All of Us

All of Us
At I's wedding in July 2019. Back row from left: My oldest D (27) and his wife B (27), My 6th K (16), My 3rd L (23), My 5th T (19), and my 7th A (14). Front row from left: My 9th Z (11), My 10th M (9), Me!, My new son-in-law L (23), My 4th I (22), my love D, My 2nd J (25), and my 8th M (11).

Wednesday, October 05, 2011

Homecoming Dance 2011

J, L and I by PaulaK
J, L and I, a photo by PaulaK on Flickr.

J. didn't go to the dance, but she and her boyfriend went out to dinner. And yes, that is a 3rd and different dress that I is wearing. The turquoise gown she wore to the football game was her sister's prom dress from last year.

Getting ready to leave for the game

Brother and sister by PaulaK
Brother and sister, a photo by PaulaK on Flickr.

Sister and Brother

How beautiful are they?

Homecoming 2011

D, I and L   Homecoming 2011 by PaulaK
D, I and L Homecoming 2011, a photo by PaulaK on Flickr.

After much agonizing, I decided to have her brothers walk her out onto the football field instead of her dad. He didn't mind at all, and many of the other girls did the same thing (which is most important, unfortunately, when you are 14!)

Siblings

J, I, D and L by PaulaK
J, I, D and L, a photo by PaulaK on Flickr.

This was taken at halftime of the football game. You can't tell but it was extremely cold, about 44 with whipping wind and pouring rain. I is a marvelous actress, but you should have seen her once the cameras stopped!

Freshman court

I in purple by PaulaK
I in purple, a photo by PaulaK on Flickr.

sisters

sisters by PaulaK
sisters, a photo by PaulaK on Flickr.

J and I. I was on Homecoming court. This was what she wore for the parade and school assembly.

Friday, July 29, 2011

Saturday, July 23, 2011

IMG_7805 by PaulaK
IMG_7805, a photo by PaulaK on Flickr.

Beautiful girl

IMG_7815 by PaulaK
IMG_7815, a photo by PaulaK on Flickr.

Close up Z

IMG_7816-Edit by PaulaK
IMG_7816-Edit, a photo by PaulaK on Flickr.

Wow! Look at those eyes.

Smiling again

IMG_7864-2 by PaulaK
IMG_7864-2, a photo by PaulaK on Flickr.

Z and M

IMG_7865 by PaulaK
IMG_7865, a photo by PaulaK on Flickr.

IMG_7872 by PaulaK
IMG_7872, a photo by PaulaK on Flickr.

Happy Boy

IMG_7876 by PaulaK
IMG_7876, a photo by PaulaK on Flickr.

Z and M--future models

IMG_7912 by PaulaK
IMG_7912, a photo by PaulaK on Flickr.

M. in his Ugandan clothes

IMG_7933 by PaulaK
IMG_7933, a photo by PaulaK on Flickr.

IMG_7953 by PaulaK
IMG_7953, a photo by PaulaK on Flickr.

IMG_7958 by PaulaK
IMG_7958, a photo by PaulaK on Flickr.

Z dancing in her Ugandan dress

IMG_7959 by PaulaK
IMG_7959, a photo by PaulaK on Flickr.

3 musketeers

IMG_7806 by PaulaK
IMG_7806, a photo by PaulaK on Flickr.

Saturday, June 04, 2011

J and M

J and M by PaulaK
J and M, a photo by PaulaK on Flickr.

Prom 2011

Lately

There is so much to tell that I can't say it all except that our lives have been very chaotic since my return from Uganda with M and Z. They are doing great. She has adjusted remarkably well, speaking Enwglish as well as big M. They are still the dynamic duo, loving and hating one another simultaneously, and making mischief whenever they can.

Little M. has begun walking and running and talking! He is a very early talker but knows many words and speaks very clearly. I am hoping this will make him a happy toddler since he can make his needs/wants known. Unfortunately he is now at the age where he wants things he can't have, which leads to tantrums.

D. is home from college for the summer, which we love. He did extremely well--Dean's list first semester and 4.0 gpa second semester. He is currently enroute to Wyoming where he will be taking a 3 week experiential geology course.

J. is working hard at school as usual. Track is finally over and finals are next week. The last day of school is June 10! Hopefully she will be able to relax a little this summer before beginning an even busier senior year.

L. is playing soccer and will probably have a 4.0 at the end of his freshman year. As I said, finals are next week, so it's not over yet!

I. has done tremendously well this year. Her leadership position at school has fueled personal growth. She is outgoing and responsible. She has switched musical instruments from clarinet to saxophone and will be in marching band next year.

T. has become an adolescent, and is struggling a little with her "tweener" status. She still doesn't really enjoy teen activities, but now feels too mature for younger kid interests. She is a great big sister and a good student as well.

K. celebrated his First Communion recently, is a great student and always has his nose in a book! He is also a great big brother, so patient with his roommate M., who is easily the most annoying family member at this point in time.

A. has grown up a lot and loves school now. She has begun horseback riding and participates in Daisys (youngest scout group--below Brownies) which she really enjoys.

M. has had as tough of a year as I have. First his momma left for a loooong time, and when she came back she brought 2 interlopers (siblings) who usurped his baby status. I think he is just now realizing that I am NOT going to leave again and starting to accept the change in his spot in the family. We have seen a LOT of acting out, as well as being ringleader of mischief, but he is starting to mellow out a tiny bit.

It took me a long time to get over my health issues and feel "normal" (whatever that is) again. I'm still not in perfect health, but much better than the beginning of the year. My biggest problem currently is joint pain, probably a part of the autoimmune disease as it is symmetric (pairs of joints) rather than just one joint at a time, mostly my hips and shoulders, occasionally my knees. Some days it's really painful, others not much at all, and I have been unable so far to discern a pattern.

