Faith Walker

Today I took The Birth Survey which included prenatal, labor, delivery,  and post partum care. The survey looked at not only just your OB or midwife but also hospital and hospital staff.

I felt that it was a very good survey. It asked a lot of questions about your care providers and the hospital itself. The thing that I found most hard about the survey was that I work in Labor and Delivery/ Postpartum unit at the hospital I delivered at so it was hard to look at just how I was taken care of and not what I see on a day to day basis. However in looking at my care providers I found it easy to give my opion of them because working night shift we don’t see them as often.

I really like my midwife, Rachel Sizemore, and continue to see her in the office.  I feel that she has a great bedside manner and feel that she has my best intrest in mind. I feel that it is easy to talk to her about everything and have no problems asking her questions or calling the office to talk to her about something.

I felt that Fort Hamilton was a great hospital to deliver at. I feel that my co workers took great care of me as a patient. I don’t feel that I was over looked or under taken care of. I felt like they took care of me as if I were a stranger with a little bit more personal care.

I think that when The Birth Survey is used by others that they will be able to get a good look and get a good review about their choice of hospitals and care providers and be able to make a decision to look at whow fits their best interst. I really enjoyed taking the survey and hope that it will be a good resource for other women.

It has been almost 5 years since Chris and I have been on vacation that wasn’t just a long weekend. What am I looking forward to most you ask? The slow pace and not agenda! The only thing that we have planned at all is to visit with family one afternoon. Other then that most of our time will be spent on the beach. I am looking forward to quite moments with God. To just sit and enjoy the beautiful things that will be around me that I don’t get to see every day. I am looking forward to the decrease in technology avaliable to us. I don’t think a few days without a computer with the internet is going to kill us. Okay so maybe it might cause a little nervous breakdown for Christopher but I think he will survive. (Okay so really my mom will have her wireless internet card with her so there won’t be any problems reaching the net.) Just a few short more hours here at work and one more full shift and bam.. Vacation time! If you haven’t been able to tell I am not the least bit excited about it not at all. I hope that my kids get to enjoy their grandparents but I also hope that my parents take time for themselves too and to just enjoy being them. I know that they will be going to bed early and getting up early so there will be quite momments for them too. Probably about the only thing that I can say I am probably going to miss while I am gone is my bed. I have yet to meet another bed that can make me sleep that way I do on it. My brother’s mattress stinks. I hate it. I don’t sleep well in it and I sink towards Christopher unless I hold on to the side of the mattress. I will not miss not getting enough sleep or running around like crazy. I want to just sit and breathe in the salty fresh air.

My spirits have been up since I last posted. I don’t feel like the rain is coming down and there is no sunshine at the end. Just a couple of bad weeks is all and now back to the norm( or so I hope.)

My spirits started to lift on more on Friday when my brother came for a visit. I totally enjoyed my time with him this past weekend even though it was short. He has really ‘grown up’ in a way over the past couple of years. He is really a level headed guy with good dreams. I am proud that he is my brother. I stayed up too late on Friday talking to him but really just enjoyed his company. Got lots of laughs and some seriousness too. Wish that Katie and him were going to the beach with us but know that they have other plans. We will miss them while we are there.

Sunday I got to lay out in the sun with no children for about an hour and half. I started to notice that even with sunscreen on that I was getting a little red so I came inside. My kids were glad to see me and I enjoyed my little bit of a break from them.

Monday was even better yet. One of the girls at Bible study shared an amazing thing that happened to her. It was a really great story and glad that she shared it with us. I got to spend a few moments with Penny before anyone else got there and that is always nice for me. I always feel so different after small group or our bible study meetings. I know that is just that great time that we all get to spend basking in Gods love together. I really enjoying doing life with them. I pray for each of them and their needs as they do for us. Many times I find that at least one other person has gone through what I am going through and even if there is no advice I feel that there is a bit of understanding. I can’t tell you how many times a week or even a day I thank God for putting us where we are. He has truly taken care of our needs. I can say that this is where we are called to be. Now from time to time it does have its downs.  I dislike living 45 minutes from church or having to drive at least 30 minutes to another member of small groups house but it is worth that time. Worth the extra miles and minutes to be blessed in ways that I never dreamed we would. Feeling connected to a community and not just an attendee. Feeling all the time that we as people matter and are more then just a number week in and week out. Having someone know your kids name and miss them when they are not in church. I know that for almost a year now I have been saying how wonderful things have been but they truly are. They make my interchild giggle with joy. Joy that had been lost for many years. Joy that I am glad to have found. So thank you so much to our dear Vineyard family for making us a part of yours and making us feel at home.

