March: In Like a Lion, Out Like a Lamb

I first heard this expression in grade school used to describe the transition of weather from winter to spring that occurs in March, but more than anything else this year, this expression accurately describes our month of March.

In Like a Lion
The lion got a head start during the last few days of February. Laura had actually been feeling much better. This gave us some confidence that we would be able to make it through my knee surgery the following week. Laura was feel so well that she went to church on Feb 22. She realized partway through the service that she had bitten off more than she could chew, but she soldiered on and we only left a few minutes early. Overall, she was glad she went; and I was glad she had been able to go - until she came down with the flu. Before we knew it the Lion was mauling us.

Over the next two and a half weeks, we were at the hospital on 15 days and including 5 overnights and one day with 2 different emergency visits. I was admitted to the hospital for knee surgery. Jaeden went to the emergency room because she could barely breathe (she had Croop). Laura was admitted to Elmendorf Air Force Hospital and then transfered to Providence Hospital, where they are equipped to handle high risk deliveries. Elijah Paul Erskine was born and promptly admitted into the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).

The NICU was a little scary and a lot sobering. There were about twenty babies in the room we were in. Alarms sounded continually, letting the nurses know that a baby was too cold, breathing too slow, etc. Nurses would calmly walk to the baby in question and attend to him or her. I was constantly thinking, I wonder if that baby is OK? I tried to show all the wires in one of the pictures, but pictures really can't convey what it's like to pick up your baby and have to untangle a half dozen wires attached to him before sitting down. Or having to watch his blood oxygen level on a computer screen to make sure your not feeding him too fast. Or hearing all these alarms, and seeing these tiny babies clinging to life. So many of those tiny babies were so much worse off than Eli. I felt really blessed that God kept Laura from delivering for those seven weeks, and of course, I am forever grateful to Laura for toughing it out through almost two months of contractions, migraines, nausea, flu, and bubonic plague.
Ok, she didn't really have the black plague, but she might as well have for all the difficulty little Eli put her through.

Out Like a Lamb
It was an emotional roller coaster to say the least; but I am very happy to say that, at this time, everyone is healthy and in good spirits thanks to the grace of God, and your prayers. I must also thank Laura's mom for coming up to take care of us and the girls during all of this. She was already traveling and dropped everything and flew six thousand miles to come help us. She is a saint.

On Mar 24th, I went back to work after almost two whole months away. That is one great thing about the Army. Sometimes they can be great about taking care of your family. I was immediately assigned to duty as a hand to hand combatives instructor which is probably the best job in the Army. I went to school to become an instructor back in Jan 2006 (look at my old blog for some cool pictures), and I have always loved instructor duty. It's also much easier on my knee than running and road marching. Best of all, it's really relaxed. I go to work in flip flops, shorts, and a t-shirt. (Yes, it's still between 20 and 40 degrees here. I guess I'm a real Alaskan now.) Because I'm working in a gym, it's easy to rehab my knee. Add that to all the fighting I do, and some days I might be sweating for 4 or more hours. I love it. Of course, the students have already managed to bruise my jaw and ribs on both sides; and bust my lip twice. They get a little over-motivated when the get to "roll" with an instructor. Everyone wants their shot at the title. Even with the bumps and bruises, it's the best job ever. Too bad it's temporary. I'd reenlist if they would let me do this forever.

As I write this, it is almost midnight. I'm getting up at five. Eli is wide awake and just threw up on me. Laura definitely shoulders the majority of the night time feeding burden, but I help more with feeding than I have with the other two because we have special formula that the NICU doctors want us to give him in addition to breast feeding. I think I like 100% breast feeding better. It's easier to sympathize when your well rested than it is to help when your tired.

I took the girls to a Father-Daughter Ball put on by Armed Services YMCA. It's the second time we went (last time it was just me and Jaeden though), and we loved it. The girls really felt like real princesses. They rode in Cinderella's pumpkin carriage and got their pictures taken with Ariel the Mermaid. In all honesty, "Ariel" looked a little scary too me. The big hit though was the dancing. The girls love to dance. They were some of the first girls dancing, and were out on the floor all alone for a while before other dads and girls started dancing. They were never shy though, and they had so much fun. They especially loved how their shoes sounded when they danced on a real dance floor. I uploaded a video of them dancing. Click the filmstrip icon below the last paragraph to watch them dance. Enjoy.

What Next?
Not sure yet, but things are getting clearer. I got accepted to graduate school at JMU and heard that they might be moving the stop loss date back. That would mean that I could get out, go to grad school, and get normal job. Keep this in your prayers please.

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Videos from "March 2008 - Elijah Paul Erskine Born":

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