Faith, Hope, and Joy!!

Our Perfect Gift: Peyton Grace

2011-12-19T12:14:00.000-05:00

And now, making her debut, is the beautiful and perfect Peyton Grace. She was born on Tuesday, December 6, 2011 at 8:37 a.m. She weighed 6 lbs 8 oz, and she was 19 in. long. She did struggle with her breathing a little, so she spent her first 24 hours in the nursery, which was a bit hard on this mommy, but I knew she was where she needed to be. Once I was able to get up and walk (in the middle of the night), I went down to visit her every 2 hours. The girls and I are completely head over heels in love with her, and we couldn't have asked for a better Christmas gift! I can't believe she's almost 2 weeks old and I haven't posted pictures yet, but in my defense, I HAVE been a little busy! :0)

Well, without further ado, here she is...

Striving to Walk

2011-05-01T00:06:00.001-04:00

Make video montages at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Our Hero...

2011-03-17T20:17:00.003-04:00

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Cast off, Cast on

2011-03-10T23:00:00.000-05:00

If you read our other blog, you may already know about our day on Monday. Other than being long and hectic, it was quite disappointing for Taylor. She went to Children's with the belief that she would be getting her cast off. Well, she did get her cast off, but she also got a new one put on. She will not be able to get out of the new cast until a special brace is made for her foot. Her transferred tendon needs to be protected for at least three months, but thankfully the doctor knows what torture it is for a kid to be in a cast for that long. However, if her brace doesn't get done quickly, she could be in the cast for the entire time anyway. We'll see. I've been on the phone every day this week trying to convince everyone to hurry, but so far I haven't gotten very far. Anyway, I promised to post photos of Taylor's foot, with and without the button. If you're not a big fan of surgical sights, you may not want to look. Also, I apologize for the pics. They were taken on my phone, as I forgot my camera. And, my phone was literally about to die.

Here is the last photo with her red cast. You can see the lines where they already cut it.

Here is the button that was sewn to the bottom of her foot. It was attached to the tendon that was transferred, holding it in place. The other white stuff is just the padding from the cast.

One view of the incisions. You can see how atrophied her leg is. I should have put her left leg next to it so you could see the difference.

The bottom of her foot without the button. You can see the indent, but you can't see how deep it was. The bump on the outside of her foot is actually smaller than it was before. We're hoping the surgery will help to correct that eventually.

The new pink cast. She really didn't want to smile, but I somehow made her laugh. She's such a trooper!

Happy Valentine's Day!!

2011-02-13T23:23:00.001-05:00

We hope you all have a wonderful Valentine's Day!! We spent some time on Sunday filling out cards for the girls to give to their classmates. They are extremely excited about this day that is dedicated to expressing our love for others. While we do our very best to express our love every day, there is nothing wrong with a little reminder once in awhile! However, one thing we have learned while on this journey with our children is that we are not guaranteed a tomorrow; live each day to its fullest, and always give as much love as you possibly can. Don't hold back or hesitate when you want to express your feelings, because you may never have another opportunity.

And now I will share with you the gift my amazing husband sent. It's beautiful and delicious! Thank you, Sweetheart! Happy Valentine's Day!

We want to wish all of you a very Happy Valentine's Day! We hope you know how much we appreciate all of your love and support over the years! Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts!!

Kevin's Promotion Ceremony

2011-02-12T00:24:00.005-05:00

On February 1st, we had the honor and absolute privilege of attending and participating in Kevin's promotion ceremony. This was his last promotion, as he has reached the highest enlisted rank possible in the Marine Corps. He is now a Master Gunnery Sergeant, and only the sixth person in his position to make it to that rank in his unit (ever). Initially, he didn't want to make a big deal about it, but as everyone else got excited, it helped him to see that it was a REALLY big deal! His former Colonel flew in from out of state in order to promote him, and many invitations were sent out. I cannot even begin to describe how very proud I am of him!! He truly deserved the promotion and the recognition for all of his dedication and hard work he has put in to his unit and the Marine Corps. He leaves the house by 4-4:30 a.m. every morning, and he doesn't get home until 9 p.m. most nights. He is there for his Marines at all times, day or night, and he's definitely a father-figure to many of them. They are extremely lucky to have him for a leader, confidant, and friend. I got choked up as I listened to people talk about him, and he really brought tears to my eyes as he spoke to all of us. K.J. and I were even able to go up to the front to pin on his new rank, which meant everything to us. After the ceremony, when all of the guests and most of his unit came up to congratulate him, I could see how much he is loved and respected, but I can guarantee by no one so much as me. I am thankful each and every day to be able to love, and be loved, by this man. He is my heart and soul, and I am blessed beyond measure to have him in my life. Kevin, congratulations on your promotion. Remember that I will stand by you and support you in all that you do! I love you more than you could ever imagine! :0)

Here are a few photos from our day...

Taylor's Surgery

2011-02-06T17:01:00.000-05:00

Taylor had her surgery on Friday, January 28th. Here are a few photos from the day.

Pre-surgery in Grandma Terry's office

Immediately after being wheeled to the recovery room. Jade was very worried about her sister.

The red cast

Very cool and soothing fiber optics, bubbling water and music machine.

Hanging out in Recovery

Jade on the "comfy" couch. She was SO EXCITED to have a slumber party at the hospital.

Taylor was not as thrilled to stay, but she gave me a smile anyway.

Out like a light

So "lucky" to be awake in time to see the sun rise. Gotta love hospital life!

Learning to use the crutches. What a champ!

