Celebrating Charlotte

Once the Lemonade Stand was closed for business, we enjoyed some dinner with the Ellis family followed by a good nights sleep for all in preparation for the official 5th birthday of our special girl. She crawled into our bed as the sun came up, we gave her a good snuggle & wished her a happy birthday.  What a great start to the day. 

Breakfast was served, pancakes & sausage balls...a go to for every celebration or just when it sounds good, which is often ; ) Char is always up for pancakes though so she was a happy girlie pie!

Ginger, her dog enjoyed breakfast too very quietly next to the table. This is her new stuffed pup that she purchased a $14 collar for & received all sorts of doggie accessories from GGran the day prior. Ginger liked his bowl & new snazzy rhinestone shirt. Eloise has a stuffed pup named Shadow that is also just as easy to care for. I'm really beginning to like these dogs a lot...they sure are easy to take care of!

After breakfast, Charlotte had a few gifts to open including Monopoly Jr. from Uncle Scott (woohoo, I love that game) & a baseball bat, ball & football from Uncle Kyle. She is surprisingly coordinated with the bat & within three days was devastated that Bella ate her ball. Again, I'm really leaning toward buying out all the breeds of Melissa & Doug stuffed dogs one of these days ; ) Paw Paw was a happy recipient of multiple shots during his visit....see below. 

Next up, our favorite gift that we have been SO excited about surprising Charlotte with. Uncle Scott was outside with the camera while Char got dressed. Anson, as you can see was more interested in photo bombing.

Charlotte's reaction was so Charlotte.  She got this grin across her face & was reserved as she frequently is. I think back to the home video of my fourth birthday when I snottily proclaimed "Hmm, I got my bike!" We were delighted to see such a sweet response from this girl : )

She was so content just sitting on her new bike on the front porch that we had to ask her if she would like to try it out on the sidewalk. Again, so cute. Eloise was excited for her & stayed as close as possible during the first ride.  She did get her feelings hurt when we asked her to back off a bit so she didn't get run over. Her pouting turned to smiles again when Paw Paw sweet talked her off of the neighbors grass.

Gaga, the uncles & the baby boas were out front watching. Here is a great picture displaying the massive trees over our new nest. They provide amazing shade compared to those two palm trees we had in Orlando.

Uncle Scott with the O-Meister riding up top & Uncle Kyle walking along with Handsome Anson.

The rest of the day was SO low key & perfect for relaxing. We played with lots of new toys & games, had dinner at home then enjoyed our first official bike/scooter/wagon ride/walk down to the bridge over the creek. LOVELY DAY! My Dad & brothers left by lunch time but my mom stayed to help for a few more days since Robby was still in recovery mode from his appendectomy. Before they left, we got a picture of the girls with my favorite baby boas ; )

Just three years ago....

Oh & I had to squeeze in for one too. Love these handsome men I call my little bros!

and...back to the birthday girl!

Dear Charlotte, 

As your Daddy & I shopped for your birthday gift we looked at two different size bikes. I was certain we needed the smaller one because surely our little Charlotte Grace was not tall enough to ride the bigger one. Daddy was right though & my heart felt a little heavy when I watched you climb on & ride down the sidewalk without hesitation. When did your legs get so long? When did you get so coordinated? Weren't you just snuggled on my chest yesterday at 8 pounds 4 ounces? 

We celebrated your 5th birthday just a couple weeks after moving into our new house in Texas. You have taken this crazy transition in stride & have impressed us with your excitement for change. You have grown up so very much this past year & we just laugh after you go to bed a night when your Daddy & I give each other the play by play of all the conversations we shared with you throughout the day. We love talking through all that you are experiencing in life & answering your many questions. We also have a giggle remembering the hilarious comments you make....you are quite the funny girl my darling. 

You are a simple girl right now, desiring to dress comfortably & never making a fuss over your hair unless I am trying to fix it any way other than down & straight as a stick. You LOVE Eloise, Owen & Anson so very much & care for them in the sweetest way. You talk a lot & laugh even more. You have great ideas of fun things for us to do during the day like have tea parties & play "tag your it" for hours on end. You are a collector of "treasures" that may seem meaningless to others but you find them to be very special. You have grasped the idea that God loves you more than Mommy & Daddy do & that there is nothing you can do that would take that love away. We hope you always remember that.

Although my heart felt heavy as I watched you with those long legs riding your first bike down the street, I felt deep joy as well.  We could not be more thankful for what God has given us in you my dear.  I look back at the five years of our many hours of playing together, snuggling together & sometimes even crying together as I adjusted to being a mommy not only to you but to your sister & brothers & am reminded of why we named you Charlotte Grace. You have been & will always be our undeserved gift that God is using to remind us of his faithfulness & to make us more like himself as we figure out how to be your parents. You are a delight Charlotte. We have loved your for a long time & will love you for even longer. Happy 5th Birthday sweet girl!

Love, 

Mommy & Daddy

Charlotte & her Lemonade Stand

Sweet Charlotte Grace celebrated turning the big FIVE on July 13th. For weeks on end she had been requesting to have a lemonade stand outside Grammy & Papa's house where we had set up camp for the first two months of our time in Texas.  I attempted to explain that lemonade stands are not quite as fun when no one buys your lemonade. I'm not sure it was ever really understood BUT she ceased with the asking when I mentioned having a lemonade stand at her birthday party. 

