Saturday, September 30, 2006

Randomness...

Joni and I spent most of the day at the game, but here are some other random things from the day:

The weather was awesome. I ran this morning and didn't even break a sweat. I love this time of year!!

I saw a Krystal burger eating contest at the fair. This dude ate 10 Krystal burgers in 2 mins. I am pretty sure he is having a heart attack as we speak. We live in such an interesting world, when competitive eating is considered a sport.

I watched Clemson annihilate La. Tech tonight 51-0. Clemson had 3 guys who rushed for over 100 yds. It was pretty awesome. The announcers made a big deal about the fact that Clemson was only ranked 18th. We will see what happens the rest of the year. The real test comes in the next few weeks. Let' go tigers!!

Marshal and Stacey Davis kept Brayden all day so that Joni and I could hang out. They are awesome people! Brayden loves them and especially likes Savannah, their dog.

Anniston continues to get better and better each day. We attempted to feed her with a bottle today for the first time. She took about 10cc and then went to sleep. Not too bad for the first time!

What if is was like this...

Joni and I went to the Memphis/Tenn. game today. As I said yesterday, I was really hoping Memphis would win, partly due to my hatred of Tenn. Well, as everyone knows, that didn't happen. It was pretty ugly!

While I was there, I thought that there is no reason that the church (as a whole, not just Crosspointe) should have the same type of atmosphere. Everyone I saw there was super excited to be there. I was wide awake at 6:15 because I was pumped about going and these aren't even my teams. They were there extra early and had done all the things they needed to do to prepare for the experience. What if the church was like this?

They also made it clear that they were there to support their team. No matter what! The Memphis fans will be back next week, cheering on their team. They stick it out during the good times and the bad times. In fact, they will tell everyone they know about the great plays they saw. What if the church was like this?

I saw old people, young people, skinny people, fat people, white people, black people, asian people, pretty people, ugly people, etc, etc. They were hanging out together. Some of them never having talked to each other before today. What if the church was like this?

I saw people celebrating big plays and victories. I high-fived this guy at one point and thought "I don't even know anything about this guy." What if the church was like this?

There are many other lessons that we could talk about, but we will stop with these. I think this is enough to think about for now.

Friday, September 29, 2006

What a Day!!

Today was an interesting day, that's for sure!! I went to see Anniston this morning and I couldn't wait to get there because I was going to be able to hold her for the first time since we were in Hattiesburg. I got a big surprise when I got there! She was no longer in the incubator. She was in a regular bed/crib and she had on some clothes. This was an emotional moment for me because I knew this was a big step before she went home. The nurse asked me if I wanted to change her, feed her, and check her temperature. I agreed, of course! Everything went smoothly until we got to the diaper changing part. I had just slid a clean diaper under her when she began to poop everywhere. I removed that one, put a clean one under her, and she did the same thing. This happened again. Finally, I slid the 4th diaper under her and she began to pee. I was so ready to give up...lol. There was poop everywhere. I was so glad that she decided to break me in that way.

I held her and fed her after changing her. She seemed so much bigger! It was a very special moment for me. I can't wait to hold her more often.

After I tried to fix the trapt under our bathroom sink(everyone that knows me knows that this was not an easy task), Joni and I went to dinner with Dan and Diana Craddock. We have been trying to hook up with them forever! They are some of the greatest people that I have ever known. I will say this about them: I have never heard anyone say anything negative about either one of them. Wow! What a great testimony!! Jesse Meesomboon kept our kids. I want to say this about Jesse, she is such a servant. She has kept Brayden the last 3 weekends in a row. I love these people and thank God for their friendship.

After dinner, we went back to the hospital. Here is the crazy part: Anniston is in the step down unit (NCCU). This is another big step in her being able to come home. I was so shocked!! It will still be a few weeks, but she is making such great progress. I am thinking some faith healer must have come by her room and hit her in the head. She has progressed so far in the last 24 hours!

Now, I guess I should go get some sleep. Joni and I are going to the Tennessee/Memphis game. I am going for a couple of reasons: 1. I like the Memphis Tigers. They are not the real Tigers, but they will do for tomorrow. 2. I dispise Tennessee. I cannot stand them. Not even a little bit. Oh yeah, just wanted to remind you Tenn. fans that the last time Clemson played you was in the Peach Bowl. I'll let you guess who won the game 27-13.

