Hola! Hoy es dia cinco con starfish. I've watched enough Handy Manny (for those of you without young kids, Handy Manny is Hispanic Bob the Builder, i.e. Dora's fix it man). Manny and the tools speak spanglish and Jared and I have picked up on the language. The song that plays over and over says "Todos Juntos" (all together) and that's the phrase we say a lot. Today the Handy Manny dvd played all the way through and then went back to the menu where the same song played over and over until you stopped it. Well, starfish was on my lap happily playing with trains and I was too lazy to get up, so we must have listened to the same song for about 30+ minutes. I have now added it to the soundtrack of my life.
Today was overall a good day (buena dia?) Tiring, but good. I went to teach this morning and got halfway there when I heard a message that school was canceled. It seems that the temperature dropped below 40 degrees = automatic shutdown of everything in the state of Georgia. No, I think there really was ice in front of the school so in the interest of traffic safety they canceled school. So I came home and spent the day with Ethan and Jared went to work. Ethan got some fun gifts in the mail (including a train book with a steering wheel! whoa!) and a playschool farm. That was very exciting and MUCH appreciated.
He has a new activity to occupy him (and me). He likes to pull the wagon around the house. How does he do that when he can't walk or crawl? Mom or Dad hold him at waist height and he pulls the wagon. He thinks hes flying, but we know the truth. Our arm muscles are going to be ginormous when this thing is over. I know, we are the crazy ones for doing this... no complaining.
Ethan did really light up today when he saw Cameron Woodard and Codina Bath. They put him in the wagon and did laps around our house (I use the word "laps" loosely- in a 1700 square foot house its more like small circular rotations). They held him and took care of him while we ate. That was a gift. John and Caroline also came over and helped get Ethan's room in order, and brought a gift from God via Starbucks (Espresso Chocolate Truffle... mmmmmmm). Now there is reason to be grateful.
So we put Ethan to bed, prayed that he would sleep through the night, and here I am about to go to bed. He has been waking up a few times at night. Jared hears him most of the time (how embarassing... aren't I supposed to have special mommy senses where i can hear anything? I did when he was a newborn but since then I sleep like a rock, which is no surprise to anyone who has ever tried to wake me up). But I did relieve Jared last night at 2am and rocked Ethan for awhile. Ethan finally went #2 (this is getting into to much information now but here it goes) after 5 days of just #1. That was a relief, prob more for him than us! So that all happened in the middle of the night too so it was an exciting night to say the least. There is more to that story but I'll just leave it there.
My parents come tomorrow to help us and let Jared and I go out by ourselves. I am really looking forward to them coming. Today I was just thinking about other parents who have special needs children and how demanding it must be. It makes me want to find those parents and give them a big hug, some alcohol, and a babysitter for them to go out. I really want to remember beyond this experience those families and pray for them for courage and strength. What a constant and hard job.
So that leads me to my thankful list:
Besides what I've already mentioned, I am really thankful that this isn't forever. Actually, that's kinda the good news with all of life: it's not forever and each day is different. That is something to be thankful for. I'm thankful that I married Jared and that he keeps waking up each day and pressing on with a good attitude. I'm thankful for the meals that have been brought to us, the gifts sent, and learning a little Spanish via Handy Manny. Lastly, I'm thankful that this situation has forced me to remember what matters most in life and what God has really called me to: living a life of love. It takes love to wake up in the middle of the night, love to scoop out poop with your bare hands (GROSS!), love to persevere through temper tantrums, and love to clean up the house to start a new day. So I'm praying that I would experience more of God's love for me and my family and that would pour out in my life to others. thanks for reading.
3 comments:
YOU are loved my friend. Call when you need us.
Vaya con Dios! Quiero tocar tequila con tu y Jay Rod! Pero no tiene margarita mix! in Oxford y vayas no aqui con mi y Abby!...pero June is coming! La Parilla here we come!!! And the stories we will have to share!!! =) Starfish...bicycle wrecks...mad English stories!...building 7 foot Norman the snowman...and oh so many more! and Praise God for"different"!!! the beat goes on...and on...and on...=)
Yo quiero tocar tequilla! ~ another excellent Spanish expression. Turns out there isn't very good tequilla in Oxford.
Yes, as to waking you up...The day I came in from painting to find Ethan crying, the stove going off, and you lying well nigh unto lifeless--fully dressed and not even under the covers on your bed--is probably one of the more traumatic memories of the summer I spent on Deertriger Landing. I actually said out loud, "Kaitie you better not be dead." You weren't. But I wasn't relieved, because when you sat up, I felt I was living in one of those horror films where a disturbed teenager with blood shot eyes sits straight up in bed to announce that someone else is in possession of her body. I wigged out and left the room before anything else could happen. Ethan was much easier to get up, but not nearly as exciting.
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