Welcome Gracelyn Rose

My sister had her baby today! Our very own Georgia peach! Gracelyn was born at 9:44am and weighed 8lbs 9oz. She was 20 1/4in long. Mom and baby are doing well. Auntie, not so well. It is killing me that I am not there to hug, kiss, and love on my newest niece. The distance btwn us was not too bad, until this morning. I long to be there. When Libby was born, I got to cut her cord. This time, I won't get to even see Gracie until she is 3 months old! A long weekend trip to GA/AL is sounding better and better. not that it's really all that feasible. I would feel horrible going and leaving the kids behind, yet taking them makes the trip over $700.

Anyway, she has arrived, they finally settled on a name and all is well. I would rather like to put a rush order on Christmas getting here! That's when they will come to visit!

woke up this morning and...

No headache. Whew! Since I have been sick with this cold, i cough thru the night and wake with a headache. Of course, stress probably has a small roll in it all too. I posted about my cousin's baby Lilly. Well, Friday I got a msg that my A Bev was taken to the hospital and at first we knew very little. It was very stressful. One of those moments that literally drop you to your knees to beg the good Lord for mercy! My friday started with a call from my mom. She told me that my sister was diagnosed with PUPPS. Her blood pressure was also pretty high and she is swelling quite a bit. However, her OB said they would leave it for now as the C-section is scheduled for Monday. Then mom went on to tell me that baby Lilly is not doing quite as well as we had thought. They cannot get her sodium levels to lower. And the hospital doesn't know why they are so high. In order to attempt to lower them, they had to give her an IV solution and strictly monitor her fluid intake, while they attempted to lower the sodium level. In the process, Rachel was unable to feed Lilly at all. no breastfeeding, no bottle of expressed milk, nothing. Bc it is such a delicate process, she could take in no other fluid, other than thru IV. It was nerve racking for the family. If they dropped her levels too quickly, it could result in seizures, coma, even death. If they don't get them dropped the same things could happen. Add to all this that the hospital told the family t hey have never dealt with this type of syndrome and they can't find anyone/anywhere else who has. They are going at it blind and Lilly is a pioneer. But wait there's more. Rachel's mom had to come back home because she has to work (cannot afford time off and has two pt jobs to try to keep their house). Her sister and dad are down there right now. But, Chris, rachel's hubby/Lilly's dad, has to return to work tomorrow for much of same reasons. He cannot take time off under FMLA bc he is the sole provider and they have to pay their bills. it's horrible. He will be in Port Huron, his wife and baby in Detroit, a few hours away. My heart breaks. And I want so bad to be down there for them, but i have this cold (maybe bronchitis) and the last thing any of them need is to get sick from me. So i have to stay away. I am hoping that by the end of this week I will be feeling better and able to go down there. Please keep prayers coming. For Lilly, for the family.

After my conversation with my mom, i started doing housework. I walked past the computer and noticed a msg from my A Jean and stopped to read it. She was letting us know that A bev was in the hospital and she was heading up north (about 2.5 hours). She knew very little. It was a stressful time waiting for word from someone to let us know how she got there, why she got there, and what was going on. Then we got word that she was in exploratory surgery but as the "telephone game" goes, info gets distorted. we were told that they were going to operate bc she had a hole in her stomach but the xray showed air in her chest that shouldn't have been there and they were leaning towards gall bladder issues. well, none of that added up quite right to me. A lil later we discovered she was in exploratory surgery, there was a hole, they had to find where the hole was and she could possibly come home with a colostomy bag. Wow. So much to digest in a morning. As it turns out, she has a perforated ulcer and she came thru surgery well and they will keep her a week. Please keep her in your prayers. She has so graciously given up the life she had built down state to move up north to live with gma and look after her. The nearest relative to them is about an hour away. we need prayers for a speedy and full recovery and for everything to fall into place.

On a positive note, an old friend contacted me (gotta love fb) and mentioned getting together for coffee one day after kids go to school. We have stayed in minimal contact over the years, because, while we met when we were about 4 yrs old, it turned out that several years later, my uncle and her aunt were married (My uncle Ken/Aunt lisa) so thru family functions and such, we see other from time to time. But, like most things, life gets in the way and we did not stay close. Well, about 2 yrs ago, she moved to a house down the road from here. I am looking forward to coffee time with an old friend and hopefully building a new friendship. I have let friendships go to the wayside over the years only to realize I am now 30 yrs old, my only real friend lives hundreds of miles away and I just haven't built any newer friendships. I never seemed to take the time. So my goal is to work on that.

Well Makenneh and I are making a Christmas list. I know, who wants to think about that right now. But, I want to start shopping while I have the extra money. so, I am gonna get off here and work on her list. Please keep the prayers coming!

