Reality check...

This morning Addison was carrying around 2 of her dolls and complaining about how hard it was. I said now try carrying a 3rd one like I had to do with you guys. Her eyes got wide and she ran away. Perhaps they are getting to the age where they can begin to understand how difficult it was that first year:)

The tooth fairy forgets....again

The tooth fairy at our house has a habit of forgetting to come. I've told all sorts of stories to cover for her. She doesn't work on Sundays, she's sick, she had too many teeth to deal with. This morning Morgan woke up sad because once again no tooth fairy. So tonight when she went to bed she found this:

We love winter!

We have been really enjoying this winter. We wish the snow would stick around longer than it has been this winter, but are happy to have more snow than last winter. Every day we come home from school and as if we can play outside in the snow. Here are some pictures of our adventure last weekend sledding down the hill at the middle school. Living in bluff country makes for some good sledding hills!

An Addison update

We have been on a steady regiment of Naproxen and Zantac 2x daily and methotrexate every Friday to treat Addison's Systemic Onset Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis for a while now. On Friday we were supposed to go see the MD about possibly getting off meds. Well the snow stopped us from making the trip, but because we had labs drawn before we went the Dr was able to take a look at the results and make some decisions. Her sed rate and IGG are slightly elevated but no where near where they were when she looked like she did in the first picture below. No more rash, swelling, fevers or joint pain that we dealt with for over a year! We are now down to taking Methotrexate 1x a week!! It feels so good to be closer to normal.

Michael Joe Stephenson

This is the eulogy I wrote and read at my brothers funeral on Saturday:

Being born with Cerebral Palsy (CP) to young parents it seemed like Michael's life would not amount to much.  The doctors thought this and told my parents to put him in an institution, but they could tell right away that there was something special about their son.  I am so happy my parents were wise beyond their years. If they had listened to the doctors none of us would have been blessed to have  Michael as part of our lives.

I have a lot of fond memories of my brother.  I remember my dad throwing Michael into the deep end of the swimming pool on more than one occasion. I would always worry he would sink, but he always came to the surface and swam to where he could touch where he would walk with a huge smile on his face.  I tormented him like any sister should.  I used to steal his wheelchair (WC) and drive it around and he would chase me hollering in a way only Michael could do.  I also loved to play on his talking machine which drove him crazy. And of course I made fun of his laugh, no one will ever forget horse shack. We had fun having dance parties in our kitchen-Michael had some great moves.  I loved going to Disney world and Valleyfair with him and going on roller coasters, getting to go to the front of the line was an added perk of going with Michael.   I loved going to visit him in Worthington and remember spending every summer with him in Dexter.  I would get mad at him for waking me up too early to feed him and even started locking my bedroom door so he couldn't come in.  Then he would just sit there and bang on the door and yell until I came out.  He loved going to the Oasis and Jims to get a little razzing from Jim, Shorty, Del, Buddy, Dave and Bob. But no matter how busy Michael was he always had time for a nap, I think he had a 2 nap minimum each day for most of his life which is how he got the nickname Pony. Michael was also known for his distinguished palate-at a young age he loved spaghettios over toast with milk, other favorites included moms Lasagna, meatloaf and pumpkin pie that could ONLY be made with Libbys Pumpkin puree, Culvers burgers and mashed potatoes and mac n cheese from KFC.  You wouldn't expect it but Michael was also quite the singer with his talking machine.  He could really belt out O holy night and singing Twinkle Twinkle little star on it finally got Hannah to like him.  

I didn't realize until I was much older that my brother was different.  To me he was just Michael, not the poor kid with CP.  CP did not define him. I know Michael felt to same way about himself.  He was not going to let his physical disability keep him from anything. He was successful because he kept going and fighting, a trait he learned from my parents, he was stubborn and persistent just like Bubba.  He went to numerous therapies to learn to use his WC and talking machine.  He worked hard to graduate from high school and college even though it took a lot of extra work.  I am pretty sure he got in with the Timberwolves because he just showed up at practice and sat there until they let him in.  Later in life when his CP resulted in him having no teeth he assured me the ladies thought he was sexy even without teeth, self confidence was never an issue for Michael.

I learned a lot from my brother. He taught me to go after what I wanted even if it wasn't easy.  He taught me how to have kindness and compassion for others.  He showed me that there is more to a person than what you see on the outside,  He led me to my career as an Occupational Therapist and showed me that the most physically involved person can have the brightest mind.  I will miss his every day, but know that even though he is gone he lives on in me and in all of you.  All of us have been forever changed by having Michael in our lives.  I think this poem is very fitting to end with.

There’s a comforting thought at the close of the day,

When I’m weary and lonely and sad,

That grips hold of my heart

And bids it be merry and glad.

It gets in my soul and it drives out the blues,

And finally thrills through and through.

It is just a sweet memory that chants the refrain:

“I’m glad I touched shoulders with you!”

Did you know you were brave, did you know you were strong?

Did you know that I longed for that smile on your face,

for the sound of your voice ringing true.

Did you know I grew stronger and better because

I had merely touched shoulders with you?

I am glad that I live, that I battle and strive

For the place that I know I must fill;

I am thankful for sorrows, I’ll meet with a grin

What fortune may send, good or ill.

I may not have wealth, I may not be great,

But I know I shall always be true,

For I have in my life that courage you gave

when once I touched shoulders with you.

 I will miss a lot and I learned this week so will a lot of other people.  Here are 2 other articles about my brother. One Article written by the AP and another by Paul Allen.  They are also honoring him at the Twolves game on Wednesday.  Yep my brother was a pretty amazing guy!

Merry Christmas eve

We are trying our best to enjoy Christmas, but were hit with a huge blow on Tuesday morning last week.  My 42 year old brother Michael passed away due to Pneumonia.  While not completely a surprise it has still been very difficult.  But because of the kids I trudge on.  This morning we made cookies-I despise making cutout sugar cookies and did some sledding.  It was a beautiful day outside!

Santa!!

 Morgan here.  We had a lot of fun on Sunday!  Mom's really on the ball this year and already took us to see Santa at his usual place, the Mall of America.  While we were there we saw another Santa (that was not our Santa) and were a little confused, but mom quickly shifted our attention to the American Girl store.  Wonder what that other guy was doing there though?  Huh....

 He is so great, he always remembers us!

 He told us we have to listen, clean our room and eat our vegetables if we want to get what we asked for.  It's going to be a long month!

 Goodbye Santa, until next year!

If you are interested in learning about the BEST Santa in town click here.