I HIT A DEAR

It was awful. I was driving kids home from the high school and I was on the wooded part of Winding Way when a very young dear ran out in front of me. I was able to avoid ruining the car but I hurt the dear. It ran off on three legs and I felt terrible. Poor thing. I was traumatized. It's been a big week. Holly is home from Brazil. Ian and Melissa's new twins were born (August 21). Christian David and John Gilbert to be called Jack. Caleb's birthday and Margie's birthday and Mary's birthday too. I got my full paycheck even though the California State Budget still hasn't been passed. That's another for the record books. It'll be the latest budget ever signed passing the previous record of August 31. How's that for history... Then there is the historic presidential race. What a great time to be alive.

August Updates

Just the highlights for us in the last couple of weeks all of the kids started school again. Haylee is in first grade now.

She is very independent!! At her six year old physical, her doctor told her she should go into theater when she gets a little bit older because she will is so good with drama. She is going to get to start to walk home with some kids from school so MeMom or Sam don't have to fight all of the school traffic to pick her up.

We were able to go to the fair on Saturday with some of our family. Haylee thought it was interesting to watch as they were pumping the cows. We are really lucky to be able to live around all of our family and be able to do so many things together.

First visit to Fusion Salon and Spa

Well I took the girls to get their hair cut at the salon and spa today. Their very first time at a real salon. Of course they have already had a professional hair cut since Faith has been cutting their hair but they've never had the pleasure of having their hair shampooed in a salon shampoo bowl. I'm sure they will write about this in their journal's tonight...

July 29th...Cholesteatoma Day

Before the surgical procedure. Of course I forgot the camera so I couldn't take a picture of her as she was being wheeled into the operating room. I did plan on bringing the camera but there was no one else in the prep room with a camera so I didn't feel so silly forgetting. I guess it's not something you would usually document photographically.

This was a little bit after we got home from the hospital.

Passed out on the bed...poor Grace.

This was Grace last night. She looks pretty glamorous with her ear cup on don't you think??? The procedure lasted about four and half hours. A fairly long surgery. The cholesteatoma was much larger than the surgeon expected and he had to drill out a lot of her skull bone and of course the little hearing bones were completely eroded so they were out too. He had to pack a bunch of gel/foam type stuff inside where the bone used to be. It will slowly dissolve as her bone grows back. Grace has been a real hero. Very little complaining and very little use of the pain killers that were prescribed for her. She's actually feeling fairly good considering how extensive the surgery was. No hearing in the right ear at this point but hopefully she will get some of her hearing back. Another surgery in 4 to 6 months to make sure there is no more infected cholesteatoma. At that time the surgeon will place some prosthetic hearing bones in her ear. She might need a hearing aid but he said she should have fairly normal hearing at some future point. You go Grace...

Moving Day

Everyone gets in on the act even Liam...


Well yesterday was moving day for Caleb and Jamie and Liam. Jamie's family came bright and early at 7am to get things started. Actually Caleb and Jamie have been boxing things up for a few days. Gabriel helped and I took pictures. I wasn't even very good at the picture taking. My back has been bothering me for a few days and I wasn't able to help at all. The Gilbert's are settled in to their student housing in Davis and our house was very lonely without them. We love you and hope your new adventure is exciting...