The Circus & the Never Ending Virus

Last Tuesday, Miles & I were invited to go to the circus with some friends from his class. I declined b/c I was going to be out of town for work. They asked if Miles could go with them, so we made plans for him to go home from school with his friend, Gaige, and to the circus that night. Truth be told, I think Miles was more excited about being a car rider with Gaige. He was going around the house saying both of their full names as if they were calling them for car rider line. Super cute.

Gaige's mom, Leslie, sent me a few pics during the night. I sent money with Leslie and told her that he could buy junk food and an overpriced circus toy.

He ended up with popcorn, cotton candy, a snow cone, and a light up sword. Perfection in his world.

On the way home, Leslie text Darrin to say that she thought Miles had pink eye. They noticed it at the very end of the night and she said he was complaining about it.

Darrin took him to a walk in clinic the next day and got some drops for pink eye.

Then, a fever hit on Thursday. When Miles runs a fever it's typically always low grade and nagging.  During this little bout, his fevers have been between 102-103+. That is very high for him. He has been so pitiful.

On Friday, I took him to our eye doctor b/c the antibiotics drops that the walk in clinic gave us were not helping at all.

Our eye doctor confirmed pink eye and gave him some steroid drops instead. He said that it's viral, so the antibiotic drops weren't doing anything anyway.

On Saturday, after sleeping 11 hours, he woke up like a new kid! As soon as his eyes opened, he said, "I feel so good!" He said it at least five times. He was so happy to feel better.

He was literally bouncing off the walls.  He played outside all day and enjoyed the beautiful weather. 

His Granny & Pa came to see him and brought him a huge balloon.  He loves it and has commented so many times what a great present it was.

Unfortunately, feeling good was short lived.  He started running a fever late yesterday afternoon.  In the night, it was 102.3 and he was complaining about his throat.  I decided to take him to the walk in clinic again since they were the only ones open on a Sunday.  This is how pitiful he was while I was getting ready.
 

The clinic did a flu and strep test, which were both negative.  So, we are left to wait out this never ending virus. He was so good for both of the tests. A sign that he's growing up. We sure have experienced our share of drama at the doctor's office. As we were leaving, the nurse offered him a lollipop and he said, "No thank you."  A true measure of how terrible he was feeling.

I just put him to bed with a 102.9 fever. We never do this for sickness, but he's sleeping with me tonight.  Darrin has been kicked out.  I don't usually freak about sickness and instead just enjoy a slower pace and some snuggles, but this has gone on for long enough and I don't like this one bit.  I have to go out of town tomorrow through Wednesday night.  Thankfully Darrin's parents are coming down tomorrow morning to stay with Miles so Darrin can go to work. We both already missed several days last week.  Praying this stubborn virus goes away soon.

Our Valentine's Day

Darrin has been out of town, but he wrote a nice Valentine message for us before he left.  He's usually gone on Valentine's Day b/c it's a big recruiting weekend.

I told Miles before we went to sleep last night that we had a present for him in the morning. As soon as his eyes opened he said, "can I open my present?"

He got some gummy Lifesavers (our favorite) and a new CD/radio for his room so he can jam out to his Kids Bop CD :)  I thought he was a little indifferent about it until he said it was the best gift ever, except his 4wheeler, and that we always buy the best gifts.  Be still my heart.

After present opening, we went to church to hang out with all of our new friends at EBC North.  It's our sixth week since starting our campus in the local middle school.  What a blessing it has been week after week.

Between attending & working church services in the morning and hosting a small group at night, we don't have much time on Sundays anymore. We did manage some TV, nap, laundry, and errands.  To end our Valentine's Day, we enjoyed some chocolate covered strawberries. I will never win a food photo contest, but I must share this somewhat healthy substitute.

Chocolate Cashew Butter

1 cup unsalted cashews (I usually find them in the produce section)

2/3 cup honey

2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 tsp vanilla

Soak cashews in water for 4-6 hours. Drain cashews. Blend in food processor with other ingredients for up to 5 minutes, until smooth. Continually scrap down the sides.  Serve with fresh fruit. 

It's best right after you make it b/c it's warm and spreads easily.  I don't refrigerate the left overs and simply warm them in the microwave a few seconds to soften. So good! Happy Valentine's Day!

The Scoop

More details as promised.  We have tried off and on over the last 4.5 years to have another baby. We would try for a while and then decide that we were content with our family of three and I would get back on the pill.  Then, we would decide that maybe we should give it another try and the cycle would continue. I would say we have probably tried 2.5 out of the last 4.5 years.  It took us a year and a half to get pregnant with Miles, so it was no surprise that this didn't happen easily. 

