The boys' cool new beds!

Check out the new beds!  The covers we threw on them are just temporary, but will do fine for now until we buy them a new matching set.  I love the beds!!!

To God be the Glory!

A couple of months ago, Larry & I decided that we hate bunk beds.  Not only have we always worried about the kids' safety on them, we hate having to climb up there (or send a kid up) to change the sheets on them, etc.  They're just a real pain.  BUT, when A&K moved in, it was the quickest solution we could find to get the kids all into a bed.  My parents gave us a set of bunks they had for the boys.  Those bunks proved to be squeeky & just really always made me paranoid because the boys are more apt to see if they can fly when they jump off.  (I say "when" because it's inevitable that a kid is going to try it sooner or later!)  Anyway, when we started thinking about this, we decided the PERFECT solution for the boys' room would be a set of Captain's Beds.  If you don't know what they are, look at these for an example:  http://www.nextag.com/captain-bed/search-html  This is a picture of a full-sized bed, but we were thinking of twin-sized.  Anyway, they'd be ideal because we could get rid of the chest of drawers & use the drawers under the bed instead.  When we started looking for them, however, we realized how pricey they are & that we can't afford them!  Of course, we should've known that when we say "We can't", God always seems to work out the "We can".  True to His character, a couple of weeks ago, a friend at work (who is moving to California) told me that she was selling all her furniture before the move....and wouldn't you know, she has a set of Captain's beds she wants to get rid of!?  When she told me the price, I told her to hang onto them for me b/c she was asking an AMAZING price for these 2 beds & I didn't want to miss out on them.  Larry & I went to look at the beds last week & told her that between now & Christmas (when she's moving), we'd come up w/ the money & come get them.  Well.......................

Last night at church, a friend handed me an envelope & said someone had asked that he give it to Larry.  I promised I'd pass it on & thought nothing more of it before I put it in my pocket.  Later last night, I remembered the envelope & gave it to Larry.  He opened it & found cash with a note saying simply "To God be the glory!".  We have no idea who it was from.

The funny thing is, the amount in the envelope exactly covered the cost of the beds we're getting the boys (tonight!) plus enough to pay our electric bill that is due this week.  We were going to be fine on paying the electric bill, but it's always nice to get a break from the high cost of electricity!  "To God be the glory" INDEED!  PTL for His provisions.  He truely does care for our every need, doesn't He?

If the giver of that envelope is reading this, please know that we appreciate your gift.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!

I'll make sure & post pictures of the beds when we get them here & set up!

It's officially Christmastime!

The tree is up!  The lights are well...half-way up!  The tree skirt is under the tree & stockings are out & ready to be hung.  Yahoo....it's Christmastime!  :)

And now for a serious entry!

There have been a couple of things come up in the past couple of weeks that I thought I'd share.

 

Tonight I read the first month's worth of my entries to this journal.  Wow, what a difference.  Tomorrow, 11/18/06, makes 9 months since A&K moved in.  Their hearts & ours have changed so drastically.  It's amazing to see how quickly stability & order & boundaries can make a difference in a child's life.  We still have miles to go, but things have changed so much.  It's interesting to see how much of that old stuff still comes out from time to time, though.

 

A couple of weeks back, I was on the way to the grocery store.  Andrew kept calling me back into his bedroom (I go after the kids are in bed for the night).  I was getting frustrated b/c I really needed to go buy the groceries & he wouldn't let me go.  He finally admitted that he was afraid something would happen to me while I was gone.  He wanted to get up & go with me to make sure I was safe.  Had the next day not been a school day, I would've let him, but it wasn't a good time.  I assured him I would be careful & he finally let me leave.  I gave him a "kissing hand" before I left though---filling his palm with kisses & having him close his hand on them so they wouldn't "slip out".  I told him if he needed more kisses while I was gone, he could get a kiss from his hand.  That seemed to satisfy him.  :)

 

Tonight I had to run to the store again.  After getting everyone tucked in & heading for the doorway, he called me into his room.  When I reached the doorway, I heard him sniffling & he said "Will you drive safely?"  (Yes, I will.)  "What if you crash?"  (I'll be ok, honey.  I've been to Brookshire's a thousand times, so I know the way well.  I'll make sure & drive the safest way I know, ok?)  "But what if something happens to you?"  (Then God will take care of me.)  "But what if He doesn't save you?"  (Then I will go to Heaven.)  "But I don't want you to go to Heaven."  (Then you should pray for God to protect me while I drive.  Can you do that?)  "Yes...I'll do that.  I love you!  Be careful!"

