Kissing my two high school aged kids goodbye and giving them last minute instructions to watch out for each other, they were off with their youth group for a fun filled week at church camp.
Having our oldest living in California and our other two gone at camp we had a full week of no kids.
This was a rare treat, we not only have our own kids, we often have their many friends at our home too.
I truly love the laughter and excitement and even the noise and expense that comes from hosting gaming parties or pool parties to all nighters watching videos.
This was a rare treat, we not only have our own kids, we often have their many friends at our home too.
I truly love the laughter and excitement and even the noise and expense that comes from hosting gaming parties or pool parties to all nighters watching videos.
We considered going on vacation while the kids were gone.
We would only need to hire the neighbor boy to keep the dog, cat and turtles alive.
Keep the pool chemicals accurate so it doesn't resemble a swamp, not that we've ever experienced that before.
Fetch the mail and take out the garbage and so on.
We would only need to hire the neighbor boy to keep the dog, cat and turtles alive.
Keep the pool chemicals accurate so it doesn't resemble a swamp, not that we've ever experienced that before.
Fetch the mail and take out the garbage and so on.
I am a vacation lover so this was a bit of a sacrifice to stay home.
However, my husband is a vacation liker.
We purchased the needed supplies, all much more than I would ever think to paint a regular old house.
In his wisdom he suggests that we use our very limited time wisely and take on a project to do something slightly more productive and much more needed.
We agreed to the ever popular staycation to paint the house.
We purchased the needed supplies, all much more than I would ever think to paint a regular old house.
In one weekend were able to accomplish the first floor.
Amazing how fast you can get jobs done without interruptions, this staycation thing is not so bad after all.
Wondering how long the wait times were at Disneyland I tried tricking myself into thinking I would be miserable just standing there in the sun, chatting with the people around us while chomping on a Churro.
Really, Disneyland without the kids?
Unthinkable!!!
And even though we were technically on a staycation I needed to head into work for a couple of days so back to our schedule of getting up to an alarm clock.
Waking up the next morning I felt with a strong desire to connect with our son. The mama bear in me was sensing my duty to protect for some reason.
Knowing he was at camp and unreachable I decided to just pray for him.
Still feeling uneasy I asked my husband if he was feeling liked he missed him.
No he replied, are you?
Yeah, kinda. I don't know, just uneasy is all.
We together prayed for our son, for protection and inclusiveness, for safety and fun.
Knowing he was at camp and unreachable I decided to just pray for him.
Still feeling uneasy I asked my husband if he was feeling liked he missed him.
No he replied, are you?
Yeah, kinda. I don't know, just uneasy is all.
We together prayed for our son, for protection and inclusiveness, for safety and fun.
Still uneasy I arrive at church where I work as an admin.
Making my way up to my cubical I stop by a friends desk.
Her son is at camp too.
I ask her how her week is going and if she is missing him.
Well, not really, she said, are you?
Making my way up to my cubical I stop by a friends desk.
Her son is at camp too.
I ask her how her week is going and if she is missing him.
Well, not really, she said, are you?
Actually I am.
I tell her of how much I am missing him and how I awoke with an intense desire of protection.
She pointed out how odd that seemed since my kids were often gone all summer serving somewhere or at one camp or another and that this was unusual for me.
I agreed, went into my cubicle and tried to shake this fear that was now overtaking me.
I pray the promises from God.
Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
I tell her of how much I am missing him and how I awoke with an intense desire of protection.
She pointed out how odd that seemed since my kids were often gone all summer serving somewhere or at one camp or another and that this was unusual for me.
I agreed, went into my cubicle and tried to shake this fear that was now overtaking me.
I pray the promises from God.
Philippians 4:6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.
Also this one; 1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.
I pray and pray and pray.
And then I cry.
I attempt to work, opening my email, sorting through papers on my desk but not feeling very productive.
A couple of hours pass. The ringing of my phone jolts me back to reality.
A couple of hours pass. The ringing of my phone jolts me back to reality.
Val, there is an urgent call for you on line one.
Fully expecting this call my trembling fingers pick up the phone and press line one.
Unsure who would be on the other end and of what I would hear, I nearly vomited, right there in my cube.
