Getting Back to "Normal"

Juan - not sure what you call this dive.

Spiderman - aka Andrew. He has been wearing this mask to the pool the last couple of days.

Maicol learning to use his skateboard.

We are slowly getting back to "normal". I have been back home for almost a week now and am doing good. Slowly getting back into the flow of things - laundry, schoolwork, rocking, etc. I think the boys believe I am back to stay. Maicol in particular has had a very hard time with my going to the hospital. I don't think we had really convinced him that I would return and everything would be fine. He has spent the last several days being very vigilant - following me around, touching me, asking me what I'm doing, not going anywhere without me - you get the idea. He's driving me crazy!! He has settled down some today tho. Still always near me, but more relaxed I think. Juan and Andrew spent the first couple of days looking at me alot, but now seem to be back to their old selves - stubborn and adorable.

We have been doing alot of swimming. They all love it. We've gotten into the habit of going later in the afternoon so that by the time we are done it's time to eat dinner and start putting people to bed. The sun and swimming seem to wear them out and they go to sleep quickly and easily. I guess it will be back to riding bikes and playing on the trampoline once swimming season is over.

Hard to believe it's been almost a year since they became a part of our family. We got the call about our assignment July 27 - four days from today. I was talking to Maicol about it tonight - what happened, the excitement of getting their pictures, etc. We had talked about it some before, but he was very interested in talking tonight while I rocked him. I hope he was able to understand the excitement we felt and how much we love them.

Here are a few swimming pictures - since that seems to be the primary thing we do lately. I have a few hospital pictures, but I'm not going to embarass myself by posting those. Suffice it to say I have certainly looked better. :)

Karen

Still Here

Just a quick post to let you know that we're still here. I had some surgery this week and after 3 days in the hospital am home to recover for a few weeks. It has been difficult on the boys - especially Maicol. He has had great fear that I would not come back. The other two I am told missed having me around. Jonathan's fiance has helped us tremendously by staying with them so Dan could be with me some. I don't know what we would have done without her. Bethany will be home next week to help some and I really hope to progress rapidly back to my old self. Dan says it may take awhile since I'm "old", so I guess I have to prove him wrong. ! :) Dan has been wonderful trying to let me have a little peace and quiet. Not an easy task in our house!
Hope to get a more exciting post up in the next few days.

Karen

And Life Goes On

Maicol - not too excited about sparklers.

Pajamas are supposed to be flame retardent, aren't they?

Juan Pablo didn't want to stop playing with the sparklers!

Maicol and his birthday skateboard

Showoffs

Anna flying high at Chuck E Cheese's

Andrew getting driving lessons

Maicol earning prize tickets

Juan Pablo tags along

More guns and ammo to add to his armory

A future pinball wizard?

He had a really happy birthday!

Karen's working so I guess Papa is about due to do a little blogging. As the man of the house I should be the one to anounce that Andrew has reached a major stage on the way to manhood. He is now tall enough to pee standing up! We are beginning to notice his pants are getting too short. All the boys are really growing fast.

We made it through the 4th of July. We went to the Noblesville fireworks and were very disappointed. People were beginning to leave long before they were even over. But the boys still enjoyed it. They also had glowsticks to play with.

Maicol's birthday was on the 5th. We did the Chuck E Cheese thing with family and Maicol's friend Anna. The boys have been wanting to go to Chuck E Cheese every time they see a commercial. They all had a blast! Chuck E made an appearance and Juan Pablo followed him around the whole time. Juan's bubble was popped though when he saw Chuck E duck out of the room and reemerge as a short, shy, female employee. Juan then had to proclaim to all that Chuck E Cheese wasn't real!

And life goes on. Bethany's working alot. I've had plenty of work, and Karen is making good progress with the boys and their attitudes. One of the boy's friends who couldn't make it to the party spent part of Sunday with us. They just love to have her over. Oh, and a outgoing little girl just moved in down the street. She came over and Maicol and Juan went riding off with her down the street. I was happy. The boys haven't made many friends in the neighborhood yet.

And life goes on! I'm sure there were alot of other things I had to say, but I can't think of them now. Whoever said little children keep you young must not have had little children! But they do give me a chance to spend more time at the pool.