Jensen and cousin Miller "the Chiller"
Jacob and his Boyz! (Tucker & Ty)
Jacob worked up a bit of sweat!
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Monday, January 30, 2012
Belated B-day Celebration
Last night, we were able to celebrate Janie Grace's birthday as was initially intended for early December. The plan was to commemorate a miraculous first year of life for JG while thanking local family and friends that have been instrumental in supporting our entire family this past year. Without these folks meeting our physical and emotional needs, it's hard to comprehend where we'd be today.
In an effort to thank the youngest to the oldest, we headed to Jump N Fun where kids bounced around on inflatables and exhausted what was left of their weekend energy. Janie Grace will only remember it in story, but she was well-celebrated if the exhausted red-faces were any indication.
A lot of good pics were generated but here are a few to summarize...
In an effort to thank the youngest to the oldest, we headed to Jump N Fun where kids bounced around on inflatables and exhausted what was left of their weekend energy. Janie Grace will only remember it in story, but she was well-celebrated if the exhausted red-faces were any indication.
A lot of good pics were generated but here are a few to summarize...
And a couple videos (Janie wasn't quite as expressive as normal...probably sensory overload!)
Friday, January 27, 2012
EOB Count...
Janie Grace generated 243 EOBs for 2011! No wonder if felt like we were getting one most every day...we were!
Somebody guessed 500, but, like the Price Is Right, you're disqualified if you go over. Therefore, Shana is our big winner. Shana, be on the look out for a package in the mail....a copy of each one!
Somebody guessed 500, but, like the Price Is Right, you're disqualified if you go over. Therefore, Shana is our big winner. Shana, be on the look out for a package in the mail....a copy of each one!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
We Cannot Make This Up!
The mutual fund prospectus is back! Well, it never really left.
I walked in to check on the kids last night before heading to bed myself only to find the following. Is she 4 or a 70-year-old on fixed income??!!
I walked in to check on the kids last night before heading to bed myself only to find the following. Is she 4 or a 70-year-old on fixed income??!!
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
One Year Ago...
A year ago this week, our desperation to feed Janie Grace was rapidly approaching its nadir (Zack Mansfield word...he used another word yesterday I'd never heard before!). Despite round-the-clock efforts to sustain our child, Janie was failing to thrive. We were urging calories into her body but to no avail. Reluctantly, we were preparing for an inevitable hospital stay for the purpose of having Janie adjust to use of a feeding tube. The inability to meet the nutritional needs of a child was a burden we hope to never again bare. We were exhausted, desperate, nervous and frightened. The intense will to orally feed our child by whatever means possible was finally broken. We had no other choice and we knew it.
While having a tube hanging from Janie's nose and the companion pole that served as her shadow was no picnic, we quickly learned that this device was more refreshing than anything we'd known. Janie was gaining weight and the inconvenience of a feeding tube was but a fraction of the prior burden.
I wish each one of you could watch Janie eat a meal today. If a year ago today, you would have told us that Janie Grace would be eating everything in site just 12 short months later, we would have sarcastically laughed in your face. She takes down a 6-ounce (180 ml) bottle of milk in under 15 minutes. A year ago, we danced a jig on the rare occasion she came close to sucking down 6 ml over the course of 30 minutes. Last night, as I often do after Janie finishes a bottle while seated on my lap, I looked at the empty cup as I placed it next to me in preparation to burp her and shook my head in disbelief. Disbelief in form of genuine gratefulness. How times have changed!
Over the course of today, Janie Grace will eat some variety of blueberries, bananas, broccoli, bread, black beans, blackberries, turkey (couldn't keep the b-words going), ham, apples, pizza, pasta, peppers, pears, chicken, cheese, oatmeal, avocado, cucumbers and PLENTY of puffs. Last night, she gobbled down black-bean lasagna like it was candy. I don't use this word flippantly, never have...it's a miracle. Recently, Jennifer's mom was helping to feed Janie Grace one evening while Jennifer and I each had a commitment. She admitted to spontaneously and audibly breaking into a rendition of Great is Thy Faithfulness as she sat in wonder at Janie's ability to feed herself. Not only the ability of her mouth to manipulate the food in preparation to swallow, but the dexterity in her fingers to pick up the small bites herself and shove them in over and over again!
