First Christmas

Cooper's first Christmas was memorable in so many ways. Having him here made Christmas much more meaningful, and especially after the meningitis incident.

We went to the Christmas eve service at church. It was so good to be there, especially since I hadn't been able to go to church in nearly a month. Then God blessed us with a white Christmas, almost unheard of in Nashville, but the snow only covered the grass and trees; the roads were clear, and we were able to go to my brother's house to celebrate with my family. It was a nice holiday for all of us, I think, and the memories will be happy ones to tell Cooper about when he is older.

Cooper Update

Thanks so much, those of you who have been praying for Cooper. He is doing much better, and we should get to go home late Sunday or early Monday. Meningitis has to be treated with antibiotics intraveneously for 2 weeks, so that's why we have had to stay so long. He's been feeling pretty good since the second or third day we were here.

Don and I are hanging in there too. He had to go back to work this week, so with that, in addition to taking care of the dogs and coming to visit us, he is getting pretty worn out, but today should be his last day of doing all that. I have had friends come to stay with Cooper four days this week so I could get out for a bit and go home and see the dogs. Also, when Cooper is not hooked up to an IV, we're free to take him out of the room, so we have been strolling him around, outside when the weather permits, or inside the hospital, so I haven't gone completely stir-crazy.

Cooper doesn't seem at all bothered by all of this. He's been here nearly 1/4 of his life -- I'm not sure he even remembers home. We're thankful, though, for the medicine to cure this illness that could have been very serious, for medical insurance, for a nice hospital facility with great staff, for all of the friends and family who have prayed for us and supported us in countless ways, and most of all, that our baby's health has been restored.

Pray for Cooper

Cooper is in the hospital and has been diagnosed with bacterial meningitis. This can be very serious, but we caught it early, and his prognosis is good. Still, we need lots of prayer for our little guy. It's so hard to see him going through all this, and we will probably have to be here at least 2 weeks. Don and I need prayer too, for strength to get through this: the emotional aspect of it, the exhaustion, and with at least one of us having to be with Cooper here at all times (I can't leave him for long since I'm nursing him), while dealing with the other necessary things in our lives: work, taking care of the dogs, etc. Thanks so much.

A Happy Thanksgiving

We had a family gathering at my brother's house yesterday to celebrate Thanksgiving. We had the usual turkey, dressing and more, of which I ate entirely too much (not making much progress toward getting those extra pregnancy pounds off!). The best part, though (in my opinion), was having Cooper there with us. Last Thanksgiving, I had no clue what this year would bring, and God surprised me in a wonderful way. As always, I am thankful for my family to gather with, but this year I was especially thankful for this unexpected blessing He has brought to us!

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen." Ephesians 3:20-21

One Month Old

Our baby Cooper is one month old now. He has filled our household with joy as we marvel at this blessing God has bestowed upon us. He has also kept us very busy as well as sleep-deprived.

He is a good baby. He has been to church 3 times, Bible study, and out to eat twice and has been perfect. Of course, I have to time it just right so that he has a full belly and sleeps in his carrier through these events, but he is still pretty low-maintenance as babies go.

My apologies to everyone whose blogs I haven't read or commented on in ages. I haven't forgotten about you; I am just spending FAR less time on the computer than I have in the past, for obvious reasons. I try to check my e-mail and Facebook a couple of times a day, but that's about all I have time for. Hopefully as we continue to get settled in I will get back to it, at least to some extent. I hope you're all doing well!

He's here!

Our long-awaited Cooper has arrived! We are so thankful and completely smitten, though a bit overwhelmed right now! I'll post more later when things slow down. I'm not sure when that will be, but hopefully soon.

What's Missing?

We have a lot of new stuff at our house:

A car seat

A cradle (handmade for us by Don's uncle)

A changing table
And lots of other baby stuff.

I have had four showers now, and we have been blessed beyond our wildest dreams. We really haven't had to buy anything that we didn't have gift cards for.

So what's missing?

No, the baby isn't here quite yet. I'm getting a little impatient (not to mention enormous), but he should be here any day now. Please keep us in your prayers as we make this huge transition. I'll keep you posted.

75 Years . . . and Counting

Today is my dad's 75th birthday, a pretty big one, if you ask me!

We had a little family get-together for him on Sunday to celebrate.

I am thankful he's been around for three-quarters of a century now, and that he's still in relatively good health. Should we shoot for a full century?? You never know -- his mom lived to be 97.

Happy birthday, Dad. And many, many more!

Shower of Blessings

I am blessed. I know that, but sometimes I get a reminder, as I did yesterday.

Some friends at work gave me a baby shower. I got lots of "material" gifts (shown below, including a number of gift cards as well), but I was even more blessed by the work people did to pull it together, and "shower" me with their love. Many of their gifts were handmade (clothes, blankets and quilts for my baby, etc.). These are gifts and memories I will always cherish.

Today I am 8 months pregnant. As far as I can tell, Baby and I are both healthy. I have another shower this weekend that my church friends are giving me. God is providing for our needs even as He is blessing us with this baby boy. Of course I have panic attacks from time to time about everything that could go wrong, but God is faithful, and I trust that whatever comes in the weeks and months and years ahead will be in His hands, as He is currently reminding me through the many ways He is blessing me.

Party On

Don and I partied all weekend. I guess we should; we had a lot to celebrate!

Friday night I fixed dinner for him for his birthday. Saturday night we went out to dinner to celebrate our anniversary, and last night my brother and sister-in-law hosted the family at their house for another birthday celebration, including grilling, cake, gifts and games.

Apples to Apples is a family favorite!

I think everyone had a good time, though it turned out to be just a bit too much for some of us. (I was feeling this way by the end of the night as well.)

Next year we'll have another family member to join our celebrations!

A Day to Celebrate

Five years ago today I was walking down the aisle at Hickory Grove Presbyterian Church to be married to a wonderful man. It was his birthday.

Now it's his birthday again, and we're celebrating 5 years of marriage. And we are very thankful. Thankful to have each other as companions in this crazy world. Thankful for our health, for a roof over our heads, food on the table, our families, our dogs and all the many ways God has blessed us in these 5 years.

This year we are especially thankful because God is blessing us again with a baby boy due in October. In some ways we are afraid of what lies ahead for us and our son, but we just have to trust that it's all in God's hands. And He is good. He has blessed us beyond our wildest dreams, and I pray that He will continue to do so as we journey through this life together.

Happy birthday AND happy anniversary to my husband Don. And many, many more.

We're Not Telling!

Whenever I run into someone who I haven't seen in a while, the first question they ask me, once we talk about me being pregnant, is, "Do you know if you're having a boy or a girl?" Well, I'll answer that one. Then comes the inevitable next question: "What's his name?" We've decided we're not going to tell anyone this, for two reasons: we reserve the right to change our minds (don't want any personalized gifts with the wrong name on them), plus we want to have something to announce when he's born. After all, "It's a boy!" will be old news by then.

Some people seem downright offended when I tell them this, and others badger me endlessly about it. So, I mostly just tell people now that we haven't decided yet, which is true. We thought we had a name we liked, and then I woke up in the middle of the night one night realizing all three names had 6 letters. After Ronald (Wilson) Reagan got accused of being the antichrist for the same reason (the 666 thing), I always thought I'd make a point not to do that. So, we're back to square one. At least for one of his names.

In other news, I just bought a new "wedding" ring. My hands are starting to swell, and my real one had gotten so tight that I was afraid if I waited much longer, I wouldn't be able to get it off. So, since I don't want to look like an unwed mother, I got a cheap one to wear until the baby is born. Unfortunately, cheap ones only come in full sizes, so this one is pretty huge. I may grow into it, though, if my hands swell any more.

I've passed the 6-month mark. Here's my latest photo: As you can see, my belly is getting quite large. I'm starting to feel handicapped: can't bend over to pick things up, have trouble getting up out of bed and other things that I have always taken for granted. And of course, it's going to get worse. But in 3 more months, I'll have my body back and a little baby as well, so I just keep reminding myself of that and try not to complain. Truly, I have much to be thankful for.

