Settling Down? part 2

I will have to post pictures after I get them off of a different computer.  So, since I didn't finish the story a year ago about what happened, I will do that now with a brief summary and add pictures later.

So, a little over one week after Rachel's birthday, May 10, 2010, a tornado came through the OKC area and decided that it really wanted to throw our house around, so it did.  Dave was at school preparing to take a final exam for a class and I took the kids (10 minutes before the tornado hit) to a friend's house with a shelter.  So, everyone was safe, but we had no way to communicate with one another.  Dave and I couldn't get a hold of each other for about an hour after the tornado came through.  Even though we lost many of our posessions, we were very grateful that the family was all safe. 

We moved into a rental house and went over to the distruction often to find more things we might be able to save.  During one of these visits, Jonathan and Dave were talking with the neighbors and their black lab mix attacked Jonathan and broke his arm.  So, we had two boys wtih broken arms.  Dave took Jonathan to the ER and got a splint put on it.  The doctor tried to assure Jonathan that his arm (before the x-ray) wouldn't be broken from a dog bite.  Jonathan looked at the doctor and said, "yes, it is."  Sure enough, it was broken.  I called to schedule an appointment with the orthopedic sergeon.  Jonathan and Matthew went in at the same time... one to get his cast removed, the other to get his put on.  What a fun day that was. 

After that, I took the kids to CO to get away from the mess for a while.  We had a good time visiting my parents and my sisters.  My sister, Kim, decided to drive out from UT to come and see me and my kids when she heard I was going to be there.  It was great to spend time with my sisters and parents while I was going through such a hard time... oh yea, and I was in the first trimester of pregnancy too!  Dave stayed behind and took care of things with the house and went to work every day.  He's such a wonderful man! 

I got home from visiting CO and two weeks later, turned around and drove back out there with the kids for a family reunion.  Dave couldn't go this time because he had to take the MCAT during the reunion.  We went camping in Aspen, CO and had a great time, but missed Dave a lot. 

Then, the kids started school.  I decided that I couldn't homeschool again after the tornado and being pregnant too.  So, the kids went to the institution to get educated.  During the night of November 14-15, I started having contractions.  I was quite concerned since I was not due for another 5 1/2 weeks.  In the morning, I went to the clinic.  They kept me there over night and kept an eye on things.  I called the kids in the morning, and right when I hung up the phone, I started shaking violently and couldn't stop.  I was suddenly freezing cold.  The ultrasonogropher was there and immediately called for the doctor.  My temperature was taken and it was 102.  It jumped from normal to 102 almost instantly.  They were doing an ultra sound to check for kidney stones or something.  They couldn't see anything, so the doctor started pushing on my belly and asking if it hurt.  It didn't matter where she pushed, it always hurt down where my appendix used to be.  That's right, appendicitis!  So, I was transfered to OU Medical Center since they have a NICU.  The doctors there decided it would be best to take Sarah out via Cessarian Section and then take out my appendix.  I was not happy about this, but complied because I knew it was probaby the best choice.  Sarah stayed in the NICU for 8 days.  She came home a healthy beautiful girl.

Sarah was born on November 16, 2010 at 7:00 pm.  She weighed 5 pounds 3 ounces and was 19 inches long.  I was really suprised by this weight since I haven't had any large babies.  If Sarah had been full term, she would have been 8-9 pounds!!!  I know the Lord was preparing her for her early arrival.

In April, on Rachel's birthday, we moved into the house that we currently live in... right next door to the house that was hit by the tornado.  No, the house we are in now was not blown away, it only had some minor roof damage that was repaired, and yes, it is the house that was once home to the black lab that broke Jonathan's arm.  This was Rachel's 8th birthday, and she was baptized on her birthday.  My parents and Dave's mom were able to be here for it, and the move.  It was a very exciting time.  I was very proud of my girl for choosing to be baptized. 

Matthew and Hannah were rough housing one evening.  Matthew was launching Hannah with his legs and she came down wrong and broke her arm.  So, we had 4 broken arms in just under 2 years. 

That summer, we went to Winter Park, CO for a de Gaston family reunion.  We had a great time seing the whole family and playing in Winter Park.  I think the favorite for everyone was the alpine slide.  It was a great ride!  We drove the trail ridge road and played in snow during the middle of summer.  We saw lots of elk too.  A moose and a bear walked past our cabin. 

Though Dave tried hard, he did not get accepted to medical school that year.  He continued to work at his job and started his application process earlier for the next year.

Jonathan started middle school.  He played trombone in the band and had 1 or 2 chair all year long.  I volunteered in the library at the Intermediate School during the first semester.  After that, Sarah was too curious to stay quiet in the stroller. 

Dave was accepted to OU College of Medicine class of 2016!  He was a very happy man when that big red envelope came in the mail! 

On July 9th, 2012, Joshua joined our family.  I went to OU this time because I wanted a VBAC.  Everything went beautifully with the delivery.  However, two hours later, I had the nurse practitioner from the NICU up in the room to take care of him.  He was grunting with every breath, (I had her up to check on him earlier too, but she said he was okay, but I kept my eye on him anyway) and his hands and feet turned blue/purple (after the nurse came in the first time.)  He had PPHN or pretty much, his lungs filled with fluid and he couldn't breathe.  He was in very serious condition for a few days, and then, because of many answered prayers, he made a turn around and started getting better quite rapidly.  He was in the NICU for only 9 days!  We thought he would end up being in there for 14  days at least, so we were very pleased that he was only in there for 9 days. 

We took a great vacation this summer and I will write more about that when I have pictures to post.