A Picture Book Story

Today I would like to tell you a story, one about a very frazzled Andy.

This morning Andy got up at 5am to pack his luggage and be on the road by 5:30 am. He needed to get into work early so that he could catch up on work from being gone all of last week.
He would then drive down to Midway Airport to catch a plane,
He is flying to Massachusetts,
So he could testify in court,
On behalf of Discover Card.

But on the drive to work, at about 6 am, he got a flat.
Because of construction and no shoulder and the side of the car that had a flat, he couldn't put the donut on and drive himself.
So he had to call a tow truck. He called several places that weren't open yet and finally found a place called Ernie's to come and get him.While he waited a cop pulled up behind him. Asked him what he was doing then took his license. After running it, he told Andy he would wait with him, lights on, until the tow truck came. But then he left. While Andy was still waiting for the tow truck, in the running car to stay warm, he ran out of gas. Adding insult to injury.
At the tow truck place, they gave Andy two receipts. They told him to check his insurance to see if towing was covered. Andy called our agent Mike, and he said yes it is. Send us the receipt. This is a very good thing since it cost a hundred bucks.
The tow truck place put the donut on Andy's car,

Then he drove to a local tire store. Then didn't have the right tire,
So Andy finally went to work to get caught up while he waited for them to order,
The rim as well as the tire. Andy had to drive a little way on the rim to get to the emergency shoulder because of the stupid one lane construction. I wonder if I-DOT will pay for the rim....
Andy then called the airline to change his flight that he had now missed. Everything was all booked up except for,
The 9pm flight. So instead of arriving around lunch, Andy will finally reach his destination about midnight tonight.

And that is the story of Andy's expensive crappy day.

The End

Wanna Come Play At My House?

It feels like forever since I posted last. Sorry to all those who check the blog everyday. I get very disappointed when there is nothing new for a long time, since I do check everyday, because I am an addict. I know I am, and I'm ok with it. Hello, my name is Brittney, and I'm a blog-aholic.
Anyways, (just for you Kim) today's blog topic is an invite to come hang out with yours truly, and my cute husband and my adorable son. We are going to be in Utah the last weekend in April. My greenie, who taught me more than I taught her, is getting hitched. Also, Andy's brother Steve is blessing his baby girl. Being as we could double up on events, and that we got an AMAZING deal on tickets, we are going to be there about 5 days. The few people we have told have all expressed a desire to get together while we are there. Since there is so few hours in the day, and so very many people we love and miss, we thought it easier to have an open house and let everyone come to us. This way we will hopefully see everyone. So save the date. Friday April 25Th. We are still in deliberations as to what we will do. Probably just desserts but it is open to discussion. We will have more details as we get closer but I wanted to let people know as soon as possible so that they could plan ahead. I suppose it will be around 6ish, but just bet on the evening time. It will be at my parents house in Draper. I am sure you can all find the way, but if you need we will give directions or an address. I will also add an RSVP when we get closer to find out how many people we should plan for. We are really looking forward to the trip and hope to see everyone there. Cuz we miss you ALL!

Surgery

So the picture loading site decided to work today. So now you all get to enjoy some more pictures of Boston. This is Boston just before we left for the hospital. Notice the comfort object of choice, a bat. One of the foreign nurses thought it was a bowling pin.
Boston's war wounds a few days later. You can see the big one on his belly button. There is another incision in the crease of his leg. It's protective cover had already fallen off and you can barely tell it's there. If you didn't know what you were looking for it would just look like a wrinkle. You can feel the stitches underneath the skin. I took the bandage off his belly yesterday for his first post surgery bath. That one is still a little bruised looking and has a little scab. It is actually in his belly button. Hopefully his belly button will turn back into an innie now that things have been repaired.
Boston having a grand time playing with not a care in the world he just got cut open. One of his new favorite things is to stand on top of the slide with no hands. He'll let go just for a second then grabs back on and laughs like crazy. I'm just waiting for him to yell, Look Ma no hands!

