If you are not a regular reader, you may be thinking there’s some foul play afoot, due to this title.   But, no, just one more post before I get back to what I was blogging about before a certain little butterbean made his appearance…4 weeks too early, I might add.  Not that I am complaining, mind you…just explaining. 

I have been to the hospital today, where the other Owens’ family is camping out.  They got some good news last night.  There had been some concern as to infection in the blood, but the tests FINALLY came back negative.  That’s a very good thing…cause that would have been an additional problem.  Also, this fellow likes to eat!  The Dr. says that children with the RSV virus usually refuse to eat….but not our boy…his appetite has actually increased!    He lost some weight after he came home, but today he is weighing in at a whopping 7 pounds 13 ounces!Isn’t that just wonderful?  Isn’t God good!  He must be speaking into that sweet bitty ear saying, “Come on, Levi, you can do it!  Try another 1/2 ounce!”  He’s still sleeping alot. but no more antibiotics, or IV fluids.  Today they are trying him with no oxygen.  He seemed to be fine while I was there, but we’ll know more when the Dr. visits.

As I entered the hospital room this morning,  this is what I saw…

So, I went in for a close up…or two..

…and just to prove he does open his mouth for more than just a bottle…

He stirred and woke and we changed a diaper or two…and then he decided to take another bottle.  Which he did.  Then, snuggling up close to Mom,   his little eyes got very sleepy again.   I snapped this on my way out…and tiptoed to the door.   (Mom was snoozing by now, too).

And, the sad, sad ending of this tale……I did not get my hands on him…not even once!  Oh, well…there’s always tomorrow!

ADDENDUM:  I just heard from Suzanne, and Levi is not getting the oxygen he needs.  They tried him without it some today, but the Dr. said the levels were too low for him to even consider letting him go home.  His levels have got to get higher and stay higher for a while.  So, looks like it will probably be on into another week.  But, that is nooooooo problem.  He is right where he needs to be.  Whatever we need to do, we will.  How fortunate they are that they have family and friends here to help if need be.

So, we covet your continued prayers as Little Levi continues to rest and grow and get his lungs all strong and healthy.  Cause, he’s gonna need good lung power when I teach him to sing all the songs I know!   😮

WELL.  What with all the exciting’ baby coming early’ news and all…which I am not complaining about, you understand……. my posts about our trip got put aside.  And, rightly so.  I mean A NEW GRANDSON certainly trumps a TRIP TO HAWAII !  There are still some things about the trip to talk about, so I’ll pick it back up.  HOWEVER, Sweet Levi may break in at any time! 

Let’s go to Honolulu!  Honolulu and Waikiki are on the island of Oahu.  This is the most populated and most commercial of the islands. 

We went there mainly to see how it had changed since Joy and I were there in the early 70’s.  We also wanted to go back to the Polynesian Cultural Center.  We remembered it being so good back then.  And, Patty really wanted to go to Pearl Harbor.  We knew we had an ocean front room in Maui, so we took a city view room in Honolulu.  The hotel was right on Waikiki.  It is the oldest hotel on the beach, built in 1901.    Much renovation, though.  However they are now deemed a historic site and can make no more changes.  It is a beautiful place, for sure.

Someone has to have the yucky view rooms in hotels in Paradise…and we knew ours was going to be poor.  So, it was OK…we didn’t spend much time there anyway.  But, just a peak at how faaaaaaaar away from the beach it was…here are Joy and I practicing our synchronized waving on our balcony…

…then we made this photo of Patty…..way down there…

And, when we got a chance, this is the site we saw….Waikiki Beach.

Joy and Patty planned their next day to be a trip to Pearl Harbor.   To make it a real adventure, they took off early, caught the city bus, and found the Harbor.  They were able to spend as much time as they wanted there, and then they made there way home, again on the bus.  Here are some of their pictures from the day:

The Arizona Memorial…

This is the top of something that is on the Arizona.  I don’t mean to sound flip, but I really have no idea what it is.  I do know, however, that oil is still leaking out of it, even today.  You can see the oil on top of the water.

This is a plaque on the Memorial…sorry it is hard to read…

I love the composition of this picture.  Through the top of the Memorial, which floats on top of the Arizona, Old Glory still waves against the Creator’s blue sky. 

And, back in the park, a picture of Joy and Patty, with the Arizona in the background.

As for me, I did a little exploring of my own.  There were so many little, and BIG, shops around and in the hotel.  I did a little shopping, then went back to the room and rested, and read some, and watched a movie.  I needed an easy, restful day after the long trip the day before!  Then we ate at The Cheesecake Factory, of all places!  Joy and Patty were so tired, and it was in walking distance.  But, a strange thing happened there, that has never happened to us before.  We ate our meal…and NOBODY WANTED CHEESECAKE !!!!  I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s true.  We didn’t even take any with us.  I don’t know…maybe it was the sun…or something.  I’m hoping it doesn’t carry over to the next time I visit one of their Factories.

