The saga continues...

Late last night after church, we left Amarillo to go to Lubbock for Eisley's tube surgery.  Like I had mentioned previously, Eisley had a fever all day, but we had been treating it with Tylenol and Motrin alternating, hoping to nip it in the bud.  She continued with the fever all night.  We didn't get to Lubbock until after midnight, and after a rough night's sleep (only like 5 hours before we had to get up again.) we headed to the hospital to check in at 6am.  After taking Eisley's vitals and everything, it was finally decided by the dr and anesthesiologist that they could not do the surgery today due to Eisley's fever.  (I guess its pretty risky to put a child so young under when they have a fever, even though the actual procedure only takes like 5 minutes.  I guess it can make the lungs weak and even allow pneumonia to set in, even in such a short time.)  Even though we wanted what was best and safest for Eisley, oh wow, we were seriously bummed.  Not to mention how guilty I was feeling about making the drive to Lubbock even after my husband was second guessing it.  I really was believing in full faith that she would wake up without a fever, but it just didn't work out that way.  

I was bummed for a good hour probably, but after a WONDERFUL blueberry muffin and dirty chai from our favorite coffee shop (shout out to Justin, Marla, and Sugar Browns) I finally got over it, knowing that the Lord would take care of this tubes surgery later.  We did reschedule it for the Tuesday after we get back from Israel.  And although that is only 3 days after we get back home, and traveling yet again will be the furthest thing from our mind, we know that we need to get it done as soon as possible.  SO, all to say...I'm good with it.  The good news is that we were back at home by 10:45am and I was able to enjoy a little bit of my Mother's Day Out.  Thank you for all your prayers!  

Doesn't she look sad, scared, and not feeling so great. She totally knew something was up in this strange place.   But at least Mickey Mouse Clubhouse was distracting her some.  

I'm getting "Flustrated"

Well, that's how Mia says "Frustrated", and don't try to correct her because she gets very mad!  So, this is why I'm "flustrated."...

-Sunday Morning Mia woke up with a high fever all day, took her to the dr. Monday (still had fever and body aches), and yep, she has the flu.  (She is much better now though.)

-Eisley was doing something with her little chair (I actually did not see what happened, Mia gave a brief play by play of what happened, but I'm still not sure.) and fell with the chair hitting her in the nose...HARD.  This left a BIG bruise on her nose, along with a little nosebleed.  If she was a boy, I know I wouldn't have been so concerned.  Oh, the joy of girls.

-Eisley goes to get tubes put in tomorrow in Lubbock, and what happens this morning???  She wakes up with a fever.  Yes, its a low one, and she just pretty fussy, but we are praying hard against it!!!!  (and Mia is coughing like crazy!)

-I get a call from my mom a couple hours ago saying that she fell down some stairs at church and hurt her ankle bad.  They took her to the hospital to get x-rays and saw that it is a bad sprain.  She's in a lot of pain, and will have to put it up with ice for 24 hours and wear a splint.  What makes this even worse (well, not worse, but not better either.) is that Mia was supposed to stay the night with my mom tonight (my dad's out of town on business, of course.) while we stay the night in Lubbock.  Thankfully I have a wonderful sister who is always so quick to step up and save the day!  (Thanks Jill, especially for talking me through my tears earlier too!)  

So, all to say, I am REALLY frustrated with Satan!  That sounds really spiritual, but its beyond obvious that he is trying to mess up our week, and especially our week of preparing for Israel! (we leave next Tuesday!)  We are claiming healing over EVERYONE and we know that all is going to be great.  It has just made me really emotional today.  I know I'm getting a little nervous about leaving, especially leaving the girls for so long, but Satan is NOT going to steal my joy and excitement.  

-(UPDATE) since I first posted this, now our garage door will not close.  Its acting like something is in the way of the lasers, which won't let it close unless you hold the button down the entire time...REALLY????

This is what I feel like doing!

So, what I am asking is that you pray for us, our family, the tubes surgery tomorrow, my mom's ankle to heal quickly so she can take care of my girls with ease for the next two weeks, and just for Satan to back off!  Thank you each for your love and support!  Hope your week is going better than ours!  (I really do know that I will be laughing about this by the end of today, but for now, I will be "flustrated" and emotional!)  Blessings!

EVENT: Valentine's Party

So, this is the sequence of events lately, now that Eisley has formed an opinion for herself, especially when her sister has something she wants.

Step One...Mia is very much enjoying the icing on her cookie.


Step Two...Eisley gets very irritated that she doesn't have a cookie and that her sister is not sharing.


Step Three...Hey new friend of mine that sits next to Mia, "You gonna eat that cookie on your plate?"


Step Four..."Anyone sharing at that table???"


Step Five..."Fine, I'll just eat the table."


Step Six..."Score!!!



Silly sisters.

Update...

