Rain

Our week started with maximum excitement. Chanel lost another tooth. She had been wiggling and wiggling, and finally on Tuesday morning, the tooth left its home of the last 7 years and made room for another. Chanel was excited, but imagine everyone's surprise when, at recess, she lost another tooth. Two teeth in one day! Needless to say, Chanel was restless at bed time, excited in the knowledge that the tooth fairy would be delivering something of a bonus! It is breathtaking to consider how quickly our babies are growing up.

Tuesday night was another great experience for me. I taught at the radio school, which I'm really enjoying. I had left my scooter outside with the helmet attached. Glancing out the window, I noticed rain. Hard and heavy rain. My helmet! I left the class and sprinted outside, getting drenched as I did so. As I feared, my helmet was entirely full. It had been facing up toward the rain and had collected about 70 mm. I carried the sodden item back inside, which provided laughs for the class. At the end of the night it was still pouring. What a blessing, we need the rain so badly. But my jacket isn't waterproof. I rode home, my open faced helmet allowing the rain drops to pelt into my face at 60km/h plus whatever their velocity is as they fall from the sky. By the halfway mark I could feel the water soaking to my skin through my several layers of clothing. When I got home, I was drenched through. It was cold. But my gloves worked a treat! And it was raining. Plus, Kylie was waiting up for me. What could be better?

Wednesday brought a whole new set of challenges. I went to work in the morning, and received a call while still travelling. Kylie was having strong pains and was fearful that she was having contractions. At 28 weeks, that would not be good for our little family. Kylie's mum (who has been amazingly helpful to us this week) took Kylie to the hospital and left her there while she took Ella to speech therapy. The hospital said there was nothing wrong, and sent Kylie home a couple of hours later.

By about three o'clock Kylie was on the phone to me in tears. The pain was back and far more intense than previously. This time though, it definitely was not contractions. But Kylie could barely stand it, and I stopped studying to race home to help. The kids were quickly farmed out to babysitters who watched them until Kylie's mum could pick them up. We went back to the hospital.

Scans were taken. There are two pictures of the scans below. This was a very exciting part of the day for us. This first pic is of our baby's spine. The second one is our baby's foot.

Kylie had test after test! They took a lot of blood and so on, but still couldn't give us any idea of what was really going on. All they could do for certain was rule out labour. Then they ruled out appendicitis. But Kylie was still in a lot of pain. The doctor admitted Kylie for the night, which meant that I went home to an empty house, and Kylie had a stress free, quiet night

Other symptoms finally led them to a tentative conclusion that was confirmed the following morning. It appears that Kylie had kidney stones. I'm not familiar with exactly what that means, but my understanding (and Kylie's experience) is that it hurts. A lot. Almost like labour in fact.

Interestingly, Kylie asked for a priesthood blessing/administration from me. From that time on, there was little discomfort, and since Kylie came out of the hospital there has been no pain at all. We're praying that the stones dissolved and were passed.

I don't buy dinner often but with Kylie in hospital for the night and the children being looked after, and my late return, Thai was on my mind. As I left the Thai restaurant at 8pm it was still raining. A semi-trailer was heading my way and I saw the spray from the road as he drove. Electing to get out of the way I stepped backwards from my car and up onto the footpath outside the restaurant. Oops, the guttering was leaking and in missing the water from the truck, I got a soaking from the downpipe! I had to laugh.

So a couple of eventful days meant study interrupted! I have my first exam this Tuesday, and haven't done nearly as much as I feel I need to prepare. Church today, and then tomorrow I study - hard. All things going well I'll maintain my high distinction average.

One last highlight that I really want to share. Kylie's mum has a wonderful musical talent which she has worked hard to develop. A couple of times each year, she works with different groups of church members to conduct choirs and performances. At the moment she has been having difficulty finding a narrator for the one that is being completed. I was invited to attend this week (Thursday night) and act as narrator for a performance that will be held in a couple of weeks. I was pleased to be invited, and took up the offer.

What a spiritual highlight! To hear these wonderful voices singing and testifying of Truth. It was entirely uplifting. The pinnacle for me was to be able to read words from prophets, written to convince others of the importance of Jesus, and the infinite atonement. As I read those words I felt, deep in my soul, the Holy Spirit reconfirming (again) how true and how sacred this knowledge is. I look forward to every chance I get to feel that and to tell others of it.