Hello BlueCross, it's me Heather

So BlueCross BlueShield (or should I say Overhead Door Corp) really thought they hit it big with a member that passes every well check up with flying colors and has a anomaly child who's never even had an ear infection.  Well, the medical expenses the Gradke family has incurred this month will make every premium payment I ever made worth it.  Probably every house and car insurance premium payment too.  Today Thade had his well check and we found out he has Scoliosis.  We don't know yet the degree but he had an X-ray late this afternoon.  We should know more tomorrow.  I'm guessing his practice of hunching over the XBox for 12 hours a day will not be recommended therapy.  So, I'm asking for more prayers.  Please pray the scoliosis is not serious and that Thade can continue a normal, active life - with better posture.

I've started therapy and in addition to my home exercises, see the occupational therapist 2x per week.  I asked for a parking pass my last visit and the valet guy was all, "what do I look like?  a college campus security guard".  And I'm like, "what I look like?  money bags?".  And then my BMW pulled up and all I had was my sad looking hand to wave around for pity.  I still didn't get a parking pass.

Tomorrow I see my surgeon again and get the stitches removed.  Not really looking forward to it.  I wonder if they can put me under for that?  My finger doesn't look better, but I'm hoping it's just because I see it everyday.  I'm praying the surgeon sees something else that means no skin grafts, no more surgery.

On to less depressing stuff - kid pictures!

Adalae helps Barbara water the plants.

 Reed loves "butter cake". He also wore this hat for 72 hours straight.  Frisco Rough Riders game.

Thade made this boat with his granddad.  He could only use duct tape and cardboard.  Crazy, huh?  He placed 3rd in the race and won best style.

 Reed got to join the boys annual camping trip this year.  It was so cold, the trip lasted an entire 12 hours.

It's only a finger.

It hardly seems right my first post in over a year is about this.  Believe me, my life has been full of awesomeness this past year.  The past week just happens to have sucked, big time.  Losing a body part has created such a strange mix of emotions.  One minute I'm hit with the realization that my physical appearance is forever changed.  But then I remember it's not forever and in heaven, I'll be perfect and look just like Jesus.  It's weird - although this freaky thing happened to me and at times I feel like I'll never be the same, at the same time I've never felt more blessed.  And I definitely know now that everyone here on earth loves me just the same, freaky hand or not.  Rustin has truly been perfect during this storm.  My kids are amazing and Thade has actually started hanging out with mom again (on his own will!).  My sweet, sweet mother in law, PJ, hopped the first plane to Dallas the night it happened to help us that week.  My Mom calls me every day.  My sister in law, Barbara, sleeps in cold, stinky, hospital room chairs with nothing more than a beach towel and takes me to Dr. appointments.  Our friends bring us food and prayers and sweet words of comfort every single day.  My work family has been so supportive and flexible with my needs. I could go on and on.

My sweet friend Kelli sent me this verse last week and I read it everyday. 

There's more to come: We continue to shout our praise even when we're hemmed in with troubles, because we know how troubles can develop passionate patience in us, and how that patience in turn forges the tempered steel of virtue, keeping us alert for whatever God will do next. In alert expectancy such as this, we're never left feeling shortchanged. Quite the contrary—we can't round up enough containers to hold everything God generously pours into our lives through the Holy Spirit! Romans 5:3-5
I know God wouldn't give me more than I can handle.  And I may not understand today what I should be alert for, but believe me, I'm alert.  I do believe this seemingly tragic experience is preparing me for something bigger than a finger.


Now for the medical update and prayer requests.  And please pray because I promise God is listening.  So my stud... (I think I vomit a little in my mouth anytime I hear the word stump now so I will call it a stud.  sounds much more attractive, don't you think?).  The skin flap the surgeon used to cover the top of my stud is dead.  We plan to watch it a few more days in hopes there is new skin forming underneath and the dead skin will eventually scab and come off.  Otherwise, I'll need another surgery for a skin graft.  So please pray for healing.  I just don't know if I can take another surgery right now.

I have my 1st physical therapy appointment tomorrow.  I saw the therapist at my surgeon's office Tues and she gave me hand exercises to work on.  Lemme tell you, it is painful getting this hand working again.  I could really use some prayers for strength and the willpower to keep up with this therapy. 

Lastly, say a little prayer for Rustin.  Or while you're at it, send him a note telling him to keep up the good work because he deserves some serious love.  Emotionally, I am getting better every day.  And I owe much of that progress to my sweet husband who remembers to tell me how much he loves me, and often.  After all, it is just a finger.

Groddy Boys

So, Thade got his first pimple yesterday. Although it was throbbing on his cheek and pulsating a tiny red light, he wasn't even aware of it. This morning I gave my first lesson as a mother on how to pop a zit. After 5 attempts on his own, I finally just popped it myself and put some face wash in his shower that I'm sure he'll consistently use twice a day from now on. Actually, I have a feeling I'll be revisiting the shampoo incident soon.

Today after his basketball game, Thade got in the car to drive home. After a few minutes he says, "Gross what smells so bad in here?" After a slight pause he realized, "Oh, it's me"

Why hasn't someone invited a Glade Plug-In Patch for smelly boys?

I'm happy to say that Reed is just about potty trained! Assuming you don't count the diaper full of 6 or 7 pees he wakes up in every morning. He even poops in the potty! 2 down, 1 to go. I actually brought out the baby potty for Adalae to sit on when Reed goes, but as you can imagine, that created chaos because there is NO way Adalae is sitting on anything that used to belong to Reed.

I've also started grad school. It's been quite the time commitment but Rustin has been very supportive and helps so much with the kids. I'm definitely blessed to have such a great husband!

Potty Training

Ok, enough is enough. When your child says to you, "Mommy I pooped. Peas change my diaper", it's time to get serious about potty training. I am determined to have Reed potty trained by his 3rd birthday. This gives me about 5 weeks (yikes). Here is my plea for help. Please share your potty training tricks, tips, and bribes. I haven't potty trained a kid in 10 years and to be completely honest, day care potty trained my last one. While we are being honest, I also have to admit the reason my child is not even close to a diaper-free existence. Diapers are just easier! No scrubbing pee out of the carpet; no scraping poop out of Buzz LightYear underwear; no stares from other moms at the store because your child has obviously peed a small river all over himself and you don't have a change of clothes; no moments of panic when your child falls in the toliet at Chilis. Reed will sit on the potty, he will pee in the potty but he fights it. I'm told he poops in the potty at school, but I've yet to see this feat at home. He's got the reading part down though. Today he sat on the potty for 20 minutes with Golf Magazine.

I should own a piece of CareNow

Had our 74th visit to CareNow for the year today. Some kid pushed Adalae down at school and broke her collarbone.
She is doing fine and sleeping now. Please say a quick prayer for quick healing.

Lessons Learned

We had a fabulous time in Phoenix this year for Christmas. Thade opens yet another video game.



















Adalae at the park.


























Reed catapults from the slide.




















Grandpa with his baby girls.





















Santa brought Adalae a dollhouse.
























Two days in a row we attempted to take a family picture. Out of 1200 pictures, we got this one good photo of Adalae.

























After another 600 attempts, this was the best family picture we got. Yes, I am "grabbing" Reed, and yes, at this point I wanted to be strangling "grabbing" him about 6 inches higher.

























On a side note, my dishwasher broke the week before we left for Phoenix. I actually had to go to the store to buy dish soap and a scrubber. On a good note, I refuse to cook dinner until it's fixed.

On Wednesday, we drove up to Flagstaff and rode the Polar Express to the North Pole (or Santa's Hole if you ask Reed) and back. There was so much snow! The kids loved it.


























Reed calls All Aboard!




Reed and Mommy.


























Rustin sings "FIVE GOLDEN RINGS"



















Adalae and Uncle RyRy





















Now, in the spirit of giving, I'll share with you my top 10 lessons learned for 2010.

