back home

Posted on July 8, 2016 by Shanda

Sarah’s first day back at home after surgery has been a gift. Things like this always make me appreciate the little things in life even more.

When we arrived home, I noticed differences right away.

The morning glories are inches further up the sunflowers.
Gypsy moths are flying around.
My gardens and hanging baskets are dry and need watering.
Raspberries are ripening fast.
The grass was longer.

I know my house, my land, my gardens. My roots go way down.

How to heal a little girl; with snuggles, stuffed animals that fit just right in a small hand, books, back scratches, ginger ale, movies, smiles, brothers and a sister, games, rides in a wheelchair, naps, words of encouragement, leaving the hospital as soon as possible, pain medicine, a nest on the couch, getting clean with a shower, soap, and combed out hair, tempting foods like fresh garden peas and wild raspberries picked by a loving sister and mama.

flowers.

When your big brother comes in the house with a visitor.

And when your mom and dad leave, just for an hour, to go to a library used book sale.

The top six were for her.

what my brother did for me

Posted on July 5, 2016 by Shanda

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About a week or so ago, while my poor brother Dave was in pain passing a kidney stone, he read my blog post about how and why I was a fan of Rosemary Wells.

And guess what that thoughtful guy did without me knowing a thing about it?

He emailed Rosemary Wells with the blog link and she read it!

She emailed him back and said thank you for the once in a lifetime review and asked for my address so she could mail my family the newest books.

They came today!

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I love how she wrote “For Shanda’s family”.

I will treasure these books for the rest of my life.

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I already read them out loud to Sarah, of course. She liked the Warthog’s wedding story best because it had an *ibunny phone* all throughout out it, with a flap she could lift in order to see a map. The green dot on the map was where Max and Ruby were in the hotel as they searched for a lost wedding ring.

Anyway, aren’t brothers the best? I’m so thankful to have three of them and Dave is now my absolute favorite because of what he did. (((LOL) only teasing, Nate and Isaac!)))

To think, she saw my post!! And sent me two hardcover books!

It was just the uplifting mail we needed today because………..

…….tomorrow little Sarah bird is going back to the hospital for another surgery.

This one is to fix a “congenital obstruction of the ureteropelvic junction.” The surgery is a “robotic UPJ/pyelopasty”.

It is expected to last 6 hours, or more.

This obstruction is what the doctors believe caused the large amount of kidney stones which they removed in January. She also has reflux but they told me that as a rule they fix the obstruction first…..so…..ugh. (hoping we are reaching the end of this adventure but I know we have a few months and procedures left)

Gratefully, Sarah is happy. We are all acting like it’s an exciting sleepover with Mama. She knows that she will get to watch movies in the middle of the night if she can’t sleep. And during the day she can go to an art class and the family resource center and the toy room, so in the knowledge of these joyful prospects, we conveniently forget about the surgery part. And besides, she’s asleep the whole time and it doesn’t hurt when you’re asleep! (that’s what we overheard her telling Seth in a very authoritative voice).

We have our bags packed.

The best part for me is that Rich has the entire week off and will be with us the whole time with no pressures to get back to work.

little bouquets by the kitchen sink

hugging the best cat ever

a soft sweet neck and little whisps of blond

a pair of cardinals that I photographed this morning from the porch, while it was raining

raspberry pancakes

Posted on July 5, 2016 by Shanda

Today I saw a strange little bird,
and I said to the strange little bird,

“Would you like some berries?”
and she said yes.

“Where did you find these yummy berries?” she chirped. “I want some more!”
“I know right where they are,” I said, “Can I show you?”

so off we flew.

She flapped her wings and sang a song for me.

But mostly she just picked berries.

little birds love wild berries of all kinds

“I know where some more are, do you want me to show you?”
And she said, “Yes” again.
We walked this time.
We walked up the road together.

Birds like berries.
Cats like birds.
She ate all the berries, lickety split, making a “yum yum” sound.
I saved mine in my shirt.
Do you know how to do that?
You fold up the bottom of your shirt, and it makes a pocket!

Back home we went.

She saw the garden.

“Okay. I’m going to pick some peas now,” said my sweet bird.
(she had blue feathers, with silver stars)

“I’m going to do something that starts with a P, too!” I replied. “I am going to make Pancakes.”

“Raspberry ones!, with the berries we picked.”

I watched the little bird all alone in the garden, picking peas.
I watched her through the window, briefly.
Then I set to work.
“What’s in your shirt, acorns?” her brother asked.
“No, it’s berries.”

I made raspberry pancakes for a snack.

She ate one, her brother ate two.