Hospital Trick or Treat

Children's Hospital has a fantastic group of staff and volunteers who make sure the kids can have some fun here. Today they planned a trick-or-treat to the nurses's stations on this unit. Jude was delighted to wear his skeleton costume and get little toys.

A skeleton on IV fluids.

Now it sounds like tomorrow is the earliest Jude will come home. His appetite is still very small, and it's important that he be eating and drinking well before we take him home. So far, Jude has displayed no homesickness. He seems to think the hospital is a pretty good arrangement.

Sam had a special day at school on Wednesday -- a character parade, and everyone in his class dressed up as Clifford the big red dog. I didn't make it to school that day, but a friend sent me this great picture.

Jude & His Smiles

Jude is looking good today! He's in the playroom across the hall right now -- where he walked on his own! He is excited with all the fun toys and seems completely distracted from his leashes. Praise God.

Jude & His Appendix

Jude is doing very well today. I took this photo yesterday after his procedure, and he was still sleeping off the sedative. Today he is playing in his bed, chatting with us, smiling and laughing. It is so encouraging to see his sweet personality again.

The procedure went very smoothly yesterday. The infected fluid was drained from his abdomen, and it looks like his recovery is going well. I hope we'll go home on Friday, but this is a one-day-at-a-time process. The goal now is to take antibiotics and give the infection time to heal, and then have surgery to remove his appendix in about a month.

Jude's had visits from three pastors (a perk of being a pastor's kid!) and has a happy little collection of get-well cards and some balloons from Grandma and Grandpa. The pillowcase is a "prize" the nurse gave him for being such a brave patient. It's fun to see him smile over every card or gift. He is a compassionate little boy and seems to appreciate being cared for.

The next hurdle in recuperation is getting Jude to walk somewhere. He made it ten steps to the couch by his bed and back again. We have told him about the playroom that is across the hallway, but so far he's deterred by the pain of walking.

Thank you for every prayer, e-mail, phone call, or kind word you've given us. It is so reassuring to know our family is loved and cared for.

Week of News

I am very tired, for reasons that become obvious below. This is an artless and direct post, but contains important news about us.

1. Jude has a ruptured appendix. He was admitted to Children's Hospital Monday afternoon. It is very early Tuesday morning, and I'm still a little foggy on what's going to happen next. Jude's had a rough night but seems comfortable now. We expect a procedure soon to drain accumulated fluid from around his appendix, and then a few days at the hospital to see how he rebounds. Eventually, there will be surgery to remove the appendix. Please pray for him. He is a very cooperative patient, but several days in the hospital is likely to make him agitated.

2. Ben has received a call to a congregation in Matteson, Illinois. They are asking him to come there as associate pastor responsible primarily for youth and education. During the next few weeks, our family will be praying about this and try to see where God is leading us.

Picturesque

Do you remember the opening credits from the Little House on the Prairie tv show? Little girls running through a meadow of flowers on a sunny day, bright happy music in the background. For most of September, with minor variation, that's how my mornings looked.

The boys and I walk Sam to school, two blocks from our house. We walk/run across a football field, around or under a few pine trees, pick up sticks and pinecones to play with along the way. If we're early, they run on the playground for a few minutes until the bell rings. Sometimes I hang around and chat with another parent before walking back home.

The tide has turned. Today we plodded dejectedly through cold, steady rain. Sam still insists on wearing a little cotton jacket, so he was cold. Jude and Owen were bundled in coats and under blankets riding in a wagon. Jude was a little feverish, but sobbing because "I want to walk!"

When we got home, Jude took off his coat and then yammered on about how much he likes the rain and wasn't it fun taking Sam to school?

Owen

Owen is a many-splendored boy. He has a sweet, inquisitive disposition. When Jude was lying in bed too sick to play, Owen sat on the floor beside him and "read" several books. Today, he spent half an hour drooling on wooden puzzle pieces and then fervently rubbing them on his lips before placing them correctly in the puzzle board.

By far one of my favorite things about Owen is the way he dances. He is enthusiastic and hilarious. The most-requested dance tune is "Move It, Move It" from the Madagascar soundtrack. He's developed a habit of using the stairs as a staging area to prepare for his fanciest moves. He alerts me to his performance with a demanding, "Watch this, Mom!"

Sam

A conversation, held en route to school recently:

Sam: Why are we on the world?

Me: What?

Sam: Why are we on the world?

M: Why are we on the world?

S: Why. Are. We. On. The. Wur. Uld.

M: Do you mean why did God make you?

S: Yeah.

M: Because He loves you.

S: NO HE DOESN’T!

M: I’m very sure that He does.

S: Why?

M: Oh, I’ve believed that ever since you were born.

S: Ok.

Jude

This boy nurtures my spirit. Recently he learned something in Sunday school about God being the biggest, and used several sheets of paper drawing brick walls in honor of God's bigness. Together we learned a verse about God's power: "The Lord your God is with you; He is mighty to save." Jude would repeat each phrase after me while he drew bricks in his wall. He is a devoted student.

A few days after that happy episode, Jude had a crazy night. He woke up every hour crying and begging for Ben and me to come to his room. Around 2:00 a.m. he was on the stairs screaming. When I came to check on him, he told me he needed new pjs because his were wet. Standing in the laundry room cleaning up, I asked if he needed to pee anymore. He matter-of-factly replied, "No, I peed on the stairs." After I returned him to bed and was cleaning urine out of the carpet I begged God to help me love that exasperating child and to please leave him in bed for the rest of the night.

Now he's sick. He vomited in bed last night. We didn't hear any unusual sounds downstairs until Jude was whimpering on the steps and called, "Dad, I have a mess for you to clean up."

Five-Year-Old Faith

Last night Sam was feeling a little anxious at bedtime. We laid on his bed for a while chatting about all kinds of interesting things. "Mom, I have a strange question. How did you grow up so fast? Do you think that's a strange question?"

Then I turned out the light and said I'd stay with him for one song on his bedtime CD. When it was time for me to leave, his mouth turned down and he seemed on the verge of tears. "But I'm scared and I don't want to sleep alone!" I asked if I could pray for him, and he nodded sadly. I said a very short prayer asking God to protect Sam, and then he rolled over and went to sleep easily.