Prayers are so good......

Hey All,

Hope all of you are well and 2014 has started off wonderful! We've been busy getting in the swing of things with the move and settling into school and activities. We are really loving it up here in Maple Valley and have already made several friends, I think we'll be very happy here for a long time.

It's so nice how close we are to Portland, we've already had several visitors (friends and family) come stay with us. Mom was able to come for a few days, my best friend Tarisa and her boys and our wonderful friends Michelle and Brian and their kiddos as well came down a few weeks ago. We were able to do tons of sights seeing our Seattle......rode the monorail, saw the Space Needle, Pike Place, American Girl, etc. it was awesome!!!!

Nana and Lexi, hmmmm.....look who's getting so tall

Holly, Shell, Lily and Frankie

The Shorey's, so darn cute!!!!

It was also really fun to move here while the Seahawks made it into the Super Bowl!!!! This entire State was so pumped up and everywhere you went was support for the team. Our awesome new neighbors organized a Super Bowl Parade the morning of the SB and tons of people showed up to walk the streets with music blaring and blue and green everywhere!!!!

Daddy and Lily at the parade!!!

Holly and Lexi in the golf cart having fun!

We were also lucky enough to see some snow last night and this morning, so the girls are outside playing now. We maybe got a few inches, but Portland was slammed with snow and ice this week, it's been crazy......we wish we were there!

Little bug bundled and ready to play!!!

On a much more serious note, I'm asking for some BIG prayers from you all. Our sweet Gaga Lillian is not doing well at all. She was diagnosed with shingles about 9 days ago and seemed to be fine, however she suffered a reaction to some medication and was hospitalized. We've since found out that she has several different medical issues and will not be coming back home. We know that we probably don't have much longer with her and to be honest, it's really hard. Gaga has been a part of my life forever. Sometimes I just cannot imagine a world that does not have her in it. She's always been there for all of us and has been a wonderful grandma to Tj and I. She also loves my girls so much, it seems like just yesterday she was giving Lexi piggybacks rides through the house. It's very hard to see her so frail and unable to do anything and I know she does not want to live like this. I also worry for poor Mama, it's hard being an only child and making all the decisions, but she is doing a great job and I'm so proud of her right now. I just ask for continued prayers for Gaga and our family right now, I know that whatever is meant to be will be. I know Gaga has lived a great life and is 98 years old, wow!!!! How many of us can say we've had our grandparents this many years? If you still do, make sure to tell them how much you love them, because we won't have them forever.

A quote I read today has really stayed in my mind....."Your finish has nothing to do with how your face looks today and everything to do with how you LIFE looks on your last day."

One of my favorite pics, Lexi, Gaga, Uncle TT and Lily

Me and my Gaga

I'll do my best to post more updates regarding Gaga, remember to take time to hug and kiss your parents and grandparents today!!!!

Much Love- Holly

Welcome 2014!

It's been quite awhile since I actually sat down and wrote on the blog, so this one may be long!!!! We are back in the beautiful NW and I couldn't be happier! I even had to rename the blog, since we're not in the South anymore.

We moved back to Oregon for a very short time this year and have recently settled in Maple Valley, Wa for Jason's job. He decided to return to his previous company this year where he had been for 15 years and it is great. I haven't seen him this happy in several years and he is once again being treated well and appreciated. Georgia was a wonderful experience and I am so glad we were able to be there and experience life in the South. We made lifelong friends and the girls were able to get an amazing education there, if I had to do it over again, I certainly would. But there really is nothing better than being close to family again and being in the Seattle area, we are only a few hours from home.

We decided to make the trip back by driving this summer from Georgia to Oregon and I have to say, a cross country trip with your family is really a once in a lifetime event. We really had a great time and made it in just 4 days. We saw several states: Mississippi, Alabama, Kansas, Arkansas, Colorado, Tennessee, and several others. We even made a stop at Graceland and got to see Elvis stuff everywhere!!!! I think the kids won't ever admit it, but it was AMAZING and my "fun facts" for every state we went through were pretty cool too!!!!
There was nothing better than crossing over into Oregon though, it was such a relief to know we were home!!!

The girls have recently started school here in Maple Valley and really seem to be happy. Lily is making friends quickly and enjoying her new friends in 3rd grade and Lexi has started at the Junior High which will go through 9th grade. She is really looking forward to starting softball this year with a new team. I love Maple Valley a lot, it reminds me of Gresham and I'm also close here to a dear friend from my younger days, so it's been fun catching up with him and his sweet family. We also have moved to a great neighborhood were there are tons of kids and several parks nearby for the girls.

