The Weekend Update

It's been awhile since I've posted an update. I'll try to catch ya'll up quick!

• Ryan was able to start weight bearing and physical therapy last week. He also put away the walker and he is just using crutches now.
• We found out what kind of tool the doctor used to remove the bone growth. He described it as a chisel, but beveled on two sides instead of just one. That, and a hammer!
• We like the ortho surgeon. He has quite a sense of humor. As he entered the room he said, "So, do you remember which leg it is we worked on?"
• He also told us they added the extra plate because while they were working they heard a crack. They did x-rays, but could not tell if it was the bone they were removing that cracked or if it was bone that was supposed to stay. Just in case it was bone that was supposed to stay, they added the extra plate.

In other news, both girls had a basketball game this weekend and they both won! Each of their teams played well together and they did a great job of passing the ball. Moriah made 2 baskets in her game and Emma did a great job guarding some aggressive girls that were a bit bigger than her! They were glad Dad could be there to see them play too! Thankfully, at the games, there are chairs on the gym floor which is much easier for Ryan right now than bleachers!

I'll end with one of our favorite quotes from the week:

Aiden, as we're dropping off Ryan for PT: "Bye, Daddy! Don't forget to give them one money!"

Ryan: "I think they're getting plenty of 'moneys', Aiden"

Aiden: "Give them one money! Not two! Oh! And see if they have hot cocoa! That will make you all better!"

Blessed to be a Homeschooling Family

I love teaching our kids at home, but honestly, there are days when I want to put all the kids on the big, yellow bus and  cozy up with a cup of creamy coffee and a good book! Or go grocery shopping without all the kids and meet friends for lunch!

But last week was filled with reminders of how blessed we are to be a homeschooling family. I know I wouldn't want to do things any other way. Even if it means not one quiet cup of coffee or a lunch date with friends for the next 15 years!

 The girls were able to have "birthday breakfast" with Grandma. At 9am. On a school day.

Then the unseasonably warm weather arrived and the kids were able to be outside.

They played basketball, softball and mud kickball.

They played at the park.

They collected caterpillars and went "worming."

Playing isn't the only thing they did out in the sunshine.

They took their math sheets out on the back porch.

They found their favorite quiet spot in the backyard for reading.

At the end of the week we did some baking with friends to help out a local women's maternity home with their bake sale.

To quote my friend, it was worth it just to hear the girls giggle!

I have to agree!

Thank you Lord for reminding me how blessed we are to be a homeschooling family!

It isn't always an easy thing to do, but days like these make it all worth it. Being with our children everyday, teaching them, watching them grow, and making memories with them-- is a precious treasure and it brings joy to my heart!



Highlights from Weeks 21-23

Well, we took 2 weeks off for Ryan's surgery, and we're calling that our spring break!

We were back at school full time this week, but we missed a day for Ryan's appointment in Flint.

The greek word for this week was petros, which means rock or stone. They learned that the name Peter comes from this word. They both remembered from VBS a few years back that Peter means,

"SOLID ROCK!" Another little fact Moriah remembered was that Peter's previous name, Simon, means blown by the wind. Thank you VBS Team!!

Isn't it great to know that if we make Christ our firm foundation and know His Word, we won't be blown by the winds of this world?

Our studies over these few weeks also included:

• King David becoming the 2nd king of Israel
• The Phoenicians
• The Children's Homer as our read aloud
• We read many of David's psalms this week, and the girls had an assignment to write one of their own.
• Emma is reviewing adjectives and poetry in grammar and in math she got her highest test score for the year this week!
• Moriah is learning about direct and indirect quotations in grammar. She is also memorizing A Slash of Blue, by Emily Dickenson. In math she has just been introduced to adding like fractions!! Let the fun begin!
• Both girls are memorizing Psalm 1
• Pi Day!!

 

Butterflies in Bloom

We had a fieldtrip this week to see the Butterflies in Bloom at Dow Gardens.
What a beautiful, sunny day to be out with our friends!

Here's Moriah with one of her friends...aren't they cute?

LOVE!

I love this one!

It would make a great homeschool yearbook photo!



1 Week Later

Today it's one week since Ryan had his surgery!
He took another shower today!

I counted the staples in his incision...33!

And it's about 12 inches long!

I couldn't help but think back to his long day of surgery just following the accident. It was about a week after those surgeries that Jan and I took the girls to see Ryan in Flint. It was the first time they had seen him after the accident, and it was my 3rd. I was still using a wheelchair because it was a long walk up to see him!

The girls were eager to help, as always, and here they are pushing me in to see him.

I love Jan's face in this one!

I love this photo of Emma talking to him.

She said her tears were happy tears and sad tears.



Ahh, I'm so glad those days are behind us!

One week later this time around and we are all home together!
Tonight, as I write, Ryan and Emma are in his chair together and he is reading to her.

The other two are listening in while working on a puzzle together.

We're home.

We're together.
We're so blessed!

The Weekend Update

The girls did a great job of taking care of Daddy his first night home!
They were quite excited to be taking care of him, and they assured me repeatedly that they could handle the task! Ryan can't bear full weight on his left leg yet, but he is able to walk using his walker by just bearing weight on his right leg and left toes. So the girls just had to help him with his meals and cleaning up.

 While Daddy was in the hospital the girls missed him and cried for him. They cried as he left for the hospital, when they talked to him on the phone before bed, and when we left after visiting him in the hospital. However, I noticed that when they left me and went home with him there were no tears. None. No crying when I called home to check on them. Nope. No asking to call me at 7am the next morning.

Hmm, I guess I've learned where I rate with them! :)

Ryan has been eating more in the last 24 hours. He's been getting around with his walker. On Thursday he took a shower and we changed the dressing on his incision. The Dr. said he would use the same incision from before but this one is a good 3-4inches longer than the last one! I'm not sure if that's because of the extra plate they added.

Ryan may be down for awhile, but he's still "coaching" the girls in basketball from his wheelchair. Thursday night as I cleaned up dinner he was working with Emma on her boxing out. He was moving her arms and legs to the the correct places and showing her what to do in different situations. I couldn't help but smile as I watched him "coach" from his wheelchair!

And to correct some information from a previous post, at first I thought the Dr. said he took out 90% of the bone growth, but that is not necessarily true. He did not give a percentage. He only said he took out a LOT of bone, and that is one of the worst bone growths he has seen. He did say he got his leg to bend at 90 degrees, but he did not get it to go 100% flat....close, but not quite.

He has been straightening his leg while standing with his walker. He says it feels weird to straighten it, and that it feels as if something should be blocking it. He can tell that it doesn't straighten out fully and it makes that leg seem shorter than the other. I heard him say to himself the other day, " Gosh darn it, I'm going to have to wear a lift."

Some things to pray for:

Ryan said his vision in his left eye has not been as clear as it was before surgery. This is the eye he had trouble with but it has been improving.

He also has noticed the same thing with his jaw. It seems tighter and harder to open since the surgery.

We'll ask about these things when we see the Dr.