Happy Birthday Grapes!!

 In the midst of our injury craziness, we did manage to celebrate Grapes' 5th Birthday!  I can't believe I have a 5 year old.  It's fun how a few balloons and streamers can make a 5 year old's day! 

 She loved the heart locket from her Kacki and Poopaw as well as the dolphin bracelet from Mamma Nette and Papa Dan...which is a reminder of Mama Nette's promise to take her swimming with the dolphins when she's old enough.  Grandparents are the best. 

 She declared it was her "jewelry birthday"  when she opened the jewelry tree Andy and I got for her! 

Grapes, you are loved.  You are a jewel to us...unique and beautiful.  I love watching the Lord work in your life and I am thankful to be your Mom!  Happy Birthday to the oldest 5 year old I know!! 

Happy Father's Day (and I spy something pink)

 We love you Dad!  We're thankful for the hours of reading books,

 the pre-dinner games of Mario Cart, the countless games of UNO, bike rides, Daddy Dates to BoJangles,

the tender and gentle way you lead our family, your servanthood in cleaning and cleaning and cleaning,

 AND OF COURSE, OUR FAVORITE...TICKLE WRESTLE!!!!!!

 Happy Father's Day Andy!

And Happy Father's Day to the many Fathers in our lives.  We are grateful for you!!! 

This needs a picture

But I don't have one yet.  I am referring to EG's new cast. 

Emma Grace was scooting all over the place on her bottom and really adjusting well to her disability.  Then on Wednesday Andy took her to the Pediatric Orthopedic Surgeon for her follow-up and it was all good news!  The wound is healing well.  They don't think she'll need any physical therapy and best of all-they re-casted her foot.... and the new cast????  Well...fabulous!!!  First of all, it's hot pink.  SO HER.  And she can walk on it!  No more scooting around on her bottom mopping my floor.  (she actually got a rag and put it under her bottom one day and told me she was mopping!!)  And the icing on the cast....  She can swim in it.  Yep.  Swim in it.  I couldn't believe it myself, but we tried it out today and it's still hard as a rock and I think all the water has magically drained out.  Who knew they make swim casts?!!

The only bummer about the new cast is that it's not split like the first one was.  So we can't  take it off to scratch when needed.  I found myself up at 3:30 am using a chop stick to scratch her leg.  Poor thing.

But overall, this is a big improvement!  It looks like our summer is mostly back on track after our small/medium? detour.  We splurged for the season pass to the pool today since it looks like swimming is back in our life!!!  So grateful.  

Change in plans...parts 2-6

Well, our first change in plans happened when we flew to Cherry Grove to spend the week with Kathi and Tim.  And like I said in my last post, it was a delightful change in plans.  At the end of the week, I told Kathi I'm pretty sure it was my favorite trip to the beach house to date.  (Don't tell Andy that though...this was the only trip he hasn't been on)  Turns out we had a few more change in plans coming down the pike, they just CAN NOT be described as delightful. 

Change in Plans 2 happened when we got to the airport on Saturday to fly back to Orlando, only to realize our flights were booked for the wrong day.  We couldn't get on the flight for that day even though the flight wasn't full.  Dratts.  Back to the beach house.  Kathi had to head back to WV so Change in Plans 3 happened when Sheryl canceled her flight to Orlando and drove to the beach to stay with us there.  Seeing her was delightful for sure and she was a real servant to our family.  She cooked and cleaned and took EG on a birthday date.  I really don't deserve friends as great as her.   Change in plans 4 happened when a mirror fell on EG's foot Monday night, cutting her severely and severing three of the tendons in the top of her foot (that means no toe movement and A LOT OF BLOOD )  It was traumatic for everyone involved.  We headed to the ER and she had an emergency surgery a few hours later to repair the tendons, sew the laceration and put on a cast.  Sheryl continued to serve our family during this very stressful time.  She was really like an angel there with me through it all.  Change in plans 5 happened when my dear husband left his work trip a week early and got on a flight the next morning to be with us. I have never been so relieved to see his face.And Change in Plans 6 is basically our whole summer.  Our days of heading the pool and the park and bowling will be replaced by  doctor's appointments, physical therapy so EG can regain the use of her toes, a lot of couch time, crafts, board games and Netflix...yep, we signed up for Netflix as soon as we got back. 

To be very honest, the whole thing really shook me up.  The event itself was really traumatic and I've had trouble not thinking about it.  But I was also really shaken up by all the crazy, bizarre changes in plans that led to this event...a last minute decision to go to the beach, flights booked on the wrong day, canceled flights, etc.  I think it left me very aware that I am not the one in control of my life.  I honestly can't make sense of it all, and I have just had to come back to the truth that I preach to myself almost daily.  God loves me.  He is for me.  He does not treat me as I deserve.  He treats me based on his grace.  And he uses EVERYTHING that happens in my life for my good.  These truths were my comfort in the ER watching Emma Grace in extreme pain.  They were my comfort sitting alone in an empty lobby at 1 am while she underwent surgery.  And they have continued to be my comfort as we adjust to a more stationary life and I let go of all my summer plans. And I'm trusting that God will use this for good in HER LIFE as well. 

Andy has been a servant to us-cooking meals, letting me nap, cleaning, carrying Emma Grace to the potty every time she needs to go.  The pain seems to be getting better and today she actually got off the couch and scooted around the house on her bottom!

Tomorrow is her 5th birthday and we canceled our outdoor cook out/camp out and we're having a family camp out in the living room.  Should be fun.  Thanks for praying for her and for us.  We are really grateful.  Please pray for complete healing, as there is a chance that tendon repair can fail.  And pray  for us to have deep trust in the goodness of God in all things.  

Beach Days

Learning to Float

Lucy Love

Summer Happiness

Delightful Change in Plans

 When Tim and Kathi generously offered to pay for the kids and I to fly up and meet them at their beach house for the week, there wasn't really much to think about.  Andy heads to Boston on a ten day work trip this week so I was delighted to 1. spend time with them (a source of much love and strength for me) 2.  have help with my kiddos (a source of much needed assistance)  and 3.  enjoy their beach house (a source of delight and joy)! 

Corn Hole

The kids are HAVING A BLAST!!!!!  They love their grandparents so much and they are loving every minute of the pool and the beach.  I too love being with Tim and Kathi.  They take such good care of me and are so incredibly loving and fun. 

This morning, while Tim and Kathi took the dogs and the kids to the beach, I was reading and reflecting on God's kindness to me.  "You are faithful in all your works and kind in all your deeds."  And this little spot in Cherry Grove has become such a marker of God's kindness to me! 

They've spent most of their waking hours in the pool!

My first trip here was a college road trip with two of my best friends...Andy and Marianne.  Little did I know four years later on another college road trip to this house, my heart would begin to change toward Andy and that two years after that, we'd be back at this beach house, engaged, working on wedding preparations with his family.  And that  two years later...3 week old Emma Grace would christen their pool. being the first grandchild to swim in the newly installed pool!     We've spent precious weekends here with our Beach and Boogie friends, weekends that I will cherish forever.  (Tim and Kathi have a group of life long friends that they call their Beach and Boogie Friends and they get together with them each year-they named their little group and now Andy and I have "the second generation" of Beach and Boogie.  Matt and Laura  and John and Alisa have already been here with us...David and Marianne have also spent time here, but not since they were married...one of these days, we're going to get all of us down here together.  I was just talking to Kathi about that today!)  Next summer guys?  We've been here on anniversary trips and Labor Day trips.  It's just a little spot on this earth that holds so many memories and so much fun and joy for our family.  This place is a refuge for me.  A place I can relax (esp since it comes along with grandparents) and reflect and enjoy God's creation.  And so many people and life events are tied to this place. It represents becoming a Huffman and growing my roots deeper and deeper into this wonderful family.   When I think about this place, I think of Psalm 103  "You satisfy me with good, so that my youth is renewed like the eagles."  Each trip to this beach house (his good to me) leaves me refreshed and renewed. 

Jack and Emma Grace love this place as much as we do.  The day Tim and Kathi offered to fly us up, EG had already asked me, "are we going to Kacki and Poopaw's Beach House this summer?"  I told her I didn't know...a parent's kind/somewhat deceitful way of not coming out and saying "No."  We had already decided we couldn't afford a trip this summer.  Jack often tells me he misses the beach house.  So you can imagine their delight when we woke them up Saturday morning and told them we were flying to the beach that day!!  When we got here Saturday, Jack busted  in the door and said, "I was looking forward to seeing this house!"  And EG has been telling us that God knew she really wanted to come and that he decided to surprise her with a trip as an early Bday present.  Yes, little one, he is the giver of good gifts.  He satisfies you with good, just like he does me. 

A little early Bday celebration!

  This will be the trip I remember "as the one where my kids really learned to swim".  I want to always remember the joy of seeing Jack and Grapes master this little pool and all their cuteness at ages 3 and almost 5!!!

CUTENESS

We love our Kacki and Poopaw (and their beach house!)

 

 

We'll be back in Florida next week and then Sheryl comes to help me with the kiddos for the last part of Andy's trip.  Both this trip to Cherry Grove and Sheryl coming to help me were unasked for  SURPRISE answers to prayer.  I knew I needed lots of grace to take care of these two on my own for ten days.  I didn't know when I asked for grace, God would answer in such delightful ways!  "You are faithful in all your works, and kind in all your deeds.!" 

Class of 2012

Emma Grace is a GRADUATE!  We enjoyed a really special ceremony yesterday to honor the graduates of First Years Preschool! 

I've said this many times before, WE LOVE THIS SCHOOL. It's been such a wonderful fit for our family.  And Emma Grace's teacher was perfect for her!  Kind, warm, super stable, and organized!  Emma Grace has really thrived in this learning environment, both academically and socially.  During the graduation I was reflecting on our two years at this school and GOD'S KINDNESS is evident in every detail of our preschool experience with Emma Grace.  We are just so grateful.  And she's actually sticking around next year for their kindergarten program (and Jack will still be there as well) so we aren't really leaving the school just yet!

Mrs. Stasak, EG's teacher told me yesterday with tears in her eyes how much she cares for Emma Grace and what a sweet child she is.  Oh how kind of the Lord to give us "a village" to raise our little ones, including teachers who pray and care and shed tears over our children. 

Emma Grace,
       What Mrs. Stasak said is so true.  God is growing you into a really tender and sweet little lady.  You've learned so much this year and we've seen God's faithfulness to hear your prayers this year!  Remember one little girl you had a hard time with at first?  Remember how we prayed and prayed and God helped you to love her and he helped her heart change toward you as well?  Now you two are good buddies and even have play dates!  You've learned to write and you've begun to read!  You've made wonderful friends and a gazillion crafts!    This was the perfect little class for you.  Our God has a special plan for you little one and this was one more stepping stone on the path he has for you!  

We love you and we are proud of you!!

Mommy and Daddy