Summer Break Has Ended

I have not written on my blog since the week of July 4th. This means this post will be long and full of pictures. I was planning to make a post, but then July 20th happened.

What happened on July 20th? I woke up that morning with really bad pain in my abdomen on the right side. My husband drove me to the emergency room which is 25 minutes from where we live. The car ride was rough. I was nauseous and in so much pain it hurt to walk. After having a CT scan, the doctor came in to my room in the ER and said that I needed my appendix out. I had a feeling that was going to be the diagnosis, but at the same time I was hoping that wouldn't be the diagnosis. I really did not want to go through a surgery, especially since our kids had 2 weeks left of their summer break. Alas, I had to have surgery. My surgery happened about 2 p.m. on July 20th. I was in the hospital until July 24th. My wonderful husband took care of our kids while I was in the hospital and his work was flexible with him. I am so thankful for an amazing husband. The day I got home and after seeing my bandages on my stomach, he said it looked like someone lost a game of Operation (an old game by Milton Bradley). That statement definitely gave me a laugh when I needed it most.

Wasn't happy about having my appendix out!

 It was so hard being in the hospital and away from my family. The hardest part was recovering at home. I could not do all of the activities I had planned to do during the last two weeks that our kids were home for summer break. We did make the best of my recovery though. We read a lot of books, watched a lot of new (at least new to our kids) movies, we colored/made pictures, and we put together puzzles. Even though we couldn't go outside to swim or walk to the park, we still were able to enjoy what was left of their summer break. Before my surgery, our older two boys went to VBS (Vacation Bible School) at our church, so I am thankful they were able to do that before my surgery.

Our older two before VBS.

Working on puzzles during my recovery. My oldest is great at puzzles!

We also worked on some crafts where the kids also learned during my recovery.

Our third gave me lots of snuggles during my recovery.

Our fourth loved to bring me all of the books during my recovery. He loved playing with blocks as something else that was indoors that we could do. 

Our 5th (only girl), was happy as my recovery continued, because I kept getting better everyday.

I did have some restrictions after my surgery. I couldn't lift anything over 10lbs. so I had to have some help due to the fact that my husband still had to work. I am friends with our next door neighbor and she was able to come help do the lifting of our kids that I could not do. Our church was a big blessing during my recovery. People from our church organized meals to be brought so I didn't have to cook or try to cook. We were blessed by the help from our neighbor and church. The three things that definitely got me through my recovery were faith, hope, love (the name of my blog).

I enjoyed every kind word that was said to me as people brought meals every night. It definitely played a role in my healing from surgery.

God definitely had a plan for my recovery and He made sure I had all the help I needed.

That brings us to today. Our older two boys went back to school today. One of them is in second grade and the other started Kindergarten. It was quieter around here, but I missed them today. It was sad to see summer end.

Celebrated the last week of summer with a special snack: lollipops!

Our second reading up on what to expect for Kindergarten. Great book by the way!

Our oldest reading to our second about Kindergarten. Last night of summer break!

Aside from the two weeks where I was recovering from surgery, our kids had a great summer. Before having surgery, we went to our local park twice a week and we used our kiddie pool outside.

The park:

 

 The pool:

 As sad as I am to see the summer end, I also am just as excited for our kids and can't wait to see the new things that will learn and how they will succeed. I pray they have a great school year.

Class of 2029 and Class of 2031!

They were excited to head back to school!

As for me, tomorrow will be three weeks since my surgery. I still get a little sore, but it is minimal compared to when I was a week out from surgery, and even compared to when I was two weeks out. 

God restored my health and healed me from my surgery.

I took this selfie last Thursday, it was the first day that I had felt normal.

My wonderful husband!

So readers, how was your summer break? Has school started back where you live? Who has had their appendix out? If you are still on summer break, I hope you are soaking it up! Keep up the faith, hope, and love!