My Boy

Ok, ok, so Lorie is tired of my rambling about hospitals and needles and all that other stuff, and she's demanded more photos. I'll give it my best shot. I'm not not not a talented photographer like my Sis, or Lorie, or Davi or my buddy Amanda who did my maternity photos...so, we'll just have to rely on the uber-cuteness of my little son, who is squirming away on my chest as I type.


A few nights ago, Mema came over to help us give Lil Major his first bath. We ended up with a clean kid, but an angry one.





Why do I have to get naked?? Don't I get any sympathy for that bandaid on my foot??




Well, this is alittle better...at least I'm covered up.


Never mind, I still don't like it...are we done yet??


Today was a little less traumatic. We just hung out in the boppy (Thanks, Aunt Agnes!)


Just chillin'


Aahhh Choo!


Thriller!

Just a few more details

As if my delivery experience wasn’t weird enough (at least for me), there are a few things that seemed to make it even more unique. Here’s my short list:

At one point, in my delusional state I’m sure, I counted how many tubes, hoses, and cords were attached to and coming out of my body. There were 12! Yes, 12. IV’s (yes, more than one), monitors for me and the baby, leg compressor things (something about circulation), catheter (oh fun), all kinds of crazy things. Every time I wanted to turn over or change position, I had to get the nurse to help me so I wouldn’t disconnect something.

The epidural was HEAVEN! I wish I would have talked the doctor into giving it to me even sooner, but once it was in and took effect – oh boy, life was good again. And the epidural is the only thing that got The Colonel a little queasy. He saw the needle as the doctor took it out of my back, and he almost hit the floor. He did GREAT during the entire c-section though. I’m so proud of him – not much will probably phase him now after going through labor with me.

Every single nurse and doctor that we had in the hospital was AMAZING. They were friendly and helpful and reassuring. They chatted with my family and commented about what a great support system I had. As much as I was ready to get out of the hospital, I was sad to say goodbye to them.

In total, I was in the hospital for 5 ½ days. That’s a long time. But, the first 2 days were the worst because I didn’t know what was going to happen or what to expect.

I may have been quoted as saying, “This is going to be an only child.” I might feel differently now – not that I’ve forgotten all the scary and crazy things, but if I could schedule a c-section for the next one, and feel pretty confident that I at least have a good chance of NOT getting preeclampsia again, then I might do it again.

Lil Major was born during the Final 4 basketball game that KU ended up winning. And we joked all day Saturday that he had to be born by 7pm so we could all watch the game. We’re KU fans, and almost all of the doctor’s at the hospital most likely went to KU. As it turned out, we were wheeled into the surgery room in the middle of the first half of the game. As we waited for my doctor to show up to start the surgery, we talked about the game. And the first question that was asked as the doc walked into the room? What’s the score?? We got back to my room to see the last 2 minutes of the game and to cheer KU on to victory. We were still in the hospital for the championship game on Monday night...and again, KU won! What a fun story to tell Lil Major when he gets older! Too bad the same can’t be said for the Chiefs v. Colts game that the Chiefs lost just seconds before my nephew was born last fall.

I mentioned a car seat test a couple posts back...apparently, since Lil Major was born pre-term (just 2 days shy of 37 weeks), the hospital mandates a car seat trial where they strap him into a car seat for 2 hours, attach some monitors to him and see how he handles being in a car seat. They’re checking to make sure he keeps breathing and his heart keeps beating. I guess some babies that are very small have a hard time in the regular infant car seats. So, if the babies fail the test, they have to ride in a car seat where they can lay down until they’re big enough for the regular car seat. Lil Major passed with flying colors though!

When we left the hospital on Tuesday, we expected a hospital employee to make sure we had a safe car seat installed in the car. They didn’t. And when The Colonel asked about it, they said they didn’t do it – we could just whatever we wanted. Weird!

Everyone was right

I would not be surprised if every one of my friends who became a mom before me came to me and said, “I told you so!” All of those things that I could not understand about pregnancy, labor, becoming a mom, holding your newborn – I now completely understand.

Friends told me that by the end, any fears of labor and delivery were replaced with the feeling of just being done…and ready for that kid to be out. Well, I only made it to 36 weeks and a few days, but I was READY for Lil Major to get here. Especially after sitting in the hospital for 2+ days just waiting for something to happen.

They also told me that ALL modesty went out the window in the labor room. I thought, there’s NO way I’ll feel like that. Yeah, right. By the end, I didn’t care who was in the room as they checked me, or adjusted my catheter, or grabbed my boob to help me nurse. Yeah, the first few hours were a little weird, but after that? What’s the difference anyway? I was uncomfortable, drugged, in pain at times, frustrated, I looked like crap (there are pictures to prove that, but I WILL NOT be posting them here), and I was ready to do whatever I had to to just be able to finally see that little babe.

And when that little guy made his appearance, and I was finally able to hold him and change him and love on him? My heart was full. How can you INSTANTLY love someone? So much? I don’t know, but I did. And I could sit for hours and look at his sweet face, and watch his expressions change and hold his little hand, and kiss all over his body (that is still covered in fur since he came so early). And it hurts to hear him cry and not be able to instantly console him, or to watch him squirm in pain as they poke his little foot for the umpteenth time...and I’ve only known him a week! I didn’t get as emotional as I thought I would when he first came out, but then again, I couldn’t feel anything in my body, I was exhausted, flat on my back, and couldn’t hold him for an hour or so still…but those emotions came on full force, and they are still there.

He’s amazing! And I’m so grateful that he’s here, safe and sound...perfect in my eyes, loved by so many, and truly, a child of God.

My Little Glow Worm

I have a few more details to tell you about the dramatic arrival of Little Major, but something else has come up that I want to share first.

My son is a Glow Worm.

He glows with a bluish/green hue. And he's still so stinkin' cute!

We had our first appointment with his pediatrician yesterday (and how weird was it to hear them call out for Little Major - The Colonel and I looked around, realized they wanted us, and had to scramble to get up and go). His doctor has gotten rave reviews around town, and she's also very nice. She looked over the squirt, and was concerned about his bilirubin levels (jaundice), so she ordered a blood test to check his counts. Now, the kid had already had this test done twice at the hospital - once when I was in the shower and once when they took him for his car seat test (more about that later), so I had never seen it done. It's HORRIBLE!! They stick his little heel and then SQUEEZE blood out until it fills a tube. The boy was screaming his head off, and the nurse had blood all over her - I felt like screaming, you're wasting it, get it in the tube!! At some point, Lil Major gave up his fight and just went comatose in my arms - poor guy. It took forever, but they finally got enough and let us take the pipsqueak home for a long nap.

