This Is Our Life

I have sat down with my laptop several times this week and attempted to write a post. I have so much to say, but very few words come to mind. Honestly, most of those words aren't really appropriate for a family blog. I have felt like the world is crashing in around us this week. Paisley is covered in poison ivy that is making her horribly whiny and uncomfortable, Delaney is having tummy issues (as usual), and Destiny cries ALL. THE. TIME. Bobby's Chiari symptoms are returning one at a time. This week, in addition to the back pain and swelling, he has had tinnitus and vertigo as well as some tingling in his legs, left arm, and fingers. It is certainly a reminder of how awful last summer was for all of us. I hope things start looking up soon. I hate to feel this way!
My goals right now are to give the girls as much of myself as possible. I am trying to focus on them and how I can make things better for them. We have been going about our summer days with as much normalcy as humanly possible. We've gone to therapy, doctor's visits, and played outside (that explains the poison ivy covering Paisley!!) as usual. Bobby's symptoms have had little-to-no affect on the girls this summer. I am hoping that it stays that way. They deserve a break from worry for awhile. It seems like the last 2 years have been fraught with worries, stress, illness, and grief. I want my girls to have normal lives for awhile. Lives that aren't centered around doctors and hospitals and mommy constantly crying. We've spent alot of our time in the pool this week. I've been taking lots of pictures of the girls at play. I think they've had a pretty good time. I only wish that Bobby felt like joining us in the pool for a little while. He's still struggling to work as much as he can. He's missed several full days of work and had to come home after half a day at work a few times also. I know it bothers him to "admit defeat" by staying home, but I tell him to look on the bright side....it gives him time to sit at home and look at beautiful, little ol' me! Ha! Our 9th anniversary is coming up in July and I am hoping that he is feeling a little better by then. I'd like to do something special for him on this anniversary because last year he was in ICU on our anniversay (one day out of heart surgery and 8 days out of brain surgery!) in a great deal of pain. He also spent his birthday (July 11)in ICU so I hope he will feel up to celebrating his bday this year. We certainly have a year's worth of memories to celebrate!
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We've been seeing lots of progress with Delaney's therapy. Her Physical Therapy is really making a difference in her walking. She's learning to climb short steps and turn around to lower herself off of furniture. It's cute to see how determined she is when climbing those steps! Her little face gets all scrunched up with concentration. We've been doing strengthening exercises on her legs and torso. She's not really a big fan of that, and she lets me know it. I've discovered that she has a stubborn streak a mile wide. It doesn't matter how entertaining we try to make the exercises, she's still trying to escape. Instead of rambling on and on, I'll just post some pictures of my pretty girls.

♥ My sweet Laney turned 19 months old yesterday ♥
She weighs 21.7 pounds
She is 31 inches tall
Her head circ. is 16.24 inches
♥Destiny cheesin' it up in the pool♥
♥Walking with Sissy♥
♥Playing house♥
♥Paisley playing in the pool♥