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By Dave ©, December 24, 2009 11:44 pm

We had hoped to have a better post ready for Christmas morning. However, with all that’s been going on over the past few months, we didn’t get around to preparing one ahead of time. Instead, here is a short little video of Lauren singing “Twelve Days of Christmas.” It’s actually from last year but we never posted it. We hope it makes you laugh on this Christmas Eve/Day!

If you have trouble viewing the video above, click here to watch it on YouTube.

We hope you all have a very merry Christmas! May you each receive a parpridge in a pear tree!! And perhaps a clap or two.

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By Lana, December 24, 2009 2:17 pm

Last night after dinner, Dave put Lauren to bed early. After coming back downstairs, he picked a movie off our shelf and popped it into the DVD player. “Want to watch a movie?” he asked.

“Sure,” I replied. “So which is it? Andy (Stanley), Erwin (McManus) or Rob (Bell)? Any of them are fine. No. On second thought, any of them are fine except for Rob Bell! I can’t handle his way-too-smart, intellectual, brilliance tonight.”

I was surprised when the DVD menu appeared on the television screen. Last of the Mohicans, one of my absolute favorites! I love, love, love that movie. Everything is right with that movie: the story, the soundtrack, the running-through-the-forest scenes, the most romantic kiss ever, and the perfect casting of Daniel Day-Lewis and Madeleine Stowe.

Around 11pm, as I was getting up the energy to get off the couch and get ready for bed, Lauren ran down the stairs, gasping. She could not breathe in and had tears streaming down her face. She tried to cough and kept barking out this horrible sounding cough. And she was shaking from head to toe. This went on for a few minutes so Dave ran out the door with Lauren and drove to the emergency room.

My first thoughts were asthma attack (Lauren doesn’t have asthma) or anaphylaxis (Lauren is allergic to peanuts). But, neither of those made sense.

Dave called from the ER and it was croup. Loud barky cough that started abruptly in the middle of the night and gasping for air. The ER doctor gave Lauren oral steroids and sent her home. The strange thing to me is that Lauren hasn’t been sick. No fever, no runny nose.

I realized that we know what to do for our medically fragile child but when our healthy child gets sick, we don’t know what to do!

Lauren didn’t get back to sleep until after 1am so I thought we should let her sleep in. But, Carmen’s Nurse Ruthann had offered to braid Lauren’s hair for Christmas. So, shortly before 8am, I woke Lauren up and asked if she wanted to sleep more or get her hair braided. She jumped out of bed and ran for the door!

Here is Lauren, resting on the couch, with her lovely braids.

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By Lana, December 21, 2009 2:57 pm

Lately both Dave and I have been feeling overwhelmed. We are in survival mode, not thriving mode. Are we going to make it is a question we often ask. If yes, how?

Recently, Carlos over at ragamuffinsoul.com posted perhaps his best blog ever. I’ll send you over there but in quick summary, Carlos had an amazing encounter with a homeless guy named Danny. Most of us wouldn’t think that a homeless guy is exactly making it in life but Danny would disagree. He actually told Carlos that he is not just trying to make it, he is making it. And that God says, yea though you walk through the valley of the shadow of death… and He places some of us in that valley.

I’m still not sure how we are going to make it through this valley but if Danny is making it, I pray Dave and I will too.

We sure could use your prayers for strength for each day.

Click here to read Carlos’ blog and watch the AMAZING video of Carlos and Danny.

***

Dave would certainly appreciate your prayers too. He went to the doctor this morning and has bronchitis. He started an antibiotic today and hopefully it will work fast!

Thanks to Tammy and Jason for the delicious chili, cornbread and salad. I am just about to go eat more for lunch!

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By Lana, December 20, 2009 2:05 pm

Last I heard, we got 22 inches of snow. But it was still snowing at that point so I don’t know the final count. Wow!

Dave is still not feeling well and I am on bed rest, so we have mostly just watched the snow from the warmth of our living room. Lauren is eager to go jump in the snow so hopefully it will last a few days. People are talking about this snow versus the blizzard of ‘03 but we missed that one too (Lauren was born that day!).

Thankfully, Carmen’s weekend nurse lives just a short distance away and made it to her shifts. She did tell me last night that she walked from the main street because our road was too slippery. Thank you, Salem!

Today is Carmen’s 41st month birthday so happy, happy 41 months sweet baby! I wish you were healthy and could go play in the snow with your sister. And today is Uncle Tony’s birthday. Happy birthday Uncle Tony! While I’m saying happy birthday, I want to add that today is also Rashmi’s birthday! So, happy birthday to all of you.

Lauren measuring the snow on our deck

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By Lana, December 18, 2009 1:29 pm

Tomorrow’s forecast calls for a foot of snow. Maybe the snow will stay around for a few days and we will have a white Christmas. We love snow so this would make our Christmas extra special!

Edited to Add: After I posted this, I checked the weather again and the forecast is calling for up to 20 inches! Fun, fun!

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Carmen update: Carmen is doing very well. Her breathing is nice and slow and she looks comfortable. Carmen’s neurologist increased her Phenobarbital dose but she is still having a number of seizures every day. I think it’s time to add a fourth seizure medication. We increased her daily caloric intake. She is now getting a whopping 395 calories per 24 hours. When Carmen first got her feeding tube, the dietitian put her on 800 calories per day. Poor Carmen packed on the pounds! We have slowly decreased her calories since and had her down to about 330 per day. She maintained her weight for a few months but is starting to lose weight. So, hopefully, 395 will be a good number for Carmen.

Hope and Me: I saw the high risk doctor this week and my amniotic fluid is low and my cervix is shortening again. They also saw more funneling (dilating from the inside out). I will see my OB on Tuesday. I do have good news: I do NOT have gestational diabetes! I passed the three hour glucose test. There was some concern as 60% of pregnant women on Terbutaline to stop contractions develop gestational diabetes and I failed the first one hour test. I am really, really glad to not be dealing with that too!

Dave: Dave is feeling a bit under the weather so please pray that he will feel better soon and can enjoy the holiday season. He is loading up on Vitamin C.

Thanks to Dan for the Subway sandwiches, Azeb and Reena for the chicken lunch and Dawn for the spaghetti feast. Lauren ate two plates of spaghetti, proclaimed it “delicious” and asked if she could take some to school today. This is HUGE for Lauren, our exceptionally particular eater!