January 2024

January started off with both sets of grandparents taking care of our kids -- Emma and Titus went to Mom-o and Pop's, and Isaac and Josiah went to Papa and Nana's!  Dave and I had two nights to ourselves!  It was delightful!  We played Scrabble, watched Tora, Tora, Tora, shopped, enjoyed a dinner at Mac's with a gift card, and laughed a lot!  

We came home from dinner at Mac's to discover that Tex had eaten two entire chocolate bars.  The chocolate bars were part of a Christmas gift that was still wrapped and under the tree, and we didn't know the gift contained chocolate.  Dave googled how much chocolate a dog can tolerate, and Tex was well within the number of ounces.  He was fine, ha!

Dave and the kids drove to Greenville to pick up our new Rinn Homes trailer! 

We had a belated morning of gingerbread decorating with the Davises - such a fun tradition!

Isaac made homemade pizza for us one evening!

January also means the return of "All Creatures," which is a favorite Sunday evening winter tradition for Dave and me!

We celebrated Dave's 45th birthday a few days early on Sunday, January 7 with Hutchin's BBQ and a Heath ice cream cake!

On Monday, January 8, Emma returned to school, and the boys were due to return the next day.  Josiah had said that he wanted to go to work with Dave one day over Christmas break, so Dave took him to Mom-o and Pop's house to work that Monday.  Dave went up in their attic to do some electrical work, and he realized Josiah had followed him.  Right when he told Josiah that he needed to go back down, Josiah fell through the attic onto the garage floor below.  Josiah says he remembers trying to grab a rafter, which may have slowed him, and he hit a ladder on his way down.  Arturo quickly picked him up and set him on a chair as Dave raced down the stairs to Josiah.  He was bleeding badly on his ear, and Dave knew they needed to go to the ER.  They quickly stopped home to gather snacks, books, and work for Dave to do while they waited.  Josiah was so upset, but talking and responding normally!  At the ER, his CT scan and x-ray were clear!  He had 10 stitches on his ear.  We are still in awe of God's protection of Josiah!  He reluctantly stayed home from school the next day; he was very excited to return to class on Thursday!  The evening of his accident, Josiah wrote in his journal, "God saved my life today." 

resting on the couch after many hours at the emergency room

Another "exciting" event in January was that Titus stuffed two of these little balls up his nose while he was playing playdough one morning!  I got him to blow one out, and Dave was able to dig another one out.  I was sure we were headed for another ER visit.  Emma even told me, "Mom, he's going to put those up his nose!"  Lesson learned - we threw them all away!  

(Also, lesson learned -- Emma knows Titus well!)

January was also filled with many ordinary activities....

...learning to iron,

dress up,

ready for a nap,

washer repair,

exercising,

play dough,

staying moisturized (!!!),

haircuts,

toilet cleaning (or plunging!), 

napping,

tasting two types of bread (at the same time!),

FaceTiming with Linny,

playing at the park,

playing Legos,

playing with construction vehicles,

and cookie baking!

We had a light dusting of snow on Monday, January 15, which was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, so the kids were already off of school.  Even this scant amount is exciting to Texas kids!

On Friday, January 19, Dad had his open heart surgery in Denton.  This has been a long process, and the Lord has been so faithful through it all.  We were so loved by family and friends praying, bringing us dinner, driving Josiah to basketball practice, delivering flowers, and loving us with constant support and concern.  I cannot count the number of loved ones who have repeatedly asked how my dad is doing!

On Sunday, January 14, I attended the 8:00 a.m. service at church.  In an attempt to keep everyone well, we kept Titus out of his class, so we attended different services.  The Lord was so kind to encourage me specifically through each of the songs from that morning service: "The Solid Rock," "The Lord Is My Salvation," and "Christ Our Hope in Life and Death."  The sermon was on Armageddon, which doesn't seem like it would necessarily apply to what we were facing that week -- but, it was so encouraging to be reminded of God's never-changing character and His sovereignty over all things.

On the day of the surgery, I arrived at the hospital around 6:40 a.m.  Randall and Pat were there, as well, to pray with my dad and mom.  After we all prayed for Dad and they took him off to the OR, we went down to the waiting room to find many dear friends of my parents from Denton Bible!  We spent the morning together praying, crying, talking, and drinking coffee.  Dave and Kym came around lunch time to sit with us as well.  I never want to forget everyone who surrounded us that day both in person and through texts and prayer.  My mom and I were able to see Dad later that afternoon.  Friends had warned me how hard it would be to see Dad right out of surgery.  But, praise the Lord, his three bypasses were completed!  I emailed my kids' principals to tell them the update so that they could tell the kids at school.  Later that evening, I went to pick up my kids from Tim and Susie's, and Dave stayed with Mom for awhile.  We visited again throughout the weekend and week.  Dad went into A-fib on the Tuesday morning after his surgery, which was very scary.  Dave stayed with them that entire day and evening.  We were all so relieved when he came out of it - so many family and friends were praying!  Emily came for a visit and to help them transition to home.  

This caused a chuckle at the hospital. 

I am writing this on March 24, and we are all still abounding in praise to the Lord for how well Dad is recovering!  Thank you, Lord, for carrying and providing for us through this time!

"Come and hear, all who fear God, And I will tell of what He has done for my soul.

I cried to Him with my mouth, And He was extolled with my tongue.

If I regard wickedness in my heart, The Lord will not hear;

But certainly God has heard; He has given heed to the voice of my prayer.

Blessed be God, Who has not turned away my prayer nor His lovingkindness from me."

Psalm 66:16-20

Josiah had his 3rd grade medieval festival!  He didn't tell us that he was the dragon in the class play!  This was such a fun surprise, and we loved seeing him act - he was a very dramatic, well-spoken dragon!

Isaac got his new trumpet on January 20!  We were all so happy for him!

Our last big event for January was Isaac's All-State band concert!  He stayed over in Dallas for Thursday and Friday, and then his concert was on Saturday, January 27 at McFarlin Auditorium at SMU!  He was one of only two 8th graders who made the high school All-State band!  (The other 8th grader was from CDA, too!)