Walk for Lupus...

Walk for Lupus 2011

It is that time of year again! In May our family will be participating in the Walk for Lupus Now Charlotte. This has become sort of a family tradition as we support our daughter in her journey with Lupus.

When our children are young, we have such huge expectations and desires for them. As they grow up we see the person they were created to be peeking through and we adjust our dreams. Lauryn's first year homeschooled was filled with all the usual adjustment challenges. She was starting sixth grade and I was starting the journey of being a teacher. About half-way through the school year, she began complaining of difficulty breathing and extreme fatigue. She ached all over. The pediatrician suggested we cut out caffeine (which wasn't a huge issue in our home because we hardly bought it) and we complied. He gave her a prescription for an inhaler to help with the attacks that left her gasping for air. We had EKG's and met with a heart specialist. The doctors briefly entertained the thought of lupus but decided that since they didn't see the butterfly rash there was no way possible. Their conclusion was panic attacks. I was not convinced. I remember some kind people at church even suggesting she was suffering from depression because we were homeschooling her. :-)

Then one Sunday afternoon, I saw a sun-kissed patch under her eyes and on the bridge of her nose. I remember asking others if they had noticed it too and they did. She was tired that day, exhausted from a sleepover and the evidence was staring me right in the eyes. Slowly we saw improvement in her energy levels but always found it odd that she would turn down sleepovers and other fun events saying she was just too tired to go.

Life went back to normal for a while but my dreams and prayers for her began to change. I started asking for a name. All of these things sounded like Lupus. After all, we knew of it from my own sister. But how could we be sure? It took four years for her to be diagnosed...four doctors to take a stab at putting all the pieces together with blood work, EKG's, CAT scans, and a couple of MRI's. I have seen how God used every step to continue shaping her and our family. I still have desires for my children but the greatest lesson I have learned is that those desires are not mine, they are HIS.

We are excited to walk this year with friends and family and would love your support!

I would Walk 500 More...

This week my sister, Sharyn was contacted by the Walk for Lupus Now organization to feature her Walk webpage. What an exciting honor! As my daughter learns how to manage her disease, I am thankful that God provided some one in her life who could truly understand what this feels like. Some one that she could talk to and would listen when she thinks no one will understand. I am thankful for the strong example my sister has set before Lauryn. As I share with family about my daughter, those that knew my sister share stories of her never-give up attitude. We all have burdens. We all have struggles. It is what we do with those challenges that define our character. I am excited to see how God continues to use both of these amazing women!

We would love your prayers and support as we prepare for our walk, May 1st. Check out our Team Page or join our Facebook Fan Page.

Saturday in the Park...

Check out this blog post on our Walk for Lupus Now 5K walk.

A Walk in the park...

And That's a Period...

Today is our oldest daughter's birthday so in honor of her 18 years of life, I thought I would share 18 memories we have shared with Lauryn.

18. From the time she was a baby she jet-setted between Florida, Tennessee and even New York. Every time she saw my mom she would grab her suitcase and wave goodbye to me.
17. As a toddler, she had an independent streak (wait she still does!).
16. To let us know she was serious, she would end her comments with the phrase, "And that's a period!"
15. She NEVER wore pants until we moved to North Carolina and it was too cold to wear dresses.
14. Every day we walked 1 1/2 miles (each way) to take James to school. She always made the walk an adventure sometimes with her baby dolls and occasionally with her stroller.
13. After shower time, she would run down the hallway, with her hair all poofed up from having it blow dried upside down, and say, "Mommy I'm worth it!" Remember the L'Oreal commercials.
12. When her sister was born...well you'll just have to read it for yourself.
11. She loved to watch Sesame Street but would cleverly leave the room during the educational parts and then return for the fun stuff.
10.  When riding with in her aunt's convertible, she would always ask to put the "lid" down.
9. She broke her arm when she fell off her bike...with training wheels just after we moved to North Carolina.9. After watching the Olsen twins' movie, Holiday in the Sun, she mentioned to one of her aunts that she wanted to go to the Bahamas one day just like the Olsen's. Within just a few months she was playing at the Atlantis and swimming with dolphins on her very own Holiday in the Sun.
7. Trying to give her an outlet for her desire to rescue animals, she volunteered at a shelter. We had told her she could not have an animal unless she could pay for the shots. Thinking we had dodged a bullet we sighed with relief. Within just a few weeks she informed us that she had 2 puppies that needed a home and their shots were already paid for! And so we got Izzy & George
6. One morning after dropping our youngest daughter off at school, Lauryn called me on the cell phone to ask if dad would be mad if she rescued a cat from the rainstorm. I told her probably not but she should ask him. "Good," she replied, "he's already in the cat kennel in the basement."
5. Great conversations about anything and everything late into the night.
4. Watching Jane Austen and Cary Grant movies with her on any number of nights.
3. The day her little brother was born she had it all planned out.
2. Walking with her during our Walks for Lupus Now.
1. Watching her over the past few years as she learns who God wants her to be.

Sitting with the lid down!

Happy 18th Birthday!

Be our Guest...

Kaelyn and I love working in our home, cleaning and organizing and preparing meals. With four guests arriving, we had lots to do. Earlier in the week we had planned our menu and run our errands. The house was cleaned but we weren't done yet. With the guests arriving around lunch time, Kaelyn and I began to put the finishing touches on everything.

We wanted to make sure that everyone had a warm welcome so we made guest baskets for each room. In each basket we put fresh towels and wash cloths and for this occasion we made special wine labels to commemorate our Walk for Lupus.


I am big on preparing simple dishes when company is around. All too often I am over-ambitious with cooking and end up in the kitchen when I would rather be sitting with my company enjoying the conversations. So now I keep it delicious but simple. We grilled chicken and corn brushed in olive oil and paprika and complimented it with a spring salad. I also grilled extra chicken to make chicken salad for lunch the following day. I also keep fresh fruit and vegetables on hand for quick snacks.

Almond Trail Mix Recipe
3 cups Almonds
1 cup Dark chocolate chunks or chips
1 cup Craisins

Mix together

I Would Walk 500 Miles...

Honestly, I am not sure where to begin. For a while now my 16 year old has been plagued with an array of symptoms that when strung together we now know leads to Lupus. This is not an unfamiliar disease for my family as my older sister also has Lupus. Being the youngest I do not have memories of the beginning of my sister's battle with Lupus but I have heard the stories. For me, she has always been a strong determined woman who chose to embrace the life God has given her than lie in self-pity or defeat. 

Over the past few weeks, we have been dealing with the reality that Lauryn has Lupus. Looking back, it explains so much. Looking ahead, it begs many questions. I pray that I will be the mother she needs. I pray that I will have ears to hear and patience to understand. I pray that the Lord will use this to grow her stronger and closer to Him. I pray that we will keep a sense of humor when things become difficult and the wisdom to make difficult decisions.