HIGHLIGHTS
First Day of School?? *?? Driver’s License!?? *?? 5 Zs over for the day?? *?? Lake Saguaro Day?? *?? Grammy time?? *?? Jim Cardiologist?? *?? ??Gynamstics?? *?? Archery?? *?? Texas Roadhouse for Dusty’s Birthday *?? Bartlett Lake day?? *
TORI
Dr. Nowlen called about Tori’s heart monitor and said that all looked good.?? Out of the 11 or so times she reported, he didn’t think anything looked unusual.?? He did note that her heart did something???maybe skip a beat???.I didn’t really catch that???sometimes but he isn’t at all concerned.?? He wants her to wear a heart monitor for one day only next July so I made a note to schedule that appointment in April of 2018.?? He just wants to make sure nothing has changed.
TROY
Ty slapped Tori on the stomach for who knows what reason.?? She is crying.?? Troy then comes in to the room and says, “Anyone who hurts Tori I punch!”?? Then he says “I’m sorry Tori” and tries to comfort her.?? Meanwhile his hair is a mess and he has cookie butter all over his face.?? Big words from such an adorable little guy.
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Things I overhear:
Troy:?? Caterpillars have EARS??? I didn’t know that!
HOMESCHOOL
First day of school was earlier this year – August 7th.?? Tanner is a junior, Ty an eighth grader, Tori a fourth grader and Troy a first grader.
Homeschooling giggles…
I woke up the kids for their first official day of school. Tori says, “Mom can we get ready for school?”
“Uh…yes?”
“Troy! Let’s go put on our jammas.”
LOL. They both slept in clothes last night. Just that peaceful, easy feelin’ right? Praying the rest of this day feels just that relaxed.
Troy:?? Mom!?? You’re like my teacher!
TANNER
Got his driver’s license on Friday, August 11th!!!!?? He said the test was really easy.
TY
His day with Kristi – they love to have their “own” day annually.
JIM
Went to cardiologist and Dr. took him off brilanta.?? All is well.
ADVENTURES
Monday, August 14th
Today was a crummy day.?? I woke up off kilter and then took Troy to the store (Fry’s at Dove Valley).?? When we were leaving he darted in front of me and I clipped him with the cart and he fell.?? He got up and complained that I hurt his legs but he didn’t cry.?? I took a time out to get after him for darting in front of the cart (this was not the first time I had to say on this trip).?? I picked him up, talked to him, and then showed him the scar on my ankle from when I got clipped by a shopping cart.?? I set him back down, headed for the exit and glanced over at him and my heart stopped.?? He was totally dysmorphic.?? He looked like a klingon from Start Trek and it all happened in what could have only been like five seconds. It was beyond bizarre.?? The incident that had happened a moment earlier with his fall didn’t even enter my mind.?? I was convinced he was having an allergic reaction to something in the store.?? I rushed to the pharmacy to see if I could get Benadryl and I felt a sense of panic rising because he looked SO wrong.?? But he was acting totally normal, said he was fine, said he was in no pain???.nothing. They advised I take him to the ER at HonorHealth Deer Valley because it was literally next door.?? I did that and made him sing the alphabet song to me in the car so that I could make sure his breathing was fine.?? They checked him out briefly and concluded that it must have been the fall because they didn’t see allergic reactions signs.?? They did a neuro check and he was, of course, charming all of them left and right.?? Then they sent us on our way and said I could ice it if he let me.?? I started to cry so many times when I looked at him today because he just doesn’t look like my boy and it has had me just freaked out and suffering from PTSD today.?? He is still not back to normal.?? He doesn’t look as bad but not good either.?? He is going to sleep in my room so I can check on him during the night.
One funny???at the hospital he wanted to hear his heartbeat.?? The Dr. listened first and was telling him all the places on his body where she could hear his heart.?? He had a funny look on his face and then told her, “I just have ONE heart???but it is a big heart.”
We both laughed and she said, “I bet that is true.”?? It is.
“Mom I am just fine!” – He keeps telling me.?? My sensitive little guy knows I have been anxious about him and is trying to help.
Tori made me laugh with all her observations today.?? She noted that I had a “cry voice” when I got home from the store.?? (I didn???t notice my voice sounded weird but she was right).?? She was also shaking after she saw Troy.?? Scared her good too.?? This evening we brought food to Grammy and she told me that we couldn’t leave until Sweetie’s sink was cleaned out and she showed me exactly how Sweetie does it.?? Then later she told me that if I was going to return Papa’s shirt (the one she had to borrow after spilling Grammy Rene’s caramel pie on her outfit) that I would have to put it up right.?? When I inquired she let me know that Sweetie color codes her closet.?? Who knew??? I called my mom, (who is camping in ShowLow at Fool’s Hollow) and she cracked up that Tori had taken note of those things.
Tuesday, August 29th
JESUS – you are the WONDER in the WILD.?? I love that line in one of my favorite songs of 2017 and boy was I singing it today.?? We had a bit of an epic adventure.?? I am normally a pretty cautious person by nature. I was raised by an adventurous, thrill seeking, extrovert though and that has shaped me more than my personality would otherwise indicate.?? Because I am a photographer and fall season is shortly upon us, I wanted to do some scouting today.?? I love the gorgeous AZ desert and I wanted to find some spots not too far from my home that would celebrate the beauty of our great landscape not far from the city lights.?? I packed up the kids, water, sunscreen, and Tanner packed his fishing pole and tackle (because…hello…scouting + adventures = fishing holes if one is crossing their fingers hard enough).?? So we head off into the wilds.?? It was pushing 110 degrees…in August…and I was scouting somewhat off the beaten path desert locations.?? We were a couple miles down a road remote enough that we had not seen a soul the entire time when…low and behold…and let’s all sing…”You grab a line, I’ll grab a pole and we’ll all go down to the crawdad hole…honey baby mine.”?? So we stopped.?? We pretty much had too.?? Tanner would have considered that a crime to press on.?? Troy was happily coloring in his five point harness carseat (because he is still too small for a booster) and Ty wanted to stay in the air conditioned truck with him.?? Tori, Tanner and I went down to the fishing hole (and yes…Tanner did spot some fish so we had to give it a few minutes).?? To shorten this, eventually Ty decides he wants to visit us and Troy doesn’t.?? I yell to Ty to leave the door open because my cautious nature was surfacing.?? My car was on.?? The a/c was on.?? All good.???? It shouldn’t automatically lock…but what if???????? And guess what??? That is exactly what happened.?? Ty forgot and shut the door.?? Ty walked away and seconds later the door locks.?? Ty yells down to me that the car locked and I felt hyperventilation coming on.?? Our hydration, sunblock, cell phone, and MY YOUNGEST child were locked in the car.?? You would think at six Troy could escape this situation but I knew he couldn’t.?? The five point harness on his carseat is so secure that we always have to get him in and out of it.?? I spent the next 10 minutes trying my best to get him to at least unclasp the top strap (because he couldn’t reach the door lock without unlatching it and the windows where child safety locked).?? He tried and tried but could not get it undone.?? Tori is sobbing beside me and I was trying to be calm in evaluating our situation but I knew we were in a real pickle because I had no way to get help and no one had come down the dirt road.?? After probably 10 minutes of deliberating and working with Troy, I knew I was at a decision point of having to attempt rocking a window.?? I realize that to my husband, father, or brothers…this wouldn’t seem like an emergency…just an unfortunate expense.?? For me though…I didn’t know the proper method for rocking the window without injury to myself or Troy so I was on the verge of panic.?? (It has since been explained to me via Dusty and Daniel how I could have rocked the window).?? So before I started my attempts (which would have been the wrong route by the way), I gathered the kids together, we all held hands and we started praying.?? We asked Jesus to provide a solution for us.?? I was so scared to rock the window because Tanner had me thinking that I may not be able to break it and what if I cut my arm, or an artery, or the rock or glass hit Troy????????? What if???I couldn’t break it?????!!!!
About 10 seconds after we said amen, I hear Tori yell, “Troy got it!!!!!?? He got the top harness undone!”?? And just like that he popped the door open with a smile on his face.?? And then he let me know that he should be called a hero now because hero’s save people and he saved us.?? We then had a talk about how Jesus saved us and helped Troy.?? Troy said, “I was not scared.?? I have the Loord and the Loord is in my heart.”
So see???Jesus was the wonder in our wild today?
(Update???Troy and Ty are both saying the wind shut the door!)