Sorry for the Abscence

I haven't forgotten about ya'll, and nothing has changed. We are super short staffed at work, and we have revival this week at church. Lots going on. I hope to update this evening. Have a great day.

I Fought the Tree....................

..................and the tree won!!!

That's right folks. In all of my superior intelligence(it's OK to laugh here, you really will be laughing in about 10 seconds), I backed my little orange car into a 100+ year old oak tree this morning. Nothing says TGIF like a a dented and scratched car, and a severely damaged tail light. Wanna know the best part? My inspection is due, like uhm TODAY. You can't pass inspection with a broken tail light, now can you. Nope, definitely not gonna pass inspection now.

Obviously I was a little(or a lot) upset with myself for backing into a tree that is older than I am, and has been in the same place since we moved into this house 2 years ago. Then, I was mad at myself for being a total dolt. Then I just had a good laugh. Why did I laugh? I laugh at other people with broken tail lights, and dented cars. I laugh because they were a dolt and backed into junk. So, if I laugh at others, I have to laugh at myself too.

One more thing to make your day even better. Pregnancy hormones(I guess that's what is causing this) has turned the skin around my eyes into lizard skin. It sounds gross because it is. Seriously my eyelids are red, swollen, and itchy. Then, later in the day when the swelling starts to subside they flake. Like a snake losing it's skin. NASTY!!!!! They are getting better. I haven't worn makeup on my eyes, except for mascara, all week. That seems to be helping. And, yesterday I "happened upon", or took from a co worker's desk since she is on surgical leave, some Aveeno Skin Relief Moisturizing Lotion. Thanks DM. Definitely less reptile like this morning.

That's my Friday. Hope you have as much fun in your day as I have already had at 9:44am in the morning.

But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

Waiting is the hardest part of anything. It doesn't matter if what you are waiting on is full of excitement or full of dread. Waiting is the hardest part. I absolutely love this verse.

I think the first time I ever really pondered on its meaning was after a message by Bro. Tom Gilliam. He is an evangelist that I have had the privilege of sitting under many, many times. And will indeed have the privilege again next week at our church's spring revival meeting. Anyway, he posed this thought. At first glance this verse seems to be written backwards. Soaring, then running, and then walking. Oh, but we know that's not. God is of course sovereign in everything, and that includes writing the Bible. Try thinking of it like this. Soaring is a quick activity, it doesn't take much determination or dedication. Running is slower than soaring, but still it is a quick activity. However, walking is slow and methodical. Often times we want to soar or run to get to the end of whatever we are facing. But, when we do that we often miss what God has planned for us along the way. When you fly to Nevada, you miss the mighty Mississippi, but if you were to drive to Nevada, you would be able to cross the Mississippi slowly and take in its grandeur and magnificence.

Sometimes I want this part of my life to be behind me, and to have moved on to something new and wonderful. But, if I don't take the time to let God work, and essentially walk with Him, instead of trying soar when I should be walking, will I enjoy or understand new and wonderful when it happens? God promises me that if I wait on Him then He will help me to walk without becoming weary. I like that. I need that.

It's a little jumbled today, but I'm a little jumbled today. Nothings wrong, emotions are good. I just have thought going in 5,000 different directions.

One more thing. Please remember "A Stirring Life". As I posted yesterday, their daughter Olivia went to Heaven earlier in the week. Her body was delivered today. Continue to lift this family up to the Lord. Chad and I will be there at some point in the next few month, but at this point I can't imagine the needs that they have. But God knows what they need, and He knows how to provide what they need right when they need it.

I'm off to play the piano for our youth choir. Should be fun. See ya.

(Sorry this post is so messy. Blogger is doing something screwy. Don't blame it on the operator. Always blame it on the computer.)

A Date with the Perinate (A Rhyme every Time)

Chad and I went back to Charlotte today to meet with the Perinatologist and have a Level 2 ultrasound at the Perinatologist. There may or may not have been a slight side excursion through the Charlotte Douglas International Airport. I was excited(and possible the instigator), Chad was not as excited(actually not at all). He was afraid we were going to get arrested, or wind up on the wrong side of a tack strip. He's not completely to blame. Previously on one of our excursions we "accidentally" wound up inside of Fort Jackson in Columbia, SC. We weren't supposed to be there, and this happened very shortly after 9/11. Needless to say tensions were high in my Jeep Cherokee. Anyway, we made it out of the airport unscathed.

Anyway, the appointment with the geneticist was pretty uneventful. She basically confirmed most of the things we had learned on our own. It was nice to meet with her, and to have definite answers to our questions.

