Weekend Happenings

Good Friday morning!

The Gallery Pics are of MORE inanimate objects. I think I'm finished with my dining room centerpiece... although something isn't right. Being a rank amateur, I realize there are probably MANY things which aren't right, but I can't put my finger on what needs to be done. Perhaps some kind of feather... or a boa. Anyone? Anyone?

Also, in honor of Roxie's birthday this weekend, I have posted an old baby picture or two. Was she not precious? You don't have to answer. I'm just thinking aloud!

CONTEST! CONTEST! CONTEST! - In honor of my 500th post on A Simple Life, I am having a contest for the last Mystery Bag Party. The first SIX WOMEN who comment in the Comment Section, via e-mail or Facebook beginning 6:30 a.m. Friday, OCTOBER 1, will be eligible to climb on board the Big Gold Van for the fourth and final Mystery Bag Party!

I'll announce winners as soon as the first six people have entered the contest. Mark it on your calendars... Friday, October 1 at 6:30 a.m.

RANDOMNESS - I mentioned it on Facebook a couple of times, but I thought it was blog-worthy, too.

When JSU beat Ole Miss a few weeks ago, it was considered the national college upset of the week. Even I was aware it was a big deal because of the tears, tearing of clothes and gnashing of teeth as we left the stadium.

Well, The Boy received a call Tuesday after the game from a nationally-syndicated radio show located in Los Angeles, California... The Kevin James Show.

We immediately thought it was a joke because in this family Kevin James is Paul Blart, Mall Cop. However, after checking it out, it is indeed a legitimate sports talk show.

Mr. James told Austin each year they pick the school with the biggest upset (in this case, JSU), contact the school newspaper for the name of a sports writer or sports enthusiast, and then ask that student to participate in a ten-minute segment talking about the game, making predictions for the next week, etc., etc.

The paper gave Mr. James Austin's name... and thus, a semi-star was born. Because if you do a "good job," not only does Mr. James have you on his show the first week, but for each and every week until the season is finished! Austin taped his third segment last night.

The only time we can hear the segment on the radio is 3:45 a.m. Saturday morning, but thanks to the Internet, there are podcasts available.

It's a pretty exciting time for Austin. And since I live vicariously through my children, it's a pretty exciting time for me, too.

Weekend Happenings

It is finished almost as soon as it begins! Volleyball, that is. The County Tournament begins tonight and the season will end tomorrow by 3:00 or 3:30. We're going into the Tournament ranked second in the county, but all of that could change this weekend. We're going for FIRST PLACE, but we'll see what happens.

It is also Roxie's birthday weekend. She will be a 14 year-old chick tomorrow. Unbelievable. No, really. Totally unbelievable. In honor of her birthday, I have re-posted her "birth" story from last year below. It has FIVE PARTS, so I'll be posting Parts Two through Four next week. Feel free to skip it if you are on a tight schedule, or have a life or something like that!

I'm cooking dinner for the family, and we will watch the Auburn game as the Faulkner Four (plus one of Josh's friends) Saturday evening.

Austin is playing for TWO exhibitions Saturday, so he'll either be in late Saturday night or early Sunday morning for church and ROXIE'S FAMILY BIRTHDAY PARTY (and a Melia date, too)!

It's going to be a busy weekend, and hopefully, a really memorable, fun one, too!

Roxie's Birth Day Story - Part One

DISCLAIMER - In telling Roxie's Birth Day Story, please know I have no intention of offending any parent of a special needs' child... ever. God doesn't make mistakes and He is never surprised. I have had to learn that the hard way, I'm afraid. I am, and always have been, a "baby lover." All babies! Everyone has a story, and every story has a beginning. This is simply Roxie's beginning.

It was the day of our eighth anniversary. I was at Mom and Dad's dropping the boys off, and Mike and I were going out to eat and spend the night at Embassy Suites as was our tradition. I was visiting with Mom for a few minutes when her phone rang. It was Mikie. The doctor hadn't been able to reach me, and had called him. They needed to talk to me right away.

Hmmm. That didn't sound good. I had been to the doctor earlier in the week for my annual doctor's appointment. I hung up with Mike (who told me he was on the way to Mom's), and dialed the number. A nurse answered the phone, and when I told her who I was she immediately put me through to the doctor. Hmmm. That didn't sound good, either.

"Mrs. Faulkner?" the doctor verified.

"Yes," I responded a little louder than normal.

"Well, we have good news and bad news," she went on. That's it. She didn't ask me which one I wanted to hear first. She didn't ask me if I wanted to hear any of it at all. She just kept talking. (If you've known me for more than a minute, you know when given the choice, I will hear the good news and totally disregard the bad news. It's a defense mechanism, I am sure.)

"You are pregnant," she said. I was surprised because even though we were planning on trying for a third child, I hadn't thought I was actually pregnant. Before that could sink in and I could be thrilled, she gave me the bad news. "However, your numbers are not good, and you will probably miscarry this baby."

The only thing I heard was the "pregnant" part. I didn't understand the "numbers" part. I didn't comprehend the "miscarriage" part.

"Well, okay then. That's wonderful," I answered. She paused, then repeated the other stuff until she was sure I had grasped what she was saying.

"Call the office over the weekend if anything happens. Otherwise, I'll see you in my office next Wednesday for some more tests." And that's how the call ended. Mike arrived, and I told him what was going on. Anniversary plans were now very irrelevant compared to the news we had just received. However, two little boys had made plans to spend the night with Grandmother and Granddaddy, and that was NOT going to change.

Mike and I left with heavy hearts and made it through the weekend. We then made it through Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday morning. Wednesday afternoon found us at the doctor's office having more blood tests. Friday morning we received a telephone call saying we were not out of the woods, but the numbers were better. (To this day, I don't know what numbers they were talking about... nor did I ask.)

Two weeks later, we received an "all clear" on the baby. We were expecting baby number three. The numbers were good, and the due date was the first week of October. Mike and I were both very excited.

Everything went well (extremely well) until the middle of April when I received yet another call from the doctor. A blood test I had given permission for them to take indicated our baby was at high risk of being a Downs' baby. I knew which blood test they were talking about, and I knew I had NOT signed the permission slip. Several of my friends had false/positives from this same test, and I had not wanted it... EVER. I told them I had not signed the permission slip, but it didn't change the fact the test had indeed been given, and the results were not good. They wanted me to come in for another test, and if the results were better, they would disregard the first test. I agreed on that condition.

I went in for the test, and a few days later received a call from the doctor (again, a very bad sign). If anything, the results were worse. Much worse. While I tried to absorb this new information, they made an appointment for me and Mikie to come to UAB for a special ultrasound test which would help determine if the baby was Downs'. They also wanted to know if I wanted amniocentesis, but I immediately declined. If God was giving us a Downs' baby, we would absolutely welcome him/her into our family and love him/her and take care of him/her just as we had our boys. Nothing would change that... ever.

After all, we were talking about the baby which would one day make us the Faulkner Five. This baby was always going to be special... no matter what.

Tune in for Part Two Monday... Believe it or not, it just gets more and more complicated!

Have a simply fantastic weekend. Pretend it's fall! That's what I'm going to be doing. Next week will be a very busy week on A Simple Life. Not only do I have autumnal ideas galore to share, but there is a CONTEST and our October Special Guest will be introduced. (And hopefully, I'll have some people pictures!)

Take care, and I'll talk to you Monday.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda