Joshua, Caleb, Hannah-Grace and I hit the official Appalachian Trail. It runs about eight miles from our house. I am still prepping for them for an overnight camping trip and perhaps a log hike. So I put a pack on them with water, and various needed medications, and a stick. You gotta have a stick if you are in the woods — it’s a guy thing, or a kid thing, I forget which.

The grandmothers have purchased the grandchildren a playset for the backyard. I only mention it because of the size and number of the boxes that were delivered to our home via the internet. I need to have the backyard leveled and then to build a box around the set, construct the set, and then put mulch around it in the box. Maybe it will be done by the time they go back to school in the fall (ha, ha – so seriously it’s huge).

Hannah-Grace was introduced to the Frederick County Emergency Room the other night. All the children were going up to bed, and somehow going up the stairs H-G hurt her arm. My theory is that as she hung from my back jeans pockets she incurred a mild nursemaid’s elbow sprain.

http://orthopedics.about.com/od/pediatricfractures/a/nursemaid.htm

She immediately complained of pain in her arm, but I could not imagine from what. She didn’t fall, and her brothers were no where around. But, she wouldn’t let me touch her arm, and all she wanted to do was lay down and go to sleep – she even wanted me to close her door (which is unusual). I waited for her to go to sleep and went into her room to look at the arm. Even asleep she was holding it and grimaced when I moved it.

So I told Kimberly what was going on, I carried her to the van and into the emergency room. We were blessed in that on a Monday night they were not very busy and we were in a room in about twenty minutes. She was very brave and after the nurse gave her some Motrin/Tylenol she began to be able to move it. They took x-rays and after about three hours she was given the “all clear.”

In between doctors, nurses, and a trip to x-ray H-G and I prayed that her arm would get better and to be honest I had actually forgotten that we did. But by the end of the night H-G bent her arm and said, “Look daddy, Jesus made my arm better!” And I said, “Yes He did, H-G, yes He did.”

It’s been about a week now and the arm is as good as new. Oh, the cast is just for looks! She really didn’t need it, but the nurse thought it would help.

I also was able to get some good shots of the boys in their swim class.

I was up to past 12 last night laying everything out, packing snacks, checking and double checking that I had everything needed for a photo shoot (bobby pins, lipstick, hair piece, etc…) along with all the stuff needed for the boy’s swim lesson, and an infant.

I did H-G’s hair (it took me a few tries) and pinned and sprayed down everything. We got there a whole ten minutes early, but ended up having to wait forty minutes until our turn. So I had a little girl who was ready to dance, dressed in a spotless white dress with delicate flowers and a face full of makeup and lipstick. She was very active but was very good. I ended up with little lips on my pants by my knee, but that’s ok because I forgot that after you put on lipstick you are supposed to blot. Kimberly didn’t remind me of that during our practice round. Anyway after finally having her picture, I realized that I left the checkbook at home –oh no! The photographer was nice and said I could mail it in. swewhhh. Beside the check, I also forgot to pack H-G a shirt, so she kept her sweat jacket on all day.

I am glad that the minister’s wives retreat is only once a year!