The first week, we did a service project at Audrey's school, had neighbors over for dinner, and had a small group couples' date night at a mystery escape room followed by dinner (guys vs. girls...guys won by a hair). We managed to stay out until after 10pm (no, really!) and laughed until our bellies hurt. Later that weekend we visited the rental house in north Georgia that David's aunt and uncle were staying in for the month. The kids hung out in hammocks right by the Chattahoochee River and we grilled hamburgers and then had s'mores by the campfire. It was so peaceful and we enjoyed visiting with family in the beautiful fall setting.
Unfortunately, that peacefulness didn't last long. On the way home, Audrey got sick and threw up more than any kid in the history of earth ever. We pulled over into a Circle K and did our best to clean up her and the carseat. She kept getting sick all the way home while Luke just sat there and pinched his nose. She was two the last time she threw up, so I suppose she was making up for lost time. We got her home, bathed, and in the bed without further incident. The rest of the weekend was spent nursing her back to health and keeping a watchful eye on Luke ("What's wrong? Did your stomach just gurgle funny?! Do you feel okay?" CHILL, Mom.)
I'd already planned on keeping Audrey out of school that Monday for some doctors appointments, so even though she didn't get sick again after Saturday night, I was thankful to have her with me for another day. We took Luke to school and then headed to her eye doctor check-up. Thank God, her amblyopia improvement is holding steady. She can continue three more months without patching and then she'll get checked again. From there, we went to the bookstore and let her browse for awhile before going to the necessary but dreaded blood work appointment we have each year before her GI exam. I had it done at Children's Healthcare this time, which I will do from here on out. They got us in fast and handled it like they experts they are. She was so nervous, but it was over quickly and then we went out to lunch before picking up Luke at school.
The next day was Election Day, so the kids were off. I wish I could remember what we did, but I honestly can't. I hope it involved very little errand running a whole lot of pajamas and chill time, so let's go with that. And in case it's the future and the world has exploded but you survived and have no history books but you're somehow reading my blog, Donald Trump won the election. I was shocked, relieved, and scared...in that order.
Later that week, my father-in-law had planned open heart surgery to replace a heart valve. It went well, thank the Lord, and he only had to spend a few days in the hospital (I'm sure it felt like a lifetime to him and my mother-in-law.) He went in and out of afib a few times and had trouble with medication the next week, but once they got all of that under control, he began to make some real progress. We are so grateful he is doing well. Keep praying for him!
Unfortunately, that week also brought about Luke puking. (In his carseat, no less.) I guess it wasn't car sickness that Audrey had after all. He woke up with a fever that Friday morning and I took him to urgent care to get a strep test since it was going around. It was negative and he didn't have any other symptoms, so it was deemed a virus. We headed to drop some things off at his school that needed to be sent home with the kids and then go home and rest. On the way home from the school, he threw up. It was a one and done deal and he recovered quickly, thank goodness, but ugg. (Also thank goodness that another mom was taking lunch in for Audrey's teacher's birthday celebration that day because that could've been a pain to pull off.) Puking kids are pitiful (and MESSY.)
The next week, Audrey lost her first tooth. Finally! She was at the dentist having a cavity filled (that would be two in case you want to tally it on my "get it together, Momma" chart. Oh well.) I told the dentist it was super loose and had been for MONTHS. As in, I'm pretty sure it first wiggled in spring. I was over it and it needed to come out. She was stressed about it and I knew the fear of losing it at school was weighing on her. The dentist wasn't too thrilled to keep going after it didn't come out immediately because Audrey was getting nervous. He didn't want to make her scared of him, which I understand, but we were in too deep at this point. I told him she was numbed up already and we needed to see it through. Out it came and, though she wasn't sure how to feel at first, she was super pumped by the time we got home. She left the tooth fairy a note and asked her two questions: 1) What is your name and 2) Can I keep the tooth since it's my first one? She was so surprised to see the tooth fairy wrote back "Tiffany" and "Yes" and still gave her a dollar. She thought that since she got to keep the tooth, she wouldn't get any money. I personally think the tooth fairy wished she knew that was the expectation beforehand. Just a hunch.
That Wednesday, I took Audrey to her annual GI check-up. Her tTg level at her Celiac diagnosis was 125 (it's supposed to be below 4) and she was in the 2nd percentile for height. Last year, her level was 4 and her height was in the 9th percentile. This year, her level was what they call "nonexistent", which means less than 2, and she had grown to the 20th percentile. Can I get a "Praise Jesus, Amen and Amen?!" Oh my, y'all. The joy of God's healing...I can't even tell you.
Luke had his Thanksgiving feast at school the next day and told me the most hilarious story afterward: "I'd already eaten, but was thinking to myself 'Boy. I sure am still hungry. But I don't think they'll give me more.' And right then, Mrs. Rebecca walked by and asked if I wanted more and I thought 'Well LA-TI-DA, I guess I do get more!' ISN'T THAT EXCITING, MOMMY?! ...'Cept, truthfully, I didn't care for the broccoli." Good grief that boy keeps me laughing.
We concluded the week with a morning of special centers in Luke's class and celebrating another teacher's birthday. The kids rotated through a popsicle teepee craft, painting Indian corn with legos, sticking feathers on a paper plate turkey with the letters of their name, making a letter-T turkey, and playing "stuff the turkey" toss. They had a lot of fun doing the centers and Luke just loves having me in his class, which makes it all worth it.
That Saturday, my dad and stepmom came over to watch the kids while David and I went to tailgate at and attend a Georgia Tech game with our "Cobb County Crew" (friends of ours from high school and college.) We had so much fun catching up and reliving old stories. The weather was nice and only our fairest friends (i.e. David plus half of the others) got sunburned. We came home to the kids and had a pizza pajama picnic and watched a movie.
Unfortunately the next week brought some really sad news. My mom's friend Carla passed away after a few months' fight with ovarian cancer. Carla was such a faithful friend to my mom and loved the Lord so very much. When our group of friends went to Panama City Beach in the summer of 1999, Carla and my mom were the chaperones of our crew. She always was such a hard worker and I know she fought just as hard. She will be missed, but I'm thankful that she's resting with her Savior now.
Later that week we hosted Thanksgiving here at our house with my family. Everyone pitched in and helped with food, which was a lifesaver. We got a cooked turkey breast from Publix and a cooked cajun one from Popeyes, which both turned out to be pretty tasty. The weather was warm and it was a gorgeous day. The cousins played nicely together, but my poor nephew took a tumble at the end of the stairs that my brother and SIL later discovered resulted in a couple of fractured metatarsals. The poor guy got a boot put on and handled it like a champ. (It has since healed just fine, thank God.) My brother Brian and niece came back to stay later that weekend. The kids played hard while we hauled out the Christmas decorations and worked hard. Later that weekend we watched Georgia Tech beat Georgia and celebrated with pizza out.
At the end of the month, we wrapped up our small group for the semester with a little service project that the kids helped with. They made homemade cards and packed blessing bags full of nonperishable food for the Salt Light Center (Timber Trek beneficiary). It's been a wonderful semester with our group and we've enjoyed learning and serving with them again.
So, in summary, this month had two puking kids, five unrelated doctor and dentist appointments, open heart surgery for my father-in-law, two teacher birthdays, a preschool Thanksgiving feast and centers, the loss of one of my mom's best friends, two service projects, a GT game, and the hosting of a Thanksgiving dinner that included broken bones. Add to all that the utter breakdown half of America had about the election results and it's just been a long, tiring month. Now you get the aching foot analogy I started with. Good thing a nice, stress-free season is just around the bend...
Some photos to help you visualize:
Later that week, my father-in-law had planned open heart surgery to replace a heart valve. It went well, thank the Lord, and he only had to spend a few days in the hospital (I'm sure it felt like a lifetime to him and my mother-in-law.) He went in and out of afib a few times and had trouble with medication the next week, but once they got all of that under control, he began to make some real progress. We are so grateful he is doing well. Keep praying for him!
Unfortunately, that week also brought about Luke puking. (In his carseat, no less.) I guess it wasn't car sickness that Audrey had after all. He woke up with a fever that Friday morning and I took him to urgent care to get a strep test since it was going around. It was negative and he didn't have any other symptoms, so it was deemed a virus. We headed to drop some things off at his school that needed to be sent home with the kids and then go home and rest. On the way home from the school, he threw up. It was a one and done deal and he recovered quickly, thank goodness, but ugg. (Also thank goodness that another mom was taking lunch in for Audrey's teacher's birthday celebration that day because that could've been a pain to pull off.) Puking kids are pitiful (and MESSY.)
