tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15918899362642068852024-03-19T14:32:06.960-05:00Mister and DoctorThe going-ons of our family.Jack S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09966503864568095318noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-90457605175491405272012-03-16T16:21:00.004-05:002012-03-16T16:32:48.125-05:00The First Year..I know. I know. I'm a terrible blogger. I wasn't that great before I had a baby and now most of you have probably already taken me off of your Google Reader because I never update this thing. I'm sorry. But if anyone is still reading, I felt it was important to now post an update.<div><br /></div><div>In just over a week, our baby girl will be a year old. Wow. I know I'll blink and she'll be 14, probably rolling her eyes as I dance through the living room and try to use her lingo to talk to her and her friends. For now, she just takes my face in her hands and makes some kind of noise with her mouth that results in her spit all over my face. I. love. it. :)</div><div><br /></div><div>Since my last post back in July, Lydia has grown and learned at a rate I can't quite believe. I'm amazed by watching what she learns each week. She is completely mobile through crawling, cruising, and rolling and she'll be walking consistently on her own within the next few weeks. She has added beautiful sounds like ba ba, ga ga, and ma ma (my favorite) to her vocabulary and has become proficient at pointing and lunging herself at things to try to get what she wants. We have enjoyed making her food and seeing how she likes new things. She'll eat anything we give her in pureed form. In finger food, she's a bit more picky so she's learning that just because she doesn't want something doesn't mean she can throw it on the floor or hide it in the high chair next to her legs. She loves music and sometimes she even tries to sing along at church or our college student devotionals. </div><div><br /></div><div>Overall it's been a great year and we feel blessed to have this little personality in our lives. Soon we'll be celebrating that we have all survived the year together. Thanks for your continued prayers. They are a blessing to our little family. </div>Francie S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17596973285452161590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-90945437771705028602011-07-04T11:18:00.002-05:002011-07-04T11:33:48.854-05:00The First 3 Months...Well, our baby girl is 3 months old and she is growing more and more each day. She is becoming more alert and loves to observe the world! In fact, she usually doesn't like to be held where she can't see things. If she's awake, she wants to be sitting up, looking out. She's also begun "talking" more. She makes the most precious sounds and facial expressions. It all leaves me wondering, what does she think she's telling me? A few days ago, she even talked to the window curtain. Those who know me and Jack might say that she gets the trait of talking to a brick wall (or in this case a window curtain) honest. :) She grins alot and enjoys getting out and seeing people. She can usually be counted on to be good at church and other outings, although she is still not crazy about being strapped into her car seat. She's beginning to hold onto things more and we thing she is pre-teething because right now almost anything near her mouth goes in her mouth. <div><br /></div><div>I'm sure most parents have similar experiences to ours, but she is so special to us that every day holds new, exciting moments. We take such joy in just watching her play, make new sounds, or sleep. I'm so thankful for a gracious God who allows us the opportunity to have these experiences and who gives us hope that existence can one day be even better than this life.</div>Francie S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17596973285452161590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-92214759477023810832011-05-23T15:38:00.004-05:002011-05-23T15:43:52.478-05:00New Baby = Even Busier LifeIf there is still anyone out there who follows this blog...no, our computer did not break. Turns out, having a baby is time and mind-consuming. I have somehow lost all interest in most things that don't involve Lydia, including blogging.<br /><br />However, since I am here, I will give a quick update. When last I left you, I was eagerly awaiting baby girl's arrival and it came sooner than expected. Less than a week before our scheduled c-section, my water broke and I had a c-section early that morning. Our Lydia is healthy, happy, and now nearly 2 months old! We feel extremely blessed by her arrival and are learning new things about being parents every day.<br /><br />Thank you all for the prayers as we experienced this pregnancy and delivery. God has been so gracious to us as we have passed through this time and we continue to need his grace everyday. I will try to blog more, especially as Lydia begins to grow and say/do memorable things.Francie S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17596973285452161590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-2273108404355453822011-03-18T21:51:00.003-05:002011-03-18T22:12:45.506-05:00Almost time...Back in July, the day after my birthday, the pregnancy test I took at 5am revealed to Jack and I that we were pregnant. Later that day we had a doctor appointment where Jack asked the question, "Is this for real?" At that time, a due date in April sounded so far away which was good. Plenty of time to prepare. Well, here we are in the middle of March and before we know it our lives will change forever.<br /><br />I am currently 37 weeks pregnant. What a blessing! When I had my complication almost 10 weeks ago, I really never thought I would get this far. I was sent home on modified bed rest and told that there was really nothing I could do to prevent another abruption, but hopefully taking it easy most of the time would help. It's been tense over the past 10 weeks, more so early on when we immediately got home, but everything is much better now and baby girl is still cozy in her womb.<br /><br />She is breech. She has found her happy place with her head tucked tightly under my right ribs. She often reminds me her head is there when she seems to stretch out a little bit...toes wiggling in my lower abdomen and head pushing up against my ribs. Occasionally as I gently try to coax her down, she hits my hand with her little fist.<br /><br />Due to her breech position, we have a c-section scheduled for March 30. That's right...12 days away. If she turns to the proper head-down position before then, we will likely cancel the surgery. But honestly, I don't think she's going anywhere. She's been breech this entire time and now she's curled up in a C position and happy as can be. There is a procedure where a doctor can try to manually turn her to the correct position, however the risk of that is abruption and since I've already experienced that problem this procedure would not be advisable. Honestly, I'm ok with a c-section if that's what needs to happen. With either method of delivery there will be pain, I will be scared, and in the end I'll have my little girl. So whatever method God wills for her to be born, I'm fine with it.<br /><br />Since the last time I posted on this blog, we have really begun to get the house in order. Furniture, bouncy seat, playard, and stroller are all assembled. Clothes are washed and put away. Toys and blankets are washed and the nursery is in good shape. In fact, sometimes during my sleepless periods in the night I go sit in the rocker in her room and read. It's just nice being in there. Also since the last time I posted, I have become HUGE. At least I feel huge. It's funny how things change in these last couple of weeks. I've noticed that strangers who are typically hesitant to make a remark or ask a question about your pregnancy for fear of sticking their foot in their mouth are no longer shy about asking. Also, people automatically seem to give me more room. I was at a restaurant with Jack this week at a time when the restaurant was almost empty. He had dropped me off at the door and I went in to ask for a table for 2. The hostess walked me past all the tables for four and seated me at a table for six. She pointed to the tables for four and said, "I just hated to seat you at those smaller tables, hun." Wow. Apparently I look like I either need more room or more food.