Pictures...

I figured I'd better get some pictures posted out here because I'm gonna get in trouble if I don't. Last week, Gage went to the doctor for his 2 month appointment. He got about 3 shots I think. He weighs 12lbs and I think was 21 or 22 inches long. I can't remember now...I have it written down somewhere. Anyway, he is growing perfectly. Steve, Jenna and I went out to see him this weekend and he's just so cuddly right now. What a sweet baby!

A couple weekends ago, we got outside and re-mulched our flower bed. Seems that we always end up picking Mother's Day weekend to do that...so, here we are...the reason I celebrate Mother's Day and me...in front of our newly mulched flower bed.

Lastly, check out Jenna's hair...she's got the best hair for this...

In Honor...

While I was the only one up and the house is still dark and quiet (yes, it's 8:45am), I thought I'd blog a little...

Just wanted to say how grateful I am to all the men and women over the past many decades who have risked their lives (and some lost their lives) so that I can enjoy freedom. I think sometimes those of us who have not been touched in this way have forgotten what Memorial Day is all about. It's a great, long weekend to go out on the lake with the boat, grill out with friends and most importantly (for us) NOT WORK! But the real reason for this holiday was to take time to remember the men and women who fought for the freedom we enjoy. I might challenge you readers, as well as myself, to take a few minutes today to honor those people. I am going to sit my almost-6 year old down and explain to her why today is "stay home day" instead of camp day. And why some people are sad on this day instead of enjoying being with family. I encourage you to do the same...in your own way...honor the men and women for which this holiday is all about.

OK, now that I'm off my soapbox, on to other Taylor happenings...first, let me wish my great-nephew, Garrett, an early HAPPY 6th BIRTHDAY!!!!
He will actually be 6 on May 30th, but we always celebrate his birthday on Memorial day. Which is nice because we always have Memorial Day plans that include family and not sitting around the house being lazy! Although, don't misunderstand me...there is something to be said for sitting around being lazy! I will admit that I'm in the mood to tackle the garage, but we have to be there at noon, so I don't think I have time to get that started either before or after the party.

Congratulations! OK, I'm sure with the graduations, one would think I am congratulating all of them. However, I'm here to toot my own horn (kind of). Jenna came home from her last day of school with a Perfect Attendence Certificate! I am so proud of my little girl!

Thailand: My trip is coming up fast and there is so much still to be done. I need to make a list of stuff to pack and then figure out what I still need to get. Rachel and I are going to have lunch together this week (hopefully) and see if we can put our "to-do/to-get" lists together and split what we have to take in the way of snacks etc. I've begun to talk to Jenna about me being gone and she's really starting to understand and get sad. This is very hard for me because that bothers me more than actually being away. I'm hoping that the more we talk about it, the more she'll get used to it and when I actually leave, it won't be as hard. I know it will be harder on Steve and her while I'm gone than me because I'll be busy with my work in Thailand. I'm not going to downplay the distance effect on Steve and I either. Remember, just a few shorts weeks after my return, he'll be gone for the same number of days to Moldova.

Well, while I was typing, my sweet Jenna awoke, so I'm sure her father is not far behind. I'm going to get up from the PC and get some laundry folded and get things done around the house before we have to leave. Jenna is happy watching Arthur on the TV...

Happy Birthday and other News...

Happy Birthday!
Happy birthday to baby Gage! He's two months old today! Wow! He's got a doctor's appointment this week and of course, I will update then. Speaking of Gage, Mom (Micah) has decided to go to college!!! What a pleasant surprise! I think it must have been on her mind for a while and she saw an advertisement on TV for a local community college. She decided to give them a call and found out as a single mother, she qualifies for all sorts of financial aid. She went to meet with the counselor today and she is set to begin on June 18. She'll train for 8 months as a medical assistant and then in month 7, they will find her a job to start. She already knows her graduation date...February 14, 2008. I can't wait for her to start and see how she likes it. I think it's time that Micah does something for herself. Now that she's a mother, she's going to have to be able to take care of him because it might be the last thing she does for herself! Keep her in your prayers...I think she's going to need it especially getting started. That's always the hardest part.

Thailand
Have you seen the counter lately??? Good grief! I'm leaving in less than 3 weeks! Saturday we had a mandatory cultural training meeting from 9-noon. I'm telling you, it really got me pumped. I was having a little fear about the air portion of the trip, what with it being so long and all, but not now. I'm just excited. I found out my missionary prayer partner's oldest daughter will be in my class and their youngest will be in Rachel's class. I can't wait to meet them! And...here is the most awesome news of all...MY TRIP IS FULLY PAID FOR!!!!! I couldn't believe it when I asked her for the balance. I just figured it was the same amount as two weeks ago when I asked to be sure I sent out all my thank you notes. I praise GOD that He has provided through generous donations of others. Now, we have to get Steve's Moldova trip paid for. He is counting on the sole donations of others for his trip. So far, we have about $100 donated plus the $300 we had to pay in deposit. I think the church anted up $500 in form of a scholarship. So that leaves us still about $1000 to pay...if you haven't donated to me and still want to support, please PLEASE contact me and I can tell you how to support Steve. Trust me, his mission trip will be much harder than mine...he is literally going to a 3rd world country and staying in someone's home to build beds for orphans. Don't let the fact that my trip is paid for discourage you if you were planning to give. Steve didn't send out many support letters because I had already sent them to everyone for my trip when he decided to go on his. And if you can't donate, continue to pray...

