Feeling Weary? Need some inspiration? This is where I am today...

When I went to bed last night, I had no intention of writing a blog today.  Yet after the night and morning I had, I felt it was a good idea...

Poor Joy Joy wasn't feeling well yesterday.  She had just come off a low-grade temperature the day before and seemed to be recovering until she started yelling.... and yelling.  Poor girl was in pain but I did not know how much.  I tried appropriate medicines we had at home as well as just helping her to relax.  I distracted her and tried to help her rest.  As the day progressed, it seemed she was handling things okay so I sent her to bed on the futon near me just to make sure.  Unfortunately the night did not go well... at all.  By 8 am, I was beyond frustrated and was more sure than ever my sweet girl had an ear infection.  Her fever had broken 24 hours before but she just could not sleep and kept pointing to her ear.  She was not letting up.  

Unfortunately, it took longer than we would like to get out of the house, even with the hospital a few minutes away.  Fortunately for us, the ER seemed to be ready for all the moms with kiddos as they brought the families in to triage and into a bed in the hall or room near the front rather quickly.  At first I was a little peeved but then realized with the pain Joy seemed to be experiencing this may be working to our advantage.  The doctor on duty met with the family nearest to us for a little bit, argued with the parent briefly about how important it was for the child to find a way to get their child to take the medicine, repeated "virus everyone has right now" multiple times and zoomed on over to us.  He double checked what we were there for, checked her ear, confirmed the ear infection after inspection (as well as the other for good measure), told me what he was prescribing and zoomed off.  Not 5 minutes later, we had discharge instructions and a few signatures later we were on our way to Costco for her medicine.  Arriving at the pharmacy, I realized things might take a little longer with her new insurance card and a tech being trained but I sat with my sweet girl while Micah hovered around nearby smiling and being silly.  These things seemed to help at least a little bit.  Then, we headed for the car and before long, she had the medicine in her system and a quick visit to Daddy and stop for orange juice and we were home.... and now she is sleeping.

It was noon when we arrived home.  I hadn't eaten anything and I was overwhelmed by messages to read and respond to.  I am supposed to be on a high carb diet for a few days prior to my 3 hr glucose test coming up Monday so clearly I got a late start on that for the day.  It will happen.  I hopefully won't feel so weak or tired much longer.  I am praying tonight will be much more restful in this house tonight... for all of this.  And even after all of this, I just want to encourage all of you parents out there, all of my friends and others who are struggling with anything today... 

         ...find peace in our Lord, find solace in His comfort, find a minute or two at least just to breathe today and take this day in before it ends.  We have NO idea what tomorrow will bring but it is definitely okay to not be okay all of the time and to take things as they come, in stride, as you are able.  I hope this can be a comfort to some of you today. 

I saw a pretty cool image today as I was searching through things online that said the following, 

"When your troubles try to drag you down remember that you were made to soar." 

When you're ready, revel in that, my friend and take it to heart.  

                "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." (Isaiah 40:31, NIV)

I need to eat some more and hopefully feel a little better.  I can't wait to continue to share with you more as I keep exploring the direction for this year for my family and how God can use me.

As always,

Melis

P.S. If you do pray, I ask for your prayers today as I am especially worn and weary today and we have another long day at home while my sweet hubby works a 12 hour shift to provide for us.

1st day of High Carbin' it up & My 1st Giveaway EVER!

How have you all been doing?  Once again, I was hit with what to talk to you about.  It isn't that there isn't anything to talk about, it is that I often don't see what I have to say as important to others.  Does anyone else struggle with this?  I often get so caught up in the BIG posts that I forget that being real is what got me going in the first place... and it is what keeps me going and writing day in and day out.

I have a sick kiddo around here again.  I love her to pieces so I feel bad for her.  Yesterday, she would barely move or eat.  She told me she had a sore throat and he had a high temp as well.  So today she gets to stay home from school.  Fortunately, last night went better than the last and the kids enjoyed the "family sleepover" in our bedroom.  Today, she is starting to act like herself so we might attempt some homework!  ;-)

And we did do our maternity shoot on Monday with the fabulous Sara Story!  I so wish I had a website or Facebook for her but as far as I know, she is only reachable by phone at the moment.  Anyway, she was amazing & she IS amazing!  I was having a truly rough and grumpy day, feeling defeated and no where near confident.  I was irritated because I forgot to deal with my nails and I didn't have accessories and this one time I was doing something special, I couldn't get it together.  I was complaining about hubby not getting me or supporting me like I wanted and so on... and my mood didn't get any better when we were in not one but TWO near car accidents on the freeway on our hour drive there.  Thankfully, hubby was driving and saw both coming and was able to just avoid both cars who decided to back up or move over WITHOUT looking while driving.  (And for the record, hubby is plenty supportive.  I was being nit picky & whiny.)  

