Sunday Snapshot - A Day of Rest, Relaxation and Release!

So, every Saturday we drag gleefully take ourselves and all 5 kiddos out to a long wonderful day of soccer or flag football, depending on the season!  This Saturday, however, it rained, and rained and rained and the games - were - cancelled!!!! 

They actually called it on Friday and you would have thought that Hubby and I had a snow day!  LOL!  We were doing the rain dance and planning our very rare, free Saturday!!

Oh yeah, the first thing we were going to do was - SLEEP!

The second thing we were going to do was - SLEEP!

The third thing we were going to do was - you guessed it - SLEEP! 

Well, we did sleep and...

I got served breakfast in bed by my very sweet Caleb and his sidekick, Emmeline!  Hubby would have gotten fed too but the kids know better than to disturb Daddy's sleep, even for waffles and OJ in bed!  So, hubby slept through the best waffle I have ever eaten and the very loud floor show that was promptly provided as soon as the food arrived!  How does he do that????

Anyway, after my tummy was nice and full, it was my turn to feed everyone else's tummies!

Pancakes and bacon are one of the few things that I can cook that everybody eats!

So much better than the usual Fruit Loops and Coco Puffs that the kids eat as we are running out the door!

After breakfast it was time for some game playing...

on the computer too...

and laundry - bleh!

Then there was one last thing that we needed to do today, this day of rest, relaxation and release...

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Yep, thanks to the beautiful grace of our God, Lizzie made it through!  We made it through and the last remnant of her clubfoot treatment - her brace - is no more!

We had our usual check up for Lizzie's club foot on Friday and had been told at the last check up that she could be done with her brace on her 5th birthday.  The doctor surprised us, however, by telling us that her foot looked great and that if we were ready, she could say "bye bye" to her brace! 

I was a little surprised by my reaction.

I wasn't sure.

Was I ready?

I knew she was ready, but was I ready?

I will be honest, Lizzie's clubfoot was a whole lot harder to correct than anybody thought it would be.  It was a long haul for my sweet child.  There were 18 casts in total which meant that Lizzie's little foot/leg was in a cast for 21 lloonngg weeks. 

There were horrible skin issues - that - would - not - go - away...

and when I think about just how uncomfortable she must have been, my heart just breaks for her.  She never, however, complained too much and was always ready to play and laugh and make the best of it all! 

She had a family, a family who loved her and a family who took care of her and a family who kissed her boo boos and held her as she endured "just one more" cast and she was loving life - her new life!

When it was time to say "bye bye" to the casts and hello to the brace, I have to say that I was a bit scared then too. 

I knew that with the casts, she was at least mobile.  With this contraption, however, I could not fathom just how she would get around, without us carrying her, of course. 

Well, in true Lizzie fashion, she figured that out too

So, now, it is time to say "bye bye" to the "contraption!"  Wow!  Really?  OK, I get ready because Lizzie is ready and Lizzie deserves this!

So, on this day, this day of rest and relaxation and release, we decided to tell her and let her begin her brace free nights!

She was very excited and as a treat, she got to take a bath in Mommie's tub and...

got to sleep in Mommie and Daddy's bed!

and what is to become of this contraption brace???

The Lord sure does like to put opportunities in front of us.  I had just gotten an email about donations to a wonderful organization in China.  Stefanie might be just a tad familiar with them...

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Yep, we had planned on sending some clothes to An Orphan's Wish when I got the email and then low and behold, the very next day, we were told that we just didn't need that contraption brace anymore.  Lizzie was very excited to know that her brace, the thing that kept her sweet little foot from turning back again, was going to China to help another precious child!

Sleep tight my sweet child

and in the middle of the night, when you have to use the bathroom - you have NO excuse anymore!!!!  Get yourself up and GO!!!!  Hehe!!!

We love you sweet Lizzie May and are SO proud of your immense grace and strength.  I wish I were half the incredible soul you are my love! 

Sweet dreams!

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