One Year Ago....

One year ago....

One year ago I would have never imagined I would be in the throws of labor with my second child. God had already blessed Jerry and I with an incredibly beautiful little girl and we were amazed that He was blessing us with another!

This year has been an amazing journey! Alyssa, you came into our world with such an amazing spirit and grace, and you have taught me so much about myself and life! You are an absolute joy and a blessing to all. I am thrilled to be your mother!!!

Your daddy is currently serving in Afghanistan and is not able to be here for your 1st birthday. However, he had this message for you.... "Alyssa, I love you with all my heart and I wish I could be there to celebrate your 1st birthday! Daddy is so proud of you!!!"

Sleep and dream tonight of the amazing possibilities that lay before you....

I love you Alyssa....my sweet baby!

My Poor Neglected Blog

Hello Ol' Friend. I haven't forgotten you!

Seems these days, we are busier than ever. I am working fearlessly at completing my DONA International Birth Doula certification, caring for two very active, AWESOME, and busy kiddos, and just going with the flow of life.


I promise to update and upload pictures very soon. For now, back to the crazy ol' world!

Up To Our Eyeballs in Ickies!

What a week! First, let my preface, if you have a weak stomach...don't read on.

Ok, so our "ordeal" started Tuesday when "A" woke up at 430am with a fever and cough. She was quick to take down some Tylenol and thankfully, she returned to sleep with little fuss. As the day progressed, so did her bad attitude, general discomfort and fever. Shortly into the morning hours of Wednesday, "R" woke up with a raging fever and cough. So, I scheduled an appt with their pediatrician for the morning and worked on making everyone comfortable for the time being. Once at the Dr's, he proceeded to diagnose the girls with croup and sent us on our way.

Friday night, "A", having refused solids and nursing most of the day, proceeded to induce vomiting all over me and her bedroom floor. GROSS!! Her fever was raging at 104.8 and that was after Motrin and Tylenol just 2 hours prior. She was miserable, and rightfully so. So, we headed up to the ER (which I hate doing) but I was gravely concerned since she wasn't responding to meds, she wasn't eating and now was vomiting. We waited for nearly 2 1/2 hrs before being seen and poor "R" conked out in a waiting room chair. Thankfully, I have a "nanny" now and she came to the rescue. She took "R" home for the night....and thank goodness she did. Our ER visit lasted till 4am the following morning. "A's" diagnoses: aggressive upper respiratory infection, ear infection, and dehydration. Thank God we had a doctor that was willing to sit and listen, test, and care for "A" with compassion.

It is now Sunday, and fevers are gone. Thanks be to God! However, coughs and buggers are plentiful. Inside stock tip: buy stock in Kleenex, Motrin and Purell...we have easily consumed most families yearly supply in just 6 days.

We are terribly stir-crazy in the house. So pray, not just for physical healing, but also for sanity....whatever that is! Although, "R" and "A" have made me laugh today....including when "R" shouted, "Momma, we are up to our eyeballs in ickies and I don't think we can take it anymore!" LOL

WHOA!

WHOA! Have I ever failed this poor blog. So much has changed in the last few months, I hardly know where to begin. Here we go....

1. "J" has been gone a little over 3 months now. Some days it feels like an eternity...some days the reality that 9 more months are still ahead of us slaps me the face. Overall, I am not one to complain about it...it is what it is. God is faithful and is protecting "J" and our family. :)

2. "R" has started Junior K. WHAT?! Where did my baby go? Hard to believe that she will be 4 years old soon. AWWWW! She is doing amazingly well. We followed up with all the pediatric medical teams regarding "R" legs and the Dr's feel that this is something she will grow out of...no treatment needed! Praise GOD! "R" hit an emotional rough patch shortly after "J" left, but in true "R" form, she rallied back and is doing great. She and I try very hard to spend one on one time together everyday and I like to read to her from her "kiddie" Bible. We pray and talk about her joys, fears, and questions. It really makes a difference in her overall spirit. She is just plain AWESOME. So blessed to have her!

3. What is there to say about "A"? Plenty! She has got to be one of the funniest, sweet, entertaining kiddos to have graced the earth. She will be 10 months old this week!! Hard to believe. She is always moving, energetic, and smiling. She loves to eat, sing, dance, and play with "R". She is a bit of a home body, still loves to nurse, and hates having her face wiped. She is cruising all over the place and occasionally will stand independently and try to take a step or two....I am not sure she trusts herself enough yet to just go for it, but that will come with time. She is such a joy to have present in our lives. Love that silly little girl!!

