Pray Pray Pray

Yes, so PLEASE pray. We are counting down the days to leave for vacation---2 to go and the coughing has begun. I know I know....we just finished this, like a week or so ago, or so it seems. All three of them are coughing and Hannah is having that dry cough--the one that turns into being up all night, breathing treatments, the works....HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE! Every year they are sick on our vacation--NO WORD OF A LIE. I started to think that maybe it was just the time of the year--Easter--just starting to get warmer, ya know....but Hmmmm now I am starting to feel differently. Maybe it is just not meant for me to have a vacation. Well, enough complaining on my part...I am just going to start to pray--really pray that this thing just disappears and if it doesn't--God has a lot to teach me because every ounce of strength will just have to come from HIM, because I know I don't have it. So , yes...I have a new camera but Kevin keeps taking off with it to work , so I never see it and never get any pictures with it so I posted pics from last years vacation. These pictures were during the happy times. Well, it is 1:30 and I should really get to bed.

NEW CAMERA

Yes, I have my new camera. It is a Canon Power Shot SD600--I didn't have time to research, like I usually do before buying a product, so I am just testing it out, making sure I like it. If anyone has heard poor reviews of this product, please let me know. It is so much smaller than my last one, I am afraid to hurt it.

We are getting ready to leave for vacation. The girls are VERY excited and are counting down the days.

Very cold today, it was -3 when we got up this morning and I think the high is going to be around 8 or less. Brrrr.....so we are staying in and staying nice and warm. Not much to write, just wanted to let you all know the camera was here and so I will begin trying to post again---probably at night. (just a side note--we really don't dress them alike, they either pick the same things or we accidentally put on the same things without realizing--I didn't even notice till they came down the stairs)

My camera died

Yes, 'he' is gone...BUT...I ordered a new one and it should be here Thursday. I did get some pictures of the ice storm on my phone but I just haven't had the time to try and get them on the computer. Hopefully this week I will be able to update things with photos. We are taking a last minute vacation...usually we take two weeks around Easter to go down south and visit family but this year we decided to bump it up, actually we just decided like two days ago. Kevin's work is slow right now so we thought it would be better to take it now instead of interrupting a usual busy spring. We are leaving on the first and taking our time doing a little over 9 hours the first day, stopping in VA and then 7 hours the next day, making into the Great Smoky Mountains area of TN. We booked a beautiful cabin, which I will get pictures of when we are there. A good friend and her 5 girls will be spending a night with us while we are there and hopefully my sisters will stop by for a night as well. We will stay there till the 7th and then head over to Asheboro NC to visit Kev's family...we will be staying at the Hampton, which the girls love because of the pool. We will be there till the 11th and then begin the LONG ride home. Anyone from NC who reads this PLEASE DO NOT TELL LINDA that we are coming. She thinks we will be there in April so we are going to surprise her. So, surprise to the rest of you though and hope we can see you while we are there.

Last week

I know it has been a while since I have updated. My camera is having major issues SO I am looking to buy another. I think I have one video left on it that I can upload soon and then things will be a bit 'quiet' until I can purchase another one. Last week was a busy week....we started up our b-study at church, we are doing the Beth Moore study on Daniel, which is awesome. The go on Tuesday nights but then I coordinate the childcare for Wednesday mornings so the girls and I are there. Then on Thursday we had our TLC for mom's group at church, which is once a month. We had a speaker talk about nutrition, and she did a great job--I have so many questions. We did some babysitting last week but also did Madeline (France) for our FIAR study for the week. The girls had a lot of fun. We adopted some French customs into our meals, learned some French words, learned a lot about emotions and feelings, which my girls have plenty of experience with, we built the Eiffel tower out of Lego's many times, actually I think I do have a picture of that, so I will post it. We also broke our TV fast (when they were sick they watched SOOO much TV so I took TV away completely all week--until Friday) by watching a Madeline movie and then we played with some Madeline paper dolls. Saturday my best friend Correne had her baby shower and my friend Corinne and I ran it--it was fun. Saturday night we ate at my friend Robin's house and then Saturday night around 12:30 Emma woke up screaming that she was having chest pains and pains in her left arm--she kept screaming for us not to touch her. We waited about a half-hour and then decided it was time to take her in. So Kevin took her while I stayed with H&N, and of course being a mumma, I couldn't sleep so I cleaned my bathrooms, and worked on my taxes till about 3:30...Kevin finally called me to let me know that an x-ray showed that she was extremely constipated---so they did what they had to do (dreadful enema) and they were on their way home. They got in by around 4 and then Emma was up after that about every half hour crying about something. Of course H&N had a good night sleep so they were up and about by 6:40 and I got them ready for church and Emma and I stayed home and cuddled. Then it was off to another baby shower...Patriots game, first night of 24 and FIANLLY bed. We woke up to an ice storm. We had almost an inch of ice by the end of Monday and we lost power for most of the day. Thankfully it came on in time for the rest of the 24 premier. So anyway, that is what has been happening.

FEELING BETTER!!

So everyone is feeling much better! Hannah is still on steroids and we still have some major runny noses with minor coughs but they are up walking around, playing, fighting--in other words, acting like themselves. I have a really busy week this week so during the holidays was really the best time for them to be sick. Thank you all who have been praying for them to improve, it was very nice not having any hospital stays.

As most of you know, they are ALWAYS in a state of changing clothes. They are changing outfits throughout the day---above is Emma...below is Nora.
Below is Hannah in her tights and turtleneck that she changed into--she is sitting in the sled, hoping for snow. I have a crazy week this week so I am not sure how much blogging I will get done but I will try and post some at night before I get in bed.

Just a note: The videos posted are from Christmas--I am just late posting them.

