Owensboro Parent - May 2012

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May 2012 . OWENSBORO PARENT 1 www.OwensboroParent.com

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Owensboro Parent, the FREE guide to raising a family in Owensboro, Kentucky. Featured Articles: Parent Talk, Teaching Character, It Must be Easter, The New Idea of Normal, The Power of Words, Fresh Take, Gardening Tips for Kids, The Food Fight, Healthy Choices for Everyone, Facebook Photos, Earth Day Challenge, A Moment In Their Arms, Fly the Friendly Skies, A Better You, The Power of One Sentence, Kids Eat Free, and Land Between the Lakes Getaway. Contributors: Christy Taylor Chaney, Christina Dalton, Dean Ehrenheim, Dr. Brian Gannon, Casey Hamilton, Danny May, Cathy Mullins, Christy Ramey, Katherine Taylor, & Lora Wimsatt.

Transcript of Owensboro Parent - May 2012

Page 1: Owensboro Parent - May 2012

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To the mothers of tiny babies, short on sleep and covered in spit up. To the mothers-to-be, pregnant, waddling, swollen and missing the sight of their own feet. To the mothers-to-be, waiting on their adoption to be finalized.

To the mothers whose toddlers have them on the go from morning ‘til night. To the single mothers, doing it alone. To the mothers whose lives are consumed with laundry, picking up toys and putting a good meal on the table each night. To the mothers who juggle kids and careers and for the mothers that have more than a full-time job at home with their little ones. To the mothers who make it to every game, to every show or recital and to every open house. To the mothers of teenagers, enforcing curfews and cell phone limits. To the mothers who worry endlessly about SAT scores and college admissions. To the “empty nest” mothers of college students and for the really “empty nest” mothers whose grown children have moved out and on with their lives. To the mothers who now have that very special gift of grandchildren. To all of our readers who hold the most precious title of all, “mother.” Happy Mother’s Day!

Always,

Publisher/Creative Director

Jason Tanner

[email protected]

Editor

Ashley Sorce

[email protected]

Distribution Manager

Jonathan Tanner

[email protected]

Account Executives

Jeff Sorce

[email protected]

Jodi Tanner

[email protected]

Robert Williams

[email protected]

Graphic Designer

Taylor West

[email protected]

Contributors

Christy Taylor Chaney

Christina Dalton

Dean Ehrenheim

Dr. Brian Gannon

Casey Hamilton

Danny May

Cathy Mullins

Christy Ramey

Katherine Taylor

Lora Wimsatt

Contact Information

Owensboro Parent Magazine

PO Box 23237

Owensboro, KY 42304

(270) 314-5240

www.owensboroparent.com

facebook.com/owensboroparent

twitter.com/owensboroparent

issuu.com/owensboroparent

Cover Photography

Dream Copy Photography

www.dreamcopyphoto.com

Cover Model

Oliver Owen, son of Andy and

Jean Owen.

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Owensboro Parent is a FREE

magazine because of community

support.

Thank you to the great group of

businesses & organizations who

advertise with us.

If you want to contribute to the

success of our magazine, we

would love to hear from you and

will work to develop an

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not only benefit you, but also the

parents of Owensboro.

from the editor

may 2012

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parent talk [7]

teaching character [8]

it must be easter [11]

the new idea of normal [14]

the power of words [18]

fresh take [20]

gardening tips for kids [21]

the food fight [22]

healthy choices for everyone [24]

[26] facebook photos

[29] earth day challenge

[30] a moment in their arms

[32] fly the friendly skies

[35] a better you

[36] power of one sentence

[37] kids eat free

[38] lbl getaway

[40] april calendar

[20]

[30]

[14]

[10]

[11]

[28]

[36]

may features

[8]

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My mother gave me this advice a few years ago: After I came home from

work and began cleaning the house, my kids wanted me to go outside

with them. I told them I could not because I only had a certain amount of

time to get my “chores” done. My mom said, “I did that when you all (my

brother, myself and my sister) were young. I would come home from work,

clean and get things done and not enjoy the fact that you all were home

and were young. I miss the days when my kids were home and I regret not

spending more time, because I thought I had to get things done and the

house had to be spotless. I don’t want you to regret giving up your time

with the kids, your house can wait.”

- Michelle Moore Mayfield

Every child is different! There is no book, movie, radio show or prime time

TV show that will give you the direct answer for your child. All you can do

is pray, ask other mommies and laugh. There will be ups and downs, but

remember to enjoy it!

- Felecia Piper

From the time I can remember the advice my mom always gave to me was

there are always consequences for your actions wether good or bad.

- Kelly Barnes Butler

The only person who can control your character is you. Handle that power

with great care.

