Home at Last

Benjamin Timothy entered the world with dramatic flair November 17th, 3:29 pm, weighing 7 lbs 8 oz and measuring 19 in. long.
He managed to get the umbilical cord wrapped around his neck a couple of times. Some how, that umbilical cord was a freakishly long specimen. I have never heard of any statistics in regards to the length of an umbilical cord. I didn't know it was important or interesting for any reason. Apparently, it is.
With each contraction during hard labor, the umbilical cord was pinched off and Benjamin wasn't getting any oxygen. His heart rate would fall significantly during the contraction while the looped umbilical cord was strangling him. You know how we always hear, "Don't push yet! Wait!", this time the doctor said, "I know you aren't fully dilated yet, but we have to get this baby out, so start pushing." I did, everyone helped. Every nurse on the floor that wasn't busy was in the room, and Benjamin finally made is entrance. Once he was out, umbilical cord removed, he let out a lusty cry and seemed to be fine. Apgar scores were great, his color was great. Everything was great. Then, before he was 24 hours old, he was yellow. No wet diapers at all.
The local hospital doesn't have the resources to examine all the possibilities, so they call a transport team. Just before the transport team is leaving for a NICU in another city, Benjamin eliminates his entire bladder. All over the place.
His respiration was an issue while he was being given a feeding tube, and he vomited everything that went down the tube. Now we have respiratory issues along with digestive issues.
The respiratory issues also resolved themselves. He went to the NICU anyway. We spent 5 days there. The current diagnosis is 'We don't know'. We'll check up in six months to make sure the entire digestive system is in working order. Aside from that, we are working on fattening the little man up. He seems agreeable to this plan.

A Really Rude Dude

I'm calling my oldest son in for dinner when my neighbor waves me over. She's telling me how much she dislikes a particular boy in the neighborhood. She has heard him using foul language and terrible, awful, no good, very bad remarks toward her children and others. Neighbor has decided that her children will not associate with Rude Dude, and she was counceling oldest son to steer clear as well.
I am listening with interest, as I, too, have heard the Rude Dude's mouth in action. I don't like it either. Rude Dude and Oldest Son used to play together some, mostly riding bikes together, until recently. I am getting ready to offer a little council to Neighbor in how she judges Rude Dude. After all, he is a child and we have no idea what his home life is like.
Then she tells me 'I told your son to stay away from him because he is mean and has a yucky mouth. Your son told me - well, he doesn't know God, you know."
My momentary shock...
I am ecstatic! Oldest Son DOES listen and retain! Even the good stuff!
After all, how can we judge someone by God's measuring stick, when the someone doesn't have any clue what that measuring stick is, or how to be measured by it? We can't! We aren't even supposed to try!
Way to go Oldest Son!

It's Getting Spiritual in Here

I've been vague so far in my posts about the driving power above what I believe and why I believe it. It isn't my intent to sermonize, and I won't preach.
God is my God. Jesus Christ is my redeemer. The Holy Spirit is my guide, the giver of wisdom.
I will elaborate in future posts!