Welcome Lilliana

My cousin Rachel had her baby September 10th at 10:07am. She weighed 6lb 8oz and is 20 inches long. Her name is Lilliana Elizabeth.

There were some complications and I would like to ask for your prayers and thoughts. Lilly was born with a syndrome known as Agenesis of the Corpus Collosum. That means that the part of her brain that connects the right and left hemispheres, the Corpus Collosum, is partially or completely missing. She was having some difficulty with breathing at birth, but has since gotten better. She was sent a few days ago, via ambulance to Children's Hospital of Detroit, for further evaluation. It has been a rough couple of days for the family as they digest all this new information and come to terms with the diagnosis. Rachel is doing well...she knows that Lilliana is a gift from God and she loves her no matter what.

I started posted this a few days ago and was interrupted, so I will finish with the updates from the past few days. She passed her vision and hearing tests. Her heart and lungs are functioning good. They did an MRI yesterday late afternoon. We are awaiting those results. IN the meantime, they have noticed that her sodium levels are too high and they don't know why. So, until they can figure that out, she will remain at Children's Hospital. The doctor said it could be a day, or it could be two weeks. Praying that it is something that can be managed and that she can come home soon! You can view her hospital pics by clicking here.

School is in full swing for the kids and me. Sebastian has gotten a lot better about going. I do not have to hear "I don't like school" every night and every morning. I do not know if/what his teacher is doing, but I did tell her about it in the note I sent her. She requested that each parent send a note telling her about our child so she find the best way to reach them. I think that is so awesome. You can tell she genuinely loves her job. I think she is going to be a positive influence on Sebastian and hopefully reshape his dislike for school.

Makenneh ended up not getting the teacher I requested because that teacher moved to a different building. So, the weekend before school started, I received a letter that she had a different teacher. Makenneh was very disappointed. She was really looked forward to having hte other teacher and she cried alligator tears. I assured her that this new teacher sounds very nice and read her the letter from the new teacher, pointing out the similarities they shared, such as a love for animals. She came home on the first day and was happy with the new teacher. My mother in law attended the back to school open house (bc I had class) and so was able to meet the teacher. The teacher uses hands on methods to teach kids and it sounds like the learning is going to be a blast in this classroom. For instance, to teach kids about money, she lets them earn "money" by good behavior and such. Then, once every so often (not sure if it's weekly, monthly, or what) she lets the kids use their earned money to shop at the store. The store is a bunch of small items she has purchased herself at dollar stores or whatever. The kids will have to learn how much money is needed to purchase what they want, how much change they should get back, etc. Very neat idea.

I like all my classes, except Art Appreciation. The teacher is a flake. And talks in monotone and goes on and on for the entire class, using powerpoint. With no point, it seems, to her lecture.

Mom and dad are in Georgia. They left Sept 11. They won't be back until Oct. 8th or so. Carrie was excited to be able to have them there for that long. Her C-section is scheduled for Sept 20th. She is hoping to be in the new house (in Alabama) by then. I don't know how realistic that goal is, but at least they have extra hands down there right now to help with it all.

Well, that's about it for me tonight. I feel like i don't have much time anymore to sit and think about things to post on here and when I do have things, well, i don't have time. So, til next time, take care and please keep Lilliana and the family in your thoughts and prayers!

Back to school

For me! I started today. Only had one class from 10-1120-Fictions of Desire. That will fulfill my Literature requirement. This entire semester is spent doing just that. It almost seems crazy that you can obtain an Assoc. Degree and still need more and more "gen ed" classes. But, if I want that magic paper and those extra letters after my name, I have to do what I have to do.

It's quite a difference attending a University vs a community college. For one thing, the financial aid aspect seems to be quite faster. I went to the campus on Fri to get my books and discovered that I needed to "opt in" to have money sent to the bookstore on my behalf. I was unaware of this. However, the Financial Aid lady told me to go to student services and request they mail my check on Monday because they were all set to be mailed. I walked in SS office and Voila, she offered to give me my check right then and there....but "this will NEVER happen again, don't expect it, don't say anything, and I just need to see your ID." Sweet! Even if I had to wait for it to be mailed on Monday, I still would have it a lot sooner than I would have going to Mott. They don't disperse their money til October or so.

Wednesdays I leave the house at 9am and will not return until 1030pm. Crazy. I do have a 4 hour gap in there where I have no classes, but because it is about a 35 min drive one way, it isn't feasible to drive home. I will use that time for studying, homework, R&R, whatever.

