Properly Initiated

I feel that I have now officially been initiated into the club all mothers of boys eventually join.

Bobo (my Mom) is visiting and we thought we'd enjoy a nice afternoon swim at the pool. Both Sister and Little Man conquered their long time fear of the diving board...and it was much like it was at the lake...once they jumped, they kept jumping and jumping and jumping.

With each jump, fear decreased. Mom and I sat beside the baby pool with Little Bit and cheered...and then Little Man walked to the end of the diving board and turned around...to jump off backwards. We yelled, "NO! Turn AROUND!" The life guard yelled, "NO! TURN AROUND!" As Little Man ignored our commands and bent his knees to jump, Mama said, "I'm turning my head. I can't watch." And he hit the diving board. HARD. With his head. 

I screamed his name and ran through the baby pool. As he hit the water, a young man who'd been standing in line dove into the water and wrapped one arm around Little Man and swam him to the side, where I pulled him out. Blood. Was. Gushing. 

As I gathered him in my arms, a friend told me she was getting ice. We made our way out of eye shot and I tried to calm him...to get a good look. I pulled his lip down to survey the damage. All I could see was a mouth spilling over with blood. Finally, I got a small glimpse. I felt a wave of nausea and thought I saw a tooth upside down...about that time a woman named Lyn approached and told me she was a nurse and offered to take a look. Immediately she turned to me and said, "He bit all the way through. You need stitches. NOW." 

She ran with me to gather our things. My friend helped, too. Mama grabbed Little Bit. Another friend said she'd care for Sister. And this mysterious nurse, Lyn, who had a cast on part of her leg, ran with our things and helped us load into the car. She recommended a specific doctor at a local urgent care clinic.

As we pulled out I dialed another friend, who works at said clinic. She was working out of town, but recommended the same doctor. She also called ahead and let him know we were coming.

In we sped, me cradling my baby boy, in bathing suits, still dripping wet, and with a popsicle melting sticky and running down Little Man's arms. A nurse came out to take a look and said, "We can fix this, but he's going to have to be very still. We can't put him to sleep, but we can put him in something like a straight jacket to hold him down. What do you want to do?"

And my reply, "I'm game if you're game."

And so we went back. And it was humbling. We wrapped Little Man like a caterpillar and laid him on the exam table. I had to hold his legs down. One nurse held his chest, and another cradled his face so the doctor could sew the stitches. Four inside. Two outside. Little Man. SCREAMED. THE. ENTIRE. TIME. Even after he got local anesthesia. The doctor never missed a beat. Neither did the nurses. 

When all was said and done, the doctor returned and told Little Man he was really brave. I sort of made a face, as if to say, "sorry for all that screaming." He smiled and said, "I've been doing this for eleven years. I'm used to it. He did great."

Y'all, I'm so glad that's over. I am exhausted. I haven't cried yet. I watched almost the entire time, except when the doctor cut out a piece of fat...the piece of fat I thought was a tooth. Gross. When I saw his scissors closing in on that spot, I decided one patient was enough and turned my head. 

I am in awe of God...of the creativity and wisdom and abilities He gives people. I am in awe of His awesome provision. The boy who jumped in to rescue Little Man is from Texas. He was at the pool with a cousin. Lyn, the nurse...she isn't a member. She just happened to be at the pool this afternoon. The fact that my Mom was with us and could care for Little Bit - without a sippy cup, without even clothing...in a swim diaper and a wet bathing suit - for over two hours. AMAZING! The fact that my friend who is a P.A. answered her phone while at work the FIRST time I called. UNREAL. That she called ahead and let the doctor know we were coming. BLESSING. And the patience and kindness of a staff in dealing with the terrified screams of a small child. PRECIOUS. Ministered to my heart! And everyone there...EVERYONE...as in ALL the  people in the building...even in the front lobby...could hear him SCREAMING...and they were all so kind. So sympathetic. Y'all - God provided in every way. In EVERY way. I am so thankful. So. VERY. Thankful. I held my baby for quite a while tonight. I am so very thankful to God for His life. I am so thankful for doctors and friends and strangers and mothers and smart phones - oh, the blessings God gives us!

Little Man wanted to sleep with Sister tonight. As we tucked them into bed, Sister got a little wistful and said, "You know, today when I was fighting with Little Man about legos? Well, I just didn't care about him. I didn't care what happened to him." And then there was a long pause..."I'm so glad he's okay. I love him so much."

Father, thank You. Thank You for your perfect sovereignty and goodness. In all things. All the time. We love You and we stand amazed.