I am an Idiot

[doug]Nichelle is making me post this, because I used it as leverage to get her to finally post an update on all the cute things Naomi is doing.

As you know, we had some computer problems, which seem to have all been solved. However, after upgrading to Trillian 3.0, Nichelle complained that she was not hearing any sound from Trillian.

We tested sound from other sources, Media Player, Flash animations, etc., and everything was fine, so I logged on to her screen and checked the Trillian preferences. Sound was enabled, and I looked everywhere trying to see what was wrong.

A few minutes later, she looked through the sound preferences for Trillian, and discovered that, despite the fact I had looked at the setting three or four times, I completely overlooked the checkbox marked, “Do not play sounds when I’m away.” Nichelle was, of course, as usual, in “away” mode all the time, because she tends to just be at the computer for a few minutes.

So, I get an “F” in troubleshooting for that day. ::: sigh :::

What’s Wrong with Nichelle?

Other than Fibromyalgia, that’s something we’re still trying to figure out.

Today we visit with the neurologist, who may choose to have Nichelle undergo an MRI. We had blood work done last week, but still need to discuss the results.

Nichelle has had debilitating exhuastion, strange feelings in her limbs, and stabbing pains in her head that spread throughout her body. Put everything together and you get a lot of time spent on the couch or in bed, but she never seems to get enough rest.

Can you believe it? She actually wants me to help out around the house. Sheesh.

I think she's just lazy.


Related posts: The Twins Are Back: What’s Wrong with Nichelle, Continued, Pain; or view all posts categorized as related to fibromyalgia.

David and Salvation

On October 12, I was standing in the living room when David came upstairs after he got changed into his play clothes after school. He says to me, “I want to ask Jesus to be my Savior.” It took just a moment to register, but what a joy it was to hear those words come out of his mouth. So we went off to my room together and I asked him many questions about why he wanted to do that and shared verses with him as well.

After all that was said and done, he understood why he needed to be saved and wanted to do it right away. How awesome that was.

As I shared scripture with him, he would reach over and give me a hug and a kiss on the cheek. It was so very precious and special. David prayed and got saved that afternoon.

The next day he asked about baptism, we haven't gotten into that yet though.

Another wonderful thing is that David's best friend is named David (who was born just 2 days before him), talked to his mother that same evening and he too got saved. Neither boy knew of this happening for both David's mom and I gave testimony at church about what took place with our children. Some time on Thursday, Cindy LaVoie told her son David his friend David got saved, too, the other day. His eyes got wide and bright and he just had this great big smile on his face. I also told David what took place with his friend and his reaction was nearly the same. God is awesome!!! Praise Him for the salvation of these little ones.

Naomi’s First Year

Naomi celebrated her first birthday on Oct. 13. I wanted to do something for her and also for our family and friends to celebrate her first year. Doug showed me (very patiently) how to get the photos entered into our family photo gallery and all of the editing that went along with it. Amazingly, I did it, to my surprise. This is the first set for Naomi there will be a second part as well, but that'll be for another night.

We do love our little girl and am very thankful to God for giving her to us. She is truly a precious and sweet gift from our Heavenly Father (I must also point out that our boys are gifts (just as precious and sweet, but boyishly (lol), as well).

Things that she’s doing now: climbing up onto our loveseat to the top over the loveseat onto the stairs and back over again, but not before letting go and falling down to the cushions laughing. Unfortunately, I didn’t have the camera ready for that one. She’s been taking steps now for about a month on her own…not running yet, which is perfectly fine. 😉

Words she says: I would have to say that her first word was: Isaac (sounding like “Aye-yah”; now it's clearer, but not with the c ending. She also said “Mum,” but that was only a few times. She does say “Mama” and “Dada” now. Other words are “up” and “hi” (from time to time).

She already loves to have her hair done. I give her a container with her barrettes in them, and she plays as I do her hair. Once I’m done, she gets a turn and does mine. She loves the phone, especially being able to play with our cell phone. She enjoys opening it and playing with the buttons and pretending to talk into it. It’s charming. Hmmm, now that I remember that I don't think I had any photos of that either…need to get with it, I know.

The great thing about getting these entered myself is that I can do more now without bugging Doug—so our boys will have a place on in the photo gallery, too. Enjoy the pictures.

Love,
Nichelle

Nichelle’s Notes from May

Naomi will be 7 mos. old on 5/13…the time goes so fast. She is now mobile. At 5 mos. she started to creep, but realized rolling where she wanted to go was much faster until a week and a half ago. One day last month she was on my bed w/ me playing with some toys and a doll that was mine when I was either 4 or 5. Things were great until David came in with his sword and shield and she left the doll and played with the shield. LOL. So now on occasion she'll have a sword in hand, or mouth (check out the picture—it’s quite cute).

