Christmas in London

What fun it is to have family in Europe!  We spent Christmas week in London with Uncle Andrew, Auntie Angie, Cousin Desmond, and Opa and Oma who flew over from Detroit!  What special memories we made together!

I was horrible at taking photos this year, but here's what I came away with.

(This one is Angie's photo, but it's too cute not to copy here!)

Cousin time!

Watching something together on the ipad

Auntie Angie bonding with Eva

Enamored with the sweet outpouring of gifts from our family

Homemade eggnog and a Christmas story on the Eve

Oh yes, and flying back home to Vienna

All the way from Boston!

Oh my, what a delight to receive a BIG Christmas box from our friends at Hope Fellowship Church in Cambridge, Mass!  Seriously, unpacking and unwrapping all these items was a true highlight of the month for our kids (and for us as well)!  Each item was full of love and sacrifice.  We are so grateful.

Yes, those are Wheat Thins!!!

And three awesome Lego sets!

Sheer excitement over Winnie the Pooh items and, wait for it, an Elsa dress!  (Cue children singing loudly, "Let it Go")

Playing with the new loot

Seriously, folks, we feel so special.
Thank you.

Celebrating St. Nicholas with Grandpa and Grandma

Grandpa and Grandma arrived a few days before the Eve of St. Nicholas, so we took advantage of it and filled stockings that night!

Apparently I didn't take any photos! (What?!)  So I need to plead with my parents to upload theirs for me. :)
Auntie Carrie made this sweet collage of Eva and sent it to us!

Nathanael and Eva each received a film.  Of course, we had to watch Planes 2 as soon as possible.

This is Eva wearing my back brace belt. :)  Just like Mama.

Grandpa and Grandma helped the kids decorate snowmen ornaments.

Of course, we couldn't withhold a stop at a Christmas Market for sausages and desserts.

We always have such special times with Grandpa and Grandma when they visit.  This visit was no exception.  In addition to simply enjoying time together, they were both a huge help to our family as I continued to improve and recover from a herniated disc.  Their time here was a God-send!

Tree Decorating, Christmas Cookies, and Cider

Our family tradition continues.  This year, we added something by beginning with pizza decorating.  (Eva dumped it all on and then stuffed her mouth with cheese!)

Eva was more interested in cookies and cider than tree decorating, but she had fun watching her brother (while stealing bites of his cookies).

Missing Krishana

Having this sister visit Vienna was one of the highlights of the year for me.  How I miss sharing life with her here, but what a blessing it was to have her around for a couple weeks!  My heart was so encouraged and enlivened by the Spirit's work through her.  We miss you, Krishana!

Cooler weather and Lantern Festivals

Eva likes this cooler weather and an excuse to wear her gloves!

Indoor play means more playing with pillows and blankets.

We still make it to the parks when we can.

These are my favorite two pictures from attempting new passport photos for both kids.

And November means St. Martin's Day and Lantern Festivals!

Waiting to see the puppet show about St. Martin, performed by the Kindergarten teachers.

Preparing for the Lantern Festival march around the neighborhood

Time for punch!

All the rest of my photos from the festivals didn't turn out.  It was simply too dark, and Nathanael and his friends were a little wild. :)

So thankful for this birthday girl

My mom has a birthday today.

This is the woman who taught me about sacrificial love, servanthood, patience, and prayer, to name just a few.

In her two and a half weeks with us this month, she and Nathanael read six chapter books!  I'm not sure which one of them loved it more. ;)

She indulged Eva and baked in the kitchen with her regularly!

She bravely assisted Nathanael in painting his wooden car.

And she attended both children's Lantern Festivals for St. Martin's Day, even though the language and culture were unfamiliar.

Thanks for sharing life with us, Mom/Grandma!  We love you and celebrate you today!

The Task of Healing

It's been over a month since my last post.  We've had an unexpected last few weeks, beginning with a Sunday morning trip to the emergency room for me.  We were so grateful for two friends who dropped everything that morning and afternoon and took shifts caring for our kids.  I was experiencing severe pain and was quite nervous about what may be wrong.  It turned out to (just?) be a herniated disc in my lower back, not due to a specific injury but the culmination of genetic (hyper-mobility) and occupational (motherhood) issues.  Apparently, it was inevitable for me.

What has this meant for us?  Until I heal, it means drastic life change.  I can not pick up Eva.  I can't play on the ground with the kids for more than a couple minutes.  Sitting for longer than a few minutes is uncomfortable and means pain later.  Walking more than 10-15 minutes is difficult.  The bending and lifting that goes with normal life tasks (grocery shopping, using the dishwasher, making a bed, etc.) is not advisable.  As you can imagine, Gregory dropped everything for nine days to care for the kids and me until my mother could arrive to help.  The two of them have made an amazing team, and I have been able to rest and recover well thus far.

I admit that I am a bit nervous about how I'll do while my mom is gone for two weeks.  (She and my dad return in early December for a couple weeks here, a trip they'd planned months ago!)  I am sure it will be a humbling and stretching couple weeks; I wonder what the Lord has in store for us.

Enjoying Autumn

Gregory shared his phone pictures with me, and these gems were to be found!  I'm so thankful he remembered to take some Autumn Leaves photos for me!!!

Autumn and Illness

Autumn has come and today seems ready to give in to Winter.  Brrrrr!  In the midst of lots and lots of not-so-fun illness, we've managed a bit of fun.

We collected a huge bag of walnuts at one of our favorite parks.

Sadly, most were not so tasty. :(

Nathanael and I visited his grade school's Open House a week ago.

He was a bit nervous at first, but by the time we were ready to leave, he walked into one of the classrooms and shook the teacher's hand.  I was shocked and celebrated the victory!

Do you see a trend with Nathanael's "picture face"?

A colleague heard about our family's illness and brought over blue jello!  How sweet!  Nathanael LOVED it!

Feeling better (for one week) and off to school in winter gear!

Finally, another "sick" weekend, but at least he's sporting a cool hoody.

Eva is not so sure about all this illness!  What are we going to do, Mom?!