We'll never again take for the granted the ability of an infant to feed him/herself. Each skill we have, that often come naturally, is a blessing from the Lord.
While having a tube hanging from Janie's nose and the companion pole that served as her shadow was no picnic, we quickly learned that this device was more refreshing than anything we'd known. Janie was gaining weight and the inconvenience of a feeding tube was but a fraction of the prior burden.
I wish each one of you could watch Janie eat a meal today. If a year ago today, you would have told us that Janie Grace would be eating everything in site just 12 short months later, we would have sarcastically laughed in your face. She takes down a 6-ounce (180 ml) bottle of milk in under 15 minutes. A year ago, we danced a jig on the rare occasion she came close to sucking down 6 ml over the course of 30 minutes. Last night, as I often do after Janie finishes a bottle while seated on my lap, I looked at the empty cup as I placed it next to me in preparation to burp her and shook my head in disbelief. Disbelief in form of genuine gratefulness. How times have changed!
Over the course of today, Janie Grace will eat some variety of blueberries, bananas, broccoli, bread, black beans, blackberries, turkey (couldn't keep the b-words going), ham, apples, pizza, pasta, peppers, pears, chicken, cheese, oatmeal, avocado, cucumbers and PLENTY of puffs. Last night, she gobbled down black-bean lasagna like it was candy. I don't use this word flippantly, never have...it's a miracle. Recently, Jennifer's mom was helping to feed Janie Grace one evening while Jennifer and I each had a commitment. She admitted to spontaneously and audibly breaking into a rendition of Great is Thy Faithfulness as she sat in wonder at Janie's ability to feed herself. Not only the ability of her mouth to manipulate the food in preparation to swallow, but the dexterity in her fingers to pick up the small bites herself and shove them in over and over again!
We'll never again take for the granted the ability of an infant to feed him/herself. Each skill we have, that often come naturally, is a blessing from the Lord.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Jacob - 2 videos
We mentioned Jacob was on the verge of tying his own shoes. Well, here is the visual proof!
Jacob spends significant amounts of his free-time shooting hoops. The return on investment of this hoop is infinite.
Jacob spends significant amounts of his free-time shooting hoops. The return on investment of this hoop is infinite.
Monday, January 23, 2012
Coach Paterno
I haven’t been proud to admit it in recent weeks, but I’ve been a Penn State football fan for as long as I can remember. At an early age, Paterno’s style of coaching and the manner in which he ran his football program connected with me. Initially, I loved that there were no names on the back of the jerseys (I’m a life-long Indiana basketball fan for much the same reason) and always found the simple uniform-design to be glamorous in their own way. I grew to love the way Coach Paterno used football (sports in general) to teach life. He took kids and turned them into men. Players graduated at rates commensurate with Ivy League schools, yet the program won at rates that were the envy of the country.
Therefore, I’ve been devastated that his legacy will be forever linked to a critical lapse in judgment. I tend to believe he was incredibly naïve. It seemed he knew three things…family, football and education. While he bares enormous responsibility for not taking more action when he first learned of Sandusky’s conduct, I also believe that, in his death, it’s worth paying tribute to the uncommon things he did in his roles of coach, father, mentor and friend.
I’ve been reading articles about Paterno all weekend hoping that somebody would articulate how I feel. While the alleged crimes are egregious, it bothered me that most authors used their respective platforms to continue to dwell on the abuse scandal. Not surprisingly, Rick Reilly (previously of SI, now with ESPN) came through with a gem. He doesn’t dismiss Paterno’s inaction with respect to Sandusky, yet Reilly chooses to focus on some of the reasons why Joe Paterno became an icon of sports.
http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/7492873/rick-reilly-paterno-true-legacy
Therefore, I’ve been devastated that his legacy will be forever linked to a critical lapse in judgment. I tend to believe he was incredibly naïve. It seemed he knew three things…family, football and education. While he bares enormous responsibility for not taking more action when he first learned of Sandusky’s conduct, I also believe that, in his death, it’s worth paying tribute to the uncommon things he did in his roles of coach, father, mentor and friend.
