Wha? Oh! Good morning!

Time to start my day!

“These people. They think they can just leave me to look around in the living room while they’re all in the kitchen eating breakfast and getting ready. Today I’d finally had enough and made some demands about some things. I like to be a part of what’s going too, dang it! I got to sit in the kitchen with my brudder and sister. That made me happy!

After we drove them to school I had me a baff.

And then some nice people were there to visit with me when I got out.

And then I go seepy.

I had a record day of eating today! I’m getting so big and strong and I’m sweeter than ever!

No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.
(1 John 4:12 NIV)

Oh, hi! It's me and I'm five months old today!

This is my sister Gugga. I love her!

And this is my brudder, Gaggin. I love him too.

I see them off on the bus in the morning and then I miss them all day!

To pass the time I like to snack on my fingers...

And I love to take baffs too!

But I guess you already knew that about me!

The baffs make me seepy. Night night!

Take delight in the Lord ,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.
(Psalm 37:4 NIV)

MRS. Aunt Em with a couple o’ nieces

Our families convened once again for an outdoor brunch this morning on yet another beautiful day! Have an awesome honeymoon, Em & Josh! We miss you already!

Nora was such a good girl in the car on the way there and back!  William and Gavin left to go to the Bengal’s game after brunch, so it was me and my little girls!

Once back home, Little Miss put an order in for some milkies and took an almost 4 hour nap! I was running around the house in a frenzy trying to make some kind of sense out of the disaster we had generated over the weekend.

Before long, the boys were back home.

Fortune!

Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”
(Matthew 19:26 NIV)

Congratulations, Emmy & Josh!!

A beautiful picture-perfect day that won’t soon be forgotten — the day my baby sister became a wife and the day I gained yet another magnificent brother-in-law. You are both truly a match made in heaven!

The famous people behind the tinted glass

Gavin practicing his right to bear rings

When I dip you dip we dip.

Sisters 3 with Dad

Cuz it cuts like a knife...

Greta caught the bouquet and Gavin caught the garter!

These kids are WIPED OUT! (Gracie spent the night!)

And they lived happily ever after!

Meanwhile, back at home there was a sweet, precious, good little girl who was very, very missed by her Mommy! But rest assured, she was in the hands of a true life Wonder Woman. Who in the world runs over 26 miles that morning and then excitedly volunteers to come and stay with the Little Miss??? Kate R., you are A.MAZ.ING. Seriously. Thank you for the pictures throughout the evening of my sweet little munch!

So they are no longer two, but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let no one separate.
(Matthew 19:6 NIV)

This is a baby girl who had sad belly pains from 3 am on into much of the morning. There we were in the tub at 5 am trying to offer her some relief. She slept for about an hour after that, but was back at it from 6 – 10. I had lots to get together for my sister Emily’s wedding tomorrow, and the rehearsal dinner this evening. I am so thankful for the help today and then this evening. Nora got great reports from everyone who took shifts watching her. Such a relief!!

While the morning started off bad, my moods was brightened immensely when I received another dream report from a blog follower (see comment from Brittany on yesterday’s post.) This is a person I have never met, who has never been in my house. Yet her dream made reference to a ceiling fan in my bedroom. This seemingly silly or insignificant detail sent the largest collection of chills down my spine!! In Brittany’s dream I wanted to get rid of the ceiling fan and replace it with another light fixture. JUST YESTERDAY while I was in the tub with Nora I was looking at the ceiling fan in our adjoining bedroom. We don’t ever really use it, I thought to myself. Why not replace it with a vintage chandelier? And then this topic shows up in her dream??? Way too uncanny to be coincidental. I KNOW that part of her dream took place because I would recognize it as truth. Therefore I must also recognize the images of Nora as a one year old eating solid foods as truth too!! So many people have shared their Nora dreams with me and in their dreams she is always an older baby or child! I absolutely believe in prophetic dreams and have experienced several firsthand. We are all intricately connected to each other on this miniscule little dot in the universe; part of something so vast that it is immeasurable by human standards. A reflection of God and of His love for us, vast and immeasurable – but part of it. That dream not only gave me so much awesome hope, but it once again demonstrated God’s magnificence. That He would choose to speak to me through these dreams. Just WOW.

Here are some pictures from a picture perfect evening. My baby sister Emily is getting married tomorrow. This was the rehearsal:

Beautiful Bride to Be!

