End of March...Start of Spring

This post will mainly be pics because those have been lacking for a while.  I just downloaded my card with 600 photos on it.  They went all the way back to before Christmas.  Guess life has been busy. 

I will say that in the past month or so we have really seen David blossom.  He is definitely feeling more comfortable here and learning the boundaries.  It is not all rosy, but he is doing really well.  I love that he really wants to pray with us, he loves to read books with us and in general horse around.  I have seen him get a lot closer with Andreas since I have been incapacitated for a little while and he is generally a joy.  

I have also noticed that my two wonderful boys are now truly brothers, PRAISE JESUS!!!! I am not sure when it changed from butting heads to brotherhood, but it is wonderful to see.  I will try to do a whole post on that soon.  We are about to come to our 1 year mark of being home and next month will be celebrating David's fourth birthday (first one at home).  

In other news my mother arrives here tomorrow.  It will be her first visit here and her first time to meet David.  We are really excited to have her (well David has no idea, but the rest of us are excited for him).  

Enjoy the pics,

Laurie

He is such a character.

I am amazed I actually caught him looking at me, it is not so easy.  He thinks it is fun to look away when I am trying to take a pic.  

Brothers, doing what boys do well.... playing in dirt and rocks.  I love the sherpa hat that David is sporting.

Don't these parents teach their kids not to open their mouths with food inside....sheeesh.  

Typical!

Blurry signs of spring...snowdrop flowers.

Actual greenage...it is pretty amazing to have this so early this year.  

David looks a little distressed, but he must do what his brother does....so arms up!  They had torn up their beds behind them and made a fort.  YEAH...they are playing together!

This is so typical David he is such a jokester. Is think this one is going to pull the pranks in the house.

Why is it that I cannot get a normal pic of my 7 year old?

Such a cool cat!

Do you think we wore them out or something...classic!

Another goofy face!

These two are such a blessing...what amazing gifts from God.  

Birthday Surprise

I promise that I will get pictures back on my blog soon.  But for now I would like to tell you about my Birthday surprise.

On March 14th, I turned......okay.....38.  My husband had some well thought out plans for me and was really excited to reveal my gift to me.  So let's go back one day.  March 13th around lunchtime.  I had one of my favorite lunches which was pears and a type of mildew cheese.  It was a new type for me and I wasn't sure I was suppose to eat the rhine, but it was good so I did.  I thought as I was eating it that...I might have to pay for this later.

So let's skip ahead to March 13th at 3:00 or so.  I took Samuel to a friends house for a play date.  It is a good friend of mine so I was excited to get to sit and talk with her for a while.  I realized my stomach wasn't feeling so good.  Lots of cramping in the top of my stomach.  We had to end our time a little early and went home.  I called Andreas and asked him to bring me a coke because my stomach really hurt.  He hurried home and said maybe we should take you to the hospital.  No, no, no.....I was pretty sure I was paying for that cheese earlier.  We called the nurse hotline and asked and they said see how it goes for a little while and if it doesn't go away then come in.

So I waited (still thinking it was the cheese) the cramps were at the bottom of my stomach at this point, but I had spend many miserable hours in bed that night.  Around 1:30 I woke Andreas up and said, I need to go to the hospital.  The pain has settled over my right ovary for some time by then.  Andreas called his parents (who where absolutely wonderful).  The drove 30 minutes at 1:30 am to be with the boys as Andreas took me to the ER.

Alingsas ER is actually about 1 minute by car down the road from us.  However, at 2:00 am it is closed! Yes, you read that right!  We did get into the waiting room, which apparently we were not suppose to be able to do (I really think the Lord did that for me because I was at the end of my pain rope).  Andreas got on the phone with the nurse hotline and they got nurses and a doctor down to us.  They checked me, put on IV in me, told me you might have an appendicitis or a kidney stone, put me in an ambulance and drove me 40 minutes to the bigger hospital in a city nearby.

So there it is folks, my birthday surprise was an appendicitis!  Happy. Birthday. to. me! I was operated on the night of my birthday after a million tests to confirm what it was.  They tried to do laproscopic surgery, but it didn't work as far as being able to do it safely.  So I have lapro scars and a rather large incision.  I came home on the 16th and feel very sore right now.

I am thankful for doctors that are thorough and a medical system that is free!  I know the Lord was with me and protecting me through it all, sending wonderful people to take care of me.  My husband has been absolutely amazing...reaffirming how amazing I have always thought he was.  My kids have been sweet and trying so hard to be with me, but not be on me.  My friends have been encouraging and helpful and I am a very blessed woman.

Thank you Jesus, even in the hard times, that you send caring people and you place your arms around us.

Laurie

Slow Brain

I can't believe it is the middle of March and I haven't posted since Feb.  All I can say is...exhaustion.  But, I have a little story that happened this weekend with Sam.

We were all sitting at the table playing with cards and cars and drinking tea.  Andreas and Sam were going back and forth teasing each other.  Sam got it into his head to put Andreas in his place a little.  However, Sam messed it up and...well I will let the dialog tell the story.

S: Daddy, you have a medium fast brain.
A: Oh really.
S:  Yeah and mommy has a slow brain...

At this point Andreas died laughing (and so did I), but of course I had to act a little offended.

Me:  Hey, wait a minute, are you saying I'm dumb?
S:  No, no, no that is not what I mean!  I mean that daddy thinks too fast, but you take your time and think things through!  (Andreas is still laughing hysterically).  Daddy, stop laughing, Mommy is smarter than you!

Although it did take Andreas and I a while to stop laughing, Andreas knew that Sam was trying to say that I was smarter just to get his Daddy.  But now, I have heard several times from Andreas that my brain is slower and then he goes into a good belly laugh.  So there you have it folks, right from my sons mouth (and he's not even a teenager yet), moms dumb!

Laughing,
Laurie