Happy Birthday & Halloween

I love the Fall! Leaves changing, cooler weather, holidays, hot chocolate, going to festivals...the list could go on and on! But 2 of my favorite things fall on Halloween! First, I love dressing the kids up and going Trick-or-Treating. The whole process of deciding on a costume and watching the kids transform into character cracks me up. This year Samantha is Shirley Temple (which she has no clue about, so she just says Baby Doll), Mario is a Clone Trooper or Man of Armor (depending on when you ask him) and MiMi is Snow White (with blond hair). So stinkin' cute!

Mario & I were in charge of the pumpkin carving...yes, it's puking! My husband spent last weekend with Jr. High students, I'm guessing that's where he got his inspiration ;).

But my FAVORITE thing about Halloween is that it's my son Mario's Birthday!!! I gave birth to Mario Anthony Bruning at 7:40pm October 31, 2002. My midwife was dressed as a Kitty Cat and my nurse was a Clown (a cute one, not a creepy one!). Also dressed up that day, (in the delivery room), were my nephews, Marcus and Tristan (both Ninjas)...they were 6 and 4 and not too happy that my birth experience conflicted with their Trick-or-Treating!! I can't believe that Bubba is 6 years old! He has grown so much over the past few months, both physically (like 6 inches taller) and through maturity (he's reading and writing and building friendships). I am a proud Momma! So tomorrow will be a GREAT day at the Bruning house...full of Make Believe, Trick-or-Treating and Celebrating my boy! HAPPY 6th BIRTHDAY BUBBA!!

Ready, Set, Go.....!

I have been working on painting and decluttering the kids' rooms all week. We replaced pink walls with Water Chestnut walls, (this should help Bubba's masculinity greatly ;)). Replaced captains beds with bunk beds and moved MiMi's toddler bed into the garage (she got one of the captains beds). I've also started painting our room (only the toilet/ tub area of our bathroom is done so far)! What I've learned: I despise painting bathrooms, a 2 year old loves for you to be busy, you CAN forget to eat...and cook dinner (sorry babe), and I LOVE home improvement projects!!

But they will have to be put on hold after today because we are starting marathon weekend at the Bruning's!

Tonight, after the kids get home from school and Good News, we have Skate Night, then Donuts with Dad at 7am, my small group, Bubba's sleepover for his birthday tomorrow night (6 boys, a tent, a campfire and 47degree weather...loving it), a festival and pie competition, church and then the "family" party for Bubs. Did I mention that my husband will be away at XNOW weekend with our Youth during most of this??? Thankfully he got a temporary Leave of Absence for the sleepover (thanks Prater!!) Honestly, I am looking forward to every minute of this weekend! Tons of pictures, memories and tradition will be poured into our family this weekend...what a blessing!

PS: If you could pray for my niece Ibrina, (Sabrina without the S), today. She may have an infection and they are doing a blood transfusion today. Her story and updates are at http://ibrinanoellopez.blogspot.com
THANKS!!!

Update on the Girls!

**Monday-UPDATE**

Yesterday Ibrina got taken off of the billi lights, tolerated her 3rd blood transfusion and her ventilator got reduced (she's breathing more on her own now)! Praise God & Keep the prayers coming please!!

Carrie got to come home from the hospital yesterday, unfortunately Lailah did not. They have discovered that she does have acid reflux, but she also has apnea (she stops breathing for brief periods of time). So, she has to be "episode free" for 5 days in a row in order to come home. Please pray that her lungs would mature and that she would be healthy enough to come home soon!

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I have twin sisters, Cathy and Carrie who are 28 years old. However, they are about as polar opposite as any two people that I know! Until recently...

They both became pregnant again this year (they both have sons, Marcus 12 & Tristan 10 respectively). Carrie was due October 21st and Cathy was due December 29th. Carrie got diagnosed with Placenta Previa very early on and so after months of bed rest she was scheduled for a C-section on October 1st at 9am. Cathy had a very uneventful pregnancy. Until Tuesday night...

Cathy began bleeding severely. I was called to the hospital a little after 11pm and it was decided that Cathy was suffering from a Placental Abruption (her placenta had separated from her uterus). She had to have an emergency C-section at 12:36am...October 1st. Ibrina Noel Lopez was born weighing 2lbs. and was 13.5 inches long. She has had 2 blood transfusions, is on a ventilator and under the billi lights. She will be in the NICU for several months, but she is doing awesome for a 27 weeker! Prayers are coveted!!

Carrie was at the hospital for Cathy's C-section, but then returned home to sleep for a couple of hours (she had to be back at 7am for her surgery). Lailah Reese Hill was born weighing 6lbs 1oz and was 18 inches long at 9:42am...October 1st. She had an "episode" where she turned blue, (they are pretty confident that it was a fluke due to severe acid reflux), so she is in the NICU and expected to come home on Sunday.

SO...the twins are 3 rooms apart in the same hospital and the babies are in the same NICU. At least they made visitation easy on all of us! With our mom gone I am Mom, Grandma, Aunt, Sister, Voice of Reason (when the pain meds wear off), and friend. It's been a long week...we all agree on that!

I ask for PRAYER for my sisters, the babies, my nephews and the babies fathers. They are believers, but are living a somewhat worldly life. I pray that God will draw them close through this and make them realize that HE is the ONLY way. And give Him the glory and praise! I also pray that Mario & I are prayerful and obedient during this time. THANK YOU!!!!