The Incredibles

I absolutely loved The Incredibles. In fact I have a favorite scene, the dinner table. Now I never thought of myself as having super powers and surely not as a super hero. But, I sure could relate to the Incredibles family sitting down to eat a meal together. After that I was almost convinced that I too had super hero powers. Thankfully my children don’t fight and squabble with each other. However, just trying to get them to the table and to sit in their chairs long enough to serve their plate to them is a mighty super task in itself. Then the enormous endeavor to keep the cups from spilling, the plates from flying, the food out of the dog’s mouth and the dog’s mouth out of the food. Holding on to the table with amazing stretch ability as to keep it upright while holding on to my chair with all my might, mind and strength all while keeping my youngest’s fork from missing my mouth and gouging out an eye as he insists I try a bite of his food. Now, if by the time this event has come to a close and I or anyone for that matter has been able to ingest as much food as there is on my lap or tabletop then I feel victorious in that I have conquered the impossible.

The after math is a sight, the true remains of a battle well fought. No, ground left untouched, literally. After their tiny little hands clear their places their little feet carry them away at lightening speeds off to other adventures. And it was all just one big blur as I gasp for air and wipe my brow. Now the insurmountable task that only super human powers could take on…clean up. And as I’m rolling up my sleeves and putting on my waders I’m informed that the young men’s presidency is meeting at our house in an hour. So, I kick it into high with some of my own lightening speed reserves and yes it all gets done in time even with a quick swipe over the dust on the piano.

After viewing Mrs. Incredible with her family at dinner I was sure I had super hero relatives somewhere in my genealogy. I must have traces of their powers in my blood. In fact it made me think about the other extraordinary tasks faced daily such as bath time (a complete story in itself), changing a dirty diaper while your infant is in the middle of an alligator roll or better yet streaking across the room. And yes, bedtime, now that takes super human powers saved up in your reserves in order to face at the end of the day. Oh, and what about all of the out of the ordinary yet still extraordinary happenings that lurk in and around the corner waiting to pounce out at any moment with a great big KAPOW, BANG and BAM!

And I know my children have inherited super powers from somewhere. Powers such as their super fast lightening speeds, their ability to disappear in a moments notice, the ability to with stand being restrained in their car seats, ear piercing levels of volume, force fields that deflect sound as well as the ability to pick up on the unhearable, amazing flexibility allowing them to wiggle out of any predicament (especially their clothes while you are dressing them)… the biggest one of all the ability to melt your heart without notice.

So, I am truly convinced that there are super heroes living among us (big and small). Who knows maybe you are one or at least have some link to one. Here’s to all the supermoms, superdads and superheroes of the universe who make our lives a little better.

Update on Edison

Thank you for all of the comments, concern and support. It is much appreciated and comes as welcomed and added comfort.

As for Edison he is doing well. If you were to watch him bouncing around the house and rough housing with his dad and brothers you'd never know his story. The doctors are amazed and pleased with how well his eye is recovering. He will have a scar but, thankfully due to the location of the puncture (just off centered in the pupil) it should not hender his vision. There is a chance of a stigmatism. As well as being so young he may develope a lazy eye since his eyes are still growing and learning to track. However with proper medical attention and some eye therapy he is expected to have his eyesight almost if not entirely restored.

Children are just remarkable at what they are able to endure and at how well they are at bouncing back, setting aside any disablities or discomfort. He's done much better than I would have that's for sure.

I think that one of the more difficult struggles I've had with this accident is the fear that he may not be able to explore certain avenues as an adult if his eyesight is obstructed. Will it keep him from fulfilling dreams? Such as his love and talent for baseball. He has an amazing pitch as well as he can tell me all of the players in his baseball book, Ty Cobb, Barry Bonds, Mickey Mantel, The Rocket, Babe Ruth..... We always want the best for our children and even accel at everything. As parents we have our own dreams and desires for them as to what and who they are. I realize though that it's not the end of the world if he doesn't become a pro baseball player. He is an amazing young man at the age of three with a huge heart and the world is full of opportunities and ways that he can fulfill any dream or desire that he has for himself. As a parent I realize it's my responsibility to encourage the desire, set an example and offer lots of support allowing him to explore and find his own dreams. Rather than pushing him down the path I think he ought to take.

