Praising the Lord!

A lot of times when something bad has happened I have a tendency to kind of spiral out of control and just get into a dark hole. I'm considering it a part of Spiritual Maturity that I didn't do that this time. See I tend to blame God or wonder what I did wrong to deserve this. But God doesn't work that way, does He? Noper Doodle. 1 Peter 5:7 tells us to "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you." So that's what I did. I committed to casting my cares upon the Lord. I know that His Will will be done. Here is what I am praising Him for now:

Healing: Nick is home out of the hospital and his condition is improving! I can't thank you all enough for your prayers through this time! I am so thankful also that he wasn't in any severe amount of pain during this. He never had to take pain medicine or anything. There is some discomfort but other than that he was fine.

Vacation time: Nick had a lot of vacation time left which has to be used by the year end. We were having a hard time figuring out when he was even going to be able to take time off. With him in the hospital he has used up exactly enough that he'll be able to take time off the week of Christmas and have his time off now covered. God is so good.



Love: I thought that I loved Nick and I do, don't get me wrong. But when you have a scary situation it makes you see things in a different light. I am so in love with Nick and Ihave such a deeper appreciation for him and our relationship and the love we share.



Nick: Most people are kind of the "woe is me" type folk but not my husband. All he talked about in the hospital was how he was sad that he didn't get to take me to his company's Christmas party. No biggie. He is such a caring man. I love seeing him leading our family. When the kids came to visit with him they were scared and he helped them through. We had family prayers on his hospital bed. He's such a testament to God and I'm honored that I get to be his wife :)

Friends and family: It's always amazing to me when people are willing to just drop everything. Some people said "let me know what I can do". There are some people who are just angels on earth. My mother in law cleared her schedule so she could help with the kids which I so appreciated, especially on the first day. My emotions were so raw that I was being a little testy with the children. My editor, neighbors, and dear friend Betsey all were relentless. They knew little details I would need. Do you need milk? Meals? Someone to watch the kids? Someone to let Lucy out? Need me to stay with you at night? Need me to pick Emma up from preschool? To everyone who offered to help, thank you. Even though I never needed anything it reminded me that I was not alone.

Nick Update

Sorry all of these photos have ships in the background. I'm trying to find pics of Nick I haven't used before and so you are getting photos from the Tall Ships Festival...nice, huh?

Thank you so much for your prayers for this amazing man! Today the doctor came in and said he is looking better. The infection has not spread more and the spots all over are not as red as they were. So this morning the doctor took him off of the IV antibiotics and switched him to pill form. When I left him tonight his leg no longer felt fevered and the swelling had gone down some.

If he continues to improve then the doctor will release him tomorrow afternoon. I am counting him to be out of the hospital tomorrow and we are so excited to have him home!

So thank you for your prayers and please continue to pray for him to recover. The doctor said he will have the redness and swollenness for a while while the infection is going away so we are on a bit of a journey here. Thanks!

Please Pray for Nick

I posted a little before about this in my previous post. This past weekend Nick had some weird foot thing occur. First he thought it was a blister, then maybe Athlete's foot (I know, totally gross), then he thought it was an infected splinter. By the end of the weekend his foot had swollen and he could barely get a shoe on or walk.

Monday he went to a doctor who diagnosed him with a Staff Infection and was started on some antibiotics. Tuesday the infection was climbing up his calf and it was swollen and red. The doctor started another kind of antibiotics with the hope that two strong antibiotics together would stop it. This morning Nick woke up and its traveled up his thigh.

So I took him to the Emergency room where they basically looked at it and immediately admitted him to the hospital. Not good.

Tonight he is still there and it looks like he is looking at a 2 night stay. They have him on an IV of antibiotics and they've taken cultures and ultrasounds in which we are still waiting on the results.

Please pray for a speedy recovery. I know it is just an infection but truthfully I am terrified this is one of those things in which he never comes home or something insane like that. So please, please pray. My brain has just been mush today; I am just not myself without my other half. I truly do feel as though I am missing part of myself. The kids are a wreck. They sobbed when I put them in bed tonight because they missed their Daddy. That was really, really hard to deal with.

I guess specifically pray for Nick's healing, for me to have a calm spirit that I may get done what needs to be done and be good with the children, and please pray for the kids that their little hearts will not be troubled with this. Especially Emma as she worries so about things.

