I've been tagged!!

OK Here goes, Seven random things about me...

1. When I was a little girl, around 10, on cool fall evenings like these, I would line my "children" (3 baby dolls ; Todd, Mandy, and Casey) up in my make belief stadium so that they could watch "mama" play football for the Miami Dolphins. My dog was always the opposing team.

2. I want to see Niagra Falls.

3. If I could, I would trade in my 15 passenger for a Volvo SUV.

4. Steel Magnolias still makes me cry.

5. I haven't slept through the night, without getting up to check on someone, in 11 years.

6. I still am dealing with DIAL UP!!!

7. I am fed up with modern education and am looking into unschooling!!...???

Unconditional Love

 

Thank you all for your comments and concern for Marky, he is feeling much better. He is still a bit wobbly but no fever this evening. You're right Aimee, I feel like I need to dip my family and house in a Clorox bath or something. What's with all these weird bugs we keep catching?

Last night, after all the John Mark drama, my little man, Judson, was ready for his mama and I was ready to snuggle up with him as well. You bed time, nursing mamas know what our little ones are like at that time. Only one thing will do the trick...MAMA. It's a wonderful feeling. You know that sound that they give out when they are laying in the bed and they see you getting ready to get in beside them.. That half laugh, half cry with a bit of cooing along side all wrapped up with ultimate anticipation of what's to come. Well last night I was taking it all in with delight. To be loved that much by another human is exhilarating, especially when you have had a day full of guilt because you have blew it so many times with all the other humans in your life. So there I was, all snuggled up with my little man who could care less what my sin was, and all this extra weight that makes me miserable, he loves. I thought "what a feeling to be loved so unconditionally". But is his love really unconditional? No, of course not, I have trained him to love me because I have trained him to need me. But that didn't discourage me because God's spirit then spoke to my heart with a loud voice that reminded me that God's love for me is truly unconditional. He knows my sin, my weight, my guilt, my pride, my filthy rags, and all the other stuff that makes up me and He loves me. I hope that before I grow too old that I can walk with the Lord daily and feel that perfect love as strong as I did for a few moments last night.

How deep the Father's love for us
How vast beyond all measure
That He would send His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure

Toxic Synovitis

The last time I heard this term had to be about 12 years ago when I was studying for my nursing boards. It meant nothing back then but today it has become a household term.
John Mark has had a slight limp for a few days that I associated with everything from a wrinkle in his sock to a toe nail cut too short. Sunday night at home group it progressively got worse to the point that he could bear no weight on his right leg at all. This morning he woke up the same so, off to the Dr. we went. I just knew that my baby had broke his femur and I didn't even realize when it happened. It is so terrifying to watch your baby not be able to walk and to be in severe pain trying. At the Dr.'s office we discovered that he had a low grade fever. My medical back ground kicked in and I got nervous. My mama was with me to help with Judson so I had to keep my cool as to not overly upset her but inside I am slowly loosing it. Joint pain associated with fever...not good!! After x-rays and CBC's we left with our diagnosis...Toxic Synovitis which is a VIRAL infection of the synovial fluid in the hip joint. We left with these instructions...Motrin every 6 hrs. and he will be fine, all should clear up soon just as with any virus BUT if fever persists throughout the night see the DR. or if his temp spikes over 103 go to ER immediately. All these things would point to a bacterial infection of the joint instead of viral. Guess what happened tonight? Yep, a temp of 102.8. I call the Dr and start waiting for the calls back from the after hours run around. By this time mama gets the news from Melanie that John Mark is worse so she is here loving on him. I decide to take his temp again to see if it is coming down after the Motrin and the thermometer starts to read 102.3 and it keeps going up, 102.9, 103.2, 103.7...mama says "what does it say?" I hesitantly say and she freaks out. We both know that this means a BACTERIAL infection. I keep watching the temp slowly raise higher and higher and after it gets up to 104.7 I start questioning the thermometer and then when it goes over 106.8 I have to use my better judgement and realize that it must be broken. Well my mama is not listening to my reasoning too well and is already at Melanie's house demanding back up medical opinions and a different thermometer. A few moments later we are having a family reunion. We discover that my thermometer is broken but John Mark's temp is too high for comfort but not high enough for a direct admit to the hospital so we will keep watch through the night and see Dr. C in the morning. My gut feeling says that his infection is only viral and not bacterial and he will be better in the morning. Right now he is trying to play hide-and-go-seek with the others unsuccessfully, crawling and limping his way around without complaint.
We never know what all is out there but if you ever hear of Toxic or Transient Synovitis you will know what it is and not to be too alarmed. It should run it's course like a cold. It affects mostly boys ages 2-5. These things sure do mess up a homeschooling mama's day though.

Happy Birthday Bailey

 

 

We are wrapping up the fall birthdays with a bang. Oct. 21st Ms. B. turned 10. WOW!! My girls are growing up. What can I say about Bailey that she doesn't say by just living her little life. All you who know Bailey well could send a slew of comments telling your own Bailey story. I always say that I need a shirt that says "the thoughts and opinions of my children doesn't necessarily reflect the thoughts and opinions of their parent" Bailey defiantly has her own thoughts and opinions on many things and is always ready to share them. How do you raise a child that is gifted like Bailey? She is a true blue leader with strong administrative skills. We are trying to develop in her now those gifts so that when she is older she will know how to use them wisely but right now they sure do get her into a whole lot of trouble.

