The Harris Crew

2009-05-07T22:16:00.003-05:00

Alas...a new blog!! I haven't taken the time to blog in several months! All is well in the Harris household! It is heartbreaking to think about May 20, 2009. My 'baby' will be one year old on this day. Everyone has told me to 'hang on every moment because they grow so fast' but I had no idea #2's first year would go by twice as fast as #1's!! It saddens me to the point that I ALMOST want #3!! Before you get excited, concerned, or some other outrageous emotion....we are NOT there yet!!!

Meanwhile, Logan is playing tee-ball and tennis! He says tee-ball practice is boring but he likes the games! He is the best big brother ever! He gets excited to see "Sissie" every morning and every afternoon when we pick him up from school! He has a way of making her laugh when no one else can!!

Will and I have a big trip planned next month! We will be going on a "second honeymoon" to Jamaica with two other couples! We need a vacation and look forward to enjoying each other and celebrating our marriage! Again....NO....we are NOT planning #3!!!

I will try to do a better job of keeping you all in the Harris Crew loop! But for now, take care and have a happy Mother's Day!!

Addelyn's surgery

2009-02-10T00:06:00.006-06:00

This week has been very busy for the Harris crew! Sunday, Logan and I went to church and Will stayed home with Addelyn because she was napping. After church, Logan suddenly decided that he didn't feel well and needed to go to bed. When he woke up, I wasn't home but Will said he seemed to be fine. However, Monday he got sick again. He vomited three times (once all over the floor, once on our bed and once again on the bed)! So Will and I decided that he would stay home with Logan and I would take Addie to the hospital. Will did not like this decision so I made sure to call and keep him informed as much and often as possible. I felt sad for him. So...I got up at 4:45 to get ready to take Addelyn to Children's Hospital for her hernia repair. We got there at 6:30 only to wait for a couple of hours before they took us to our holding room. There, we waited for a while longer. The surgery was scheduled to take place at 9am. However, they didn't take her back to the OR until 10:00. Now, I know this is going to make me look like a bad mom but this is the truth...instead of freaking out and worrying, I took a nap while Addelyn was in surgery! I knew she was in good hands...God's hands! So I was at peace! Dr. Harmon came into the room at 10:45 to inform me that everything went well, the hernia was about the size of your thumb (which was "rather large"), there was no hernia on the right and that I should see my princess very soon! So....I took another quick nap after calling Will to let him know Addelyn was fine!! Soon the nurse brought her to me! She was lethargic but pleasant, as usual! As she lie in my arms, I began to remember the day she was born. And how she would lie so still while I cradled her. Once again, I was sure to call Daddy and let him know his baby girl was safe in my arms. I know he was relieved.

She immediately sucked down about 6 oz of Pedialyte. Soon thereafter, we were on our way home! She was so tired and lethargic. I looked back at her once and she was holding a hanging toy with one hand while her head hung, eyes closed!! It was so cute.

I had my camera in my purse that morning...just in case I had a chance to capture a moment. I also had a bottle of juice in my purse for Addelyn. Apparently, camera's don't function to full capacity after bathing in apple juice. So my camera is out of service. I doubt Will is going to be getting me a new one anytime soon. So I don't know if or when I will have new pictures for you all.

I hope you all have a great week! Keep Logan and Addelyn in your prayers. Logan is still fighting off a cold and Addelyn is recovering from surgery. Will is going to be running the Mercedes Half-Marathon on Sunday morning so cheer him on if you think about it!

Birthday Bliss

2009-01-25T18:59:00.006-06:00

Today was Logan's fourth birthday! We had a great party with lots of friends and family. My sister, Amy, baked and erected a John Deere tractor cake that was to die for!! Our friends Tim and Melissa brought a HUGE inflatable that kept all the kids from 6 to 66 entertained all day! My parents were here, Logan's friends from school, my best friends, and our neighbors all came together for a day of celebration. Addelyn had a John Deere onsie that was perfectly appropriate for the affair. She enjoyed the attention she solicited!

Thank you all for your love and support of our family. You are our lifeline and we appreciate you!

2009-01-19T22:04:00.005-06:00

Hello to the fine folks who enjoy keeping up with the Harris's! Much different than the infamous "Jones's", the Harris's should not be the standard we aspire to meet!