Blog design

2011-01-24T15:10:00.000-05:00

O.k., apparently I've lost my ability to correctly put a photo up on the top of our blog page. Honestly, I'm doing it the same way I always do, but it's just not working today. I'll keep trying, but I don't have time to spend on this little project right now. This is a busy week for us. I'll try to update our other blog to tell you what we have going on.

We hope you all have a great week!

Merry Christmas!!

2010-12-25T19:43:00.001-05:00

We want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!! We hope your day is filled with love and blessings. We want to say a special thank you to Charlotte Parrish Photography for these wonderful photos of the girls with the REAL Santa!! And notice that Solomon is smiling too!

Much love from our family to yours!

Jade pulled out her first tooth

2010-10-04T23:12:00.000-04:00

First Day of School

2010-09-30T12:45:00.001-04:00

Well, I even though I still haven't edited and posted any of our photos from this summer, I decided I had better show you the pics from the first day of school. I mean, before they have been in school a month.

Since Erin has pneumonia right now, and we're between breathing treatments, I thought I would squeeze in time to post just a few pics.

How did they grow up so fast???

Intense Physical Therapy at KKI

2010-07-29T17:44:00.000-04:00

We spent the past two weeks in Baltimore working hard, having fun, meeting new people and doing exciting things (o.k., mostly working hard). Erin and Taylor both had intense physical therapy with our therapist, Robin. She just has a way of getting our girls to work as hard as they possibly can while having fun. Thank you Robin! We also want to thank Scott, Heather, Sarah, and everyone else who worked with us at some point while we were there. I will try to post a longer update soon on our other site giving more details about our adventure. I would like to share a plethora of pictures with you that were taken over those two weeks. I'll probably have to do at least 2 different posts to get them all in. Anyway, enjoy! Also, if you have any questions and/or comments about anything, please feel free to let me know.

Erin walking with her new KAFO's. She's becoming a pro, and she actually likes walking in them! Oh, she's wearing an adorable pair of BabyLegs underneath her braces. They work perfectly! So glad we found them.


Outside on the playground at the Ronald McDonald House. They love this place!

Our beautiful girls

Taylor playing soccer as part of her therapy. See what I mean about fun?!

Our new favorite game is badminton. Jade played it everyday for 4 hours during therapy.

New friends, new game, tons of fun!

Girl time. What could be better than hanging out and doing your nails?

Princess Erin


Erin just wanted to prove that she could kick a soccer ball too!


The two princesses. For those of you who know Robin, you know what I'm saying. :0)

She could be a professional log roller!

More badminton (sort of)


The twins came up with their own high five using their rackets. It was too cute!

Outside KKI in the therapy garden

Erin pulled out her first loose tooth all by herself. She was so proud!

Rollin', Rollin', Rollin'...

Jade often gets to enjoy her sisters' therapy. So much fun!

We love to build things

She's our hula hoop girl

Just a girl and her dog, sharing a moment during therapy

Visiting with our friends from Under Armour. Such fantastic people!

Eating cotton candy at the Orioles/Twins game. Go Twins!

Taylor thought ice cream was a much better choice.

This girl LOVES cotton candy!

Even SOLOMON got to enjoy the game!

Such a handsome boy!

I think Taylor and Jade are having much more fun than Erin.

Erin walking in her KAFO's

2010-07-18T10:51:00.003-04:00

Erin's new KAFOs

2010-07-02T21:04:00.001-04:00

Erin recently got new braces for her legs, called KAFOs. This stands for Knee, Ankle, Foot Orthosis, and it is exactly that. These will replace the white soft braces (knee immobilizers) she has been wearing for the past year. We had to make sure she was ready for these before having them made, and as she has shown us, she was definitely ready. I want to share with all of you that when Erin was a baby, everyone outside of Kennedy Krieger said that Erin would NEVER be able to use braces such as these. In fact, they didn't think she would ever use an RGO, which she has long surpassed. We have learned many things on this journey of ours. One of them is that doctors and therapists should NEVER use the word "never". Another thing is that someone apparently forgot to inform Erin that she couldn't do these things, because she is definitely doing them! Our little girl has far more determination than most people we know.

Here are a few photos showing the process of getting measured, molded and fitted for new braces. It's a tedious process, but it was well worth it. Erin can't wait to go to KKI next so she can show them off to everyone. She picked out the patriotic design, and she actually loves to wear them! Yay!

Putting on the long socks to protect her legs when they cast them. You can tell she's thrilled!

One leg done, but that was after having to completely redo it.

Whew, both legs casted. Just had to wait for them to dry.

Taking off the casts and keeping them intact is not always an easy task. Time elapsed: 2 hours

After 8-10 weeks (I honestly lost track), the KAFO's were ready for a fitting. That appointment also took about 2 hours, because they had to make sure they were perfect.

And here she is, walking with her new braces. Can you see the pride and excitement?! And yes, this is the best picture I got, with my big shadow in it. (Sigh....)

Summer Fun!

2010-07-02T20:25:00.000-04:00

Soccer Camp 2010

2010-06-30T12:19:00.002-04:00

Jade was stretching before practice.

Playing some warm-up games

More warm-ups. Notice that Erin does everything with her arms.

Jade stretching...

And Erin doing the same stretch!

Taylor waited very patiently during practice.

I think she would make a great striker!

Have to hydrate!

I'm ready, coach!

Can't take her eyes off the field

SOLOMON was keeping an eye on his girl

So that's how that works!

Aren't these just the cutest little legs ever?!

Taylor wanted to try the long jump

She thought it was pretty fun... once. :0)

SOLOMON just liked the sand. I'm not sure the track coaches would be thrilled.

Our little go-getter! Erin and Jade were the youngest kids at camp

The entire team was trying to block Erin's shot. Not to be stopped, Erin did score!

"Mommy, I scored!!!"

Let's do it again!

She came, she scored, she was ready to play in the sand...

Jade and one of her coaches

Taylor was amusing herself by spinning around with the water jug, so she was a bit dizzy here.

Just a girl and her shadow

Taylor wanted to bury SOLOMON'S paws in the sand. He's soooo patient!

Cool new shirts/dresses :0)

Soccer sisters

Taylor's (and SOLOMON'S) Field Trip to a Farm

2010-06-12T20:30:00.000-04:00

I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to go with Taylor on her field trip recently for school. We went to a working farm that was about 45 minutes away. Since we were going to be gone for most of the day, SOLOMON came with us as well. Erin would have loved to have him with her for the entire time at school, but I don't think he's ready for that yet. Actually, it probably would have been fine, because Erin's teacher does an amazing job with him, but that's a lot for her to handle for that long. As far as I know, this was SOLOMON's first trip to a farm, and we found out he was extremely interested in all of the animals. Not only was it his first trip to a farm, it seemed that most of the kids had never been out in the country before. They marveled over the cows and horses in the pastures as we drove. Oh, to see things through the eyes of a child! They were so cute!

Here are a few photos from our day...

We rode on the nice bus on the way to the farm. This one had seat belts (yay!), and air conditioning.

SOLOMON knew right where to go when we got on the bus. Of course, every single student wanted to sit by us!

Taylor petting a chicken. During the entire chicken presentation, SOLOMON was doing everything he could to try to get to the cage. He was making these funny whining noises, and he kept attempting to scoot under the benches to get closer. I don't think I've ever had to have a tighter grip on his leash than during that presentation. Poor SOLLY, he really just wanted to see the chicken!

Here we are, far away from the chicken, making dirt babies. Taylor's has now grown some very cute "hair" (grass). SOLOMON was still looking in the direction of the chicken, but he was quite calm here.

SOLOMON seemed to enjoy his first hay ride, although it was really hot by then. I took his vest off to try to cool him down a little.

The hay ride took us past some cows. Let's just say that SOLOMON wanted to make friends with them as well. :0)

The kids got some time to play while we were there. SOLOMON wanted to get in on the fun, but there was no room for him in here.

Taylor was excited to spend part of her day with her boy**friend. Not "boyfriend", since they are only in 2nd grade, but they have had a special relationship since the first day they met last year. He's too cute!

After returning from the field trip, I took SOLOMON to Erin's classroom to hang for awhile, but he was completely wiped out. Poor dog!

Washing Dishes with Erin

2010-05-30T17:21:00.001-04:00

Since Erin cannot reach the sink, and she really (and I mean REALLY) wanted to help wash the dishes, I devised a plan. We often have to improvise at our house, and this idea seems to be working.

Not only is she adorable, but I love the fact that she so badly WANTS to help. Thank you Erin!

2010-05-25T20:09:00.001-04:00

Outdoor Performance

2010-05-25T20:06:00.001-04:00

Go Girl!

This Land Was Made For You and Me!

Erin and Alicia singing "Hero"

Star Sisters :0)

K.J.'s Prom

2010-05-25T19:59:00.001-04:00

Our handsome K.J. and his beautiful girl!

Gorgeous couple!

Wow, seniors!

Our Little Superstars!

2010-05-25T19:42:00.001-04:00

Jade posing before her first performance. So pretty and so nervous!

So Cute!

Beautiful girl!

We're ready!

Warm-ups

Taylor's solo -- first performance

God Bless the U.S.A.

Yankee Doodle Dandy :0)

Jade's solo in "This Land is Your Land".

Do-si-do

This is Erin's nervous grin before her solo in "Hero"

There's OUR hero!

"We Are Family!"

Take a bow :0)

Erin's hospitalization and surgery

2010-05-25T13:48:00.000-04:00

This is the day of Erin's abscess surgery. You can read about our entire ordeal on our other blog if you want the full scoop. She actually looked pretty good here compared to what she looked like on previous days. She still had a fever of 103, so she wasn't ready smile yet.

There is that beautiful smile! She was finally ready for SOLOMON to get up on the bed with her.

She thought it was funny until SOLOMON put his big butt on her I.V., which is something she won't let ANYONE touch! He was just happy to be up with his girl. He got to see her everyday, but she didn't want to cuddle until this day.

Playing with her puppies, waiting for her real puppy to get there. This was the day before she was discharged, so Erin was feeling pretty good here. She had the big guns (antibiotics) on board, so she was improving each day after the abscesses were drained.

SOLOMON'S Bowling Day

2010-04-19T22:54:00.002-04:00

He's a natural, folks!

These kiddos love him more than words could say!

White House Easter Egg Roll

2010-04-19T22:26:00.002-04:00

Hoola Hooping in front of the White House!

I think Jade should be a professional hoola hooper.

Close enough to touch (almost)

Getting ready for the egg roll. Taylor was focused on the egg, Jade was... well, not so much.

Taylor wanted to WIN!

The winner!!

Jade is our perfectionist. She took her time and did it right.

Well, when you can't get a picture with Justin Bieber, Miffy will have to do!! :0)

Music Program and Awards Ceremony

2010-04-19T22:10:00.000-04:00

The girls had a big concert at school, and Erin was chosen to play the xylophone. She was pretty excited!

