October 2019

Twins and Triplets OUT AND ABOUT

FALL GUIDE

NWA BOUTIQUE SHOW PREVIEW

*Northwest Health Physicians’ Specialty Hospital is owned, in part, by physicians.

October 2019 FREE Magazine

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3

At Pediatric Dental Associates and Orthodontics you’ll discover that we go the extra mile for our patients! From the moment you see our office, you’ll know what we mean. We have a fully themed environment that is comforting and fun for your children.

We offer preventive, restorative, and orthodontic services for kids ages 0-18.

We also specialize in dental care for children with special needs.

1607 E. Rainforest Rd. Fayetteville, AR 72703

801 SW Regional Airport Blvd.

Bentonville, AR 72712

Fayetteville: 479-582-0600

Bentonville: 479-268-5000

#brushflossrepeat

We accept all insurances and we are in-network with Delta Dental, Cigna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, ARKids, Delta Dental Smiles, and MCNA. 4 October 2019

Luminis is proud to announce the hiring of Gabby Potter, R.N.

Gabby Potter, R.N. Some of our patients may already know Gabby from her time working as one of our medical assistants during her undergraduate years at the University of Arkansas. Gabby is here to assist you with the following services we provide:

Todd Hannah MD Lawrence Schmitz MD Brandi Alexander APN Lorie Oswalt APN

* BodyFx for that stubborn fat in unwanted areas * Forma Plus for loose crepey skin. * Votiva vaginal rejuvenation for incontinence, and so much more * Fractora skin ablation and resurfacing Please Welcome Gabby to the Luminis family

www.luminisbylifespring.com

The

Family KIMBERLY ENDERLE Editor-in-Chief editor@peekaboonwa.com | 479-957-0532

JONATHON ENDERLE Creative Director jon@peekaboonwa.com | 479-586-3890

Jonathon and Kim with Grant, Ava, Gwen and Holden PHOTO BY MAIN STREET STUDIOS

FRANCES WILSON Assistant Editor

DISTRIBUTION/ CIRCULATION Joyce Whitaker Judy Evans Marcedalia Salinas

Jeremy Whitaker Michelle Dodson

BEN LACY Dad’s View

Columnist

Peekaboo Publications PO Box 1036 Bentonville, Arkansas 72712

MEAGAN RUFFING Columnist

Please send inquiries to: editor@peekaboonwa.com or call 479-957-0532 www.peekaboonwa.com 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 Northwest Arkansas accepts writing contributions

6 October 2019

DAVID HOVEY Story Design

Celebrating One Year

You can help kids of Care Close tobe Home

BRAVE this holiday season

Our first year was a big one and we're just getting started! Thank you to our donors, patients, families and staff. We're proud to deliver care close to home for the children of Northwest Arkansas.

2,003 Surgeries

30,104 Outpatient Visits

19,133 Emergency Visits

1,978

Inpatient Admissions

Your gift of $25, $50hospital or more will help Why choose a children's for your child?

Get an inside look at archildrens.org/oneyear champion children and the everyday heroes at Arkansas Children’s.

Please give generously!

Visit giving.archildrens.org (479) 725-6800 | 2601 Gene George Blvd., Springdale, AR 72762 Across from Arvest Ballpark in Springdale, Don Tyson Pkwy. Exit 70 or call (800) 880-7491 Patient data from March 1, 2018 – February 28, 2019

Inside

O C TO B E R 2 0 1 9

Also 12

#TRIPINAINTEASY BY: MEGAN DELCO

22

They Needed a Miracle.

They Got Two. BY: AMBER EARLEY

26

Capturing the Magic of Childhood

12

#TRIPINAINTEASY BY: MEGAN DELCO

22

They Needed a Miracle.

They Got Two. BY: AMBER EARLEY

BY: SORAYA RUDOFSKY

32

Dying from Breast Cancer BY: DANIELLE KELLER

36

Beauty from Ashes

BY: WHITNEY SHADDOCK

38

Breast Cancer Awareness Month BY: NORTHWEST HEALTH

48

Dad’s View

WITH BEN LACY

56

The Wandering Chaos BY: AJA HARRIS

58

32

Dying from Breast Cancer BY: DANIELLE KELLER

48

Dad’s View BY: BEN LACY

7 Things to “Fall” in Love with This October BY: MEAGAN RUFFING

60

Triple the Work... Triple the Reward BY: JENNIFER AND AUSTIN KING

ON THE COVER: Vivlio Photography vivliophoto.com Dresses by The Paper Doll and Goldybelle, hair accessories by Whimsical Woods LLC Cover Sponsored by: Northwest Health www.northwesthealth.com

*Northwest Health Physicians’ Specialty Hospital is owned, in part, by physicians.

8 October 2019

High quality child care looks like

SCIENCE

P L AY A day with playdough is a day of experiments.

Yes, mushing, shaping and rolling playdough is fun! It is also science!

TO

LEARN

Does playdough roll like a ball – on the table and on the floor? What color does red mixed with yellow make? How many colors can we make? This is a science project!

Visit our website to find quality child care that lets your child mix it up.

ARBetterBeginnings.com 1-800-445-3316

Visit our Family Resource Library for an easy playdough recipe you can make together at bit.ly/ peekdo Also en EspaĂąol

If you have a story to share, or an idea for a story, email editor@peekaboonwa.com and become a part of the Peekaboo family!

From the Editor

HERE’S A LOOK AHEAD! _____________________________ Next month in one of my favorite issues of the year - our NOVEMBER issue - we turn the spotlight on families who foster and adopt.

Do you have a story you would like to share or know a family who is extra special? Email editor@peekaboonwa.com Finally, in DECEMBER, we offer readers the most comprehensive guide of holiday out-andabout activities across the area. If you have a holiday event, or gift idea for the gift guide, email editor@peekaboonwa.com

L

ast month I ordered a battery-operated car for our two-year-old, Gwennie.

When the box arrived, we excitedly ripped the tape off and pulled out the car body, the wheels, the leather seat, the keys, the screws, and the other 10-15 pieces that were unfortunately not attached the same way the picture on the box portrayed.

“Okay, just needs a little building, not a big deal,” I reassured my extra-amped up toddler.

Unlike the Lego boxes that my boys enjoyed with their step-by-step instructions, this one came with a small pamphlet, filled with instructions that were both confusing and frustrating. I wasn’t about to let my sweet girl down, so I attempted to put together the pieces, starting with the most obvious.

Rearview mirrors -- snap. Seat -- snap -- except I would have to revisit the whole “screw in” portion of the directions later.

I wanted to throw a tantrum that would rival that of any of my children, but, like I do with my regular day-to-day stresses I instead held it back and used my overly happy voice to mask any stress from my little driver. I would just add this to my other stressers and explode later all at once (how is that for a classic Enneagram 1 personality?).

For someone who doesn’t like to ask for help or take time to recharge, I was faced with a literal dilemma. I would both have to ask for help and charge the car’s battery for 8-12 hours before it would operate (at least 10 October 2019

photo by: Lazer Lee Photography

the instructions were clear on that part).

So, I put the pieces in a nice orderly row, plugged in the battery, and called my dad to see if he could swing by to save the day.

As I was dialing his number, a memory flashed through my mind that made me giggle out loud. When I was about 8 or 9, I received a little doll bed for Christmas that had minimal assembly required. I remember putting it together right after tearing off the wrapping paper. I was so excited to play and didn’t want or need to pause for help. My dad sat down next to me, admiring my “build” and started getting sentimental that I was too big for him and didn’t need his help anymore.

Nope. Still needed it then, and now, in my 30s, he gets called out to help way more than I am sure he would prefer.

Before we could get the car fully asembled, the clock struck ‘pick up time from school. I always head to school excited to pick up the kids. As I head down Central Ave, I imagine them jumping into the car and exclaiming how much they love and missed me before sharing about all the fun they had that day. And almost every single day the complete opposite happens.

Instead, I open up the car door to three little humans who are wound tight, grumpy, and ready to battle it out to tell me about every negative thing they can conjure up. They fight with each other for bumping their arm and express disdain to me for packing crackers instead of

pretzels. It is so easy to join them in this ride down to Stressville, but instead, I take a deep breath and let them just be -- something that adults are allowed to do after a long day, but what parents rarely extend to their children, who have had to sit, learn, have their kindergarten girlfriend break up with them, or their middle school best friend choose someone else to be on their team in PE. Just like I had done with the car assembly, my three little mini-mes had held it together all day, and were finally in a safe place where they could express all the big emotions they had held in all day. Did I like being locked in a car with angry, frustrated, irrational little humans? No. Do I like that they view me as a safe place where they can just be themselves and decompress?

Yes. So, instead of yelling at them and getting angry, I just let them unwind, put some food in their belly and then, when they are ready to talk through the day, we go through it item by item until they feel like they have the world all figured out.

Well, until the next day, when childhood throws them a few more curve balls.

I can’t expect them do it alone, especially when I still call my parents when I need to decompress. Of course, by now I don’t yell, or throw my lunchbox, or cross my arms, but that will come in time for them, too.

In this annual ‘families of multiples’ issue, you will meet parents who experience everything I do by x2 or 3! It is one of my favorite issues, as I get to meet and share some of the coolest families with double and triple the blessings across Northwest Arkansas.

Inside you will also find our extensive Fall Guide, meant to help you go out and fill your book with memories that you will one day look back on and view as the best times of your lives! This month is packed with activities, from getting lost in a corn maze, picking a pumpkin right in the patch, trickor-treating at a trunk-or-treat, or braving a ghost tour... if you dare.

Until next time ...

Kim Enderle

We get you.

Care for Women, by Women | We know that a woman’s physical and emotional needs are unique, so we’ve designed a personalized care experience for women of all ages. For compassionate care and clinical expertise, HerHealth Clinic is here for you.

Visit us online for a complete list of services and clinic locations.

Call 479.463.5500 for Appointments

| wregional.com/herhealth

#tripinainteasy The Delco Triplets + One

by: Megan Delco “It takes a lot of faith to put everything you have on the altar of God, trust in Him, and know that His plan is better for you than the plan you have mapped out for yourself.” This is a quote I stumbled upon in the midst of a very difficult journey.

Infertility. It can feel like the loneliest path you will ever walk. Those that haven’t experienced it can’t understand it, and those that have walked it can truly feel your heart’s pain. This was something my husband and I experienced early in our marriage.

After one year of marriage, we decided it was time to start our family. Of course, we were thinking things would go according to our plan, and that we would be pregnant in no time. Well, two years passed, and no baby. We ended up seeking out help and, my goodness, we could have never imagined what was in store for us. We experienced our first miscarriage immediately after starting treatment.

12 October 2019

I still can’t form the words to express the amount of sadness and anger that that brought up in me.

However, we weren’t ready to give up. We jumped right back in, and after two more rounds of shots and medicine, we were finally successful. The most exciting thing that has ever happened in my life was reading the word “PREGNANT” on the test strip. My eyes could hardly read what it said, and my heart couldn’t even begin to grasp what was happening. A baby – finally! - here we go... let’s do this!

Our first checkup was right around seven weeks, and we were beyond anxious to hear just ONE heartbeat. The doctor began the ultrasound and I remember her saying, “Okay, there is one heartbeat.” My heart exploded and then she continued, “Oh, wait, there is another one... and, well, there is a third!” I’m sorry, a what? My

P L A N N I N G R E T I R E M E N T* O N Your T E R M S .

Photo by Amber Utnage Photography

husband passed out, and I started laughing and crying all at the same time. Triplets? My mouth could hardly utter the words. Needless to say, everything after that was a complete blur.

My pregnancy consisted of resting, eating, and growing babies. I had to eat around 4,000 calories a day to try and keep up with the demands of three growing babies. On average, triplets are born around 32 weeks, weighing around two pounds per baby. We desperately wanted to beat that stat.

After a long and taxing nine months of pregnancy, we made it to 36 weeks on the dot. On January 24th, 2017, the Delco Triplets arrived. Bradley was my firstborn, at 5 pounds 14 ounces; then Teddy, weighing in at 6 pounds 13 ounces; and lastly, sweet Penelope, at 4 pounds 14 ounces.

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The triplets were in the NICU for a little less than a week – each baby came home one at a time. I will never forget having all three home on the first night and taking a deep breath while looking at my husband, like, “Ready or not, here we go!”

Thanks to the overwhelming support of family and friends we survived the first year. Everyone was kept alive via little sleep, feedings around the clock and a strict schedule. From newborn to around six months we were feeding the triplets every three hours, and sometimes every two. Finally, around six months, all three were sleeping through the night, and we thought, “Finally, we made it!” It felt almost easy. They were so busy, but we were all sleeping so we felt invincible to some degree. That’s when God laughed.

Right as the triplets turned six months old, one day I was sitting on the floor, playing with them, thinking, “I am so exhausted... but, of course, who wouldn’t be?” Then it hit me. Could I be possibly be pregnant? That’s when panic set in, as I realized it was a possibility. I sent a good friend, who also happened to be our nanny, to go buy a pregnancy test. She came home and I quickly ran to take it. The test popped up with the word “pregnant” so fast I didn’t even have time to set it down. I remember the tears starting to roll down my face, as I thought, “How could this be? We just got settled, I can’t be pregnant! My body doesn’t know how to do this on its own. This must be a mistake.”

I called my doctor. I was hysterical. He reassured me that we would be okay, but a false positive was unlikely. I called my husband next. He answered, saying, “Megan, I am about to walk into a meeting, what do you need?” I replied, “I am pregnant.” He responded, “That’s great! We will talk when I get home.” I don’t think he could even process it, and I know I couldn’t. I spent the rest of the day in the closet, questioning how we would do this.

Of course, through all of this, I have learned that we were made to do hard things. Pregnancy was long. I still had three babies in desperate need of my attention and, with a growing belly, things were becoming a bit challenging. Henry was born happy and healthy on April 4th, 2018, and has blessed us in ways we could have never imagined.

This was when the real fun of life with four under 15 months began. It was a whirlwind, no doubt, but we survived. “Survived” being the key word.

People ask me all the time, “How do you do it?” to which I respond, “Jesus, my village of people... and I don’t really have a choice not to!”

The last seventeen months have been filled with so much joy and fun. Some days are just plain hard and some days are awesome, but no matter what, at the end of each day, I go to bed beyond grateful 14 October 2019

God chose me to do this. I love nothing more than being a mom. Our days look somewhat like this: Everyone wakes up at 7am; Breakfast 7:30am; Quiet time 8am-9am; Snack time 9:30am; Outside play 10am; Lunch 11am; Naps 11:30am-2pm; Snack 2:30pm; Play 3-4:30pm; Dinner 4:30pm; Bath 5:30pm; and 6:30pm bedtime. The days can be long, but the schedule keeps us alive, and things running like they should. Of course, just when things returned to the “easy” stage again, God said, “I have one more thing I need you to handle.”

Being a mom to multiples, you can’t help but get caught up in the everyday hustle. I will be honest, a lot of days it’s hard to really plug in to each child’s specific needs. Everyone is different and everyone always needs something. Truthfully, I have learned to brush things off unless my gut tells me otherwise.

About a month ago, I remember starting to notice something “off ” about Teddy. He was beginning to soak diapers all day and all night. I am not talking simply full diapers, but diapers soaked to the point that I would get him up in the morning and his clothes were wet, and there would be a puddle in his crib. I remember mentioning to my husband about what I was noticing, and we both thought we should start going up in diaper size. However, a small part of my mom intuition was telling me it could be something more.

My husband is a type 1 diabetic, so I have been educated on early signs of development for our kids, even though we were told they were at no greater risk than any other kid. The next day, my husband left for his new job in Northwest Arkansas, as we were still living Little Rock at the time and he was commuting a few days a week. The symptoms were still there, and things were progressing. I was changing diapers and clothes every 30 minutes.

I called a friend whose daughter is also type 1, and she gracefully walked me through the next steps to determine what to do. First, we checked the ketones in his urine, and discovered that there was a moderate trace. Next, we checked his blood sugar. The first prick said his numbers were too high to read. I thought that that had to be a mistake, so we tried again. 529. His blood sugars were 529. Next thing I remember was calling my husband and saying “Teddy. Ketones. Sugar 529.”

My husbanded responded, “On my way.”

We spent the next four days at Arkansas Children’s Hospital, where we felt like we were drinking out of a fire hydrant learning about Teddy’s new normal. We knew a lot about type 1 as experienced by a 32-year-old, but we quickly realized we knew nothing about it with respect to a 2-year-old.

Teddy was immediately put on a CGM, a device

“It takes a lot of faith to put everything you have on the altar of God, trust in Him, and know that His plan is better for you than the plan you have mapped out for yourself.”

that checks his blood sugars 24/7. He gets at least four insulin shots a day. The hardest part has been completely changing his way of eating. We now have to count every carb at every meal and snack to determine how much insulin to give. Type 1 never takes a break. It truly is a 24/7 illness. Luckily, the whole family, especially his siblings, have rallied around him and cheer him on with each prick and poke we have to do. We have decided to turn our anger and sadness into determination and raising as much awareness as we can about type 1 diabetes.

We want to “turn type 1 into ‘Type None.’” Teddy will live a “normal” life, and that is because of the donations and awareness that surround type 1. The research that is being done is life-changing. If you want to donate or join us for the JDRF One Walk in Fayetteville on October 12th, we would love to

have you. Please visit the website www2.jdrf.org or on FB: JDRF Northwest Arkansas So, again: “It takes a lot of faith to put everything you have on the altar of God, trust in Him, and know that His plan is better for you than the plan you have mapped out for yourself.” I have to remind myself of this daily. God had us wait almost three years to have kids, and for each year we spent waiting and praying, he gave us a baby.

In fact, the date my first angel was to be born was the same date our Henry was born. Those things don’t just happen. God gave me the desires of my heart, but He also gently gave me reminders that I need Him, and I need to stay close to Him. He will not give us anything we can’t handle, but He can give us hard things. It makes us better. This life is beautiful, and I am so thankful for it.

pre-primary (2-4 years)

primary (5-12 years)

secondary (12-21 years)

Engaging & Individualized childrensABAteam.com peekaboonwa.com

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SUPER HERO SMILES ARE HERE!

Kids get a free Super Hero cape when they say, “I have the Super Hero power of Kindness!”

Smile-Shoppe.com Fayetteville (479) 966-4100 Springdale (479) 756-6377 16 October 2019

Bentonville (479) 876-8883 Rogers (479) 631-6377

Personal generosity.

Natural beauty.

Real community.

And new growth.

Mercy now cares for kids on our new Springdale campus.

With Mercy’s pediatric care close to home, it doesn’t matter whether you’re dealing with scrapes, sniffles, school or sports physicals, or annual check-ups.

You’re covered in Springdale.

Find your child’s Mercy pediatrician at mercy.net/SpringdaleKids

Mercy Clinic Pediatrics 4600 Mercy Lane l Springdale, AR 72762 (Intersection of Elm Springs Road and 48th Street)

Your life is our life’s work.

18 October 2019

Must-Shop Booths at the NWA Boutique Show

Crate + Willow

www.crateandwillow.com We’re a specialty gift box boutique, designed to elevate your gifting and celebrate all life’s special occasions. At crate + willow, we make it our mission to create gifts for every occasion that are thoughtful, beautiful and personal. The result is a perfectly curated gift that will leave your clients feeling cherished and appreciated... all the result of a super easy process that will integrate gifting into your workflow without the stress.

Instagram: crateandwillow / Pinterest: crateandwillow Email: hello@crateandwillow.com

The Pink Pebble

www.shoppinkpebble.com “Pebbles, maybe one day I can be a stayat-home cat mom” was the sentence that started it all. Inspired by Pebbles’ playful spirit, loving nature and curiosity for all things, cat mom Brandy and her calico cat bring you the Pink Pebble, a boutique where we hope both mothers and daughters alike will find pretty little things they just can’t resist. We offer edgy and sophisticated women’s styles that are sure to turn heads!

Instagram: shoppinkpebble Pinterest: shoppinkpebble

Diana Montanez Wellness Advocate (479) 2824877 diamantedi.doterra@gmail.com http://my.doterra.com/dianamontanez2 Facebook: Oils: Life Changer!

Instagram: oils_life_changer Essential Oils Certified Pure Therapeutic Grade

Exclusive Eye

www.theexclusiveeye.com Exclusive Eye is your go-to place for exceptional eye care and exclusive eyewear needs. Our goal is to keep you seeing and looking your best! We love helping you find your style with one of our many independent designer frame lines, including Gold & Wood, Bevel, Modo, Article One, and OVVO. Stop in for all of your eye care and eyewear needs, exclusively at Exclusive Eye!

Must Shop Booths at the NWA Boutique Show Continued...

Lori Holland and Kandace Bowen Independent Beauty Guides with LimeLife by Alcone www.limelifebyalcone.com/LoriHolland • Lrkh@mac.com www.limelifebyalcone.com/Kandace • Skbowen@cox.net We are Independent beauty guides with LimeLife by Alcone and we love helping others feel beautiful, loved and confident.

We love wearing and sharing LimeLife’s harsh chemical-free, cruelty-free skin care, as well as their vibrantly beautiful professional makeup that has high pigment and has been (and is still being) used in Hollywood since the 1950’s. LimeLife is family-owned and passionate about helping empower women and men!

Femme Fatale Boutique Femme Fatale is a unique boutique specializing on timeless feminine styles with a vintage flair, carrying sizes XS to 6XL. We believe every woman should channel her inner vintage vixen!

Officially launching at NWA Boutique show, so you have the opportunity to be the first!

Tontitown Winery

www.tontitownwinery.com Local Grapes, Local Wine! We have weekly live music events, with an event venue that is perfect for reunions, Christmas parties, and showers. Free wine tasting, 7 days a week. Our wines are made on-site from local Tontitown grown grapes. Local wine, craft beer, hard cider, and wine accessories.

