Nurse camp!

She did it! She completed a six week nursing camp at Allen College. That is the nursing college that Noelle intends to attend. Unfortunately she was not able to attend everyday due to her nasty Lyme symptoms. She did get to see lots of interesting things and hear lots of guest speakers. I think two of her favorite things were visiting the morgue and practicing shots on oranges:)

Family Vacation

My extended family (parents, sisters and their families) spent 4 days and nights at Craguns on Gull Lake in Minnesota. Jake, Noelle and I were only able to go up for about 24 hours due to Jake's job, Noelle's nurse camp and her PICC line. The trip was meant to celebrate my parents 50th wedding anniversary. I think everyone had a great time. I got to celebrate my 47th birthday:)

My Garden

Matthew 6:28-30, "And why worry about your clothes? Look at the lilies and how they grow. They don't work or make their clothing. Yet Solomon in all his glory was not dressed as beautifully as they are. And if God cares so wonderfully for flowers that are here today and gone tomorrow, won't He more surely care for you?"

Lyme complications

Noelle has been to the hospital four times in the last two weeks. Not really out of the ordinary for us. Which is scary. Chest pain...never explained. Horrible anxiety attack...relieved by medication, repeated the next night but we avoided the ER. Clog in her PICC line...administered a med to clean the line. Intense side pain...not appendix.

As a result of these visits we tried to adjust some of Noelle's medicines. We had two doctors basically deny her Lyme diagnosis. One refused to give us meds. That should help us control her symptoms. The other, our long time primary care, recommended that we go to Mayo. Noelle has had symptoms for 6 years. We have been to Mayo. We have been to the University of Iowa clinics more than once. Nothing else covers her multiple symptoms. Every visit to these hallowed institutions had led to medications to cover individual symptoms. Most have given her no improvement. Oh wait, and we have a blood test with a positive Lyme result! Seriously, did we make this up!!!

Thankfully the doctor that diagnosed Noelle is local and able to help us with some symptoms. However due to her specialty she is not able to be listed as our primary. So now we get to find a new one, who is open-minded about Noelle's Lyme diagnosis. And I need to write a letter to these doctors. So that I can vent and also so I can attempt to educate them. One of the doctors kept repeating, "If she was my daughter..." When your daughter has been sick for 6 years, you let me know what you would do!

Another birthday girl!

Sabrina is finally 6! And she is already counting down until the next birthday. We had planned a swimming party, but due to continued rains we switched to a bowling party. She had 9 of her classmates (out of 13) and her good friend Anna. Anna was adopted from Korea by my best friend the same year Sabrina came home to us. We all survived the barely controlled chaos and had a great time! Can't imagine life with out that crazy girl!

Wrestling camp

Teme attended a week long wrestling camp at the University of Iowa. I did tell him he was not allowed to become a Hawkeye fan. Jake attends Iowa State, go Cyclones! And I attended the University of Northern Iowa, go Panthers! I have just never been a Hawk fan. He had a great time and I don't think he missed us at all. His buddy, Nathan, and his brother rode along with Scott to pick him up.

Date night

We don't get to go out very often so I had to commemorate with a pic! We went to an art fair and out for dinner. They put us in this fantastic private booth.

Boys Trip

Scott has the wonderful opportunity to win a trip every year. This year he won a trip to Southern California. So Jake and Scott hit the links in California! Jake is much more of a golfer than Scott. But all was fair and Scott took Jake paddle-boarding;) Apparently Jake had an amazing drive on one hole and landed on the green in one. I think their foursome was happy to be playing best ball!

And yes, for those of you that don't know my family very well. Jake is 3 or four inches taller than Scott. And Scott is taking antibiotic for Lyme disease, which is why he is all covered up playing golf. Noelle and I both had to do a double take.

Picture catch up!