Precious Moments

With our church's missions' conference this week, Shawn was responsible for coordinating the A/V team, which needed to not only be there to input songs and display them for worship but also show slide shows of pictures for the missionaries speaking and run the powerpoint for the special speaker, Brian Hogen. Last night Shawn was the one running the show, and since I wasn't sure how well the Bean would sit still during the presentations, I called my sister Becky to see if she would like company while Shawn was away. Sure enough, she invited us for dinner! Hooray! She and Tim made a delicious meal consisting of some sort of seafood alfredo pasta, seasoned shrimp, yummy mixed veggies and cookies for dessert. Mmmmm.... Joshua ate a few green beans, peach yogurt, cheese, a banana and some cheerios that I had taken along and then helped with the chocolate chip cookies.But, what impressed me the most was how well-behaved Joshua was while we were there. Their house is not kid-proof (which you expect when a couple doesn't have any kids) but he didn't touch any of their drink cups on the coffee table, their laptop, their TV or electronics, their open dishwasher, or anything that he wasn't supposed to. I was a little concerned at all the possibilities before him, but he was soooo good. He played with his own toys and chatted with them in his own way and was absolutely amazing right through to the time we left. He was also good in the car and was adorable even when we got home and I changed him in his PJ's. Right then Daddy called and I said I was going to read him his story and put him to bed, but Daddy wanted to see him. So, we left him stay up a little longer than usual last night.

When Shawn got home, I asked him about the conference and he told me all about getting ready beforehand with the technical things and then about the speaker, warning me there wasn't a dry eye in the place including himself. Really? I was intrigued. First, I would recommend listening to the podcast from his sermon on Sunday. I listened this morning while Joshua & I played, and he is an incredible speaker (the time literally flew!) with a great message:

http://www.lordshouseofprayer.com/files/City/Sermons/080309-Brian%20Hogan,World%20Impact%20Conf.mp3

Brian and his wife went to Mongolia with their three girls after hearing directly from the Lord that they were to serve in missions there, planting a church where one had never been before. I won't give you too many of the details of how God lead them there, but you'll find out more of their incredible story at the link above. Anyway, from what Shawn told me about his message last night, Brian and his family were facing major opposition and wanted to quit but didn't because they felt called to serve there. His fourth child and first son was the first American to be born in this closed country, and people weren't welcoming them and their church by sounds. A cult had moved in down the street, government restrictions were trying to force them out, and there was division in their church. They felt like they were at the breaking point. Then, on December 23rd or the eve of Christmas Eve when his family of six was walking home one night, his wife and son completely wiped out on the ice. But, they were shown God's grace once again as neither one of them had a scratch on them. That night, their son smiled for the first time. Shawn said there was a picture to go along with his sermon in the powerpoint of this adorable little boy smiling away. Brian's wife said "let's not ruin the moment by taking too many pictures - he's happy and we've all been through a lot. We'll take more tomorrow." So, they enjoyed his smiles and put their son to bed. The next morning, Brian heard his wife screaming in the nursery. Their son died that night of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). This picture still up on the screen was their only picture of their son smiling. Brian was frustrated with God, "why would you take my one and only son?" And then he was reminded again about God's ultimate sacrifice, willingly giving His one and only perfect and holy son on the cross to die...There was more to the message that Shawn told me about, but we both sat in bed tearfully thinking about our own precious boy, remembering the first time he smiled which was also just before Christmas. And, once again we were thankful for this gift of salvation. Brian's message was about perservering in taking this all-important message into the world. But, last night it was a reminder to us to never take for granted the moments we have. We clutched our little one a little later than usual last night and were happy for the blessing of our growing family.These pictures are from the night before last. Shawn & Joshua had been playing with his foam blocks, one of our favorites. Joshua loves to stack them up and then knock them all down. He finally understands that the rectangles have to go first and then the triangles! They're also a great way to remind him about colors as we suggest which one goes on the tower next. As we were playing, the Bean got into our armoire and started playing with Daddy's gaming system remote, a no-no. He was caught red-handed! Instead of scolding him, Shawn was trying to distract him to come back to their game. He piled all the blocks around Joshua, who was not taking a hint. Eventually he knocked them over and came back. It was a funny scene.

Baby @ Week 23 Gestation

Fetal Development:
Your baby weighs about a pound now! The body is becoming better proportioned each day, and the bones of the middle ear begin to harden. If born now, your baby has a chance for survival. Let's hope, however, that the baby stays put for several more weeks!


Maternal Changes:
Your baby still has room to move around so you're probably feeling kicks, jabs, flips and flops. You may even see your abdomen move. Your uterus is about 1 1/2 inches above your belly button. If you're having some wild mood swings, don't fret. They're normal even if they don't feel normal. Try to be good to yourself when you're feeling blue.

Random Happenings in the Good Household

Dinner Out

Friday night Grandma Good treated us out to dinner at Hoss' Steakhouse, and we really enjoyed seeing her. Joshua was pretty good the whole time, too, and I think he's getting more used to being in public. He's such a great kiddo!