Well, Princess Addelyn met with the Pediatric surgeon last Friday. She will be having surgery to repair her inguinal hernia on February 9 at about 7am. He will close off the hernia on the left then check the right side for the same anomaly and repair it if needed.

Meanwhile, Logan is turning four years old this weekend. As most of you know, his birthday is on Sunday, January 25. He was born at 3:56 pm. I pushed for 2.5 hours on that day. He came out with a cone head and screaming! I can't believe it's been four years since that day. I remember it like it was yesterday. I remember the look on Will's face and the words he spoke..."look at him, Babe. Look at him"!!! Enough reflecting....on to the fun stuff!!! He is having a birthday party Sunday! Logan's friend Sam (who is ALMOST as cute as Logan) came to visit today and we went to buy party favors. Logan had decided that he wanted a Spiderman party. That is, until he saw the Diego stuff, the fireman stuff, and of course...the John Deere stuff! We finally decided on good ol' John Deere! What Logan doesn't know is that our friends Tim and Melissa are going to bring a giant inflatable to his party!! Logan is going to be so excited!

I continue my many woe's of searching for the perfect career! I love having a flexible schedule. I also want to work as a practitioner and bring home a nice paycheck. Luckily, in my field, I can have the best of both worlds. However, finding the job that gives me exactly what I need has been a task that has proven unsuccessful thus far. I found a job posting at St Vincent's for a NP in a clinical setting, 20 hours a week...flexible hours! Of course I applied! I love to think that God has divinely put this job posting in my sight but I don't know! I am not getting the hours I was promised in Alex City, and if you read my previous post about how God was trying to show me that in order to use me he would put me in "toxic environments", you would see why I'm not trying to understand God right now! All I can do is walk with Him and trust.

On a lighter note, I had my very first tennis match last Saturday. If you have forgotten so quickly that it was like 2 degrees on Saturday, allow me to remind you....IT WAS FREEZING. This is not an ideal setting for my first tennis match. I'm not making excuses or anything but the two girls we were playing had a little bit more insulation than Leah and I!!! I am claiming cold as our out this time! We would never have been stomped like that if it had been 70 degrees...or even 60 for that matter! So tomorrow we will meet back at the courts and practice our serves...which will make or break a tennis match! If you know anything about me, you know how competitive I am and how mortified I was to come home to my husband...who ran a half-marathon in 20 degree weather in 1 hour and 45 minutes that morning...and tell him that we got smoked! He, however, enjoyed the moment! [snarl....]

Hopefully, I will see all of you this weekend. If not, we will certainly have birthday pix to share with you!!

Momma

2009-01-12T19:23:00.004-06:00

Will made a monumental statement tonight. Addelyn has said nothing but "Mama ma ma ma ma" all day long!! I love this! I have begged her to utter my name for 7 months and she finally said it today! What joy! However, Will put things into perspective when he said "Momma....this is the first day of the REST OF YOUR LIFE"!!!!

Not much going on here

2009-01-12T13:33:00.006-06:00

Well, there isn't really a lot of excitement in the Harris home. However, there are lots of haps around us!

My friend Carrie is definitely having a girl...her name is Molly Claire. I LOVE her name! She is due right around the same time Addelyn was due.

My sister-in-law and brother, Michelle and Jeremy, are having a baby girl as well!! This was a great surprise on Friday! Her name is Avery Magnolia! I think it's a really pretty name. Avery is also due to arrive around Addelyn's birthday!

So Addelyn will have a new baby cousin and a new best friend to play with very soon!! Logan is going to be outnumbered everywhere we go!

On the other hand. My friend Lorie Johnson is very very sick. I have told most of you about her and asked you guys to pray so I will not revisit that issue.

Something fairly new is Logan's little attitude! He is definitely transitioning from angel to little boy!! He stinks, he's sassy, he gets dirty ALL THE TIME, he plays rough, he loves his boy parts, and he is crazy about his mommy! This morning he got in trouble. He was in the living room eating breakfast and he called to me to bring him some milk (using his finely tuned manners, of course). I told him to wait a second. So Will took the milk to him and Logan must have been disappointed because instead of saying "thank you", he said "Dad, did I ask YOU to bring me some milk?". Will said "no". Logan said "so why are you bringing it to me...?" Yes, Logan got in trouble for that but it was so darn cute! He's also been using adult words like "otherwise". He wants me to scratch the four-wheeler he wanted for Christmas from his list and put it on his birthday list. I think this is because Santa told him that he had to be about 7 to drive a four-wheeler so he thinks he might talk Mom and Dad into getting it for him!

