Surgery and Back to school Night

We started our day out by getting everyone ready for school.

Then we got Makkiah and Taniyah ready to go.

Took Tete to the babysitter and headed for the hospital.

The case before Mak's cancelled so they asked us to get there as soon as we could.

We got there about 9:30, me the team that would be caring for him and gave his some versed.

They took him back to surgery at 10:30 which was the time we were originally supposed to be there.

Surgery lasted about an hour.



The doctor came out and told us that the surgery went well.

They felt that they were able to get everything and the incision was closed nicely.

He said that they would be out in a few minutes to get us to go to recovery.

An hour later they finally came and got us.

I was starting to get worried that something had happened.

He was just sleeping but the nurse decided to have us come back anyway.



I guess he takes after his Dad in that sense cause Rod did the same thing when he had some teeth pulled!

After he was fully awake he had some apple juice and we went to the Same Day Surgery floor.

We stayed there while Rod went to get his meds from the pharmacy.

He drank some juice, had a popsicle, ate some crackers and got up to potty twice before Rod came back.

By the time Rod got back Mak was ready to go EAT!

We stopped at the Subway downstairs and he ate really well.

I was so proud of him and things really did go so well.

We also went the Jaleel and Mak's back to school night.

Met their teachers and got all the info that we needed for the time being.

Tomorrow is Brayana and Destini's night.

Tomorrow is the day

Tomorrow is Makkiah's surgery.

We check in at 10:30 in the morning.

I will update when I get home and let everyone know how he is doing and how the surgery went.

Church nursery painting

We painted the background in the nursery at church. We took out a sink, a door and the cabinets. The door was in the wall in this picture.

We did the blue sky.
















And the green grass.

















We will start drawing animals on the wall and then start painting them.

Not much excitement

Not much here as far as excitement goes.

Today we went and primed the new walls in the nursery.

Picked Makkiah up from school.

Went to a Childrens Ministry meeting.

Rod had flat tire that we took in to get fixed.

Did some shopping at Sam's Club while we waited.

Nothing to exciting.

Just life as usual!

New site

I started a Caring Bridge page for Makkiah.

It's a place that I can journal about his medical issues.

It will keep family and friends up to date and it will provide a place where I can easily keep a timeline.

To visit his page click on the link to the right.

My attachment

Taniyah has been my permanent attachment for the last couple of days. I wanted to enter a photo into a theme competition. The competition this week is hats. She will only wear this one. So we took some pictures. Here are a few.

Court and doctors

What a combination!!

Rod went to the doctor this morning.

He was diagnosed with chronic bronchitis with early asthma.

He didn't have this problem before we moved into this house which makes me wonder.

What in the house is causing the problem.

He has a consult to pulmonology.

We'll see what comes of it.

Our attorney called and let us know that the first court date is set.

We don't have to be there.

It's just the judge making a ruling on our demand to compel arbitration.

The inspector's attorney called him to say they would agree to arbitrate.

The sellers haven't responded.

The date is August 30th.

Then we wait for the date of the arbitration.

We are getting closer.

First Day of School

The two older kids got up and out the door before I got pictures of them.

I got up at 6am and then we started back into our school routine.

Makkiah was so excited and we just couldn't get ready fast enough for him!!
















Brayana wasn't so sure about starting 5th grade. She spent a lot of time hiding behind me.




































Destini found out which class she was in and she was off.




























Jaleel followed me around until we found where his class and teacher were hiding.




























Makkiah went right in and claimed that he couldn't find his name on any of the tables. Whoever made the nametags and table name tags had spelled his name MAKKAIH. His teacher was impressed that he knew the difference!





























Taniyah was NOT impressed that they were all leaving her and she spent the day glued to me!

American Legion Picnic

The ACTION team presented at the American Legion Post 460 picnic again this year. The Legion loves having them and the team always looks forward to this event.

The team did some new songs and once again there wasn't a dry eye in the place. It's amazing watch all these people who are laughing, joking, and hamming it up stop and direct all of their attention to the team. Now you see people starting to get into "position" before the team even goes on "stage".

Even the big biker guys stop what they are doing and all of their ettention goes on the team. We are glad that we can be a part of it and can pay tribure to these men and women who served.

I'm including some of the pictures that Rod and I took. There are more on Flickr.

Ladaria intent on listening to the instructions being given.






























Team picture












The team at the playground!

Moving!!

Not us!

But we've been helping Will and Marsha move.

Lots of stuff and clothes to move.