<br /><br />Overall, this pregnancy has been such a blessing. So many things change during this process and the whole time I've been looking toward the biggest change of all which is now merely days away. Although we've had our ups and downs and one of the scariest moments of our marriage in the process, I can look back on this and say that I have been blessed to have the experience. I know the next step will come with new challenges and blessings as well. Thank you again to all who have kept us in your prayers. It has made a huge difference. Please continue to pray for us as the day draws near and beyond.Francie S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17596973285452161590noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-41130207394877180722011-02-07T14:33:00.003-06:002011-02-07T14:47:27.337-06:00UpdateWell, it's been 3 1/2 weeks since my "incident" so I figured I should post an update on my condition.<br /><br />Thankfully, there's not too much to tell you. The past 3 weeks have been uneventful, pregnancy-wise so baby girl is continuing to grow where she should be...inside me. :) Each day/week that passes without her delivery is a real blessing right now. Just a couple more weeks and we are out of the "danger zone" so to speak, as by that time she will be able to be safely delivered at home and will likely not have to travel to a NICU. Our last doctor appointment and ultrasound was a week and a half ago and she looked great. Her heartbeat was perfect and we even discovered that she has hair! :) I can't wait to see her again this week.<br /><br />So, you may be wondering as I have gotten many questions on the subject, what am I doing now? Well, I'm on modified bedrest which really isn't too bad. I can get out of bed and even out of the house on a limited basis. I have been able to continue to work some after my gracious boss made some necessary adjustments to my schedule. Also, since some of my family members have been less than excited about me staying home alone all day, I've been spending time with family either at my home or theirs most days for part of the time Jack is at work. Some women complain of boredom during a time like this-- not me. I've continued to stay busy and with the recent resurgence of my affection for my bed and sleeping, the time is actually going by rather fast. The blessing to modified bedrest for me is that when I'm tired, I can sleep and believe me I take advantage of it. Also, I've been given numerous pieces of advice such as "sleep NOW...while you can..." :)<br /><br />Thank you again for your expressed concern and prayers during our scare. We feel tremendously blessed that she still seems to be doing well and we are closer to full-term. We know that things can change with our next breath, but we are confident that God is in control of it all. Please continue to keep us in your prayers.Francie S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17596973285452161590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-34496401437653606422011-01-20T21:11:00.001-06:002011-01-20T21:16:33.307-06:00Things can change in an instant… (part 3)I promise I will not start this blog post talking about how Jack is not only updating the blog again, but has updated the blog three times in a roll!! I wouldn’t stoop to the level in which I would discuss how shocking it is that Jack has posted not one, not two, but three blog posts in less than 7 days. No….I would not do that. Therefore, I will begin my blog post talking about the adventures of our stay in the hotel room. No…I’m not going that direction…get your mind out of the gutter.<br /><br />By the time we got out of the hospital it was after 7:00 PM. I know this because we were in the middle of watching one of our favorite TV show, How I Met Your Mother or HIMYM for short. This particular episode of HIMYM was one that we really wanted to see because it was the second part to a cliff hanger in which one of the character’s father unexpectantly passes away. It was a very sad episode, yet a very good episode. I have see others compare it to several episodes of M*A*S*H* and I would have to agree. While funny, it also had a wonderful somber part about it that brought a real life twist to the show and that particular episode. I must admit that while extremely happy that we were getting to leave, I was a little bit disappointed that we were being dismissed in that 30 minute period of time. However thanks to modern technology I did get to see the episode even if it was over 48 hours later.<br /><br />ANYWAY, back to finding a hotel room. Before leaving the hospital, we had found what we thought was the place we were going to stay. Upon arriving at the hotel, we noticed that while it might have been a wonderful hotel, all of the rooms opened to the outside. Ordinarily this would have not been that big of a deal, however per doctor’s orders, Fran needed to walk for 30-45 minutes a few times a day in order to keep blood clots from forming. Having a room at this particular hotel would have made accomplishing this task quite difficult when you are trying to keep your lovely wife, who is several months pregnant, from getting PNEUMONIA!!! After reaching the obvious conclusion that this hotel wasn’t the best for our situation, we drove to another hotel right down the road. Upon arriving, we noticed that the lot was fairly empty (which wasn’t unusual since it was the beginning of the week and a non-extended stay hotel), however after inquiring about room availability, we were told that they only thing they had were smoking rooms. You may be asking yourself, “WHY in the world would a non-extended stay hotel in the middle of the week be so booked?” I personally think that’s a very fair question so I asked. Apparently they had some large group arriving that had yet to check in...in the middle of the week….after 8:00 PM….at a non-extended stay hotel…but I digress….again. Now, I’m not the smartest person in the world, but even I know that a smoking room wasn’t the room for me to try to get for my pregnant wife when we were basically going to have to live out of it for the next 36 hours. So, we kept moving forward and continued to look for another place to stay.<br /><br />The next place we came to also had a fairly empty parking lot. Luckily they did not have a large group coming in, and therefore, had plenty of rooms available. After getting the best price we could, we unloaded the car and settled in for the night. By the time we got settled it was probably nearly 9:00 PM, and we were tired. After getting us unpacked and getting ready for bed, Francie and I were beat and went straight to bed. And. We. Slept. HARD! It’s amazing how much better one sleeps when you are not lying on this convertible chair that is suppose to make a “bed.” It’s also amazing how much better one sleeps when you are not woken up every two hours for something that really in the grand scheme of things could have been done much earlier or a few hours later. Seriously people. How hard is it to check vitals at 10:30 or 11:00 PM instead of 1:00 AM?!?!?! And if you need to check vitals at 1:00 AM shine a flight light on their chest. Is it moving up and down? Yes? Ok, they are good. Let them (aka us) sleep! Like I said, we slept wonderfully that night. It was some of the best sleep we’ve had in a while. Plus the king size bed didn’t hurt either! ;)<br /><br />The next morning we got up and went down stairs to enjoy the hotel’s breakfast. It was quite good, and we probably ate a little more than we should have. However we were on “vacation” right? After breakfast, Francie and I went on her first walk. After walking we spent the rest of the day taking it easy and resting. In addition to doing some laundry (as I was out of clothes because I thought that I was going out of town for only 3 days instead of 5), I also was able to get a few things accomplished at work through remoting into my office computer, however the big highlight of the day was the 3 hour nap in the middle of the afternoon! I told you we were tired! Dinner was a wonderful meal (to go) from a Cracker Barrel down the street. After dinner we watched some TV and then went to bed.<br /><br />The next day we were schedule to leave and try to head back home. After breakfast, I packed things up and we both got dressed and started the long drive home. Like I said in the first blog post about this whole ordeal, the NICU was about 2+ hours away from where we live. This time, however I took my time and we made it safely home. During the drive home we stopped in another city that happens to have one of Francie’s favorite restaurants, Chick-fil-a.<br /><br />A quick side note that I wanted to mention, and forgot to, in one of the previous posts. Another favorite restaurant of Francie’s is an Italian restaurant that we do not have anywhere near our home town. The day after Francie was allowed to have solid food, I suggested to my dad that he go get Francie’s favorite dish at her favorite restaurant to help build up brownie points with his favorite daughter-in-law! :) Thinking that this was a wonderful idea; mom, dad, and my sister went and had dinner there then brought a meal back for both Francie and myself. Upon getting her meal, Francie preceded to….well I wouldn’t call it “eat”. It was more like “chewing-so-quickly-that-people-wonder-if-you-really-are-tasting-it-but-don’t-say-anything-because-you’re- pregnant-and-haven’t-eaten-in-several-hours” eating it. It reminded me of my grandfather (dad’s dad) who would sit down to a table to eat, put his head down (no necessarily to give thanks) but because it was closer to his food, and would not come back up until the plate was ready to be put back in the cabinet because it was so clean.