On Saturday, September 26 we went to Cherry Lane Farm in Marengo, IL. Our church family held their annual Fall Harvest Party at the farm this year. It is a beautiful place. The kids allowed me to snap a few photos before running off to play with their friends.

The farm is approximately 80 acres. Of course, we didn't explore the whole farm. The kids enjoyed the huge playground area. We toured the glass shop where one of the farm's owners makes beautiful fused glass creations. The "greenhouse room" is a warm, glass enclosure to sit and visit with friends. And perhaps the most unique building was the littlest of all: the bath house. It was decorated like a tiny antique guest room, complete with daybed and desk, not to mention the "necessities".

We ate chili and desserts in the finished barn. After dark we gathered around the bon-fire to sing praises to our Lord and give testimonies of thanksgiving. We completed the evening by making smores over the fire. What a wonderful time we all had together!

Family Photo Fall 2009

First Day of School 2009

I'm a little late on this post, but better late than never. The weather was absolutely gorgeous for the boys' first day of school. Both Trent and Grant were VERY ready for the new school year to begin. Trent was also GREATLY looking forward to his new teacher, Mrs. Gregory....

Can you see why? Look at that grin on his face! Looks like the cat who got the canary! He even said, "Mom, Mrs. Gregory is young, blonde, fun and cute! Plus, she wears really cool glasses!" Okay then, that settle that!

Trent joined the Neubert Elementary Drama Club. Mrs. Gregory is in charge of it. Trent will be playing the role of "Tiny Tim" in the school production of "A Christmas Carol". Trent is also glad to finally be able to join the Neubert Choir. He has been waiting to join since Kindergarten!

Grant was ready to be back in school and with his friends in 2nd grade. His teacher is Mrs. Burke. She has 25 years of experience and she is really great. Grant was very excited to learn that his seat was next to "Steven" and "Alyssa". For Grant, its all about the socializing!

Grant joined the Neubert Garden Club. They do lots of hands-on projects with nature related items as well as plant and do grounds work around the school yard. He loves to get dirty and help in the yard so this is right up his ally.

A week later, Brooke started the "Junior 5's Program" at St. Barnabas Christian PreSchool. Both boys went to pre-school there and had a great experience. She was very glad to go and really likes her teachers and new friends.

She does very well, even in spite of her vision deficit. Her teachers are amazed at what she CAN do. Her teachers have been very accomodating already. They labeled a set of markers and crayons with bold words so she can learn to read the colors. They also made a set of alphabet letters for her with hot glue and sand so she can trace the letters with her finger and feel them before she tries to write them. The teacher allows her to use markers instead of pencil on her papers because they are easier to see.

I am so thankful that all my children enjoy and look forward to school each day.

Welcome to Our Hearts and Home, Stanley

This summer we visited the Henry Doorley Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska. The favorite exhibit, by far, was the "Budgie Experience" - an outdoor aviary filled with Parakeets. The kids fell in love.

For the remainder of the summer we discussed the possibility of a parakeet. We read, we priced birds and cages, and we talked about it. Finally I got a recommendation from a friend for a pet store nearby that hand-raises their birds. So, we went to look. Of course, whenever you take your three kids to "just look" you know there is a very real possibility that you are coming home with an animal!

The store only had two birds ready to go home. The other four were still too tiny. The little green and yellow, "spirited" bird caught our eye. It was love at first sight!

Stanley adjusted very quickly to our family. He had already been trained to perch on our fingers. We are still working on getting him to let us "pet" him, he's doing better everyday. I have also trained him to sit on my shoulder so I can have him with me while I do dishes or housework. We have been repeating phrases over and over again in the hopes that someday he will "talk".

Stanley was 7 weeks old when we brought him home. Why "Stanley", you ask? I don't know...that's just what the kids came up with! We still aren't certain if he is a boy or girl, but the name "Stanley" will stay regardless! I dearly hope he is a boy as the males are supposed to be better talkers.

He reminds me of my "Skipper" I had when I was a girl. I loved Skipper so much and I hope my children find the same joy and affection from Stanley.

10 Years Ago

On August 18, 1999 Trent Alexander Bauman was born. But nothing could have prepared us for this: After a beautiful pregnancy, I became toxic and Trent was delievered by emergecy C-section. He did not breathe, he could not cry and he was purple. Trent suffered from A-genesis of the Left-Hemi-Diaphragm. The left side of his diaphragm never developed, causing all his abdominal organs to grow into his left chest cavity, push his heart and stomach to the right side, wrap his right lung around his back and crush his left lung to the size of a raisin.

48 hours after birth, Trent underwent his first surgery to construct a diaphragm out of Gortex and place all the abdominal organs back in the abdomen. But that was the easy part. The next two years would be filled with hospitalizations, life-threatening complications, mechanical ventilators, oxygen, feeding ports, countless sleepless nights, ambulance rides and more surgeries.

The night before Trent was born, I was in a Bible study with a friend. During that study, Psalm 18:30 seemed to leap off the page: "As for God, His way is perfect;The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him." Little did I know how much I would have to trust Him and His way.

