31. December 2009 by imoomie.

If you have a moment…hop on over to Radical Revolution to read what the writers are sharing about their holiday memories…You’ll see my girl there…

http://radrevolution.blogspot.com/2009/12/favorite-christmas-memories-part-3.html

Here’s to Christmas memories…hope you tucked some away this holiday season.

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29. December 2009 by imoomie.

This is a continuation of the last 4 entries…the final installment.

I would never sign up our boys or family to participate in a car accident.  Yet, like most unexpected, life changing experiences once you get to the other side you can’t imagine who you would be had you not endured the difficulty that set up camp in the space you dwell in. 

I let out a pent up sigh as I recall this season in my life.

These entries were not planned and have been in exercise in transparency.  A mite uncomfortable…in my discomfort I have told our story rather logically and factually like a record of the times.  What is missing is the emotions, do I really want to go there?

Is it emotional for two brothers to be in a car accident when one brother was driving?  We are thankful for the outcome but did we still have some things to work through.  You bet.  Our son, PK, had minimal injuries, but did the time his brother spent recovering take a toll on him and everyone in the family, absolutely.

At a time when my son had just become an adult and I was preparing to let go I found myself in the position of being his chief caretaker.  It was a 24/7 job though I would not have turned it over to anyone else. 

I learned during this time that I was a people pleas-er.  At times I would feel obligated to return phone calls or emails, but soon found that if a took a minute to focus on these things I would miss time stops that aided my patient in recovery.  I just couldn’t be everything to everyone.

I gained ten pounds from being home-bound and inactive though I would lose them again the first month that JJ left for college…I was so excited for him but it was still a time of adjustment and we all missed him.

When the next family birthday came upon us I had an aversion to the event.  I realized that in my mind I equated the celebration with an unwanted “surprise” turn of events.  I had a fear it would come again.  Getting through the birthday party put me one step closer to moving on and trusting the footing of life again.

Our family likes wacky socks, so last Christmas we took a basket of full of socks, infant, child, adult, girl and boy socks along with a note to the same pediatric hospital to thank the staff for the care we had received and to be part of Santa coming to town.

One fear at a time, one obstacle and with each good day that was uneventful we moved  on until we are landing on today when I end the written account of our journey.

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28. December 2009 by imoomie.

This is an continuation of the past 3 entries…

Our son, JJ, had his mind set on a particular college, had spoken of it, had applied and been accepted to it.  Great college, great plan.  Locked in, or was it?

What happened during the time of being bed ridden is this…he received a written confirmation that he had indeed received the scholarship…yay!

As a result of this information he was contacted by a few other schools.  We again went out to visit some additional college campuses while JJ shuffled along on crutches.  In the course of the exploration he found a university that was a perfect fit for him.  Down to every detail, the perfect place for him, he felt he was home the minute we pulled up in the parking lot. 

Although, a good college is nothing to shake a stick at, a perfect university that is the perfect fit is priceless.  Had he not been home-bound and had his world become suddenly small he may never have received the call and had the conversation the changed the course of his academic career.

He is thriving as a sophomore and loving every bit of college life.  It is exhausting but exhilarating and although he is wiped out at the end of each day, his day has been valuable.

Two years out we are content with the progress his arm and leg have made.  He definitely knows when a storm is coming through by the aches and pains that radiate in his joints.  He will probably never choose to go skiing or participate in an activity that jeopardizes his mobility, but crutches are a thing of the past. 

I think any discomfort that comes and goes are reminders of growing pains…a twinge that brings to mind, this is where I have been, but thank goodness this is where I am!

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26. December 2009 by imoomie.

This is a continuation of the past two posts…

Last week while on the phone with JJ, he quietly said to me, “It’s coming up on two years.” 

“I know”, I replied, equally as retrospective.  It had been on my mind most of the week. 

What’s a traumatic experience if you can’t pull up a stool on the experience and camp out a little from time to time.  It’s often helps to get where your going when you reflect on where you have been.

I will back up to what happened after Christmas…

JJ arrived home, his arm put back together, the leg was still a question mark but was supported with a knee brace.  He had about 3 weeks of recovering from the arm surgery, when the time came to tackle the knee issues.

Through xrays and and an MRI the diagnosis was a bit of a volley between…is it the ACL?  Is it the PCL?  During the course of surgery, that lasted over three hours it was found to be both.  There was also cartilage that was put back together like a puzzle.  It is amazing what the doctors do in such a small space so meticulously. 

JJ was a senior at the time and missed quite a bit of school, at one point we had a teacher coming into our home to keep him on track.  The balance of fighting the pain, pushing thru physical therapy and having a mind keen enough to knock out the schoolwork was a challenge.  All the hard work he had put in up to this point was to his advantage and helped carry him through with little pause in his academic standing.

Additionally, he had about a month from the day he went into his second surgery to be sharp enough to make it thru a final interview in front of a panel for a scholarship that he was being considered for.  The logistics of getting him across the campus took a lot of energy as he moved along on his crutches over hill and dale.

I am getting tired just reliving that day and the strength and endurance it took to get through it.  He did it though!

You know what they say, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!  We found this to be true during this trial…the young man that emerged before our eyes was the product of someone strong enough to overcome.  JJ had posed for his senior portraits earlier in the year, but after this experience we had to take them again for he was no longer the boy in the original photos.

Did he get the scholarship?  Has he thrived?  Does his arm and leg respond to what he asks of them…you know I can’t wait to tell you tomorrow.

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25. December 2009 by imoomie.

This is a continuation of yesterday’s post… 

It was an impossibility that Christmas go on “as usual” with two members of our family camped out at the hospital…so, we pushed it back a day, or two?…I can’t even remember now.

It was a bit difficult for the younger children to understand why the stockings hung empty and the tree remained void of festive packages.  It wasn’t beyond any of us though, regardless of age, that one of us was in a bad way.  Although there were no presents, the reality that we had been given the gift of life though not wrapped to be seen was priceless within us.

When we did get home, JJ was able to sit in a recliner and go through the motions of Christmas before heading to his room upstairs that would end up being his world for the next three months.

Was it the Christmas we planned on, nooooo!  In our thankfulness, in our gratitude and in the lowly place we found ourselves in, perhaps we found the true meaning of Christmas after all. 

The baby in the manger, has not only given me life but hope to get through what lay ahead.  I found myself celebrating this holiday in a whole new way.

So again, in all sincerity, no matter where, when, who or what…I wish you a Merry Christmas and as I say it, I point up, up to the star that guided the wise men while lifting my eyes to the heavens where that baby we are celebrating is looking right back at me.

How’s our boy doing?  I tell you about his journey in my next post…

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24. December 2009 by imoomie.

Wherever you are, whatever is going on with you and yours, whether it is a peaceful, a disappointing or an unexpected year…Merry Christmas.

When I am having a year full of anticipation and the holiday season is for the most part enjoyable it is easy for me to be overly enthusiastic with my holiday wishes.  The truth is it won’t be everything to everyone, every year and I don’t want to be insensitive.

Two years ago today, while on the way to our friend’s house for Christmas Eve dinner our two sons, our only sons, were in a car accident.

Thankfully, they both survived…if I was asked today what kind of Christmas I am having this year, it would be hands down a Christmas of gratitude.  Gratitude for the healing and restoration that has come to us within this period of 24 months.  Gratitude for these young men that are sitting around the table with us tonight.

Obviously, that year our plans for dinner came to an abrupt halt and instead my husband and I found ourselves on the way to the emergency room where the ambulance was headed with our boys.

One son, had just entered adulthood the week before and he was admitted to one area of the hospital, while the other was a minor and given a room somewhere else in the facility, many, many white swinging doors away.

The boys had been wearing seat-belts.  Our younger son, PK, need stitches in his head and was bruised up.  He was released that evening, there were some additional physical concerns that would be screened and dealt with over time. 

Our older son, JJ, the driver of the car, had been pinned and had to be extracted out of the car.  His left arm badly broken, his bone protuding, there were also concerns about his left leg.

He was taken into surgery quickly upon his arrival in ER.  I don’t know that I had ever felt so out of control, there was no time for questions, for niceties and relationship building with the professionals in those moments.  All I knew was that they were taking our son, knocking him out and fixing him up and I had to instantly trust them.   Not a response that would come natural for me, but what choice did I have?

Here is what went incredibly right that night, the places where you see God going before you in little ways that are truly big ways.  We had not eaten most of the day because we were saving up for our big Christmas Eve meal, so he was able to go into surgery instead of waiting out the night in the condition he was in. 

One of the most well known surgeons in our area was on duty.  It wouldn’t come out for months just how bad things were and what the doctors really thought the chances for full recovery of his hand would be.

Somehow JJ, the newbie adult, ended up in a brand new pediatric wing of the facility and received plenty of attention.  The nurses were angels and did their job so well.   These individuals were the ones that volunteered to be there so that others could be home with their families.

I guess I just gave it away, but yes, JJ and I ended up staying the night in the hospital.

In case you have ever wondered, yes, Santa does come to the hospital on Christmas Eve and bring presents to all the good little girls and boys…

What was Christmas like for us that year?  This has been lengthy so I will tell you more tomorrow…

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22. December 2009 by imoomie.

I am not sure when it happened, but I think I am becoming a Southern gal…

How do I know? 

Well, in a moment of stress…in an instant when comfort food was needed,

I drove to Chick-fil-A for a chicken deluxe sandwich. 

Mostly, been a burger girl.  I think perhaps I have been in the south long enough to crave a chicken sandwich. 

Hmmm.

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21. December 2009 by imoomie.

My daughter had a Christmas party at her barn with the people she spends a big portion of her life with…she really didn’t invite us, so my husband and I dropped her off and headed out to Christmas shop while she attended this gathering.

It was a “no makeup” day for me…just one of those days spent mostly around the house.  I just never  got around to it.  I felt a little awkward going shopping without ”my face on” but not so uncomfortable that I wanted to do anything about it.

Until…

My daughter texts me and says, “it is kind of a family party, you can head back.” 

Eeeekkkk!

Suddenly, my vanity felt as present as an over-sized, flashing billboard in my heart.

This reaction caught me by surprise.  My face is red and I am swallowing the uncomfortable lump in my throat as I prepare to tell you what I did next…

We were at Target, yep…so, do you know what a quick thinker like me did?

I sent my husband to checkout with our items while I scurried over to the make up section in search of testers.

I don’t know if I can even express how many emotions ran thru me as I used testers to improve my appearance.  I mean think about my “appearance” .  What exactly would I appear to be doing to a by-passer?  You know, I was thinking probably loud enough for everyone to hear…please don’t let anyone I know walk by right now.

I was also thinking thoughts like - 

How much bacteria must be in these containers?

How ironic it will be if I get up in the morning and my face is swollen beyond recognition and I have to go to the doctor and get antibiotics because I have a raging infection.

Wow, this foundation is nice, I almost like it better than what I have at home.

Hmmm, I don’t have this color eye shadow.

By the time I met my husband at the front of the store, I could not look him in the eye, because I felt so silly and I couldn’t quit laughing, because I felt so silly.

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19. December 2009 by imoomie.

Someone please slow the Christmas express down…I need the luxury of a moment to breathe the season in.

It is almost here, are you ready for it?  I am, but I still don’t want it approaching quite so fast!  Can we add a month and just enjoy the lights, the eggnog, the movies and music?

Can I have more time to relish in Jesus and the reason for the season?

Can we go to slow motion and prolong the holiday that is barreling towards us?

Seize the day, bake away…for the day is almost here.

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18. December 2009 by imoomie.

Rain,

sleet,

snow and

wintery mix

equals

one fun

warm, toasty

family, filled

game night!

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