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I seem to have been putting posting off for a while now and have had so much going on. I thought about breaking it up into a few posts over the next week, but honestly, I would probably never get back to it. Everything started a few weeks ago, when my right shoulder started hurting again. I had an injection 6 weeks ago and if I have one more, that is basically the recommended life time doses I should get (3 in a lifetime to prevent cartlidge damage). On top of that, Rhae started with a sinus infection and it will not go away. Thick drainage from her nose ALL the time and poor thing, now her nose is raw. She gave it to me for several days and I am starting to feel better. Don't know what I'll do for her, though. I have a pharmacy in my cabinet and nothing seems to be really helping. Don't suggest anything...I've already tried it!

Ok, so that all started the week of Valentines. On Valentine's Day, we took the kids to the McWane Science Center in Birmingham. What a great place! If you've never been, please plan a trip. If you don't have kids, kidnap some. We all had a great time. I'm thinking about having Aidan's birthday there. We drove up that morning, had lunch at my favorite deli, Newk's, then spent about 3 hours at McWane. When we left, we got almost to Tuscaloosa and realized it was getting late and we would have to eat out when we got home, so we might as well stop and eat something good. We decided on Tokyo, a japanese steakhouse. Waited an hour for a table and ate for two, but had a ball! It was Aidan's second time there and Jay's first. I was so proud of Aidan. After waiting for an hour and being hungry, I was worried he would act up at a table full of adults and not want to eat anything because "I don't like that.", but he was so well mannered, and not once did I have to correct him, ask him to sit down, anything! he was great! Now, I know most of you are wondering if I drugged him, but I promise I didn't! Not only that, but he actually tried EVERYTHING we asked him to! he ate the salad with ginger dressing and liked it. He tried a few bites of soup, but didn't like it. Ate a ton of rice, all his shrimp, and most of his vegetables, but again, tried them all! he even ate with chopsticks! He had so much fun! Below are some pics from the McWane Center.

Aidan and Jay sustaining hurricaine force winds!

Aidan being eaten by a giant bass (don't you know his Bo or Uncle Steve would love to catch that?)


Aidan and Jay predicting Katrina's path on their weather forcast! (Neatest thing I've ever seen!)

Aidan

A camera took a picture of Aidan's shadow and i took a picture of the shadow! Cool!

Rhae and the butterflies

Aidan and the giant piano

So this week started out bad and just kept on. Monday, I knocked the driver's side mirror off my car and have to replace the whole thing! I don't know how i did it...honestly! The rest of the week was a little of a blur, taking care of Rhae, etc, but not a fun week. Saturday morning, Rhae rolled out of our bed. Jay thinks she rolled around a pillow, but I think from where I found her, she rolled over it. she landed on the floor and didn't move. She never cried and it took her a while to catch her breath. Jay had gone to get Aidan some breakfast, so I called him freaking out and started getting dressed to go get her checked out. She really wasn't acting right. Got to the office and x-rays showed a broken forearm. They didn't show broken ribs, but I know she broke some. they watched her for a while, and she began to come around, kind of like she had just been shocked. So, we came home and she tried to roll around some but was obviously uncomfortable. She had a bottle later and took a nap. When she woke up, I noticed her forhead looked large, like she had had a haircut. I felt the top of her head and noticed the suture lines i normally felt could not be felt! her head was tight, and of course, nurse Momma freaked out! I called Chu (don't know why really--in hindsight, I think I was just freaking out) and we packed up and headed to Birmingham. Spent 3 hours in the ER there and found out everything was ok. CT showed nothing. Her x-rays actually showed several broken ribs and the arm was a little worse than we thought. So, of course since then, i haven't slept much. Every move she makes I am wide awake! Yes, she sleeps with me in the bed, but only because when she started rolling over, i was worried she might get her arms or legs caught between the metal rods of her mini-crib in my room if she rolled over and break something. we are planning to move her baby bed into my room so she can sleep in it, but just haven't done it yet. It has bumpers and i can tuck them down low so she can't get caught in the slats. Since then, she has done pretty well. today was her first day without Lortab and she did well. We also went for a follow up with her ortho in Birmingham and he said she looks good. He could believe how well she moved and that she was not as tender as he expected. i told him she just seems to be very resilient!

So, I guess that's about it. Sorry for the typos, but I'm just rushing through this so I can get to bed! Before I go, though, I just want to take a minute to talk about answered prayers! Since having Rhae, I have really been more in tune with answered prayers and noticing how even the little ones get answered! Not that these are small by any means, but here are the most recent specifics that I have been able to mark off my prayer list (actually not marked off, just a subject change)...

