We had fabulous Valentine's Day plans...but they didn't exactly work out as planned. We had a chance to check into our hotel (my dad was watching Holden for the night) and we went to dinner at Rib Ranch (I know, romantic...but hey...I wanted ribs) and we had time to go down to the coffee shop and get some hot apple cider (it's delicious at The Mill in Lincoln). When we got back to the hotel room about 7:30 the phone started ringing. I was just about to light a fire in our fireplace when Wonderful Husband's aunt calls to say that his uncle is in the hospital.
We found out last week that he has lung and throat cancer and it's most likely advanced, although I don't know all the details because for some reason we never get all the details. So he is in ICU on a ventilator and unresponsive. They don't know how long he was without oxygen because I believe he had pretty severe pulmonary edema from a ruptured blood vessel in his lung(s). I'm just guessing this because as I said, I don't get enough details usually.
So...Tony's aunt couldn't get a hold of anybody except him on Valentine's day since everyone was out doing things. But luckily he was able to contact his sister who lives in Omaha so she could go to the hospital to check on things. But Tony then felt like it was necessary to go pick up his Grandma from central Nebraska so she could get to the hospital as fast as possible.
He drops me off at home and goes to Grand Island to pick her up. And then on the way the check engine light goes on in the car. So I had to go meet them and change cars and drive back home at about 1 am. It was quite the Valentine's Day. And no one got much sleep.
Tony and his family are still at the hospital (I am home with Holden). I think they need lots of prayers tonight. And some sleep hopefully too.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Thursday, February 12, 2009
It's a....
GIRL! We had an ultrasound yesterday (which is still early 15 weeks) but the tech said she's 90-95% sure it's a girl! I'm excited, but way more nervous about a girl than I was about Holden. Being a parent is a huge responsibility either way, but it feels like even more of a responsibility when you are the same-sex parent because that's where baby learns how to be...well, a girl in this case.
We're struggling with names though because with Holden's name we both loved it from the start. But we can't find any names that we both love. Actually I can't find a name I love, let alone us agreeing on a name we both like.
I can't tell if I have the winter blahs or it's just being pregnant but I'm having a mighty hard time leaving the house. It just takes so much energy for me to do anything. I'm pretty sure it's being pregnant though. I need to get groceries today but I'm struggling with not wanting to leave. I should enjoy the day though because it's supposed to snow 4-12 inches tomorrow.
Yesterday Holden learned how to take off his pants. I ran downstairs to switch the laundry and when I came back up, there he was in the pack 'n' play with his pants off (thank goodness he hasn't figured out his diaper yet). I have pictures but am having technical difficulty with them at the moment. I will post them when I get a chance.
We're struggling with names though because with Holden's name we both loved it from the start. But we can't find any names that we both love. Actually I can't find a name I love, let alone us agreeing on a name we both like.
I can't tell if I have the winter blahs or it's just being pregnant but I'm having a mighty hard time leaving the house. It just takes so much energy for me to do anything. I'm pretty sure it's being pregnant though. I need to get groceries today but I'm struggling with not wanting to leave. I should enjoy the day though because it's supposed to snow 4-12 inches tomorrow.
Yesterday Holden learned how to take off his pants. I ran downstairs to switch the laundry and when I came back up, there he was in the pack 'n' play with his pants off (thank goodness he hasn't figured out his diaper yet). I have pictures but am having technical difficulty with them at the moment. I will post them when I get a chance.
Friday, February 6, 2009
Pregnancy & Marriage
I was (am) really bored today. Tony is taking his nephew to a hockey game and Holden is asleep. Nothing has been on TV all night and I just finished the book I was reading. And I play with Holden all day, so nothing new there really.
When I am bored, I usually surf the internet. After going to all my usual sites I ended up at christianitytoday.com which has a lot of good articles to read on marriage, family, and christianity. I was reading some of the marriage articles and thinking to myself that I don't give my husband nearly enough credit. He is such a good husband and I shamefully admit that I am a huge complainer about pretty much everything.
So here it is, the list of reasons I have no reason to complain (pregnancy version):
-Since the early weeks of my pregnancy he has offered every night to take care of Holden. Holden stopped waking up so much at night so that helps, but on bad nights he still wakes up once or twice.
-Every night he lays with me in bed and talks with me for at least an hour
-Even though he has no time with school and work he tries to fix little things around the house
-Any time I ask for some time alone he lets me go and do whatever I want
-He usually indulges me when I want to order pizza, even if it is more than once a week.
-He reads a devotional with me every night and prays with me
-He lets me sleep in on the weekends even though he (almost) never gets to
-He reminds me that we have church choir when I forget
-He makes me wonderful omelets when I am too tired or nauseous to cook
-He gives Holden a bath most nights
There are so many more reasons...I am apparently a spoiled wife. I just thought a note of appreciation was in order (even if he doesn't read it--maybe I should send him the link).
When I am bored, I usually surf the internet. After going to all my usual sites I ended up at christianitytoday.com which has a lot of good articles to read on marriage, family, and christianity. I was reading some of the marriage articles and thinking to myself that I don't give my husband nearly enough credit. He is such a good husband and I shamefully admit that I am a huge complainer about pretty much everything.
So here it is, the list of reasons I have no reason to complain (pregnancy version):
-Since the early weeks of my pregnancy he has offered every night to take care of Holden. Holden stopped waking up so much at night so that helps, but on bad nights he still wakes up once or twice.
-Every night he lays with me in bed and talks with me for at least an hour
-Even though he has no time with school and work he tries to fix little things around the house
-Any time I ask for some time alone he lets me go and do whatever I want
-He usually indulges me when I want to order pizza, even if it is more than once a week.
-He reads a devotional with me every night and prays with me
-He lets me sleep in on the weekends even though he (almost) never gets to
-He reminds me that we have church choir when I forget
-He makes me wonderful omelets when I am too tired or nauseous to cook
-He gives Holden a bath most nights
There are so many more reasons...I am apparently a spoiled wife. I just thought a note of appreciation was in order (even if he doesn't read it--maybe I should send him the link).
The Yellow Worm at the Park
Yesterday and today it was so nice outside we took Holden to the park. He loved the swings and the yellow worm.
I am looking forward to Valentines day next week since we got a babysitter/dogsitter (my dad) to come for the night. We usually don't do much for Valentine's Day as I see it as just a commercial holiday, but his wife (my stepmother) doesn't celebrate holidays so I thought it was the perfect time to get away for a night. I don't think we have had a weekend away together alone since last summer, and 7 months is just too long! I've always had a hard time understanding why many of my friends with kids don't go and do something alone with their spouse more often. Although I do understand that moms who breastfeed really can't until the baby is weaned. But for some reason a lot of them still don't take any time for themselves as a couple. I think it is really important since one of the best gifts you can give your children is a strong and happy marriage (although I know you can have a strong and happy marriage without going away for the weekend, it is nice to have time alone to connect).
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Heavy Heart
"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing."
~Edmund Burke
I have a moral dilemma. I don't even know if it is technically a moral dilemma but it feels like one. I have a relative with two children. One has special needs and is very hard to handle, and the other has special needs emotionally only because of the way he has been raised, in a very unstable environment.
Background: Relative got married, had two kids in two years. Has never had a job really, and his wife left him when the kids were like 2 & 3. Fast forward...Relative got remarried to someone who has a lot of kids all of whom are in juvie or jail. Now they are in the process of getting divorced. I might also add that Relative is an alcoholic who is also possibly (and likely) on drugs. This person is verbally and mentally abusive to kid #1 (not the special needs kid).
All of these things have come to a head in the last few weeks and the police have been called several times as well as social services (not by me though). So I am wondering...what do you do? We don't have the resources to take in one kid, let alone two and one with disabilities. But they don't belong with this relative any more so how do we get social services to see that before something terrible happens to them? Oh, and now Relative is 'on the run' because he thinks everyone is trying to take his kids away from him (which is true but he is way paranoid and I'm pretty sure that's from the drugs).
The one kid's life is being ruined and I don't know how to help him. He could be a good and productive member of society if just given the chance to live in a normal environment (I believe). I feel like the poor kid is falling through the cracks.
My heart is heavy today.
~Edmund Burke
I have a moral dilemma. I don't even know if it is technically a moral dilemma but it feels like one. I have a relative with two children. One has special needs and is very hard to handle, and the other has special needs emotionally only because of the way he has been raised, in a very unstable environment.
Background: Relative got married, had two kids in two years. Has never had a job really, and his wife left him when the kids were like 2 & 3. Fast forward...Relative got remarried to someone who has a lot of kids all of whom are in juvie or jail. Now they are in the process of getting divorced. I might also add that Relative is an alcoholic who is also possibly (and likely) on drugs. This person is verbally and mentally abusive to kid #1 (not the special needs kid).
All of these things have come to a head in the last few weeks and the police have been called several times as well as social services (not by me though). So I am wondering...what do you do? We don't have the resources to take in one kid, let alone two and one with disabilities. But they don't belong with this relative any more so how do we get social services to see that before something terrible happens to them? Oh, and now Relative is 'on the run' because he thinks everyone is trying to take his kids away from him (which is true but he is way paranoid and I'm pretty sure that's from the drugs).
The one kid's life is being ruined and I don't know how to help him. He could be a good and productive member of society if just given the chance to live in a normal environment (I believe). I feel like the poor kid is falling through the cracks.
My heart is heavy today.
Monday, February 2, 2009
Happy Groundhog Day!
My socks don't match today. This is a big deal to me...not such a big deal that I will go all the way downstairs to the laundry room to get some that match (if there even are any) but just that I will let it bug me until I forget about it. And then when I take my socks off later it will bother me again. I know, I'm weird. I guess at least I found two short socks. Better than one short and one long.
But haven't you ever had days, weeks, months, years, where you felt like you just can't get your s*** together? I feel like that now. It is quite possibly being pregnant and having an almost 10 month old that does it, I'm not sure. All I know is I don't know how you ladies who work and have children do it. Seriously.
You know those people's houses you walk into and go "Don't these people ever clean?" Admit it, you do it too. I am one of those people right now. I even disgust myself. But only enough to do the bare minimum like vacuum, mop, do dishes, and some laundry daily. Anything above and beyond that is just not happening. I think not feeling well has a lot to do with it, because usually my house is relatively clean. I just feel guiltier about it now because I am staying at home--for some reason thinking that gives me more time (and it really doesn't give me that much extra time). I guess my job is technically to take care of and play with my son and that takes up a lot of my time. But really if I spent less time messing around on the internet I could probably get the laundry done.
I guess for awhile my husband will just have to fend for himself, since it seems to be all I can do to have clean dishes and clothing for Holden. I think part of the problem is that all the baby stuff is in our small living room upstairs (our house is only 1000 sq. feet). If we were to finish the basement I could put all kid stuff downstairs and shut the door. That would be so nice.
I hope the movie Groundhog Day is on tonight. I love Bill Murray.
(Photo of Punxsutawney Phil from Foxnews.com)
Kevin
I absolutely should be sleeping, just thought I would post some of my Kevin Costner pics. I also have a great story about how my friend got hooked up with a cameraman from Dreamworks because he is traveling with Kevin in the same bus! He has a dreamy New Zealand accent and we met him while standing in line at Wal-Mart.
So now he is emailing her everyday and we know exactly where Kevin is all the time. Pretty funny. Yes, I say "Kevin" like he is my drinking buddy. This could not be further from the truth.
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