A Girl and Her Doll

When Alyssa was just a baby I crossed every finger and toe that I have, hoping that she would find a doll that would become her best friend. When she was 3 years old she got a Bitty Baby doll for Christmas and it was love at first sight! Bitty Baby has truly become her best little friend and even now, 6 years later, Bitty is tucked in next to her at night and placed gently on the couch and kissed on her head each morning before Alyssa heads to school. Bitty Baby goes everywhere with her and I dread the day when she is left behind. I know that it will happen soon, so I treasure every moment that Alyssa has with her best little friend!

This comment make by Alyssa a couple of days ago pretty much sums up her love of her doll.

"Mom, I would be devastated if something happened to Bitty. If she fell out of the car and got run over, I would sit in the middle of the road crying until I found every single little piece of her. I would be so sad!"

There are very few things as sweet as a girl and her doll!

Three Years!

You've come a long way my little man!

Three years ago today, Jeff and I were sitting in the surgical waiting room while Jared was receiving his new kidney. I can't believe that it has been three years! What a blessing those three years have been! Jared is thriving. He is happy and growing and it is all because of the miraculous gift that he received three years ago. A day doesn't go by that I don't think of his donor and the gift that his family gave us during one of their most difficult days. As I rejoice in my beautiful son, I also grieve for his donor and his family. It is difficult to even wrap my mind around all that has gone on in my sweet Jared's life.

Today, Jared, my Mom and I took treats up to the hospital to celebrate. This day is not just a celebration for us. It is a celebration for everyone that has cared for him these past 5 years of his life. We visited the transplant team and even found two of our favorite nurses during our stay following his transplant. These people have become like family and I can't imagine going through all of this without them. They have loved Jared, and have loved us, and I am so grateful for the care that our entire family has received during this journey. Everyone loved to see Jared and he had so much fun passing out his treats to everyone. He knew that he was the center of attention and acted as silly and as cute as ever. He brought smiles and a few tears to everyone today. It was the perfect way to spend the morning! I love you my sweet Jer Bear! Here's to many more years of perfect kidney function!!!

Swimming

The kids are taking swimming lessons this year, Jared included! We have a teacher coming to our own pool to teach them, so I am comfortable having Jared learning as well. This is definitely on of the perks of having your own pool! Tyler and Alyssa are getting to be pretty good little swimmers, but I wanted Jared to be safer around our pool, so we plunged ahead! He is doing so well! I was worried about how he would do, but he is surprising me! I think that he must feel a sense of freedom in the water. He has now learned how to get onto his back and then kick to the wall and grab on. He is so cute and it is so fun watching him learn these new skills. I feel so much better knowing that he would know what to do if he fell in. He is even going down the slide now! He is such a brave, sweet boy!

Day 5- Feeding Clinic & Chocolate World

Jared showed everyone eating school today. He loved introducing Tyler and Alyssa to everyone and showing them where he has spent the last four weeks. Dr. Williams spent several minutes talking to both Jeff and I about the plan from here on out and answered all of the questions that we had. They are so wonderful there. It was nice to introduce Jeff to everyone and we are so grateful for all of their help!



We then headed over to show Tyler, Alyssa, and Jeff, Chocolate World! We were lucky enough to get there on the opening day of their new Make your Own Chocolate Bar activity, so we all made our own chocolate bars! The kids had so much fun designing their chocolate bars and aren't sure if they will ever eat them!

Day 4- Hershey Park

Today we went to Hershey Park! The kids were so excited to go and Jared couldn't wait to ride on the roller coasters. The RMH was so kind and gave us tickets to the park. They were so good to us. It was a warm, but beautiful day. The park was very busy with students, but by the evening it thinned out and we just walked onto a lot of the rides. It was a fun day!

Tyler has never been a big fan of roller coasters but he decided to brave the Great Bear. I was excited that he wanted to try it because I wanted to go on it too! Luckily, he loved it, and it was one of the best roller coasters that I have ever been on! We even went a second time.

Alyssa loved every roller coaster that she was tall enough to go on and was quite sad to discover that she wasn't tall enough to go on the Great Bear. She is a brave little soul and wants to try them all. I went with her on one crazy roller coaster that just about made me sick. She about did me in!