Our holidays were really busy this year between family and getting packed to move up to Washington, but it sure was wonderful to be at Mom and dad's for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It's also been really good to spend so much time with Gaga, she's really getting older now and has recently moved into an assisted living facility. She really doesn't like it that much, but at least we know she always has someone to check on her at all times. She'll be 99 this year, so I think she's done pretty great all these years on her own!!!

Overall, I am really glad to see 2013 come to an end and start fresh in the new year. We've had so many ups and downs this year and I'm hoping that 2014 is filled with all happy and positive things for our future. I'm looking forward to a fresh new start here in Washington and hope all of you have an excellent year as well!

Kawasaki Disease.....be aware of the signs and symptoms!

At the beginning of June we had a huge scare with our Lily and I've been wanting to write it all down and share it with people. Lily was diagnosed with Kawasaki Disease which is ......

Kawasaki disease, also known as Kawasaki syndrome, lymph node syndrome and mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome,^[1]is an autoimmune disease in which the medium-sized blood vessels throughout the body become inflamed. It is largely seen in children under five years of age. It affects many organ systems, mainly those including the blood vessels, skin, mucous membranes, and lymph nodes; however its rare but most serious effect is on the heart where it can cause fatal coronary artery aneurysms in untreated children. Without treatment, mortality may approach 1%, usually within six weeks of onset. With treatment, the mortality rate is 0.17% in the U.S.^[2] There is often a pre-existing viral infection that may play a role in its pathogenesis.^[3] The conjunctivae and oral mucosa, along with the skin, become red and inflamed. Edema is often seen in the hands and feet. One or more cervical lymph nodes are often enlarged. Also, a recurrent fever, often 37.78°C (100°F) or higher, is characteristic of the acute phase of the disease.^[4] In untreated children, the febrile period lasts on average approximately 10 days, but may range from five to 25 days.^[4] The disorder was first described in 1967 by Tomisaku Kawasaki in Japan.^[5]

It all started on Saturday, June 1st, Lily came down stairs that morning and told me her neck hurt. I told her, she probably slept on it wrong and it would feel better tomorrow. Then Sunday came along and she said her neck still hurt, so that night as I was giving her a bath I noticed a small lump in her neck. I told Jason to look at it and he said it was probably just a swollen gland. She also had a low grade fever that night. So Monday morning, I took her into the pediatrician and they swabbed her for strep.....that came back negative. They also did a blood count and her white cells were up, so we assumed she had some sort of infection. They sent us home with antibiotics and away we went.

By Tuesday, June 4th, she still had a fever, she started vomiting and I swore the lump in her neck was getting bigger, but I called the doctor again and got something to help with her stomach and she seemed a bit better.... till Wednesday, June 5th at about 4am when she came into our bedroom and was throwing up and the lump in her neck had at least doubled in size and she could barely move her neck from side to side. At that point I started to get VERY worried. I made sure we were ready to go by 8am and headed to the doctors as they opened. At that point they did another blood count and the numbers were worse! Our doctor then made the decision to admit us to The Medical Center of Georgia Children's Hospital.

When we arrived they got us checked in and immediately started doing tests and administering IV antibiotics. They assumed that this was just some sort of neck abscess and that stronger antibiotics would do the trick. We planed to be there maybe 2-3 days. They were putting off doing any kind of CT scan on her neck, because CT scans do have a lot of radiation, but we really were worried and kept pushing for one. By Thursday, June 6 we had been there a full 24 hours, she had had several doses of antibiotics and she was no better. The doctors then decided they would do a CT scan and at that point, Lily started getting a rash all over her body. Her fever was still at least 101 with tylenol and advil every 6 hours. The CT came back and showed she had 2 swollen nodes, but no infection. I think we were all getting frustrated and Lily was starting to become combative and angry and it was NOT like her at all. At that point, the doctor came into talk with Jason and I and she said she was thinking it could be another diagnosis, but it was highly unlikely. When I asked her what....she said Kawasaki Disease. At that point, I was shocked, I had literally JUST 2 weeks before watched a Grey's Anatomy episode on that exact thing and I knew that if that was the case, it needed to be treated within 10 days of the onset of fever or the child could suffer permanent heart damage or even death. At that point Jason and I both started researching this, because event thought the doctor suggested it, there is NO test for it, you just have to pay attention to symptoms. At this point she had fever, rash, swollen neck, irritability, and her foot was starting to swell and she couldn't walk on it.