I am starting to feel a little overwhelmed and really with just small things, such as tomorrow is my bill paying day and quite frankly my little heart just isn't into doing day by day things. My awesome in-laws are also carrying me through this. Nick's mom had the kids all day today so I could be with Nick and her and the ladies in their family rescheduled plans so she can take the kids tomorrow. Nick's sister is also coming up tomorrow too. She always can get under my layers so I'll probably start crying when I see her.

I'm very glad I get to be with Nick tomorrow because the nurse's are driving me crazy! Nick was taken up to his room from the E.R. at about noon. The nurse wouldn't order him lunch. I went out two times for food and then items for him and when I came back it was 4:30 and no one had done anything for him. Why does he need to be in the hospital if noone is going to do anything? Ugh. So I was the witchy wife down at the Nurse's station demanding that they page the doctor. Something tells me that I am going to have to be witchy tomorrow and I don't care...I want my husband at home sooner rather than later. Hospitals drive me insane because the lack of initiative or care that these people exert. I know there's a huge complicated background and series of events that happen behind the scenes, but for me it is just maddening.

I guess I can't be too much of a witch though as today I was getting "don't I know you from somewhere?" Oh! You're a writer! Nick was laughing at me "look at my local celebrity of a wife". I don't know about that but I guess I shouldn't raise too much of a stink in the hospital...people know where to find me. I'll have another incident of someone going on and on about my business. Yoink.

Anyway, sorry this is so long. I just have no one to talk to at midnight so blogging is the next best thing, I guess. Thank you for your prayers. The good news is that other than an owie foot, Nick's not in any pain. What a mighty God we serve!

Having a Hard Time Making the Call

Last week I received a call from a lady named Julie. I was on the phone with someone for work so I had to let it go to my voicemail. Turns out Julie was calling to set up an evaluation for Calvin.

I cannot find it in me to call this woman back. Poor Julie.

Don't get me wrong. I will. Everyday though I find it at the bottom of my to-do list and as the day rushes by it gets swept off the bottom to the next day. See Cal's evaluation is for Special Needs Preschool.

Nick thinks I am insane with this not being able to call her back (or just not wanting to call her back) but it is hard. I know that we are doing this because it is the best thing for Cal and I know that it needs done, but for me, setting all of this up is facing our reality: therapy that I thought would be done before he ever turned 3 is now looking like it is just starting. It's kind of like staring into a black hole and having to will yourself to jump in. It won't be that bad. It's what's best. See this last therapy session ended at 3. I knew that...there was an end.

Where is the end to this?

So please pray for me...maybe today I'll have the willpower to jump in and call Julie back.

Our Weekend was a Very, Very, Very Fine Weekend

What a wonderful weekend we had! And the best part is that we really didn't do anything :) In the business of the holiday time it was really nice to not have anything planned. The picture above is from our City's tree lighting ceremony. We attended that Friday night and were treated to the local chocolate shop's hot cocoa. We also strolled through some new stores, had some chestnuts roasted on an open fire, and perused the gingerbread village competition for ideas. It was a lovely evening and the kids had so much fun. It was kind of funny though that the kids met Santa (didn't go too hot). Santa gave them each a candy cane as he was walking around meeting kids and then in some weird moment Calvin got kind of pushed over or fell. Poor guy. But anyway he stands up and starts screaming "santa broke my candy cane!" over and over. Funny guy. We looked like we were on the verge of a major meltdown but it quickly subsided when we went to the Gingerbread village...whew!
Here we are...I see Em still has a bit of hot cocoa on her face, God love her :)

Saturday mornin we all went out for a snowball fight. I love that about our little family...we're all out pounding one another with snowballs and it's fun! The kids were so excited about the 1/2" of snow we got...they are so precious I could just eat them up :) The photo above is Nick pelting Cal with a snowball. My sister says he looks like he's doing a souja boy move whatever that means ;)

This is Emma's face after she creamed her Daddy...ha!

Sunday we went to church and then just came home! Nick has the fireplace area ALMOST done. I am itching to take pictures of it but will wait until it's done. It's done enough that I was able to decorate the mantle and Nick got our stocking up. We now all finally have matching stockings so I was anxious to see how the new ones look. I think they look really nice!

Saturday Nick was complaining of an itchy sore foot and thought he might have some weird foot problem (ew, ew gross, I know). We aren't foot problem people so this seemed odd. Yesterday his toes and foot were REALLY swollen and red. This morning he said the pain is still there and now it hurts up his shin. He insisted on going to work but is going to be trying to get into a doctor's appointment today. Please be praying for him....I am so worried about my darling.