Sara made us feel at ease.  She picked a place that she loved and knew.  (She only lives in the area 6 months out of the year.)  She had me do things I didn't understand but I totally submitted to her wishes.  She asked what I was thinking and even warned me when we were down to a few photos left to shoot so we didn't miss anything important.  (TWO key things here: She shoots in ALL film & I am getting a photo with our beloved angel bears, as well as Baby Girl's.)  She was also so great with Micah.  He is usually in a fabulous mood when cameras around but he was just getting over a bug.  It looks like she got some great action shots.  So... I am DEFINITELY looking forward to getting those back!

On another note, today is the first of three days where I am on a High Carb diet via my OBGYN's instructions.  I failed my first glucose test by one point so I take the 3 hour one to rule out or in Gestational Diabetes on Monday.  I am still not sure how I feel about the crazy carb load but I am following directions as I trust my doctor and know that he has mine and baby girl's best interests in mind.  I have to do this for 3 meals for 3 days leading up to the test before a 12 hour fast immediately before it.  I have struggled so much with lack of appetite and nausea during this pregnancy, as well as preferring my protein like crazy so prayers would be appreciated!

And on to the latest news...  Have you seen my blog count?  This is post 98.  That's right.  I am only 2 posts away from 100!  Looking over at my Facebook Coach & like page this morning, I realized I am only 22 likes from 100 there.  SO... to Celebrate these milestones, I am doing my First Ever Giveaway!  I am pretty excited about it!

http://www.giveawaytab.com/mob.php?pageid=518921921574172

So go there & enter, okay? And share with your friends!  And if you have any thoughts on what you would love to read on here or see on my page, let me know!  I would love to get your input!   Watch for posts 99 & 1oo as we get closer...

As always,

Melis

P.S. I wanted to share this totally so table photo of Micah & Abby last night passed out shortly before David came home.

What About This Week!

I've been meaning to write for days but made up plenty of excuses why each time I thought about it was the wrong time.  I might have been in a bad mood or I didn't know what to write or I was about to fall asleep or... fill in the blank!  So today I am writing.

It has been a strange-ish week around here. My kiddos hadn't been sick in ages but sure enough, Joy started coming down with something Monday, on her home school day so we put her to bed early with only half of her homework done and prayed for the best.  She coughed and coughed despite the medicine her sweet Daddy gave her so we opted to keep her home from school for the first time this school year on Tuesday.  Tuesday we had hoped she would perk up and feel better.  Sure enough, she got her homework finished but she was tired and dragged a bit... and as soon as nighttime hit, the coughing was back.  So her sweet Daddy took her temp... 99.8, borderline and gave her medicine again.  By early morning her temp was down a little but we wanted to make sure she was really feeling better, so we kept her home one more day on Wednesday.  Sure enough, she followed me to my OB appt with their office knowing ahead of time she was getting over something and she didn't cough at all from 8am-3pm.  She didn't blow her nose either. And when nighttime came she coughed only a few times and slept the rest of the night through.  She was thrilled of course, when her Daddy woke her up to go on a special field trip with her school Thursday.  I heart grand stories last night and received a very smiley girl, happy to be alive!  So today she went back to school and Micah and I are currently taking it easy and being buddies today :-D

Because of Joy being sick, I canceled most of my plans for the week which was probably good because the new medicine I am on for nausea is currently knocking me out or at least leaving me super drowsy while I adjust to it.  I was however able to see a good friend and talk plans and dreams with life and business which was a nice way to start my day today.  I am enjoying meeting new friends with common bonds through a pregnancy Facebook group and am learning that there is life even during the hardest pregnancy and there will be life afterwards.  The struggles we go through often feel as through we're barely keeping our heads above the water but often teach us so much and give us opportunities we never would have had otherwise.  I am feeling less down than I was earlier in the week and am looking forward to what this weekend and next week brings!

How about you?  What are you looking forward to?  What are you enjoying now?

As always,

Melis

12 Days After Christmas ~ Day 1

So as promised, here is the first of my 12 day series following Christmas.  Expect a mix of emotions, ramblings, daily happenings and so on...

Christmas was spent with some of our extended family.  David arrived to my parents' house just after 11 at night on Christmas Eve, due to some "shenanigans" at work.  I was so glad to see him that I didn't care so much about the timing.  At this point, Micah off his schedule had just fallen asleep not too long beforehand.  Micah slept with us so I slept worse than usual, which here meant cold and sore, leaving me to contemplate leaving early.  

We did stay, however, heading over to my aunt and uncle's house later for the afternoon and evening.  David left for home to get home around dark since he had to work 12+ hours each the following 3 days.  It was calm and enjoyable, watching the kids play, enjoying the relative calm and of course, a yummy dinner.  I went to bed a little more hopeful for sleep last night and was pleasantly surprised to do so once Micah was out.

