Happy New Year 2013!

This morning I went to my computer with the attempt to make a snap shot of pictures I wanted to send to Family and Friends about our past year.
Well, considering that I take thousands of pictures each year this was not easy and even with my best attempt I ended up with 418 pictures I wanted to send out.
So I had to change course and just post an Album on FB for everyone that is on FB to see :)

Looking back at 2012 we have to say it was a wonderful year with just a few setbacks.
This year was all my heart could wish for when it came to traveling and spending time with Family and Friends!
We also became Grandparents again and the best news over all is that no one in our immediate Family passed away this year. It is amazing how much fear that is I carry in me when I worry about this huge Family I have and how easy one of us could get sick, hurt or pass due to age.
For CureJM and it's warriors it was a challenging year as we lost a few of our so loved fighters and children! Connor had his Medi Port taken out this year BUT then ended up with a Flare shortly after which he is still trying to recover from now. 
As to trips we went on many Road Trips this year:
We drove to Las Vegas, to Oklahoma, South Dakota, Texas and Washington State. Due to driving we got to see and tour around Utah, Idaho, New Mexico and Oregon.
As to flying we stayed busy as well as we went several times to Texas but also to Alaska and to Germany again. Mt Gypsies heart was in pure heaven this year :)
As to fun in our beloved home State Colorado we were so happy to have friends and family visit this year. We had several visitors from Germany but also our beloved friends the Tossell Family and the Miller Family.

We were so happy to explore the Rocky Mountain National Park not just once but twice this year. We fell in love with Estes Park and Boulder and we had many outings to Denver to visit Museums and 16th Street.

Truly all in all 2012 was very good to us and we are grateful! Alexander, my precious soul, cried this morning about not wanting to leave 2012 yet ...., I guess that he really thought this year was amazing as well :)

We so wish all of you that 2013 will be a year of peace and Hope and I hope for all our dear friends and family that had huge struggles this past year that this New Year will turn things around and bring you answers and solutions!
For CureJM I wish to see many Remissions and this so elusive CURE. My  wish for 2013 is to make the Conference this year in Chicago!

Thank You to all of you that have been such wonderful friends to me! Your support and love really kept my spirits up.
Tonight we will be staying home and having our own little Party with the Boys. They wanted our Traditional Fondue again so we will have a lovely slow dinner followed my movies and playing games.

Lot's of Love!

Happy New Year!!!!!

Hugs,

R A C A

Still coughing and still no answers :'(

Today I took Connor in for his third Doctor visit in regards to his cough.
I have to say I am tired and heartbroken that once again a Christmas passed with Connor feeling miserable and again no answers from either the Pediatric Clinic in CSprings nor the Family Practice here in Woodland Park. I am a bit angry about myself because just like three years ago I put hope and confidence in the medical field here in our immediate area that truly has no idea or knowledge how to treat Connor.
On each of the visits Connor coughed the whole time, just as he does at home and on the go, but since his lungs sound clear and he has no high fever he gets ignored.
At the first visit he got Allergy medication: results.... None.
The second visit at another doctor he got X-rays of his lungs taken and they looked clear, even though we were told kids lung X-rays can be harder to read. On this visit he got nothing prescribed but a pat on the back.
Today I took him in again and this time we got to see a very young PA who listened to him cough and actually said to him to not make so much noise when breathing as he could not listen well to his lungs. Poor Connor really tried to pull himself together.
On this visit we were told he might have Acid Reflux Cough. Now I handed the PA a list of Connors medication he is on and he kind of glanced at it fast and then handed it back to me. Now on this list was the Prevacid Connor takes daily. Well, he handed us off with a script for Nexium.
Once we left I thought to myself that to me they both are in the same category, so why would he think that Nexium would work better then the Prevacid OR even worse, he never read the fact that Connor was on Prevacid already and if I had been a novice without the amazing network of friends who give me advice and support I could have made the horrid mistake and given him both!!!
Well, we do not have the Nexium yet as we found out after waiting for 45 minutes at Walgreens that they do not have this prescription and need to order it first.

I got home and posted to my wonderful JM Family who by a huge margin keep telling me they think he has a reaction to the Methrotrexate (Chemo) and that is causing his cough. If you google Methrotrexate Cough you can read about it. Also they all told me to NOT give Connor both, the Prevacid and Nexium.
Now in the meantime I had also emailed our beloved Dr. Soep, who has been our Rock as she even responded to my questions and concerns on Christmas Day! Without her support I would think I was crazy. She told me that I can try the Nexium instead of the Prevacid if I like but that she is still not convinced this is the cause of it all. She is just like me very focused on the Appointment on Jan 6th with Dr. Stillwell, the Pulmonologist.

I feel bad for taking Connor now to three Doctor visits here that really gave him no relieve or even seemed to take him or me serious.
Connor might just be 'coughing' but he has been coughing now since the end of October and going into continuous coughing now for the last three weeks.

I truly can not tell you enough how the one thing that keeps me from screaming or crying is the huge support and concern I get from very close friends that are like family, and also from my beloved JM Family. They are more on the spot then the medical professional I have dealt with the last three weeks.
Truly the only people I seem to be able to rely on is Dr. Soep and the advice I get from all the mom's who have sick kids that have diseases with no cure.

Living with a child that has a rare disease really makes you feel like you are in a country, surrounded by masses of people that do not speak your language and when you meet just one voice that speaks your language you want to cry and hug them. It can be lonely if it wasn't for those postings of support.

I truly understand the meaning that you can't choose your family but you can choose your friends and make them your family. I am lucky to have a wonderful support and show of concern from my family in Germany. It is hard to fully explain it all to them but they call and they email me and ask question. Sadly that does not count for others who do not seem to care or are more concerned it I make a political statement and respond to that but don't have a minute to ask me how Connor is doing or how I am doing.

Well we all have our priorities, my first one is to keep our son alive and watch him grow to be a man and out live me. If I sound dramatic to some of you then I invite you to join my world. Go to www.cureJM.org and educate yourself. Look at the pictures of kids that died way to early and shouldn't have. If you care for Connor and his battle then show him and tell him. No one is asking you for money but if giving money to Charity is part of your being then why not support the one close to a person you know and that you claim to love? CureJM is a nonprofit run solely by volunteers. Every penny/dollar that goes in goes towards Research. We need a Cure, anything else is just us, Ron, Connor, Alexander and I holding our breaths and hoping for Connor to be okay, as well as all the fellow JM children who are fighting this fight!

