The Kindness of a Stranger..

Something someone posted on Twitter "Just got prayed on by a stranger" reminded me of something that happened to us when we were in the hospital when Emily was first born.. as anyone who has followed this blog or knows me at all knows that our daughter Emily was born very premature.. I mean really premature, she was what they called a micro-preemie! Emily weighed only 14.7 oz when she was born!!! She was in the hospital for 6 months.. and thankfully after she was discharged has NEVER returned.. to say we are blessed is an understatement. Anyway, back to the story at hand... The story of Emily is a remarkable one... and the outcome truly amazing and I could go on and on about it. I love sharing her story... but this post is about one day of our 179 day journey at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia... one of the worst days there, but looking back now I think one of the most amazing as well.. We had been there a few weeks and Emily was having a really really bad day.. infact she had just gotten an infection which can be fatal for babies as small as Emily... we decided to go to the church inside of CHOP!! It was a tiny church inside the hospital.. we went up to the front of the aisle in between a few rows of pews on each side. There was a book that people could write prayers in and bibles.. There wasn't a preacher there or anything .. they did have a service, during certain hours but we weren't there at the right time. Brian isn't a very "religious" person. What he believes in exactly is hard to define. He is skeptical of religion but believes that there is a god or something larger than us. But at the time.. he was, like me so scared was willing to do anything if it would help Emily. So we sat there in the pew, shaking, obviously crying, and looking I'm sure like how we felt completely devastated. We were.. our Emily whom we loved and needed more than anything ever before was in a real bad way.. it wasn't looking good. we knew we needed a miracle... people often say that but we truly did. Her tiny body was fighting as hard as it could but we just weren't sure how much more it could take. We knew though she was a fighter... had been since the moment she came out.. so tiny & small the doctors feared she would not survive the delivery.. yet she came out crying with apgars of 8 & 9! The doctors in the delivery room hardly could contain their surprise... it lifted our spirits.. but apparently this happens sometimes.. preemies often have a "honeymoon" period before the "rollercoaster" preemie ride begins.. every premature parent knows what this means.. the good days (the ride is smooth) and the bad days of the SCARIEST up & downs you can imagine. This particular day was one of the scariest dips.. so anyway we were there... trying anything we could to help our daughter. We were there a few moments when this man came up to us... he was just a man. We hadn't seen him before.. he was an african american. He was kinda ordinary looking.. I'm not sure I could tell you anything about him today.. my focus was solely on Emily... but this kind stranger said something to us like, "do u have a child here at the hospital" Our tears making it hard for us to speak, I'm sure we just shook our heads! Maybe said.. "yes" He said something like "I can see your pain, they say that people who pray together can move mountains.. would it be alright if I prayed with you" again.. i'm not sure if we said much or just nodded our heads again but we did pray with him.. the words were his,..I was quietly saying my own.."Please GOD, Please GOD, Please let her be okay" Anyway, We sat there praying together.. this man, Brian & I. After a bit. we had to leave... we had to get back to Emily.... so we left him, this man who took the time to pray for us & OUR Emily. We didn't even get his name.. didn't even properly thank him... we said a quick heartfelt Thank you, perhaps shook his hand, then we left! Looking back it doesn't seem enough. he stopped his day, whatever reason he was there for... to help us! Whenever someone says the expression.. "the kindness of Strangers" I think of this man. This man who was there and offered the one thing we needed that day.. HOPE! That day didn't end with some miraculous healing... but it did end with Emily there to fight another day, and that was all the miracle we needed.

Our Christmas 2011

HI Everyone!! Merry Christmas!!! My family had a great one! On Christmas Eve we went over our friend Danielle's house, she & her family have an open house-it was fun! We got there around 3:30 and stayed til around 5, then a quick stop at home to pick up a pumpkin pie I had made and then off to our brother & Sister In laws for a really yummy turkey dinner! We had a nice time with our nephews (Jimmy, Patrick & Christopher) The kids opened their gifts.. we decided a few years ago to end adult gifts on my husband's side. WHich is fine by us, Brian & I didn't even exchange presents this year. It's been a tough year, on quite honestly everyone--- gas prices, etc. PLUS, We wanted a christmas WITHOUT any debt!!! We succeeded to, were able to buy all the presents with CASH!!! This is a first for us and I'll be happy to have this tradition continue!! :) Anyway, after we left Jim & Debbie's house we got home and read Emily How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Twas the night before Christmas (this is tradition in our house!) Emily still LOVES it!!! She was able to open one gift on Christmas Eve.. a bagugan!! Then it was bedtime.. Emily is really good about going to bed, Ofcourse her supplemental Melontonin helps.. LOL! She slept until 9!!! :) She was SOOOO over the moon about her presents, she got a good amt of gifts and the one thing she wanted the most & she's HAPPY!! Seeing her joy & smile while opening her presents was honestly the only gift I needed.Then after Emily & Fernando opened their presents. We just got Fernando a few presents.. a pair of work boots, a thermal shirt, a pop-corn tin, and a few others.. he's getting older himself! I still feel like he's only a teenager but he's not & so the adult gift plan goes for him too but we couldn't not get him anything. so we got him a few things. Anyway, after that we headed over to my aunts for her annual Christmas morning breakfast.. soo yum!!! My cousin Ursula made this stuffed frenchtoast that was so good, we were soo full by the time we left (well except Brian he couldn't eat any of it, his stomach was bothering him alot the day before and he didn't want to push it.. so he had a bowl of cereal when he got home.. poor guy, really missed out!!) Anyway, that was sooo much fun! But we had to get home to put our turkey in the oven *yes we had turkey again, Brian's FAVORITE!!! And one of the few things he can eat without it upsetting his stomach... Emily was happy to be home and be able to finally play with all her toys!!!!!! We then just had a nice quiet dinner of: turkey, mac & cheese, mashed potatoes, stuffing, crescent rolls, & green beans.. it was delicious if I do say so myself.. lol! Anyway.. it was a terrific Christmas, the only thing that could have made it any better was if my mom was here! But otherwise it was perfect!! Oh AND Emily got me a beautiful paper magnet for Christmas that she bought at her school's kiddie shop that said, "Mom- you are beautiful" It was perfect and THE ONE & only gift I needed! I LOVED IT SOO MUCH!! I honestly was overwelmed by it and felt like the luckiest person alive, I didn't need anything else I had my family.. we are blessed in so many ways.. it's been a tough year but we've come through it, stronger & happier! That's how I feel right now.. just happy! Happy to be me! Merry Christmas friends... I hope your family had as wonderful of a Christmas as ours!

The girl loves to perform.... :)

HI Last night our family went to Emily's 5th Grade Holiday Concert!! It was so great! Emily both sang and played the recorder in it! She ROCKED!!! She did really well.. a couple people even came up to us at the end and said how well she did on the recorder. We were really very proud of her, especially because the recorder club you had to volunteer for, The kids would practice at lunch & recess! So we really liked the idea that Emily decided to do this on her own, and she did great, even practiced at home!!! She was with her friends Zac & Reilly (both of whom came to her birthday party!!!) The kids performed all kinds of Christmas songs but also a Hannakah song, a kwansa song & Felix Navidad! They covered it all!! It was thoroughly enjoyable to see the kids. I actaully attended both the matinee show & the evening show (Brian was able to attend that one as well!!! This made Emily sooo happy that her daddy was there!!!) HE recorded the whole thing. The reason I attended both was because Emily performed a "duet" with one of her classmates for the morning show.. she was a ROCKSTAR! :)

A NYC Christmas Day!