Thursday, September 28, 2006

I Can't Explain It!

There was a pretty popular gospel music song a few years ago by a guy named Kirk Franklin that contained these words: I can't explain, I can't obtain it. Jesus your love is so, it's so amazing. It gets me high up to the sky, and when I think about your goodness it makes me wanna stomp. Makes me clap my hands. Makes me wanna dance and stomp. My brother can't you see I got the victory. STOMP!!!

These lyrics certainly describe the last 24 hours of my life. I look forward to Wednesday nights so much because I get to spend them with the greatest middle school students in the world. Sure they have their share of issues and problems. In fact, that is why they come and it is my desire to help them live life the way Jesus intended. I am reminded each and every week why I do what I do.

I was a little discouraged before CrossOver began because there seemed to be no one here. I knew that God had given me something to say to them and I wanted them to be here to hear it. JR and I started a series last night called Life's Toughest Questions. In the first week of the 3 week series, we spoke about the reality of hell and how God gives us every opportunity to miss out on it.

When the invitation was given, there were hands going up all over the room indicating that these students had just received Christ. After these students spent some time with an adult learning more about their decision, I saw that 12 students had accepted Christ. Yes, I said 12!! These students entered the room on their way to hell and left on their way to Heaven!! I was so pumped up!!!

Now I know that there are some of you thinking "of course they got saved, he was preaching on hell". I did my best to communicate with each student individually. I did not want to sound like most preachers (who always seem sweaty and red in the face) and preach like I was glad that people will one day go there. It breaks my heart to think that even one person will have to spend eternity in that place. I think we did a good job of shooting straight with them about the reality of hell, without scaring their pants off. The real work begins now, just trying to follow-up on those students and getting them grounded.

In addition to what happened last night, I spent some time with Anniston this morning. She certainly has me wrapped around her little finger. She is the most precious baby on the planet!! (Sorry for the rest of you parents, I am a little biased!) I am pretty jacked up about the fact that I will get to finally hold her tomorrow. When I think about the last 24 hours...it makes me want to STOMP!!

Oh yeah, JR told me about this song that rocked my world yesterday. It is by a country group called Heartland. The name of the song is "I Held Her First". If you are a male and you have a little girl, I encourage you to check out this song. However, you might want to make sure you are somewhere by yourself. It will cause the tears to fall!!

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

Yo Adrian!

Yesterday, there were 2 things that excited me greatly.

1. Anniston continues to do very well. They removed the oxygen tube and put her under an oxygen hood. Both of those things accomplish the same task, mainly the hood is the preference of her primary care physician. She weighs 3lbs and 6 oz. At this rate, she may weigh 485 lbs by the time she is 10. LOL!

2. I was watching the finale of The Contender last night. I enjoyed it but I will have to say that it was a disappointment to me. The episodes during the season are much better to me because they are able to edit them and make them more dramatic. However I did like both of the guys and was glad that Grady Brewer won.

Now, on to the thing that excited me. While I was watching the finale, a preview for the new Rocky Balboa movie was shown. I cannot wait! I am a huge Rocky fan!! (Rocky IV is the greatest movie I have ever seen. I still remember seeing it in the theater with my sister and crying when Apollo died. I know, I know, I need some serious help. My only fear about the movie is that it will be horrible. I have mixed emotions about making the new movie. All good things must come to an end. We'll see if they should've stoppped after V.

Monday, September 25, 2006

Anniston


I know that my opinion may be biased, but I really do believe that I have the most special girl in the whole world. She continues to develop more and more! She now weighs 3lbs. 6ozs.

Yesterday, they took her off her CPAP. They put a regular oxygen tube on her. She is mostly on "room air" but does occasionally need a little oxygen. She is doing so good! I can' wait until tomorrow, I am going to get to hold her for the first time in a few weeks. I am so pumped!

One of my heroes...

Perry Noble has become one of the guys that I have a lot of respect and admiration for. He is the Pastor of Newspring Community Church in Anderson, SC. Yesterday, 214 people accepted Christ at Newspring over the weekend. Not too shabby. I encourage you to click on his name and read his blog about this weekend. God is at work there...that's for sure!!

