Cast is OFF!!!

Shepherd has been such a trooper through this whole broken arm thing.  It's hard to keep a good kid down for long!  The hardest thing was reminding him to not run, jump, wrestle...etc.  You know...the stuff that boys do constantly!!!  After getting the cast off he was put on 4 more weeks of restriction!  That's been hard since the cast isn't there to remind him to slow down.  

Thankful for these precious gifts

Psalm 127:3-5  Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one’s youth. Blessed is the man who fills his quiver with them! He shall not be put to shame when he speaks with his enemies in the gate
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Psalm 139:13-16  For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well. My frame was not hidden from you,when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them.

James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Shepherd is SIX!

Is it possible that this little cutie was born 6 years ago?  Wow!  It doesn't seem possible.  I remember every detail about his birthday as if it was yesterday.  A day of love and beauty for Nate and I.  A day of love,sacrifice and sadness for his birthmom.  I will forever be grateful that she chose life!

Shepherd chose to have his birthday dinner at The Rainforest Cafe.  A good choice indeed.  The kids love watching all the animals and they get excited every time a "storm" comes.  

 Shepherd had to act like a toucan when they sang to him.  It was quite funny.

 Attempt at a family picture...

On Monday we took donuts to Shepherd's class.  

Then Sonic for lunch.  This boy got the goods!!

Then on to Chuck E. Cheese for his party.

Marley got stuck in the air tunnels and I had to go rescue her.  Fun times.

Shepherd, you are a joy!  I love your laughter and how you make other smile.  You are silly and goofy and that is so much fun. You told dad "I want to be an actor when I grow up and dress up and go on the stage and then afterwards go in the lobby and talk to people".  Lately you ask so many questions about heaven and hell. Your heart is tender towards the things of the Lord.  You are memorizing verses that I hope you never forget.  Our prayer is that you will grow in your understanding of God and what Jesus did on the cross for you.  We love you so much.

Broken Arm back story

Friday was a busy day for us.  It's unusual for Nate to have an unexpected surgery come up at the same time I have something planned.  But every now and then it happens.  Friday was one of those days.  I had 3 things on the calendar for after he got home on Friday (he has half days on Friday).  He informed me of a potential surgery or consult and we were going to make it work between the two of us.

After my first meeting (aka: scraping wood at a barn), I realized I was 5 minutes away from where my 2nd and 3rd meeting would be and 30 minutes away from home.  Regardless, I headed home so I could watch the kids while Nate ran to the hospital.  I called him on my way there. He suggested that I see if our  neighbors could watch the kids and I stay where I was.  I called one family for the boys and another for Marley.  And since we have wonderful neighbors they agreed to watch our kids for the 30 minutes to an hour that it would take Nate.

Thirty minutes later Nate was pulling into the drive way as both husband and wife neighbor were walking  Shepherd up.  Shepherd was not crying, but upset and holding his arm.  He was more upset that he had to leave his friend's house.  The story was that he was trying to do a flip on the monkey bars at the park and fell.  Nate checked him out and sent him back to play, hoping that it would just be a sprain.  Friday night he went to bed, protecting his arm and not letting anyone touch it, but not in horrible pain.

Saturday when he woke up he still wouldn't move it, but no pain, unless it was touched.  We called our pediatrician friend and got her opinion.  Then we headed to the Pediatric Urgent Care.  Nate stayed with Shepherd while I took the other two kids to nearby stores.  I wanted to be close just in case Shep needed me.  4 hours later after the x-rays they determined that the radius and ulna were both broken and at an 18% angulation.  Not good.  They put him in a splint and gave him a note to stay out of PE.

Today we met with the orthopedic surgeon and he had to set the arm.  Basically this means that he hold the arm in place while the cast dries.  Shepherd was in tons of pain.  At one point Nate and I were talking to the doctor and I look over and Shep had crawled to the floor and was hugging the trash can.  He looked awful.  Thankfully he didn't get sick or pass out, which apparently isn't unusual.  Then the worst part was when they cut it...both sides.  They do this so that if his arm does swell we won't have to rush him to the ER. Instead we can pry the cast apart a bit to give it room.  Interesting.  The loud noise combined with the pizza blade cutting his arm sent him over the edge.  I was fighting back tears.  It's so hard to watch your kids in pain.

So it looks like 4 weeks will be our sentence.  Hopefully no more.  Shepherd is brave and a happy kid.  I'm proud of how he's handled this.  I'm thankful that there was no blood or guts.  I'm thankful that it wasn't a true emergency.  I'm thankful it didn't happen on my watch.  I'm thankful that he's so cute.    More pictures to come.

First broken arm

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Happy Valentine's Day!

17 Years ago I sent this hottie a valentine.  It read "to Nathan (SN) Livers from your Secret Admirer".  The SN was a code name that I put in there in case later I wanted/needed to prove that I was the one who sent him the valentine.  We (several girlfriends and I) called Nate "Silent Night" when we were talking in code.  I guess that was a dumb high school thing, but at the time I didn't think it was that dumb.  I'm not really sure we ever really talked in code, but I digress.  

Even 17 years ago I saw something special in this crazy guy.  I could tell his quiet demeanor, his loyalty and consistency would be a good compliment to my loud roller coaster life.  And today he compliments me better than I could ever imagine.  And yet as we've grown together our similarities have also increased.  Nate was once the quieter shyer one and me, well, not so much.  But now when we walk into a room he's conversing with everyone, mixing and mingling and I'm quicker to shy away from those I don't know as well.  With our kids...he's loud and crazy and I'm...hummmm...I'm tired.  God created us perfectly for each other and for that I'm so grateful.  I'm thankful that my love didn't have to remain a secret and I'm really looking forward to another 17++ of valentine days together.  

(These pictures aren't from 17 years ago.)

Happy Birthday, Halley Raye!

"But Jesus said, Allow little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 19:14

Someone once asked me if we were trying to "replace Halley and Porter" by trying to have more children.  To that person, let me just say, you can never ever replace your baby.  There is no substitute that will ever take the place of our sweet Halley Raye.  She's the baby that made me a mommy.  Eight years later we miss her just the same, almost more.  The memories fade a bit, her smell, her noises, her baby movements--but the emotions and connection to that little girl will never lessen.  I can't believe it's been 8 years.  It doesn't seem possible.  At times that seems like a different life millions of years ago.  Other times it feels like just yesterday...still so raw.  Because of this little life of 2 month we will never be the same.  We feel a little deeper, hug a little tighter, love a little stronger, think of heaven a little more.  

I received a note in the mail this week.   A friend from high school wrote to say how thankful she was for our children.  Just a short note about how God's provisions in our family were so evident to her.  I couldn't agree more.  God didn't have to give us 3 healthy kids.  He would have still been God and still been good if He hadn't, yet in his mercy and grace he chose to bless us more than we could ever imagine.  Is this God's best for us that Halley died?  I believe it is even though I don't understand it or always like it.  What I do know is that God has gotten glory from her short life and he will continue to use her for His mission.  

Happy Birthday, sweet baby girl.