My boys

Today after lunch the boys changed the light bulb.

Cuteness!

Getting back to it

I'm officially back to my workout schedule. I ran outside Wednesday, did weights yesterday (I'm going to have to buy some heavier ones) and ran on the elliptical tonight. I would have loved to run outside again (using the term "loved" loosely here!) but it was rainy and cold here today. I don't get it, I ran 3.25 miles in just under 45 minutes outside and tonight it took me 40 minutes to go just 2.61 miles on the elliptical. Hmm.....

Munchkin is getting better. He has slept through the night the last few nights. He even slept until 7:3o this morning! We are still doing his breathing treatments a couple of times a day, but not as often as we were at the beginning of the week. He only coughs when he is overly active. Thankfully, so far the cherry juice is still working to get his antibiotic down.

We were both itching to get out of the house today, but I still didn't want to go out to a public place with him, so he and I headed to my sister's house to meet her for lunch. Munchkin played the whole time. He ate lunch once he got home. He was just so excited to be at Auntie D's house! And it was just what he and I needed to get through the day.

Tomorrow evening I hope to get together with my teacher friends. I miss them so much! What a blessing!!!

Steroids and Running! Ha!

First, Munchkin is doing better. We didn't get the shot. He is now taking his antibiotic disguised in a glass of cherry juice. (Now that I've typed that he probably won't take it tonight! Ha!)

We've still been struggling with the steroid. My mom came down today to help me get it down him and to give me a little break. I certainly took advantage of her being here. We did get the steroid down and I also got to get out of the house. I went to Target and bought some spring clothes. I also stopped by Sonic Happy Hour and got a diet vanilla coke.

I also took advantage of my mom being here by running outside. I ran 3.25 miles in 45 minutes. I guess I should rephrase that. I walked and periodically jogged rather than ran. I thought it would take me at least an hour. I knew that running outside would be completely different than running inside on an elliptical. And I have never run the full 3.1 miles yet. And I haven't run at all or done any weights since one week ago today! With all the sickness going around our house and my schedule, I just haven't done anything. What a way to get back to it!

It was so much worse than I thought it would be! Ha! Yes, I did a lot better than I thought I would but the impact on my feet and knees wasn't fun. I did enjoy the scenery and the fact that I could run outside without a coat. Side note: two trees in our yard are starting to get blooms on them! But the whole time I was out there I was thinking about how my training so far was clearly not what it should have been. But then once I got back home, I was totally surprised that it only took me 45 minutes! It is just a totally different feel being outside.

I just heard thunder! Woohoo! I love thunderstorms.

One last note before I go. We're sending our love and prayers to Great Gpa V. He had a hip replacement today. We love you grandpa and are praying for a speedy recovery!

Again?!

I took Munchkin to the doctor today. We had x-rays and he has pneumonia. Again. In his mid and lower right lung. To make matters worse, he throws up his meds. He has two - prednisone (which always makes him throw up - we have now tried three different kinds and he can't keep any of them down) and now he can't keep his antibiotic down. Not good. Not good at all. I called the nurse help-line tonight and then talked to the on-call pediatrician. It looks like we'll be going back to the doctor tomorrow. The on-call doctor said Munchkin should probably be given rocephin shots. It is days like these when I hate being a grown-up. Anyone else want to take over for me? Ha!

I'll keep you all updated. Thanks in advance for praying.

Latest happenings...

We're still here. This last week was busy busy. Wednesday night I met the ladies from my MOPS table at the Cheesecake Factory for dessert. We left the kids at home with the dads. It was so fun going out with those ladies. I cannot begin to tell you how the relationships I have formed through MOPS has helped me not only as a mother, but as a person.

Thursday Munchkin started looking/acting a little sick. He's had a runny nose since last Friday. That night I got a terrible sore throat. Also that night I met up with two friends from college. One recently went on a trip to Israel. It was incredible hearing about her experiences.

