Making the best of things

Two years ago when we were at UVA for oh so long, we learned a lot. We'd already been to different teaching hospitals, but we became practiced at how everything has to go through different channels, who is who, who to talk to, when to go over someone's head, when to flip out, and also when to accept you're there for the foreseeable future and it may as well not suck the whole time. For instance, you don't have to eat their food. In Virginia, we had Whole Foods and a bunch of great local restaurants. Here we have Eatzies and Nonna's refrigerator...and Poppa's Chardonnay. Vital things. We also learned when to have people visit and when to say no. Most of the time, visits are always good. Because we don't tend to associate with people we wouldn't want to have visit. :). Anyway, we are trying very hard to make this visit as...um...fun? as possible. With my family around, this isn't too hard. Someone is always around to visit, spell us, send videos, or do something wildly inappropriate. These distractions are good for everyone.

Starting at noon yesterday, James hasn't been allowed anything to eat or drink. Then when 24 or so hours pass, they will start him on the nasty cleanse drink to potentially have a PICC line placed, and an endoscopy and colonoscopy on Monday. If not Monday, then Tuesday depending on some test results. Please please pray for Monday. We really want to get this all over with as soon as possible. These next few days are just awful, but we are trying to do everything right so we can get every result possible and done correctly. Obviously the big hope is that they find something treatable and then we go from there. It's hard on every parent to withhold food and drink from a child that doesn't understand why, but I just have to say, this is SO hard for parents who jump to give their kid food if they're hungry. Shoot, just to hear him say he's hungry and wants pancakes is usually the best part of my day. So giving him a wet towel to suck on basically sucks wet towels. He's now napping and I hope he sleeps for hours. It all just goes faster that way. Probably I will post again after things settle down tomorrow. Tom will stay a few extra days til we are over this hump. I know he doesn't want to leave any more than I want him to! Today he got away from the hospital for a few hours and I hope he can let down his guard a bit. He's been everyone's rock the past week and we need him to stay that way and not crack!! :)

Here are a few cute pics we've taken while trying to pretend things are normal!



So happy to see his sister!










A little FaceTime when we can't all be where we want to be, which is together! I have to say, the boys are lookin a little rougher than the girls, until....




Eve covered in yogurt. Covered.




Disclaimer: Whitney, you'll probably cry. This is a view from my parent's. That big ray shining down from the sun is pointed directly on Children's Hospital. It's gotta be a good sign, right?!