The Far Side Of Complexity

Waltz

2012-01-27T08:18:00.000-08:00

I had full intentions of posting a video of Elisabeth in her gait trainer today...but when I arrived at her school to get said footage I found her rather out of sorts. I noticed a big tear just about to roll out of the corner of her eye as she snuggled in her nurse's arms. My little Queen Elisabeth was not feeling well; needless to say, there was no gait trainer yesterday.

But all is not lost. I did manage to get a video of Alexandra playing 'Waltz' on her guitar. She has had four lessons now. (And might I say that I think classical guitar is one of the most beautiful sounds in the history of sounds. And lucky me that Alexandra decided to take up classical guitar.)

P.S. I love her soft little 'ciao' at the end.

P.P.S. If you are in the mood for a little Shostakovitch, the Mid-Columbia Symphony will be performing his 5th symphony this Sunday afternoon at the Tri-Cities Convention Center, 3PM. See you there!

The Chopping Block

2012-01-26T05:00:00.000-08:00

Chopped

~Sorenson Edition~

We've been kind of obsessed with the show Chopped lately. Are you? Don't you just love it?! And if you haven't seen it....what are you waiting for!?

Anyways, a few days back the girls (plus best friend Avery) decided to put together their own version of the show. They carefully cut, pasted, and created some paper-culinary delights.

And me? Well, I was the judge. (Not fun: telling one of three best friends that they had been chopped!)

Here are their masterpieces...

~Appetizer Course~

Alexandra:

Ribs with Lettuce and Croutons

Lorelai:

Mini Steaks

Avery:

Pineapple, cumquats, sushi and ham

~The Main Course~

Alexandra:

Quiche and a Strawberry

Lorelai:

Avogobble Sandwich with Macaroni and Hotdogs

Avery:

Burrito with Strawberries and Butternut Squash

~Dessert~

Alexandra:

Strawberry Shortcake, Cinnamon Bread & Vanilla Cream

Lorelai:

Seven-layer Dessert w/ Muffins, Blueberries & Strawberries

Avery:

Sparkle Cake w/ Lettuce, a Strawberry & a Pea

The chefs in the 'kitchen':

So...who would you have chosen as the Chopped Champion???

The Gait Trainer

2012-01-25T06:57:00.000-08:00

Now that Elisabeth has perfectly formed feet and a shiny new pair of braces, it's time to get her using those legs.

Yesterday, I popped by her school in time to watch her in physical therapy. They put her into the gait trainer - which is kind of like a walker for big kids.

She was not so fond of the idea at first...

...but in the end she succumbed to this inevitable fate.

And then...she realized,
"wait a minute, there might just be something to this...".

At that point I had to leave, but word around the campfire is that Elisabeth propelled herself 25 feet!

25 feet!!!!
Hot Diggity Dog!

Her nurse said she was almost in tears (the nurse, not Elisabeth). So I'm going to stop by school again on Thursday in hopes of video footage, so stay tuned!

Aunt Jennifer's House

2012-01-24T06:32:00.000-08:00

Everyone loves a visit to Aunt Jenn's...

It's often like taking a little trip around the world.
The girls love to see [play with] souvenirs from her travels!

Sledding

2012-01-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

I didn't leave the house last week (until Sat Morn.). Well, maybe that's not technically true...I did go outside and down around the corner to go sledding with Donald and the girls. It was fun (and the whole while I kept thinking about my spine and how thankful I am that I can do things like go sledding).

Then Donald decided to take the girls to a bigger hill...to do some real sledding. I opted out of that trip; Elisabeth and I stayed at home all cozy by the fire. When they returned Lorelai's face was a bruised/scratched up mess (sledding can be dangerous - especially when three people pile onto the same sled).

Anyways, life gets back to normal today. Everyone is healthy again (we had the flu last week, remember?), school's back in session, and Donald's back at work. Good thing too, because I have something like 20 loads of laundry to do...and it seems like I just can't get on top of the laundry when everyone is home; as soon as I finish one load I turn around and there's another pile of wet, snowy clothes. Such is life.

Sledding down the little hill:

[Lisa]

[Alexandra and Lorelai]

The Penny Farthing Shoppe

2012-01-20T08:23:00.000-08:00

Exciting Day! Exciting Day!

If you have been to our home than you know that Donald and I have a love of books - there are piles of books everywhere. They are beautiful; they are educational; they encourage the imagination.

Now we have decided to share our love of books with the world: We are proud to be opening up an online book shop - featuring beautifully-bundled vintage and antique books.

Our collections have been carefully selected - some according to color, some according to theme. These sets will be sure to add an atmosphere of learning to any home - while adding a touch of beauty as well.

So please click here to go visit our shop. And if you feel so inclined, purchase a set or two.

(Be sure to check the shop frequently for new additions!)

The Penny Farthing Shoppe

Snow Day

2012-01-19T08:51:00.000-08:00

School is cancelled for the children. Work is cancelled for Donald.

Ladies and gentlemen, it is officially a snow day and us Sorenson's are going to spend it all cozied up indoors. I'm sure we'll watch an episode or two of Chopped....and Lorelai and I have a date to clean her bedroom....and Alexandra, well she'll probably keep herself busy the whole day through making origami (her latest fascination).

Happy Snow Day to you!

p.s. Come back tomorrow and see the project Donald and I have been working on!

A Birthday Concert

2012-01-18T16:09:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to my niece, Katya!

(Alexandra has had three guitar lessons now, not bad, huh?)

(Do you love that Lorelai is wearing a swimsuit on the very day that school was cancelled due to snow?)

Under the Weather

2012-01-17T07:45:00.000-08:00

We're sick, the whole lot of us (minus Lorelai...for now). And Elisabeth wanted to upstage us all, so she's been throwing violent seizures into the mix this morning as well.

So do yourself a favor and stay far, far away from our house, okay? Because trust me, you don't want this.

On a happier note, it's better to be sick now than two weeks from now, right?

On another happy note, Donald and I were hoping to lose a few pounds before our Hawaiian vacation. And this is sure to do the trick.

A Story to Tell

2012-01-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

Donald and have I been working on a project that has us sorting through books, lots and lots of books.

It was while sorting through said books that I noticed some papers neatly tucked away within one of them...

...a math final from 1948.

And some homework...that apparently never got turned in.

[See that date? May 29, 1948]

Donald and I were fascinated by it; it felt like we had stumbled upon a time capsule. We wondered who he was, who he became, where he was now.

So we did some research and discovered that Dale passed away just over 4 years ago. He was born in 1929 and lived in and throughout the region where we currently reside. He was an agricultural engineer and went on to sell real estate after retiring.

It's so interesting how life just passes by. At one point of time this man was in his prime, with his whole life ahead of him...and now it's gone. Done.

It makes me think about the life I'm living; how it's steadily ticking by. There are times when it seems to be standing still; when I'm going through the same routines of laundry and feeding tubes and driving children to and from ballet class. But these moments aren't going to last, they never do. So this paper - this homework - was a reminder to enjoy it all, to live in the moment, and to cherish the memories that I'm making.

And perhaps someday, some 60+ years from now, someone will stumble upon something that belonged to me. And maybe, just maybe, they will wonder who I was and about the life I lived.

And I hope when that day comes, that there's a story to tell.

A Post about Lorelai (my crafty one)

2012-01-13T07:24:00.000-08:00

[Photograph of Lorelai, taken this past summer by Charlene Hardy Photography]

Lorelai is soooo excited about Valentine's Day, probably because she is my crafty one. If she could, Lorelai would sit at her little table all day long and create things. So Valentine's Day - while still a month away - is calling her name.

Yesterday after school she called Donald to see if he would take her out to buy Valentine supplies when he got home from work. He agreed, but told her to have her list ready so as to save time.

So Lorelai dictated her list to me and I carefully wrote it down. It went like this:

colored tissue paper
colored paper plates
big black fuzzies
small black fuzzies
glitter
pipe cleaners
a hamster ball
doilies
construction paper
glue
black marker pens

Donald was a good sport. I think they came home with most of those things - minus all those black fuzzies and the hamster ball. And already Lorelai's bedroom floor is covered in scraps of pink and red and white - remnants of Valentine's to come.

p.s. Donald and I are working on a new project that I am soooo excited about. It'll probably be ready to go by Monday and I can tell you all about it!

Ciao!

Hawaii Here We Come

2012-01-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

A box arrived in the mail from my mom. She said that it was kind of a joke for me and Donald...but that the girls would love it too.

We opened it to find this:

Ken and Barbie - the Hawaii Here We Come edition.

Hawaii here we come is right - 3 weeks from today in fact.

(Thanks Mom! We got a good laugh out of it!)

