Fall Update

I've taken breaks from blogging before, but never this long. Never nearly eight months. I could not write again, and no one would notice, but I know I would. I love looking back at my posts and remembering things I would have otherwise probably forgotten about in the hub bub of life.

And let me tell you, life has been a hub bub. I planned to write more after my leap day post, but things got crazier than ever before.

Austin's seizure that I wrote about became prolific seizures, that were happening once or twice a week, and scary, and unpredictable, and very frustrating. And in the middle of all that, I was interviewing for a new job. After being with the same company for 7+ years, the company that moved me to Virginia, so that in itself was scary.

I was sitting in the hospital with Ben, his dad, and Austin when I got the call with a job offer. We had just heard word that all was good with Austin, a negative MRI, a diagnosis (pediatric unexplained epilepsy) and a plan for a drug to help control them, and it seemed like it was a good sign. It was time to make a change and move forward, as scary as it might be.

Since the end of March, Austin has been seizure free, and is happy as ever. 

Everett started speech therapy himself in April and now is a talking machine. He's finally communicating his needs and wants, but isn't always happy when he doesn't get everything he wants, and claims he needs, the minute he wants them. He and his brother are really forming a relationship which is so fun to see. They also now team up on their dad and I. =)

And now, Ben has a new job as well. He took a leap out of the news business, and is quite happy with it, and as are we as a family.

Roughly a year ago I told Ben I felt like I was barely keeping my head above water, even drowning some days. Barely having enough time for anything, both working crazy hours and times,  and even though we were working our asses off, we were just making ends meet.

I said we weren't living, we were existing.

I pleaded that we needed a change.

I didn't know what, but something had to give, and I'm happy to say a year later things have changed because we decided they needed to. Life feels less like work most days, and I couldn't be happier. I'm still not a millionaire, and I still have a messy house defined by crumbs and toy clutter, and a random 5-10 lbs that creeps up on me if I'm not careful, but I'm not grasping at straws to make life go most of the time, and that feels good.

So there you have it, the only things that stays the same is change itself, but here we are, standing on the other side.

Leap Day 2016

This year's Leap Day gives me an extra 24 hours to make sure I get in a blog post while it's still February. I at least like to make sure I do a new post once each month, and so here is February's.

This month has been all health up and downs. Not to sound geriatric, but we were in and out of doctor's offices all month.

Everett's ear drum ruptured and his tubes are non-functioning, and with that brought an ear infection. We have an ENT assessment for whether he needs another set of tubes later this week, and a speech assessment as well for his lack of words (his biggest word choice, "MOMMMMMM!!! MAAAAAAAA!!" for everything when he needs/wants something and "apple" to point to the apple TV remote).

We all caught some form of a nasty virus. Austin caught it so badly that he actually had a seizure from dehydration while we were waiting to be seen in the Urgent Care waiting room. The scariest five minutes of my life, as his eyes rolled in the back of his head while I was holding him, and then his body proceeded to convulse uncontrollably, while I screamed for help.

Doctors and nurses came running from the exam areas, good Samaritans stepped in, one lady to play with Everett and keep him distracted, a man helping me move furniture so Austin wouldn't hit his head during the seizure and helped me get him on his side. It really brought me even more faith in what people will do for one another when they need each other.

An ambulance ride to the ER, bags of fluid, blood tests and a chest x-ray later, our Austin is back to being his spunky self. We knew he was coming back around when he pointed out the lack of hand dryers in the ER bathrooms and yelled at the x-ray tech who was trying to get him to sit up straight, "Hey, you stop using hurting hands!"

Resting in the ER with Mom

We've all had a bit of the virus he had since, Ben getting in the worst this past weekend. I pray we're all on the up and up to being healthy now!

And how could I forget our sweet Cooper. The Yorkshire is growing older and at his sedated tooth-brushing we do every few years, the vet had to pull six of his teeth last week. He of course was extremely pathetic and whining, and wanted everyone to love him the most. And of course, we did.

Cooper taking care of Austin when he was sick

The spring race season is upon us as well. Ben is all about it this year, although he's worried his bout with sickness will hold him back. I told him not to worry, he's done the training, missing his longest run this weekend before his half-marathon will not kill him, and his body needed the rest.

I had a great dinner out with some of my runner friends last weekend. It was lovely to see each other not in sweaty clothes or at the crack of dawn!

 

And, if you'll notice in the above pic, I'm getting old and need to wear glasses in low and darker lighting now. I can't drive at night without them, but can still see fine during the day, and enjoyed my nearly 12 years glasses and contacts free post-Lasik.

Onward to March, and here's hoping the whole month is like a lamb and not an ounce of lion!

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2016

The New Year is such a refreshing time. I'm not a big New Years Resolutioner, but I do love the simplicity that comes with the New Year and the fresh start.

The holidays are full of so much excess. Excess food, excess decorating, excess parties, excess shopping, excess traffic, excess mail...the list goes on.

And I'm a Christmas lover. I love the glittery, fun items that line the aisles at Target, the twinkle of Christmas lights against the dark nights that start so early in winter and anything involving peppermint and chocolate mixed.

But, I also love sweeping my home of the Christmas tree and clutter come January, refreshing the refrigerator with more fresh produce and not having the grocery store be a mad house each weekend.

Our holidays were wonderful, Christmas at home with our little family, then a week trip out West with various stops to spend time with Ben's family.

Everett loved this turtle Santa brought him that I saw Laura at Our Styled Suburban Life feature a few months ago. Each time it popped, he reacted in complete surprise, and it was hilarious and sweet as you can see in the video below.

I'm trying to have a January free of commitments after an end of 2015 that felt so full. So far, the only things on our calendar this month are a two year old's birthday party and a vet appointment for Cooper. I'll take it.

Right now, I'm also reviewing my race schedule for the year, and have decided on the following races:

• For the Love of It 10K
• Cherry Blossom Ten Mile
• Van Metre Five Mile
• Leesburg 20K
• Dulles Day 10K

I hope 2016 is starting out wonderfully for you and I'm looking forward to another year of sharing on the blog!
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