Hulse Update

Johnny is in Ely, NV. He tried to take our travel trailer up there to live in, but it blew a tire on the way out of town. The tire hit under the coach and ripped out the electrical, insulation, drain, and some of the siding. It also bent an axle. In 4-6 weeks and $4K later (thank goodness for insurance) Johnny will try to tow it out again. Until then he gets to stay in a hotel. Every once in a while he thinks its a good idea to sleep in his truck and shower at a gym. He gets frustrated paying for hotels and I have never met anyone as frugal (cheap) as Johnny. I keep telling him that sleeping in his truck is completely unnecessary but I think he secretly enjoys doing things that no one else his age would do willingly. While Johnny is working over 8 hours from home I am on my own with the kids during the LONG summer days. My parents try to help me when they can. Right now I actually have 5 under the age of 8 because my sister is traveling for work. Johnny came home this past weekend but he won't come home again until mid August. Each time he comes home it costs us $300+ in gas and almost 17 hours of drive time round trip. He gets to stay for about 33 hours.

Jaxon had an appointment with a GI from Rady Children's hospital (yes I did have all 5 kids in the room with me, ugh!). He will have an endoscopy in August to make sure his random vomiting is not being caused by one of the foods we added in so long ago. This will be endoscopy #6 if I remember correctly. The last 5 have been clean of any eosinophils and I have high hopes for this one as well.

Garrett was tongue tied when he was born, actually Daniel is the only one of my boys who was not. I think their little lizard tip tongues are so cute! Wesley and Jaxon just never had it to the extent of Garrett. At 18 months Wesley was talking in full sentences and could hold up a conversation, just as my nephew Toby can. Comparing Toby and Garrett who are almost the exact same age makes Garrett's lack of speech glaringly apparent.  Garrett is two and doesn't say his own name or I love you. He will say, down, up, Jack-Jack, nack (snack), wetwe (Wesley), and the normal Mom and Dad. He is becoming so frustrated when I don't understand what he is trying to say, even more than was typical for my other boys at age 2. He is so smart he will sing himself to sleep at night and will mimic any song after only hearing it once or twice. I love to listen as he sings the tune to twinkle-twinkle or the theme from the Lorax. When Garrett had his frenum clipped at 2 weeks old I was told he is actually tongue tethered. He has a thick band of muscle that goes horizontally around under his tongue. We have an appointment with an ENT coming soon to see if he will require further intervention or if he will just need speech therapy.
  
Life can be so overwhelming sometimes. I try to count my blessings every day. I know my life is so easy when compared to so many people. I look at the women around me and see how amazing they are with their husbands coming home every night from work and their well behaved children who never do anything remotely like mine do. I need to stop all the comparing!