(And Libbie, did you read that? 3 weeks! Shall we pack our own beach towels? Or do you have some we can borrow? :)

p.s. I love how everyone is lined up in that picture. I'm just missing Queen Elisabeth - who was off at school still.

p.p.s Alexandra plays that guitar non-stop. I think she found her calling in life.

Yellow

2012-01-11T06:36:00.000-08:00

Yellow seems to be my color-of-the-moment...hence the new yellow place mats:

And I may have just purchased a new yellow chair too, but I need to wait [patiently] until mid-February for it to arrive. Oh, it's just divine, I'm so excited!

A Lesson on Shunts

2012-01-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

~Lisa's Home Show~
Episode 9

All Braced Up!

2012-01-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

Elisabeth received her leg braces yesterday (more commonly known as AFO's - or ankle-foot orthoses). They were supposed to arrive over a week ago, but you know how the holidays seem to slow everything down. But at long last they are here and we are so excited!

Elisabeth will wear them most of the day (she has different, softer braces that she wears at night). They will ensure that her feet don't start slipping back into their old ways and will provide her the extra stability and support she needs to start bearing some weight on her legs.

[The final fitting.]

[These pictures just don't do those AFO's justice - they have beautiful butterflies all over them. I'll have to see if I can snap some better photos.]

In other news, we are taking Elisabeth to Spokane today (or as Donald likes to say, Spokanistan). She's been a bit on the fussy side lately (the last time she acted like this it turned out that her shunt setting had been bumped to the wrong place - due to her head banging, no doubt). So we just need to rule out that her behavioral changes might be the trusty ol' shunt. Too bad it's a two hour drive to the neurosurgeon's office to get it checked. Oh well, better safe than sorry.

Speaking of the neurosurgeon, remember a few weeks ago when I was given the go-ahead from Dr. G to start moving normal again? Well, I started going out walking this week. At first I could really feel it in my back - it just felt a little...fragile. But last night I walked two miles and felt fantastic. And, guess what else!? Tomorrow is my first restorative yoga class over at Yoga Hut. I am so excited! Yes sirree...I am going to get this body of mine into shape. (Did I ever tell you that I tried doing a sit-up last week and couldn't even lift my back off the floor? Not doing anything for 12 weeks will do that to you I guess. Actually, it's probably a combination of being weak and figuring out how to move again.)

Enough rambling.

Off to Spokanistan!

Swimming

2012-01-05T07:51:00.000-08:00

Thank goodness for indoor swimming pools.

Leninade

2012-01-04T05:00:00.000-08:00

You have got to check out this bottle of soda that Donald brought home. The entire thing mocks old Soviet propaganda slogans - it's one of the funniest things I have every seen. And of course I immediately thought of my sister Kristin and her husband Matt who both served missions for our church in Russia. (Kristin and Matt, this is for you!)

"Surprisingly satisfying simple Soviet style soda"

"A party in every bottle" and on the back side, "Join the party"

"A taste worth standing in line for" and "Get hammered and sickled" and "Drink comrade! Drink! It's this or the gulag"

"Beware the repressed communist party animal who is really a proletarian in denial masquerading as a bourgeois cold war monger"
and
"Our 5-year plan: Drink a bottle a day for five years and become a Hero of Socialist Flavor"

Ha ha ha!!!

Who would even think to make such a thing?
I don't know - but I'm glad they did!
Ha ha!!

32 Happened Like This...

2012-01-03T06:46:00.000-08:00

a) The fam serenaded me. And later in the day Alexandra had her first guitar lesson:

b) Elisabeth and I matched:

c) I was showered with gifts:
.

d) Here I am on January 2nd. Notice my hair - nice and short. I think I'll post a picture of it at the beginning of each month so we can watch it grooooooowwwww. (Did you read that I'm growing it out for the year?)

p.s. It's the last day of winter break in my corner of the world. And then tomorrow it's back to the books!

Birthday Thoughts 2012

2012-01-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

[artist: Mary Blair (my favorite)]

One year ago today I turned 31. And on that day I wrote about adventure; about stepping out of my comfort zone and taking the road less traveled.

I started that post with a dictionary definition of the word adventure:

ad-ven-ture: noun

1: an undertaking, usually involving danger and unknown risks.

2: an exciting or remarkable experience.

When I began that year I was resolved to live by those words - so I traveled to Europe with my sisters and I rode a mule at the Grand Canyon; I did things that seemed stereotypically adventurous.

But as I look back upon the year gone by I realize that most of life's adventures are the ones that you don't plan - even the ones you don't want. My 31st year brought me some physical hardships - knee surgery in late January and spinal surgery in September. But even so, those experiences were - as the definition states - remarkable. Remarkable and rewarding - because I won, I triumphed. Life's curve-balls did not get the best of me.

What I've learned is that life is an adventure. Sometimes it's setting off on a vacation to a far off land, and sometimes it's just surviving that bump in the road. But it's all part of the experience, and I promise that if you don't give up you'll always come out ahead.

Today I turn 32 and my heart flutters at the idea that I don't know what's coming. Some of it will be good, some of it will be bad. But no matter what - I'm ready for it.

The adventure continues...

p.s. Did you get a chance to read my New Year's Day post? It was sort of a last minute thing - so in case you missed it, click here.

Hello, 2012!

2012-01-01T21:32:00.000-08:00

[This is my Mad Men alter ego. Isn't she lovely? By the way...I have that necklace. I'll post about it at some future point, I promise.]

It's New Year's Day. I love New Year's Day! It just seems so...fresh, you know?

I love all the possibilities for the days that lie ahead. I love making a clean start. I love evaluating life and finding ways to improve myself.

This year I have quite a few goals in mind. Most of them I'll keep private, but there are a few I'll share here.

1) Buy something new at the grocery store each week. I am in a total rut. I realize that I always buy the same things - and there's a world of food out there to try. I am going to start in the produce section; try all those fruits and veggies that are completely foreign to me.

2) Step it up in the wardrobe department. In all honesty I don't care about fashion. Blah. Sometimes I think I should have been a nurse so I could get away with wearing scrubs 24/7 - wouldn't that be nice? But I really should care, shouldn't I? So I'm going to enlist the help of my personal stylist (aka Jennifer) and doll it up a bit.

3) I'm going to grow my hair out for the entire year. I wonder how long it will grow in a year???? (and then I'll probably chop it off next January 1st - because I like it short).

Happy New Year!

Make it a good one!!

An Ode to 2011

2011-12-30T05:00:00.000-08:00

Adventure.

Italy. Knee Surgery.

Choffy. French lessons. Tennis.

Grand Canyon. Seizures. Stem Cells. Jennifer.

Heel Cord Tenotomy. Smores. Grandma Brinkerhoff. Pain.

New Furniture. Pincer Grasp. Nutcracker. Pumpkins.

Home. Williamsburg. Spinal Fusion.

Cheese Panel. Yoga Hut. Mad Men.

2011.

Me, Jennifer, and Kristin, posing in front of the Roman ruins. What a rich year this has been!

Ciao!

Gifts and Things

2011-12-29T08:24:00.000-08:00

A Sampling of our
2011 Christmas Gifts

Donald:
Trip to Hawaii
Penny-Farthing Cuff Links
Mad Men: The Illustrated World

Lisa:
Cell Phone
Camera Lens
Cookware

Alexandra:
Guitar
Baseball Glove
A Smart Girls Guide to Style
Twist and Shout: Multiplication

Lorelai:
American Girls Doll - Kanani
The Little Island
Reading Light
Twist and Shout: Addition

Elisabeth:
Bink Link
My World: A Companion to Goodnight Moon
Silly Sounds Frog
New Helmet

Here's Alexandra out trying that new glove:

And look at this, I've finally joined [been recruited to] the 21st century:

Christmas 2011

2011-12-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

A Merry Little Review...

[Lorelai and Alexandra, warming by the fire on Christmas morning - 6:33 am]

[Blueberry muffins & oranges for breakfast. After that we got dressed into our Sunday best and went to church.]

And then after church...

[Elisabeth's gift to me - which Lorelai wrapped on her behalf.]

[Left: Donald opens his gift from Lorelai. Lorelai is famous for her wrapping jobs; this particular present had something like 10 layers of gift wrap on it - and a bunch of balloons! Right: Alexandra opens a gift for Elisabeth (the girls are always glad to step in and help their handicapped sister with this task :)]

[Santa left these toadstool seats for the girls.]

[Stocking stuffers.]

[Alexandra trying out her new guitar. She'll be starting lessons in January.]

[We opted for paper plates over the fine china this time around (makes clean up soooo much easier).]

And that's a wrap!

I'm Practicing the Hula...

2011-12-27T05:00:00.000-08:00

This is the key on our
World Travel Map:

You'll notice that the blue flag marks the next planned trip.

