Angels

There are words in my heart that I can't seem to put onto paper to express my thoughts about these dear angels that have been lost.  We do not always know God's plans but we have to have Faith & Hope for the best.  I pray for every family that has ever lost an angel either thru miscarriage, born asleep, or lost them after having them for a very short period of time.  Today is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Rememberance Day.

I'm asking for you to please light a candle tonight at 7pm in any time zone for one hour in rememberance for these angels.  I know that I will be taking that time to remember mine, my friends', & my family's sweet angels that God welcomed into His arms.

So, please light a candle at 7pm tonight (any time zone) for one hour.

What would you do?

I have to ask this question, what would you do?  Now you are wondering what the rest of that question is.  Well here it is & then I'll explain why I'm asking.

What would you do if you are in your car, waiting to pull into traffic, & someone (who is walking by) either knocks on your window or tries to get your attention wants you to roll down your window?  Would you roll down your window and assist them?

I ask this question because it has happened to me quite a few times within the last two years.  Once, I was in the car with both of my daughters and we were stopped at a red light.  A man knocked on my daughter's window and was asking us to help.  We were not in the best part of town & , as I said, my daughters were with me.  I kept one hand on my cell phone and prayed for the light to turn green so that we could go.  My daughters were scared and finally the light turned for us to go.

Second, I was on my way from work when I had to stop at an intersection.  I was talking on my cell phone with my daughter to let her know I was on my way home.  As I stopped my car an older woman came walking up to my car with tears in her eyes.  I rolled my window just a crack to hear her.  She asked me for help because she was taking care of her grandchildren and desperately needed money to feed them.  I gave her the last $20 I had on me that day.

Third, I have seen this man several times recently.  There's an older man that stands at the stop light near the interstate where I go every day.  He's always walking up & down the median trying to get any one's attention.  I always avert my eyes and hope he doesn't try to bother me.

Each time I have encountered I am reminded of a Bible story.  I don't remember every bit of it but I remember the gist of it.  The story is how a man is told that Jesus is going to visit him that day.  So the man prepares for Jesus to visit him but is interrupted 3 times by strangers.  Finally, the man is so tired and frustrated because he feels that God has not visited him when God appears to the man and explains that He had been there.  That He was those strangers that had interrupted him during the day.  I can't help but wonder when I'm driving away from these strangers that have interrupted my life, "what if that was God?".  What should I have done?

I've always tried to help those in need but in a safe manner.  I know that times are very hard right now and we have more homeless, hungry, & jobless people.  I also remember when I was in their shoes.  It was not too long ago that I didn't have a car and I had to walk several miles to and from work.  That I didn't have money for food & went a lot of time without anything to eat.  That I didn't really have a safe place to sleep but was grateful for what shelter I had at the time.  I also know that I was extremely grateful to those that gave me a hand up in my time of need.  But also during those times, I never knocked on some one's car window or tried to ask anyone to go out of their way to help me.

The hard part I have with it now, is that I'm scared.  Scared that the person that's trying to get my attention or knocking on my window may want to harm me or my children.  Yet, I'm also scared that if I don't do something to help them, that I'm not doing what I should be doing as a Christian.  So, I try to do my part by donating to the food banks, passing on information where they can get the help they are searching for.  But in my heart I'm always asking myself if that was enough.

So, I guess, as I wonder if I do enough, I'm curious to know what you would do. 

Warning! Political and Religious views ahead......

O.K.  I usually try to keep my political and religious views to myself or at least limited to those closest to me but with the presidential campaign ramping up and the state of the world today, I had to say something.

From birth, I have been raised as Catholic.  Not many people understand what it is to be Catholic and how anyone could raise their child as a Catholic.  I have heard before that "how can you choose for your child what religion they are going to be?"  My answer is this: "How can you NOT choose for your child?"  We are all born into this world innocent and unknowing of the things of God & man.  It is our parents' job to TEACH us what is right and what is wrong.  My parents chose to teach me to be Catholic.  I'm not saying that being Catholic is the ONLY religion.  Many people do have questions that they need answered and therefore find them in other religions.  Never once have I tried to make anyone become a Catholic.  I just want them to know God & to love God.  That, to me, is the basis of any religion.

