Goodbye Jane

Jane.  I met her my very first Sunday in our newly geographically assigned Cookstown Ward last year.  She had been called to be the Primary President.  (Primary being the children's organization.)  I had been asked that Sunday to play the piano which I was happy to do.  She told me that she had submitted my name to be the secretary and she hoped that was okay.  I didn't tell her then but it was an answer to prayer.  I loved being in primary and being the secretary was something I felt I could do (do well even) and still manage my life.

Working in the primary is something I'm really enjoying right now.  It's where my heart is.  Part of what makes it such a special experience (aside from the cute kiddies) is the other adults that you work with.  Working together you learn from each other and you develop close ties.  Watching Jane with the kids was such a treat.  She worked as a librarian for years in Mississippi and ran children's programs.  She loved the kids and the kids loved her.  She and her husband had moved up here to Ontario I think three years ago from Mississippi for her husband's job.  Since she didn't have papers to work here she focussed her attention on her writing.

I'm writing this post as a thank you and as a reminder to me.  Jane is one of those people that makes you feel good.  Her praise and love are unconditional.  You want to be a better person being around her.  She's just fun and down to earth and well I gush!  I am so thankful for the opportunity I had to get to know her.  (Her husband was transferred back to Mississippi.)  I will miss her very much.  What I want to remember is to try and be like her.  I want other people to feel good when they're around me.  I want to be a builder and a lifter.  I want to be more patient and compassionate.  Thank you Jane for exemplifying what it means to be a great leader and friend!  (And yay for email and facebook so we can keep in touch so easily!)

Oh and if you waant to read a thrilling Y.A. novel, pick up a copy of Jane's first book, Strands of Bronze and Gold.
 

Cousin Cuteness (and of Birthday Weekend)

Anna and Kate had so much fun together.  I can't wait for them to come back this summer.

 Anna loves her Grandpa too!

I wish Suzanne lived closer... I always wish this!  This weekend I wished that she was here longer.  We had a lovely visit but it was over too quickly.  I also wish that we'd taken a sister picture.  I feel like I posed for one but there isn't one on my camera...?  Thank you sister for such a lovely weekend. 

Surprise!

Suzanne and Anna arrived ridiculously late, but were happy to get here at all considering the ice storm flight cancellations from the day before.  Suzanne was given a bit of a hard time at immigration because the note from Matthew wasn't notarized.  (Note to self - get future notes of permission written by Ken notarized!)

Saturday morning our girls were up and ready to play with Anna, but poor little Anna hadn't really gotten the best night's sleep so Kate and Alice played and Anna slept.  Ken made breakfast, which was my official birthday breakfast - WAFFLES!!  Anna eventually woke up and the girls played and if I could have had a birthday wish it would have been that Kate and Anna play without issue and so far so good.

Then the harassment began.  There's nothing I hate more than being rushed on a Saturday morning and the day after my birthday morning both Suzanne and Ken we in full hurry-up-Wendy mode and I was seriously annoyed.  Then we were supposed to be going for lunch at my Mom's which was very confusing because I thought Suzanne and I were going to go out.  I thought we were dropping off the kids and Ken and they were going to hang out with the Grandparents and Uncle Andrew and Suzanne and I were gone. 

Little did I know... we got to my parents, I had to pee (I'm very pregnant) and well there were all these people in my Mom's apartment saying surprise.  It was weird and awkward - or at least I felt weird and awkward - for a few minutes.  Everyone went downstairs to the party room - I followed after a trip to the ladies room, and then I didn't feel weird and awkward, I felt so very loved.

I think I was most particularly struck by how many of my work colleagues were there.  I think the world of them and love working with the amazing people that I do, but to see them all there supporting me was really special to me.  The lot of them all chipped in and bought me a charm bracelet with three charms - a pig (I'm Bacon at work), music notes (I'm the music teacher) and a heart with a diamond - the love me and diamond is my birthstone. 

There were friends from all different parts of my life and it was just so special.  Mom, Andrew, Rayna, Suzanne and Ken all had a hand in planning and putting it together.  I felt really special. 

And bonus, Suzanne and I did get to go out for dinner, and we just generally had a lovely time visiting!  I'm still not sure about 40, numbers are weird, heck, most of the time I feel like a teenager.  But if this is the beginning of 40, all this love, then 40 is going to be amazing!

Birthday - DAY

Numbers are numbers, and every year they get bigger.  I get to choose what that means to me.  I don't know what it means to feel 40... I've only just started so I'll leave that to figure out later.  What I do know is that I am a blessed woman.  I have two beautiful daughters, a third baby on the way, and I have a husband that loves and supports me in everything I do. 

Today I went to work, because it was a work day.  (Someday someone should grant everyone a holiday on their birthday.)  Some of the kids knew, some didn't.  A few grade 5 kids made cards - the cuties.  My teacher BFF Jodi brought in yummy cupcakes.  I went to lunch with my team.  It was good.

