EHEMS Track

Jacob's track team at school won the PVLs! Jacob ran the two mile and came in 7th. Not his best but still proud. Already ready to run again next year!

Math Field Day

Jacob won first place today in the Math Field Day for Hardy County for all of 6th grade. He was invited to go. He beat out 18 other kids to come in first and is moving onto Regionals.

First Day of School 2015

So proud of these kids ~ all smiles before going to a brand new school, not knowing a soul. Thankfully they know their bus driver - Mr. Ronnie aka Freedo aka Papa's best friend. So thankful he'll be their driver, knowing how long they are on that bus everyday. I'm pretty sure Ronnie thinks it's pretty neat to see Richard's grandkids get on his bus. They also all ride together. Jasmine's school (9th through 12th) is at the top of the hill and the rest of the kids go to the school at the bottom of the hill (not our hill, the school hill) where it's Pre-K through 8th.

Jasmine (9th grade), Jacob (6th grade), Jenna (4th grade) and Jaylynn (1st grade)

Happy birthday Jacob!

Happy 11th Birthday to this sweet, crazy, funny, smart, handsome boy of ours. Enjoy your snow day Jacob! I guess we're getting Sonic a different day.

McAuliffe Winter Dance

The kiddos had a dance at school last night. These are some of the awesome photo booth pics that they got. Love these things.

The 3 not so littles

Jacob's follow-up to surgery

Jacob had his follow-up today to his surgery. Everything looks great. The pathology report showed some infection in his tonsils. :-/ So glad those things are out. Dr. Shah was so pleased with everything, as we are. Before surgery, Jacob had a constant runny nose. It was just apart of Jacob. Not one runny nose since. :)

Now we can move onto stress tests with the cardiologist. That will be May 7th.

Quote of the Day 3/23/12

Jacob: I'm going to be running for my life. (in reference to going to a birthday party today where a few ladies like to hunt my boy down. Eat your Wheaties Fowler girls. Jacob is ready for you.)

Jacob's Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy

Today was the big day for Jacob. The day that changes how he breathes forever. The day that changes his heart from being stressed out while he breathes and sleeps. We were so scared and nervous but Jacob was a rockstar. He's such a tough guy. He was scared about the being asleep part but other than that, he was ready for it.

This was before, listening to music. Poor kiddo didn't have surgery until after 3 pm and couldn't eat or drink after midnight. How is he smiling?? He's so awesome.


When we went back to get him gowned up, the nurses, techs and everyone else loved him. He's such a little charmer and doesn't even know it. He even walked back with the anesthesiologist to the operating room!! The surgery was quick and everything went great. He was however in a great deal of pain afterward. He tried to act tough and say he was ok and then the nurse left for a second. He lost it and cried and cried. Some morphine took the edge off and he was able to sleep. Some more morphine and popsicles and he was doing much better. Still very sore but better. We stayed until 5 the next morning (because of his heart, he has to stay a bit longer).

Sleeping soundly afterward with his pillow pet from Favorite Aunt Janice and Uncle Tom. It was AMAZING listening to him sleep. Just a quiet, gentle snore. I commented about him snoring to the nurse and she assured me that would go away. I giggled and told her, no, you don't understand; I'm used to listening to him choke and cough and stop breathing. Listening to him was amazing!!


Two hours after surgery, eating a banana!!!


About an hour after we got home, knocked out. You can tell by his face that he's still in pain but he was happy to be home.


He is doing great and sleeps absolutely silently. We watch him like a newborn baby.

Happy 8th Birthday Jacob!

Jacob's ENT appointment

At Jacob's (almost) 8 year old check-up, I expressed my concern that Jacob was a very noisy and disrupted sleeper. It's horrible listening to Jacob attempt to sleep. Snoring very loudly, choking, not breathing. 

She noticed that his adenoids and tonsils are extremely large. She ventured to guess that he has sleep apnea. Obviously he is not getting proper sleep but the bigger issue is the stress it puts on his heart. His body is working so hard to get in the oxygen it needs that it is overworking his heart.  

She suggested Jacob be seen by an ENT. We scheduled an appointment with one a few days later. 

The ENT asked us some questions and based on those answers and seeing his adenoids and tonsils, he was quite confident that Jacob has sleep apnea. He didn't want to subject Jacob to the sleep study test since his recommendation is to get his tonsils and adenoids removed. Jacob's cardiologist will have to approve the surgery before we can proceed. 

Jacob has an appointment with top doctors at Children's, because a very wonderful friend, helped get us appointments with them. Jacob will see another ENT for a second opinion and another cardiologist to make sure what his current cardiologist sees is indeed how severe Jacob's heart is. 

Update on Jacob's heart

Back in 2009, Jacob went in for his regular 5 year check-up. The pediatrician noticed a heart murmur. She also noticed that the left side of his chest was growing abnormally. Not too noticeable but still there. Because of those two factors, she felt it would be best that Jacob see a pediatric cardiologist. 

We scheduled an appointment with the cardiologist a few weeks later. Jacob was given a couple of different tests and was diagnosed with aortic stenosis. Jacob's heart condition was a bit more advanced for a 5 year old than the cardiologist thought it should be. At that time, the doctor wanted to see Jacob back in 6 months and his only limitations at that time were contact sports, like football.

At his 6 month check-up, his heart had worsened some which concerned the doctor because Jacob is so young still. He was hoping to go to yearly appointments (which Jacob will have the rest of his life) but thought it would be best to stay at 6 month check-ups. 

Jacob's heart will never get better. It will get worse. It's just a matter of when. For now, we pray and monitor him.

Rough night

SketchMe app

Found a neat app today that converts your pictures to look like a drawing.

Another one!

And we lost another tooth today! Jenna lost her other bottom tooth today. The Tooth Fairy might as well park her Toothmobile out front and stay here if we keep this out. I'm so excited for her ~ it's a huge deal for a kid to lose their first tooth. Yet, I'm sad. It just means she's growing up and really a big kid now. She can't wait to go to school on Monday and show Mrs. Rosario and her friends.

And Bubba wanted to pose with her...

Hurricane Simulator

Jacob had a friend's birthday party to go to this morning at BounceU. Jasmine and Jaylynn came along with me and then the parents said the girls could join the party. They had a Hurricane Simulator so the two did it. It was pretty neat.

Fall 2011 School Pictures

Jenna, Kindergarten, Mrs. Rosario

Jacob, 2nd grade, Mr. O'Neil

Jasmine, 5th grade, Mrs. Toomey

First Day of School 2011-2012

The three elementary school kids ready for their first day. Jemma is started Kindergarten this year! Jacob is 2nd grade. Jasmine is the big, bad 5th grader. James starts middle school. Jordan starts high school!

Um, the Tooth Fairy might as well move in!

Bubba got another tooth out tonight. On the bottom this time. And his other top, front one is super loose. At this rate, the tooth fairy might as well move in.

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Another One Bites The Dust

Jacob has had a very loose front tooth for awhile now and he's been trying to get it out. He finally got it out today. He's so dang cute. I guess the Tooth Fairy will be visiting tonight.

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