A Trip To Indy

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This past weekend Blake, Tate, Eliza and I flew to Indianapolis to visit my Mom and brother for three days!

Now that my Mom lives farther away we will fly more often than drive when we go to visit.

We also will only take a couple of kiddos at a time!

Tate and Eliza were first up and so happy about that!

Our first flight was at 6 a.m., so we had to wake these two cherubs at 3:50 a.m.

They were such great travelers!

We had time during our quick lay over in Chicago to grab some breakfast.

Hard boiled eggs and chips!

It was better than nothing!

Once we arrived in Indy we headed to get our rent-a-car.

They did not have the car seats we needed, so they gave us an upgrade on our car for free.

We strapped the kiddos in and headed to Wal-Mart to buy some car seats – and some groceries.

The rest of Friday was spent picking up my Mom and getting her settled back into her condo!

My Mom fell back on June 4th and broke her right leg up by her hip.

She had finished therapy rehab and was ready to move back home.

Saturday was filled with shopping, eating lunch out, and sitting in a huge traffic jam – which gave us lots of time to enjoy being together!

Sunday we traveled back to Twin Oaks.

Traveling with the littles went well!

While we were in Indy we bought three sets of ear plugs, and we really, really needed them on the way there too.

Eliza and I wore ours the most, but Tate used them too.

Our second flight was delayed about an hour – and here is how Tate and Eliza felt about that!

They conked out the minute we got in our van!

I mean the minute their Mama said “It’s time for quiet now!” ha, ha!

We arrived home around 6 p.m. Sunday evening to a yummy snack dinner, some time with our people, and just in time to get ready to travel again the next morning – back to Madison with Chad to see his surgeon.

That will be up next!

I can’t say enough about how special our trip was!!

Memories were made and now they are kept and I am SO thankful for them!!

We will be back soon Mom and Mike!

LOVE YOU BOTH SO MUCH!!!

The 4th of July

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Can you guess who was most excited about everyone having the day off work on the 4th of July?

Me! It was me.

Good guess, you guys.

I expressed to Blake and the big kids that we just ALL needed to be together, eat lots of good food and celebrate LIFE along with our independence.

So thankful to be able to say that is exactly what we did!

Briar and her people headed over to Twin Oaks around lunch time and we spent the whole afternoon just enjoying each other, the weather, that pool, and lots of good food.

Lane, Tate, Eliza and Blake even went for a swim in the morning!

Once Kay’s arrived the real party started!

The weather was PERFECT to be in the pool and the water was warm!

All of the kiddos enjoyed it very much!

Briar. What can I say about this girl?

She is the BEST baby.

So happy all the time!

And super cute!

And loves water!

Kayla brought some fun things for the kiddos – and we had fun sticking them on everyone!

We had dinner and someone had a nap too.

Her Mama, whose lap she was sitting on, managed to stay awake!

Then we headed out for the fireworks!

It rained four times – in large downpours – before the fireworks started.

I only have this one photo!

What a cute photo though, huh?!

The 4th of July was truly the best day and it filled us up for what lay ahead.

The next morning we headed back to Madison for Chad’s surgery.

I think I have told my amazing hubby 3,982 times how much I love that pool – but let me say it again!

I LOVE THAT POOL!

SO thankful for it – especially now that summer is going to be a lot of home time.

I am also thankful to be an American!!

Hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July too!!

Surgery Day For Chad

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Chad had an “exploration and repair” surgery on his injured hand last Friday.

Surgery was originally scheduled for 1:30, was changed to 2:30, and then it actually ended up being at 3:30.

Chad’s surgery was at the UW Children’s Hospital, which we were very grateful for because those are our stomping grounds for all things medical for Tate and Eliza.

We were all calm and relaxed before surgery – especially Chad!

The anesthesiologist actually gave Chad two options of how he could be put to sleep and our smart boy chose exactly what we would have chosen if we had been speaking for him!

While we were waiting on the surgeon to show up, I took this photo.