Now take a look at where we just put the blue flag...

What, you need a closer look? Well, okay...

That's right! 5 weeks from now Donald and I will be off exploring Hawaii!

[This very well may be the most epic Christmas gift I've ever given anyone...]

A Christmas Greeting

2011-12-24T05:00:00.000-08:00

Elisabeth's New Feet!

2011-12-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was such a happy and successful day!

We traveled to Spokane so that Elisabeth could get her casts off. It was absolutely amazing to see her feet in a normal position. I found myself just staring at them in awe the whole rest of the day.

Donald and I are so pleased with the quick results that we have seen from this surgery. We had talked about doing this for the past two years. In fact, we had met with the orthopedic surgeon about it twice before, but he never wanted to operate; he didn't think that she had the potential to stand and therefore didn't want to put her through it.

But this time around things were different. 7 days after her stem cell infusion last May she started showing the desire to put pressure on her legs, but because of the deformity in her feet she couldn't bear her own weight. We explained all of this to the surgeon - how we felt that she really did have the potential within her to stand (with extra support, of course). This time around he agreed to operate (it took quite a bit of convincing by Donald and I though.)

Now here we are, 4 weeks post-op, and she is already doing amazing things.

Miracles are abundant!

[There goes the first cast...]

[Ta da!! A brand new, perfectly-shaped foot!]

[We love having Alexandra and Lorelai be an active part of Elisabeth's 'team' - what a great learning experience this is for them.]

[Underneath the second cast we discovered quite a bit of dried blood; Alexandra got woozy and had to sit down.]

[...and number two is off - another perfectly-formed foot!]

[We went straight home and gave those legs/feet a bath. Now they're sparking.]

What a week, what a week!

First I was freed from my brace and then Elisabeth was freed from her casts. I would say we both got the best gifts ever!

Merry Christmas!!

A Musical Gift from Us to You

2011-12-22T05:00:00.000-08:00

Lisa's Home Show

~Christmas Edition~

Merry Christmas!!!

**And don't forget to stop by and see tomorrow's happy news!

Christmas Past

2011-12-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

Elisabeth, 2009.

Those were her final days of crawling before seizures caused her to forget how.

Darn seizures.

Never fear though, we have big plans to [try] and get rid of them in 2012.

I did it!!!

2011-12-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

12 weeks ago today I had an anterior lumbar interbody fusion. And for the past 12 weeks I diligently followed the rules; I wore my brace, I didn't bend over, and (this is the hard one) I didn't picked up Elisabeth. Did you get that? I didn't lift Elisabeth for 12 whole weeks! Do you have any idea how much self-control it takes to be the mother of a child with brain damage - a child who is helpless - a child that has no idea why their mother isn't picking them up - and not lift them? It was torturous I tell you, but I did it! (It was for the greater good Elisabeth, I promise).

So yesterday I went to Spokane for my 12 week post-op appt. I had my fingers crossed the whole way there that the x-ray of my spine would look splendid and that I would once again gain my independence.

"Your spine looks beautiful" was the news they gave me.

Hip hip hooray!!!

All restrictions have been lifted. I am free to be me again!

The first thing I did when I got home was go pick up that [4 year-old] baby of mine. It was the perfect gift. Merry Christmas to me.

{See ya back brace!!}

{Elisabeth was heavier than I remembered!!!}

{or perhaps I'm just weaker :) }

{I'm not done with good news for the week...there's more to come on Friday!!!}

A Christmas Miracle

2011-12-19T05:00:00.000-08:00

Her new legs are working!!!

Oh, what a merry Christmas this is turning out to be!

More good news tomorrow...

Wrapping

2011-12-16T07:30:00.000-08:00

I've been busy wrapping, wrapping, wrapping.

But then again, it is December 16th, so that's what you'd expect.

Speaking of Christmas gifts, I'm giving Donald the most epic gift of all time. I'll be sure to tell you all about it - sometime after the 25th...

Ho Ho Ho

2011-12-15T07:26:00.000-08:00

If you're lacking Christmas cheer, just come hang out with Elisabeth for the day...

...the Christmas Spirit runs strong in her (much like the force).

The 3rd Grade Holiday Concert

2011-12-14T08:30:00.000-08:00

Alexandra was chosen to play Winter Wonderland on the violin at the 3rd grade Holiday Concert last night:

And of course I made her pose for a few shots afterwards...

What's that!? You want to see the video? Well, all right then. (Donald was trying to hold Lizzie and video at the same time, so sorry if it's shaky.) (And yes, that is me yelling 'bravo' at the end.)

Bravo!!!

Roses by the Dozen

2011-12-13T14:29:00.000-08:00

Proof that
Nutcracker 2011
was a success:

Bouquets of flowers everywhere.

Congratulations Lorelai and Alexandra, you girls were fabulous!!

(Note to self: buy more vases before Nutcracker 2012.)

Let there be curls.

2011-12-12T05:00:00.000-08:00

Having some fun with
Lorelai's Nutcracker wig...

Before:

After:

p.s. Don't you just love the candy cane socks that my friend Michelle sent to fit over Elisabeth's casts?!

p.p.s Only 10 more days until her casts come off!!

p.p.p.s Only 7 more days until my back brace comes off!!! (assuming my x-ray looks good - fingers crossed)

Snowflakes

2011-12-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

***Deck the Halls Week***
**Day 5**

This year I decided to take the green and white snowflakes that I had in Elisabeth's nursery last year and reuse them in the kitchen. I hung them from under the cabinets and I think they add just the right amount of whimsy, don't you?

In other news...

My brother, Michael, flew in to town yesterday - just in time for opening night of Nutcracker (tonight!!!). I pulled Lex and Lor out of school early to go pick him up from the airport and you have never seen two girls so excited. Around here Uncle Michael is somewhat of a celebrity...

Have a fun weekend!
Go see Nutcracker!!
Ciao!!!

A Story About a Tree-Topper

2011-12-08T07:50:00.000-08:00

***Deck the Halls Week***
**Day 4**

When we were unpacking our Christmas decorations I pulled out our tree topper (A gorgeous glittery star made from old sheet music) and randomly stood it behind our nativity. Well, later that night when we had finished trimming our tree the time came to put the star on top. But when I looked over to where it sat behind the nativity I just couldn't bring myself to do it; it made the perfect backdrop - symbolic of the star that shined bright some 2000+ years ago. So I left it. And for several days our tree was without a star.

[Our tree-topper star sitting behind the nativity.]

So two days ago I said to Jennifer, "I suppose I need to get a tree topper for our tree. I'm thinking of getting a huge fat bow and sticking it up there. I mean, who says it has to be a star or an angel."

That's when Jennifer had the best idea ever: To put a sock monkey up on top!

So it was done...

And thus a new tradition is born.

It's Nutcracker Time!

2011-12-07T05:00:00.000-08:00

***Deck the Halls Week***
**Day 3**

The stockings have been hung (with care)...

In other Christmas related news...

Alexandra and Lorelai will be performing in Nutcracker this weekend! They are excited beyond belief. Excited I tell you. (And so am I).

Presenting...

Lorelai the Angel

and...

Alexandra the Arabian

For ticket information click here.

Let's Sing Chrismtas Carols...

2011-12-06T05:00:00.000-08:00

***Deck the Halls Week***
**Day 2**

The Music Parlor

[Atop the piano.]

[We've pulled out all of our favorite old records.]

[That little girl angel reminds me of Elisabeth.]

[Atop the organ.]

And since the focus today is on my music parlor, how about if I list off my top 5 favorite Christmas songs?

5. I'll Be Home for Christmas
4. Silent Night
3. Pat-a-pan
2. The Little Drummer Boy
1. Bring a Torch Jeanette Isabella

Oh, Christmas Tree!

2011-12-05T05:00:00.000-08:00

***Deck the Halls Week***
**Day 1**

Picking out the tree...

[My family.]

[Lorelai Leigh.]

[This picture cracks me up...for the obvious reason.]

[Elisabeth is wondering why she is out in the cold and not at home next to the warm fire...]

[We plopped the winning tree right on top of our van (and tied it down tight)...]

[...and I kept an eye on it through the sunroof to make sure it didn't try rolling away.]

Later that night...

[The annual decorating of the tree.]

[Elisabeth's collection of sock monkey ornaments.]

[And that's how you create some magic.]

Pincer Grasp!

2011-12-02T05:00:00.000-08:00

By golly, she's done it! Elisabeth used a pincer grasp to play with her toy radio. This is big - no, this is huge!! To be perfectly honest, I never expected Elisabeth to hit this milestone. So I say hip hip hooray!!

