Home is ....

To many people, home is where their family is or where their work has them located. Yet for some of us, home is not only where our family is but that also includes our "church family". In Dallas, I have had the privilege to attend two wonderful churches but they still don't have that special "tug" like Bay Area fellowship does. I just believe whole heartedly  in the vision the pastor has for the church and for the "lost" of Corpus Christi. Growing up, church was just church; I never felt that "tug" or calling. I know God has a plan for each and everyone of us. I believe that God had me in all the right places to learn the foundation of his word in order to give me the strength during the low moments and show me that the struggles were to prepare me for my purpose in him to help others. Now I know that free will had a lot to do with my choices, but I can't help but believe that God knew I was hard headed and needed to hit my head against that wall a few times in order to "shape" me into a "vessel" he could use.  Thank the good Lord he is patient :) 

I have been able to use my learning experiences to help others; whether just being an open ear and saying nothing at all or sharing my experience and how God has brought me through those darkest hours.  Even here amongst strangers, God has used me to help others by lending my strength and courage; God has blessed me with many new relationships and given me more strength and courage to Carry on.

Aric's ear has been healing quite nicely. There are a few spots I am a little concerned about that I will be asking the doctor about. Our week has been filled with lots of memories and faith strengthening moments. I truly feel blessed!

Aric loves this ski chair :)

Back portion of the Lima bean :)

Staples

Front view 

Little drummer boy from Prestonwood church "the gift of Christmas"

The other drummers suspended in the air

The living Nativity

 Aric's new winter hat from our wonderful neighbors Donna & Kayla

 Riding the horse,really watching himself in the mirror :)

Busted!! Lol..Aric got caught eating in the room :)

Driving Mrs. Estelle :)

My Grandmother Estelle is one of the most endearing people a person could ever meet. People who know her rather intimately know that I am almost a duplicate of her :) Now, some family members might proclaim I am carbon copy but I am going to plead the fifth :) 

This thanksgiving, I was able to spend precious time with her and my Grandfather. I got to see true love in action. My Gma got to come home from the nursing home for several days while we were there. Every night and early morn, my Gpa would help her walk to the potty. The cuteness in it is they were both in their depends and would tell each other how much they loved one another; a love that has last for more than 63 years. 

One of the special moments we had together was a trip just her and I out to Wal-Mart. It was a trip flooded with beautiful memories of old and new. As a lil girl & even up into my teen yrs before I learned to drive :) my Gma and I would go for drives to visit family members, to stores, & garage sales. She informed me that it was her first time to this particular Super Wal-mart due to her unsteadiness through the yrs. It was like seeing things for the first time being with her there. We cut up and people watched, gathered more Christmas decorations for her room at the nursing home, and then looked at her fave; jewelry :) Our Plan was to go and decorate her room on the way home but then our jailers called :) The family thought had run off like Thelma & Louise; the thought crossed my mind ;) 

Life is such a precious gift! The memories created with our loved ones last a lifetime. If that was the last time I ever saw my Gma face to face; I would be ok . One, because she would be home in Heaven & two, because she would be reunited w/ loved ones from long ago. On the flip side, I hope this is not the end because I'm not done reminiscing, listening to stories, and creating new stories. Who knows, maybe we will get the chance to have our own rendition of "Thelma & Louise" after all! 

Learning patience as he heals

Sleeping Beauty :)

As time trickles by here in Dallas, we are receiving heavy doses of patience lessons; especially for Aric. Patience is so not his best virtue:) He soo desperately wants his ear to be healed so he can go back home. I too can't wait for the day but yet as an adult I understand these things take time. Even in the 6 days since surgery his healing has progressed significantly. Dallas drivers in itself are teaching me patience..I am seriously beginning to believe they got their license from a Cracker Jack  Box. Three times in less than an hour I had two people pull out from driveways right in front of me and then a person who decided they were not gonna wait for me to finish backing up from my parking space before they did; despite the many honks from my horn let alone other peeps horns. Even if they had a hearing loss and couldn't hear the horn, they sure could see the significance in size from big F150 to lil Mazda car. Idk maybe the big silver wall looked like the sky to them :) so instead of cursing them like I really wanted too, I just prayed they would get home safe and stay off the road until their eyesight was better :) 

Close up of back w/ bolster still attached

Close up of front, these were taken Sunday 

Sunday, Aric received a very special visit from John, a friend we made here in Dallas who is originally from Corpus Christi. Several of the people from John's office gave Aric a wonderful basket from "Santa" filled with lots of wonderful goodies :) Aric was soo excited to see John, they made such a great connection during our last stay at RMHD. Aric's fave part of his visit was playing football a little bit. You never know where God is going to provide earthly angels to walk in to your life and a John and his co-workers are truly a blessing! 