Happy Monday! I have two articles due today and last night our internet stopped working...network failure is what Comcast's message said, grrr. So I am up super early finishing them up. Have a great day in the Lord!

Things I am excited about

Snow

A Day alone today...Nick's mom is taking the kids so they can help decorate her tree...isn't that nice of her? She is always thinking of them that way and they love helping her :) So far my day alone is consisting of conducting an interview (gag), visiting our rental place to place our Christmas order, and cleaning. Doesn't sound like the most fun day for me but at least I'll be able to say I got a lot accomplished, right?

Wrapping Christmas gifts!!! At least the first 5...then it gets kind of boring

Christmas Day...we are having gobs of people over and I LOVE it!

Emma's Christmas performance...love watching that little girl sing :)

Getting our fireplace/media area finished! Nick has had his newly made shelves down to paint and tonight I think we get to put them up and get everything organized! I cannot tell you how excited I am about that part since everything has been strewn all over my dining room for the past month. It is driving me insane to have it cluttery around here! Plus one of Calvin's favorite things is to dump DVD's so I pick those up...a lot!

*Snow!* I think Imentioned that but it is snowing and I LOVE snow! Emma does too. As I was putting her to bed last night she said so matter-of-factly "it's going to snow tonight, Daddy told me." Love.that.girl.

Happy Wednesday!

Updates

Around here in our home there are always things going on. It seems like my children have their own lives then their lives together, then our lives with us. So I thought I would touch base on how everyone is doing...you know, because you must be obsessed with us if you are reading this :).
Nick:
Nick is amazing, as always. He is such a hard worker at work and when he comes home he kicks it into high gear to work around the house getting projects done. He is also super great with the kids. He is such a great husband too. He always seems to know when I need some encouragement.

Me:
I am doing fantastic! I love staying home and I love our kids and our house and I love our husband. I am just so in love. I am in love with God and all that He has blessed us with. Wow, I just have so much to be thankful for. I am freelance writing and loving it! I am still writing my column and loving that as well. God continues to open doors for me to be able to work from home and not have to do too much of it, so I will definitely be walking through those doors. Christmas is my favorite time of year and I am happy to say that I almost done with Christmas shopping and decorating! Next comes the even more favorite tasks of baking and gift wrapping...yippee!

Emma:
What is there to say about Emma? SO MUCH! She is starting hockey back up next month and is excited about that. She is starting another round of gymnastics also. She is starting to read. Last week she read her first book and she is 4! I'm so proud of her! Her Christmas performance is coming up and I am so thrilled to get to see her sing again! Discipline wise she is so even keeled and she very rarely gets into trouble. That said yesterday she got into the linen closet (after being told not to again and again and again and again and...) and of all of the things in there she thought that razors looked like fun to play with. The poor thing slit her finger and she didn't want to tell me so there is blood ALL over her room. I fixed her up and I think the whole slicing her finger thing was lesson enough. She loves playing computer games and doing worksheets and lessons.

Calvin:
Wow he is turning 3 next month! I cannot believe it!!! He is talking up a storm including yelling "suck it mommy!" when he doesn't like something...not cool dude. He is still having issues so I met with a Psychologist with him last week. Its been interesting and we are definitely going to have a long road ahead of us. Poor little guy. He loves trucks, and trains, and firemen...he loves pretending. Everything is a gun or a sword or some type of weapon as he runs through the house.

Well that is what's going on around here :)

Merry Christmas!

Full Of Love Christmas 5x7 folded card

Make a statement with Shutterfly Christmas photo cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

O Christmas Tree

The day after Thanksgiving we always go and get our Christmas tree. This year we found ourselves back at the place we got our first tree after we bought our house, so it was fun to walk down memory lane :)

Here we are with our tree :). It took us all of about 5 minutes to find our tree which was wonderful, because...

As you can see Calvin was miserable. He was freezing. So I took hiim back to the car and we just sat there looking at Black Friday ads...the kid is so easily pleased. "Hey do you want to go look at pictures of toys?" sure mom.

Here we are decorating the tree. Aren't they so cute? Love them!


This was Cal's first year to put the star on the tree...he was very excited! This is our only picture because our tree is so big Nick had to put the star on, so TECHNICALLY this was Cal's first year to hold the star

And here it is folks, our finished tree. I have to tell you I think this is the biggest tree we've ever had...it is eating our living room! Don't tell Nick that though...shhh, I keep telling him it's not too big. (he reads this by the way). :)

Christmas has started here in our household and we are so, so excited!

