A Quick Stop to the Emergency Room?

Last week was full of plans that included going to the Flowertown Festival, grocery shopping and getting our house perfectly clean for Caleb's parents and grandparents' visit. None of which happened. Instead we took an unexpected trip to the Children's E.R. because our Delainey got sick with some frightening symptoms.

It all started right after we got back from Georgia. That Monday, I found a tick in Delainey's hair. I saved the tick in a plastic bag and immediately called her Pediatrician. They said to just keep an eye on her for the next 24-48 hours. She seemed fine for the next few days. That Friday, however, she didn't feel well and threw up. The next day I was gone all day shooting a wedding on Edisto Island but Caleb didn't notice any strange symptoms. Sunday morning she woke up with a fever and a strange rash on her face. I called her Pediatrician's after hours/weekend service and they instructed me to take her to the Children's E.R. at MUSC. We had no idea she wouldn't be coming back home until Wednesday!

Caleb and I were sure it wasn't going to be a big deal so we loaded up the whole family to head downtown. Our thought was that Caleb, Bryant and Elle could walk around downtown and enjoy the sunshine while Delainey and I got our prescription for an antibiotic. I thought I would just call Caleb on his cell when we were all done and he could pick us up at the curb. We could be back in Summerville in perfect time to make the Flowertown Festival... after all, surely she wasn't contagious and she seemed like she would be okay.

WRONGO! Within the first few minutes they had started an I.V. and were talking about doing a spinal tap to check her for Meningitis of the brain, which ticks can spread. The thing that had them so concerned was this rash on her face. Since we knew she had been bitten by a tick and this rash is sometimes associated with Lyme Disease and Meningitis, they didn't want to risk overlooking anything. I called Caleb and asked him to get back to the E.R. right away. Our friends, Brian and Annie kept Bryant and Elle so Caleb and I could focus on what was going on with Delainey.

Sunday was a very rough day. I felt so helpless and overwhelmed. I was scared like I've never been before and would have done anything to take Delainey's place in the hospital bed. I stayed the night with her that night and started out on the couch in her room. She woke me up at some very early hour and said, "Mommy, I don't like you over there. Can you come sleep in my bed with me." So we cuddled between I.V. lines, monitor cords and many nurse visits to check vitals and temperature. Neither one of us were able to rest well at the hospital but she was in good hands so it was worth it.

The next day, Caleb came and stayed that night with her. I went home to be with Bryant and Elle and fell into bed that night with exhaustion and sadness lurking over me. Test results were beginning to come back by then but we were still waiting on cultures. The time at the hospital felt like a big blur. Delainey started out very polite and even thanked the nurses for taking her temp. Each day she got more and more fearful of needles and people. Even if someone came in to take out her trash, she would hide under her pillow. She was quickly tired of being in the hospital and cried a lot while we were there. By the time we left, she wasn't making any friends and she didn't care any more. Tuesday rolled around and since I had gotten some rest at home, I went to relieve Caleb who was in serious need of sleep at that point. Finally, on Wednesday they let us come home with Delainey. Her tempt was still up to 104 but because her cultures were coming back with good reports and her White Blood Cell count was coming back down, they felt it was safe to release her. As of last Friday, she is fever free. She's back to her beautiful, feisty self!

Thanks to everyone for praying for Delainey's healing. Also, thank you for helping with our kids, for bringing food to us, for visiting us, for the thoughtful gifts, cards, and many calls to check on her.

Back to her self..

Blogging Siestas

Here is a picture of some fellow "Siestas" (ladies who correspond on Beth Moore's blog)I met at the LPM event this past weekend. Good times! Thanks to Angie at Little Steps of Faith for sharing this picture with me.

Where Do I Begin?

I am going to attempt to describe what an amazing weekend I just experienced. I know for a fact I won't be able to fully describe the blessings that God delivered to me right from the palm of His mighty hand, but I will do my best. I will try to be descriptive but brief so I don't make this post 10 pages long.

WOW! Is there any way to describe the gift of friendship? I received a call a couple of months ago from my friend, Peggy. She invited me to go to see Beth Moore with her and a mutual friend. It was actually her husband Brad's idea. He said Caleb could come to Georgia and stay with him and the kids while the moms went on to Jacksonville for the LPM event. I told her I'd talk to Caleb about it and call her back. A few minutes later, she called me back instead and said, "I'm on Lifeway's website. There are still tickets available and if it's okay with you, I'm just going to buy you one for you..." How can you say no to that?

Brad and Peggy are a rare caliber of people. We were connected to them through our friend Kris, after his death. Knowing Kris like we did, should have given us some insight to the kind of people the Headleys are. They were dear to Kris which indicates they are special people. They have the same commitment to the Lord and same generosity towards others that Kris had. They made us feel so incredibly welcome in their home with an uncommon level of hospitality. The dads took great care of the kids while us moms were gone and the kids had a blast too. There was a lot of Wi playing going on, pizza was ordered and they even raked the whole yard on Saturday before we arrived back home again. We so appreciated our 2 husbands being brave enough to let us moms head South for 24+ hours while the dads cared for our 5 kids ranging from 12 years to 18 months! Since then, Brad has decided there's a fine line between courage and stupidity. Even still, the guys were so glad they gave us the gift of a weekend away to rejuvenate!

So off to Jacksonville we went. Peggy, Kalie and I went, which was great because we were all in small group for a Beth Moore study, "A Heart Like His" about 3 years ago. We checked into our hotel nice and early. Then we walked around the lovely downtown of Jacksonville, FL. I really like that beautiful city and it smells like coffee because the Maxwell House plant is right in the middle of it. We rode the monorail, walked along the river, checked out Jacksonville Landing and had an incredible dinner at a restaurant called BB's. Don't tell the kids, but we even splurged on an enormous dessert! As great as all that was, our day hadn't even hit it's peak yet.

We headed to the stadium where nearly 15,000 other women would find their way to in the next 2 hours. Yes, we did get there a couple of hours early because this wasn't our first time to go see Beth and we had learned about seating and we wanted good seats. "Good seats" is an understatement. We ended up about 10 seats away from Beth's seat when she was sitting and right near the stage. Travis Cottrel and his team were all around and it was just FUN! I don't think I could ever go back to sitting in the "nose bleeds", which I've done a few times. Beth was on it both Friday and Saturday! Wow! I felt like the entire session was hand picked for me. I have a feeling most of the women felt the same way. The whole thing was perfectly placed in my path for this season of my life. I can't even begin to describe the impact it had on me. It was huge!

We returned to Georgia where there were children and husbands who were clearly happy to see us! I love being missed! We grilled out and chilled for the evening. Sunday morning we woke up and headed to St.Simon's Island Community Church which is where we attended during our 5 months of living in that area. When we attended, it was a remarkable group of Christ followers. They were meeting in a very nice, converted (no pun intended) shopping/business park. Things have changed in the last 3 years! While the people and their focus on God has not changed, their location has! The new campus is seriously breathtaking. The church looked and felt like a resort inside and out! It was really amazing to see the fruit of their labor with our own eyes! The service was amazing too. This church is one of the most prayer-centered churches I've ever seen. Being on St. Simon's Island, it's congregation has a lot of very wealthy people in it. However, they are incredibly generous, not only with their money but with their lives. This church mission-focused. They're continually planning trips to not only poor, but dangerous places like Haiti, India, Asia, etc. They leave their amazing homes and give sacrificially, risking their own well-being all the while. What an example!

The time with the Headleys was steeped in generosity. Their girls gave our girls a toy set that they had outgrown (but still looked brand new) which included a My Little Pony castle, about 20-30 new ponies and many accessories. Brad sent us home with a case of MonaVie, a juice, which is probably the greatest "super food" known in the world today. This stuff is NOT CHEAP! It retails at $45 a bottle! They insisted that we go home with not 1, but 4 bottles! They have experienced such great things by consuming only 2-4 ounces a day. So, they wanted to share it so we could try it for ourselves. Have you ever heard of such unnecessary kindness? I want to give to others like that!

The trip home was quiet and a good chance for Caleb and I to reconnect after being so busy and apart for a short time. We got home early enough to eat sandwiches for dinner, bath time and our bedtime routine. I'm certain I will never forget this weekend as a gift!

I just found this recap on Beth's blog and my friend Peggy is actually on it!

Here are just a handful of pictures from our weekend. If the slideshow below doesn't work, click on the X in the upper RIGHT corner 2 times...

13 Things I'm Looking Forward to this Weekend

1. A change in scenery.
2. Going to see Beth Moore in Jacksonville, FL and I know I will leave that place better than when I arrived. I'm praying that my heart will show up ready and that I'll be tender to what God would have me to learn.
3. Getting to be involved in the awesome worship. With Travis Cottrell leading, I know it will be great.
4. Going to St. Simon's Community Church where we used to attend and seeing old familiar faces there.
5. Getting to see St. Simon's new building that we heard about over 3 years ago!
6. Getting to spend some quality time with some good girlfriends on the trip to Jacksonville. Girl talk- Yay! I may even find time to read a magazine- imagine that!
7. Getting to go out to dinner on Friday night with my girlfriends and not be interrupted by children! (You know I love my little ones. Spending time with them is very important to me, but getting a dinner out without them is a rare treat!)
8. Getting to have a much needed "Mommy break". I may just have a nervous breakdown looking around for my 3 blondies, reaching for Elle's diaper bag and feeling irresponsibly indulgent... just for a split second but I'll recover.
9. Getting to eat lunch on Sunday at Barbara Jeans -one of our favorite restaurants in St. Simon's Island. Caleb's been tucking a little away since we started planning our trip to make this happen. He thinks it's a shame to get all the way to St.Simon's Island and not visit Barbara Jean's for one of their incredible crab cakes. I agree.
10.Getting to do some photography on Jekyll Island. I'm hoping to reshoot some of the stuff I took 3 years ago but new and improved. I'm so glad for a do-over and this time I have my new digital SLR!
11. Enjoying a road trip with Caleb. I love the DVD in the van because it helps the kids settle in for a movie and Caleb and I can actually finish conversations, uninterrupted. It's a beautiful thing!
12. Getting to breath in the Georgia and Florida air. For some reason, getting away for a weekend has a great effect on me. I always appreciate home more afterwards and see my old surrounding in a whole new way.
13. Getting to return to our home with my children and husband rejuvenated because I do love them SO much. I love serving them and spending time with them, even though sometimes I just need a little break.

Still Hard but So Worth It

I'm digging into an old project that I've neglected for awhile. I forgot just how hard this project is for me. I'm putting together a tribute with many peoples' writings for a dear friend and brother who went home to be with the Lord over 5 years ago. Kris Eggle was one of the greatest people I have ever known. He was a friend and a brother to both Caleb and I. He lost his life to an illegal immigrant who sniped him from the brush while Kris was serving us as a Federal Law Enforcement Ranger for the National Park Service. We were supposed to have Kris for dinner that evening as we had many other nights. The news was nothing short of devastating. Thousands grieved the loss of a friend that was so dynamic, so selfless and loving. He was such an amazing earthly example of His Lord. Kris stirred something in all of us that made us want to live better, give more, and complain less.
I started this project back in 2003 and still haven't completed it. As I jump in with both feet again, I remember why this is so incredibly hard. Because Kris was so incredibly special to us. I just came across a letter from my little sister who loved Kris and it nearly knocked me off my feet. We all still miss him so much. You would think this would get easier after 5 and a half years, but in many ways, it hasn't.
I know I have disappointed so many people in not finishing this book sooner. Quite honestly, I've disappointed myself. When I began this feat, I had no idea what crazy turns laid ahead on mine and Caleb's journey of life. It has not been very conducive to this type of in-depth project. This is such a worthy assignment and I so desperately want to see it's completion. I have taken this storage container with all the books' contents in it from Arizona, to Georgia, to South Dakota, back to Arizona and now to South Carolina. I found a note in there to myself, with a to do list that said "Go back to Arizona with a finished book!". I wrote that in 2005 but I'm claiming that for 2008.
Please pray that I can be focused (with my many, many, many distractions) to put this book together in a way that truly shows who Kris was. I need to balance caring for my family and staying focused on this book. Honestly, it has been impossible for me up to this point. I would GREATLY appreciate your prayers and support while I press on towards this finishing this goal that is so honorable.

Monday's Quote of the Week

"Hunger is a good sauce."

I like this quote because I think it simply speaks volumes on gratitude. Enjoy!

This Year's Easter

Our morning started early. At some point in the early a.m. hours, Delainey had made her way to our bed and fell back to sleep somewhere in the blankets. This isn't unusual for her. She reminds me of a little pet who can always find their way home. I'm always putting her back in her bed but by some magnetizing force, she is draw to our queen size. It was still dark out but I needed to finish a few things for our picnic and I needed to iron. Caleb made plans to fix us all a big breakfast. I heard Caleb say, "Jaim, we've gotta get up. I hit snooze a few times and I need to get breakfast started." Then I hear DJ's raspy & sleepy voice say, "The 3 year old wants cereal." I didn't even know she was awake. I laid there thinking, "Did she just refer to herself as 'the 3 year old'?".

A few moments later, the 7 seven year old who has a gift for sleeping in very late surprised us by bursting into the room. He said, "Come on let's get started! It's Easter!". DJ responds excitedly, "It's Easter! Does that mean I can have candy now?"

We had a great day and yes, there was some candy involved. First we let the kids find their hidden baskets, then we had a huge breakfast, scurried around to get ready for church. Next, it was off to church where we had a great service and then we stayed for the next service to help out in the kids' classrooms. Afterwards, we headed off to a nearby park for a picnic with two other families who are dear friends. We flew kites, played on the swings, blew bubbles, hunted for eggs and enjoyed the gorgeous sunshine. It was a perfect day for a picnic.

Tonight, I asked the kids what their favorite part of the day was. Bryant said it was finding his Easter basket and all the fun things in it. DJ said it was when she was sneaking candy from the bag of extras in my room earlier today. What?? Thanks for the honesty, DJ!

We had a great day. We're so thankful for friends here to spend special days with. We, of course, miss our families in Michigan, Minnesota and Arizona. We can't wait to see them all again. We miss them everyday, but especially on days like today.

We're hoping your day was filled with all the hope and celebration of our risen Lord this Easter!