Well as you can see - it was ELEPHANT Day in Plainwell. Katie didn't ride, but Mary loved it. It was so hot out waiting in line, but Mary had great fun. They had the elephants a few years ago when I was pregnant for Katie, and Mary rode then, too. She says she still remembers it, but I'm not sure about that :)

Well, this morning was the doctor's appointment to find out what is up with Katie. Let's start this by saying that I bawled. So it's not good. First of all she has some weird bacteria with a two word name that I can't spell or pronounce living in her intestines. The strange thing about this particular bacteria is that the Dr. had never heard of it before, so she did some research on it. It is usually only found in people who live in tropical climates (which Michigan is not), eat a lot of shellfish (she has never eaten any fish) or have prolonged exposure to snakes and/or amphibians (which she also has not) - so how in the heck did she get it. It can be found in tropical freshwater - which if you consider gull lake tropical than that might be the culprate since she has a tendency to drink the water when she swims - she's 3 -- all 3 year olds do that. The doctor is putting her on an antibiotic to try and combat it -- The next thing is the food allergy test -- this is the part that made me cry -- she is allergic to all of the foods that she eats. She can't have rice, wheat, flour, barley, oats, sesame, cow's milk, cheese, soy products, all citrus is out (orange, lemon, lime, tangerine, grapefruit - which by the way she doesn't eat) -- it's insane. i looked at the doctor and said -- what am I supposed to feed her? The girl survives on grilled cheese, chicken nuggets and pretzels -- she can have chicken, but not the breading -- I don't know what to think. Now on to the even "better" news - she has heavy metal poisoning (which is very common in autistic kids) - and she has to start taking supplements to try and get her body to naturally rid itself of all the metals it is keeping inside. This is one of the biggest problems with kids like Katie - figuring out how to get the metals out. She has toxic levels of arsenic and a bunch of other metals (the report is downstairs - I can get more specific later) and we need to get them OUT!!!! Well, that is the main jist of it. I'll try to write more tomorrow. I went back to work tonight. -- it was okay ---

Since I am enjoying my 8 days off work and have time enough to take a test that tells me I am a totalitarian - just like Kish and Emily - then I guess I have time enough to finally write about our vacation and what is up around here. Vacation was pretty good except for the fact that the weather in St. Louis was horrible and we didn't have power in our hotel the first night. Also on Friday we went to St. Louis Mills which is this awesome outlet mall - but about 30 seconds after we walked in the door the power went out. Not cool. Thankfully my mom had packed a flashlight and candles - and we survived. The power came back on the first night around 1 in the morning. That was a good thing b/c without air conditioning it would have been a long night. It was about 101 degrees that day. Mary learned (FINALLY) how to swim without her life jacket and also my mom taught her how to spell MISSISSIPPI - seeing that we went over the Mississippi river about 15 times while we were there. Katie did pretty well over all. We had a few minor lapses, but she is doing so good. I am hoping to have some really great pictures for the blog when I get them from Mindy -- We bowled and went to a water park and did lots of fun things. It was a nice time away from the crazy-ness of our lives -- and I am still enjoying my break from work. Reality will hit on Thursday! YIKES!!

You are a Social Conservative (33% permissive) and an... Economic Liberal (28% permissive) You are best described as a: Totalitarian Link: The Politics Test on OkCupid Free Online Dating Also: The OkCupid Dating Persona Test

Vacation Pics.... There will be more later. My cousin's wife Mindy is going to mail me a cd with tons more pics...but these are from the Robert Wadlow Statue in Alton, IL. (Near St. Louis). He was the tallest person in the modern era at over 8 feet tall. To give these pictures perspective, my husband is 6'5" and he looks like a midget next to him.....

I'm Back.... Sorry, Em. It's been busy around here. We've been getting ready for vacation and it's just been a little crazy. Things are good. I won't know the results of Katie's tests until the end of next week. I'm excited to have some time off of work, and most of it I'm just going to spend at home...but the break will be nice. I've been reading all of "your' blogs -- Em., did you see that I took your quiz. I tried to set up a "how well do you know me" quiz on my website and that IQ test (if you wonder what I'm talking about, you can link to Emily's blog on the right.) but they didn't want to copy over. All right, I know this is short, but I have to run. Lots to do today!!! Bye

Wednesday --- My oh my! What else can I say. It is my day off -- again :) - Because today is my and Bill's 9th wedding anniversary. That is hard to believe. It has been a long road - but a fulfilling one. I look at the girls and I know that what we all have is great and special, and in the world we live in, it is an accomplishment to be proud of. No big plans today -- Bill and I are going out to dinner, but the girls and I are just hanging out today. I need a day to recoup because yesterday after I got home from work, Katie managed to climb up on the kitchen counter and pull out a crystal salad bowl which she proceeded to shatter all over the kitchen counter and floor. It looked like a diamond mind exploded in my kitchen. I should have taken a picture, but I was so insane with panic that I couldn't. katie was cut and bleeding and she was trying to get out of the kitchen by walking over the glass -- I've never seen such a mess. Mary was a big help to me, but it was an hour of cleaning, vaccuuming, repairing cuts and scrapes and trying to keep Katie out of the kitchen so that she didn't get hurt. If she gets out of my sight for more than 30 seconds, it is trouble waiting to happen! I will tell you all that we did get a new tv - and Bill has put brackets around it so that Katie will not be able to pull it off of the entertainment center. His comment was "it will be pretty hard for someone to steal the tv, now." I was kind of like " who is trying to steal the tv....", but hey, whatever works! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, BILL!! I love you!!!

What a Week... Wow .. it has been a crazy one. I am so tired. I never like these 5 day in a row stretches at work. Plus there has just been a lot going on. As some of you know, with Katie's autism things are never dull around here. She really loves watching videos on tv, as is common with most autistic children. However, her attachment to the tv has led to its ultimate destruction as it has been licked, pulled, slapped, knocked over and handled far too much. It died for good last night. Bill has fixed it several times in the past, but it is beyond hope I fear. Far beyond the "Lazarus" stage as I would call it. I believe that we are going to have to go get a new tv today. Actually I think that Bill and the girls are going to go get it while I'm at work. That ought to be interesting. There is a circuit city right next to my Kohls', so I'll probably take my lunch when they come and go over to help pick it ought. If money wasn't a consideration, we should probably get a projection tv so that she can't knock it over. Our vacuum also died this week, so I have been on appliance replacement overload, but I found an awesome clearance deal at work on a vaccuum, so we should be all set with that one. I also took Katie up to have her blood drawn for all of the tests that her new doctor wants to run. That was kind of stressful as Katie hates being confined or restrained at all and in order to draw blood, that is necessary. They are running a huge battery of tests including food allergy and metal counts to see what is going on in that body of hers. It's a never ending journey of trying to figure out what we can do to help her "escape" the things that confine her inside of herself. Well, I've got tons to do and I have to work at 3, so I had better go..... Have a great weekend. I'll write more later, probably Monday because I am finally OFF!!!!

Happy Birthday USA!

Wow - Hard to believe that it is the fourth of July already. The weather here has been awful this weekend so far. I knew that would happen because I have had four days off. The good part is that with the yucky weather the marina hasn't been that busy and Bill has been able to cut his hours back. That has been great for the girls and I.

Katie is doing well. I never got back on and talked about her new doctor and everything - but the readers' digest version is that I think if we can get her on the right diet and on the right therapies, we may be able to see some great progress. We are really encouraged. She needs to have some blood test and other tests done this week and then we should be able to find out what we are really dealing with.

We are going out to the lake swimming this afternoon and then staying for fireworks if it isn't raining. We had thunder and lightening last night, so that would have made it impossible. We actually go out in the boat to see the fireworks, so lightening kind of throws a wrench in it.

I hope that everyone is having a great holiday....if I take pics this afternoon I will try to upload them later! happy 4th!

I need to find the time to write more about what happened at the doctor on Thursday - but let's say that it went pretty well and I am excited about the potential of what they could do for Katie -- I am so tired -- bill and I went to a concert in Muskegon - about 90 miles away - tonight and we just walked in the door. The tickets were free and it included food -- so it was a great "free" date. (Except for the 3.00 gas -- yes that is my new thing to complain about) so, hopefully later tomorrow after I get a good night's sleep, I will sit and write about the doctor visit :) good night.

Wow...the week is flying by. I wanted to write tonight really quick before I hop into bed because I have Katie's appointment with a new doctor tomorrow morning -- we are going to look into chelation therapy and what the benefits might be for Katie....Bill and I and my parents are really praying that this might be a huge help for Katie. I'll be sure to write more tomorrow to update what is going on and what we found out... Does anyone else wonder why gas is 3.09 a gallon?

What a weekend - I am tired. Work, work, and more work. Mary had her awards for VBS this morning and she chose a super-soaker! Yikes! She is too funny. She's five years old and she was third highest points winner for the whole VBS which runs through 6th grade! On a different note, Katie used the potty this weekend (big YEA!!!) and she also said "hi" to me in direct response to me saying "Hi, Katie". Bill and I both did a double take -- it is great when she does correct and appropriate verbal responses. This week should be crazy. I'm on a 5 in row at work and Bill will be crazy as the marina prepares for the 4th of July. The good news is that I actually have a four day weekend for the fourth. I am so excited! We aren't going anywhere -- because Bill will have to work a little bit, but I am so excited to have four days of no work!!! That motivates me to get through the week. Mary was pretty excited to find out I'll be home that many days in a row, too --- Okay, I have to get up early to take Katie to speech therapy (which by the way they were finally able to get her a weekly spot with the therapist that we wanted, which is a huge answer to prayer) and we also have finally gotten a doctor's appointment to look into chelation therapy for her autism this week as well -- so it is going to be a crazy one. More later....

