Late Afternoon Adventure

At 5:00 tonight we set out to go on a quick family bike ride. 2+ hours and a fun adventure later we returned home! I guess that's what happens when we say, "Let's turn down this road to see where it goes!" We turned down Kahili Quarry Road and after about 1/4 mile, the paved road turned to dirt road. We proceeded, curious to see how close the dirt road would take us to Rock Quarry (a local beach/surf spot). Well, we discovered that it takes you right down to it! (although it's navigability in spots is questionable...our van never would have made it!) Anyway, here are some pictures of our little adventure:

Where the Kilauea River/Stream meets the ocean...

The Kilauea River

Our little explorer

Daniel and I have always loved "the golden hour"...you know, that time in the late afternoon/early evening where the setting sun gives a golden glow to everything. It's so peaceful and so pretty. What a treat to be able to end our day with some "golden hour" time in a beautiful spot!

One of the things we hope to do soon is kayak up the Kilauea River. We've kayaked up the Kalihiwai River several times but we've never gone up the Kilauea River. I'm looking forward to that!

The beach is called "Rock Quarry" because it is located near an abandoned quarry from the plantation era.

I pulled the bike around so the little ones could get a better look at the view.

Elizabeth was not impressed! No, really, the poor girl was tired and hungry and at this point had already been in the trailer for an hour! About 10 minutes after this picture was taken she conked out and stayed asleep until we got home.

Aden was such a trooper! On the way down the dirt road (yes, downhill the whole way) we were dodging ruts left and right and we were braking steadily in loose dirt (remember folks, I was pulling a trailer with a baby and an "injured" three-year old...no speeding downhill for this mama!) Anyway, Aden didn't fuss or get scared or anything. He was loving it!

And even on the way back he was such a good sport! It was entirely UPhill (funny how that works!) and it was a workout and a half! About half way up we actually strapped Aden's bike on top of the trailer and had Daniel pull that while I walked Daniel's bike with Aden sitting on the seat. That seemed to work just fine and I enjoyed my little walk (as strenuous as it was!) with Aden. I love it when I get a little one-on-one time with my boys. We have the sweetest conversations!

Here's a shot of the road going up!

Here's a shot of some of the ruts we had to maneuver around. The picture doesn't do justice! Jonathan kept saying, "Mommy, we're doing bumpity bumpys!" He was right! How Elizabeth slept through that is beyond me!

We had planned to have grilled salmon, grilled veggies, and brown rice for dinner. We''ll, we scratched that idea since it was already 7:15 by the time we got home and opted for a quick "let's feed these kids and get them to bed" meal...cheese chunks, cherry tomatoes, kidney beans, tortillas, and applesauce. We'll do the salmon tomorrow!

He's Good to Go...

One week has passed since Jonathan's fall and life is beginning to return to normal. He got his staples out today and his head seems to be healing just fine. He was very brave and only cried a little at the end. The last three staples had scabbed over a bit and were more painful to remove than the others. But the cool Monster Jam sticker from the doctor's office and the ice cream sundae from McDonald's on the way home made everything all better! At this point the only remaining "concern" is that of preventing another head injury within the next three weeks. His head/brain needs time to heal before sustaining any more injury. Unfortunately, the concept of "taking it easy" is not one that is easily understood by an almost three-year old who feels perfectly healthy! That being said, I find myself a little more anxious about his moment to moment well-being these days. I rush to his side at the slightest hint of an injury...a loud noise, a cry, etc. and when I ask him what happened (no matter where we are in the house!) he usually replies, "I didn't fawh off da balcony, Mommy." Oh Jonathan! Anyway, the date of his third birthday party (August 21st) coincides almost exactly with the one month mark so we've told him that on that day he'll get to jump in the bounce house and go on the slip-n-slide and otherwise return to normal in regards to his physical activity. He's looking forward to that!

We continue to praise God and thank him for the mercy He's shown us through this. Each time we pull into the driveway Daniel and I look at each other and shake our heads in disbelief as we stare at the distance between the balcony and the driveway below. We can't help but repeat the phrase that has been on our lips all week, "God is so good to us!"

Thank you again for all of your love and support through this. It has been so sweet to receive "Get Well" cards and gifts in the mail, and email, blog, and Facebook messages on the computer. We really have felt that you all have been by our sides this past week and we're grateful for you. Thank you again!

This picture was taken on Saturday.

Yes, he's the same old silly boy!

Her New Favorite Teether

Yes, that is a chicken bone!

She had been fussy all day (teething) but with bones in hand she sat gnawing away quietly and contentedly for nearly 30 minutes!

And man did she have a tight grip on those puppies! When we would reach for them she would hide them behind her back as if to say, "Nice try, buddy! These are MINE!" And for the record, watching her gnaw away on the bones was pretty gross but it was a small price to pay for the thirty minutes of peace and quiet it provided.

And since these chicken bone photos were actually taken back in early June I thought I'd post a more recent mealtime shot...

This was taken yesterday at lunch.

My little Messy Monkey

"Mom, would you put the camera away and get me out of here!?"

Elizabeth Was Here...

This is what they call being in the

"one step forward, two ( or 3 or 4!) steps back" mode of house keeping. =)

He's Home and Recovering

Happy to be home!

Jonathan was discharged from Kapi'olani Medical Center in Oahu this afternoon and was back home in Kauai by about 5pm. We greeted him at the airport with lots of hugs and a "Cars" Balloon, which was received with a big smile! He was especially excited to see his brother and sister and the first thing he did was climb into the car and give Elizabeth a kiss on the head. It was precious! He is making a remarkable recovery and we are so thankful that he's (more or less) himself. He's wobbly (to be expected...we imagine his whole body is sore!) and he's visibly tired. He's very protective of his head and ducks or turns away when you come close to it. However, this is a good thing as we need him to treat his wounds with care over the next week or two.

I've posted a few pictures of the last 36 hours. Warning: a few of the pictures are a bit graphic

Getting ready to be loaded into the ambulance

Resting prior to getting his staples...

A couple of deep, gnarly gouges

Resting after getting the staples. The numbing injections were incredibly painful but necessary since he'd be getting a dozen or more staples. Turns out he got 13!

Piglet and his blankie were there to comfort him

Getting ready for his third and final CT Scan...lungs, abdomen, and pelvic region

He was such a cooperative little guy. He held still and didn't fuss a bit.

I love the little gnome hat! Here he is getting ready for his air transfer to Oahu.

Getting into the ambulance that would take him to the airport.

Seeing the ambulance drive away was really hard! I wanted to go with him so badly. Needless to say I'm glad he was released and back home in Kauai in less than 24 hours!

Here's Daniel with Jonathan standing on the spot where his little body laid just 30 hours before.

To give you some perspective, this is how far he fell. He flipped over that porch railing above and landed right where Aden is standing.

His little head landed in the crushed coral and the rest of his body landed on the asphalt. Thankfully we had a good rain last night that washed most of the blood away.

From the balcony looking down

Taking it easy watching a movie with Aden. You can see how tired he looks here.

Eating dinner in front of the TV while watching a full length movie AND getting a bowl of ice cream for dessert! It was definitely a night of "treats" for our little guy!

A shot of the staples

Sleeping peacefully in his own bed...on the bottom bunk...just in case. =)

Again, we thank you for your love, support, and prayers. We continue to praise God for sparing our son's life. We are in awe of His mercy and blessing in the situation as we realize that it is quite miraculous for Jonathan to have fallen like he did and to come through with such minor injuries. We serve an awesome, mighty God!

Jonathan Update

Thank you for all of your prayers for our little Jonathan. He is doing extremely well. We all (doctors included) are amazed at how well he is doing considering what happened to him this morning. Praise God!

Just before 11:00am Jonathan and Aden were playing together on the front porch when all of a sudden I heard an awful thud just as Aden screamed, "Mommy, Jonathan fell downstairs!" We have stairs leading up to our front porch and my initial thought was that Jonathan must have fallen down the stairs. I raced out to the porch only to find that he had actually flipped over our balcony railing, fallen 13 feet and was laying flat on his back on the gravel/asphalt driveway. When I looked down at him, his eyes were closed and he wasn't moving (I'm pretty sure he was unconscious at that point) and honestly, I thought he was dead. It was the beginning of the scariest moments of my life. I called 911 immediately and raced downstairs to him. Right away I saw that the back of his head was bloody as were the rocks beneath him. I was pleading with the Lord to protect my baby all the while trembling so badly I could hardly dial Daniel's phone number. Poor Daniel, the phone call that he got from me went something like this (with Jonathan screaming in the background), "Daniel, come home now! Jonathan fell off the balcony and the ambulance is coming!" I'm guessing that was Daniel's fastest 3/4 mile bike ride EVER!

Thankfully the paramedics station is only a half mile from our house and they responded very quickly. When they arrived they kept telling me that the fact that he was crying was a really good sign and the fact that it appeared he had fallen flat on his back was another good sign. They got him all strapped down and into the ambulance and with Daddy by his side they sped off with lights and sirens en route to the hospital. Carolyn and Dave arrived just before the ambulance pulled away and Dave followed the ambulance down to Lihue. Carolyn stayed with me and the kids while I gathered a few things (and gathered myself!) and then I headed to the hospital. What a HUGE blessing to have Dave and Carolyn here. It was so comforting having Dave (a.k.a. Dr. Moore) with us at the hospital. He knew several of the doctors and he knew (and could explain) all the technical terms and procedures, etc. And knowing that my other two babies were home and in good hands with Carolyn allowed me to focus my attention completely on Jonathan.

At the hospital Jonathan had three separate CT Scans: one of his head, one of his neck, and one of his chest, abdomen, and pelvic region. The CT Scan of his head showed 2 or 3 possible skull fractures (apparently in kids it's hard to tell fractures apart from the lines where the skull fuses), the CT Scan of his neck was clear, and the CT Scan of his chest, abdomen and pelvic region looked good...they saw a couple of minor things that they'll keep an eye on but that should clear up on their own. Amazing! I was preparing myself for scary things like damaged spleen, internal bleeding, collapsed lung, etc. God is SO good!

He did have to get 13 or 14 staples in his head. That was NOT a fun experience for him. Poor baby! And in the end, because Wilcox Hospital is not a trauma hospital and because there isn't a pediatric neurosurgeon on the island they chose to fly him to Oahu for a 24-48 hour observation. Queens Memorial Hospital in Oahu is a trauma center and Kapi'olani Hospital is the children's hospital there. That way, if something were to come up tonight or tomorrow he would have the best medical care available.

That's where he is now...with his Daddy. I stayed home (it was SO hard to see them pull away!) to take care of (and nurse!) Elizabeth. Aden spent the night at Grandma and Grandpa's where no doubt he'll be enjoying fun things like Monster Jam Marathons and chocolate chip pancakes.

I can't stop praising and thanking God for protecting Jonathan. It is a sobering thought to think that your child survived (with only bumps, bruises, and a few staples!) an accident that could have killed him. All day long I have been reliving the whole scenario and at times I feel like I was given an opportunity to experience a little of what it would be like to lose a child. When I got home tonight some of Jonathan's clothes were in the hamper, some of his toys were left out, the fan was still on in his room, and the bloody blanket that I used to apply pressure to his head was still on the steps. These are all things that would have been immensely difficult for me to bear if today's events had ended differently. But I can rejoice because I know, Lord willing, that my sweet boy will come home again and he will wear those clothes again, and he will play with those toys again, and that fan will keep him cool again and I can rejoice because my God, who is the giver and taker of life, chose to bless us with more time on earth to enjoy the precious gift He has given us in Jonathan.

So I thank all of you for praying for our son. What a comfort it is to know that friends and family all over the US were holding our little boy up in prayer today.

Psalm 9:1-2 "I will give thanks to the LORD with all my heart, I will tell of all Your wonders. I will be glad and exult in You; I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High."

A Plum Lovely Day

Plums are in season up in the mountains so this morning Dave, Carolyn, Lucas, the kids and I piled into our cars and headed up to Koke'e to do a little plum-picking and picnicking. What a wonderfully lovely day it turned out to be! We had a great time and we look forward to doing it again next year!

Look closely...can you see the plums way up at the top? Thankfully Dave came prepared with his ladder and several long-handled fruit pickers!

Here's a close up of the yummy fruit!

And here's a shot of the twigs and underbrush that we had to work around to get the the plums!

Jonathan was a natural at the fruit picking...pick one, eat one, pick one, eat one.

Carolyn and her little shadows

Elizabeth was such a trooper! Despite getting drenched by the rain she sat in the stroller for over an hour while we picked plums. Of course, the fact that we let her in on the sampling part of the expedition helped keep her occupied and happy!

"Um, what is THAT? and WHY are you handing it to me?"

"Hmm...well that IS sort of interesting."

"Maybe I'll just take one little nibble."

"Mmmm. That's tasty!"

Teamwork

Dave is looking forward to making some plum preserves! Yum!

Yes, they look more like cherries in this picture. They ARE small plums but this pictures makes them look smaller than they really are. The skin was a little bitter but the flesh was very sweet.

Jonathan's "bucket"

Aden was pretty excited about the special fruit picking tool. Imagine that, him being excited about a tool?! =)

Of course, the ladder was pretty exciting too!

Notice ANOTHER plum in his hand! I don't even want to know how many plums he ate today!

Uncle Lucas and the kiddos

(ignore the fact that E looks like she's in a plum-induced stupor)

Dave and Carolyn (a.k.a. "Grandpa" and "the Grandma who belongs to Uncle Lucas")

The plum picking crew (minus Grandpa).

Our fruit loot

There are Hydrangeas all over Koke'e and I love them! I had to include a picture because they make me smile...

After we finished picking our plums we headed up to the Kalalau Lookout.

I can't get enough of this spectacular view!

It's absolutely breathtaking!

Me and my two monkey children. Aden was never quite the "monkey" that these two are!

By "monkey" I mean willful squirmers. Yes, I recall Aden being much easier on my arms!

Aden, Grandpa, and Uncle Lucas

Sportin' Grandpa's cool polarized glasses

I love it when you can hardly tell where the ocean meets the sky! And what a nice looking group of Haoles! =)

Our nice little picnic spot...tuna sandwiches, chips, dill pickles, carrots, and of course, PLUMS!

Two little lovebirds! Last month they celebrated their 41st wedding anniversary! How cool is that!? Congrats you two!

And as if our little picnic spot wasn't perfect enough...

there was a great tree to climb!

Jonathan is getting more and more brave when it comes to tree climbing. Wat to go Buddy!

Here's Sissy watching her crazy brothers climb the tree. She looks concerned? Is she concerned for their safety? Or perhaps she's concerned about the way her tummy is starting to feel from eating plum after plum after plum after plum!

But, that didn't stop her! By the end of the day she had become an old pro at eating plums and she discovered that the fastest way to eat them was to eat them two at a time! My little double-fisted girly...

Yum!