- Amber Spurrier Hall

When I graduated from high school and still lived at home, my parents

charged me rent. It was the best thing they ever did for me. Knowing I

could do it gave me the confidence to get out on my own, and when I was

divorced and had to start out on my own with no support, I knew I could

do it. It taught me responsibility and gave me confidence. I have done the

same with my kids. They don’t resent it. They’ve always known to expect it,

and they are glad to help pull their weight.

- Resa Hendrix

Moms just seem to have a knack for giving sound advice (even when we’re not ready to hear

it!) and sharing memorable words of wisdom. We asked you to share the best advice you ever

received from your own mom and these are few of our favorite responses from Facebook.

parent talk

facebook

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1 Schedules

Depending on how your children

operate, a schedule can really come in

handy and bring some needed structure

to your days. Kids like to know what

is coming up. If you are going to the

pool on Tuesdays and Thursdays have

it written down so that they can see it.

If bedtime is at 9 p.m., let them know

ahead of time to avoid any arguments.

Then you know what time you get to

kick back and watch your shows!

2 Boredom

Kids get bored and they get bored

quickly. After the first couple of weeks

you might find yourself wanting to

pull your hair out because they keep

saying they’re bored! A great way to kick

boredom is to keep kids active. Walk

the dog, ride bikes, go to the park, play

basketball, swim. Summer is the season

of endless outdoor activities. Kids who

are active sleep better! I’m just saying.

3 Reading

Summer is a great time to read! I

know that school is not in session, but

teaching your child to read for fun is one

of the greatest gifts you can teach them.

It is so easy to shut your brain off, play

video games and do nothing all summer.

Check with your elementary schools for

library programs that offer incentives

for summer reading. Or you can offer

your own incentives. “We’ll go to the

movies on Friday if you read for thirty

minutes a day.” Make it fun!

family life

summer!survive the

Ahhhhhh….SUMMER VACATION! For the first time in a while, kids all around Daviess County will begin their

summer breaks in May instead of June. They are already counting down the days, hours and minutes until it

begins. Some of you parents out there might be doing the same but for different reasons. Depending on your

situation, summer break can present different challenges. For working parents, it might mean figuring out a day

camp program, babysitters or coordinating sports schedules. For stay at home parents, it might mean figuring

out a schedule or fun things to do, vacations or simply maintaining your sanity! Regardless of your situation,

I’d like to give you a few ideas and tips on how to have a successful summer break for you and your children.

{ b y : c h r i s t i n a d a l t o n , m s s w , c s w }

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It seems as if life goes by so fast these days. The moments and

the memories that you and your family make this summer will

last a lifetime. Keep that in mind when you are tired, had a hard

day at work or didn’t get much sleep.

It makes me think of all the times that my own child has

said, “Mom, Mom, watch me!” And you know what…I always

do because I know it is a “moment” I will want to remember

later in my life. Make your summer one to remember!

Christina Dalton, MSSW, CSW is the Family Resource Center Coordinator

for Daviess County Public Schools.

4 Money

Do not let money or lack of it to cause you to

have a bummer summer. We are so fortunate

to live in a resource-rich community. There

are lots of activities that won’t cost you a

dime to have fun. We have awesome parks

and several of them have water parks.

Culture is free. Soak it up! Go to the science

museum, the botanical gardens or the

art museum. See page 36 for a full list of

summer fun that won’t break the bank.

5 Buddies

When in doubt, call a friend. It’s always

a good idea to have some play dates on

speed dial. Sometimes kids need a change

of scenery too. It gives you someone else

to chat with and the kids get to see their

friends. So plan a day trip with your

buddies and make a day of it.

6 Me Time

Take some time for yourself. Have a girl’s

night or a guy’s night, go shopping, plan

a date night, play 18 holes of golf or get a

mani/pedi. It is so important to take time

for you as a parent. It’s your summer too

and it only comes around once a year. I

highly encourage each and every one of

you to have a ME PARTY! Your kids will

thank you.

OP

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It all starts with a wilted dandelion clutched tight in a

chubby, dirty fist, a gap-toothed smile on an angelic

face, and a sweet voice saying, “Happy Movver Day,

Mommy!”

In the years to come, there are artistic drawings

of stick-figure mothers (who might wish their figures

really were that slender) … “fine jewelry” consisting

of strings of brightly colored beads carefully threaded

onto strands of knotted yarn … and gourmet breakfasts

in bed with burnt toast and runny eggs and a kitchen

filled with dirty dishes just waiting for you.

Eventually, of course, those childish expressions of

love give way to “real gifts.”

A spray of flowers delivered by the florist, a beautiful

bouquet with not a dandelion in sight.

A nice robe, perhaps, or a book by a favorite author.

