Parasites, Pain, Primates, Parenting,Pictures and Praise

I'll warn you now that this is going to be a fully loaded email to fill you in on our fully loaded weekend and I think some of you wonder how I find the time to write as often as I do...it's because, just like anything else we really love to do, we make the time...and I honestly love to write! Truth be told, though, some days it takes me half of the day to write a post with all of God-ordained "interruptions" that I am blessed with!

Okay, so let's start with the parasites.:) Caleb's stool sample revealed a very common parasite (giardiasis), but one that needs to be removed from his body...and our doctor put Samuel on an antibiotic just to be safe, as well. Samuel is doing great taking his pill with some water, but Caleb's pill is like an asprin, it starts to dissolve as soon as it hit liquid. He is not liking his pill (he has to take it 3 times a day)and has actually thrown it up a couple of times from gagging. We have been trying all sorts of ideas of how to crush it up and disguise it. We thought we had found a great solution in ice cream...but at lunch today he was a wreck and I don't think that I have ever said to any of my other children, "Eat your ice cream or you are going to get a spanking!" It was awful!

On to the pain...poor Micah is in so much of it that my little heart is just aching for him. Praise the Lord, Faith slept through the whole night but Micah was up burning with fever and crying that his ear hurt badly. It didn't take much of a look inside is ear to see why...so we added to the growing medicine stockpile with some for Micah, too. Faith is doing great...still needing pain medicine as soon as she can get it...but she is drinking, eating "rough stuff" (which the doctor said is very important) and chewing gum. She is following her post-op directions very well!:) I think the non-stop movies have been a big help and distraction and she is taking full advantage on the privilege! She is "holed up" in the boys room with a blanket over the window and pillows galore. It is like her own personal movie theater.:)

Primates...the kids rented "MXP:Most Extreme Primate" from the video store yesterday...it's all about a monkey who snowboards. So, today they have been reenacting the movie...first with a pretend cardboard snowboard that Bryan made and then they moved on to the skateboard outside (one board between 4 kids...the sharing started to get REALLY hard) and then they ended up with a board for each of them. When Bryan went down to Walmart to pick up Micah's prescription he found skateboards for $8 and well, we now own 3 more! :)


The parenting...I think I will save for another post...but we are really starting to see some issues with Samuel creep up and I want to share what we are learning from that. Nothing awful...but definitely praying for for wisdom in how we handle them!

As for the pictures...I think this part of the post will please my mother in law more than anyone!:) She has rightfully been asking me for photo updates for a while now and while the following pictures are not perfect, we are pleased with them!







I said a couple of days ago that I would post a video of Samuel.So, here it is...I thought he was going to sing "The Lord's Army" but he must have changed his mind. I don't know exactly what song he ended up singing...but I do know that it was praises to Jesus!

Comments

Kimiko said…
THANK YOU for all of the beautiful pictures (and video) of the kids! I've noticed a trend with Caleb in all of the pictures - it's that mischievous smile of his! :) Wish we could be there to see the kids in person. Hopefully we'll get around to that sometime this fall. We love and miss you all! Give our love to the kiddos!
Holly said…
I agree with James and Kimiko about the pictures! They all look like they are doing well judging by the smiles they all have on their face. I said to mom the other day....it's a good thing you guys have health insurance! praying for a full recovery for Faith, Caleb and Micah....and protection for the others so can stay out of the doctors office for a while. ;)
Oh My!! :) You've got your hands full at the moment. We're praying for all of you! Beautiful family!!
Oh!--Thank you Kristin for sharing all of that! The pictures are beautiful, and the family one turned out great! :0) The pic of Caleb in particular made me smile so big!---He has a great little smile! His face shows so much expression all the time!

Ok--now I need to read how Faith's surgery went. Off to the next post! God bless you guys this week! Wow---lots to pray about... :)
Holly was watching the video and she talk about the story I told her from your blog about Samuel exploring your house...and Holly said just now...David they where in the wild and now they are living with the Pitchuras. I love the family picture and we are praying for everyone to get well.
For His Glory said…
I was CRACKING up at the "eat your ice cream or your gonna have a spanking"...I'm afaid to say how beautiful the pics of the kids turned out, because I don't want Bryan to think I am complimenting his work...That CAN NOT happen!
Matt5verse6 said…
Oh so precious!!!! Fabulous video of Samuel and beautiful pictures! I'm sure Crystal's heart will be with you on this one with all the meds and such! ♥ Love you guys lots! And I will be praying! Much love! ♥
Anonymous said…
LOVE the pictures!

You will be so glad to have those videos of the boys speaking/singing Amharic. Before you know it they won't remember it.

I hope everyone is doing okay with their ailments and medicine. :-) Luckily, the antibiotic that Caleb has to take will be over in a week or so. The girls had to take an antibiotic for nine months because they tested positive for TB. We celebrated when we were done!
Ruth said…
Kristin,
Try crushing up the pill and adding it to peanut butter! That way it "sticks" with him for a while :)
You might want to also see if they have it in liquid form...sometimes they do.
Tyffany said…
The pictures are awesome! Nice job!!
Paul said…
You gotta stop making them all grow up!! Oh my, Micah looks so much like Bryan with the whole haircut thing going on! He is looking too old already, can't wait to be there!