Father's Day Festivities

We ran a little late for Father's Day this year.  I remembered it was Father's Day when I walked into church and the projector had a lovely picture of a father and his son walking hand in hand.  Opps!  What a failure I am! . . . okay, I'm over it.  So, I told Danny that we were going to celebrate Father's Day the next Friday when he got home from being in the field.  That way the boys and I would have all week to get crafty!  Have you ever tried to do crafts with three boys?  They don't craft for more than 2 minutes and it takes 2 hours to clean up the mess!  :D

Here is what we came up with . . .

A card! (Thank you Pinterest) It was much easier than I thought it would be to get all those footprints!

I also took each boy's picture in Danny's boots (or as close as I could get).  I put all the pictures in a frame with the words "With every step we take we try to walk in your shoes".  Here are the pictures:

Huxton was not about the stand in those boots.  Sigh.

Last but not least (because it is my favorite one), I asked Jonah a few questions about Danny.  I didn't do it interview style because Jonah is much too busy for interviews.  I asked him questions throughout the day.  Boy, does he love his Daddy!  The funny thing?  He answered the questions the same way when Danny asked him later!  I figured I will ask him these same questions each year and see how they change.  Here are the questions and answers from this year:

What is Daddy’s name?  “Daddy”

What does Daddy do for fun?  “Basketball, soccer ball”

What does Daddy do at work?  “Play soccer ball.”

How old is Daddy?  “Two and I love him.”

What is Daddy’s favorite thing to eat?  “Meatballs”

What is Daddy’s favorite thing to drink?  “Tea”

How tall is Daddy?  “Big”

What color is Daddy’s hair?  “Green”

What color are Daddy’s eyes?  “Black”

What do you like to do with Daddy?  “Play cars”

How does Daddy drive?  “Really BIG!”

What does Daddy say?  “Go Tarheels!”

What does Daddy wear?  “Basketball helmet”

What is your favorite thing about Daddy?  “He sings a LOT!”

How much do you love Daddy?  “To the moon and back!”

So, I might have missed the REAL Father's Day, but we just love Danny so much that we needed extra time to figure out how to express it  ;)  Maybe next year I will get it to him on time!

A Relaxing Sunday Afternoon . . . in the ER

Realizing I am so far behind on blog posts, I was planning on sitting down this afternoon to write about Father's Day and our trip to the beach . . . Danny had other plans.

My family had just left on the long ride back the Georgia.  (We had a FABULOUS weekend, by the way!)  The boys were down for a nap, so Danny decided he would get some things done.  When we first moved here we bought a spin bike so I could exercise while Danny was gone (since I can't run with our big ole stroller and my heavy boys).  The bike arrived on our front step BROKEN!  We called the company and they sent some parts to try replacing ourselves before they sent a technician.  Danny wasn't sure they had sent the right parts so he tried to feel what might be making the weird noises.  Next thing I know Danny yells.  He thought he had just pinched his finger, but when he looked down the tip of his finger was missing!  Blood was squirting and he couldn't even feel his finger.  He grabbed a towel and started putting pressure on it. 

I started going crazy!  All these things were racing through my mind: How do I get to the hospital?  Who can keep the kids?  Will Danny have to go alone?  Will they be able to fix his finger?  Will he bleed to death? 

I called 911 not knowing if I could get a sitter right away and knowing Danny needed to get to the emergency room.  They told me to get the finger tip and put it in a clean plastic bag, to put pressure on the wound, and to not leave Danny until help arrived.  Now I never disobey directions - but I ran to the car to get his ID and wallet.  Then I ran to the neighbors to see if he could watch the kids until I could find a sitter.  He agreed and a friend of mine found some help for me to watch the boys.  Sooooooo, I called 911 back and cancelled the ambulance. I could drive Danny myself - right?   Bad idea!  I didn't know how to get to the hospital so Danny was giving me directions.  Then he starts turning white on me.  He was about to pass out!  I couldn't find my way to the hospital, keep pressure on the wound, AND drive!  SO, I call 911 for the third time.  They sent the ambulance to meet us on the side of the road.  They loaded him up and off we went to the emergency room.  By the time I got to see Danny again he was drugged up on morphine.  If you think he talks a lot you should have heard him on meds!  He was chattin' it up! 

