Does he look like a doctor yet??

For those of you who may not know, this is my husband Dave. Pretty hot don't you think? Sorry, he's taken. (By the way, when I used to be in the music department at the U, there were a number of guys in my opera workshop class who had a crush on him. They would talk about him openly, and it kind of weirded me out. That's beside the point.)
This is a very exciting next couple months for us. Recently, Dave took two big tests that are a big determining factor in which residency he will get into. Yeah.....he passed! So the next step in this long and grueling process is applying for residencies all over the country and waiting for interviews. For the last two weeks we have received quite a few positive responses. He applied to over 30 residency's for Pediatrics. Over the month of November and December he will fly out to the interviews, take a look at the cities, check out the hospital and get to know some of the doctors/residents.
The places that he has been called back for an interview, (and this is very exciting because one of these cities is where we will be living for the next 3-6 years,) are: Indiana, Pennsylvania, Virgina, North Carolina, Ohio, Nevada, Florida, and good 'ol Salt Lake.
The count down is on! By middle of March the match will be made and he will start making some $$$ by July 1st. (only a little $$$)
I am so proud of my husband for all his hard work and drive over the last few years. I know that being a doctor is "in his blood." There is nothing else I can imagine him doing. (Besides perhaps him working in a hair salon. Ok Dan, I know that was a dumb joke.) But I know without a doubt he will be a great doctor. I love you honey. Props to you.

"Oh Dave, give me some of that sweet lovin."

"Thanks babe!"

Tyler Joseph Orme

Look how adorable and sweet this little guy is. It is really a strange thing how Dave and I can feel so much love and joy for our baby, but yet there is sadness behind it as well. No one wishes to have a baby with problems. I think of all the grandchildren and great grandchildren on both sides of our family, 70 plus at least, and none of them born with any major abnormalities. We are the first to have a "disabled" child on both sides. I know the blessings of having a baby with Down's will outweigh the painful emotions that go along with it, but I also think Dave and I are just starting to get over the shock of it all. I love Tyler. I always speak about him in a positive tone, but I do want to share how it is hard too.

I have a close friend, Alta Hales, who, in a way prepared me for what was to come. Her baby boy Elliot was born with Cystic Fibrosis a few months before Tyler. It was the first time something was "wrong" with one of my friends babies. I felt so much grief for her, but at the same time, her little Elliot is one of the cutest babies I have ever met. I really don't know how to express a lot of my feelings about Tyler and sometimes I think I have repressed a lot. Dave and I had one of our first real conversations about our feelings about Ty this last weekend. I don't even realize how tender my feelings actually are I talk about it out loud. It is just weird how I feel so happy and sad at the same time when I think of Ty.

This weekend we spent with Jessie, James, and their three kids. Naomi is 5 weeks younger than Ty. I feel like everything with Tyler is normal, until I am around other babies. Just holding Naomi makes my heart sink. To feel her core strength, to watch the way she plays with toys, to see her rolling around, to feel the firmness in her muscles. I don't realize how different Tyler is until I am around other babies. There is one word I hate more than any word when describing Down's babies, "floppy." I felt like I was going to strangle the next person who used that word. In my mind, the word "floppy" is what comes to mind after you catch a fish and it is flopping around before it finally dies. What a horrible image when people describe my son that way. However, when I held Tyler after holding Naomi, the only word that came to mind was just that.

I don't really know why I am writing this, other than I think it will be helpful for me to admit that it is hard. People are now approaching me at the grocery store and at the park asking questions about Tyler's condition. I am glad I can answer questions without getting emotional, but sometimes it was easier to pretend he was just like every other baby. Pretty soon everyone who meets Tyler will know that he is different. Many people seem to be accepting and comfortable, but often they are not.

There is a pretty hilarious Seinfield episode where Jerry, Craimer, and Elaine meet the "ugliest baby they have ever seen." The first time Craimer sees the baby, he nearly falls over just looking in the crib. During the whole episode, they each give horrified and disgusted looks if they even catch a glimpse of the baby. That episode keeps coming to my mind, and it is not so hilarious now. They over dramatize everything in Seinfield, but I don't want people to be scared to look at my baby. Some people are. I can feel it.

One week after Tyler was born I was out in a crowded museum and I saw a woman with a severely disabled little girl. It was obvious that the girl would never be able to walk or talk. I approached this mother and asked a question about her daughter. That was the first time in my life that I chose not to look away and actually found the courage to ask about a handicapped child. When I told the woman about the baby in my arms that was only 5 days old, she said, with a loving smile on her face, "He is going to open a whole new world to you." She was so right. There is a whole new world out there.

"Life is beautiful"

I don't feel like I am too good at this whole blogging thing. To tell you the truth, the "blogging world" still freaks me out a bit, as does facebook. Yea, it is cool to see what friends and family are doing, but it also feels weird to let people into my little world and into my head. However, I realized, after talking to my wise sister-in-law Jessie, that I am not happy with the way I write. I feel as if I am always wondering, "Who will be reading this? Is this boring? Am I bragging about my "perfect" life? (I hate that) Am I going to offend someone by saying how I really feel?"
Basically, I don't say anything of importance because I worry about all these things. I want my blog to be totally my own thoughts, good or bad, right or wrong, happy or sad, etc.. So, no longer will I think about who might be reading this, although there is a good chance I will just go private anyway. I love to write. Dave and I write in a journal for each of our children, and I know they will cherish it just as I cherish the words my father left me. I also was an avid journal writer my whole life....until I got married. This I deeply regret. I want blogging to be a way for me to express things that are important to me that I can pass down to my children. Just as the movie says, "Life is beautiful". I couldn't agree more!
I am in Akron, Ohio right now. General Conference was awesome as it always is. I always look forward to conference. Last night I thought it would be fun to watch Jessie and James wedding video. It was super cute. Why is it that I always get emotional when I watch someones wedding video?? So, all of a sudden all of these pictures start coming on with Geoff and Lynnette. All of a sudden tears started coming down my face. I feel like I have the greatest in laws in the whole world!!! I can talk to Lynnette about anything, she loves my children more than I can imagine, she is so patient and kind. My mind is flooding with all the things I love about her. Lynnette, I hope you know how much I love being around you. You have so much personality and spunk. How many people can live with their in laws for 3 MONTHS and not get annoyed??? Honestly, I loved every second of being in the Orme house. I had the pleasure of eating breakfast every morning with Geoff as he drank his two cokes, (at 9:00 a.m.) ate his toast and eggs while reading the newspaper. I was talking to a friend the other day who told me how her father in law has never plays with his grand kids. I thought, "Boy am I spoiled!" No one plays with their grand kids like Geoff. He has turned his backyard into grand kid central. Not only does he take his grand kids to do cool stuff like fishing, skiing, and swimming, but around the house the games never stop. It was his daily ritual to chase Maddie around the whole main floor about 5 times until she was out of breath....or maybe he was out of breath. What more can I say? I love you Geoff and Lynnette. When I saw that video of you last night it made me realize how much I miss you. I hope you are gearing up for us to be with you the whole month of December!!! You guys are the best!

Florida with Andrea!

What a great little get away. I have to thank my husband for the wonderful idea. He wanted to play Mr. Mom for 5 days while I visit one of my best friends Andrea Derrick Tyler. Dave had a week off (which never happens) So, I am taking advantage of a cheap plane ticket and some girly girl time. These pictures are at Blue Springs National Park. So beautiful. We went swimming in the clear water, but don't swim where it is murky or you may run into an alligator. Andrea taught me all about Manatees too. They are the world's only totally aquatic vegetarian mammals, and are facing extinction.

Tyler thought the water was a little chilly, but he had fun splashing around anyway.

It has been great to have some baby bonding time.

And here is Andrea with her adorable 18 month old Max. Max loves baby Ty. He is totally hinting to Andrea that he wants a playmate.

Why is it that baby's are so cute that you just want to eat them?

It is so fun hanging out with this little buddy.

