Article In The Groom News

This article appeared in The Groom News courtesy of Marcia.

Thanks Marcia, it brought tears to my eyes.

~jen

Reflections

I woke up this morning at 2:00. (Mike has developed a serious snoring problem!) I laid in bed thinking back over the past 13 years. My baby turned 13 at 2:08 this morning. (Why are there tears streaming down my face right now? Why is this birthday so much harder than the ones before?) As I watched the clock tick by, I remembered the night that I had Cody. It seems like it was yesterday. I remember I was resting on our sofa and I had just finished watching 'Not Without My Daughter'. Mike had just walked in the door from work. It was about a little after 10 at night. I remember feeling this trickle run down my thighs and thinking to myself, "either I am peeing all over myself, or.... my water just broke!". Well, it turned out my water broke, because it soon gushed once I stood up to go to the bathroom! We were packed and ready because we had already made a trip to the hospital a few days earlier, only to be sent home because someone didn't know the difference between false labor and real labor! Mike was quickly gathering everything up that we would need. We had just bought our first truck earlier that month. Poor Mike, I know he meant well, but he covered the seat of that truck with every towel we owned! He loved that truck! We rushed to the hospital as quickly and safely as we could and were soon checked into our room. Mike called our parents and I remember him telling my mom word-for-word what the doctor had said...."She has grossly ruptured her membranes, we're having a baby". I never really started regular contractions once I was at the hospital, so I received a Pitocin drip and about an hour after that, an epidural. I was very lucky in that I only went through maybe 3-4 hard contractions on my own. After a couple more hours, Cody Michael Conrad arrived. Our world has never been the same.

I cannot believe how quickly these past 13 years have come and gone. I cannot believe that Cody is a teenager. I remember he was such a perfect baby. He was always happy. Always content. He loved to be held and rocked. He was my cuddler. His smile lit up the room. (Ok, the tears are really coming, I am going to have to stop and get it together!) As a toddler, he was so curious and had a hundred questions. He was so smart and so bright. Before I knew it he was in Kindergarten. We lived in Groom then. I am so happy that he was able to start his education there. He loved going to the same school his daddy went to! He thought that was pretty neat! The years continued to pass and then he started school at the same elementary I went to! He excelled in everything he did. We soon saw him develop with sports. Over the years we've watched him in flag-football to tackle football. Basketball to golf. He is becoming quite the athlete these days.

Cody is still all these things and much more (well, he isn't quite as content, and he is definitely not a cuddler anymore!). I am so proud of this young man that is growing up before me. I need to remind him of that more often. I know that these difficult teenage moments we have will soon pass. Hopefully, we will both grow from them and become closer than we were when we started.

For those of you that have young children, hold onto your babies as long as you can, because they don't stay little forever! Cherish each day, because once it's gone, you can't have it back. (Boy, Caden is going to get some extra big-and-long hugs this morning! He's still my little baby and thankfully he still likes his mommy's hugs!) :)

Thank you to each of you for your part in Cody's life over these past 13 years. We are so blessed to have such an extended family. I am so thankful for the relationship that Cody has with each of you.

~jen

Whew... rough past few days

It's been a while since my last post. I hope all is well with each of you. We are doing ok. I had to take Cody to the ER this past Tuesday evening after he fell while on our trampoline. I was probably overly-concerned because he had fractured this same wrist when he was 5. He was in tears (although he denies there were tears!) and couldn't move his wrist or hand. Long story short.... he only sprained his wrist, no broken bones. Thank goodness. He has been quite the unpleasant patient these past few days though. His coaches are giving him a hard time since he isn't allowed to participate in athletics until next Monday. He has basically refused to wear the splint that was ordered. He is very much the independent teen-ager these days. Over all he has most of his range-of-motion back and only complains of slight soreness. I pray that he doesn't re-injure it anytime soon.

Caden is finally getting over his strep-throat. He is feeling much better these days. His infected sore on his leg looks better. We are going to see a dermatologist the first week of April.

No other news to report. I still haven't heard anything about the RN position within the school district. Part of me thinks it's ok. Working 2 days a week at the hospital really isn't all that bad. I had a really good day at work today. It's days like today that make me realize that my job really isn't all that bad. I don't know what will happen over the next few days and weeks. I've decided not to hold my breath on getting this new job. Maybe I am meant to stay where I am at. Maybe there is something better that will come along. Maybe, maybe, maybe. :)

Take care everyone! Have a great weekend.

~jen

Surgery went well

My grandmother's surgery went very well and she is at home resting. I called and talked to her a little while ago and she is doing ok.
~jen

Waiting game...

My grandmother is in surgery this morning having some discs in her neck repaired. It is so hard to not be there. I am trying to keep busy this morning. Trying to quit watching the clock and wondering...worrying. I know she will be fine. It is just so hard to be so many miles away.

Lord watch over Granny this morning. Be with the surgeon. In your name I pray. Amen.

~jen

Another win...

Mike just called me to let me know that Cody placed 3rd at the golf tournament today in Lubbock. He shot an 84, which is awesome because this was Cody's very first time playing at this course! From what I heard from Mike, this is a very tough course with lots of bunkers and lots of breaks on the greens. It is after all a "college course". I am sure the Texas Tech fans loved Cody's Texas Longhorns bag!

I can't tell you all how proud I am of my little golfer! Watch out, Tiger Woods!

