October 2014

Peekaboo OCTOBER 2014

Free Magazine

Annual

Twin Issue Event Guide

Out and About this Fall

Got Triplets?

Triplet Mommies Unite

Northwest Arkansas’ Family Magazine

NWA Center for Plastic Surgery Dr. Heath Stacey and Staff honor all of our breast reconstruction patients for their courage and perseverance!

Help us celebrate

BRA Day 2014

B r e a s t R e c o n s t r u c t i o n A w ar e n e s s D a y

20% off skin care products in October

www.bradayusa.com

D. Heath Stacey, MD Board Certified Plastic Surgeon 137 Van Asche Loop, Fayetteville, AR | 479-571-3100

www.nwacenterforplasticsurgery.com

the PEEKABOO family Kimberly Enderle

Editor-in-Chief editor@peekaboonwa.com (479) 957-0532

Ava. Grant. and Holden.

Jonathon Enderle

Creative Director jon@peekaboonwa.com (479) 586-3890

/

Distribution/ Circulation Joyce Whitaker Judy Evans Marcedalia Salinas Colleen Cook Jeremy Whitaker Michelle Dodson

Peekaboo Publications, PO Box 1036, Bentonville, Arkansas 72712 Peekaboo Northwest Arkansas accepts writing contributions.

Please send inquiries to: editor@peekaboonwa.com or call (479) 586-3890 Peekaboo may not be reproduced in whole or in part without written permission from the publisher.

Views expressed herein are those of the authors and advertisers, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the magazine.

Peekaboo nwa W h at ’ s I n s i d e | O C T O B E R | 2 0 1 4 14 Life in Limbo | The Thomas Twins by: Philip Thomas

20 Bunk Beds and the Roar of a Tiger by: Amy Lee

24 Little Gym -

Grade School Gymnastics

26 Dyslexia Parent Support Group by: Sarah Buchholz

14

30 Got Triplets?

Triplet Mommies Unite

34 Be Fruitful and Multiply by: Jennifer Grimes

Youth Bridge Promotes

38 Art Therapy

40 Sapphire Anniversary Celebration

Our Journey

48 by: Sarah Underhill Mental Health Awareness 54 by: Kristen I. Speer, LPC

56 Out & About: Fall Events in NWA

This Motherhood is a

64 Sisterhood

by: Rhonda Branell

66 HappyFeet Soccer Program 68 Dad’s View

with Ben Lacy

74 Pet Therapy: Four-Legged Servants by: Freda King

76 Girls’ Night Out 78 A Little Luck & a Lot of Love by: Candace Peltier

80 HPV Vaccine: Why Vaccinate? by: Ashley Mason, MD

40 54 52 o n t h e c ov e r

Lyla and Sosie Daughters of Jason and Sarah Underhill and sisters to Katie Beth, Everett, and Nolan of Rogers, AR. Cover Photo by: Sweet Portrayal Photography

wwwsweetportrayalphotography.com

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W

ords words words words. DELETE. Words words words words.

DELETE. Positive anecdote.

DELETE. Funny kid story.

DELETE. Usually writing the ‘From the Editor’ piece is an easy and enjoyable task, one that I can accomplish rather quickly and quite fluidly -- but not this month. After a tiring move of both our home and office, a month and a half long battle with allergies, colds, and any and everything else that the kids could possibly bring home from school (after all, we did teach them to share!), I found myself a bit more cynical than I am accustomed to being-- and definitely more so than I would like to be.

Life is all about perspective.

Unfortunately, during the past few weeks, my perspective became less than positive. The result of that shift was sheer exhaustion. From personal experience, I know that it’s easy to find the good in life when you’re looking for it... and, conversely, it’s even easier to find the bad.

I found myself taking offense to little comments made by friends and family members that, before, wouldn’t have even registered as negative. I couldn’t brush things off as easily, and the more I let things build up the more difficult it became to breathe without having a tantrum-y “humpf!” at the end of each breath. When the little ones acted out, I immediately internalized it, blaming myself for not being a strong enough mother or good enough teacher.

Then, one day last week, everything was quickly put back into perspective. I passed an accident on I-49 and I was quickly reminded how little control we actually have on the things that really, truly matter -- the big things.

Sure, it is frustrating and a little painful when your child is having a meltdown in the middle of the mall and a fellow mom gives you a snarl of disapproval instead of an encouraging “been there, done that” smile. And, yes, it can be upsetting when your friends gossip about you, and say things that they wish you didn’t hear

12 October 2014

photo credit: Created For You Photography

about.... Though none of us would ever, ever gossip, would we? (Sorry, still a bit of lingering sarcasm from the rough patch.)

But, honestly, does any of that matter in the grand scheme of things? Does a burnt dinner, or a stain on a new couch determine our self-worth or change our lives forever? Hardly.

The events that matter most are the ones we have little to no control over; the ones that stop us in our tracks.

The ones that leave a great impact that reaches far beyond a day, or a week, or even a month. I can’t control everything around me. I can’t protect everyone around me at all times. I can, however, control my perspective on life and, more importantly, on the little things.

I challenge you to take time this month to pause when you start getting upset, angry or bitter with the things and people around you, and take stock of the things that really matter. People matter, and everything else will just ebb and flow. Cherish your family and friends, and when you feel like snarling, grab them and give them a big hug instead. A simple gesture like that pushes the reset button on your slipping perspective everytime.

Story and Photos by: Philip Thomas

T

Life in Limbo The Thomas Twin s

he story of how our twins came into this world is not one that I, or my family, will soon forget.

After 10 wonderful years of marriage, my wife and I finally decided it was time to start a family. While we were overjoyed when we learned we were pregnant, fear quickly followed when, at both our first and second ultrasounds, no heartbeat could be found. However, our fear was to turn to complete shock when, after we were sent to Mercy Hospital for a “fancy” ultrasound, we received the news that there were, in fact, two heartbeats instead of just one.

Of course, neither of us was prepared for this new development. I mean, come on... how could there be no heartbeat and then, all of sudden, two? Twins don’t run in either of our families! But, nevertheless, there they were, so we just chalked it up to a miracle and tried to get used to the fact we were, in essence, jumpstarting a family instead of just easing into one.

A few weeks later, we were excited to learn that our twins were a boy and a girl or, as they say, “one of each”--though it took some time to figure that out!

The boy was clearly visible at the doctor’s visit, but the other baby was, at first, sitting atop our boy’s head, contorted into a position which disguised the gender.

We opted to get a special ultrasound the following week to see our second baby again. It was then that we learned she was a girl!

Being a self-employed photographer means that you

14 October 2014

have some flexibility in your schedule. It also means that if you shoot weddings, your summer schedule has little to no flexibility whatsoever. In spite of this, I had strategically managed not to plan any weddings for the months of July and August, and I had taken on a photography student as an intern to assist in shooting for the dates leading up to our due date. At 28 weeks, our doctor’s visit showed the twins growing and developing normally, so my wife was cleared to travel to Texas so we could attend the wedding of some very close friends of ours and I could shoot.

That wedding, which would be on a Friday, would be followed by another wedding on Saturday and, after that, we had decided she would begin a period of rest for the remaining months of her pregnancy.

The Texas wedding on Friday was fun, and the second wedding at beautiful Lake Ouachita on Saturday was as well. However, the 5 hour drive Saturday morning to get from one location to the other had taken its toll on us, and after the wedding we were bone tired.

We arrived late to our motel, a quaint establishment situated in the woods off the highway. After backing up all the photos from the day, we were ready for sleep.

Our intern had his own room and our room had two beds. I opted for the twin bed, leaving my wife the double, and soon thereafter we were asleep. About an hour later, I awoke to loud whispering. My wife was trying to get my attention from her side of the room.

“I think something is wrong,” I heard her say, “I think my water broke.”

It took a few moments for me to realize the implications of this statement, and even then, I don’t think I fully realized it. She wasn’t in labor, but the wet spot on the bed was too big to be “an accident.” Plus, I think my wife, at 33 years of age, had been out of diapers and potty trained for some time. The only thing I knew to do was to pack up and leave in the middle of the night, after only an hour of sleep. I quickly packed our car and then proceeded to wake our intern. We didn’t have phone service, so I went to his door and knocked. After some time spent peering out the window to make sure I wasn’t a creeper with a chainsaw in hand, he opened the door. I said, “Kristen’s water just broke...we have to go.” I think he was pretty awake after that.

Our new Subaru had been gently tested in the realm of vehicular performance, but now it was really proving its worth. Curvy two lane roads at 1:00am were the perfect match for our car, and, after consuming 2 large sized energy drinks while stopping for gas, I was ready to make our car fly to the hospital. Of course, there are small towns along the way where the speed limit changes drastically in a matter of inches, and normally I pay close attention to these signs…but not that night.

I flew through these towns like I didn’t care, or perhaps it was because I cared too much. A few towns into our journey, I met my first police officer. I knew he was going to pull me over before he even turned on his lights. He whipped a U-turn in the middle of the road, and I pulled over, grabbing my information. When he came up to the car and offered a pleasant greeting, I offered him a stern response: “My wife’s water just broke. We’re on our way to the hospital, so let’s make this quick.” Taken aback by these circumstances, he

{

I offered him a stern response: “My wife’s water just broke.

We’re on our way to the hospital, so let’s make this quick.”

}

instructed me to turn my hazard lights on and keep going. Good enough for me! I flicked on the switch and continued my high speed adventure.

Our original plan was to head back to Northwest Arkansas to our chosen hospital and chosen doctor.

However, our plans were thwarted when we finally reached an area with phone service and my wife was able to call. The voice on the other end of the line hastily explained we couldn’t come all the way to Rogers. Instead, we had to go to the closest hospital with capabilities for handling preemie twins. In our case, that was St. Edwards Mercy Hospital in Ft. Smith. When my wife called there, they told us to go directly to Labor and Delivery instead of the general ER. Fortunately for us, we were headed in that general direction anyway. For a while, the police story continued next page

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going into labor and we couldn’t leave the hospital... at all. We didn’t realize at the time not leaving “at all” meant literally until and after our twins were born.

Coincidentally, all of this happened on Father’s Day.

officer escorted us. He had pulled out in front and proceeded to drive ahead of us with his lights on.

When his jurisdiction ended, he pulled to the side and we proceeded. All was quiet until we reached the outskirts of Ft. Smith, where I encountered another police car.

This time, it was a four lane road uninhibited by curves or narrow lanes, and I was probably going a lot faster than I should have. From the opposite direction, I watched him cross over behind me and turn on his lights. The funny thing was, he never caught up to me or even tried. He stayed some distance back, casually driving with his lights flashing.

I took this to mean he was also escorting us, so on I continued. Pretty soon, he disappeared, and I shifted my focus to locating the hospital. Of course, that wasn’t hard. Mercy Hospital is probably one of, if not the biggest building in town. We arrived and quickly found Labor and Delivery, illuminated by large letters on the front of the building facade. I pulled into the closest handicap spot, quickly justifying my actions by the fact my wife might be in labor and proceeded to help her out of the car.

This sudden turn of events left me with a lot of decisions to make. I still had obligations to shoot weddings the following weekend and then another commercial shoot the weekend after that. I notified people of our situation via a blog post on our website and called my family to tell them. One of our clients who works in the hotel business got us a great deal on an extended stay room, so I was able to set up and work just a short 2 minute drive from the hospital. Other than a bad car wreck that put our Subaru out of commission, the week went by with minimal drama. I was able to get back to Northwest Arkansas, shoot my weddings, and make it back to Ft. Smith without my wife going into labor.

Life in Limbo | The Thomas Twin s

It was then I noticed yet another police officer. He had pulled in behind me, no lights, no sirens, no nothing.

At first, I thought it was the hospital security, and I prepared an explanation for my erratic driving and illegal parking. To my surprise, the police officer didn’t seem to care how I was parked. He angrily demanded to know who was driving the car. I had no problem telling him it was me. “You can’t drive like that,” he said, “You’re not above the law. Even if you are going to the hospital, that doesn’t give you the right to drive like that.” I kindly told him I couldn’t talk right now because I had to get my wife into the hospital, to which he angrily told me I was going to stay and talk to him about my record setting trip from Mt. Ida to Ft. Smith.

“Do you have kids?” I asked. “No,” he replied. “Then you have no idea how this feels,” I responded. “I don’t have any problem talking to you about my driving, but first I’m going to get my wife upstairs to the hospital where she needs to be. You can sit around wait for me if you like.”

The hospital tests confirmed her water had broken, but she was not yet in labor. They assigned us a room and I slept for another couple of hours before being awakened by the doctor. He kindly informed us he was going to give her medication to keep her from

16 October 2014

The following Wednesday, I received a text message from my wife. “I’m having contractions again, but these are different… they kind of hurt.” Two hours later, Weston Michael Thomas made his way into the world and, a half-hour later, Summer Joy Thomas followed her brother. I won’t even try to put that day into words.

This was followed by a month long stay in the NICU for the twins, where we learned how to feed, bathe, and care for them. For a while, they were in separate incubated pods. Once they were able to hold their own body temperatures, they were moved to a crib together. Both twins experienced apnea episodes, which are periods of time where either their heart rates plummet or they forget to breathe. Summer eventually grew out of them, but Weston did not. To this day, he’s still on a heart monitor that sounds an alarm if he goes into an Apnea episode.

We’ve been home a month, but it seems we were gone a year. The most beautiful part of this story to me is, of course, our twins. However, almost equally as beautiful is the fact so many people supported us during this time in our lives. People offered to take care of our house and our dog, they visited, sent gift cards, gifts, notes, emails, texts, and messages of encouragement.

I’m sure at some point we’ll have quite a story to tell the twins.

Bunk Beds

and the Roar of a Tiger

O

By: Amy Lee

rganized. Planned... Maybe even a little OCD. I tend to classify myself into these categories, and I believe my husband would agree. I thrive when there is order and a set of clear expectations. As a couple, we have had our fair share of hiccups along the way, but for the most part things followed an order: we were blessed to go to college, find each other, get married, and follow our professional careers to Bentonville where we purchased our first home and gave birth to our daughter, Harper, in 2011.

After a couple of years balancing careers and parenthood, we made the joint decision to slow down, and I began a new career as a stay-at-home momma.

Those first couple of months at home trying to keep a twoyear-old busy threw me for a loop, and when we began talk of expanding our family, my goodness was I in a tailspin!

You see, children do not come easily for my husband and I, and after one miscarriage and various medications, things just weren’t happening. I knew that multiples were a possibility when taking the medication Clomid, but opted for the lowest dose possible to see how my body would respond. I followed the doctor’s orders, did my research, and felt this was a safe option for us.

where we hoped with all we had that we would see the flicker of a heartbeat. My hands were shaking and my husband squeezed them tightly as I watched the tech’s face while she moved the wand on my stomach.

Her face looked puzzled as she held up three fingers.

Three. What in the world does that mean? Confused, I asked, “Is there more than one?” “Yes, ma’am. There are three heartbeats.” The feeling you have upon realizing there is a tiny beating heart inside of you is one of overwhelming love, but when you realize there are three... oh my word, you are so overwhelmed with love and worry you just feel you should be on a heart monitor until you deliver-- no joke!

