Blogging challenge day 17 and 18

day 17: someone you would want to switch lives with for one day and why

Really, just anyone who gets more sleep.... I'm not sure who that is, but for just one day, I'd love to be able to feel rested. I know that's not likely for another 18 years.


day 18: plans/dreams/goals you have

Plans:

I plan to celebrate Max's first birthday next month.. probably with no a lot of hoopla, because although it's a lot to celebrate, just having him alive... that day and those first few weeks are painful to remember and we didn't really celebrate his arrival (more like mourned it) so it seems weird to celebrate the most frightening time of our lives.

We'll actually celebrate May 1st at the March for Babies. I hope if you haven't donated yet to our team, you'll consider doing so. It means a lot to us to give back to the March of Dimes, because their support and research was such a blessing to us in those first weeks of Max's life. We wouldn't be at this one year mark with out them and that is something to celebrate!

I plan to continue to freelance around the kids school, lessons, doctor's appointments, etc... and enjoy the work I do.

I plan to getaway from Spring Break next year with my friend Kristi and her family. We're all booking some time at Big Cedar and it will be fun to have all 5 kids together while we hang out with our husbands and one another.

I plan to try more recipes every week and hopefully find a few that EVERYONE will eat!

I plan to get around to my yearly MRI (for the brain tumor) which never happened last year, because it was due in May and I was busy in the NICU.

I plan to get Ella, Alex and I to the dentist for a check-up an tooth cleaning!


Dreams:

My dreams are all coming true... okay, most of them.

I have three healthy, happy kids. I dream of them growing up together, watching them enjoy life from dancing to soccer to school and friends. I dream of growing old with Troy and someday getting enough sleep that we don't both have such big purple bags under our eyes.

I dream of winning the lottery, so we don't have to worry any more about how to pay our bills and how to keep me at home with the kids, especially in these first 2 years when Max just can't go to childcare, because of his immunity.

I dream of family vacations to places like the Grand Canyon and Yosemite and a trip for Troy and I to Europe or Hawaii??

I dream of a maid, lawn service, a cook...


Goals:

Get Ella through kindergarten, Alex through preschool and Max sitting up on his own, crawling and walking! I plan to stay at home with the kids, at least until Max is 3 and strong enough for childcare, but hopefully until he's in kindergarten, so all 3 kids are in full day school.

My goal is to go back to work then, most likely NOT in TV news... because who wants that??? But in media or marketing or PR again, because it's fun, I'm good at it, and it REALLY helps pay the bills!

I'd like to write a book, about those 123 days, what we learned how we survived, and what others can do to avoid the pitfalls of premature birth... maybe a girlfriend's guide to the NICU... because we learned more in those 4 months that we ever realized we didn't know... and it would be great to help another family someday.

We'd like to buy a bigger house, in a better school district, near our friends, etc...

But ultimately, my goal is just to live every day of my life to the fullest and enjoy what God has given me. I have a wonderful husband, three beautiful children, a home, food, clothing and friends... We've survived a brain tumor and 123 days in the NICU... we are blessed.