<br /><br />I mention the event of Francie having her favorite dish at her favorite Italian restaurant because the same exact scenario happened at Chick-fia-a on our way back home. :) After getting her chicken salad sandwich and fruit cup (because you know, she is trying to be healthy for the baby) I thought I had warped into a scene from the movie “When Harry Met Sally”. All I can say is that I sure am glad that there were not children around! :S But seriously, she did enjoy it so much that being the loving husband I am, I went and got a second sandwich for her to have later that day.<br /><br />Once back on the road we made our way home (after another stop or two to stretch our legs) and arrived safely some 3 ½ hours after we left. To say that it was a whirlwind of a trip would be an understatement. I just knew that when Francie was taken up in the helicopter that I would likely be coming back home with a car seat in the back seat, and likely after spending several weeks in the hospital either being with Francie or being with our baby or both! By the grace of God this was not the case, and we arrived safely without a car seat in the backseat.<br /><br />Since arriving home I have been able to go into work for short periods of time, and Francie has been resting and taking it easy. We cannot express how thankful we are to EVERYONE who has expressed concern for our situation. The visits, cards, prayers, calls, texts, well wishes, food, and other forms of concern have been overwhelming to us. We are truly blessed people with many, many friends and family who care about us. As we approach the end of this pregnancy (whenever that may be), we must pause to give our appreciation to the gift that God has given us and be humbled by the fact that life can truly change in an instant.Jack S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09966503864568095318noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-81771104028322829912011-01-18T22:02:00.003-06:002011-01-18T22:06:30.878-06:00Things can change in an instant... (part 2)<p>Well, we promised you an update so (drum roll please……………). Jack has updated the blog TWICE in a roll!!!! (crowds cheering, children jumping up and down, high school bands playing, cheerleaders cheering, dance teams dancing, and anything else that you can think of that would delay this blog post from discussing what it is actually about. ;-) )<br /></p><p>At the time of the previous blog posting we were still in the hospital and had been diagnosed with a “marginal sinus abruption” with the treatment of rest and a lot of it. Since then things really haven’t changed on the knowing-what-happened front. Francie is continuing to rest to hopefully heal from the abruption that seemed to have occurred. However life has moved on since the last blog post on Saturday night, and in an effort to write things down for future reference and to keep everyone up-to-date on things happening, here is a summary of life from Saturday night until Monday evening.<br /></p><p>On Saturday night after posting the last blog entry we had a WONDERFUL event happen. The complication that caused Francie to have to be flown down to the NICU finally stopped!! This was a wonderful event, and one of those times in which you get so excited about an everyday occurrence. We noticed that the complication finally stopped around 11:00 PM on Saturday night, so the 24-36 hour clock started ticking then. However, if the complication showed back up, then the clock reseted and we would have to wait another 24-36 hours after it had stopped a second time. Luckily this did NOT happen, but more on that later.<br /></p><p>Sunday itself was a very busy day, however very little changed. The morning started out with the doctor coming in around 8:00 AM. In dress clothes, the doctor was excited to hear that the complication had stopped, however cautioned that it could slightly reappear if we didn’t take it easy. We did ask about Francie being able to take short walks, etc. on Sunday because we noticed that the complication appeared stronger on Saturday after Francie took a shower. The doctor seemed to think that moving around was a good idea and wanted Francie to walk around some, take wheelchair rides, and also sit up in the rocking chair in the hospital room. At lunch, I (Jack) finally took a break from the hospital and enjoyed a wonderful lunch with my cousin, her husband, and their little girl at a restaurant close to the hospital. It was nice to be out of the hospital, however unusually painful to leave my wife who was in the hospital. This, to be honest, was difficult for me to understand. I knew that Francie was ok. I knew that (Lord Willing) she would be fine for an hour without me there. I knew that her mom was there and that she would take good care of her while I was away. I knew that if needed, I could be back at the hospital in 3-4 minutes. However for some reason this didn’t seem to matter. I knew that I needed to take a break, but I didn’t want to. It was very strange. But I went ahead and enjoyed a wonderful lunch with my family (mom, dad, and my sister came as well). <br /></p><p>Once we got back from lunch, we learned that Francie and her mom had a wonderful time together and Francie had been on her first wheelchair ride. In the hospital that we were at, there are some halls that have bricks as the floor. While it looks nice, it’s a little bumpy for a wheelchair. Because of necessity for where they were going, Francie had to go down this hallway. Afterwards we joked that if anything was going to shake loose, it would have during that ride! :) Again luckily nothing shook loose and the clock continued to tick. After lunch the parents felt that it was probably best that they head on home. My mom and dad wanted to get back in time for church that evening, and Francie’s mom needed to get back to check on Francie’s dad. My sister, though, didn’t have anything to get back to so she decided to stay one more night. While we loved having our family there, and would have loved for them to stay, it was nice to get to spend some time just the three of us. My sister and Francie were really good friends before Francie and I started dating, and while the relationship has changed some, I am so very thankful that my wife and my sister are such good friends. This is truly a blessing that I try hard not to take advantage of, and try to help keep active through us three spending time together when we can. <br /></p><p>Sunday also brought some visitors that we were not expecting, but were extremely grateful for seeing. As you might have recalled on Thursday while we were rushing to the ER, Francie’s OB-GYN was in Denver. Early Sunday evening, our doctor showed up out of the blue. Apparently his flight had come in (the NICU hospital was in the same city has where he flew out of) and he thought that he would swing by just to check in on us. To say that we were shocked would be an understatement; however we were so thankful to see his face. We had a wonderful visit and filled him in on the things that were going on. He was so very thankful that everything seemed to have stabilized and that we might get to come home soon. After our doctor (from our home town) left, we watched some TV and an interesting thing happened to me personally. For a brief period of time I totally forgot that we were in a hospital. And for that period of time, it was bliss. I don’t know why I felt this way but it was wonderful and something that I was thankful to God for having. <br /></p><p>Monday brought the possibility of being dismissed from the hospital, but Francie woke up that morning with a different (but potentially just as critical) complication. She was having contractions! :S And some were 20 minutes apart!! OH MAN was I nervous. Here we had stopped one complication and another one starts up just as it looked like we were out of the woods. Luckily they appeared to be more Braxton Hicks contractions cause by maybe some slight dehydration. So the nurses told Francie to drink drink drink! Now you force water (which goes right through Francie even when not pregnant) on a pregnant Francie …..well, let’s just say that Francie never really got comfortable for having to get up every 10 minutes! :S<br /></p><p>In order to make sure that the contractions were not legit, they put Francie on the fetal monitor. Of course, just like when you take your car to the mechanic, no contractions came