Spring Fever in the Garden

This is what we see when we open the bag to find that the

praying mantis's have hatched. Now keep in mind this is

only one egg that has hatched as each egg hatches 500-600

tiny praying mantis's.

Emily displaying her little praying mantis she is releasing.

Andrew holding his little praying mantis.

Kathlena holding a tiny praying mantis.

We have been busy building a new garden this year. Tilling, hauling in dirt, stringing hot wire fence to keep the deer out and finally planting. About six weeks ago I purchased some praying mantis eggs off of ebay so that the kids could watch them hatch and then we could release them into the garden. They are ferocious bug eaters! So, they make for good pest control in the garden. We did this last year too and it was so fun to see the hundreds of tiny praying mantis's crawl out of the bag.

Today we found that one of the eggs had hatched so we headed out to the garden to release them. Here are a few short video clips and some pictures we took. Andrew and Kathlena are loving gardening...I can hardly wait til harvest time as they will so enjoy picking the fruit of their labor.

Graduation Day

Well graduation day from trikes and Like-a Bike's that is! Andrew rode a bicycle for the first time...he made it look so easy. For him it was (and I think largely it was) because he learned to balance a bike on what is called a Like-a-Bike. Thank you again Paw-Paw and Grandmommie-it really worked. Andrew never used training wheels, he just learned to balance by using the like a bike which is a small bike with no pedals. He has been zipping around on this since last summer...even with his patch on he could navigate it with great ease. He had been asking to try and ride a "real" bicycle so we pulled out the bike we had saved for him and amazingly he just took off on it without any help. Watching him make turns and zip by sure doesn't look like someone who just learned to ride a few minutes before. Here is the video we shot of him below.


Now Kathlena has graduated to the Like a bike. She looks just like Andrew did when he first began, so I am sure she will be zipping around too in no time. This bike was an investment that really paid off as balance is one of the hardest parts of riding the bike and this bike helps kids achieve confidence in riding quickly so they can focus on maneuvering the bike. Here is a little clip of Kathlena taking her maiden voyage on the Like a Bike.

First Adjustment

Our first adjustments with the Chiropractor went pretty well. Andrew is liking them. He really likes the part where he gets to play with the toys in the waiting room, but he also did very well for Dr. Ky. Andrew actually received two adjustments today. He went early with Daddy for x-rays and was also adjusted. No surprises from the x-rays so that was good.
All of us went back a few hours later for our adjustments. Kathlena was very curious and watched closely as Dr. Ky adjusted E and J first then her. She liked it...especially the Cheeto crunch. Kathlena also showed some severe C1 and C2 misalignment's...not surprising as a result of her head tilt. We are hoping this will help her as well for her nystagmus and to strengthen her neck. She was really excited about her first time to go to the "fire cracker" this is what she calls the Chiropractor.
After their first adjustments I was talking to Dr. Ky and the kids went back over to the play area. I catch Andrew out of the corner of my eye pushing on something on the floor...almost as if administering CPR. I casually walk closer to see Kathlena on the floor with her arms crossed and Andrew pushing on her chest giving her an "adjustment". While I suppose this is the Chiropractic equivalent to playing doctor. I quickly suggested to both of them that we leave the adjusting to Dr. Ky.
I must say from my own adjustment that I have felt really good. Oddly, my nausea is gone. Hmm...I originally thought it to be unrelated except that it happened after my first adjustment too. It lasted for about 2 days then the nausea was back. Thankfully, I was in the next day and now it is gone again. I go back Mon. so we'll see if it holds.
I couldn't let the day go unnoticed. It has been 10 months today since our precious Andrew and Kathlena officially became Shiflets. It seems a lifetime ago since then and yet hard to believe not even a year yet.

Providential Postponement

We were two weeks from surgery, but have now decided to wait another 2 months. Over the past week and half we have been working with a Chiropractic Neurologist. This began as a search to help alleviate some back and neck pain that David has had chronically for years now and that I have started having 4 weeks ago; I think pregnancy related. Anyway, in the course of evaluating and working with Dr. Ky we decided to go ahead and have the kids evaluated also. As it turns out Andrew was off the chart in an area in the neck that is considered critical to a healthy central nervous system. This particular area is known for affecting the eyes as well.
After much prayer we decided to postpone Andrew's surgery a few months to give Dr. Ky a chance to work on Andrew and just see if he improves. If nothing else we believe it will help Andrew to be in better shape for the surgery.
I am not quite sure why this surgery thing has been such a difficult process for us. Everyone we have talked to who has had the surgery says it is a "piece of cake" as far as surgery goes. It seems just as we have dealt with it and moved forward with plans for surgery something providentially steps in that causes us to postpone. Maybe we have just needed more time; I do not know, but we prayerfully weigh what is best for Andrew and desire for him the very best outcome for his vision. I never knew how hard it is when there are so many varying opinions of treatment to single out what is the best one for the whole kid. I feel like I am constantly coming back to focus on what is best for Andrew as a whole child not just a pair of eyes. That may seem strange, but over the course of 10 months David and I have desperately tried to keep that perspective because Andrew has been changing so rapidly in so many areas one month it may seem like there is a problem but it resolves itself the next or because of the severity of trying to "fix" one thing it throws other areas out of whack. One thing is for sure it has kept us on our face before the Lord in Andrew's behalf causing us to trust the Lord more with each new challenge.
I should also note that Dr. Mazow gave us the option of waiting until summer anyway to do Andrew's surgery it was only because we believed nothing else could be done that we pursued surgery so quickly. We have now moved surgery to May 27, 2009...Lord willing. For now we will continue to patch 6-8hrs daily to "hold" his vision and begin tomorrow with Andrew's first adjustments at the Chiropractor.

