Turn it around Tuesday

He was born, and placed on my belly. It was the most magical thing I have ever experienced. The warm, wet body, of this new life now released from my own.

He was absolutely perfect. Even with being born 6 wks pre-mature, he was doing so well. I examined every bit of his 21 inch body. All 10 toes, 10 fingers, brown hair; with a little calic right in front, and the bluest eyes, I have ever seen.

My baby boy was quickly whisked away, to be cleaned and assessed by the nurses. His agar's were perfect at first, then went steadily down. I remember his daddy, Troy was trying to decided whether to be at his side, or mine.

The nurses called for help, then the respiratory team came racing in. Then...racing out. The room fell silent, as my doctor finished cleaning up the birth scene and assembling the bed. I soon found myself alone. I looked out the window, it was barely 5 o'clock in the morning and I could see the sun just touching the tips of the mountains.

I was exhausted from 21 hours of labor, and found myself drifting into a deep and dreamless sleep. I remember feeling so peaceful and warm.

I was jolted awake by Troy's hand on my arm. He was sobbing. He told me that I needed to come see our son. The wheel chair was waiting next to the bed.

When we got to the NICU, I was confused. My son was so big and healthy. He was a 7 pounds 1 ounce, 21 inches long...how can he possibly be in the NICU? This was a place for tiny premies...not MY baby!

There he was. My hansome prince. There were tubes everywhere. One for breathing and many coming out of his umblical stump. His pediatritian came over to me, to fill me in on what was happening. "He's very sick." I thought he was mistaken....He must have the wrong baby! Then he said something that would change my life forever. "There's not much hope, I'm sorry." Troy fell down next to me and hugged me. We both just cried and cried.

Then I looked up at my baby. I saw his feet moving and his little hands clenching and unclenching. All I saw in that little isolette was hope! It was pouring out of my son! I wasn't going to let some doctor tell me that there was no hope! How dare he!

Our little guy was quite sick. It was strange though seeing this great big baby among some very tiny, fragile ones. Braden Thomas had a "neighbor", a beautiful baby girl, born at 25 weeks gestation. She was barely 2 pounds. This baby and my son had very simular breathing problems. I visited with the mother one day, we both sat and held our newborns, even SHE had hope!

Braden spent 2, very long weeks in the NICU. He was released just before Halloween. Just before we left, his doctor came over to give him a final look over, "he's perfect", he told me. I just smiled and said a silent prayer of thanks.

Three years later, I bumped into the mother I had met at the NICU. I didn't see a child with her, and I was afraid to ask. She recognized me too and asked how I was. Braden was pulling at me and whining about an ice cream cone. Just as I was about to answer, a tiny little girl came running up to her mommy shreaking with joy......This is "Hope", my daughter...she was absolutely beautiful!

Motivational Monday

Labor Day is much more than the end of summer. It is a holiday unlike most others, honoring not public figures or war victories but the everyday worker.

In New York City, on the first Monday in September 1884, the Knights of Labor (an early labor organization) held a large parade to celebrate working people. Later that decade, labor organizations around the country began to lobby various state legislatures for recognition of Labor Day as an official holiday. In 1887, the first states to declare it a state holiday were Oregon, Colorado, New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. In 1894, Congress established Labor Day as a national holiday.

This organization has a special place in my heart.

The first MDA Labor Day Telethon was broadcast in 1966 by just one station in New York City. It was the first televised fund-raising event of its kind to raise more than $1 million.

*Johnny Carson helped answer phones in 1969, the first Telethon to raise over $2 million.

*Some of the comedians who have appeared on the Telethon are Steve Allen, Woody Allen, Louie Anderson, Jack Benny, Milton Berle, Erma Bombeck, Carol Burnett, George Burns, Red Buttons, Sid Caesar, Charlie Callas, Drew Carey, Johnny Carson, Bill Cosby, Norm Crosby, Billy Crystal, Rodney Dangerfield, Jeff Foxworthy, Gallagher, Jackie Gleason, Whoopi Goldberg, Shecky Greene, Buddy Hackett, Harvey Korman, Rich Little, Bill Maher, Howie Mandel, Dick Martin, Jackie Mason, Eddie Murphy, Bob Newhart, Rosie O'Donnell, Carl Reiner, Don Rickles, Roseanne, Rita Rudner, Soupy Sales, Jerry Seinfeld, Martin Short, Rip Taylor, Danny Thomas, Robin Williams and Henny Youngman, to name a few.

*Jerry Lewis has been MDA’s number-one volunteer for more than 50 years. Despite battling debilitating pulmonary fibrosis, severe back pain and a heart attack in recent years, the MDA National Chairman has never missed a Telethon.

