TAMMY!!!

My co-worker, Anne Melville, went to visit her granddaughters in Hermiston last week,. The kids had this sidewalk chalk with 3D glasses. It really looks 3D! So I thought I would make sure you know about it! The kids had a great time with it! They got it at Walmart.

Isaiah Buck and the girls

The girls, Leanna, Joella and Ashley got to go see Isaiah Saturday. They had a great time with him, many laughs and hugs. Ashley said he was like the old Isaiah with his humor and sarcasm (fun sarcasm). He seemed tired a lot, but they really had much fun! He should be hom June 20th so the Bucks are busy remodeling their house to prepare. Isaiah does walk, but his balance is sometimes off. Pray that he eats better so they can take out his feeding tube. He is eating pudding and mashed tators. His throat needs some healing. He is truly a walking miracle. He regained his emotions so has had some tears and much laughter. God is good.
Wake Up Jane (Ashley, Leanna, Joella and Elliot) played for the Wallowa county Talent Show yesterday. They are just so cool!

Ahhh......coffee, coffee, coffee.......how do I love thee? Let me count the ways. Lets see.....with caramel or hazelnut flavoring is always good, sugar free, fat free, with one of those nice little coffee beans on top of the cup. Yes, that is the best way. I admit it. My name is Jackie and I am a coffee-a-holic. I drink at least one pot a day and Tuesdays and Thursdays are especially special because my friend Marty delivers to my office a very special latte every week. So I am totally overdosed on those days. There is always a pot of coffee in the office. This last time I broke down and bought Duncan Donuts ground up coffee. It is really good and I resent having to go back to cheap coffee. But it is just coffee after all. At least with the cheap stuff I can add flavored creamer to satisfy. mmmmm..I love coffee. I think it must be a Mallon trait.
Good news came last night at a school meeting that Isaiah is suppose to be home by mid June. Tammy: one of the teachers here, Mrs. Vernum, plays in an orchestra and was in Hermiston doing a concert. She was visiting with other orchestra members. Some of the Hermiston orchestra told her their church had been praying for Isaiah! I wondered if it was someone from your church.
I really don't even have anything to say today. Just felt like babbling. Probably because I am alone at work and have no one to talk to.

The Ball

I know when you read this you are going to think "Jackie, what were you
thinking!" That is the whole problem! I wasn't thinking!!!

Tonight is Ashley's school ball. At 6:30. Today I remembered the following
things:
1. Her dress needs hemmed, it is way too long. Like several feet. So I
have to do that when I get home at 5:15
2. She also has to take 1 liter of 7-up and a container of apple juice.
Ok, I can go grab that at the store at lunchtime and drop it off at the
school on the way home (it is 2 blockes from my house)
3. There is a cake walk and silent auction to help with the expenses of
her classmate that was in the accident and coma. Well, sorry, I can't do
this. I feel guilty, but i just don't have the time
4. She needs to bring a finger foods dessert. Someone shoot me now.

I would have Ashley take care of this, but she is at the school decorating
all day, then will come home and hurry to get ready. I am so stupid! I
have known these things for weeks and today it just became reality in my
brain!

So, at my lunchtime I suddenly remember that once I went to Dollarstrecher
and bought a bucket of frozen cream puffs. And then I took them to a
wedding rehearsal and sprinkled powdered sugar on them and then drizzled
them in chocolate. Wa la!! So off I went to Dollarstrecher to get the
bounty. Quite proud of myself at this point....

THEN......my brain was quite good to me. I thought about how I hate
sewing and what a pain it is going to be to hem this beautiful dress. And
a friend I did see in Safeway and she suggested: Duct Tape...............when you live in the country you memorize the manual "10,000 Things You Can Do With Baling Twine and Duct Tape". Well, why didn't I think of Duct tape before??? Do not laugh at my redneck ways......and this bears no further comment from
you either......
I mean really! Duct tape like...saves the world! Whether you are putting
it across someone's mouth, waxing with it, or hemming a ball gown.....and
it comes in Martha Stewart colors! But alas Safeway only had it in white,
but IT WAS ON SALE!!!! Everyone knows I love a good bargain! Now, my sister in law is the expert on Baling twine and I know she could have done something beautiful to the dress in baling twine, but I didn't have her here to help.

So tonight I will flee from work, go home, throw together the dessert and
tape up Ashleys gown and everyone will think I am supermom. And at 6:30
the girls will leave for the ball looking dazzling and giggling and I will
throw myself on the couch, put my feet up on the coffee table, and let out
a huge sigh...............and smile.

