An Update From Eladrienne

 This is what I saw when I logged into SL a few days ago...

 

My lighthouse was gone. My bunnehs, my roses, my little tiny stump, my home. And yet, what did I expect? It was my own fault. Time had slipped by me and I hadn't realized how long it had been since I had been in SL last. All of my properties--from my shops in Regency and Raglan to my museum to my place in Taloo. All gone. I felt a little heartbroken in a way, as I had worked so hard for all of those things inworld. While I really missed my friends, I had become discouraged about SL. Between not being able to keep up with designing and definitely not being able to compete with learning how to do sculpties and now mesh, I watched my lindens dwindle and dwindle. Logging in was starting to make me sad, and that's not what I wanted from my virtual life. I do apologize to Lunar, Tensai, Des and Gabi for not being more proactive about my properties, but a certain someone genuinely had me distracted...

Yup, that's him!!!! Around this time last year I was about to enter the hospital and experience the most harrowing and nervewracking ordeal of my life so far, but he has been worth every single moment. He is now 20 lbs (after starting out at 2 lbs! Wow!) and is 9 months old. He is one of the happiest, sweetest babies you will ever meet and I am so thankful for him every day.

My husband has suggested that perhaps there is a certain measure of freedom to being propertyless in SL now. "Maybe you can go on a walkabout," he said. "Explore its world again and what you used to love about it."

See you on the Grid.

An Update for my SL Friends

Yes...those are his little feet...

Those who know me very well know I am a private person--especially when it comes to my real life, but I wanted to update you all on what has happened since the last post. The day I found out via ultrasound at 19 weeks that I was having a little boy was also the same day I was admitted to the hospital to be on strict bedrest. I went in on a Wednesday at the end of December. My docs thought I'd be home by that weekend--without a baby. I proved them all wrong. It was a very scary time for us, but I refused to believe that would be my reality.

I went on for another month to week 24--when docs consider a baby truly viable and able to survive. It was like a celebration by everyone that day. And then my water broke a few days later. Despite that, I went on for yet another month in the hospital like that and at almost 28 weeks and 3 months early, I had my son Alex two weeks ago. The staff and my docs call us a "miracle". I agree. We are a testament to positivity and what it can do.

He is doing very well in the NICU. He is strong, healthy, loud and feisty and almost 3 lbs now. He just needs to get bigger and master a few things like breathing air correctly before he can go home with us--hopefully next month. I am so thankful and happy that things worked out as they did.

I want to thank all of you so much for your support and well-wishes and good thoughts. My husband, family and I were truly touched and want you to know how much we have appreciated it. Hope to see you on the Grid again sometime. :-)

To My SL Friends

For those of you wondering where I have been lately, RL has truly had my focus...

In RL I am 5 months pregnant and recently found out I have a complication. The above pic is the view I usually see from my window as I'm writing this from the hospital. I've been here for over a week so far on bedrest and do not know when I am going home from as it depends upon how much longer I can continue to carry my baby. This has been a shock to my husband and family as it could be weeks or it could be months...I don't know. We are staying positive as being negative serves no purpose.

What I do know is that all of my SL-related activities are currently suspended. Perhaps someday I'll be back, and I hope that at least my little lighthouse home and bunnies in Steelhead will still be there, but right now my concerns are with the health of my baby and my family. They have to be.

Please think good thoughts for us...I miss you all.