Today was Sunday. I did not go to church. I did not teach Sunday school. I did not eat at the "Ice Cream Store". I did not fix my hair nor did I even put on shoes today. Here's what happened today:
1. I stayed home all day with Ethan.
2. Once, Ethan screamed like someone was cutting his leg off with a chainsaw and I almost seriously injured myself getting to the living room. The problem: He dropped his crayon.
3. Wonderful friends came to see us after both services.
4. I cooked... twice... in one day.
5. Abbey got mad at me and told me that she wants "An American Momma". Guess what? She is in luck!
6. I am reading a book called "Parenting Isn't For Cowards." I have realized that my children aren't extremely strong-willed, just somewhat strong-willed.
7. I really missed going to church today. The next month isn't looking so good either.
8. And finally, I remembered all the wonderful people that encouraged me to write more while we were in the States and I thought that I would share my day with you. Thanks!!!
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Saturday, May 23, 2009
What happened and how it ended up
If you read the last post, you are probably wondering what happened. You are also probably thinking of horrible scenes and ways in which Ethan could have broken his leg. Well, folks, I never would have believed that something so simple could have had such traumatic results.
Tuesday night, Abbey spilled some water. She got a towel to wipe it up and Ethan wanted to help her. He put his foot down on the towel to push down on it at the same time she pulled it away to wipe. I guess that his leg was twisted and with the pulling motion, the femur broke. Not a straight across break, but a long slanted break. He fell in the floor screaming. When we picked him up and started to check him out, the only visible problem seemed to be a strained, swollen knee. However, he kept crying, so we decided to go ahead and go to the ER and "just get it checked out to be safe". And, as you already know, it was broken.
We spent the first night with Rip and Snort. Wednesday morning, the doctor decided that pins would be better than a half body cast. (It is dreadfully hot in Taiwan right now.) So, into surgery for four pins and into the hospital for four days. Blessings be to the God of heaven that we were able to get a private room. Poor Ethan was in quite a bit of pain that first day. They were giving him morphine into his IV. He has an interesting metal contraction on the outside of his leg holding the ends of the pins. In a month, they will remove the pins. Just a little something wonderful to look forward to.
I will say that the medical staff at the hospital is excellent at handling children. They tried to get the IV and when the normal nurse could not get it, they called a special nurse that got it first try. When it was time for him to go into surgery, he started to cry about leaving us and being moved to a different bed, so they went ahead and put him to sleep there with us and then transferred him to OR table. Throughout the ordeal, they were gentle and considerate.
We are now back home and homebound for a while. Ethan is doing really good and just taking a little Children's Tylenol (Panadol for my Taiwan readers!) a few times a day for pain management. But please keep praying for him. It is hard to be unable to run and play when you are three.
Tuesday night, Abbey spilled some water. She got a towel to wipe it up and Ethan wanted to help her. He put his foot down on the towel to push down on it at the same time she pulled it away to wipe. I guess that his leg was twisted and with the pulling motion, the femur broke. Not a straight across break, but a long slanted break. He fell in the floor screaming. When we picked him up and started to check him out, the only visible problem seemed to be a strained, swollen knee. However, he kept crying, so we decided to go ahead and go to the ER and "just get it checked out to be safe". And, as you already know, it was broken.
We spent the first night with Rip and Snort. Wednesday morning, the doctor decided that pins would be better than a half body cast. (It is dreadfully hot in Taiwan right now.) So, into surgery for four pins and into the hospital for four days. Blessings be to the God of heaven that we were able to get a private room. Poor Ethan was in quite a bit of pain that first day. They were giving him morphine into his IV. He has an interesting metal contraction on the outside of his leg holding the ends of the pins. In a month, they will remove the pins. Just a little something wonderful to look forward to.
I will say that the medical staff at the hospital is excellent at handling children. They tried to get the IV and when the normal nurse could not get it, they called a special nurse that got it first try. When it was time for him to go into surgery, he started to cry about leaving us and being moved to a different bed, so they went ahead and put him to sleep there with us and then transferred him to OR table. Throughout the ordeal, they were gentle and considerate.
