This has been one wet spring. Our ground is saturated. It seems like all it takes is a slightly gray cloud to pass overhead and puddles appear in the yard.
DO YOU HAVE YOUR ARMY MAN? Vicki, Ben, and I went to see Ethan this afternoon. He went back to the hospital several days ago with severe pain. Part of this was due to how his meds are affecting his digestive system. I think he had several really rough days there, but he’s been feeling better this weekend. Yesterday Ethan and his mom called and invited Ben to come play. Ethan is pretty weak and doesn’t feel like being very active. He does look good, and he did enjoy spending some time with Ben. I think he’s seen so many adults it was just good to see a kid for a change.
Ethan is passing out army men to remind people to pray for him. We also gave out army men for Ethan this morning at church. We’re doing this because he’s our medium (not little!) soldier in his fight against cancer, and he’s very brave. If you’ve got toy soldier dig it out and stick it in your pocket. Every time you feel it say a prayer for him. Heck, buy a bag and pass them around. He starts his treatments very soon.
CHECK THAT OFF THE LIST! Well, I’m going to call the bedroom swapping project officially over. We had promised Jenna to have all the finishing touches to her bedroom done by her birthday and we did. I got the painting done last weekend, and Vicki got all the accessories (bedspread, pictures, etc.) in place this week. Oh, and Pauline did the curtains.
I must say, she keeps a neater room than her brothers. It is far more pleasant to look across the hall and see a clean room. Ironically, now that they are upstairs the boys keep their room cleaner than they did when they were downstairs.
GIRLS, GIRLS, GIRLS. Yesterday was Jenna’s eleventh birthday. She wanted to have a slumber party to celebrate so we did that Friday night. She invited Mackenzie, Maegan, and Savannah. The girls had a great time together. They went to Springfield to see the new Hannah Montana movie and eat supper. When they got back home they stayed up laughing, talking, and playing games. They even outlasted Vicki, our family night owl. They were still giggling when I was starting to wake up at 5:00.
I finally got out of bed at 5:45 after I was sure everyone was asleep. As is my custom I went to the living room to start my day (its a great time to pray, read, etc.). When I came in the room I saw a blanket wadded up in the recliner. Being too lazy to move it I sat on the couch. Imagine my surprise when over 30 minutes later the recliner starts to groan and stretch! There was a girl curled up under that blanket and I hadn’t even known it!
TOO MANY GIRLS. The problem with a slumber party for all the boys involved is that there are simply too many girls. Ben had it easy, his friend Connor had invited him over to spend the night so he missed out on “all the fun.” Nate and I were going to make an evening of it and possibly spend the night over at Pauline’s, but he turned up with an ear infection and wanted to spend the night in his own bed. He and I went out to eat and then came home.
In spite of his ear I think this was still getting to him. He kept telling me, “You know Dad, there’s five girls and only two boys at our house!” I’ll bet Brock Freeland, with three sisters to live with could sympathize with our plight. Of course, the majority of our girls went back home the next day.
Worse than all the girls is the medicine Nate has for his ear infection. Since he had an infection a few weeks ago the doctor put him on stronger amoxicillin than he had last time. This time what he drinks is thick and tastes horrible. I didn’t know he could contort his face quite like he does when its medicine time.
Joe
