Planes, Taxis and Ambulance Rides...

When I asked my MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) group to pray that none of us would get sick this time when we flew to Oregon, I forgot to ask them to pray that we wouldn't ride in an ambulance. Because really, what's a vacation without a trip to the ER in an ambulance?

I spent all of Tuesday getting us packed for our trip, then picked up the girls from their schools and rushed home so we could meet Gary. We then packed the car and headed for the airport. We parked the car in economy parking, boarded the shuttle, and made our way to the terminal. We successfully made it through security, which was a feat in itself because despite making FIVE trips to DPS, I still do not have a Texas driver's license. So instead, I brought my three temporary licenses, a letter from DPS, my birth certificate, my marriage certificate, my Social Security card, my Sam's Club card, three children who look like me, and a note from my mother to prove that I am really who I say I am. Just kidding about the last item. I brought all the others, though. But I digress.

As we were walking to our gate to get on the plane, I had Luke in my Moby Wrap. At some point, my ankle turned under me, I stumbled, and fell forward. I was able to catch myself so that I wouldn't fall on top of Luke, but not before Luke's sweet little head hit the concourse. He immediately started screaming and I was panicked. A passerby told us to file an incident report with the airline, so we continued to the gate and told the gate agent. She called the paramedics and asked us to wait nearby. I started to lose it. Fortunately, they arrived quickly and began looking at Luke. He was asleep by now but we were able to wake him up and he began smiling and cooing. The paramedics determined that he was probably OK, but since he was so young, felt that he should be checked out by a physician.

At this point, the gate agent told us that we needed to decide if Gary and the girls should go ahead and get on the plane or stay with me. Since there were not enough seats on flights to Oregon the next day for all of us, I sent him on to Portland and I stayed behind with Luke and the gate agent rebooked us on the 9:30 am Wednesday flight at no charge. Bless her heart.

I figured that we would just walk to the ambulance outside (since both of us were completely fine), but the EMTs insisted on transporting us on the stretcher...through the concourse, through security, through the main terminal where everyone was checking in...all the while, Luke is in my arms and smiling and giggling at everyone we're passing by. I was fairly sure we were going to end up on the evening news. Oy.

We took a short ambulance ride to a local hospital and as we're disembarking, I'm thinking “This will actually be good that we're coming here by ambulance. They can just drop us off in the back and we'll get in and out of here in no time. Maybe we'll even make that 9:05 pm flight tonight!” Um, not so fast, lady with the giggly baby.

They wheeled us through the back entrance, past all the examining rooms, and through the double doors into the lobby, stopping in front of the reception desk and a waiting room of people staring at us. “Hop down!” the paramedic said cheerfully. Hello? What's the point of coming in an ambulance if you don't get to bypass the waiting room? I could have done that in my own car and saved about $500, thankyouverymuch. OK, a slight exaggeration. I couldn't have actually driven straight to the reception desk. I would have had to park in the parking lot and walk in. But you get my drift.

I proceeded to sit in a swine flu-infested waiting room with about 50 of my un-closest friends for three and a half hours before they called our name. Including a couple of interesting characters, one of whom felt free to shout obscenities at the staff whenever he felt like it. And someone whom I never did figure out if he/she was a man or a woman. And a blessed couple who sat next to me who were so incredibly nice to us and visited with me while I ate dinner out of the vending machine and waited for our name to be called. They were a bright spot in an otherwise out-of-body experience.

While I was waiting, I realized that I had in my carry-on bag both of Leah's binkies, the hand sanitizer, the baby wipes, and the Clorox wipes, which meant that Gary was on a germ-infested airplane with no way to clean it, and no way to soothe Leah. I'm pretty sure I got the better end of that deal.

After finally getting called and being examined by the doctor, I took Luke down to get a CT scan. He was such a good boy, laying there on the table, sucking his binky and looking at all the lights. Fortunately, the CT scan came back clear and they decided he was completely fine. Thank goodness. I was SO relieved to hear that he was OK. I was terrified to let him go to sleep for fear that he wouldn't wake up, but once they determined that he was normal, I relaxed a bit.

