It feels really good to be home. The kids, Dw and I enjoyed the pool last night.
True enough the haboob left so much dirt at our home, it was crazy.
The cars left in the driveway were covered and it was pooled around the wheels. We could almost shovel it.
If you didn’t click on the picture of the haboob from yesterday, you missed it. It is an amazingly weird look. Our neighbors said it was freaky.
Today was Ruby’s doctor appointment. I told him about the incident the other day. I described what she was doing and how her left eye was turning inward.
He said, “Uh-oh.”
I knew what he was thinking {which is what I was thinking when it was going on.}
I told him how I called Renee to ask the Knee Team to pray and that the folks who read my tweet were praying too. He smiled. He then turned to the young resident following him for the day and said, “This woman has a blog….” It made me laugh. Remember the day I put his picture on the blog?
Anyway, I told him how when we got to the hospital parking lot and took Ruby out of her car seat and laid her on the seat of the car, she instantly woke up smiling. It was crazy.
He said, “Did you got into the hospital?”
I told him we had not. He said, “Good! They would have seen her CT scans and gone crazy.” {Because of how severe and rare her hydrocephalus is.}
I’m sure he didn’t know what to make of it all, but no doubt, it was cool to tell him that everything changed when friends started praying {so thank you so much!}. Kind of fun to think that inadvertently each of you praying was part of Ruby’s testimony to her brain surgeon today.
Dr. S was completely tickled with Ruby’s progress. She grinned and entertained him and eventually, he sent us on our way. She’ll have some routine tests in a few months.
Lastly, are you all enjoying the Summer Olympics as much as we are?
We are cheering for three countries: United States, China and Uganda
I thoroughly enjoyed hearing about all your summer vacations and the things you enjoyed most…
So here’s a question for those who are feeling a bit chatty with me:
What’s your favorite Olympic sport to watch?
{Mine is gymnastics and track.} Wait that’s two. haha. You can share your top favorites too.
Do you know anyone competing? In this big ol’ world, I imagine one of you know someone!
We are rooting for little Gabby {aka the Flying Squirrel} and Lolo. Did you happen to catch the interview of Lolo’s regarding her being a virgin? Lolo’s boldness and vulnerability was awesome and totally inspiring!
Lastly, do you have any favorite athletes?
Favorite Olympic Event – all – however, trumped by Sleep – coverage from 8-12 pm is not something I can do.
That is a definitely another beauty of living on West coast time zone…
We don't have cable, so I'm not able to watch. Boo! But if I were, I like all the running events and kayak. Gymnastics is also amazing!
A girl I knew from college is competing as a hurdler from Sri Lanka. She and I were in the same college ministry, but only talked a few times. She's also a mechanical engineer, and a beautiful woman! http://www.london2012.com/athlete/merrill-christine-sonali-1077537/
I KNEW someone had to know someone!! Sooo cool. Will check out the link. We don't normally have cable, but Dw was able to get to watch the olympics and it was $10 for just our local channels. Which is waaaay cool and so worth the joy we get out of it…I love for the kids to see people who "look like them" competing.
Oscar Pistorius is our favorite for a very special reason. Though we are cheering for the U.S., Russia, Ethiopia, and China…none of them hold as special a place in our hearts as Oscar.
Jael (our four year old) was born with the same congenital leg deformity as Oscar Pistorius. He had double amputations when he was a baby. Jael is facing the same surgery on September 4th of this year…less than four weeks from now.
How God is it for the world to be introduced in the Olympics to a man who was born (from what we know) with the same thing as our Jael?!! I know we're biased, but our daughter is pretty special…and now she has a very special man that has her going, "Mommy, I'm gonna run REALLY fast!"
Oh Kat. I forgot about Oscar…we cried as he ran..amazing! And with your Jael, we will be praying..and if you are up to it, email the Knee Team and they will pray as well. TheKneeTeam@gmail.com
Kat, I jsut added you to my blog list. Our son Cav, has the tibial form and had amputation surgery June 4th! He has done amazing – we were leaving for home less than 48 hours after surgery! We will be praying for you all!
And yes Oscar is a hero at our house. All of our kids gather around and cheer. Cav, says "I get my legs and run like he!" And really that is the epitomy of the Olympic games!
Yvette! Thank you for sharing about your little Cav…what an encouragement! Your kids are our heroes! I wonder if there are people who can watch Oscar and NOT cry? He is such an inspiration!
Yvette, I just added you too. God is so very good to introduce me to some pretty amazing people.
Linny, I will email The Knee Team later today. We appreciate all the prayers! We have 100% confidence in God's Hand (smile), yet occasionally our humanness peeks out (urg). Hugs and thanks!
