God's Faithfulness in the Small Things of Life

This morning I'm reminded once again of God's amazing faithfulness and the love He has for each one of us.  He knows my inner fears and anxieties and provides in the most amazing of ways.

As we continue to prepare for  this upcoming move, we're trying to downsize our belongings.  I have a little green bug that I have LOVED for the last 10 years.  This little bugger has brought a smile to my face every time I look at her and is a reflection of my youth and fun-loving spirit.  But sadly, it's time for the little bugger, or Sweetpea as my mom calls her, to find a new home.  She needs a vivacious young gal who will love her, care for her and find Bug-owner joy driving her.

Where there's a will, there's a way!

Black Friday 2011 was a big day in our family!  It's a 2-post kind of day.  First, the happenings for the littlest member of our family.

I'll begin with a little history.  Two of our littles were pacifier binky boys.  We attached those little plugs to their shirts and they loved them for a couple years. The binkies  were great soothers and took care of whatever ailed a little peewee. Around the age of 2-3 they either accidentally spit them down the flushing toilet (oops, bye-bye binkie) or sucked them to the point of destruction.  Before we knew it, they were done with the pacifier.

This was not the case with our little princess.  She was blessed with two favorite fingers that soothed her endlessly.  There was no chance these precious little appendages would actually get flushed down the commode.  Within the last year we've gently encouraged her not to plug her mouth with her favorite fingers especially during the day.  The more she felt stressed about quitting, the more she sucked!  The skin on her pale little fingers was consistently shriveled like she'd been in a pool for days and we noticed they were looking a bit more crooked than the others having been held at an angle for years.

She really needed to quit, but I didn't want to stress her about it.  It would come in her time.  We're not big on bargaining with our kids.  She either would quit on her own, or not.

To be honest, I cherished her little finger sucking.  She's the youngest and when I'd look at her with those fingers in her mouth she looked liked the little baby I once knew.  She wants the world to see her as an independent big girl.  I think she'd gotten to the point where she didn't want people to know, but it's just too hard to quit.

Within the last year or so she set her mind on getting her ears pierced.  She talked about it all the time.  She would save her money and buy rhinestone-looking scrapbook embellishments and stick them to her earlobes.  I told her when I was her age, I'd twist up aluminum foil and make hoop earrings and wear them like real earrings.

She asked constantly about getting her ears pierced.  Our response was, "When you stop sucking your fingers..."  We figured it wouldn't happen in quite awhile.

If you know our girlie, you know she's a girlie with a mind of her own.

She wanted her ears pierced...BAD!

At some point, late summer, she all of the sudden quit sucking her fingers!

We couldn't believe it!

There are probably times in her sleep when they creep back in, but during the day is basically non-existent.

She was so excited!

Her daddy told her, if she could make it 30 days, she could get her ears pierced. The countdown began.

But, it was soccer season.

She easily made it through the 30 days, but then had to wait until the end of soccer since the girls aren't allowed to wear any jewelry during the game.

Soccer finished last weekend so today was our first free day to make the trip to Claire's.

Her daddy filled out all the paperwork.  She picked out her birthstone earrings.  She was beaming!  She was so excited, but yet so nervous!  The two sales gals who were helping us had more hair color variations than I could count.  There was turquoise, red, pink, and maybe a little brown mixed in.  They had multiple piercings including ear discs, nose rings, and feathers hanging from the cartilage of the ear.  They were so patient and kind to us.

A little girl about 4-5 years old noticed my girlie in the chair, looking hesitant.  She told her daddy she wanted to come in to encourage our girlie.  She came in to say, "Be Brave."  How precious!

We took photos.  Then before it happened, she jumped out of the chair and said, "I'm not doing it.  Let's leave."

This is the "I'm pretty nervous" face.

Okay Mom, I'll smile for you!

With my dad beside me, I can do this.

Okay, I'm not sure about this again.