Church and Patriotism

I come from a very patriotic family. My dad is an Army veteran, and we grew up loving and taking pride in our country. The 4th of July has always been one of my favorite holidays.

It seemed natural to me that, since the 4th fell on a Sunday this year, our church (a "frozen chosen" Presbyterian Church of America) would be celebrating. My brother, my dad, Don (at my prompting) and I all arrived decked out in our red, white and blue. I was shocked to see that we were part of a very small minority. There were no patriotic songs scheduled to be sung during the service. The 4th was hardly even mentioned by anyone.

Finally, my dad stood up during "testimony time" and asked if we could sing "God Bless America," a song which I consider to be very appropriate for a church service. There were whispers and some general discomfort evident throughout the room, but finally the leader did agree to sing 1 verse. It wasn't in our hymnal, and a rather pitiful rendition was sung. It seemed most people there didn't even know all the words.

Apparently this sparked a major discussion in the adult Sunday School class which lasted the whole hour (I wasn't there, as I teach children). Everyone seemed to have an opinion on the place of patriotism in church.

I found it all a bit unsettling. I don't understand what the problem is. Don says church is for worshipping and honoring God, not our country. I don't disagree, but I hardly think singing "God Bless America," which is basically a prayer asking God to bless our country, is dishonoring to God. If my dad had simply asked that a prayer be said along those lines, it probably wouldn't have generated such controversy.

My mom, meanwhile, attended the service at her Baptist church. She said they had a special, extra-long service in which they sang patriotic songs, honored the military and veterans and prayed for our country.

What do you think? Does patriotism belong in the church? Where do we cross the line of taking the focus off of God if we do choose to celebrate in such a way? I'm curious to know how other people feel about this.

Little Pumpkin

My garden isn't doing as well as last year. We have had a considerably hotter, drier summer, plus I don't have a lot of energy to brave the heat and get out and weed it too often. So, we get what we get. So far we've gotten some green beans, peppers, sugar snap peas and broccoli, plus strawberries and various herbs. The tomatoes, potatoes, black-eyed peas and cucumbers are looking pretty promising as well.

An interesting thing that has happened is that I have three healthy pumpkin plants that I didn't plant. Apparently the seeds came out of my compost pile (one of them is growing in my compost pile and climbing my neighbor's fence). This little pumpkin, which has worked its way out of the garden and into the grass, is almost ready to pick.

Meanwhile, my other "little pumpkin" continues to grow and is apparently healthy. He is moving around a lot and, other than combatting the heat, having trouble sleeping and difficulty breathing, I am feeling pretty good. I am making progress toward getting the nursery ready, and we are doing what we can to otherwise prepare for his arrival. I'm not someone who thinks we have to have everything the market has to offer for babies, but there are a lot of things they really do need, so we are thinking about all of that and trying to pull it all together. People have given us a few things, which helps a lot.

We are praying each day for this child: for his health and ours, as well as lots of wisdom so we can raise him well. We pray for his salvation, for the country and world he will grow up in, and even for the wife that he will hopefully one day have, that God will protect her from evil and prepare them for each other. We pray for our finances, that God will provide for our needs so that hopefully I won't need to work outside the home and and can focus on being a mom, especially while our son is young. We know that these things are out of our control for the most part, so it has been a lesson for us in surrendering to God and a time of growing in our faith.

I am 23-1/2 weeks along now. Some days it feels like it is flying by, and at other times, he can't get here soon enough. At any rate, the time will come when it comes, and hopefully we will be ready.

It's a . . .

Yes folks, I'm still alive and well. Life has just turned crazy on me!

We had the "big" ultrasound today. It's a boy! It appears he's healthy, except there was a small concern that one of his kidneys was bigger than the other. They didn't pinpoint it as a problem, just something to watch, so we're hoping and praying that it's NOT a problem.

He's a feisty little guy, moving around constantly, making it hard for them to get a good look at what they needed to see. I already knew this, though, as he has been kicking me regularly for the past couple of weeks!

Here's another sneak preview of what he looks like:We don't have a name picked out yet. At least the news today narrows our options. (I guess "Holly" is out -- oh well; Don didn't like it anyway.)

