Pseudo Stomach Virus/Lost Keys

Gran, my beloved maternal grandmother, turned 90 last Friday. I thank our Heavenly Father often for giving her such great health and a healthy mind! We celebrated her birthday at my Aunt Betsy's house in Spartanburg with a smoked pig bbq. Afterwards, Stephen and I didn't feel so well and thought maybe it was the pork not settling well. Abby had diarrhea over the weekend but we were feeling guilty because we gave her a lot of lemonade. We figured we'd have to add lemonade to the apple/pear intolerance list. Then Monday Sydney got it. We'd had a 24 hour stomach virus over the weekend and didn't have enough sense to stay home and keep our germs to ourselves! Saturday at the USC/SC State game we were suffering through it, still thinking the food just didn't agree with us! Unfortunately, my father-in-law got it from hugging and kissing on Abby Sunday at church. We will learn from this mistake!

Sydney also had a fever on Wednesday that got up to 102.6F at one point. But it was also a 24 hour thing amd she never had other symptoms. I've been told doctors say there is no such thing as a fever virus. Do they have kids?

Anyway, I had my 34 week OB visit yesterday, even though I was only 33 weeks and 5 days. I've gained 45 pounds now. My belly is measuring right on schedule and the baby's heartbeat was strong. I was able to make my 36 week and coveted 38 week appointments yesterday. My 38th week appointment is on Oct 18th at 3:00 with Dr. Cook, he seems to have the "gift" of putting women in labor. (Abby and with Sydney both came several hours after my 38-week appointment.) I do plan on being at my women's ministry Philippians study that night, though - it shouldn't happen that fast! Besides, I will only technically be 37 weeks and 5 days. And don't worry, I do know that God's timing is perfect and this is something I cannot plan for! :) I am trusting Him to work out all of the details. However, if I didn't plan at all, I would not be Sara Fowler, now would I?

I apologize for not giving any updates on Stephen lately. He's doing well. He loves his job. He actually overslept for work today because his alarm didn't go off. When he woke up he said very convincingly that it was Saturday. I was thinking I'd lost my gourd and then realized he was just sleepy! It was 8:24 and he had to be at work at 8:30. I've never seen him get dressed that fast!

Oh, and yesterday we had a typical Sara/Stephen moment. Stephen was home for lunch yesterday and couldn't find his car keys when he was ready to go back to work. He took a spare key with him to save time and figured he'd find the key chain later. He called me after 6:00 last night from a Spinx and he had to get gas but couldn't find his wallet and because he didn't have his normal keys, he couldn't pay with his "mini" debit card, either. I'd just gotten home so I offered to throw the kids back in the car and meet him with my debit card. I quickly grabbed my purse, put Carrie in the house and hopped in the car. Once the kids were buckled I realized my keys were hanging on the wall INSIDE the locked house! Thankfully, the Taylors had a spare key and Jimmy literally RAN the key to our house. I met Stephen at the Spinx, he filled up the car and when he was getting the key out of the Corolla he found his wallet. :) Then late last night we found his key chain - on the kitchen counter! It was such a Fowler moment for us! It's a shame fanny packs are so weird looking because we'd both do well to have one.

Falling Into Place

It is starting to cool off a little in Greenville, which is wonderful. Instead of temperatures in the 100's, we're now enjoying 90's with lower humidity. My swollen ankles are grateful!

I had an unpleasant but necessary doctor's visit today. I was asked to take the 3 hour glucose test, even though I'd passed the 1 hour test. I was supposed to not eat or drink after midnight (though I did have water this morning because I was ill-informed!). At 9 am they had me drink that thick glucola drink. It upset my stomach. Then they drew blood. Then they weighed me and I'm up to 43 lbs now. :) Well on my way to the usual 50.

Here's the good news: I saw the Dr. Laffitte about 9:30 and he said I was measuring exactly the right size and the baby's heartbeat was strong! He also said that based on my test results from the 1 hour he didn't believe I would have any problems passing the 3-hour. Dr. McClellahan ordered the 3-hour because she wanted to be sure the sugar present in my urine was not a sign of diabetes.

At 10:00 they drew blood from the next arm. I read magazines until I couldn't concentrate anymore, walked to the car and tried to sleep but it was too hot, returned to sit in a different waiting area and then they drew blood at 11:00 from the first arm. I decided to sit in the lobby where Rachael Ray was on. That helped me stay awake. At noon, they drew the last bit of blood but had a hard time finding a vein that would cooperate. It was not fun.

