Christmas Note from Mookie 2016

On behalf of the Whipple family, Christmas greetings! I’m taking over the 2016 letter. What good is a family pet if they don’t help? (Ahem. Lucy? Not so helpful.) And the whole family adores me. They can’t help it; I’m a fun, handsome young fella with a mustache.

I’ve been here since July doing pet-worthy things like playing fetch, licking faces at night, and biting hands and arms. Lucy’s fairly useless when it comes to pet skills like those. However, she is an excellent napper. Every day I try to play with her, but she just hisses and swats at me. It’s fun to torture her…until I get locked in the basement. The family cuddles me and plays with me. I don’t mind at all—not even when they carry me like a sack of potatoes.

When Derek arrives home about five each day, he greets everyone, even the pets. When I first arrived, his big project was creating organizers for the kids’ bedrooms. They look great, but I’m still waiting on ladders so I can climb. They say Derek also coached baseball and football this year. I have to trust them since they never took me to a game.

Many afternoons I rest at Annette’s feet while she writes. (Sometimes I pay attention. How else do you think I learned to use the computer?) She had two summer milestones: a fortieth birthday and her first book published. (It’s called Insects as Producers. She didn’t get to pick the title.) She’s under contract with the same publisher for two more children’s nonfiction books for the fall of 2017. She enjoys the opportunity to teach a bit at science camp and at school and library presentations. (Annette’s website is www.AnnetteWhipple.com if you’re interested in that kind of stuff.)

Back when I needed medicine, Meghan handled it like a pro…maybe even better than her parents. When she grows up, maybe she’ll take care of animals. She likes me to nap beside her while she reads on weekends. But she’s not always quiet. She makes a lot of noise with a flute. The more she practices, the better it sounds. Meghan played flag football in the fall and is eager for basketball this winter. She’s also getting crafty with the 4-H textile club once a month. She had no idea she’d have so much homework as a fourth grader. I wonder if she’ll survive with all the moaning I hear.

I like to watch Evan build with little bricks he calls LEGOs. (All the kids enjoy LEGOs and DUPLOs, but he’s the most passionate.) He has a big imagination for design but doesn’t really let me play with what he makes. He’s really into sports like baseball and flag football. Like Meghan, he will also play basketball this winter. I wonder if he can beat my relative, the cheetah, in a foot race. He’s pretty fast. Evan’s big news as a second grader is that he no longer takes anti-seizure medicine. The family prays he remains free from seizures.

At age five, Esther leaves me just three days a week for preschool. Esther plays with me extra when the other children aren’t around. She adores her brother, sister, and me. She also appreciates the days when it’s just her and her mom at home or when her dad runs errands with her. She is a funny and curious kid. Esther keeps up with her big brother and sister pretty well.

I had a good life on the farm, but this is the family for me. Imagine how fun it would be if the kids didn’t bicker so much! I’ve helped make these kids great pooper scoopers. Sometimes I fetch a slipper, stuffed animal, or pajamas from a bedroom. Maybe I show off a little by taking them downstairs, but I don’t want them to think they need a dog. I’m cat enough for this family! On behalf of the Whipple family, have a blessed Christmas and new year!

Meowy Christmas,

Mookie 

Free of Medicine

Evan has been on medication all but 19 months of his life. That includes the first twelve months and then a period of seven months a few years later. Here's a little timeline of Evan's medical history.

October 22, 2009, days before his first birthday: First Seizure

This was a three-hour seizure. It was ugly. It was awful. The EMTs didn't realize he was still seizing in the ambulance because the seizure had changed. (I think they were just going by what I said.)  He was no longer convulsing during that hour-long ride to the hospital. His seizure had changed. In the ambulance, his legs were "bicycling." He was in the hospital five days, including his first birthday. 

That hospital stay was hard. The first few days were in the Pediatric ICU. I was rather disappointed by the care we received because I compared it to Meghan's Cardiac ICU experience. (They were busy with flu season. Evan wasn't priority.) He was completely sedated so his body could recover. However, when he woke up he was hungry but couldn't eat. And once he was awake, they awoke him every couple of hours to make sure he was okay. (This is good from a medical standpoint...but boy, was he grouchy.) Evan constantly got tangled in his tubes. His arm was splinted so his IV would stay safe. (It didn't. At one point the fluid dripped out...but all over his body instead of in his body.) He had a diaper rash that was left untreated for many hours. Overall, he was a very, very sick and miserable boy. During that stay he also developed a body rash which matched his sister's. 

April 18, 2012: Off Medication

Evan's EEG's came back "clean" meaning they didn't show any seizure activity during the EEG. He was no longer on antiepileptic medications.

November 2, 2012: Second Seizure

This seizure was so different than his first. Thankfully I still recognized it as a seizure. Not all seizures are convulsions. This one wasn't. He repeatedly rubbed the carpet-vigorously and was nonresponsive. He has been on medication ever since. Since then, I believe only one EEG showed seizure activity. His last one was "clean."

June 2016: Begin Weaning

To be extra cautious, Evan's doctor began a long and slow weaning process.

November 30, 2016: Evan took his final dose of medicine. He is now MEDICINE FREE!

So now we continue to pray for Evan's health and praising God for the way He protected Evan.

If you want to read more about Evan's seizure history, you can read about them here, but you'll want to keep clicking on "older posts" to get back to 2009. 

Cherry Crest Field Trip

I went on Esther's field trip to Cherry Crest Farm in Lancaster County. Derek and I did their corn maze long before we had children, but this was my first time back. It was great. I'd love to take the whole family sometime.

What's even better is that it didn't rain like we expected. 