Oscar is also our hero and favorite olympian! Our five year old son, who we adopted from China in May of 2011, has fibular hemimelia too. He had his double foot amputation in March, got some practice prosthetic legs/feet at the end of May and his final legs/feet a couple weeks later. He is doing amazing! He can run, jump, hop on one foot, ride a bike and scooter, you name it. Here is a link to a video of his first full day on his practice prosthetic legs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nf48uPsCMhw
I would highly recommend joining the Fibular Hemimelia and Amputation Awareness Facebook page. We have learned so much and the support is great.
The timing of having Oscar perform in the Olympics has been priceless for our son! He is a huge fan of Oscar.
Kat, if you have any questions about surgery with an older child, let me know and I will leave a comment on your blog with my email or you can find me on the Fibular Hemimelia facebook page under Amy Smith.
Amy – I just watched the video and my eyes welled with tears…it was AMAZING!! His first day? WOW. I am thrilled for all of you! Such a miracle! Tell JW he rocks!
Amy,
Thank you SO much for sharing. After watching the video I can't get the smile off my face AWESOME! I'm going to Facebook next! When I can sit down to breathe (smile) I will probably facebook message you. I would love some advice on any tricks that will help make our little one comfortable after surgery! Thank you SO much!!!
Many thanks and a big hug!!!
Great news about Ruby! Praising God for His goodness and giving thanks for the Knee Team and Tweeters who answered the call to pray!
My favorite sports in summer olympics are gymnastics (women) and womens beach volleyball. Watched tonight as the USA eeked in a win over China.. Amazing playing on both sides…exciting! I like Misty may and Carrie Welsh who are oldsters in their beach volleyball sport and of course Gabby 🙂 this year.
I know that the doc was pretty impressed that people would hit their knees on Ruby's behalf…and it was cool, because he did NOT explain it away or dismiss it. Thank you Renee for serving so faithfully.
I can't choose just one either, so it's gymnastics and swimming for me. I'm from Baltimore, so although I don't know him personally, I claim Michael Phelps as my own:). I have friends with kids who swim at his swim club, so that's pretty close, right:)? And I've really enjoyed seeing some of our gymnasts exhibit good sportsmanship when they haven't won.
I'd say that almost sounds like "best friends" to me and totally counts…haha. Still, pretty cool he's from where you are!
I am also loving watching the olympics! I like watching about everything, but i will have to say gymnastics and swimming are my favorites( track is pretty cool too…especially hurdles). My two favorite athletes are the swimmer missy franklin and also gabby the gymnast. Its been pretty fun watching my seven year old chinese adopted brother cheer for china. In his words, he 'wants china to win the biggest prize, but in case they dont, he likes america pretty good.' Its also been a great learning opportunity for him as he now can recognize different country's flags and also gain a better understanding of the concept of different cultures and people groups. His goal now is to be an olympic swimmer:) all in all, i will have to say, i have loved watching the summer olympics and really wish they were on more often.
His comments are so cute. Emma reminded me that we have been cheering for S.Korea too, so I need to edit the post..cause we are sure thankful for S.Korea and our Ty-Ty and I wonder if they have been able to watch any of the Olympics over there as well. The flags are so beautiful aren't they? When we were driving yesterday I saw a subdivision with about 16 flags lining the outside of it…I wonder what all that was about. Wish I knew!
That haboob was CRAZY!! I watched a video clip of it and it was so enormous and strange! Never even heard of such a thing until you mentioned it!
Glad you all are home!
Wasn't it crazy? Glad to know someone watched it, cause it was pretty nutso.
Honestly, I personally love watching the equestrian eventing, specifically the cross country eventing. It is absolutely amazing (and sometimes breathtaking) to see the horse and rider become one machine. Although, really, watching most of the olympic events is amazing, these people are the best of the best and although they train hard, one cannot deny the God given talent in all of the competitors.
Equestrian is beautiful…we used to own horses and Abigail took English riding lessons. She loved it. I'm with you knowing their giftings are from the Lord!
I don't know anyone competing this year as I am too old but Sanya Richards-Ross and five others in London right now went to my high school. But I do know a bunch of past Olympians from my high school. A few friends even. I knew a few in college too. And was a JL advisor to a most famous limpy 96 gymnast.
I love gymnastics, swimming and track (and ice skating in the winter).
KK
I was watching Sanya compete and thinking about how beautiful she is. I love that she ran with her hair just flowing and so glamorous. She looked stunning!
