We have moved into a room

Aubrey was well enough to move out of NICU and a room came available so we have moved. We are now in 4th floor Sutherland. It is a nice room and we can sleep here if necessary. I opened up the blinds so Aubrey can see her first snow. It is really coming down, I think it is around 4 inches or so. Mom and Dylan are resting at the RMH and Jennifer and I are with Aubrey.

Last night was fun being up with Mom, we got to talk about things. I had some conversations with the night nurse that made me think of the of how tough it would be raising three boys. The stuff we did, that I did. It is amazing my Mom is still sane. The lighting of M-80s', jumping off the roof, standing on the bike seat going down the hill. Actually it is amazing I made it though with no injuries. God put me in good hands that is for sure.

She has the neck line out and the leg line

Aubrey has the lines out of her neck and leg. They are waiting for a room. The hospital is one jumping place right now. The snow is coming down so fast it is unbelievable. It is coming as fast as a fast rain comes down.

She is eating pretty good and resting well.

Happy Birthday Kaitlin

My cousin turns 7 years old today! Happy Birthday Kaitlin!! I am glad your birthday party was early and we got to be there. Hope you have a wonderful day and enjoy the snow they say we are going to get! Tell your brother I said hi also and don't let him hit you with any snowballs today!

Long Night

Hi everyone,
It's early and I am not the writer in the family thats why I let my husband make all the postings. It's been awhile since I have posted anything I even forgot my passwords. I felt like it was my turn since Bob just left to go get some sleep, he was up for a straight 24 hours. I on the other hand got some sleep and was back over here at 5:30 a.m. Dylan is resting peacefully at the Ronald McDonald House with grandma Kathy. I am glad she didn't even attempt to drive home not only because of the roads but she has been a tremendous help to us! She did our laundry and has been taking very good care of Dylan.

Aubrey is fianlly resting nicely now. The nurses didn't believe me when I said she loves to kick her feet all the time. Her blood pressure the doctors just told me is a little high so the are going to give her something to bring it down. She has had so much put into her now that its hard to keep track of all the stuff . We are looking forward to moving later today to a actual room and out of PIC.
It looks like they are calling for 4-12 inches of snow today! Dylan is very excited. I really have enjoyed hearing from everyone keep them coming!

The Vent Tube is Out! The Vent Tube is Out!

About a half an hour ago, around 1:45, the Doctors removed the vent tube. She is resting pretty good now and looks rather peaceful. She should do pretty good because she has been breathing on her own for about 4.5 hours now.

The NICU has been really active tonight in the "Wintry Mix." Part of the hospital has been on generator power and many of the kids have needed the doctor. He has been one busy guy.

I think I will be heading over soon to get some rest, after I make sure she is going to be resting good.

Justing waiting for her to breathe on her own

We are still waiting for the youngster to breathe on her own. Pretty much the only pain she is in is when Jennifer and I are singing to her. So we are trying to keep it to a minimum. She still looks cute with all the lines in her.

The weather is starting to look really nasty outside here, I can hear the sleet hitting the windows and the wind whipping around.

I done some reading to try to stay alert, but my mind is having a tendancy to wander.

Dr. Lofland said thing are good

Dr. Lofland came out and said things went good. We haven't been able to see her, so we came down for lunch. They were thinking we could go back around 12 or so.

He seemed pretty happy about going ahead witht he surgery and expects things to stay on schedule.

Next big step is the vent tube.

Aubrey is back in surgery

When we checked in this morning we found out that Dr. Lofland wanted to see us. We came over and Dr. Lofland put his arm around Jennifer and calmly explained what he was going to be doing. During the night Aubrey had some fluid buildup around her lungs. She will be opened back up.

She was not a happy camper with the mask on her. Kicking and grabbing since 2 this morning. Specifically it was prediagnosed as hemothorax.

Dr. Lofland wants this to be a quick surgery so Aubrey can get back off the vent tube. I am guessing an hour, but I am not sure. Didn't think to ask.

Aubrey is a trooper

I went to class tonight and was acutally able to concentrate on it for the most part. I heard after class that when I left Aubrey she woke up and was thrashing around and kicking. So the doctors had to give her some stuff to calm her down. I left a little before 11 when her O2 got to 70. Jennifer is upstairs sleeping, I hope, right now and I am finishing up some work before I head up.

Everything went well

Dr. Lofland came out and told us everything went in a A+ fashion. Below is a picture of what the heart looks like with the Glenn Shunt in. We will be going up to the PICU here in the next few minutes.

Nurse has checked in, everything okay

The nurse has checked in with us twice and everything is going good and she is doing well. Around 1 Dr. Lofland made the incision to begin the operation.

She is back with the surgeons now

At noon the nurses took Aubrey to the sleepy doctor. The surgery is expected to be anywhere from 3 to 5 hours. The nurse, Stacey, will come out and give us updates every 45 minutes or so.

Check in at the hospital

The doctors and nurses have been great this morning. Aubrey has been put through a series of tests. Right now she is in getting x-rays. She really, really didn't like the blood getting drawn. She is cleared for surgery!

Dylan has been hanging out and being pretty good. He likes to ask questions alot.

We come into get checked in at 9:30 tomorrow for surgery.

Newspaper Clipping

A few years ago this article was in the newspaper and thought I would share it, I don't know the Cobb's but I enjoyed their story. Click on it to make it bigger. After the new screen comes up you can click on the image and it should enlarge.