This is how I spent the first two months of Trent's life - camping at the NICU, holding a baby so wrapped in tubes that neither of us could move. With each complication, each new low, God kept reminding me: My way is perfect. "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." I cannot say that I was never anxious. I was. But I can say that I have never known a peace like I did then. It was a supernatural peace that words cannot describe.

God did not take us out of the trial. He held our hand, and led us through. He was faithful, even when I doubted.

The song writer, Don Moen, penned this song. I clung to it through those dark days. Even today I cannot sing it without tears running down my cheeks. And on Trent's birthday, my soul sings it as a sweet offering of praise to Him alone.

God will make a way

Where there seems to be no way

He works in ways we cannot see

He will make a way for me.

He will be my guide.

Hold me closely to His side.

With love and strength for each new day

He will make a way.

God will make a way

Happy 10th Birthday Trent. You are a miracle. God has a purpose for you and He will use you in ways we can only dream about. I love you. XOXO, Mommy

Happy 5th Birthday Brooke!

It is hard to believe that you are FIVE years old, Princess. I love you so much. In some ways, I wish I could keep you little forever. I love your innocence, imagination, and joy. I am thankful for your congenial spirit and determination despite your vision challenges. I love to hear you sing your created songs about everything under the sun. I love to watch as you "read books" to your dollies with the book turned out like you are the teacher. I love how you can dress up and play pretend with absolutely no one else around.
But even though I mourn the loss of my "baby-girl", I celebrate each milestone and step of independence. You make me look forward to each day like it is a new adventure. Thank you for blessing my life with the gift of YOU.
XOXO,
Mommy

Brooke celebrated her 5th birthday on Sunday evening, August 16th. She invited 5 friends to share her special day. I made a small 8x8 cake. The theme was "Tinkerbell". Daddy bought her a beautiful costume to wear at her party.

Mckenzie, Jenna, Sophia, Brooke, Brooklynn, and Maia

This was such a fun "girly" party. I always enjoy the little girls. They are very easy to entertain. After dinner, we decorated fairy wings. I cut wing shapes from pink poster board. The girls glued on sequins, beads, bells, glitter, and stickers. I punched holes in the posterboard and tied them on with grosgrain ribbon. None of the pictures turned out of the wings. They were so cute. Then we played some outdoor games like "Pixie Parade" (cake walk concept - winner got a bottle of bubbles to blow and the game continued.) and "Tinkerbell Tag" (if you were tagged, you had to go to Neverland and say "I do believe in fairies" five times in order to be set free.)

Then we came inside for "Fairy Flutter" (musicial chairs - except when a girl got "out" she got to get a Tinkerbell tattoo).

We finished with presents and cake. Then the wings were dry so the girls put them on and went outside to blow bubbles and "flutter" around as the parents arrived. It was so much fun and the girls were all so adorable.

Surgery Story

No sooner did we get back from our family vacation to Florida did we turn around and load-up the van to head for Des Moines, Iowa. Trent' surgery was on July 23 at 10:00am. Trent was so positive, calm, and confident about the surgery. In some ways, I think he was blissfully ignorant. But he did know, in general, what was going to happen. He never showed any fear, which amazed us.

We arrived at the hospital at 8:30 to get Trent ready and meet with his surgeon, Dr. Buchi, and anesthesiologist, Dr. Anderson. Surgery got underway as scheduled. It took Dr. Buchi 2 hours just to get through the mountain of scar tissue that cemented Trent's left lung to his prosthetic diaphragm and find the hole. Once inside and at the problem, Dr. Buchi found more intestine in the chest than originally thought. But the tissues all looked good and the diaphragm hole was about the size of an egg. Dr. Buchi pulled the instesine back down where it belonged and attached a new type of biological patch that Trent's own tissues can grow into. The incision is under Trent's left arm, between a couple ribs and about 5-6 inches long. A painful incision indeed. The anesthesiologist put in an epidural to help with post-op pain. But the epidural failed and Trent was very, very uncomfortable. He had to rely on other pain meds like morphine which had several adverse side effects. The first 24 hours were rough. But the next 24 were much, much better. The third day he got his chest tube out and the fourth day he visited the playroom and played video games. Even Dr. Buchi was amazed with his progress and rapid recovery. Trent was discharged four days post-op and sent home to rest.

We all love Dr. Buchi. He is a very special man. He and Trent share a special bond and we are so thankful God put him in our lives. He has used Dr. Buchi and worked through him to accomplish what seemed to be humanly impossible. "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for me?" (Jeremiah 32:27)

People are amazed when I tell them about our summer this year. People wonder "how we could make it through such stress and trauma." But after all we have been through with Trent, this surgery was by far the best (as surgeries go.) He was strong and healthy going into this one. He had lung tissue and a developed immune system this time - so much different than when he was tiny and so very critical. This surgery, although major and genuinely invasive and traumatic, was so much easier to go through. God has always given us His peace, His grace and His strength just at the very moment we need it. "And the peace of God, which goes beyond all understanding, will gaurd your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus," (Philippians 4:7) He is so good to us.

As for Trent, God has a plan for this boy. I don't know what it is. But God has worked overtime to see that Trent stay here, on this earth, to serve Him. "I know the plans I have for you...plans to give you a hope and a future" (Jeremiah 29:11)