The Biggest Loser

One of my favorite shows is the Biggest Loser. I credit the show with being one of the things that motivated me to lose weight. It helped me to realize that it was possible. As I watched it tonight, I was rechallenged to lose more weight. I know this may sound stupid, but I can't wait to run tomorrow!

Saturday, September 23, 2006

Tigers Bring Me Joy

I am a college football freak. More importantly, I am an avid fan of Clemson Tiger football. Today has been a good day for me. I was going to listen to the game on the internet but could not resist the temptation to buy the game on ESPN Gameday. There is 10 mins left in the 4th qtr. and the Tigers are up 52-0. Todd likes that!

I am going to finish watching the game, help Joni work getting Anniston's room ready, and go to see Anniston later. Maybe I can also work a nap into the mix!!

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Anniston and the Pirates

These 2 things are not really associated, but I do want to talk about both of them in my blog for today.

Anniston continues to do well. She seems to be getting stronger and stronger as the days go by. I think she is probably going to be a pretty fiesty (yes, I used that word) girl. Joni and I are probably going to be in big trouble with her. Brayden certainly seems to be the calm one!

I was at JR's house the other day and we watched Wife Swap. Not usually a show that you would see 2 guys watching, but he Tivo'd it because it looked so interesting. One of the families was a group of pirates. Yes, I said pirates. Their whole goal was to teach their kids 'pirattitude'. It was pretty ridiculous to see a couple of guys named Ol' Chumbucket and Cap'n Slappy wearing patches over their eyes and running around saying "ARRRRRRRRRRRR". Actually the guy is a real genius. He has written books and even has a website that you can see here. Just proves you can make a living doing anything.

I am ready for the weekend and some Clemson football. We play UNC this weekend. I hope they play well and don't embarrass me!

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Music

As a student pastor, one of the things that I am commonly asked is "should my child only listen to Christian music?" Obviously, everyone has an opinion on this subject. I had someone email me yesterday and ask me about this topic, so I thought I would share with you how I feel.

I am a huge fan of music, first of all. It is one of my addictions. At different points in my life, I have felt differently about this issue. I have gone through phases when I listened to any and everything. There was also the "Christian music only" phase. Now I am somewhere in between the two.

When I was a teenager, I went to a church that took a somewhat legalistic stance on every issue. I was told that I should NEVER listen to anything but Christian music. I really struggled with this because I was not a Michael W. Smith or Amy Grant fan. I wanted to listen to cool music like my friends. I constantly felt like I didn't love Jesus if I listened that stuff.

Then there was the phase where I listened to anything and everything. Believe it or not, I was (and still am) a big fan of rap music. This was not the best idea either. The music I listened to really affected the way that I talked and thought about life. I got in the habit of listening to music that used vulgar language and viewed women as nothing more than an object for man's pleasure.

So, here's where I am today. I really do not believe that you can honestly say that you can find anywhere in the Bible that it says that you cannot listen to "secular" music. I know, I know, some of you will say that we should "not love the world". However, if you believe this way, you need to get rid of your TV, car, cell phone, etc. because none of those things are in the Bible.

However, I do believe that you should use discretion. You won't see me buying the new Snoop Dogg cd. But I was driving down the road today listening to "Living on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi and my Coldplay cd. I could go on and on about this subject.

Parents, what should you do? I would advise you to monitor what your child listens to. Be aware and use those opportunities to teach your student about why certain things are wrong. The bottom line is that they will listen to music other than Christian music. You should be an active part of what they are listening to. Let me know your thoughts.

Comments

Several of you have asked me about how to leave a comment on this blog. After you read an entry, click on the link that says "comment". This will allow you to leave us a note letting us know that you read the blog and give any opinion or thoughts you might have. We'd love to hear from you!

No Infection

Joni and I went to the hospital to see Anniston today. We are 99% sure that there is no infection! All of the tests have been negative to this point. God has been so gracious to us!

We also asked about holding her. They told us that we should be getting really close to that becoming a reality. We cannot wait!

Monday, September 18, 2006

Clemson Tigers...

The Tigers are ranked #19 in the AP Poll after a big win over Florida State. I am pretty excited about this. I was really concerned after the Boston College loss. Clemson has a few weeks of easy games before the big challenge of the year...Virginia Tech. This really seems to be a down year for the ACC and Clemson looks really good. They still have a great chance at winning the ACC championship! Go Tigers!!