I walked back to the reception desk and said, “Excuse me? The EMT told me that you transport people a lot between here and the airport and that I should ask you to arrange for a ride.” The receptionist looked up at me (actually, she glared at me) and said, “Um, I'm not aware of that, but you can call a cab if you want.” I'd like to point out here that Luke's car seat has already been put on a plane and is now landing in Oregon with the rest of my family. So I put him back in the Moby Wrap, called a cab and waited outside. Our cab arrived within a few minutes, and we took a quick ride back to the airport, with me praying fervently all the while that we wouldn't get into an accident since Luke was not properly restrained. We arrive safely, and I make my way to baggage claim to borrow a car seat from the airline, then hop on the parking shuttle. It's now 11:15 pm. The parking shuttle driver was kind enough to wait while I installed the car seat in the van and we were finally on our way home.

I got home at midnight and set the alarm for 5:30 am. I didn't sleep much that night but it was wonderful to be in my own bed. We got up quickly the next morning, grabbed some breakfast, drove to the airport while watching the sunrise (which was magnificent), and had a very smooth flight, where Luke napped contentedly in the Moby while I sipped Diet Coke and watched one of my favorite movies. Bliss.

I learned a couple of things. I learned that as independent as I am, I don't like being that far away from my amazing husband. I missed him terribly. I also realized that it's not really me keeping everyone healthy. That's God's job. And God can do it without Clorox wipes and hand sanitizer. And I was reminded that He is the Great Physician and can keep my sweet baby safe despite my stumbles.

I'm thankful that our vacation was much more mundane after that. It was so wonderful to be with family for Thanksgiving, and to introduce Luke to my brother and sister-in-law. We arrived home safely yesterday and have been relaxing, enjoying each other's company, and catching up on sleep. So, all's well that ends well. :)

Thankful

I am up early this morning because Leah's monitor had some bizarre feedback on it that was driving me crazy and very loud. So, here I sit. I see now that God had something different planned than sleep for me this morning. I have had some great moments with Him.

He is teaching me so much lately...like the fact that being thankful is sometimes an act of obedience and not based on feelings. "...give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Lord, thank you for my experience with ovarian cancer. I have seen a ministry birthed out of that whole ordeal that I could not have imagined. I love pouring myself into the lives of other women (especially moms) who are facing cancer. I love supporting them through treatment, sharing funny stories about not having hair, and crying with them when they wonder if they'll ever get out of bed again.

Lord, thank you that my job of seven years is being eliminated. It's been a great ride, and I know You have something amazing planned for me in this next season. Though I don't know what it is, I will trust You and know that You will continue to provide for our family, just as You have always done.

Lord, thank you that I still don't have the results of the breast cancer gene test that I had several weeks ago. I hate to wait, but You have often given me a sense of peace as I wonder if today will be the day that I get the phone call.

Thank You, Lord, that despite my best hopes, some of the friendships I left in VA have seemed to end. I now see that these friendships were for a season, and although it's tough to accept and I miss them very much, I see that they have moved on and You are making room for me to have some close friendships here in TX. Thank You for the lonely moments...I am learning to rely on You more than ever.

And then there are the easy things to thank Him for...for my precious husband who loves me madly even when I'm cranky, high maintenance, and cook the same thing for dinner all the time because it's all I really feel like I do well...I am thankful for his sacrificial love, for our laughs, and for every moment we spend together.

Thank You, Lord, for my amazing daughters who love life with total abandon, who love us, and who love to sing You songs before they go to bed. Thank you for their honest prayers even if they are pretty funny (I think that I can sometimes hear you giggling too). Thank You for Anna Claire and her loose teeth, for her infectious laugh, and for her constant questions. Thank You for Leah and her sweet giggle, her mischevous nature, and for the fact that You helped me maintain my dignity and grace even when she climbed out of the cart in the grocery store, took off her clothes, and peed on the floor when I was checking out. Thank You for her love of cuddling with Momma and for how she dances when she sees Dora on TV.

Thank You for providing not only a home in TX, but the home of my dreams. I am in awe every day when I wake up. I cannot believe I'm still here.

Thank You, God, for my amazing family scattered in several states, and their love and belief in me.

Thank You, Lord, for my life. Having come face to face with losing it five years ago, I am grateful every day that You saw fit to keep me around a little longer. I am so amazingly blessed by so many people and experiences.

