Movin' On Up!

Hey there! Missed us? Well, we've sure missed you.

We are finally unveiling the newly designed No Muck Messages and want to make sure you get there.

The new URL for the blog is now www.nomuck.com. Cruise on over there and take a look around! Make sure you re-subscribe on the new site to make sure we stay in the loop with you. Also, make sure you give us some feedback on what you think through the comments or the different ways to contact us.

Thank you again for all the blessings you have given us by visiting our blog and allowing us to serve you in some way. It's time for a new chapter! We will be back with all our weekly posts next week.

Let's go!!

Sy's Burning Bash!

We realized that we missed posting about Sy's big birthday... When it comes to a kid that can't eat much, you have to focus on doing some super cool stuff. Check it out!

Sy was definitely pumped to turn 7! He even lost a front tooth for the event.

First stop was coming to see Pop at the firehouse and do some cool stuff.

Only Essi would find a way to shoot rainbows from a fire hose.

Waiting to blast someone...

Just a couple more years to grow into this seat.

I'm so proud to be a part of this crazy kid's life.

Quite a fire brigade, huh?

Sy is now a huge baseball fan, so it was off to the batting cages...

Sy was a complete natural. He crushed probably 80% of the balls.

Even Mom had to come show off her home run swings. She really got in there!

I don't think anyone would argue when I say that 7 has definitely been Sy's healthiest birthday yet. We had tons of fun and made him his own birthday cake made of nothing but potatoes. We are looking forward to future birthdays and continuing to see Sy grow up to be a godly young man.

Happy belated birthday, big man! We love you!

Anderson Live Show Clips (Updated!)

**Updated show clips to show full segments, including intro video and surprises. They are hand recorded and the audio is a bit low, but it should be clear enough.

Thank you to all of you who tuned in to watch our handsome boy make his daytime TV debut. We all were very happy how the show was put together and we are so thankful to the Anderson Live crew for having us there. We really hope that we were able to help at least one person in some way. There's only one complaint...I still have not received a phone call to become a jewelry hand model on QVC. Did they not shoot my amazingly strong, yet tender hands enough?

We've been looking to find the entire interview. We've found both parts, but the first one is not the greatest quality. We'll keep looking and try to find something better. Anyway, thanks to the person who took the time to record this on their TV! Here you go! Oh, and also, just for the record, I'm really proud of both my son and my smokin' hot wife.

Lastly, a huge thanks to those companies that blessed our family in a huge way...Bunny Luv, Global Organics, and Lego! I just noticed that this part isn't on the video. Big hugs from Sy for these great folks!

If you can't see the videos below click here for part 1 and here for part 2. Enjoy!

Here's still the portion straight from the show...much clearer.

Cinco de Ashy-o & Anderson Air Date!

We've had an eventful last few days... Sunday was Asher's FIRST birthday! I can't believe it's been a year since that kid came out backside first and folded up like a laptop by a lady with no pain meds (if you missed that story, you need to read it here). It's been a great year of joy with this little guy and we were able to party at our local Mexican Restaurant (viva Mexico!) with a group of friends, a mariachi band, and a bunch of folks we didn't know. Here's some pics from the day:

Who could resist a fiesta with a bandit like this?

Don't mind if we do!

Poncho or placemat? You'll never know!

Ash was surprised when the whole restaurant sang to him! Feliz Cumpleanos, little guy!

Ole!

Someone had too much Cinco in his Mayo.

I think our Spanish-speaking cake decorator thought we wouldn't notice the English! Excelente!

It's Finally On!

Ok, so we also just got the news that our Anderson Live show will finally be aired tomorrow, May 8th. Check your local listings for when it comes on...some places it's morning, some it's afternoon. We just saw a preview today and Sy is looking great! Click here to get the show info.

Let's say a prayer and hope that our family is able to let the real Light shine in our story!

Sy Lights Up The Studio!

I know I have been extremely annoying about getting you any details about the show. What fun is it if I don't keep you in suspense, right? Well, let's just say that there was some "paperwork" that says that I can't discuss much about it before it airs (we are still waiting for the air date, btw). In the meantime, we'll give a few obscure details about our day and all the things happening around us...

Before you read any further, just know that our family is continuing to seek God first on all of this. Even on the day of the shoot, it was easy to get swept up in nerves, excitement, etc. and miss what is REALLY happening. If you go back and read from when this blog started, you can see the amazing story that God is already weaving into this little boy's life. Heather and I have fought hard to not just sit back and let life happen or get sucked in to complacency. We want all the aspects of our lives to reflect the real reason behind them (though we are not always successful, we try). You cannot look over Sy's journey and say that it's only about a boy with a incurable disease. God has given him an incredible platform and we want to be good stewards of his story and use it to help others. We are just waiting and trying to make ourselves available for whatever God has next or for the next person who needs to be reached... We have walked in this valley in hopes that others can be spared and ultimately to encourage them with the hope of healing... Patience is not always our strong suit, but then it only takes thinking about Sy and the amount of patience required to live with his struggle, EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Anyway...now for a few details!

Our family got to hang in the green room as we waited for our time to go on the set. We finally got to meet some of the great people we had been speaking with on the phone for weeks. They were really fun to work with and took care of us in so many ways. They even had someone to entertain and babysit the kiddies as we were in and out. Here is Sy with his remarkable Dixie cup castle. Isn't he handsome?

Sy's sis, Essi, had a great attitude the whole time as her little brother got a lot of attention. We will say her beauty got the attention of several TV folks! She is another one who is ready to be used by God!

As Heather got dolled up, these were the shoes that were chosen for her to wear. If you know Heather, you probably know how she felt about wearing these... She also had to lose the jeans and slip on some black dress pants. And change her shirt and add a blazer... She jokes that she looked like she was ready to anchor the 6:00 evening news!

Since I was so sharply dressed when I arrived (in the only nice Target shirt that I own), the only thing they changed on me were my shoes. I swear I was ready for the ski jump in these things. Every time I turned a corner, I would knock people down. Since they wouldn't be seen much, I didn't throw a fit.

So, here's the final product before we hit the big lights!

Soon after this we were whisked away for the shoot. The shoot went great and I managed to avoid throwing up on the hosts (bonus!). Now that it's over, we can just leave it in His hands to do what He likes. Please pray that whether things are good or bad, we would continue to keep our focus on the right thing.

Like I said before, we can't share many photos and details now, but we promise to get the details about the air date as soon as we know. In the meantime, we will share a photo of a really nice guy that we met while we were in NYC. Scroll down...

Our First Bite Of The Big Apple...

Ok, so day number one has been a success! We have packed many things in one day! Here are a few highlights:

Although my navigating skills were a little off and we ended up heading in the wrong direction a few times, we still got to enjoy our first NY subway ride.

We had a great opportunity to see much of the city because we spent most of the day on foot. Both the kiddos were real champs about walking several miles today.

We were able to secure Sy's fresh made juices and we were relieved to know that he wouldn't miss a beat.

A cruise through Times Square gave us a chance to snag a New Yorker for a quick and memorable pic!

This city a also a great place to run into celebs! Look who we bumped in to! (I never knew he wore patented leather shoes with his armor.)

We had to ship many of Sy's food prep supplies up from Florida, but we also had to get our hands on all the produce. We happened to find this sweet little corner organic market that beat the pants off any place at home. Believe it or not, the prices were even better!

We needed a way to get all this produce home without lugging it for miles, so we were able to hop in for our first NY taxi ride. I did my best to be annoyingly chatty with the driver, but he wasn't much of a conversationalist.

And lastly...

How could we call it a day without staying up late to throw together a fresh batch of soup, mill it, and clean up everything in a mini kitchen?

Thanks NYC! We are looking forward to our next day tomorrow...

Frozen Sweat?

Hey Everyone!

We have some exciting news to share!

If you haven't heard already, a great group of folks are organizing a really fun road race here in Clermont to help with the cost of Sy's treatment. They are even bringing 4 tons of snow into the sunshine state. Check it out!

Sy's Snowflake 5K

In just the few weeks of organizing this event, there have been some more than incredible happenings. We have some huge sponsors already and we will start posting some of these specifics soon. The starting momentum of this event is telling us that this is going to be much bigger and better than we hoped!

Come join the fun and don't pull a hammy!

Skeptically Simple

It truly is the simple things...

Our family took a vacation last month. From time to time, with some work and patience, we get these deals where we get a seven night stay somewhere for such a ridiculous amount you wouldn't believe. Although it seems to be too good to be true, we have done the math and it is almost cheaper for us to do these little vacations than to stay in our house (electricity, water, gas, etc.)! Needless to say, they have proven to be wonderful getaways in the midst of the chaos of the last couple of years. This vacation we decided to branch out and take a huge risk. There was no availability in the whole state except for this obscure place called Lehigh Resort Club in (the middle of nowhere) Lehigh Acres, Florida. The website is a true multimedia experience. We googled it and looked at pics and thought, "Well, how bad can this really be?" I must admit that I've seen some more appealing places to stay, but we were longing for a adventurous summer vacay. So what the heck?! We booked it!

But of course, we can't do anything normal... Who do you know that after basic luggage (with four small kids) still has to load the car with 50 lbs of carrots, 15lbs of apples and a huge juicer all for only one week? Only this family!