Then home to my family.  We went to dinner in Bolton at Boston Pizza.  Ken bought me Aveda shampoo.  Happy times!  And tonight my sister and Anna fly in!!  Let the birthday weekend continue!

 

Forty Looms Large

In December 2011 we went to a 40th birthday party.  The friend in Orangeville ward that was turning 40 threw herself (with the help of her family and the youth in our ward) a carnival.  It was so much fun.  My friend was so at peace with turning 40.  She has seven girls and at the time was in the midst of completing her education degree, she was so excited about the future and was embracing her new decade.  Me... when we got home from the party I felt concerned that the curtain needed to remain closed because I didn't want anyone seeing the balloon and thinking that I was 40!  NO!  Perish the thought!

About a month after the party I put the offensive balloon to good use.

I turned it into a pinata and then I let all the kids at Kate's party beat it up!  Take that you objectionable balloon!

That was just over a year ago.  I've thought about turning 40 a number of times in the last year, and perhaps if my goal was to be okay with it, I would be.  I feel unsettled.  I don't want to turn 40, not yet.  I want to be younger for my kids.  I don't feel old and I guess that's the problem.  I have a mental block about 40, it's OLD!!!  I don't want to be old.  Everything is relative and of course someone looking backward would say that 40 isn't old.  You are as young as you feel right?

I want to be young for my kids.  And they will keep me young, well I suppose there will be a mix of being young and stress aging me.  I am thankful for the life that I have lead thus far.  I love my life and I am happy, so happy and so blessed.   Besides I don't have time for a mid-life crisis, I have a four year old, a two year-old and a baby on the way!

Deep breath, happy birthday to me.  I can take great comfort in the fact that I don't look my age!

Pancake Time

Just a normal, average Saturday.  Ken making pancakes with the ladies.

Happy Birthday to Grandma (Mom)

The plan was to take the girls for haircuts (a trim for Kate and something other than a rats' nest for Alice), but I didn't realize that you couldn't just walk-in to Melonheads on a Saturday.  Didn't I feel silly for not brushing the girls hair!  EEK!  No haircuts, but we had a ride on the horses.

When we got to Mom's, she took it upon herself to tidy up the ladies, and both Kate and Alice's hair looked very cute! 

We had Swiss Chalet for lunch, thank you Andrew.  And then mousse for dessert, thank you Ken! No one brought candles, oops, so Mom blew out Andrew's lighter.

The ladies ate store bought cupcakes.

Everyone enjoyed the mousse and ganache, so rich and so good.  (So glad I passed my glucose test!)

We took some cute pictures - Mom and Andrew.

Mom and her flowers from Suzanne.

Wendy, Andrew and Mom.

And Mom with her cute Canadian grandchildren.

Then Kate did some dancing for everyone!

Happy Birthday Grandma/Mom!  We hope you feel 67 times special!

Mt.Sinai Visit #3

First good thing, only having to miss a half day, my appointment was for 1pm.  I left school just after noon and made it in plenty of time (parking at Yorkdale again).  Second good thing, within five minutes of getting to the hospital I already had my blood taken, and then by 1:22 the ultrasound was finished too.  I was so excited thinking that I might actually be out of the hospital by 2, maybe 2:30...

Okay so I didn't get out of there until after 3, but whatever!  The doctors and nurses in the high-risk clinic are awesome.  Dr. Windrim was who I saw today and he was so great.  Both doctors that I've seen are really concerned that you as the patient know what's going on.  They take time to explain things clearly and they have both been very reassuring.

Today's appointment will mostly likely be my second last at the clinic, as long as my titer levels remain so low.  He suggested I come back at 36 weeks for the final stamp of approval.  Comforting things that I've learned along the way: a first affected pregnancy doesn't pose that great a risk to the baby,  the possibility of an intrauterine blood transfusion for the baby is very, very low, and the possibility of a blood transfusion for baby after birth is also very low. 

Dr. Windrim and I did talk for a bit about jaundice and the possible implications.  He said that having a plan before hand to make sure that we leave the hospital knowing that the bilirubin has peaked and is declining is essential.  I didn't realize that severe jaundice left untreated can lead to lifelong deafness.  EEK!  Babies born early are more likely to be jaundiced because their liver is too immature to deal with the breakdown of the bilirubin. 

Which reminds me that since the appointment I have felt prompted to pray that the baby won't be jaundiced.  I feel the spirit as I type this, even though I feel like it's too much.  We've been too blessed through all of this.  There have been scary what ifs but there are have been so many blessings and so much reassurance. 

So the next steps... I need to talk to the nurse at the clinic on Monday and get the results of my blood work.  If my titer levels are indeed still really low then I won't go back to the high risk clinic until I'm 36 weeks.  I will then continue to see my OB in Newmarket.  I will continue to have bi-weekly ultrasounds and blood work to keep tabs on things.  I'm to look into the possibility of my blood going to the lab at Mt. Sinai for testing.  And I think that's it!