Speaking of prayer...
As you pray, please remember our family right now. In the midst of many blessings (which we are so grateful for), there are several stressors weighing heavily on us at the moment. Currently at work, I'm without a manager which puts more work and stress on me, however, it does present a wonderful opportunity for me to post for her manager position. But that in itself is stressful. I'm up against 3 other internal candidates, two of whom I count as good friends. And interviewing is a stressful situation. On Steve's work front, he is very unhappy with his current job. They have changed his duties again to something that is very complicated and requires him to work from 6am to about 5pm. This has a domino effect because he was getting off in time to pick Jenna up from school, so now she's going to aftercare which she hates and she reminds Steve frequently making him feel guilty which just adds to the guilt he already feels. We've had to call all 3 summer camps she's going to this summer to add before care and after care which is upping our costs considerably and that's putting us in a financial strain. I have her birthday party coming up to pay for and it just seems there is more month at the end of the money. I know I am called to trust and have Faith and all this seems to have kicked into high gear after we committed to giving more to the church, but it's hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Someone mentioned to me today that it is natural for things to go this way right now...we are both just weeks away from going on mission trips and Satan wants to throw everything in our way to keep our focus off what we are being called to do. But when you are in the midst of it, it's not easy to see past the pain and worry. So, as you pray, remember us.

Well, that's about it. I know it's not much of an update, but I figured I couldn't wait much longer to post or else I'd start getting nasty emails! :)

I've been tagged too...

So, my friend Rachel tagged me and since I apparently am one of only 2 of her friends that blog, I am accepting the tag and will tag someone too. Here's how it works...

Each player starts with seven random facts about themselves. People who are tagged need to write on their own blog about the seven things and the rules. You need to choose seven people to tag and list their names. Don’t forget to leave them a comment that they have been tagged and to read your blog! Here we go...

1) I (ahem) have 3 tattoos. I'm sure there will be family to read this that does not know this about me. Well, now they do. I have a sunshine, dolphin and butterfly...all of which have connections to my beautiful child.

2) Like my friend Rachel, I have a lot of consistency in my life. I went to the same school for 13 years, to the same church for 26 years and lived in the same house for 31 years. I'm about to celebrate 9 years at my employer, so needless to say, I'm not good with change when it happens. Oh, and just a side fact, I've known Rachel for...uh...something like 25 years too.

3) When I was a teen, I was at church alot with my friends. I was a "good girl" and didn't get into much trouble at all. However, I did date one fella who was the exact opposite of me...a rebel. He smoked and one time I kissed him right after he finished a cigarette (unknowingly). That old saying..."it's like licking an ashtray"? Pretty close.

4) When I was a very little girl, I had some piece of furry brown material that was about 18 inches long and cylindrical. I called it my "wooley worm" and it went everywhere with me. Wooley died when my german shepherd dog, Smokey got hold of it. Mama tried to do surgery, but it was a lost cause. To my knowledge, there are no pictures of Wooley Worm, but he did exist!

5) I remember when I was little climbing up on the top of my swing set and getting stuck. My mother finally did look out the window and came to get me down. Oddly enough, I remember her breath smelling like mustard from a sandwich she was eating. How random is that? To this day, I do not like mustard! And to make things even weirder, Jenna got stuck on top of her swing set last week. I was not home from work yet and the neighbor girl came to her rescue (or found Steve who came to her rescue).

6) Last year I flew to New Jersey to meet about 5 or 6 girls that I'd never seen in real life before. They are part of a group from an online posting board called IVF Connections and I met them online when I was going through IVF a couple years ago. These women are phenomenal and going there to meet them was fabulous and totally unlike something I would do!

7) After nearly 11 years of marriage (in about 3 weeks), I have never had what I consider to be a major fight with my husband. We've never slept apart due to anger or being in a fight. Something I'm very proud of.

OK, so, because I really only know 2 people that blog and one of them tagged me, I'm tagging the only one I know...Stacey. I know how she loves these things... :)

I'm ready...

Allow me to share with you some thoughts of mine from our church service this morning.

It was one of the most wonderful services I've been to in a long time. First, it began with one of my favorite songs, "How Great is Our God"...if that song doesn't make you raise your hands in praise, then nothing will! It was awesome and I just couldn't stay still. But it was only to get better...the next song was "Days of Elijah". By the time the chorus was in full swing, I looked around at the congregation and hands were going up all over the auditorium. For those of you who don't know much about my church, BBC, we average around a couple thousand in service. To look around and see so many in the congregation praising Him and the choir singing and raising their hands... I'll have to tell you, at that moment, I imagined this must be what heaven will be like. All of us singing praises and just having a good time.

The song service got better as we sang, "To God Be The Glory and then the choir sang their special which turned out to be one of my favorite songs of all time..."Let the Worshippers Arise". The words of the chorus go something like this, "Let the worshippers arise. Let the sons and the daughters sing. I'm surrendering my all. I surrender to the king." And during the second chorus, I look over (I love watching church members) and see a lone woman way over on the side of the auditorium slow rise with her hands raised. I turn to my right and see a second member do the same. Then I see our missions ministry assistant stand up and I couldn't sit still. I stood up, but by the time I had, there were handfuls of people all over rising to their feet and raising their hands in the air. It was just an awesome service. At that moment, I could have been taken up into heaven and been just fine with it!!!

OK, well, I just wanted to share my experience in church this morning. Gage and Micah are gone, Jenna is in bed and Steve is bowling. Tomorrow starts yet another day.

Scolded...

Well, I'll consider myself scolded for not updating my blog sooner! I guess there's not been a whole lot going on here, thankfully.

A week or so ago, I got the shock of my life at work. Found out my manager is leaving the company. I am very disappointed...she is wonderful and allows me to do most everything I ask with Jenna's school. I am a bit scared at who might go in above me as manager that they won't be as understanding. So, I went ahead and applied for the position myself! Of course, I realize if I end up getting it (and that's a HUGE "if"), I'll probably have less time during certain seasons to do with Jenna. But I talked it over with Steve and he's ready to step up if/when that happens. I have heard that I have some stiff competetion at work, each of whom are equally as competent and good friends as well as co-workers. I am praying daily that God's will be done. If I don't get it, then I will just know that the Lord has kept me from something that could potentially be damaging to my family.

