Friday's Feast # 188

Well, it's been a looooong time since I posted a Friday's Feast, but I needed an easy reason to post as it's been a while since doing that too. Things are good however. I'm really trying to work out my daily schedule with the kids and regular stay-at-home-mom stuff. Philip is all boy so he needs lots of physical play time as well as brain-stimulating activities. We're working through a barnyard preschool workbook which he really likes. He's getting pretty good at puzzles. And I'm slowly weaning him from wanting to watch television ALL THE TIME! Here's a sample of something Philip considers to be really, really fun...

Braewyn likewise is full steam ahead... crawling everywhere! It's so precious because Philip never crawled so we are really enjoying being able to call Braewyn from one end of the hallway, and so thereafter, here she comes. I can hardly believe her birthday is next Friday!

Speaking of which, here are my Friday's Feast answers.

Appetizer: Name something you would categorize as weird. Not loving the beach.
Soup: What color was the last piece of food you ate? Brown and beige (a chocolate-covered Crueller at Krispy Kreme!)
Salad: On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy being alone? These days 7 because it happens very rarely and I wish it would happen more (or that I could have time to do whatever I wanted, i.e. sleep in!!).
Main Course: Fill in the blank: I will _________ vote for ___________ in _______. I will not vote for Obama in November.
Dessert: Describe your sleeping habits. Go to bed too late (now for example), toss and turn for a few minutes, wake up when sounds come through the baby monitor (I really think Braewyn spoke in her sleep last night!), and wake up at 6:00am to, Lord-willing, have a few minutes to myself to spend studying the Bible before it all starts again!

More Prayers for Matthew's Uncle Gary

For those who didn't see my first post about Matthew's uncle, Gary was in a serious car accident on March 11. He broke all the bones in his face, underwent major reconstructive surgery, had a tracheotomy inserted as his jaw was wired shut, and then experienced several complications from the tracheotomy. He finally returned home last Friday, April 11.

The prayers are needed again as he in now again in the hospital. On Wednesday, he experienced trouble breathing and passed out. The doctors determined that two massive blood clots had passed through his heart and we inside his lungs. This called for a filter being placed in the largest artery in his abdomen to keep the multiple other clots in his body from traveling to his heart. He will be in the hospital for a few more days and then some time in rehab again.

Please especially remember his wife Debi and children Casey and Brian (both married with one child each) as this is such a traumatic time for each of them also. For more details, please read Casey's blog.

Laughing Kids

Matthew and I got a digital camcorder for each other for Christmas. I love using it and videotape (Hard drive record? There's no videotape involved!) usually a little something the kids are doing every day. Well, that proves to be close to accurate because the camera tells me there are 86 clips saved on it. Well, that proves to mean now that I finally figured out how to download them to our computer (Lori, I did it without Matthew's help!!) that our computer does not have enough free memory to save them all! Matthew is going to buy more (I wish I could buy more memory for myself), but in the meantime, I'm just saving a few here and there that I want to add to the blog.

With all that said, here's the first of many (I pray!). My commentary should be self-explanatory. (I'll try to get a video posted soon of Braewyn crawling as that's the newest development around our house!) By the way, the video is somewhat squeezed as the camera shoots in widescreen version and youtube.com shows in normal version (whatever that is technically called!).

Here's what Philip said today...

I left a glass of milk on the floor while reading to Philip on the couch. Braewyn was crawling around and of course knocked it over. I thought it a great moment to explain to Philip the meaning of the phrase, "Don't cry over spilt milk." He was listening very intently. I then said, "So I really can't do anything about it because it's on the floor and I can't put it back in. I really wanted to drink my milk, but it was my fault for leaving it on the floor." Philip looked at me and said, "You can do something. You can clean it up." I said,"Well, that I can do." And he said, "That's the trueness."

A few more pics...

Just can't resist putting these on here. Anyone who comes to Braewyn's high school graduation recognition service at church in 18 years will see this first picture again! Mom told me I had chipmunk cheeks as a baby, but Braewyn got the teeth!