I can't wait to meet him personally! The due date is still officially October 17, but they said he looked a little bigger than 21 weeks, so maybe he'll be born on my birthday: 10/10/10. ( :

Checking In

Well, I haven't blogged in a week now. I have moved my computer to a less-comfortable spot. I used to lounge on the couch with it in my lap, but I don't really feel like that's good for the baby, so I moved it to my "office" which is far less comfortable, and the Internet doesn't pick up as well, so I don't spend as much time on it now. But just to update things:

1) The baby, which was stuck behind my pelvis and causing the problems I was having (including 2 hospital visits), has moved to where it is supposed to be. This is definitely answered prayer, because I was facing the possibility of surgery if it didn't happen on its own.

2) They said I would be less tired during my second trimester. They were wrong. I need to sleep A LOT. If I can get comfortable, that is, considering my ever-growing belly. Other than that, I am feeling pretty good.

3) Bible study has ended for the year, and so has my band, so I have more time on my hands. This is good, because I have to consolidate two of our bedrooms to make room for a nursery. (You'd think 2 people living in a 4-bedroom house would have plenty of room, but . . . no -- too much junk.) I'm hoping to have a garage sale later this summer.

4) My garden is pretty well planted and growing. It has been much harder to do this year, and I will probably skip the flowers and other non-necessities I've done in years past. I've gotten lots of strawberries already, though picking them is no easy task. The task of mowing the lawn has been turned over to Don for this year.

5) I was supposed to have an ultrasound this week to find out what I'm having, but the doctor postponed it for 3 weeks because of the problems I was having. So, I guess we'll find out then.

It seems everything in my life now revolves, directly or indirectly, around this big bulge in my mid-section. Guess I might as well get used to that . . .

THIS is Nashville

By now most have seen pictures of the flood in Nashville and the damage that was done. But it has been a week and a half. The waters have receded. What does Nashville look like now? These are some pictures I have pulled from my friends’ Facebook pages of their homes or those of people they know. This is what Nashville looks like now.
What you will see in these pictures is people helping people, people who are under no obligation showing up to help others, in some cases people they don’t even know. What you will not see is anyone sitting around, feeling sorry for themselves, waiting for the government to come in and help them. You will not see policemen patrolling neighborhoods, guarding against looters or others who may take advantage of those in bad situations. (While these things may exist on a small scale, they are definitely the exception rather than the rule.) Nashville has been an example of what a community should be. People have pulled together to help tear down and rebuild, provide housing for people and pets who have lost their homes, bring food and water to workers, donate clothing, furniture and other necessities to those who have lost them, and encourage and pray for others. Churches have taken up collections for their members and others in the community. For some, it has been a lesson in swallowing their pride and graciously receiving the help offered by others.
In the days during and following the flood, people who owned boats went around rescuing people or bringing them supplies. Neighbors went into houses to save pets and other priceless items when the owners couldn’t get there. One man on his jet ski even saved a woman and her dog from their burning home that was surrounded by water. I am proud of my city. I am proud of their old-fashioned values. I am proud of the way they have pulled together and been an example to the country and the world of how we can help our family, friends and neighbors in need. I don’t watch much TV, so I don’t really know how the national media is portraying us. I can only hope that, if we’re getting any attention at all, they are showing the spirit of camaraderie that is here. But whether or not the media or the government decides to help us, we’re pulling together and making it happen.

Opryland

I believe one of the biggest impacts this past weekend's flood will have on Nashville is the damage that occurred at the Opryland Hotel.

This is sad for a number of reasons. For Don and me personally, this is a place we enjoy going for a free date. It is just a few minutes from our house, and is a wonderful place to walk around, enjoying the indoor atriums, sometimes stopping to eat or get ice cream. Here is a previous blog I did with some pictures I took at Christmas time.

Here is a video of what it looks like now.


Opryland is one of the largest employers in the Nashville area. It is estimated that it will be 3-6 months before the hotel opens again, and in the meantime, thousands of people are without jobs. This includes several people we know personally, one of which is my brother, who works there part-time. Nashville's job market was already in pretty bad shape before this happened.


