Thursday, August 6, 2009

Setting The (Arm) Record Straight

Okay, okay. I need to clear up a couple of rumors and accusations out there that have been popping up since my wife's unfortunate accident this past Sunday in church.

1) No, I did not trip Jeannie as she was exiting the pew with Lily for a routine feeding in the middle of the pastor's sermon, thereby causing her to fall following an impressive somersault that saved the baby from injury.

2) No, Jeannie was not "slain in the Spirit," thereby causing said fall.

3) No, I am not the worst husband/father in the world for returning to my seat after helping her up off the aisle floor in front of 300 or so shocked church-goers. "I'm fine," "I'm okay," what more do you expect when you hear this come out of one's mouth?

4) No, apparently there is no such thing as a "little cracked" bone.

5) Yes, the arm is broken and now in a huge cast stretching from my beloved's shoulder to her hand. She's gonna be checked out again next week and after that, hopefully, the cast can be removed in three weeks or so.

All joking aside, the Lord has been good to us once again during a trying time. I wouldn't say he's put us in a valley this summer because that would be saying the birth of a precious baby is a valley which is not the case at all. But our patience and stamina, especially Jeannie's has been tested over the last month or so through Lily's birth, resulting jaundice issues and now a painful fall resulting in a broken arm.

But we have been surrounded by great friends and family who have swarmed us with love and care. Our Sunday School class has kept us fat and fed, and we have wonderful family who have spent their time helping around the house, with the kids, even giving me a night off for much-needed rest by spending the night and helping Jeannie and the baby.

Jeannie is the true hero here. She's had the natural challenge of caring for a premature newborn -- who, by the way is no longer premature as of Sunday, ironically, which was her due date...and the day her mother's arm was snapped at the elbow. Now she's having to provide mother's care for the baby with one arm free and the other in a heavy, bulky cast that has actually helped things considerably than the previous sling she was in for the first two days.

She's tired and worn out, and in pain occasionally, but she trudges on for Lily's sake. Little Abby has some issues with the whole situation we're afraid, but I don't think they have anything to do with Mommy's arm. We are all trying to be extra attentive to the two-year-old whose world has been turned upside down with the new baby the last few weeks.

And our older kids have been God-sends as well. Melody is the perfect big sister -- she took Abby and cousins Triston and Lydia outside yesterday for a while and was the best babysitter you'll find. Coby is also willing to do anything we ask...but like most 12-year-old boys, we do have to ask most of the time.

I could write individual thank-yous to everyone but I would most certainly leave someone out, so I will resist that temptation. But thank you, thank you, thank you, everyone -- and I ask that you will continue to pray for our family. We are going to come out on the other side of all this with more faith and love for the Lord than we had going in, that's for sure, and as I've been trying to tell my sometimes-despondent wife the last few days...

This too shall pass. Now, be careful with that weapon on your arm.

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