We got the call last night that his levels are high enough that they want him to undergo phototherapy. I thought that would mean a trip back to the hospital, but no, this nice man brought us a bili-light/blanket that will allow us to give him the treatment at home. I was scared at first, my mom told stories of me going through jaundice treatment as an infant, with cotton patches over my eyes, lying naked under a lamp. But, this isn't like that. We wrap Lil Major in a lighted blanket and then cover him up with his blankets. He's done very well! And his mama only cried a little bit the first time I had to put him in it - Daddy had to come help out.

We go back to the doctor in a few hours to check again (does that mean ANOTHER heel stick??), and I'm praying that his levels have gone down. He's sleeping pretty well, and the fan from the machine may actually help soothe him.

Here's a picture of my glow worm - he's wrapped up pretty well so it's hard to see the light, but the hose comes out on the right side of the photo.

I'm home, finally -- and oh yeah, I'm a mom!

The Colonel, Lil Major and I made it home this afternoon. We were chomping at the bit this morning to get out of the hospital, and we were on the road by 11:30am.

Both Lil Major and I had to get checked out by multiple doctors, with promises of follow-up visits over the next week.

I'm SO exhausted. The little pipsqueak didn't sleep a wink last night, and so neither did we. My eyes are closing and my head is nodding as I type this. I promise more updates in the next day or so.

Thanks so much to my sis, Jana, for updating you with my crazy life over the last week. She did an amazing job!

Here are a few photos as my attempt to appease you for a bit.

Our Little Major makes his debut...




Look at all that curly hair! Just like his daddy (used) to have.




Wearing the shirt Aunt Jana made for him:




Our little family:

HE'S HERE!!!!!!!!!!

FINALLY!!!!

Lil' Major has arrived!!!!

Born at 9:08pm (CST), he was 6 lbs. 7 oz. and 19 1/2 inches long!! So far everything looks good and he's perfectly healthy! As far as we know, he won't even have to stay any extra time in the hospital! Sally, of course, will have to stay an extra day or so due to the c-section for recovery but everything seems to be good, otherwise!

I'll let her do the rest of the updates and post pics when she gets a chance (unless, of course, she instructs me otherwise). ;)

Thank you SO much for all of your prayers and words of encouragement!

Already taking after his mother . . .

Looks like we have a stubborn one on our hands . . . hopefully, soon to be IN our hands! Sally has stalled out at 8 cm. Her uterus is just not contracting the way it needs to to push this baby even close to out and he's under such stress that they've decided to do a c-section.

I just got the call from my mom. Sis is relieved. She's exhausted and didn't think that, by this point, she'd have the energy to push the way she would need to, anyway. Within the next 1/2 hour (it's currently 8:30pm CST) they'll be taking her in to prep for the surgery. Doctors say from that point it should be about an hour and a half or so for the surgery, clean-up, assessment of baby, etc.

MAN, it feels like this day is never ending!! And Sally's situation is ever-changing!!

Keep praying!

The waiting game . . .

About 12:45pm CST Sally got her wish . . . the magical epidural! If you've never had a baby then you can't possibly understand just how incredible this miracle drug truly is!! From what she (and my mom) said, Sally went from a comatose state to a lively, what?-i'm-in-labor-this-ain't-so-bad state! She is now (at 4:30pm CST) 7 1/2 cm dilated and sleeping (finally)!! When I spoke with her an hour ago she seemed to be much more relaxed and much less anxious about the whole pushing-a-baby-out-of-me thing. :) She even assured me that she wasn't nearly as scared as she had been and thinks she just might be able to do this thing!

My mom asked that you just keep praying for a healthy and safe delivery for both Lil Major and Sally.

Until next time . . .
J

Major changes!

Sally sat on her hospital bed, fixing her make-up and preparing to be discharged . . finally! After all, it had been over 30 hrs. since she'd been admitted into an out-patient room for a few simple tests, and she was told that as soon as her urine tests came back she'd be released!

Then the phone rang. She answered it to find her OB on the other end of the line.

Has your doctor there at the hospital been in to talk to you yet?

Um . . . no, Sally said hesitantly.

Oh. Well, we got your urine tests back . . . your doctor should be in there soon to talk to you about them.

WHAT?! What does that mean?!!!Not long after, the doctor entered the room and explained that, in fact, they did have the results from the urine test . . . and it wasn't looking good. They found protein in it, evidence of preeclampsia, which only meant one thing. Sally would not be going home today.

------

That's right. My sister is still in the hospital . . this time, for good. They have ordered her to be moved into a birthing room where she will be given two types of hormones, in addition to Magnesium, to help induce labor. Lil Major is on his way!!! Depending on how quickly/slowly her labor progresses, at some point she will also be given pitocin. Sally's a little freaked out by how quickly everything has changed and is very nervous (and scared!) about what's about to happen. Please continue to keep her, Lil Major, and my family in your prayers during the next few days.

- Pray for labor and delivery
- Pray for Lil Major - that he would be born healthy and well
- Pray for Sally's health, BP, and anxiety levels
- Pray for The Colonel - he's a little freaked out, too, not fully understanding all that is going on

Right now our entire family (except me, of course) is in town (brother included) to be with her and support her - Praise God! Not sure when D and I will make it out there due to finances but we're hoping to meet this little guys SOON!!! Thanks for your prayers for my sis and our family.

For now,
Jana

Quick Update

Hello, again (yes, it's still Jana). Quick updates to last night's post . . .

1) I was wrong - they did NOT give her magnesium last night. The nurses set her up on an IV for it, but Sally was concerned about the side effects and asked a bunch of questions . . . long story short, it was never administered.

2) She's still in the hospital as of now (10:30am CST). They're still monitoring her BP - it's gone down, but is still pretty high at 148/90. They still have not gotten the original test results that they were waiting on yesterday. The dr. says that after a few more BP tests and some more BP medication (she's been on low doses since yesterday) she may be able to let her go w/o Sally having to finish the 24 hr. urine monitoring/testing that she started yesterday.