One of my daughters is really into gymnastics, so we have watched that closely. My other daughter has a limb difference, which we have noticed a few others with one these Olympics. A boy with an arm like hers had a solo in the opening ceremonies, a table tennis player from Poland who was missing a limb, and of course, Oscar Pistorious who ran the 400 wearing prosthetics. We had one home town hero, Marti Malloy, who earned a bronze in judo:)Love cheering for the underdog too, and hearing all the struggles overcome to get to the Olympics.
Probably my favorite part of the Olympics is the stories they share of the Olympians…normal people, real struggles….so many stories so touching…like an earlier commenter {Anna}, I wish they came more often.
I'm finding it terribly difficult to keep up with the Olympics as we recently turned off our satellite service to save money. I so miss watching the games! I love watching track, swimming, and diving. Im trying to keep up with how Lopez Lomong is doing in track. He was one of the Lost Boys of Sudan and now runs for the US. Wonderful life story of how God protected him throughout war, capture, escape, refugee camp, and coming to the US. His book is inspiring. I just finished reading it.
We don't normally have cable, but since we just moved, Dw found that the cable company had a plan for $10/month {I'm pretty sure} that is just our local channels and so it has the Olympics. We plan to turn it off after. But it's super cool to be able to watch.
I have been praying for little Ruby. So thankful she is doing well!
Loved Lolo's interview. I only caught half of it due to chasing around 7 kids today.
I'd have to say my fav. sport is swimming (used to swim myself, but I like watching just about any event during the Olympics. My kids are vaulting the couch, table, beds, etc…and chasing each other around the house after all the sports that have been on.
Thank you for the prayers for Ruby. Glad someone else saw Lolo's interview – it was soooo cool!
I like to watch volleyball cuz I was good at it in PE in high school. Of course I root for the USA and England. I haven't watched alot of it since I'm at work some of the time. Other sports are swimming, esp. high dive cuz I can't do that and I think they are brave just to get that high up! And gymnastics…..but I think the winter Olympics are my all time favorites. I'd thought of going to London when it was announced where the Olympics were going to be. But didn't…easier to be close to the tv although I'd love to go back. Some of the ads are fun, esp. AT&T one with Loetz, from USA I didn't dream myself to London, I swam….then you see London ahead of him in the ocean. I love it! Ok that's it. Glad Ruby is doing good and you are home w/o more incidents! God Bless!
The high divers? It gives me the shivers watching and I pray as they are doing it that they won't hit the board and then I always realize I'm watching it taped…haha. The ads have been fun, really fun.
I think my favorite thing is ALL the sports, some you NEVER get to see. I have loved how many athletes give God the glory in interviews. I have seen it with divers, track stars, Gabby… Very cool for mynkids to see how faith plays into all areas of life. Thanks for the update on Ruby's appointment. It is nice to hear after praying for her!
I agree with the interviews…they have been a beautiful testimony to the Lord. And thank you for praying for Ruby's appt. Will be answering your email soon. Praying. xo
Whatever happened to free tv? You used to be able to watch the Olympics for free. We have been watching gymnastics, swimming, track and volley ball. Glad to hear Ruby perked up so quickly.
Free tv? I was thinking of back in the old days…free TV – that was when the old Dick Van Dyke show and Mary and Dick were in twin beds in their bedroom…remember that? And now look what they put on TV that you have to pay for! Oh.my. How God's heart must grieve. Thankful too for God's healing on our Ruby-girl. She's a treasure!
We love the Olympics! We also love gymnastics and track! However, it has added a new challenge to our family dynamic…maybe it is something you can help with…We are up to (only) 7 kids right now and that means our living room (where the TV is) is a bit crowded. We have a: 21, 14, 13, 12, 7, 6, 8 mo. olds. How do you "arrange" your common space so that everyone enjoys hanging out together? We are getting a second hand sectional couch that will be bigger than the one we have, but I think we will still be short seating. Should we consider bean bags? 🙂
Well in our family room {where the tV is} we have a love seat, small couch and one chair. We are a snuggly family, so we always seem to have someone little on our laps, or sometimes the littles lean over the one ottoman snuggled against us or sometimes us big ones are on the floor {I sit on the floor alot, but never really thought about it until you posed the question}. The room is not large but we are so thankful for it! So it would be a bit overcrowded to have more furniture in it…. the couch is 5.5 feet of sitting length {it's small, used and plain but cute!}…
For me, bean bags would just be in my way. I feel like my life is constantly filled with little people, and the bean bags would make it feel overrun I think…I'd rather snuggle. I'm sure you guys snuggle, too, so I know that's not really answering the question.
