Merry Christmas!

We've had a fun Christmas Eve. We decided to open presents tonight so the boys could go hunting in the morning. Everyone had so much fun.

The kids love to wrap odd things up from their rooms or around the house. Or they make things to give to each other. It's great. Tonight I got a pencil holder & a house made out of pencils. They wrapped them all up themselves and are so proud of them.

After the presents we played Parker's new Uno Attack game with many fun squeals of delight as it would shoot out cards at other players.

Kamrie broke two bones in her foot last night playing tug-of-war (more & more details are coming out with exactly how this happened. something about chloe being on the top bunk trying to pull kamrie up with a blanket & chloe let go. kam fell backward, landing on top of her foot.) with Chloe, so she's been limping around a bit today.

She's not casted but will wear a post-op shoe for several weeks until it is healed. Of course, being way out here in Imperial means there isn't a small enough shoe for her to wear. Thankfully we have connections to an orthopedic clinic in Kearney (thanks Mom). So, she'll be in it tomorrow after we get there.

She is feeling pretty good, just taking tylenol & ibuprofen. I'm thankful she's not in a lot of pain.

This year has been full of blessings. I pray God has blessed your family as he has ours. May tomorrow & the whole Christmas season be filled with the wonder of the gift of redemption from Jesus Christ.

Mexico Video

Jared put together this awesome video about our Mexico trip. Thanks so much Jared!

There are about 500 other pictures (at least) that I may post a few at a time...

Christmas Break 09

Tomorrow it begins.

Children home for a full 2 weeks of vacation. Throw in a couple of family celebrations, doctor appointments & it'll be a full 2 weeks.

We're looking forward to spending time with the Bond family right after Christmas-at the Holiday Inn waterslides! Then for New Year's we'll be with the Dillan family. The boys are looking forward to hunting with their cousins & sledding (if there is still snow?).

My foot is healing. It is still very black & blue. I can only see my toes since Dr. Raska changes the bandages. It was in my post-op reading material about 7 times "DO NOT CHANGE THE BANDAGE. IF YOUR BANDAGE COMES OFF OR GETS WET CALL OUR OFFICE OR COME TO OUR OFFICE IMMEDIATELY."

It was actually kind of disgusting when I saw it last week for the first time in his office. My entire foot was discolored, top & bottom. But it is feeling better every day. I'm looking forward to regular exercise again. And so are my jeans, since they have been feeling extra-stretched lately.

We've enjoyed the kids' programs the last couple of weeks. They had fun singing & putting on plays. It was especially nice to see the elementary students getting to do a lot of actions & instruments during their performances. You could tell they were all having a good time. And each day they would come home from school excited about something from music class.

I'm planning to spend a bit of time going through all the photos from Mexico soon, also. Between the 12 of us we took about 500 pictures (at least) so I need to filter through them a little.

I'm going to start paperwork on getting Hunter's passport because next time I go to Mexico I hope to take him with. It is an experience every person should have. The opportunity to do some good for others but even more, be educated on our role in world missions.

Will there be a Christmas letter this year? Hmmm. I don't think so. At least not before Christmas.

darvocet

when i took a darvocet friday after coming home from the dr. i didn't think they made me sleepy. but last night & today they've been knocking me out. it was kind of nice. i took one before bible study last night & the group kept making comments about darvocet & how i was out of it.

today though, i've switched to tylenol. i think now that i've laid in bed ALL day & slept off & on through movies, i've slept all of my medicine off.

i'm feeling great. no pain at all in my foot. i'm hoping to see the dr. tomorrow in oglalalla for my 1st post-op visit. then maybe i can ditch the crutches.

it's sounding like a bit of snow may keep us from venturing too far from home, though, huh?

cordless drill

we have this black & decker scrub buster thing to clean showers & stuff. but it just isn't all that powerful.

but the dewalt cordless drill is. just pop the scrubber onto the drill instead of the one it came with.

i'm telling you it works magic on yucky showers.

don't tell brad. :)

Quarantined

Cooper is quarantined at home with H1N1. And you sure wouldn't know he's even remotely sick. He was playing like normal today, just a cough here & there. I'm sure it has a bit to do with the Pediapred.

Yesterday his respiratory count was 60 per minute & was retracting, so we headed to the E.R. His lungs showed a little fluid. But he responded quickly to a breathing treatment while we were there.

Our counter looks like a drug store right now with all of Kamrie's medicines for allergies & breathing, Cooper's 3 he's on right now & vitamins (hey, I'm trying to keep us well).

I can understand why the flu spreads so fast. Really if we hadn't known that Cooper had been exposed to H1N1 recently, we probably would have given him breathing treatments & maybe wouldn't have even had him tested.

He's pretty hard to convince that he's sick as he's outside riding his bike. I'm glad he's feeling so well, but wonder when he won't be contagious.

Morton's Neuroma 101

Here's what I have:

So, Dr. Raska is going to take it out. Watch out for me on crutches after December 4.

We're Home!

We're back from Mexico & had a great experience. Most things were not necessarily fun but we did enjoy our time there. If that makes any sense. I can't even start to put the trip into words just yet (other than the blogs I've posted on the other site). My mind is full right now of things I learned & things I need to change. My heart has been softened toward people who haven't had the opportunity to hear about God's plan for their life.

Check the other blog!

I'm refraining from being on facebook or on this blog this week, but please check the other blog on www.mexicocaravanministries.com for what we're doing each day.

We miss you Hunter, Parker, Kamrie, Chloe & Cooper. Did you get your deer Hunter? :) Thank you Pete & Paulette for caring for the kids!

Mexico Blog

We'll be blogging about our time at Mexico Caravan Ministries if you're interested in reading about our time there.

I'm going to start packing myself & the kids today. Tomorrow & Friday I'll be gone, so I've got to get a lot done today.

Thank you for your prayers as we've been preparing to leave. We're waiting in expectation for how God will work IN us & THROUGH us while we're there.

"In the morning, O Lord, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation." Psalm 5:3

My memory verse for Mexico. I've been praying for God to work & will wait expectantly for answers. I love it that He hears us & answers us.