Vacation... All I Ever Wanted...

Well, yeah; it's been a while since my last post. Like, since I got hired at Element 74. Suffice it to say, things have gone well. Gone great, actually. My job has become an extension of myself. It's something that I love, and I love sharing. And doing. Frankly, I think it's the best thing to happen to me in a long time.

But enough about that; I'm on VACATION.

Carrie and I, along with the kids and her parents and her brother's family, have taken up residence at a family friend's condo on the beach at Orange Beach, near Gulf Shores, Alabama. We're here for the week; came in Sunday afternoon and are leaving out Saturday morning to head back to Cape.

We came in Sunday to torrential rain. To put it in perspective, they got 2.5" here on Sunday. It was sloppy, but it did not deter us from BBQing Sunday night for dinner. I brought Burgfeld beef, and I'll be damned if I will not cook when I want to.
So, with some help from Carrie's dad, Dave, we got the charcoal lit and burgers were cooked. And it was good. And I rested.
The rain passed, and though the weatherman called for similar conditions for the rest of the week, we have been blessed with fantastic weather. I mean, really nice. Today it was around 80 degrees F, with a great breeze and smiles abounding.

Monday saw us getting in some quality beach time, and thusly lobstering various body parts. Carrie has a nice reverse farmer's tan, and i'm a bit toasted, but none the worse for wear. It was a real treat to take Layla for her first dip in the ocean, and now that we've established her need to respect the water, all is well. The waves were pretty high Sunday into Monday, but things have settled down to a nice subtle swell since.

I will say that she has been less than cooperative for the entire duration thus far, pretty much, but I guess that comes with being a near-4 year-old. She's coming along, and we hope that she will just learn to enjoy it and stop whining so !@#@$# much.

Last night (Monday) we took everyone out for dinner. We were shooting for a highly recommended place, but they had a two-hour wait, so we opted for another joint.
Bad idea.
Service was nice, but what a rip-off. Without going into a diatribe about poor kitchen etiquette and low quality food, I'll say I felt like I spent $50 on the tables and said "Hit me" on an 18.

Today was spectacular. We got up and had breakfast, and after some quality time on the beach, we gathered up for lunch and a quick reposo (that's an official Opa Lawson term for nap) we jetted out for a dolphin cruise.

It was pretty cheap to do, and well worth it. The kids loved it. Just absolutely loved it. And so did the adults. The crew we sailed with had two boats out in the bay, and we ran side-by-side to create a perfect wave catch for the dolphins, and they provided us with great entertainment. It was really something to see these wild dolphins playing in the waves and romping around for our enjoyment. I got loads of pics and video, and will post this later on.

After that, we came back to the condo and Brad and Jodie cooked up a delicious supper. We ate our fill, and after the kiddos finally conked out for the night, us youngsters headed over to the Flora-bama for some PBR and cougar catching.

The Flora-bama is the hot spot down here, mainly on Wed-Sat, so we caught it a bit early, but still enjoyed ourselves. I'm looking forward to getting back over there again soon.

We've had a great time so far, and still have plenty of time to take it all in. Layla is really enjoying herself, in spite of her whining which seems to happen more than we would like, but hey.... she's a wee kiddo. So be it.

We've got our toes in the water, ass in the sand... all of that cheesy stuff that makes for a great vacation.

***

Now that you've been updated, it's time for my thoughts.

I'm so very, very blessed. Blessed to have a boss that allowed me to take a week's vacation before I made my first year with the company. Blessed to have generous in-laws that have taken care of our needs for this trip and made it something to really remember. Blessed to have a beautiful wife and two healthy kids that can celebrate what God has blessed us with together. Blessed to be here; blessed to be alive!

It is very, very hard for me to put into perspective that 1 year ago, I was desperately seeking employment, dodging bills and making excuses for why things were the way there were. Things are still tough-- have no doubt; it takes a long time to recover from 7 months of unemployment, but there is no question that the world is changing for the better, and I really, honestly owe it all to God. He works wonders in all of us, and I plan to continue on the path that he has set me on. Good things will continue to happen for my family!

I will blog more tomorrow night, following the adventures we have coming up, so you know what's going on. Hit the facebook page for pictures and such. I will work on getting some of the video up that I've shot, but for now, enjoy what's out there.

For those reading, take 5 minutes today to study on your own situation. Things aren't perfect; that I guarantee. It's part of being human. But things have probably been worse, so be thankful for the blessings that you have today. If it feels like it's the worst day ever, then rest assured that things will get better. Trust me; trust God.

