Trip to Utah!

Here are a few pictures of our trip to Park City, Utah. We had so much fun hiking, biking, riding the slide and roller coaster down the mountain, enjoying the zipline and the Olympic park. So fun seeing the olympic ski jumpers. One of Maddie's favorite parts of the trip! We took chair lift upon chair lift to see the beautiful scenery and hike around. Such a beautiful place! Thank you, Dad, for a WONDERFUL vacation with the family!!!

Extending Grace Even When It Hurts

Yesterday Maddie and I went to the pool For the most part people have been so wonderful to Maddie, and accepting her for the wonderful and special person she is. However, yesterday was my first experience with someone very insensitive. Maddie was walking around the pool playing and stopped and sat down with some kids. Their dad was sitting right by them in a lawn chair. As I was standing there watching Maddie play he asked me, "what happened to her arm?" A question I am fine with answering and answer multiple times a day. I replied, "That's how she was born." He looked at me and said in a very stern voice, "well, you know she is going to have major psychological problems don't you?" I replied back by telling him kids without limbs are statistically happier than kids with all limbs, and she is more than perfect the way she is. This was God's will for her life. He proceeded to judge me and ask me if we were going to seek counseling to help her deal with her missing her arm. I was pretty shocked at the things he was saying and the judgments he was placing on me. He proceeded to accuse me and say, "well, you know there was a drug back in the day that caused children to be born without limbs." I was in shock and couldn't believe someone would accuse me of taking a drug and saying I did this to my child. After that comment, I told him to have a good night, and took Maddie's hand and went to the other end of the pool. The Holy Spirit gave me strength and self control, because looking back I'm surprised I didn't get mad or start crying.

An hour later we left the pool and as I was putting Maddie in her car seat I gave her the biggest hug and started to cry. I was upset that someone could be so cruel who doesn't even know Maddie or I. But I realized this is one person out SO MANY who have been wonderful and accepting of Maddie. As I was thinking about this incident today, I learned I need to extend grace just like the Lord extends GRACE to us day after day, after day. Even though I was hurting inside, there was no sense in being bitter, but to give grace to the ignorant and forgive.

After crying a little bit while telling my husband the story from yesterday, I decided to take a look at my facebook page. Posted on my wall from a friend was this:

"So, I was looking at your newest picture just now with my little Wendy, who's 7, looking over my shoulder. She asked to see more of Maddie because, "She's so cute, Mommy. God must think she's really smart, too." I asked why she thought that, and she said, "Because He only gave her one arm. You have to be pretty smart to have just one arm." I think she's right--about the smart AND the cute thing--and I thought I'd share."


God timing is always perfect. This was just what I needed to hear tonight. Thank you Lord!!!!

Trend-Setter!

I want to start off by saying how much I love Maddie and the constant joy she brings to our lives every single day. She brings so much LIFE into our family! She just about melted my heart when I went to check on her when we got home from being out to dinner last night, and she asked me to give her a kiss. She is such a loving little girl, and I couldn't ask for a better daughter.

I wanted to share a little story with you that happened today in the nursery. Miss Robyn, who is the head of the children's ministry at CCOB shared this with me:) In the nursery today, some of the older kids were asking about Maddie's arm and why she only had one. Miss Robyn explained this was how God made her an answered some questions for them about her arm. I guess Maddie could tell everyone was starring at her, so she whipped her little arm out from her sleeve to show the whole class her cool little arm. She waved it around, and around, and around. Gotta love her confidence. One girl got really upset and said to Miss Robyn, " I have two arms, but I only want ONE!" How cute it that. Miss Robyn said she couldn't help her with that:) So I like to call Maddie the TREND-SETTER. It is now cool to have one arm just like Maddie. I thank the Lord for Maddie's confidence and sense of humor. This will get her so far in life and I am so excited to see the journey the Lord takes her on!

Quick update on the prosthetic. We go on wednesday for our second appt for a fitting to see how the arm fits while riding her tricycle. This arm will only be worn for when she is riding her bike, as I don't believe, she should wear a prosthesis all the time when she does fine without it. The doctors philosophy and our philosophy totally line up so that was VERY encouraging! We are going to make this prosthetic super cool and Maddie and I are going to go and pick out some girly fabric to be laminated on the prosthetic. Keep us in your prayers! Thank you! Here are a few pictures from our last visit....

At her appointment to visit Dr Rotter for her prosthesis. he made this shirt for her so she wouldn't get plaster all over her. It looks like a wife beater. LOL!
Dr. Rotter drawing smily faces on the mold made for her arm. He was so great with Maddie he called the plaster that was on her arm an "art project". Maddie still talks about her art project and she is looking forward to going back next week.

I'd also like to share... NO MORE DIAPERS FOR THIS GIRL! We started potty training the day after these pictures were taken. She's Loving her new Dora and Princess undies! Potty training was a breeze and she is doing fabulous!!

Arm Twins unite!:)

Today was such a great day! Going back a few months to September, I met a women at our Church who came up to me and said she has a daughter just like Maddie. She was such an encouragement to me telling all the things her daughter did and how nothing held her back. She played just about every sport, was a lifeguard, diving coach, and on Homecoming court. She is now married, and has two girls. I left MOPS that morning feeling so thankful that I met Patti. Later that afternoon I wished I had gotten her information not knowing if I would see her again at Church. Months past hoping I would run into her again. Well, just this Wednesday, 8 months later, we had our last MOPS. As I was just getting ready to leave the church building, guess who is walking right behind me? Yes, it was Patti! I told her how I wished I had gotten her information back in September so I could have e-mailed her daughter and hoped to be able to meet her someday. Then she told me her daughter was coming in this weekend and that they would be so happy to meet us, especially Maddie:) So today we went over to her house and met her daughter Cindy, her husband, and her two girls. And what a wonderful day it was!
Here is a picture of Cindy and Maddie. Cindy liked to call them the "stubby twins" because of their matching arms:) She was such a wonderful person to meet. She is super outgoing, and she said absolutely nothing held her back. She did every activity/sport you can think of and was incredible at everything she tried. Plus she gets 50% OFF MANICURES! She was written up in the paper many times for all her accomplishments in sports. She said she wore a prosthetic every day to school, and would play some sports with it, but when she got home it was the first thing she took off. As she got older, she stopped wearing a prosthesis. It was interesting to hear her perspective on this, since we are about to begin our journey on finding the right prothetic for Maddie. She was so glad her parents gave her the option to either wear one or not wear one. It was up to her, which is the same view we have as parents.

Here is a picture of Maddie with her two daughters.
They were as sweet as they look! It was so interesting hearing the stories they told us about their Mom. When they were little they thought all Moms only had one arm. Too cute! When they would see their Barbies or other peoples Barbies missing an arm they thought those were the Mom Barbies:) I love that! They were the sweetest girls, and I wish they lived here so they could baby sit Maddie. Cindy grew up in Oakbrook, so they are back for visits fairly frequent. So blessed to have met this wonderful family and had the opportunity to talk with Cindy. Once again, God and his timing are always perfect. Such a wonderful blessing from God. I love this!

A Couple Adventures!

Even though it's still cold out at least the sun has been out the past couple days! We have enjoyed spending some time outside with friends and doing fun things! Yesterday we decided to take the train to Glen Ellyn with some friends from our small group and their kids. We walked to the train station and made it just in time to catch the train to Glen Ellyn. It was a little nuts getting all 6 kids on the train with 3 strollers, but we did it:) The kids had so much fun riding the "choo, choo." When we got off the train we planned on going to 2Toots, a cute little train restaurant right off the tracks. It's the cutest little place to go with kids, but the line was out the door! 5 kids under the age of 4 don't understand "patience" I mean who would at that age? So we left 2Toots and found a cute little Mexican Restaurant to Eat at. It was a hysterically chaotic meal! After lunch, we headed to the Candy store to get some sweets for the kids before we piled back on the train to Elmhurst. Such a fun day and can't wait to do that again! Here are some pictures from yesterday.
All the kids on the train.
Notice, it's just Maddie and ALL boys.
The whole gang!
Enjoying the yummy food!
The Candy Store
All the kids waiting patiently for the train:)


Today Maddie and I met up with my friend Christine and her two girls, Emma and Shelly! We always have so much fun when we hang out! Since they live in the city and we are in Elmhurst, we don't see eachother as much as we'd like, but when we do we both get a "high" from being together:o) So today we met them at Navy Pier. We had so much fun walking around, eating, doing different kid activities, and just being together! Here are some pictures from our visit! So thankful to only be 20 minutes from the city so Maddie can have every opportunity!

Gotta love those silly mirrors!
Christine and I were having more fun than the girls!

Pointing at someone in a funny costume. She wasn't quite sure what to make of the whole thing.
Maddie and Shelly walking around holding hands.
Maddie having fun riding the train! Something she likes to do everywhere we go:)
Such a fun day with great friends! We are looking forward to the next time!!

Here are just a few other pictures of my VERY happy girl!

TWO YEAR OLD PICS!

Maddie was being a little serious during the photo shoot, but we were still able to get some cute shots! Here are some of the pictures of our grown up 2 year old!

It's been a while!

Too many things have happened since Maddie b day (my last post) I don't even know where to begin.

1.The snow storm of 2011 was a blast and we had a wonderful time playing in the snow and hanging out with our neighbors.
2. Lot and lots of playdates with friends and neighbors!
3. MOPS, which we love every other wednesday @ CCOB.
4. Moms day out on friday mornings for 3 1/2 hours, which is time I love to be able to do errands and just have "me" time.
5. Signing Maddie up for preschool starting September 2011. She will go 2 days a week on tuesdays and thursdays:)
6. Bob and I went to Arizona for 5 days, while my Mom watched Maddie back at our house. We had such a blast getting away to warm weather!
7. Trips to the mall so Maddie can ride the Choo Choo.
8. Walks into town for some starbucks.
9. Hanging out at the Elmhurst library and going to Mother Goose.
10. And the best- Watching Maddie grow up and come up with the funniest lines! She is such a "hoot"
11. Maddie has her first trip to the dentist checked by Dr. Matt Jensen and Bumpa Jensen.

Here are some pictures of what has been going on lately:)
I got a little carried away with the hairspray!
Starbucks
Baking cookie bars
blizzard 11'
Uncle Matt, the Dentist
Playdate with Shelley and Emma
I told Maddie to go put her shoes to take a walk outside, and she put on my high heels, and says " Mama, Pretty shoes walk"
Arizona!
Arizona:o)

Here is a short little video of Maddie, our little ham!