 

Boy do I feel like a heel leaving the house after those conversations.

 

Another sweet one with Andrew---

A couple weeks ago when I got strep throat, I went in to tell the kids goodnight, but reminded them that I couldn't kiss them b/c I was sick.  Andrew really lives for our bedtime snuggles, so that disappointed him.  I told him he could give me a short, quick hug but that I'd have to sort of turn sideways & let him hug me (so I wouldn't be breathing on him).  As I started to stand up from his bed to leave, he grabbed onto me & said "Wait!  I'm going to pray for you to get better."  I sat back down & he put his hands on top of mine, closed his eyes & prayed silently for a minute.  When he was done, he turned me loose & said "Ok, it's done."  I thought it was sweet that he'd even offer to pray for me, but really cute that he wanted to put his hands on me while he was doing it.

I could never be a criminal! :)

On Wednesday, we were busy & forgot to put our trashcans out for pick-up.  That wasn't too big of a deal on Wednesday, but now that it's Friday night and our trashcans are all full, it is a bigger issue.  We fill roughly 1 trashbag per day so we've got a bit of a problem on our hands since trash day is still several days from now.  Knowing that we can't stack the bags on top of the trashcans (b/c the neighborhood cats would get into them), tonight we realized that we would have to "do something".

 

Coming from his criminal justice background, Larry handed me the bag tonight & said "Take it somewhere & get rid of it."  Now, I realize that I was just hearing things, but in my head, I heard something akin to "take the body & get rid of it".  I was on my way out to the store to get some milk when he handed me 'the bag'.  I reminded him that most businesses frown upon people putting trash into their dumpsters--and I felt sure it was illegal or something, but he told me that my 1 bag of trash wouldn't be a big deal & to just go do it.  Somehow, I just knew that the cops would be watching me 'make the drop' tonight, and so I set off on my covert criminal mission feeling paranoid & nervous.

 

I felt so sneaky tossing the bag of trash into the back of the van to make the trek to a dumpster under the cover of darkness.  I couldn't think of any business in town who wouldn't have lots of lights & cameras watching me, so I knew I'd have to find something dark & be quick about it.

 

My first stop was the local Baptist church less than a mile from the house.  From the road, I could see their dumpster sitting at the back of their parking lot, wide open.  Hooray!  That wasn't so hard!  So I pull into the driveway & approach the dumpster.  As I get closer I realize there is a big rig parked next to it w/ the engine running.  No doubt some scary driver was spending his night on the church parking lot.  I was far too paranoid to get out of the van alone in the dark & walk right up beside the big truck (after all, the driver would either A-jump out & grab me to kill me or B-call the cops & report some weird lady throwing her trash in the dumpster, right?) so I drive away in search of a new site for the scene of my crime.

 

My next stop is the library, but I realized after I got there that they don't have a dumpster!  Ugh.  The YMCA is right behind the library & it hit me that it was past closing time for them, so that ought to be perfect!  I made the short drive to the YMCA & spot the dumpster.  Ah-ha!  That's where I'll toss the trash, I think to myself.  Just as I pull up along side it, an employee pulls into the parking lot.  Unsure of whose headlights I'm seeing at first, I quickly turn around to leave (because after all, the trucker at the church may've called the cops on me, ya know?).

 

So I move on down the road, wracking my brain on where I can dump the trash.  There's a set of apartments in town with a big Christmas lights display!  I could go there & "pretend" to be looking at the lights & no one would ever know if I lived there or not.  (Ack...see how quickly the criminal mindset rubs off on me--I'm justifying my crime & coming up with alibi's already!!??)  I headed that direction & then realized that I'd be passing another church on the way!  When I reached the church, I pulled into their parking lot & spotted the scene of my drop.  All I had to do is make it past the church van (there's bound to be dumpster security guards hiding in there, after all!).  Those last 20 feet or so, I thought I had made it free & clear.  And then it happened..........the sign was there.

 

In bold letters, right there on the dumpster's front it says "For church use only".  Now if I use this one, I have to feel like a criminal & a sinner!  What to do...what to do...

 

And so, as I threw my bag of trash into the dumpster, I told Jesus I was sorry for my unlawful behavior.  I ran back to the van & drove away to get my milk at Brookshire's feeling so guilty.

