Day 2

MG had a terrible night...TERRIBLE! We were up every hour for awhile. When it was time for her medicine, she'd clamp her hands over her mouth and refuse! She cried and whined and snored! It was a long one!

This morning she's much better than I expected. She's drinking and not fighting me too badly. The first hour after her medicine, she's in a great mood and pretty happy. Once it starts wearing off, she's a little more pitiful! She'll say "Momma, I not feewing good". It's heartbreaking! She wants a lot of loving and cuddling which is fine with me! I hate that she feels bad, but I'll take a little loving from my girl!

Tonsils are out, Tubes are in...again!

Today was the day. We had to be there at 7am...which is way better than the 6am appointments the last 3 times! MG got to sleep later and wasn't in a terrible mood. She asked for chocolate milk before she even opened her eyes, though, and wasn't too happy when I said No. We didn't have to wait in the waiting room long at all. We got right back. They wanted to put her in a gown and she LOST IT!! Seriously, screaming NO at us, kicking, it was bad! I felt awful for the other people waiting on the other side of the curtain! The nice anesthesiologist came in and offered to give her something like Valium to calm her down! We were very thankful as was everyone else, I'm sure!

The surgery only took about 30 minutes. And she did great. We had to wait another 30-45 minutes for her to wake up before they brought her out to us. They wheeled her back and a sweet nurse was holding her close on the gurney. They were really sweet to her! I was a little shocked because she had blood coming out of her nose and ear! Not the first thing you want to see. But they gave me several towels, handed her over for me to snuggle and assured me it was normal. She was a miserable sight. She'd snuggle up for about a minute then start crying hysterically, which made her nose run bloody even more and made her start coughing. It was a vicious cycle! But she drank some juice and we got to go home. Her ENT told us that today would be her best day and tomorrow will be her worst.

Today has been way better than I imagined. She has eaten (ice cream, popsicles, marshmallows...it will take me a month to detox her from all the sugar!) and drank (apple juice, kool aid and water) pretty well.

It's getting close to bedtime now (7:15) and she's getting very testy and miserable. Her nose is snotty and she can't suck her fingers...no good!

Thanksgiving

I love Thanksgiving! It's always been one of my favorite holidays. Maybe because it's so low-key, but such a time of family and togetherness. I don't know! It's the true start of fall for me, the beginning of the holidays, yummy food, yummy smells and a time to stop and reflect on all God has blessed me with.

I love thinking back on all the Thanksgivings we spent at my Mamaw and Grandma's houses. They lived in small houses so we were all crammed together, laughing and enjoying each other. It was great! I miss those Thanksgivings so much. I still remember the smells, the sounds and the tastes so well! I hope when MG is 30 she will still be thinking about her childhood Thanksgivings and remembering them fondly.

We've had some crazy Thanksgivings these past few years. 3 years ago Dad was in the hospital after his heart attack and I was pregnant with MG. We ate carryout Cracker Barrel in his hospital room! Last year my sister and her family were gone to Disney World so it just wasn't the same. This year my Grandma is in the hospital and my mom is with her. So we spent Thanksgiving lunch at Cracker Barrel! I probably should have just sucked it up and cooked, but I wanted everyone to enjoy their food! Ha!

Thanksgiving is a time to thank our Heavenly Father for what he has given us - that is truly the purpose of the holiday to me. Granted, we should stop each and everyday and be thankful. And I am thankful everyday. But it's nice to take an entire day and just relish in your blessings! I have so very very much to be thankful for. The Lord has provided for me, blessed me, taught me, redeemed me, and given me so much more than I deserve.

First and foremost, I am thankful for my Lord and Savior. I am not perfect, but He loves me anyway! I screw up on a daily basis, but He loves me in spite of it! I have been down paths I shouldn't have been down, but He was there waiting when I decided to turn around. Who else loves us like that? Without His mercy, forgiveness, patience, comfort and strength, I would never make it through a single day! Thank you Lord for all that you are and all that you bless me with!

I am thankful that I get to spend my life with my best friend and soul mate. He was created for me and placed in my life to be my partner. There's no doubt about that in my mind or in my heart! I love the way he loves me. He is my laughter, my smile, my support, my everything. And the way he loves our daughter makes him even more special to me! He is the most amazing dad - tender, caring, loving. He never skimps on hugs and kisses. There is no way MG can ever doubt how much her Daddy loves her.