while on the fetal monitor. So, like with the other complication, it was again more of a process of elimination than actually finding out what was going on. While all of this was going on, the doctor came in for her daily visit. Encourage that the first complication had not reappeared, and not very concerned about the second, she told Francie to walk three times by 3:00 PM and then we would see about maybe being dismissed that evening. This ordinarily would bring one excitement, however we were just too nervous about the first complication popping back up and the second complication being present to really get very excited. After hearing what the doctor had to say, and seeing how good Francie was doing, my sister decided that it was time for her to leave too. Like with the parents, we totally understood her wanting to leave, however also was happy to have her stay. But my sister, who is a nurse, thought that we were probably out of the woods and that it was safe for the family medical professional to make her way home. <br /></p><p>After my sister left, Fran took a shower and this totally wiped her out. Like how you are exhausted when recovering from the stomach bug. So Francie took a good long nap, and I just watched some football. It was nice. Nice and quiet, and again, it was like I wasn’t even in the hospital. After waking up, we started walking. After walking and having some lunch, the excitement began to grow about the possibility of us getting to leave the hospital. However still lingering was where we went after being dismissed…<br /></p><p>At 4:00 PM the doctor showed up and we had a good long talk about what the future held. In talking with the doctor we came to the conclusion that it would be best if we spent another day or two in the same city as the NICU. We also discussed what the doctor’s definition of “modified bed rest” meant. To summarize, basically the doctor wanted her to do nothing (except the occasional walking) for a week. After a week, add a little bit of activity each week until we got to about 35 weeks at which time the local hospital should be able to handle the situation if the baby came. <br /></p><p>Deciding to stay in the town where the NICU was, meant that we needed to find a place to stay. While we had many friends and family members offer their place throughout the weekend we thought that it might be best if we just got a hotel room. This way we wouldn’t put anyone out, and Francie could get the best rest possible, so we found a fairly inexpensive hotel that had all of the amenities that one would need when basically living there for 36-48 hours. While we would have loved staying with someone, and if we have to come back might take some people up on their offers, we are glad that we went ahead and got a room. Getting the hotel room actually gave us a chance to get some much needed rest. But more on that later…this blog post is long enough. :) (don't you just hate suspenseful endings!)</p>Jack S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09966503864568095318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-22754382277747388452011-01-15T21:38:00.004-06:002011-01-15T22:20:19.032-06:00Things can change in an instant...<p>Have you ever said something that you hoped didn't happen and it happen just almost immediately after? For example, you are speeding and the though crosses your mind that you hope that cop isn't up ahead waiting and yet around that very next curve there sets the cop. </p><p>Or have you ever said something was going well and then it breaks down? For example you say that your car has been really running well after having some work done on it, and the very next day you break down on the side of the road. </p><p>At the time Francie wrote the previous blog post I didn't know she had 1) written the blog post or 2) posted the blog post. BOTH of which are normally no big deal and has happened several times in the past (and to be honest probably will happen a WHOLE lot more now). However if I had known what I know now, I would have stopped her from hitting "Publish Post". </p><p>In the previous post Francie wrote "I've been blessed to have a fairly easy pregnancy so far." This sentence was one of those times where life immediately throws a curve. <br /></p><p>Three days after posting the blog post, Francie and I were set to go to a Christian conference about 12 hours away via a church charter bus (aka a Greyhound style bus owned by a sister church). The bus was planning to leave around 2:00 AM that Friday morning, and so, the night before Francie and I were laying in bed trying to get some rest before getting up to go get on the bus. While laying there trying to go to sleep Francie raises up and says “SOMETHING IS COMING OUT OF ME!” Now if you follow this blog, and have done the math, you know that “something” was NOT suppose to come out for SEVERAL more weeks!!!!<br /></p><p>While not the baby itself, there was something coming out of Francie…and it was not good. Knowing that this was not good, I immediately told Francie that we were going to the ER. After getting dressed, we quickly left the house and quickly arrived at the hospital. Now, in my defense, we live fairly close to the hospital, and it was late at night, and the roads were clear. :) But needless to say grass didn’t grow under my feet in trying to get to the hospital. <br /></p><p>On the way to the hospital, Francie called our OB-GYN doctor and told him what was going on. Unfortunately our doctor was in DENVER!! Luckily our doctor has a partner who was in town and he was able to meet us at the hospital. Once we arrived at the hospital, the entrance that I needed to go to was locked for security reasons. Getting to the door, I realized that it was “locked” (it was a set of sliding doors that just was turned off so that they wouldn’t automatically open) so I simply “encouraged” the doors to open. :) Once in, I told Francie to sit in the nearest wheelchair and wheeled her to the section that we needed to go to. <br /></p><p>After arriving in the section where we told to go to by the doctor, the medical staff performed several tests/ultrasounds/exams/etc within a very short period of time. One of the most important things that gave us some relief was when we heard our baby’s heart beat on the fetal monitor that put on Francie’s abdomen. In looking at the tests, it was determined that it would be best for both Francie and the baby to send her to the nearest NICU. This NICU was over 2 hours away via car (driving the posted speed limit). Because of this, the NICU medical staff said that Francie had to be air-lifted to this NICU; unfortunately I was not allowed to join in the excitement of riding in a helicopter. <br /></p><p>After taking her away, both Francie’s mom and I got our things together and drove to the hospital 2+ hours away in less time than it would normally take. In my defense, we did leave around 2:00 AM, I had my flashers on, and the roads were clear. Now for those that might get upset about how quickly I was driving, let me first say that I never went speeds faster than what I have seen many people do on the interstate in just regular driving. :) <br /></p><p>When arriving to the hospital Francie was already in her room with several pieces of equipment hooked up to her. There were several questions that we had for the medical staff and they were wonderful about politely answer them all. We cannot say enough about the doctors and nurses that we have dealt with so far. Over the course of several hours they did blood work, another ultrasound, examinations, and monitoring of the baby. Everything looked fine. Therefore because of ruling out every other possibility, they have decided that Francie had a “marginal sinus abruption”. In laymen’s terms this is where a very small part of the placenta breaks away from the uterine wall. <br /></p><p>This seems to be correct in the research that we have done, and the only thing that can be done is to rest in bed and wait. By resting, we hope the complications of this event will cease and appear no more. If the complications do cease, and remain that way for 24-36 hours then the medical staff will reevaluate what actions will happen next. As of the time of this blog post, we believe that we have just entered the 24-36 window. However if the complication reappears (even to a slight degree) then the clock starts all over. While frustrating, we both would rather have the clock reset and nothing happen then to be sent home and something happen and Francie have to be flown again to where the NICU is located. <br /></p><p>In all of this we can see many times in which God has been working in this situation. We see how God gave us a situation where we were already packed for an out-of-town trip so that we didn’t have to waste time trying to figure out what to pack at the last minute. We see how God prevented us from being on a bus on our way to the conference when this horrible event happened. We see how God kept us from being on the bus when it broke down in the middle of nowhere. We see how God allowed safety to each of the hospitals that we have dealt with. We see how God has made a potential very serious issue in which we could have lost our baby to a situation where in the long run both Francie and the baby are fine. We also see how God has allowed us to come to a city where several family members and friends live so that we can have a very large support group if we need it. <br /></p><p>God is wonderful and has given us many blessings that we do not deserve. We thank him every day for these blessings and pray that we will use our blessings to His glory and ultimate purpose. <br /></p><p>We seek your prayers and ask that you continue to pray for us as we continue to walk down the path ahead.