The frustrating thing was that all the doctors found the KD diagnosis unlikely, because she did not fit the "normal" age range of 2-6 years old and normally males. I was so frustrated and I just KNEW in my gut this was it. I seriously felt like God had me watch the Greys Anatomy episode for a reason and REALLY pay attention. When I tell people about it now, they all laugh, but it was a sign!

By Friday, June 14 we were still waiting, waiting and waiting!!!! They decided to change the antibiotic she was on to the "MOTHER" of all antibiotics and STILL NO CHANGE!

Saturday, June 15th, I notice her eyes looked bloodshot and her lips looked dry and they were splitting down the middle.....2 more KD symptoms! At this point though, I kinda thought maybe I was imagining this stuff and just wanted a diagnosis of something!!! Lily looked the worst I've ever seen her by Saturday night and I was becoming frustrated and very scared. They finally decided they were going to do an Electrocardiogram and check her heart. This was good, because we knew they were finally taking the KD diagnosis seriously. The doctors were probably getting sick of Jason and I constantly asking them about KD and telling them we thought this is what it was. I had also got them to guarantee us that if she was not any better by day 10 of the fever that they would treat her with the IVIG drug no matter what. We knew she had to have this in order to protect her little heart from damage even if we weren't 100% sure.

Fianlly Saturday night, 2 resident doctors, that we really liked, came to check on Lil. I told them to please look at her eyes and lips good and started to get emotional. I told them, I didn't know what they were waiting for!!!! Then not long after, they came in and said that the attending doctor has OK'ed them to treat Lily for KD with IVIG, praise the lord!!!! We were so thrilled and we KNEW this was going to help. They hooked her up by midnight and by 9am Sunday, June 9 she was a NEW KID.

I am so grateful for the research and blood donors out there, without this drug Lily may have died or had permanent damage to her heart. We still had to stay in the hospital till Wednesday, June 12th, but were discharged and that day we also noticed that all Lily's fingers and toes were peeling, yet another symptom. The only one she never got was the strawberry tongue.

She had her follow up echo cardiogram yesterday and they said her heart looked perfect!!! I felt so blessed and proud that she's done so well.

2 things I have taken from this experience are:

Don't EVER give up on yourself or your child. If you think something is wrong, don't let people make you feel stupid, just because they are doctors and you're not. YOU know your child and as parents, we have a sixth sense!!!!

Also, please donate blood whenever possible, We went into the hospital that very first day and they asked me.....If my child needed a blood product, would I allow it, I said YES, but never imagined she would really need one to save her life. You NEVER know when it will be you or your loved one needing it!

I hope at least one person out there will read this post and learn something about Kawasaki Disease and it will help them make a difference!!!

For more information visit....http://www.kdfoundation.org/

Also, attached are some pictures of Lily in the hospital.....

Swollen neck

Rash

Finally GOING HOME!!!!

So much going on!!!

Hello friends,

It's been soooooo long since my last post, but I decided to I better start writing again and the BLOG is going to need a new name soon. We are finally moving back to Oregon and I am so darn happy!!! What a great 2 years we've had here in Georgia though.....I am going to miss so much, but mostly the amazing friends I've made here. Since day one, everyone has welcomed us with open arms and been so helpful. I will miss the Southern hospitality so much, but not the heat! I'm looking forward to the chill and rain of the NW, however wearing flip flops 10 months out of the year is pretty nice.

Jason's employer has decided to close their business and I think everything does happen for a reason, so instead of staying here, home to Oregon is where we felt we belonged. The girls have taken the news very hard, especially Lexi. These 2 have absolutely loved their school at Tattnall, not only the friends they made, but also the awesome teachers. Jason and I have felt to lucky to have them at such a great place, it's a great feeling when you know the teachers truly love and care for your kids.

This past weekend we were able to have Jason's best friend Damon, his fiance Stacey and their boys visit us and that was a great time. We were able to do Stone Mountain, 6 Flag White Waters, dinners out, and so much more. I think Jason really needed some bonding time with his BFF, it's done him good!!!! They were also able to celebrate his 39th birthday with him and that was great.

The girls and I also were able to head home for 3 weeks in June and visit mom and dad. That was so fun and we also were able to see so many friends and other family. My brother and Jamie recently bought a new beautiful home on some property, so we were able to help them move and spend quite a bit of time with them. They also took the girls to the zoo one day and I have to say, my girls love their Auntie and Uncle!!!

