Fall Fun: updated-new picture

Fall is here? There are some days when it feels that way, and others (like today) when you wouldn't really know it, except that their is a slight hint of a cool breeze in the evening. The girls and I spent a little over an hour outside after dinner this evening. We really enjoyed the weather and lack of flying bugs that a little freeze ushers in. The only bad thing is that the very same freeze that killed the bugs also killed some of the plants in my garden that were still hanging on.

Well, before I get to the really fun stuff, I'll give you a little Laura Kate update. Thursday we went to see Dr. Hogg who is Laura Kate's pediatric nephrologist. He said that the blood in her urine isn't particularly concerning. The markers he looks for in determining a problem are protein in the urine, kidney function (as indicated by a urine test), and blood pressure. He said all three factors were excellent in Laura Kate. So, her kidneys are fine. He said she has IGA nephritis (atleast I think that's what it's called) as a result of the HSP. When she got that little cold a couple of weeks ago, it irritated something inside her kidneys and caused the blood. He also said that we shouldn't be surprised if we see that again whenever she has any upper respiratory issues. So, that's a weight off of our minds. AND, Laura Kate got along quite famously with Dr. Hogg. You would think they had always been the best of friends.

Now we have to focus on the gut issues. Wednesday afternoon, Dr. Pohl said that he wanted to do an upper and lower GI scope. Yipee, sounds like fun, huh? I'm not too thrilled about it. But, you have to do what you have to do. He said he'd sedate her, then put a soft tube down her throat to have a peek, then go in from the other end. Yikes! They'd have to put me to sleep, too! I'll let you know when I have more details on when that'll take place.

Now for the fun stuff. Wednesday night our church hosted a fall festival as an alternative to a Halloween celebration. That was good, since our girls don't go trick-or-treating. They had the opportunity to dress up and play with their friends. We had a great time, and the weather was beautiful. I was pleasantly surprised that we didn't all freeze when the sun went down! Here are some pics and commentary:

Sleeping Beauty and the beautiful ballerina make their fall festival debut

After wearing themselves out on the inflatable slide, obstacle course, and moon-bounce, the girls enjoy a relaxing hay rideBelieve it or not, a hayride has a way of building up an appetite! Everyone took a quick break to enjoy a yummy hot dog and watch the sunset.

We made our way inside to see how we would fair at the games. Laura Kate threw the ball into the bucket on her second try. She didn't get that kind of skill from her mother!

After winning some cookies at the cake walk, Anna decided she'd like to have her face painted. We settled on having her hand painted. What sort of drawing did she choose? Why, a pink princess crown of course! Was there really any other possibility?

Anna and her friend Lexi. I always like for Anna to hang out with sweet girls like Lexi. I suppose I secretly hope they rub off on her, ha ha.

Anna and Kara. These two are a hoot to observe. Anna is loud, Kara is quiet. Kara is adventurous and brave, Anna can be a little too cautious. But, they get along really well. They've been friends for half of their lives, which is only 2 years, but that's a long time for 4 year-olds :)

This is Laura Kate and "her Ms. Jenny." Jenny was LK's VBS teacher. She was evidently an excellent teacher, since Laura Kate still remembers her memory verse: "Teach me what is right, God." Psalm 86:11 Of course, that's the condensed version for 2 year olds :)
Anna and Ms. Andrea. Andrea was Anna's Sunday school teacher for 2 years. She was awesome with the kids and Anna adores her.
Baylee, Anna, Layla, Kaylei, and Laura Kate...such little cuties! These three girls are sisters aged 2, 5, and 3. They and our girls have started hanging out over the last few months. They are such sweet, well-behaved little ones. I had the youngest, Baylee, in my Sunday school class until she moved up to Justin's in June. She's was very shy, but she's really come out of her shell!

Princesses as far a the eye can see: Kaylei, Layla, Laura Kate, Anna, and Jordan. Jordan is another little one who's been friends with Anna for a long time. If I'm not mistaken, they've been friends since before their first birthdays! Anna is truly blessed with such sweet little buddies.

