Broken Arm

Thursday, April 27 started as every other day.  It was a nice day.  I dropped off Ellie at preschool.  I came home and took care of my final project for my grad class.  I am so glad to be done with that class.  It was more the time it took up than the actual content.  I went for a quick walk/run around Dalton before picking up Ellie.  Actually, I stopped to talk to a friend on Main Street about 1/4 mile from the preschool.  I didn't keep track of time and when I said good-bye and glanced at my watch it was 11:31!!! (already late for pick up!!)  I took off at a dead sprint, knowing I wouldn't make it, but thought it was worth a shot.  I did - almost - make it running the entire time.  I was hardly able to talk by the time I got there.  The good news was that, although I was the last parent, there were still parents walking out, so I wasn't too late.  Whew!  Ellie and I headed to the library to get books, movies, and play-aways for our weekend trip with Grandma Yoh to Gatlinburg.  The librarian asked if I had been to Florida.  I told her my face was just red from exertion; how out of shape am I?!?!  Anyway, we had just made it home from the library and set the books down when I heard my phone ring.  I couldn't locate it before it went to voicemail.  I saw it was a missed call from the school.

The first thought was, "Ugh, I hope Madison didn't break her bone or something.  That would be really inconvenient before vacation."

School: "We need you to come to the school.  Madison was on the monkey bars and fell.  We are not sure, but think she may have broke her arm."

And there it was - broken bone.

(Hindsight tells me that had she been sick with a fever, vomit, or strep throat our plans would have actually had to change and it would have been more inconvenient.)

I left Ellie with Jeremy and headed directly back to Dalton.  The assistant principal had wrapped it in a very nice splint, and the nurse had given her a school spirit sling.  Madison was scared.  But she was also worried that we wouldn't go on our trip; it was one of her first questions.

We drove directly to Wooster Hospital ER.  We made it before the rush and were helped pretty quickly.  X-rays confirmed that she had a fracture of her left radius on the distal end.  Translation: she broke the bigger bone on her lower left arm near the wrist.

The good news was actually plentiful: we would go on vacation; it is not her dominant hand; it doesn't look like it will require surgery; a hard splint will hold til a cast can be put on; she got a stuffed animal "Brave the Bear" from a church in Medina who donated them for kids in the ER

The bad news: broken arm; no swimming while on vacation; no more monkey bars for the school year; and no softball this season.

This is her second broken bone.  The last one was July 2013 on her right foot.  Hopefully, this will be it....

I’m Back

I am not sure where you even start after nearly a month’s absence!  I think that must be a record of silence for me, although I didn’t take time to actually verify that. 

I can’t promise much better in the next few weeks either.  I just learned/realized that my summer grad class is done August 1st.  Yep, that is just about two weeks away.  And you know what?  I have only completed 2 of the 8 modules – and neither of those included the papers we write.  I am hoping that the rest is as easy as the professor says; he has assured me on more than one occasion that the first two assignments are the most time-consuming.  Perhaps he forgot that he assigned an 8 page paper??  It will all work out. 

Then, when that is all done, I have school starting on August 21st.  I am questioning why I took the sub job – not because I don’t think that once it is started, I will find some enjoyment in the routine of work, but because my summer ends, my play time is cut considerably with the girls, all grocery shopping/cleaning/laundry/house stuff is pushed to the weekend, and our lives just shift…. Again, I believe it will all work out.  I just took it for a short season rather than the long haul for a reason.

So, this past month… in no particular order…

1)  There was some Daddy time – piggy backs, spinning, tickle monster, zerbert giving, book reading, fun times.

     

2)  There were sleepovers – for a whole week between grandparents!  I took a week to go to Phoenix to be a delegate at the Mennonite Church Convention with my friend (and conference junky) Sandy.  It was hot (112F most days), but the convention center was cool.  It was good to renew my mind and spirit, to be challenged, and to bring back some vision of the church.  The girls did great – I’m not sure how much I was missed… and I am kinda glad about this in that they are beginning to realize that I will come back, and life doesn’t end when I leave.