Yes, with all the wars that are happening in our world based on religion, there are many questions.  I am not a theologist so I cannot tell you what is right or wrong in any religion.  I just feel that if we all learned to open our hearts & our minds to God, then we could finally find the Peace that we are all searching for.

There is so much in the media because of the Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention.  Honestly, I try to ignore most of the political propaganda that is floating around but this last bit I just could not ignore.  Glen Beck posted on Facebook about how the Democratic National Convention made sure to eliminate any use of God at their convention.  Really??!!  How can you exclude God?  Even if you don't mention God, He is still there.  It saddens me to no end that these people that are wanting to be our representatives in this country want to EXCLUDE GOD.  Excuse me, but I don't want someone who EXCLUDES God to have ANY say for me.

Our Founding Fathers made sure when they set up our Constitution and Bill of Rights that it was based on our BELIEF in GOD.  Look at our Pledge of Allegiance: "One Nation UNDER GOD, Indivisible with Liberty & Justice for ALL".  Of course, there has been talk of them taking this line out of the Pledge of Allegiance.  Our currency has always been printed with "In God We Trust".  Since when did we pull away from God?  When did we stop "trusting in God"?

I believe that we need to get back to our roots and find our Beliefs & Trust in God in our everyday lives and society in order to bring our country to rights.  We are falling fast and without God, I fear we will fall too far with no return in sight.  We need to find that place where we put God & Family first.  We've all been so busy trying to "get ahead" that we are "falling behind" in what really matters.

Again, this is just my opinion.  "But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord." - Joshua 24:15

Am I a bad Mom?

Well, the new school year has started and I feel like a bad Mom.  Why?  Because there were so many things that I forgot to do before my girls left for school today. 

1. I forgot to take the "First Day of School" pictures.  Honestly, when did this become a priority?  I don't remember ever having "First Day of School" pictures when I was growing up but I am supposed to remember to take pictures of my children before they go to school.  Guess we will start a new tradition: "Second Day of School" pictures!

2. I had no idea where Gabby had put her schedule of classes for this semester.  Last night she had already gone to bed & I was getting ready for bed when I heard their bedroom door open.  Gabby comes to ask me "Mommy, where's my schedule?"  Ummmmm???  Good question.  The last time I saw her schedule was last Thursday when we walked all over the school to meet all of her teachers.  Thank goodness she can get a copy of her schedule from the school office.  Also, since when was I supposed to know where her paper disappeared to?  ("But, Mom, you had it last." Ummm, no, I gave that back to you.  Didn't I????)

3. I get a call from the school today wanting to know if I have Gabby's immunization records.  Dang it!!!  Yes, my daughter has her shots but if I could remember where I put those papers I will be doing good.  Maybe the doctor has a shot for me to have a better memory?

4. I forgot to make sure Gabby had her physical papers with her this morning also.  Guess I will be searching my house this evening for all her papers or calling the doctor's office tomorrow.  ("Hello? Yes, I've lost my daughter's physical papers because my brain was not ready for school yet & is still on vacation somewhere.")

I swear, that sometimes I need a secretary at home to keep up with papers, schedules, & missing items!!  It doesn't help that we are still unpacking boxes.  If I was the only person in my house, I might be able to find things but I am not the only one.  So, I may have put something on the kitchen table (so it would be easy to find) but that doesn't mean it is still there. (The dog ate it! Honestly, she could have.  She's already shredded our gas bill.)

This kind of lost item situation happens often in our house.  Just this weekend I was checking to make sure I had my Westfest Associate Director name badge & to locate Mike's.  Guess what.  I found mine but we have no clue where Mike's is.  So, I guess I will be searching our storage facility to see if it is in one of the boxes that we haven't moved yet.  Especially since Westfest is this Labor Day Weekend.