My stomach feels sick.  I'm ready to run!

I wasn't expecting that.

What to do now?

We talked about it and after a couple moments, she once again climbed back in the chair.

Back in, and ready to go.

Hair pinned back and the dots are marked where the earrings will soon be.

I love her!

Uh oh, the reality is sinking in again.

We opted for the double piercing so both piercings would happen at the same time.

It was SO fast I think my girlie was surprised.  Before she knew it, it was done.

Wow!  It's done, and she's smiling!

So proud of her new bling!

Her little lobes looked pretty red, but still as cute as ever.

Look at those little red lobes!

She looked in the mirror and the pride of facing her fears and seeing a dream come true was written all over  her little face.

A Big Girlie!

The rest of the day she's been flicking her hair around and displaying her shining bling.

What a girlie!

Love her!

Post Root Canal Update

I know many of you are probably thinking, "Root Canal, Shmoot Canal!  What's the big deal?"  I've talked to people who say, "Yeah, I've had four of them."  Maybe everyone in America has had a root canal, and to them this is no big whoop-de-doo, but it's my first! So, I'm going to continue to bore you with my step-by-step-behind-the-scenes report.

I was told to take it easy today.  I was able to sleep 11 hours last night!  Haven't done that in FOREVER!  Usually I'm happy to get 6-8 hours.  With three kids at home to school there's not much taking it easy.  We're still doing school.  I'm still doing laundry.  But, unlike most days, I'm escaping to blog in the afternoon.

Here's the Root Scoop:  It went GREAT!

I visited the bathroom three times upon arriving to the endodontist's office.  I was not going to have an "accident" in the chair.

The anesthesiologist arrived.  Surprisingly, he wasn't 17!  He might have even been a little older than me.  He did have gray hair.  He was almost an hour late because his previous patient was a 27 year old heroin addict with no visible veins.  It took the doc a super long time to find a vein in this guy.  One glance at my hand and he openly expressed great joy at my strong, all powerful veins.  I'm so proud!  Apparently, I informed him they were weight lifting veins.  I'm a dork!

He soon told me the margaritas were coming.  That's the last thing I remember.

The next thing I know they were saying, "Time to wake up."

"Huh, what."

I didn't even know where I was.  It took me a second.  How in the world Michael Jackson was able to function after doing whatever he did is beyond me.  (Dr. Murray is in the news big time with the trial going on and I couldn't help but think of that situation when I was going in.)

The rest of my evening is a blur.  It is kind of like having a dream and remembering bits and pieces, but not quite sure what really happened.

One thing I found interesting was my continued subconscious obsession with rootbeer milkshakes.  About 14 years ago, I was put under during an IVF procedure.  Apparently, as I was drifting off I told the doc, "If I make it through this, I'm going to have a rootbeer milkshake." 

After that appointment, my hub told me what I said and we went to fulfill my last pre-op request.

Yesterday, I guess as I was drifting off I mentioned the rootbeer milkshake again.  I haven't had one in 14 years.  Weird.  I would love to have one, but calorie concern has prevented it.

Hmmm...Guess what I think?  I think Heaven has rootbeer milkshakes and I will have as many as I want for eternity.  Until then, I will fantasize about them as I drift off, or perhaps I will have a fantastic date one evening at a malt shop and my sweetheart will surprise me with my dream treat.  Hint, hint...

I'd like to send big thank you to the anesthesiologist and my wonderful family for taking such good care of me!  I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU!!

I'm a Dental Scaredy Cat- Let's Pray

Ecclesiastes 9:11
11 I have seen something else under the sun:
The race is not to the swift
or the battle to the strong,
nor does food come to the wise
or wealth to the brilliant
or favor to the learned;
but time and chance happen to them all.

If I were Solomon, I would have added, "nor does good dental health come to those who care for their teeth;"

I'm getting a root canal today.  It's not just the regular run-of-the-mill root canal.  It's the one where the endodontist has to call in the anesthesiologist and he has to put be to sleep because I'm a scaredy cat, or a pained cat, or a claustrophobic cat, or...