So, no..... In my gut I feel this is not just a simple cough.... Just like three years ago I knew my son did not have Mono and they send us home with him and a pat on my shoulder to give him Motrin for his pain. Most of you know that this 'Mono' turned out to be JDM that hospitalized him for right weeks, almost cost him his life, had him relearn to talk and walk. Three years later he is still in Physical Therapy .... So no I don't think we are over reacting!

R A C A

A very Merry Christmas Eve!

My Family wishes all of you a Merry Christmas Eve and Christmas Day!

While I love all the magic and wonder that the boys bring to our Christmas and of course cherish the comfort and joy of having a most wonderful extended Family and Friends I also think of all my Family and Friends who had a difficult year due to medical challenges, financial challenges or worst of all the loss of a loved one.

I read a most touching note today that pointed out that the true Christmas is not about Family and Friends and gifts but that of the ultimate sacrifice of God giving us his son. So God knows all about pain and loss and this makes me see Christmas in the way that not every home tonight will be filled with joy or happiness.

I wish I could give the gift of Hope and that there will be better times and of course I also know that this is a gift not taken to or accepted easily. I focus on fear and sadness at times but Christmas has the gift to push those thoughts away from me...

So I do wish Christmas was all year long and this feeling stayed with us. I wish we all could see Christmas through our children eyes as this is the best part of it all!

The boys and I had to cancel our Christmas Eve outings today due to Connors cough getting worse and not giving him a break at all. We had a lovely day in Denver yesterday that included the Science Museum and the Pompeii Exhibit, plus watching people Ice Skate at 16th Street and then having a delicious Coffee and Cake at the Cheese Cake Factory. We finished the day with a touching German Christmas Service at the Messiah Lutheran Church in Denver plus a stop for some shopping and Dinner at IKEA.
So I feel it is okay for Connor to get all the downtime he needs as he did have a wonderful time experiencing the Christmas Season.
The boys have been in bed all day watching Christmas Movies and only getting out of it to decorate Ginger Bred Cookies.... I added some pain to my fingers by putting together the Table and Chairs I bought at IKEA so the boys could have an Art area to work in and leave their paintings out :)

Merry Christmas! Frohe Weihnachten!

R A C A

Cottage School Christmas Plays and Party :)

Today the boys and I had a most wonderful time at the Cottage School Christmas Party.
The entertainment, two Plays, one from Cottage 1 and one from Cottage 2 were delightful, cute and so much fun to watch.
C & A loved connecting with their little friends and I had a beautiful time talking to my Mommie Friends.

Thanks for all of this go to the boys beloved Teacher Mrs. Struble and to my so admired friend,m,Sandy. How I miss not seeing her as much as we did when we were still coming to Cottage School!!!
Now I also want to credit my friends Pippi and Alia who put so much time and help into the class rooms.

This Christmas Season has been very magical so far and it makes me reflect how blessed I am to be surrounded by a wonderful family and the most wonderful friends.

41 years of being on this Earth and I feel so good and my place in this world due to all the love and support I have!

So thank you to all my friends for this gift you have given me. No material things could out match this! Big words from a woman who loves her Apple electronics - lol.

Love and a very Merry Christmas!

Anke

RACA Smith Family Christmas :)

Merry Christmas, Frohe Weihnachten, Feliz Navidad.....

Today we celebrated our Christmas and it was beautiful, magical and fun.

Right now, to tell the truth, I am fighting a horrid food coma from eating way to much all day and especially tonight! Oh my poor tummy, and how much it had to endure! How come my eyes and brain think I can handle all this food is beyond me so now I just have to suffer ;)

Joking aside, the boys woke us up at 6:52 am by turning on the lights in our bedroom and jumping on our bed .... I thought I was prepared by setting up the coffee last night, only to discover I had started brewing it as well last night so that cold coffee greeted Ron and I this morning ;)

This year we scaled back drastically on how much we could spend for Christmas, but to some gifted Christmas Angels wrapping talents it seemed like there was a mountain of gifts :) for the first time in the boys life they each wished for very different things for Christmas. Connors wishes were all about Art and Paintings, so he got a easel, Canvases, Acrylic Paint, Brushes and cleaner. Alexander got several different Football things. Figurines, Helmets, Books about Football and a Denver Broncos Towel. They both together got some Spy Gear, a Science Kit, Bolt and Nuts Art and Craft Kits, LEGO, Chapter Books, Puzzle Books and LEGO Watches and beautiful Christmas Ornaments. A lot of this came from Friends and Family so even when we cut back they still ended up getting very spoiled.
I was thrilled to get a new red Kitchen Aid from the boys! Three months ago my little white one that was a Wedding Gift from my Parents, died! I was very heartbroken over it as I used it almost daily. Granted, I survived thanks to having a bigger green Kitchen Aid... But this one is not as much fun to use as the motor on it sounds like a small Airplane Engine. I also was treated to sweets, clothing, boots and a blanket. So this Mommie was happy as well :)

The rest of the day was just pure fun. Building LEGO, playing in the snow, napping and preparing all the food that caused my food coma!

Tonight, I have to say was the most fun Family Dinner I can recall. Ron started out making a toast and that let in us four taking turns making toasts throughout the whole meal. We laughed so much but also I was blown away at some of the more serious 'toasts' that were done, especially by Alexander. He went on to say how lucky and grateful he was that we are his Mom and Dad and that we adopted him and Connor. He then sad he wants to grow up and make a lot of money so he can buy Connors Medicine....
On the funny note we also had speeches about how good Garlic is for us as long as we are surrounded by people that love us ;)
The boys started to giggle more and more and they both finished a whole bottle of Apple Cider!

There is a real beauty in having an early Christmas :) I am happy how our day went and that all the pre Holiday stress is all over now. Ron goes to work tomorrow and the boys and I will just soak in the Holiday Spirit around us.

Hugs,

R A C A

A Merry Christmas Eve #1

For our Family it will be Christmas Eve today and the boys have been up since 6 am with excitement.
Count on our beautiful Home State Colorado to deliver a most wonderful snowfall just in time! We woke up to big flakes falling and our 'Mountain' covered under a white blanket ... 

