'Thanks' just isn't enough..

Last Sunday our family made the much anticipated trip to Wapsie Pines Tree Farm to pick out the 'perfect' Christmast tree -something Stephen and I have done each Sunday-after-Thanksgiving since we've been married. We love real Christmas trees, including the adventure in getting it (even the inevitable arguments about what tree is best) and the way it makes our house smell so good! No, of course our kids don't care about getting a Christmas tree yet, but it should still be fun to bring them and spend time together as a family....right? Well, of course the twins didn't get down for their naps right away after church, causing them to sleep further into the afternoon. We decided to wake them up so we would have time to get to the tree farm and pick out a tree before they closed. Bad idea. Of course they didn't want to get ready to leave and Grady whined the whole way there. We ended up quickly choosing a pre-cut tree in the front of the farm as not- so-little Ella was whining to be held the whole time and Grady was inconsolably screaming for the "tacta"(tractor) that was pulling the trees to the front of the farm to be strapped onto the vehicles. We went into the cute little hut to get a cookie for the kids that they didn't even want, paid for our tree, and left. Now there's some family fun!




On the way home, we decided to stop at Pizza Ranch in Oelwein to feed the kids. A desperate attempt to make the last 30 minutes of our ride home halfway peaceful, as we really love eating out with two 1-year-olds and a baby! As I brought the kids to a table while Stephen paid for the buffet, I noticed a strangely familiar face a couple booths behind us kind of looking at us. I didn't look closely because of course people stare at the crazy people bringing their three very small children to a restaurant. A couple minutes later I turned around when I heard Stephen's voice talking to that familiar face. How could I forget that face? It instantly brings me back to the most painful night of my life, a place my heart guards my mind from going...


I was lying down to get a little rest for the first time after the twins were born. Night number two in the hospital. Stephen was heading into the office to grab some work to bring back, while I tried to close my eyes and rest with Grady in the room, Ella was over in the NICU. That familiar face in Pizza Ranch, our nurse, came in and insisted I send Grady to the nursery so I could really sleep while they took good care of him. I was a little resistant, but accepted and I quickly drifted off to sleep for the first time in 2 days. Only five minutes later, the door flung open as Stephen, with tears flowing down his face, runs into the room. He couldn't even get out words. My heart sunk trying to figure out what was wrong. "What had happened to Ella?" I thought. My beautiful baby girl was taken away from me not too long after birth because she wasn't breathing well. At that point, I still didn't really know what was wrong with her and how she was doing. Then, I heard Stephen utter Grady's name. My heart sunk a little lower. The healthy one. Now something's wrong with him? Until 2 days ago, I had surprisingly carried twins to full term, only having a c-section because Grady was breech. They were both healthy the whole time and grew just as a singleton baby should. Now, my supposed healthy babies both had problems and I had no control of the situation. I hear Stephen get the words out, "Grady...not breathing....rushed down to NICU...." I still was not moving well and in a lot of pain from the c-section, but I'm pretty sure I sprinted down to the NICU. To my horror there was a hospital chaplain there, trying to stop me, I rushed in to see them working on my blue baby boy, who had just started to breathe a little. I gave them their space as they said he was stabalizing and collapsed in Stephen's arms in the room across the hall. We were both sobbing at the thought of losing our son. They even sent a chaplain up to talk to us as they expected him not to make it. I just wanted him to leave. He was a nice man, but my heart was aching so bad I really just wanted to throw a fit and kick him out of our room. A few minutes later (which seemed like an eternity) we knew he was going to be ok. They told us he had somehow choked causing him to stop breathing in the nursery and that he was Septic. They joked with us that it was his way of getting to be back with Ella again as they then shared a NICU room. You see, that lady at Pizza Ranch saved my son's life. We got to see her again when Mikah was born a few months earlier and I had to fight back the tears when I saw her. I blamed it on the hormones then, as I just had a baby. But I had to do the same thing again this time. God sent us that amazing, humble nurse to convince me to send Grady to the nursery. She then saved his life by performing CPR when she saw that he stopped breathing. Something that wouldn't have happened if he stopped breathing in the bassinet next to me as I slept in my room. I have no words when I look at this woman. Oh, how I wish I did, but happy, thankful tears are the only things that come out.

So as we sat there eating pizza on the end of that Thanksgiving weekend, the crazy Christmas tree hunt, the dumped-out parmesean cheese, pizza sauce everywhere, and running around the tables didn't bother me so much. I was even thankful for the tantrums in public, because we had two little kids there with us to throw those tantrums. I was so thankful that God made our paths cross that night, to give me that perspective. How can I so easily forget all that I am blessed with? I have SO much to be thankful for.

Much Better!

