HS: Week 9 or "The Week of Hospital Visits"

This week just started off on the wrong foot.  Chandler woke up Monday with a barking cough.  On Tuesday his croup (along with a good bit of vomiting and a high fever) was bad enough that we broke down and took him to the pediatrician's office even though we knew it would be a $120 visit (yep... we've got that kind of crappy insurance).  Much to our surprise, the pediatrician asked Trey to head to the local children's hospital with Chandler so that he could get a steroid shot, as well as epinephrine.  I stayed home with the well children while Trey and Chandler spent 6+ hours in the ER.  After a chest x-ray that was clear and a dose of steroids, Chandler was much improved. Praise the Lord.  Aside from a lingering fever on Wednesday, it felt like we were out of the woods.

Spider-man stickers for rockin' the X-ray

Thursday morning Elinor woke up with that tell-tale croup cough.  It didn't seem to be as rough as Chandler's was, and I even commented to Trey that I expected she would fare much better than he had since she didn't have the history of respiratory troubles that Chandler has.  I was oh so wrong.

 Friday morning, shortly after Trey left for work, I realized that she was really struggling to breathe, and seemed to be just as bad as Chandler.  I called the pediatrician and rushed over with her, hoping against hope they wouldn't say she needed to visit the hospital, as well.  They heard her stridor when we walked through the door and immediately took her back.  After the pediatrician looked over her she calmly let me know that she'd be ordering an ambulance to transport Ellie to the children's hospital and that I'd need to contact my husband immediately to have him pick up the boys so I could head to the hospital.  What?  I immediately burst into tears.  I was so shocked.  Ambulance?  I made the call to Trey.  He heard "ambulance... Ellie... transport... help" and made record time getting to the doctor's office. 

In the meanwhile, the doctor had come in to inject Elinor with a steroid that helped almost immediately.  That, combined with a simple saline mist seemed to provide real relief.  By the time the ambulance and Trey got there, it appeared she was doing better.  We asked the doctor to reevaluate if the ambulance was still necessary.  Because of liability, she still wanted to recommend the ambulance, but the paramedics said that if we felt comfortable transporting Ellie and she made a downturn on the way, we could always call them en route and they would pick her up.  I think that was there way of saying "Yep. She doesn't need an ambulance anymore.  But we can't say that."  This was such a blessing because that ambulance ride was going to be $1000+ out of pocket for us.  Trey and my mom (who was providentially already headed to our home before knowing about the hospital trip) made the drive with Elinor and I took the boys in another car.  During her car ride, Elinor was breathing much better than she had been all day.  By the time she arrived in ER, though, her breathing had become labored again.  The ER doc immediately ordered adrenaline.  It wasn't as effective as they would have liked to have seen so they ordered a stronger second dose.  Again, it didn't open her airway the way that had expected so they admitted her for observation.  After 7 hours they gave her another dose of steroids and the doctor felt comfortable releasing her.  We were headed home... at last.  I am so thankful for God's provision in sparing us from having to take an ambulance ride, in sparing us from having to make it an overnight stay, and for the availability of medical care that opens airways!  I'm also thankful for Cook Children's amazing playground and lego displays that kept my boys entertained whilst staying with their sister.  Lastly, I am grateful the Lord gave me a mom who came to my rescue and a husband who takes care of everything... because I needed them.

A gift from brothers: a stuffed fox named "Fixie"

Her doctor and nurse rocked -- they provide toys

However, I never want to go to the hospital again.  Ever.

As for homeschooling this week; it didn't happen, so we're doubling up next week.

HS: Week 8

This week:

• The boys informed me that they love to play their "sports."  Apparently, the only equipment necessary for "sports" are random sticks and heavy osage orange balls.  Owen Ray held his makeshift bat straight in the air and Chandler chucked the heavy green baseball at him.  It was glorious.  
• I love Math-U-See.  Mostly because Owen Ray delights in playing with the blocks.  

•  Trey and I got the chance to head out to SETX to see not only his parents but also his friend, Kelly, who got married over the weekend.  It was a really wonderful weekend, and my super-talented mother-in-law was willing to cut my hair.  I'm so thankful not to deal with all those short post-baby hairs that were so unmanageable!
• Ellie is definitely a little girl with big brothers. Here she stands guarding her batcave with a large pirate sword.

•  Nash Farms: This is our 4th year in a row.  It's always so much fun to spend the day with cousins.  This time was even better than usual because Grandpa (who is now a Texas, too) got to join us!

HS: Week 7

Such an unusual week.  I stayed up late Sunday night to organize lesson plans and was so excited that I managed to get out of bed at 5am and spend a good, solid hour with Jesus.  I was so anticipating doing this again on Tuesday, that I had almost no issue bounding out of bed once again at 5am, already looking forward to that quiet, restful hour.  Instead, I find that both my boys are up in bed, playing quietly and waiting for the first sound of movement so that they can have an excuse to jump out of bed and attack me.  So much for peace and quiet.  This was the morning God had planned for me.  Why, I'm not sure.  But apparently I'm supposed to be hanging out with these two guys before the sun has even come up.  -- Oh, what's that I hear?  Their little sister? Yes.  Elinor is up and crying now, too.  In a moment of Holy Spirit inspiration, I announced that we were all going an early morning walk.  We regularly go on morning walks, but this was different.  Why?  Well, for starters the moon was still bright and shining along with hundreds of twinkling stars.  The street lights were lit, and we were literally walking around our neighborhood in the dark.  We got to the end of one street and happened upon cows out to pasture.  Seriously, they were quite close and were making lots of fabulous "moo" sounds to show off.  I was amazed.  The boys asked if we were in "Texas Wild,"  a part of the Fort Worth Zoo that features the natural landscape of Texas.  I assured that that we were in Texas, but not at the Fort Worth Zoo.  They wondered and wondered at how the shrubbery and the cows got there.  They were quite enchanted.  Also, they didn't know how the plants were covered in water.  I suppose they'd never witnessed early morning dew drops, and it was just amazing to them that all those little droplets were suspended on the individual leaves and blades of grass. It was a long walk and we managed to go from a twinkling night sky to a sunrise by the time we got home. 

We've been enjoying the crisp fall weather -- which necessitates enjoying caramel apples -- and bridge building.  After reading (and loving) The Three Billy Goats Gruff last week, the boys valiantly made and crossed a bridge.  I played the part of the troll, naturally.

To close out the week, we went to the state fair as a family.  I thought it would be appropriate to rent Rodgers and Hammerstein's "State Fair" or at the very least listen to the soundtrack, but Trey assured me it wasn't.  So I sang the opening song to myself "Our state fair is a great state fair; don't miss it -- don't even be late" because that's the kind of thing one ought to sing to oneself when anticipating such an event.  Anyhow -- the state fair was wildly educational.  The kids got to learn all about the workings of a farm, planting seeds and feeding livestock -- and they sat in on their very first pig races.  Justin Bee-boar beat Christina Hoguilera.  Seriously.  It was very close, but Justin pulled through at the end.  Need I say more?

HS: Hiatus

One of the amazing benefits of homeschooling is that we can take a vacation... well... whenever.  This past weekend, when I had filled out our weekly calendar that hangs over the kids table, I realized that we had something going on each and every day. I loathe being over-scheduled.  And we were. I asked Trey if we could take a break from formal homeschooling this week, and he graciously agreed.  I'm so glad we took a mini-hiatus because it was a super busy week.

Despite putting aside all our schoolwork, lots of reading aloud still took place.  The highlight of the week was introducing Owen Ray and Chandler to The Three Billy Goats Gruff. The boys have begged to have it read to them over and over again.  Trey says he remembers loving the story as a little boy, so there must be something universally appealing about trolls who live under bridges and goats who trample them.

Here are some snapshots of our busy week: