While we Wait

While we've been waiting for little Miss Salem to make her grand appearance we've kept ourselves busy, maybe too busy? Probably so.

 Me Ma has been dominating the kitchen.

 Grandma and Grandpooh were also in town this week for Mike's youngest brothers graduation from the Navy EOD program.

 The kids have enjoyed receiving bundles of gifts. 

 Hosea is ready for more nerf wars.

 Grandpooh likes a good war.

 My parents (mema and papa) are staying with us.  Grandma and Grandpooh rented a condo at Destin.  We went to see them on one of the more fair days. It was in the high 60's, so we scoped out the beach and then swam in the heated pool.  The grandparents enjoy visiting with one another.  Hard to believe we had a beach trip in December.

 Shelling with Papa.

 Uncle Aaron's graduation. Only 1/3 of the students that start the program complete it, so it has been a great accomplishment for him this past year.  We are all very proud of him!

 All who came to watch the ceremony.  Mike's Family.

Mike and I bought the children a new playground for Christmas and My dad has been working away at getting it together this week.  Now that Mike is off for the holiday he can help also.  Hosea has been helping all week, he is the little supervisor under the roof. 

I've also had some adventures of being the parent of a "special needs child", we always joke that we have a "special needs child", as our dietitian was so kind to inform me of it on our last visit.  As if I was not aware.  I thought "lady if there is anyone closely acquinted with this fact, it's me".  So in making light of that........ I've made some "special" phone calls trying to find a lab that will draw blood work and overnight it to two different locations, as a follow up for our positive genetics results, per her Dr's instructions.  After a couple hours on the phone, I found a lab that will draw it, but we will have to ship it ourselves.  So then I made some more "special" phone calls learning how to over night blood.  Then I went on a "special" scavenger hunt to find materials for this "special" shipping project.  After all the information and material was gathered for this "special" project, I turned it over to my man, since the lab work must be drawn on the 26th of December for it to make it's scheduled arrival on the 27th to it's destinations, I thought giving my current circumstances it was best in his hands. Oh.... unrelated, but also on the "special" spectrum, I made another series of phone calls to get some "special" medicine for my "special needs childs" g-tube infection.  I'm really glad I didn't have anything planned this week, so I could take care of all our "special needs". 

Aggie's Genetics Labs

Aggies genetics Dr. called to inform us one of her labs had a positive result. Pyruvate dehaydrogenase. Which is a mutation in a gene that affects making and breaking down glucose.  It is on the X chromosome, and since girls have 2 X chromosome they often present with milder cases, if Aggie was male, she would probably be dead by now b/c males only have one X, so if all their X's are affected, they have more sever problems. The mutation seen on Aggies gene has not been seen in that exact location before.  They are sending us paper work so her, mike and i can all have further labs drawn to confirm an exact diagnosis, or deny something?  We will do that next week, as the one for Aggie had to be scheduled to be mailed. The treatment for this is a ketogenic diet, which we won't start until the next round of labs confirm it is what we need to do.

Here are wikapedia links if that is helpful.

Pyruvate Dehaydrogenase 

Ketogenic Diet

Random December Things

Shiloh reading in her car by the tree.

 Hosea "ready to go outside".  It's December and those are PJ's.

 Aggie standing up so big.

 Watching a meteor shower in the front yard at 1:45am. Hey if you're not sleeping, you just as well wake everyone else up.  The kids loved it.

 Piggy Tails

We like it when she laughs. 

Shiloh and Hosea Jam session.

Induction Cancelled

After talking with Mike, I think we are going to cancel the induction. I would have just deleted the previous post, but I feel like this is characteristic of how things go in late pregnancy, ups and downs.

Induction

I had an OB check up today.  I am scheduled to be induced on Tuesday.  It is not for medical reasons.
Here are the real reasons in no particular order.
1. My Dr. doesn't seem to want to be delivering me on Christmas.
2. I want to be home on Christmas.
3. Mike will get a few extra days off work, but the bulk of his "baby leave" will overlap with "christmas leave".
4. My older brother and family will be in MO from France, and I want my parents to feel the freedom and have the time to be both here for the birth, and back to home in time to see my brother's family before they return to France.  I'd feel pretty badly if they didn't get to see them. I'm bummed enough that I don't get to see them.
I do fully realize that this is not the ideal way to labor, and in all likely hood am prolonging my labor, but I feel like it is a more practical choice given our current circumstances.  I am however prayerful that she will come on her own before Tuesday. Stranger things have happened.

Fish

Don't worry, I gave the fish clean water today. I know that was plaguing many of you. :)

Disability Conference

Desiring God held a conference in November and it's focus was to minister to the disabled and their care givers. Though I'm relatively new in this world 2.5 years to be exact, my interest was pricked and honestly I really wanted to go.  But that just wasn't practical as Mike and I attended a different conference just days prior to this one. So I've settled for the next best thing and have been enjoying all the teaching online as I fold cloths and do dishes and cook dinner.  I've only had the pleasure of listening to 3 so far, but if you or someone you love could be blessed by such a resources, I commend it  to you/them.

2012 Works of God conference

Additionally a friend sent me this song for encouragement, and it is really great, you might enjoy it too.

Matt Redman- Never Once