haiti

my heart breaks for haiti. for the people. their loss. i heard on the news tonight that the government (what government was operating there, that is) had opened a mass grave & dumped 7,000 bodies into it. that makes me so very sad. those people were loved by someone. they had names. families. a life....just dumped like garbage. i wepted as i watched that news cast.

i also read on the internet about the different companies giving millions of dollars in aid...not just our government..not just our military...but the private sector companies donating. that does make me believe in America...the very goodness of Americans.

"To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified." Isaiah 61:3

my baby boy turns 3

oh my goodness....you cant get much cuter than that. that was a special day...the day my only boy was born...my sweet son. the day before his birth i remember driving home from karate with rachel, elizabeth & abigail in the van...i hit whitmore road (about 8 miles from my house) & a contraction hit that took my breath away and made me slow down the van. rachel said "mommy are you ok." and i took deep breaths and said i thought so. clay hadnt made it home yet or either was on his way home. i believe he worked late or had a meeting. so i called him & told him i was not feeling all that well.
we got home...i got everyone ready for bed and i decided to take a warm bath to see if that made me feel better. mind you it was 3 weeks before he was due. the bath didnt help. so i decided to lay on the couch and every 10 minutes a contraction would roll through me that made me take notice. clay decided it would be best if he just "rested" on the love seat across from me. about 11PM i called the midwife on call & she told me to take a hot bath and lay down on my right side and drink water to see if they subsided. i told her that i had already done that but ok i would try it again. about midnight i called her back and said "its not working" so she told me to come on it. we got to the hospital and had to stand around and wait in the emergency room waiting area at Depaul Hospital for about 15 minutes until someone from Labor & Delivery could get there to get me in a wheel chair. i begged them to let me walk but they wouldnt let me. i seemed to be better at controlling the pain by walking. if i let go & just "relaxed" in the chair i would lose control & i couldnt do that as all 3 of the girls were watching with eyes wide open!
i got upstairs, they checked me and of course...nothing..no dilation. but serious contractions. they gave me all 3 shots of the tributelyene (i'm sure the spelling is off) that they could to stop the contractions & they gave me nubain....ahhhhh nubain!!! i love pain killers but especially that one. around 1:30 friends from church came & got the girls as i wouldnt allow them to stay. the doctors didnt actually control my pain completely until around 4AM when the contractions stopped & i didnt want the kids to see me lose it & i was scared that was going to happen. afterwards my neck muscles hurt so badly from where i would grab the bedrails and just bear down.
they finally stopped the contractions and decided to send me home the next morning around 8AM. i think i failed to mention that i am diabetic - insulin dependant - when i am pregnant so they didnt want to deliver a little white boy prematurely with a diabetic mother for fear his lungs were not developed.
anyway, we got in the van to go home for me to rest from a very tiring night & we hit the interstate & the contractions started back up. i couldnt believe it. i started to cry a bit. we got home & sure enough, every 10 minutes i was losing my breath & my thought process! i called the doctors office & they told me to come in....15 minutes later they called me back & said "nevermind. go straight to labor & delivery & we will go ahead and do the c-section".  i called my dear friend who was going to be caring for my 20 month old at the time, Abby, to tell them to pick her up @ the hospital & man i lost it talking to them on the phone. i think confirming what was getting ready to happen shook me up a bit! i wasnt quite ready but when a baby is ready...ready or not right!?
we got there by 11AM on Tuesday, January 9th, 2007 & waited until roughly 4:30PM to be taken back to surgery. David Asher was born at 4:55PM. He weighed 7lbs 3ozs. sadly i cant recall how long he was...I'm thinking he was 21 inches long as he seemed to be scrawny. His little hands and feet were black and blue as he ended up being footling breech...The doctors didnt know this until they made the incision into my uterus and saw a foot. Man they quit their chit chat and got busy at that point. But with every contraction he would be rammed into my ungiving pelvic one so he was one bruised little fella when he came out of the belly.
Every since that day, my world has never been the same. My little David (slayer of Giants, beloved of God) Asher (he is joyful; happy) has made my world a better place to live. Everyday i look at him and am thankful and amazed that i am so blessed with the sweetest little man on the planet and quite frankly in my opinion the most handsome also!
Happy 3rd Birthday Sweet David Asher! I Love You With All of My Heart!

2010 Already picture!

2010 Already!

whew! is it me or did the last year fly by? i think about all 2009 held and i am amazed that it has come and went.
recap...
my oldest child, Rachel -14, started high school & also earned her black belt in karate.
Elizabeth - 10, started a trying year, but with diligence & determination & is excitedly looking to being homeschooled in the fall of 2010! she also earned her orange belt & started piano lessons. she is doing outstanding.
Abigail -4, is a little dragon in karate. She started kindergarten a year early and is slowly making process...(slowely as we do the school work hit & miss). She also started piano & is amazing!
David Asher - 2....he is a wild little man. He was displaced as the baby of the family, but thoroughly enjoyes being the little lone Prince. He officially is potty training again starting today!
and sweet Baby Esther Adlai - 8 months at the time of this post, she joined the clan in April and has been a delight ever since. she is a precocious child that does the commando crawl all over the house to keep up with Abby & Asher.
what else happened...well sadly nothing else stands out on my perview except for my children.....they are growing & happy.
the only thing that stands out to me that is mention worthy is that my father had a stroke the week before Christmas...a silent stroke that ruined his vision. We are praying for his healing, both physically & spiritually.
i'm sure i'm leaving tons of stuff out.
oh we got a new puppy....calpurnia....a sweet little yorkie that has been a delight. oooh, which brings to my  mind the sadness of losing Georgia.
well i guess if i looked back at my post for the year i would remember what happened in my life huh? but that's not going to happen.
i'm hope this new year is one of purpose & accomplishments for myself & my children. i actually started running/walking today. i probably ran 1/4 of a mile & walked 1/4 of a mile. i know..it's not much. but i did have 2 little tag alongs on scooters.....and David Asher wouldnt actually scoot. he had to be pulled on the scooter. but i want to be in better shape this year. hopefully by may at the latest see the 30 extra pounds i carry be gone and grow my hair out. i will be 40 this year. i would like one more baby. i would like to have abby reading. i would like to have asher potty trained. i would like rachel to understand algebra. i would like for elizabeth to read on grade level.
i would like for clay's company to prosper & him to be happy in his skin.
doesnt sound like too much for this year.
Happy New Year! God Bless you!
before i go....i am attaching a video that someone sent to us. Asher loves it. when i sit with him for his bedtime tuck in... i usually sit with the laptop & he requests "the warrior song". it concerns our military. it's a bit strong...but awesome. click the attachment & enjoy & be thankful.
http://www.thewarriorsong.com/video.html