hey! macarena!

hi everyone...this is a picture of us on the way up to Waxahachie doing the macarena a 10:00 at night in the mcdonalds parking lot. fun stuff. btw...we won 2nd place in competition!!! haha go us! but yeah the whole trip was a blast!
layta
Susanna

The Weltys have arrived!

In some respects this will be a difficult Thanksgiving as we continue to await God's answers about CJ's illness and her future. But He's also given us so many reasons to thank Him, and three of those reasons arrived in Texas via Southwest Airlines today! Here's the youngest of the reasons, obviously startled by the hordes of new people who act like they know her (or maybe startled by the appearance of her Granny LOL). Welcome, Erin! (And welcome to your travel companions, Caleb and Annie!)
~~the Matriarch

If you've come looking for CJ. . .

....she's around :-) Yesterday she was able to deliver, in person, a LEAKSTRONG bracelet to her neurologist, who really got a kick out of it and wanted to know where in the world we got them....so another thanks to Dirk and Aubrey for heading this up and handling the details. It's been a nice distraction. And any distraction right now is a gift!

The short version of yesterday's appointment: some changes in medicines for sleep, pain, and nausea; a TB test (go figure); an order for another leak study, this time a myelogram; and a discussion of next steps and referrals if this last study is inconclusive. We were very glad to find out that her doctor will be very willing to refer her to another specialist and that our insurance will cover this.

All of us appreciate the prayers and the care and the arms of love that have surrounded CJ and the entire family during these weeks. You guys are the best!

~~The Matriarch

10 years come and gone so fast, I might as well be dreamin'

Well, here he is, with and without the Darth Vadar mask. Our first born, helper extrodinare, maker of muffins, reader to all siblings, and blessing to his parents and grandparents, our Jonathan, turned 10 yesterday and Dirk and I still cannot believe it. Was is really that long ago we were living in a tiny apartment in Chicago, timing contractions while watching the Bull's season opener? Oh where does the time go...Jay (his prefered name) is 10, we have 5 other little ones and are now Spurs fans. Amazing. As he told me when discussing birthday plans: " Mom, Im a DECADE now! Its a big deal!"

We've just come back from Darkest Peru...

...where we ate marmalade ALL day long. Paddington Bear is Erin's favorite book right now (thank you to Granny for sending it!!) and I'm sure that when she starts eating toast, she'll take it just like her Papa does - with LOTS of marmalade :-)