3) The doctor is very reluctant to go ahead and induce now for fear that Lil Major would have to remain in the hospital for at least a week or so. Therefore, if all goes according to planned, she will let Sally go home and do whatever they can to maintain the pregnancy until the 39th week, at which case they WILL induce. As of now, she will not let her go beyond week 39.

All that to say, hopefully my sister will be back home by this afternoon and will be able get on here herself to keep you all posted! :)

Update on Lil Major

Hey, all! This is Jana checking in, on behalf of my sis. I just got off the phone w/ her and, because she's stuck in a hospital room w/ no access to the internet, she asked me to come on here and update everyone on what's going on.

First off, my parents made it safely into town yesterday afternoon! Thanks for any and all prayers that went out for them.

My mom and Sally went to her dr. appt. this morning for her blood pressure check, with hopes that it had dropped after everything that happened on Tuesday. No such luck - it was 164/98. So, they sent her to the hospital for more tests and observation. She arrived at the hospital about 10am and, at some point, when they took her BP it was back to normal - YAY!! But, her doctor ordered an ultrasound and pelvic exam so they couldn't be discharged until they got the results back. So they waited . . . and waited . . . and waited. About SIX HOURS LATER they came back in to let Sally know that they still didn't have the results, and they refused to let her go home until they had them back. By this time, as you can expect, she was tired of being at the hospital and agitated w/ the nurses. Finally, they came back in to discharge her but decided to first check her BP again (b/c that's what you should do after you've made a pregnant woman wait for hours, letting her anxiety build!). . . this time, it was 178/108!!! The absolute highest it had been! :( Just when she thought she'd be heading home for the night (or to the huge consignment sale she'd been dying to go to all day!), they informed her that she was going to be staying overnight.

They have since given her Magnesium to help w/ the blood pressure and to prevent seizures and, at this point, we have no idea what they'll decide come morning. I think The Colonel is going to head to the hospital tonight to stay w/ her, but don't quote me on that. Someone will be there with her.

Also, FYI, Sally's screen is broken on her cell phone, so she can't see her phone book to make any calls. Which means, unless she knows your # by heart (which, she's assured me is probably not likely), don't be hurt if you're expecting a call and it doesn't come.

Hopefully she'll be back home tomorrow to update you all herself . . . if not, I'll do my best! Thank you for all who are praying for her and my little nephew.

Oh yeah, and at this point, she has dilated to 1cm and is 50% effaced.

Jana

2nd verse, just like the first

Needles, urine, heart monitor, ugly hospital gown -- that is what my day consisted of.

Yesterday was my weekly doctor's appointment. I met with my regular doctor's partner, just so I would know her in case my doc is unavailable when I go into labor. Which is why it caused some concern and confusion when my blood pressure was again elevated -- higher than it's been yet. The doc decided that I should go back this morning for another BP check. We were all hoping that it would have come down by this morning...

but, no, it was even higher! Which meant I was sent right back to the hospital. This time with the very real fear that I might not leave the hospital before I had a baby, since I'm so close to my due date.

I went through all the same test that I did the last time I was there. And the results all came back the same - NORMAL. My BP came down a little while I was there, but it was still higher than we were comfortable with. So, I was sent home with my super-fun 24 hour urine test to complete and orders to go back to my doctor for another BP test on Thursday morning. Whew...no baby yet!

I know this kid could show up any time now, and my doctor could decide to MAKE him show up at any time -- but I still have a bunch of stuff to do! Shopping to do, showers to go to, pedicures and hair cuts to get...but, we'll see. And we'll do whatever we have to in order to keep me and Lil Major healthy and safe.

To complicate this a little more -- here's the latest on my parents arrival in Wichita. They were scheduled to pull out of Bako with all their stuff on Sunday morning, which would have put them at our house this evening. But, their plans didn't go according to schedule either. They left a day late, with an additional truck and trailer to fit all their stuff! So, they should FINALLY arrive tomorrow sometime. Their trip is going well so far, and we're so thankful that my brother is there to help them, especially since they have an additional vehicle to drive now. Anyway, mom gave me strict orders to NOT have the baby before tomorrow night. Ok, mom, whatever you say! =) Luckily, it looks like she'll get her wish.

This isn't what I was expecting, but does it ever work that way? We are so excited to meet Lil Major, but we're also a little nervous about all of these surprises.

Person of the Week

This isn't a new video, but it totally applies today. It's about a group of people who go to the DFW airport every day to welcome back our troops from the middle east. We can't all trek down to the airport every day, but we can show our support of the troops in many ways...I hope this inspires all of us to be thankful for all that we have.

Old Fogies

I’ve been bugging The Colonel to take me on a date for several weeks. And it wasn’t completely his fault that we hadn’t done it yet. We would get busy doing things at home, or one of us would be tired or grouchy, or something else would get in the way. But, on Saturday, we said we were finally going to go out on a date.

I’m a cheap date, though. We were going to use our gift card to PF Changs and our free movie passes to see Vantage Point. So, both of us had other things going on earlier in the day – he went golfing, and I met a new friend to talk about my dream job (recruiting kids into engineering). But, we had reservations for 6pm at PF Changs.

As usual, The Colonel walked in the door from the golf course STARVING, and he insisted that we leave for dinner early (evidence #1 that we are old fogies – we left for the restaurant at 5pm). It’s almost a 30 minute drive across town to the restaurant, but we were still early for our reservation so we had to wait about 15 minutes. A very nice man gave up his seat so my very pregnant belly could sit down.

I should mention that “bunny food,” as The Colonel calls restaurants like PF Changs, is not his favorite. Of course, he didn’t really know what he was talking about since it was his first experience there. But, he went for me – and because we had a gift card. We ordered way more food than we could eat, The Colonel liked almost all of it, and we left with our doggie bags within an hour.

Now what? The movie didn’t start for 2 ½ hours! We headed down to the mall so The Colonel could look for some new work pants, and so I could go to the bathroom (for the 3rd time since we’d left the house). After we took care of everything at the mall, we STILL had an hour and a half until the movie started. We thought about walking around the mall some more, but I had to pee again, and my feet were hurting...

So, what did we do?? We went home and forgot about the movie theater (evidence #2 that we are old fogies). We did, however, watch Spiderman 3 on On Demand when we got home, so we still saw a movie – but I was in my jammies curled up on the couch in a blanket.

Our movie passes are good until the end of the year, and we will be dying to see the new Indiana Jones movie this summer, so maybe we can use it then. Can we take a newborn to the theater with us??

At least it’s Friday

I just got back from the bathroom...seems like that’s all I do these days. And it certainly doesn’t help that I have to walk 269 steps in EACH direction to get to the bathroom, where I tinkle out my half cup of pee that made my bladder feel like it was going to explode.

I’m a little bit of a math nerd, so let’s see how far I actually have to walk...I measured my stride, and it’s about 20”, so one round trip to the bathroom is about 900’ or 0.17 miles. If I go to the bathroom 4 times a day (which I should probably make the trek more times, but c’mon...it’s .17 miles away!), then I walk 0.7 miles every day, just going to pee!

Ok, ok, it’s exercise, but that’s not the point. The point is that Lil Major is pushing down on my bladder with every step that I take, and it’s pure torture to walk those 269 steps to get my temporary relief (yes, I did really count the steps!).

At least when I have to get up every hour throughout the night, the bathroom is only about 20’ away. Of course, rolling onto my side, pushing myself up, and standing up to the music of my creaking joints and aching hips and back is pretty pitiful, too. As nervous as I am about labor and delivery, I’m starting to understand why people just want the baby to be out.

On another note, I had a jaw dropping experience this morning. Remember how I was going to fill up with gas earlier this week when it was only $2.98? And then I waited til the next morning, but it had jumped up to $3.08? Well, I decided to wait until I really needed it. And then my gas light came on last night. And when I passed the gas station last night, exhausted and hungry, I decided to wait until this morning when the price would have probably dropped another penny (getting me closer to the $2.98 I lost out on). Imagine my surprise (and my jaw hitting the steering wheel) this morning as I drove by the gas station, and the price had jumped up 20 cents OVERNIGHT! Today it’s $3.24!! And I actually really need gas this time! Of course, I’m stubborn, and I was pissed, so I passed right on by and drove to work with my gas light still on. Tomorrow it will probably be $3.34...that will show me! Grrr.

And just to add to this week...I’ve been on a total sugar kick this week. I can’t get out of it. I’ve eaten leftover Easter candy, Dark Chocolate Peanut M&Ms (Naner – I blame YOU for this one!), Twix bars, rice krispy treats, ice cream...whatever I can get my hands on. My teeth feel like crap, and I’m petrified about getting on the doctor’s scale on Monday. BUT, one good thing is that I’ve been focusing on my upper body in my aerobics classes this week, since I can’t keep up with the cardio anymore, and I’m seeing a slight difference in my upper arms. Yay!! Either that, or the rest of me is getting so big that my arms look smaller now. I’ll take it either way at this point.

I’m SO glad it’s Friday. I’m meeting a new friend for lunch tomorrow. She has my DREAM job at our local university – recruiting students into the engineering program. I will be picking her brain, volunteering to help, and praying that it may someday lead to a part time job that will allow me to get out of corporate America for good – or at least for a long while. We’ll see. Have a great weekend!

Best Diversion EVER

As I'm winding down at work (so what if I still have 4+ weeks, it's time to start winding down), I have found the BEST diversion (ok, excuse for NOT working, whatever) to occupy my time.

DraMa pointed me over to this website, and I love it! It's hilarious, and I've only had time to watch a couple of the videos, but I will keep going back to it. Check it out:

In the Motherhood

Edumacation (as Ginny would call it)

I recently started reading a new-to-me blog by Meshellyn. She's a mom and a labor and delivery nurse, as well as a childbirth educator, not to mention a fun fellow blogger. Anyway, I asked her to give me a little info/advice about childbirth since we opted NOT to take the classes offered. She jumped right on my challenge...and now that my heart rate has returned to normal a bit, I thought I'd share with all of you....so your heart can race like mine.

Well, most of you have already been through it, but I have a lot of preggers friends right now - and several, like me, are pregnant with their first...so girls, here ya go! A very honest, "uncandid" as Meshellyn calls it, look into childbirth.

Check out her post here.

Nursery Updates

Lil Major's nursery is taking shape. It looks like a kid could live in there! In my house! It's so weird! The Colonel even cleaned out the closet, so all the cute baby outfits and blankets will fit...I guess that means we'll soon have a baby, huh?

We still don't have the crib mattress or some of the decorative things I want (window coverings, crib bumper, a lamp), but Mom will be here soon, and I'll put her to work. =)

Here are some pictures...






When the guys came to deliver the furniture, they were WAY impressed with our theme. I was kinda proud. I guess they're used to seeing all the pastel colors and teddy bears - which is totally cute - but our nursery is quite different. They just stood there for a few seconds, looking around at all the craziness. The Colonel was pretty proud, too.

Randomness

There's a lot going on right now, and I need to find a way to get motivated. A baby arriving in 5 weeks doesn't seem to be doing it for me -- so I don't know what will. Here's a quick rundown of what's happening in my world:


* Mom and Dad will arrive, for good, one week from today (woo hoo!)

* My brother will be flying out tomorrow to help them finish packing, load the truck and drive to Oz.

* Our baby furniture FINALLY showed up last week, and it's all set up in the nursery (now we just need a mattress and the crib bumper and window coverings).

* We only have 5 more weeks until my due date...wow!

* I was going to fill up with gas last night (I have half a tank left) because it was only $2.98/gallon, but the gas station was on the left side of the road (does anyone else only stop when it's on the right??), so I thought I'd wait til the morning...and gas jumped up to $3.08. What the heck is going on??? Why does it only go down a penny at a time, but it jumps up 10 cents overnight??

Full Circle

I shouldn't be surprised. It was about time. But, I was hoping that this time would be different.

Brother has fallen off the wagon AGAIN. You can read about his history here. It's been a vicious cycle for years. He had been sober since October this time, I think. They may have been the longest amount of time in a LONG time.

SIL just called me, crying, from her car in the parking lot of their complex. They're in a blizzard, she was sent home from work early, and she found my brother in the same state he's been in for the last 4 days - drunk on their living room floor. Brother got laid off his job at the beginning of the year, and we were nervous that the lack of work would cause a relapse, but he did pretty well for a while. Then he started working again. I hadn't talked to him much in the last few months, but the last time we talked he was doing great. Then he got laid off AGAIN. And now he's drinking.

He can't afford to drink, but does that stop him? NO. He claims he loves his wife (when he's sober), but does that stop him from being mean and cruel and calling her names when he's drinking? NO. Does he know he has a problem? YES - when he's sober, he admits that.

SIL is again at her wits end - who can blame her? But, her family is fed up (who wouldn't be) and are unwilling to help her unless she leaves him for good. The rest of us are far away and don't know what to do. My dad keeps giving her the same advice he's given her for years - get away, don't enable him, don't be responsible for HIS actions. But, she loves him, and she doesn't want to see him hurt someone else, let alone himself (at least more than he already is).

Brother needs to be admitted somewhere. Or he needs some kind of intervention. But how??

I hate unresolved issues, and this has been one for a very long time. I pray that God shows us what to do. I pray that my brother finds a way to help himself. But, it's out of my hands. No one can help my brother but himself - he has to want it, he has to commit to getting help and to following through. He's almost 31 years old, and I worry about how much longer he can live like this.

I've asked for prayers before, and I'm asking again. And even though I've been praying for safety and resolution for my brother for years, I don't think that God has been ignoring me. He has a plan, we just don't know what it is yet.

The antichrist?

I try to very rarely discuss controversial topics here - mainly politics. Not because I don't care, on the contrary -- I care so much that I can't calmly debate with people whose views are different than mine...yes, that's a character flaw.

This presidential election has me worried. I don't care for ANY of the potential candidates, and I'm not looking forward to choosing the least offensive. I will still vote, though, no matter what...even though my vote rarely counts in this country. I thought that would change when we moved to middle America, but look at our governor!! I digress...

Obama (or as I refer to him, potentially the antichrist) gave a speech the other day to address the race issue that has been brought up in this campaign. There is NO question that racism is alive in our country, and it shouldn't be an issue anymore...but, it is. In an effort to learn more about this scary person, I read his entire speech -- and I agreed with a lot of it.

He describes some reasons why discrimination and racism still exist in our country -- stereotypes that shouldn't have been allowed to take root have become truths, people have done things to make the stereotypes true. Some people feel that they've been treated differently over the years and they now deserve concessions because of that. Others feel they have worked hard all their lives and deserve the successes they've worked for. These feelings are felt by two different groups and it causes tension between them. Obama blames this on "a corporate culture rife with inside dealing, questionable accounting practices, and short-term greed; a Washington dominated by lobbyists and special interests; economic policies that favor the few over the many".

There's no doubt that some corporations operate unethically, but to blame the race issue in the U.S. on corporate America?? Come on! This just leads into his view that America should provide health care for everyone - even those who don't work to pay for it - by choice - and those who are here illegally. I do my part to help those less fortunate that me, but it's my decision and choice to do that. I have worked hard to become educated, find work, and support myself - to be responsible for MYSELF and my family. It irks me that because I've taken responsibility, I should be expected to pay for others and carry their responsibility as well.

Ok, I started out saying I agreed with his speech, and then I went off. I'll rephrase -- I agree that the race issue in our country is real and that not much is being done to correct it.

There are still racists living in all parts of the country. But, I don't think that Obama's speech, or himself in the White House, will be able to correct it. He has intensified the anger lately, so has his opponent Billary, and giving health care to all and putting a black man in the White House - simply because he is black, WILL NOT correct the problem either. Maybe his speech will cause others to think about things a little differently, and that won't be bad, but I don't expect some great change in our country to come about because of it.

There is one part of his speech that made me see red...and it was buried towards the end, after he had supposedly pumped people up with his "emotional and motivating" words (that's in quotes because I don't buy it). This one section of his speech is quite enough for me to NEVER vote for him (not that I would have anyway), but it really scares me about what he may do if he is elected. Here's the excerpt:

"This time we want to talk about the men and women of every color and creed who serve together, and fight together, and bleed together under the same proud flag. We want to talk about how to bring them home from a war that never should’ve been authorized and never should’ve been waged, and we want to talk about how we’ll show our patriotism by caring for them, and their families, and giving them the benefits they have earned."

That part in bold is what I'm talking about. Can you imagine if we had sat back after September 11, 2001, and done nothing?? Can you imagine if a Clinton had been in command of our country when that happened, and we had DONE NOTHING? Do you really think we would all be sitting at our laptops happily reading and posting blogs if we had ignored the attack on our soil?? I don't think so! Our lives would be nothing like what they are now.

I'm tired of being at war, I'm tired of reading about young men dying, I'm tired of hearing that civilians are caught in crossfire -- BUT, this is absolutely what we have to do to protect our freedoms and the beliefs that this country was built on. It's gone on much longer than anyone wants to see, we've lost way more lives than we anticipated, it's cost us more money than we're comfortable with...but does that mean that we just stop?? If we stop, we give up. If we stop, we're inviting further attacks on our soil. If we elect a president who believes that all of our efforts have been in vain, then all those lives lost were lost in vain, as well.

Oh, and we ALREADY show our patriotism by taking care of our military personnel when they come home. We take care of the families while they're gone, we are so appreciative of the sacrifices that families and soldiers are making for us. There's always room to do more, but Obama implies that none of this takes place right now.

Whew. I must stop now, before my blood pressure goes up anymore. Obama scares the crap out of me, Billary - same thing, McCain? not my first choice, but what other choice do I have?

I just hope I don't have to move to New Zealand at the end of the year to escape the wrath.

As my hubby says, "Hold your nose and vote for McCain, or suffer 4 years of Billary's reign."

How fast are you?

I knew I typed fast, but dang...

85 words

Speed test

Old Friends

A lot of my time in CA last week was spent making the rounds to see old friends. And I saw a lot of people, but I missed a lot of people, too.

For some reason, I felt like it was really important to pack as much in as I could on this trip. I guess part of it is because Mom and Dad are moving out here shortly. That doesn't mean that I won't still go to back to Bako to see people, but my trips may be planned differently from now on. Instead of just heading out to crash at Mom and Dad's for a few days, and then visiting friends, my trips will probably have more of a purpose now.

So, Sis and I took advantage of our time in Bako. She got to stay a few more days than I did, and I know she packed them full of visits...oh yeah, and with getting 3 cavities fille - bet that wasn't so fun.

On Saturday morning, my oldest friend came down to see us from Fresno. She is 6 weeks older than me, and our parents have been friends forEVER! Her sister is the same age as my brother, and then the youngest in our families - my sis and her bro - are a couple years apart.



