Gam Zula Tova (This too is good!)

This morning at 7:35, as I was about to get into my car to leave for work and running late, I got a call from my husband. 
Husband said, "What time do you have to be at work?" 
I say, "I am supposed to be there at 8, but I am running late."
"No, what time do you HAVE to be there."
"I have a class at 8:35, why?"
"I have the car keys in my pocket...."

So, my husband had accidentally taken the car keys to both cars leaving me stranded at home.  I immediately started making phone calls to try to get a ride into school.  I was finally able to find the older sister of a student (who belongs to my Shul, whose mom went to Israel with me) to pick me up. 

I walked into the building and headed to our security desk to ask for a key to get into my classroom.  The guard asked to hold my car keys until I returned the classroom key.  So, I left my driver's license instead, after having to explain why I didn't have car keys.

My class is starting to gather around the door to my room, waiting for me.  And that is how my longest day at work started.  Tuesdays are my long days at work with me teaching from 8:35-4:10 with one "break" at 9:40.  Today was not a day to run late.  Today was not a day to come to work with out a car, since I meet the family at dance class.  Today was not the day to add more stress and anxiety. 

So, I didn't.

After I knew I had a ride, I let it go.  I knew I would be at work and that my day would continue.  Maybe, I just needed to realize that this might be good also.  Maybe there was a reason this happened.  I try to do this often like when I am stuck in traffic.  Instead of getting annoyed, I try to think that there are worse things than being stuck in traffic.

Lessons from today's misadventures include: letting go of the things I can't control, remembering that we are all human and make mistakes (didn't even get frustrated with Husband-Yay me!), learning that Husband will be teaching our teenagers to drive (I prayed a lot on the drive in), and that even this is good.

Doctor, Doctor Give Me The News

First of all, I downloaded the blogger app ages ago and have yet to use it. I knew it would be good when I did not have a computer around, for in the moment blogging. Tonight I am using it because it is easy to use while feeding the baby.

Today I went to the doctor for my six week post op visit. I have been going weekly because I was healing slowly, but this was supposed to be my last visit. This was supposed to tell me that I can go back to work and life as I once knew it.

That wasn't entirely the case. The long and short of it is that I can go back to life as I know it, but I am still not completely healed. I was given another array of medications and told that things are looking better.

Instead of going back in a week, as I have been doing, I go back in two weeks. Let's hope the news is good news then!

Healing, Inside and Out

Baby Boy started school (daycare) yesterday.  He is officially 6 weeks old!  The girls were excited that he was going to school with him and D wanted to take him for show and tell.  I decided not to go back to work yesterday and to take one more day to heal.  With three children, I don't always allow myself time to rest.  All three of my children were C-Sections (another blog post maybe to explain why), and I healed differently each time.  After D was born, both of us were in my office after just three short weeks.  She stayed in my office until she was three months old.  Little L and I went back to work when she was six weeks old, and she stayed in my office until she was three months old.

This is the first time that I went to work and the baby went somewhere else.  It feels....weird!  Baby Boy is my little buddy and other than one time, everywhere I went, he went.  I needed yesterday to rest and work on healing, inside and out. 

Inside: I had to be okay emotionally with the baby not coming to work with me and to start daycare so young.  Inside, I had to mentally prepare to go back to teaching, standing on my feet all day, and being "on". Inside: I had to forgive myself for not getting everything done that I had intended.  These weren't huge projects like refinishing cabinets, but just little things I had hoped to do.

Outside: I had to make sure that the physical pain was gone or minimal.  Outside: I had to be able to stand/walk for long periods of time.  Outside: I had to make sure that my incision was closed or at least closing.  This one, I did not fully accomplish.

Since my two week post operation visit to my OBGYN, I have been going weekly.  There are two places on my incision that have not closed completely.  They cause a lot of discomfort and we have no idea why it is taking me so long to heal.  I went to my Endocrinologist to see if the Gestational Diabetes was causing me to be a slow healer, and they don't think that is the cause.  There is an infection and a rash as well on the incision.  These are the reasons I took an extra day at home by myself.

