Catching up...

Welcome back!  Sorry it has been a while... I will explain why... If this is your first time joining us, welcome.  Please, feel free to read through past blogs.  We are a family with two natural sons (Caleb 7 & Joshua 3) who have Down syndrome. 

Life has been a bit crazy for the Caines house hold in the past year!  We are going through several changes.

Frank was accepted into the Nurse Anesthetist program at Southern Illinois University of Edwardsville!  It is an incredible honor and privilege for him to go back to school, but the program is VERY demanding.  As a result, he had to quit his job and focus solely on school and clinical hours.

For the first time sense Joshua was born, I went back to work... very part time at a local day care... Just because I am working out side of the home does not mean that doctors appointment, school meetings, or home duties have slowed down!  There are just a few more piles of dishes and a few more stacks of clothes...

This year Caleb has made some great strides!  His vocabulary and "conversation" language is blossoming!  Now when I say Caleb's name he will answer with a very concise, "What?"  Until recently he would not respond or just say no.  This is a huge improvement!  He is also reading!  Yes, I said READING!  Caleb has 4 to 5 line "stories" that he can read without any prompting... Amazing!  His behavior seems to be calming a bit as well; however, his "calmness" may be a direct result of my "calmness".

I finally humbled myself and talked to my doctor about anxiety!  Come on, what do I have to be anxious about (spoken very sarcastically)?!  For so long I have lived on pure adrenaline... About the time Caleb was growing out of being "sick" all the time, Joshua was born.  Poor Joshua was a bit medically fragile (I hate to even use "medically fragile" because so many kids we know are VERY medically fragile)!  But Joshua did keep me busy (feet surgery at 4 months old, followed by casting every week on his feet for three months, at 6 months he had his first set of ear tubes, then that winter he was hospitalized three separate weeks for lung/pneumonia issues, all the while juggling physical, occupational & speech therapies)!  My ears turned into super sonic radars... resulting in NO sleep and one very anxious mommy!   But rest is so important and I have not had good rest in years!  I thank the Lord for anxiety medication that also helps me rest at night.  This is the year for me to get healthy, an all around healthy.  So, I have also re-joined the gym... I have missed being in healthy shape, plus the child care is included! Bonus!!!  Mommy gets some "destress time" (without fear of a cold sending Joshua to the hospital) and the boys get some "social time"... this is going to be a beautiful thing!

Speaking of "good" things, Joshua's ASD (a hole in his heart) closed without repair!  No more Cardiology for him!  I almost feel bad mentioning this because sooooo many of our friends have children with very serious heart issues... An ASD is nothing compared to what so many little ones go through.  But this is also one less fear and one less doctor!

So, more good news... Caleb will be going to summer camp this August.  He will be attending Camp Barnabas http://www.campbarnabas.org/ in western Missouri.  This camp is a Christian based, high adventure camp for children with physical impairments and/or developmental delays!  Believe it or not Caleb will be among the "higher" functioning children.  Every child is paired with a volunteer buddy and the activities are "modified" for each child's abilities!  I am SUPPER excited for him!

Life is all about moving forward... so we just keep putting one foot in front of the other...

Lord, please help me to continue to "get healthy"!  Help me set an example that I would be proud of my boys to follow!