Do you want to see what Andrea is holding in her hands!!

Check this out, after it rains there are little frogs like this hopping all over the ground. They are about the same size as mosquito's. Aren't they absolutely adorable!!!

Can you see how clear that water is? People tube down the springs, it is like a lazy river.

Thanks Andrea for such a fun adventure. It feels like we are living on an island. I love the humidity and sea breeze. I will be back to visit again!

Below are some shots of a few friends and family to share with you all. (You never really know who "you all" is). Summer in Utah is a blast, but I think the beauty of fall time in Michigan surpasses it. The weather right now is awesome. I have been spending as many hours as possible outside. Before I know it, it will be colder than he_ _!
Can I just say that Grace and Brianna are the best! Seriously, there are very few people who are as fun as they are. We spent two days up at Bre's condo at Snowbird. Thanks girls! Grace, your sling shot rocked...literally. And, running into Ms. Speigal from Clayton was too funny. An afternoon swimming at Alta's pool with the kids.

So cute! Lizzie and Maddie.

Josh and Scotty at Gateway

Kristine and Tyler at the zoo. I love this picture because it shows off Ty's firey red hair.

Kate would be happy to see that she is not the only tree hugger.

Good times up at Alta with the family.

Kate and Thomas are the next visitors to come see us next month! We are counting down. You are going to get a full week of kid overload!
My cousin Abigail with Ty and Annabell. Rebecca and Dan Smith's newest addition.

And here are the two newly weds, Joe and Ashley Orme. As you can see, they can never keep their hands off each other. We love you guys.

Thank you for those of you who make comments on my blog. I love keeping in touch with you all and hearing what is going on with my friends and family. Hopefully I can get better at blogging. Love, Kristine

Time for a little catch up!

It feels like such a long time since I have been tuned into the blogging world. What a perfect summer! We are finally feeling settled in again in Michigan. With no doubt, the highlight of the summer was Dan and Cortney's wedding. It was so awesome to see my little brother get married to such a wonderful person. We really miss you guys! Here's a few pictures.

I honestly have never seen Dan as happy as he was on his wedding day.

Check out Tyler's expression. He is such a crack up.

Kate has some tough competition now that Cortney is the new aunt!!

Oh yea, check out these men.

Cortney looked gorgeous!

And how did I get a daughter this sweet?

Josh wasn't a big fan of the wedding stuff, but he looked like a stud.

Cute family shot! I should have woken up Tyler to be a part of it. What a beautiful day it was!

I didn't mean to put this picture in twice. I still can't believe that Dan is married!

Creativity takes courage...

I can't wait until I finally get some new pictures on here. Things are just too hectic right now. We have about 2 more weeks in SL before heading back to Michigan. Dave and I had our 9 year anniversary last night. It was great. We went to the Cleveland art exhibit up at the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. "Monet to Picasso". Dave has had it in his head that I don't like art museums. The reason he thinks this is because of two of our trips to New York. Dave wants to spend hours in the art museums, and I want to take advantage of seeing as many Broadway musicals as possible. So, we usually split up. I told Dave, I do love art museums, but if I can pick between a museum and a live performance, I will always go with the live performance!!
I wrote down 4 quotes that I really liked from the museum...
"Creativity takes courage" Henri Matisse
"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once one grows up." Picasso
"The way to know life is to love many things." Vincent Van Gogh
"Insults are pouring down on me as thick as hail." Edouard Manet
The first three quotes are pretty clear why I would like them. The last one made me think of the critical and hurtful comments people have said to me over the years regarding my music and singing. I am sure that every artist and musician has felt that on some level. But like Matisse said, creativity does take courage.
Dave and I then went to Thai Siam (state street and 1300 south). It is Dave's favorite restaurant in the city. Dave said, "What do you want for an appetizer?" I told him I wanted to order dessert first. I am making that a tradition on every anniversary because we started ordering dessert first on our honeymoon. We had fried banana's with coconut ice cream with a Carmel sauce over it. The food was delicious and then we ordered our all time favorite dessert: Mango over sticky/sweet rice. It is AMAZING!!!! Someone, please go try it and tell me if it is not the best thing EVER!
(I really was not planning on going into this much detail...I always fear that I am boring my reader!) Anyway, I might as well go on. We then went and picked up our kids and we took them to get ice cream at Baskins with Kate and Thomas Harvey. We went across the street to Sugar House park and let them run and roll around down the big grass hill. I really was in awe of how beautiful Salt Lake is. The mountains seem so unreal to me now that I live in such a flat state. Plus, Salt Lake seems to be the cleanest city in the world after driving around Detroit. Dave and I LOVE Salt Lake....too bad we aren't planning on ever moving back. Lately people seem to take offense when I explain that I don't think we will end up in Salt Lake. It's kind of funny why they would take it personally. Utah will always be home.
Thank you Dave for 9 awesome years!!

