Lisa Ann Writes

I don’t even know where to begin. The last few day have been just amazing to me. On Thursday Erin and I just stayed around the house all day while she was having some irregular contractions- by early Friday morning she was at the hospital in labor. John called me to join them around 3 a.m. by 7 a.m. she was 4cm – so I ran home to get something to eat and wash up and pick up a couple of things they needed from home. I was only gone 45 minutes and when I got back she was dilated to 9.5. By 9 a.m. she was at ten and pushing. My beautiful grandson was born at 9:46 Sept 19th. He weighed 8 pounds 11 oz and is 20 inches long. It was so amazing to be next to Erin as she delivered her baby. I am so proud of how she just focused on what she needed to do and did it. I could not believe my eyes when the baby was born- he is so big! He had some complications and is in the NICU for a few more days. He is doing well though and will be home before we know it. Right after he was born Erin looked at me with tears streaming down her face and said- “this is miracle.” I agree- Campers birth is a miracle- God is good.

If you want more information about the baby- check out my blog roll- codename camper. sign up and get all the pictures.

I have been feeling sorta stuffy and like my allergies are kicking in. I think it is the change of season- speaking of the changing season- I wonder if the leaves at home are beginning to change. Fall is my favorite season and there is nothing like the changing leaves in New England- I love them when the sky is cloudless blue and there is a breeze that floats the yellow and red leaves to the ground.  I noticed that here there are large spots of red areas up in the mountains and I guess they are groups of trees changing color up there. It amazes me how different places can be- and there are good things about both. I don’t know what Erin has planned for  today. Since she has started to stay home from work I like to just wait and see how she is feeling and what she is wanting to do. It seems whenever I think of things I want to do something comes up- but it always turns out that something was way better than what I had planned. Like the other day- I had a little list of things I thought would be fun to go do- but instead Erin and I ended up at visiting Alicia and just enjoying holding Spencer and talking with Alicia. Then Erin got tired so we came home and she had a good nap. It was a great way to spend the day. Yesterday Erin wanted to do her grocery shopping so we did. That was exciting because now she has all the meals planned till the end of the month. She is so organized! Who knows what today will bring. I decided not to plan anything- other than doing my laundry- just goin with the flow till Camper makes his grand entrance…. I try not to think about what day he will be born because I just get so excited and I just can’t wait to kiss his little face. I have to just not think about how perfectly sweet he will be- and how much we all want him to be here. I think being a Grandma is going to be so much fun! So…. I am not making plans today- just planning on this day being a good one cuz I am near my kids and one day closer to the day I get to see my husband again. Life is good- just like the t-shirt says.

Last night I finished reading Tears of The Giraffe by Alexander McCall Smith. This is the second book in The No. 1 Ladies’ Detetective Agency. I really enjoyed both books. I would really recommend this series to anyone who wants a good story line- a fast read and a type of story that just makes you feel good. I like that every once in awhile there is a character who will have something profound to say that makes me think. I have enjoyed these stories. I also worked out yesterday- pretty hard and I didn’t sleep well the night before so last night I was able to fall right to sleep and couldn’t believe it was 7:30 when I woke up! One more day gone and one more day closer to when Jim will come visit! I am so excited to see him again. I look forward to the day when we can just travel like in Stargate or Startrek….. It would be so nice to have that ability! Just be in far away places in a flash. I would go back and forth between home and here all the time! Last weeks book club was reschduled until today- so Erin and I will be going to that. I think we are also going to spend sometime at the library today. She needs to study for her GRE and it would be easier for her without the distractions of home. Maybe we will just hang out on campus and pretend to be students today. At some point I want to go around and look at all the condos that are up for sale. Not that I am buying one- but I just want to see what you get for the money around here.  I also really like to look at houses that are on the market and see what things I like and what I would change if I were ever to build my own house. Who knows someday I could come into millions and have that chance! I think I would just rebuild the house I have. It really has the perfect set up for me. Well- I guess it is just good to have a list of things to do and places to go…. so that is todays plan. I am pretty flexable though and would be willing to just hang out at the hospital should Camper decide he would want to be born today. Its all good!

I just spent forever writing a post and I hit one little thing and puff…. like magic it was half gone. Not even all gone- just half gone. I am such a computer genius. This one I will make short- just wanted to write all about the chicken leg soup I am planning on making today. There isn’t a soup pot in the house big enough for chicken soup so I thought I could just cook a leg…. by the way (robin) this is a joke and I will buy a bigger pot. I just wanted to freak you out….lol For anyone out there who doesn’t know my friend Robin is the soup queen. I should even get an apron for her made with that on it. She makes the best soups in the world- I figure the weather is getting chilly- only high 70′s- so it is time to break out the soups…. Actually Erin and I have a little cold thing starting so I thought that soup would help.  Tomorrow is beef stew Sunday. Erin is also working on Campers halloween costume. He is going to be an owl. How cute is that. You can tell she loves halloween when her unborn baby already has his costume idea ready. Now that is planning ahead! Well before I delete half of this I will post it and start my day. Off the the soup kettle store. Wherever that is!

It is almost noon and I am just getting my day going! I did wake up early and went to work out. Got home a little after nine- watched some morning tv while Erin and John got ready to start their day. I drove Erin to work and then came home and took such a hot bath I am still in the recovery process. I thought it would make my tired body feel better- I guess there is such a thing as too relaxed! This week has been moving along. Erin had her Monday morning Dr. appointment. Then she was home yesterday from work as she was not feeling well. She got in a nice nap in the afternoon and then when John came home I went to the temple for awhile. I love being so close that I can just drive to the temple, do a session and be home within two hours. At home it takes longer than that just to get to the temple! I love to go and sit and just feel such quiet and peace. It is a nice end to my day. I try to go every Tuesday. I spend most of the time there praying and praying that Erin’s health will keep getting better and that little camper will be born healthy and soon. Monday night Jon invited to take me to dinner. We all ended up going and it was going fine till Jonathan announced that he will not be moving back home after all. He really likes his jobs here, he has all good reasons for staying but it made me sad none the less. I cried right in Applebees- the waitress told Jon to say he was sorry! It was sorta funny. In reality I am very proud of Jonathan for deciding to do what is best for him and not coming home just to make me happy.  As his mom it is just my job to worry and want to be sure he is going to be fine. But really- even though my son-in-law doesn’t believe it- I do know Jon isn’t a little boy anymore. I guess I was just really hoping not to have to keep coming out here for visits! Utah has good points but I miss my home. I also went to visit new baby Spencer this week.  Boy- is he a cutie! When Robin and Peter come out to see their grandbaby his cute little face will get kissed to pieces!  Good news on the apricot tree front. The season is just about over and I am only cleaning the driveway every other day. I still don’t trust it enough to park under it again. I am just about finished reading another book- The No. 1 Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith. It has been very enjoyable- except for the visual of her running over a snake. I hate those things! I guess this is the first in a series so I am gonna check out what comes next. Today is the book club meeting for My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult. I look forward to hearing what others think of that story.  I guess if I don’t get myself together I will have to go in my pjs. Better go get my day underway. By the way- Sally- it is good to read your comments.  When I get back on that side of the world we will have to do lunch…. tell everyone at the curves there hi from me!

My neice has a blog… I keep going there everyday to check to see what she has written. She hasn’t updated it for awhile. I wish she would! Then I realized this morning- hey maybe someone is going to look at mine again today and wish I would update! SO…. here is my update. The things I did this week. Actually I did all the same things as last week. I went and worked out. Not as hard this week- but the scale is still going in the right direction. Also, Erin seems to be getting back into her craving food phase and this week was chocolate satin pie. I like that pie…. we talked about throwing the left over away after she and I alone ate half of the pie, but decided that would just be a terrible thing to do. So when I cleaned out the fridge yesterday (on my cleaning day) I kept the pie in there. Didn’t eat anymore- but it is still there. And even after falling face down on the rug in front of the fridge late last night-(the pie, not me) it looks good to me. I should have gotten a picture of Erin trying to pick that up. She sorta got stuck but her effort was worth it. We got her up and still had room for pie! Oh happy day. I have been looking for a new book to read. I have to stop reading about vampires and stuff. It is starting to effect my dreams. Although- last night I has some weird dream about little cute dogs that turned into these weird creatures that ate people. If I would have known I was going to dream crazy I would have had the pie myself! Overall the week was pretty uneventful. We did have some early labor going on- that was exciting. Counting how far apart Erin’s contractions were- for all of you who are waiting the grand arival- she is doing her part we just need to wait for Camper to be ready. By about 10:30 I feel asleep and they are still here this morning- I am hoping we have a few more hours of that kind of work today. It can only make things go faster for her when she goes into active labor. Not much else to say. I am just glad to be near my kids and enjoyed having Jon stop in for pizza and t.v. earlier this week.  I miss Jim like crazy but he is keeping busy. Time will go fast and soon we will all be together. Who knows what the next week will bring! I hope no more pies…..at least not for me!

It is SEPTEMBER! That means…. I will not only get to see the man I love most in the entire world this month- my sweet husband- but I will get to see my grandson! It’s going to be a great month! The last weekend of August went out with a bang. We went to a Swiss Days festival in Midway- there was swiss chicken, and swiss tacos, swiss breads- swiss music- as far as I could see there was no swiss chocolate or swiss misses….. but it was fun. The longest line was for snow cones… not swiss ones. Just regular old fashioned sweet and cold snow cones. I haven’t had one of those in years….. lt was worth the wait in line. It has just been an enjoyable weekend. And now I am just so happy for September to be here! I finished reading New Moon by Stephanie Meyer and started to read My Sister’s Keeper. Erin is in a book club and that is the book they will be talking about next meeting. So since I will be driving her to the book club meeting I thought I might as well read the book. So far- I like it. It is a unique topic- the stroy of a sister that was conceived just to be a donor for her older sister who has cancer. Makes you think…. Well, that has been my exciting weekend. Looking forward to this week- getting back to working out and waiting for the big arrival! Fun stuff!