The Fireplace is running and Christmas Music is playing and everything seems just picture perfect :)

Of course there is always some hiccup and I still have to shake that fear each Christmas that climbs into my heart due to the memories of three years ago when Connor got sick. I am wondering if you all get tired to read the same each year now and if I will still type this in 10 years ..... 
There are hardly words for that cold feeling that goes into your heart and that makes you hurt to breath for just a few minutes when you remember that fear ... I still see myself on the floor in the bathroom crying as I had never cried before because I felt I was loosing my oldest son and could not stop it.
So once again for three years running I am the most grateful to the gift of the Christmas Angels that came into my life in the form of my dear friend Jennie Olson who was a solid friend with information about Autoimmune Diseases ...
Then there was the e-mail that guided me to a website called www.curejm.org. The Families at CureJM that gave me back hope but also a Book called Myositis and Me .... goodness that book can also put the fear in you but it has been a new kind of Bible and I am very very grateful for it!!!
and then of course the tip of the Mountain:
Dr. Stephen Smith (Neurology) _Colorado Springs
Dr. Lauren Pachman (Rheumatology)_CMH Chicago
Dr. Megan Curran (Rheumatology)_CMH Chicago
Dr. Jennifer Soep (Rheumatology)_TCH Denver/Aurora
I credit everyone of them as Connor's Guarding Angels who saved his life when I could not!
That and this alone is the only gift I ever ask for and need in my life, to see my  children outgrow me!

Sadly, even on our Christmas Eve we had to make some adjustments for Connor to see a Doctor. I was hoping to clear the schedule and was able to cancel Therapy but he has been battling a very harsh dry cough for almost two months. It used to come and go and for the last two weeks it just goes on non stop. He has been seen by Dr. Maynard and he keeps telling us his lungs sound clear, he has no red throat, just irritated, clear nasal passage and ears. He has been put on Allergy Medication and Nasal Spray ... no success. He eats cough drops as if they were going out of business and he will cough while eating them!
I truly thought for this whole time it was him battling colds and not being a JM issue but when I ran out of answers I finally thought to ask my JM Family even if I sounded silly ....
NOT SO .... once again my JM Family came through in every way! After getting wonderful Feedback and Wisdom on the JM FB Page and getting a response in less then three minutes from Dr. Soep last night, Connor is now on his way to get an x-ray taken of his lungs and will have to see a pediatric pulmonologists on January 8th 2013. It sounds as this could indeed be JM related and just one more battle for him to fight.
I was grateful that Ron said he would take him in this morning as it has been snowing heavily and I was able to stay home with Alexander to help him finish some projects.

If you have been following this blog you also know very well that my stance with the Church has been not on an even keel for the last three years. Much of this had and has nothing to do with my believe in God or Jesus but with the way some Christians on Earth try to translate the Bible and scriptures that works against my belief in so many ways. I admit I take offense even when I read that 'God called Home all those children' that just died a horrid and meaning less death this past week. What kind of God do they know? My God does not 'call Home' innocent children because in my eyes he did not cause this tragedy. There will never ever be a time when I think the death of a child is justified .... that is just wrong and my God knows I am very mad at him at times for him not stopping this ... those conversations are between him and I and there is no Bible Verse or Scripture that will ever satisfy me that there is a reason and something good to come out of innocent people dying ....
Never less, I had an upbringing that included going to Church and I was also very set on having had the boys Baptized at age one in the same Church I was baptized as a baby and later had my Confirmation. So to give the boys their own choices in how they want to believe I am finding out I have to open that door for them. 
I posted a msg about Christmas Eve Services I could take the boys to on December 24th and I got a huge response.

Right now I am jumping in all the way and the boys and I are invited to not just one Service but three!

We will start with a German Lutheran Service in Denver on the 23rd, then we are invited to join a Baptism and a Catholic Service on the 24th, followed by a Non Denominational Christmas Eve Service. All three will be with friends that we can join and which we truly look forward to. I have to admit I will be curious to see which one of the three services will speak to the boys the most :) Right now I am still laughing at the look my boys gave me when I told them what I set up ;)

As to tonight and with our Christmas Eve Traditions we had the boys pick a Christmas Song or Winter Song they want to sing. Every year up until now they chose to sing together one German and one American Song but this year they decided to have Connor sing a German Song and Alexander an American Song. We have been singing our way up and down the song books and I admit I had to stifle a laugh when I heard that Alexander's song he picked is 'I am dreaming of a white Christmas'! To hear his sweet voice sing ... 'just like the once I used to know ....' very cute from an 8 year old. Lucky for him he got his wish of a white Christmas ;)

I wish I could post pictures right now as truly looking out the window feels like a Postcard. Alexander is now outside playing in the snow and I am going to go outside to join him :)

Hugs,

R A C A

Our Journey thru JDM and Life!: Autism, Asbergers & ADHD (ADD)

Our Journey thru JDM and Life!: Autism, Asbergers & ADHD (ADD): Today I want to share an e-mail I received from a friend of mine who also has a son in my boy's Cottage School Class. Her son has Autism, j...

Autism, Aspergers & ADHD (ADD)

Today I want to share an e-mail I received from a friend of mine who also has a son in my boy's Cottage School Class. Her son has Autism, just like the beloved friends of my boys, Dylan and Ryan. 
We also have another friend who has a form of Aspergers. We know of two Adult Men in our life that were diagnosed with ADHD, just like Alexander was. 

Here is what has been on many of our minds since the news broke that Adam Lanza might had Autism, Aspergers or ADHD:

"Hi all,

Most of you who know me know that I would not normally be one to send out a mass e-mail like this, but I have to speak up.

Let me just say first of all that I am deeply stricken with grief over the deaths of those 20 little children and 7 adults in Connecticut, as I'm sure are all of you. I cannot even begin to imagine the pain that all of their families are experiencing. I pray for them and mourn with them as they walk through this horrible tragedy.

We all look for answers. We all want to understand how or why this could happen.

But something is spiraling out of control amidst the social media that is prompting me to send this e-mail. Adam Lanza is supposed to have been diagnosed with Asperger's, and many people are blaming this event on this diagnosis. The disorder is being grossly misrepresented and misunderstood. There seems to be a trend right now towards believing that people with ASD are often violent and sociopathic, lacking empathy. As the parent of a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder, I must speak out against this.

The New York Times posted a fair, informative article about ASD and how it is unlikely that this disorder caused the choices made by Adam Lanza. I have included a link to the full article. I would be so grateful if you would read it, but I completely understand everyone's busy schedules. Here's an excerpt that I feel is imperative for people to see:

"Let me clear up a few misconceptions. For one thing, Asperger’s and autism are not forms of mental illness; they are neurodevelopmental disorders or disabilities. Autism is a lifelong condition that manifests before the age of 3; most mental illnesses do not appear until the teen or young adult years. Medications rarely work to curb the symptoms of autism, but they can be indispensable in treating mental illness like obsessive-compulsive disorder, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.Underlying much of this misreporting is the pernicious and outdated stereotype that people with autism lack empathy. Children with autism may have trouble understanding the motivations and nonverbal cues of others, be socially naïve and have difficulty expressing their emotions in words, but they are typically more truthful and less manipulative than neurotypical children and are often people of great integrity. They can also have a strong desire to connect with others and they can be intensely empathetic — they just attempt those connections and express that empathy in unconventional ways..."
Here is the full article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/12/18/opinion/dont-blame-autism-for-newtown.html
Please feel free to pass this along or post it on your FB pages if you feel compelled to do so.
We may or may not discover what would motivate this 20-year-old child to carry out such a devastating act of violence. And deperately seeking this answer is paramount to helping us learn how to recognize and reach out to other individuals who may be at risk of doing something like this again. But again, as a parent of a child with ASD, I want to make sure that we are careful to understand all aspects of Adam's choices, rather than to misinterpret a disorder that may or may not have had anything to do with this event.
Thanks so much for taking the time to read this e-mail."

Hugs to all of you and Thank You to my dear friend Heather for letting me use her e-mail. Her words are by far better then mine could ever be :)

R A C A

Our Journey thru JDM and Life!: How life can change in just seconds!

Our Journey thru JDM and Life!: How life can change in just seconds!: As a Home Schooler you worry about so many things.... Am I teaching my boys all they need to know? Am I overloading them with the things...

How life can change in just seconds!

As a Home Schooler you worry about so many things....

Am I teaching my boys all they need to know?
Am I overloading them with the things I think they need to know PLUS the things that they need to know to pass the State Exams?
Am I pushing them to hard or to little?
Am I smothering them by us being together 24/7?
Am I stealing away a certain part of their independence by us always being together? (this one is hard for me to believe as I have the two most outgoing eight year olds I know).
There is one thing I know that is harder for my kids to do then others their age, and that is following the lead or listening as well to other Adults as they are to us as they truly are very used to taking their cues from me or Ron.

This morning when the news broke about the Shooting at the Elementary School in Connecticut I was sitting at my Computer paying bills. I read the first news reports and looked up at my boys, who were sitting at their school desks writing quietly in their school books just three feet away from me, with this huge sense of pain for the families and this sense of how lucky I am to be with my boys almost most of their times. Yes, to others our life might be crazy and you can say there is no way to protect them from everything BUT here is where I take my comfort now ... They are so little and while yes they need independence they also need protection in this very twisted world. You can hardly know anymore who one can trust or how stable someone's mind is and right now I am comforted that I am the one person that stands guard over my boys almost all the time, because to hurt them one would have to take me down first and that I know will not be an easy task to accomplish.

Huge heartbreak today in my family for the families that are suffering the most gruesome pain one can imagine in my mind: Loosing your child!

So I know all of us with kids will hug them a lot tighter again tonight and just what needs to happen to stop all this insanity is beyond me.

Hugs,

R A C A

Home again and on the go.....

We made it home yesterday late afternoon after a good three day drive home with a stop in Boise ID and Salt Lake City UT. The boys have started a new travel game in as how many State Capitols they can see in their lifetime as they spend each a night now in two of them :)

The Salt Lake City UT was a special treat for us to see Temple Square. I have been to Salt Lake before but never downtown. Oh how absolutely beautiful it was ... Truly gorgeous and what a great timing to tour this area during the Christmas Season!
We ended the night with a walk downtown, "a very cold walk Downtown" ;) to have a final dinner out at the Cheesecake Factory. To finish a great meal with an Oreo Cookie Cheesecake for three and a Capuchino was heavenly.
The trip ended at 4:30 pm at the Lake George Pizzeria with our traditional coming home from a trip lunch or dinner :) as always the service was very very friendly and the food very yummy.

Today we had to get up bright and early so I could take the boys in for the MAPS State Testing.
Oh and we also learned that we had a nail in one of our tired and had this fixed this am... Driving all this way and realizing now how lucky we were to not end up with a flat tire on the side of the road.

Tomorrow will be even an earlier wakeup call as we have three doctor appointments looking at is :( two for Connor and one for Alexander. It will make for a loooonnnnng day :(
I went in to see the doctor today and are now on one of the same medications Connor takes every morning. Luckily I have to take the Prednisone (Steroid) for only three days while Connor has been on this now for three years! Crazy!

Have a good week and I be back in touch again soon as I am hoping to stay put for a while now :)

Hugs,

R A C A

Andrew's and Terresa's Wedding Day

Today was the reason why we traveled to the beautiful State of Washington. The celebration of young love and us adding one more family member into the folds of our funny and very crazy family :)

How wonderful it was for me and my men to spend some time with the Hyden Family. We truly do not get enough time to be together so we cherish the few times we do very very much.

Ironically, the last time we all were together at our home was Christmas 2009, the time Connor became so sick. Since then we also had a fun time with them in San Antonio, TX, when Tammy Graduated from Training in the Army :)

Today, my niece and nephew in law, watched their first born child, Andrew, get married to his love Terresa. Gosh how old one feels watching such young and 'innocent' love. Twenty years old and the world ahead of them!
With his twenty years Andrew already served a tour in Afghanistan and most likely has to return next year. Twenty years old, old enough to go to war and get married but not old enough to drink Champagne on your wedding .... Does this not sound crazy to you? Yes, you can read this Germans mind and agree with me that the drinking age needs to be lowered - haha

As to the bride, she is a beautiful and funny girl that fits in with all of us very well :) She got my husbands humor and that tells you a lot right there :)

The wedding itself went of wonderful. Tears and lots of laughter (can't wait to get home and download all the Video I took) and the work of love that went into the preparations was magnificent. Tammy and Gene's daughter, Christina (who will also get married later this month :) baked and put together a most beautiful and yummy Wedding Cake. I was more then impressed - I wish I could post a picture but sadly my memory n this blog is full ...
Tammy and Gene on their part showed me what unconditional love they have for their two kids to truly put so much detail in everything they did. I wish I could have set up a spa weekend for them as they deserve to relax after this past week!
Both of them will be deployed for Afghanistan in January.... So not just did Tammy and Gene transfer from VA to Fort Lewis, WA, a couple of weeks ago but they are also planning two Weddings and then their deployment. Their daughter will enlist into the Army next month so the whole Hyden Family has and will dedicated their life to the Army and this Country.

I am so proud and glad to call them my Family, even if we are all crazy or maybe because of it :)

We will be heading home tomorrow and truly I am so so happy we went on this trip!

Hugs,

R A C A

Happy St. Nikolaus Tag!

Today our two Dumplings were worried that St. Nikolaus would not find them as we are traveling so it was with a huge joy to see their eyes light up when they did receive a letter and some treats today! Tonight I had some fun in stuffing Nectarines into their shoes after they went to sleep.

