Jared and Kristi Craft: Busy Year so far

Well, it's been quite a year so far. There have been great things and not so great things in our life since the new year. We started the year off with Landry getting pneumonia for the 3rd time. We found a great pulmonologist who didn't take long to determine the cause of her recurring pneumonia. She doesn't swallow correctly. Seriously, why have my kids had the most random things wrong with them. First, Colt couldn't poop and now my daughter can't swallow! I am thankful that both are fixable. Of course Colt is fine (other than his hard headedness). Landry started Vital Stem therapy with a speech therapist. She goes to her daycare 3 times a week. Each session is about 45 minutes. She connects stimulators to her neck which are supposed to wake up her muscle making her swallow. She has one week and then we'll do another swallow study xray to determine if her swallowing has improved. We're keeping our fingers crossed!

So after 5 days in the hospital and two weeks off of work, life seemed to be getting back to normal.

February was a sick free, no hospital visit month.... until Jared called me to come get him from work b/c he was having horrible stomach cramps, fever and throwing up! I have to say it was almost unbearable to see him in so much pain. They never really got to the bottom of it. They ruled it as a stomach virus. He did do a stress test which turned out great. He did blood work which showed his diabetes is under control. All of his levels came back fair or good. They've always been fair or poor. I'm so proud of my husband. From the time he was diagnosed 3 years ago, he's lost almost 60 pounds (15 most recently since we've been using advocare products and going to the gym). So he seems to be back to normal (well as normal as he can be) for now.

Then a few weeks after his hospital visit, I came down with the flu! I've always thought my immune system was rock solid. I never get sick yet I'm around sick kids all the time. So I took one day off of work, Jared was Mr. Mommy that weekend. I recovered from that and now, two weeks later, I am home with strep throat. WHAT!? I've never had strep either. What is going on? I've missed so much school this year.

Between my flu and strep we did go through an awefull storm. The tornadoes that hit our area was way too close to home. I was at school and had no idea anything was going on. Our principal made an announcement for everyone to get into the hallways. What?! They must be overreacting right? We've never had to do that. Some of the kids were scared but most of them didn't really understand what was really going on. Little did I know, a tornado actually destroyed a building 1/2 from where we were! After that scare was over, I talked to Jared and he told me to stay at school because another one was on it's way. I hung around as long as I could until my dad called in a panic telling me there was a tornado in Forney that did a lot of damage. He didn't know where. So I start to panic because my kids were there at their daycare. So I left in the pouring rain and hail to go get my babies. Thank God, they were fine. A tornado touched down and tore up a neighborhood and a school only a mile from my kids daycare. Later I found out that the owner at their daycare was praying while having all the kids in the hallway. I'm so fortunate that my kids are under the care of such sweet Christian people. So that was a very scary day. But God was definitely watching over all of us!

Here's a few pictures from the past few months.

Easter Day at my parents

With memaw and pepaw

hunting for eggs at Uncle Jaime's and Uncle Joe's

'Don't I look pretty in my Easter dress?

Cousins ready to go get some eggs

Wonder if they'll always look like they love each other so much?!

Glow in the Dark Easter egg hunt with Lex and Luke. So much fun!

Go RAngers!!!

The devastation from the tornado that came too close to our house

This one is 1/2 mile from my school which is where I was trying to keep my 24 first graders safe

She absolutely would not look at the camera. Stubborn little girl!

My compliant child!

One of her Vital Stem therapies. She only has 6 left! These are stimulators on her neck attached with tape. They are shocking her muscle as she swallows. It's crazy what they have to help these weird situations!