Sickies, Sanity and an Update

The sickies crept back into our house on Oxford Avenue this past weekend and after 4 nights filled with little to no sleep for the writer of this blog a doctors appointment was made for Gabe. An ear infection and cold was the diagnosis; although I found it hard to believe there was nothing more to his cough then just a cough ;) Hard to believe, but happy to hear all the same.

Gabe hates going to the doctor now. I whole heartedly believe that it's from the awful experience after his eye surgery. And he remembers, Gabe's a smart boy. And while he hates the doctors, he now loves going to therapy (hopefully a therapy post will be coming soon - have to ask Ms. KC and Ms. Danielle if we can take their pictures). We missed therapy all week because of the sickies. Which hasn't happened ever in the year since we started therapy. And it just so happens to have happened the week after the cast came on... and the week that I'm having trouble getting his removable restraint cast on. Ugh!


But staying in was evidently the right decision as I was the recipient of more sleep last night then every night in the past week combined. I'll be completely honest with you all and say that I was super close to losing my sanity.


Speaking of sanity, I know I've mentioned my life group a couple of times before. Well, our life group keeps growing; adding adults and children the like. Last Friday night we had um.... 12 adults and 15 children in our house... and complete madness ensued. Actually, with that many children, the oldest being 6, it could have been a lot louder, a lot messier and a lot crazier.

With that many kids, busy schedules and the need to spice things up, we are no longer meeting every Friday night. After almost 18 months of meeting every week (yes, we started our life group right when Gabe came home) it's going to be weird meeting as a whole group every week. On the flip side of the weirdness, will be a new found delightfulness. The weeks that we're not meeting as a whole group, we'll alternate meeting with just the women or just the men.


And tonight, starts just the women!


I am overly excited to spend time with these 5 women; women who strengthen me, encourage me and challenge me to be a better Christian, wife and mother. Over the next month we'll start reading and sharing Francis Chan's Crazy Love.

I started it shortly after Gabe came home but with the massive sleep deprivation I never made it very far and I'm anxious to read it. "Our greatest fear should not be of failure but of succeeding at things in life that don't really matter" - Francis Chan, Crazy Love If that doesn't make you want to read the book... well, it makes me want to read it more!


Tonight though, we'll eat some Panera, discuss what we want to get out of our meetings and discuss a Bible verse that is significant to our marriage. I knew instantly which one I would share; it was the last verse our pastor shared on our wedding day. And if they'll let me - I'm going to share every one's here. Scripture is so powerful and sometimes I find such strength from reading verses that are important to other people. I'd love to have a place to put these scriptures for all of web log eternity! And, I'd also love to know what scripture verse (or verses) have made an impact on your marriage... or just on your life.

So tonight, my sanity will be restored. I'm sure it will never be restored fully [smile] because that wouldn't be any fun, but maybe just a little bit so I don't put the Frito's in the fridge or the milk in the pantry. Two things I've done this past week!

And now for an update... an ADOPTION update! Our homestudy paperwork is nearly complete! All of our background checks have cleared (no criminal records for us!), most of the paperwork is signed, notarized and mailed in and we just have a few loose ends to tie-up. Well a few loose ends and quite a bit of education to still complete. But after the craziness of the month of December, it feels good to be moving forward with things! A few steps closer to our baby boy (or girl - I know, mom :). I just have this feeling it's a boy and a fabulous peace about it as well. And after all my hem-hawing and debating about wanting to check girl, I think that says a lot about it! Now if I could just convince Matt to like one of the names I have picked out, we'd be all set! Kind of. Well, not quite! But it's nice to think about, right?

And today, while the sickies have kept us from our regular schedule, we had three special visitors and Gabe was in big boy heaven. Gabe thinks that his cousins are the bees knees, the best thing since sliced bread, all that and a bag of chips... you get my picture. And remarkably, a 8 year old, 6 year old and 5 year old act that the feeling is mutual! And without further ado, Gabe and his cousins, Jake, Ethan and Sam. This morning when he heard them coming up the stairs he started shaking with excitement and smiled the whole time they were there. But then passed out cold 20 minutes after they left! Oh, the life of a 17 month old!

Have a lovely weekend!