What's been going on

I realized I haven't been writing about what is going on in the Garcia house. Everyone is busy...the story of all of our lives. David is in China for two weeks. He had a crazy time trying to get there, but he now made it. He was able to IM me when he got settled in with a few hours of sleep. Grace is in swimming for the summer, and if we can get Evan potty trained, I will get him in lessons in the fall. Grace is having a ball, and could light up a room with how enthusiastic she is. I am not sure how I am going to do it, but I would love to keep her in swimming year round if possible, if not maybe just every summer. I just don't want to lose momentum. It is not easy with David in school, but it is such a wonderful skill and exercise. I am not a great swimmer, and I always wished I was better. So if I can do that for my kids...that is what I want to do. David is a great swimmer, and maybe when he is done with his Masters, he can take the kids more and work with them. Practice is the key to being good at anything. Evan has been keeping us busy with his appointments. Everyday I am thankful that all of this is not worse. In a previous blog you got to hear me express my anger about stupid people and stupid comments. I need to get a stronger backbone, so I can be strong for Evan. It is not easy to see someone single your child out, and I need to learn to react in a way that is more matter of fact than a wounded animal. My hope through all of this is that it makes Evan stronger (and me too). We got his blood tests back after a lot of run around. It literally took three months to get blood tests processed between our pediatrician, the children's hospital and our insurance. There was mass confusion since it was such a specialized test. Evan is anemic, but we think we can get a handle on that with daily vitamins with iron. He also has some low T-cell counts and some high B-cell counts. I was not sure what this all meant, but I got some answers. Kids with VCFS have a small thymus gland or no thymus at all, which makes them produce less T-cells. T-cells fight viruses. He has a higher B-cell count since he has less T-cells. High B-cells can mean a more serious disease like cancer, but it would have to be extremely high, and all B-cells affected. Not all of his are affected so there is no worry there. We went to the Orthotist last week, and Evan was fitted for night casting and day casting. Since his tiptoeing is pretty high, (Seriously, his little toe does not even touch the ground when he walks barefoot), they thought we should go with day and night braces. They should be ready in a couple of weeks, while they make them and deal with insurance coverage. In the mean time I have to do PT stretches with him a few times a day, which he does not love. He is starting to be a little resistant, so I am anticipating a bit of the same reaction when he gets his legs braces. The little man has had a break from speech at school, but sometimes I see a huge difference when he can have a bit of a break. (he still goes once a week through the hospital) He starts up again in July 2X a week through the school district, and then has all of August off. We went back to a pediatric dentist, and he will be sedated and get everything taken care of most likely in Mid July. We are looking forward to getting it all done and hopefully with sealants it will protect his enamel.

We are headed to Eastern Washington in a couple of days to see my family for the 4th. We are looking forward to a change of pace for a couple of days. Happy 4th of July to you all.

The Bell

I KNOW WHO I AM

I am God's child (John 1:12)

I am Christ's friend (John 15:15)

I am united with the Lord(1 Cor. 6:17)

I am bought with a price(1 Cor. 6:19-20)

I am a saint (set apart for God). (Eph. 1:1)

I am a personal witness of Christ (Acts 1:8)

I am the salt & light of the earth (Matt.5:13-14)

I am a member of the body of Christ(1 Cor 12:27)

I am free forever from condemnation (Rom. 8: 1-2)

I am a citizen of Heaven. I am significant (Phil.3:20)

I am free from any charge against me (Rom. 8:31-34)

I am a minister of reconciliation for God(2 Cor.5:17-21)

I have access to God through the Holy Spirit (Eph. 2:18)

I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms (Eph. 2:6)

I cannot be separated from the love of God(Rom.8:35-39)

I am established, anointed, sealed by God (2 Cor.1:21-22)

I am assured all things work together for good (Rom. 8: 28)

I have been chosen and appointed to bear fruit (John 15:16)

I may approach God with freedom and confidence (Eph. 3: 12)

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Phil. 4:13)

I am the branch of the true vine, a channel of His life (John 15: 1-5)

I am God's temple (1 Cor. 3: 16). I am complete in Christ (Col. 2: 10)

I am hidden with Christ in God (Col. 3:3). I have been justified (Romans 5:1)

I am God's co-worker (1 Cor 3:9; 2 Cor 6:1). I am God's workmanship(Eph. 2:10)

I am confident that the good works God has begun in me will be perfected (Phil. 1: 5)

I have been redeemed and forgiven (Col. 1:14). I have been adopted as God's child(Eph 1:5)

I belong to God.

Do you know

who you are?