Happy Birthday!

Anniston turned a month old today! The sad thing is that she already has me right where she wants me...wrapped around her finger.

They put her back on her CPAP machine yesterday. She was having to work too hard to stay on the oxygen hood. It is just a matter of time and she will be back off the CPAP. They are also a little concerned that she might have an infection. Her temperature was a little low last night. Her oxygen level in her blood stream was way down and they had a hard time getting it back up. All of the tests are negative for the infection so far, but they are playing it safe. In a premature baby, they start antibiotics as soon as they suspect an infection. If the final test comes back negative tomorrow, they will just stop the antibiotics.

Oh yeah, we no longer have to wear the mask, gloves, and gown(have I mentioned that I hate calling it this, sounds like something my grandma wears to bed).

Saturday, September 16, 2006

Pic


Here is a new pic of the coolest girl in the world! She is still on CPAP in this picture.

Bye Bye Bye

In the words of one of the original boy bands, Anniston said "Bye Bye Bye" to her CPAP today. While we were at the hospital today, they decided to take her off the CPAP and put her on an oxygen hood. What's the difference? I thought you would never ask...lol. The CPAP is a breathing device that has 2 prongs that go in her nose. Not very comfortable! The oxygen hood is a clear helmet looking thing that fits around her head. There is nothing attached or strapped to her head. The oxygen is free flowing inside the darth vader looking thing. She looks so much more comfortable and you can see her head, hair, and face. Please pray that she can stay on the hood. (Pictures are coming soon!)

A funny thing happened while the respiratory therapist was putting her on the hood. She decided to change her diaper b/c she had pooped. As she opened the diaper, Anniston started pooping again. The lady finally put a new diaper on her and guess what? She pooped again. It was a funny experience and poop ended up everywhere. I am just glad I didn't have to clean it up. :)

A Great Football Saturday

I am a college football freak. I don't know any other way to express how I feel about the game. My ideal Saturday is sitting in front of the TV flipping from game to game all day long. Needless to say, this is not Joni's idea of a great Saturday. However, she endures my addiction.

Today was a great one. Florida vs. Tennessee. Louisville vs. Miami. Michigan vs. Notre Dame. And the game I waited all day for...Clemson vs. Florida St. Bowden Bowl. Father vs. Son. This was a huge game for Clemson because it could make or break their season. Fortunately, they pulled out a close one. It was INTENSE! Go Tigers!! By the way, I have never seen as many blocked kicks I saw today.

Friday, September 15, 2006

Unbelievable!


My mom just gave me this picture last week..no question who Brayden's dad is!

I am addict...

Sign me up for the classes. I will attend. Hi, my name is Todd and I am addicted to Reality TV. I know, it's pretty sad but true. If you don't believe it, here are the symptoms:

1. My Tivo is set to record 4-5 different reality shows each week.
2. I almost went crazy in Hattiesburg because there was only 2 channels and no Tivo. (Although I was grateful for the house and those 2 channels.)
2. I was genuinely sad when Janelle was kicked off Big Brother: All-Stars this summer. Season 6 should have run the house. Although the guys from Chill Town kept me laughing. Even though I would have never predicted Mike Boogie to win, I was glad he won over Erika.
3. I could not wait for Survivor to start last night. If you are not watching this show, you are insane. I am also excited about the teams this year. They are divided into ethnic groups. There is a caucasion team, an african-american team, a latino team, and a asian-american team. Pretty risky and controversial, huh? I love it! Greatest idea in Survivor history because it will revive a show that only reality show freaks seemed to care about.
4. I cannot wait for the Amazing Race to start on Sunday. I really would love to go on this show with JR. It would be an interesting experience for sure!!

New Pics Coming...

Ok...ok...ok. I promise there will be new pictures of Anniston here soon!

Thursday, September 14, 2006

God's Favor

Joni and I have certainly been the recipient of God's favor the past few weeks. We have been able to see so many things work out to benefit Anniston and our family. He has been so gracious to us and has allowed us to experience Him, like never before.

One small thought that I had today was that God knew that Joni and I would be living 45 mins away from where our baby would be in the hospital. He knew that gas would be one of the things that we were really concerned about. It was so awesome to see how gas prices have dropped in the past week or so. We payed $2.62 the day that we left Hattiesburg. I just saw gas for 2.27 in Millington. God answered a huge prayer request and has really helped us out. Obviously, I do not live in a world that believes it is all about me. However, I do know Jesus well enough to know that He is faithful to provide all we need.

