Ellie's first day of preschool

Here is our big preschooler. She was so excited to go to school

Lauren's first day of school

Lauren is finally a kindergartner. It was a very eagerly anticipated day for both Lauren and me. It seems just yesterday that we brought her home from the hospital. Unlike a lot of kids, it has taken a lot of work to get to this point.

We lived at the developmental clinic this past year hoping for some answers and solutions.

We have done countless hours of therapy. Her therapists have worked hard to get her to this point. Lauren has worked hard. Nothing comes easy for her. I often think that she sits and wonders what would be the easy way to do something and then does the exact opposite.




Here she is heading off on the big yellow bus




Coming home from a hard first day of school

Funny Laurenisms

We are missionaries. Our car was made in Michigan so we are Michinaries.

My Daddy is just like Jesus. They serve people.


Love that kid so much. I wish other people could see her for who she is despite her differences. I wish people could look beyond the kid who can't cut, who can't sit, who can't speak well, and who can't write.

Future Aspirations

I aspire to be a Disability Claims Adjudicator. However, my girls have dreams of their own.

Lauren wishes to be a baby doctor (not sure if she is going to deliver babies or just take care of them), a school bus driver, a mommy, and a photographer.

Ellie wants to be Tinkerbell and learn to fly.

Shannon just wants to keep up with the big kids.

I applied

I applied for my old job. In my former life (before kids that is), I was a disability claims adjudicator. It's a fancy way of saying that I made the decision on the medical portion of Social Security Disability claims. I got to decide who was disabled under Social Security and who was not.

I originally applied and was hired in the winter of 1999. I was 22 years old and in love with a very gorgeous man (still am). Looking back, I was so young. I can't believe they hired me. Now, all I can think is I hope they hire me again even though I'm so old.

So many things have changed. I wasn't even married, I had never owned a car, lived in an apartment, or been I my owned. Now, I have been married for almost 8 years, owned several places, owned a house and lost a house and am trying to do it again. When I started, I was only concerned about myself and my then three months later my new husband. Now, I have three girly girls that need this job.

They need the insurance this job can provide. They need schools. They need food and shelter (and some princess things thrown in for good measure). Bob and I have made choices and good or bad we have lived with the consequences. I hate that my kids have sometimes had such a difficult time due to our choices.

I know that I meet the minimum criteria so I should be offered a test date during the last week of July. We'll probably make it a family adventure and take the kids up to there for the day while I take the test.

I love summer

I do I just absolutely adore summere. Always have and hopefully always will. I love the lack of school, the pool, ice cream, and the heat.



In March, shortly after my birthday, which is on the 1st, I start thinking about how summer is just around the corner. However, it more likely then not some blizzard will approach. Just when I think that I can't take it anymore spring arrives. I have a love/hate relationship with spring. It's just too unpredictable. Will it be 20 degrees? 50 degrees? 80 degrees or somewhere in between.



Then we go past girly girls birthdays and it is finally summer. It's warm and then finally it is hot (especially this year). I love the smell of chlorine and the taste of ice cream.

I got distracted

Or really really busy with 3 crazy girls.



We finally have a semi-workind diagnosis with Lauren. She has ADHD.