Our Routine and Update

I have so many wonderful things to write about. Especially Jakob's baptism. I have some great photos of our August fun too. But my time at the computer has to be broken up into short times because my eyes can't tolerate the strain for very long before a tremendous headache kicks in. In fact, I might ask Leif to write about Jakob's birthday weekend and his baptism and I'll then add my two-cents... Good idea!:)

Anyway, we're back into a good school week routine. I am blessed right now to have the two oldest boys in school full-day. This means that I wake up in the morning whenever my sweet Caleb decides it's time to wake up. He's always the first person awake in the house. He usually wakes up sometime within the 6:00 hour. The last couple of days he's snuck into bed with me in the middle of the night and I barely even know he's there until morning. Sweet times!

I work to get myself and the boys awake and out the door to the car by 7:30. Some days we're cheerful, other days I wonder how we're going to make it through. I drop Jakob off first and am so grateful for the breakfast program at school! I then take Caleb (and JJ) to Headstart. So far Caleb has only needed me to stay through breakfast once. Otherwise we stick around and play and visit for a bit and the JJ and I head home or to run errands.

By 10:00 in the morning, JJ and I are ready for our nap. I am blessed to have JJ who enjoys his sleep as much as I need mine. So he sleeps for hours and I sleep and rest as long as he does. Some days we don't get back up and going until 2:00. An incredible blessing!

We get out the door to pick up the boys at 2:50. Our best routine is to pick up Jakob and take hom in to the library that is next door to the Head Start. He works on his homework while I go pick up Caleb. We play at the playground for a bit and then go to the library. The little boys play and read until we're ready to go and then we head home.

Since homework's done the boys are free to play and I'm able to rest until it's dinner time. Dinner's at 5:00 and we Skype Papa at 6:00. Papa reads to Jakob (Fable Haven) and plays online Connect 4 with Caleb until 6:45. Scriptures and prayer with Papa and then in bed by 7:00. I didn't mention that from 6:00 on is one of our hardest hours of the day. By then my head usually feels like it will explode from the pain that I can't get rid of. So it's really hard to handle the normal rough housing the boys are constantly doing unless they're watching a movie.

So, generally speaking, that is our story. Jakob and Caleb are enjoying school. They've both had their good and bad days. But I'm thrilled that they enjoys school and their teachers and JJ and I enjoy our special time together:)

When it comes to my health update: We are working on setting up appointments with several specialist at the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix. From there we hope to have a direction and some hope for relief. Before we can do anyting we need to have a clear idea of what we're dealing with. Are the tumors an indication of something bigger? Or are they the main problem? Once we know that we will decide on medications or surgeries as necessary. So, that's the upcoming journey. Until then, I sleep a lot and usually have some type of pain that adds to the fatigue. But thank heavens I am able to rest!

Leif is doing very well in school!! We miss not being together, especially me. But he is busy and that helps him a lot. He will start working in the hospitals soon and that will open up a whole new world for him. I'm really proud of him!!  I often wish that we lived in Flagstaff together for my sake. But the kids are in a good place here. I know it is right for now. We will just take things as they come. Once I start seeing the doctors we will see what the plan is. But for now, I am so very grateful for all of the blessings that we have been given!