Oh how easy and fun it is to bring joy and laughter to eight year olds. How I wish we kept that magic into Adulthood. I do admit I think I held on to it to some degree as I still love reading novels and books about things and places that are magical and make is dream :) this is why my stories I hand over to the boys come so easily to me ... The Tree Ghosts that live on our mountains, the Halloween Witch and so on....

Today was a lovely day for us here in Washington. We got to visit with Ron's Uncle and Aunt, Jack and Gerry, who are such a lovely couple! The boys took to them so fast and hugged them several times throughout the visit.

We also had some time to let the boys swim in the pool and ended up the day with a delicious dinner at an Irish Pup and then some Gelato and Hot White Chocolate at a Coffee Shop/Wine Bar. DuPont is truly a lovely town and we enjoy walking everywhere and not having to use the car all the time. Of course the weather here is what one can expect for WA ;) rain, rain and more rain... If only CO would get a touch of this we be thrilled! I am truly believing that the 300 days of sunshine we receive each year in CO counterbalances to 300 days of rain they have here! This weather wants me to just lay down and sleep all day.....

So hope you all had a nice St. Nikolaus Tag!

Hugs,

R A C A

3 Years!!!

Exactly at this time three years ago is when Connor showed his first symptoms of pain and his decline in the ability to walk and move. Then we were still clueless what would be the horrid diagnosis and life sentence for Connor of having to live with a disease that has no Cure and comes with the name of Juvenile Dermatomyositis JDM.

How we thought is was just growing pains at first but then with each passing day the pain in my stomach of knowing something much worse was happening to him.

It took another 4 weeks, that included so many tests and even surgery before we got the official diagnosis on January 11, 2010.

So while maybe that date be better for an anniversary date, to me the anniversary will always be the memory of that first week of December 2009, when in my mind my oldest son lost part of his youth and innocence.

Three years that seem like a lifetime .... How much has changed and how much it has all changed me. The biggest heartbreak for me is still the feeling of helplessness when looking at him and knowing that with all my will power and strength I might still not be a match against JDM. A hard pill to swallow for a Mommy Bear like me but of course that does not mean I will ever give up!!!

Stubborn Asthmatic Bronchitis :(

So I am now on Day 8 of my starting battle with AB and as much as I tried to will my brain to fight this on our own I had to concede the battle on Tuesday when I did go in to see the doctor.
I just finished round one of Antibiotics and will start round two tomorrow.
This time around I admit that my lungs are successfully ruling my body. I feel as if my whole body is bruised, my breathing is very shallow and the tightening of my airways due to swollen Lymph notes wakes me up about 20 times during the night.

This brings me to the challenge of trying to run a home while this sick. In the old days when I had no family I would have curled up in bed and just slept it off ... Not so when you are taking care of two boys and a husband, who is trying to help me out as best as he can! He is my backup during school hours as my patience and endurance are almost non existent but we can't fall behind so have to push on.
On the day I felt sick the most I was faced with a long day of taking Connor to three Doctor Appointments. The driving part was a nightmare as was sitting in full waiting rooms.

I so hope to shake this and get on top of this before Monday as next week will be very very busy..

So wish me luck!

RACA

Head Colds all around ....

Oh the joy of passing on head colds ...
It seems we are now battling head colds on and off for a month!

The boys started up about three to four weeks ago and then were in the clear only to wait for Ron's turn who had to deal with it while being on call. I was so sure I was in the clear until Thanksgiving Day came around and I felt that oh so familiar burning in my lungs.
Each and very year I am convinced I can ride it out and it seems each year I end up at the Doctor. This year I am still hoping I can keep this contained enough as the irony is that I dislike nothing more in my life then having to go and see a Doctor! That coming from a Mom who drags her poor son's to Doctors all the time and preaches how important their checkups, and in Connor's case his Therapies, are for them.

So the joy of teaching your kids: Do as I say but not as I do!
I know I know it is a horrid habit but one I think most of us parents are battling with - haha

As to our home life we are thrilled to be in the Christmas Season. Our favorite Season of the year and how I love love love the magic and joy that still is in my dumplings about this Holiday. I know my time is limited as at age 8 there are not many years left when that magic disappears to some degree, but for now we are still baking away, preparing Reindeer Food and setting up the Elf to watch over them.
Christmas letters are done and waiting to be mailed as are most of our Christmas Cards :)

Happy Holiday Season to you all! and may those wicked colds stay away from you :)

Hugs,

R A C A

Tossell Family Visit :):):)

The last week was pure fun for my two Dumplings and myself who loved having the Tossell Family here in Colorado :)

Last Saturday we were lucky to have them at the house for lunch and Coffee and Cake so Ron was able to visit as well, and then we tried to squeeze out as much time as possible with the four of them :)
There was the Denver Zoo, Swimming, lot's of time spend eating foods, playground adventures and of course a tour of the Ducky Store ;)
Ron missed out on most of this due to being on Reserve for a second month in a row. He is also battling a bad head cold which I think he caught from our dumplings.

It is of course always sad to see them leave again and the biggest heartbreak seems to be for the four boys. Truly we are lucky to have kept this close bond between all of us considering we have been living in separate States now for 5 years!

Today is Thanksgiving Day and as with all the Holidays, Ron is out flying and the boys and I are in tune of making up our strange and ever changing Holiday Traditions :) Today we all watched the Parade together and then we split up ... Alexander has been busy watching Football in the bedroom, Connor is watching Loony Tunes down stairs and I have been baking Christmas Cookies and Addressing Christmas Cards. Now I am considering taking them to a movie and having Dinner out.

To most of you this might now all sound like a lot of fun but it is to us. A day 'off' where we all can do the things we love is a treasure and we are grateful for the break :)

Wishing all of you a most wonderful Thanksgiving Break!

So much to be thankful for and it has been fun thinking of something we are each grateful for each day for the last 21 days.
I am always the most grateful for my Family, my Friends and the options we have by living in a country where everyone is free! To have access to the medical needs Connor has .... to have the convenience of the Technology that we are able to use each day. For me to be able to speak my mind and not get punished for it.
Those are all gifts that I should never take for granted!



Love to all of You,

R A C A

Home Sweet Home :)

What is the best thing to do after you get home from an 11 day vacation in Germany? You wait 4 days and then decide it is time to get on the road again and drive Ron's little Audi A3 from CO to TX....

Ron flew out the day before for a two day trip and the boys and I set out at 3:25 am on Sunday morning for a 12 hour drive to Texas.

We made it to the Red Robin Restaurant in Grapevine, TX, by 5 pm to meet the Tossell Family for dinner!