I am so thankful that I was chosen to be a momma. And even more thankful that I was chosen to be MG's momma! I wanted nothing more from my life than to be a wife and mother. I spent five long years yearning for the chance to be a mom. MG is the answer to so many of my hopes and prayers. She is funny, smart, sassy, independent, energetic, wild, compassionate, cuddly and full of life. She is my dream come true! I hope she always (even through those awful teenage years when she hates me) knows how loved she is.

I am thankful for my family. I was raised in a home full of love. My mom is my strength, my "home", and my friend. She is always there for me and has always loved me no matter what. She loved me through my unlovable years! She is such an amazing Granny. I am so blessed to get to see my daughter have such a close relationship with and love for her Granny. My Dad has always been willing to do anything for me. He has stood behind me and beside me more times than I can count. He has been my cheering section and my coach. Then there's my sister. I can't imagine my life without her. She's my best friend and the one person I know I could call on at any time for anything.

Then there's my extended family. I am so blessed to have a close relationship with my aunts and cousins and grandma. We all love being together. It's a special bond we share.

I have a great job. I get to wake up every morning and go to a place I love working at, be with people I love working with and do something I love doing. Not many people can say that! The Lord truly blessed me with my job. I fought Him for many years and tried to go my own way, but He led me back to teaching and I'm so glad He knew me better than I knew myself! I get to do something everyday that makes a difference. That's pretty special.

I have a home. A nice, warm, safe home. A place where my family is.

I am healthy and so is my family. We have our issues and MG has had a time with her poor ears. But we are healthy. We're not going through chemo or the loss of a child. We are so blessed with our health. Sometimes I really start to get frustrated over MG's ears and it makes me so sad for her that she's lived in pain and hasn't really been able to hear for 2 years. But we are so blessed that she's here with us. She's going to grow out of her ear troubles and be good as new. She had such a rough start on life which reminds me daily how special she is and how blessed we are!

I have an amazing church home with a wonderfully supportive Life Group. I am so blessed by them. They are a caring, praying group of people. I'm so glad God led us there!

I could go on and on about what I'm thankful for.

Puppy Shampoo

Last night MG used half a bottle of her favorite shampoo while playing in the tub. It's her favorite shampoo because it has a puppy on it! It has a puppy on it because it's the puppy's shampoo! Oh my!

Christmas List

Me: Molly Grace, what do you want Santa to bring you? MG: Hmmm...some yo-yos! Me: Yo-Yos? You want yo-yos for Christmas? MG: Uh-huh Me: Ok...what else do you want from Santa? MG: Macaroni Me: Macaroni? MG: Yea! Macaroni and Cheese! Me: Ok then! Looks like I can shop at the dollar store and get her entire Christmas for only $2.00! Ha!

Update on the Ears

We found a new ENT here in town...PTL!

I really like him, felt immediately at ease and just knew that's where we needed to be. We are scheduled for surgery on November 29th. They are going to take out the R ear tube and put a new set in both ears, take out her tonsils and remove her adenoids that have grown back! Her left ear is full of "gunk" so they will culture it in the operating room if it's still yucky when they get in.

I know this needs to be done. 2 ENTs have told us that now. I know it will make my baby better (hopefully) but I'm really nervous! Tubes and adenoids are nothing, we've been there 3 times already! But tonsils are new and scary to me. He says our biggest concern is going to be keeping her hydrated. As small as she is, she can get dehydrated fast. He said to pull out the tough love and make her drink...I told him I can't "make" her do anything! Ha!

Princess Party

Molly Grace was invited to a friend from church's 3rd bday party today. She has been so excited since we got the invitation 2 weeks ago! It's all she's been talking about. She knew Rapunzel was going to be at the party and we got her a new Cinderella dress to wear. She has asked me every day at least 20 times if it was time yet!

She looked so cute in her Cinderella dress and she had a really good time. She's usually such a shy, reserved kid (in public only!) but she did so well. She played the games, sat with the other kids while they opened presents then played in the birthday girl's room...all without me by her side! Yay! Progress!

It's so fun to see that side of her. I see her at home with us, I see her with her older cousins and I see her with Heath at Granny's house, but to see her giggling, squealing and playing with other little princesses was great! And she was fascinated with Rapunzel. She usually HATES anything dressed up, but she posed for pictures with Rapunzel and even gave her a goodbye hug! I couldn't believe it! I'm so proud of my little girl! And I just have to say how much fun it is to have a little princess and take her to little birthday parties! I thought about that for many years and wondered a lot of times if I would ever have that pleasure! I'm so thankful that God blessed me with a little princess of my own!