Labor Day

In honor of Labor day, enjoy my funny Labor story. I was very pregnant with my 2nd child and Michael decided that he was going to go on an extended camping trip with some of his buddies. One of the wives came to stay with me just in case something happened. We also had a baby shower to attend. After a great weekend of baby stuff and visiting with friends, I was looking forward to hearing about my husband's trip. They usually have such a fabulous trip. On Sunday morning, Cheryl and I got a phone call from her husband. We thought that they were calling to tell us that they were on their way home. Seeing that they were in the Joyce Kilmer wilderness, the connection was sketchy at best. All she heard was Michael....hurt....bear....broken. She debated on whether to tell me considering my delicate condition. She did and we panicked. What we didn't know was that they were kidding about the bear part but not the other. He had actually slipped and fallen off a waterfall. They called back after an excruciating 8 mile walk out to the car, then they stopped to eat(hurt badly, didn't it?), and got back to us. Michael said that he wasn't sure whether he had broken his hand and he waited. Near midnight, he went to the local hospital and found out he had broken the bone that connects his ring and pinky fingers on his left hand, kind of like a wish bone. They scheduled surgery. He had it the next Friday. The hospital set up a nice chair in the recovery room because I was having contractions and hurting badly. I waited in there until they brought him in. I was only 35 weeks along and scared. My 1st child was a scheduled C-section so we didn't go through labor and such but, I was in labor. I brought him home and he took his pain meds and went to sleep while I toughed it out by myself. The Lamaze class didn't prepare me for this! On Saturday, he was in pain but recovering nicely. I, however, was still in major pain and having close contractions. The doctor told me to come to Mission so here we went. There is about a 30 minute drive to Asheville. I was breathing, hee, hee, hoo, hoo, haa, haa. Guess who drove? The one in labor!!! My supportive husband was in the passenger seat, ASLEEP!! Just snoring his little heart out! Meanwhile, I am gripping the steering wheel like it is a pair of jeans at an Old Navy sale. I park and we begin the walk to the Labor & Delivery section of the hospital. We get up there and they put me on one of those uncomfortable tables and hook these belts up around my belly and blood pressure cuffs on my arm. My dear, sweet husband is faring much better. They brought him in a comfy chair and were saying things like, can we get you something to drink, Mr. Edgerton? Something to eat, Mr. Edgerton? After about an hour, he goes to sleep and is snoring, again!!!!!! I am definitely in labor so they proceed to give me terbuteline. If you aren't familiar with this drug, it is asthma medicine and it makes you have the shakes but it definitely stops the labor. So for a few more hours, I sat there, fat and uncomfortable with the shakes while Michael slept to his heart's content. We were released to go back home and I drove us once again. The labor started up again that night and continued until she was born the next Thursday. I was in labor for 2 weeks total before Ella Raye was born. I never dilated but I did break my waters. At that time, I sat in the L&D room on an actual bed waiting for my turn in the OR. Where was my husband? Asleep in the chair beside the bed! May your Labor Day be less eventful than the labor that my kid put me through(and my husband).

Patriotism

Well, the Olympics are over and my family has really enjoyed them. It was hard to like them because they were being held in China. China is not 1 of our favorite places. They are killing their people in rice paddies and aborting millions of babies for "population control". They are putting lead in our kids' toys and buying up all our loans in our banks. Maybe, I feel like people did when we were competing against the Soviet Union. However, we watched and jumped up and down when Michael Phelps pulled off his amazing feat. Isabela wanted to know if he was superman. We said absolutely! My daughters enjoyed watching Nastia and Shawn in the gymnastics. They pretended to be each of them and got excited when they won a medal. I was reminded of my friend Nancy and I pretending to be Mary Lou Retton when she pulled off her amazing 10s. I even teared up remembering us "walking the beam". Our family stood and paid homage to our flag and country when the National Anthem played(I always get choked up when that song plays). I am so proud to be an American! I am blessed to live in the best country in the world. My heart swells with pride and love for the good ole USA. It was this pride that had us coming back to the games time and again, even though we do not like China. We couldn't let our guys and girls down! As if our yelling and jumping would help them at all. Most of the time we were on a tape delay watching the events! I was amazed that NBC had the power to designate when the events were held so that America could watch it live(was anyone else jumping up and down in the middle of their bed cheering on Jason Lezak in the men's 4x100 relay?). I loved hearing the men where I work commenting on the women's gymnastics events as they sat at the bar watching them. Only the Olympics can do that. You would never see these same guys watching a competition between colleges and doing the same thing. So to our Olympians(most will never read this), we salute you and your dedication to your sport. May you realize from whom your talents come and may you continue to thrill us in years to come! Can't wait for Vancouver!
On a side note, my friend Nancy, whom I mentioned earlier, turned 30-something on Saturday. We have been friends for nearly 30 years. She is my oldest friend and we have so many memories together. Have a great year! I love you bunches!

It's Just Hair...

Have you ever heard that statement? It's just hair, it'll grow back! Whoever said this obviously never had a haircut that they didn't like. I just got my hair cut and it is way too short. I am just now getting to where I don't hate it. I just don't like it! It is a good cut but not what I wanted. Horrible! My hair stylist has been very good to me over the past year and always cut my hair the way I wanted but something went terribly wrong. She got to talking and cut it too short. By the time I realized what had been done it was to late to salvage it. She also told me that my hair is thinning on top. I hope that it is from all the trauma I went through this year. If it doesn't grow back then I'll have to join the Hair Club for Men(except it won't be for men anymore will it?). I will wear a hat as much as I can until it grows out some more!