I cannot wait for the kids to go back to school. They have become quite bored and troublesome. They pick at each other, whine, cry, throw fits, have attitudes and it is just simply time for back to school. I do not understand why we have not gone to a year round schedule. It just makes more sense. They did so well for the first part of the break, but 2.5 months straight is just simply too long. And this summer was full of activity....unlike most of our summers....we went camping, to the zoo, road trip to Georgia. Not to mention, we have the pool, a large yard, swings, family get-togethers, picnics, cook-outs, went to softball game, football game, they have been busy. Just not busy enough, i guess. Makenneh is very anxious to get back to school. She has been for about 2+ weeks now. Which is about the time they started really acting up.

I have most of their school stuff ready. I have a few more things to buy. I haven't received a list from either teacher yet and surmise it will come home with them on the first day of school. Hopefully they are like last year's list and are very minimal. IN fact, most items were just suggestions/if you want kinda things. They do already have crayons, colored pencils, pencil box, pencils, glue sticks. (Well, Sebastian probably won't need any of it).

Well, I am off here. I have to read 19 chapters of The Awakening by Kate Chopin before Wednesday's class.

THe hardest thing

was pulling away from my sister in GA. Everything inside me was screaming to stay!

To catch up....Jeremy, the kids and I followed my sister and her family to GA to help them get moved in. We stayed the week and headed back home Saturday night. We arrived back in MI this afternoon. We had a great time; I celebrated my 30th birthday in GA with my sister. But, all great things must come to an end. I knew it was going to be hard to say good-bye....but I literally felt like a piece of my heart was being ripped from my chest and being left behind. I cannot imagine my life without my sister nearby. I cannot imagine going more than a day or so without seeing Liberty. And now, I must go months and months at a time. My heart is broken. I feel empty.

I did fine on the drive home, hitting it hard once I crossed into MI. But, as I pulled off our exit, the tears came...tears because nothing will ever be the same. When I pulled in our driveway, i couldn't hold the sobs back. Carrie won't be stopping by later on, or tomorrow....or the next day,....in fact, not until Christmas.

I may come back and post some tales from our adventures in GA....but for now, i am mentally, emotionally, and physically drained....i drove straight thru (minus a couple quick naps).

It's only been a couple months....

So i thought I would check in and leave a lil something. I registered today for fall at the university! I am not too thrilled about the classes I have to take, but I will suffer thru them because it gets me where I want to be. I had to take another science class, Economics, Literature, art, and political science. All classes I have been dreading. So, now I get to take them all in one semester!

The kids are doing great...although they are driving me crazy. You know..half thru summer break, they are bored and restless and well, our summer has been hectic. It started on Memorial day with me landing in ER with kidney stone (9mm). The entire month of June was shot with me being miserable with a stent in my kidney. Constant urge to pee, pressure, pain, and discomfort. Pain meds were my constant companion, meaning I was almost always groggy. We did manage a camping trip that was fun. I was even able to enjoy it despite the stent. Thank God for portapotties that can be placed strategically among trees and hidden behind sheets and towels so I could use it when the sudden urge hit. I would not have made it thru the trip without one! I finally got the stent out on July 2nd. The same day my mother in law fell and broke her elbow. But she had no insurance and didn't think it was broken, so she lived on motrin and ice for a week before finally going in. I had to take her to the insurance place one day, then the next to a free clinic who sent her for xray and to the ER. That was a 12 hour day, the same day as my sister's going away party. Needless to say, I got to her party late. Since then, I have been running her all over, trying to balance that with helping sis prepare for moving, planning a baby shower (that was held the 17th) and almost forgetting that dad's 50th bday was on the 19th and something had to be planned for that! I became quite irritable about the whole thing. I just want my life to be MINE. For a moment. I have had no Me time since camping. It has been go go go ever since. I think it will finally slow down. And hopefully we can do some things with the kids so they aren't so bored and whiney.

Jeremy has been working with a family friend setting up pool tables and playscapes. It has been a huge help in several ways. It gets him out of the house, helps the depression of not working, and gives us some extra money. It's not a full time gig, just on call sort of thing. If he could continue doing that at even a semi-regular basis, it would be great.

Right now, both kids are sick. Mak more so. She has been running a fever and feeling lethargic. THe doc isn't in tomorrow but if she isn't better come thursday, i will take her in. It may be darn tonsilitis again.

My sister and her hubby are in GA right now for a few days to find a house. Talk about procrastination. They got there on Sunday and that night Carrie ended up in ER with another of her migraines. She gets them so bad when pregnant. She ended up in ER again last night or this morning bc of it but is now feeling better and they were going out to look for houses today. She said they didn't have much luck today and were going to go to Alabama tomorrow to look, hoping to have better luck. Because the shop he will be working in is right on the border, they can live either place. AL is cheaper taxes, more house for less $ and probably the best option. If you don't mind a daily time change as you cross the river! LOL.

I think that about sums up my life for the past couple of months. I am hoping for a slow down, so i can actually enjoy some of this summer before back to school! Hope everyone is having a great summer!