God, You are good - even in the tough times. May I always be a light for You and a witness for all the many ways You have worked in my life. To You alone belongs all the glory.

Is There A Doctor In The House?

It just happened that our trip to see my grandmother coincided with the date that my brother was to defend his doctoral dissertation for his PhD in Math Education. He did his presentation on Tuesday morning and we spent the rest of the day celebrating with family and friends – first at a restaurant in a fun downtown district in Portland, then we came home long enough to change into casual clothes, then we went to a fun pub downtown again. We had a terrific time and I’m so proud of him! He has worked really hard on this for so long and it was a lot of fun to be part of the final chapter and celebration.

So, Professor Swinyard now will be teaching at a local university in their math department in the fall. I caught myself thinking during his defense, “How is it that two such different children came from the same parents?” He’s a total brainiac…my sister-in-law bought him a t-shirt a year ago that says “Mathlete” – it’s very fun. And a Mathlete he his. I’m hoping that he can help our girls with their math problems some day. And maybe I can help him accessorize or decorate or something. I’m much more artsy than academic. Just smart in different ways, I guess. :)

Home Sweet West Coast

The girls and I just spent 9 days in Oregon/Washington seeing my parents, my brother and sister-in-law, and extended family, including my grandmother. She’s been failing lately, and a series of seizures has caused her cognitive abilities to diminish. I was happy to be able to spend several days with her, have the girls see her, and take some pictures of her with the girls. Here are some of those great pictures! My gram is very special to me – she was only 48 when I was born and we have spent a lot of time together over the years…I love her dearly and was so pleased that she recognized me. She had a harder time remembering the girls but considering the fact that she has 23 or 24 grandchildren (including spouses), and 7 great-grandchildren, she’s doing well to remember us! We had a wonderful time with our extended family and the girls had a great time playing with their fellow second cousins…It was relaxing, the weather was amazing and we hated to leave.

We also spend a few days at my parents’ house in Oregon – they have an incredible yard and our days were spent relaxing and dining on the deck, the girls swam in the wading pool and ran through the sprinkler, went to parks, and played in the yard. The weather was cool and crisp at night and warm and dry during the day, and almost always sunny. My favorite time of day there during the summer is when I first wake up – the windows in the bedroom are open and the air is cool, sweet smelling from the sprinklers being on, and so pure that you feel like you’re breathing pure oxygen. I found myself breathing deeply and taking it all in – the air in Texas is not quite like that- it’s definitely more humid!

We missed Daddy (he had to stay home for orientation for his new job) and we are glad to be home with him. It’s nice to be in our own beds again.

Birthday!

Today was my birthday – we had such a great time, starting with last night…Anna Claire’s friend, Sarah, came to dinner with us (her mom gave birth to Sarah’s little sister yesterday – Rebeca Grace!) to one of our favorite restaurants, Coastal Flats…after dinner, the kids ran around the town center, then we went home and they had some ice cream. Sarah got to spend the night at our house and the girls had a fabulous time…at 10:00 pm, they were still snuggled in AC’s bed, giggling, talking, eating Goldfish, drinking water, and playing with their flashlights (and about 1300 pieces of Polly Pocket stuff was on the floor – I have no idea how they didn’t step on something!).

This morning, Gary, the girls, and I went to breakfast at a local joint here, then we ran a couple of errands on the way home (which included some new shoes for me – woo hoo!). And Gary carried the shoes – I love me a man who carries my packages so I can shop unencumbered! J We decided to make a quick stop at Target, but as soon as we pulled into the parking lot, Leah vomited all over herself in the car…Happy Birthday, Momma!

Sooo…we went home instead, gave Leah a bath (she was much happier), and played at the house. Then we all took naps (heavenly), then went to dinner at The Cheesecake Factory, where Leah threw a massive tantrum – she was SO cranky. I’m thinking she may be getting sick. Anyway, the food was great and we made it out of the restaurant without Leah throwing herself on the floor and screaming, so in my mind, it was a huge success.

