December 2009

Here are some pictures from Christmas time and then there will be updates on everyone to follow. (Many have been asking about Mom, so that is where you can find that out.)

Freeby and me in the snow. We forget to take pics of just us sometimes, so I love this one.
Freeby, Cason, and CoCo making a snowman.

Cole, Jake, Sydney, Cason, and Braden on Christmas Eve.

I got decorations for my house! I cannot wait until it is finished so I can actually decorate.

The boys in their new playhouse.

The boys wanted to take a ride in the snow. It was cold, but they still had a blast.

Cason, stepping on the gas!

Santa brought the boys cars for Christmas. They love driving them. We are so blessed.

Aunt Tay Tay and Uncle Ty gave them a weed eater that Cason was so excited about. He wanted the goggles and wouldn't take them off. He was so funny. I was crying because I was laughing so hard.

Braden looks so cute in the goggles too! Thanks Taylor and Tyrel! These are gifts that keep on giving. Hilarious!

Ok, Updates...

Freeby family: We are all doing really well. We love living here with Sweets and Ha Ha but, we are excited about our house. We cannot wait to have it finished and get to move in. We are guessing it is going to be ready in late February or early March. Cason has really enjoyed watching the process. We drive by it most days and we talk about what is being done. He will later explain to me what they are doing on the house that day. So cute.

Freeby is still enjoying his job and we thank God every day for where he works and the people there. I am at home with the boys every day and love every minute of it. Cason keeps us all on our toes and keeps us laughing all the time. Braden is learning and growing so fast. He has just started saying bye bye and waving. Melt my heart. His feeding is going great! He is eating so much better now and we just have a few more things to learn and then feeding therapy will come to an end. That has been a long process but we feel God has blessed it all along the way. Overall, the Freeby's are doing great. I do have to admit though, that I am thankful to see 2009 behind us.

Mom and Dad (Sweets and HaHa): Many of you ask me how Mom is doing so here goes...Mom is doing really well. She is working full time now which is very hard on her but, she does extremely well. There are days when she is really tired but, most days she does great. She goes in soon to meet with her next surgeon to figure out the schedule of her next surgery. We will know more on that later. She also meets with a dermatologist this month to remove some skin cancer that they found recently. I have not really said anything about this due to it being minimal compared to what else has gone on but, to be honest, I am kind of in denial about it due to the simple fact that even the smallest things overwhelm me at the moment. The doctor does not seem too worried by it. We will know more after they take it out so, I will let you know what we find on that too. We actually thought Dad had it to on that same day but, thankfully, his came back normal. Dad is doing well. He sure loves God and people. He works so hard everyday. We are so proud of what he does and the life he lives.

Tyrel and Taylor: Tyrel is still deployed. Right now, we are hoping he gets to come home mid-February. This could change, as it often does, but we are praying that he comes home quickly! Taylor is hanging in there. We were so thankful that she got to come home for Christmas and she will come home again for our cousin's wedding in about a week. She is so tired of being alone, which I cannot blame her. That is no fun at all. She continues to work as much as possible, though keep her busy. We talk to her multiple times a day and try to keep her company the best we can.

Thanksgiving Day 2009

Happy Birthday Braden!

I know I am a day late, but I wanted to post a Happy Birthday to my precious baby boy! This boy is a true blessing to our family and I thank God for him everyday! Happy Birthday Baby B!

Port Aransas, November 2009

Here are some of my favorite pictures from our Freeby family vacation last week. I had so many pictures to choose from but, this should give a pretty good representation of how much fun we had. Cody and Taryn got engaged...Cason and Braden loved going to the beach, playing in the sand, riding on boats, watching dolphins, going to the aquarium...Clark, Cody and Freeby went tuna fishing twice...and Peggy and I got to spend 10 days with Cason and Braden which kept us busy but, was so much fun.

October 2009 Pics

Dad and Cason carved their first pumpkin together. These pics are in backwards order, sorry. Cason named his jackolantern Punkin Punkin Punkin. What fun fun fun!

Ha Ha and Braden!

Cason and Sweets enjoying relighting the pumpkin that Dad and Cason carved together.

Cason loved blowing out the candle on the inside.

Cason getting a peek of the eyes being cut out of the pumpkin.

Dad and Cason carving their first pumpkin together.

Cason jumping off the haystack at the pumpkin patch.
Cason jumping with buddy, John.

