and then there were none

One of my nieces wrote this on her Facebook wall:

Children are the living messages we send to a time we will not see. How much time are you actually spending with your children? These precious years will be gone far too soon, fill them with love!

This was my comment:

In the moments of the seeming never-ending day, it's hard to believe it will not always be like this. But then the day comes when there's an empty chair at the table--and then another--and there are no more chances to get it right. Have no regrets. They are your most precious investment.♥

I write off the cuff, and I found myself all teary before I was even finished! This river of motherhood thing runs deep, yet it is r-i-g-h-t there under the thinnest veil of skin ready to rise and flood. It is called up at surprising times, and even when I am unaware of it, its steady beat and flow are present and so greatly alive.

I have no little ones, just cherished memories of my precious treasures. I have regrets, but I don't live there. What I lacked, neglected, or mucked up, the Lord has or will supply to them His very own self. May they enjoy and take full advantage one fine day of joining this most incredible of clubs...

Appendicitis?

You may have appendicitis if:

• You have pain in your belly. The pain may begin around your belly button.
• The pain in your belly gets stronger and moves below your belly button on your right side (the lower right quadrant ). This is the most common place to feel pain when you have appendicitis.
• The pain does not go away and gets worse when you move, walk, or cough.
• You have pain in any part of your belly or on your side.
• You feel nauseated or throw up a few times. You also may not feel like eating.
• You have constipation, back pain, a slight fever, or a swollen abdomen.

[Source: WebMD]

So my baby probably has appendicitis... One extremely kind and generous doctor friend checked her out--I'm talking house call. Absolutely unheard of, right?! She asked a volley of questions and then tested a urine sample right in our bathroom. Her suggestion was to watch her closely, and if it's appendicitis, it'll only get worse. If it's an ovarian cyst, it'll take care of itself and get better. (An ovary is right behind the appendix. If she was a boy, the diagnosis would be positive for appendicitis.)

In any case, we have an appt at 8AM that we can cancel IF we don't need it. She can only have clear liquids for now in case she needs surgery. If she gets better, great. If her symptoms worsen within the next 14 hours, we'll take her to an ER. I don't know that it'll be the local hospital though--that didn't go so well for us with Kev. In the meantime, she's not crying and doesn't have a fever. Grateful for small graces.

Calling Dad

I call my daddy everyday. It used to be every morning, but now sometimes it's in the afternoon or even the evening. I used to think I was doing it for him, to make sure he knew someone cared about him. Now I know it's been for me all along. I need to hear his voice. I need to know that he's okay. I need to know if there's anything I can help him with or that he wants to just talk about. We've always been able to talk about all kinds of things for a long time, and this hasn't changed anything. Sometimes our conversations are 15 minutes; other times they go an hour.

I thanked him yesterday for his ready willingness to answer my call everyday. He responded by saying that I'm sunshine in his day. It was really sweet and something I've never heard before. Except for my sweet Kevin, I don't think anyone has ever told me that I am sunshine. It was like coming upon a full spray of roses I'd never seen before in a garden I've walked a thousand times.

Kind words do mean a lot. One of the things my mom did most excellently was to never miss an opportunity to give someone a compliment. Perfect strangers were a favorite target, but she fragranced our lives with them as well. Makes me happy that my dad isn't constipated that way and can openly share the same way with us.

Have I spent some life-offering words on someone lately...?


Think I'm going to call my daddy...

Swallows

There was a week early this summer when the weather wasn't very good. We don't open the screen doors, and we can go days without ever using the front porch. That's why it was a big surprise to find this swallow nest in the corner of the roof one day.

I was able to sneak some pictures of the li'l guys. There were four eggs, but only three hatched. It was fun to see them grow. The poop on the front porch wasn't so great.

Dodging mom and dad wasn't fun either. It's the first time I wished I owned armor or chain mail. She looks like a bat here as she swooped in to bully me away from her wee ones.

They left about a week after this picture. They seemed too little, but I guess it was time. They were squawking at Jylle moments before I clicked this. Must be the angle of the camera, but our front porch is not only six feet tall.

It was fun while it lasted. But I don't miss the poop or the dive bombing.

I thought it was true.

The twenty-four elders (the members of the heavenly Sanhedrin) fall prostrate before Him Who is sitting on the throne, and they worship Him Who lives forever and ever; and they throw down their crowns before the throne (Rev 4:10).

Whenever I heard mention of a heavenly crown, there was also the statement that we would take our bejeweled crowns and cast them at Jesus' feet. It wasn't until today that I read this verse and realized that that's not necessarily true.  It's the 24 elders who will throw down their crowns.  We might cast our crowns as well, but it doesn't say.

Every once in a while I'm re-fascinated by how much we accept as truth because we've heard it so often. That makes me shiver as history repeats itself...

Did you grow up believing that there were three--count 'em three--wise men?

Do you have a Nativity set with an American-type barn instead of a cave?

And there's the thing about the Rapture and the Second Coming that's still not clear to me. I know they're different, but I can't seem to get them to gel.

I'm going to go get some pie. I need some pie.