Anniston is doing great! She seems to be getting stronger and stronger. They turned down her CPAP machine again today. I can't wait for the day that she can remove that thing from her nose. I know it has to be so uncomfortable. I am praying that they can remove it soon!

Oh yeah, I know that some of you have been asking about Brayden. He is back to his normal self, running around all day trying his best to get into every cabinet and turn all of the TV channels. He is wide open!!

Mouse Update

Several of you have asked about our friendly little rodent that we have wandering around our house. I put out some glue traps a couple of days ago, with some peanut butter on them. I hope he likes Peter Pan (creamy, because no one really likes crunchy!). A friend told me that his mouse preferred Jif. We'll see what happens!

I do know one thing. All of Tipton and North Shelby counties will hear a loud scream if Joni finds that mouse on the trap before I do. I am pretty sure that this will take place while I am at work and I will have to go home to rescue Joni and Brayden. As for now, he hasn't been brave enough to show himself.

By the way, I saw the strangest thing in Walmart, while I was picking up the glue traps. They now have this thing called a mouse tube. After you catch the mouse with it, you are supposed to take it outside and let it run free. I think this is about the dumbest thing I have ever seen!! If I find a mouse, he must die! Otherwise, he will return and bring his posse with him.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Oh Happy Day...

Today was pretty exciting! Joni and I went to visit Anniston and hung out with her a little while. While we were there, the nurse told us that she was doing pretty well. They had changed her to a different type of CPAP machine to give her a break from the normal machine. The one that she was on had 2 prongs that fit in her nose. Can you imagine have prongs stuck up your nose for 3 weeks? Doesn't sound like much fun for sure! As you can imagine, her little nose was irritated and they decided to give her a break. The new CPAP is not as effective as the other one, but it will help her to not be so irritated for a couple of days. They are trying to work towards getting her off the thing all together.

Right before we left, the doctor told our nurse that he would allow us to touch her! We were so excited, to say the least. We weren't even concerned about the gown (i hate calling it that!!), mask, and gloves that we had to wear. They are also going to start allowing a few visitors to go in to see her. This is something that I had been praying for since we found out we couldn't touch her on Sunday. Just another example of a prayer answered!!!

Tuesday, September 12, 2006

It's Going Well...

Anniston is doing well. She has gained some more weight. She now weighs 3lbs 2ozs, which is almost a lb more than when she was her smallest. She is breathing well and eating 35cc of food every 3 hours. It is so good to see her make progress from day to day. I really think she is going to be a strong girl, which means I am in trouble in about 12 years (and even before then). I just hope she continues to move forward each and every day!

Monday, September 11, 2006

Can't Believe I Forgot This...

In my mile long blog yesterday, I forgot to mention that Anniston weighs 3 lbs. We were so excited! She weighed 2 lbs 9 ozs when she was born. Like all babies, she lost down to 2 lbs 3 ozs. The doctors are doing a good job of getting some weight on her.

The nurse told us today that the doctor had written orders for only close family members to visit her until Oct. 1. Again, this was kind of hard because we want those we love to be able to see her. Of course we understand that this is the best thing; however, that doesn't make this stuff any easier to swallow.

I went back to work today. It felt good to get back into some sort of routine. It is funny because after you have been gone for 3 weeks, you know that you have a million things to do but have no idea where to start! It will take a little time to catch up for sure. My schedule will be crazy while she is in the hospital. I will have to shift things around and adjust to take care of all that needs to happen.

Brayden is also feeling lots better today. Joni and him were able to get back into a more normal routine. We are trying to establish some sort of routine for everyone's sanity!

Sunday, September 10, 2006

A Hard Day

Joni and I were so ready to go back to church to see many of the people that we love and care about. It was awesome to see everyone. Although it was strange because I have not walked through those doors in 24 days. I especially wanted to see the students. I have missed them so much!!! That part of the day was really awesome!

I came home and ate lunch. Then I took a nap in my bed. It was the first time that I have been in my bed since Aug. 16. That part of the day was incredible!

Now for the hard part. The nurse at the hospital called and said that the doctor wanted us to wear a covering for our clothes, gloves, and a mask when we visited Anniston. They wanted to be extra cautious because of Brayden's illness. When we visited Anniston, I asked about how many days they wanted us to go without touching her. They told us that they wanted us to wait 21 days. Yes, 21. October 1. That is a very long time to go without touching her. It is going to be very hard for us. We haven't touched her much since she has been born. Joni has only held her twice. I have only held her once. This was pretty heartbreaking since we have only touched her a minimal amount.

One thing that annoyed me is that the nurse is saying to us, as Joni is crying, that "you have to think about what is best for the baby. Everytime you want to hold her, just think about how much better it is for her. Think about the benefits for her. You don't want to expose her to anything." Of course we don't want to expose her to anything. That is why we called you to warn you of the illness. That is why we didn't touch her all day yesterday. That doesn't make it any easier when you say we can't touch her for 3 weeks. Some people should think before they speak. I am sure she was trying to help and I am sure she didn't intend to harm anyone. However, sometimes it is better to deliver the news and leave the person to deal with it. Sorry, just a short rant. You can tell that this annoyed me.

This made today a hard day! It will also make for some hard days ahead!!

A Long Weekend!

Wow...this weekend has been crazy! It began with our drive back to Memphis on Friday. When we got home, we went to visit Anniston and meet the staff at the hospital. We did that and then drove to Brighton to unload the mound of stuff in our car. My parents were here for the weekend also. We got them and were ready to walk out the door to go to the hospital when Brayden started throwing up. I felt really sorry for him because you could tell that he did not feel well at all. Joni stayed home while I took my parents to see Brayden for the first time. They were so excited to see her and overwhelmed at how small she was. For those of you that know my mom, can you believe she cried? LOL! Of course she did! It was pretty late when we finally crashed in the bed.

Saturday seemed just as crazy. We went to the hospital early, so that we could come back that afternoon and rest. Brayden still wasn't feeling very well. We decided that we should take him to the doctor. Our doctor was closed for the weekend so we went to the Urgent Care place. After spending 3 hours there, we discovered that he has Fifth Disease. It is a virus that begins with fever and nausea and is followed by a rash that can last for about 3 weeks. The doctor at first thought that he might have Kawasaki Disease, whatever the heck that is. We finally got out of the doctor and went home to relax with my parents and joni's mom.

My goal was to sit down and watch the Clemson game. However, I missed the first half due to the doctor's visit and some errands. I finally sat down and watched the 2nd half. I wish I hadn't done so. How do you lose a game to an unranked team when you advance the ball to the 2 yard line on the first play of overtime and not win the game? I don't understand. It certainly didn't make me very happy. JR and Devin brought over some BBQ Nachos that she made. My anger seemed to go away!

We went back to see Anniston again that night and got home about 10:00. We were all exhausted from the long day. It was so sad to watch Brayden because he would wake up from a nap and have all kinds of energy. All the sudden, he would crash and be miserable. He took 6 naps in one day.

A very funny thing happened to close out the day: Joni saw a mouse in our guest bedroom. She freaked out!!! She ran into the living room and stood in the corner. My parents were really confused at this point. My parents and I went in to look for the mouse but could not find it anywhere. It is still on the loose!! He/she just better know that I am charging rent! I laughed at Joni but I am not too sure what I would have done in that situation. I guess I have to figure out how to get rid of the darn thing.

Friday, September 08, 2006

We're Back

This is going to be a pretty short post because I am exhausted tonight. By the way, WE'RE BAAAAACK!! It was so nice to drive up and walk into our own house. God really helped us to have a great day!

Anniston did really well with the transport today. She was resting well when we went up to the hospital. Keep praying!

Thursday, September 07, 2006

Every good parent needs to get these for their kids...

This are hilarious....www.armorofgodpjs.com. I can't wait to get some for Brayden and Anniston.

What in the world are people are thinking?

99.9% Sure

We just got back from the hospital, where we were discussing Anniston's transfer. The doctor at Baptist Women's approved the transfer, so we are hopefully (fingers crossed) driving back tomorrow. They want us to call before we leave to make sure that there is room. Please pray for us as we travel to Memphis and especially for Anniston, as this will be a long trip for her!