Stupid people, Stupid comments

I will admit it, as I have gotten older I have gotten a bit more sensitive to what people say to me, especially where my children are concerned. It may not be something that would normally make me mad, it may just be the day I am having. But I have had a lot of stupid people, stupid comments in my life this week. Even when you are pretty much trying to shut them off from asking something else stupid, they still turn around and open their mouths again. It is amazing how your mouth can get you in trouble. Everyone is guilty of it at some point. Some people have no professionalism, or tact though. At what point do you complain about it, or just keep it to yourself? The garbage that I put up with this week, still has me stewing, which is not how I like to live my life. I really work hard to not be that person anymore. If you are one of those people that are just curious, and has a hard time keeping your mouth shut, think real quick before you speak. You should be able to ask people questions, especially those you love and care about. But if it is a perfect stranger, is it really your business to know their business, and frankly is knowing their business going to really matter to you in the long run....something to think about.

Appointment Central

This is the week of appointments for Evan. Yesterday he had his typical speech appointment, today he went to the dentist for the 1st time, Thursday he goes in for his 3 year check-up and shots, and Friday he gets fitted for his night casting for his legs and ankles. Sheesh! Every week we have something, but the appointments are not usually this plentiful. Today I took him to the dentist for the first time. It actually was an appointment I was dreading. Not because I thought he would have a hard time, but because I was scared of what they would find. Well, I had reason to be scared. Kids with 22q11.2 have poor quality teeth a lot of times. Evan also has an extra tooth which is sometimes a characteristic of children with palate issues, or they can have missing teeth. His extra tooth is an incisor. He also has a chipped front tooth that he did sometime in his second year. But today, the dentist found 4 possibly 5 teeth with cavities. There could be more, but it was hard to get x-rays. He is going to research the decaying issue within Evan's syndrome and then we will get a referral for sedation to take care of the cavities, x-rays and sealants. My poor boy! I am glad they can sedate him for all the work they will do. But, this will be a life long battle to keep his teeth as healthy as possible.

Pictures of the kids

New pictures of Gracee, 4 years old in March.

New Pictures of Evan, 3 years old in June.

How did this happen?

Happy Father's day Happy Birthday

Today, we are celebrating Fathers. Happy Father's day to all the Dad's in our life. Our family is also celebrating the birth of our son Evan. He is 3 today...my baby. Hard to believe I was induced at about this time 3 years ago, and about 8 hours later my little boy came beaming into the world. Life has not been the same since he joined our family. He is such a blessing to us. All the trials and hard work is paying off for our little Evan....and he is a child of God. How could you not love that face :-) Happy Birthday my sweet boy!

Through the eyes of a child

This month is full of so many things....David is traveling out of the country twice and finishing his 1st year toward his masters degree, we are celebrating Father's day, and we are celebrating Evan's 3rd Birthday. Sometimes I get so caught up in just getting through each day, and sticking to my "to do list" that I don't take the time to enjoy the little moments. I sometimes even feel like..."okay, that's done, what's next?" Some how, some way I need to get out of that rut. I really am trying to take each day and treasure the little things. I will never live these days again. I no longer have babies, it almost seems like a distant memory. Now I am looking at the next few years as the kids get into school...and then out of the house, and then retirement. In retrospect, time really flies by even if you seem to be in limbo at times. Every day the kids remind me, of where they are at in life. They are constantly learning. Sometimes I hear them say things, that I know I didn't teach them. Sometimes I have to tell them that it is not okay to say certain things. Today I told Evan to not be scared of a fly. They are learning....and waiting for us to guide them each step of the way. When I was a teenager, I would look back on my childhood and remember who taught me some of the fundamental things I did every day. I remembered a lot more then about my childhood then I do now. Some lessons, you can still put yourself back in that memory as an adult and remember each vivid moment. Other ones, you forget and can never remember who taught you them. I want my kids to remember all the little things.....who taught them to pray, who taught them to bake, who taught them to brush their teeth, who taught them to use their imagination.......will they remember that I made up stories and crazy jingles....maybe, but what I really hope they remember is how much I love them every step of the way, even when I don't always seem thrilled to wake up early in the morning.

A little poem for you.....

The innocence of a child's soul is what makes them seem so whole. So peaceful and trusting as they reach out. Full of life and rarely a doubt. Skipping along while holding your hand, Knowing that you will take their stand. Loving you entirely for who you are, Seeing the beauty of your soul with no scar. As we grow older and more serious in age, We become fearful and often full of rage. We begin to lose things that once made us feel loved. Somewhere in our souls are things that are shoved....that we try to forget and leave sitting inside. We forget how to live and just go with the ride. If only we could look through our eyes as a child, into the soul that we once possessed undefiled. To enjoy the wind and the moon and the stars, with a soul which has not gained any scars. To see the beauty in all that we touch. To see through the eyes of a child would mean so much. God grant us the gift to look back as a child, To trust and to love with a soul undefiled. Looking once more through the eyes of a child!© Brenda Race 2000