Chloe's first haircut

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Is anybody out there???

So, as I look at my comments, I see that I have one faithful reader. I know there are times where I don't get on here for a long time, so I am wondering who actually keeps up with this blog besides my mom and Kent. The question I am getting at is, is this blog thing really worth my time. So, if you are a faithful reader, please comment on this post so I know you are out there. I guess if it's only mom and Kent then I will just speak to them in person about the things I decide are blog worthy:)

First of all, I would like to thank my friends and family for the prayers for my mom. For those of you who don't know, my mom went in to have her gall bladder removed last Wednesday. The surgery we great, but after the surgery she aspirated (food came up from her stomach and went into her lungs) when she was waking up from the anesthesia. Her lungs collapsed and she developed pneumonia. She has been in the ICU since Thursday. So, an outpatient surgery turned into a long stay in the hospital. She will be there until at least Friday. She was originally planning on being back to work by yesterday.

We were reminded this weekend how much a 2 year old absorbs. Even when you try to protect them, they know something is wrong. Chloe kept talking about mom the whole time we were there. She often talked about how grandma was sick, but she would be okay. One day she asked me where grandma was and told me she needed her. While we were at my parents house, she would pick up things and tell us they were grandma's. She is still having trouble sleeping and doesn't like it if Phil or I leave her.

Please continue to pray for my mom as she heals. It will be a slow process and I know she wants to get back to work. Pray that she takes the time she will need. Also pray for the doctors. They think there may be some underlying issues that they plan to address after she is out of the hospital. Pray for my dad and my brother Eric. Thanks for all of your support and the phone calls. They mean a lot! On our way up to Kalamazoo, I felt peace because I knew we were being prayed for. What an awesome feeling. Thanks!! I know my mom is going to kill me for posting this picture, but it's the only one I had right now:)

What a summer!!!

For my one faithful reader, I decided I should probably post something since it's been 4 weeks!! We have been very busy at the Amburgey household. Phil had CDYC (church youth conference) from June 20-23 and was busy with preparations from that. Fundraising, figuring out totals for each kid, calling parents, and making sure everyone knew the rules was a bit stressful this year. While I wasn't involved in all of that, I was stressed out for him!!

It was hard to make sure we got family time and adult time with all of that going on, so we took a family vacation from June 24-27. One the hottest week in June, we headed south to visit Phil's aunts in Glasgow, Kentucky. We were hoping to be able to spend some time outside, but the high temps kept us indoors most of the time. Chloe was able to get some swimming in, and she got to experience her first cave tour. The whole time we were waiting for the tour to start she kept saying "I go on cave tour". Phil and I toured the local museum that Aunt June volunteers in. It was really impressive for a town the size of Glasgow. All of the things in the museum were donated by people in the area. It's amazing that people had some of that stuff just lying around!! I think the Victorian era walker was my favorite. Vacation was great, but we were all ready to head home, so on Saturday afternoon, we headed back to Fort Wayne. The drive was VERY long due to some construction, but we made it back safe! We were blessed several times with safety on the road (ask for details sometime).

So, we are now back to normal life. We have taken a trip to the local park for Chloe to play at the splash pad, we took a family walk last night, and are now preparing for my family to visit this weekend for my birthday. I love the freedom of summer. At times we feel super busy, but at least most of the time we are busy together:) Pics will follow!!

My husband is amazing...

This past week has been a bit of a challenge for me. I have been fighting a cold/sinus thing that keeps getting the best of me. I also had my first round of cortisone shots for my wrists on Wednesday. The doctor told me I wouldn't like him for several days. He wasn't exaggerating!! I can't really cook, cleaning is a joke, folding laundry isn't going to happen, and the thought of giving Chloe a bath is overwhelming. My husband has been there to help this whole week. He has made a late night run to get me some cold meds, had a great time giving Chloe a bath last night, and has been very supportive this week. I am blessed to have the support I have from him. I wouldn't be able to survive without it!! Thanks Phil:)

Chloe's 2!!!

Within the past week, there have been two people who I knew in high school that faced the question of faith. Do you continue to place your faith in God, or do you walk away from a faith you have know since you were a small child? While these people aren't really a part of my life today (except through Facebook), I can remember fun times with both of them. Times that we were surrounded by our identities in Christ. One made the choice to cling to the grace that God has given her. One, we will call her Samantha to protect the innocent, chose to walk away. I guess this situation made me try to imagine my life without Christ. I can't do it. Samantha said she has never been happier in her entire life. Those words lead me to believe that she never truly knew God. Was she following the ideas and "rules" of other Christians? I guess there is only one person who can answer that question. I think of times in my life when I felt like I was at the bottom. The only reason I was able to stand back up was because God was there to lift me up. This is probably the 4th time in a week this idea of "Christian rules" has come up for me. The thing that I am realizing is, it's not about a score. It doesn't matter how many things I "get right". It's about a relationship. The things that I do after that (reading my Bible, following God's commandments, praying) are a result of that relationship. My prayer is for Samantha's daughter. I pray that God sends an amazing person to show her the true love of Christ. I also pray that the scales will be removed from Samantha's eyes. I know she feels like this is the end of this subject in her life, but I think it's just the beginning. She knows the truth, and I hope that makes it so she can't sleep at night. I pray that God grabs her heart and shows her His true self. Not the ideas other Christians have given her, but true love, grace, and acceptance. I also am praying for other friends that may be at this same place. Sometimes we don't know what is truly going on inside a person. This is my reminder. It hurts when someone turns away from God. I cannot fathom how He is feeling today.