When Being An Expat Is Really Hard....

I have had a bad blogging month, but I will try again anyway. Tonight has been a really hard night for my expat friends. I have one friend, from the States, who just found out that her mom has cancer and maybe a year to live. Then I have another friend, from England, who just found out that her biological mom died on April 11th and the funeral is tomorrow, in England, of course. These are the times that it is so difficult to be an expat. There is just no "popping" home to be with your grieving family. Sometimes, no closure for ourselves. In both these cases these ladies could use your prayers. Please lift them up to Jesus, even without knowing their names.

These nights make me think about my own life also. At any moment we could get one of those phone calls. How do we deal with it? How does anyone deal with it really? One little phone call to change your whole life. All this to say, if you need to call your family to tell them that you love them, do it! If you need to forgive someone, do it now, you may not have tomorrow. Lastly, if you need to tell someone about Jesus, just do it before it is too late for all involved. Jesus, please help the grief and sadness of all that suffer.

So to all my family and friends, I will tell you now that I miss you dearly, love you greatly, and lift you to Jesus.

On a slightly lighter note.... Samuel was invited to a birthday party the other day and I have some pictures below of that party. Sam had a lot of fun, but was bummed because I wouldn't let him go upstairs to raid the little boys room while all the others played downstairs. I didn't realize it until I was looking at these pics, but Sam was the only other boy at the party besides Ian (birthday boy). Actually this was one of those parties that the parents were just suppose to drop the kids off and leave, but it was a long drive for me and the mom is a good friend of mine, so I stayed. Apparently, Ian (birthday boy) told his mom the next day that he was mad that so many parents stayed and that they needed to leave next year. I thought that was pretty funny for a 4 year old to say. So, Ian, I am sorry, next time I'll find something else to do.

They played spin the bottle to see which order the gifts would be opened, very cute idea. In the picture is Dag (birthday boys' dad) and Kristeen (birthday boys' mom). Ian is to the left side of his mom and Sam is next to him.

This is a great idea for all you moms. Instead of doing party favors that no one really likes, do this. It was great fun to plant with Sam and he is looking forward to seeing it grow.

Cupcake time

Kristeen is a pre-school teacher and it shows. She does so well with all these kids. I love watching her do silly little things that make it so fun for the kids.

This is Sam playing with Elle. Look at that cheesy grin on his little face. He is getting too use to mommy taking pictures of him.

Quick adoption update:

Frustration, frustration, frustration! I am sure all of you adoptive parents understand what I am talking about. Just little things really and translations. However, hopefully all the paperwork will be out of my hands and headed for Nepal sometime at the end of the week. And then the update will be...waiting, waiting, waiting! I pray for all of you that are waiting! Take heart and know that the moment they hand you your precious child all of this will disappear!

God Bless,

Laurie

The First Half of April....

Okay, where do I start. These past two weeks have flown by for me. At the beginning of April Andreas was and had been working...well, constantly. He hadn't had much family time at all. So he decided to take a long weekend starting half Thursday, April 4th thru Monday, April 8th. He took a few vacation days and we went to the house in the woods for that time. It was wonderful. Sam had been asking for pappa constantly (which means he needs some time with Eas) and he got it. Sam was so excited to have Andreas's full attention, it was really sweet to see pappa and son have so much fun together. We played, stayed in the warm sun (which we were very thankful for), built a tree house, and even swam. Yes, you read that right. There are no pictures on the blog of that actually happening, but it did. There was even ice still on the edge of the lake and I got in before Eas. He only got in because he couldn't be shown up by his American wife. It has happen folks, I am officially a viking (or an ice cube, not sure which).

Andreas and I opened Sam's sand box for the summer and Sam spent a lot of time playing and digging up cars he had buried last summer! His expression was so funny when he would find something. One or two times he asked me if it was his. He doesn't even remember everything he buried in there. We may actually find the lost ark soon.


Sam trying out the new tree house platform.

Look mom, it even has a latter. I am sure he will spend many days in this house being a pirate or playing ''hide and secret'' as he calls it.

Then of course we had Easter. We had a Maunday Thursday Service (otherwise known as Monday Thursday to Sam), a Good Friday Service, a Holy Saturday bonfire and a Sunday morning service. It was a wonderful season of remembering the Savior and worshipping him for who he is as well as what he did for our salvation.

This is the family after the Easter morning service. Sam and I decided to go Nepali for Easter. He looks so adorable.

That is my adorable Nepali!

Easter afternoon, Farmor and Farfar picked Sam up and took him to the ocean house. So Eas and I have had sometime alone. The first two days we were out at the house in the woods. We decided to plant some flowers and remove three tree stumps without any power tools, it was hard, but really kind of fun once you could see all the progress that we made. Then we have been back to work, me cleaning the house and working on adoption pictures, Eas back to all three jobs he has. We even had a date tonight!!! Life is good, but we really miss our boy! I will pick him up tomorrow morning and am looking forward to seeing him and spending time with him. However, I know he has had the time of his life with his grandparents, everytime we talk with him he has some new toy....SPOILED ROTTEN! Tis the right of the grandparents, someday I hope to do it with my grandkids also.

Quick update on our adoption. We should receive the translated homestudy tomorrow in the mail (it should have happened today, but did not... drat!!) Then all of the paperwork and pictures will go to Stockholm tomorrow and they will check everything and do what needs to be done with it. Hopefully the agency will take all the paperwork with them when they go to Nepal on April 26th. They will turn it in and we on to the next stage of adoption.... WAITING. Maybe that is the only stage of adoption, hard to say. We appreciate everyones prayers.

Hope all is well with all of you, drop us a line and let us know.

Blessings,

Laurie

Sorry for the Silence

Sorry it has been since the last day of March since I have posted. This one falls under, it's been Easter and we are a pastor's family. We had a great Easter and had wonderful services. Andreas and I have had a few days to ourselves. Samuel is with Farmor and Farfar at the ocean house. I will have time tomorrow and will put some pics up and update everyone on what is going on with the adoption.

Pray that Easter was a wonderful time of celebration and rededication if needed. You are all loved and missed.

Blessings,
laurie