Dad and Em

The Flower Gals

The Sisters 3

A Perfect Match!

Thank you, Amanda, Denise, Julie, and Maria (Mitch & Ellie too!) for making this day run so smoothly and for taking such good care of Little Miss while we were away celebrating the sweet impending nuptials!

Thank you, Brittany for sharing your dream with me and for including the part that might have seemed silly! I’m off to have some dreams of my own! Goodnight!

He said, “Listen to my words:
“When there is a prophet among you,
I, the Lord , reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams.
(Numbers 12:6 NIV)

Nora’s early morning cardiology appointment went very well!! She weighs NINE pounds now!! She tolerated the echocardiogram and the EKG like a champ–not a whimper out of her!  She was happy and well rested after her night with Miss Paula! She just layed there watching the news, sipping on some morning milkies.

One if the newscasters was named Nora. When ever someone was speaking to her they’d address her by name, “Well, you see, Nora…” Our little Miss was like,”Who, me?”

3 birds in our tree back at home texted to me from my Mom!

There were no new findings in either of the tests. Nora is eating great and gaining weight just as she should. Doc doesn’t want to see her back until November!

TURN THESE LIGHTS BACK OFF!!!!

Bye bye!

With our appointment being so early we got in and got out – home just before 9:30. The only drawback was that we didn’t get to see Miss Linda this time.

The rest of the day was uneventful compared to yesterday. I got everything done that I needed to do and was even given the opportunity to have lunch with the big kids (Thanks for staying with Nora, Kate!!). Because we had to leave so early I didn’t get to see them off in the morning. My Mom stayed the night so she could get them on the bus and be there if Gavin were to wake up feeling crappy. Fortunately he did not. I’m now certain it is allergies.

My sweet big girl:

(my phone battery died before Gavin’s lunch time 😦 )

Nora had a nice long walk with Gavin and I this evening. We walked a couple of miles before William got the call to come pick us up. Nornor got tired of things and started fussing pretty badly. She certainly has a little temper on her!

Meanwhile back at home William caught a glimpse of what at first appeared to be a giant bug flying in our garage. Seconds later he realized it was a hummingbird!

Flash back to a few blocks away – I’m “bounce-walking” with Nora in my arms at about 35 mph. A bulky oxygen tank is clanking against me and Gavin is running behind me with the stroller. I was almost home and wondered where the heck my hubzbind was!

Back in the garage, William has unsuccessfully attempted to vacate the garage of the sweet little hummingbird. It couldn’t figure out how to get out through the wide opened garage doors and insisted on hovering around a lightbulb. William set up a ladder beneath the light and waited for the bird to come back. Ever so carefully, he clasped his hands around the delicate little creature. By this time it was already dark out. Birds do not see well in the dark, we knew, so he had no choice but to put the teeny tiny little bird in a little towel-lined box. Then he and Greta rushed off to rescue the rest of his family who were nearly home at that point. We were rushed the .2 (point two) miles back home where Fuss Cakes was promptly put in the tub.

The little hummingbird is asleep in our bathroom for the night and we will release her in the daylight of the morning. I will definitey following my own advice that I just gave to someone a few days ago with the same dilemma of a trapped hummingbird. I’ll be painting our emergency garage door pulls BLACK. The birds are attracted to anything red, even emergency garage door pulls. They want to fly upward to escape danger and can’t figure out how to leave the way they came in. If there aren’t kindly people around to notice and rescue them, they will die from exhaustion.

Thank you all so very, very, very, very much for all of your prayers. This little miracle baby girl is doing wonderful!!!!

I will proclaim the name of the Lord .
Oh, praise the greatness of our God!
(Deuteronomy 32:3 NIV)

Staring at angels

Twas certainly a day for the books!!

Gavin awoke complaining of a headache and a sore throat. He seemed in good spirits and otherwise normal. I wondered of perhaps he just had a case of school-itus. Upon further investigation there were, however, a couple of white spots in his throat. He continued to complain over breakfast that now his belly hurt. After that I dismissed him back up to his bedroom and continued getting Greta ready. Nora and I walked Greta up to the bus stop, which as I write this seems like several days ago. If that is any indication of how this day has been!?

I decided to have Gavin seen by the pediatrician to have him tested for strep. He was his usual jovial self on the way there and on until we were in the room waiting to be seen by the doctor. Nora was exceptionally well behaved and slept for most of the time that we were out.

