Everything in it's place...

This is the kind of thing I could easily forget. But shouldn't. Yesterday was a long day, filled with trials, sweet moments, and prayer.

I woke up at 4:00 am. That's been a routine for about a week now. A trip to bathroom, a drink of water, and a quick prayer that I will be able to fall asleep again easily. But yesterday, I was wide awake and felt restless. I thought maybe God was trying to get my attention. Pray...for someone. There are lots of people in our community hurting right now. So I started praying. Then my tummy rumbled. Uh oh.

As is usually the case after getting sick, I felt better immediately. Then comes the waiting time. Was this a one time only thing? Or the beginning of a bug.

20 minutes later...yep, it's a bug.

Joel is leaving at 6:30 am for a 3 day trip to Dallas. He made a quick trip to the store to buy me some ginger ale. Sweet. Still, I try to think about an entire day of this with a toddler who surely will not understand why I don't want to play.

Around 10:00, I was dead tired, and since Eli still doesn't watch t.v., so I called our neighbor Liza to see if she could take Eli for a walk. She came over to pick him up. But he just layed across my lap, saying, "hug." He seems to have a sixth sense for when things are not quite right, and I didn't want to send him off in the wagon screaming. So we walked across the street, and got him started playing with her boys in the backyard. 10 minutes later, I headed home for a nap.

At 12:45, she brought him back over. He seemed cheerful. She said he didn't eat much lunch.

At 12:50, he was playing with his toys right in front of me, and he threw up. His eyes were wide as he looked at me, trying to figure out what was happening. He cried. "Falling out? Is falling out?" he said in between heaves. I felt helpless. Our everything-in-it's-place little boy does not like it when things spill. And he started trying to pick it up. I told him "No, don't touch!" and realized that I sounded like I was scolding him right in the middle of it all. How could I make him understand that this mess was okay, that I would take care of it?

The next time, he said "fall out again" right before he threw up. It happened another 10-15 times. It still makes me teary to think of it. He doesn't know to lean forward over a sink or toilet. He doesn't know that wood floors are easier to clean that carpet or a couch. He does know that he feels safe when his head is on my shoulder or he is laying in my lap. At one point, I settled for putting a towel on the floor and just letting him lay on my lap. More than anything, I wanted him to be safe and comforted.

How do you answer a 21 month old who begs for apple juice or water when you know they will only throw it up in 30 seconds? How do you tell them it is best for them to be thirsty and let their tummy settle down, so they can get better?

Just another reminder of the things I ask God for... when the answer is "no" or "not yet."

Is there anything in the world that will make a mother forget her own discomfort more quickly than the discomfort of her child? I guess somewhere I still new I was tired and thirsty and hungry, but it wasn't such a big deal anymore.

Finally, around 7:00 p.m., he kept a 1/2 ounce of water down. At 7:15, we tried another. I'd set the timer each time and try to distract him as he said, a million times, "Nore attel zuice? Nore? Mama, nore peeze?" My heart ached. Then the timer would go off, and it was time to ration some more.

At 9:00, he feasted on some banana and toast.

At 9:45, he was asleep. Peacefully.

He stayed asleep until 10:30 this morning, when I woke him up.

Today, I am thanking God for our health, and for the lessons.

The Potty

After Eli's bath last night, he said, "I go potty."

I said, "Yes, you went potty in the bathtub. Now it's time to put a diaper and pajamas on."

"All creatures, " he said. That means he wants to listen to All Creatures of Our God and King on the CD player.

"Ok, you can listen to it one time."

He went into the office, turned on the stereo, and pressed play. Disc 48 began. He was as nude as can be, slowly bending his knees and standing back up with a big grin on his face

"I dancing." Pause. "Ah-yay-yu-yah." "I go potty."

And he walked over to his little potty chair, sat down, and smiled. This was a big moment, since he was actually sitting on it. I got the camera and took a few pictures. He wanted to see them of course. He was proud. Finally, since it was after 9:00, I decided it really was time for bed.

He stood up, and lo and behold he'd actually peed in the potty!!! I congratulated him, and showed him how we empty it in the big potty and flush the toilet. He loves to flush. We called Joel to tell him the big news.

I don't think we're anywhere near saying goodbye to diapers, but I'm certainly not going to keep him from trying if he's interested. We'll see how it goes...

Savannah, GA

After six days in Hilton Head, we headed to Savannah, GA with Essie, Jennifer, Sarah and Shane. The city it filled with amazing old buildings and squares, which are little parks designed by Oglethorp. We went to Aunt Jen's church where Eli kept repeating the pastor when he'd say "pray" or "Jesus" or "Amen". After church, we drove around the city and ate lunch. It was fun to watch Shane and Eli together. Shane was so patient, loved to make Eli laugh, and could tell that Eli adored him. Goodbyes were hard, and Eli kept looking for everyone in the hotel room that evening and the next day. Later we spent some time at the park, and of course visited a local ice cream shop.

Say a Little Prayer

About a month ago, Joel and I decided to start praying with Eli before meals, naps, and bedtime. We prayed with him sometimes, but there was no real routine to it. We realized he was definitely beginning to understand what being "thankful" was about. (When he says "thank you mama" it melts my heart.) Soon, he'd understand that there's a God who loves him. So, we began with prayers before "his" dinner, since we don't always eat when he does.

At breakfast on the morning of May 21st, he put his head down, eyes wide open and looking at us, and said quietly, "Thank you Jesus. Amen." It was the sweetest thing. Lately, when we forget to pray, he'll stop partway through eating and say, "Pay? Momma, pay?" "Do you want to pray Eli?" "Yeah" "Okay, let's pray."

Sometimes, he lowers his voice, babbles a bit, and then says, "Amen." Only God knows what he's saying, but I'm sure it makes Him smile.

When we were in Hilton Head, he said his first "big" prayer. The three of us sat down to dinner, and Joel led us in prayer, thanking God for our food, our vacation, the beach, the waves, etc. All three of us said "Amen." A minute later, Eli said, "Pay again? More pay?" I didn't think he would understand what I said next, but I thought it was a start.

"Eli, you can pray whenever you want. God will always listen."
"Yeah."
"Do you want to pray again?"
"Yeah."
"Ok, go ahead."
"Thank you Jesus for potty....(pause)....beach. Amen."

Eli doesn't actually use the potty (yet), but he LOVES to tear off a little toilet paper, put it in the toilet, flush it, and close the lid. The toilet at the condo was much easier to flush than ours at home, and he was thrilled. So I guess he understands a part of prayer- that we thank God for all blessings, big and small. Potties included.

First Trip to the Beach

We were tremendously blessed by an opportunity to go to Hilton Head, SC for a week over Memorial Day. We got to spend time with family, since Aunt Jen lives in Savannah, and Essie, Sarah, and Shane made the trip up from Adel, GA. It was a true vacation...a beautiful 2 bed/2 bath condo near the beach, weather in the mid 80's, seafood, naps, sand, waves, seashells, some golf for Joel, some bike rides, and lots of relaxing.

Some of our favorite highlights include Eli's first real prayer: "Thank you Jesus for potty...beach...amen." He loved to put the seashells "away" in the water. He loved the elevator to get to our room, the bikes with the "car" in the back, pushing a toy truck around on the beach, the birds, floating in his boat in the water, and watching other kids in the pool. I loved spending so much time with Joel, falling asleep hearing the waves, taking naps whenever we wanted, the king bed, the jacuzzi tub, the beach, and the ice cream.