Giving Thanks

Well, today has been an interesting day... it's been an interesting week actually. Russell's mom flew in from Oklahoma on Saturday and we've really enjoyed spending time with her. It's been good for the boys to spend time with her.

We found out last Saturday morning that our dog, Gracie, the one we're going to train to be a therapy dog for Aidan is pregnant. Well, I should say was pregnant. When we got home from my grandparents this evening she was in labor and had already had a puppy. That was about 4 hours ago and we now have 6 puppies. If anyone is interested in a labradoodle puppy, let me know-we surely can't keep them.

Today has been hard. Not as hard as Christmas is going to be, but I'm having a tough time dealing with the memories of Aidan from last year. Despite all of this, I must say for the first time in my life I actually feel thankful and I'm more aware now of all the blessings in my life. Growing up, my Mamaw Bernice would go around the dinner table and ask us all what we were thankful for that year. I always hated it, because I could never think of anything worth being thankful for.
That sounds terrible, but I know I took my life for granted, I took the people and things in my life for granted. I know now how lucky I was and I still am to have the family and friends that I have in my life.

Since Aidan's accident, God has provided us with what we've needed-Russell's job, an apartment when we were ready, etc. I learned to quit worrying about everything and just accept that things would happen the way they are meant to happen.

I want more than anything in this world for Aidan to be whole again. I'd give him whatever he needed from my brain to fix his if I could. I want for my boys to be able to play together and fight together. I have hope and faith that God is going to continue healing Aidan.

So, in honor and memory of my grandmother, I'm going to share what I'm thankful for this year. I'm thankful that I have so many wonderful loving, caring and supportive people who've touched my life. I'm thankful to have been blessed with 2 of the most beautiful, amazing little boys who are the light of my life. I'm thankful for the amazing first responders and doctors who brought Aidan back and took care of him. But most of all I'm thankful that Aidan is alive.... that I can see his beautiful brown eyes and his cute little chubby face every single day. I miss the little boy that he used to be and the one that he would have been, but I have him.

I hope that everyone is enjoying their family and has a wonderful holiday. I have some pictures to post, but I'll do them after dealing with puppies.

Love to everyone!
~Erin

my, how the time flies

Sunday will be 9 months since Aidan's accident. I don't know how I feel to be honest. I still have days that I can't believe that this is what our lives have become. I feel like my son was stolen from me. All the things that could have been, watching him grow and develop and be a normal little boy.... it was ripped away from us. I hate to see little boys his age knowing that Aidan can't run and play with them. Then there are days that I'm okay. I can deal with everything. Most days though I feel like I'm just getting by. I try not to think about it and just do what needs to be done for the boys.

We're settling into the apartment and things are much less stressful. Aidan hasn't had as many of the painful seizure episodes as he had been having which is a blessing. I hate knowing that they are hurting him. Next month we go for an evaluation with the special-ed preschool. Aidan will be able to go to preschool once he turns 3. I'm looking forward to it in a way because I think it will be good for him to have that exposure to other children and I think that it will help him to be with teachers that know how to help him. I try, but I don't think I'm doing good enough, especially when I have to take care of Evan too.

It's hard to believe that Thanksgiving is fast approaching and then Christmas will be here before we know it. This Thanksgiving has so much more meaning for me. For the first time in my life I think I have more to be thankful for than I could ever imagine.

Well, I just thought I'd post. We're getting some pictures taken tomorrow so that I can get Christmas cards made. I make my own cards and I wanted to get them done early if I can. I'll get the Halloween pictures up as soon as I get them off of my mom's camera. The batteries in mine are dead. Sorry I've been so slack about getting it done and posting.

We are so grateful to everyone for their prayers and endless support. I hope you all have a great weekend!

~Erin

we're moved!

Hi everyone! We got moved last weekend and this week has been spent settling in. Aidan is doing well. His surgery to put tubes in his ears went quickly and he did great. We were able to start hyperbaric treatments this Monday and he seems to be handling them just fine.

We're continuing to decrease his valium dosage and so far I can tell that he is much more alert which is what we were hoping for. I've felt him trying to move his arms and legs more too. He's smiling more now too.

I don't have the pictures of the boys from Halloween downloaded yet, but when I get them, I'll post them. We had a heck of a time getting Aidan into his costume. He's gotten so big! I think we're soon going to have to go up to 5T pants, or just start buying all pull-on pants.

The endocrinologist says that it's just his normal growth pattern and that it should taper off soon. To me he feels lighter actually, he's just getting longer. We'll have to check him the next time we go to the doctor.

Well, that's all the news for now. We're just getting settled in. I'm still waiting on some pictures I ordered for Aidan's room to come in and then I'll take some pictures of his room. It's so cute...

I hope everyone is doing well. We thank you all for you love, support and prayers. We keep you all in our prayers as well. Have a great weekend!

~Erin