Want to see her pincer grasp in action? Just push play:

**And don't forget to pop on over to claudecoats.com and enter the giveaway! Click here.

Welcome December!

2011-12-01T05:00:00.000-08:00

May the
Christmas Season
begin!!

And what better way to start the holiday festivities than with a giveaway! That's right - a giveaway!!

My grandfather, Claude Coats, was a Disney imagineer for 50+ years and - as you can imagine - our family has some pretty whimsical art floating around. Like this for example:

Don't you just love it!?

Well good, then hop on over to claudecoats.com and enter to win your very own gicleé print.

The contest ends December 5th and the winner, selected at random, will be notified by email on December 6th. The gicleé print will ship immediately.

Good Luck!

Click here to go enter.

A Thanksgiving Review

2011-11-30T05:00:00.000-08:00

I figure if I'm going to say anything about our Thanksgiving holiday I had better say it now - it is the last day of November after all.

So I'll say this: Thanksgiving was delightful. I enjoyed delicious food with my favorite company. And then we played Apples to Apples Disney Edition and ate pumpkin pie - oh yes we did.

But my favorite part of the holiday was decorating the table with my grandmother's fine china. I love it dearly.

The next morning when I went into the kitchen I found a little surprise waiting for me:

Donald took our two place cards and connected them with a heart.
He can be romantic like that.

Blank Canvas

2011-11-29T05:00:00.000-08:00

If there's one thing a cast shouldn't be,
it's blank.

There, that's better.

Surgery Day: A review in pictures and words

2011-11-28T05:00:00.000-08:00

Elisabeth's leg, pre-surgery. Notice how her leg and foot formed one long line? They were stuck like that and her foot couldn't move.

Elisabeth: Why did they wake me up and bring me to the hospital at 6:00 am??? Something fishy is going on...

Fresh out of surgery and still snoozing.

...and then she woke up.

Her brand spankin' new, 'L'-shaped feet.

...dozing off again.

Right hand. Left hand. And a sock monkey for comfort.

Her magical g-tube. You may recall that this little beauty made my
Top-10 Thanksgiving-Thankfuls list.

Coming back to.
"Is this really happening or is it all a nightmare??..."

This little piggy.

Elisabeth had an extremely rough time recovering from surgery. She slept for the better part of the 3 days following the operation and when she did wake up she would moan, groan, and cry in pain (and have a seizure or two...or ten).

But last night she started returning to her old self again. She played with her toys and even smiled! Oh happy day, oh happy day!

p.s. Yesterday I celebrated 2 months since my spinal fusion! And I'm proud to report that I'm feeling better than ever. (But I wonder if the feeling is ever going to return around the incision site? My stomach is still all numb...)

Today:

2011-11-27T08:58:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving 2011

2011-11-24T08:45:00.000-08:00

Last night I knelt next to Elisabeth's bedside as she whimpered in discomfort. There she was - with her legs bound - next to me - with my back bound. What a fine pair we made!

I whispered to her that sometimes we go through hard things, but in the end it's always for the better. This I know.

And even though she didn't comprehend my words, she did find comfort in my voice - and for that I'm grateful.

I wish a blessed Thanksgiving to all.

Elisabeth's Post-Op Update

2011-11-23T12:01:00.000-08:00

The Home Show - Episode 7
~ on the road ~

Surgery Today!

2011-11-23T05:00:00.000-08:00

Elisabeth will be going in for surgery this morning - so if you have a chance, send a sweet thought or two her way.

Elisabeth says,

"What's that? Surgery? Today?!? Oh, poo..."

**I'll try my best to post an update when she's out of the operating room!

Rock, Paper, Scissors

2011-11-22T05:00:00.000-08:00

It's always fun and games...

...until someone loses.

On a different note,
Elisabeth needs a haircut:

Real bad.

Lisa's Home Show - Episode 6

2011-11-21T05:00:00.000-08:00

Special
Thanksgiving
Edition

Arrgg. It drives me nuts when I watch these videos back and hear things that don't make sense. Like when I say, 'it makes me very good' instead of 'it makes me feel very good' (at the 6:03 minute mark). Ha ha....I probably talk like that all the time, randomly omitting words from my sentences.

Do I talk like that all the time???
(Please do tell - as I'm not the one listening to myself).

Ciao!

Illuminating

2011-11-18T07:39:00.000-08:00

* My new lamp *

By day...

...and by night...

J'aime votre chapeau...

2011-11-17T05:00:00.000-08:00

So yesterday I mentioned that Alexandra is starting to pick out her own clothes every day.

But I failed to mention that she's doing a darn good job at it.

She came downstairs for breakfast yesterday morning dressed in a plaid skirt, a white button-up shirt, and a navy cardigan - with a beret on top! A beret people - she wore a beret to school.

[Be still my heart.]

Too bad she didn't wear this today instead though; she has French lessons after school.
It looks very French, no?

Joyeux anniversaire à ma nièce, Dasha!

Queen E's Fashion

2011-11-16T05:00:00.000-08:00

Lately, I've noticed that Alexandra has opinions when it comes to what-she's-wearing/hair-do's/etc. A part of me is a bit sad at the realization that she is growing up and that the time has come for her to start making some of her own decisions (at least on things like what-to-wear).

Elisabeth on the other hand - she lets me doll her up however I want and doesn't say a thing about it. And that's the way it's going to stay (and I'm not complaining).

[Elisabeth, waiting for the school bus yesterday morning.]

And a happy, happy birthday to my nephew, Jacob!!

Yoga Hut (after)

2011-11-15T05:00:00.000-08:00

I suddenly realized that I never shared any 'after' pictures of Yoga Hut.
So let's do that now, why don't we?

[All photographs by Charlene Hardy Photography]

So the real question is, have you been in for class yet? If your answer is yes then you know how amazing my sister is at teaching yoga (and what a workout you'll get - just ask Donald - he went to class for the first time on Saturday and he was s-o-r-e.) If your answer is no then I have good news for you, I just happen to have the class schedule right here:

For even more information I suggest you visit her website at
www.yoga-hut.com

[My sister, owner and founder of Yoga Hut, Jennifer Coats. Isn't she adorable?]

See you in class!!

At the Sorenson Home...

2011-11-14T05:00:00.000-08:00

Signs that Thanksgiving is just around the corner.

(or in other words, next week)

[My kitchen table center-piece.]

[Elisabeth's blanket.]

[Orange-Spice aroma...mmmm.] [School craft by Lorelai.]

[Fall-ish decorations.]

[Jennifer's butternut-squash soup a.k.a. yesterday's lunch.]

[And a little orange in the music parlor.]

Thoughts - Six Weeks Post-Op

2011-11-10T05:00:00.000-08:00

I was thinking back to the Grand Canyon today - we vacationed there this past July with our children. That was the beginning of the end [as far as my back is concerned]. I have a distinct memory of being on the mule ride and wondering how am I going to climb off of this animal?

In the one week between my return from Italy and standing on the edge of the Grand Canyon, things got bad - really quick. So yes, as I was riding on my mule and enjoying the views [see photo above], I was a little worried. Luckily, at the end of the ride there was a kind cowboy who helped me off - and my pain was kept to a minimum.

That was July 7th.

By July 22nd they were ordering an MRI and shortly thereafter I was scheduling to meet with a neurosurgeon about operating on my spine. Because, my injury was one that couldn't heal itself.

In the [almost] 12 weeks between that mule ride and the operating table, I experienced some of the most crippling pain I could ever imagine. I never talked about it much because I don't like to complain, but it was excruciating. In fact, the only thing that I can think to relate it to was the time, several years back, when I went in for a root canal. They were having trouble successfully numbing me and every time they would start drilling I would feel them hit the nerve. Ouuuuchh!!! This was that kind of pain - but for 2+ months. I don't think anyone will ever truly understand just what I went through - except Donald - because he was there to hear me scream night after night after night.

I can remember one night in particular where I got up and just stood there, staring at my bed. It looked so soft, and comfortable, and inviting. Oh, how I longed to crawl into bed and drift off to sleep. But to me - at that time - crawling into bed meant torture. So I stood there and stared and thought of all the millions of people who were comfortably dreaming away at that moment, and I longed to be one of them.

As the weeks passed I deteriorated quickly. My back became deformed and I started to walk with a profound limp. And then one day I actually collapsed and I knew it was time to get a cane. The cane helped keep me from falling, but even with its support, I couldn't stand upright. It was something that physically I could no longer do.

But despite it all I kept living. Because what other choice was there? I am a mother and I have a child with brain damage, so shutting down for two months and feeling sorry for myself just wasn't an option. So I kept busy and luckily the days ticked by. And finally, September 27th came.

I will always consider that one of the greatest days of my life because I went into the hospital as a cripple - and I walked out restored to my original state.