I’ve been reading articles about Paterno all weekend hoping that somebody would articulate how I feel. While the alleged crimes are egregious, it bothered me that most authors used their respective platforms to continue to dwell on the abuse scandal. Not surprisingly, Rick Reilly (previously of SI, now with ESPN) came through with a gem. He doesn’t dismiss Paterno’s inaction with respect to Sandusky, yet Reilly chooses to focus on some of the reasons why Joe Paterno became an icon of sports.
http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/id/7492873/rick-reilly-paterno-true-legacy
Jacob & JG
On Jacob's recent day off from school, he played the role of librarian and comedian for Janie Grace. I love these pictures.
Friday, January 20, 2012
EOB is a 4-Letter Word
The tally is in. We now know how many EOBs sweet Janie was responsible for generating in 2011. If you don't know, an EOB is an Explanation of Benefits that comes from the insurance company when a provider files a claim based on services provided. Some EOBs have a single service noted, while others may list out several services provided at at once or over the course of several treatments.
I figure we might as well have a little fun with this. Therefore, if you'd like to take a guess at the final sum, please leave an educated estimate by leaving a comment below. I've got a prize for the winner. You'll love it. I'll post the answer in a week or so.
There's a bit of challenge here in that even if you how many doctors saw her last year and how many times each visited with her, you still might struggle to be accurate because you don't know how things were lumped together on each respective EOB.
Have Fun!!
I figure we might as well have a little fun with this. Therefore, if you'd like to take a guess at the final sum, please leave an educated estimate by leaving a comment below. I've got a prize for the winner. You'll love it. I'll post the answer in a week or so.
There's a bit of challenge here in that even if you how many doctors saw her last year and how many times each visited with her, you still might struggle to be accurate because you don't know how things were lumped together on each respective EOB.
Have Fun!!
Newfound Independence
Jacob is the verge of tying his own shoes. I'm not sure who is more excited...him or us!
Thursday, January 19, 2012
Like Shooting Fish in a Barrel
It's just too easy these days to capture an adorable picture of Janie Grace!
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
You Know Your Getting Older When...
seemingly out of nowhere, your 6-six-year-old wise-guy declares that your haircut is "just like Mark Martin's". For you NASCAR haters, Mark Martin is the universally-respected elder statesmen of the Spring Cup Series. Initially, one might interpret that the term "haircut" was used by Jacob to infer a similar hair style. Of course, in that sense, style would suggest a choice in how one would elect to wear their hair. To the contrary, in this case, it refers to a common quest of masking oncoming baldness as the short, clean-cut look is out of necessity for both Mark and me. Therefore, Jacob was really suggesting that both Mr. Martin and I are follicle-ly challenged. The burn for me is that Martin is north of 50. I pulled up a picture a moment ago hoping Jacob was badly mistaken. I chuckled to myself upon discovering that, unfortunately, as usual, Jacob's observation was right on target.
While hard to admit, it's uncanny how similar our two sets of hair are, yet I'm 35...bummer.
see for yourself...
While hard to admit, it's uncanny how similar our two sets of hair are, yet I'm 35...bummer.
see for yourself...
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Jensen the Artist
As is well-documented, Jensen loves making crafts. This fact was highlighted by several Christmas gifts from family members having an art theme. One gift was a kit that provided step-by-step instructions and supplies for making a mobile. Jensen worked on it diligently (with some help from mom). Now, it hangs from the bottom of Jacob's bunk bed so that Jensen can look up at it before falling asleep. One kit is done but a fun aspect of this gift is that another kit will arrive monthly in the mail for a couple months. Yesterday, Jensen must have checked for the mail at least once an hour hoping another kit would arrive!
Friday, January 13, 2012
Bedtime Reading
Jacob absorbs ESPN magazine. Meanwhile, Jensen thumbs through a mutual fund prospectus. (I'm not kidding! She grabbed it from me when it came in the mail and has had it bedside for several nights.)
