Something I forgot.........

The other day when we were at The Discovery Place I was so worried about keeping an eye on Jack, Katie and her friend. I would just glance at Maddie and keep moving on. She was safely strapped in the stroller and could most everything so she just hung out for the ride.

However, while I was snapping pictures of the kids playing in this display I look over at Maddie and this is what I saw..............

Yes, her leg is over the top of the front stroller tray and she is sucking her big toe. I guess I need to save this picture for her first boyfriend.

Happy middle of the week!

TTFN~

Suicide Mission

Sometime last week someone told me The Discovery Place would be free to the public Sunday afternoon. However I forgot about it until my mother sent me an email and reminded me about it. I spread the word to a few other families and they were going to meet me there. Katie also had a friend stay the night Saturday night and we were meeting her parents there.

Not to mention, at the VBS closing prayer service the kids were invited to church Sunday and asked to wear their VBS t-shirts.

So Phil leaves for Indiana at 6am, and I get up at get in the shower. I have 4 kids to get ready for church and need to feed them breakfast. Out the door we left and made it to church on time. I personally was stunned. It wasn't too bad because we met my parents there, so they were able to see the kids.

After church it was utter chaos at my parents house and I felt bad we invaded their house. I didn't want to drive all the way home and then back to Discovery Place. We were already more than half way there. So I just pack the kids up and headed to the line. What a line it was.

So the parking in Uptown Charlotte for this event was free. The admission was free. The rest of the day was just unreal. I get one of the last parking spaces at the very top of the parking garage. I get all the necessities in the stroller count the four kids heads (my three and Katie's little friend.)

I should have known I was in for trouble when we tried to get to the elevator in the parking garage. I either had to walk a mile down to the next floor or carry the stroller up about 15 steps. So I carried the stroller with Maddie in it up the 15 steps and waited our turn at the elevator. We get in the elevator and it is stifling all I could think of was, "Please Lord don't let it break down." We get out of the elevator only to discover I have to carry the stroller down 15 more steps to get to the street level. Since I was the only adult I didn't have anyone to hold one end while I held the other I just picked up the whole thing.

We get to the street level and get in line. There are about 1500 to 2000 people in front of us and we had about 15 minutes until it opened. So we waited. As the kids started to get antsy suddenly the line was moving. By about 10 minutes after 12 we were in the door. Which isn't bad you say but it was almost 100 degrees outside.

Too cool everyone off I take them to the cafe and get some fresh fruit and juice so they will be ready to go. I discover when I took some stuff out of my purse so it would not be so heavy I accidentally took out all my cash and left it in the car. Mostly I went to the cafe because all I could think of was what in the hell have I just done. My friend who was coming with her son and husband changed their plans. Katie's little friend's mom I could not get a hold of by phone. So here I am in a very public place with 10,000 other people and I have four kids to watch over. So I take a deep breathe and off we went.

The kids laid on the bed of nails, rode on the air chair, pet a turtle, looked through microscopes, saw tons of frogs in the exhibit. The afternoon although exhausting and I was a little worried about meeting up with the other parents the kids really had a good time. Finally as we were doing the last exhibit I get a call from the other parent. They had left and we were getting ready to leave so we met up about a half hour later. What happened in the the next 30-45 mins I wish to never experience again.

As we were leaving the exhibit, Jack was gone. I saw him run to the front door with Katie and her friend and then it was like he vanished. I tried to talk to a police officer but he looked at me like I had two heads and never uttered a word to me, so much for CMPD. I finally got some help from the Discovery Place Staff and they found him sobbing and he would not let go of me. He went back to look at another display after I told him we were leaving.

So Jack glues himself to me and we walk out into a mass of people I had not seen this many people in a long time. The line was longer then when we arrived three and a half hours earlier. It was hotter then earlier and I was glad to be going home. The streets were so crowded we had to walk down the street. The cars were getting mad and honking at us that finally I just became woman with a stroller get run over or get the heck out my way and just pushed my way through the crowd and made them move.

So here I am back in the dreaded parking garage. The kids run up the 15 steps to the elevator and the door opens. I pick up the stroller and sprint back up those 15 stairs. I rush in to the stifling elevator and the door closes but we don't move and I can't get the elevator door back open.