<br /></p><p>Speaking of the path ahead, you may be wondering what happens after the 24-36 hour window is up. Well…that’s a great question. Stay tuned because we don’t even know that far in advance yet. :)</p>Jack S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09966503864568095318noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-62694831364437678522011-01-11T13:47:00.003-06:002011-01-11T13:59:15.958-06:00Happy 2011!For the first time since I can remember, I have had no adjustment to get used to writing "2011" on paperwork this year. It usually takes me a good week or two (and at least one check to church with the previous year written on it) before I realize that I'm stuck in last year's number. I know it's a small thing, but I think the fact that I've had such a smooth transition into 2011 is based on a number of bigger things.<br /><br />2010, while great in some ways, was also very difficult. In the spring 5 people Jack and I knew passed away in a period of 5 weeks. Some were people we saw nearly every day, others we barely ever saw, however losing so many people so quickly made me begin to dread the mornings wondering if that day would be another day when something tragic would happen. My heart still aches and I am still in prayer for those families and friends who have had to spend the rest of 2010 without the special people who left us last year.<br /><br />In addition to the losses, my dad suffered a stroke this year in May. He is making remarkable progress, but there were definitely a few months of 2010 that were difficult due to that situation and it continues to be a daily struggle for him and my mom. It's a true reminder of how you life can change in an instant and things will never really be the same again.<br /><br />But good things happened in 2010, also. We were able to go on a wonderful cruise to Alaska with my family. That was definitely an experience I'll never forget. It goes on the list of top vacations EVER. And of course the best news of all has been God's gift to us in the child we're expecting. I've been blessed to have a fairly easy pregnancy so far. I've been feeling good and have loved most of the changes and new experiences that have come with being a newly pregnant woman. I can't believe in just a couple more months I'll be holding her and seeing her face in person.<br /><br />2011 holds promise to be a wonderful year. I know there will still be sad/difficult moments. God never promised us that life would be easy. But He provides us so much to be joyful about, I hope to focus on those positive moments rather than the negative. I hope 2011 blesses you with God's grace and all the good things in life.Francie S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17596973285452161590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-14683004766232778252010-12-17T12:56:00.004-06:002010-12-17T13:08:19.004-06:00My Christmas (To-Do) ListOver the next couple of weeks, Jack and I have a "break." I put that in quotes because we have a mile-long list of things to do while we finally have several days in a row at home. One of which is cleaning out the "throw-it-in-there" room (soon to be nursery). It will be wonderful to have that room cleaned up, but I dread the process. We will also be registering over the next couple of weeks. All of this is in addition to our regular Christmas festivities, of course.<br /><br />At 24 weeks, our little girl is about the size of an eggplant. While she does move at least a little each day, it's still inconsistent. I'm so thankful that she and I are doing well and we can really enjoy this Christmas anticipating all the wonderful changes for next year. Another item on the list for the next couple of weeks is our next doctor appointment and 4D ultra-sound. I'm excited about getting to see her again and hear her little heartbeat. I have a feeling after January, the ball will start rolling down the hill really quickly and April will be here before we know it. I'll feel better after we can get some of these important things accomplished before I start feeling more pressure.<br /><br />On a slightly strange note, I did a little music shopping on iTunes and Pandora recently upon the suggestion of a friend to get some lullaby music that I can play now to get the baby used to the sound. The idea is that playing this music when she's here will comfort her since she will be used to the sound. Did you know that there are several lullaby albums that have taken rock artists and made their songs into instrumental "lullabies"? I think the strangest one for me was "Dream On" from Aerosmith's lullaby album. I remember turning up the speakers loud in my car anytime I would listen to that song in college and now it's a lullaby? I guess in some ways it's better than the lyrics to "Rock-A-Bye Baby." :)Francie S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17596973285452161590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-37321271171847499842010-12-03T15:32:00.003-06:002010-12-03T15:45:07.994-06:00Moving along (in more ways than one!)I am now 22 weeks pregnant. It's hard to believe how fast this semester and this pregnancy has gone. I know soon I'll be saying, baby in arms, that this whole experience flew by. At 22 weeks, there are a few things I have learned and begun to experience.<br /><br />1. Maternity clothes are heavenly, particularly at Thanksgiving. You can't get much more comfortable than elastic everything and never being self-conscious about your growing stomach because, after all, there's a baby in there! <br /><br />2. Sleeping on your side isn't great, but it's manageable. I've always been a stomach-sleeper, back is second best, sides only when I have to. While my doctor has said that sleeping on my back some is ok, I am really supposed to keep it to sides if possible. I think now, after about 5 weeks of that I'm beginning to get used to it. Several pillows beside the bed that I can use and toss as needed also helps. Poor Jack, his bed is being taken over by a big pregnant lady and 5 of her pillows.<br /><br />3. Feeling a baby move inside you is maybe the coolest thing ever. People keep telling me that I'll become tired of this and it will get annoying and maybe they're right, but right now I LOVE feeling her move around in there. I've been trying to pay attention to the times when she most often reminds me of her presence. So far I've noticed it most when I've been sitting and listening to student speeches or comprehensive exam defenses. Either she is a budding communication scholar or she's tired of hearing about communication and wants out of there! I haven't quite figured out which yet.<br /><br />That's the news up to this point. I hope your December is going well and God has blessed you as He has Jack and I.Francie S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17596973285452161590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-43513553547150553652010-11-24T20:05:00.002-06:002010-11-24T20:12:13.539-06:00ThanksgivingAs I spent time today making fruit salad and pumpkin pie for tomorrow, I couldn't help but spend time thinking about holidays. Every year about this time I reflect on the differences between this year and last as well as anticipate the future. It's been quite a year for us. Last Thanksgiving we never would have predicted that dad would be recovering from a stroke this year. He's doing really well, by the way, but still recovering. I also really didn't imagine that I would be pregnant this Thanksgiving. I'm sure I'll be nostalgic next year too, but next year I'll be thinking about the past and the future with our little girl in the kitchen watching me cook. :)Francie S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17596973285452161590noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-84686068105228854412010-11-06T19:58:00.002-05:002010-11-06T20:02:41.609-05:00New to the BlogFor your enjoyment (and mine, too) I have added two tickers to this blog. One is the countdown until our little one makes his/her appearance. The other allows you to "shop" through the produce section with me as our sweet potato makes its way to watermelon. I hope you enjoy them like I will!Francie S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17596973285452161590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-44274907156895839642010-11-03T16:24:00.002-05:002010-11-03T16:27:37.400-05:00Really? A Watermelon?Ok, so you know that I've been looking at websites that tell me the size of our little treasure. (This week is a sweet potato, by the way.) Well, today I was looking at <a href="http://www.thebump.com/">www.thebump.com</a> and I noticed a produce list for the entire pregnancy. I was enjoying looking at it until I got down to the last few weeks...