Owensboro Parent - May 2012
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May 2012 . OWENSBORO PARENT 1www.OwensboroParent.com
May 2012 . OWENSBORO PARENT 2www.OwensboroParent.com
3 OWENSBORO PARENT . May 2012 www.OwensboroParent.com
4 OWENSBORO PARENT . May 2012 www.OwensboroParent.com
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
Editor
Ashley Sorce
Distribution Manager
Jonathan Tanner
Account Executives
Jeff Sorce
Jodi Tanner
Robert Williams
Graphic Designer
Taylor West
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.
Advertise
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
advertising partnership that will
not only benefit you, but also the
parents of Owensboro.
from the editor
may 2012
May 2012 . OWENSBORO PARENT 5www.OwensboroParent.com
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]
6 OWENSBORO PARENT . May 2012 www.OwensboroParent.com
May 2012 . OWENSBORO PARENT 7www.OwensboroParent.com
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
8 OWENSBORO PARENT . May 2012 www.OwensboroParent.com
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 }
May 2012 . OWENSBORO PARENT 9www.OwensboroParent.com
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
10 OWENSBORO PARENT . May 2012 www.OwensboroParent.com
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
family life
May 2012 . OWENSBORO PARENT 11www.OwensboroParent.com
12 OWENSBORO PARENT . May 2012 www.OwensboroParent.com
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 }
family life
May 2012 . OWENSBORO PARENT 13www.OwensboroParent.com
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
14 OWENSBORO PARENT . May 2012 www.OwensboroParent.com
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
family life
May 2012 . OWENSBORO PARENT 15www.OwensboroParent.com
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