She was then quite excited & asked often about how things would work with the selling & our brains were working hard figuring out how to get our family moved to the new house, work two full time jobs, build a lemonade stand & make the birthday girl feel special. Cue ruptured appendix & emergency surgery just two days after moving in.....oh my! Thankfully with the help of friends & family, we were able to get fully moved, mostly unpacked & prepared for the party which happened to be exactly one week post discharge from the hospital. We considered postponing but decided to just go with the flow since that is our style & we were glad we did. I made the invite just one day before the attack of the appendix started.....

On the day prior to move in day, our friend Brad delivered Robby's safe that he had been storing for him & left us a pallet. I've always wanted one of those to tackle one of the thousand pins I have on Pinterest ; ) A lemonade stand seemed to be the perfect first project. I must give credit where credit is due though & say Robby made it workable, I made it cute. He abided by the rule of not lifting anything over 10 pounds... nobody ever said "don't swing a hammer!"  He just busted off 3 slats across, made a table top with two of those & added legs. It was beyond adorable & Charlotte just lit up when she saw the completed stand...

Charlotte went out into the backyard, walked across to the paved area & said "I think I would like to set up my lemonade stand here, this is the perfect place for it." She made the lemonade with the help of Uncle Scott & Crystal (Light that is). She taped on all the scalloped pieces of the banners inside & out. She asked me at least a thousand times "How much does it cost again?" & no matter how many times I said "25 cents" she said "25 dollars." Haha! We just love that girl.

My whole family came up from Houston & her uncles were happy to be photographed with the birthday girl along with me, the mother who can't believe that precious first baby is now FIVE years old!

and one more with the beloved GGran...

We had a sign inside directing those to the stand. It was a recent purchase & housewarming gift from my mom purchased at Home Goods, my new fave store that fortunately or unfortunately (depending on how you look at it)  is right down the street. I used chalk paint pens on it & today after attempting to wash it off, I gave up & added a new coat of chalkboard paint so it would not forever say...

SO many of our family & friends came making it so special for the birthday girl. After some playtime & visiting inside, it was announced that the Lemonade Stand was open for business & that Uncle Kyle had a jar of quarters since we were not equipped to take credit cards ; )

I'm pretty sure Uncle Mike was the first customer who may have slipped in more than a quarter in the jar. Seriously, that girl made some birthday cash! I think I may set it up one afternoon during naptime & fund a pedicure for myself! Anyway, back to the party. Charlotte was very serious about selling, meticulous with pouring & cute as a bug! She actually never spilled a drop. I was shocked & so proud of her mad lemonade skills!

Levi was there which made me (& Charlotte) smile since we love that family so much. He is the oldest son of my dear friend Jocelyn who is actually celebrating his 5th birthday today! He was a serious buyer being direct with his order but politely thanking the birthday girl.

Just four years ago, they looked like this....

Where has the time gone? Just kidding, I'm pretty sure I know it has gone to multiple pregnancies & babies for both Jocelyn & myself making those two seem SO old compared to younger siblings ; )

Cutie Patootie Eloise had more than a few cups of pink "yemonade" from "Chah's Yemen stand." I love how she talks & how she is in Lolo land sipping her pink drink.  For as much as this girl is sweet on her Gaga & Grammy, she enjoyed snuggling up on her Paw Paw for a bit.

Char was cracking me up with people who paid with a one dollar bill & were getting two cups which meant she was actually making a profit BUT if they weren't paying with individual quarters, she was questioning if they were paying at all.  Money is in our new math curriculum we will begin in August so that portion of the Lemonade business will make a whole lot more sense by next summer. What we do know at this point....Charlotte will not be one to get ripped off.

The Clark Crew minus their big bro Corbin were there to keep Charlotte in business. Kenzie, Karlee & Camden stayed close by, drank their fair share of lemonade & Cam even tried to take over the business for a bit. Charlotte & Camden really hit it off in the playing department & have had a wonderful time together so maybe there is a business partnership in the Lemonade world down the road for these two. We are living pretty close to one another....they can take over the neighborhood! 

At one point when someone came to order Charlotte looked at me & said "I have to take a break & drink some of this lemonade! This is hard work!" She lasted a good 45 minutes "working" before taking a break, a swig or two & heading inside for the celebration to continue. 

I was happy to sneak in a picture with Jocelyn (pregnant with another baby boy due in October) & Brooke, the mama to all those blondies that kept the stand in business. I have known both of them for about 12-13 years & had missed them very much while we were away. I wish we could have snagged Renata & Halie for this one but they were both busy chasing around their little ones.  I love these women & am thankful to have good friends to jump back into life with here in the Lone Star State. All four lovely ladies have husbands that my husband thoroughly enjoys spending time with which makes our friendships even sweeter.

Once back inside, the kids kept playing & adults kept chatting while we were getting ready for cupcakes. Toys everywhere & lots of noise= fun right?

Cupcake time came next. We came across some adorable paper cupcake holders that were striped & polka dotted...also at Home Goods. We snatched those up & I let my mom, Eloise & Grandma do the duties of mixing up the batter, backing & icing them. That's why they look so cute. I just put the lemon slices on top.

Charlotte has come a LONG way in a year. Last birthday we had our family, Steve, Jenny & the kids plus my brother celebrating with a birthday breakfast- 8 people total. We began singing "Happy Birthday" & she burst into tears, poor little dear. This year, I asked her how she felt about letting everyone sing to her & she quickly obliged. She endured 45+ people singing loudly & clapping for her as she blew out five candles. We were a little shocked & very excited to see her enjoying herself.