Encouraged to be Discouraged

Do we still encourage each other?
It's hard to tell. I hear, and dole out so many "you are right to feel that way..." and "who wouldn't be (whatever emotion it is) about that..." comments, that I wonder how effective they are.
They really are effective. The effect is that the hearer has confirmation that their dejected, downstrodden state is normal and that there isn't any hope otherwise. The effect is that there are so many influential people (e.g. parents, grandparents, child care providers, teachers, etc.) that remain convinced that their circumstance merits a state of discouragement, and that they/we must continue to plod along in said state.
Since when to circumstances dictate our character? Better, when should they? Isn't it more true that our circumstances show our character? Why don't we encourage one another rather than commiserate?
I am not great at having the 'right' thing to say when someone is feeling discouraged. I am sure trite phrases won't help, so I avoid saying anything at all. When I have had a terrible day, week, whatever, and I am in tears and don't see how I can continue with current circumstances, the last thing I want to hear is "This too shall pass" or "You'll laugh about this later"
AAAuuggghh! SHUT UP!!!
How about an offer to help with something. Anything. 'Can I get you a cup of coffee?'. Not that the coffee solves the problem, but that the listener is willing to continue listening is a relief! Maybe 'It is discouraging when things don't come out the way we hoped they would.' This is an empathetic statement. It does not in any way validify a tantrum or a continuation of a downtrodden attitude.
It is also not a bright yellow smiley face demanding perky replies at every 'how are you?'!
Encourage, people! Yes, things can get better. What if they don't? Isn't attitude more important than the circumstance?
Author Dave Branon shares about two rollerbladers, whose favorite route is a long hill. One would say "are you ready for the hill?" Just before pushing their way to the top. One day, the other rollerblader said "could you please not say that? You make it sound like a huge mountain and that discourages me."
Every hill is too high if we think we have to climb it all at once - and if the people around us keep telling us it is insurmountable and that is all there is too it!
Take the hill a little at a time, and remind one another, that we have accomplished something, and we are about to accomplish something else!

An Atypical Day

This out of the ordinary day would have been typical so many years ago, or, perhaps, in another culture.
Hubby did outside work and I did inside work. The sun was shining, the temps were in the high sixties, partially cloudy. The only hint of autumn, the turning leaves on the deciduous trees around the area.
D.H. took two boys to the PeeWee football game today (Whew!). I breakfasted with daughters and baby boy. We enjoyed one another's company for a while, then on to laundry, dishes, general clean up.
I decided to rearrange the counter tops a bit, do some deep cleaning in the kitchen, and - hang on to your hats - bake a pie! Really!
In between helping Daddy with out door work, kids did some school work. We are a home schooling family, and fit the work into our schedules all over the place. The kids actually requested to do their classes today - probably because they are online.
We noticed today that the 3 year old boy is the helper with the most. He has stamina and sticks to the task, whatever it is. In fact, for the past two hours, he has been the only kid out there helping!
Dad has barbequed some pork chops and I have prepared vegetables inside (Hee,hee). We are getting ready to sit all around the table for dinner together. AAAhhhh....

The Big Date

Yes! D.H. and I went out to the fair for a concert without children last night! We double dated with another couple. All the children were at their house, and we hired two sitters for the evening. There was pizza for the kiddos, we ate some before we left. We ended up running a little behind schedule as my hubby was kept late at work. The men sat up front and the ladies took over the back. Mr. Other couple was driving. His style was adopted to get us there in a timely fashion. I am afraid I ruined his plans.
Being pregnant, pizza freshly in tummy, and sitting in the back seat are not a good mix. Dear, darling, wonderful friend, Mr. Other couple pulled off to the side of the freeway for me. I got to lean over a barrier wall and lose it in the blackberry bushes below.
Upchucking on the side of the freeway is not something I have ever imagined myself doing. Now I have done it. I hope I don't need to do it again. And it may be a while before I enjoy another slice of pizza. Ew.

The First Post

Is the first post like the first pancake?
Today was incredibly exciting. We trekked to the thrift store, bought shoes and pants for a couple of the children and watched the venus fly trap eat a few flies.
The venus fly trap part is the most exciting to me. We live in an area that is actually known, for 30 miles in each direction, for it's summer time fly infestation. It is now mid-September. The flies should be gone. It is still warm here. Lovin' the extra sunny, warm days. Not so much with the extended play program for the flies! I detest swatting them on the walls and ceilings where they leave nasty 'splat' marks.
My husband bought this great gadget that looks like a tennis racket, but is electrified, so it actually fries the little critters. Great, right? uh, nuh. They smoke and give off a foul odor. It's almost worse than the splat marks.
So...as my darling ducks in a row (you believe that, yes?) and I were shopping for bare essentials at Fred Meyer (I bet yoy believe that, too!) my 12 year old spotted the pitcher plant, and next to it, the venus fly trap. Home they came, and oh the fun that ensued! Our fly population is down by half in a mere 24 hrs! Hurrah! Victory is mine!