Tent City

Last year I posted about visiting Ocean Grove for my birthday. Last weekend when we went to the beach, Karis & I took a bike ride there with my camera so I could take some pictures. I really LOVE tent city and would love to spend a summer there. The waiting list to get one is something like 20 years, so I should probably get my name on the list now. Unfortunately Erik is not the slightest bit interested in sleeping in a tent all summer. I guess this poses a problem for me.

If you happen to be at the Jersey Shore, Ocean Grove is a fun and quiant place to visit.

4 Years Old

This picture was taken 4 years ago when we brought our Jotham home from the hospital. How long it seems.

Jotham, your arrival into our world came as a surprise, even though you were over a week late. I expected to labor for 12 hours and was surprised to find you in my arms 4 hours after my first contraction and less than 10 minutes after pushing. I remember Daddy telling me that I was doing great (pushing) and thinking he was lying to me. He also told me that I was going to like it so much better (than 12 hours of labor) at the time I thought he was crazy. Now after having 4 children I think he was right, my labor with you was probably the most fun.

Daddy told Grandma Susan on the phone, "He is pretty ugly, we love him, but he is UGLY." You were, your nose was smashed to one side and you had bruises and scratches all over your face. It was like you had been in a boxing ring.

So now, here you are at 4- it is so hard to believe. You weigh 35 lbs and are 40 1/2 inches tall putting you at 50/50%. You are a very joyful boy- I LOVE your laugh (except when you start to screech) and tickling you is so much fun. You are a sensitive little guy as well. You are easily scared (especially by the bears in our backyard- the ones that don't exist). You are very affectionate. You love cuddling with Mommy & Daddy. You adore your baby brother. You rarely retaliate against your little sister (who bullies you around). I love your role in our family (18 months both ways to your sisters). You play one way with Karis, following her lead and entering her world and then another way with Cia, often arguing with her over random issues and trying to get her to do what you want (problem is she hasn't learned how to follow). I pray these sisters will be good for your soul, teaching you leadership and compassion.

Your intellect remains to be seen, you don't know any letters except Q, you can count but don't really understand the concept of number to object. But you love stories and books and I hope this continues. A dear friend recently told me she thinks you are charming- I agree. I adore talking with you and learning what is going on in your brain. I love that you love to sing but not publicly. I love the conversations your stuffed animals have with you when you are going to sleep at night. I'm not yet sure how I feel about them telling you disobey but we'll work on that.

It is amazing to me that, Lord willing, this is just the beginning. Who will you be next year? Or at 12, 16, 20- I just can't imagine.

So Jotham became mighty because he ordered his ways after the Lord his God. 2 Chronicles 27:6 Oh Lord may it be so.

Our Time Away

Our time away was so nice. It was wonderful to be able to spend time with Erik's Mom & Dad at the beach. The weather was lovely (a bit cold on the beach but wonderful for walking and riding bikes). Jotham & Erik's Dad share a birthday (May 25th) so we had a little celebration for them. Instead of cake we ate this yummy fruit basket and they pretended to blow out candles.

We also went to see my family at the beach, Jotham loved playing with his cousin Jude. It was great to see the way they enjoy each other. They slept in the same room and it was fun listening to them talk each other to sleep and wake each other up really early in the morning.

It was really chilly on the beach in Belmar so we had to bundle Jedi up in towel. He looked so cute I had to take some pictures. He is such a good baby and tolerated the beach very well.

Yesterday, on Jotham's actual birthday, we came home and Erik's family came over for a real cake. We are cherishing all the time we have with Grammer these days. She is feeling well and starts radiation this week- please keep her in your prayers.

Released

Yesterday late morning Karis was released from the hospital. I suppose discharged is a correct word. They had wanted to keep her until the evening but the doctor thought she was doing well (no fever for 36 hours and feeling better) so after another IV antibiotic, they set us free! We are very excited that Karis is getting better and that we were able to leave.

After getting discharged we left the hospital, Erik dropped me off at home (where I hadn't been in 4 days), I packed every one's stuff, he picked up her new prescription, we picked up Jotham & Cia from Jonalee's house and then we drove to the Jersey Shore to spend some time with Erik's mom. It was a little crazy getting everything together and now that we are here I am realizing how much I actually forgot but the beach is a very refreshing place for us and we are grateful to be here.

Thank you for your prayers for our girlie. Thank you also to Seth & Michelle for skipping church so we could take her to ER, to Kriscinda for watching Jedi the first day, to Kevin & Jami for watching all of them that night, to Jonalee for watching them yesterday, to Valori for brightening my day, to Dave for bringing Aubreigh late at night, to Helen for bringing Emma to come and visit us, to Heather & your girlies for coming! I am so grateful for all the friends we have here in MD, you have been such an expression of God's love to us- THANK YOU!

