Welcome, Fall. Hello, y'all!

It's a dream job, really.

Let me back up ... in my last post, I implied that all kinds of things were changing this fall - three in school, me with potential employment.

I applied to be the church secretary. It seemed like a natural fit; my strengths, hours during which the kids would be in school ... a church I love.

Alas, it was not meant to be.

The former librarian at the church became the new secretary. And after a bit of moping and huffing, I got over it (truly, she's a wonderful lady and doing a fabulous job!!) and found my obvious calling:

Church Librarian.

You can go ahead and picture me with the glasses in front of a stained glass window, a la Dana Carvey.  It's not too far off, although my glasses aren't pointy and I'm rarely in polyester. Oh, and I don't give folks a hard time. Well, mostly.

Anyway, it's not a paid gig, but it's a dream job nonetheless. I am tasked with single-handedly revitalizing the church library - top to bottom, from the contents of the collection to the categorization and display. Are you smiling and nodding? Can you sense how geeked out I am over this?

Isn't that SPECIAL?

Fall-y Fall Fall

And so it begins ...

Happy Almost-Fall, everyone (I know, according to the calendar, we have quite a while till it's official... but this Mamma has all the lunch box and school supplies purchased; therefore = fall.

Just an update on the Maize household for those of you DYING to know what's going on (ha).

1. Ezra goes to "big school" this year - Kindergarten. When people ask if he's "excited to go to school," he answers yes ... his eyes twinkling about all the playground time he'll be getting. Who knows what he thinks about the rest of it ... what I wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall in that classroom! My little man! He's been into legos and dirt this summer, as a good boy should.

2. Audrey goes back to public school this year (after a brief hiatus of cyberschool last spring), 2nd grade. She's terribly excited at the prospect, as she has always loved school. She also gained a mouth full of metal this month by way of braces and an expander. She's finally adept at navigating non-noodle-based foods and pronouncing "th" words :) Progress.

3. Ian, the retired Navy pilot, brain cancer survivor and "stroke" survivor, has decided to mix it up in earnest. This Saturday he and Audrey will run a 5K race here in town. Go ahead, take a deep breath and read that again. We were here, and now ... we're not. Praise God.

Also in the interest of constructing an elaborate Maize Maze, Ian has been accepted to Trinity School for Ministry (aka: seminary) and will begin full-time course work in the fall. Where his Master of Divinity will lead, only God knows; what we DO know is He has been directing Ian on this path for quite some time ... it just took a few brain surgeries to bring him around to obedience ;) His call-sign is "Rev;" soon that wil be more than a military nickname.

4. Rachel: well, keeping up with the rest of the family has been some work :) I have a few other projects "in the hopper," as it were, including MOPS, various other church committees, and potential employment ... but we'll save all that for a different post!

As always, God has blessed us in amazing ways, and continues to show His patience and mercy when we crash and burn. I am humbled by His provision and this seemingly Fresh Start; I pray He blesses you in a similar way this year.

fun fact

America has 3.1% of the world’s children but buys 40% of the world’s toys.


hmm.

Sup?

My grandmother and grandfather asked me on Sunday, genuinely interested:

"What have you been doing lately?"

I sat in awkward silence, my mind a blank.

What HAVE I been doing? and what does it mean that I can't bring any of it to mind?

1. I've been making t-shirts into bags, and linen clothes into dish cloths. Because I can.
2. I've been encouraging Audrey to put the finishing touches on her 1st grade cyber-school work.
3. I've attended meetings (church, mostly) and end-of-the year gatherings.
4. I've been nearly-full-time referee for the kids. (is it fall again yet?)
5. One weekend in May I broke my own record for number of scrapbook pages completed in 3 days (my family vacated, I rose early and stayed up late. Had Ramen for dinner. And it was good.)
6. I'm preparing to lead a 10-week Bible study this summer.
7. I edit, when the work comes bopping into my computer.
8. I make detailed shopping lists for Ian (pictures, categories, etc) and revel in his enjoyment of shopping.
9. I've cheered on Audrey, aka "Bruiser" and her rag-tag Lady Bobcats on the softball field (and washed the uniform).
10. I've shouted at Ezra (aka Pigpen?) to stop making dirt-angels in the infield at Tball (and given up on THAT uniform).
11. and worked the concession stand.
12. and gone to family camp
13. and welcomed the new neighbors
14. and read a few books, paper, kindle and audio
15. laundry, dishes, litterbox, vacuuming ... whenever the mood strikes ;)
16. isn't that enough?