Jade was getting ready to sing.

Hey Beautiful!

Jade's first award at school.

Taylor was so proud of her award (dog tags) that she wouldn't let them go to show me. She received the Star Student award (for the 3rd time... ahem).

Technologically Unsavvy!

2010-04-13T15:00:00.000-04:00

It is quite apparent that I don't have quite enough skills with our computer to figure this out. I have been trying to post photos here for over a week, but I can't get into our blog from our computer at home. I can get in elsewhere; everywhere, it seems, except the computer I have the photos on! I have some really cute ones coming (like 3 little girls cute, or Justin Bieber cute, or SOLOMON bowling cute)... as soon as my brain engages enough to show my computer who's the boss! I've also been working on a post for our other blog telling you ALL about the last few weeks of our lives. Both of these exciting things are coming soon (soon is certainly a relative term in my life). I'm sorry for the delay, but I am working on it.

Erin and Jade's 6th Birthday

2010-03-02T15:02:00.000-05:00

Blizzard of 2010

2010-03-02T14:40:00.000-05:00

Taylor's Make-A-Wish Trip

2010-01-24T12:23:00.008-05:00

Here is our only family photo from the trip. This was our beautiful villa at Give Kids The World Village in Florida. Can you tell that the girls were ready to explore? They didn't have time for such things as photo ops!

This was the first of many rides on the wonderful carousel in the Village. They could ride as often as they wanted for free! I don't think it gets much better than that!

This was our very first family vacation together, and we got off to a fantastic start!

Erin loves the carousel. I think she feels like she's flying.

Riding on the train through the village. Another thing we did over and over again!

Our first park was the Magic Kingdom. It truly was a magical day!

While we were waiting for the parade to start, there were things for the kids to do. Jade showed us that she is a hula hoop champ! She definitely did NOT get that from me! :D

This is Mayor Clayton, the Mayor of Give Kids The World Village. Our first night in the village was his birthday party (which they do every Saturday night). The girls absolutely loved him! We had to take a picture with him every day. I'll just post one!

Mickey and Minnie came to the Village one morning before we left for Animal Kingdom. The girls were THRILLED to meet them!

Riding to the park. This was our "limo" each day. For the girls, riding on a bus NEVER gets old.

Erin had the option of riding the bus in her chair, but she preferred to sit in front (most days).

I think this photo needs a clever caption. Kevin was giving the girls a comparison for the hippo skull, and I think it's hilarious! I love that my husband can be goofy with the girls.

Surfer girl Jadie at the pool.

So Cute!

Each Wish child writes his/her name on a star, makes a wish, and the star is placed on the ceiling of the Castle of Miracles. We were given the location of the star, and it will stay up forever. If we ever return to the Village, we can go in to see Taylor's star.

Taylor's star (with a little fingerprint smudge).

There is a spa in the Castle of Miracles. The girls all had a manicure, they got their faces painted, and they each got an airbrushed tattoo.

The girls were so excited to meet the Grinch. To this day they ask me if he was the real Grinch.

Riding the carousel at Seuss Landing. Jade picked an elephant, of course!

Daddy even got to ride with Erin on this one!

The smile says it all!

Spinning... Do you see Erin's head peaking through?

This was the highlight of our entire trip for Taylor. She wants to be a dolphin trainer someday, so she was in heaven when she was able to feed the dolphins. Everyone loved Sea World!

The dolphin actually came up onto the ledge to see Erin. She was the only one they did that for.

Jade was a little nervous, but after the first fish she couldn't get enough.

K.J. even got in on the fun!

We all loved the Shamu show, called "Believe". The girls were amazed!

This was on our last day as we were preparing to leave Give Kids The World Village. We wanted to take some pics to remember our amazing stay.

Here is the ice cream parlor that is open every day from 7:30 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. Remember, everything there is free, so we definitely made our fair share of visits to get ice cream!

This is the carousel and to the right of that is the Castle of Miracles.

Here is the Gingerbread House. This is the restaurant where we ate breakfast and dinner every day.

The girls playing inside Old Elmer (a sleeping tree) at the Castle of Miracles.

This is Amberville, where they have an AWESOME, gigantic train set, an arcade, RC boats, and the train the girls loved to ride. There is also a very cool mini-golf course here.

One last ice cream cone for the road! Daddy had to finish Jade's cone.

Jade was trying to show off her Shamu necklace.

Erin decided she wanted to ride in her chair in the back of the bus for our last ride in Florida. This was THE BEST TRIP EVER!!!

First Snow!!!

2009-12-07T10:20:00.000-05:00

We received our first snowfall on Saturday, and you wouldn't believe the excitement in our house (including myself)!! I just love the snow! It snowed all day, and it was pretty wet and slushy, so we waiting until Sunday to go out and play. We had a very small window of opportunity, because the temperature was going up, but we definitely took advantage of it! The girls all love to go sledding, and they have chosen our front yard to do it in. No, we don't really have a hill in our front yard, per se, but it is enough of a decline that the sleds move (when given a big push by me). No matter what, we had a fantastic time playing, and we stayed out until our yard was more mud than snow. As in all things we do now, Erin can't wait until our next snow and we have SOLOMON with us.

Yes, this is our very small snowman. He doesn't look very happy about his size either, but he is trying to show off his muscles!! Ha! All three girls made contributions to this little guy, and they were extremely happy to see that he was still there this morning as we left for school. I'm not so sure that will be the case when they get home....

