I thought it might be fun to start this blog with a sweet video of Malachi’s laughter. He was listening to one of his toy cars wind up and spin its wheels. He has been in such good spirits since we changed him medication back to the original one (more on that in a minute)!

The start of this week was a rough one for our little family as we continued to try to make the new stomach med work. As each day passed, he struggled more with the pain and discomfort due to stomach acid. He started having larger and more frequent seizures and just couldn’t get comfortable at night. He was waking up every 45 minutes to an hour, usually due to a seizure. It didn’t take more than 24 hours of that nonsense to push us to start the phone calls to insurance.

But I am very happy to report that on Wednesday we were able to make enough of a case with insurance and his GI doc that they have approved him for his old med for another year. That is GREAT news. Jake and I could see a difference in Malachi within 15 minutes of being back on his old med. He is back to sleeping a little better at night. Our current routine is that he will sleep a four hour stretch, stay up for 2 hours, then lay back down for another hour and a half. On days that I just can’t seem to function I then make him lay in the bed with me where sometimes he will close his eyes for another 45 minutes. I can typically function on anything over 6 hours but over 7 is a real treat!

 

We are continuing to work with Malachi on using key words to communicate, and have been really working on “up” when he wants to be picked up. He is doing so well! I caught it on video to share with you:

We have been continuing to give Malachi a small dose of hemp oil each day, and as I may have mentioned before, one of the biggest impacts we are seeing is in his hands. Prior to the oil, Malachi was always tight fisted and would tuck his thumbs in his fist. This was something his brain was telling his hand muscles to do, and as you can imagine after years of that his little hand muscles have grown accustomed to the position. But with the oil we are getting to see those sweet little chubby hands and I am obsessed with looking at them. This week as I caught myself becoming fascinated with them again I thought to myself that this was one of those “little things” that parents of typical kids take for granted. Who knew that one day I would be so excited to see the palm of my son’s hand!!

 

As I stared at that hand I found myself marveling about the greatness of our God and how intricately he designed each of us.

I heard a quote this week: “You can complain that the roses have thorns, or rejoice that the thorns have roses.” It was such a profound thought to me, and reminded me that perspective can change your attitude toward any situation. Our lives with consist of roses with plenty of thorns also in the mix. We can choose to focus on the things that bring us suffering, or we can focus on the beauty that can also be found in those moments. Look for the beauty. Focus on things worthy of praise, as the Bible calls us to do.

In other Carroll news, tomorrow our contractor will be digging out our future basement! This is a big step, and we can’t wait to see the visual that it will bring. Up to this point we have been dealing with appraisers, surveyors, lots and lots of permits and paperwork, and all kinds of boring and tedious steps. But now we are about to begin the visible changes and we are so pumped!

Jake and I are also looking forward to this week as it will wrap up our indoor soccer league at the church! While we love the league and the amount of money it brings in towards fundraising for youth to go to camp, it is very time consuming. Jake and I personally coordinate the schedules, ref each game, and each play on a team. The championship game will take place tomorrow evening and we will be able to mentally drop another thing from the list.

We are still coaching the boy’s soccer team this year, and the games will begin this week! So we are essentially trading one busy schedule for another but at least the two will no longer be running simultaneously. The last few Thursdays have had us running like madmen, coaching the boys from 3-5, then having a quick picnic dinner out of the car before the indoor league games began from 5:30-9. Those were some long nights!

Jake and I were laying in bed last Thursday talking about our crazy day and whether or not it was all worth it. As we pondered the question, I had a thought…in those 6 hours, Jake and I personally spoke to/interacted with over 100 people. While we may not have been able to legally talk on the soccer field about God, we were able to demonstrate God’s love through kindness towards each player. And before each of those indoor games, either Jake or myself was able to pray a blessing over the game and invite each person there to worship with us at church on Sunday.

As I mentioned this to Jake we were both able to come to the conclusion our exhaustion and weariness was absolutely worth it, as it allowed us to give of ourselves for God. Someone in church this morning said: “There are times in life that living for God will make you uncomfortable, as it requires us to give of ourselves to others. If we aren’t sometimes experiencing that discomfort, we might want to examine our selflessness.”

