Jones' Believe It or Not

I can only say I stand amazed at what my day brings. Every day (and night) is truly an adventure.
Last night, we were up from 2:30 till about 6, then back up at 7 with Ethan. He had a tummy ache ("tummy hurt"), watery poop that was burning his bottom, then he threw up this morning. Ick. I was SO worn out. We tried to take turns sleeping till about 9:30. He just wanted to be most of the day. He cuddle up with me and put his head into my neck. So precious.
I was supposed to help Jenifer at her house this morning, but I was so exhausted, and had a clingy one, it just didn't work out. I'll have to go over there Monday or Tuesday or something. Angie came down from Joplin, and got me Sprite on the way for Ethan, and brought the kids gifts! Clay was amazed and entertained (even till 9:20 tonight!) with his Smithsonian dinosaur excavation kit. Mary Claire got sweet little poodle stationery, and Ethan got a backhoe that makes noises-he's in heaven! : )
We finished getting around then when Ethan went down for a nap, we took the kids to National to look at furniture for Angie, then Mary Claire was extremely low (52), so I gave her some glucose tabs and we got ice cream at Braum's-a special treat! : ) We went by the mall to get Clay shoes for first communion and pants. We went into Gap so I could use some of my reward dollars. Then we (didn't know it, but) made a life altering decision. We debated on eating at the mall and letting the kids play a little before they had to go home, or we could go to Chick-Fil-A to eat and let the kids play. Well...wrong choice, I guess. We took off for CFA.
We were on the bypass home, and heard a loud noise. We took our exit to home, and heard a loud noise. We pulled over, and my right rear tire was dead flat-it was sitting on the rim. I called Ches to come help, and (since a similar incidence happened about a month ago) I got out the jack, and started to lift it up. We had trouble getting the lug nuts off-I mean they were Impossible. A nice man (not scary) stopped, got out his "four iron" (or something like that) and loosened up all the lug nuts about the time Ches got there. He put on the spare so we could go home and get Angie's car, and Ches took Clay to Sam's to get the tire replaced. We traded out cars at home, and met them at CFA in Rogers, since it was on Angie's way home. Well, the meal was not-so-eventful if you don't consider 7 people at a four person table. But. There was this meanie kid in the play area. The kids came running out a couple times saying this kid had hit them-and hard. We were keeping an eye on things, then it turned ugly. The kid hit Clay in the mouth/bottom lip at the bottom of the stair thingies, then went up into the "car", grabbed Ethan by the hair (which is long, I know), and began to shake/bang his head onto the side of the wall of the car. All I saw was Ches sprint up the step things like mad (with Anger on his face-he Very Rarely gets mad-really!-but when he does get worked up-watch out!) I freaked out, and ran in there. Clay was at the bottom crying, Mary Claire was crying watching Ethan scream and be shaken, and the Meanie Kid Dad finally sauntered in there, and we were telling him what his son was doing-and he really didn't care. He'd heard the kids come running out before, and did nothing. So, Ethan made it down the slide, crying, and holding his head. I was so worried, because the doctor had told me that it's not so bad to have one head injury, but if he injured his head again soon after it could cause more brain injury. So, I rushed him out to the eating area, while he was choking and coughing, and he promptly threw his entire dinner up on me and him. I was crying (remembering that when he fell back on the bar stool, they'd asked me repeatedly if he'd thrown up), I just took him outside to calm him down in the cooler air. Thankfully, I'd packed extra clothes, diapers, and wipes in my purse since Ches had his backpack in his car earlier. I stripped the throw-up clothes off him, put on the clean ones, and stripped my top shirt off (luckily I had tank on underneath). Then I stood up, and the cup in my purse spilled all down my arm and into my purse (next drama). Just gross. I kinda dried it out, and we loaded up to get home.
Angie brought me a towel from her car, and we made it home. Ethan got a bath and some calm-down time, and I washed off too. It took a long time to settle everyone down. The kids were very upset, and we had a talk about what to do next time. Don't mess with my kiddos! They know they can defend themselves, and each other! Scratch, poke, pull, etc. Poor kids need options. Clay asked if we could pray for Ethan, and we did. Nothing as powerful as a car full of prayer-or a family united! : ) Makes me proud of them for caring.

Now, we are all ready for some rest. Long day. Unbelievable events. I should rename it as Jones' Believe It or Not. It does defy reality. I'm amazed every day-and it's MY Life! : O

ps-I can report that Ethan is okay. He had a great bath, and some play time with Clay, and is sleeping. I think he's fine. After discussing, we think part of the throw up could have been his coughing and choking to catch his breath: he could have gagged himself.

Please, Lord, give me the ability to handle what comes our way. Let me pray continually and be thankful despite my situation.

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18