Addelyn is becoming quite mobile. She is cruising well. I expect her to walk within the next two months. She began daycare two days a week. She isn't used to not being the center of attention! She has her surgical consult this Friday. Hopefully they will schedule her surgery quickly. I get nervous about an incarcerated hernia and obsessively check to make sure she's okay. She started saying "Da-da" at about 4 months old. Yesterday, she said "Bubba" This morning...I swear she uttered "Ma-ma". Of course, no one was home except her and I so it doesn't really matter!!

Logan's big four-year-old birthday is on January 25. I don't think he wants a big party. He wants Lucy, Grant and Reagan to come over for cake and ice cream. So there is no sense in having a big, expensive party for him! He wants a Spider Man cake so I guess I will do my annual birthday cake decorating for him! He has also moved up to the four-year-old class at daycare. He likes being there with his older friends and big-boy toys!

Will went hunting in Troy for the first time in FOREVER! I was glad to see him get back out there and enjoy himself!! I love the idea of hunting, I just don't want to be the one pulling the trigger, killing Bambi's mommy or daddy. And I don't want to see it either. My dad is a big time hunter. He watches hunting shows all the time. He even has been on some hunting shows. He's been all over the world hunting. I grew up around this but I just can't get used to it! So, Will, Honey, you may go hunting whenever you want to. But please don't ask me to go or to look at your trophies!! You do remember what happened the last time I went, don't you?!

I will update you all on Ms. A's surgery as soon as we make some decisions.

Until next time my friends.......

More health issues

2009-01-04T19:35:00.003-06:00

As I mentioned previously, Addelyn has had a cold this week. She and Logan are doing much better now. Although illnesses are never fun, sometimes they are a blessing. Addelyn's cough brought a potentially serious condition to our attention this week. It looks like she has an inguinal hernia. This occurs when tissue [bowel] pushes through a weakened portion of the muscle. The major risk is that the bowel would become incarcerated (stuck) and the bowel dies. The treatment is surgery. I will call a pediatric surgeon tomorrow and see if he will see her as soon as possible. So, thanks to Addelyn's cough, we have found a potentially dangerous problem. Oh, did I mention that Super Dad is the one who noticed the hernia?! So please be praying for us and that there will be no complications.

Divine intervention

2009-01-03T21:32:00.002-06:00

So here is proof that our God is sovereign. I have been working a lot lately. Many of my scheduled days have fallen on weekends. This leaves my poor sweet husband alone with BOTH kids all weekend long. I can only imagine what he must be going through. He goes out of town occasionally and leaves me with the kids but the difference is: #1-I am Mom and #2-Logan goes to school during the weekdays. He is DAD and he has them on weekends when there is no school which amounts to no relief! He's been a pretty good sport so far (a paycheck makes any sacrifice a little more comfortable)!

Last Thursday, Will traveled to Troy to visit some family. Meghan, who should be Nanny 911, volunteered to come home with Will for a few days to spend some time with Logan and Addelyn. This was great for us because Will got some relief and I didn't have to worry about everyone being stressed out. Well, on Thursday, Logan and Addelyn were sick. Addelyn has been coughing, congested, febrile and irritable. On Friday, I woke up to two very sick kids. Addelyn was miserable and Logan vomited! Will would take Addelyn to the doctor while Meghan stayed with Logan and I went to work. I felt terrible going to work and leaving my two sick kids and my poor husband to care for them! However, Meggie was with us and she is always happy to pitch in!

Will and I got to sleep all night, UNINTERRUPTED, for two nights in a row!! Meghan would get up and tend to Addelyn at night and we slept!! Had she not been there, I would have had to call in to work and that would not look good since I have a new position and a new obligation. As a nurse, you can call in and know there are replacements for you. As a practitioner, there is no one else to call. I can't call in.

So, God was definitely in control of this situation and I am so thankful!

Rest, Relaxation...and FUN!!!

