This morning we are still praying for precious Gavin as we wait for him to be received into the arms of Jesus. Please join us as we lift this family up to our God. He and He alone gives us our every breath and He knows the moment we all will breathe our last. May peace surround Gavin and his family. gavinowens.com

We are coming to you once again and asking our readers to pray for a little boy whom we have fallen in love with over the last couple of years. He is so amazing, so beautiful, and so very loved. Words fail me and all I know to do is ask you to please pray for him, his big sister, his mommy, and his daddy. If you would go to his site and let them know you are thinking of them at this time it would mean so very much to us. Thank you for caring. gavinowens.com

So much is going on this week. It never hurts to just stop and record it for a moment. Someday, my kids will all be grown and I'll be sitting around just wondering what to do with myself(not looking forward to that day). Because I know that day is coming far too soon, I'm doing my best to enjoy the craziness of life each day.

So the craziest news of this week? Obviously the whole lose my own wallet thing in the not smartest way of driving off with it on top of the car and then trying to figure out just what direction the thief who found it first is headed with all that info. This is a CRAZY time we live in. Thanks for all the helpful advice. Sunshine, that list is awesome and I'll be starting at the top of it first thing this morning. Thank you.

We are now grandparents. WHAT? is that what I heard you just say? Well, its true. Blake is now the proud parent of not one, but yes two little eggs. Twins no less. A boy and a girl. I will be the hired babysitter at the rate of 50cents per hour(all rules set by the instructor for the assignment) over the weekend while he plays in a baseball tournament. I think I'm going to love this little assignment! The guys are having great fun with the whole thing. His little eggs sure lucked out getting Blake for a dad and then Dave for a grand dad. What a blessing for those little things. I'll try and post pics of them all soon.

Tonight is Blake's last football game of the season. Should be fun. They get to wear the GOLD pants and in case you didn't know this, THATS A REALLY BIG DEAL. The guys are super excited about it.

Basketball tryouts begin next week. We are all pumped about that!

Basketball practice has been in full swing for Allie and myself for three weeks now. Lets just say that I'm old, out of shape, and over weight. Other than that we are having a blast doing this together and that was my goal. Forget the fact that by the end of each week I can barely walk. Only one more week of 4 day practices. Thats my mantra. One more week. Then we slow things down to 2 a week. Our first scrimmage is a week from Monday. It should be a good eye opener for my girls and give me a great picture of what we still need to work on. I love this sport!

Only one more week of soccer for this season. Allie was in tears last night when I told her if she doesn't start feeling better she may not play. Her heart was broken! She begged and pleaded with me all night. I hope she starts getting better soon. She's been out of school since about noon on Monday. She's not going back at all this week. Today she has to miss out on school pictures and the fall relays. Again, she's been crying all night. Life is not fair and trying to help her understand that slowing down and catching up on her rest is the biggest part of healing has been hard. She just wants to go back.

Ashley Kate is making huge strides daily. Her signs, her mobility, her caloric intake, her everything. Tonight she walked, full weight bearing, between her parallel bars for two feet ON HER OWN. Dave and I are in AWE of this child. Such hard work. She is amazing. TWO FEET of independent steps. TWO WHOLE FEET ALL BY HERSELF! "Its not if, its when" is all her dad can say about her learning to walk. He firmly believes 2010 is going to be the year. I'm starting to believe him. I so wish you guys could experience what it feels like to finally be in this place with her. We couldn't have been more proud. I'm hoping to get some video of it posted soon so you can see just how amazing it is. She is moving all over our house. Its not conventional but it gets her where she wants to go. She knows how to disconnect her feeding tube when she gets it pulled as far as it will reach and then she just takes off without it. Leaving behind her a puddle of formula and a mess for me to clean up. The places we find her! In her closet, under the pool table, down the hall, in my room under the bed looking for caterpillars(she cracks me up when I find her and ask what she's doing. The things she signs back to me are so funny!), Allies bathroom asking for me to put her in the bathtub, etc. She is a busy girl. Her favorite thing is shut the doors behind her and then start knocking until I come and find her. Usually a rescue attempt is in order because she is sitting right up next to the door and getting her to understand how to scoot back enough for me to open it up has not been easy. Still I laugh and laugh at her as I try to get in and she impatiently knocks louder and louder on the door. Once inside she signs, "hello" as if she hasn't seen me in ages. Oh, this child! I love her so very much!

Friday morning Ashley Kate will have lab work done. Did I ever mention that we finally made it back to just having monthly labs instead of weekly? It took a whole year, but we got there. This will be her first set in a month and so I'm a little nervous about the results. Especially since she's been sick. After labs we will pick up her braces, and after that she'll go riding. Saturday, Blake has a local tournament and Allie still hopes to play in her soccer game. After the games we plan on starting on the batting cage(we've only been here for 4months now. Blake REALLY wants it back up). That will be more than an all day job. It will probably take a couple of weekends at least. I'm looking forward to the weekend so life can slow down a bit around here. Sounds real relaxing doesn't it?

Well, its now 2:30 in the morning and I'm going to attempt to go back to bed. I'm not feeling that great lately and sleep is hard to come by. I think Ash may have school (for the first time since the household became sick two weeks ago) around 8:30 this morning. That doorbell is going to ring way too early if I can't manage to get some sleep. Overall I think Ash is getting over the worst of it, Allie is still struggling(she's lost 8lbs over the last two weeks! No appetite and that has left her with no energy), and Blake is doing the "I have no fever dance" all over the house insisting that since he doesn't he can still go, go, go. I'm trying really hard to not be sick, but the headache is enough to make me want to stay in bed.

You just never know whats going to happen inside the walls of our house. Life is an adventure and I'm so grateful to be on it with my crazy husband and awesome kids. From egg babies, to lost wallets, to our baby taking her first steps. Its a crazy life, but I LOVE it.

What happened on Saturday was definitely weird, it's totally true, and last night it just felt freaky. Not sure I've ever felt that way before, but standing at the check counter in Wal-mart I definitely felt freaked out.

I'll just explain.

Dave was out of town. He needed to take my car. That left me with a car seat in the garage that needed to put into his car. Simple enough. Except for the fact that I had forgotten he was in my car until I stepped outside. Ashley was in my arms, as were my keys, my wallet, her bag, her back pack and feeding pump. What now? I asked Blake to fasten the seat into the car. As he worked on it I was beginning to lose my grip on growing 4 year old and so I dropped my keys on the ground and set my wallet on top of the car. Then we loaded Ash into her seat and drove off on our way.

Both of the older kids had plans and they both needed to be in different places at specific times. We running right on schedule. About two miles away from the house I realized that I failed to take my wallet off the top of the car. Not good. Actually it was really, really bad.

We turned around and drove the exact route immediately about 4 or 5 times back and forth. No wallet(not that I really expected it to just be lying there waiting for me). I started to cry because what else do you do at a time like that? Oh, yeah, I prayed and cried.

Inside my wallet I had my driver's license, one credit card we use only in emergency situations, my debit card, both debit cards to Blake's new account(opened on his 14th birthday to begin saving for a car in the future), and one card we keep funds on for the business. Oh, yeah my Pine Tree Pirate Football coupon card. There was also a $20.00 bill. Not too exciting, but my only access to any type of funds in any way.

Shortly after my melt down I receive a phone call that my wallet had in fact been found and that they were driving around our old neighborhood looking for me. Thankfully, I have not gotten around to having an address change on my license or even my checkbook yet. You'll understand why later. So, I'm feeling completely grateful and once again in awe that God is so involved in the little details of our lives. Details like returning my wallet to me from the middle of the road. Once I met up with the very nice lady who returned my wallet she told me there was a $20 left in it, my license, and some cards. She wasn't sure if it were all there, but felt good that it might be because the $20 was still there. I felt that way too. She left my home and I called Dave to let him know it had been returned.

