Our Family Update

Here's how we're doing, person-by-person:

BRONSON:  I think Bronson's getting a little better.  He doesn't cough as much as he did a week or two ago.  He still wakes up pretty stuffy and drippy, but otherwise seems to be fine.  He's a holy terror, though.  He has a freaky sixth sense for any time that a bathroom door is left open in the house - even for a few seconds. He's also a garbage digger, choking-hazard-finder, present unwrapper, DVD unshelfer.  He is a very tall toddler, so it's hard to keep stuff out of his reach.  I feel like I can never get ahead while he's awake because of how destructive he can be, but he's so cute and smiley the whole time that I have a hard time being angry with him.  He's not a very big fan of all the attention Josh has been getting and he wants to be held ALL THE TIME!!!!  He also needs a haircut desperately.  His hair grows straight out and he looks like a little puff ball. 

JOSH:  What a hard week Josh has had.  There were a few times when I thought things were getting better, but they weren't.  He's been refusing to eat or drink more than a sip here and there for days.  He's skin-and-bones, pale, weak and very VERY cranky.  For a day or so I thought we might have to take him back to the hospital to get an IV.  He HATES taking his medicine.  Not only does it taste yucky to him, but I think it burns his throat.  I have to force it down his throat every few hours around the clock.  He's screaming and crying and choking - I feel like I'm water boarding him.  It's a nightmare.  I  hope it will all be worth it in the end. On a good note, he seemed to turn a corner yesterday.  He woke up miserable, threw up everywhere and cried for about an hour.  Then, he took a bath and asked for scrambled eggs, which he ate and kept down.  He ate a few more things throughout the day.  He even came to our Sunday night visits with the girls and I.  Last night was rough, though.  He woke up many times screaming.  We're not in the clear yet.

 

NICOLE:  Nicki got her hard cast on last Friday.  She was having a hard time choosing which color to go with (she was leaning toward red for Christmas) until she heard that she could have glow-in-the-dark!  Then her mind was completely made up.  It's awesome!  She was very brave while they put it on.  She didn't cry or freak out, even when she saw how black-and-blue-and-purple her arm was with three pieces of metal poking out of it.  She hasn't been complaining of the pain much any more.  In fact, the doctor warned me that in about a week, she'll be banging it around and using it as a weapon.  Great.  We took her to the store on her way back to school and let her buy a pack of colorful permanent markers so she can have her friends sign her cast.  She was thrilled.

ALISON:  About once per day, I go on the hunt for Alison.  She's usually reading a book somewhere.  She recently had her reading level bumped up at school and she's been loving the tougher books she can read.  When I find her, I kiss her on the head, say hello and thank her for not needing me right now.  She has been earnestly praying for it to snow before Christmas.  I hope for her sake that it does.

DAVID:  David has been getting more and more sick every day.  He's coughing all the time, dripping sweat, even when he just sits there, and aching all over especially in his head.  His cough keeps me up during the few hours per night that I'm not taking care of some kid.  He went to the doctor on Saturday because he could tell that it had gotten to the pneumonia stage.  It had.  He got a shot of steroids and a shot of antibiotics right there, then started a round of antibiotics at home as well.  Hopefully that will help soon, but last night was terrible.  I guess a blessing in all this is that his work is frighteningly slow right now.  He doesn't have to worry about getting coverage so he can take time off.  (The work situation is pretty bad.  The nursing home shut down half the building last week because the census is so low.  We're not sure what the future holds).  Dave's been home with the boys quite a bit this past weekend while the girls and I ran errands, went to a baptism, attended church and delivered neighborhood gifts.  He's been reading, watching lots of videos with Josh and playing old-school video games (that's what he's doing in his picture).  He's also been thinking about making exercise videos for nursing homes to play for their residents.  I think that's a great idea.  He certainly has the expertise.

KELLEY:  I'm tired.  Really, REALLY tired.  On top of all the medical issues around here, I've got church responsibilities (did I mention that I haven't been released as choir director yet so I'm doing double duty until after the Christmas program?), Christmas shopping to finish, tons of wrapping to do, parties to prepare for (I accepted the assignment to be in charge of Alison's class party the day before Nicki broke her arm and all heck broke loose around here), books and books that I'll never have time to read, worries over Dave's work and extended family challenges, an extra kid to bathe, dress, wipe, etc. since Nicki is one-armed, empty cupboards (and budget), laundry and dishes piling up, and a baby following me around wanting to be held unless he's too busy destroying something.  At least I'm not milking goats.  We're planning on going to Utah on Friday so I have to be completely ready for Christmas by Thursday night.  I know it will all get done, but I honestly can't imagine how.