Erin was trying to push herself back up the hill in her sled when her sisters came down and pushed her all the way back. The smile on her face is evidence that she wasn't too upset about it! However, she had been working really hard to get back up by herself, getting mad at me if I tried to give her any help.

I haven't even gotten photos of the girls playing in the leaves yet (because they're still on the tree). Those are usually some of my favorite pics every year! As you can see, some of the leaves are actually still GREEN. Most of these leaves fell during the snowfall.

SOLOMON's Graduation Day

2009-11-30T20:18:00.001-05:00

I wrote all about SOLOMON's big day on our other site, but I wanted to share some of our photos here. I didn't have the opportunity to take many pics that day, because both ceremonies were inside the prison, and we weren't allowed to take our cameras inside. They did have a few photographers there, and we should be getting copies of the photos fairly soon. I will post some when I get them. Anyway, it was an absolutely FANTASTIC day full of excitement and wonderful people. We will begin our transfer training very soon with SOLOMON, and we should have him with us full time right before Christmas. The excitement in our house is building!!!

Taylor and her friend Madison at the
reception. They had a great day
together!

This is Jade and her new love, Nikki!
Nikki's owner, Sharon, thought she
might have to take Jade home with
her too! Jade absolutely loves this
dog!

Jade took about 30 minutes to say goodbye!
She couldn't bear to let her go.

This was the only picture I got of all three
girls with SOLOMON that day. We were
just getting ready to go, and we had to say
goodbye to him.

"Conjoined Twins: After Separation" on TLC tonight!

2009-11-15T18:37:00.002-05:00

I just want to remind everyone to watch TLC tonight at 9 pm ET. The show we are on, called "Conjoined Twins: After Separation" is going to air. We had the opportunity to watch it this afternoon, and it is outstanding! You will get to see Erin and SOLOMON together. I will post more about this tomorrow, and we would love to hear what you think of the program. Our internet and phone are down right now, so I am posting this through my phone, and it's way more effort than I have time for now. We just got back from our trip to WV for SOLOMON's graduation, and we're still trying to unpack and get the girls ready for bed. The weekend was fabulous, and we were thrilled to spend time with the amazing friends we have met on this journey, and Erin was ecstatic to see her dog. We won't have him with us full time until right before Christmas, but we are one step closer. If anyone is interested in learning more about paws4people, the organization giving Erin her service dog, you can visit their website at http://www.paws4people.org
More tomorrow. Have a great night! Enjoy the show! ;0)

Watch TLC on Sunday night!!

2009-11-12T11:18:00.001-05:00

This is the show we have been working on with Figure 8 Films. There are two other sets of formerly conjoined twins who will share the hour with us. We can't wait to see it, because we know it is going to be fantastic! Please watch it (or TiVo it, DVR it, or record it with whatever means you have)! :0) Oh, BTW, these were the post cards they sent to us so we could send them out. Obviously I couldn't send them to everyone (we don't have your addresses), but we wanted to share it with you. O.k., so here is the key information: November 15th (Sunday night), TLC (The Learning Channel), 9 p.m. (Eastern time), "Conjoined Twins After Separation".

Thank you to everyone who has always been so extremely supportive through the years. We could not have made it this far without you! We love you all!!!

Kennedy Krieger Institute in October

2009-11-10T20:13:00.002-05:00

Here are the photos from our trip to Baltimore in October (finally). I mean, that's not too bad... it's only November! The pics definitely don't do our trip justice, especially when Erin started initiating some steps. You'll just have to watch the videos to see that! :0) It was an amazing week of physical therapy, and we couldn't be happier with how hard both Erin and Taylor worked. Absolute heroes, both of them! And Jade did a great job helping out and being a good distraction. We're so proud of them all!

Beach pics

2009-09-23T23:08:00.000-04:00

I have finally uploaded some of the photos from our trip to the beach. As you will see, we truly had an amazing time! I literally have hundreds more, but these were a few of the best. I will keep working on this, trying to catch up. Please enjoy!

First day of school

2009-09-14T23:33:00.001-04:00

OMGoodness, I can't believe how much they have grown! I compared these to the photos from last year on the first day. It's just amazing! Can you see their excitement? They all picked out their clothes for the first day of school. Check out our other site to read about their first week of school and Erin's trip to the hospital (again). O.k., I know I have also promised pictures of our trip to the beach as well as from our last trip to Kennedy Krieger, and I promise that I haven't forgotten, I just truly haven't had time. I will get to it eventually, but I had to post these first.

We got Taylor's hair cut a few days before school started. She looks beautiful and so grown up!

Erin's backpack is still almost as big as she is, but it's definitely not as cute. She was so proud of her new outfit.

Jade (and Nellie) were ready for their first day. She has overcome (for the most part) her separation anxiety and has been such a brave girl. We're so proud of her!

Erin's Independent Wheelchair Transfer

2009-09-01T09:04:00.000-04:00

Please watch Erin as she shows off how she can transfer from her wheelchair all by herself. This is HUGE and gives her one more way in which to be independent (very important to a 5 year old little girl). She can't wait to show her therapists, both at Kennedy Krieger and at school. She is so proud, and so are we! Here is the video.

Let us know what you think, so we can share it with Erin.

The Great Green (Cold) North

2009-08-08T23:59:00.013-04:00

Here are a few of our photos from our trip to Minnesota. Most of these are from our stay at the cabin and some of our fun at the family reunion. I have many more to load, but I thought I would start with these.

