Camping Trips, Medicine Cabinets & Misshapen Heads

These past few weeks have been a blur of kids' check-ups, state testing for the Seth & Jarod (they did VERY well, btw), illnesses, trips to the rec center for swimming & exercise and, yes, camping trips. Before Micah's birthday, in one of those blurry weeks, we went on our 1st camping trip this year. It was a ton of fun. I'm not being sarcastic, in case you're wondering. It was wonderful, but it did have it's trying moments. Jarod had been incredibly sick, a few days before we left, with tonsillitis. He was really feeling better & finishing up his antibiotics when we left. Everyone else was fine....until we reached our camp site, that is. Upon arriving, when Titus wouldn't stop being crabby (which does happen quite often, so you can't blame me for not immediately knowing he was sick), I checked his fever & realized he was burning up. I bundled him up with blankets & a pillow on a camp chair & gave him some Motrin. He was like new in an hour, running around & happy. That night, he vomited in the tent. I cleaned that up (while Justin tried to sooth a screaming Isaac, who wanted his mommy and not his daddy!!!), gave Titus some more medicine & then cleaned that up when he immediately puked that up too. It was sheer joy. (That is sarcastic, in case you were wondering.) The next day, Isaac got sick & the day after that, so did Gideon. As long as I kept everyone dosed up on Motrin & Tylenol, they were happy. There was no more puking. Fortunately, I had come prepared. I was hoping no one else would get sick, but I had packed my medicine cabinet anyway to be safe. Justin had bought me a tool chest before we left. It makes a great camping medicine cabinet! I love it. OK. So, it's not hard to please me. Anyway, between medicine doses, the camping trip was very fun for all of us. Lots of bike riding, fishing, bug & snake hunting, roasting marsh mellows, etc........

When we got home, Seth got sick also. He recovered pretty quickly. Isaac took FOREVER to get well, but he finally did. Micah was the only one kid who didn't get sick. I've been trying to get all the boys' check-ups done. Before the camping trip, Titus, Gideon, Isaac & Micah had all had their check ups. Seth & Jarod had theirs when we got home. At Isaac's check up, the doctor told me that his head was shaped in a certain, rather concerning way (he called it "Cranial-Something-Something" I believe) & sent him to a facial, cranial specialist. It was about 2 long weeks before that appointment. 2 long weeks of me waiting, trying not to imagine Isaac's brain being crushed from inside, or having difficulty finding a wife someday due to the horns growing out of his skull. When I finally took him to his appointment with the specialist, she said he is fine & not to worry. His head is, however, in the 98th percentile for size in kids his age. He gets that from his father. She does want to take measurements again in a few months to be safe, but she is not concerned at all. Praise God.

At Seth's check up, the doctor looked at a lesion the dentist had found in his mouth. Now Seth needs to have an appointment with an ear, nose & throat specialist to have the lesion removed & biopsied. Yes, biopsied. He did say he thinks it's something minor. He just wants to be sure. Sigh. This mom-thing is going to give me an ulcer. Oh wait. It already has. I have 6 kids. I am going to have to find a way to not panic & feel this dread every time something is wrong. But the thought of anything even happening to one of them.......ugh. So. I'm am trying to focus on some verses, including Matthew 6:34 "So don't worry about tomorrow. Tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." & Psalm 55:22 "Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you;" I probably have a couple more long weeks to wait for this specialist appointment. I can't do anything about that. I can't do anything about Seth's lesion. The doctor said it's "probably minor". I'm going with that. For now. Seth is healthy today. I have my sweet babies all healthy & happy today. Thank you, Jesus.