Update on Isaiah Buck and my world

This is an update by Mr. Buck Wednesday:
Just a brief update until Beckey can get to it.This week has been a challenge for all. Being here in Lostine I rely on Beckey's text messages and short videos. Isaiah was able to pull his trach out Tuesday and that caused some throat damage but he seems fine. Too active. Beckey and the girls have been staying with him 24 hours a day because he is so agitated. On the up side, he is coming more aware and more in control of his body. He actually moved a wheel chair by himself! We remain encouraged and are looking forward to seeing him settle down a bit. Please pray that he sleeps at night. This is our most urgent need. God has answered many prayers and we continue to put our hope and trust in Him.Archie

This was an update posted by Mrs. Buck Wednesday:

Wednesday, April 29, 2009 2:03 PM, PDT
Hello Loved Ones: So sorry ! I have had very little time to keep you all informed of Isaiah's progress. I am working on his laundry so I thought this would be a good time for an update.Isaiah is doing much better today. He is not agitated. Partially because he was awake most of night and also because he got his trach removed. Layken stayed with him last night and she got a work out. Her brother kept her on her toes. She is sleeping soundly now.We just recieved news that Isaiah will be moved to Elks Rehab. Hospital on Wed. We are very excited about this because this means a step closer to getting our Sai home in Wallowa County. Isaiah is very determined and this has aided his recovery. Today Isaiah actually tried to shave himself with his elec. razor. He was able to pick it up and put it to his face. He is following verbal directions a little better each day.And that is how we live. We labor today and let God prepare us for tomorrow.
So that is the latest on isaiah...and you can read updates at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/isaiahbuck/journal

Racheal...if you read this I just wanted to tell you thank you so much for the loving care the staff gave our Isaiah! You can't ever imagine how much you are all appreciated! Many hugs to all of you...we are forever grateful.

Now for my life.................Sarah is here! Crazy times, giggly girls. She is here for the school ball, which is tomorrow night! Oh Aunt Tammy, how I wish you could be here to foo foo up these girls! Such a special night for them! Sarah is 6'1", very tall. Ashley is 5'1". So Sarah walks beside Ashley and just pats her on the head. They are so funny. But the ball will be a very important night for all of the kids, especially in light of what has happened to Isaiah. This has been a life changing experience for all of them. Some time I need to make plans to take the girls over to see Isaiah.
I also purchased a new camera..a Nikon D40! It is a digital SLR and very complicated, but I am determined to get it figured out, since I will be paying on it the rest of my mortal life. I think I need a hobby, and photography seems like just the thing! Oh how I would love to have a studio and take photos of little girls dressed up having tea parties!
I look forward to a quiet evening alone tonight as the girls will be decorating for the ball. I might even get to watch Bones! I love that show!

Rejoicing

We are all so happy that Isaiah is now officially out of the coma! The physical therapists in Boise are working him over pretty good too. They even had him up and helped his walk 12 feet....4-5" at a time, more like a shuffle. But I am so proud of him!
Tomorrow Ashley and I go to pick up her friend Sarah! The school Ball is this coming Friday night...fun fun fun!

Isaiah Buck update and Wake Up jane

Isaiah has been moved to Boise to a rehab hosptal, so our hopes are high that the therapy he will recieve there will bring him out of the coma. It is odd that he does so much, yet is still technically in a coma. His mom, Beckey, posted this yesterday: (Layken and Shannon are Isaiah's sisters and Samantha is the baby Layken just had before Isaiah's accident)

"Just as I expected Isaiah slept most of the day on Wednesday. Layken, Samantha, Shannon and myself came and went throughout the day. Later in the afternoon Isaiah really started to wake up. Layken decided to bring Sam over to visit her Uncle "Buck". What happened next was just amazing. Isaiah reached his hand out over to Sam and put it gently on her her thigh and stared at her for the longest time. Layken had sat Sam next to Isaiah. Everytime Isaiah would cough he would remove his hand and then put it back, touching his niece. This went on for a little while. Sam started to get fussy so Layken took her away to feed her. Isaiah seemed to reach out his arm to Sam as if to say, "I wasn't done." Layken saw that and told Isaiah she would bring her back. She did, and Isaiah responded the same by touching her on her leg. Layken asked him a couple to times to hold her hand and he did. He did!! Layken then told Isaiah that we were leaving and to tell Sam goodnight. She was sitting upright with Layken's help, next to Isaiah. He brought his hand around Sam's back and brought her to his chest. We all cried. This was the most responsive Isaiah has been all week. I am awe struck at the power of family and the impact they play on one's healing. Watching my son interact with his neice was a powerful picture of this. This has renewed our "hope" for Isaiah's future healing process. My girls have left this morning but they have committed to coming back on Monday. This will be nice because I will feel comfortable going home for a couple of days and sleep in my own bed and pamper my husband.I am praying for another impactful day for our son. Jaymz Hayes and his family will be coming to Boise for some appts. They will stop by to visit and I am hopeful that Isaiah will be able to communicate with them as well."...But we will trust in the Lord".

Tonight I am going to my friend Sue's for a girls night out. That should be fun for us! Ashleys band, Wake Up Jane, is playing Saturday at the Youth Arts festival in Joseph. It won't be the same without Isaiah on the guitar, but it will still be good. I think 7 out of the ten songs they are singing they wrote themselves.

Life is quiet, thankfully.