 

When I told Larry all this when I got home, he kept laughing & holding his sides.  I guess he found it all funny.  LOL.........hope you did, too.

Thanksgiving Day

Last night when the kids went to bed, Andrew said that his TMJ joint-area was sore.  I thought he might have a molar coming in, so I felt around on his gums--nothing.  I wasn't sure what it was, but decided to let him sleep & see how it was this morning.  Unfortunately, it did not get better during the night.  I woke up to his screams of pain as he had rolled over onto that side of his face & realized that it HURT.  He came running, holding that side of his face.  When he moved his hand & I saw the golf-ball sized knot sticking out, I knew our Thanksgiving morning would be an exciting one.  :)  He could barely open his mouth at all & couldn't turn his head from side to side because of the swelling.  I gave him 1 Ibuprofen (for the swelling & pain) & his ADHD med and headed to the after-hours urgent care place.  By the time we got there, the swelling was a lot better & the pain was reduced.  Turns out, it was just a HUGELY swollen lymph node & he has tonsilitis!  Whew!  He's taken 2 doses of penicillin now & seems to be doing fine now.  Thank goodness it wasn't anything worse.

We went to Larry's family's get together today & enjoyed time with them.  We had our big lunch of all the traditional stuff & then (true to East Texas!), most of the crowd went out to shoot guns at targets.  It looked like the Redneck Family Holiday card, I swear!  LOL!

When we left, we stopped at the rest stop at Love's Lookout in Jacksonville, TX.  You can see about 30 miles in one direction, so it is a really neat view.  Now, if you don't know where we live, it's NE Texas, so you'll get a kick out of this.  As all the kids peered off the ledge, they pointed out houses, colorful trees, power lines (that we were up above!), etc.  Kourtney was the most "visionary" of the bunch I guess.  She pointed to the North & said, while jumping up & down, "I can see the ocean!!!!!!!".  LOL!  Larry & I cracked up.  You can see a long way from this lookout, but not quite THAT far.  ha ha!

Tomorrow we will make the trip to my sister's house for my family's Thanksgiving get together!  Can't wait!

I'm in love!

I don't know if you will remember (but I sure do!!!), but several months ago I posted about a massage chair at Walgreen's that I loved sitting in one night as a little 'retreat' when things were stressful at home.  Ever since, I've gone in & enjoyed that chair every time I had to get something at Walgreen's.  I'm sure the folks at the pharmacy were reaching a point of saying "Oh, don't worry...it's just the massage chair lady again."

Larry bought me one today for my Christmas gift!  I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!  In fact, my upper back is being massaged right now!  aaaahhhhh!  Check it out here:  HoMedics: **Therapist Select™ Shiatsu Massaging Cushion