335 N Barrington Rd, Springdale, AR (479)361-8700 Facebook: Tontitown Winery

www.femmefatalefs.com

Freckled Hen Farmhouse www.freckledhenfarmhouse.com

Freckled Hen Farmhouse is a modern-day general store brimming with thoughtful gifts and home goods to last a lifetime. Freckled Hen is open 7 days a week and located at 840 N. College Avenue in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Stop by and peruse their beautiful home decor, delicious gourmet foods, unique seasonal goods, and wide selection of gift ideas for anyone on your list!

Instagram: @thefreckledhenfarmhouse Pinterest: Freckled Hen Farmhouse 20 October 2019

davidadams.com

100 West Center, Ste 101 Fayetteville 479-444-7778

They Needed a Miracle.

story by: Amber Earley My husband and I are NWA transplants. I’m from a little town outside Springfield, Missouri, and he’s from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. We met at a young professionals group at a local church. After a year and a half of dating, we tied the knot at age 27.

we were heartbroken when we saw the negative pregnancy tests. But, we longed for a sweet child and believed God had called us to be biological parents, so we began the process of artificial insemination.

We got a lot of heat from family and friends to start having children almost immediately, but we were on the “five-year plan.” We wanted to live life together before raising a family, and enjoy time as DINKs (dual income, no kids). So, we kept at our corporate jobs, took vacations around the world and were happy. And then, we got it… the baby bug.

I was taking Metformin to help regulate my cycle, as well as Clomid to help my body release eggs. This was not a fun time in our relationship, my husband often recounts, because I was very hormonal, with significant mood swings. He got on an antibiotic and started taking more vitamins.

Then there were HCG shots in the behind, and SO MANY ROUNDS of artificial insemination. And we kept trying. And trying. And trying.

About four years into our marriage we started seriously trying to conceive. After nearly a year of eating the right foods, taking all the right vitamins, timing it right, and even switching jobs to lower stress, we decided to see a doctor. I was diagnosed with PCOS, which is one of the leading causes of infertility among women. Shortly after, we learned my husband had low motility and sperm count. It seemed all the odds were against us. Every month 22 October 2019

Six rounds into artificial insemination (we learned later that clinics don’t usually do more than four rounds but ours had mercy on us and let us keep trying until six), we got a positive pregnancy test!

We were over the moon to meet our little baby!

We had been blessed and were so thankful! We know of many couples that have had to do in vitro fertilization, which is a much more invasive (and

costly) procedure, and we were so happy that after years of trying and only six rounds of AI, we were pregnant!

The first few weeks, we were ecstatic and still in shock, so we were very careful in everything we did. We stopped biking as a couple (because cycling is quite risky for a pregnant woman) and were overall very health-conscious to keep that little baby healthy and growing!

About two months into my pregnancy, I had to go to Europe on a work trip. We decided to turn the trip into a “babymoon” and my husband tagged along. We went a week early to enjoy time together in Barcelona and London before I resumed work in Leeds, and while I was working he cycled the English countryside. We were having a wonderful time until I started experiencing excessive bleeding. We were horrified that we had pushed our sightseeing too far and had lost the baby.

We immediately called home and scheduled an appointment for first thing when we arrived home.

The rest of the trip we were a nervous wreck. We were desperate to hear a tiny, precious heartbeat.

When we arrived home, my husband joined me at the doctor’s office for our scheduled appointment.

They reviewed my bloodwork and conducted an ultrasound. Before the ultrasound, they pulled us into a room to discuss certain elevated blood levels that sometimes indicate multiple gestation. Then they did the ultrasound and heard not one, but TWO tiny heart beats! We were overwhelmed with joy! At one point, we had prayed for twins, but we never expected to be this doubly blessed!

The Earley Twins were born prematurely at 33 weeks exactly. We spent a month in the NICU and have since encountered struggles with brain abnormalities and developmental delays. I have been able to take some time off work to get the girls the support and therapy they need. It’s been a long road, but the twins turned three in September and are thriving. Despite the challenges, we are in love with and are so thankful for our sweet little family!

Along the way, I found community and support for my mama heart in a high needs mom group.

Through this group, I have learned it is okay to grieve the loss of what some would consider normal childhood development and a normal parenting experience. (I felt guilty about grieving for some time because we have been doubly blessed and some out there are still trying to conceive.)

I learned that it’s healthy to talk about emotions

and the state of things, and that there are others that have had similar experiences that will love and support and do life with you.

I also found like-minded mamas through the Northwest Arkansas Mothers of Multiples group.

This group was so impactful to me that I decided to get more involved, and was recently voted President for the next two years. Shamelessly, I’d like to let the readers know that the Northwest Arkansas Mothers of Multiples is a non-profit organization focused on supporting and educating parents, grandparents, guardians and expecting parents of twins, triplets, and other higher order multiples in the Northwest Arkansas area. We host monthly meetings that are either educational or uplifting, Moms and Dads Nights Out, outreach, and family events. We have a lot going on this year, including a consignment sale that is open to the public and will run October 10-12 and offer gently used clothing for multiples. The club is a ton of fun, and all of the moms are intentional in building friendships and supporting each other.

No one can do it alone. You don’t have to be alone through infertility. You don’t have to be alone through developmental challenges. You don’t have to be alone through parenting. Mom life is hard!

So, find your tribe and live life together!

24 October 2019

Join us for our annual art auction at

Peel Mansion

Sarah dreams of a home without shouting, hitting and hiding; a place where she doesn't have to hide her bruises or wear shoes to bed in case she has to leave in the middle of the night. We can work together to help her achieve her dreams.

Hotline: 479-246-9999 Phone: 479-246-0353 Email: info@nwaws.org Social Media: @nwaws

October 12, 2019, 6:30 p.m.

Featured Artist:

Jaqueline Jurcik Honorary Chair: Jason Fremstad Purchase Tickets at nwaws.org/fresh-start-tickets/ or call 479-246-0353.

Capturing the Magic of childhood

“You can’t depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus.”

- Mark Twain

Have Courage and Be Kind

By Soraya Rudofsky, Vivlio Photography What is your favorite childhood memory? I have a few, mostly involving elaborate art projects with my mother, playing in the woods with the neighbor kids, or writing and performing plays with my brother for a sold-out audience of stuffed animals.

An early memory that stands out, however, is of my father — ordinarily a reserved, level-headed businessman — pretending he was a pirate. As he regaled my brother and I with the tales of his marauding adventures, I formed an image of Pirate Dad in my mind’s eye with such perfect clarity and belief that I still remember it more than 30 years later.

For me, these journeys into the imagination give childhood its magic. Children are programmed to pretend; role play is an important way they learn about the world and their place in it. Everything is bigger, faster, more vivid. As a parent, I’ve seen the change in my three-year-old twins. Sometime during the past year their vision shifted, filling the world with fairies and dragons and mermaids, and magically transforming them on a daily basis into astronauts and bunnies and pirates and mothers. It reminds me of the magical realism novels I studied in college, in which the supernatural is casually

President Ava Crossing the Delaware accepted by the characters as an ordinary feature of their world.

The reason this aspect of childhood is my favorite isn’t because I like to play pretend (even though I do). It’s them. It’s the way my daughters reveal who they are inside through what they pretend and dream they could be; through their interests and curiosity. These are the moments I wish I could capture in a bottle, to relive someday when they’re grown and gone, and to show to them what amazing little people they are growing up to be.

And so, in my way, I do. I am a children’s fine art photographer. My passion is to see and bring to life

those inner Imagination Portraits; to help parents connect with their children’s inner lives, and to help children remember their childhood dreams when they grow up. My creative inspiration comes from everywhere — literature, art history, childhood nostalgia, the natural world — but most directly and especially the imagination of the children and families that I have the honor of photographing.

Each Imagination Portrait is a completely custom work of art. First, I help the parents interview their child and identify the child’s interests and dreams.

Continued on next page peekaboonwa.com

27

The Mad Tea Party I love to hear their answers to our questions — we learn something new each time! Then, we use this information to brainstorm together a theme for the portrait. I find that the best themes are often hidden in some detail of the child’s answer to one of our questions. Other times, the right choice is obvious. One of my favorite imagination portraits is of a thirteen-year-old girl who plans to be the president of the United States someday. She is a natural leader, and her strength and confidence stood out to me immediately. So, we chose as inspiration the very first president, George Washington, whose calm determination and patriotism is depicted in the famous 1851 painting

by Emanuel Leutze, “Washington Crossing the Delaware.”

Once the theme is chosen, I design the photo session, including finding a session location, costumes, props, and supporting roles for any participating siblings or family members. I don’t use studio backdrops. All photographs are shot on location in Northwest Arkansas, and I love to use real places to enhance the realism or the meaning of the final image. For “President Ava Crossing the Delaware,” I got permission from Lake Fayetteville Boat and Bike to borrow a boat and oars that we set up in a small field a few feet from the Lake Fayetteville dock. I procured Patriot soldier costumes for President Ava and her siblings, as well as an American flag, toy muskets and neutralcolored blankets. Then, using the Leutze painting as our guide, I posed the four children (ages 2 through 13) multiple times in different sections of the boat in groupings that loosely matched those of the soldiers in the painting. Behind the scenes, the kids had a blast playing with their costumes and props, and were eager to bring the scene to life. After the session, I digitally combined the pictures I took of the children in the boat with photographs I took looking out onto the Potomac river from the dock at George Washington’s Mount Vernon during a trip to Virginia. I added in visual elements from commercial stock images of real

icebergs to transform the summer Fayetteville evening into the icy twilight of the Delaware River crossing. Creating these composites is a labor of love. Depending on the complexity of the project, a single image can take anywhere from 10 to 25 hours or more to complete. (If you’re interested in learning more about my artwork, or seeing photos of behind the scenes transformations, visit my website at vivliophoto.com.)

Photographs, especially portraits, have tremendous power to shape how we see ourselves and the world. My calling is to use that power to shape the way our children see themselves — as creative, kind, confident individuals whose imagination and future possibilities are endless. I love watching the way parents and children alike light up when they see their Imagination artwork; it goes so much further and tells a deeper story than an ordinary photograph. My dream is that these images will become cherished expressions of their childhood memories and the inner magic they’ll pass on to the next generation.

The dinosaur trainer and his student start the day with a healthy breakfast!

CHILDREN CAN DEVELOP THE SAME MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS AS ADULTS, BUT SYMPTOMS MAY BE DIFFERENT. Children can develop all of the same mental health conditions as adults, but may express them differently. This can make them more difficult to identify.

If you believe that your child may be struggling with a mental health condition, a research study could be an option. Children ages 12 and older that qualify and participate receive care from doctors and other medical staff and no cost. Compensation for time and travel expense may also be available.

Consider a research study for your child.

To learn more call:

479.231.3051

WHAT SHOULD YOU WATCH FOR IN YOUR CHILD FOR SIGNS OF A MENTAL HEALTH CONDITION? Drastic changes in behavior or personality like frequent fighting, out-of control-behavior, and overwhelming fear can be warning signs.

Feelings of withdrawal and sadness lasting 2 weeks or more or severe mood changes that affect home or school life.

Headaches and stomachaches may develop over sadness and anxiety.

Trouble sitting still or focusing at school leading to poor grades could be a warning sign.

peekaboonwa.com

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500 SE Plaza Avenue Bentonville, Arkansas

30 October 2019

Dying From Breast Cancer:

% A Local Filmaker’s Experience Making a Documentary About Metastatic Breast Cancer.

Wthey are often intrigued. An independent

hen people ask me what I do for a living,

filmmaker, here in NWA? When I tell them I make documentaries, their interest is piqued a little more. “What kind of documentaries?” or “What kind of film are you working on now?” are the typical questions asked. And then I drop the bomb, “I’m making a film about metastatic breast cancer.” Sometimes confusion spreads across their faces. Compassion, always. “Oh, wow,” is the typical response. More questions arise, giving me the perfect opportunity to share knowledge I have gained from behind the camera. I am able to spout off statistics without skipping a beat.

As I talk, the other person experiences a mix of emotions. I see it on their face.

I tell them, “metastatic breast cancer is the only stage of breast cancer that kills.” I see the questions in their eyes, my thoughts screaming, “Why did you lead with that? Wait, yes, lead with that, because it is the truth. But they do not know what that is.” So, I tell them. I’ve become accustomed to being bold with the information I’ve gained through following the lives of many people living with metastatic breast cancer (hundreds in fact), interviewing experts, and conducting my own research. It’s never fun listing off the statistics. You see, metastatic breast cancer is a terminal disease.

It is not some rare type of breast cancer you’ve never heard of, like I thought, before I truly understood. It is stage IV breast cancer, metastatic because it has metastasized, meaning breast cancer has spread to other parts of the body, primarily the bones, liver, lungs, and brain. Breast cancer now resides in those locations. I explain that the median life expectancy is three years, that one in three who have early stage breast cancer will progress, and that 116 people die every day from metastatic

by: Danielle Keller

breast cancer in the USA alone. I explain that men have breast cancer too, that African American women have a higher incident rate and that many people are under the age of 40, as young as 16. I then drop the hardest pill to swallow, “...less than 6% of funding goes into research for metastatic breast cancer.”

I watch the expressions of shock and disbelief as many fight back tears. They, we, I fight back tears or cry, because this isn’t just about the numbers or stats. This is about people. This is about people we know, people we love and people who deserve so much more.

The story behind my documentary is about two women who live right here in NWA. Women who have metastatic breast cancer and started the largest fundraiser for a non-profit that gives 100% to metastatic breast cancer research. A fundraiser that sparked 11 more events throughout the USA in less than 3 years. But, the story isn’t just about these two women. The story is about 42,000 people dying every year from this disease in the U.S. alone. This is about the thousands of people living with metastatic breast cancer, hoping and praying that this year, month, week, or day won’t be their last. This is about people watching their loved ones stolen, lives destroyed, and pain endured that’s almost unbearable. This is about people living with early stage breast cancer, hoping and praying they won’t be one in three.

This is about you and I, the people we are and the people we know.

Through this film journey, we (my crew and I) have met hundreds of people living with metastatic breast cancer. We have interviewed close to 60 of them in the past year. We have met them at conferences, seminars, advocacy events, fundraisers, galas, and even at New York Fashion Week. They are women and men, different ethnicities, aged 18 to 40+, have a variety of religious beliefs, are LGBTQ, have kids, don’t have kids, are married, single, or divorced; all this making each story unique. Some had early stage breast cancer and progressed to stage IV, while others were metastatic at diagnosis. Some wear wigs, many have their own full head of hair.

Some look sick, most do not.

And each person has become a part of my life. They have become friends and some have become very dear friends. Some I have shared deep parts of my life with. Some have met and love my family.

People I clearly can say I love.

People that I would have likely never met if they weren’t living with metastatic breast cancer... a disease that will take their life. A disease that takes 116 lives every day, and has already claimed some of my new friends, these beautiful souls. This film journey is not easy, not light, and feels devastating at times. I have lost count of the times I have cried listening to someone’s story as we interview them. I have lost count of the times I have cried as they share about their life before metastatic breast cancer, the careers they had to leave, the people that left them, the children they will leave. I sometimes cry more for the moms, because I am a mom, and it’s hard to not place myself in their shoes. I cry watching them struggle in relationships. I cry watching them live scan to scan, fearing that the cancer has spread even more. I cry watching them go from treatment to treatment, praying that this one, or the next one will be the treatment to extend their life. I cry because treatment will never end for them. Chemo will never stop. That’s life with metastatic breast cancer.

And at times, I break down and sob because the hardest part is when they die. Statistically, I knew we would meet and interview people who would die before this film is complete. I knew that would be hard, but what I didn’t know was how hard. The news is devastating and cuts deep.

Memories flood in and I cry. I weep. I sob.

I have cried for Valerie, a spirited, lively woman who created drain pouches for all cancer patients; Tiffany, a young former nurse never able to have children, shy but so brave to share her story for the first time ever, with us; Monica, a former marketing executive we filmed multiple times, a mom inspired to advocate and run a fundraiser in New Jersey; Patricia, an educator who bore her scars at New York Fashion Week; Amanda, a former PeaceCorps educator who hoped and desperately longed to be a mother; Briana, 33 years old and mother of a four-year-old who just started preschool; Tanya, an ESL instructor with two daughters; and Cindy, a woman I never had the privilege to meet, but who sponsored our film and supported us in many ways.

I’ll never forget their names. Valerie, Tiffany, Monica, Patricia, Amanda, Briana, Tanya and Cindy. And countless more who continue to hear bad news of their cancer spreading further, treatment not working, moving in and out of the hospital and ultimately into hospice. And this extends beyond the people we’ve met in person or on social media through following our film. This disease is found far and wide, taking so many lives. We’ve interviewed local people who have lost their loved ones to metastatic breast cancer.

Jessica who lost her mom, Vilma; Bruce who lost his wife, Patricia; and Brandi who lost her sister, India.

To say this film journey has changed my life is an understatement. It has impacted me in ways I never knew possible. As someone who loves people, digging in and getting to know others is easy, comfortable, and enjoyable for me. I love hearing other people’s stories, and to share these stories is a privilege. I hope this film creates change in the dialogue, the narrative we’ve believed for decades, and moves people to action.

Because this is important.

One of our main film subjects recently received the hardest news since diagnosis. Her cancer is growing, and she is now on her twelfth form of treatment in less than four years. Her name is Lisa, a Springdale native, former teacher, mom, wife, loyal friend, earring designer, and advocate for metastatic breast cancer.

I was filming as she and her husband received the news. I was filming as she began to sob. I was filming when she broke down. I was filming when her husband’s face dropped. I was filming as her oncologist cleared his throat and reached his hand out to offer comfort and options. I have filmed so much of her life, of their beautiful lives, our two main subjects, and hundreds of others.

They are friends, people I love, and I’m going to watch them die.

Our documentary is called So Much More because that is what they deserve. So much more time, more options, more life, more treatment, more research, more understanding, more, more more.

We are currently in post-production, editing our film and hope to premiere it this spring.

We invite you to follow our film journey on Facebook, Instagram, and at www. somuchmorefilm.com. I also invite you to check out the gala that helped inspired this film, at www.nwamets.org, peekaboonwa.com

33

LO O K A N D F E E L

YO U R B E S T At Women’s Health Associates, we want you to feel confident about every aspect of your life, including how you look. That’s why we offer a number of aesthetic services designed to help you be your best self at every stage of your life.

FA C I A L S Designed to help you put your best face forward, let us help you discover a more beautiful and youthful-looking you. All facials include an in-depth skin analysis, cleansing and exfoliation of the neck, face, and décolleté.

Also Offering: Dermaplaning | Microneedling | Chemical Peels | Microdermabrasion

I N J E C TA B L E S A N D D E R M A L F I L L E R S As we age, our faces naturally lose subcutaneous fat and the “plump” look of our youth. Injectables and dermal fillers can be used to help diminish facial lines and restore volume and fullness in the face. Plump thin lips, enhance shallow contours, soften facial creases and wrinkles, and improve the appearance of recessed scars.

Offering: BOTOX® Cosmetic | JUVEDERM®

I N T I M AT E W E L L N E S S CO2RE Intima vaginal treatments help restore your vaginal health… and help you rediscover what you’ve lost. The procedure only takes a few minutes and many women report symptom relief after the very first treatment. The treatments use laser energy to stimulate healing and renewed collagen that results in increased elasticity and natural lubrication, decreased urine leakage, and more pleasurable sex.

B O DY C O N T O U R I N G Love the idea of reshaping your body, but not the reality of incisions or scars? Our non-invasive procedures don’t require any incisions and deliver noticeable results. The treatments work to improve the appearance of cellulite, reduce dimpled skin, and tighten skin on the abdomen, love handles, hips, thighs and other areas that require fat reduction. BodyFX addresses problematic fatty tissue in larger body areas such as the abdomen, back (flanks), and thighs. MiniFX addresses problematic fatty tissue in smaller areas like the neck, arms, and knees. Forma tightens the skin on the face, neck and hands.

Also offering: Photo facials with Lumecca | Laser Hair Removal | Waxing Spider Vein Treatment

500 SE PLAZA AVENUE BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS

479-876-8111 www.whanwa.com 34 October 2019

For more information, visit www.cdc.gov/flu

Make an appointment for your child’s flu shot today!

(479) 442-7322 mana.md/pediatric-flu-clinic

3730 S. Pinnacle Hills Pkwy, Suite 3 Rogers | (479) 464-5597 Monday-Friday, 8am-5:30pm

3383 N. MANA Ct., Suite 101 Fayetteville | (479) 443-3471 Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm

3380 N. Futrall Drive Fayetteville | (479) 442-7322 Monday-Friday, 8am-7:30pm Saturday, 8am-11am

Beauty from Ashes

by: Whitney Shaddock

“There’s no heartbeat. I’m so sorry.” Those were the words we heard after round seven of IVF. Round two had given us our miracle son, Cooper, after four and a half years of infertility treatments, and round seven was the only other round of IVF that gave us another pregnancy after an additional four years of treatments. This baby, due on Valentine’s Day and forever known as our sweet Valentine, was supposed to be our answer to the prayer to give Cooper a sibling and playmate.

After our miscarriage, we spent time grieving and praying about our next move. We still had one more embryo saved for a final transfer, but God also began putting adoption in our hearts. We worked on researching and starting the adoption process while taking our final shot at carrying our own child again. When our final embryo went on to Heaven with the other ten, we knew God was telling us it was time to adopt.

Fast forward a year and a half and we were approved for adoption! Not two weeks later after we were approved, our now six-year-old, Cooper, began telling us that God told him He was sending us TWO babies to adopt. We gently told him that wasn’t usually what happens. “God normally just sends one baby to a mommy’s belly,” we explained.

But he was insistent and continued talking about it every day.

36 October 2019

That was January 23rd of 2019. Within a week of that day, our future birth mom found out she was pregnant. With TWINS. Of course, we wouldn’t find out about her and the babies until June. In early June, we were given a profile opportunity from our adoption agency with a birth mom having twins. As soon as I read the words, “... mom having twins...” my heart skipped a beat. I knew almost instantly that these were our babies.

And most of that is because of a little six-year-old who heard from God and had been preparing our hearts for the past six months to receive two more babies.

In July, we met with the birth mom. I remember being a nervous wreck going to meet her. What was she like? Did I really want to see her or talk to her about adopting her babies? Would she accept us? Would she be willing to give up control after the birth of her babies? But the minute we walked in the door of the restaurant and saw her, my heart was at peace. Justin and I both felt at ease from the very start of the conversation.

We waited three weeks, but finally we heard that she had chosen our family to adopt her twins!

Excitement, gratefulness, and the anxiety of growing from a family of three to five began to sink in. We told our family and friends, we planned showers, and we started decorating a nursery for two.

How do you prepare for twins? There is no preparing for them. You can buy, register for, and read all the things, but at the end of the day, we decided the best thing we could do is slow down, and put our babies first and things second. We had heard daily from our son that we needed to prepare for two... and even though we didn’t take him very seriously at the time, it did help us subconsciously prepare our hearts for two. By getting our hearts and minds at peace with the idea of having twins, we were preparing ourselves to be the best parents we could be to multiples.

We had about six or seven weeks to prepare ourselves for twins... but babies don’t follow our schedules. So, August 12, 2019, these gifts came four weeks earlier than we planned--at 32 weeks gestation. They (by the grace of God) came out extremely healthy and only Knox William needed oxygen... and even then, only needed it for 24 hours. Evelyn Joye was a fighter from the beginning and needed no help breathing. Each were born around 3 1/2 pounds, which was great for 32-weekers!

As I sit in our NICU room, I feel so inadequate to write about being a mom to multiples because I’ve only “mommed” these babies for a little over a month. We haven’t been home on our own managing feeding and sleeping schedules. I can’t

tell you the best twin stuff to buy yet... and we haven’t experienced the two-year-old twins either.

All that is to come soon enough.

So far, parenting multiples has been a life full of watching monitors, weighing diapers, counting mils taken by mouth, praying for the day we can dress them in clothes, listening to cries that sound like baby birds, and, of course, lots of snuggles.

Whatever thoughts I had about parenting twins were pushed to the side and replaced with following my gut... and typical parenting fears. The fear of not giving one of them enough attention.

Fears that I’ll bond more with one twin than the other. And the most common adoption fear of all... will I even feel like they are my babies?

But the truth is, I feel like they’ve been ours forever.

It’s like all along God was preparing our family and our hearts for his beauty. His beauty from ashes.

Every day I look at these babies, I’m reminded of how God makes everything beautiful in its own time. It wasn’t our time. And it wasn’t our plan to parent multiples, but with what we thought were only ashes that remained, He has written the most beautiful story. And it’s just the beginning!

“He gives beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.”

- Isaiah 61:3

Oc

to b

er

is

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Latest advances offer new hope for women with breast cancer

T

Newer surgical techniques include an increase in nipple-sparing surgery as well as improvements in breast reconstruction.

There are so many more options for treatment now, with new research yielding even more knowledge every year, according to breast surgeon Christopher Menendez, MD. “Precise targeted immunotherapy is an example of a newer treatment we didn’t have ten or fifteen years ago. There’s also targeted radiation that can be delivered through a catheter directly into the cancer, shortening the course of therapy significantly. And exciting work is being done now with vaccines – some of that focused on treating existing cancers by impacting cellular activities using one’s own immune system.

That was a surprising discovery.”

To schedule a mammogram at Willow Creek or Northwest Medical Center-Bentonville, call 479-757-4149. Saturday times are available. To schedule a mammogram at Siloam Springs Regional Hospital, call 479-215-3140.

here’s exciting news about advancements in the detection and treatment of breast cancer, the most frequently occurring cancer for women in Arkansas. On average, an individual woman has a 1 in 8 chance of developing breast cancer over an 80-year lifespan.

But the most important thing to remember is that the greatest opportunity for successful treatment begins with early diagnosis.

“The bottom line is, a majority of breast cancers can be treated successfully if found early,” said Dr. Menendez. “And the most effective way to detect breast cancer at an early, treatable stage is to have yearly mammograms starting at the age of 40, and to have regular clinical breast exams by a doctor or nurse. In my practice, I’m seeing younger women now, and I believe that’s because there’s an increased awareness around risk factors, family history, genetics, and the importance of screening.

It is also worth noting, however, that even earlydetected breast cancers can recur as metastatic cancer in 30% of cases. So it is vitally important that research continues vigorously, not only for early stage breast cancers, but for those with metastatic breast cancers, also known as stage 4.”

38 October 2019

Northwest Health provides imaging technology that can detect breast cancer at the earliest stages, when treatment can be most effective, including breast tomosynthesis, also called 3D mammography. The Northwest Imaging Center at Willow Creek Women’s Hospital was the first in Northwest Arkansas to offer this technology.

“Mammograms save lives,” said Dr. Christie Phelan, a board-certified and fellowship-trained breast radiologist who works at Northwest Health.

“Today, thanks to early detection and treatment advances, more women are surviving breast cancer and living longer, healthier lives.”

For women of average risk, the American College of Radiology recommends annual mammograms starting at age 40, with no upper age limit as long as the woman is in good health. Different guidelines apply to women at higher risk. A screening mammogram can help detect breast cancer in its earliest and most treatable stages.

Risk Factors • Gender: Being a woman is the greatest risk factor for breast cancer, but men can get breast cancer as well.

• Age: The risk of developing breast cancer goes up with age.

• Genetic defects: About 5 to 10% of breast cancer cases are thought to be hereditary, which means they are a result of gene defects inherited from a parent.

• Family history: Breast cancer risk increases if a woman has a close relative such a mother, sister, or daughter who has had the disease. In fact, a woman’s risk of breast cancer

nearly doubles if she has a first-degree relative (mother, sister, daughter) who has been diagnosed with breast cancer.

However, less than 15% of women who get breast cancer have a family member diagnosed with it. This means about 85% of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer.

• Personal history of breast cancer: A woman with cancer in one breast has an increased risk of developing cancer in the other breast or part of the same breast.

• Race and ethnicity: Overall, white women are slightly more likely to develop breast cancer than African-American women, but African-American women are more likely to die of the disease.

• Dense breast tissue: Women with dense breasts on mammograms have a breast cancer risk of 1.2 to 2 times that of women with average breast density. Dense breast tissue can also make mammograms less accurate.

• Lifestyle risk factors include being overweight, smoking, lack of physical activity, drinking alcohol, and using hormone therapy.

Improved Treatment Options In addition to being first in Northwest Arkansas to offer 3D mammography, Northwest Health was also the first in Arkansas to use a nonradioactive wire-free localization system during breast conservation surgeries, building on its commitment to offer the most advanced treatments

for breast cancer patients. Radar has been used for decades when precision is vital to success. It is an efficient and precise approach to localization and surgical guidance and helps surgeons remove cancerous tissue with greater confidence. The nonradioactive wire-free radar localization system is a clinically proven, FDA cleared, zero-radiation approach to targeting tumors and breast lesions. It uses a unique radar signal to detect a reflector, the size of a grain of rice, which can be placed at the tumor site at the patients’ convenience. During the procedure, the surgeon scans the breast using the system’s guide to precisely and efficiently locate the reflector to within 1mm of accuracy. The ability to precisely locate tumors increases the probability of complete cancer removal and reduces the likelihood of needing follow-up surgeries – a huge advantage for early-stage breast cancer patients.

In addition, the ability to strategically plan the incision may result in better cosmetic outcomes.

For mammography, appointments are on a firstcome, first-served basis. An order from a physician or qualified healthcare provider is required. All mammogram reports will be sent to the physician/ provider, and the patient is responsible for followup. Check with your insurance provider to confirm coverage for a screening mammogram. For American College of Radiology recommendations, visit www.acr.org.

Flu season is almost here!

Get your flu shot today at any of our ten locations, no appointment neccessary. collierdrug.com 1-888-237-6261 FREE DELIVERY

40 October 2019

Dr. Averitt, Megan, Staci & and the staff of Best Start Pediatric Clinic would like to welcome our new Nurse Practitioner, Bessie Smith, APRN.

peekaboonwa.com

41

OUT&ABOUT

Fall Events in Northwest Arkansas

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Fall Festival October 6 from 1-4pm Hobbs State Park Activities will take place at Historical Van Winkle Hollow as well as the Park’s visitor center, both located on Hwy 12 east of Rogers. Bring the entire family to learn about how it was done in the past.

Experience a blacksmith demonstration, early food preservation, old-timey games, music, stone toolmaking demonstration, a Civil War soldier, pioneer homesteader, and more!

Shuttle: Please park at the visitor center parking lot on Hwy. 12 just east of the Hwy. 12/War Eagle Road intersection.

The free shuttle will run constantly from 1 pm– 4pm between the visitor center and Historic Van Winkle Trail. All of these family activities are FREE and the public is welcome.

For more information, call: 479-789-5000

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Hometown Fall Festival

October 11 from 5-7pm Ozark Dermatology Clinic and Advanced Aesthetics, Fayetteville The festivities will take place on the southwest parking lot of our Fayetteville location.

There will be live demos, giveaways, blow out pricing on aesthetic 42 October 2019

services and products. Enjoy hot apple cider, wine, homemade chili, popcorn and a s’mores bar.

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Fall Festival October 26 at 6pm Fayetteville First Church of the Nazarene Activities include a free chili dinner, bounce houses, games, a petting farm, and more! Wear your costume and bring a friend!

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Oktoberfest on the Square October 13 at 1pm Fayetteville Square Join us once again on the beautiful Fayetteville town square for OKTOBERFEST 2019!

With 100% Arkansas beer!

KIDS FREE! Food trucks!

Local art and vendors, and musical acts.

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All Ages Wizardlings Moon October 19 at 11am 2828 N. Crossover, Fayetteville Attend a magical brunch to celebrate the autumnal season and return to our favorite magical schools. Be immersed in a world not ordinarily seen by those without magic: enjoy fun food and drinks that both wizards and beasts enjoy with wizards and witches, take one of the Transfiguration class crafts home with you, and take a break to dance like a hippogriff! Don’t forget to dress in your favorite costume: muggle or wizard!

There will be a prize for best costume. Tickets are very limited - you can purchase them at http://

bit.ly/wizardbrunch ! This is a family friendly fundraising event - part of the proceeds will be going towards a local nonprofit refugee resettlement agency Canopy NWA. wizardwayozarks@gmail.com

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Evening at the Farm October 5 at 5:30pm Apple Seeds Teaching Farm at Gulley Park This unique farm dinner benefit will support Apple Seeds and the school children in the region that participate in our educational programs across NWA. Guests will enjoy cocktails & hors d’oeuvres in the garden, music

by Rachel Billingsley of Rachel B Table for Three and a four-course dinner. The dinner features local products and gourmet delights prepared by Chef Jason Paul of Heirloom at The 1907, Chef Michael Robertshaw of Three Cents an Acre, Heather Artripe of Ozark Natural Foods & Chef Matthew Barclay of Bordinos Restaurant and Wine Bar.

