More Details

Well, I'm back in the hospital at 22 weeks pregnant. Our heads our swirling a bit. One minute we feel hopeful and at peace. The next, we fight worry and fear.

Medical facts

• I am at risk for my placenta tearing away which would be fatal to the baby at this point.

• I could bleed to much and need a transfusion or worse.

• I am on the edge of preterm labor, right now at bay with use of 2 meds.

• I will most likely have a emergency c-sec, high risk delivery and preemie baby.

• Docs say they cannot save the baby before 24 weeks.

• Of course, there is a whole new set of dangers and decisions that come with a pre-term/undeveloped baby.

• I will possibly leave the hospital tomorrow until I have another "incident" and most likely be back in 2 weeks for the rest of my pregnancy since at that point the baby is viable and needs to be at in quick proximity to medical help.
  

These are some of the worries, not to sound dooms day, but to just give you more of idea of what's going on. We also know that the outcome can be more positive than these risks. They are calling my condition a placental abruption with possible accreta. However, yesterday's ultrasound showed I have a good portion of my placenta intact and baby is not affected.

Practical Facts

• The kids are staying at my parents right now - 1 hour from us. We are so thankful for a secure place for them.
• We may need to make longer terms decisions about their schooling, activity involvement, keeping them near us, their friends, and their church...
  
• We are getting meals from our church family.
• Our church family is at our beck and call. Not to mention, co-workers, neighbors, and town friends.
  
• Andy is trying to stay on top of work, house, kid arrangements, me, putting down flooring and just emotional stress.
• We love visitors! Either at the hospital or home.

 I don't want to have a blog pity party or make things bigger than they are. But so many have asked for more details and I am giving them for prayer's sake. Thank you SO much for those prayers! We love you all!

Side Notes

I wish I had my camera here to share my lovely hospital habitat. Ha! Or at least my beautiful flowers.
I'm actually really busy here!

You know, blogging, reading Francine Rivers, working on photo books for 3 kiddos, transferring this blog into a hard copy book, phone calls, eating, soaking up the Word, visitors, watching HGTV, hanging out with my love, and of course be poked and prodded by nurses.

Don't feel sorry for me!

We'll be expecting a promo check in the mail

On the Eve of His Birth

Look at what I'm lounging under. Naphtali sent me a beautiful quilt and book (2 actually)! Thank you ma'm!

Staring at the ceiling today...
Well, not quite, but it's a quiet Christmas eve with the kids all up at Grandma and
Grandpa's. They are playing games with their aunts and uncle while we are recovering from another trip to the hospital. Without going into the gory details, I am doing fine and we were thankful to be sent home after only 8 hours. The answers are still not clear, but my speculation is that I just have a subchorionic hemorrhage and the ailments that go with it. Praying that is goes away and I can have a normal pregnancy.

Thinking on: "Who being the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when he had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high. When He bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, He saith, And let all the angels of God worship Him." Heb 1:3&6
How much His birth brought this world!
 

By the way, online Christmas shopping has taken on a whole new meaning.

Lots of brown paper packages on our front porch bringing little excitements to our days. Also, all those Christmas cards that the postman has been bringing. Our ultimate favorite is Josh and Brooke's - I'm still laughing!

Our family has been spoiled rotten lately. We are so blessed with how the Lord uses His own to cheer and care for us. People we didn't even know liked us have done such sweet things.

Today I'm listening to Sara Groves' Christmas album amidst a nail gun and saw. Dear husband in starting to lay new hardwood floors while I'm offering no help, unless you count questions and suggestions...or reprimandings him every time he says, "dang it".

Kitty, Patches, is driving me crazy. Apparently I'm a pathetic & helpless candidate for her to pounce on and scratch or eat my snacks. Sigh.

The kids and other family might show up later to beat the freezing roads. Then we will eat Shawna's pesto/mozzarella calzones & sherry tomato soup (These dear friends personally delivered 5 delicious freezer meals to us!) and after the kids will unwrap and model their Christmas pajamas.

Merry Christmas to you all! Our friends and family mean so much to us this Christmas!

Our Savior's presence becomes more real each year as we know Him more!

Emmanuel, God is with us.

10 Years

Dear Darling,

I remember our 5 year anniversary was you and me puking on the couch with the stomach flu.
Now married 10 years, we're on the couch again.
I'm no beauty queen in my sweats and bed head, but you are here at my side.
For better or worse, in sickness and in health,  I know I will be your love and you mine.
Happy Anniversary! 