Our beautiful niece/Goddaughter, Elizabeth having fun with her cousins. She had surgery on her jaw while we were in MN, but we were still able to see her a few times.

Here is the wonderful ramp that my brother built for Erin. They will actually be able to move it to the garage until the next time we visit. Thanks Mike!

This was right after we got to the cabin. It was probably in the 60's, but Jade insisted on going in the water.

The day after we arrived, the temperatures reached a high of 58 degrees. As you can see, the girls didn't let that stop them from going in the lake. I wouldn't call it swimming, because they never went in deeper than their waists, but they certainly went in much farther than I did (which was not at all).

Doesn't this just look cold? My sister took the girls out onto the dock to enjoy the wind and frigid temperatures! I stayed back to take the photos. :0)

Not to be outdone by her sisters, Erin took the plunge for about two minutes. That was enough for her to know that her sisters were a little crazy. But at least she can say she went in too.

Yes, that is Erin standing in front of the ladder. We were able to find the right position where she could support herself standing for short periods of time. Very exciting to see!!

Taylor riding the innertube for the first time. She LOVED it!!

Erin and Aunt Dee Dee riding the tube. I had some serious tears watching them!

Jade rode on the tube for the first time with her cousin Mitch, who was very protective of her. They had a great time! However, Jade did ride by herself later.

Erin's Helicopter Ride

2009-08-04T16:49:00.014-04:00

Here are the rest of the photos from Erin's hospital stay. It was a tough one, but she is completely recovered now. I literally have hundreds of photos to go through before I can post more from our visit to KKI and our trip to MN, so hopefully I can have some up in the next few weeks.

Erin being taken out and loaded into the helicopter.

Watching our little girl being taken by helicopter to Children's National Medical Center (without us).

One of our toughest moments

After being admitted, Taylor and Jade quickly found things to do in their sister's room.

One of her many breathing treatments. This is when her respiratory rate was 60-70 breaths per minute. Try that and see if you don't pass out.

Dr. Buckles

A visit from her boy, SOLOMON. It was so wonderful to see his reaction to Erin, and he definitely cheered her up!

Lots of love between these two!

SOLOMON is not sure if he should protect Erin from this thing on her face.

Erin tired out quickly, but SOLOMON was up for some snuggle time.

So sweet!

Can you tell that Taylor loves him too?!

A visit from Katelyn for more cheering up. A spirited game of CandyLand

Junky Pneumonia

2009-07-27T18:03:00.000-04:00

Here are a few photos from when Erin was in the hospital. I have many more to load, but I thought I would put these up for now. I probably won't have time to load the rest until this weekend. These ones are actually from when she was feeling a little bit better; I will post the photos of her helicopter ride and first few days in the hospital later. Sorry it's kind of backwards!

Please pray for baby Stellan. His heart is not doing well right now, and he is being airlifted to Boston. As parents who have been at the bedsides of critically ill children, we know how much support this family needs.

Anniversary of Separation Surgery

2009-06-19T14:23:00.003-04:00

Today we are celebrating the 5 year anniversary of Erin Faith's and Jade Hope's separation surgery. Please check my update on our other blog for more info: Buckles Family. It has been a miraculous 5 years, and we are absolutely blessed with each moment we have with our daughters. I will try to post photos later from before separation.

Thanks for checking on us!

Sunset Parade

2009-06-13T22:26:00.007-04:00

Hanging out at daddy's show. We had so much fun!

The girls with their daddy and the Sergeant Major.

No, it wasn't raining, but everything is so much more fun with umbrellas.

This is my handsome and talented husband coming around the Iwo Jima memorial

Kevin's salute. It doesn't get any better!

Field Trip

2009-05-29T21:51:00.007-04:00

Here are Taylor and Slade playing an old-fashioned bean bag toss. Rest assured that her ability to throw like a girl is rock solid!

Playing a game called "Graces". I'm pretty sure she's already walked too much at this point.

Taylor's class. Aren't they cute?!

Slade, Gabby and Karla pushing Taylor together. They each really wanted to push her by themselves, but I thought a team effort would be best. They took their job VERY seriously.

My group of wonderful kids, all of them Taylor's BFF's.

Medicine Droppers

2009-05-29T21:42:00.003-04:00

O.k., seriously? These are the medicine droppers/syringes I washed last night. I just thought I would post these so you could share in this enjoyable endeavor. Kevin usually washes them, and after doing it, I feel like I should give him a massage afterwards (at least that's what I would have liked -- unfortunately he was out of town). Seriously! :0)

Updated

2009-05-28T19:15:00.002-04:00

I just posted a new update to our other blog about our day yesterday. We had a speaking engagement, and it turned into an extremely enjoyable evening. To read more about our exciting night, please go to our website: The Buckles Family

Memorial Day

2009-05-25T23:01:00.011-04:00

We had a great day today at our friends' barbecue. The girls all enjoyed jumping on the trampoline and driving Katelyn's Barbie Jeep (until it started raining). Check out our other blog for longer posts about our adventures: Buckles Family

Fun on the trampoline!

Hanging out with friends

License to drive!

Perfect teamwork. Erin steers and Jade pushes the gas pedal.

Nothing but tail lights...

Katelyn and Erin. Too Cute!

"Hold on, Erin!!"

Mother's Day and the Velveteen Rabbit

2009-05-11T10:53:00.009-04:00

You can click on these to enlarge them. Enjoy!

Relief and Appointment Ceremony

2009-05-06T13:01:00.014-04:00

Assistant Drum Major MSgt Kevin Buckles and Drum Major MGySgt Mark Miller

The passing of the Mace

The new Drum Major!