As far as Thailand goes, as you can see from the counter at the top of the blog, I'm just a little over a month away from leaving. I've got my flight schedule and pretty much everything else in order. We leave on June 9 at 6:50AM (YIKES!) and connect in Chicago where we will fly for about 14 hours to Bangkok where we will stay overnight and then on to Chiang Mai the next morning. The 14 hours-in-a-plane-thing is starting to worry me a bit. I'm not at all afraid to fly, but just knowing that I have no choice but to be in one place for that length of time kind of makes me a bit claustrophobic. But they've given us really good tips on flying and getting our body clock regulated. Thailand is 12 hours ahead of us here in Tennessee, so that will certainly be an adjustment. But I've got my Tylenol PM, iPod and reading materials ready, so I should be fine. Plus, with my good buddy Rachel going, combined with both of our excitement, I will probably have no trouble finding stuff to keep me busy. As for the cost of my trip, I'm not sure when my final payment is due, but at last report, I had less than $300 to be paid! Praise the Lord who has provided through each of your generosity. Thank you!!!! I will let you know when I do exactly how much I raised.

Steve's in full swing preparing for Moldova. These trips are coming faster than either of us expected! I think he's about gotten everything ready (in terms of purchasing) for his trip too. He is lacking his vaccinations and so am I, but we should be taking care of that soon enough. He still has LOTS to pay on his trip. He's gotten only one donation for $50 but that is something to be proud of! Thanks to his friend Mark for being his first donator! He did send out about 80 letters of support, so hopefully these folks will start stepping up soon. Let me encourage those of you that are reading this, if you haven't sent in a donation for me and want to support, please send a check for STEVE'S TRIP. I can assure you, you will be blessed!

Right now, Gage and Micah are here for the weekend. They came down last night and we've just enjoyed them so much! That sweet baby boy is so wonderful to hold. He's a good baby and we always enjoy Micah being here. Sometimes I can't believe looking at her now that she was just a little 10 year old bob-haired blondie when I first met her! Let me tell you, there's nothing like watching the child you adored turn into a woman and then mother of her own child. Unbelievable! Micah is going to stay tonight and we'll all go to church together tomorrow. I can't wait to see Gage dressed in his church outfit. I'll have to take pictures and post them here later.

Jenna-well, not much to report on here. She's a mess as usual. We've begun to pray that the Lord blesses her with a beautiful voice because if he doesn't, it's going to be a long 18 years! That child sings ALL THE TIME! You wouldn't believe it unless you heard it. It's just all the time. And it's a different song. Sometimes she just makes up things. It's nice to hear though. She's got only about 3 more weeks of school and then she'll be going to a variety of summer camps. Also, I've been in email contact with the pre-1st teacher, Ms. Seay, at DLES. Can I just say I think we are going to get along just fine! We are going to an informational meeting on Monday at noon and I will meet her in person and learn lots more about pre-1st and the curriculum.

Well, I guess that's enough for now. I'll probably post late next week with pictures of sweet baby Gage and information about our pre-1st meeting.

Until then...

Financial Commitments

Commitments
Interesting how things work...a few months ago, our church decided to build "Phase II" of our new building. There were plenty of meetings and information floating around. Everything was surrounding members of the church making a commitment to give financially toward the capital campaign. The idea is to pray about giving above and beyond what you already give as your tithe. So, I started praying. And I came to a conclusion about how much I thought we should give. And I told Steve and made the commitment together (which is a 3 year commitment) to do this. Almost immediately after deciding, unexpected bills started to pile up. It was a vet bill here, the A/C man there...just those normal everyday things that crop up when you are least expecting them. And of course, I found myself angry at God (again!) I felt like I finally made a commitment to go above and beyond (which, when it comes to finances, is unlike me) and then He allows all these things to start hitting. But then I realized He was asking me..."Will you trust me in the lean times just like in times of plenty?" I had made the commitment when things were easy and we had plenty of money, but when things got tight, I actually got angry. Steve and I had the same conversation and he agreed (reluctantly I think!) that I was right...if we were going to commit, we'd do it whole-heartedly. And just so you know, things have financially continued to get worse. But we are trusting God to provide. Good grief, what else do we have to hang onto if not for that?!?!

Thailand
The good news is that we had a Thailand meeting last night and I got my account balance...and the balance is just a portion of what I originally owed. I do still owe, so for those of you who still want to donate, please don't let this be a deterrant. I am trusting that God will continue to provide and I'm trusting that He will send enough financial blessings our way to hopefully cover not just my trip, but Steve's trip to Moldova also. I am excited to see what He's going to teach me through this entire mission journey! For those that have already donated, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. For those that haven't, I encourage you to pray about what you can/should do. I understand that some of you are like us and really can't afford any extra. To those of you, I ask you to pray for us. This is uncharted territory for both of us.

Welcome Shelby Jones!
I have been delinquent in welcoming Shelby into the world! Shelby Jones born to one of my closest (though not geographically) and dearest friends in the world, Kylene! She arrived last Friday, April 20 at a little after noon. She weighed just 7lbs 5 oz which is a lightweight compared to her big sister Madyson! Kylene has been through a pretty stressful time, including moving from Mt. Juliet TN to Huntsville AL about 2 weeks ago (yes, during her 9th month of pregnancy). Kylene was dilated to about 4cm for 3-4 weeks and we thought Shelby would NEVER come!! Well, she is finally here and both Mom and Shelby are doing fine. They are back home in Huntsville and we are hoping to visit in August.

That's about it from us here. We'll post more when there is more to post!!!

Some things to talk about...

I've been catching slack from friends who visit my blog frequently that I haven't updated in a while, so here it is. Believe it or not, I feel like I have a lot to say today!

The Tragedy at Virginia Tech
I feel like I should start with expressing my deepest condolences to those affected directly or indirectly by the massacre at VT. I, like others, am deeply saddened by what has happened. I ask that each of you pray for not only the victims and their families, but also the family of the shooter. I think too many times we focus on the victims and forget that another family has not only lost a son, but also has to bear the burden of what that son has done and what he will be remembered for. I doubt they will be able to go anywhere for a long time without being stared at and talked about. Let us pray for them also. As a parent, I can assure you that sometimes despite your best efforts at parenting, a child will go astray.