I want to challenge you to find a way to give of yourself this week. Volunteer at your church, spend time with a lonely person, call a relative who may just need to know someone is thinking about them. Think of  a family you know with young children and offer the babysit so the parents can have a date night.Find a way to get $20 anonymously in the hand of someone who truly needs it. Find a way to bless someone else. Those acts that sometimes bring about feelings of discomfort are the very things we should be reaching out and doing for others.

I thought I would end this entry with one more laughter video from our sweet boy…enjoy!

Much love and God bless,

Jake, Leah, and Malachi

Malachi has stayed sickness free for yet another week! We are so pleased with how well his immune system is functioning. This same time three years ago, Malachi was in the ICU battling pneumonia brought on by the flu. God has been so good to us!

This week we have tackled many enemies, losing some battles and winning others. Malachi has health insurance through Jake’s job and also qualified for state insurance as a secondary due to his low birth weight and gestation. I am sure you can imagine how expensive life with Malachi can get, and having a secondary insurance has been a blessing. Recently they have decided to re-evaluate everyone receiving state insurance and have given us some major hoops to jump through. We jumped through them, and they sent us some more. I spent a majority of my spare time this week working to fulfill all of their requests; we should find out soon if we will still be eligible to receive the secondary insurance.

Another battle we have been fighting and losing is in regards to Malachi’s reflux medication. Malachi has very severe GERD and his stomach produces incredible amounts of acid. In the course of his life we have unsuccessfully attempted to put him on 5 different medications to control the acid until we finally found one that did the trick! It slowly releases over the course of 24 hours and acts as a proton pump inhibitor which means it reduces the production of acid instead of simply treating it. Long term, we would love for him to not stay on this type of med as it can cause osteoporosis but for now we have to stick with what works.

Unfortunately this medication is very expensive. His insurance has decided that it is too expensive for them to continue covering and has required that we try less expensive medications before they will approve and pay for this one. So this week we started him on a different type of PPI, and it is not nearly as effective. Last night his tummy was so upset that he would only sleep 45 minutes to 1.5 hours at a time. We were up more than we were down throughout the night and I could literally smell the acid when he breathed. His seizures are also stomach related and discomfort tends to spark more of them.

Soap Box Rant: This whole concept frustrates me to no end. For some children it may be okay to change medications on a whim, but for a medically fragile child like Malachi this just seems like a cruel gesture. We pretty much have to allow him to be miserable and uncomfortable for a few weeks to “prove” to them he isn’t tolerating the new medication as well as the old. I wish so badly that when they make changes like these that they would be required to send a company rep to see what they are putting him through…he is just miserable.

We will give it a few more days and make sure it isn’t just a honeymoon period issue before we label it as a failure. Then the battle will re-kindle with me spending hours on the phone with doctors, nurses, and insurance trying to make a case to get Malachi the proper tummy relief that he needs. And the worst part is that next year at this time, his insurance will make the same demands and the cycle will begin yet again.

Alright- changing gears and steering clear from the negativity…

Tuesday was Valentine’s Day! Jake and I are not big holiday people, and February 14th is no exception haha. But the day does bring back some pretty fun memories; it was Valentine’s Day 14 years ago that I was supposed to go on a double date with a boy named Jake. My friend and I drove 30 minutes through the snow to a movie theater and waited in the lobby for our dates to arrive…and we waited…and waited. After waiting for over 30 minutes we were able to track them down via phone and found out that they were waiting on us in another movie theater across town. We laughed and decided that the date just wasn’t meant to happen that night and we would try again the following week. So February 14th marks our “almost first date” annivers

Malachi has cognitively been amazing! We are continuing to use the hemp oil with him and are seeing so many fun new things. His vision is improving and he has been so eager to try to look at things when we are out. Physically and verbally we are still continuing to see improvements as well. I had purposefully not mentioned the oil to his occupational therapist just to see if she would notice the changes, and this week at therapy she was RAVING about his open and relaxed hands. She was also thrilled with his eyesight improvements- he even tracked a few toys during his session which blew her away. I explained about the hemp oil and she was just astounded saying that he needed to be a poster child for it!

Lately Malachi has been getting bored, which is a wonderful improvement. It is so encouraging to see him so eagerly want to engage with his world. I do the best that I can, but can’t one on one interact with him at all times. We have been trying to figure out ways to get his toys within reach….we have even started hanging beads from cabinet handles so he has something to play with in the kitchens and bathrooms. He was playing so well this week with his alphabet wheel so I grabbed my phone to take a video for you:

I wish I could catch all of his verbal improvements on film to share with you. This week I started to prompt him to say “Up” in the mornings when he wants to get out of the bed (he usually ends up in the big bed with me before the sun rises). On the third day he said it clear as day all by himself. It was like music to my ears!