Jared LOVED the roller coasters that he could go on. His favorite ride was the water, log ride. The line was so short that they let us stay on and we went on it over and over again, much to his delight!

It was a fun day but we were exhausted by the time it was all over!

Day 3- Philly to Hershey

Today we checked out of our hotel in Philly and then headed to the train station. The train station was amazing! It looked like it came out of a movie! It was a good thing that it was so neat to look at because our train was delayed 90 minutes! Jared was so excited to be getting on the "fast train" and loved the ride.

After arriving in Hershey and settling in to our hotel, Jared and I took everyone on a tour of the Ronald McDonald House. Jared walked in and was so excited to show Tyler and Alyssa to everyone. It was like he had never left and walked around like he owned the place. He would say, "This is my Tyler and Alyssa" to everyone. It was fun showing them where Jared and I had been the last 4 weeks.

We then met up with my friend, Ann, and her family for dinner. We had a great time eating and laughing.. They were so sweet and paid for our meal and I was sad for the evening to an end. I hope that we can keep in touch and hopefully see them again!

Day 2- Philadelphia Historical Sights

We were all glad to have Jeff back with us today. We spent the day seeing the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall and enjoying the amazing history that took place in Philadelphia. We love the National Treasure movies and so we had fun finding all of the places that you see in the movie. That night we watched the movie and the kids loved recognizing all of the places that we had been to!

Day 1- Please Touch Museum

Jeff had to take the train to Jersey City to work today, so the kids and I were on our own. We decided to go and see the Please Touch Museum. It was a wonderful children's museum and we had a great time. It was a long day and I was sure glad to see Jeff that evening but it was great to be back with Tyler and Alyssa. The kids and I decided that Philly was just a little too busy for our liking, and were glad to get back to our hotel room!

The museum was in an amazing, old, building. Jared did not want to eat lunch. It was a little bit of a battle and Tyler and Alyssa were a little impatient, but we did succeed. Jared loved the waterway play zone, and Ty and Alyssa were just as silly as always!

Reunited in Philadelphia

They are here! We are all together as a family now! It was so nice to see Jeff and the kids again. They looked bigger and older to me. Jared was so happy to see them.

It was a long day for all of us! We finished packing up and cleaning our room at Ronald's House and then Jared and I drove two hours to Philadelphia, turned in our rental car, took a shuttle to the airport, took a taxi to our hotel. It was crazy trying to keep Jared and all of our luggage going to the right place. It was sad to leave the RMDH. It has been more than just a room for us. It has been a home. We will miss everyone there so much and I will always have fond memories of our time there. Thank you so much Hershey RMDH! We will miss you!

I have learned and grown so much with our journey with Jared. I am often amazed at what I am able to accomplish now. Five years ago, I couldn't have possibly imagined myself flying back East by myself without knowing anyone. And then renting a car and driving myself two hours in a place that I have never been to? No way! It is amazing what we will do to help our children. Jared has taught me how to trust in myself, in the kindness of others, and in my Heavenly Father, more than I could have possibly done by myself.

Our hotel in Philadelphia looked right out to City Hall. We had a great view of this incredible building!

Graduation Day!

Jared with his graduation certificate.

Jared and Candace

Jared and Dr. Williams

He is the nicest man!

He did it! Jared has officially graduated from Eating School! It has been such a good experience here and we are going to miss everyone! Dr. Williams, Candace, and Kathy have been absolutely wonderful. I wish that I could take them back home with us!

I have to admit that I am nervous leaving. Jared's eating is a major work in progress. Dr. Williams keeps reassuring me that I now have all of the skills to continue on my own and that they are only an email or phone call away. I'm still nervous, but we will keep plugging along!

Jared can't wait to see Daddy and Tyler and Alyssa! And he can't wait until we get to ride the "fast train". We made a little calendar to help him count down the days for all of these things that are coming up. He is ready to go home.

This calendar just shows three of the five weeks that we were gone. We were gone a long time!

