The Physician

Well it has been a very hard month for our family. We have been passing colds around and it feels like I've been helping child after child battle fever after fever and coughing fits. Just when I thought that we were all done, Paul got a fever the other day. Only this fever put life into perspective for me.

Paul skipped his nap for the day and then we went to a friends house for the evening. We got back a little late and I had noticed him getting flushed at their house.  Many people were flushed as well because it was warm in their house. When we got home he was still flushed so I gave him some Motrin to bring his fever down. I nursed him and all of the sudden his body started shaking.  If you've ever had a bad fever, sometimes your body will shiver in response to a fever. It seemed like this could be the case until after that he had a blank stare on his face. I tried to get him to respond to me but he wouldn't. I took him into my room and stripped him (I figured this was in response to the fever). I called for John and asked for an ambulance. He got the kids ready to go to grandmas and as I looked at my precious son, I just knelt and prayed for him. I took him downstairs to get him ready to head out and he snapped out of it (this all took place over about 2 min-it was a busy 2 min!). I was holding him and observing him, not sure of what just happened. I was able to quickly look up what took place which was what I believe to be a febrile seizure. (It said that they were not a big deal and wouldn't cause any damage).

If you've never had a life or death experience where you weren't sure if someone you love is actually going to die (Paul has given me 2 scares already!), it is a terrifying thing. Looking back, I am glad that I was able to turn to God in the moment.  Often I wonder, if put to the test, have I trained myself enough to turn to Him? Most of the time I feel like I haven't.

It has given me a new respect for life and for my kids. It has also given me a quest to figure out how to get garlic into a baby for healing! My sister is a nurse and she did not like the fact that I didn't take him to the E.R. right away. I only go to the E.R. when absolutely necessary. After reading up on febrile seizures, I felt that I didn't need to take him. We just stayed up all night and observed him ourselves rather than taking him to a hospital to observe him with needles and machines (and a HUGE bill!). He has been fine. I always struggle with those decisions to seek medical help or not. I just prayed. "Lord, give me widsom as to what to do right now." My heart said to keep him home (which was the right decision in the end). The pediatrician said to watch  him if he had another one then do something. What I am trying to get to is that I serve a greater Physician and I really believe that he will guide me. This experience has greatly helped my faith in Christ (as I think it is my hardest challenge).
Thank you Lord for the challenges in life. Glad that is over...

A Taxing Life

Well, I would like to write more than I do but lately I have been learning to prepare taxes for low income seniors. Two weeks of intense training and each day my brain has been fried. Who knew the government could make such a confusing system! Actually it is not so bad, it is just learning about all of these different financial institutions and how the state differs from the Feds. Oye!

It has been fun to be out of the house and to be challenged mentally again. I haven't had this since college! I have learned several things in my tax-aide adventure.

1) I need to slow down. I have been in a class with seniors, led by seniors. Let's just say that it is very relaxed and slow paced. I want to get stuff done usually, but I have been enjoying just having a slower paced class.

2) I cannot imagine being a working mother. I have been blessed to stay home with my children. I have to be reminded of this often though! It was good to get a taste of what it would be like to even work part time with my kids. My sister-in-law, Rebekah, came and stayed and watched my kids for me (such a blessing) but I felt like I didn't know what was going on with them. Why were they cranky? Did they not eat enough for lunch? Did they not take a long enough nap? I felt so out of synch with them.  You really don't realize how much you miss of your kids lives if you work. It was good to be reminded (as many times I wish that I could just get away!). I guess the grass really ISN'T greener on the other side.

3) Senior centers are cool and I am totally hanging out there when I am old.

Ok, gotta get back to the babes. Naptime is almost over :(