Joni's mom is going to be able to stay with us until next Wednesday, which will be a tremendous help. My parents are coming into town this weekend also. They have not seen Anniston yet and I can't wait to see the look on my mom's face. I am so excited that they are finally going to get to see her. My dad just started a new job, so they will only be able to stay a couple of days.

Joni and I would like to ask everyone to help us out by not visiting us on Friday. This is going to be a very tiring day for Anniston and us. This will also be my parents first opportunity to see her and spend some time with her. We hate to ask you to do this, but it is going to be a crazy day! Trust me, we really want to see each and every one of you but we are just asking for a little time to get settled.

We are not sure what the visitation procedures at the hospital will be. If you would like to visit with us and Anniston, we will be at the hospital from 10-12 on Saturday morning.

Anniston is having another good day. They are increasing her feeds twice today. They went up to 22cc earlier and are going to increase to 24cc this afternoon. She continues to get stronger and stronger as the days go by.

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

2 days and counting??

Could it be that the end is in sight? Our doctor told us that he will once again call Baptist East tomorrow to make sure that the transfer is still on. Everything looks good on the Hattiesburg end of things.

Anniston is doing well. She had a good day. They turned off her lipids, which provide nourishment for babies during their early days. That means when they stop giving her antibiotics, she can have her IV removed. They also increased her feedings again today. She is such a fighter!!!

Another sign that we have been here too long: I had to get a haircut today!

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

A Good Day!

Anniston had a good day! She rested well and the doctor's went up on her feedings again today (18cc every 3hrs). The doctor helped me to understand how much food that was for her little body. He said they are really trying to get lots of calories in her to fatten her up. Basically, that is like eating 7 meals a day and consuming 7500 calories a day. WOW! I think that is how much I was consuming 6 months ago...lol. 7500 calories = 25 Lean Cuisines. Isn't that crazy??

I will ask you again to pray that we get to come back on Friday. We really are more than ready!!

Monday, September 04, 2006

Somewhat Frustrated

We got up this morning and began to pack up to leave tomorrow to head back to Memphis. We were pretty excited about getting back there. WHen we got to the hospital, we received some discouraging news. It seems that Baptist East changed their minds about how long they wanted us to wait to be transferred after an RSV exposure. They originally told us 10 days (today would be day 10). Today they told the doctor they wanted to wait 2 weeks. That means our transfer has been delayed AGAIN! As of right now, we are scheduled to go on Friday. Please pray that this happens before we all have to be admitted to the mental health hospital in Hattiesburg!

We are somewhat frustrated but very glad that there is nothing wrong with Anniston. She is having a pretty good day today! I am sitting in the waiting room watching the Miami/FSU game because I only have 2 channels! I was supposed to go to the game but Anniston decided to interrupt those plans. I think she needs a spanking!!!

Sunday, September 03, 2006

Enough Said!!

I read this today:

James 1:2Dear brothers and sisters, whenever trouble comes your way, let it be an opportunity for joy. 3For when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be strong in character and ready for anything.

A Long Day!

Today was a pretty difficult day for Anniston. You know to expect these but it is still not much fun. Especially after so many consecutive good days.

They did discover that there was more infection in the pic line. So they had to remove it and put an IV in her hand. They will not replace the line before our transfer to Memphis, if they replace it at all. Different doctors believe different things about the pic lines. Some do not use them because they do get infected easily. Others swear by them. We'll have to see!

They also had to do a spinal tap today to test for spinal meningitis. I am sure that this was really painful. Just imagine a big needle being stuck in your spine. OUCH!

They also had to put her back on the CPAP. They told us when they took her off that this could happen. It is not uncommon at all, especially with all of the procedures that she had done today. She seemed to be resting a lot better tonight and breathing at a more normal rate. We were a little disappointed but at least we had an idea that this might happen.

At this point, it still looks like everything is still on go for us to leave on Tuesday. We will see Anniston off here at about 7 or 8. We will then drive to Memphis. We cannot wait!!

Saturday, September 02, 2006

You Gotta Love It!

Saturday kicked off my favorite time of the year. There are lots of things that I love in life. Without a doubt one of my favorite things is football season. All football is awesome, but there is nothing like college football. Especially Clemson Tiger football! The Tigers have some potential, but will probably break my heart like they do every season.