LESSON ONE:
There are 4 stages of Santa for kids. Three of those stages are seen here in our 2008 Santa photo. Stage one: I don't know Santa from Adam and would really sit on anyone's lap without a fuss (Adalae). Stage two: TERROR (Reed). Stage four: Why does my mom make me sit on this fat guys lap when I know she will be the one to bring my ITouch. (Thade)


























In our 2009 photo, you can see that Adalae has moved from the stage of blissful unawareness to the TERROR stage. Reed is in stage 3: I love Santa and know he brings me cool stuff so I'll sit and take a picture and be happy about it. Thade is now officially too cool to sit on Santa's lap.


























LESSON TWO:
Do not leave a two year old unattended with Silly Putty. Even he is busy making you a "dolphin-whale".



























LESSON THREE:
At some point for every child "family time" is just not cool anymore. Thade was not nearly as excited to receive his magical bell from Santa as the other kids were.




















LESSON FOUR:
If you are flying, taking full advantage of the carry on allowances. Even if it means your two year old also has a carry on plus one personal item. You're paying for it!

LESSON FIVE:
If you buy one kid a car, you better buy one for every other kid within the same age. PJ learned the hard way this year and had to buy Reed his own car as an early birthday present to prevent he and Adalae from killing each other.





















Lesson five continued: Even if it's a Barbie, your son will want to play with it.


























LESSON SIX:
Don't offer your kid a drink just so they will leave you alone because they WILL take you up on the offer. Good thing I never offered them my wine.

LESSON SEVEN:

Oxyclean removes sharpie from the carpet. Ajax removes sharpie from hardwood floors and wooden tables.

LESSON EIGHT:

When you are feeling that all hope is lost and your child will NEVER fall asleep, alas, they will fall asleep (although likely at the most inopportune time)

LESSON NINE:

Last but certainly not least. Don't buy cheap diapers. I learned this the hard way tonight when I took Adalae pants off and her diaper and everything included fell off along with them. Here is the aftermath. The poop in between the cushions was especially fun to clean up.

LESSON TEN:

Thank God everyday for the blessings He has bestowed upon us!

Fine print: This post took me 2 hours because blogger is awful. After all that, you can see the issues with spacing that wouldn't correct, etc. Please let me know if you are aware of an easier blog hosting site. It would be great if it was compatible with Word 2007s blog posting capability. Otherwise, I don't know if I can do this again!!

I'm becoming terrible at this

Wow, I can't believe it's been 4 months since my last post. Actually, I've been gently reminded by several family members and friends so I have to admit I'm fully aware of my negligence. It has been a busy fall and winter (is it winter yet?). All I know is it's cold and I'm counting the days until we will be in Phoenix. And then I will start counting the days until spring.

Because I could write a book about the last few months in the Gradke household and I know I realistically only have your attention for about 20 seconds, here are some pictures to ooh and ahh over. As you with kids know, picking out pictures is no easy feat. Most of my pictures look like this:

Thade's first day of Jr. High. His football team went almost undefeated (only lost 1 game) and he made the basketball team! He also is in an AP Math class and making good grades. We are very proud!

We've attended a few sporting events. My least favorite: The Rangers (I hate baseball)

And my favorite, the suite at Cowboys Stadium. Not that I necessarily love football, but the convienence of an all you eat buffet and air conditioning can certainly make anything fun.

Last weekend we went to see "Ice" at the Gaylord Texan. It was 9 degrees in there. BRRRR.

I'll throw this picture in for those that are stressed out about Reed choking Adalae in Pic #1. They do have their rare moments of peace.

Some museum in Dallas.

Halloween. Adalae the parrot:

Reed AKA "Buzz Whiteyear"

Thade AKA "Cereal Killer" and his friends, Noelle and Carli

So, Reed has decided he doesn't need a nap anymore. He's only 2! I still lay him down, praying it's a phase, but after 5 months of no naps I should realize it's a lost cause. This is how we find him around 4pm on no nap days:

My future's so bright......