A Trip to the Dentist

This morning, all three Mitchell ladies went to the dentist. I take the girls to a pediatric dentist. They love it there so much that Anna excitedly told her Sunday school teacher how pumped up she was about going. The Sunday school teacher asked me if Anna had ever actually been to the dentist before. I explained that she had, and that we hope she hangs on to such enthusiasm for dentist appointments!

Well, Anna checked out just fine. Healthy, shiny, pearly whites. Laura Kate on the other hand...that's another story. You know what? The kid can't catch a break. Oh well, what doesn't kill her will make her stronger, right? Oy. Anyway, she has three cavities. After the hygienist told me (and while I was picking my jaw up off of the floor), she explained that 3 of LK's molars hadn't developed properly. There were spots where the enamel was really thin and it caused cavities. She said they are very tiny and weren't caused by poor dental hygiene, which of course made me feel better. So, next Tuesday we go back to have them filled. They are going to gas her (which sounds terrible) to ensure that she's relaxed. While they are in there, they are going to clean her teeth again. The hygienist said that LK was as still as a three year old could be, but since they're going to gas her (still sounds terrible) and she'll be really relaxed, the hygienist is going to clean a little more thoroughly. I don't know about you, but the idea of nitrous oxide for a little bitty one makes me nervous. Oh well.

Tomorrow we head to Temple to see Dr. Pohl (GI doc). Thursday we're back to Temple to see Dr. Hogg (kidney doc). Laura Kate really likes Dr. Pohl. However, she and Dr. Hogg have a rocky history. Now, I'm going to preface this all with my observation of Dr. Hogg: he is a very kind gentleman, probably in his sixties, with white hair and a British accent. I found him pleasant and not intimidating in the least. Now, the two times he visited Laura Kate in the hospital she was none too happy. The first visit she yelled to him "Leave me alone!" Mind you he was sitting on the other side of the room and had not yet made a move to examine her. If you know Laura Kate at all, you know that is out of character for her. The second visit, she did what we called "The Popeye." She pretended she was asleep and would occasionally pop open the eye closest to the bed to have a peek at what was going on. Of course, she was convinced she had everyone fooled. Then there was one day when we met him out in the hall as he was on his way to see another patient. She hid behind me when he addressed her. Now that you know that history between Laura Kate and Dr. Hogg, you know that Thursday ought to be quite interesting.

If she comes to your mind in the next couple of days, pray for our little trooper. She's got a few more hurdles to jump in the next week. And pray for Anna as well; that she doesn't feel lost in the shuffle and that we don't make her feel that way. My kids are so cool. They are so tough. I feel honored to be there mom :)

As Gomer Pyle would say: "Suprise, suprise, suprise!"

As you may well know, a week in the life of a Mitchell family member is not without surprises. Thursday evening found us partying and having a good time. Friday evening found us in the emergency room. The birthday girl was suffering from dehydration due to non-stop vomiting...fun stuff. We tried as best we could to manage things at home, but she couldn't keep anything down. So, we finally made our way to the Temple Scott & White ER at around 1:30 a.m. Our ER doc was actually one we saw quite often during Laura Kate's many hospitalizations, so that was nice. She knew exactly who we were and what LK's history was.

Dr. Saenz postulated that LK either had a stomach virus or was having some residual GI pain from the HSP and the pain presented itself by way of nausea. Anyway, LK got some IV meds and fluid, and it was like she was a whole new critter. She perked right up, literally. She sat up and began chatting with everyone. She felt good and was ready to go home. A few hours and many sips of Gatorade later, we were on our way home. What was Anna doing in the meantime, you might ask. Well, our beloved eldest daughter was a regular night owl. When I woke her up to get her dressed, her little brain clicked on and didn't shut off until we were well on our way home to Waco. I suppose the sleep she got from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. was sufficient to keep her rolling through the night. Our ER room had satellite t.v., so she watched Even Almighty, Enchanted, and some Disney cartoons. Justin and I caught a few precious moments of sleep while we waited. All in all it wasn't too bad.

