A SCARY DAY!!!

I feel like for the most part I am a level-headed person. I have handled some pretty serious emergencies in the past; bloody noses, bloody lips, broken arms, etc. As well, for the most part, I try not to live life in fear of the bad things that could happen on a daily basis. I have to admit, however, that since Aiden was born my level of anxiety has been higher. Still, I do try to keep things in perspective. This having been said, when we got a call from Aiden's attendant Tara on Tuesday last week I was a little scared.

Dave and I had gone out to have a quick cup of coffee before he had to go to work last Tuesday. Let me tell you, it was a quick cup of coffee! We had only been in the restaurant for 15 minutes; just long enough for the waiter to put the coffee on our table and for me to get my requisite 5 creamers and sugar in the cup. With my first sip (and my last) my phone rang with the message that Aiden was not acting right and we should come right home.

Dave and I sprang from the table, paid for the coffee, cancelled our breakfast order and headed out to our cars (we had driven separately so Dave could head to work). I have not driven that fast in a long time!!! On the way I was talking to Tara about the incident and calling the pediatrician's office. We were advised to bring Aiden to the office immediately.

I would guess that by this time you are wondering (especially after the lego choking incident) what was happening. So here goes. Aiden had been running a fever since Sunday morning. By Tuesday morning his fever seemed to have broken and when Dave and I left he was fever free. Apparently, between the time we left and the fifteen minutes to the call from Tara his fever went up, rather quickly. While standing watching TV Aiden started to shake (the doctor thinks that he was shivering). He was also grinding his teeth (perhaps because he is unfamiliar with the way chattering feels). He did not; however, loose consciousness, become rigid, fall, drool or loose control of his bowels (bladder is up for grabs).

We have been told that if Aiden didn't have seizures by 3 he was not likely to have them. I do not want to think that this was a seizure, but it scared me like I haven't been afraid in years. Now when Aiden yawns or his eyes begin to cross a little or he looses his balance I feel fear begin to grip my heart. I feel like we have seen so much progress; so many steps forward. Seizure activity would be a gigantic step back. My heart breaks with the thought and I cry out to God, "Lord what are you doing?"

I am doing my best to step away from the "what ifs" and focus on the facts. God is good all the time. He loves Aiden more than I do. He loves me more than I do! :) His desire is for our good. Finally, because I am a God's child fear has no control over me.

Please pray for us. Pray that Aiden has no other incidents. Pray for me; that I am able to rest in the Lord daily. Thank you all so much for remembering us.
Blessings,
Christa

Another first for Aiden

I have really been struggling with the best way to provide Aiden with the best education possible. Don't misunderstand; I am not interested in the least in sending Aiden to public school. I am convinced that they would be unable to provide the protection that he requires and as a result, I would either feel obligated to be in attendance or I would have daily anxiety attacks worrying about him. This having been said, homeschooling is the best option.
So the job of finding the right program for Aiden became my focus. I haven't been putting it off.

I have actually been looking for programs for him for over a year; hours on the internet searching.....phone calls, emails. It has been consuming. I believe that I've found a good option, but I really want Aiden to have the opportunity to be with other kids; to learn to play and maybe even have a real friend someday. (What mommy doesn't want that for her child?)

So how do I make this happen for Aiden? Firstly, we have been working on attending some part of Sunday school weekly. I go with him (I get to play too!) usually for snack and praise time. (This Sunday he made it through the puppet program.) As well, Aiden is attending the Messy Class in our homeschool co-op.

The Messy Class is all about getting your hands dirty. Aiden attended his first class 2 weeks ago Friday. He got to play with homemade play dough. They had primary colors: red, blue, and yellow. They got to mix secondary colors: green, purple, and orange. Aiden squeezed the dough, patted the dough and pushed the dough. His favorite colors were blue and green. (He picked them every time!!) I think that he had fun!

I know that it is not rocket science or medical school, but for us it is a step forward in providing Aiden with options for his future. We will continue to do our best for Aiden; to reach beyond what we or anyone else may think limits him in order to seek God's best for him. It is a challenge, sometimes moment by moment, but one that we will do our best to meet.

Please continue to pray for us. Pray for Aiden to continue to make steps forward both in fine motor skills and in communication. As well, pray that Dave and I will have the wisdom to do what is best for our family.

Blessings to you all,

Christa

There's a reason for the age warning!!!

For those of you who may not know these are Legos. There are thousands of these little multicolored blocks in my house. They range in size from quarter inch rectangular and round blocks to three inch rectangles; from wheels to miniature guns. We have storm troopers, Darth Vader, C3PO, and even Princess Lea and Luke Skywalker; all in Legos. These toys have provided hours of really good imaginative fun for Aaron. But there is a warning; a safety warning, on the box. It says something like "not safe for children under the age of three". It should include children of any age who chew on non-food items!!

Yes Ladies and Gentlemen, Aiden found several of Aaron's Legos on the floor last Friday night. He put them in his mouth and chewed them up. In the process he got at least one block caught in his throat. What followed is the worst case scenario for lots of parents; Aiden began to choke.

I wasn't at home but Dave is pretty level-headed and keeps his wits about him. He gave Aiden a couple of really good thumps (didn't work), flipped him over (didn't work) and called 911. While waiting for the EMTs (who by the way went to the wrong house) Dave swiped Aiden's mouth. We aren't sure if this pushed down what was stuck or whether Aiden was able to move the Lego, or if there was supernatural intervention, but Aiden swallowed. By the time I got home, totally oblivious to the whole thing, the EMTs were gone and Aiden was fine. (Dave and Aaron on the other hand were both a mess.)

I am happy to say that there are at least two positives that have come out of this situation. Firstly, Aiden's fine motor skills (his ability to pick up small objects and his ability to feed himself) have clearly improved!!! (Yeah, it's ok to laugh...the day after it happened I did.) As well, it seems like for the most part his digestive system is working well. (Can you guess where this is going??? :) Aiden has passed several Legos, yeah!! So as you can see, everything has "come out in the end". :) (It is really hard to be the "butt" of all of the jokes.)

We feel so blessed at the end of this situation. Aiden is ok, Aaron knows why we are so adamant about the Legos being upstairs, and EMS knows where we live. We are thankful that it was only pooping Legos versus having to say good-bye to our precious child.

Thank you all so much for your prayers. They were definitely felt last Friday evening.

Blessings to you all,

Christa

A view from my window

So many mornings I am in such a hurry that I don't pay any attention to the view from my kitchen window. What a foolish thing to do! The view from my window is beautiful; a pond, the sun glinting off of the water, ducks swimming and trees beginning to change colors. By not taking at least a minute to look I miss the gift the Lord has to give me in the beauty of my surroundings.

How many times have I done the same thing with my husband and kids; with friends and other family? In my busy-ness how much beauty have I missed? I am sure that I have missed much. I will not be able to recapture those moments no matter how much I would like to.

So what do I do now? Well, for starters, I am going to pause at my kitchen window, drink my coffee and thank the Lord for the gifts that He has given me: my husband, my children, my friends, the priviledge to live in such a beautiful place, my adoption into the God's family. (The list could go on and on!!!) As well, I will do my best to recognize the opportunities that are given to me each day to extend grace to others (that grace truly is a blessing). I hope that you will take a minute to catch a "glimpse from your window" and embrace the beautiful blessings you've been given!

Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers. We value them greatly. I will give an Aiden update soon.

Blessings to you and yours,

Christa