Anyway, still here, still adventuring through life. I write the blog posts in my head but they never seem to flow from these fingers. Perhaps soon ...

So until then, I leave you with a few fun pics:

Ezra. Done with Preschool.

Ian. Zipline. Yup.

Audrey. Jock.

Rachel: patiently trying to repair Boggle. Not.

Fun Fact

An octopus will eat its own arms if it gets really hungry.

Fun Fact

Rats can swim for a half mile without resting, and they can tread water for three days straight.


Two rats can become the progenitors of fifteen thousand rats in less than a year.

Fun Fact

Kittens can clock an amazing thirty-one miles per hour at full speed and can cover about three times their body length per leap.

Fun Fact

The domestic cat is the only species able to hold its tail vertically while walking.  Wild cats hold their tails horizontally or tucked between their legs while walking.

Fun Fact

The cheetah can reach a speed of up to forty-five miles per hour in only two seconds.


Running in short bursts, the cheetah can reach a speed of sixty-two miles per hour.

Fun Fact

Reindeer like to eat bananas. 

Brilliant Poem

posted to facebook by my friend, Sabrina:

Roses are red,

Bacon is too.

Poems are hard.

Bacon.

Cyber School Update

Just a brief note - things are going well in Mrs. Maize's classroom. Audrey has taken to the things which interest her and we're able to use those to accentuate the basics (writing skills, word problems, whatever).  She's particularly interested in all kinds of research ... the latest topics have been Minnesota, Japan, rock types, the civil rights movement and insects. One of the most fun components is the Personal Dictionary - the course instructs us to add vocab words to it corresponding to the topics we discuss (erosion, peninsula, igneous, mayor), but as her interests branch out and she asks more questions, she's adding to her dictionary like mad, perfecting her dictionary use skills (we have one that weighs more than her). I love the blooming curiosity.  I love that I get to witness the excitement. Some days are not as much "fun," and that's ok ... we manage!

Anyway, more detailed info later; I need to get back to schoolin'!

Fun Fact

The brown myotis bat's young when born are equivalent to a woman giving birth to a thirty-pound baby.


At birth, a panda is smaller than a mouse and weighs about four ounces.

Fun Fact

It is physically impossible for pigs to look up at the sky.

Fun Fact

A group of finches is called a charm.


A group of geese on the ground is called a gaggle; a group of geese in the air is called a skein.


A group of goats is called a trip.


A group of owls is called a parliament.

Fun Fact

The poisonous copperhead smells like fresh-cut cucumbers.

"Rev" Preaches the Word

In case you're not on facebook - here's a link to Ian's sermon from February. Enjoy!

Cyber School Update

So a few have asked "how things are going" with Cyberschool ... I can't answer that :)

We received our materials but not the computer yet, so we're doing our own thing (Monday that involved discussing different Bible translations and translating the "Dude" Budweiser commercial and talking about body language/non-verbal communication, how dolphins communicate using a system of "keys" and how they communicate differently than other animals and in what way.  Also, she rocked the "helicopter" breakdance move, after checking out a YouTube video.)

I anticipate receiving the computer and scanner tomorrow and jumping in - tonight I'm getting a handle on where we'll start in the current module and get my lesson plan book in order.  Awesome!

Letting the Cat Out of the Bag

It's always an adventure here at Maize, Inc.

This week, our new adventure: Cyber School.

In a flurry of tough decisions and amazingly smooth transition, we signed Audrey up for cyber school.

What does this mean??

I have no idea. All I know is that our way was paved. Paved, with a personal invitation, an escort, and a champagne to sip along the way.

Ok, that's an exaggeration. I cried (I love her school, she'll miss her friends, I don't want to make it seem like I'm anti her school, or public school, or her teacher ... nothing!!  I plan to send Ezra next year - and even Audrey, if that's what will work for her, us, etc).

But:

We made the leap. There's not much to say about it other than we're giving it a shot; I only know a little about the program through friends who are involved. I plan to post updates about how we're doing, but not to fear; this is not going to veer into HomeSchoolMammaBlog.  