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Complete Works of William Shakespeare Abridged October 17-18 Walton Arts Center Get thee forthwith to witness with thine own eyes the wacky antics of three men in tights as they take on the seemingly impossible task of performing each of Shakespeare’s 37 plays in just 97 minutes. In the spirit of Shakespeare himself, RSC shows contain some occasional bawdy language and mild innuendo.

All children (and parents) are

different, so this show is rated PG-13: Pretty Good If You’re Thirteen

.......................................

Indoor Trick-Or-Treat Adventure

October 31 at 6pm Rolling Hills Baptist Church, Fayetteville Don’t brave a cold, dark, windy Halloween night outside! Trick-or-Treat through Gravity Falls, Stranger Things’ Hawkins, Halloween Town, and Candy Land instead! Themed photo spots, games, and making friends with mermaids and pirates will make your quest for a big bag of candy even more fun for the whole family! Free admission, but remember to bring one canned good to benefit Cooperative Emergency Outreach of Washington County!

.......................................

Salem Village Fall Festival October 12 at 4pm Salem Village Neighborhood, Fayetteville We are excited to welcome fall with a festival right here in our own village. There will be a costume contest with backdrop for pictures, hamburgers and hot dogs and more, caricatures by NWA Caricatures, games, candy, and face painting. Located in Persimmon Park, off Tower Circle.

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Fall Fest 2019 October 31 at 6pm The Vineyard.Life, Fayetteville 3980 W Wedington Drive Ste 15 A fun and safe family fun night! We will have trunk or treating, games, food, coffee and hot chocolate, and much more. All this in a safe, clean, and well-lit environment. Kids of all ages are encouraged to wear their best costume and come have a great time

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It’s Fall Y’all Craft Fair October 17-20 Benton County Fairgrounds Four fun-filled days of shopping with local artisans and small business owners who are dedicated to providing you an experience to remember! Each day will bring familyfriendly fun, giveaways, food and more!

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St. Stephen Fall Fest October 13 at 10am St. Stephen Catholic Church, Bentonville Join us for this fun family event! There will be pumpkin painting, games, and food.

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Tinkerfest October 5 at 10am Amazeum, Bentonville Tinkerfest, the Amazeum’s one-day celebration of creativity, curiosity and hands-on learning, brings makers, tinkerers, artists, and creatives from diverse disciplines together for a day of family fun and discovery. Tinkerfest features science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM) activities.

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Family Nature Workshop: Spiders

October 12 at 10:30am Crystal Bridges, Bentonville Face your phobia with this workshop all about spiders! Be introduced to a variety of spiders and how they help us. Create spider-themed art just in time for Halloween. Free, registration required. Best suited for children ages 5-12.

Children must come with an adult caregiver.

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Trunk-or-Treat 2019

October 27 from 6–7:30pm Southside Church of Christ 919 S Dixieland Rd, Rogers, Arkansas You know the drill, come take our candy!

We can’t wait to see all of your costumes!

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Halloween Spooktacular!

October 26 from 4-7pm 1101 SW Citizens Cir, Bentonville Please join Bentonville Parks & Recreation for this FREE event as we celebrate all things fun and spooky this Halloween!

Pumpkin patch and decorating, Touch-A-Truck Trick or Treat, a costume contest, inflatables, and of course, CANDY!

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Trunk-or-Treat 2019

October 27 at 5pm Flagstone Church of Christ, Bentonville Join us for free burgers, hot dogs, drinks, chips, cookies, and, of course... trunk-or-treating! Event starts at 5pm and lasts until the candy runs out!

Bring your family for a fun and safe trick-or-treat experience!

peekaboonwa.com

43

OUT&ABOUT

Fall Events in Northwest Arkansas

Spooky Slime Fiesta Fall Break Camp October 14 Espanol con Senora Cantu, Rogers 2nd annual Spooky Slime Fiesta Fall Break Camp with Espanol con Senora Cantu. Three days of slime-making, Halloween treat cooking, Spanish lessons, games, and culture.

Snack included. Three days of fun = $150 or one day of fun = $55. Your child will not want to miss it! Sign up today - space is limited

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Post Family 77 Fall Festival October 26 at 4pm Center for Nonprofits at St. Mary’s, Rogers There will be activities, treats, games, costume contests, music, prizes, and refreshments. Come and celebrate the arrival of fall, and all the fun things that come with it!

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Evening Tour of “A House in Mourning” October 17-18 and October 25-26 Rogers Historical Museum While the Hawkins House is in mourning we invite you to take a special tour to learn more about the Victorian rituals of mourning with costumed interpreters. Reservations are required and each tour is limited to 12.

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Fall Carnival October 6 from 3-6pm Harry Sbanotto Park in Tontitown Summit Baptist Church of Springdale

painting, carnival games, and pizza. .......................................

First Friday Chalktober Fest and Flix October 4 from 11am-8pm / 8:30-11pm Downtown Bentonville We understand the importance of art in our community. This is why we are turning the Square into a celebration of art and all it brings with it -- local chalk artists, painters, musicians, chefs, and more! Then, head to Lawrence Plaza to watch The House with the Clock in its Walls. downtownbentonville.org

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Harry Potter Halloween Party October 26 from 7-9pm Barnes & Noble, Rogers Our Harry Potter Halloween Party is coming up and YOU are invited! Come dressed in your finest witch, wizard, fantastic beast, or frightfully clever costumes for a magical evening to be remembered! You won’t want to miss this! See you then!

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Artie’s Party

October 6 from 2-5pm Imagination Station 5212 W. Village Parkway, Rogers At Artie’s Party, we will celebrate with art experiences on and off the bus, plus food and drinks and a raffle for goods and services from businesses around NWA. Purchase a $25 Family Ticket for up to four family members.

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Free fun for the family: inflatables, face

4th Annual Walnut Farm Montessori School Fall Festival

Library Story Times:

October 5 from 9am–12pm Walnut Farm Montessori School Bentonville

Bentonville Public Library: bentonvillelibrary.org Fayetteville Public Library: faylib.org Springdale Public Library: springdalelibrary.org Rogers Public Library: rogerspubliclibrary.org

Fun for the entire family! There will be children’s activities, a pumpkin patch, a hay hill, an animal experience, a bake sale and more! Opportunities for teachers. https://squareup.com/store/walnut-

Siloam Springs Library: siloamsprings.com

farm-montessori-school-inc.

44 October 2019

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peekaboonwa.com

45

PUMPKIN PAT CHES McGarrah Farms

&

Pick your own pumpkins in the field or a variety of pre-picked pumpkins to choose from. Children’s mule train ride, tall grass maze, complimentary tractor-pulled hay rides, a picnic area, and hay stacks to play on. They also schedule group functions, birthdays, and school field trips!

www.mcgarrahfarms.com

Come get lost with us! Fall family fun. 7.5acre 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

3rd Annual

Howling Fun Run by and benefiting

s e rv i c e d o g s

of

distinction

7:30 a.m.-10:30 a.m. • Oct. 19 Veterans Memorial Park 4451 N. Vantage Drive • Fayetteville, Ark.

3K Run N 1K Dog WAlk

! Awards for 1st, 2nd and 3rd Place " Door prizes

" Costume Contests for you and your dog ! Breakfast

Early Bird Registration is $20. Register online at: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/3rd-annual-howling-fun-run-tickets-70664989887

Day of Event Registration starts at 7:30 a.m., cost is $25.

RACE STARTS AT 8 A.M. FUN WALK STARTS AT 8:15 A.M. For information, call Marsha at (918) 744-4828 or email: marsha@servicedogsofdistinction.com

46 October 2019

CORN MAZES

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.

5355 Parsons Road, Springdale (479) 799- 5033

www.farmlandadventures.com Exerter Corn Maze

Ozark Corn Maze

Hosted

&

Corn maze, pumpkin jumps, zip line, pumpkin cannon, cow train, Li’l Kernels Raceway, petting zoo, corn cannons, the Shootout Shack, free camp fire areas, hay ride, zombie paintball, the Harvest of Terror, the Haunted Barn and more.

State Hwy MM, Exeter, MO (417) 846-3959

www.exetercornmaze.com

Right Choices Corn Maze Located in the Ozarks of Southwest Missouri with many activities for your family to enjoy!

Corn maze, ‘pick your own pumpkin’ patch, hay rides, cow train, corn cannon, corn jump, crafts, and more! This year’s maze design encourages families to attend church together.

www.rightchoicescornmaze.com

Annabelle’s Fun Farm Annabelle’s Fun Farm is Northeast Oklahoma’s premier family fall destination! Come enjoy a day of fun at the farm. Take a hay ride to the pumpkin patch and pick your own pumpkin from the field. Ride the Annabelle Express mini train, navigate your way through the giant corn maze, mine for gemstones, feed the farm animals, and try your hand at the new 3D paint ball barn!

www.annabellesfunfarm.com

Riverside Haunt Attractions Lost corn maze, improvised zombie shoot and haunted warehouse.

haunts.riverside-entertainment.com

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B ooks Dor m C lot hes

CHOOSE YOUR OWN

ADVENTURE Ever read a Choose Your Own Adventure book?

Man, I did. Back in the last century (ouch) they were pretty huge for reading-phobic junior high boys like me. I was shocked and surprised that they are still produced and sold on Amaz… I mean Walmart.com. In case you are unfamiliar, after every few pages a Choose Your Own Adventure book lets you to decide what happens next. Like “Go to page 47 to stay in the warm, safe, locked car with the nice policeman” or “Go to page 84 to enter the cold, creepy house in the fog with a clown silhouetted in the upstairs window.” The cool part is, you get to control the story.

Recently, a true-life Choose Your Own Adventure unfolded before my eyes in not-so-creepy-butpretty-boring western Missouri. Whilst taking my daughter to college (gasp, gulp, insert age joke here) we happened to have quite an adventurous trip; how did I choose to experience it?

To hear the Dad’s View Dude go berserk and lose his ever-loving mind, then please read on.

If you wish to skip right to the part where he remembers his daughter is with him and this is a learning opportunity, please skip to the next page.

Bad Things Come in Threes, Right?

Just outside of Lamar, MO (which I’m sure is a 48 October 2019

lovely town during spring, but not so much in August when it was 1,100 degrees), the display on my car lit up and started chirping at me like submarines do on the movies when an attack is imminent and alarms sound and all the lights go red. LOW TIRE PRESSURE. Side note: the government has dictated that all cars must have a low tire pressure warning light; however, they did not dictate that the light tell you which tire is low.

Please help me remedy this by contacting your local Congressperson. Anyway, I immediately pull over and, though the only solution I ever have for any car problem is “try putting more gas in it,” it was obvious that wasn’t going to help, as the rear driver side tire was now flat. Really, really flat. The tire hissed at me like a disgruntled snake as the air continued to escape before finally giving up its last breath.

Now, there’s no way I’m trying to jack this SUV up and replace the flattened tire, because if I did it wouldn’t be the only thing jacked up and flattened.

So, I call my insurance company and speak with (AKA curse at) their version of Siri until I finally get a Homo sapien on the line. While waiting, I did try and flag down a highway patrolman. I waved with five fingers at the first two that drove passed me, then saved my energy and only used one finger on the next two. None of them stopped. An hour later, some dude who recently received mail at San Quentin arrived and switched out the tire for the spare.

