Welcome to my blog. I write about life as a Christian wife, mother of eight children, and grandmother.
Enjoy.
All in Our Family
I had hoped to post some photos for Nathaniel's third birthday last week, but a sudden hospitalization reorganized all plans. He had a runny nose and sneezes on Friday, November 21st, and I assumed it was a virus. Nathaniel has had a handful of viruses that come and go like they do for most children. He woke up coughing Friday night and threw up. The night nurse needed to put him on oxygen - often our first indicator that he aspirated.
I took Nathaniel for his pre-Cincinnati pediatrician check up this morning. He needs clearance from his primary care doctor prior to every visit. The doctor gave both of us a high five after hearing an update and giving Nathaniel a quick exam. "Congratulations on getting him this far," he said, "I know it has been hard and long, but this is a different kid than I saw six months ago."
I would agree.
Nathaniel and I are wearing orange to celebrate the life of Kalkidan Qualls. Kalkidan would have been fourteen today. She passed away last December in a tragic car accident while traveling with her parents, Lisa and Russ.
We do not personally know the Qualls family. I started following Lisa's first blog, A Bushel and a Peck, in 2008, two years after she started writing about their adoption journey. Kalkidan and three other children from Ethiopia joined the Qualls family, and I enjoyed Lisa's honesty and transparency about transitioning from the family they were to the family God called them to be.
I can not believe it has been two weeks since Nathaniel and I returned from Cincinnati. One reason is that within a couple days of getting back, I learned the dates of when we go again. It seems my life is now categorized under two labels: "Has to be done before Cincinnati" and "Can wait until after Cincinnati." By mid-November we will have been there three times in three months. It does not leave much room for the "Has to be done before Cincinnati" things.
I had to leave the ranch by six this morning and am in Denver waiting at the gate for my flight. I know life will be full speed ahead when I get home so I am hoping to post these last photos before they start boarding. I think for the sake of time I might just put all the remaining photos in a gallery. There will be some extras from earlier days and a few I took of Andrew's leather work on Sunday. I was especially captivated by Andrew's hands this visit. They can lay a gentle rein to a horse's neck, force the weight of a trailer onto a hitch, and create beautiful works of purposeful art. It is a special gift to have been able to come and see him in his environment and doing the things he loves. We talked some this weekend about the fact that he lives so far away. The sadness of that truth is lightened by knowing he is happy.
Andrew was out of the house and in the saddle by six this morning. They had to move one hundred and twenty mares and their foals to a new pasture. He was back at the house around nine, we had breakfast, and then left for Cheyenne. It was go to town day.
