Change of Plans

Veteran's Day weekend, 2010:

Our plans: To head west to spend the weekend with our families.  We were looking forward to a wonderful weekend of hunting, visiting, cards, and of course, Pinky was hoping for plenty of snuggle time with her grandparents! 

Unfortunately, Pinky woke up with a fever Wednesday morning.  A trip to the walk in clinic brought no answers and no relief for the fever or stuffy nose. 

Thursday morning was more of the same . . . fever, stuffy nose, and an all-around miserable baby.  Another trip to the walk-in clinic.  A stop at the pharmacy.  And a decision to make:  we couldn't take our sick baby out of town . . . but we were hopeful the she would wake up Friday morning feeling much better! 

Friday was day 3 of fevers between 101 and 105.  Surely, this couldn't last much longer!  We snuggled, we napped, we pushed fluids, and we waited . . .

Saturday morning, we woke up to the number we were waiting for:  98.6 on the nose.  Praise the Lord! 

Such a scary feeling to hold in your arms someone so small and helpless.  You can imagine our fears and worries that we have had in the last 3 days as we watched our typically spunky, playful, and smiley little girl suffer. 

And yet, what a blessing and a comfort to know that we live in a place where we have so many services at our fingertips.  We have ask-a-nurse on speed dial . . . a children's walk-in clinic just a 5 minute drive away . . . a fully-stocked pharmacy even closer . . . and an army of prayer warriors praying for Pinky!  It's hard to understand sometimes why we live in a place that is so "rich" with goods, services, and food . . . While others are living in a world of nothing.  No food, no medicine, no doctors, and no hope.

We didn't get to take the trip we had planned this weekend . . . but it was a small sacrifice.  We're safe, we're healthy, and we have a million things to be thankful for this Saturday afternoon.  I can't help but think about the children out there who were born into poverty . . . sick and alone . . . I wonder, are they waiting for a change of plans???

"For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD,
“plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Jeremiah 19:11

Firsts

We have had a lot of firsts in the last year:

First Smile
First Play Date
First Easter
First Road Trip
First Bite of Ice Cream
First Bite of Chocolate Cake
First Day of Daycare
First Halloween
First Bite of Pumpkin Pie

This week we had another . . . Pinky's first ball!

This may shock you to find out, but when it comes to shopping for Pinky, I probably do the bulk of it in our house . . . Her daddy is great at picking up diapers and formula . . . but when it comes to the clothes and other pink necessities, I pretty much have it covered . . . until this week.

The mission:  A trip to Target for diapers and a little rubber ball for the toybox.

Pinky's "Prize":  A mini WNBA Pink/Purple NCAA Basketball!  It's adorable!!!  Needless to say, Pinky loves her first ball .....

and her first coach.