I was feeling a bit creative this morning so I created this office print 🙂
For more details and the option to purchase, click the link below.
I was feeling a bit creative this morning so I created this office print 🙂
For more details and the option to purchase, click the link below.
I think awhile back I mentioned a new business venture… Well, it was/is a coffee franchise. I’ve been in contact with the franchise manager, and all the top people at the company since sometime in December. I’ve met with my accountant to review financials, my lawyer to review the franchise disclosure agreement and contract, a real estate broker to search out possible locations, the banker to talk about financing, and even a small business advisor here to provide some insight into the industry and local economy. The franchisor has awarded me the opportunity to purchase, when/if I’m ready.
And then yesterday in the news I read that a different coffee franchise is planning several locations in my city, including one on the very land I was considering. Seriously?? I was super bummed all of yesterday, really just feeling like this meant I needed to halt my plans. I mean, maybe it was a sign, maybe God’s trying to tell me something…
This morning the franchise manager called me and we chatted for quite a bit. Of course he said I shouldn’t be afraid of competition, that competition is actually good. We talked about how the business models and intended customers are a bit different for the two franchises in question… But I don’t know. I mean, of course this guy wants me to purchase, as he works on commission. I spent all morning looking back over the numbers, messing with the payroll expenses and sales forecasts, trying to get an idea of how this will work and ultimately how many coffee shops this town can actually support. But I’m still lost…
More to come on this I guess.
I’m a bit over winter. I know, I live in Iowa. I should be used to the cold. And it could be worse. I’m guessing North Dakota is much colder right now! It was -18F actual temperature this morning. I’m not sure what the windchill was, but a lot colder. I think our school was the only one for MILES and MILES that didn’t have a delay for the cold. The roads are horrible, it’s too cold for salt to work, so we all basically just slide everywhere. I saw some cars in some really interesting places yesterday, and that was just from running errands in town.
Nadia is still going to school each day, and wearing pants! Sometimes even to bed, and sometimes with shirts rather than dresses. She has her moments though, still some meltdowns, and still come times when she says she feels ‘wet’. Most of those times don’t involve crying fits or wiping for 30 minutes anymore, so I’m still viewing it all as improvement. We’re following a combination of treatment between her PANS specialist and a Naturopath who treats a variety of issues, but her practice includes many kids with PANS and PANDAS. She’s in Australia, if you can believe that. We meet with her next tonight at 9pm my time, which I think will be morning for her. She’s very interesting, and her and our MD are aware of the shared treatments. So far it seems to be working for us… I’m curious if she will add any more supplements when we talk tonight though. Nadia is already on so many that Eric calls one of our kitchen counters, Stef’s Apothecary.
And guess who lost her first tooth?? Yes, Nora! I can’t believe my little peanut Nora is already getting adult teeth. Actually, her two bottom permanent teeth have been in for weeks. Hopefully her other bottom tooth falls out soon so her second row of teeth can move forward, lol!
Last week felt rough. I picked up the girls from school Wednesday afternoon at 1:30p, and we didn’t leave the house again until Monday morning for school. And Eric was on-call, and terribly busy. Snow days, ugh, and weekends when Eric works. And yes, we totally could have ventured out, but where to with COVID and the below freezing temps? Here is a picture of the girls waiting for daddy to arrive home… Pay no attention to our messy garage entrance…
I’ve done a little, yes, very little, decorating of the house so far. We still haven’t ordered any furniture. I just need to decide I guess. Here are a few little areas I put together so far, nothing fancy. I kind of have a thing for green wreaths all the sudden. I obviously need to order another candle for the one holder, but I’m not sure I love that wall anyway. I didn’t get it all quite in the center of the wall, and it bothers me. Although I assume in person no one else would notice. Our coffee bar wall needs more help, more on the top shelf as I took down a few things that were up I didn’t like. And no judging my messy kitchen! (There is obviously a theme in this house with messy. Or rather, real-life.)
Did I ever post pictures of Nadia’s bedroom? It’s pretty much complete, could use a bit more decorating. I’ll take a few pictures and post again soon!
You guys, I can’t even tell you how thrilled and proud of Nadia I am regarding her first day back to school, which was Tuesday afternoon!!
I told Nadia ahead of time that she was going back to school, although I think she thought I was going into school with her, and maybe she thought I was staying, I’m not sure. She asked if I could go in with her, and I told her I’d see what the teachers said, as due to COVID this year, we just drop off at the door and parents don’t go inside. So… she put on pants on her own and seemed in a good mood, I wouldn’t say excited to go, but not dreading it either.
When we arrived at her preschool I helped her out of the car as usual, got her backpack and bag of snow gear to play outside, and up to the door we went. She would not walk in alone, she tugged at my hand and asked me to come in with her, which the teacher allowed, thank God! We put her coat and bags away, I went with her to wash her hands, and then the teachers came over and asked her if she was ready to play. She started crying that she didn’t want me to leave. I gave her a big hug as the teacher picked Nadia up and peeled her away from me. I walked out, wanting to cry myself, and drove straight to Starbucks. I needed a treat.
Not five minutes after I’d left the teachers were already sending me pictures of Nadia playing, smiling with friends, even a video of Nadia participating in the clapping and singing during circle time. I was honestly floored. They said she cheered up literally a minute after I left. I spent the rest of my first free afternoon in a very long time at HomeGoods looking for decorations for the house now that the place is bare since Christmas decor was removed.
And when I picked up Nadia, big smiles! This afternoon will be the next time she goes back, I pray we have a similar outcome.
I apologize for not being more clear about Nadia’s back to school start date. Bless your souls who inquired about how her first day back went yesterday. I do appreciate you all checking in. Nadia will be returning for the first time this afternoon, in a few hours actually. And I’m terrified. What if she has a panic attack? What if she refuses pants since she knows we aren’t going somewhere fun, like Target, to look at toys? I think I have PTSD over her epic meltdowns, as I’m seriously a mess over her going back. I’m as scared for her as I am for myself. I don’t want the stress of preschool to undo all the great progress we have made over the past two months… So yes, it’s today.
Yesterday Eric and I took Nadia to see a pediatric neurologist, a referral from our PANS specialist. We were there over two hours, so much medical talk, good thing Eric was there! I’m not sure I can say exactly how a neurologist treats PANS, my understanding is that it’s more to rule out any other brain abnormalities. There isn’t really one, or any definitive tests to prove a patient has PANS, therefore we need to rule out every other possible condition that could cause similar symptoms.
If you remember back to Nadia’s premature birth, it’s customary to do an ultrasound of the brain on the seventh day of life to look for brain bleeds. They found one in Nadia’s brain and thus performed an MRI that same day, which ended up showing a portion of her brain hadn’t received oxygen at some point. They couldn’t pinpoint when, they assumed a week before or right after her birth, if I remember correctly. A pediatric neurologist did follow Nadia for the first two years of her life, but as her development was on track compared to other preemies her age, they released Nadia from their care, believing the brain had healed itself. Baby brains, especially preemies, as they are at an even earlier stage of development, are extremely ‘pliable’ so to speak. Damage is often able to heal itself by forming new and different pathways. Or so the doctors told us!
So fast forward to now… Given Nadia’s neurologic history, they want to do another MRI with contrast to see how her brain looks now… They want to make sure that the symptoms we currently believe to be PANS aren’t better explained by some other condition. Honestly though, I’m not sure what we expect to see on this MRI. Inflammation in the brain, the biggest sign of PANS, doesn’t necessarily show up on MRIs, but again, we aren’t trying to rule PANS in, rather rule out anything else.
I did ask the teachers about the chair. Apparently there is such a chair, that is set a bit away from the area used for circle time. It’s only for those children who are being EXTREMELY disruptive I’m told. Nadia has never needed to sit in this chair… Perhaps though she is afraid of having to? I don’t know… She is so easily embarrassed if corrected in front of others… I guess we’ll just see how she does today. Pray I can actually get her there!