latest updates--Mon Nov 20, 2006

Forgive me if some of this is repeat info.  I can't really remember if I've already covered all of this, and I am seriously just too busy/tired to go back & re-read everything to find out.  :)  How lazy am I??
As I posted last week, our Aunt Sandy died on Nov. 9th (my birthday--bummer!).  We made the trip down to the Houston area for her funeral & time with the family.  Larry did the service.  Although the trip was pretty hard on him physically & he is having to work to get back to where he was recovery-wise now, we wouldn't have missed it for the world.  The service was beautiful & was such a neat way to remember Sandy.  Her husband & kids are handling things pretty well, but her mother (Larry's grandmother) is still having a rough time.  Obviously I can understand WHY, but it's hard to watch such a sweet woman struggle after burying her only daughter.  Please join us in prayer for Sandy's entire family as the healing process continues.
I don't think I ever posted pictures of the kids from Halloween night, so those are here (above).  Savannah was a Barbie Pumpkin Fairy (not sure what that is, but she thought it was pretty, so we went with it!).  Andrew was The Thing from the Fantastic 4 movie.  Samuel was the Hulk.  Kourtney was a fairy princess.  Sarah was Strawberry Shortcake.  We had a great night at the church carnival despite the fact that it got really COLD while we were out.
Right before Larry's surgery (late Oct), A&K's dad was finally sentenced.  This has been a long time coming.  We are glad to see that it's over & done with now.  He received a sentence of 10 years.  He will be up for parole at the 2 1/2 year mark.  Since he's already served nearly a year, that means approx 18-20 months from now he'll be offered parole.  Larry said that most inmates are not granted parole on the first shot, so I don't know how that will turn out.  He said that they are reviewed for parole again about every year to 18 months after the first shot, so if he doesn't make it the first time, he will have more chances later on.
Larry & I have mixed feelings about the sentence, but overall are just glad that it's done.  The great anguish (for me anyway) comes with considering what it will be like to {possibly} lose the kids after having them in my home for so long (by then).  They are already such a big part of my heart, I can't imagine handing them back.  I'm 100% certain that G will want to take them back when he gets out.  I'm not sure that he is really capable of caring for them, though.  I know he loves them & really does want them to have a good life, but I strongly believe he will want to get them back when he gets out.  I really can't let myself "go there" emotionally, though, as the feelings run way too deep on that issue.  G will have to spend about a year (at least) finding a job, getting a house, hiring a lawyer to file all the proper paperwork to get custody, etc before it's even something we have to think about, so I know it's wayyyyyy down the road, but it's still sad just the same.  I keep having to remember the Natalie Grant song "Live for Today" because that's truely what we have to do at this point.  If I think too much about the future, it's overwhelming & I just can't let myself do that.  So for now, I'll focus on what I can do here & now and trust God to cover all the rest.  (The lyrics to that song are below.)
I wrote to G this past week & suggested that he consider (when the time comes) paroling to our little town instead of to the one where he's lived most of his life & where he is currently in jail.  Moving around, re-acquainting themselves with their dad, starting a new school......that would all be a lot for a kid to handle all at one time.  I sure hope it's something that he at least considers when the time comes.
It's fun to see the kids' relationships continuing to grow.  While they're all still siblings (so to speak) & they still argue & bicker like cats & dogs, the truth is, they really do love each other.  I've had the best time watching the kids all work together to help Larry in his recovery since surgery.  Every time we go somewhere, they all fight over who gets to get Larry's walker out of the back of the van for him....and who gets to take him his glass of tea when he's watching TV......and who gets to carry his cane to him.  Tonight we were playing a Memory game & Sarah kept having bad luck at finding matches.  She started crying.  Andrew quickly grabbed up all of his matches & offered them to her to make her feel better.  A couple of weeks ago, Andrew was upset about something & Savannah went over to sit by him & pat him on the back & offer her condolences for whatever it was he was upset about.  I watched that little conversation which ended with her running to her room to get a 'gift' for Andrew (some empty soda cans she'd saved him from school----because she knows that he likes to shoot at cans when we visit Pappaw Jim's house).  It's fun to see them pull together & love each other so sweetly.  I know that most social workers say 2 years is the time frame for everyone feeling like a family, and I tend to agree.  We're coming up on 1 year and things are going very well relationship-wise these days.  Boy we've come a LONG way from the first few months when I thought I'd have to strangle Savannah & Andrew.  :)
Please join us in praying for 2 little struggles we continue to have.  Andrew tends to lie about things on a regular basis.  Right about the time we think that he's doing better & telling the truth about things, he sneaks one in on us that makes us lose our trust in him all over again.  It's not about 'big things'.  He lies about little dumb things.....whether or not he's wearing socks, whether or not he put the trash bag into the trash can, whether or not he brushed his teeth.  Of course, I realize that most kids will sometimes stretch the truth to keep from getting in trouble, it happens so often & so much here that we really can't trust him at all.  We're working on this & Andrew's counselor gave us some ideas today to deal with this.  We're going to give it a shot & see if it works.  Since nothing we've done seems to have made a dent in the problem yet, we're willing to give it a shot!
The other issue is Kourtney's lazy-ness.  Part of me believes that she's just lazy...and I know to some degree, she is.  But a big part of me knows that it's an attention issue.  Andrew has ADHD & takes med's for it that reallyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy help him.  I really don't think that Kourtney struggles w/ the hyperactive part of it, but she most definately has some ADD-type of issues.  Have you seen the movie "Finding Nemo"?  Remember the little blue fish with short term memory loss (Dory)?  THAT is Kourtney to a "T".  You tell her to go into her room & put her shoes in the closet...she picks up the shoes & makes it 1/2 way across the room before she gets distracted, drops the shoes & goesoff into la-la land.  I hate to have to stay on her all the time, but without constant reminders & redirection of her attention, she just can't stay focused on anything.  She constantly bounces from one project/toy/game/TV show/interest to another.  She is totally impulsive & never considers the outcome of anything before doing it.  She fits all the "symptoms" so much!  We talked to the counselor's office today about having her tested & they agreed that they have someone there in the office who can do it.  I am anxious to see what they think!
:::yawn::::  It's getting late.  I have to work tomorrow.  The kids are all going to day care for the day since they're out of school this week & I'm not.  They will have a ball---they get to go bowling & eat pizza!  By the time I get off work, they'll be back from the bowling alley & done for the day.  The timing will work out perfectly!  They're all excited about it.  I'm anxious to see how it goes.
I know I'm missing something......and after jumping around from one topic to another this entire post, I hope you're not dizzy & seasick.  Enjoy the song lyrics before.  This is one of my favorite Natalie Grant songs.
Live For Today Lyrics
Sittin' in my room staring at the wall
Wonderin' about the meaning of it all
Why is it this thing called life
Has got me goin' crazy?
So I open up your Word and let it speak to me
The purpose and the plan that you've designed
Is clear to see, and I believe

