YES WE HAVE NO BANANAS

Sleep has been elusive recently, I wake whether there is an alarm or not, often I am not sure if there is an alarm and get up to check! Sometimes I just seem to wake with a worrying feeling and go and check, on several occasions there has been a minor problem that has been easily solved, one occasion involved the total change of bedding another the Ventolator mask had slipped and adhered itself to Eve's cheek this meant the machine did not recognise it was not inflating her lungs, the SATs monitor had been turned on not activating the alarms which meant her SATs had dropped to worrying numbers and only me sensing something was wrong had led me to finding her!

Other causes for lack of sleep were more centred around David's cold, causing horrendous snuffling and snorting and coughing and choking which doesnt seem to be disturbing him but me and the cats are somewhat weary of it now!

Anyway 4 am this morning I was wide awake, had resettled Eve and climbed into bed seeking sleep....I did not find as much as a wink so decided to catch up in the net instead....not sure if the iPhone is a good or bad thing, I can read email, check out Special Kids, read and write on the wall of facebook or listen to music or my audio book, (side note, Joni Earickson Jackson has read her book The God I Adore and it is available on audible.....fantastic listening to this wonderful Christian women read her own words of her amazing life). I did not want to get out of bed, as the minutes ticked by I was less and less inclined to get up....even the need for a drink could not prise me away and by 7 o'clock I was praying that Rosie would stay quietly playing for longer....eventually at 7.25 I had to get up, Joshua had already gone down and I was by now desperate for the Loo...

Rosie was no longer happy and was actually crying when I let her out, guilt at leaving her so long. I made myself a drink and sat in the lounge for a moment before Rosie came and dragged me back to the kitchen, I could not work out what she wanted so started to sort her medicines, adding in some pain relief in case she too had the horrendous headache David had suffered since Thursday. Sorted her milk and syringe and feeding gear and came back to the lounge. By the time I had given her medicine and feed and given a cuddle she was still not happy. Washed and dressed her and she was crying those big silent tears that tear at my heart strings, she will not be comforted with a hug and just keeps fighting. Eventually she persuaded me to put her back to bed where she settled conveniently allowing me to sort Eve's medicine. Finishing my tea and heading upstairs I passed Christina who kindly offered to keep an eye on Rosie whilst feeding the cats and getting her own breakfast. She too compained of a headache.

AS I stood in Eve's room contemplating her wardrobe I wondered if I could just not bother with Church this morning. I was/am SO Tired, I just struggle to find the energy to put one foot in front of the other. David had only just managed to struggle out of bed and still looked decidedly grey. No way was he going to cope with Church. A Parade Service, Girls and Boys Brigade, Band Playing and lots of extra children and families. It was also Harvest. Then it dawned on me, I had to go as Christina was leading the prayers for Girls Brigade and Joshua was wanting to take the opportunity of a family service to thank everyone for the sponsorship they gave to his Equipment. So reaching for a pretty dress I washed and changed Eve, struggling with the dress I realised it was not going to go round. Pulled it off and found another, pretty white dress with green Polka Dots, the one Christina had worn to Joshua's baptism....at least it went round her even if it is a little long!

Downstairs and start to sort feed and hairs and gather all we need, a box for the harvest and nappies wipes, fresh oxygen for Eve.....eventually we are ready in plenty of time today! Jonathan was not really ready and I didnt really want the effort of ensuring he was OK whilst trying to keep an eye on Rosie who may be brewing something wrong. So we headed to the bus and then off to collect Jo, Chrisitna's friend.

Arriving at Church it was already quite busy. Girls brigade gathering in the back hall and many people milling around in Church. I lost sight of Rosie whilst negotiating the ramp with Eve. parked Eve in her place at the front of Church and went in search. Of course she was just collecting her pile of hymn books from the back. I stopped to speak with several people and then saw Rosie make a beeline for the Harvest Display at the front of the Church....she was looking through the fruit boxes...I laughed with Nic that at least there were no banana's, last year Rosie had grabbed a whole bunch of banana's off the harvest table!

Hmm spoke too soon a little way along the stage there was indeed a bunch of bananas but Rosie had not yet seen them.

So as everyone started to take their seats Rosie did was Rosie did best. Wandered round handing out her Hymn books and organising people into their seats. Greeting visitors and old friends with equal delight! Soon the band struck up and Rosie realised too late the Colours were being trouped in and just missed her opportunity to throw herself across the Aisle in front of them! So she marched up behind with the other supporters and stood whilst Nic opened the Service in prayer!

It must have been whilst she was stood there she grabbed the bunch of bananas. Soon she was busy sharing them out between the rows of congregation..Each on she took to a different place in the crowd, pointedly suggesting they open it for her, each refused, and she stomped back to get another to take to another row, a different face. She came to the back an doffered to Sue, inistant with hands on hips but still the answer was no! She even decided her friend Sarah, up on the stage playing keyboard in the band would be her only chance and so she stood offering her banana to Sarah, pleadingly...

After the second Hymn Nic was explaining about the Harvest Supper the following evening. A simple supper followed by an auction to sell of the harvest offerings, the proceeds of both would be sent to Operation Agri. The lady I was sat with giggled as she whispered to me.....but there will be absolutely NO Bananas!