Just some personal insight I've gained from this experience and from an incredible little man.

Apollo 13 of Christmases

My husband couldn't have summed it up any better than that. The Apollo 13 of Christmases. It was no where near what we had hoped for nor any where near what we expected. In fact the reason for my delinquent blogging is due to my recovering from the holidays desasterous happenings and trying to piece back our lives to what is normal for us.

At the last minute we decided to join family in CA. We scurried about frantically trying to pack up the car with presents, necessities, electronics and kids while trying to tie up loose ends, drop off the dog at the kennel and leave the house in somewhat of an orderly manner for our return. In doing so we were pumped, we were ready to tackle the 12 hour drive across the barren, not to mention boring desert of NV in hopes of a fun filled get-a-way for our little family. And a reunion of family we haven't seen for sometime. Finally with not an inch to spare in the car we were off and on the road. Only to stop for lunch a short ways away.

And this is where it all begins, the unforseen. We were happily eating our burgers and downing our shakes quite pleased with ourselves. When all of a sudden out of no where our youngest, Isaac, barfed. Yes, we had become every parents nightmare. We were the reason so many moms take Lysol to Walmart and spray the shopping carts down before placing their own child in them. Luckily it all managed to get on the floor and him. We quickly contained the toxic spill and tried to avoid eye contact with on lookers while managing to maintain calm, cool and collective. We gulped the rest of lunch down and hit the road as fast as we could. We were too far into the trip and had put too much into it to turn back now. Trying to put aside thoughts of spending Christmas with the flu we enjoyed the ride for awhile. Much to our dismay in the middle of no where he erupted again all over the inside of the motorhome(we were carpooling behind Cameron's parents). Once again, we quickly turned into the toxic spill crew and yes, Lysoled everything and everyone down.

After a long and wearisome journey we pulled into our destination around 1am. Were we were so graciously ushered to our beds and we all collapsed til morning. I was shang-hied into going to the chiropractor with my mother-in-law and her sister. I hadn't even showered or changed yet, but off we went. I didn't notice too much because I was in heaven: the sky was blue there was greenery everywhere and a slight bit of humidity. Then we entered the office to find three tables in the middle of the lobby with chairs lined up around the walls. We took our seats, I innocently thinking I was there to observe and we ourselves observed the chiropractor work away. A nice bit of banter bounced around the room from the chiropractor to patient to observer. Then all of a sudden I was up! Whoa, wait a minute this wasn't in the plan. However, he took it easy on me banter wise and I did receive confirmation as to why I hurt so.

The day seemed to unfold effortlessly and we began to settle in with a sigh. Then it hit again. Isaac, unannounced threw up again. Out came the crew and the Lysol. We were trying to keep him contained as much as possible but with an 18 month old in a house of a dozen or so people it was on the verge of impossible. OK, it was impossible. I was dreading that we were all going to wake up Christmas morning with the flu. It lingered in the back of my mind and I couldn't think of anything more miserable. However, I was highly entertained. My mother-in-law and her sister saw to that with a live broadway reinactment of It's a White Christmas (or one of those classics) as they sang and danced across the kitchen. Later we had a real live shepherd grace us with his presence as someone had forgotten to tell him they decided against the Nativity scene that night.

Christmas Eve arrived and we found ourselves around the table with turkey and trimmings chatting away. The conversation seemed to revolve around bodily functions to body types. And apparently my in-laws have quite a variety of both. The boys realy felt at home there and warmed up to distant relatives quickly. Everest finding his match with an Aunt who could hold her own. Edison tickling everyone while singing 'jingle bells, jingle bells all aroun' town'. And Isaac was feeling much better and all seemed to be ok. We began to sigh a sigh of relief and were emmersed in the holiday spirit once again. With nativity flannel board stories and songs and other little thoughts shared by family members. Afterwards we broke out the pies and commensed in indulging ourselves with treats of all kinds.

You may say this sounds no where near an Apollo 13 experience. Well it's not Christmas quite yet.