Growing up, we spent a lot of time with them. Our moms took all 6 of us kids in a VW Bus on a cross country trip one summer (I don't think I could do it!). We went camping with them, and our parents would leave all 6 of us with ONE babysitter while they went out together.

Once we were old enough to be on our own, we'd stay home while they went out. Libbie was the oldest, so she was in charge...but that might not have been the best choice. =) There was the time that the power went out in a big storm, and Libbie tried to find candles to light, but she broke a glass and scared the rest of us to death. And there was the time when we heated up the mercury thermometer with the space heater until it exploded - boy, did we get in trouble for that one! And her dad, a former Marine, would make us march around the house singing the Marine Corps anthem.

And let's not forget about the time that she tried to evangelize the jehovah witnesses on the front porch while our parents were gone somewhere, or the time we convinced her (I don't actually remember this) to wake up my uncle from his nap and he took a swing at her in his unconscious state, or the time we locked the babysitter out of the house, or the many many many times one of us kids would hide in the car of the other family to see how far away we could get when they drove off before anyone realized there was a stowaway.

Wow! I could keep going, but that's a pretty good picture of my crazy friend. Actually, we all tended to get a little crazy when we were together and that was the fun part. We were so close to her family that we called her parents Aunt and Uncle, and we still do. We keep in touch via email and newsletters, and the much too infrequent visit. Her family is spread out all over the country like mine is, so we'll have to work on getting a reunion planned soon.



I also went to visit some good friends who we met through work. When The Colonel and I started dating, he was good friends with Stevie. Stevie ended up being one of our groomsmen, and The Colonel was one of his 6 months later. I went to the same university as Stevie and his wife, but we didn't know each other then. As The Colonel and I got to know each other better, we went on several trips with our friends. And Stevie was the first person at work to know that we were engaged.

They are good friends of ours, and we miss hanging out with them now. BUT, if we were still in Bako, there might not be as much time to hang with them anyway, because...they have triplets now! The kids are 16 months old and as cute as can be. They are so loving - they all ran to give Mom and I hugs when we got to the house to visit them. They are very active, and I think their mom and dad need a little break. =) I promised to bring The Colonel back with me next time so that he can play with them until they use up all that energy.



The guest room is all ready for whenever anyone wants to pop over for a visit! Come and see us!

Celebrating Lil Major

If you've been reading my blog for any amount of time, you've read about the Buddies. They are my lifelong, special-to-my-heart friends from my high school youth group days. They are amazing women! They are friends, sisters, daughters, moms, aunts...and my life would be missing something HUGE without them.

I miss them terribly now that I'm in KS, but thanks to blogging, cell phones, and emails, I can still feel close to them. And I make it a priority to see as many of them as possible as often as possible...and the arrival of Lil Major will not change that priority (it might affect the frequency of my visits though).

These wonderful girls threw me the most amazing shower last week while I was in CA. I should also mention that they are very creative girls also. The decorations were awesome, the food was SO yummy, and I was so excited to spend time with the Buddies as well as many other close friends and family.




We also took the chance to snap a picture of 4 new baby boys -- all born between September and December last year to dear friends and family. Aren't they adorable??



Friends and family came from near and far. My friend Jillian drove up from Pasadena, and my SIL and niece and nephew drove from even further (I hadn't seen the kids in almost 2 years!!).

Aunt Sally and the kids (they will be 10 and 11 this year! I can't believe it)



Aunt Jana - don't do that to me!


SIL and the kiddos


Just girls...


Mema and Papa and their brood...I thought about sticking my belly in the shot, but this looks better!


The Colonel, Lil Major and I were totally blessed by everyone's generosity. We got some incredible things for this little guy, and he is definitely going to be stylin'!

The completely necessary boppy, given to us by Agnes...and thanks to Jayme for carrying it home on the plane!


Marge made this awesome and super-soft blanket. It's satin on the back, and quilted on the front - so cool!


Sis made me a great taggie, and she had this little onesie made also - this may be his going home outfit!


Paulette made some onesies, too...she dyed them at added some of Lil Major's favorite things. Here's the G.I. Joe one. We also got one with a hummer and one with the KC Chiefs logo.


A good friend from my Frito Lay days made this quilt. It's got camo and USMC logos on it. And I love love love it!


I also got a hand made diaper bag (complete with green courderoy and camo fabric, and a little pouch for diapers and wipes that says Lil Major on it) from Natty. I'll have to take a picture of it, the one we got didn't turn out so well.

And the kid now has toys and books and shoes (lots of camo!) and jammies and clothes, and I feel so blessed! Thank you EVERYONE for such a great time. The time spent with you was the best part, but the gifts you gave will make Lil Major happy, and remind me of your love and friendship!

Valley Girls

When we were finally able to tear Jayme away from the beach (I don't blame her, it was amazing, and I could have stayed there for a long time!), we started our trek up to Bakersfield. Let me just tell you that the F-350 is not the ideal vehicle for an 8 month pregnant person to ride in the backseat of. The 405 is just a tad bumpy and the shocks in the truck are just a tad, um, well, they didn't do much to stop me from feeling ALL the bumps. But, we made it to the next stop without me going into labor.

And what was that next stop?? This photo tells all...



Yum yum!! Sodium, swollen feet, high blood pressure?? Who cares...an In N Out burger and fries are calling my name.

The rest of the ride north was spent pointing out all the agriculture to Jayme - carrots, almonds, pistachios, grapes, oranges, onions. Man, I miss seeing all of that! The drive from the freeway to my parents' house isn't very pretty, and I was a little embarrassed about the first views Jayme was seeing of my hometown. Actually, she'd been there before, but it was over 7 years ago for our wedding, and it was a very quick trip for her.

Later on, we showed her some nicer parts when we headed out for dinner, where, of course, we ran into people that we knew. That's what I love about Bakersfield. Our family has lived there for so long that we almost ALWAYS run into people we know when we go out. I'm looking forward to that day here in Kansas.

