The Coolest Baby in Town

For The Kids!

www.thon.org

THON- Dance Marathon- is the largest student-run philanthropy in the world. It wraps up today at PSU. If you have a chance to check the live webcast, do it. It's amazing. These kids, families and students are amazing! 

I'm so proud to be a Nittany Lion! 

Go State! Beat Cancer!!

My True Love

Happy Belated Valentine's Day

Happy Birthday To Me

As I turn 34 (yesterday 2/16) I am reminded of all the things I have to be grateful for in my life. 

A beautiful baby boy. 

A wonderful husband who is also my best friend, and whom I would be lost without. 

A healthy family. Fantastic parents. My beautiful sister and adorable nephew. 

Great friends who shared such nice birthday wishes. 

We have all we need, plus a few of life's luxuries. 

I work for myself, which is a dream come true and also lets me spend time with my LJ. 

A sense of humor and the ability to see the bright side. 

Faith in God and his blessings. 

Life is such a miracle. And despite a few setbacks, my heart is filled with joy. 

The News

I just learned that as I was blogging, my uncle passed away. 

Heartfelt prayers to his wife, his children and his grandchildren. May they have strength and rejoice in the good times. 

Continued Prayers

Yesterday, we went as a family to Mission San Juan Capistrano. 

It's a special place for me, and I felt drawn there for many reasons. 

I lit a candle and placed it in the same spot where I put one a year ago with a prayer for a child. To be there with my beautiful Lukasz was very special. 

My candle carries with it the following petitions: 

A prayer of thanks. For my beautiful, perfect son. My blessing. My miracle. My light. 

A prayer of hope. For Steve and I to land on our feet and start over someplace new and fresh. For a new beginning. For bigger and better things. For exciting challenges. For our dreams to come true. 

A prayer of peace and mercy. For my uncle Mickey. His Myelofibrosis is worsening. It's not looking good. We are not optimistic of a positive outcome, as further treatments will only buy him time. I pray he is filled with peace. I pray God grants him His mercy and gives him a place in heaven where he can watch over and protect his wife, children and grandchildren. Miracles do happen, but if that be not thy will, please see that he is at peace. 

A  prayer of strength. For my family. My mother, my grandparents, my aunt. May they have the strength to know that he'll be going to a better place. May their memories see them through. 

A prayer of gratitude. For my health. For Steve's health. For Lukasz's health. For my parents and my sister. For all of us to stay healthy and enjoy our many blessings. 

And finally for all those who have asked for prayers for themselves and their loved ones. Please hear their petitions. 

A Prayer

This photo was taken last year at a mission in Santa Barbara. It's one of my favorites and I find it very inspirational. I like to look at it and think about it when I pray. 

With this blog entry, I want to say a little prayer. 

It's rainy outside and rather chilly... I feel a cold coming on...and so Lukasz and I stayed home while Steve went to church. I may not be in a house of worship, but I'm still taking some time to say my prayers. 

Once again, this past week, Steve was affected by corporate downsizing. In a very surprising turn of events, he went to work on Wednesday just to learn that Allegan decided to slash 500 corporate jobs. His was one of them. He had only a few hours to gather his things and vacate. 

We've been down this road before. 

We weren't even that shocked or upset. 

The economy is in shambles and it's a very scary time. BUT...we're strong. We made it before, we'll do it again. 

So with this entry, I'm letting God know that we trust Him. We know that He has us in His care. We are not afraid. We will do what has to be done. And we know that we are  going to be okay. We put ourselves completely in His hands with 100% faith. 

Maybe this is what we needed to get back to the east coast so that LJ can grow up with his family. When we think of that, it's actually all rather exciting. 

We will be meeting with our realtor next week and most likely putting our home on the market. 

I would ask for anyone who reads this to remember us in your prayers. We are doing exceptionally well, but a few extra "good words" to God never hurts. 

I read the following just today on a fellow blogger's site and it really spoke to me. It's just a snippet of a larger story, but I thought this part was profound: 

I wish you enough sun to keep your attitude bright no matter how gray the day may appear.

I wish you enough rain to appreciate the sun even more.

I wish you enough happiness to keep your spirit alive and everlasting.

I wish you enough pain so that even the smallest of joys in life may appear bigger.

I wish you enough gain to satisfy your wanting.

I wish you enough loss to appreciate all that you possess.

After all, do any of us really need any more than "enough?" 

In my world, my husband and my son are "enough" for me. Having loving parents, a sister who is my best friend, and friends who I love like sisters are really and truly "enough" for me. (And this from a reformed shopaholic! LOL!) 

We will be strong. We will come out of this situation stronger than we went into it. I have the hardest working, most loving husband there is. We will take care of each other, and our son, knowing that our faith in God, and each other, will always prevail. 

Mommy Survey

Here you go mommies - a different kind of survey for a change - it's all about your first born! 

Let's see how much you remember!

1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED? Yes

2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME? Yes

3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS? FINALLY! It took us over two years to conceive. 

4. WAS ABORTION AND OPTION FOR YOU? Absolutely never.

5. HOW OLD WERE YOU? 33

6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT? I received a phone call from my fertility specialist, Dr. Kan.

7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST? I told my husband via text message! ("We did it!") How relevant is that! Not like it was a surprise. Well...we were HOPING, but there was no guarantee. 

8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX? Absolutely and he was definitely a boy!

9. DUE DATE? November 18, 2008

10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS? No, just some intense nausea through the first trimester.

11. WHAT DID YOU CRAVE? ice cream and cheerios (sometimes together) 

12. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST? I was a very laid-back easygoing pregnant gal

13. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD'S SEX? male

14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING? I was thrilled! I wanted a boy. But not as thrilled as my husband! He danced around the ultrasound room.

15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY? around 25

16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER? I had two, plus one in a box

17. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW? I knew about them

18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY? Absolutely none. It was textbook, as was my delivery. (My reward for a tough time getting pregnant?)

19. WHERE DID YOU GIVE BIRTH? Hoag Hospital, Newport Beach, CA

20. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR? a whopping 6. He'd have come sooner if the doctor had gotten there faster. Had to stop pushing for about 45 minutes because he was ready to enter the world!

21. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL? My husband with my mom and dad.

22. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH? Just my husband and the hospital staff

23. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION? natural

24. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN? Indeed. The most lovely epidural ever. 

27. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH? 7 pounds 12 ounces

28. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN One day late. November 19, 2008

30. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER? Lukasz John Berecz "LJ" 

31. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY? 11 weeks and 4 days