Yes, we are spread here, there, & yonder.  We laugh about it in our house because we know how disorganized we are compared to others in our family. (Don't even ask how many storage buildings we have!) I wish I could be as organized and well prepared like my mother & sister.  I often have to call my sister to ask if we have a certain meeting or my niece will send me a text message the morning of the meeting.  LOL! 

I am working hard on organizing this new home of ours but I just need more time.  Between working full-time, keeping up with the girls' schedules, volunteering, & other family obligations; I'm good to get sleep!!  I keep praying that the organization fairies will magically fix my house for me.  They can also drag the house cleaning fairies, cooking fairies, & laundry fairies to help them out.  :)  Until then, I will continue to bumble things up and try to get it right.  At least I am there for my kids when they need me no matter how disorganized my home & life may be. 

Do you really know me?

As time goes by I find myself asking that question a lot.  I think it really hit home when my 20th class reunion came around this year.  I debated for a long time if I wanted to go or not.  I was part of our class page on Facebook & I would read the posts as the reunion drew closer.  As I read I would think "who is that?", "do I remember that person from high school?".  Of course, with a class of over 330 it's not likely that I knew everyone.  Also, not very likely that I was known either.

My husband, Mike, & I actually graduated from the same school & the same year.  We didn't really know each other in high school.  Mike will tell you that he saw me as "Miss Goody Two Shoes" in school because I didn't get into trouble and didn't go to the parties.  He was in a whole different "clique" at school than I was.  So, we didn't really know each other then. 

Mike & I were not able to attend the 20 year reunion after all.  We were moving into our new home (well, new to us).  We both took turns looking at the pictures posted on the Facebook page to see who we could recognize.  It looks like everyone had a great time but we couldn't even guess the names of some people.  I guess that's what happens after 20 years and a class of so many.  I found myself regretting that I had not attended the reunion.  That I felt like I should have gone to see if anyone remembered me like I was trying to remember them from the pictures. 

I don't know who would have remembered me & I sometimes wonder what they would remember about me from high school.  Would they be like my husband and think of me as the one that didn't get into trouble?  Would they think of me as the one that the computer teacher left in charge of the class whenever she left the room?  Or would they think of me as the friend that they missed & hadn't seen in so long?  I don't know what the answers to those questions would be now but hopefully we can attend our 25 reunion and see.

This whole thing with our reunion & how I was thinking brought me full circle to my daughter, Caitlin, who is a Freshman this year.  This summer we have talked about how she feels out of place because she thinks people think she is "too random & different".  The only advice that I can give to her is to be herself.  If only those people she goes to school with could see 1/10 of what I see when I'm around her, they would know what a special person she really is. 

I think the problem with high school is we are all trying to find our "place" and how we fit in with everyone else so that we don't really take the time to really get to know who we are.  I can tell you that the friends that take the time to really know you, are the ones that you will have the rest of your lives.  Also, take the time to really get to know someone that you are around all the time.  Everyone needs to dig below the surface and quit judging what's on the surface. 

So ask yourself, do you really know me and do you really know yourself?  I know I am.

And on we go......

Time is flying by so quickly.  We are nearing the end of another school year.  Yet, before we reach that we have so many different activities going on.  My calendar is filling up rapidly and I'm trying to make sure nothing gets missed.

Gabby is almost finished with her physical therapy.  We are just so grateful for the wonderful doctors, nurses, & therapists that we have been blessed to work with while Gabby's been dealing with her RSD.  She is doing so well & so fast.  Gabby has kept a wonderful attitude for the most part.  You can tell she doesn't let much get her down just by how she made the cheerleading squad while still in her boot!! 

Caitlin has so many things happening now.  She has finished track season.  She has the long legs and endurance so that she is doing long distance running.  She did wonderful this year!  She would leave me in her dust for sure.  Also, she is going to be moving on to high school.  It doesn't seem possible that my Tweeter is going to be in high school.  The time sure has flown. 

Along with the clock moving so quickly, my niece, Heather, is graduating from high school this year.  She will be heading off to Texas A & M University before I can blink!!  I know that she will have a wonderful time at college and that she will kick butt.

