Texas Bluebonnets & The Cast

So, Gracie went and saw an orthopedist on Monday. He was GREAT! He looked over her x-rays and had 3 other doctor's review them as well. They all agreed that she should be put in a cast first before doing any surgery. The dr. told us that eventhough she has a displaced fracture (meaning the bone has moved out of place) that often times in children her age it will reallign itself. They will do more x-rays in a week to see if it is doing just that--so cross your fingers and say some prayers. Sooooo, casts have come a long way since I was a kid, and now you get to pick what color csat you want. She told the dr., "I want a camoflauge one. My brother will be sooo jealous!" LOL! Unfortunately, they don't carry the camo casts in the size she needed, so she ended up getting a purple one. And, I'm so glad she did, because it matched the Texas bluebonnets perfectly when we stopped for some pictures today.

Now, I've got some BIG bluebonnet news. Growing up, I can remember being told that it was illegal to pick bluebonnets. I have never questioned this "fact", because afterall, they are our state flower..And well, "Don't Mess With Texas" is another one of those things drilled into the minds of little Texans. So, I have NEVER EVER even dreamed of picking a bluebonnet, and I have passed this law of the land down to my own children. But, guess what folks! There is no such law! http://www.texastwisted.com/reports.bluebonnets/ So, in light of what I believe to be life changing news for this girl born and raised in Texas, I decided to let my kids do this today.

And, I just want to end this quick post by saying how thankful I am that my kids are friends. They're not just brother and sister, but they are friends. It just melts my heart to see how much they love each other. They might argue and fight with one another, but they also give each other deep belly laughs and genuine hugs that are full of love.

April Showers by: Debbie Downer

Well, when it rains it pours...but hopefully these April showers will bring some May flowers.

So, let's see.. First of all, I did not get into the Nursing program I applied to. I found out last weekend and was REALLY bummed, and cranky all weekend long. This week did bring a little bit more hope for me. My letter said I had been placed on the alternate list, and that because of my place on the list, I was required to attend orientation in May. One of my friend's was also denied admission and placed on the alternate list, but was not invited to orientation. I realize that wishing anything ill on another person is bad karma--so my prayer is that "my school" is the 2nd or 3rd choice for some people that were admitted to other schools, and when they don't accept the offer to attend "my school", I will then be accepted into the program.

Money is tight. This recession SUCKS!

My car broke down yesterday. We finally got it home (via Wes pushing it with his truck about 5 miles while I steered with it in neutral). Wes determined that it was the alternator after talking with a few of his friends about what it was doing.

While I was making calls to try and get the best price on a new alternator, Grace and Wes went for a quick bike ride. She crashed on the wooden bridge on the trail by our house, and broke her thumb.

She's in a splint for the weekend and will see an orthopedist on Monday to find out if she needs a cast. My prayer is that it's a simple fix that doesn't require any pins or surgery--cuz the bone looks crazy on the x-ray. I definitely have to agree with the radiologist that it is a displaced fracture...and this is what I found googling in regards to displaced fractures:

displaced fracture: a fracture in which the pieces on either side of the break are out of line (which might require surgery to make sure the bones are properly aligned before casting)

I hope to bring you your regularly scheduled broadcasts of Pittman Paradise with decent humor and wit very soon...