Careful...This is a biggie.

The past few months have been somewhat of a whirlwind.  So much has happened as so much remains to accomplish.  We are, overall, doing fairly well.  The school year ended with big plans for the summer, which include a big move for my kiddos, Rachel, and me. 

Joel graduated from high school!  He is a big bad adult now and moving into his new world. 

Sarah, Sam and Joel have moved into their first house together and are doing awesome getting adjusted to their new living arrangements.  Rachel is going off to La Grande for a visit with a good friend for a few weeks.  Isabelle has commitments to her new First Sargent status in JROTC all summer and prepping for the new year’s competitions in archery.  This fall, I’m looking forward to Alex starting preschool and starting his path towards education.

I finished the spring semester with very satisfying grades.  I’ll resume classes this fall.  I’m also looking forward to getting back into the workforce this fall.  I’m going to be busy as soon as summer is over.  Especially since…

Isabelle and Little Alex welcomed home a new sibling!

Meet Benjamin Oliver!He was born at 4:00 pm on May 17^th at TMC.  He weighed 4 pounds 3 ounces and was 17 and a half inches long. 

When I was pregnant with Alex, I was losing my mother.  The same is now true in regards to my dad.  When I had Alex, my mother kept referring to him as Benjamin.  I had to correct her repeatedly.  She insisted I had a Benjamin, too.  Well, it turns out she was 100% correct.

Because I can’t have things happen simply and without chaos, I had to have Ben via emergency C-section at 33 weeks gestation.  He was delivered screaming and healthy.  He was and still is super tiny.  He spent two weeks in the NICU, but never needed anything to help him breathe or eat.   All things considered, he has been a dream baby.  The nurses and doctors were constantly in awe of his development and behavior.  He was doing everything as though he were a full-term baby.  He needed a little help maintaining his body temperature, but even that only took a little over a week.  We are home now with a healthy boy who eats constantly.

Alex is in love with him, but is learning how to share his time with me.  I’m learning how to do this all, too.  I’ve never had two tiny people in my home at the same time.  Kudos to those mommies who have done it or are doing it.  This is not easy. 

Big things going on in my life.  Big things will continue to come down the line.  With each challenge, I take deeper breaths.  Navigating these events has been mostly smooth.  Within reason, I have moments of, “Whoa.”  But, all things pass and life is just this never-ending series of challenges.  Some are easier than others.  I am looking forward to the day I don’t have a blog to write so full of intense events.