All of the kids are growing up so quickly.  Sometimes I just want time to stand still so that I can hold them close but I know that won't happen.  I just pray that God and all of His angels continue to bless them and keep watch over them.

This year has flown by.  More wonderful news in our lives, we became grandparents!!  My beautiful step-daughter, Ashley, & her husband, Lance, welcomed their baby boy on February 24th.  Torian Michael is such a joy!!

Definitely didn't think I would be a grandma at this age but I sure do love this little boy!  He is such a cutie & so sweet!!

Our lives are always moving forward no matter how much we wish they could stay in one place for a time.  We are always trying to do what is best & right for every one of our children & those closest to us.  Prayer is a great guide as we try to decide those many things that come up as parents.  These aren't always the easiest decisions to make but at the time, they are the right ones for the situation we are in.  We just try to do the best we can with love and God's guidance.

KONY 2012

This movement is spreading across the internet.  I admit that I was skeptical at first.  I heard this mentioned just in passing one day this week.  I wasn't totally sure if I wanted to know what "Kony 2012" was about.  Finally I decided to check it out when Caitlin called me after school yesterday to ask me to post on her Facebook "Make Kony Famous".  Let me explain why it touched me.

Caitlin is my daydreamer.  Most of the times my daughter has her head in the clouds and doesn't really seem to notice too much of what goes on around her.  She is the emotional one though.  She feels things so deeply and is just as sweet as can be.  So, when she calls me & is passionate about me posting something on her Facebook, I have to check it out.  Caitlin told me about the video and how she saw it at school.  When I got home from work that evening she wanted to make sure that I had posted to her Facebook & then she went on to tell me what she had seen in the YouTube video.  I could tell that Caitlin's heart was hurting for the children in Uganda and that it was very important to her.  I was glad that I had posted on her Facebook for her.

I decided I needed to see this video.  I watched the video on YouTube during my lunch hour today.  I know that it may not make a real difference to some people but I agree that it does need to be brought to people's attention.  As a Christian & as a Catholic we are taught that every life is important and that life should be protected from conception forward.  If you truly believe that then how can you not support a cause that wants to draw attention to someone who kills & harms lives of children?  Children are our future.  If we allow someone to kill & harm our children then we are damaging and endangering our future.

As a Mom I am very sad and heart broken for the families that are torn apart in Uganda and for the children whose lives are destroyed by one man's quest for power.  So, I am going to sign the pledge on the website www.kony2012.com myself.  I know that I can't do much but I can let those in power know that I don't want this type of thing to continue in Uganda.  That I will continue to pray for the children & the families in Uganda.  I will pray for the capture and prosecution of Kony.  I will pray for the LRA to be disarmed.  I will pray for peace.

If you have about 30 minutes of time to spare please, take a moment and watch the video.  Maybe we can make a difference and make sure that these children aren't Invisible anymore.  Also, you can help my daydreamer feel like she's made a difference, too.

Basketball, Cheerleading, & life

I have become a huge fan of my daughter's basketball team.  What Mother doesn't?  Caitlin plays all the sports.  She is an all-around athlete.  I really get into her basketball games even when she's not playing. Monday night was the last game of the season.  All of the girls on the Abbott Jr. High Lady Panthers play very well & I try to cheer on every one of them.   Sometimes I cringe when I see how rough the teams play but other times I'm cheering right along when we fight for the ball.

Last Friday was my neice, Heather's last home basketball game & I made a point to go see it. Not only was it the last home game of the year, it is her last in high school. My Heather 'chelle is graduating this year. (sigh!) I am so very proud of all of my neices and nephews and love all of their accomplishments. So, I was very glad to witness her last home game & witness Parent's Night. It was a wonderful game and now her team, West Lady Trojans, are off to the playoffs!!! 