I post this because it's not a "secret" - but there's no good way to tell people. Honestly the answer to "why??" is "Just Because." It really is. It seems to make sense. It seems to be a good fit. It seems to coincide with our goals as a a family and for Audrey specifically. It's about Doing, not Being. It's also about cyber, and not NOT public school. Make sense? 

Note: mid year? Yes. We went this route so we could give it a try before a whole new year. Because finding out mid-year that it's NOT a good fit and sending her into a new classroom with students already "bonded" and on with their year sounds like a BAD idea. This means I am completely open to the possibility this is NOT the right fit and she'll be returning. Keeping nearly EVERY option open, even the possibility of sending her back THIS year. Just ... we need to try this, so we are. The end.

Fun Fact

It was discovered on a space mission that a frog can throw up.  The frog throws up its stomach first, so the stomach is dangling out of its mouth.  Then the frog uses its forearms to dig out all the stomach contents and then swallows the stomach back down.

Do Be Do Be Do ...

God has been prodding me (via others, mostly) about something.

"Audrey, your Daddy and I have been talking about maybe having you do school at home instead of going to school. What would you think of that?"

THAT IS HOW THE CONVERSATION BEGAN. NO LEAD IN, NO WORK UP, NO CONTEXT - WE CAME OUT OF STARBUCKS, GOT INTO THE CAR, AND I LAID THAT ON HER.

I'M SHOUTING, BECAUSE THIS IS THE VERY NEXT THING SPOKEN IN THAT CAR:

"That's exciting! *clasps hands together* You know what? I really like to do research. Like, a book about animals, but not a little book like this with no chapters (makes measurement with hands), but like a big book with chapters so I can find stuff and read about it."

-- no prompting, folks. That's what she had to say about that. Where her mind went FIRST. --

This was accompanied by swinging legs ... the kind you get when you're giddy about a pony ride.

We continued the conversation - we discussed pros and cons. We talked about how this wasn't a "for sure" yet, and that it was NOT a punishment for having problems at school. We also talked about the differences between attending school with her friend(s), and with staying home with mom; this brought tears, as I expected. I asked her to consider which would be more important to her; being at school with her friends or doing school at home without distractions. She didn't hesitate; with tears still streaming, she said, "Doing is more important than being."

Huh.

Fun Fact

A cockroach's favorite food is the glue on the back of stamps.

Happy Sixth Anniversary, to Ian ...

Last year at this time, I was soliciting letters of support for Ian, to celebrate his five years cancer free. Sort of an artificial attaboy from friends and family. We got a few letters (I won't lie - I was disappointed with the meager response). But even as we were celebrating (I bought a commemorative plant for the sanctuary), we sensed an impending damper on our triumph.

I went on a church retreat and spent a great deal of time calling out to God, pleading: "God, he's such a good man. He has such a witness. Please don't take him from us. Please don't take him from his kids!!" And yet, the tingling and numbness in his right side grew stronger.

No need to rehash - you can get into the Wayback Machine here.

What happened in response to that March 2011 "incident," however, was heartfelt, genuine, urgent and immediate. Care and love and support from all sides of the GLOBE. Letters and cards? Sure! But prayers and food and visits and rides.

God didn't spare us the pain and trauma. But He DID see us through. He used us in the lives of others, some we will never meet or know, and for that we are honored.

A year later - what can I say? We're here. Ian's with us. He is healthy other than his affectations/limitations. We are incredibly grateful for the year, the blessings, the lessons. And the miracle.

Happy February 15th = Ian's Sixth year, cancer free.  Amen.

Fun Fact

After eating, the housefly regurgitates its food and eats it again.

Bits and Pieces

So like everything else we encounter in life, this whole ADD situation is a learning experience. You, dear reader, get the benefit of learning along with us, if you so choose.

The first thing to point out is the distinction between ADD and ADHD. The "H" stands for Hyperactivity, and Audrey does not suffer from this particular aspect. She is quite able to sit still, assuming the activity is a challenge and/or captures her attention (hence the issue with behavior in class as it correlates with easy class work). This is also why people are surprised to hear that Audrey struggles with ADD; they, too, have the idea that it is all about having the crazies. Not so.