Oy, Oy, Oy!
On Saturday morning, we went to an open house for a preschool we're looking into for Joshua. I couldn't believe all the things kids his age are learning, along with the fun planned activities, and they have options to do a couple half days a week. It's very expensive, though, so we'll have to see. Then we headed out to go shopping for Joshua's new room decor (I say shopping but since we haven't bought a thing, I guess I should say "browsing.") The Kids Cookie Break was on WJTL, and I was listening to the Veggie Tales "Pizza Angel" which is a cute song. Then Phredd's song "Jump for Jesus, Jump for Joy, Jump for Victory...Oy! Oy! Oy!" came on the radio. All the sudden we heard Joshua singing along "Oy! Oy! Oy!" It was so cute and cracked Shawn and me up!

Eating at Home

I am loving having our kitchen back together. It will be nice when everything is actually finsihed! I finally used the new cooktop, which I was nervous to use before because it's brand new and looks so nice. But, Sunday night I baked skinless, boneless chicken smothered in BBQ sauce, two types of perogies (my favorite!) with sauteed onions and butter, and peas. It was divinity, if I do say so myself. Then, we had to clean the cooktop using the special cleaner...that's something I'll have to get used to. Joshua is loving eating at the table with us on his booster seat. The only thing he would eat that night was peas, and he had a ton of them. I guess it's good if the only thing he ever wants to eat is veggies. He also likes yogurt & grapes and the occasional chocolate pudding. I wish he would eat more of a variety, though, but I guess that will come with time. We always offer him what we're having and he picks and chooses what goes down the hatch.

The Lion Sleeps Tonight

For a donation to PBS, my mom received a CD collection from the 50s & 60s and the original "The Lion Sleeps Tonight" (better known now as the song from the movie the Lion King) was on there. When we stayed with her in February, she and Joshua danced away to that song, with her twirling him around and him loving every second of it. The Bean & I ate french toast at Grandma's house on Sunday while Daddy went to church (Joshua woke up later than normal with the stupid time change, so we didn't rush to get to church since we knew the place would be packed for the Missions' Conference), and the two of them danced to the song again while Grace - who had spent the night at Grandma's the night before - and I danced. When we got home, I told Daddy he was missing Joshua's priceless expression, so he downloaded the song and danced with the Bean. Joshua LOVES it! "Hush, my darlin', don't fear, my darlin', the lion sleeps tonight...." Sooo cute!

Reading

Joshua always loved being read to, but now he insists on taking the book himself and turning to whatever page he can open. Thus, he rarely hears a full story anymore. But, he can click the pelican and dolphin books that Grandma & Grandpa Ginder bought him, he likes looking at the dump truck book from Jordon (along with many others), and yesterday we actually got to read all of "I love my Daddy Because..." So, he still loves books but not quite the way I would handle them. He is definitely all boy, exploring all the time. He climbs up everything and stood in his moving dump truck yesterday to reach something... Shawn reminds me that boys must be given their freedom and I all but have a heart attack when I see him trying to get higher and higher. Lord, please protect the Bean as he learns through touching, feeling, tasting, smelling and seeing!

God's Little Boy is...Thrifty

"A penny saved is a penny earned,"

This is a fact that should be learned.

Saving your pennies helps with your needs

And gives you extra for many kind deeds.

Money that comes easily disappears quickly.

But money that is gathered little by little will slowly grow.

Proverbs 13:11

Dear God, we pray for Joshua's character, that he would be 'thrifty.' We ask that he would understand the value of people first, money second and things third. May he be generous with others but frugal, keeping to a budget and knowing when to save and not getting into debt. As we listen to Dave Ramsey, it impresses me how people who have much can give away much - let his good stewardship of money bless others. Allow him to save his money over time, working hard and being diligent about staying away from debt of any kind. Please help teach him your principles from the Bible and allow Shawn & me to be good role models. In Jesus' name we pray, AMEN!

Weeble Wobble

Shawn & I have noticed for the past few days that Joshua is stumbling a little more than usual. At first I thought he was probably just tired, but when Shawn mentioned it too, I was concerned. After talking to my mom, I decided to call and leave a message for a nurse at Roseville Pediatrics. The nurse said that sometimes extra wobbliness can come from an inner ear infection, so it was best to have him checked out just to make sure. So, after his breakfast and a quick bath, we headed once again to the pediatrician. The Bean now weighs 22 lbs 11 oz, or one more ounce than he did at his 15-month check-up when we were told he was the 20th percentile for his weight. But, at least he's gaining once again and his appetite is back.

Dr. Ammons was super with Joshua, and he didn't even scream when she checked his ears because she first showed him her light and allowed him to light up his fingers with it...so cute! She said both ears look good and after watching him walk, she said he looks okay and doesn't see anything serious offhand. She did ask lots of questions, though, and said the only other possibility was that he was having mini-seizures. I don't think this is the case, though, because he seems 'with it' and gets up after having fallen. She recommended we video tape any other episodes but deemed it 'fatigue' at this point, where he's just a little more weeble-wobbly because he's tired. Last night and the night before have been the first two nights he's slept the whole way through since he came home from the hospital, so I think that might be an accurate diagnosis. He always keeps us guessing!!! But, it was great to hear that he's gaining weight, his ears are clear, and his lungs sound super!