Moving On...
...to a happier note...I know those of you who check frequently probably noticed several page changes in my blog lately. My good friend Allison didn't really like the last page layout I had, so I changed to make her happy. :) I happened to have lunch with Allison yesterday. It was a nice time together and we got to catch up. Some of you may recall that Allison was the dear friend who cried right along side of me the morning we found out Steve was losing his job. Some things you can just never repay....thanks again Allison. :)

Update on Our Mission Trips
Well, the fundraising is going well for my trip to Thailand. I am getting closer every day to having the trip paid for in full and I have faith that God will provide for that. For those of you that want to donate, I encourage you to do so. Steve is going to Moldova and because I'd already solicited everyone we knew for financial support, he was in a quandary about how to raise the money for his trip. Most of you (unless you are Taylor family) will not get a support letter from Steve also. However, if you feel you are being led to donate to his trip also, you can certainly let me know (or call Brentwood Baptist Church) and we can get you set up. In the event that my trip is paid for and additional donations come in after, they will automatically transfer those funds directly to Steve's trip. I have faith that this is what God has led both of us to do so I have faith that He will provide even if that means us having to pay out of our pocket some. Thanks to all of you who have already donated. You WILL be getting thank you notes soon...I'm trying to wait and send them all out at the same time.

Quick Prayer Request
A quick prayer request...our pastor is right now in England preparing to speak at a pastor's conference. Unfortunately, after he arrived, he misplaced/lost his passport. He is just sick over the whole fiasco. According to what little facts I have, he is going to the US Embassy today to see what can be done. However, depending on how long it takes at the embassy, he might end up missing his speaking engagement which is the whole reason he traveled there in the first place (and he has made it known, he hates to travel!). He's due to travel home tomorrow (Friday) and Sunday is our HUGE committment Sunday for our capital campaign. He's going to just be sick if he has to miss that, so for those of you reading this, send up a quick prayer. This is a wonderful man of God who loves Jenna Grace almost as much as we do and we really want him home safely. Mike Glenn is the name...be sure and include him in your prayer time....

Gage
Nothing additional on Gage. He's doing fine and growing like a weed. There have been a few little bumps along the way with changing over to formula, but I think Micah has found the right one and he's sleeping well and eating well to boot. I think Micah will be at our house in a few weeks for another weekend when Steven is out of town, so I promise more pictures then.

Wrapping Up...
Other that all that, not much is going on. I'm going to an all day scrapbooking event on Saturday, so I will hopefully get all caught up. Since our weekend retreat earlier this year, I have TONS of pictures from different events. I am finally starting to recover from the cold I had a couple weeks ago. I finally had to call the doctor again to get another round of antibiotics because one round just didn't kick it. I think once I'm done with those, I should be fine. Jenna Grace and Steve are both doing fine. I guess that's about it for me....I'll try to get another post in sooner next time!

Health updates on us...

I am finally recovering from a weekend long illness. I tell you, it has been many years (if ever in my recollection) that I have felt this bad. Now, I'll admit, I'm not the best patient, but still...whew! Since Thursday night, my world was a blur. Yesterday afternoon, I just started feeling a little more like myself. I had to drag myself to the 11am Easter service and still was in a fog. By last night, I was starting to feel a little better. Because I literally stayed in the bed all weekend, I could not get out of bed at 5:15am this morning. I dropped Jenna off late, went to work late and then by 4pm, didn't know how much longer I was going to make it. I was just still a little weak. My manager told me to go ahead and beat the traffic home, so I did. Now, I'm just relaxing...

Gage had his check up today. He's 8 lbs, 2 oz and 20 1/2 inches long! A true growing boy! Micah is still nursing and they are both doing so well at it. You know as a new mother, you always worry that they aren't geting enough, but he's growing and the pediatrician was thrilled. Micah was starting to have some pain and was going to start weaning, but the pediatrician noted that Gage did have a touch of thrush which is most likely causing Micah's pain. The doc prescribed her and him some medicine. So, with that, I'm not sure that she's going to switch to formula just yet, but she will start getting him used to it. She has a little cyst on her lower back that has been lanced several time. She was scheduled to have it surgically removed when she discovered she was pregnant and now it's already coming back, so she'll have to go under general anesthesia soon and have it removed once and for all. Anyway, I'll keep you posted on that. His jaundice is completely gone and he goes back on May 21 for his first round of shots.

Besides that, everyone else is doing fine. Like most of the country, the weather here is FREEZING! We actually had snow this weekend. Obviously, not enough to stick, but that's just a taste of how cold it is. So it's really wreaking havoc on our sinuses. That's what I think I had was a severe sinus infection.

Speaking of that, I was scheduled Friday for an annual exam and to get my shots for Thailand. Of course, I woke up feeling awful, but I left the house an HOUR early for the appointment with Micah, Gage and Jenna in tow. (Micah and Gage spent a few days this weekend with us). Because of horrendous traffic (yes, on Good Friday), I signed in at the doctor's 10 minutes late. By the time they logged me in, they told me I was 19 minutes late and would have to reschedule. I thought I was going to cry. I felt so bad and had come all that way to be turned away. All for 19 minutes. They did the chest x-ray, and lab work, but I never got to see the doctor. I literally called them FROM THEIR OWN WAITING ROOM to ask him to call something in. Had I the energy, I probably would have gone ballistic. Lucky for them I was too weak! I can tell you though, I will go back for my shots and I will take my timer which I will set the minute I open the door and I will tell the doctor when I get back. I understand schedule and all that, but just because he went to school a few years more than me DOES NOT MAKE HIS TIME MORE VALUABLE THAN MINE!!! Plus, I was sick and the girls at the front desk could SEE that. I'm not kidding. Once I go back, I WILL take the timer. Now that I'm feeling better, I can get all fired up the way I should have. Steve's going in tomorrow for a review of the MRI of his leg/knee from today and I'm trying to convince him to say something too. We'll see...

OK, that's it from the homefront. Happy belated Easter! THE LORD HAS RISEN INDEED!!!

Steve's on his way...

Thought I'd give just a few quick updates on us...

Welcome to the world Baby Potter! My cousin and her husband had their 2nd child this week...a baby girl. Not sure of the details yet, but will update as soon as I hear. But welcome to the world!

