by Vyckie
Typical mom that I am, I can not stop myself from bragging about my kids ~ and right now, it’s Angel’s turn ‘cuz I’m really proud of how well she’s doing lately.
It has been almost two years ago that I drove to Nashville to bring Angel home ~ she had been committed to the psychiatric unit at Vanderbilt med. center after her third suicide attempt. I was seated in a conference room when a couple of nurses brought Angel in and told us the doctor would be in shortly. One look at my daughter and I was so afraid for her ~ there was a huge gash on her cheek where she had slammed her face against a metal window screen ~ and at first sight, she looked like she belonged in a mental institution ~ so I was scared for me too.
The psychiatrist entered the room and started explaining all the medications she was supposed to take for anxiety, hallucinations, etc. “Is it going to be safe for me to drive all the way back to Nebraska with her?” I was thinking not only of my own safety, but I also had Chassé and little Wesley along ~ what if she had a suicidal moment while I was driving and tried to jerk the steering wheel away from me and crash us into an oncoming truck or something? Continue reading »
This essay was written by Angel for her Comparative Mythology class ~ dated April 12, 2009.
Boxes
by Angel Renee
The rains have come. Green is creeping into the white blanket covering the ground. Growth has come out of hiding. With the arrival of spring, hands everywhere are reaching for the accumulated dust of winter to shake it out into the sunlight. I too find myself in a season of cleaning, shaking out the dust within my soul. (Metcalf)
For weeks I have felt the persistent creep of change into my heart. The presence of spring has swept through the mansion of my mind, disturbing what is stagnant. I glimpse the scattered piles of boxes surrounding me. Another winter past, and I am ready to break out the hidden treasures stored away in my subconscious self. Ready to start sorting out the ideas I had held fast to, unwilling to let some go, excited to throw others out and welcome in new ones. Time to break through the cobwebs that are no longer intricate forms of art but a dusty mess that needs attended to. Too long has my mind lay dormant, escaping a much needed renewal. Continue reading »
by Vyckie
I had lunch with Hazelle at school on her 13th birthday ~ this year was the first time that I didn’t cry as I remembered the trauma of my 4th pregnancy and delivery ~ in fact, I hardly thought of it at all ~ so yeah, time does bring healing and I’m grateful for that.
There’s an interesting discussion going on over in the NLQ forums about quiverfull families who are “trusting the Lord” with their family planning and at the same time, accepting government assistance to support their children.
themomma said: This is one of my biggest complaints against a quiver family I know.
It is all “we are leaving it God” while they are using services. I think it is “selective faith” at the least.
About the same time that we were “convicted” (sorry, Kelly ~ I’m still using that word ::) ) to trust the Lord with our family planning, we were also convicted to trust Him with our finances ~ which meant no gov’t assistance, though we easily qualified for every program available.
Because we felt it would be a poor witness to accept medicaid, I did not seek any medical care during my fourth pregnancy (our first “reversal baby”) ~ but instead found a midwife and planned a home birth even though my first three had been delivered via c-section. Continue reading »