And I just can't get over how wonderful it is! I can walk, and I can stand. And I also can't stop thinking about the fact that if this had happened to me at any other time in the history of the world, I would have been doomed to remain a cripple forever. But I live now, and I live here, and I am so incredibly grateful for modern medicine. Because I needed to be fixed - not for my own sake, but for Elisabeth. She needs me - I am her mother. And trust me, I was no good to her as I was.

So I am happy, and I am grateful. With every step I take I am in awe. And every night when I crawl into bed I just lay there, and soak it all in, and think how beautiful the moment is. I love being able to sleep. I love being able to walk. I love being able to stand. And because of what I went through I will spend the rest of my life appreciating my body and its ability to function. It's something that may seem very common to some - but to me it's a miracle.

You win some...you lose some

2011-11-09T05:00:00.000-08:00

Epic Fail:
Optical Shop #2

Oh dear...optical shop #2 had nothing promising to offer us. Nothing. And the staff was not very knowledgeable. Oh well...on to shop #3 I suppose.

Epic Win:
My New Furniture

Mid-century modern is my all-time favorite style. Which is why I am in love with my new furniture. Come on over and have a seat. (There's a couch to match!)

Eyewear Fashion Show: Day 1

2011-11-08T05:00:00.000-08:00

Here are a few choices from

optical shop #1:

****
And, as you can imagine, Alexandra and Lorelai tried on just about every pair in the store. And got into mischief...

...but that's to be expected, right?

Stay tuned for pictures from optical shop #2

Elisabeth, age 4

2011-11-07T06:08:00.000-08:00

To start your week off right...

[Elisabeth's school picture, 2011]

You may notice that Elisabeth's glasses look a teeny bit small on her face (because they are). We took her shopping for new ones this weekend - and we're going to stop by a few more optical shops today or tomorrow.

So stay tuned for an eye-wear fashion show on the horizon...

Mad Men

2011-11-06T14:20:00.000-08:00

"Oh no she didn't."

I'm Back

2011-11-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

Do you see that face up there? That is one happy little Lorelai. She's happy because while she was away at school yesterday I was a busy bee. I cleaned [and cleaned out] her room. And - with the help of my sister - I rearranged all of her furniture, something she's been hoping for lately.

And that's not all I was up to. I did dishes and loads of laundry. I cleaned bathrooms, and changed poopy diapers, and took out the garbage.

Do you know this means?

It means I'm back.

Me, the real me. The me that enjoys being productive. The me that hates just sitting around watching life pass me by; not that changing poopy diapers and emptying garbage qualifies as an exciting life - but it's a start. It's the start to reclaiming my life. I am feeling more confident as I move around - my spine is feeling strong and steady. Now don't get me wrong, I am still following all the rules, and I am being extremely cautious in the tasks that I do undertake - but I can feel it all returning - all of my old capabilities - and I am so glad.

Yep...I'm back.

Watch out world.

The Pumpkin Sale

2011-11-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

My girls love to come up with big ideas. Yesterday's big idea included a pumpkin sale in the front yard. Because who doesn't love an after-Halloween pumpkin sale?

[Pumpkins from our backyard garden.]

[Alexandra and best friend, Lilly.]

Happy Autumn to you.

And a Happy Birthday to my brother, Marc!

Halloween 2011

2011-11-01T05:00:00.000-07:00

I present to you...

Elisabeth
as a
neurosurgeon:

[She had a seizure just before this and was having a hard time coming out of it.]

Lorelai
as a
dinosaur:

[Do you recognize this costume? Alexandra wore it last year. And I wore it 24 years ago!]

Alexandra
as
Betsy Ross:

[Do you recognize this costume? Alexandra got it on our family vacation to Williamsburg this year.]

A dinosaur attacking Betsy Ross:

Donald and Lisa
as
Waldo and Wenda:

[Me in stripes...again.]
[I took off my back brace for these pictures; it felt weird.]

And then...

We brought the fire pit out front:

Sent the children out trick-or-treating with Donald:

[Sorry about the blur.]

And Jennifer and I sat by the warmth of the fire and passed out candy all night:

And that's how Halloween is done...the right way.

Lisa's Home Show - Halloween Edition

2011-10-31T05:00:00.000-07:00

Boo!

Post-Video-Comment: After we finished taping this Alexandra asked more about the woman I mentioned who was not taking her children trick-or-treating:

"Why isn't she taking her kids trick-or-treating?"

"She said she didn't live in a safe neighborhood," I said.

"Oh, she must live in Atlanta or something," replied Alexandra.

Ha ha ha!!! I laughed so hard because

a) I don't know what would prompt Alexandra to pick Atlanta of all places (I didn't even know she was aware there was an Atlanta).

and

b) I have some dear friends, Brad and Amy, who live in Atlanta. And Amy and I just happened to be chatting on the phone the other day about the crime rate in Atlanta (vs. Winnipeg). So just how bad is it down there, Amy? lol!

Happy Halloween!!

Autumn Leaves

2011-10-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

***Fall***

Neurosurgery Report (E's Half)

2011-10-27T05:00:00.000-07:00

Back in Spokane...

Okay, so I did a fair enough job updating you on my portion of Monday's neurosurgery appointment, now to review Elisabeth's half.

This was just a regular check-up for Elisabeth, so we weren't expecting anything out of the ordinary. That's why we were surprised when Dr. G checked the setting of her shunt to find that it was totally off.

"How did that happen?" I asked.

"Has she hit her head at all or been around any magnets?" he asked.

(uh oh)

Okay, here's the truth: Elisabeth hits her head all day long. She sits and literally pounds her head as hard as she can into the floor. And not only that, lately she's started balling her right hand into a fist and pounding on the side of her head - right where her shunt is placed.

So apparently she did it hard enough at some point to actually change the setting of the shunt, which in turn meant that all the CSF in her head wasn't draining as well as it should...which explains why we've had a bit of a grumpy Elisabeth on our hands lately (pressure in her head).

It's funny, because the next day when I picked her up from school Elisabeth's nurse said, "She was like a whole new girl today - we had so much fun," - and I hadn't even told her anything about the setting of the shunt being changed; she just honestly saw a difference.

So, there are two lessons to be learned here:

a) I need to be diligent about making Elisabeth wear her helmet. I always imagine how horrible it would be to wear a helmet all day, so often times I leave it off, but she's proved herself untrustworthy. So, I told her, "Elisabeth, I'm sorry, but I'm going to have to helmet you now. I can't have you undoing your shunt setting all the time, can I?"

b) If Elisabeth starts acting grumpy I need to get her shunt checked. Period.

So other than that things looked great. Her brain looked pretty much the same (small and damaged) and there was plenty of tubing left in her belly to last her a few more years. Of course, Dr. G said that if he has to do a shunt revision anytime before then he'll go ahead and add more tubing at the same time. But let's just hope her shunt keeps plugging away, okay?

[Elisabeth getting off the school bus yesterday. She was wiped out. She had several seizures before school and four seizures at school. Yikers.]

In other news, we went swimming last night. I had one of the best times of my life because when I was in the water I actually got to hold Elisabeth. I haven't got to walk around with her in my arms in months! (Unless you count that video we shot the night before my surgery...lol!) The water made her weightless in my arms and she and I walked around the pool for an hour while she splashed and splashed. Of course then she had a massive seizure (poo) and the fun was over. So I sat on the top step of the hot tub and she snuggled in close and fell asleep. I was a happy mama.

And finally....a picture of me in my brace (as requested by my mom who lives far away from me and wanted to see what it looked like). It's not so bad really; who knows, perhaps I'll start some new fashion statement.

p.s. I forgot to tell you! On Monday Dr. G gave me the go-ahead to start lifting up to 20 pounds (Elisabeth is 37lbs, so she's still off limits) and to start moving a little more. And yes, I asked specifically if I could make beds and he said 'yes'. Things are looking up!

Neurosurgery Update

2011-10-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

I would like to make an announcement: I am now 4 weeks post-op!

Do you know what that should mean? It should mean that I only have two more weeks of wearing my brace. Because that was the plan all along, right? That I wear the back brace for the first six weeks?

Ya, that's what I thought too...but no.

We were in the middle of my appointment and Dr. G said,

"So, we're going to have you keep the brace on for 3 months."

??!??!???!!!???

Oh man you should have seen the look on my face, I'm sure it must have been priceless.

My very first thought was that he was joking - but then I immediately realized that surgeons (in general) are not the joking type. My very next thought was that he was making a mistake - but that thought was also immediately expunged as I reminded myself that neurosurgeons do not make mistakes. (And if you have a neurosurgeon who does make mistakes I strongly recommend you find yourself a new one.)

So that's that. 3 months.