2008-12-19T23:15:00.006-06:00

Wow...it's been a busy weekend! I say weekend because it feels like a Sunday night...especially since I have to work tomorrow! The last two days have been packed with fun and adventure! I have been looking forward to blogging about it all!

As you know, Will had something special up his sleeve that he was going to surprise me with. On Wednesday morning he informed me that although I thought I was the one planning a visit from my sister, Amy, HE was really the one who initiated the visit! Amy was to arrive on Thursday morning and spend the night with the kids while Will kidnapped me for the night! Apparently he recognized that we were both pretty tired and had neglected one another for the passed several months. This is a rare finding in many men...I realize how blessed I am to have such a thoughtful husband! We loaded up the care, kissed the little ones, thanked Amy, and we were off! He had booked a room at the Embassy suites in Birmingham. This was a smart idea for several reasons including: it's a short drive from home, there's no hassle/no fuss, there is a Ruth's Chris in the hotel, and since we were there to REST...we didn't need to go any further than Birmingham!

So we arrive at the Embassy suites at about 5pm. We had time to go to our room and freshen up before dinner. We had a wonderful dinner at Ruth's Chris! We shared an Ahi tuna appetizer, Will had a filet and I had a chopped salad. We topped it off with a bite of bread pudding (Will's very unusual favorite). We got back to our room at about 8:30 and were asleep at 8:45!!! We slept almost 11 hours that night! It was FABULOUS!! I am so thankful for my sweet husband!

We came home this morning and got the house back into order from the previous nights events! And when the kids took a mid-day nap...guess who was still sleepy!!! Yes, Will and I took yet another nap!!

Tonight was great! We had dinner at the Olive Garden with some of Will's high school buddies. We had a table for TWENTY! We basically had the entire back section of the restaurant! It was great to see everyone there. I think it says a lot about a person when he/she maintains a relationship with friends from high school. The kids where great. And I mean all SIX of them! One of the daddy's was behind Logan at one point and he jokingly said "shut up". Well, if you know my Logan, you can anticipate what came next..."ewh...we don't say 'shut up'"! So funny!

Next was the big event! The moment we had been waiting for since October! We were at the Polar Express!! Hot cocoa in one hand, a glow-stick in the other, Logan was in 4-year-old heaven! Addelyn wasn't sure what we were doing but she's always up for a good time! It was magical! The train tooted it's horn as it arrived at the station...the kids went wild! Logan seemed to be possessed by some sort of jumping bean! He is at an age where everything is so much fun! It's great to see his face light up and to hear the interesting expressions! It brought so much joy to see him become so excited to see the train! It's worth every penny we spent just for him to enjoy this! We rode the train to the North Pole. There, we saw Santa and Mrs. Claus standing outside. There were little elves outside as well. So we sang some Christmas carols thinking that might convince the Claus's to join us on the train. Sure enough, Santa, Mrs. Claus and two elves boarded the train! We had cookies and chocolate milk, a story, jingle bells, and even a gift from the North Pole. The sweet little elves had a special gift for little Addelyn!

The last 48 hours have been a reminder to me that I am blessed beyond measure! I am blessed to have a wonderful husband who loves me dearly. I am blessed to have two children who are healthy and happy. I am blessed to have great friends who love us and pray for us. I am blessed to have the opportunities that we've had this week. I try not to take things for granted. I try to keep a grateful attitude. But it's times like these that remind me that life is too short to spend it alone, working, angry, bitter, gluttonous, fearful or absent.

I pray that you all will have a wonderful Christmas! We celebrate the greatest gift of all time...the birth of our Lord, Jesus Christ!!

...good night!

This weeks events!

2008-12-17T09:14:00.006-06:00

Today is the day. I am heading out into the wilderness of hungry shoppers desperate to finish the Christmas list! With baby in tow, I will attempt to hit 5-8 stores within 6 hours! Shopping has always been a pleasure for me. However, this Christmas has snuck up on me and left me with one day to shop!

Friday night will prove to be an adventure for the Harris Crew! Last year, I tried to get tickets the the Polar Express. I later discovered that the tickets go on sale and sale out in October or early November. So this year I was determined to snag some seats! I got our tickets a few months ago and it's finally here! We will go to the Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum this Friday night. Logan will wear his PJ's, drink hot cocoa (as he calls it), listen to a Christmas story, and spend some time with the one and only, Santa Claus!! We are making it a surprise for Logan because last April, we had tickets to Thomas the Train at the Railroad Museum but a tornado came through and damaged the place. We were ready to go on that Saturday morning when I got the devastating news that the train ride would be cancelled and Thomas would not be back for another year. It broke my heart to have to tell Logan that Thomas was "in the hospital"! So this time, we will make it a surprise....just in case a blizzard hits tomorrow night!!

