The Love Transfers

WE had a little trauma this weekend. Poor little Clara put her finger into the hinge side of a bedroom door as it was being shut. The tip of her right, middle finder was nearly amputated. She was very brave. After a minute we had it wrapped in a towel and she stopped crying. We drove straight in to the ER and she talked about the lights and things on the way in. She did amazingly well in the ER too. They gave her a couple of tiny shots in the base of her finger to numb it so she cried when they did that but actually held it in mostly. After waiting quite awhile for x-rays they worked miracles and sewed that little finger back together. She didn't cry or struggle at all while they did it. They had her wrapped in her little quilt but she didn't even try to get up or anything. The nurses and doctors said she gets the golden pediatric award for the year because she behaved so wonderfully. They said they often have 3 or 4 people restraining toddlers when they have to do something like this.


First, when we arrived at the ER someone noticed us and waved us right back, no paperwork. I was very touched by the humane-ness of that.

I was feeling so very sad and sorry for Clara, thinking of the pain she was in. I was shaking and traumatized. The nurse got us into a room, checked her finger as I sat and held her. She said, "I have a blankie for her."

She then brought Clara this beautiful handmade blanket.

It had obviously taken quite a few hours to create, this blanket, a lovely patchwork. I was so surprised at the love that I felt from the sweet person who carefully labored to create something that might lend comfort in a stranger's moment of pain and need. A personal touch of kindness.

And it did just that.

We had something to wrap around my little hurting baby and my aching heart.

The love transferred.

I wish I had a way to let that hardworking, artistic, and kind person know.

I felt it.

These two blankies were at home waiting. One carefully handcrafted by Aunt Sandra just for us and the other purchased by Grandma Terri and sewn for us by Janis Forbes. The love transfered here too! All night long, cozy in her bed. Thanks for the love!

Halloween!

Grace started out the festivities a couple weeks before Halloween when she was invited to a Halloween birthday party. After working on the princess get-up idea for a week or two, she had a change of personality and decided to go with the witch experience. Brittani graciously came and painted her lips and nails black and gave her a good witchy hair-do. I was so grateful as I was plum out of black nail polish....

Grace had a fabulous time at her friend's party. I enjoyed hearing about how wonderful her friend's house was, how she had a tv and radio/cd player/ Hanna Montana player, bunk beds, etc. right in her very own, private room. I also thought it was amusing when I asked if she like the friend like the "My Little Pony" present we gave her and Grace said, "Yes, because she used to collect My Little Ponies but her mom got rid of them all when she was at school."

We had a fine time with John's power tool carving pumpkins.This was Grace's happy face pumpkin.

This is Emma's pumpkin -with help from Dad...

Brittani's cool scariness pumpkin -carved by the artist herself...
Clara's pumpkin carved by in her honor by Gracie....
and last, surely you know who's pumpkin this is. I drew this up thinking it was good and scary/crabby looking. Grace then took a look and said, "Mom, that's the face you do every year." Hmmm... I'm wondering if I've been a little stressed out the last few years. ;)

We found we had three busy dogs on our hands for Halloween this year!

and one quiet little cow! So cute.

They had great fun at our church "Trunk or Treat" on Friday and then went to a few houses to get a little more sugar on Saturday. I employed the "eat it as fast as you want" method and Grace and Emma had their candy gone by Sunday night. Thank goodness they didn't have that much!