I started back to work today, on what I consider a slower day.  I am feeling okay, but definitely not back to my old self.  Maybe this week's doctor visit will be the week that I am told that I am healed.  Maybe.

A Child Arrived Just the Other Day...

So, after Thanksgiving, there was still much to do on our house.  The girls' room never quite got organized and the clothes in their drawers were a size too small.  Baby Boy's room was full of boxes.  The playroom was set up, but not organized.  I was starting to panic a little because I thought we wouldn't be done before our third child arrived.

It turns out that I was right!

Baby Boy was due on December 19th.  After much conversation and persuasion, our doctor agreed to schedule the C-Section date on December 12th, but she wanted it the week before.  Baby boy arrived on December 6th and I was not ready.

On Monday, December 5th, I went to my last sewing class to make a denim skirt for our family pictures.  I made the skirt, but didn't get to finish putting in the elastic waist or the hem.  Since I wasn't due for another two weeks, and pictures were scheduled for December 22nd, I knew I had time to finish.  I got home late from the class (around 10:40 when class was supposed to end at 9:30), and Husband rushed out the door to go study with the Rabbi.

I washed some dishes and started prepping lunches for school the next day.  I got tired, so I went to rest in bed and check my e-mail.  Around 11, Husband came home and I fell asleep.  Around 1:45, I woke with a start and realized (in a long, twisted, convoluted way) that my water had broken.  I have never had this happen naturally, so we had to Google and call the OBGYN to verify. 

To make a long story short, Baby Boy was born on December 6th, 2011 at 6:31 AM and weighed 6 pounds.

A Thankful Thanksgiving.

I realize that it has been some time since I last posted on this blog, and I do apologize.  Things here have been hectic.  I last posted right before Thanksgiving.  For Thanksgiving, my parents drove up and stayed with us.  It was nice having them here for our first Kosher Thanksgiving.  They ate Thanksgiving lunch at my Sister-in-law's family, but had dinner with us.  My husband's sister who lives nearby and her family joined us as well.

Husband and I wanted to have as close to our traditional Thanksgiving as possible.  So, we researched family favorites such as sweet potatoes and green bean casserole.  Now, we couldn't do the green bean casserole, but we still had green beans.  The meal was delicious and had some new favorites sprinkled in.

I am so thankful that we were able to host a Kosher Thanksgiving with delicious food and fabulous family.

Thanksgiving....A New Tradition

So this year is our first year to keep a kosher home.  We will be hosting Thanksgiving for our families and are trying to keep everything as traditional as possible.  Once again, we will be deep frying our turkeys.  Instead of green bean casserole (cream of mushroom soup is a milk product), we are doing a fresh version of green beans.  There will still be sweet potato casserole (with parve marshmallow fluff) and cornbread stuffing. 

We will be adding our own twists this year, just to keep things fun.  The desserts are a pumpkin spice cake, orange creamsicle, and a cranberry and pecan pie.  It is nice to have a house that is big enough to host a Thanksgiving dinner once again, since we had really outgrown the previous house for these types of gatherings.  The girls are excited that "Grandma" and "PePaw" are coming to visit and D even asked if they could watch her at dance class tonight.

This Thanksgiving, I am especially thankful for my family and friends who are excited of our move into a new house, helpful with preparing for baby number 3, and supportive of the life changes we have been making to become more observant.  I know it is not easily understood, but they are embracing us.  Thank you for being you.

If You Could See Me Now!

So, this morning I started thinking back.  Back in high school, I was a jeans and t-shirt kind of girl.  I never wore make up.  I was a girl who was "Au natural".

Now, I wear a dress or skirt to work every day (because of where I work, it is the dress code).  My morning routine includes cleaning my face and applying makeup.  My mom would be so proud!