Thursday, March 11, 2010

Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow



Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

Precious Little Man is just fine. He and his daddy spent the night in the ER...they got home around 4:30 this morning. The doctor ran several tests and determined it isn't meningitis (which we feared), nor flu, nor strep. It seems Little Man has some sort of nasty virus.

So...we're eating popsicles, keeping the "throw up bucket" close at hand, and covering our furniture and floors with blankets and the like.

I am overwhelmed by God's graciousness. After posting last night, I fell to my knees and prayed for my sweet boy, for my husband, and for the doctors they would see. God poured such peace into my heart and assured me of His sovereignty, that nothing happens apart from His perfect will, and that He holds my dear boy in His hands and loves him with a greater love than I will ever be capable of. I am thankful to be His.

I am also overwhelmed by and thankful for your kindness to our family. All the calls and emails and comments. Dear Readers, thank you for your love and thoughtfulness to us. I can't put into words how wonderful it is to receive word that so many of you were praying for Little Man. Most of you I've never even met face to face. THANK YOU! I am honored and humbled by your thoughtfulness and willingness to lift our little guy up in prayer. THANK YOU SO MUCH. You are a blessing to me and I thank God for you. Thank you.


We've been sick a while here...like, since last Monday, March 6th.


Sweet Sister didn't seem herself. T and I decided she'd best stay home Tuesday. I phoned her teacher, who agreed and shared that Sister kept her head on her desk most of the day.

By Tuesday evening, she was running a low grade fever...that fever ebbed and flowed, it dipped and it soared, and it hung on until Sunday morning, when she finally woke and stayed fever free! The cough and runny nose, however, continued.

Little Man had a runny nose all of last week and a low-grade fever off and on.

Little Bit had a runny nose all week. We elevated her crib (actually, it's been like that for months), cranked up her humidifier, and used saline nasal drops several times a day.

It was a week, for me and the children, spent at home. We read LOTS of books and watched LOTS of movies. However, T put in some long hours.



I also spent the week preparing for a yard sale. I LOVE yard sales. My better half despises them. After the last one we had, he swore we'd NEVER do one again.

So...my next door neighbor and I got to talking and I convinced T to support me in yet another yard sale. I cleaned out EVERYTHING and piled it in our bedroom. As Saturday approached, T shared he'd forgotten to ask off work. I'd be yard sailing and mothering three small children, one of whom was running fever, and one of whom is still nursing, solo. This terrified me, but I determined to press on.

I will not do that again. I slept ONE hour Friday night and made a whopping $150. I know $150 is nothing to sneer at, and that "every little bit helps," but given the lack of sleep and stress of the day, setting up solo (T did rig a rope to hang clothing from, as well as set up two large tables), packing up solo, hauling off the left overs...I'll never go at it alone again.

But, I did do some MEGA cleaning out, which felt fantastic! (Including chunking all the ads I sold and designed while working my way through college...some of which are seen in above photo.)



We've also been busy little bees. Some friends of ours are redoing their kitchen and in the process, were planning to chunk their old cabinets. Hold up! Free cabinets??? She graciously had their contractor stack the cabinets in their courtyard, where T and I measured and inspected and hauled six back to our casa.

T installed two in the "office" which will be our homeschool room this fall.



He hung two more in the laundry room...which I've since repainted (the room that is). I've pulled several old cans of paint and will be custom mixing a paint color for these cabinets (let me translate: custom mixing is cheaper than buying new)...I'm lightening things up in there.


Due to the longevity of sickness last week and T's long hours, I went two and a half weeks without going to the grocery. The meals got quite creative. Those containers you see had bran muffin mix, grits, grits, and lemon slices.


We even ate all the eggs.


Monday afternoon was glorious here! Freedom from the confines of sickness! The kids played and played!


And did a bit of cooking...

And then Tuesday Little Bit was oh, so cranky. I took her to the doctor yesterday and he confirmed my suspicions, a double ear infection.

And of course, you already know about Little Man and his bug...

Thank you again for your encouragement! For your prayers! For caring! I know you are all busy and lead full lives. Thanks for carving out time to express your concern for Little Man. And in general, for spending time here. I do love hearing from you. I never dreamed of the ways God would grow me, challenge me, and encourage me through blogging. I appreciate each of you!

Now, go have a great day!

18 comments:

  1. Glad things are ok!!!! Praise the Lord!! We are battling our own sicknesses, and I think we are in the clear now!!

    But I now get to go to a funeral. I will be glad for the weekend and spring break next week where we can all rest and get caught up!!!

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  2. Just so you know, you are such an inspiration to me as a godly, lovely, selfless, wonderful mother....With only 1 child, I don't know how you do it...with a positive, precious attitude! I love reading your blog!!

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  3. Praise God Little Man has nothing more than a virus! I'm so happy to read this update.

    So sorry about all the sickness, bleh. Hooray for new {free} cabinets... and a homeschool room, so you guys have decided?!

    Aren't you glad that Spring Break and beautiful spring weather will soon be upon us? I think we're all needing a bit of respite.

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  4. glad everything is okay. love, love, love you.

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  5. So glad to hear all is well! Hope everyone stays healthy for a while!

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  6. Wonderful news...God is good! Hang in there and just do the basics...really, just DO THE BASICS! :) I guess it's too late to tell you that a Yard Sale is not in the "basics" category! LOL! But...how WONDERFUL that you cleared out all that stuff! Stuff stresses me out...gotta get some of it out of here.

    YOU have a lovely day!
    Love,
    Camille

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  7. So very glad it's not more serious than a bug! I've been thinking about y'all today!

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  8. SO glad it's not TOO serious! Anytime your babies are sick it's so hard. Been praying for you and little man since I read it this morning! But it is so wonderful when God shows himself faithful to care for "the least of these". Will keep lifting you all up until the "sickies" are all gone!
    A

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  9. So Happy to hear everything will be all right! Praise God!

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  10. So glad he is okay! It can be scarry when the littles get sick! Please keep posting pics of your house, I love seeing the progress!

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  11. Wow, what a post! I love the doxology-I grew up on singing that at church! Anyhow, so glad LM is better!!! What a great God! And, I am soooo impressed by your ability to live for 2.5 weeks without a store trip with THREE kids and a hungry hubby! I can't go longer than 1.5 weeks! Way to go on scoring some FREE cabinets, that is awesome-what a thrifty mama!

    xoxo

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  12. 1. I feared it was menegitis, too! I had the very same symptoms (chin to chest - nope!) in 9th grade and was hospitalized three days. PTL Little Man did NOT have to endure that!!!

    2. The yardsale - you poor thing! I wish I could have been there to help you. I would have GLADLY set up, organized, and bargained w/ your customers :-) You and me...we were in the yardsale mood, huh? And, no worries about the money - the point is to PURGE. And purge you did!

    3. Homeschool?! Kindred spirits, we are. Well, we're in homeschool-prayer mode...and we have some time to think about it :-)

    Agree w/ the other commenter, you are such an inspiration! Keep parenting. Keep praying. Keep trusting in the Lord! But, most of all...keep blogging about it!!!

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  13. I'm so glad Little Man is ok! I didn't see the post last night, but I have raised praise to the Lord that he is fine.

    Love the cabinets!

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  14. So glad Little Man is ok! I am just now seeing your blog, so I missed the first post about him going to the hospital. Anyway, Praise the Lord for His protection and provision!

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  15. Yeah! God is in the healing business!

    I would never do a yard sale again. It isn't worth the money. My time is more valuable than that.

    I love to go to them but I won't have them again.

    Looks like things are moving forward on your house. That is exciting in itself! You are doing good and sound well.

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  16. I wrote a comment earlier, but it was on someone's blackberry and for some reason it wouldn't send, so I lost it... oh well!
    I haven't checked back here, so I wasn't able to pray for little man, but so glad he is ok! I have been thinking of you. So sorry your fam is down with yucky sickness. I hope all will feel like spring soon!
    You know, My dad said the EXACT SAME THING that Taylor said after we had our first (and LAST) garage sale. :) I had to laugh when I read T's reaction was the same as my Daddy's.
    I will pray about your homeschool room. I'm sure you will be blessed through it, and you can do it!
    Well, I haven't blogged in forever but hoping maybe sometime this next week. Love you, dear friend!

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  17. LOVE your Blog ~ hope everyone is well and that you enjoyed your weekend!!!

    Have a Fabulous Week ~

    Jayne

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  18. I somehow am just seeing this post today! Can't wait to see the new cabinets! Love and miss you!!!!!!!!!

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