(ugghh)

In other news my spine is growing together splendidly. We looked at the x-ray that was taken one day post-op and compared it to the x-ray taken yesterday. It's absolutely fascinating to me - all of this. I look at those x-rays and I see a cage screwed into my spine and I am in awe; in awe of modern medicine.

Look at these pics - aren't you in awe too?

[X-ray taken the day after surgery on September 28th.]
[Yes, I have a crooked spine.]

And, while we are on the subject of my spine I must take a moment to brag. Dr. G says that I have extremely strong bones. So strong that he had a heck of a time actually getting that cage to screw in. Ha ha....he said that it was so much work that he actually had to change scrubs before he could go meet Donald in the waiting room because he was soaked in sweat (eww...gross)

[X-ray taken this Monday, the 24th of October.]

[Dr. G showing us a replica of the cage he screwed into my spine. I'm glad it was a pretty color.]

By the way, Dr. G says that we're on 'the family plan' - ha ha...I don't think he has mother/daughter appointments too often. Too bad he doesn't have some special going where you pay for a brain surgery and get a spinal surgery half off. That would be nice....

Okay, that's all for today. More on Elisabeth's half of the appointment later.

Lisa's Home Show - Episode 4

2011-10-25T05:00:00.000-07:00

~On the Road~

Okay, I have no idea why the thumbnail is upside down - but it flips over when you push play (at least it does on my computer), so it's all good. Yesterday was fabulous, absolutely fabulous. I took Lisa's Home Show on the road as we drove to Spokane for neurosurgery appointments.

For the record, I had every intention of making a follow up movie on the drive home with details of our visit with the surgeon. But obviously that didn't happen. That's okay though, it's better that I do an actual post on those details...because I have pictures to show! So stop back by tomorrow for those, okay?

Ciao!

Post-Movie-Statement: While farmland is indeed my favorite landscape I do still love the sandy beaches of Hawaii - just sayin'. (This is a warning to my friend Libbie - have your guest room ready, we're going to show up one of these days. By the way, do you have a guest room? If not we'll take the floor. :)

The Hoyer Lift

2011-10-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

The good news is...

...we got a hoyer lift for Elisabeth!

As you can imagine, this is a big deal around our house. And - as you can imagine - the girls think this is the greatest thing since sliced bread.

More on the lift later, we've got to hit the road - we've got a big day in Spokane ahead of us.

Ciao!

The Cheese Panel

2011-10-21T07:04:00.000-07:00

Welch's Grape Juice is currently working on an ad campaign that will pair up cheeses with their various juices. But before they can launch the campaign they need to know which cheeses pair up well with which juices and, more importantly, what kids think about it all.

That's where Alexandra and Lorelai (along with best friends Avery, Owen, and Zack) come in.

They are officially known as the cheese panel.

Wednesday was their first official day on duty. They had to try 3 different juices, each paired with 5 cheeses from around the world. Their instructions were to sip the juice, taste the cheese, and then take one more sip of the juice. After each tasting they had to make notes of what they thought - did they like the flavor? Did the cheese change the flavor of the juice? Etc.

The children felt oh so important and can't wait for the next cheese tasting in two weeks.

[Lorelai, the birthday girl.]

[The adults got to participate too :) ]

[Elisabeth says, 'ehh....cheese is so overrated. Just give me some milk in my tube and I'm good.']

It Happened Like This...

2011-10-20T05:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday:

2:32 am - Lorelai wakes me up to tell me it's her birthday. I send her back to bed.
6:35 am - Lorelai comes and asks me if it's okay to be awake yet. I say yes.
6:47 am - I get out of bed. Start getting myself (and everyone else) ready for the day.
7:45 am - We eat orange cinnamon rolls for breakfast.
7:50 am - Lorelai opens gifts from her Uncle Michael and Oma.
8:27 am - Lorelai leaves for school.
8:28 am - Donald and I scramble to clean the house.
9:15 am - We (Donald, myself, Alexandra, and Eliasbeth) leave for Spokane. (Lorelai didn't want to miss school; you get a pencil on your birthday).
11:27 am - Pull into the parking garage at Sacred Heart Childrens Hospital.
11:30 am - Check in at Dr. Reggins office.
11:40 am - Go back for appointment. Discuss the usual things (seizures, seizures, seizures).
12:10 pm - Set out to find the Lost and Found department at Sacred Heart to reclaim our backpack that got left behind 3 weeks ago.
12:17 pm - Still hunting.
12:19 pm - Realize the lost and found is lost.
12:25 pm - Find the lost and found down in the basement, in the housekeeping office.
12:26 pm - Get my backpack!!!
12:30 pm - Meet up with Donald's cousin Jared for lunch in the cafeteria.
1:30 pm - Head home.
3:45 pm - Arrive back in Kennewick.
3:50 pm - Pick up Lorelai's birthday cake from the bakery.
4:00 pm - Stop at home.
4:10 pm - Watch Lorelai open some more presents.
4:20 pm - Pile back in the car.
4:30 pm - The children participate in a juice and cheese tasting for Welch's Grape Juice (more on that later)
5:40 pm - Finish sampling cheese.
6:00 pm - Pick up pizza's.
6:10 pm - Pop them in the oven.
6:30 pm - Party for Lorelai.
8:30 pm - Tuck the children into bed.
9:00 pm - Lisa soaks in the tub.

That was a day, wouldn't you agree?

[Do you like Lorelai's new dresser?]

The end.

It's Lorelai's Birthday!

2011-10-19T05:00:00.000-07:00

Lucky
Seven

Happy 7th Birthday
to my
Lorelai Leigh

**Photograph courtesy of Photography by Lee Ann

Orange

2011-10-18T05:00:00.000-07:00

It looks like Halloween at our house...

Do you like my antique globe back there? It's my favorite in my collection.

My friend, Esther, gave me this Halloween Scentsy warmer as a gift last week. Needless to say, my house smells good right now. (Thank you Esther!!)

And then when I was out running errands yesterday I happened upon these felt Halloween treat buckets (which I could not resist).

So I bought one for Alexandra and one for Lorelai and had them waiting on the kitchen counter for them when they got home from school. (Along with a plate of Hershey Kisses)

And then I plopped a warm pumpkin-chocolate-chip cookie on each of those plates. They were giddy and I felt it was one of my finer parenting moments (if that counts as a parenting moment).

By the way, the first thing that Lorelai did was flip that bucket upside down and wear it like a hat. And a few hours later I saw it sitting atop Elisabeth's head.

You can be sure that pictures are coming of that one...

Lisa's Home Show - episode 3

2011-10-17T05:00:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I have a habit of rambling - as is evident by the 10 minute long video beneath this paragraph. In fact, the original video was 10:18 but YouTube didn't like that and cut it down to 10 minutes flat (so sorry about the abrupt ending).

I promise that next week I'll try to keep my rambling to a minimum.

Grand Opening

2011-10-14T07:55:00.000-07:00

YogaHut is ready to go!

And...as a grand opening special, Jennifer is offering classes through the end of October for only $5 each. Now that's a steal.

So see you there Monday for opening day, okay?

Go to www.yoga-hut.com for details.

And a very happy 17th birthday to my nephew, Matthew.

(p.s. How are you 17 already?)

Healing

2011-10-13T05:00:00.000-07:00

I've grown tired of being unproductive; it's not me and I've struggled to find the self-discipline to just let things be. Often times when I'm just sitting I give a thought or two to my spine; I imagine it hard at work, fusing itself. That's a big job I imagine. (So perhaps I am being productive after all.)

But regardless of what work my spine is doing, I've been aching to do something, anything. So yesterday I made rice - tons of it. And I washed grapes, and boiled eggs, and I even made some pumpkin cookies. Things that I can do that don't require much other than standing.

I also gave some thought to how things were before surgery - 2 weeks ago. It's funny really, because despite the crippling pain, I never felt like it was too much to handle. I never felt overwhelmed. I didn't feel sorry for myself. But then I remembered the video Donald took of me as they rolled me off to surgery (click here) - I cannot remember that moment in time. They had already given me some drugs and I was getting really loopy.

In that brief clip I say, "this has been the hardest experience of my life..."

It's interesting to hear myself say that because I have no recollection of that moment. And...even though the past few months were no picnic, I never ever thought of it as being such a trying experience. But it's on video - and I did say it. And come to think of it, it was hard. It was really, really hard.

And when I think back to how hard it all was, and how grateful I am to be whole again [or at least on the path to being so], I realize that I can be content just washing grapes, and waiting, and healing.

Mint Condition

2011-10-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about Elisabeth are her feet. They are still as perfect and new as the day she was born; indeed, they still have that newborn look.

[Elisabeth's feet at 4-years-old.]

Perfect.

Never-been-used.

Mint condition.

Photos courtesy of Photography by Lee Ann

YogaHut

2011-10-11T06:11:00.000-07:00

The new floors are in at the YogaHut and they look spectacular:

The YogaHut is opening on Monday! Will you be there? I'll probably stop by - but yoga is 100% on the no-no list for me right now. However, in January (once my surgeon gives me the a-okay to function normally again) I'm going to be taking a restorative yoga class from Jennifer. She'll have me in tip-top shape by next Spring (or summer).

On a different note, Donald and Elisabeth both have nasty colds. Boo. So it looks like I'll have some company while watching House Hunters today.

Spinal Fusion Recovery - Day 12

2011-10-10T05:00:00.000-07:00

Ha ha ha! I am totally cracking up over the still image on my video down below. It looks like I have something very serious to say...lol...don't worry, I don't. And for the record, I could have chosen a different still image - but this one was just too classic, don't you think?

Clarification: Upon watching this video back I realized that I totally slurred the word 'autumn' at the beginning. So where it sounds like I say, 'it's starting to look like ummm' I am in fact saying, 'it's starting to look like Autumn'. I would blame pain meds - but I'm not taking any. So shoot, I'm just slurring my words these days I suppose.

Drumroll please...

2011-10-07T05:00:00.000-07:00

I am pleased to announce the opening of:

On Monday the 17th of October in Richland, WA.

My sister, Jennifer, (who is pretty much one of the most amazing people in the world) has been working day and night to get her new business up and running. And on top of opening a business, she's been taking care of me and cleaning my home and taking care of Elisabeth (lifting/changing/etc) because - as you may remember - I am currently on the disabled list.

And because I am disabled I was only permitted to sit and watch while everyone else painted walls at the hut the other day:

By the way - the floors have since gone in and they look a-mazing! I'll have to go snap a picture or two.

Be prepared to hear one million and two things about the YogaHut in the next week because opening day is coming soon!

www.yoga-hut.com

Our Harvest

2011-10-06T06:27:00.000-07:00

Remember that surprise pumpkin patch that started growing while I was in Italy this summer?

Well, it grew and grew and now look what we have:

Not bad for something we didn't even plan, huh?

In other news:

I was looking at my calendar and the girls and I have a total of 11 medical appointments coming up. 11.

Donald has 0.

(Showoff.)

Nine

2011-10-05T06:27:00.000-07:00

This is how you turn 9 in the Sorenson home:

A birthday girl.

Cake.

Party goods.

Decorations.

And a bunch of gifts piled on...

...a new desk! (could there be anything better for my little writer?)

And that's how you do that.

It's Alexandra's Birthday!

2011-10-04T05:00:00.000-07:00

* nine *

Oh, happy day!

Oh, happy day!!

***Photograph courtesy of Photography by Lee Ann.

Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion

2011-10-03T05:00:00.000-07:00

Oh goodness, I have so much to say today - so I thought it made a lot more sense to literally just say it, you know?

(Sorry that I had to film this in two parts. We had a little 'problem' halfway through. Ha ha.)
(I filmed this yesterday on post-op day 5.)

Final Words from Room 855

2011-09-30T12:30:00.001-07:00

I apologize in advance for my double chin. And for that unsightly wound. But I wanted to share it because while I was anticipating my surgery I wanted all the details...more than what you read on WebMD.com. So this is going out there to all those who find themselves in my shoes one day; so that you can be prepared and know what's coming...

Okay, let the healing begin!

And a big thank you to Dr. G, Dr. M, and the staff at SHMC.

You're the best!

Post-Op: Day 3

2011-09-30T05:00:00.000-07:00

I am so glad for a new day to be here. Yesterday was hard - but I started to feel better once they stopped giving me the pain meds. Those things were seriously messing with my mind.

I feel so tender still. And weak. Yesterday evening I thought I felt a spark of energy - so I used it to take a shower. Let me tell you, it felt divine, but was also completely exhausting. Exhausting with a capital E. But at least I'm clean now.

My new roomie is the best. She is the same age as my mother and also had a spinal fusion at L-4/L-5. But even though we had the same end result it's been interesting to compare notes. For example, my surgeon opted for a single incision on my belly. Hers went through the side and the back. My surgeon insists that I wear a back brace for 6 weeks, while hers doesn't believe in them. Regardless of the differences though, it's been comforting to have someone here to commiserate with me.

Best news of today: Donald is coming. And I am planning on another post-op video to go up later today. So if you want to see my battle scars, check back in later, okay? If that's not your thing then I would suggest you stay far far away from here (it's not too scary though - or maybe I'm just getting used to it.

p.s. Today is picture day at my girls school. I forgot all about it, but Jennifer called last night to remind me.

"How do you want me to do their hair? I can't mess this up, this is epic."

"Jennifer, first of all, you can't mess it up, you are one of the best stylists I know. And besides, for years to come I'll always look back at those pictures and remember the time my sister was there for me."

Thank you Jenn!!

Post-Op: Day 2, Part 2

2011-09-29T14:39:00.000-07:00

Today has been hard. I've felt light-headed and sick. And the meds are messing with my emotions. I have randomly burst into tears so many times. And I feel sort of life-less. Apparently they are going to take me off whatever med this is, but I have to wait for it to work its way out of my system.

I walked the loop around the 8th floor today. It took forever. Forever, forever. It was hard. I felt cold and I was shivering and I barely had the strength to keep going. But Dr. G just called and he insists that I'll get better quicker if I get up more. He also looked at my post-op x-rays and said they look fabulous. Though I already knew they would - Dr. G is a bit of a perfectionist.

The best part of the day was when my roommate was discharged. She complained about everything; from the food, to the staff, to her neighbors back at home. I have a feeling that she's the type who can always find something to be sour about. (and just so you know, she said she will NEVER come to this hospital again. NEVER.)

Okay, enough about her. Because my new roommate is soft and quiet and doesn't complain when her food arrives 5 minutes late. She and I are going to get along just fine.

Back to sleep for me now...

Exciting times in room 855

2011-09-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I made a huge stride forward last night. I walked to the bathroom. And I didn't even cry.

I am hoping they don't send me home today. I do want to go home, but I just don't feel ready. I feel so vulnerable still...like something could go wrong at any minute and I don't want to be too far from Dr. G and Dr. M if something takes a turn for the worse.

Let's see, what other exciting things are happening in room 855:

I ate some mashed potatoes for dinner.

My blood pressure is dangerously low.

I got a new roommate and I wish the old one was still here. All this woman has done for the past 18 hours is complain. And she knows it too. At one point I heard her whisper to whoever was visiting her, "I feel sorry for the lady next to me, she probably thinks I'm a whiny b***h." Well...I wouldn't have chosen those words but...

I have a snazzy new back brace. It's going to be my friend for the next 6 weeks.

I got brave and looked at the incision site. Yikes. It's just below my belly button and to the left. About 3 or 4 inches in length. And completely black and blue.

I spend all the moments that I am not asleep (which isn't many) playing Words with Friends. So thank you to all my Words with Friends friends for keeping me entertained. You're the best!

Tootles!

Post-Op: Day 1, Part 2

2011-09-28T17:33:00.000-07:00

Both the surgeons came in to visit me today. Dr. M was the general surgeon. It was his job to cut me open and get everything like abdominal muscles, intestines, and blood vessels out of the way. He said everything went great and there was minimal bleeding. I told him that I purposely put myself on a liquid diet on his behalf the day before surgery. I didn't think he would want to see some hamburger floating around in there. Eww gross. And then I told him how interesting it is that he's seen parts of me that I've never seen. To which he replied, "Trust me, that's the way you want it to be." He's probably right; I don't want to see my intestines. I'll just stick with seeing me from the outside.

Dr. G also came in to visit. He said that surgery went longer than planned and that it wasn't easy. Apparently I have some bones of steel in there and screwing the cage into my spine didn't happen easily. He also said that the disc was a falling about halfway into the spinal canal and that my spine down there at L4-L5 had no support at all. But he fixed me all up now, so my days of walking like the hunchback of Notre Dame should be over.

I have been sooooo tired today; slept pretty much the whole time. They want me up and moving, but I don't want to be up and moving. I just want to lay here. They forced me up twice now. Once to walk to the door and back and another time to sit me in a wheelchair and go downstairs for x-rays. And I cried. When they got me up the first time I was just so overwhelmed by it all and scared to move that I started bawling. I blame the meds though....I think they are making me emotional.

Anyways, I think they are going to back off some of the pain meds because they think I've been sleeping too much. But I just think I'm making up for lost time - all these past months where I couldn't get a good nights sleep; where the pain was just too bad.

