Saying goodbye

Our church in MO was having a family fun day the weekend we were leaving, to kick off their Vacation Bible School, for the next week. Jeremy and I were so busy packing and getting the truck to load we didn't have time for family fun. So friends of ours', (The Higginbothoms) asked if they could take the girls for us. I jumped at the chance to pack without interruption. The girls needed to get out anyway. I'll post those pics later.

The Higginbothoms came over with a travel basket full of goodies.

yum!

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The girls had one last sleepover with their friend Kelsey and what is more fun at a sleepover than mattress surfing.

Hope insisted on going down by herself

The girls were wore out.
We miss you Kelsey!!!!

Sickness blue's

Well, It is Sunday and I am home from church with 2 sick kids.

I wasn't lying when I said they were all getting better, but it seemed to turn around on me really fast. Hope's cough started getting worse about a week ago. Friday night she was really bad, coughing and gagging and almost not breathing, so against everything in me we went to the ER around 12:30am. I hate hospitals. I really hate taking my kids to one and taking my baby is just not right, but I needed help and thankfully my mom works at the hospital so she called ahead and told them I was coming.

- They retested her for whooping cough. We won't have the results for 2 weeks.

- Tested for flu and strep- both Negative.

- They did get to hear and witness her bad gagging cough a few times. I hate going to the Dr. and telling them what is wrong, but they don't see it or hear it because you aren't there long enough.

- They had to stick a tube up her nose and suck out the yuckies to help her breathe better. She was so stuffy. She hated that worse than drawing blood.

- They drew blood to test for things and then left the IV in just in case they needed it for later, they didn't want to have to stick her again. I was thankful for that. They taped and boarded it down so she wouldn't bother it. It was late she was exhausted anyway.

After most of the tests and the IV I took her out to the play area, books and toys and things. They brought out some meds for her ear infection that I thought was gone a month ago. So they gave it to her and back up it came all over her PJ's and blankie,yuck!! So we went back to her room and she threw up more. She kept pushing the bucket away, but I had to tell her to leave it, poor baby.

We changed her into a kids gown and got a hospital blanket. Then they were ready for her to have a breathing treatment. So we sat on the bed and I held her and I held the mask to her face and then she fell asleep. Then we had to wake her for one more test and take out the IV so we could go home. When we woke her and she saw the nurses she instantly started crying because she knew something was coming. I kept saying "we are almost done, Hope. Just one more thing and we can go home." She would cry and say"almost done? I go home?" Broke my heart.

I was so glad when it was over and we could take our sweet Girl home. Please pray for Hope and Heidi to get well soon.

Heidi had a 24 hour thing on Saturday, but seems to be better now. We'll just keep praying it stays that way.

I hope you all are well. Happy Sunday!!

I didn't get this posted in time but, I wanted to update again. Today is Tuesday and Heidi is fine. Hope is not. Please keep praying.

Yes, I'm still here

Hello all,
I'm sorry I haven't been on. It is very hard getting to the computer since it is in the girls room. Combining two families has it's adjustments but it is working out very well. My brother surrendered to be a missionary about 2 years ago and he just left for college last Tuesday morning. He moved back in with my parents for a few months to get some house work done for my mom and to save money for college and not waist it on rent. So now that he is off Jeremy and I have moved into our own room!!!! Yahoo!!! Privacy is a good thing. Unfortunately our coming is at the same time as my brother's leaving. I was excited to be near him again, but God has other plans. I hope part of those plans are finding my 32 year old brother a Godly Wife!! Can I get an Amen?!!

My mom planned a great farewell for him at the church and he was very surprised. We also had a family one with our extended family. It is so nice getting to see aunts and uncles and cousins again. I have missed them all so much.

Hope is much better. Thank you all for your kind words and prayers. She still has a bit of the cough, but she can handle it now. Hallie had a cough, but is getting better. Heidi has been great!! The Lord has given us so many new friends we are amazed by His goodness.

I still can not download pictures yet, but hopefully soon. Thanks for keeping in touch.

Oh, and to answer a question for some of you, we have moved to Levittown, PA.


God Bless,
Ellen

We made it!!

Well, we are here and it has been crazy. Traveling for 30 hours with 2 dogs and 3 little girls is quite the adventure. Thankfully my Dad came to help.

We left Mo. around 10am Monday morning, a couple hours behind schedule, but we made it. We had to get a U-haul trailer to pull on Sunday because we were noticing the truck was losing space quickly and we have a lot of stuff.

We stopped at a hotel around 12:30am. Since we got there so late and my Dad talked to the lady she brought the rooms down $20 a piece and got us suites right next to each other at the regular room price. We were debating what to do with the dogs. Jeremy decided to inform the hotel manager which he was nervous about.

So I went to the front desk and told her we have 2 dogs in the van. She interrupted me immediately and said with enthusiasm, "Bring them in." I couldn't believe it. We brought the dogs to our room and got them settled. After we all got baths and showers and were ready for bed around 1:30 we realized we had hit the time change. Yikes!! it 2:30am!!! We planned to get up around 7am. That's not much sleep.

We got up at 7am had breakfast and headed out at 9am. The last 3 hours of the trip were the worst because everyone was tired, and antsy (if that's a word). The last hour I finally got to drive because my Dad was just wiped and I kept talking to Jeremy over the walkie talkie's to keep him awake. He kept saying he was fine, but I didn't believe him. Finally we made it at12:30am at my Parents house. My mom was up waiting for her grand baby's!! Jeremy had to stay up for another couple hours filling out paperwork for work the next day. He got 3 hours of sleep that night.

Things are calming down and we are getting some what of a routine. I have finally got all the clothes organized. I'm going out tonight to get some baskets for organizing clothes in a closet. My mom will be happy to come home tonight and see her clean living room again. Jeremy is doing well at his new job. He is still in training, but he likes it and it is going well.

We will be voted into membership this coming Sunday.

We miss friends in Mo, but are adjusting well here. I'm sorry I can't put up pictures, but we don't have our computer set up and it has all my pictures. I wish I had time to put them all on disks before we left.

If you could remember the girls in prayer it would be appreciated. Hope came down with Whooping cough back in Mo, but we didn't know till we got here. Now Hallie has a cough too. They are both seeing a Dr. tomorrow. Hope was in the ER on Wednesday. She is doing better.

God bless,

Ellen

On our way, on Monday!

We are leaving Monday morning, so we have to take the computer down. I have more pictures to share, but it will have to wait.

Ta, Ta!!

Pennsylvania here we come!!!!