11/14 Update

Clareanne, Madison, Danae and Raymond

Raymond and Mark keeping Madison at bay...while she finds even more rocks and throws them down the gutter

Clareanne and my mom

Look what Madison's teacher and her class made for me!! How sweet is this?? Thank you, Miss Mindy, for going through all the effort to get seven kids' hand prints and create this awesome card for me! I've proudly displayed it on my front door.

Yesterday was a busy day filled with lots of visitors. It was wonderful!

First, Clareanne and Raymond, our former neighbors in Katy, came to visit. Mark and I became very close to them while living in Katy. And, they became "proxy grandparents" to Madison, spending lots of time with her as they lived right across the street. (wait - I think I've already explained this in earlier posts...) Oh, how we miss them! Clareanne just returned from Trinidad (where they're both from) and was so kind to want to visit me and Hunter right away. They brought me a nice, juicy Whopper from Burger King, which I thoroughly enjoyed. We talked for a while, and soon, Madison, Mark and my mom arrived. Raymond and Clareanne were so happy to see them again.

It was wonderful beyond words to see Madison again...I haven't seen her in a week! I was most happy that she wasn't acting any more distant with me - which, according to others, may happen. But yesterday, when she arrived, she came right to my bed and laid her head on my shoulder. I loved every second of it. The emptiness that tends to be in my heart when she is not with me, suddenly disappeared.

We all went outside for my daily outing...but it was so windy and so cold that we didn't stay out for very long. Clareanne and Raymond left after a couple hours and my mom, Mark and Madison stayed for a few additional hours before they headed home. Madison has still been battling a cold and bad diaper rash, so it was best that they went back the same day. Plus, today, my mom and Mark aren't feeling well, either. Before they left, I kissed Mark and Madison as if there were no tomorrow - I just can't believe it will be a whole week until I see them again. Especially Madison...it's hard not being able to be the one to take care of her when she's sick. But until then, I'll think of all the sweet memories I pocketed away from yesterday; tracing her hand, playing with her little fingers, holding her so tightly, seeing her smile...even the simplest thing such as trimming her fingernails and brushing her hair.

After my family left, three of my girlfriends from Beaumont came to visit! They'd been in Houston doing some Christmas shopping and wanted to come see me. They brought Chuy's Mexican food for dinner!! The cheese enchiladas were heavenly. We gossiped and laughed for several hours - it was great fun. It was getting so late, we briefly considered everyone just shacking up in my hospital room for the night. :) I was so glad they could visit. I just wish I got a picture of all of us together.

I had a few contractions (long time since I last had them!) during last night's monitoring, so they left us on the monitor for over an hour. I had spotted a little bit, too, but nothing to be worried about. Everything turned out to be just fine. No problem!

Just taking it easy today...I think Christy and Rachel are coming this afternoon to see me at my home away from home...