When we were done, I called mom since she had taken the day off to paint her living room. I met her and her retired friend Pat, who was really sweet to help mom, at Bob Evans for lunch. Joshua was amazing once again at the restaurant, eating well and smiling for everyone in site. I had the most amazing salad, and Joshua loved the banana bread & fruit the best, I think, besides the company of us ladies.

The rain has officially started. They've been calling for flooding, but up until this point it's been relatively dry. So, we'll see! After his breathing treatment this afternoon, I rocked the Bean to sleep. Now with the soft pitter patter of rain, I'm trying to hold my heavy eye lids up to get some work done... The picture above is of Mom with all her grandkids (other than the one in the womb!). It's Faith, then Joshua, then Daniel, then Mom, then Grace and finally Emma.

God's Little Boy is...Truthful

Have you ever done wrong and wanted to lie?

Thinking a story will help you get by?

Telling the truth is what God says to do.

So always be sure to say what is true.

Don't use your mouth to tell lies.

Don't ever say things that are not true.

Proverbs 4:24

Dear God, we ask that Joshua would always tell the truth, even when the easy way out would be to lie. I know that we speak out of what is in our heart, so I pray that his heart would be filled with your truth. May he always read and remember your word so that he is prepared with an honest answer for every question asked of him. May he be known as honest and upright. And, we pray the same for his brother. In Jesus' name, AMEN!

Fun with Family Visitors

Missy called and said that she had the day off and would like to come over for a visit. Super! We were excited to see her. She came with a new phone for Joshua (somehow he had called her cell phone and left her a long message when we were unaware). So, now he has his own phone that sings, lights up and makes noise. No more using ours!Joshua had a great time playing with Aunt Missy. All children adore her. She would act like he knocked her over and would pull him with her. He laughed and laughed. What a fun game! We really enjoyed her visit.Today Nonie came over and took Joshua to Park City for an hour to let me get caught up on my grading and writing. (I forgot to break out the camera - doh!) Then we went to lunch at Friendly's. Joshua was a gem. Such a cutie pie! Afterward we came home for the Bean's nap and had a nice visit. Thanks for coming to see us, Nonie & Missy! You're welcome anytime!

Brother Good: 22 Weeks Gestation

Fetal Development:
The baby is probably close to a pound and very thin but very developed. The eyelids and eyebrows are now formed, and the brain begins rapid growth. If your baby is a boy, his testes have begun their descent from the pelvis to the scrotum.

Maternal Changes:
Your uterus is nearly an inch above your navel. You'll probably be gaining weight more steadily now as your baby continues to fill out. The extra weight may begin to take its toll on your back. Wear low heeled shoes (flat shoes can strain your back as much as high heeled shoes) and avoid sitting or standing for long periods of time. When you sit, use a footstool to raise your knees higher than your hips.

Playing at the Park

My sister Jen called today and asked if we'd like to go to the park since it was so gorgeous outside. With 60 degree weather complete with sunshine, we decided to go while we had the opportunity. I drove the mile and a half to her house and then put Joshua in his stroller while she put Emma & Daniel in her double stroller. Grace & Faith rode their scooters and we all took off for Stoner Park. Joshua was not too sure about walking on the grass and wood chips at first. It's strange to think he's really only been walking since 2008 began, so he hasn't had the opportunity to try out his outdoor legs. :)

He wasn't a big fan of the swings this time, but Jen's kids all loved them. When a man walking two small puppies came near, the kids all went over to say hello to the friendly dogs who loved the attention. Joshua climbed up the stairs to the sliding board (a very small one) after watching his cousins do it a thousand times. Then he slid down backward with me right there to catch him. He enjoyed that much better than me holding him and him sliding down on his rear. We only stayed about an hour since I had to get ready for class, but I know all the kids enjoyed it. And, I think Jen & I had a good time, too, just catching some fresh air. We've had cabin fever, so getting outside feels great. Hooray for springtime weather!