Another way it will affect us is the tourism industry. The Opryland Hotel, one of the largest hotels in the country, is a major tourist spot, hosting vacationers and conventions from all over the world.


The nearby Opry Mills mall, also flooded, was a big part of our economy as well, along with the Grand Ole Opry, shown here:

This is, of course, in addition to the many people who have lost their homes (a good number of which didn't have flood insurance), cars, pets and all their possessions. A few even lost their lives.

Apparently the national news media isn't giving us much coverage compared to other current events, but from an insider's perspective, this is a very sad time in our city which will have far-reaching implications. I pray that God will bring good out of it, and perhaps this great city, known as the "buckle of the Bible belt" will turn tragedy into triumph.

Praise You in the Storm

This song, by Casting Crowns, has more or less been my theme song over the past couple of weeks.



My baby still hasn't moved into the position it's supposed to be in, though, thankfully, I haven't had to make any more trips to the emergency room, and the doctor is still optimistic that the problem may correct itself. So I'm trying to be optimistic too. And not worry. And not be anxious. And praise God in spite of it all.

After I had been singing this song for days, it was sung at my Bible study on Wednesday as "special music." Think God is trying to tell me something??

This weekend, the song took on a whole new meaning, as Nashville and the surrounding areas experienced record-setting rainfalls. Many parts of town are still flooded. You can view some pictures here. Thankfully, our house wasn't affected too much, other than a small leak and some water in our garage. We pretty much stayed home the whole weekend. Our church service was cancelled, as were many other churches and events around town, and most of the schools in the area are closed today.

Please keep the people of middle Tennessee who have been greatly affected by this in your prayers. And please keep my little baby in your prayers too. And me. In the meantime, I will keep trying to praise God. Even in the storms.

Blessed

While the past week has been a whirlwind, last night Don and I had to step back and be thankful. I am okay. The baby is okay. While I have had to endure some unpleasant things, it doesn't appear there will be any long-term problems for the baby or me. This is going to cost us a lot of money, though thankfully we have good insurance, and we won't have to pay another deductible when the baby is born.

So nothing really bad has happened. And a lot of good things have happened. We have been shown SO much love, and concern by those around us! The day I came home from the hospital (when we were both trying to get some much-needed sleep!), I counted 18 phone calls we got from concerned friends and family. There have been many more since, plus cards, e-mails and other forms of caring. People Don hardly knows have been coming up to him at work, asking how his wife is doing and assuring him they are praying for us. We have never felt so loved!

God is faithful. He is taking care of us and using those around us to remind us of that.

We are optimistic that the worst is over. I went to the doctor yesterday for a follow-up visit and he said things were looking better, though still not exactly as they should be. I will see him again in another week. Please keep us in your prayers -- that this problem will be resolved and that I will give birth to a healthy baby in mid-October.

A Wild Few Days

Well, things have been a little crazy for the past few days, which included a trip to the emergency room and an overnight stay in the hospital and some other unpleasant things I won't bother to mention.

I am having pregnancy complications. Apparently, I am carrying the baby in an odd way, which is causing me some big problems. This is something that happens only in very rare cases.

As of now, thankfully, the baby is fine. The doctor was planning to do a procedure on me this morning (under anesthesia) to try to resolve the problem, but lots of people are praying for us, and when he checked me out he said things were looking a little better and decided not to do it. This is not to say he won't need to at all, but I am choosing to believe God is answering our prayers, and this procedure can be avoided.

This is a time in my life when all I can do it trust in God, because things are completely out of my control. I want very much for this baby to be okay, but I know that whether it is or it isn't, God has a plan that's greater than mine. I would very much appreciate any prayers for the baby and for Don and me.

. . . and here's a "sneak peek" we got yesterday.

National Day of Prayer

I just heard the news that the National Day of Prayer has been ruled unconstitutional. That is utterly ludicrous! How in the world can anyone object to it???

No one is being forced to pray. If other religions want to hold days in honor of their religion, it doesn't offend me. They're not forcing me to participate. I think that's where we have crossed the line to absurd in this country. Now it's not enough for atheists to not be forced to participate in events honoring God; they don't want anyone to be able to acknowledge Him. AND THEY ARE SUCCEEDING! At least on a federal level. They will never be able to stop me personally, but it is tragic that we can no longer be free to acknowledge God and honor Him as a country.