After the geneticist, we went back downstairs for a Level 2 ultrasound, and an appointment with the perinatologist. Good news first. At this point Johanna still has a great heartbeat. The fluid on her neck is starting to resolve. However, Dr. S. told has the Johanna probably has a serious heart defect. This was not unexpected news to Chad and me. We had done enough research to know that T18 kids just simply do not have healthy hearts. Dr. S told us that Johanna probably has Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome(HLHS). Again, this is common with T18 kids, and we were expecting to hear this. In HLHS, the heart's left side, including the aorta, aortic valve, left ventricle, and mitral valve(all very imoportant) are underdeveloped. The left side of the heart pumps oxygenated blood to the entire body. Pretty important. Here's the short version of what that means. In utero the babies heart has an opening called the ductus arteriosis, when babies are born, this opening closes in a few hours or days, and the heart begins to beat normally. The left side of the heart is not as important to survival as the right is while babies are still baking. Babies with HLHS can't survive when the ductus arteriosis closes, unless there is surgical intervention. Surgery is only an option in chromosomally normal babies. Johanna is not chromosomally normal, even though she is exactly how God wants her, so surgery is not an option for her. Does your head hurt yet?

Chad and I were expecting Johanna to have a major heart defect, so this news was not unexpected. With all things considered, we felt today's appointment went really well. Johanna still has a strong heartbeat, and that was what we were hoping we would hear today. God answered another prayer for us regarding Johanna. Even if she isn't healthy like Clayton is, she is still as much of a miracle that he is.

And, by the way, she already has chubby cheeks just like her big brother, and her mama. Too cute.

Thanks for remembering our family in your prayers. I have said this before, but I feel the need to express our gratitude again. We do not take lightly the fact that other people are taking their time to petition the Lord on our behalf. My heart is overwhelmed by your love and thoughtfulness.

I'm outie peeps. Hope ya'll have a great day. Ours has been.

"In Such A Time As This"

In such a time as this, prayer is needed. Not for Chad and me(but please don't stop praying for us either), but for another T18 mommy in waiting. "A Stirring Life". Her unborn daughter, Olivia, was diagnosed with T18 around the same time that we learned of Johanna's diagnosis. Olivia went home to be with her Lord earlier this week. Obviously, my heart breaks for this Mom and Dad. We have never met physically, but have traded bloggy comments, and prayers for each other and our daughters. Olivia's mom is to be induced this morning to say both hello and goodbye(only for a time though) to Miss Olivia. You may not know this family, but please petition the Lord on their behalf today. I would imagine they need the comfort and peace that only God can provide.

Ist

Are you good and confused now? It's only 9:28am, and I am, so welcome to the crowd.

The real point is that Chad and I(and Johanna too, though of no choice of her own) go back to Charlotte tomorrow afternoon. We are seeing both the Geneticist and the Perinatologist. Hence, the title "Ist". I'm both excited and anxious about the appointments. I

I don't have a clue what to expect from the geneticist. I have worked my google fingers to the bone in the last 3 weeks, so I feel like I have a decent, if uneducated, grasp of what's going on with Johanna. I have some questions in mind about what to ask her. I just don't want to get to her office and sound like a total fool, or on the other hand sound like a "know it all" that's learned everything from the internet. Oh, the conundrum(I just really wanted to use that word in a sentence, if you are a long time reader you know that I LOVE big, smart words) I find myself in. Not really, just going for the dramatic.

After we meet with the geneticist, we then see the perinatologist again. This time he will be doing a detailed ultrasound of Jo's heart. Again, I have absolutely no idea what that US will bring. My hope and prayer is that she is still alive, and has a good strong HB. She always has had a strong HB in the past, maybe tomorrow will be no different. Regardless, God still knows what He's doing, and tomorrow will go exactly as He has it arranged.

If you think about us tomorrow, please pray for our family. I would love to have a great day with my hubby. I know that it isn't the ideal situation for a date day, but I'm trying to make the best of it. And, I don't get many chances to spend the entire afternoon with my Chad. Should be fun, or something.

Here's what's happening the rest of the week. It really is a busy one. Tonight and Thursday our youth choir is singing at 2 different revival meetings in our area. Tonight we will be at Gilead Baptist up on Lake James. This one should be special for me. My Dad pastored this church all throughout my formidable(big word) years. Jesse and I grew up there. I met my husby at Gilead, and we were married there. I haven't been to a service there in quite a few years, so it should be a blast. On Thursday evening, our youth choir will be making an encore performance at Bethlehem Baptist in Morganton. This is the church where my brother pastor's. I don't know this church as well as Gilead, but they are so incredibly nice to Jesse and Amy. So, what more could I ask for? Not that I have a choice anyway. Our choir leader was very sick on Sunday, so I really, really, really, hope he's feeling better today.

That's what I have for today. It's kinda rambled and disjointed. Adios Amigos / Amigas.

PS "Simply Donna" Feel better soon. Miss ya!!

Belated Mother's Day

I would have liked for this post to have been up on Mother's Day, but I am a total dork and could not figure out how to post a video clip on the blog. Well, my very wise mother gave me a suggestion(click the help link, it will probably have something to help.........who would have thought), and wouldn't you know it worked.

I don't always watch the videos that people put on their blogs, so I don't understand if you don't either. But, if you do have the 3 minutes and 24 seconds to spend, please, please, watch this video.