Friday Venting...

So today I'm writing one of my venting blogs combined with an update....

First the update. Keith has gained back all of the weight he lost before coming home from the hospital. He had gone from 9 pounds to 8lbs 3 oz in the 3 days following birth. This is common, so the doctors weren't worried about it. Mommy's milk came in stronger and from Thursday when they released us to Monday when he went for a well baby check, he had gained all 13 ozs back!! Praise the Lord for a healthy baby who really likes to eat! Sorry mommy. :) Ray and Keith are still best friends, with Ray wanting to hold Keith every chance he can.

When Keith has his eyes open (is awake) Ray tells us, "his eyes are open dad!". He is so excited when he gets to see Keith's eyes! :) He is so cute.

On to the vent...
My brother-in-law (Tim) has 2 kids who live with his ex according to the divorce settlement. The kids are awesome kids and home life is not bad, but definitely not the greatest in the world. Long story short is this...we try to get the kids at least 1 time a month since Tim lives in SC and his ex lives in OH. This gives the kids a chance to be around our family and have a father figure still in their lives. My in-laws go get the kids and many times come up to our house to spend the weekend.

Well..This week is spring break for the kids (NOT FOR ME!), so Tina and I thought that we would have them come up on Thursday and stay until Sunday so that they got to see Keith, and spend more time with us. So the kids showed up yesterday afternoon as planned. Last night the 3 of them (Ray and Tim's 2 kids) were playing up a storm having fun. Part of the time they were going too far with their play getting FAR too loud, but kids will be kids, RIGHT?! They were not listening very well after dinner, and Ray had not eaten hardly anything.

My spring break is not until a week from now, so how am I supposed to get sleep and calm down for the night when they are yelling, screaming and playing really loud? I guess I didn't think ahead enough when I invited them to come up for the weekend. I guess I was just trying to be a nice uncle and let them have some fun, but I wasn't thinking that their fun would make me a grouch because I cannot get relaxed to go to sleep. I really hope tonight it not anything like last night.

Well, I best go, I have 37 kids in a Friday Afterschool 3 hour Detention I'm watching over right now. A little bit big of a group if I do say so my self, for 1 person to watch. Just 2 more hours to go!! ARG!

Blessings!

Home and sleepless...

We are all at home, and enjoying having our new bundle of joy at home.  The one thing that is difficult to get used to is that lack of sleep that is happening.  :)  Keith is not really sleeping through the night at all, of course we know that it is normal, but he has not allowed for more than 2 hours at a stretch to sleep.  He is sleeping well during the day, but not so much at night.  

We're praying that he starts sleeping more at night when mommy is off of the pain killers that are helping her get through the day and he is able to not having any in his system.  :)  

Ray is still in love with his baby brother Keith.  :)  He wants to hold his brother all the time, and enjoys getting to touch Keith's face and hands.  He really wants to hold his brother when we get ready to leave the house.  He says "can I hold him when we get in the van".  We of course then just say, "Keith has to sit in his car seat and 

you have to sit in your car seat, sorry buddy."

An update on Dad...

He is doing really well.  He is putting more weight on his ankle each day.  We keep praying that he doesn't put too much weight on it.  Please keep him in prayer as he continues to heal.  Thanks!!

Blessings, 

Mark

Home at last!

We made it home today (Thursday) a day earlier than what they told us originally.  I hadn't planned on us coming home, so I was in Muncie without the correct vehicle to bring us all home, AND having left the car seat at home.  SO, I had to make a quick trip back to the house to pick up the van and car seat.  I wanted to make it as comfortable for Tina to get in and out of as I could, since I didn't know how well she would do to get DOWN into the car.  :)  

Tina is doing really well, and Ray is REALLY enjoying his baby brother Keith. :)  Ray held Keith for a while tonight, so I've placed a picture on here of that wonderful event. :)  

I need to learn how to get the pictures to go where I want, but I'll get that figured out some day. I just wish that they would upload and go into the place that I tell them to without any problems.  :)  

We're headed for bed, so hopefully we can get some rest tonight.  Don't forget we have all the photos we've taken so far on our web gallery.  You can check it out anytime and download from there.  :)  Enjoy! 

Blessings, 

Mark

He's Here!!

James Keith Landis

Born 3/18/08

1:11PM

9 lbs even

I'm working on photos, but it doesn't seem to want to do what I want it to.  I'll post a link to the photos on here soon. :) 

Mom and baby are doing fine.  :)  

Here is a link to our web gallery of pictures.  Enjoy!! :)  

OKAY!!

This is going to be really short...I am trying to make tons of calls right now too.  

Tina's ultra sound went well tonight...baby is about 10 lbs 9 oz!! SO, we are planning a c-section for next week, but I don't know yet what day.  Most likely Tuesday or Wednesday.  

More later...

Thanks for your prayers.  

This is it!

