Monday (1:00PM)

Well, life in our family seems to be a continual crisis these days! So continual in fact, that the only thing we can do is laugh. It's almost like a comedic movie, except it's actually happening to us! What am I talking about you might ask?

Well, Avery's brother Shane was going to stay with the other three kids through the month of May. Yesterday he started feeling sick in church. By the time I left to come back to the hospital in the afternoon, he was throwing up. Then last night he got a fever. This morning, the pain in his stomach localized to his lower right side. Yea, I know, you don't have to be a genius to know that sounds like apendicitis! Just to clarify, we asked the doctors here and they all said to send him straight to the ER as it sounds like a ruptured apendix to them. Poor kid! Thank God for good friends in our life though. Our pastor, Steve, rushed straight over to our house to take him to the emergency room. I have no news yet.

Lucas is doing pretty good today. He slept all through the night, only needing pain meds once, and not having any fever. It's back up to 101 right now, but he did great in physical therapy this morning. He was actually running! He has another session in about an hour. We'll know tomorrow what the doctor wants to do about surgery.

He was very concerned last night because he realized that the little syringes that he gets his medicine in are made of plastic. He really wanted the nurse to recycle them! What an environmentally friendly kid! :)

He was "really worried" again when he realized how much TV he's been watching. He cried and said, "I'm really worried because I watched TV all day and that's just not healthy and it will make me stupid!" He was so serious. How can I not laugh at this kid?!?!

On another note, I think that I forgot to mention that I got the teaching job that I interviewed for! I found out the day of the accident, so it kind of wasn't so much in the forefront of my mind! Hmmmm....I wonder why?!?! :)

I slept absolutely great last night. I woke up quite a lot to check on Lucas, but when I was asleep, it was really deep, good sleep. I actually feel rested and good today.

I did discover some burns on the poor little guy's head today though. The deal I made with him was that if he would take a nice bath, that I would spike his hair. So when I put the hair gel in and used the blow dryer, he cried out in pain. I looked at his head and sure enough, he has some crusty, oozy burns on the top of it. He's actually had crusty hair there every day, but I thought it was from being so sweaty while he sleeps. They're only minor 2nd degree burns though. He'll be fine. Still, nothing on his face, and that's the thing I'm so very thankful for.

Other things I'm really thankful for:

1. Avery's employer gave him 10 days of PAID family leave time. That's right- PAID!!! He won't be able to be at the hospital every single day, but he's able to be here a lot and that is such a blessing to Lucas and to me. It would be so much more difficult if I was by myself.

2. People have poured out their love on our family. People are praying for us. LOTS of people are praying for us. LOTS of emails, phone calls, LOTS of people giving financial help to us, as they understand how expensive it is to have to eat, sleep, live in a hospital. Not to mention we have a two hour drive from home to hospital. Even there though, I'm thankful it's not further.

3. Lucas is in such good spirits. He's such a happy, cute little kid.

4. My other kids have been well cared for and are happy.

5. I have more friends than I realized.

6. The friends I knew I had have drawn so much closer to me to pour out their love on me; to show me God's love.

7. So many people are loving me by loving my children right now. People are remembering the three that are home without their parents right now by sending them little treats. Yesterday in church, my dear friend Donna sat next to them during praise and worship just to be near to them and to reassure them of her love.

8. My dear friends have remembered me and Avery by putting together a care package for us. I don't know what is in it, but it's so heavy that it requires a man to carry it. It will be arriving very shortly for us.

9. My precious friend Ababa took Mihret to her house to wash and rebraid her hair so I wouldn't have to worry about it. And she looks like an adorable princess!

10. My little Kaitlyn and I have had some very sweet quiet moments together since this happened. My Yosef is speaking to me again. My Mihret is precious and funny as ever.