Skip to main content

End of Summer -Updates!

Wow, I can't believe it's been a year since we moved our blog to www.MoreThanDNA.org! A lot has happened in that year. My husband and I became Foster Parents to some amazing kiddos and still have one of those kiddos living with us. We have loved having "Shoes" with us and can't believe how much he has grown and learned in the year!I'm so proud of him! We have court next week, so prayers that it goes okay (and doesn't get continued again- that just drags it out longer for the kids). He is now 39 months old and starting Pre-K this month!

Other big changes include: Some renovation to our home (complete Bath rehab & updated plumbing throughout), I started a new gene-targeting medication (symdeko) that is helping to keep me stable these last 3 months, and I got an AffloVest! I'm loving my new portable vest! Also, career wise...we both switched jobs! Andrew also started Seminary this summer to get a Masters Degree in Divinity. He has always wanted to be a Pastor, but this year a lot of doors opened in this area for him that made it possible. We are truly so lucky to have such amazing family, friends, and church to support us in everything we do!

I am still doing Real Estate, but I switched companies!  I can't believe how much my business has grown in the last 4 months since I made the switch! Andrew and I are excited to see what happens when the school year starts!

I'm looking forward to seeing how much "Shoes" learns this year in school. Also, I'm hoping to be more physically active and work out more. I'd like to see a REAL increase in the my lung function! I'm just starting to rebound from my lower numbers. So hopefully, that will get better! I swear my planner and pure adrenaline gets me through the days. Thank goodness for the Symdeko- which has given WAY more energy and ability to maintain my weight. I even made it through the entire  zoo (5+ hours) last week with no big issues! Although we always take my sister with. We joke that Andrew watches & helps "Shoes" and my sister is there to watch/help me. She helps me up inclines, steps, and keeps on eye if I am getting overheated.. She can also tell when I'm slowing down and need a snack. I don't notice, because I get so wrapped in the activities, it's nice to have her there to help out! We had a blast and look forward to other little trips with our little guy! What is your favorite day or weekend trip? Send me some ideas? Also- favorite zoos!!?? Our little guy LOVES zoos and animals!

Comments

  1. SarahAugust 10, 2018 at 8:26 AM

    Thanks for sharing. I loved seeing "shoes" even for a few minutes. You are doing an awesome job with him. I've done the foster care/older child adoption thing (in an era when childcare assitance/daycare options were few). Will be praying the court date goes well.

    ReplyDelete
  2. DougAugust 12, 2018 at 11:11 PM

    How is Shoes doing in Pre-K. Hope all goes well. Some of my favorite places to visit are Discovery Center Museum and Midway Village Museum in Rockford. Peoria Chiefs or any Minor League Ball game. Monticello Railway Museum. Navy Pier. Shawnee National Forest. Galena IL. Blackberry Farm. Garfield Park Conservatory and Wisc Dells. Favorite zoos Lincoln Park. Niabi and Cosley in Wheaton. Have not been to Scovill zoo in Decatur but seems like it would be good one to go see. A couple of places have not been to but seem like they would be interesting. Pirates Cove Children's Theme Park in Elk Grove and Aikman Wildlife Adventures in Arcola. How are you doing. Hope your lung function continues to improve and that things aren't to hectic

    ReplyDelete
  3. Tracy HeadleyAugust 23, 2018 at 4:50 PM

    The Minnesota Zoo is absolutely wonderful, we took a family trip there a few weeks ago and my 3 year old had so much fun. He even got to take a camel ride there

    ReplyDelete
  4. CherizSeptember 11, 2018 at 3:17 AM

    That sounds amazing! We will have to go, our Honeymoon was to Minnesota (Stillwater). Loved it there!

    ReplyDelete
  5. CherizSeptember 11, 2018 at 3:18 AM

    We are doing good Doug, thanks for all the ideas! I hope to do the Dells soon! We have done some Rivermen Peoria Hockey games, but the not Peoria Chiegs Baseball yet. Not sure why, we should take advantage of that being so close by!

    ReplyDelete
  6. CherizSeptember 11, 2018 at 3:19 AM

    Thank you! Just waiting to see what happens this month!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

How Fostering and CF impact my work

I haven't been on my blog much.... I think that is because most of my blogging is currently been done on Health Union's Cystic-Fibrosis.com (here is link to all my posts on their site: https://cystic-fibrosis.com/members/cherizkunkel/ ). I decided last fall to step away from real estate after 3 years in the business. It was tough to say good-bye, especially since I had tripled my volume and business in the last year. However, I didn't have time to add any new clients; I kept saying, maybe next week, next month I can fit more work into my schedule. The truth is fostering takes a lot of time. We have between 5-8 monthly visits at the agency, 1 court ate a month, 2 home visits from the caseworker a month, plus e have 2-3 doctors/specialist appointments for our current kiddo. We have lots of paperwork we fill out, gas mile logs, receipts to add, and more! Our kiddo also participates in gymnastics and dance two nights a week. We go to a fosterparent support group with our kid ...
2 comments
Read more

Today's BIG Appointment

 I discussed last week about my recent struggles & goals. I have been dealing with a lot all at once! Family planning (update on that in 2 weeks), my Grandma's funeral, lower lung function. Through it all I have remained very compliant with my meds! My health is VERY important to me. So this last weekend I took my vest machine, wabi sterilizer system , and packs of ensure to my parent's for the weekend. I wanted to make sure I did everything. While it was a sad occasion, it was still pleasant seeing almost all of the family together again. Actually 27 out of 29 of the cousins made it to the funeral. Grandpa is in the middle of the picture (can you find me?) LOL   On top of my medications I have been doing some dancing & walking, but no jogging or anything. I'm still counting calories on my fitbit (hitting over 3000) a day (& 40 grams of protein, 50 grams of fat at least). I knew I was feeling a bit better than before, but wasn't sure what to expec...
18 comments
Read more

Time for a Change!

I have been blogging at www.cheriz.org since 2012. So an amazing 5 years! I found my forever career, my husband, my first & forever home! I said good-bye to my Stomach Tube & had some mjor medical transitions!  However, CF affects a lot more than myself now. It affects Andrew, soon we will have kids in the house. To call my blog Cheriz- just doesn't make sense anymore. Coming up with a new name was super hard! However, my new blog is More Than DNA! ( MoreThanDNA.org ) Why did I name it that? Because I am MORE than my CF (or mutated DNA that makes up my CF). My family also will not have shared DNA. Any kids in our house (whether we adopt or foster children or not) will be considered our family & we don't think it matters that they won't have shared DNA. DNA does not define our family or us as an individual. We are more than our DNA! I have posted my first blog post at the new site! But I'm working on moving a lot my archives from this blog over. So it...
Post a Comment
Read more