I love catching Philip at a calm moment. Normally, he's all wound up and raring to go. These eyes show that he has wisdom beyond his years (at least I think so!).


And here are my two little ones. I love this picture because it shows just how big they are these days.


Also reminds me of another picture I took once...

My Day...

At the moment, I don't feel like throwing up. Before you ask, no, I'm not pregnant. If you had lived my last two days, you'd feel like throwing up too! I’ve been cleaning up vomit and diarrhea today… lovely I know. Both from Braewyn. I’m weaning her and have been using Enfamile Next Step formula sporadically for a few weeks. Matthew gave her several bottles over the weekend as I was at a women’s conference (I hope to post about it soon), and she was perfectly fine.

Well, yesterday morning, I nursed her (the little that is available) and then gave her three ounces of formula to supplement. She threw up all over me about 10 minutes later. However the baked beans which I tried her on Tuesday night came back too so not sure if they play a role. Well she seemed ok throughout the day, but I gave her a bottle of formula on the way to church last night and she threw up in the car a few minutes later. This morning she was ok (I nursed her and gave her some oatmeal – no formula). At lunch she ate Gerber Banana Pudding as it was the last jar in the pantry (we met Matthew at Subway after going to the library). She fussed a little but ate the bits of bread I gave her from my sandwich just fine. I brought the kids home and both slept from 2:30 until 4:30pm. Walking in their room, I knew someone had done something. Yes, Braewyn had diarrhea. Cleaned it up but she had more an hour later. Awful!! Well, I threw the formula away yesterday and since her pediatrician said she was old enough, I gave Braewyn a bottle of whole milk with dinner. Not five minutes after drinking about an ounce and eating some food, she threw up all over her high chair! I changed her clothes, let her sit with me to see if she would drink juice and eat a little more (I know, I’m dumb), and within 5 minutes she threw up all over me and my plate!! After getting her out of the soiled clothes, she goes crawling down the hall happy as can be! Tomorrow I’m giving her bread and water and nothing else!! I pray she’s not allergic to milk.

And to get the yucky visual out of your mind, here are some precious shots of the kids from Easter. We had a good morning at church followed by lunch at Ruth Ann's house and our third annual Easter Egg hunt in her backyard. I was videotaping outside so no pictures from that.


Braewyn in her pretty Easter dress. This was the first time wearing a bow in her hair! Thanks, Jessie!


Here are the kids a few days before Easter when I had them try on their outfits to make sure they fit. It's the only one in which you can see all of Philip's little suit.


My precious babies! They love each other so much.

Heartbreaking...

A friend asked me pray for her very good friend who is going through a tradegy. I don't know her friend personally so I'll call her "Susan" since I didn't ask if I could share this need. Susan and her husband have been trying to have a child for 4 1/2 years. They have no children although she has had four miscarriages. Susan was finally pregnant and doing well. At her 37- week check-up, the baby girl was great. Sometime during week 38, the baby strangled in the umbilical cord and died. Susan had to deliver her unborn, full-term baby. I'm sure the nursery was all ready by this time. My friend did say Susan's uterus was shaped like a heart (a partial wall in the middle) and the baby may have been caught on one side and unable to swim away from the cord. I cannot imagine the heartache involved here and wonder why God would allow this degree of tradegy to take place. There's really nothing we can do other than pray for the Lord to comfort Susan and her husband like no other can. What makes it even harder, is that Susan's sister had a baby last month and they live in the same neighborhood. If there was anything which might tempt me to turn my back on God, a situation like that might make me do it. However, another friend there while I was hearing about Susan's story reminded us that our children are not really ours, but just gifts from God whom we are blessed to raise. I thank God daily for Philip and Braewyn and try to keep that same mentality. If they both left me today, I would be grateful for the time I had them and everything they have taught me. But Lord, please bless them as I don't know what I'd do without them.