Isaac and David play w/ her and she grabs their hair. Now mind you, they do scream or say “ouch,” but they keep giving their hair back to her to pull, it's pretty funny. John too, does the hair thing, but doesn't scream, which is good.

Nearly 6 mos. of residency here in Nashua, amazing. We love it here! As Doug is home so much earlier now, a huge blessing. We do miss our friends in Ma., we'll be down again, really, but many times over we see why God brought us here—Particularly for the 24-hour Wal*Mart in Amherst (just outside of Nashua) or the one in Hudson (a few minutes away) that’s open to midnight everyday ;-)!! :: drool, drool :: Alright, maybe not just for those, but it's a perk. I will have to admit shopping after midnight can get a bit wacky, as my sister-in-law, Joyce, came to see. We said, we'd never do that again.

Two weeks ago now, I joined the choir and work in the nursery once a month. Doug has been going out on visitation weekly now and John too has gone a couple of times. As for other ministries we're still praying for God's leading on that. It's wonderful seeing the kids excited about Sunday school and junior church and also their classes on Wednesday night. One of David's friends in his class is named David and was born two days before him. They'll be in K5 together in September.

Isaac turned 9 a couple of weeks ago,and we had a party for him at the house. He had a great time w/ his new friends and even Nda came up for the event. Nda has been up here a few times and we've so enjoyed his visits and the visits of our other friends and family as well. Hope we'll see more of you, too.

A couple of months ago, I started watching a little girl named Mikayla (4 days/wk). She's a sweetie. She and David get along very well. Mikayla will be starting K4 in September.

For the month of July our church offers a day camp for grades 1 to 10. I'm really looking forward to that. The program sounds awesome!

Today (5/6), I was asked to watch a little boy of about 15 mos. old named Ethan. I'll only be doing this two days a week-which is great. I start tomorrow.

Wow, it's already the 31 of May … Yesterday my cap on the radiator went once I arrived at church for choir practice. The car is now in the shop. We were planning to visit Cindy, but obviously that had to change. It's alright for it gives us an extra day to get things cleaned out downstairs.

Naomi had a full bath in the tub today…which she loved. She's been creeping for several weeks now,and two days ago started pulling her legs under her to get ready to crawl. Naomi also was able to pull herself up on the stairs in the family room.

John wanted to visit his friends in Mass. and Doug took him and the kids to Lowell and road the train w/ him part way (to North Station) and then sent him on the way. John made it to Brockton, with only a minor problem due to someone giving him the wrong information about what track the Middleboro/Lakeville train was on. Well, he made it back to Lowell Sunday afternoon so we could leave for Cindy's after church. With that trip being cancelled due to the car problem, John hopped back on the train to head to his friend Ryan's party. Can't believe his 16th birthday is a few weeks away…need to get planning. Actually, he needs to get planning!

Naomi and Mom

As I go through the pictures, I don't find many pictures of me w/ Naomi due to the fact that I'm always taking the pictures. Anyway, it is nice to see some w/ me in them too…


Naomi and Her Dad

Ah, Naomi and her Dad…it’s taken her no time at all to be up on her Dad’s shoulders just like her brothers. It’s very sweet. Actually, she’s rough-housing already.

Why God Gives Children Mothers

[doug]I don’t think I’m a bad parent, but recent experience has shown me that, without mothers, most children would never live to see their third birthday. Let me explain a couple of incidents that happened with NaNi this week:

Incident 1: I took all the kids, including Naomi (NaNi), Mother’s Day shopping at Wal*Mart Saturday night. The trip actually went pretty well, and the boys’ behavior was not-as-bad-as-usual-while-shopping. On the way out to the car, we started down a small incline, and NaNi’s car seat (with her inside), flipped off of the shopping cart, and she landed face-down (but without a scratch, because she was securely fastened in a 5-point safety harness) on the mulch in an island we were adjacent to.

In the moment afterward, the entire cart flipped over, dumping David, who was riding it, and our merchandise to the ground. No one was harmed, although NaNi cried for about 60 seconds.

Now, I was certain that I had attached NaNi’s seat to the shopping cart—but Nichelle (a Mom), wouldn’t have stopped there: She would have attached the seat, listened for the click of the latch attaching, tried to pull the seat off to verify it was secured, asked 3 people to try the same, and probably avoided the slightest incline when navigating back to the car.

Incident 2: Last night, I was watching the kids while Nichelle went to ladies’ Bible study and then grocery shopping. When Nichelle got home, NaNi spit up, and Nichelle asked me, “How is it that NaNi was eating brown paper?” (Oddly enough, I didn’t get “The Look,” which husbands and children everywhere fear.) Somehow the little weaselette had torn a 1-inch long piece of cardboard off a big box David was playing with, and swallowed it. She did this while being watched by me, and in the presence of both David and Isaac!

You may now go about the process of organizing the lynch mob …