This place was so out in the boondocks that even Target was 30 minutes away. Fortunately, we did find a grocery store close by that was willing to order a few things that Sy needed for his therapy. We were looking forward to time together as a family and it looked like we were going to get plenty of it without many distractions.

So we arrived and the rooms were not exactly luxurious. Not great, but could have been worse although we didn't even have internet! In fact, they tried to give us some enormous internet box connection that may have inspired the Max Headroom idea. H-h-hello, can you say 1980's? However, the resort grounds were really quite beautiful so that was a bonus. For our first bit of excitement, we headed to the pool. We got to talking to some friendly folks (the average vacationer there looked to be about 65) and they were explaining that the week is so busy with events, activities, games and socials that no-one leaves the property. "Really?!" Now even though Lehigh is out in the sticks, it's only about 45 minutes from Fort Myers Beach. "How could you possibly be this close to the beach and not spend at least one day there?" Jordan and I literally laughed out loud and thought that these peeps were cute but ridiculous. There was no way that grandma's bingo game was going to keep me from the beach.

Here are a few photos from our stay...

Oh yeah!

Phoebe testing out the couch

Indoor shuffleboard

Sy won the coveted t-shirt twice (He beat other adults...no joke!!)

I also need to mention that our last day there was Sy's birthday! We wanted to do the typical party but most kids get frustrated and even though Sy doesn't care, they don't understand why we're not having cake and ice cream. So, that was part of why it was important for us to get away and do something extra special for little man's 6th birthday.

Bingo with the birthday boy... and he WON!

Multiple cards

A potato birthday cake??!!

Too much partying

Soooooo, remember what I said about bingo not keeping me from the beach? Um, well, yeah... We became some of those cute but ridiculous folks. Never left 'ol Lehigh. We just couldn't get enough. Indoor & outdoor shuffleboard, ping pong, poolside golf (use your imagination), bean bag toss, cards, golf cart rides, some silly dice game, fireworks, bingo, raffles, mini golf, and much more. Like their shirt says, "Endless opportunities for fun..." We are excited to visit again!

Sibling love

Outside of camping, this was probably the simplest and most lackluster vacation ever but it definitely was one of the best vacations ever! It was one of those times that, while we were there, we knew we would look back on and smile when we are old and gray... Thanks Lehigh Acres for providing our family with something no other place could.

Can You Hack It?

Tomorrow, August 3, our community will be gathering around Silas and joining him on a 24-hour liquid diet fast. As we think about the place food has in our lives, we will pause and pray for Sy and all those who are struggling with Eosinophilic Esophagitis. Please join us as we go through our day with only water or juice. We will work to help Sy find a way back to eating... It's only one day! 

We Just Couldn't Do It...

As we decompress from Sy's last visit to Cincinnati Children's Hospital and start over again on another long road with his health, we stop and realize the people and their blessings that surround us in the middle of our journey. We are blessed because of all of you who give of your prayers, you who give your time, you who give of your resources, you who read this blog, you who post thoughtful comments and send emails, you who give our little boy big hugs, you who take the time to understand Sy's struggles, you who make sure that Sy doesn't feel left out, and so much more...

Just tonight, as we talked on the phone, we began to try to understand what it is that God is doing with our family. We have many obstacles facing our family right now and we began to shed a few tears together as we try to figure out how to deal with Sy's health and the emotional toll it has on the both of us. However, we want you to know that we are able to continue to move forward because of the gracious encouragement that we receive from people like you.

Sy has come so far and it's almost unbelievable how many great options (like traveling to Cincinnati for top-notch treatment) have become available when we never imagined they would. We just want all of you to know that our family stands and moves forward because of your support... All I can say is we are humbled and more than appreciative of what all of you have done for us.

We just couldn't do it....without you! Thank you!

Sy is Joining A Motorcycle Gang!

Hello everyone! Please come join us for an adventure that you won't forget. This is another person in our lives who has taken her time to help Sy get the care he needs...We are pumped!

POKER RUN TO BENEFIT “SAVE SY’S ESOPHOGUS”
SATURDAY MAY 14, 2011
FIRST VEHICLE OUT AT 10:00 AM (ALL KINDS WELCOME!)
START: AMERICAN LEGION IN CLERMONT, 1063 WEST DESOTO STREET
LAST STOP: CODY JACKS OYSTER BAR IN MINNEOLA - LAST POKER HAND

$10 PER RIDER

SCAVENGER HUNT - 50/50 RAFFLE - GREAT GRAND PRIZE - LIVE MUSIC - $7 PLATED LUNCH - $1 DRAFTS

If you don't know what a poker run is, don't feel bad. We didn't either. Just think of a bunch of people in cars and on motorcycles enjoying the great Florida weather, having a great time, and playing a game all at once. Sy is looking forward to hanging out with a bunch of really cool people and tearing up our county! Also, you can click here for an official description!

