Oh please.. oh please, please, please!!

We were supposed to review for our test tonight in A&P. My teacher then discovered that we haven't gone over all the material for the test yet. So we did that and he pushed the test back to next Tuesday. Which would give us a whole weekend to study after reviewing for the test. That would be great in and of itself. Then one girl (who usually gets on my nerves just because she talks entirely too much) asked if we could have the test be a take home test. He at first said no.. but after realizing that we are indeed behind by like two days he said he would think about it. It would be AWESOME if we did. Talk about an A! Granted it's not the best way to learn.. but still.. it would be awesome! After this test we will then start dissecting. A brain and then an eyeball. Gross and cool all at the same time.

The rest of my Monday

Kent and I cut the grass. It's the first time I have helped in well over a year. Being pregnant or the mother of a newborn took me out of the saddle for a bit. I actually missed it. I like cutting grass. It gives me a chance to lose myself in thought. Today I prayed for Stellan while I cut. It was nice to just have that time without anyone around to just pray. Speaking of Stellan.. the doctors took a new plan of action and Stellan is actually doing better. He is coming out of SVT which is good. His body was really starting to weaken because of the SVT and wasn't able to pump the blood to his extremities. He still has a long road ahead of him, but today was much better than yesterday. Go over and read the latest update here. You can also get up to the minute updates here if MckMama is in a twittering mood. MckMama could really use our prays right now as well.. she (like any mother) is starting to go insane seeing her baby go through all he is going through. Having to literally watch your baby's heart stop beating, even for that brief moment for his own good, can not be easy. And having to watch it happen a lot has to be even worse. So please pray for her. She needs the strength to keep carrying on.

OK, back to my day. Kent and I cut the grass and then we just hung around the house. Kent left to take the kids to t-ball practice while I headed over to my parents to grab my glasses. I stayed over there for a bit and then headed to class. I skipped last Wednesday's class because I was just tired of it. Wanted to play hookie so I did. Well... my teacher decided that we would have a test tonight on what was taught Wednesday.. yikes! But then decided to not test tonight and put it off until this Wednesday.. whew! But really, it wouldn't have mattered much. I have made straight 100s on my tests so far, so if I didn't do so hot on this one it wouldn't have hurt me too badly. After school I came home, we chatted with Kent's parents for a bit and then it was bath time and bedtime for the small O'viller's. I then studied for my test in A&P 1 that is this Thursday and then got on here, chatted with my daddy, blogged to y'all and now I am about to go to bed. Pretty exciting.. no?

Maybe tomorrow will be... later!

Not me! Monday- Stellan Style

• This week I did not pray without ceasing for Stellan.
• I did not cry more than once after reading updates from MckMama.
• I do not feel a bond with another mother that I have never met.
• My heart does not ache for another mother that I have never met.
• I did not cry when reading other people's comments about how they were praying as well.
• I did not hold my children extra close and squeeze then extra tight when giving them hugs.
• I did not look at my precious baby Nathan and realize that he is only a few months older and how easily it could be him.. or any of my babies for that matter.
• I did not thank God over and over again for the health of my babies and realize just how blessed I am.
• I am not going to keep praying and praying and praying for Stellan until God heals him.
  

Stellan

MckMama hasn't updated today (at least not the last time I checked), but on her last twitter things weren't looking good. The doctors have a new plan of action, but no word as to what it is yet. Stellan was also vomiting a lot last night. So things aren't great right now. But that doesn't mean we need to stop praying or think that our prayers aren't being heard. I guarantee they are. God is sovereign and in control. He knows what is best for Stellan and He has the power to heal Stellan. We just have to keep our faith in Him. So please continue to pray for Stellan!
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Also, tomorrow is the deadline for the Red Envelope Project. I know the email was circulating earlier in the month, but you may have forgotten about it.

Well, I am off to fold clothes (is that all I do?) and study. Later!

Weekend Wrap Up.