In so many ways I see how a basketball game is so much like life.  We are constantly dribbling our way through life and these obstacles are constantly thrown in our paths that try to deter us from our goal.  Yet if we have good Teamwork then we can make our goal.  I know in my life that Teamwork comes from God, family, and friends.We have had many obstacles thrown into our paths on our basketball court but we are always working together and praying together to reach our goals. 
I always try to be supportive and enthusiastic about everything that the kids are interested in doing.  I try to be the best Cheerleader I can be for the kids but the girls can tell you, I have no clue as to how to be a real cheerleader.  LOL!

Gabby is trying out for Cheerleader and has been working on developing her own cheer.  She kept asking me for advice on what to do.  Unfortunately, my ideas usually had her either laughing hysterically or rolling her eyes at me.  That's when I called in the reinforcements, my neice - Heather.  Thank God for Heather!  She came over last Tuesday and helped Gabby work out a cheer.  Those two girls are so alike sometimes.  I had to fight back laughter as I watched them cheering in my living room.  Of course, it always warms my heart when I see any of my family working together.  We all try to be there for each other.  It was just wonderful to see them laughing & having a good time together.

More good news on the home front: Gabby doesn't have to use her crutches now.  She was released from crutches Monday after therapy.  The only times she needs them now is if she gets too tired.  She still has the boot on which makes walking a challenge but she is progressing so much every day!!  Prayers answered.

So we will continue our Teamwork & Cheerleading in our house to get through our every day lives.

Frustration & Fun.....

Well, Wednesday was a mixture of frustration and fun.  We had our follow up appointments at Cook's Children's in Fort Worth.  It all started with the lovely rainy weather.  It rained all the night before so the ground was nice and soaked.  This made for interesting travel.  But we did o.k.  It was Gabby, myself, & MeMe on an adventure to Ft. Worth.

Our first stop was with the Orthopedic doctor, Dr. Vara.  We barely skated in on time.  I have to say, again, that the doctors and staff at Cook's are awesome.  Dr. Vara talked to GABBY and listened to her.  I was there to just fill in what she left out.  We filled him in on the whole history with her foot.  He then ordered a whole bunch of new x-rays and did a physical exam on her.  Good News!  The fracture is healed!  Dr. Vara showed us the x-rays with the comparison between her two feet/ankles.  You could see the difference in the bones because of her not using the one leg for 4 months.  He then ordered some lab work to be done because he wants to make sure there is nothing else going on.  He's checking for vitamin deficiency, calcium, & rheumatoid issues.  He told Gabby that he wanted her to stay in the boot for another month.  So, we will be back in Ft. Worth to see him in February and may have another MRI.

Next, we went to the lab at Cook's Children's for Gabby's blood work to be done.  I was really impressed here too.  They actually spray the area where they are going to draw the blood with a numbing spray so that it won't hurt!  Heck!  Why don't other labs and doctor's offices think of this??  So, even though they had to pull over 4 tubes of blood from her, it wasn't really painful at all. 

Well, unfortunately by this time we had to run to our last appointment of the day much to the frustration of our tummies!  But onward we went to visit with Dr. Ghandi & her physician's assistant, Fred.  We like Fred.  Fred met us at the room and started talking with Gabby.  He had Gabby laughing and smiling the whole time.  She told him about wanting to try out for cheer leading and Fred was very honest with her.  He told her that we are going to slowly attempt to be at the point where she can try out but she also has to understand that we don't want to push her recovery so that she won't be back at square one with the injury.  That was all the incentive Gabby needed.  Dr. Ghandi then came to visit with Gabby.  She also told Gabby that we need to progress slowly.  The good news from Dr. Ghandi was that Gabby can slowly start working in therapy to get off of her crutches.  You would think that Dr. Ghandi told Gabby she won the lottery at that point!  So, we are going to be back to see Fred & Dr. Ghandi in February also.

