Sick Day at home...lots of work done for the mom!

Last week, I was struck with a 20 hour bug.  It included a fever, abdominal pain, fatigue.  But, it went away as soon as it arrived.  Thank goodness!  And, then it hit my husband in the form of a fever, body aches, and blah-feeling tummy.  (Not my best medical terminology, I know)  And, last night it hit our girl.  One minute Mackenzie was fine and the next, not so much.  Fever, headache, body aches, and blah-feeling tummy.   So, SICK DAY at home.

Yes...they stayed in their jammies all day!

My workspace....lots done here today.

I have been uber-productive!!  Taxes all but done....gotta do the business portion in order to finish our personal ones.  But, February 20th is way better than my last 2 years of April 13th to begin the process.  Laundry...check!   Dishes...check (well, not quite, but the thought has hit me)  Nurse...check (Mackenzie is feeling pretty blah.  And, she continues to run a fever.  But, her 20 hours hasn't hit quite yet.)  Laugh...check (Carson has been home with us today.  And, there isn't a day that goes by without something he says or does to make me laugh)  Business drama...CHECK!  Employees stealing from you is never a thought that comes to mind when you begin a business....oh well, such is life!!

A lot has been on my mind lately....I got to meet my new niece this week.  Madilynn Aubrey joins her two big brothers, Milam and Malachi.  And, she is beautiful.  Her momma had to work all day on Monday to bring her into this world.  I am convinced that Madilynn Aubrey wanted to incubate just a little longer.  After all, Andrea might grow the biggest babies in her oven.  She is an incubator for sure.  Me, not so much!!

Holding my new niece and seeing the joy in all in the room was a little tough for this heartbroken momma.  But, it also reinforced the reassurance that clouds fade in families.  The clouds have faded in the Cunningham family as Madilynn was born...she has a BIG responsibility.  We were all searching for JOY--and it came in her 10# 9oz. package.  I can hardly wait to snuggle her some more.  Does it remind me of my boy and the Hope that each baby brings?  Of course, it does.  Every time I see a new baby, it takes me back to 2012.  Will this ever fade?  I doubt it.  Does the heartbreak of losing one's child ever go away?  NO--I will not let it go away.  My baby boy, William, had a purpose and touched so many in 4 1/2 months.  He still moves many--CHD week was last week.  I love seeing our friends and family proudly wearing their red in memory of our boy.  Each time someone asks about congenital heart defects, I know many of you think of our William.  And, for this, I am forever grateful. 

Does holding a new baby make us long for babies in our home?  Yes, it does.  I have seen one of my dearest friends bring her 3rd baby into this world and now my niece arrived--making the third baby in her family.  Seeing those close to you have what you dreamed of is never easy.  I thank God everyday for my children and all of the children in this world.  I might have taken my ability to get pregnant for granted, my wonderful husband for granted, my family support for granted, the friends (old and new) for granted.  But, I don't anymore.  So, seeing these new babies--Brikan and Madilynn makes me relish each moment a little more.  The sounds of family joy can be heard in million different ways--including the cartoons in my background, the dishwasher running, the heater kicking on, etc......

For those that remember, pregnancy for this blond-haired momma is 9 months of nausea and puking.  But, the end result is pure joy!  Yet, there are no guarantees.  We have 2 beautiful, healthy children here on Earth and one beautifully healed boy in Heaven.  Do you play the odds?  Do you hold your hand closely and walk away from the gamble?  Do you seek other methods to add to your family?  Do you?????  Can't you all see that there are no easy answers in life.  We were content with our 3 children because 1 of them was going to require a lot of extras---but now we can't snuggle him anymore.  He is present in all of our snuggles....but it is a different feeling to not feel him, smell him, taste him (come on, all parents I know have nibbled on toes and gotten sloppy kisses with remnants of lunch/dinner with those kisses), see him, or hear his giggles when his brother tells funny jokes (Carson would have had Will in stitches...we can only imagine the TROUBLE those two would have been into).  I have talked with other grief-stricken parents out there--and they seem to struggle with some of the same thoughts and emotions.  I hope me writing them down helps them as much as it helps me.

I am not asking any reader to give me the answers.  I just want to put my thoughts on paper (so to speak).  It seems like we all are so busy...and stating some things isn't easy in the oral form but on paper, they just flow.  I write for my therapy--so, thanks to all of you, therapists!  There is no check in the mail for your services.  So, in essence, please pray for God to guide our plans.  His guidance hasn't and will not fail us.  And, as we have experienced, prayer works.

New Year...

New Year's has come and gone.  Groundhog's Day has come and gone.  And, here I sit blogging about my resolutions for 2014.  I used to sit and blog from the hospital when there was NOTHING else to do.  I am not a Daytime TV fan.  After our days in the hospital were done, I would blog from my bed.  But, since then my personal laptop has taken a dive down a 7 year old's lane.  In other words, she hijacked it a time or two and it has gotten SLOW!  So, I sent it with my favorite 18 year old computer nerd.  Jacob goes to our church...and he is brilliant when it comes to computers.

Today, I decided to steal Chris's office laptop.  Well, actually I was working on some office stuff from inside our warm abode.  And, then I got bored with that so I here I am blogging.  Our lives have been steady Eddy which is a true blessing.

My resolutions for this year are pretty simple but oh so important.

1.  Drink More Water.  No one can argue of the importance.  I am really working on 48-64oz minimum a day.  I have found that this is easy to do while at work.  I stare at my water bottle all day...and I talk with patients.  So, after each patient encounter, I drink water.  I am finding 64oz easy peezy on the weekdays.  But, the weekends not so much.  Out of sight, out of mind.

2. Spend Time with my Husband.  Easier said than done.  Work in progress.  Chris and I have been married for 10 years last August.  And, honestly, I love him more today than yesterday.  Marriage isn't roses all day or most days.  However, as long as there is a ROSE moment each day, we can continue on for another 10 years ++++++.

3. Get OUTSIDE!  I love being in the outdoors.  I love the sun hitting my face, the breeze blowing my hair, the smell of fresh cut grass (even if my allergies don't like it), the birds singing or squirrels barking (seems mre prevalent around here), and the list goes on.  Today, the outdoors is not my friend.  10+ inches of snow and bitter cold temperatures.  Can we say stir crazy, mommy and kiddos?  Luckily, we were able to play outdoors yesterday---well, Mackenzie and Carson played while Chris and I shoveled.  And, sad to say, our driveway was shoveled and then 2 more inches fell.  Oh well!

4. Practice What I Preach.  I am really striving hard to be the best Christian wife and mother.  This is not an easy task.  I am really working hard to be more patient, kind, compassionate, less judgmental, etc.  I am working to be more open to others and their point of views.  I am trying hard to be a good example for Mackenzie and Carson.  Grace Community Fellowship has been our church home for 5 years.  The members are our family.  They inspire me.  They have held us up on our darkest days and hold us daily as we walk this Earth.

5. BLOG MORE.  Easier said than done.  My goal was to do a monthly blog update.  So, here is January's a few days late.  I also am reading some amazingly inspiring bloggers.  They are making me think of a weekly blog.  Just a quick note so that my readers can see what THE CRAZY LIFE OF THE CUNNINGHAMS is like.  As a side note, this crazy life involves a husband plowing snow in a loader right now, a mom trying to escape the kids who have gone stir crazy, and Mackenzie (imagine this) running through the house like a horse and her brother, Carson, chasing the crazy filly as her wrangler.  And, William, our precious angel, is Up Above basking in the Glorious Sunlight toddling around as an almost 21 month old in Heaven.  Where has time gone?

HALLOWEEN.

I am that CORNY mom who does themes for Halloween...and, I even make my kids dress alike for Christmas and Easter.  I am not too picky about most things--and, you know it, if you have seen some hair dos or outfits that Mackenzie and Carson choose.  But, I love them to GO TOGETHER for Halloween.   Here are some pics of their previous costumes.

A Frog Prince and His Princess

The year of the JAYHAWK and KU CHEERLEADER

HOUSE ON FIRE--Good thing, there is a FIREMAN close!!!

SHARK ATTACK!!!  Watch out, Scuba Diver!!!