Sicko

Hey everybody out there in blog world! Just wanted to let you know-I'm still here, just sick. Hopefully I'll be feeling better soon and back to blogging. Right now taking care of a toddler while feeling like crud is about all I can accomplish :).

Excuse Me

So far I have compartmentalized some aspects of my life and left them out of the blog. One of those is medicine. I really do love it. I am a nerd. I like studying. My best subjects were always science and math. I knew I would have to go into a field that is personal, helps people, and that has eternal value. Many of the people I get to encouter, I would not have the chance to interact with them without my job. Even though I do love it, medicine is certainly it's own crazy world. Mostly I felt that people woudn't want to read about it either because they wouldn't be interested or wouldn't want to know anything about it. I think my mind has been changed by this blog. I stumbled on it this week and I love it! Funny and insightful postings about the day-to-day in medicine. On her blog she noted how often she gets asked "what's the weirdest thing you've ever seen?"...and other questions along the same line. I started thinking about what my answer to this question would be and thought I would share one of the experiences that came to mind.

One day I had to see a young-maybe around 20-man. Although he had a terrible injury, that wasn't the interesting part. His mother was with him and the following interaction occurred in a room where there was no door, only a curtain....near the center of the ER where everyone could hear.

Me: Questioning medical history-take any meds? Any allergies? Smoke/Drink/Drugs? etc
and examining patient in preparation for surgery

Patient: Answering questions and being examined

Mother: (while the above is occuring) Lets out enormous, mouth gaping open, 3-5 second burp
that sounded like it should've come from a 350 lb. nascar man. Then "'scuse me"

Patient: MOM?!?!? (clearly embarassed)

Mother: What? I said excuse me

Survivor

Here's the cute suit I found at Old Navy.

Av and I both survived the "survival swimming lessons!" At one point I wasn't sure if the survival was referring to the kids surviving, or the moms surviving with their sanity. The lessons aren't really survival as in "throw the kids in the pool and see if they make it to the stairs." It's more survival in terms of we didn't start off playing games and blowing bubbles. The very first day the kids are going under water a few feet from the wall and given a gentle push to get them going. They're supposed to kick their legs, get to the wall, reach for the ledge, and pull up out of the water.

Today was the last and also the best day. Av was excited to get in the water right away. It is amazing how much she accomplished in 5 days. Today I could stand ~8 feet from the wall/stairs, give Av a push, she would kick her way there, and pull up out of the water. She also kicked all the way across the pool to the edge of the deep end on her own. She was in her circular floatie, but before today she would only kick in it if she was holding onto me. Today she propelled herself and said "Mommy, don't help!" She would also jump off the edge of the pool, go under water, and swim to me. Av even jumped off the diving board to her teacher, Mrs. Michelle. Then Michelle gave her push, Av swam to the ladder and climbed out of the pool!!! I'm so proud of her.

At times it was exhausting for both of us, but it is so worth it. Before this week Av only wanted to be in the pool if I was holding her. Now she is so much more comfortable and confident in the water---and she likes it! Much more important than being fun, it is also a vital skill for her to learn. I hope now that if she were to fall in a pool, she would be able to get herself to the wall and pull up out of the water. I highly recommend it!! I can't wait to spend lots of time in the water this summer

Av and Page enjoying lollipops as their reward!

The Trenches

I completely planned on a fun post today. I was thinking about something like a "my favorite things" list, but it will have to wait. My head and heart just aren't into it today. For those of you that haven't heard, Steven Curtis Chapman's youngest daughter was run over in their driveway yesterday. She was taken to Vanderbilt, but died from the injuries. I can't imagine the range of emotions this family is experiencing at this point. They have set up a blog here if people want to leave messages for them. At the first link there is also an address if you wish to send letters or donations in lieu of flowers. Please join with me in praying for them.

Other families in need of prayer:
-a family here in Dothan recently lost their 2 year old to a drowning accident
-a 2 year old from our church is currently hospitalized in Birmingham for a brain tumor. Just this week she has had to undergo multiple procedures and they are still waiting on the final test results
-My sister-in-law's mother was just diagnosed with a tumor in her neck, also still waiting on test results
-(Same) sister-in-law's 3 year old nephew has been diagnosed with a heart deformity which may require open heart surgery

I know that everyone has their own list of prayer requests, but if you think about it, or as you're reading this, please pray.

Sorry to be so somber today. I knew that all of this had affected me when both my husband and a best friend of mine asked if I was Ok and said I sounded upset when talking with them. I'm thankful we have the hope of God wiping every tear from our eyes, we will have new bodies, and there will be no more death (Rev 21).

Flounder

Floundering is the best word I can use to describe how the last few weeks have been. I'm experiencing a new day to day life of being a stay at-home-mom. I have absolutely loved getting to spend more time with my girl, but it has been an adjustment for me. I am type A-I like a plan and a schedule, so all this "free time" has thrown me a little bit. We have started swimming lessons this week, and I know it sounds crazy, but even that little bit of structure has been such a blessing to me. Of course, all of you who are moms know that we still have our off days. So here is a list that certainly will not make it to the All-Stars of moms.

