The Opthamologist (spelling?)

Caitlyn's bump on her lower eye lid has been growing a little again, and so I called today to see if they could get her in sooner than our June 20th appointment. They were able to get her in this afternoon! The appointment went well, although Caitlyn did have some anxiety. The doctor said that it was chalazion. It is not a tumor, but an accumulation of fatty oils in the eyelid. Because it has been there so long, the doctor wants us to try a combination of warm compresses and massage once a day. If it does not start shrinking within the next three weeks, he wants to remove it via surgery, because it will start to form scar tissue. needless to say, at the word "surgery" Caitlyn started to panic. There is a 30% chance that she will get another one, since apparently she is prone to getting them. Her vision was good though, and that in itself is a blessing. We are scheduled to leave for Tennessee a week from tomorrow, and we are so excited! Please pray for a safe trip, and some good relaxing time with the family. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these!

The Thyroid Files

Hope all of you had a great Memorial day weekend! If you haven't already, be sure to check out our new family pictures (to the right), and the video of Caitlyn and her violin that I posted a few days back. I went to the endocrinologist yesterday, and didn't really get any answers but was educated about my thyroid. They are doing a bunch of blood tests that I hope to have back the end of this week, and of course I will update as I get new information. They think I may have Hashimoto Disease, which is an auto immune thyroid disease. My thyroid is enlarged, but they think that it is a mild case, and should not require surgery, but will require some medication adjustments. the endocrinologists also thinks that I have some hormonal imbalance issues other than my thyroid and is testing my pituitary gland as well. Depending on what they find I will probably have to go back to my ob/gyn to let him handle those issues. It looks like it is a combination of some issues, and hopefully with some medicine we can get my body functioning correctly. My Grandma Thomas has not been feeling well, and has an appt coming up next week. please pray that she will gain some strength and some weight back. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Happy Memorial Day

Have a great holiday! Check out the new slide show of the Knutson Klan!

Cassie

Just wanted to post that picture of Cassie (my new bird). Be sure to check out the video of Caitlyn and her violin that I posted earlier. We can't help but be proud of her. Her teacher has been impressed with the natural ability she has. Caitlyn has really turned into a great helper for me, and is such a sweet child. She's having a blast "mothering" all the little ones here at home. I removed the music player from the blog so that those of you who have speakers on your computers can hear the audio from the video. Hope everyone enjoys their Memorial Day Weekend! Please pray that my appt with the endocrinologists on Tuesday afternoon goes well. It looks like June is shaping up to be a busy month for us with our trip to Tennessee, VBS, and a possible visit from my cousin Jennifer and her family! Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

The Violin

Birthday Weekend

I turned 28 this weekend, and what a weekend it was! We've been going nonstop since Thursday! It all started with Dawn's surgery Thursday. Friday, Corey had a pre-op checkup with his pediatrician and Caitlyn had her first violin lesson. That evening I left for a "Mommy Vacation" with my best friend. We spent Saturday at DC, and I came home to pizza, cake, and presents. Jeremy bought me a finch for my birthday. I had asked for one, and it is a beautiful bird. I'll post a picture as soon as I get a chance. She chirps a lot, especially in the morning. We named her Cassie. Sunday was spent at church and preparing for a VBS meeting that night. Yesterday was packed full with a trip to the park, a meeting at social services, and a ladies meeting at church last night. The meeting at social services went well. It is looking like the kids will be with us even longer than we thought. In our county, they only give the parents 6 months to a year to get on track. I have mixed feelings about this. If they are going to return home at some point, I just hate to drag it out. It will make it harder on us all. On a good note, they are thriving with us, and are enjoying some long wanted stability in their lives. The kids all have bonded well with each other, and we don't hear much "my mommy"/" your mommy" talk anymore. Corey had his dental surgery this morning, and is doing very well. He didn't swell near as bad as Dawn did, and although his face is a bit puffy, he is up and playing. His teeth look absolutely gorgeous, and the dentist was able to save the ones we thought they were going to have to pull! On another note, my little sister had her wisdom teeth taken out yesterday. I talked to her this morning, and she sounds like she's doing well. Today is my dad's birthday, so Happy Birthday Daddy! Love you all and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these!