3)  Ellie stacked 9 blocks up on carpet during play time the other day.  I couldn’t get the camera before she knocked them down though, so I jus have these to remind me.

4) The girls LOVED the animal cracker and nutella snack I gave them one day.  Ellie mostly liked the nutella – all the crackers remained… just covered in the “dip.”

    

5)  Lehman’s summer fun days were fun.  We could walk there which made it way more enjoyable than finding a parking spot with all the cars.  There was a small petting zoo – mini donkeys, mini horse, baby pigs, rabbits, pheasants, and goats.  Plus, there was food to feed them.  The girls both got in the pig pen to feed them, and Madison fed the horse a carrot!  Then, we enjoyed food samples – ice cream, Amish noodles, zucchini chips, popcorn, and wood fired smores.  We waited in line (FOREVER!) for Madison to get her face painted; the woman did some amazing full face designs, but I requested something a little smaller and a little less time consuming.  We also got balloons, which is always a hit (for about 20 minutes). 

    

6) The Rohr’s had their Fourth of July party.  Madison rode the train as many times as she could get on.  Both girls got in the pool; Ellie did not enjoy the experience.  I stayed late with Madison and it was so relaxing because she just played with the other kids… it was a beautiful thing.

7)  Ashland Sleepover and play dates…. We went to Nate and Jen’s last Thursday for a sleepover.  All the kids were super excited to see the girls.  Madison was super excited as well – especially to play with the Barbies (and Megan was an easy one to win over).  Ellie loosened up as well.  We ate at Bob Evans’s, played, slept, and played some more the next morning.  Then, we headed up the street to Laura and Adam Kime’s house to play with Teagan and Everett.  The girls enjoyed this part of the morning as well.  Madison had remembered all the fun dress up clothes in Teagan’s closet, so that entertained them for awhile.  We played with the water table and the slide for part of the morning as well.  After lunch, we headed back home.  (For some reason, I never took a picture at either of these places.)

8)  My dad had surgery to place a pain pump inside of him to help regulate his back pain better.  It was a second attempt, and a success.  He is still in the hospital recovering.  We are hoping for the best.

9) Columbus Sleepover and play date…. It is always fun to reconnect with Tara and Grace.  I miss them, our walks, and our talks.  The girls get along pretty well, so it was a win-win for us to get together.  We went yesterday during nap time.  We got to go to the pool before supper.  The girls dipped their toes in to start, and Tara and I tried to get a picture!

   

Madison took awhile to get used to her new life jacket – not a vest like the other one – but when she did, it was hard to get her out of the pool.  She jumped off the edge to me, swam from the steps without needing my hand, and even dipped a little of her face in the water.  She was so proud of herself, and so was I. 

Ellie, on the other hand, was not to keen about the water.  She sat on the step for a bit, hated it when I took her into the water, and said “all done” quite quickly.  So, she chose to sit on the lounge chair with her water most of the time. 

Before bed, the girls danced with glow bracelets, played in the kitchenettes, colored, read stories, and took a bath.  They actually went to bed quite quickly – in the same room!  I think they were just wore out.

   

Today we headed to the Columbus Zoo.  Yeah, it was too hot and too humid for my liking, but it also made for less people.  The polar bears were trying desperately to stay cool in the water. 

The grizzly bears were… ummm not sure their genders, but the heat had them acting a little funny. 

The penguins were swimming,  The lions were lounging.  The gorillas were moving around – the big silverback had Ellie backing away from the glass.  The train was relaxing.

       

The mist-ers around the zoo were refreshing!  It was a good morning.  The drive back for me was loooong.  I was soooo tired, but I made it.

10)  Jeremy’s family auctioned off his Grandparents things today.  I think this was a enormous task, and a sad one.  It must be hard saying good-bye – again… this time to the stuff that represented the person you loved.  Jeremy helped out with this some during the day, and we came on our way back from Columbus. 