Dave completed STEP 2....YEAH!!

Ty has a doctor apportment tomorrow with a specialist for children with Down syndrome. It will be great to ask questions and learn more about Tyler's condition. I found a basic description of DS that I will share below for anyone interested.
By the way, Dave took his big test today!! What a relief to have that over with. He felt pretty good about it, so now we just have to wait 6 weeks for the results. Good job honey!

For centuries, people with Down syndrome have been alluded to in art, literature, and science. It wasn't until the late 19th century, however, that John Langdon Down, an English physician, published an accurate description of a person with Down syndrome. It was this scholarly work, published in 1866, which earned Down the recognition as the "father" of the syndrome. Although others had previously recognized the characteristics of the syndrome, it was Down who described the condition as a distinct and separate entity.
Throughout the 20th century, advances in medicine and science enabled researchers to investigate the characteristics of people with Down syndrome. In 1959, the French physician, Jerome Lejeune, identified Down syndrome as a chromosomal anomaly when he observed 47 chromosomes present in each cell of individuals with Down syndrome instead of the usual 46. It was later determined that an extra partial or complete 21st chromosome results in the characteristics associated with Down syndrome.
Down syndrome occurs in one out of every 733 live births, and more than 400,000 people in the U.S. have this genetic condition. One of the most frequently occurring chromosomal abnormalities, Down syndrome affects people of all ages, races and economic levels. Today, individuals with Down syndrome are active participants in the educational, vocational, social and recreational aspects of our communities. In fact, there are more opportunities than ever before for individuals with Down syndrome to develop their abilities, discover their talents and realize their dreams. For example, more teens and adults with Down syndrome each year are graduating from high school, going to college, finding employment and living independently.
The opportunities currently available to individuals with Down syndrome have never been greater. However, it is only through the collective efforts of parents, professionals, and concerned citizens that acceptance is becoming even more widespread. It is the mission of the National Down Syndrome Society to ensure that all people with Down syndrome are provided the opportunity to achieve their full potential in all aspects of their lives.

Summer Lovin'

