3-19-2010
Dear Family,
The one thing about challenging situations, is that it makes you feel like a champ when you live through it! After the Dr. visit I just had, (and now that it’s naptime!) that’s just how I feel for surviving! I was supposed to have my 6wk check-up today, but rescheduled after being up all night w/ Anne and her high fever. I was somewhat relieved we could just take it easy, and try to catch up on our rest. Anne slept in well (though Lucy, of course, was awake all morning), but when I got her up, her eczema-ridden feet were gathering pus, and were red, hot, and swollen-and even a patch on her leg (sans eczema!) was puffing up red. At this point, I chucked our nap plans, got Spencer his lunch, and loaded up Anne and Emily for the Instacare a block away. Unfortunately, Anne thought we’d be taking a walk in the stroller—one of her favorite activities right now, and when I forced the carseat, she fought back w/ tyrannical screaming, and didn’t stop until we got there. She finally calmed down when I got the stroller out for her to ride in (20 ft., from the car to the bldg.) and I almost laughed at how we must’ve looked, my carrying a carseat on one arm, and pushing a stroller w/ the other. Though our copay had gone from $25-$40, at least Anne wasn’t screaming, nor did we have to wait very long. Then, as I got Anne out to go back to be seen, she started a new screaming fit (that must be one comfy stroller!), and held it full-force through the nurses’ checking, and Dr. exam. We all just looked around her, and tried to kind of read lips over her tantrum to communicate, and left w/ an antibiotic prescription, by which time she was calming down enough to ask for a sucker on the way out. Thank goodness Lucy picked that hour to forget she was colicky!
Last nnight, I was, of course, not completely coherent and somewhat concerned. I remember (again) that feeling I had when Spencer was a baby, and he’d had digestive problems/rotovirus for 9 months straight, and then I had lice, and w/ no sleep and so many contagions flying around, death seemed pretty imminent. That’s about how I felt last night, though not quite so panicky, having felt it (and lived through it all) before. Besides, Anne’s fever seemed tame and normal next to the concerns we’ve developed the last few weeks over what we’re pretty sure are some OCD tendencies in our dear Emily. It keeps me up at night, and gnaws at my insides like nothing has since our unemployment phase, so I guess it’s about time for one of those stretchy trials again. She really is doing fine, and if it is diagnosed, it is REALLY mild, and in early stages, etc., so the prognosis is excellent, and very surmountable, but it still aches and weighs down—and more than ever in such a sleep-deprived state. I AM grateful it’s not worse, and so grateful to have felt prompted to go tuck her in one night, when she happened to recount to me some of her concerns that clued us in. I’ve read tons, and am in the middle of a very good and oh so hopeful book, and we’ve set an appt. for her to see a psychologist in about a month. It probably doesn’t help much, that I’m in the middle of a book on the Bubonic Plague right now J. And, though I have to keep commanding my stomach to unclench and let me sleep and eat, it is always amazing to me how these times we’re stretched taut make us more exposed to heavenly help. Almost like fasting leaves us relying on spiritual nourishment, these very worst times keep us always looking up.
We blessed our Lucy yesterday, and after we scheduled it, we found out they were changing our bishopric, and after that, we found out Brian would be in it as 1st counselor to our new bishop, so it was quite a red-letter day, and very nice to have family here (from North to South): Dad & Kathy, Great G&G M, Nate & Stacey, Sarah & Dean, and Nick & Laurie. As I sat there, a bit wrinkled w/ my own experiences and struggling inside, it felt quite paradoxical to the blissful, orderly family we must’ve appeared to be. Our life is so rich and blessed, but I still felt inclined never to think we know each other’s situation, whether to be jealous or judgmental, or in any other way hasty. Life is certainly ALWAYS a combination of ups and downs, whether we see everyone else’s or not.
Still, it was a wonderful day. Lucy’s blessing was very tender—including to posses the virtues of womanhood, a burning desire to choose the right, power in being a missionary and good example to others, and developing charity. She is a dear, and esp. so since she has been sleeping 6 straight hours now, almost daily! We enjoyed a ham dinner here after church, and the great company of family.
I spent most of the week getting food ready for Sunday, enjoyed a stake RS dinner, got my hair cut!, went VT, on RS visits, and enjoyed a school holiday w/ the children on Monday—taking them to the library and the McDonald’s playground (when our park plans froze). We met another family there, so the children could play a while, and Brent asked on the way home, “Mom, what’s up with you doing all this fun stuff with us now?” Pretty sad life we’ve had, I guess! I tried to blame pregnancy, but I think I need to rethink my freetime priorities a bit! We all enjoyed Princess and the Frog that night for FHE.
Besides his new calling, Brian was voted a county delegate at our Caucus Mtg. last week (we had a HUGE turnout, and he gave a speech and everything!), and he is, as I write this, reading his first case in front of the Utah Court of Appeals—which is reminiscent of all his spare time in law school—he LOVES appeals court, so he was quite antsy in preparation.
Maddie and Brent participated in an Achievement in Music Competition on Saturday, after getting Excellents (M) and Superiors (B) in the Federation Festival last month. I wish the teacher would prepare them a bit differently, but I’m trying to be patient since, 1)-I don’t know of any better teachers around here, and 2)-she’s new at it herself, but more than willing to change and grow. Maddie also had her Jr High orientation last week (YIKES!!), and Brent finished his County Project and 4th grade Utah program.
(4th grade program--my zoom wasn't focusing, and there was a tall girl in front of Brent anyway, but I was there!)
Emily is finally having a few more playdays, and birthday party invites (that’s she’s envied Maddie of for a while). She just finished the first Harry Potter (quite a feat!), and barely finds a moment to stop talking! Spencer is finally leaning towards reading a bit—he even spent a half hour reading the first page of Harry Potter himself one day during reading time—he sounded out a lot of words, and then recited most of what he remembered from the 2nd movie, as having taken place in that page J. Otherwise, he cannot play w/ Abbie (our kindergarten neighbor he rides to school with) ENOUGH, ( or her Wii) and Abbie can’t play w/ Maddie enough, so they all just hang out together as much as we allow them to.
Our basement’s been excited too, as we finally broke in our ping pong table last weekend by having a few couples over to play and share snacks. The Spackman’s and 2 Porter families came w/ their children, and it was a fun night! We also had to replace our TV down there (much to Brian’s flat-screen searching disappointment!) since it was rolling the picture not just some of the time anymore. We got a nice 32” Vizio from Sam’s, and it is snazzy! (If only we could heft the other one out of the basement now!). We’re doing well now, and while the kids are still at school, and BOTH little ones are napping, I’d best join them while I can! Love, Charlotte
this is what Anne thinks a smile looks like these days--she's also started a phase of wanting to wear dresses every day--thank goodness the weather's starting to warm! (though I'm not sure if it's just that she wants dresses, or she thinks that what "dressed" means!)
Anne in one of her many oatmeal baths (her eczema's flaring up again--hence the infected foot!)--it's supposed to help itching, but she keeps itching in the bath, so who knows?)
This was Lucy's first full Sunday at church (in dress made by Great Grandma Stewart) RSV is RAMPANT out here, and keeps us not only homebound, but wishing for spring/summer babies in the future!)
Did I mention that not only is the colic abating, but our Lucy is now smiling!!!-even long enough and often enough to get a picture of it now and then. Happy Day!
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