Ramblings and randomess

My mother in law called this evening I think with the sole purpose of reminding me that it has been a full month since my last post.  She may be my sole remaining reader... I wouldn't know that since she never leaves a comment. In an effort to keep my family happy here is what Hurricane Riley and clan have been up to over the last month. 

I think I'll start with the infamous Hurricane Riley himself.  Riley has been battling a sinus thing for a while.  At the ten day marker of the second round of antibiotics he popped up with a fever and slipped in to neutral.  A couple trips to the Dr and a chest xray later we discovered he had pneumonia.  Apparently they are seeing lots of pneumonia this year that they can't actually hear at the clinic.  The kids present with the symptoms but the Dr can't hear the rattle though it is obvious on the xray.  Thankfully my pediatrician sent us for an xray and we started the right meds that same day.  Riley has been busy in school.  He is learning all his letters and sounds.  His teacher conference was super positive and his special education teacher says he is showing tons of kindergarten skills. 

Rex has been busy busy with school, Cub scouts, indoor soccer, basketball, preparing for his first communion and confirmation, and finding time to just be a boy and play.  He appears to love it all and we are getting ready to sign up for spring baseball which will be a new adventure in busy.  In the past we have played summer baseball so it didn't overlap with soccer but this year he decided that he wants to play with his friends at school.  He will be playing real Little League as long as I don't mess up and not get him registered on time or something.  I'm not sure how we will balance two sports with practise but it will be fun to watch him with his buddies so its worth it....right???  Rex is doing really well at school.  Teacher conferences this Friday so I'll get the scoop then but other than needing more class participation I don't think the teacher has any complaints. 

I have been a medical mess it feels.  Nothing truly serious just a lot of little dents and dings.  I'm having success with my life style eating changes.  I'm down 15 pounds with out much effort.  I have been feeling better than I have in a long time.  I assume that means I have stabilized my blood sugar but will find out for sure in April when I go back to the Dr for more blood work.

In addition to the PCOS I have discovered that I have sleep apnea.  I completed a sleep study a few weeks back and go back tomorrow for the second half.  I was so ramped up about the whole event that I couldn't calm down enough to sleep and therefore didn't meet the insurance requirements to have the cpap machine set up that same night.  So tomorrow evening, for my sleeping enjoyment, I get to go back to see my buddy the sleep technician.  At this point I'd rather see my pool boy named Juan but I'll have to settle for my technician buddy.  He has all my special wires and gooey sticky "hair gel" all ready for me.  I'll even get to pick out my very own Darth Vader style mask.  I'm so excited I can hardly contain it.  Justin thinks he is ready for me to have my machine so I'll stop twitching and snorting but I'm not sure he is ready for the sexy beast I'll transform into with my fancy new headgear. 

As I sit and type this I know it sounds like such a long list of whining.  Some days its so easy to throw a giant pity party but there are so many reminders that things could be so much worse.  A good friend of mine had a scare today that her daughter might have leukemia.  Thankfully the blood work came back normal but it does slow you down a bit and put things in perspective.  A dear friend of my is awaiting test results that really at this point I'm hoping what ever she has just isn't life threatening.  Seriously is that the best prayer I can come up with?  My uncle is fighting for his life and losing to cancer. I am very thankful that he has an amazing faith and I know he and the family will find comfort in prayer.  It is so very difficult to see your family and friends struggle at every turn.  Some days it simply feels like too much.  I know in my heart that God truly does have a plan for each of us and we must trust him to show us the way, but it is still so hard.  So over the last month that I've been living my life I have been trying to remind myself that I have a beautifully wonderful life and family and friends that I need to thank God for every single day. 



As your reward for making it through that long winded ramble here is a family photo from the fall of 2007.  Riley is not quite 1 year old and Rex had just turned 5.