Finding a Workable Schedule as a Family of Four

I love being a family of four. It is so fun to spend time together as a family with our newest addition. I liked being a family of three, but I like being a family of four even more. It makes life harder for sure, but it is worth it.

We have made it through the first month of classes this spring semester. Working out a schedule as a family of four has been a challenge. We had help from Dorina during the first week. Next I made it through the second week of classes, but then week three was not a good week. Things started to fall apart. I had been doing too much and could no longer keep up. My legs were getting incredibly weak, and I was quickly becoming a fall risk. My legs simply did not want to work in the mornings. I remember this well from the early months with William as a baby. There were many days that I would get out of bed and promptly fall on the ground because my legs just couldn't hold me. After week three of this semester I was almost back down to that same place physically, and so Will cut back on his time at school and let me spend a lot of time sleeping and resting in bed. After I recuperated we started a different schedule. It took some time to figure out, but I think we now have a workable schedule, one that allows me adequate rest and allows Will adequate time for school.

This is what we are doing to juggle life with two children, dysautonomia, and seminary:

Monday, Wednesday, and Friday - Will goes to school at 8am to attend classes and do homework. He comes home for lunch, and then goes back to school until 5, 6, or 7pm. I get up with William and Adelaide in the mornings (which can be anywhere from 8:30am to 10:00am) and do my best to care for them while Will is gone.

Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday - Will stays home in the mornings so that I can sleep in. I sleep until about noon, and I am usually out of bed by 1pm. Will goes to school to do homework in the afternoons.

Wednesday and Saturday evenings are times for Will to do the necessary housework. Friday afternoon is sometimes shopping day. Washing dishes and doing laundry are daily tasks. Dishes and laundry never end! I cannot stand long enough to do dishes, but I am usually able to help some with the laundry. I can fold laundry while lying down in bed. On my better days I can sit on the floor, sort laundry, start a load, and rotate the wash. It is best if I don't have to put laundry in and out of the washer and dryer, but sometimes I push myself to do a load of laundry when Will is gone because there are so many messy blankets and clothes with a baby!

Sunday - I go to church as often as I can, which so far has only been once since Adelaide was born. It is so hard to get up at 8:30 and make myself presentable enough to go out in public. If I'm not able to get up, then I stay at home and rest while Will and William go to church, and we just hope that Adelaide sleeps in for me. Sunday afternoon and evening is family time and a no homework day.

Evenings - I go to bed each evening at 8pm. I don't go to sleep until almost midnight, but I need a few hours of rest and quiet while completely horizontal. If I don't have enough rest while supine, then my body gets weaker, every symptom gets worse, and my legs start to give out on me. Adequate rest keeps me at baseline and enables me to keep going during the day. Will takes care of William and Adelaide in the evenings.

There you have it. That's the gist of what we are doing to make it through seminary life with dysautonomia and a family of four. The Lord has been gracious to provide friends and family who help out as needed. It's tough, but with the Lord's help we are doing quite well as a family of four.

My Sweet Friend

Ms. Thelma and me at my baby shower in September

Ms. Thelma and I met at church where we used to sit next to each other during the service. If Ms. Thelma was already seated when I arrived, she would smile at me and say, "There's my friend!" as my husband wheeled me in beside her. We didn't get to see each other very often because neither one of us could attend each week, but we were always happy to see each other when we could.

After I moved to Kentucky we were rarely able to see one another. I went back to Georgia last September for my baby shower, and I was so surprised and pleased to see Ms. Thelma there! I knew that it took a huge effort on her part to get out to the shower, and it was a special treat to have her there. That was the last time I saw Ms. Thelma.

Today I received news that Ms. Thelma died. She is now in Heaven, and I am so happy for her. I am smiling through the tears. She can rest from her toil on this earth and rejoice in the presence of her Savior. It may be a long time before I see her again, but I know that I will one day join her in Heaven.

If you want to know how you can go to Heaven too, please send me an email. I would love to share the Good News about Jesus with you. I want you to know the hope and joy that I have. I want you to one day be in Heaven with Ms. Thelma and me, and more importantly, with Jesus.

Let It Snow, Let It Snow, Let It Snow!

We have really been enjoying the snow these last two weeks. It's nothing close to an Alaska winter, but I'll take anything I can get down here in the south. One day last week I even got to go outside to play in the snow with William.

I sat in my chaise lounge all bundled up in my winter gear. I can't move around much to keep warm, but my snow gear from Alaska kept me plenty warm in the above zero temperatures that we have in Kentucky.

William and I made a little snowman.

Welcome SITS Friends!

I received some exciting news last night. I learned that I would be the featured blogger today at The Secret is in the Sauce. Welcome to all of my fellow SITS girls who are coming over to visit me today! This is also my 100th blog post, and I'm glad that you all can be here to celebrate with me.

For those of you who don't know, SITS is a blog dedicated to helping bloggers connect with other bloggers. We're a group of people who like to visit blogs and leave comments because we know how important comments are to fellow bloggers! We support each other with lots of comment love.

For those of you who are coming to One Day at a Time for the first time, let me introduce myself. I am Rachel, a stay-at-home wife and mom. I am the wife of Will, and we are the proud parents of William, 4 years old, and Adelaide, 2 months old. I have dysautonomia, which makes daily life a challenge for me. Despite the difficulties I face, though, I am very blessed. God has given me a wonderful family and blessings beyond what I deserve.

I started blogging just over a year ago when I first declared correspondence bankruptcy. Blogging has been an easy way for me to keep in touch with family and friends, and a fun way to make new friends. I blog about my family, my health, life with a disability, and my faith in Jesus. Every once in a while a decorating post slips in too just because I like all things pretty and crafty.

Here are three of my favorite posts that will give you a glimpse into life with my family, my health, and my faith in the midst of it all.

My Sneaky Son

Pictures of POTS

Lessons Learned

And as I said, decorating stuff slips in sometimes too. :) Here's a chair that recently had a makeover.

Thank you for coming by to visit me!

Blessings,
Rachel

She Knew Me When...

It isn't often that I get to see someone from my "former" life, someone who knew me "when." Other than family, I can count on one hand the number of people I have seen in the last three years who knew me when I was healthier, who knew me when I could ice skate, swim, hike, and teach. Because I rarely see people from my former life, I rarely think about how things have changed. I often forget how much I used to be able to do.

Dorina is someone who knew me "when." She knew me when I could ice skate, hike, and cross country ski for hours. She knew me when I could stand and teach, play with children, sing and laugh without feeling like I might faint. She knew me when I was crazy enough to audition for The Sound of Music, and when I was crazy enough to take the part of Maria. She knew me when I could stay awake talking and drinking cranberry tea until 2am and still get up for class in the morning. She knew me when I could sit in an outdoor hot tub at 20 below and then go sit in the snow. She knew me when I could have snowball fights and run barefoot through the snow. She knew me when I could do a lot of things. And we did it all. Together. Dorina was a huge part of my former life.

I had a great time with Dorina when she was here in January. It was so very good to see her again and catch up in person. It was so fun, but it was sad in a way too. It was sad to not be able to be so active with her anymore. On some level it even felt strange because she is a friend from my "former life". She knew me "when." We're still great friends now; that hasn't changed at all. But how we have to spend our time together has changed. It was a good visit, but also a reminder of how life is so different for me now. It was a reminder of all that I had and all that I lost.

I am very tired now. I am weak now. I can't stand for very long, and on many days I can't even sit up for very long. My current life is very different from my former life, but the here and now isn't all there is. I have the hope of Heaven. I have the hope and promise of eternal life on the New Earth. Here and now is a brief time. Eternity is forever, and I will get to spend eternity in a resurrection body on the New Earth with my Lord and Savior and with all of those who have believed on Him.

When Dorina left I found myself longing for heaven, longing for a time when the two of us can both be active and energetic again. For now God has asked me to give that up, but someday in Heaven Dorina and I are going to have a crazy time together again! If your room will be next door to one of us in God's great big mansion, you better watch out! :) We will have some lost time to make up for.

William and Adelaide

William was a very proud big brother at the portrait studio.

William comforts his little sister.

Adelaide

6 Weeks Old

William

4 Years Old

Dorina Is Gone and I'm on My Own

Adelaide, Dorina, and William

I had a wonderful time with Dorina last week. It is always good to catch up with an old friend in person. I am way too tired now to do many of the things we used to do together in our college days (though I did consider putting oragel in her toothpaste again....). Most of my time had to be spent in bed or in my recliner, but I had a good time visiting anyway. There's nothing like an old friend to keep you company. Someone who knows you inside and out and loves you anyway. Someone to whom you can tell anything. Someone you have to stay friends with because if you didn't they'd have too much blackmail material on you! Yep, it was a good time.

This week I'm on my own with taking care of William and Adelaide while Will is in class. So far, I am surviving. I have almost made it through the week! I know that as the semester goes on I will get worn down. That always happens. Thankfully, though, Will has a fairly flexible schedule this semester, and a few of my neighbors have offered to help me out when I need it. My mom is always willing to come and help also. Life will be harder with two children, but we will manage. The Lord has always been faithful to provide the help we need.