But the most exciting moment of the week happened around 6am yesterday morning when Malachi woke up in his crib and yelled “Daaaddddddd.” Jake and I both sat up and looked at each other, completely baffled and wonderfully surprised that he had spoken his wants so clearly and without prompting! And of course we always follow through when he asks for something so specific which meant Jake had to run in there and get him…which was absolutely fine with me after our extra long night together of battling reflux.

This boy sure does love his daddy.

Jake and I are doing a study on Wednesday nights with our youth group on the major and minor prophets. In the book of Micah, there is a reference to God hiding his face from the people immersed and comfortable in a sinful life. That phrase has continued to stick with me throughout the week.

In Numbers 6, God is talking to Moses and he tells him to instruct Aaron to bless the Israelites with this blessing (verses 24-26):

“The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”

I have been reflecting on our lives and how incredibly blessed we are- and how incredibly undeserving we are of those blessings. Jake and I are not above average Christians. We have spiritual highs as well as spiritual lows. There are times when the presence of God is felt almost every hour of my day and there are times when I feel a million miles away from where I need to be.

But when I look at our life, and particularly Malachi, I see a radiant glow that can only be a reflection from the face of God. God has chosen to turn his face towards the Carroll family. That alone is worthy of acknowledgement and praise. As the blessing above states, the Lord is blessing us, keeping us, shining his face on us, being gracious to us, turning his face towards us, and above all giving us peace.

The special thing about God is that He is continually seeking and desiring a relationship with us. Like we read in the parable of the lost sheep, he is willing and eager to pursue us…even when we stray from where we are supposed to be. He is seeking us out. It brings him joy to turn his face towards us, and allows us the opportunity to experience his perfect peace.

My prayer is that we all can find the ways in which God is engulfing us with the light from his glorious face. I pray that the warmth and comfort that a relationship with God can bring is something that we continue to crave and long for.

So with that being said…

May The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.

Much love,

Jake, Leah and Malachi

 

 

 

A few weeks back, Jake and I were discussing how wonderful this winter has been in regards to sickness. Malachi has managed to avoid all major illnesses! We spoke too soon as our area was hit this week with what seemed like an epidemic of flu, strep throat, and a nasty stomach bug.

In fact, it was so bad that the area schools closed down. Jake’s school closed from Tuesday through Friday! Our fear of catching any bugs kept us on lockdown most of the week, only going out for random errands or necessities. I cancelled all of Malachi’s medical appointments and therapies, except for his horseback lesson on Monday. Quite the quiet week for the Carrolls.

Thursday we got up early and embarked on a big adventure! Last week I mentioned a special story I wanted to share with you…

A few years ago a nurse in Ohio contacted me about a little boy named Karter. When Karter was still a baby, they discovered he had brain cancer. At nine months old he had a surgery to remove a tumor and he suffered three strokes during the surgery. His nurse at the time had seen a picture of Malachi in his horse bouncer and thought it might be something Karter would enjoy. We chatted a bit and she got me into contact with Karter’s mother, Roxanne. While our stories are very different, we shared a bond in loving an extra special superhero in our lives.

Karter fought so hard, and so did his family. My heart broke about six months ago when I read that Karter went to be with Jesus. It is such a mix of emotions because my heart was overjoyed for Karter to be free from pain and to be in paradise, but my heart also ached for his mom, dad, and older sister who had to deal with so much emotional turmoil.

There is a second part of this story worth noting as well…This past November I was contacted by a family in Ohio who had also lost a nephew shortly after his birth. This family said that every year since his passing they gave financial gift to a family in honor of baby Samuel. We were so honored to be the recipients of Samuel’s gift, and I promised her that it would be used for something special for Malachi.

So now time to connect all these dots…

Three weeks ago, Karter’s mother started to post his medical equipment on a few Facebook sites. As I saw these posts, my heart beamed with admiration for her, as this step must not have been an easy one. I clicked on one of the listings, which happened to be a medical stroller. As I looked at the photo and read the specs I couldn’t help but get excited…it just seemed perfect for Malachi. I started doing some research on the stroller and the more I read the more I realized that this would be a wonderful secondary wheelchair for Malachi. It is built for more rugged terrains, which we find ourselves dealing with more often in our rural county.

