One:Arachnoid Cyst: Kullen was diagnosed on July 5, 2011{read- the scariest day of my life!} with an Arachnoid Cyst on his brain. It is 3.46 centimeters in size and is located behind his left optical nerve in his brain. We have been going every January to Arkansas Children's Hospital in Little Rock, Arkansas for yearly checkups ever since. Thankfully, other than some pressure, headache and blurred vision, and the fact that the boy cant play football or any contact sports for that matter {and you know how you always want to do what you cant do!}.... the cyst rarely causes any major issues. (a handful of times he lost vision in his left eye and it still freaks him out every time. Totally understandable.) When Kullen gets sick, (Sinus, cold, flu), it does make it twice as bad. It is something he can totally live with, though. There are so many much worse conditions that he could be dealing with. I know that this will be a part of his testimony for years to come. I will also add that his doctor gave us good news. Once he turns 15 {next year}, statistics have shown that the chances of there ever being any emergency issues or even surgeries drops dramatically. We are counting our blessings and are so thankful for a good report.
Two: Hannah Maggs Makeup Bags. {Hey, that rhymes! ha} Hannah is just as cute as she can be. She has a charm about her that is unique. She is natural, a good mom, cool wife and an awesome entrepreneur. She is so interesting to me. She has her own sense of style and I love it! Her husband is the same. They both crack me up. I am super drawn to people like that. You know, the ones that are truly theirselves no matter what company they keep or how famous they are. I tend to embrace people for their quirks, for that is what makes them, them. I myself can be a little "Black Sheep" from time to time. I honestly wish I could be more real with myself, friends, family and you guys that read my little corner of the internet. In real life, If you look at my little circle of friends, not one of them are fake, shallow, or followers. They are all different and bring special qualities that make them great for my little tribe. Anyways, back to Hannah. I am so happy I stumbled across Hannah's families vlog on YouTube on that one rainy Sunday afternoon a couple of years or so ago. They live in London. {accents are the CUTEST!} Through the Michalak's vlog I discovered that Hannah sells make-up bags. {You will soon learn I love all things make-up-like obsessed} Maggs London is the name of her company. You can check out her website Maggs London. She sells out as quickly as she restocks due to popularity. You can also follow their vlogs here and here. Her blog here.
annnnd. you can thank me later.
Disclaimer: All thoughts and opinions are of my own, this was not sponsored by Hannah or the Michalak's. They just bring me happiness and so I thought I would share the love.
{Photo credits from www.hannahmaggs.co.uk)
Three: Grade retention. We have made the decision to retain Reagan in 3rd grade this year. We have teetered the thought of holding her back for almost two years now. She continues to make great strides and has shown so much growth! I really feel like giving her the extra time will make a difference in the long run. She loves her teachers and feels comfortable and safe. She and I are both happy with the decision. I had thought long and hard before putting this out here in the complete public. I did, mainly because I battled this journey for years and often felt alone as a parent. {Thank you to the few who reached out to me! You were a GODSEND!} I thought I would be real with you guys in case one of you momma's is going through the same journey. We are all in this together! You are not alone. It is all going to be okay. Do not beat yourself up. Just do the best you can, pray about it and over your child, for her teachers. Eventually, it will all work itself out. Know that this happens and not to just your child. Ive definitely had my share of pity parties {yes, plural as in more than one! :) } and meltdowns. Ultimately, its not about me or what I thought should happen with my child. It is about this - she is who she is and her needs may be different than what I had planned. You have to get over those expectations you have momma and embrace the good! Celebrate the small victories with your child. They are very resilient and will feed off of your attitude. Make sure to stay upbeat and encouraging.
So have any of you momma's held your child back? Id love to hear your experience in the comments!
Four: Cards for Hospitalized kids. www.cardsforhospitalizedkids.com I can't remember which blog I was reading yesterday for the life of me {mom brain!}, but I can't take credit for this idea. I have been searching for some projects for the kids & I that teaches compassion and empathy. When I stumbled upon this blog mom crafting up cards for children in the hospital my light bulb went off and I immediately knew I wanted to do this. More so for Reagan, but Kullen can gain from it as well because you can never outgrow having a good heart and caring for others. So in honor of Valentine's Day we will be getting our craft on and sending love to these kids to let them know just how amazing they are and a reminder that they should never forget that.
Five: The very existence of my sanity depends on this coffee combo every morning and sometimes at night! A cup of Starbucks Caramel Latte with International Delight’s Caramel Macchiato Creamer. Nom. Nom. Nom. What’s your favorite flavored creamer? I like to from time to time, switch it up. Id love to try your fav! (Once again, totally not sponsored, just my opinion.)
3 comments :
We are praying over retaining our middle. His grades are good, great actually, but it is still such a struggle. It's tough being a parent some days. Also, can't stop/won't stop coffee..not now, nor ever!! Happy Weekebd!
I've taught first and third grade over five years and I totally believe retention is a great option for kids who are just not ready for the next grade. I had many parents say No when I suggested it for the first graders I taught (and one third grader) and I know that they did not do well moving forward. Sometimes children are just not ready emotionally either! Prayers for your son that he is problem free from here on out! Happy Friday!
It is totally tough being a parent!! 😜
I think Reagan needs some extra time to mature as well! So its a win-win! She is so social, her teacher doesnt think she will miss a beat.
Britt, ill be praying for you guys to get some clear answers on whats best for your son.
Happy weekend to you girls!
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