Wednesday, July 25, 2007
HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABY BOY
The week before I had spent 24 hours in false labor and been sent home.
July 24th I had an OB appointment. My husband was scheduled to fly with the Wing Commander. Seven year old Lucky woke up that morning with chicken pox!
When you are an Air Force wife the subject of whether or not your husband will be around for the births of your children comes up in conversation a lot. It was well known that a mission would not be cancelled for the birth of a baby, much less because your daughter had broke out in chicken pox the morning of your OB appointment.
I sat Lucky, covered in calamine lotion, on the big expanse of lawn in front of the Base Hospital near a tree with orange juice, donuts and Barbies. I could see her from the waiting room window until I went in for my appointment.
I was weighed, my blood pressure and temperature taken, then left to undress and wait for the doctor. When taking the first step to get onto the exam table a rush of warm green liquid gushed to the floor. My water had broke! I don't recall how long I stood there before someone came in.
All I could think of when I was told I was being admitted was of Lucky sitting under that tree with chicken pox. Someone called Luckyzdads squadron. Luckyzdad was taxiing for takeoff with the Wing Commander when his plane was radioed that I was being admitted and Lucky was sitting in the middle of the lawn at the hospital with chicken pox (he had not known about the chicken pox). If he had been scheduled to fly that day with anyone other than the Wing Commander he would have had to finish the mission. The Wing Commander cancelled the flight.
Lucky was rescued from under the tree and my husband joined me at the hospital.
It was a very long and difficult labor. My labor was finally augmented after more than 24 hours. When I went into the delivery room exhausted, there continued to be problems and a more experienced OB was called in to do a high forceps delivery. It was then discovered, not only that Lucky had a baby brother as she had hoped for (this was before it was possible to know the sex before birth), but that he had a true knot in his umbilical cord (it is usually just a kink).
Luckyzbrother was 8# 8 1/2 0z and 21 inches long with a silky shock of thick dark hair like his Dad. He was given his fathers first name as his middle name and a derivation of my maternal grandfathers middle name for a first.
He has become an amazing, delightful man who I am very proud of.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Boat ride
Entering Emerald Bay
Fannette Island, the only island on the lake.
The "Tea House", perched atop Fannette Island, is a one room stone structure built in 1928 by Mrs. Lora Josephine Knight, the founder of Vikingsholm estate.
Mrs. Knight and her guests occasionally took tea here in the afternoon at a large oak table in the center of a room 16 feet square.
Vikingsholm
Mrs Knight spared no expense to create a replica of an 11th century Viking castle. An army of 200 workers completed the 38 room mansion in just one summer. The grounds are now part of Emerald Bay State Park. Features of the home include delicate paintings on ceilings and walls, six Nordic fireplaces, intricately carved "dragon" beams, Scandinavian antiques and sod roofs seeded with wildflowers. There is a hiking trail off of highway 89, which is one mile in length and drops 500 feet in elevation to the house, which can be toured in the summer.(Restoration was being done in the area of the blue tarp. And many of the antiques had been removed during the recent fire which came within 4 miles of the castle.)
The round library on the Southwest corner of the Vikingsholm, built specifically to hold a round Chinese cashmere rug purchased by MrsKnight for $40,000 in 1928. The rug is still in the castle today.
Back side of Fannette Island
I just love the rocks at Lake Tahoe and paint them often.
Friday, July 13, 2007
Mini Vacation
A vague message greeted us Tuesday upon rising that said something like, "people are canceling like crazy. Call the organizer." No answer at the organizers number.
Monday, July 02, 2007
Requesting your thoughts and prayers
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Every day since my last post I have felt guilty because I was receiving so much comfort, entertainment, knowledge, pleasure and stimulation from reading others blogs when I hadn't posted in such a long time. How could I just step in and ask for thoughts and prayers for my dearest friend who has been diagnosed with "invasive lobular carcinoma" in her left breast.
How could I not.
She is scheduled for a mastectomy on July 24th.
I am asking for your loving thoughts and prayers.
Thank you.