Our Own Nature Observatory

Official Diagnosis

After going to many doctors, I went to a neurologist today. He looked at my MRI, and confirmed a diagnosis of MS. I am doing okay. I hate it that baby C and V will never remember their mom without MS. I know that the problems that come with MS ebb and flow, but that I will be ok. I have been blessed with many many friends and many many associates and many many family members that have shown such support and love. I am on cloud nine with all the support and joy I feel from it.

Day 8 Vacation photos

Gratitude

I have been pondering a lot over the last few days just how grateful I am.  This eye thing and the possibilities surrounding it really stink!  But, I am so very grateful for so many things.  I cannot feel too down.

• I am grateful that Baby C is already born.  I am grateful that we chose to have him so quickly after V.  If we had waited, I could currently be pregnant, which would make it harder to diagnose my condition, or, even worse, we could have decided not to have any more children.  I am grateful he is here.
• I am grateful for modern medicine.  Yes, the doctors for sure do not know everything, but there is a lot that they DO know.
• I am grateful for my faith.  I know that Heavenly Father, the God of us all, is able to do all things, including healing me.  It would be easy for Him.  If He is choosing to have this trial continue, He has a reason and knows way more than I do.
• I am grateful for the prayers and fasting of hundreds:  dozens that know me and many that don't.  Some of my faith.  Some not.  But, we all have a knowledge of God and Jesus Christ and faith that they are listening.  I feel those prayers and have been sustained by them.
• I am grateful for CK, who doesn't miss a beat in picking up the slack.  He is now the only driver in our home and he drives everyone everywhere without a single complaint.  He has a time-intensive calling at church, we have a large family, and he works.  Yet, amidst all this, he is picking up what I cannot do and doesn't even act like it is a burden whatsoever.

I am  so very blessed and lucky.  I cannot see out of my right eye.  I might have MS.  Scary.  Not fun.  But, I cannot help but cherish all the blessings.  I am so grateful.  I know this life is a test and never was meant to be perfect.  It just isn't, but I am one lucky girl!

Family Vacation Day 8: August 1, 2014

I am back to posting about our family vacation. On Friday, August 1st, we said goodbye to the house we were renting and the beach.

We spent the first part of the morning packing up. Then, we walked through the house and say goodbye. As you will see the pictures, we even went up to the top and all said goodbye.  From there, we could see the beach, and so we said goodbye to the beach also.

Then, we left to begin our drive home. We had been planning to drive all the way home, but, with CK driving everywhere, since I could not drive very well already, we decided it would be better for us to spend the night in a hotel on the way back. We even had a couple of free nights, since we use hotels so frequently when we go to see A.

So, once we got started, we decided to take a little bit longer route. It was close to the exact same, but we got to go on a ferry, which I really wanted to do.  It scared A, so she was not excited, but we went for me. I was grateful that everyone sacrifice to do something I wanted to do.

It was cool, but not nearly as cool as I expected. The regular ferry boat that is much larger including observation decks up high above the cars was broken and so we went on this little ferry boat where we were crammed in like sardines , and we couldn't really even see the water.

Still cool, but, looking back, probably not worth the little bit of extra time and the extra money.  I guess we didn't know that we would have to go on this smaller ferry boat.

We were so exhausted by the time we got to the hotel. We were lucky that we were able to get two rooms adjoining, one with two queen beds, and one with a king and extra space.  It was perfect for our family.

Again, because of this weird app, I will be posting pictures in a separate post. One of my favorites is when I looked back and saw Baby C and V holding hands in their car seats.

Traditions

The kids with their fingers indicating which grade they are in.....at a local froyo place.  Traditions abound!!!  :)

First Day of School 2014-2015

Today was the first day of school. K is now a sophomore in high school. C is in 8th grade. J is in second grade.

I hate seeing them go. But, I am so proud of them.  They have all grown up so much. I sure enjoy spending time with them. I am very grateful that I get to be their mom.

And, like every year, I made the traditional first day of school cookies. Yum yum!

As you can tell from the picture, J was not excited to go to school. He did not love his first day of school, but he did survive. C had a great first day of school. He likes all of his teachers and has friends in every class. Awesome!  I have yet to hear about K's day, because she is not home from school yet. I can't wait to hear how her day went. The biggest issue is that she eats lunch at 10:15, but doesn't get home from school until 5 p.m.. That is a long time. I hope she can find time to have a snack.

With regards to my eye, I had an m_r_i on friday, but I have not heard the results yet. I still cannot see very well. In some ways it seems like I am adjusting and it's getting better, but in other ways it seems like it's getting worse. Thank goodness I have a wonderful husband who has taken on the responsibility of being my chauffeur.

V-ism

I just have to document what happened with V earlier today.  She was sitting on the fireplace and I mentioned that she was getting to be such a big girl. I then told her it was almost her birthday. She said, "I know. V birthday coming right up.". That was funny enough for me to hear her say that, but what came next was even funnier. I said, "yes you will be two." She said, "no I three." I said, "no you will be two." She then said, "okay, I five."And over and over and over again she would say that,  "I five." "V 5 on birthday." I kept saying, "no, you will be two." But she would not let it go. She kept saying "I five. I five." 

I think she thought that if I wouldn't let her be three, that she may as well be five. It was very funny.

Such is Life

Life doesn't ever seem to go as planned.  I am sitting here feeding my baby, preparing to go to a three hour neurology / opthamology appointment.

  You see, I cannot see in my right eye.  We have been to doctors, even the ER. No diagnosis yet. No reason for this malady. 
I am very hopeful that the doctors today will either figure out what is going on, or point us in the right direction. I have faith in my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  I know he knows what is going on. And, I know that he would only leave it as a trial if it would help to me or help my family.

Today, I have a number of family members and friends that are joining together to fast for me.  I feel so blessed by their love and prayers and the prayers of everyone else that is praying for me. I already can see benefits from this trial.

Hopefully soon, I can post with the answers.

Family Vacation pictures Day 7