The best part about this adventure was the fact that the Audi supplied no DVD Players and since the boys had gotten into a bit of trouble for not behaving to well the day before there was also a no no for the use of any electronics like the beloved iPads.

So 12 hours of driving with just old fashioned books, paper and pencils. We did have the Satellite Radio so that was a treat and the one time the boys decided to take a nap was when Mommy decided it was time to listen to some news instead of music - haha

Gosh am I am mean Mommy or what? We;;, I have to say the drive went smoothly and the boys never complained once! Shocking to me! ;)

We had planned to fly back home the next afternoon but Ron talked us into staying one extra night so we were treated to a day 'off' as in going to the movies (Starfall - James Bond) and then Coffee and Cake at my beloved Le Madeline's. Oh how yummy that Sacher Torte was .....

Finish this with a scrumptious dinner at Aspen Creek and you know why I fell into bed with a Food Coma!

We are now home again and back into school mode. I am happy to say that both my dumplings did do school work while we were in Texas but now are catching up on the Videos tonight.

The rest of the week should go fairly normal and then we are looking forward to the home coming of Ron on Friday and the arrival to Colorado by the Tossell Family.

Ask me when I am planning to slow down? probably only when forced to as each time I am on the move I feel more energized. For now at last :)

Hugs,

R A C A

Happiness comes in many ways and Forms :) Germany 2012

Hello my lovely Friends,

It has been a while since I posted and it is all due to me having to much fun and being way to busy while we were in Germany....

I can not tell you enough how much I was looking forward to our trip and the boys were 'almost' as thrilled and excited as I was :)
The four of us left on November 24 to arrive in Frankfurt on the 25th. We were picked up by my Brother In-Law and truly hit the pavement running from the very beginning. On the 26th we were lucky to celebrate my nephews 30th Birthday and on the 27th the whole Family (minus one Nephew and his wife who are in South Korea) met for Dinner :)
Mama (Oma) & Papa (Opa) - our Hosts :)
Carmen, Erwin, Melissa, Vural, Jamia, Kian & Nicole,
Elke, Klaus, Markus, Sebastian, Lukas & Sabine
Thomas, Klaudia, Katharina, Martin & Alexandra (Maurizio musste leider Arbeiten)
Beate & Rainer,
Anke (ME), Ron, Connor & Alexander :) 

Not to get us to relax to much, Ron and I were off bright and early the day after (28th) for our train trip to Munich. The boys got the chance to being spoiled some more my Oma, Opa and Elke at home....
In three days and two nights in Munich we packed in several trips to the Marien Platz, touring all the Churches and lighting a Candle in each one of them (I know, you are suppose to light them to honor the dead but I figured with all that is going on in my life I light one candle for every cause that was on my mind and let me tell you it got a lot brighter - haha ;)
We climbed the Tower of St. Peter (301 Steps), we ate lots of foods and drank Beer at the Hoffbrau Haus and other great Breweries around Downtown. We toured the Viktualien Market twice and walked all the way from the Isartor to the Marien Platz and back to our Hotel over the Isar several times. It is a good thing we walked for miles and miles on this trip as I was eating all my favorite foods, cakes and pastries and I needed some balance - haha.
We also went to tour Dachau and the Concentration Camp. This was one of Ron's wishes and as a German I wish everyone that comes to Germany makes this a part of it. So much to learn and the feeling you get by actually being there is not comparable to books at all.
We arrived at home in Weinheim again on Tuesday night the 30th, with a 25 minute delay from the German Train System ... shocking, right? Well, I was told that only the Swiss keep their trains on time at this point so there you know it - haha
On the 31st we got prepped for the boys (and mine) very first German Halloween Trick or Treating? Suesses oder Saures ;)
I dropped Ron of at my sisters and brother In-Laws Home and then took the boys in their Ninja gear to the Windeck Fortress. After this we met at my Nieces Home for all the kids to prepare to walk the neighborhoods. Well, lets just say I was not sure what to expect but it was a hoot ..... The kids were all super excited and those Germans took the Costume selection very serious as only scary Costumes where shown along with two very cute girls in Angel Costumes who told me in a very firm voice that they were not just Angels but Angels of Death.... No joking around here - haha
The best part however from the Adult perspective was the fact that the kids got German Chocolates and Treats and we grownups were served with Champagne and Schnaps. Trust me it was well appreciated walking through those cold cold streets ;)
We finished that day with a very yummy dinner at my Sister's House and thoroughly enjoyed the great conversation we so rely on when we are with them :)
My two dumplings ate as if they were starving and are still calling my sister Beate the best cook in the world. There was hardly as scrap of Salmon or Spinach left..... A hard act to follow - haha

The next day we laid low a bit as Ron was preparing to head home the following day. Oma, Opa, the boys and I met with my brother and sister In-Law for lunch and a tour at a Furniture Store that involved Face Paintings, Balloon Animals and a sampling on freshly prepared Chocolate Treats. I tell you we need some Furniture Stores here in the US like this one ;)
Back in Weinheim I took the boys to the Stadium to burn off some energy and it was great to see them run in the same Tracks that I had my Track and Field experiences when growing up. We ran several 100 m dashes and one 400 m dash. Super exhausting for us ;) So we had to rush home and have to Coffee and Cake to strengthen us ;)

Ron left on a very full flight and I headed back to take the boys into town for an exploring rip of the Wachenburg and a hike through town. We visited Carmen at work and brought her a little Bakery treat which resulted in the boys leaving the Bank with more Chocolates. I tell you you can hardly visit anyone without being showered with treats so no wonder we all ride bikes and walk all over the places.
The following Day I went shopping with my Mom, Sister and Nephew and then took the boys to see my Aunt and Cousin.
We finished that night with driving my parents to another Aunt and Uncles Diamond Wedding Anniversary and a Dinner for the boys and I at my oldest Sisters Home. Here the boys had more playtime with their little cousins and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner, conversations and laughter with my sister, her husband, my niece and her husband. 
The best part about this trip was all the laughter and relaxation that comes with being around family and friends we love so much.

Then came our last Day in Germany and here we always get spoiled by staying home and visiting with everyone that makes time to stop by to say goodbye. It makes for a full house at my Mom's but it is truly lovely. Between packing and some more laughter we were ready for an early night and then an early pickup by my brother who drove us to Frankfurt.
Lucky for us we made it in Business Class again even with a 2 1/2 hour delay. The flight was lovely as was the one coming over and the only hiccup was the Migraine that started in my head half way over the ocean. It got worse by the fact that we had less then 1 hour to make our connection home or face a 4 hour wait in Dallas. We ran through Passport Control, Customs and back through Security. We jumped on the Skylink and raced to the gate with honestly only 1 minute to spare. The door closed right after I stepped on the plane!
Now all this did not help my head at all and by then I thought it would split open.
Never less we made it home, caught a quick Dinner at Denny's were we witnessed a very somber gathering of the Republican Party who must have set up an event in the hopes to celebrate a win. 
I had not had time to follow the Election due to us traveling but knew then the possible outcome as the mood was not upbeat at all.

So with some Migraine Medication I fell into bed and woke up refreshed, happy and recharged....
that lasted until I faced all the work that had piled up while we were gone - JUST KIDDING!!!!!!

Happy to be home! and since it is November and everyone is posting about what they are Thankful for in life I am putting my Family at the top of the list.

To see how much love my boys has for them makes me realize even more how lucky I am. We might not be perfect but gosh how I wish everyone had a family like mine. We are funny (laughter is after all the best medicine ;), we are supportive and loving. We know how to debate and stick together. Oh and we all know how to enjoy great food and drinks ;)

There was a time I was worried if I could put into my boys the love I have for the people and the country I grew up in. I know now this worry was groundless as they tell me they would move to Germany in a heart beat and they are so happy when we are there. Granted, it is just a vacation ... no school and of course no Therapy or Hospital stays for Connor, but they do understand the core that made me who I am, shaped to the better and good by the people they call Family.

Hugs,

R A C A

Testing

Just wanted to see if I can post to my blog by using an e-mail :)

Hugs

Anke Smith
raca040404@me.com
www.raca-smith-family.blogspot.com
www.cureJM.org

On this thought .... ;)

Uh, light bulb moment again!

I just realized that according to the far right (Tea Party, Romney and Ryan) I am choosing the wrong kind of friends!

I should be choosing friends that are rich and affluent, so when those medical bills come in I can make a request through e-mail, Facebook and Twitter that I need Donations to help me pay the bills.
I finally saw that this is how some of my Republican Friends are paying for their medical bills and then of course they don't see the need for Obama Care or better Health care. Why worry about something you have covered ;)

My big, no HUGE! mistake is that I pick friends that have huge hearts, are compassionate and supportive and are loyal but just don't have much money to share.

Goodness, where and how could I have gone so wrong???

Seems to me that the loyal, compassionate and supportive ones I love are not wealthy. DARN! DARN! DARN!

However if you know me you know I have a huge smile on my face right now because I would not trade them in the world and even thought some of you are able to pay your bills easily due to Donations (as I actually was told to do by a person named Rick Santorum, who?) then I am happy but also sad for you as you are missing the point completely. Do you honestly don't see that the reason you are out and about asking for Donations tells the whole world that your health care coverage sucks????

I am lucky we have the coverage we have and Connor is in the best hands that 'money' can buy but I am also still aware that not all have this same options and choices.
Just because you found a way to make your world work don't shut out the rest!

Oh, and you might notice I didn't even mention those horrid 47% of free loaders out there that are just robbing the Government. No wonder there is no money left to hand out for Connor. 

Rant complete!
Thank You for checking in.

Hugs,

R A C A

Found this after I wrote my last entry and it is part of what worries me!

OP-ED COLUMNIST

Death by Ideology

By PAUL KRUGMAN

Published: October 14, 2012 760 Comments

• 
• PRINT
• REPRINTS
• 

Mitt Romney doesn’t see dead people. But that’s only because he doesn’t want to see them; if he did, he’d have to acknowledge the ugly reality of what will happen if he and Paul Ryan get their way on health care.

Fred R. Conrad/The New York Times

Paul Krugman

Go to Columnist Page »

Blog: The Conscience of a Liberal

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Nicholas D. Kristof: A Possibly Fatal Mistake (October 12, 2012)

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Last week, speaking to The Columbus Dispatch, Mr. Romney declared that nobody in America dies because he or she is uninsured: “We don’t have people that become ill, who die in their apartment because they don’t have insurance.” This followed on an earlier remark by Mr. Romney — echoing an infamous statement by none other than George W. Bush — in which he insisted that emergency rooms provide essential health care to the uninsured.

These are remarkable statements. They clearly demonstrate that Mr. Romney has no idea what life (and death) are like for those less fortunate than himself.

Even the idea that everyone gets urgent care when needed from emergency rooms is false. Yes, hospitals are required by law to treat people in dire need, whether or not they can pay. But that care isn’t free — on the contrary, if you go to an emergency room you will be billed, and the size of that bill can be shockingly high. Some people can’t or won’t pay, but fear of huge bills can deter the uninsured from visiting the emergency room even when they should. And sometimes they die as a result.

More important, going to the emergency room when you’re very sick is no substitute for regular care, especially if you have chronic health problems. When such problems are left untreated — as they often are among uninsured Americans — a trip to the emergency room can all too easily come too late to save a life.

So the reality, to which Mr. Romney is somehow blind, is that many people in America really do die every year because they don’t have health insurance.

How many deaths are we talking about? That’s not an easy question to answer, and conservatives love to cite the handful of studies that fail to find clear evidence that insurance saves lives. The overwhelming evidence, however, is that insurance is indeed a lifesaver, and lack of insurance a killer. For example, states that expand their Medicaid coverage, and hence provide health insurance to more people, consistently show a significant drop in mortality compared with neighboring states that don’t expand coverage.

And surely the fact that the United States is the only major advanced nation without some form of universal health care is at least part of the reason life expectancy is much lower in America than in Canada or Western Europe.

So there’s no real question that lack of insurance is responsible for thousands, and probably tens of thousands, of excess deaths of Americans each year. But that’s not a fact Mr. Romney wants to admit, because he and his running mate want to repeal Obamacare and slash funding for Medicaid — actions that would take insurance away from some 45 million nonelderly Americans, causing thousands of people to suffer premature death. And their longer-term plans to convert Medicare into Vouchercare would deprive many seniors of adequate coverage, too, leading to still more unnecessary mortality.

Oh, about the voucher thing: In his debate with Vice President Biden, Mr. Ryan was actually the first one to mention vouchers, attempting to rule the term out of bounds. Indeed, it’s apparently the party line on the right that anyone using the word “voucher” to describe a health policy in which you’re given a fixed sum to apply to health insurance is a liar, not to mention a big meanie.

Among the lying liars, then, is the guy who, in 2009, described the Ryan plan as a matter of “converting Medicare into a defined contribution sort of voucher system.” Oh, wait — that was Paul Ryan himself.