<br /><br />Watermelon...this child will be the size of a watermelon by the time I deliver.<br /><br />Granted, I've been doing a good job of being in denial about the whole delivery part of this, but at that moment it was hard to ignore what's coming. :SFrancie S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17596973285452161590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-72522472554947240982010-10-21T10:49:00.003-05:002010-10-21T10:59:32.757-05:0016 WeeksJust to update you, I'm officially 16 weeks pregnant. I have several sources that I go to each day/week to learn more about my baby's changes and how he/she is growing. He/she is about the size of an avocado now and although he/she has been moving for about 8 weeks now, I should start to feel the movements within the next few weeks. I am very excited about that part.<br /><br />While there are definite signs that I'm pregnant (like the fact that I really can't wear my normal clothes much anymore) sometimes it is still difficult to believe. That is one reason why I'm so excited to start feeling the movements. Like hearing the heartbeat at my doctor appointments, feeling him/her move will reconfirm for me how real all of this is and remind me that in a few short months, I'll be holding a little Fran and Jack combo in my arms.<br /><br />In a couple of weeks or so we get to have what my doctor called "the big ultrasound." I am eager to see how much baby has changed since the 8 week pictures. Plus, if all goes well, we will learn the sex that day. Please continue to pray for us as we work to make decisions and prepare for the big changes to come.Francie S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17596973285452161590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-540324178200412502010-10-11T14:55:00.002-05:002010-10-11T15:05:38.271-05:00Help! This kid needs a room...Becoming pregnant leaves a couple with many more questions than answers. What is the sex? Do we find out the sex? Names? Preschool? Which college should he/she attend? Ok...maybe I'm getting a little ahead of myself. (Although I have made the stipulation that the baby's name should sound good with "Dr." attached to it. Just planning for the future. Haha.)<br /><br />Lately the big question on my mind (as well as the question I'm getting from others) is what is the nursery theme/colors going to be? Jack and I have made very few decisions so far in this process. What we do know is which room will be the baby's. Unfortunately it's the "throw it in there" room. Do you have one of those? Whenever company is coming over or you have some item that you need to put somewhere and there is no where it can go you "throw it in there." Currently, that room is a wreck for that exact reason. (If you are still following this blog, you'll remember that this is the one room not pictured in the <a href="http://misteranddoctor.blogspot.com/2009/09/house-before-and-after.html">House Remodel </a>post.) Yeah. It was a mess then and it's still a mess now. With the door closed, it's out of sight and out of mind. So once we get it cleaned up and cleaned out, we need to choose a theme. Granted, we don't know the sex yet (although we do plan to find out) and that may have a impact on the theme. So here's my question...where do I go for inspiration or what are your favorite nursery themes/colors? I've seen a few things that I like and so has Jack. We probably won't make this decision completely until we know more and begin to get things cleaned up but I'm a little lost on this one right now. Any advice would be appreciated. [Be forewarned, posts asking for advice/help are likely to become more frequent.]Francie S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17596973285452161590noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-71168512178555403552010-09-29T09:51:00.005-05:002010-09-29T10:02:08.412-05:00The LatestBack in July, Jack and I received some news. Much to our (and our parents') delight, we will be welcoming a baby into our lives in the spring. This was a bit of a surprise. It happened much faster than we expected. So it's taken a while for the reality to sink in. But as I move into my second trimester, it's becoming more and more clear that this is for real.<br /><br />Other than some of the obvious signs, how do I know there is a life growing inside me? Well, for starters-- I'm EXHAUSTED! For the past several weeks, it's been all I can do to get through the absolute necessities of the day and go back to bed. In fact, my bed has become my favorite place. Thankfully we got a new mattress last month and it feels like a big hug every time I lay down. Another piece of evidence has begun to make itself clear every time I put on a pair of pants with buttons and/or clasps. I usually wear my clothes a little loose so it really hasn't been until the past week that I've realized that wearing my usual clothes is beginning to be uncomfortable. I have two pair of black pants that have a partial elastic waist and they are now in the running with my bed as some of my favorite things.<br /><br />When we actually have time to think/talk about it, Jack and I are extremely excited about this news. It's going to be a big change for us. We've been married for 7 years and are satisfied and content in our life together. However, it seems clear that God has orchestrated this blessing for us and we pray that we can live up to His calling as parents. Please pray for us as we embark on this new challenge.Francie S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17596973285452161590noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-457121718789256912010-06-12T16:08:00.005-05:002010-06-12T17:55:34.291-05:00Alaska Vacation<div>This has been an extremely eventful few weeks for our family. Some of it has been good and some not so good. Please keep our family in your prayers. I'll try to post about everything eventually, but this post will be devoted to....our Alaska Vacation! That's right, we went on an official vacation and it was terrific! </div><br /><div></div><div>A few weeks ago, we went on a cruise with my family to Alaska. Most of my family has never been on a cruise so this was a very special trip because not only was it a new place for us but a new type of trip! We visited Juneau, Skagway, Glacier Bay National Park, and Ketchican. Our cruise also stopped at Victoria, BC, Canada. We didn't actually get off the ship at Glacier Bay National Park. That park has many different glaciers and our ship was able to take us near 2 of them for close viewing. It was amazing! Jack and I <strong>highly</strong> recommend an Alaskan cruise to everyone! It's worth saving for and putting on your bucket list. Here are a few pictures from our trip:</div><br /><br /><div align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482012627601037794" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBXMY0I2ESDfeXkkoa_64jBZNiR2QMCuNlPnElOrJ3OJ4RtugsUZw4yuFYUinffKsO2B5dUAbwzrbR1K67OeHr5P1-AEDlxy_b5tjJPLoTF4UrWMIsD-ChgPmUQXMwZ_tDmo77-RQ_Slo/s320/Front+of+ship.JPG" />This is the front of our ship. Imagine yourself saying, "I'm the king of the world!</div><div align="center"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482012634056054386" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCUVoK3__o2DzCC1L95KxMLA52eMB0kOsgXAcKgZVV8Hh-aJjmBoGN9w1eA60jIOCphaPin65ktUGXJw1ziOsKvoK7k388RrDmNo4uS0XmfyvkYPopILSId_L19Ex6hoox-CLZ028Qa9o/s320/Eagle.jpg" />We saw some wildlife. <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482012649134005970" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOdeZjcyZrbri8LxvOfp0JlUo-Mhzv9viNRasKjB6DR_nO8COPWWrazudDj-AAij2xRSqQ57WDZZCoEAaVx5dL72htNg0VCRPF5bsFpn9Dv_gH-ylgUQQiK45NH5olqMp9aghvwK8PO1Y/s320/Mendenhall+Glacier.JPG" />The Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau, AK<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482012657287425314" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1_aORa6YmesMOOJGZnyhLKqHwlXUZU3lFNGYmfu_ZCSRq1RMb1EguUgs1mSyYEjDuxebGB99rC5xRA1m_AfxSf1Wfp6KXV3peQS1xRBW4Qn49h8-X90fMPOY8Xur8Ftr5_CvUSn2W70k/s320/Mountain+train+skagway.JPG" />We rode a train in Skagway, AK through the mountains. It was BEAUTIFUL!