Through tears of joy and hugs, we watched their tiny flickers on the screen. This was the first moment I knew I had to trust God in this journey. He must have a sense of humor in thinking I was the right momma for three little ones. Did He not understand that I was too well-planned for this? He trusted my planned and organized self with the greatest gift. I spent the next few months doing all I could to plan for the unplanned: eating, interviewing nannies, making budgets, attending doctor appointments, making arrangements for their birth, and, oh yeah--eating some more. My belly grew at warp speed and I was waddling within a matter of weeks. I would get overwhelmed sometimes, at which time my little ones would flutter, as if to say, “Momma, you got this.”

{ } Through tears of joy and hugs we just watched their little tiny flickers on the screen. This was the first moment I knew I had to trust God in this journey.

A few weeks later, it was time for a pregnancy test.

I remember sitting in our bathroom and, seriously, within seconds the double lines appeared. I shrieked for my husband and we both sat on the floor in awe and almost immediate prayer: “Please, God, keep this life and me strong.” Shortly after, my husband accompanied me to the ultrasound appointment

We soon learned we would be welcoming two more daughters and our first son. Jack, Nora, and Margaret were truly our miracle babies, sent to us with the purest of love. Even in utero each were so different.

Jack was the mover and shaker of the group, Nora the sweet and respectful one, and Margaret, the most feisty of the bunch, she always seemed irritated to be sharing the womb with her siblings.

20 October 2014

My pregnancy went as well as could be expected. Oh

yes, I was on couch-potato status and too nauseous to leave my bedroom, let alone my house, but the little ones seemed happy and healthy. My energetic two-year-old enjoyed her summer nanny, and I my cheeseburgers. With each appointment, the doctor felt pleased with our progress.

little Jack’s body just wasn’t able to overcome the trauma he had endured in utero and through birth. On September 7, he made his final journey to Heaven. I just thank God for the beautiful moments we had with him. He may have been with us for only three days, but the little guy gave his daddy and I such beautiful moments. Whether it was watching him kick his blanket off constantly, the way he would squeeze our fingers, or noticing his boyish broad shoulders on such a petite figure- he was amazing. He was and is still our little rock star, and he proved that to us.

At 23 weeks and 4 days pregnant, all that changed. Thank you so much, sweet boy, for all the beautiful After an uncomfortable couple of hours and increasing moments you gave us. Your daddy’s face was priceless abdominal pain I decided to call my doctor. When my husband came to pick me up, the pain was so severe I couldn’t stand. I could no longer feel the babies move, story continued next page and the pain was so intense we decided to head right to Northwest Medical Center. Within minutes, I was upstairs and reality hit. They saw Nora in the birth canal. My babies were arriving 17 weeks too early. I squeezed my doctor’s hand as he took me to the OR for a C-section and, through sobs, I asked that he do whatever he could.

[

On September 4, 2013, within a matter of minutes we welcomed Margaret Cloe, Nora Kathryn and Jack Michael into this world, each weighing about 1lb 3 oz respectively. All were beautiful and full of energy. As the doctor delivered each one, he decided to do what he could to stabilize them to give them a chance. They proved they were more than up for that challenge.

God was with my little angels that day. Our son, Jack, had the cord entangled around his neck and abdomen so severely he was suffocating in-utero. To this day, I feel this threesome had each others’ backs: I believe the girls helped their brother out by sending my body into labor, thus allowing me to meet the little guy.

Within their first moments, they were stabilized, intubated and suited up for transfer to Willow Creek’s Level III NICU. I was so thankful my doctor allowed me to wait in the hallway and say goodbye to each of my angels as they left. To transport micro-preemies is incredibly risky, so spending a moment with each of them was a true gift. They were just beautiful... oh-sotiny, but beautiful and full of life.

They remained stable for the next couple of days, but

]

Bunk Beds and the

Roar of a Tiger when he realized he would have a son. Thank you for allowing us to meet you. Thank you for giving us those three days to learn about you and, above all, for letting me cuddle you and keep you warm as you left this earth. I love you so much and will remember your handsome self forever.

During this time, the girls were undergoing their own set of issues. It was definitely, as they say, “touch and go,” but they were fighters.

Margaret, or “Maggie,” as we called her, began having abdominal issues and underwent a couple of risky procedures to help her. In the meantime, her sister, Nora, was steadfast. She began eating and I was able to help with diaper changes and massage--incredible mommy firsts with my baby girl.

On September 15, we were given knee-collapsing news when we learned Nora had Necrotizing Enterocolitis (NEC). Fatal in micro-preemies, her body was becoming septic due to an infection of her bowel. I just couldn’t control my emotions, pleading with God and everyone as to why this could be happening. I remember crying while she held my

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hand for the last time, and she squeezed it as if to say, “It’s okay, Mommy, I’m ready and Jack needs me.”

They unhooked her tiny self from life support, and I held her on my chest. She immediately curled up on me, living for 3 hours nestled with her daddy and I before joining her brother so peacefully. It was such a bittersweet day for me. My little angel was no longer in pain, and I think my sister said it best, “Jack had the bunk beds all ready.” They would never be alone, and that was the sweetest thought. Sweet Nora, you were a girl after my heart, with a head full of curls, and the most angelic face I’ve ever seen; I cannot thank you enough for giving me so many moments with you. You are a beauty inside and out and my mini-me for sure.

I’ll love you forever, sweet girl.

While enduring pure emotional and physical exhaustion, we turned our attention to Maggie.

Within a couple of days, Maggie’s abdominal issue grew increasingly worse, and the doctors felt she would need surgery of which they were incapable.

St. Louis Children’s Hospital sent a team by plane to help our little girl. I could have leapt into their arms; we thanked them time and time again for believing in our little one and agreeing to transport an incredibly high-risk micro-preemie. My husband, our two-yearold daughter, and I followed by car to meet the plane in St. Louis. I clutched Maggie’s blanket from her bed, praying in silence the whole way. A few hours later we got the call: Maggie had survived the transport, but was very critical. When we arrived in the middle of the night, I remember the look on the doctor’s face.

He spoke calmly, but shook his head as he said, “She is so sick and frail. We will do our best, but tonight is a critical time for her.” Exhausted, my husband and I did nothing but just hold each other; our hands were on her isolette, as we prayed for the strength of our little angel.

The next morning we learned that, miraculously, Maggie had stabilized, and they were beginning to come up with a plan to help her. Our girl was a fighter and I tell you, she has the best guardian angels anyone could want. Maggie’s case was complicated, so we

{

My little angel was no longer in pain, and I think my sister said it best: “Jack had the bunk beds all ready.” They would never be alone, and that was the sweetest thought.

decided to transport our little family to St. Louis. We lived there for almost 6 months, spending each day watching God and the amazing individuals of St. Louis Children’s Hospital work miracles. Each week Maggie surpassed all odds, so much so that they dubbed her “The Tiger” with a roar for all to hear. Our baby girl underwent numerous surgeries, but on January 28th, 2014, we were able to walk out those double doors with our little tiger in tow.

}

My babies were fighters. They are my heroes and the most beautiful symbol of God’s unfailing love. I may be a planner and overly organized, but in knowing them and having the blessing of being their mother, I have learned there is so much more to life. Slowing down, taking a deep breath, and letting life happen-there is so much beauty out there to enjoy. Joining with parents undergoing similar situations, meeting incredible healthcare professionals who I dub “miracle workers,” and realizing the strength of my husband and family were made possible by my trio. I smile when I see bunk beds, knowing my little angels will live on forever and help their parents and sisters through this journey we call life. Little ones, be kind to each other and always remember to say your prayers in those bunk beds. Until we meet again, know I love you forever and always. Maggie, you keep roaring, sweet baby. Continue showing the world what you are made of, and know we will be there cheering you on all the while.

To read more visit heartbeatsandhiccups.blogspot.com

2603 W. Pleasant Grove Road Suite 118, Rogers 479-636-5566

Grade School Gymnastics teach skills that go above and beyond the mat “If a child points their toes in a handstand, that is wonderful, but if they leave the gym with a smile on their face feeling good about themselves, then we’ve had a successful day as an instructor” - Melanie Shannon Craft, Owner, Little Gym Rogers Last month, while talking to a dear friend of mine, the topic of extracurricular activities came up. The sheer number of activities in which we had our children participating, had previously had them in, and were planning on enrolling them in was astounding. At some point during our discussion, I realized I had been trying to “keep up with the Joneses” in terms of what activities I enrolled my little ones.

Northwest Arkansas has a number of fabulous programs for area youth. From dance to gymnastics, to sports, art, and music, the list is long and for this we are fortunate.

The only problem with this fact is there are a wide range of quality activities available which make it easy for us as parents to want our children to partake in all of them… all at the same time.

It took me awhile to realize just because the neighbor’s daughter loved dance and enjoyed spending hours at her dance studio each week didn’t mean my daughter had the same passion. Additionally, just because my little boy’s best friend was all about T-ball, didn’t mean signing him up on the first day he was old enough to play was the best idea for him. Trust me, coming to this realization was much less black and white than those quick sentences would make you believe. So, after long contemplation, I decided quantity shouldn’t be a determining factor.

Happiness and sanity of our family was more important than adding another jewel to the family activity crown.

Another important factor was just because other children became trained in a competitive capacity didn’t mean we had to as well. There is a program we have felt is top rate since it first opened its doors--The Little Gym…and that is because it fits our family perfectly.

At The Little Gym, the goal is to create Olympic-quality children not necessarily Olympic-quality athletes. While the gym’s grade school classes are focused on the same skill set you would find in any gymnastics class, the skills are taught in a fun, loving, and nurturing environment.

24 October 2014

As children get older, we often see the fun, loving, and nurturing part of their classes get pushed aside to make room for perfection. However, at The Little Gym, each child’s victories are celebrated, no matter how big or small.

In the end, these grade schoolers are still children with a need to be nurtured and their self-esteem to be boosted by adults as well as their peers. Those at The Little Gym work to create this type of environment and have several class options for kids of any skill level.

A Springboard to Success

Kids of this age are still growing like crazy, but now each is developing at a unique pace. That’s why The Little Gym of Rogers’s gymnastics program for grade school boys and girls is a little different than that of our younger members. Classes have been segmented to allow for gender-specific disciplines and varying developmental abilities, giving Rogers students the chance to tackle new challenges at their own skill level. Celebrated with cheers and high-fives, each new achievement leads to newfound confidence, determination and a desire to continue improving.

Get moving! Advanced balance, flexibility and power through gymnastics training, endurance, agility and rhythm, specific gymnastics skill proficiency Brain Boost!

Maintaining attention and sustained concentration, increased problem-solving and the ability to follow more complex directions Citizen Kid! Improved confidence in social settings, active group participation, learning to manage emotions, increasing willingness to take on leadership roles.

The Little Gym in Rogers offers six challenging gymnastics classes for kids in grade school: GIRLS --

Flips: ages 6 – 12 years, beginning Monday at 5:30 ; Wednesday at 4:15 Twisters: 6 – 12 years, intermediate Tuesday at 4:50 Aerials: 6 – 12 years, intermediate/ advanced -Monday at 5:30 Tumblers: 6 – 12 years, advanced Thursday at 6:30

BOYS --

Hot Shots: 6 – 12 years, beginning/ intermediate - Monday at 5:30 Flic Flacs: 6 – 12 years, advanced Tuesday at 4:50

6

tips for strengthening your child’s confidence

Consider the compliments you give your child.

Words of praise mean more when they refer to a child’s specific efforts or new abilities. Try using Specific Positive Feedback to focus on specific feedback rather than simply saying “Good Job.” Nurture your child’s special interests.

Provide endless encouragement for your child.

Your child will never forget the way you make them feel – that’s why it is important to be supportive of your child.

Do not label your child as anything – this may limit them and the way they feel about themselves as they grow.

Extend trust in your child and let them make decisions.

Focus on the glass half full – teach your child optimism. Teaching your child how to have an optimistic mindset will allow their confidence to shine!

Building self-confidence begins very early in life, it is important to set your child up for success.

Use these simple tips to help your child become more confident. www.thelittlegym.com/rogersar

by: Sarah

Dyslexia

Par

D

yslexia is not just a reading disability; it is a difference in the brain’s anatomy. It can affect numerous areas of one’s life such as: audio or visual processing, memory, organization, spelling, writing, math, depth perception, directionality concepts, and copying tasks. Mistakes will increase dramatically with time pressure, distractions, schedule changes, confusion, poor health, emotional stress, and simply when one is tired. Those with dyslexia have inherited a difficulty with reading, writing, and spelling despite conventional methods of instruction, adequate intelligence, and socio-economic opportunity. Yale research reports 20% of the population in the United States is affected with this disability.

Effective in 2015, a new law in Arkansas will mandate screening for dyslexia markers beginning in Kindergarten through 2nd grade. As a parent, one can be proactive and look for traits--the earlier the markers are recognized and interventions implemented the better. This can help foster selfesteem and enable academic success for your child.

In elementary school, one of the markers includes dysgraphia. This is a learning disability found under the umbrella of dyslexia that affects writing--which requires a complex set of motor and information processing skills. Dysgraphia makes the act of writing difficult and can lead to problems with spelling, poor handwriting, and putting thoughts on paper. People with dysgraphia can have trouble organizing letters, numbers, and words on a line or page. This can result partly from visual-spatial difficulties (trouble

processing what the eye sees) and/or a language processing difficulty (trouble processing and making sense of what the ear hears). (http://www.ncld.org) Other markers include letter or number reversals after 1st grade, slow/choppy inaccurate reading, poor spelling, difficulty remembering sight words, difficulty telling time with a clock, trouble with math (memorizing multiplication, sequences, or directionality), struggling to find the right word when speaking, being extremely disorganized, and dreading going to school or complaining about “not feeling well.”

The first priority for a parent would be to get the right diagnosis. There are many similar traits found

arent Support Group in vision issues, attention disorders, and school performance anxiety. Once you have a dyslexia diagnosis, start to read reputable books on the subject, talk openly, and explain the diagnosis to your child. Give your child understanding, support, and listen to them. Help focus on their gifts and celebrate their achievements. Next, get the right therapy. One such opportunity for your child is Take Flight. This is a two-year intensive program which enables those with a diagnosis of dyslexia to effectively decode language despite being born with a brain which works differently.

Beyond that you will need to get the right accommodations in place for school, help them with homework, work to foster selfesteem, and further their independence.

Communicate with both teachers and your child regularly to make sure everything is going well with their classes. With regard to the dreaded homework topic, since it is difficult and time consuming to do--it can be a struggle. Help them plan, be their scribe, and don’t forget hugs when things are not going well. The three R’s to homework are relevance, review, and realistic. Read to your child to help aide in vocabulary growth and literacy appreciation. Some days will be bad; the most consistent thing about dyslexia is its inconsistency, so as a parent be prepared to be flexible. If your child suffers from school performance anxiety, fostering self-esteem outside of school will be essential to success. Examples of activities children can become involved in are sports, school clubs, music, art, drama, dance, horseback riding, Minecraft, Legos, or any other specialized interest.

Dyslexic adults are described as those who are successful--inventors, unconventional thinkers, great leaders, resilient, and those who collaborate well with others. They often thrive in careers relating to architecture, construction, design, inventing, engineering, acting, or writing. Henry Winkler (with Lin Oliver) wrote the series Hank Zipzer which explores the life of an elementary school boy diagnosed with dyslexia. Other famous dyslexics are Alexander Graham Bell, Thomas Edison, Leonardo da Vinci, Pablo Picasso, Tom Cruise, Harrison Ford, Steve Jobs, Bella Thorne, and many more.