I got some fabulous gifts – a couple of seasons of Frasier, my favorite Bath & Body Works lotion, a couple of CDs, Season 2 of The Closer, an offer from my brother and sister-in-law to treat us to dinner and babysitting when they arrive in 2 weeks (yay!), a beautiful necklace from my parents, and some other great things…but the best was just spending it with my amazing husband and two beautiful girls, and talking to the rest of my family on the phone…I am so blessed.

Tomorrow, I’m going to lunch with a couple of girlfriends to continue the celebrating – can’t wait!

It was a wonderful day, and I’m happy to say that for the first time since I was diagnosed with cancer, I was able to really enjoy my birthday and I wasn’t melancholy about it…in the past, it’s been an emotional day for me with very mixed feelings. Today it was just awesome and I enjoyed every minute…and it helped that it was 80 degrees and sunny!

Happy Birthday, Shoshi!

On September 17, 2005, a very special lady joined our family. My brother married Shoshawna, or “Shoshi,” as we like to call her. Sho has added such a beautiful dimension to our family. She is one of 4 children, so she added a bunch of fun “in-laws” to our clan, and their children have become good friends with Anna Claire. A social worker who works with seniors, Sho and I have shared a similar career industry, which has been fun. In addition, she loves People magazine, Nancy Drew books, chocolate, and consignment shops, so we have a fabulous time whenever we’re together. Her parents live close to my parents, and the four of them have become great friends. I have a difficult time remembering our family before Sho’s family joined us…we really are one big happy family now. My only regret is that we don’t live closer so we could see them more often.

Sho has not only become a great friend and sister, but she is an incredible “auntie,” eagerly awaiting updated pictures and funny antics of the girls. She is stunningly beautiful (inside and out), thoughtful, creative, compassionate, and loves my brother madly (I can’t blame her for that because I also love him madly – he’s amazing). She is the perfect wife for him and complements him in wonderful ways. She has been a special gift to our family and we are especially thankful for her today, her birthday.

Happy Birthday, dear Shoshi – we love you oodles and can’t wait to see you next month when you come to visit us! :)

Happiness

I had a fabulous weekend with the girls. Gary was in Houston interviewing for jobs, and so it was just us girls for 3 days. We spent time at the mall, at Target, at the grocery store, meeting a good friend for lunch, planting spring flowers, painting our toenails, and just playing at home. It was blissful…especially because they were so well-behaved. I was able to have some great conversations with Anna Claire. She is becoming quite the conversationalist and is really fun to talk with.

In other news, I’m frantically trying to get caught up on laundry in preparation for my knee surgery on Friday (our laundry room is in the basement and I won’t be able to navigate stairs for a few days). And yes, my dear husband does do laundry – but he is so good about doing other chores around the house, I usually take care of the laundry (and fewer of my clothes experience shrinking – ha ha).

I’ve been so happy lately – the weather is warming up, I’ve been cleaning out closets like crazy and getting rid of stuff, spending some great time with my family, and just overall becoming more relaxed but also excited about our upcoming move. There will be parts that will be difficult, like leaving good friends, but I am excited about our upcoming adventure and am looking forward to decorating and nesting in our new home. I’m also excited to only work part-time and spend more time with Gary and the girls.

Life is good and I am richly blessed. :)

Dorothy

Gary's beloved Aunt Dorothy passed away a few hours ago. She was 88 years young. Although we'd been preparing for her journey into eternity for awhile (she was on Hospice), the news still caught us off-guard.

We had some very special times with Dorothy. She actually flew up to VA to stay with us during Hurricane Rita two years ago, and we loved having her stay with us. One of our funniest memories of Dorothy was when I took her back to the airport in DC to fly back to Houston after the hurricane, and she gave the American Airlines agent her Republican National Committee membership card as her form of official identification. When he told her it wasn't considered an acceptable form of ID, she gave him a real tongue-lashing! It was so funny. She was really offended! It took us a long time before we finally found her driver's license in her purse (I was a little frantic, as she was still driving in Houston and I was concerned that maybe she didn't even HAVE a license anymore!). We now have her RNC membership card and look forward to framing it - it will be a great reminder of one of our funniest times with her.

We loved Dorothy very much, and she was like a mother to Gary. She will be missed greatly. We had a wonderful visit with her last August when we drove to Houston to see her, so I thought I'd share some pictures from that trip.