STAY TUNED….MORE EXCITING ADVENTURES  OF *THE THREE WAHINES * TO COME…

SUNDAY…..4/3/11

Adam and Suzanne took Levi  home on Friday.  All was well, and their first night went smoothly.  On Saturday, Ian came home from Birmingham and went straight to Levi’s house to play!    But, Levi was just too sleepy and didn’t do much playing.  He looks so tiny in Ian’s big hands!

 Adam had a wedding to shoot on Saturday, but they all visited again when he got home.   So Ian got another chance to visit with Butterbean.  He’s just about the size of one, don’t ya think?

 And, the second night was going as smoothly as the first.  Until Suzanne began feeding him in the middle of the night.  He began to have much trouble breathing and seemed to be choking and causing his parents much distress.  They called the doctor and the nurse told them to take him to the nearest ER.  They did, and we got a call.  We went, and he seemed to have gotten better by the time we got there.  Blood work came back fine.  The ER doctor said it was probably just because he is still 4 weeks early and his lungs aren’t completely ready for our world just yet.  But, they will be.  So, back home and into bed around 4:00.  So, so thankful.  God is good!

THURSDAY…4/7/11

No, I haven’t skipped the country with my new grandson.  And, no, I haven’t flown back to Maui and bought a little cottage on the beach.  Would I like to do both?   Well, what do you think?  Anyway, this has been a very hard couple of weeks.  First, I have been in lots of pain this week.  I am having to rest and stay off my feet quite a bit.  I really haven’t even felt like reading or writing.  So, that’s the reason I haven’t been commenting…I haven’t been reading.  But, I’m not gone…just   trying to keep it between the lines!

Don is in Birmingham to be with Ian who had his tonsils out yesterday.  He did well until last night.  Started bleeding, but was able to get it stopped!  Thank you, God!  Don will stay with him a few days before heading home.  Things are a little different inside his mouth due to his early difficulties…so we are praying he will heal quickly and without incidence.

Levi went in for his one week check up this week.  Adam and Suze decided to use the pediatrician that Adam had used and the one who had found his cancer 32 years ago.  He said that Levi was a healthy strong little boy…great news for us all.  And, the doctors was so glad to see Adam again…one of his early success stories!

I am working with a friend to plan and decorate for a very special wedding coming up this month…with another friend coming to help out also.   It will be an honor to decorate and so sweet to be in attendance.  More about this in a few weeks. 

Wanted to share this pic with you.  I didn’t have it when I did the post on the tsunami.  We bought these shirts later in the day that it actually hit!  Someone got busy, didn’t they?    (Patty has one too)  And, by the time we left there, we saw 6 or 7 different styles!

I still have several posts to do on our trip to Maui….I’ll try to get them posted before Thanksgiving!  🙂

And, please forgive me for not keeping up with you, my friends who blog.  I will get around to it!  Promise!

 “Yes! the Lord has done amazing things for us!  What joy!”   Psalm 126:3  NLT

It’s wonderful…this being a new Grandmother!  Especially when the baby is as sweet as Levi!  And the mother and father are as great as Adam and Suze!  The doctor told her he would still be a little sleepy for a week or so, since he was a month early.  But, sleepy or not…he’s the best!   Just look at this little smile!

I went to the hospital and stayed for a little while yesterday.  Of course, he was so happy to see me!  Can’t you tell? 🙂  I stayed for a while and enjoyed her visitors, Tara, John Thomas, Pop, Joy, and the rest of the 3rd grade teachers at her school.   Adam was off getting the car seat squared away, and I went to find some other necessities that Suze needed for Levi.  I dropped my purchases back by the hospital.  Tina was there visiting and enjoying holding that sweet boy.  Then Mary and Terry came.  I headed home to put my feet up ! 

He went to his Mommy’s arms for a while, and just snuggled in so happily.  He was home!

After all their visitors left, and they had more than I listed, Adam finally had his Sweet wife and New Son all to himself.  Out came the camera, and when I looked at FB first thing this morning, this is what I saw.  I couldn’t help but post it here as well.

Today is March 29,2011….it is a cool, sort of cloudy day.  As I left my house this morning, I saw people all around me going about their daily routines.  McD’s drive thru was backed up.  The parking lot at the doctor’s center was already full.  The radio dj announced songs, and told the weather, and the news on the hour and half hour.  Children went to school, and the little ones to preschool.  Businessmen opened their offices, teachers began their classes, and Alex let Finn out to visit the backyard once again.  And, I left home with a very special mission in mind.

I was going to meet my new grandson…Levi.  Didn’t know the time,yet, or didn’t know know any of the ‘specifics’…but what I DID know was that I was not coming home till he and I met face to face!

Adam called us this morning about 4:30 to tell us that things were starting to happen and they were headed to the hospital.   This was a little surprising, because today is exactly 1 month BEFORE the due date.  They called a little later, and told us it was going to be a while.  So, I took care of a few chores and then headed to the hospital.  I was ready to see this little guy!

Unforeseen by us….this little fellow was not doing his part to enter our world.  So, the docs tried this, and then that, and then the other…nope…that boy was in a happy place and saw no good reason to leave.  Finally the doc gave the little guy an ultimatum.  “Show us you mean business by 5…or we’re coming in to get ‘ya!”  When the time came and passed with no sign of cooperation…doc said, “Come on, we’re moving this party on down the hall.”  They took Sweet Suzanne and got her all ready…with a party hat and all…and then gave Adam his party clothes.  The fun began right away.  I wasn’t there for the games, but they must have been really fun…’cause Adam and Suzanne won the GRAND PRIZE !  Suzanne worked so hard for their team, that she had to lay down right there in that very room and take a nap!   Adam decided to let her rest.  But he quietly slipped out and came to show us what they won!  He said it was the BEST PRIZE EVER!!!

Well, were we ever pleased!  What a prize!  Adam didn’t even wait to take off his party hat and mask!  I don’t think I’ve ever seen him smile that big!

There was lots of family waiting on this sweet boy.  First, John Thomas.  He has been learning to say,”LEVI”, but I’m sure he has wondered “WHAT EXACTLY IS A LEVI?”  Now he knows.  And, after all that work to learn his name, what did he call him?  BABY!  Here he his with his ‘GiGi’, Joy.

Tara and John Thomas, Lori, Joy, Pop, Mary and Terry.  And, me, of course!  Now, Pop had been waiting with us for over an hour…after working all day.  He was quite tired.  But, that all faded away when he saw his new GREAT GRANDSON!  Oh, how excited he was.  Excited and Proud.  Pop’s first grandchild, now with a child of his own.  How blessed!

Since Mary, Suzanne’s mom, and I missed all the party games…we decided to have our own.  WHICH ONE IS THE HAPPIEST?  What do you think?  We never could pick a winner!

Of course, they had all the clean up work and weighting and measuring before they could hand him off to his parents.  So, we waited again.   We were thankful to find out that the nurse caring for him was a long time friend at church, Beverly.  She had such caring hands as she did all the necessary checks and tests.  The others had to leave…just Mary and Terry and I were left.  But, we were gonna see that sweet thing one more time!  And, after they got Suzanne and Levi settled and comfortable, they let us into the room.  Oh, to see that teeny miracle!  Thank-you,  Lord!  Mary held him first and then Terry (grandfather).  And then it was my turn.  Oh.My.Goodness! ” Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised!”  He looked perfect…just perfect!

And, then, FINALLY, Don came in.  He was in a very impo business meeting, and came as soon as he could.  Adam had been so worried that he wouldn’t get there.  But, he made it, and they shared a special moment together.

One more picture, of the new grandparents…well one set.  I made pics of Mary and Terry, but I made them with HER camera.

It was a magical day…even if it was a long one.  What fun it is to sit and wait in anticipation of a GRANDSON!  Just knowing that this new life was on the way was the best feeling ever.  So many of you were waiting with us in spirit.  I had 53 notes on FB!  And texts and e-mails, as well!  Thank you, dear friends for following us on this journey.  Your prayers have made such a difference.   Your kind and supporting words have lifted our spirits.  And, knowing you  were sharing in our happiness last night made it even more special.

There was only one sadness, and that was the fact that my Mom wasn’t there.  She will never know Levi until we are all in Heaven.  But the Lord gave me such a sweet gift.  As I closed my eyes, I was thinking how I wished she could see him and just KNOW he was in our lives.   As I was waiting for the sleep to take over…I saw  the most beautiful image of Mom in my mind.  She was standing behind me looking over my shoulder as I held Levi.  I could see her face so clearly, it was glowing.  I only saw it for the moment, and that was enough.  I do not think she ‘visited’ me…the Bible tells us that will not happen.  But, I think it is a reminder that love doesn’t die when the person you love dies.  The love you felt will be with you always.  And, at special times or hard times or uncertain times , it will envelope you once again.    No, it wasn’t a dream…and it wasn’t a ‘visit’…..it was a memory.  A memory filled with love.  Thanks, Mom, for giving me beautiful memories to keep with me always.

Happy Birthday, Levi!    6 pounds 13 ounces…..19 1/2 inches long…..lots of black hair!