Random Information

These first few picture are of just Zachary (well there is one thrown in with me). He will be turning 5 in a few days....so I'm kind of focusing on him a little more. Abigail will have her turn in a few weeks. These are more Christmas pictures than anything else really. It's so expensive to take them anywhere to have them done professionally because I can't just pick one pose...I have to have them all and they have to do 6+ poses ya know! Well, I don't know where to begin with Zachary. He is our miracle baby!!!!! I don't think there is a day that doesn't go by I thank the Lord for sparing our little guy. I have all week to explain but it would take much longer I'm sure so I'll 'try' to condense things. Zachary has Craniofacial Dyssynostosis (Yes, I have actually learned to say that word :P) which is a rare malformation syndrome characterized by lambdoid and posterior sagittal craniosynostosis and dysmorphic facial features. He has a nevus flammeus on the glabella and on the nape of the neck. Also, bilateral partial soft tissue syndactyly of the 2nd and 3 toes on each foot. He has type I Chiari malformation with tonsillar hernation and a serpiginous venous anomaly if the left paracentral region. At 13 month old, he developed increased ICP (Intra Cranial Pressure)and had a ventriculoperitoneal shunt placed. 2 1/2 months later Zachary had bilateral hernia surgery and 2 weeks after that underwent a 15 hour cranial vault reconstruction with fronto-orbital advancement. Believe me, that was one nerve racking day! The doctors were pleased with the outcome but did advise us that in the future there may be more surgeries to come. Almost 2 years later that dreaded day came. Zachary became sick one weekend with flu like symptoms and was admitted to the hospital for observation. An ICP monitor was inserted into the head to monitor the pressure and this is the problem started. The first surgery they performed was a revision of the shunt. Zachary's ICP level were running in the 70-80's. Normal level for a child his age is 0-10. The shunt revision brought his level down to the 20-30 range and the dr's didn't feel he was out of the woods enough. The began to prepare us that we might be facing the 15 hour surgery again. 3 days later they did perform that surgery. Again the surgery was a success....ISN'T GOD GOOD! As the drs were talking with us after the surgery and explaining again what was done the one dr expressed to us her concern the night before. She said she had a restless night thinking of this surgery. Because of all Zachary has going on with his little head, she strongly felt he may not make it through the surgery. One area they need to get to they are unable to because of the malformation. We were able to witness to the dr's. Of course, again, we cannot be guarantee'd no other surgeries. We keep trusting the Lord! So as you see, Zachary is very special to us. (Not that Abigail is any less special) Zachary is beginning to realize some of what has went on with him and has asked questions. As his mommy, this has been a little hard for me having to 're-live' this but I think he needs to know these things. One thing that makes Zachary unique with the syndrome is that usually children with Craniofacial Dyssynostosis are mentally disabled, have physical disabilities etc etc BUT Zachary has NONE of those. There are only 2 known cases of children such as Zachary, him being one of the two. Zachary is EXTREMELY active & EXTREMELY smart. We would not trade him for ANYTHING!!!! God definitely has a plan for his little life. It does his mommy's heart wonders when he stands in church on his own and says "I LOVE JESUS"....mommy ALWAYS sheds a few tears .... sniff sniff Well, now that I've written two books, I will close for now. Of course, I have not included everything but we would be here the next 2 years LOL. Well, hopefully this will help some of you understand a little more of Zachary's condition. He is our miracle!!!! Mommy loves you Zachary!









~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The Finished Product

Abigail hanging ornaments

Zachary hanging ornaments

Children are PRICELESS!!

Even got my hubby to help! Must be he wants something for Christmas :)

Our puppy, Cuddles

Such a wonderful poser....

Scenes from Thanksgiving

This is my precious Grandmother
I LOVE YOU, GRANDMA!

Nanny & all her Great Grandchildren

All the grandchildren ~ Don't think this was an easy picture to get!