Suddenly I am thinking how much water and patience do I really have left. I can't panic because I have four kids with me. Finally I get the elevator door back open and get everybody off. I look around and the parking garage has no other elevator. So here we go we have to walk from the bottom of the parking garage to the very top where we parked as if we were a car. There is no other way up. The only thing was that we were in the shade and there was a small breeze.

About 50 yards from the car the kids are getting frustrated and wanted to know when were we going to be at the car. All I could think of was not soon enough I am pushing a stroller up hill. I get to the van and start it up with the AC on Arctic mode. I get everyone in, all of our stuff and sit down in the van. I could have passed out at that point. I still had to meet up with Katie's little friend's parents and make the 45 minute drive home.

I look back to make sure everyone is belted and ready to go and Maddie is already asleep. The kids are chugging their water trying to get cool. This is not something I believe I will ever try again but the kids had a blast and never knew I panicked not even when I thought Jack was gone.

Enjoy the pictures.

TTFN~

Closings and updates....

Well Friday was the last day of VBS and there was a closing prayer service. Family members were invited so my parents were invited. Since Katie's godmother helped me out with them earlier in the week I invited her too. I had to work that day but only for a few hours. I also volunteered to help out with the closing prayer service. It wasn't a big deal they just wanted someone over by the kids during the readings and other speaking parts in case there was a problem. The best part was the kids singing there songs................

As crazy as last week went I was very glad they went. Katie even made a friend that will be at her Camp Gabe Week in July.

There has also been some going on that I should have posted sooner but I have enough details now I can give the most information. Last week Phil's dad, James, had a heart attack. He was taken to the local hospital. He then had to be taken to better facility in Indianapolis by ambulance. After many test and discussions with all the medical personnel James had open heart surgery today.

Phil left yesterday morning to be with his family. His father did in fact have 8 blockages. Originally it was thought he only had 5. They also told us that the back of his heart wasn't very viable. It all seemed like very grim news. However, at this hour the surgery is complete he is resting in a room. There was an attempt to take the breathing tube out that was not successful and they will try again in a few hours. Tomorrow they will attempt to get him up and moving slowly but surely.

For those of you that already knew some of this THANK YOU for remembering to pray for him and Phil feels things went well. The next few days will tell the bigger picture. He will be in the hospital for a few more days, with rehab and everything it could be a long road but one they will take one day at a time.

Hoping everything continues to move in a positive direction. The kids made cards for him and they are hanging in his room so he can see them as he is recovering. He was also surrounded by most of his family and I think that made some of this go a little easier for him.

TTFN~

This week

My children have had the joy of going to Vacation Bible School (VBS) this week. I was a little nervous for them and they were too. So far things are going well...that is except for my daily routine for work.


For starters, I am working everyday this week as VBS is everyday this week. Then we have my morning schedule. In order to get myself ready, my kids ready, feed them a healthy breakfast (scrambled eggs, toast, fruit) that is instead of filling them with sugar, make the 40-45 minute drive and still get all my hours in for the week I am getting up at 5:30 in the morning. The things we do for our kids.


Tuesday morning was ridiculous because each of them got a little crazy with their breakfast. Madelynn crammed so much cantaloupe in her mouth that the cantaloupe juice had no place to go but out her mouth all down her clothes. Can't blame a girl for loving her fruit. Katie and Jack had a fight with their cups of milk and lost. I thought I was going to lose it before we got out the door.


The rides to work in the morning are usually my personal time for just me. This week it has been drowned out by the sounds of Cars, Finding Nemo, Maddie singing, Katie and Jack fighting and then tattle tailing on each other. By the time I was getting to work I was exhausted.


Oh but the best part was that I was getting to the office at or before 8am. VBS did not start until 9am. This meant I had three little munchkins in my office for about an hour. I was smart enough to go to the dollar store a few weeks back and buy new crayons, coloring books and reading books to help pass the time. Believe it or not I did get a few things done. But so did they.


Over the last few weeks of school Katie was bringing home some of the best art work. Some of it qualified just because it made me laugh. I decided I would decorate my office door with it. It would remind me everyday why I go to work and yes they are worth every penny.


