Just updating.
Some much has happened in the last couple of weeks.
I am now one of the Volunteer Coordinators!!Which makes me very happy and I am so honored to have this position and only hope I can do the best job!!!!
Shelby is actually eating a little by mouth and that alone is EXCITING!!!
Lexi, (my oldest daughter) turned 8!!!She is getting so big!!!
Shane has started his own construction company and it has been very stressful-but I stand by him and hopefully after the winter-more jobs will come in!
The girls have been keeping us busy and are the joy of my life.
Shelby is walking around and now running. She is more active, climbing on her riding toys. She is behind in her speech-but is making more sounds than usual. It makes me smile to hear her.
I am so looking forward to spring. I want isolation to be over and get Shelby out. SHe loves to go places and it is nice to let people see- yes- we have four girls!!!
We recently had her pictures taken and they turned out great. The photographer made a picture of Shelby without all of her scars and without her mickey button. I am not sure if I will like it because plain and simple---it is not Shelby!!!! I am waiting to get the call that our order is in.
Otherwise Life Is Good and we still are taking it day by day. I will tell you sometimes I look at our friends that have children and wonder of they have any responsibility at all. They seem so free and can come and go when they want. I remember those days-before children. I can't even remember what it is like to not have children. I do get time to myself-but find myself missing the girls! Strange, but true. They are a part of my life I would never change.
This Rat Patrol Ride for CHERUBS is turning out to be great and it has not even happened!!!!
We made our first magazine and I am so exited!!Hopefully more to go-so we can get CDH awareness out there to the public!!!!
This birth defect affects so many and needs to have so much more awareness!!!

WOW.....Tuesday Shane's Grandmother passed away. Two little girls...ages 5 and 2 lost their lives in a flood accident.
Were we live in Indiana we have had very bad flooding.
Shane's Grandmother had a major part in raising him. So this was a difficult time for us.
We had to explain to the girls that we could not go, only Daddy, because Shelby has to stay in her own environment.
The little girls that lost their lives- they were close in age to my youngest. It seems like a dream. The accident happened only 2 or 3 blocks from our home. Roads that we have traveled. I have been having dreams about it happening to us. Scary.
Shane's Grandmother was buried today and I have talked to him over the phone and I can tell he is emotionally drained, as is his family in Texas. His Grandmother and Grandfather wore these beautiful charms representing Jesus. Shane got his Grandfathers and Shane is bringing home his Grandmothers for me. I think this is such an honor. His Grandparents were married for over 65 years and having those given to Shane and I, makes me feel Joe and Lupe will always watch over us and our family.
Shane's uncle Auggie in lieu of flowers asked for donations for CHERUBS. I don't know if people will do it or not, but I talked to Uncle Auggie and he said it was what Grandma Lupe would have wanted. I think just the thought of Auggie doing this, in itself is heart felt.
The day after Lupe had passed, Dawn posted a donations list. Guess who'e name was there? Lupe Olivarez. I saw this and cryed. I know now that Lupe is a guardian angel for CHERUBS and she joins my Grandparents for Shelby's guardian angel.
Dawn posted it at the perfect time.
Then Friday I received two emails from ATV magazines that want to help us advertise the Rat Patrol's ATV ride for CHERUBS!!! Thank you Lupe. I know she played a part in that!!!!

Shelby is back to 19 pounds 9 ounces. She wants to be where ever her sisters are. They have been such a huge help in how far Shelby has come.
Shane returns tomorrow and I am excited. He has been greatly missed.
My mother has stayed with me while he was gone and she is an ANGEL.

God sometimes gives you such hard issues to deal with. But then some good always comes your way.

Took Shelby to the doc today and she has this bad cough. We tried Robintosion and that did not work. So we are trying Deallergy. It has dried up her mucus before and I am hoping it will now. Last night she retched so much, finally at 5:30 this morning...we stopeed her feed. She was so unhappy.
Then we weighted her today and on the 27th of Dec she was 19 pds 9 ounces. Today she weight 19 pounds 5 ounces. So she has lost again!!!! :(
Bless her heart. I feel so bad for her. I know it's becasue of this cough. We caught it in time and hopefully it won't turn into some thing worse.
My husband still will not go back to US Metals and still has no job. What is this man thinking.
He did do something good last night...wrote an article on "What is like to be a CDH Dad." It of course made me cry. I was happy to read it. We talk about Shelby on a daily basis, but it did touch my heart.
Shane is a great father- I feel so luckily to have him. I know this whole Shelby thing has brought us so much closer. But then he pulls something like not going back to work for a family owned business. STRANGE man.
It will work itself out- I hope.
I am looking forward to 2008 being a very positive year. 2007- was in deed ROUGH.