I am also excited to be back together again as a family. Jeff has done extremely well at home with the kids, and Jared and I have been great, but it is time for us to reunite. Alyssa had another seizure last night. She didn't get her medicine last night and she had one. I guess that we now know that it is working and that she still needs it! Jeff was so worried. He doesn't handle the medical stuff that well and I suddenly felt so bad that I wasn't there to help both of them. We'll see them soon! I do have to admit that I have enjoyed being a mother of one for these past few weeks. It has been fun to spend so much time with my Jared. It has also been nice to not have to worry about cooking and keeping three kids happy!

Week 4

One of the therapy dogs and a therapy cat!

I can't believe that this is our last week! It really has gone by quickly. Jared is still doing well. The progress is slow, but compared to where he was when he came, he is doing wonderfully. They are starting to teach him how to chew. They put a cracker in his mouth and he has to bite down until a small piece comes off. You wouldn't think that this is very hard, but it is! It is crazy how we just take things like chewing for granted! It will take a long time for him to get it down. Months and months most likely, but he'll get it figured out eventually!

Jared loves Ronald's House. He loves playing with other kids in the evenings and still loves to visit with the dogs. One of the great volunteers here, Ann, has become a good friend. She was so sweet and brought a race car set and her Thomas The Train set over for Jared to play with while he is here. Jared has had so much fun playing with them. We are going to miss this place!

Hershey Gardens

Wow am I behind! We can blame it on being busy, but also on laziness. I just haven't gotten my act together since getting home from Pennsylvania. So back we go to Hershey!

The third weekend in Hershey, Jared and I headed over to Hershey Gardens. It was a beautiful day and Jared loved walking around with the map. In fact, he wouldn't let go of the map and he told us which way to go all day! I followed along behind him and he was in heaven reading his map and telling mom where to go. He loved the water features and would have played there all day if I had let him! It was a beautiful garden and had a wonderful view of Hershey park and the country side surrounding it.

That evening Jared discovered the sand box at Ronald's House. He loved playing in the sand box and watching the bunnies that we playing near by.

A Miracle

We met a new family here at the RMH tonight. Their 10 year old daughter is receiving a kidney from her step brother tomorrow! Wow what emotions and memories that brought! I was so excited and nervous for them, but mostly excited. Her step brother is here as well and it was wonderful talking to him. I couldn't help but thank him over and over again for what he was doing. Since we haven't heard anything from Jared's donor's family, I told this young man that he was going to receive thanks from me as well for what he was doing. Organ transplantation is truly amazing! I am still in awe of the gift that we have received. Jared is a healthy, amazing, delightful little boy and he is here and healthy because of that gift. How can you ever thank someone enough for such a gift? It is impossible! Please pray that everything will go smoothly for this family. Each time a transplant takes place a miracle happens. Miracles do happen!

Week Three Update

This week is plugging along quickly. Jared is still doing great! This week they are working on him learning to feed himself. He is doing so well! The textures are going to take a long time, but he is still doing so well with his smooth textures and with his milk drinking. It really is amazing! I know that there are many who can't possibly imagine Jared actually putting a spoonful of food in his mouth, so I took a little video of him today. Check it out!

Yesterday we also started potty training! Yes, this clinic is amazing! I told them that this place is magical or something because Jared just seems to be getting things figured out here. We had two successes in the toilet yesterday afternoon and 4 successes today! Dr. Williams is just so great and put Jared up on that toilet and encouraged him and cheered him on. If Jared sits on the toilet he gets a sticker, but if he actually performs on the toilet he gets to pick something from the prize box. He has picked out a car every time so far (surprise, surprise,). :) It will still take time, but we'll get there!

I can't get over how wonderful the RMH has been. I really haven't felt very homesick or lonely because we are with such nice people all of the time. Tonight a lady came in to teach how to knit. She was a good teacher and I think that I am starting to get it figured out. I have always wanted to learn how to knit!

Earlier in the week a very nice family came in to prepare a delicious meal for the house. They stayed here several years ago for 3 months and wanted to give back so they have been coming once a month for over two years to prepare meals! They were such nice people and I was just amazed at how dedicated they are to giving back to the community. Such amazing examples and I can't wait to start doing the same!