Today was restful, cleaning up my computer and some e-mails with cute children playing near me.  For now, the plan is to stay a few more days so the kiddos can have the run of the place and enjoy the space and backyard here.  I'll breathe more and pray this cold either stays at bay or gets its worse out while I have the "backup" here.  We will head home sometime Sunday and work on reestablishing a routine so when school starts back up, Joy won't be completely caught off guard.

Overall, I am mostly just surprised at the calm.  I came into this week sort of ready for disaster, not because of any particular person but because of the cold and all of the morning sickness I had earlier on in the week.  My creative powers are zapped at the moment it seems.  I have nothing witty to say and my challenge groups are still in my head not developed as planned.  I am busy thinking ahead to the New Year only days away but nothing concrete still...  I hope you all had a blessed Christmas.   I will post again tomorrow, hopefully something more...

As always,
Melis

Merry Christmas Eve!

I am sitting here with a cute little girl in my belly and an almost 3 year old boy calmly playing near me.  My big girl is at church with her Nana, Poppy, aunt, 2 uncles and Great Grandma.  I sit here nursing my sore lower back just thankful to be near family.  David is still working but we'll see him tonight or tomorrow and this little girl of ours kicks enough to remind us of God's miracles in our lives, events we often overlook, because they don't seem so big to us.

Last year, I was feeling completely crummy, followed by a trip to the ER on Christmas Day and a very short yet exhausting trip to see family.  I just wasn't in the right place.  The year before, we had either just lost our first baby or were about to and were completely unaware to this fact.  Those Christmas experiences are not lost on me.  I am fortunate to be able to drive my children to see family, even if I am fatigued and sore.  I am blessed to not hit any traffic along the way and to have family who adores them as I do and give me some much needed relief.

Last night was my Joy Joy's 2nd of 2 dance performances.  Her studio performed "How the Grinch Stole Christmas" & she was able to have some family in attendance last night, even Daddy and Micah!  She was beautiful and excited and has shown so much growth this year.  On our way out, one of her friends handed her a pink rose!  Boy, was she touched!  And again, I sit back amazed at God's goodness in our lives...

Just a week or so ago, we were blessed with some extra food and gift cards.  The kiddos and I found our way into Walmart and out without falling apart and came away with some much needed new shoes, school pants, diapers, a few Christmas supplies, as well as a few food items.  It wasn't expected and it definitely brought me to a place of humbling myself some but I realized God had brought these people and gifts into our lives for a reason and that getting angry, confused and frustrated would not get me anywhere.  For the people involved, they were showing God's love to us at a time when we really needed some things.

In 43 days, my little guy, my Micah Boo turns 3.  I cannot believe it some days.  We welcome his new sister around 2 months afterwards.  Joy turns 7 yet another month or so later and we have half a dozen weddings, graduations and family events spread throughout our spring and summer on the calendar... so far!  I am truly very excited to be able to share with you all our 2015 adventures just around the corner...

However, for now I just want to wish you all a wonderfully Merry Christmas!  There will be a blog series or so to follow in the "12 Days After Christmas" which will also be posted to my Facebook page.  I will be documenting adventures, goals & blessings all around as we head into our New Year, including our "Word of the Year" we have already chosen!  I am so excited to transition into a new chapter in our lives with adventures and blessings I am sure we have not yet discovered!  So come along with me and tell your friends too!  I am here and on Facebook and would love to chat with you as I share about family, health, fitness and adventure!  Maybe you can share with me too?

God Bless You All!
As always,
Melis

24 Weeks & In the Midst...

Imagine this... 

  I am laying on my bed typing, small fluffy dog "snuggled" up to the warm laptop.  Micah just beyond her, under one of my new blankets. (Because if Mommy brings home a new blanket, it must be HIS, right?)  After several hours of pleading and negotiating, Joy sitting next to the end of my bed has finally not only found her play clothes but put them on.  Oh yeah, and Pistachio (Veggie Tales) is playing.  I move to get up briefly, my back yells at me but I press on...

Lunch is pending but clearly there are some other things that need taken care of first.  Apparently, the latest Beachbody fulfillment has arrived while I am out of the room.  Abby felt the need to bark at them and Micah is begging to open it for his Daddy.  And I smell something...

We have some family due to arrive later today for Joy's 2nd dance performance in "How the Grinch Stole Christmas."  Micah still has not gotten dressed and is now definitely hungry.  And it sounds like several of us are coming down with something...

In other news, we managed to get a progress pic before David headed out the door for work.  Hoping to update some more later.  Hope you all are having a wonderful holiday season.  Merry Christmas!

As always,

Melis