Who's EJ?

Some of you may have noticed our new friend at the top of our blog (look to your right). This is EJ, daughter of Jami and Beth Mullikin. We go to church with the Mullikins, and Ryan happens to work for Jami, and we happen to be friends, so any way you look at it we are in this thing with them, and happy to be.

This "thing" is what has been a struggle for the past 8 years for Jami, Beth and EJ's brothers, N and O. EJ, who just turned 9, is diagnosed with Sensory Integration Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder.  These disorders manifest themselves in her eating, and to this point outpatient treatment and therapy have been the way they've tried to help EJ. The Mullikins and doctors now agree that it is time for EJ to have some inpatient therapy, which for her means being away from her family for 60 days, and for her family, means missing her for the entire summer, maybe longer, all in the desperate hope that God will heal EJ while she is away and return healthy and healed. 

Remuda Ranch is their destination for her, and you can click the link to read more about it. Thankfully, financial aid has brought the cost for the Mullikins from a heart-stopping $175,000 to $40,000. Their goal is to raise this money as fast as possible in order to pay the first payment (of half the cost) up front so they can send EJ this summer, so that she doesn't have to miss school in the fall. If she misses school, she may have to be held back a grade, and with a twin brother, that would entirely change their relationship and mark this period in her life in an even greater way. 

Will you consider helping? Ryan is participating in the 100 Holes for EJ Golf Marathon on June 22, so if you want to give $1 a hole, or go in with friends and each give $1 or $5 a hole for every hole to 100 Ryan can complete (have you seen him play golf? no? me neither! because he doesn't - $100 a hole would mean you give a total of $100. Love you, Babe!)

Or you can click on EJ's link to the right and donate straight up, and especially learn more about her story. 

I have always thought it interesting the challenge we as parents face. Our job once we bring our little ones home for the first time is keep them alive and healthy by feeding them and getting them to sleep; two things you cannot, for the life of you, make anyone do. I try to put myself in Jami and Beth's shoes, as parents of a daughter who won't and can't eat, wondering and hoping and praying that this would not be the rest of her life, or ours. Please pray for EJ and for the Mullikins, and please consider supporting them as they try to get healing for their daughter and their entire family. 

I've posted a video of EJ's twin brother N talking a little about how he feels about his sister's disorder. It is precious.

N talking about EJ going to Remuda Ranch from jami mullikin on Vimeo.

Today

Me: "Nancy, it stinks in your room. Do you have a stinko?"

Nan: "Nope."

Me: "What's that smell?"

Nan: "I burped."

Challenge Accepted

If a man is only as good as the woman he's with, then a bread is only as good as it's starter. It's plain to see, my starter is sucky. Thankfully my man is not (not hard to figure out, because I'm so awesome...right?) I have had this sourdough starter for at least a year, maybe 2, and it's obvious it's time to move on and figure out how to start a new one. 

Also, it will be a very long time before I attempt to make baked beans from scratch again. They cooked for over 36 hours. 36. HOURS.  I'm not sure if there's anything less appetizing than waking up to the smell of baked beans in the crockpot for the 2nd morning in a row. If we invited you to the house for supper at any point during the next 3 months, count on having baked beans with the meal. If you really love us, you'll still come eat.

Strawberry Fields Forever

After 3 days of hot weather, I could not resist going back for some more strawberries. I sent out an email to lots of friends, because, as I learned while I was picking strawberries at 11am in 90 degree heat, misery loves company. The Boodrams, Pattersons, (both pregnant, and Ashley Boo days overdue!) and McGowans joined us as we quickly filled our baskets full of hot, juicy ripe fruit. 

I always romanticize being in nature with my kids, but once we are actually having the experience, the romance fades. Quickly. Like last time, Nancy was good for about 15 minutes and then started breaking down. She was only happy if I let her eat fruit, so she ate about 20 strawberries (not exaggerating). And Kate at times got so hot she would just stand in a stupor zoning out at the berries on the vine, wiping her sweaty brow. 

