When Worlds Collide

I've mentioned my friend Tiffanie a few times on here --- and perhaps some of you have seen me link up with her "Product of the Week" party on Thursdays. What you may not have known is we have never met in "real life". We've followed each other's stories, commented on our respective blogs, and sent emails. It's always a trip to meet someone outside this virtual world, someone you feel like you absolutely know, and a family you actually passionately care about.

Long story short (and you can read more about P's story on Tiffanie's blog), her son was diagnosed in utero with a very severe heart condition. Actually, so complicated and severe that they didn't know if he would survive birth, much less the very serious surgery that would soon follow. But God had BIG plans for this little man and he not only survived, but has absolutely thrived. He is a walking, talking, heart baby miracle.

So this is where the small worlds come into play --- my good friend Katie (who yes, I've mentioned here too before) went to high school with Tiffanie's husband. So she knew about their story and shared with me. And then as luck (or God) would have it, Katie's friend from college Lisa (who I connected with the same way & eventually met as well last year), was also at TCH with HER son, Field, having surgery the same day as little P. So I had the privilege of praying for these two very special families at the same time. And Tiffanie & Lisa got to meet and keep in touch. Then when it was our turn for surgery, all of these families in turn rallied and prayed for Quinn. Kinda amazing. No, actually really amazing. I love how God works.(And does any of that make sense??? ha)

Matt couldn't understand why I was a little nervous to meet Tiffanie, Mr. Gherkin (as she calls her hubby), and P. But there's this little safety in our blogging world --- and my stupid insecurities led me to wonder if she would like me outside just reading our stories, would we get along, how would our husbands like each other, etc, etc. I know, kinda stupid and a little "high school" for someone who's 32!

But I was also super excited to finally get to hug her and her sweet little miracle. Which I finally did last night. And all of my worries were wiped away almost instantly. Tiffanie is as warm, sincere, cute, and funny as she is on her blog. Her husband is such a nice guy and had a lot in common with Matt. And P, well, I just wanted to squeeze him all night (he didn't really want me to though!). He was just too precious.

And there was a moment last night when we were all just sitting around on a beautiful Houston night, sipping our drinks and eating delicious food, and watching all of our miracle kids play together - and I was just almost brought to tears. I never expected this journey and roller coaster we've been on, but it has brought some great blessings into our lives. Forever grateful for those.

And as is forever the case in our house as we rush out the door late with babies, booster seats, and food in tow, we forgot our camera. So I'm stealing this picture of P&Q that Tiffanie took. Quinn likes the younger men too apparently : ) At least she didn't try to kiss him too many times. Oh, that crazy daughter of mine.

Thanks, Tiffanie & co, for a great night and meeting up with us. We so enjoyed it and look forward to hanging out again. And to Katie, for always being the best hostess and terrific friend. Her house feels like home to me --- probably because Matt and I spent more than a few nights there during Q's surgery process : ) Love to you all!

We have a climber.

So we have a climber. And I'm not even going to pretend I am happy about it. I am not at all.

I'm sure if you've read this blog for any amount of time or know my family at all, you can guess who it is.

QUINNIE QUINN QUINN.

It all started early last week when we.had.just.run.out.of.complete.patience. and put her in "big time out" in her crib. That's a last resort time out punishment as we typically put her in the corner. But the corner had failed us at least 4 times, so Matt put her in the crib.

Later he came to tell me that when he went to rescue her from the pit of unimaginable hell, she was just waltzing around her room checking things out.

Nice.

Well, we hoped it was a one-off thing and maybe she had gotten herself so mad and upset that she had an extra boost of energy to get herself out. She didn't do it again for 3 days.

Until I put them down for naps on Thursday and sat down working on training a new co-worker.

Then came the unmistakable knock on the door. Then the sound of books hitting the floor.

Ran in there and sure enough, that stinker was out. UGhhhh. Put her back in, told her to "STAY" (yeah, like that was going to work) and of course, she just did it again, and again, and again. And kept her brother up in the process. And since I was working, there wasn't a whole lot I could do at that moment. Finally, 2 hours after  her naptime should have started, she finally gave up and passed out.