Rod and Will moved a lot of the big stuff in the back of our big van.

Everybody has a bed to sleep in and most of the dressers got moved.

The couches and table got moved as well.

Tomorrow we will head back over to move some more.

Will & Rod will finish moving the big stuff on Sunday after the presentation.

Pre-op

Went to Makkiah's pre-op appt and all is set for the 28th.

It took us two hours to get through the appt and of course we had to go see anesthesia due to his history.

It seemed like a big waste of time.

The guy says, Well I won't be on the case that day and they will talk to you more on the morning of surgery!

So why did we sit there for 45 minutes waiting for him to show up!

Took us longer to get through pre-op than it did the elderly patients that were in there!!

UGH!!!!

If all goes as planned he will only miss one day of school.

He should be able to return to school the day after surgery.

The doctor did reiterate that we won't know what we are dealing with until he gets in there though.

Only time will tell!

Haircut!

Brayana hates to brush her hair or have her hair brushed.

I finally got tired of it and gave her a haircut!

She desperatly needed one but was not thrilled about the prospect.

I cut it to about shoulder length.

I think it looks really cute but she wasn't so sure!

Can you tell that she's really enthused with the idea!!



In the end she agreed that she liked it and it was so much easier to comb through.

The bottom layer I cut about 3 inches off and by the top layer I was cutting stragglers so it was time for a cut!!

Swimming

We took the kids to the Miramar pool.

When you go into the pool the give you a bracelet that shows that you have not passed the swim test.

Every year you have to requalify for a swim card so you don't have to wear the bracelet.

If you have a bracelet you have to stay where you can touch the bottom of the pool.

They also have a wading pool for the littles.

Taniyah and Makkiah didn't take the swim test and were content in the small pool.

The other kids attempted the swim test.

It consists of swimming out into the middle of the pool, treading water for 1 minute and floating on your back for 1 minute.

Everyone except Destini passed.

She wouldn't float on her back.

She kept grabbing hold of the floating dividers in the pool.

She could have done it but she said she didn't know how to float on her back.

She was bummed that she didn't get her swim card.

She practiced back floating while the other kids jumped off the diving board.

I stayed in the wading pool with the little ones and they are the only ones that I got pictures of!

Guess I will have to make sure that I get some of the others next trip!

Makkiah who is happy to wear his "floaty" anytime he's near water!!


Taniyah who cared for neither the floaty, the bracelet OR the water!!



My Mom jinxed me and now my photos won't load into my blog! I have figured out how to use the HTML to get them there though!!!

A photo of Makkiah and Rod

I did some photos last night of Rod and Makkiah. They are all posted on my Flickr but this is one of my favorites!



I made it small or messes up my margins. If you click on it you can see a larger picture of it.

Newsflash!!

Taniyah used the potty and she really went potty!!

She was so proud of herself and I was proud of her as well!!!

Are we on our way to potty training?

A few projects!!

Rod and I spent the day staining the toe kicks for the cabinets.

We stained them and did the clear coat.

Then we cut them and glued them down.

We discovered just how uneven our floor is!!

We did succeed at it though!

I also played around a little bit with my photoshop.

Here's one of the pictures that I took of Taniyah with her flag.

I made it black & white, recolored the flag, added the text and softened the edges.

Trip to Julian!

We were supposed to go to Julian to our timeshare from Monday to Thursday. We always rent a cabin with a lift since we have 7 kids. Well we got there and this was the cabin they gave us.













It's meant for 6 people and when they 6 people they MEAN six people!! It had a queen size bed, a bunk bed in the "hallway" and a sofabed that took up the whole living room! Makkiah was car sick so going home was not an option at that point SO we stuck it out for the night. The only cabin they had with a loft smelled like dead mouse - YUCK!!

So we stayed and swam and then decided to head home. We couldn't even unpack the vehicles cause there was no where to put things. We'll try again later! So we left and came upon road construction. I took the oppurtunity as a photo shoot!!The cars behind me waiting for the pilot car!














The tree right across the road from my window.






















The "tree" on Ladaria's side of the road












It won't let me put anymore photos on here so if you want to see the others click on the pictures above!

Taniyah with her flag

Taniyah loves to carry around flags. We decorated the yard with flags and she felt that they were there for her to carry around. I decided to use it as a photo oppurtunity!

Here are a few of my favorites

Pictures from Rod

He brought me back a lot of pictures so I'm going to put this one which is one of my favorites and it is linked to the slide show of all the pictures that he took.

ENJOY!!

WELCOME HOME ROD!!!

HE'S HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!

We got up at 6am to get ready to go down to the pier.

All the kids were so excited and so was I.

Everyone got ready and we left for the pier around 8am.

We got there and had no problem finding parking.

They had sectioned of parking for us and it was really nice.

















They had donuts, coffee, juice, crafts, sign making, and Sea World Animals.





















They handed out flags, pom-poms, and braclets.

We were all ready for the ship to come in.















We saw the tugs coming and everyone got excited.

It wasn't our ship!

They brought in the visiting ships first!!

What a bummer!

We got word that the ship was passing under the bridge.

Then they announced that the ship was 20 minutes out.

Less than 5 minutes later we see the tugs again.











And then we saw our ship!!! YAY!!!















After mooring the ship they let us onto the pier and we found Rod.
















Taniyah waved, waved her flag and blew Rod kisses.

She was so excited to see him!!

After what seemed like forever he came off and we headed home.

And we were finally together as a family!!!

(Click on this picture to see all of the homecoming pictures)

Day 97!!! TOMORROW IS THE DAY!!!!

WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We made it.

Tomorrow morning the ship will be pulling in!!!!

I'm excited!!!

Can you tell?!?

Today has been a long day.

Got up at 6:30 to take Ladaria to the school to pick up her registration packet.

Tyreque stayed at a friends house last night so he met us at the school.

They got their stuff and Tyreque was SUPPOSED to go back to his friend's house, eat and come home.

Ladaria and I went back to the house and got Mom so that we could go to Curves.

We went and did our workout and stopped at the grocery store.

I was hoping to make it to the commissary but knew that it wouldn't happen!

Went home and finished up some stuff there and washed the van.

It was still raining some but I knew that I wouldn't have time later to do it.

Finished that and took Ahma and Poppa to the airport.

They are headed back to Florida AGAIN.

We'll see how long they stay this time!!

From the airport I headed over to the pier.

We hung the banners that we made and then took the last one down to the walking bridge and put it up.

I had to climb up on the fence to attach it with zipties!!

The fence was filthy but I got up there and did it.

I wouldn't go over the fence to pull the bottom of the sign down.

It's scary up there above all those cars!!

From the pier I came home and fed kids dinner before heading off to the church.

There's a conference tonight and Ladaria is doing childcare so I took her down there.

While I was down there I redid two of the bulletin boards and they look so much better.

Came back home and Tyreque showed up.

Said he lost track of time and didn't realized that it was Thursday.

Didn't try to make excuses.

Said he should have been home earlier.

Now I'm off to pick up Ladaria and Lauren from the church and attempt to the windows in the dark!!

It FINALLY stopped raining!!

Tomorrow's update will be AFTER Rod gets home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Day 96!! TWO DAYS LEFT!!

Rod will be home in TWO days.

Well really it's one day and a wake up after today!!

I'm getting REALLY excited!

Today we went and worked out at Curves again.

My muscles are cetainly starting to feel it!

Then I took Mom and Ladaria to the house and headed to Target.

The new tv that I bought needed to be exchanged cause it wasn't working.

I got a better tv at $100 less AND I can take back the bracket that I bought which is another $100!!

What a blessing!!

Then I headed over to the church to get some work done there.

Put all the clean toys into bins and into the rooms.

Cleaned the new toys that I bought so they will will be dry tomorrow when I get there!

From there I headed home and hung up decorations!!

Talked with the neighbor and made dinner.

After dinner I headed off to a meeting at the church which was very informative.

Got some good ideas on ways that the church can improve and grow.

Growth and improvement is always a good thing.

Not always easy but good!!

Now I"m going to sleep so I can wake up to one less day!!

Day 95!! 3 days left!!

Do you see that?

No really do you see it?

Today Ladaria and I went over to the church and cleaned out rooms.

We cleaned out cabinets and shelves and cubbies.

We threw our crumpled paper and moldy cups and rotten grapes.

Curdled bottles and broken crayons and topless markers.

Broken cabinets and empty boxes and broken toys.

Lots and lots of stuff!

Cause I'm not scared to throw stuff away!!

We spent most of the day doing that and then moving the rooms around.

We've rearranged the rooms so that we have the 0-2 and 3-5 year olds in rooms next to each other while we work on the Nursery.

We are going to put in new cabinets and counters.

Then we are going to paint it in a Noah's Ark theme.

It will look good when it's done!