Retirement Ceremony for MGySgt Miller

Taylor's Foot Surgery

2009-04-24T21:35:00.015-04:00

Kennedy Krieger in April

2009-04-21T21:48:00.027-04:00

Dorothy Hamill! Can you believe it?! Notice the excitement in Jade's face!

Erin is standing with long leg braces. While the braces hold her knees straight, she still has to control her trunk and hips. Way to go!

This is our friend Alec. We met him about a year and a half ago, and he has come a long way. Oh, by the way, he is as tall as Erin, and he's almost 2 years younger than her.

New friends Abbi and Michael. They were so much fun!

Erin doing a push-up in her RGO. I'm pretty sure that's better than most adults can do!

This was just too cute not to post! :0)

Is this Pippi Longstocking?

Jade, our future hurdles star. She really does need to be in track... always running.

Erin LOVES the little ones! She especially likes to help them if she can.

Erin is sitting up nice and tall, without her TLSO (brace) on. Looking great!

Jade and Brenden, Alec's little brother. Jade and Erin adore him, and I think the feeling is mutual. Jade really was excited to do this, I just caught her when she wasn't looking at the camera.

Bubbles

Taylor doing therapy, trying to balance and toss a beanbag.

Hanging out (Michael, Jade, Jacob, Abbi, and Taylor)

Erin walking on the treadmill in the Lite Gait with her stuffed dog SOLOMON looking on.

Walking with Miss Robin. They have so much fun together!

Taking a break from walking with SOLOMON. Just like her service dog will, SOLOMON went everywhere with her.

Brenden giving Erin some encouragement and a pep talk.

Doing what most girls like to do: putting on fingernail polish. Great idea Miss Robin!

Here comes the sun...

2009-04-07T15:10:00.000-04:00

Sunday was an absolutely beautiful day! We were able to spend the entire day hanging out and playing. We definitely LOVE to have Daddy with us, and the girls adore showing him what they can do at the playground.

Erin and Taylor

2009-04-02T13:41:00.001-04:00

Well, for those of you following us on Twitter, you saw that yesterday was a bit crazy. I received a call from the nurse and Erin's teacher saying that she was sound asleep in the nurses office (about an hour after I had dropped them off). It was very strange, because Erin NEVER wants to take a nap. Her temperature was normal, but Kevin and I just kept thinking back to how quickly Taylor went downhill in January. I went to pick Erin up, essentially to make sure she was o.k., and I ended up leaving the school with both twins. I guess Jade didn't want to be left out. When we went back to get Taylor, she got in the van and said her throat hurt. Well, that's fantastic! Taylor and I both have bad coughs, and everyone else has a really stuffy nose. Initially I thought it was allergies, but now I'm second guessing myself. Only time will tell.

White House Visit (in December)

2009-03-27T13:48:00.005-04:00

I just realized that I never posted our photos from the White House tour we went on. We were not allowed to take any pictures inside the West Wing, but as you can see, we could take as many as we wanted outside! We were able to take some inside the Press room as well, which was kind of fun. You would actually be kind of shocked at how small that room really is. It always looks so big on T.V. Anyway, we had a fantastic time, and we learned a great deal. We were even able to look into the Oval Office and see the Resolute Desk. Now, for those of you who have seen the movie "National Treasure 2: Book of Secrets", you will understand what I am talking about. I asked our guide if there really was a matching desk in England, and after some discussion with one of the guards, the answer is a big YES. It is in Parliament. Kind of cool.

Please pray for this little boy

2009-03-25T07:41:00.001-04:00

Circus Fun!

2009-03-19T15:11:00.009-04:00

We were lucky enough to be given tickets to the circus and watch it from a suite. The best things about it, other than a great view, is the fact that Erin never struggles with her wheelchair, there is a bathroom inside the suite, and there is a sitting area for fun intermission photos! We had five excited little girls ready for more fun. From Left: Katelyn, Erin, Taylor, Olivia, and Jade.

Ms. Michelle bought each of the girls a clown nose. Taylor was the only one who could keep hers on, and I think she kind of enjoyed it. Maybe she has a future as a clown! :0)

One of our favorite things about the circus is the fact that they have these amazing elephants! We just love them! Jade adores elephants, and she calls them all Nelly. Too cute!

St. Patrick's Day

2009-03-19T14:57:00.004-04:00

We want to wish everyone a belated Happy St. Patrick's Day! We hope everyone had a good day. Here are a few pictures of our girls sporting their green for the day. As you may be able to see, Erin had just finished a red popsicle, thus the bright red lips!

Happy Birthday Jade and Erin!!!!

2009-02-26T23:00:00.013-05:00

We started out the day with Taylor's awards ceremony. She received two! We're so proud of her! I think she's pretty proud as well.

It's not a birthday without birthday crowns. Thank you Mrs. Lisa!

It doesn't get much better than this!

Such happiness!

And then she huffed and she puffed...

Even Taylor gets to blow out a candle. We can't leave her out!

It's so much more fun when you can re-light the candle

Blowing out the candle for the second time (or was it the third?)

Oh, the love of reading!

Erin is learning to read, and she is very excited!

Erin and Jade's 5th Birthday Party

2009-02-22T16:48:00.004-05:00

Best friends!

Having fun with their friends: Max, Nick and Grace (triplets), Katelyn, Philip,
and Jonathan (not pictured).

Tinker Bell cake

Let's get this party started!

Blowing out the candles. Katelyn was ready to assist if needed.

