Happiness keeps you SWEET
Trials keep you STRONG
Sorrows keep you HUMAN
Failures keep you HUMBLE
Success keeps you GLOWING
...But only GOD keeps you GOING!!!!

He was a beloved hamster. His mother was Faith Childers. He will be missed greatly by all his family, his little whiskers were so cute. His little paws that held the carrot as he nibbled, and the way he stored pieces of food in his cheeks are the memories that we will hold most dear....

Now we have a new family pet. It is a rabbit named Buddy!! He is big, white with greyish brown spots. Perfect timing for Easter. The kids love to pet his soft fur and feed him parsley and alfalfa. Daddy will be building him a pen to stay in next to our cottage next door! That way he will have plenty of space to hop in.

Wow, I can't believe how long it has beenn since I blogged last. Life just keeps speeding ahead. The only reason I had time to do this today is because I am at home with Sarah today who is sick with a little case of bronchitis. I was up and down with her all last night, she was warm with a fever and coughing...poor little thing. Faith just lost her first tooth the other day!! whoo hoo--my little girl is just growing up too fast. And then an update on Grandma Virginia, she is home now and out of the nursing home. She is doing much better, but still has to have some home health nurses assist her. Thank you for your prayers....

We are headed today to Chicago to see our Grandma Virginia (Mark's mom). She had a mild heart attack last Sunday night, they replaced a stent in her heart that was blocked and she seemed fine....then on Monday she had a very severe stroke. Right now she is in ICU at St Joe's Hospital in Joliet. She cannot communicate, and she has a feeding tube due to her not being able to swallow at this point. Please pray for us and our family. Mark had already lost his Father 4 years ago...this is really hard on him, especially since we live 9 hours away. Love you all....thanks for the prayers.

UPDATE: She has been moved from ICU to the telemetry unit. She is receiving OT and PT. When we left on Monday, she still had her feeding tube, but they were gradually weaning her off of it and attempting pureed foods. She is communicating some, but is getting very frustrated as she cannot complete her sentences or say the corrects words sometimes...she couldn't remember the kids names...that was really wierd. I see alot of rehab in the future for her, we are just hoping and praying for the best to get her to a functioning level where she can return home. We need lots and lots of prayers...thank you!!!!

We went to Faith's first grade conference tonight, she is really doing well in school. It is amazing to hear her read to me, and realize how quickly they are learning sight words, and they are only in 1st grade! She is learning words as complicated as "accomplish". I do not remember learning words this hard and this quickly! The tests are showing her at slightly above average for her age. BUT, she is talking alot in class at times. The teacher called her a "chatter box." I again, do not remember doing this when I was in first grade. I was so shy, afraid to even raise my hand for anything!!! So, I am glad she is not like that, but I still talked to her about not talking when she should be working. Mark and I also praised the teacher for doing such a great job, and that we were behind her all the way!!! I admire anyone who can sit and teach a bunch of six/seven year olds day in and day out. It truly takes patience and lots of caring.
I have to tell you something funny about Sarah. She has been repeting what daddy says during football season, which is "DA BEARS". This of course is said with a Chicago accent. Well, my kids have definitely picked up the accent out here, the mid Ohio valley accent!! It is so cute. Sarah instead says "DA BAY-ers" like with a southern tone. We told this to her Uncle Tim, and he says to Sarah, "Sarah, when you hear daddy say "DA BEARS", you say "STINK!" Mark did NOT think that was funny AT ALL!!! :)