Albert Einstein, believed to be dyslexic, once said, “If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will spend its entire life believing it is stupid.” Let’s teach our children to live their legacy knowing even with dyslexia one can make a difference and have an impact on the world.

Parents of dyslexic children meet once a month to share their experiences, continued educational opportunities, and work together to increase community awareness (October is Dyslexia Awareness Month). There will be discussion on dyslexia traits, good resources available in book form or online websites, testing and therapy that works, how to work effectively on 504 accommodations, technology tools available, and working on self esteem. Three years into the diagnosis, I am reaching out to our area to form a Dyslexia Parent Support Group. We have so much to learn from one another. I do hope you will join us October 5th at Gracepoint Church in Bentonville at 5:00 and every first Sunday of each month to follow.

Feel free to contact me at mom2bboys@gmail.com While working on a class assignment using metaphors in poetry form, my fifth grade son shared his explanation of what dyslexia is like.

I am...

I am, what controls your grade I am, what holds you back I am, what makes you hate school I am, what hurts your spelling I may save you once Yet I will kill you twice Medication does nothing for I have a diamond shield More class time only angers me I am, what cripples your confidents I am, what gets you called dum and beat up I am, what makes you boil with anger I am, destroys your smart DNA and makes bad DNA If you treat me you may be the next allbert You can love me or hate me With treatment I may be your best friend or your enemy I am…dyslexia

www.peekaboonwa.com

27

Got Triplets?

Triplet Mommies Unite

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Photos by: Jenn Thurlo Photography.

Are those twins?

Did you have them all at once?

Are they really triplets?

Did you take fertility drugs?

You have your hands full, don’t you?

Do they all cry at the same time?

Do they wake each other up?

Are they identical? Are they natural?

How in the world do you do it?

Do you have help?

How do you stay sane?

NOW, there is a good question! How do we do it, you ask? I could write you a novel on what it takes to raise triplets, their siblings, stay married, support your family, manage to work, cook, and clean your house, but this story is about friendship. Friendships born from the commonality of having higher order multiples.

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Who else could understand what life is really like? Who else could truly give you advice?

Who else could you laugh with that would understand some of the ridiculous things that are asked of us?

Who else could understand the joy, the stress, the juggling, the frustrations, and who else could offer you true empathy?

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Now, don’t get me wrong. All of us have loving, supportive friends, family, co-workers, people who believe in us, but sometimes we just need someone who gets us. To understand where we are, you have to know who we are, so meet the moms!

Kimberly Smith.

My husband Tray and I married 4 years ago. I already had two children, Zachery (15) and Johanna (13), but longed to have more children. Discovering we would have trouble conceiving, we began the up and down journey through infertility. We suffered loss and disappointment over 2 ½ years, but on June 18, 2013, we found out not only had our prayers been answered, but they had been answered tri-fold. On December 13, 2013, Hudson Dunbar, Grant Michael, and Charlotte “Charlee” Faye Smith were born at 31 weeks and 6 days. We spent 4-5 weeks in the NICU at Willow Creek but all came home happy and healthy without any major medical concerns. Today the triplets are 9 months old and have brought love into our home like no other. They have completed our family. I started looking for other triplet moms about 4 months ago. I needed someone who understood me, who I could look to for true advice, someone to share my story…someone who would know my heart. I started making connections on Baby Center and then Facebook. I never realized so many triplet moms lived so close to me! Getting together with these ladies just feels good. They just get it! I can’t wait for our kids to grow together and to see where this crazy life takes us!

Kristal Hollingsworth.

Our three turned 3! It’s been 2 years since I shared our story with PEEKABOO. Our trio celebrated their 3rd birthday this summer. Preschool is upon us, and every day is a complete adventure. Juggling 2 teenagers and three 3 year olds can only mean you either laugh or cry at the end of each day. Over the last two years, I have prayed for a chance to find a way to help other mothers of multiples. Knowing you’re not alone in this journey is half the battle! Through prayer and positive social media, I have been blessed to meet and connect with not one, but many mothers of triplets!!!

The comfort in knowing other moms who understand our daily struggle of chaos and patience is priceless.

These are our “wonder years” and having met this group of women has been a Godsend. A group that understands the ever present comment, “OH, you have your hands FULL!” and the smile you give all the while thinking “You should see my heart”. To the 25 children that the 6 of us have had...YOU ARE OUR GREATEST ADVENTURE! Melanie McMurtrey.

In a world as big as this, we all long to belong. I have vivid memories of seeking out that sense of belonging even as a young child. That search continued on

through my awkward tween years, throughout the twists and turns of my tumultuous high school era, and then as I took that first step into adulthood when entering college. In each stage, I’ve been blessed to find someone or something that helped ground and give me a sense of peace. However in March 2012, when my husband and I learned we would be doubling the size of our little family by welcoming triplets into our home, that longing returned. In a world where my family was suddenly an anomaly, once again, I needed to belong. Fortunately, it didn’t take long before friends from church introduced us to a family who had been in our exact same situation three years previously. This family was gracious enough to welcome us into their home and spent hours talking with us one night to help put us at ease about the adventure on which we were about to embark. As we left their house that night, we felt comfort in knowing we weren’t alone. With their advice, we felt better equipped to navigate the murky waters that accompany the major lifestyle change of going from one child to four in an instant. A few months later, I was blessed to find another triplet mom in the area by attending an open house for the local Mothers of Multiples club. She had all male triplets, just like myself, and was full of advice and practical

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Got Triplets? Triplet Mommies Unite ideas of how to make the daunting responsibility seem a little more manageable. I’ve kept in close touch with both women over the past couple of years. We’ve shared our successes and failures through social media, given encouraging pep talks to each other when our tanks were running low, and burned up boundless energy by getting together for play dates. Most importantly, in a world where our families are far from the norm, they’ve given me the gift of belonging.

Jessica Cheney.

Two years ago I was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome) which affects a woman’s hormone levels, periods, and ovulation and can cause infertility.

My husband and I were shocked as we had a beautiful 3 year old daughter Aubrey. Our infertility journey started with our first treatment option of 50 mg of Clomid. After my first round, I was pregnant and at 5 weeks we saw and heard three beautiful heartbeats! We were shocked, overwhelmed, and scared, but most of all blessed. My husband is my rock, and I knew we could get through anything together. Not long after, I went seeking other moms of triplets. I needed confirmation others had made it! I came across a Facebook group of triplet moms and to be 100% honest, the ladies in this group became my best friends! They have helped me and my husband get through my pregnancy, delivery, the difficult NICU time, and really the first year of our boys lives! They also helped me with advice on how to help my daughter cope with going from the only child to a big sister of THREE brothers! They let me complain and rejoice during all the stages we went through! Through this group, a local group formed.

We quickly had a bond and began messaging each other on a regular basis. We even recently met up for dinner. I felt as though I was meeting up with my best friends from grade school! We all have so much in common because we have either walked the same paths or close to the same paths. I’m so excited for our kids to grow up together and for the lifelong friendships we have made!

Christina Reno.

My husband and I were married March 19, 2012. I was already a mother to my beautiful and smart daughter, Ivy Ane (18). We started trying to have a baby in early 2012. Rob kept telling me we were going to have triplet girls, and I just laughed at him. In August 2013, I found out I was pregnant and my husband was once again right…it was triplets! I later found out multiples

ran on my mother’s side of the family. Immediately, I started researching to find some support to help cope with this news. I stumbled across an app called Baby Center which had a “Mothers of Triplets” board.

Through that I was connected to “Triplets Born/Due in 2014” via Facebook. This is where I found my beautiful new friends. Social media typically is in the news for negative issues, but I can attest wonderful things really do come from Facebook.

Angie Muldoon.

My husband James and I always wanted children.

Because James is an only child and lost both of his parents in his early twenties, he wanted more than one child so they would have each other even if something happened to us. After years of trying to have children, we were not sure if we would get to be parents at all. When we finally had a successful round of IVF and positive pregnancy test, we could not wait for the ultrasound. Still, nothing could prepare us for the words from the ultrasound technician: “Here’s Baby A, Baby B, and this is Baby C.” I laughed and James panicked. As first time parents, we joke our secret weapon is only knowing what it is like to have three children at once. In reality since we are first time parents, and we have lots of questions. Getting to know other triplet moms has been invaluable. It is so comforting to be able to ask a question or gain

insight from someone who has been in the same position. Being part of the lives of these amazing little people has already been such an adventure, and James definitely got what he wanted—nothing is better, even at only five months old--than seeing them smile and bond with each other.

We all support one another through every trial and tribulation you can imagine (and some you probably can’t). We’ve laughed, cried, and hugged each other over so many things. To have so many triplet moms here in Northwest Arkansas is a miracle. We consider them family and can’t imagine my life without them in it. Through each of us making our own connections, our circle has grown. My hope is as the number of families with triplets in our area grows, so will our sense of place and purpose; because although belonging to this exclusive club can be exasperating at times, it is a beautiful thing.

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We are in search of other triplets families in NWA! If you are a triplet family in NWA, please contact me at kim.smith.temp@ gmail.com or our Facebook group “NWA Triplet Moms.” The most important thing I want you to know is that you are not alone! The more triplets, the merrier!

Be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 9:7)

by: Jennifer Grimes

We are the Grimes family: Craig, Jennifer, Jackson, Summer, Sayler, and Shyloh. asked him the same question. With no hesitation, the doctor replied, “There are two babies!” Twins!

Twin ‘A’ and Twin ‘B’; or ‘This one’ and ‘That one,’ as we would later refer to them. The excitement on Jackson and Summer’s faces is all I remember. In that moment, I left my sanity right there in the obstetrician’s office.

I grabbed my belongings, the ultrasound picture of the twins, and headed home with my head spinning.

I barely have any memory from that moment on until we got home. Thankfully, my older two were at self-sufficient ages, otherwise I probably would have driven off without them. Everything was still a haze as I was still trying to absorb the news.

We call ourselves the “Circus of Six” because, most days it’s quite a show for others to watch us. Grab a binky, change a diaper, make a bottle, change a diaper, this one spit up, that one is crying! Change the baby, feed the baby, burp the baby... change the baby, feed the baby, burp the baby! Yep, quite a show! But it’s life as we know it, so we have assumed our roles quite well.

Our journey is not a journey many get to take. One of my favorite verses in the Bible comes from Genesis 9:7, “Be fruitful and multiply among the earth and increase abundantly.” Craig and I both come from large families, and it always felt our calling was to expand our family of four someday. Well, that day came on November 2, 2013, when life gave us all a little surprise--one which our family likes to call a blessing.

On that day, I and our elder two children, Summer and Jackson, were attending a regularly scheduled, utterly routine doctor visit. The doctor came in the room and turned on the familiar ultrasound machine, and I settled in. I couldn’t wait to see that machine at every visit because I would be able to get to know my baby better each time! The doctor took about two seconds to look at the image and said the words which would resonate with me forever, “Looks like you got double your money!” “Ha! Ha!” I thought, “Great joke for our first time.” Then, as she looked at me, it sank in...she was serious!

I had to ask her (just to make sure), “What does double your money mean?” Little did I know that Summer leaned over to Jackson at that same moment and

When we arrived to pick Craig up at work, it was almost like he already knew, He was grinning ear to ear. The kids gave him the ultrasound picture and said, “What do you see?” “Twins!” he replied. I could feel his inherent nobility and worth just soar at that moment. If he were Tarzan, he would have beaten his chest! We thought we had this parent thing all figured out and a third baby would be a piece of cake…but three and four at the same time? Whoa, stop the press! We multiplied, all right! I told myself over the next seven and a half months I would embrace this pregnancy. I knew this journey would be different from my other two pregnancies, and it would be my last. I was thirty-six, and having twins would be a fragile journey. I embraced listening to Jackson

and Summer talk about which baby they would take care of when he/she arrived. Summer wanted a girl and Jackson a boy, of course! They couldn’t wait to share the news with their friends and everyone. They would ask me all sorts of questions like, “What’s their size?” “When is your belly going to grow, Mommy?”

“Is that a kick?” “Can I hear them?” “Can they hear me?” They just couldn’t wait! To be honest, Craig and I couldn’t either. We felt blessings pouring over us. As I grew rapidly in size, I had to keep reminding myself this was a blessing, especially with the increasing aches and pains, the eating every hour… A LOT! The constant trips to the bathroom and sleeping at night with about every pillow in the house propped around me were “normal” issues, but this pregnancy was HARD! I did a lot of research online about twins and

took notes from other twin moms on how to navigate a pregnancy with twins. The best advice I received was “Rest, because your body is working double time and the pregnancy will be fragile to make it to full term.”

Another bit of good advice was “Keep the babies on the same feeding, waking, and sleeping schedule as soon as they arrive. Life will be a lot easier this way.”

They were right! I even downloaded some apps for my phone that tracked my pregnancy and a breastfeeding app that helped me keep track of which side I last nursed each baby and for how long. One of the most useful items I purchased was a “table for two” from a fellow twin mom. It’s a lounge chair that helps you feed two babies at once. Another was the “My Breast Friend Pillow.” I could not live without this nursing pillow. I take it EVERYWHERE!

The Gender Day It was an exciting day when we got to find out if our predictions were right. Would they be boy/girl?

Boy/Boy? Nope! Girl/Girl, Twin “A” and Twin “B” as the doctors called them. My thoughts immediately were to double EVERYTHING! Cribs, diapers--oh boy! Hair bows, frilly things, and oh yeah, the sassy attitudes! But, most importantly, double the blessings.

I would soon start to learn the medical terminology of twins. First, I was told they were “Di/Di twins”, with two placentas and two separate sacs, which meant they were fraternal. I would also be seen by the obstetrician every two weeks and would get an ultrasound every visit. This meant I would have more ultrasound pictures than I would know what to do with. We also developed a great relationship with the doctors and staff because we were there so much.

It probably took us six months to finally settle on names. Coming up with four names isn’t easy, and make them flow together adds to the difficulty. We wanted the names to be a family decision between the four of us. Besides, if you ask everyone’s opinion on names there will always be negative comments. So we chose Sayler Alexis for Twin “A” and Shyloh Olivia for Twin “B,” and then determined Livi and Lexi would be their nicknames. Those names felt like an instant fit for us and that was that! No more debate. From that point on, Summer claimed Sayler and Jackson claimed Shyloh as “their baby.” They started picking out clothing for their baby, feeling my belly, and talking to them. It was a beautiful feeling to embrace.

Although our due date wasn’t until July 12, 2014, we were expecting “sometime” in June. So far the pregnancy was going great! The babies were measuring the same and they looked healthy-- Hallelujah! What a miracle…and it felt so real now. My “nesting” list was almost complete--and I don’t think a pregnant

woman’s list ever gets complete by the way--and Craig had done some nesting of his own. We were now as ready as we were going to be. We had one last doctor appointment to discuss the possibility of a C-Section,

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as Twin “B” had not turned and was breech. It was a Wednesday, and I hated the fact I couldn’t deliver the manner in which I had my other two which meant I would have to heal from surgery. A C-Section was scheduled for the following Monday. We went home and prayed, had many discussions to ease my mind, and decided if she turned by Monday morning we wouldn’t do the C-Section.