We would have alot less furniture if we hadn't just brought {2 years ago} the furniture from his parents home. I love it and it all holds such precious memories, but I am a 'less makes me feel more sane" kind of gal. xo
We have loved watching the gymnastics at my house. My 7 year old thinks Gabby is awesome. I happen to agree. 🙂 I like the track events too, but I stand alone in that one. The kids think they are boring. LOL
Track boring? The hurrdles have been so exciting and gaspy! I bet they will think differently in the years to come, don't you think?
We don't have tv, but we've been to my moms a couple of times and my children will watch anything on! I personally am rooting for the runner from South Africa. Can't remember his name, but we love South Africa and some precious babies there as well as his situation is just inspiring!
amy
He is amazing, I have to agree!
I love the women's gymnastics and swimming.
David Boudia, the diver, goes to a local church here with my friend. I don't know him personally, but I work at the University here in town he attends as well. Also he is a Big Brother through the same Big Brother Big Sister chapter that my husband and I are in. Pretty cool!
See! I knew several of you would "know" someone!! That is sooo cool.
Thank you so much for sharing about precious Ruby and the testimony that God keeps building through her. I love reading your blog, as it provides great encouragement to me. We start our home study next week to adopt, and our situation pretty much requires a miracle. It is so refreshing to my soul to read about God's faithfulness and know that He is still in the business of miracles!!
Bless you sweet friend. She is indeed a miracle with a story that only exemplifies the power of Almighty God!! THank YOU for sharing our journey!
Have you seen Jermone Singleton? Hes in all types of commercials and has one "gazelle" blade leg- he is competing in the Paralympics and has for the last two- he is a gold medalist in track and his wonderful mom has worked with me for the last 3 years. He is from Columbia SC and visits our school often to give motivational talks. HE IS GREAT! Please watch for him. The best commercial is him running in Times Square with Samsung phone torch….his smile is captivating!!
His smile is captivating? =) Isn't that extra sweet of you to say!! Did you happen to hear that Justin Beiber tweeted congratulations to the swimmer {my mind draws a blank as to her name}…sweet stuff.
My favorite is definitely the synchronized diving. I can never figure out how they do it so perfectly! I would be the one to fall and mess it up! Haha.
For people that commented about not being able to watch it, you can watch events online at nbcolympics.com. To watch it live I think you have to enter your cable or satellite info, but i'm pretty sure the taped events and the events from the day before are free. 🙂
Thank you for the info about watching online. I wanted so bad to peek yesterday to see how Lolo did, but held off till we watched it together last night.
And as for the synchronized diving? I shake my head in wonderment. It is truly amazing.
I really enjoy the archery and whitewater events. I grew up in Florida and played soccer all through school with a lot of the women's soccer team. I think there are still 2 players I played with on the team this year. Abby for sure. It was really cool that we actually used the same practice field after the national team in the 90s. So we would get the opportunity to kick the ball around with Brandi Chastain and everyone when their practice would finish before ours would start.
I haven't seen any archery or whitewater events. I was on a women's softball team when I was first married. I was the pitcher {slow}…but the only other sport I was good at was archery. So I would love to watch some. I will have to see when it's on. Super cool about the same practice field! What a small world!
I don't have tv so the only Olympics I have seen is when I walk through the student services building (I work at a school) I think if I were watching I would enjoy the gymnastics because I really enjoyed watching Make It or Break It when it was on Netflix.
I was recently told that North Korean competitors have so much more to lose than just the gold, I was told that if they do not win their events then they are sent to labor camps for punishment. This breaks my heart.
The North Korean story is completely terrifying. We will have to pray for them. Who can imagine?
Gymnastics, beach volleyball, swimming and track. My favorite olympians are the ones that point up to heaven before their event 🙂 Not asking for favors but giving glory to Whom it belongs.
I love when they point as well. It's such an acknowledgement of WHO gets all the credit!
My favorite events to watch are archery and the whitewater events. I grew up playing soccer with a bunch of people on the women's soccer team. I think that a few I played with are still on the team now. I used to actually practice on the same field as the national team back in the 90s so we would get to kick around a little after their practice finished before ours started. They actually came in to say hi to me at my job at Disney too. They really are a bunch of really nice people.
My phone keeps cutting out so sorry if this comment repeats itself. I like archery and the whitewater events.
I actually used to play club soccer with a few members of the women's team. We even practiced on the same field as the national team back in the 90s. We would get to kick around with the players after they finished practice before we started ours. They even came to see me at my job at Disney. They were the most down to earth world cup/Olympic champions.
We have free local channels in Central Texas. You just need a converter box, which you can get vouchers from the government for, and a set of bunny ears. Are we the only ones??