Insurance is a tricky thing with a medically complex child. They are very strict on what they will help pay for, and it is standard for them to only pay for one wheelchair every three to five years. We debated about ordering him a wheelchair stroller but decided against it and ordered a standard wheelchair. There is a secondary market for wheelchair strollers so I just figured when the time was right we would start looking for a used one.

The price alone for Karter’s wheelchair  is worth noting…$500… the exact amount that had been given to us in honor of baby Samuel. And this particular stroller costs $6,000 new, so Karter’s mom was being very generous.I contacted her and we coordinated to purchase the stroller. My dad was able to meet up with her in Ohio and just  so happened to be traveling to Gatlinburg this past week. So on Thursday morning we met him in Knoxville and picked up Karter’s wheelchair stroller for Malachi.

I was so eager to get Malachi in it and fitted, so the second we got home we plopped him in. It was an almost PERFECT fit. And Malachi absolutely loves it. It has the option to face towards the driver or out like a regular stroller, and he was so tickled that he could see our faces and be wheeled around. He giggled and giggled when we pushed him fast down the hallway.

Malachi is one crafty little stinker and figured out that he could fling his head awfully far to the side in his new chair. We always have to order the most supportive headrest offered, and this was no exception. If we were to order the new headrest, it would cost $270, which is absolutely ridiculous. So Jake and I went to the local hardware store and got creative. We were able to use conduit and fashion supports on either side of the head rest. Then I used my very limited sewing skills to modify a neck rest to create a cover that would be soft to lean on.

I sent photos of Malachi in his new ride to Karter’s mother. This was her reply:

“I’m just overjoyed. I can’t help but wish that was Karter giving us that big smile in his stroller but seeing Malachi in it makes my heart smile I’m so glad.”

It is simply amazing to me how three strong and amazing little boys…children who have faced things with bravery that no one should have to face…are touching so many lives. So in honor of baby Samuel and Superman Karter, we thank you for bringing such a beneficial piece of equipment into our home.

One more interesting fact for you…special needs mommas with multiple children have been trying to find ways to safely attach baby seats to wheelchairs. Easier said than done, but THIS EXACT stroller is one that they have successfully modified and put a step by step guide online with instructions. So when Jake and I decide to expand our family, I will be able to push both children using this one stroller. Amazingly comforting for me to think about, as the idea of having a Malachi and a baby is completely overwhelming sometimes.

There is an online organization called I Run For Michael in which runners are paired with a child with disabilities (called “buddies”). Here is a statement from their website:

I Run 4 Michael is a non-profit organization founded in January 2013 by Tim Boyle, who was inspired to run for more than health and weight-loss by a viral meme saying, “I run because I can. When I get tired, I remember those who can’t run, what they would give to have this simple gift I take for granted, and I run harder for them.” When Tim shared the meme, Michael, a 50-something man with Down Syndrome, replied, “You can run for me any time!”

Launched as a private group of 10 runners and buddies with special needs (20 total) who shared workouts and health updates in a private setting, IR4 rapidly grew to over 22,000 members and nearly 7,000 matches, with 3,500 athletes waiting, within 18 months.

There are lots of runners on the current waiting list, and a severe need for buddies. A few months ago I decided to sign Malachi up and we were paired with a wonderful runner named Ashley. We are close to the same age, and she has two beautiful daughters of her own. She has been consistently running for Malachi and her personal goal this year is to run 500 miles for Malachi.

Runners aren’t required to send gifts, but rather it is meant to foster new friendships. Ashley being the sweet runner that she is sent Malachi a package for his birthday with lots of stuffed toys and even a medal from her last race!

She knows him well, as she sent him this badger stuffed animal that makes a toot noise! He loves it!!

So I guess we can sum up this week as one filled with tender moments and generosity from others. It never ceases to amaze me when I look at all the wonderful people God has brought into our lives because of our sweet Malachi. We live a complicated and stressful life, and having support from family, friends, and even strangers helps keep us going.

