Some thoughts

Hi.

I was up in the middle of the night again with two of the ducks.  Gary was up every hour with Simon so Simon could pee.  We are thankful for that.  Simon continues to make small improvements.  We haven't received the results of the ct scan yet, but I'm thinking that is good news.  He still isn't allowed to eat which is a source of great frustration for him.  He is walking more and is quite the sight with all of his drainage bags clipped on his shorts and pushing his tower with his iv line.  The nurses cheer for him which is fun.  Every day: good things.   God is saying "yes" to so many of the prayers being offered on behalf of Simon.  I know He answers every prayer and I'm so thankful that we aren't hearing "no" very often.

Now, back to me.  :)
So, Garrison is at my bedside around 2:00 after having experienced a bad dream: something about spiders.  I rubbed his back and asked what I could do for him.  "Pray for me please mom".  Of course my son.  I wrapped my sleepy arms around him and prayed for this precious child.  When Penny was fussing about an hour later I lay in bed just begging God to pat her back and put her back to sleep.  He said "no".  So I got up and rocked with her awhile.  Rocking awhile gives me time to think and pray. . . so does the 45 minutes after the rocking because once I am up---I.  AM.  UP.  I did pray for Simon during these times, but I also prayed more fervently for my other ducks.

They are off.  I don't blame them.  Things are different in the house and as much as Gary and I are trying to keep things "normal" they aren't.  Babysitters, trips to Grand Rapids, missing people at our table, going out to eat a couple of times, mom/dad spending more time on the phone and computer, Grandma Karen visiting, mom on the verge of tears all last week, only one parent home. . . . lots of changes.  Garrison has woken me up 3 times in the past week.  Garrison and Noel are fighting a ton!  I asked them if they were fighting with each other because Simon was missing from the house.  Garrison told me that if Simon were here, he would fight with him too.  Probably true.

So on this blog post, I'm asking for more prayer.  I know, I know. . . I've been very needy on the prayer side of things.  But would you pray for my other kids too?  The kids who are getting shuffled.  The kids who don't have a brother at home.  The kids who are living in a single parent home.  The kids who are tired.  The kids who want to play with all the gifts their brother has received.  The kids who I just adore.  I can explain it to them, but they are feeling the effects. . . and it is going to get worse.  At some point (please!) Simon will be coming home.  He won't be ready to be who they remember.  He'll need more of my attention.  He'll get home health care.  He'll have drain tubes coming out of his belly that Penny will want to climb.  (It's true: she tried this morning!)  It will be different again.

I'm declaring (with a whisper) that we are on the road to recovery.  Thanks for reading and praying and giving us comments, cards, calls, gifts, service, and for touching Gary so much at church he had a hard time leaving.  It is wonderful.