The Last Summer Activity

September gave us a few more lovely summer days before getting hit with a snow storm toward the end of the month. On this day Lance was out of town so we made bubble snakes and played with shaving cream on both slides and the trampoline. Which eventually turned to a water fight, we had so much fun!

 I love Cora's pose here, work it girl!

First Day of School!

The kids were very eager for school to start and I was very sad. I love summer time so much and didn't want it to end but the kids were ready and it was time. Kimball started 2nd grade with Mrs. Garcia and Cora started Kindergarten with Mrs. Flaherty. 

I think I documented before about how Cora and I had been taking two trips a week to her school to get her acclimated. Well, summer is a big 3 month gap and she was nervous again to go. We went to the kindergarten assessment and she wouldn't go into the classroom without me so we all went in together and the teacher quickly shooed us out. I was so grateful for that, and I went to have a meeting with the principal. After they were finished we met up in the cafeteria where school photos were taken, lunch and transportation arrangements were made, and a few other booths were set up. When Cora joined us the teacher said she did great and Cora's job was to hold onto a puppy called Special and bring him back during their next meeting.

I emailed the teacher and told her of Cora's situation and the concerns I had. We set up a time for her to meet with Cora one-on-one to establish a relationship. Then there was meet-the-teacher night. So we had 3 meetings before school started.

The night before school, Lance gave all the kids a father's blessing (and myself). I was very much looking forward to this because the amount of anxiety I had over Cora starting school by herself was through the roof, and I was worrying about every minute detail. During Cora's blessing I was immediately overwhelmed with unspeakable peace. It was said that the Lord loves and knows her better than I do, which was a tender reminder for me to "be still, and know that I am God." That she is completely in the Lord's hands and I need to trust him. My blessing spoke of things that I had been questioning in my heart, too embarrassed to even talk to Lance about it. So I knew the blessing certainly came from Heavenly Father and oh how aware He is of us!!

I was given special permission to go into the school about 15 minutes before class started on the first day so that Cora would be more comfortable by the time other students arrived. Cora was assigned a helper, Sarah, to help her adjust the first two days. So as I left I snapped a quick picture and left Cora with Sarah for the first day of school. I walked out and didn't cry but was on pins and needles all day wondering how she was doing. 

The first week was only half days and I had a meeting with Mrs. Flaherty on the fifth day - Cora was doing great! She didn't need Sarah at all after the first day, she's doing everything on her own. However, it has been made very aware that Cora lacks a lot of basic social and emotional skills. She refuses to engage in class, will not socialize with other students, and will not talk to anybody. Mrs. Flaherty wondered about having her reevaluated again for special education services.

Now we've been in school for a month, and I'm so thrilled to say Cora's doing WONDERFUL!! I give her a pep talk everybody about using her words to make friends and being nice to others. She has made several friends in her class, she's come out of her shell, she's always excited and eager for school to start the next day, and socially has been doing MUCH better as she's gotten used to the routine and everybody in her class. She talks with other students and says hi to strangers (other teachers and students not in her class).

On Friday they took a field trip which means it was time to face another fear - the bus. But Cora did great and I was so thrilled when I got this email from her teacher later that night. "I didn't get the opportunity to tell you how awesome Cora was today! She raised her hand to share her favorite part of our field trip, she came up and did the smartboard in front of her peers, and she won our math game of counting this morning! I'm so proud of her!" WELL DONE, DARLING GIRL!!!!!

My goal ever since Cora was born, was to keep her in intensive therapy so that by the time kindergarten came around, she'd be caught up with her peers. I think the best analogy is like  we've been training for the olympics for the last 6 years. And now it's here and she came home with the gold. She has done superbly well and defied all the odds and overcome most of the obstacles that doctors warned us about.  Yes, she still struggles with certain things and will probably continue to do so in the future. But, I'm confident that I've done everything I could've possibly done for the last 6 years to prepare her for success. I gave her all the tools and she has proved to herself that she can do it. She can do it and she can do anything, as long as she puts her mind to it. I know that sounds cliche but for her, it is absolutely true!

 Special sitting on her desk

 Her helper, Sarah. And her new friend, Kesslin, those girls look like twins with their short blond hair.

Emily Elizabeth

Chris was one of my first friends in Spokane, she was pregnant with Sydney the same time I was with Cora. Fast forward. Last year she finally became pregnant with her second daughter but doctors soon realized that something wasn't quite right. Lots of tests and ultrasounds and various imaging and poking resulted in the news that baby Emily had Trisomy 18 and will not survive past 30 weeks gestation.

Chris is a thorough planner and as 30 weeks approached she was shocked to still be pregnant and so grateful, knowing it was a miracle. She had back up plans with Lance in case anything sudden were to happen to the baby. Christmas came and Chris traveled home, Spring came, and then eventually Chris' due date. She was still pregnant! She soon became over due and the doctors decided to induce labor at 41 weeks.