All the boys climbing on the haystack together.

John and Cason jumping again.

Braden looking sweet in the hay.

John and Cason counting down to the next jump.

Braden playing in all the pumpkins.

Cason posing at the wooden house.

Cason and friend Kailey at the pumpkin house. Such sweet friends. Kailey has that pose down.

One Bite at a Time

I am so excited! Yesterday was yet another feeding therapy appointment. I have to be honest and say, that we go so often it becomes hard to see progress between visits. Yesterday, however, was a different story. We went in and Ms. Sarah started with the usual mouth exercises, which Braden hates, and then she moved to actual eating practice. This is our routine and I have gotten very used to Braden's reactions and the distractions that Ms. Sarah uses to try to get him to chew and swallow. During our visit, though, Braden did something that I used to take for granted. We have been working with tiny apple pieces for weeks now. Ms. Sarah gave Braden an apple piece and he chewed and chewed it, like always. Then...instead of spitting it out, he did what we have been praying for all along...he gathered the apple together in his mouth and swallowed it! I know to most this does not sound like a big deal but, to us, it is HUGE!!! He is getting it!! I was such a proud momma. Ms. Sarah could not contain herself either. This is a milestone in his therapy plan. He chewed and swallowed four apple pieces. I seriously almost teared up right there in the room. Ms. Sarah was so proud of Braden that she told everyone she saw on our way out. All the other therapists cheered and wowed at Braden's success. I am not sure I have said this yet, but I am so proud!! What we are doing is working. We still have a long way to go but we are getting there quicker that I had expected. God is so good! He has given us such wonderful people with perfect knowledge to help us through this trial in our life. Braden is such a quick learner.
On a side note, it is awesome to look back and see how God has gone before us and has prepared the way for us. My youth interns Kendra and Jennifer are both speech therapists. Jennifer was Ms. Sarah's professor who helped to make her who she is as a therapist (the best, if I do say so myself) and Kendra who works with Ms. Sarah now. I love how God weaves our lives together and blesses us even when there are hurdles to get over.
Anyway, I am so thankful for our sweet Braden who is such an eager learner and I could not be more proud and thankful for his amazing progress this week. Please keep praying that he continues this progress and that eating becomes second nature to him.

10 Months Old Today

I cannot believe it has already been 10 months since this sweet baby came into our lives. I have loved every minute of it. Braden is such a good baby. He is so happy and loves to play. He is already walking, which he started at 9 months. He can get anywhere he wants to. His favorite spot right now is up on Cason's bed. This is not my favorite place to find him in the house but, he loves it. He squeals with delight when you walk in and find him up there. He knows he is not supposed to, which I guess is what makes it so much fun. We pray everyday for this precious life God has given to us.

We love you more than words can express, Baby Braden!

Braden at Feeding Therapy Today

Today was not Braden's favorite day at therapy but, his is still making progress. We have so much to be thankful for. Sara is so sweet with him. We say a prayer of thanksgiving for her everyday.

Braden and Sara working on some mouth exercises.
Trying to distract him so some work could be done.

Braden playing in the waiting room.

So Much to be Thankful For

I cannot even begin to put into words how much peace I feel right now. I just got home after taking Braden to his second feeding therapy session. We have been working at home but, I was not sure how to judge his progress. I felt like he was getting better but, didn't know what was normal. After meeting with Sara this morning I now know that Braden is making progress faster than she ever expected. She was so pleased with what she saw in him. God is so good!!! This is such a relief and I am oh, so thankful. Braden still has a ways to go but, this progress is so encouraging.
On a little side note...Freeby and I have decided to build a house right by Mom and Dad. Keep that in your prayers and I will update on this as it unfolds. We have to make sure this house sells first before too much is done on the other house.

August and September

We have had an eventful summer but I have neglected to post any pictures. Here are some highlights from the past few weeks.

Cason and Braden got a new John Deere truck.
They rode all over the yard at the lake house.

Dad teaching Cason how to drive it. The lake was a great place for him to practice.

Braden loves to "drive" too!

What a sweet boy!

We went to Jump Zone with some great friends and Cason loved sliding down the big slide.

Braden loved playing in the Sesame Street jump house. So fun!

Cason enjoying a Popsicle in the backyard when the weather was HOT!

Braden loves being outside. He doesn't care how hot it is.