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. :)

The First Two Months

Sweet Luke is two months old today. I can't believe it...the time has really flown. The past two months have honestly been a blur. I guess that's pretty normal when you have a newborn in the house, not to mention two other children.

My parents were immensely helpful for the first three weeks when Luke came home. We were bummed when they had to go home to Oregon but we're looking forward to seeing them again at Thanksgiving. Since we've been on our own, we've done pretty well though. We have been so incredibly blessed to have friends and neighbors deliver meals to us for almost 6 weeks – I cannot describe how much easier the evenings have been because of it. We are so grateful for such amazing friends from church and for our friendly neighbors. It's one of the reasons we love living here so much.

There have definitely been some rough moments too – I had a tough bout with postpartum depression – mostly in part due to a medication error, though I think I would have struggled a little with it anyway since I was so sleep-deprived. I don't do well with ongoing sleep deprivation, which also brings with it debilitating bone pain (residual from chemo). I'm doing much better now and feel like I can cope better with all the demands of each day. It's nice to feel like myself again and not immediately reach for the bottle of Advil in the morning because I ache all over. I'm anxious to get back to my BodyPump class. I haven't been able to go yet because Luke's pediatrician doesn't want him to be in the Y nursery due to the severity of the flu. I am walking on the nice days and looking forward to going back soon. I am really proud of the fact that I'm 35 lbs under what I was when I started my pregnancy and I really want to keep it off and get toned up again. I had been able to do BodyPump until I was seven and a half months pregnant, but then had to stop because I was having so many contractions. So it's been 4 months since I've been to the class.

Luke is a great baby – very laid back and easy, which is a huge blessing. He has started to smile at us and he loves nothing more than to be held, swaddled, cuddled, etc. He adores it when the girls talk to him and Anna Claire is such a huge help, holding him and feeding him the occasional bottle if I'm not nursing. Some of my favorite times are holding and nursing Luke while Anna Claire reads to me, or while I read to Leah. Luke is finally sleeping for approximately 3 hours at a time during the night, so I'm getting some great sleep and waking up feeling rested. He doesn't sleep as much during the day but I'm starting to see the beginning of a routine with him, and that will only get better with time.

Leah has finally stopped biting everyone and is settling down. Part of that is because I'm keeping her on a very strict schedule, which seems to really help her. She is such a pistol, that child. I can barely catch my breath on some days. Last week, she put her fingers up both of Luke's nostrils, tried to curl his eyelashes, and also attempted to floss his (non-existent) teeth. Yesterday morning, I caught her trying to pluck Luke's eyebrows. She is fun, though, and loves to take life by the hair and swing it around like a lasso. Gary and I are already praying about how we'll survive the teenage years with her.

The girls are doing AWANA and kids' choir on Sunday nights, which has given Gary and I the opportunity to have a “date night” once a week (with Luke of course, but he's pretty quiet). It's been so wonderful to have some uninterrupted time to talk and connect with Gary...since that time is extremely limited when we're at home with all 3 kids.

I am doing some freelance work now and really loving it. It's a great opportunity for me to use my brain and earn a little money. And strangely enough, I'm getting better at juggling everything because I have to – so I'm even more organized when I work part-time. I'm finding now that I have to be super-organized in order to keep everything running smoothly. If I let up even for a day, the train begins to run off the tracks.

I'm hoping to get some good family pictures once the weather cools off a bit and we can go outside. There's a fountain near us that is really pretty, so we'll venture over there soon and do a photo shoot. More pictures coming later this week of the kids!

Cancer In My Rear View Mirror

Six years ago today, I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I went on a journey for which you don't need a passport, a ticket or a suitcase. It was no vacation, I can assure you. I found myself on a runaway train with no stops – and one on which I never intended to be a passenger.

I had a 16 month old baby girl at the time, and I was still fairly newly married. Nothing says “get to know your spouse” like having your husband see digital pictures of your diseased ovary post-surgery, having him help you get dressed, and having him shave your head in the shower because all your hair is falling out. In sickness and in health, indeed. I am painfully aware that there are many marriages that do not survive cancer. I've seen it happen up close and personal.

Today, I want to honor my husband, Gary. He is one of the bravest and most loyal people I know. There were many days when he would get up and go to work when I was sick and I know he was terrified. Terrified that we wouldn't make it through to the spring. Terrified that something would happen to me. Terrified that he would have to raise Anna Claire alone. Gary held my hand through many dark hours, wiping my tears and reminding me that together, we could make it through anything. He reminded me on a regular basis that cancer would not define me – it would be a new ministry. He told me how beautiful I still was to him. He told me how strong I was, even though I was very weak. He assured me constantly of his love for me.

