A Light At The End Of The Tunnel

I'd like to think most parents want their baby's first year to last forever.  We, on the other hand, wanted it over.  We had endured so much grief, frustration, depression, sadness, pain, and anger over the previous 12 months, we so badly urned for that, "light at the end of the tunnel".

(It'll be a little easier to make this blog a timeline) 

January 22, 2010 ~ Back to the Hospital
So far, 20% of Gwen's short life had already been spent in the hospital.  Here we were, back again.  This time to battle a high fever caused by a facial rash and an infection around Gwen's G-Tube.   Lucky for us, this was a short stay.  A little steroid cream, some anti-biotics, and 10 hours in the ER and we were sent on our way. 


February 05, 2010 ~ BFF's (Best Friends Forever)

I hate to sound like a broken record, but "normal" is rarely a part of our daily vocabulary.   However, today Gwen and I took our first trip to The Phoenix Zoo, along with Bella (Gwen's BFF) and Bella's mom, Jodi.  For those of you reading this not from Arizona....no that is not a rock behind Gwen and I, it is a desert  tortoise!

March 05, 2010 ~ Pneumonia, Facials and a Short Sale
Gwen had her first bout of pneumonia in the NICU and it decided to rear its ugly little head again and come back for round 2.  Fortunately Gwen enjoyed her breathing treatments,  or "facials" as Grandma Becky used to call them, since the mask was a little too large for Gwen's face.


Remember we put our house up for sale the previous summer?  Finally after 10 months of paying (that's right) for a house we were no longer living in, 2 offers, a dedicated realtor (shout out to Mrs. Rosie Fryrear!), and being the "short sale guinea pigs" of our time and banks not knowing what they were doing, we SOLD our house!  


Jesse and I thought we would be able to purchase immediately, but little did we know that having 1 late payment (paid, but 3 days late) would put us in the same group of short sellers who opted to discontinue paying their mortgages.  For 1 late payment (mind you it was paid), we were penalized from purchasing for 2 years...still a little bitter about it!


Happy Easter ~ Egg decorating, 2 weird brothers, and biscuits and gravy!

    


June 30, 2010 ~ 16 ear  infections, excuse me 17 ear infections later....

The ENT (ear nose and throat) doctor finally gave us the go ahead to get Gwen tubes to control those nasty little ear infections.  Since birth, we had battled ear infections roughly every three to four weeks.  They'd come, they'd go, and they'd occasionally test positive for MRSA (remember she contracted it in the NICU). My understanding is anyone can be a carrier of MRSA and once you have it, it never goes away.  It just takes a weak immune system or infection to shows itself again.

July 03, 2010 ~ Moving out
After exactly 12 months of living with my parents, Jesse, Gwen and I found a new home to rent a few miles away from both grandparents.  It's a great little house on a lake (man-made of course).  When its not 150 degrees outside, we like to sit out back, listen to the fountain, and watch the ducks go by.

  

July 09, 2010 ~ Fishing + Family = A Reel Good Time ( HA HA!)

For the past 5 years, we traveled 4 hours northeast of Phoenix to Pinetop to relax and getaway.  It's anywhere from 20 to 30 degrees cooler than Phoenix, layered with lakes, pine trees, mountains, wildlife, and the best prime rib I have ever eaten in my life!  

Thanks to my father-in-law, brother-in-laws, and my wonderful husband, I have been introduced to the wonderful world of fishing!  I can't believe I just said that, but it's true!  I (and our dog Tanq) enjoy everything about it ...except for my father-in-law's gourmet way of eating his fresh catches.  Trout drenched in Italian dressing cooked in the microwave just doesn't do it for me!

August - December, 2010 ~  Football Season and the Holidays  

   

    

Weddings and Blessings 2010 ~ 
Congrats to all of our wonderful friends who got married and had babies!

            

  

            

                 

For those we lost........We love you, and we miss you. 

January 17, 2011 ~ It's my party and I'll cry if I want too!

The first year was a challenge, and we wanted it to pass.  Now, looking back, I wish Gwen would stay little forever!  

This 2nd party was a little less extravagant than last year's...the goat and the sheep went to a better place (may they rest in peace).   It was beautiful outside, so we brought the jumbo television out to the backyard, watched football (had too, it was playoffs) and ate Grandma Becky's Moo-Cow cake!