Updates!

Well, I've been making promises to update you on so many things and I haven't so here goes!

Thyroid stuff is fine. I'm not feeling like I'm losing my mind anymore than usual! Go for bloodwork in a few weeks, and another ultrasound in a couple of months. So far so good!

Jacob's visit was great! My boys always have big plans for playdates. They talk about how their friend will do this & that with them, then when their friend gets here, they're like any other child when they encounter lots of different toys & they want to go from one thing to another. So, Jacob enjoyed checking out all our stuff & Henry ended up playing Mario with Nate on the Wii. But, Jacob had a great time & wants to visit again.

The snow was just perfect in my opnion. Plenty for sledding, snowmen & cancelling all plans for the day, but melting by the next day, making way for highs in the 60's by the end of the week. I just love South Carolina weather, 4 beautiful seasons to experience.

We did survive our sick weekend. The stomach virus still has Nate a little droopy. However, Nate & Luke had great well visits at the doctor today & they were in perfect health! Luke is pushing 26 pounds and Nate has finally hit 45 pounds. Dr. Bean was especially impressed when Nate told him his favorite foods were onions & babyback ribs. I am so thankful for my precious boys and all their different personalities, appetites & body types. Sometimes I just stare at them in complete amazement. How different 3 sons can be. And how fast they are growing up. When I can't get them to stop hugging me at night, I think to myself that in 10 years I'll be wishing they'd just give me one hug as they head out the door.
Right now Bryan and I are lying in bed with Luke snoring between us. Just like the 2 before him, he will be on the other side of the house before we know it. Our precious babies are babies for such a short time. I pray that I don't wish away a minute of it.

I love you! By Henry

A Beautiful Day!

We've been well for so long...

Nate had his first sick day of first grade today. He's been so healthy this year, so it's bound to happen eventually. In fact, we have a house full of sick children. Luke has a terrible bad cold. I'll be surprised if it doesn't cause an ear infection before the weekend is up. Henry has had a sore throat & low fever for 2 days. And poor Nate, he has the dreaded stomach virus. I just hope they don't infect each other with each different illness. Might be a long weekend at the Duncan house!

Sledding

Luke in the snow

Jacob's visit

Today Henry is having a friend over after school. Jacob is one of the special needs children in Mrs. Becky's class. His Mom is so excited because Jacob has never been to a friends house to play. Henry's teacher is excited too. She says that Henry is a very compassionate boy and interacts with all the special needs children well. I have been trying to teach Nate & Henry about loving and being friends with people who aren't just like them. Thanks to a great book Denise recommended, NutureShock, I have learned lots about teaching them to not have prejudices when it comes to race or handicaps, etc. This book says that we need to talk about differences, so I have been telling then when it comes up in conversation that they can be friends with children that have different colored skin, they can invite them over to play, they can love them, etc. We've been talking about handicaps, and how everyone is different, but God made all of us and loves all of us just the same. It sounds silly & obvious, but they are very receptive and interested.

Like every other Mom, I hope that my children do well in school enjoy activities and grow to be happy, well adjusted men one day. But my daily prayer, the one I pray every night out loud (so they will hear me and understand how important it is) is that they will grow up to be men that love Jesus more than anything else in the world and that they would love other people like Jesus did.

I will let you know how our playdate goes....

Ride a horsie

Thyroid

Who'd ever thought that a little gland in your neck could effect so much stuff!!!

I have been taking synthroid for 8 years and never had any problems other than having to tweak my dosage during a pregnancy, etc.

I went to have my tsh checked last month (which is what you do every year when you have hypothyroidism) and my amazingly brilliant Nurse Practitioner MaLee had the good mind to run some other tests, do an ultrasound of my neck and determined that I have 2 major thyroid issues that have to be dealt with. 1 - I have Hashimoto's Disease, an autoimmune disease that your own body attacks your thyroid gland and tries to destroy it. Quite common & not a big deal as long as it doesn't go undiagnosed. However, undiagnosed, it can be deadly. 2 - I have several nodules on my thyroid that are very inflamed & need to be shrunk or removed.

Her treatment plan was to put me on a mega dose of synthroid - like med's, killing my thyroid & hopefully shrinking the nodules. If they aren't smaller in 3 months, then she will remove them because very often they are cancerous. However, thyroid cancer is very treatable & nothing to worry about.

So, what's the point of me sharing this with my blogging audience you ask? She told me that during the course of the next 3 month I will feel like (I'm using her words) I am losing my mind. That I will become irritable, depressed, anxious & who knows what else??? She said to me "get ready, cause it's gonna get bad." Yes, she said that. Those words exactly. And she isn't overly dramatic.

Please keep my (and my household) in your prayers because I'm irritable enough as it is.
And, keep a watch on your own thyroid. Especially you women of childbearing age. Symptoms include: depression, fatigue, dry skin, dry hair, weight gain or loss. Hypothyroidism, thyroid cancer, hyperthyroidism is very common & often goes undiagnosed.

My computer is home from the hospital and working great! (Thanks to Billy Pechanec - just in case you ever need a great computer doctor) Here are a few pics to catch up on January.