Just A Typical Sunday Morning...

That went awry quickly!

Let me preface you with this...Knox went to bed Saturday night completely healthy and happy. No signs of sickness what-so-ever. Lee and I took him to Tuscaloosa Saturday and watch the Tide play basketball, and it was awesome! I love being able to have one on one time with the kids. He had a blast and has talked about last Saturday ever since. Anyways, we put him to bed Saturday night and were awoken a few times due to a relentless cough he was struggling with. When we all got up Sunday morning, we ate breakfast and started getting ready for church. I started noticing that Knox's color was looking a little "off", and his seemed to be struggling to breathe just a little bit. Lee and I teach the 3 year olds at church, so one of us had to go and I told him I would do it and he could just stay back with Knox. Before I walked out the door, I hugged Knox goodbye and could see his veins in his neck really working to help him breathe. I told Lee that something didn't seem right, and that I wanted to take him to Urgent Care as soon as I got back from church. Well, as I was teaching I heard my phone alert me with a text-it was Lee saying that they were headed to Urgent Care because he seemed to be getting worse. Long story short, they gave Knox a steroid and breathing treatment and it seemed to do nothing for him. They recommended that we take him to the E.R. So - off to Thomas Hospital we went. We stayed in an ER room from about 12 to 4:30 pm. Knox was retracting when we got there, meaning that his chest and rib cage was caving in a little from working overtime. His oxygen levels varied from upper 80's to lower/mid 90's. These are not terrible numbers. However, the doctor told us that a healthy breather is anywhere from 100% to 97%, so it was obvious that something was going on. We received more breathing treatments and steroids, and let me tell you something...that stuff makes kiddos HYPER. I mean, HYPER. Knox's eyes get HUGE while he is receiving the treatment, and as soon as that mask is off he is climbing the walls. They decided to admit him and keep him overnight to keep a close eye on him and try to regulate his breathing. No one wants to stay in the hospital. No one. Especially with a 2 year old. However, his numbers got pretty low a few times throughout the night, so I was so thankful to be there with nurses that knew exactly what to do and exactly how to handle it. After they ran a few tests, we were diagnosed with a virus in his lungs. He is still wheezing and coughing a pretty good bit, but that's to be expected. We almost had to stay a 2nd night in the hospital, but thankfully we were sent home with a nebulizer and are able to administer the breathing treatments every 4 hours. He seems to be on the mend. Nothing is slowing this boy down right now...nothing.

I need to say a little something here real quick. I never know how I will react to things, but I have a tendency to get a little panicky about the kids. Especially when it's something serious. When Knox had RSV last year, I literally almost lost my mind. This time, however, was totally different. I can't explain why. As soon as I heard the news about needing to go to the E.R., I was naturally nervous, but I never once flipped out or cried or anything like that. In fact, I think it is safe to say that I remained more calm than Lee did which is HUGE. He never panics. I kept repeating that verse "Peace I leave you, my peace I give you. I give not as the world gives" and the strange thing is that I haven't spent too much time focusing on that verse. It just immediately popped in to my mind, and I honestly just knew that everything was going to be fine. But don't misunderstand me...I was definitely nervous and concerned. It's just that I didn't go overboard like I know I can. I talked to my friend Teal on the way to the hospital. She is one of the calmest people I know, and really doesn't panic. I told her I needed her to speak truth to me and assure me that panicking wasn't a good option. Very unlike me, people. Very unlike me. I know that our small group and our church was covering us in prayer, and it was almost a surreal feeling...like I could feel our family being being prayed over. I know that sounds so strange to hear that I was somewhat calm in the middle of my 2 yr old son's E.R. visit, but this was something so huge for me that I feel like it was just God trying to teach me to lay it all in His hands. And you know what?? It felt good.

Everything happened so fast and it has been a crazy few days. I will say this, also. When they put that little gown on Knox and he laid in that hospital bed, it almost broke my heart. I just kept staring at him and thinking about so many things: When I gave birth to him, and what it was like to hold him in my arms for the first time...How I don't think I really learned what self-less love was until he was born...How I couldn't possible imagine my life without him. Not that it ever got to a point that I thought something that drastic was going to happen, but seeing your toddler lay in hospital bed will make you think about all sorts of things. The biggest thing I realized was when we were walking down the hallway to the playroom: I take his health, and Greer's for that matter, completely for granted. Completely. I could not imagine having to live in a hospital and watch my child suffer from a more serious illness or disease and wear a little blue hospital gown like that on a daily basis. And in the middle of all that was going on, I felt overwhelmed with praise. Praise for his health and praise for his life. It was revolutionary to me. So strange, I know. But I'm thankful for the Lord showing me that. So thankful. I honestly felt His presence all around me and I am so grateful.

SO...the little rascal has been home and healing...and back to the same ole same ole. I can say that I honestly have been looking at him a little differently since we've been home. I am a little more patient with him. I hold him a little longer. Show him a little extra grace. Read 1 or 2 more books at bedtime. Kiss his face a zillion times a day, rather than a million. Let him play outside a few more minutes than the usual. And I have certainly been telling him how thankful I am that Jesus protected him and kept him healthy, and that must mean He has some big plans for his life :).

Here are some pics from out first ever hospital stay at 2.5 years old! So thankful for our amazing church and small group and family that came and visited us and brought us goodies and prayed for us. The power of prayer is a STRONG thing!

Our small group leader, Fred, hanging out with Foxie in the E.R. 

 Teaching him the "Running Man" after a breathing treatment

 Fred even made him a fancy balloon

Moving to our room and taking our stats

Getting a little worn out

Watching a slew of Disney movies the next day

Playing in the awesome playroom!

Got a visit from one of his favorite people - little Miss Campbell :). She even picked out that Thomas the Train balloon, and boy-oh-boy was that puppy a hit!

 See what his little hand is holding?

Yes...he slept with it. 

 Watching Buzz Lightyear with Papa

Looking back, I wish I would have snapped some more pictures of sweet visitors, but I wasn't too much in to photography during our little hospital stay. I HOPE our next stay is when I deliver another baby...whenever my husband will allow that to happen. I told him tonight that I was suffering from "aching womb" syndrome. I cannot even explain the look that he gave me! But for now, I am OH so thankful to be home with an amazing husband and 2 healthy and precious kiddos. Thank you, Lord, for your protection!