Olivia’s Tenth Day

Olivia is napping at the moment. Over the past few days we have had many conversations about which labs to draw, if any, and when and how to draw them. The options of a mid line or a PICC line have been discussed at length, but we have found other options that did not involve poking her again, so we have chosen those. Her one and only IV, which is in the left side of her neck, has held up so far. I did notice today that is has come out about one-quarter inch, but it is not leaking so I hope it will still hold for however long we need it. The options are not fun.

Amy has come out every day and played with Olivia a lot. Yesterday they got out of the room and spent the day meandering the hospital. There are lots of lights and colors, a toy train that rides on an overhead track, and large Seuss-ish plastic creatures that hang from the ceiling and slowly turn. These seem to keep her attention pretty well and take her focus off how she feels at the moment. Olivia loved being carted around so much yesterday that she was quite unhappy to be put back into her bed that evening.

Design thought for a children’s hospital: putting fun things just out of reach is a great way to get kids up on their feet and working their bodies in a way they haven’t done for a little while. It’s just enough motivation to encourage movement, which helps the healing process. Good job, Children’s Mercy!

In just a bit, Amy will be arriving here at the hospital with Kayla and Maddie. I’ll have the three girls in the hospital for a few hours. We’re gonna play a few games, have a small meal, and allow them to be around each other for a bit.

I spent time at home with the other kids yesterday; first time in nine days. While Amy was with Olivia at the hospital, I came home at nap time and stayed until all the kids were asleep. The kids were having emotional meltdowns so we thought it would help for Amy and me to switch spots for a few hours. However, it seems that they now know exactly what they were missing, whereas before it was only a generalized frustration without knowing what was missing. It’s very hard to know what the right strategy is in this situation. Should Amy and I switch places every few hours or every few days, or is it better for us to stay in our separate locations until it’s all over? There is not a definitive answer in this situation.

The schedule is going to get real crazy starting today: I still have school, Amy needs to work, I need to work, the kids need attention from both of us, one of us has to stay with Olivia at all times, the lawn and housework needs doing, etc. Many, many people have already pitched in and we are exceedingly grateful to all who have helped already in what ever way they could. Thank you so much!

Patting Myself on the Back

I have mowed the front lawn, but not the back. Instead, I pulled up the three- and four-foot trees by the roots that had planted themselves there. It took two days to rip them all out, but it needed to be done.

I scraped paint off some kitchen windows. Difficult to do with a dull blade.

The laundry is done, as usual.

I have held the hair of my puking daughter, and cleaned up the couch after we figured out she wasn't feeling so well. Three words: pro jec tile.

I have put together an oak table and chairs. This is the first time in almost seven years of marriage and family that we have all been able to sit down together for a meal.

I have taped off Samuel and Olivia’s room so I can paint it.

I have gotten shots and shot records for school, faxed several copies of things to the Nursing Division, completed a background check (not on any federal psycho lists. Yay!), and switched my classes around a few times.

I have been to visit the financial aid offices at school several times already. We need all the help we can get. We’re behind, I believe, by about a few hundred dollars per month, even with all the help from my military benefits. That’s why Amy and I are both working part-time. But even with that, we’re still not breaking even.

I have completed several exciting projects for the International House of Prayer in Kansas City, and am now assisting the Creative Director in revamping our choices of typography for the IHOP–KC brand. Right now, our main fonts are Perpetua, Gill Sans and Helvetica Neue Condensed Bold. We’re looking at getting two serif and two sans fonts (a loose and tightly kerned of each, giving us 4 total) that all work well together, and can translate easily to any media (Web, TV, print, postcards, etc.). It is a tough goal to hit, but I think we can do it.

Life is crazy right now. And my semester hasn’t even begun. This is gonna be nuts.

Lists

I’m supposed to be making lists of all the chores to get done over my two-week break from school.

Just wanted to give my summer school grades: C in Algebra and B in US History.

And Sam just had his first birthday. Here’s a before and after.

Like Flynn

I received a call telling me I made it into the Nursing Program, so I am officially in. But I’ve been given a list of impossible missions to complete before then: lots of vaccines, CPR certification, background check, summer school . . .

