Dancing

Can you believe it's time to spring forward already?!  I don't know if we'll be making it to church in the morning, though we have the best of intentions.  We ate dinner late and everyone is just getting to bed now.

It feels like spring here in Alaska.  Though our snow won't likely be gone for at least a month, the temperatures are causing lots of dripping from the roof and the option of open windows during the day.  It's amazing how 35+ degrees is so lovely and warm.

We are rather busy for some reason.  I've done some trading of babysitting time with friends so I could start attending self defense classes (so fun!) and get some shooting time at the range with my husband.  With adding the workout classes one to two days a week for me, I've added short workouts on the other 3-4 days, so I'm getting a little healthier and stronger.  It feels good.

I'm also doing a little research into which way we want to homeschool next year...we're checking out Classical Conversations and Unschooling.  Yes those 2 are polar opposites as far as techniques, but we're praying about both.  

I'll leave you with some sweet (maybe a little blurry, but sweet nonetheless) photos of my two youngest babies dancing together.  This is a nearly daily occurrence for Lydia with either Isaac or Ephraim.

 

I love how she looks at Ephraim.  There's some hero worship going on.  His ability to treat her with love and respect is an integral part of learning to be a real Man, and so we nurture this relationship with care.   Of course this can challenging, but it's one we know has lifelong benefits.

Fall is bearing down...

Oh, yes it is.  And it's very early :(  Based on the fireweed and turning leaves, we should have snow within 3-4 weeks.  As I showed you last year, {click here}, Autumn in Fairbanks goes by faster than can be believed, so I don't want to be caught unaware.  

There are ideas and projects galore to blog about, but with the changing of the leaves, I have had to focus instead on getting us all ready for winter.  I have been cleaning our pellet stove, painting decks and doors and pressure washing the house.  More on those later...

Today, in contrast to the rainy cold days we've been having, it was a balmy 73 degrees, so I dragged the kids outside for a photo shoot.

Our family has been wanting to see some more photos of the kids (my blog has been really helpful in keeping them in touch with what's going on in our lives) so please bear with me as I show off my babies.

Here is the setting.  A chair on the side of the yard next to the well

Complete with a large pile of moose droppings (just for atmosphere...careful where you step Mama!)

It was pretty shady where I put them, but they all still complained about it being too bright 

I'll start oldest to youngest

 Adin ~ 11 1/2 years old

 Those eyes...sigh

Elsa ~ 9 years old

Isaac ~ 6 1/2 years old (he'll be 7 in October)

 Love those dirty little boy feet

Ephraim ~ 4 1/2 years old

I may just retake these since little man has a split lip from making contact with a step edge on the stairs

Lydia ~ 15 months

 

My 3 sons :)

My girlies

All my babies together

I'm going to try and make some time over the next couple of days to show off some projects and a couple more book reviews.  

I hope your week is going fantastic!

Change of plans

So much for painting wall stripes and mowing the lawn, this weekend turned out just a bit different.

After complaining of intermittent stomach ouchies for 4 days, Ephraim was in severe pain. We had made 1 trip to the urgent care on Wednesday, but after a urinalysis and x-ray, they couldn't find anything.  They told me to come back if the symptoms got worse or anything else showed up.

Ephraim had no other symptoms besides the pain in his tummy...no fever or any sort of illness, but it wasn't going away and was increasing in frequency and intensity.  So Friday night, Dave dropped Ephraim and I off at the ER/Urgent Care and then went back home.

The ER docs looked at him again and didn't find anything, so they offered the option of going home or getting more invasive.  I chose to get more invasive.

   

They put in an IV and did a blood workup, along with fluids.  Then he had to drink a "contrast" concoction for a CAT Scan.  He didn't care for that, but we made it fun and funny and he was able to get down 3/4 of it.

 

Then he threw up.  Ha!  

After donning a cute pediatric hospital gown, we got the CAT Scan.

   

At first the Dr. didn't see anything, but the radiologist thought he saw an Intussusception.  We got 2 more opinions from a surgeon and another radiologist and they all concurred that he had (at the least) an Intussesception and possibly a perforated bowel and infected appendix.

Dave came back to the ER with the kids.  It was after midnight, but I desperately needed to nurse Lydia since it had been 7 hours (ouch!). 

They quickly prepped Ephraim for surgery.  The little sweetheart fell asleep before they headed to the OR and didn't wake up until it was all finished.

The surgeon decided to start with a laparoscopy, but left the option open to do a full surgery depending on the damage.  

In the meantime, the hospital staff made up beds for our family so we could rest until he was done.  That was a huge blessing so they all didn't need to just wait sleeping in the car.

In seemingly no time at all, they came back and told us that it was a small amount of "telescoping" that they were able to quickly fix laparoscopically!  He came through with flying colors, praise the Lord. 

This precious little guy was a trooper the whole time.   

He never threw a fit, never really even cried, and has been a tough, tough 4 year old.  I'm so proud of him.

Dave is staying overnight with Ephraim and we hope to bring him home by Sunday night.

**********************************

I don't believe there are coincidences.  I believe God blesses and speaks to us with those little things we think are just coincidences.  

I've been reading One Thousands Gifts  for the second time.  I read about 1/2 of it last year, but never got around to finishing it (a crime really, but I'm being honest).  Last week I picked it up again and have been focused on working my way through it.  Ironically, on Thursday I read the chapter on accepting God's gifts even when they seem "bad" to us.  Are we willing to submit and give Thanks to him? Offer "Eucharisteo" even when it is a bitter situation?

This was mine.  A bitter cup.  I could have questioned why God was allowing this to happen.  I could have went to all the "what ifs" and freaked out.  But here, at least this time...I rested in God's provision, his strength and his ultimate plan.  There is nothing beyond his reach.  He knows all, plans all and works it all to our good, in the end.

It's an amazing feeling of peace.  I don't know if I'll freak out and cry later at what MIGHT have happened, but for now, I'm thankful to rest in God's promises and his will.  This time, he chose to bring my son through a scary situation nearly unscathed and whole.  And he showed me the contentment he gives when I rest in his power.

Little Man is 4

He's Four today.

 

What a trip these years have been!  

 

Ephraim is a ornery and tenacious little guy

The first 3 kids were so easy in their personalities.  

Ephraim has laser beam focus on what he wants to do and he doesn't appreciate anyone getting in his way or disrupting his process of creating

  

He has a great smile and an even better laugh

His eyebrows give a glimpse into his mood (I'm not kidding...beware the eyebrows!)

This kid is challenging and expanding our diplomacy style

We're loving the whole process.

We love you Ephraim Elias.  You are a gift beyond measure.

(Please play this song...it's just beautiful and reminds me of my 2 younger little guys)