Also, they were spoiled rotten by Nana and Papa too, I don't think they wanted to leave!!!!

Mom and I were also able to find Gaga an assisted living home while I was there and they just got her moved in. She has not been too thrilled about this, but she's 98 and been living by herself since Grandpa died in 1976, so I'm sure she'll end up enjoying it once she gets settled in. We had a wonderful time visiting her as well while we were home!!!

Anyhooo......we have begun the horrible process of packing and will be doing that for awhile. We're planning to drive allllllllll the way back home, just shy of 3000 miles!!!! We hope to leave here around the 15th and be home around the 20th.

Again, I would like to say to all my sweet Macon friends, that I would NOT have traded these past 2 years of friendships for anything! I'm a better person for meeting each of you....I will miss you all terribly.

Moving on....

Well, we have sold our house back in Oregon and I'm so excited about it, but I can't seem to stop crying about it tonight!!! I just keep thinking about how it was our home for 14 years, Jason and I moved in 2 days after we were married in June 1997 and some of the best moments of my life happen in those 4 walls. I'm not sure if other people feel this way when selling a house, or maybe I'm the only kook out there, but I brought both my babies home to that house, Lexi's precious little hand print is cemented in the backyard, our doggies ashes are spread there, and so many Christmases and birthdays were spent there. I love that house.

I know this is home now, but some days I just miss everything I knew there. I really do love it here and have made so many wonderful friends, but to me That will always be home.

On a brighter note, school has started once again and we are crazy busy here in the South. We had a nice long visit from mama this month and also got to see Jason's brother and sister in law and our nieces and nephew, that was pretty wonderful. We had not seen the kids for way too many years, since we lived on opposite coasts, now that we are closer hopefully we can make this a yearly event.

Lexi has started 7th grade and is busy with homework and softball every night. Lily is in 2nd grade and is loving every minute of it. Jason's been in town for quite awhile now, so we've been a family of 4 once again. I've been spending most of my time helping with the softball booster club and heading up our yearly fundraiser at school, I feel like I'm at school as much as the girls are, but I feel fortunate to have the time to devote there.

The weather has been so hot and humid, I am ready for Fall to arrive!!! Autumn is truly beautiful here with the leaves changing and it cooling down, you barely have to even wear a jacket, it actually feels a lot like summer in Oregon during that time. We have been lucky and even though Hurricane Issac has done some devastation in some places, Georgia seems to be safe.I am so thankful for that, weird weather and huge bugs are my least favorite experience here, but I'm getting more and more used to it.

I hope you all are doing well, we'd love to hear from you anytime.

Love and hugs,

The Ball Family

I miss this.....

I woke up this morning and kept wishing I was back home, the thing I kept thinking of was a sight I've seen probably everyday of my life since living in Oregon and really did I even appreciate it? Mt. Hood...I just missed driving down the road and looking out east and always seeing that beautiful sight that reminds me of home. I wish I would of appreciated it more when I was there and can't wait to see it soon, so hears a picture for everyone to enjoy.

I'm sure most of my Oregon friends don't even realize it's there half the time we're so used to it, but maybe we should all appreciate the little things. I sure wish I could see it right now.

Hope everyone is having a great summer, take the time to look around today and be grateful for what you have!!!

Holly

Florida Fun!!!!

Well last week was tons of fun, we took the girls to Florida and had a blast. We were able to visit Universal Studios and Islands of Adventure and it was wonderful. The girls loved it and so did Jason and I. It was rainy a few days, because Tropical Storm Debby was starting to arrive off the Gulf Coast, but we still made the best of it in are parkas and rain gear.

We stayed at the Hard Rock Hotel and that was really fun, just looking around at all the Rock Memorabilia was really cool, although I didn't see any Celine Dion items, but oh well!!!! One of the girls favorite spots for dinner was Bubba Gumps and the Hard Rock Cafe.

 We're almost there....Florida here we come!!!!

 We are cute!!!!

 Scary Jurassic Park......

 Dinner out, Lily is so darn cute!!!!

 One of my favorite stars, Lucy must be a distant relative?????

 Hat time....

 Happy Potter land, amazing!!!!

Lexi and Jason went on tons of roller coasters, while Lily and I stuck with Dr. Seuss Land and some more calm rides. Harry Potter and Jurassic Park were both amazing and completely life-size. All in all it was a great trip.