Christmas went well. Shane did not come with, but we all enjoyed ourselves any ways.
Shane is not going back to work at U.S. Metals and that has caused so many problems.
I have talked to my mother and father and we have come up with a plan that I go in once a week to check our secretary work and make sure she is doing things correctly. That makes me feel better-we will know if she is doing something wrong.
Shelby weighs 19 pounds 8 ounces and is walking all the time.
I watch all the girls and are so proud of each of them. They are all so different in their own sweet ways.
i actually took the girls to a movie today. We had such a great time.
Shelby's last swallow study was for crap. They took two pictures and Shelby was so upset...I made them stop. I thought what a waste of time. Our next appointment is Jan 10, with our developmental doc and then the 24 we meet with the whole feeding team. that will be interesting to see what they say.
Otherwise life is good.

I am finally over being scared to be on the hospital for Christmas.
Shelby's last test went so very well.
She is gaining weight a little at a time and walking everywhere.
Everytime I look at her and her sisters I know I have been so blessed.
Having a very bad fight with my parents.
We have a family business and Shane did work there. Well he quit. My parents have sided with a secretary that only has worked there less than a year. I have taken Shane's side- and have been quite mean to this secretary. It is not my intention to hurt her- but she just does not get the business. My mother and I got into it again today and i really feel that I would rather stay home and not even deal with them at Christmas. I know Shane will not go and that does hurt...but after today and this fight with my Mother...I am at a loss.
It's Christmas and no one is getting along.
I to be honest don't know if I should be mad or glad. I guess I feel neutral about the whole situation.
I am going to wrap presents tonight and I think that will get me so ready. Also get the girls on the right track what the true meaning of Christmas is. Jesus. I know they understand and that makes us happy. Like I say a lot, we have been so Blessed these last years.
I hope for a Merry Christmas for all and hope this fighting with my folks will come to an end and we can get along.

Waiting for Friday to come- getting a little scared-hope the VCGB comes out ok-I do not want Shelby to have another surgery. If it does not go well-hopefully we can wait until after the Holidays.
We also have another swallow study the day after Christmas-that is fine with us. Our new development doc said we should be having these studies done every 3 months-WHY did our old developmental doc not do this- he so much dropped the ball. It really makes us angry. Were just happy we have found one that actually cares. He called us Friday and asked about the swallow study and when our last one was. Our old developmental never called us-becasue plain and simple he did not care. Could go on forever-but were happy we with the developmental doc we have now.
I still can't believe Christmas is still here. Were cutting down on gifts this year and are taking about the true meaning of Christmas. Jesus Christ Birthday and the girls are really getting it. That makes us happy.
Thinking a lot about last year- scary- we were in the hospital for Christmas. I just can't get it out of my mind.
I get to go on a field trip with our oldest-to see Cinderella. I am the only parent who gets to go. I feel great about this. Last year I missed some field trips with the older girls and I still feel like I have to make up for lost time. I don't think that's healthy-but that is how I feel.
I am thinking more CHristman though- getting presents wrapped- I do know for sure that we are truly blessed to have all four of our girls!!!
The ATV ride for CHERUBS planning is going great. We are going to have a shirt made for Shelby that says, Rat Patrol 171st ATV DIV CDH survivor, take her picture on one of our 4-wheelers, and send them with the write up to the magazines and to the members of Rat Patrol. Shane came up with the idea.
Were going to write Please come ride with me. I am a CDH survivor!!!!Pretty cool huh?
I am so excited about this angel ball to-were going to come with only Shelby and my Mother is going to watch the other three girls- she ROCKS- she said it will do you both good to get away with only one child!!!!I Thank God for my mother.

Took Shelby to the doc friday- her Mickey Button site was very red and irrated. Found out - doc thinks it is a staph infection- put her on a anti-biotic and it looks so much better. It seems we learn something new everyday with our little butterfly!!!!
She is WALKING!!!She looks like a little doll and has trouble bending her knees!!But we are SO VERY proud of her.
Christmas is coming and we are knocking on wood we stay home this year!!!It is all in God;s hands.
Our other three girls are such a blessing to. So different, but make our lives so happy.
Lexi is getting ready for her Sacrament of Reconcilation. Were very excited for her and this is just another step in her friendship with the Good lord.
Shelby does have a VCGB Dec 14th- the test is more upsetting for her- we just hope she does ok. If there is a problem- they will do surgery to fix it!!!!!Let's hope for the best!!!!Go Shelby go!!!!
Otherwise- life is GOOD!!!!!