Then...I opened up my wallet and the panic began to set in. At first glance I noticed that exactly one half of the cards that should have been in the slots were there. Just half. The emergency credit card(that had a completely empty balance. Lots of shopping could be done:( , one of Blake's debit cards, only one, and my Pine Tree Football card were missing. My debit card, one of Blake's debit cards, and the business card were all still in there slots. Very confusing to me, but oh well. I'm still feeling grateful.

I successfully cancel the credit card before purchases were made. I also cancel Blake's cards before any of his saved money had been spent. I'm feeling so grateful that the "thief's" were willing to save me some money on drinks wherever they decide to eat by using my coupon card. Kind of made me laugh.

So the whole experience was very weird and every part has been true. Crisis over. No funds lost. Then....

I'm standing in Walmart about 9pm last night with a full load of groceries. I open my wallet and pull my debit card from the slot for the first time since all this began. You see, I glanced in my wallet on Saturday and saw the card sitting in its slot and that's all I had done. I had not actually pulled it out to see if it were still my card. I just thought, "oh, its still there. Wonder why they left half of the cards?" Guess what happened? I pull the card and realize its NOT MY NAME ON THE BOTTOM OF THE CARD! It had been REPLACED with someone else's card! The freakiest feeling came over me. I couldn't even think. I can't imagine what the cashier thought of me when I told her it wasn't my card. I was in complete shock! It was so freaky to know that the "thief's" had skillfully left enough cards in my wallet in hopes that perhaps I wouldn't notice any were missing(which didn't work) and had slipped in a different debit card in hopes that I wouldn't notice it weren't mine for a few days(which DID work).

This whole experience has been unbelievable. Really it has. This morning we have a mess on our hands and we are trying to get it straightened out. Dave wonders if an identity theft may be in the works. Who knows? Basically what they have is my name, a few cards that have been closed, my drivers license number, and an old address. I wonder how much damage can be done with that information? Not really sure where to go from here. I just know that leaving your wallet on the top of your car and driving off is not a good idea. Its just not.

Its all just too weird, completely true, and totally freaky. We could be in trouble if they figure out how to make this whole thing work. We are looking for ways to stop it before it happens, but aren't too sure we've got enough time.

Well...its lingering. Its been over a week, two since Allie first came down with something, and instead of kicking it I think its trying to take us all down. Possibly even out. Ashley, Allie, Blake, and now I too have this little "something".

The blessing so far is that Ash is holding her own like never before. She's not feverish, not vomiting, not dehydrated. She is however coughing deeper than last week, and more stopped up than she was. Her respiratory status is still good . Even better than Blake and Allies at this point. She remains happy despite the fact that she's not resting well. She still scoots all around the house and finds more and more ways to get into "trouble". I had hoped she would be over it this week, but still this morning she is not. She was awake most of last night and so I imagine she will be sleeping for most of this morning.

Both of the older kids are not well. They are not sick enough to be home in bed, but they are not feeling very good either. Coughing deeply. Dark circles under their eyes this morning from lack of quality sleep. Moving slowly. Running noses. Trying very hard to feel better, but just not there. They don't have much of a choice about attending school. At their ages its harder and harder to catch up on missed days and so if they don't have fevers and aren't vomiting then they are attending. I wish they could have some time to rest, refuel, and try to recover. Try getting an 11 and 14 year old to slow down their social calendars though. It doesn't happen.

Ash won't be having classes today. Or tomorrow. Perhaps by Wednesday or Thursday? At least I can decide to slow her schedule down when I believe she needs it. Her teacher will be thrilled to find out all she's been doing while she's been out. Just yesterday as I was assembling one of our Christmas trees she looked at me and signed "tree" pointed to the top of it(where my next section was to go) and then signed "on". Once it was on she signed "light on" for me to get the top section of lights turned on as well. It was really amazing to watch her converse with me and "run the show" from where she sat. Her school teacher has been working on the sign "on" all year as she teaches Ash to turn on a small light that she has. So far she has refused to sign it, but just like I thought she did know how to and she had been listening. She's very, very smart and she knows much more than she chooses to show us. Signs just tumble out of her every day that I had no idea she even knew. She uses them appropriately when she needs them and that amazes me. It is nothing short of amazing. I love that she has a way to "speak" to us. Life would be very, very frustrating and difficult for her(and us) if she had no way to communicate. I'm so thankful for her ability to learn. It is a blessing.