Chorus:
I'm gonna live for today.
I'm gonna follow in your way.
I'm gonna let my little light shine
Like there's no tomorrow.
I won't worry about the past.
I know my future is intact.
So I'll choose to live my life one way-
I'm gonna live it for today.

You told me not to worry
About what lies ahead,
So I am gonna focus on today instead.
Making every moment count and counting
Every single blessing.
I'm gonna set my mind on the
Here and the Now
This is what I want my life to be about
And this is How...

Repeat Chorus

addendum to the last entry

Praise You in This Storm
words by Mark Hall/music by Mark Hall and Bernie Herms

I was sure by now, God You would have reached down
and wiped our tears away,
stepped in and saved the day.
But once again, I say amen
and it's still raining
as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain,
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away.

Chorus:
And I'll praise you in this storm
and I will lift my hands
for You are who You are
no matter where I am
and every tear I've cried
You hold in your hand
You never left my side
and though my heart is torn
I will praise You in this storm

I remember when I stumbled in the wind
You heard my cry to You
and raised me up again
my strength is almost gone how can I carry on
if I can't find You
and as the thunder rolls
I barely hear You whisper through the rain
"I'm with you"
and as Your mercy falls
I raise my hands and praise
the God who gives and takes away

Chorus

I lift my eyes unto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth
I lift my eyes unto the hills
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and earth

Chorus

Sun Nov 12

My mind is full.  We will send the kids to school in the morning, then come back home & get the van packed then go get the kids from school before taking off & heading to The Woodlands for Sandy's funeral.  Larry will be my copilot, my navigator, so I think I can do it with him by my side coaching me.  That part I've driven once before---with white knuckles & clenched fists---but I've done it & I suppose I can do it again.

Now....Tuesday is when it gets scary.  I will have to drive down into & through Houston.  That part has me worried.  I hate long RIDES....really hate to be the driver....and into a huge Metropolitan city, that part REALLYYYYYYYYY scares the crap out of me.  So, if you have time & think about it, please cover me in prayers Tuesday.  I sure wish I could do this all under different circumstances.  I wish Sandy wasn't gone...I wish Larry was driving...I wish, I wish, I wish....

Isn't that how life always goes?  We wish we weren't overweight, we wish we had a bigger house, we wish we drove a different car...and the list goes on & on & on.  But what we have is the here & now.  What we have is what God has given us & the place He has put us.  What we need to focus on and work through is what is here.  If we wish away today & worry about tomorrow, we are never able to just focus on what God has given us right now.  And so, because Scripture tells us to praise Him even in the hard times, I will choose to worship throughout this trip.  I choose to thank God all along the way for the tight spots in traffic, the construction (isn't it inevitable?) on the freeway, the fights going on in my backseat, the husband who is gorked out on pain medicine beside me in the reclined passenger seat.....

If I focus my mind on Jesus, how can any of the driving/travel part go wrong?  :)

Goodbye, Sandy........

 

I have hesitated to post this the past couple of days because I was afraid that Savannah might read it.  Now that she knows about this, I can say something.

 

On Thursday night, our sweet Aunt Sandy died.  Gone from this earth is one of the best elementary educators, one of the most involved parents, one of the most compassionate women you will ever meet.  Into the hands of Jesus she has gone.  She's finally healed of the cancer that riddled her body for the past year + several months.  Although she will be greatly grieved, I am thrilled to know where she will spend all eternity, and happiness fills my soul to realize that I will one day hug her again.

 

Savannah was very close to Sandy and has handled her illness very hard---especially in these last few weeks when it has gotten really bad.  Sandy went home on Hospice Care Wednesday.  When we explained this to the kids, Savannah had a panic attack & was hyperventilating.  It took her almost 2 hours to fully calm down & relax.  Poor baby!  She handled the news (of Sandy's death) alright, though.  She got quiet & it was a very solemn moment, but in the end, she says that "it wasn't as hard as I expected it to be".  I guess we talked it up ahead of time so much that she was ok with the news of Sandy's suffering coming to an end.

 

We love you Sandy.....may you enjoy your days at the feet of our Saviour until we can see you again!

 

This song has been running through my head all week.  Somehow, it seems fitting now.  It's called "Complete" & it's sung on Parachute Band.  I don't know who they are, as we sang it in church, but I love the message.

Here I am oh God. I bring this sacrifice. My open heart. I offer up my life. I look to you Lord. Your love that never ends. Restores me again.

So I lift my eyes to you Lord. In your strength will I break through Lord. Touch me now.

Let your love fall down on me. I know your love dispels all my fears. Through the storm, I will hold on Lord. And by faith I will walk on Lord. Then I'll see beyond my Calvary one day. And I will be complete in You.

Nov 7, 2006

This past week or so has been a little...interesting.  First, we thought Larry might have a blood clot in his leg because of some weird symptoms.  As it turns out, it's probably just a weird nerve reaction after being pinched so long.  The poor guy is taking a huge bottle of horse pills now to fix that.

Kourtney ended up with strep throat last week.

Last night, I started feeling a little weird myself & progressively got worse til tonight.  My dad took me to the urgent care place & I found out I have strep throat, too.  The 100+ degree fever was what was killing me.  Man, fever wipes me out!!!!!!

Andrew's walls are continuing to fall down.  He's been crying almost nightly about something or other at bedtime.  He says he's scared of the dark & doesn't want to be left alone in the bed.  I've been laying with him til he fell asleep some nights & other nights I've *had to* get up & let him cry it out.  One night I had to make a late trip to the store & he knew it and he was terrified that something would happen to me while I was gone.  (like his mom)  We're working through this & trying to coddle him a little until this phase passes.  Here's hoping he doesn't get strep throat, too.  :(

Saturday Nov 4, 2006

Today was Kourtney's 6th birthday party.  We had it at Dairy Queen with friends, family & ice cream cake!  YUM!  Here are some pics.  Our pretty blue eyed birthday girl got a big rolling suitcase from Grandma, a new Barbie and a book from the book fair from her friends.

After the party, we went to the Elementary School for the book fair.  We let the kids (who attend that school) get 2 books each.  Kourtney got a diary as one of her choices.  When we got home, she started telling her neighbor friend "I got a diarrhea!".  They looked at her funny until I corrected her & explained what she meant.  LOL!!!!

More later.....

Thurs Nov 2

A couple of significant things happened today.  Let me see if I can describe the day:
First of all, yesterday Larry mentioned several times feeling like he had a sock on his right foot (when he was not wearing a sock).  He told me later that it was tingly-feeling, like it feels when your foot is falling to sleep.  We didn't think too much of it, but when I was helping him get ready for bed, I noticed that the weird-feeling foot was HOT (like a fever hot!) & the other foot was ice cold.  Very weird.  We called the doc to see if that was alright.  He questioned circulatory problems & said something about Sympathetic Nerve Pain.  He scheduled Larry to come in today for an ultrasound of his leg to confirm there was no clot.  That was a scary time before we knew for sure if he had a clot or not.  Turns out he does not (thank you, Lord!).  He was really worried about a possible life-threatening side effect to the surgery and the fact that he'd regress if he got stuck in a hospital bed for another several days while they treated a clot.  Thank goodness we don't have to worry about that!
Second, G wrote a letter to the kids that they received today.  Last Saturday while Larry was in the hospital, Andrew & Kourtney spent the weekend with their grandparents (Larry's parents).  They took them to see G and we asked that he tell them about the sentence he received last week.  When they came home, they were both hopeful of their dad's quick release.  His letter today was a little more realistic & while it was a blow to Andrew (especially), I'm glad that he's put a more realistic spin on things for the kids.  He told them that he got a 10 year sentence and that he'd have to serve 2 1/2 to 7 years of that locked up and the rest of the 10 years, he'd have to 'serve' on parole.  I hated for them to come home this weekend all hyped up to the idea that he'd be out in 2 years, when we all realize that even if he does get out that quickly, it'll take him another year or so to reach a place where they could MAYBEEEEEEEEEEEEEE go back to live with him.  Anyway, it was just quite significant to me for them to hear something that was a little more realistic (in my opinion).
Tomorrow is Kourtney's birthday!  She'll be six!  We've got the scooter wrapped, cake on the kitchen table with a little balloon & candles ready to go!  I can't wait to see her giddy little self in the morning.  :)

Tues/Wed Oct 31 & Nov 1

I didn't realize that I didn't update yesterday, so let me see if I can fill you in on the past 2 days:

Tues Oct 31--- This is what I wrote to a friend:    "...At the moment, he's really stiff so getting up or down is veryyyyyy hard, but once he's up or down, he's ok.  We got out & walked down our street a little ways a couple times today.  He has to use a walker & goes reallllyyyy slow, but he's moving.  Last night was hard.  He woke up every couple of hours w/ a spasm.  He can't turn over by himself or do much of anything alone (read: go potty, take a shower, get dressed....anything), so I really can't leave him alone for very long at all.  I'm going to take the kids to the Halloween carnival tonight but plan to only stay gone a very short time."

Oct 31 PM--- Took the kids to the Halloween carnival @ the church where I grew up & where I work.  They had a ball & got a TON of candy.  We were all cold, though, as the temp dropped 10-15 degrees tonight & the wind began to blow.  Brrrrr!  It's kind of neat to have a cold Halloween!  (Don't worry, I won't get used to it, though....by next week, it'll be A/C & sweat weather again probably!)

Nov. 1--- Today was a little wacky.  The nighttime muscle spasms continue for Larry.  Last night was pretty rough.  He did OK from about 11:45 (when he went to bed) til 2am.  From 2am til after 6am, he woke up about once per hour having a violent muscle spasm.  When that happens, he screams & makes this suddent jerking movement all over, which means an elbow/knee/foot is bound to hit me & the screaming wakes me up.  Not that I'm complaining...but it's hard.  We're not sleeping much at night, but trying to make up for it by napping during the day when I can get him comfortably settled into the recliner & I can stretch out on the couch.

Larry did make some progress during the day, though.  At 1:00, the school called to tell me that Kourtney was in the nurse's office with 102.4 fever!  I told them it might take me a little while to get Larry settled in, but that I would come get her.  At about 1:35 or 1:40, I finally reached the school (it's 2 miles away).  I called the pediatrician before I left the house & said "Please have mercy on me & help!  Three out of my five kids have had strep throat in the past 2 weeks.  The school just called me about #4.  She's in the office w/ fever & a headache/sore throat.  Chances are, she's got strep too.  My husband just came home from the hospital after having back surgery & I can't leave him alone at home for most than just a short time.  Can you call something in for me???".  The nurse seemed stunned by all the information, but said she'd check w/ the doc & call me back.  A few minutes later, she called back & confirmed that she'd call something in.  At 5:45 when I called the pharmacy, they still had not received a Rx from the doc, so I had to call the nurse line back to get that done.  Kourtney & I picked up her med tonight while the other kids were at church.

Back to Larry---when the school called, he was determined to go with me to get Kourtney, so I got him dressed & loaded him into the van too.  We picked up Kourtney & then realized that we were both hungry!  We'd never eaten lunch.  We went to Sonic & got lunch (& a chocolate shake for Kourtney!).  By that time, it didn't make sense to go home & unload everything (including Larry) when I'd be leaving again soon, so we just went for a drive.  We drove out to the lake...or rather, the big hole where the lake should be....and looked at the low water level.  We went to pick up the kids then & came home to a friend from church arriving w/ supper.  (Thank you Cary!)

Although I know it's not a huge step it was a big deal for us--- later tonight, Larry was able to stay home alone long enough for me to take the kids to church (I was gone for about 2 hours).  He couldn't get up or move while I was gone, but I got him settled in before I left & put his cell phone nearby just in case.  I took Kourtney with me to get a couple of things at Walmart & pick up her medicine before we went back for the others.

Tomorrow we will hvae a "helper" home from school w/ us, so please pray that the night goes more smoothly & we aren't both so exhausted (& in need of naps!) tomorrow so we can enjoy having Kourtney home.

Thanks for your continued prayers & support.