Well I think that this week has worn both of the girls out. Mary has been attending Vacation Bible School (VBS) all week at my parents church and by supper time she is a genuine crab. Bill said that she fell fast asleep before 7 tonight -- that never happens. Katie is on antibiotics and ear drops for her swimmers ear -- and antibiotics always seem to make Katie super wound up. I'm glad I have tomorrow off -- we all need to recover. I am on again this weekend -- mid-shifts again. I really don't like them because they pretty much kill the whole day. No time to do anything in the morning - and not home until the girls are basically in bed. I'm tired --- more tomorrow.

Okay, I've been delinquent with pictures, so here are a few -- this is my husband Bill and my oldest, Mary on a field trip a few weeks ago to the Marina where Bill works. The top one is my precious Katie at her sissy's soccer game. She's trying to sleep but it's too sunny out!

Well, Katie is sick again -- imagine that. It seems like a never ending battle with her -- even after tubes and adenoids. The Doctor said she has swimmer's ear and something funky in her throat so he prescribed antibiotics and ear drops - which of course are not generic and cost an arm and a leg -- it makes me crazy -- but hopefully they will help her feel better. He said that swimmer's ear is common with tubes because most ENT's don't recommend ear plugs anymore and sometimes water just ends up lingering in the ears causing swimmers ear. He said to use the drops before and after swimming for the rest of the summer as a preventative of future swimmers ear. I'm tired -- I have to be back at work in 9 hours and I just walked in the door 15 minutes ago - YIKES.

Well what a Monday it has been. I had to work a mid-shift at work (which is by far my least favorite.) Anyway -- Mary has vacation Bible school at my parent's church this week -- which she loves and which is also nice for me as it gives me some one on one time with Katie. Katie apparently had a pretty crabby day -- she was slightly off this weekend too - other than when we were on the boat. I don't know if she's just tired, or if she's had too much sun, or too much running around to 20 million places over Father's Day weekend, or what! All I know is that I am tired and better turn it, but it feels really good to be back in the blogging world - I've missed all of you bloggers out there -- and those of you who I know read this to get updates on Katie and the family but don't comment -- so to all of you HELLO!!!! and it's nice to be back in the swing of things.

Wow! Is it ever hot here today. the girls were outside swimming for awhile, and now we are waiting for Bill to call and say that our boat is ready to go so that we can drive out to the Lake. We didn't put our boat in last summer, so it needed a little work before we could use it. One of Katie's most favorite places is to be out on a boat. I love to see her stand and let the breeze go through her hair. It is like her "dream place" -- she is content and happy. I don't think I've ever seen her cry on a boat. She doesn't even fuss about having to wear a life jacket. The girls already have a mid-summer tan and its' only the middle of June -- I think that we are in for another hot summer like last year. I'm glad that I have this weekend off -- I just need to "de-tox" from work a little bit. It's been crazy there - and all I want to do is spend time with my girls and Bill.

We went to the zoo today -- Katie did suprisingly well. I'm happy that she is so far having a good summer. We started her on a pretty significant vitamin regimin this week and I am anxious to see how it changes her. Mary loved the zoo, too. She was able to pet and feed a stingray -- she loved it! I am tired, but it has been great to have a day off -- and knowing that after I work tomorrow I have the weekend off, too , makes it even better!!!

My links are finally working, so I can add some more now -- to my friend's blogs. Today was long -- I don't really like working mid-shifts because it kills both ends of your day. The girls are getting so tan - all they do is swim all day. We started Katie on a new vitamin regimin today -- we are hoping for great results. We wanted to get her going on the vitamins before we start the chelation. The formula we bought (at the health food store yesterday) is reported to have great results with autistic, down syndrome and ADD/ADHD kids. We are excited to see how she will do. They must taste okay because she tolerates them really well in her apple juice. I'll keep you posted!

I am trying to put links to Autism Speaks and some other great sights on my blog, but I am having trouble. My computer illiteracy is holding me back. I'll keep working on it -- I've tried about 5 times - and that is enough for tonight. Work was yucky -- we were pretty slow and everyone was crabby. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. katie and Mary went swimming and it wasn't even 70 degrees here! They are crazy -- but there is something about Katie that you can't keep her out of the water -- they say that autistic kids are just attracted to the water -- that can be both a good and a dangerous thing -- we just have to be very careful that she always has excellent supervision when she is around the water.