When the kids saw the door they felt it was not decorated enough so each day they have been making more things for the door. I thought I would share what my door at work looks like.





I know we aren't supposed to wish our life away but, I will be so glad next week to enjoy my drives to work alone I might just have to do it in silence to truly appreciate my only time alone, a few days a week.


TTFN

Friends

Recently I was on a non-profit face book page about CHD's. Parents, mostly mom's, were talking about how since their child was diagnosed with their CHD they have lost friends. My first thought was well then they really weren't your friend. However, that usually isn't true. Most of the time people don't know what to do when they know nothing about your situation. So yes there is always two sides to every story.

When it came to our story in many ways so many people surprised us. I had a friend everyday, yes everyday, for 21 days she called me to get her "Maddie update". She probably didn't know half the stuff I was talking about but she would listen and some days I just needed normal human contact other than medical staff. There are a few people I thought were friends, but when my life path changed and these people didn't cross my path anymore, I tried to keep in touch, they did not. I have to say maybe I could have tried harder but my life did not have time for me to try harder.

We also have friends that are neighbors we have known since they moved in. They stepped in and just did whatever we asked without question. I knew when Katie and Jack were in their care I never had to worry. We even had friends calling almost everyday wanting to know what we needed. These friends really wanted to help and just patiently waited. When we called they were there. All of these friends knew nothing about heart patients or could relate to anything we were experiencing on our journey. They were just there.

These same friends I still see several times a week. Our life is getting back to normal, whatever that is, and these friends are still there. Our life would not be complete without them, so much so they are almost like an extension of our family.

Don't get me wrong our family was there and in many ways went out of their way for us. Did things they didn't have too, but they do not live here. Only my parents live here and live 30-45 minutes away depending on the day. So on one of those days when I needed human contact or Maddie was not doing well I could always call one of them and they would be here. There will never be enough words to say Thank You for that.

We have also met and friend-ed lots of other heart families. Some of them have similar stories to ours while others have travelled a much more treacherous journey. Being around other heart families life was easier in so many ways. You already know about keeping germs away, there is a respect and understanding that never has to be explained if a child has a limitation, you just went with it. In the presence of other heart families someone has already experienced it if you want to know about it, ask.

It is really sad to hear about women and families who thought they could depend on "friends" that just walked out of their lives when the road turned into a roller coaster. I was glad to see that they have found "real friends". As for us, I am truly grateful for my friends that checked on us and really meant it when they asked if we needed anything. Hopefully someday we can return the favors and there are so many.........

TTFN~

My mother always says, "Be careful what you ask for."

So Phil has been out in the crazy heat all day and comes home with an excruciating headache. I make a not so heavy meal and he lays down trying to get rid of the headache. A little while later I come and check on him to see how he is doing. As he and I are chatting I hear the kids playing upstairs. Suddenly the playing erupts into screaming and crying. Jack comes wailing downstairs about how Katie hit him, hurt him it was hard to tell through all the huge crocodile tears.

I consoled him told him to stay away from Katie and go to his room and turn his music on. This usually calms him down and he loves his room. Thinking I had eliminated the catastrophe I tried to talk to Phil again. All the sudden here comes Maddie yelling for Mommy. I tell her where I am and she comes down the stairs.....I hear....Mommy babble babble babble Jack babble babble Katie babble babble babble babble Katie Jack. Phil and I just look at her.

Phil finally says, "Well which one is it Peanut, Katie or Jack?"

Maddie says, "I dunno?"

Phil says, "Why don't you go back upstairs till you figure it out?"

Maddie says, "OK"

She proceeds to climb back up the stairs. At this point I am trying to hold back a little bit of giggling. No more than 45 seconds later you hear the pitter patter of her feet coming back down the stairs.

Phil as serious as he can muster says, "You figure it out?"

Maddie claims, "yeah!"

Phil says, "go ahead....."

Patiently waiting for Maddie's explanation she says,"Jack babble babble babble Katie babble....."

I just busted out laughing and Phil tried not to laugh. I took Maddie up the stairs to see what was going on.

All I can say is Phil asked for it. When you talk to a less than 2 year old like she is 4 or 5 you never know what you will get. As for Maddie she thinks she is speaking in plain English and that everyone should understand her.

TTFN~