Trying hard to be normal

We really are trying to be normal. But it is harder than you might think. I go into the office and it is so quiet - it is actually hard for me to concentrate. Isabella has probably adjusted back to normal the easiest. But on the other hand, when something pops up that is out of the normal schedule - she takes it harder than she used to.

Before Sam's diagnosis, the big kids stayed with me a week and then with their dad a week. The past year, Samantha has felt more comfortable staying at my home. We were hoping we could go back to the old schedule but she has tried and is not comfortable with it yet. She came up with a good compromise. Every other week - her father picks her up from school and she hangs out with him thru dinner. Then she comes back here to sleep. She still is walking with the crutches and there are times when she needs help getting dressed or taking a shower. Being a teenage girl, it is no surprise that she wants her mom to help in those cases.

I am thinking that we all may have been a bit naive in our expectations of returning to normal. But time will help.

The weather has been great for the last couple of days. I think they are saying possible snow tomorrow - that is just Colorado - no surprise there...

We took Isabella to the park last night and one of her favorite friends from her school showed up. We didn't know they lived so close... The two of them played until almost dark. Then tonight Jeremy went for a mountain bike ride. I know this may sound corny but I had a weird feeling. So when he called to check in tonight (he always calls when he finishes up a ride) I wasn't too surprised to hear that he was hurt. It turns out that his ankle took a beating. It is super swollen and he is using a set of Samantha's crutches for now.

Let me tell you all - having both Samantha and Jeremy propped up on the couch not able to move has been fun. The 2 of them were battling for the remote - asking for this or that. I should be skinny with how much running up and down the stairs I do.

I have also been trying to get another short slide show together - there apparently is a new feature on this blog that would allow me to add one - however, I am having a super fun time trying to figure it out. We may have to settle for the direct link - http://picasaweb.google.com/layergal/BloggerSlideShow

I wish I had more time to experiment to jazz up the site. Maybe if it snows tomorrow I will feel more like staying in front of the computer.

Oh well - stay tuned.

Until tomorrow - love to everyone!