I can't believe it!

One year ago today, I was introduced to this beautiful little girl. She has changed our world.

Her birth story is here.

My baby is 1!

 I still cannot believe that a whole year has passed. Words can't express how much we love her! There are so many thing I would love to say about her, but I fear that words will diminish the actual feelings that I have.

So I will just say this...

My other too angels have this strong sense of protection over Macy. They treat her will care, love and gentleness. I think they sense something truly special about her little spirit!

Macy,
     You are a rare gift! One that most people choose not the accept. We have loved you from the start and that love just continues to grow day by day! You are already touching so many people and opening their eyes to the possibilities. You are truly here to make the world a more beautiful and loving place. You have burrowed your way deep within our hearts and that is where you will stay. We love you!!

The first 1/3'd

I figure if everything goes as planned, I am about 1/3 the way through my life. Crazy to think about! Yes, I am 30 today. It feels good! It suits me... I feel like my age is getting closer to matching up with my life experience! :) I feel like I have learned and been through enough in the last 30 years to last a lifetime!

Now I am starting to wonder what is in store for me and the next 2/3'ds of my life! I hope lots of love, happiness and moments to bury my toes in the sand on a beach somewhere!

I was thinking today about some of the really significant things I have learned over the last 30 years.

1. - There is beauty in EVERYONE! I wouldn't say I didn't know this before... but it has become so much more clear over the last few years. I no longer think there is a specific mold for what is beautiful!

2. - As I age, I am caring less and less about what others think about me. Don't get me wrong, acceptance is a wonderful thing and I love feeling like others "like" me. But, at the end of the day... it is getting easier for me to realize that I can't please everyone and it really isn't my job to do that anyway.

3. - Life is only going to give back to me what I give to it! That goes with relationships as well.

and the most important things I've learned and continue to learn is that I am becoming more comfortable with myself. I am more confident in sharing my opinions and knowledge, and I am more at peace with the path my life is on. (that may sound weird because of how stressful my life is right now) But, what I am trying to say is... I know this is the life I am meant to be living! I am at the right place at the right time!!! and I am only more excited for the future that is in store for me.

For my birthday I ask that you visit the site of my friend Kecia from Utah. She is adopting this beaufitul girl Kareen through Reese's Rainbow. Kareen lives in an orphanage in Europe and she has Down Syndrome. I look forward to meeting this little angel next time I am in Utah!

Grab This!

My Marathon life continues!

My desire for an easy, slower schedule for 2011 goes up in flames!

We met with Macy's surgeon yesterday. He is afraid that if she keeps getting enterocolitis that it will scare him into giving her an ileostomy. For those who don't know what that is... They cut a hole in your tummy (an ostomy) and they detatch the large and small intestine and than attach the small intestine to the hole in your tummy. At that point she poops out of that hole and so she will have to live with a bag attached to her tummy to catch her poop. :( So in his attempt to prevent this, he wants to now see her every other week instead of the old every two months.

After that appt we headed to the pediatrician. She was concerned as well and wants to see follow Macy closer. So she will now see Macy once per month. She also thinks Macy needs a dietitian and a GI doctor... so she is sending off those referrals. As well as that, she thinks Macy is developmentally behind due to her long trip plus hospital admission. So, she is sending a referral for a developmental aid to come and work with Macy in our home a few days a week.

All that on top of her current appts, school and therapy!

I'm just hoping I can keep up!

"Be still and know that I am God." -Psalm 46

Having lots of anxiety lately over the stress in my life. Early this morning, this scripture literally popped into my head as I was sitting quietly and thinking.

I kept telling myself,

Be still, be still...it's okay... it is all a part of His plan.

Easy come easy go...

The first few words of my playlist song totally define my life right now! Easy come easy go...

Macy is sick, again. But it is different this time. She began throwing up yesterday and has had fevers. She is lethargic, unwilling to eat solids and has diarrhea. I am thinking it's either the flu or C diff. I don't want to end up back in the hospital and I am watching her closely. But, it may come to that. She looks like she has lost weight over the last few weeks and kids with Hirschsprungs disease can become dehydrated way faster that typical kids.

It is so weird that she was SO well over the summer and in the fall. Then Bam... everything comes crashing down. I am feeling really guilty about not getting her the flu shot this year. I honestly didn't even think about it because she was so well.

On a happier note. Kyla is so cute playing on my Ipad. She can open netflicks, pick a movie and start it. She can play games herself. It has been a great thing for my sanity this past week. She has changed SO much in the past year. Still sassy and stubborn, but she is getting sweeter with age! She says the funniest things like this just last night.

Barry - "Kyla, it is time for bed. It is almost 10:00. You need to go to sleep in your princess bed."

Kyla - "Daddy, I can't go to bed.

Barry - "Why Kyla?"

Kyla - "Because I will cry in my bed, daddy. I will CRY."

Me - "Too bad Kyla, it's bedtime!"

Potty training her has been so easy! Which is a huge blessing! She pretty much trained herself.

and what would I do without my almost 9 yr old Tommy. Seriously! Macy puked while I was at Walmart grocery shopping. When we got home, I had to run upstairs and change Macy out of her clothes and get her taken care of. Well, Tommy brought in all the groceries for me. A few minutes after that I saw him sitting on the couch with his eyes closed. When I asked him what he was doing, he said, "I am saying a prayer for Macy!"   Really! What would I do without him!

Home

I sit here in front of the computer this morning watching the cursor blink... just trying my best to organize my thoughts!

So, 2011 is not quite starting like I had expected! But, it's given me a good chance to see the puzzle pieces of my life sort of coming into place. I truly think it is through the challenges we are given that we become stronger!