Dates & Drama

A "Play" Date
Friday I worked strenuously at scrubbing all our new cabinets in hopes of filling them with our dishes so we could have a normal dinner at home. But, when Shawn started bringing up boxes, we realized that all of our things got dirty in the construction mess and would have to be thrown in the dishwasher or washed by hand. We were debating what to do since it was time to eat and we had the Bean, so we decided to head to the mall. We knew Joshua could play and have fun and we could find something for all of us to enjoy for dinner.Joshua was sooo cute! He was much more open to playing than when we had last been there. There was an 11-month old boy (who was just as big as the Bean) who kept going up to him and giving him hugs. I feared Joshua might try to push him away, but he did really well being gentle and nice to the other children. He waved 'hi' to a bigger boy who waved 'hi' back. They then went to high-five before something else caught both of their attention. Joshua climbed on the hockey puck & stick and then crawled under the soccer ball, following the 11-month old. We sat him up on the "bed" that he had enjoyed so much before and a little girl, who looked to be at least twice his age if not older, climbed up next to him. She had braids on either side of her head, and Joshua so desperately wanted to pull them. For the first time ever, though, I saw him restrain himself. Instead these two just smiled away at each other. He would go to touch her hair and then take back his hand. They just grinned and chatted and smiled some more. Sooo precious! He went up to the duck and said "quack, quack," crawled on the crayons and then went up to some random gentleman who had kiddos there and said 'hi.' We decided at this point to try a motorized toy on the other side so Daddy could see. This time, Joshua did NOT like even the purple car. He didn't cry, but he held on for dear life and couldn't wait for it to be over. Shawn & I got salads with our buy-one-get-one-free coupons from Salad Works and got Joshua a grilled cheese sandwich that he wouldn't eat. Oh, Bean, please start eating again!A "Real" Date
Saturday morning Joshua woke up just after 5 a.m. shouting "Dada!" I was so happy, as I poked Shawn and said "sounds like he wants you" and rolled back over to get a few more hours sleep. When I woke up, Shawn and Joshua had been playing happily and having a great time. Daddy said "let's eat breakfast at Silk City Diner." I love that place! We invited Nonie & Poppy to join us and Aunt Alicia & Jordon. From there, Nonie took Joshua home with her and we spent the day together. We couldn't think of anything to do (I think we somehow got old). We worked for an hour or two on our kitchen cleaning and called it a day. Then, we both took a nap. When we got up, we headed to Reading and had a productive shopping trip to Lowe's and then went out to eat at Buca de Peppo (sp?), which was a neat little Italian restaurant. Afterward, I was missing the Bean so we went and picked him up. It was a nice day.A Sun-Date
Today was beautiful outside. We worked more steadily on our kitchen, and we're making real progress. I also did some laundry and we cleaned up just a little bit. We took a Sunday afternoon drive, ate a late lunch/early dinner out (hopefully the last time in awhile now that I can actually cook and am looking forward to it), and went to Border's as a family for 15 minutes or so to continue to look at baby names. I think we have a list of 10 or so possibilities. We then went to Grandma's for a little bit to visit. After we got home, Joshua must have fell at least three or four times... We were even watching him, but he kept stumbling. His shoes were tied, there wasn't anything out of the ordinary going on...I just can't understand why. I felt so bad at the end of the night, I just wanted to hold him. But, he wasn't in the mood (unlike last night when he fell asleep in my arms.) I think maybe he was just tired, so we laid him down in his crib and he fell asleep. We then checked on him throughout the night to make sure he was okay.

Happy Anniversary!

To my amazing husband....

There are days that I could just pinch myself to make sure that I'm not dreaming...being married to you has been an incredible experience and I'm looking forward to the next 100+ years together! May God bless you and our family. Thank you for being my spouse and head of our house. I love you!

Renovation Reflection

*Warning: LONG POST!*

This month marked two years since purchasing our current home. We didn't actually move in until March of 2006, just after we found out we were expecting the Bean. During the month of February '06, we started the long process of fixing up our house, which is still not completely finished. But, we absolutely love it and I feel so blessed to be able to raise our family here.

The best thing about our house is the location, followed by the layout and the lot. We had a long list of must-haves from 4 BR's and 2.5 BA's to a large kitchen, a separate formal living room and family room, and a large enough dining room to accomodate our family. We also wanted a fireplace and at least a one-car garage, as well as some sort of outdoor space (either a patio or deck) to hang out outside and a flat lot where kiddos could play. We have all that and more. A single house boasting over 2,000 square feet and a nice yard is exactly what I've always wanted. At times I've been discouraged throughout our renovations, feeling like the list keeps getting longer rather than shorter, but then I have to look back at everything we've accomplished since we've moved in. So, here goes:

Phase One

• When we moved in, the first thing we did was clean every inch of the house including floors, walls, ceilings, cupboards, etc. even into the garage. We settled on a Thursday, and Mom took off work that last weekend in February to help me clean (thanks so much!). I don't think the place had been cleaned in at least 15 years and just some elbow grease and rubber gloves made the entire house smell better.
• From there, we took off the paneling in the good living room and the fake wood/foam beams on the ceiling. That enabled us to tear out the wall between the living room and dining room.
• We then took off wallpaper and painted all four bedrooms upstairs, including the ceiling and starting the trim with some help from our family (thanks!). Shawn also painted our master bathroom and we started painting the powder room downstairs.
• We enlisted the services of our plumber Brad Keiser (who I would highly recommend) to fix up our powder room, adding a pedastool sink and new hardware as well as a new toilet. We also had him install a new sink in the kitchen, along with a new faucet, and a new state-of-the-art garbage disposal along with our new GE Profile dishwasher from Mom & Jamie (thank you!). Our brother-in-law Mike helped trim the window sill so the tall Delta faucet we bought would work (thanks!).
• We also put new flooring in the powder room downstairs, but we still have to finish painting and fix the trim. It just hasn't been a high priority.
• Next we paid to have carpet installed on our stairways and all the bedrooms upstairs. While the hardwood was pretty, we knew we'd have babies crawling around and thought the carpet was more practical and warmer.
• We installed a new towel bar, shower curtain bar, and toilet paper dispenser in the family bathroom that the last owner had newly renovated. I tried re-grouting some of the beautiful neutral tile with little success.
• Shawn replaced all the outlets & switches throughout the house to be a uniform, more up-to-date white after Grandpa Ginder showed him how (thanks!).
• We hired a fix-it company to install a dining room chandelier, a new kitchen light fixture and pendant lights over the breakfast bar that all coordinated. They also painted the kitchen & dining room walls a beautiful deep red, finished the drywall work where we had torn out the wall & paneling and made sure a few of the bricks outside were all the way they were supposed to be (is that called stepping or pointing or something?)
• After moving in, we hired a youth to paint the living room walls & ceiling and the upstairs hallway walls and ceiling. The color wasn't quite right, though, so I think we want to repaint it at some point.
• We also hired a tree company to take out the largest tree in our front yard, grind the stump and remove all the roots that were sticking out of the ground.
• Grandpa Ginder & Kevin helped start trimming up our overgrown shrubs and yardwork while we were in the hospital having Joshua.
• There, our renovations ceased for awhile as having a baby took over our lives...

Phase Two

• The next round of renovations started with removing the second large dead tree from our front yard, grinding the stump and getting the landscape smoothed out and adding grass seed (hopefully it will grow this spring!).
• We then replaced the old broken driveway (which had been ruined with tree roots) and expanded it from a single lane to typical size where you can park four cars. It looks SO much better and now we don't have to worry about anyone falling or turning their ankles.
• Next, we got a brand new roof, new gutters & downspout with a new rain leader system that pulls water away from the house. In replacing our roof, we also took down the big chimney that was in the middle of it, which also gave us back more closet space since the chimney had been added later. Eventually we want to get a gas insert for our fireplace that will turn on with a simple switch.
• The contractor aluminum capped all our windows & around the garage to make our house maintenance free (or basically maintenance free). This included new front porch posts and shiny new house numbers to coordinate.
• We got all new replacement energy-efficient windows and new exterior doors. The front one is a more decorative one that we picked out with a cherry wood finished and beveled glass that we just love.
• We got a new, more energy efficient bay window that lets a lot more light in and actually opens now! The window sill is also a lot deeper for my plants.
• Next, the contractor replaced some of the siding in the back as they wrapped our sunporch to match the rest of the house and took out an old rusty blower that was no longer needed. The sunporch was also given a little insulation and new aluminum capping, and the screen door on it now closes properly. Woohoo! That was one of my favorite parts from an annoyance standpoint.
• UGI installed a brand new energy efficient, long-lasting gas furnace and hot water heater. The central air unit had just been replaced before we bought the house, so we didn't need to replace it.
• We got all new white six-panel interior doors along with matching white six panel closet doors that close properly with the new, more plush carpet.
• The Energy Conservation Center installed the standard amount of insulation in our attic and underneath our living room, dining room & kitchen to help with heating costs. There was literally almost none before.
• An electrician added recessed lights in the good living room, a new motion sensor on our garage door, a new outlet in our powder room & laundry room for our freezer, new outlets at the front & back of our house to make yardwork easier, and fixed all the three-way receptacles that no longer worked. We also fixed some bad outlets around the fireplace and the light outside the laundry room door. We also replaced the light outside our front door just so everything was fresh & new.
• The contractor (formerly an electrician) replaced our old electric unit with an updated, up-to-code 200 amp electric service. He also rewired the basement to code and fixed a few things that the previous homeowners had installed/patched in themselves.
• We replaced all the old copper pipes with new ones to make our plumbing up-to-date. That included adding a trap for the master bathroom shower.
• They finished the trim in the dining room & living room where we had torn down the wall.
• We had our gorgeous ceiling fan installed in our master bedroom and a new recessed light above the family bathroom bathtub, along with a new light fixture above the mirror in the bathroom.
• All of our smoke detectors got replaced with new 10-year lithium battery ones.
• We had our kitchen completely torn out and all new cabinets, drawers, hardware and countertops installed. We bought a new GE Profile cooktop & downdraft system that was put in, so now all of our appliances are new and match.

• Now we are anticipating the birth of our second child in just a few short months! We must put in the closet organizer in what will be Joshua's new room and decorate for him...

Phase 3

• We just finished phase 2, but we already have a long list of things that must be accomplished in phase 3. These are mostly cosmetic, though, like refinishing the hardwood floors in the living room & dining room, installing a gas fireplace insert, taming the wild landscape in our backyard, hanging some of our larger paintings, and buying new curtains for our living room, etc. These will have to wait until we save up more money and have more time on our hands to do them ourselves.

