Bluebonnets 2010

Here are a few bluebonnet pictures we took a few weeks ago. Johnston still had his black eye and nose. There were too many bees for us to take a lot of pictures. Hoping next year we will not have that problem. Enjoy!

Mommy's boy!!

Kamryn, our sassy girl!!
Mommy's boy, again

Johnston's First Black Eye--The Double Whammy!!!!

Johnston had a rough weekend a few weeks ago. On Friday night, he fell off of his slide in his room and hit his nose on a toy. The next afternoon, he was running in the bath room and fell into the bath tub and busted the outside of his eye. He looked bad for about a week. He shook both accidents off and did not want to be held and loved on. He is such a tough boy!! He gives black eyes a good look!!

Kamryn Trying Soccer; She Was Not Into It!!

Kamryn and her friend hugging and chatting while the ball sits to the side

Kamryn playing!!!!
Kamryn and her friend decided to play with eachother instead of the class

We always have Kamryn enrolled in some kind of physical activity to keep her busy. Balett so far has been the only thing she has enjoyed. Here are a few pictures from soccer. She liked chatting with the coach when she was trying to coach the kids, hugging her friends, and sitting in the middle of the court and checking out her soccer shoes. I only have a few pictures of her participating, which we had to bribe her to do!

Easter 2010

Here are a few pictures from Easter this year. Kamryn looks drasticly different than last year. She is getting so big. And of course Johnston looks completly different. Enjoy!!

Kamryn and Johnston before church in their Easter outfits. Aren't they precious?!?!

Johnston in his Easter outfit

Kamryn in her beautiful Easter dress (she picked it out because it looked like it had a tutu)

Johnston picking up his eggs that he dropped out of his basket

Kamryn and Johnston's Easter baskets with their eggs

Kam's New Phase

Kenny and I are experiencing a quite strange, annoying and concerning thing with Kamryn that is about to drive me crazy.

She has become super clingy and such a magnet recently that neither of us can turn around with out tripping over her or her crying because we are leaving the room. This started all of a sudden and I am wondering when it is going to leave. I am hoping that it is a normal phase with a three year old, but not sure...any suggestions, words of advice?!?!

She still has her sweet personality but is not resting as much as she normall does and always wants to be with us. She has gotten plenty of individual time with us and a lot of family time. Maybe it is the craziness of life.

Kamryn is a girly girl and there is no getting around it. She likes to dress up, have painted piggies and fingers, bows, etc. Here is a picture of Kamryn before school a few weeks ago, she begged me to wear her tutu and fairy wings, but I finally talked her out of it. Only to make myself play dressup with her when we got home after school.

1 Year Anniversary

This past week for us marks the spot of Johnston's one year anniversary for being in the hospital last March. This realization has me in thankfulness for his health even though it is an up and down rolercoaster ride, with now more great days than bad. As a Mom, it has a little bit of a different light to it than it does to others I am sure.

Johnston's new doctor-who we love, has him on two inhalers and two breathing treatments per day. He continues to improve and we praise God for that. Thank you to all of our friends and family who in the past year have given us encouraging words, meals, cards, phone calls, advice, etc. You are all amazing and we love you!!!!

Today's News on Johnston

Today we found out that Johnston has asthma. We are so excited to finally have an answer on what is going on with our sweet boy!! We have had to deal with a little fussy, uncomfortable boy since birth but now he is not going to have to work to breathe. This is a wonderful blessing. We wanted to express our deepest thank yous to our friends and family who have asked about him, called to check on him and have uplifted him in prayer. Kenny and I both greatly appreciate it.

Dr. Van Wagoner did tons of test on him yesterday, including both asthma and allergy, and requested xrays. The results from the xrays showed that he does have limited breathing, which is obviously not good for him. He requested for me to take him off of one of the medications that we mix in with his breating treatments that cause moodiness and hyperness, and I have seen a happier little boy since he has been off of it. I am greatful to my friend, Anna, who reccomended him from having prior use with their office.

Again, I appreciate everything from everyone who has helped from the time Johnston was in the hospital last March watching Kamryn, who brought us meals at the hospital so we did not go completly broke, friends who came to visit him in the hospital, friends who helped us when he was on house arrest and to friends and family who have continually prayed for him and have asked how he was. Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I will update again on him with his next appointment in about a month.

Asthma and Allergy Tests for Johnston

Today we went and saw Dr.Van Wagoner at Southwest Asthma and Allergy Center for Johnston. He believes Johnston has asthma, but is going to run a few test to verify.

At his appointment this morning, they tested for allergies, which put three sets of six pricks in my babies back. He could not touch his back, scratch it, nor could I hold him. He had to have his back to open air for 20 minutes, and boy, was it a l-o-n-g 20 minutes. All of the results came back negative for allergies, which is an answered prayer. We played ball, listened to Mickey Mouse on my IPhone, danced, but he just wasn't happy.

The doctor did talk about him having asthma, and he did give us an inhaler to try, if this doesn't work them we will do steroids and a CT scan to hopefull get to the base of his problem. But right now, we are doing it one step at a time.

Now this afternoon we are going to have x-rays done of his lungs to determine what they look like and to see if he has any chronic disorders. After the awful appointment we had this morning, I took Johnston on a lunch date, then home for a nap so he will be rested before we go back to another appointment.

Kenny is out of town in San Diego this week for work and I hate that he had to miss out on this, but we needed to get this testing done at the first availability the doctor's office had. I called Kenny to let him know everything, but I know it is not the same hearing it from me. I am blessed to have a wonderful job who is very understanding of my husband being out of town and having a child who has had breathing issues since birth, for that I am very greateful.

I remember almost a year ago sitting in the doctor's office with Johnston and him telling me that we need to take him straight to Children's emergency room, and that they would call ahead and get him booked in and give all insurance information for us to get him in sooner. I remember one night sitting beside his bed on the floor of his hospital room all night long crying and praying to God for help, mercy and strength for Johnston, and of course, with as great as God is, he answered. I ask that you continue to keep Johnston in your prayers. Please pray for his health and for the doctors to have good knowledge of what is going on in his sweet little lungs and in his nose area. Also, pray for Johnston to feel good and for his moods to soften and play happily like a 16 month old should. Thanks to all for praying for our little monster, we greatly apprecaite it!!!

"...by his wounds we are healed."Isaiah 53:5

Tummy Flu and Ear Tubes

Since Sunday morning at 2 am, a member or two has been sick with the tummy flu in the Howard house. Kenny woke up on Sunday morning at 2 with it, then a few hours later around 5:30, Kamryn woke up with it. I got it off and on from Sunday to Monday, then it hit me like a ton of bricks on Monday night. I missed work on Tuesday, class on Wednesday, work on Wednesday, Wednesday night church, and work today. I was able to go with Johnston and Kenny to get Johnston's tubes. Now, sitting here writting, I am getting a relapse of it.

Back to Johnston's tubes, we went in at 7 am this morning to Centennial Surgery Center and had his ear tubes done. The procedure took the doctor aobut 6 minutes to complete from putting him down to waking him up. He was very fussy from the gas, but now has better balance and better hearing and seems to be happier to Kenny and I. Thanks to my Mom for coming to stay with Kamryn this morning and take her to school. Johnston is back to normal!! Thank you medecine!!

Keep the tummy flu in your prayers that this will be the end of it! =)