My throat hurt so bad in the middle of the night Thursday that I went to the doctor Friday morning; after I had been to the eye doctor for a regular check-up. They dilated my eyes so I couldn't see anything at the other doctor's office. I got some meds and made sure I wasn't contagious because today I helped host a baby shower for a friend of mine. So while I waited for my prescription to fill yesterday I got some groceries. Very interesting to say the least while your vision is blurred.

Munchkin's cough continues, as well as his runny nose, and a low-grade fever comes and goes. I'll probably have to call the doctor on Monday. Thankfully my medicine is kicking in.

Hubby's mom and dad just left. My MIL's birthday was last weekend. They came down to celebrate with us. My MIL is the best and helped me prep food for the baby shower, did laundry, swept the floors and dusted and vacuumed!!!! What a lifesaver! We love you grandma! :)

Tomorrow I've got to work in the nursery at church, so Hubby has to stay home with Munchkin because he won't be allowed to go to childcare with his runny nose, cough and temp.

The last two times I ran I made it 2.52 and 2.57 miles. I think. I haven't run in a couple of days. Although I feel like I've been running nonstop! :) Now that the weather is getting nicer I need to get outside to run.

Thanks for your prayers for Wendy. She is enjoying the Hospice House as much as she can. That's Wendy for you, always positive.

Praying for Wendy

Last year in MOPS I had a secret sister, her name is Wendy. As secret sister you find out all the little details about that person's life - likes, dislikes, hobbies, family, etc. and shower that person with gifts throughout the year. Among some of the things I learned about her that year is that she is a mother of three girls. The oldest is now 15 and the youngest is in preschool.

About this time last year, Wendy discovered she had breast cancer. She found it when she fell and hurt her arm. She was told it was a very aggressive cancer, and if she hadn't have found it when she did, she probably wouldn't have survived it.

So last spring she started a very courageous journey fighting the cancer. She endured mastectomy surgery, radiation and chemo. Things started looking positive - although Wendy never lost her positive attitude.

Then she started some dizzy spells. This led to the more recent discovery that the cancer was now in her brain. Inoperable because of its location. To the outside world, this appeared to be horrible news but Wendy continued to exhibit incredible faith and hope. She was standing firm on the Rock.

Even more recently Wendy has been experiencing severe back pain. Because of medications she was on, she had been restricted on the amount of driving she could do. I took her to get a full body CAT Scan on Feb. 11th. She spoke of the back pain then. I heard little details about what the CAT Scan showed. Then, she went to the ER a couple of weeks ago because the pain had gotten so severe. She was admitted and we learned the cancer is now in her spine. The pain was from extra fluid. She was to have brain surgery last week to put a port in from which they would give her chemo treatments. Due to an infection she's had, she's been unable to have the surgery. They have done two other chemo treatments in her time at the hospital. Today she found out they are not working. She is moving to the Hospice House in about an hour and a half.

To read her full story and journal entries from her entire battle, go here http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/wendyschwarz/mystory

I am coveting your prayers for her and her family during this time. My heart aches for her three girls and her husband, who has been juggling taking care of the girls, spending time with Wendy and working full time.

It has been an honor to watch Wendy go through this battle with cancer. She has clung to her Jesus every step of the way, and continues to do so. According to her husband, she is still praying for a miracle. Will you pray too? For a miracle...I'll leave that up to you. Praying for miracles is something I've always struggled with. Do I believe that God can perform this miracle? Absolutely. But just because He can, doesn't mean I think He will. Thankfully, I don't have to decide. I trust that God knows best. I'll be honest with Him and tell Him what I want for Him to do, but will end my prayer with the words of Jesus, "yet not my will, but yours be done."

Mileage and Video

Yesterday I went 2.52 miles. Slowly but surely I'm getting there.

Here's a video from Munchkin's birthday party that was held a month ago. You may be wondering why I'm putting it on here now. First, I thought you're probably just getting tired of reading about my struggles with exercise. Second, we only download our videos onto this computer, and I rarely use this computer to blog.

So there you go. Enjoy watching Munchkin blow out his birthday candles!