Ayla's Arthritis Journey Video and Arthritis walk Information

Please watch Ayla's Journey with Juvenile Arthritis and then take a moment to either register for the walk or contribute a donation! Please help us find a cure for this disease!

I am so excited to announce that the First Annual Arthritis 5k walk/run will be on September 10th at 10 am this year! I encourage all of you to go here and show your support by either registering to walk or by making a donation. If you are from this area and do not have a team please feel free to walk with Ayla's team, "The A Team". It costs nothing to register, the race is donation only. If you raise $100 you will get a free t-shirt. There will also be different awards given out throughout the day, every person that is registered will have a chance to win!

This is so important to me and I am working hard to make sure that this will be a successful walk! I know September is still several months away BUT it is very important that we start forming teams and getting donations now. If anyone has a business and would like to be a sponsor of the walk, let me know, I would be happy to meet with you. I would like to offer your business a unique sponsorship opportunity to reach new audiences, build consumer loyalty and be part of the Arthritis Foundation Tradition. The Arthritis Walk provides visibility among affluent consumers and the prestige of affiliation with a recognized national organization. Additionally, sponsorship is a great advantage to enhance employee morale, consumer satisfaction, and a community presence! The Arthritis walk is the Arthritis Foundation's annual nationwide signature event that raises funds and awareness to fight arthritis, the nation's most common cause of disability!

Ayla's Rheumatology appointment and EXCITING NEWS!

Ok, wow, I realize that it has been too long in between posts but this Winter has really been bad for us. With the exception of the last two weeks, someone in our family has been sick (including myself) for the past 8 weeks! We have had the flu, croup, respiratory infections, strep throat, stomach virus... you name it and someone in my house has had it. I am so ready for the warm weather to get here, it can't come soon enough :)



Ayla had her Rheumatology appointment a few weeks ago. She was actually excited to go so she could give Dr. Huggins a Valentine treat! Ayla made her a card and took her candy. She really likes Dr. Huggins and has always felt comfortable with her. We are so blessed to have such a great provider for her. I honestly can not say enough for Cincinnati Children's Hospital, it is a WONDER facility and I am so thankful for the care that we receive there! I just wish it were not almost 4 hours away :( it makes for a long day that's for sure!




Ayla's appointment went well. She is still doing well and her labs look great so we decided to start decreasing her Methotrexate. If all goes as planned, she should be off of it by August when she starts Pre-School! She is and will still be on Enbrel for at least another year, she still complains of neck pain occasionally, but at least we are headed in the right direction!


So for the exciting news, this Month marks the third year since Ayla was diagnosed. One of the first things I did when she was diagnosed was check into seeing if our area had a local Arthritis Walk. I was so eager to advocate and raise awareness for this disease, most people do not know that Kids can get Arthritis too! I was upset to learn that my state did NOT have a walk nor did we have a local Arthritis Chapter. I called the nearest chapter and discussed starting a walk with the person who is over the walks. She encouraged me to try and get a committee together and to actually start one in my area. I was excited about this opportunity but was let down pretty quickly. I could not get enough people interested and it was such an overwhelming task for me because Ayla was not yet in remission and less than two years old and Brennan was only a few months old. I decided that I would have to wait until there was a better time.

(This is Ayla on the day of diagnoses, three years ago, so precious!)



So out of the blue a couple of weeks ago I get an email from a local young lady wanting to know if I was interested in helping her with getting an Arthritis Walk together. What? Really? I was so excited and what an answer to prayer. I have wanted this for three years now! Her niece was diagnosed with arthritis two years ago at age three so this is very close to her heart as well. So we had our first committee meeting last week and we are having our FIRST ARTHRITIS WALK/RUN on September 10th, 2011! This is a HUGE task but one I am ready and willing to take on. Our main focus at this point is getting sponsors and raising money. I know a few of my fellow JRA moms have experience in this area so PLEASE I am willing to listen to any advice that you can give me! Erica, you out there..lol!!! I am just so excited for the opportunity to raise money and awareness for the Arthritis Foundation!

These next few months will be so busy but SO worth it! Let the advice begin!!!

It's A New Year

I hope everyone had an amazing Christmas! I love Christmas and this year was no exception. The kids had a blast baking cookies, singing Christmas songs, decorating the tree, seeing Santa and of course opening their gifts! We were able to help two families have a Christmas this year and for that I am so grateful :) At times, we didn't know if we would have the extra money to do it but God is GOOD and HE always provides!





I always talk to the kids about the real meaning of Christmas and how it is much better to give than to receive. They are three and four so I know that they do not completely understand yet BUT they will one day. Okay a funny story. As I was putting out our Nativity Scene, I was explaining about baby Jesus, how he was born in a manger, how Christmas is his birthday, etc. After I was done Ayla looked at me and said, "so they waved the magic wand and Jesus was born", so that is what she got from the story. Her magic wand for some reason always seem to end up in our conversations. I guess I will try again next year, lol!




The few days before Christmas were busy as usual! We celebrated Christmas with our good friends and neighbors on Wednesday, on Thursday Kaleb had his friends over and they exchanged gifts, on Christmas Eve John's parents and Grandmother came over and on Christmas Day, we celebrated with my family. The kids were completely exhausted by Christmas and they were not interested in letting me take too many pictures, they were completely over it at that point! So here are a few pictures of our Holidays! I am looking forward to what 2011 will bring, hoping and praying that all of you have the best year EVER!









Happy New Year to everyone, I am expecting nothing but the BEST in 2011!!