Carol!

Due to growth issues, Carol came early. She's now almost four weeks old. The Mimi says she likes being a big sister, and seems to be responding well to the change. Then again, she's not the one getting up to feed the baby every three hours!

The Mimi loves to take pictures. Here's one she took of Carol with her favorite stuffed bunny, Monty:

 

Time to start adding money to Carol's counseling fund!

Preterm Labor: the Sequel

Over the last few months, I've been too busy to blog. Either that, or the self-esteem issues that come with my chronic depression have done a good job of convincing me that blogging is pointless because "no one wants to hear what you have to say anyway." Possibly both.
I didn't even bother to post the news about our "new addition." But now due to mandatory medical leave, I seem to have time for writing once more.
Shirley's fervent prayers for a little sister (the week where she prayed "and if the baby is a little brother--I guess I'll keep it" was particularly memorable)  are in the process of being answered. Carol Marzetta Mackey should show up for her scheduled C-section November 27th.
However, last week, Carol apparently got tired of waiting and I wound up in the local ER with contractions every 3-4 minutes. ("Dr. Obstetrician was looking over your chart from home and said he was really impressed with how strong and regular they were" isn't something you really want to hear from the staff. Unless they're giving out prizes--but all I got was some drugs that make me a cranky space cadet.)
So now I'm home for the remainder of this week and taking meds to stop the contractions. The meds help stop the contractions, but the side effects are a pain. I've got a massive constant headache, dizziness, feel exhausted, nauseous, anxious, and can't concentrate on anything for more than a couple of minutes. It's like having mono with a side order of paranoia.

In Memoriam

Shirley T., Brian's amazing and wonderful adopted grandmother, went to be with the Lord last month.  She was a great lady, and I'm glad I got the chance to know her, but we all miss her. I'm also glad the Mimi got to know her namesake some before she died.

Last summer, the Mimi wasn't getting the whole "great-grandparent" concept, so we started calling Shirley and her husband "SuperNana" and "Super PopPop." That was the week before this picture was taken. At Shirley and Jim's 60th anniversary party, the Mimi walked up to Shirley and promptly asked "SuperNana, where's your costume?"





"I'm so awesome I don't need a costume,"Shirley said, right before she gave the Mimi a large stuffed pink and white glittery unicorn wearing a sequined jumpsuit and a pink marabou feather-trimmed bolero. (It used to sing "You are my Sunshine" when you hugged it, but some minor surgery fixed that.)



And a picture of my mother-in-law trying to look nonchalant at a formal dinner party while carrying the "it's so pink and fluffy I could die!" unicorn around:

When we went to Shirley's funeral a couple of weeks ago, the Mimi looked around the packed room very wide-eyed before saying "Wow, SuperNana's got a huge fan club!" And we were all blessed to be part of that club.

Family, visible and invisible

On Saturday, we went to a family gathering to help our favorite cousin move. Shirley wore her Perry costume.  One of the cousin's friends inquired how we were related to her.

"Jay's my cousin, and I'm also Perry the Platypus' father," Brian explained as he pointed out the Mimi.

"I'm Shirley the Platypus!" the Mimi wailed.

Last month she announced she wanted a little sister. I told her she'd have to pray harder for it, because I was already doing what I could.  That's when she decided that Perry the Platypus was not only her invisible friend, but also her imaginary little sister. Does that make me Perry the Platypus' mother?

Showing off my ignorance

As I watched this news clip this morning, I found myself thinking. (Always a dangerous pastime.) And I realized there's a lot of room for religious diversity in America, and I'm thankful for the church I'm in. Apart from the fact that to join the church of the Nazarene one only needs to agree to "Jesus, Son of God, Saviour," I'm not good at conformity.

Reasons I'd make a terrible Amish person:
I'm posting this on the Internet.
After this I'm going to check my e-mail, watch a couple of videos, and sing along with the radio as I drive to work.
The bonnets are cute, but I'd have a really hard time growing my hair out.
I love buttons!
I can't sew.
Just because I know how to cook on a wood stove doesn't mean I want to.
Attending school only until eigth grade is so 1800s... wait a second...
If orange traffic triangles on the buggy are "too showy," I'm guessing glitter is off the list. (Kudos to the neighbor for politely and concisely explaining to the reporter why this was an issue important enough that people were willing to invoke their right to civil disobedience and go to jail over.)
Add more in the comments if you think of them!