I might even have to take up the sport myself. Mike and the boys enjoy it so much, it might be something fun to do as a family! I can just see myself out there with my pink clubs and pink golf balls! Can't you? Ha-Ha! :)
~jen

3rd Time's a Charm?

Caden and I made a return visit to the doctor today. For the past couple of days he has had severe abdominal cramping from the antibiotic he is on. I called our pharmacist yesterday and the cramping is a side effect. He absolutely refused to take his medicine this morning, even after much pleading, bribing, and even threats. Nothing worked. So I called our nurse practitioner and we returned to the office.

Caden received an injection of Rocephin (antibiotic) and we picked up another prescription for a different antibiotic (our 3rd one). It took 3 nurses to hold Caden down for his shot. I would imagine that if there was a prize for worst mother of the year, Caden would have nominated me! On the way to the doctor all I heard was "your a meat-head (his newest word) mommy"! He was not happy with me once he found out he was getting a shot.

Hopefully the combination of the injection and the new antibiotic will get this little boy well.
~jen

2nd Place Finish...Best Game Ever

Cody finished his 1st golf tournament of the season with a 2nd place finish. He tied for 1st place with a score of 78. The tie breaker was the score of the last 9 holes. Cody's opponent won the tie breaker with a one stroke lead. Cody played FANTASTIC. This is the best score he has ever had. He is really excited to have placed in the top 3!
~jen

PS... I can't get the link to his personal web-page at ntpga.com to work. So, if you would like to follow his personal stats here's what you need to do:
Log onto http://www.ntpga.com/
Go to Junior Golf Foundation (left hand side-bar)
Click on "Results" (top bar)
Click on Leader Board next to La Paloma GC Amarillo, TX
Choose Boys 12-13
Click on Cody's name.
Here you can find how he and all the other boys in his age bracket played.

Back to the doctor

I had to take Caden back to the doctor this morning. He has not responded to the antibiotic that we started last Friday. He has maintained a fever of 102-103 all weekend and has developed some shortness-of-breath at times. We had a flu test done which came back negative (thank goodness). His tonsils are swollen and covered with pus (yuck!). We are going to start a new antibiotic today and hopefully he will feel better soon. Say a little prayer for him. We are supposed to go out of town on Thursday. It never fails, as soon as I make plans to go to my grandparents, someone has to get sick!
~jen

Just FYI...

What a day today has been.

It's almost 4:00 and I am ready to go to bed. I woke up this morning and got Cody off to school, only to come home and realize that Caden was running a fever. He also had a runny nose and.... another infected sore. This one is about 1/4-1/2 " in diameter. This sore came up last night and was really bothering him this morning...to the point of tears. So, I called and got him into to see our nurse practitioner. Turns out he has strep throat along with the infected sore! And of course we have a dilemma with the antibiotic (it can't be easy, can it?). There isn't an antibiotic that will treat both! So we are treating the strep first, and will apply a topical antibiotic to the infection on his leg. Once we are finished with this oral antibiotic, and if the infection to the leg looks the same or worse, we'll start the other antibiotic.

Poor Caden he really looks like he feels bad. He is usually so happy to see the little nurse tech, Ashley at our doctor's office. Even when he doesn't feel all that well he is always happy to see her. Not today, though. She didn't even get a smile from Caden. We all knew he wasn't feeling well then.

He is still taking a nap. We got home from the doctor's office/pharmacy/Hastings (he thought he deserved a couple of movies and a X-box game)/McDonald's/convenience store to pick up another drink (Caden ended up dropping his coke from McDonald's onto the backseat floorboard- it has really been a rough day!) and he was worn out. He ate his chicken nuggets and went to bed!

Hopefully he will feel better soon. I can't stand to see him so sad when he doesn't feel well!

On another note... I called and talked to the person who will interview for the RN position within the school district today. She will set up interviews the week after next. She remembered mom when I mentioned her name (hey, I am using all that I can to get this job!) and she ended the phone call with "I'm looking forward to meeting you". Hopefully that means something good! I am trying to not get my hopes up, but it is so hard. We'll see what happens!

We'll I guess this is all for now. Cody just got home from school.
Take care.
~jen

Happy Birthday!

Birthday Day!

Today is birthday day around here. First, it is Mike’s 34th birthday today. Happy Birthday, honey! I love you! We had a family birthday party last night at Ruby Tequilas. It was a lot of fun!

Next, it is my niece’s 2nd birthday today. Sadie, you are getting to be such a little “big girl” these days! XOXO!

And then it is also my dear friend Renay’s birthday. (We don’t need to discuss numbers here. We are both 29 and will always be 29!) I want to take this time and tell Renay how much I care about her. She has been my closest friend since we were in high school. She is the sister I never had. She is who I call when I need to cry, laugh, or vent my frustration and anger. She is a wonderful mother to her 4 beautiful children, a loving aunt to her nieces and nephews, and my very best friend! I love you, Renay. Thank you for being such a wonderful and true friend! Happy Birthday!

(OK just a side note…. I know it’s probably odd that I write only 6 sentences about Mike’s birthday and a whole paragraph about Renay! Mike gets to see me every day. He knows I love him and yada-yada-yada, all that other stuff. Renay and I on the other hand, see each other…oh, about once every 6 months! We talk just about every-other-day on the phone, but never seem to be able to get together because between us… we have 6 kids! There is no time to get together! So, I wanted to send her an extra special birthday wish!) :)
~jen