The next several days are a blur. We changed plans no less than 100 times, we had to coordinate who was driving what car (we only had 2 between the 5 adults), who was going where first, what car was the carseat base in, and of course, where would we eat our next meal?? This trip was all about seeing old friends and eating at our old favorite places. Jayme and I couldn't think of a single restaurant here in Wichita that we would miss if we were to leave, but my list for Bako is LONG (Rusty's, Me & Eds, Jamba Juice, Baja Fresh, Dewar's, La Fonda, Supreme Bean, In N Out, BJ's). I didn't make it to all of them, but I did put a big dent in the list. Of course, a lot of the places on my list are in other cities, too, just not the city I live in now!

I had a GREAT time, and I was ready to come home to The Colonel and the puppies, BUT, I could have kept myself busy visiting old friends for at least another week. I feel like it was a very rushed trip, and I saw a lot of people - just not for long periods of time. And I did miss seeing a bunch of people, too...there are not enough hour in the day.

Sunday was a VERY long day for SIL and I. We were traveling for 14+ hours - we drove to LA, flew to KC, drove across KC to pick up a chair I bought, drove to SIL's house, then another 30 min drive to my house....where The Colonel helped me bring my bags in, and then I fell into bed. Whew.

There's still more to tell you...look for pictures and details about my shower coming soon...

The Left Coast

SIL and I flew into LA late last Tuesday night. The airport was a ZOO! I had to stand in the middle of the road to block traffic, so my dad would have room to pull to the curb to pick us up. It's not easy to get a Ford F-350, extended cab, long bed though LA traffic!

We made it to the hotel without further incident, and Jayme and I noshed on homemade yummy snickernoodles while we drove. By the time we got there, we were over tired, my feet were swollen like you wouldn't believe, and we just sat around. After showers and rehydration (for me), we hit the hay.

The next morning, Mom and Dad headed back to LAX to pick up Sis and Captain, and then we ate at The Local Yolk, a yummy local breakfast place. We sat and chatted for a while, but Jayme was dying to get to the beach, so off we went. We left the truck where it was and walked the three blocks to the beach.

Can you tell that Jayme was excited to have her feet in the sand??



Jayme wasn't the only one who got to put her feet in the sand of the Pacific Ocean for the first time that day -- so did Captain!





Here are Mema, Papa, and Captain on the Manhattan Beach bike path.



Someone, who was seeing the Pacific for the first time, got a little too close to the water.

34 Weeks

Wow, only 6 more weeks to go. I can't believe it!!! I never thought that 9+ months would go by so fast. I'm nervous about labor and delivery, but SOOO excited to meet my little guy. And The Colonel is anxious to meet him, too.

Here's someone else who's anxious to meet him...Captain is trying to coax him out...



I'm home safe and sound from a wonderful (but crazy busy) trip to California. I have lots to blog about, but it will have to wait a bit. To tide you over, here's a picture of me on Manhattan Beach last Wednesday...soaking up the rays.



And if you're dying to know more about my trip RIGHT NOW, head over to my SIL's blog and see what she has to say about our trip...read about it here, here, here, here, here and here (I have NO idea how she found time to blog while we were gone, and I was dragging her all over the place).

Train Update

The Colonel is forever working on his train layout, and it changes as things in our lives change or as The Colonel gets a wild hair.

Well, this time, it's turned political. And it's hilarious. And I hope it doesn't offend anyone, but if it does - sorry, this is my blog. =)

Click to enlarge...

killing time

Every vacation should come with a week to prepare and a week to recover tacked on to the end. I'm completely worthless at work today. I had a doctor's appointment this morning (which went very well, by the way), and then I wandered into work. And I went to a meeting...and that is about it.

I've mapped a bunch of places that my SIL and I may check out on our way to the airport tomorrow, cleaned out my email, monitored a couple things we have going on at work, and then I've sat here and watched the clock - wishing I was at home getting ready for our trip.

I love traveling. I love anticipating the trip, I love making my lists and packing, I love the actual travel (unless I get stuck in an airport or on a tarmac somewhere - or stuck sitting next to a stinky person), and I love the trip once I get there. I don't like unpacking when I get home, though!

This will be a fun trip, but the time will go by SO fast. There are so many things I want to do and people I want to see, and there's probably not time for it all. But, we will have a blast!

I'm not taking my laptop with me, so I don't know if I'll update while I'm gone...but you'll definitely hear from me when I get home!

TV

Everyone has certain TV shows that they have to see each week, me included. But, I'm happy to say that my list of MUST SEE shows has gotten smaller over the last few years. I'm all for a good reality show, but there aren't many good ones out there. Have you seen what MTV tries to pass off as a reality show now?? More like porn! (Am I showing my age, or what??)

Anyway, the shows that I never miss (and that my TIVO makes sure I never miss) are Brothers and Sisters, Celebrity Apprentice, ER and Lost. That's it. Just those 4.

I'll watch Extreme Home Makeover when I remember to, or I'm not busy doing something else. And I do watch a little American Idol...but only the early mass auditions. The actual show where they sing whole songs on stage bores me.

I've never gotten into Grey's or House or whatever else everyone is talking about right now. A few years ago, I watched way too many shows, so I told myself no more new shows. Of course, Brothers and Sisters is new, but whatever. It's worked pretty well for me so far. Except, don't be misled into thinking that I only watch 3 or 4 hours of TV a week. Oh no. I will sit and veg and flip channels for HOURS and watch reruns of Raymond or Friends or whatever else will help me avoid doing household chores. So, maybe it would be better if I just watched more regular shows? I don't know.

So, since I brought up my favorite shows, I need to discuss a few things. I'm so stinkin' glad that nasty-girl-Omarosa got fired this week on Apprentice. I can't stand her!! Not only is she so disgusting to look at (I'll get to that in a minute), but she is so foul and rude and unprofessional. Ok, ok, it's a reality show, but c'mon! First of all, I can't stand Donald Trump - so, now you're asking why do I watch the show, right? Well, I think the tasks are very interesting, and I love to see how they come up with their ideas and carry out the work. I dread watching the board room scenes, because they just let it go on for so long. And Trump just sits there and lets them bicker and make personal jabs. This is supposed to be business...why does he put up with it?? Oh, it's TV, I forgot. Anyway, back to nasty girl. So, she got a boob job after the last Apprentice season she was on. Whatever, I guess it did help to even out her proportions w/ that baby-got-back butt she has. That's her thing. But, why oh why did she have to dress the way she did?? Her clothes were SO unflattering. Way too short skirts and dresses (and did you see the slits in her dress from 2 weeks ago??), and the tops were way too low. But, this week took the cake - the purple dress with the 6" wide WHITE belt right below her boobs...and the white go-go boots? Gag me! And then she had this weird way of standing whenever all the candidates were waiting for Trump. Ridiculous. I could go on, but I'm not being very nice....jus had to get that out. Bottom line, I'm glad she's gone. And I'm rooting for Carol to win.