Grammy & Papa swapped out with Gaga & Paw Paw on twin duty. O & A were happy to be coloring & showing off their new walking skills for all those in attendance.

Robby got to catch up with his buddy Eric who belongs to Halie. I think Mr. Valentine was looking pretty good post move, post appendectomy & post swinging a hammer!

Charlotte's birthday weekend happened to fall during a visit GG, Robby's grandmother from Michigan had already planned. It was really special to have the kids' grandparents & Great Grandma's all in the same place! We snapped a picture with GG, Aunt Anne & Caroline who was our flower girl nearly ten years ago. Again...another reminder of how quickly time is passing. Aunt Edna was there too but must have snuck out of that picture somehow. We always enjoy visiting with her too!

Since we were near the front porch, I thought we should get a lovely family picture of us outside our new place. It was the best we could do...as usual. 

Outback, the Loftin clan was hanging by the Lemonade Stand & wagon rides were in full gear thanks to Aubrey who was getting her work out hauling those boys & girl across the yard.

and the rides got progressively more fun....and more hilarious. I need to post a video : ) 

Uncle Kyle wasn't the only one giving rides...

Those busy little baby boas walked all over & fell all over the rocks before settling into laps of those Texans who have been awaiting snuggles for a long time.

Owen chose GGran which was not surprising. The boys pick her often. I remember enjoying snuggles in her lap too, probably even past the age of normal lap snuggles but hey, I was of small stature, she smelled good & she wore a wedding band on her necklace that I liked to put my finger in : ) We are thankful to be within quick driving distance of a Great Grandma that our family can enjoy time with often. The birthday girl received many gifts that we are still in the process of writing thank you notes for but the one that might have been the biggest hit was from GGran. Long story short, Charlotte has a stuffed dog named Ginger that she treats better than she treats Bella. GGran got Ginger a leash, a bed, three shirts & a dog bowl. These items have provided HOURS of entertainment (and laughter for us). I do love anything that encourages pretend play & I love that the girls are obsessed with fake dogs & not asking for a new puppy. GGran wasn't the only one getting attention on the back porch....Uncle Joe got a big hug from the almost five year old before they left.

Uncle Joe brought his very own "mini-me," his son Keaton. I mentioned in a blog around Christmas time that through some incredible circumstances the Lord reconciled relationships between Joe & his children Emma & Keaton. We had not seem them in years & are so thankful to have them back in our life. More than that, we are rejoicing that Emma & Keaton are experiencing life with a father who never stopped loving them while they were separated & is enjoying life in full gear as a parent of two college students. Keaton jumped right into playing with a 3 & 5 year old. At one point I heard Eloise say "Do you want to run in circles?" to which he responded "you want me to run in circles? Absolutely! Let's go!" as he chased them in a fairly small circle compared to the size of the backyard & his 6 ft 4in stature.. I think I might need to hire him for playtime once an afternoon ; ) Since then the girls have asked "Can that big, tall boy come play with us again?" Haha!

Eloise requested that her picture be taken with Gaga & Paw Paw. I love when they get to the age where they ask to have their picture taken & actually smile on command ; )

Uncle Mike brought Charlotte something that shoots...as usual. These toys are always entertaining. This time, it was a little rocket like thing with a parachute that apparently lights up in the night sky but there was some malfunctioning & much laughter as they attempted to shoot it off. There was even more laughter when a game of "Jail Break" ensued. Uncle Mike is the favorite warden & Charlotte & Eloise go crazy running about & squealing. In the process of ringing the "escape bell" ie the wind chime that Robby re- constructed for us sometime last year, he broke a piece off of it. I think it might have been captured on video. It was pretty hilarious & the game continued until the last moments of being outside.

What a full day of celebrating it was on the eve of her birthday. We ended the night with some Pappasito's fajitas at the house & a sleepover with my parents & brothers. I call it a sleepover but everyone slept in their own beds/couches. I fell asleep easily that night with a full heart & a smile on my face.

One last picture of our sweet Char & her stand.

As sweet as it was to celebrate her birthday here in Texas, we were reminded of the many celebrations we shared with our Florida family. God provided abundantly in every way for us during our time in Orlando but especially in the area of friends to share life with.  As happy as I felt celebrating that day, I was often thinking about the families we have always shared those special days with. Those were families that made Florida feel like home to us, families that loved our children & families that will be dear to us for years to come. We are thankful for the many seasons of life, how God provides different people to walk with us & still can't believe we are right smack in the middle of that parenting young children season! What a joy it is to be mommy & daddy to Charlotte as she begins Kindergarten next month, grows in her understanding of God & the world around her & makes us laugh when she tells us that after five she will be six, then seven, then eight, then nine, then ten & that ten is really old.

 If I had a cup full of Charlee's Pink Lemonade in my hand at this moment, I would raise it in a toast to many years of sweet celebrations of this even sweeter little lady! I think I have said "sweet" about 100 times...it's appropriate since it is the number one word that comes to my mind when I think of Charlotte Grace. 

