CRAZY week ... thank you for the many prayers!!!

What an absolutely crazy, hectic, and awful week! I have to thank those who have been praying on Samuel's behalf, as well as all of the Maloney's! It has simply been 1 of those weeks that no parent ever looks forward to, but I'm pretty certain they're inevitable, especially as a parent of 3 very young children. And being pregnant and sick myself certainly doesn't help matters any. Fortunately, the good Lord is on our side and we've been praying for healing for all of us. I thank God for my husband - the only well person in my home - who has literally taken over all mommy duties on top of everything else he does as Daddy and bread-winner of the family. He never ceases to amaze me! Is it possible to be attacked from Satan himself? I think so, especially given the fact that this photography ministry was published in the paper this past week and the Lord was glorified as a result (thank you Wendy for doing a great job) ... praise God for His goodness! The very next day, our little Samuel came under attack and shortly thereafter we all seemed to follow. We have had an amazingly healthy winter so I just find it funny that it hit us pretty suddenly this week as Christ was glorified through this ministry (and NO credit taken here!) to the general public. Fortunately, Satan hasn't gotten hold of me nor thrown me down ... I am not discouraged in the least and I praise God that I'm beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel as are all of my children. God is SO good and faithful! That brings me such hope for tomorrow and encouragement on those rough patches that I know we will face again. For those of you who are unaware, Samuel had a pretty bad allergic reaction to an antibiotic last night that he had been on for days. To spare you all of the details, his reaction was facial swelling and hives all over his trunk, face and arms - to the point that he couldn't open his eyes and was obviously uncomfortable. At this point, we were already at the pediatrician's office so I was a bit comforted knowing I wasn't alone, but still frightened since as a nurse, I knew what could happen next. Fortunately, he seemed to be ok from a breathing point of view as the benadryl began to take effect. Our sweet baby Sam not only had this reaction, but he had been struggling for days prior with a nasty double ear infection, a GI bug, and complete lethargy from lack of eating/drinking. Needless to say, we had reason to worry. We got home pretty late (all 3 kids were zonked out in the car) and Rob and I thought it best to lay him in between us so that we could keep a close eye on him throughout the night. I'm not sure how much sleep we got, but it was reassuring to know that he was ok with a quick pat of our hands and peek from our eyes. He was knocked out from the benadryl all night and slept like a little baby. I loved waking up next to him and was so pleased that he woke up in relatively good spirits despite his still swollen little eyes. What a little trooper he's been all week to have endured all that he has! Unlike my other 2 kiddos, he is now allergic to 2 major classes of antibiotics which may make things a little harder for his pediatrician, but it is simply something we'll have to plunge through and deal with. Fortunately, he has had a pretty healthy winter thus far, as have Rob and I and our big boys. A few months back, after lots of encouragement from friends, along with some research and lots of thought (given the great expense), Rob and I took the plunge and purchased a Vitamix ... a super-duper high-powered blender that we've been making lots of "green" smoothies with. I'm not sure we've ever eaten so many fresh raw veggies! My kids love them as do Rob and I, and I love that they're so nutritious, especially for my picky-eater-veggie kids! Funny that my husband and Robbie and Daniel returned a little while ago from CVS picking up Samuel's new antibiotic. Both boys surprised Mommy with their own heart filled with chocolate truffles. Just what this pregnant mama needs! I was really very grateful (not for the chocolate, but for my boys thoughtfulness and love)! I must admit that I indulged myself right away and enjoyed 2 (well ... maybe 3) of them! Despite the rough week we have had, good times (and good weather) are on the way and I will surely be enjoying this Valentine's Day with the 4 amazingly handsome men God has blessed me with. I am thankful for each and every one of them, including the mystery child still growing in my belly. We'll be finding out this baby's sex in a few short weeks so we're terribly excited! I think we'll be taking Robbie with us this time to share in the joy and excitement of our ultrasound. I guess that is one of the benefits of being the oldest child, but he deserves it. He's an awesome big brother and such a great help! As for me, I'm thinking boy again .... and no, we'll not be trying again for a girl if that's the case (as many folks have been asking). If God chooses to bless us with 4 healthy boys, than we will count our blessings and I will consider it an honor to be the only female amongst so many boys! They love their Mommy and I pray they always do! If only they knew how much their Mommy adored and loved them! Perhaps this is merely a glimpse as to how much our Heavenly Father loves us. Wow! What a thought! :)