Thursday, March 19, 2015

Finding Joy in the Journey


Structured and planners are not adjectives regularly used to describe me or my husband.  I have good intentions.  I do.  But here's what happens, I say okay guys on Tuesday, we're going to do A, B, & C so that on Wednesday all we have to do is D, and then before we can get to C, X jumps in to throw us for a curve-ball and D never takes place.   Happens all the time.  Our most recent unexpected event was a trip to the ER followed by a two-night stay in the hospital, and Deacon being put in a nearly full-body cast for six weeks. Dang you, X!


It's been a little over two weeks since Brother broke his femur.   For those of you who don't know what happened, Noah was doing his homework when Deacon came in and snatched it off his desk.  Noah leaned forward to grab it back, lost balance, and both he and the desk fell over and landed on Deacon's leg.  Dustin was in the room with them when it happened.  He came into the living room all calmly with Deacon crying his head off, set him down, and said, "Ok.  Don't freak out, but..." I've learned that when his sentences start with those words, it's going to be just cause to freak out.  As soon as I saw his leg, I said, "Get in the car, let's go!"  Only we can't go, because by then Noah is beside himself and has "run away".  We found him four houses down.  We assured him that it was not his fault, and coaxed him into the car only to realize that Sister was missing.  For some reason, "We think brother has a broke his leg and we have to go to the emergency room right now!" translated to her as go to your room, pack a big bag full of random stuff, change out of your school uniform into a cute outfit, and put on a bra. (Seriously, a bra? She's SEVEN! And if you're wondering where she got it from, it's one of those cool, cousin hand-me-downs that she's so proud of. Thanks, Aunt Sharon!) Meanwhile, brother is in excruciating pain.

I rode in the back seat with him.  It felt like it took forever to get to the hospital.  He was just crying and crying and looking at me with fear and pain in his eyes.  It broke my heart to watch.  Three hours later, he finally got his first dose of pain medicine.  I'm sharing the picture of his x-ray with you to show you what a trooper he was! I don't think I would have handled what he went through so well.  Actually, I know I couldn't have.  The x-ray alone would have sent me over the edge.


This boy is so stinkin' independent that he refused to let me help him eat.  He was determined to figure out how to hold the cup and get the goldfish into his mouth by himself with one hand taped up.  If I tried to touch it, he very imperatively yelled, "STOP!" I appreciate the independence, but the stubbornness...not so much.  He's been pretty demanding lately.  He sits in his beanbag and yells, "I hungry!" "I want puzzle!" "I want IPAD!" "I want CUP!"  "I want Barney!" For the most part, he gets what he wants.  We might be creating a monster, but you do what you have to do to maintain your sanity! And I've got to give him props for using complete sentences.

Anyway, so here we are.  Making it.  One day at a time.  It's no piece of cake.  It's pretty annoying actually, but it could always be worse.   I'm learning the tricks.  Like when he is completely inconsolable, and I  feel helpless, because I don't know if he's mad, sleepy, frustrated, or hurting...if I just go into meltdown mode with him and start crying too, he stops.  It's like magic.  I've decided I'm  just going to start losing it sooner, and we should be alright. ;)

Ironically, he was wearing his "Find Joy in the Journey" shirt the day he broke his leg.   And that's exactly what we are trying to do.  It might be walking outside and listen to him belly laugh as he touches the rain. Or hopping in the car with the windows rolled down, driving to Sonic for a slushy, and watching him raise his hands, close his eyes, and smile as the wind hits him in the face.  It's always there, some days we just have to work a little harder to find it.



"...for the JOY of the Lord is your strength." (Nehemiah 8:10)

"The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for JOY, and with my song I praise him." (Psalm 28:7)

Whatever you're going through, I hope you are able to find the joy in your journey too. :) God bless!

1 comment:

  1. Posted on your great great grandmother's birthday. She sure loved you a lot! Finding joy in the journey is a daily commitment. Thanks for the reminder. 😉

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