I'm Thankful For....

* snowy days when Matt gets to stay home with Isaac and me.
* delicious coffee and a hot bowl of cream of wheat cereal.
* a completely uninterrupted night of sleeping... no waking toddlers or potty breaks for me!
* a flexible schedule, which allows me to head to Waverly pretty much any time I want.
* Isaac wanting to sit with me and read through entire stories by Dr. Seuss.
* the book, Shepherding a Child's Heart.
* a house where we can spread out and have some space when we need it!
* good medical care and low cost prescriptions for my medication.
* God's continual work in my life with how I say things.
* Matt's gentle and caring nature.
* gas in our cars.
* windows in our house so we can see the snow falling.
* baby Gideon, baby W, baby Carmona, baby Z and baby Young ready to enter our world this year.
* a very dear friend who is turning back to Christ.
* free coupons... somehow we keep getting the Sunday paper!
* Isaac's cute and fun little personality and all the words he says and all the joy he brings to our family.
* the health of our family; it's easy to take this for granted.
* my brother, Sean, and his wife, Casey - that they live so close to me.
* hand-me-down clothing we've received for Isaac.
* finally being over the post-partum depression.
* going through that trial, even though it was difficult, because I know God used it to purge some nasty things from me.
* our t.v. and radio so I can hear the weather reports.
* K-Love
* healthy food that also tastes sooooo good!
* free recipe/food blogs, so I can continue finding healthy, tasty food!
* Isaac already showing a heart for prayer.
* my warm, fuzzy blue slippers and red polka-dot slippers. They keep my feet toasty warm in this frigid weather. I don't think I could live without them!
* good eyesight (through vision correction, of course!).
* Hair Biz in Waverly because they have unbeatable prices for haircuts.
* tomorrow's date with Matt.
* the pro-life movement and the heightened awareness about abortion.
* Isaac's ability to not have meltdowns when Matt or I leave him for a while.... let's hope this doesn't creep up on us during the next year.
* Mommies Night Out once a month.
* having a working fireplace and a husband who starts the fires... in more ways than one. he he! (just had to say that!!!)
* all of the lives saved during the recent plane crash.
* clean laundry.
* Isaac wanting to give hugs and kisses.
* Jesus' unchanging and never-ending love for me.
* being able to turn to the throne of grace in my time of need, which is all the time.

This list could go on and on and on.... for now, I'll stop here. These are some things I've been thinking about recently, and it helps to write so I remember to say thank you to Jesus for who He is and to know every good and perfect gift comes from above. I cherish this life He gives me, and my desire is to honor Him and give Him all the glory. For He alone is worthy.

Update....

Isaac did remarkably well today. We were off to the base bright and early... or should I say early and dark! Isaac and I aren't used to being awake when it's still pitch black outside. I knew a refreshing shower and some hot java (Matt makes the best!) would be just what I needed to start the day out strong.

The staff members at the ambulatory procedure unit were wonderful. When we arrived, we were immediately taken to our room. The nurse then asked me all kinds of questions, and we put Isaac's gown on him. He looked really cute. I wish I would've taken the camera and snapped a couple pictures! The doctor came in to speak with me and take a peek at Isaac. We then waited for a few minutes and read some books. Isaac was in great spirits and sat so nicely on my lap.

We headed down to the O.R., and I stayed with Isaac for a while before the procedure. The anesthesiologist talked to me about what kind of anesthesia Isaac would have and what to expect when he woke. Isaac and I prayed together before they took him. It was truly one of the sweetest moments I've had with my son. We held hands and asked Jesus to walk with him and help him not fear. Isaac loves praying, and as we prayed this morning, God gave us peace. God absolutely answered our prayers. Isaac reached up for the nurse anesthetist and waved bye-bye to me! My sweet little boy showed lots of courage today!

I waited outside the O.R. for about a half hour or so before the doctor came to talk with me. He said everything went very well and that Isaac was waking up but would be a little cranky. Boy, was that ever true!! I guess the anesthesia makes little guys feel really crummy and irritable. We stayed in the recovery area for a half hour, and Isaac was a squirmy bug the whole time.

We finally headed back to our room and remained there for about two more hours. The anesthesia was wearing off minute by minute, and Isaac began perking up. I didn't pack him a meal because I thought he would be so groggy and wouldn't want to eat anything. This is literally the first time I haven't packed him some food when we've gone out for a while. Normally, I pack enough for two meals. Today, I only had some snacks for him. Big mistake! He wanted to eat! He drank two boxes of apple juice, a small carton of milk and ate some graham crackers, goldfish and raisins. He was hungry. They didn't even have applesauce or anything for him. I thought I might have to order some room service! Thankfully they had a full supply of crackers. Who knows... I might get a bill for all he consumed!