Things are getting better around the house. Even though the kids seem to be fussy and getting into anything they shouldn’t be into. I just needed to have my Seeking Sanity post. Sometimes you just need to have a little breakdown before a little build up.

The kids are doing better. Fussy but better. The bug is really kicking Kendra’s tail. She has been just wanting to sit and watch TV with me, or Chris, or Grandpa. If that isn’t happening then she is just a wreck. Walking around crying and fussing and waiting  to ‘Hold you’, mostly I think because she isn’t sleeping well. (I know I better take advantage now before she doesn’t want me to hold her at all.) Ephriam is pretty much him old self minus the cough and runny nose.

My time with Jesus is better. Could last longer but I just feel so tired since I have been doing things out of schedule to keep the kids at home and yet try to get me some rest. Going to bed after midnight and getting up at 7:30 is not for me. I really want to go to bed earlier just don’t seem to make it there. But at least I am getting 10 minutes of good time verus 30 minutes of scattered time. I loved Joe’s sermon on Sunday. I took lots of notes and probably could have used another piece of paper.

Now about school. Still having anixety and probably will till I know if I got into the program at work or not. Part one is done. Accepted to Cincinnati State. Now just waiting to hear from work. Have I mentioned that I don’t do well on waiting? It really stinks. I am hanging in there though. REALLY hoping it is my time.

Started getting things ready for vacation. Have a few things left to pick up but have plenty of time to do so. I am getting more excited everyday. Now just to keep things organized so that things stay simple. Yes, I know it isn’t such an easy thing for me to do but hoping to make it that way for an easy pay off in the end.

Well I guess that I should do some more work. Just wanted to let you know that I didn’t have a mental breakdown for long. I am on the mend and doing much better. Actually, my brother is coming this weekend and I am really looking forward to seeing him. I will miss his having his girlfriend, Katie, with us but hope that she enjoys her time back home. Check ya’ll later

Not sure what Sanity is anymore. I feel as if I have lost it. I am looking forward to going to Florida in the near future and laying on the beach. Maybe even getting to take a kid free walk with my husband. That would be bliss right now.

This week has not been my cup of tea. Not that it has been totally aweful but it hasn’t been great either. I loved having all my family in and getting to spend time with them. Wasn’t so prepared to have Grandma and Grandpa show up as early as they did but it was nice to get to spend some time with them before everyone was there. I didn’t sleep well at all through the weekend. I don’t know if I was just worried about everything that we had going on or if I just was restless. Sunday was relaxing and I tried to ‘catch up’ on some rest but still couldn’t sleep. Monday was nice for a couple of hours of just spending time with the girls. Only to come up stair and see a half of pan of brownies missing that Ephriam ate. Tuesday was a really good therapy day for Ephriam. Both Kendra and I were wore out. I was really sleeping well before I had to get up to take him to therapy, actually I missed the alarm and got up late. Went to bed early on Tuesday night and slept well. Only to wake up Wednesday morning to a burning up 2 year old. Since our pneumonia infection in March I decided to just go ahead and call the doctor. Good thing I did because she had a pretty nasty infection in her throat. Strep is not common for her age so just a nasty bug. Kendra then only napped for an hour so only a 45 minute nap for me befor having to work. Tried to lay on the couch and let her watch TV but she was really fussy from not feeling well. Hoping for some good sleep this morning.

Have I mentioned that my quite times with Jesus are out of sink too? Can’t seem to focus. I keep getting off track quickly. I try so hard to stay on task only to be defeated on a list on things to do. Makes me hate Satan even more! Trying to keep my from my Father eats me up. Then I only get angry. Joe also put us on assignment this month to say the Lord’s Prayer 2 times a day with someone. Doing okay since I have the kids around and get to say it with Chris. Although, I feel like I am back at the Catholic Church. Sometimes just letting the words flow from my mouth not really concentrating on what I am saying. Again working hard to stay focus on what it is really about.

Plus I am still having some anxiety about going back to school. Yes, I want it bad, so bad sometimes it just seems out of reach. Right now I am just waiting. Waiting to hear what they say. Am I one of the 25 chosen? I dislike waiting. Ask Chris, he will tell you that it is one of the things I am worst at. Waiting.