Okay, it is time for bed/recovery.  I will post again, I promise.  BUT I make no promise at this time in my life how often or how soon.  I feel stressed as I complete my grad class, keep up with my tutoring job, think about teaching… at a NEW school no less!, and just do the daily tasks.  Please keep us in your prayers as we make this transition in the next month.

Saturday

Saturday was a bit surreal for me, and I am just now getting ready to post.  I talked to my mom about 8:30am just about random things.  I got a call back from her at 9:15am.  She had called the squad to come take my dad to the hospital.  He has had a lot of issues, mainily with his back, and none have resulted in a trip in the ambulance.  I figured this was serious.  I tried calling my mom to see if she wanted me to come sit with her, but it went the voice mail.  Not long after the phone rang.  It was my dad!  He said, you called me while I was in the ambulance.  I just wanted you to know I love you.  I let him know I loved him too, and that he had scared me.  Then, he said, Well I better go, they don’t know I am on my phone.  Sneaky, Dad!  I realized, then, that mom never got my message, and I decided to just go up. 

I am so glad I could be there just waiting in the room with them.  Dad had presented stroke like symptoms, which they declared a TIA (or reversible stroke).  There was no damage shown on the CAT scans and all the blood tests and other testing they did came back clear. What a blessing!  It was  a super scary thing. 

In the meantime, Jeremy carried on with the things we had planned for the day.  His parents ended up coming over to hang out, too, which I was glad about.  It meant that he wasn’t alone with the girls, and that he could spend some time with his folks. (I end up seeing them frequently since they watch the girls a lot, but Jeremy usually misses out.)  They had lunch, and then went to the Easter Egg Hunt at the park. 

They said Ellie seemed to know exactly what to do.  When she saw an egg, she just bent down and picked it up.  Such a big girl!

Madison is a seasoned pro.  She knows that finding an egg means finding some candy treats!  She is a candy-a-holic, but I figure she gets it honestly.  Maybe I can just help her reign it in a bit before she is in her 30s and still battling the call of the candy (well, mostly just chocolate for me nowadays!). 

   

They saw some of their cousins there as well – Landen and Cale!

    

They even got to meet the Easter bunny!  This was a first for Madison.  Jeremy said she enjoyed seeing it, but Ellie was a little leery – and who wouldn’t be!  I think in the one picture, both the bunny and Madison realized that her Easter basket had tipped over… at least I think that is what they are pointing at :)

   

My dad came home from the hospital on Monday, and we are praying that he won’t need to return via ambulance for a long, long time… or ever would be even better!

My heart breaks…

I haven’t written about the shooting at Newtown because I can’t process it.  It seems so different than theatre shootings and mall shootings – those are places of pure entertainment being violated, but at the same time not really safe in the way a school is considered safe.  It seems different than university shootings and high school shootings – it wasn’t one of their own frustrated or disturbed by someone or something.  It was someone from the outside (with only a few connections, but not to the little ones it seems) who entered unwelcome and uninvited into an otherwise innocent setting.  And it was small children who should not know about these things – and certainly not need to witness these things. 

We read about child soldiers in other countries and think about the atrocities of war in other counties and how that violence must rob the young (and frankly, the old) of their innocence and suck out some of their hope.  But this is here, and this is our country, and we cannot deny that this violence that we for so long has insisted is “over there” is, in fact, over here. 

What then do we do with this? Do we blame guns? (I tend to believe guns that hold more than one bullet to shoot one helpless deer seem pretty unnecessary…) Do we blame the lack of mental health services?  Do we blame the parents?  Do we blame the society?  Do we blame media source – video games, movies, TV, etc?

Or do we just lay down and accept it as “just the way life is” and give up? 

Or do we take a different path – believing that God, for reasons we may never understand, allows things to happen in our fallen world?  Do we trust that God was there for those children and teachers/staff when we could not be?  That God will heal the hurt that is in the souls of so many and allow it to rise up for good? 

It is just SO HARD.  And I feel so small.  I am thankful for a God who is bigger than this and knows what will come. 

I read on another blog (Mennonite Girls Can Cook) a prayer written by Max Lucado, that I thought was worth reposting and reading and believing.  I have pasted it below.  Please continue to pray for all of us – and especially those closest to the tragedy – as they walk through Christmas this year.

Dear Jesus,
It’s a good thing you were born at night. This world sure seems dark. I have a good eye for silver linings. But they seem dimmer lately.
These killings, Lord. These children, Lord. Innocence violated. Raw evil demonstrated.
The whole world seems on edge. Trigger-happy. Ticked off. We hear threats of chemical weapons and nuclear bombs. Are we one button-push away from annihilation?
Your world seems a bit darker this Christmas. But you were born in the dark, right? You came at night. The shepherds were night shift workers. The Wise Men followed a star. Your first cries were heard in the shadows. To see your face, Mary and Joseph needed a candle flame. It was dark. Dark with Herod’s jealousy. Dark with Roman oppression. Dark with poverty. Dark with violence.
Herod went on a rampage, killing babies. Joseph took you and your mom into Egypt. You were an immigrant before you were a Nazarene.
Oh, Lord Jesus, you entered the dark world of your day. Won’t you enter ours? We are weary of bloodshed. We, like the wise men, are looking for a star. We, like the shepherds, are kneeling at a manger.
This Christmas, we ask you, heal us, help us, be born anew in us.
Hopefully,
Your Children

Random Saturday Events

This Saturday was quite a day!  It started this morning when Jeremy and I took Madison over to our neighbor’s house to play with her little friend, Carston. 

Event #1: We headed to St. Ann’s Hospital – not to have a baby, but to try to turn our baby.  At my last doctor’s appt (Wednesday), we learned that baby #2 decided to follow in Madison’s footsteps and turn breech.  Yep, that’s right – there is about a 3% chance that your baby will be breech… and we are now two for two.  This time, we decided we would try a version, which is when the doctor tries to turn the baby externally.  We went into the hospital (because of a risk of the procedure) for the procedure.  I would say the version could be described as uncomfortable, and painful, but not awful.  The doctor literally pushed on my stomach from the top (the head) and the bottom (the bum) and tried to coax the baby to do a little sommersault.  We got close – the doctor thought about 10 more degrees, and Jeremy could see how close he was.  Unfortunately, it didn’t work.  So, we move on.  We have now determined our c-section date and unless the baby turns this week or I go into labor, the baby will arrive on Friday. 

Event #2:  We enjoyed beautiful weather in January!!!  Madison got her bike helmet and big wheels out.  We took off her bulky coat after a few minutes; it was too warm to need it.

              

Event #3: We were laying on the couches during Madison’s nap – me, napping; Jeremy, watching football – when I hear Jeremy say, “Oh!”  This woke me up to the fact that there was a raccoon on our deck – at 2pm in broad daylight.  Now, this follows our hunt for our attic visitors a few weeks ago when we called out Critter Control and captured two raccoons (at a fairly high price).  So, Jeremy decided he would scare it off with his bb gun and a broom. 

                           

That would have been fine, except we received a call from our neighbors about 20 minutes later with the raccoon sighting.  Jeremy called Wildlife Control to ask advice.  Based on the sluggish and non-aggressive manner of the raccoon, they thought he might have distemper.  They recommended that Jeremy catch it and bring it in.  Yep, CATCH it and bring it in.  So, the hunt was on!  It started with Jeremy and a cardboard box.  Then, I joined in with the cardboard box and he got a plastic tote.  Then, we grabbed the broom.  So, there we were – man and boxes, pregnant woman and broom circling around and around a car trying to coax the raccoon into a box.  Jeremy managed to capture it under the cardboard box, but as he was explaining to me what I needed to do to help him get it in the more durable tote, the raccoon maneuvered his body out from under the box!  After that, we were joined by our older neighbor with another broom.  We almost got him when I threw the box on top of him, but I was too scared to actually hold it down.  Then, we almost corralled him into the box by chasing him around and around the garage.  We finally gave up when we were all tired of this chase.  The raccoon was back on our deck a few hours later.  Another neighbor has a live trap; so, we have that set with some cat food and marshmallows (apparently a raccoon favorite) to lure him in tonight.  We’ll see how it goes. 

Event #4: We headed to the park – we haven’t been in ages.  While there, Madison managed to fall off the slide and bump her head.  Which both events had me laughing pretty hard (probably too hard!). 

Overall it was a good day.  I haven’t laughed this hard (my stomach was hurting) since my family’s Christmas when the adults were hanging out after the kids went to bed.  Now, I am tired, so I am wrapping this up and going to bed.  I hope everyone has a great weekend. 

A little update

It has been forever since I've blogged. I have no new pictures to add, so this may lack in interest. A few updates:

• I had a OB appointment last week. Everything still looks good; the baby is head down - yea! Hopefully, it is big enough that it will be "stuck" there til its time. I am now on weekly appointments, which a bit exhausting, but exciting to know it is almost time too!
• Madison had a bit of a virus since Thursday night. We were up a number of times on Thursday night. Friday she was upbeat and fun. Friday night her fever heated up again - all the way to 104.5 at night! A little high for comfort. We took her in to the doctor on Saturday morning. Saturday night she went to bed at 6pm! - and slept til 8:30 Sunday morning! She was not quite herself yet today, but no fever since Friday; we are in recovery mode.
• We have decided to switch sitters with the new year. We thought it would be good to get our two closer to home to make it easier for pick-ups and later drop-offs in the morning. Additionally, her current sitter was filled up and there was no room for our #2. I think the new woman will be good. It makes me sad to know she will be leaving Miss Jamie who has loved her for two years, and all her little friends. Hopefully, it will not be as sad for her as it seems to be for me.
• On Friday night, we went to Night in Bethlehem at our church. It is really neat. They set up all kinds of shops for kids to go to and "buy" things with denarius. The shops are things like wool spinning, pottery, synagogue, carpenter, etc. Madison will have fun when she is older. Friday she really enjoy the live animals they had - miniature pony, a little donkey, pigmy goats, chickens, and a giant breed of bunny. We also were guided by the shepherds to go see baby Jesus in the stable. (Portrayed by a family in our church with a newborn.)
  
• We are making some pretty big life decisions right now that I am not ready to share details of. However, we would appreciate prayers for guidance and clarity. We are trusting God will lead us clearly.

Have a great week everyone. I will try to take some pictures to post this week.

18 month check up

Today was a big day - 18 month check-up!!! Beforehand, we went to the library for storytime (lap infants to 18 month olds). It was much quieter than the last one (18-36 month olds). Madison still had fun hopping, turning around, and shaking the maracas. She was fine at the doctor until I laid her down to take her clothes off - the crying and clinging began. This had never happened before. She improved when the doctor and I were talking, but disintegrated the moment the doctor moved closer to listen to her heart and look at her ears. Of course, the two shots were not the highlight of the appointment. She did settle down within the time it took to read one book. Here are her stats:

• Head circumference: Now - 19 in... 95th percentile (at 15 mo - 18.5 in)
• Height: Now - 32.5 in...75th percentile (at 15 mo - 30 in)
• Weight: Now - 23lbs, 9 oz... almost 50th percentile (at 15 mo - 21lbs, 3 oz)

She doesn't have to go back til she turns 2. However, she does have to go for a check on her urinary reflux, which involves a catheter! I am not - after this appointment - looking forward to that. It's not til August, so we have some time to prepare.

