OK - We HAVE A Plan!

OK, sorry - I didn't mean to freak everyone out. :)

Things really snuck up on me this time - I *should* have had the details for childcare already worked out, but I had been doing so well [and had honestly started to secretly hope I was going to avoid all this for once!] that I hadn't gotten my ducks in a row! I wasn't prepared for the "sudden" onset this time and for how quickly things have gotten worse.

BUT - I spent all morning on the phone calling everyone I could think of and we now have a plan so I can go into the hospital whenever I need to - even this afternoon.

My mom and dad are keeping Monkey1 and Monkey4. [They just really aren't healthy enough to keep all the kids - I know they would if they could]. My friend [the blessed saint who is dealing with her own bout of cancer] is probably taking Monkey3 - and she & her husband actually volunteered to take ALL 5 kids - can you believe that? [No way I'm dumping 5 kids at their door with everything else she has going on though!]. What a wonderful woman - wonderful family.

My husband should be OK with the two remaining kiddos - Monkey2 and Monkey5. He gets overwhelmed with all 5, but I think he'll do fine with just two. AND my sister has asked to be his backup if he needs her - my sister HAS to work, so she can't just drop everything to keep them right now, but she can really help as needed.

And two other friends called today to offer help - God is good. I prayed for Him to show me what to do last night, and He has surely provided the help we needed! Thank you Lord and thank you to ALL the wonderful people who are stepping in to help us!

Anyway, I feel confident now that I have the children in a situation where they will be adequately cared for if/when I go in the hospital.

I'm going to call my OB after lunch and ask her for very specific directions on when to go to the hospital [I HATE to go this weekend with it being a holiday weekend - you know it is the worst time to get medical care!]. But I give it a more than even chance she will tell me to go on in right after I get off the phone with her - if not, then I will probably meet her "admission criteria" by tonight when my BP does the usual evening spike way up high. [Its already 145/98 right now - and that's a bad sign because it usually gets significantly higher in the evenings than during the day].

I don't know how soon I may be having this baby. I'm glad I got the shots for her lungs. I would really, really prefer to make it to 36 weeks just to be sure she can nurse, but I may be lucky to make it to 35 weeks at the rate we are going [which would be next Thursday].

Thank you all for the prayers and support!

I hope you all have a GREAT holiday weekend!!!!