Wow!  What a serious whirlwind of a week it has been!  It felt so good/hurt so bad to finally make it back to the gym this morning.  What a release!  (we'll see if that's how I still feel tomorrow!)  :)  

Anyways, so we went to Lubbock for the ENT apt on Wednesday.   It was a VERY long day as we left the house around 8:30am and didn't get home until around 10pm.  Both girls first had hearing tests.  Mia's hearing test went very good, but Eisley's wasn't quite as good.  The audiologist said that all the fluid behind her ears is definitely affecting her hearing some, but the tubes will clear that up.  So YES, we are having tubes done for Eisley.  The doctor was VERY confident that she needed it.  We really liked the dr.  He was so great with both girls!  The even greater part of the day was that the surgery was able to be scheduled before we leave for Israel!  That was my biggest prayer of all!  It will take place on Thursday the 26th.  I can't tell you how ready I am.  But I am a little sad (and glad at the same time) at the thought of all the progress she is going to make in the 11 days that we will be gone!  I just know that her clearer ears are going to make her walk so much better and even talk more.  I hope that she comes running to me when I walk in the door after Israel!  

Well, thank you each for all your prayers.  Eisley's doing much better, but I can still tell that her ears continue to bother her, even on day 5 of antibiotics.  Oh well, we are persevering!  Again, thank you for the encouraging words and prayers!  I hope you each have an amazing, LOVE- FILLED weekend!  

Daddy and his other PRINCESS!!!

What a week!

So, as of last week, Eisley started having a horrible runny nose, and slight chest cough.  So, of course, I started her on a decongestant we had at the house.  It helped some, but didn't get much better.  Sunday morning she woke up with a fever, so the girls and I stayed home from church.  (Which was kinda nice because it was pretty cold and overcast, which is the perfect cleaning weather for me!!!)  We did medicine all day to control her fever, which kept leaving and coming back.  That night before we put her to bed, she felt VERY warm, so I took her temp again, and this time it was 103.4.  So, I called the on call dr, and he told us we needed to take her to the ER.  Thankfully my in laws were in town for the night, so they were able to stay at the house while Mia slept.  It couldn't have been more perfect for them to be here.  (Thank you soooo much Randy and Becky for staying so late that night!  I know it was exhausting!)  (Oh, did I also mention that we were also in the middle of a HUGE thunderstorm, which was why my in laws hadn't made it to their hotel yet.)  We ended up spending about 3 hours in the waiting room before we decided to leave without seeing a dr.  (Long story short, her fever broke around hour 2, so she was acting much better, and was definitely tired, so we left.)

Eisley leaving the dr apt.  She was already doing SOOO much better!  

We thought the fever was over for good, but it came back the next morning, waking us up at 6am.  We finally got to see our dr that afternoon, and guess what it was???  Yep, another ear infection and an unknown virus.  I've lost count of how many ear infections Eisley's had since Nov, but I think its around 6.  Funny thing is that we go to the ENT dr tomorrow to talk about tubes.  I know that tubes in kids is a very controversial thing among parents these days, but I want you to know that I am VERY good with her getting tubes.  I am so tired of ear infections, not to mention having to load her with antibiotics every two weeks.  (No exaggerations!)  

So, we are simply praying that their will be a quick opening for her to get her tubes done before we leave for Israel in 3 weeks.  We are also good if the Lord heals her before tomorrow.  If we go in and the dr see's no signs of chronic ear infections, we will definitely consider her healed.  We also know, though, that the Lord can also heal her through the tubes.  So, please pray for us tomorrow.  Mia and Eisley will both be seen tomorrow, but I'm not concerned about Mia.  We won't do tubes for her.  Anyways, thats kinda an update for our family this past week.  I'll tell you one thing...I am SOOOO TIRED of sicknesses!  No more!  Hope you are all having a great SICK FREE week!  Blessings!

Pay no attention to the stuff in the dining room...a post about that soon to come.

Recipe Exchange...

My great friend, Ashley, had the amazing idea to do kinda a "recipe exchange" in the blogging world. Like her, I too get so tired of making the same 'ole things every week, and struggle at times to find new, SIMPLE, meals that my whole family will enjoy. (Although my husband is perfectly great with me making the basics every week. In fact, he not the biggest fan of my trying new things. It has to be super amazing for him to allow a new recipe into the weekly meals.)

If you want to join in on the fun, simply follow the the link to Ashley's blog, and check out her comment section. Make sure to add your recipe name and link to her comments as well! I'm so excited to have new recipes!!!!

Here is an amazing recipe that if ALWAYS a hit in my family, and I recently got to make it for my in-laws too, and they seemed to like it a lot as well. (Or maybe they were just being kind.) :) Its a recipe from a lady that I love, adore, and admire.

Brenda's Chicken Pot Pie

1 (29 oz) can homestyle mixed cut vegetables, drained (Veg-All)

(I also add one small can of diced potatoes, drained, because my husband enjoys the extra potatoes)

1 can cream of chicken soup

2 1/2 cups shredded chicken, cooked

3/4 cup milk

1 cup shredded cheddar/jack cheese

salt/pepper

1 box Pillsbury Pie crust (room temperature)

1 egg beaten

1.) Mix vegetables, soup, chicken, milk, cheese, salt and pepper

2.) Place 1 crust in 9 inch pie plate

3.) Pour chicken mixture into pie plate-place top crust on top (I like to                weave the top crust like an apple pie, or even use cookie cutters to make seasonal designs on the top, like snowfakes, christmas trees, or hearts)

4.) Use foil or pie edge saver along crust

5.) Bake 45 minutes to 1 hour until golden brown at 350 degrees

*Serves nicely with a big salad or fruit salad

Here's an old picture of Mia helping me make Chicken Pot Pie one night (This was actually taken almost a year ago to the day.)