Starting our tour off with a BANG!

I will finish my anniversary post eventually, but for now I’m skipping ahead to the present.  It has been a very busy few days and today was particularly “eventful”.  I’ll start with last Saturday when we “hit the road” again.  After two and a half lightening fast weeks back home, we headed south.  We don’t have any very long driving days on this trip, which is really nice.  Last Saturday, we left Renton and drove to Woodland, WA.  It was a fairly short drive and we are settled at a nice little RV park on the Columbia River.  It’s beautiful here and the boys already have a couple friends to play with at the playground.

Sunday was an insanely busy, but very blessed day!  We had two services in the morning and one in the evening and each of the three churches were about 40 minutes from each other.  We led worship at the first service, Josh played and shared his testimony at the second, and the evening event was a full concert with worship, fingerstyle guitar, and testimony.  I was able to share about PFM (Potter’s Field Ministries) at all three and we had a great response!  Saturday, after setting up for one of the morning services, we had dinner with the pastor and several of the church members and then we did the same Sunday afternoon for lunch.  It’s always such a gift to have the opportunity to really get to know people and develop relationships at the churches where we serve.

Monday was all about trying to put our little home back together.  When we were home we slept in the trailer, but mostly lived in our friends’ house the first week and my sister’s the second.   That, combined with our busy weekend left our “home” a mess.  So, Monday we cleaned, organized and did laundry.  In the evening, the boys played on the beach while I went to and from the laundry room.

Tuesday Josh did quite a bit of booking in the morning and then we drove to Vancouver to run some errands.  In the afternoon and evening we visited Josh’s aunt, who we haven’t seen for three years.  It was wonderful to spend time with her.  

 (short private "concert" in Aunt Wanda's backyard)

Okay, that brings us to today.  Today started out well.  I ran in the morning and the boys played while Josh worked on booking.  I’ve been still fighting this nasty cold, so after lunch I took a short nap.  The plan was that when I woke up the boy’s and I would head to the library.  We were going to do some research on volcanoes because we’re going to Mount St. Helens tomorrow.  When I woke up from my nap, I told the boys to get their shoes on and clean up their toys and I made myself some tea.  While I was facing the sink, Noah was sitting at the table behind me.  I heard an odd “spraying” sound followed by Noah’s loud scream.  I had carelessly left my pepper spray (that I always carry with me when I run) sitting on the table and Noah had sprayed himself in the eye with it!  The next two hours were awful!  I immediately started flushing his eye with water while he screamed in extreme pain.  Josh called 9-1-1 and we continued to pour water in Noah’s eye while we waited for the paramedics.  My heart broke as my “baby” cried out in pain for over an hour.  At first he was so afraid and hurting that he fought us violently!  Josh and I had to forcefully hold him down in order to flush his eye.  By the time the EMTs arrived, he had settled down and was cooperating better.   ~Afterward my sweet boy said, “I was trying to hold still for you mommy!”~  The EMT helped us flush his eye with water and saline.  At the same time, the pepper spray spread to his face and arms.  I was grateful to know that this was not a life or death issue, but the pain my little guy was in just about killed me!

Eventually, the pain started to decrease and Noah calmed down.  About two hours later, we had his eye sufficiently rinsed.  He is seeing fine now and has no pain at all on his skin.  We can see a little bit of the irritation on his face, but he says he feels fine!  God is so good!  What a blessing to know that my Noah was in his heavenly Father's loving hands the whole time.  God was gracious to give us an amazing EMT too!  He was so quick and thorough in his response and was kind and funny in his interactions with Noah.  I am so incredibly grateful for him!  He even invited Noah and Caden to come visit him at the fire station to check out the fire engines!  I’m not sure we’ll get a chance to do that, but the invite meant a lot both to me and the boys.

What a stressful, heart wrenching couple of hours!  I know that far too many mommies have to suffer much worse heart ache though with sick and injured children, so I’m trying to count my blessings. 

This morning I spent time meditating on Isaiah 43 during my quiet time.  I was especially blessed by the end of verse 1 and the beginning of verse 4…

“…Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name, you are mine.”

“Since you are precious and honored in my sight, and because I love you….”

I am precious and honored in Yahweh’s sight!?!  He loves me!  I am his!  These beautiful truths washed over my soul this morning, bringing peace and comfort and joy.  This evening though, in light of all that happened this afternoon, I am reminded of verses 2-3.  

“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you.  When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, the flames will not set you ablaze.  For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior…”

My boys are tucked safe and sound in their beds now.  Both are worn out from the day's excitement.  Noah's cheeks are pink, but he's snuggled up cozy with his new quilt.  A gift from a local quilting group via the EMT. 

We serve a mighty God and I trust Him.

“Thank you, Lord, for never leaving us alone!”