Boy or Girl?

  James and I were scheduled to find out the gender of our new bundle on July 24th. Unfortunately, James had to go on a last minute trip out of the country and wasn't able to make the appointment. We talked it over and decided to keep the appointment, but to have the technician write the gender down and seal the result in an envelope. This way, we could both find out the gender of our new little nugget together. James returned late that night and we read the news together as a family of five-James, Hunter, and I, along with our two golden children. It was actually more special this way to all find out together.
  My husband poked at me because he thought I had cheated and read it before him. I'll have you all know that I put the envelope in a zipper pocket in my purse and didn't touch it. I can't say I have that much willpower when it comes to cheesecake, but I promise I didn't sneak a peak.
  The next morning we called our family and some close friends to relay the news. James asked what I would feel like if they had gotten it wrong. We would obviously be elated, regardless.
Our sweet neighbor and dear friend, Catriona, brought over donuts that were iced in pink and white with blue sprinkles, so that we could do a little gender reveal. Hunter enjoyed both donuts!

 Since James was teasing me about the tech getting the gender wrong, we decided to confirm before we revealed the gender to too many people publicly. We went to see a sweet glimpse of our little one this morning during an anatomy scan. We were excited to see a healthy baby. The technician, who knew nothing of Hunter's condition, said that the baby had a nice looking, healthy spine. James and I breathed a sigh of relief for the time being.

Check out that sweet profile.

So, without further ado......

We will be adding a new book to our story time collection.

                                                            

We are thrilled to be having a little GIRL at the end of December! We can't wait to meet our little Ladybug!

Grab a fork and appreciate the sweet things.

  A couple of weeks ago, we went out to eat at a restaurant that we frequent. They have pretty good food, but we also like the fact that it is less than 2 miles from our house. When Hunter was in little burrito mode it was a regular choice, because the distance proved to be to our advantage if we had to make a quick exit. 

 James would affectionately tell you that I have a big sweet tooth, and as much as I hate to admit it, he's probably right. I will have to say that I come it honestly, though. Growing up, we had Blue Bell most days after lunch and dinner. The Holmstrom family has been known to have dessert after lunch, dinner, and some of us may have even had dessert for breakfast a time or two. Cake and ice cream has dairy and eggs... that counts right?! 

  Anyway, one of my favorite things on the menu at our go-to restaurant is the S'more Pie. I'm not a big pie person, but that pie is a pregnant woman's dream and it was the sole reason that I wanted to eat there that night. We had a nice dinner and then James had another drink, since he's drinking for two these days ;) , and I ordered the S'more Pie. The only dessert that they didn't have that day was the S'more Pie. Oh the irony! Didn't see that coming. I had built up this whole dessert idea in my mind and I couldn't go to bed without having something to appease myself. So, I went home and made my own version of oven baked s'mores. It wasn't nearly as good as the one I'd been hoping for, but sweet none the less.

  

  We made the trip to Dallas this past Monday, as Hunter was scheduled to receive cast #4 yesterday. 

Here a few pictures before casting...

                Hunter was so glad to see his Daddy and he is becoming his little "mini me". 

                     James was on a call and Hunter decided he needed to be on a call too.

 

                                                      A little comic relief before dinner.

Up early and ready to receive cast #4 at Scottish Rite.

                                                             Waiting to be admitted.

  

 I've given you a little glimpse when we've talked about prior casts about waiting to be taken back into surgery or just waiting period. We're not so much for waiting. In fact, we could do without it all together, but that's how things go. Hunter is usually starving, as he is a big breakfast man. That is the best meal that he eats all day, so when he can't eat and we have to distract him, things get a little hairy. I have learned to bring a "hospital" set of toys, videos, etc. that Hunter hasn't played with in a while. That usually works for all of 2 1/2 minutes. 

  Yesterday was a good day. It didn't necessarily end the way that we had hoped, but a good day none the less. It was a good day for many reasons. One big reason was that our waiting was filled with the best distraction we could have asked for. I am a member of a closed Facebook group for parents and caregivers of littles with PIS. The group is run by the founder of ISOP and a couple of parents who have been around the block with PIS. It has been invaluable to me in terms of education and building relationships with other parents from around the world. I've gotten to know several families that have received treatment at Scottish Rite and one special family that is actually currently receiving treatment there. We had the great opportunity of meeting in person yesterday, since our little people were both undergoing procedures. We were so excited to meet this sweet family and Hunter was thrilled to make a new friend. His new friend, Baylor, received halo traction for her scoliosis and will be staying at Scottish Rite for the next two months. 

  Hunter gave Baylor a few things to make the days in the hospital a little more fun. Baylor and Hunter chased each other down the hallways and she pulled Hunter in his wagon and gave him a tour while we parents visited. I'm sure it was a great distraction from hunger pangs for both Hunter and Baylor. Beautiful Baylor is a remarkable little girl and we were so blessed to have been able to meet she and her family. Lucky for Hunter, he will get to visit Baylor again in October when he receives cast #5. Until then, we will keep in touch and keep sweet Baylor and her family in our prayers.