We had a pretty busy weekend. It was supposed to be the kids' first t-ball game but it was rained out. Not to be mean, but I'm was kind of glad it did. Anyway, we decided to take the kids to the movies to see "Monsters vs Aliens". It was a pretty good movie. The kids seemed to enjoy it, but got restless about half way through. They are 4 and 3 so really it wasn't too bad. They remained quiet though.. just kept wanting me to get them more popcorn and sprite.. lol. After the movie we went and picked up Nathan and went out to eat with my parents, my brother and my nephew. Then we swung by the movie store to grab some DVDs and then went to the park and met back up with my parents, brother and nephew. We played out there for a good hour or so before it started getting dark. The kids had a blast together. Some of these are blurry. Cell phone cameras aren't ideal.Zoey hanging out while my momma watches.


Kent and my daddy try to be kids again.

Then we headed home to give the kids a bath and send them off to bed. Right as we got home Kent's grandmother called and asked if we knew we were under a tornado watch/warning. We had no clue.. lol. When we were driving home I saw some clouds building with some lightening in them, but I just figured it was a thunderstorm. So we watched the weather for a bit and they downgraded it to a severe thunderstorm so we felt safe sending the kids to bed. They all slept peacefully until 11pm when one of them started whining which woke the other two up. Which usually is no big deal. But Nathan wasn't having it. He decided to stay awake until 1:05am. I tried everything. Singing, rocking, swaying, laying down with him, walking him around.. everything. Finally after almost two hours of trying to get him to sleep I gave in and nursed him. He ate and back to sleep he went. I hope he doesn't start getting up though in the middle of the night again. I think more than anything he is teething. Anyway, we all got up this morning and went to church then went to Kent's grandmother's house for lunch. We hung around and napped (Kent and Zoey mostly.. lol) and then headed back to church in the evening. Now, the kids are all asleep. Kent is playing XBOX with some buddies from work (online) and I am here blogging. I just finished up my study guide for my next test (Thursday) for A&P 1. Next weekend is going to be extremely busy and it will also be the kick off to t-ball in full swing. I'm going to try and enjoy my peaceful, slow week. It will probably be the last slow week for at least the next 6 weeks.

Random Rainy Friday

We are on day 3 of rain. I'm not complaining though. I love rain, I love storms. My kids.. notsomuch. I've been racking my brain trying to come up with new and different things for them to do, so that they don't get too bored. Today we did "school", did a "science experiment" in the sink (Sink or Float) and then they played their elephant butterfly thing.

Then it was lunch and now nap. I am getting laundry done and hopefully will get the house cleaned up today. I like to have all that stuff done with before the weekend, so that when Kent is home we can just focus on the family and having time together. Doesn't always work that way, but when I can help it I try to make it happen. My mom is also coming home from a trip away tonight. I hope to swing by their house tonight if they get back early enough.

Tomorrow we have plans to take the kids to the movies to watch "Monsters vs Aliens". That is if the weather permits. So far we are until a slight risk for tornadoes, hail and damaging winds. Hopefully we will be able to take them. We need to find someone to keep Nathan though. Will have to figure out who soon.

Oh, got my A&P test back that I took right before spring break. Made an 87 on it. No too bad. Still would love to have an A on it, but a high B is good too. We have another test in there Thursday. I'm more worried about this one, because I don't feel we have really be taught the stuff. Lately the teacher has just been giving us copies of the notes and rushing through them because he has to stay on a certain schedule, which I understand, but I think it hurts the students in the long run. I guess I will just have to suck it up and teach myself most of it by rereading the notes a few times and reading what the text in the books teaches. Hopefully I will have enough of a grasp on it to understand it all.

Well, clothes need to be folded. Need to get on that while all the kids are napping... eh, scratch that.. Nathan is awake....

Still praying for Stellan. Are you?

MckMama has been keeping everyone updated through her blog and through her twitter. Things are looking better, but not great. Stellan is handling things, for now, greatly. He is finally getting some rest and is sleeping better. All of which is good. Continue to pray and quoting from MckMama's blog pray for this:

"For the here and now, for today, we are praying for a breakthrough in Stellan's SVT, for him not to start to go into heart failure, for his little heart to hang in there and keep up it's quick pace without giving up, and for the drugs to be successful in getting our sweet baby's heart into a correct rhythm."

