I am still here...

I have not fallen off the face of the earth, I promise. I have spent the last 2 and 1/2 weeks in the hospital and will remain here for up to 4 more weeks. I had a catastrophic placenta previa bleed the morning of April 10th. Everything is fine and Owen is growing and developing perfectly. That same morning, I was also made aware of another big problem I have acquired with the placenta previa, I have Vasa-previa. Apparently, part of my placenta tissue has died, exposing a major fetal vessel on my cervix leaving it totally unprotected. The problem with that is that bleed puts your body in labor and I go into labor and dilate at all that vein will likely rupture, allowing less than five minute to safely deliver Owen. I live 15 minute away from the hospital with no traffic, trains, or red lights. So, I lie here in room 408 growing a baby and praying like crazy that my amnio in 2 weeks will show that his lungs are fully developed as they hope to deliver him right at 36 weeks, which is May 15th, I think (whatever that Thursday is).
If you pray, pray for my girls and Mike, they are doing great, but would prefer that mom be at home and normalcy to take over. Pray for baby Owen that he would remain comfortable in my belly for the next few weeks. And, lastly pray that anxiety and feelings of helplessness would not overtake me, especially in regards to my little girls who need me at home.

Pray for the many people who love us and are serving us so selflessly, I will never be able to repay them. I am blessed and pray that I can be optimistic and give God glory in this situation.

I will update as the weak wifi connection will allow.

Peace

Life with Girls...Busy, Busy, Busy....

It has been a whirl-wind month here! Lots of exciting things have gone on in our lives. I am going to simply list them and you will know why I haven't had the neurons to rub together to produce anything worth reading...so here is the bulk of how we have spent our time...

1) Julianna was an Oompa Loompa in Augusta Players Children's Wing Production of 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory', which, let me tell you...we spent our entire weeks grocery budget at Chik-Fil-A and Subway over that 7 days of late rehearsal and showtime. (I was worried that I had gained 20 lbs., I only gained two. Thank you Jesus. It was the best thing for Julianna, it gave her something of her own, it helped her to see that her contribution to big projects can be accepted and appreciated.
2) Emma auditioning and accepting a part as a Munchkin in Augusta Players Mainstage Theater, big deal, she will have to miss a week of school because of all the school performances that they will offer.
3) I have done at least 105 loads of laundry, we did have the tummy bug twice....we are all better here-Praise the Lord.
4) I have had 6 doctors appointments in the last month. All good and the biggest blessing, my original OB, the incredible one who sat in bed with me while I labored with Emma and then saved her life and that delivered my other two girls, who just recently decided to quit OB work and only do gynecology, you know, well she has picked me up and is going to deliver Owen in June and made note in my chart that she would oversee any and all OB care I could ever need. Dr. Chance, I love you!!! She rocks and I am soo blessed....not knowing who was going to deliver my baby (by C-section) caused many tears on my part. When she first walked in the exam room, her words were precious and few, 'Welcome home, Dianna!'.
5) My girls have been on Spring Break this past week. It has been so nice to welcome the pollen by sleeping in until 8 or 8:30 every morning. Our week has been fun. Lots of digging up wild onions, cleaning them and distributing them to neighbors (who graciously accepted these fine treasures from the backyard), a fashion show put on by my girls and their friend at a local department store-trying on 20 dresses each and strutting down the aisle, after being announced in such charming spring trends, of course, Easter Egg Hunts and parties and ending everyday scrubbing under toe nails and finger nails because of the hours spent being kids getting filthy in the yard.
6) Making plans to finish our kitchen, we have been walking on sub-flooring for 3 years because of a tile job gone wrong and now we have the financial ability to hire out the job. I am soo excited!
We will be changing all the colors in our living spaces with this venture, too.
7) Prayerfully discerning and making the decision 'to or not to' homeschool in the fall. We haven't decided for sure, but it may be the best thing for at least two of our girls--I am researching and asking for clarity and grace.
8) Making laid back and fun preparations for a Happy Resurrection Sunday! We are going to try those resurrection cookies and egg dying tonight and contributing a 7-layer salad, dirt cake and heading up the great Hunt at Papa and Nana's tomorrow after church.

It has been busy and exciting and I am still trying to put all the pieces back in place so I can see the floor, but I wouldn't and couldn't trade it for the world!

May Christ fill you with wonder and awe as you Rise With Him on Resurrection Day!

Peace

Lord, Bring Your Healing.....