Maybe some real jewelry, not plastic … and dinner at a

nice restaurant, where everything is cooked “just right”

– and someone else will clear the table and wash the

dishes.

The years go by, and those children of long-ago

grow up and marry and have children of their own,

and now you find yourself calling your daughter or

daughter-in-law on that second Sunday in May to wish

her a “Happy Mother’s Day.”

You watch with pride and joy – and a bit of wistful

nostalgia – as the cycle continues with yet another

generation.

But as for you, it all goes back to where it once

began.

And you take a handful of flowers, picked carefully

from among the prettiest blooms in your garden, and

arrange them carefully in the vase next to the cold

granite stone. Before you turn and walk down that

grassy hill once again, you whisper one more time,

“Happy Mother’s Day.”

There is a bittersweet smile on your face, because

tucked among those blossoms there is one yellow

dandelion.

Lora Wimsatt is a mother, grandmother and writer. She enjoys the

everyday blessings and adventures of life, especially her family.

“To educate a person in mind and not in

morals is to educate a menace to society.”

Theodore Roosevelt

the secondweekendin may{ b y : l o r a w i m s a t t }

OP

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jordan’s heartNeil and Kristi Hayden knew that

their second daughter, Jordan Grace,

would be born with a heart defect.

As much as parents can come to

terms with this kind of news, the

Haydens prepared themselves. But

after Jordan was born on March

20, 2012, doctors found further

complications. Neil and Kristi were

told four separate times that Jordan

would not survive. But she did.

Neil Hayden, 31, and his wife Kristi Hayden, 30, are both

teachers for Daviess County Public Schools. Neil is currently a

social studies teacher and boys’ basketball junior varsity coach

at Apollo and Kristi is a kindergarten teacher at Tamarack

Elementary School. They have been married eight years, but

started dating in 1997 while they were both attending McLean

County High School. The couple married in 2004 and in

October 2009 they had Riley Faith, their first daughter.

Can you tell us a little about your daughter’s diagnosis?

Neil: Our daughter, Jordan Grace, has HLHS. This is a rare heart

defect called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome. This defect occurs

in one in every 100 births. This means her left ventricle chamber of

her heart did not develop in the womb and it will not ever develop.

This will potentially affect her the remainder of her life, but a lot is

still unknown since the oldest living person with HLHS is around

42 years of age. Modern medicine has helped to advance treatment

but the heart defect affects each person differently. Best-case

scenario is that she may be on medication the rest of her life and she

will get exhausted faster than most people.

Jordan will need three surgeries in her first three years of life,

which will change the direction of her blood flow. The first

surgery is supposed to take place within the first week of life,

the second after her fourth or fifth month of life, and the third

surgery between 2 and 3 years of age. However, Jordan has an

even more rare situation. At 32 weeks pregnant we were made

aware of HLHS, but what we didn’t know is Jordan had a second

complication. She has an intact atrial septum, meaning the blood

could not flow through her heart and she was getting a backflow

to her lungs, which kept her lungs from fully developing. This

has significantly delayed Jordan from being able to have her

first surgery. The doctors need her lungs to become stronger and

have appropriate blood flow. The only way to fix this problem

is time. At the moment we have been in the hospital four weeks

and the doctors believe it may be at least two to three more

weeks until she can have her first surgery. If and when the first

heart surgery is completed, it may be an additional two to six

weeks for her to recover from the surgery. The major concern

{ b y : a s h l e y s o r c e }

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with waiting for her lungs to develop is possible infection from

the lines that give her the medication she needs.

The first two weeks were very difficult. Jordan was not strong

enough to have consecutive good days. Four times in the first

two weeks we were told that she may not make it much longer

and we should contact our family. We actually arranged some

family photos because we thought it would be the only chance

we would have in order to have everyone together, meaning

myself, Kristi, Jordan and our 2-year-old daughter, Riley.

How did you as parents feel about her diagnosis? How do you cope?

Neil: I think we have been able to deal with the situation we are

facing for several reasons. First and foremost, we trust God’s

plan and His will. Through prayer and scripture reading we

have been able to face this adversity knowing we have an eternal

blessing in this situation. We realize God can heal her (James

5:15). We don’t know why Jordan is facing this, but it doesn’t

change our faith in God. God has placed people and scripture

in our lives each day to give daily grace. It’s been interesting to

see how God has been with us each day. I honestly mean that, I

could share several stories to show how God has suppressed our

anxiety and fears in all of this.

When we were first told of the diagnosis, Kristi and I faced

overwhelming emotions. We have shared many tears together,

but Kristi has approached this one step at a time. She knew it

wasn’t anything she had done, so her only option was to take

small steps and prepare for the situations we knew would be

presented. Most importantly, Kristi treated this like her first

birth. She had baby clothes made, prepared the nursery, and

has displayed excitement like she did for Riley. I believe this

is important to not hold back any excitement or love for our

newest addition.

