring on the rain!!!

Quotes from the boys

Nash:  "Babies make me want to barf."
Aunt Daniele:  "What?  You love babies."
Nash:  "I know!  They are so cute I just want to barf!"

Nolan (at the zoo):  "Follow me.  I'm da leader."

Nash: "Mom, your brain must be this big." (holding fingers together the size of a golf ball).  "Because it can only hold one idea at a time."

Nolan:  "Look at all the gandylions!"

Nolan (3 years) and Nash (5years) 

Mother's Day at the Zoo

Despite the windy chilly weather, we met up with Daniele's family at the zoo today to celebrate Mother's Day weekend.  Once we were inside it was a little less windy and we had a great time.

Nyle nestled in to stay out of the wind

checking out the animals

Nolan ready to see some wallabies

Nana and Nyle checking out the birds

Wild animals!!!

Grama Jo, Nash, Nana and Nini looking at the lions

All aboard!  Nini,  Nash, Nolan and Jason ready for the train ride.

Nash and I

Play Ball!

Nash started his second season of tee ball.  His first game was last Sunday.  They had a good time.  Nash says his favorite part is hitting and running.  Jason is coaching again this year.

So proud of you Bud!

Nyle's 9 month check-up

Tooth number 4 is now working its way in.  He got up on all fours for the first time yesterday.  He growls like a tiger.  His newest game is to spit his food EVERYWHERE when he has had enough and make his brothers laugh hysterically.  He had his 9 month checkup on Tuesday and he weighed 25 pounds, 7 oz. (99th percentile!).  Height 29 1/4 inches (82nd percentile) and head circumference 46.5cm (87th percentile).  Doing great Buddy!

Daddy's New Work

You might remember a previous post where I mentioned that we had a few curveballs at the end of 2012.  I'll work backward...Curveball #2: Jason parted ways with his previous employer at the end of December.  Fortunately it did not take him long to find his next adventure.  It's a little bit of a drive for him but he likes the job and the people.  The boys and I decided one day to visit Daddy at work.  We had to stop twice on the side of the road for potty breaks.  At the first stop, I realized Nolan had jumped into the van without any shoes on.  It was my fault actually.  He came out of the house without shoes on and I told him to go ahead and get in the van and I would grab his shoes.  I don't know why I think I will remember things like this, I get way too distracted.  Luckily there is a Wal-Mart on the way so we picked up some $11 shoes and away we went.  I think this is the first time I have taken all three boys into a store solo...desperate times call for desperate measures.  So, eventually we made it to Daddy's work.

Nolan and Nash

The boys had so much fun.  We went to a park and had a picnic when Jason was done working.  Fun day!  So thankful for this new job and extra thankful that he likes it!

Nyle Steven is 9 months old!!

Nyle is picking up puffy snacks and putting them in his mouth.  He is sleeping great at night and taking two good naps during the day.  He started saying "dadada" today but of course he started saying "ma" before that.  Nash thinks he is saying "more" but it's definitely "ma." :0) He loves to watch his brothers and rolls from room to room to see what they are up to.  He is a happy guy with a contagious giggle.  Everyone says he looks like his daddy and he gets lots of compliments on his handsome blue eyes.

My 3rd tooth is popping through!