I would encourage you to pray more than ever for this nation. I believe God has historically blessed us and made us great because we are a country founded on His principles. What will happen when we turn our backs on Him? What kind of country will our children and grandchildren grow up in? I believe it is up to us as Christians to stand up now for what is right and make our voices heard loud and clear. And to pray. May we always be one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.

Overwhelmed

If I were going to choose a single word to define the past few weeks, since I learned I was pregnant, it would be “overwhelmed.” When I first found out the news, I was overwhelmed with a whole gamut of emotions ranging from excitement to fear to thankfulness to doubt that it was even real. (I’m getting past that one, now that my belly is getting bigger by the hour!)

In the weeks since, I have been overwhelmed with exhaustion, trying to just get through day-to-day life at about half my normal energy level. Rarely does a day pass when I don’t need a nap, and even then, I find it hard to muster up the energy to do the things I normally do.

Now that the word is out, Don and I have both been overwhelmed with the love, the joy, the excitement that those around us have shown. When he announced our news in church on Easter Sunday, the entire congregation responded with applause and cheers, followed by hugs and lots and lots words of happiness and encouragement. This has been echoed by the many others who have found out our news since then. It is so heartwarming to both of us to have people be so very supportive and joyful for us.

I’m sure I will have plenty more overwhelmingness in the days ahead: long nights with little sleep after the baby is born, the responsibilities of being a parent, and other things I can’t yet imagine. I am trying not to get overwhelmed with worry about my health and the baby’s, what kind of world this child will grow up in, how we will manage financially, etc. God is in control. He loves us and gave us this child for a reason, and I know He will take care of us all. I am so thankful for that and so thankful that He works all things together for the good of those who love Him.

And I am overwhelmingly thankful for all of you, who have shared in our joy and been supportive to us during this precious time in our lives.

Good News

Well, I didn’t want to blog about it until I told some people personally, and I didn’t want to tell anyone before I was 12 weeks along, but the time has come.

I’m having a baby!

God is good. He is also full of surprises! The baby is due just after my 44th birthday. One day, shortly after I found out the news, I was questioning, “Why now?” “Why, after we’ve been married for 4½ years?” We had certainly thought that, especially at my age, if it was going to happen, it would have happened long before now.

The answer came to me clearly in the form of a passage of scripture that I have grown to love in recent months since studying the book of Acts in my Bible study:

“From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us.” Acts 17:26-27

God determined the time and place this child would live from the very beginning, so he/she would seek Him. To add to my reassurance, this was the passage covered in our sermon at church this past Sunday, the day we announced our news there.

We are so thankful for this gift God is bestowing upon us. We are trying not to fear the many uncertainties that lie ahead, but just to trust that our child’s life is in His hands.

Another sweet reminder God gave me came in the form of an old Gaither song we sang today in Bible study, which I hadn’t heard in years:

How sweet to hold our newborn baby
And feel the pride and joy he gives,
But greater still, the calm assurance
This child can face uncertain days because He lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow.
Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Because I know He holds the future,
And life is worth the living just because He lives.

Easter Fun

It has become a tradition in our family after church on Easter to come to our house for pizza and an Easter egg hunt. A few friends join us sometimes too. And it's not just the kids that hunt eggs; it's the adults as well!

Don and my brother Andy made homemade pizza in advance, so when we got home, all we had to do was pop it in the oven -- much easier than a fancy dinner and at least as much fun!

When they got here, everyone (who wasn't cooking) had to stay downstairs until the hunt began.

I reviewed the "rules," and the hunt was on! The adults' eggs were hidden in high places, and the kids' in low.Some were hidden in strange places (incidentally, the egg he sought was on the floor behind the toilet, not in it.)Afterward, everyone examined their loot. My brother's birthday was a couple of weeks ago, so my mom made a "bunny" cake (every 37-year-old man's dream), and he opened his gifts after we ate.It was a wonderful day to celebrate Jesus' resurrection and have a little fun with family and friends as well.