Baby Day

I was 37 weeks and 2 days when I was admitted at 5:00am to Washington Regional Medical Center. I was quickly prepped and ready for the operating room, excited to meet our girls. The waiting room was full of loving family members eagerly waiting. This would be the first birth they would not have to wait the entire day for delivery. At 7:30am, Dr. Hardman came in and we took one last look on the ultrasound machine to see where Shyloh was positioned. Had she turned in five days? Much to our disbelief, she had in fact, turned!

Craig and I could not have been any more excited or

relieved as we were at that moment. Everyone just burst with praise in the waiting room. Shyloh knew it was time to be born, though, and began the process.

Ten hours later, after a scary delivery, Sayler Alexis was born at 5:52pm, weighing 6lbs 4oz and measuring 20 inches long. Six minutes later, at 5:58pm, Shyloh Olivia showed up, weighing 5lbs 14oz and measuring 19 ¼ inches long. Craig and I could not believe we had just accomplished this huge milestone in our lives. It was real--we were and are a family of six and we have TWINS!

Double the Fun The calm silence after the climax of the twins’ arrival was almost unbearable. The babies were here, but where was everyone?

My mom, who had stayed with us for a month until the girls were born, had now gone home, my husband went back to work, and the phone calls and texts had stopped. It struck me that the discharge nurse at the hospital had been right! The double hormone blues after twins might happen to me, and they did. As someone who has gone through this, my best advice to parents of multiples is to hang in there and know you are NOT alone! A simple phone call to another new mom and a good hot bath will get you through those moments.

This too shall pass!

36 October 2014

I read an article one day about moms of twins living longer, and I found it incredibly encouraging.

According to a new research, it’s not because doubling up on dirty diapers increase life span; instead, moms of twins are physically stronger in the first place. If my Heavenly Father thought I was strong enough to take on this gift of mothering twins, then that was enough to snap me back to joyfulness, gratitude, and the drive to keep going. Colossians 3:23-24 says, “Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ.”

My husband, Craig, has been the most amazing support, a loving father elated because of his four children. He comes home from work and says, “Daddy duty

is here!” just like Superman coming to save the day for me.

The older two help out and start passing babies like a game of hot potatoes. They really are a HUGE help for me. The Lord knew what he was doing by waiting so long for the twins to come along in our lives, because I could not have done all this without the older two helping me. It’s been a great learning experience for Jackson and Summer, and such joy for Craig and I to watch them step up and love on the twins and protect them, seeing their pride.

Some days Craig and I have to step in and say, “Hey, those are our babies, too!” We have to ask to hold them, carry the car seats, or push the stroller when we go places. Craig and I feel like the kids while they play the parents!

Handling what people say People are generally nice. They want to make conversation but don’t always know what to say. Sometimes, though, when they do say something they don’t always listen to what comes out of their mouths, like, “You’ve got your hands full!” or “Better you than me!” and “Double trouble!”

My canned answer is “Double blessings!” and I roll right along. My favorite is, “Are they twins?” I have also been asked if they are “natural” or “artificial”. Of course, there are also those uplifting comments from fellow twin moms, grandparents, or twin siblings. “You are truly blessed!”

“You are going to have a wonderful life with these two!” I love the fact I see more twins or multiples now, and it’s an instant bond because we know exactly what the journey is all about. We connect like we’ve been friends for a lifetime, and I love hearing their stories.

If there was any advice I could give a mom of multiples, it would be to embrace and cherish those sleepless nights, the countless dirty diapers, feedings which make you feel like a “milk cow,” and the grocery store trips that now take double the time if you take the twins with you because you will be stopped by curious people every time. Embrace the stares, enjoy the juggling baby act as you try to hold two at the same time, or try and pick one up while you’re holding another and you’re home alone. Get used to letting one cry its head off while you tend to the other. Go ahead and

cry yourself! It will do you some good. Know that at some point you will call your babies “This one” and “That one” and feel like you have just belittled them to just “things”.

It’s okay to have a freak out moment and look in your rear view mirror to make sure you grabbed both car seats before you drove away. Most days you may be lucky to get a shower. Sometimes you’ll attempt to shop and your baby will mess its diaper and leak ALL OVER the car seat, and the other one will scream, which makes the other baby scream, too. Now, you’ll have on BIG mess and two very loud babies. The entire store will look at you, and all you want to do is find the nearest exit and run. Meanwhile, your other two children will fuss behind you because they really wanted those pair of shoes. See what I mean by “circus”? Remember you can do it! You can make it through pregnancy, you can have a great birth experience, and you can raise two little ones at one time. It takes faith!

Faith in yourself, faith in God that He entrusted you with twins, and faith in whomever you have to help you. Praise your husband for being a part of giving you these precious gifts; twins are a big accomplishment for him, too.

We are a Christian family and feel blessed for all the greatness God has shown in our lives. We would not be anything without the hope and faith that fills our lives each day. God bless!

Youth Bridge Promotes Art Therapy

Youth Bridge is once again reaching for the stars to continue funding its art therapy program for troubled youth and their families in Northwest Arkansas. Their annual event will be held on November 13th from 6-9PM at the Embassy Suites.

“Starry, Starry Night… Almost a Masterpiece” Challenge and Art Auction is an annual fundraiser where celebrities, individuals and youth create artwork with specified supplies to sell during a silent auction at the event, with proceeds funding the art therapy program. Art made by these youth can help solve problems, reduce stress and build social skills through the process of creating said art. Many find that this helps give them a new sense of perspective on their situation. The art can help therapists gain some idea of the youth’s concerns and life circumstances, especially those situations that are too risky or embarrassing to reveal. Art therapy was included in the treatment plan that helped Sarah, whose story is told here.

Sarah began smoking marijuana and progressed to methamphetamines. Her addiction led to a destructive lifestyle causing her to be ostracized by friends and family.

When she came to Youth Bridge she was 40 pounds underweight due to her meth addiction. She quickly adapted to the substance abuse program and began interacting well with peers. Using art therapy in her treatment plan helped her verbalize her insecurities. She worked at the program, meeting regularly with her counselor, attending NA meetings and engaging in family therapy sessions. Sarah is drug-free and back at home. She and her family feel that her success is because of Youth Bridge.

For more information, to make a donation to the art therapy program or to purchase tickets to “Starry, Starry Night,” please call Nancy Hairston, Director of Development, at 479575-9471 or visit www.youthbridge.com.

Sapphire Anniversary Celebration J u n i o r A u x i l i a ry o f R o g e r s - B e n t o n v i l l e ’ s Pa s t , P r e s e n t a n d F u t u r e

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You may have heard the old saying that an organization that does not study its history is doomed to repeat it. Well, in the case of the Junior Auxiliary of RogersBentonville (JARB), looking to our past not only informs our present but holds a high mark for our future. As JARB embarks on its 45th year of service to Benton County, a past president, the current president and current president of Crown Club (JARB’s volunteer group for high school girls) reflect on what JARB and Crown Club mean to them.

Julia’s JA Story:

I grew up in a family that valued service to the community. Both of my parents were leaders in many volunteer organizations, including United Way, Girls Club, Rotary Club, and Service League (a local group very similar to Junior Auxiliary). When I was asked to consider joining JARB, I wanted to carry on that belief in giving back to the community.

JARB is a diverse organization. Members join with many different backgrounds and experiences and work together to make amazing things happen. The ways in which we have and continue to serve are so varied that it is difficult to describe them in a single statement. Assisting with foster programs, starting a health care clinic from scratch, helping establish the Rogers Activity Center - those are some of the early JA experiences I have learned about.

During my time with the group we have taken on new projects, such as Snack Packs for Kids, while continuing to offer long-standing projects like Reading Is Fundamental (RIF) and HeadStart. Our finance projects have also evolved. When I started, our main fundraising event was an annual book sale. It was such a popular event that shoppers would line up an hour or more before the doors opened. Today we have a whole new event, “A Night at the Speakeasy,” that succeeds in raising funds that can support our projects, but has a completely different feel to it. It is exciting to see each “generation” of members discover and create projects

40 October 2014

“JARB is a diverse organization. Members join with many different backgrounds and experiences and work together to make amazing things happen.” that continue to meet under-served needs in Benton County and to see what a diverse, creative group can come up with to garner community support.

One of the most personally rewarding projects I have participated in is RIF. The RIF project distributes books to second graders at elementary schools in both the Rogers and Bentonville school districts. We believe in its power to elevate children by giving them books and encouraging them to read at a young age. It is also powerful to have the children demonstrate their sincere appreciation for what we do. By the second book distribution of the year, these second grade children come up to give us hugs and thank us for what we’ve done. It often doesn’t matter if you haven’t been at their school before, they just want to hug one of the JA ladies! Those are the days we know what we are doing is having an impact!

Alyssa’s Crown Club Story: My mother is the sole reason I am in Crown Club. She was actively in JARB for years and now she is a life member. When Junior Auxiliary started the Crown Club, they extended invitations to the daughters and granddaughters of past and present JARB members, myself included. I was tentative at first, as I had no idea what to expect, but I did not want to pass on what seemed like a great opportunity. Now I’m a part of a wonderful group of young ladies who are making a positive change in our community and I’m extremely proud to be their president this year.

Sarah’s JA Story: I am humbled and proud to be serving as President of this outstanding, passionate, and determined non-profit, hands-on service organization. While serving alongside attentive women who are eager to meet hunger, literacy, mentoring, and tutoring needs within our neighboring schools, JARB actively participates in projects that strive to bring “I am humbled and glimmers of hope, kindness, proud to be serving comfort, and guidance to as President of young people for whom this outstanding, life has been undeservedly passionate, challenging. We currently and determined have 11 projects that non-profit, effectively relieve genuine hands-on service needs of very worthy young organization.” people in our vicinity.

The ladies of JARB share a resilient focus and align ourselves together to simply be used as an instrumental tool in the community to bless and support countless young lives.

Personally, I joined JARB because I desired to be a part of a well-run business organization where service programs were already established and thriving, where challenges of new opportunities would arise to pour into local children’s welfare, where I would learn about new endeavors in NWA and how to get involved, and where I could meet new people to share life with and be inspired to attempt to lighten the load for those less fortunate.

After my Provisional Year in 2012, I enthusiastically joined and can sincerely say that JARB offers our members authentic pathways to aid those who are less fortunate in Rogers and Bentonville, while cultivating meaningful friendships by spending time with remarkable, ambitious, and dedicated women.

In only two years, we have accomplished quite a lot.

From establishing our constitution to reading to kids at the Boys and Girls Club to making dinner for families at the Ronald McDonald Family Room, we are extending ourselves into our community and are changing it for the better. Like Newton’s third law, our impact in turn impacts us. I may be biased, since my mother is the executive director of Girls On The Run, but one of my favorite service projects is the hair station at the 5K we volunteer at in November. We get to spray vibrant colors into little girls’ hair and see their faces light up as they get their hair done and then watch as they giggle looking at their friends’ crazy hairdos. Their joy is contagious! It just brings a smile to my face knowing that we are adding color to these girls’ lives along with everyone we help.

Two years is essentially a short time but it has left an imprint on me. I feel myself learning to be a better role model and leader. I know even after I graduate I will look back and feel a sense of pride for what I and all the Crown Club girls have and will accomplish in the future.

JARB and Crown Club provide its members with an opportunity to give back to the community, to grow as leaders and to be a part of a great team with an illustrious past, a dedicated present and limitless future. If you are interested in learning more about JARB, our projects and/or how to become a member, please visit www.jarb.org. If interested in tickets for “A Night at the Speakeasy,” please call (678) 863-2119.

Sun

OCT. 5 Sidewalk Sundays at The Walmart Museum Plant fall flowers to take home with you.Drop in anytime between 2-5 p.m.

It’s free! Questions? Call us at (479) 273-1329 ext. 2 or visit us on out Facebook page.

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Tues

Mon

Fayetteville on College and 6th St. Bentonville on Walton Rogers on Walnut and Pleasant Grove

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26 Sidewalk Sundays Walmart Museum - Downtown Bentonville IBM is back with circuit balls and more scientific experiments. .Drop in anytime between 2-5 p.m. It’s free!

Questions? Call us at (479) 273-1329 ext. 2 or visit us on our Facebook page.

Pinnacle Hills Promenade and the NWA Mall

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Moms on the Farm Tour: 8:30am - 4pm The Moms on the Farm Tour will provide attendees with the opportunity to tour local farms to gain a better understanding of the processes used to provide them and their families with food. UA Pauline Whitaker Animal Science Arena

Little Giggles Every Tuesday 10:30AM and 3:45PM: “Little Artist” art class with Crafty Cottage $8 for the class, discounted entry into Little Giggles if you stay to play, $5.50 (+tax) A fun 45 minutes with 2-3 art projects completed, taught by Miss Gigi

9:45am; Baby Bookworms at FPL

Family Night Events - Every Tuesday at Chick-fil-A in Rogers and at Bentonville location from 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.

10:30am; Toddler Time at FPL

A House in Mourning October 4 - November 1 Hawkins House Rogers Historical Museum 322 S. 2nd Street, Rogers www.rogersar.gov/museum

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Step back in time to a funeral service at the turn of the last century and explore the mourning customs with a guided tour of the Hawkins House.

Sidewalk Sundays Walmart Museum - Downtown Bentonville IBM demonstrates how ice cream can be made in minutes with liquid nitrogen.Drop in anytime between 2-5 p.m. It’s free! Questions? Call us at (479) 273-1329 ext. 2 or visit us on our Facebook page.

We

20 Little Gigggles Every Monday 10:30AM: Enrichment Monday Class Free with admission: Ages 2+ Monthly themes and weekly subjects explored in an interactive, play-based learning environment. Run by Miss Lori, a preschool teacher and mom of two.

27 Little Gigggles Every Monday 10:30AM: Enrichment Monday Class Free with admission: Ages 2+ Monthly themes and weekly subjects explored in an interactive, play-based learning environment. Run by Miss Lori, a preschool teacher and mom of two.

Lunch and Learn Series - FREE 12:00-12:45pm – Chiropractic Care for Safer, Easier Birth Birth Center of NWA bcnwa.com

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Two Punch Tuesday at Pigtails & Crewcuts in Fayetteville Double punch on loyalty card for every haircut every Tuesday!

Family Night Events - Every Tuesday at Chick-fil-A in Rogers and at Bentonville location from 5:30 p.m.

- 7 p.m.

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Little Giggles Every Tuesday 10:30AM and 3:45PM: “Little Artist” art class with Crafty Cottage $8 for the class, discounted entry into Little Giggles if you stay to play, $5.50 (+tax) Ages 2+ A fun 45 minutes with 2-3 art projects completed, taught by Miss Gigi

Family Night Events - Every Tuesday at Chick-fil-A in Rogers and at Bentonville location from 5:30 p.m. - 7 p.m.

