Just two more...

Which do you like? Any tips from my photo friends?

Elijah

I can't tell you how much fun I had today with Elijah! His is too, too sweet.

Yep, Strep

By yesterday afternoon, approximately 5:30 AFTER ALL DRS. OFFICES WERE CLOSED, I decided to look inside Jen's mouth since she was complaining about her throat again. This is what I saw:

Well, that's not exactly it. I did not take my camera out and take a picture (surprise!). I did go to the computer and type in "strep throat pictures" and got this image. It was an exact match to what I saw in her throat. Of course, after I could take her to the doctor. This morning she was so perky and happy that I doubted myself. But, Jer took her to the dr. and it was confirmed - strep. Her biggest issue is throwing away her toothbrush on Saturday. It's a cool, pink Crayola toothbrush that has a suction cup to stick to the mirror (supposedly to keep it off the counter and germs). I have an orange replacement, but, we all know that pink is a girl's best friend. In any case, I'm not too disappointed because now Friday is my day home, and really, I couldn't be happier to spend the day with Jen! Yea!

And, I got to take pictures of Elijah (whom Jenna held Tuesday night before she was symptomatic). He is one sweet, sweet little guy. Stay tuned...I can't stay away from those pictures too very long!

When it rains, it pours!

God is so good. Jacqui has a beautiful baby boy. Lissa, another teacher in the dept., has a beautiful baby girl. Hopefully, very soon, I'll have some newborn pictures of Elijah to share; that's on the schedule for tomorrow. It was in the works for today, but the little guy had a rough night and Mom and Dad are zonked, anyone remember those days?!

Just a little prayer in the middle of all this good news. I am going to do Jac's lesson plans because she didn't have 9 months to get that all lined out! I really want to do this, I am going to do this, and this is probably my favorite part of teaching other than the actual in-the-class teaching. I am also tweaking the Eng. III lessons for the two subs, 1 newbie, and 1 who just got a class (long story). And, then, Jen's school called because she has a 102 fever and tummy ache; so, I might be doing my sub plans, too, which, really are a combo of the others. God's funny, huh!? This morning, I told Jer I thought I needed to take a day just to write lessons and get everything in line, and lo-and-behold, I think God has agreed and provided the perfect reason! Bless her heart, "I just want to lay in bed, Mommy." Cartoons, snuggles, and rest. Sweet, sweet girl!

Robert Elijah Bradshaw

My dear sister in Christ, friend, and colleague, Jacqui, and husband Dan are on their way to meet their son, Robert Elijah Bradshaw. Dan and Jacqui recieved the phone call today that the birth parents had chosen them and their son was born at 1am. This evening they will meet their son! I am crying again right now. Praise God!

Please pray for peace for the birth parents in knowing that God has provided wonderful and amazing Godly parents in Dan and Jacqui. Pray that the adoption will proceed and close on Monday as planned. Pray for Dan and Jacqui as they meet their son and become parents!

Praise God for this answer to prayer! I know Dan and Jacqui have been praying for a child for many years, I believe close to 10. God is good. I know many of you have joined me in praying for them; please know that God used you and has answered this prayer!

Little Updates

That's right - 150,000 miles! You can't let a moment like that pass unnoticed, so I pulled out my camera phone. Don't be worried about my driving while I found my phone, took a picture, and texted. I saw the 150,000 coming so I already had my phone out. God provided a stop light at just the right time (it's the little things God provides that crack me up), and I did my text while I was sitting at the light (because the lights in Granbury can last for-ev-er.

BHP - these are Hudson's favorite letters. I make this assumption after I realize they are the same letters I see written on anything that has been Hudsonized. B H P I don't know if it's the only one he really knows (I have realized that he doesn't know his letters the way that Jenna knew her letters) or if he just really likes those letters!

Teaching - funny story. One of the girls last year who HATED me, I mean, really - I know this for sure from the looks, way she spoke to me, the way her mom yelled at me (really), and the evil remarks she made on my end-fo-the-year evaluation I give my students - stopped by my room yesterday. She told me that she missed my class. I guess I didn't mask the fact that I was completely shocked because she said, "yeah, surprising, huh?" She proceeded to tell me how much my strictness and fairness really spoke to her, and she wished her teachers this year were like me. All I could think to say was, "Thanks. Give them some time and get to know them." I couldn't have been more surprised if someone told me I had just won a million dollars on the lottery (because I don't play the lottery).