Heading into the Lamar “metroplex” I find an auto shop that tells me the tire is shot; which makes me want to shoot the other three. They have a used tire they will sell me, so I agree, they throw it on and after a three hour delay we begin rockin’ and rollin’ back up I-49.

Speaking of rocks, not ten miles down the road an eighteen wheeler throws a boulder the size of a meteorite into my window and – bam - instant spider-web. Peter Parker couldn’t have done it better himself.

driving home all the time.

A bit weary after completing the six hour trip that took nine hours, we found the most incredible dining experience ever. If you are ever up in the greater Des Moines area, do not skip Skip’s restaurant. It looks just like an old school golf course clubhouse, but there’s no golf course.

However, there is ridiculously awesome food.

Okay, I’ll now stop writing my TripAdvisor review and get back to Peekaboo.

Thankful that I “only” have to go through this two more times with my other kids.

Dark and ominous storm clouds awaited us the next day, and the minute we pulled into the dorm the campus cop told us the dean had suspended the dorm move-in due to weather. We nervously pulled to the side of the road as the staff took cover and the rain came down. Well, everyone took cover except for Jacob; who is so cool he deserves to be a new Avenger. He sprinted through the storm to our car (this might have had something to do with the fact that our daughter was sitting in the front seat and maybe batting her big, brown eyes, but I’m her father and don’t want to think about such things). Anyway, Jacob was a trooper who unloaded and transported all our gear to the third floor in a monsoon. In the near future Jacob and I will be unloading on some pizza and beers for his service.

Opportunity Knocks

The Ending

We had a flat tire and that is no bueno, but it was the absolute perfect solution to a potential problem. As a freshman in a faraway land (Iowa) the queen and I were supremely concerned about our daughter getting homesick and trying to make a midnight run to Arkansas. A pancaked tire and the process and time spent repairing the issue was a way better teacher than a million “Now honey, don’t try to drive home late at night” speeches. We were also “gifted” a shattered windshield; further driving home the point that you shouldn’t be

In the end, the trip was awesomely awful and also awesomely awe-full. There’s nothing fun about flat tires and busted windshields, but the timing could not have been better. If you’re going to shell out the shekels for auto repair, it’s nice to have it come with some learning. Paying a few dollars to teach the first bird to fly the nest a life lesson was priceless. Speaking of birds, apologies to the two Missouri Highway Patrolpeople, but you could have stopped!

Finally, after reaching our destination, we bed down in an insanely overpriced hotel that is also at the end of an airport runway. In case you need to make a late night trip out of Des Moines, the last flight to Chicago is at 11:25PM, and if you want the early bird special, the first flight to Denver is at 6:05 AM. The next morning, we rise to move our daughter into the dorm, along with every other freshman.

They say bad things happen in threes (okay, fours) so cue the torrential rain storm that is scheduled to last from 8AM to 5PM. Coincidentally, the dorms are open for new students to move in from 8AM to 5PM.

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l e b u o D g n i e e S ( Triple! ) and

thias Sebastian Thomas Ma rraway Ca ias th and Jeremiah Lee Ma

yI I joke and sa a whirlwind. e er w g es in liv e twins ame it on be months of th oments -- I bl m e th r The first few be ch remem the dot, whi at pictures to ree hours on lhave to look rse every th nu ld ou bond I deve w ed. They cow, but the ilk m a of sleep-depriv n Ev al definitio the world. like the liter n’t trade for ld ou w I e of meant I felt on ngle grain nursing is e bad is a si y boys over bows, but th oped with m in ra d an s shared. Like ie n’t butterfl oments we’ve m nt ce fi ni ery day was l the mag s are short.” mpared to al , but the year ng lo e ar d salt when co ys es, “The da e another an aware of on the saying go so e ar g ey in true? Th If one is gett Isn’t that so iend for life. fr st be e a have ask for on will always make sure to Mama, they om fr k have beac ey a sn brother. Th r ei th r fo e mor en when I nt helpers, ev come excelle it. Their icularly need may not part rsonsions and pe facial expres d to really starte alities have for ul kf an th shine. I am so ey th le tit e them and th r. me... Mothe have given

Peyton and Paigely 52 October 2019

Joshua and Jonah Madel ine and Sa die

Amon and Kit

Estefania and Stefano

Bear Caleb and Robin Azariah

Everly Ann James and Emery Elizabeth

e, e Fay e l r a , Ch Grant udson H d n a

Landry and River

Jacob and Julia

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The Wandering Chaos

by: Aja Harris

“Grayson, we’re in row one seven this time! Keep going,” I yell at my four-year-old son who is several people ahead of me while I juggle a mountain of stuff in my arms. “Emmy, this is NOT our row!”

I say to one of my three-year-old twins, who is crawling under an airplane seat near the front of the aircraft with her sister close behind. I leave my twins, continuing to verbally remind them that this isn’t their seat, and walk back to my son, who someone has thankfully pointed out row seventeen to. I toss down our things, which he starts to sort into place.

One of the twins has followed me and takes her seat, but the other has not. I head back through the boarding passengers to the front of the plane.

“Emmy, I got it. Let’s go to your actual seat and let this kind gentleman have his back,” I say as the bemused passengers watch my three-year-old surface from looking under the seats for her toy I had dropped. We apologize as they all grin and ask the typical questions about if they are twins and if I’m flying alone with them, to which she answers for me, “YES! To Stockholm!”

This is a pretty panic-inducing situation for most parents of multiples, but this scene is our typical life.

The only thing atypical about the above situation was that my carry-on had to be unexpectedly checked, leaving my hands legitimately full for once while boarding, instead of just figuratively. I’m the mom to three precious children, including 3 1/2-year-old fraternal twin girls. Until this summer, we’ve lived abroad for the last three years and moved frequently because of my husband’s job in the US Foreign Service. Our story is different because, while most multiples parents are setting routines and schedules, we are creating chaos on every corner of the globe.

Our story began in Texas, where all of our children 56 October 2019

were born. When our twins were six months old, my husband was offered an incredible job that would take us on a journey around the world. One where, typically, moves are every 1-4 years but nearly every country is a possibility. We started with training in Washington DC, but quickly got our first assignment to Moscow, Russia. Our family milestones are remembered by locations -the twins learned to talk in Russia, including Emmy saying “da” instead of yes. At thirteen months into our tour in Russia, we had to unexpectedly move back to DC with only six days notice! We then spent a few months in DC before being assigned to Stockholm, Sweden. Stockholm is where our kids grew from little toddlers to functional tiny humans.

Now we’ve settled in Bella Vista, close to family so our children can get to know their cousins.

These living situations have created a drive to explore in our children. They have been to 17 countries so far, as well as 20 states in the US. They’re resilient and adaptable. It was far from easy and a lot wasn’t by momma’s choice! There were many breakdowns before and after we started wandering the globe. But it has taught us that we could survive, and do far more with three babies than we ever would have guessed otherwise. But rest assured, like many of you, I still hate taking them to the grocery store and avoid it like the plague.

If you’d like to read more of our crazy adventures, you can find us on Instagram @ChaoticWanders or Facebook at “The Wandering Chaos”. Or, for travel tips with your multiples, check out our blog: www. thewanderingchaos.life

Fr ee

The Swade Diablos in Concert

Saturday, October 12 1p.m. to 4 p.m.

ll bi

y

ka c Ro

322 South Second Street

Corner of Second & Cherry in Downtown Rogers

479-621-1154 * rogershistoricalmuseum.org

Think, create, & make at monthly Little Tinkers workshops in the 3M Tinkering Hub.

Take It Apart October 12, 2019 | 9 - 10:30 am Support your child in building fine motor skills, problem-solving, and creative thinking by reverse engineering familiar objects.

To register for Little Tinkers and find more information, visit our website at amazeum.org/programs.

amazeum.org

7 Things to

“Fall” in Love with this October

by: Meagan Ruffing Fall has always been one of my favorite seasons.

I love the feel of the crisp air on my face and I love the smell of the outdoors that this time of year brings. I find joy in the smallest of moments, like being able to walk my kids to school every morning and living in an area where there seems to be no shortage of family-friendly activities. I look forward to bonfires and s’mores and catching up with close friends while listening to the cicadas the nighttime brings. I try to pack in as many familymaking memories as I can while enjoying my children at the ages they are right now. Sometimes I feel like I can’t get enough of what this time of year brings. Sometimes I want fall to last just a little bit longer.

I have a few things I never waver from when it comes to celebrating this time of year. When life seems to get crazy (because it always does) I fall back on these things that make me happy and bring me joy.

1. Hot coffee. I love coffee. I have a friend

who sends me gift cards to my favorite coffee place (7Brew) just because. Can I tell you how much I love this? I love snail mail, and I love it when she thinks about me in this way. As a newly single mom, a free coffee goes a long way.

2. Warm, comfy clothes. There’s nothing better than sweatpants, baggy sweatshirts and messy hair. I literally live in this stuff unless I’m working and have to adult.

3. Craft fairs. This one right here is

probably my favorite thing about fall. Craft fairs make me so happy. I love going with friends and tinkering around for hours looking at cute, little trinkets that I really don’t need but somehow find a reason to buy. This is usually when I find Christmas presents for friends and family that I would not be able to find anywhere else. I love telling them the stories behind each gift and I especially like the memories made with my friends when we’re out and about.

4. Lazy days. I’m back to working full time

outside of the home; something I haven’t done in almost 11 years. While I am thankful for my job and the security it brings for me and my kids…I long for the days when I could stay in my pajamas all day and be my own boss. I somehow have to fit in all of the things I used to do during the day – into pockets of time after school. Needless to say… the weekends have a whole new meaning

for me.

5. Running. I would have never considered

myself a runner, but when I trained for the Bentonville Half Marathon a few years ago, I started running and never stopped. I’ve definitely slowed down my mileage per run, but I still try to get out there and hit the pavement when I can. While I haven’t been able to get in as many runs as I would have liked these past few months, I’m thankful for the ones I do get to squeeze in, because I know how much my body needs the exercise.

6. Hay rides & Pumpkin Patches.

Who doesn’t love these? Ozark Corn Maze and Farmland Adventures are both great places to go with your kids for a typical October outing. Most of these places opened in September, so check out their websites for specific hours. Try packing a

lunch and bringing it with you. There are usually picnic tables on the grounds and a nice fall picnic sounds like a perfect way to enjoy the day.

7. Outdoors. Let’s be real. Bentonville is

beautiful year-round, but there is something about the fall that screams, “Get outdoors!” I would not consider myself to be an outdoorsy person, but I’m working on it. Over the summer my kids and I tried to check off as many parks as we could, and even tried hiking and camping for the first time. Motivate yourself to try something new and see how long you can keep yourself outside. Fresh air and fall leaves are good for the soul.

What types of things do you love about the fall? I encourage you to make a list to remind yourself of all the little things that bring you joy. You might be surprised at how many things make you smile throughout the day.

Meagan Ruffing is a parenting journalist living in northwest Arkansas. She and her three kids are already chipping away at their fall activities bucket list.

Visit her on Facebook at writermeaganruffing to read more of her parenting articles.