The attack of the appendix

Let's rewind a bit to the weekend of June 29th.  We made the move from the Valentine's house into our own little nest up north of the city. It was an all day Saturday event, a bit of relaxing/recovering on Sunday morning before Robby & I headed up to the new house sans kids so we could do some super speedy unpacking. The move itself went very well as did the unpacking thanks to generous friends & family that came to the rescue to help with the Fab Four or the actual physical work of moving.  We enjoyed dinner out both Saturday & Sunday evening at a nearby mexican restaurant leaving with ample amount of leftovers. I took off for work early Monday morning & enjoyed my quick 15 minute commute with no traffic.

Here is a little timeline summary of the "attack of the appendix"...

Monday morning- Robby installed our washer & dryer & while in the process got a nice zap of electricity. He also cut his head on a nail. Neither of which are related to the appendix but just contributed to a painful day for my hardworking hubby.

Monday lunchtime- Robby ate leftover Tex-Mex at our house in Richardson before heading back down south to the Valentine's.

Monday afternoon- upon arrival at his parents house he felt nauseated & began vomiting. Later that afternoon I texted him three questions in a row to which he replied "Stop throwing up" which I took to mean I was verbally vomiting too many annoying questions.  After I replied, a few minutes he wrote back "no, really, I'm throwing up." He told me about those leftovers & said to trash them because they made him sick so of course I did. I worried about him all evening but went to bed after some serious unpacking & got up to head to work again the following morning.

Monday all night long- he had horrible stomach cramps that kept him awake most of the night.

Tuesday morning- he continued with the cramping & had a fever.

Tuesday afternoon-fever broke & cramping stopped. His lower abdomen was sore on both sides which he thought was from all the vomiting.

Tuesday night- he felt the best he had felt in the previous 24 hours & ate a half a turkey sandwich & went to bed. He was at his parents & I was still in Richardson ready to work my last shift of three in a row. I felt much better after talking to him at 10pm & hearing that he was better.

Wednesday morning 4:50am- I woke up out of a dead sleep to a phone call from Jeannine saying that Robby woke up with a fever, uncontrollable shaking & horrible pain in his lower right abdomen. She said Bob was going to take him to the ER & which one should they go to. I think I was still half asleep, well I know I was half asleep because when I got to the hospital I realized I had put on the pair of jeans that had a huge hole next to the back pocket.....real nice. We met at Baylor downtown since it was kind of a halfway point between where we were both coming from.

5:30am- He was already in a bed in the ER when I got there. He got some lovely pain & nausea medication which really improved the way he felt.  They ordered labs & a CT scan but when his liver enzymes came back elevated they cancelled the CT & ordered a sono instead to check for gall stones. They found gall stones but they were so small they should not be causing any trouble so a CT was re-ordered.

9am- CT scan performed & nurse said the results could take up to three hours to receive so we got cozy & were drifting off to dreamland.

9:35am- a resident walked into the room & said, "well, we took a look at your scan, your appendix has ruptured & we need to operate." He was quickly consented & in no time at all we were being wheeled up to pre-op.

11-12:30- he was in surgery & I was in the waiting room looking around & listening to all the hoards of people waiting to hear news about their loved ones. What a reminder of the broken state we live in! Our bodies are failing & people are hurting. I visited with a woman who received some difficult news about her mother & I just sat & processed & prayed for Robby & for the others I could see looked troubled.

12:15- the attending physician came out to fill me in on details.  His appendix had definitely ruptured & was quite infected. He said the surgery went well & they were able to do it all laparoscopically which is what the hope was.  He mentioned he would be very sore since there was a lot of manipulation to clean out the abdominal cavity. Ouch!

12:45- I got to peek at him really quick & give him a kiss just as he rolled into the PACU then gave him about an hour before returning. During this time my sweet & thoughtful Aunt Sheila stopped by the waiting room with a soda. It was nice to see someone familiar & to get a big hug & reminder that everything would be alright.

4:00- We finally made it up to our room & settled in. I ran home (to the Valentine's) to see the kiddos since I had not seen them since Sunday. I ate a quick dinner, bathed all four, got the boys to bed & kissed the girlies before heading back with an overnight bag. We were sooooo thankful that the kids were well cared for & comfortable at Grammy & Papa's house!

Evening: We had a surprise visitor in a lab coat, my Uncle Mike who was on staff at Baylor for a number of years but is now over at my old stompin' grounds, Parkland.  He was on his way home but decided to take a detour to The Stack House to pick up a milkshake for Robby. Thankfully he was still on a clear liquid diet & I was forced to consume every ounce ; ) It was fun to visit with Uncle Mike & experience a little laughter after such an intense day.

Nighttime & Day 1- these were the most difficult hours for Robby as he dealt with post op pain & his intestines attempting to work again. He was so tough & was quick to attempt standing that evening followed by laps around the unit the next morning even though he was hurting.  He made it to the shower for the first time that afternoon & felt quite refreshed. He was not hungry at all but managed to choke down some crackers & eventually some fruit. My mom drove up from Houston & arrived at the Valentine's around lunch. Her plan was to stay with us as long as we needed to get Robby back to feeling better. That afternoon, I talked to my friend & new neighbor Kate who was just the kindest friend ever & met the owners of our new home to get a key so she could come into the wild master bedroom with boxes & suitcases everywhere. She packed some fresh clothes & toiletries, grabbed my laptop & even picked up dinner for me & she delivered them right to our floor!  Long story short, Kate is the older sister of one of my closest friends from college, Jocelyn. Kate was the person who got us connected with the family who was moving out of the house we are now renting. Her husband was actually a resident (patient) for two weeks on the same floor we were staying on back in March when he had some major surgery. She was so thoughtful & packed an extra days worth of clothing even though I said we would be discharged the following day. After all their hospital stays she, better than me knew how exhausting it could be & that it could be extended on short notice ; )

