Random fun (and not so fun) stuff

Like always there is a lot going on around here. So here is the quick rundown. Last weekend Ben's parents invited us to join them in St. George for a little get away. It was so very fun and too short. We swam, hiked, played and enjoyed the beautiful weather. I love St. George! Here are a few highlights...

The kids loved playing in the red sand...we did not love that it came home with us!

Trying to get Van to hold still for a pic...not so easy.

A pictures is worth a thousand words!

Just in case any of you were wondering about my celestial nature...I have proof.

Lizard

The views were amazing.

Serpentine, serpentine!

We had a great time and took a ton of pictures (shocker) I am hoping to make a slide show soon but that will have to wait until after I get back from Colorado. I am going to my cousin's wedding in Denver and really should be getting ready...oh well.

Now onto our other fun news of the month. Joseph had his first piano recital this week. He was so cute. He was nervous but did a great job, even though he had to go first. He played two songs he has been practicing with his teacher and one original composition. This kid is amazing and I am so glad he has finally found something that he loves and that he is really good at. I love hearing him play.

So cute in his suit!

So the not so fun part of this post is that I spent yesterday getting blood tests and xrays. We wont know anything until next week but it seems that the problems I have been having with my thumb and feet may be Rheumatoid Arthritis or Gout...two fun choices huh. I don't know that the really it of this has set in yet. I have been living with it for so long now, that until the symptoms get worse nothing will change. But when things do change it could be pretty bad. My Dr. was quite candid when he told me that if it is arthritis and if there is already joint damage at my young age it is bad. Although I really want to know what is going on I am not happy with my options at this point. So we will see what the next week brings and go from there.

Mother knows best (sometimes)

Let's just get it out in the open, I am a bit stubborn. And by a bit I mean a lot! I don't like unsolicited advice or opinions. I tend to think I am always right...it's ok I am at peace with my inner control freak. So a few years ago when my mom said she thought that Joseph had Asperger's Syndrome, I smiled and nodded but listened to the doctors who said we was bi-polar. I should listen to my mother more often! Turns out she was right, Joseph is not bi-polar, he is an aspie.

Shortly after this discovery a friend asked me if I was heart broken, the answer I gave her then and the answer I give you now are the same...NO! There is light at the end of the tunnel with Asperger's, there is understanding and help. Dealing with bi-polar was like a black hole that we could never dig ourselves out of. There was not a lot of positive to look forward to, educators looked at us with eyes glassed over and arms in the air; even family and friends didn't always know how to handle a diagnosis that was so big for such a little guy. We worried that Joseph would be on meds his whole life and wondered how he would be effected by this as an adult. We have a family history of bi-polar and know the heart ache that it can cause. Please do not misunderstand me, bi-polar is not a death sentence nor or the people diagnosed with bi-polar a lost cause. They are wonderful people dealing with a disease that I can barely wrap my head around. But I was relieved when Joseph's diagnosis was changed.

So many things make sense now. So many behaviors and "quirks" have been demystified for us. We are better equipped and better educated about how to deal with the issues that Joseph faces on a daily basis. This fits, it makes sense and we have seen a big improvement in Joseph and his quality of life. Knowing what we are truly dealing with has made all the difference.

So from now on I will at least consider that my mother might be right.

Van turns two!

Friday was Van's birthday. We had such a fun time celebrating. We had all the grandparents, 3 great grandmas, aunts and uncles. It was a very full house, and Van ate up every minute of it. I decorated the house with balloons and streamers while he was napping so when he woke up he was so excited to see the "laloons" as he calls them. I also made him a race track cake, which turned out so cute. He is such a great kid. He is fun and funny and enjoys life. I feel so blessed to have him in our family and look forward to seeing him learn and grow.

Here are some pics from the festivities...

Here is Van with his mountain of presents...this picture doesn't show just how many presents there were but his face is priceless.


How cute is this?


Sorry hun, I couldn't resist...this pic is just too funny.

Here is Lillie's version

And Joe's...he wouldn't eat it because there was coconut in the cake.