1. The Hurst's are off to China to pick up Hattie! Please continue praying for their safe return and that Hattie will adjust easily. Also pray for their other children, as their Ma and Da are away from them and also that they will adjust well to their new sister.

2. My friend, Christiane's little boy Tysen, is home from the hospital after being treated for pneumonia, and is recovering nicely. Also, his little sister did not get it! Yea!

3. Rhae is tolerating her pain well.

4. Many of you may remember me asking you to pray for Kira West several months ago. Well, after 4 months, she came home from the hospital today. Yes, she has been in the hospital since October and has been through so much, but this little bit is AMAZING and has a wonderful dedicated mother! Praise God!

5. My friend, Missy, had her baby today and had the easy and quick labor i have been praying for! She birthed a third son, Spencer Hayes Stroud, close to 5 hours after being induced. Mom, Dad, and baby are all doing well!

6. My friend, Cindy, is continuing to heal from back surgery. She had a small set back last week, but is doing as well as expected.

7. I'm feeling a lot of changes in my life, so for those of you who have prayed for this, know your prayers are being answered as well, but keep praying! I need a lot of it right now.

Momma school

Aidan asked me last night how I knew how to be a momma. I told him I didn't, I just do the best I can. Quickly, he retorted, "Well, why don't you go to Momma school?" I laughed and asked him, "What?" He told me that I should go to Momma school and they could teach me all the things I need to know about being a Momma. So yes, I took the bait...

"Is there something you think I need to learn about being a Momma?"

Aidan: Purses lips and nods quickly several times.

"Like what?"

"Well, like with her (points to Rhae)." Now I'm REAL interested.

"What?"

"Like going places. You need to take her for a walk. And take her to more places she wants to go, not always where you want to go."

"Like where?"

"You know...like when you HAVE to go to Wal-Mart and take her with you, you should take her to the toy section and buy her something she wants to play with." (All this after 2 days of discussing why we don't just run to Wal-Mart to buy toys whenever he wants.) "And it shouldn't bother you how she looks."

"Aidan, it doesn't bother me at all how Rhae looks!"

"Yes it does. You're always putting bows in her hair and making sure her hair is combed. And sometimes you make her wear her shoes even though she doesn't like them."

Out of the mouth of babes, as they say. I guess if you really don't what to know, maybe you shouldn't ask! You never know what answers you might get! :)

Good news

Well, for what feels like the first time in a while, I got some good news today. Many of you may know that I have been struggling with the decision whether or not to take Rhae to Omaha to the OI clinic. We will still get her PAM in Birmingham and see her ortho in Birmingham for checkups, but I just don't feel like I am doing all I should be for her. I worry that I'm missing something we should be doing and unfortunately, I don't believe our doctors know any more than I do. For the last several months I have prayed for God to help with my decision. I keep saying I haven't gotten a clear answer one way or the other, but last night, for some reason one of the times I woke up to feed Rhae, I looked down at her and it hit me like a ton of bricks...we MUST go to Omaha. Last week, I got an email from another OI mom who has become a great friend and support (love you!) who mentioned that when they saw Dr. Esposito, the ortho, last, he mentioned that her daughter will have the same obstacle to walking that Rhae will, and they would do rods sooner than later to prevent fractures. Since she mentioned that, it has really started to sink in with me that I think they will do a lot more for Rhae than the doctors around here. When I have questioned the 3 orthos we have seen here about rodding, they have all said, we'll just have to wait and see.

Well, they have this great clinic in Omaha, where you can see everyone in one day...ortho, endocrinologist, dietician, PT, OT, the works. They are all willing to work in conjunction with your local physicians as well. So today, I called my insurance company to see if they would be covered as "in network" under our policy, and THEY ARE! I was thrilled! Now, I've just got to start checking around with airlines and see who might offer medical discounts and who is cheapest. I also need to get her scheduled in one of the clinics. I'm hoping to go the same time as some of the other kids we know, and hope to be there with Christiane and Trinity, but I worry their next appointment may be at the same time our PAM is due, so not sure how I'll handle that. Either way, we are going to Omaha sometime! I know I owe it to my daughter to do all I can for her, and I feel like I'm taking a big step that way. Our tax refund should be here soon, so I'll put some of that back to help with the trip.

Other good news...our friends, the Hursts', definitely leave for China to pick up their daughter in 13 days! We are so excited for them and can't wait for Hattie Lou to be home! Please keep them in your prayers as they fly out on the 24th, and then again back home on March 13th. Pray they have safe flights and that Hattie Lou quickly adjusts to her new surroundings. She has an awesome set of parents and siblings to come home to, as well as a town full of people waiting to meet her! It's been a long-time in the making and I am so happy that God is finally bringing this little girl home!

Our God is an awesome God!