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Little Giggles Every Tuesday 10:30AM and 3:45PM: “Little Artist” art class with Crafty Cottage $8 for the class, discounted entry into Little Giggles if you stay to play, $5.50 (+tax) Ages 2+ A fun 45 minutes with 2-3 art projects completed, taught by Miss Gigi

Lunch and Learn Series - FREE 12:00-12:45pm – Pregnancy Power Foods Birth Center of NWA bcnwa.com

Prenatal Yoga - $12 Drop-In, 10-class package for $100 7:00-8:00pm Birth Center of Northwest Arkansas bcnwa.com

Prenatal Yoga - $12 Drop-In, 10-class package for $100 7:00-8:00pm Birth Center of Northwest Arkansas bcnwa.com

Prenatal Yoga - $12 Drop-In, 10-class package for $100 7:00-8:00pm Birth Center of Northwest Arkansas bcnwa.com

Prenatal Yoga - $12 Drop-In, 10-class package for $100 7:00-8:00pm Birth Center of Northwest Arkansas bcnwa.com

Halloween Event : Little Giggles Free with admission. 9:30am - 12:30 Free craft project, free Spooky Sensory tables and costume parade Mini sessions available all day with Capture me Photography

Thurs

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Little Sprouts of the Ozarks at the Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks: 9:30 Weekly botanically themed program for preschoolers. We will read stories, sing songs, and do fun craft activities.

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Little Sprouts of the Ozarks at the Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks: 9:30 Weekly botanically themed program for preschoolers. We will read stories, sing songs, and do fun craft activities.

15 Little Sprouts of the Ozarks at the Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks: 9:30 Weekly botanically themed program for preschoolers. We will read stories, sing songs, and do fun craft activities.

Little Sprouts of the Ozarks at the Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks: 9:30 Weekly botanically themed program for preschoolers. We will read stories, sing songs, and do fun craft activities.

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Fayetteville Public Library 9:45am: Baby Bookworms 10:30am: Toddler Time 4:00pm: Afterschool Workshop with Mid America Karate (K-5th) 4:00pm: Homework Helpers

Little Sprouts of the Ozarks at the Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks: 9:30 Weekly botanically themed program for preschoolers. We will read stories, sing songs, and do fun craft activities.

Rogers Historical Museum Summer Storytime Every Friday, 10 a.m., at Education Annex Youngsters age 4 through 8 can enjoy a story, hands-on history objects, and a craft with this series of free programs.

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First Friday on the Bentonville Square Bentonville, AR

First Thursday Fayetteville Downtown Fayetteville Fayetteville AR

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16 Rogers Public Library 9:30am:Toddler Storytime 10:30am: Preschool Storytime 10:30 am: Babies, Bubbles and Books 6:30pm: Family Storytime Bentonville Public Library 9:30 AM-Baby Play & Rhyme Time 10:30 AM-Preschool Storytime 3:15 PM-Hour of Code 4:00 PM-After School Movie

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Walks Through History in Downtown 1866 Bentonville Schoolhouse 306 N. W. Second St., Bentonville Tours begin at 11:00 a.m. An AHPP historian delivers a lecture about the properties while leading guests on a walking tour.Admission: Free

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Baby Art Class (18-24 months) 10:am at FPL: Abrakadoodle will guide babies (assisted by their parents) through an art project.

For babies 18-24 months old.

9am- 8pm; Jones Center Arts & Crafts Festival in Springdale, AR

9am-9pm; Ozark Regional Arts & Crafts Festival Location #1 - NWA Convention Center - Springdale Location #2 - John Q. Hammons Center

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Rogers Public Library 9:30am:Toddler Storytime 10:30am: Preschool Storytime 10:30 am: Babies, Bubbles and Books 6:30pm: Family Storytime Bentonville Public Library 9:30 AM-Baby Play & Rhyme Time 10:30 AM-Preschool Storytime 3:15 PM-Hour of Code 4:00 PM-After School Movie

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Rogers Public Library 9:30am:Toddler Storytime 10:30am: Preschool Storytime 10:30 am: Babies, Bubbles and Books 6:30pm: Family Storytime Bentonville Public Library 9:30 AM-Baby Play & Rhyme Time 10:30 AM-Preschool Storytime 3:15 PM-Hour of Code 4:00 PM-After School Movie

The Amazeums Inaugural Tinkerfest- admission is free at the Old High Middle School, Bentonville 10am to 3pm Tinkerfest is a one-day festival that celebrates the creative, curious, and innovative spirit in all of us. The event features hands-on activities that celebrate science, technology, engineering, art, and creativity. Reclaim, reuse, and reconstruct cast-off materials. Learn new skills and discover the art of making in a new way.

Kids Day at the Farmers Market Main Street Siloam Springs 9-noon mainstreetsiloam.org A bounce castle, crafts, activities, story time and live music light up the market.

Preschool Playdate | We Love Animals!

11:30- 2pm Monthly Preschool Playdates feature performances, art projects, story time, and creative play based on themes from our collection. Activities are geared for children ages 2 to 5 with an adult, beginning with a family-friendly performance by The Treetop Sisters in the Great Hall at 11:30 a.m.

Benton County Breastfeeding Mamas Meetup - Support Group - Free Thurs Oct 23, 11:00am-1:00pm Sat Oct 25, 2:00-4:00pm http://bcnwa.com

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Sat

Fri

Little Gym of Rogers 2603 W Pleasant Grove Rd. Rogers (Children can wear their costumes for tricks.

Parent/Child kids (under 3) will be from 4:30 – 5:30 and Ages 3-12 will be 5:30 – 7.

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Goblin Parade in downtown Rogers: 3:30 to 5pm A community event for kids to trick or treat at Downtown Rogers Businesses starting at Frisco Park or at 3rd and Walnut

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Family Tour Crystal Bridges 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Lower Lobby Join this drop-in family tour and get to know some of the favorite artworks in Crystal Bridges’ galleries. Our experienced Gallery Guides will lead you on a fun, interactive experience suitable for all ages! Children will receive complementary “I Spy Gallery Glasses” as well! Meet in the lower lobby about 5 minutes before 1 p.m.

Free, no registration required.

Babywearing 101 - $15 10:00am-12:00pm Birth Center of NWA bcnwa.com

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Young Artists Workshop Paper Flowers with 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm Durand & Estes Studios (For ages 6 – 12) Sponsored by the Crystal Bridges Art Now Fund. All materials are provided. $15 ($12 for Members), Guest Services at 479.657.2335

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Our Journey The Underhill family’s adoption story by: Sarah Underhill Our journey to twins is an unusual one, but our story is one only God could have designed!

As a girl, I always wanted a large family. My mom was the oldest of five kids, and I loved holidays when all my aunts, uncles, and little cousins were around. My husband and I both grew up as the oldest of three kids, and we were both excited about the possibility of having lots of little ones running around!

It took longer than we thought to start our family.

We struggled with getting pregnant, but after several years, God blessed us with a baby girl. Two and a half years later, we had a son! I loved being a mom, but I recognized the amount of work and dedication it required. I had a hard time adjusting from being a mom of one to a mom of two. I found it hard to juggle the needs of two kids; it was tough to determine which one to care for if both of them were crying or how to balance my time. Once I was in the throes of motherhood, two children seemed like plenty of kids to me. We had a boy and a girl, and I happily declared our family was complete!

I remember so vividly the morning God told me otherwise.

I was having my quiet time, and God clearly showed me our family had more growing to do. I sat and argued with God that morning, but He was clearly speaking to my spirit that we would have more children. I finally relented, “Fine God, but we struggled to

48 October 2014

Stan Dunlap Photography get pregnant with the first two. I’m not going to see a doctor about getting pregnant again. So take that!”

We were shocked to discover I was pregnant with our third child within a month! Our sweet boy was another miracle that took us on a journey through a 9 day NICU stay, but I couldn’t imagine our world without him.

Soon after, we settled in as parents of three. The transition from two kids to three was much easier for me. I guess I had learned to multi-task, and our third child was so easygoing. This transition went so smoothly we began to talk about expanding our family again.

The decision to adopt just made sense to us. We had both been public school teachers, and my husband was now serving as a children’s pastor. We were constantly aware of kids who were in crisis within their families.

At one point, we wanted to become foster parents, but the timing just wasn’t right.

I also wasn’t a big baby person. I mean, I like babies. They are cute and sweet and all, but the reality of 2:00am feedings, the toddler tantrums, and, oh my word… potty training…I realized the age of four was magical for me. I loved the little ones, but I realized I personally enjoyed them a lot more as they got to the preschool age. Adopting a child who was past those baby stages really appealed to me.

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But primarily, adoption was had guidelines as to the simply what God had in store ages they would allow us ... adoption was simply for us. It did make some logical to adopt according to the what God had in store sense. There were kids that ages of our current children. We for us. It did make needed parents, and we wanted just said that we wanted to adopt some logical sense. another child. We could skip the the oldest age possible, which put There were kids that baby/toddler stages, and boy, us waiting for a girl that was 3-4 needed parents, and we I was not sad about skipping years old. wanted another child. maternity clothes! However, we When we started the process, wouldn’t move forward unless families we knew were getting this was where God was calling through the process in about seven months, and an us. My “life verse” would have to be Psalm 84:10: “Better is one day in your courts than a thousand adoption from Ethiopia required one trip. During elsewhere.” God taught us long ago there was no better our adoption, the timeline slowed way down, and a place to be than right where He wanted us. God’s way second trip was added to the requirements. hasn’t always been easiest, but it has always been best. Filling out adoption paperwork, meeting with social After lots of prayer, we committed to adopt. We went workers, and coming up with the funds to pay for through a fairly logical approach in determining travel and legal fees was tough! We had a wonderfully where we were going to adopt that was bathed in supportive church family and a group of family and prayer. We weighed the pros and cons of domestic friends who so graciously supported us. We had yard vs. international and looked at many agencies and sales and auctions, and so many people just believed countries. Our hearts leaned toward Africa; we had in what we were doing and supported us financially been on a mission trip in 2000. We had seen both and through prayer. However, we quickly realized the joy and beauty of the people there, along with the coming back in a few years to do a second adoption devastation and frailty of life that was so common. was not for us.

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Finally, we settled on the country of Ethiopia. People often ask us why we chose Ethiopia or why we chose international adoption instead of domestic. All I can say is that it’s where God led us. Ethiopia has a beautiful rich history, but it can be a very hard place to grow up and live. In the end, that’s just the country God put in our path.

We eagerly filled out our paperwork and went through the initial stages of the adoption process. We were very specific in the age of child we wanted to adopt, and I also really wanted another girl. Our agency, Gladney,

After another season of prayer, we decided to open up our adoption request to two children–-a sibling set.

When we did this, God convicted me if I really trusted Him to do what was best for us, I could trust Him to give us the right children for our family. I struggled; I didn’t want to potty train again, and I really wanted another girl! My husband was even more firm and certain God wanted us to trust Him in this, and he encouraged me to let go. I knew he was right.

[ story continued next page ]

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I called our caseworker to let her know we were opening our request to a sibling set, any gender, and yes, even any age. She and I had discussed many times my aversion to the baby stages, and she kind of chuckled and said, “Now Sarah, you’re telling me that if I were to call you with six-month-old twins that you’d be okay with that?” I remember my chest hurting when she said that, but I took a deep breath and said, “If that’s what God has for us, then that’s what we want. But I’ll sure have to pray a lot!” (Our caseworker didn’t know about our twins at the time; they weren’t even born yet!)

sweet girls. He gave me so much grace as we learned to be a family together. My older kids loved being the big siblings to twins. They adjusted so quickly and were so proud. Our church family loved on us, prayed for us, and stuck by us through it all. I still am in awe of all God taught us through that season, and I am so grateful He chose us as a family for our twin girls.

We are blessed to have them. God knew what He was doing in giving us these sweet babies. After all the struggles, I wouldn’t do one thing differently.

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The main thing I learned was God chose me as a mom Within a few months, to my kids before we got the longthe Earth was even awaited call. We formed! I clung to crowded around Ephesians 1:4, “For the phone and He chose us in Him, learned that we had before the foundation gotten a referral for of the world, to be THREE-MONTHholy and blameless OLD TWIN GIRLS! in His sight.” With I couldn’t believe all my faults, I would it. We were both in parent my kids in shock! One part of the way they needed me was like, babies? to be parented.

Really, God? Babies?

Only God knew my specific strengths TWO BABIES? But and weaknesses as a the bigger part of mom, and He knew me knew they were God knew what He was doing in all of the same about meant to be in our giving us these sweet babies. each of my children. family.

He has a specific plan After all the struggles, I wouldn’t We spent the next ten for each of my kids’ do one thing differently. months preparing lives, and He placed for our sweet girls them in a family that was perfect for them. I learned to come home. I did lots of research about adopting to give myself a lot of grace, and to trust God that He babies and having twins. I was REALLY worried had chosen me for this precious task. about having twins. How would I feed them both or change them both? What if they were both crying? Now our twin girls are four, and they love church, How would I carry them anywhere? Did we need school, and anything life has to offer! I continue to grow and learn as a mom, and I so often lean back, double of everything?!? look at my family, and offer thanks to the Lord that Our girls came home at thirteen months old in August He didn’t allow me to settle for what I thought I of 2011, and it was tough! The trip itself was difficult, wanted. I love having twins, and I’ve loved having and my Aunt Nancy and I are still recovering I think! them as toddlers. It’s such a special thing to watch I was elated to finally have them home, and I felt our them interact with each other and see the special family was finally complete. Having twins wasn’t connection they have. necessarily so hard; they entertained each other and were so darn cute! However, bringing home toddlers I know we will have tough days ahead. Our girls will that had lived for over a year without understanding likely struggle with understanding their story, but we what it meant to live in a family was incredibly tough. want to walk through that struggle with them. We They didn’t know how to rely on a mom and dad to do are teaching them to be proud of Ethiopia and their beautiful heritage. As a bi-racial family, our love for everything for them. each other is not based on the color of our skin, but I We went through two exceptionally difficult years. see the country we live in with a different set of eyes. I There were a lot of tears shed but a lot of laughs, too. pray daily for all five of our children to grow up proud God taught me so much about myself through my two of who they are; I pray they see themselves as God sees them--chosen and dearly loved.

50 October 2014

Mental Health Awareness

- Kristen I Speer, LPC

The first week in October is Mental Health Awareness Week sponsored by the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI).

I felt this, coupled with recent mental health issues in the news, was a good time to discuss early warning signs of mental illness to help educate and empower those who are concerned family members, parents, coworkers, friends, and community members. NAMI estimates that one of four American adults meet the criteria for a mental health diagnosis in any given year. The likelihood of personally experiencing mental illness yourself or through a loved one is greater than you may think.

Because mental illness affects perception, judgment, and functioning, those suffering may not have the ability or the insight to recognize there is a problem. That’s why it is so important for the general public to have some knowledge of mental illness in order to recognize the signs so that appropriate interventions can be made. As with most illnesses, early intervention is key to long-term prognosis.

The following are some warning signs of mental illness that you may recognize in yourself or someone you know:

1. A change in level of functioning. For instance, struggling to get out of bed, not showering or eating, spending more time alone than is usual.

Grades may drop, there may be work absences, or friends may comment about how there is a recent lack of interest in socializing.

2. Noticeable physical changes, such as decreased hygiene, appearing flat or emotionally distant, and excessive crying spells. Unexplained weight gain or loss. Changes in sleep patterns, including excessive sleep. Signs of self-injury, such as cuts or burns on the arms or legs.

3. Bizarre, peculiar behavior. Examples are impulsive and reckless behavior, such as anger outbursts, driving erratically, spending money excessively, or talking too much. Verbalizing feelings of paranoia, such as being watched or spied on, fear of leaving the house for fear of being followed. Disorganized behavior and language that you don’t understand.

4. A change in focus and concentration. Difficulty with memory and accomplishing small tasks.

Easily forgetful and appears preoccupied. Difficulty making simple decisions.

5. Sudden anger, irritability or agitation that appears to cycle. Decreased need for sleep.

Appearing uncharacteristically happy or energetic.

6. Any talk of suicide, whether vague or overt.

Suicidal thoughts are often verbalized as “I just want to give up” or “I can’t do this anymore”. There is also a fear among suicidal persons that they will be “locked up”, which prevents them from seeking appropriate help. Be a listening, caring ear. Avoid the urge to “solve the problem” for them, instead offer your empathy and most of all, hope. This will keep the lines of communication open.

What next? If you have observed the above red flags or any others not mentioned, it is important to express your concern and present resources.

The following are organizations that can lead you to specific referrals. Connecting to professional intervention is the number one goal to prevent worsening of symptoms.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA): 800-789-2647 National Alliance for the Mentally Ill (NAMI): 800-950-6264!

American Psychiatric Association: 888-357-7924 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry: 202-966-7300 National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Information Resources and Inquiries Branch: 301-443-4513

If the above resources do not meet your needs or if you have additional questions or concerns, please contact a professional. I personally am accepting new patients at the Center for Psychology and Counseling and would be more than happy to help.

(479) 444.1400 see ad next page..

Out&About

Fall Events in Northwest Arkansas

Fall Carnival October 1-5 Rodeo of the Ozarks Emma Street SPRINGDALE rodeooftheozarks.com

Fall Carnival at the Rodeo of the Ozarks - Pride of Texas will be bringing rides for all ages!

Armbands will be available. .......................................

Crystal Bridges Youth and Family Programs Friday, October 19 600 Museum Way Bentonville crystalbridges.org October 3rd, 31st Night Owl Tours

Experience Crystal Bridges by night! This lamp-light tour will take you outside to view the sculptures, trails, and architecture of the Museum as the evening fades to dark. Enjoy views of the lighted architecture reflected in the ponds, experience outdoor artwork in a whole new way, and take a short walk up a moonlit trail to enjoy the forest after dark, finishing with an opportunity to call to our resident barred owls— and perhaps be lucky enough to hear them respond! Free, no registration required. Meet in the south lobby 30 minutes before sunset.

Wednesdays, October 16, 23, and 30, 1 - 2:15pm Preschool Art Class Fall Colors

For ages 3 to 5 with a caregiver.

Preschoolers will explore the changing colors of nature through the Hudson River

School paintings and scenic views of Crystal Bridges’ trails. Back in the studio, we will paint, draw, and build with the inspiration of fall colors. Parents or caregivers participate with their preschoolers.

Each session includes three consecutive Wednesday classes. $30 ($24 for Members) / 3 classes, register online or at Guest Services.

Saturday, October 18, 7 - 10pm Teen Night Fright at the Museum

High school-aged students are invited to an evening of frightening music, art, and fun, planned and presented by the Museum’s Teen Council. Admission is free. .......................................

Family Fun Fest to Benefit Operation Christmas Child Sunday, October 12 Arvest Ballpark SPRINGDALE

12:30 to 3:30 Operation Christmas Child Family Fun Fest - food, crafts, bounce house and music, with booths with information on Operation Christmas Child, a mission that sends shoe boxes filled with gifts to children in need around the area. .......................................

Nightmares Haunted House Select Dates in October 13080 N. Hwy 71 bentonville nightmareshauntedhouse.org

Northwest Arkansas Premier Haunted House. 2 Attractions

for the price of 1. Ride on the Phantom 13 bus to the Nightmares Haunted House.

Sponsored by: The Bentonville Lions Club .......................................

Hands Full Consignment Sale October 10-11 Trinity Fellowship Church Gym 1100 E. Rolling Hills Drive Fayetteville handsfullconsignment.com

Sponsored by Northwest Arkansas Moms of Multiples Club Items for sale include gently worn baby/children/teen clothing and shoes, baby equipment and furniture, maternity clothing, movies, books, games, toys, furniture and housewares.

Credit Cards and Cash Only .......................................

A House in Mourning October 4 - November 1 Hawkins House Rogers Historical Museum 322 S. 2nd Street ROGERS www.rogersar.gov/museum

Step back in time to a funeral service at the turn of the last century and explore the mourning customs with a guided tour of the Hawkins House.

A Victorian Funeral Friday, October 17th, 24th

Tour our House in Mourning by candlelight then follow a widow to her husband’s funeral and partake in the ceremony and refreshments that follow.

Imagine Studios Special Events October Village on the Creeks ROGERS http://imagine-art-studio.com

Friday Fun Nights: 6 - 8:30 for kids ages 4-12 October 10: pumpkin painting October 24: Spooktacular Mommy & Me Event October 18, 10-11:30 AM for moms and daughters of all ages. For the Mommy & Me event, we will be painting Halloween canvas and it will be $25 per pair. .......................................

Sid the Science Kid Live October 12th Walton Arts Center Fayetteville

Imaginations soar when PBS KIDS show Sid the Science Kid LIVE! comes to life in an exciting onstage production full of fun and adventure with audience interaction, cooperative problem solving and plenty of laughs. For everyone ages 3 and up. .......................................

Communty Cookout and Fall Fest October 18th -- 2pm to 7pm Fayetteville First Assembly of God, Fayetteville

Northwest Arkansas! Centennial Community Cookout and Family Fest offering free BBQ chicken dinners, $100+ worth of door-prizes, carnival style games, Bouncy Houses, Ladies Pampering Lounge, Men’s Billiard Corner, S’more making and free admission to Tennessee’s Southern Gospel group Heirline in concert at 7 pm! Featuring local community services and businesses offering free or reduced services- including $10 haircuts, health screening, and more.

Out&About

Fall Events in Northwest Arkansas Pumpkin Patches Halloween Costume Contest October 18th Corn Mazes The Party Place

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4202 W. Green Acres Road ROGERS www.partyplacear.com

McGarrah Farms

Join The Party Place and the AR CW Street team on Oct 18th….10a - Noon.

Big Outdoor Event!

All finalists to be featured in TV commercials!

In-store specials!

Door Prizes!

www.mcgarrahfarms.com (479) 451-8164

Local Libraries Halloween events Fayetteville Public Library Halloween Story Time Saturday, October 25 - 10:30am

Dress up in your beastly best for this (sort of ) spooky story time! Wear your Halloween costume and enjoy not-so-scary stories and songs with FPL librarians.

Springdale Public Library Autumn Make It Take It Saturday, October 11 - 2:00PM

Bring your family and friends for a fall story read aloud followed by a fun hour of fall crafts.

Huge pumpkin patch, hay bale maze, tractor-pulled hay rides, & more! You can pick your own pumpkins!

Lost Corn Maze With five miles of twists and turns, our maze offers some of the best fall fun in the Northwest Arkansas area.

The Lost Maze is 100% family friendly during the day. The ghouls only come out in this maze after dark for the Lost Corn Maze Nighttime Adventure! Enter the Lost Corn Maze at your own risk at night! Prepare for dead ends, twists & turns, confusion, mayhem and, to top it off . . . you will be stalked and haunted by our own devilish team of corn stalkers. Bring your own flashlight or rent ours.

Hwy 412 Siloam Springs www.riverside-entertainment.com

Ozark Corn Maze Come get lost with us! Fall family fun. 7.5-acre corn maze (farm scene), 4-acre pumpkin patch, petting zoo, corn cannon, cow train, hay maze, kids’ play area, covered picnic tables, pony rides and helicopter rides (only on certain weekends - watch website and Facebook for dates!).

12880 Hwy 112 Cave Springs www.ozarkcornmaze.com

Farmland Adventures Giant corn maze, a mini maze, a kid’s play area, pony rides, a petting farm, wagon rides, a pumpkin patch, pig races and campfires.

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5355 Parsons Road Springdale (479) 799- 5033 Farmlandadventures.com

Out&About

Fall Events in Northwest Arkansas

Downtown Trick or Treat October 31 Downtown Siloam Springs mainstreetsiloam.org

An estimated 4,000 people attend Main Street’s Downtown Trick or Treat Festival each year. Kids and parents alike enjoy this free afternoon of trick or treating that gives kids a safe, fun environment in which to enjoy the holiday.

A costume contest with great prizes and carnival style games on Broadway augment this longstanding annual event. .......................................

like stepping through time with reenactors portraying Civil War soldiers, a saw miller, a blacksmith, and more! After the trail, join us at the visitor center where we will have spinners, lace makers, and weavers demonstrating their crafts. FREE. October 25th.

1-4pm

Join Mother Nature as she introduces her forest friends at Hobbs State Park – Conservation Area. Listen to each of the animal’s stories and learn what you can do to make their lives and ours easier.

A fun, non-scary, holiday treat for the whole family! .......................................

NWA Mall-o-Ween Fall Festival October 24 Little Gym of Rogers 2603 W Pleasant Grove Rd. Rogers (479) 636-5566

Children can wear their costumes for tricks and treats at the Little Gym in Rogers.

Parent/Child kids (under 3) will be from 4:30 – 5:30 and Ages 3-12 will be 5:30 – 7. .......................................

Fall Festival and Living Forest On October 5th Van Winkle Trail and Visitor Center Hobbs State Park Conservation Area

Join park staff to celebrate everything we all love about Hobbs! From 1-4 p.m. the historic Van Winkle Trail will be

October 31st, 6-8pm NWA Mall Fayetteville

Children ages 12 and under are invited to trick-or-treat participating merchants for goodies and treat bags. Costume Contest starts at 6pm with cash prizes awarded for creativity and originality. .......................................

October First Friday Oktoberfest October 03, 2014 Downtown Bentonville Bentonville downtownbentonville.org/ events/first-fridays

One of our most popular First Fridays, this event includes traditional music and foods inspired by the Bavarian-based Oktoberfest. Included in the event is the PepsiCo Mug Root Biergarten, the brat-eating contest and the Community Chicken Dance.

Tinkerfest October 4th, 2014 Old High Middle School BENTONVILLE

amazeum.org 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. TinkerFest will engage the imagination of children and their families through activities such as launching your own rocket, making jewelry from unexpected materials, taking apart a car, making gigantic bubbles, constructing machines that draw, painting with light and more. The event is open to the public, and attendees of all ages are invited to join in the DIY fun. .......................................

Goblin Parade

October 31 Line up in Frisco Park Downtown Rogers mainstreetrogers.com

The annual Goblin Parade provides a safe, fun chance for children to trick-or-treat with our downtown businesses. The Goblin Parade runs from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Line up in Frisco Park, at the corner of Poplar and First Streets. .......................................

Halloween Event

October 29th Little Giggles 3301 South Walton Boulevard, bentonville www.littlegigglesplay.com

Special Halloween Event Free with admission. Come early to avoid disappointment. 9:30am - 12:30 Free craft project, free Spooky Sensory tables and costume parade. Mini sessions available all day with Capture me Photography

This Motherhood is a Sisterhood

By Rhonda Bramell

Freshman year, I also got to know a girl in my dorm named Angela, who lived two doors down. Angela, Lisa and I spent many nights staying up late, going to parties and eating too much pizza. The next year Angela joined Kappa Delta, too. College went by too fast and we soon found ourselves out in the real world.

Thankfully, we were never far from each All of us M.O.M.s have professional jobs other as Lisa and I shared a duplex outside the home. on the same street The gender split of our kids is 9 where Angela lived girls and 2 boys. (but Murray moved to Colorado for a Our kids range in age from 4 to 12. while).

I’m a Type A personality: I like to be in control, I’m a planner and I don’t like surprises. I’m also one of those people who would like to know the future, if the opportunity should arise. However, if my 18-year-old self had known what I know now, I’m pretty sure I wouldn’t have believed it anyway.

Here is a list of the crazy truths:

I am a M.O.M (mother of multiples) and so are three of my closest friends.

We are all sorority sisters.

We have 11 children + one bonus child between us.

When I was 18, I left small town life in east Arkansas to attend the U of A. Luckily, my hometown friend since elementary school was already at the U of A and could show me the ropes. Murray was a sophomore and a member of Kappa Delta sorority.

Our Fun Facts

Two of us conceived our babies with some medical assistance; two were completely by chance.

We carried our babies an average of 34 weeks.

I am the only one of us with any recent family history of twins.

Angela had the smallest baby, Caitlin, at 3lb 4 oz.

Lisa had the biggest baby, Owen, at 7 lb 6 oz.

Two of our girls are named Madeline.

With only fate and the alphabet to blame, I was placed in a small group during rush week next to Lisa. Upon our first meeting, I immediately liked her; she was small-town shy just like me. I had no idea the depth of our friendship that was to come, or what we would share in the future. Lisa and I pledged Kappa Delta together that fall. I introduced her to Murray, and the three of us eventually shared a room under the third floor staircase in the KD house.

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Murray was the first of us to become a mother; her identical twin girls were born in December 2001.

I visited Murray, Andrea and Madeline not long after they were settled at home.

I vividly remember being in awe of Murray and how she seemed so at ease handling two babies at once. I thought that I could never do that!

At the same time Murray was giving birth to her babies, Angela was bed-ridden in a Missouri hospital, fighting to save her triplets. Because of early labor and complications, she lost her baby boy. After a 10-week stay in the hospital, she delivered her two healthy baby girls, Madeline and Caitlin, in February 2002. It was a struggle for me to

understand how my two friends could be having such different experiences with childbirth.

would be twins, too! Alas, I had a single baby girl and went on with life as normal.

I thought it was pretty cool that two of my favorite friends had given birth to multiples; I had no idea that more of us would be joining that sisterhood! In March of 2004, Lisa came to my wedding shower, very pregnant with twins herself. All I can remember is how uncomfortable she looked. Just a quick two months later, she gave birth to Owen and Avery.

Every part of my second pregnancy was just like the first—until the shocking ultrasound told us otherwise, at 20 weeks. My twins, Evan and Carley, were born in 2010, and nobody got more of a kick out of it than my fellow twin mommy friends.

Now it was starting to get some attention that so many KD sisters were having twins. We heard a lot of joking about “what was in the water” over there. By the time I got pregnant with my first baby, I half expected it

So we’ve all traveled down this crazy path together.

We’ve shared a lot of stories, hand-me-downs and general chaotic experiences of living with multiples.

It’s a wild ride, and I’m thankful that I have my sisters with me. It’s a blessing to have good friends, but having ones with similar life experiences is truly priceless.

The HappyFeet Soccer Program and MVPA Contrary to popular belief, a variety of research highlights the average preschooler does not meet the recommendations for the amount of time spent in moderate to vigorous physical activity on a daily or weekly basis. Recent studies reveal 87% of a preschooler’s day typically involves sedentary activities. Even during outdoor play, a time when most people view young children as very active, studies show only 17% of the duration is usually spent performing moderate to vigorous physical activity.

What exactly is MVPA and why is it important for the growth and development of my child?

MVPA (Moderate to Vigorous Physical Activity) refers to the intensity of physical activity (i.e. how hard a person works during exercise).

An individual involved in MVPA will typically experience increased breathing, an elevated heart rate, and perspiration. For adults, walking at a brisk pace may be considered moderate physical activity, whereas running would be defined as more vigorous. There are many variables that determine whether someone is involved in MVPA (e.g. current physical fitness level, age, etc.), but the body is a great indicator of work rate and usually communicates how intense we are moving pretty effectively!

It is very important young children meet the current recommendations of 60 minutes of MVPA per day for a variety of health reasons. Regular age appropriate MVPA decreases the likelihood that children will develop health complications as a result of being overweight in later years, improves the efficiency of vital organs and muscles in the body, and also results in significant development of gross motor skills. If the overall goal of early childhood education is to provide a foundation for children to lead an optimal life and become productive citizens, the health benefits associated with regular MVPA undoubtedly make it an integral part of a young person’s daily and weekly schedule.

How is MVPA Related to the HappyFeet Soccer Program?

The Happy Feet soccer program aims to maximize the number of minutes spent in MVPA during a 30 minute window of the preschool day.

MVPA is important not only for improving a child’s performance related to soccer specific fitness (e.g. balance, coordination, agility), but it also develops the major components of health related fitness (e.g. strength, endurance, flexibility). While all of these attributes are important for a successful athlete, a more proficient physical body also enhances a child’s ability to explore and discover for more sustained periods during outdoor play.

In essence, the more physically capable a young child, the more comfortable and confident they are as they travel and learn about their unique world!

We believe just one Happy Feet session a week contributes significantly to a child’s minutes of MVPA at preschool. Recent studies highlight children are 3 times more likely to be active when they have the opportunity to play with balls, and as each child has their own soccer ball throughout a Happy Feet session, there is typically an abundance of physical activity on display! Our active stories and games also ensure very little time is spent in stationary positions. Studies indicate a structured physical activity break during the regular school day can also have a positive impact on cognitive, social, and emotional learning, as well as providing an array of opportunities to improve self-regulation skills.

We are fortunate to offer Happy Feet at so many child care centers in Northwest Arkansas. Each center recognizes the value of age appropriate physical activity and the potential benefits for your child’s holistic growth and development.

Please visit our website www.NWAHappyFeet.com for a list of all our fantastic schools!

with Ben Lacy

Hide Our Crazy N

ow that we’ve all settled into the new school year, let’s get an update on everyone’s lives and see how we’re transitioning from summer silliness to the scholarly sternness of school. Somewhat like a preview of your pending Christmas card--which I’m sure will be positively prodigious!

Nothing but black numbers all over the board and fingers crossed for a big ol’ bonus and maybe a promotion at the first of the year. Yes, it is definitely Rock-tober at the Lacy house!

How are things at my house?

Us either.

Great! Thanks for asking! My--excuse me, our--three children are delighting in the new challenges this year brings inside and outside of school. With the 9 week period quickly approaching, we are certain it will be a festival of “A’s” when the report cards come home (as always)! The little angels are also, of course, very involved with after school activities, and I’m proud to report that our oldest is beginning another year of ultra-competitive dance and has the full expectations of building upon her jaw-dropping performances of last season. Our eldest son is an absolute monster on the hardwood; he’s surprised that Cleveland hasn’t called him to play with LeBron (LOL). We feel if he gets a nice little growth spurt he has a real shot at playing in college and reaching his ultimate goal of a career in the NBA. Lastly, there is the 7-yearold phenom. Is there anything this kid can’t do? A splendid academic record and a budding career in any sport he chooses--such a natural athlete.

The above statements are absolute B to the S. Capitalized, in bold and italics, on a billboard in Times Square flashing in bright pink neon.

The Mrs. and I? Couldn’t be better! We just celebrated 17 years of marriage and thank the Lord as each day is such a blissful gift to be together.

Work =Wonderful!

Same with you guys, right? Everything hunky dory?

No?

Truth is--we’re treading water. No, that isn’t accurate.

We would be treading water if it wasn’t for the school, dance, basketball, tennis, baseball, church, family, parents, ending holidays, report cards, homework, and work weights attached to our legs. No really, we’re drowning. Even though we “only” have 3 kids, they seem to have the needs of a legion of leg leeches.

The fiery red hair and tanned skin of my summerized trophy wife are a distant past; now replaced by a sleep-deprived woman with fiery red eyes ready to tan the hides of the homework-phobic minions. Our budget is completely shot due to the underestimation of capital outlay for sports and activities (as a general rule, take your estimated sports’ expenses and multiply

by Pi to get a more accurate figure), and the amount of “child protection juice” I’ve purchased for safety and sanity. Work is nothing but chaos, as some in the retail world perpetually seem to forget that Christmas is, in fact, December 25th every year, so we might want to get ready for it. I see famine, frogs, and locusts in the forecast.

The above is a much more real version of the story.

However, every day we put on the “all-good-in-thehood” disguise and don our happy masks so the world thinks we truly have it together.

Question: Do you know anyone that has it all together?

If you answer yes, then please cut back on your medication, ‘cuz you are hallucinating.

We all act like we’re in the Garden of Eden, and as Miranda Lambert says, we do our best to “hide our crazy.” God forbid anyone figure out we live somewhere between anarchy and pandemonium. Ever wonder why women are so concerned about closing the blinds at night? They aren’t worried about someone seeing them “nakey”; they’re worried about someone seeing the pile of unpaid bills on the counter, the rotting food on the dishes on the table, the vile mixture of mud, Chips Ahoy, and dog hair on the floor, the unmade beds, and the stacks of clothes on the couch. We hide that stuff because we want to look normal.

Here’s the truth: what we think is crazy is normal. As Hunter S. Thompson said (someone who knows a little something about crazy), “Life should not be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in

broadside in a cloud of smoke, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming ‘Wow! What a ride!’” Crazy is spending your precious days and nights agonizing over curtains, coasters, cleaning, and clutter. Normal is enjoying those around you, having a good laugh, watching a beautiful sunset, and wearing an un-ironed shirt the next day.

Who cares?

Think about it: do you want your kids to grow up and act like you? Do you provide good examples of what is important to you? My kids would probably describe me as “the guy who walks around with an annoyed look on his face as he goes from room to room turning off lights, moving stuff around, and telling us to shut the door.” Ouch! The truth stings.

So, now we’re in October and it’s probably getting too cold for the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge (by the way, great job ‘Merica, you kicked serious arse with that campaign. Keep up the good work and don’t forget about ALS next year). So here’s your challenge--it’s a weird month anyway with Halloween and all those shenanigans, so it is a good time to try it. Try being real. Drop the mask. Let everyone see your “normal self ”--especially your kids. Show them adulthood ain’t so bad, and stains and stacks and spills shouldn’t affect your sanity.

www.peekaboonwa.com

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Northwest Health System Appoints Chief Executive Officer

Sharif Omar Focuses on Quality, Service

S

harif Omar has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Northwest Health System, bringing more than 15 years of hospital management experience. For the last three years, he served as CEO of Pottstown Memorial Medical Center (PMMC), a 224-bed hospital in Pottstown, Pennsylvania.

During his tenure, Omar set high standards for quality with the achievement of numerous awards and recognitions for excellence.

“Northwest Health Systems has a tradition of excellence, and I am honored to join the physicians, employees and volunteers in their daily work of caring for the northwest Arkansas community,” said Omar. “They have laid a strong foundation for excellence that makes Northwest a place where patients can expect quality, personalized care with every visit.”

PMMC was named a “Top Performer on Key Quality Measures” from The Joint Commission and was one of only 13 cancer programs in the U.S. to receive three consecutive Outstanding Achievement Awards from the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. The hospital also received accreditations and awards for excellence in stroke and joint replacement.

Omar also oversaw efforts to increase physician and employee satisfaction. Additionally, he developed new service lines that grew how the hospital served patients, including breast health, urgent care,

ambulance service, psychiatry and others.

“On behalf of the board, I look forward to welcoming Sharif to Northwest Health System,” said Linda Maienschein, Chairman, Northwest Health System Board of Directors. “His experience working closely with physicians and employees to raise the bar for quality patient care will further position Northwest well into the future.”

Omar joined PMMC as Chief Operating Officer in 2009. He served in leadership positions at Southwest Medical Center in Lafayette, Louisiana and Associate Vice President of Tulane University Hospital and Clinic, where he was an integral part of the hospital’s response to Hurricane Katrina.

A native of Louisiana, Omar holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology from Louisiana State University and a master’s in Health Administration from Tulane University.

Exciting New Technology also unveiled Xi Robot Northwest Medical Center – Springdale recently unveiled its newest surgical technological advancement in robotics assisted surgery with the next generation Xi robot – an advanced robotic-assisted device that allows surgeons to perform minimally invasive operations with greater dexterity and precision.

The Xi robot uses advanced, robotic, computer and optical

72 October 2014

technologies, allowing surgeons to perform complex procedures through small incisions as an alternative to both traditional open surgery and conventional laparoscopy. The benefits to patients are faster recovery time, minimal scarring and pain, less trauma on the body, low blood loss and a shorter hospital stay.

Sharif Omar, CEO, Northwest Health System, said the addition of this advanced system is further

proof that patients do not need to leave the area to receive the best available health care.

Robotic-assisted surgery allows surgeons maximum range of motion and precision and the high-definition, threedimensional camera that guides the surgeon during the procedure provides the surgeon a clearer, more detailed view of the operating site than the human eye can provide.

Pet Therapy Four-Legged Servants

by: Freda King

www.phenomadog.com

I

like to refer to my four pet therapy dogs as “4-legged servants” who have the ability to boost moods and impact peoples’ health. They are more than just cheerful companions.

Many years ago, Sadie, my now 11-year-old Shih Tzu, and I started making regular visits to my mother in a skilled nursing facility. Sadie quickly drew a great deal of attention and seemed to thrive on it. She loved everybody and everybody loved her.

In 2007, I decided to take Sadie for the intense training it takes to become a certified pet therapy

dog and volunteer--a “Pet Partners Team.” I learned every bit as much as Sadie. I was trained to read her temperament, look for signs of stress, and to be able to control a host of situations. Dogs don’t just “come this way” –you have to be willing to commit both the time and the money required to do the training.

I strongly believe in working as a volunteer with petfacilitated therapy. Although not everyone is a dog lover, most patients (and people in general) welcome the canine company. The benefits to them are immeasurable. The dogs break a silence with people in a way humans can’t because of the type of bond they create.

Over time, I watched Sadie develop a special friendship with a quadriplegic gentleman in a longterm care facility. He was unable to speak. One particular day, the nurse placed the gentleman’s hand on Sadie, which produced an instant smile. We continued through the facility visiting others, but before we left, the director asked us to return to this man’s room. This time, I placed Sadie a little closer to his face. That was the moment I realized the power of this therapy. A smile returned to his face, but this time it was accompanied by a tear that rolled down his cheek. This was a gentleman who had shown very little emotion since arriving there–but my Sadie managed to tear down a wall. That day is one of my most memorable. We regularly visited there until we moved to Arkansas.

Pet-facilitated therapy is truly a ministry. I’m blessed to be a part of it. When called upon, my dogs and I are there to share in any emotion, whatever the situation.

We are prepared to cry or laugh or just spend time with those we encounter. We know what to do to help.

74 October 2014

My family is blessed to have a venue like PhenomA-Dog where I teach others how to train their dogs.

I teach basic obedience, advanced obedience, agility, and other classes, but for me the most rewarding will always be pet therapy. Some of my current students (both 2 and 4 legged) have set goals to one day become certified therapy teams. They have amazing potential to improve the lives of others. My greatest satisfaction is being a part of that.

Girls

Night out!

Meet the Girls Behind this fun Girls Night Out that Gives Back!

“Freckles” (red-headed and freckley) and she was “Sunshine” (she got our family’s Indian genes and dark complexion). We decided “Freckles and Sunshine” was the perfect name for our boutique. We had a name but needed a truck.

“It’s a God thing” is something we’ve found ourselves saying since we started on the journey of opening our little boutique.

Freckles & Sunshine is a mobile boutique on a mission to help shoppers find something lovely, give back to the community, and SHINE from the inside out!

We are Portia Bowen and MiKael Hassebrock, a mother-daughter team, on a mission to provide reasonably priced boutique style clothing while giving back at the same time.

From the beginning, we knew we wanted to be an asset to our community rather than “just another boutique.” A portion of all of our sales are donated to local charities/organizations (or simply families in need). Our slogan “Shop local. Give Local” perfectly captures the mission we have for Freckles & Sunshine.

This crazy journey started Jan 1, 2014 when my dad watched a show about a mobile boutique in New York. Before then, when we had talked about having a boutique, he would remind us “we’re in a recession” and that it’s “too risky.” After seeing the show featuring the NY truck he (somewhat jokingly) suggested we start “slinging dresses out of the back of a truck.” We laughed… then researched… and literally ran with it from there. We haven’t looked back since.

When my sister and I were kids she would say I was

In March 2014, we had our first major “God thing” when a deal we had made on a truck fell through. We were disappointed, but not for long! We found an even better truck a couple weeks later! It was better than we had envisioned! With the help of our entire family our dream became reality. It was a family affair, plus some amazing help from a couple of talented friends. We were finally ready for our grand opening!

Our first event was May 30 at Lowell’s Mudtown Days.

We chose Bellaflies (a foundation our friends started when their 3-year-old daughter, Bella, received her angel wings in 2011 due to pediatric strokes) to be the first foundation we would support. It rained all weekend, but we were reminded that He is in control when we captured the most amazing photo of our truck (affectionately named Pearl) parked at the end of a rainbow. This too was a “God Thing” and we knew Bella was smiling down from heaven, helping us achieve her foundation’s mission to “Make A Positive.”

So, how can you shop us??

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram to find our next stop. Or you can book a private shopping event for your next GNO or neighborhood party. We come anywhere you are and will donate to the cause of your choice.

When you host a party YOU get to choose the charity and you receive hostess discounts! Email us at info@frecklessunshine.com or call (479)841-7112 to book your event.

We love to meet new people, hear their stories and help them raise money and awareness for organizations close to their hearts. We feel blessed by the kind words of encouragement and support we have received with the startup of our dream! THANK YOU to our fabulous customers!

A little luck & a lot of love Story by: Candace Peltier | Photos by: Jessica Ritchie Photography

“You guys hit the jackpot!” said the ultrasound technician. Staring at the screen and distracted by our fussing toddler, I uttered, “I’m sorry, what?”

“You guys are having twins!” As she spelled it out, I started to cry and my husband, Craig, started high fiving me in pure excitement. He had noticed two “blobs” on the screen, but I didn’t notice anything different! I wasn’t crying because I was upset; I was in a state of disbelief. I didn’t think this was possible.

We walked out of the doctor’s office feeling so unbelievably happy and nervous at the same time.

We called our parents, who didn’t believe us, but the ultrasound pictures of their two grandbabies were sent to confirm this wasn’t a joke! Along with Craig and me, they were so excited. I knew God had a bigger plan for us, because the odds of us conceiving, at all, without the use of fertility medication, were slim.

Craig and I were married in April 2010, and we knew we wanted to start a family fairly quickly. In the years leading up to our wedding and after, I had

my share of gynecological issues, resulting in several surgeries and serious conversations with my doctor.

As our first anniversary approached, we were anxious to be pregnant. In the fall of 2010, I was referred to the Tulsa Fertility Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Due to some medical challenges, our doctor said we “most likely wouldn’t get pregnant without some sort of assistance.” Listening to our doctor’s recommended fertility treatment, we decided to think and pray on it for a few weeks to decide how to proceed.