Tonight is Superchick! Jenna and I are so totally excited! Wish us luck as we plan our departure and do our traveling. I'm sure there will be pictures at some point in the future...

Miracles

Last week's study in Believing God was God Can Do What He Says He Can Do. I don't doubt that. But, I also don't think I believe it like I should. Honestly, the whole discussion and study last week made me uncomfortable.

The focus was on miracles and do they still happen in our time. Some biblical scholars say that God is silent on producing miracles because we are an unbelieving generation. Some say they are just as prevalent today but our eyes are masked. Some argue they are all around us, in the every day variety. I realized that I don't really know where I am in this equation. Yes, God can do miracles. Have I seen one? Well, hmm. I still struggle with that in a lot of aspects, but one thing was confirmed to me as I just read Curtis' blog http://curtisnews08.blogspot.com/.

Yes, God does perform miracles - Curtis should not be alive, much less eating, talking, and walking. I can't tell you how hard my family has prayed for Curtis to not only live, but to make a full, miraculous recovery for the glory of God himself. May God be glorified!

Happy Birthday, Baby Boy

Hudson's due date was around Sept. 24th. I went to the doctor on Aug. 20, and she was greatly surprised that I was between a 3 & a 4. Jenna had come two weeks early, but this startled Dr. Stevenson a bit until I told her that as I sat in a rolling chair, it rolled out from under me and I hit the ground. Since then, my pubic bone had really been hurting. The next day I lost my plug. Again, you compare everything with #2 to #1. I had lost my plug with Jenna about a week before she came, so I figured we were close. The next week I was a full 4 and 50% and the doctor predicted she would see me that weekend. The next week I was hanging at 4 and 50%. The next week I was 5, 70%, -1. I was not in labor. I was strep B positive, so I need a bag of antibiotics before I delivered. Dr. S was confused and a bit concerned about me making it to the hospital. I was miserable. I had been teaching school every day since Aug. 16, and with a baby that low, well, I hurt. Dr. S decided that at the rate I was progressing, it would be good to induce.

Well, hospital maternity wards are busy places in September, and there were no open appointments for induction since I wasn't past due. There was, however, an open appointment for a "ripening." So, in we came at 2:00 in Sept. 14. The nurse checked me, looked shocked, and pronounced I was in labor. I told her was not in labor. She told me I was a 7, so I had to be in labor. She got her colleague to come check, who looked shocked and declared a 6.5. They discussed having another person check, and I asked if that was really necessary, I mean, hello, I'm a person, can we quit reaching up in there? So, they made me wear a monitor for 30 minutes to see how my contractions were progressing, as I continued to tell them that I was not in labor. After the monitor recordings, they told me I was not in labor. Really?!

At a 7, you're too far to "ripen," so they decided to call my doctor about breaking my water. I think that's what Dr. S had in mind all along. They moved me in my room (same room in which I delivered Jenna), and in came the resident with a snorkel mask and the device to break my water at 4:15. She was pretty funny. Within 20 minutes I was having really good contractions. Lisa attended this birth to be our photo/video woman and assist as she was completing doula training. While waiting for the second anesthesiologist (the first one numbed my left side, but my right side was feeling everything), my contractions became quite powerful, as in, "I'm going to push on the next one," I told the room. The Dr. hadn't arrived, so the room full of nurses and residents told me not to, to which I replied I had to. Lisa, thank you, Lisa, told me to blow and bear down a little. About this time the next epidural kicked in, but I was still ready to push. Dr. S arrived just in time.

I'd like to say that I pushed and he came. The epidural was too strong, and I could feel nothing, so it took us 2 hours, until 6:28 to get the little guy out. But, look at him, isn't he perfect! Thank you, God, for my little baby boy!