Well, the house is in full holiday motion after this weekend and last night it was so nice to all sit around and just enjoy the season. Blake was in his "spot" and "just enjoying Christmas"(his own words), Allie was at the table working on this year's holiday puzzle, Ashley Kate was scooting around the family room, and Dave came in with a huge smile on his face from his business trip and announced, "I love this". That made me smile. Its going to be a very blessed season. I'm hoping to finish up a few things this morning and then I too am going to sit and just enjoy it while I work on laundry. Nothing makes folding laundry nicer than twinkling lights from a tree, yummy candle scents, and Christmas carols. I think its my favorite time of year to do laundry!

All in all life is good. I'm proud of Ash's little body and the strength it has gained this year. God is still protecting her life and I am grateful. Its a delicate balance between fighting off the common cold and keeping her organ grafts safe. Her immune system has to do just enough but not too much to keep her strong but yet out of rejection. I'm praying she gets through this without any complications. Coughs, runny noses, a lack of good rest we can handle. Staying hydrated is our main battle at this point. So far so good.

Hope your families are all well. Have a great week. Trish

Its here, its here, its here! I'm so happy. The "holiday weekend" that we wait on all year long has finally arrived. I'm just so excited!

Before you get all confused on me let me remind you that I choose NOT to celebrate Halloween in any way, shape, or form. I would even venture to say that I HATE that day and don't consider it a holiday. Sorry, I got side tracked. The whole death, destruction, evil, skeletal, blood dripping, spider web spinning, etc., etc. just isn't my thing. Its ok with me if it is your thing, its just not mine. Anyway...

This is the weekend(November 1) in which we will begin transforming our home for the holidays. I'm so smiley right now. Tomorrow I get to sneak away to Canton all by myself to do a little Christmas shopping. That makes me all smiley too. Dave is leaving before the sun comes up Saturday for a business weekend, but the girls and I have big plans. Blake loves the house when its all holiday like, but he doesn't enjoy the actual doing of it. He plans on sitting back, watching a movie, and eating platefuls of his favorite chocolate chip cookies. That is once he's done socializing and all.

Ash is still coughing and crudding. Her appointment to pick up her braces got rescheduled for next week, but she still plans on riding in the morning. She loves riding so much this year and since she's still smiling and not fussing about being sick we figure its ok to let her go. So while I'm off in absolute Canton/Christmas bliss, Dave and Ash will be at Windridge.

Its a little after midnight and everyone else is sleeping. The house is so quiet and peaceful so I think I'll put on some Christmas music and close my eyes too. Life is blessed.

Ash is still coughing, still sneezing, and still crudding(don't think that's a word but it's what I call what she's got). No fevers. That is a huge blessing. A stuffy nose seems to be the worst of what she's got. How I wish I could teach her to blow her little nose. I know she would feel so much better if only she could. She just doesn't understand what I'm trying to get her to do.

I'm still keeping most everyone at a distance. My hope is that the rest this week will be what she needs to get over this little stuff without it getting any worse. I do wish she could sleep at night. When she's kept awake she only causes trouble. Not knowing what to do with her tired self she begins to pull of dressings and bags and such. I went through 4 ostomy bags just yesterday and I've already replaced the one that was put on at 4am this morning. So technically we are on bag number 2 for today already. She's tired and congested, but still smiling. It doesn't get better than that. Wish I could still smile when I didn't feel well.

