Something to Stand Up for

So, we just got back from Florida late Monday night where we had been for Bryan's brother's wedding. Michael honored both of his brothers by asking them to be his best men, and so Bryan stood right next to Michael during the ceremony.

Both the bride and the groom had 12 attendants, and it was a very crowded front area (they got married at a country club). About half way through the ceremony (right when Bryan's dad starting speaking), I noticed that Bryan did not seem to be doing to well. He had felt a little sick all day and had been unable to eat, so I was immediately worried. Within a few seconds, he was a complete ashen color and was swaying on his feet with his eyes closed. Since I was on the other half of the stage, I was not sure how to alert someone to the fact that he needed help without completely disrupting the ceremony. Luckily Bryan's mother also realized there was a problem and got Paul's attention, so Paul started supporting Bryan.

Unfortunately, since Bryan was completely passed out by this point, the ceremony was disrupted anyway. A dentist in the audience had the groomsmen lay Bryan down with his feet in the air until he began to regain consciousness. Meanwhile, I was on the other side of the stage completely freaked out because I could not see Bryan and had no idea if he was really okay or not. I was pretty much sobbing (though silently I hope). Once Bryan figured out what was going on, he tried to stand back up as Robert recommenced with the ceremony, but he quickly had to sit down for the rest of the service as he was on the brink of passing out again.

Now that we are three days on the other side of this unfortunate incident, I find it all quite hilarious and cannot think about it without giggling a little bit, but at that moment, I admit, I was pretty scared.

I hope the videographer keeps the footage so that we can watch that oh-so-graceful fall over and over again in the future :)

Out of the Mouths of Babes...

So today when I picked Robby up from school, they were just finishing up music lessons, and right before we left his music teacher put a stamp with music notes on this arm. Later in the car I asked him to show it to Daddy, and I asked him what it was, thinking he might say sticker or music. Nope, not my child. His immediate response was "tattoo." Clearly he has been exploring a world of which I was unaware....

It's A . . .

:) Two for two in determining the gender of the baby early in pregnancy :)

Great Expectations

I have this funny feeling that in looking over my life of late, God felt the need to teach me a lesson because the last two weeks have been all about letting go of the control I continually try to take of my own life and letting go of the expectations that I have set for myself and my life. A few examples to illustrate:

Last weekend was my birthday weekend, and I was very excited and just knew it was going to be awesome. After all, I had planned it very carefully to be just that way. On Thursday I was going to get a haircut and pedicure and then Bryan and I had a grown up day planned for that Friday involving a movie (a very rare treat), lunch at Nona Tata's, and shopping. Then on Saturday my parents were coming into town so we could all go to May Fest. Sounds super fun, right? Well, let me tell you how much of what I planned happened: zilch, zero, nada. Three reasons: Bryan had a very bad case of the (non-swine) flu, Robby's daycare closed for the swine flu, May Fest was cancelled. And, then, just to make extra sure that none of my plans could go forward, it poured all weekend long.

Did I go with the flow and just enjoy the things we did do? Not really. Instead I kinda felt pouty all weekend. That helped matters greatly....

So, apparently, I did not quite learn my lesson. Don't worry, God is very persistent. He kept revealing to me how when you don't have expectations, days that start out as nothing turn out to be really fun and memorable (see Coo Coo!) while high expectations often lead to disappointment (I think I'll save my purse story for another day though).

Then, I started getting emails from my Sunday School teacher about a couple in our class who gave birth to their daughter a couple of days ago. It had been a very tough pregnancy, and almost immediately after birth, serious complications developed in their new daughter. She can't breathe on her own or swallow on her own.

As we prayed for them, I realized finally just how high my expectations really are. The sonogram that we are going to get this week is not done to tell us the gender, it is done to screen for serious defects in the baby. In my thoughts and prayers for this week though, I see now that I truly expected those things to be fine and spent much of my worries/anticipation on finding out the gender. Am I saying that I have never had fears about the health of this unborn baby or spent serious time in prayer on behalf of my baby's health? Of course not. Would I have to admit that I pretty much expect to give birth to a baby who can breathe on his/her own? Absolutely.

In a book I am reading a character says, "My mother always told me to expect nothing so that everything I receive will be a gift." I think that is Godly wisdom from a secular source. God doesn't owe us anything, and truly anything we have is a gift from Him. While it is easy for me to understand this lesson theoretically (or theologically?), letting go of expectations is something I think I will be working on for a long time to come.

Coo Coo!

Because of the decision made by FWISD to close schools until the 8th over swine flu fears, Robby's daycare also closed down. So, Bryan and I have taken turns working and staying home with Robby over the last few days. With fears over the flu and the constant rain, many of our normal pursuits like the park, bookstore, zoo, etc. have been less appealing than normal, so I have been left to come up with new ideas on how to keep Robby entertained without allowing the total destruction of my house or just watching Cars ad nauseum. My big brainstorm: trains.

There is no other way to say it other than that Robby loves trains and all things to do with trains. He constantly says "Coo Coo" which is his version of "choo choo" and what he calls all trains. We have done many train related activities over the last week. On Saturday, in the middle of the pouring rain, we went to both train stations downtown in vain hopes of watching some trains go by. We saw one a little distance from where we stood, and Robby waved to it the whole time.

Then, yesterday afternoon after I got out of my training for Winfree, we went down to Vickery by Hulen and drove around all the old trains sitting on the tracks down there. Robby loved it. Then the three of us went to Trinity Park and rode the train. While Robby thought it was very fun, the train whistle scared him just a little bit which he showed by covering his eyes every time he heard it. I am not sure what that accomplished, but it seemed to make him feel better.

This morning, Robby and Daddy went to Barnes to play with Thomas and his friends at the bookstore. We keep debating whether or not to get him a train set at home, but a. they are not cheap, and b. I am always afraid that if we were to do that, Robby would not like it nearly as much as he does when he gets to go to the store to play with theirs. That seems to be the way that it goes with kids.

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I know I haven't updated in a while with lots of stuff going on, but the big thing to look forward to is the announcement next week regarding whether the soccer player in my stomach will be Robby's little brother or his little sister!!!