My hiatus....

from blogging is over! Not that it was a pre-meditated hiatus. We have just been so busy here, and I have felt very overwhelmed with the things I need to do on a daily basis, nevermind having time to blog.

So, a quick update! Things are going VERY well! Helmut's back has healed remarkably well, he is off of all of his pain meds, but now he can't sleep. He hasn't slept (again) for the last 2 nights, and he is EXHAUSTED. Even the sleeping pills his doctor prescribed aren't working. But other than that, there is no residual pain or anything at all from the surgery.

Kelsey has moved in with us full time. We LOVE having her around all the time, it's been great!

Justin just finished out his volleyball season on Monday, and basketball tryouts started yesterday! Talk about no break! He did AMAZINGLY well this year and was named captain of his team. This is Justin's senior year, and he is trying harder than I have ever seen him try. He's involved, he's getting good grades, he's playing sports, working and has a girlfriend...who said high school doesn't teach you time management!!! We are so proud of him...he's doing really well.

Brett is back into hockey full swing. We don't have the opportunity to go to very many of his games, which I know really bothers him, so we're trying to be able to make it to a few more. He's also doing really really well in school this year and is learning to do his homework even when we aren't around. We are also very proud of him! He has also got a speaking part in this years Christmas play at school. We are looking forward to going to that!

Khai is loving preschool. He is doing very very well, and we just love seeing him learn. It's been great. Also, I'm not sure I mentioned, but Khai's adoption went through on September 8th. He is OFFICIALLY Helmut's, and it's great.

Declan is still active as anything! He is always crawling around, and has now started taking a few steps by himself at a time. It's so cute. I can't believe he will be one in a couple weeks. Crazy.

Speaking of Declan being one, our daycare gave away our spots, so I don't know how or if I'm going to be able to go back to work. We are looking for an alternative daycare, but finding one in the next couple weeks could be difficult. We'll see how that turns out!

I have been keeping busy doing everything under the sun it seems. I'm making the majority of our Christmas presents this year, and my goal is to be done them by November 30th. A lofty goal, but one I THINK I can achieve. Even if I still have a few things to do in December, I want to spend most of my time with the kids, enjoying the season.

I've been working on some new projects to do with the kids, and some that just bring me joy. Maybe a little later on, I'll post some of the things I've done!

Have a great Thursday everyone!!

August 28th...

Again...I'm playing catch up!!

Today was Helmut's surgery. We dropped off the kids at Grandma's house and went to the hospital. We were pretty emotional, as I was nervous already, and I think it was starting to hit Helmut, that this really was SURGERY!

We got into an OR prep room right away, got him hooked up to an IV and chatted while we waited for him to go in. They told me he should be up in his room at about 3:30 pm. So, tearfully, I said goodbye, and went to the cafeteria. I sat there attempting to organize things, called Shannon and chatted, hoping to take my mind off of things, and finally I went up to the floor they told me to go to. Sat in the "day room" until 3:30. Wanted to ask where he was, but didn't want to be "one of those wives" whom everyone thinks is a pain in the neck (Emily Gilmore for example), so I waited until 3:45. (I know...such restraint!) So, they said he was out of surgery and should be up soon....10 minutes later, I hear a voice over the intercom paging the doctor who had done the surgery. Yeah. That wasn't a good feeling. All I could think was that there was some complication, that he had been paged to Helmut's side in recovery...I was FREAKED OUT. I just kept praying for him to be okay, and telling myself that we were both in the Lord's hands. So, instead, I parked myself on two VERY uncomfortable chairs outside the room they'd assigned him to, and waited. He came up at 4:45. I was so happy to see him.

More later...I'm TIRED!!

August 25th...

I've got so much to catch up on!!!

Well, in addition to this day being my sister's birthday...Happy Birthday Candace...today my Kelsey got her wisdom teeth taken out!

When we got there, we were under the impression that I would get to stay in the room with her, at least until she was under. They told us I wasn't going to get to go in...and Kelsey started tearing up a bit, so I pushed a little, and they told me I could go in until she was almost out.

So, in we went, they hooked her up to an iv, and made her lie down, and take her glasses off...so she couldn't see anything.

They gave her a little bit of the meds, and she faded into la la land. At first she said (or should I say SLURRED) "The room went gray." And then,"I feel intoxicated!" Both statements I was only able to understand after she repeated them several times!

I told her I loved her, and I left. I sat in the waiting room for over an hour while they removed her wisdom teeth. I finally got to go into the "recovery" area, and this is what I saw...

The poor girl! She was not happy! Though I must add, it was HER idea to take the pictures, I had left my camera at home, so that I wouldn't embarrass her...

She asked to have her teeth, and they were able to dig out her top ones out of the garbage, but her bottom ones were in too many pieces.

She was in quite a bit of pain for several days after the surgery, but things are better now for the most part!

Oh, and on a side note, she doesn't remember saying anything about the room being gray or being intoxicated! But she does remember the anesthetist and her chatting! TOO FUNNY!

Introducing...

Mrs. Nicole Schuster

Yesterday, at 7:00 p.m., Helmut and I, joined only by our immediate families, said "I do".

Do you ever...

get into a funk? Feel like the whole world has swallowed you whole, chewed you up and spit you back out? That's how I feel today. It's 12:16 am and I can't sleep. I keep thinking about things, too many things.

I just really wish I could sleep.

Nostalgic

I was reading a friends blog this morning, and I saw wonderful family pictures of them on vacation out west, and it made me long for last summer! This summer, Helmut's back has been so sore, that we haven't been able to do any of the things we'd planned to do with the kids. No camping, or road trips, or really anything out of the city. While we have gone many places that we've enjoyed, Helmut really hasn't been able to join us; it's been mostly me taking the kids.
It makes me sad because this is the only year I'll be off on mat leave, and all the kids will still be at home.
However, we are counting down the days until his surgery, and then a month later, he and I are off to the Kansas Motor Speedway for a Nascar race!

11 days to go...

Apparently...

I suck at this whole blogging thing! At least I suck at doing it consistently. It has been a VERY busy month and a bit for us! We've been out and about doing so many fun things with the kids.

Here are a few of my favorite pictures...

And those are just a few!

I was given a new Sony Alpha 200 camera for my birthday this month, and I have been taking every picture I possibly can! I love it! Helmut certainly knows how to buy me gifts =)

I also got a wonderful patio set from the kids. I had an awesome birthday.

I started working on my Christmas gifts today. I want to make things for everyone in my family as part of their gift, and I know it will take me forever, so I decided to start today. It's hard to think "Christmas" though, when it's hardly back to school!

Well, I'm really tired...we've been trying to get ahead of the game around here, as Helmut's surgery is now in less than two weeks, so I'm off to wind down, and hopefully get to bed at a half decent time!!

Hope to be back here in LESS than a month!