Anticipation

It seems like we've been here before. Oh yes, LAST February we were saying "Don't put your ear on the speaker." "Move back from the tv." "Don't put your ear on the speaker." "Move back from the tv."

And we were hearing "Huh?" constantly! It was more than just not listening, our principessa failed her hearing test. Instead of fluid behind her eardrums, hers is the consistency of paste. It was time for tubes.

At that point she was three years old, going on four, and knew that things were very different from any experience she had before. Although we had told her a little about what would happen, she had no point of reference. So we took our sweet baby to the hospital and they poked and prodded, and put her in gown that left her little tushie to hang out in the cold. Things started to get real. She started to get upset, and we had to pretend like we weren't. Flash forward to recovery: she had tubes, her adenoid had been removed, she was doing so well they said they weren't going to send her home with anything for pain. Yay! Ok. But when the pain meds from the hospital wore off she was in too much pain to take Tylenol or take a sip of water. It was not a fun week of healing!

Fast forward to December, when we were back to see the doctor because she was having trouble hearing... again! The tubes had worked their way out, she failed her hearing test, she had paste behind the eardrum. So we tried six weeks of antibiotics, to no avail. It is February again, and we are scheduled to have tubes put in again. This time its highly unlikely that the adenoid will need any more attention, so we're praying for an easier recovery. The big glitch is that she is old enough now to remember that the last experience scarred her for life. At the mere mention of tubes or the hospital our now four year old, going on five years old, principessa becomes sullen, anxious, irate. We've talked about what we expect to happen, she has seen pictures of the eardrum and of the different tube types. She is a bit less anxious, but I would be lying if I said we aren't all anxious. And so I cling to this promise. What a relief that God knew we would face anxiety and offered the peace of this promise! He has got our backs; He is taking care of our principessa even when she is out of our hands. She's better off in His hands than mine, anyway!

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:6-7