Taking a break

I'm taking a break from monitoring Rebecca & Mary-Gail to say THANK YOU to my family and friends who have helped us and thought of us during these last weeks.

My Mom - for spending her nights with me after working such long hours. Mom slept over while Tony was gone. Mom would come "home" around 6:30 pm - just in time to help with our 7 pm feeding. She dropped everything on Sunday when I called her at 1 pm and said 4 words, "Mom, I need you." Mom was at my house in less than 20 minutes to help me with Rebecca and a fever that wouldn't break. Mom came with me to the on-call doctor that night at 9 pm, brought me Wendy's & Gandolpho's & Diet Coke (many Diet Cokes) while we were in the hospital, brought Rebecca a stretchy Easter Bunny toy, and spent every available minute with Rebecca & me. I love you Mom.

My sisters - JoJo, CarCar, Kristie. I have truly been blessed with wonderful sisters who are my best friends and truly love me and my girls. JoJo, CarCar, & Kristie each came to the hospital, basically abandoning their families for several hours at a time, to provide me and Rebecca with much needed relief, support, and conversation. Thanks for breakfast JoJo. Thanks for lunch and dinner CarCar. Thanks for the "fruits and veggies" Kristie (banana cream pie and french fries).

My brothers and Dadda - My brother, Jason, who lives 3,ooo miles away in NYC, called twice to check-in on us. Thank you for thinking of us so far away. We love you! My brother, Josh, came to visit us after he finished teaching his class at UVSC and brought me a Diet Coke and some treats. Thank you! And my Dadda who was available each morning to rush over to our home and watch Mary-Gail so Tony could come to the hospital and give Rebecca a blessing, to give me comfort. Thank you Dadda.

My sister-in-law Carol for being a surrogate mom to Mary-Gail while I stayed at the hospital with Rebecca. Carol watched Mary-Gail from 1pm - 10/11pm, so Tony could do our home business, go to work at FedEx, and then come kiss me goodnight before picking Mary-Gail up on his way home. I did not worry about Mary-Gail once, even though I only saw her once while we were in the hospital.

And to all those who did the behind-the-scene things for us: my mother-in-law, Gail, and her nightly phone calls for a status report and long-distance hugs; my two brother-in-laws, Spencer (visits, blessings, Cheesecake); and Paul for checking in on us; my sis-in-law Pam and her coordination with my nieces and nephews to create Rebecca's "Get better soon" poster. Thank you everyone for all your nice words, cute drawings, and hand prints. I LOVED seeing Rebecca's poster hanging on the wall when she & I came home late Saturday night. Thank you!