JAXSON
This week will be remembered ALWAYS by our family. It certainly refined us. At the start of Jaxson's first game he was scratched in the eye. He immediately doubled over covering both his eyes. After the ref paused the game and the coach came on the floor to check him out, he waved me over. Jaxson was writhing in pain. Through the sobs he cried, "I can't see". I immediately walked him off the court and found a trainer, that really did nothing for us. But it was clear that Jaxson's eye had been hit, and bad.
We rushed him (as fast as one can in an Uber in Chicago) to the nearest eye doctor. Who numbed his eye and put some dye in it to see what had happened. Multiple scratches across the eye, including the cornea. A corneal abrasion he called it. Which would heal completely and relatively quickly. But not quick enough to play any of the rest of the tournament. Jax cried and prayed and cried and prayed and hit the pillow and cheered on his team like crazy and hoped it would heal quick enough to play in the game in the morning, but it didnt.
Just like that. All of his hard work from training to earning money to practices.... came to a screeching halt by a finger nail.
We talked a lot about why? Why did that have to happen. Why couldn't it have healed quicker? How to be grateful for something so sucky? Phew. One of the hardest and saddest moments to date. And really, that is something to be grateful for in and of itself.
Jaxson got home and went straight to his high adventure with Landon. They had a great time. I think Jax was still really sad, but he tried to make the most of it. Its been a week sense it has happened but I feel a completely different type of refinded than I did just last week. And that must be why we are exposed to really hard things (and eye scratches).
PS: He said it was by far the worst pain he has ever been in his life. When he was finally able to open his eye he shuttered when he looked in the mirror. A little PTSD remembering what the pain was at the beginning.
TYLER
Tyler went to high Camp Spalding and had a great time. Speaking of being refined. I feel like he was this week. He did something meaningful. He did something challenging for him. He felt homesick and uncomfortable. He learned more about what other christians believe. He put sunscreen on every day by himself and showered and brushed his teeth. He wondered how other Christians believe that God and Jesus are the same person. He learned how to do a front handspring and almost a full standing back flip. He came home softer and more agreeable and teachable. Camp Spalding made Ty just 1% better and that is what anyone can hope for in a week like that. Ty is already amazing but always room for improvement and he has been a joy the last couple days sense coming home.
BRIGS & LUKE
Brigs and Luke got a week that they don't normally get. Just the two of them. It reminded me so much of when Jax and Ty would be buddies together. Hot take. Brigs and Luke may play even better than Jax and Ty. They made brownies together and sold donuts together. They made lego houses together and built forts. They jumped in the lake together and watched a movie together. They fought so very little and played peacefully so very much. Their relationship was refined this week. And it turned from a bud to a blossoming plant!! WOW I can't wait to see it grow even more.
PARENTS
Lando & I spent so much time parenting and churching this week. Saturday we were so excited to go on a date and we only made it a few minutes before Jax was invited to a dance and we let him go. So we came back to be home with the boys. That felt like such a deflatting moment. Sunday was filled with calling stuff. BUT on Saturday night we sat in a circle in the family reunion and rehashed our weeks to each other. And then Sunday evening we gathered around the dinner table and talked about what we learned at church then we did the dishes and ran downstairs and watched a few dude perfects. All that refining this week, made that moment all the more sweet.