*Jerry Lewis receives no pay for his tireless year-round work for MDA.

Enjoy your Labor Day, by relaxing. Take in the last of the summer vacation, and spend it with those you love.

Freaky Friday

Toastmasters

I had my second meeting with Toastmasters tonight and I had a good time. A little more relaxed than last time, but still quite nervous. (Thus the whole point of me going to Toastmasters) *smile* Just the fact I joined TM is good enough for a FREAKY FRIDAY POST! :)

I was picked for Table Topics, and given a one word topic to talk about for 1-2 minutes. The general topic was "How would you change this...." And my word was "personal".

I wiggled around in my chair, stood up, knew exactly what I wanted to say, started out really really good....then fell flat on my face. BAM "umm Uhh ummm" 51 seconds of jibberish came out of my mouth.

I need A LOT of practice. But I'm there...I'm doing it. Toastmasters is something I said I'd NEVER do. But, with work, and a lot of nail biting, perhaps I will become comfortable infront of crowds.

Have a GREAT WEEKEND.....be safe and enjoy the holiday!

XXX

Thriving Thursday

Dinner is burning, kids are screaming-the house a mess! I slide down the kitchen counter and sat on the cherrio scattered floor. I layed my head in my hands, I begin to cry. "Why me, Lord?"

I hear a CRASH coming from the living room, followed by crying. I know it's bad, when anything is followed by crying! I look up to the ceiling, as if I was waiting for God to appear and help me through this. No such luck.

"Moooommmy, Riker knocked over the shelf, and Brooklyn is stuck!" I close my eyes, take a long deep breath and slowly slide myself back up the counter. I pass the over-flowing boiling water on the stove and peek my head around the corner. I saw two small eyes, looking at me from under a mound of dvd's. "Mom, help, Mom help me", my 2 yr old daughter, Brooklyn says to me. Riker, stands back, trying to hide from me, as my eyes shifted to him. "She wanted to watch Spongebob, mom", he says to me. "I tried to get it for her."

I take a deep breath and begin to rescue my child. I free Brooklyn and she’s off running down the hallway. "Spongebob Mom, I found it!" Riker pulls the dvd from the mountain, on the floor. "Yes you did, let's watch it!" The excitement that my children show, for strange things like a yellow sponge who wears pants and a tie, I will never understand.

Children just want to be loved and paid attention to. They need acknowledgemnt and encouragement, then just watch what they give back to you. They will amaze you in the way they see such good in life.

I remember back in May, when I took Rachel for her MRI, we strolled through the halls of the Children’s Hospital and saw many many very sick kids. They weren’t sad though, they were laughing and playing---living in the moment.

That’s the way I am trying to live my life, and raise my family. Focusing on the NOW, helps me stay positve. It helps me get my children through a tough time. It helps ME knowing that that are happy and stable…even though they could be facing a potentially scary diagnoses.

And as I go through my own tests, scans, pokes and imaging, I think of them. It is my children who get me through the dark and scary times. I know, that whatever it is, I may be facing, I will have them to come home to.

I know that the stressful days, when the dinner gets burnt, the washer breaks, the toilet floods, the laundry doesn’t get done, and the hamsters escape; will try to get me to give up……I will remember to take a deep breath and know, that the stress in life is only temporary.

I choose to never give up. I choose to set an example for my children. I choose to leave behind a legacy of strength and hope. What will you choose?

Whacky Wednesday

Ahhh the Duggars are at it again. The family gathered around to announce to the world, that baby number 19 is due sometime after their first grandchild.

I'm happy for them, I really am.....But one has to wonder, when enough is enough?

With having a genetic disorder, where the odds of passing it on to your children is 50%, I wavered with my choice to have children. And to keep having them. My feelings were that NF was not going to rob me of being a mommy.

Risks are made, with each and every pregnancy. One could be totally and completely "healthy", and give birth to a child with severe medical needs. So who decides?

Michelle Duggar is very obviously blessed with 18 very beautiful, very healthy children, I hope and pray her 19th baby is just as healthy. But I also know, that if she were met with the challenges of having a child with special needs....the Lord would take care of her and the family.

I would have 50 more babies, if fate so saw it that way. I don't see my NF children as "disabled"....they have special needs...and have a special mommy to take care of those special needs. I am so blessed and I am reminded of this every single day.

Don't worry.....no more babies are on their way. I get reminded all the time, that Bailey only has about 5 yrs to go, before becoming a mother, if she follows in my footsteps....~~~cringe~~~ LOL

Bless this baby, and the siblings ---

***RIP POP....I know you are in a better place now! I'm so glad I got to hug you one last time. I love you so much!