PLR,
D

First Day of the Rest of My Life...

That's something you typically hear when you graduate high school, so call me a really late bloomer.

I started the new job today. I say "the" as opposed to "a" because I want to emphasize that this is it. I have found something that I am going to love and will be able to grow with and root myself into. I am excited, determined and re-focused.

I honestly see this job as an answer to prayer. My own, and my friends and family. Ever since things went extinct with SHOEBACCA, I have been yearning to find a position with a crew that is as much of a family as all of us are. I feel that I will have that with this company, and I can't wait to see how that grows.

Only thing is, I have to get some stuff to hang in my office. It's freakin' huge. I'm thinking of taking in my Life magazine prints or something. The walls are bare, and Lord knows I have an excessive amount of crap around here to decorate in my own "special" way.

So, what's the gig? I am a project manager with Element 74. This company has been around since 1998. The bread and butter is website development, hosting, support... But they also do custom software development and other goodies. It's a well-rounded business, and I can't say enough about the owner, Chris. He's really the rock of the company. He has a success that is based on his faith in God. He's a perfect example of someone who not only claims to be a Christian, but lives it everyday. I see him as a potential mentor, and I see this job as something that can bring me back closer to my own walk with God.

"Remember when you saw only one set of footprints in the sand?" He said. "That's when the sand people were walking in single file to hide their numbers."

Carrie is relieved/excited/seriously relieved that I got this position. I am, equally. This year has, frankly, kicked my ass, and I don't need to reiterate any of that if you've read the past posts. August? Better late than never, in my book.

Lawson is doing great. I have to take some time this weekend to get some pictures in here. He's going to grow as fast as Layla has, I can tell already, and will be a full-on baby monster before I know it.

So, now that the dust of this whirlwind year is settling, I feel like I can pull my head out of the sand and get a clear perspective of my life. I'm gonna do that, and you can come along for the rollercoaster. :)
D

Whirlwind? Cool.

So the wee lad's been here 10 days, and had pooped on the couch, peed on the kitchen wall and make Layla laugh.

A lot.

No pictures to drop in right now (they're upstairs on the laptop), but I'll try to get to that tomorrow.

Things are going well, family-wise. Lawson's bilirubin was high, so they've had us doing light therapy on him. It was down around 14 on Saturday, but his pediatrician wants it under 12, so we're going back tomorrow to see where he is standing. Hopefully, he's in good shape. We shall see!
We head up to St. Louis on the 20th to meet with a specialist about his kidneys. It's nothing to get worried about, honestly, but because of the gestational diabetes, he has a small issue with size in the parts inside the kidney (pyelectasis). I say don't worry, because statistically, one in one hundred babies are diagnosed with it, and rarely does it turn into anything. Here's a great link for a user-friendly explanation. http://www.obfocus.com/high-risk/birthdefects/pyelectasis.htm

Mom is doing great. Her milk is coming in well. Almost too well: Our freezer looks like a dairy storage. :) He's eating well and his circumcision is healed already. Carrie is getting around great and although she has a nice bruise on her hip from a shot, she's in good spirits and looking as beautiful as always.

Layla is adjusting to her brother with great ease, honestly. She's such a literal and easygoing kid anyway, so I hoped the transition would be easy. She wants to help with everything now; she helped me give Lawson a bath tonight. She's wonderful, and seems to be continuing with the potty training, though she still struggles somewhat.

I had a very good interview with Element 74 on Tuesday evening. Seems like a very cool company to work for, and the three that I met with reminded me a lot of the SHOEBACCA crew, meaning they fed off of each other and seemed to follow a mutual love for the company. With (and I really hate this word but gotta use it) synergy like that, I think I could fit in well and be a great asset to the crew. I should know something in the next couple of weeks, as the owner is leaving for a 10-day trip. Hate the waiting game, but hope it's worth it!

I have resumes in with several other things as well; like Grandpa Towler said, "You can't catch fish with your bait in the boat," so I'm dropping as many worms as I can.

Back to the hunt and a little bit of sleep. Thanks for reading; I promise pictures soon (and yeah, they're on FB already).
D

Mama, I'm Comin' Home...

Thanks, Ozzy.

So it's July 5, around 11:14 am. Time has kind of gotten lost since we've been here, with some crazy sleep spurts and random visits from nurses and doctors.

But we're going home today. YAY.