We are now back home and homebound for a while. Ethan is doing really good and just taking a little Children's Tylenol (Panadol for my Taiwan readers!) a few times a day for pain management. But please keep praying for him. It is hard to be unable to run and play when you are three.
Rip and Snort
Notice: I wrote this Tuesday, May 19th. I haven't had a chance to post it until today.
Well, dear friends, I am writing this from the hospital. Tonight Ethan managed to break his leg. And well, I guess a straight break was just too boring for him, because he managed a spiral fracture from just falling down. Tomorrow morning, they are going to have to put him to sleep to set the bone and the cast it from his ankle to his waist. (This lovely event is followed by a month of restraining a three year old.) Thus, we are spending the night in the hospital. And we are in a nice free government room. It is also free for the other two people in our room. In the short time I have been with them, I have dubbed them Rip and Snort.
Rip is quiet as a little church mouse, making you forget that he is there. He then takes advantage of your forgetfulness and rips one of the loudest snore in history. He has also been known to “rip a few” too. I think it must be a result of the exertion of the Great Snores. In the middle of the night, Rip went into labor. This might be fine if he weren’t a 200 year old man. I’m not sure what the problem was, but he would have made any Lamaze coach proud.
Snort is on the other side. He has constantly amused us all night long with a variety of snores, sniffs, coughs, and throat clearing. And don’t even get me started on the incessant smacking. I’m sure that he hasn’t slept a wink because no one could be making the much noise and sleeping at the same time. I have two kids and I know all about the noise versus sleep issue.
Incidentally, I am pretty sure that neither of these guys are suffering from a broken bone.
We have requested to see if they have a room that is a little less free and a little more quiet. But the prospects aren’t looking good. The nurse said that because of his age, we will probably have to stay here again tomorrow night. I am sure that Chris will spend a good portion of tomorrow working on that new room.
P.S. When we ask Ethan what the men sounded like, he seriously considered the question and then replied, "Dinosaurs." So, so very true!
Well, dear friends, I am writing this from the hospital. Tonight Ethan managed to break his leg. And well, I guess a straight break was just too boring for him, because he managed a spiral fracture from just falling down. Tomorrow morning, they are going to have to put him to sleep to set the bone and the cast it from his ankle to his waist. (This lovely event is followed by a month of restraining a three year old.) Thus, we are spending the night in the hospital. And we are in a nice free government room. It is also free for the other two people in our room. In the short time I have been with them, I have dubbed them Rip and Snort.
Rip is quiet as a little church mouse, making you forget that he is there. He then takes advantage of your forgetfulness and rips one of the loudest snore in history. He has also been known to “rip a few” too. I think it must be a result of the exertion of the Great Snores. In the middle of the night, Rip went into labor. This might be fine if he weren’t a 200 year old man. I’m not sure what the problem was, but he would have made any Lamaze coach proud.
Snort is on the other side. He has constantly amused us all night long with a variety of snores, sniffs, coughs, and throat clearing. And don’t even get me started on the incessant smacking. I’m sure that he hasn’t slept a wink because no one could be making the much noise and sleeping at the same time. I have two kids and I know all about the noise versus sleep issue.
Incidentally, I am pretty sure that neither of these guys are suffering from a broken bone.
We have requested to see if they have a room that is a little less free and a little more quiet. But the prospects aren’t looking good. The nurse said that because of his age, we will probably have to stay here again tomorrow night. I am sure that Chris will spend a good portion of tomorrow working on that new room.
P.S. When we ask Ethan what the men sounded like, he seriously considered the question and then replied, "Dinosaurs." So, so very true!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
a Little Boy and Grown-Up thoughts
Today we were driving somewhere and Abbey was looking out the window commenting on things. She saw a shop that sales motor scooters and they had a Hello Kitty one for sale.
"When I grow up, Ethan, I was that Hello Kitty motor scooter." she says.
To which Ethan replied, "When I grow up I want that has...ummm.. actually, when I grow up I won't be playing with scary men or transformers anymore."
What three year old realizes that he is going to outgrow certain toys? Chris said that he thought he would be playing with G.I. Joes forever and I am pretty sure that my parents thought I was going to be packing my Barbies when I went to college!
