It is amazing how much life changes even before the big move. My son Cole was an easy going baby/toddler. Did not do much to raise Moms blood pressure. (hahahahahaha) It is funny that as I am writing this so many memories come to mind where it did. I take it back. I learned with Cole that if you call poison control about him finding a pill on the ground and not knowing what it is, but then later knowing, you have to call them back and tell them. I remember I was at work and Cole was able to be with me. He found a white pill and put it in his mouth. Not knowing how many were over there, I grabbed the one out of his mouth but the outer coating was sucked off that I didn't know what it was or how many he had taken. I called poison control and they wanted him rushed to the hospital immediately. Apparently, someone saw numbers on the back of the pill and knew that it was not Tylenol but Asprin and the poison control lady had said that if it was Asprin, he would be fine. So I didn't take him in. About 30 min later, poison control called back, not very happy with me (made known by the tone in her voice as well as the volume). Apparently they inform the hospital staff of your arrival and they are ready for you as soon as you get there. Oops....lesson learned.
Wow, I could write so much more.... :)
But the reason for this blog, is that now, when one of my kids get hurt, my first reaction is what would I do if we were in Vietnam. Liam cut his finger on a piece of glass and my first reaction was to take him to the doctor. But instead, holding it tight for 30 min (wonderful advice from a great friend) the cut sealed and all that was needed was a band-aid and a tape to hold it on.
Last night, Liam took a face smack to the tile floor. Thankful his blanket took most of the impact I grabbed him and tried to calm him down before I took a look. As I turned him towards me, that is where I saw blood pooling in his mouth. It is funny how my first reaction is automatically take him to the hospital. But as we cleared the blood and found the cut (amazed how much the mouth bleeds, but also how quick it heals) and was able to avoid the ER. As a side note to this...my emotional bank was drained last night. Your kids get hurt, it happens. I understand that. But when he is only 13 months old, you can't help but feel responsible, and your heart breaks that I couldn't protect him. Just some mom feelings.
So as the adventure continues, so does the learning. One of the first signs that we are leaving soon came when I was buying laundry detergent. I grabbed for the big bottle to only put it back because we wont be here long enough to use it. Wow....its really happening.
Thursday, August 9, 2012
Sunday, April 8, 2012
Step 7: The Middle of The Road
SATURDAY LATE NIGHT:
Had a very interesting evening tonight, and since this is a blog, I wont make a long story short. :)
Mark has been gone for a month from the house and trying to shop with a four year old and a nine month old is nearly impossible when you are buying gifts for them. Could it be done...yes...but knowing that Mark would be home and I could join all the other procrastinators at the 24 hour Walmart, I waited til Saturday Night.
I didnt spend much time just picking a little something special for the boys (who am I kidding, it was closer to an hour but what can I say..I am a midwest girl who grew up in Walmart). But I checked out and got in my car and headed to the 24 hour grocery store across the street to pick up tomorrows dinner. Not much drama..I know...I am getting there. I get in my car and head home.
So here is all the excitement you have been waiting for:
On my way home, I like to take the back roads that not many people travel on or know about. The speed limit is 45 and there is little to no street lights. All of a sudden I find myself swerving to miss a girl that is SITTING in the middle of the ROAD (she was wearing all black might I add). I am not one that ignores something and hopes that someone else will handle it. I quickly make a u turn and watch as another car doesn't even see her and literally brushes her with his car. He kept driving...it was obvious that he had no idea that she was sitting there. As I got closer to her I noticed that there was another boy with her. He was standing next to her. Aware that this is a situation where they want you to stop so they have someone waiting to take your car, I drove by them slowly, rolled down the window, and asked what was going on. He looked at me and said an ambulance was on the way (there was no sign that anything physical was wrong, or why she had to wait in the middle of the road for an ambulance). I didnt stop to talk to him, so that was all that I heard as I drove past. She remained in the middle of the road. I was afraid that someone might hit her, so I made another uturn, stayed about 15 yards away from them and put my hazards on and my high beams on them, and called 911. I have to say that every thing in my being was on awareness. I kept my eyes all around in case there was someone that wanted to hurt me. As I talked to 911 the two people stood up and cussed me out to leave them alone. WAS THIS SOME SUCIDE ATTEMPT? I cant even begin to explain all the emotions that were going on. First, my heart was racing as I realized over and over again that I almost TOOK A LIFE, second, I was alert at the fact that this could be just a plot to get someone out of there car to do who knows what, and third, feeling the need to help these young people out becuase it was obvious that they were not okay...SHE WAS SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.