A bit of sun and some...irony?

Today was our Family Memorial Day Picnic. I always look forward to it, every year. It's at the local park and we get to see family we don't see often. The weather was beautiful, even though it was a bit hot for comfort. But no rain, no high wind, no cold temps. Just lots of sunshine, an occasional breeze, family, food, fun and conversation. We came home and sat at the patio table, in the shade and just relaxed. Until the mosquitoes invaded. Overall it was a great day.

Then, I had to take Makenneh's medicine to my sister's house because she went home with her tonight. On my way home, I stopped at Walmart, because dad wanted some sherbert. In the checkout line, I noticed the cashier had a tattoo wrapped around her bicep. It was kinda big and lots of words. I was curious. When it was my turn, I able to read it....the center was a circle with the work Karma written on the top and bottom of the circle (kinda forming the circle actually). Around her bicep was the words: What goes around comes around. I wasn't a fan of the tattoo but I like the saying. It certainly seems true in a lot of instances....goes along with: You reap what you sow. Well, as I was leaving the store, I notice a familiar figure off to my left. I could only see her backside and took a second look to see if it was indeed someone I knew. As she turned and the man with her entered into my line of vision, Why I almost wanted to vomit. Or run. Or scream. Or begin pounding on them. I just looked away and pushed my cart much faster. I realized that I had had every intention of leaving the cart in the store, as I only had two bags. However, upon the sight of them two, my brain froze and I just sped up my exit. My heart began hammering, my stomach knotted, and tears began stinging my eyes. And who do you wonder, could cause such reaction? A despicable man I once knew. The wretched man my Aunt Dawn called husband. The man so undeserving of such a title. I hate when our paths cross. The sight of him angers me, sickens me, saddens me. I wish I had the nerve to confront him on such an occasion. Although, it's probably best that I don't. However, I do believe that should he ever try to talk to me, I will be far less than polite. And I may start spewing off at the mouth very unpretty things. But, things that stay bottled inside me, that resurface every time I see him or hear his name. I got home from the store and went to my facebook. I began to write something about my little encounter and then I recalled the cashier's tattoo. Funny how life works. I thought, yes, Karma. What goes around truly does come around. And so therefore, I will pray for you. And I did. Maybe not the most generous prayer, but not an evil one either, as tempting as it is. After all, what do you pray for a man who most likely caused his wife's untimely death, who more or less disowned his own daughter, all for the sake of another woman and her brood of children? Karma: What goes around, comes around...

I am loving these beautiful nights. All but the pesky mosquitoes. If not for them, I could sit out there all night. It's peaceful, the nightlife is singing their chorus, and it's cool, not so humid. Pleasure.

Makenneh's last day of school is the 16th, Seb's is the 3rd. And we are counting down days until our camping trip June 24-29th. I haven't been camping since Makenneh was Libby's age. And we have never gone as a family. Jeremy wasn't able to go that time because of work. I am looking forward to it and hope everything goes well. Jeremy doesn't like the camping in crowded campground (he grew up camping on state land, rustic and all), Dad get's testy when it's time to prepare/load up and head out for an adventure and then again when it's set up time and take down time and sometimes in between. Mom likes to hang out at the beach and dad prefers the shade of the campsite; mom likes to go out sight-seeing, dad likes to stay at camp site. Mom gets huffy because dad doesn't want to do those things. Dad gets mad because mom gets huffy. Carrie and Sara are both pregnant, as is my cousin Rachel, who is supposed to also go. So, 3 preggo ladies in the hot summer sun with raging hormones. Gee, the more I think about it, maybe I do want to stay home. LOL. NO, we will give it a whirl and hopefully everyone brings along their best attitudes.

Water Worms....no not a nasty slimy kind of parasite but a water toy. My mother in law gave SEbastian one today that she had bought at a charity auction a couple years ago. The thing was absolutely neat. Even dad had fun with it. However, it only lasted about 20 mins before Jeremy tried overfilling it and popping the bladder inside it, rendering it useless. Sebastian cried. I googled water worms and only found one site with the right thing....for 9.00 plus s&h. Mother in law only paid $1 for the thing.

Well, I am off here now to try to get some sleep. We are having some family over tomorrow for a cookout and hopefully the rain holds off. Hope everyone is having a safe and happy Memorial Weekend and please remember the reason we celebrate such a day...to honor those who have sacrificed their lives so that we may enjoy the many freedoms we have. Speaking of which, while at the family picnic today, one of my uncles brought a paper about a distant family member who had served during one of the wars. He received a medal and the one thing that stuck out was that he enlisted in June and died in Aug. Two months. He was a medic and his plane was shot down. Two months. That is just crazy.