But the day didn’t turn out quite like we had planned.
To say the least.
We went out for a cup of coffee…..
and a bit of a brisk walk downtown….
an early breakfast at one of our favorite little restaurants…..
speck of time at our favorite thrift store….
tad of grocery shopping…
and home for a picnic lunch outdoors with the kids.
Emma and I needed to run some errands but I changed my mind at the last minute and said, “I just want to be outside with you Whitey. Let me change my clothes quick so I can come outside with you and work around the yard…it’s so beautiful….let me help you clean up the yard….”
Ya’ know there is just something about my man loving his lady working beside ’em.
He eyes lit up, “Really?” Yes, babe. Really.
So I went to change into some work-outside-kinda-clothes….
I was done in a flash and he was outside already.
The screen door was open and all of a sudden I heard him call from the yard, “Where’s Elijah?” I yelled from the house, “He’s in here.” I heard him yell again, “Where’s Elijah?” Again I called back to him.
But apparently he never heard me and started to panic.
{Cause of the septic overflow thing, that is double fenced off, but still…}
At that instant he turned to kind of run toward the house and his foot rolled under him.
He said it was the most excruciating pain he has ever felt in his lifetime.
By the time he got to the house {75 feet} his ankle was already swollen like this:
He was writhing around in pain.
Oh.My.Gracious.
You.did.not!
We spent the next three hours in the ER.
Dw was so stinkin’ frustrated.
When he found out that they hadn’t taken pictures of the right part of his foot
and ankle he was especially ticked off tickled. ugh.
So more xrays and more waiting.
I was trying my best to keep it lighthearted, and at one point, kind of giggling I said, “I think we ought to play The Thankful Game”….to which he replied, “I don’t wanna play your stupid game.”
Bless his little heart.
And then the doc came in and told him that he has a broken bone in his foot
and a horrible sprain in his ankle.
When we told the doc we have 7 kids at home, but I am leaving with our oldest at home, in less than 48 hours for Africa for 2 weeks, the doc shot him a sympathetic look.
Uh, yeah. Good luck with that.
Dw asked if he could drive?
The doc looked at him with a puzzled look and said,
“Ummm, ya’ kinda need your right foot to drive.”
Of course a few minutes later when my handsome hubby was attempting to get his broken foot, sprained ankle, cast and crutches in the car….a maneuver which took probably close to 5 minutes…{seated in the back with his foot propped perfectly on the console thingy between the two front seats and wincing the whole time from the pain}….I kept laughing. I said, “Babe, I’m kinda tired, could you drive home?”
He did not think it nearly as funny as I.
Oh.My.Gracious.
So, all that to say, that the birthday wasn’t quite what we had planned.
The upside is that for you who know this man of mine there is no doubt you will again enjoy his sense of humor cause he will have plenty of time to keep up the blog for me while I am in Africa….
plenty
of
time.
Would you please join me in wishing my very best friend a VERY HAPPY BELATED birthday
by leaving him a birthday message???
{Reading all the comments will bring him some cheer…
and it’s not like he doesn’t have the time to read them.}
Oh My!! Happy Birthday DW! It will certainly be a memorable one 🙂 We will take good care of your wife I promise and I will praying be praying for you and the kiddos at home.
Seriously???!!!!!! Good grief…seems to be that nasty enemy does all he can to keep you guys from doing God's work. Good thing God is a mighty God! Will be praying for your trip to Africa…praying for Dw as he is home with the kids, praying for help to come pouring in for him…praying praying praying. AND Happy Birthday Dw!
Happy Birthday!
Sorry about the foot 🙁
Happy Birthday DW. Look forward to reading your posts when your sweet wife is gone. Sorry to hear about your foot.
Happy Belated Birthday DW!! Last March I stepped down from our horse's saddle and rolled my right foot on the pavement…it broke! And just to let you know, a couple of weeks later I was driving with a cast on! It takes a little practice and lots of caution, but it's possible!
Karen
http://www.haskesbitsandpieces.blogspot.com
I was following all the excitement on facebook yesterday. We even drove past Dwight, Illinois! Nice that there is a town names after Dwight. He certainly deserves it 🙂 So sorry about this latest incident. Never a dull moment at the Saunders house. We roll into Durango on Sunday night, so I'm available if I can help. Love you guys. Can't wait to hear about Africa.