And that night was much of the same. We finally ended up pulling out the crib mattress and Matt slept next to her on the floor until she finally fell asleep. Let me tell you how much fun we all are when there's no sleep in this house. Pleasantries and compliments were not exactly exchanged the next day. After scouring the internet for crib tents (OMG, places have stopped selling them and the two places left that actually carry them WERE ON BACKORDER), I made a dash in the pouring rain for toddler rails since I was scared to death she was going to get caught on a rung climbing out.

Of course, those did nothing to contain the beast that had just discovered UNTOLD FREEDOM. I was by myself that night as Matt was at a men's retreat, and I spent a good portion of the evening crying into the phone with my mom as my child screamed from the unfairness of it all and Ryan cried because he just wanted sleep already.

Me too, bud, me too.

The main dilemma is separating them right now isn't really a reality. We have to keep the house staged for selling and the other room is a guest room. So we are a bit stuck. After doing some research and talking to friends, we stuck her in the pack 'n play so we could all get some sleep and do some eval on the situation. Wouldn't you know it worked like a charm on Saturday night. And Sunday's nap. And Sunday night. So, sold. We are going to pack 'n play her for the meantime. I just don't think she is "there" yet on being able to stay in the bed, and although we could do the whole training thing now, I am just not there yet energy-wise. I need prep time. There was no warning for this madness. And if you know anything about me, you know my little a-type, anal retentivness wants to pick the day, pick the schedule and roll with it on my terms.

Roll your eyes. I know you want to. This is just a small taste of what the kids are going to do that's NOT in my plans. I get it. But for now, I'm granting myself a reprieve. Because carrying the child back to bed 30 to 40 times in a night doesn't sound appealing right now with everything going on. I know she will eventually be ready and so will we.

And Ryan. Dude, I think he would just stay in the crib until age 12 if he could. He's just watched the action from afar with a bemused smirk on his face, like "glad it's not me, sucker." Just like his daddy. Learn from other people's actions. So I guess that would make Quinn like me. Yikes. I've heard the stories. Thanks, Mom.

But if he gets any ideas and leaps out of the crib anytime soon, someone will need to call in my Xanax stat.

My babies are definitely not babies. :(

Easter Weekend - Part 2

After a late night (in terms of what "late  night" means to us now, which is like anything past 10PM) at Uncle B's & Aunt C's --- and a fantastic night sleep for all involved --- we headed to the RR to Ma's house. Ma was SUPER EXCITED about planning an awesome egg hunt for all of the grandchildren, plus Uncle Zeb's nephew & niece. And Ma completely outdid herself. She had tons of eggs scattered around the yard filled with yummy treats for the kids (animal crackers, teddy grahams, etc). Since the babies weren't exactly walking last year, this was their first year to hunt eggs. And Aunt Christina totally hooked them up with Elmo Easter baskets which were a huge hit.

I was so excited to see how the kids would react to the idea of the egg hunt. I correctly predicted that Quinn would take it VERY seriously. That girl was all business and picked it right up. Ryan took a little prodding and then eventually got into it. And then (as predicted again), he just decided to take a break in the middle of the action and was content with just rifling through his basket. That's my boy : )

After the kids finished the egg hunt, they did all sorts of fun activities in Ma's yard - swinging, sliding, playing with the water and sand table and in general, just having a ball. All in their skivvies, or diapers as it may be. Then we tried to settle them down for a picnic lunch outside but there was way too much excitement to actually eat. But the picture of them dining in diapers is pretty precious.

Because we had such a long week, my back was killing me, and we had to be back in Houston for Easter services at our church on Sunday, we hit the road pretty early. With the hope and prayer that the babies would crash and sleep door to door. I heaved a huge sigh of relief when they passed out before we could even get on the tollway out of town. However, that was blown about an hour later when someone (I won't say who) woke up screaming bloody murder. And didn't really stop for the rest of the trip. Nothing like a screaming toddler in a contained, moving vehicle to grate on your nerves. Sure was glad to get home and pour a large glass of vino to recover.

Here are a few pictures from Ma's house. Ma, thanks so much for everything you did - next time we will stay longer, I promise. We love you!

Q getting ready

Ryan scouting it out

Excited with bunny ears!

