We were able to visit with B's parents, both B's brothers and sister-in-law, some family friends and Brandon's grandparents for a few days at a family friend's hunting lodge. The 10-hour trip to WI with three kids under the age of five was actually worth it, and the kids did a pretty good job considering. At the lodge, we were able to go swimming in the indoor pool (with a slide), watch movies in the theater, play outside on the tennis and pickle-ball courts, and go for rides on the 4-wheelers and rangers. The kiddos had a wonderful time and we were able to spend some quality family time together, which has been sparce lately.
Bennett is getting bigger and stronger every day, and now is rolling around the house and even sitting up on his own for a few minutes at a time! He is still the happiest baby I've ever seen and continues to amaze me each day. He loves to watch his older brother and sister, and I know it won't be long until he is keeping up with them. However, with him getting so big and strong, his siblings now think that he can be carried around without issue. This poor boy is getting so tough! Those kids love their "baby Bennett" a little TOO much sometimes!
We got home from our vacation (the last big trip of the summer) on Sunday night. Monday Brandon stayed home to help me get squared away after being gone for so much this summer. We all went to my softball games and then we headed back home and got the kids ready for bed. B went to bed early that night too. Around 1145 pm, I was sitting downstairs looking at some recipies I wanted to try when I heard a loud thud followed by some loud crying. I ran upstairs to find Sophia lying on her hardwood floor in tears and favoring her arm. Mind you- we had just recently moved her to a twin bed and that night was the first that I hadn't laid pillows on the floor in case she fell. She kept crying that her neck and shoulder hurt and she wouldn't let me touch either. She kept telling me she didn't want to go to the doctor, and she didn't want to get a shot. I convinced her to come sit with me on the couch and watch some TV to calm down. She got some tylenol and some water and, after debating whether or not to take her into the ER, decided that if she could sleep I would leave her alone and call the clinic in the morning. She finally fell asleep around 2 am.
The next morning, I went into Sophia's room to wake her. She awoke with a smile: "My arm doesn't hurt so much anymore, Mommy." Then she moved. And so came the tears. "Nevermind, it still hurts a LOT Mommy. I think I need to see the doctor today." She was still very tender on her right arm, and now there was a big blue bruise on her right shoulder. I called and made an appointment for that afternoon. I dropped all the kids at daycare and gave the girls instructions to watch Sophia closely due to her arm. That afternoon, I picked up Sophia and off to the clinic we went. We got in to see Dr. Swank and she ordered the standard x-ray.
Down in the radiology waiting room, we checked in and were waiting for our turn. While there, I saw a friend of mine come from ultrasound. I knew she had an appointment that day to find out the sex of her unborn baby. Unfortunately, she and her husband got some bad news about her baby and she said she thought of me right away (because of all I went through with Bennett, and she remembered all of the stuff I went through with Sophia as well- I couldn't believe she remembered that!- and how I had been so blessed as to have healthy babies, even with relatively bleak outcomes). We hugged and I tried to reassure her that God has a plan and His plan will bring good from this situation. I hate that anyone else has to feel the way we did when we first got the news about Bennett. I remember the guilt and the ache in my heart just wanting my unborn baby to be perfect and not suffer. When Sophia and I went back to x-ray and were waiting for the tech, the two of us said a prayer for my friend, her husband, and her precious baby and they have remained in our prayers daily since then. When the tech returned, she brought the machine over and Sophia remarked "that's a really big camera!!"
