Get used to the Stairs

I'm blue today.  Our family has been praying for the Edmondson family who just had fetal surgery, and the mom's contractions have not stopped.  Here's what the dad posted today on our  Facebook  fetal surgery group site: SB family, two nights ago Emily started having contractions and they lasted through the morning. Doctors tried everything possible to keep her from going into labor yesterday morning, but the body does what the body wants to. I’m very sad to report Reese Isabella Edmondson was delivered at 2:29pm yesterday and passed away shortly after at 4:05pm. It was a very emotional day for Emily and I, but we were fortunate enough to be able to hold our baby girl until she passed. The odds and statistics were simply stacked against us today. She was delivered at 22 weeks 6 days. She was 13oz and 11 inches long. She has been such an inspiration to us these last few weeks and it’s comforting to know she is now in a better place and pain free. She was truly a fig

                                  My Dad.  Taught me what true love is.  My number  one fan.                        Great story teller,  teacher,  decorator, skipper, painter, and patriarch of our family. My Father-in-Law.  Made my husband the man he is today.  In tune to other's needs.  Always quick  to help.  Kind, generous, fun and a wonderful grandpa. My Matt.   Fantastic husband/dad.  And lately it has been reconfirmed that he's a wonderful mom too by running the household while I kick it on the couch!   For Father's Day, we took this picture and framed it for Matt's office at church.   The kids thought it was so fun to dress up in his shirts and ties.  Next year we'll include Maggie!

Saturday night I started having contractions. They were longer and harder than normal. I doubled my anti-contraction medication, but the pain kept coming. So we faced the dilemma so many prego moms wonder. Go to the hospital or not? The rule from my docs is four or more contractions an hour equals a trip to the doctor. That's not many contractions, but I followed the rules, phoned the on-call doctor, had a neighbor come over to the house, and then headed to University on Utah Hospital. I really do not like that place, but we have to go there since me and the baby are high risk. Instead of just monitoring contractions and the baby's heart rate, they immediately admitted me.  It was overkill. Then the nurse said, "Okay, we're gonna need an IV and labs drawn." That's when I got testy. I told them I didn't want any of that done until my contractions were monitored for a time, and I had seen a doctor. Long story short...I was having regular contracti

Baby Maggie is doing well.  Nothing of concern at our ultrasound on Friday.  We go back again next week.  The doctors want us to continue with weekly appointments.  As the uterus grows, so do the risks for preterm labor.  We've made it to week 30!  The average length of gestation for a mom who has the surgery is 34 weeks. I watched part of the Children's Miracle Network telethon yesterday.  Those stories make me tear up and put life in perspective!  We love Primary Children's Hospital and also Children's Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston.  They are miracle workers! I went to church today with the kids for the first time in...well, probably months.  Matt goes to church meetings early in the morning, so I had a friend come over and help us.  She did the girls hair, made waffles, washed dishes and got everything ready for church. Then we loaded up the wheel chairs and headed out.   Sitting in the congregation reminded me of a devotional that Elder Marlin K.