Still trying to survive--days 5 and 6

Hannah is having a tough time. She has her moments during the day that she smiles, talks and eats but most of the day is spent like the picture above. She is now back on the steroids, Pulmicort, so we will see if that makes a difference for her. If she continues this way I will bring her in on Monday to check her saturation levels and have them listen to her chest. At this point I think we are looking at Pneumonia though. I thought that Nora and Emma were in the clear and were feeling better, until this morning Emma's fever spiked and as a result she had a miserable day. She is also saying that her stomach hurts her---and my stomach has felt a bit BLAH too, is there a stomach bug going around too?!? I hope that is not the case--I don't think that I can do this much longer. It has been nice to have a lot of cuddle time with the girls though, so I am thankful for that.

Christmas singing 3

Girls singing

Girls singing 5

Hannah opening her gift from Aunt Sharon and Emma very excited about it. (--for you Sharon)

Almost DID NOT survive this day

So day FOUR...I have reached 'that point', I don't think I can do this another day. Today I did see a lot of improvement. They got up and walked around this morning and I saw some smiles but it didn't last long. After getting them into bed---I ran into my room and put my Ipod on as loud as possible and attempted to disappear. I feel better now---just having a little time to myself did help but I just feel as if I have nothing left to give them. I am hoping they sleep well so I can sleep well and feel prepared to start all over again in the morning. Of course I hate it for them, feeling as bad as they do, but sometimes there is just nothing I can do to help them. Hannah was so upset---she wanted me to hold her but then she couldn't get comfortable so she squirmed and cried so I tried everything to try and understand what she wanted me to do but she didn't even know....finally after an hour of that she fell asleep on me---so I didn't move, didn't want to go through that again, ya know? Finally I had to move because Nora was screaming and so we start all over again. "My mommy, NO...my mommy....I want to cuddle with mommy...NO...I want to cuddle with mommy...mommy please cover me--please uncover me...please get me water, please get me some juice....I have to pee can you carry me and watch me and hold me while I pee...can I have a tissue---Oh, my nose burns when I wipe it---followed by many screams....my neck hurts....my head hurts....my throat hurts...." Ahhhhhhhh!!!!!!

Survived another day...

So I just finished DAY 3 of 104 fevers, coughing, crying, clinging....Last night was the worst yet....Kev and I saw every hour and between 3-4 was the only hour that I wasn't up just about every 10-15 min. I would finally get one calm and relaxed and asleep to minutes later being awoken to the screams of another. It was another LONG day of the neb treatments, fever checks, meds, toast, ice pops---with lots of cuddling. Emma seems to feel great around 6 every night and stays that way until about midnight when she wakes up screaming and coughing--strange....pics below show what I mean.

SICK SICK SICK

So today was one of THOSE days. Oh, poor kids...I felt so bad for them because there was just nothing I could do to help. They all just wanted me and that is hard when there is only one of me. I babysat for a short time this morning and then this was the rest of the day....Couches, crying...coughing...high fevers. Nora held her sippie cup of water against her stomach and when I took it from her the water was hot....her temp was over 104 and Hannah was there as well. I also had so start breathing treatments---Hannah started retracting and her RR was very high. They are all sleeping at the moment...hope it can stay that way for a while. I have cancelled all my plans for the week to be home with them so I am hoping we can beat this and it doesn't turn into something bigger like the years before....NO HOSPITAL STAYS---PLEASE!!!

New Years Eve--New Years Day--sick kids

New Years Eve we went to my brother Chris's house. We put the kids all down at 7 and they slept SO well. We played games all night---had some good laughs, it was fun. It was also the last night with my brothers, Jerry and Jonny, around. We played this one game called, Boxers or Briefs for over 3 hours, finally stopping around 1:30---fun game for a large group. We woke the kids up and were home in bed around 3 and then Kevin was up at 4:30 to bring my brothers to the airport. When we got up the next day the girls were sick. Most of New Years day we relaxed and then went over to our friends, James and Robin, and we had Chinese. By this time Hannah's temp was over 104---and Nora's was just kicking in. We had a long night that night--I know many of you know what that is like---3 sick kids up at all different times---kinda feels like it never stops.

1st real snow...FINALLY

Finally, enough snow to play in. The girls had a blast---Emma enjoyed just eating snow--I think that is what she did the entire time she was out there.

Painting

Here are the girls playing with some of their Christmas presents....they love to paint--so thanks to all who gave them these gifts. I am way behind on my blogging so I have been doing a few each night to catch up---almost there---so, all these posts are from around Christmas.


Hannah and Nora as always stepping out of the box and painting body parts and the counter.
This is how Emma paints---she says that she wants to be an artist like mom--that made me smile.

Emma and Dad

So cute...Emma cuddling with Kevin below. They really do look so much alike.

IMAX

We went to the IMAX to see, The Night at the Museum, with my mom, brothers--Jerry and Jonny and my sister Bree, we also took Emma with us. The 3-D effects at the beginning scared the heck out of Emma and she climbed up on my lap terrified. The actual movie was not in 3-D though and she enjoyed it---it was a cute movie. Below are some pictures inside.

Christmas Day---Night

We spent Christmas day night at my brother Chris's house. The kids opened their gifts from uncles/aunts, etc...and we did a Yankee swap for the adults. It was a fun night--last night with Bree, which was sad, but it was nice having Jerry and Jonny there, to spend the night with us as well.
Below the kids are opening their gifts--this year one at a time to avoid the mess it was last year.

My brother Jerry


My brother Danny--below



Nora cuddling with Auntie Bree

Indy...he was sick and Ashely finally found the one thing that made him feel happy---the kitchen sink. She just sat him there and he played for over an hour with the running water.
My sister Bree and my mom