The day after...

This is a do-over.  Yesterday's blog seemed incomplete.

Yesterday at 11:17 am two men, Jeremiah Mumford and William Clayton went into Maynard Savings Bank armed with what we have heard was an AK47 and two other handguns.  They robbed the bank and took off down gravel roads.

Ben was in New Hampton and thought to himself, "If I robbed a bank and was headed this direction what roads would I travel?"

Turns out he was right.  Too right.

He identified the car traveling at 40 mph on a gravel road.  He called it in and began his pursuit.  Chief Dennis Cain was also in pursuit.  Ben was the lead car.  He came under gunfire within a few miles.  One shot hit the A frame of his car.  He slowed down and the next shot went in his windshield and out the back window.

He called out on the radio, "Shots fired.  Shots fired.  Shots fired."

Cain took the lead and Mumford unleashed 6 rounds into his vehicle.  Two of the bullets hit him.  Ben was the first one to Cain and helped hold pressure on his wounds, soon a deputy assisted him.  Ben will tell you that it seemed to take the ambulance forever to arrive on the scene.  Those on the other side of the radio will tell you that for some time they lost contact with Ben and Dennis because Ben couldn't talk on the radio while holding Cain's wounds... they only knew that an officer was down and that was all the information that they had for awhile.

As soon as he had a chance to call me he did...
"I'm okay Kelly.  I am okay.  You need to know that I.am.fine."
"Okay?... What?..."
"I was shot at today. Twice. I'm okay.  I didn't even get any glass on me..."

And after he told that he had been shot at I didn't really hear anything else.  This was not happening.  He's DOT.  This is not supposed to happen.

Of course we know that this is a possibility.  Of course we know that as a certified police officer that he faces dangers every time he puts his uniform on and gets into his patrol car.  But, yesterday that became all too real.

He came home early.  But there were still men that are close friends, some we'd even count as brothers, who were still in harm's way as we waited to hear if they would apprehend Mumford and Clayton without further incident.

While we were waiting for word on the two men at large we were overwhelmed with the care that the Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Enforcement agency gave us.  We were well cared for by our families, our church family, friends, neighbors and police friends from all over the state.

We were also able to meet Dennis Cain's family and we hope that we were an encouragement for them.  We ask that you would continue to pray for him and also for Officer Domino.  But, we would also ask you to pray for all of the law enforcement who were involved in yesterdays events.  We ask that you might pray for those who were in the bank at the time of the robbery and all others who were effected.

Please pray for our hearts as we have just today actually seen the faces and learned the names of Mumford and Clayton.  We do not want to become hardhearted and bitter.  But, we will be at the trials, oh we will be at the trials...

Please pray that we get good rest.  Last night was rough.  Please also pray that we would have time to "decompress" and that we could do that in our own timing.

I am reminded time and time again that I'm not a widow and that my children are not orphans.  I am reminded of the goodness and the faithfulness of God and that every morning His mercies are made new.  And in the midst of that I am also reminded that yesterday two men tried to murder my husband.

Weary Mama

I cannot get Jack potty trained.

He turned 3 in September and for the life of me I cannot get him to go on the potty.  He will sit on it if I put him on it.  He may or may not go.  He's gone #1 the most, but occasionally has gone #2.

But, he.will.not. do it on his own.

He pees in his underwear and cries, but it doesn't motivate him to do it on his own.

We've tried all of our tricks that we did on the other kids.  We've tried asking him if he wants to be a big boy like Daddy, Benjamin and Gabe.  He couldn't care less.

We've given him treats when he didn't go in his pants and have tried punishing when he did go in his pants.
Doesn't make a lick of a difference.

Hannah essentially potty trained Emma when she yelled at her, "You're not four!  I'm four!  Four year olds don't poop their pants."  Emma went on the potty from then on.

Don't think for a second that I haven't considered having Gabe yell at Jack the same way!

We've done the whole set up with the baby doll that drinks water and has to pee.  We have the baby pee in the potty and then have Jack do the same thing.  He thought that was so fun... for 30 minutes.  He lost interest and was gone.

Each Turkey Bottom is so different from the one before.  I keep having delusions that eventually I have to have something figured out.  Turns out that the next child humbles me.  I may think that I know a lot about raising kids, but I don't.  I think God wants me to completely rely on His wisdom. 

He created them.  He knows even better than I do how they tick!  He has perfect timing and sometimes all He needs is for me to ask!  If I would just ask Him what in the world He wants me to do to get this kid to stop pooping in his pants. 

I know. I know.  I've disgusted some of you.  But, it's true.  God cares about me.  He cares about the frustration that I'm having with this boy who (in my opinion) is way too old to be in a diaper.  He knows that I'm concerned about the cost of having a kid in diapers.  He knows that I'm weary after changing diapers for over 9 years straight and that for 6 1/2 of those years I had multiple turkeys in diapers!  My Abba Father truly cares about the things that concern my heart.

He desires me to walk with Him through the drudgery of the every day.  He understands the weariness of motherhood!  So Mama, what's weighing on your heart?  Are you walking with your Creator? 

Prayer changes things...

I wrote yesterday sharing that Ben and I were hoping to adopt a baby.  I mentioned that the mother's parents were wanting her to abort the baby and that she has an appointment at Planned Parenthood on Wednesday.

We have been praying and asking for all of you to pray that God would persevere the life of this precious little one. 

I asked that you might pray that God would protect my heart.

Today, we found out that the mom has changed her mind.  There will be no abortion!  But, there will also be no adoption.  She is planning on keeping her child.   I can only assume that this will be best for the child.  I will continue to pray for both mother and child and that God will use this situation to bring them both (and the grandparents) to the throne of the King.

I rejoice in knowing that this child will have a chance to breathe, a chance to cry, a chance to laugh, a chance to dance, a chance to fall down, a chance to run, a chance to love, a chance to hurt,  a chance to learn and a chance to fail.  I rejoice in all these things because they are all a part of life.  And in all these things this child will have the opportunity to praise God and grow into the person that God intends.

Thank you for your prayers.  I may never know this child, but he/she has already won my heart.

 

No, I'm not expecting!!

Two people asked me today if I was expecting.  I am not.  Not really.  Well, obviously, not at all...

But, we would love your prayers.  Please, please, please!

Sunday at church a man, who is also a lawyer, announced that he was looking for a couple that might be interested in adopting a baby that's due in 2 months.  I took one look at Ben and he said something like , "Yes, I know."  And he does, he knows.

We tried to approach the man after church, but another man was already discussing the situation with him.  My heart dropped.  Ben immediately told me not to worry about it and that God's will would be done.  I later texted the man's wife about the baby.  It seems as though the biological grandma may keep the baby. 

And so we continue to wait.

Last night at small group Pastor Not Woman told us that he knew of another baby that is in need of a family.  Apparently the young woman's parents want her to abort her child. 

Break.my.heart.

She has an appointment with Planned Parenthood on Wednesday. 

I wept.

I believe that God can do anything.  He can move mountains.  He can perform miracles.  He can change appointments.  He can spare the life of this baby.  Of a baby we would dearly love to have as our own.  Pray that as God continues to knit the baby together that He might also be knitting into the heart of the mom and grandparents that there are other options. 

Please Lord.

So no, I'm not expecting in the traditional sense of the word.  But, I am waiting in expectation of God's will to be done and praying that He will protect my heart while protecting the life of this precious life.