Dear Friends,

This is by far the hardest and scariest week of my life. Well, a few years ago I had a very hard week when my parents separated. However, I think we surpassed that this past week.
A few weeks ago, Matt's granddad got very sick. Last Sunday (6 days ago), his granddad died. On Tuesday around 2pm we headed to TN. It was already going to be a hard week. The car ride was Ruthie's best road trip to date. She did so great. She was happy, ate her food, slept a good bit, and went straight to sleep that night when we arrived around 10:30pm.
On Wednesday morning, Ruthie woke with a 102.6 degree fever at 5:30. I thought "I need to find that tylenol". It was no where to be found. Around 7 Matt headed to Walmart to get some meds. He was gone for less than 30 minutes. In the mean time, I got her some food and drink and Matt's mom got her a luke warm bath prepared. At 7:30ish, I see Matt pull in and I unbuckle Ruthie high chair and take her shirt off to put her in the bath. As Matt walks in the door and I pick Ruthie up she starts seizing! People, I have never, ever, ever been so afraid that I was going to loose someone in my life. We put Ruthie in the car and I called 911 as we sped away to the hospital.
The trip to the hospital should take 15 minutes and we made in there in less than 8! Ruthie stopped seizing in 3.5 minutes, but this momma was very very worried. We pulled into the hospital and rushed her into the ER. She was taken back within 30 seconds (even though that seemed like 5 minutes). She was given some sleeping/seizure meds and laying with no movement on the bed. Matt and I were a wreck! By 9:30, we were being transported to Knoxville's Children's Hospital. They took great care of us at both hospitals.
By 2pm we were headed home from the hospital. Well, headed back to Matt's parents' house. After xrays, urinalysis, and blood work they said she just had a virus and seized b/c her temp went so high so fast that her brain could not take it. Turns out that when we got to the hospital her temp had rose over 1 degree in less than an hr. Also, 1 in 20 kids between the ages of newborn and 5 years old will seize from a high temp/a temp that rises too fast. Ruthie is one of those kids!
So we dealt with Ruthie. I stayed home with her while Matt and his family went to his granddad's funeral. I was sad to not be there to support Matt and to say goodbye to such a great man. That man will be missed so so so much! He was such a wonderful man and godly man! He was so wonderful and welcomed me into the family as one of his own! I'm sad that he is gone, but I know where he will spend eternity so we are all ok!
Well, you would think that was it, but no! My dad has been in a manic stage of bipolar disorder for a few months now. On Friday, he left home and hasn't been seen since. We are estranged at the moment due to some different things, but boy is it still hard on our little family.
Then today, my mom just told me that her sweet little dachshund, Puppy, died tonight. I am just so heart broken. I just want this week to be over.
Ruthie is still sick with a sore throat now from a virus that our dr. here in Brunswick says is going around. My dad is still missing. Granddad Stout is still gone and now so is Puppy. It is just a sad time. Please pray for Matt, Ruthie, me, and sweet Olivia who I'm sure has been stressed since her momma has been. Matt and I have really been able to lean on each other during this time. I am so blessed that we have each other and God during this time. We also have great family, churches (College Place and GCF), and friends that have been so supportive. Hopefully, all will be ok very soon, but until then God is our strength and peace.
I just needed to get this out so thanks for reading. It was helpful to me to be able to just put it out there.