Do I have good timing or what?

Much to my hesitation we went to the library. The kids found some books that they liked and we were reading them. Then a lady comes up and asked if we came to go to the reading hour.

"When does it start?", I asked.
"It's starting now.", she said.

Thinking to myself.. Now that was good timing!

Apparently they have reading hour everything Thursday at 10am. The kids enjoyed themselves. There were probably 30 other kids there and they sang, danced, read two books, watch a short video and then did a craft. The kids really enjoyed it and we are looking forward to do it each week now. Also, in two weeks they are going to have an animal type show. I'm sure they will get a huge kick out of that one! I'm so glad I decided to take them. Gives us something to do.

What to do?

We just got through with breakfast.
It's raining, so no playing outside.
There is no where in a 30 mile radius to go.
Days like today make me wish we lived in a populated city.
Or at the very least had a McDonald's with an indoor play area.
Thinking about taking them to library to check out a new book.
They have never been to just go look at books.
I wonder if they will behave.
We have been before for Imagination Hour.
But that is a little bit more relaxed.
Hmm, what to do...

No peanut butter. No jelly.

This is how lunch time goes around here when PB&J are offered for lunch.

Get out 4 slices of bread. One piece for Jon Kent, one piece for Zoey and two for me.

Get out the peanut butter and the jelly.
Then you put peanut butter on two slices and jelly on the two other slices. Really simple, no?

Oh, but my kids are far from simple.
Zoey's is on the right.. peanut butter.. no jelly. Jon Kent's is on the left.. jelly.. no peanut butter. And big momma's (aka me) is at the bottom. I'm the weird one.. I actually prefer my peanut butter and jelly sandwiches to actually include both peanut butter and jelly. How weird am I?

Still praying for Stellan

Please continue to pray for Stellan. The above button is also in my sidebar so please click on over and keep up with what is going on with Stellan. It's so hard to understand why these things happen, but thankfully God knows all. He can see the bigger picture while we can only see small parts of it. MckMama is wearing herself out and is pretty exhausted at this point. Pray for strength for her. She is going to need it in the coming days. Pray, pray, pray!

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My clan is fairing well. We still have the colds, but in light of all that is happening with Stellan, I am thankful that we just have colds.Anyway, please continue to pray for Stellan.

Not a lot

Not much going on here. Just waiting for the rain and storms to move in and stick around awhile.

Zoey's fever is gone. Has been since yesterday. However... Jon Kent is running a low grade one and coughing pretty badly. Kent gave Jon Kent some puffs from his inhaler so hopefully that will calm his breathing/coughing down. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't get Zoey's 24 hour fever virus. They share everything.. I'm hoping Nathan doesn't get it and that we can get rid of these germs soon. Being held up in the house for the next few days won't help though.

*sigh*

Please continue to pray for Stellan. He still isn't doing well and MckMama hasn't updated or twittered recently. I hope and pray that he pulls through this. He is such a precious little baby.

Random O'ville happenings...

My heart as been so heavy today after reading the news about Stellan. But I still wanted to give an update on what we have been up to.

Zoey is doing better. Her temperature has remained around 102 all day except for a few hours after we give her some Motrin or Tylenol. She hasn't really wanted to eat although she started eating better this evening. She has been drinking, so I wasn't too worried about the not eating. This evening she seemed to have cooled off a good bit so hopefully she will be back to normal tomorrow. Everyone in the O'ville house was up at 5am this morning for one reason or another. So not cool to be up before the sun.

Jon Kent is doing well. He went to his first t-ball practice this evening. Kent is the coach and Zoey is on the team as well, almost she had to miss tonight. Kent said he did well and the whole team practiced well together. They practice again Thursday if the weather permits (it's supposed to rain/storm starting tomorrow and not let up much until Saturday or Sunday). Jon Kent so far hasn't caught what Zoey has/had. He is sneezing a lot but I think it's allergies. The pollen is horrible right now. Hopefully the rain will wash a lot of it away.

