Update on the Howards

So I realize that I post fun things that we do, but not so much about how we are doing on a daily basis. So here it goes. We are doing very well. Loren and I are both healthy and happy.
I am taking an online class; Exploring Lifespan Development. This is not a pre-nursing pre-requisite, but I do need it to graduate. I just received a letter from Santa Ana college telling me I have moved up to 713th on the waiting list!!! WOO HOO!!! I'm still awaiting letters from CSUF, CSULB, Cerritos, and Goldenwest. Work is going great. These pictures are our new school pictures! Awe... how cute. Look at Loren's beard. I hated it. He shaved.... FINALLY. He would always try to rub his face against mine. Life is busy with work and school. Loren is playing softball 2 nights a week and our nephew Chad just joined his Monday night team. It's fun having Chad there. He's a very good softball player, so that's a plus for the team. I go to watch the games when I can.
Some of you may or may not know Loren has switched doctors from the ones he's had ever since he was diagnosed with CF at age 5. The CF doctors over at CHOC have kept Loren since they knew his history and St. Joseph's was right next door so it was easy for us, if Loren ever needed to go to the doctor's to have his CF doctors right there. The doctors decided they were not going to take adult patients anymore and we needed to go see Adult CF doctors now. Loren was very sad to leave his 2nd family, because they've always been so great with him. A couple weeks ago, after a battle with insurance, we went and met with the new CF doctors and staff over at Long Beach Memorial, which by the way is SOOOOOO much closer to home. We got to our appointment at 3:30 and didn't leave the hospital until 8 pm. The doctors saw us, the nutritionist,the respiratory therapist, the GI doctors and the Social Worker. We were so impressed! We thought we had it good with our old doctors, but these ones went above and beyond. They were amazing. They made us feel so comfortable. They checked Loren out and the first thing they said to him was that he would live a normal lifespan. Even though his parents would always assure him of this, no doctor had ever told him that. He was always given statistics. Seeing the look on his face was humbling. He was teary-eyed sitting on the paper-wrapped patient examining bed. The doctors talked to us about children and told me if I ever had any questions to feel free to call them anytime. When we left the doctors office we felt like crying, laughing, dancing.... just celebrating!
The school district, as of Oct. 1st, changed our insurance provider so now we are trying to get all of that worked out before he goes back for his second visit.
We are getting excited for the Holidays because we get to spend more time with our families and friends. We feel so blessed with such an amazing support group. We don't know where we would be without them. We love you all so very much and we are excited to be able to keep in touch with all of you! Thank you so much for your love and support.