Last night, after a full afternoon of homework, play, laundry and cooking--good, just busy. The day ended with tears and a very sleepLESS night. Everyone has been kind-of puny because of this respiratory virus that has been going around...then, at around 9:15 Emma came in crying and complaining that her ear hurt. She couldn't get comfy. Nothing helped. She was wide awake, crying and moaning ALL night. Like, no sleeping. It is almost supper time and she is still awake. No sleep in about 36 hours!
Needless to say, I took her in this morning and the other two have been just as snotty so I figured it wouldn't hurt to have the doctor give them a once over while we were on that side of town and catch anything that may be in the making. Sure enough Emma has a double ear infection and one ear is bulging with bloody pus behind it, plus, all three have raw sinuses and throats. We are not on a ten day round, but 14 days of Augmentin ES. Thank God it was bacterial and we are in a place where we can get medicine and help at a moments notice. Lord, heal my family. I am truly grateful for Your provision.

Such great nurses!

I woke up with the bug this morning. I kept tossing last night, very uncomfortable and mentally talking myself out of getting it. I even stayed in bed, though I HAD to pee, thinking that as long as I don't stand up I won't get it...am I the only one who does this? Mike had to work early and Julianna had play practice at 10 AM, which my sister-in-law, Mary rearranged her whole day to accommodate this...she is an angel!

But, anyway, my girls were so thoughtful! They didn't mind eating Valentine candy for breakfast. They would all walk in my room and rub my hair out of my face and say 'I'm sorry you feel so rotten, Mommy" or "Do you need anything?", and "Do you need the throw up bucket closer to your head?". Then, Mike came home and brought Gatorade and popsicles to rehydrate.

I have a great family!

My Valentine's Mission for My Husband...

Well, this year I am offering the most UN-romantic gift. It's not new boxers or a box of chocolates, I haven't gotten a sitter to go to a romantic restrauraunt, no reservations at a b&b....I am going to spend the next 36 hours cleaning our home (minus the time I will need to eat, sleep, cook and chauffer my children around town). Our home has become, umm, how should I put this....hmmm, quite unbearably disasterous! I would post pictures, but I fear DFACS might be spying and come take my children away. I'll describe it as accurately as I can...Go in the bathroom and dump 3 days worth of dirty laundry on the floor and add a few damp towels and toilet paper that got too damp to use (but, you have to weave the TP through the pile of laundry)and squirt a whole tube of sparkly barbie toothpaste on the wall and sink, then go in the girls bedrooms and take every tote, every basket and shelf of toys, books, laundry and 'treasure' and just give it a good scattering, don't leave anything in its place, last the kitchen I just can't go there (this is where clorox will come in handy...there is a strange odor that is coming from the disposal...it has made me gag...it must be overcome) It is really that bad...I am not quite sure how I let this happen or why the Housefairies haven't come to give me a good talking to, but I did, so now I must clean it up and find our home sanctuary again. I am going to run and get some Clorox-I'm out and every surface will need a good dose of it's germ fighting power.

My husband is not a clean-freak, in fact he is a disheveled mess--but, it is starting to bother him, more than me...I'll blame this on the pregnancy. Normally, I can't stand clutter, my kitchen is always clean, and things can be picked up in half-an-hour. So, wish me luck! I hope that my efforts will be blessed and multiply and it really honors him. Maybe he'll rest a little more peaceful in a clean and fresh home (one he won't have to worry about tripping over a shoe on the way to the bathroom at 3AM).

All things considered, maybe this is the most romantic Valentine's gift I could give...

MeMe

I was tagged by Amie. And I tag anyone who leaves me a comment...that just about covers it.

7 things not many people know about me...

1) I love pickles!!! Claussen pickles to be exact. My grocery store is less than a mile away and I can't get the jar home. full. ever. I also, have the same problem with home grown peaches...i will drive 50 miles to buy them from a little, old farmer and eat them all the way home.

2) I am a habitual streaker, in my home. I can't get dressed without a trip to the laundry room for various articles of clothing that usually go under your clothing and I never realize this until I have shed the current clothing I had on. and, my back windows are bigger than a giant-screen tv at a sport bar on superbowl sunday...no curtains, lots of neighbors...yea, thats enough on that one...except, that I have never been caught...well I hope.

3) I am a hippy at heart. I am a feeling based person. I could raise my kids barefoot, on a farm and juice carrots and eat swish chard and be very happy at that.

4) I love to drink diet coke out of the bottle from the fridge in the middle of the night....I also do this with salsa (but, I do use a spoon for it). It HAS to be cold diet coke. Too bad I rarely buy the stuff.

5) I am a bit eccentric. I am constantly wanting to change the colors in my home and rearranging furniture. I am also a slob lately.

6) I like being alone, but am often lonely.

7) I wish I had been a pioneer woman. I think our culture is lazy and has little or no work ethic...we (my generation) wants to be spoon fed from a silver platter...

Today at Preschool...

Molly: Mom, we got to go in the church today!
Me: You did?
Molly: Yeah, and Pastor Jeff let us sit on the benches and he talked to us.
Me: What did he talk to you about?
Molly: Um, I don't really remember. Besides, you don't need to know. (said very matter-of-fact)

I guess what happens at preschool, stays at preschool.