Nathan is doing well. He still has his cold. He was wheezing a good bit today but it has since gone away starting this evening. He is walking pretty well right now and is trying to run. He will walk as fast as he can and just giggle. It's the sweetest thing. He is starting to talk, although right now it's just babababa and sometimes mamama although I haven't heard him say mama yet or at least recently. And he also seems to be saying or trying to say bye-bye. I'm not too worried about it, Jon Kent didn't really start talking until he was closer to two. He would say maybe 5-10 words but that was it. He would just grunt and point. Until Zoey started talking. She basically taught him how to talk.. seriously.

I ordered Nathan's first birthday cake today. So sad. And got a lot of his party supplies as well. I mailed his invitations today too. They are so cute. I'll have to take a picture and show y'all but I will have to wait until everyone gets their invites first. Some of them read my blog. We are only having a very small party for him. Great grandparents and grandparents type gathering. No extended family or friends. Just keeping it small this year. Next year maybe we will do something bigger. But he won't care either way. I am sure he will be spoiled rotten no matter what.

Well, there is the update. Very random, I know. Oh, school started back today. Woohoo (sarcasm). Had a test the first day back.. I think I did well though. Anyway, please remember to continue to pray for Stellan.

Continue to pray

Stellan still isn't doing well. Please continue to pray for him. God hears our prayers. God heard them before when so many asked Him to heal Stellan while in the womb. He is faithful to hear us again. Please pray!

Pray, pray, pray

Those of you who read my Not Me! Mondays probably already know MckMama and the story of Stellan. Doctors told MckMama that Stellan would surely die in the womb. But God healed him and he was born healthy and has been healthy for the last 4-5 months. But right now Stellan needs prayers. We need to lift him in prayers to God. Stellan's heart is beating entirely too quickly. The doctors haven't been able to lower his heart rate. They need to get it slowed down soon. So prayers for Stellan are urgent. Please, please lift him up in prayers.

I wish..

..I could get credit for nursing school for "nursing" my family back to health. That would be nice.. I would have my master's by now......

Kent hurt his back. It was funny, we were looking at my anatomy book trying to figure out which muscle he pulled.

Zoey is running a fever.. 102. Gave her some medicine and she is happily playing. No other symptoms that I can tell.

Nathan still has his cold.

I have a cold.

Kent has a cold.

Jon Kent.. hmm.. he sneezes a lot. But other than that... not much.

Hopefully we will all get better soon.. without many (any!) trips to the doctor.

Saying Good-bye

I can't remember a day in the last 4 years, 4 months and 2 days that you haven't been found somewhere in my home. Whether you lay in one of the kids' beds or hid under a sofa cushion.. You were always here. You have been a loyal friend to the kids and a great night sift worker. You knew how to calm the babies after a shot or lull them to sleep with your soothing ways. You were only a string pull away whenever they needed you. So thank you.. dear friend.. for being such a great part of the small O'villers' life. Heck, my life. You gave me many peaceful extra minutes of sleep. So, again, thank you. You will be remembered fondly.


Ahem...

Since Nathan is sleeping through the night (at least 3 nights a week now... soooo nice) I figured it was just way too easy and decided to chunk his pappy.. because you know.. I like drama. No really, he has a cold and wasn't using it much because he couldn't breathe so I figured it was a good time. So that's what I did and we are on day 4 without it. So it got trashed today. It's the end of an era. There has been a pappy in one or more of the kids' mouths since November 15, 2004 (the day Jon Kent was born). What will I do with all the extra money we will be saving!?!?

Surprise!

No, I'm not pregnant.

Kent calls about 8:30 or so and asks what we were doing? I said that we were just finishing breakfast and that we had just been talking about him. Kent said that his uppers were being stupid at work and it was making him mad. He looked outside, saw what a beautiful day it was and said that it would be much better spent taking the kids to the park. So he told whoever to put him down for leave that he was going home.

And that he did.

I could not tell you how excited I was. I hurried around, got everyone dressed, straightened up, got cups filled with juice, snacks packed for Nathan and my camera. I was pumped. To have a surprise day with my husband and the kids have a surprise day with their daddy.. priceless.

Have I mentioned how much I love my husband? Well, I do. Lots.

Here is a little bit of what we did:

Wordless Wednesday