4. "J" has been working hard. No really changes to his day to day activities...which I think is starting to get to him a little. Not that he (or I) are begging for crazy action, but I think he is beginning to feel the "funks" as he transitions further into the deployment. GOD is faithful though..."J" is safe and healthy! He is trying very hard to work on his History degree, but with the chaos of work, I don't think much gets done. All is time, I'm sure.

5. As for me.... I have started back to school and I am loving the transition. I spent the early part of my "college-aged life" searching for my purpose within the medical community. Something in me changed recently, and I am not sure the "medical" aspect needs to be present. I am happy to announce that I am stepping out of the clinical realm and into the emotional and spiritual realm of "medicine" if you will. I am working toward my DONA International Doula Certification!!!! YAH!!!! I recently returned from a conference/workshop this weekend and feel so empowered....and I think that is what it is all about. Empowering women to find the strength, that we are possess, to have our babies...and to feel strong, passionate, and empowered enough to stand up for ourselves and our birth plans.

Ok, coming down off my soap box now. Overall, I am well. I desperately need to focus some attention on my back yard, could probably work out a little more (oops!), and should probably not spend so much time wrapped up in reading (I have read 5 books in the last 3 months!). Oh well!

Overall, we are good....just taking it day by day. More updates to follow, I'm sure. Perhaps even some photos?!

Frustrated with "Modern Technology"

I am so frustrated with "modern technology"! First, let me say that I think we as a society have become too reliant on TVs, radio, computers, cell phones, etc. What happened to good old letter writing (I love to get letters....you feel the effort and the personal time put into it) and talking face to face with good friends and loved ones. My real frustration comes over me when I am attempting to communicate with Jerry via messenger and web cam. Either the messenger signal dies or the web cam freezes...usually on a not so flattering image of myself. Now I know that communications during war times have come leaps and bounds and I am so grateful for that....but it is still maddening! I just wish that I could have one, delay-free, static-free phone call...or one messenger/web cam session that doesn't end with my face frozen on the screen and no reply from Jerry (when that happens...it is usually a good indication that our signal is gone...end of conversation!). Any who, enough complaining about it! God is good and he will make sure Jerry knows how much we love him!

GOD BLESS AMERICAN AIRLINES (ESPECIALLY PATRICIA BOND @ DFW)!!!

Really...yesterday and today could have been better! Running 4 1/2 concourses in Minn/St Paul only to barely make the flight to Detroit, where I loaded plane #1 out of 4 to sit on the runway for 3 hrs and then get strainded in Detroit 22 hours with two kids, to return home via Dallas and sit there for 4 hrs while trying to make a connection through a different airline than what I started on...Sad part...I never made it to my destination of Columbus, Ohio. I ended up turning around and came back to Colo Springs...only to arrive to no luggage or car seats for my kids....who I then drove home with illegally. Now I am waiting on the good graces of a friend to come and sit with my kids while I go get us some dinner and a cell phone charger(cause that happens to be packed in my suitcase which is in OH)...So, note for all those traveling in the future...avoid Northwest/Delta Airlines. Americam Airlines(thank you God for nice, hard working people like Patricia Bond, AA Flight Rep in Dallas) took me "under their wing" for no charge and got me home....First Class I might add! I am exhausted, sore, and I have kankles from walking all over Detroit to catch flights that either were cancelled or departed! And why was I going to all this trouble to get to Columbus, Ohio? A wedding....my brother's wedding!And in case you are wondering how "R" and "A" did through all this....they were PERFECT! Don't get my wrong, we had our moments....but they did so remarkably well considering! I feel so blessed to be home and have my precious girls safe and comforted by their familiar surroundings. It was such a test of my character and faith to take all this on with them. While attempting to sleep last night in Detroit I desperately needed to use the restroom. "R" was asleep on a make-shift bed on the floor by our gate and "A" was racked out in her stroller....do I dare wake them or just hold off and pray to God I don't get a UTI? Well, I trusted God, knowing that He would look over my babies and I asked a complete stranger (a women, mother of three, and nurse who was also waiting to make a connection flight) to sit with my sleeping babes while I went potty. She and I chatted afterwards and I was so greatful for her! God totally put her there for me! God bless you lady at Gate 38A in Detroit...you know who you are! All of the "Angels" God put in my path over the last 36+ hours of travel....God bless you! You helped me and my kids....no words to express my true gratitude!

Memories of a Big Belly

So, I was cleaning and re-organizing our desk when I came across an old camera. I let "R" play with for about 2 months before I realized that there were old photos dating from our final days at Ft Lewis, WA. I was moved to tears to see the beautiful Puget Sound, pics of "R", "J" and I together....but most importantly, pics of my belly from my pregnancy with "A"!! Had to share of few of these....ENJOY!