Oh no!!
Poor thing… that looks incredibly painful!!
This is a birthday you'll never forget, for sure! Hope you are back on your feet again soon 🙂
The older we get, the more the birthdays just start blurring together. Way to make this one memorable!
Can't wait to hear about the amazing job you will do running your household on one foot!
Happy birthday!
Happy Birthday, Dwight! I saw your FB page yesterday! Everyone thought you were fooling…lol! Yesterday was our oldest daughter, Caitlynn's, 10th birthday! The kids April fooled us by TPing our bedroom! We couldn't help but laugh…they were so proud of themselves! Hope you feel better VERY soon!
Happy Birthday DW! Sorry to hear about your foot. I will be lifting you up in prayer as you are healing and taking care of all your sweet treasures.
Happy Birthday DW!:) Praying for a speedy recovery, and for your time at home to be comfortable and filled with lots of….ummmm, HELP?:)
Oh dear I went to bed wondering the outcome having followed the events on Facebook. Hope the foot/ankle heals quickly and the pain bearable. Happy belated birthday. As fo keeping us up-to-date on your blog Linny maybe Dw could up date one or other of his too!!!! just saying, I enjoy reading his but he doesn't write that often!!!! I realise he is VERY busy, now he has some time!!!! xxx
So not only will I be praying for the team in Uganda the next two weeks; I'll also be praying for you! Happy Birthday!(?)
P.S. Thanks so much for all the extra work you all went through for Bethany!
Tina
Oh my goodness – ouch, ouch, OUCH!
I am so sorry you are injured and pray for a quick and complete healing.
Happy late birthday!
Happy Birthday! Sad to hear that about your foot and that you will be without Linny & Emma… but excited for them to get to Kampala! 😉 Praying hard for you while you're home and caring for the littles and that your foot will heal quickly!
Happy Birthday DW! Hope you get to feelin better soon!!!
~ To God Be the Glory!
Brittany
Happy Birthday DW. I pray God will speed your recovery!
In Jesus,
Loris
that looks so painful! Happy Birthday DW. Mine was the 30th and my dads the 31! Good month to be born! Enjoy your lounging! Lots of tlove from the Funkhousers!
Oh owwwwww! I've sprained my ankle extremely bad, two times in a row. The first time I was playing basketball the second time…. I was racing my husband and jumped on a sprinkler head. I felt really dumb. I totally feel your pain.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY! At least the day of your birthday was pain free, right? I know, I'm really not helping much. Hope you are back on your feet in not time!
Happy Belated Birthday !! So sorry about your foot. I pray you will recover fast. Also praying for the team as they get ready to go.
Happy Birthday DW! I would come help out with the kids if I lived closer. Praying that your foot heals quickly and that you have lots of people to help you while Linny is in Africa.
Happy Birthday!!! I hope your foot gets better fast!
Happy Birthday DW! I know your pain, I broke a bone in my foot while living in China and I had to travel home on a bus sitting straight up for 13 hours and wear a cast for 8 weeks…in the middle of the summer! It was crazy!! We will definitely be praying for quick healing and for Father to teach you more about Himself during this time! 🙂
Dw Happy Birthday and am so sorry to her about your ankle. I AM looking forward to your posts while Linny is gone!!!
Kathie in NY
Happy Birthday DW! Sorry about your bad luck on your special day… 🙁
Love your nickname for him, Linny~ Whitey…how cute!
😀
I hope you saw my Facebook message, but just in case! Happy BIRTHDAY DW! I hope the rest of your day was as wonderful as it sounded. (Good thing you got that walk in early.) ALSO, a good thing you are tough! God is going to show you the wonderful things your kids are capable of doing. I will pray that they will serve you while your Linny is gone.
Happy Birthday DW!
I never comment but had to on this story because I broke my right ankle 9 days ago. I know exactly what you're going through and how frustrating this process can be. So from one invalid to another, keep those spirits up! Laugh at your weakness and this humbling experience, my friend. I know those kiddos will help you out too!
Your internet friend,
Laura
Happy Birthday, Dw! I'd offer to come help you with the kiddos while Linny is away but it's a bit of a drive from Delaware. Hoping some great folks from your church family will be on hand to help ya out 🙂 Try to rest…bahahahaha! I know…impossible with all that you have on your plate. Well, it was a nice though anyway. Will be praying for your family!!