Random Updates

Well, it's been one fun week...
Wednesday I hung purple lights in Jenna's room. It was too bright for her to sleep :). On Thursday night the little smarty pants remembered my sleeping mask and asked to wear it. It was so cute that I had to haul out the tripod and take a picture that would capture the purple/pink glow and her cuteness! It also helped me remember to wear it to pajama day at school on Friday. Unfortunately, Jenna grew up a bit from last week's Crazy Day and asked me take off my mask before I walked her into school :(.

Then, a minor disaster struck in our freezer. I noted last weekend that the ice seemed to be frozen together. I opened the freezer on Tuesday to this -

We don't have any ice. I suspect that there is a serious problem here (just a guess from the ice waterfall and big puddle of water in the floor where the maker had tried to fill and spurted back out the back), but I really don't know where to begin. I think I probably need to defrost the freezer, but I don't know how to do that without unplugging the whole fridge. Any ideas? The ironic thing - We spent our whole first 7 years with a hand-me-down fridge (free) that didn't make ice. My only big spending purchase when we moved to Granbury was a fridge that had an ice maker that worked. God's funny, you know?


Big birthday week. Here's my picture from the family party last Sunday:

That's my baby girl, my "little" brother, and my baby boy all blowing out their candles together. September is a good month in my family, or maybe December is the good month :). My favorite thing about the picture is the beaming smile on my brother's face - he's looking at his beautiful wife, Ashley, and you can just see the love and pride. I love it!

Jenna noticed the flags at half mast today. I was explaining to her why they were down and to Hudson why he made flags at pre-school today. I explained that some mean men stole airplanes, really big ones, and flew them into two big buildings. As a result, many people were killed - daddies, mommies, kids. She thought for a minute and then she said, "Those men probably didn't know God."

Happy Birthday, Baby Girl!

I cannot believe my little girl is six years old today. I could go on and on about her, but I just want to say what a true gift from God she is. She's amazing. She pushes me to be better and shows me how to love deeper every day.

Who knew after that amazing steak, baked potato, and peach pie w/ ice cream that my water would break just as I placed the last dish in the dishwasher. After I convinced Jer that I had not peed my pants again (it had become a frequent occurrence in the last weeks), I found myself at the registration desk as I convinced them I did not pee my pants (I left a nice puddle where they made me stand because she kept moving). I remember asking for a towel to stick up under my dress as they asked me to step on the scale, thinking, "this is not how I imagined it, towel under my dress, shoes squishing, weighing in, this is humiliation." No contractions, so we walked for about 5 hours, and I left my walking shoes at home, I mean, I was going to have a baby, not walk a marathon. About 2 am, I told the nurse no more walking. I was tired, I was having contractions enough to warrant the epidural, and since I had a heart condition, I had a full numbing experience. So, I went to sleep. 6:00am my mom came in - I told her she could go home, we'd call her later. I wasn't in my senses, mom, I love you! 9:00, Dr. Stevenson came to check me on her way to a C-section delivery. Next thing I knew she was taking apart a bed, pulling out lights, and we were having a baby! After the first push, I remember my confusion when everyone just stopped, "Now what?" "We wait for the next contraction and do it again." I really didn't know there were breaks, push 10, wait, push, wait - who knew?!? After 2 hours of pushing, and Dr. S pulling with her suction device, and I mean REALLY pulling, Jenna came out. That's the big yamaka/Yarmulke on her head - the suction cup bruise. She came out face down which accounts for the tough time we had (emphasis on we because without Dr. S pulling like crazy, the nurse pushing on my stomach, and me 'pushing' even though I couldn't feel a thing, I don't think she'd have ever come out). And, praise God there was no brain damage since no one realized she was face down and the suction just missed her soft spot.

Again, back to how I know God is who He says He is...she's six years old today, and I know that I love her more than life itself.

Let me start with the not so serious...today was Crazy Day for spirit day. For crazy, I think dress. You can't see the orange flowered rain boots very well, but they're there. This is my friend Heather, and you can see the reason I love the people I work with! I teased her hair in the copy room this morning while she made copies (you can't see how monstrously huge it is b/c of the brown bookcase behind her, but it's BIG). I was good until I pulled into Jen's parking lot. It hit me; I walk her in and I'm dressed insane. "So, Jen, want to walk in by yourself today?" "No, Mom, I want you to come." "But Mommy's dressed really crazy." "It's okay, Mommy, I love you anyway." Deep breath...I got several stares. One lady caught on, "Oh, it must be some spirit day at the high school." "Yes, it's Crazy Day."