Thanksgiving 2006

We had a wonderful time this year with new friends and a different format. Jennifer's mom, Debbie, came up for a couple of days. We really enjoyed having her around and were appreciative of her help. We also met two of my Grandma's friends. Jun and Shiori and their two year old Shojo. Dylan and him had a wonderful time playing Hot Wheels. Aubrey had Turkey and Sweet Pototoes, of course from a jar. Maybe next year she will have the real deal. We had plenty of food and I rank my aunt Sharon's sweet potato dish my favorite for this year. Sharon has taken the Bob Hughs Favorite Side Dish Award for nearly three years now. This year we had it at our house and seemed to have plenty of room for things. My favorite part was still spending quality time with family.

New Neighbors

We met our new neighbors. Aaron and Dana have triplets and just moved from Louisville. They are wonderful people and look forward to getting to know them better. They moved here so Aaron can be the pastor at McCarthy Baptist here in town.

Great little Story

A dear friend of my sent this story to me through e-mail. For where I am at in my life it is very well timed.

THE ANT AND THE CONTACT LENS
A story by Josh and Karen Zarandona

Brenda was a young woman who was invited to g rock climbing. Although she was very scared, she went with her group to a tremendous granite cliff. In spite of her fear, she put on the gear, took hold of the rope, and started up the face of that rock. Well, she got to a ledge where she could take a breather. As she was hanging on there, the safety rope snapped against Brenda's eye and knocked out her contact lens.

Well, here she is, on a rock ledge, with hundreds of feet below her and hundreds of feet above her. Of course, she looked and looked and looked, hoping it had landed on the ledge, but it just wasn't there. Here she was, far from home, her sight now blurry. She was desperate and began to get upset, so she prayed to the Lord to help her to find it.

When she got to the top, a friend examined her eye and her clothing for the lens, but there was no contact lens to be found. She sat down, despondent, with the rest of the party, waiting for the rest of them to make it up the face of the cliff. She looked out across range after range of mountains, thinking of that verse that says, "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth." She thought, "Lord, You can see all these mountains. You know every stone and leaf, and You know exactly where my contact lens is. Please help me." Finally, they walked down the trail to the bottom. At the bottom there was a new party of climbers just starting up the face of the cliff. One of them shouted out, "Hey, you guys! Anybody lose a contact lens?"

Well, that would be startling enough, but you know why the climber saw it? An ant was moving slowly across the face of the rock, carrying it on it's back. Brenda told me that her father is a cartoonist. When she told him the incredible story of the ant, the prayer, and the contact lens, he drew a picture of an ant lugging that contact lens with the words, "Lord, I don't know why You want me to carry this thing. I can't eat it, and it's awfully heavy. But if this is what You want me to do, I'll carry it for You" I think it would probably do some of us good to occasionally say, "God, I don't know why you want me to carry this load. I can see no good in it and it's awfully heavy. But, if you want me to carry it, I will." God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called. Yes, I do love GOD. He is my source of existence and my Savior. He keeps me functioning each and every day. Without Him, I am nothing, but with Him...I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. (Phil. 4:13)
LORD

THE IS IN CONTROL ALL THE TIME!

Surgery Countdown

The surgery will be November 28th. We went ahead an pulled Dylan out for next week from Preschool to help cut down on the germs coming around Aubrey.

I am registered for classes next semester.

Right now it looks like I am going to be taking:
Investment Management
Leadership in Orgainizations
Managerial Accounting
Legal, Social, and Ethical Environment

I was told that there are only a few registered for the professor for Investment Management. He is new professor from New Orleans and I have him in Managerial Finance right now. If I was a recruiter I would recommend him to any school He is a native of Lebanon and comes with a strong academic background in Finance. He does expect student to, ah hem, read outside of class. I am not sure where he might get that from:) maybe because we are Master's students and not Master Students.

100th Post!

Over the last several months, I have had the opportunity to take an inventory of my strengths. I have been in awe of the way God using the difficulties in life to strengthen us. As I look toward next semester at Park, I am once again committing myself to a minimum of 9 hours. Over the next several months I will be praying about taking a Teaching assistantship my last semester. I am also exploring the opportunity to go beyond the MBA. Please pray for me.

Small group study has ended

The Lord has blessed me over the last ten weeks in an outlet for wisdom and fellowship. My Crown Financial Ministries small group study has ended and I have to say that I am saddened by not getting to spend that time with my instructor and fellow Christian classmates. However, it is a new opportunity to do something more for the Kingdom. My Money Map Coaching materials have come in the mail and I will eager to begin that study soon and through the holidays. Then I will be able to pursue a very needed ministry.

The kids are remarkably healthy and we are having many friends and family over for Thanksgiving. Including some that have no family to share it with. Just will not have any football on for them, because still don't have any cable, and antenna, or a dish. Oh well, more time to talk!

Picture Time at Sears!

Here are some pictures of the kids from the Sears website.

Halloween

Halloween was a long day! I worked all day came home said goodbye to Bob who was out the door to class for the night in Parkville. Then I got the kids dressed and fed and out the door we went! Aubrey was our little sweet Pea and Dylan Frankenstein. We joined friends and fun was had by all. I want to thank Monte, Leslie, and Pam for braving the cold and taking Dylan door to door.

Leadership Problem

While I don't pretend to know what is being said by the people on TV, I have some comments about what I am reading about the Pastor Ted Haggard. Here is a man who has lead the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) and a very large congregation in Colorado. I am saddened by what has come out, but my faith is not shaken for my faith is in God and not in the leaders here on earth.

Why has this happened? Why because we are sinners and need God. Regardless of the sin, we are sinners and fall short of his glory. I am a sinner and try to ask God everyday to come in my life. I thank him for Jesus Christ and for his death that bring sme salvation.

Is the man guilty of the accusations? Clearly, more importantly, is that there is a great lesson here. We are sinners and must repent of our sins. The Pastor is in a greater position that I am , however, we are both fallen and need Christ. Whatever comes out, however the facts land, I will pray that Pastor Haggard deals with this issue.