And what if the vouchers — for that’s what they are — turned out not to be large enough to pay for adequate insurance? Then those who couldn’t afford to top up the vouchers sufficiently — a group that would include many, and probably most, older Americans — would be left with inadequate insurance, insurance that exposed them to severe financial hardship if they got sick, sometimes left them unable to afford crucial care, and yes, sometimes led to their early death.

So let’s be brutally honest here. The Romney-Ryan position on health care is that many millions of Americans must be denied health insurance, and millions more deprived of the security Medicare now provides, in order to save money. At the same time, of course, Mr. Romney and Mr. Ryan are proposing trillions of dollars in tax cuts for the wealthy. So a literal description of their plan is that they want to expose many Americans to financial insecurity, and let some of them die, so that a handful of already wealthy people can have a higher after-tax income.

It’s not a pretty picture — and you can see why Mr. Romney chooses not to see it.

Happy News! and some sadness on my part...

Sorry I have not been posting this sooner but on Sunday night I got two e-mails from our beloved Dr. Soep and the wonderful news are that Connor's X-Rays were in the clear! No Compression Fractures to be seen :)

This is truly a huge relief to me as we are planning our trip to Germany in just one week and I did not want this hanging over our head. Plus if he had been showing Fractures in his Spine then we would have planned on traveling with his Wheel Chair. I looked into how it would have been treated and truly it would have come down to bed rest, possibly a brace and pain medications. 

I was very sad to have missed the CureJM Conference in Baltimore this past weekend and I am happy to see on the CureJM Website and FB Page how much fun everyone had. I am hoping there were some news in regards to Research and to learn more about it in the coming weeks :)

I have been very busy trying to find information on how JDM is treated in and around Europe. I found a couple of promising write ups online that point towards very similar treatment options in Germany.
I have to tell you I am and always will be very saddened that there is no equality in treatments yet around the US and other countries. The fact that humans are not created equal or treated equal really lays heavy on my heart. I know I should let it go and be content with my place on this Earth but I just can't.
How can there be ways to make peoples lives easier or pain free, or even save life's in some Countries or States and not share this with everyone?
Why is a human life less worth if you are poor and not affluent with money?
Trust me I am NOT being critical about those that work hard and made a good living and are able to have luxuries as in vacationing, beautiful homes and cars. I am not envious to things that make your live more luxurious. All I want is equality in access to health care treatments. And if I am pushing to hard on this then I am even willing to limit it to our kids. Why punish a child who had no say so as to what family he was born into? Cancer, JDM, JA, Aids DOES NOT DISCRIMINATE ... so why do WE???

How I wish an answer to this!
So please please give me one if you have one ... I am not saying this in anger just in sadness as I really would love to know.

Hugs,

R A C A

Spine X-Ray

We got great news as Connor is scheduled to go in for his Spinal X-Ray tomorrow morning before his Water Therapy.

It will be comforting to know the outcome as we would love to know if we do indeed have to worry about compression fractures in his back or be in the clear and him having nothing but some back aches.

I will update as soon as we get the results.

Hugs,

R A C A

Catching up at School and another Surprise Trip :)

This past week went super fast and was a whirl pool of excitements :)

We were able to catch up on school and finish the Winter Semester for 2nd Grade, Connor got his last (for now - fingers crossed) Solumedrol and Methrotrexate Infusion on Friday! The day before he had his Water Therapy and the only hiccup during this week is the fact that Connor is complaining more and more about back pains and I have not been able to get in touch with Connor's Doctors about this yet. It seems that according to the JM Group, some of the kids had confirmed fractures in the Spine shown through an X-Ray while majority of the kids only got true confirmation due to an MRI.
I do not like having this hang over my head with the approaching trip to Germany hanging in the air....
I am also hitting a road block with making progress to get Connor some braces for his feet. It seems the Therapy Place is dropping the ball by not finding the prescription that Dr. Maynard had signed and now faxed to them already twice, This is frustrating as we are dealing with this now for 5 weeks :(

On a good note, the boys and I got to travel again this past weekend by organizing a surprise Birthday visit/party to my husband who was spending 8 days on call in DFW. Ron's best friend Len and I were talking via phone or txt messages and we were able to pull of a complete surprise when we knocked on the Hotel Room at the Park Inn in Irving, TX. The hardest challenge was telling my husband we would be off the phone and unable to talk due to Therapy when indeed we were on a plane and therefor unreachable ;)
After we arrived on Friday afternoon we all went out to Dinner with the Root and Lichte Family. It was fun to see everyone and spend some relaxing time together. I tried to tell Larisa to please have her Baby (due Date Oct 11) this weekend so I could be there and what happens? She gave Birth to a precious Baby Girl, Evie, last night! The original plan was for the boys and I to fly back again on Saturday Morning as Ron had to fly to San Juan for a two day trip but we changed course again when Ron talked us into staying in DFW and then heading home with him on Monday. So after Ron left for his flight, the boys and I had an amazingly fun but goodness COLD day at Six Flags over Texas with Auntie Pam. Not even the cold could stop the four of us from having lots of fun and so much laughter!!! End this Day with a nice BBQ Dinner and a Drink and it was labeled by all of us a huge success :)
On Sunday the boys and I were thrilled to spend more time with Pam as we headed to the Grapevine Mills Mall and then finishing the day with a yummy and very enjoyable dinner with Pam, her daughter Kim, husband Andy and of course Ron who had gotten back from his trip. Gosh was it wonderful holding Kim and Andy's Baby girl Kora. Just eight weeks old and cute as a button :) 

The next day we headed home and now we are trying to get back into the swing of things :)

The hardest part of heading to Texas is the amount of friends we have there and trying to divide time between all of them on each separate trip. With Ron on Reserve we will have more of these trips in the future so hoping to see all of you that we did not see on this trip :)

I admit I know why I love going places and being a gypsy at heart .... it is in a way a form of running away from everything because for those few days I am gone I can almost forget all the worries that follow me around when being at home. It is sad for me to realize that in a way home is not always a sanctuary for me and not having much control over anything that really weighs on my heart is a tough mind set for me to follow.

So I am making a conscious try to stay and remove myself from things I can't control and save my energy to work on the parts were I might actually be able to make a change in. Not an easy task for this one ;)

Thank You to the loving support for CureJM to the Makarewicz Family! The Logsdon Family! The Murphy Family! and The Bertelsen Family! Such generous hearts and Connor is now in overdrive working on his Thank You's :). I know this is the latest Fundraiser and so many of you reading this have already given so much! So Thank You as always and we do carry your support so close in our hearts!

Hugs,

R A C A