And I also drove with a cast on my right foot…practice on your land first…then hit the open road. You'll be fine!!! 🙂
Happy Happy Birthday!!! Poor Fella!!
We will be praying for you while Linny is gone!!
I broke my right kneecap just before Christmas. The not driving part is the worst! Praying for fast healing!! Sheri
Happy Birthday Dwight!! What a wonderful husband you are to sweet Linny, and a great daddy to all of your little ones. Trust God with your ankle and your family. He's fully able and capable of taking care of all your needs while Linny is gone. I'm sure you know this, but a little encouragement doesn't hurt. Trust in the Lord with all your heart…and He will direct your path. While this doesn't make sense to be happening at this time, and at the moment you can't even walk a path:O) I pray that He will turn all of this into something beautiful. Praying for lots of help for all of you, and wishing I could be there to pitch in:O)
Happy birthday, Dwight! 🙂
I am so sorry that you sprained and broke your foot, that must have been so painful!
Linny says you'll have plenty of time to read… I sent her an article yesterday especially for you to read (study?), so I guess (hope) you'll be able to read it?? 🙂 🙂
May YHWH give you peace and comfort and time for your foot to heal.
yeah – the foot isnt looking so good. almost as if someones going on a missions trip soon…
HAPPY BIRTHDAY
FELIZ CUMPLEANOS!!!
Dwight, the link to the article is
http://tinyurl.com/3p23w9z
It is written by a Baptist pastor here in Australia and it is not long… if you have time… 🙂 could you print it out and read it… normally I wouldn't keep asking but it seemed like the Lord wants you to read it? I explained in an email to Linny yesterday.
Be blessed 🙂
Happy Birthday!
Trust me: http://www.mybrokenleg.com
My best friend when it happened to me!
So Sorry DW about the foot and ankle – just because you care so much about that little guy Elijah.
Take it easy, rest up for the next few hours and find yourself some drivers – we'd offer but its a long way.
Oh Yes, Happy Birthday anyway – you are in good company – on my last birthday (50th) I fell and broke my wrist/arm. Lots of pain and a long recovery, but its much better now. Hope yours gets better soon.
¡Feliz cumpleaños! Deseo que se recupere pronto
Happy birthday (belatedly) to my sistah chickie's DW. Hope it was a blessed day up to the point of the broken and sprained foot. And even that will be looked back on as a blessing I am sure at some point. Take care while your precious Linny and Emma are loving on orphans. We will pray for them but also for you as you keep the little ones home and loved on. Hope you feel better and are able to get around better soon.
Happy Birthday! I'm so sorry for all of the pain that happened on your birthday. In 2009 I was blessed with getting H1N1 for my birthday. I look back on it with thankfulness though that God was able to pull me through that. I had no insurance so I couldn't go to the doctors at all. I had great people taking care of me. I'm sorry that your birthday did not go according to plans, but Happy Belated Birthday :).
Happy Birthday, Dwight! So sorry you hurt your ankle & had to spend hours in the ER. Just happy that you had your oh.so.funny Beloved there to comfort you! Praying that He sends many forms of Helping Hands as you care for the littles!
Bless You! ~ Jo
Happy Belated Birthday DW. I wouldn't want to play the stupid game either:o)
just saying…..
My husband had the exact same injury this weekend last year! It is not a fun one. The funny thing in our case was a week later I dislocated several bones in my right hand. We had to be each others hands and feet for about a month.
Have a safe trip and I'll be praying for you and your family.
Brenda
Happy Birthday DW!!!
Thank you for sharing your wife with us this next couple of weeks.
you guys are special. humor in all of this…no cancellations of trip….he can handle it all and you are secure knowing that while you're gone it will all be good. God has a smile or two, i'm sure, when we react with joy to the 'stuff' life throws at us- don't give the devil the credit for this, he's not that smart! 😉 blessings!
Happy Birthday DW – you are truly a gift from God.
Happy Birthday DW I hope your foot gets better soon!
Happy Birthday DW! You gave encouraged us more than you will ever know.
Get healed up soon!
Happy, Happy Birthday….belated! So sorry about your foot! At least you have your wonderful wife there to help you….oh wait….nevermind!