<img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482012671822545858" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9k21XFVpPokx4u350zCz-v6Uqsc0zEc9XyQebn9hoPoe84BXbPU05R6pXL1-4yBroqb2C2iUUI0o-BVP3Tc6TdG7RZ0DfywyIvE9-KKprvX6Hx9Dd-U0eyb_pNHz7fWd52ROSSBvOReM/s320/Skagway.bmp" /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCGbWIqk4TKjjMskyElU0GTOJ4-iayARlj1ZKtPsRqLlG5-GYGpMyxK8fsYYfWXeDNuLDgAB2hey924kyzhKsvolxjMbRHthm3FiRBCCe1z0vOrRT2CvpFoZK01uebeDT2B8yBld64to/s1600/Glacier+Bay+other+glacier.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482013717779489154" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMCGbWIqk4TKjjMskyElU0GTOJ4-iayARlj1ZKtPsRqLlG5-GYGpMyxK8fsYYfWXeDNuLDgAB2hey924kyzhKsvolxjMbRHthm3FiRBCCe1z0vOrRT2CvpFoZK01uebeDT2B8yBld64to/s320/Glacier+Bay+other+glacier.jpg" /></a>Glacier Bay National Park<br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJU651LAwLykDjW5zUQlpyhG0QkZ_v-WOo_BP3JJJxE1WX0hAiUC4Gv029TFqV0S6p-WY-0NOo7sp6XcV9HrvYrBX1zZXK7j-jQoQsxO8U-0hhQkN26_yo-PEs1wH0esIxOTaPhC9k0ok/s1600/Glacier+at+glacier+bay.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482013707064249634" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJU651LAwLykDjW5zUQlpyhG0QkZ_v-WOo_BP3JJJxE1WX0hAiUC4Gv029TFqV0S6p-WY-0NOo7sp6XcV9HrvYrBX1zZXK7j-jQoQsxO8U-0hhQkN26_yo-PEs1wH0esIxOTaPhC9k0ok/s320/Glacier+at+glacier+bay.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPtABGSwNuu3i2tBQMguH5cWjGfhPeyJTzutVSg8T5mdT37ehPXyzZyMCnPZUCZn2-_vAmMqg_gO5psbiQ2apUxfQ4A-V3jloxc-FlDfMfCq_9C7zDFbClVzkOlqzewTaW02jAK0wCh8/s1600/glacier+close+up.bmp"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 320px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482013695954232578" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXPtABGSwNuu3i2tBQMguH5cWjGfhPeyJTzutVSg8T5mdT37ehPXyzZyMCnPZUCZn2-_vAmMqg_gO5psbiQ2apUxfQ4A-V3jloxc-FlDfMfCq_9C7zDFbClVzkOlqzewTaW02jAK0wCh8/s320/glacier+close+up.bmp" /></a><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZy7-LQMX7pa6WDYJA-Br-MaxsgPifSRReFkp0nPPLFNldMdZpQsUYNFB8Ea-4TOb_6tYGikXvEaBTcSs2Z5ORyGs8cl7fpx6G8XMH2n3XQ6qdSO0lCx0MIETUFshRTI9xWrMQ153mkY/s1600/Glacier+Bay1.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482013691494941394" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFZy7-LQMX7pa6WDYJA-Br-MaxsgPifSRReFkp0nPPLFNldMdZpQsUYNFB8Ea-4TOb_6tYGikXvEaBTcSs2Z5ORyGs8cl7fpx6G8XMH2n3XQ6qdSO0lCx0MIETUFshRTI9xWrMQ153mkY/s320/Glacier+Bay1.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div> <img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 240px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5482013682282544818" border="0" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJlQAQX7jFAiR0hIHNVnZjt_V_HKp126D61mBTpgjY7K63Ihb3btAAlDqEyUgagEG80lJI7wW6zR72i7cc0dSq4duhFccLen731m58ZJF2KyROrfqPRXpaDQH5P5_3r4yUKJBfBX5vC5Y/s320/Skagway1.bmp" /><br /><div><div><div><div><div> </div><div align="center">It was an amazing and beautiful trip!<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div><div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Francie S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17596973285452161590noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-6484221852037307812010-05-12T11:14:00.002-05:002010-05-12T11:25:11.166-05:00ChangeFinals are over, the students are gone, and things are quiet around my office. I. love. it. The end of the semester always gets me thinking about change and this semester has me thinking about change even more than usual. As you have previously read, this semester has been unusually tough for my family. After losing the two friends I discussed in the previous post, three more people connected to us in some way died suddenly adding up to a strange and humbling 5 weeks this spring. I'm in prayer for those families every day, especially on days like last Sunday (Mother's Day). So, when the end of this semester came, I was particularly happy to see the change come. I'm not always a big fan of change. I HATE uncertainty. I'm a planner. I like to know what's going on, when it's happening, who will be there, and why. I like schedules, calendars, and school supplies. Not knowing kills me. However, there is another side of me that loves change. It's that side of me that drew me to being a professor and spending the rest of my life in a college-setting. It's that side of me that felt my soul dying when I was in my first job out of college and I realized at Christmas that I didn't get to move out of the cramped office I shared with the Fran Drescher-like person I worked with and have that change that college always provided at Christmas. It's that side of me that feels refreshed to live in a life scheduled by semesters- fall, spring, summer, fall, spring, summer. So, while some of me hates change, some of me craves it and is loving the fact that I feel a calming sense of peace for this spring being over and summer beginning. Happy summer. May God bless the change and stability in your life.Francie S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17596973285452161590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-73997452313197914382010-03-31T21:11:00.003-05:002010-03-31T21:22:01.857-05:0027 DaysWithin a span of 27 days, two young, lively, caring people have departed this world. They never knew one another and were geographically separated by hundreds of miles, but they did have some common characteristics. They were both in their mid-thirties...young. Their deaths were untimely, but health-related. They brought joy to people around them and those who knew them were shocked speechless by the news of their death. Finally, they were both friends of mine and to some degree my life will not be the same without them.<br /><br />When the first death occurred at the beginning of March, I considered posting then, but I didn't really know what to say. Jack and I were both close to this person and since he went to church with us and we both knew him for a long time, it has been a slow process of recovery as we think of him and his family often and are still in prayer for them. While he did not have a wife or children, he worked with the children at church for years and they loved him, as did many many other people.<br /><br />My second friend died today. She was a friend from my graduate school days. I have found that my graduate school friendships are very special and unique. We went through a specific kind of experience together and although we don't talk to each other daily-- or sometimes for months-- we make plans to meet each year at our annual conference, look forward to seeing each other, and we always know that, each other will be there if we need one another. She has left behind a precious daughter and husband. My heart aches for them.<br /><br />I've never understood the fragility of life like I have in the month of March 2010. Do not take your life for granted. It is so important for you to take care of your health, spend time with those you love, focus on what is valuable, and be read to be with God whenever he calls you. Remember, "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes." James 4:13-15Francie S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17596973285452161590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-17009757340828674902010-02-19T16:58:00.002-06:002010-02-19T17:13:03.878-06:00The OlympicsAsk anyone (especially Jack) and they will tell you, I'm not much of a sports-watcher. I wouldn't say I'm completely lacking in sports knowledge. Overhearing PTI while Jack gets his daily-dose does keep me vaguely informed and I usually fill out a March Madness bracket based on what I overhear. But, generally-speaking, I could care less about most sporting events unless I'm there- watching it live and in the middle of the action to enjoy the event in person.<br /><br />So, I have to admit, I'm a little surprised to find myself glued to NBC every evening these days watching the Olympics. And I don't just mean the figure skating. In fact, that is not my favorite event this year (as it has been in years past). I have found the most excitement out of events like the speed skating, the snowboard halfpipe, and the ski moguls. My heart raced as I watched athletes like Apolo Ohno, Shaun White, and Hannah Kearney show strength and athleticism of unbelievable magnitude. It's been incredible. I've found myself going to class and telling my students, "You HAVE to watch the Olympics!" So, now, I say to you...from a regular non-sports enthusiast...you HAVE to watch the Olympics! :) It really is an amazing event and one that can make you think about things like patience, endurance, strength, and tenacity.Francie S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17596973285452161590noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-15822327124363623292010-01-07T16:33:00.004-06:002010-01-07T16:51:20.110-06:00The Office SnuggieI know, I know, I know...we are terrible bloggers. Here I am enjoying my Google Reader subscription-- checking it almost daily for updates from all of my wonderful friends and seeing their beautiful Christmas pictures, reading about their adorable children, and what do I (we) do? Nothing. Not a darn thing. Not even so much as a Merry Christmas to the one or two people left in our tiny readership. Oh well. Thanks, if you still check in from time to time. It's a new year. Maybe we'll be better to the blogging world.