We're Alive . . . sort of

It's a good thing I had fun in Texas, because the last week since I've been home has been anything but.

Probably the best way to sum it up is to detail the accumulating collection of drugs on our counter top:

1 Zithromax antibiotic pack (Will- Strep Throat)
1 bottle children's Tylenol (Ethan - didn't even touch his fever)
1 bottle children's Motrin (Ethan - finally brought down fever after nearly 30 hours)
1 bottle agultin antibiotic (Audra - Ear & Sinus Infection)
1 bottle Robitussin (Audra - for the "practically hacking up a lung" cough)
1 package benedryl (Audra - congestion, etc.)
1 bottle Tylenol (Audra - for fever, chills, body aches)
Multiple packages random Valentine Candy (Luke - who is "healthy as a horse," maybe because he's insisted that he "is a horse, NOT a boy" since last Sunday, when he put his church shoes on his hands and walked on all fours).

And all of this is leading up to the real fun, which starts tomorrow. I'll go into the hospital to have a procedure called a cerclage performed. This will help me avoid going into early labor due to a pregnancy complication I have called an incompetent cervix. Last time around, while pregnant with Luke, we discovered this complication when it was nearly too late and I was rushed to the hospital at 18 weeks to perform an emergency cerclage and then placed on bedrest for the remaining five months. The good news is that by doing this procedure early this time around (at 13 weeks) I'll be spared the bedrest and instead be placed on a "diminished activity plan." So from tomorrow on there will be no heavy lifting, no exercising, no swimming, no excessive walking, etc. But, I won't be flat on my back either, which is such a blessing (so much for re-watching all seven seasons of Gilmore Girls). Please keep us in your prayers. We're hoping for a much healthier second half of February for all of us.

Oh, and one exciting thing did happen last week, we got our first baby pictures! No word on the gender yet, but everything looks good so far--10 fingers & 10 toes.