Friday, February 27, 2009

Don't be bashful and say a prayer for me

Thanks to Heather, I actually have developed some "followers" but I think most of them must be shy. I only get one or two comments and they are usually from Heather. I could almost get my feelings hurt - ha ha because either what I have to say isn't noteworthy to leave a comment or maybe people don't feel comfortable sharing their comments. Oh well hopefully some of you will decide to leave me a comment or two and let me know you are out there.

These past two weeks have been rough - I'm probably like a lot of you and have been fighting "the crud". I am known to be hard headed so I attempted to battle this on my own. Well it didn't take me but a day or two to realize this was a little more than sinus or a head cold. I broke down and made a doctor's appointment. I would probably go to the doctor more often but at this particular office, you are known to have to wait a long time before seeing the doctor. The day I went was no exception.....I got there, signed in and was immediately told that the doctor had not arrived for the day. I wanted to walk out at that point but I felt too bad so I endured! Two and half hours later, I was leaving, bill in one hand and prescription in the other. I have been on meds for two weeks now for bronchitis, sinus infection and ear infection! I still can't seem to get rid of the horrible cough. Normally I would try and be patient however these days my main objective is to stay healthy. At this point you are probably saying, isn't that everyone's objective to stay healthy. Well for me, staying healthy takes on a whole new meaning...if I ain't healthy, I don't get to see Morgan Kate! I was suppose to go this weekend and keep her while her daddy and mommy went to an appointment. Unfortunately, Heather and I talked and we both agreed - no way could I risk being around any of them. So this weekend I will stay at home, try and rest and hopefully get better! On Monday, if I am still struggling, I will be back at the doctor's office. That right there should tell you how much it means to me to see Morgan Kate because no one wants to have to sit that long to see a doctor EXCEPT this grandmother who does not want to go another weekend without seeing that precious face! Wish me luck and pray that I get well.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

My favorite numbers

My goodness - it is the 24th day of February. This month is flying by. Today is special for several reasons....one, it's my nephew's birthday - Happy Birthday Luke! Another person I know is celebrating his birthday - Charlie Sutcliffe (I work with his mom) and yet another special person is celebrating this day too - Morgan Kate is 6 months old today. The number 24 has always been my favorite number....it was my jersey number when I played sports in high school, I had my first date with Loitton on September 24, and my dad passed away on November 24. I know that sounds a little crazy to say it is your favorite number if your dad passed away on that date, but I learned to look at it as a celebration day of when he went to heaven. I didn't always look at it in that particular light - it took me a while because it was such an unexpected and untimely death. I was only 33 and boy did I want him around much much longer! I guess for years after his death, November 24th, was a hard day for me. I watched my mom become overwhelmed with that date and therefore, when Heather got pregnant and we thought her baby would be due the end of November, I prayed that she would be born on the 24th! I thought if something as awesome as the birth of a child occurred on that date, my mom would no longer dread that day so much. Well, my prayers were not answered quite like I had in mind however Morgan Kate was born on the 24th! She was also born in the 8th month which brings me to my second favorite number - 8! In the Bible, the number 8 is significant because it signifies a new beginning, a regeneration, a new first. Morgan Kate is our new first - our new first grandchild. I find myself sometimes stopping when I say grandchild....it still seems odd for me to say that....to think I am someone's grandmother. I'm sure down the road, I will have plenty of favorite numbers - like when my second grandchild is born, or my third or fourth, or even fifth. I have plenty of room in my heart for "new favorite numbers". Happy 6th month MK!

Friday, February 20, 2009

Honesty - always the best policy!

Tonight Heather did a posting on being honest and how she wished that more moms were honest about the trials and tribulations of raising a child. She and I have had conversations about this topic before but she really made me think tonight about a few things. As honest as we are with each other, I felt like even I had cheated her of the truth. I think, as women, we don't bring ourselves to total honesty because we think things reflect poorly on us. I mean, come on, who really wants to admit that having and raising a child "doesn't come natural". It's sort of like you see commerials on tv when a couple wakes up in the morning and they immediately kiss - get real!!! The last thing I want to do first thing in the morning is kiss someone on the mouth - stink breath! The world has a tendency to portray things differently than they really are....we try to glamorize our lives because we wouldn't dare want anyone to think we are not in total control and that we can't handle anything! I wonder if I should have told Heather more about the sleepness nights, the worrying she will do when her child is sick, the sinking in her heart the first day of kindergarten, the apprehension she will feel the first time she leaves Morgan Kate with a sitter, the many, many times she will stop and pray over Morgan Kate as she leaves the house on her first date, for her first overnight with a friend (you wish you knew the family better), and how to prepare herself for the day she will tell Morgan Kate "about the birds and bees" and Morgan Kate will look at her like she can't even believe her mom is having that conversation. The list could go on and on. I do believe I could have better prepared her for some aspects of motherhood however I have never had a premature baby so I am the one learning. So if I want to be totally honest tonight, I have to admit, Heather has taught me about motherhood. In her short time as a mother, I have observed her display an incredible amount of patience, determination, and I have watched her faith grow in leaps and bounds.....it doesn't get much better than that! One of my fondest memories of our 107 days in the NICU were watching my daughter take the hand of her daughter and pray with her each night before she left......having a completely honest conversation with God and trusting in him. So as she finds her way in being a mom and what works with her little household, may God continue to guide her - after all He is the best example!

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Full Circle

I typed a post last night and was going to preview it before posting it and guess what....I wiped it out completely! Being new to this blogging, I still haven't quite got everything down pat but I'm trying. I don't know about others, but I vividly recall saying "I will never do that when I have children" or "I will never say that"....well I think if we wait long enough, we might all sound like our mothers. After all, they are the women who raised us and had an impact on our lives. The reason this came to my mind is my daughter, Heather, posted on her blog that her daughter, Morgan Kate, didn't like to have clothes put on over her head and that she would fuss if she did put things over her head. I chuckled when I read this because it brought back memories of when Heather did not want to wear a bonnet on her head. My mother in law would make these beautiful smocked dresses with a matching bonnet and on Sunday morning, I would get Heather all dressed up in her Sunday best and attempt to put the bonnet on her head. She would fight, she would pout, she was determined she was not going to wear it. I was just as determined that she was so she at least left the house with the bonnet on her head. Heather, thinking she was so smart, would take it off on the ride to church and stuff it in the seat. We would get to church and she would look at me so innocently and say, I don't know what happened to my bonnet. All that to say, I support Morgan Kate in her fight against having things put on over her head! I guess I won't be able to share that secret with Morgan Kate until she gets a little older but I can't wait to share that with her and sit back and laugh....realizing that I have come full circle.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

My FIrst Valentine Day as a grandmother

Yesterday I called Heather to tell her that I thought the clock at my office had stopped...it just did not seem to move all morning. Looong morning! The anticipation and excitement about seeing Morgan Kate, Heather and Travis was catching up with me. I thought about all the things I wanted to do while keeping MK for Heather and Travis to go to dinner (their Valentine date). I wanted to make sure we rocked, we read (a new book that Shelly - my coworker had sent). Thanks so much Shelly! I wanted to play with her with her toys, definately stroll her but most importantly I just wanted to sit and look at her....take in her beautiful face, those long eyelashes, those petite features and just marvel at the true miracle that she is. I paused and thanked God for this absolutely perfect little child.

The evening went great and an added plus was getting to spend time with Owens - our middle child. He and his dad ran out and picked up dinner for us (I owed him a meal for picking the wrong team to win the Super Bowl). He reminded me of the bet :) While eating our dinner, MK sat in her boppy seat and just wached us and once or twice smiled....I think she finds her Uncle O to be a funny guy. I look forward to the day when MK will realize just how much he loves her! In fact both of my boys adore her - she may not be able to date until she is in her 50's.

As our evening came to an end (her mommy and daddy came home) MK treated Gdaddy and I to a framed picture of her in a beautiful white hat - let me tell you, she is a hat girl but heck I think everything looks good on her. By the time we were leaving the house, MK was alseep but Gdaddy and I just had to slip in her room and watch her one final moment, blow her a kiss and pray that God will continue to watch over her each and every day.

Happy Valentine!

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Half way to the weekend

Yesterday started with me oversleeping - something I have never done but apparently I either cut my alarm clock off or just slept right throught it. This morning I was up at my regular time which allows me time to have my breakfast and devotion time. It's amazing how much better my day goes when I start if off that way. Oddly enough (or not so oddly) alot of the time my devotion turns out to be just the message that God intended for me that day. Today's devotion was about One of a Kind...it suggested we type in the phrase "none like him" on an search engine and see all the hits you will get. Some are Christian websites, some pertain to athletes, etc. God's defintion of "none like him" or being one of a kind differs from what you will find on the internet. I think God means for me to trust him no matter what others may do. I have learned to trust God more in the last few months because I know ultimately He is in control and if I just turn things over to him and try not to "handle" things myself the outcome is so much better. I trusted God and hoped that He would find it in his will to help Morgan Kate's lungs get better and He did. Yesterday the doctor told Heather and Travis that they could take her off of her oxygen. Woohoo! So tonight when she goes to bed, she will be oxygen free for the first time since she was born on August 24, 2008! What a milestone - way to go Morgan Kate. You are quite the fighter.

The reason I am so excited about being half way through the week is because I am going to see Morgan Kate on Friday and stay with her while her parents go out to eat. They think it is a treat for them when really the treat is for me!

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Blessings are flowing

I started this blog and then thought why in the world did I create this....no one will ever read it, follow it or comment on it. Then I decided that it's really for me. A place where I can put in writing my thoughts on becoming a grandmother and the absolute joys of watching my child mother her child. That gets a little tricky too....I know how I raised my children but I never want to impose "my ways" on my daughter. She will find her own method to the madness and some days it is just that - madness!

I am happy to report that Morgan Kate is making wonderful progress. As I look at pictures of her now, it is hard to believe that she came into this world weighing 1 lb. 12 ozs. She is truly a miracle and God has so richly blessed the lives of our family with her birth. What is really neat is the way she has touched the lives of others....I feel such a tremendous connection to so many simply because I know they have been "on their knees" prayer warriors for her. Some folks will matter of factly tell you that they are praying for you and you thank them but wonder if they really meant it. But then there are others who say they are praying and you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that they are and your feel their prayers and support. For this I am forever grateful!

As I close my post for today, I solicit your prayers for Morgan Kate and her doctor appointment with the pulmonologist. It would be so awesome if they were to take her off of her oxygen completely especially with spring right around the corner. We have alot of strolling days ahead and I want her to be able to smell all the new scents in the air (without her oxygen).

Until next time - God's blessings to you.