I'm Ba-a-a-a-ck!

It's been way too long since I posted anything, and I feel really guilty when I go blogging, and I see sites that have one or two sentences posted several times each day......I wonder what kind of lives those people have! Time moves by too quickly for me...

My pregnancy is going along great...14 weeks this Wednesday. I get a little nervous during this next month. It was at 18 Weeks that my water broke with Isaac, and all of the trouble began. I plan to just praise the Lord when I get past that 18 week mark....I know I did with my Emma! This is a great part of pregnancy, though. I've just begun to feel the little butterfly movements, and I love those. It such a feeling of life presence. Every time I get a new "wiggle", I talk to the baby, and tell him all kinds of things. I did the same with Isaac and Emma; when I do it now, Isaac and Emma just look at me, like I'm nutsy! "Mom, why are you talking to your tummy?" By the way, we are still not sure that the baby is a boy. Mommy thinks she is pretty sure, but we haven't actually checked yet!

Speaking of our kids, Russ and I have come to one conclusion about this almost 17-month-old daughter of ours: Emma may look just like her daddy and his baby pictures, but she is Mommy's little personality clone. God help her, I hope she's not bipolar like me! She is, though, a little entertainer. Just watch her when some music comes on the radio or TV; her little tushie starts wiggling all over the place, and she starts swinging her arms; she closes her eyes, smiles this silly little crooked smile, and starts spinning 'round and 'round in a dizzy circle. She is a scream. She is always wanting to be at the center of everyone's attention! Sound familiar to anyone? Theatre Departments of the future, BEWARE!

This should be a tough week for Isaac. On Wednesday, he goes to St. Vincent's Mercy Children's Medical Center for a second EEG (they didn't want to use the one from Toledo Children's Hospital!) and an MRI. His new neurologist is looking to see if Isaac's communication problems are caused by ANY brain damage that might have occurred. If he has some, then rightfully so. After all he has been through, especially two brain surgeries with his shunts and his hydrocephalus, he may have some damage. If none is found, then we go back to a rare form of autism called Connor's Syndrome. This is all just a way of clarifying Isaac's difficulties for us and for his teachers and specialists and therapists. We can know better what direction to take in teaching him speech, etc., if we know what has caused his problem. And the way I see it, we can know better how to pray for Isaac. Most of our prayers throughout Isaac's life have been pretty general at times; you know, help him to walk, help him to talk, give him strength, etc. With this diagnosis process, we can say to God (who already knows the problem, but it will make us feel better to specify it!): "Here's what is going on with my boy, Lord. Please fix it, or please give Isaac, Mom and Dad the strength we all need to work through this." In any case, we will know even more about Isaac. I swear, and many of his doctors have told Russ and I, that our medical degrees are in the mail any day now! I never dreamed I would ever know this much about pediatric difficulties! My R.N. mom would be proud.

In other news, boy, is our family busy! We are now members (and active members at that) of the Toledo Lake Erie and Western Railway ("The Bluebird"), its corporation, and so forth. Russ and I manage the depot gift shop in Waterville, and Russ is an engineer in training. Considering the fact that Russ grew up around this train (he was a member before, until he moved away and met and married yours truly), and that he loves it so. I'm very excited because, besides our church and the work we do there, this is an activity that our family can do together, even with our kids as young as they are. Isaac and Emma got their first ride on the "Bluebird" today, and they loved it! They will grow up to be train kids, just like their dad!

I'm really sleepy, so I'll write more later....