Here I am...

back in the hospital...no fun, but I guess at least it gives me a little chance to blog...I know that I am way behind...this post will mostly just be pictures...it is almost Christmas, and I still haven't posted my pics from October...or even uploaded my pics on to the computer from November...I know, I know...you have all just been sitting on the edge of your seat waiting for me to blog!

Anyway, I have been enjoying these last few "hospital-free" months at home with my boys...still trying to get settled into our house...it has been so fun to get ready for Christmas in our first home that is really ours! It's the first time we have put up Christmas lights-well, I shouldn't say "we"...my brave husband climbed up on our very steep roof...I just didn't watch, the whole time afraid we might be bringing him to the hospital!

Jack is as funny as ever, as you will see in the pictures...he loved getting to dress up like Mickey Mouse, and then after Halloween was over my mom picked up the Buzz Lightyear costume for $4 and the boy didn't take the thing off for days! What easy cheap entertainment! He is very particular about what he likes to wear lately, or really I should say what he DOESN'T want to wear, which usually includes ANYTHING but a pull-up (or "big boy underwear" if it is a REALLY good day) and his new fuzzy crocs which my aunt donna sent..thanks auntie, he loves them and they are the cutest things ever! They are like crocs but are lined like those ugg boots, they look very cozy! I am telling you the truth, the kid would run around naked all day if he could, 30 degrees or not...but that isn't exactly the most attractive option, nor sanitary since the child still doesn't seem to be bothered enough to stop playing when he has to go to the bathroom! But the crocs...those stay on...fully clothed or not clothed at all...the boy sleeps in those things!

Sam is still the sweetest, happiest baby ever, since Jack of course. He has been battling RSV for over a month now, and we are being very cautious so it doesn't turn into pneumonia or anything else that his little underdeveloped preemie lungs can't handle. It's scary enough as it is, and I really hate it that I am not with him right now. He is getting breathing treatments around the clock...poor little guy...he has the nastiest sounding cough and wheeze, it scared me so bad the first time I heard it, it reminded me of how he sounded in the NICU. But like I said, he is just still a little angel, he's still sleeping fairly well, and likes to play with his little nasal cannula while he's getting a treatment. He's still just growing like crazy. His five month pictures with his monkey and bottle are among the ones I still need to upload.


Like I said, I'm back in the hospital...we came in on Saturday night to the ER, went home and then ended up back on Sunday when they admitted me. I'm just having a flare up of the same old stuff...yes it is very frustrating, but hopefully this will be a short stay(relative of course for me!). I read a quote on Friday, and I think that God wanted to me to have it fresh on my heart this week...
"You have a God who hears you, the power of love behind you, the Holy Spirit within you, and all of Heaven ahead of you." ~Max Lucado
I am so blessed...I can add to that quote a husband who I am madly in love with, who has stood by me through pure joy and very real anguish...and two little shadows of him who bring me more joy than I could explain.

I love Christmas, and am looking forward to spending here with my parents and sister and brother. They have gotten so grown up and as fun as it was growing up together, it is so fun to know my siblings and to be friends with them as adults. My sister is a social worker and is so driven, professional, compassionate and so good at what she does. She challenges me in many ways and has a tender heart that is there for you in a moment's notice. My brother is coaching at Denton Liberty Christian School and they just won the State Championship this last weekend. I am so proud of him and enjoy watching him enjoy what he is doing so much.I love watching him with my boys-they adore their "Uncle Bwad", and I love that he and Matt get along so well. We got to surprise my mom for her 50th birthday last week, and it was so much fun. She spends so much time and energy giving of herself to others and really was a joy to get to do something for her, and to pull it off without her knowing! My sister and I were so proud of ourselves...but I don't know why we doubted ourselves...the only reason we could get it together is because we have watched our sweet mother give like that to others her whole life. My dad came over to watch the boys the other night while Matt and I went to a wedding, and I just love watching him with my boys...what a special relationship-they sure do love their pappy. I also love it when my daddy comes and visits me when I am in the hospital, for some this may seem weird-but for me as a person who has spent ALOT of my life in the hospital it means alot...we can sit and not even say anything but I know he is there with me and it makes me feel safer. It is so hard to even describe how amazed I am more and more when I recount how many sacrifices my father and mother have made to do so much for us...what an incredible model to strive to follow. We will be here for the holidays getting to relax and be together...those are the kind of holidays I like best...the hustle and bustle is fun, but my family will tell anyone that my favorite is always cuddling up on the couch with a full tummy for a NAP with football games in the background...or of course the old family movies my sister and I insist on getting out EVERY year!

I hope everyone is having a blessed holiday season...I sure do have lots of Christmas shopping to do and traditions I am trying to start with the boys, but mostly I am just so thankful that I am going to spend Christmas with my three boys...As blessed as we are, I must say I am kind of ready to say goodbye to 2007...But we have certainly learned this past year about resurrection in a whole new way...so here's to new beginnings! Praise God that His mercies are new EVERY MORNING!


Okay...well...so much for this blog being mostly pictures! You can talk a lot longer when you are alone in a hospital room with nothing on TV!(Strike that, flipping through the channels and found "Holiday Inn"...one of my favs, which my mom and sis was here to watch it with me).


Now for the pics...

My cute little punkin and the leader of the club himself, Mickey Mouse-I have to say that I was pretty proud of myself for the homemade costume...I like to rejoice in those small victories on days when I feel like I really have no idea what I am doing as a mother-which is most days by the way! And then of course the Buzz Lightyear costume that I couldn't even get him out of to go to Target! He and cousin Mary Kate looked so cute as Mickey and Minnie...those two are like peas in a pod, I am so glad they have each other to be good buddies with.

Sam LOVES to stretch, and I finally caught a picture of him doing it...I think he just fell asleep in mid-stretch...why is it that something like stretching can be so darn cute when it's a baby doing it?!
I also think it's cute when he sucks those two little fingers...don't know why, but it is!

Then there's a few of my boys...MATCHING! This a rare occasion that Matt lets me get away with it, I have to take advantage of it before they get too old and I can't anymore! I think the window of opportunity is smaller with boys...anyway, the first one is cheering on Uncle Brad's team, and the rest on our front porch pumpkin patch...the second one cracks me up because it looks like Jack is about to peg Sam with a pumpkin! Don't worry...no one was injured!

Enjoy...