I am happy to say that cancer is now in my rear view mirror...just a part of my past but no longer a part of my “present.” I have now had two beautiful children post-cancer. I've had no recurrences. Miraculously, I have entire days when I don't even think of cancer...something I never thought possible.

And cancer has birthed a beautiful ministry. For a long time after I recovered, I didn't want to have anything to do with cancer. I didn't want to meet anyone else who had cancer, support anyone with cancer, or talk about it. But God gently pursued me and continued to put people in my life who needed a compassionate heart and a willing ear as they traveled their own journey with cancer. I can honestly say now that walking alongside other women who face cancer is one of my passions. I love to encourage them, to cry with them, to make them laugh, and to just sit with them. While it was a devastating diagnosis and a very painful time in my life, ovarian cancer has become one of the best blessings I've experienced.

“Praise the Lord, my soul; all my inmost being, praise His holy name.
Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits -
Who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases,
Who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion,
Who satisfies your desires with good things so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.”
Psalm 103: 1-5

Lord Jesus, You've been so faithful to me...

The Grocery Game, Take One

A couple of friends recently introduced me to The Grocery Game. It's an easy way to combine store sales and coupons (clipped, downloaded and "non-clip" coupons) in order to save the maximum amount of money. I've clipped coupons in the past but honestly it got overwhelming when time was running short so I abandoned it for a long time.

I finally realized that I was tired of paying full retail prices for my groceries and other everyday necessities. I haven't worked since last December and with 3 kids now and only one of us working outside the home, I need to find ways to save money any way I can.

I joined last week and spent a couple of days clipping coupons and figuring out how the whole thing works. A lady named Teri put the whole thing together. And she just wrote a great book about The Grocery Game. - it retails for $12.99 but I found it on Amazon.com this morning for only $2.98! Wahoo!!! It does a great job of explaining the whole process for how to get groceries and other items for a significant discount. I can't wait for it to arrive.

Anyway...I shopped two different stores with my game list. I selected Kroger, and although there weren't many items on my list this week due to the holiday weekend, I saved $19.63 and spent $23.92. It was easy to do! Then we went to the other store, which I won't mention by name, because the experience wasn't nearly as good. They had some of the deals, but they were already out of a lot of the items and the store wouldn't substitute similar things. The employees were also not very helpful when I had questions, the store was incredibly busy, Luke was crying some of the time, and basically I decided not to go back to that store - I think I'm going to stick to Kroger. By the time we left the 2nd store, I just wanted to go home and suck my thumb! By the way, I don't recommend doing this little activity with your three-year-old who needs a nap. BAD decision. I'm going by myself next time.

At the second store, I spent $112.31 and saved $31.15. I would have saved more except they were out of some of the items I needed. So, my total savings for today were just under $51.00. Not too shabby for my first attempt! My goal is to save enough money each month that it pays for Leah's school tuition...a goal that should be easily attainable.

Try it for yourself - it's amazing! It only costs $10 every 8 weeks - $1.25 per week. And the first 4 weeks is free to try so you don't have to worry about paying for something you if you don't like it.

Moby Wrap, I Adore You

Some good friends recently gave us a gift basket of baby items for Luke. It had a toy, a bottle, a pacifier, and a Moby Wrap carrier and receiving blanket. I was especially excited to try the carrier. I'd used other carriers before but never one like this.

It is hands down the BEST baby product I've ever owned. I absolutely love it. And Luke is so happy sitting in it. It swaddles him tightly against me and he immediately goes to sleep in it. I can very discreetly nurse in public if necessary and when he's particularly fussy, he calms right down - so I even wear it when watching TV, sleeping, and doing chores around the house. The beauty of it is that you really do have two hands free to do other things and he stays safely inside. It's made of a lightweight cotton that is very soft and breathes well - which has been wonderful in our hot climate. I really wish that I'd discovered it earlier so I could wear the girls in it. The other thing I love about it is the way that it provides support across my back - both lower and upper - and doesn't put pressure in one part of my back the way other carriers sometimes do. It's awesome!

The other thing I love about the Moby products is the receiving blanket. It's especially large and made of the same soft, breathable cotton so we'll be able to use it to wrap Luke up even after he's bigger. So many of the receiving blankets now are so small - which is fine if you have a newborn, but not so good if you have a bigger baby who still wants to be swaddled or wrapped up. This is a fabulous blanket.

And the best part? If you want to own either of these products, they're completely affordable! The carrier is only about $40, and the blanket is under $20! Such a great deal - especially when other carriers and blankets are so much more expensive and not nearly as nice.

Have a baby? Try it! Need to buy a baby gift and not sure what to give? I'd highly recommend the Moby Wrap and Blanket. They're both winners in my book!