  Hunter soon got called down to day surgery to take his goofy juice. He had done so well as the nurse took his blood pressure, weight, and temperature. When she began to give him the prep medicine he was very upset and resistant, but it quickly took into effect.

                           

  Hunter's doctor came in and spoke with us prior to surgery. We discussed the tightness of the previous cast on his stomach. He decided to make the tummy window, which I affectionately refer to as his tickle hole, a little larger, which would in turn, make the cast sit lower on his waist.  Hunter went back about 10:10 a.m. and was finished with casting around 11:00 a.m. His doctor came back in and spoke with us before they brought Hunter back to us. He thought that he had gotten good results and said that his skin looked great. He said that as he pushed in traction, his breathing was steady. This is a good indicator that as he continues to push for correction that he will be able to take more traction and gain continued improvement. He said some kids exhibit difficulty breathing at this point during the procedure, so we were thankful for that. We discussed the potential results and I asked several questions. Hunter was at 25 degrees in cast #3 and his doctor was hoping to get him into the teens in cast #4. Characteristically, he has been getting about 7 to 10 degrees of improvement with each cast.
  They wheeled Hunter in and he was a tad grumpy to say the least. Once he was able to stand, we took him down to X-ray. When we returned, I sat him down and checked his legs in a sitting position. The cast seemed to be rubbing on his thighs, so his doctor came back in and trimmed it before we went home. He told us that since we were still there that he would go read the X-ray results and come back and talk with us again. The doctor returned with copies of the X-rays and a look of disappointment. Instead of getting into the teens, Hunter only went from 25 degrees to 22 degrees.

                             

February 19, 2014                                                                     August 19, 2014
60 degrees                                                                                 22 degrees

  The results weren't exactly what we or the doctor had hoped for, but improvement is improvement. Better to be dancing forward than swaying side to side or two stepping backwards. Our concern is that we have a lot of unanswered questions. Generally, with PIS, you'd like to get as much improvement as possible before the age of 2. We are blessed beyond measure that we started casting when we did and are being treated at Scottish Rite, which is the best of the best. As Hunter quickly approaches age 2, it is hard not to worry that the window of improvement will decrease or that we may never get to the point where he can have three consecutive casts below 10 degrees, which is the ultimate goal.
  This morning, I started reflecting on a few things as James and I talked about Hunter's results. James pointed out the positives to me, as he is always great about doing. He asked me to look at the X-rays and study and compare the state of Hunter's collar bone and hip alignment in both X-rays. If you look at those two areas there has been vast improvement. We will continue to look at the glass half full and press forward.
  When I was a freshman at A&M, my dearest childhood friend lived a couple floors away in the same dorm. I remember her roommate talking about the Garth Brooks song "Unanswered Prayers" and discussing how much she disliked the song and didn't believe there were unanswered prayers. I think that the wording leaves room for interpretation. I feel that if God directly answered every want and prayer exactly as it is prayed, then I would probably know a lot of lottery winners.
  As we walk through this life we experience happiness, fear, disappointment, triumph, failure, heartbreak, and love. There were times that I desperately prayed for something or someone and the prayer didn't go unanswered or unnoticed, but it wasn't necessarily answered the way that I had hoped it would be at the time. Those prayers were always answered in His timing and according to His perfect plan. While those prayers were answered differently than I had prayed them, they were answered better than I could have ever dreamed or imagined. I firmly believe that God's plan allows us to experience pain and disappointment, along with joy, in order to mold us into the people that we are supposed to be. I feel that this helps us to better appreciate God's plan for our lives. All we need to do is to continue to pray, grab a fork, and appreciate the sweet things as they come.


  As always, thank you for reading. Please continue to share Hunter's story and keep he and his progress in your prayers. Pray for his new friend, Baylor, as she receives treatment, as well.
Hunter, James, and I are going to check in on Hunter's new sibling tomorrow, as we have an anatomy scan to look at the baby's organs and confirm the gender. We found out the gender at the end of July and once we take a another look tomorrow, I will have Hunter do a special gender reveal for you all.

Stay tuned and Blessings to you all!

Hunter is cast #4. He's already back to drumming with anything that will make noise, playing with his tractors, and antagonizing our golden children.

 

"Crazy Little Thing Called Love"

   I know, I know...I did promise that I would post more frequently, but we've been busy going through our day to day, and somehow time has just gotten away from me. Whomever said that the days are long but the years are short, was right on the money. Lately, I've been feeling like I did when I was teaching, as I would excitedly prepare for the new year with anticipation, while I would desperately try to clench onto those last days of summer. Where has the summer gone?
 