As soon as Emily was born, the nurses put her on a towel on Chris' chest for skin-to-skin. No crying. No movement from Emily. No sign of life. It was assumed that the baby would be still born and would need immediate care so there was a large team to meet any scenario. Chris kept talking to Emily and rubbing her back. She was frustrated by the towel and asked the nurses to remove it so that Emily could lay directly on her. More talking and rubbing her back and after what seemed like an eternity, the most beautiful newborn baby cry. Emily was alive!

Emily was checked out by all involved and what an incredible result - she was eating and breathing all on her own. This baby has defied all odds! The few deformities were checked out and addressed, starting with therapy for the club foot, a feeding tube was eventually placed, and Chris started a similar journey to my own of caring for a special needs baby.

About a week shy of turning 2 months old, Emily caught a cold that landed her in the hospital in the PICU. She was struggling on her own to breathe. She was in the hospital for about a week when Chris and Seth had to say good bye to their precious miracle. As Lance got the call, he told me I should come but I wasn't sure if I could, emotionally, since this has hit so close to home. But I went anyway.

We visited in the hospital for an hour as Chris held Emily still with her tiny hand wrapped around her thumb. We all cried. We all knew it was the Lord's will that Emily be called home but it was still such a sorrowful moment. When Chris was ready we all hugged and said good bye and the hardest thing I've ever had to do was take an infant from the arms of a grieving mother, especially one of my good friends. Chris chose to have her cremated so this was the last time she'd ever see or hold her baby again. I sobbed all the way back to the call car, I sobbed all the way to the funeral home, I said my own tender good bye as I placed her in the cooler.

The funeral service was beautiful and packed full of people, they have a very supportive ward. I wanted to remember this touching experience because although it was sad, it was also so very sacred. I am so grateful to be there in the hospital that night, to be the one to take Emily. We all have Emily shirts and wear them proudly and I've kept some of the butterflies from the funeral.

I can't wait to embarrass Kimball with this photo one day.

Spokane Falls

While Allison and Haylee were here visiting Benton we hiked down to see the falls. Note to self: next time take the Sky Ride.

 

 Ezra enjoyed his ice cream after the hike

Silverwood

We picked the perfect day to go to Silverwood because the weather was beautiful and it wasn't too hot. This was the first time taking the older two kids on some of the bigger rides so they were pretty excited and had no idea what to expect. Kimball's favorite ride was the Scrambler and Cora's was the Tilt-A-Whirl.

 Waiting for the ride to start.

We went on the longest roller coaster ride which was a first for all of us. None of us expected the steep drops and dark tunnels so Kimball and Cora got pretty scared but they didn't cry. I was so proud of them! Benton chose to go on all the super scary rides, I forget how you have no worries or cares at age 18.

We got ice cream and Benton's ice cream cone was so huge I had to take a picture. He inhaled that thing in 4 minutes flat.

The second half of the day we spent at Boulder Beach. It was such a fun day, although very exhausting. Both kids zonked out as soon as we got in the car. Lance hit a small bump in the road and Kimball spoke in his sleep exclaiming, "No! No! Are we going again?! Are we going again?!" Haha, that one scary roller coaster was a bit much for those two.

Ezra

I absolutely adore this little boy. He's so full of energy and as his personality comes out more, he exhausts me, haha. He's always moving and is so different from Kimball and Cora. He's very easy going and fun loving and is all boy. He's got quite an arm and loves everything to do with balls and cars. But he especially loves his mama. Please stay this sweet forever!

First tooth!

Cora's been working on wriggling out her first "naturally lose" tooth. (The bottom four were pulled by the dentist so they don't count). It happened in the middle of sacrament meeting and at first it scared her because she didn't know quite what to think. We tried showing our excitement but that just embarrassed her so we left it alone until she was ready to be excited by herself.

Blue Zoo

An aquarium opened up in the mall called the Blue Zoo, so one morning we braved the crowds to check it out. It was so much fun but I do wish it was bigger for the price. We got to feed the sting rays, birds, bearded dragon, and fresh water fish. Kimball got to hold the Chocolate Chip Starfish and a few other creatures. They had a big tortoise who was meandering around, he was about 18" in diameter. There was a "sunken" ship that the kids could climb on, and two different water tables which were Ezra's favorite. We had fun!

 "Give me your best pirate face!"

Dates With Mom

I LOOOVE my annual tradition of taking each child on a date for school supplies and a yummy treat. We have such a great time connecting and it makes the kids so excited for school. I don't know if they'll want to keep doing this when they're teenagers so for now I'm soaking it up.

Annual Friends Camping Trip- Lake Benewah, North ID

 This year for our annual friends camping trip, we drove 30 miles to Lake Benewah and stayed for 3 days. It is just outside St. Maries, ID and was such a beautiful drive to get there. Luckily, there were no accidents or mishaps and Lance was even able to join us for one night!

We took a little hike behind the campground that led to an abandoned railroad (the bigger kids kept walking to the rail cars and climbed all over them but with Ezra and Cora, we only walked half way). There was also a really neat bridge and a frog pond along the way. We loved catching the frogs, there were so many! Many hours were spent at the lake enjoying the water and snacks, and the best part was being with great friends and great food!