The issue with an ADD brain is that it is unable/less able to process executive functions; that is, to compartmentalize, to organize, to clear the brain of clutter and focus on the task at hand. All of this occurs (or does not) in the frontal lobe of the brain.

How does this look for Audrey? *

She can't/doesn't withhold information. If it's in her head, it's out of her mouth. (You may know adults with diarrhea of the mouth as well, but that's a different issue ;)  She is especially prone to correcting others, both teachers and other students, at completely inappropriate times. Where as this may seem like "smart-ass" behavior, I can assure you that, in fact, she has no clue that she is being rude; when it is brought to her attention she gets quite upset. We're talking about an obedient (generally), sweet (except to her brother) kid - and when she comes off as bratty and unfriendly, (and it's brought to her attention) she's quite distraught. The crux, then, is that no matter how upset she gets about it in retrospect, she doesn't carry the lesson over to the next time a situation presents itself. There's no "pause => reflect => choose" button.

She is painfully literal. Her verbal and reading skills are amazing, but nuances escape her. She'll miss social cues. Everything is black and white - right or wrong. If the teacher gives a direction which is the least bit vague, she is stumped. Inference and interpreting are surprisingly, for someone so sharp, at times non-existent. The only example I can come up with right now: in kindergarten, her teacher had the class draw pictures of themselves. Mrs. H commented with amusement that when she asked, "Do you have grass under your feet?", Audrey looked under her own chair. The question was not, "does the picture of yourself have grass under her feet?" or "is there grass under the person on your paper?" ... the exact sentence threw her because it was taken at face value.

This literal nature and obliviousness leads to a deficit in interpersonal development. Audrey has more than once hurt someone's feelings enough at school for the teacher to be contacted -- if you know her that may shock you, but perhaps when you hear that she said, "You can't read," to the kid who ... well, can't ... you can understand the issue. It's not that she was saying, "I can read, you can't, nyahnyahnyah," but rather, A=B. "You cannot read. You are not permitted to choose a book from this section of the library based on that fact. These are books for reading kids." In fact, along with ensuring the rules are being followed (another compulsion), I think she actually considers herself being helpful in these situations.

She is accident prone, physically awkward and self-unaware. She isn't phased by hair flying about into her face (which drives me batty, so I can't relate at ALL), into her food ... She's tall for her age, so I was apt to consider her physical behavior the result of lankiness and growth spurts ... but the truth is, she flails, crashes, walks on tip-toes, frequently injures herself in bizarre ways, and lacks situational awareness. Her clothing is nearly always dirty in some way (yes, I know, kids have accidents and spill things, but trust me; this is above and beyond).

I am well aware of how some of these scenarios appear from the outside. If you didn't know Audrey and read this blog, you might think I'm deluding myself into thinking I have an angelic first grader who never does anything wrong, intentionally or otherwise.

Far from it.

You may also insist that "kids will be kids" and "all kids mature at different rates," etcetc. Yes. And no.

I know my own kid, and I know that among her many sins and faults, being willfully disobedient, not attending to what is asked of her, and insulting/being unkind to others are NOT her bent. And pondering some oddities from infant through age seven, I see stuff.

I can't possibly summarize my kid in a blog post, or can I rehash seven years of her life, our lives ... so I'm bound to be leaving out something that help the reader experience a clearer picture. All I can offer is a periodic update on this aspect of Team Maize, thank you for your MANY kind words of encouragement and for sharing your personal experiences -- both publicly and privately -- and do my best to muddle through this parenting thing, one day at a time.

* Note: I hope that in my outlaying Audrey's shortcomings no one thinks I'm using a public forum to bash my daughter. I love her dearly, she is my first born, my sidekick, my mini-me. I watch others "get a load of her" and it makes me smile; she's striking in personality, not because of an attention-seeking nature but because of a genuine interest in everyone and everything around her. She's engaging. She makes adults smile (some kids don't know what to do with her, I think) and she's always ready for a conversation with anyone about anything. I love my daughter, I appreciate her strengths, am beginning to seek clarity on her weaknesses, and I support her all the while.

Fun Fact

The male house wren builds several nests as part of his courtship ritual.  After the nests are completed, his potential bride looks them all over and then selects one as her preferred choice for the laying of her eggs.

And the Light Bulb Comes Out of the Box

If you know my daughter, you know she's bright.

