happenings...

It's been so ridiculously dry around here.  I like walking through lush, green grass...feeling the dew on my bare feet- watching the lightning bugs light up the dusky sky.  Not so this summer.  I saw one lightning bug, and I think it was lost.  I haven't felt dew in the morning- not once.  My grass is brittle, with a needle like quality. The earth itself feels like a brick. When I go for jogs, I regularly see birds dead on the side of the road. "Have they been hit by a car?"  I wonder.  No.  I think they have died of heat stroke and dehydration.

But then God always makes me aware of what is lovely.  These precious little Zinnias have had the tenacity to withstand the drought.  When the corn didn't make it...when the beans didn't make it...when the herbs didn't make it..when the squash withered  away....when the cherry tomatoes more closely resembled crab apples, these little girls survived.  I have been cutting them and getting an occasional bouquet to dress up my breakfast bar.  It's the little things in life that bring us joy.



On another note, "summer" is officially over in the Masquelier household, and it is now "Fall"  we all know school starts in the Fall, so it must be Fall :)  Here is a picture of Isaac on his first day of 2nd grade.  He really didn't want me to take it because he was embarrassed.  Note that I don't have a picture of Elijah or Abigail on their first day because they wouldn't let me take one.  Silly.                                  

                          

Christian was a little nervous, as he has never been away from home for an extended amount of time- but he did great.  He enjoys school, but he also likes being home.  He has a very small class, only 12, so that is good.  His teacher has plenty of time to do fun stuff with the kids.

Well- all was going well, and then something terrible struck the household.  First Jeremiah started feeling bad, so I took him to the Dr.  She said his throat looked bad, but so did his ears.  She gave me an antibiotic for an ear infection (he is notorious for ear infections)

He is never really this cuddly anymore- and NEVER falls asleep during the day.  I knew he was sick!  

Then Christian got sick.  He ended up with a fever of 105.  Took him to the Dr, and it was strep.  He started taking antibiotics, but didn't seem to improve.  He ultimately wound up in the hospital....poor guy.  He needed IV fluids, a mega dose of antibiotics, and a steroid to reduce swelling.  He got dehydrated from having such a high fever for a long time. All of the other kids wound up getting strep, but they are all doing better now.  Thank God!