Today when I laced up my hiking boots, I noticed I should replace the laces. They are 18 years old, so I didn't think that was so bad.

 About an hour before we left the farm I realized I would not be buying shoelaces...instead I think I need new boots.

Substitute Grandparent

Our kids' schools had Grandparent's Day. I was the substitute grandparent.

At Evan's school we ate lunch in the cafeteria, and then he interviewed me in the classroom. Evan was glad to have Esther there, too.

I also attended Esther's. The preschool sang. I don't have any good shots of that without other children in the picture. 

Both Evan and Esther came home early for a special treat.

I gave Meghan the option for me to come in like normal and then leave early or for me to pick her up at the beginning of the event for a little date. She chose the date. We went to the farmers' market for lunch. Shopped for pants for her. Then to the coffee shop in town for a muffin and hot chocolate. It was great. But...no pictures.

Mookie and Lucy

If I'm only going to post here occasionally, you probably want to know more of what's happening with people than cats, but these cats are important.

Mookie is desperately loved by the children. He's easy to love because he's so cuddly and sweet when he isn't biting and clawing. 

Last week I came home and found the cats in close proximity without any hissing or growling. It was noteworthy.

Mookie is just six months old, but they really are about the same size. Last week he was also fixed; he seems much calmer.

Summer 2016

I haven't updated the blog much recently, so here are a few images from our summer vacation. (See Pinebrook and my birthday party pics at those links.)

One of my best friends from my teenage years visited this summer. We went to the zoo before they had to leave.

 We got a new kitten. This is Mookie. We met him for the first time Memorial Day weekend. He came home with us after my writing conference. He was born on the same farm as our 11-year-old cat, Lucy.

The children pick him up and play with him all day long. He does bite, but it has only recently been worse than nibbles. Mookie and Lucy don't get along very well.

 The first week of August the children and I went to Science Camp. Actually, I cotaught it with my friend. The older two children were in camp with me. Esther was with the younger children with Drama Camp.

This is Meghan and her friend, M. They were preparing for chemical reactions.

 We also explored physical changes. Evan rescued this LEGO minifigure from icec.

 One day the children helped me prepare corn for the freezer.

 My book arrived! See more about it here.

 Here's another picture of Mookie. He loves to cuddle--the neck and face. He begins purring before you even touch him. Meghan's been a champ helping me give Mookie medicine in the mornings. She opens his mouth and pops the pill right in!

Annette's 40th

Back in May Derek told me we should start thinking about celebrating my 40th birthday. It took me a month to agree to having a party. I don't exactly love being in the spotlight. 

We are too frugal to have something catered (even our wedding was DIY), so we spent a lot of time and energy preparing for the party. I'm so glad we did. My birthday party was exactly a month after my 40th birthday, but it was truly a blessing to be surrounded by family and friends.

It was a really hot day. I believe it was about 105° with the heat index. Thankfully there was a slight breeze. We had the party at a local park.

This is the cake Derek's mom made for me. I love that it's a book...and it has my newly released book on it! (I should probably write about that in a different post, but if you are interested, it's called Insects as Producers. It can be found on Amazon. No, it is not self-published.)

How about these lollipops to celebrate a book about insect products? Those are ants IN the lollipops!

I was really pleased at how many family members traveled a good distance.

Pinebrook 2016

This was our eight year vacationing with Pinebrook Bible Conference (which is just as long as I've been blogging). See more of our Pinebrook posts by clicking the link under "labels."

We began our vacation with a bang. On Friday night, Derek took the children to a Wilmington Blue Rocks baseball game. I suspect too much funnel cake led Meghan to being sick five or six times between 5 and 6:30 a.m. She then returned to sleep for a couple of hours. When she woke up she was almost herself and wasn't sick again.

At one point, she missed her bowl a bit in bed. While I was changing her sheets, she went to the bathroom. She must have been tired because she climbed into the tub and fell asleep. Later when I asked her about it, she had no recollection of it.

Every afternoon at Pinebrook was spent in the pool in some form or another. Below are some of the kids' friends and swimming buddies.

 And a year can't go by without some nighttime rain for bike riding.

Spring Weekend in Northeastern Pennsylvania

Friday morning we headed north to visit family. We started out Friday night with miniature golf followed by ice cream. Derek's mom joined us. It rained on us, but we knew it might and were happy to take that risk.

Evidence

We've been told all along that Esther looks like me. This morning I found photographic evidence. I don't think we photograph the same, but in these two photos of me, I can see Esther.

(This photo also confirms that I look just like Dad and not like Mom.)

Mother's Tea

Today was the Mother's Tea at Esther's preschool. It was a nice event to celebrate the moms. We drank tea, ate cookies, and watched the children sing.

Excited for the Tea.

 Yes, that is a skirt.

 Closer...

 Esther said this about me.

 She drew this picture of me.

 Yummy!

 Esther asked to take a picture of me.

 Esther and Mommy.

P.S. I also shared another post earlier today. Shocking I know. :)

Farm Day

The kids' school has a microfarm. This past weekend they put on a nice event for families.

We walked through the greenhouse and then pet the duck.

 Can you tell we had just come from Evan's baseball game? Esther opted not to pet it.

 All three made a sheep craft.

Meghan tried her hand at the mechanical bull. Meghan worked hard at staying on the bull.

 So did Esther. It was really cute how the man moved it around enough for her to have fun without being scared.

 Evan loved the sling shot. They aimed at a pig's nose...just like in the game Angry Birds.

 Meghan hit the target, too.

 Climbing...

 We also took a look at the bees. We were able to find the queen bee (inside). The bees on the top that are visible were just foraging/visiting bees. The ones in the container stayed in the container.