The Surgery

The day of the surgery dawned slowly and almost timelessly. I looked out the window and saw the sun beginning to create light behind the Superstition mountains. I got up and dressed quickly in my comfy clothes and brushed my teeth and hair. I was apprehensive and jittery. We said our goodbyes and loaded up into the car; I cried at several different mile markers along the way. Upon our arrival, it was normal protocol....waiting. We were transferred to a room where I was placed into my paper-thin gown and those ubiquitous socks that no one can escape. I was no longer myself, but just one of many waiting for my turn. When it came it was quick and rushed. Faces begin blurring together as person after person rambled through rehearsed instructions. I began to cry again, but was reassured by the loving touch of my husband. Soon all that was left was the sensation that something had happened, and that I had lost some of the precious time that had ticked away so slowly earlier that morning. I was well and beginning the healing process.

How do you like my melodramatic attempt at describing my surgery? Not do it for you? Let me break it down. We got up at 4:30am and got ready to go. I could neither eat, nor drink so there was really nothing to do. We left at 4:45am for the hospital and arrived at 5:15am. After signing my life away, we waited in the waiting room; then were called back and waited in the pre-op room. They helped me to change and started my IV around 6am. Then we were left alone and I tried to squelch my fear by watching Food Network. At 7am Dr. Beck came in to let me know that he was there and going to go change. By 7:15 am every single doctor or nurse that would be touching me in some way had come to tell me his or her name and some other knowledge that they assured me I would most likely forget. At 7:30 they wheeled me back and told me that they needed me to help them move me to the operating table and that it would feel cold on my backside.......skip ahead an hour and a half. I woke up feeling claustrophobic and began to cry and try to get my mask off. They took it off for me and stuck the oxygen tube up my nose. That helped a lot. I could not focus my eyes and felt sick to my stomach. Zofran, my miracle drug! About an hour after being put in recovery, I was able to begin being discharged and go home! They were able to find a little endometriosis, but the major finding was the scar tissue that was completely blocking both of my fallopian tubes and causing everything to back up into my ovaries. No wonder I have had no luck getting pregnant for the last 3.5 years. Better luck now!

I did it!

I took my huge Praxis test yesterday and I PASSED! Well, I know that I passed the first two portions. The writing portion has to be sent in and takes 4-6 weeks to get the results. HUGE weight off of my shoulders. No more stress! Now I can focus on my surgery and relaxing!

Life

Sometimes I think that life gets so overwhelming that you cease "living" and slip into "surviving". I don't particularly care for this mode of life, but right now it is all that I have. We are told that we won't be tested beyond what we are able, but often I feel that statement is an oxymoron because I feel like I am at my limit and anything past that just makes me feel worse whether I can do it or not. I know that once I am on the other side, I will look back and be amazed at my capacity and the obstacles I was able to overcome, but in the heat of the moment it is so hard. I look around and see other people dealing with their own trials and feel like "what is my problem"? I have come to understand that what is hard for me is not hard for someone else, but what is hard for someone else isn't hard for me. My trials are just as hard for me as their trials are for them, just different. This has been one of the most difficult learning experiences and I can't wait for it to end.

Happy Mother's Day!

I woke up from my Mother's Day nap to the most delicious smell! There were three smiling faces looking down at me and two of them whisper yelled, "Happy Mother's Day!" Upon my arrival at the dinner table the most wondrous sight met my baby blues: a fantastic dinner made by my husband and two little darlings. As you can see, they went all out! I had eggplant parmesan, salad, asparagus, garlic bread, pasta and white sauce with a little apple cider to wash it all down. When I was first dating Brady, a big treat was to drive to Spokane and eat at the Olive Garden. I would always order the eggplant parmesan! There was one day soon after we got married that Brady tackled his first attempt, I am sure it was delicious. This, his second attempt, was truly one of the best things I have ever eaten in my life, and I LOVE food and try it often. It made it even more enjoyable that Catherine and Sarah were actively involved in helping making it. So tasty!

Sarah said an adorable thing today, we were in the car and as we turned the corner, Brady's hand slipped off the steering wheel and we jerked a little bit. From the back seat we heard, "Seriously! Who's driving this thing!" She is a funny little munchkin!

Alright, Alright!

Some of you have started asking (aka harassing) me as to why I have not been posting near as often. First, does anyone really even read my blog? Second, I have taken on some extra things that I will proceed to tell you about. I now work 4, 11 hour days a week taking care of a little 6 month old boy named, Talan. Monday I am in Mesa all day still running all my errands while Cat is at Eagleridge. Saturday, I spend seeing my husband and doing things around the house that need doing. Sunday, is church, family dinner in Mesa, choir and other obligations. I am also teaching 5, soon to be 6 piano students and shuttling my kids to their lessons and dance. That is what I have been up to and why I havent' been as active on my blog. I will sincerely try to keep up so that all of you remain updated on our little life, but please be patient with me...I am trying.

California Love

In Cali for Kelly's baby shower and it is going to be soooo adorable. Her planning committee has been working overtime to create the best baby shower ever! Kelly and Chris are having a baby giraffe (not really, but those of you who get the joke will understand) and so the overall theme for the genderless babe, is yellow, orange and gray with tons of giraffes (Natalie P., if you are reading, you would have died and gone to heaven!). I will post pics when I get home, but already very excited for this afternoon. On a unhappy little note, Miranda's flight got canceled, so I did not drive to Burbank this morning to pick up my lovey friend. Kelly and I are very sad, but Mira is heartbroken and we are planning our revenge on the airlines. Love to Mira! Little baby Bumps has been very pleasant to me and we have become aquainted over the last few days. I have been calling the baby a "he", but everytime I lay on Kelly or touch the baby parts, I feel like it is a girl. We shall see....

Finally! The Goods Have Arrived!

Our hens have finally started laying! The blue comes from our Americauna, Isa, and the brown comes from our Buff Orpington, Noodle. Isa started laying first and delivered almost a dozen eggs before Noodle joined in. We get one egg from each hen per day so we get a baker's dozen a week. Not bad! Our other Buff, Mrs. Buff, is possibly Mr. Buff and has become very aggressive and noisy. We are going to have her looked at, but soon I fear that Mrs./Mr. Buff will be chicken pot pie. Wish me luck! For now, we are enjoying having fresh, yummy eggs straight from our backyard!

Catherine's Birthday

Catherine had a sweet and relaxing birthday. She requested BLTs for dinner and lemon cake, lemon ice cream, and lemonade. Yellow is her favorite color so I think that is where the theme came from. Cat is such a joy to have in my life. She takes such joy from being a helper to Mom and by being nice to everyone. We love her so much and it was so good to celebrate her for an entire day.

Part Two

The whole family came over for dinner for the girl's birthdays. We had a taco salad bar and cupcakes and ice cream. It was again, low-key and relaxing. It was also Randy's last night before being deployed overseas so it was nice to get to spend some time with him.

The Girl's Birthday Party Part One

This year we did really low-key birthday parties for the girls. They had a friend party with friends from church and the neighborhood and then we did our family party that evening. We played Wii and Kinect and board games and then ate cupcakes and had a treasure hunt. It was nice to relax and have a good time.