The good news is that even though I feel puny this afternoon, I will not be expecting to hear that I have gestational diabetes. If I don't, I can eat cheese dip with everyone else while we watch the game on Saturday. Otherwise, I guess I'll be eating celery - with no dip! :)

Abby is enjoying the change of summer to "fall". She is taking dance classes again but this time her best friend, Ella, is in her class. Sydney wants to have "dance recital" too, but at least she gets to play with Macy, her best friend (and Ella's little sister), while Abby and Ella dance!

We started homeschooling using with the A Beka 4K curriculum. I thought it would be like pulling my fingernails off one at a time but I have been pleasantly surprised. Abby LOVES doing school and is really learning things, too. I can really see God at work in it!

Sydney's personality is starting to show more and more. She is full of energy and life! Stephen says she will be the comedian in the family (second to him, of course).

The baby is very active so we may have our hands full in a few weeks. My due date is Nov 4, but since the girls were 2 weeks early we hope he'll come the week of October 22nd. If not, they will induce me the following week. I still have some things to do to prepare for his arrival, but I'm slowly getting them done. Whew!

The Closet

Two Fridays ago I had a meltdown. I was 30 weeks pregnant and we'd done almost nothing to prepare for our baby boy. Sydney was sleeping in Abby's room at night but not napping there. All of Sydney's clothes were still in the nursery and there are pink girly things all over the walls. Stephen kindly agreed to buy and install closet organizer pieces to match the design I created the next day. We got up early for a Saturday. We spent most of the morning at Lowe's making sure we had all the pieces. We bought a kit to save $50 and planned to cut everything at home (because for some reason the Lowe's employees won't use their super duper "scissors" to cut closet pieces out of a kit). The man said it was "simple" and you could just use a hacksaw. $50 is a lot of money to us. It wasn't after the day was finished.

At lunchtime we had to feed the kids so we ate out. We came home and put Sydney in her crib and allowed Abby to watch a video. 45 minutes later we'd opened everything, placed it on the floor and started to read directions. We cut, measured, held up, cut again, measured, questioned measurements, measured again, tried to understand "directions", measured again, went to Ace to get drill bits the package said we needed and didn't, changed the batteries in our stud finder - just to find out it "was that bad" and then finally got the back supports on the wall. Meanwhile, Abby and Sydney were done with naps, videos, and book time and wanted to help with the tools. Pieces and parts started disappearing. Sydney was determined play with the hacksaw. Then we remembered that we'd promised Abby we'd take her to Baskin Robbins on Saturday. It was Saturday. Stephen worked while I took them for ice cream. It was late. After changing the blade in the hacksaw 3 times and watching Stephen saw away at those shelves I decided to go back to Lowe's - more determined than ever to have them use their "special scissors".

We tried a different Lowe's. The guy wasn't nice at first but I continued to be kind and I think he felt sorry for the tired pregnant lady with two kids who didn't want to be in a cart and for her husband who looked exhausted! The man cut the shelves with his special "scissors" and then he hacksawed the poles on his little bench thing. I didn't see that part. Abby had to go potty. I don't think she really needed to go, she was just bored but I did miss the part that would have made me feel guilty.

Sometime around 11:30 pm I put Abby to bed. All the clothes I'd organized to go in the closet "just so" covered our bedroom so I couldn't just let it go. It was Saturday night...the night before Sunday...our craziest day of the week.

Abby was so tired the next morning she couldn't even eat her Sunday morning pop-tart. Sydney was fine - she slept in the crib.

I moved the toys back into the room the next day after spending a fortune on bins to put the toys in. That was another trip to Lowe's.

I am happy to announce that Sydney is napping in the new organized room and has diapers, clothes, bows and all personal items there. If the girls were not sleeping I would run in and take a picture of that closet for you.

I still haven't moved the girly stuff out of the nursery. Maybe I'll take it all down right now and put it in our bedroom. I can put a "half" check mark on my to-do list.

Fireplace Fumble

Last night while I was preparing dinner I heard the girls laughing and shouting gleefully in the living room. It made my heart happy to hear how entertained they were by one another.