Get to Target!!!

Thanks Moms by Heart!

Today is the last day for the Target toy coupons so if you are wanting to snag yourself some bargains, you'd better run on over. Here are some of things things we found:

50% off Thomas the Train starter sets...$12.49, regularly $24.99

50% off Disney Princess select items. Emma wanted a Princess Baby and we got it for $4.99, regularly $9.99

50% off wyb 2 of littlest pet shop, Strawberry Shortcake, or Ponies...we got Emma a remote control car, regularly $17.99 for $8.99, and a Littlest Pet Shop Clinic, regularly $19.99 for $9.99.

They also have the Little People Nativity for half off. We already have this and I highly recommend it!

There are tons more coupons so be sure to check it out! Don't have a Target ad? You can go to their website to print them off by clicking here. Also they have a boat load of coupons in their Toy Book and if you are super lame and didn't keep that either they have displays of them in the store for you to pick up...easy-peasy!

Read to Da Baby!

Having a baby is a wonderful thing! But one of the things that people don't know or understand is that babies have a huge capacity to learn when they are born. Which is why you should read to your child...often. All of the time.

It pains me when I see parents who don't read to their children because you are basically dumbing your child down from their potential. Reading to babies improves their communication skills, builds listening and memorizing skills, as well as really growing their vocabulary. Even kids chewing on books shows a love for them. Having books around makes reading a familiar and comfortable thing...something they will just do and love doing because they've done it from the beginning.

When our children were in the womb we read to them...long books. That is one of my best memories because Nick would read to my tummy and do funny voices and make me laugh.

When the children were born I used to read to them ANYTHING. I even read to them my college textbooks. Yep, my children were learning stocks, bonds, american history, vietnam war strategies...the works. Because the more words they hear in the first months the smarter they will be. That's why I had the daughter who at her 1st birthday party was saying "I appreciate it" and my son who just "knows" his alphabet without being taught.

I don't really know that thatis why our kids did/do those things. And I know I don't do everything right but the facts are out there...reading to your infants from right out of the womb makes them some pretty smart people!

Christmas Cards

This is the card Emma has chosen, super cute!

Have any of my readers ordered from Shutterfly? This is the first year that we have ordered Christmas cards from Shutterfly and I am so, so excited about it! Perhaps even a little too excited, but I digress.





Anyway, I've ordered my Christmas cards from other places before but this year I am so excited to have found Shuttefly's Christmas cards! They are super cute and fun, which I think describes our family to a tee too! We've had a doosy of a year so I was looking for some cards that would be extra special to showcase our extra special time during this year. I just love these cards!!!




Anyway, I love the ease of using the Shutterfly site and they have such cute designs. You can check them out by clicking here. I think I am also getting Cal's Birthday invitations through them...you can check those out here.Let me know what you think about them! You can even edit and crop on the website which helps a lot to get the wonky people out of the background of our photo!

I've even been tossing around the idea of getting our calendars through Shutterfly. You'll have to let me know what you think about them because I LOVE their designs. You can see them here.

Gobble Gobble

I found this picture of Emma and just had to share it with you. Isn't it just adorable??? She was only 1 chowing down on corn. I just love her so much!

Goodbye Barn Wood

Consider this a sneak peek of the living room remodel please! Obviously we are far from done... :/
If you have been to our house you can see that the barnwood that was behind the television has been covered! I am soooo excited for this to be done! This is the color that is going to be in the fireplace little alcove...it is a darker green than is in the rest of the living room. I am so ready for this to be done and I cannot wait to see the end result.

It was awkward and wonky to get everything done and its been a huge pain to have all of our electronics lying everywhere. It just seems silly it took so long to get covered as the drywall piece was $4.00. That's right, $4.00 has changed the entire look of our living room (in my opinion). We are also replacing all of the shelved around the fireplace. The fireplace inspector and chimney sweep are coming in two weeks. It is all coming together. After that then we will be finishing the fireplace with a new mantle and glass tile. So excited to have this done and to see the end result.

By the way Nick has done all of this and he is just such a rockstar when it comes to this stuff. I am continually amazed at his abilities. If he doesn't know how to do something he looks it up, he talks to friends, he makes sure it gets done. I'm just really proud of him and the work that has been done. :)