The Greatest Latest

Phew!  What a month it's been - trying to get kids ready for school, squeezing in as much fun as humanly possible, managing doctor appointments - it's been crazy, but fun.  My friend told me today to get going and update by blog so here we are (thanks Deb!)

(Our flower child (Calli) on our Bear Lake trip)

Lizzie is doing awesome - it makes me teary-eyed to think about how far she has come in the last 6 months.  It seems like we've lived a lifetime in the last 6 months.

We started school at a new charter Montessori school in our area - we are so happy that our kids got in - they way they teach and their methods are just perfect for our family (especially for Lizzie).  We put Lizzie back in half-day Kindergarten again since she missed half of the school year last year - she seems like she's adjusting okay.  I don't think she knows quite where she fits in just yet. 

(The kids on the first day of school - I am loving that they wear uniforms - it makes things so easy in the mornings!)

It's a little heart-wrenching to pick her up from school and see her standing by herself just watching other kids play.  She is kind of a solitary soul, but we're hoping she will make some friends soon.  She's in a difficult spot where all of her friends she knows are in first grade and she is in a new school with absolutely no one she knows in her kindergarten class - that will get better though - it just takes time.

Other than that, things couldn't be better.  Lizzie's memory, endurance and activity levels continue to improve.  Some days after school Lizzie is so tired she can't stand it, but then days like today she doesn't need a rest at all and does great.

(This is where we find Spencer these days - in Lizzie's trundle)

Spencer is doing really well in school and loving the new curriculum.  He is still Lizzie's biggest advocate and friend - he does so much for Lizzie and refuses to sleep in his own room because he wants to be close to his sister - it's really sweet.  Calli starts a little two-day preschool next week and she is loving one on one time with Mom during the day when the kids are at school.  She continues to be a little tasmanian devil - she is like a whirlwind in our house and you can always tell where she's been by the messes in our house.  She is so sweet though and we just love her.

(Calli and her friend Kennedy sitting in the coolest moat ever surrounding the coolest castle)

We packed in a trip to Bear Lake and lots of other little outings during August - it was so fun.  Lizzie even completed the hike to Bloomington Lake - although she was literally sobbing the whole way back.  It was a bit much for her, but she was a little trooper!  Calli jumped in the lake and did awesome and Spencer did the rope swing and dropped into the lake - it was such a fun end to a crazy summer.
fe is so good.  It's so true that if we didn't have the bitter in our lives, we wouldn't appreciate the sweet.  Right now, things are so sweet.  I just love how our life is going and love that Lizzie is improving daily.  I still get sad once in awhile, like the other day I was playing Memory with Calli and Lizzie and got physically ill thinking of how the last time I saw Lizzie playing Memory was in the hospital and she was a shell of who she was.  She had the most blank expression on her face and couldn't even turn the cards over without assistance.  These memories just hit me at the weirdest times and I try to make them pass as fast as possible!

I think the biggest thing right now is that we feel normal now.  Even though Lizzie still takes her medicines a lot and we still have weekly trips to therapy and/or the doctor, it has become our life and we have come to a greater level of acceptance. 

There are things that have come into our lives as a result of this experience that we can't imagine not being a part of now.  One of those things is HopeKids - I blogged about it in my last post and the response we have seen is so overwhelming!  We have raised $1,600+ when our original goal was only $1000.  It's so awesome how people open their hearts (and wallets) to support children.  Our race is next Saturday, September 11th.  It's not too late to join our team or make a donation (any amount) to HopeKids.  Visit:  www.firstgiving.com/toughhuff or www.firstgiving.com/wasatchadventure for more details.

We are happy and hope our dear friends, family and support system are too!!