MFD visits story time

 We have been sooo busy, and I have sooo many pictures to post from last week, the weekend, and yesterday we went to the best pumpkin patch ever.  So, I'll probably be behind on the blog for a while.  But I want to share the most current news and ask for your prayers.  While we have been busy with fun fall activities, Daddy hasn't been having any fun at all.  In fact, he has been missing out on a lot of stuff for way too long.  He has dealt with lower back pain for about 7 years now, and it has only gotten worse.  We found out last week after an MRI that he has a herniated disc, and today we saw the neurosurgeon to see what could be done.  We have been told in the past to prolong back surgery as long as possible because the disc problem that he had couldn't necessarily be fixed with surgery.  The success rate isn't that great, and who wants to have major surgery without the promise of positive results?  But that was before it was herniated.  This means that part of the disc is pushing out on nerves causing pain in the butt, leg, and all the way down to the foot.  There is an outpatient procedure that can be done to cut out the part pushing on the nerve, hopefully relieving some of his pain.  It is called a lumbar discectomy, and he is having it done Thursday.  Could not believe they could do it so soon!  That doesn't give us much time to prepare, and I'm sure I would need more mental prep than one day, but Brad is more than ready for some relief.  Please, please pray that God will have His hand in this surgery and recovery and restore the hope of total healing and a pain free future for Brad.  I know He can do it!

 So, last week the Madison Fire Department visited story time.  One of the fire ladies read a story and talked about fire safety.  The kids did some crawling (under the smoke) and stop, drop, and rolling.  I think ME was a little confused by the whole lesson because she was afraid to go in the firetruck.  She thought it was on fire or hot.  But, she ended up crawling through, and it was fun to look at all the equipment on the truck and check out the gear the firemen use.  Before they let the kids crawl in the truck, they asked the moms to stay close by in case they got a call.  We were supposed to grab our kids, and step back.  Thankfully, that didn't happen.  Can you imagine the drama?  After we went back inside, they turned on the lights and sirens, and the kids watched them drive away through the back window.  As we were checking out books afterward, we heard the siren and knew they had gotten a call for real.  ME thought that was very exciting!  She told Miss Lizzie there was a fire and the firetruck was going to the rescue!

Rhett wasn't that impressed.

Learing about fire safety

Watching the firetruck drive away

 After storytime a little Orange Leaf was in order!  It was for a cause greater than our sweet tooth.  This week was Eat Jackson Week and Orange Leaf was on the list.  Some of the best restaurants around participate to raise money for one lucky charity to win $10,000.  If you eat at one of the restaurants you get to vote for your favorite charity.  Our friend, Van, is chairman of the board for the Central Mississippi Down Symdrome Society.  And of course we voted for CMDSS in honor of sweet Cole!

Rhett was wondering why he didn't get any froyo.

Hey, Mama!  This is not fair!  First you wake me up from a perfectly good nap, so I can watch sister crawl around on the firetruck.  And now, you're not sharing your brownie batter with turtles on top!

Figures!