Praying that God allows us more days

My Aunt Linda, my dads sister, went in for a heart valve replacement on Friday. She's had issues with her heart for many years, but heading into this surgery the doctor acted like this would be a simple procedure with a positive outcome. 

He told her she had a "90% chance" of coming through the surgery, so with numbers like that I think we were all feeling pretty confident. 

My parents, her children, and her ex-husband all loaded up in the waiting room expecting a long day, but nothing like what actually was ahead.

Mom was texting us throughout the day, and I got word around 1:00 that they were beginning to close her up.

Good!

But then I got word not even 2 hours later that they had to open her back up, there was a bleeder.

Good news, turned bad news.

Then it got even worse when I heard that her heart had torn.

Thus began a touch-and-go for another six hours.

They couldn't get her to stop bleeding, and well, it wasn't looking so good.

I believe it was around midnight (sixteen hours after her procedure began) that my mom sent word that they got the bleeding stopped. They put super glue in there (I know, right?!) and will go back in Monday and try putting the bones back together. They are keeping her in a coma until maybe Wednesday, and if she doesn't bleed out again, she will make it.

We need to pray against infection, against bleeding, and pneumonia.

I know that we all have a last day on this earth, and I know that God has our days numbered, but it still doesn't mean we want to let our loved ones go.

I'm praying that God allows us more days with our Aunt Linda.

Crossing that bridge will always make me smile

I'm trying real hard over here to wrap up all my Indiana stuff, but sometimes it's hard to just lump everything into one last post.

There are all these "little" things that I do while I'm up there, maybe not an entire post worthy, but still things I don't want to forget...

Like being with Jami for her first ever coffee experience.

Or getting asked to babysit while mommy and daddy went out for a few hours.

Or even a tre' quick visit with Tracey and my fly-away hair.

And you know how we always spend, oh I don't know about 98.98% of our time, is centered around some sort of food.

ALWAYS FOOD. (Sorry Nate about letting you stare into the heart of the sun.)

But there was one thing we did that I wanted to elaborate a little more on.

We took the kids over to the Big Four walking bridge...

I know it's pretty much old news to my Indiana peeps now, but I was thinking it was pretty awesome!

At first we got lost in the ghetto, but eventually we found it. (Thanks to Alicia on Twitter!)

Kids thought it was pretty cool to see the river...

But all the walking was just so-so.

Once they spotted the play area, it was over.

THAT is where they wanted to be.

I was really impressed with it all.

As was Paul.

And I had a little discovery...

Since moving away, I have come to appreciate this area we refer to as Kentuckina more. I used to always think Louisville was sorta dumb, I guess because I lived right there by it, but now?

 Now, I think it's pretty cool. Stupid we have to go away from something before we really can appreciate it, but I guess that's just human nature.

Crossing that bridge will always make me smile.

Baby love

One of the highlights of our trip up to Indiana, was finally getting to spend some quality with baby Camden. 

None of us had seen him since his dramatic entrance into the world, and that had been a whopping 6 weeks!

He didn't seem all that interested in us...

But trust me, we were interested in him.

ESPECIALLY HOPE.

She had been dy-ing to get her hands on her "new baby cousin"

 And she is definitely smitten.

 It took a little more convincing to get Pierce to hold him.

Actually it was more like threatening...

I think he was intimidated at the idea.

But as I held Camden different times throughout the weekend, Pierce would randomly come over and check on him and hold his hand. So yeah, he's smitten too.

And Great Aunt G?

Oh yes, I think he's perfect, and I am definitely in love.

But when documenting holding your great nephew for posterity's sake,  for the love of Pete, do not ask your husband to take the pictures....

Because he might make you laugh so hard, that you come unglued during your lovely memory making session.

The end.

My October baby and my mom

So, fall break is over. How dumb is that?

But it was a great week, and I shan't complain....(I'm totally complaining in my mind)

I have lots of stuff to share, and I've been contemplating about what my tens of readers would like to read first, and I've opted for what I think was the best part of the week. 

On Saturday I made us get all gussied up....

Because we were celebrating these two special birthdays.

And I know that my mom was just thrilled to have a Patriots birthday party.

But that's the great thing about Neena's, they don't mind when it comes to their grandbabies.

Pierce mixed it up this year and opted for a giant cookie instead of a cake. He's recently decided he's not a fan of cake.

We were all set, and ready to get the party started.

The partygoers were thrilled.

Maybe Camden isn't really the one to ask

And neither are any of these party animals.

But according to Pierce?

It was a great time.

 As he told me later that night

"I'm so happy I could almost cry." Oh that child of mine melts me.

 He's not officially 9 for several more days, but we believe in starting the celebration DAYS ahead, and keeping it up until the big day.

Same goes for my mom.

I'm happy they share a birthday

And I know that Pierce likes it too.

I seriously could go all mushy right now, but I will save it for later.

Thankful for my October baby, thankful for my family.

Just thankful.

Happy ALMOST birthday to my mom and my first born.