Daryl is working as hard as ever, and has had some recent exciting developments in his business. I can't say more than that at this time, but hopefully there will be more good things to report soon.

Thursday, February 03, 2011

Problems and solutions

It has been a wild month or so.

I had a lot of weird and unpleasant health symptoms going on since roughly Thanksgiving, that got markedly worse over the past few weeks.

The first problem was a flareup of my autoimmune disease dermatomyositis. I got progressively weaker until over the holidays i had trouble lifting my bath towel over my head to dry my hair and was also having occasional trouble swallowing. My rheumatologist put me on high dose steroids, started me on a new drug called methotrexate, and resumed my IVIG infusions every 2 weeks for now (which we had discontinued in Oct. to test if I was in remission--clearly I am not). I am feeling slightly stronger already from the steroid treatment.

Then in early January I had some bloodwork done which revealed high calcium, low phosphorous and elevated parathyroid hormone levels. Here's what I learned today. I saw an endocrinologist who says I definitely have hyperparathyroidism, which is a benign growth or enlargement and overactivity of one of the 4 parathyroid glands (totally different from the thyroid gland). He has arranged a specialized scan of my neck to see which one it is. That should resolve the problem, which occurs in about 5% of perimenopausal/menopausal age women. Symptoms are abdominal pain, muscle weakness, kidney stones (I have one already) and bone thinning/osteoporosis due to calcium loss. After the problem gland is removed I will have a bone scan to see how much bone thinning/osteoporosis has occurred, especially when combined with steroids which also cause calcium loss.

The endoscopy revealed gastritis (inflammation and lesions of my esophagus and duodenum and stomach inflammation (the latter could be due to or exacerbated by the meds I am currently taking). For now he put me on a prilosec type medication and said no drinking alcohol. The colonoscopy revealed multiple lesions in numerous areas of my large intestine and he did numerous biopsies. The pathology report revealed that it was ulcerative colitis, and a stool test showed it was being caused by the bacteria C. Diff. I had been tested for various bacteria and parasites previously, but not that one.

I couldn't believe that I had developed 3 separate health problems. The colonoscopy surgeon emphasized that I have a complex set of health issues, and that I need to take really good care of myself, get as much help and as little stress as possible, because I could get sicker. Cheerful viewpoint, eh?

In the few weeks since then, I have taken a round of antibiotics to kill the C. diff (which is normally present in our bodies but I had developed an overgrowth). Don't know if I'm completely healed yet but I feel good.

This morning I saw a surgeon about the hyperparathyroidism. The enlarged parathyroid gland was able to be visualized on 2 different scans, which will make it easy for her to remove, so I scheduled that surgery for Feb. 16. It is outpatient and I will need about a week to recover.

Meanwhile, I continue to get IVIG infusions every 2 weeks for the dermatomyositis. My strength is somewhat better but still not normal.

Boy, do I miss my wine and martinis! Otherwise, I feel SO much better and am so much happier. I am so blessed that these problems were so easy to fix.

Saturday, January 01, 2011

My birthday boy


SAM_2557, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

I won't reveal his age, but Daryl did have a birthday recently.

Enjoying that cheese and crackers


SAM_2859, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

Traditional Christmas Eve dinner


SAM_2858, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

At our house, we always have gourmet cheese, crackers and fresh fruit, accompanied by either wine or "kid wine" (nonalchoholic sparkling juice) after mass for dinner.

Upside down kids


SAM_2610, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

D. has enjoyed playing with his new siblings while home from college for Christmas break.

Roughhousing Baby M


SAM_2568, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

L. always does this and he loves it!

The tree from above.


SAM_2528, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

We have a tall ceiling so we can have a tall tree.

Attempting to make cookies


SAM_2524, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

If you look at the expression on my face, you will see I am grimacing with effort. The dough was stiff and my tool was broken. I did manage to squeeze out about a dozen with effort.

T. joins the crowd inside the snow fort


SAM_2926, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

Inside the snow fort


SAM_2923, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

L., K, and Daryl inside the fort they built.

Got a new bike for Christmas!


SAM_2917, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

Enjoying his new Ukelele


SAM_2910, originally uploaded by PaulaK.


L. was priding himself on wearing as many of his Christmas gifts at once as he could, which is why he has on a sweatshirt and a hat.

Helping her brother open a present


SAM_2886, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

J. assisted baby M. with opening his gifts.

Christmas card


SAM_2906, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

T. made Daryl and I this very sweet card as a gift.

Headlamp and chocolate


SAM_2897, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

M. wearing his new headlamp and sporting a chocolate mustache on Christmas morning.

Paula in the Kitchen as Always


SAM_2957, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

Z. with puff ponytails


SAM_2951, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

T. enjoying her new ukelele


SAM_2946, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

Naughty toddlers going to time out


SAM_2942, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

Talking on the Phone


SAM_2936, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

Baby M. enjoys his pretend phone too.

Baby M. loves the rocking chair


SAM_2934, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

Riding Together


SAM_2927, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

M. and Z. each got a new plasma car for Christmas, but enjoy riding together sometimes.

Introducing Z


Z., originally uploaded by PaulaK.

Arrived home from Uganda Oct. 2, 2010

Adoption Announcements


Baby M, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

Introducing Baby M., arrived home from Uganda Oct. 2, 2010.

Our Family


P1040495_2, originally uploaded by PaulaK.

In left to right order, back row: D. (18), J. (16), L. (15), T. (10), I. (13), Paula holding baby M. (13 months), Daryl.

Front row: M. (3), Z. (2), K. (7), A. (6).

About Me

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SE Michigan, United States
Mother to 10 fabulous kids, ages 9 to 27 years! Mother-in-law to 2 more awesome young adults! Married for 32 years to my best friend.

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