The week before Easter, Matthew ended up in the hospital with perforated diverticulitis...a small area of his intestine poked through where it shouldn't and then popped open, letting free air into the abdomen - a very bad thing! He spent Tuesday evening through Friday afternoon in the hospital so he could receive IV antibiotics. He slept horrible and every time the Doctor came in, he kept reminding us of the threat of surgery with a colostomy bag (what Matthew now calls the 'fun bag') and so we were pretty on edge for several days. I couldn't have made it through that week without the amazing help and support of the Palmer family! They completely rose up and took care of me and the boys...especially Papa and Grandma! I would have been a much bigger mess than I was if hadn't been for them - they helped me juggle the boys and Matthew so much in those few days, it was a HUGE blessing! Lynne, Taron, Julia, Matthew and Josh all helped with random tasks (including laundry, bringing food to me in the hospital when the cafeteria was closed) and helping get the house ready to host for Easter. They have been a blessing to me since before we were married, but the love they showed me that week was just incredible - I have the BEST in-laws for family!!! Matthew recovered well, hated his bland diet, lost 15 pounds (gained some back when he got to eat food with flavor again!) and confirmed his disgust for hospitals. We are now in a seemingly long limbo waiting period where we are thinking surgery is likely, but not sure when. But for now, he is being careful, healing, letting the inflammation and tissues get back to normal before we know what and when anything else will happen next.
Matthew got home from the hospital Friday evening before Easter. The Palmers helped out to an amazing extent getting our house prepped for the family to come over on Sunday. Lynne's family was a life saver. Matthew and I laughed that of all the years, with Matthew out of commission, and the help of Lynne's family, we were more prepared for the family gathering this year, than any other year we've hosted! :)
We had a wonderful day of worship (though Matthew stayed home to rest) and the boys were the best they've ever been in church - they were almost completely silent! Amazing! The family got to the house right on schedule and we had a delicious spread as usual. The Easter egg hunt for the boys was massive and they brought in quite the catch from the very generous Easter bunny, AKA Grandma and Papa. There were literally hundreds of eggs for 5 boys age 6 and under!
On Easter we were able to reveal Baby #3's gender to the Palmer family and publicly! IT'S A GIRL!!! We had Easter eggs with pink jelly beans inside for everyone to open and the reaction was perfect! The overall consensus from family to friends is very much excited for us to be blessed by a girl this time. To be honest, we went into the whole, let's try for a 3rd, was very much motivated by the thought maybe we would get a girl. And then a funny thing happened over the last 20 weeks...we realized how much easier it would be to have another boy! :) But we are truly ecstatic and terrified about our little girl! Kate Emily is her name and she will turn our world upside down, no doubt! She's already made me cry more in the last 5 months than I've cried in the last 5 years with my boys...I'm sure just a glimpse of what is to come! :) But really, we are so happy and are praying for a happy, healthy (easy!) baby! Matthew has jokingly said that if she isn't a red-head, he has some serious questions for me...as if! Nana thinks she'll have dark hair like I did when I was born...only time will tell! We can't wait to meet her...but...wait a bit, ok Kate! :)
Our appointment to find out the gender was the same day Matthew ended up in the hospital. So needless to say, our plans to tell the boys the gender that evening changed...I refused to share the news in such a panicked way. Both Moms however, tried to get it out of me early! Shame on them! Poor Drew was so disappointed to not find out for several more days until Daddy was able to be home with us. Here's the video of our reveal to the boys...Drew's reaction is just as expected, Noah is ridiculous!
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