Blessings,
Julie 🙂
You are a truly amazing and inspiring family. I found you from reading on another blog about Kirill. Absolute atrocity about that adoption being rejected, I will pray for those adoptive parents. I aspire to be your family and bring the those orphaned into your home. May God Bless your family and your trip. Thank you for sharing.
Shelley
I'm so sorry to hear about your injury. Not the most fun way to spend your birthday for sure! May the Lord hold you tightly in His hands and protect you from further injury~ and may your littles be well behaved and easy to handle while mommmy is gone. Happy (belated) Birthday, and know that many many people are out there praying for you and your family all the time. The strength of Faith your family demonstrates is absoulutely inspiring. In fact I am giving my friend (who doesn't know Jesus very well) a Memorial Box because of this very blog! So here is to another Glorious year filled with His unconditional Love.
Happy Belated Birthday!! Not sure it ended too happy but it sounds like it started that way at least. Just let him know from experience once the pain stops you CAN drive with your left foot!!! If you just sit a little sideways in the seat you are good to go!! Good luck wish I was closer to help taxi the fam around.
This is hysterical…well, it's SO NOT, but it SO IS!! lol…Just the way the story was told…too funny. Ugh…so sorry about the foot/ankle. I remember my brother spraining his ankle and it looked just like yours. He was playing basketball and he came down on his foot wrong. He's so tall and skinny that it was certainly a sight to see his ankle blow up so big! Well, hope the pain lessens soon! I'm sure you have reading to catch up with or something to do while your sitting down, right?? =)
Oops, and I forgot to say…HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! =) got a little side track!!
Oh, wow…….HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! You will have a great week seeing how God is going to come through for you. He loves to show Himself strong in our weakness!!! : )
Oh, DW. SO, SO sorry for your birthday escapade. I'll be praying for you as much as for Linny while she's away. May God bring quick healing to your poor foot and ankle.
Ouch! Happy Birthday Dw! Sorry about the foot/ankle. Wish we were at the cabin so we could help you out the next couple weeks, but I know you have plenty of wonderful people to help you out in Linny's absence. Praying for quick healing!
I'm so sorry… that picture made wince in pain, as that was me about 9 weeks ago… 2 weeks before we traveled to China to pick up our sweetie! Praying for you DW, and praying you have LOTS of help while Linny is away! Love and prayers are being sent for you, too, Linny as you travel!
Dear DW,
Bless your heart and happy birthday.
You really shouldn't dis the Thankful game.
You can actually drive with your left foot. My single mother did it when she broke her right ankle and was in a hip-to-toe non-weight bearing cast for 6 months. Of course, that was back in '79, we even moved while she was in that cast. I won't tell you the cruel things my brother did to her while she was laid up. See, there are things to be thankful for! 😉
Happy healing.
I have had a hard day with four sick kids and decided to take a few and read a couple of blogs. Thanks for the giggle. I'm sorry about your foot and your ruined Birthday, but take heart, you made one very tired, discouraged mommy smile tonight:)
Happy Belated Birthday!
Happy Birthday! Thanks for being an inspiration to our family and for you undying commitment to His work. May you heal quickly and be up chasing little ones soon!
Happy BELATED Birthday!!!!!!
AND Prayers and wishes for a speedy recovery… 🙂
Angie H.
Happy (belated) Birthday! (And I'm so with you there in ER. If my hubby had said, "Let's play the thankful game." at a time like that, I'd have have said the same exact thing, with venom seething from my lips.) 🙂 I hope you get well soon!
Happy Birthday DW!! So sorry about your foot. Praying for healing and and definitely pain relief! Praying for the mission trip as well!
God bless!
OH MY GOODNESS GRACIOUS!!! I hope your foot feels better so fast the doctors say its a miracle! Wishing you wonderful belated birthday wishes! Praying for your whole family and the mission trip!
Happy Birthday! Maybe the foot will get you some sympathy from the little people…..for at least a few minutes! I think you have earned yourself an addition birthday celebration!
Oh dear! Linny! I think you are getting in TROUBLE!! My goodness!
I am QUITE LATE but Happy Birthday to you!! I do pray that your foot is feeling MUCH better by today and that you are managing okay with all the kiddos help!