Day 2- July 4th- We thought we might be going home but after visiting with a surgeon in the afternoon, we were informed that they wanted his WBC count to be a tad lower before discharge so we settled back in for another 24 hours. Throughout our time there, specifically on the 4th, we dealt with some nursing care issues & requested to be transferred to another unit. It is wonderful & challenging to be the wife of a patient AND a nurse. My expectations are realistic as I understand the busyness of caring for multiple patients but on more than a few occasions, I was truly disappointed with the care we were receiving & did not feel bad at all about requesting a transfer. Late that afternoon, Bob & Jeannine stopped by on their way home from (with my mom) moving all the kids plus some cribs, a bed for Eloise & various other odds & ends to the house without us there. Once they arrived, I ran home (to the new house) to say hi to those babies I was desperately missing. I felt at ease going back to the hospital that evening knowing my mom had things more than under control. While I was away, the transporter came to move Robby to a new unit. While in the process of moving, he & his parents ended up being stuck on an elevator for 10 minutes! The story goes that the Valentine's (all three) stayed cool, calm & collected while the transporters completely panicked saying "Oh no! Have you ever been stuck on an elevator before?" & "Oh no! We are on the 13th floor!" When they were "rescued" they had to push the bed off about an 8 inch drop to the next floor...youch for Rob! Apparently it got pretty toasty & all were excited to be rescued. I think I picked a great moment to run home ; )

Day 2- afternoon/evening- To put it plainly, the new unit felt like the Ritz compared to where we were before & the staff was on top of things. He was feeling much better too, trying more foods & walking around the unit often.  I was thankful that Kate had brought that second set of clothes for me & I put on some fresh comfy clothes & settled into my chair while we watched the Fair Park fireworks from our 6th floor window. They drew his blood before we fell asleep for a longer than usual stretch of sleep & we were hopeful that his WBC count would come back normal.

Day 3- We had the sweetest nurse Saturday morning that came in proclaiming the fabulous news that his WBC count was normal & we would be discharged home around lunch time! That was exciting news! We ate some breakfast, enjoyed a couple hours of peace & quiet before entering back into the crazy house. Around 11:45, we were headed home in the big red truck whose suspension is not fit for a post op patient. He was a good sport though & we dropped off prescriptions while we were en route to the new casa.

We arrived home to peace & quiet since my mom had taken the kids over to Grandma Shirley's house. It was actually perfect to get Rob settled into a chair where he could be a bit more protected versus being bombarded at the front door.  The girls were PRECIOUS when they came into see him. They were very cautious & soft spoken as they came into give him a hug.  Charlotte was given the task of cutting off his hospital band since she is most accurate with her cutting skills. She quickly ran to her table to make him a new bracelet out of paper to replace the one she removed. Eloise was interested in helping take Daddy anything & everything that he might need. The boys were excited to see both of us & didn't know anything was going on.  I think I went to the store this afternoon to stock up on some comfy pillows so the recovering patient could be a bit more propped up in bed. It was kinda funny but a bit annoying that we didn't have ANY living room furniture since we got rid of it in Orlando before moving. We had looked at & decided upon a couch prior to the attack of the appendix & had planned to order it early in the week so it would be in the living room by the time the whole family was staying there. Plans change though & I made a quick trip to the furniture store Saturday evening, ordered the couch, ottoman & mattress for the guest room & was jumping for joy when it arrived the following Monday. Robby was excited to relocate to a new resting spot in the house & the kids were excited to see him more often throughout the day.

The first 4-5 days at home Robby was moving at a fairly slow pace not only when walking but also in the food consumption category. We were laughing as he shared with us that he felt that his brain had been rebooted in the process of being put under general anesthesia & he thought the blandest of foods tasted & smelled like something he had never experienced. He slowly began to eat more & get up out of the bed or chair more quickly. His GI system began to feel a little more normal over the course of those first days at home. He is limited though & is not supposed to be lifting anything over 10-15 pounds for four weeks. That is a challenging recommendation for a man with four small children!

Fast forward to present day, a week + five days post surgery, he is still fairly sore & did not enjoy a kick in the gut last night from a child who snuck into our bed. He is eating a normal amount, has completed his antibiotics, has remained fever free & is now setting up his office. My mom stayed until this afternoon & offered SO much help as we took care of our recovering hubby & father, made it through the rest of the boxes, got things put away & hung up on walls then hosted a birthday party for Charlotte over the weekend. We are beat & no longer running off adrenaline but are so very thankful to be in our own space feeling more settled with each passing day.