Before we left, we had to make sure Isaac had a wet diaper. This seemed to take forever! We sat on the bed and watched part of the Inauguration and some other shows. I was just ready to go go go! I checked his diaper every ten minutes or so, and when I felt even the slightest wetness, I let the nurse know. She gave me Isaac's discharge papers, and we were finally on our way!

Isaac and I were both pretty sleepy when we got home. I made us some lunch before we both napped. Isaac chowed down on some scrambled eggs with cheese, a banana, some blueberries, and a piece of wheat bread. The doctor prescribed him some Tylenol with codeine, but he didn't seem to need any pain medication. You would never know he had any type of surgical procedure today. He's been a terrific sport throughout the entire day; I'm thankful everything went so smoothly.

Now, I just need to snatch him away from Daddy so he can get some good rest tonight. Playtime will have to wait until tomorrow! Thank you, everyone who prayed for Isaac. Goodnight!

Prayer request for Isaac

Tomorrow morning at 6:30 am, Isaac is having a small urology procedure at the clinic on base. This isn't anything major, but we would love some prayers for our little toddler. I know he'll be okay, and I'm sure this will bother me more than him because I know they have to give him a prick or two for the I.V. As a parent, I wish I could take his pain upon myself. Thankfully, the procedure is early in the morning and only lasts about ten minutes. He can then come home and rest the remainder of the day. We're hitting the sack earlier tonight; I know my baby will need a well-rested mama in the morning! Please pray for a smooth procedure and speedy recovery. I'll update you tomorrow with how Isaac is doing. Thanks so much, family and friends!

What a great morning!

This week is proving to be much better than last week. Isaac was sick for exactly one week. He has never been as sick as he was this time. It started last Monday, so I took him to the doctor Wednesday. He woke up Thursday morning all smiles with no fever; I thought we were in the clear. But no, he got worse that evening, and I really think it's because I took him back to the doctor for his follow-up appointment. I should have kept him home and away from the germ-laden doctor's office.

I'm happy to report Isaac is getting back to himself. He is sitting here with me jabbering up a storm saying, "Kix", "hat", "pen", dad, "ma-mam-a" (banana) and "type" because he wants to help Mommy type! What a joy this little boy is to me. I'm blessed to be his mommy, and I'm blessed to be the daughter of the King. The Lord carried us through this last week, and He gave us the strength to endure some sleepless nights. Now, Isaac's ready to let me kiss all over his cute little cheeks. Did I mention that I love this little guy? Here's to a great morning spending time with my healthy, beautiful, cuddle-bug Isaac!

One Smart Little Boy!

Today, as Matt and I were getting ready to head out to Pier 1, Isaac once again surprised us with his smarts. Matt was putting Isaac's shoes on him and accidentally started to put one shoe on the wrong foot. Isaac gave Matt a bewildered look and immediately pointed to the other foot! We cracked up laughing at how much he knows about simple things. He surely wasn't going to let Daddy dress him funny!

...Happy New Year...

Welcome to 2009, everyone! I hope you are each off to a fantabulous start this year. Life around our house is a bit off this week. Isaac came down with some type of sniffly-snotty bug Monday afternoon, which then turned into a 102.5 temperature, which then lead us to the doctor today. His ears and throat look wonderful, but the doctor was somewhat concerned with his fever. She suggested taking a blood sample to make sure his white blood count wasn't screaming high. We waited in the office for about an hour for the results... normal count! He doesn't need any antibiotics. I'm glad because I'm not a fan of giving my child antibiotics if they can be avoided. He needs lots of liquids, rest and a good dose of Tylenol and Motrin often. I'm taking him for a follow-up appointment tomorrow morning; the doctor wants to make sure he doesn't develop anything else. WPAFB has good pediatric care. I'm impressed!

Here are a few photos of our New Year's celebration with some good friends and my family from Michigan.

Here comes trouble... and pure cuteness, too!

"Wow, Pappy! Look at your ceiling!"

Laughing with Aunt Christel

Sweet, sweet, sweet and more sweet!

My oldest brother, Curt, and my niece and nephew, Ian and Hannah. Sean and Casey were on vacation in Texas. Sorry you missed the picture!

We had a great New Year's celebration and look forward to all the Lord has in store for us in 2009. We rejoice in knowing God, knowing He has our lives in His hands, and knowing He is sovereign in all things - the good and bad. We give Him thanks for our family and friends. May you have a joyous year in 2009!