Kristi: When we found out her diagnosis, I felt very helpless.

After the initial shock of finding out we began to hear stories

of children with the same heart condition who were doing

incredibly well. After a week or so I could talk about it without

crying, but then it was just the fear of the unknown. We knew

God had a plan in all of it, but He wasn’t let us in on it just yet.

What has been the most challenging part? Are there any

rewards or lessons you have gained from this experience?

Neil: The most challenging part is the waiting and the

unexpected. The continual delay for the first surgery was

unexpected and it has been a slow process. The most challenging

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moments have been the four situations in which we thought we

might lose her. Having to prepare yourself for those moments

are very difficult and having to call loved ones and explain the

situation is something I would not wish upon anyone.

There have been many rewards, but one stands out for me

personally. The last time we had to call our family to come

back to Louisville my wife refused to accept it. She continually

dismissed the notion that Jordan was not going to pull through.

I have to admit after the fourth time of hearing this I had slowly

began to think Jordan may not survive. I was encouraged by my

wife and it was amazing to see her strength and resolve.

Kristi: As a mother, the hardest part for me, besides the

possibility of losing her, has been not being able to take care of

her, like feed her, hold her and rock her. Now that she has been

more stable, the nurses have let me change her diapers. I never

thought I would be so happy to change a poopy diaper! Neil

and I also had the wonderful privilege of getting to hold her on

Easter.

I remember the first time we saw her open her eyes. We were

standing at her bedside early one morning when there was a

room full of doctors making their rounds, discussing the next

steps to take in her care. I was facing a window when the sun

started rising and with tears in my eyes and my husband’s arms

around me the sun hit my face. I knew then that everything

was going to be okay. It felt like God showing me His grace and

telling me I could finally breathe.

Can you describe her birth and the emotions you felt?

Kristi: It is so hard to describe her birth because I could not

help being excited for the new life coming into this world, but I

was also scared out of my mind knowing what she was going to

be facing. I tried to push those scary feelings away and focus on

bringing her into this world safely. I was induced at 39 weeks so

I could give birth in Louisville. She weighed 8 lbs. 6 oz. and was

20 inches long. This was our first blessing because the bigger she

was the better. The doctors wanted her to be at least 6 lbs. before

surgery, so that was one less hurdle we had to jump. I had really

good labor and deliveries with both of my girls. Giving birth is

one of the most amazing feelings and I am blessed to have been

able to do it twice.

What kind of support have you received since your daughter

was born?

Neil: The support has been amazing. Apollo High, Daviess

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discover

County Middle and Tamarack Elementary have been very

supportive. Co-workers have donated Kristi sick days, given us,

including Riley, gifts as well as money. Area church pastors as

well as our own pastor, Greg Faulls of Bellevue, have called us

and stopped by to pray with us. Many friends have called and

stopped by to pray with us and do simple things such as watch

a ball game with us. Our parents have been a vital role, from

keeping our dogs to watching Riley overnight.

I started a blog to help keep family and friends stay up to date

and it has been very encouraging. With social networking today,

the blog has spread to over 12 countries and people from around

the U.S. have contacted us about similar situations or just to

give us support/prayer. (www.jordansheart.wordpress.com)

What advice would you give to other parents that may one

day face having a sick child?

Neil: The only advice I can truly recommend is to keep your

foundation intact. Our foundation has been our belief in God’s

plan. By realizing the eternal blessing we are receiving from

Jordan, it allows us to cope and stay mentally fresh. I don’t know

why we are going through this, but I know the same God that is

allowing it to happen is also the same God that has given us our

second daughter, Jordan Grace. By believing in this foundation we

haven’t spent time questioning God or arguing amongst ourselves.

Together we have been able to stay levelheaded, because we can

look at the big picture during difficult moments. The only choice

someone has in this type of situation is to take one obstacle at a

time.

Kristi, as Mother’s Day approaches, what are you thankful for?

Kristi: I am so thankful to have a wonderful, supportive husband

who has been my rock through all of this. He is such a strong

spiritual leader for our family and the most amazing dad for

our girls. I am thankful to have two beautiful daughters. I am so

proud to be the wife and mother of these three people that God

has blessed me with.

As a family we want to say how truly blessed we are to have

such wonderful, supportive family, friends, church family and

colleagues and even complete strangers. We would not have

made it this far without all of the love and prayers that we have

received.

Ashley is a first-time mommy, a not-so-newlywed, an organizational freak and the

editor of this awesome magazine. (Which is, of course, a totally unbiased opinion.)

OP