Spring Break 2025 and JOSH IS HOME!

Theo was on Spring Break this week. Lucky for me, Ms. Jess was available and able to come watch Theo a few times so that I could work.

[He just loves Ms. Jess]

Theo was approved for nursing hours through the Medicaid waiver program and we thought it would be a good idea to have a 1:1 nurse accompany Theo to school. Ms. Jess will still be his 1:1 school aid, but the nurse will be there to do his feeding and any other medical stuff. I was able to interview two RN's this week. They are both great and we are excited for them to join our team!

Theo still went to ridding lessons with Sherman, he had PT twice, and Ms. Jen came over for feeding/speech therapy.

[So funny!]

I told Theo Ms. Jen was coming over and he smiled super big, waved, and looked for her! It was so sweet! 

Theo and I went to check out the new Morris Hospital YMCA since we heard they have Adaptive Swim Lessons and a lift to help physically disabled people get in the pool safely. Theo LOVES to swim and I'd like to find a place for him to swim during the winter months. We went on a tour of the new YMCA and it is beautiful! We checked the bathrooms to see if there was a safe place to change Theo before and after swim lessons. Unfortunately, there isn't. I then spoke to the Executive Director and she said many other people had approached her about the lack of a powered, height adjustable, adult changing table in the YMCA and they were actively looking into it. I was able to send her a bunch of information from the Changing Spaces website, so hopefully they will be able to find a place to install a powered, height adjustable, adult changing table, so everyone can enjoy their facilities and have a safe place to get changed! I'll keep you all posted as I learn more about their progress!

Theo got new Billy's! Aren't they so cute?!

It was Josh's final week in Alaska!

[They feed these guys really well!]

On Friday, Josh left his mancamp and headed to the airport in Deadhorse.

At one point I noticed that he had stopped moving. Then he sent me these pictures:

There was a huge drill rig that was being moved down the road at 1 mph. Josh had to wait with a bunch of other trucks until it was safe to pass the rig.

[Can you see that truck next to the rig?! That's how big that thing is!]

Josh finally made it to the tiny Deadhorse airport.

[I don't think he's too sad to leave 🥶]

He flew first class from Deadhorse to Anchorage and they gave him wine in a paper cup. Classy!

He then took the redeye from Anchorage to Chicago. He landed at 7:30 AM and Theo and I were able to pick him up! We are so glad that he is home!

Josh had some work to do on the Jeep, so it will be ready for work on Monday!

Josh knows that I love to buy local jewelry when I travel. Last time I was in AK I got mammoth ivory earrings and I LOVE them. Josh bought me these awesome, hand made, locally sourced seal skin earrings.

AND these polar bear earrings that are made out of polar bear bone! Aren't they beautiful?!

Overall, Josh enjoyed his time on the North Slope of Alaska, but he is glad to be home! We very much appreciate his hard work and sacrifice for our family!

I am so excited for Star Wars Celebration! It'll be here so soon!

Bonsai Help and Severe Weather

Monday, March 17th:

Happy Saint Patrick's Day! Theo was not into it, but he looked cute in his green Baby Yoda shirt!

At school they made green slime! FUN!

After school I took Theo to OT.

Theo had five observable seizures today.

Tuesday, March 18th:

Theo didn't go to school today due to an appointment we had at Hanger to get his new AFOs and SMOs.

[Dinosaurs!]

That afternoon we went to PT and then to see Sherman at The Legacy Ranch for lessons with Ms. Kaylin.

I had a very stressful day and could not shake this headache. At bedtime, I laid on my Shakti Mat and used my face massager. It was great!

Theo had four observable seizures today.

Wednesday, March 19th:

Theo headed off to school while I stayed home and watched the weather. We knew storms were going to be moving in in the afternoon, so we decided to stay safe and do a Zoom with Ms. Jen that afternoon.

During our Zoom with Ms. Jen the tornado sirens starting going off, so she jumped off the computer and took cover in her basement. Luckily for us the storms cruised by and only caused minimal damage.

[The clouds were moving in a lot of different directions]

After the storm passed we checked in with Ms. Jen and she was safe and sound!

Theo had three observable seizures today.

Thursday, March 20th:

Severe weather yesterday and snow today! Welcome to Spring in Chicago!

[Theo was NOT into it!]

After I sent Theo to school I went and got my allergy shots. Allergy season is getting longer and more intense, so it's good to be prepared! 

My mom ended up in the ER today 😭 She fell and broke her wrist and sprained her ankle super bad. They had to set her wrist and then she went and saw a surgeon who determined that she needed surgery. My mom is not old enough for us to be worrying about her falling down! 

After school I took Theo to OT with Ms. Laura.

Theo had four observable seizures today.

Friday, March 21st:

Theo had an early out today, since next week is Spring Break. While he was at school I made this giant calendar to help keep Josh and Theo on track while I am on my trip next month 🙂

Are you guys following March Madness?! Every year I make a bracket and compete with my college friends for a mannequin head of Adam Morrison. It's very fun! Anyways, I was watching the BYU game and I recognized someone from my childhood. Dawson Baker is the youngest brother of one of my friends from High School. He was just a little kid when I was in college at BYU! Congrats to him and the Cougars for moving on to the Sweet 16!

After school I took Theo to PT with Ms. Cody.

Theo had two observable seizures today. He started a new seizure medication last Friday and I think it's really helping!

Josh in Alaska:

When Josh went back to Alaska he was promoted to the daytime Lead QC guy. This week he got his own room! YAY! Perks!

[On the ice]

[Beautiful sun halo!]

[The sun looks strange when you are at the top of the planet]

[Look at these cute power lines. How do they survive in that killer wind?!]

Josh just has one week left in Alaska! We can't wait for him to get home!

Bonsai Tree:

I joined a couple Facebook Bonsai groups to see if anyone could help me with my Bonsai Tree. I posted this paragraph with the following pictures in a few of the groups:

"We got this beautiful Golden Gate Ficus (Ficus microcarpa) in March 2024. At the end of July the ficus dropped all of its leaves. Some small buds started appearing, but then they turned brown. I thought it was going to die, but I continued to nurse the ficus by providing plenty of water (but not too much) and I also got a grow lamp. In September, it started to grow some new leaves out of the lower knots that didn’t have anything growing out of them before. The ficus is growing a ton out of the lower three knots. We repotted the ficus at the end of February and it is continuing to grow. There are new leaves almost daily! But there is no new growth at the top of the tree. Any advice to get some growth up there? Is there a chance that the top part of the ficus is dead? How can I tell? Thanks so much!"

[Three lower knots with the new growth]

[Nothing growing out of the top]

Unfortunately, most people in the group think that the top of the tree is dead. But that's okay! They said I can cut the tree a inch or two above where the new growth is. We can then wire the new branches so that they will start growing up instead of out. I hope that when we are done it will look like this:

Wish me luck!