We do plan on picking up her braces this Friday and then going to find some shoes that might hold them on. We were given a good lead on a brand of cute shoes(although they will have to be several sizes too big to fit over the braces) that should work. So she'll have "clown" feet, but they will be cute "clown" feet. I still haven't figured out how she's supposed to learn to walk in shoes that don't fit, but supposedly the braces should be one of the keys to getting her to that point. I sure hope so. I really, really do.

Outside of keeping distance between Ash and the several sets of hands that touch her each week not too much is happening. Other than the usual stuff like basketball practice, soccer practice, football practice, hitting practice, games, youth group, school, etc. I can't believe how much we actually get accomplished each and every week. When you throw Ash's schedule into the mix it becomes a very busy household. Have I told you lately how very blessed I feel to be home and in the middle of all of this? Some days I slow down enough just to find a moment to be thankful.

Dave will be traveling for business this weekend, the kids will be socializing all over town, and Ash and I will begin decorating. The first is just days away and my heart is smiling just at the thought of turning our home into the holidays. I love, love, love this time of year. I may even sneak over to Canton Friday to do a little Christmas shopping.

Hope your weeks are blessed. Trish

Change. Its all around us. So much happening in the upcoming weeks. I'm trying so hard not to dread the changes, but to anticipate how much Ash's life will change for the better because of them. Keeping in mind that the dreams we have for our daughter are still there, still in reach, still possible.

Friday morning we will pick up Ashley Kate's leg braces.

Last Wednesday I received a letter in the mail informing me that her wheel chair had been approved by the insurance.

Then on Friday we were told the chair was here, it is ready for her, they are just waiting on the seat back which they expect to come in early next week.

Life is changing for Ash. Her world will be expanding. Freedom to move about will finally become hers and I can't imagine what that might feel like for our tiny girl.

Tonight we are trying to decide where to add ramps to the house, what type of lift system our car may need to have added on, and such things. Things I never dreamed we'd be discussing for one of our children. Life is funny. Some times it doesn't make sense. It just doesn't.

Ash has picked up whatever was going around at Allie's school. So far no fever just the cough, congestion, and such. We canceled all of her classes and therapy for this week to give her a chance to rest and hopefully fight off the worst of it all. She's happy, just stuffy. Still smiling, still being sweet, just not sleeping at night. She can't breathe that well when she's lying down.

Its been a little numbing around here today. Not sure I can put my finger on it. Just feels different for some reason. Change is hard. Still I know it takes change to make us grow.

In beloved Tarheel fashion our boys ended this season in their lives with a 4-3 win in the finals of the Super Series State Tournament last night. It couldn't have been any sweeter. We all had known for a week that our Tarheel days were numbered and that they would be playing their last tournament under the amazing coaching of Coach Stuckey. It was a hard and emotional week, but they pulled it together, showed up, and played baseball. In the end our kids won another state title(the 10th or 11th we lost count along the way) and their 33rd tournament championship in 4 years of play.

I'm not sure where Blake is headed from here. I know he will be playing. Somewhere. The hope is that a group of our kids will stay together for the next year as they prepare to move into high school play, but the details have not yet been worked out. What I do know is that my son loves the game, is an amazing athlete, and one of the best catchers at this age that can be found. He had the honor of calling each pitch for his good friend who pitched one of the best games I've ever watched. The two of them were amazing and the smiles on their faces as they struck out batter after batter were PRICELESS. They were doing what they loved and they loved doing it. I'll never forget it. Right before Blake drifted off to sleep with a smile across his faced he told Dave and I, "I'll never forget this night. Never. It's one to remember."

Today our Tarheels headed off to school not knowing what their baseball future holds, but with a state championship in their memory banks. What a way to go out. Unforgettable!



For Blake the next few weeks are full of batting lessons and hard work. He's excited to be working with a new hitting instructor and maybe even a little excited about the prospect of a new team being formed around him and his closest friends. I'm so proud of my kid and his friends. They are such incredible young men and last night they were having the time of their lives. What a blessing!