Summer fun in pictures

Backyard camp out!

Father's Day fun!

Daddy and Miss I are really enjoying playing baseball together this summer!

Grandma Lynn and Ato T hanging out.

Miss O loves playing in the dirt and mud!

Home again

Thank you all for the prayers! Ato T is doing very well! Surgery went well, and he is recovering nicely. We were released on Friday afternoon, and as of today he is back on his "regular" schedule. Stitches to come out in 2 weeks, and lots of prayers for no infections this time!

Off to surgery

Ato T is off today to have his shunt replaced. We're hoping it will be a quick in and out like the last shunt placement was. He goes in today at 2:00, and I'm really hoping we'll be out by Friday. Prayers are appreciated! We probably won't post until we're home - I can't blog from the hospital computers. Thanks for all your prayers and support!

July 4th

We had a fun time in Worthington celebrating the 4th. Thanks for the party, Grandma and Grandpa!

Potato sac races

The boys just chillin'

The parade: the kids did the decorating and parading. :)

Miss O popcorn racing

Fun in the pool!

Health updates and such

Sorry, I don'[t seem to have time to download pictures these days ... hopefully some day soon. Ato T saw his neuro surgeon and infectious disease doctors today. The PICC line is out!!!!! The stitches from the shunt surgery are still in, only because we're going to replace his shunt next week, so they want to just remove the stitches while he's asleep to save him some trauma. So, back to the hospital for a shunt revision next week, hopefully only for a couple of days. We're actually pretty excited, because he's been having quite a lot of pain in his head from the pressure for the last couple of weeks.

Between the 3 kids, we have had 13 scheduled appointments this week! 8 of those are therapy appointments that Ato T and Miss I have every week ... we're all pretty tired. :) Doing our best not to complain, as it could be a whole lot worse. We are reminded that the Lord tells us to give thanks in all circumstances. We gave thanks for the parasites Ato T had, and as it turned out, if he hadn't been hospitalized for the diarrhea, the parasites would not have been discovered, and neither would have the shunt infection. It just would have slowly gotten worse over time, and would have taken much longer to figure out. So we know from experience that the Lord really does want us to give thanks in everything.

We were scheduled to go to Heather's home town for the 4th with family. Miss O is now sick with a stomach bug, and we're hoping she'll be well enough to go on Saturday for the festivities.

Through all of this, Miss I is really a trooper! She's such a wonderful help, and we do our best to give her special times with mom and dad on her own.

Thanks to everyone for your prayers!

Hospital stay part 2

Some of the pictures have some funny color, because I was playing around with my new camera's filters and flash.

Fun and snuggles before surgery

In the PICU after surgery

Finally home!!!!

Hospital stay part 1

For those of you who were not aware, Ato T came home last night from spending 12 days in the hospital. Sorry I didn't update the blog, but the computers at the hospital don't allow the site. Here is part 1 of the photo journal I'm putting up for everyone. Hopefully I'll have time for part 2 tomorrow. The short story is that he was admitted for diarrhea and dehydration. It was then found that he had 2 parasites, and then we eventually found his shunt was infected. His shunt was removed, and we're now home with a PICC line in his arm to administer IV antibiotics through until the staff infection from his shunt is out of his system, at which point we will likely replace the shunt.

The girls spent Mondays and Tuesdays with Grandma Lynn and Grandpa Bob. We're so thankful for them - we don't know what we would have done without them! Then Wed - Fri they spent the days at the hospital with me and Ato T. We were extremely thankful for the playroom on Ato T's floor, as well as the sibling play area!

The nursing staff is absolutely top notch at Children's Minneapolis!

One day the hospital had the MN Zoo bring some animals and do a presentation for the kids. It was a lot of fun! We called it science for the day! Here's Miss O petting an armadillo.

The chinchilla was the big hit of the day!

Miss O was brave enough to touch the African Centipede.

Quiet time was a challenge in the hospital - but we did our best!

Ato T did NOT enjoy his hib cleanse bath prior to surgery.

Memorial Day weekend in pictures

For those of you about to comment, yes, I'm aware these are a week late - but that's how our lives go around here.