Still Here

We are still here at the hospital. After a few days of IV antibiotics her chest x ray came back a little bit worse. So now they are starting another type of medicine. From a Mom's perspective she is doing better - most of the time. It seems like she can be feeling great and then all of a sudden out of nowhere she goes downhill. This morning after her chest x ray she was curled up in a ball in the wheelchair crying- it was so sad. Then after a shower she was great, nearly running down the hall. Then this afternoon she took another turn for the worse. She is napping now, which will hopefully help her feel better.

I love my girlie so much. This time I have with her alone is very precious to me (although I wish the circumstances were better). I told her someday when she was as old as I am she wouldn't remember it all but I would never forget.

Some of things I hope I remember about this time is her desire to have me near. I am so often NOT a "good mom" (whatever that is- at any given moment) so when she wants me to cuddle in bed with her and this is a comfort to her I am glad. I hope I remember and can always remind her how brave she has been through this all. When she turned five and had to get shots she FREAKED out- I mean really freaked out, I couldn't even hold her. So for her to get an IV was a big deal. She was really scared but she held still and didn't even really cry. Yesterday and today the medicine they put into her IV really hurt (burns) and she gets so scared about it coming but she is doing well. I love that she wants to watch everything that is happening around her and to her. The nurses and lab techs keep trying to get her to not watch when they stick her with a needle but she wants to watch and I think this helps her (she is probably a control freak like her mama).

Well girlie, maybe someday you'll read this. I hope you know that I love you so very much and I'll always be here for you.

Hospital

We seems to be in a season of sickness these days. After a week of high fevers we took Karis to the ER yesterday. It turns out she has Pneumonia. Because it was in so much of her lung they needed to admit her to the hospital. So we are having a little sleepover for a few nights. They are giving her IV fluids and antibiotics. We hope to be able to go home tomorrow.

Karis is doing much better today, so far no fever! She is very tired and a bit whiny but the doctor says her lung sounds better! We are so grateful.

Love my little girl so much!

Jedi- 4 Months

Our little guy turned 4 months last week. He is such a dear, sweet little man and we adore him. He just started doing one of my absolute favorite things- playing with his feet. I just think a baby holding his feet is the cutest thing! I am also loving the greetings that I get when I come over to him. One day he was sitting in his swing looking around cooing and walked over to say hello to him. His whole body jumped in excitement and his whole face lit up with delight- how that just melts my mother's heart.

His official stats show he is becoming a bit of a light weight. 13lbs 8 oz. (25%), 24 1/4 inches (25%) He dropped down a bit in the percentiles. After talking with the doctor more we have decided to put him on pepcid for his reflux, which is significant. He ends each meal, throwing up a portion of it and then spends the next few hours (awake or asleep) throwing up the rest. We are hoping the pepcid will help him keep it down.

I took this picture a few weeks ago. Jedi is wearing a shirt that was Erik's when he was baby. It is a super cute shirt and I'm so glad it fit him.

Prayer Request

This is an email that Erik sent out recently:

On Saturday April 25th we were shocked to discover that, my Mom, Sandra, fondly known as Sam, was being transferred from a medical center in NJ to a Hospital in PA for swelling in her brain due to a brain mass.

In hindsight the symptoms (dizziness, lack of balance, etc) she was mentioning for the previous week or two now made sense.

Upon arrival at the Hospital on the evening of the 25th, my Dad, my wife and I were there waiting, as was the best neurosurgeon.

Amidst the evident wit, trust, and joy coming from Sam we were sobered when the doctor pulled us aside to show us the egg size tumor in the MRI. He shared that brain surgery was imminent. And after clarifying a few minor issues on Tuesday 28th my Mom under went brain surgery to remove this tumor.

It should be noted that all along the way Sam displayed great faith in her great God, Savior, and King. Her joy and faith has been contagious.

The surgery lasted a few hours and doctor found us to share the results. Though he was successfully able to remove the tumor, he began to explain that the prognosis was very serious as it is an aggressive, malignant tumor known as Glioblastoma.

We would be grateful for your prayers for Erik's Mom.

A Little Love Note to Jed

The other day Karis wrote this letter to Jedi. Since her writing is not very good and her spelling is rather bad. I will translate it for you (and her for to read someday).

Your baby hands are cute Jed.

Your baby feet are cute Jed.

Your baby smiles are cute Jed.

I love you.

I thought it was so sweet and though her spelling is terrible I was impressed she used periods.

Symmetry

A few months ago I noticed that when Jotham builds something with his DUPLO blocks he often makes them perfectly symmetrical.

Symmetry is in one place defined as beauty as a result of balance.

I think I need to take lesson from my boy and gain some symmetry. Balance between what is wanted (a clean house) and what is needed (time spent enjoying each other). Balance between giving direction to my children and trying to control the outcome of every situation. Balance between faith and works.

I am definitely learning, hopefully growing and I know that when the blocks fall (which they always do) the Lord is the one who needs to pick them up and put them back together again.



* Picture- Jotham with his dragon, he even makes sure the shading of color is correct. In this picture the dark green and the light green feet are symmetrical front to back.