Norah Claire made her appearance at 4:57cst Monday July 25, weighing in at 7lbs 8oz and 21 inches long. Her mama(Hannnah) had a much easier delivery this time. She was a trooper, did not even have an epidural...didn't really need one and after it was all over she was glad she went natural.
I am in Virginia with them as I write this. I am so glad to have gotten the opportunity to be here shortly after Norah's arrival and to get the chance to know her.
I have had fun with Aidie. We have had a couple of real adventures. One on Tuesday when we set out to the hospital to visit the rest of her family. Please understand that I drove to their apartment after dark. I was tired and was not paying too much attention to anything more than the directions Michael S jotted down on a piece of scratch paper. I made it to the apartment fine but when we left the next morning I went the wrong direction toward West Virginia...It took me about ten miles to realize something was not right. I had absolutely no idea where I was so I consulted the trusty TomTom. It told me right away my location but that did not help since I am not familiar with any of the streets or little towns surrounding Blacksburg. I tried to type in the name of the hospital. It recognized the name and proceeded to take me to the nearest library. Perhaps I should have just gone in and asked directions. I typed in the name of the hospital again. This time it took me to within a mile of where I started, the apartment complex. I was about to get really frustrated...it was now lunch time. Aidie had been a complete angel in the car but was showing signs of distress. I figured we'd find her some chicken nuggets and milk and she'd perk back up. I started looking for golden arches or something, somewhere to get food fast. All I came up with was Hardee's....not my personal favorite for lunch (although you can't argue with their biscuits in the am. I whipped in and ordered. I pulled into a parking space, gave Aidie her lunch, refilled her milk cup and consulted TomTom again. He is an idiot!! He said the hospital I was looking for was .85 miles away. That was a lie and I knew it. I could practically throw a rock and bust out a window at the kids' apartment from there. I knew it had taken me about 20 minutes the night before to get home from the hospital. I finally gave up and called Hannah. I asked which direction I needed to go and she told me. I made it to the hospital in just under thirty minutes this time...because I started going the wrong way again a little further down at another change in the road...I realized it by the way the mile markers were going and turned around in one of those little turn arounds the state puts on highways and then tells you you can't use them because they are only for "authorized vehicles" which I'm sure means Troopers but I did not care. I had my story all ready if I got stopped. The state of Virginia not only owed me this privilege of turning around, they also owed me half a tank of gas for bad signage! A person should be warned if she's headed to West Virginia! Thankfully I didn't have to use it. We made it to the hospital, visited and found our way back without incident...on the road anyway. Going to Target was another story.

oops!

Lots of new things happening around us. We are presently waiting on word from Virginia that baby Norah will be here soon.
Michael has started his second year teaching Auto Tech at OHS. He went back today. We thought he had this week free, nothing like being called and told you were supposed to be at work yesterday.
I am still writing for our hometown paper and putting feelers out for other things. I am talking with a young friend about a new project...also creative in nature so I'll share that as soon as we get something solid. In the meantime I'm plugging along, ready for kids to get back into a routine, ready to have a quiet moment now and then (as I write this I hear my three little girls laughing in my bedroom...a sure sign they are destroying something).
I hope to be more committed to my blogging but I can't promise. With a life as crazy as mine I'll just promise to do what I can.
Thanks for reading.