School's Out

(Pre-School graduation day for Jaimee)

Wow! Time goes by so fast! It's already summer and so much has happened. Jaimee graduated from Pre School, Nathan from Kindergarten and JD from 6th grade! All the kids were right where they needed to be and got the helped we prayed for. How blessed we were with amazing like-minded teachers and therapists who worked so hard to help each of our children excel in all areas. Jaimee's teacher was especially a gift to us in more ways than I can describe-if only we could keep her always! :) Love you Connie! Don't ever stop what you were born to do!

Jaimee has done so well with her Developmental Vaulting Therapy or what we just simply refer to as horse therapy. Nora is her instructor and works hard at this program. We have seen great things come from her therapy-all of them and boy does she have a lot! Below we have her with two of her therapist from California Children's Services. She has about 4 that work regularly with her and they have been amazing all year long! Jaimee is such a hard worker and willing to do and try anything and they adore her for that!

Some of the things that might interest those who follow her progress: Jaimee walks mostly on her own however someone is always nearby to spot her, although at home where she is most comfortable she walks freely. Jaimee is also potty training quite well. She has even initiated some independence in this area and we are hopeful to have her fully trained within the year. For those of you who intimately know Jaimee's history in this area you will appreciate what a triumph this will be! :) Jaimee is trying so hard to run, and for those wanting to continue to pray for her, pray for that. I recently had a dream about her and she was running just like any other kid and it was beautiful to see. It may take years but we have already watched a miracle unfold over the coarse of a year so lets just keep that faith going for her. Most of Jaimee's therapy is concentrated on her core. The more that gets strong and balanced, the better off she'll be. Jaimee is speaking so well! You wouldn't believe the things she comes up with. On her IEP progress report her teacher commented that beside Jaimee working on her speech timing she was working on her comedic timing! She is such a crack up! And she'll tell you she's funny after cracking a joke which is even funnier! Her speech test scores were awesome! Jaimee can really say anything she wants to, it just takes some time to get it all out. Her speed has and will continue to increase over time. Jaimee is processing the world around her much faster. She still has some improving to do in that area but she is making really great progress. She is able to get herself in and out of sitting/standing, chair or bathtub, whatever it may be she does it pretty well most of the time-still falling and needing assistance here and there but is not afraid to keep at it-she shows enormous courage and strength-she really never gives up but asks for help when she has tried her best and cannot do something for herself. Someone close to us was at our house and while observing Jaimee over several days she just kept saying, "Jaimee's BACK!" She's the same in so many ways-she's even getting some of those crusty, pouty-lipped looks back (thanks, but no thanks). She also had some familiar tantrums, cute gestures, sweet inflections in her voice like before and yes, in general is "BACK". A sure sign of progress was that a couple of days ago we went to see her neurologist and she said "her progress is such a miracle she doesn't have to come back again." What a blessing! And yet to help her with all the kinks left remaining we'll take what her neurologist said about still needing "time and therapy" and stay on the long, enduring, but ever-rewarding path of recovery. Another milestone we have reached, but which doesn't come without having to keep in check ones resolve to forge onward.
Some other recent events:

APRIL- Spring Break, visit to the San Diego Temple and Ben 10! Ben had a birthday at the end of April. We had a military standoff in the backyard 10 year old style!

MAY- JD earned his 1st Class Scout Badge, Jaimee turned 5! Memorial Day at Zuma:
Although Jaimee got sick on her birthday, she had fun with the friends and family that were already in town to see her.

JUNE- JD and Ben both got wards at school, the kids had their graduations,we went to celebrate the last day of school and Happy 7th Birthday Nathan!: Whewwwww! I'm worn out just reviewing all the crazy but fun times we had.

So now that school's out we have been enjoying a slower pace schedule and having fun at the beach on a regular basis. I absolutely love, love, love living back near the ocean-didn't realize how much I missed it!

JD and Jaimee are back in summer school for just 19 days and part of that JD will be at scout camp but he is doing well and even tutoring other kids in his class in math. Jaimee continues on with therapy and I am home having fun with Nathan and Ben as well as home schooling Ben through the summer.

As for Jeff, he continues to machine away at the shop trying to grow his business. I was recently voted in as a new member of the Northridge Hospital Foundation where I will work to raise money for various programs but will focus my efforts on the Pediatric Trauma Center which we hope to open in the next 6 months if all goes well; providing an invaluable service and asset to our children within a 100 mile radius of the valley. I am also the new Young Women Secretary and I start school next week to finish the last 2 years of my bachelor degree. I'm studying at the University of Phoenix online program majoring in Communications. When I finish I hope to use my education and talents to work in some capacity with the hospital and its foundation to help other families and the professionals that serve them.

So that's it! Enjoy our family update! Hugs and love to all!

Mardee

One Year Anniversary!

Last Wednesday the 24th of March was Jaimee's 1 year survival anniversary. I didn't want to think about the CPR, the frantic feelings, the clock that sticks out in my mind, the chaos in the emergency room, I just wanted our family to have a FUN day! And that we did!

We spent our day visiting our favorite people. We had a fantastic lunch at Northridge Hopsital with the wonderful Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) staff. It was so great to see Dr. Semnani and all the nursing staff. We missed Dr. Kang and all the night shift but we did get to see some of them last December and they will see us again! We had our favorite Greek food from the Firehouse, took pictures and chatted about all of Jaimee's progress. They were thrilled to have us and we wouldn't have wanted to be anywhere else. We Love You All!

Next we drove up to our former home town and met up at a local park we use to frequent in Littlerock. It was so great to have so many people come! Jeff and I were so touched that so many would take the time out to come visit us and see Jaimee walking-they were thrilled and we were thrilled to see all of our good friends and missed those that couldn't come. I think I counted over 40 children alone! The kids had a ball playing and running around. We love and miss all of you and thank you for the well wishes of those who couldn't make it you are always in our thoughts and prayers. Jeff and I laughed this morning when we talked about how great it was to see our friends and we agreed that we like to "collect friends". We do seem to do that wherever we go and how blessed we are to have so many wonderful friends everywhere we have lived.

So on we press forward still dealing with challenges and realities that sink in every once in a while. Today I went to buy new high tops for Jaimee because she has been burning wholes in the front from dragging her toes as she walks and I saw another 4 year old girl getting a cute pair of high heeled sandals and I was having another "moment" wishing and wondering when my little girl will get the chance to wear shoes like that again. So the reality hits us here and there but with faith we move forward. Tonight I realized I have nothing to be sad about but that what I have been given is a gift. I read a book about a learning disability that JD has and it is all about how it is a gift. Disabilities and handicaps are really a gift to all of us. When understanding is limited we speak slower, when speech is unavailable we speak slower, when movement is strained we move slower with more intention, more patience, more love, more caring, more understanding. There is a whole other world of compassion and sweetness that has been opened to our family, to me and to Jeff that we never saw day to day but is a part of every handicapped child. Jeff went to Outdoor School this past weekend with JD and others with learning disabilities and handicaps and one child was so mentally and physically impaired that you wouldn't think he would have gotten much out of the weekend but when he was on the bus all he could do was squeal and scream with delight because that was all he could do-he couldn't talk but he showed emotion, sweet pure elation. What a gift. How enormously grateful I feel right now that our Father in Heaven gave us such a gift. A favorite scripture of mine says, "I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." The weakness isn't necessarily made strong physically, it is also spiritually, humble and sweet like a child. These children have such a pure love about them, a family member recently described Jaimee as a "love child." The New Testament says, "And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me." What a gift to be closer to our Savior through these beautiful children.

Please keep Jaimee in your prayers as she has begun a new kind of therapy called Developmental Therapeutic Vaulting, aka, Horse Riding Therapy @ Strides in the Valley. She started classes last Friday and based on the initial evaluation we are hopeful for more great improvement. Her speech continues to smooth out, up to about 7-8 word sentences, eating and drinking better, cognitive abilities just about up to age level, hoping the Equestrian therapy helps now with her ability to walk better.

Thanks for checking in with us and keeping our family in your prayers.

Mardee

Attitude

Daddy/Daughter Dance 2/6/2010

Happy New Year everyone! A little late seeing that it's already the first week of February but Happy New Year nonetheless. And Happy Valentine's Day to all this weekend! xxoo

A new year is always exciting. I admit I am one of those who likes to make resolutions, set a good 20 goals for myself, plan the first 3-6 months out, get my fresh new calendar ready with pen in hand. Sadly my new shinny calendar and my re-run resolutions don't always pan out the way I hoped. The success that I'm always looking for requires a little thing called a Positive Attitude. Well, you'd think after 39 years of life I wouldn't need to remind my self of that but that's just what I did after having a reality check with an oh-so-wonderful friend who will remain unknown. Our conversation wasn't all I needed; I decided I needed to have a 2 year old tantrum. If you could have only seen inside my head you would have witnessed all the kicking, screaming, and crying. Well as soon as I got all of THAT out of my system, I snapped out of it and had my attitude adjustment! Ahhhhhhh, it was nice; an excellent and necessary change for me. So now I am happy to say that I have been exercising 6/7 days per week for 5+ weeks, have given up sweets and have successfully shed 10 of the many pounds I put on last year. Still shed tears on occasion but no more panic attacks! 2009 is OVER and 2010 is DEFINITELY going to be my year!