This summer is flying by and I am afraid I am not going to be very good at posting info until I return to my more simple life in Michigan. To be honest, I have not looked at any one's blog in the last 2-3 weeks. I thought it would be fun to write about just a few of the things that have been going on lately with us. By the way, all the comments that were written on my last blog were extremely kind and thoughtful. I love you all!
*We just had an awesome bridal shower for Cortney and Dan last night at my mom's house. I love weddings! Especially when it is my favorite brother getting married!
*Last week ALL the Orme's went to our cabin in Bear Lake. 11 grand kids under the age of 7! It was a blast. Maddie was braver than I ever imagined out on the wave runner! I water skied for the first time in 4 years. It took me 6 tries to get up, but I finally redeemed myself. (Those of you who know me, know that I can't help being competitive.) I made every excuse in the book as to why I couldn't get up, and the next skier up was Jessie and she got up on her first try no problem! Jess, you still got it girl! Geoff caught 7 dead mice and made traps to catch the wild rabbits outside. Lynnette was out on the death tubes and wiped out thanks to her loving husband! Josh was in heaven with all of his cousins. The whole trip was perfect.
*Last week I talked Anna Kerr into running the Canyon to Canyon half marathon with me. We had so much fun talking and laughing for the first 6 miles, and then she took off and left me in the dust. The run was intended to help me stay motivated to lose all this baby weight, but I actually have gained 5 pounds since being in Salt Lake! AHHH....I know many of you feel my pain. Thanks Anna, we will do it again next summer!
*Jodi, Jane, Marian, and I have been working up our song list to be the "band" at Dan's wedding dinner. We are having a blast practicing each week. They all rock on the guitar and all I can do is sing. We are doing a lot of folk, country, and oldies love songs. I have to remind myself...this is not opera! (Grace used to always make fun of me for singing Led Zeppelin with a "pretty soprano" voice!)
* My other favorite spot on earth, next to Bear Lake, is Albion Basin at Alta! A few weeks ago a group of us had a girls night out up at our cabin. We wanted to go skinny dipping in Cecret Lake, but half the lake was covered in snow and ice. Maybe next time. Thanks for all the sex advice Jen. (Don't kill me for saying that please!)
*The last thing going on with us right now is, my poor husband is studying his brains out for his licensing exam coming up on July 30th. This test will determine what kind of a residency we get into. He will start applying this September. We only have one year left in Michigan and then we are moving on, to who knows where. It doesn't seem fair that I get to play all day with the kids, and Dave sits at the library for 10 hours a day. He will be a new man a week from now.
I hope I have not bored you all too much. Thanks again for those of you who take the time to read the Orme Forum. Love ya, Kristine

"Bundle of love"

What a day! Happy 4th of July everyone. I am too tired to really say all that I want to say, however, I haven't posted for a while and I have thoughts I want to share. I always feel a bit of anxiety every time I come to Utah, and this time was no different. Now that I am here, I am happy to have this time in Salt Lake. It was really good for me to have 3 months in Michigan to adjust to having my third child before coming to Utah.
I would guess that more than half of my friends who read my blog know about Tyler, but for those of you who don't, Tyler was born with Down Syndrome. It feels a little weird that I haven't mentioned it before on my blog but I guess I preferred to keep the shock of it all more to myself. My purpose in writing this entry is to let my friends know that I am comfortable talking about it, and people do not need to be afraid to bring it up. I am going to give a little recap of how it happened.
I had a wonderful pregnancy, the best of all three. I felt strong and healthy right up until the end. I had two ultra sounds that showed him as a healthy baby boy. I believe that if I would have had Tyler at a hospital, my experience would have been extremely different than it was in the birthing center. (Other mom's I know who recently had down syndrome babies got a very different reaction when their babies were born) I feel the way our midwife handled the whole situation could not have been better. She gave Dave and I about 2-3 hours to bond with Tyler and get a little sleep before she came in to tell us the news. It would have been too much for me to handle if I would have been told right off the bat. I am grateful for those few hours to feel at perfect peace about the birthing experience and about my new son.
Dave and I were both emotional and overwhelmed after hearing that Tyler had Down Syndrome. It is hard to put into words our thoughts and feelings during those first few days. Although we were scared and unsure, I remember clearly, that more than anything else, I felt an outpouring of love for my little Ty. I still do. It is a love that I don't think I have felt before in quite the same way.
There is so much I could say and write, and perhaps I will at a later time. Sometimes I feel like my life as I imagined it is now completely different; different in a really good way. It excites me to see the way in which Tyler is opening my eyes to a whole new world.
I was a little nervous about bringing him to Salt Lake, because I wonder what people are thinking and I don't like to make people uncomfortable by bringing it up. I feel like I have the best friends, family, and neighbors in the world though. Dave and I have been shown so much love. Thank you for that. We needed it. I love my three kids so much. Tyler is doing great. We have nothing to be concerned about at this time with him health wise. What a blessing. I have no doubt that there are going to be numerous challenges, but Dave and I will just take them as they come. At just three months of age, you can sense something special and unique about Tyler. He's my little "bundle of love".