Scary bright, really.

We had her tested for the Gifted program at school; not because we needed a sheet of paper to prove she was a smart cookie; but because this year we've run into fairly significant issues with her behavior in the classroom.

I can hear you, you know - I can feel the vibrations of your murmurings: "SHE'S BORED!!!"

While I don't disagree with you, we've been confronted with a different truth: although not qualified for a Gifted designation, Audrey DOES fit neatly into an ADHD profile.

See, I can still hear you ... stop shaking your head!! Bear with me, ok?

A year ago, or less, perhaps, I would have scoffed at any suggestion of the sort. I "KNEW" ADHD when I saw it ... the boy with ants in his pants who certainly wouldn't sit down to read a book (as she does -- often), is in need of medication (this concept directly in opposition to my opinion about the over-medication of children - I'm a hypocrite, and I'm willing to admit it), and/or a stronger means of discipline.

But after speaking to her teachers, the school psychologist, and an independent psychologist who did a THOROUGH investigation and interview, Ian and I are comfortable with this diagnosis.

In fact, I'm relieved.

It's amazing how filling out those forms with the little check boxes and rating scales gave me immediate grace for -- and understanding of -- my daughter. Being smart doesn't make her able to organize her thoughts, her tasks, her BODY ... anything. Being mature doesn't cover the inability to control outbursts in the classroom and saying things which inadvertantly hurt others. Being 7 doesn't mean she's finally self-aware enough to keep her hair out of her food ... there's simply a missing piece, a brain misfire, an issue in the frontal lobe.

Lord knows the Maizes know enough about the brain to give it due respect.

And so, dear reader, I throw this out to cyberspace for a number of reasons:

1. if you've seen me do what you believe is going overboard in my dealing with Audrey ... shouting, becoming insanely frustrated, making a big deal out of her responses to me, insisting she obey me immediately, getting in her FACE out stuff ... know that these have all become part of my coping mechanism for something invisible which has now come to light.

2. if you have experienced the joy of my daughter (and truly, she is a joy - a lover of people, a charming, funny kid, quirky and crazy and wonderful), you can look for the things I describe and nod in agreement with me ... and perhaps try a different tac if you need to get her to ingest some pertenent information.

3. if you've heard me grumble or roll my eyes about ADHD in general, I'm sorry; it's not that I denied its existence, or even dismissed the need for medication to be given ... just that without a full understanding of the syndrome itself, I was prone to oversimplification and suspicion. For this academic laziness, I apologize.

4. if you've been down this road: we are about to begin our journey of special school accomodations, therapy/counseling and parental education. You may hear about some of it. If you have comments, especially of a constructive, experienced nature, I'd love to receive them. (FYI: we are not yet on a medication plan. This may come later, if the above provisions do not suffice).

The Saga of the Painted (Upholstered) Chair

This summer I did a fun project which elicited much commentary via facebook.

"You're doing WHAT?!"

So I thought I'd lay it all out here, so you can check it out and weigh in if you'd like :)

I was inspired by This Blog and I knew I had to give it a shot! I bought two identical chairs from a friend, fully intending to give them this treatment; the fabric's in great shape, but it's PINK.

Here are the Pink Lovelies, having a chat.

I bought a can of plain 'ol latex paint at Lowe's: I forget the color name, sorry (my neighbor calls it Ooblek Green. He's not far off).

You'll need mixing containers, a spray bottle of water, foam paint brushes (the GOOD kind, not the cheap, crappy ones), a small "regular-ish" paint brush and FABRIC MEDIUM. This is what makes the paint not crack and goo and blick. (Those are technical terms.)  You can find it with the paints at your local craft store - you will need a bunch, depending on your size of furniture and type of fabric.

I'm not going to fuss with a tutorial here - you can visit the above site.  But here are the before, during and after photos.

The chair is not "crunchy." It does not feel like velor, but it also doesn't feel like burlap. More like a starched linen or duck cloth (or painted canvas, naturally).

I plan to paint the other chair, although I we haven't settled on a color yet. Hence, it sits in all its pink glory, awaiting Spring.

eeeew! this could have been discouraging ...

Must. Have. Patience.  This is AFTER one coat.

TA-DA!!

Whaddya think??

Fun Fact

About seven million cars are junked every year in the United States.