So, don't just sit around and let your Saturday be boring! Come do something that is unique and a blast! We dare ya...

A Thanksgiving Day Request

Wow! There is so much to be thankful for this year!! I think this has been hands-down one of the most difficult years of our lives but has given us by far the most blessings. Here are just a few:

Jordan’s long time dream of becoming a firefighter has come true thanks to the amazing and humbling support of friends and family.

The birth of our third child when we didn’t think having another baby was possible and her good health despite her early arrival.

Essi starting school and watching her grow into her own little person.

And finally, our on-going journey with Christ… Intensely studying His attributes and how they should be reflected in us… And learning this most practically through none other than our 4 year-old son… Through a Kindergarten lesson, we've learned that "If I stay in Jesus, I will bear much fruit."

Love…Joy…Peace…Patience…Kindness…Goodness…Faithfulness…
Gentleness…Self-control

We have seen Silas display each of these attributes in ways we didn’t think were humanly possible. Of course, he is a typical 4-year boy and he has his moments—especially with his sister. :) But in regards to his disease and what he’s been dealt in his short life so far, we have seen the very hand of God on him. In reality, we have personally encountered Jesus himself. There is something to be said for having faith like a child; we as adults have so much to learn!

This is a little boy who has been sick since the day he was born was but has never complained… Never.

In fact, he presents so well that people have no idea the battle that rages in his little body. It’s easy to forget the severity of his disease when all he does is smile. Really. He even smiles when everyone around him is eating… and often times eating his very favorite things. We know that this is affecting him more than he displays but we pray over him and truly believe that God has given an incredible abundance of these “fruits.” Maybe God knew that in taking away the fruits he could eat, He would be blessing Sy more with the ones of the Spirit.

So, as we will be, we respectfully ask each of you on this major-food centered holiday to stop and say an extra prayer for Silas.

Say an extra prayer of thanksgiving for your health and your ability to eat.

And if you are really up for a challenge, maybe even withhold eating one of your most favorite Thanksgiving treats just to get a glimpse into our Sy Sy’s life. You may be surprised by what you experience! Comment and let us know how it goes.

Thanks for journeying with us and have a Happy Thanksgiving!

Enjoying the "Sweet" Things in Life...

OK, OK, OK... You all have been more than patient!

After not eating a single bite of food since June and getting great reports from the doc in October, Sy has been given the go ahead to start food trials. After working with his allergist and getting some input from Sy himself, he got his first taste of food in the form of.... SWEET POTATOES!!

We sure had a lot of fun making the first batch and watching Sy get so excited. Of course, he had to take a quick sniff, but this time, he was actually able to take a huge bite! All we got during the meal was BIG smiles. He has to eat them completely plain (no spices, oil or butter) so we have to get a little creative. Thinly sliced, baked, cut into fries, etc... Let us know if you think of other fun ways.

Sy will get to try sweet potatoes for a few weeks while we monitor him. As long as everything seems ok, we'll introduce another food soon. Wonder what our little man will choose next? :)

The Daily Commercial Newspaper Headlines

 http://dailycommercial.com/localnews/story/082510harger

Check out the link above... This was a great story written by Roxanne Brown. We really appreciate all the time and effort she put into this (as well as the photographer). It's so amazing to have such support in our hometown. THANK YOU!!

News Channel 13 Full Story

This is the 2-minute version of Sy's story. If you would, click on the link and watch. It will up his ratings!! It looks like the story is being syndicated nation-wide. Thanks to all of your for spreading the word!!

http://www.cfnews13.com/article/news/2010/august/143255/Silas-Harger:-The-boy-who-cant-eat

A way to cope!

For the last few weeks, Sy has started a strange habit. We were all ready to start eating (and drinking) dinner one night as usual. Before we began, Sy made a request: "Poppy, can I smell your food?".

At first I thought it would just make it more difficult on the little guy and started to refuse it. Then, I talked to him and asked him if he thought that might make it harder for him to not eat. He said no and that he just wanted to see what it smelled like. With hesitation, I pushed my plate over to him as he took one large, long sniff of the evening's meal. He finished and then stated, "Mmmm, that makes me full!". Without complaining or getting upset, he went on to drink his elemental formula with a smile. What kind of kid with this kind of illness does this?

Since Sy has started, he occassionally asks to smell the day's food items and it seems that it's helping him (somehow) get through his crazy no food diet. Like it wasn't enough to show us self-control by undergoing a liquid diet without a single complaint, he now shows us that with the right attitude, you can still enjoy food without putting it in your mouth. I think it's harder for all of us who watch than it is for him!

Thank you, God for one special little boy!