Daughter of the King: February 2011

A LOT has happened since September. I can’t believe I’ve let things go so long before writing now. I guess I will give an update on everyone’s lives.

Me: Well, I’m still working full time at our church. Loving it! Couldn’t imagine not having this job. (aka ministry!) Though, I work through the week by a checklist and my calendar, and it makes the weeks go by so fast! I’ve always said it seems I live my life by the church calendar. Staying busy at home as well taking care of B, our home, and now Jeff (this will be explained in a moment!). I’m beginning to get my VBS thinking cap on and starting to get things in order. I love to get a good head start on organizing it, that way when it gets down to the last month before VBS I can relax, and help anyone else as needed. I’m getting ready to head up the Easter choir as well here in a couple of weeks. This is a ministry I really, really like!

Jeff: He had been staying very busy with work. Back around Thanksgiving he began a new run that took him out to the East coast each week, and he pretty much stayed out there until he came home. He would be gone from Sunday afternoon until Friday evening. So, it was a long week for me, and very short weekends for the both of us.

Jeff has always driven a semi since we have been together, so I have always had a fear in the back of my mind that something could happen. However, I would say that 90% of the time I don’t let that fear over take me and just go about my daily tasks here at home, trusting God to take care of and protect Him. But, on Monday, February 7 at 7:30 a.m. I received a phone call I have dreaded to receive. Jeff had been in an “extremely violent crash” as the media called it. When I was told what had happened, although I was calm, I couldn’t gather my thoughts or even know what to say. I hung up, and called my mom to have her drive down from Indianapolis. The only thing I could do was wait. I didn’t know the extent of his injuries or any other details. After finally being able to speak with a doctor, I was told his lower spine was fractured and he was being flown from one hospital in southern PA to Pittsburgh to a Trauma center. Then, I had to wait another 2-3 hours for an update from that hospital to find out any more details. All I can say is that God spared his life in so many ways. The only injuries Jeff received from this crash were his fractured lower spine, and two very small cuts on his left arm. No other broken bones, no deep cuts requiring stitches or anything of that sort, no internal injuries, and NOTHING on his head/face. I say this because the semi flipped and landed on the driver side. Jeff’s seatbelt saved his head from hitting the driver’s side window, even though it had shattered as well. He was able to literally climb out of the cab (with a couple of stranger’s help) and walk a few feet before collapsing to the ground. I can tell you that if the crash happened a few feet earlier the end of the guard rail could have smashed through the driver’s window. I can tell you that if it weren’t for the guard rail, his semi would have gone down a ravine. I can tell you that there was NO oncoming traffic going east on the other side of Interstate 70 when Jeff’s semi went airborne over the median and flipped over onto it. God spared his life! We are so so thankful that Jeff is here at home, and recovering. It’s a miracle I could bring him home from Pittsburgh just 3 days after the accident. All of the doctors were shocked that Jeff walked away with only the injury he has. God certainly had his hand of protection on Jeff!

So, although Jeff is beginning to get around much better than at first, there are still quite a few things I have to do for him, or help him with as he is in a back brace for 6 weeks and cannot twist, lean over, cross his arms in front, lift anything more than 10lbs, or sit on a regular chair. He either lays in bed or sits in the wheelchair. BUT for this season of life, we will endure it because it could have been much worse. Now we just wait to see a neurosurgeon for more xrays and a follow up visit. Jeff said today, he is bored out of his mind.

Brandon: 7 ½ months old! Wow…my baby boy is growing! Back at his 6 month checkup (the beginning of January) he weighed 18.4 pounds, and was 28.5 inches long! He is in the 60th percentile for his weight, and 95th percentile for his height! We’ve got a tall, slender boy on our hands! I’m sure he has grown some more as I have had to put away more clothes that are just too short!

Fun facts:
**He is on the brink of crawling! He has been up on all fours for some time now rocking, and has started to move his legs, but gets frustrated because he hasn’t quite mastered moving his hands just yet!

**Loves to eat! Anything, really! He’s eating squash, sweet potatoes, carrots, green beans, peas, mixed veggies, peaches, bananas, applesauce, mixed fruit, apples/blueberries and other fruit varieties! He gets mad if he can’t sample what you’re eating. He loves to drink from a straw! He is learning to drink from a sippy cup too; he’s getting the hang of it!

**Loves his mommy…He is going through a stage right now that if someone tries to hold him (and he is not too familiar with them) and I’m around, he puckers up his bottom lip and just lets loose. He is enjoying all his daddy time though. It’s a treat!

**He is just about out of 6-9 months onesies and other items as they are just too short after washing them. He is still in 6-9 month sleepers and sweats/cotton pants, but in 3-6 months jeans. His little waist won’t keep 6-9 month jeans up. They just fall right off when you pick him up.

**He drinks about five 6 oz. bottles a day, along with his food. He’s a hungry boy, but very active. He loves jumping in his jumperoo! He goes CrAzY in that thing!

**The last several days he has been going to bed without being rocked to sleep (which I’ve done since birth), and has been sleeping from about 9-5 or 9-6. I don’t know how long this will last, but it has been GREAT!

If you have endured this loooong post, I applaud you! But, it wouldn’t be complete without a few pictures from the past 5 months.