Monday March 26, 2007
Birthdays are something I love, especially when they’re mine. It doesn’t make me giddy like it did when I was eight, but I still love going to bed at night and knowing that tomorrow is my birthday! Birthdays were a big deal in small ways when I was growing up. It meant getting to sit in the front seat out of turn, choosing the menu for supper and using the good dishes and a special centerpiece, sometimes having friends over, and always carefully chosen gifts from all family members no matter how small.
Birthdays as an adult are a little different, and yet, so much the same. It’s still so much fun to be celebrated as a person and to be reminded of how loved we really are. Usually I declare a strike, or at least a partial strike on my birthday. I want at least one day a year to do only fun things with no guilt. This year was an exception. I had been off doing new house things all week and dirt and mess and clutter screamed at me from every horizontal surface in the house. I knew sitting down and reading a magazine wasn’t going to be any fun. I decided to clean the house and do the laundry a day early then take a day off Friday to do something for myself (IF I could keep myself away from the house with David Lee working there, too). It was the best decision I’ve made all month.
My sister, Beth, who is expecting twins, had her 24 week diagnostic ultrasound bumped up to 19 weeks because they were planning to go to FL for several weeks (work-related). It just so happened that the ultrasound got scheduled on my birthday and, in true family form, she promised to call me first with news of the babies gender. By 1:00 I had that same feeling in my stomach I used to get when we were first dating and I was expecting David Lee to call. I could hardly wait. Finally she called. But it was a rushed phone call with the bare facts. Identical twins …. girls (OUR DREAM COME TRUE)….something’s wrong … the babies are different measurements…..need to go back as soon as we eat lunch ….. gotta go. I didn’t realize how serious it was until later that afternoon. Her babies have been diagnosed with twin twin transfusion syndrome. Basically what that means is that baby A is acting as a donor baby (they’re calling her Hannah for now) to baby B the recipient baby (whom they’re calling Sarah for now). Inside the placenta, one of Hannah’s arteries is connected to one of Sarah’s veins which means Hannah accidentally pumps blood to Sarah. This causes Hannah to become anemic and not have enough blood volume so she shuts down blood supply to her organs, in particular her kidneys. That means she stops urinating and so there is almost no fluid in her sac. Meanwhile, Sarah is getting way too much blood which overworks her heart and in an effort to get rid of it, she urinates on high and makes way too much fluid. If left untreated, Hannah will die of anemia and lack of blood to her organs and Sarah will die of heart failure. Treatment options are limited both in what they can do and in the success rate. Most typically, they do amniocentesis to remove fluid from Sarah’s sac to help equalize things and to keep her membranes from rupturing. Beth will see a specialist Wednesday to determine treatment plan for her and to monitor progress. She’s at 19 weeks gestation right now which is still way too early for the babies to survive outside the womb. We’re praying for a miracle and would love for you to support Kelvin and Beth and their babies with prayer as well. It is so good to remember that God created these babies and He loves them even more than we do. And while we cry and feel out of control, He is Sovreign.
It was so good for me to be able to spend the day with Beth on Friday. We had a beautiful day taking a walk, reading about TTTS, talking, being quiet, scrapbooking, playing with Adam and Lawrence, and just being together. I know everyone loves their family but this is why I love mine. Mom and Beth were planning to come over to surprise me Friday morning. On Thursday I was on the phone with Chris telling her how I know it’s selfish but I just wish Mom would surprise me and come over. I knew she had a dentist appt and it was unreasonable; but I still wished for it. She sounded a hair fuzzy; but not enough to make me ply her with questions. In spite of the fact that we’d just been handed a terrible diagnosis and she’d been up til 3:30 in the morning with Lawrence who had a dreadful virus, Mom still came over to surprise me Friday morning. I was just getting dressed when I heard David Lee coming up the steps. Instead Mom appears blowing party streamers with David Lee shooting pictures right behind her! Beth still wanted so much to come along she called to join the party via the phone right before we left to go to her house! That night we had a birthday supper at Mom and Dad’s. David Lee, Adam and I went to Apple Bees the night before and Adam didn’t think I’d really had a birthday because I didn’t get two candles on my cake so Mom put 29 of them on the cake! Impulsive me blew them all out at one time and forgot to make a wish! Hopefully that leaves all wishes open-ended to good things, right? I just wish Christy could have been there with us.
And many thanks to all of you who sent me birthday wishes, especially Chris who started the wave!
Uh-oh. You just discovered my life-long secret to ease.
Did you set the fonts different sizes on purpose? It looks neat–like the first lines of a magazine article. And I like your title. I like you, too. And I wish too, that I could have been there.
definitely be praying for Kelvins — wow, that’s tough. Thanks for letting the rest of us know! and Happy Birthday =]
Aren’t we so lucky to have the families we do?! Just want you to know we’re praying for Kelvin & Beth and all the rest of you as well!
What a special Mom you have!!!! I totally agree with you about birthdays! They are a “special” day! I hope you have a good week and that you will be able to accomplish ALOT on the house! -jo
I love family and I love you! Thanks for sharing the details of our heartsobs. Wow, and what great caring friends! I keep thinking…all those prayers offered on behalf of K&B and the babies…. lots of other people with same and different problems doing the same for thier family and friends….We have an awesome God that not only made us, but understands us, and cares for us. I love Him so and all this happens because He loved us first. I want to trust Him more.
My heart goes out to Kelvin and Beth…even though I hardly know them. We will be praying!
Christy came onto my site yesterday and then I went to check hers out and I realized she is the Christy that went to school with my brother Raun. I told her and then she told me about your site and so I decided to drop a note and see if you remember me. I was Joani Schrock, now I’m a Berry. Anyways, you can go check out my site if you want to see whats happening with me now. Joani
Reading about Beth’s little girls made me cry and I hope and pray everything will be all right.
Hoping for a miracle. Amazing! I always dreamt of identical twins as well! Happy late birthday.
Glad that you had a great birthday, even though it wasn’t quite as happy as you might have imagined…..praying for Kelvin & Beth……wondering if you could post a pic of them so that those of us who don’t know them can envision them as we pray? ~Jo
Hey. Sorry to hear about Beth’s little girls…I’m praying!
Oh, I love your writing style!!! I found myself really connecting with you and your feelings about relationships and life in general. I think we may have met once when I was in VA for a Kenya reunion. It must have been about 3 years ago. I never forgot you. Guess you left an impression on me somehow, like we connected emotionally. Some call it kindred spirits. I like that because I believe in kindred spirits- the kind of people that make you feel like you knew them for a long time. Happy belated birthday. Mine’s coming up April 29. It’s still fun to have birthdays even tho. i’ll be thirty on this one. Have a super day!
Thank you for the prayers! We are praising God that everything is fine! They put the stent in and that worked. Soon after he was in the recovery room he said that he is now ready for Olive Garden. 🙂 He hadn’t eaten since lunch the day before. One of his other arteries is blocked 40%. The Dr. said that for now it will be okay and hopefully they can get it cleared with blood thinner and medication. They said he can come home this afternoon. It was so scary because he could’ve easily had a heartache: had we waited till his appointment April 6, had he done the stress test, had he not gone in just so Mom doesn’t have a heart attack (he claimed) & he could’ve also had one during the procedure. All those things, we are blessed to still have our Dad!!!! have a wonderful day!!!
Ernie’s sister is Marian, wife of Ben. It’s so interesting that you know Elizabeth. We had a good time in Cayo.
so cool what your mom did! she was telling me about it and i thought it was so awesome since she’d had such a rough night she still took the time to do that! so proud to be her sis! i’m thinking and praying so much today for ya’all as your getting things checked out! can’t wait to hear!
I’d love a school reunion! What really makes me feel old is when I stop to think how long it’s been since I was in school!!
About the coffee.. if you ever need a break, before you move, I live like 2 min. from interstate! 
It would be fun to get together sometime. I know the boys would love to play with Adam. Hope your day is great!
Ok so don’t tell me how beautiful it is there right now. =( I was becoming content with melting snow and 40 degrees! The dandelions aren’t here yet but I always get excited when I see one. Sad, eh? Hey, it’s a flower, sort of!
I really enjoyed reading your post. Happy belated birthday! My 29th is coming up in a little less than 2 weeks! 🙁
I had read a little about your sister Beth…I’ll be praying for them.
~rosalyn
Happy birthday Michelle! That is if guys are allowed on here, old guys at that! I’m twenty nine too! I just do anniversaries now. Next is the 24th anniversary of my 29th birthday! Jan and I are praying for K&B and A&B. Wouldn’t it be nice if you could just FIX things? Hey, we know who can and believe he will. I’m proud to be your uncle.
Hey…thought it’s about time to check in on you….you didn’t go and paint your bathroom yet did you? I’d be pretty disappointed. Aren’t we cool to have a 24 year old brother/uncle who xangas? That is just cool beyond repair.
Glad to hear you had a fun time on your birthday. Also glad to hear you like surprises. Because – sometimes….great big ones happen on birthdays that end with an “0”. mwahahaha. We have a whole year to think of unsubtle birthday announcements.
I heard Steve and Christy are coming —- what fun! And I’ll be glad to go with you to try to pick out some colors. My first choice on the reds had been a paprika but I couldn’t find what i was looking for so I went with the apple red and ended up liking it. I still like the paprika when I see it.
If you let me know by the end of the week before you want it painted, I should be fine. I can’t think of anything in April that would keep me from coming.
So happy for you that you’re getting help with the painting. Sometimes it can look kind of endless.
Thanks for the comment, Michelle! I enjoyed your site- we seem alike in a number of ways. And you’re SOO right about painting the color red. Those little sample bottles of paint are lifesavers (albeit expensive). The colors I had originally picked out ended up more of a very bright pink than a deep red! After five of those little bottles I happened upon the combination I used. Best wishes in all your painting. And I whispered a prayer for your sister too.
Happy birthday, Michelle! I love birthdays too. I figure they only come once a year so I might as well enjoy them to the max! I’m so sad about Sarah and Hannah. My students and I have a prayer list at school and I’ll put them and y’alls extended family on the list. C
Just started a blogring for the Millers.