By this time we were starving.  It was about 3:30pm in the afternoon.  Most people that know me, know that I hate big cities and traffic.  So, I had used Mapquest to map out where we were going from the doctor's office.  Gabby & MeMe wanted Mexican food and we decided we were going to try to find Joe T. Garcia's since Aunt CJ & Uncle Michael had bragged about it.  So, we start on our way to Joe T's and end up really lost!!  I finally got fed up with the mapquest and Ft. Worth's crazy roads and found a place to park.  I pulled out my handy cell phone and found my GPS app.  I put in the address for where we wanted to go and off we went.  Unfortunately, by this time, Joe T's was closed for the afternoon.  More frustration but we were laughing and joking as we were lost in Ft. Worth.  Gabby told MeMe that I was scaring her!  LOL! 

So, off we go with our handy GPS to find Sam Moon and somewhere to eat along the way.  I notice that the GPS is taking us down some unknown streets and start wondering "did the settings have us staying away from major roads?"  Well, we finally happened upon Rosa's Cafe & decided we were stopping because our stomachs could no longer take the torture.  While we were eating I decide to check the settings on the GPS on my phone.  Yep!  It was set to avoid highways!!  (See me banging my head against the table now!) 

After we finally filled our tummies, we were determined to continue our fun and frustrating adventure.  We were going to Sam Moon's to look at jewelry, purses, & so much more of girly heaven (as Gabby puts it).  Let me tell you, I found one of my new favorite shopping spots!!  Here we found a purse for Caitlin that she wanted that if we had bought it in Waco would have cost us $45 to $50 but at Sam Moon's it was $24.99.  It's so cute too.  It's red with camo and has the western cross on it too.  Of course, we tell her she could put the whole state of Texas in her purse but she loves it.  Gabby found a duffel bag & accessories case that was black & white zebra print with purple trim.  This was a huge bargain also.  The bag was $11.99 and the smaller one was $6.99.  Can't find it that cheap anywhere else.  So, we had fun exploring the bargains at Sam Moon's.

Now it was time to return home.  Luckily we didn't have anymore frustration on the way home.  It was a straight shot down I-35 and we were home before 7pm.  Even with the frustration of traffic, weather, & getting lost; we had a good time joking and laughing all the while.  Plus, we had good news from the doctors so that we knew God was listening to our prayers. :)

P.R.A.Y.E.R.

P.R.A.Y.E.R. - Power Released Anywhere You Ever Reside.... This is printed on a bracelet I purchased last weekend for myself and the kids at the benefit for Feryn Schulte.  Ever since I have thought about this statement.  I can definitely tell you after the generousity that we witnessed last Sunday at the benefit that there was a lot of Power Released through Prayer.  I was brought to tears many times that day watching several communities coming together to raise money for a litte girl with a rare form of cancer.  It was a beautiful display of compassion and caring.  It reminded me why I love living in Abbott, TX and being active in West, TX.

There is so much that can be done through PRAYER.  I, personally, have seen the power of prayer.  I know that God listens to every word that we utter to Him.  It may not seem like it at the time but I know that God DOES answer prayers.  It may not be exactly in the way that WE want HIM to answer but it is always in the way the HE knows best.

One beautiful example I have is again with my daughter Gabby.  (She's named after the angel Gabriel.)  When Gabby wasn't even a year old, we realized that she could not hear us.  We took her to her Pediatrician and then on the the ENT Specialist.  We then had to go to have her tested with an Audiologist.  I remember sitting in the sound-proof booth holding her and praying "Please God let my baby hear".  The technician then came over the speaker & said "Gabrielle?".  Gabby jumped in my arms and started crying.  She could hear!  They never could explain to us what happened but I knew that God was listening.



That's just one of the examples I've had to honor of being a witness to God's power through PRAYER.  I know it doesn't always seem like it but I know that God listens.  So whenever you feel like God isn't listening to you, I know that He really is.  So don't give up hope and never quit praying.  Just remember: Power Released Anywhere You Ever Reside.

Here we go....

