Date time

who knew that we would have to do more planning to get a date night than our wedding? 

We enjoyed time stand up paddle boarding for our latest adventure. 

Welcome home: part 1

Little did we know that our trip to the airport was going to be our official homecoming instead of R&R. I'm glad that the kids talked me into letting them get dressed up for the occasion.

These are the pictures from my phone with more to come from our good camera.

Ben's view: Bell's palsy 2

Another update for those that have been asking.....

Ben is doing better. His speech is less slurred, he has a little movement in his face, and he can slightly close his eye. He is on his second round of steroids and anti-virals. The lymes test was negative. So no antibiotics at this time. He has referrals to an ENT & an audiologist upon arrival back to California.

He still has hearing sensitivity to loud noises.

Mostly the physician was hopeful with the improvements that he has made so far.  

We appreciate all the messages, love, and prayers. I will try to update again as he progresses!

Ben's view: Bell's Palsy

I've put off writing this post for several reasons.....

1. Ben's not quite the shareholic that I am on social media.

2. We weren't sure what this would mean for his return to Afghanistan.

A week ago today, we went out on a double date with Ben's little brother, Daniel, and his wife. During our date, Ben began to complain of his lips and right cheek feeling "numb." I immediately thought he might be allergic to something but we finished our date with no other problems besides the "numbness." 

We got up on Sunday morning and Ben asked me if his eye looked funny. His right eye was indeed swollen and bulging a bit. We were then speculating on a bite of some kind. Ben began to have difficulty eating and drinking on the right side of his mouth. We went to church. By the end of church, Ben had a significant right side facial droop, slurring of his speech, right sided hearing sensitivity, and his right eye would not close at all.

We traveled to the ER at this time. I was concerned it was either a stroke or Bell's palsy.

Thankfully, it was Bell's palsy and we had family in town. Ben's mom and aunt took the kids home so I could be there with him. Daniel and Tina stayed there at the hospital with us. A huge thank-you to the Perry family who also stopped to see if I needed them to take the kiddos.

They immediately diagnosed him with Bell's Palsy. On visits to the doctor after the ER, they ran a blood test to check for Lymes Disease. (Sometimes thought to be a cause of Bell's palsy.)

What is Bell's palsy? Well it's a virus that is not uncommon but there is no known cause for it. 

It is the paralysis of (usually one side) the cranial nerve that controls the face. It typically resolves 3 weeks to a few months after the initial onset.

The ER doc suggested stress may have played a factor but again we have no idea what brought it on. That brings us to a week out from his initial symptoms.

Ben has been treated with prednisone (a steroid) which is the only medicine that has proven to help with symptom improvement. He is also on anti-virals which are standardly given but have not been proven to provide any relief. (Better safe than sorry!!) 

The biggest treatment right now has been his eye drops and a thick gel that he uses at night. His eye will not close on it's own. He has to manually close it or tape it down. Obviously he is being extremely careful with it so he doesn't damage his eye/eyesight. The eye doesn't bulge as much but still will not close. It is light sensitive and obviously irritated from the inability to blink and rehydrate on it's own.

It is hard sometimes to understand exactly what Ben is saying but hopefully that will improve as well!

It appears that Ben will not be returning to Afghanistan. It is hard to be excited to have him home for good under the circumstances but I am beyond grateful that he was here in the US when it happened and for the medical care he has received so far.

We appreciate your prayers for continued healing and I will try to update as he progresses.

So grateful for this man. Even though he is uncomfortable and obviously has some eating/drinking deficits, he has kept his sense of humor through it all. I am sure at some point it will make sense why this happened but for now I am glad that he can laugh despite the circumstances.

Ben's view

Ben's view

This is the sand storm that Ben experienced the other night. He had just swept out their office spaces so I'm sure it was a bummer to have his hard work undone.

Ben's view

Ben's growth group.

They are currently working through our sermon series "surviving the storm" from our new home church North Coast in Vista, California.

Ben's view

I love seeing Ben's everyday life. It's helpful for me to see the sights he sees and the faces of people he works closely with on a daily basis. I can't wait to hear all of his experiences when he gets home!!

Ben's view

Dust storm

Ben's view

While I hate that Ben is away from us, I love that he is getting such an awesome experience both career wise and personally.

I think it is fun to learn different things about the Afghan culture. Like did you know that they are very fond of flowers? They have them in their offices, cars, homes (I'm assuming), and they even like to get their picture taken with them! This deployment has been fascinating for the both of us and so very different than Ben's time spent in the air while in Iraq.

Ben's view....

One of our friends from NC and now out here in CA snapped this picture of Ben. So good to see him smiling and doing something he loves to do!!

Ben's view....

Proud of their hard work

A picture a day.....

Big sister doing what she does best

Whatcha looking at?!!

This tiny hurricane sure is cute when she sleeps

Those lashes!!

The kids have started to take gymnastics!

Uncle Daniel and Isaac snuggling Kenzie 

The littles

Celebrating 3 months down of the deployment!

2 months old.....

So on Saturday Kenzie was 8 weeks old, tomorrow she will officially be 2 months old. I know that kind of math drives people crazy trying to figure out what you're talking about!! Let's just call it what it is....2 months give or take! She is doing great...just waiting to meet daddy!!

A view of Ben.....

Office work for my hard working husband

Ben's view

Ben is enjoying his time working with different troops!

A picture a day....

A nap with the birthday girl!

She is such a character just like daddy!

Her birthday dress. Thanks to my SIL for watching the girls so I could sew it!

A nap with the baby girl

She loves to hold "my baby Kenzie"

Sibling love at it's finest

I think she misses her nap nanny

Mowhawk obsessed

Minnie Mouse fanatic

Wide awake and enjoying the fact that she's 6 weeks old!

Bubby loves his baby sisters

Starting to plant again....any bets on how long it will take for me to kill them?

Must be a bad dream!

See the boo boo on my forehead?!? Just one of the many that big sis and bro gave me this week.

Not napping....not gonna do it

Relaxing

Uncle Daniel surprised us!!