Under Construction...

I am trying to change my blog design, but a section has gotten me stumped, how to put my image in the header without it repeating. It is killing me- why I am sure that there is an easy solution, looking at HTML code and all that CSS stuff is making my head hurt! So if anyone can help, please let me know- and if not- please endure the current state!

Thinking...

The last couple of days have found me feeling a little under the weather- in fact, so much so that I stayed home from school on Thursday to rest and recoup. I decided to lie on the couch and take in the news (since I never watch it any other time). The story of our economic crisis was on every channel, with experts saying very smart things in their expert fashion. And I began to feel it. You know what I mean. That heavy feeling you get when life feels as if it is weighing you down. The experts droned on with the cost of the stimulus plan and the fall of the stock market, the price we will have to pay for giving OUR money to people that can't seem to pay their mortgages. See what I mean? And then I began to think about something I found this week.

While working on some things during the week I took out a flash drive that I have not used in a while to see what goodies might be encased there. The pictures brought tears to my eyes. The very first picture was of Sophie the night before her open heart surgery. The last photo I would have of her without the large scar dissecting her chest into two parts. The surgery was a life changing event, something that had to happen. Without it she wouldn't be who she is today- but the emotion of seeing that tiny baby in that picture (because at 7 months any baby that weighs 11 pounds and 7 ounces should be considered tiny), and knowing what she went through was almost too much. The next picture was Sophie lying in the PCICU (Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit) knocked out after surgery. Her cheeks were already pink, her coloring looked remarkably better, and her beautiful hair was lying across the pillow (she has always had a lot of hair!).

Sophie before surgery

Sophie after surgery

Savannah 12 hours after birth

Savannah at the NICU at Richland Memorial Hospital- Columbia, SC

After thinking about Sophie and that picture I went to find the old school pictures that I had of Savannah. Because she was born almost ten years ago we still used the old school-real film- camera. I pulled out those albums and began to look- and couldn't help but almost cry. I am so BLESSED. There before me were pictures of Savannah at her birth. A gray baby being whisked away by a nurse, not even slowing down for family members to ooh and aah. A baby who could barely breath on her own and who, by nightfall, had been placed on a ventilator. This same baby who was transported in the darkness just before dawn on her first night with us to a hospital in another city, one where she could be given the care she might need. The ONLY procedure that Spartanburg Regional couldn't provide for at risk infants. Savannah was the child that we were told they could not provide us any hope that she would make it through the night. When we were told that her organs were beginning to shut down, my twenty-one year old self began to sob, and I couldn't look at anyone, wondering if something I had done may have caused Savannah to be so sick at birth. I often think about the miracle that are my children- their births have all been extraordinary- never mundane. And I can honestly say that God has richly blessed me. He has provided me with riches beyond what any worry the economy might cause me.

And it reminded me why I NEVER watch the news!

A Dingo kind of day....

A little background story is needed to fully understand the title....

My friend Ann has two children, both girls. Avery is in 6th grade and Reece is in 2nd grade. When Ann was pregnant with Reece she promised Avery lots of things that we all know you say when you are "with child" but really there is no guarantee- things like, "Your baby sister is going to be so much fun!", or "You are going to have someone to play with!", and even sometimes, "You are going to love her!" While each of these phrases are meant to be reassuring to the little one who is awaiting the birth of their sibling, we can never quite make sure that this is the case. This is exactly what happened with Avery. Reece was born and there were no exciting times, Reece didn't want to play with her, and in fact, all Reece wanted to do was eat, sleep, cry, and cry some more. This was not the bundle of joy that she had been promised. On a trip to see their friends in Chicago shortly after Reece's birth, their friends shared some pictures of a recent trip to Australia. Now Avery is a smart child, and at 4, she was pretty captivating when she began asking questions about the dingos. These family friends had told them the stories of the Australian wild dogs, or dingos, that would sneak into bush homes in the night and carry the babies off never to be seen again. These same friends were impressed when Avery began to ask more detailed questions, like, "Where could I find a dingo?" and "How much are they?" It wasn't until later that they understood (thanks to Ann) that she wasn't interested in the dingo- she was interested in it carrying off the creature that had come to inhabit their home- the one who wasn't anything like she had been promised. So, Ann and I like to say, when the kids are getting a little rough (or maybe just on our nerves) that it is time to "Call in the Dingos"! This was definitely what needed to be done on Sunday....

