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Saturday, January 29, 2011

A Much Better Day

It's been a great day...(big sigh of relief!!)  Rachel smiled for us this morning - just little ones, but our hearts revelled in it.  She still doesn't repond to us the way she has before and we're looking forward to seeing her big grins again.  She threw up alot during the night (according to our respite worker) and she had major diarhea this afternoon - which explains why she has been so unhappy the past few days...but she was mostly content all day!
Playing with her Soother this morning..
I think this picture is so heartstoppingly beautiful. oh my heart!
  
This morning we had a little birthday party for Ethan.  I bought an Ice Age Cake from Safeway using a gift certificate that someone sent us (because they were reading this blog) Thank-you Meredith!  I was so glad for Dave's help this morning and so relieved that Rachel was happy!! 

I couldn't help remembering back to last year, when I put on a birthday party for Ethan just SIX short days after that awful in-depth ultrasound when we were told the news - that our baby would likely die shortly after birth.  I remember how hard it was to put on a happy face but knowing how necessary it was for us to 'celebrate' Ethan too. Wow - that seems like forever ago.. 
Aden (Ethan's good buddy), Ethan, and Abigail
Just before supper, friends took Rachel for us and we took the older two to Prairie Winds Park.  Ethan was so determined to slide down the whole hill by himself with the crazy carpet.  (it took him quite a few tries to get down) We laughed so hard and it was SO so good for us tramping around in the deep snow. 

If you prayed for us, thank-you! Today was a very different day than yesterday....it feels like the stress meter is a little more 'normal' today.  Sleep still isn't really happening for me but I have had some better nights lately.  We are looking into buying a new bed, using money that our church very generously gave us.  We tried out a memory foam and I liked it. Anyone (preferably someone who has a spouse that hurls themselves around at night?) have any suggestions on a good bed - one where you don't wake up every time the other person moves? :) 
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15 comments:

  1. Valerie RuthJanuary 29, 2011 at 8:13 PM

    oh yay! i'm glad your day was better. love the photos too!! we have a mattress that is supposed to help with a spouse that moves a lot but it's still not the best. i think buying two single mattresses and putting them together is the best idea i've heard!

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  2. pattiJanuary 29, 2011 at 11:49 PM

    I've heard memory foam is good for that reason, but I do know there isn't a lot of breathing with this type of mattress. If you get hot easily when sleeping, you may want to investigate a little more to see if there is something that you can do to help with that or decide if it's the best option.

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  3. Brenda FunkJanuary 30, 2011 at 6:18 AM

    Yup -- that's one thing about memory foam (or any foam) it is very sweaty to sleep on -- some of my homecare clients tried it. I think too -- two single beds pushed together is probably going to do the best job!

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  4. AnonymousJanuary 30, 2011 at 7:29 AM

    Oh Kendra, I am thankful for the little smiles. Yesterday I prayed you would see them. Praise God. I do not know you, but have fallen in love with your beautiful soul. I check your blog regularly. I am inspired and encouraged by Rachel's story. I love your honesty, your vulnerability and your faith. One quote I love is "Sometimes God calms the storm, sometimes He calms the child in the midst of the storm". (Not sure of the source) This plays out in your story so vividly. Time after time, I see your submission to and His faithfulness in the calming. May God continue to hold you up daily as His plan unfold.

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  5. AnonymousJanuary 30, 2011 at 8:43 AM

    I'm so happy to hear that Rachel is smiling again, poor girl, sounds like a rough time for her! Hope she gets her strength and grins back quickly. I love the photo of Ethan and Abigail... I can't believe Ethan is already 5, what a big boy. They both have great smiles on that pic!!! Wish I could've been there, I feel far away from you guys whenever I read your blog. Wish we could be there to help out with the little things that come up day to day. Lots of Love, Jen

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  6. fionaJanuary 30, 2011 at 1:17 PM

    thank-you Lord for answering prayer! we rejoice with you over the smiles and a lowered stress level. and we rejoice with you for the gift of ethan!!! glad you could enjoy him and the gift of deep snow too :D
    . . . . and good luck with the bed thing! i am smiling thinking of dave hurling himself around at night :D not so funny in the moment, i know. we have a memory foam and we like it. however, it 'off-gases' horrendously when you open the package. beware of this. you may want to do this outside if you have the chance. i can't imagine those fumes are anything but really harmful to a human being . . .

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  7. fionaJanuary 30, 2011 at 1:20 PM

    ok, just read the other comments and have to agree that two bed pushed together is a fabulous idea! steve and i had this arrangement for the first three years of our marriage and i loved it! we put a king size sheet over the two which helped to hold them together. incidentally, we also had separate blankets (still do) and this also helps a lot with not feeling the movements of your spouse :D

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  8. AnonymousJanuary 30, 2011 at 6:56 PM

    that picture is beautful! I'm so glad things were better today. You are always in my prayers.

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  9. JanetJanuary 30, 2011 at 8:13 PM

    I love that picture of Rachel.She is so-o-o sweet.Praise God,that things went better for Rachel.
    That is another cool looking cake.Thank you for posting all the pictures.
    Happy hunting for a mattress...I know how you feel.Sometimes I get woken up & I feel I'm in a canoe in BIG waves,& we don't have a water bed :D.Two beds pushed together sound good to me too..

    May Jesus continue to comfort you & give you the rest you need.
    Love & prayers
    Janet m

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  10. On God's pathJanuary 31, 2011 at 5:04 AM

    Hi there Kendra,

    I so sorry to hear that this week has been at stretch for you all. I can understand the feeling of weariness.

    I am glad that she is doing better as of yesterday and today.

    I wrote a letter to rachel on my blog.

    You will all continue being in my prayers.

    Love,
    Christina

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  11. AnonymousJanuary 31, 2011 at 5:44 AM

    Simmons Beauty-Rest (king) is the best mattress I have ever had. To say my husband moves a lot when he is sleeping would be a gross understatement, but I hardly ever feel that on my side. I think it has saved our marriage:). Praying for you and your beautiful little girl.

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  12. Carol TavesJanuary 31, 2011 at 8:22 AM

    Beautiful picures . . . of all three kids! Glad to hear you had a better day. Praying that better times will continue. Re. the bed, hmmm, ever tried putting Dave in a straitjacket??

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  13. TheJanuary 31, 2011 at 12:33 PM

    I loved our bed from sleep country that has a layer of memory foam on the top, but I have to tell you that after 4 years it has body dents and is no longer very comfortable :(

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  14. Kathy January 31, 2011 at 5:47 PM

    Praise God for better days. I agree, the picture of Rachel is super precious and Ethan! oh my! he looks pleased as punch with his cake. Glad that his birthday celebration was a good one.

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  15. KaraFebruary 3, 2011 at 6:36 PM

    I really can relate with the difficulty of spending enough time and energy with the other kids. A while back I wrote a post (http://dedertfamily.blogspot.com/2010/09/are-you-my-mother.html) about this very thing. I think there are upsides even tho we feel guilty about not being the mom we intended to be with them. Sorry to be taking so much space in your comments but as I read I feel kinship with you! :)

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