Team Eliza to UW Madison

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On August 11th it was Eliza’s turn to go to Madison for her check-ups.

Eliza has been released from all of her doctors except for her urologist.

Isn’t that amazing??!!

We headed to UW Madison bright and early on that Wednesday for Eliza to have a sedated procedure to check on the function of her bladder.

Tate had this procedure as well!

Eliza’s appointment was early in the morning, so we had to leave the house by 6 a.m.

Eliza was not allowed to eat or drink anything until her procedure was done that day.

At least she was all smiles when we woke her up!

The trip to Madison was uneventful.

Eliza had ordered a “play away” from the library, which is this little device that will play an audiobook for you.

All you need is your own ear buds!

On the way to Madison Eliza was listening to Anne of Green Gables and it made the time pass quickly and kept her mind off of what was to come.

We arrived on time.

I wonder how many times we have pulled up to this hospital over the last seven years?

We waited for Eliza’s appointment to start a lot longer than we normally do, but it wasn’t bad.

We got Eliza settled into the procedure room with her blanket and one of her loveys.

I think this lovey’s name is Flash.

The child life gal came in and talked to Eliza to tell her everything that was going to happen during her procedure.

Eliza got to look at photos and see and touch the tubes and probes that they would be using while she was asleep.

This really helped her, as it had for Tate too!

We love the people at UW and there concern and care for our kiddos!!

Soon Eliza drank her sleepy meds and before we knew it the procedure was over.

Blake and I stayed with Eliza the entire time, and she did SO well!!

After that was over, we wheeled Eliza over to the ultrasound area for her renal ultrasound appointment.

Eliza calls this appointment “jelly on the belly” and she thinks it is easy peasy!

We gave Eliza a big snack and then headed to Target to let her pick a treat while Blake and I got some coffee!

Thankfully she had her balance back once we got to Target as all the sleepy medicine had finally worn off.

Of course we stopped at Chipotle for lunch before the drive home.

The drive home went well.

Eliza slept some and I think I did too.

It was so good to be home again!

This is how Blake and I feel after long medical days – like we can’t get up off the floor – ha, ha!

It is always so sweet after we have a long day in Madison to see Tate and Eliza back together again.

They are ALWAYS better together!

Tate and Eliza’s sedated procedures were SO easy this time.

What a HUGE change from years past!!

They were calm, easy to reason with, didn’t cry or fight through the procedure, and were just shining such a bright light to everyone they met!!

Blake and I were not really shocked to see the difference that has come with their growth and maturity, but we had not thought that it would be that easy!

SO thankful.

It is very hard to put your precious children through so much medically.

But we know that the Lord can use ALL of this for their good and for His glory.

We tell Tate and Eliza that truth all of the time, and try to teach them that their responses to what the Lord brings into their life is really what matters to Him the most.

I’m a proud Mama!

I’m also a thankful Mama because both Tate and Eliza had great results from all of their check-ups!

NO MORE SEDATED PROCEDURES in their near futures!!

That was so great to hear and even better to tell them!

They both go back for “jelly on the belly” and to see their urologist in one year.

We can’t stop praising the Lord for their great results and their stability!!

Praise the Lord with us!!

WE ARE SO THANKFUL!!

Tate is TEN!!

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Can you believe that??

It seems like yesterday that I held Tate in my arms for the first time and we celebrated his 4th birthday.

Our children are growing up so fast!

In Moschel style, we had a birthday bash for Tate!

They usually happen on a Sunday after church, as that is when all our favorite people are available.

Even though it was August 1st, Tate chose Creamy Halibut Potato Soup, Creamy Potato Leek Soup, a salad, rolls, and watermelon for his meal.

It was FABULOUS!

After that delicious spread for lunch, there were gifts.

Tate was SO excited and he said the cutest things!!

Please look closely at his expression in this first photo, ha, ha!

Tate had lots of willing helpers and these photos will be a favorite of mine for years to come!

Tate’s all time favorite thing is Culver’s French fries.

Kayla took him there one time and got him hooked!

I loved this gift he got from our friends so much – it cracked us all up!

I’m sorry….what’s that you said???

Where is the cute baby??

Why, here you go, here she is!!!

And here’s another one!!

And here’s one more!

You are welcome!!

Tate asked Addie Mae for a chocolate cake with chocolate icing.

That’s all.

Just a cake – chocolate on chocolate.

And she made THIS.

I know!!

I did not want them to eat that beautiful thing!

But that kind of defeated it’s purpose, I was told.

STUNNING, isn’t it??

So we sang a terribly off key version of Happy Birthday to Tate, and then Addie ruined that beautiful cake to give everyone some, ha, ha!

Here are some chocolate smiles to make your day.

No adults with chocolate smiles were photographed, just saying.

After all that chocolate was devoured, the kids played, we visited, sipped coffee, lounged around just BEING TOGETHER –

It was the BEST day!

It was so nice outside that in the evening we went for a long walk and to also give Tate a chance to fly his new kite that he got from his big sis Kayla.

It was one of those cool, bug free, slightly breezy, perfectly blue sky evenings – my heart was SO FULL!!

This photo gets me.

Uncle and Nephew.

Ten years old and five years old.

Best of friends.

SO, so sweet!

What a wonderful celebration of our Tater Tot!

Good food, great fellowship, a beautiful and delicious cake, a gorgeous day….

it really was so good.

Mr. Tate, we cannot believe you are TEN!

There is so much we love about you, buddy!

You are so kind, helpful, compassionate, loving, and such a people person!

We know the Lord can use you greatly!!

It is such a privilege to be Tate’s Mama.

Something I will never ever take lightly.

You are my sunshine, Tate Owen!!