My beautiful and incredibly sweet niece, Riley

Cousin Ady - wearing the same dress Riley wore about 5 years ago : )

When brother gives up, you just take his basket

Get that one, Q!

Did I drop one?

Daddy coaching Ryan on this egg hunting thing

Ok, time for a break

Quinn's first capri sun. She loved it.

Naked picnic! This just makes me smile : )

Quinn at her naked picnic. I made this extra large so you can see her scar --- or maybe not! It has faded sooooooo much!

Ry Guy and Aunt Emmy. No one can make Ryan squeal and laugh like Em.

Drinking from the water table - yum?

Or maybe not?

Loving the swing

At the water table

Getting in the sandbox

 The next morning, we yet again loaded up and put the babies in their freshly washed Easter outfits and headed to our church Easter service. It was a wonderful service and great message --- and then of course, the traditional egg hunt afterwards. This time, we were a little slow getting out to the action (even though the toddlers were separated from the big kids), so there weren't a lot of eggs to be had. But they managed to grab a few and got a few "donations" from some other super sweet kids.

And yet again, for the 2nd Easter in a row, we also managed to take not ONE family picture. It seems the only pictures we get these days are just of the kids, and maybe one parent. But even that's rare. We just get so busy chasing them we forget until later. Ughhh. That's why I make sure we get professional pictures at least once a year so the kids will know we were around : )

Hope you all enjoyed a very blessed and Happy Easter. He is Risen!

In Him,

Meagan

Easter Weekend 2012 - Part 1

This Easter we were blessed to spend time in Austin with both sides of our family. My mom and Steve traveled down from Dallas to spend time with Blaine & Christina, and since we were already planning on Easter in the RR, it worked out perfectly!

We ended up leaving a day later than we thought --- life was just too crazy. Both Matt and I had incredibly busy work weeks and then with trying to pack, get the house ready for showing, and actually out the door, it proved too much. And of course, I had to keep up my reputation as a medical freak of nature. A few days before, I was holding Ryan when I had to sneeze. Trying to be a good mommy, I turned my body so as to not get snot in my son's face. Lovely image, right?

Anyway, I heard a little pop and then felt excruciating pain. Super fun. Well, the pain dragged on and then on Thursday, we had a last minute house showing. In my hurry to get the two kids and the dog into the car, I wasn't careful and tried to toss Max in at a weird angle. Pop again. Pain again. Ooops.

By that evening, I could barely move and once the kids went down, I headed straight to our local ER (not like a hospital ER, but more than an urgent care) down the street. Which I have already visited for a variety of random reasons, ie: slicing my wrist open on a green bean can lid and getting an infection, double ear infection, ovarian cyst, and now this.

As it turns out, I somehow popped a rib out during the initial sneeze and it kept popping out. Who does this??? This girl. After administering some pain meds and muscle relaxers, a friend of mine picked me up and dropped me at home, loopy and out of sorts. And this is where I have the best husband ever... the hospital faxed over my prescriptions to the 24 hour ER closest to us, which really wasn't close at all. Since I was in no condition to drive, he left at 11PM to go get my prescriptions. And of course, when he got there, it was going to be another 30-45 minutes, so he headed to the Denny's for a late night snack of biscuits and gravy. 3 hours after his dinner. Gross. To each their own. Anyway, he finally got my prescriptions and back home well after midnight. Needless to say, we were both pretty exhausted the next day but rallied to clean house and pack everyone up again. But this time, I had to be super careful - no lifting over 5lbs. So obviously I was a tremendous help.

Our first stop when we got to Austin (after a horrible last hour in the car - Lord, traveling at this age can just be hell if you time it just wrong, which we did) was at my brother's house. It was the twins' first time to spend the night at Uncle Blaine & Aunt Christina's and I'm not sure they anticipated the amount of junk we need just to survive a night : ) But they were incredibly hospitable and of course, Christina, our resident creative member of the family, went all out on beautiful Easter cupcakes, yummy pretzels dipped in white chocolate, and amazing Easter Elmo baskets full of goodies for the kids. And Blaine and Mom went to work on the shrimp and crawfish boil (our first of this season). Soooo good.

We also had the awesome opportunity to meet a very special little boy --- E was born was a CHD as well, just a couple of months after the twins (his parents are good friends with my brother). I've followed his journey on facebook and through my brother, so it was so great to finally meet this little man in person. R,Q, & E kept each other thoroughly entertained that evening --- when E wasn't being attacked by my daughter who just wanted to smooch with him all evening. I'm sure that had nothing to do with us egging her on.

A few pics from that night:

Quinn and her serious look

Ryan woke up a little teary from his nap but he rallied later on!

Running through the fields

This is "E". I love his shirt - he was already scoping out Quinnie

E and his daddy (as a momma, this picture almost makes my heart stop)

Ry Guy still needing some snuggles

Finally, happy boy!

Have you tried to get a picture of 3 tired toddlers and actually have them smile and look the same direction?

My little agressor going in for the smooch

And yet again. Yikes. God help us all when she's 16.

Quinn jumped up on the stool and helped herself to one of Aunt Christina's cupcakes. Nice. (Oh, and that bow was an Easter gift from Gigi that matches a PRECIOUS new swimsuit. If you know my child, even swimming requires a bow.)

Ummm, NOOOO. I didn't do it!

Ok, busted. Nothing but class around here.

Easter Bunny 2012

The day after the kids go to "school", they are always itching for something more fun to do than just watch Mickey Mouse clubhouse, read and color with Mommy. Apparently, I'm not as fun or cool as Miss Kara. Whatever. Yesterday I went to pick the twins up and Quinn literally picked up her backpack when she saw me coming and RAN clear to the opposite side of the room, so I had to chase her down and make her come home. She was not a happy camper that Mommy made her leave her fun day. I guess if it was the opposite and she cried the whole day because she was sad to be away, it would be much worse. But super fun to carry out your screaming, kicking child out of preschool like I was kidnapping her.

Anyway, I decided today would be the perfect day to take the kids to get their pictures with the Easter Bunny so we could have a fun and different activity - and wear them the heck out. We bypassed the picture taking last year for some reason I can't remember (probably because I didn't have a brain a year ago), so the Mom in me really wanted to capture the memory. We were sad that Daddy couldn't go, but I was fearful of the weekend crowds so today seemed as good a day as any.

While we were waiting for the incredibly sloooowwwww "Easter Bunny Helper" to get set up (just what do you call them anyway? Easter Bunny Elves?"), the Bunny himself came over to the stroller to get acquainted with the twins. Now, they have never been within 100 yards of any large, furry, fake animal so I was a little nervous. To my surprise, they giggled. And kept giggling. It was precious.

And then I knew... I wasn't going to get my freak out Easter picture this year. I have this twisted little mind that secretely (or not so much) wants one of them -or both would be even better - to have a total meltdown so I can laugh about it for the next 20 years. It didn't happen with Santa 2011, so I had high hopes for Bunny 2012.

Yeah, not happening. Instead, we got this:

Which I am actually kind of in love with. They look pretty stinkin' adorable. It was fairly difficult to get them to both smile looking at the camera and at the same time, but in the end, this was the final product. I love that they are in matching outfits --- contrary to most of the pictures I post on here (the professional ones, etc), I don't often match or coordinate them. But I found these outfits through my obsession, Smocked Auctions, and LOVE them. And I only have 2 more months for jon jons for Ryan (per Matt's instructions), so that boy is wearing the heck of them this spring/summer.

I will cherish this photo for years. Until I get the freak out picture I am hoping for : )

Healing Quinn's Heart - Her Journey

So, ummm yeah - it's been quite awhile since I posted. Probably my longest bloggy break ever since I began this little novel. But oh my, it has been CRAZY around here. More to come on all of the insanity, as soon as I recover from the strep throat/double ear infection/sinus infection that I picked up somewhere along the way in all of the madness - super fun by the way. : )

However, I did want to share with y'all this article published in our local Katy Magazine. I was honored that their sweet editor asked me to write "Quinn's Story" to share a little bit about Congenital Heart Defects, and most importantly the power of prayer and faith during the darkest hours. Hope you enjoy! A HUGE thanks to Katy Magazine, Katrina, and the rest of the awesome staff who put together a beautiful issue. And much props to our wonderful photographer, Kendra Martin, who tooks these pictures of us back in December!

To view the pdf of the article, click on the link below and then scroll down to the 2nd to last entry, "Healing Quinn's Heart".

http://www.katymagazine.com/current-issue/

Much love to you all and more to come soon if I can get my act together around here!



Peace Out, TCH - At least for 6 months...

Today was Quinn's follow up cardiology appointment and our first meeting with our new cardiologist. All week, it has been in the back of my mind --- and although I really felt like she was doing well, these heart babies can be tricky and many times, you can't tell if they are starting to have problems. This morning I was my typical bundle of nerves and spent a good part of it in prayer. You just never know...

Well, it could not have gone better.

It was the full-scale work up, EKG, chest xray, blood pressure, weight, echo, the whole kit and caboodle. And Quinn could have not have been better through it all. She handled EVERYTHING like a champ. Oh, and did I mention that our new cardiologist (still affiliated with TCH) has an office only 20 minutes from our house with FREE PARKING AND NO MED CENTER TRAFFIC? Can I get an amen???

Anyway, here's the scoop - pulse ox levels are still great in the 98-100s. Perfect.

Her echo is what they would expect to see with someone with Q's condition and particular defect. Her right ventricle, which was quite "stiff" as they call it following surgery, is now pumping much better and is "happier". Her Pulmonary Valve is still bad and will require intervention at some point. However, Dr. R predicts it could be mid-to-late teenage years before we need to do anything, although it's not a perfect science. And by then, who know what technology will be? It could be an outpatient catheter procedure vs another open heart surgery.

Another two areas they will keep an eye on is the narrowing of her pulmonary artery and her aorta (left side). Right now they are functioning well for her size but they will have to keep an eye on them to see if they grow and widen as she does. If they don't (and there's a good chance they won't), then those will require intervention through catheter where they go in and place a stent to open up those vessels. Again, it's a watch and wait thing. But to hear that can be corrected via catheter is music to my ears. And she doesn't expect that anything needs to be done anytime soon for those areas.

We LOVE, LOVE, LOVE our new cardiologist - she is incredibly down to earth, wants to be called by her first name, old enough to be "seasoned" but young enough to be on top of new developments. Not part of the old school for sure. And she was as excellent with Quinn as she was with me, explaining things to me in ways I could actually comprehend and visualize. Always key.

Blessed, blessed, blessed beyond measure. We are acutely aware that there are so many other children who do not have such fortunate outcomes. And yes, we have walked through the fires too, but to be able to come out on the other end, with such positive results and a great prognosis for Q's life, well, it just doesn't get any better than that. And I can't think of a better way to start our weekend.

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And I'm also going to combine my "Product of the Week" post with this one because these books literally kept Quinn entertained the entire 3 hours appointment. I am OBSESSED with these Priddy board books. They have larger ones (First 100 Words, First 100 Animals) that the kids love. But they also have these smaller ones that are great for travel. Whenever we go to these appointments, I always bring my own toys, because well, yuck on nasty doctor's office toys. Quinn and I had a ball reading these today. She shocks me with how much she picks up everytime we go through them. Highly recommend!!! This group below actually comes in a 4 pack for about $15.00. So worth it.

Y'all have a great Friday! We're off to date night!

Pit & Peak

I'm sort of ashamed to admit this - but perhaps on accident (purpose?), I stumbled (searched?) for something brainless on TV the other day. What's more brainless than "Kim and Kourtney take New York"? I settled only because Bravo was doing a marathon on "Tabitha's Salon Takeover" and even I can't stoop to that level. I was really praying for a "Real Housewives of Somewhere/Anywhere" episode. That sounds kinda wrong to pray for that. Anywho...

However, my point: I suppose it was the part where they were wrapping up their "highs" and "lows" to their time in NYC, except they called them "Pits and Peaks". It's kinda stuck with me. At our staff meetings for work, we always briefly run through our "Bests and Worsts" to get everyone updated. So I was familiar with the concept --- it's a nice way to break the ice, catch up, and also do a bit of reflecting.