We have a date for the ATV ride for CHERUBS.
April 19, 2008 in Attica, IN. I am SO excited about this.
I hope families will come out for the day and have some fun!!!
More details to come.
Shelby has gained weight!!!!! :D :D
She weighs 18 pounds 8 ounces. Her pump feeds are going great and she has not retched or sweated in a week!!!!!!
The other girls are SO good with her and I love them so...they all have their own personalities and they are all so different. We never have a dull moment and WE LOVE IT!!!!!!!
Shelby does have a test on Dec 14, from her last UTI. It is called a VCGB. I think that is correct.
Things are going so well- it sometimes scares me- but God is in control.
I can't wait for the Angel Ball....I am already looking for a dress- like other members are. I am a plus size women and white???A little scary- but hoping to find a dress that will be perfect and make me look skinny!!!HA HA
CHERUBS is such a great organization.
So glad to be a part of it!!!

:D
Happy Thanksgiving- WOW I am so Thankful that Shelby is with us. I know this is such a hard time for a lot of families and I hope and Pray today and always they continue to stay positive. Holidays are very hard when you have lost someone and expecially a baby. All of you that have lost a child-May this Holiday season be peaceful for you.
I am one of the lucky members-we can be Thankful for Shelby. Shelby took steps today, it started yesturday and today she was walking a few more steps!!!!!We were SO excited- and of course we cried!!!!!
We put up our Christmas tree today and the girls were SO excited. I hope we are home for Christmas- i do not like to think like this- but it scares us still becasue last Christmas Shelby had a second DH repair. I know it is all in God's hand and will take whatever he has in store for us.

We have done the night drip with Miss Shelby and for the last two nights- Shelby has woken up at 6am and was sweating and retching.
Today we are in contact with Docs- were going to try and feed Shelby 5 ounces at 2pm. At 10pm, start the night drip and give her 25 ounces. But are waiting to see if we should slow down the pump. I think we should, but always like to hear it from our Doc.
I love our ped doc here in our town. He has been so helpful in all Shelby has gone through. He is an angel walking on earth, as is his nurse-Stephanie.
I am just frustrated with this whole feeding issue. Tomorrow we take Shelby in for a weight check-Come on Baby-gain so more weight!!!!
I know this to shall pass...but it just seems to be one of those days.

Shelby had her scope this morning and everything looked great. She has some irration by her Mickey-the Doctor said that is why we saw the blood. He is not happy with the sweating and the retching..so tomorrow we will do a gastric emptying x-ray study and see if we can't find something there.
We will spend another night at a hotel and we miss the other girls so. But with gas prices the way they are-we feel it's better to stay here-and tomorrow go home.
Our hope is they find something and we can get this problem with the sweating taken care of.
Were going to start a night drip...we think that may help, because Shelby does great on her 10pm,2am and 6am. Tonight we will try the 9 hours night drip and see how Miss Shelby does.

Tomorrow Shelby gets her scope- we are afraid of her going under- but have to figure out her sweating during some of her feeds. I hope and pray all goes well and we get the answers we need to make this better.
She did gain, she now weighs 17pds11ounces. YEAH Miss Shelby.

Today Docs said no to going to Michigan-it upset all of us so-but i know there is light at the end of this tunnel.
We have a time for Shelby's scope-Monday at 8am. She has been sweating during her feeds and I think that is a sign of distress. I hope and pray we find the answers we need Monday.
Shelby is standing a lot, she will be walking soon!!!
Isolation ahs begun now that we all have our flu shots. Some of our friends will get them and some won't-I guess you truly find out who your real friends are in situations like this.
Loving the ideas for the Cherubs Angel Ball, already asked Nana if she would watch the girls-she said yes. So hopefully, there will be some kind of babysitting! That would rock. I don't want to miss this for the world.
Hope all is well with eveyone.
Lots of families need prayers today and tomorrow. God please watch over them and hold them in your hands.

Today Shane (my husband) and I have been married for 9 years. It is also Shane's Mother's birthday and Shelby's God mother's b-day!!!It has been an awesome day!!!Everyone is so happy.
Were looking forward to going to a Cherubs gathering this week-end, we just found out Daddy can't come.....Nana(girls's Grandma) is taking his place. YEAH for Nana!!!!
I just am looking so forward to it, as are the three oldest...I can not cancel now!!!
Shane feels so BAD!!! It breaks my heart...but Shane has been off so much time for work...he needs to make that step up to prove you still LOVES his job...silly...to me...but pays our bills and gives us medical coverage.
I hope all is well with everyone and am always in amazement about all these CDH babies that are here on earth or in heaven-how God has brought us all together!!! God IS good.
Shelby has her scope coming up soon..Monday the 12th-I am of course scared...but hopefully we will find the answers we need. To help Shelby in gaining weight!!!

Happy to be home with Shelby.
Getting used to another pump...we actually like it!!!
Took Shelby to a Halloween party and she won judges favorite!!!!She was wonder bread!
I am trying to post picutres...going to the office today to get help!!!
Love Cherubs so much-in a short time of us joining...it has been WONDERFUL!!!! :D
Looking for a position to volunteer for Cherubs and am very excited about it!