Happy, happy Birthday!!!

WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!

July Stuff

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I am always so glad for an opportunity to look back on a month that has passed.

It is funny how even looking at our own photos can spur me on.

In a “I should do that again!” kind of way!

Of course July holds a lot of summer memories!

Swimming is ALWAYS better when a big sister or a big brother is home and swims with their younger siblings!

We did swim lessons in July.

It was fantastic!

We had a sweet friend come to our home and teach Tate, Eliza and our neighbors two children.

It was perfect!

When the weather cooperated!

Gardening has been a family project – thankful for my crew and their help!

We have had quite the bounty from our little garden space!

We ate in July.

Lots of eating going on here!

They still love to eat!

Which meant grocery shopping and lots of good food!!

It sure is nice when they help us grocery shop.

It makes the two carts full easier to push!

I enjoy the kitchen with my helpers!

Lane likes to help too, I just don’t have a photo of him!

I wonder what I will do when the day comes that I do not need a case of bananas at a time?

Or 48 waffles made every Saturday to last through the week?

I am not looking forward to those days!

I am enjoying our lower level family room more these days.

It helps that we have new comfortable furniture!

I have been adding some touches to that room, using a gift card I received for Mother’s Day!

I am hopeful my builders will build the wall of built in shelves down there this winter.

Hand therapy was still happening in July and is still happening now.

I am making progress!

Healing has been super slow, but I am thankful for how much I can do with my hand now!

We had so many days of hazy, thick air in our area from the fires in Canada.

It was a great reminder to pray for those where the fires were.

We had some storms in our area, and also some very heavy rain and flooding.

On this morning we headed to the basement after my hubby texted me and said “get to the basement!”

It was the strangest color outside and the wind was fierce!

Saturdays are our mowing day when the weather cooperates.

Lane has been such a diligent mower!

We have two push mowers to mow this huge yard, and it takes some time to push mow it all.

The older boys are home on Saturdays and help Lane out!

One Saturday after the kiddos’s work was done, Blake handed them our old walkie talkies with new batteries in them.

They had such a fun day with those things!

Tate was standing here talking to Lane who was outside and half way up a tree, ha, ha!

We always love watching the hay come down.

Won’t be long now and the corn will come down!

July brought another wedding!!

We have had so many weddings this summer and it has been fun!

Of course there is date night.

I love date night.

I think you all know that already though!

We don’t have a date every week these days, but we do as often as we can.

I bought an adorable Asian boy this card game on Amazon.

With hopes that it would be a fun way to help him memorize his times tables, of course!

He is getting them down!

July was really just all about days with my trio.

I love the dynamics of days with my trio!!

They are a fun, enthusiastic bunch of kiddos!

It’s hard to believe summer is almost over!

How is that possible?

July was a good month for us here at Twin Oaks.

How about for you all?

Was your summer good?

I sure hope so!!

I love the start of each brand new day – another chance – another blessed day given to us by God!!

Time is a GIFT!!

Hope you all are enjoying that gift too!!!

A Road Trip

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We took a little road trip, leaving Wisconsin late in the afternoon on Thursday, July 22nd!

This time our passengers were Addie, Lane, Tate and Eliza!

It was fun to have more kiddos with us this time!!

Our first stop was Peoria, Illinois, where we headed straight to a hotel and straight to bed, because is was almost midnight!

The next morning we got an early start so we could head to see the kiddos grandparents.

We packed our own breakfast food to make breakfast quick and easy!

We had such a nice visit with Blake’s Dad and Lilli.

It is always so good to be with them.

We love being there so much!

Next we headed to Morton, Illinois, where we used to live before moving to Wisconsin 19 years ago.

We met Blake’s Mom at our favorite new coffee shop – Four 30 Scones.

They have gluten-free vegan scones and they are delicious!

We spent quite a bit of money there, ha, ha!!

Before we left Morton we drove around and showed the kids where we lived when we were there.

We had lived in three different homes during our years in Morton.

This is the home that Grant came home to – a beautiful spot we had outside of town in the country.

We also had to make a quick stop for someone to buy some new clothes because she left the clothes she brought with her in the hotel closet!

It wasn’t me, just saying!!

Late Friday afternoon we headed down the road to Indianapolis.

It was a beautiful day!

Guess who is asleep under that blanket?

You got it – Tater Tot.

Funny boy!

Saturday morning came quick!

There is a one hour time change when we head to Indy and it is not in our favor!

This is what you look like when you are not a morning person and you are now living in a time zone that is one hour earlier –

Sweet girl!

We were so excited to head over to my Mom’s place and see my brother and Mom!

We spent the rest of the weekend hanging out with them, watching the Olympics, doing fun crafts, eating good food, playing with water guns, taking walks, and enjoying being together!!

My brother had just completed a new photo wall in my Mom’s kitchen and I love it so much!

There are so many great photos and memories on that wall!

We left Indianapolis Sunday afternoon to head all the way back to Wisconsin – but we did make a stop in Peoria to pick up Addie Mae’s clothes at that hotel!

So….here’s the thing.

It might be my age, or these times we are living in, or both – but I really don’t want to be driving so far to “visit” our family for a few hours or a few days.

I never have liked living so far apart, but it is harder now than ever before.

I want to be doing life with our extended family.

Everyday.

All the time.

I just feel like we are all missing out on so much because we are not together!

This is what it is though, so we will keep driving to Illinois and Indianapolis to be able to see our precious family.

We are planning to go back one more time before the snow flies, Lord willing!

Until then, I am so happy that we have these photos!!

They are so sweet to look back on, and will be treasured for sure!

Memories made and memories kept!!

Can’t wait until next time!!

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