Weekend Outings

You will notice that there is a glaring absence from this post... There are no pictures, none, not a single picture. After a busy, fun-filled weekend, we didn't snap one, single picture.

On Friday we had a Homeschoolers For Life fundraiser at an indoor pool. My older girls had gone to a birthday party at this pool a year or so ago and have been begging to go back. The pool has fountains and a lazy river and fun water slides. It was Juliana's first time in a bathing suit. Before we left, I came into the house to get the camera. I walked out with my sunglasses, wallet, and an extra towel. I did not grab the camera.

It ended up not being such a bad thing that I forgot the camera. Juliana was terrified from the minute we walked into the pool. I have never seen her as afraid as she was. The look on her face was just panic. She cried, she threw up, then she just went into a quiet shock until she finally fell asleep on my shoulder. I don't know if it was the noise of the water and the kids, or the fact that she wasn't bundled, or just the complete change in surroundings, but she was scared. Her quietness and body language reminded me of how she acted in China. I realize even more now just how frightened she was at the time. I am amazed at how much she has changed since then. I am thankful for how well she is adjusting, I also know to be a little more prepared when heading into new situations.

Saturday, after Mass and a rosary at the abortion mill, we were able to go with my sister Melissa on her first outing in two weeks. We decided to head to the local science museum. My dad pushed her in her wheelchair part of the time, but she was also able to walk quite a bit. It was nice to be out with her doing normal things. Again, it would be nice to have a snapshot of her with all my girls but I didn't think to bring the camera... I really need to get better about that. Missy did really well in the museum, I think better than me. I had worn silly dress shoes because of Mass in the morning, and by the end of the day my feet were killing me.

Please continue to pray for her. The doctors have told her that they will consider it successful to get her heart pumping at 30%, which is still in heart failure. They want to double her medications, but cannot do so at the time because of her low blood pressure. She did not have a heart attack and there is no blockage, which means that they really don't know what has caused her heart to weaken.

I am resolving to be better about taking the camera with me. That doesn't mean it will happen, but I am going to try harder...