Out with a bang

If 2012 doesn't require stitches, I'll like it better than 2011.

We rang in the new year, as has become our tradition, with a Noon Year's Eve party at lunch time. But really, it paled in comparison to the party we had in the ER with Jacob later in the evening.

Maybe he heard us talking at lunch about how he hadn't had any major accidents. Maybe he heard me remark on how shocked I was that we hadn't made a trip to the emergency room with any of our rowdy kids yet. Or maybe his big sister just got a little overzealous with her door slamming.

What I know for certain is that shortly after dinner we found ourselves spending New Year's Eve in the ER at the local children's hospital. 

As far as family emergencies go, Jacob's in the lead now after severing the top third of his pinkie finger almost completely off. It was hanging on by just enough of a thread that the doctor was able to successfully reattach it, and Jacob's expected to make a full recovery. (In the words of the doctor: "It's not quite fully amputated. Kids are like starfish...they just grow new parts where they need 'em. This will heal up just fine.") Jacob did great, and has a whole bunch of stitches and a great big splint to show off in the church nursery.

Thanks to all who are praying for his speedy and total recovery. 

Oh, and Happy New Year.