I am having a hard time this evening clearing my mind and coming up with a devotional thought to share. It isn’t that I am drawing a blank, but rather I am overwhelmed with thought bubbles, all going different directions. So here is a final thought for tonight’s entry-

Are you allowing God to help you triumph over tragedy? Are you able to take the darkest moments of your life and turn them into the light on a hill that God calls us to be? Tragedy can take us to our knees and leave us gasping for breath. Sadness can allow darkness in, and that darkness can be hard to shake. But with the power of Christ we can rise from the ashes and turn our mourning into dancing.

Our lives have been touched this week by others who have successfully done just that. And the example it has set for Jake and I is a wonderful reminder that the love of God shines through even the darkest moments….you just have to shift your focus from the shadows to the light find it.

God Bless,

Jake, Leah, and Malachi

It is official…our little miracle Malachi is four years old! 

We wanted to take Malachi on a birthday adventure so we stared with lunch at O’Charleys. He loves the taste of their potato soup, so we got the birthday boy a bowl of his own! Then we headed to my brother’s house for cake and presents with the cousins. Malachi has three cousins that all share a birthday week with him, so we cram as many names as we can on a cake and sing an extra long “happy birthday” song for the crew.

The birthday adventure continued with a trip to the bowling alley.

Malachi really enjoyed his special day this year and seemed to understand that there was something unique going on. He is such a big boy these days, and seeing him start to understand things is such a breath of fresh air.

I handled the actual birthday oddly well, but did have a mini-break down the day before. I very rarely allow myself to think back to those dark days but made an exception this week. I thought about all the emotions from that day- feelings I can’t even put into words. A mixture of grief in its most severe form and sheer helplessness. The desire to see my son, but the fear of the unknown crippling me. It really does feel like a horribly bad dream.

Malachi and I spent a lot of time cuddling this week as mommy shed silent tears. Some of the tears had a bit of heartbreak in them as I watch him struggle so much, but most of the tears were riddled with joy that I have had the chance to know this sweet little boy. He must have sensed my swinging emotions and was extra cuddly this week, relishing all the big hugs and kisses I couldn’t seem to stop giving him.

Every birthday I try to write something out to help me process my feelings, so I will share with you this years entry:

It was 4 minutes past midnight when 1 pound, 12 ounce Malachi was born. I would love to be able to describe my emotions and paint a beautiful picture for you, but our story began differently. I missed my own son’s birth. I am told it was anything but calm and quiet in that cold room as they fought to bring a dead Malachi back to life and fought to keep a living Leah from dying.

Today is Malachi’s 4th birthday. Most mornings he ends up in the bed with me as I try to get his little brain to relax enough to fall asleep again. His body and brain need the break, but his brain waves just don’t allow it. This morning it was clear I was fighting a losing battle as he giggled and continued to find my face with his warm toddler hand. I whispered “I love you” to him and watched him process the words and muster up enough strength to repeat “I”. I guided him to say the next word, and after thirty seconds of trying he whispered a sweet “love”. This morning I never got that final word. I prompted him to say “you” but the strain proved too much for his little brain and he went into yet another seizure. There is nothing natural about a seizure, and even though I have witnessed thousands it still makes me queasy to see his body do such unnatural things. And the only thing I can do is climb into the storm with him and assure him he is okay and safe until it passes.

4 years ago I woke up from what seemed like a horrible nightmare and looked into my husband’s face, verifying that those dreams were in fact reality. My first words as a mother were: “Is he alive?” and Jake could only nod slowly with his head, forcing a smile but his eyes telling me more. Details were kept from me, but the next day there just happened to be a moment when Jake stepped out of the room and a nurse came in. Seeing the opportunity, I asked her “How is my son?”. She shook her head and said “It doesn’t look good” and then shuffled out of the room. My first day as a mother was spent preparing my heart for losing my son…someone I so severely loved but thought I would never get the chance to meet on this side of heaven.

But he lived. And boy, does he live.

This may sound odd to you, but in our family we mentally have a difficult time celebrating the day Malachi was born. Instead we find ourselves quietly celebrating the milestones. Celebrating 3 days old when I was able to meet him for the first time. I couldn’t touch him, but I could look at him, and that was monumental. We celebrate 3 weeks old when we were finally permitted to hold him. It took three nurses and a member of the respiratory team to monitor the ventilator gear, but what a special day it was. We celebrate that special day we carried him out of the hospital for the first time, a 6 pound 4 month old.

The truth is, we find ourselves celebrating every day we have with our Malachi. As I type this I am listening to my little four year old giggle at the roaring dinosaur on Bubble Guppies and I can’t help but realize how blessed I am. This year he has learned how to hug by squeezing his little forearms around me as tight as he can. It may not look like a hug to you, but I know his sweet gentle heart and recognize the effort he is putting in just to make that coordinated motion happen. He gives kisses more freely than anyone one earth. He is a Christ-like example of unconditional love, and while he can hold a grudge, his heart won’t allow it to last for more than a few minutes. He forgives my faults…daily. My anger when his body doesn’t cooperate, or when the seizures don’t stop coming. He is patient, kind, keeps no record of wrong; he always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. He is a wonderful example of love.

Philippians 4:8 tells us: “Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything is worthy of praise, dwell on these things.”

Each and every day I have to make the conscious decision to dwell on things worthy of praise. The temptation is great to focus on the challenges of our life. To focus on the fact that Malachi may never walk. That he may always be in diapers. That the surgeries and medical issues will never stop. And my mind is naturally drawn to these thoughts on a daily basis. But we are called to focus on praiseworthy things, so for each negative thought we must find a positive. We must choose to dwell on things worthy of praise.

Malachi lived- despite the odds against him. And what a silly four year old he is. I believe that God created Malachi just the way he is, not just for me but for others. Through him we get to see a glimpse of the character of Christ. And through his story we see the hand of God in ALL situations, both the good and the bad. There isn’t a day that goes by that Jake and I can’t feel the presence of God over our family. We are blessed more than we deserve.

So today we say Happy 4th Birthday, Malachi! But I hope you know that each and every day you are celebrated for the unique blessing that you are.

Now time for some other weekly updates. Malachi has had a hard week in regards to seizure control. In December Jake and I decided to change Malachi’s diet a bit and try to get him on a less sugary drink. We made the change to almond milk and loved the changes we saw in his intestinal comfort. He has more of an appetite and consumes much more food than before, even taking “bite-bites” by mouth. He stopped throwing up and his seizures that were sparked by gut issues seemed to slow down dramatically.

We have noticed over the last few weeks that Malachi has been losing a significant amount of weight. We want to be cautious to not fall too far from the growth charts, since he technically still has a failure to thrive diagnosis. This week I decided to try to re-introduce one nutritional soy shake a day but the same day I introduced it he stayed awake most of the night with trapped gas. We gave it one more day and again the nighttime issues happened and we saw an increase in seizures. We stopped the soy shake, but his seizure activity hasn’t normalized quite yet.

Our lives have picked up dramatically as Jake and I have simultaneously taken on two short term things: the indoor soccer program we run at our church and starting a high school boys soccer team at the high school. Between both of these programs we are also still youth directors at the church, leading Bible studies Sundays and Mondays in addition to planning events for the kids. Our weeks are now jam packed when you add in Malachi’s appointments.

Often times people question why we take on so many things, and for us it comes down to a personal calling to invest in as many lives as possible while we are here on this earth. God did not place us here to be selfish with our time and energy, but instead we should live a life that focuses on building relationships and reaching out to others. Even in situations where we can directly talk about God (like the high school coaching) we can be an example of someone different…someone who is reflecting the light of something powerful.

Yes, life is crazy. But God always seems to give us the energy to get through.

In unrelated news, we broke ground on the property this week! This is such a big step in the right direction, and Jake and I have been driving by there daily to gawk at the progress. 

For Malachi’s birthday, we decided to purchase some much needed items for him. One such need was “big boy” bibs to catch his drool. He has been soaking through his shirts within an hour of putting them on so we needed to find some solution. After talking with some other special needs moms we settled on a brand called Sweedie Kids and I am in love! We didn’t want something that looked like a baby bib, as we already constantly have to fight the battle of people seeing him as a little baby. These seem to be the perfect solution!

We also purchased Malachi something big, but I think I will wait until next week to share that one with you. It is currently on its way from Ohio and we will go to pick it up next week. It has a pretty awesome back-story that I can’t wait to share with you.

So all-in-all, another great week! Malachi has stayed healthy despite some rampant sickness hitting our area. Hopefully our sickness free streak will continue well into the spring. Thank you for taking the time to check in on our little four-year-old. What an awesome little man he is!

God bless,

Jake, Leah, and Malachi