He has a look of his sister!

The test came back negative and the doctor didn’t really see any reason why Gavin shouldn’t go on to school. So that’s where he went afterwards.

The rest of the morning and afternoon were relatively uneventful. I was relieved to have my shoes delivered that I ordered at the last minute for my sister Emily’s wedding this weekend. I was even more relieved that they fit! I was in a great mood–proud of myself that I got out of the house with Nora on my own, and happy to have my shoes. Things must have been going too well, I guess.

In a matter of 10 minutes the cat had another violent seizure, Nora became grumpy, and I was reminded of Gavin’s tux fitting appointment in a half an hour from then.

Unless I suddenly transformed into an octopus, it was impossible to bring the cat in a carrier to the vet with a baby in a carrier on oxygen. Not to mention the kids were about to walk in the door from school, one of which needed to  somehow be across town in 30 minutes. And Nora was pestering for a bath. I can’t wait until I can read this back as an old lady and laugh about it. Because it sure wasn’t funny this afternoon.

William was able to leave his job site that sounds like it also had O Fortuna blaring at it. Gavin got to his tux fitting a few minutes late. Nora got her bath, and the cat… is still alive. The vet wasn’t in when I called but will return my call tomorrow. SIGH.

I walked outside this evening to take the garbage out and was amused by the contrast of the outdoors from everything going on inside. It was nice to trade the sound of crying baby, disgruntled kid, whirring dish washer and ringing phones for the sound of crickets and distant train whistles. Even for just the 2 minutes I was outside!!

Nora has an appointment with the cardiologist bright and early tomorrow morning – 7am. Please pray that evidence of God’s healing touch will be evident in the tests that are performed on her precious little heart.

The Lord  is a refuge for the oppressed,
a stronghold in times of trouble.
(Psalm 9:9 NIV)

Another sunny, beautiful day with the coolness of Fall in the air. A day not unlike the September 11th eleven years ago. No one woke up that day with any inkling about what was going to happen that day, but it happened any way. William and I were on our honeymoon in Maui on September 11, 2001 and didn’t learn of the attacks until 6 hours after it had happened because of the time difference. I remember sitting glued to the television for hours on end watching story after story of people searching for loved ones. Posters, flyers, photographs all representing  the quest for a precious loved one. I don’t have any answers for this one, but I feel certain that God didn’t cause it to happen. I also know that when evil and heartache manifest themselves into our lives, that God will turn it around and make something beautiful of it all. My heart breaks for all of the families and friends of the victims. I pray that the gift of time has helped alleviate that terrible sting of loss, and that they will rejoice in the promise of eternity — everlasting life.

Nora has completely recovered from her cold! She’s back to eating like she did and I was also able to lower her oxygen back down to an 8th of a Liter!! She’s been in a great mood today with lots of things to say and lots of sweet smiles.

Just as soon as Nora is over her cold, Gavin came home from school complaining about a headache. As the evening progressed he started complaining that he felt hot and that he was congested. It seems like no matter how diligent we are about washing our hands and keeping our hands off of our faces we turn into a line of dominos, one by one we get knocked down. Please pray that these illnesses stay away from us and especially Nora!

On our way home from Greta’s dance class this evening, Greta saw something incredible. She sees bird trios all over the place, but this was pretty awesome:

Close up of the center trio

Soooo glad I had my camera for that!!!!

I somehow need to figure out time to update this blog during the daylight hours. I’ve said it before, but this time I really mean it. Here I am exhausted again as I was last night. I did fix yesterday’s shoddy post, btw.

Goodnight and God bless!

But you, Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God,
slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.
(Psalm 86:15 NIV)

Bright and early! I’m still sleeping so sweetly!

I dream of milkies and baffs.

Ooh! Good morning! Did I oversleep???

I start the day off with a baff in my mini-tub!

I hung out with my Mommy all day and then my brudder and my sister came home from school and then Daddy came home. (Clap hands, clap hands till Daddy comes home.)

The weather was so nice we got to hang out on the back deck for a little bit. I like to listen to the birdies singing and the feel of the breeze!

Me and my sister love each other so much!

She takes such good care of me!

Here’s me impersonating a green little froggy.

* All of Patches’ blood work, tests, etc. did not show anything that would cause seizures. Still no idea what is wrong, but at least she’s back home and relaxed!! Details tomorrow.Thank you for your prayers!!!