Thankful Thursday

This week has been a busy one.  My brother and niece came up to stay with us last Friday and Saturday nights for Audrey's big birthday bash on Saturday.  (More to come on that later.)  Just as we caught our breath, David left Sunday afternoon for a business trip to Washington DC.  Audrey has had swim lessons every day this week, so we've spent a lot of time at the pool, with which I have a love-hate relationship.  The hate side - it takes forever to get two kids in their swimsuits, sunscreen applied, picnic packed, toys and towels and goggles gathered, etc. etc. etc. But, the love side is that the kids enjoy it, it wears them out, and I get a tan.  

Anyway, throw in me stepping up my workout game (because what was supposed to be a week off somehow stretched into nearly four and we're hitting the beach in two weeks) without being able to squeeze it in before David goes to work since he's not here, Audrey's gymnastics, a thousand returns for unused party goods, a play date, updating the blog and editing/posting pics (see below), and making and delivering a meal to a friend, and I would really just like a nap.  Maybe this weekend.  

Here is this week's list:

1.  The true miracles that a smooth pregnancy, safe delivery, and healthy baby are, and how blessed I am that me and my sisters-in-law all got to experience those miracles.  Last week, friends from our small group had their third baby.  Without going into a lot of detail, I'll say that her delivery went well, but shortly after they discovered she had severed an artery in the birth canal and she was rushed to surgery.  She lost 80% of her blood and nearly died as she lay on the operating table having amnesia awareness (yes, that means she felt numb but could hear and understand everything that was happening to her.)  After being in ICU on a ventilator for two days, she slowly and gradually got better and was discharged last Saturday.  As you can imagine, she is still struggling, in a lot of pain, and grieving over the lost time with her newborn and the moments she can never get back.  With two other littles at home, I cannot fathom how much they have on their plates right now.  It has been a horrific experience for them during what should be one of the most joyous occasions of their lives.  Pray for them, please, and if you had a healthy delivery, stop and thank the Lord.

2.  The result of that first healthy delivery five years ago.  Can you believe my baby girl turned FIVE last week?  I am still in denial.  I hope to write more about it and the party soon, but I would be remiss if I didn't add her to this week's list.  

3.  Close calls turned okay.  David's grandfather was having chest pains earlier this week and was hospitalized while they ran tests and did a procedure.  He does have blockage in a neck artery that he'll have to get taken care of soon, but he got to go home with a clean bill of health for his heart, thank the Lord.  

4.  New running shoes.  Truthfully, I hate buying new running shoes, but I was way overdue for a pair and finally broke down and went to the speciality store where I buy them.  Of course, my exact kind had been discontinued.  I tried on the "new and improved" version, but wasn't completely sold.  I decided to wait and look online and, sure enough, I found some!  Yay for postponing change a little bit longer.  That's a motto I like to live by. 

5.  A surprise early return.  David called me late this afternoon and said he was able to wrap up his business trip early and that he was sprinting to make the 8pm flight back home.  We have really missed him and he's really missed us this trip, so I'm glad he'll be back early. On top of that, he decided to take tomorrow off!  Yay!  (And no, I'm not just excited about someone else being here for sunscreen application duty...well, that may be a very small reason.)

Enjoy your weekend - I know we will!