"When I grow up, Ethan, I was that Hello Kitty motor scooter." she says.
To which Ethan replied, "When I grow up I want that has...ummm.. actually, when I grow up I won't be playing with scary men or transformers anymore."
What three year old realizes that he is going to outgrow certain toys? Chris said that he thought he would be playing with G.I. Joes forever and I am pretty sure that my parents thought I was going to be packing my Barbies when I went to college!
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Freedom... or not
This morning Ethan marched out the door with Abbey and his Baba on his way to his first day of pre-school! He has been anxiously awaiting this day and so have I. You see, I know that I am going to need to home school my children for the next 12 years and I have been waiting for these few months that they both will be in pre-school and I will be free! I turned around to my empty house after hugs and good-byes and smiled. I could go out for coffee, run over to the park and exercise, or even go back to bed! ( I will let you guess at which one won out!) However, my freedom was short lived. Abbey felt too sick to stay at school and came back home. But, tomorrow. Tomorrow is the day.
P.S. Ethan just got back home from school and had a blast! When I told him that he could go back tomorrow, he couldn't believe it. "Really? I get to go back tomorrow and play again?" Hallelujah! Success!
P.S. Ethan just got back home from school and had a blast! When I told him that he could go back tomorrow, he couldn't believe it. "Really? I get to go back tomorrow and play again?" Hallelujah! Success!
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Ironman, Hammerheads, and Secrets
Okay, I know that they last post was really serious, but I haven't been too sad to write! I have been super busy with our National Conference. Which was great, by the way! Ethan has been equally as busy coming up with the cutest stuff, so let me get it down before I forget them!
1. The other day, Chris and Ethan were talking about sharks and the different kinds of sharks. When Chris described a Hammerhead shark to Ethan, Ethan wanted to know if it hurts people by banging them! Visualize! You have to admit, what's the point of a hammer-shaped head if not to be used for a weapon.
2. Chris was holding Ethan and thought that he might have smelled something a little odd. He asked Ethan if he had a "secret in his pants" and Ethan replied, "No, silly, secrets are in your mouth!". (Just a note, but it isn't normal for Ethan to have a "secret in his pants".)
3. Ethan got a new transformer the other day and was checking out the back of the box with pictures of other transformers (His favorite part of the toy, I might add.) He wants us to tell him the names of all the others and then he will sit there and recite the names. Well, he seemed to accept everyone but Ironman. I know this because a couple of mornings later, he woke up and came into my room and ask this question, "Does Ironman iron?". Nope, honey, he doesn't. But if he did, he would be my kind of superhero!
1. The other day, Chris and Ethan were talking about sharks and the different kinds of sharks. When Chris described a Hammerhead shark to Ethan, Ethan wanted to know if it hurts people by banging them! Visualize! You have to admit, what's the point of a hammer-shaped head if not to be used for a weapon.
2. Chris was holding Ethan and thought that he might have smelled something a little odd. He asked Ethan if he had a "secret in his pants" and Ethan replied, "No, silly, secrets are in your mouth!". (Just a note, but it isn't normal for Ethan to have a "secret in his pants".)
3. Ethan got a new transformer the other day and was checking out the back of the box with pictures of other transformers (His favorite part of the toy, I might add.) He wants us to tell him the names of all the others and then he will sit there and recite the names. Well, he seemed to accept everyone but Ironman. I know this because a couple of mornings later, he woke up and came into my room and ask this question, "Does Ironman iron?". Nope, honey, he doesn't. But if he did, he would be my kind of superhero!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
May I grieve?
At first, I was going to call this post "May I rant?", but realized that what was happening in my heart was more grief than rage.
It seems that at every turn, I am seeing more and more of my JCM classmates leaving the truth. There is a loss of holiness, loss of separation from the world and some seem to be even embracing "enlightenment and spiritualism". Now, while I could go down a side path on how enlightenment is anything but, I am going to try and stay on topic.