Thankfully, the second time we were both very content with our family of three, so it never got frustrating for either of us.  Miles, on the other hand, was not okay with his only child status.  Last fall, we decided to give it one last try before calling it quits for good.  I went to the doctor in October to discuss options and feasibility. He ran blood work which determined that it would be very difficult for me to get pregnant without some help. He referred me to a fertility specialist for a second opinion.  We had already decided that we weren't interested in going to any lengths, especially since we have a perfectly healthy little boy. I definitely did not want to risk multiples. I know myself, and I'm not cut out for that, especially with a husband that travels a lot.  My appointment with the fertility specialist was scheduled for Jan. 5 and I found out I was pregnant on Dec. 18. This is EXACTLY what happened with Miles.  Both times I had to call and cancel my appointment with the fertility doctor.

I have taken so many negative pregnancy tests over the years that I never dreamed the test would be positive on Dec. 18.  I bought a test and took it without Darrin knowing. No need to get his hopes up.  I was actually talking on the phone with a friend from work when I went back to check the test. I could not believe my eyes. It caught me so off guard. We were about to walk about the door to go to a birthday party for one of Miles' friends in Martin. I was so shocked that I didn't even tell Darrin.  I hung up with my friend and told Darrin & Miles to go ahead and get in the car and that I would be right there.  I wanted to check my due date because I knew it would be very close to Miles' birthday. When I typed in my info, Miles' birthday popped up as my due date. All I could do was shake my head at the irony.

We went on to the birthday party where I hung out with several of my best friends.  Knowing that I was the only one that knew my secret at that point was such a weird feeling. I bet I even acted weird. We came home, put Miles to bed, I got in bed, and Darrin stayed up to watch TV in the living room.  I decided to send him a text to tell him the news. I just thought that it would be fun to shock him.  My plan failed b/c his phone was on the charger and he didn't see it. Then, he came to bed and left his phone in the kitchen. So, I told him that I sent him something.  So, he went back to get his phone but it turns out that my phone never sent the text b/c we have service issues in our house. I sent it again and he finally got my text while we were both laying in bed in the pitch dark. It was a fun moment despite the interruption issues. 

I have wondered a lot about the reason for the 7 year gap, b/c that is obviously not how we would have planned it. I don't question God's timing b/c I do understand that it's perfect. I know that He knows what is best for our family.  I still wonder why. Sometimes I think it might be my health. I have made so much progress with my Lyme disease over the last 7 years. Maybe my body wasn't ready before now. I can't help but reflect on how settled we feel in our new house, with Darrin's job, and with my new position. We are in such a better place than we were 1-2 years ago. Maybe Miles is at just the right age to understand that his prayers have been answered. He has prayed diligently for this baby over the last year. He would randomly walk out of his room and say, "Just prayed for a baby."  Every time he asked for a baby brother, we would say, "Pray about it" or "Talk to God".  What a spiritual lesson this could be a for a lifetime.  Whatever the reason, I'm fine with it.

We told Miles last Wednesday and broke the news to our family over the weekend. When we told Miles, he jumped up and down for a least five minutes and said that it was "the best day of his life". 

 

He got to choose where we celebrated and he chose Taco Bell for dinner and Sonic for ice cream. That's how we roll in our house.

I am 12 weeks. At times it was a hard secret to keep, but I'm so glad we waited to tell. We wanted to be sure everything was okay before we told Miles. Also, with Miles, we told really early and I felt like I was pregnant for a year. It feels so good to have the first trimester out of the way already. Time has flown by.  Our friends and family have been shocked, which was SOOOOOOO much fun and well worth the wait.  Most of them had no clue that we were even considering having another baby. 

The best news is that I feel great!  I dreaded pregnancy b/c I remember how terrible I felt with Miles...the heartburn, the nausea, the unbelievable fatigue....  This pregnancy is completely different so far. I can't even tell I'm pregnant. Due to some health concerns, I've already had three ultrasounds. If I hadn't seen for myself three times, I may not believe it. I am so thankful and hopeful it will continue. I've only had few cravings so far, grapes, Chickfila nuggets, and Cran-Apple juice. My one aversion is Mt. Dew. Go figure! The thought of Mt. Dew almost gives me heartburn.  I've been able to give up all caffeine & I'm just hoping I can continue this long after the baby arrives. 

So, that's the very long version of how we got here. I really want to document my pregnancy and the baby's first years the way I did for Miles, so fingers crossed, I'll be back here more often. With Miles getting older it was becoming more difficult to blog without invading his privacy. After all, he will read this one day.  I've read that from other bloggers and never understood it until recently with Miles. If he or she is anything like Miles, little baby McClure will give me lots to write about. 

We Have Some News

More details coming soon.  Just wanted to share our exciting news!!

Snowed in Weekend

Middle of last week the weather report started getting more and more intense around here. Darrin had to go to Indianapolis for the weekend to recruit. He decided to leave on Thursday instead of Friday to beat the storm. Miles and I stopped by the grocery store on Thursday on our way home from work and school. While everyone else in the town was buying milk and bread, we were buying cereal, blueberry muffins, Fritos, ice cream, and sour gummy worms.  We were totally prepared when the storm hit early Friday morning.  This is our back patio...

