Wednesday, September 18, 2013

Heading Home...

I'm heading home tomorrow. Paula will drive me to meet Tom in Rochester and then we will drive home together. We decided that we would have to learn how to live together again. Probably won't take long.
 
Kendra is doing well. She and Paula spend a lot of time together and work out schedules and that is fantastic. I don't need to worry about Kendra needing a driver. If she needed us, we'd be here. In addition to Paula, she has had many, many offers of help.
 
Dinner tonight was at the Club. It was delicious. Alexis was in her usual happy form:

Can I have a potato chip???

Blakie? May I have a potato chip?

I hope that someone gives me a potato chip.

I must test it to see if it tastes all right.

Oh, I think that it is just right!

Mommy? Do you want a potato chip?

Thank you for sharing with me, Mommy.

I think that Nicky and Blakie might want a chip.

No thank you, Alexis.

No thank you, Alexis.
 
After returning home, Nicholas played some basketball with his new hoop. His birthday is coming but he needed this now while the weather is wonderful.

It was getting dark but Nicky was hitting the hoop. Blake was flying around on his bike but I couldn't catch him. He was just a blur.

After showers, it was reading time and then to bed.
 
I'm so glad that Tom and I were available to come be with our kids and grandkidlets. We will miss being here regularly.
Heal, Kendra!

Saturday, September 7, 2013

Nicky, Blake, Alexis Photo Dump

Being at the Smith home for a week offered me opportunity to try out different settings on my camera. I really don't know what I'm doing since I have yet to read the book but last night was a chance to take outside photos with willing subjects:

                                   Nicholas Christiaan Smith







 
 
Blake Thomas Smith
 





 
 
Alexis Elizabeth Smith
 










 
This was so much fun. It is difficult to hold the camera and "play ball" at the same time but it sure is fun.
Time to get out the book.
Maybe tomorrow.
 


Thursday, September 5, 2013

She Got "The Boot"!

Poor Kendra didn't get the report that she was hoping for this morning. Last Saturday morning, the ER doctor 'sluffed' the whole thing off like it was no big deal but today's report didn't sound like that! She needs an MRI and an orthopedic doctor soon! They are being scheduled due to an avulsion fracture, serious sprain  and a torn ligament. (An avulsion fracture is when a chunk of bone breaks off the main bone. I had to look that one up.) The doctor said that it wasn't a chipped bone but a chunk of bone. Then he gave Kendra "the boot" which is much more comfortable due to the support. It is, however, hot (and I don't mean "hot" as in "cute"!).

 
Kendra is mostly upset that she can't drive. I have been...what?...amazed?... thrilled?...wowed?...relieved?... that so many people have offered her their services. Between offers of food prep to child care to driving services, her friends have been incredible!
 
Thankfully, I have been able to be here this week and Tom will arrive tomorrow while I head home to care for a few things. I will return mid-week if all goes well!
 
We are BLESSED that my sister, Paula (and Ron of course!) live 8 short driveways from here. We have been blessed beyond words, that after having lived in so many parts of the country, they ended up in Kendra's neighborhood. No one will ever know how much relief that this gives Tom and me. We can never thank them enough for all that they do for our family! Thank you Paula and Ron!
 
 Kendra's fracture could be a long repair/healing process
 
BUT.....
 
things could have been sooooooo much worse! She isn't in much pain! She doesn't have to stay off of her foot (at least for now). She has retired and nearby family to help out! The boys are very self-sufficient and easy to care for! Alexis is wonderful but is 4!
 
So now we wait for an appointment with the orthopedic doctor.
Stay tuned... 

Wednesday, September 4, 2013

Ouch!

When Tom and I arrived in Noblesville last Saturday (for the Labor Day weekend), this is what we found:

Kendra had just returned from the ER where Paula had taken her.
 
On Friday night, Kendra had followed Alexis up a slide to be sure that she was seated safely.  Kendra then quickly backed down the ladder so she could run around the slide to catch Alexis. She, however, landed wrong.
Nicholas ended up catching Alexis while Kendra spent several minutes on the ground determining the severity of her injury. She managed to drive from the park in Cicero back home to Noblesville.
By Saturday morning, Jason had returned from work and was able to care for the kidlets and Kendra called Paula to drive her to the ER.  X-rays showed a nasty sprain and a chipped bone.
 
Labor Day Weekend didn't work out the way Kendra thought it was going to, however, the rest of us had a great time as we all hung out with Paula and Ron.
 
Nicholas and Ron spent a lot of time watching football games.
Blake is a "water baby" and spent hours in the pool. He takes pirate toys into the pool and his imagination takes over.
 
 
 
Alexis spent time dancing, building, swimming and playing.
 



 
PopPop Tom was here for the weekend and had all the time in the world for hugging.
 
 
Paula and Ron's dog, Sophie, wanted to hug, too!


                     Jason spent every night working but was able to 
                                         to have a little fun.

 
Nicholas and Blake totally entertained each other!


 
I'm so glad that I have been able to help Kendra out this week. Since this accident caught us all by surprise, I didn't come prepared with enough clothes, meds, etc. but it's amazing how everything works out just fine.
 
Tomorrow morning is Kendra's doctor's appointment. It will be interesting to see what he says. Tom returned to Goshen last Monday to be able to get the Layla and Marley off to school and picked up after school. He will return to Noblesville Friday early afternoon and take me home Saturday night. Kendra is hoping that she can ditch the crutches and drive but I can just about guarantee that that's not going to happen. Stay tuned...