Cameron motioned for us to come back to the bedroom where we finished some cards and a few gifts for family in preparation for Christmas morning. And once again the unforseen. Edison, after completing his artwork/signature attempted to take the cap off the back of the pen and then close it up. Only the cap was on too tight and it slipped and went straight through the eye, puncturing the cornea and pupil. I had seen him struggle and reached to help only I was too late. He screamed and I grabbed him, Cameron was able to look into his eye and we both saw what we feared. The pupil was disfigured. I motioned for my mother-in-law to come back to give us directions to the hospital. The very hospital that Cameron had been born in. We scooped him up and rushed off to the ER. There we were greeted by utter chaos. There were no hospital workers of any kind, not a security guard or a receptionist, no one except a whole lot of bewildered people in pain or oozing something or another. One oozing, coughing bystander pointed to a stack of paper and informed us we had to fill it out and slide it in the slot in the door. I was in disbelief and grew angrier as we waited there with no sign of medical help. Finally someone came and called him back. Because it was an eye injury they put him in a separate room and they had to call the opthomologist. It's now 11pm and we are rushing him over to the specialists office where he informed us he would need surgery right away. Except he had eaten a rather large dinner and had had several treats. They were afraid of aspiration during surgery(food coming back up and into his lungs). Since the iris was plugging the hole blocking anything from coming out we opted to wait in pediatric care until morning.

I couldn't sleep, I sat there by his bed the entire night and watched him. Wishng it was me and not him. Feeling hopeless and as if we had lost all control of everything and anything. I turned to prayer, it was all I could do. I hung on to the words Cameron said in the prayers and blessings he gave Edison. And then I felt impressed to count my blessings. I did, starting with my family. Then the nurse came in to check vitals. She had brought in a fire truck and a homemade baseball quilt. She had heard me say he loves baseball. He lay there peacefully and quietly as if nothing had happened.

The sun wasn't even up and we were preparing for surgery. Edison awoke to find the gifts at the foot of his bed. It helped take his mind off of his surroundings. And then we wheeled him down to the O.R. He had been so brave and so mature through this entire ordeal. Never complaining or fighting with the doctors. He just sat there while they dropped drops in his eye and shined lights at him. And now he began to grow a little worried as we stopped outside the O.R. he just held my hand close. The surgeon had been impressed with him through it all and was commenting on it when he asked Edison what he wanted to be when he grew up. Edison answered without hesitation a very profound, "ME". Which impressed us all.

A Christmas narration came over the intercome and it took me a minute and then I realized 'oh, it's Christmas, isn't it'. Everytime a nurse or doctor said Merry Christmas, I would have to remind myself, it's Christmas, isn't it.

Then they wisked him out of my arms and through the doors. Edison with his arms reached out and very heart breaking quiet innocent voice saying, "no, please...no, please" That was heart breaking. His only signs of protest that entire night and I couldn't go to him.

The surgery went quickly and well and we were reunited with a very disoriented and groggy little boy. Finally we were able to go back to the pediatric unit and wait til he fully came out of it. It had been a 4mm v shaped puncture to the cornea. He had been very blessed or lucky as they stated in regards to location being just off centered in the cornea and the iris blocking the hole... Yes, it could've been way worse but it was hard to imagine.

We packed up and headed back to the house to find that Everest had come down with the flu and had been rather sick all night. Not very many presents had been opened and no one was in a hurry to open anymore. When Edison finally came around we sat down as a family to open gifts to find that my gift to Cameron had fallen out of the car on the way to the ER and had been run over a couple of times. However, the boys managed to feel the magic of Christmas morning, gifts from santa that they had asked for, the love of family and the celebration of the birth of Christ.

The next morning we awoke to more devasting news from loved ones afar and rather than throwing in the towel as we had experienced so many trials not only in our own lives but as we witnessed it througout the tragic events around the world such as the tsunami, we all grew a little closer. The love and support that was around us was pretty powerful. So, to answer my own question in reference to Christmas,"did I miss something?", No, I still experienced the power of love and family and prayer. If anything my thoughts were turned more towards the Savior this Christmas than in any year past.

I'm proud to say that despite the Apollo 13 events that occured in our lives during those few short days we were able to walk away hand in hand, our family intact and with a smile that we did it. We made it through and we can hold our heads up high in the manner in which we did.

So to sum it up that is the CONDENSED version of our Christmas, please add turbulance, and shake well.