Dawn's Surgery Update

Dawn did really well yesterday. Her surgery lasted close to three hours, and they had to do a ton of work to her mouth, but she handled it all very well. It was hard watching them put her to sleep, but as soon as they started waking her up, they let me hold her. Her face is still pretty swollen, but it looks much better than yesterday! Dawn ended up loosing a couple more teeth than I originally thought. Corey's is scheduled for Tuesday morning. He won't handle it as well. He's not a trooper like Dawn! :) The kids saw their mom on Wednesday for the first time since being in care. It has been difficult for Dawn to understand why she can't see her mom everyday. Please pray that God gives her little heart peace. Also, we have a team meeting at social services on Monday. There will be some important decisions made regarding Dawn and Corey. Please pray that the children's best interests will be the main concern on every one's heart (including ours). Love you all and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Meet Jack

I forgot to introduce you all to the newest member of our family! The girls saved their allowance and bought Jack this past weekend. If you remember, Scooby (our former hamster) died several months back. Since we're talking about pets, I did forget to mention that we recently got rid of our dog, Snickers. She snapped and growled at one of the kids, and since we got Dawn and Corey, she had been somewhat irritable. Long story short; it was an easy choice - the dog or the kids. Since then though, Caitlyn has been trying to talk us into a new pet. We figured a hamster was easiest. Jack is a lively little thing and to date has only bit me (which didn't even draw blood). He spends most of his time sleeping, or trying to escape. The kids adore him, so hopefully he'll have a long lifespan! :) I'll post an update Thursday after Dawn's surgery. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

It's Monday!

Hope all the mom's had a wonderful Mother's Day. I know my mom was able to spend the day with her mom, and I'm sure she enjoyed that! I had a wonderful Mother's Day and got some great gifts. We're getting our family pictures taken on Saturday the 26th, so I'm really excited about that! We've had a busy last few days as the weekends usually are. Friday, Jeremy took Kylie to meet her Tae kwon do instructor and pick up her uniform. Her first class is today, and she is so excited. I sewed the patches on her uniform today and she was inspecting it making sure I did it right. She has a friend from church that is in the same class, and that makes it all the more fun. We tried to get dawn to do it with her, but she isn't interested at all. We're not surprised, since she has a personality more like Caitlyn, but her age makes it difficult to find her an activity not sports related. Jeremy also took Caitlyn to pick up her violin on Friday. She can't hardly wait till Friday gets here for her first lesson. Dawn and Corey had their consultation visit with the dental surgeon today, and the damage to their teeth is more serious than we first thought. They both have significant decay, and both their surgeries will be at least two hours long. Dawn is going to lose several teeth, but it looks like Corey should loose only one. The surgeon said he was going to cap as many as he could save. Jeremy and I are heartbroken over it, and wish both kids didn't have to go through this. Dawn's surgery is scheduled for this Thursday the 17th, and Corey's is scheduled for next Tuesday the 22nd (my dad's birthday!). Please pary that all goes well. Also, please continue to pray about Jeremy's position at work, and the situation with my thyroid. I saw my ob/gyn on Friday, and he said not to wait to see the Endocrinologist. I called today, and they set an appointment for the 29th. We love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these!

Mother's Day 2007

Just wanted to wish all the moms a Happy Mother's Day! We love and appreciate our moms and hope you all make sure you let yours know how much you care! Lord knows, I am blessed with a houseful this year!

Seeing the Opthamologists

Hello all! I just wanted to let everyone know that Caitlyn has been referred to a pediatric opthamologists by her pediatrician. She has a small bump on her lower eyelid on the her left eye. Her vision was a little worse this checkup, and since the bump has been steadily growing over the past two months they want her to see this new doctor. I have to admit I'm a little worried, but the doctor thought it wasn't serious. She goes on June 1st, so I'll let everyone know then what they say. Please pray for us as we take Dawn and Corey for their consult with the oral surgeon Monday morning. This week has been pretty busy, and I think Jeremy and I both are a little wore out. This weekend looks pretty easy, so I'm hoping we'll be able to catch up on some rest. Also, before I forget, Dupont is posting that new position next week that Jeremy is hoping to get, so there should be a decision soon. Like I said before, it will be a very good thing for us, if he gets it. they are also posting another position that he is very interested in, so pray God will open the right doors. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Had A Blast At Busch Gardens

As you can see, we had a great time Friday at Busch Gardens! I added a slide show of pictures from the last two times we've gone. We were all feeling much better, and everyone enjoyed themselves much more this time. All three girls rode the Big bad Wolf roller coaster, and loved it! I rode the Big Bad Wolf too. Now, I haven't ridden a roller coaster since 1999, so I was a little surprised at how fast they moved! I rode it with Kylie, and I screamed more than she did. It was Kylie's first time! I had forgotten what that felt like. Maybe it is a sign of our age, but Jeremy and I neither one enjoyed it as much as we remembered! :) Corey still refused to ride anything. I'm hoping we can get him on the carousel at least once before the summer is over. The highlight of my day (just kidding) was riding the Roman Rapids with the girls. As you can see from the picture, it is a circular raft that floats down the water. It is very similar to Grizzly River Rampage, a ride I grew up riding at Opryland. As we were waiting in line, I was watching the people as they got off the ride. Some of them were very wet, but many were just splashed a little. I was thinking that I probably wouldn't get that wet, and my chances were good that I would just get splashed a little. The very first big splash soaked me! After that it was all downhill. The raft holds six people, and the four seats we were sitting in were soaked by the end of the ride. All four of us girls were literally dripping wet, completely soaked thru and thru! The two teenage boys that rode in the raft with us? Completely dry! It took awhile of walking around to dry out, and some of our clothes never got completely dry, including my underwear! We had a great time though, and can't wait to go again! Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Our Trip To Walmart

