What part of vacation don't you understand?

We were headed on Friday to a vacation that was supposed to be at least a week long, filled with a lot of family, friends, photos, sun, beach, all to which none of that happened.

Instead?
-Baby Bee wakes in the middle of the first night wheezing. Never in his life has he wheezed. Clearly the strong smell of bleach mixed with harbor-induced mold was not a great combination for Bee's lungs. We spent the night in a steamy shower, Bee and I. It was less than relaxing.
-I start bleeding. Again. I retreat with Bee to Grammy's house (about 40 mins away) as the hotel was no place for Bee to recover and we were locked in anyway out of fear of getting the cousins sick.
-Report via Daddy Mock: Kid gets sick. I know it's the room! Neither child had any symptoms on our trip there.
-I keep bleeding. Getting worse. Hold on Honey Bean!
-Kid is sleeping horribly and Daddy Mock is now getting sick. They choose to visit Baby and I at Grammy's.
-I miscarry an hour after their arrival.

How's that for vacation? We ended up packing it up and calling it quits as it surely wasn't getting any better.
Today, as I awoke refreshed from sleeping in my own bed, I gathered my things to get ready for my miscarriage confirmation at the hospital (I hate those places).

Doc did report that I did, indeed, miscarry. What he also mentioned was that I miscarried one baby, not both.

What?

And after we have had several run-ins with grief with this Honey Bean, I must say that grief was the furthest emotion experienced. Relieved. Amazed. Grateful. Overjoyed. Shocked. Just to name a few.

Indeed, I did not take the photo of Honey Bean above which would be breaking my unwritten personal rules for Photo of the Week, however, I must define what you see above. Two gestational sacs. The one on the left with the tiny crosses is Honey Bean. To the right is a now-empty sac that once was holding Bean's twin. Fascinating, isn't it?

To make the scenario even more special, Daddy Mock shared with me this morning that his quiet time had the same verses, exactly four years ago when we decided to start a family. Four years ago today, our lives changed, based on these verses:

"Behold, children are a gift of the Lord; The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. How blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them; They shall not be ashamed, When they speak with their enemies in the gate."

Psalm 127:3-5

God is Good!

Thank you for all of your thoughts and prayers for Honey Bean. Bean is definitely a survivor and proving to be quite a handful of drama!

I remember promising I would never be the parent that bribed her child.
A promise I didn't keep.
Here's Kid enjoying a fresh-squeezed orange juice popsicle because he sat ever-so-still for the buzz cut. It becomes him, really. I've waved the white flag to the two cowlicks and have given up my dreams of "surfer hair".

Not for Kid.

But with big blues like these, hair is not the feature he needs to boast.

And for Honey Bean? Aye. My money is down that this is a girl.

Mark my words.

Bean still looks like an actual bean and the drama has already begun!

This entire week has been overly exhausting, a roller coaster of ups and downs. After being told that there was not, in fact, a baby, we find out that Honey Bean is hiding, yes, hiding, from the camera. We find out hours later (after mourning, I must add) that Bean is there, with a beating heart.

How's that for drama?

And the day before we leave on vacation?

The timing, really, child, you must work on your timing.

On that note, thank you for your prayers and concern over Honey Bean. Praise God as of this moment, all is well and beating according to His Plan.

Off to pack for a relaxing vacation!