Okay, I'm tired, all this typing has wore me out. Off to dream land again.

***please ignore typos/ etc. I am a little loopy.

Post-op: Day 1

2011-09-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

I don't have a camera with me. So until I go home my posts will have to be picture-less (boring). Sorry about that.

It's strange being all alone here. Donald and Jennifer went back home yesterday so that the children wouldn't miss any more school. But I miss them. I really, really do.

Yesterday was interesting. I am not used to laying around all day, but I never got up, not once. I just stayed in bed, hooked up to a million different things. But they tell me that today they are sending in physical therapists to make me get up and start moving. I am nervous. My stomach is soooo tender right now. And rightfully so. They did open me up and move everything out of the way to access my spine. I hope they put it all back together right. :)

They aren't letting me eat yet. But that's okay. I am sort of afraid to eat. Just like I am afraid to stand up. But I'm going to have to brave it eventually. Maybe I can start off my eating by having one of those See's Candies sitting on my bedside table. Jennifer lovingly hand-picked all my favorites and had them wrapped up in an Autumn themed box. Autumn is my favorite time of the year. In fact, I have the most spectacular view of Spokane from the window next to my bed. And even though I don't see Fall colors yet, it just looks Fall-ish out there. A little crisp and blustery.

And while we are on the subject of things that make me happy, let me say how grateful I am right now. I am grateful to be living in a time of medical advances. Where we have doctors trained to fix things like damaged spines. Just think, if I were living in a different era of history I would have been doomed to remain a cripple forever. But I don't. I live now, and I live here, and I am on the road to recovery. It's all so wonderful!

Wish me luck today with my standing/walking. I'll have to post later and tell you all how it went.

Tootles!

Surgery Day Part 4...Out Of Surgery..On The Road To Recovery!

2011-09-27T15:22:00.000-07:00

Well, Lisa's surgery went excellent. Dr. Gruber told me that her bones are nice and strong, and because they were so strong the surgery took a bit longer than they expected. But she should be good as new. (After 12 weeks of therapy that is.)

Here is a post operation video Lisa. She is so thankful for all the warm wishes!

Surgery Day Part 3...The Drugs Are Kicking In

2011-09-27T08:56:00.000-07:00

Here is Lisa right when they took her back. They gave her something to "relax". Good time to get some last words in before surgery!

Good Luck Lisa! We love you!!

Surgery Day! Part 2!

2011-09-27T08:15:00.000-07:00

This is part two of Lisa's back surgery day. To see part one, click here!

Here is Lisa doing a little pre surgery talk. I can't wait for the post surgery talk...that is when it will get interesting!

Surgery Day!

2011-09-27T04:00:00.000-07:00

We arrived in Spokane yesterday so that I could get my bloodwork and pre-op appointment taken care of in preparation for my 5:30 am check-in time this morning.

Last night at the hotel Donald said,

"Lisa, do you want to carry Elisabeth into bed one last time? It's your last chance until January."

So....I did it. Probably not my smartest move, but we figured any extra damage I caused could be fixed up by Dr. G this morning. Right?

Disclaimer: No child was injured in the making of this movie. Only one Mama.

So this is it. I'm heading out to the hospital. The plan is to post a few videos throughout the day, so check back in, okay?

Wish me luck!

(It feels like Christmas morning!)

(Is that sad?)

Queen Elisabeth's Royal Party

2011-09-26T05:00:00.000-07:00

The Crown:

The Decorations:

The Gifts:

The Cake:

The Birthday Queen:
(who was [and still is] very sick)

And that's how a Queen turns 4!

(Goodnight. Sleep tight.)

Elisabeth's 4th Birthday!

2011-09-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

Is it true? Can it be?
That today Elisabeth says goodbye to three?

Yes, yes, but there is more...
Goodbye to three, but hello to four!

Happy 4th Birthday
Elisabeth!

Photo courtesy of Photography by Lee Ann.

Sisterhood

2011-09-23T06:38:00.000-07:00

[Me, Jennifer, and Kristin. I never thought we looked much alike, but in this picture, I see it. We definitely look like sisters!]

I consider myself lucky on many accounts, one of them being that I have two sisters. My younger sister, Jennifer, is only two years apart from me in age. We shared everything growing up; from a bedroom to friends to a darling green shirt with 3/4 length sleeves (it still fits her). But my older sister, Kristin, graduated from high school when I was only seven years old. And while I was still at home playing with Barbie's and studying the violin, she was off exploring life. She went to college and earned a degree; she served a mission in Estonia; she got married; she started a family.

This past summer I had the opportunity to travel to Europe with both of my sisters. Those 8 days in Italy were amongst the best I've ever experienced. We laughed and laughed; we immersed ourselves in a different culture; we people watched; we ate gelato at 1:00 AM; we perused museums; we rode bikes through Rome; we traveled by train through the countryside of Tuscany.

It was magical.

But the best part of all was that I felt like we got to make up for lost time; all those years of my childhood where Kristin was already off living life while I was still working on growing up.

Happy Birthday Kristin!

You'll never know just how much I look up to you.
You are amazing.

Love, Lisa

p.s.
Please stop by tomorrow for a special weekend-edition post!! You don't want to miss it!!

p.p.s
I seem to do a lot of p.s.'s lately. Too much to say, I suppose.

Maybe I should become a Gondolier...

2011-09-22T08:11:00.000-07:00

My sister, Kristin, just emailed me this picture from our trip to Italy this past summer. Ha ha...I think I look like a venetian gondolier in my stripes. You know me, I just try to blend in with my surroundings; look like one of the locals (lol).

The funny thing is that I just bought a cardigan two days ago with those exact same stripes.

What is it with me and stripes?

I just can't get enough of them.

Perhaps I should consider moving to Italy and becoming a gondolier....

***

p.s.

What are you doing tonight?

If you have a minute between 6:00 and 8:00 you should stop by my house - I'm hosting a trunk show for Sweet Lizzi Children's Fashions. Cake will be served - as will Choffy. (Did you see Choffy on The Dr. Oz Show this week?) Anyways, stop on by and say, hello.

I might be wearing my new cardigan.

(email me for directions: greenstan@charter.net)

A Declaration

2011-09-21T04:46:00.000-07:00

This past week I read a comment thread on Facebook that really bothered me. It started off with a mother saying how hurt she was that someone had stared at her disabled child. And from there on a whole slew of parents-of-handicapped-children (PHC's) joined in saying how rude people are and how people are jerks and how in this day and age there is just no compassion for disabled people.

Excuse me?

Out of the entire history of the world I am quite sure there has never been a time as wonderful as right now. I have a child with severe brain damage - and in the past it would have been expected that she be placed in an institution (though I'm quite sure I never ever could have/would have done that), but now - in this day and age - children like Elisabeth are given an education and therapies and opportunities.

It is so wonderful! And I find myself thinking each and every day how grateful I am to not only live now, but to live here - in the United States of America. How can any of us complain?

Yes, sometimes people do look or stare. But why is that a bad thing? Why is it immediately assumed that people are looking down on your child with disgust? (And yes, this is what the mothers in this particular comment thread were saying). It is okay for people to be curious about children like Elisabeth - it's human nature to wonder. And I just don't see how that is so wrong or bad.

Another comment that I read stated how they 'wished people would ask about their child rather than just stare'. But from what I have observed over the course of the past 4 years (the 4 years that I have been a part of the disabled community) that is not a simple task. If a stranger or acquaintance - or even a friend - asks a question, it is expected that they ask the right question, and that it is stated in a politically correct form.

For example:

I have read how someone should never ever say 'what's wrong with your child?'. Oh heavens, if you do there's a good chance you'll get an earful. Rather, it would be more politically correct to say 'what's your child's diagnosis?'

But it's all so silly really. Why must we play these games? If someone is asking about your child, they are doing it with good intentions; because they care. So why make them feel bad when no harm was intended?

And - taking it a step further - why does it matter if someone says, 'what's wrong with your child?'

What's wrong with the word wrong? Why are PHC's so afraid of that word? Because the truth is that there is something wrong. Take Elisabeth for example: her brain did not develop the way it was supposed to. She cannot walk or talk or eat. So therefore, there is something wrong with her. And that's okay. That does not lessen her value as a human being. It is simply a fact.

I would encourage all fellow parents-of-handicapped-children to stop playing these games; stop worrying about how someone asks a question and start being glad that they did ask a question. Be excited to share the story of your child. Help spread the joy that comes from knowing these blessed little spirits. Instead of taking offense, take the opportunity to give a warm smile to a passerby on the street. Help them to know that it is okay to wonder and furthermore, that it is okay to ask.

And please, oh please, instead of dwelling on what-might-have-been, choose to dwell on the miracles that are.

[My miracle.]