Ann and I had decided that we wanted to go to Caesar's Head State Park and go hiking, taking some of the kids with us. Now, Sophie and Abby could stay at home, Avery was on a school trip, and then Reece bailed and decided to go to a dog show that was going on in the upstate with her friend. So it ended up being myself, Ann, Savannah, Caitlin, and Devin. After about an hour and a half of hiking and a snack break, we were contemplating our next moves. Would we go back to the car (that was the adult decision- it was already almost 3 and the park closes at 5- I did not want to be stuck in that park at dark!) or continue on the Mountain Bridge Trail to the suspension bridge over the falls? Of course, the adults wanted to go on back, it would take us another hour to get back, we would be tired, the end of the hike. No, the kids wouldn't hear of it. Devin and Caitlin had never been down to the bridge, and were dying to go further down the trails. So what had started as a nice little afternoon hike with beautiful scenery became a death march. Literally. On the way down to the bridge we would ask people that we saw..."How much further?" and they would respond with "about 20 minutes". This happened on about 4 separate occasions with at least ten to twenty minutes between each meeting. Our school systems are failing people! These folks obviously didn't know how to read a watch! Ann and I were grumbling the whole way.....talking about dingos and what would happen if we could find some. When all was said and done, we had hiked about 9 miles. We entered the park at 12:50 and when we left, it was 6:10. I thought I was going to kill some kids, but I couldn't find the energy to do anything except plop my big butt in the seat of the surburban and turn my chariot towards home, letting the image of a warm bath and a comfortable couch lead the way! The pictures below are some that we got, it was gorgeous.....

By the way, if that was your Boy Scout Troop that stopped to tell us it was only "20 minutes".....I think there should be a badge taken away somewhere.....they probably thought it was humorous...giving two tired old ladies false information.....

I'm BACK!!!!

After a long hiatus ( I am sorry- I am going to go ahead with a blanket apology on this one) I am back!!! It has been so busy and I have let my blogging slack, but no more!!

The past two months have been extremely busy. So much is happening within our own family! In January, during the long weekend (weekend before the inauguration) Carmie and I decided to have some girl time and went to Atlanta for the night and went to Ikea (I know- we can't stay away from that place- you really have GOT to try it out!) and then went to the High Museum to see the display of the Terracotta Soldiers from China. On Thursday night we went out after we got there- we decided to go to the Hard Rock Cafe to have a drink or two. Having been to many Hard Rock Cafe's I assumed that this would be as fun as all the others. They are usually always hopping and the drinks are usually good. Not so much in Atlanta. Counting ourselves there was a total of 6 people in there! And the drinks were horrendous!!! They were so bad that we asked the bartender to pour them out and we would try something else- but I left with a $25 tab for two drinks that we ended up not drinking! We decided to go on the coldest days and night of the entire year so far.....we were freezing! My mom kept saying- what if something happens....it is so cold....I am not sure what that was about- but we did take blankets with us....in case of "something" happening. We were quite proud of our hotel room- we were able to stay for just 60 bucks a night at a Residence Inn just a couple of blocks from the museum and Ikea...a definite plus for us! Here is a picture of Carmie in our little "living area" of the room studying an Ikea catalog.

One of the funniest things- there was an "Adult" store right next to the hotel....and they advertised reloadable gift cards- just the perfect gift...

We have been really busy lately with getting the kids their equipment for spring sports. This year we are going to have five children playing spring ball. We are getting to register Sophie for ragball (not really sure what it is...but in the baseball and softball category) and I am excited to see her play! I have no idea how we are going to pull off five kids, practices and games....I will be trying to make it through May from this point on!

Last weekend the girls and I went hiking with some friends, Ann and her two girls, Avery and Reece. I got to take some adorable pictures. Please excuse the fact that I haven't really been able to tweak them- I am on a computer that doesn't have my picture software on it. I was really proud of all the children- we completed a 6 mile hike! Even Sophie! Sophie did have to be carried about the last mile, but they all did wonderfully!

I promise, cross my heart and all, that I won't take a break without telling you next time. =)