Steve and Moldova
I've had many of you ask about Steve's final decision on going on the mission trip to Moldova. Well, today we sent his application and deposit in, so it's a done deal! We have taken a step of faith that the Lord will provide the funds. Now that the decision is final, I think he's really looking forward to it. We'll have so much to talk about and I think that God will do amazing things in his life. I don't know that either of us knows just what God is going to do with us this summer, but we are both anxious and open.

Jenna
Some of you know that Jenna has been talking alot about death lately. Over the Christmas holidays, the father of one of the children in the other kindergarten class at school, suddenly passed away. It was a big deal because he was young left an unsuspecting wife and two young children. Because the child was in the same grade as Jenna, when they got back to school, they talked about it. Around the same time, we had a death in the family and Jenna went with us to the funeral. Since, she's been asking question about death and dying and we were starting to get worried. So yesterday we had a chat with the children's minister at church. He's absolutely wonderful. He spoke to Jenna on her level for some time and then asked us some questions. Ultimately, he told us that we were doing everything right (where this is concerned at least!) and that we should continue to answer her questions directing her back to the Bible where able, be sensitive, but truthful in our answers. He also read her some scripture explaining what heaven was going to be like and that she shouldn't worry about it. She seemed happy when she left and she's not brought it up since.

She also had her regular dental appointment today. She's got 2 little cavities in between teeth which the dentist said wasn't uncommon because little kids have trouble brushing well to get there. She'll have them filled next month. Otherwise, everything is fine!

Another baby on the way...
My friend Kylene is due to have her second baby (Shelby) any day now. She's actually due on the 20th, but is also moving this weekend all the way to Huntsville Alabama. She's got more than I can even imagine right now going on with one young child, 9 months pregnant with #2, trying to close on 2 houses and her husband being in Alabama on his new job. Keep her in your prayers. Her OB told her today she's now 3.5-4cm dilated and 75% effaced. She could go any day. Despite her doctor's objections, she's headed to AL this weekend to oversee the move and if she makes it, she'll come back on Monday to stay with family until she delivers. If she goes into labor and doesn't think she can make it back for her OB, she'll deliver in Huntsville. Cross your fingers she can make it till Monday!

Baby Gage
Micah and Gage are doing fine. I have pictures now and will be distributing them to the family soon. He's doing fine and still nursing well. Micah is supplementing here and there with formula but it doesn't seem to set well with his tummy, so she's trying to keep nursing as much as possible. She's coming some time this weekend to stay with us overnight and we are thrilled to get to spend time with him and her. I can't wait! I'm sure I'll have TONS of pictures and video next week. I am having an all day scrapbook on the 21st, so hopefully I'll get them all into an album.

Well, I guess that's about it from here. I thought this was going to be a quick update, but I guess not. Another week almost gone...I'll keep you posted as much as I can!

How to fly a kite...

I am sure you are all wondering what in the world this is all about. Well, I had the most interesting lesson today.

Last week while we were in Chattanooga, Jenna used "her money" to buy a kite from the local toy store. Now, it's been YEARS and I do mean many, many years since I've flown a kite. Living in Tennessee, I guess there's not really many days that would provide the climate for flying a kite. I think both Steve and I were looking forward to giving it a whirl. Jenna must have also been excited because she's driven us crazy ever since we got back to get this kite flying. Yesterday, we took the kite with our friends, the Millsaps, to the local Spring Hill park. Put the thing together and discovered there wasn't really a good place to fly it.

Today, the wind was up and we decided to head to the church parking lot about an hour before evening activities and see if we couldn't get this thing to fly. At our church, there is a back parking lot that is completely empty and mostly free from trees, poles, wires etc. We got the kite out and let out the string and waited for the wind to take it. It didn't get up in the air immediately, so we walked across the parking lot, waited for a gust of wind and then took off at full speed, running against the wind, letting out the string waiting for the wind to catch it. Time after time we tried. Finally, we decided that I would sit in the back of the truck bed with the kite while Steve drove into the wind hoping that it would catch and the kite would go up. Obviously, that didn't work, not to mention it being dangerous (and funny to boot!).

But I wasn't ready to give up. I was determined to get this dang kite up for the sake of my child OR BUST! So, back and forth I go, running against the wind trying everything I know to do to get this kite up in the air. After a dozen tries (or more), I was extremely frustrated and a bit disappointed. Then I started praying..."Come on God...just a little wind. Do this for my little girl. I know You care about these little things. I know You are there. Do this to show HER You can." And I'd take off running against the wind again. Over and over and the kite never would get more than my height up in the air. Finally, I thought, "OK, just one more try...this is it." And...nothing. I started winding up the string and felt a gust of wind coming. But I was tired. I was tired of running against the wind and trying and trying everything in my power to get this kite flying just to see it fall to the ground.

And then it hit me. STAND STILL. So I did. I just stood there with one arm hanging to my side, one straight out in front of me and watched. And to my amazement...the kite started going up. Up and up and up as high as the kite had been all day long! I couldn't hardly believe my eyes.

That's when I realized it. It's the same with me and God. I am determined to do something that I want to do. Determined to make things go my way. I run against the wind watching whatever it is that I'm trying so desperately to do fall flat time and time again. But yet, I am not going to give up. I just keep fighting against the wind...until I'm too tired to fight anymore. And that's when I am quiet enough to hear God saying to me, "Just. Stand. Still." And in that quiet moment, when I have exhausted myself doing it MY way, I stand still and watch in amazement as God takes my kite high in the air. Higher than I ever was able to get it. Higher than it ever went when I was trying all my tricks.

It was as clear to me in that moment that the kite was flying, as ever in my life. If I will just stop trying so hard and be STILL, God will bless me more than I can ask or imagine and send my kite airborne. But I have to learn to be still and to quit trying to run against the wind. Sometimes the only way to hear is to be still.

The kite never did really get all the way into the air, just as in life things don't always end up as we imagined they would be. But Jenna didn't know the difference.

To her...the kite flew.

And that was all that mattered.

We're moving on...