Apparently. haha. Bunny ears? That's what we had when I was younger. I can remember working so hard to adjust it so that The Brady Bunch would come in clearly. And about now, I could use an "Alice". =) Where is she when you really need her?
We live about 5 miles from the National Training Center where many of the track and field athletes train, in fact about 13 of them. They also have children's programs there and my kid's fun and fitness coach is the trainer for Kellie Wells who won the bronze medal in the 100 m hurdles last night. She thanked her coach on air last night and we were all thrilled to cheer for Coach D! Also, Aly Raisman attends the same virtual homeschool as my kids so we have enjoyed that connection as well!
She attends the same virtual home school? Waaaaay cool. She looks like a really sweet girl.
We were cheering for her the whole way last night and boy oh boy did she nail it! Amazing stuff!
Bless that little Ruby! What a fighter! God is amazing!
We haven't watched the Olympics at all this year because of other things going on. We've seen encouraging FB posts about Gabby, the young lady who uses her victory to testify for God, and also posts about Oscar, because several of our adoptive friends have children who use prosthetic limbs.
I would have a hard time choosing a favorite sport to watch. Mostly I love the "highlight montages"! 🙂 I enjoy watching almost any sport in highlight form. I'm more of a book person, not a true fan of sports, but a "best of the season" montage or a "best of the Games" montage brings out for me the big picture of the athletes' commitment, strength, and brilliance, and I often feel very humbled watching these presentations, humbled both by the athletes' performance and by the display of God's power in them. He is so creative!
Many blessings to your lovely family!
We love the highlights as well. So beautiful.
Love watching gymnastics, always have, I used to dream of taking gymnastics lessons, but we were a bit poor when I was growing up. Oh, well!
I have thoroughly enjoyed Gabby! Her testimony is awesome and her smile never fades even when she loses. I've also enjoyed Missy Franklin (? swimmer;) her testimony was good, too.
I'm glad this doesn't come along very often, though. I REALLY need to get to bed earlier!
Your comment about not coming along very often made me laugh. I keep saying I'm going to go to bed early, but the olympics have been luring me much later than this silver haired mama needs to be up!
I remember growing up and I couldn't wait for the Olympics, from the opening ceremony to the events, I would put on my Red,White and blue leotard and wait for the gymnasts to appear. The Olympics make me proud to be an American. I'm so thankful we have a country that provides sports and also allows the freedom to celebrate. I was so sad to see that some athletes felt the need to defect, I'm sure it was their only safe time to flee and become FREE. I just love that we gather around the TV and cheer on whoever it may be and for whatever reason, we take the focus off of ourselves and thank GOD for the strength to compete, to go farther than even imagined and even bring home a medal, when they raise the flag and pay the anthem, its so exciting. I love that your "littles" can see people that look like them competing and being successful! I also love when they do the at home interviews or take time behind the scenes to know the story, there is often much sacrifice, much prayer paved the way. I will be a bit sad when its all over. (wooot woooot on the Ruby news, she is a trooper and God is soooo faithful)
We marvel at the sacrifice it took to get to where they are and for some, sadly, it is over by a misstep or some other devastating event. It breaks my heart. Who can imagine? All that prep and done for some reason…ugh.
So pleased that Ruby is doing so much better now! We missed y'all in Albuquerque by 2 days…When I realized that I was so incredibly sad. I would so totally love to say hi and give y'all hugs! My favorite is gymnastics. We don't have tv so we haven't been able to watch them until last night when we were in the hotel room in Albuquerque, and it was awesome! Unfortunately I was a completely worn out momma I didn't make it all the way through, But I love to be able to root the teams on again! We haven't had tv in 6 years so we've missed 2 summer olympics….Ah well! It was still fun! And really neat to see my kiddos get so super excited! 🙂 Anyway, long rambling post to say I'm happy y'all are home safe and sound, I so wish I'd gotten to hug your necks and that I'm wishing Autumn and Karl a BEAUTIFUL and Memorable wedding! So excited for them!!! Love you all from a distance!!
Sarah From Portales, NM
After many years of missing the Olympics because we didn't have a TV, I now have an iPad and watch on the CTV app. – we live in Canada, not sure if it's available in the States. Sometimes it works, sometimes, not! Anyway – I'm an American, and LOVED watching the US gymnastic women get the team gold!!! So exciting. Such talented girls. The Canadian team did well, too – though I think they came in 5th. We also love the Equestrian events at our house (my daughter, Kezia, is a horse lover!). Also enjoyed synchronized diving, and women's volleyball. I hope to watch the US final on Saturday. Volleyball is so fun to watch!
I'm so glad that Ruby came out of her episode with prayer. God is merciful! Give that Sweetie a hug for me! 🙂