I decided that I am going to ATTEMPT to do weekly "Pits and Peaks" here on the blog - and I'd love to hear (read!) yours as well! My prayer is that each week I have many more peaks than pits, but I won't bore you to death with my laundry list. Or I'll try not to. And I say attempt because things are getting a little crazy around here, as you'll see from evidence below. So we'll see how it goes!

I'm going to start with my "Pits" first because I always want to end with the positives! (Side note: "start with the pits" doesn't sounds like a very nice phrase...hmmmm)

The Pits:

I was hesitant to even blog about this because honestly I felt for awhile it wasn't even my story to share. But as I've had some reflection time, it would be remiss of me not to share this. A little over two weeks ago, my family and I lost a very, very dear friend. Like family-close friend. Like my soul-sister Amy's Mom, whom I felt powerfully connected to on so many levels. She also happened to be a dear friend of my mom's for years and years, and was my mom's boss for over 12 years. To say they were close would be an understatment. She walked a many a journey with my mom, both the good and bad, as did my mom with her. And oh my, how I loved this woman --- I loved her humor, her candidness, her spirit, her immense joy, generosity of spirit and time, and her deepest love for her family. She would go to the ends of the Earth for her husband, two amazing daughters, and three grandchildren.

Her death came as a complete shock to us all. She suffered what they think was a grand mal seizure while having lunch one day, was given CPR for 50 minutes and shocked 14 times. And she CAME BACK. She was put on a ventilator but as she started to come out of the coma, she was able to spend 3 precious days interacting with her family with all of her Lynda-mannerisms and she was STILL there. Unfortunately, complications arose and ultimately she went to be with our Lord and Savior.

I cried my eyes out for nights and couldn't sleep for days. Last weekend, I had the wonderful opportunity to celebrate her life (which really is a peak), and let me tell you, God was all over that service and the family. Their strength, courage, and grace they have exhibited through all has been a testimony of "Life with Christ" (stealing that from my dear friend's eulogy, because that's how Lynda lived). She lived every day with Christ in her heart, and she radiated that. And we know while we all grieve during these difficult times, that she is up there in Heaven having a party and reuniting with my Dad (who loved her and she loved him in return). The neatest part? Their plots are literally almost next door to each other in this massive cemetery - like 25 feet away. I love that and feel the comfort knowing that our families will always have that connection. Anyway, while it was definitely the "Pits" - there were huge "Peaks" that God allowed to shine through as he always does. Rest in peace, Miss Lynda and give my daddy a big hug from me.

Ok, onto the Peaks:

1. Ryan and Quinn got into our first choice Mother's Day Out (Preschool) for next fall!!! I just never realized how crazy and insane it would be. We are thrilled with the school they will be attending, as it is one that we can see them going all the way through until Kindergarten (oh, my, that word gives me shivers!). Anyway, they had to go in a lottery and thank goodness since there were 2 of them, if one was selected, the other was automatically in. Amen for twins! Anyway, they will go twice a week next fall, Monday/Wednesday. I would have preferred Tues/Thursday but beggars can't be choosers and we are on the wait list for that session now.

2. We put down earnest money on a new house this weekend ---aghhhhhh!!! I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE everything about the new house. And it's our 10-15-20 year house, once we are there, we don't plan on moving for a long time. Anyway, this week/weekend has been crazy, doing paperwork, submitting applications, meeting with realtors to sell our current house, and de-clutterville. So much to do. But I just try to keep reminding myself that it will be a few months of hell and then it will be settled and done. It was going to happen at some point, so it might as well be now. Here we go! Keep ya posted - but we are probably a good 5-6 months to even being close to settled in the new place. Thank goodness for contingency in this economical environment. And pooh on the people who bought too much house (and the people that lent them $) years ago that make the process incredibly difficult these days - ok, off the box.

3. R&Q continue to love MDO. Quinn is thriving amongst the big boys and Ryan is just loving all of the attention. Wednesdays have now become the hard days in our house because they lapped up all of the loving and attention from the teachers on Tuesday. Mommy is not nearly as exciting. I just crack up because apparently they are big rule followers and actually listen to directions --- my children??? : )

So many more peaks - but those are the highlights. What is your peak and pit this week? Would love to hear!!!!

In Him,