Update on Ethan

(For those of you who don't know, Ethan crashed on his bike on Monday and lacerated his liver. He was life-flighted out of our town to a hospital with a trauma center 2.5 hrs away and spent the past a couple of days in the ICU. He had a stage 3 (out of 5) tear, but thankfully, did not require surgery. Here's the latest.)

We are home! :)

This week has been an experience I never want to have again, but I am so thankful for how it turned out. Ethan is okay, and we are out of the hospital.

After three days in the bed, he was climbing the walls today, full of energy and so ready to be up and around. When he literally put the back of his hospital bed as upright as it would go and began scaling it like Mt. Everest, his nurse let him out of the room to wander the hospital with me a bit. They had the best children's facility I have ever seen . . . playrooms, aquariums, outside decks, a dvd player and playstation in every room (dvd's and games were available free in a redbox type kiosk), and they even brought in a wii to his ICU room one day.

He is doing great now and not in any pain. Unfortunately he is on severe activity restriction for the next three months. No running, jumping, bike riding, rough-housing . . . anything that could cause his liver to bleed again. So that will make for a tough summer, but considering the alternative, we'll make do and be thankful.

The hospital went all out for his birthday today. The cafeteria sent him a cupcake with a card, a guy came by with a guitar and sang happy birthday to him, and the nurses made him a banner and gave him three wrapped gifts. Oh, and a root beer float!

His birthday notwithstanding, the hospital was just fantastic in the first place. In the ICU, he was given a shoebox-sized container full of activities and toys (a slinky, coloring books/crayons, matchbox cars, playdough), and then a volunteer came by and gave him a fleece blanket (his choice of colors) and a Batman pillow case. He got to bring everything home with him. (Unfortunately, when we got home, Joshua saw it all and said, "I can't wait 'till I get to be in the hospital!")

I have a new appreciation for children's hospitals and the people/groups who donate things to them. What a difference it makes to a child stuck in such a frightening, strange, and uncomfortable place. I will begin making donations myself in the very near future and encourage you to do the same.

I cannot thank you all enough for your prayers and support this week. It has meant the world to me and has been so encouraging to hear. I showed Ethan a Facebook thread and all the comments on it and told him that all those people were praying for him. He said, "Do you think there's 100 of them???!!" I told him at least. Thank you for giving that gift of encouragement to him and letting him know how much he is valued.

Logic is not their stong suit

As evidence thereof I offer the following two conversations:

#1.

Lauren: "Mommy, can I have a treat?"

Me: No, you already had ice cream today.

L: But, I reeeaaally need something sweet!

M: No, you may not have any more sweets today.

L: How about just a lollipop?

M: No.

L: I know!! How about one of those cookies I don't like? (We have chewy chips ahoy in the
cabinet, and we all agree they are terrible.)

M: No, it's still a sweet.

L: But, mommy, I don't even like them!!

I had to shake my head at her logic and cringe at her obvious sugar addiction.

#2.

Joshua: "Mom, come watch what I can do," he says as he jumps off the side of our porch and over our HUGE rhododendron bushes.

Me: Um, that doesn't look very safe, Bud.

Josh: Can you believe I can do that??!

Me: No, I'm definitely surprised. It looks sort of unsafe, though.

J: I know. I pray every time I jump.

M: Josh, if you have to pray that you don't get hurt doing something, it's probably not a good idea to do it.

J: Can I keep doing it please? I won't pray this time!

Working for what's already mine

He begged for a cap gun.

He got one for his birthday last year, and it broke several months ago. Having recently stumbled upon the remaining caps, Joshua began his quest to obtain a new one.

We saw one in Dollar General a couple of weeks ago, and he begged me to buy it for him. I told him no, that he would have to buy it himself. He begged, bartered, and pleaded. "If you buy it for me now, I'll pay you back when I get the money."

No, you have to have the money in order to buy it.

For the past two weeks, he's schemed and plotted how to come up with the money. On Monday, he was very close . . . only fifty cents shy of the necessary amount. Still, much to his dismay, I would not loan him the rest.

What he did not know is that I had already bought him the cap gun.

Joshua and Ethan were both recognized for having perfect behavior for the whole school year. Not a single color strip, which is the system of discipline used by their school. I thought an entire year of perfect behavior merited a small reward, so I bought them each one of the coveted cap guns to give them when school got out.

Meanwhile Joshua was begging for a loan, lamenting his lack of earning capacity, and just plain feeling sorry for himself.

Because he wasn't able to purchase a gun that someone had already purchased for him.

All he had to do was wait. Just be patient and wait. The prize had already been secured. All of his striving was in vain because the treasure he sought was already his . . . he just couldn't see it yet.

How much like me does that sound? Begging and striving and pleading when God wants me to wait.

To rest.

To be still and know that He is God.

I thought of two verses of one of my favorite hymns based on Psalm 130:

To wash away the crimson stain,
Grace, grace alone availeth;
Our works, alas! Are all in vain;
In much the best life faileth;
No man can glory in Thy sight,
All must alike confess Thy might,

And live alone by mercy
(Live alone by mercy)
And live alone by mercy
(Live alone by mercy)

Therefore my trust is in the Lord,
And not in mine own merit;
On Him my soul shall rest, His word
Upholds my fainting spirit;
His promised mercy is my fort,
My comfort and my sweet support;

I wait for it with patience
(Wait for it with patience)
I wait for it with patience
(Wait for it with patience)

(Click here for the rest of the lyrics or on the above link to listen.)

Wednesday in Pictures

Fist things first. Ethan lost his first tooth the other night. I am happy about how thrilled he is, but I am sad that his little baby-toothed grin is on its way out.




This is Joshua before school this morning. He likes to be ready ten minutes before the bus comes so he has time to read a little Magic Treehouse.



Today was Field Day. I LOVED watching the boys "compete" in the different events, have their faces painted, and hang out with their best friends.





But, most of all, I loved watching them dance. Picture this scene in a cafeteria full of 5, 6, and 7 year olds with insanely loud techno-type music blaring in the background. They loved it



Josh's favorite style of dance is the Russian fold-your-arms-across-your-chest-and-kick-your-legs.






Ethan loves a good old-fashion breakdance.






Field Day 2010 is over. Half-day of school tomorrow, and we are done!