Not very mama bear like I know.
Hi Val, this is Julie. We are here at the hospital with your son, he will be having a few stitches.
I am calming down a little just hearing Julie.
Stitches, I am sure he could sew himself up by how many times he has been stitched and glued back together over the years.
Okay I reply with a nervous laughter, stitches aren't so bad.
How many I ask, she didn't know.
Let me have the surgeon walk you through it.
The calm I was starting to feel was quickly replaced by the intense feeling to vomit again after hearing the word surgeon.
Hello Mrs. Stuart, this is doctor so and so.
Looks like your son had a boating accident.
We will need to do several layers of stitches and then staples.
The wound is about 5 inches long and 2 inches deep.
We are not sure, but think it is close to the bone.
We are prepping him now, waiting for the IV to be placed and the pain meds to start.
We will place a drain to decrease infection as well.
Unsure who would be on the other end and of what I would hear, I nearly vomited, right there in my cube.
Not very mama bear like I know.
Hi Val, this is Julie. We are here at the hospital with your son, he will be having a few stitches.
I am calming down a little just hearing Julie.
Stitches, I am sure he could sew himself up by how many times he has been stitched and glued back together over the years.
Okay I reply with a nervous laughter, stitches aren't so bad.
How many I ask, she didn't know.
Let me have the surgeon walk you through it.
The calm I was starting to feel was quickly replaced by the intense feeling to vomit again after hearing the word surgeon.
Hello Mrs. Stuart, this is doctor so and so.
Looks like your son had a boating accident.
We will need to do several layers of stitches and then staples.
The wound is about 5 inches long and 2 inches deep.
We are not sure, but think it is close to the bone.
We are prepping him now, waiting for the IV to be placed and the pain meds to start.
We will place a drain to decrease infection as well.
Can I talk to him?
That is not possible right now, how about his sister, can you talk to her?
My heart smiled, of course I will talk to her, so happy they remembered my instructions to watch out for each other.
That is not possible right now, how about his sister, can you talk to her?
My heart smiled, of course I will talk to her, so happy they remembered my instructions to watch out for each other.
She was unclear what happened exactly but from what she could piece together, the boys were on the boat dock just horsing around.
There was suggestion that he was knocked under the water and perhaps snagged his arm on the propeller or something sticking out off the dock.
Hearing his voice in the background she holds the phone up to his ear.
He tells me he will be ok and begs to stay at camp.
There was suggestion that he was knocked under the water and perhaps snagged his arm on the propeller or something sticking out off the dock.
Hearing his voice in the background she holds the phone up to his ear.
He tells me he will be ok and begs to stay at camp.
After 60 stitches and 15 staples he is ready to head back to camp...
The surgeon calls again to recap how things went and asks if I saw the pictures I was sent. Yes I replied.
You are very calm for the severity of this injury.
She went on to share that if it had been anywhere else on his body we would be having a very different discussion.
If this would have been his face he likely wouldn't have survived the trauma.
His neck, for sure not.
His abdomen, likely severe damage to major organs. His back, you get the picture.
This was the only place that he could have had this severe of an injury and survive with a great prognosis.
I understand fully what could have happened and how God prepared me all morning for this call.
You are very calm for the severity of this injury.
She went on to share that if it had been anywhere else on his body we would be having a very different discussion.
If this would have been his face he likely wouldn't have survived the trauma.
His neck, for sure not.
His abdomen, likely severe damage to major organs. His back, you get the picture.
This was the only place that he could have had this severe of an injury and survive with a great prognosis.
I understand fully what could have happened and how God prepared me all morning for this call.
We did let him stay at camp with strict instructions to follow doctors orders.
Once things calmed down, I recounted the events of the day.
What time did this happen?
Exactly when I was In my cube, praying, almost without ceasing, crying without reason, or so I thought.
Once things calmed down, I recounted the events of the day.
What time did this happen?
Exactly when I was In my cube, praying, almost without ceasing, crying without reason, or so I thought.
God was by his side in the lake and by my side in my cube.
Ahhhh, Val, you're such a Mama Bear, with such great intuition...good radar!! Your heart is a wonderfully tender, huge place :) Sometimes mama's just know, don't we?
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