A few things in conclusion:

• We have felt so well cared for by friends & family with all sorts of texts, visitors & helpers. 
• All of those who had said "Let us know how we can help!" I bit the bullet & said that it would be wonderful to have some meals provided. Within 30 minutes, there were 10 dinners covered over the course of two weeks! The first one was brought by a family in the neighborhood who had heard from Kate about our wild week & offered to bless us with her skills in the kitchen. Having dinners covered is AMAZINGLY helpful when we have four people that weigh over 10-15 pounds yet like to be most needy during the late afternoon/early evening hours ; ) 
• Charlotte & Eloise were most concerned that Daddy would never have any hair grow on his belly again after it had to be clipped for surgery. Haha!
• Bob & Jeannine have served & served & SERVED for the past two months but especially those days we were in the hospital. They basically packed up the rest of our junk at their house over the course of a week & brought it ALL to us. That was a big task. They made sure I could be with Robby as much as possible which meant the world to him while he felt so awful. They have never uttered one complaint about the struggle of taking care of our four while still keeping up with daily life. They are kinder than any in laws I could have hoped for & have helped to make this transition as smooth as possible. 
• I was reminded of the importance of my role as nurse. I am SO comfortable in a hospital setting, in fact, I am really energized by the busyness but when my husband is the patient & I am unsure of what all to expect, I am not so comfortable.  I was reminded of how important it is to take the time to emotionally connect with a patient & provide clear expectations of what will happen in their time with me. I was reminded of the importance of following through on a promise of returning to the room at a specific time & completing a certain task as previously stated. I was reminded of how much I love caring for people, especially my husband who I have never had the opportunity to really provide that much assistance in an illness. He lavished encouragement on me & thanked me often. He was so subdued & so sweet even when he was experiencing intense pain. 
• We were reminded of God's goodness to us in the timing of this seemingly untimely event. There has been a bit of uncertainty about what is next job-wise for Robby but at this time we still have excellent healthcare coverage & ample amount of hospitals to choose from in the DFW Metroplex. We were reminded of God's sovereignty in allowing this to happen once we were moved back to Texas instead of Florida which allowed twenty four hour a day care for our children so I could be by my husbands' side.  We were reminded of what it means to suffer with hope.                                                                                  

  "Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day."  

2 Corinthians 4:16 

What a way to kick off living back in the great state of Texas not to mention in our new house for less than 24 hours when the appendix first started acting up.  Also, here's to Tex Mex now we know it didn't actually cause food poisoning! Notice, this post is without photos. Does anyone who lives in the hospital for four days post any surgery other than having a baby want their picture taken? I'm guessing no. I was not even sick &  did not want to look in the mirror ; ) Thank you to those of you who have encouraged us along the way or joined us in prayer.  We appreciate your kindness towards us. 

Up coming posts: Celebrating a sweet girl on her 5th birthday & possibly a "New Nest" one too! 

Chirps from the tree- May, June & a bit of July

Warning...it's a long one but really, what do you expect when you combine two & a half months into one Chirps from the Tree post?

Outside the Nest...

Nests are transient things I guess. I'm not sure how many nests a bird builds in it's lifetime but we are on a roll with rebuilding these past two months & especially this week! We arrived at the Valentine's in early May & stayed put till last weekend when we made the move (of all our stuff) into our rental home in Richardson. Robby & I spent Sunday night there together followed by two nights alone between day shifts at the nearby hospital. I was woken up by an early morning phone call from Jeannine around 4:50am saying that Bob was taking Robby to the ER. Since then, our nest has been here at Baylor University Medical Center & the kids + my mom relocated to the new nest up in Richardson this afternoon. WHIRLWIND! Outside this "nest" it is beautiful, warm & perfect for a firework show for those out enjoying the festivities. As the sun has gone down while I blog away, we are surprised by the Fair Park Firework show we can see from our hospital window!  While we have been living in the Lone Star State we have experienced some beautiful 75 degree days in May that have warmed up to the low 90's in the recent weeks along with some massive downpours with dark skies....love those. 

I am thankful for...

so very much as we are pressing on through a challenging week. Just to name a few: medical care & health coverage, parents that have assumed full custody of our kids this week while I have been by Robby's side day & night, friends & family that are relentless in texting encouraging & laughable things to help us through the day, a new home that we can settle into, a job I am truly enjoying, a continued income for Robby with co-workers who love our family, Bob & Jeannine who have cared so well for our family in the past two months, friends from Florida who have kept up with us making our transition easier, friends here that have jumped right back into spending time with us like nothing has changed, kids that just go with the flow, the way God takes care of every need that we don't even know to ask of him, the peace He gives us when much feels out of control. 

I am thinking about...

all the events that occurred this week, how good God is & how tired we feel. Also thinking about how I can't wait to have some "normal" life ; ) I am in process creating a timeline summary of the "attack of the appendix" which will be posted in the near future.

In the schoolroom...

The schoolroom is in the process of being set up at the new casa. I love our front room which has lots of windows & a perfect little nook for our table & chairs with plenty of space for a new canvas print of an adorable world map complete with animals that reside on certain continents. I could not pass it up when out & about in June.  I finally selected & purchased a math, reading & handwriting curriculum for kindergarten. It was an arduous task but I am excited about what I settled on. I will elaborate more later but I landed on Saxon 1 for Math, All About Reading for you guessed it, reading & Handwriting Without Tears.  My friend & fellow homeschooling mama in Orlando pointed me towards the MOST amazing planner that happens to have a YouTube video featuring it. I watched it & went asap to get one for myself. I found the last one at the bookstore & took approximately four weeks & two sets of new pencils/erasers to finally get the courage to write in it. Once I got started there was no turning back. I made our skeleton schedule for the entire year & finished a good amount of lesson plans for the fall semester. It was SO fun & I look forward to my next planning block.  We will start the week of August 18th at home & then our first Classical Conversations day is the following Thursday. We decided to sign up for a CC location that is in Plano, just 10 minutes from our house which will be a nice change from the 35 minutes we drove in Orlando. Our hope is in being so close that we can actually get to know the families better & spend a bit of time together outside of our regular Thursday meetings. Charlotte is getting excited & asks often if she gets to go to school tomorrow but then immediately says "I don't want to go to a new school & make new friends." It was fun to remind her that this school is new to mommy too so we get to be brave together & make new friends together. Kindergarten here we come! 