A friendly fellow picker came from the middle of the field telling us there were berries more abundant further out into the weeds near the irrigation pipe. I picked up my berries and my babies and hauled us over a dozen rows to discover that he was right. Emily picked Cohen up in his stroller and climbed over too. We were all encouraged by the abundance of berries, and Kate was a more willing picker once it was easier to find and pick them. We quickly finished and had 2 gallons full of berries. That was Tuesday, today is Friday, and after 4 jars of jam, a strawberry pie and strawberry shortcake, we still have about a quart left. And even though it was hot and we all wanted to cry at some point, I know I'll make us do it again next year.

Pre-meltdown, and pre-bulging berry belly. I think that's the juice of only berry number 2 or 3 on her chin.

Cort's messy face. 

The friendly berry stranger was right! The berries in the middle of the field were amazing!

One of two gallons. That grin is joy that we are finished and she can get in an air conditioned car, not that we had a wonderful, quality time experience as a family. 

Are we having fun yet?

Tiny Dancer

It was touch and go for a little while: The day before her rehearsal, Kate was throwing up! Ryan and I prayed hard that the entire 9 months leading up to the weekend of Kate's dance recital wouldn't be a wash, and we are so thankful to say she recovered miraculously quickly and we had so much fun celebrating Kate. We had 2 rows of friends and family join us, Kate's cousins McKenzie and Paige were there to cheer their cousin on, and my mom made it this year (last year she wasn't feeling well enough to come). 

Kate's class did two numbers, a ballet to "Daydream Believer" and a jazz number to "Old Time Rock & Roll". All semester long Kate said she liked the ballet better, but after the performance she said she enjoyed the jazz dance the most, and it showed. She grinned the entire time she was out there. And even though she spent parts of the dance fidgeting and scratching her face, I was surprised at how much of the routine she remembered.  The highlight of her evening was the flowers she received after the performance. We learned last year after not giving her flowers that we should have given flowers, so we made up for it with a big bunch of roses. She was more than thrilled to fill her room with all of the gifts!

Emily came to Kate's recital last year, too. She's a great "aunt" and friend! And really fun to sit with and make side comments with about the other performances...

This  pose was Kate's idea. Needless to say, she eats up the attention.

She was SO excited about the flowers Daddy gave her. I didn't get the credit, but that's okay. And again, I don't know why this is underlined and I'm too busy to sit and figure out how to fix it.

I Love a Good Wedding...

Some friends of ours got married May 22 - Joseph and Chelsea Dion! Dion has been in our small group in some capacity for I think 4 years now, and Chelsea was in my dgroup back in our student ministry years. Dion asked me to help out on the engagement night, which was SO fun to be a part of, and Chels asked me and a couple of other friends to be honorary bridesmaids. I got to be there when it all started, and it was such a blessing to be front and center as we watched them take their vows, at what was a sweet, and at times funny, ceremony (we can talk later about the invisible communion).

Chelsea was the most gorgeous bride! She has fantastic taste, and everything was so beautiful! I had a haircut the day before the wedding, and she straightened my hair, so I wore my "21 year old hair" to the wedding. It was fun to be straight for a couple of days.

Kristin Jensen, another former dgroupie. Kristin was also the MOH. Don't you love the "persimmon" dresses? (I'm not allowed to say they are orange).

My sweet and fun friend Kelly Keever and me, honorary bridesmaids. I somehow never got a picture with Vicki, HB #3. Some of the photos were taken in Chelsea's family's backyard, which I thought was so precious. 

Ryan literally had to dust off his suit for the occasion, but it was worth it! Did you know Greer has a new city hall? It is so pretty! And I am obviously conscious of the flowers on my belt, as I have put myself to the left of anyone I am taking a photo with. But it's a darn cute belt, thanks to Kelley S!

Prom 2009 with the Keevers and Mozingos. Funny thing is, Ryan and I really did go to prom together, twice.

The ONLY photo we had of the couple that wasn't in a dimly lit room or of them dancing. And I don't know why this is underlined, I can't get it to stop.

There was lots of dancing. And did Joseph drop something on the floor, or is he looking at something else?

We tried to pretend we really were at prom by finishing the night at Waffle House. It was so much fun, but our covered and chunked hash browns left much to be desired. The company was top notch, though. And our husbands did join us, we just sat boy/girl, middle school style. The girls talked about where bathrooms and closets are positioned in various people's houses, and the guys talked about sports and circumcision.

Congratulations to the Dions!!