3 Triple the Work...

Triple the Reward

To say that we were surprised to find out we were having triplets would be an understatement.

Looking back on that day now, with our triplets nine months old, it is hard to believe everything we have been through and overcome in such a short time. We learned things we never expected to know about having multiple babies, and adjusted to the fact that everything was going to be more than triple the work.

However, the reward we would receive would be worth it. Once we recovered from the shock, panic, and excitement of the ultrasound, we met with the doctor. He had some very sobering things to say. We checked every box on the highrisk pregnancy sheet, and were going to have to realize the potential risks and dangers that we faced. My husband is a planner and immediately began researching everything he could, from what to expect during the pregnancy to what we would need after the triplets arrived. It is hard to get ready for one child, let alone three, and we started to realize that immediately. As we had a two-year-old at the time, we had baby stuff left from her, but just enough for one. Now we needed everything times three. We needed three car seats just to get them home, we needed a stroller that could carry three, three cribs, and a way to feed all three at once.

Everything started to pile up quickly. Next, we needed a vehicle that could fit three infant car seats in a row, plus have a third row for our two-yearold, so the search for a new vehicle began as well.

After researching childcare and how expensive day care would be, we learned a new word: “au pair.” We found that this solution would be just as 60 October 2019

by: Jennifer and Austin King

cost-effective and much more beneficial for our situation. We ended up finding an amazing au pair through an agency called Cultural Care. As if adding triplets wasn’t enough, now we would have an au pair living with us as well! She would be such a blessing and a huge help through this journey, though. Our au pair arrived just three days before the triplets were born, and she will be with us for two full years to help us. She has become part of our family and we would not want it any other way.

With all these additions not only to our “family” but also our home, the realization of having triplets consumed every thought and moment of our lives.

We read advice and tips from parents who had triplets and we joined every triplet or moms of multiples program we could for help and insight into our journey. I was excited to be pregnant, but also scared of what could happen to the babies and myself. We had monthly trips to Little Rock to meet with a maternal fetal medicine doctor, in addition to meeting with our local doctor every two weeks. We knew we were going to have to spend some time in the NICU, and that was a scary thought. I began maternity leave at 24 weeks and was on “house arrest,” taking it as easy as I could and eating everything in sight. I had become an “incubator” and was doing everything I could to keep these buns in the oven as long as possible.

My husband had to step up in every way possible, including taking care of our two-year-old, and doing everything around the house that I could no longer accomplish. Luckily, we have an amazing support group between our family, friends, and church. In the beginning, we would have to feed

and change the babies every three hours. Of course my husband did the math, and we went through 24 diapers a day, 168 in a week, and almost 700 in a month! Thanks to my work and our church families we had stacks of diapers and wipes ready for their arrival. We tried to be as prepared as we could with three cribs, a few cases of bottles, burp cloths, bibs and pacifiers, one minivan that I swore I would never drive, and all the love and support from everyone close to us. Finally, the day had come. My blood pressure pushed us to deliver earlier than my goal of 36 weeks (full term for triplets), and at 34 weeks and 1 day on December 3, 2018, God blessed us with both three tiny miracles and a delivery that went better than expected. We spent fifteen days in the NICU at Washington Regional. We were able to stay in the Ronald McDonald house at the hospital as well, which was an amazing blessing. The NICU was a scary thought to us, but thanks to amazing nurses and doctors, it went better than we expected. Scrubbing in every time you enter, learning how to take your children in and out of a capsule that keeps them at the correct temperature, and disconnecting any monitors that they are attached to all became part of the procedure. With three babies in the NICU

we were in and out every three hours. We had to feed, change diapers, and get in as much oneon-one time with the babies as we could while trying to get enough sleep to function. Our NICU experience made us realize what a miracle and blessing our triplets would be to our family. Today, going out in public is always a crazy experience.

Everyone stares at the huge stroller or wagon the kids ride in, and we get comments and questions constantly. There is no such thing as a quick trip to the store. In some respects, it makes us feel special. However, at times it can bring unwanted attention. Everyone we meet usually has the same question: “How do we handle having triplets and a toddler?” My husband always says, “I can’t tell you what we are going to do each day, so wait and ask me what we did.” Each day holds new challenges and obstacles, but the smiles and love from our three little blessings is more than enough to keep us going. It is not an easy journey, and thankfully we do not have to make it alone. With constant help, prayers and support from our family, friends, church, and God we make it through one day at a time, and we wouldn’t have it any other way. We have been truly blessed!

Spectacular Science NORTHWEST ARKANSAS

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EDUCATIONAL ENTERTAINMENT FOR ALL AGES!

www.super-sci.com • 479-444-0303

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NOW ENROLLING On-site speech-language, occupational, physical & behavioral health therapies for children Therapeutic preschool serving children 18 months - 5 years old Arkansas Better Chance classrooms Parents As Teachers training program Preschool Enrichment Program Nutrition - Nursing - Transportation After School Care - First Connections

THERAPY 62 October 2019

EDUCATION 479-636-3190 3400 Woods Lane, Rogers, AR 72756 nwaSunshineSchool.org

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ARTS and MUSIC

Amazeum (Pg. 57) (479) 696-9280 Vivlio Photography (Pg. 1) vivliophoto.com

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First National Bank (Pg. 63) (479) 621-6800 fnbnwa.com First Security (Pg. 13) www.fsbank.com; www.onlyinark.com

CAMPS

Amazeum (Pg. 57) (479) 696-9280 Super Science (Pg. 61) (479) 444-0303 www.super-sci.com

CHILDCARE/NANNY SERVICES

ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 45) (479) 202-5691 abchappykids.com Better Beginnings (Pg. 9) ARBetterBeginnings.com Goddard School (Pg. 2) (479) 696-9280

Clothing

Oh Baby Boutique (Pg. 65) (479) 254-2911

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Pediatric Dental Associates & Orthodontics (479) 582-0600 (Pg. 4) The Smile Shoppe (Pg. 16) www.smile-shoppe.com

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Revive Medical Spa (Pg. 59) revivemedicalspa.com Women’s Health Associates (Pg. 34) (479) 876-8111 whanwa.com

Dog Training / Boarding Joint Forces K9 Group (Pg. 66) JFK9.us

EDUCATION

Goddard School (Pg. 2) (479) 696-9280

64 October 2019

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Mathnasium (Pg. 47) Mathnasium.com/fayettevillear NWA Sunshine School (Pg. 62) NWASunshineSchool.org Super Science (Pg. 61) (479) 444-0303 www.super-sci.com

FAMILY FUN / ENTERTAINMENT Amazeum (Pg. 57) (479) 696-9280 Farmland Adventures (Pg. 37) (479) 696-9280 Rogers Historical Museum (Pg. 57) RogersHistoricalMuseum.org Starlight Skatium (Pg. 45) (479) 444-STAR Super Science (Pg. 61) (479) 444-0303 www.super-sci.com Vivlio Photography (Pg. 1) vivliophoto.com

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

HEALTH AND WELLNESS

Arkansas Children's Northwest (Pg. 7) ARchildrens.org Collier Drug Stores (Pg. 39) 1-888-237-6261 Friendship Pediatric Services (Pg. 31) fccare.org NWA Health Solutions (Pg. 24) (479) 636-1324

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ABC Happy Kids Learning Academy (Pg. 45) (479) 202-5691 abchappykids.com Academic Math and Language Therapy (Pg. 50) (479) 253-3256 www.amltherapy.com Friendship Pediatric Services (Pg. 31) (479) 524-2456 The Grace School (Pg. 15) (479) 871-7994

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PEDIATRICIAN

Best Start (Pg. 41) (479) 575-9359 Friendship Pediatric Services (Pg. 31) fccare.org Mercy Clinic Pediatrics (Pg. 17) mercy.net/springdalekids Northwest Arkansas Pediatrics (Pg. 35) (479) 442-7322 Ozark Pediatrics (Pg. 47) (479) 544-9432

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Main Street Studios (Pg. 40) (479) 524-2004 mainstreetstudios.net Vivlio Photography (Pg. 1) vivliophoto.com

Real Estate / Moving

Midtown Real Estate Associates (Pg. 21) (479) 268-5170

Research

Woodland Research Group Northwest (Pg. 29) (479) 231-3051

SOCIAL SERVICES

NWA Women’s Shelter (Pg. 25) (479) 246-0353

WOMEN'S HEALTH

HerHealth Clinic-Washington Regional (Pg. 11) (479) 463-5500 Lifespring Women’s Health (Pg. 5) (479) 271-0005 Northwest Women’s Specialty Group (Pg. 68) (479) 255-2359 NorthwestHealthOBGYN.com Parkhill (Pg. 49) (479) 521-4433 The Perinatal Center (Pg. 55) (479) 268-4979 Siloam Springs Women's Center (Pg. 51) (479) 524-9312 Women's Health Associates (Pg. 30) whanwa.com

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Songs & Sounds from the show

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3 Parade Floats 2 Exclusive Figures - Peppa Pig, George Pig 1 Magic Wand © 2019 Jazwares, LLC. All Rights Reserved Peppa Pig © Astley Baker Davies/Entertainment One UK Limited 2003. © 2019 Viacom International Inc.

Dr. Katie Katie Beal, Beal and Dr. Amy Fry have joined Northwest Women’s Specialty Dr. Dr. Amy Fry and Certified Nurse-Midwife Kelsey Gilley have Group, a part of Northwest Physicians.

They are accepting new patients, and joined Northwest Women’s Specialty Group, a part of Northwest Physicians. welcoming all former patients.

If you’ve been a patient of Dr. Beal or Dr. Fry, call They are accepting new patients, and welcoming all former patients. us today for assistance in transferring your medical records.

Call us today for assistance in transferring your medical records.

479-255-2359 or or go go to to Call 479-255-2359 Call

NorthwestHealthOBGYN.com NorthwestHealthOBGYN.com

for more more information. information. for

Katie Beal, Beal, M.D. M.D. Katie Board-Certified Board-Certified OB/GYN OB/GYN

Amy Fry, Fry, M.D. M.D. Amy Board-Certified Board-Certified OB/GYN OB/GYN

2900 Medical Medical Center Center Pkwy., Pkwy., Suite Suite 240A 240A 2900 Bentonville, AR 72712 Bentonville, AR 72712

SAME GREAT CARE.

NEW ADDRESS.

Bentonville •• Centerton Centerton •• Eureka Eureka Springs Springs •• Fayetteville Fayetteville Bentonville • Johnson • Lowell • Rogers • Siloam Springs • Springdale Johnson • Lowell • Rogers • Siloam Springs • Springdale Members Medical of Northwest Center - Bentonville, Members of of thethe Medical Staff Staff of Northwest MedicalMedical Center – Bentonville, Northwest Medical Center – Springdale andCenter Northwest Medical Center – Willow Creek Women’s Hospital; Northwest Medical - Springdale and Northwest Medical Center Member of the Allied Health Staff of Northwest Medical Center – Bentonville, Northwest Willow Creek Women’s Hospital.

68 October 2019

Medical Center – Springdale and Northwest Medical Center – Willow Creek Women’s Hospital.