2012... Bella's Miracle Year!

So we've been neglecting this blog a bit and for that we are sorry. In fact, I know that many of you lose sleep at night waiting to hear information from the crazies over here in the Earls house so, this post is for you... you weirdo.

This has been a big year for us:

• We moved from our beloved VA to CA (missing old friends and making new ones)
• We put on our "big boy pants" and bought a house (and as murphy's law would have it, things started breaking immediately so we re-did the kitchen, two bathrooms, put up gutters, and bought a new garage door)
• Josh deployed to Afghanistan as a chaplain to the marines of CLB5 of Camp Pendleton
• As a home owner with a missing husband, I learned to use a lawn mower, power tools, cleaned up dead animals by myself (ok, I asked neighbor to do it), and locked myself out of my house in my bathing suit while Bella was inside
• My deployment roomie Kori and I had way too much fun in Southern CA going to concerts, various beach cities, and sea kayaking.
• I started a group for special needs moms (I love them all dearly)
• I attend a weekly Bible study at church (I love them too)
• We were on the Price is Right (and that turned out ok I guess (wink)... shameless plug here)
• Bella started biomedical treatments for autism and started seeing Dr. Bob Sears
• Josh returned from deployment
• Josh and I celebrated our 9 year anniversary by driving to Monterey, CA...an amazing trip with an amazingly hot man
• We had friends and family over as often as we could and enjoyed the holidays with them as well!
• I am two classes and a semester of student teaching away from my receiving master's in Special Education.
• Oh and our Bella turned four years old!

On the topic of Bella, let me share with you her most recent milestones and progressions: 2012 was a year I will never forget in her precious story.  Bella spoke to us for the first time this year!  When I say "she spoke" I mean, she meaningfully and deliberately communicated her intentions to us.  When she was born I thought we'd never communicate.  If you type in the word autism in a Google search, the results are very scary and can seem pretty hopeless to a new mom or dad.  So, after some tough months of mourning and tears, we chose to remain optimistic.  Since her birth we prayed we would hear our child utter sweet nothings one day (even though some autistic children never do speak verbally).  We believed with all our hearts that God knew this, our greatest desire.  Well, this was her year friends!  About one month after she started biomedical treatments (whether it was the treatments or just her therapies finally working only the Lord knows), she started talking to us.  She would first say, "Ju", then "Juicy", then "I want juice"... then recently it's progressed to, "Mommy, I would like some more juice please":)  She started saying "No" and "Yes" (those are glorious words to hear for us, it helps us know if she wants to do something or not).  Remember, when she was young she would just bang her head to get our attention.  God is so good!  Bella started drinking from real cups (when before she had to drink from a particular kids cup).  She no longer sits in high chairs to eat, she feeds herself, helps bathe herself, helps put clothes on, and often takes them off so she can be naked:), brushes her teeth, rides a kids bike, navigates an Ipad better than we do, writes her name, knows the alphabet forward and backward, counts to 30, knows all the shapes and colors, is potty training, says names of extended family members she misses, and says hello and goodbye to perfect strangers!  Oh, and spontaneously gives us kisses!

When asked how many words she can say, my answer is ... endless... she can really formulate any word she wants.

As I type this I feel like I'm describing someone else's kid, someone else's life....and it overwhelms me with joy! Praise God for 2012.  I loved this year:)

Price is Right: How to get on the show....

If you know me at all (or have seen any of my shameless plugs for the show), you are privy to the fact that my friend Kori and I were on Price is Right a couple months ago! The show aired on November 7, 2012 and it was by far one of the most fun experiences I've had in a while.

If you haven't seen it (some of you have asked me for the link), here's a quick snippet:

Yep, it happened.  I bounced, high-fived, hugged strangers, and generally made a fool of myself on national television.

How to get on the show:
If you are interested in being on the show, I highly recommend trying.  You need to have a good 7 hours to kill in LA.  You should really sign up for advanced tickets ahead of time (as showing up the day of makes it less likely that you will make it in the audience).  You wait in a long line outside CBS with your advance tickets (not everyone with advance tickets gets in).  Once you get in, you will be in the audience.  You wait in another 2 hour holding area where they check your id's and background.  You are then called up in smaller groups to interview with the producer and his assistant. He asks you one question so you need to make your answer count.  He asked me what I did for work, I said something super sassy and plugged that my hubby was deployed... I made sure to be super excited too!  They seem to look for super wild/happy people! Kori and I also made shirts that said "hugs and high-fives"... this meant that everyone we saw in line, we hugged/high-fived. I also hugged and high-fived Drew Carey and his producer:)

So there you go! Do it, you won't regret it.  I know three people personally who have been on the show so the "odds are ever in your favor".

:)

A letter to my four year old, Isabella

Dearest Isabella,

Today, you turn four years old! We want you to know how deeply we love you little Bellsy.  We also desire for you to know the depths to which your Father in heaven loves you.  He formed you in my womb, gave you beautiful blue eyes, the silly nature of your momma, and the stubbornness of your daddy (wink).  He picked us for you, and we couldn't imagine life without you!  We feel like it was yesterday when we first laid eyes on you!  I (Annie) held you in my arms (for a second) and kissed your face.  I shed many joyful tears on the day of your birth, but I also shed tears of concern for your seemingly fragile little life.  When you were born, the look in your fathers eyes confused me... he was the happiest I've ever seen him yet the most unsure and frightened as well.  He would later tell me he was waiting to see you breathe to be sure you were alive.  We (your father and I) feared for your life while you spent your first weeks in an incubator at the NICU.  We prayed over you, sang songs to you, and went to bed at night wishing you could have come home from the hospital with us.  I couldn't sleep (or do anything for that matter) without thinking of you....and I would make someone drive to the hospital every feeding so that your first moments of life outside the incubator would be with me, your mother.

Here you are being filmed by the happiest daddy in the world.  He wanted so badly to hold you I'm sure of it!

So much time has passed since your arrival and God has grown you into a beautiful little lady.  This year we experienced a miracle.  This year God allowed you to speak to us....I mean really say words! Bella, you are perfect with or without words but, we praise God for the opportunity to communicate with you!  We often wondered if autism would keep you from using the words that were stored up in your brain.  But being the fighter that you are, you did it....you spoke!  We can't wait to see what God has in store for you, my dear.  One day, I want us to look back on this post and be reminded of how far you've come (and you have come far). You work harder than any 4 year old I know!  You teach me patience, unconditional love, and you remind me that God is in control of all things, at all times. You are my hero.

"For you formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother's womb"
Psalm 139:13

Life's first moments...Daddy's hand was as big as you were!

We often look into those baby blues and thank God for your life... (5 months)

Your first birthday and you DID NOT like the "Happy Birthday" song:)

What a beautiful 2 year old (and so stylish)

My first day of preschool (3 years old) with your favorite man on earth!

4 YEARS OLD!

Happy Birthday Minnie Mouse!