Where to start...... There's so many things going on in my life right now that it's hard to find a starting point. I guess with the one that has been most dominant among us lately. My 12 year old daughter, Gabby, has been going through many trials lately. Back in September she hurt her right foot. We have no idea how the injury occurred but that it just seemed to get worse. She went through about 3 months on crutches and two different casts before she was eventually diagnosed with CRPS/RSD right before Christmas. For those who don't know what this is (I sure didn't) it is roughly defined as: Complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) - a chronic pain condition that is believed to be the result of dysfunction in the central or peripheral nervous systems. Typical features include dramatic changes in the color and temperature of the skin over the affected limb or body part, accompanied by intense burning pain, skin sensitivity, sweating, and swelling. Also called: Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy. We are still struggling to understand what all she is going through. The hardest part is knowing that your child is in horrible pain and there is no quick fix for relieving that pain. It's been many days of tears, frustration, depression, and struggling to comes to grip with this. When Dr. Willinghelm from Waco Foot & Ankle diagnosed her with the CRPS/RSD, we decided to contact Cook's to get her the help she needed. Gabby already knew Cook's Children's because she suffers from migraines. So when we started looking up what RSD was and they mentioned it was neurological, I decided we needed to contact her neurologist, Dr. Kelfer. I can never say enough good things about the doctors, nurses, etc. at Cook's. I talked to Dr. Kelfer's nurse and she did everything she could to get us the help that we needed. Dr. Kelfer decided that we needed to get Gabby in to see their Pain Specialist as soon as possible. Luckily, they worked us in and we got to meet with Dr. Gandhi and her crew.

Dr. Gandhi and her crew are amazing. I was simply in awe with the care and the concern that they show to their patients. For our first initial appointment we met with Dr. Gandhi (pain specialist), Katie Willett (physical therapist), Fred Oriti (physician assistant), and a psycho-therapist. They all got together to do a thorough exam of Gabby and find the correct course of action for her. We had brought our copies of the MRI and Radiologist's report with us. Dr. Gandhi had their orthopedic department even look at them and do a consultation on Gabby's case. We also found out that Gabby still has a minor stress fracture. The stress fracture makes dealing with the RSD a little more difficult. See, with treating RSD, one of the things they need to do is to start moving your body as soon as possible. Yet, with the stress fracture, you are supposed to keep it stable and resting. So, Dr. Gandhi & Team decided to start Gabby on light therapy and medication for her RSD. This has been a battle for Gabby also.

Gabby is a fighter. She handles pain more than I think a lot of 12 year old would be able to. I have tried to make it my job to keep her as upbeat about everything as possible. Luckily, Dr. Gandhi has told us that we have caught Gabby's RSD early enough that she has a 95% chance of getting back to normal. Unfortunately, it can't be fast enough for Gabby. We have found a wonderful physical therapist at Providence Outpatient Therapy in Waco. Mary has the same kind of upbeat and sarcastic attitude as my Gabber. When I go to therapy with Gabby I can't help but laugh listening to Gabby and Mary. So, even though the exercises are painful, Gabby usually laughs while in therapy and comes out pretty upbeat.

We have another hurdle to conquer now. Gabby's one dream since she was a little girl was to be a cheerleader. Yesterday she found out that the cheerleader tryouts are now going to be in February. First thing Gabby did was talk to Mary about how they could do her therapy better so that she can tryout. Mary explained that she still needed to follow the prescription that Dr. Gandhi gave for the therapy but gave Gabby some things that she could slowly start working on at home. Also, we go back to Cook's on January 25th to see the Orthopedic doctor and Dr. Gandhi. Gabby tried to stay positive as long as possible but by dinner time last night her mood started falling. She was very upset and didn't see how she could be a cheerleader. I then sat with my little girl and told her that I would do everything I can to help her be able to tryout this year. I told her that we would start by talking to Dr. Gandhi and then we would go from there to talking to the school about the tryouts.

I am trying my best to do what is best for my kids. I know that God never gives us more than we can handle but sometimes I want to throw up my hands and ask Him "You really thought I could handle THIS??". Yet I know that as Philippians 4:13 says " I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me". I really am trying to lean on Christ to help us with this. I'm also trying to remind Gabby that God and all of His Angels are here to support us and help us through our trying times.