Loving you more and more,
Me

p.s. we'll celebrate later!

photo by Bekah Stephenson

Our Wedding Passage:

A Hymn of Faith
Though the fig tree may not blossom,
Nor fruit be on the vines;
Though the labor of the olive may fail, 
And the fields yield no food;
Though the flock may be cut off from fold,
And there be no herd in the stalls
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord,
I will joy in the God of my salvation.
The Lord God is my strength;
He will make my feet like deer's feet.
And He will make me walk on my high hills.

To triage and home again

Funny how I just got done saying that being "home" is wonderful. It still is, but now I'm afraid it might bring a wax and wane of my affections. Unless my situation changes I will be here on the couch or in a hospital bed indefinitely. The Lord knows all about the future and will give us grace as it comes.

I spent 3 days and 4 nights in the hospital to get my symptoms under control. Basically my placenta is not right. The docs can't give me a diagnosis at the moment because the u/s shows so much bleeding in it. They have given me a run down of the worst and also assurance that everything might turn out fine. It's a waiting and resting game. And trying to let my mind not dwell on the worst.

This little girl will likely come early, but our prayers are not too early. I'm now 20 weeks, so if I can make it another 5, that would be good.

We are again humbled by the prayers and concern of so many. The availability and servant's heart of people literally on our doorstep. And at how good my mom's oatmeal and icy orange juice taste. And how my sister came back to our crazy pad to scrub our dishes and homeschool the rug-rats. And how my new friend dropped of a care package last night.
I want to write you all a "merci beaucoup"!

We have 2 weeks of help and meals set up. The kids are not suffering much after time at g'parents and best friends they even had "Miss Laila" make gingerbread men with them yesterday. At the same time, they are a little frustrated with lots of chores and seeing mommy extra lazy. Leyla just walked in from gymnastics telling me it was "parents day" and then burst out crying. Poor baby. It's a growing time for them, too.

We know this is all just for a time and are so thankful that the baby and I are fine and healthy. I am so blessed to have a super-capable husband who remains strong and faithful to the Lord. And that is our prayer, that our faith will not be swayed. That we will take this as an opportunity to know Him better and grasp every good thing that He has for us - no matter what the outcome. He knows it all and it's not what we want, but what He wants. It's a good place to be, weak and grappling for help.

"Lord, You have assigned me my portion and my cup and have made my lot secure" Ps. 16:5

My portion is rest and trust.

"I know no greater simplifier for life. Whatever happens is assigned. Does the intellect balk at that? Can we say that there are things that happen to us which do not belong to our lovingly assigned 'portion'? ('This belongs to it, and that does not')? Are some things, then, out of the control of the Almighty? Every assignment is measured and controlled for my eternal good." Elisabeth Elliot

Home

After an 8 day Thanksgiving trip and last week being one of the busiest weeks in a long time - school activities, holiday engagements, church opportunities, work requirements...
This week is perfectly boring.
Everything has been canceled and we are stuck at home, save a trip to Target, Buffalo Wild Wings and the library. Glorious.

Smoke from the chimney = a toasty warm home where we are doing a bit of this and that.

 With the curtains open at night, of course.

 

Teaching him how to knit - much to his father's hesitation.

But it was making these scary monsters that inspired him, so it's ok, right?

Munchkins gobbling up homemade lunchables (thanks for the idea Shawna).

She's learning to knit, too.

 Stumbling out of bed after them and finding them like this, they are angels in my eyes.

Hearing the snow blower chugging at 5:30 a.m. for 3 mornings in a row, my husband in angel, too.

 Late night family tromping through the neighborhood.
Reading Family Under the Bridge and thankful that we are blessed with four walls.

This is what happens when it's single digits with 16 in. of snow.

And heard around here:

Me: "oh buddy, did you bonk your head?!"

Cade (mad & crying): "no, I bonked by brain."

Leyla (all holy-like) to Chlo: "did you know that you are to be quick to listen and slow to speak?"

Chlo (annoyed): "No I didn't! Hmmph. So, that's why they take so long in church."

 We can't wait to be blessed by this tonight.

Someone else is expecting!!!

Thankful

 downtown Little Rock

Through a series of scary events, our Thanksgiving week has been a bit of a roller coaster ride. I had some alarming pregnancy complications that sent us to the ER in Little Rock. The doc there told us that I was in the process of losing the baby and nothing can be done. Then that doc got an O.B.'s opinion and came back with a little hope, but no info.

The next day, Kari (who was in L.R. also) took us to the clinic where she used to work. We were so blessed by her and the help and answers we received there. The doc said I have a subchorionic hemorrhage which may get better, but may not and may put the baby's life in danger, but may not. Sigh, so waiting and trusting.

In the meantime, I have a husband watching my every move (very caring). No strenuous activities. I have gone from a slow-pregnant-runner to an invalid in one day's time. All for a good cause.
Our trek has now found us in Branson, MO with the Moffitt side relaxing and enjoying the wonders of Sliver Dollar City. 

 ~On this Thanksgiving evening~

Thanking Him that our baby is healthy.

Thanking Him for family and friends.

Thanking you for prayers.

Thanking Him bearing our cares.

Thanking Him for a baby girl.

A Girl!!!

Changes

 The leaves have changed and fallen to the ground here. Come and gone. A little bit of change reminds me of a bigger change in our home. My sister,  Jill, who has lived with us the past year has now moved on. It is a good thing, but we will miss a good thing, too. As Cade stated to his buddy, "I have a dad, a mom, 2 sisters, and an auntie Jill", she's a part of our family. 

Her blessing to us is something we don't want to forget, so I'm writing it down. She pitched in willingly whether it was scrubbing a pot, running an errand, cooking, picking up the house, and babysitting countless times. Morning, noon, and night. 

She was a cheerful and patient playmate with the kids, a friend and companion to me, and another conversationalist for Andy (he likes conversation).

We know she will now be a blessing in my brother and his wife's home. It's good she now has a normal bedroom with no basement creatures to haunt her while she sleeps. But if she ever needs a new pad, crazy as this one might be, she's always welcome back.

From the Kitchen

This sunflower is growing outside my kitchen window. 

It's a surprise amidst it's dead surrounding especially since it was never deliberately planted - just showed up.

 I thought I'd throw up (oops, not literally, but sometimes I still feel like it) my menu for the week.

This will probably last us over a week since it's pretty jam-packed.

Breakfasts
Granola
Bagels
Cereal
Oatmeal
Malt O Meal
Pancakes

Lunches
Leftovers
Sandwiches
Quesadillas

Dinners

• Spicy Chicken with Polenta (thanks for the site suggestion Rachel!)

• Sweet Potato & Goat Cheese Ravioli 

(this is my first time using Whole Food's recipes)

• Turkey Burger with Roasted Pepper & Avacado Salsa  

• Ginger Squash Soup/ Orange you Glad Salad/ Sweet Biscuits
  

(all from my Two Sister's cookbook)

• Creamy Pasta with Broccoli & Ham/ Apple-Walnut Vinaigrette Salad

(Pasta- from M.S.'s Everyday Food magazine/Salad- toss in whatever)

• Pizza-take 'n bake/ Garden Salad/ Best Choc. Sheet Cake. Ever 

(company)

• Hoisin Beef Stew/ Crusty Bread/ Kale

Extra's
Megan's granola
Pumpkin Spice Whoopies
(I love NieNie, btw)

Whew! I think I over-planned, but oh well, it must mean my appetite is coming back.

Happy Eating!

A Note

Dear Baby Eva,

It is such a shame that we haven't given you a gift yet. We wanted to say we are sorry and make an excuse: technical problems. Someone is a first time crocheter and made these booties that turned out 4 times too big for a wee princess as yourself. So you'll have to wait a bit longer.
Hope to see you soon!
Love,
the Moffitts

 We recently spent some time at my favorite camp, Story Book Lodge, in northern MN. Sadly, I still don't have my family convinced of it's wonders. Chloe said the best thing we did was sleep. I'd like to think that's because we slept in the shoe cabin which the kids were pretty pumped about. Mostly they just didn't have room in their hearts to love a camp with no cousins and familiarity and swimming pool. Someday...

We appreciate the tireless work they do for the gospel and encouraging Christians. This camp was a huge part of my childhood and teenage years, not to mention Andy and my introduction. So the pine and wood burning smells, made from scratch meals and beautiful sites will always make me thankful for this place and it's part in my growth in Christ.

Harvest Time

The kids and I played hooky the other day to get in on a little harvesting. But real life is the best way to learn anyways. So we drove up to my parent's and around the corner to my grandpa's for some

combining, apple picking, rope swinging, horse petting, shed exploring, chili eating, grandparent loving.

 

 This red shed at my grandpa's is where I spent hours playing house. My grandma helped make this shed a "home" and lovingly stocked this with antique everything - even a tv and crank phone.

The playhouse is now in a bit of shambles, but the memory of my grandma is strong when I peek inside.  She took such joy in playing with us kids and spoiling us rotten. We rode our bikes to their house any day we could. I like to think I got my love for domestics from her.

 Brutis

Farmer Mark

Up the nose close quarters in the combine cab.

Mom's on a mouse trapping rampage. The kid's didn't know whether to be grossed out or give pity to the little things.

Sasha

 Rooster

 Chicken carcass

This is Bullseye and Zane

Zane suddenly died a few days after this, we will all miss him, especially my sister Julie. R.I.P.