The blissfulness ended quickly with one of the loudest screams I've heard come out of Sydney. I RAN, scooped her up and just walked to the bathroom with her screaming "No, No, No!" and kicking her feet the whole way. I could tell there was a good bit of blood but she kept burying her face in my chest so I couldn't get a good look. Abby showed me her knee, which was very red and said it hit Sydney in the face.

Apparently, they had strategically placed the couch cushions on the floor in front of the fireplace and were jumping off, falling on the pillows. Unfortunately, they jumped at the same time and Abby's knee landed on Sydney's nose and upper lip, both were bloody!

After some ibuprofen, ice packs and a little freaking out on my part, Sydney recovered. Here are some pictures of the injuries (isn't she pitiful?):

But don't worry, Abby apologized, Sydney accepted and they were hugging and back to loving each other very quickly!

As for me, I will be checking in on the girls anytime I hear them giggling in a room from now on! And we have two new rules, "No jumping off the fireplace" and "Do not put couch cushions on the floor".

Praise - Lee Anne's MRI Results

This is what Lee Anne emailed today:

I spoke with the Neurologist and the results are great. There is no blockage or sign of a tumor. The veins were in good shape and listed as "unremarkable". Of course, I found that slightly offensive but it is a good result. ;-) The brain tissue is in good shape and no sign of trauma. My tingling is reducing and there is no need for further intervention. We are going to continue under the diagnosis of TIA (transient ischemic attack) and remain off of the Imitrex, Relpax, etc (tripan family of drugs) and continue on the aspirin daily along with the migraine preventative med and use pain management prescriptions for any future migraines. I have had plenty of opportunities for additional migraines with hormones, travel and stress over the last week and thankfully I have had none. Thank you so much for your prayers!!!

On our way out of Greenville last week there was a church with Romans 8:28 on the sign and we have been talking with the kids about it I have been reading through Romans over the past week and thought I would share this with you. Thank you for agreeing in prayer and interceding through and with the Holy Spirit on my behalf. I have felt a peace, power and presence of our Living God through this week and I know I have been the beneficiary of your prayers and God's mercy. I am praising God not so much for the MRI results, although I am thankful for them, but for His presence and peace through the unknown and for the hope and future where we as His children are joined with Him and are no longer in waiting. Giving God the glory for the results, the peace and the friendship of believers - thank you for walking this with me!

Romans 8:18-28
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

With love and appreciation for you!
LA

the cavin family

Lee Anne's MRI

Lee Anne and her family drove from Tampa to Atlanta on Monday night and she had the MRI yesterday afternoon. As of right now, no news is good news! She expects to find out the results from the MRI in a week and believes at this point they didn't find anything alarming.

She said yesterday the numbness is getting better. She no longer has numbness in her leg, just mild numbness in the lower part of her arm. She thinks what remains may just be residual from the old medication.

Thank you for joining me in praying for her. If we hear anything else I will post it.

Joseph and Megan's Wedding

It feels like it was just a day ago...my cousin, Joseph was a 12-year old boy, going to his first college football game, watching the best team in the state of SC, wearing a black USC FCA shirt I'd gotten him. He had his picture taken with Duce Staley after that game. I'll always remember his sweet little grin! He's grown up so very fast and I am so very proud of the man he's become!

Yesterday, he married the woman of his dreams. She is exactly the woman we would have chosen for him! The best part is that he loves Jesus and he and Megan are determined to live their lives according to God's will.

The ceremony itself was beautiful. The wedding was on the South Carolina Botanical Gardens and the reception was just behind it. Matt Williams (our main teaching pastor at Grace Church) performed the ceremony and Matt Kelley did the music. Both the Matt's made it very personal and special!

I had the privilege of being a bridesmaid, Stephen a groomsmen, and Abby and Sydney were both flower girls. Steve Carson was the best man and Mandy, Megan's sister, was the maid of honor. Rob Allen was also a groomsman and Katie Foster was a bridesmaid.

Joseph's ushers, decorated and REWIRED his truck so that every time he put on the brakes the horn would blow. They wrote "We're naked...right now" on the front of the truck, put catfish bait in his truck and in his tool box and they outfitted the car with cans and things that made loud noises because they were sitting on his alternator?!?! Agricultural Mechanical Engineering students are dangerous! Here's some footage of the happy couple leaving: