update.

Here's a less poetic recap of the saw accident:

I asked for a sander for Christmas.  Surprisingly, it came with a saw attachment.  And I just happened to have a piece of wood that needed cutting.  I had already turned the saw on once that morning and saw how dangerous it was.  The blade is completely open and there is nothing to stop it in the event it falls.

When Jason came home, I asked him to help me cut the piece of wood.  Jason is wonderful at many things, but me asking him to use an electric saw with no guard was not my smartest move.  This is not our first time to have stitches from sharp objects!

While I was holding the wood, the saw slipped out of Jason's hand.  Neither of us are sure when or how it cut Jason's hand.  I heard it cut into the washing machine and ricochet over to a nearby table.  Then, I felt liquid spray everywhere (Later we realized it cut through a bottle of bleach.)  Meanwhile, I was trying to get it unplugged, knowing it could turn at any moment back towards us.

As soon as the saw was off, Jason very calmly said, "Sarah, my hand is cut, and I think it'll need stitches.  But it's okay though."  I'm so thankful that one of us is calm under pressure.  I am NOT that person.  I could do first aid on any person in the world, as long as it's not Jason, Jack, or Max.  I have a huge weakness for their pain.

I pulled it together enough to drive us to the hospital.  A doctor friend was able to tell us where to go.  Once we arrived and the first guy looked at it, he took Jason straight to the doctor.

The problem with his hand was that the cut was made with a serrated blade.  This made the wound messy, more difficult to stitch.  They took Jason back to the surgery area, and I was handed a list of medications.  In India, you are responsible to buy the mediciness for any procedure.  Since the pharmacy is located somewhere else in the hospital, a very nice man volunteered to get the meds for me.

The boys couldn't go back in the surgery area, so they occupied themselves in the waiting room with the iPad.  I made quick trips to the back to check on Jason, while the sweet man beside me (that I'd never met before) watched the boys!  (We are so thankful to have teammates that live in our city and would help us out in a second, but unfortunately, everyone was out of town!)

The doctor only used nine stitches.  I had no idea what it looked like until they unwrapped it on Day 2. I have to admit that it looked a little Frankenstein-ish.  I was super concerned.  After consulting our company nurse, we decided it would be best if Jason saw a doctor in Delhi.  But despite booking a plane ticket and arriving at the airport EXTRA early on Christmas Eve, the plane was cancelled.  With all offices closing on Christmas Day, we found ourselves without many options but to wait it out and hope his hand would heal and stay without infection.

So today is Day 5.  His hand has started to heal, and there are no signs of infection (fever, redness, etc.) so we are thankful for that.  The doctor is keeping a close eye on it, and we are hoping all he is left with  is an ugly scar to remind us to always hire someone in the future!

For those who are curious, I included some pictures of his hand over the last few days!  It's all in black and white... no red for the squeamish ones like me!

Otherwise, Jason is doing fine, resting his hand, and getting out of ALL his daily chores.  I'm even shaving his head and face for him... I think he's enjoying the break!

Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!  Thank you for all the prayers and concern!

what if.

Ever started to do something and your gut told you it was a bad idea?  Ever verbally said "this is dangerous," only to find yourself doing it anyway?  Ever wondered "what if" in the aftermath of stupid decisions.

I've asked myself that a million times today.
What if I had not strayed from my morning routine?
What if I I didn't always HAVE to finish up some crafty project?
What if I had just paid someone to cut the board?
What if the saw hadn't slipped out of his hand?
What if I could have unplugged it faster?
What if it had hit more than his hand?
What if he had been seriously injured?
What if....
What if...
What if...

In the midst of the drama, I sat alone in a waiting room with the boys, crying, asking myself "why" and thinking of "what could have happened."  And then Jason sent me a text from the operating room:

"Stop.  It happened and could have been worse.  

It was not.  Be grateful." 

And so I dug deep and chose to be grateful.  Because the Lord certainly was gracious to us today.  

I'm thankful that Jason remains calm and cool in all situations.  

I'm thankful that the saw only hit his hand.

I'm thankful that no one else was hurt.

I'm thankful the metal washing machine took some of the impact and threw the saw.

I'm thankful we have a vehicle to get to the hospital.

I'm thankful for doctor friends that we can call in emergencies.

I'm thankful for little boys that encourage their daddy to hang in there by saying, "I hope you don't die, Daddy."

I'm thankful for immediate service at the hospital.  

I'm thankful for iPads.  Three hours is really a long time to ask a boy to sit.

I'm thankful for the sweet man (that I'd never met before) beside me who watched the boys in the waiting room so I could at least check on Jason a few times.

I'm thankful for the man who went up and down the stairs for me at least four times for meds from the pharmacy so I didn't have to take the boys up and down four flights.

I'm thankful that even when waiting room couches look like this, operating rooms are stocked with saline and iodine and antibiotics.

I'm thankful for a house helper, who stayed behind and cleaned up the accident scene and locked up when she was finished.

I'm thankful that this thing is packed up and ready to be returned to the store.

I'm thankful for a sweet, dear friend on the other side of the world that stayed up WAY past her bedtime to make sure we were all okay.  You are loved, Kerstin Higgins.

I'm thankful that Jason is an example for me.
I'm thankful that this guy is at home with me tonight with nine stitches and a war wound that will make a great story.... someday.  

Tonight I'm just thankful that the "what ifs" are just that... things that didn't happen and proof that God protected us today.

in the jungle- day 3

Day three's events were sparked after our first day of meeting Lachmii and the other female elephants at a local elephant camp.  A few minutes with this sweet baby, and we were hooked on elephants.  We scheduled a ride with the elephants the morning of our last day, and we definitely saved the best for last.

We woke up early and crossed the lake.  Before we reached the other side, I could see the giant creatures all ready for our day.

For our adventure, Jason, Max, and I would ride the older female, the matriarch of the bunch, and Jason's parents and Jack would ride on Lachmii's mother.

There is nothing graceful about boarding an elephant.  The rickety stand you climb up feels as though it will collapse at any moment.  I couldn't decide if I was safer on the stand or the back a 3-ton animal.

But somehow we all made it aboard and both elephants were ready for a ride through the jungle.

We literally went THROUGH the jungle.  Our elephant was first in line, and we traveled on our own roads. Our elephant ripped down trees as we went to make a way.  I've never seen anything like it.  On our way, we were on the lookout for other wildlife.



And would you believe we saw deer?  This one was huge.



Evidently people riding elephants were a common sight, because he just stared at us.  But even if we had only seen the leaves and trees, it would have been worth it.  It was beautiful.



I have to admit... we were awfully high off the ground.  At one point, Lachmii got spooked by a bird, and our elephant reacted by quickly turning to see the danger.  I began to ponder what it be like to fall from the animal.  I was glad I didn't find out.



Jack and I shared this look of amazement as we rode the elephants.  Such amazing creatures.  God was on a creative streak as he worked on this beast!



And He gave them a hearty appetite.   They ate the entire trip, tasting a variety of plants, trees, and leaves as we ventured in the woods.

But the rocking of the ride was too much for this little guy.  How do you sleep when you are riding an elephant?

 (Can we take a minute to say how sweet those little lips are... please don't grow up, Max!)
  

When it was over, we returned to our starting point.  As we approached the not-so-strong-or-sturdy stand, Lachmii took some time to nurse and regain her strength from our walk.

(I picked up lots of elephant knowledge while practicing my Hindi on this trip and learned that Lachmii will be nursed until she is three years old... just in case you care!)



And of course, breakfast was waiting on us under a nearby tree.



But my boys preferred to hang out with elephants rather than eat.  Smart kids!

(For those of you who know Max personally- Yes, we still have his "ba-boo."  Somehow we've kept up with it all the way to India, although it's certainly seen better days.  And it's still just as important as ever... even takes rides on elephants!)

Our elephant was growing some tusks.



Jack just couldn't get enough.

But even these boys can't resist food forever, so they finally stopped petting elephants long enough for a snack.

I'm convinced Jack would have stayed here forever.  He had a special love for Lachmii and I think the feelings were mutual.  I think he's pretty awesome, too, Lachmii!











And so ended our trip to Reni Pani.  It was unforgettable.  I'd go back tomorrow in a heart beat!

From the giant elephant to the smallest of creations...



His WORK was PERFECT.

And when He predestined these four to become a family, move around the world, and share adventures of a lifetime together, He reminded me that His WAYS, though they are not always ours, are PERFECT as well.

in the jungle- day 2

After our first day at Reni Pani, I wasn't sure the jeep safari could be topped.  We came home, enjoyed dinner inside a rustic lodge, and returned to our cabin for the evening.  Here's a look at our room:

I dare say the best parts of this room aren't visible in this photo.  For starters. when we pulled back the covers, we were surprised to find old-fashioned hot water bottles for everyone.  It was pretty cold in our room (no central heat and air in India) so these "old school electric blankets" were perfect.  In fact, we enjoyed them so much, we all bought some when we got home.  

My other favorite part of the room was the outdoor shower.  No one in my family was up for a shower photo... imagine that!  But I assure you it was glorious.   Privacy was available from the stone wall that enclosed it, but the huge brass shower head, trees overhead, birds singing, cool air, and hot water encouraged me to take more showers than usual!

We were scheduled for a boat ride bright and early on the morning of Day 2.  We were told it would include looking for crocodiles and bird watching.   I was excited about the crocodile part, but bird watching?

On our drive to the lake, we were all cold, tired, and a bit groggy.  As we traveled down the dirt trail , the guide was telling Jason about leopard activity in the area.  No one had ever seen them, but they'd seen plenty of tracks, and motion cameras collected proof that they were in fact in the area.  Not 30 seconds after he said this, a leopard crossed right in front of our truck.  And seconds later, another followed right behind.  It looked something like this:

Truth is:  I didn't have my camera out.  And it was one of those moments where I could possibly risk the insanely loud noise of the velcro as I tore open my camera bag, or I could sit and take mental pictures and enjoy the moment.  So you'll have to settle for a stock photo in place of the mother and her cub that we watched that cool morning.  It was such a neat experience.  And we were the envy of the entire lodge... even if I don't have any pictures to show for it.

Even though we could have turned and gone home and that point, completely content, we pressed on for the lake.  Here are some shots of our drive:


(Village homes- just as rustic as you'd imagine a hut in India to be.)

(Huts where farmers watch their fields at night to be sure animals don't eat their crops.)

(A lady gathering the water for the day from the village well.)

The lake was beautiful.  Quiet. Still. Peaceful. Untouched by humans.  Nothing we are used to seeing in India.



And there were lots of birds to watch.... if that's your thing.

But me... I'm more of a crocodile watcher.  So I was ecstatic when we spotted this monster on the bank.

Evidently he was having a morning nap, and regardless of how close we got, he just laid there motionless.  He was HUGE.  After our boat trip, we came back by this same spot, and he was still sunbathing, with little intentions of moving for a while.

During our trip, Max had to take his mandatory restroom break and as we pulled up to the edge of the bank, a smaller, obviously unnoticed croc made a dash for the water.  We saw his splash, but we missed seeing him.  On our way back by later, he had made his way back on the shore for some sun.  But he didn't stay there long once we approached.  This time I caught his entrance into the water.



You can see from the first picture that he'd already "slid in" once today.

One of my favorite parts of this trip was the unexpected sitings of animals.  Just as we were preparing to leave, we spotted this huge buck just by the water's edge.  We went to see birds and crocodiles, but we came home with stories of bucks and leopards!

But before we could get home, our stomachs were growling.  And what do you know?  Our tour guide whipped out breakfast on the boat.  These people seriously know the way to my heart!

We made one last stop on the way home at a silk-worm house.  Apparently, they put a net around the giant worms to protect them.  Some cocoons are kept and matured, while others are used for their silk.

The day ended with a walk through an Indian village.  Jason and I got in some great Hindi practice, enjoyed some tea with the lady below, and got to see how life is lived outside the city limits.

As we laid down that evening, I couldn't possibly imagine that Day 3 would hold any more fun, but with elephants on the horizon, there was a strong possibility it would be the best day yet!