We were in the Children’s Hospital, after all, but it cracked me up how far Chad’s feet hung off the end of the bed!

Pretty soon the surgeon was there and he wrote all over Chad’s left arm with a marker – just to make sure they didn’t operate on his leg – he said.

Ok then!

We said our “so-longs” (where I kissed Chad’s head multiple times) and Blake and I headed out to a waiting room to eat some lunch snacks and drink our coffee that we had smuggled into the hospital inside our cooler.

They gave us a pager.

I remember this whole pager thing from Eliza’s surgery – literally a life-line to that O.R.!

They updated us only twice because Chad’s surgery was done in less than two hours.

After that second page the surgeon came to speak to us.

We learned that Chad’s injuries were worse than expected so the surgery plan had changed a bit.

We did not ask specifics, but we were told that Chad’s prognosis “looks promising.”

WE WILL TAKE THAT, YES!

I headed back to Chad’s pre-op room and Blake headed to the pharmacy to get the pain meds we would need for Chad.

I noticed how beautiful it was outside while I waited!!

Pretty soon we were called back to the recovery area and were immediately told that Chad had tried to stand up and walk out of the place!

That’s my boy!

The nurse was SO tiny compared to Chad and also said “This boy is a giant – I was actually a little worried that I wouldn’t get him to lay back down!”

Chad’s hand has a new cast on it, and his fingers are all hyper extended inside of there.

Once Chad was fully awake (and not trying to escape!), they made sure he could sit and stand up and then we got ready to go!

We are SO, SO, SO thankful that amazing anesthesiologist put a block in Chad’s arm and Chad literally could not feel a thing from the elbow down.

It gave us a pain free ride home and a pain free night of sleep that night!

We got home a little after 10 p.m. to a spotless house with three bathed kiddos tucked in their beds already – all done by Addie Mae – of course, of course.

I love that girl!!

That block wore off Saturday morning sometime and Chad started those big meds Saturday evening, even though he did not want to.

Sunday was LONG.

Really long.

But every day since has gotten better and better!!!

Today, if I may shout some praise, Chad is only using Tylenol and not even needing it when it is due.

YAHOO!

Yes, you can shout with me!!

We see the surgeon for our next follow-up on Monday.

We all are looking forward to getting through this part of Chad’s healing to get to the part where he will do therapy to teach those fingers to work again!

Things really could not be going better here.

Chad is doing SO amazing with all of this!

Thank you all for praying us through all of this!!

For checking on us!

For sending encouraging messages!

We appreciate it all!

We know for a fact that we are seeing answers to specific prayers and we are SO thankful!

TO GOD BE THE GLORY!!

Chad’s Surgery

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We were back in Madison all day Monday.

Chad had an appointment with the surgeon at 1:00, but we also had some lunch out and went to Costco to stock up our pantry and freezers!

Chad’s appointment went VERY well!

Chad had his dressing changed and the doctor (and us!) took a peek at those fingers.

Chad’s hand looks amazing and is healing so nicely!

Unfortunately, the surgeon will be opening all those wounds back up when Chad has surgery on Friday.

Right now surgery is scheduled for 1:30, but we were told the time could change.

The surgeon will explore and repair each one of Chad’s four fingers that are injured.

If all goes as planned, we will be able to come home on Friday.

Chad has a long road of recovery ahead and will need therapy to get mobility back to those fingers.

Going to be honest here – the injury is NOT the hard part for Chad – it is not being able to work at a brand new job he LOVED and not being able to do all the other things too.

That and the fact that Chad feels like he let his boss and co-workers down.

We continue to appreciate your prayers!

For pain management.

For REST. Chad is having a very, very difficult time settling in and getting any sleep.

For surgery Friday. For the surgeon, and for every single detail, including travel mercies.

For Chad’s heart as he processes what a change this is for him for this summer and fall.

For our littles as they deal with all the change too.

Don’t forget to PRAISE GOD FOR CHAD’S FINGERS!!!!

And to ask the Lord to allow the glory to be ALL HIS!!!

Thank you and bless you all!

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