Our backyard while the snow was still falling...

Our front yard....

When the snow finally quit falling, we had 5".  I would have guessed 6-8". It seemed so deep.  5" is still a lot for our area.

I was scared to try to drive to work, plus I didn't have anywhere for Miles to go. I guess I could have taken him to work with me, but getting out in the storm, while Darrin was out of town, just seemed like a bad decision.  So, we stayed home and worked puzzles...

....and watched movies.  I watched the Best of Me while Miles watched Pokemon. Best of Me was the seriously the worst movie ever.  I don't think there has ever been a more depressing movie.

Finally, I couldn't put Miles off any longer. He insisted that we go outside.  

We played and built a snowman.  We had lots of snowballs fights, which Miles thought was the best thing ever.  He also loved eating the snow. He ate is all weekend.

On Saturday morning, two of Miles friends from his class, Gaige & Owen, and their moms, came over to play in the snow. Gaige brought his 4 wheeler and Owen brought 4 sleds, so they were totally hooked up.

The snow was so deep that we had to push the boys down a few times to try to make a smoother path.

After the path was cleared, they took off.

I think they would have gone down a whole lot more if they didn't have to walk back up each time.

Owen left around noon and Miles and Gaige played on Gaige's 4wheeler. We couldn't get Miles' 4 wheeler to start which was super annoying. The whole point was for Miles and Gaige to be able to ride around together. I felt bad that Gaige's parents had gone to the trouble of bringing his over.  Gaige and Miles took turns pulling each other on the sled though.

I was nervous at first for our 5 & 6 year olds to pull each other around but they were extremely cautious. They basically just drove in a slow circle around the yard. 

After hours of playing outside, they decided to play inside for a while.  Nerf gun wars...

...and some game playing on the DS....

A lot of the snow melted late Saturday afternoon and Sunday.  We went to church on Sunday and watched football afterwards.  Darrin made it home early afternoon.  We had another great night with our small group.  I usually have cabin fever on weekends like this, but it was actually very nice. 

A Few Random Happenings & That Time I Laughed Until I Cried

I was reminded today that I needed to update the blog, so here I am. It seems that since we moved, we don't really do much. We are still having a lot of fun around here everyday, so I should just blog about that stuff more often for the memory books. 

The national championship game was cause for celebration in our house. Miles is completely obsessed with football these days, so we made a party out of it.  We made wings and homemade french fries. Both were delicious and I'm already planning the next time we can make them.

Miles and Darrin made some homemade signs.  Miles made this 100% from memory. We were so impressed...

I was the only one cheering for Clemson, and since I wasn't present when the signs were made, I was out of luck.

We've also been enjoying the NFL football playoffs.  As always, the teams I want to win seem to get picked off week by week, year after year.  

Miles and I drove back to our old stomping grounds to help celebrate Hannah Kate and Anna Marie's birthday.  He went to daycare with these cuties and it was a great excuse to see them and some of his other buddies.

He has missed Colin so much. His face in this pic sums it up. When he walked in, they both ran to each other. I was worried about taking him back to the party b/c I was worried it would make him miss Martin even more than he does. I actually think it did him good.  Hopefully we can plan to visit every now and then so he doesn't feel like he will never see his friends again. He's made some friends at school, but with the structure of school every day, it just doesn't seem that they have time to form deep bonds. I know it will come in time.

We joined a church in Jackson last fall knowing that they were going to begin a campus in Medina in January. We actually met for the first time at our local middle school last Sunday. Both Sundays that we have met, we have had over 500 people there!  It has been amazing.  We are finally meeting people and learning names.  It has been so good for us. We are also one of five families that are hosting a small group in our home on Sunday night. We met for the first time last Sunday and had a great time. Our group could not have been nicer or more enjoyable to be around.  I think everyone enjoyed themselves.

When we chose to add onto our house, having people over was one of our main motivations.  We didn't know anyone, so it was almost a "if you build it they will come" type of situations. Having 17 people over for food & Bible study made my heart happy.

And now, the thing that made me laugh/cry.  Miles had his 100th day of school yesterday. He had to dress like he was 100 years old. We did our best with items we had. I did have to buy suspenders, a handkerchief, and face paint for a mustache and his eye brows.

I think he turned out pretty darn cute.  I can't believe he wanted to dress up, but I was glad. I showed him several pictures on Pinterest and this is the look he chose.

So, what made me completely lose it? Our first attempt left him looking Amish.  I didn't even notice until Darrin walked by and casually said, "He looks Amish."  The picture is probably blurry b/c I was laughing so hard.

 

I was doubled over laughing until tears ran down my face. Darrin said he has never seen me laugh that hard.  One of Darrin's favorite things is when I laugh like that, so it was a good day for him. I was still laughing on the way to work.  I could not send him to school like that, so we changed his shirt and then it was much better.  

So, there's just a few glimpses of our life lately.  Just chilling at home most of the time, which is the way we like it.  Hope to be back here soon!