Another busy week and a lot of answers to prayers!

Ok to start for those who don't know Nick (Jordy's daddy) has been unemployed for almost 11 months. Yesterday he started a new career. He got picked up for a job with the PIPE fitters union (Plumbers & such). He had tested in July for this & his time finally came. With this he will have schooling in the evening starting in August and lasting for the next 5 years. I will be on my own for all Jordy's Dr. appointments & PT and such. We both hit the road running yesterday. Nick is working 4/10's and his first day worked 2.5hrs overtime beyond the ten. I made sure to have a cold beer and chocolate cherry cake ready & waiting for him when he got home last night. I must say after 1 week shy of 11 months this is an answer to prayer. But more then just an answer to our prayers, this is the Lord JESUS Christ answering the prayers of the community that has surrounded us, encouraged us, blessed us (in so many many ways), and joined us in faith in prayer. So, thank you know that HE answered your prayers.

Moving on with our Great news. Last week on Thursday Jordan had another EEG. The results came back with little to no seizure activity. This means the medication is working. PRAISE JESUS! We still go down to UCLA on May 20th. My girlfriend Suzy (you rock) is going to go with me as Nick will be working & my folks are unavailable (not for a lack of trying to find ANY way they can to make it~which knowing them they might just pull the rabbit out of the hat)

So again moving back in time. Last week on Tuesday Jordan got her new car seat. The Britax Frontier 85. The Santa Barbara City Fire Departments Union purchased the car seat for Jordan and two fire fighters who are trained car seat installation technicians not only installed the car seat but also gave us a bunch of safety info. Stuff I would have NEVER thought of. I must say we have changed our ways with our car. Jordan now rides in the middle back seat. We try to limit the loss items in the car, and the side window shades that were the hard roller kind have been removed. Middle spot is the best & safest place for Jordan. Loss items in the car can due A TON of damage in an accident (match box cars in an accident going 30mph fly at 120mph and will break the front windshield they fly so fast. Side shades on hard rollers can impale a person, or hit them in the head VERY VERY hard! I think EVERYONE should have their car seats installed & or checked by a trained technician. It is kind of like a seal of safety for your little ones. You have nothing to loss only peace of mind of protection for your babies!

Now moving forward to this week & the busy schedule. As we move forward with Jordan's IEP, IFSP what ever this is called....I'm starting to get a bit confused. We have had a TON more appointments, evals and such. Yesterday we started with the School Counselor doing his 3rd eval to see how she does cognitively, then over to Zaca Preschool (where we are hoping to get into) for the speech and language therapist from the school did Jordan's 2nd evaluation, then off to PT with Heather & Fran from CCS, and while there the school nurse met with me to go over Jordan's health and such, then after Jordan's PT the school nurse did her basic hearing & vision test. She wants Jordan to have a Pedi's hearing & vision screening done too. I think she said to have it done at UCLA but again so much information...some of it is getting lost. Today Jordan has what I think might be her last PT with Sojourners/Tri County Regionals and if it doesn't rain she will get back on the horse today for her hippo-therapy (aka horse therapy....hippo Greek or something for horse what do I know). Tomorrow is our Santa Barbara day, Costco run, laundry and what ever else I can fit in. Thursday more PT. Friday yet again another evaluation for Jordan with the school counselor. Next week on May 6th is the final meeting where they will tell us what Jordan's IEP is and what services they will be offering her & where she can/should go to preschool and how long & often. The list of phone calls I need to make regarding this that or the other thing is long too :D Well off to work I go :D I guess when Nick got a full time job so did I and I will say PRAISE JESUS for that.

Thanks for all your prayers, and support. We are excited to be on this journey with you all. Your words of encouragement, advise and information is so appreciated! Be blessed this week & know HE hears the cries of our hearts~ Kelly

Just Photos~ I couldn't seem to get a post w/ photos to work

Busy week this week!

Well we have a busy week this week.

Today Jordan has speech evaluation for her IFSP (Individualized Family Service Plan) then PT through CCS, but the therapist for her IFSP will be there too.

Tuesday is PT in the morning @ the house through Tri County. Which informed us that Jordan will continue to receive services for another 2 years. She will be eligible for respite services (baby sitter I think if I understand correctly) and for diaper cost reimbursement. Which is all awesome! Then we will meet up with Robert Macardo from SB Fire Dept to pick up Jordan's new car seat and get it installed. Then Horse Therapy, if it's not raining.

Wednesday Jordan has another IFSP eval & hopefully a play date in SB.

Thursday Jordan has an EEG @ 845am. Praying this shows her seizure free. Then a follow up with Dr. Carter @ 1050. This should be our last appointment with Dr. Carter as we go to UCLA May 20th. Then PT up in the Valley @ 2:45.

Friday gets to be a day full of fun & play.

So, as we get Jordan's stuff done for IFSP we are looking into Preschools. Her final meeting to go over what services can & will be offered for her after the age of 3 is going to be May 6th. The day before she turns 3.

Her new car seat is the Britax Frontier 85 we are so excited. We actually were contacted by three different organization to help get Jordan the new car seat. One of which is the Kyle David Miller Foundation It is a great organization that helps purchase car seats for families in need for larger height & weight car seats. At Hip Monkey 100% of the net proceeds from every sale are donated to Kyle David Miller Foundation. It's a great site for car seats & more.

Thanks for the continued prayers! I believe it's due to prayer that Jordan is sleeping better at night. Please feel free to share our facebook & blog with others. If we can help others, encourage others, or just show the power of prayer then this is all worth it.

Blessings ~Kelly

Britax Frontier 85~ Praise the LORD, may He bless the donor

I had contacted a ton of different agencies and organizations regarding a larger car seat with higher weight & height limits. My email got forwarded from one group to another & on and on to one person.... to a Robert Mercado. Mr. Mercado is a battalion Chief with the Santa Barbara City Fire Department. He emailed me some information regarding different car seats and suggested the best on the market for height & weight was the Britax Frontier 85 which is what we had found also. Mr. Mercado called me this afternoon to ask me a few more questions and to make sure we were set on which car seat we wanted. Well @ 7pm tonight he called to inform me that he had found (either a person or group.... I'm not sure which yet) that will purchase the seat for us. PRAISE THE LORD! So, with in the next few weeks we will have the new Britax Frontier 85 in the car with Jordy happy & safe for a LONG time to come. We will post pictures of the new seat & Mr Mercado installing this new seat for us.

Again thank you for the prayers, HE answers them & quickly. Our God is a good Papa to us.~ Kelly

Still healthy & doing GREAT

I wanted to give everyone an update on Jordan. She is doing great still. Today is her last day she will be taking the Depakote. We aren't sure how long it takes for it to completely come out of her system. She will be having another EEG @ SB Cottage next week and a follow up with Dr. later the same day. She has her first appointment with UCLA May 20th but I still call everyday to see if they can get her in sooner.

We have started scheduling her for her appointments and evals for Early Start for Preschool. We hadn't even thought about preschool yet. I have no idea where to even look for schools, which ones are good, cost.... so many questions. But realize preschool would be good for her, but then with the need of an aid with her... where can she go...ect. Then to find that there are wait lists for one so far that is near us & the county approved to offer us an aid for her for school. But we don't even yet know if she qualifies for an aid or needs an aid. But I'm behind schedule I guess on all of this. So, next week they doing her eval & speech/language specialist appointments. Then the we do the whole meet up so they can tell us what schools and programs & assistance best fits for Jordan.

Car seats~ Still working on finding a way to get Jordan the Britax Frontier 85lbs carseat. I have found a bunch of different organizations that are great for helping. However, none seem to have funding. I really hope when this season is over for us that we can maybe assist in getting something going in the SB area for car seats for higher heights & weights.

Jordan is still doing her PT and showing great improvement. When she turns three in May we will be cut off from one of the three programs she has PT through.

Tomorrow Jordan has a follow up appointment with the allergist. The tests showed now allergies but with the wind these last few days her eyes have been red and ichy. She had rubbed them so much she created a rash under her eyes. Then to top it off she is loving Special K cereal with strawberries, so why not try the blueberry one...well found out after a week of her eating it that is has oats. She is allergic to oats...she now has dark circles under her eyes & they are droopy too.

Again thank you all for your prayers and support! ~ Kelly

Help Support Lily Hicks ~ Donate for the Walk for Arthitis May 15th

Help me support a sweet little girl named Lily Hicks. She is just two and has pauciarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. Just go to www.ccafwalk.org and on the bottom, there is a place to donate. They are Team Clare. Please search her name "Lily Hicks" and donate on her page. This link may take you right there...Lily Hicks. Please help this family reach a goal of $1,000. Please re-post, share, email, and pass on. Help with awareness for Arthritis & pass the word about the Arthritis Walk on May 15th. Just a few dollar donations add up & can help kids all over. Arthritis isn't just affecting our elderly it affects our little ones too.

UCLA

We got everything in (ok but the copies of lab work), but enough to get an appointment. Jordan's appointment for UCLA is May 20th. I will still probably call every day to see if they can take her sooner. But we are excited and praising the Lord that we got it all going now.

Thanks for the prayers~ Kelly

A video of how much more steady she is (yesterday~ 4/1/10)

Happy & steady walking & playing.

Some Photos of Jordan