Moving on to surgery

We knew we would eventually be at this point and now the time has finally come. Today we had Andrew's monthly follow up exam with Dr. Mazow. We have had no progress in two months so we are certain we have hit our plateau at 20/60 vision. We are thrilled though to have regained this much vision and praise the Lord for his healing and mercy on Andrew. We have scheduled Andrew's surgery for about a month from now; April 1st to be exact. It will be an outpatient procedure downtown at the Medical complex. Dr. Mazow only wants to do surgery on the left eye and not the right eye since it is in good shape. He will reposition the left eye to have a straighter alignment. We will likely have to continue some patching after surgery, but only a few hours a day. For now though we will have to continue to patch all waking hours until his surgery in one month. We are very pleased and thankful for Dr. Mazow and his staff. They have all been very kind and helpful.

I did notice in Andrew's eye exam today how much more confident he is in naming his letters and naming them quickly. I think he is becoming much more comfortable with Dr. Mazow and his staff. To their credit they work hard to make the kids feel at ease and Dr. Mazow is never in a hurry with us. He always takes time to visit with Andrew and us. This has been an added bonus in his eye exams to see how much he is progressing not only visually, but socially, cognitively and linguistically in a different environment.

For Andrew the patching has been challenging for him to continue to catch up academically in English and socially. With poor vision he often misses some of the nuances and social cues that he is so good at picking up on when he is not patched. I know that it has been a huge blessing for him to be home schooled as he is not having to deal with negativity daily from peers that is often an additional hardship for kids with vision issues who are in a government or private school environment. We have had a few encounters with curious and sometimes insensitive strangers of all ages when we are out and about going to museums, stores, parks etc. This has provided an opportunity to address how to handle other peoples rudeness and sometimes just innocent curiosity with the security and safety of those who love him nearby to coach him and help him talk through how to respond to those situations in the future. He is not being left daily to fend for himself all alone to retreat inwardly to cope or act out agressively to defend himself. I am also thankful for the precious kids that Andrew goes to church with that are so tender and thoughtful to Andrew. Looking out for him and making sure he is not left out or in harms way as he may not always see something coming at him. To God be the glory for all that He is doing in Andrew's life. Andrew is truly an amazingly resilient little boy whom the Lord is redeeming the time lost. He becomes more precious to me everyday and I could not imagine my life without him in it. The Lord has and continues to teach me much through Andrew's eyes.

Kathlena also had her first evaluation with Dr. Mazow today. She seemed as if eye exams were routine for her when she bounded into the chair with her ponytail wagging and her big smile. Her happiness is contagious...you can't help, but smile from the inside out when you are around her. Since, she has been to all of Andrew's eye appointments observing what to do she was quite ready and so glad to have her turn. It would seem that her nystagmus has lessened in frequency and Dr. Mazow commented that it seemed very "controlled". He wants us back in 3 months to keep check on it as we were unable still to get a vision test on her. She is not quite able to comprehend reliably what is being asked of her, but this is not unusual for her age. She will be 4yrs. old by her next visit and we have a chart to work with her on for next time. Dr. Mazow was in no hurry to talk surgery for Kathlena that as long as she is showing progress and the nystagmus lessening he wants to continue to observe her for now.

Rodeo Reflections

Yes, Emily went with us which is why we have all of these great pictures. I snapped this one early to prove it.

Kathlena overlooking the Houston skyline

You cannot live in Houston for long before you must go to the Houston Livestock and Rodeo. I remember as a kid growing up in a rural community that was big into 4H and FFA an hearing about the Houston Rodeo each year. I went for the first time myself only a few years ago and loved it. It reminded me (only much bigger) of the days when I was a kid growing up in New Braunfels, TX an going to the Comal County Fair. The fair was something I always looked forward to going to every year.
Here a some pics from our night at the Rodeo.



Emily did a great job of capturing some difficult pictures from our seats. Fast action!!

Andrew loved his first rodeo. His favorite part was the ice cream, calf roping and the bull riding. He also liked the sheep riding that the little kids did and wished he could have rode also! This was so funny. They had sheep for the kids 4-6 (pre-selected) to ride the sheep like the bull riders. Trying to hang on for the full 7secs. It was quite hilarious. Andrew with his blood hound nose immediately picked up on the "smells" of the rodeo asking with his wrinkled up nose "what is that smell?"



Andrew and Kathlena sharing popcorn.




I wanna be a cowboy!!

The lights were turned low for the Alan Jackson concert and Kathlena looked ready for "night, night"

Andrew loved the fireworks at the end. But he said it was
too loud though.

The long ride home. We took the bus so once the concert was over us and everyone else headed for the shuttles. The wait wasn't too long and we found a way to have fun anyway.


Kathlena loved the popcorn, ice cream, cotton candy and watching the cowboys ride. She also liked the music...a country girl. Emily has been coaching her on some of her favorite country music like Alan Jackson and Randy Travis.
Emily loves it all, but especially the calf roping and bull riding. J.Michael wanted to do the sheep riding too we all got a good laugh out of this event. He also liked the bull riding and calf scramble. Daddy's favorites are always the bull riding and the calf scramble, but he too had to add the sheep riding or "Mutton Busting" to his favorites.
Mom, well her favorite was watching her kids enjoy the rodeo so much. I also exercised my "early pregnancy cravings" trump card and had some great rodeo food. Big pretzel with mustard, cotton candy and a few bites of ice cream from the kids. So sweet as they were willing to share with their little sister/brother in uterine. It was a great family night.

An Introspection--An Interview with Andrew & Kathlena

Here's a slide-show I made of Andrew and Kathlena, complete with subtitles and Deleted Scenes!
-ha, ha, so much for deleted scenes! And yes, the subtitles are in English! :D

(Make sure to turn the music off on the sidebar)

Enjoy!!!!