Written Approval and Travel Dates!

Today we received written approval and on top of that our travel dates!! I could not believe it when I read the email. I wasn't even looking to have written approval for another week or two. What a great surprise today! When I got the email I was thinking something must be wrong. I knew we were just waiting for written approval at this point, and I knew it was too soon for that, or at least I thought it was. I was thinking 3 to 4 weeks after verbal approval -- not 2 weeks! The best surprise I have had in a very long time. We will travel on June 9th - 24th. I was so excited that three of my daughters and I went out and bought some toys for the girls. What fun! 

I had planned on updating today about my 12 year old so I will do that anyway. Zola accepted Christ and was baptized on Sunday. It was a very special day for us. Zola is a very sweet girl and has decided that she wants to live her life for Christ. We are so happy with her decision.  Here are a few pictures of Zola.

 Zola - age 7

Zola - age 8

Zola - age 9

Zola - age 12

Benefit Concert Clip

Not much going on here now. We'll just be awaiting written approval.

In the meantime, here is a short three minute clip of my son playing at the benefit concert he did for Bella and Allysen.

Verbal Approval!

Today we got the news that we have verbal approval! I am so happy. Now we just wait for written approval and then we travel. It is getting closer and closer. Then to make things even better we got updated pictures of Allysen. The only picture we have of her is pretty old and I have been wanting some new pictures of her. What more could I ask for today -- verbal approval and pictures on top of that. 

Allysen (Soon to be Sofia)

The Vest

I was hoping to get verbal approval this week, but we are still waiting - - maybe next week. Patience, Patience.

However, we did get something this week - - "the Vest". It was delivered by FedEx and caused quite a bit of excitement at our house. Bethany had picked out a pink vest as that is her favorite color at this time. She couldn't wait to try it out. Bethany has cystic fibrosis and we have been doing hand PT on her two to three times a day for years. We were waiting until she was a little bigger to get the vest and at almost six, we, along with her pulmonologist, decided it was time. We also waited a while as there is some controversy over which is best -- hand PT or the vest. We knew that our insurance company would only help cover one Vest machine (the actual vest she wears can be upgraded in size as she grows). And, at approximately $16,000.00 a unit, we wanted to make sure we waited for the most up-to-date model.

Amazing how something new can be so much fun at first. After getting training from In-home Services, I hooked Bethany up for her first session, and everyone stood around watching while Bethany made animal sounds and sang songs that sounded hilarious because of the vibrations. Hopefully, she will continue to enjoy PT using the vest. Even though I know the newness will wear off, at this moment she thinks it's fun compared to an hour of hand PT.