Looking Back at May

We got serious about potty training and we are finally having success after some help from Grammy and Grampap Jones. We went to Minnesota and Iowa to celebrate my mom's 60th birthday. We had a great time with Shannon, Nicole and Tyler as well as Grandma and Grandpa. We also celebrated Ellie turning two in the midst of her dealing with a double ear infection and possible scarlet fever. And Ellie got her toes painted for the first time, which she is still especially happy about.

April

Someday I will get a good Easter picture.....someday.

Riley and Ellie started sharing a room and a bed a few months back. It went so smooth it was crazy! They don't really lay in there and talk to each other or anything they just lay in silence until they fall asleep. We always find it interesting to see how they eventually fall asleep.

We had a tea party a couple weeks ago and you needed to wear a hat if you wanted to attend.

We surprised Griff's dad for his 60th birthday. It isn't until May but with everyone's schedules this was the best weekend. We had a great time surprising him and celebrating with family all weekend. Riley and Ellie even got to enjoy some swimming, which was a special treat on a cold Pittsburgh day.0

Joy!

So far 2012 has been hectic, full of Griff traveling, shocking medical news (if you don't know what I'm referring to look at my post "You Had A Stroke"), many doctors appointments, tons of blood work, loads of prayers, trusting God and unexpected joy.

There has been joy in that all, yes every single test I went through, has come back normal. The ophthalmologist is amazed that I have no long term vision issues. The hematologist is shocked that there are no lasting effects of the stroke. And my neurologist is also surprised by the findings. There is a lot to thank God for and there is a lot to find joy in.

One other "small" thing we are joyful for is that we are expecting baby Jones #3! We are joyful, though we were shocked, to say the least. I had found out January 12th I had had a stroke and was told by the neurologist that I should not try to get pregnant. Little did we know I already was. The following week, on January 18th, I took a pregnancy test that shockingly came back positive. We wanted to add to our family but the timing and everything seemed bad. We haven't told many until now because we just weren't sure what was going to transpire in the early weeks. We are thankful to God for this life and we are truly filled with joy. God's timing isn't bad, it is perfect. He has used the awareness of the stroke and this pregnancy to bring us closer to Him and we are so grateful.

Would you join us friends in praying for a healthy baby? Lord willing, he/she will be due mid to late September. We aren't going to find out this time what we are having since we already have one of each, so we are excited for the surprise to come. Please pray for me and a healthy pregnancy too. I have felt amazing these first 12 weeks, truly amazing. But, because of the stroke this is considered a high risk pregnancy, with the chances of another stroke being possible. I'm not fearful this will happen but would love your prayers for health every step of the way.

Join us in thanking God for the amazing gift of life and all the miracles he has performed through the stroke diagnosis, all the tests and subsequent normal and great test results. This is a miracle!

While You Are Gone

Dear Daddy,
You have been in Germany for too long. It is making Ellie very sad.
I am trying my best to share with her because I love her but sometimes it is hard.
Mommy has read us books every night in bed. We like our new quilt that Great Grandma Henry made us.
Ellie got a new hat for Easter. She is wearing it a lot. Sometimes she lets me wear it for fun, but it's pink and I don't really like pink.
We have been playing this really fun car game with Grandpa. We get in our car and he pulls and pushes us around the room. He goes a little too fast for me sometimes but Ellie likes him to go really fast. She even crashed one time and she just laughed, she is funny like that.



I can't wait to have you home Dad. You have a good time there and eat lots of yummy food and get ready to wrestle when you walk through the door (Mom can't wrestle at all like you).
Love you Daddy,
Riley

To Grammy and Grampap's House We Go

We had a great but quick trip to Pittsburgh this past weekend. Of course the one weekend that worked for us to drive out and see family it also had to snow all weekend long. Yuck-o. However, we are thankful for safe travels there and back, for two kids who were absolute troopers trapped in their car seats for the four hour drive each way and for great time with Grammy, Grampap, Nan, and Aunt Do. Oh, and I forgot to charge my camera battery before we left so I only got a few pictures but it is better than nothing. :-)


We had a great time with Nan (Griff's grandma) Saturday morning. Sometimes I get nervous and wonder what two kids, three and under will do at a house with no toys but the kids did awesome! Riley was content to watch cartoons but Ellie had a ball with these little pebbles she found in one of Nan's containers and would just move them back and forth between two jars almost the entire time we were there.