Went to NYC this weekend with some friends, their children & Emily. We had a great time..Saw the Radio City Music Christmas show, had lunch at RockCenter Cafe, Visited the American Girl Store, the Lego Store, and FAO Shwartz. It was a fun day!!Of course in NYC I paid $21.00 for a CHEESEBURGER!!! WOW, it was really a very GOOD cheeseburger BUT holy-cow that is a lot of money. Oh Well.. Emily enjoyed the show a lot & liked NYC too. She did so well, we walked a lot and she didn't complain at all. We were right in front of the Ice Skaters at Rockefeller Center Ice Rink while we ate, that was my favorite part! Like I said it was a fun long day, and Emily was definitely ready to go home by the end it, (*mostly because she forgot to do her Excel homework and got herself all concerned about that.) It ended up fine we got home around 9:15pm, she did her Excel homework and then she went to bed, only about 15-30 minutes late! It was a really long day though.. considering we left for NY around 7:30am.. and didn't get home til 9:15pm.. I think Emily slept well. :) I might have found a lil' Christmas Spirit there! Woooo... good cause I really need some! Been feeling a little down this year, it helped pick me up some!

throwing this out there to...

Without getting into specifics, I feel the need to throw something out into the universe, to just let someone know that I know what you've tried to do to me and my family.. I don't understand it. Nor will I ever... that your goal is to so hurt another person is so heartless. SO while I know that someone who purposely hurts another is someone who deserves little of my time. I also realize that when someone is trying to hurt you BUT they are being a coward about it, and not coming forward to say who they really are or what their real issue with you is... that as much of a BIGGER person as you want to be, you are human & would like nothing better than to call them out for their actions. I know what you are, you're PATHETIC and I want to call you out on it. GOD SEES YOU!! You pretend to be a "good" person when I know the truth, your type of good is a good I never want to be. I'll take mine, the kind that is good on the inside & the outside.. and while I may make mistakes because of anger, stress or frustration, it's spontaneous, it's a moment of weakness not a deep-seeded evil.... it's not planned or "schemed" & the fact that your goal was to hurt another person so viciously shows your true colors.... I got glimpse before but now I really know the truth.. you're pathetic. My hope is that you see this.. cause you've done everything anonymous so I can't really call you out without a lot of people getting hurt... I know.. God knows..I know.

Christmas vs. Holiday? OH the horror of it....

Today while i was on facebook, I saw another post that someone put on there about... "THEY HAVE A CHRISTMAS TREE.. not a holiday tree.. and they have CHRISTMAS presents not "holiday" presents & they are going to wish you a MERRY CHRISTMAS and NOT a Happy Holiday.. and blah blah blah" AND OMG!!! I JUST COULD NOT TAKE IT ANY MORE.. i went off.. i went off in my "missy" way but I still went off... ugh this has got to be the stupidest thing for people to be upset over.. I mean come on WHO CARES, call it whatever you want.. let others call it what ever they want.. why is this important.. why is this upsetting to anyone.. why do I have to see your stupidity... needless to say I had my full of these post. My take..... someone greets you with a kind statement, and you are finding a reason to bitch about it. I mean what the hell is wrong with someone saying Happy holidays, It's a nice thing... When someone says it to me I'm happy... i think .. Thank you! I don't think.. "I'm a CHRISTIAN.. I celebrate CHRISTmas & how dare you say HAPPY HOLIDAYS to me!!!" People really think this is an issue... there are so many things wrong in the world and this is what you have to bitch at. OMG.... By the way, just so it's clear.... I actually am one of those people who says HAPPY HOLIDAYS! especially to people I don't know what they celebrate.. i've said it proudly, thinking this was the perfect thing to wish someone especially if I didn't know them. Now I really need to go & decorate my Christmas tree, What??? Yes, I call it a Christmas tree.. and just cause I wish you Happy Holidays doesn't mean I'm a Christmas hater?? NO.. I'm just someone who knows that Christians aren't the only people celebrating holidays this time of year. It's insane..really. Okay.. now that that is over..... HAPPY HOLIDAYS!! Peace people!