This day, 14 years ago, I gave birth to my second child. For three days, this daughter of mine remained nameless, Wes and I struggling to agree on a fitting name. Finally, when the time came to fill out the official birth certificate form, we negotiated an agreement: Abigail-"my father's joy"- agreeable only if the middle name was Faith.
Wes was convinced our baby girl would not like the name Abigail, and thought Faith was a great back up name for when she expressed this inevitable disdain.
It's funny now to imagine calling our sweet Abbee "Faith." Our sweet Abbee who now stands 5' 8 1/2" tall and is too old to be comfortable with my disclosing her weight!
The grin she carried plastered upon her face as a toddler is still intact. It blesses me daily.
Abigail has lived up to the name that spoke of joy. She not only delights the heart of her father, but fills her mother's heart as well. This joy bundled up in one Abigail Faith is contagious! Her laughter often erupts, lifting a mundane day and spreading to all those around her.
Happy birthday, my precious Abigail Faith! May your fourteenth year be extraordinary as you continue to mature into the beautiful young lady God is shaping. And may the joy you exude continue to bless all who are privileged experience it!
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
Tuesday, June 26, 2012
An Excellent Start to a Promising Week...
Yesterday morning at 9:15 am, I met my SIL Leigh halfway between her house and ours so that Jordan could go to camp with their student group.
We were at James and Leigh's house all weekend. Emma and JW had spent last week there attending VBS, and the rest of the kids and I drove in Friday night to spend the weekend. The plan was to pick up the latter two and drop off Abbee and a niece who were planning on attending camp. Jordan had opted out of camp for reasons that really don't matter at this point, but changed her mind ON SUNDAY.
That is why we left their house Sunday evening, and returned halfway Monday morning with JP all packed up!
Around 6:30 PM, I received a text message that left me scrambling to find someone to watch the littles as it was looking as though more driving was in my future. A call around 7:30 from James confirmed my suspicions.
At 8:00 PM, I was headed to the campgrounds to PICK JORDAN BACK UP, after receiving word from the camp nurse that JP had been with her all afternoon running fever, feeling nauseated, and having severe abdominal pain. The nurse was willing to let her wait it out until morning, but was slightly concerned that Jordan was having an appendicitis attack. So, with my super amazing friend Jenny (who volunteered to go with me), I was headed south trying to decide if when I got her, I should bring her home or to the hospital.
At 11:15 PM, we walked into the ER as had been decided after about 50 phone calls from Wes who was simultaneously consulting the Google while calling at 2 minute intervals to get a clear description of Jordan's symptoms and pain.
Around midnight, the nurse informed us that the Dr. would most likely want a stomach x-ray to rule out constipation (the apparent most common cause of abdominal pain in children!) and also a pregnancy test to rule out pregnancy (which is now standard procedure in females over the age of TEN who are complaining of stomach pain. Yes, you read that correctly!) She added that it shouldn't take long since they weren't very busy and felt as though the Dr. would be in very shortly.
At that point, my gut told me that I should put her clothes back on her and take her home because, I could rule out constipation by the fact that she had spent the entire day having diarrhea and I could rule out pregnancy by many other facts that I won't articulate here!
Unfortunately, I was still slightly convinced by the Google research and the well-intentioned camp nurse that appendicitis was still a possibility, and you don't want to ere on the side of error on that one.
Around 2:00 AM or so, the doctor made an appearance and ordered some blood work and an IV to be administered over the course of the next hour with a possible second bag to follow depending on how JP's vitals responded to the first bag.
And, that, my friends, is why I crawled into bed at 4:00 AM with the peace of mind that can only come from a $200 co-pay and 4 1/2 hours in the ER.
Jordan's diagnosis: stomach flu along with dehydration.
The very best part of the entire story is something I imagine went down like this:
Jordan: "Hey, Abbee! I've had the squirts all morning and I think I'm about to puke... here... want my hotdog?"
Abbee: "ABSOLUTELY!!"
Jordan: "This slush is making me feel a little nauseated too... you want it?"
Abbee: "Heck Yeah!!"
I'm going to get Wes to consult the Google on the incubation time for the stomach flu. Unless the fact that Abbee will eat absolutely anything that's been dropped on the ground has given her a stomach of steel, I have a feeling I'll be on the road again soon!
We were at James and Leigh's house all weekend. Emma and JW had spent last week there attending VBS, and the rest of the kids and I drove in Friday night to spend the weekend. The plan was to pick up the latter two and drop off Abbee and a niece who were planning on attending camp. Jordan had opted out of camp for reasons that really don't matter at this point, but changed her mind ON SUNDAY.
That is why we left their house Sunday evening, and returned halfway Monday morning with JP all packed up!
Around 6:30 PM, I received a text message that left me scrambling to find someone to watch the littles as it was looking as though more driving was in my future. A call around 7:30 from James confirmed my suspicions.
At 8:00 PM, I was headed to the campgrounds to PICK JORDAN BACK UP, after receiving word from the camp nurse that JP had been with her all afternoon running fever, feeling nauseated, and having severe abdominal pain. The nurse was willing to let her wait it out until morning, but was slightly concerned that Jordan was having an appendicitis attack. So, with my super amazing friend Jenny (who volunteered to go with me), I was headed south trying to decide if when I got her, I should bring her home or to the hospital.
At 11:15 PM, we walked into the ER as had been decided after about 50 phone calls from Wes who was simultaneously consulting the Google while calling at 2 minute intervals to get a clear description of Jordan's symptoms and pain.
Around midnight, the nurse informed us that the Dr. would most likely want a stomach x-ray to rule out constipation (the apparent most common cause of abdominal pain in children!) and also a pregnancy test to rule out pregnancy (which is now standard procedure in females over the age of TEN who are complaining of stomach pain. Yes, you read that correctly!) She added that it shouldn't take long since they weren't very busy and felt as though the Dr. would be in very shortly.
At that point, my gut told me that I should put her clothes back on her and take her home because, I could rule out constipation by the fact that she had spent the entire day having diarrhea and I could rule out pregnancy by many other facts that I won't articulate here!
Unfortunately, I was still slightly convinced by the Google research and the well-intentioned camp nurse that appendicitis was still a possibility, and you don't want to ere on the side of error on that one.
Around 2:00 AM or so, the doctor made an appearance and ordered some blood work and an IV to be administered over the course of the next hour with a possible second bag to follow depending on how JP's vitals responded to the first bag.
And, that, my friends, is why I crawled into bed at 4:00 AM with the peace of mind that can only come from a $200 co-pay and 4 1/2 hours in the ER.
Jordan's diagnosis: stomach flu along with dehydration.
The very best part of the entire story is something I imagine went down like this:
Jordan: "Hey, Abbee! I've had the squirts all morning and I think I'm about to puke... here... want my hotdog?"
Abbee: "ABSOLUTELY!!"
Jordan: "This slush is making me feel a little nauseated too... you want it?"
Abbee: "Heck Yeah!!"
I'm going to get Wes to consult the Google on the incubation time for the stomach flu. Unless the fact that Abbee will eat absolutely anything that's been dropped on the ground has given her a stomach of steel, I have a feeling I'll be on the road again soon!
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
One Team, One Goal, One Mission... SIX!
THESA Varsity Girls took their SIXTH National title and we were there to see it!
They were a delight to watch!
Congrats, Riders! Well played indeed!
Monday, April 02, 2012
THESA Riders Basketball... YAY-UH!
February AND March flew by in a whirl of BASKETBALL.
We spent the week before last in Springfield, Missouri, for the 2012 National Homeschool Basketball Tournament! Wes was unable to go, so the three of us had some serious quality time together. It was priceless!
These girls had a FANTASTIC year finishing THIRD in the state tournament, and SIXTH in the National Tournament! They played in the gold ball division (the highest division in their age group) and really did well.
Did I mention that all but ONE of their games was at 8:30 AM? YES. I SAID EIGHT THIRTY IN THE MORNING!
It always took them the first period to wake up! These girls are NOT MORNING PEOPLE!
Having some time off will be nice, but we are going to miss all of our basketball family!
Thursday, March 15, 2012
Tired Heart
It's 7:30 AM and I have been awake for two hours.
TWO.
HOURS.
My sweet Emma took off on a road trip with some friends to reunite with her BFF Lexie!
Those two have face-timed every single day for the last three weeks or so planning which bags to bring, what necessities should be in each bag, and where to purchase the same exact word search books and sudoku puzzles so that, even though they will be in separate cars for their individual 8 hour treks, they will be doing the exact same things!
Seriously, Emma's excitement could not be contained.
Until last night.
Around bedtime, of course, Emma began to come to terms with the gravity of the situation. When she arrives back home Sunday evening, I will be gone. The big girls and I are headed to a basketball tournament for the week, and Wes and the littles are staying behind.
Emma was struggling a bit with the 10 whole days that I won't see my mom thing! I rubbed her back while she sobbed into her pillow.
I assured her she didn't HAVE to go! ;)
Then, this morning as she snuggled up beside me AT 5:30 AM, she said...
"I'm really excited now! That was just my tired heart talking last night!"
And, with that, both her tired heart AND her tired little body said goodbye with an completely excited smile on her tired little face!
TWO.
HOURS.
My sweet Emma took off on a road trip with some friends to reunite with her BFF Lexie!
Those two have face-timed every single day for the last three weeks or so planning which bags to bring, what necessities should be in each bag, and where to purchase the same exact word search books and sudoku puzzles so that, even though they will be in separate cars for their individual 8 hour treks, they will be doing the exact same things!
Seriously, Emma's excitement could not be contained.
Until last night.
Around bedtime, of course, Emma began to come to terms with the gravity of the situation. When she arrives back home Sunday evening, I will be gone. The big girls and I are headed to a basketball tournament for the week, and Wes and the littles are staying behind.
Emma was struggling a bit with the 10 whole days that I won't see my mom thing! I rubbed her back while she sobbed into her pillow.
I assured her she didn't HAVE to go! ;)
Then, this morning as she snuggled up beside me AT 5:30 AM, she said...
"I'm really excited now! That was just my tired heart talking last night!"
And, with that, both her tired heart AND her tired little body said goodbye with an completely excited smile on her tired little face!
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