Thursday, January 12, 2012
Randomness
This blog was started out of necessity - to communicate status updates and prayer requests during Janie Grace's heart surgery and recovery in order to cut down on telephone calls and emails we wouldn't have the time or energy to respond to. We've kept it afloat for two main reasons:
1) It allows us keep faraway family and friends current on the happenings of our family.
2) Whenever our kids have internet access the rest of their lives, they'll have the chance to look back on life events (significant and not so significant) and laugh, reminisce and be reminded of Faith building moments.
Some of the things we post on here are really meant for the kids, their kids years from now and us. We're glad for you to read our musings, if you choose, but really we're trying to document interesting moments in their lives (well, interesting to us anyway.) The following falls in this category.
I wondered if I might post about these conversations as they happened but told myself I wouldn't. As I recounted them to Jennifer later in the evening, she inquired, "those are going on the blog, right?" Here we go...
Jacob and Jensen don't articulate the meaningful details of their day with much color when we sit around the dinner table and I ask about their day in a generic/broad manner. I've had to resort to being satisfied hearing about one unique nugget of information they learned or an out-of-the-ordinary experience of the day. Now, they've learned that I will insist upon it each evening, so it almost seems as if they're ready these days.
Last night, the three of us (Jacob, Jensen, and me) were at McAlister's (hard to beat kids-eat-free night there...$6.70 for three of us). While we waited 30 minutes for our food (they lost our order, it was a good chance to talk about patience!, we did get a free appetizer and dessert for all us!), I asked about the kids' day. Immediately, Jacob began to eloquently (on the 6-year-old eloquent scale) articulate about the life and death of Dr. King. With MLK Day on Monday, he's been taught quite a bit this week about this revolutionary leader and ultra-important member of our country's history. Jacob went on about how "dark-skinned people" weren't "treated kindly". He had learned that Dr. King worked to make sure "dark-skinned people" could do the same things and go to the same places as "light-skinned people". I was proud for how well Jacob had listened in class. I was proud that I could sense his disbelief that there was even a need for Dr. King and others to do what they did in order to achieve equal freedoms. However, as I listened, my heart sunk. Let me explain. Without shielding our kids from reality (at least in our minds), we've worked hard to insist the kids understand that God made each person and loves each soul equally. He commands that we do the same. To this point, I don't think our kids have had a sense for racial injustice, economic injustice (they do know that many of us have advantages in the U.S. not available to others both here and around the globe), gender injustice, mistreatment of the handicapped, etc. Yes, they understand that terrible things happen and that our world isn't rosy. We try not to mask reality. However, in this moment, I felt like some innocence was lost. While we insist that our kids learn to evaluate people based on "the content of their character", they've now learned that others have not lived and do not live to that standard. I reminded them that nothing they say or do will get them in more trouble with us than if they treat somebody poorly (particularly if that miss-treatment stems from something that person has no control over). I was pleased that, even as I reminded them of that, they there miffed that could ever happen. I desperately wish I could erase some of the misconceptions that exist in my mind that I have to diligently work through to overcome time and time again. We hope Jacob, Jensen and Janie Grace won't need such a big eraser.
Our food finally arrived and, while chowing down, my dad called. We talked about several things quickly. During the conversation, the kids could tell listening to one-half of the conversation that a bike of my dad's had been stolen several months ago. After hanging up, Jensen asked "Why did somebody steal his bike?". Jacob added, "Yeah, don't they know that is against the rules?". I thought to myself, "here we go again!". I went on to explain what had happened but both kids maintained a puzzled look. Jensen still not satisfied, "But the bike isn't their bike.". Jacob, "Yeah, they didn't pay for it!". Clearly, the thought of taking something that didn't belong to them had never crossed their minds. As easy as it is for adult minds to grasp that people steal, it was equally as challenging for Jacob and Jensen to accept that somebody would take an item that is not their own. Again, I went on to explain that some people make decisions that our family deems as unacceptable.
Can we just let the kids stay in their bubble for the next 80 years?????!!!!!!
1) It allows us keep faraway family and friends current on the happenings of our family.
2) Whenever our kids have internet access the rest of their lives, they'll have the chance to look back on life events (significant and not so significant) and laugh, reminisce and be reminded of Faith building moments.
