T.E.N.

My face has scratches that look like a cat fight.

My living room is a wreck.

My arms are twitching.

My hair is a mess.

My body is in desperate need of a nap.

Some of you already know. I've been babysitting!

Yes, I just spent the entire morning of my only day off doing what I've wanted to do more than anything else.................hugging, chasing, reading to, feeding, changing, stroller-ing, singing to, listening to one Spencer Matthew Schreck!

And a delightful adventure it has been.

Joy hasn't called on us to babysit very much since she's a stay-at-home mom. (Personally, I think she's nuts. I certainly would have called my mom for help!) When she does call, I jump at the chance.

She spent the morning getting ready for Abigail's soon arrival.

The doctor told them this week that he won't let her go beyond June 30th. That's just fifteen days on any calendar. Fifteen short days and we'll have a beautiful baby girl named Abigail Grace to squeeze too!

Poppa built a tent in the middle of the living room this morning. He used my dining room chairs, a clean sheet, and several couch pillows. Spencer wasn't too keen on going into the tent until Poppa held up his favorite book. That did it.

Spencer ducked down as low as his fat little legs would allow. Big blue eyes shot Nana a tentative look. Then he reached those precious hands toward Poppa's face. We both melted!

The casts came off yesterday and we are delighted to report that Spencer now has TEN precious fingers complete with ten nearly perfect fingernails. (Hence the inadvertent scratches on my face.) Even the surgeon registered surprise at how well his hands are healing.

We know that is the power of prayer!

For five long weeks Spence has lived with the restrictions of casts encasing both hands and reaching to his shoulders. And of course with this being his second surgery, he knew every step of the difficult journey!

While we were in El Salvador, he had an accident and the original casts had to be cut off and replaced. One of the replacements slipped off his arm two days later and he had to endure a third one being molded while Dad held him steady.

When Joy went in to get him this morning, she said he held his hands out toward her with fingers spread wide apart. His big smile said it all! "Look, Mom! Fingers!!"

Yep, I'm exhausted; but this is one grateful Nana writing today. Messy living room and all!