What makes this story that much of a heartache is that while I was on the phone with 911, somehow our signal was crossed and even though I was talking to an agent, I was also hearing all the other 911 calls come in that night. I listened to 3 calls in a row of young girls crying out for help because there friend was committing suicide. The terror and fear in their voice made the situation that much more real. I could hear the girls give there address to the police and I so badly wanted to drive over and help. I felt helpless. I felt the need greater than before of a generation that is hurting. I am not always aware of what to say and what to do, but tonight I know that it is not about that. It is just about caring, being there, about loving. I know growing up was difficult for me, and the one thing that gave me hope was knowing that there was someone that loved me, cared for me, and was willing to fight for me. It is a generation that is more in need of Jesus than ever before. We cant ignore this situation anymore. We have to fight for them.
I am not aware of what happened with the two young people. But tonight I saw the generation that is hurting, the ones that are hidden in the phone calls, that no one else hears, but need help.
SUNDAY AFTERNOON:
I wrote all the above while the emotions were raw and real last night. Today in church I kept having to shake my head to try and dislodge the visual image that plays over and over in my head. An inch later...or a second faster...or....plays over and over. Then I realized that I cant play it like that. I have to see it that God knew what he was doing when he had me drive in that direction. I wasn't meant to hit her, I was there to protect her. I wish I was able to get out of the car and talk to them. Just even letting her know that I cared enough about her life that I would wait there all night til help came. That I DIDNT keep driving. I stopped. I cared.
I dont know. It is one of the situations you ask God about.
Closing thoughts. In church today there was a scripture that stuck out. 2 Corinthians 3:16-18.
16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate[a] the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
The very Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, wants to lift the veil that has been placed over their faces. There is a generation screaming out for help. I know, I heard them on the phone last night.
Had a very interesting evening tonight, and since this is a blog, I wont make a long story short. :)
Mark has been gone for a month from the house and trying to shop with a four year old and a nine month old is nearly impossible when you are buying gifts for them. Could it be done...yes...but knowing that Mark would be home and I could join all the other procrastinators at the 24 hour Walmart, I waited til Saturday Night.
I didnt spend much time just picking a little something special for the boys (who am I kidding, it was closer to an hour but what can I say..I am a midwest girl who grew up in Walmart). But I checked out and got in my car and headed to the 24 hour grocery store across the street to pick up tomorrows dinner. Not much drama..I know...I am getting there. I get in my car and head home.
So here is all the excitement you have been waiting for:
On my way home, I like to take the back roads that not many people travel on or know about. The speed limit is 45 and there is little to no street lights. All of a sudden I find myself swerving to miss a girl that is SITTING in the middle of the ROAD (she was wearing all black might I add). I am not one that ignores something and hopes that someone else will handle it. I quickly make a u turn and watch as another car doesn't even see her and literally brushes her with his car. He kept driving...it was obvious that he had no idea that she was sitting there. As I got closer to her I noticed that there was another boy with her. He was standing next to her. Aware that this is a situation where they want you to stop so they have someone waiting to take your car, I drove by them slowly, rolled down the window, and asked what was going on. He looked at me and said an ambulance was on the way (there was no sign that anything physical was wrong, or why she had to wait in the middle of the road for an ambulance). I didnt stop to talk to him, so that was all that I heard as I drove past. She remained in the middle of the road. I was afraid that someone might hit her, so I made another uturn, stayed about 15 yards away from them and put my hazards on and my high beams on them, and called 911. I have to say that every thing in my being was on awareness. I kept my eyes all around in case there was someone that wanted to hurt me. As I talked to 911 the two people stood up and cussed me out to leave them alone. WAS THIS SOME SUCIDE ATTEMPT? I cant even begin to explain all the emotions that were going on. First, my heart was racing as I realized over and over again that I almost TOOK A LIFE, second, I was alert at the fact that this could be just a plot to get someone out of there car to do who knows what, and third, feeling the need to help these young people out becuase it was obvious that they were not okay...SHE WAS SITTING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE STREET.
What makes this story that much of a heartache is that while I was on the phone with 911, somehow our signal was crossed and even though I was talking to an agent, I was also hearing all the other 911 calls come in that night. I listened to 3 calls in a row of young girls crying out for help because there friend was committing suicide. The terror and fear in their voice made the situation that much more real. I could hear the girls give there address to the police and I so badly wanted to drive over and help. I felt helpless. I felt the need greater than before of a generation that is hurting. I am not always aware of what to say and what to do, but tonight I know that it is not about that. It is just about caring, being there, about loving. I know growing up was difficult for me, and the one thing that gave me hope was knowing that there was someone that loved me, cared for me, and was willing to fight for me. It is a generation that is more in need of Jesus than ever before. We cant ignore this situation anymore. We have to fight for them.
I am not aware of what happened with the two young people. But tonight I saw the generation that is hurting, the ones that are hidden in the phone calls, that no one else hears, but need help.
SUNDAY AFTERNOON:
I wrote all the above while the emotions were raw and real last night. Today in church I kept having to shake my head to try and dislodge the visual image that plays over and over in my head. An inch later...or a second faster...or....plays over and over. Then I realized that I cant play it like that. I have to see it that God knew what he was doing when he had me drive in that direction. I wasn't meant to hit her, I was there to protect her. I wish I was able to get out of the car and talk to them. Just even letting her know that I cared enough about her life that I would wait there all night til help came. That I DIDNT keep driving. I stopped. I cared.
I dont know. It is one of the situations you ask God about.
Closing thoughts. In church today there was a scripture that stuck out. 2 Corinthians 3:16-18.
16 But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate[a] the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit.
The very Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, wants to lift the veil that has been placed over their faces. There is a generation screaming out for help. I know, I heard them on the phone last night.
Wednesday, January 4, 2012
Step 6: I FELL IN LOVE WITH VIETNAM!
SOOOOOOOOOOOOO sorry for the delay.
WOW!! I thought life would slow down enough to get a blog out, but I guessed I lied to myself. So here it is....
See you in Cambodia!!
WOW!! I thought life would slow down enough to get a blog out, but I guessed I lied to myself. So here it is....
I FELL IN LOVE WITH VIETNAM!!
I guess I could end it there but most of you would prob not like that much, so I will go into a little detail.
The flight was interesting. I spent most of the time imagining what it would be like when we took this trip with only a one way ticket. You would think that a 15 hour flight with 2 children would be miserable, and the thoughts that go through your head when you are wondering what lies ahead would make it a very long trip, but as we got on the airplane, both children closed their eyes and what felt like only a few hours, we were landing. I could not have asked for any more amazing children.
After another 4 hour flight and a 4.5 hour drive we were able to step off the bus onto our property for the first time. Here is a video.
One of the ways that you know you can survive in another country is the food. IT WAS AMAZING!! Everything is fresh, and our home has the best fruit on it. Here is a table full of just some of what the land has to offer. All of it is so yummy, and great for you. There is a fruit there that some of the ladies were telling us about that they eat as soon as they get back from America because it flushes out all the bad things in our food. Oops...that wasnt a proud moment. :)
Most of our time in Vietnam was spent in Ho Chi Minh City. We spent 2 days working in a rescue home. Watch how these guys know how to praise. This went on for hours. There was much freedom and you couldn't help but enter the pit. (No I did not take the children in, I barely got out with my life, these guys are crazy amazing)
One of our trips we were able to take was about a 3 hour trek to get to these children, only to spend an hour with them. But well worth it. And the end of the time, we asked the head nurse what happens to these children, do they ever get homes? She looked at us and chickled, and translated back to us, ..."Who would want a throw away vegetable?" We walked away stunned. I am still in silence.
Link to Video: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=665373550934
24 hours a day of bike horns and engines, and the constant sound
of an unknown language. Here is a video of just an example of what the traffic
looks like on a daily basis. It brought this Momma to tears when I had to cross
the street for the first time. Notice the lines and signs are just a suggestion
and a real life version of the game frogger.
MY FAVORITE VIDEO!!!
MY FAVORITE VIDEO!!!
The people here are amazing and LOVE my children would be an understatement. Here are some pics of some of the amazing people. (some of the cutest pics, I cant post for saftey, but these are cute to.) They love to hold babies and they fell in love with Coles red hair and blue eyes. Parents were throwing there kids in the pictures so that they could have one with Cole. Cole plays shy, but he loved it.
All in all, Vietnam was a warm feeling trip. I will get into the 'dirty, heavy duty" stuff on the next blog. I will be honest and let you know that it is hard to write these blogs. Pictures dont just tell a story...they also tell when and where a picture was taken. Many photos I have will never be seen on this site for the sake of those girls. It is a battle unlike I have ever seen before.
But to leave in a good moment...here is a picture of a quail egg. Unlike Marks last trip where he pained himeself all the way through swallowing it, I found it quite tasty.
Here are some photos I can share:
See you in Cambodia!!
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