Come in, This is No Sugar. Do you read me?

Except for the Christmas letter and small, random updates, things have been quiet here at No Sugar.

There are many reasons: busy-ness, perfectionism, lack of inspiration, internally pooh-poohing my own thoughts and opinions...  "Who (of the many readers who follow this blog due to Ian's story last spring) cares about my favorite restaurant, the miserable customer service I encountered, my son's proclivities or my daughter's quirks?

And really, the answer to that should be is this: "I write this for me. If you don't want to read it, there's a little red and white 'x' up there. Use it."

I have come to realize that what used to be a creative outlet and diversion to me has become a news-only station. So fair warning; I'm manually adjusting the dial and returning you to your (semi)regularly scheduled programming. Buckle up.

Fun Fact

Recycling one glass jar saves enough energy to power a TV for three hours.

Fun Fact

If you yelled for eight years, seven month, and six days, you would have produced enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee.

Fun Fact

H2O expands as it freezes and contracts as it melts, displacing the exact same amount of fluid in either state.  So if the northern ice cap did melt, it would cause absolutely no rise in the level of the ocean.

Fun Fact

Sunbeams that shine down through clouds are called crepuscular rays.  (WE say that's how the angels get down to earth). :)

Update on Christmas newsletter

Fyi: Ian has been discharged from therapy and hits the YMCA 3x a week. His replacement occupational therapy includes making beds, assembling intricate lego creations, and whipping up lunches.

Merry Christmas from the Maizes 2011

(at the prompting of friends and family, here is the text of our family newsletter. sent this out with the cards. Happy New Year!  Here's to a ... calmer 2012!)

Hello and Merry Christmas from the Maizes!

Whew ... what an exciting year! If you're new to our Christmas card list, we normally send out a letter full of random adventures and joys from our year, followed by a movie review list. This year's news was heavily weighted to the spring -- so the bulk of your reading will flow from the drama that was Ian's last medical adventure.  

If you want to read more details, including potential options we faced and the day-to-day grind, check out the blog at www.hold-the-sugar.blogspot.com: go back to March 8 to begin the journey.

Was there a January to 2011? Anyway, February 15th marked Ian's 5-year cancer-free milestone. We celebrated in our hearts; at pathology/diagnosis time, Ian was given a life expectancy of 3-5 years. So this was a BIG deal.

Unfortunately, just as our sense of triumph cemented, other bodily betrayals were afoot. Ian began to experience tingling and numbness on the right side of his body, culminating in a lack of ability to swallow.  We headed to the ER via ambulance March 8.

The months following are a blur, but many memories are in focus: the night Ian's oxygen levels dropped too low and we headed to the ICU. The day the surgeon, who had previously been reticent to go anywhere near the brainstem, came in and said he was now thinking surgery was our best option. The multiple times Ian struggled to communicate by pointing to letters of the alphabet, writing with his finger on the sheet, and scrawling some words on paper (things like, "sedation" and "I want to breathe."

Ian had what is called a cavernous malformation on the brain stem. Although it may have been somehow related to the radiation treatment Ian received after his tumor resection in 2006, it was not cancerous, a tumor, or anything of the sort. Instead it was an "angry blood vessel," raspberry shaped and tiny, seated on the brainstem, oozing blood. It may have existed there – peacefully -- his entire life, and just chose to erupt when it did, or it could have emerged recently to cause trouble. Some folks get these things and never have symptoms, and they can show up anywhere in the vascular system (ie: a leg) and cause a whole different series of issues. For Ian, the location made this sucker an enemy of his nervous system ... including causing him constant hiccups till the operation!

His lungs collapsed, he developed pneumonia. He constantly had crud in his throat and airways that required a sucky tube. He had a trach and feeding tube and was unable to speak for weeks. We were sent to rehab WAY too early (in my opinion) and had a few setbacks there. Right before heading home from rehab he developed seizure-like symptoms and splitting headaches. We came home with a wheelchair, a feeding tube in his stomach, a hospital bed in the living room and a passel of drugs.

But we were home -- and then the real work began. Therapists and nurses visiting nearly every day.  Slowly getting out of the wheelchair and sending the hospital bed away (stairs! we have 17 inside!). Practicing things like saying, "chocolate cake" and getting down to and up from the floor.

Part two of the story: the community rallies.  I can't name everyone here (I hope to eventually thank everyone personally), but some of the things:

               1. food provided and laundry done while we were in the hospital phase

2. kids cared for daily while I made the 45-minute trek to Pittsburgh

3. railings installed and bath chair provided

4. gift cards (coffee! groceries!) and cash (gas!) came consistently and sometimes anonymously.

Funny t-shirts came to the hospital, and cards, and fun stuff (a plush brain stem cell!)

5. prayer - in a BIG way. an organized prayer session at the church, a Facebook page
 flooded with messages, cards and texts and other tokens of love. We are BLESSED to 
know each of you.

Part three:  Life now!  Ian is down to two out-patient therapy sessions a week. He DRIVES there. He can eat and drink normally (it’s amazing what we can now take for granted!). All the tubes are gone; only scars remain. He is able to continue work with a home office and small task load (PLS Logistics has been AMAZING to us). His speech is still altered and his gait a bit "off," but other than that - same old guy. (We speculate there may have been an addition of some smart@$$ while the surgeon was in there, but we can't be sure ...).  He is also back to Bible study and serving as a deacon at church.

Audrey attends 1st Grade. She's a fan of dolphins and the color lavender and enjoys singing and ringing bells in the children's choir at church. Reading is still her first love; her favorites this year have been Harry Potter, the Chronicles of Narnia and Nancy Drew/Hardy Boys (She had a FABulous Nancy Drew mystery birthday party!)

Not to be outdone, Ezra has started to read as well, although his interests lean heavily toward things with wheels! :) He has benefited most from Daddy's stay-at-home status and they spend one-on-one time "playing cars" or Legos. He loves preschool and "hanging out" (he asks to visit with a friend every day!).  His favorite books are anything that makes him giggle, like Cookie Monster and the Cookie Tree, Fly Guy, and The Missing Piece.   (Ezra smashed it up with an Angry Birds birthday party!)

Rachel is relieved to have 2011 behind her! She has been decluttering, decorating, crafting, writing and reading whenever possible (in addition to kid-wrangling). She has taken on some part-time copyediting work (Grammar Police!) and is quite enamored with her iPhone. :)

------------------------------------------------------- Movies 2011-------------------------------------------------------

5*

Bigger, Stronger, Faster

Fat Head

Kathleen Madigan: Gone Madigan

Wallace & Gromit: Loaf and Death

4

Craig Ferguson: Does This Need to Be Said?

Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son About His Father

Dedication

Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead

Lie to Me: Season 1-3

Methadonia

Shaun the Sheep Season 1

3

After Innocence

The Boondock Saints

Brian Regan: Standing Up

Bunny Shorts Season 3

Conan O'Brien Can't Stop

Dinner for Schmucks

Facing the Habit

Forks Over Knives

Green Lantern

Intervention: Season 1-9

Morning Glory

Obsessed: Season 1-2

Planet B-Boy

Psych: Season 1-3

Racing Stripes

Rango

Spy Kids

The Taking of Pelham 123

WALL-E

World's Most Dangerous Drug

2

Addicted: Season 1

American Meth

Bill Burr: Let It Go

G-Force

George Carlin: It's Bad For Ya

Goodbye Girl (2004)

Just Go With It

Lewis Black: Stark Raving Black

Lincoln Lawyer

Lisa Lampanelli: Tough Love

Michael McDonald: Model Citizen

Ponyo

Prodigal Sons

Russell Brand in New York City

The Switch

1

Bo Burnham: Words, Words, Words

The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day

George Carlin: Complaints and Grievances

Heroin Town

Now and Then

The Power of Forgiveness

*(5=best, 1=worst)

Also: Ian did a Cheers marathon from his lair in the parlor :)

If you’re reading this letter, you have most likely been following our trials by way of the internet or word of mouth. You have been praying, offering words of encouragement and providing tangible means of support to our family. For all these things we are incredibly grateful and humbled. We have been blessed with an amazing network of family and friends, and have seen the community band together in a beautiful way.  We praise God for His mercy and provision during this difficult season, and continue to thank Him for His Body here on earth.  Ephesians 1:16-17

                                                                                                                        With much love,

                                                                                                                                       Ian, Rachel Audrey and Ezra