...to pre-1st that is!

Today was our spring parent/teacher conference with Jenna's teacher and as we suspected, she has recommended that Jenna move to pre-1st grade instead of 1st. For those of you who aren't familiar with pre-1st, it is the 1/2 step between Kindergarten and 1st grade. Used to, when you weren't ready to move on to 1st grade, you were held back in Kindergarten for a second year. Or, you might have been pushed on to 1st grade and then struggled up until about 5-6th grade and THEN been held back. Pre-1st is just that extra year before they move on to 1st. As it is, 1st grade NOW, is alot different than 1st grade when I was in school. There's homework, lots of independent work, etc. Ms. Collins, our teacher, feels that Jenna would benefit more in the future if she did pre-1st.

I will admit, I was a little disappointed, because of course, I wanted to believe that her age wasn't a factor and that she was just a little genious. The teacher took care to assure us that she is right on track for her age, but being the 2nd youngest in the class that she was afraid 1st grade would be a real struggle. So, I will not allow my unfounded apprehensions to have her struggle for the next 12 years of school. I am excited to get to know more about the pre-1st curriculum and the teacher at DLES. We'll know more in the next month or so as they gather all the other pre-1st parents.

In other Taylor news, Steve is still contemplating going to Moldova. The deposit money is due on April 1, so he only has a few more days to make the decision. Honestly, if he goes, I have no idea how we'll get enough money to do that too, but I know if it's the right thing, the Lord will provide.

Well, that's about all that's new with us. Stay tuned...

Gage's first doctor visit...

Micah took Gage to his first doctor's appointment today. He now weighs 7lb 2oz which is 2 oz up from what he was when he left the hospital on Friday and 4 oz from the time he was born. This is great news because it means he's getting plenty of milk from Micah which all new moms are worried about! He is 19 inches long, which is 1/2 inch shorter than at birth, but the pediatrician said that many times, the head is swollen at birth from being in the birth canal and it will go back to normal size and it appears they shrink. So, perfect on all accounts there.

He was a tiny bit jaundiced at birth and he remains a little yellow, but the doctor said there was nothing at all to worry about that it would go away with time. Something else to put Micah's mind at ease. No shots today. First ones are in two months and Micah is already dreading it.

Steve, Jenna and I went to spend time with her and Gage yesterday afternoon when we got back from Chattanooga and it was wonderful. Jenna doesn't quite know what to think of him yet. Not sure she knew what to expect. She kept saying at first she was a big sister instead of an aunt and when we got her acclimated to "aunt", she wanted to be an "aunt Rachel", not "aunt Jenna"...so....who knows what she'll come out as. :)

While we were there, I checked Micah's stitches and for the degree of damage, she's healing quite nicely. Her milk is in and Gage is nursing like a champ. You have no idea how proud I am of Micah for making it this far, because nursing is so hard and being her first and everything...she's really doing well. Of course, he's going 3 hours between feedings and the doctor said as long as it doesn't exceed 6 hours at a time and he's still gaining, she's good. She hasn't even broken out the bottles yet! SO PROUD of my girl! He's sweet as pie and I can't wait to see him grow...more on him as time progresses...

As for us, we had a blast in "Chagganooga" as Jenna calls it. However, about 20 miles west on our way home yesterday morning, Steve's truck died. Luckily, I was following in the van, but we had to have the darn thing towed back to the dealership on a Sunday which cost us nearly $500. The bad part was that Steve KNEW something was wrong and had taken it in for a "checkup" last weekend. The dealership said they couldn't find anything wrong with it and the hesitation Steve was feeling was just due to "change in climate". WHAT?!?! Anyway, we had to rent a car so we can get where we need to go and that's another $250 a week. Hopefully we won't need it that long, but you never know. At the moment, we are arguing with Ford over the repairs. I'll keep you posted.

That's about it right now. I got my passport for Thailand today which is AWESOME! I'm starting to make a list of things I need to pick up for the trip. June will be upon me before I know it. Steve's unsure if he's going to Moldova or not especially if we end up paying an arm and leg for the truck repairs. I have no idea about vacation to the beach etc. It's just a wait and see game. I've gotten several more donations for Thailand and to those folks, THANK YOU! I am watching the total get lower and lower and I'm praying that by June it will be gone and I will have little or nothing to pay. More to come on that...

Thanks for all the well wishes for us new grandparents...we are Mimi and ???? Not sure about Steve yet, so if you have ideas...

More updates on the baby...

Talked to Micah today and she and Gage spent the night at her mom's last night. She woke up and fed Gage at 1 or 2:00am I think she said. He went back to bed about an hour later and slept until 8:30 when Pam woke her up and she woke him up. Obviously, her milk hasn't come in yet or else she wouldn't be able to sleep that long. But she took advantage of it while she could.

She said that he really hasn't cried much...just grunts and groans. She seems to be doing well with him and says she has hardly gotten to hold him herself between Steven and her mom. But she'll be at home next week while Steven works so she'll have him all to herself and thus embark on the journey of her life.

Gage weighed 6lbs 14oz when they left the hospital so that was really good. He has a doctor's appointment on Monday with him, so we'll see if he's gained his birth weight back by then. I gave her some tips on bathing and feeding him and she sounds like she's been doing it forever. All of a sudden, I'm looking at a grown woman/mother where "Micah" had been. Micah will always be that 10 year old little girl in my eyes, but now I'm forced to see her as the grown woman she is. It's a little disconcerting, but I am so, so proud. I am anxious to see Gage grow, watch his personality emerge and start a relationship with him.

As I write this, we are in the hotel room in Chattanooga resting before dinner. We are going to stay in the hotel and eat tonight so that we can get in bed early so we can get up early and get home. We'll stop by Micah's to spend some quality time with her and Gage. She says she'll stay at her apartment tonight and then go back to her mom's tomorrow during the day. Jenna is really wanting to see the baby and I can't wait to get some good pictures of her and Steve with the baby. I'll post them here as soon as I can.

Well, more tomorrow, hopefully, if I can get the pictures downloaded.

Baby update-day 1

So far, so good...Micah is doing well today. She slept much better last night than the night before. They gave her a pain pill by mouth to take the edge off the pain because she didn't want anything through the IV to make her sleepy. That worked and she kept him in the room until about 1am and then went to bed. They brought him back early this morning and she nursed him (or tried, she said he was zonked) and so she had a pretty good night. She had ordered chicken tenders for lunch and a cheeseburger for dinner, so it's good that she was eating.

Barring any unforeseen complications, she'll be discharged tomorrow and I think she's going to stay at her mom's house this weekend.

I'm posting this from Chattanooga where Jenna and I started our trip just a day later than expected. I have really been pushed and pulled from many directions the past few weeks, so I needed this time away and with Jenna. Poor thing, she's really gotten the short straw with me lately. So, today was our day and then tomorrow Steve will join us and we'll spend the rest of the weekend together. We are hoping to head back on Sunday morning in enough time to visit with Micah and the baby. Today, Jenna and I went to Mellow Mushroom for lunch, walked around downtown Chattanooga and then swam in the indoor pool at the hotel. Now she is chomping at the bit to get dinner. I think we'll eat in the hotel restaraunt and then walk around outside to get some pictures...tomorrow when Steve arrives, we'll do the Aquarium, IMAX and then the Ducks tour (this is a land/river tour in one of those amphibious vehicles...cool!) So far, it's been just what the doctor ordered.

As for my dad, I convinced him yesterday to go to the doctor to see what was giving him such awful nights and the doc thought he had pneumonia (which is extremely dangerous for someone with COPD/emphysema), but luckily, the scans showed only bronchitis which should be easily fixed with antibiotics! PHEW!

Thanks for all your well wishes and blessing for me, Steve, Micah and the baby. We are very excited and I cannot wait to get home to see them both. I think Micah is starting to realize how very much we love her because it's how much she loves little Gage...only a mother can understand that love.

I do have wireless internet in the hotel (and free!), so I will post again...

Signing off as..... "MIMI" (the name Gage will call me)

Welcome BABY GAGE!!!!

I am happy to report that Steven Gage Harwell made his arrival today, March 21, 2007 at 4:20pm weighing in at 7lbs even and 19 1/2 inches long!

Micah is doing very well considering. Last night she didn't get much sleep due to the contractions, so they gave her Stadol which helped, but since she was still a tight 1cm this morning, the doctor broke her water around 9am...by 11:30ish, she was hurting, but only at 3cm dilated, so they gave her the epidural and that really took the edge off and allowed her to sleep. They checked again about 1:00 and she was 5-6cm dilated and 80-90% effaced. At 2:30 the nurse checked again and she was fully dilated and effaced, so the pushing began. She was such a trooper, but was really getting tired toward the end. The OB had to cut her and then she tore in addition, so the repair for that was extremely painful and Micah was in a world of hurt. They actually had to stop the repairs and give her more Stadol for pain. That worked, but then she was really out of it for most of her visitors and the baby's first several hours of life.

I left the hospital at 9pm and she'd had her epidural, IV, blood pressure cuff, finger pulse, and catheter removed. She'd taken some pain medicine by mouth, drank about 4 Sprites and had several bites of crackers, red jello and peaches. She even got up to go to the restroom, so she is really doing very well.

The baby is of course, the most beautiful child in the world (right after my Jenna!). He's a good baby so far (but aren't they all in the hospital?!) They are thinking, barring any complications, they'll be able to go home on Friday. Jenna and I are heading out to Chattanooga tomorrow and Steve will join us on Friday morning. We'll be back on Sunday afternoon in time to visit with Micah. If you wonder why you don't see any pictures of Jenna with the baby, it's because they absolutely would NOT let her even on the floor. Steve had to stay with her most of the time because I was with Micah the entire labor. I made it to her right as she was getting the epidural and stayed until tonight. It was just me, her mother and her boyfriend during the labor and delivery and MAN! What a miracle to watch! I've never been able to be part of a birth before and it was unbelievably cool! God is awesome to have created this process! I will always be glad that Micah allowed me to be part of it. And to find myself and Pam coming together despite our differences for the love and support of Micah was another little miracle in and of itself. I could go on and on. And right now, I'm ultimately exhausted, so rather than babble on, I'll attach a few pictures and hit the sack.

The picture of me and Gage is an awful one of me and you can't really see Gage, but you get the point. I took the picture of Micah and Gage right as I left the hospital this evening and then the one of the men are three DIFFERENT generations...baby Gage, then daddy Steven, then the grandads...Steven's dad, Micah's dad, Steve (mine) and then Micah's stepdad, Barry (Pam's husband). I thought that was really an awesome picture. ENJOY!

No baby yet...

I made it through the night and no baby yet. I talked with Micah's mom (Pam) this morning and she said that the night was rough in that they didn't get a lot of sleep. Micah is still having contractions and was given Stadol to take the edge off of the pain. Of course, she is starving because she hasn't had anything to eat in a while. The nurse came and checked her at 4am and she is still only dilated to 1cm and not moving, so it is going to be a long labor I fear. And going this slow, I don't know that they'd give her an epidural for a while. Her OB had a c-section this morning at 7:30, so she was going to come by after that and decide what to do. I'm starting to wonder if they won't break her water and try to get things moving along.

Anyway, I'm off to finish up some things around here, try to find someone to keep Jenna and then off to the hospital to spend most of the day I'd assume. I'll update you when I can.

We're havin' a BABY!!!!

Yes, it's true...we're havin' a baby!!!

Micah went for her weekly checkup today and her blood pressure was a little high. The OB sent her to the hospital for some blood work mostly to ensure her liver enzymes were OK. The high blood pressure can be a sign of impending toxemia. I had PIH (pregnancy induced hypertension) when I was pregnant with Jenna, and they induced me two weeks early because of it, although I had the swelling to match. The bloodwork came back and showed everything was fine. She had little to no swelling, but the higher than normal blood pressure was enough for them to decide to keep her and go ahead and induce. She's about 38 1/2 weeks right now, so the best course of action is to induce.