More serious...yesterday was Grandparent Lunch at Jen's school. Nina (my mom) and Nana (Jer's mom) both came to eat with Jenna. A little girl sat across from them. So, Nana said, "So, are you a friend of Jenna's?" She replied, "No, Jenna won't play with me," to which Jen hung her head, a trait when something's true, but she knows it's wrong. Jenna leaned over, "Nana, she's not nice." I asked Jenna about it later, and she told me, "Mom, she doesn't make good decisions and has to sign the book. I don't want to be her friend." Okay, I got a little proud of her - doesn't want friends who are rule breakers - that's a good thing. So, we discussed how it's good to be friendly and nice, but you don't have to play with them. :)

Serious...this week's study has been to focus on Believing God is Who He Says He is. Why do you believe in God, because if you don't understand that, why have faith in Him. I've just always believed in God, that's how I was raised, but that's not the point of the study. So, I've been thinking. One day I had to list things that "most eloquently express[ed] His existence to [me] personally." My children - pregnancy, birth, perfection of their design, purity of their love; sunsets; flowers; solution to Jen's eczema after every doctor (2 ped. allergists, 2 ped. dermatologists, and 1 ped) told us we'd never figure it out, we had to learn how to live with it. I remember sleeping with her, bawling, restraining her to keep her from scratching, begging God to make it stop, pleading, bargaining. Look at her today!

I know the pictures are both heartbreaking and out of focus - sorry - old camera, very bad photography skills.

So, this morning as I ran, I continued to reflect...how do I know God is who He says He is? It was intimidating as first, but now that I think about it more and more, every detail of my life speaks to the fact that He is who He says He is.

Lovin' Life

Can I just tell you how great life is? To be on the other side of the trial, to have made it through, is just so wonderful. I feel like I just beam and float along everywhere I go! I'm so stinkin' happy, content, and joyful that it's almost embarrassing. Almost, but not quite. I'm just so thankful that God is so good.

Our holiday weekend has been busy, productive, and tons of fun. Today I made a hunting vest for Hudson. Yeah, a hunting vest for a little kid. Seems he enjoyed dove hunting (which I personally don't like because they mate for life; you kill one of them and the other is alone for the rest of his or her life. This is the point where Jer calls me a tree hugger - yep, I am. I guess it all became clear the first time I dove hunted with him and I saw him pop a head off; I know it was dead, but, well, it's just not right, I don't care that he and Hudson enjoyed eating them tonight).

Jenna and I did some shopping while the boys were busying murdering, I mean, hunting. She chose material to make a blanket, ribbon to make collars for her stuffed doggies, a couple of pair of shoes for her as we mostly have flip flops, and I chose some terrific brownie mix. Yes, all brownie mix is pretty much terrific, but finding mix that contains no milk, egg, or nut traces is virtually impossible for it to also be good. Even the kind I usually get isn't good enough for me to eat, luckily the kids don't know the difference. Today we found Cherrybrook Kitchen. Wow - this is my new favorite, period. Add to that it's free of all allergens, bingo, we have a winner. Glad I bought 4 boxes! Those of you facing us in the weight loss challenge - do not be fooled, small tastes only!

I also took some stuff out of the closet to sell on ebay and got my wedding dress out. It's going on one of the insets up in the living room with other wedding stuff. It's already yellowing in it's packaging, so why not be able to enjoy seeing it yellow. Of course, while it was out, I had to try it on. Almost eleven years later, and it mostly fits. It fits my behind, hips, and waist (Jer said 'fits' is not really the correct word, but if it goes on and zips, it fits, right ladies?). So where does it not zip - my rib cage. Not that I've gotten more curvaceous, it won't zip at my ribs, and that's where I haven't added any extra padding. I knew Hudson stayed up in my ribs! Now I have proof! It's so precious to me that I had to share a picture...
Otherwise, I've done a lot of crafting and building relationships & NO schoolwork because it's all done! Wow, this is going to be such a great year!