I think most of us at JCM probably had pretty much the same experience. The same teachers, classes, chapels, and opportunity to change. So, how does it happen that so many are walking away and I feel that because of my time at JCM, I will never walk away. I'm not doing very good at putting this feeling into words, but I feel like my heart weights 1000 pounds inside me. I remember in a class, during my freshman year, the teacher telling us that statistics said that a high percentage of us would eventually backslide. He encouraged us to make up our minds then that we would never consider giving up, no matter what. When he was talking to us, I thought in my head, "Well, that's not me. I don't care how high the percentage is, It's not me!" And it isn't nor will it ever be me. But, my question is, "What were the others thinking?" I know it was a moment that most of us remembered because we discussed it after class and just a couple of years ago it came up in a conversation with a friend from JCM. She is still in the truth and she said that she pretty much thought what I did.
Another friend recently ask me, "What happened? How is it that people I never thought would backslide have backslidden?" And to that, I can say, I truly wish I knew. Because if I knew, maybe I could be of more help. Admittedly, I am ashamed to say, I have a hard time knowing what to say to people who have spoken in tongues and felt the incredibly awesome Spirit of God and even studied the Bible for three years that turn away from it. People who have not tasted and seen the goodness of God, I can get that.
I realize that we have an adversary that strives daily to confuse and pollute our souls and minds. But how is it that so many who know the truth are deceived? Once I learned my colors, you would have a hard time convincing me that a red shirt is really blue. It seems that the same principle would apply.
So, here I am not knowing what to do (Yes, I am praying. I do know that much!) and just grieving in my heart. Even for people that weren't close friends. More so for people that were my friends. Ones that I spent weekends with and stayed up late talking to and studied together with and graduated with. And when we went our separate ways, I was sure was they were going to be doing great things because I knew how much time they spent in the prayer room. They were the friends that called me out when I missed too many mornings in the prayer room.
At this moment, I can imagine how the 11 disciples must have felt when Judas sold out Jesus. How they must have grieved and wondered if they could have changed things and questioned how they missed the clues and so do I.
It seems that at every turn, I am seeing more and more of my JCM classmates leaving the truth. There is a loss of holiness, loss of separation from the world and some seem to be even embracing "enlightenment and spiritualism". Now, while I could go down a side path on how enlightenment is anything but, I am going to try and stay on topic.
I think most of us at JCM probably had pretty much the same experience. The same teachers, classes, chapels, and opportunity to change. So, how does it happen that so many are walking away and I feel that because of my time at JCM, I will never walk away. I'm not doing very good at putting this feeling into words, but I feel like my heart weights 1000 pounds inside me. I remember in a class, during my freshman year, the teacher telling us that statistics said that a high percentage of us would eventually backslide. He encouraged us to make up our minds then that we would never consider giving up, no matter what. When he was talking to us, I thought in my head, "Well, that's not me. I don't care how high the percentage is, It's not me!" And it isn't nor will it ever be me. But, my question is, "What were the others thinking?" I know it was a moment that most of us remembered because we discussed it after class and just a couple of years ago it came up in a conversation with a friend from JCM. She is still in the truth and she said that she pretty much thought what I did.
Another friend recently ask me, "What happened? How is it that people I never thought would backslide have backslidden?" And to that, I can say, I truly wish I knew. Because if I knew, maybe I could be of more help. Admittedly, I am ashamed to say, I have a hard time knowing what to say to people who have spoken in tongues and felt the incredibly awesome Spirit of God and even studied the Bible for three years that turn away from it. People who have not tasted and seen the goodness of God, I can get that.
I realize that we have an adversary that strives daily to confuse and pollute our souls and minds. But how is it that so many who know the truth are deceived? Once I learned my colors, you would have a hard time convincing me that a red shirt is really blue. It seems that the same principle would apply.
So, here I am not knowing what to do (Yes, I am praying. I do know that much!) and just grieving in my heart. Even for people that weren't close friends. More so for people that were my friends. Ones that I spent weekends with and stayed up late talking to and studied together with and graduated with. And when we went our separate ways, I was sure was they were going to be doing great things because I knew how much time they spent in the prayer room. They were the friends that called me out when I missed too many mornings in the prayer room.
At this moment, I can imagine how the 11 disciples must have felt when Judas sold out Jesus. How they must have grieved and wondered if they could have changed things and questioned how they missed the clues and so do I.
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