In other news.... my dad's surgery on his neck vertebrae went well according to the doctor, but the recovery is more painful than he was expecting. He is used to all things back surgery, so this is just different. And somehow he thought it would be easier - the neck is, after all, smaller than the back. The problem is that you use your neck for everything. Think about it: it holds your head up/on... what do you not do with your head??? Please pray for him as he continues to recover.

Update

My mom made it safely to Oklahoma. Hopefully, my dad is surviving at home. Luke is apparently number 1 son in charge :) Mom called today to let me know that Grandpa had a good past 24 hours. He is now able to eat, is off the morphine for headaches, and is going to be starting physical therapy on Monday. What a great report!

I went to the eye doctor today - super exciting, I know. I always get a little nervous. Most people get nervous when they go to the dentist, but I have good teeth - one tiny cavity. My eyes, on the other hand, are a whole different story. They are bad. I got glasses in 2nd grade and wear contacts all the time now. Without them (or glasses), I cannot see much. So, I fear that my eyes will continue to get worse, my retina will show increased thinning (and then tear!), or any other mishap. Today, I received a good report. My right eye had less astigmatism; my left was the same except the axis had changed (whatever that really means....) So, I will continue another year thankful for my sight. Madison played with Andrea who volunteered to watch her for a few hours; thank you, Andrea. Oh yeah, I asked when infants are supposed to have their first check-up and my doctor said before their first birthday is ideal. The place I go gives complimentary first year check-ups. So, Madison is scheduled for her first eye appointment on Monday. It will be interesting to see what they do :)

I hope everyone has a great rest of the weekend.

Praise and Prayer

My grandpa (my mom's dad) had a fall about two weeks ago and hit his head. He ended up having bleeding in/on the brain. He was in the hospital for a week; the doctors were hoping the blood would reabsorb and Grandpa could return home. It did not reabsorb, so they had to schedule him for surgery. Yesterday morning, Grandpa had brain surgery to remove this excess blood. I think they also left a drain tube in there for additional bleeding, but I could be fuzzy on that detail. He made it through surgery and is now recovering in the ICU. My mom is traveling out to spend some time with him. The praise is although weak, he made it through the surgery. The prayer is for healing and strength. Also, pray for my mom's travels and her time in Oklahoma making future decisions for Grandpa with her siblings. Thanks, Everyone.

Mostly Rambling, with a bit of serious at the end

Not a lot of new news to report.  We went to meet Emily who will be taking care of Madison when I return to work.  She is a woman who goes to our church, and she and her husband helped out with youth group.  They have two kids and a dog who is great with kids.  I wanted to see where she lived and how far from the school she was.  It is about 20 minutes to her house in Reynoldsburg from our house and then about 10 minutes to the school.  I had no idea what information to tell her.  I have never left Madison for a whole day before - just snippets of time with grandparents.  It is a bit unnerving, but feels better than having to drop her off at a day care.  I still have three weeks to get used to the idea... so I'll just enjoy the time I have at home.

We went to the Breastfeeding Support Group on Wednesday.  Three new moms and babies were there - all younger than Madison.  It is amazing how small and fragile they looked.  Things change so quickly with babies.  It was fun to see new faces and hear their stories.  We also had our weekly weigh in.  She is 9 lbs 13 oz - up 5 oz from her doctor's appointment last Monday.  Way to go!

Diapers, diapers, diapers.  I am still using cloth and still liking it.  I had been using disposables at night thinking they would absorb better and we'd have less leaks.  My little girl sleeps tilted slightly to the side - we are not strict back sleepers.  And she was wetting through her pjs twice a night up the side.  My theory: disposables are made for back sleepers only.  I am now using a cloth with a fleece insert - very bulky.  But, we had not had a leak until this morning.  I think that was my fault because when I took the pjs off, I noticed there was a bit of cloth diaper hanging outside the cover.  Does this happen to others - late night leaks?  How do you deal with it?  At least I know she is not dehydrated!  Oh, and I ordered new diaper covers - thirsties brand that are fitted.  I really like them because they keep all moisture contained.  They are a step up in quality (and price) to the Dappi old-fashioned diaper pants.  I may splurge and order some more :)  At a rate of 48 diapers per week (this is about what we use), I am saving $36 a month ($9/pk of 50 x 4 wks).  I feel so thrifty!