From the kitchen...
Big Bob once again wowed us on a nightly basis with home cooked meals as I started back to work during the daylight hours.  We have eaten more home cooked meals in two months than we have eaten in the past year ; ) As mentioned in the Father's Day post, we have enjoyed Goulash many a night, Steak on a weekly basis much to the delight of our carnivorous children, homemade pizzas on pita bread, Aussie Chicken, Fajitas, you name it, he has cooked it! Jeannine got me hooked on one of her staple lunches with chunks of cucumber & mozzarella cheese, cherub tomatoes, blanched & baked slivered almonds topped with a homemade dressing. I am a PB&J kind of girl due to the usual lunch crew so adding something a bit more exciting & healthy makes me excited! I will say that it will be a rude awakening to be 100% in charge of meal planning & preparation as we settle into the new nest ; ) It will be yet another transition but I will be glad to get back in the swing of things.... that is once I'm in the swing of things. 

Mommy by day, nurse by night...
yet another section with lots of updates!

"Nurse by night" can be switched to "Nurse by day" since that is the shift I have been working since mid-May & I am bursting with excitement that I get to switch to night shift next week! A little back tracking here- We made the decision for me to apply for a full time position but instead of six twelve hour shifts every two weeks I get to do five, three one week & two the next however I would like to arrange them. Since it is considered full time, I am able to enjoy the full time benefits including healthcare, PTO (something I haven't seen in 5 years) & being on the "nursing ladder." I ended up interviewing only at Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Dallas for a job in Labor & Delivery, was offered a position on the spot & gladly accepted.  I started in mid May & enjoyed two weeks of hospital orientation & computer training. I use the word "enjoy" loosely ; ) Some of it was fun, some of it was necessary & I was glad when it was over & I could avoid going to work every day from 8-5. One really fun thing about these two weeks is that Robby & I carpooled since his office is only a few exits away from the hospital. It was about a one hour trip each way & we would laugh saying it was our "date." We loved having uninterrupted conversation while sitting in traffic & occasionally made a stop for some Chicken Biscuits from Chick-a-Lay as the girls say.

Once that two week orientation ended I started 12 hour day shifts on the unit paired with a combination of nurses to ease me into the way they do their jobs. It has been wonderful.  I have been super impressed with the nursing practice & interaction with patients I have observed. The women who have come alongside me over the course of five weeks have been so welcoming & encouraging as I struggle to figure out the computer charting system they use.....thorn in my side ; ) These women have been texting me the past three days while we are in the hospital to check on us & offer help in any way. I feel very cared for already by the staff. The patients have been a lovely mix of insured & uninsured, educated & not educated, multiple nationalities, high risk & low risk but all with a baby or two that needed to exit the premises.  It is frustrating to know I can take care of a patient well & so easily but then I struggle with the charting & knowing who is who & who prefers what in the physician category. I am definitely feeling more comfortable though & know I can ask questions any time I need to.  Both prior places of employment have been large enough that L&D Triage is a separate unit but here it is staffed by L&D. I have really enjoyed my days in there & look forward to having something to break up the monotony of laboring patients. I will also be circulating & recovering cesarean sections which is something I have been out of for the past 2-3 years.  It should be fun to break out all those cute scrub caps I sewed back in the day! All that to say, I am settling in well & will feel even better once I am back to the vampire shift ; )

As far as being Mommy by day, I am really missing the kids & looking forward to being away while they are asleep.  Working full time is not a long term solution for our family but for now it is offering the financial coverage we need plus benefits as Robby goes through some transition with his job. We are grateful that God has allowed for me to continue working once a week for the past five years so I was able to easily jump back into full time when the recent circumstances arose. It's not only a "job" for me, it is something I truly enjoy doing.

Thankfully Bob & Jeannine have been loving on our four while I have been away for day shifts. They are AMAZING & the kids have done well. Once settled into our new house & night shift routine, they plan to watch the kids for about two days per month & we will have someone else cover two full days a month & morning or afternoon naps here & there if Robby is unable to fill in as needed. 

I am creating...

my brain is on overdrive creating some new decor for the house including a magnetic chalkboard framed & on the wall in the school room, headboards for the girls twin beds & various other things. The first creative project that must be completed this week is a lemonade stand for a sweet girl's 5th birthday party next weekend.  We will see how the week goes but it is a MUST to knock that out! I have a couple pallets I am planning to rip apart & need to pick up some paint but I have a simple design in mind & a Gaga in town to help so I should be able to get it done. 

Clicking around...

I've been on Pinterest a bit this week while the hubby is recovering. Lots of pins for school planning : )

I caught up on the blog of Kevin & Lindsey Dennis & their journey through the loss of a daughter with anencephaly last year followed by baby girl number two who has been diagnosed with acrania & is due to be born later this year. I am heartbroken by their loss yet greatly encouraged by their hope in the Lord. Please take time to read & watch the video clips they have posted. They will leave you with much to ponder in light of a good & loving God.