Meanwhile, Addelyn is cutting her first tooth, crawling at record speed, and pulling-up. Did I mention that this child hardly ever naps??? At night, when Will and I are getting ready for bed, we know that as soon as the lights are off and our heads hit the pillows, Addelyn will be waking up!! It NEVER fails! We don't always go to bed at exactly the same time but she seems to know exactly when we close our eyes!

So, I was surprised today when Will told me that he had a "night out" planned for me. Apparently he has made all the arrangements and isn't telling me anything! This is fun and I can't wait to find out where we are going and what we are doing! I will fill you in soon!

We hope you have a Merry Christmas. Enjoy the blessings!

What He's teaching me...

2008-12-09T11:08:00.006-06:00

I have been working a lot this month. Therefore, I have been learning and seeing a lot. I have had some uneventful shifts in the ED and some shifts that will have a lasting impact on me. I have come in contact with a wide variety of people. Some, obviously know Christ and some...I'm not so sure about. I have described the environment as "toxic". I have complained that it is not where I need to be as a Christian. But the truth is that we are called to be witnesses. We are ambassadors of Christ. I am willing to go to the other side of the world to share Christ with those who have never heard His name; yet I want to flea from the lost within my own environment. I realize that we should surround ourselves with those who know Christ to build one another up and to fellowship. But if we don't get out into the world of the lost, what are we doing here? I don't want to simply exist and live my life separating myself from those who don't know Him as Abba Father. It makes no sense to go on expensive trips to South Africa to "share the gospel" if I'm not even doing it at home. Maybe it makes us feel more "heaven worthy".

A patient came into the ED the other day after being shot in the leg. He had lost essentially all of his blood and was literally dying right before my eyes. He knew he was dying and he told me he was dying. I believed him. This encounter, and a few others, has reminded me of the most important reason for my being here.

I have said, in the past, that on the day I gave birth, I realized why God put me here...and that was to be Logan's and Addelyn's mommy. Yes, it is crucial that I be a Proverbs 31 woman. But God put me here for several reasons. He made me to love & enjoy me and he made me to love Him. He made me to share His love with the lost. My children are just a part of the reason for my existence.

1 Peter 3:8-17

Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic, love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing. For, "Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from deceitful speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

Who is going to harm you if you are eager to do good? But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed. "Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened." But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect, keeping a clear conscience, so that those who speak maliciously against your good behavior in Christ may be ashamed of their slander. It is better, if it is God's will to suffer for doing good than for doing evil.

I do not know what God has in store for me. While I wait, I am reminded that I have been given this day. Each day is a blessing and with each day, I am compelled to live a life that screams JESUS! My prayer is that I will not lose focus of why I am here.

A Christmas Ham

2008-12-05T17:13:00.002-06:00

That's what we have in our home right now! Addelyn has been turning it on for the camera this holiday season! Every time I get the camera out, her sweet little face lights up! I should probably take advantage of this while it lasts! What's funny is that everyone told me that I wouldn't take half the pictures of my second child as I did with my first. That's not true in the Harris Home! I don't want to miss a moment and I want to capture as many as I can!

Here are just a few of the shots we've taken over the last couple of days:

2008-12-03T19:10:00.002-06:00

This is it...the long awaited first blog!! Carrie has been checking our blogspot on a daily basis hoping to see this. So, this very special first blog, is dedicated to my very best friend Carrie!! I am married to the most wonderful man in the world. I have two of the sweetest angels. Logan will be four in January and Addelyn is six months old. I have the greatest career as a nurse practitioner. I have been blessed beyond measure and far more than I deserve.

You will be hearing the tales of the days of our life. The milestones Addelyn and Logan achieve will often be boasted. The struggles we face as parents and Christians will be revealed. We will be sharing our lives with all of you.

I am by no means an eloquent writer. I am a mother, a wife, a daughter, and a Christian woman. Join us on this journey!!