People say dumb things

As football season is gearing up and players are getting sweaty and Michael is counting down the days, I wanted to rant about the announcers that cover our sports in the USA. They are agonizing! I love watching college football and basketball with my husband! Although he pulls for a team that gives him more heartache than joy, he comes back every year with his Gamecock shirts and paraphernalia with hope. Every year, I am right there with him hoping for change that won't leave him despondent in November. Anyway, back to the announcers. I watch these games and listen to these guys banter back and forth about the team and the game. They are supposed to have degrees in broadcast journalism, right? Well, they drive me nuts! When the quarterback throws the ball into the end zone, I hear, "Favre(I know he's not college but I like him, so there) threw the ball into the end zone." They do realize that we are watching the same thing that they are, I hope. I could understand if we were listening to the radio circa 1930s but not on TV. During basketball season, Billy Packer is especially horrible. Anytime that he calls the games for the Tarheels, he talks about how horrible they are(he is a Wake Forest fan). He could be calling the National Championship game and they are still the worst team that has had lots of luck.
The Olympics aren't any better. I was watching the mens 4x100 relay the other night. I heard the 2 AMERICAN announcers talk about how good the French were and that they were going to beat us up and down the pool(have they seen the dolphin aka Michael Phelps). I watched the 1st 2 legs of it in a reclining position(long night at work) listening to the guys say how we were going to lose and had no chance to win. When the 3rd guy in the relay got into the pool, I began to think that they were correct. No way we could win! He was almost a full body length behind and the 4th man would be hard pressed to make up the difference. The 4th guy enters the pool behind the Frenchie French man and began. After 1 length of the pool, I sat up and began to jump up & down in the middle of my bed shouting swim, swim, swim. Our 4th swimmer was swimming like he was being chased by the demons and not only did he win by a finger tip but shattered the World record! That should remind us to not count out the US! We work the best when we are coming from behind! The announcers were flabbergasted! Why? We have the fastest swimmer ever in the pool for us! Why do you doubt our abilities? To lose to the French, what an embarrassment that would have been! Those guys who surrender at the drop of a hat? Not my America! So, shut up with the stupid stories and skewed statistics and call the game with dignity and patriotism(except Billy Packer, don't pull for WFU). Why do they even have announcers for sports events on TV? Men don't listen anyway(except, of course, for Michael)! So, here's to a football season with the sound off. I can't wait!

Please try to read the article written by Deb Wood, CEO of Asheville Pregnancy Support Services. She and the ladies there helped us out immensely during our time of refining. I am trying out new names for my unfortunate incarceration(kind of denotes jail time, huh?) Those women also help out 1000s of girls per year with food and diapers for their babies. I am proud to be associated with them! Love you ladies!

Old Man in the house!!!!

Here's a salute to my precious husband! He turns 35 on Thursday! The banners are raised high in your honor! What a year the 34th turned out to be! You became a father for the 4th time and almost became a widower(watch out, Ladies). You were refined by the fire and came out glowing. Many men would not do what you do and for that I am grateful! You cook, clean, take care of the kids, give me nights away and support me in my ministry. All this without complaint! You don't argue with me but you let me work it out myself(which drives me crazy sometimes). Just yell back, would ya? :) You adopted my unborn son who would turn 15 on Thursday as well. Thanks for sharing your day with John Paul.
So, in front of the wonderful people who read this, I say I love you! I am so thankful to be your wife and your friend.

Song of Solomon 5:9-16

9 How is your beloved better than others,
most beautiful of women?
How is your beloved better than others,
that you charge us so?

10 My lover is radiant and ruddy,
outstanding among ten thousand.
11 His head is purest gold;
his hair is wavy
and black as a raven.(Well, a little gray!)

12 His eyes are like doves
by the water streams,
washed in milk,
mounted like jewels.

13 His cheeks are like beds of spice
yielding perfume.
His lips are like lilies
dripping with myrrh.

14 His arms are rods of gold
set with chrysolite.
His body is like polished ivory
decorated with sapphires. ^[b]

15 His legs are pillars of marble
set on bases of pure gold.
His appearance is like Lebanon,
choice as its cedars.

16 His mouth is sweetness itself;
he is altogether lovely.
This is my lover, this my friend,
O daughters of Jerusalem.

My favorite book of the Bible! God is so great!

Silent Alarm

Whew! What a week it has been! I have barely had time to breathe! I did however want to impart to you this 1 question. When did someone install a silent alarm in my house? You know on TV when a bank is robbed, the teller presses a button under the counter to call the police? Immediately, a signal is sent to an alarm company and the police get a call. They respond in a quick manner to the emergency beacon.
I think that someone has installed one of those in my home. I can go all morning and the kids are pretty self-sufficient. But, the minute I have to enter the bathroom some sort of alarm beacon is sent out into the house(and mind you it is a frequency only a child can hear). The kids come running down the hall and burst into the bathroom in at least 2s and sometimes 3s with questions that just couldn't wait 5 more minutes until Mommy had washed her hands and straightened her hair. Essential questions like "mommy, remember when we went to the beach last week(last summer) and I couldn't ride the train? I can ride it this year, right?" Is this necessary for the living of daily life? Couldn't it have waited? No, obviously not. I can't remember the last time I went to the restroom alone.
I have searched my bathroom up and down for the location of the sensor but even the techs at the CIA couldn't find it with their "bug" sweepers. It isn't under the toilet seat or under the floor( I have looked) but still a mommy shaped beacon goes out and the kids come running in to pose existential philosophical meaning of life questions. Thank God that the bathroom is considered the thinking room! :)