My Birthday

This is 41 😊  I had a fun day and was spoiled by my family!  I had a fun afternoon at Cooper's Hawk with my sister crew, followed by dinner and cake with my family!  Couldn't have asked for more!

Starting OIT with Palforzia

Today we started Palforzia OIT for Mila's peanut allergy!  I was a little nervous knowing that she could possibly have anaphylaxis during the treatment, however, I have full confidence in her allergist!  She told me that none of her patients have had to epi during OIT!!

She passed the initial dosing and was sent home with capsules to take at home for the next 2 weeks.  The plan is to desensitize her to peanuts so she's at a much lower risk for anaphylaxis if she's accidently exposed to peanuts.

 

So Busy

Life has been flying by at a crazy fast pace. I always think that after every holiday or event we’ll have some down time to just “be,” but that is yet to happen! I’m really hoping we will have a calm and fun summer! I’m sad knowing that we only have 6 more summers before Caleb is off to college! I know that is going to be here before we know it! I want to make sure I get to cherish more time with my babies! They are growing up far too quickly!!

Caleb's Black Belt Testing

We are so incredibly proud of Caleb!!  After working his way through the different colored belts, and 2.5 years later, he earned his black belt!!  The candidates didn't know, but all of us parents knew that if they were invited to the testing, they would earn their belts!  As warned in all of their black belt classes, the testing was intense, but he did it!  I hope he is proud of himself for such a huge accomplishment!

Caleb's 1st sleep away camp

A few months back, Caleb's best friend Miller asked if he wanted to go to sleep away camp with the church's teen youth group.  It was 4 days, 3 nights in Elkhorn, Wisconsin.  When we looked at the camp online, we could see that it had all the typical activities of summer camp...a lake for swimming and water activities, a ropes course, climbing wall, archery, and cabins with rows of bunk beds.  Additionally, it was a Christian camp that had mass, confession, and adoration.  He thought it looked cool and fun, so we signed him up!  After I submitted the payment, he asked me, "what if I miss you?"

Caleb does not have a cell phone yet, which is on purpose! However I told him that we do have the old phone and that he could take it with him if he needed to get a hold of me.  A week before he left for camp, I went to the information meeting and found out that they do not allow kids to bring their phones, but if they need to call home can use one of their counselor's phones.

The morning of camp he was excited with his friends and acted too cool to barely give me a hug. I thought for sure he would be fine! However, that night he called home in tears asking to be picked up.  Oh my heart!! 💔 

He said he missed us and just wanted to come home.  He told me that it physically hurt him to be away from home, and I knew 100% how he felt!  I was the same way at his age!  I told him he'd feel differently in the morning, and that he just needed to get through the night.  We agreed that he would call me the next day to check in, and that if he truly could not stay that we would come get him.  

All day he never called so I thought for sure he got used to it, but again at bedtime he called us. He said that he knew he had to stay that second night, but would like to come home early instead of staying the third night. Again I told him that he needed to check in with me the next day and we would talk again.

As promised, he called in the afternoon and said he was ready to come home. I had talked to Natalie the night before and got some great advice.  She said that it was important for him to stay, even though it was difficult for him (and me!)  She said that growth happens when you are challenged and have to do new things.  I told him that we would not be coming early to pick him up.  He was upset with me.  I tried to say what Natalie told me, but got overwhelmed and flustered.  Erik talked to him and helped him understand why we were making him stay.  When he got back on the phone with me he was not crying and said he'd see us the next day.

The next day my mom picked him up from school and I didn't see him until after work. When I walked in the house, he gave me the biggest, best hug ever!  He said that the best part of camp was the last night when they had an ice cream, dance party!  When I asked him if he was glad he stayed he said yes. I told him I knew how hard it was on him and that I was so proud of him. He agreed and even said he may want to go to camp again next year!

I also thought it was really cute because there was a day when his little cousin was missing her mom.  He told the other cousins that sometimes you just miss your mom and that's okay.  He's such a cutie!!

Iyla's 1st Dance Recital

Lisa and I brought Scarlett and Mila to watch Iyla in her very first dance recital!  She had a beautiful costume and danced to a mix of 3 songs.  She did a great job, and did not get stage fright!  Afterwards, the whole family went out to lunch together at Flagship on the Fox.  We love this place because they have great food and swings inside!

Hebron Farm playdate

I love that Trish and I have remained friends since Freshman year of high school!  We try to get together every couple of months for lunch and then have a play date with our kids in the summer.  She had been to this family run farm in the past and thought our kids would like it too!  They take you behind the scenes with all of their farm animals!  We got to hold baby chicks, ducks, goats, lambs, and bunnies!  We also got to see cows, ponies, and ducks!  It was a really fun experience!