Delightful Deliveries

 After several attempts - and failures - to revive the toilet troubled iPhone I finally gave in and paid the extraordinarily high deductible for my "insurance" and voila!  The next day, I had someone else's ruined phone that they refurbished and sent to me. 

 I don't know that I have ever been so happy about a package arriving.  It's not like I have this love affair with my iPhone - I didn't want the dang thing in the first place.  I begged them to upgrade my old phone, and they laughed at me, and then they gave me the iPhone for free.  I do, however, enjoy being able to communicate with my friends and family members.  I have discovered through sad personal experience that a phone is about as essential as oxygen these days.  I was beyond glad to have one again.

 And the same blessed day, this beauty showed up.  We spent the last 5 years living outside of city limits, which means outside of city utility services.  Not anymore my friends.  We have lived in our house for a month now and we have made lots of trips to the dump.  Now we have our very own city garbage can.  This is a very happy thing.

 Why, you might ask, is my toddler precariously perched on the edge of his high chair tray?  Well because I strapped him in safely, left the kitchen momentarily for an emergency bathroom break, and came back to this.  The scariest part is that the bag of dried fruit that he is holding (and that he kindly dumped all over the floor) was on the kitchen table when I left, which means he somehow stretched himself across the tray to the table to obtain the fruit in the first place.  I may not survive this child.

 I consider myself lucky when he chooses to play in the cabinets rather than between my legs when I am trying to make dinner.

 Jeff's work schedule is harder for all of us than we had anticipated.  I don't think Jeff gets one ounce of time to himself during the 17 hours that he is here each week.  None of us can get enough of our dad.

In the effort to transform our house into a home, Jeff has been hanging pictures. Isaac got the privilege of being hoisted up onto the "plant shelf" to help arrange decorations (aka dust collectors) up there. (Side note: I don't know why this area is called a plant shelf.  It will never shelve plants because I couldn't water them, and I refuse to adorn them with plastic greenery...ick.)

 Levi pretty much got shafted this wrestling season.  His brother's extended hospital stay didn't leave any time for wrestling tournaments.  He got to compete this last weekend for the first time and took second.  He is looking forward to trying some freestyle and Greco to extend his season.

 Life is getting back to normal around here, or we are adjusting to our new normal - I'm not sure which.  Our days consist of all the normal stuff like sending the kids off to school, laundry, dishes, bills, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning, homework, programs, practices, and all the rest.  But Isaac can't do any of that.  Keeping him healthy means keeping him away from stores and preschool and sports class.  In order for me to watch Daisy and Levi participate in anything, I rely so much on our amazing family members for help because Jeff is usually out of state with work.  Along with the standard everyday list of things to do, I have tried to incorporate more storytime, play time, and enjoy-my-amazing-kids time. 

Isaac is getting stronger every day.  His appetite has returned to normal and he is sleeping a little better at night.  He still tires easily, but is not lethargic anymore.  He is able to climb up the stairs without asking for help or stopping to catch his breath.  He is still on medication, and he will continue to follow up at Primary Children's, but aside from keeping him away from as many germs as possible, he doesn't feel or seem sick at all.  That is a really good feeling.

And after prayers and scriptures when I kiss my babies and tuck them into bed, I go back to to the kitchen to do the dishes and count my blessings.  I never cease to feel amazed at the ways I witness God's hand in my life.  I am ever thankful for His patience with my endless imperfections, and for His love in the midst of my mistakes.  I want to be the kind of parent He is.