Introducing... Dr. Buttons

In case you haven't heard, Landon came home on Wednesday and since then it's been a whirlwind of unpacking, getting a new summer sitter, repacking for a week at Nana & Papa's and youth camp.  Needless to say, we are exhausted and as we head into youth camp in Oklahoma, sleep is not in our near future.  I can't speak for Justin, but I think I may be using some of my afternoon free time as nap time.  Warning to the junior high girl that wakes me up should I try to get a few moments of shut eye...I tend to be a bear when woken up unexpectedly...you've been warned ;)  Too bad none of them will see this warning as they have to be at church at 6a.m. tomorrow.  Don't worry parents, I'll try to keep my biting to a minimum and just scare them off with a big growl.  Landon has been a great teacher when it comes to growling.

Landon seems to be tolerating his noctunal feedings very well and the tenderness in his belly is getting better.  In fact, we've had two nights in a row where the feeding tube extension has come out of the G-button and I haven't known until the next time to refill the bag when I find Landon laying in a puddle of wet sheets.  We're experimenting tonight with some Ouchless Tape wrapped around Landon's stomoach and back to keep the extension flush with his skin for about 4 inches and then letting it hang in hopes that he won't pull it out again.  It kind of freaks me out that I don't know how long it's been open and anything could have flown or crawled in.  OK, now I'm never going to sleep, not sure where that thought even came from. Yuck!!  Landon is also taking his applesauce with enzymes better & is eating a little better.

For those who wanted to know how it turned out, I would like to introduce you to the newest addition to Landon's bedtime friends, a bear I am fondly refering to as Dr. G. Buttons.  Thanks to a toy store like Build-A-Bear, the blowup part of a beach ball from the outpatient clinical care center at TCH, and my Mam-maw who is a wonderful seemstress, Landon now has a bear who is just like him!!  G-button and all!!  I plan on taking this to our next clinic visit because I think this could be a great training tool for young children who need to get feeding tubes.

I'm not sure if I'll have time or be able to post any updates from camp this week, so I just wanted to let everyone know that Landon's doig well in adjusting to his new nightime routine and as with just about everything, it will get easier with time.

Just a few prayer requests as we go into this week, pray for our youth group as they/we embark on a different youth camp that any of us have ever attended.  My prayer is that we will begin to work together to become a more cohesive group and that these kids will be open to anything and everything that God has in store for them this week.  I pray that they will let down their shields and allow themselves to be vulurable to each other and learn to trust & depend on each other.  Pray for the leaders, that we will be the examples of Christ that we are called to be not just this week, but in everything we do.  Pray for my parents as they care for Landon this week, unfortunately we haven't been out of the hospital long enough to get into a new night time routine when it comes to the feeding tube and my mom gets the joy of trying to work out the kinks on her own while learning Landon's medication schedule, going back to the feeding schedule of a newborn at night to add milk to the feeding pump and dealing with a toddler in his full swing with his terrible two's.  I know that's a shocker to some of you, but this little boy can throw a fit with the best of the.  This is the first time my parents are really getting to spend quality time wih Landon, so pray their time will be filled wih blessings from this little man.  I know we all feel our kids are special, but somehow Landon has a special way of putting a smile on the coldest of faces.  He is so precious and I pray that my parents are able to soak up all that Landon has to offer them despite how tired I know they will be.  Lastly, please pray that I will be able to let go of my control of Landon for the week.  The timing of having to leave him could not be worse, but I'm sure God has something to teach me through this..quit reliing on myself and rely on Him comes to mind.  Pray that I will be able to focus on the lives of the youth who have been entrusted into my care and how I can serve them.  Unfortunately, I have spent very little time with this group in the last 6 months because Landon has had a lot going on, but this week is all about them.  If you go to MBC and got a prayer band for one of the youth or any of the leaders going, I ask that you pray for them diligently this week.  Lives are changed at camp in a way that for some reason just doesn't happen on Sunday's and Wednesday's in church.  You never know what is going on in the life of that student, but God does and your prayers help more than you'll ever know.