The Bravest Kids I Know

Late last night I had to take Tyler, my 2 year old , to the ER due to a high fever and being very lethargic. He just laid in my arms making that repeated whimpering noise. I stuck my fingers in his ears and swirled them about, this calms him down and puts him to sleep. I'm sure people walking by thought I was nuts for digging in his ears in public, but I promise I was just swirling.
When we were called back to a room, I changed his clothes into a hospital gown with space ships and doggies on it. He looked really cute and small in it. He laid on the table and I leaned over him to swirl his ears and sing songs to him, while he played with my hair. I'm sure we were a sight! But it calmed him down. They came in, 3 nurses and a doctor, to take blood from him and put an IV in his hand. He had already had 5 xrays, and he was so good for that. But I wasn't sure how the IV was going to happen for him. I personally think that the IV is the worst part of the hospital experience. Keep in mind I have had 2 C-sections and 3 other surgery's that were just like C-sections, so I'm no stranger to pain. but the IV is just what I dread the most.
I stood on one side of his bed, all the others were scattered around him. I looked into his eyes and called his name, told him he was being so big. They stuck him with the needle, and he looked down at his hand for a second, then looked up at me, said "OUCH" and that was it. they put the IV in, his little fat hand strapped down with all these tubes and tape. He wasn't sure about the tape, he's not a band-aid kind of kid.
We sat around some more with an IV drip trying to make sure he wasn't dehydrated. Tyler got bored and he wanted off my lap, so I put his socks back on his feet, and we walked up the hallway.
Now, picture this.....a little boy, maybe 3 feet tall, hospital gown draping the floor, diaper showing in the back, IV hanging from his arm and me following behind with the rolling pole with the bag attached . He walked up that hallway saying Hi and Bye to everyone. He was very brave. It was so sweet and really, really cute.
As we were walking, I thought about all the moms that do this with their children too much because their children are really sick. About the children that don't even flinch at a needle anymore because they are so used to them. I thought about the heartache of the children that can't even smile, and how brave they are. There was a little boy with a fractured skull next to us, and I just kept thinking how lucky we were that all we were dealing with was a fever. Those children are all so brave!
I don't envy the parents that have sick children and what they go through. But even with Tyler's little fever, I had faith. And Faith is exactly what everyone needs at a hospital. Faith will see you through everything. It may not be instant gratification, like it was with us last night-we got to go home after his fever broke. But God does things in His own time and with His own infinite knowledge. We can't see the future and we don't know what will be good for us tomorrow or the next day. But God can.
All He wants is for us to ask.
God gives us a wonderful invitation.... " Ask and it shall be given to you." Praying in faith is praying with power. So next time, no matter what your issue is, put a little faith behind that prayer you whisper in your time of need, and stand back and witness God's awesome power.
Now, he might not have cried when they did the IV, or blood work. But when she took his temperature up his bum, he balled like a baby.......so maybe not the bravest kid I know....but awfully close!

The Biggest Conspiracy in America

I have just decided to buy stock in McDonalds. Yes, I am convinced that I will be so wealthy, beyond my wildest dreams. The reason I say this is because yet again today, I have gone thru the drive thru at McDonalds and purchased 2 Happy Meals to take them home and have my 2 boys eat about one chicken nugget and 5 fries between them. It's all about the toy. So why do I purchase the whole meal? I should just buy the stinking toy! I take them to McDonalds about 2 times a week, and believe that I am throwing away about $25 every week. Just chucking it in the trash. So, if I am not the only one who has children like this, then I would say it is very possible that there are hundreds of uneaten Happy Meals every day! Buy stock now! I can just imagine, some people sitting around the conference table at McDonalds headquarters trying to figure out a way to make their business better.
"I know!!" One smarty pants yells." Lets have a meal in a bag with a small useless toy, the kids will love it and the parents will have no choice but to buy it, because their kids will drive them insane if they don't! It's brilliant! And to top it all off, we'll put a large bright yellow M out in front as our sign , so that every time the parents drive past one of our 4 million restaurants, their children will start screaming "MCDONALDS!!".
It's brilliant!!"
Taking a deep breath, I clear my mind and stop visualizing that blasted yellow M.
I find my happy place, and believe it or not, it's with my boys grasping a Happy Meal bag in their chubby sticky hands, chanting 'MCDONALDS' over and over till I can only hear my heartbeat pounding in my brain. Peace reigns supreme as soon as I open the plastic that contains the toys. And then I sit back and enjoy my nuggets....

Stepping Into My Personal Space

Today, my son Zachary (5) came right up to me about 6 inches from my face and coughed a nasty broken cough. Granted, he wasn't trying to be gross, but it happened that way. I think back to when I had no children, when my personal space meant something. When nobody touched me if I didn't want them too. When I didn't have vomit or little boy pee on me at any given time. Well, the Happy Days are gone.
Today, there is no telling what kind of leakage will happen around or on me. Germs? They are everywhere. The never ending running snotty nose- my personal favorite. And we take these as an affront of our own personal hygiene. Like it is actually our own nose that is constantly crusty. Well, I am no longer apologizing for my child's runny nose, hacking cough, gooby eyes, or food crusted shirt. It's his problem he can't make all the food hit his mouth. Or that he doesn't know any better than to just sneeze and let it swing. No, it is completely his fault that he would rather lick his upper lip than get a tissue. I take no more responsibility for his gross behaviour.
For the 15th time today I have just told Zachary to cover his mouth when he coughs. I know I will probably have to endure not only my youngest child getting this cough but also myself. Ah, the perils of Mommy hood. Oh, by the way, I apologize for my sons dirty looking socks.....

Hi Moms!
I am going to try this new blogging on our website and see how that works. I'll try to post here at least once a week. So keep checking our website to hear about updates and parenting mishaps and victories.
Talk to you all soon!
Penny

Welcome!

We are a fun, inspiring group of Moms that meets every month to do a few of the following:

Socialize: Without having someone “Mommy” you till you break down and let them get away with interrupting just to save your sanity.
Eat: Without someone eating off your plate too, because your food looks soooo much yummier!
Be Creative: Without having to use rounded tip scissors, washable markers and a paint bib.
Express yourself: Without your little person wanting to know why mommy is crying.
Bond: Build relationships with other moms that are just like you!
Relate and share: Because there are moms that are going through the same challenges, issues, highs and lows as you are, and there is hope in Jesus Christ.

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