I can't wait to get back to our house, so we have a real bed, room to breathe and a regular schedule again. Layla has been a real trooper through all of this, but Carrie's parents said last night she was crying and wanted Jellybean and mommy and daddy to come home. For nearly three years old, she sure is a level-headed kid.

We've had family and friends come and see us while we have been in the hospital, and thanks to you for that. It's a nice reprieve from watching the clock and chomping the bit.

We did get the results from Lawson's ultrasound today, and we are going to have to visit a nephrologist in St. Louis later this week. That's nephrologist, not necrologist, like I told Carrie when I was half asleep.

Lawson was a gestational diabetes baby, and there was some concern about his kidneys. He has had no problem wizzing since he was born, but there is a space in one of his kidneys that is smaller than it should be, so they want us to follow up with the STL doc to make sure we're kosher. It will suck to travel that quick with the boy, but it's a good excuse to drive a little out of the way for some Jersey Mike's. :)

That last sentence evoked a smile from Carrie.

They will have his picture up on the Southeast Hospital website, officially, and also the announcement and picture on the LED billboard at William and Kingshighway (above Quiznos). I think we've snapped enough pictures to create a 3D image of him.

The future isn't certain. After we get home, I'm polishing my resume and cover letter and applying for a service coordinator position with the Cape County Board for the Developmentally Disabled. Believe it or not, I studied to do this stuff in college and wanted to move forward with a psych degree, but other things took priority and distracted, and I moved away from that path. Perhaps this is an opportunity to get back on track.

Anyway, if any of you want to come visit this week, just call, text or message. If you don't have my cell, it is 573-TWO7zero 798 eight. Love to ya, and we feel it from ya!

Picture time!

Now that the Dust has Settled

Breathing. I think I almost forgot how that works, once I saw my son's face for the first time. I watched him emerge from Carrie, the doctor cleared his airways and he made his first, strong cries. I remembered so much instantly from when Layla was born. I felt like we were back in Dallas, 3 years younger and scared to death, seperated by hundreds of miles from our support structure. Carrie's parents were there for us then, and this time, everyone was here.

Mom, dad, Jamie and Dori, David, Cindy and Layla were all here. After his birth and measurements were taken, they got Carrie cleaned up and presentable and wrapped Lawson in his little blue and white hospital blanket and handed him to me.

* * *

Before Carrie began the long stretch of pushing and straining, cycling over and over until he was delivered, I sat down on the doc's spinning stool and rolled up to Carrie's side. I held her hand, bowed my head and prayed. I prayed to God for her safety, and for Lawson's. I prayed harder than I have in a long time. And I felt Him touch me. I felt his hand on my shoulder. I saw my Grandma Minnie, my Grandpa Towler, Gary Wayne and even Truman, watching down from Heaven, assuring me that everything would be fine. My eyes filled with tears, and as I sat up from my prayer I felt the tears break down my face. Though tired, stressed and pressed to the limit through all of the trials of this year, this moment, I was at peace.

I stood by Carrie's side throughout the process, holding her left knee with my other hand behind her back, helping her push up as much as I could, watching with anticipation for that moment when Lawson's head would crown. Once I saw that fuzzy head start to emerge, I knew it wasn't going to be long.

Mom and baby are doing great. Carrie is finally getting some rest, after some more intensive clean up and proper padding. Childbirth ain't purty, kids, but she's a champ. Seriously; she would have been totally fine in the days where the country was young and expanding Westward. Just bring an epidural on the time machine.

Vital stats and pics on the next blog. Thanks to EVERYONE for all of the prayers, well-wishes and cheerful thoughts. You are loved, and we're awefully blessed!

Getting Close

So I just got back from dinner, and as I entered the hospital, Carrie texted me to tell me that she has a little bit of cervix left, and she's at 9 cm. While I was at dinner, Dr. Cugini (her OB) came in and checked her out. She went to have a quick dinner with her husband, and then she's coming back to get this show on the road!

Are we ready? Yes. I have my Vicks, and Carrie has her epidural. Are we ready? Not at all. Freaking out over the obvious things, like the job situation, but we will make it work.

She's been in good spirits. I'm sure that anxiety will press as family gets here (no offense; LOVE y'all) and things get more hectic, but at this point, she's focused, not in pain, and ready to do what she has to do to bring Lawson into this world.

Above all, at this point, I'm glad we're here. I've regretted the move back to Missouri for a host of reasons since we did it, but there have been positives. This one shines above all others. To be able to be surrounded by those who love us and help us and are here with us. Thank God for every one of you.