Warning: visiting us may result in babysitting and ER visits.

Today we had the great pleasure of a visit by Cammie Freed, a friend from Bible school. Some of you might remember her as Cammie Labrier. It was a holiday so Matt was home doing dresser drawer repair jobs and the kids had a little homework to do.

We had a nice chat in the living room for an hour or two and then Matt put on a pot of coffee. He came and sat down in the living room until we heard the screaming. It was one of those moments where you realize that is a real scream, not another “my brother is wearing my shirt” type of scream.

We ran to the kitchen and found Gideon covered in hot hot hot coffee grounds. He and one of his siblings had somehow pulled out the grounds basket while it was still brewing and it fell all over Gideon. I started a cool shower and Matt pulled off his clothes. We rinsed him off as quickly and as best as we could, not knowing where or how bad the scalding was.

The result was moderate burns on the backs of both his hands and minor stuff scattered about the rest of him. Cammie and I took him over to Christie Marshall’s, our head EMT and my across the street neighbor (convenient!). He was screaming bloody murder and in a lot of pain. Small blisters were beginning to form on one of his thumbs. We ran more cool water over the burns. Christie looked him over and bandaged him up and thought it was worthy of a trip to town.

So I uninvited Cammie to be our guest at dinner and asked her to babysit which did include the dinner already in the crockpot. Hallelujah she agreed!! Thank you Cammie.

Cammie and I right before Matt and I went to the hospital. I think I look frazzled.

We quickly prayed as a family asking God to relieve Gideon’s pain for our long car ride to town.  We moved carseats, packed a bag with clothes for Gideon who was still wrapped in a blanket from the shower and not wearing any pants or shirt, then searched frantically for my purse which is always lost, and hopped in the car.

Gideon stopped crying as soon as we drove away and focused on games on Matt’s computer thingy. He stayed happy the rest of the night!

The ER in Torrington is not like Kaiser or Sutter or Memorial in Santa Rosa.  In Torrington you have a bed and a nurse within 1 minute of arrival. Very likely you are their only patient. Gideon was instantly greeted by a nurse and the doctor followed in right behind.

They took a look and decided Gideon’s hands were first degree burns (the least bad) and home treatment would be sufficient.  They were very pleased with the way he was moving his hands around and letting them remove Christie’s bandages and look them over. They gave me some prescription cream and instructions while Gideon happily chatted it up with the nursing staff. He enjoyed every moment of attention and loved the stickers.

On our way back, we took him to McDonalds for his first Happy Meal (yes his first, when you buy for 10 people you usually get the dollar menu with no fries or soda.) Then we stopped at Nana and Papa's for some lovings and headed home. Gideon and I had an opportunity to thank God for taking away his pain on the road trip to town. He remembered how awful it was and how it didn’t hurt so bad anymore. The rest of the drive home he played “cut the rope” on the computer thingy and giggled everytime the balloons tooted. He was having a great time.

We made it back around 8:30 to a quiet! Clean! house AND the laundry was done and folded!!! Cammie had everybody fed, with their teeth brushed and flossed, and ready for bed. What a WOMAN!

We did get another hour of visiting in before Matt decided it was his bedtime and we had to say goodbye. It was really good to catch up and I am so thankful for her help today and so thankful that God kept Gideon from being badly injured.

On Sunday the message at church was to “Consider it all joy when you encounter various trials…” It is a good reminder for us to have our minds set on Him in easy circumstances and hard.

Before Cammie left, Sam brought her a homemade card, signed by all the boys, thanking her for babysitting - and the best ever, I hadn't told them to write it.