I know there are people who get root canals, surgeries, and anesthesia everyday, but I'm very nervous about this whole thing.

Yesterday, I went to my dentist for a crown prep.  She's GREAT!  She's done other work on my teeth and I've been thoroughly impressed.  Because I have dental phobia I usually have to take something to relax me before an appointment.  Then, if it's more than a cleaning, I've opted to have a little nitrous, as of late.  Even with all the assistance in relaxation, when she began the procedure, but I could still feel some of the drilling and the cold air. 

She stopped, leaned back and said, "I think you need a root canal."  Those words stung.  I've never had a root canal, nor did I ever plan to have one.  I want things like a new computer or camera, not a root canal.

She instructed me to immediately go to the adjacent building where and endodontist was waiting for our arrival.  So with my numb face, my sweetheart and I walked over.

I was beyond nervous to meet this next doctor, or endodontist, which probably made matters worse.  She's not as friendly as my dentist.  She was matter-of-fact bordering on abrupt.  She explained the procedure and showed me the "rubber dam."  I don't do rubber dams.  She insisted on the rubber dam for safety.  Pulling out the needle-like instrument she was planning to use, she said if she dropped it down my throat it would be hard to retrieve.  I could choke.  It would be bad. She basically freaked me out.

I gave consent for the rubber dam. 

Sitting in the chair, clicking my upper and lower jaw together, I told her I could still feel my teeth a bit.  She said she was concerned to give me any more Novocaine as it's harmful to my liver.  Again, she freaked me out.  I sensed liver failure in my near future.  Nothing like freaking out a freak out.

Honesty, must be her policy.

She said, I may feel the drill, but I should endure.  There might be temporary pain (if I were in a torture chamber).  Yikes!  But it had to be done.  The root was dying.

Wearing headphones and listening to Dave Crowder Band playlist on Pandora I tried to drown out the sound of the drilling.  Lord, please get me through this!

She started working on the root.  I felt it.  I raised my hand.  I could feel the surge of adrenalin through my arms and legs.  I asked them to remove the dam.  I felt like I might suffocate.  I'm a drama queen.

Halfway into a panic attack, I stopped them and said, "We need to pray."

The doctor and assistant nodded.  I think they sensed the need to pray.  I began praying for the procedure and that I'd have some sort of peace.

Then, I started crying.  I'm a wimp!  I'm a scaredy cat.  I don't mind pain if I'm in the middle of a workout and my skin splits open on my hands from doing pull-ups.  I didn't cry when I tore my calf muscle while trying to play soccer and had to be carried off the field.  But, when someone is messing with my teeth...I can't bare it!

Gaining a bit of composure, they replaced the rubber dam and began again.  I couple seconds into it I felt it again (I have to mention, just typing this account is causing my hands to sweat uncontrollably).  I then placed each leg on the sides of the chair, instructed them to take off the rubber dam, and gave them the "I'm out of here" sign!

So, all that leads us to today.  The tooth has had a partial root canal.  It hurts pretty bad, as does my jaw.  They're calling in an anesthesiologist to put me to sleep (hate that phrase, as it refers to what just happened to my poor Lukey, but I don't know what else to call it).

The anesthesiologist called me last night.  He sounded like he was a cool, hip, be-bopping 17-year old.  It'll be interesting to meet him today.  He instructed me no food after 7:30am.  Water, black coffee, or apple juice until noon.  Then nothing other than a sip.  He said he'd run an IV.  After setting it it'd be nighty night.  Actually he compared it to margaritas and said I'd be relaxed.  He commented the next thing I'll know they'll be waking me up.  I hope it goes so smoothly.

He did give me one more thing to be paranoid about...peeing my pants!  Oh Great!  Why'd he have to mention that?