That's a little bit about Ms. B. that you all are familiar with, what you may know know is that she is extremely sensitive to her own sin and deals with it the way most adults do. Several times she has battled over her sin and ends up asking questions about the sin nature and the process of justification that many mature Christians find themselves dealing with as well. Bailey also lives in a house with people pleasers, which she is not. That makes life miserable for her at times but we try to encourage her by letting her be aware of her giftedness as well as her, and everybody else in this family's, depravity and that obviously God has chosen to sharpen her early in her life for possibly something great soon to come. Bailey's giftedness comes in real handy in a household with so many small children. She bathes these boys up and has them dressed and all ready for bed without ever being asked. She is in her element with them...total control!!

We celebrated Bailey's birthday with all of her favorites...Hannah and Abby spending the night, a house full of company, a veggie dinner, a strawberry birthday cake, a few gifts, and no school.

Birthdays are over for a while and now we get to gear up for Christmas. We are so excited, we have a few ideas spinning around that may make this a very special Christmas during this financially troubling time. Stay tuned...

Drowning!!!

I described the way I felt as drowning to a friend the other day. Every time I get my head slightly above water I get pushed back down with just a small breath. Right now I am trying to be so thankful for those small breaths but then again I know I cannot survive this way. Let me explain with bullet points as Katy W. does so well.

. I cannot educate 4 children as well as they should be educated.
. My time with my boys is sparse.
. Healthy meals????
. I cannot keep my house clean.
. Honda is cutting back on production $$$
. Eric who?
. With my milk production being better than it has ever been, mastitis is still plaguing me with fever, chills, and pain. Judson is refusing that side so he is super fussy.
. Quiet Time. Neither of those words have meaning to me especially when you put them together.
. Changing out summer clothes for winter clothes takes a LONG time and can get out of hand quickly
. I do not like Eric on 2nd shift.

Of course I have a plan. I always come up with a plan to fix things, right? So follow my list of ways to fix ALL my issues. HAHA

Sunday morning the plan was to send Ellie to JCA. By Monday evening my mind had changed and I wanted to send them all to JCA. After you are paying for 4 the rest go free! I had wonderful reasons why that was the best thing for all of us. Eric scoffed and said NONE were ready, I cried:(

Tuesday morning I am convinced I must visit Dr. Young and get happy pills. By Tuesday night the happy pill idea faded and I have a new idea. I need a maid!!
I mean really, if I were willing to pay for all my kiddos to go to school then I could just use that money to hire a maid. Eric shot that idea down too, I really cried:(

This morning (Wednesday) my mastitis has subsided and my fever finally has gone away. The core of my house is some what clean, I finally got all those summer/winter clothes situated, Eric has done my laundry, school went so so and I now realize what I knew deep down all along... Eric is a rock solid and will not be swayed by my waves of emotion, don't pay me any attention when I have mastitis and Eric is on 2nd shift and what I really need is NOT a list to fix things but Jesus. I would still like a maid though.

Is there light at the end of the tunnel, it may be far away but, I hope so. My children's education may not be able to measure up and at times that is very unsettling, especially in today's society. I would like to be able to say that at least they are getting to see mama's walk with the Lord and the joy that it brings but unfortunately not much joy has been oozing here lately.

Lisa S. is a treasure. She spent some time with me, bought me a candle, magazine, and ice cream, and brainstormed with me on how to fix things until Eric shot us both down. Thank You Lisa. OR were you just trying to blow my diet with that ice cream so that you would win the cash??? HMMMM

Trials will lead a believer to Christ and I now that I am at the end of all my ideas I really just want to hear from my Maker.


ANYWAY

Fall is coming up and Eric and I want to dress up with the kids for some of the festivities. We have some ideas we are toying around with. I thought about being the old lady who lived in a shoe ???? Eric's said we could be the Brady Bunch but the boys are too little and Ellie would have to be Alice. Eric still wants Judson to be a pirate. When he was diagnosed Eric said he would always be dressed as a pirate for all the festivals.

Thanks for letting me vent to all my blog friends.

Happy Birthday John Mark

 

Birthday season at the Davis home is officially in. John Mark turned 2 October 2nd. I was trying to decide how to make his day special. Seeing how money is pretty tight here lately, we decided to just do something small with just us. It is so neat how God works things out to make little things special. We spent the night with my good friend Jyoti on John Mark's birthday and that next morning we woke up and had a huge breakfast. Jyoti and Chad surprised us with John Mark a birthday cake. We were able to have a small little party with their family and ours. We were so happy and thankful. I am so glad I didn't plan something big. We would have missed out on the special small things.

John Mark loves four wheelers so we got him a small little riding one (plastic, that you have to push along with your feet). He is so prideful though, even at 2 he won't ride the thing in front of us. He waits until we are all inside and then hops on and takes off. I guess he is afraid he may not do it right or something. Also, he HATES the Happy Birthday song. Every time we sing it to him he says "STOC".

I can't believe my baby is already 2. It seems like just yesterday that I found out that I was pregnant with him and begging God for another boy. I had no idea that God had 2 more in mind. Happy Birthday Marky.

By the way, for my non Calhoun County blog friends (aka Stacey), we are all doing fine. By last Saturday morning we were all better. After the Alabama/Georgia game we were even better. Hopefully, that will be the end of the sickness for us for a while.