Me and our birthday girls

Finally! A picture of all 4 of them! :0)

Taylor and Grace enjoying some cake

Erin with her Aunt Kim and cousin Dustin

Hugs for K.J. Too sweet!

Sisters and Best Friends

2009-02-22T11:22:00.005-05:00

Here is Taylor with her new haircut. Pretty cute!!!

Erin and Jade are so extremely close, but over these past few weeks they have grown even closer. They are constantly playing with each other and giggling more than ever. They even insist on sleeping with each other most nights. Last week they came up with a new game they call "Horsey". Jade is the horsey, and Erin rides on her back (on the bed, of course). I have never heard them laugh so hard, for so long, EVER! It was the cutest thing! And as most of you know, they also like to sing together ALL THE TIME. One of their favorite movies (this month) is "Barbie and the Diamond Castle", and one of the songs in the movie is called "Connected". They sing that song together all the time, each one taking parts, while Taylor dances along. They really don't understand the significance of the song, but it is definitely not lost on Kevin and me. I'm hoping to get some video footage of the song, but for now, here are a few pictures of the "Horsey" game.

Walking in RGO

2009-02-22T11:14:00.006-05:00

Oh, I hope I get the pink one!

Getting a gumball for herself. You can't imagine how much courage it takes for her to let go of the walker.

STANDING and playing on the computer. Great job!

She is so proud of herself! Imagine how we feel.

Yes, we do get some smiles sometimes when she is walking!

Goldberg Reception

2009-02-15T08:16:00.019-05:00

While I'm patiently awaiting the photos of our visit with the service dogs, I thought I would catch up on some older pictures that I never had the opportunity to post. These are from a reception we went to in October for a couple who issued a challenge on behalf of Children's National Medical Center. In an effort to raise a large amount of money for the hospital, the Goldbergs donated $25 million and challenged the board to match it. Unbelievably, they did!!! We were invited to take part in a reception to honor the Goldbergs and thank them for their amazingly generous donation. It was a privilege to be a part of such a special evening! The girls were asked to draw a picture depicting their dreams for the future.

Pics 1 & 2: Erin and daddy taking a moment to cheese for the camera. She was busy watching the pianist; she was absolutely fascinated.
Pic 3: Mommy and our beautiful girls!
Pic 4: Each of the girls got up on stage and spoke into the microphone to describe their dreams for the future. Taylor would like to be the fastest runner someday.
Pic 5: Jade said that she dreams of being a princess. As you can guess, everybody thought that was pretty cute!
Pic 6: Erin spoke about her dreams of walking one day. The room was very quiet, and there were more than a few tears. Many people came up to her afterward to assure her that she WILL walk someday.
Pic 7: Here are our beautiful girls with their pictures. They were very proud! And we were shocked at how well they did standing up on stage and speaking into the microphone.
Pic 8: This picture was taken with the Goldbergs and the two other girls who were asked to participate in the event. What a special evening!
Pic 9: Taylor is sitting with Dr. Holbrook, who is the Chief Medical Officer of Children's National Medical Center. The first time we met him, Erin and Jade were still conjoined, and we were at the hospital for a meeting with Ms. Jackie. Taylor was sitting on the floor blowing bubbles, and he got down on the floor with her in his suit and tie to blow bubbles with her. It's not often you see an executive sit on the floor with a two year old child to blow bubbles. He is a fantastic man, and he did not hesitate to get down on the floor with Taylor again for a hug and to take this picture. I think I have a picture of the first time as well. I'll have to look for it.

Snow Angels

2009-01-27T15:30:00.019-05:00

We FINALLY received our first snow of the winter today (maybe our only snow). The girls were ecstatic, and we truly couldn't get outside quickly enough for them. Here are a few pictures as we enjoyed the beautiful snow.

Snowballs, snowballs, and more snowballs!

Backwards on the sled. Turn around Jadie!

Our snow angel!

Erin trying to zoom around in her powerchair. It was like driving a car, spinning tires galore. I had to give her a few pushes.

Fall Fun

2009-01-14T10:50:00.013-05:00

Here we are on a day last fall when we were out playing in the leaves. You can see Erin's "new" powerchair that was donated by a family who was done using it. It is fantastic, and she's so excited to have it. As you can see, the girls LOVE to play in the leaves!

Old Photos

2009-01-14T07:27:00.003-05:00

We're not quite sure how we should post our old photos; we could start in September and move forward or we could work our way back. In any case, it definitely won't be the same amount that I would have posted at the time, but you will be getting the best of the best. It will take some time, because anyone who knows me will tell you that I always have my camera with me, and I'm ALWAYS taking pictures. After taking the girls to school, I will try to get a few more up for viewing.

New Blog

2009-01-12T10:55:00.000-05:00

We've decided to create a new blog for pictures and videos, since we just don't have enough room on our other one to post those. I already like this site, as it saves automatically, but we will still maintain our other site at Freewebs, because it is just too large. I will try to post a few pictures here to see how easy it is, and then we will go from there. I am so far behind on pictures, we will probably just have to post a few at a time. I know most of you have been patiently waiting for these.

The pictures I will post today were taken on Friday. We were able to get together with Mr. Terry and Miss Kyria from Paws4People. They brought SOLOMON down to spend some quality time with Erin. Our friends Michelle and Katelyn were able to come along to meet everyone, and we're so glad they did! The girls had a great time with SOLOMON, and Erin is quickly learning commands and how to speak with authority. We will have to practice on the latter. Anyway, here you go...