Jeremy has found another job opening to apply for.  We have been praying that he is hired for a full-time, secure job for two years now.  During those two years, we have been blessed with temporary jobs and his willingness to work them.  This current job is probably good through the summer, but nothing is promised.  I would love for him to get a job that has good health insurance and decent pay.  I know that is a lot to ask, but it would allow us to consider letting me stay home next year.  Right now, we have great health insurance through my school, so that is the main reason I have to continue teaching.  That all being said, I just ask for continued prayer for us as we work through this whole job search thing.  Thanks.

soooo

I am sorry it has been almost a week. I am working to keep up with all the stuff at school - IEPs that need written in 2 days, lesson plans that need done, notes that have to be written, paperwork sent out, kids who are learning how to behave, etc. Yes, I am busy. I am so thankful for the way I used this summer to paint the nursery, research cloth diapers, register for baby stuff, and just orient myself to what pregnancy "is." Now that school started, I don't have enough time. Because I am a control freak, I want to create my own notes for life science. Neither of the books I have to use seem to be at the right level - too hard, or not enough information. So, I retype what I think is necessary and make my own. This is why it takes about 4 hours of time every weekend to get ready for the next week. I am not complaining; I am just realizing why my time is so consumed with school. The good news is that on Wednesday, I took the evening to go to a co-workers baby shower for a couple hours and just have some hang out time talking. It was nice to be with fellow teachers and talk about something other than school. It makes me feel like I am building relationships, and not just good work relations. Tonight, I am going for a walk and then work on cleaning the house a bit. We have company coming this weekend (Jeremy's mom and aunt), and although I know they could care less whether the house is spotless, it really needs to be cleaned - it has been awhile. So, that is what is on the plate for tonight. I hope everyone is having a good week. One more work day and the weekend will be here. You can do it!

On another note - a spiritual one - I have decided to challenge myself with I Corinthians 13 (the love passage). Loving God and other has been talked about a lot in our small group study. One practical check point for yourself is to read I Corinth 13 by replacing the word love with your name. For example, "Erin is patient and kind...." So, I thought I would work on one characteristic of love a week. This week it is Love is patient. I have a reminder on my desk. I think it has been helpful because it has become a prayer for me to breathe throughout the day. I challenge you to show others love through patience - on the road, in the grocery store, at work, at home.... God is so patient with us! Praise God

Sadness

My dad called me this morning at 8, but my phone was downstairs. I came down for breakfast and got another call at 8:30am. It seemed strange to be getting a call so early in the morning, but I didn't think much of it really. My dad said that my grandpa (his dad) has died this morning. He had turned 90 in June and was one of the reasons we went to Kansas this summer. It had been so good to see him. He knew who we were, could converse a little with us, and boy, could he give a hug and a handshake! My dad had told me earlier in the week that Grandpa was not swallowing very well and his one hand seemed to have atrophied some. We wondered if he had been having mini strokes. (He had a pretty major stroke last year maybe February sometime, while we were still in Colorado. He was now in a nursing home.) Then, Hospice came in to evaluate him this week. Hospice called my aunt to let her know he wasn't breathing very well on Friday night (I think), and before she could get there, he had passed away. It sounds very peaceful, and he had lived a wonderful life.

What does this mean? This means I (and my family minus most, if not all, of the in-laws) am headed to Kansas this afternoon. My parents are picking me up and I am helping them drive since my dad's back doesn't make him a very long relief driver for my mom. It also means I am scrabbling to get my stuff ready for a sub to take over this first week of school. I had a lot of things done, but that was for me ... not for someone else to understand and go with. I will probably be gone through Wednesday or Thursday - it depends on the day of the funeral. I will come home with my brothers while my parents wrap things up. Please, pray for travel mercies for not only us but some of my cousins coming from a distance as well. It will be a time of rejoicing because my grandpa was a child of God and is finally home. But that doesn't always mean no tears either. Pray for strength for my dad and his siblings (see pic up top) as they make arrangements, and for my grandpa's second wife, Linda, who God blessed him with. Finally, I am sure my sub will need prayer as s/he helps many students transition back to their first week of school. Thanks for you prayers.

Weekly update

Apparently, rather than a few times a week, I now post once a week... better than nothing, right? This past weekend Jeremy and I attended Lasting Flame Marriage Seminar held in Wayne County. The speakers were Steve and Annie Chapman. I thoroughly enjoyed my time. They were funny, easy to listen to, and made good points without shoving it all down your throat. There was a date night on Saturday. Jeremy and I went putt-putt golfing, ate supper at Jake's, and had dessert at Dairy Queen. There were a few things I appreciated that they said:
1) If you want to love like you used to love, then do what you used to do. It was a good reminder to continue to put forth effort in your relationship
2) We are in a divine duet with God. He will do his part and we need to do ours.
3) Work to out serve your spouse. Find a way to share their interests. They sang a neat song about a couple where the chorus had lines like, "It may look like nascar, but it feels like love" and "it may look like dancing, but it feels like love" In other words, doing things outside of what you enjoy, feels like love to your spouse because you took time to do something they enjoy.

This week has gone by quickly. It is already Wednesday evening. I would like to ask for prayer before it gets too late. My Grandpa (my dad's dad) had a stroke earlier this week. He and his wife live in Kansas. My dad and his siblings are working to make decisions about what the next steps may be. Grandpa is paralyzed from the stroke on his right side and his esophagus isn't working. So, there are definite issues to work through. Pray for Grandpa (Sam is his name) that he may feel God's peace even when he may feel lost in his own body. Also, pray for those making decisions. I hope everyone has a good end to their week.

Weekend

I made it :) I picked my niece up on Friday. We made Flubber, watched Barbie and the Diamond Castle, and then headed to bed. Saturday started bright and early at 7:40am. I made pancakes and scrambled eggs for breakfast. We chilled for awhile with Ice Age the Meltdown and did a little bit with her webkins. Then, we got some things at the store to make banana bars and a crafty aquarium project. She worked on making cards while I showered and packed. We then drove her home. She talked and talked and talked the whole ride home! I hung out with Sandy Saturday night which was a lot of fun. I haven't really spent much time with her for quite awhile, so we just sat and talked about life. You need that every once and awhile. On Sunday, mom and I went on a walk before heading to church. My brother, Luke, was preaching and I wanted to hear what God had been saying to him. It was a great message about accountability. I was so glad I was there to hear it. We had lunch at church before heading back for the kids' naps. I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Kendra (one of my Kentucky friends) was back in town visiting her parents, too. I went to see her, her husband and their 2 month old baby. It was great. I am now at home, relaxing with The Amazing Race.

During all this, Jeremy has been at a youth leader's conference here in Columbus. He goes all day and comes home to sleep at night. I have no idea how this is going since I have yet to see him for more than 10 minutes on Saturday morning. I'll let you know later.

On a different note, I have a situation that I would really appreciate your prayers. My cousin and her husband were pregnant and expecting on June 3. They delivered, however, this past week. Their little boy, Owen, is only 26 weeks. He came out breathing, weighing 2 lbs, 4 oz, and measuring 14 inches. He has to remain in the NICU til his delivery date, and he has the normal complications of a premie of 26 weeks. Please keep this family in your prayers. God knows what is best, but they need to feel his love and healing hand in amazing ways in the months to come. Thanks.