All Is Well

Everything went very well with Boston's surgery. I have been trying all morning to get some pictures of it on here but the site just keeps encountering errors. So I guess we will have to try that again later.
We got up early Thursday and headed up to Milwaukee. When we got there we were taken into a little room. While we were waiting Boston had a great time playing peak-a-boo from behind the curtain. He finds himself hilarious. He was then given some loopy juice before he went into the OR. We had to hold him so he wouldn't fall and hurt himself. We got some hilarious video of him being totally out of it. It was really just so sad but we couldn't help but laugh. Had to lighten the mood. So after we sang Drunken Sailor a few times I had to give him away. That was so hard to just hand him to a nurse. He waved goodbye and I cried all the way to the waiting room. Andy went to get us some breakfast and as he was walking back in, the doctor came to tell us he was done and that we would be taken to recovery in a few minutes. We barely had time to eat and we were called back. Boston was screaming bloody murder and we could hear him before we found him. We both knew it was him. I took him and we rocked in the rocking chair until he calmed down. I was irked that they hadn't called us sooner. I had asked before the surgery why we couldn't be there when he woke up. They said it was boring and they would call us when he was awake. Whatever. After he had some juice, another first for him, we got him dressed and left. He fell asleep in the car but wouldn't go back to sleep when we got home. So we went to Wal-Mart to get his painkillers filled. He didn't want to be carried, he didn't want to ride in the cart, nope he wanted to push the cart. This is one of his favorite things, to push anything. But he loves to push carts around the store. It makes for long shopping trips but whatever. So while we waited he pushed the cart all over the store. We then went out for lunch and he ate like a man. We went home and he finally went down for a nap. Only to get up later and play and dance and climb all over. He doesn't seem to know anything happened. He has slept slightly more than usual but other than that he is still his normal self. He is playing and laughing and eating like crazy. He has started dancing like a mad man every time we turn on the music or say dance dance Boston. He was going so crazy a couple of nights ago Andy and I couldn't breathe we were laughing so hard, we had tears streaming down our faces.
So I guess he is just fine. We go for a follow up appointment in a couple of weeks. So we will see that everything really is taken care of. I was secretly looking forward to the extra snuggle time with Boston, only to find he didn't need any. Other than the time in recovery he hasn't needed me at all.
Thank you so much to everyone for all of their prayers and support. We are so blessed and grateful to have so many people that love us.

Prayers Of All Kinds

I belong to a group called Mops. It is a christian based program, Mothers Of Preschoolers. Excellent childcare is provided while the mothers meet together. We have breakfast and a short program on families, mothers, or other uplifting topics. Then we break into small groups and talk about it and apply it to our own lives. It is developed so that we can have positive adult discussions about our needs and being better mothers and wives. When we break into the small group, we also have a prayer roll. If you are so inclined, you can share a trial or need that you would like everyone in the group to pray for.

Today, just as we were finishing up, I asked to have my name added. I shared that Boston was having surgery tomorrow and that we really needed all the prayers we could get. Everyone was very encouraging and sympathetic. They were all offering support when the mentor of our group, an older lady with adult children, came over to me. She said I just can't keep watching you, I need to give you a hug. I then fell apart. I started crying. She just held my hand and hugged me. Then another mother asked if we could pray for me right then. She also came over and put her hands on my shoulders in support. Another mother started the prayer. She prayed for my strength and for Boston and for the doctors. Pretty soon the group leader was behind me handing me a tissue and then put her arms around me. When the first mother finished praying, another started right up and prayed some more for me and my family. Everyone was thanking Jesus and agreeing with all that was said. It was a very amazing experience. I felt so much love and the spirit was so strong. The meetings are held at a local church but all of us belong to different faiths. It was a sweet moment that testified to me of the loving Father in Heaven that we all share. We all practice differently, and we all pray differently, but I know those prayers were heard today. I am so blessed to have them praying for my family today and tomorrow.

I know He is there, and He listens. He answers all of our prayers, no matter how we say them. How wonderful that we could all be united in one cause and pray together.
Thank you Father, for the support sent to my family in our time of need.
Thank you for hearing our prayers.

Keeping Us In Mind

This Thursday Boston is going to be having surgery at the Children's Hospital in Milwaukee.
In December I noticed that his little innie belly button had turned into an outie belly button and I got suspicious. I had a hernia fixed when I was about five. A friend of mine noticed it as well one day and asked me if he had a hernia. I wasn't overly concerned and decided I would just bring it up at his one year check up in January. The doctor agreed. He thinks it was aggravated by all the coughing he did from the five colds he had in a row over the holidays. Usually they wait until they are about five to do the surgery, but Boston also has a hydrocele. This is a fluid sac on one of his testicles. These are very common with little boys, but if they don't correct themselves by the age of one, they have to be taken care of. The Doctor feels that there is what he calls a communication between the two problems. In other words, they are connected and the hernia can cause serious potential problems. So they are going to take care of them all at once. This also is to avoid Boston have to be put under anesthesia again later. Something I would not want.
The surgery involves a small incision at the belly button to repair the tear. With a second incision in the leg crease to the right of his scrotum to remove the hydrocele. They will also send a camera down his belly to see if there is a potential for the same problem with his left testicle, if there is, they will make a third incision in the left leg crease and stop the problem before it begins.
Boston will not be staying the night. The doctor says he will have almost no recovery time. My biggest concern will be to keep him from climbing everything like a monkey and tearing out a stitch. He also said it will probably be harder on me than on Boston. I am sure I believe him. I am so scared. Telling me it is the most common surgery they perform doesn't really make me feel better.
The surgery is early Thursday morning, we wanted the first appointment since he can't eat after midnight. We are both taking that day off. Then I will take Friday off and Andy will have him Saturday. Then I will be home again Sunday and Monday. I am glad we could get it scheduled when we did for a minimum of days off.
So please keep us in your prayers. Please pray that Boston won't be sick so we have to postpone, I just want to get this over with. Pray that my baby will be safe and that we have no complications. Pray that Andy and I will have the courage and strength that we need. And pray for the doctors to be cautious and aware of all that is going on. Just pray for us.