We just met with the doctor, and Grady's going to be sent home sometime later this morning! Last night, Grady started to get his spunk back! He ate some ice cream and had lots of fun eating ice chips. This morning he got up and ate almost a whole pancake! We are so happy to see his appetite starting to come back and act like himself again. They might put one more bag of antibiotics through him before they take his IV out and let him go, so we're just waiting on that. After three nights in this room, this little boy is ready to get home and play :)

Sick Little Buddy

Our poor little guy was admitted to the hospital Saturday night after being pretty darn sick since last Monday. We had him at the doctor on Wednesday, and finally took him to the ER Saturday night concerned that it had gone on for too long after the limp, tired little boy had his temperature spike up pretty high once again...and looked pretty bad for being such a cute little man! It turns out that he has pneumonia and influenza A (which they told us is probably H1N1, but they can't officially tell us that until the test comes back in another day or so).

Today his vitals are doing better, but he's still not interested in eating or drinking. They increased his fluids a little and the doctor said they want to see him with a bit more of an appetite and definitely drinking some more before they send him home. We could possibly get to go home this evening if any of this would happen and he perks up after his nap this afternoon! It's challenging keeping a one-year-old in a hospital room hooked to an IV, and I know he misses Ella! They've never been apart this long. We're praying he can go home asap, but know he's in the right place to get better!

Apple Orchard

On Sunday afternoon we took a much-needed family day and went to Wilson's Orchard near Iowa City. It's a really neat orchard that I heard about from a friend and was worth the drive! There was a tractor-pulled wagon that brought us down into the orchard to get all the apples, (which Grady of course loved) a pumpkin patch, and let's not forget the most amazing warm apple turnovers ever - worth every minute of the half-hour wait in line :)

So it was pointless to try and pick the apples for ourselves as self-appointed bucket holder, Grady, thought it was more fun to throw the apples.

Look mom, I found a pumpkin!

but I want a pumpkin too...

Happy Monday!

Wedding

We headed to Chicago over the Labor Day weekend for Stephen's cousin Laura's wedding. Grady and Ella had the honor of being flower girl and ring bearer. I can't think of a cuter duo to cover the job! (I'm not biased of course) It was a beautiful wedding, and we really had a great time. If you don't count the fact that Grady got ahold of a razor type object and cut his mouth, resulting in gushing blood everywhere about 15 minutes before we needed to be at the wedding site for pictures, everything went pretty smoothly :) We did manage to get the blood out of his white shirt and the bleeding stopped about 10 minutes before the wedding. It would have been WAY too easy if something like that didn't happen - keeps life exciting :)



Congratulations Laura and Kevin! We had a lot of fun being a part of your special day!

We were waaay too exhausted to get a good picture with the beautiful bride and groom! :(

The handsome little man...

The pretty little girl...

Reading with daddy while waiting to go down the isle...

Cousin Lili pulling them down

Don't forget about me!

Daddy and his girls :)

Vacation Fun

A couple weeks ago, we went on our annual trip to Table Rock Lake in Missouri with my family. We had a fun and relaxing time mostly spent by the pool and on the lake. My kind of vacation :) Stephen and I had our annual date night to our favorite restaurant in town (Danna's Smokehouse) followed by a competitive mini-golf game at Pirate's Cove! No need to brag about who won......... :) We were a little bummed that we had to leave the day my brother's family got there. Hopefully next year we'll all be there at the same time!

Enjoying a morning boat ride

Ella loves driving the boat with Grandpa

Grady's turn!

We even rode on the tube for the first time...

Ok, maybe we didn't like it! (Don't worry, they were basically just on the platform in the back and we were only idling!)

Mommy and Mikah

Pool time!

Grandma and Mikah hanging out at the pool


Happy girl!

I love the tummy.....

and the ruffles on the bottom!

Home!

We have a home again! We had an offer accepted yesterday, and we're super excited. We close in about 30 days..........then the work begins! It's a home we'll be completely remodeling, but are pretty excited about the end result. We won't be moving in until we are done, which we are fortunate to be able to do! It's just down a couple houses and over a street from where we are now. We can't wait to get posession and start working :)

2 Months?

I can't believe Mikah turned two months the other day! Wow, do babies grow ever-so-fast. She's a great baby and is sure a smiley little sweet pea! We had Ashley Schrage take some pictures of her a few weeks ago. (I highly recommend her :-) We have some pics of the twins as well, but here are a few of our baby girl for now! We just love her to pieces:)

While Daddy's Away...

...we've been perfect little angels...



loved on our little sister...


gone to visit family... (cousins: Mikah, Teagen, & Lexi)



pet some baby animals at the fair...


(Ella and friend Isabelle...who does a great job entertaining the twins!)


eaten some fair food...


taken only one bath...... (oops, we'll try to get another one in tonight!)


slept like a baby.... (well, some nights)

and of course have been a little goofy!

**Stephen's been on a mission trip to the Hands & Feet Project in Haiti since last Friday. Although I was unable to go this time, I'm glad he had this opportunity to return to this place that we hold so near and dear to our hearts (along with my mom and sister-in-law)! I will say that I am more than ready for him to return home on Sunday! I have realized even more how much I appreciate all he does as a husband and dad over this 10-day 'single mom' experience. Come home safely -we miss you!