John & Aric with the Santa basket and Get a Well card

Reading the card together, some of the messages were in Spanish, so as Aric read them, John translated :)

 Aric pretending he is Aaron Rogers :)

As we know, time does bring healing and today the bolster was removed and possibly next Tues the stitches will come out, Yay! 

One of the office girls cleaning off his ear

 No more bolster :)

Just some bruising and dried blood along with swelling but after 6 days his ear is doing great :)

Weathering the storms

Woke up this morn to "snow"...really sleet and an ice sealed truck. So after about 20 mins of working on the driver side door...I was able to get to the ice scraper. We had a 9:30 am appt to remove the drain from Aric's surgical site but unfortunately we weren't making that time frame. Thankfully the peeps at the drs office were very understanding. So after an hr of defrosting the car and scraping ice off we went. Our normal 15 min drive down the road took 40 mins. We made the best of our time out and made a trip to Wally World and Starbucks before headed back to RMDH. All flights at Dallas Love Feild are still a go for tommorrow, so Oma will be headed home. I am truly shocked seeing as most were canceled today and it's suppose to be even colder tonight and tomm, -10 w/ windchill tonight and a high of 17 tomm. I'm sure my oldest is thanking The Lord above he is not here because he is just like his uncle Marc, a freeze baby :) 

Pics of the RMDH playground and parking lot @8am

No more drain..yay! The extra day helped keep a lot of the bruising away :)

Aric was an interns first drain removal, he was so patient and calm making it a breeze for her :) tomm the pain ball is to be removed from his rib. Guess whose gonna be the lucky one to pull it??? Me...good thing I've got some nursing skills from yrs of watching mom and dad :) 

The Unveiling of the Cyborg's newest ear...

The surgery went really well...there is no bruising just swelling of course. Aric jokingly says his new ear is bigger than his face due to the foam ring around his ear. We will definitely be doing one more surgery which will more and likely take place this summer sometime. 

Ms. Caroline taking the old dressing off

Aric's ear projected out, some swelling but no bruising

Several pics at different angles

The tubing is the drain, it was left in and will be taken out Friday

Ms. Caroline cleaning off the blood and other areas before new dressing is put on

We were released from the hospital at 1030am. Aric could not wait...he was up at 4am ready to leave. He set and speed walked telling the nurses "see I feel great, can I go now?" LoL...if it was up to him we would not have to stay overnight at the hospital :) He definitely has a great attitude when it comes to recovery.

My son..the Cyborg Part II

Tuesday was spent with a day gull of pre-op appts and then we ended with an afternoon of trains, a letter to Santa & a cup of tea from Aric's fave tea place Teavana.

 

Wednesday the 4th was the big day...we reported to the hospital @11am and were takin to holding around noon. Aric was then rolled back at 12:56pm full of silly juice. I received a phone call at 2pm to inform me that the first incision was made @ 1:37pm and the rib Graf removed. Dr. Genecov came out around 4pm and informed us all went well. He took the cartilage that was saved and then had to scrape some more but just a small section. He was able to project the ear out to the correct angle etc. so around 440pm we were called back to recovery upon whr I learned someone some where dropped the ball. The recovery nurse informed me she had just given Aric loritab elixir orally to which I replied "oh no, this is not gonna be good". Unfortunately, I scared her but I explained to her that with our experience last time I had informed everyone in the medical staff previous to him going in not to give him loritab on an empty stomach because w/ the last surgery we had a puke scene from poltergeist not once but several times. So sure enough, after 2 hrs Aric began throwing up...delaying our transfer to the actual floor til 7pm where he continued to retch. I joked with the recovery nurses that I was gonna duck tape a note to his chest next time but after last nights experience I may be doing it literally ;) he stopped vomiting about 1030 due to the phenergan (anti-nausea) being introduced to the IV. Our nurses on the floor thus far have truly been a God send. Thank you everyone for your prayers and blessings...with God all things are possible :)

Here are some post-op onion head photos :)

 Btw Ryan (the bear) was able to accompany him through the whole surgery :) 

Thanksgiving 2013 Memories

The week in Illinois was a blessed one! Time spent with family, memories made and Aric's many prayers for snow answered with snow flurries not once but twice :) 

On the road again :)

I should have known today was gonna be an interesting day...especially when I only got an hour of sleep due to the fact I couldn't shut my mommy brain off and kept making sure I had all the necessities packed . Just a lil neurotic..lol. So 4am arrives and we are off on the road the boys seat belted and tucked in as snug as a bug. Oma had her early morning coffee and all was well. 