Today was an interesting football experience. I usually spend most Saturdays during football season in close proximity to my TV. I knew there might not be much football on our TV, which only gets 2 channels. In fact, we had to go get an antenna to get those 2 to work. After I discovered that my options were the US Open of Tennis (which was replays due to a rain delay) and the real estate (sorry Dan, it didn't appeal to me) channel. I decided to flip through the channels hoping Jesus would hear my cry for some football. I passed one channel and joy filled my soul. I saw about 3 seconds of football before the TV went to a blue screen. I played with the antenna long enough to at least be able to see what was going on. I couldn't tell what teams were playing or what the score was. It didn't really matter. I could see and hear football. At that point, all was well in Hattiesburg for the day!!

The View From Behind

Brayden & Anniston


We took Brayden in to see Anniston for the first time on Friday night. He had a runny nose during the early part of the week. Everytime we go to the hospital, he says "baby" because he saw babies in the nursery the first day he was here. Therefore, he had no idea what was going on when he saw her. He just looked at her and said "baby" over and over again. He paid attention to her for a few minutes. Then, he became consumed with the baby behind us because she was crying. It is probably a good thing that she was in an incubator. Otherwise, he would have probably tried to eat her face. It was still a great memory! The first time both of our kids were together.

Say Goodbye to the CPAP


This morning we got a huge surprise. Lynn, Anniston's nurse, called to let us know that they took her off the CPAP. Anniston has been really uncomfortable with it for the past few days because it has to be so tight to hold it into your nose. She has even figured out ways to wiggle out of it. (I know what you're thinking...she is smart like her daddy.) The doctor and nurses decided to give it a shot. Worst case senario, they have to put the CPAP back in. She did really well with just the regular oxygen tube. We are so excited because you can see how beautiful she is and she is a lot more comfortable. If she gets tired from having to do all of the breathing on her own, they will have to put the CPAP back in. Pray that she can keep it out. This is another step forward!

At this point, there is still no infection. There will still be a couple of more days of testing. Please pray that she does not have an infection. If she does, they have to remove her pic line.

When we got to the hospital tonight, they asked Joni if she wanted to do "kangaroo care" with Anniston. I was confused because I don't even own a kangaroo. LOL! They prefer the mothers wear a button-up shirt so that the baby can be held against the mother's skin. Joni had on a tank top so they had to put Anniston under her shirt. So, Joni held her for about 30 mins with Anniston's head sticking out of Joni's shirt. They told me that fathers could also do kangaroo care. I cannot imagine sitting in a chair allowing 2 nurses stick a baby up my shirt. It would seem to me that this would be pretty scary for Anniston, the nurses, and myself!

Friday, September 01, 2006

Yes, It has been 2 weeks!

Today, Anniston is 2 weeks old. If you would have told me this story 2 1/2 weeks ago, I would have had you admitted to an insane asylum. The past couple of weeks have been so awesome in so many ways!! It is really hard to fathom that I have a 2 week old daughter. I am so excited! Pretty much the answer to any question she ever asks me is going to be "yes". She already has me wrapped around her finger!!

She is doing really well today. They increased her feedings again. She is up to 10cc every 3 hours. They also reduced the number of breaths per minute they were giving her. Yesterday they moved it from 10 to 5. Everything looks good. Please continue to pray that the infection goes away. Also, please pray that our transfer goes through on Tuesday.

Today was a somewhat sad day because David had to leave. Brenda took him to Memphis, so that he could fly back to Greenville. He could only get one week off work. Brenda is going to stay with us for another week. I know that it was extremely difficult for David to leave. They, along with my parents, have spent a lot of time with Brayden. He also felt bad because he was having to leave with her still in the hospital in Hattiesburg.

I am so grateful that David and Brenda have been here with us. It has been a blessing to have some family around. We were also grateful that they could help us with Brayden all week. My mom is planning to come at some point, she has had to take care of some things in Greenville. Our family has been so helpful!

Todd and Joni in New Orleans

Bill Gates, Jr???

New Orleans, pt. 2


Yesterday, Joni, Brayden and I headed to New Orleans with Joni's parents. This was the 2nd trip for Joni and I, but we wanted to take David and Brenda to see the condition of the city. It is so awful to see the conditions that those people have to live in. It is sad because the poorest people seem to be suffering the most. It was a good reminder that no matter how bad you think things are going for you, there is always people who are in a worse situation. It certainly helps to keep things in perspective!