Still Waiting

God is working on my patience department...when they tell you it will be at least 2 hrs....we are now past  hour #3. They said they are wrapping things up.
I am very anxious to see what they decided to use. They were still confering this AM as to the best way to attach the fixtor and how much release they can do today.
Exciting and scary stuff.

Ilizarov Devices

I'm not sure if I'm excited or scared, but because I'm the mom I'll be excited and brave.
They tell me that this Ilizarov device will help Joe straighten his fingers and gain his wrist back. AND they tell me that the pain will be minimal.
I really hope they know what they are talking about.
If you are curious what this device looks like do a search for  "photos of Ilizarov device for a hand"  somehow they still LOOK like they hurt.

Anyone who remembers us in the next few days, please say a prayer, especially pray that the pain is minimal and that he still trusts us after all this is over. Because in a few short weeks we will need to do the next surgery.

My Summer Thus Far

Finish one quilt, start another...

Raise some guinea fowl to eat ticks....they better grow a bit

Set up the pool

Get some exercise and eat a piece of bread for nourishment....that would be why the bread disappears so fast around here!

Build a fire to heat the water for the swimming pool...hubby's invention...our well water is 50 degrees and it takes a long time to make it "swimmable"...this year we needed to hurry the process so that....

first day in the water

Mr Joe....the one you can see swimming under the water...can learn to swim....took him about a week!
He had never been in water above his knees before..did I mention that he is a bit determined?

 Then we have our resident pool shark...the guy swimming with his cast encased in a plastic bag

Ahh summer...how do you keep cool when it is 90 degrees in the shade....at our house we drink lots of meadow tea (anyone know what that is) and open the windows....we don't use our AC and use those old fashioned screen doors....the ones that hit you in the rear end on the way in.

Oh Say Can You See!

Well, guess who can see clearly now!
He passed his school exam with no problems...but still had about 20/70 vision. (Note to self: make appointments for the others)
He keeps popping his glasses off and on and saying "Wow!"

"Only the Good Kids..."

The other night we were having a conversation about blood work....Joseph needs to have a routine round of it before his first surgery....

We of course were in the van....where a lot of  'important' conversations seem to take place....

He said "I DID have blood work.....3 times when I was in the hospital"

This hospital part of his past is a new bit of information that has been coming to us in bits and pieces over the last few days.  We knew about the 'bubbles' that he had and the IV he had...but we never caught that he stayed in the hospital

Twice

the first time for ...2 months (?)

The second time....1 month

 Just before we received approval to adopt him....is that why it took 5 weeks to receive PA?

The food was good

But, "All the good kids had people (later he clarified--parents) coming in to 'look' at them, but not me"

In the time he was in the hospital....you mean  NO ONE! took the time to visit him!!? (even if he is off on his times...even 3 DAYS is too long)

Today more revelations,but only a probably diagnosis what kept him in the hospital all that time.

What else are you going to tell me?

What I Do to Relax

On Saturday our local emergency services put on a small demonstration at a local camp ground

Since I'm not officially on duty these days some people thought that I could just take my kids along and show them what the fire trucks, ambulances and search dogs look like.

Well one particular 11 year old did NOT want to go along and was very sure that he would not enjoy himself.

But somewhere between this

and this...

They left me drive...

and this

he came home and said he had a fun day

Oh and Ezekiel is now sporting a blue short cast on his left arm...hopefully for only 3 weeks

Field Trip

Joseph went on his first field trip today. His class visited the Ephrata
Cloister...if you are up on your American history, they played a part in
the Revolutionary War...but since they were non-resistant, they took
care of any injured soldiers that showed up at their door.
I told Joe, there is one thing I want him to know when he comes home.
"would you like their pillows?"
He climbed in the van after school, big grin on his face. " I would not
like their pillows!"
mom: "Why not?"
"They just logs!"
It is true...they had a thing about too much comfort and their beds had
wooded blocks for pillows

Working Together

Does this mama's heart good to look out the window and see this.
Daddy had to run Ezekiel to the ER to get his arm x-rayed so Ben was
supposed to unload the mulch
Faith thought it looked like too much fun to let big brother do it alone.

Fishing

We started on this summer's fun stuff... in between the rainy days

Putting out the Newsletter

Our family (me mostly) edits a newsletter that is mostly for "plain folk" who have adopted or do foster care. This quarter I just could not get finished with the typing, editing, and fine-tuning.  But as you can see, (please ignore the messy hair) we got to the last stage tonite. It is the fun stuff...very expensive stickers and tape. And they actually worked well together....no bossing,  no racing, and I even caught them sharing!

Also will someone PLEASE snatch up this little one  and give her a home....my DH said we gotta pay the loan back from the last two trips....(meany :^)