What to say about Aunt Do (Griff's great aunt)...this woman is a spit fire. I love her! We were talking about birthdays and she revealed to us how old she would be on June 5th and I was shocked. This lady looks amazing for living nearly nine decades and she has incredible stories for each one.

What Makes Me Smile

My Grandpa Struble made this doll bed for my dolls growing up and now the real dolls of my life get to enjoy it. I love watching Ellie put her babies in the bed, cover them up and kiss them goodnight.


Tea time has become an hourly occurrence in this house. My girl loves playing tea and will often include all her friends, Cookie Monster, Elmo, Ernie and her dolly Lucy all join in.
I think kids so bundle up they can barely walk is adorable.
We attempted potty training for about a week. Ellie is still a little young but she loves wearing her brother's Thomas the Train undies over her diaper.

Who doesn't love seeing their husband read to their son. Melts my heart every time.

An Update

Thank you all for your prayers and words of encouragement. Thank you!

In the last two weeks we have had several doctors appointments and lots of things to be thankful for. I had an ophthalmologist appointment to check my vision and see if anything was affected by the stroke. I have absolutely NO lasting vision problems from the stroke! The doctor was wonderful and very insightful. He was an internal medicine doctor before he became an ophthalmologist, and explained to me that a lot of the human brain isn't put to use. The stroke must have hit a part of my vision section that isn't used. After hearing my history he thought it was the pill that caused the stroke and probably the migraines as well. He told me I was very lucky. I know that it isn't luck but the hand of God that has protected me.

We also had the appointment with the hematologist at the Lancaster Cancer Center. Again our doctor was wonderful and took the time to really answer questions and help us understand things. Though my anti-clotting protein is low she isn't sure that is the real issue. She said it was an old test I had done that could be affected by many factors and she ordered 4 more tests to be done. It was relieving to talk with her and she also thinks this was all due to the pill. Wednesday, when I went in for the blood work it took two nurses and an administrator to figure out what two of the blood test were. They had never heard of it or knew how to key it into the system. I was there waiting for an hour while they tried to figure it all out. But, finally, the blood was taken and I was on my way home. I go back for a follow-up with the hematologist next week and continue to pray for good news.

All this good news has definately helped calm my nerves and ease the anxiety I have been experiencing but the true calm in it all has come from the Lord. It has been a huge help to have people praying far away and even coming here to the home and praying for us. It has helped to fight the anxiety by playing praise and worship music in the home and turning off the TV. It has helped to fill my mind with the truth of God's word and spend less time filling it with facebook. God is using this for good. It has shown me how much I tried to control my life and keep it together. It has shown me how truly exhausting and futal that is. I've been reading A Shepherd Looks at Psalm 23 and it is reminding me how much God loves me and wants to provide for me. He wants me to have rest in green pastures. In the book the author explains that as long as his sheep knew he was there with them they felt safe and they would lay down and rest. But if they didn't see him they would doubt their safety and would run around frantic. I feel the same way. If I focus on Christ and know he is there for me I can rest and go about my day. But, if I take my eyes off Jesus and look at the circumstance I get frantic, I have panic attacks and it effects others. I've got to keep my eyes on Jesus, my Good Shepherd!He isn't just my Good Shepherd but my Savior! He died on the cross for me. He died to save me from my sin and give me peace in this life and the life to come. He died so I could have eternal life with him. If that doesn't say, "I love you," I don't know what does. He doesn't promise in this life we won't have problems. Jesus actually says at one point, "In this world you will have trails. But, take heart, I have overcome the world." So, I am trying to take heart, keep my eyes on him and trust the One who loves me.