The next week, Audrey lost her first tooth. Finally! She was at the dentist having a cavity filled (that would be two in case you want to tally it on my "get it together, Momma" chart. Oh well.) I told the dentist it was super loose and had been for MONTHS. As in, I'm pretty sure it first wiggled in spring. I was over it and it needed to come out. She was stressed about it and I knew the fear of losing it at school was weighing on her. The dentist wasn't too thrilled to keep going after it didn't come out immediately because Audrey was getting nervous. He didn't want to make her scared of him, which I understand, but we were in too deep at this point. I told him she was numbed up already and we needed to see it through. Out it came and, though she wasn't sure how to feel at first, she was super pumped by the time we got home. She left the tooth fairy a note and asked her two questions: 1) What is your name and 2) Can I keep the tooth since it's my first one? She was so surprised to see the tooth fairy wrote back "Tiffany" and "Yes" and still gave her a dollar. She thought that since she got to keep the tooth, she wouldn't get any money. I personally think the tooth fairy wished she knew that was the expectation beforehand. Just a hunch.
That Wednesday, I took Audrey to her annual GI check-up. Her tTg level at her Celiac diagnosis was 125 (it's supposed to be below 4) and she was in the 2nd percentile for height. Last year, her level was 4 and her height was in the 9th percentile. This year, her level was what they call "nonexistent", which means less than 2, and she had grown to the 20th percentile. Can I get a "Praise Jesus, Amen and Amen?!" Oh my, y'all. The joy of God's healing...I can't even tell you.
Luke had his Thanksgiving feast at school the next day and told me the most hilarious story afterward: "I'd already eaten, but was thinking to myself 'Boy. I sure am still hungry. But I don't think they'll give me more.' And right then, Mrs. Rebecca walked by and asked if I wanted more and I thought 'Well LA-TI-DA, I guess I do get more!' ISN'T THAT EXCITING, MOMMY?! ...'Cept, truthfully, I didn't care for the broccoli." Good grief that boy keeps me laughing.
We concluded the week with a morning of special centers in Luke's class and celebrating another teacher's birthday. The kids rotated through a popsicle teepee craft, painting Indian corn with legos, sticking feathers on a paper plate turkey with the letters of their name, making a letter-T turkey, and playing "stuff the turkey" toss. They had a lot of fun doing the centers and Luke just loves having me in his class, which makes it all worth it.
That Saturday, my dad and stepmom came over to watch the kids while David and I went to tailgate at and attend a Georgia Tech game with our "Cobb County Crew" (friends of ours from high school and college.) We had so much fun catching up and reliving old stories. The weather was nice and only our fairest friends (i.e. David plus half of the others) got sunburned. We came home to the kids and had a pizza pajama picnic and watched a movie.
Unfortunately the next week brought some really sad news. My mom's friend Carla passed away after a few months' fight with ovarian cancer. Carla was such a faithful friend to my mom and loved the Lord so very much. When our group of friends went to Panama City Beach in the summer of 1999, Carla and my mom were the chaperones of our crew. She always was such a hard worker and I know she fought just as hard. She will be missed, but I'm thankful that she's resting with her Savior now.
Later that week we hosted Thanksgiving here at our house with my family. Everyone pitched in and helped with food, which was a lifesaver. We got a cooked turkey breast from Publix and a cooked cajun one from Popeyes, which both turned out to be pretty tasty. The weather was warm and it was a gorgeous day. The cousins played nicely together, but my poor nephew took a tumble at the end of the stairs that my brother and SIL later discovered resulted in a couple of fractured metatarsals. The poor guy got a boot put on and handled it like a champ. (It has since healed just fine, thank God.) My brother Brian and niece came back to stay later that weekend. The kids played hard while we hauled out the Christmas decorations and worked hard. Later that weekend we watched Georgia Tech beat Georgia and celebrated with pizza out.
At the end of the month, we wrapped up our small group for the semester with a little service project that the kids helped with. They made homemade cards and packed blessing bags full of nonperishable food for the Salt Light Center (Timber Trek beneficiary). It's been a wonderful semester with our group and we've enjoyed learning and serving with them again.
So, in summary, this month had two puking kids, five unrelated doctor and dentist appointments, open heart surgery for my father-in-law, two teacher birthdays, a preschool Thanksgiving feast and centers, the loss of one of my mom's best friends, two service projects, a GT game, and the hosting of a Thanksgiving dinner that included broken bones. Add to all that the utter breakdown half of America had about the election results and it's just been a long, tiring month. Now you get the aching foot analogy I started with. Good thing a nice, stress-free season is just around the bend...
Some photos to help you visualize:
Couples' Date Night with our small group
Audrey and Luke at the "River House" (pre-puke fest)
Audrey lost her first tooth!
Old, familiar friends at an old, familiar place
Our littlest small group members with the blessing bags
they packed for the SaltLight Center
Thanksgiving 2016. Even in the midst of the chaos, we know
we have so much to be grateful for!
No Comments Yet, Leave Yours!