After we were released, Anna promptly requested breakfast at McDonald's, to which her daddy readily complied. Anna ate her McGriddle and hash browns as she watched her first sunrise after pulling an all-nighter. She handed me her various wrappings, thanked us for breakfast, and fell asleep almost immediately. I think about 9o seconds elapsed between her last word and her first snore. It was pretty amazing. Her pleasant attitude throughout the early morning hours made the whole ordeal so much more bearable.

So, how is Laura Kate now? Well, after about 3 hours of sleep Saturday morning, her engine was revved up and ready to go. Had you never known what had transpired in the 15 hours prior you wouldn't have imagined anything had been out of the ordinary. She wanted to eat, color, jump on the trampoline, anything that kept her brain active and her body moving. She is simply amazing. She was well enough to attend church Sunday morning. Following services, we were treated by the Hedges to lunch at Don Carlos'. It was pretty good. Pretty darn good, actually. I think Justin has decided we'll definitely go back. We had a nice, long nap Sunday afternoon. Then we enjoyed waffles for dinner, followed by a family viewing of The Pirates Who Don't Do Anything. By the way, I highly recommend the movie. The songs are awesome. Steve Taylor and the newsboys did a song (Anna quickly identified Peter Furler's voice; I've raised the girl well), and Mike Nawrocki as Mr. Lundt sang a remake of "Rock Lobster" by the B52s called "Rock Monster." Classic Veggie Tales wit and creativity.

What started out a little rocky turned into a really fun and relaxing weekend. I told you God is good.

Here are a couple of pics for your viewing pleasure:

This morning the girls had story time and a "picnic" in Anna's room
This picture was taken in February. The girls were in love with some weeds that sported little purple flowers and picked them by the handfull.
Laura Kate, Anna, and cousin Ayla at Travis and Cori's wedding in March
Laura Kate and Anna get their groove on at the reception

May fun :)

Anna climbs the rock wall at gymnastics. This was taken in June.Laura Kate, almost one month before her illness, watching big sister at gymnastics.
Daddy reads Laura's Star to the girls before bedtime
Two of a kind
Laura Kate's first encounter with curlers. We were getting ready for Melody and Marcel's wedding, which was in September.

Happy Happy Birthday, Baby!

Wow. 3 years of my life have flown by at the speed of light. Little Laura Kate is quite the big girl now. Once again, yesterday was a reminder of just how good God is to us and how immensely he's blessed us. We certainly don't deserve it, but He never fails to give.

To use Laura Kate's words "I can't believe today was my birthday! It was a beautiful day." I couldn't agree more. We had a small party for her, no little friends, just family. The menu consisted of pizza, cupcakes, and chocolate chip cookies. In the mind of a child, you can't beat a spread like that. Heck, in my mind you can't beat that! It was really nice to visit and share the joy of a well and cheerful Laura Kate with those closest to her (who could make it).

I preface the pictures with this: In most instances, Laura Kate is completely incapable of looking at a camera. Anything you say to her in regard to that goes right over the top of her head. To top it all off, our camera flashes twice, so even if she were looking, by the time the picture is taken she's already moved on. This being the case, we didn't get many postable pictures :) Here is what we did get:

This is Tinker Bell. She speaks birthday well wishes. The girls are in love with her. I'm not sure if this was a very wise purchase, but it's too late for second guesses :)

We sing "Happy Birthday" as Laura Kate stare intently at her cupcake. Maybe she's making a wish.

Anna is staring intently at Laura Kate's cupcake. Maybe she's thinking "Three more seconds and I'm going to blow that candle out!"

My little niece, Sara, lives by the mantra that if you can't wear the icing, what's the point in eating a cupcake?

Her First LeapPad from Maw Maw and Paw Paw. Gotta love educational toys. My kids are more tech savvy than I.


Contemplating what it means to get big girl panties from Nana on her birthday. Yes, she is completely potty trained and no, you can't have too many panties.

This is the Princess Jasmine puzzle Laura Kate picked out and we purchased. She was excited when she opened it, as though she'd never seen it. I asked who that was from. She replied, "It's from HEB!" That triggered a roar of laughter. Out of the mouths of babes...

The best gift is a thoughtfully chosen one. Here, Laura Kate is holding popcorn. Popcorn has to be one of the girls "most favoritest" snacks of all. Mrs. Nancy knew that, and she included it in a gift bag with lots of other very fun items. For all of the money we spend on them, they seem to love the most simple things.

Do you remember those big balloon with rubber bands attached that you could punch, kind of like a punching bag? Well, I hadn't seem one in 15 years, probably, until last night. Mrs. Nancy got one for each girl. They are enamored. Here, Daddy is teaching Laura Kate how not to use it (as in, beating someone with it). Below, Anna tires to take a big enough breath to blow it up in one try.

One of Anna's very favorite things to is to make a funny face when you take her picture.

Laura Kate and Maw Maw Katy

Laura Kate and Uncle Matt

Laura Kate and Mrs. Nancy

Paw Paw David, Laura Kate, and Mr. Melvin

The family

As the evening came to a close and everyone had cleared out, Paw Paw David read birthday cards to Laura Kate. Our birthday girls was pretty well worn out at this point. A fun, yet bittersweet, day drew to a end. Kids are such blessing, but soon they have to grow up. It all happens entirely too fast. Reminds us how important it is to revel in the here and now.

There's a light at the end of this tunnel...

That's one of my very favorite songs...Tunnel by Third Day. I love Third Day. If all goes well over the next couple of weeks, we'll be going to see them in concert in Little Rock, Arkansas. Anyway, I chose that title for this post because it popped into my head as I was thinking about posting. We've been a little harried and worried around here. Things seem to pile up and not stop. But, we have it a lot better than so many other people. And there is a light at the end of this tunnel. All that we go through it but a vapor in the context of eternity. For reasons unfathomable, God has chosen to adopt and bless us. He takes care and provides for us. And, no matter what happens here, we have eternal glory to look forward to. That's some pretty good light.

So, I come to the other purpose for this post-a Laura Kate update. I'm ready to stop giving these. It's all pretty good news. Dr. Bierwirth wanted to examine Laura Kate yesterday afternoon. She had a fever at the end of last week, then it came back Monday night. He was concerned about infection, so I took her in. Everything looked ok, but he was afraid that since he couldn't get a urine sample to test from her, she might have a bladder infection or UTI that he could positively diagnose. So, he went ahead and have her an antibiotic. Last night her fever got pretty darn close to 105, so I think (and I'm not a doctor, so my thoughts don't count for much) that she probably does have some kind of infection, and not just a cold. I think she's pretty well over her cold. She's just coughing a tiny bit, probably getting up any drainage that was in her chest. This cold was remarkably mild. Gotta be happy about that!

Hopefully Laura Kate can have a fever free birthday! That's what we are shooting for right now. It's hard to believe that she'll be 3 in a little over 24 hours. On the other hand, so many people can't believe she's only 3. She's such a mature, patient little thing. We've always marvelled at just how laid back and pleasant she is. These recent little trials have made those invaluable character traits. She's such a big girl. We're so proud. We'll be sure to post plenty of pictures of pizza and cupcakes tomorrow ;)

AAAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!

Well, Laura Kate does not have to remain secluded. That's really good. Fantastic. Yes, I talked to her doctor (not the on-call we saw Saturday) this morning, and he said that she could be around other kids as long as we were cautious. I'm just ready to pull my hair out. I wish they would make up their minds! One tells you one thing, another tells you something different. It's enough to drive someone as neurotic as myself into depression! On the other hand, I just want to get up on a couch and jump like Tom Cruise. Can anyone say "bipolar?" Of course, I raise questions about potential illnesses and the effects on her kidneys (like what just happened), etc., but I have to get the answers from the nephrologist. Ggggrrrr. I'm taking a deep breath now. God is in control. And thank goodness for that. I just might implode, were I on my own.

No, it really is good news. I just feel like a flaky nut. I tell you all one thing, then another, then the first thing again. You know what, just don't listen to a thing I say anymore. Look at the pictures of the babies and enjoy those. When you see that I'm ranting, just smile and nod. It's works for Justin ;)

Here are some random pics of the girls from the past: