Our first broken bone

One thing that we have never had in our house is a broken bone...until Wednesday, October 20. We had just finished getting everyone bathed, and we were trying to get ready for church. The girls ran into their bedrooms and quickly shut their doors in an attempt to keep Annie out of their rooms. Annie can flatten, I mean flatten, a room quicker than you can blink. I have never had one of my girls who can do this like she can.

When one of the doors was shut, Annie started screaming. Honestly, I thought at first that she was angry that she couldn't get in the room and was standing their "holding" the door in an attempt to get the door opened. It took me a few seconds to realize that Annie's ring finger had been shut in the door. I banged on the door and started screaming for the door to be opened. When I got A's finger out, it was flat. I have never seen anything like it. I was able to get our pediatrician's office to see Annie in their after hours clinic. The x-ray revealed that the finger was broken.

On my birthday and after Ellie's field trip, Annie and I headed to Ortho Arkansas to see what the next steps were in helping Annie's finger heal. I have to say that Annie handled this like a champ! She was careful with it, but she went about her day like there wasn't anything wrong. The orthopedic doctor said that he couldn't see a break, but he had to get the swelling down. He put Annie in a hard split for 5 days.

Annie playing Mollie's DS while we waited to see the doctor.

Annie showing off her splint!
She just sat there and watched the nurse put it on. It was amazing!!

Annie had to learn to rely more on her left hand than she ever had before this.

Such a trooper!

We go back to see Dr. Thompson next Tuesday. He'll tell us then what we need to do next. Annie is being very careful with her hand. There have been times that I have forgotten about the finger and wiped her hands after a meal. Annie has just about come out of the highchair! The swelling is a bit better, but she's still having pain. So, we shall see.

I should note that the sister who accidentally caused this damage was physically sick about it. I had to threaten her that she had better not throw up. Bless her heart! There was just no way that I could have handled puke on top of a sobbing baby. All is well now, and no one has shut a door around here without first checking for fingers. :)

Field Trip with a special guest!

It had been almost three months when Caleb flew home from DC for his fall break! We were so excited. I told everyone that he was really coming home for my birthday but didn't want to admit it. ha! Caleb flew in on October 20th just in time for Ellie's field trip to the pumpkin patch! It always seems that whenever Ellie's class is scheduled for a field trip like this one I am not able to get off of work. This year, I made sure that I could get off work. It worked out perfectly because they were going on my birthday - October 21. I was so excited. Caleb up for the adventure, so we headed to Mayflower to Shaeffer's & Collin's Pumpkin Patch with the entire first grade at AB.

We had a great time! We all took a hayride out to the fields to pick a pumpkin. Then we headed back to the playground area where the kids ate their lunch and played.

Ellie and Caleb ready for the adventure!

Ellie and me
(my camera is messed up so my pics are a little fuzzy)

Ellie on the hayride

Ellie and Caleb with their pumpkins.

Ellie's class - they are an amazing group of kids

Ellie enjoying her shaved ice.

Pumpkins, Pumpkins, Pumpkins

A few weeks ago, I was trying to figure out how in the world I could plan a field trip for First Kids Day Out. We are about 3 or 4 weeks out on our construction project at church. If you haven't heard about this, our church is remodeling our first floor and my office! Whoohoo! It looks great, but I can't move in yet. Argh! This project has made my job at FKDO a little challenging. So, God gave me the idea that it would be so great to create our own pumpkin patch. Fortunately, my sweet boss and friend Cherie thought it was a great idea and was ready to help.

Kroger was willing to order the pumpkins for us and even gave us a discount - even better! We ordered 80 pumpkins for FKDO and the K3 at Arkansas Baptist. Our K3 kiddos (this is Mollie's grade) are not old enough to ride the bus which means they don't get a field trip. So, we created our own pumpkin wonderland that they could enjoy as well! One of our sweet families at church let us use their tractor and trailer for a hayride; and our youth pastor Jay Jacobs was gracious and drove the hayride for us! The kids had a BLAST!!

Our pumpkin wonderland

It was so cold and windy on Pumpkin Day. Mrs. Maria loaded up Annie's class and brought them out to see all the pumpkins.

Annie was so glad to be outside!

Even Annie's class got to take home pumpkins. All of our kiddos took home a pumpkin, and they enjoyed getting to add special face stickers to their pumpkin. They were so cute!

Mollie and her friend Haven were so excited to get a pumpkin!

Mark and Mollie - these two are so funny together. I fully expect to some day call him my son-in-law. ;)

Our hayride

Noah found the perfect pumpkin!

Britt was thrilled to get to watch Sam while Mandy was watching Noah enjoy pumpkin day at FKDO. Sam was an angel!

Mollie and her friends enjoyed riding in the wagon almost as much as they enjoyed the hayride!

Mollie and her class enjoyed a lunch of chicken nuggets, mashed potatoes, grapes and sugar cookies. Pretty sure it was a fabulous day in K3!

Before I left for home after our wild day at FKDO, I got to stop by and check on my girl. She was having lunch with friends and having a great day! She is growing up so fast!!

Pumpkin Day was such an amazing day. I was so tired when I got home, but I went home with such a full heart. My amazing staff was unbelievable. They were so flexible and just ready to focus on the kids. Our amazing church staff was ready and willing to do whatever needed to be done to make the day a success. (Moving 80 pumpkins is not an easy task!) And the kids.....they could not have been any better behaved. It was wonderful. God was so gracious to give us a beautiful day. The sun was shining. It was wonderful!

One of the construction workers who has been working at our church made the comment that "y'all sure do a lot for your kids around here." What an amazing compliment. Ya know, that's why I do what I do. God has brought amazing kids to our church, and I am so grateful. Plus as part of that, He has given me the opportunity to do fun things for my kids as a result. God is just so good!