So we were supposed to have information to share with you all early today as to how the baby is doing. BUT, due to scheduling problems that the doctor's office had, we were unable to have the ultrasound this morning. The doctor's office had us scheduled for NEXT Thursday!! Wow, if that isn't an oversight I don't know what one would look like. She measured 42 1/2 weeks MONDAY, waiting until NEXT Thursday what would she measure then!!! The doctor said it still has to happen this week, and worked to find a time that it could occur today.

So, I'll hopefully be able to post something tonight as to how the baby is doing and what will happen next. We have a new appointment at 6:15pm today for the ultrasound. I am hopeful that we will be able to get a new CD with pictures and video too! :)

Update more later!
Mark

still a bit ARG!

Well, I just need to be okay with waiting until who knows when.  Tina's appointment went really well today, but she has not dropped at all, and she is still measuring at 1cm dilated.  She did however measure further ahead than she has ever!!  She has measured 1 week ahead every week prior to now.  This week, she measured 42 1/2 weeks, but her actual number of weeks is 38.  SO, we have an appointment on Thursday AM to have another ultrasound done to make sure the size of the baby is going to be something Tina can have naturally.  

WOW what a day, but I know that the Lord is in it all.  :)  I'll update more as we progress.

Talk to you soon!

Mark

ARG!

First an update on Dad. He is doing really well and starting to put weight on his foot to balance. He is using the crutches more and therefore continuing to improve both in the ankle and back. Keep praying for his continued recovery.

Tina is doing well. She has experienced contractions every hour to 1 1/2 hours most of the weekend, but not consistent enough to go to the hospital. She goes to the doctor for her weekly check tonight at 4:15, so hopefully we'll have some news soon to share.

Personally, and I know Tina thinks the same, we're ready for the baby to come. The anticipation is really starting to get heavy, and we're praying that it happens sooner rather than later. WE would like for the baby to come tonight, but WE are not in control, the Lord is! So keep praying, it's going to happen. We're just really really ready for this baby to come and turn our world upside down! :) LOL!

Blessings!

Update on Dad...

Dad's appointment went really well today.  He is okay to put some weight on the foot for balancing purposes only.  He has 7 pins and a plate in his ankle now, and the doctor was very happy to see how they all looked on the X-ray.  Praise the Lord for the quick recovery so far.  Continue to pray for his recovery, as it is thanks to the prayers that he is doing so well.  

Tina's doing well today.  She is continuing to progress, at least I think she is...she says her belly is getting REALLY hard every time she stands up or walks anywhere.

Later, 

Mark

Getting into this...

Okay, so I am just beginning to do this blogging world thing. I know that if I'm not careful I'll get really addicted to it, so I'm going to try not to do more than one a day. :) Here is today's updates and some thoughts I have running.

Tina- Still progressing. She has not had any more labor pains since Sunday evening's 1 labor pain. She has however continued to have a "tight" belly from time to time, so she believes it could just be a little light labor pain. We're continuing to pray for the baby to come and be healthy. We know that no matter what, that is the ultimate goal, a happy healthy baby. The room is ready for the baby to come home, and we have the laundry done to clothe it too! :)

Dad- goes to see the doctor today at 2:15. I'll post more when I know more. He is however continuing to do well with his wheel chair to get around the house and working more with the crutches to work his upper body strengthening too. He needs to continue to work his upper body so that his back will not hurt. Please continue to pray for healing as his ankle gets better. He also needs prayer for his back as he was not completely healed from the surgery he had just about a year ago.

Now to my ramblings...
Why is it that good people so often get taken advantage of? I've noticed in my few years on earth that when someone is nice to others many times they have taken advantage of that person. I've had it happen to me, and it makes you want to not help as often. The thing is that I know that I've been called to help, so I just have to lean on the Lord to give me strength and courage to help even when I've been burned before by the same person.

I love to help others, I really do. I look forward to helping my youth group kids learn more about who the Lord wants them to be. I look forward to helping them with school work and helping them to better themselves at school. Although it is not glamourous at all, it is the work of the Lord that I'm doing, and that is why I do it. To further HIS Kingdom, and for the wellbeing of the kids that I work with.

I guess the point of this rambling is this...help others even if they may have burned you once before, keep helping them and showing them God's Love, Grace, Forgiveness and Mercy! :) Keep on doing God's work! :)

God is good, All the time! All the time, God is Good!

Thanks for your prayers!
Blessings!
Mark

First try

This is going to be many different things eventually, but for now it will be a space you can go to get updates on Tina and how she is progressing, as well as for my dad since his fall.

So far Tina is doing really well. At her doc appointment on 3/3 doc said that she could go at any time. So, we'll see!! I'm going home each night to make sure I'm not away if and when she goes into labor.

Dad...many of you may know this, but he fell last Monday 2/25 and broke his ankle. He had surgery on Wed 2/27 to have a plate put in to stabilize his ankle. This week he is doing okay. He is getting up and moving around some with crutches and a wheelchair that we are borrowing so that he can move around with ease.

Check back soon, for more! :) This is just a start!