The Year of New Beginnings!

Wow, 2011 is gone! Another year just flew by! We received many blessings in the year 2011, but I can tell you that this new year, 2012, is gonna be quite awesome! The good Lord willing, Bryson will be getting stem cell treatments in March. It will be the beginning of many great things to come for him. I learned so much last year and I have grown by leaps and bounds spiritually. I know from personal experience that God answers prayers and blesses those who follow Him. I still have much to learn and I am very eager to know more about an amazing God I serve and His son Jesus Christ. I hope this will be the year that my family finds a permanent church home that we so desperately want and need in our lives. We are still fundraising for Bryson, so if you know of anyone who would like to donate, please tell them about this blog and the chip in button where donations can be made securely through paypal. We have enough to get his first treatment, but still need funds for his home therapy equipment and for a physical therapy program after his treatment. Then, we will need to raise enough money for a second treatment. God has provided for our needs so far and I have faith the rest will come.

My little man turns 3 yrs old on January 21st! I can't believe it! Next thing you know I'm gonna wake up and he will be turning 21! I can't even think about it! I am savoring every single minute I have with him while he's little and I am soaking in every sweet, cute moment, every funny thing he said, every amazing thing he did and accomplished. Bryson truly is the most amazing gift and blessing God has ever given me. This child made me the person I am today. I was lost, trying to find my way, when God gave him to me. Because of Bryson, I have grown spiritually by leaps and bounds. He gave me a new spirit and a new heart for God that I had been longing for, for quite some time. Everyone in my family used to joke and say I would never have kids! Heck, I didn't even like them most of the time! I thought I would make a terrible mother because I was so selfish. I'm so glad God knew differently and had faith in me. God knew that this sweet little boy would bring back the fire and passion in my life. God knew that Bryson would make me seek Him. God knew that I would leave the life I was living behind and put all my efforts into this beautiful child, who would teach me so much about life and God that I never knew. My faith in God is the strongest it's ever been because of Bryson and I am thankful for that every single day.

2012, bring it on!!!! I'm ready to get this thing started!!!!

Since Bryson's Surgery and Foundation News!

Been a busy little bee since Bryson's surgery! He feels so fantastic and I am exhausted. I will never complain about having to catheterize my child ever again. The vesicostomy causes Bryson to tinkle constantly all day and night and I have been on double diaper duty and my diaper costs have more than doubled since the surgery. It's doing the job, though, of keeping the infections away and he feels so good it's almost scary! I just thought he was a ball of energy before. Well, let me tell ya, he is more than a handful now! It's good, but tiring all at the same time. I think we have finally hit the terrible two's now and the throwing of fits has come into play. Bryson can be quite the bossy, moody, down right mean, then hilarious child all in a matter of minutes! He's still good more than not, though, and is still the sweetest, most loveable little guy on the planet. We all have our moments, I guess...even a two yr old. He's growing and getting so big too. I don't know what I'm gonna do when I can't hold him anymore. On January 21st he will be 3 yrs old and I can't even believe it. Where does the time go? All he can talk about right now is Santa and how he's gonna get lots and lots of toys for Christmas! It's hilarious because he has this huge Santa that he talks to every day and he says, "Santa, are you coming? Are you gonna bring me lots of toys?" He even pretends to call Santa on the phone! Christmas will be a blast this year because he's older and understands how it works now. I tell him that even though Santa brings toys for Christmas, that Christmas is really about the day Jesus was born and it's when we celebrate Jesus' birthday and that's really what Christmas is about and what it means. He doesn't quite understand that part yet, but he will because I will keep telling him.

The Warrior Families Beating Spina Bifida Foundation is almost up and running and I couldn't be more proud or excited! All the paperwork is done and ready to be mailed in and now all we have to do is wait for the approval to come back and we will be considered a non-profit organization and can start our campaign to help everyone who has a spina bifida related need. I have prayed for so long or God to show me His plan and purpose for me and this is it. Having a child born with spina bifida has taught me so much and has made me think so far outside of myself and has brought me so much closer to God. I was a very selfish person and lived by the ways of the world before Bryson and I am so thankful that I am living my life for God and my son now. This whole experience has truly changed me for the better.

So, lots of exciting things are in my future and I am happy and honored to be a part of something that is going to be so huge. I have the chance to help beat this thing called spina bifida and for that I am grateful and oh so thankful!

So Thankful Today!

Bryson has been feeling so good since he had surgery. That was one sick little boy for a very long time. He is a total wild man now, and I just thought I could barely keep up with him before. Well, let me tell ya something...I didn't know he could be any more active, but he definitely is and I am thanking God for his health and wellness and for his energy. He is singing all the time and squealing and laughing and rolling and scooting all over the place. He is also sleeping much better and eating like a champ. Don't get me wrong, he can still have a terrible two tantrum like the rest of them, but all in all he is one happy little camper!

He's been going on and on about Santa Clause because he knows Christmas is coming soon and I think he might actually sit in Santa's lap this year without crying and get his picture made! Keep your fingers crossed! We've been telling him that Santa is watching him and if he's not being good Santa will take some of his toys back and it actually seems to be working a little. Notice I said a little! Lol! Christmas should be really fun for Bryson this year since he's a little older.

Bryson has been doing great in therapy and his therapist told me that he is ready to start walking in RGO's , which are braces that start at the waist and go all the way down to the ankles. RGO stands for Reciprocated Gaited Orthodics. That means when one leg moves to take a step, the braces make the other leg immediately follow. I will be calling his ortho this week to see about having RGO's fitted and made for Bryson so we can get him walking in them in his physical therapy sessions. I'm very excited and so proud of him! He is so motivated and wants to be upright and mobile. Lord help me when that happens! He will be into everything and will be everywhere! I better start taking energy supplements now so I can be prepared for the exhaustion! Lol!

The spina bifida foundation is well on it's way and you can check out the website that is still under construction at www.warriorfamiliesbeatingspinabifida.org. We are just about ready to file for non-profit status and once that happens, we will be up and running. I am really proud of this organization and I can't wait to start helping other families with spina bifida needs. We have a Facebook page, too, that is packed with useful information on all spina bifida related issues. You can check that out on Facebook at Warrior Families Beating Spina Bifida. We are a Christian based group of moms who are driven by our Heavenly Father and we plan on helping people across the nation.

That's all for now! I can't wait until I can start blogging about Bryson's progress after the stem cell treatments! God bless and have a great week! Happy Monday everybody and always remember Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. That verse is what gets me through my day every day!