How did I do it you might ask? Well, my attitude change occurred because I told myself that, "if my daughter can learn to walk and talk, jump and run again then I sure as heck can exercise 6 days a week!" So, once again Jaimee is my inspiration and my perspiration! Lately she is A LOT of perspiration! The amazing things she is doing now blows our minds. The better she gets gives me glimpses of all the energy she use to have. Lately she goes, goes, goes and isn't waiting for anyone. In fact, if you come to visit the house she will very excitedly grab your finger, pull you as hard and fast as she can down to her room to show off her kitchen toys and make you play with her. She has just started venturing off on her own out to the backyard always within view though but she is wanting to explore her world again. I watch her finding such joy in discovering everything all over again. A couple of days ago she went all the way to the back of the backyard (a long way if you've seen our yard), got off balance and fell a couple of times, brushed herself off and squealed with delight as she realized she was having a fun walk outside all on her own just enjoying life and the outdoors.

Her main growth over the last 1-2 months has been language and fine motor skills. She can say almost anything. She is speaking in conversational language. She can say almost anyone's name, she can repeat most anything you ask her to say and she can say things spontaneously that you didn't even know she could say which is a great indicator of how much her memory has come back and how rapidly those neurons are reconnecting. In fact, last week we were watching the movie Eragon which we haven't seen since before her injury and when we saw the shinny blue object I asked her to tell me what it was; she easily but slowly said, "drag-on egg". She knows what she is saying and what the subject matter is. She speaks a lot in syllables still but most words that were difficult for her last month are now pretty smooth she just speaks slowly and you have to be patient as she gets each word and syllable out. She even has tried saying Hippopotamus a couple of times! Yesterday she had an appointment at school for an assisted technology evaluation. She had been waiting 4 weeks for this appointment which she had with her speech therapist who almost cancelled the appointment because Jaimee is doing so well. Well during the appointment she got to sit in a chair that vibrates; she looked at her therapist and said while smiling pointing down at the chair "Try". Everyone was amazed at her level of understanding and new abilities to speak in such a short time. The panel gave no recommendations as she is doing just fine on her own!

As for the fine motor growth she has recently been using an adaptive spoon (bent at an angle to have more accurate hand/mouth movement) which has helped her to eat more independently. So much so that now that her eye/hand coordination is so much better she can eat some things with a regular spoon all on her own. She can try cutting things like a banana and she is getting better and better using a fork. She can pick up the tinniest objects like a sequin or use all her fingers picking up a card in a game. She is very much like she always was; gets upset if you help her with something or do it for her before she has the chance to try. You can add to the personality of a child but you can't take away the one they were born with!

JD, Ben and Nathan are all doing well in school. JD has the most going on now that he is a Youth. He turned 12 on November 25, received the Priesthood the following weekend, started passing the sacrament the first Sunday in December, has gone to the temple, is progressing nicely in scouts getting ready to get his second and first class ranks as a Boy Scout, goes camping and to firesides frequently and all and all is very well adjusted and takes his responsibilities as a young man seriously.

Ben is getting ready to receive his Bear Badge as a Cub Scout. He just had Blue and Gold dinner and last month out of 5 packs won the Pinewood Derby! It was very exciting and if I could figure out how to get more pictures on here to show you I would add one from that fun event-soon I hope.

Nathan has been learning so much and is having a great time learning to write and read a little. He loves playing with legos and Bionicles. He was sick the other day and his favorite movie is Cheaper by the Dozen. He watches it over and over again. It's hysterical! What 6 year old loves Cheaper by the Dozen that much! He also informed me a month ago that he wanted me to have another baby! LOL! Not gonna happen-that door is closed. :)

Jeff has passed his midlife crisis of having a beard since he, "couldn't afford a Porshe and a girlfriend would get me in trouble". His daughter asked him to shave it so he did for the Daddy/Daughter Dance. Jaimee was so excited about the whole thing it was hilarious. All week leading up to the dance we would mention what was coming up on Saturday and she would say, "dance party". She kept saying "Yay" every time we mentioned something about it and if you could hear her say "yay" it is the cutest thing you've ever heard. If you can believe it, Jeff was more excited than even she was; before we ever had a daughter he wanted a daughter to take to the Daddy/Daughter Dance. A dream fulfilled is a beautiful thing! They both had a wonderful time and I'll post all the pics on FB.

Jaimee does the LIMBO

Well, as you can see, "Life is Good", the slogan on my key-chain I bought while in the hospital with Jaimee, the unintended first step to speaking into existence a better attitude no matter what our circumstance. We have been blessed indeed. For those who want to pray with us: we continue to pray for Jaimee's hips to get more motion and nerve connection in them as that will help her in her walking the most right now. Lots of love and hugs to all!

Mardee