Originally, she was hooked up and found to be having contractions 2 minutes apart, but after a while, they decided those were probably a result of her being a tad bit dehydrated from the vomiting she's had due to the extreme reflux. So, they were going to do the progestin (sp?) gel to soften her cervix, but then couldn't because policy states if you are contracting, they can't give you anything like that. I don't really understand the policy, but it is what it is. So, they upped her IV fluids (yes, the IV was certainly an adventure!) to see if that would cure the dehydration causing the contractions so they could apply the gel. However, the fluid didn't do that, so the doctor on call ordered pitocin at a very low level. Micah is only dilated to 1cm and probably just 50% effaced still, so we have a long way to go. They started the pitocin at 1 (which is where they started mine) and they anticipate not having a delivery until tomorrow afternoon or tomorrow evening. I don't think they'll let her go past tomorrow night.

Anyway, this does put a slight kink in plans for our trip to Chattanooga, which Jenna doesn't really understand, but if Micah does delivery tomorrow afternoon or evening, I will still head on up to Chattanooga after the birth because she'll be discharged on Friday and will have plenty of help from her mother and her side of the family at this point.

I'll keep you posted as I can. I just got home and it's almost 11pm, so I'm going to grab some soup (which is ready by the way) and then get some zzzzzzz's. I will post just as soon as I can tomorrow to let you know the update. I'm taking my laptop to the hospital, but not sure if they've got a wireless connection. We'll see....maybe I can find a hook up somewhere.

More later...

News from "the Hill"

Why does it seem that some days I have absolutely nothing to write about and others I have more news than I have space?

Steve has decided to go to Moldova in July on a mission trip with Brentwood Baptist. He's already asked off at work and we have it on the calendar! YAY! Of course, this brings up the idea that I'm going to be a "single mom" for that entire week which has never happened before. I'm always the one traveling and he's always the one left at home to hold down the fort. I'm sure if I thought about it enough, I might get a little bit panicky...but he's going with David Millsap, the husband of lifetime friend Rachel Millsap (formerly Morgan for those of you that go WAY back with me) and so I feel a little better since David's been on a trip before. Plus, their family lives near us now so Rachel and I are already planning a slumber party for the girls (big and little!) for one or two of the nights we'll spend alone. Anyway, I'm sure you'll be hearing much more about that in the coming months.

We most likely will not be traveling to the beach in Jacksonville in August because of Steve's lack of vacation time, however, I'm contemplating taking Jenna down to Gulf Shores, AL for a few days, then traveling back up and visiting with my friend Kylene who is moving to Huntsville in a few weeks. Of course, I'll take the opportunity to visit with my friend Cathy W. while I'm there. We're hoping if this pans out that Steve can again join us that Thursday or Friday for a few days at a water park and maybe visiting the space center...not to mention, I'll be able to see Kylene's new addition again! (Baby Shelby is due April 20th)

Another piece of good news is that Chase had an interview for a medical records tech position at the Frist Clinic in Nashville today. It's an entry level position, but it does get his foot in the door at a clinic affiliated with a healthcare facility since he's wanting to go to school in the fall to be a radiology tech. This assumes he even gets the job. I've pulled as many strings as I can, so the rest is up to the Lord!

This coming Wednesday morning, I'm leaving to take Jenna to Chattanooga. I took off Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for her spring break and thought there is no way we'll be able to spend the entire week/end here without getting bored out of our minds, so I decided to take those days off and head there. Steve can't take off that much, so he's going to come up Friday morning. The hotel has a indoor pool which we can do on Wednesday afternoon when we arrive, then we'll try to do the Aquarium and Railroad museum after Steve gets there, but then we have Ruby Falls, Rock City, The Discovery Museum and the Imax until then. I'm really looking forward to the time away with Jenna. I've had lots and lots on my mind lately and I'm needing some time away not to mention some Mommy and me time with my baby girl.

Micah is doing the same. Her next appointment is tomorrow. She's really been struggling with reflux mostly at night, but it's not just normal reflux. It's making her sick to her stomach in more ways than one. She is only able to eat chicken noodle soup and the doctor thinks she might be having some gall bladder trouble. They are going to do an ultrasound on it tomorrow when she goes in. My guess is that absent an immediate danger, they will go ahead and set an induction date for the following week if she hasn't gone on her own by then. (she's due 3/31) She is miserable enough that I wouldn't be surprised if we had to stay close to home this week because of a baby! We'll see and I'll post as soon as I can.

For those of you that have been asking about my Dad, please keep on praying. The latest doctor's visit revealed he has only 22% lung capacity. Should pneumonia strike, it could be very dangerous for him. Needless to say, he's not taking the news too well. They made the mistake of telling him that he is eligible for hospice care now. Of course, he relates this to ALIVE hospice which are the wonderful people who come and care for the terminally ill in their last weeks/months etc. This is a different service for him because obviously, he's not that close to death, but I'm sure that's exactly what it sounded like to him. And having to be dependent on anyone is really a blow to your independence. Anyway, just remember him and of course all of us who have to care for him in some form or fashion.

Steve has an x-ray on his knee later this week...been having some knee pain he's just telling me about and they are thinking it might be a nerve problem.

I've received several checks for my Thailand trip and to each of you generous donors, THANK YOU! I've turned them all in to the church and they are being applied to my account. For those of you that have sent money directly to the church, they'll give me an updated account balance in the next few weeks. I'm really getting excited. Closer to the time of my departure, I'll begin to do a countdown. And then I'll blog and update those 10 prayer partners (you know who you are!) via email!

OK, well, that's enough...we'll keep you posted. I'll try to update everyone tomorrow after I hear from Micah. After that, it'll probably be quiet until we get back from Chattanooga Sunday (unless we are called home earlier!)

Welcome BUTTON!

A Proper Introduction...

Sherri stopped by just now to tell me that Mr. No Name kitty has a name... BUTTON! He's cute as a button and he also has a little white spot on the underside of his neck which reminds some of a button...so I wanted to give a proper introduction to the new member of the family...Button Henry! We can't wait to meet him!