Grandpa & Grandma with all their grandchildren

My sweet grandmother again!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
My brother & his family was in for Thanksgiving...they live in Kansas. They will not be able to make it in for Christmas so we exchanged gifts with them over Thanksgiving. Here are a few pictures of the kids with some of their gifts.

Timmy with Scooby Doo ~ his favorite

Aaron ~ starting him out early with a laptop computer

Abigail with her new Disney Princess Light

Zachary and his new pop guns...STICK 'EM UP!

Luke loves his Veggie Tales!

Jason is soon going to learn to Duck Hunt

Steven and his new outfit for the 3 wheeler
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Our Carver ~ My Dad

The Children eating their Turkey Dinner
(WHOSE DAUGHTER IS THAT WITH HER MOUTH STUFFED!!!)

Some of the adults indulging

The Bread Lady ~ My Mom

Pass the plate please ~ My Aunt Lisa

Highlights of our 11th Anniversary

This is where we had lunch...you're probably thinking it odd to go to Wendy's for our special day, but we both totally love Wendy's and usually don't go much so that's what we settled for.


After our wonderful lunch together we went to The Oasis....


The front of the building...


US together...I LOVE YOU BABE!!


Decorations in the room


I tried to get a picture of the little room....it is supposed to be a rainforest theme...it was nice


Tony 'relaxing'


Sarah enjoying the warmth of the water...you have to understand I am ALWAYS cold...the water in this spa was at least 100 degrees they told us...I LOVED IT!


US together


Big Boy is where we ended for dessert....HOT FUDGE ICE CREAM CAKE....YUMMMMMM!!!!

After enjoying the day together we spent the evening with our church family. It was our Thanksgiving Dinner. I may post pictures of that at a later time, but for now I'm focusing on "OUR DAY". Thanks dear for a wonderful 11 years. Through the hard times and the good times, it's been worth it all. I LOVE YOU!

I LOVE YOU BABE!

[Glitterfy.com - *Glitter Photos*]

Where were you 11 yrs ago ~ November 16, 1996?

Here is where I was 11 yrs ago...yes this would happen to be my wedding. While I sit and look through pictures trying to decide which ones to post, I'm thinking how if I had my wedding to do again how I would change things. Isn't it amazing what a little growing up does to you!

I couldn't ask for a better husband! We've been through tough times with surgeries on the baby (more than once or twice also)...the loss of 2 babies before birth, yet we've chosen NOT to distant ourselves like is often chosen when tough times come and go our separate ways. Instead we choose to hang on to what we have, lean HARD on God and each other & be thankful for what we have. I'm not good with words so what I'm saying maybe seem humdrum to some. I guess all I can say is you gotta be here to know what I really mean. I guess the only thing I can say is I LOVE YOU, DARLING MORE THAN YOU'LL EVER KNOW! THANKS FOR ALL YOU DO!!!!


HERE COMES THE BRIDE


ANNOUNCEMENT IN THE PAPER AFTER THE WEDDING



ENGAGEMENT PICTURES




MR & MRS TONY WATTERS

Grandma's HOME

It is with a Rejoicing, yet, somewhat of a sad heart, I write today. Grandma Shipman (that would be Tony's Grandma)passed away last evening. We are rejoicing because she was a Christian and she is now in Heaven with Jesus and Grandpa (her husband whom she had missed deeply for almost 2 years). The human side of us is sad because she was such a wonderful grandmother! We wouldn't wish her back for the world. It makes us more determine to follow in her footsteps and some day we will see her, along with the MANY others gone before us, but MOST of all the ONE who gave His life for us. WHAT A DAY THAT WILL BE WHEN MY JESUS I SHALL SEE!!! Thank you grandma for your example! You will truly be missed...WE LOVE YOU!!









~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Tony & Grandma


Sarah & Grandma


Abigail & Nanny


Zachary & Nanny


Phyllis Watters (Tony's Mom) & Grandma Shipman