Some of the things we post on here are really meant for the kids, their kids years from now and us. We're glad for you to read our musings, if you choose, but really we're trying to document interesting moments in their lives (well, interesting to us anyway.) The following falls in this category.
I wondered if I might post about these conversations as they happened but told myself I wouldn't. As I recounted them to Jennifer later in the evening, she inquired, "those are going on the blog, right?" Here we go...
Jacob and Jensen don't articulate the meaningful details of their day with much color when we sit around the dinner table and I ask about their day in a generic/broad manner. I've had to resort to being satisfied hearing about one unique nugget of information they learned or an out-of-the-ordinary experience of the day. Now, they've learned that I will insist upon it each evening, so it almost seems as if they're ready these days.
Last night, the three of us (Jacob, Jensen, and me) were at McAlister's (hard to beat kids-eat-free night there...$6.70 for three of us). While we waited 30 minutes for our food (they lost our order, it was a good chance to talk about patience!, we did get a free appetizer and dessert for all us!), I asked about the kids' day. Immediately, Jacob began to eloquently (on the 6-year-old eloquent scale) articulate about the life and death of Dr. King. With MLK Day on Monday, he's been taught quite a bit this week about this revolutionary leader and ultra-important member of our country's history. Jacob went on about how "dark-skinned people" weren't "treated kindly". He had learned that Dr. King worked to make sure "dark-skinned people" could do the same things and go to the same places as "light-skinned people". I was proud for how well Jacob had listened in class. I was proud that I could sense his disbelief that there was even a need for Dr. King and others to do what they did in order to achieve equal freedoms. However, as I listened, my heart sunk. Let me explain. Without shielding our kids from reality (at least in our minds), we've worked hard to insist the kids understand that God made each person and loves each soul equally. He commands that we do the same. To this point, I don't think our kids have had a sense for racial injustice, economic injustice (they do know that many of us have advantages in the U.S. not available to others both here and around the globe), gender injustice, mistreatment of the handicapped, etc. Yes, they understand that terrible things happen and that our world isn't rosy. We try not to mask reality. However, in this moment, I felt like some innocence was lost. While we insist that our kids learn to evaluate people based on "the content of their character", they've now learned that others have not lived and do not live to that standard. I reminded them that nothing they say or do will get them in more trouble with us than if they treat somebody poorly (particularly if that miss-treatment stems from something that person has no control over). I was pleased that, even as I reminded them of that, they there miffed that could ever happen. I desperately wish I could erase some of the misconceptions that exist in my mind that I have to diligently work through to overcome time and time again. We hope Jacob, Jensen and Janie Grace won't need such a big eraser.
Our food finally arrived and, while chowing down, my dad called. We talked about several things quickly. During the conversation, the kids could tell listening to one-half of the conversation that a bike of my dad's had been stolen several months ago. After hanging up, Jensen asked "Why did somebody steal his bike?". Jacob added, "Yeah, don't they know that is against the rules?". I thought to myself, "here we go again!". I went on to explain what had happened but both kids maintained a puzzled look. Jensen still not satisfied, "But the bike isn't their bike.". Jacob, "Yeah, they didn't pay for it!". Clearly, the thought of taking something that didn't belong to them had never crossed their minds. As easy as it is for adult minds to grasp that people steal, it was equally as challenging for Jacob and Jensen to accept that somebody would take an item that is not their own. Again, I went on to explain that some people make decisions that our family deems as unacceptable.
Can we just let the kids stay in their bubble for the next 80 years?????!!!!!!
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
New Developments
I'm not sure I understood pre-fatherhood the joy and healthy pride that would come with watching our children do something one day that hadn't been achieved the day before. Jensen learns to write a new letter of the alphabet each week at school and probably has nicer penmanship than I do! Jacob has gone from scoring one basket all of last season to hitting a couple jumpers each week.