1. Yesterday Av had 2 sippy cups in use by dinner-time. One was the pink cup with fresh milk, the other was the blue cup I had given her earlier in the day, but hadn't seen for quite some time. I had that awful, sinking feeling when I realized I knew it was in circulation, but didn't know it's location. Could it be in the playroom, the car, a drawer, outside? Where are all the places that a 2 year old might put a sippy cup? As if that's a question that can be answered in anything shorter than a dissertation. I looked everywhere I could think of without success. About 30 minutes later Av walked into the kitchen while I was cooking and took a sip out of the "missing" cup. She immediately informed that is was "yuck!! Yuck-O Momma, yucky milk! Yuck, yuck, yucky!" Oh yes, we all know what I found when I had the pleasure of opening the cup to clean it...I won't describe the gory details.

2. I was again that mom at the pool today. We started swimming lessons this week, and they're pretty hard core lessons. I am very thankful Av is taking lessons because they are vital and life saving. Av normally loves to be in water, but for some reason is not having a good reaction to the pool. We started Mon. and most of the kids (~18mos-4yrs) cried off and on during the lessons. While basically everyone else in the class was enjoying by today, Av was still at the weeping and gnashing of teeth level. It was honestly one of the most discouraging moments I have experienced as a mom. I know that sounds crazy since it's just swim lessons, but she is almost never the fearful child crying for 15 minutes straight and screaming "I don't like the pool, I want to get out! I want to go home!" I finally carried Av and my exasperated self out of the pool to the bathroom to have a stern discussion about being obedient, calm, and nice. Thankfully, this was my most successful tactic. She was cooperative the rest of the time and was laughing, cheering, and overall enjoying it. I'm still amazed by how far even a little bit of discipline will get you! The pic above is from the beach last year, I'll have pics from the lessons soon.

3. When we got home Av and I took a shower. Since we're blondes we get green hair from chlorine. Side note-a pointer I learned when I was a green-headed child is wet your hair before you get in the pool, so the hair doesn't absorb as much chlorine water. After the shower we ate lunch and Av took a nap. When she got up from the nap I noticed her hair looked wet/greasy. At first I thought she was just hot and sweaty from her nap, which is often the case, but it continued. Why was her greasy, we had just taken a shower before naptime. I came to the conclusion that I forgot to wash the conditioner out of her hair.

Overall, it has been a great day. I got to spend it with Av and J, and Av is making progress swimming. I wanted to get new swimsuits for both of us and found them at the 1st place I stopped. Got one for Av at Old Navy where toddler suits are sale for $10! The one I got her is similar to this one. I am a sunscreen nazi and love that it has sleeves to protect her chest and shoulders-and the material is UV protective!! After Old Navy I walked next door to TJ Maxx, only tried on one suit, liked and bought it. When does that ever happen that you only need to make one stop for a suit. I was spared what could have been an afternoon of psychological torture inflicted on me by the dressing room mirror. We even took Av for the rare treat of Bruster's after dinner. Since she's under 40" she gets a free cone! This was her first ice cream cone and she devoured it! Another fun Bruster's treat you could use tomorrow is: you get a banana split 1/2 off if you bring your own banana on Thursday's.

I'm off to bed, we'll see what mishaps happen tomorrow.

Strength for Today

I've been meaning to post this for a few days now and just haven't gotten around to doing it. For one thing, being vulnerable on a blog is easier since it's not out loud and feels much like writing in a journal, but harder because I'm opening that journal up for anyone to see. In an electronic form of communication I'm always afraid it's more difficult to express yourself since people can't see your face and hear your voice. I hope that any posts I write about faith and what I'm learning don't come across as "preachy." Please know, I'm not writing this because I have the answers about it, but only because I'm struggling through the process of learning it myself.

Lately I've been reading, A Godward Life, by John Piper. What I love about it is that each chapter is a few pages long, and on differing topics, so it reads like a devotional book. I love Piper's writing. Even though it's concise, it is also full of wisdom and theological truth that my mind goes back to throughout the day. If I ever live in Minneapolis, we will probably go to his church, Bethlehem Baptist-even though we consider ourselves Presbyterians :)!

A few days ago I read pgs 25-27 titled "Today's Mercies for Today's Troubles" and I have reflected on it since. During this period of changing jobs and uncertainty in front of us, it has been a firm foundation for me. I wanted to share it since so many of my friends and fellow bloggers are in stressful times as well. The main scripture is Matthew 6:34 "Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." The surrounding verses Matt 6:25-34 are also excellent: ""Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life? "And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Piper says "Often we feel like our reservoir of strength is not going to last for another day. The fact is, it won't. Today's resources are for today, and part of those resources is the confidence that new resources will be given tomorrow." As Lamentations 3:22-23 states "Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Piper's description is "God's mercies are new every morning because each day has enough mercy in it only for that day. This is why we tend to despair when we think that we may have to bear tomorrow's load on today's resources. God wants us to know that we won't. Today's mercies are for today's troubles. Tomorrow's mercies are for tomorrow's troubles."

His final point reminds us of the Israelites and God's daily provision of manna. Each Israelite was instructed to take as much as was needed for that day. If they tried to save it for the next day the manna was rotten and full of maggots. If today I think how will I make it through tomorrow, next week, next month, etc...I can't get through tomorrow on what God has given me today. I have to wait for the mercies/strength/manna that He will provide for me tomorrow to face the tasks of that day.

How well He knows us (me). We are (I am) too independent left to our own choosing and pride. We have been created for a continual need and dependence on Him each day, every day. Thank you Lord that you know not only tomorrow, but also every day. That when the time arises, you provide the strength needed for that day, even if I don't have that strength today-because I don't need it today. In a sense, when we feel we can't face what the next day holds, that's a correct thought. We can't face what the next day holds until that day. Help me to use what you have given me today to the fullest. May I be expended at the end of each day, not trying to hold your strength and mercies in reserve-that it would necessitate dependence on you as I wake each morning.

Why Bother?

J and I bit the bullet this year and joined a pool/tennis club in town. We thought Av was at the age she would enjoy the pool and being with friends. Yesterday was the first day the pool was open and we decided to go and get out of the house on such a beautiful day. This is how the 'great idea' followed. I asked Av if she wanted to go to the pool. I expected to get an excited "yes" in return. Instead I got a very firm "No!" Great. Well, I decided we weren't going to sit inside all day and she would enjoy the pool once we were there. She fought to get into her swimsuit, but she was calm when while I applied her sunscreen.

We finally arrived at the pool and I was relieved to see a crowd for opening day, including friends. I set our bag in a chair and sat down to take off our cover-ups. Av informed me that she didn't want either of us to take off our cover-ups and that she wanted us to lay down with her blanket. I proceeded to to take off my cover-up and carry Av to the baby pool-thinking that it was shallow and warmer and maybe I would have success there. I sat on the edge of the pool with Av on my lap. After a while I took off her cover-up and attempted to get into the water with her. That resulted in me having the only child at the pool who was kicking and screaming to get out of the pool-I was that mom. We went back to Av sitting in my lap and splashing her feet in the pool. We spent the rest of the time running around in the playground area, which, thankfully, Av enjoyed.

By the time we made it back home it was already naptime, so we ate a quick lunch. I always take Av to the potty before nap/bedtime and she likes this policy since it prolongs going to bed. Normally she says "Mommy, shut the door" which means she wants me to step out so she can have her privacy. After a few minutes I thought that certainly she was finished, then I heard banging around. This is what I found upon opening the door.

Av had opened a jar of lotion and spread it on the counters, knobs, doors, herself, and the floor. To her credit, she did offer to help me clean it, but in the process unraveled almost an entire role of toilet paper. Looking back, you would think I should have learned my lesson after this day.Today the most exciting thing we did was go to Target and get a bed rail. We spent the afternoon napping and relaxing. We had to rest up for swim lessons that start tomorrow. Hopefully, they will be more successful than yesterday's outing. Yikes, I'm quite nervous.

Conspiracy Theory?

I'm not normally a believer of conspiracy theories, but I might be heading that way after reading this. Even though many automotive and oil companies discuss the future and how much they are spending on research, we won't be reducing our oil dependence any time soon. For example, Chevrolet, has a gas-friendly to gas-free plan on it's website as follows: fuel efficiency-ethanol-hybrid-electric-fuel cell. Hybrid cars have only slightly improved gas mileage-the Tahoe hybrid now has 22mpg highway/21 mpg city. Ethanol seems to be a failed idea before it even got off the ground. Are we going to see $5-10 a gallon? Will our hard earned money continue to fund middle eastern countries and set record profits for oil companies? OK, I'm going to stop the ranting and get to the point of this post.

Larry Thrasher is an Alabama man with 30 years of mechanical/automotive experience. He, apparently along with rest of us, was exasperated by rising oil prices with little hope for them improving soon. A little over a year ago he started trying to develop his own solution. His Cadillac is now getting 51 mpg (before was 19 mpg) and his wife is getting 71 mpg-with almost no emissions. He has done this with fuel cell/hydrogen technology in his own garage! If he was able to make this work in about a year, why are billion dollar companies unable to do so? I know it's much more complicated than I am making it and I don't understand the technology behind all this, but it sure does make me wonder.

Here's a list of some other links.
http://www.whnt.com/Global/story.asp?S=8311741
http://www.hydrogencarsnow.com/blog2/index.php/hydrogen-cars/hydrogen-gas-saver-in-small-alabama-town/
http://www.hartselleenquirer.com/articles/2008/05/14/news/news1.txt