 Brief update on Hunter...
  We are so over cast #3. Two and a half months is more than long enough for a little man to be in a cast in the summer months. I can tell that he's starting to itch, as he keeps pulling at his undershirt. He is starting to smell a little like a stinky foot, not to mention that it is still pretty tight on his little tummy. Lucky for us, we are in Dallas and Hunter will be the new owner of cast #4 in about 12 hours. Yay for a bath and a new cast!
  Hunter was down to 25 degrees in this last cast. Please pray that he receives good correction in cast #4. Little Man will be two on September 7th and research has shown that little nuggets get the best correction prior to age two. I will post an update later in the week when we have a better idea of his progress.
 
 While most of my posts thus far have been related to Hunterman, today I want to brag on my husband. If you've never met my partner in crime, he is husband, father, son, and friend. James is kind-hearted, intelligent, and lovingly sarcastic, while being a wonderful provider, faithful listener, and fervent supporter of my dreams and ambitions. He makes me laugh and is the type of person that has never met a stranger. He has the admired characteristics of several men that I have held dear to my heart: my maternal grandfather-Ansel Holmstrom, my dad-Ron Schlabach, my step-dad-Mike Litterst, and the husband of one of my close friends-Bill Farney.
I couldn't have chosen better myself ;) Praise God for divine design!
  In November, we will have been married five years and have been together for seven years. It seems like the blink of an eye, although he might tell you it feels a lot longer. Ha!
Some people would say that we are still in the honeymoon stage. Several people have told us to wait until we are married 10+ or 15+ years and we will be tired of one another and be glad when we have some much anticipated time away from one another. Honestly, I hope that is not the case. Over the last year, James has worked from his home office, with some speckled travel. This may be too much togetherness for some, but we have enjoyed it and truly miss each other when we aren't together, even if it's for one day.
  At the beginning of last week, James left for China on a business trip and to be nice/politically correct, however you'd like to label it, the trip the was, in short, a comedy of errors. I won't go into all of the ridiculous details, but let's just say he's glad to be back in the U.S. He was flying standby and tried to leave China beginning late last Thursday evening to return home. The poor guy didn't catch a flight home until Saturday morning our time (Saturday evening in China), which put him flying into Dallas around 11:30 p.m. Saturday night. I told him that I would meet him in Dallas, as we would be making our way here Monday, today, for casting and he chose to fly to Austin yesterday morning to meet us. He slept in the airport Saturday night and caught what he thought would be a 30 minute flight from Dallas to Austin at 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning. After a power outage, mechanical delay, and thunderstorm delay, that 30 minute flight became a 2+ hour delayed flight. He finally made it to Austin about 11:30 Sunday morning. I may be getting soft or it could have been all of the pregnancy hormones, but watching Hunter spot his daddy coming down the escalator and begin grinning from ear to ear made me tear up. When James got off the plane he told me that he missed us so much otherwise he would have just let us meet him Monday. How sweet is that?! I have to say, Hunter and I are pretty lucky.
   Recently, James, Hunter, and I had the privilege of attending the wedding of one of my former athletes, Kelsey Kniffin. Beautiful wedding, handsome groom, and gorgeous bride. While we had never met her groom before that night, the ceremony was such that James and I left feeling like we had known him for years. It was obvious by that way that Michael looked at Kelsey that he completely adores her. You can only wish for your children, athletes, and loved ones that they find a person to walk through life with that truly compliments them. No, I didn't say completes. I don't swoon over the quote from Jerry Maguire, "You complete me", because I believe each person in a partnership or marriage, should be a complete person within themselves. We are blessed by the people that the Lord chooses to perfectly pair us with to compliment our lives.
  James and I are hardly at a milestone in our marriage where I should give marital advice. Maybe another 10+ years when we know everything there is to know and are tired of each other.
Just kidding ;) As a former English teacher and quote fanatic, I will share this poem that sums up my sentiments.

"The Art of Marriage"

By Wilferd A. Peterson

Happiness in marriage is not something that just happens.

A good marriage must be created.

In the art of marriage the little things are the big things..

It is never being too old to hold hands.

It is remembering to say "I love you" at least once a day.

It is never going to sleep angry.

It is at no time taking the other for granted;

The courtship should not end with the honeymoon,

It should continue through all the years.

It is having a mutual sense of values and common objectives.

It is standing together facing the world.

It is forming a circle of love that gathers in the whole family.

It is doing things for each other, not in the attitude 

or duty of sacrifice, but in the spirit of joy.

It is speaking words of appreciation 

and demonstrating gratitude in thoughtful ways.

It is not looking for perfection in each other.

It is cultivating flexibility, patience, 

understanding, and a sense of humor.

It is having the capacity to forgive and forget.

It is giving each other an atmosphere in which each can grow.

It is finding room for the things of the spirit.

It is a common search for the good and the beautiful.

It is establishing a relationship where the independence is equal, 

dependence is mutual, and the obligation is reciprocal.

It is not only marrying the right partner, it is being the right partner.

It is discovering what marriage can be, at its best.

While it would be a wonderful blessing to be married to your spouse for 50+ years, in this crazy little thing called love, it's not the number of years but the time in those years spent together.