They said they would meet me halfway on the slaying of the dragon though. I’m allowed to bring in a store-bought gecko.

“I Shall Return,” Said Someone Famous

It has been a long four months since I last posted. Kudos to the twelve of you who check in vain hope that I will have posted something that week.

This being in school thing is . . . all-consuming. It’s even harder when you have a big family and have to figure out how to make money in the mean time. Note to future generations: the big flub of the last fifteen years of my life was neglecting to do school while I had the freedom of being single with no kids. It would have been so much easier. And I would have remembered algebra and geometry.

This past semester (I took my last final yesterday) was the hardest so far: Psychology (Development Over the Lifespan), Algebra and Microbiology. In psych I submitted a position paper that was pretty decent. I got an A for the semester. In algebra I got a B, and I didn’t even do any homework. Sooner or later I’ll have to figure out how to factor and divide polynomials. But I’ll never use it in the real world.

This is one of the frustrating things to me about higher math . . . it is rarely used in real life. When is the last time you had to divide 2–7/4ths by 11/13ths? Sure you could do it if you absolutely had to, but most real world situations are quite simple.

I had an epiphany during math class. Most other subjects have natural problems that can be figured out. Science looks for DNA structure and enzymatic interactions, for instance. They didn’t create the problem, they’re just trying to figure it out. But math creates its own problems. It’s built-in job security.

More to come.

Micro Grade

I’m still waiting on my Micro grade. Really bad stuff will happen if I don’t get a C. I’ve been on the edge the whole semester, so we’ll see. Twenty more minutes til it posts.

And counting.

Update: I got a C. Home-free.

On to the next semester.

Check It Off The List

—Completed an assignment for a Philosophy class, complete with my choice of words: non-sequitur, apophatic philosophy, axiom and surd. Where else can you quote Descartes, Einstein, Ecclesiastes and C.S. Lewis, and throw in an avalanche and the 1755 Lisbon earhquake as examples? I love this stuff.
—Made a John Mayer station on Pandora.com. Free music of your choice is awesome.
—Talked with my younger brother. Ten years difference; still chasing after God; everything is yours if you are God's.
—Regrouted and caulked our bathroom tub. For a perfectionist, this takes longer than it sounds like it should.
—Wrote a busy schedule for tomorrow ... including playing drums at IHOP.
—Played with my girls. Some of the best times of my life.
—Encouraged Amy to buy makeup—the once a year purchase. [UPDATE: For all the confused guys, it's skin care, not makeup. The difference is makeup is what you paint on (which can either be good for your skin or bad for your skin), skin care is the in between stuff like cleanser, toner (whatthe?), astringent (again, whatthe?), eye cream and the like.] How many husbands actually do this? Gentlemen, three questions for you: what do you want her to look like in twenty years, or fifty? And how much is her self-confidence worth to your relationship? Lastly, how many things do you spend money on that can last an entire year? The cheap stuff makes you paint it on heavier each year to cover the damage being continually done. But the better stuff continually reveals the beauty residing in her. This isn't “slather it on so you look good,” this is taking care of your body while drawing out inherent beauty. Like most people, I am moved by beauty, but Amy ... oh, she compels greatness in every area of my soul more than the passing of the moon compels the greatness of daybreak.
—Bartered for fair wage at a part-time job.
—Worried that Kayla knows more about Starbucks than about shapes and colors.
—Listened to a little Marc Broussard.
—Caught the mouse. Amy stayed on the couch and screamed while I chased it down the hallway, both of us slipping on the wood floors like a cartoon, and finally caught it under a spaghetti strainer. Easier to see that he's still there with a strainer. Slipped a glue trap under and waited for him to get stuck. You'll have to imagine the rest. RIP.
—Discussed with Amy when and how to approach a fellow Christian friend about their foray (if there is such a thing) into homosexuality.
—Stayed up too late for my busy day tomorrow.
—Got an iced peppermint mocha. Good stuff. Iced is great for spring or summer, hot is great for autumn and winter. It's the do-it-all drink for each season.