A Smattering of Duehrings

Gameboy fun…

What is that thing on your head?

We did some mathematics over Christmas. We figured out that for the 20 cousins so far we have spent around $30,000 on disposable diapers. I have 1/4 of those kids so that means Damon and I have spent over $7,000 on diapers so far. That is just crazy.

Eli’s surgery went well. All of the nurses fell in love with him today. His doctor told me that they all wanted to take him home with them. When they saw there was a 2 year old scheduled for surgery at 1:00pm they expected a him to be a mess. Even though Eli hadn’t eaten since 7:00 last night, you would have never known it the way he was today. He did awesome.

The surgeon was running a half hour behind so we had an hour and a half to wait once we got to the hospital. One of the nurses took him on several tours to the meds room. The first time they went back and he helped her get warm blankets for the other patients. Then she came to get him again and took him back to help her fill IV bags. He lined them up for her and helped her by holding the tubing. Another nurse told them that they better be careful because they were violating child labor laws. :0) He had fun helping her do her work and it helped pass the time.

Right before they went back with him for the surgery he asked us if he was going to go “night night” back there. Damon explained to him what was going to happen and prayed with him. Then we gave him his well loved blankie and they asked him if he wanted to take a ride or walk. He chose to ride on the bed. He never cried or fussed once the entire morning. He didn’t like his gown which is why he has two different ones on. He liked the yellow one better.

They surgery lasted 45 minutes and then they called me back. When I went back one of the nurses was holding Eli just like a mommy would hold him. I was happy to see that he wasn’t laying on the bed scared. She handed him to me and he looked at me and then went back to sleep. A few minutes later he looked up at me and and said “I…not…like…it…mommy” and lifted his foot to show me his heart monitor on his big toe. They took it off and he went back to sleep. They tried putting it on again and he did the exact same thing the second time. Then when they took his IV out and put a bandaid on his hand he said it again. I…not…like…it…mommy! (if you know him, you know exactly how he said it) He enunciates his words perfectly and talks so cute.

They had put quite a bit of pain medicine in his IV so he was pretty doped up until we got home. It was hard for the first few hours as there was some blood running out of both eyes and his nose. Tonight his eyes are very red but the bleeding has stopped.

I was so proud of Eli today. He has changed so much over the past few months. Nine months ago I would have never imagined him acting how he did today. Everyone thought he was the sweetest little thing in the world and that made me so happy. I love that little boy so much.

The zip-line at Gramma Neir’s had a first this weekend. It was honored and privileged to host the first ride of one Eli Duehring.

“This is how the birth of Jesus Christ came about: His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit. Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly. But after he had considered this, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, ‘Joseph son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary home as your wife, because what is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins.’ All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’–which means, ‘God with us.’ When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.”

And so we remember and celebrate His birth some 2000 years later. What an awesome thing that God deigned to come down to earth in human flesh, that He might take upon Himself the sins of the world. Thank you, Lord, for the indescribable gift that is Your Son, Jesus Christ!