Guess what? Our prayers were answered when, a few weeks later, we found out I was pregnant! Craig and I fell into each other’s arms in tears of joy. We were elated! Nine months later, on February 15, 2012, our sweet daughter, Ashlyn, arrived two days shy of full term. She was perfectly healthy. The amount of happiness and love she still brings to our lives is completely indescribable to this day.

We both wanted a big family, so when Ashlyn turned six months old, we were ready to start trying again. It didn’t faze us when we didn’t get pregnant right away. I was still breastfeeding Ashlyn and wanted to continue that until she turned one. When February rolled around and Ashlyn turned one, we were definitely ready. That March, we found out I was pregnant again!

At seven weeks pregnant, we had our first ultrasound

and found out the shock of our lives. I was pregnant with two precious babies. Our obstetrician thought they appeared to be identical twins. My amazing doctor told me congratulations and to start taking two prenatal vitamins, one for each baby. This was the start of two of everything we would need…Two. Of. Everything.

The last 6 weeks of my pregnancy were filled with hospital stays for pre-term labor, lots of nasty medication to stop labor, and strict bed rest. The boys stayed nice and cozy in my belly, we sold our house, bought another house, and moved in the month before they were born. Yes, we were crazy. This wouldn’t have been possible without the constant help from friends, family, and our church. We felt so incredibly blessed.

At 35 weeks and 2 days pregnant, Brooks and Carson arrived on November 14, 2013 weighing 5.9 and 6.1 pounds respectively. Our boys were perfect, and, yes, big babies for being five weeks early. I couldn’t believe I could birth two babies, one after another, until I actually did it.

My husband, doctor, and nurses were all so loving and patient. My doctor spent two hours taking such great care of us. Brooks didn’t need any medical intervention, but Carson had some fluid in his lungs.

He needed oxygen and IV fluids for about 24 hours and was then allowed to come to our room. Thankfully, the boys didn’t need any NICU time. After four days in the hospital, we packed up and headed home as a family of five.

I’ve been a stay at home mom since Ashlyn was born but honestly, I was so scared of being a stay at home mommy to three little ones so close together--21 months apart almost to the day. We had help from our mothers for four weeks, but then we were on our own.

I’m a breastfeeding momma, and feeding the twins was definitely challenging in the beginning. After our help packed up and went home, Ashlyn went through a terrible phase of biting me and the twins, hitting, and just being a mean little gal while I nursed the boys.

Thankfully, after a few weeks this phase ended and I learned how to help her in those times when she desperately needed my attention.

What was the solution? Getting out of the house almost daily helped both her and me! I consider myself not a stay at home type of mommy. Toddler play dates also meant mommy play dates as well. I need those in a way that I can’t describe, and so does Ashlyn. Ashlyn’s Kids’ Day Out, The Botanical Gardens of the Ozarks, doctors’ appointments, dance class, soccer, play dates with friends, hanging out at the park, lots of Target trips, and grocery shopping (yes, with all 3!) keep us plenty busy.

On top of all the fun activities that keep my crew and I busy, Brooks has been in a helmet, also known as a cranial band, for several months. He started in June for physical therapy for torticollis twice a week and now goes every 2 weeks. I’ve learned to just roll with the punches and be thankful for my healthy children! Carson and Ashlyn have been wonderful at tagging along with us to each appointment. This summer has definitely been a challenging time with all the doctors’ visits, but I always try and look for the humor and happy in every crazy situation. This includes when two kids are screaming at appointments and I can’t do a thing about it!

I frequently get asked, “How do you do it all by yourself during the day?” The truth is, I have an awesome husband who helps me the second he walks in the door from his long day at work, a spectacular housekeeper, and we make sure our kids are all in bed by 7:30pm. Those things help to keep my sanity during the day.

Some people look at me like I’m crazy and can’t believe I’m functioning, others smile at me, and others say, “Bless you.” Well, yes, it’s crazy at home during the day sometimes, but you make the most of every situation and we feel blessed! I couldn’t imagine twins before, but once we saw two babies on the ultrasound at 7.5 weeks, we started imagining! You only know what you know, and we only know what it’s like to go from one to three kids! I wouldn’t trade my life for anything, and I feel so incredibly blessed to have what I have. I wake up between 5:30 and 6:00am every day and get ready before my kiddos arise. I learned this from my sweet momma--getting myself ready helps me start the day off on the best foot possible.

As I said, I’ve always wanted a big family and we have it! I can’t say our family is complete, but we are enjoying every second of our lives right in this moment.

HPV Vaccine -Why Vaccinate? by: Ashley Mason, MD, OB/GYN Creekside Center for Women

5330 Willow Creek Drive, Springdale (479) 582-9268 www.creeksideobgyn.com

Why add another vaccine to your child’s back to school list if it isn’t mandatory?

How do I know if I have HPV?

Because HPV (human papillomavirus) is a common sexually transmitted infection that affects up to 75 percent of sexually active people during their lifetime. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 20 million people are infected with HPV in the United States.

This vaccine could help prevent your child from being one of the statistics in the future.

Those infected with HPV usually have no symptoms and likely don’t know they have the infection unless it is one of the strains which cause warts or they have had an abnormal pap smear to confirm. Some types go away as the body’s immune system resolves the infection; however, some high risk types cause cervical cancer. The high risk types seen most common in cervical cancer are HPV 16 and 18.

What is HPV?

Who is at risk?

HPV is a virus family which has more than 100 strains that are highly species specific, meaning only humans are affected. These 100 plus strains can be further subdivided into cutaneous or mucosal categories based on which tissue is infected. While there are about 60 types of HPV which cause the common warts on the body, found mostly on the feet or hands, there are another 40 types which target mucosal areas such as the anal and genital region.

Risks of contracting HPV is directly related to the number of sexual partners one has had, early sexual activity (age 16 or younger), and starting new sexual relationships rather than staying with a steady partner. In addition to HPV infection, risks for cervical cancer include smoking, use of oral contraceptives, and not getting yearly pap smears.

No official studies have been conducted to explain why oral contraceptives are linked to HPV; however, there is speculation those on oral contraceptives could be more susceptible to contracting HPV because they may be more

sexually active. Men can also be infected and transmit HPV, but there are more statistics regarding HPV in women because of pap smear screening.

What is the long term risk of HPV? HPV can be self-limited, but can also have serious long term consequences. HPV is the primary risk factor for cervical cancer. According to the National Cervical Cancer Coalition, each year nearly 10,000 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer and roughly 3,700 succumb to the disease. These lives could have potentially been saved just by receiving the HPV vaccine.

What vaccines are available?

In 2006, the first vaccine, Gardasil, was approved by the FDA to help prevent HPV. In addition, since men can pass along the virus, Gardasil was approved for males ages nine to 26. Gardasil is a three-dose regimen that protects against HPV strains 16 and 18 which cause cervical cancer, as well as two HPV strains 6 and 11 that cause 90 percent of genital warts. This vaccine provides protection for at least five years against HPV infection. Some studies suggest the possibility of a longer time frame for protection. A second vaccine, Cervarix, received FDA approval, but this vaccine only targets HPV strains which cause cervical cancer.

Who should be vaccinated?

The CDC recommends vaccination for females ages 11 and 12, and females ages 13 through 26 who have not yet been vaccinated or who haven’t received all three doses. The American Cancer Society advises that women in the 19 to 26 age group talk with their doctor before getting the vaccine, because at this age it is more based on individual risk factors.

The reason for vaccination at such a young age is to target the best antibody response. Studies show that following vaccination with Gardisil, females age nine to 15 years demonstrated a two to three times higher immunogenicity than those females in the 16 to 26 age bracket. The vaccine is also approved for young men in the same age range as females.

Who should not be vaccinated?

Women should not be administered the HPV vaccine if they are pregnant; however, breastfeeding mothers can safely receive the vaccine. In addition, those with severe allergies, especially to yeast, or a reaction to an earlier dose of the vaccine should not receive it.

Is the vaccine safe?

Does the vaccine mean we are failing on our morals?

This topic tends to evoke some controversy. Since the vaccine is targeted to those at an early age, and it is a vaccine for sexually transmitted infections, one might feel some moral implications from this. There are many concerns on the long term effectiveness, side effects, and benefits as well. There is ample evidence to merit the administration of the HPV vaccine, but it is also understandable why parents might have a hard time vaccinating their child against a disease spread by sexual activity.

However, in order for the vaccine to be effective, it works best if administered before a female becomes sexually active. It also has the best benefits of highest antibody production if given between the ages of nine to 15. The vaccine can be given after sexual activity, but then the individual may have already been exposed to the virus. Side effects of the vaccine are currently being studied, but overall they appear to be mild and no more significant than those possible with other vaccines (nausea, syncope, headache, and fever).

The most common side effect is short term pain at the injection site.

Most health insurance plans and federal assistance programs for underinsured children or those with no health insurances cover HPV vaccinations.

For more information visit— www.cdc.gov/vaccines/ programs/vfc/default.htm or call 800-CDC-INFO

At a Glance At a Glance

ARTS and MUSIC

Abrakadoodle (Pg. 37) (479) 856-6651 abrakadoodle.com Crystal Bridges (Pg. 29) (479) 418-5700 crystalbridges.org Imagine Studios (Pg. 49) (479) 619-6085 imagine-studios.com The Walton Arts Center (Pg. 39) (479) 443-5600

BANKS

First Security (Pg. 57) www.fsbank.com; www.onlyinark.com

CHILDCARE/NANNY SERVICES ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 51) (479) 621-6126 www.abchappykids.com Better Beginnings (Pg. 83) (800) 445-3316 arbetterbeginnings.com The Kid’s Studio (Pg. 81) (479) 268-6675 www.thekidsstudio.com Larson’s Language Center (Pg. 26) (479) 633-9900 Mary’s Little Lambs (Pg. 69) (479) 273-1011 Peace Kids Preschool (Pg. 32) (479) 621-5683 Seeking Sitters (Pg. 80) (501) 203-3097 www.seekingsitters.com

CLINICAL TRIALS

NWA Clinical Trials Center (Pg. 65, 87) (479) 876-8205

CLOTHING

Hands Full Consignment (Pg. 46) handsfullconsignment.com

CONSIGNMENT

Hands Full Consignment (Pg. 46) handsfullconsignment.com

DANCE/CHEER/TUMBLE/STRETCH

5678 Dance Studio (Pg. 22) (479) 381-0107 5678dancestudioarkansas.com The Little Gym (Pg. 21) (479) 636-5566 tlgrogersar.com

DENTIST

Delta Dental (Pg. 52) deltadental.com Smile Shoppe Pediatric Dentistry (Pg. 8) (479) 631-6377

DERMATOLOGY

Hull Dermatology and Aesthetics (Pg. 31, 61) (479) 254-9662 hullderm.com NWA Center for Plastic Surgery (Pg. 2) (479) 571-3100 nwacenterforplasticsurgery.com

EDUCATION/TRAINING

Larson’s Language Center (Pg. 26) (479) 633-9900 Shiloh Christian School (Pg. 47) (479) 756-1140 Walnut Farm Montessori (Pg. 80) (479) 271-9424 walnutfarmmontessori.com

FAMILY FUN / ENTERTAINMENT

Farmland Adventures (Pg. 61) (479) 799-5033 farmlandadventures.com Fast Lane Entertainment (Pg. 4) (479) 659-0999 www.fastlanebowl.com Little Giggles (Pg. 77) (479) 268-4949 Mad Science (Pg. 17) (479) 444-0303 www.madscience.org/nwa The Party Place (Pg. 28) (479) 230-9494 thepartyplacear.com Ozark Corn Maze (Pg. 17) (479) 366-5686 www.ozarkcornmaze.com McGarrah Farms (Pg. 53) (479) 451-8164 www.mcgarrahfarms.com Rogers HIstorical Museum (Pg. 59) (479) 621-1154 Starlight Skatium (Pg. 77) (479) 444-STAR The Walmart Museum (Pg. 59) (479) 273-1329 walmartstores.com The Walton Arts Center (Pg. 39) (479) 443-5600

FOOD / DRINK

TCBY (Pg. 3) (479) 636-8229 (TCBY)

FURNITURE

Bassett (Pg. 70) (479) 571-0200 bassettfurniture.com

Walnut Farm Montessori (Pg. 80) (479) 271-9424 walnutfarmmontessori.com

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Dr. Jim Elkins (Pg. 75) (479) 636-0300 Ginn Foot and Ankle (Pg. 57) (479) 254-1975 www.nwafoot.com Tate HealthCare (Pg. 25) (479) 271-6511 www.tatehealthcare.com

HOME and YARD

Carpet Smart (Pg. 42) (479) 750-0117 / (866) 795-8520

JEWELRY AND GIFTS

David Adams (Pg. 75) davidadams.com

LEARNING CENTER

ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 51) (479) 621-6126 www.abchappykids.com Gideon (Pg. 33) (479) 521-6500 Larson’s Language Center (Pg. 26) (479) 633-9900

LearningRx (Pg. 73) (479) 715-6870 www.learningrx.com/bentonville

MARTIAL ARTS

ATA (Pg. 18) Bentonville: (479) 273-1212 / Fay: (479) 443-5425

OPTOMETRIST

Pediatric Vision Development Center (Pg. 35) nwavisiontherapy.com (479) 795-1411

PEDIATRICIAN

Best Start Pediatric Clinic (Pg. 15) (479) 575-9359 Bentonville Pediatric Clinic (Pg. 43) (479) 273-5437 The Children’s Clinic at Springdale (Pg. 9) (479) 751-2522 Harvey Pediatrics (Pg. 51, 73) (479) 254-1100 harveypediatrics.com MANA NWA Pediatric Clinic (Pg. 19) Wellness: (479) 443-3471 Urgent: (479) 442-7322

PETS

Phenom-A-Dog (Pg. 74) (479) 202-5303 phenomadog.com

PLASTIC SURGEON

NWA Center for Plastic Surgery (Pg. 2) (479) 571-3100 www.nwacenterforplasticsurgery.com

PRESCHOOL/ PRE-K

ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 51) (479) 621-6126 www.abchappykids.com Larson’s Language Center (Pg. 26) (479) 633-9900 The Kid’s Studio (Pg. 81) (479) 268-6675 www.thekidsstudio.com Mary’s Little Lambs (Pg. 69) (479) 273-1011 Peace Kids Preschool (Pg. 32) (479) 621-5683

SPORTS TALENT

Happy Feet Legends (Pg. 67) (479) 372-4860 NWALegendsSoccer.com N.C.K. Talent Academy (Pg. 82) (479) 445-6000 thenck.com

THERAPY

ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 51) (479) 621-6126 www.abchappykids.com Dr. Thomas Terry Lawson (Pg. 55) (479) 444-1400 www.terrylawson.com Tate HealthCare (Pg. 25) (479) 271-6511

WOMEN’S HEALTH

Birth Center of Northwest Arkansas (Pg. 11) (479) 372-4560 bcnwa.com Life Spring Women’s Health (Pg. 23) (479) 271-0005 lifespringhealthcare.com Northwest Women’s Health Center (Pg. 7) (479) 503-2525 Northwest Willow Creek Women’s Hospital (Pg. 5) (479) 684-3000 Parkhill Clinic for Women (Pg. 13) (479) 521-4433 Siloam Springs Women’s Center (Pg. 70) (479) 524-9312 siloamwomenscenter.com