Follow up...

I am sorry that I have been so poor at posting this year.  I will do my best to get better and I should have some pretty major news in the next few weeks.

However, I wanted to share how Mormor is doing because so many have asked.  She is an amazing woman...it ends up that she fell because of some small strokes (nothing to unusual).  That fall was enough to break her hip.  She had surgery the next day and has not stopped praising God since she was taken to the hospital.  Due to circumstances I will not share on such on open venue...Mormor is convinced that this was God helping her to move to the next stage of her life.  She is at peace and being taken care of in the hospital for a few more days at least.  She is truly amazing me.  I hope I can praise at 80something and my hip gets broken.

So thank you for all of your prayers.  Keep praying for healing and the decisions that still need to be made for the future, but don't forget to praise Jesus...even in the trials.

Blessings,
laurie

Borrowed Post

In one of my readings of a friends blog, I found a breath of fresh air.  Amy Kinnell (you can link to her blog on my roll) posted this link:

Don't Carpe Diem

It is an article in the Huffington Post that comes from a blog.  I highly recommend it for the average mom.  It put words to how I feel so often.

Enjoy,
Laurie

Prayer Needed

Today has been a really hard day and it is only 1:00 in the afternoon.  This morning Andreas' mormor (grandmother) fell and broke her leg.  I know that doesn't seem so bad, but there are huge circumstances behind it all.  Here is what we need prayer for:

1.  Mormor is 88 years old...her leg will not heal easily if at all.  Please pray that it will and she will not be in pain.
2. These two precious people are the matriarch and patriarch of this family.  None of the family would be the people we are today without their love, support and prayers.  Please help us all as we grieve this time and as Mormor, Margareta (mom) and P.G. (mom's brother) prayerfully consider the future.

Blessings,
Laurie

The Kjernald Family 2011 

- a year to remember

This year has been another tumultuous year for our family. It seems as if we just can't stay in one place for very long. As you can see by the picture we are very excited to share with you the "news" of our son David who we adopted in May.

Thanks to Sweden's generous parental- leave guidelines both Andreas and Laurie got to spend the first three months at home together with him and Samuel. We are very happy, stressed out and excited to be parents of our two lively and wonderful boys, but we would be lying if we said that it has been easy. As I write this I realize that it has taken quite a while for David to feel as if he belonged, but I think he is starting to realize that he is here for good. The bountiful Christmas gifts probably helped and we are looking forward to a time when Samuel and David are really good friends. All in due time, though.

Andreas has continued to enjoy pastoring the UMC church where he has been for the past four years although this year has seen some developments that will have a major impact on our future. The UMC in Sweden has merged with two other denominations to create a new denomination, a move that we will not make. Combined with the probable discontinuation of the congregation where we have served...let's just say that 2012 will be yet another year of moving for the Kjernalds. By our count, we are up to 16 moves in almost 15 years of marriage which is both annoying and wonderful (in that order, however!).

Samuel has started first grade and is doing really well. He is already able to read some fairly difficult passages in Swedish OR English and then translate it to the other language. He is also in gymnastics and practices twice a week. We continue to be amazed at him and what he can do. To be honest, there are times when we are also amazed at some of the less-than-stellar things he does, such as toilet-papering the bathroom in his school. A heart of gold, a mind of scattering thoughts struggling to focus and a smile and a laugh that will melt the polar icecaps faster than a Hummer.

David is best described as "happy". Though fiercely stubborn he is always up for a wrestling match and some good old fun and is, seemingly, never far away from pulling a simple prank or teasing us. Full of life, it has been really good to see David transform into a little boy that is

able to enjoy life as a three-year old should. From fearing everything from Kelty (our dog) to grass to sand to lacking a variety of non-starchy foods to you name it...he is now running around playing and walking with bare feet on our gravel driveway (well, a couple of months ago, too cold now).

Laurie has joined a gym. This, however, is not the big news. She continues to take care of our boys while making sure that our home is a home and not a house/apartment. She has also finished her Swedish classes and is now able to speak and understand this most beautiful language of all (hhhmm). She attends a Bible study and continues to make an impact for God with new and old friends, one even starting to attend church again after a long hiatus.

As we look forward to this new year it is clear to us that:

1)we have NO reason not to trust God to take care of us and 

2)we are blessed to call you our friends and co-workers in His kingdom.

May God bless us all and revive us with Himself when times are dark and "rejoice" us with Himself when times are good.

Andreas, Laurie, Samuel and David