For the past 30-45 days, ever since Janie Grace began sitting upright with real confidence we've wondered how long it would be until she'd go from being on her belly to the upright sitting position without our help (she certainly didn't need our assistance falling over from the sitting position before scooting along to her destination!). For several weeks, she's been able to get her legs in front of her, but has been unable to push off of her right arm to get completely upright. We've commented dozens of times, "she's so close." If our collective will could manufacture physical strength, she'd have been getting upright on her own weeks ago!
On Saturday, we were with some friends and Janie army-crawled out of sight and into the next room (as is par-for-the-course these days). When I went to grab her, not sure what she was getting herself into in an unfamiliar home to her, for the first time, she was sitting up staring at me like "Dad, where have you been?". Here we'd been watching for weeks and when we least expected it, she did it! She went on to do it several more times Saturday, and didn't forget how to do it overnight as she performed her new trick several times on Sunday. As she did it each time, we'd cheer and congratulate her and then she'd smile and clap along with us! It almost seemed as if she was proud of herself! We were! Each time she did it, it would force us to do a double-take as we weren't yet accustom to all of a sudden having her staring up at us like that. It's another step of indepedence which only means she's getting older!
For the past 30-45 days, ever since Janie Grace began sitting upright with real confidence we've wondered how long it would be until she'd go from being on her belly to the upright sitting position without our help (she certainly didn't need our assistance falling over from the sitting position before scooting along to her destination!). For several weeks, she's been able to get her legs in front of her, but has been unable to push off of her right arm to get completely upright. We've commented dozens of times, "she's so close." If our collective will could manufacture physical strength, she'd have been getting upright on her own weeks ago!
On Saturday, we were with some friends and Janie army-crawled out of sight and into the next room (as is par-for-the-course these days). When I went to grab her, not sure what she was getting herself into in an unfamiliar home to her, for the first time, she was sitting up staring at me like "Dad, where have you been?". Here we'd been watching for weeks and when we least expected it, she did it! She went on to do it several more times Saturday, and didn't forget how to do it overnight as she performed her new trick several times on Sunday. As she did it each time, we'd cheer and congratulate her and then she'd smile and clap along with us! It almost seemed as if she was proud of herself! We were! Each time she did it, it would force us to do a double-take as we weren't yet accustom to all of a sudden having her staring up at us like that. It's another step of indepedence which only means she's getting older!
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Christmas Pics
A few of the favorites from our Christmas celebration.
Jacob and Jensen decorated a birthday cake for Jesus on Christmas Eve. (If you look closely and are willing to accept artistic license, you can see the Nativity depicted.) On Christmas morning, they continued a Huitsing tradition of a decorating a cinnamon roll Christmas tree.
Janie Grace is always observing her brother and sister. I'm glad the camera was handy to capture these 2 moments during Christmas. They also remind me that all three kids are constantly watching mom and dad!
Jacob and Jensen decorated a birthday cake for Jesus on Christmas Eve. (If you look closely and are willing to accept artistic license, you can see the Nativity depicted.) On Christmas morning, they continued a Huitsing tradition of a decorating a cinnamon roll Christmas tree.
Janie Grace is always observing her brother and sister. I'm glad the camera was handy to capture these 2 moments during Christmas. They also remind me that all three kids are constantly watching mom and dad!
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
Huitsing Family Pictures
Our family was able to be with all the Huitsing siblings/cousins for the first time in 18 months over the New Years' weekend.
As you can imagine, all the cousins enjoyed their time together. At one point Jacob commented, "the days are going by too fast!".
Jacob/Andrew and Jensen/Lauren/Kate were never far from each other during the entire visit(Jacob slept in Andrew's room and Jensen with the girls in their room). Caden broke the gender barrier and played with all of them!
Jacob and Andrew wore their Bears' gear nearly the entire weekend. I liked this shot as they enjoyed a Christmas cookie together.
As you can imagine, all the cousins enjoyed their time together. At one point Jacob commented, "the days are going by too fast!".
Jacob/Andrew and Jensen/Lauren/Kate were never far from each other during the entire visit(Jacob slept in Andrew's room and Jensen with the girls in their room). Caden broke the gender barrier and played with all of them!
Jacob and Andrew wore their Bears' gear nearly the entire weekend. I liked this shot as they enjoyed a Christmas cookie together.
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