<br /><br />It's really a very silly subject that encouraged me to blog today-- the Snuggie. If you know me at all you know that I am a very warm-natured person. Typically, I like cool air blowing on me in the car. I'd much rather be cold than hot. My philosophy is, you can always put more clothes on, but there's only so much you can take off. Plus, I hate to sweat. However, despite all this, someone gave me a Snuggie for Christmas. Actually, I like it. It's blue and since Jack and I like to try to save money on heat by keeping our house cool, the Snuggie comes in handy.<br /><br />I'm thinking of relocating the Snuggie, though. Since cold weather hit, I've found myself shivering in my office most days. I work in an older building and I love my office, but the windows are old and not terribly energy-efficient. It's typically rather warm in the summer and cold in the winter. While I have a space heater, the person in the office next to me and I cannot run our space heaters at the same time because when we do, we flip the breaker and have to wait for someone from maintenance to come flip the switch and give us our electricity back. So most days we stay warm in shifts. To alleviate this problem, I have an office jacket, office scarf, and office gloves (complete with the fingertips cut out so I can still type). I've recently thought about bringing the Snuggie in. How convenient would it be to have the full-length blanket over me (with sleeves!) when I can't run my space heater? But I'm torn...I always thought the people on the Snuggie commercial looked like cult members. I try not to be caught up in what others think of my appearance, but I also need to keep a certain sense of professionalism and dignity, even if I am cold. I can quickly hide the gloves if someone comes into my office, but the Snuggie would be more difficult to remove quickly. What do you think? Warmth or dignity?Francie S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17596973285452161590noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-47262992374971738842009-11-30T17:27:00.004-06:002009-11-30T17:37:18.722-06:00Thanksgiving WeekendAs you can probably tell, we've been a little busy this fall. Our posts seem to get fewer and farther between. This weekend was a nice break from the hectic life as we had a few days off and celebrated Thanksgiving with loved ones through continuous eating. It was wonderful. I made my first pumpkin pie and it turned out great. (Thanks, Rachael Ray.) And I bought almost all my Christmas presents after knocking out only a few of the Black Friday shoppers. (I didn't get there until about 9:00, so the 5am-ers were starting to drag their feet by then. They were much easier to knock down after they'd been shopping for 4 hours.) All in all, it was a well-spent weekend. Now, I will continue my non-stop Christmas music marathon.Francie S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17596973285452161590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-67520066365386485852009-11-05T09:34:00.003-06:002009-11-05T09:42:46.364-06:00TodayI get a daily devotional over email that I try to read in silence every morning before I start my day. It has one longer scripture and one shorter scripture of the day. Today's scripture is:<br /><br />This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.<br />-Psalm 118:24 (NIV)<br /><br />Jack and I did not get to post anything in October. It was a month full of highs and lows. The best high moment was that Jack had a birthday! The lowest moment was that he lost his grandmother after a long battle with many illnesses. If he chooses to post more about that, I'll let him do that in his own time. Anyway, due to everything that has been going on, I think blogging has been something we just didn't think to do. When I checked my friend's blogs over the past month, I would think about updating ours occasionally, but I really did not know what to say.<br /><br />Today when I read the scripture of the day on my email it made me stop to think about what a gift each day is to us. November is a month when we often think about being thankful. As I rejoice in today, I am thankful for my loving family, my precious husband, my steady job, my home, the freedom I have in my country, and most of all a loving God who created me, sustains me, forgives me, and loves me even when I take all of those things for which I am thankful for granted.<br /><br />As you go about your day, remember that it is a gift from a loving Father and rejoice.Francie S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/17596973285452161590noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1591889936264206885.post-33432295588384358842009-09-17T14:17:00.001-05:002009-09-17T14:21:53.566-05:00A year ago...A year ago this coming Saturday (9/19/09) will be one year since my uncle (dad's brother) suddenly passed away. <br /><br />There are some things in life that you don't ever think that you will forget about. I foresee this being one of those situations. It was a Friday morning and Francie and I were getting up early to travel for a weekend get-a-way with my parents and sister. While in the city, I was going to get to see my favorite baseball team play against their chief rivals. It was going to be one of those well deserved, do as little as possible, family vacations. It was also going to be an early celebration of my 30th birthday and my wife and sister had spent months planning the trip not to mention way too much money on the game tickets. However just before we were set to get up, I got a call saying that my uncle was going to the emergency room and that it did not look good.<br /><br />Now for those that don't know that side of the family, this actually wasn't an unusual event for my uncle. He suffered for many years with multiple diseases, and on more occasions than you or I have fingers and toes he has been at the brink of death and then came back. This time was very different. This time he didn't pull out of it, nor would any human been able to. See my uncle, unknown to anyone, had abdominal aortic aneurysm. The aneurysm burst that Friday morning, and because of this, my uncle passed away in his house, while my aunt was trying to take care of him like she had done for so many years. <br /><br />Because of my uncle's passing away, we did not make the trip to see my baseball team play. We instead stayed home and were with family. Through the help of many family members and friends I was able to sell the tickets. I was told by my aunt that I could go on to the game that she totally would understand. I didn't care anything about the game. It was just a game. I had lost my uncle. My dad had lost his brother. My grandmother had lost her son. My cousins had lost their father, and my aunt had lost the one that she loved for 35 years. <br /><br />(A quick side note about my uncle and my aunt. They meet in the same building that I now work in. I walk through the area where they met for the first time nearly every day. It's ironic how life works out and things are so connected.)<br /><br />The next several days passed so quickly, yet seemed to last forever. I vividly remember certain situations that occurring during the next week or so, wishing that in some ways I could forget them however thankful in other ways that I won’t. We have all moved on over the past year. My cousins went back to their homes in a city about 6 hours away. My aunt continued to live her life. My grandmother has had many ups and downs health wise. So has my dad. There have been many joyful events (buying a house, dad making it through surgery, etc). There have been other sad events (grandmother’s health, etc). However we are all still here and we all still love each other. However Saturday will bring back a lot of feelings for everyone.<br /> So if you don’t mind please say a prayer for my family on Saturday. I don’t know how the day will go. I do know that it will be hard on the entire family, especially since we will not be together. May God bless each and every one of you who read this blog. I pray that you enjoy the time you have with your family, however long or short it may be.Jack S.http://www.blogger.com/profile/09966503864568095318noreply@blogger.com1