Homesick

Have you ever been homesick? Well, I have and it stinks. Especially as a child, homesickness is more than just a feeling - it takes on physical forms like stomach ache and tears.

Emma is in Nachogdoches for the week (going to day camp with her cousin, Thad) and she had a bout of homesickness yesterday. When we spoke on the phone, she was in tears - ready to come come. In fact, she had already packed her bag! As it was early afternoon, I told her that Abby was asleep and I could not go anywhere until she woke up. I assured her that I would make a plan with Jeff's mom and call back when Abby was awake.

Thankfully, Bonnie was a 2nd grade teacher for many years and understands the emotions and outbursts of 8 year olds. As it turns out, a bit of distraction and fun solved the problem and Emma stayed without having to call again.

Thank you, God for loving grandmothers!

Meanwhile, back here in Tyler, I had two smaller children who were anxious to get in a running sprinkler (after nearly 2 hours in the pool)...

Three extra wishes

Today was Silas' first swim meet. He and Jeff left at 6:00 a.m. to be in Lufkin by 7:45. He swam in three races and came in dead last every time. Thankfully for us, Silas loves to swim and could care less whether he was first or last.

As soon as he was done with his third race, we all converged on Nanne Sue's house in Nacogdoches. Earlier in the week, Silas had requested a cake to celebrate his first swim meet. Nanne Sue and Thad accepted the challenge and created a cake that looked like a swimming pool. Even though it was not anyone's birthday, Thad decided they needed to add three candles to give Silas "three extra wishes". What a sweet and thoughtful cousin.

After lunch and "pool cake", we got out in the back yard and the kids played with water balloons:

After about half an hour outside in the 100 degree weather,

we went in the house to play some games. Jeff got in on the action:

One game the kids love is "button, button" where Nanne Sue plays the piano. The object of the game is not to hide the button from her, but the kids think it is so funny to do so...

What can be better than a day at grandma's house with a super fun cousin?

Silas the Psalmist

This last semester, Silas' Wednesday night bible class learned the 23rd Psalm. Thanks to two women of God, the little boys in that class have learned the entire chapter.

Several weeks ago, when Silas was just about done with school, he stuck his head into the office of our pulpit minister to tell him about learning these memory verses. Silas held out his piece of paper and recited the entire chapter (of course, he cannot read so the paper was just a prop). In a moment of insanity, Jeff (Christian) asked if Silas would like to say it in front of the church.

Silas said, "sure"
Jeff said, "it will be in front of like a million people"
Silas, "OK"

Nanne Sue (Jeff's mom) came from Nacogdoches and Nona (my mom) was sure to get a front row seat. I slipped down to the front row to get video and up Silas went onto the stage.

and now, the rest of the story.....

Breast Cancer

Stephanie Harris has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Please pray for her. Also, please pray for her husband, David and her children, Trevin, Aspen and Blake.

In the next few weeks, we will mobilize a team to help the family in any way we can. Think of ways you can help then let's get together...

God is the great healer.

Please pray for my friend

A friend of mine from church is going for a breast biopsy at 1:00 p.m. today. Please pray for her. She has young children - 10, 7 and 4 - and is a faithful christian woman who loves God and her family very much.

By some strange coincidence, we actually lived in the same small town in New Mexico. My family spent 17 years in Farmington, NM. Her family lived there during a portion of that time. We attended the same small church (200 members). Now we both live in Tyler, TX - go figure.

She and I help each other every weekday - I pick up her kids in the morning and she brings Emma home to me in the afternoon (so Abby can get a good nap). She is a blessing in my life and I am earnestly praying that whatever was seen on the mamogram is a non-issue.

Go get your mamogram!

My sweet Easter bunny

Last January (2008), Abby got ear tubes. In October, we found out that they had both come out of her ear drums (this happens naturally as a child grows). For some children, the one year with tubes is enough for them to "grow out of ear infections". Not for Abigail.

Within 2 weeks of the tubes coming out, she had a ear infection. Each month after that, she developed another ear infection. We worked with the pediatrician and she took 10 days of antibiotics every 30 days (each month we tried some new 'wonder' drug). In March, she was put on 30 days of some incredibly expensive medicine. By day 20, she had another ear infection. We found ourselves back in the surgeon's office.

He has scheduled surgery for May 11th - the day after Mother's Day. She will have her tonsils and adenoids out and a new set of tubes put in. We'll be at ETMC for 'at least' one night. I hope we go home on Tuesday morning.

Pray for Abigail. She is not quite old enough to understand what is going on so she may be quite upset about all the pain. She is, however, young and resilient so the healing should be fast.

OnStar, take me away!

This was one of those days (we've all had them). Up on time and feeling good about the speed of the morning's necessary activities, I headed into the bathroom with just enough time to brush my teeth and slip on my shoes. Much to my disappointment, I was not wearing any make-up. Five minutes later I was headed to the door yelling, "HURRY UP DOES NOT MEAN JUST STAND THERE...COME ON". Into the van, buckle Abby, buckle myself, key in ignition...click...click...click. "OH, *@#%&*" (to myself of course). The van would not start. Call Stephanie (whose kids I pick up in the morning) - she comes in the blink of an eye and has Emma on her way to school. One call to OnStar and the towing company is on the way. Note to self: must leave van running for 45 minutes after "jump start".

Finally, I get the kids to school, deliver food for "teacher appreciation week" and am at work only 15 minutes late. Get coffee, do important legal work (HAHA!), everything is fine. At 1:00 I am thinking "van, please start". As I walk to the van I realize I do not have my keys. Of course, they are laying in the console - I can clearly see them through the window. One more call to OnStar, reveal super-secret code to "agent" on other end of call, van doors are open. YEAH!

So much stress has built up that I decide to make cookies "for the kids' snack" (yeah - if you've ever met me you know that I eat to relieve stress). The mixer is on and Silas is in the living room playing Wii saying something about the "studs" or "power packs". Who knows? I can't hear him. So I respond with what I believe to be an appropriate phrase.

Thank you, Silas, for bringing me back to the real world

and back to what is really important.

He says, "no, mommy...that was not a time to say 'whoa, baby', that was a time to say, 'oh, man'". Without any hint of having his feelings hurt he goes back to playing Wii and leaves me thinking that I should worry less about things outside of my control and worry more about hearing the "important" things around me.