They had a hand specialist "on hand" (ha ha) that was able to look at the finger and make some decisions.  Danny had cut through bone but still had part of his nail.  The doctor told us they couldn't reattach the finger.  Danny would get some special foil on his finger to help the nail bed.  Then, we would do bandages until it healed over itself.  "How long will that take?" I asked.  SIX TO TEN MONTHS! 

Now Danny has never been a patient so we didn't know how meds would work on him.  They began working on Danny but he could still feel everything despite the medication they had injected.  Being the kindhearted doctors they are they injected more medication. He could still feel it!  After they had given him all the numbing medicine they could inject (and his finger was so full of the stuff it could pass for a sausage) they decided he was just going to have to bite the bullet.  They gave him more pain meds through his IV and went to work.  It was painful to watch.  Then the IV meds made him feel so sick. 

When they finally finished and Danny was all bandaged, we still couldn't believe what had happened.  I am so thankful that we have made some friends here that are willing to step up and take care of our kids just like we have been friends for years.  I am glad I have a husband who tries to stay positive through it all. I am glad we had doctors who knew the best way to handle this situation.  And I will be glad when this life at Fort Bragg resembles anything close to normal!  Please pray for Danny as he heals and deals with all the pain and inconveniences this will bring. 

Out of the Mouths . . .

A few nights back I made some chicken dumpling things. Jonah had already eaten something else since he was "starving" and couldn't wait any longer.  Danny had almost finished his dinner when  . . .

Jonah: I want some, Daddy.

Daddy: Okay, here are two bites.  (Cuts two bites and puts them on Jonah's plate.)

Jonah: I need a fork, Daddy.

Daddy: No, just use your fingers.

Jonah: No, Daddy.  I need a fork.

Daddy: (Puts one of the bites on his fork and gives it to Jonah.)

Jonah: (Takes the fork from Danny and points to the food left on Danny's plate) You can use your fingers.

A short time later Jonah asks for some tea.  Danny told him he couldn't have any.  Jonah's reply?  "Daddy, you can share!"

At least he is listening!

My Boys Keep Me Smiling!

While this transition has been anything but easy, I have three little men that never fail to bring a smile to my face (even at 5:45 in the morning).  Here are a few of the things that have kept us busy over the past week or so. . . Enjoy all the cuteness!  :D

Here is where we spend countless hours.  It might look like a play set to you, but to Jonah it is the "playground".  When we got here it had sand under it.  It only took one trip outside before I was tired of the sand.  It is amazing all the places sand can get when you are a little boy!  So, we put in edging and filled it with rubber mulch.  Ta-da! 

Here is the picture you really want to see!  My boys playing on it!

We also have treats on the playground!  This watermelon was a juicy, cool afternoon snack!

And no summer afternoon is complete without a popsicle!

We also have our own car wash right in the backyard!



We found this old sled in the trash - now it is a torture device for me!  Huxton LOVES it!  If I don't hide it, he brings it to me to get a ride!

We also have lots of fun inside.  Before our stuff arrived the boys enjoyed playing in the cabinets.  Now that our stuff is here they still enjoy playing in the cabinets - all my kitchen supplies just get pushed aside!  Doesn't Jonah's smile make you want to go play in your cabinets?

All the boys love playing in the playroom.   We play trucks, read, build towers with blocks, and wrestle!  Where you see Huck in this picture is where he loves to be.  Once he mastered getting up in that chair he was the happiest boy on the block! 

Huxton and Eli had their first attempt at using a spoon.  Eli warmed up to the idea after Danny had fed him most of it.  Most of it still ended up on his face!  So cute!

Huck decided he would hold the spoon, but that was all he was going to do with it!  Messy boy!

Back to the fun!  I promise pictures of the house are coming - as soon as I have all the boxes out of site and there are pictures on the wall instead of propped up on the floor!  One day . . . 



A Change of Perspective

Yesterday was our first official day of "church shopping".  Now, I don't like shopping for things like shoes or clothes.  I definitely don't like church shopping.  Who likes going into a place where you don't know one person (much less where the bathroom is), leaving your screaming children with childcare workers who don't know to make them stop, listening to a sermon from somewhere in the middle of a series they are going through, and filling out visitor cards?  I guess we do because we did it twice yesterday. 

As we were pulling out of the driveway I was running through my head all the things I wanted in a church.  Of course, I wanted a preacher who preached the Word, a welcoming church family, etc.  But I also wanted some selfish things: childcare that didn't depend on me serving multiple times a month, a ladies group that met during the weekdays so we could have nights as a family, a Sunday School class with a solid group of people our age, and the list went on. 

The first church we visited is a growing church that everyone we had talked to had recommended - even our Mormon neighbor!  The second "church" we visited was actually a chapel on base.  Chaplains are required to attend a chapel service, and we would like to do that as a family. 

I won't post what I thought of the churches or if they had all the items on my checklist, because that is not what I walked away caring about.  After sitting in both of those places I realized how few people actually go to church here - very few.  We drove in and out of our neighborhood while many were still sleeping or out mowing their lawn.  My heart broke.  I suddenly recognized that my checklist was all about me and not about what I can do to serve and witness to others.  For so many months before we moved here I was bothered by the fact that I really didn't have any "lost" friends.  As a matter of fact,pretty much everyone I saw went to my church.  (That's what happens when you're a stay at home mom.)  I prayed asking God to show me someone I could befriend and witness to.  Every time I just heard Him say, "Wait."  Wait?  Really?  Now I know why.  I have my work cut out for me here.  Apart from Chaplain wives I have only met one believer.

So, please be in prayer for our family as we shine our lights in this darkness.  Pray that we can find some Christian friends and that we can impact the friends we make that aren't.  God wants to use us to share His love here - we just want to know where and how.  At least it is a whole week before we have to church shop again!

If I Click My Heels Can I Go Home?

That was exactly what was running through my mind during our first few days here in North Carolina.  There were times I wanted to tell the movers to unpack it all because I was not planning on staying here.  However, it is starting to grow on me.  This will never be like Clermont, but it can become our home if I really try. 

So, let me back up and catch you up (since I haven't posted due to the fact that I haven't had internet).  The movers came Wednesday a week ago to start packing our things into boxes.  I was expecting a crew of a few strong men.  A truck pulls up and who did they send?  They sent one of the skinniest men I have ever seen - ONE!  "Good luck" is all I could say.  The next day he brought a few more helpers and before too long they had everything we owned in boxes.  Thankfully, I had packed enough stuff to last our family one week because they picked up all the boxes on Friday and, because they don't work on the weekends, our stuff sat on the truck until they delivered it on Monday.

While our stuff stayed behind, we left on Friday afternoon to head on up to North Carolina.  We thought we had plenty of time to get there at a reasonable hour.  Ha!  If you don't know anything else about me you should know:

1. I hate driving.
2. I hate driving fast.
3. I hate driving in the dark.
4. I hate driving long distances.
5. I hate driving in the rain.

The trip started out so well.  Hmmm . . .except for Danny trying to get me to drive over 60. (Yes, on the interstate.)  So, three hours into our trip we stop at a park for a picnic dinner.  Hallelujah, because Jonah had pointed out every truck and, frankly, I was tired of talking about trucks.  The boys had fun playing and then we loaded back up for the second half of our trip.  It is getting dark . . . dun, dun, dun . . . then it starts raining.  Well, raining is not the word for this precipitation.  It was coming down so hard that people were going 30 on the interstate.  I was trying to follow Danny, but I just couldn't do it.  I followed the first person I saw who was exiting.  (They led me to a Waffle House.)  Then I tried to call Danny to let him know that I had gotten off.  He couldn't hear his phone over the rain and couldn't see to know that I wasn't following him.  By the time he answered, I was crying so hard he couldn't even understand me.  He eventually made it back to the Waffle House.  He came and sat in the van with me until the storm passed. 

We made it to our new house by 12:30.  Yes, a 6 hour trip became an 8 hour trip.  We unloaded the necessities and crawled in bed by two.  Oh, and one more thing you should know about me:

6.  When I am old and rich, I will hire a chauffeur.

So there you have it - our trip to North Carolina.  I hope to post again very soon about our first few days and pictures of our new house - once we unpack the camera cord.