I am reading...

not alotta although I did manage to make it through one entire book in the span of a week.  The Core, by Leigh A. Bortins who founded Classical Conversations was such a helpful book to read as we embark on our own road of classical education at home. Robby has read portions of it too & plans to finish it at some point.  It gave not only a broad overview of why educate in this way but went through each individual subject & explained how to facilitate learning in this manner. It left me feeling really excited & using my eraser a bit to change our lesson plans for the fall ; )

I am praying for...

My recovering husband & our kiddos as they adjust to a Daddy who is a little out of commission in the playing department for the next week or two.

That God would lead us to a body of believers near our home that we can partner in ministry with.

That we would develop friendships easily & quickly as we settle into a new neighborhood.

I am hearing...

Ellie Holcomb is my new found favorite artist with a few songs that settle my heart including: As Sure as the Sun Will Rise, Love Never Fails & Anchor of Hope. Her voice is just beautiful!

        

Around the house...

Oh my goodness, what a week to have an emergency appendectomy?! We were partway moved into our new home in Richardson when we made a beeline for the ER so the house is partway put together, missing all living room furniture & a bed for poor little Eloise. All in due time we will be settled. I will say, even in disarray, I prefer to be there with the Valentine Six than in the hospital! I will have to do another post on the house God provided for us to rent at just the right time. It is a great story & we are looking forward to life there!

Plans for the rest of the week...

Get Robby feeling good again, unpack some boxes & build a lemonade stand!

Life in Instagram:

Owen at 15 months

Mighty O is 15 months old & melts our hearts everyday with his little grins. He is an on the go kinda guy, very playful & doesn't mind a snuggle from mama or daddy but only for a minute before he remembers that he's got things to do & people to see ; )

 STATS:

20 pounds 4 ounces

29 3/4 inches

12-18 month clothing

Size 5 shoes

What the O-meister is up to at 15 months:

• our "light as a feather, stiff as a board" child is much easier to lug around since he supports his weight well while on a hip. He is one little muscle that is in great shape!
• has four teeth on bottom & two on top (exactly opposite from his brother) plus a molar or two that are coming in quick
• O took his first step on June 7th. We were at the Valentine's watching the horse races & while Frank Sinatra Jr. was singing "New York, New York" we glanced down & Owen had popped up on his feet & was walking all over the place synchronized with his partner in crime. He was so proud of himself....we were proud too!
• since he is now almost 16 months due to my slow posting style, the walking update is: he now prefers walking over crawling anytime & is quite steady even when changing direction. 
• follows simple directions like "Bring mommy your car or book" but decides to keep on keepin' on when you say "Owen, come here buddy!" 
• this guys LOVES to read books, carries them to you, crawls into your lap or onto another child already in said lap & will point at things on the pages making all sorts of sounds
• favorite book as of lately "Row, Row, Row your Boat" & "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" mainly because he can stick his finger in all the food the caterpillar nibbled a hole through
• he is a little more serious than Anson & sometimes gives us this look....

• can stack blocks & stick legos together
• keeps himself entertained often by pushing cars/trucks around on the tile
• does the hand motions for Twinkle Twinkle Little Star & The Itsy Bitsy Spider
• knows where his head, ears, nose & belly are
• can say- Mama, Dada, Cuh for cup, bah for bath, cah for car, duh for dog, baba for Bella (a time or two) & attempts to repeat sounds
• does the cutest "ruh ruh ruh" sound when you ask him what a dog says
• was the pickiest eater we have ever had until a switch flipped about a month ago & now he keeps up with brother but manages to stay slim & trim
• favorites at the table: red meat, black beans, cheese chunks, blueberries, potato chips, muffins, broccoli, lima beans, macaroni & cheese, pizza....oooooo we are eating so healthy these days ; ) 
• has caught onto the Jack Benny trick that Anson does & will copy making us all laugh
• daily this child climbs onto the back deck & lifts the lid of the bin just enough to slide his finger in. He then screams until you lift the lid so he can get it out & repeat. 

• loves to play outside in the sandbox & loves to pick flowers even more
• killed a snake in the backyard (on accident) by kneeling on it as it crawled across a stone near the deck...that was impressive Mighty O!
• is a great sleeper napping from about 9-10:30am, 1-3:30pm & overnight from about 6:30pm-7am
• has enjoyed watching the World Cup games with Daddy & frequently points at the TV & says "bah!bah!" when he sees the ball
• is a pro at climbing onto the girls craft table
• sweet boy is still sucking that middle finger backwards....disclaimer: all self soothing techniques were self taught at the Valentine Nest ; )

We like to say that Owen is wound up a bit tighter than his look alike baby boa.  He moves faster, he screams louder & fights to the end to get what he thinks belongs to him. As I previously mentioned in Anson's post, Owen gets chased down by the chubster but puts up a good fight. He too is capable of knocking down his brother & occasionally nibbling on a finger to show who's in charge  ; ) Jeannine put the boys down for a nap earlier this week but walked by & heard some giggling about 20 minutes later. She peeked in to find Owen laying on his back with his legs sticking through the bars while Anson was on his side reaching his arms through tickling Owen's feet! Haha! What a funny little pair they are.... 

The new kicks are holding up well since they rarely ever wear them. Barefoot in the summer time is the way to be....shoes are just slowin' these walkin' feet down! Wish I could find some like that for a certain 3 year old ; )

We love love love Owee-O & seeming him grow is such a delight. Remember that little grin I said is melting our hearts?  It looks a little something like this....