I had a really busy fall season. I felt like I had to take Macy to everything that was offered for her. This was mostly out of fear and guilt. These last two hospital admissions have made me realize that I need to slow down. I need to Savour the time I have with my kids while they are little.

I feel a HUGE need to say thank you again to all of you who step in to help us out! Barry and I both began the year feeling like we had exhausted all of our HELPS for a while! We feel we have leaned on others too much. So we hope you know how much it means to us!

So, Macy is home... again. The low down is this... Something in her colon is not working like we wish it would. So, the Surgeon took a biopsy last Tuesday and gave her some botox injections near her rectum to relax the sphincter. We will hear the results from the biopsy next week. At that time we will see if she needs additional surgery or if the botox can keep everything working for now. We are glad she is home and continue to be reminded that there are millions of people going through so much more than we are!

So this brings me to a story I read about on a friends blog this morning. This family needs your prayers. Molly is a 1 months old baby who was diagnosed with Leukemia on Christmas Eve. Go read their story and send some love! http://molly-campbell.com/w1/node/1

hmm... I don't know what to call this!

I have a good friend who has a special needs child. Well, in fact I have a handful! But she said this to me the other day. She said that part of the reason she feels the Lord gave her this special child, was because she NEEDED that constant reminder to rely on the Lord. To pray and follow his direction!

This really resonated with me and my life. I think I need that constant reminder too.

I have a chronic problem. I believe that I can "do it all!" I feel like no one can care for my kids the way I can. I feel they are happiest with me. I try to be strong even when I should let others take some of the weight. I realize I have these problems. It was great for me to get that reminder that maybe things would be a little easier if I turned to the Saviour!

It has been a CRAZY week-and-a-half! Macy admitted to the hospital, than out of the hospital, appointments, school, ex-husband stress and than readmitted to the hospital! At this point it is looking like Macy with need another surgery to remove more of her colon. I am hoping and praying that is not the case... but I have learned to accept whatever needs to happen so she can come home and be healthy!

Give a little LOVE!

Thanks to fellow blogger Kelle Hampton for all you do!!!

visit her at http://www.kellehampton.com/

and Donate!

Where's your favorite IV site?

Smack dab in the middle of your forehead... Right?

Heaven on earth in Southern Cali!

I don't know what happened!

We had come off a great high at the end of 2010 and we had settled nicely... into a cozy little spot where 2011 was looking pretty sweet. But, what can I say, the Ehlert engine never slows for long.

So we will keep our chins up and hope that Macy is home within days. Just a little Cholitis... no big deal right! I have fried WAY bigger fish :)

When things get a little bumpy on my road of life, I like to remember the happy/beautiful/fancy free moments... so I can remember that they are just around the corner again!

Here are some of our most recent beautiful moments...

All I have to say is Venice Beach!!! oh, and lots of questions from little boys about...homelessness, medical marijuana, offensive tee shirts and other topics I would have preferred to avoid! But, the beach is still just plain fun!

Disneyland! We stayed at the Grand Californian Hotel in Disney's California Adventures. It was amazing and magical... I'll probably never stay anywhere else!The World of Color water show at Disney... Seriously breathtaking! I could post so many of these pictures. It was so amazing! All water and lights! Some major Jedi action! I love this picture because that little boy in the middle has some serious jedi skills! All three of the older boys in our group got picked to become real jedi masters! They were in HEAVEN! Some serious character chasing! Autograph books and all! I really did chase Dale down in true crazy mother fashion...it went something like this. "Dale, hey dale (while chasing) I know you're trying to get away from the crowds, but we really need your signature... we already got Chip's and well, now we need yours Dale. Please!"In the house of the one and only Minnie Mouse! Some serious princess lovin'! Though she looks like she was forced into it... I promise she LOVED those princesses and still talks about them. Oh, and so does Barry. He thought they were quite pretty as well ;)Macy's first cotton candy! We had lots of this... it was Barry's continued bribe to get the kids to go on scary rides! Jammin with Mickey. I think it is safe to say this was one of the boys favorite moments! And don't they have skillz!

Hours spent swimming and practicing Jedi moves in the pool!

Christmas morning!

This was one of my favorite trips ever. Right up there with my honeymoon cruise, Mexican cruise and trip to Disney world with my childhood dance team! So many things that we didn't get pictures of, but it was a vacation that was warm, magical, relaxing and unforgettable!

Can't wait to go again!

The Chase

I've been thinking for a few months now about the goals that are attainable and the goals that are impossible.


I'm sure you have all heard of the dog that likes to chase his tail. Endlessly. Never to catch it... always to chase.


Well, sometimes I think it is good for us to realize that sometimes we need to let the chase go! Sometimes what we want is impossible. It doesn't exist.


Take this quote for instance... "The grass is greener on the other side." Well, let me tell ya, I really don't think it is!


And for another instance... That perfect person, who you think has it all together... doesn't. It is a total facade! I know this because many people this year have told me that they think I have it all together... haha, if you only knew me. Seriously... just ask her, or her, or her!

So I've been really trying to be "authentic" or to learn what that even means for me. I'd like to find out who I am right now. I know who I was in the past, I know I am not that person anymore. Parts of me are, but I've grown, changed and hopefully improved. I know who I want to be in the future, or better yet, I know how I want to feel about myself and my life. Now it's just a matter of figuring out who I am now. Aside from being a mother and a wife-FIRST and MOST IMPORTANTLY! But, I truly believe that loving yourself and being true to yourself makes you better at being both of those!

I heard a phrase the other day... I'm going to change it slightly... than try it on for a while and see if it works for me! It goes like this.

"Don't change yourself to fit the life, change the life to fit YOU!"