On to LOST. I LOVE this show. It's sucked me in since the pilot episode. The Colonel refuses to watch it with me, and I know some people think it's stupid, and the fact that answers are few are far between IS frustrating, but I keep going back for more. Of course, this season they've got me suckered in for 2 hours every week! The new episode will air on Thursday night...so I TIVO it and watch it w/o commercials the next day. BUT THEN, the next Thursday, they'll show the SAME episode before the new one and call it "enhanced." What that means is that at certain times during the episode, they scroll a little bit of extra info across the bottom of the screen. Well, I can't miss that! And I can't wait until the next week to watch the "enhanced" version ONLY, I have to watch it when it's new AND when the "enhanced" version comes out. So, I end up watching every episode 2 times! And that makes it 2 hours every week. Crazy!!

What will happen when Lil Major gets here?? Will I pick up more new shows for things to watch while I sit and nurse? Will I fall even more in love with my TIVO because my schedule will be all screwed up? Will I watch less TV? Who knows...but for now, I'll try to stick to my 4 shows only...so don't tell me about all the great stuff I'm missing! =)

32 Weeks

Before I got knocked flat on my butt with the flu, I planned on posting this photo of me at 32 weeks. The Colonel took it of me about 4 hours before I had to bail and head home to hibernate on the couch.

I'm Alive!

I have survived! To be honest, I wasn't sure if I would. Yesterday was pretty bad for me. I was afraid to eat anything yesterday, but I felt like I should so that Little Major wouldn't suffer. My back was killing me, I didn't get much sleep, and all I succeeded at doing was making a HUGE mess in the living room -- blankets, heating pad, chapstick, water cup, magazines, laptop -- all strewn all over the place!

I still felt pretty terrible last night, and I hadn't eaten any real food (crackers and chicken broth don't count in my book), so I crashed on the basement couch and decided to stay home again today.

I woke up this morning feeling like a new person. What a relief! I even ate a real breakfast today!

But, I know I wouldn't have recovered as quickly if I didn't have my sweet Colonel to rub my back last night or my 2 buddies to keep me company today...




And the normal ONE perk that you sometimes get out of being sick - losing weight - is not so welcome at this point in my life. I'm sure that the 1.5 pounds I lost yesterday will come back quickly to me next week as I make the rounds of my favorite California restaurants.

Nasty Bug

The nasty flu bug has found our house. Or more specifically - found ME!

I feel like crap! I came home from work mid morning yesterday, knowing that all the yuckiness was just under the surface. I wasn't hungry all day (which is really weird for me), and I lost my breakfast about dinnertime last night.

I felt a lot better after that, so I ate 3 saltine crackers...guess I wasn't ready to eat yet.

The flu feelings are starting to go away, but now my body is SO sore (from the flu? from being pregnant? from being in bed too long yesterday? who knows) that I can't get comfortable and I hardly slept last night.

So, here I am sitting on the couch, trying to get comfortable, realizing that NOTHING is on TV during the day, and comtemplating eating some dry toast.

AND, I was supposed to help at a demonstration to teach kids about engineering today, but I had to cancel. I just hope another oppotunity to get involved in that will come up soon. And I'm praying that this achiness goes away and that I'm completely healed by the weekend -- b/c I can't be sick for my big trip next week! And I really don't want The Colonel to get this nasty stuff either. And I was trying to be so careful to not get sick...

Great Weekend!

This last Friday had some similarities to the previous Friday and some differences (that were GREAT). And it helped to kick off an amazing weekend.

I had a doctor's appointment Friday afternoon, and I was praying that my blood pressure would be back down to its normal level. I didn't let myself rush to this appointment - I think that contributes to higher BP. I left work early, ran a couple errands and got to my appointment with enough time to sit and rest for a bit. And, guess what? It all paid off! My BP was back to my normal reading, and my doctor confirmed that ALL of my tests came back with great results. There is NO indication at this time that I have preeclampsia.

So, I had a doctor's appointment Friday, just like last Friday, but this time I got to leave and go home - no hospital for me this week! And shortly after I got home, the brown truck brought me a big package! Remember last week I came home to a cool package also?? This one was from my good friend Shell, and it was stuffed full of sweet baby goodies. I'm starting to get a little spoiled, and it's so much fun!



On Saturday morning, The Colonel and I headed to our breastfeeding class. And I am so proud of him for going through with it with me. There were about 10 expectant moms there, and only 3 of us had our husbands with us. I know The Colonel was a little uncomfortable, but he did it! We came home loaded down with information and empty bellies, so we hit the Taco Bell drive thru (got to keep my man happy!).

I wasn't home for very long, and it was time to head to a shower that the awesome girls in our Sunday school class had for me. We've only been going to this class for a month, and a couple weeks ago they insisted on having a shower for me. I was blown away. I didn't even know everyone's names yet! I was a little nervous about going because I didn't know them all, but we had a great time and we all got to know each other a little better. My SIL, Jayme, went with me, and oh boy - does Lil Major have it made! And I have about 10 more friends now! The girls even decorated in G.I. Joe theme.



The Colonel stayed with our nieces while Jayme and I went to the shower, so after we got the run down on the kids' afternoon activities, Jayme and the girls headed home. But, we got to see each other again about an hour later. In all our post-shower excitement, we didn't get all our belongings back into the right cars before we said goodbye. But, no big deal - Jayme, the girls and I, took advantage of it and met for dinner and ice cream. I love last minute stuff like that! And I don't get to see those kids as much as I'd like, so it was all good with me.

This morning we got up and headed to church and Sunday school - where we're starting to feel like we're part of the group now. We even got invited out to lunch after Sunday school. We met 3 other families for lunch and had fun getting to know them a little better.

The weather today hasn't been as nice as the 70 degrees we had yesterday. It's been rainy, windy and cold all day! When is spring getting here? We did venture out to the store in the rain, and that was just about the only miserable part of our weekend. Well, that and winding down to go back to work tomorrow...but, I only have 6 more days of work before I fly off into the wild blue yonder for a trip to California. Woo hoo!