Category: General Family News

My husband brought his laptop up to our room specifically so I could blog while I’m on bedrest.

Somehow it doesn’t feel right to be blogging while other people are killing themselves to watch my kids and make us meals. But Daniel says I should feel no guilt. He said, “You better believe, if I ever have surgery and have to lie down for a few weeks, I’ll be enjoying the time in bed reading books and on my computer!”

And he said he wants me to enjoy this time too.

It’s hard for a person like me to “enjoy” bedrest.

I look around the house and see a million things that need to be put away. I see my previously well-potty-trained three-year-old randomly wetting herself two or three times a day. I hear my 19-month-old calling “Maaaaama!” from downstairs and I want to go hug him. I see my husband put in a full day at work and come home to wash dishes, do laundry, put the kids to bed. And I know that all the people who are so graciously helping us, have very busy lives of their own, and I wish there was some way I could go help them in return. . .  so it’s hard for me to enjoy bedrest.

But now God’s will for me is bedrest. So I am trying to learn to find not only contentment, but even joy, while flat on my back as long as I need to be here for out little girl.

I’ve thought a lot about the Apostle Paul. How did he find contentment being tossed at sea and shipwrecked, being beaten and left for dead? How was it that he could sing with joy at midnight while in prison?

And wow, bedrest is so much easier than any of those scenarios! On bedrest I’m surrounded by my family (Even if my kids don’t understand why I can’t pick them up or play with them like usual, at least we are all still together!) and I have all the comforts of home (my bed, my clothes, my books, my music . . . and now my blog!)

So, here’s to enjoying bedrest!

As my 3-year-old daughter would say (holding up her sippy), “Let’s toast, Mommy!”  I love it!

Wow! We have to catch up!

I can’t wait to share memories and pictures with my family for Thanksgiving, Christmas with Daniel’s family, the kids playing outside in the Nor’easter that dumped 23 inches of snow on our city last month, our first family portraits since we got married six years ago . . . and, last but not least, updates on our Little Boo, who–I am thankful to say–is still inside at 31 weeks!

I thought I would “catch up” the week after Christmas. But instead I spent Monday – Thursday on the Mom Unit in the hospital, and now I’m home on bedrest. It feels like “deja vu, all over again,” as they say.

We were hoping Micah’s preterm labor and premature birth was just a fluke, since my pregnancy with Mara was completely normal and full-term. But so far, we are having much the same experience again. With the exception (and a huge exception that may make all the difference for our Little Boo!), that the doctors are treating everything sooner this time because Micah was premature. So maybe by 32 weeks (when I was 3 cm and 70% effaced with Micah), we will still see no cervical change . . .

All that to say: I will be back!

But for now, bedrest.

This crazy procardia lowers my blood pressure so all my energies (including thinking and writing) are really low right now. . . but I will be back.

I actually miss blogging.

Is it weird to miss your blog?

Daniel, no comment. . .

Before bed I always ask Mara what she would like to pray about tonight. Usually she rehearses memories from the day. Usually happy ones. Occasionally sad ones.

This morning Daniel took Mara grocery shopping with him; he’s doing the grocery shopping for now, until the baby is farther along. Once he came home, he and Micah walked to Blockbuster to return a video.  After lunch and the kids’ naps, Daniel took Mara to church with him. (I stayed home with Micah, since we’re trying to minimize my contractions.) After church, the kids watched the Eagles’ game with Daniel. So both kids (and Mara, especially) enjoyed a good amount of “Daddy time” today!

Tonight as she lay on her bed, I asked what she wanted to pray about. Instantly she replied, “Pray about Daddy,” with a blissful smile, in a voice that sounded like a pre-teen daydreaming about her latest crush.

“What about Daddy?” I asked.

“Heeee’s awwwwful,” she said. (Same voice.)

“He’s awful?”

“Yeah! . . . He’s awful! And he’s pretty cute!” she added.

“He’s awful and pretty cute?”

“Yeah!” Same dreamy voice.

“Do you mean he’s awful? or he’s awesome?” I asked, just to clarify.

“Yeah–he’s awwwesome!”

“Okay, we will thank God that Daddy took you with him to church and to go grocery shopping,” I said. “Should we pray about anything else?”

“No,” she replied, dreamily. “Just pray about Daddy.”

Did you ever lose something very special, mourn its loss thinking it was gone forever, and suddenly you find it?!

Well, that happened (at least, the “finding it” part) to me yesterday when my husband came and told me he was going through an old hard drive before formatting it and came across pictures from our visit last year to South Dakota.

I discovered these pictures were missing a couple of months ago, when I went back to print some of them out and instead learned that they were gone.

These pictures are priceless to me, because my mom and dad saw my son Micah just one time during his entire first year of life, and Micah’s “happy pictures” from that visit were completely gone.

I had downloaded most of my pictures onto my dad’s computer in South Dakota, so he sent me what he had, but the pictures I really really wanted were taken the last night of our visit, after I downloaded my pictures for Dad.

Here’s just one picture that gives you an idea why they were special: My mom, my sister, and my little Micah-man enjoying some smiles.

There are a lot more–and one particular picture I want to print in black & white. A few with my sister, saying good-bye to the kids at the airport. To me, these are just priceless.

When my husband showed my these pictures, I couldn’t help it: I hugged him. And cried.

I was so very happy.

It’s that time of year! Thanksgiving travels (or company). Planning for Christmas: Shopping. Parties. Baking. Maybe more travel or more company.

Add to my list the 40 hours of continuing education to keep my CPA license current. (Don’t ask why I have waited till December to complete my CPE every single year since becoming a stay-at-home-mom!)

I have 20 hours down and 20 hours to go. Sooooo while I’d rather be blogging. . . I don’t want to lose my license.

I’ll post again in a few days.