Wow it feels pretty good to let this out. Maybe this is the sanity I need. Maybe just a blog post to let the steam out. Maybe. We’ll see. This is really what my blog is for. To blow steam or tell you about the good things.

Good thing =Vacation. Can’t wait to get there. (Remember I am not good at the waiting thing. Seems so far away.)

Well I guess that I will stop rambling and get back to work. Maybe a better post next time.

Okay so this wasn’t some product that was sent to me to review but a free sample that was given out at Sams.

Honest Kids Organic Fruit Drink. When I think Organic I think of Health Food. So I thought that this would be a healthy nice drink for my kids to have a lunch. So I grabbed a couple and brought them home. On my way home I noticed on the back of the package that it say only 10% juice. So I continue to read what is in the drink. The drink was a pesticide free Kool- Aide. There was really nothing healthy about it. Water, sugar, the juice for flavor and absorbic acid (Vitamin C).  So needless to say, I think that we will stick with Juicy Juice for Juice and leave those as treat or maybe just stick to Kool- Aide.

Okay so I just realized that this blog is one year old! Now I have been blogging longer then that but changed over to this URL just over one year ago! So Happy Birthday to my blog!

How long have you been blogging?

So this weekend has been a good one, of course busy, weekend. Friday night we relaxed at home. Saturday Chris went to Panera with Rob. As the kids and I were getting ready to go to the park he arrived back home and went with us. When we got back home the kids had lunch and headed for a nap. Well Kendra napped a little bit but Ephriam just jumped around in his bed. Then we went to church.  I had a great time serving with the 13-20 month old kids. I had 9 kids in my room and ended up changing 7 poopy diapers! That is a lot of poopy for  on hour! The kids were really great though. Only had one little boy who didn’t want to settle down at all and I was fortunate to have Penny there to take him and try to settle him down. After church we were on our way home and Ephriam fell asleep but after he was home in bed decided to bounce around and didn’t go back to sleep till late. This morning we got up and hung around the house till noon till we went to church for the Discovery Land picnic. Came home and tired to put the kids back in bed but no prevail they were up and playing in no time. So while I had them resting in their beds I mopped the kitchen floor and started getting things ready for dinner. Then I got them up and let them watch part of a movie while I put the kitchen back together. Then I got started on dinner while they were running around. Chris’ parents showed up around 5:30 for dinner and it was almost done except for the mashed potatoes. Ended up have a great dinner and enjoyed having them there with us. Looking forward to next weekend when we should see the rest of the gang. So this week is a little busy but should be easy flowing.  Keep you posted I hope. You know me and blogging!

… who is reading your blog. Today we went to a church picnic with those who volenteer at the Discovery Land, or the children’s ministry,  a long with the pastor’s and their families at church. We ended up sitting by Joe Boyd and his wife Debbie and his kids Eli and Aiden (not sure that is how they spell it but oh well). Ended up finding out that Debbie has read or does read both my blog and my husband’s blog and really wanted to get to meet us. It was truly a pleasure talking to her for the few minutes that we got to. It is also a pleasure to have her read my blog. I know a few things from Joe preaching at church about what they have been through and how supporitve she has been to him. I hope that I can be that way with Chris in his job or job search or finding who he is.  Debbie is one of the many women who are inspiring to me.  We also talked about our move from Park Ave to the Vineyard and she only gave me more confirmation that what Chris and I decided was right for our family.

God has really blessed us with a great church and church family. Everytime that we are at church there is more and more confirmation that we are where God really wants us to be. It is really great to get that week in and week out and have it not die after being there for 8 months. VCC Rocks!

Does life ever stop? I don’t think so. Things are of course busy and get so more everyday. The past couple of nights I have either gotten to come home early or I have gotten to stay home from work. So I have been living it up being able to stay at home with the kids and playing with them. This past weekend we went to my parents house and you can read more about that on the Kid’s Blog. This weekend we don’t really have much planned but are hoping to pull up the bushes in the back yard and get it looking nice before the big party here on the 4th for both the 4th of July and Kendra’s 2nd Birthday which isn’t till the 26th but since my parents will be in town we decided that we would go ahead and celebrate it then. I have some family coming in from Toledo too so it should be a nice day. Sunday we have a cook out at church and then Chris’ parents are coming over for dinner and they can’t wait. I decided that we would have steaks on the grill, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, and brownies for desert. Next week I have a long stretch off of work so the kids and I are going to do some fun things just not sure what yet.  Well I got to get  going before the battery dies but looking forward to maybe posting more this weekend or tomorrow night.