School Year Wrap Up

Not much written about this school year.  Should have done better about keeping up as we went.  Ian finished up 4th grade still without a wheel chair, though not by choice at this point.  He remains my happy, patient, contagiously laughing buddy.

 Anya has finished up 2nd Grade.  She still enjoys drawing and heading expeditions and adventures with her friends in the neighborhood.  She has continued to write creatively at home, thought they haven't done much writing this year at school.

My 70's child in her Elvis shirt from Uncle Dylan

Clayton is feeling more in the groove with his teaching and I think this is a good match for him.  He has continued to volunteer in Anya's class weekly, which she totally enjoyed.  I finished the year with very mixed emotions.  I am beginning a graduate program and will no longer be teaching music at Eagle View.  The experience has been a wonderful one.  I cannot imagine working with more dedicated and hard working, committed people.  The students are wonderful.  It has been so rewarding to get a choir going (I hope it continues to be a success -- we had about 45 students participating).  At our final concert we did a "Pay It Forward" tribute -- all the songs were about giving back, helping others, supporting, and being thankful for support.  At the end, they called me back on stage and gave me two dozen red roses.  I was so touched.  I will really miss these kids and the faculty and staff.  What an amazing two years!

A Brown Christmas 2012

Anya's Christmas List

As usual, December at the Brown house was pretty nuts.  There were, of course, the school programs (Ian, Anya, and Mom).  Christmas parties, baking cookies, wrapping and sending gifts, trips to Salt Lake City…

My favorite meltaway chefs

One of the pre-surgery highlights of the season was the Mormon Tabernacle Choir Christmas Concert.  It came on the heels of the tragic shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary in Connecticut and the nation was still reeling.  The tragedy hit particularly hard as I listened to stories of the terrified children and the heroic teachers who protected, comforted, sacrificed, and saved them.  The MoTab program, which is selected months in advance, couldn't have been more fitting.  It featured the story of Gail Halvorsen, The Candy Bomber, a young pilot who had made candy drops to children in Russian-blockaded West Berlin.  With these deliveries, he spread more than just goodies -- he renewed and strengthened hope.  When small parachutes began falling from the ceiling and Colonel Halvorsen stepped onto the stage, the audience was visibly moved.  It was a program focused around children and was an experience I will always be thankful for.

After the MoTab Concert

Anya's 2nd Grade Gingerbread House

To add to the mix, Mom decided it would be a really great idea to take Christmas break and have surgery -- a tonsillectomy (really over-due), adenoidectomy, and septoplasty.  My throat was supposed to hurt so bad that I wouldn't even notice my nose and, of course, I wouldn't have to worry about the holiday pounds, right?  Well, luckily we had lots of people coming in shifts to help, cuz I was out of commission for the two full weeks.  When the doctor went in to fix my nose, apparently it was more "out of joint" than anyone anticipated.  As he removed the splints a week later (in a procedure that reminded me of Mary Poppins' carpet bag -- how in the world did those things fit inside my head?!!?), he said that my nose had been "impressive".  I guess he only splints one or two noses in a year and mine was lucky enough to be one of those.  The septum (cartilage in the center) in my nose was c-shaped rather than straight.  It was worth it, though.  I don't know if I've ever been able to breath this well (although that much air coming in to my nose has increased my allergies…)

Christmas Eve

Because of my surgeries, we had people staying with us for the entire break.  Ama came the day of the surgery and spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with us.  Ian was super snuggly and enjoyed sitting by Ama as we opened our presents and stockings.  Highlight gifts included Dad's new electric guitar, Ian's velcro table for his toys and his soft owl blankie from Riley and Katherine, and (my personal favorite) Anya's Alien Autopsy candy making kit, also from Riley and Katherine.  I couldn't help laughing so hard -- no matter how much it hurt my nose and throat.  :)  Grandpa David came a couple of days later and helped entertain and tend children while I recuperated.  It was a fun, but all too short, Christmas break... 

Snoozing with his owl softie...

C'est la vie!

So, the euphoria sort of devolved.  After a couple more weeks, he was still laughing, uncontrollably, but his eyes weren't.  It was a nervous, worried, frantic laugh and he was not happy.  He also became really jittery.  We suspected his seizure medication and since his seizures still hadn't stopped completely he was set up for an ambulatory EEG the week before Thanksgiving.  

He got to wear (and keep) this cool pirate cap and have dozens of electrodes stuck to his head for 3 days.  Too bad we didn't have it in time for a really cool Halloween costume!

He was able to go to school and everything -- just not bathe, which he really missed.  He actually slept better than we had expected, considering he was being video taped and had about 30 wires attached to his head.  Good news is that since the last time he had an EEG the glue has improved -- it didn't take nearly the number of hours or extensive elbow grease (or fingernail polish remover) it did to remove all that gunk.  The punch-line...even after 3 days, the EEG showed no seizure activity, so we're still no farther ahead.  Ah, well! 

C'est la vie!