Well, the potty training is going pretty well. At home he has almost no accidents, but he has yet to make it to the potty in public. For that reason, I put him in a pullup today when we went to Walmart. We're almost done grocery shopping, and John David starts holding himself and screaming at the top of his lungs, "My pee-pee is cold!" Of course, Corey starts holding himself and yelling too, because he does and says everything that John David does. We are several aisles away from the nearest restroom, and so I start booking it for the potty. As all six of us are running to the potty (all the while with John David still screaming bloody murder and people are staring at us wondering where the fire is), I remembered that I had bought the new pullups that get cold if you pee in them. They're supposed to help the kids realize that they need to go and stop till they get to the potty. Well, this was the first time that John David had had one on, so of course it scared him to death. When I finally got to where I could take the pullup off, the first thing he said was, "That feels better, mommy!" Lesson learned! We're taking the kids to Busch Gardens for the afternoon tomorrow, so I'm thinking we'll probably put him in pullups for the outing. Hopefully, it won't set him off screaming again! I am very proud of him though, and I'm glad that he's really trying. I'm really hoping to get our family pictures taken this month. It's what I asked for for Mother's Day! If we do, i'll get them to everyone ASAP. Well, I'm off to enjoy some peace and quiet during what's left of nap time. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.

Just a Mom?

A friend of mine sent this to me and I couldn't resist sharing it! I might try this!

JUST A MOM?

A woman, renewing her driver's license at the County Clerk 's office was asked by the woman recorder to state her occupation.

She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.


"What I mean is," explained the recorder,
"do you have a job or are you just a......?"

"Of course I have a job," snapped the woman.


"I'm a Mom."

"We don't list 'Mom' as an occupation, 'housewife' covers it," said the recorder emphatically.


I forgot all about her story until one day I found myself in the same situation, this time at our own Town Hall.

The Clerk was obviously a career woman, poised,
efficient and possessed of a high sounding title like,
"Official Interrogator" or "Town Registrar."


"What is your occupation?" she probed.

What made me say it?
I do not know.
The words simply popped out.
"I'm a Research Associate in the field of
Child Development and Human Relations."

The clerk paused, ball-point pen frozen in mid air and
looked up as though she had not heard right.


I repeated the title slowly emphasizing the most significant words. Then I stared with wonder as my pronouncement was written, in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.

"Might I ask," said the clerk with new interest, "just what you do in your field?"

Coolly, without any trace of fluster in my voice,
I heard myself reply,
"I have a continuing program of research,
(what mother doesn't)
in the laboratory and in the field,
(normally I would have said indoors and out).
I'm working for my Masters, (first the Lord and then the whole family) and already have four credits (all daughters). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities,
(any mother care to disagree?)
and I often work 14 hours a day, (24 is more like it).
But the job is more challenging than most run-of-the-mill careers and the rewards are
more of a satisfaction rather than just money."

There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk's voice as she completed the form, stood up and personally ushered me to the door.

As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants -- ages 13, 7, and 3.
Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model,
(a 6 month old baby) in the child development program, testing out a new vocal pattern.
I felt I had scored a beat on bureaucracy!
And I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable to mankind than
"just another Mom." Motherhood!


What a glorious career!
Especially when there's a title on the door.

Does this make grandmothers
"Senior Research associates in the field of
Child Development and Human Relations"
and great grandmothers
"Executive Senior Research Associates"?
I think so!!!
I also think it makes Aunts
"Associate Research Assistants".

Potty Training Success!

It is official! John David is out of diapers! Now if we can get Corey out of diapers, that would be great. John David was finally showing some signs that he was ready, but after he had such a bad experience last time we tried, I didn't want to push it. So, Monday afternoon after nap we headed outside to play and I thought that would be a good time to try it. I mean, if there was a mess it would be outside, right?! He did very well, so yesterday he went all day, except for nap, in underwear. he had some accidents, but it was obvious he was trying. today, has been a little crazy. He hasn't had any accidents, and has refused to wear a diaper or a pullup for nap, but he has been going potty every ten minutes! I'm definitely glad that he's getting the hang of it. It will make my life a bit easier. Plus, that's less diapers we have to buy! Tomorrow, Corey has a doctor's appt. I'm taking him to a different pediatrician than the one he has been seeing, to see if we can find the reason for a rash that he keeps getting. His skin is extremely sensitive to everything it seems like, and I think he definitely has some allergy issues that need to be dealt with. Please pray that we can find the source of the problem, and that there will be a way to fix it. Also, please keep my Grandma Thomas in your prayers. Her sister Gene Anne died suddenly Sunday, and although we know that she is in a better place, I know my grandma will miss her greatly. Love you all, and thank you to God Almighty who has for now blessed us with these.