I love our little house. Some day, I'll have to post before and after pictures, which I have but will take too long after I've already written a short novel here. While the house needed some work, it's also solidly constructed and basically up-to-date with all 'major things' now. I feel we've been very blessed with the opportunity to own a home in one of the best school districts in the state, let alone the county, with the elementary school literally behind our house. We have fields to play in, playgrounds within walking distance, and most things that we would want to do in this area are between 5 and 10 minutes from here. The pediatrician is less than a mile from our house, which was huge this past Friday when Joshua was having difficulty breathing. Even the hospital is about a 5-7 minute drive (depending on traffic lights). We have plenty of space for our kiddos & us and yet the house feels cozy, too. Most of all, I'm thankful for my husband and sons to enjoy it with. May it not only bless our family but all who enter.

All Clear!

This morning we went to see the doctor to follow-up from Joshua's hospital stay. She said that his lungs sound clear and he looks a lot better. She recommended waiting to reduce his prevacid intake for the next two weeks since the breathing treatments can flare up the esophagus. We will continue giving him two breathing treatments a day until his cough is gone and the preventative medicine for the next six weeks or so. Joshua is "back up" to weighing 21 lbs 15 oz. He also has all his new teeth, which is quite a mouth full! His temperament has been much better since he's been home. Please continue to pray for his health!

I've been noticing Joshua's hands going up in a weird way as he gets excited and walks around. I thought to myself, "is this normal?" Then last night, I figured out why he started that. He and Daddy were dancing. As Shawn would put his arms & hands in the air in a "normal" dance move, Joshua's imitation looked a little more silly. Ah-hah! Now I feel better knowing that he's just trying to dance when he does that. My two boys are so cute. It will be interesting to see what a third brings to the mix. Please pray for the little guy's health as well!

It's 26 degrees today and very windy. So, I dressed Joshua warmly and put on this hat. Sooo cute!

God's Little Boy is...Cheerful

It's good to "make a joyful noise,"

Even when made on one of your toys

A song from your heart helps those who are sad;

It brings a smile and makes them feel glad.

A happy heart is like good medicine.

Proverbs 17:22

Dear God, thank you so much for Joshua and for keeping him healthy and well. We pray also for his character - that he would grow up to be just like you. We ask that you would help him to always be cheerful. I love his little smile, and I pray that his heart would always be full of joy from above. May he make a joyful noise and sing songs from his cheerful heart that would uplift those who are sad or sick. Thank you for what a cheerful blessing he is to us already. Amen!

Baby Good: Week 21

Fetal Development:
The rapid growth phase begins to slow down this week. The heart grows stronger this week, and the legs are reaching their relative proportions.

Maternal Changes:
Over halfway there, and you're probably showing now. Your uterus is about 1/2 inch above your belly button. The average weight gain is between 10 and 15 pounds at this point. If you're eating a healthy diet, don't count pounds and calories too strictly. Emotionally, you're probably feeling more stable and comfortable. Your ankles and feet may be swelling, particularly at the end of the day. Drink lots of water and rest with your feet elevated.

Ideas for Dad:
With the second trimester being the easiest, this is a good time for planning and preparing together. The "pukiness" of the first trimester is (hopefully) a memory, and the heaviness of the third trimester is yet to come. Now is a good time to do something special together like taking a vacation or a weekend away (check with your caregiver first about travel). If you can't get away, use the time to grow closer and spend quality time together.

Good News, Bad News

We had a message from Dr. Devenyi's office when we got home that we were to call for Joshua's biopsy results. Great news! His esophagus shows no inflammation. So, the diagnosis of reflux was accurate and we don't have to worry about allergies. We're now supposed to reduce his medication intake to once a day (before breakfast) to see how that goes. I'm hoping he grows out of this completely!

Now for the bad news. We also had a message from the recreation department that our 'Musik for Tots' class was cancelled due to lack of interest. We had signed up for this 5-week program designed for 1-4 year olds and their parents to explore different instruments and music, etc. I thought it would be fun to do something like that with Joshua, especially since he seems to enjoy music. So, we were a little bummed. They offer the course from time to time, so hopefully we can take it in the future.

Speaking of music, Nonie & Poppy brought some toys into the hospital from their house that Joshua enjoys playing with. The one is a farm that makes all these animal sounds and plays five different melodies. Joshua's skips right through "Old McDonald Had a Farm," "BINGO" and a few others that I can't remember offhand to get to the song "Hooray for the Red, White & Blue!" It's soooo cute and interesting that he likes that song so much better than the others. He also clutched Waddles the Duck (one of my personal favorites) who plays children singing the song "Singin' in the Rain" anytime that anything yucky was happening to him like medication or breathing treatments. The Bean started saying "quack, quack, quack" pretty clearly. Notice his pink pants in the picture below. Daddy didn't even want to put on these pants because of the color, but that's what the hospital had.

Dr. Hanna always made a fishy face when she was listening to Joshua's breathing. He usually isn't a big fan of the stethescope, but he loved her fishy lips and crossed eyes. He then would try to mimick the face just moving his little lips back and forth. It was so cute. He also will stick out his tongue at you if you do it first, which I think is adorable. He knows where his belly is and his nose and now his tongue, too.

When Joshua was feeling a little better, he was restless and wanted to play a bit more. So, Daddy put him in the crib and they tossed a ball back and forth. That gave me time to call Grandpa Georgia and give him an update on Joshua's condition. Since they were playing nicely, Daddy decided to take pictures with the camera he brought along. Right then, Joshua lunged over at all the equipment near the wall and pushed the emergency call button. Our room flooded with 40+ nurses. "Uh oh!" Joshua said. We said, "Noooooo!!!!!" Too late.

The more steroid treatments Joshua received for his lungs, the more violent he became. The nurse explained that this medicine affects children's temperament, and she was not kidding! He would thrash and hit and pinch and bite...I've never seen him so mad and so aggressive. When he would start getting out of control, I put him down in the crib since I was starting to get bruised. Several times, he threw his head into the metal bars and came out with quite the goose egg. He would eventually calm down, but it took some time. He seems to be much happier now that we're home, but I'm praying this isn't the start of any such behavior. Here's a picture of him as we're about to leave the hospital to come home.

I just jumped a mile. Joshua is in his crib napping and one of his toys sounded, "TEN DUCKS! QUACK, QUACK, QUACK!" It scared the bejeebees out of me. No one there. Why is it that every toy he likes makes sounds? :) :) :)

Well, I should get back to work. While I'd LOVE a nap, I'm way behind on projects. I'll keep you updated on how he's doing. So far, he seems to be okay but still breathing laborously. I'm anxious to hear what the doctors say about him Thursday. Please pray this cold or virus goes away!

There's No Place Like Home!

Joshua didn't need any oxygen last night. His levels dipped low, but he was able to recover himself when we moved him. According to the resident doctor, that's a good enough sign that he'll be able to 'rescue' himself. She said that we all go through times where we lay weird or have a cough where our blood oxygen level will dip and then we move and self-correct the problem. It's only harmful when this state lasts a longer period of time and we can't bring ourselves out of it. So, this morning Joshua was released to go home. He's done with the antibiotics and steroids (thank God, since he doesn't take medication well for us) and now we just have to keep up with his breathing treatments and a daily preventative treatment for his lungs.

According to the doctor, this probably started as a virus or cold of some type that flared up his lungs. He is now officially classified as asthmatic. The surgery he had did not help or harm his condition, most likely, just as Dr. Devenyi thought. It was just coincidence or 'bad timing.'

Please continue to pray for Joshua. He's still coughing and the doctors & nurses can still hear the "junk" from the cold, but he's no longer considered in a dangerous spot. Please pray that I'll be able to sleep at night and not wonder if he's breathing okay - I know I have to leave him in God's capable hands. I really haven't slept well since Thursday night and am fighting off a cold myself. Also pray that Joshua grows out of this asthma and that his lungs grow stronger and stronger. I've never been so terrified for him...

I'll post pictures from the hospital once we have a chance to download them. Now as he naps, I really must catch up on school & work, etc.

Another night

I'm back to shower again, so I thought I would quickly post an update. Joshua is still receiving breathing treatments and needs oxygen when he sleeps because his blood oxygen level dips below 90% (and 100% is considered normal, whereas 90% or less keeps you hospitalized). The steroids are making him very aggitated and aggressive, which is also scary to see. But, there's nothing worse than seeing he monitor flash red & beep because he's in the dangerous zone. I'm grateful that he's there when he can be monitored, but I'm also anxious for him to feel 100% better and come home.

Joshua's in the Hospital

I can't write much...I'm home to quickly shower and brush my teeth. Joshua wasn't breathing well yesterday and they immediately sent us to the hospital. Please pray that the Bean recovers quickly and gets to come home tomorrow!

Feverish

Poor little Joshua has been running a consistent fever of 101 degrees. His nose is running, and he's absolutely miserable, which is really unlike him. Last night we called the surgeon because they told us to call if his fever was over 100. But, he said the procedure went really well and he thinks the fever is the sign of a cold. A nurse from the surgical center called and said if he isn't feeling better by this afternoon, try to get him into the pediatrician. Ugh! Please pray for our Bean!

I wish I would have taken my camera with us yesterday. They had us change him into a hospital gown, and he looked SOOOO cute!!! Shawn and I giggled at his little legs sticking out of the gown and all the nurses oohed and awwed at how precious he looked. They gave him some sort of medicine to put him out before they did the actual anaesthesia. As it was taking effect, we pulled him around in this little red wagon with a little pillow and his favorite blue blanket. He was so calm and relaxed, he started to drool a little and kept quietly babbling 'la, blah, ra, la.' It was so precious...then they wheeled him away in the same wagon.

I haven't seen him that relaxed since. He's been a momma's boy yesterday and today. Normally he loves playing with Daddy and goes to him first, but not recently. He wants to be held and cuddled by me only. Poor little one! I love to cuddle him, but I wish he felt better. :( Please pray that whatever this is goes away!

What's in a Name?

Yesterday, I asked Joshua for his opinion on what we should name his little brother. His response? "Doh doh!"

Ummm... I don't think your brother would appreciate that name when he got older, so I think we'll keep looking. Thanks for the input, though!

Happy Birthday, Grandma Good!

We hope you have a great day and a super year! We're looking forward to seeing you on Friday night!

Baby Good at Week 20 Gestation

Fetal Development:
We're halfway through the pregnancy, and the baby has as much sleep and awake time as a newborn. The scalp hair begins to grow.

Maternal Changes:
Your uterus is at your navel now. You may experience some tenderness as your belly button becomes an "outtie" from the uterus pressing on it. You're probably feeling the baby frequently now as the movements become stronger. If you're having an ultrasound to verify fetal age, it will probably be scheduled around this time. It's a good time to look into childbirth classes.
Hey! You're halfway there already!

Inspirational Thoughts:
"Don't be discouraged if your children reject your advice. Years later they will offer it to their own offspring." ~Oscar Wilde

Out of Surgery & Sleeping

We took Joshua in this morning and asked them about whether or not it was safe to do the procedure with his schnarkiness. They felt he was okay, so we went ahead with it. But, they did have to give him a breathing treatment in the middle, they told us. He's sleeping off the rest of the medicine now and will hopefully wake up a much happier camper than he has been. Please pray that he feels better! Dr. Devenyi said his esophagus looks great, there's no hiatal hernia at all, and depending on the lab results we may go ahead and wait to come back to see him for three months. If everything looks super, we may also decrease his medicine intake, but again, we'll see what the biopsy results show from the lab.

Please Pray for Joshua

I have so much to post about our weekend with Grandma and Shawn's trip to Florida, but it will have to wait for another day. In the meantime, please pray for the Bean. He's scheduled to have his surgery tomorrow; however, today he was VERY cuddly and seemed to be running a slight fever and was schnarky again. Oh, my sweet boy! Why are you always sick? Please pray that he's healed completely before tomorrow morning. If not, we might have to postpone again. Unfortunately, there was no one there to call today to ask about rescheduling, so we'll go in first thing in the morning and have them assess his condition. If they feel his body is up for the surgery, we'll probably go ahead. (After all, could this be teeth coming in? He's got two more new ones from the last time I posted about his pearly whites...)

Please also pray that if they do decide to do surgery, that everything goes well, that the surgeon is able to get concrete answers this time, that Joshua is not in pain and recovers quickly, and that everyone who works on him would have accurate and loving hands...may God be with him and hold him when Shawn & I can't be in there.

What a Croc!

After reading my friend Julie's post about her son Jude not wanting to take off his Crocs, even for bed, I decided I should try some out for Joshua. He's not a big fan of getting shoes on, and if we can find something he loves on his feet, I'm in! My nieces also love these "new" shoes (Shawn said the trend is ooold, but what can I say? I'm a late adopter!) So, this weekend while we were at Costco looking at other things, Mom bought a pair of green Crocs for Joshua. Can't wait to try them out! Thanks, Grandma!

Then, when Kristen responded to Julie's post about Crocs, she said that it's not just Elliott (her son) who likes those shoes - she loves them too. She commented that they were the most comfortable shoes to wear and she's worn them for walking in Disneyland and all sorts of places. Everyone I've talked to seems to agree (Mom noticed that even nurses wear them). And since my pregnant feet felt like they needed some pampering, I decided to buy a pair for myself. The ones at Costco didn't feel right on my feet because they came in two sizes together (like 6/7, 8/9, 10/11). One pair felt a little snug while the next felt a little too big. I was disappointed but thought I might find more of a selection at the stand at the mall. While the Crocs there were much more expensive, the salesperson was really helpful, and I found a pair of Mary Jane Crocs that fit me nicely that were in whole sizes (I normally wear a half size) instead of two sizes together. Although I was enthralled by all the colors offered, I decided to play it safe with brown ones until I see if I really like them. I'm anxious to wear them and see what I think. I must admit that I still think Crocs are on the ugly side; however, what I think is a beautiful shoe (something like a leopard skin pump with a 3" heel and pointy toe) will not be going anywhere near my feet until I'm done carrying small kiddos on my hip. :) For now, anything that feels good is the way to go!

Playing at the Mall

Today we met Julie & Jude at the mall (sorry you weren't feeling up to it, Kristen & Elliott!). The boys had a great time playing in the playground, and then we moved on to the motorized toys.

Jude rode the motorcycle, and Joshua played in the car that didn't work (doh!). Then they rode in a car for two, and both seemed to highly enjoy it.

When Jude climbed into the bus and I put Joshua into the seat behind him, though, Joshua was TERRIFIED when the ride started to go. He was shaking all over, lip quivering and crying out loud. Poor Bean!

We went back to the car he enjoyed, but he had had enough riding. We decided it was time for lunch and Joshua & I got sandwiches from Subway while Julie got lunch for her and Jude. We met back in the middle to eat and enjoy each other's company. The boys were both picky eaters but were well behaved. We had a great time, and it was so fun to get out with friends!

Julie's husband Dan came at the very end since she just had a preeclampsia test that she had to drop off at Women's & Babies Hospital. We should be getting to meet her daughter very soon!