We stop in Rosenburg for breakfast at McDonald's and to top off the Gas tank. As I'm filling up the tank I figure let me get the bugs off the windows, only to find the containers w/ the window washers have little to no water and brown w/ bugs floating...essentially bug soup du jour..Yuck! I figure oh well no biggie. Next was off to the ladies room, only to soon discover while I'm on the toilet it has become a unisex bathroom due to the men's is broken. A little awkward at first but I decided no biggie we are all in stalls with closed doors. Plus, it brought back fond memories of Mexico were this was common and my utter shock as a teenager while my friends sat and laughed at my culture shock:) 

Now that the truck tank is full, it's off to feed the familia at McDonald 's. Well let's just say it was a spiritual experience..lol..I was baptized in hot coffee and then discovered they had "Holy" egg mcmuffins. Holy aka whole wheat ;) Just to make sure any evil morning spirits were gone I was then re-baptized in ice cold water when my son got excited and preceded to spill his water.

Once the "spiritual" session was over it apparently was time for comic hour :) my boys decide to have an almost melt down in the midst of Houston morning traffic. My oldest couldn't find the car charger to the DVD player and of course my youngest decides to chime in. So since I'm driving and you would think obvious that I can't help look for said charger. Oma began to look through the bag and begins her own rendition of "Batty" from ferngully and proceeds to have charger connection hanging out her ears while repeating " hello, hello..anybody there?" Into the other end...LOL. 

Outside of Livingston we stop at the rest area where we start taking the car apart because of course Aric's "cheap" hearing aid goes missing; only to discover after thirty minutes of ransacking the truck, looking in the playground sand, rest stop bathroom, doing almost everything short of busting out a metal detector we find the hearing aid hanging from the coat hanger plastic piece on the truck ceiling..Uugghh..LOL!

So many laughs and mishaps has definitely made this trip already memorable. Creating memories with loved ones is always a joy! 

We decide to stop in Hope, Arkansas because we are exhausted from all the events..lol. We check into our hotel get ready to crash when I see the posted letter below on my bed

I know we are in the Bible Belt but this truly is a sweet and heartfelt letter to such travelers as I after a long day, it was another smile to be added to the day! Well friends enjoy the letter and goodnight hugs from this wacky family :)

Sentimental fool am I....

Silly Boys!

My handsome trolls!

love my silly boys !

 

Today was the first day back to school. Aric started fourth grade and had himself all worked up last night already about whether he was going to do well as far as grades went. I jus reassured him that all would be fine and we would take things as they come and not to worry. For someone so young he is quite sensitive despite his rough and rowdy exterior :)

Logan began his freshman year of high school and mommy teared up...lol. It's amazing how at times I'm wanting to grow up and become Godly men but then at times like today I'm wanting them to stay little and near and dear to their mom. All I could think of is I technically only have four more years with him before he does become a man. ~little tear, little tear~

I am so proud of these boys, This summer has been a learing experience for them both and during that time they have grown closer together. Now don't get me wrong they still have their brotherly moments where they require separation but all in all, they have truly become friends :)

The picture below was the only picture I could get of the first day of school..Aric crushed me and said he was too big and Logan tried to refuse so I told him to bad and of course he had to make a silly face..lol

Tried to get them their own exhibit :)

In the savannah at the Dallas Zoo

Aric's up close and personal picture taking skills

Logan, Aric & Oma on a safari

Aric on his chimp mamas back

 Aric's other family lol

Logan & Oma on the safari monorail

Aric not so sure bout the monorail

Don't they look excited...lol 

Aric playing with the iPad camera

14 days after surgery

Unfortunately there was no room for them at the zoo..lol. It was a nice day Wednesday afternoon to go to the zoo. We have done most of our Dallas tourist attractions w/ some left to do for our future visits :) 

We have met many great families here in Dallas at RMDH. It is definitely a bitter sweet goodbye, while we are happy to leave it is sad to leave all our new friends behind.